On June 25 (yesterday), adhesives expert Pierce Covert recommended that packaging engineers stick with conventional hot-melt systems that work instead of being lured by the newer tankless hot-melt systems that, in Covert’s opinion, are a “fun flash in the pan.”

Not surprisingly, tankless hot-melt system manufacturer Graco has a different opinion and sent a letter to the editor earlier today.

Here it is:

Tank-free hot melt technology—The wave of the future

We can assume that horse and buggy manufacturers at the turn of the 19th Century authored articles claiming that the automobile was a fad. The reality is that hot melt technology—via a tank-free system—has advanced the industry by a generation, and manufacturers world-wide are not only noticing, they are purchasing these next-generation hot melt systems. 

Graco is clearly setting the pace with innovation in the hot melt adhesive equipment industry.  Introduced in October 2012, the InvisiPac was followed by releases of other tank-free products from both Nordson and Valco Melton.  Out of all of these, only Graco was awarded the Gold Visionary Award in 2013—an award presented by UBM Canon, and sponsored by Packaging Digest and judged by a panel of third-party colleagues with expertise in packaging. The award was accompanied by an accolade that InvisiPac “sets a new standard in the packaging industry.”

It is simply a fact that disruptive technology—and there is no doubt that the Graco InvisiPac is a wildly disruptive technology—makes traditionalists nervous. But at the end of the day, Graco isn't interested in the traditionalists.  We are devoted to designing innovative solutions that solve complex problems.  The success of InvisiPac speaks for itself—and horse and buggy makers the world over will need to acknowledge that the world has changed. 

In this case, that change is for the better—tackling the problems the industry has been struggling with for the past 40 plus years: char, nozzle plugging, production downtime. We could go on about the benefits of tank-free technology, but why not discover them for yourself?  Head over to www.InvisiPac.com to learn more, or send us an email at [email protected]. We’re so confident in the performance of our technology, we’d be happy to install a system in your facility for a free, no obligation trial. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, we’ll take it back.  

Happy Packaging!

Nick Long, Global Product Marketing Manager, Graco Inc.