PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION
Glues are substances known for their wide range of uses, as they serve to bond materials together, from paper and wood to metal and plastic, among others, commonly found in homes, schools, offices and industries.
They come in many forms, for example liquid, stick and spray, because they’re made from different ingredients like resin, rubber or polymers, and are designed for both quick fixes and heavy-duty construction or high-precision manufacturing.
Glues are a part of Glues, starches & albuminoid products, a category of the Chemical Products section that includes a wide range of related by-products like Adhesives based on rubber or plastic, package >1 kg, Glues and adhesives of all kinds, package <1 kg, and Glues or adhesives, prepared nes, package > 1kg.
They also have a Product Complexity Index of 1.03, ranking 168 out of 1044 products in 2023.
This post will not consider a specific country’s market, but it will be focused on the Glues trade in general.
OVERVIEW
In 2023, global trade of Glues reached an amount of $13.9B, reflecting a decreased percentage of 4.64 from 2022, when it totaled $14.6B and, over the past five years, it has grown at an annualized rate of 2.48%.
In addition, during the same year, Glues ranked 284 out of 1217 products, accounting for 0.062% of world trade.
EXPORT
In 2023 it was estimated that the main characters in the exportation scenario of Glues were
- Germany - $2.48B;
- China - $2.2B;
- United States - $1.76B.
Also, during the same year, the countries that registered the highest share of this category in their export portfolios were
- Saint Lucia - 0.21%;
- Grenada - 0.17%;
- Germany - 0.16%.
IMPORT
In 2023 it was revealed that the leading importers of the Glues category in global trade were
- China - $1.3B;
- Germany - $853M;
- Mexico - $646M.
CONCLUSIONS
In 2023 the Glues trade experienced a shift towards innovation and sustainability, where the high-performance and eco-friendly adhesives became essential in sectors like green construction, automotive and electronics.
These demands are the responses for stricter environmental standards and consumer awareness, confirming Glues’ transformations from basic utilities to strategic materials in modern manufacturing.
Source: https://oec.world/en
