How Henkel uses Chemical Watch News & Insight to navigate UK REACH

Through its brands, innovations and technologies, Henkel holds leading market positions worldwide in the industrial and consumer businesses.    

The Adhesive Technologies business unit is the global leader in the market for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, including brands such as Loctite, Technomelt, Bonderite, Pritt, Ceresit and Pattex.  

In Consumer Brands, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and also categories around the world, especially in haircare and laundry and home care. In its consumer business, the company is known for brands including Persil and Schwarzkopf. 

Henkel takes full advantage of the enterprise-wide Chemical Watch News & Insight membership, with global users from all business units accessing product safety intelligence. 

Achieving compliance

REACH Officer Astrid Geibel has been responsible for EU REACH within the Henkel Adhesive Technologies business for eight years. Acting as the interface between departments, she collects requirements from the business on the products it wants to import and prepares those needs for the Corporate REACH team.

In close collaboration with the Corporate REACH team, she has been instrumental in setting up Henkel’s internal processes around EU REACH and ensuring the dossiers contain the right compliance information from the business side – and she is now doing the same for UK REACH.

The biggest challenge – UK REACH

The lack of a legal text has made UK REACH a major challenge for the EU chemicals industry. Infrequent and inconsistent website updates from the UK authorities have added uncertainty. Following Brexit, the UK introduced a requirement for importers to have a legal entity within the country itself. This has transformed European importers into exporters when it comes to supplying the UK. 

Getting clarity

From the very beginning when Brexit was at the discussion stage, Astrid has followed the Chemical Watch News & Insight alerts as her main source for in-depth and reliable information. While other sources focused on Brexit’s impact on customs and people movement, Chemical Watch News & Insight provided detailed coverage on chemicals regulation in an accessible way.  

As a member of Chemical Watch News & Insight, Astrid has had the benefit of our experts’ interpretation into UK REACH as it develops. The content has helped Henkel navigate the developments surrounding the new chemicals strategy and devise ways to move forward and ensure compliance in the UK market.