ADHESIVES AND SEALANTS MARKET ANALYSIS

Adhesives are substances that possess properties capable of holding materials together in a functional manner that resists separation. Adhesives include cement, glue, paste and mucilage, which are used to hold objects together. Sealants are materials with adhesive properties that are used to seal, fill, waterproof, gaps, and joints between two surfaces. Owing to these properties, sealants are widely used in dental care to fill cavities.  Moreover, due to high tensile and shear strength, adhesive are classified into two categories such as structural adhesive and nonstructural adhesives. The chemicals formulation and technology involved in adhesive and sealants are similar. Water-based adhesive and silicon-based sealants are expected to hold a dominant position in the global adhesives and sealants market over the forecast, owing to the significant expected growth in the construction, packaging, and automobiles industries, which widely employ sealants and adhesives

Adhesives and Sealants Market Taxonomy

On the basis of product type, the global adhesives market is classified into:

• Solvent based
• Water based
• Hot melt
• Reactive
• Others

On the basis of product type, the global sealants market is classified into:

• Acrylic sealant
• Polyurethane sealant
• Silicon sealant
• Butyl sealant
• Others

On the basis of application, the global adhesives and sealant market is classified into:

• Packaging
• Buildings and construction
• Wood works
• Footwear
• Medical
• Others

On the basis of geography, the global adhesives and sealant market is classified into:

• North America
• U.S.
• Canada
• Europe
• U.K.
• Germany
• Italy
• France
• Spain
• Russia
• Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• ASEAN
• Australia
• South Korea
• Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Brazil
• Mexico
• Argentina
• Rest of Latin America
• Middle East
• GCC Countries
• Israel
• Rest of Middle East
• Africa
• Northern Africa
• Central Africa
• South Africa

Adhesives and Sealants Market Outlook – Surging demand in Automobile and Construction Industry Augmenting Market Growth

Asia Pacific is expected to be one the major revenue contributors due to the presence of emerging economies and supportive government policies in the region. For instance, Make in India initiative by Government of India aims to boost the manufacturing of passenger vehicles to 9.4 million in the country, by 2026. Moreover, due to rampant economic growth and rapid urbanization in in India and China, the demand for adhesive and sealants in Asia Pacific, is expected to witness tremendous growth over the forecast period.  The growth of the market is also fueled by burgeoning growth experienced in various end-use industries in the region. Demand for modern buildings and commercial complexes with glass exteriors is increasing, in turn driving growth of the global adhesive and sealants market.

Adhesives and Sealants Market Challenges – Environmental Impact

Adhesive and sealants such as silver epoxy-based Electronic Conductive Adhesive (ECA) release CO₂, which incurs adverse environmental impact. Moreover, due to stringent government regulation on release of VOC emission, end-use industries are actively opting for alternative to organic solvents. For instance, SIKA AG introduced a new-generation adhesive SikaBond AT-75 for wood floor bonding, meeting highest EHS regulation. This is expected to be a major challenge for growth of the adhesive and sealants market over the forecast period. Bio-based products such as soybean-derived polyols, vegetable-based polyamides, epoxies, and polyisoprenes are increasingly replacing the use of synthetic materials and additionally reducing carbon footprint. Water based formulations contribute to a major share in the adhesive market, whereas silicone-based sealants contribute major share in the sealants market. The market is highly dependent on raw materials such as synthetic fibers, resins, and crude oil, prices of which are highly volatile and hamper growth of the adhesives and sealants market.

Adhesives and Sealants Market – Regulatory Scenario:

• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), September, 2008, published Control Technique Guideline (CTG) for industrial adhesives with requirement on Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content of adhesive application method at facility, to sustain VOC emission of 15 lb/day or less.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), September 20, 2011, enforced regulation on use of adhesive and sealants, which contains chloroform, ethylene dichloride, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene or trichloroethylene.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), January 1, 1993, banned the use of adhesives, sealants, adhesive bonding primers, adhesive primers, sealant primers, or any other primer with a VOC content of over 250 g/L less water and less exempt compounds.
• The Council of The European Communities on May 16, 1983, amending directive 77/728/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations, and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the classification, packaging, and labelling of adhesives, paints, varnishes, printing inks and similar products (83/265/EEC).

Some of the key companies leading the market are 3M, The Dow Chemicals Company, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Avery Dennison, Royal Adhesives & Sealants LLC, Ashland Inc., Akzo Nobel NV, Arkema SA, BASF SE, Bemis Company Incorporated, Berry Plastics Corporation, RPM International, DuPont, and Evans Adhesive Corporation Limited, among others. Manufacturers are working closely with OEMs and R&D centers of major automotive players, to bridge the demand gap and offer tailored- products.

Key Developments

1. Key players in the market are involved in various business strategies such as business expansion, in order to enhance their market presence. For instance, in March 2017, Dow Corning, the subsidiary of The Dow Chemicals Company, expanded its India operations by opening SAHAYOG Building Solutions Center in Mumbai, India. SAHAYOG Building Solutions Center will provide project and technical support to their clients.
2. Major players in the market are involved in various growth strategies such as merger and acquisition, in order to gain competitive edge in the market. For instance, in September 2017, H.B. Fuller Company, a manufacturer of adhesives, acquired Royal Adhesives & Sealants, a provider of adhesive and sealants. The acquisition was valued at around US$ 1.75 billion.
3. Major players in the market are involved in various growth strategies such as merger and acquisition, in order to gain competitive edge in the market. For instance, in July 2019, Berry Global Group, Inc. acquired RPC Group Plc, manufacturer of plastic packaging for US$ 4.3 billion.