Industrial Adhesive Suppliers: What You Need To Know

As you explore potential industrial adhesive suppliers, we recommend doing a little research ahead of time. And Conversion Technologies International has just the information you need to begin!

What is the strongest adhesive?

The effectiveness of an adhesive depends on multiple factors. For example, the strongest adhesive in the world won’t maintain full strength if it’s not applied in the conditions it’s meant for. With that being said, certain adhesives have more durability than others.

Broadly speaking, most industrial adhesive manufacturers would point to epoxies as the strongest adhesive on the market. They harden quickly, exhibiting a great deal of tensile strength. While an epoxy adhesive isn’t going to work for every project, its uses are broad. Epoxies bond best with ceramic, metal, and glass substrates.

Next to expoxy adhesives, you have a few other options to choose from. Typically, we’ll turn to polyurethane adhesives for construction and woodworking projects. If you want an idea of how polyurethane adhesives work, think about Gorilla Glue—at least in its original form. Though the product has evolved over the years, manufacturers based its original formulation on polyurethane. They work best with products like wood and cardboard.

The third strongest would be cyanoacrylate—otherwise known, in some contexts, as super glue. Although this adhesive is quite strong, we usually save it for smaller scale projects. Think DIY crafts and quick repair projects.

What are the six types of adhesives?

The six main types of adhesives include the three mentioned above—epoxy, polyurethane, and cryanoacrylate. But beyond that, consider…

• Hot melt. Hot melt adhesives begin as a solid sticks of resin. When exposed to heat, they’ll melt and become pliable. They cure when exposed to the air, which means you have to apply them quickly. Their combination of strength and durability make them highly desirable. However, their ease of transport is another big advantage you shouldn’t ignore. They’re perfect for light packaging, as well as other lightweight projects.
• Polyvinyl acetate (PVA). Sometimes known as wood glue, this water-based adhesive seeps into the pores of the wood. This creates an incredibly strong bond with little extra effort. We typically recommend it for projects surrounding furniture, especially cabinetry. It’s especially useful when you’re working with bare wood, as it doesn’t require a lot of extra “prep work”.
• Contact cement. This adhesive comes with a unique set of requirements. We must apply it to both surfaces, not just one. Additionally, we must wait for the adhesive to tackify before pressing the substrates together. At that point, they bond instantly. There is no further flexibility, and you can’t reposition the components. Adhesive distributors frequently recommend contact cement for projects involving wood veneers, heavy leather, and laminate.

Do you need a laminating machine or industrial adhesive suppliers?

When you consider things like adhesive manufacturing and industrial laminate, it’s easy to feel like you need to invest in a ton of equipment. Lamination is a common process in the adhesive manufacturing space, and there are many types of lamination machines on the market.

But before you buy, consider this: You’re not just investing in the equipment (which you may not even need on a permanent basis). You’re also committing to buying adhesive materials, possibly procuring facilities depending on the project’s size, and committing to training employees on the adhesive processes. Additionally, adhesive technologies are constantly changing. In the long term, you may find your machine becomes outdated and requires replacement. All these factors add not only expense, but complications.

This is one of many reasons why some business owners decide to outsource to third party industrial adhesive manufacturers. Or otherwise, to outsource to industrial adhesive suppliers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you delve any further into your adhesive research, we recommend considering these frequently asked questions.

Who offers custom adhesive solutions?

A number of different third party manufacturers and industrial adhesive suppliers offer custom adhesive solutions. However, it’s important that you consider not only the product, but the accessibility and working relationship with the third party. It’s not enough to select a manufacturer that offers the products. When you’re looking for a custom industrial adhesive solutions, you need to know that the third party has those capabilities.

What are my outsourcing options?

When it comes to industrial outsourcing, you’ll come across two main types of manufacturers.

They include:

• Toll manufacturers. In this case, the manufacturer handles the full manufacturing process, save for one step. You as the client provide the raw materials. Some business owners consider this preferable. Whether it’s because you prefer having control over the supplier, or because you have a preexisting relationship with a supplier, toll manufacturers can accommodate you.
• Contract manufacturers. The main difference between toll manufacturing and contract manufacturing is that contract manufacturing covers everything. You won’t provide the raw materials. This can be more efficient and cost-effective, depending on your project.

Who are the best pressure sensitive industrial adhesive suppliers?

If you’re looking for industrial adhesive suppliers specializing in pressure sensitive adhesive (PSAs), we recommend focusing on the partnership. That means contacting suppliers for initial consultations. Have your questions ready—but an experienced, reliable supplier will be able to help you along the way. At the very minimum, it’s a great way to learn and explore.

We recommend starting with CTI! We can share our experience, learn about what you need, and start the conversation—all over the phone. Call us at 419-924-5566 or contact us here. Let’s begin!