Specialty Adhesives

Report Highlights

• The overall U.S. market for specialty adhesives reached $5.7 billion in 2000. Rising at an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of 4.3%, this market is expected to reach nearly $7 billion in 2005.
• Dental and medical applications will show the most growth, at 6% on average per year. Other fast-growing uses will be tapes and labels, electronics, and nonrigid bonding.
• The largest end use is packaging, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the dollars. A close second is nonrigid bonding, with one-quarter.
• Other important end uses are construction, tapes and labels and rigid bonding.
• The major product used is hot melt adhesives, generating almost onequarter of the dollars. Also important are pressure-sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethanes and acrylics.

INTRODUCTION

The role of adhesives in the economy is generally unrecognized. In fact, they are not only important for fix-it projects around the house but in a great number of industrial projects and many household items. Their significance is further illustrated by the value of total U.S. shipments of all types of adhesives and sealants.

This BCC timely report is a detailed analysis of the market for the following commercial specialty adhesives: hot melts, pressure-sensitive, urethane, epoxy, anaerobic, cyanoacrylate, and dental adhesives. There have been many analyses of the overall market for adhesives, but relatively few of specialty adhesives, a market with its own distinctive characteristics. For the purposes of this report, specialty adhesives are defined as relatively low-volume, high-priced products, often specially formulated to meet special requirements.

STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This report is intended to bring to the reader a detailed analysis of the U. S. market for specialty adhesives, with emphasis on future trends, changing technology, and opportunities. The major objectives of this study are as follows:

• To make available the most current and reliable information on the consumption of specialty adhesives.
• To forecast the market for these products, broken down insofar as possible by end use and by individual product or product group.
• To identify the most rapidly changing applications and the reasons for their growth or decline.
• To describe the major trends in the end uses.
• To provide a description of the most important companies supplying adhesives.

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY

There have been many analyses of the overall market for adhesives, but relatively few of specialty adhesives, a market that has distinctive characteristics of its own.

SCOPE

For the purposes of this report, specialty adhesives are defined as relatively low-volume, high-priced products, often specially formulated to meet special requirements. The report specifically excludes commodity-type products such as the following:

• Phenolics and their derivatives
• Urea-formaldehyde resins and related products
• All natural adhesives
• Rubber cement
• Polyvinyl chloride and copolymers

The study is limited to the merchant market only and does not attempt to measure the captive market.

METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Information on market size, growth rates, technological trends, and regulatory influences was obtained from interviews with key marketing personnel with leading suppliers of adhesives. Secondary sources include published government data and reviews of trade journals such as Chemical and Engineering News, Chemical Market Reporter, Chemical Week, and Adhesives Age.

DOLLAR SALES VALUE

All sales estimates are at the manufacturers level, not at the retail or distributors' level. All forecasts are given in constant 2000 dollars. Growth rates are compounded annually.

TRADE NAMES

Trade names are shown in upper case letters.