The global adhesive films market is expected to reach $14.45 billion by 2020, according to Transparency Market Research “Adhesive Films Market”
This is all due to the increase in applications in packaging, automotive, healthcare and electronics. Healthcare has really taken off in the wound care space. Film is often used as carrier sheet or web for the extruded material. It is also used as a moisture barrier protection until it is removed just prior to being applied to the skin.
Electronics is the one of the biggest growth areas due to everything wanting to be smaller and lighter. You can really see this taken to the nth degree in the automotive space. I’m sure you have noticed in any late model car, van or truck they are a lot quieter. This is due to the combination of Film meeting a Non-woven fabric. This ability to form and bend around the components on a vehicle, all the while being lighter, stronger and waterproof has contributed to this growth.
In terms of volume, acrylic adhesive films dominated in 2013-14. They have been adapted to the all the markets mentioned above. They are preferred because they can be formulated with all the adhesive film technologies. In addition, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) and polyurethane adhesive films are other versatile products that can substitute acrylic products. Polyvinly butyral (PVB) and epoxy adhesives are primarily used in the automotive and construction industries, respectively.
Labels, labels and labels. With a CAGR of over 6%, the labels market is the fastest growing segment for the forecast period mentioned in the report. The packaging industry is the biggest driver for the increase in label production. The other big user at 45% are Tapes. This includes packaging tapes, one-side tape, double-sided tape and adhesive transfer tape.
So what is the future – it is around medical. It will be the fastest growing end-user segment for adhesive films. This is due to the ease of use and product disposal.
Other areas causing strong growth for adhesive films will be mobile devices, tablet personal computers and the push for compact devices.