Difficult surfaces

Every surface has special requirements – and calls for special solutions.

We produce a wide range of adhesive materials in-house, which means we can develop and manufacture labels for even the most difficult surfaces. Our customer service representatives and application engineers will work with you to find a label that solves your problem.

Here are some examples of the many applications involving special requirements – and of how we solve even the most difficult cases.

When strong adhesion is required
- Dirty and dusty surfaces require labels with high tack and very high final adhesion. Examples are concrete blocks, stone slabs, tiles and bags for construction materials.
- Special solutions are also required in dusty production environments, for example in the processing of coffee, flour, tobacco and paper rolls. This applies in particular to irregular and curved surfaces.
- In the chemicals industry barrels, IBCs, FIBCs and shipping containers pose special challenges. In addition to dirt, the surfaces may also be covered with release agents, oil or grease. The label material must have a high degree of flexibility, tear strength and resistance to saltwater and chemicals.
- Labels adhere only partially to open-pored, ribbed and textured surfaces like chequer plates, sponges, polystyrene and stone.
- Moisture-resistant adhesives must be used in food and beverage production and for barrels that hold chemicals.
- Plastic surfaces can contain plasticizers that impair label adhesion. In such cases materials with extra-strong adhesion are required.
- For direct labelling of rough wood surfaces, such as transport crates in the food industry, or of rough-sawn pallets, adhesives with especially high tack and excellent final adhesion are needed.
- Labels with very strong adhesion and high flexibility are needed for wrap-around labelling of objects with small radii and curved surfaces. Glass tubes are an example.
- Waxy surfaces make adhesion more difficult
- Long-lasting labelling is possible only with ageing-resistant adhesives.
When easy removability is essential
- Labels for sensitive surfaces and temporary identification must be very easy to remove and never leave a residue. Examples are book covers, glass and ceramic products, energy labels, temporary marking in production processes, and labelling of thin paper or packaging films.
- Ordinary removable adhesives cannot always be used on painted surfaces. These call for special adhesives that do not combine with the paint.
- Objects with textile surfaces, such as carpets, fabrics and mattresses, require flexible label materials and adhesives that peel away without leaving a residue
- Partial adhesive zones have many sealing applications, for example resealable labels on food packaging.
Approval for use with foodstuffs, low migration
- In the food industry adhesive materials must be approved for direct contact with foodstuffs and must not migrate into the product. Certifications are issued by the BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) and the FDA. ISEGA certification is required for use with fatty foodstuffs.
- Special materials are needed for labelling under difficult conditions. Examples are moist and cold surfaces, frozen products and products that were cooled after hot filling
- Another important process is non-contact labelling of uneven surfaces (blow-on labelling)
Find out more on the pages

Food labels

Labels for food labelling
Wide temperature range
- For moist and cold surfaces and the surfaces of hot containers, special adhesives are required that are effective within a wide temperature range.
- Such adhesives must be able to withstand the strong temperature fluctuations that occur when labels are applied after hot filling.
- Tiefgekühlte Waren benötigen Etiketten mit besonders hoher Anfangshaftung und sicherer Endhaftung. Deep-frozen products require labels with extremely high tack and good final adhesion. The labels must also be approved for use with foodstuffs at extremely low temperatures and have low migration characteristics. Our special deep-freeze labels can be applied at temperatures as low as -25°C, and they can withstand temperatures down to -60°C.
Special visual requirements
- Sometimes a no-label effect is preferred. Here lettering is applied to a transparent surface and seems to be printed on directly.
- Matt or glossy films are used for this purpose, depending on the type of surface.

Discover label solutions for difficult surfaces

Dirt, dust, grease and release agents – these are just a few examples of challenging conditions for the secure adhesion of labels. Curved or extremely rough surfaces also present formidable challenges for labels. We will help you to choose the best possible solution for your requirements from a wide range of adhesive materials which we produce in-house. Our ‘Solutions’ section has many more usage examples of labels on rolls for a wide range of industries and requirements.

Weatherproof and ideal for sawmills: labels for timber stacks and labels for wooden pallets

For direct labelling wooden pallets: Pallet foot labels

Labels for dusty environments & building material bags

Labels on round aluminium candle holders

Reliable adhesion and removability on steel mesh pallets and polystyrene trays:
Container labelling

Labels for rough grey cardboard boxes as packaging labels

Speciality labels for difficult surfaces in the building materials sector

Shipping and pallet labels: pallet foot labels on rough wooden pallets, cut-out

From raw material to label: all from a single source

With us, quality begins with the very best paper and adhesives. Our labels are manufactured in one of the world’s most modern coating facilities. We offer custom labels for surfaces of all kinds and for all industries. State-of-the art stamping and printing machines ensure the utmost precision. We’ll print your labels from start to finish according to your specifications using classic printing processes or digital printing – unprinted or preprinted in colour and optimised for use with your thermal printer, thermal transfer printer or laser printer. Thanks to our on-site adhesives warehouse we are able to work efficiently and give you good value for your money.

We’ll work with you to find a label solution that meets your expectations. Use our contact form to describe your requirements. We look forward to talking with you.

Please use this contact form for inquiries about industrial requirements.

If you have any questions about HERMA branded products in smaller packaging units, we look forward to your inquiry using the contact form "Office and Home".