PSA tapes are continuous flexible strips of paper, plastic, cloth, metal, or foam that are coated on single or both sides with an adhesive. These tapes can adhere to a variety of substrates when applied to clean and dry surfaces with pressure at room temperature. These tapes do not require water, solvent, or heat to activate. The formed bond is directly influenced by the amount of pressure used to activate the adhesive.

The global Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) tapes market is valued at USD 50.12 Billion in 2017. The growing use of PSA tapes in diverse end-use industries such as medical & healthcare, packaging, electrical & electronics, transportation, construction, and others is expected to drive the market in the coming years. High demand for PSA tapes in Asia Pacific and their wide acceptance due to ease of applicability are also among the key factors contributing to the growth of the PSA tapes market. The PSA tapes market is segmented based on resin type into acrylic, rubber, and silicone based PSA Tapes. The performance of silicone-based PSA tapes is excellent on low surface energy substrates. Silicone PSA tapes consist of silicone polymers and are widely used in specific industrial applications such as solar and wind energy, heavy machinery, and applications involving extreme environments, especially in aerospace in the form of masking tapes, process tapes, and high-performance insulation laminates, wherein organic PSA do not fulfill the required properties. Silicone-based PSA tapes can maintain adhesion over a larger temperature range and possess the ability to adhere to difficult surfaces. Major players are planning to increase the production capacity of silicone PSA tapes considering the future demand. Acrylic-based PSA tapes find use in various outdoor applications such as automotive rims and signage boards. Acrylic PSA tapes are widely used in medical and automotive end-use industries owing to their excellent adhesion properties. The PSA tapes market is segmented based on backing material into polypropylene, paper, and PVC, among others. The paper segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2017 to 2022. Increasing government regulations for manufacturing lightweight vehicles are catering to the demand for PSA tapes in the automotive industry. Moreover, the increased demand for low-cost backing materials for manufacturing the tapes have also improved the high growth opportunities for PSA tapes in the industrial, electronics, and construction sectors. The PSA tapes market is segmented based on end-use industries into packaging, electrical & electronics, medical & hygiene, construction, transportation, consumer & office, and others. As PSA tapes are antistatic adhesive tapes, they are useful for attaching surface-mount components at points on printed circuit board. These tapes are used in the manufacture of many consumer electronics devices, such as mobile phones and camera. They also find various applications in electrical interconnection and assembly. The Asia Pacific PSA tapes market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, which can be attributed to the rising demand for PSA tapes which are finding various applications in various end-use industries, such as medical & healthcare, packaging, electrical & electronics, transportation, construction, and others from economies of the Asia Pacific region, including India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore, among others. The robust demand in Asia Pacific is a major driving factor for the global PSA tapes market. China is expected to lead the demand for PSA tapes due to increased industrial production. It is also among the largest consumers of PSA tapes at the global level. The growth of the PSA tapes market is restrained by rise in raw material prices. Price and availability of raw materials are the key factors for PSA tapes manufacturers to decide the cost structure for their products. Synthetic rubber, natural rubber, and inorganic & organic chemicals are the raw materials used in the manufacturing of PSA tapes. Most of these raw materials are petroleum-based derivatives and are vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices. Oil prices were highly volatile in the past due to the increasing global demand and political unrest in the Middle East. The adhesives industry is affected by higher manufacturing costs resulting from increased energy costs.

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tapes Market vendors are placed into 4 categories based on their performance and reviews in each criterion: “visionary leaders,” “innovators,” “dynamic differentiators,” and “emerging companies".

Visionary leaders are the leading market players in terms of new developments such as product launches, innovative technologies, and the adoption of growth strategies. These players have a broad product offering that caters to most of the regions globally. Visionary leaders primarily focus on acquiring the leading market position through their strong financial capabilities and their well-established brand equity.

Dynamic Differentiators are established players with very strong business strategies. However, they have a weaker product portfolio compared to the visionary leaders. They generally focus only on a specific type of technology related to the product.

Innovators in the competitive leadership mapping are vendors that have demonstrated substantial product innovations as compared to their competitors. The companies have focused on product portfolios. However, they do not have very strong growth strategies for their overall business, when compared with the visionary leaders.

Emerging companies have niche product and service offerings. Their business strategies are not as strong as that of the established vendors. The emerging vendors include the new entrants in the market, emerging in terms of product portfolio and geographic reach, and require time to gain significant traction in the market.