Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Trends

Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Overview

The Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market size was valued at USD 5153.02 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 7580.51 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 2.3% from 2025 to 2033.

The global automotive adhesives and sealants market has grown significantly due to evolving manufacturing processes, rising consumer expectations, and strong demand for lightweight vehicle design. In 2024, the market size was valued at approximately 9.0 billion dollars. Lightweight vehicles are a major focus area, as reducing vehicle weight by 10 percent improves fuel economy by roughly 6 to 8 percent. Adhesives and sealants have become indispensable in replacing mechanical fasteners and welding, allowing use of lightweight materials such as aluminum, composites, and high-strength steel.

In 2024, polyurethane-based adhesives dominated with a valuation of 2.9 billion dollars. Waterborne and reactive adhesives witnessed sharp growth due to their environmental advantages and strong bonding capabilities. Asia-Pacific led production with an output contributing over 50 percent of global share. China alone contributed 40 percent of the Asia-Pacific output. Emerging markets like India and South Korea expanded rapidly as EV manufacturing hubs. Europe contributed approximately 30 percent and North America 19 percent, driven by technological advancement and regulatory pressures for fuel economy and emission reduction.

Key Findings

Driver: Rising demand for lightweight vehicle design, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, continues to drive adhesive and sealant adoption globally.

Country/Region: Asia-Pacific dominates global demand, accounting for over 50 percent of total market share in 2024, led by China’s robust vehicle production base.

Segment: Body-in-White (BIW) applications represent the largest segment, driven by adhesives replacing welds and rivets for structural bonding needs.

Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Trends

Multiple industry trends shaped the automotive adhesives and sealants market in 2024. Hot melt adhesive technology adoption continued rising due to fast curing, strong tack, and high productivity. In 2023, hot melt adhesives represented 22 percent of adhesive demand in automotive assembly lines. Waterborne adhesive adoption increased sharply, representing 18 percent of formulations in 2024, due to environmental regulations restricting VOC emissions. Reactive adhesives held approximately 40 percent of market share in 2024, with growing usage across multi-substrate bonding needs, including metals, plastics, composites, and glass. Polyurethane adhesives remained dominant with 2.9 billion dollars in value in 2023, owing to their versatility, temperature stability, and excellent flexibility. Interior applications accounted for 30 percent of adhesive consumption in 2023. Consumers' demand for luxurious, quiet interiors drove rising adhesive consumption for bonding dashboards, headliners, door panels, and upholstery. Exterior bonding saw steady expansion, particularly in plastic and composite panel assembly, while noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance requirements led to increased sealant usage in underbody, roof rail, and glass applications. Electric vehicle production strongly influenced product innovation trends. Battery pack manufacturing required new thermal management adhesives with thermal conductivity exceeding 6.5 W/mK. In 2024, approximately 58 percent of newly developed adhesives were customized for electric powertrains, battery encapsulation, and lightweight chassis assembly.

Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Dynamics

DRIVER

Rising demand for lightweight vehicles

Lightweighting continues to serve as the primary driver of adhesive adoption. By replacing mechanical fasteners, adhesives allow manufacturers to substitute steel with aluminum, magnesium, composites, and plastics. In 2024, over 78 percent of new vehicle designs incorporated adhesives to reduce weight by an average of 42 kilograms per vehicle. Lightweight vehicles demonstrated fuel economy improvements of up to 8 percent, making adhesive bonding vital in meeting stringent emission reduction targets across the US, EU, and China.

RESTRAINT

Volatility in raw material prices

Fluctuations in raw material prices directly impact the profitability of adhesive manufacturers. Polyurethane, epoxy, and acrylic resins experienced supply shortages in 2024 due to petrochemical feedstock disruptions. Average polyurethane raw material prices rose by 17 percent year-over-year. Such volatility pressures profit margins for producers and OEMs alike, particularly in developing regions where margins are thin.

OPPORTUNITY

Growth in electric vehicle production

Electric vehicle manufacturing has introduced new bonding challenges and opportunities. Battery encapsulation, thermal interface materials, and weight optimization demand high-performance adhesives. In 2024, electric vehicle sales surpassed 12.5 million units globally. Roughly 58 percent of new adhesive product launches targeted EV battery, cooling system, and lightweight chassis applications, expanding future growth prospects.

CHALLENGE

Stringent environmental regulations

Global regulations around VOC emissions, recyclability, and chemical toxicity increasingly affect adhesive formulations. European Union regulations limited VOC emissions to 35 grams per liter for several automotive adhesive categories by 2024. Complying with evolving rules requires intensive R&D spending and rapid reformulation of legacy products, presenting technical and financial challenges for adhesive suppliers.

Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Segmentation

The market is segmented by type and application.

By Type

Adhesives: constituted the majority of consumption, driven by structural bonding requirements across Body-in-White, powertrain, interior, and exterior components. Polyurethane adhesives alone generated 2.9 billion dollars in value in 2023, with growth projections reaching 4.6 billion dollars by 2032. Hybrid adhesives combining polyurethane, silicone, and epoxy chemistries represented 12 percent of new formulations introduced in 2024.
Sealants: contributed significantly as well, accounting for 28 percent of the total market, driven by demands for weatherproofing, sound insulation, corrosion prevention, and NVH performance across body joints, windshields, and roof assemblies.

By Application

Body-in-White (BIW): The BIW segment is the largest application area, driven by the need for structural integrity and weight reduction in vehicles. Adhesives and sealants are used to bond various components, replacing traditional welding methods. This not only reduces vehicle weight but also improves crashworthiness and noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) characteristics.
Interior & Exterior: Adhesives and sealants are used in interior and exterior applications to enhance aesthetics, comfort, and durability. In 2023, the interior application segment accounted for 30% of the market share, driven by the high demand for enhanced vehicle interiors. Exterior applications include bonding of panels, trims, and other components, contributing to vehicle design and performance.
Powertrain: Adhesives and sealants are used in powertrain applications to ensure the durability and performance of engines and transmissions. They provide resistance to high temperatures and chemicals, essential for the reliable operation of powertrain components.
Aftermarket: The aftermarket segment includes the use of adhesives and sealants for vehicle repair and maintenance. This segment is driven by the increasing number of vehicles on the road and the need for regular maintenance and repairs.

Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market Regional Outlook

North America

remained a key region, contributing 19 percent of global demand in 2024. The U.S. led with an estimated 2.4 billion dollars in automotive and railway adhesive and sealant market size. U.S.-based manufacturers invested heavily in battery-specific adhesive facilities, particularly in Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Europe

contributed approximately 30 percent of global market share in 2024, led by Germany’s leadership in premium vehicle production. Germany alone accounted for 35 percent of Europe’s adhesive consumption. Strict EU emissions regulations accelerated demand for recyclable, solvent-free, and bio-based adhesive formulations.

Asia-Pacific

remained the dominant global market with over 50 percent share. China contributed approximately 40 percent of Asia-Pacific consumption in 2024, followed by Japan and India. India emerged as the fastest-growing market with approximately 6 percent year-over-year growth, driven by EV production investments, localized battery assembly, and rising vehicle ownership rates. South Korea’s demand rose substantially in powertrain and battery bonding applications.

Middle East & Africa

region, while smaller, showed rapid expansion, particularly in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These markets saw rising investments in electric mobility, railway modernization, and automotive manufacturing localization, further boosting adhesive consumption.

List Of Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Companies

Henkel
B. Fuller
Sika
PPG
Bostik
DuPont
3M
LORD Corporation
Illinois Tool Works
Unitech
Hubei Huitian New Materials
Yokohama Rubber (Hamatite)
ThreeBond
Ashland
Uniseal
Jowat

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA: Henkel AG & Co. KGaA remains the global leader in the automotive adhesives and sealants market in 2024. Henkel’s adhesive technologies division supplied products to over 60 percent of the world’s top 20 automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), with a global adhesive and sealant sales volume exceeding 180,000 metric tons during 2024. The company’s Loctite, Teroson, and Aquence brands dominated across key automotive applications, including body-in-white bonding, battery module encapsulation, crash-resistant adhesives, and noise-dampening sealants.

H.B. Fuller Company: H.B. Fuller continued to strengthen its position in the automotive adhesives and sealants market in 2024, focusing heavily on electric vehicle bonding technologies and thermal interface adhesives for next-generation battery platforms. In 2024, H.B. Fuller supplied adhesives to more than 45 percent of electric vehicle manufacturers globally, particularly for battery module assembly, high-voltage wire harness bonding, and lightweight panel applications. The company’s automotive adhesive sales volume reached approximately 96,000 metric tons globally in 2024.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

The automotive adhesives and sealants market witnessed substantial investments throughout 2024, reflecting increasing demand for advanced materials supporting electric vehicles, lightweight designs, and sustainable manufacturing processes. In 2024 alone, global investments in adhesives R&D surpassed 750 million dollars. These investments primarily focused on high-temperature adhesives, lightweight bonding technologies, recyclable adhesives, and thermally conductive sealants for electric vehicle batteries. Asia-Pacific accounted for approximately 42 percent of global adhesive production capacity expansions in 2024, with China and India witnessing significant new facility openings. For instance, in 2024, new adhesive production lines in Jiangsu, China, added an additional 48,000 metric tons of capacity for automotive polyurethane adhesives. Simultaneously, Japan’s adhesive production for electric vehicle battery bonding increased by 22 percent year-over-year as demand for thermal management adhesives soared. North America attracted approximately 25 percent of global investment flows in 2024, with major expansions from U.S.-based players focusing on advanced battery encapsulation sealants and crash-resistant adhesives for electric vehicles. In 2024, over 400 million dollars were allocated toward pilot-scale development lines in Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee alone.

Europe maintained strong investment momentum, contributing 28 percent of global investment flows. Germany, in particular, led European investments with over 320 million dollars dedicated to sustainability-compliant adhesives, meeting strict EU regulations on VOC emissions and end-of-life vehicle recycling standards. European firms increasingly integrated bio-based raw materials into their formulations, accounting for 16 percent of all new adhesive products launched in 2024. Investment opportunities continue to expand as the electric vehicle market grows globally. In 2024, approximately 58 percent of newly developed adhesives and sealants were designed for electric vehicle applications, including battery assembly, thermal interface bonding, and vibration damping solutions. The surge in global electric vehicle production, which crossed 12.5 million units in 2024, directly drove heightened demand for high-performance adhesives tailored for electric powertrain systems. Sustainability also remains a core driver for investments. Approximately 21 percent of global adhesives and sealants investments in 2024 were linked to developing low-VOC, solvent-free, or water-based formulations. Manufacturers responding to these emerging regulations and sustainability goals are well-positioned to secure long-term growth opportunities.

New Product Development

In 2024, significant innovations emerged in the automotive adhesives and sealants market, with over 165 new product formulations introduced globally. A key innovation area centered on electric vehicle battery adhesives, with manufacturers developing advanced thermally conductive adhesives capable of dissipating heat at rates exceeding 6.5 W/mK while maintaining bond strength across extreme temperature fluctuations ranging from minus 40 to plus 130 degrees Celsius. Henkel introduced multiple new EV battery encapsulation products in 2024, including structural polyurethane adhesives capable of increasing battery pack rigidity by 18 percent while reducing assembly weight by 11 percent compared to earlier models. Similarly, Sika developed high-strength hybrid adhesives for use in aluminum body-in-white bonding that improved crash energy absorption by up to 22 percent in vehicle side-impact testing.

Self-healing sealants also gained attention in 2024. Several new sealant formulations were developed incorporating microcapsule-based healing agents that restored bonding integrity after minor damage or impact, extending product life by up to 45 percent compared to conventional sealants. These developments are especially important for critical areas like sunroof assemblies, window trims, and joint seams exposed to frequent thermal cycling. Another major product development focus in 2024 was on waterborne adhesive systems. New polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) offered comparable adhesion performance to solvent-based systems while achieving VOC content reductions exceeding 90 percent. European OEMs increasingly adopted these waterborne solutions for interior bonding applications, including dashboards, door panels, and roof liners. Hybrid adhesives combining silicone, epoxy, and polyurethane chemistries also expanded rapidly in 2024, representing 12 percent of all newly introduced adhesive products. These hybrid systems provided manufacturers with multi-substrate bonding flexibility, faster curing cycles, and enhanced resistance to automotive environmental exposures such as humidity, salt spray, and UV radiation. Robotic dispensing advancements supported the adoption of new adhesive technologies. Automated bead dispensing accuracy in adhesive lines improved by 27 percent in 2024, reducing material waste by 14 percent per vehicle assembly. This directly translated into higher efficiency in production lines adopting next-generation adhesives.

Five Recent Developments

In 2024, Henkel launched a new series of polyurethane structural adhesives specifically designed for electric vehicle battery packs, increasing the shear strength by 15 percent while cutting battery assembly time by 20 percent.
Sika opened a new adhesive production facility in Guangzhou, China, in 2023, adding 36,000 metric tons of annual adhesive capacity focused on EV battery encapsulation and body-in-white bonding.
In early 2024, H.B. Fuller introduced its new EVSeal product line, achieving a 9 percent improvement in long-term moisture resistance for high-voltage cable sealing applications within electric drivetrains.
In 2024, DuPont launched new thermally conductive silicone adhesives for electric vehicle modules that improved thermal dissipation performance by 28 percent while maintaining high electrical insulation properties.
In 2023, Bostik developed hybrid adhesive formulations integrating self-healing polymers capable of autonomously repairing microcracks, extending vehicle lifetime durability by 35 percent across tested panel joints.

Report Coverage of Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market

The Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market report offers a complete and comprehensive analysis of the global market landscape in 2024. This coverage includes the market size, segmentation by product type and application, key growth drivers, challenges, regional performance, competitive landscape, investment trends, and recent product developments. The report reflects the market’s evolving structure, technological advancements, emerging opportunities, and industry dynamics with full quantitative support. In 2024, the global market size for automotive adhesives and sealants reached approximately 9.0 billion dollars. This growth was primarily driven by the automotive industry’s continuous push for lightweight vehicle manufacturing to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. Replacing traditional mechanical fasteners and welds with advanced adhesive technologies allowed manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight while enhancing structural integrity and crash safety. Body-in-White applications alone accounted for 34 percent of the total adhesive demand in 2024, highlighting adhesives’ vital role in structural bonding and vehicle assembly. The report segments the market by type into adhesives and sealants. Adhesives represented the larger share, with polyurethane-based adhesives leading due to their superior bonding strength, flexibility, and durability across multiple substrates such as metals, composites, plastics, and glass. In 2023, polyurethane adhesives alone generated 2.9 billion dollars in sales value. Hybrid adhesives integrating silicone, epoxy, and polyurethane chemistries grew steadily, accounting for 12 percent of new formulations introduced globally in 2024. Sealants played a critical role in ensuring vehicle durability, contributing 28 percent of overall market value, driven by their application in waterproofing, noise insulation, corrosion protection, and structural vibration damping. In terms of application segmentation, the Body-in-White segment led, followed by interior and exterior bonding, powertrain applications, and aftermarket repairs. Interior and exterior applications together accounted for approximately 30 percent of adhesive consumption in 2023, reflecting the growing consumer demand for high-quality, comfortable, and aesthetically appealing vehicle interiors. Powertrain adhesives continued to play a critical role in engine, transmission, and drivetrain reliability, while aftermarket sealants and repair adhesives supported the growing global vehicle fleet’s maintenance needs.

Regionally, the report presents an in-depth analysis of performance across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia-Pacific dominated global market share, accounting for over 50 percent of demand in 2024, led by China’s strong automotive manufacturing base and expanding electric vehicle production. Europe contributed 30 percent of global market share, with Germany accounting for approximately 35 percent of European adhesive consumption. North America held 19 percent of market share, with the United States contributing 2.4 billion dollars in market size, driven by electric vehicle investments and battery adhesive developments. The Middle East and Africa demonstrated strong growth potential as electric vehicle manufacturing and infrastructure modernization gained momentum across South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The report highlights multiple drivers propelling market growth, including rising electric vehicle production, evolving lightweight design needs, and increasingly stringent environmental regulations around vehicle emissions and energy consumption. In 2024, approximately 58 percent of new adhesive product development efforts focused on electric vehicle battery bonding, thermal management solutions, and lightweight chassis assembly. Simultaneously, compliance with environmental regulations accelerated the adoption of waterborne, solvent-free, and bio-based adhesive formulations, which represented 21 percent of all new product launches globally in 2024. The competitive landscape section provides a thorough examination of major companies operating in the market. Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and Sika AG are identified as the two leading global players in 2024. Henkel supplied adhesives to over 60 percent of the world’s largest automotive OEMs, while Sika secured over 75 percent market penetration across European OEMs and rapidly expanded its Asia-Pacific footprint. The report also includes an extensive review of investment patterns. Global investments in automotive adhesive and sealant R&D totaled 750 million dollars in 2024, with significant expansion in manufacturing capacities across China, India, the United States, Germany, and Japan. In Asia-Pacific alone, adhesive production capacity expanded by 48,000 metric tons during 2024 to meet soaring electric vehicle production demand. This comprehensive report delivers a fully quantified, data-driven view of the global Automotive Adhesives and Sealants Market, providing critical insights to industry stakeholders, investors, suppliers, policymakers, and analysts seeking a thorough understanding of the market’s current landscape and future trajectory.