At my house, tape is a precious commodity. Whether it’s needed for wrapping a gift, or my kids’ use in building a robot out of random empty boxes, or adhering doodads to the pages of a scrapbook, we go through roll after roll of the stuff. But what about more high-tech uses of tape? Foam tapes are used in a range of markets, such as automotive, packaging, electronics and medical, and serve a number of functions. Understanding the variables involved in pressure-sensitive adhesives can lead to choosing the proper adhesive for the application. Read more here.

Wearable adhesives are being used to attach medical devices to patients’ bodies for continuous and long-term durations, writes Anne Wibaux, senior principal scientist, Scapa Healthcare. But the selection and development can be challenging and needs careful consideration. Read more here.

We can’t talk about tape without mentioning the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council’s annual Tape Summit. Taking place May 7-11 in Minneapolis, the event draws PSA tape professionals including scientists, professors, CEOs and VPs from across the U.S. Michel Merkx, PSTC president and corporate vice president and general manager of American Biltrite Inc., provides a preview of the event in our new “Tape Talk” column.

ASI Top 25

It’s that time of year again! We’ll soon be reaching out to adhesives and sealants companies to gather data for compiling our annual ASI Top 25 listing of the leading worldwide manufacturers of adhesives and sealants. If your company has not been included in the past but would like to be considered, please send me a note at mcphersont@bnpmedia.com.

Planning for 2019

One way Adhesives & Sealants Industry strives to serve our readers is to provide the high-quality content they need in order to succeed in their businesses. We’re currently in the planning stages for next year’s editorial, and I’m wondering what topics you would like to read more about. Conversely, what is no longer interesting to you and should be dropped? I’d love to hear your suggestions! Please reach out to me at (248) 786-1703 or mcphersont@bnpmedia.com and share your ideas.  ASI

Teresa McPherson is Editor of ASI magazine. If you wish to send a letter to the editor, please email mcphersont@bnpmedia.com. Letters must include the sender’s address, phone number and email address, when possible. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.