Market for Adhesives

market is probably near 12 billion lb of adhesives. The business is very diffuse and is one of the few areas of the chemical industry where a small company can thrive. Over 500 U.S. companies manufacture adhesives and sealants. Industrial use is high (60%), but consumers (20%) and craftspersons (20%) also use them. 

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These thoughts and suggestions are industrially oriented, to be sure. They arise from practical need and reflect concern for future adhesive supply. Collectively, the various forms of wood utilization represent an extremely large and diverse market for adhesives, probably the largest in the world today. Thus, industrial comments seem appropriate. Apart from identified needs, however, the wood products industry recognizes the value of research into the chemical structure and adhesive mechanisms of natural polymers unrelated to current problems. The next echelon of technical development can be expected to arise from this research. It is also acknowledged that certain of the adhesive performance characteristics requested cannot be accomplished with the current level of scientific information. Finally, it is the wood products industry s view that natural adhesives and resources will inevitably play an important part in its future. Thus, they represent a significant and potentially productive area for current adhesive research. 

Figure 4 provides an overview of the main groups of adhesives. The market is dominated by synthetic adhesives, but there s also a large market for adhesives based on natural primary substances (so-called natural adhesives). 

The global adhesives market was about 32 billion in 2010 [Ij. This included about 14.3 billion in water-borne adhesives, 6.9 billion in solvent-borne adhesives, and 5.3 billion in 100% solids adhesives. The 2012 market for adhesives and sealants combined was estimated at 42.5 billion for 2012 [2], with North American accounting for 11.8 billion. Western Europe 8.7 billion. Southeast Asia and Australia 13.8 billion, Russia and Eastern Europe 4.5 billion, and the rest of the world 3.7 billion. In 2010, sealants accounted for about 21% of the overall adhesives and sealants category [Ij. If this percentage remained steady, this would put the global adhesives market at about 34 billion for 2012. The amount of adhesives used globally in 2010 was estimated at 9 million metric tons [3]. 

TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT ASSOCIATES P.O. Box 1362, Amherst NH 03031-9939, (603) 673-0312. A number of studies on Adhesives in Electronics, Bonding and Joining Composites, Markets for Adhesive Tapes and Films, Conductive Adhesives, Aerospace Sealants, and Growth Markets for Adhesives. 

In the United States, the adhesive and sealants business was producing about US 1 billion from sales in 1972. By 1999, the US. adhesive business was estimated to be nearly 6.9 million tons in size with an approximate value of US 9.5 billion. The size of the US. adhesive market is anticipated to grow to 7.9 million tons by 2004 (4). The largest markets for adhesives in the United States are construction, primary wood bonding, textiles, and packaging. Markets that command some of the highest prices for adhesives include dental, aerospace, and microelectronics. 

Adhesives Nearly all adhesives are polymers and are used extensively to connect structural components made of wood, composites, metals, polymers, and other materials. Though the amount of adhesive needed for a particular application is small, the cost of a polymer adhesive is high compared to other applications. For example, it is not unusual for an adhesive to cost on the order of 1.00 or more per ounce while general use polymers of the same type might cost less than 1.00 per pound (see Table 3.1). For this and other reasons, the world market for adhesives is in excess of five billion dollars per year. As mentioned earlier, adhesives often contain elastomeric particles to enhance their fracture toughness. In addition, many adhesives contain alumina or other metallic particles for increased tensile and shear strength and in such cases are in reality particulate composites. 

Expanding Technology and Markets for Adhesives and Sealants Conference Proceedings. 

Wood bonding is one of the largest markets for adhesives. Plywood, particleboard, fiberboard, and other wood products involve mainly thermosetting and water-based adhesives, espe-... 

The primary markets for adhesives and sealants may be divided into packaging/converting/disposables, construction, and transportation. 

The largest commercial market for adhesives and sealants is their use in building and construction. The Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC) (CPD) is currently undergoing review and will be remade as the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) probably coming into force in 2012 or 2013. European regulations, unlike directives, are translated directly into law in the member states without the need for national statutes and instruments (and the potential for differing national interpretations). Thus, the basic work requirements (formerly essential requirements in the CPD) of the CPR will become compulsory in all member states. 

Natural adhesives represent the oldest adhesives known to man. The general trend since World War II has been a steady decrease of the consumption share of natural adhesives. However, real volume has actually increased, and supposes around 30% of the market for adhesives that do not use volatile solvents. 

Emulsion Polymerization. Emulsion polymerization is the most important industrial method for the preparation of acryhc polymers. The principal markets for aqueous dispersion polymers made by emulsion polymerization of acryhc esters are the paint, paper, adhesives, textile, floor pohsh, and leather industries, where they are used principally as coatings or binders. Copolymers of either ethyl acrylate or butyl acrylate with methyl methacrylate are most common. 

The largest market for elastomer-based adhesives is that of lamination (see Laminates). Modem office furniture having Formica as a surfacing material is made with an elastomer-based adhesive. Tile adhesives for ceramic or carpet tile are also elastomer-based and usually solvent appHed. Paper adhesives and shoe manufacture also use substantial quantities of mbber-based materials. Solvent-weld adhesives are used to join plastic plumbing and to repair vinyl sheeting. 

Amino and Phenolic Resins. The largest use of formaldehyde is in the manufacture of urea—formaldehyde, phenol—formaldehyde, and melamine—formaldehyde resins, accounting for over one-half (51%) of the total demand (115). These resins find use as adhesives for binding wood products that comprise particle board, fiber board, and plywood. Plywood is the largest market for phenol—formaldehyde resins particle board is the largest for urea—formaldehyde resins. Under certain conditions, urea—formaldehyde resins may release formaldehyde that has been alleged to create health or environmental problems (see Amino RESINS AND PLASTICS). 

The principal chemical markets for acetylene at present are its uses in the preparation of vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, and 1,4-butanediol. Polymers from these monomers reach the consumer in the form of surface coatings (paints, films, sheets, or textiles), containers, pipe, electrical wire insulation, adhesives, and many other products which total biUions of kg. The acetylene routes to these monomers were once dominant but have been largely displaced by newer processes based on olefinic starting materials. 

The aluminum containing compound having the largest worldwide market, estimated to be over 30 x 10 t in 1990, is metal grade alumina. Second, is aluminum hydroxide. In 1990 the market for Al(OH)2 should approach or exceed 3.5 million metric tons which is equivalent to 2.3 million tons on an alumina basis. The spHt between additive and feedstock appHcations for Al(OH)2 (16) is roughly 50 50. Additive appHcations include those as flame retardants (qv) in products such as carpets, and to enhance the properties of paper (qv), plastic, polymer, and mbber products. Significant quantities are also used in pharmaceuticals (qv), cosmetics (qv), adhesives (qv), poHshes (qv), dentifrices (qv), and glass (qv). 

As of the mid-1990s, soluble sihcates are used primarily as sources of reactive siUca (57%), in detergency (qv) (23%), in pulp (qv) and paper (qv) production (7%), for adhesives and binders (5%), and in other appHcations (8%). The stmcture and chemistry of solutions containing polymeric siHcate species have been characterized using modem analytical techniques. This improved understanding of siHcate speciation contributes to the development of new markets. Thus, the sodium silicates constitute a versatile, stable, and growing commodity and are ranked among the top 50 commodity chemicals. 

A substantial part of the market for the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer is for hot melt adhesives. In injection moulding the material has largely been used in place of plasticised PVC or vulcanised rubber. Amongst applications are turntable mats, base pads for small items of office equipment and power tools, buttons, car door protector strips and for other parts where a soft product of good appearance is required. Cellular cross-linked EVA is used in shoe parts. 

High-pressure lamination constitutes a large market for water-borne polychloroprene adhesives. The choice of the polymer has a high impact on end-use properties. 

The market for polyurethane thermoplastic adhesives is small, but growing. TPU s are used to produce some solvent-borne adhesives and also are used in laminating textiles and films for labels and emblems. In addition, they are being considered as an alternative to solvent-borne adhesives in the shoe market. 

In 1932, the first plywood hot press was installed in the United States. This marked the advent of the large market for phenolic wood adhesives [51]. By 1962, the volume of phenolic wood adhesives had reached about 33 kt (solids) in the U.S. Growth was accelerated in 1962 with the development of Southern pine plywood. By 1979, the consumption of phenolic plywood adhesives exceeded 220 kt or about 25% of phenolic resin production [51]. Phenolic adhesive demand for wood products took another jump in 1964 with the commencement of waferboard production. The first oriented strandboard (OSB) plants were built in 1981 [52]. OSB soon replaced most of the waferboard production and began a period of... 

Important markets for TPE s include shoe soles, pressure sensitive adhesives, insulation, and recyclable bumpers. 

About 8,000 metric tons of peroxides were consumed in 1972. This consumption was strongly stimulated by the rapid growth in reinforced plastics (Ref 23). The largest volume product is benzoyl peroxide which is used in polystyrene and polyester markets for such items as toys, automobiles, furniture, marine, transportation and mil requirements. Also, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide is used in large volumes to cure (as a catalyst) styrene-unsatur-ated polyester adhesive resins used in mil ammo adhesive applications, as well as in glass fiber reinforced plastic products such as boats, shower stalls, tub components, automobile bodies, sports equipment, etc. The monoperesters are growing slowly because of some substitution of the peroxydicarbonates and azo compds (Refs 8,9 23)... 

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