SleepTech Magazine Mattress, Accessories, Machinery, Raw Materials
After a long day at work you get home and curl up on your cozy couch, sit on your soft padded chair or stretch out on your comfortable mattress. While enjoying the silence, you smell the fresh leather of the chair or the nice aroma of the newly laundered linens on your mattress.
What you do not smell, is the adhesive with which the foam has been glued within your furniture or in your mattress. It was not always like that.
With the adhesives from the SIMALFA® series, ALFA Klebstoffe AG focuses on solvent-free, water based products since 25 years. What started with small experiments in the local market, is now used worldwide for bonding foams.
It all started with the vision
Certainly you know situations in which you are being told: “You cannot. This doesn’t work like that.”
The acquiescence of such a statement, was for the founder of ALFA Klebstoffe AG and the inventor of the SIMALFA® adhesives, Emil Simmler, not an option. After a few or rather thousands of trials, the first SIMALFA® adhesive was born: water based, high-performing, user-friendly… solvent-free (1990 applied for patent).
For the foam industry which was characterized by solvent based adhesives, this was revolutionary in 1990 and it began a rethink of our environment and the health of the employees. What started in Europe, spread over the years more and more and is today a central element in the evaluation of technical solutions for the bonding of foams.
“Ever since the first generation of the SIMALFA® adhesives in 1990, our top priority is to provide an adhesive solution which is easy to use for the operator, provides best possible results and is completely solvent-free. The responsibility towards our fellow human beings and the environment is more important than ever. We are proud that we can make an active contribution since 25 years,” says the managing director of ALFA Klebstoffe AG, Thomas Simmler.
Continuity without compromise
Since the first trials with SIMALFA®, much has changed. As a pioneer and revolutionist ALFA stepped into the adhesive market a quarter of a century ago, established a new technology and fought to increase the awareness of the customers about the environment. The products were well received by the market.
The demand of water based adhesives became bigger and bigger and with a worldwide growing customer base, the adhesives were continually developed.
The success of the product is a result of a variety of factors. In first place is the excellent bonding performance that SIMALFA® provides. In addition that no solvents are needed or used, the adhesives offer an exceptionally high initial tack, which can easily keep up with solvent-based systems. This allows to process SIMALFA® quickly, mainly appreciated by the users. Further developments such as the overspray-free additive or frost-resistant types simplify the handling, storage and processing additionally.
Another advantage is the extremely low application quantity. Even with the minimal consumption of material, the adhesives reach their full potential. It is obvious that this fact influences the economic and ecological objectives of the customers in a very positive manner.
The products are complemented by the specifically for the SIMALFA® adhesives developed free-flowing system. The system offers the user maximum flexibility, minimal maintenance work and can be installed at any workstation with just a few simple steps. Designed from a single source, the perfected adhesive system optimizes each bonding process, impresses with its simplicity and saves time and money.
More than just a product
Behind every product stand individual human beings. With the work they do every day, their ideas and their know-how that flows into the development of the products of ALFA, they carry the biggest chapter of the success story. As the success, the team and the associated knowledge has grown steadily over the last 25 years.
From the development work in their own laboratory, over the uncompromisingly focused on quality-orientation work in the production, up to a maximum customer oriented service in administration and sales, the work of the company is aimed to offer a complete solution tailored to the needs of their customers. Today ALFA’s role as an expert for adhesive solutions includes much more than just a top product and the related application system. Furthermore, it is to accompany the customer from the evaluation of the proper adhesive to the continuous optimization of its complete adhesive process.
With their own people, their partners and a specially built distribution network, the company is worldwide closer to its customers today than ever.
International growth
From the idea originated in the mind of a visionary and pioneer, ALFA has grown to an internationally operating company, that today produces in Switzerland and the USA. Both production sites closely work together and steadily grow with the increasing success of SIMALFA®. Today, customers benefit from the proximity of the supplier and the exchange of knowledge between the two plants, their partners and their customers. The result are continually improving products that set international standards and that are used in the most famous foam converting companies in the world.
Since the first type which was patented in 1990 up to the latest developments of SIMALFA®, all types are solvent-free and along with the easy to use application system, they play their part in making workplaces worldwide safer and more economic.
Growth demands investment
With the success over the past 25 years, the company reached international leadership in the field of water based foam bonding adhesives. But once leadership is reached, there is no time to rest on the laurels. There are still new markets that can be opened and new potential that can be developed. The same is also true for ALFA.
New distribution company opened in Turkey
As a hub bet,en Europe and Asia, Turkey is well known for the connection of the two huge markets and its economic potential. ALFA recognized the associated possibilities and founded a company in Izmir that opened its doors in November 2015.
“Entering the Turkish market is a further step to be closer to the customer and to improve the availability of SIMALFA® in that region. With the willingness of the local market players to use water based and solvent free products, we are able to bring our adhesives and technologies to a large number of companies in the foam industry. Companies that want to improve their bonding process and make their working places safer and more economic,” says the managing director of ALFA Klebstoffe Eurasia, Zafer Tazim.
It is without a doubt that in the present days service is more important than ever. The proximity to the customer and the rapid availability of products and services is becoming increasingly important.
With the opening of the new distribution company ALFA did that step towards the customer. Companies in Turkey and over the medium term in the middle east, benefit from the fast availability of the SIMALFA® adhesives, from new and innovative technologies for their bonding process and last but not least from the excellent know-how of the adhesive experts on the spot. It is obvious that providing fast and efficient adhesive solutions out of one hand is one of the driving forces behind the new distribution company.
The closing words come from Thomas Simmler, managing director of ALFA Klebstoffe AG: “The success proves us right, that the internationalization strategy we have chosen was the right decision. Opening new markets, understanding our customers even better and accompany them in finding their proper solutions are challenges for all of us in the future. And we are sure that we are in the right position to master these tasks. Today, better than ever.”
