I am not going to sugar coat it, working for a publication dedicated to adhesives and sealants has generated not an insignificant amount of gentle ribbing from people in my life. And the longer I do this job, the less patience I have for the puns and jokes and the more apt I am to respond with a bit of a lecture about how important adhesives and sealants are to all of our lives.
The specialty materials sector, including adhesives and sealants, is constantly evolving with new ideas, products, and markets. As a result, professionals face the ongoing challenge of determining where to allocate their time, resources, and efforts.
This issue of ASI features our annual roundup of the latest innovations in raw materials offered to adhesive and sealant formulators and manufacturers. Additionally, I encourage you to visit our updated Raw Materials, Chemicals, Polymers, and Additives Handbook.
Proactive manufacturers are leaning on predictive demand planning processes to estimate and get ahead of changing capacity and down-the-line supply chain needs.
This issue of ASI features a number of topics, including formulating ultra-low monomer solvent-free adhesives, how to optimize a manufacturing process with heat-activated sealants and structural adhesives, using captured carbon to create methanol for adhesives, and innovations for the packaging of adhesives.
Risks abound in the global supply chain and goods movement systems. The only successful strategy to thrive is to create a resilient supply chain. According to the Global Port Tracker (GPT) report from Hackett Associates and the National Retail Federation (NRF), the specter of labor strife and new tariffs, along with strong sales, is driving U.S. retailers to keep imports surging through the spring.
This issue of ASI features what many consider the main trend of our time: digitalization and the move to the ever-increasing use of technology to accomplish tasks and solve problems.
According to a McKinsey study, investment in supply chain digitization is slowing down after rapid growth in 2020-2023. On the other hand, the McKinsey Global Supply Chain Leader Survey finds that nine out of 10 respondents continue to experience supply chain challenges.
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