Henkel's Sustainable Manufacturing: Innovations in Waste and Energy Reduction
From adhesives and laundry detergents to soaps and hair care products, Henkel’s offerings are recognized for their high performance. Today, these products are also being made in ways that are more environmentally responsible, thanks to dedicated efforts by employees at Henkel facilities across North America.
“Our manufacturing operations play a vital role in Henkel’s ambition to become climate positive by 2040,” said Bjoern Jackisch, Vice President of Operations & Supply Chain for Henkel Adhesive Technologies in the Americas. “Our teams are committed to finding innovative ways to use natural resources wisely. Employees want to be part of a company that lives its values around sustainability—and they’re instrumental in driving that vision forward.”
In honor of World Environment Day on June 5, here are several sustainability success stories from Henkel’s manufacturing teams:
Greenville, South Carolina
The adhesives facility in Greenville is part of Henkel’s NoWa (No Waste) campaign and has cut back 30,000 gallons of water and 56 tons of waste each year. These results came from team-led brainstorming and “waste walk” activities that led to new processes—such as reusing water during kettle cleaning between production batches and during packaging purges. The site is also upgrading to LED lighting and using sensors to better track and reduce energy use.
Salisbury, North Carolina
By reevaluating how water is used in manufacturing, the Salisbury plant introduced improvements like reusing caustic waste from cleaning procedures. Additional steps include eliminating unnecessary flushes for compatible materials, adopting larger mixers to cut down on product changeovers, and streamlining cleaning protocols.
Mentor, Ohio
Mentor’s adhesives facility became the first Henkel site in North America to achieve full carbon neutrality by purchasing Renewable Gas Certificates (RGCs), which offset emissions from natural gas usage. The team continues to focus on enhancing energy efficiency and implementing projects to shrink its carbon footprint.
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Creative thinking led to a 33% reduction in solid waste at the Bowling Green consumer brands site. The plant used to pay for cardboard recycling—but now, its cardboard supplier buys back the scrap to make new boxes, which are then sent back to the facility, closing the loop and cutting costs.
Bay Point, California
The Bay Point plant, which makes aerospace adhesives, upgraded its infrastructure by replacing outdated steam injection water heaters with closed-loop systems that recycle water, significantly reducing waste. Outside the building, the team replaced traditional landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and drip irrigation, saving over 450,000 gallons of water annually and lowering maintenance expenses.
These achievements highlight the commitment and creativity of Henkel’s manufacturing teams, who continue to push boundaries in environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
“Our manufacturing operations play a vital role in Henkel’s ambition to become climate positive by 2040,” said Bjoern Jackisch, Vice President of Operations & Supply Chain for Henkel Adhesive Technologies in the Americas. “Our teams are committed to finding innovative ways to use natural resources wisely. Employees want to be part of a company that lives its values around sustainability—and they’re instrumental in driving that vision forward.”
In honor of World Environment Day on June 5, here are several sustainability success stories from Henkel’s manufacturing teams:
Greenville, South Carolina
The adhesives facility in Greenville is part of Henkel’s NoWa (No Waste) campaign and has cut back 30,000 gallons of water and 56 tons of waste each year. These results came from team-led brainstorming and “waste walk” activities that led to new processes—such as reusing water during kettle cleaning between production batches and during packaging purges. The site is also upgrading to LED lighting and using sensors to better track and reduce energy use.
Salisbury, North Carolina
By reevaluating how water is used in manufacturing, the Salisbury plant introduced improvements like reusing caustic waste from cleaning procedures. Additional steps include eliminating unnecessary flushes for compatible materials, adopting larger mixers to cut down on product changeovers, and streamlining cleaning protocols.
Mentor, Ohio
Mentor’s adhesives facility became the first Henkel site in North America to achieve full carbon neutrality by purchasing Renewable Gas Certificates (RGCs), which offset emissions from natural gas usage. The team continues to focus on enhancing energy efficiency and implementing projects to shrink its carbon footprint.
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Creative thinking led to a 33% reduction in solid waste at the Bowling Green consumer brands site. The plant used to pay for cardboard recycling—but now, its cardboard supplier buys back the scrap to make new boxes, which are then sent back to the facility, closing the loop and cutting costs.
Bay Point, California
The Bay Point plant, which makes aerospace adhesives, upgraded its infrastructure by replacing outdated steam injection water heaters with closed-loop systems that recycle water, significantly reducing waste. Outside the building, the team replaced traditional landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and drip irrigation, saving over 450,000 gallons of water annually and lowering maintenance expenses.
These achievements highlight the commitment and creativity of Henkel’s manufacturing teams, who continue to push boundaries in environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
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