While electronic communication has reduced the overall size of the market for postal stamps, demand is growing for special editions for philatelic interests. Requirements are also growing for embedded security features which authenticate high-value stamps.

UPM Raflatac offers considerable resources in materials expertise and product innovation, in addition to security solutions to safeguard postal operators’ revenues. All our label faces, in rolls and sheets, are available both gummed and self-adhesive. We’re also able to develop truly unique products – such as the world’s first flavoured, gummed adhesive postage stamp.

Gummed

This non-self-adhesive, water-activated synthetic gum is designed for moistenable paper coating applications, for example to adhere a postage stamp to letters and other mailed items. This is the traditional ‘lick-and-stick’ stamp adhesive.

Permanent Stamp

More and more countries are moving to permanent stamp adhesives to help prevent stamp re-use. Perm Stamp meets this need when removability by water soaking is not required. Perm Stamp is designed for sheet and booklet conversion, with bleed-resistant properties to avoid sticky edges.

Permanent Stamp Soak-Off

Stamp collectors have traditionally removed gummed stamps from envelopes by soaking, but not all self-adhesive stamps make this easy. If the stamp has to be soaked too long, the paper becomes fragile, and the stamp is easily torn. Permanent Stamp Soak-off is permanent as the name suggests, but removes easily by soaking in water. It leaves stamps intact and free from residue, protecting the value of the stamp for years to come for philatelists, and driving continued enthusiasm for the stamps business. Perm Stamp Soak-Off is designed for sheet and booklet conversion, with bleed-resistant properties to avoid sticky edges.

Safety, information, traceability, and the prevention of stock losses – the label transforms industrial chemicals stored in Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), steel and HDPE drums and many other container types into usable goods.

Adhesive selection needs to take into account the surface energy of polar surfaces like metals, paints and lacquers, and more challenging non-polar surfaces such as HDPE plastic. Other parameters include the smoothness or roughness of the labelled surface, the condition of the surface at the time of label application, and possible requirements for momentary repositionability.

After labelling, the adhesive needs to tolerate the conditions in which containers are stored and transported as well as any contact with the container contents. UPM Raflatac draws on decades of technical expertise to formulate adhesives for these highly demanding applications, for the lifetime of the labelled goods.

Tyre labelling presents a real challenge for pressure sensitive adhesives. The roughness of the substrate and the uneven tyre profile severely limit the contact area between the tyre and label. The adhesive must also withstand migration from chemical components of the rubber as well as the wax or silicone-based chemicals often used as mould-release agents during the tyre manufacturing process. Very aggressive immediate adhesion is required.

Tyres are normally labelled in room temperature by hand or increasingly by automatic dispensing. Subsequent storage conditions can vary from room temperature to warmer or colder conditions in warehouses or outdoors. Accordingly, the adhesive must also maintain its properties in low and high temperatures.

ADHESIVES

RHT

The heavy duty RHT adhesive proves its performance every day on the production lines of nearly every tyre manufacturer. This high-tack, high coat-weight adhesive assures excellent performance to minimise re-labelling due to lost labels and assure reliable tracing and identification.

RH40

RH40 is supplied with cost-efficient label stock alternatives for labelling relatively smooth and even surfaces on particular car and motorcycle tyres.

RD50

RD50 is specially developed for tyre manufacturers’ internal logistics. Labels are dispensed onto the side of the rubber tyre before the vulcanisation process which bonds the tyre components and produces the tread.