Frost & Sullivan Finds Structural Adhesives Offer Significant Potential for the Automotive, Construction and Industrial Assembly Segments

LONDON -

While structural adhesives are still most often used in the building and construction, automotive, aerospace and wind energy, they are seeing increasing usage in other industries as well. With over 40 major players, the European structural adhesives market shows considerable potential in the transportation, industrial assembly, and alternative energy industries once suppliers overcome initial OEM reluctance.

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New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (www.chemicals.frost.com), European Structural Adhesives Market, finds that the market earned revenues of EUR 843.3 million in 2008 and estimates this to reach EUR 1,080.5 million in 2015. In 2008, unit shipments of structural adhesives in Europe stood at 59,200 tonnes and by 2015, unit shipments will likely reach 67,200 tonnes. Automotive, aerospace, other transportation sectors, the building and construction sector, industrial assembly segments are some of the application areas covered in this research. Five major technologies such as epoxy, polyurethane, acrylics, cyanoacrylates and anaerobics adhesives are covered in this report.

The automotive industry uses structural adhesives for weld replacement and other fastening techniques. Both the commercial vehicle and the aircraft manufacturing industries increasingly rely on composite materials rather than metallic structures. The alternative energy sector, especially the wind energy segment, will see increased use of polyurethane and epoxy adhesives. Electrical switches, white goods and recreational application segments will boost the use of structural adhesives in Europe.

“Growth in the Body-in-White market and the replacement of mechanical fasteners with structural adhesives are the major driving factors in market expansion,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Palaniraj PR. “The use of composites and light weight materials by OEMs has been paralleled by the uptake of structural adhesives with higher impact and crash resistance.”

Structural adhesives in the automotive and aerospace industry offers end users improved creep and impact resistance over traditional fastening methods. In comparison with traditional methods, structural adhesives deliver cost benefits to OEMs and end users. Adhesives formulators should work closely with OEMs to develop new adhesives that promote enhanced performance.

The major challenge to further market growth is a lack of confidence among design engineers. Major adhesives formulators and suppliers should focus on training programmes and work closely with OEMs to develop adhesives from the initial stage of the design. “Such reluctance poses an important challenge to adhesives formulators and suppliers,” explains Palaniraj. “However, by working closely with OEMs from the preliminary design stage, adhesives formulators encourage and support adhesives usage in their products.”

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides a brief synopsis of the research and a table of contents, please e-mail Monika Kwiecinska, Corporate Communications, at monika.kwiecinska@frost.com, with your full name, company name, title, telephone number, company e-mail address, company website, city, state and country. Upon receipt of the above information, a brief brochure will be sent to you by e-mail.

European Structural Adhesives Market is part of the Chemicals & Materials Growth Partnership Services programme, which also includes research in the following markets: US Structural Adhesives Market (2007), North America Hotmelt Market, (2007), European Pressure Sensitive Market (2006) and, Eastern European Flexible Sealant Market (2007). All research included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

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European Structural Adhesives Market M3E4 Contact: Monika Kwiecinska Corporate Communications - Europe P: +48-22-390-4127 F: +48-22-390-4160 E: monika.kwiecinska@frost.com

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Source: Frost & Sullivan

Monika Kwiecinska, Corporate Communications - Europe, +48-22-390-4127, fax, +48-22-390-4160, monika.kwiecinska at frost.com Logo: https://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO