Hot-Melt-Based Adhesives Market Report 2025

The hot-melt-based adhesives market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $18.88 billion in 2024 to $20.73 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in packaging industry, expansion of automotive manufacturing, rise in disposable hygiene products, consumer electronics manufacturing, increasing demand in woodworking applications.

The hot-melt-based adhesives market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $28.78 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to automotive lightweighting trends, increasing emphasis on electric vehicle, medical device assembly, expansion of construction industry, stringent environmental regulations. Major trends in the forecast period include advancements in manufacturing technologies, focus on sustainability and eco-friendly formulations, rising popularity in disposable hygiene products, strategic collaborations and partnerships, customization and specialty formulations.

The increasing awareness of environmental preservation has led consumers to seek out eco-friendly products, and in this context, hot melt adhesives are gaining prominence. Features such as affordability, absence of volatile organic compounds (VOC) release into the environment, extended shelf life, reusability without degradation, and rapid drying make hot melt adhesives more environmentally friendly compared to other adhesive options. Notably, companies such as Bostik are at the forefront of providing hot-melt polyurethane adhesive solutions for the textile industry. Leveraging solventless technology, these adhesives reduce reliance on hazardous solvents such as methylene chloride. This innovation has found success in Asian underwear, sportswear, and medical garment manufacturing, contributing to the growing demand for hot-melt polyurethane adhesives and driving the overall hot melt adhesives market.

The growth of the packaging industry is anticipated to drive the expansion of the hot-melt-based adhesives market. The packaging industry encompasses the sector dedicated to the design, production, and distribution of materials and solutions used for containing, protecting, and presenting products to consumers. Hot-melt-based adhesives are favored for their versatility, efficiency, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness, making them suitable for a variety of packaging applications. Their capability to provide secure and tamper-evident bonds further enhances their appropriateness for packaging needs. For example, in 2022, the Flexible Packaging Association, a US-based organization, reported that the flexible packaging industry in the United States generated sales of $41.5 billion, with the U.S. flexible packaging industry estimated to have reached $39 billion in sales for 2021. Consequently, the rise of the packaging industry is fueling the growth of the high-density polyethylene market moving forward.

Numerous products manufactured by adhesive companies pose potential hazards during their production phases, primarily due to processes involving high temperatures and high-pressure reactions, necessitating meticulous control to prevent accidents. Moreover, certain dyes produced in the manufacturing of these adhesives can be harmful to both living organisms and the environment. Consequently, regulations within the adhesives industry have intensified over the historical period, focusing on assessing and managing risks associated with the manufacturing, transportation, and disposal of chemicals. Adhesive products must align with intricate regulations governing labeling, handling, manufacturing, shipping, and storage, imposing additional compliance costs on hot melt-based adhesive companies. The challenges are further exacerbated by variations in regulations across different countries and regions.

Many hot melt-based adhesive companies are embracing Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. These technologies facilitate the connectivity of equipment and smart devices, providing real-time insights and pinpointing gaps in the manufacturing process. The data collected is then processed, analyzed, and interpreted by plant managers and senior-level management to enhance product quality and achieve optimal production levels. For instance, smart systems equipped with embedded software and analytics tools offer information on the working conditions and performance of chemical reactors, enabling plant operators and managers to receive timely notifications of potential machine breakdowns. Prominent companies, including BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, and H.B. Fuller, are actively adopting IoT solutions to streamline their operations and enhance overall efficiency.

Major companies in the hot-melt-based adhesives market are concentrating on creating innovative biodegradable hot-melt adhesives to meet increasing environmental standards and fulfill consumer demand for sustainable bonding solutions across various sectors. Biodegradable hot melt adhesives are environmentally friendly products designed to decompose naturally over time when exposed to biological organisms, such as bacteria or fungi, under specific conditions. For example, in September 2024, Power Adhesives, a UK-based manufacturer of hot melt glue systems, introduced the first biodegradable hot melt adhesive intended for carton and corrugated packaging. This innovation seeks to respond to the rising demand for sustainable packaging solutions by offering an eco-friendly alternative for industries aiming to minimize their environmental impact.

In January 2022, H.B. Fuller Company, a US-based manufacturer of adhesives, acquired Apollo Global Management, Inc., for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is intended to bolster H.B. Fuller Company's position in the adhesives market by incorporating Apollo's innovative adhesive solutions and expertise, thus enhancing its product range, broadening market reach, and creating new growth opportunities within key industrial sectors. Apollo Global Management, Inc. is a US-based company that specializes in hot melt adhesives.

Major companies operating in the hot-melt-based adhesives market include DowDuPont Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Sika AG, Huntsman Corporation, Toyobo Co. Ltd., Hexion Inc., Mapei SpA, Paramelt BV, Buhnen GmbH & Co. KG, Beardow & Adams Ltd., Tex Year Industries Inc., Dymax Corporation, Bostik Inc., Worthen Industries Inc., ITW Dynatec GmbH, KLEIBERIT SE & Co. KG, Wisdom Adhesives LLC, American Chemical Inc., Jowat SE, Daubert Chemical Company, Sealock Ltd., Permabond Engineering Adhesives Ltd., Sipol spa, Helmitin Inc., Adhesive Direct UK, Costchem SRL, Evans Adhesive Corporation Ltd., Sanyhot Adhesivos SA.

Hot-melt-based adhesives are thermoplastic materials heated for application using an electric hot glue gun. They are solid at room temperature and melt between 50 to 160 degrees upon heating.

Primary types include thermoplastic polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, styrenic-butadiene copolymers, polyolefins, polyamide, and other resin variations. Polyamide is a polymer with amide group connections between monomer units. These adhesives are used in packaging solutions, nonwoven hygiene products, furniture, bookbinding, and various sectors across industries such as building and construction, packaging, transportation, electronics, healthcare, and more.

The hot-melt-based adhesives market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides hot-melt-based adhesives market statistics, including hot-melt-based adhesives industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a hot-melt-based adhesives market share, detailed hot-melt-based adhesives market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the hot-melt-based adhesives industry. This hot-melt-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.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the hot-melt-based adhesives market in 2024. North America was the second-largest region in the global hot-melt-based adhesives market. The regions covered in the hot-melt-based adhesives market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the hot-melt-based adhesives market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The hot-melt-based adhesives market consists of the sales of hot-melt pressure-sensitive adhesives, and poly amides hot-melt adhesives. 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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