Henkel has inaugurated a new Packaging RecycLab in China, expanding its global network of research and development facilities focused on improving recyclability in packaging design. The lab, located within Henkel’s Shanghai Innovation Center, aims to accelerate the development of adhesive solutions that support a circular economy in the Asia-Pacific region.
The facility will allow Henkel to test and validate the recyclability of packaging materials under local conditions, providing customers and partners with evidence-based guidance on how adhesives interact with substrates in mechanical recycling processes. It also reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market, where sustainability and local innovation have become core components of national industrial policy.
According to Henkel, the new RecycLab serves as a platform for cross-industry collaboration, where packaging manufacturers, recyclers, and brand owners can jointly test packaging structures and evaluate material compatibility with existing recycling streams. The goal is to foster more circular packaging designs that reduce waste and resource use.
Dr Alejandro Schoenhoff, Head of Packaging, Asia-Pacific, at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, described the opening as “a key strategic step in leading the transformation of packaging by helping customers optimize their material selection and packaging structures through systematic technical services.” He added that “the RecycLab will strengthen Henkel’s role as a solution enabler for sustainable packaging in the Asia-Pacific region.”
The company said that the Shanghai laboratory complements existing Henkel testing facilities in Europe and North America, providing localized expertise for China’s rapidly evolving packaging market. By offering a regional center of excellence for recyclability testing, Henkel expects to help customers adapt packaging designs to local collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructures.
Yanjie Zheng, APAC Sustainability Manager for Henkel Packaging Adhesives, emphasized that “achieving sustainable packaging requires coordinated efforts across the value chain.” She added that the RecycLab “will provide the Chinese packaging industry with a world-class recycling verification platform, supporting partners in advancing green transformation.”
Henkel noted that the initiative aligns with its broader sustainability strategy to promote circular economy practices and reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The company has pledged to make 100 percent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, while continuously increasing the proportion of recycled content in its own packaging materials.
The launch of the Packaging RecycLab also comes as Henkel deepens its innovation footprint in China. The Shanghai Innovation Center—Henkel’s largest R&D facility outside of Germany—serves as the company’s regional hub for adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. It hosts a growing portfolio of projects focused on lightweight packaging, bio-based materials, and energy-efficient production processes.
Beyond packaging, Henkel has continued to expand its renewable energy footprint worldwide. In 2024, the company switched to 100 percent renewable electricity at its manufacturing site in Nairobi, Kenya—an achievement it described as a significant milestone in its global sustainability program.
With the RecycLab, Henkel said it intends to collaborate more closely with academic institutions, recyclers, and material suppliers in China to jointly develop practical, scalable recycling solutions. The company views the new facility as a cornerstone for driving adhesive innovation that enables both economic and ecological value creation.
