Sunny Forecast for PSAs

The new year – and beyond – look promising for makers of tapes and labels in general and for Franklin Adhesives & Polymers, as a respected supplier of pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), in particular. The PSA tape and label markets are trending upward and expected to grow globally at five to six percent over the next three years. Developing countries, such as Brazil, India, and China, are expected to lead most of this forecasted growth; however, the U.S. markets also are poised for growth. The expansion in PSAs for tapes will center on polypropylene and specialty tapes (i.e., foam tapes). For labels, “green” is still a hot topic in the industry. Biodegradable products and products that are truly recyclable dominate most discussions.

From a supply standpoint, the costs of feedstock propylene, acrylic and methacrylic monomers, and vinyl acetate monomer continue to increase. Adhesives suppliers must find new ways to improve process efficiencies and develop new polymers to keep our costs to our customers down.

At Franklin Adhesives & Polymers, we are excited over the opportunities that PSAs offer us. Many customers are moving away from solvent-based and hot melt products to the more user-friendly and environmentally safe waterborne PSAs. Though many of our larger competitors offer a “one-size-fits-all” solution and are reluctant to develop new polymers, we are eager to custom-build adhesives from the molecule up that best suit your needs.