Adhesive tapes and self-adhesive product solutions manufacturer tesa is laying the foundation for future adhesive tapes with the opening of a state-of-the-art Debonding on Demand development laboratory. The new innovation hub in Singapore will be established as a permanent location in tesa's technology network to drive customized development and scaling of removable adhesive solutions, particularly for customers in the automotive and electronics industries.

The strategic partnership between tesa and A*STAR, Singapore's lead public-sector R&D agency, combines research expertise with industrial networks to accelerate development of market-ready solutions. This collaboration advances adhesive technologies while strengthening Singapore's position as a hub for advanced manufacturing and circular economy innovation.

The Debonding on Demand laboratory in Singapore focuses on developing new polymer concepts for the electronics and automotive industries. Singapore was chosen for this strategic investment due to tesa's regional headquarters presence and the country's innovation leadership. Proximity to leading universities and collaboration with A*STAR were the key factors. The lab strengthens tesa's Asia-Pacific presence alongside operations in Vietnam, Thailand, and India. 

Dr. Norman Goldberg, CEO of tesa, explained, "At tesa, we don't just innovate – we push boundaries. Our Debonding on Demand technologies will be a future game-changer, enabling strong, durable bonds that can be easily removed on demand. This breakthrough will transform product repair, recycling, and reuse, helping industries reduce waste and embrace circularity without compromising performance. With our new Debonding on Demand laboratory, we are setting an important milestone in the further development of these pioneering technologies and are delighted to be starting operations together with strong partners like A*STAR at our side."

"Our Debonding on Demand technologies will enable a completely new approach to product design. Sustainability is integrated as an essential part of applications and system solutions from the very beginning. This will create new perspectives for entire industries regarding manufacturing and life cycle management," said Dr. Ingrid Sebald, board member, Technology, at tesa. "The Debonding on Demand lab in Singapore's vibrant innovation ecosystem serves as the perfect launch pad to establish these breakthrough technologies for the global market and industry customers, making an important contribution to the circular economy."

Backed by a strong interdisciplinary network and a technology partner like A*STAR, tesa plans to make groundbreaking advances in polymer chemistry, adhesive formulation, and coating technologies. The aim is to develop new solutions and improve existing debonding on demand concepts. The partners intend to test up to 20 new debonding on demand concepts in terms of performance and application relevance via a standardized process. Those that show promise will then be further developed and scaled up in line with customer requirements.

The Debonding on Demand lab started operations on July 1, 2025, with its first group of experts, engineers, and technicians. Additional team members will follow.

Learn more about tesa at www.tesa.com.