According to a new technical market research report, Adhesives & Sealants/Joining and Fastening—CHM048A from BCC Research (www.bccresearch.com), the world market for adhesives and sealants was worth some $35.6 billion in 2006, a figure that is expected to increase to $36.9 billion in 2007 and $46.4 billion in 2012, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% over the next 5 years.

The market is broken down into applications of water-borne, solvent-borne and 100% solid adhesives, and non-hardening and hardening sealants. Of these sectors, water-borne adhesives have the largest share of the market, worth $12.7 billion in 2006 and expected to reach 13.3 billion in 2007 and $16.7 billion by 2012, a CAGR of 4.7%. Hardening sealants have the second largest market share, expected to reach nearly $8.0 billion in 2007 and $9.6 billion by 2012, a CAGR of 3.7%.

There is a continued increase in the demand for adhesives and sealants worldwide. In terms of market size, the major industrialized adhesive and sealant producers and consumers remain the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and France. The development of new products and technologies will flow from these countries for at least the next few years. The outlook for 2007 projects the industrialized markets growing moderately, while many of the emerging markets will grow at 4% to 7% per year.

The Far East represents the highest growth region. China, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam are expected to experience growth above 4%. A smaller regional market, Eastern Europe, has major markets in Poland, Hungary and Russia showing demand growth above 4%. With growing investment in its industrial base, India has also become a major growth area in the Middle East and has the potential to develop into a significant market for adhesive and sealant products