Henkel heading for further profitable growth with adhesives
At the Investor and Analyst Day, Henkel provided an exhaustive insight into the markets, portfolio and growth drivers of its Adhesive Technologies business sector. The world’s leading supplier of adhesives regards itself as being well positioned for profitable organic growth. Thomas Geitner, Executive Vice President Adhesive Technologies, was confident that the business sector was well set to make a major contribution to the achievement of Henkel’s financial targets for 2012.
The world market for adhesives, sealants and surface treatment products and systems is worth around 47 billion euros, and, over the long term, growing faster than global GDP. “Adhesives are ‘hidden champions’, often invisible, but almost always indispensable,” explained Thomas Geitner, Executive Vice President Adhesive Technologies, speaking at the Investor and Analyst Day conference. “The proportion of the total cost of an end product that they account for may be relatively small, but if an adhesive does not perform as it should, the consequences are serious indeed,” he continued.
There are four trends driving growth in the adhesives segment: First: the expansion in adhesives consumption in the emerging economies that already make up 43 percent of the sales realized by Henkel’s Adhesive Technologies business sector; second: the ever-increasing importance of sustainability in the manufacture of industrial products, for example in the automotive or aircraft industries; third: the move away from traditional joining processes such as welding or riveting toward structural adhesive bonding; and fourth: the employment of adhesive solutions for completely new fields of application – such as medicine or lighting engineering.
With its presence in all regions and industries as well as its extensive technological competence, Henkel is ideally placed to benefit from these trends. Henkel generates about half of its sales with adhesive technologies. In the first half of 2010 the Adhesive Technologies business sector achieved sales of around 3.5 billion euros, 16 percent above the prior-year period.
Thomas Geitner offered a convincing appraisal to the assembled analysts and investors: “We are excellently equipped to generate profitable growth – and we will grow faster than our markets as we zero in on our 2012 targets.”
Other news from the department business & finance
Get the chemical industry in your inbox
From now on, don't miss a thing: Our newsletter for the chemical industry, analytics, lab technology and process engineering brings you up to date every Tuesday and Thursday. The latest industry news, product highlights and innovations - compact and easy to understand in your inbox. Researched by us so you don't have to.
