Strategic Solutions

M&A: Shaping the Adhesives Landscape

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The adhesives and sealants market is characterized by five companies that account for close to one-third of the global market.

Three Key Trends Shaping Adhesives and Sealants Advances

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Adhesives are no longer background consumables; they are strategic enablers of greener supply chains, lighter designs, and smarter high‑speed manufacturing.

Mastering Key Performance Indicators for Long-Term Success

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

KPIs are important gauges of a company’s productivity and efficiency, but simply having KPIs does not guarantee success. This column explores how to improve the KPI process.

The PFAS Discussion: Update 2025

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This column provides a current snapshot of PFAS regulatory action in the United States using recent actions in the states of New Mexico, Maine, and Minnesota.

Navigating the Maze: How to Assess and Prioritize Opportunities in the Adhesives and Sealants Market

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Sustainable Packaging Brings Innovation Opportunities for Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Product packaging is one of the many areas where consumer and brand-driven demands for more sustainable solutions are high.

Sourcing Assembly Adhesives: A Case Study for End Users

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The various supply chain disruptions of the past several years brought into sharp focus the need to identify alternative sources for key products, including adhesives used in assembly operations.

Are You Ready for an M&A Rebound?

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Optimal execution throughout a merger, acquisition, or divestiture is necessary to achieve the best possible deal and position your company for future success.

The PFAS Discussion: Chaos, Confusion, and Controversy

Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As regulatory bodies around the globe discuss PFAS, producers of PFAS-containing chemical products are evaluating how to address the issue.

Replacing Materials of Concern

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Because regulations regarding materials of concern are becoming increasingly complex all around the world, developing a protocol for materials replacement is a necessity for those operating in the CASE sector.

Tips for Optimizing Digital Tool Implementation

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Digital strategy and all of its semantic offshoots should serve as implementation tools for your overall corporate strategy, but it can be difficult to know where to start when developing such a strategy.

Adhesives for Lightweighting of Structures—Drivers, Selection, Challenges

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:38:28 -0400

Lightweighting of structures is most often associated with automotive structures. However, lightweighting is a challenge across the transportation sector, including trucks, trailers, buses, passenger rail cars, and even heavy earth-moving equipment and cranes.

Opportunities and Challenges of Biomimicry in Adhesives R&D

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

With the host of diverse biomaterials produced by an estimated 6.5 million species on land and 2.2 million species in the oceans, the biomimicry toolkit that man has to play with is, for all practical purposes, limitless. The superior designs discovered in nature have inspired many research programs from around the world, both at the university and commercial levels. The gecko, sandcastle worm, caddisfly, mussel, and sea cucumber are all species that have inspired new chemical approaches to creating adhesives with unique performance features.

The Wonderful Wide World of (Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive) Tape

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Pressure-sensitive tape has a high degree of functionality, which in turn often results in savings of time and money, quality improvements via enhanced performance, and improved aesthetics. In multiple examples across several markets, process improvements such as reduced preparation time and decreased downtime add to the overall value generated by pressure-sensitive tape use.

PSA Wound Dressing Adhesion and Skin Type: A Delicate Balance

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) offer easy application and secure bonding, including adhering wound care dressings to skin. Skin is a variable substrate, however, and consideration must be given to various skin types to ensure dressings can be securely attached and easily removed without skin damage.

Sustainable Adhesives in Construction and Packaging

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

The definition of “sustainability” is in flux. As it pertains to construction, sustainability is constantly evolving to encompass varying approaches and priorities. In the U.S., sustainable construction is the method of creating buildings and using processes that are environmentally reliable and resource efficient throughout the building’s life cycle, including design, construction, operation, and renovation. Western Europe defines sustainable construction as a way to build that aims to reduce health and environmental impacts affected by the construction process or by buildings.

Assembly with Adhesives

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

When manufacturers are looking to use adhesives in an assembly operation, three steps must enter into the decision process: suitability, compatibility, and capability.

Weighing the Cost Benefit of Complex Design in 3D-Printed OEM Parts

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has seen increased adoption across industries and regions for producing a variety of end-use parts.

COVID-19 Impact on Global Shipping and Packaging Dynamics

Wed, 19 May 2021 00:01:00 -0400

The shift from brick-and-mortar to digital shopping had been under way for some time when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Since 2017, ecommerce revenues have risen from an estimated $1.4 trillion to $2.4 trillion, or about 2.7% of global output.

Patenting Considerations for Composition Inventions in the Adhesives and Sealants Industry

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The global adhesives and sealants market grew from approximately $45 billion in 2010 to around $63 billion last year, according to The Adhesive and Sealant Council’s recently released “2020-2023 North American Market Report for Adhesives and Sealants, with a Global Overview.” During this period, over 200 patent applications (simple family groups) in the technical fields of adhesives and sealants were filed across the five major IP jurisdictions (US, EU, CN, JP, KR).

Corporate Planning: The Best Business Interruption Insurance

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

While certainly no guarantee of success, a business strategy with robust crisis management increases not only the probability of survival but a faster return to a thriving business. In many cases, it also enables a business to uncover and correct its weaknesses.

What Tests Should I Run on My Structural Adhesive Systems?

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

When anticipating using adhesives in structural bonding, a common need is developing the testing protocol to demonstrate bonded system effectiveness. While pressure-sensitive tapes are used in structural joining, this discussion will focus on liquid, paste, and film adhesives in structural joints.

Collaboration and Innovation for Sustainable Packaging

tyler.derus@bostik.com (Tyler Derus) — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Consumer sentiment continues to drive sustainability throughout the economy and society. Consumers often view packaging as wasteful, and they demand more sustainable options as a result. Many terms, such as reuse, recycle, compost, and reduction, resonate positively with consumers.

Market Dynamics for North American Sealants

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The wide use of dissimilar substrate materials driving the selection of sealants was reported in The Adhesive and Sealant Council’s “2017-2020 North American Market Report for Adhesives and Sealants with a Global Overview.”

Switching Production to Satisfy Shifts in Demand

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The specialty chemicals value chain has risen to the challenge of retooling to fill large supply gaps for sanitation products, packaging containers and inks, and other essential products to meet spikes in demand as an outgrowth of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Formulation and Availability of Building and Construction Adhesives, Sealants, and Other Materials

Fri, 15 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

With increasing consolidation among adhesives manufacturers and the raw material suppliers that support them, global product formulation and availability of materials used in these formulations continue to grow in importance.

Driving Innovation by Collaborating with Others: Know Your Areas of Focus

info@chemquest.com (Victoria Scarborough Ph.D.) — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Meeting the technical and product needs of customers can be very challenging, especially if R&D resources are constrained or you do not have the right in-house expertise to deliver a timely response.

Third-Party Validation of Adhesive Performance

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Independent testing and third-party validation of application-specific and customer-required adhesive products are expected across the value chain. It is especially important to validate adhesive performance for the electronics industry.

Evolving Hybrid Adhesives

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0500

This first installment of a two-part series highlights the value proposition of today's adhesive chemistries and curing methods to high-value end-use markets.

Will Your Next Car be Assembled Like a Smartphone?

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Mobility trends point to the expanded use of sensors, cameras, and electronic controls in vehicle assembly.