Construction Adhesives Market

Market Overview

The global construction adhesives market size was valued at USD 11.20 billion in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 17.88 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.34% during the forecast period (2023–2031). It is anticipated that the increasing investments in infrastructure development will contribute to the expansion of the global market.

"Adhesive" is any substance capable of forming a releasable surface bond between two or more materials. Construction adhesive is a multipurpose adhesive for attaching sheetrock, tile, molding, and fixtures to walls, ceilings, and flooring. It is typically sold in tubes designed for use with a caulking machine. A diverse range of chemical compositions exists for construction adhesives.

Clay, cement, polyurethane monomers, styrene-butadiene rubber, acrylic resin, hexane, other nonpolar solvents, and various initiators and functional additives are typical components. Due to new building materials, techniques, and tightening time restrictions, construction adhesives are increasingly used for structural and non-structural bonding on construction sites. A few instances are bonding insulating boards, plaster, or wood laths and joining structural reinforcement and facade elements.

Market Dynamics

Global Construction Adhesives Market Drivers:

Growing Investments in Infrastructure Development

A significant aspect driving market expansion is the growing number of infrastructure development projects in developed and developing countries. Other important drivers projected to fuel revenue growth in the market include investment in infrastructure projects, expanding current airports and building new ones, and increasing educational institutions, hospitals, industrial facilities, and water infrastructure.

Additionally, construction adhesives are used in flooring installation, laminating, and roofing applications. Developments in polyurethane and epoxy-based adhesives have resulted in an extension of these adhesives' application areas in the construction sector. Therefore, the growing investments in infrastructure development are expected to boost market growth.

Rising Demand from Asia-Pacific Region

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest-escalating market for construction adhesives. The construction sector is growing in Asia-Pacific because of increased local demand and the availability of low-cost labor. As a result, market players are concentrating on this area to grow their market share and profits. China, Japan, India, and South Korea are significant developing countries in Asia-Pacific. Rising disposable income, strong economic growth, and soaring construction activities have primarily supported market growth in the region.

Asia-Pacific was the biggest market for the global construction industry in 2021 and will continue to dominate. Asia-Pacific is a developing market since Asian cities are home to over half of the world's urban population and are expected to account for two-thirds of the global urban population growth. Asia-Pacific's key drivers of construction adhesive are the rising need for residential and commercial construction and government regulations to preserve the environment and human health from harmful VOC emissions.

Global Construction Adhesives Market Restraint:

Limitations of Hot-melt Adhesives

In conditions such as high temperatures that can fully melt an adhesive and thermal strain on the substrate, hot-melt adhesives do not display good bonding strength. Many hot-melt adhesives are also chemical- and weather-resistant, which might negatively influence construction adhesives globally.

Other issues manufacturers face include poor adherence, adhesive charring, adhesive gelling, stringing (when adhesive materials are left behind on the nozzle), and adhesive fuming. These concerns result in increased downtime, product waste, and manufacturing costs. One of the major concerns that arise when hot-melt adhesives are used for construction purposes is charring. All these factors restrict market growth.

Global Construction Adhesives Market Opportunities:

Increasing Demand from the Residential Sector

The growing population and increasing disposable income among developing economies have impacted the demand side of the residential sector. The demand for residential buildings has increased exponentially due to the need for better living standards and focus on investments in developing countries. With tremendous development potential for single-family dwelling construction and multifamily housing units, the global residential building construction industry is expected to increase.

Cost cutting, quality improvement, and customer happiness become more crucial as businesses move from supplier to buyer-driven. Simultaneously, the worldwide residential building construction industry is driven by rising business sector growth, low-loan cost circumstances, expanding discretionary cashflows, rapid urbanization, rising population, and creative advancements. The residential sector contributes around 44% of the total construction growth and is expected to grow at a 7.1% CAGR. Therefore, increasing demand from the residential sector is expected to create opportunities for market growth.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global construction adhesives market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

North America Dominates the Global Market

Asia-Pacific is the most significant global construction adhesives market shareholder and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 5.48% during the forecast period. The rising population and disposable income in China, India, and Indonesia have fueled residential housing growth in the Asia-Pacific region, further fueling the demand for construction adhesives in the construction industry. The construction industry in China is expected to grow by 4.21% through 2021 due to multiple mega infrastructure projects coupled with 2,991 hotel construction projects in the pipeline. Similarly, Indonesia has the potential to grow by around 9% over the next five years due to residential projects and 378 hotel construction projects in the pipeline. In addition, the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed to 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerated new infrastructural projects along with upgrades and contributed to the growth of the construction industry in Japan post-2020. With the rise in the construction industry, the demand for construction adhesives will also grow during the forecast period.

North America is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 5.36% over the forecast period. The industry's growth is predicted to accelerate during the forecast period as trade tensions lessen between the US and China. The recovery of the construction industry in North America after the economic slowdown also enhances opportunities for construction adhesives. The demand for non-residential construction and increased consumer expenditure on home furnishings have increased the demand for polyurethane adhesives in construction and building applications. Construction spending is expected to significantly drive market growth during the forecast period. In addition, infrastructural development in the US and Canada will lead to the demand for construction adhesives in the country and the region. For instance, the Canadian government has pledged to invest in and maintain infrastructure nationwide. The government has set aside about USD 180 billion to invest over 15 years in vital infrastructure over the next decade as part of the 'Investing in Canada Plan.'  

Europe will be the third-largest market for construction adhesives after Asia-Pacific and North America. Germany, France, and the UK were early adopters of automation and building technology, resulting in a strong demand for adhesives. The construction industry in Europe employs more than 20 million people, accounting for more than 9% of the European GDP. In addition, the surging investments from the public and private sectors are expected to expedite the construction industry over the next few years. The industry is also fueled by renovation activities expected to occur in most residential homes and policy reforms. The European construction industry is expected to grow to the pre-pandemic level by 2022, which is expected to increase the consumption of construction adhesives in the region.

Despite the downfall of the Latin American construction sector in 2021, the region is expected to recover during 2022–2025, growing at an annual rate of 2.87%. The impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry is estimated to be more significant during Q1–Q3 2020, leading to the poor performance of the construction adhesives market. The business-friendly policies in small economies such as Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have attracted large-scale investments from the private sector in 2021, which can drive the demand for construction adhesives during the forecast period.

Construction is the largest and fastest-growing industry in the Middle East and Africa region. This has enhanced the growth of the construction adhesives market. The construction industry in the region is highly advanced in technology and infrastructural design. Qatar's economy is expected to grow 3.15% in Q3 2021–Q3 2022, owing to rising construction operations, especially for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This will comprise stadium construction, hotel projects, training camps, and transport hubs built to accommodate visitors and players from other countries, with an investment of more than USD 10 billion. Moreover, the Qatar National Vision 2030 also focuses on increasing infrastructure spending in the country. These infrastructural expansion projects are expected to drive the market for construction adhesives.

Segmental Analysis

The global construction adhesives market is bifurcated into type, technology, and application.

Based on type, the global construction adhesives market is segmented into acrylic, polyurethane, polyvinyl acetate, epoxy, and others. 

The acrylic segment is the largest revenue contributor to the market and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.67% over the forecast period. Acrylic is a type of resin used to make construction adhesives, such as water- and solvent-based adhesives. Surfactants, polymers, acrylic, and other additives make emulsion adhesives. Acrylic polymers are biodegradable and environmentally favorable adhesives that adhere instantly, increase bonding strength while curing, and adhere to themselves. The market for acrylic construction adhesives is expected to increase significantly due to their ability to bond to any substrate. In addition, the segment is expected to grow considerably because of its ability to bond strongly with wood, plastics, textiles, ceramics, leather, and metals. The building and construction industry is expected to drive the adoption of acrylic construction adhesive variants.

Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesives resist oil, grease, and acid. PVA resin-based adhesives are environment-friendly and pose no health risks. PVA-based adhesives are durable, produce a transparent film, and stick to tiles, concrete, and ceramic surfaces. Paper bonding and wood assembly are two applications where PVA emulsions are employed. They are also known as white glue in adhesive applications. PVAs are aliphatic and thermoplastic resins that work well in porous and paper-based materials. Many people use PVA due to its excellent light stability and resistance to ugly yellowing.

Moreover, due to the solubility of PVA, the adhesive procedure can be reversed. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has a high degree of removability, allowing for swift completion of re-gluing procedures. It is also cost-effective and provides the standard/medium bonding strength needed for common operations.

Based on technology, the global construction adhesives market is bifurcated into solvent-based, water-based, hot-melt, reactive, and others. 

The water-based segment is the highest contributor to the market and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 5.54% over the forecast period. Water-based adhesives are available as pre-mixed solutions or as dry powders that formulators must combine with water to get the desired adhesive characteristics. Water that evaporates from the adhesive line or is absorbed by the substrate can acquire certain properties. Thus, employing at least one permeable substrate is critical while using water-based adhesives. Water-based adhesives are made of organic compounds such as starch, synthetic rubber, ethylene, and low-density polyethylene.

The water-based segment is driven by lamination, countertop, roofing, and wooden flooring applications. Water-based adhesives are organic adhesives with minimal VOC emission and toxic ingredients in the formulation. They can be manufactured using resins such as Polyvinyl acetate emulsion, acrylic polymer emulsion, ethylene vinyl acetate, styrene-butadiene latex, and polyurethane dispersions.

Hot-melt adhesives, often known as glue sticks, are solid-state thermoplastic adhesives used at low and high temperatures. Low-temperature hot-melt adhesives are used to connect plastics, textiles, and electronics. Polymer, tackifiers, wax, and antioxidants are the most common materials for hot-melt adhesives. In addition, hot-melt adhesives have been around for a long time and are still popular due to their low production costs, quick drying and curing times, and minimal VOC emissions. Hot-melt adhesives are generally 100% solids and are based on thermoplastic polymers. They can be processed only above their softening point by applying heat.

Based on application, the global construction adhesives market is bifurcated into the residential and commercial segments. 

The residential segment dominates the global market and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.41% over the forecast period. Adhesives are used more frequently in homes as most construction is becoming more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The growing popularity of modular and mobile homes has allowed manufacturers to experience growth in the market for construction adhesives. Modular homes are prefabricated units built off-site and transported to the construction site. Modular homes are considered sectionalized and single-family houses with two modules for construction, whereas multifamily houses are made of two to four modules. In addition, the residential sector is expected to grow with the demand for residential construction in countries such as India, China, and the US. With the increase in demand for residential construction, the consumption of construction adhesives is expected to increase.

The utilization of floor adhesives inside commercial structures holds significant importance. Commercial buildings often experience significant levels of wear and tear on their floors. The type of flooring significantly impacts the type of adhesives used on the flooring. Tiles and stones, carpet flooring, laminated flooring, timber flooring, and carpet flooring are some of the most common forms of flooring. Silicone adhesives were first used in the construction sector around 40 years ago, and many of the silicones used back then are still in use today. Modern performance products exhibit a diverse array of forms and dimensions.

Recent Developments

• June 2023- H.B. Fuller Company, the world's largest provider of pureplay adhesives, announced that it had finished two strategic acquisitions that will accelerate the transformation of the company's portfolio toward more highly specified applications and enhance the diversification of H.B. Fuller's Construction Adhesives (CA) business.

• April 2023- US adhesives manufacturer HB Fuller announced its intentions to shut down a North American construction adhesives plant and leave a facility in Argentina.