ASC: Bostik shows sticking power

Bostik celebrates its 125th anniversary this year. ICIS talked to senior vice president Bob Marquette, keynote speaker at the ASC Fall Convention, on the vital place of adhesives in the economy

Leading adhesives company Bostik this year celebrates its 125th anniversary. The evolution of Bostik from a local US company that supplied dyes and coatings to local shoe manufacturers in northeastern Massachusetts to a global and innovative sealants and adhesives manufacturer in many ways mirrors the growth of the adhesives and sealants industry as a whole, says Bostik senior vice president Bob Marquette.

Adhesive developments have made possible many advances in flooring Copyright: Getty

“The company’s entrance into the adhesives business occurred in response to the need for modernisation of shoe manufacturing, which led to the replacement of physical fasteners with adhesives,” he explains. Since that first foray into adhesives manufacturing, the company has been building expertise in sealant and adhesive technology and leveraging that know-how to respond to the needs of many other industries for bonding solutions.

The company today, with sales of €1.51bn ($1.94bn), offers adhesives and sealants for multiple industrial applications, for the construction and consumer markets, and for use in products such as flooring, hygiene, tapes and labels, flexible packaging and automobiles. Since 1990 it has been a part of France’s energy major Total, but it looks set to move to Arkema, also of France, after a €1.74bn takeover bid.

The first synthetic adhesives were based on phenol-formaldehyde resins. Chlorinated rubbers, other formaldehyde-based resins, acrylates and polyvinyl acetate glues were introduced to the market in the 1930s and 1940s, followed by epoxies and cyano-acrylates in the 1960s. Pressure-sensitive acrylics and structural polyurethanes were introduced in the 1970s, while hot melt adhesives began to make a large impact in the 1980s.

Today, a wide range of resin chemistries is utilised and provides a much wider spectrum of properties, including multifunctional performance beyond the bonding of two dissimilar (or similar) materials.

Bostik’s experience in the hygiene, auto-motive, flooring and packaging markets is indicative of how the above advances in adhesive technologies have impacted various end-use markets.

ENABLING PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT
The hygiene market for adhesives consists largely of baby diapers, adult incontinence products and feminine hygiene products. This market was born in the early 1960s and at that time waterborne adhesives were used for disposable diapers. Leading diaper manufacturers readily adopted hot melt adhesive technology when it was introduced in the 1970s and welcomed the more robust performance of styrene block copolymer technology when it was introduced in the 1980s.

“With this adhesive technology, it was possible for diaper manufacturers to add shape, form, fit and comfort to their diapers while also improving their leak-resistance. Clearly, the advances made in adhesive technology were critical to the advancement of the diaper industry,” Marquette says.

In a similar manner, adhesive technologies used in the manufacture of automobiles evolved as the industry progressed through its various development stages. Today, many of the materials used to manufacture car interiors are bonded together with adhesives.

“When you compare the interior of a car from 30-40 years ago to the interior of a car made today, the differences are extreme. The very noticeable improvements in the appearance, comfort and safety of cars today have largely been made possible because of adhesives,” notes Marquette.

The increased use of synthetic flooring materials has also been made possible through the development of innovative adhesive technologies, according to Marquette. He also notes that for this application, adhesives have evolved to meet the needs for cost, appearance, availability and performance, and as a result have changed the way that flooring is installed.

More recently, adhesives have been developed that expand the breadth of applications of resilient flooring materials. Developments in bond strength, weatherability and asphalt compatibility have enabled the installation of rubber sport courts and playground equipment in harsh exterior environments with an expanding array of compatible substrates. Factors such as bond and compressive strengths, plasticizer migration resistance and alkalinity resistance have also enabled luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs), the fastest-growing segment of the flooring market, to become suitable for demanding environments with high rolling-load requirements, such as those found in hospitals.

Film substrates have become increasingly popular and initially presented a challenge for adhesive manufacturers. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a good example, according to Marquette. “PET films are attractive for the packing industry, but it is very difficult for anything to stick to this plastic. Even so, adhesives were developed that do adhere to PET films, and as a result, flexible packaging evolved,” he explains.

Although Bostik is not involved in the structural adhesives market, Marquette stresses that structural applications are an important end-use for adhesives and represent another area where adhesive technology has played a critical role in the advancement of several industries.

In all of the above examples, advances in adhesive technologies enabled manufacturers in these end-use markets to meet customer demands for improved performance, appearance, comfort, and/or safety. Customer needs and expectations continue to drive adhesive technology development today, according to Marquette.

“There is strong demand for increased efficiencies in use. That translates differently for different markets. In the automotive and aerospace industries, adhesives enable the use of lightweight materials. Preventing heat loss in buildings through the use of higher-performance sealants and adhesives improves efficiencies in the construction segment.”

DRIVER OF EFFICIENCY
Industrial adhesives drive efficiencies in manufacturing by minimising waste or enabling the uses of less adhesives with higher performing products, Marquette observes.

Energy efficiency is an important trend that cuts across numerous industries. Adhesives and sealants are fundamental to improving energy efficient performance in many applications throughout the industry. Whether it is appliances, cars, homes, industrial operations, solar panels and wind turbines, or airplanes, adhesive and sealant technology plays a central role in achieving enhanced performance.

“Whether we are talking about sealants for heat flow prevention or adhesives for bonding composites of lightweight interior parts, adhesive and sealant technology is continuing to evolve, bringing greater benefits in both consumer and industrial applications,” Marquette asserts.

As populations become centralised and clustered in larger and larger cities, there is also a growing need for transportation that will be appropriate for these densely populated areas. Individual automobile ownership will not be practical in such a situation; therefore, the opportunities for the expansion of bus and light rail transportation are significant. “This trend will be a key driver for the adhesives and sealants industry, because these systems rely heavily on adhesive and sealant technologies,” Marquette says.

Meeting future global needs for clean water and clean air will require advances in technology on many levels, including adhesives and sealants. “Filters of all shapes and sizes will be used in homes, water treatment facilities, industrial manufacturing plants and much more. Adhesives are key materials in the production of these filters. When the market demands even higher performing filters, adhesives and adhesive technology will adapt to enable higher performance,” notes Marquette.

Increasingly stringent regulations with respect to the volatile organic compound (VOC) content in adhesives and sealants are driving the development of water-based and 100% solids technologies at the expense of solvent-borne systems. The end-use markets for adhesives and sealants that are experiencing the greatest growth include flexible packaging, electronics, automotive, construction, furniture and hygiene.

Of course, cost cannot be left out of any discussion on drivers for technology development. Given the slow recovery from the recession that occurred in 2007-2009, efforts continue in all market segments to drive out cost from manufacturing processes while simultaneously increasing output. “Lean production continues to be a key area of focus in industries – from hygiene to food packaging to labels. We see an opportunity to develop adhesives that enable leaner processes,” Marquette asserts.

At Bostik, according to Marquette, the focus is on providing total solutions, not just glues. “We have directed a lot of energy into developing solutions based on adhesive technologies. In order for adhesives to be effective, they must provide value beyond just adhesion for the application and be easy for the end-user to apply.”

FUTURE EXPECTATIONS
Given the above drivers and trends and the history of innovation in the adhesive and sealants industry, Marquette is confident that continued advancements in adhesive and sealant technologies will bring more value to all stakeholders in the value chain, including customers, suppliers, employees, and adhesive and sealant manufacturers. “To grow the industry, we need to create value for all of the participants,” he says.

One approach to growing the market is to focus on the emerging geographies, which have a higher rate of growth and thus a greater demand for adhesive and sealant technologies. Marquette believes, however, that such an approach is insufficient. “It is important for the adhesives and sealants industry to create new markets, not just grow along with those that already exist.”

Bostik is, therefore, looking at new potential applications for adhesives and sealants and identifying smarter solutions based on adhesive and sealant technology that can enable the growth of new end-use applications and markets. “We will drive growth by going beyond the idea of glue and present our products as solutions that help improve efficiency and performance while being cost-effective,” says Marquette.

One area where Marquette believes the adhesives industry needs to improve is its brand recognition. Although adhesives and sealants are used in many different markets, end-users are not aware of the importance of these materials. “There is a real opportunity for the adhesive and sealants industry to grow brand recognition and thereby increase the use of its products.

“If people realise the contributions and benefits adhesive and sealant technologies make to the products they rely on every day, we might increase the likelihood that they will think of using adhesives rather than traditional fasteners. Increasing the brand recognition of the industry in this manner could lead to the use of adhesives and sealants in an even wider range of applications than they are today,” Marquette concludes.