Water-Based Adhesives Market Report 2025

This Water-Based Adhesives market report provides a comprehensive analysis of the market’s characteristics, size, and growth, including segmentation, regional and country-level breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends, and strategies. It also tracks historical and forecasted market growth across various geographies.

The water-based adhesives market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $46.65 billion in 2024 to $52.12 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to reduced health risks, packaging industry growth, woodworking and furniture production, consumer demand for sustainable products.

The water-based adhesives market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $77.02 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to green and sustainable initiatives, rising demand in construction, flexible packaging expansion, automotive sector growth. Major trends in the forecast period include bio-based water-based adhesives, high-performance formulations, nanotechnology integration, packaging innovation.

The growth of the adhesives market is supported by the stable economic growth expected in both developed and developing countries. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts global real GDP growth at 3.7% for 2019 and 2020, and 3.6% from 2021 to 2023. As commodity prices recover after a significant decline in previous years, they are expected to further boost market expansion. Developed economies are also projected to experience steady growth during the forecast period. Emerging markets are expected to grow slightly faster than their developed counterparts. For instance, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) predicts that Asia's share of world GDP will rise to 40% by 2030 and 52% by 2050. This stable economic growth will drive investments in end-user markets, including industries that utilize water-based adhesives, contributing to the overall market growth during the forecast period.

The burgeoning construction industry is poised to be a significant driver of growth in the water-based adhesives market. Construction, encompassing a wide range of activities from planning to maintenance, has seen an uptick in demand for waterborne coatings, especially in the construction sector. This encompasses residential and commercial buildings, infrastructure projects, and real estate development. According to Eurostat, in February 2024, the average annual building production in the EU and the euro region increased by 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively, compared to 2022. This growth was largely attributed to an increase in new work (1.1%) and repair and maintenance (0.8%). As the construction industry continues to expand, there is a growing demand for water-based adhesives, which are commonly used in applications such as bonding, sealing, and insulation materials. These adhesives are favored for their environmentally friendly properties and low toxicity, making them suitable for the evolving demands of the construction sector. Therefore, the continued growth in construction is expected to propel the demand for water-based adhesives during the forecast period.

Many adhesive companies are adopting Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to connect equipment and smart devices, allowing real-time insights and identifying gaps in the manufacturing process. The data collected is processed, analyzed, and interpreted by plant managers and senior-level management to enhance quality and achieve optimal production levels. For instance, smart systems provide information on the condition and performance of chemical reactors through embedded software and analytics tools, alerting operators and managers to potential machine breakdowns. Notable companies embracing IoT include BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, and H.B. Fuller.

Leading companies in the water-based adhesives market are focusing on developing innovative products to cater to a broader customer base, boost sales, and increase revenue. One such innovation is the wash-off label adhesive, designed to be easily removed during bottle cleaning and recycling processes. For example, in August 2023, Dow Inc. introduced INVISU™ 7007, a wash-off label adhesive that excels in separating polyolefin-based (PE, PP) filmic labels from PET bottles, enhancing PET recycling. This acrylic technology offers additional benefits like moisture resistance, ease of processing and conversion, and recognition by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) for compliance with caustic wash recycling standards.

In May 2023, Duraco Specialty Materials acquired Strata-Tac Inc., expanding its range of pressure-sensitive adhesives for labels, tapes, face stocks, and specialty-coated materials. Strata-Tac's expertise in water-based chemistries complements Duraco's growing portfolio of sustainable solutions, strengthening its position as a leading North American producer of specialized labels and coated films. Strata-Tac Inc. is known for its water-based adhesives.

Water-based adhesives are adhesive formulations made from either natural polymers or soluble synthetic polymers, and they can be provided as solutions or formulated in dry powder form. These adhesives utilize a combination of water, polymers, and various additives and are suitable for bonding both porous and non-porous surfaces.

The primary categories of water-based adhesives include acrylic polymer emulsion (PAE), polyvinyl acetate (PVA) emulsion, vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE) emulsion, styrene butadiene (SB) latex, and polyurethane dispersion (PUD). VAE emulsions are produced by co-polymerizing vinyl acetate and ethylene, where the vinyl acetate content typically ranges from 60 to 95 percent, and the ethylene content ranges from 5 to 40 percent of the overall formulation. These product types encompass vinyl acetate adhesives, starch/dextrin adhesives, rubber latex adhesives, protein/casein adhesives, and other variations employed in industries such as paper and packaging, building and construction, automotive and transportation, and various other sectors.

The water-based adhesives market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides water-based adhesives market statistics, including global market size, regional shares, competitors with a water-based adhesives market share, detailed water-based adhesives market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the water-based adhesives industry. This water-based adhesives market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Major companies operating in the water-based adhesives market include Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, H.B. Fuller Company, Arkema Inc., Sika AG, DuPont de Nemours Inc., DIC Corporation, 3M Company, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Ashland Inc., Mapei SPA, Pidilite Industries Ltd., Franklin International Inc., Huber Group, Alfa International Corporation, Akzo Nobel NV, PPG Industries Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Avery Dennison Corporation, Bayer Material Science, Lord Corporation, Ardex Group, Permabond LLC, Paramelt BV, Jowat SE, Aqua Based Technologies, Technical Adhesives Limited, Ellsworth Adhesives, Nadco Tapes and Labels Inc., Royal Adhesives & Sealants LLC, Eastman Chemical Company, Hexion Inc., Huntsman Corporation, Master Bond Inc., Momentive Performance Materials Inc., RPM International Inc., BASF SE.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the water-based adhesives market in 2024. North America was the second-largest region in the global water-based adhesives market share. The regions covered in the water-based adhesives market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. The countries covered in the water-based adhesives market report are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, France, Germany, UK, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Turkey, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa.

The water-based adhesives market consists of the sales of vegetable glues, animal or protein glues, resin cements, and latex cements. Values in this market are factory gate values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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