U.S. Adhesive Market Size & Share Analysis - Emerging Trends, Growth Opportunities, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)

U.S. Adhesive Market Dynamics

Environment-Friendly Adhesives Are Trending across U.S.

• Renewable polymer matrix selections, including plant-based resins and natural polymers, are trending in the U.S.
• Environmental laws, such as those concerning volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, are forcing companies to come up with solvent-free and water-borne adhesives.
• The growing demand for sustainable adhesives, primarily from the packaging and consumer goods markets, drives this trend.
• Customers’ rising awareness of environmental protection has forced players to create adhesives from natural and less-polluting sources.
• This drives the production of hot-melt and UV-curable adhesives with a low ecological impact.
• Manufacturers are also embracing life cycle assessment (LCA) tools to enable conformity to the sustainability metrics of the adhesive from production to disposal.
• The Clean Air Act and state-specific standards promote low-impact adhesive usage and compel manufacturers to deliver environmentally safe alternatives that have low concentrations of VOCs and other hazardous chemicals.
• The retail and e-commerce industry is leading the way in sustainable packaging.
• Consumers and investors’ demand to adhere to ESG principles drives funding in environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes and green adhesives.
• Builders and architects are seeking environment-friendly construction and design standards, for instance, LEED, thus driving the demand for eco-friendly, low-VOC, and solvent-free bonding agents.
• Advancements in bio-based materials, including starch, soy, and lignin, create a promising economic and green replacement for petrochemical adhesives.
• The U.S. manufacturing sector prioritizes sustainable and eco-friendly adhesives with a low concentration of VOCs and other biodegradable attributes.

Rising Demand across Industries Is Primary Driver for Market

• The expansion of construction activities in the residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors increases adhesive demand for flooring, roofing, and insulation.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. registered a construction output of USD 2,180.3 billion in November 2024, which rose to USD 2,192.2 billion in December 2024.
• The growing trend of lightweight materials, including composites and plastics, creates opportunities for adhesive use in manufacturing cars.
• This is because lightweight materials decrease the vehicle weight and enhance fuel economy.
• As per the U.S. Department of Energy, a reduction of 100 pounds from the vehicle weight can improve its mileage by 2%.
• The extensive research and development by market players leads to the creation of pressure-sensitive, hot-melt, and other advanced adhesives, which are stronger, highly durable, and more versatile.
• The growing packaging requirement in the e-commerce sector also drives the expansion of the market.
• Adhesives are widely used for packaging and sealing, when shipping materials and boxes along short and long distances.

Segmentation Analysis

Technology Insights

The water-based category dominated the market with a revenue share of 35% in 2024. This is because of their superior performance and environmental advantages. Their low toxicity and the presence of less VOC content make them popular in response to the stringent regulations and growing environmental consciousness.

This is why water-borne adhesives are witnessing increasing consumption in packaging, construction, automotive, woodworking, healthcare, and many other applications. Further, because of their strong bonding with no resulting toxic solvent emissions, tapes containing such chemicals are preferred by green-oriented industries.

The technologies covered in the report are:

• Hot-Melt
• Reactive
• Water-Based (Largest Category)
• Solvent-Based
• UV-Cured (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Others

Resin Insights

The epoxy category accounted for the largest revenue share, of around 30%, in 2024, and it is further expected to maintain its position during the forecast period. This is due to its exceptional bonding capabilities, durability, and wide-ranging applications. Epoxy adhesives strongly bond a wide range of substances, including metals, plastics, ceramics, and composites, which makes them ideal for structural and non-structural applications. The automotive and aerospace sectors significantly rely on epoxy adhesives to build lightweight and sustainable aircraft as well as automotive components. Another quality of the epoxy resins is their exceptional electrical insulation, which make them useful for electronic component protection.

Here are the resins studied in the report:

• Acrylic
• Cyanoacrylate
• Epoxy (Largest Category)
• Polyurethane (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Silicone
• VAE/EVA
• Others

Application Insights

The largest category is packaging, with 35% revenue share in 2024, because of the growing demand for consumer goods, especially those ordered online. Adhesives in the packaging industry are used in a variety of applications, such as carton sealing, labeling, lamination, and flexible packing. Due to the growth of the e-commerce sector and the changes in consumer needs, there is a need for convenient, safe, and aesthetically pleasing packaging. Adhesives impart the right amount of bonding, durability, environmental resistance, and ease of handling for food & beverages, drugs, and other consumer products. As per the U.S. Census Bureau, USD 300.1 billion worth of goods were bought online in the U.S. in 2024 Q3, which was 2.6% more than in 2024 Q2.

The applications covered in this report are:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Building and Construction
• Footwear and Leather
• Healthcare (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Packaging (Largest Category)
• Woodworking and Joinery
• Others

U.S. Adhesive Regional Market Performance

The western region held the largest revenue share, of around 40%, in 2024, and it is expected to maintain its place in the market during the forecast period. This is because of its strong industrial cluster and highly developed technological landscape. The region hosts highly productive automotive, aerospace, packaging, and construction industries, which consume adhesives in high volumes.

These regions are covered:

• West (Largest Regional Market)
• Northeast
• Midwest
• South (Fastest-Growing Regional Market)

U.S. Adhesive Market Share

• Currently, the adhesive market in the U.S. is fragmented, with a vast number of players, which include multinational companies and specialized, independent firms.
• The constant development of new adhesive varieties for the automotive, construction, electronics, and other sectors, offers opportunities to new companies.
• The market remains fragmented despite companies pursuing mergers and acquisitions to develop wider product portfolios and obtaining broader client bases, and economies of scale.
• Eco-friendly adhesive technologies provide both major players and smaller competitors with new market possibilities.
• Several startups, together with smaller businesses, have emerged to develop non-toxic, bio-based adhesive solutions.

U.S. Adhesive Market Developments

• In February 2023, 3M introduced a new medical adhesive that boasts a 28-day wear time. It is intended for use with various sensors, health monitors, and long-term medical wearables.
• In May 2023, H.B. Fuller Company acquired Adhezion Biomedical to expand the former’s medical adhesive portfolio and global reach.