Coming into 2015, the U.S. adhesives industry looks to continue its recent trend of lower-than-normal volume growth. Historically, adhesives and sealants have been growing about 1½ times of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the U.S. Since 2008, however, that figure has declined to one or even slightly less than one times that of the GDP. Reasons include: new construction representing a lower percentage of the U.S. economy, a slowdown in the substitution of mechanical fasteners to adhesives as the industry matures and, until recently, a lower number of U.S. auto and light truck assemblies.