Packaging Adhesives Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2018-2028 Segmented By Technology (Water-based, Solvent-Based, Hot Melt, Others), By Resins (PVA, Acrylics, Polyurethane, Others), By Application (Cases & Carton, Corrugated Packaging, Labeling, Flexible Packaging, Folding Cartons, Speciality Packaging, Others), By Region and Competition

Market Overview

Global Packaging Adhesives Market has valued at USD 14.34 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to project robust growth in the forecast period with a CAGR of 3.20% through 2028. Packaging adhesives play a crucial role in achieving robust bonding solutions that cater to the rigorous demands of diverse applications across a wide spectrum of end-use products, including boxes and cartons. These adhesives come in various formulations, and one prominent type is water-based adhesives, which are crafted through the amalgamation of water, polymers, and additives.

Key Market Drivers

Rising Demand of Packaging Adhesives in Flexible Packaging

Flexible packaging has emerged as a transformative force in the packaging industry, driven by its versatility, convenience, and sustainability. This evolution has been accompanied by a burgeoning demand for packaging adhesives tailored to meet the unique requirements of flexible packaging applications. As consumer preferences and market dynamics evolve, the demand for flexible packaging continues to surge, creating a ripple effect in the demand for compatible adhesives. Flexible packaging encompasses a wide spectrum of products, ranging from pouches, sachets, and stand-up pouches to wraps, labels, and more. The appeal of flexible packaging lies in its ability to adapt to various shapes, sizes, and product types, while also providing protection from external elements such as moisture, light, and air. These qualities make it a preferred choice for a diverse array of industries, including food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care. Within this dynamic landscape, packaging adhesives play an instrumental role in ensuring the integrity of flexible packaging. Adhesives used in flexible packaging serve multiple functions across various processes, including heat and cold sealing, lidding, lamination, blister packaging, horizontal flow wrapping, and form-fill-seal applications. These adhesives provide the necessary bonding strength and seal integrity that are critical to maintaining the freshness, safety, and overall quality of the packaged products.

Moreover, the food and beverage industry, a major player in the flexible packaging domain, is witnessing a robust demand for adhesives that can address its unique needs. The ability of packaging adhesives to facilitate effective heat sealing and create a strong barrier against external contaminants is paramount in preserving the flavor, aroma, and shelf life of food and beverages. From ready-to-eat meals to snacks and beverages, flexible packaging equipped with the right adhesives helps maintain product integrity while offering convenience to consumers on-the-go. Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce and online shopping has further propelled the demand for flexible packaging. With the increasing preference for online purchases, brands are focusing on optimizing packaging solutions that ensure the safe transit of products to consumers' doorsteps. Packaging adhesives used in e-commerce applications must possess strong bonding properties to withstand the rigors of transportation and handling, while also ensuring tamper-evident seals to enhance consumer confidence.

In addition, water-based adhesives, known for their eco-friendliness and regulatory compliance, are gaining traction within the flexible packaging realm. The trend toward sustainable packaging solutions has prompted manufacturers to seek adhesives that align with their environmental goals. Water-based adhesives, formulated using natural and soluble synthetic polymers, are finding favor in labeling applications. Clear labels, which are gradually replacing inks in product tagging, are more sustainable and easily recyclable. This shift toward water-based adhesives not only addresses environmental concerns but also meets consumer demands for transparent and responsible packaging. The proliferation of water-based adhesives is also attributed to their cost-effectiveness and user-friendly application methods. These adhesives can be applied through various techniques, such as roller-coating, screen-printing, and spraying, making them a versatile choice for different types of flexible packaging. This versatility in application methods, combined with their lower environmental impact, positions water-based adhesives as a preferred choice for packaging manufacturers striving to strike a balance between performance and sustainability.

Additionally, technological advancements have broadened the scope of applications for packaging adhesives in flexible packaging. Manufacturers are continuously innovating to enhance adhesive performance, durability, and efficiency. The demand for adhesives that offer quick curing times, strong bonding under various conditions, and resistance to external factors like moisture, UV exposure, and temperature fluctuations is on the rise. These advancements empower packaging professionals to design packaging solutions that cater to specific product requirements and end-user expectations, leading to the demand of market in the forecast period.

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Increasing Demand of Packaging Adhesives in Food & Beverage Sector

In the intricate world of the food and beverage sector, packaging plays a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity and quality of products. The evolution of packaging solutions has been a dynamic journey, driven by consumer demands, regulatory requirements, and technological innovations. At the heart of this evolution lies the demand for packaging adhesives that ensure the efficacy of packaging while meeting the diverse needs of the food and beverage industry. The food and beverage sector is marked by its vast array of products, ranging from perishable goods to non-perishable items, and encompassing a wide spectrum of packaging types. Adhesives used in this sector must align with the varied characteristics of these products, as well as the challenges posed by storage, transportation, and consumer preferences. From preventing leaks and contamination to enhancing shelf appeal, packaging adhesives are pivotal in ensuring that food and beverage products reach consumers in optimal condition.

Moreover, the primary considerations in the food and beverage sector is maintaining the freshness and safety of consumables. Heat-sealing applications, facilitated by packaging adhesives, ensure that perishable products remain protected from external elements such as moisture, oxygen, and contaminants. Heat-sealed packaging acts as a barrier, preserving the flavor, aroma, and nutritional value of products while extending their shelf life. In this context, packaging adhesives contribute to the creation of airtight seals that effectively shield products from deterioration and enhance the overall consumer experience. The demand for packaging adhesives in the food and beverage sector is also driven by the burgeoning trend of convenience-driven packaging solutions. Consumers today seek packaging that is not only functional but also user-friendly and time-efficient. This demand has led to the proliferation of easy-open and resealable packaging, which relies heavily on adhesives for effective sealing and resealing mechanisms. Packaging adhesives enable the creation of seals that are strong enough to preserve product freshness yet can be easily opened and reclosed multiple times, contributing to convenience and minimizing food wastage.

Furthermore, the food and beverage sector is undergoing a transformation driven by changing consumer preferences and heightened awareness about health and sustainability. As consumers seek transparency and responsible packaging practices, manufacturers are responding by adopting eco-friendly packaging solutions. Water-based adhesives, characterized by their low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and reduced environmental impact, are gaining traction in this context. These adhesives align with both regulatory standards and consumer demands for packaging that minimizes its ecological footprint. Labeling is another critical aspect of food and beverage packaging, and adhesives play a pivotal role in ensuring the functionality and visual appeal of labels. Clear labels, often used to convey product information and branding elements, require reliable adhesion to maintain their integrity on various packaging materials.

Rising Demand Packaging Adhesives in Pharmaceutical Sector

Pharmaceutical sector, where precision, safety, and product integrity are paramount, packaging plays a pivotal role. Behind the scenes of every pharmaceutical product lies a complex network of packaging materials, among which packaging adhesives quietly ensure the protection and efficacy of medications. The demand for packaging adhesives within the pharmaceutical sector stems from the unique challenges and critical requirements that characterize this industry, ranging from regulatory compliance to patient safety. The pharmaceutical sector is a realm governed by stringent regulations and meticulous quality standards. As medications traverse from production to distribution to end-users, their packaging must adhere to these standards, ensuring that products remain untainted and effective. Packaging adhesives play a vital role in meeting these demands, ensuring that closures, seals, and labels are secure and tamper-evident. Tamper-evident seals, achieved through adhesives, provide the assurance that the product has not been compromised, enhancing patient safety and trust.

Moreover, adhesives in the pharmaceutical sector are versatile and cater to diverse packaging needs. From blister packs to vials, syringes, and ampoules, adhesives are integral to creating secure and airtight seals that safeguard the contents from contaminants, moisture, and other external factors. The packaging must maintain the sterility and potency of pharmaceutical products, and adhesives are the unsung heroes that contribute to maintaining these critical attributes.

Furthermore, the pharmaceutical sector's emphasis on patient compliance and convenience has led to the adoption of innovative packaging solutions. Adhesives enable the creation of user-friendly packaging formats such as single-dose packaging, multi-dose packaging, and easy-to-open containers. Adhesive-sealed blister packs, for instance, not only provide dose protection but also allow patients to easily access their medications while minimizing the risk of contamination.

Key Market Challenges

Cost-Effectiveness and Compatibility with Automation Poses a Significant Obstacle to Market Expansion

Balancing cost-effectiveness with product performance and sustainability remains a significant challenge. Developing advanced adhesive formulations, sourcing eco-friendly materials, and meeting regulatory standards can lead to higher production costs. Adhesive manufacturers need to find ways to offer competitive pricing while delivering value to customers.

Moreover, automation becomes increasingly prevalent in packaging processes, adhesives must be compatible with automated equipment. This involves factors such as adhesive viscosity, drying time, and dispensing methods. Adhesive manufacturers need to ensure that their products can be seamlessly integrated into automated production lines.

Sustainability Concerns and Evolving Consumer Preferences

In recent years, the emphasis on sustainability has significantly impacted the packaging industry, including adhesives. Consumers and regulatory bodies are increasingly pushing for environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Packaging adhesives often contain petroleum-based components, which contribute to plastic waste and carbon emissions. As a result, adhesive manufacturers are under pressure to develop eco-friendly alternatives that are biodegradable, compostable, and sourced from renewable materials.

Moreover, consumer preferences are rapidly changing, driven by factors such as convenience, visual appeal, and environmental consciousness. Packaging adhesives must cater to various packaging styles, materials, and designs while ensuring ease of use for consumers. Meeting these diverse demands requires constant innovation in adhesive formulations and application methods.

In addition, packaging adhesives play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and security of packages during transportation and storage. Adhesives must provide strong seals that prevent leakage, tampering, and damage to the packaged products. Achieving the right balance between bond strength and ease of opening for consumers is a complex challenge. Moreover, minimizing packaging waste is a growing concern. Adhesive residues on packaging materials can complicate recycling processes. Adhesive manufacturers need to develop solutions that allow for clean and efficient recycling while maintaining adhesion performance.

Key Market Trends

Sustainability

With increasing awareness of environmental concerns, consumers are seeking eco-friendly packaging options. This demand has spurred innovation in adhesive technologies that enable recyclability and compostability of packaging materials. Manufacturers are developing adhesives that not only offer strong bonding properties but also align with the principles of circular economy. Water-based and bio-based adhesives have gained traction due to their reduced environmental impact and compatibility with recycling processes. Brands are now actively adopting sustainable adhesives to align with their corporate social responsibility goals and cater to eco-conscious consumers.

Moreover, regulatory guidelines and safety standards are pushing for the use of safer and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) adhesives in packaging. VOC emissions from adhesives can contribute to indoor air pollution and health concerns. As a result, manufacturers are investing in research and development to formulate adhesives with lower VOC content, ensuring compliance with stringent regulations. This shift toward low-VOC adhesives aligns with consumer demands for healthier and safer products. These factors are anticipated to drive the growth of the global packaging adhesives market during the forecast period.

Rise of E-commerce and Online Shopping

The rise of e-commerce and online shopping has led to a surge in demand for robust packaging solutions. Packaging adhesives designed for e-commerce applications need to withstand the challenges of long-distance transportation, varying climatic conditions, and rough handling. Adhesives used in this context should provide strong bonding capabilities to prevent package tampering and ensure product safety. Manufacturers are developing adhesives with enhanced flexibility, durability, and resistance to external factors, thus catering to the specific requirements of the e-commerce sector.

Digitalization and Automation

Digitalization and automation are transforming various industries, including packaging. The packaging adhesives sector is no exception, as manufacturers incorporate smart technologies to enhance production efficiency, quality control, and traceability. Automation enables precise adhesive application, reducing wastage and ensuring consistent bonding. Smart adhesive application systems can adjust adhesive volumes based on packaging specifications, optimizing adhesive usage. This not only reduces costs but also contributes to sustainable practices by minimizing material wastage.

Moreover, adhesives used in food packaging must be FDA-approved and should not pose any risk of migration into the packaged food. As a response, manufacturers are developing food-safe adhesives that maintain a strong bond while ensuring the safety of packaged products. This trend reflects the industry's commitment to providing consumers with packaging solutions that preserve the quality and integrity of food items.

Segmental Insights

Technology Insights

Based on the category of technology insights, water-borne emerged as the dominant player in the global market for packaging adhesives in 2022. Water-based adhesives, known for their improved resistance to moisture compared to other adhesive types, possess direct water solubility. Among the widely utilized water-based adhesives in various industrial applications are PVA, gluten, starch, skin, and casein. The advancement of technology has significantly expanded the range of applications for these adhesive products. Two primary categories of water-based adhesives exist: solutions and latexes. Solutions are formulated from materials that are soluble exclusively in water or alkaline water, such as starch, dextrin, blood albumen, methylcellulose, and polyvinyl alcohol. On the other hand, latex refers to a stable dispersion of a polymeric substance within an aqueous medium. Latex demonstrates a greater stability compared to solution adhesives, making it a quicker replacement for solvent-based adhesives.

Moreover, solvent-based items are manufactured through the blending of adhesive materials with suitable solvents to generate effective adhesion polymer solutions. These high-performance products are achieved by pairing a stable molecular structure of the polymer with a compatible solvent. Nevertheless, the increasing environmental concerns associated with volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions are expected to impede the growth of solvent-based adhesives in the foreseeable future.

Furthermore, hot-melt products hold significant prominence in packaging applications due to their exceptional inherent characteristics, including instant bonding. In contrast to water-based and solvent-based alternatives, hot-melt solutions are particularly well-suited for packaging items that necessitate swift bond formation. These solutions offer advantages such as ease of application and rapid processing.

Resin Insights

Based on the category of Resin, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) emerged as the dominant player in the global market for packaging adhesives in 2022. PVA adhesives are versatile and can be used for bonding a wide variety of substrates commonly found in packaging, including paper, cardboard, wood, and certain plastics. This versatility makes PVA suitable for a range of packaging applications. PVA adhesives are typically easy to handle and apply, making them user-friendly for packaging operations. They can be applied using various methods such as spraying, roller coating, and brushing. PVA adhesives have a relatively fast drying time, allowing for efficient production processes. This quick drying feature is particularly beneficial for high-speed packaging lines where fast assembly is crucial. Moreover, PVA adhesives exhibit good initial bond strength, making them suitable for applications where quick adhesion is required. They form strong bonds with various substrates, ensuring the integrity of the packaging. This adhesives offer a certain degree of flexibility and elasticity once dried. This flexibility can accommodate the movement and stresses that packaging materials might undergo during transportation and handling. Along with this, PVA adhesives are water-based, which makes them non-toxic and safe for use in food packaging applications. They do not emit harmful fumes or odors, making them suitable for packaging that meets consumable products.

Application Insights

Based on the category of application, flexible packaging emerged as the dominant player in the global market for packaging adhesives in 2022. Adhesives utilized in flexible packaging offer efficiency across a range of processes, encompassing heat and cold sealing, lidding, lamination, blister packaging, horizontal flow packaging, and fill packaging. The surge in demand for flexible packaging is directly linked to the rising needs within the food and beverage sector.

Furthermore, water-based adhesives are gaining significant traction in the labeling segment due to their environmentally friendly attributes. These adhesives are formulated using natural and soluble synthetic polymers, catering to labeling and bonding requirements. Within the packaging industry, transparent labels are increasingly replacing traditional inks for container tagging. As the demand for labels continues to grow, the need for such adhesives is projected to witness a notable increase in the forthcoming years.

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Regional Insights

North America emerged as the dominant player in the global packaging adhesives market in 2022. The region is witnessing a notable surge in the requirement for water-based adhesives, primarily driven by the escalation in technological advancements, adoption of bio-based feedstocks, and the introduction of cutting-edge methodologies. Furthermore, attributes such as affordability and the convenient application of water-based adhesives through methods like roller-coating, screen-printing, and spraying are poised to contribute to the continued expansion of their utilization in the foreseeable future.

Furthermore, during the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region is poised to exhibit the swiftest growth rate. This expansion can be attributed to shifting lifestyles, an upward trajectory in disposable incomes, and a burgeoning population, particularly prominent in China and India. This demographic shift is instigating a heightened demand for packaged food products. The escalating production of packaged food and beverages in the region is foreseen to contribute significantly to the market's growth in the foreseeable future. China retains its status as the most rapidly growing nation within the region and holds the distinction of being the largest adhesive producer in the Asia Pacific. The surge in the number of hospitals and healthcare facilities, driven by the expanding geriatric demographic, is expected to propel the demand for pharmaceuticals in the country. This increased pharmaceutical production, in turn, is projected to catalyze the utilization of packaging adhesives within the pharmaceutical packaging sector in the forthcoming years.

Recent Developments

• In April 2023, Amcor is proud to partner again with Tyson Foods to launch new and more sustainable package for consumer products.
• In September 2022, Ardagh Glass Packaging collaborates with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to transition to ECO Series sustainable glass packaging options.
• In May 2022, Henkel introduced RE-product range of adhesives and coatings that both improve the recyclability of flexible packaging and make it possible to use recycled content in new packaging.
• In August 2020, Sonoco purchased sustainable paper can solutions producer for increasing the sustainable packaging options.

Key Market Players

• 3M Co.
• Arkema Group (Bostik)
• Avery Dennison Corporation
• Ashland Inc
• Dow Chemical Company
• Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
• H.B. Fuller Company
• Jowat SE
•  Paramelt RMC B.V.
• Wacker Chemie AG

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Packaging Adhesives Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Packaging Adhesives Market, By Technology:

o   Water-based

o   Solvent-Based

o   Hot Melt

o   Others

• Packaging Adhesives Market, By Resins:

o   PVA

o   Acrylics

o   Polyurethane

o   Others

• Packaging Adhesives Market, By Application:

o   Cases & Carton

o   Corrugated Packaging

o   Labeling

o   Flexible Packaging

o   Folding Cartons

o   Speciality Packaging

o   Others

• Packaging Adhesives Market, By Region:

o   Asia-Pacific

§  China

§  India

§  Australia

§  Japan

§  South Korea

o   Europe

§  France

§  Germany

§  Spain

§  Italy

§  United Kingdom

o   North America

§  United States

§  Mexico

§  Canada

o   South America

§  Brazil

§  Argentina

§  Colombia

o   Middle East & Africa

§  South Africa

§  Saudi Arabia

§  UAE

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Packaging Adhesives Market.

Available Customizations:

Global Packaging Adhesives Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).