South Africa Adhesives Market Size and Share

South Africa Adhesives Market (2026 - 2031)
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South Africa Adhesives Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The South Africa Adhesives Market size is projected to be USD 467.06 million in 2025, USD 493.73 million in 2026, and reach USD 658.36 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.92% from 2026 to 2031. Structural demand from e-commerce packaging, the R1.2 trillion public-sector infrastructure pipeline, and more than R1.9 billion in automotive original-equipment-manufacturer (OEM) investments during 2024-2025 underpin this expansion. Water-borne chemistries dominate due to stricter SABS SANS 1349 and 1348 volatile-organic-compound (VOC) limits that cap emissions at 65 g/L for Green Star building certification. Acrylic resins remain the largest resin family, yet polyurethane systems are scaling rapidly as OEMs pursue lightweighting and construction firms specify waterproofing solutions with superior joint-movement tolerance. Moderate-to-high competitive intensity, supply-chain volatility in petro-feedstocks, and a national skills gap in UV-LED and electron-beam curing technologies shape supplier strategies, capital allocation, and margin trajectories across the South Africa adhesives market.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By resin type, acrylics captured 27.12% share of the South Africa adhesives market in 2025. Polyurethane is anticipated to grow with 7.40% CAGR during 2026-2031, the fastest among all chemistries in the South Africa adhesives market size forecast. 
  • By technology, water-borne formulations accounted for 41.50% of South Africa adhesives market share in 2025. UV-Cured adhesives are anticipated to grow with the fastest CAGR of 7.98% during the forecast period. 
  • By end-user, packaging accounted for 34.18% of 2025 demand, while healthcare is projected to expand at a 7.65% CAGR through 2031, outpacing the overall South Africa adhesives market. 

Note: Market size and forecast figures in this report are generated using Mordor Intelligence’s proprietary estimation framework, updated with the latest available data and insights as of January 2026.

Segment Analysis

By Resin Type: Polyurethane Accelerates on Mobility and Infrastructure Demand

Acrylics retained 27.12% of the South Africa adhesives market in 2025, buoyed by pressure-sensitive label, tape, and flexible-packaging applications where clarity and UV resilience are critical. Polyurethane systems, however, are forecast to post 7.40% CAGR through 2031, the fastest among all chemistries, as automakers adopt body-in-white bonding to shed weld weight and construction contractors specify waterproofing membranes tolerant of 25% joint movement. Epoxies, though lower in volume, secure high-margin niches in corrosion-resistant infrastructure coatings; SANS 10183-approved Sikadur-31 DW exemplifies potable-water compliance needs. Cyanoacrylates dominate medical-device micro-bonding, while silicones infiltrate solar-panel and glazing assemblies for their −50 °C to +150 °C service window.

Silicone adoption faces cost headwinds, yet Dow’s DOWSIL 895 structural sealant, qualified under ETAG 002 standards, wins curtain-wall bids where service life exceeds 25 years. VAE/EVA resins retain price-sensitive furniture accounts in the Eastern Cape cluster thanks to fast tack and easy cleanup. Legacy phenolic and melamine-formaldehyde systems fade as bio-based mimosa-tannin variants meet performance criteria while trimming VOCs by 40%. Overall, resin diversification underpins product portfolios, yet polyurethane remains the growth accelerant within the broader South Africa adhesives market.

South Africa Adhesives Market: Market Share by Resin Type

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

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By Technology: Water-Borne Dominant, UV-Cured Poised for Rapid Upside

Water-borne chemistries secured 41.50% of 2025 revenue, reflecting early compliance with SABS SANS 1349 VOC caps and workplace-safety preferences in packaging and woodworking. The South Africa adhesives market share of UV-cured platforms is smaller today but is forecast to advance at 7.98% CAGR through 2031, the highest among technologies, driven by pharmaceutical blister-pack, electronics encapsulation, and automotive interior applications. Avery Dennison’s August 2025 launch of MPI 2906 Hi-Tack film illustrates UV-formulated pressure-sensitive laminates engineered for low-surface-energy plastics, boosting installation speed for fleet graphics.

Hot-melt usage expands alongside e-commerce corrugation, with polyolefin-based grades setting within two seconds, a necessity for 200-carton-per-minute lines. Reactive two-component epoxies and polyurethanes dominate high-strength infrastructure and maintenance bonds despite longer workable times. Solvent-borne options retreat under waste-disposal surcharges and VOC ceilings, reshaping capex toward water-borne reactors and UV-LED conveyors. Regionally, converters with strong balance sheets retrofit lines swiftly, while smaller firms navigate cash-flow strain. As a result, the technology mix tightens around low-VOC systems, reinforcing a structural shift in the South Africa adhesives market.

By End-User Industry: Healthcare Jumps Ahead While Packaging Anchors Demand

Packaging generated 34.18% of 2025 consumption, powered by corrugated, flexible, and label segments that now specify migration-compliant water-borne or hot-melt chemistries for food safety. Healthcare, though smaller, is on track for a 7.65% CAGR to 2031, the fastest among end-users, as the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority localizes medical-device assembly and pharmaceutical blister-pack capacity. Henkel’s biocompatible cyanoacrylates and silicone skin adhesives are already qualified by Electrospyres and Medical Plant Africa, signaling supply-chain diversification.

Building-and-construction adhesives pivot on the R1.2 trillion infrastructure backlog, with silicone and polyurethane joint sealants specified for solar plants and potable-water reservoirs. Automotive lines in Gauteng and Eastern Cape shift toward structural adhesives that replace 25-30 spot welds per vehicle, lifting polyurethane volume density across the South Africa adhesives market size. Footwear and leather, woodworking and joinery, aerospace, and DIY retail round out the matrix, each sensitive to sector-specific macroeconomic cycles, yet collectively ensuring diversified consumption patterns that hedge single-industry risk.

South Africa Adhesives Market: Market Share by End-User Industry

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

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Geography Analysis

Gauteng province accounts for the largest share of the South Africa adhesives market in 2025, anchored by the Rosslyn automotive cluster, Johannesburg’s packaging corridor, and the province’s position as the nation’s logistics fulcrum. OEM assembly plants for BMW, Isuzu, and Nissan consume polyurethane and epoxy bonding agents in body-in-white and battery-pack lines, while converters in Midrand dispense water-borne acrylics for corrugated shippers feeding e-commerce distribution hubs. Growth moderates as greenfield industrial projects migrate to lower-cost provinces, yet recurring maintenance, aftermarket activity, and retail distribution keep baseline adhesive demand stable.

The Western Cape is outstripping national averages. Wine exports of 420 million liters in 2024 require moisture-resistant label adhesives that survive refrigerated logistics and dew-point cycling. Avery Dennison’s CleanFlake technology supports PET-bottle recycling compliance with the 2027 Extended Producer Responsibility rules. Furniture workshops in Cape Town’s industrial zones apply ambient-cure polyurethane and PVA formulations to navigate load-shedding schedules without thermal presses. Simultaneously, a pipeline of green-hydrogen installations in Saldanha Bay elevates demand for epoxy and silicone sealants rated for high-pressure electrolysis piping.

Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and remaining provinces collectively contribute the balance. KwaZulu-Natal’s Durban port spurs marine-grade silicone uptake for container-repair yards and shipbuilders. Overall, Gauteng and Western Cape still account for more than 60% of the South Africa adhesives market, yet Eastern Cape’s infrastructure axis positions it as the emergent growth pole.

Competitive Landscape

The South Africa adhesives market is moderately consolidated. Regional players, including Unikem, Alcolin, and Glue Devil, compete on price, short lead times, and omni-channel distribution, particularly in DIY and small-batch industrial uses. Henkel’s July 2025 acquisition of Nordbak, a 105-employee maintenance-repair-operations specialist, deepens aftermarket reach and widens engineering-epoxy exposure as mining and paper mills overhaul aging assets. Sika’s February 2026 purchase of Akkim for CHF 220 million broadens polyurethane and silicone capacity, creating a sub-Saharan platform to capture infrastructure sealing contracts.

White-space lies in bio-based systems where mimosa-tannin and soy-protein chemistries offer up to 40% VOC cuts, yet lack scale. Digital-printing adhesive innovators exploit short-run label demand via low-minimum-order programs. Technical capability is a competitive lever: suppliers able to commission UV-LED equipment and train converters secure pharmaceutical and electric-vehicle interior work, while legacy solvent-borne players face eroding margins under escalating disposal fees. Compliance with SABS VOC norms increasingly dictates tender eligibility, bifurcating the South Africa adhesives market into premium, accredited suppliers and value-tier vendors.

South Africa Adhesives Industry Leaders

  1. Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

  2. Sika AG

  3. Arkema

  4. H.B. Fuller Company

  5. Dow

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
South Africa Adhesives Market - Market Concentration
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Recent Industry Developments

  • July 2025: Henkel acquired Nordbak, expanding into maintenance-repair-operation adhesives with a workforce of 105.
  • May 2025: H.B. Fuller added pressure-sensitive and hot-melt capacity at its Cairo plant, cutting South African converter lead times to 2-4 weeks.

Table of Contents for South Africa Adhesives Industry Report

1. Introduction

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Landscape

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Surge in e-commerce packaging demand
    • 4.2.2 Public-sector infrastructure pipeline
    • 4.2.3 Automotive OEM investment resurgence
    • 4.2.4 Eastern-Cape furniture export cluster
    • 4.2.5 Shift to bio-based low-VOC chemistries
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 Petro-feedstock price volatility
    • 4.3.2 Tightening VOC regulations
    • 4.3.3 Skills gap in UV/EB-cure processing
  • 4.4 Value Chain Analysis
  • 4.5 Regulatory Landscape
  • 4.6 Porter’s Five Forces
    • 4.6.1 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.6.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers
    • 4.6.4 Threat of Substitutes
    • 4.6.5 Competitive Rivalry

5. Market Size and Growth Forecasts (Value)

  • 5.1 By Resin Type
    • 5.1.1 Acrylic
    • 5.1.2 Cyanoacrylate
    • 5.1.3 Epoxy
    • 5.1.4 Polyurethane
    • 5.1.5 Silicone
    • 5.1.6 VAE / EVA
    • 5.1.7 Other Resins
  • 5.2 By Technology
    • 5.2.1 Hot-Melt
    • 5.2.2 Reactive
    • 5.2.3 Solvent-Borne
    • 5.2.4 UV-Cured
    • 5.2.5 Water-Borne
  • 5.3 By End-User Industry
    • 5.3.1 Aerospace
    • 5.3.2 Automotive
    • 5.3.3 Building and Construction
    • 5.3.4 Footwear and Leather
    • 5.3.5 Healthcare
    • 5.3.6 Packaging
    • 5.3.7 Woodworking and Joinery
    • 5.3.8 Other End-Users

6. Competitive Landscape

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Key Strategic Moves
  • 6.3 Market Share(%)/Ranking Analysis
  • 6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
    • 6.4.1 3M Company
    • 6.4.2 AkzoNobel N.V. (Wood Adhesives)
    • 6.4.3 Arkema
    • 6.4.4 Avery Dennison Corporation
    • 6.4.5 Dow
    • 6.4.6 Evonik Industries AG (Interface Silanes)
    • 6.4.7 Genkem (a subsidiary of Den Braven)
    • 6.4.8 H.B. Fuller Company
    • 6.4.9 Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
    • 6.4.10 Huntsman International LLC
    • 6.4.11 ITW Performance Polymers
    • 6.4.12 LORD Corporation (Parker-Hannifin)
    • 6.4.13 Momentive Performance Materials
    • 6.4.14 Pidilite Industries Ltd.
    • 6.4.15 RPM International (DAP/Sika SA JV)
    • 6.4.16 Sika AG
    • 6.4.17 Soudal Group
    • 6.4.18 tesa SE (Beiersdorf)
    • 6.4.19 Unikem Group of Companies
    • 6.4.20 Wacker Chemie AG

7. Market Opportunities and Future Outlook

  • 7.1 White-space and Unmet-Need Assessment
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South Africa Adhesives Market Report Scope

Adhesives are materials designed to bond surfaces together effectively, ensuring durability and resistance to separation. Various industries, including building and construction, packaging, automotive, aerospace, woodworking and joinery, footwear, healthcare, and other end-user sectors, rely on specific types of adhesives tailored to their composition and functional requirements.

The South Africa adhesives market is segmented by resin type, technology, and end-user industry. By resin type, the market is segmented into acrylic, cyanoacrylate, epoxy, polyurethane, silicone, VAE/EVA, and other resins. By technology, the market is segmented into hot melt, reactive, solvent-borne, UV-cured, and water-borne. By end-user industry, the market is segmented into aerospace, automotive, building and construction, footwear and leather, healthcare, packaging, woodworking and joinery, and other end-user industries. For each segment, the market sizing and forecasts have been done based on revenue (USD).

By Resin Type
Acrylic
Cyanoacrylate
Epoxy
Polyurethane
Silicone
VAE / EVA
Other Resins
By Technology
Hot-Melt
Reactive
Solvent-Borne
UV-Cured
Water-Borne
By End-User Industry
Aerospace
Automotive
Building and Construction
Footwear and Leather
Healthcare
Packaging
Woodworking and Joinery
Other End-Users
By Resin TypeAcrylic
Cyanoacrylate
Epoxy
Polyurethane
Silicone
VAE / EVA
Other Resins
By TechnologyHot-Melt
Reactive
Solvent-Borne
UV-Cured
Water-Borne
By End-User IndustryAerospace
Automotive
Building and Construction
Footwear and Leather
Healthcare
Packaging
Woodworking and Joinery
Other End-Users
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Market Definition

  • End-user Industry - Building & Construction, Packaging, Automotive, Aerospace, Woodworking & Joinery, Footwear & Leather, Healthcare, and Others are the end-user industries considered under the adhesives market.
  • Product - All adhesive products are considered in the market studied
  • Resin - Under the scope of the study, resins like Polyurethane, Epoxy, Acrylic, Cyanoacrylate, VAE/EVA, and Silicone are considered
  • Technology - For the purpose of this study, Water-borne, Solvent-borne, Reactive, Hot Melt, and UV Cured adhesive technologies are taken into consideration.
KeywordDefinition
Hot-melt AdhesiveHot melt adhesives are generally 100% solid formulations, based on thermoplastic polymers. They are solid at room temperature and are activated upon heating above their softening point, at which stage they are liquid, and hence, can be processed.
Reactive AdhesiveA reactive adhesive is made up of monomers that react in the adhesive curing process and do not evaporate from the film during use. Instead, these volatile components become chemically incorporated into the adhesive.
Solvent-borne AdhesiveSolvent-borne adhesives are mixtures of solvents and thermoplastic, or slightly cross-linked polymers, such as polychloroprene, polyurethane, acrylic, silicone, and natural and synthetic rubbers (elastomers).
Water-borne AdhesiveWater-borne adhesives use water as a carrier or diluting medium to disperse a resin. They are set by allowing the water to evaporate or be absorbed by the substrate. These adhesives are compounded with water as a diluent, rather than a volatile organic solvent.
UV Cured AdhesiveUV curing adhesives induce curing and create a permanent bond without heating by using ultraviolet (UV) light or other radiation sources. An aggregation of monomers and oligomers is cured or polymerized by ultraviolet (UV) or visible light in a UV adhesive. Because UV is a radiating energy source, UV adhesives are often referred to as radiation curing or rad-cure adhesives.
Heat-resistant AdhesiveHeat-resistant Adhesives refer to those that do not break down under high temperatures. One aspect of a complicated system of circumstances is the adhesive's capacity to withstand disintegration brought on by high temperatures. As the temperature rises, adhesives may liquefy. They can withstand stresses resulting from differing coefficients of expansion and contraction, which might be an additional advantage.
ReshoringReshoring is the practice of moving commodity production and manufacturing back to the nation where the business was founded. Onshoring, inshoring, and back shoring are further terms used. Offshoring, the practice of producing items abroad to lower labor and manufacturing costs, is the opposite of this.
OleochemicalsOleochemicals are compounds produced from biological oils or fats. They resemble petrochemicals, which are substances made from petroleum. The oleochemical business is built on the hydrolysis of oils or fats.
Nonporous MaterialsNonporous materials are substances that do not permit the passage of liquid or air. Nonporous materials are those that are not porous, such as glass, plastic, metal, and varnished wood. Since no air can get through, less airflow is required to raise these materials, negating the requirement for high airflow.
EU-Vietnam Free Trade AgreementA trade agreement and an investment protection agreement were concluded between the European Union and Vietnam on June 30, 2019.
VOC contentCompounds with limited solubility in water and high vapor pressure are known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants.
Emulsion PolymerizationEmulsion polymerization is a method of producing polymers or connected groups of smaller chemical chains known as monomers, in a water solution. The method is often used to make water-based paints, adhesives, and varnishes, in which the water stays with the polymer and is marketed as a liquid product.
2025 National Packaging TargetsIn 2018, the Australian Environment Ministry set the following 2025 National Packaging Targets: 100% of the packaging must be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, 70% of plastic packaging must be recycled or composted by 2025, 50% of average recycled content must be included in packaging by 2025, and problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging must be phased out by 2025.
Russian Government’s Import Substitution PolicyThe Western sanctions suspended the distribution of several high-tech items to Russia, including those required by the raw material export sectors and the military-industrial complex. In response, the government launched an "import substitution" scheme, appointing a special commission to oversee its implementation in early 2015.
Paper SubstratePaper substrates are paper sheets, reels, or boards with a base weight of up to 400 g/m2 that has not been converted, printed or otherwise altered.
Insulation MaterialA material that inhibits or blocks heat, sound, or electrical transmission is known as Insulation Material. The variety of insulation materials includes thick fibers like fiberglass, rock and slag wool, cellulose, and natural fibers as well as stiff foam boards and sleek foils.
Thermal ShockA temperature change known as thermal shock generates stress in a material. It commonly results in material breakdown and is especially prevalent in brittle materials like ceramics. When there is a quick temperature change, either from hot to cold or vice versa, this process occurs abruptly. It occurs more frequently in materials with poor heat conductivity and insufficient structural integrity.
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Research Methodology

Mordor Intelligence follows a four-step methodology in all our reports.

  • Step-1: Identify Key Variables: The quantifiable key variables (industry and extraneous) pertaining to the specific product segment and country are selected from a group of relevant variables & factors based on desk research & literature review; along with primary expert inputs. These variables are further confirmed through regression modeling (wherever required).
  • Step-2: Build a Market Model: In order to build a robust forecasting methodology, the variables and factors identified in Step-1 are tested against available historical market numbers. Through an iterative process, the variables required for market forecast are set and the model is built on the basis of these variables.
  • Step-3: Validate and Finalize: In this important step, all market numbers, variables and analyst calls are validated through an extensive network of primary research experts from the market studied. The respondents are selected across levels and functions to generate a holistic picture of the market studied.
  • Step-4: Research Outputs: Syndicated Reports, Custom Consulting Assignments, Databases & Subscription Platforms
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