Widening applications and increased construction activity are helping to drive demand.
U.S. demand for pressure-sensitive tapes is projected to increase 5.3% yearly to $9.3 billion in 2019. Growth will reportedly reflect continued economic expansion and the further development of innovative applications for specialty tapes, which tend to be higher performing, value-added products. Moreover, construction activity will continue to recover from a post-recession trough and will accelerate significantly. Prospects for tapes will also be helped by widening applications in industrial assembly and bonding due to inherent advantages over traditional fasteners. These and other trends are presented in “Pressure Sensitive Tapes,” a recent study from The Freedonia Group Inc.
Among major tape products, the fastest growth is expected for double-sided, masking, and adhesive transfer products. “Gains for double-sided tapes will be promoted by their further displacement of traditional bonding and joining technologies and the further development of additional applications, especially in the transportation market,” says Esther Palevsky, analyst.