Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), can makers are growing fast – while at the same time facing a familiar pressure: fewer experienced operators available, tighter cost targets, and little tolerance for downtime or quality losses. For Henkel, that mix has sharpened the definition of what customers need from a surface technologies partner. It is not only reliable and efficient chemistry. It is fast access to expertise, tighter process control, and the ability to support even when being on-site is difficult.

That is where Henkel’s Remote TCS (Technical Customer Service) comes in. Built as a complementary, data-enabled service for the wet section and adjacent processes, Remote TCS helps customers shorten time-to-diagnosis and time-to-stabilization. In practice, the team can typically respond within minutes during normal business hours, working with the customer’s operators based on real-time and historical process signals. The goal is simple: keep the washer process within specification, reduce spoilage, and support stable production.

Remote TCS is especially valuable in regions where travel realities can make immediate site visits impossible. Meanwhile, every minute of downtime counts. With secure remote access to the connected chemical process control system, Henkel experts can support urgent troubleshooting as well as periodic performance reviews. The two engagement modes reinforce each other: rapid response when issues occur, and proactive line audits that help prevent problems before they impact operations. To address IT security concerns, the Remote TCS setup can be isolated from the customer’s network, for example via a dedicated external internet connection.

A recent project in the Middle East provides a strong example of how this partnership creates value on the ground. The focus is not a single incident, but an approach: review the washer setup, align on the right control concept, support installation and commissioning, and train the team so improvements stick. Remote connectivity adds another layer of resilience. Through periodic monitoring, the team can spot abnormal peaks or trends early and recommend corrective actions before the washer operates outside specification. This helps avoid prolonged defects in sensitive areas and supports more predictable chemical consumption. What sets Henkel’s approach apart is the combination of control-logic know-how, the connected hardware, and an experienced global team that translates line data into practical recommendations – bringing chemistry, equipment, and expertise together as an integrated service. As Glenn Ladrillo, Head of Sales MEA at Henkel Adhesive Technologies, puts it: “In a few minutes, we spotted the issue, asked the customer to correct it, and the scrap rate went back to normal.”

In regions with volatile logistics, security of supply is just as critical as process performance. Henkel has strengthened its local and regional supply setup to serve customers from within the region wherever possible, supported by a compatible portfolio that enables flexibility when sourcing routes change. Beyond supply reliability, keeping processes on target can reduce rework and scrap, and help lower resource consumption in the wet section (water, chemicals, and energy). In parallel, customers benefit from day-to-day local support and access to specialized expertise through remote collaboration and periodic visits when needed.

This is what Henkel’s idea of “Pioneering Partnership” looks like in practice: joining chemistry, equipment know-how, and technical expertise into a single support model that helps can makers protect uptime, improve quality, and advance efficiency goals.

For more on Henkel’s end-to-end support for can makers, visit https://next.henkel-adhesives.com/us/en/i/bonderite-pioneering-performance.html watch our introductory YouTube video: https://youtu.be/HVFrsHEQa0M.