Adhesion Matters - History of ARALDITE® (Huntsman)

Episode Date: August 3, 2025

ARALDITE® is a pioneering adhesive brand with over 70 years of history, renowned for its unbeatable epoxy technology and durable bonding strength. Originating from Aero Research Limited (ARL) in the UK and first commercialized by Ciba AG in Switzerland in 1946, ARALDITE® has evolved through significant corporate changes, currently operating globally under Huntsman Advanced Materials for industrial applications. Our podcast discusses this brand's enduring legacy which is built on its critical role in diverse industrial sectors, from automotive and aerospace to construction and electronics, enabling advanced manufacturing processes like lightweighting and multi-material design. ARALDITE®'s market presence is significantly bolstered by its iconic and clever marketing campaigns, particularly the Ford Cortina billboard, which masterfully demonstrated its extreme strength while appealing to everyday consumer needs. This dual approach of high-performance industrial application and impactful consumer marketing has solidified its position as a globally recognized and trusted adhesive brand. 

Have you ever really thought about that tube of glue sitting in your drawer? Or maybe like the unsung heroes holding together something really advanced like a supercar. Today we're doing a deep dive into Aeroldite. And it's way more than just your average household adhesive. Absolutely. It's a brand with this incredibly rich, quite complex history, actually, and a truly surprising range of uses. And a masterclass in marketing, too, as we'll see. Definitely. So for this deep dive, we've pulled together quite a bit of material historical records, market analysis, detailed product info, distribution insights, even their latest innovations.

And our mission really is to uncover the whole journey of this pioneering adhesive, you know, from its sort of dual origins right up to its role in modern engineering and future tech. You'll see how it delivers those unbeatable and long-lasting bonds. Exactly. And how the brand has managed to adapt and, well, really thrive for over 70 years. now. It's quite a story. So let's kick things off with the origins. How did Aeroldite even come to be? It started in Switzerland, right? In 1946. That's part of it. Yes, the initial push for a superior epoxy technology, something better than existing glues. That happened in Switzerland in 46. Okay. But here's where it gets interesting. The actual conceptual development, that was spearheaded earlier by Arrow Research Limited ARL in the UK. They started back in 1934. Ah, so

So ARL Aero Research Limited. Precisely. And get this, the name Aerldyte. It comes directly from that. ARL lead dike. Okay, that makes sense. So UK concept, Swiss production initially. Kind of.

Detre Friars S.A. in Switzerland first produced the resins. Then they licensed the process to Sibba AG. Siba. And Sibba first showed off a product on Aeroldite at the Swiss Industries Fair. That was 1945. But the first batches of the epoxy resins, the ones that really launched the brand globally. Yeah. Those were made in Duxford,

England in 1950. So you have this interplay between the UK development and the Swiss commercialization and then UK production ramping up. That really set the stage for its global reach, I suppose. It absolutely did. That foundational groundwork was key. And that clarifies something important, doesn't it? That common misconception. Ah, the De Havilland mosquito myth. Yes. People think Aeroldite was used on the mosquito plane in the 40s, but no. No, that was Aerolyte. Also from ARL, the same UK development.

But a totally different glue, a urea formaldehyde adhesive. Okay, crucial difference. So Aeroldite, its big deal was being a true epoxy resin, a technological step up. Exactly. Its introduction was revolutionary. It brought this advanced epoxy tech to the market, delivering bonding strength that was just, well, miles ahead of what was available. To filling that promise, unbeatable and long-lasting bonds. And it's been doing that for over 80 years now, for, you know, DIY folks and massive industrial clients.

like, ultimate epoxy strength. And it didn't take long for it to prove itself in some really demanding situations. I mean, really high stakes. Oh, yeah, some iconic early examples. Like the Bluebird Project in 1960, Donald Campbell's land speed record car, Aeroldite Bond of the Fuselage. That's right. Talk about extreme conditions if it holds that together.

Shows incredible reliability. And then there's architecture. Oh, Arup, the famous engineer. Yes, a real visionary. He saw the potential early on. Using it in Comptree Cathedral for Bond. Bonding precast concrete. Secured the thin joints of the columns and fins, but maybe even more famously.

The Sydney Opera House. Exactly. Bonding the rib sections of those massive shells. It drastically sped up construction because they didn't need that 24-hour curing time you'd get with traditional concrete joints. Wow. So what's the takeaway from these early successes? Well, the fascinating thing is how these projects highly visible, technically really tough, served as incredibly powerful, real world proof. Like instant credibility. Totally. It immediately established Aeryl Dite, not just as a glue,

but as a high performance adhesive for serious industrial and engineering work, way beyond just fixing things at home. That strong foundation really paved the way, didn't it? It absolutely did. Give it immense credibility right from the start. Now let's talk about the corporate sites, because that's a bit of a journey too. It started with Sibba AG. Right. Aral Dite was a key part of Siba, which became one of the world's top three epoxy producers pretty quickly after getting that license. And Siva then became Sibbe Gagy. Yes. Then, fast forward to the late 1990s, Siba's epoxy business gets spun off and sold.

Okay. And eventually it becomes part of Huntsman Corporation, the U.S.-based chemical company. So Huntsman now holds the Aerlite trademark. Yeah. For the engineering and structural adheses, at least. That's correct. They manage that comprehensive range for industrial applications. But then there was another split more recently.

Right. This raises a good question. Why split up a successful brand? In 2020, Huntsman made a strategic move. What was that? They sold off Aeroldite's DIY consumer adhesives business, but only in certain regions, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Aegean countries. Sold it to him. To Pidolite industries.

Oh, Pidolite. They're huge in those markets, aren't they? Exactly. This wasn't about Aeroldite being weak. It was actually quite shrewd. Leveraged Pidelite's local expertise. and distribution for the consumer side. While Huntsman keeps its focus on the high performance global industrial stuff.

Precisely. A strategic division of focus. So what does this whole corporate roller coaster tell us? I think it really shows the brand's resilience. Despite all these changes in ownership, different market focuses, Erildite hasn't just survived for over 70 years. It's thrive. Demonstrates the enduring value of that core promise, I suppose.

Absolutely. The technology and the performance have remained central. Okay, let's look at Aerolyte's footprint today. It's pretty diverse. It really is. The core under Huntsman is that range of engineering in structural adhesives, epoxy, acrylics, polyurethanes, high-performance stuff for bonding metals, composites, thermoplastics, you name it. Delivering benefits across industrial, consumer, even construction markets.

And where does it actually show up? I mean, the high-profile uses are fascinating. They really are. Think automotive. It's critical in the Lamborghini event at all. The carbon composite monocochev. Yeah. And the Audi R8's carbon side blades.

Even things like railway carriage door frames, helping with light weighting and efficiency. And construction. Yeah. We mentioned Sydney, but more recent examples. The dome of the Tor Agbar in Barcelona used Aeroldite 2. Okay. Aerospace, defense. Yep.

Used an advanced body armor ballistic protection in various aircraft components. Again, helps streamline production reduce weight. Critical factors there. Electronics, too. That seems different. It is. Used as an embedding medium for electron microscopy. Also inside mobile phones, protecting delicate components. And marine applications. It can't cure underwater. That's a unique capability, yes. So it's great for marine repairs.

And it was used in building the Silvestris 23, that aluminum speedboat. Wow. But what's really striking is the sheer versatility. You go from these massive industrial uses. Right, like bonding a supercar. Yeah, to some surprisingly niche applications. This is where it gets really. interesting. For the guitarists. Yeah. Flamenco guitarists, Paco Pena, for example, using it to reinforce their fingernails.

It's true. The strength and the ability to shape it, presumably. And Brian May from Queen, using Aeroldite on his famous red special guitar. To seal the pickups, yeah. To reduce microfonic feedback, it just shows. It shows incredible adaptability, doesn't it? From huge engineering feats to these tiny, crucial details. Exactly.

That dichotomy illustrates how its properties can be customized for almost any scale or need. It's not just strong, it's adaptable. So let's unpack that a bit. Aeroldite isn't just acting as glue in the traditional sense. It's more fundamental. It really is a foundational technology. Its ability to bond different materials together, metals to composites, plastics to metals. That's huge for modern design. And the high temperature resistance you mentioned. Also critical. It makes multi-material designs feasible where they wouldn't be otherwise. Think lighter cars, stronger planes. So choosing adhesives like Aeroldite over, say, rivets or welds, it can genuinely change the game in how products are designed and built.

Absolutely. It enables lighter, stronger, more durable products. It opens up design possibilities. Okay. Shifting gears a bit, we have to talk about the marketing because some of Erildite's campaigns are legendary. Oh, definitely. The Ford Cortina billboard from 1983. That one is just iconic. Yeah. A real Ford Cortina stuck to a billboard in London, apparently just by Eraldite. Seemingly, of course there were hidden safety belts, you couldn't risk it actually falling, but the visual, wow. Instantly grabs your attention. A masterclass. And the strategy behind it is fascinating. Basically, extreme equals attention and demonstration equals believable.

It didn't just say it was strong. It showed you, visually proved it. Leaves no room for doubt, does it? Way more powerful than just quoting strength figures. And the tagline, that was genius too. The contrast, right. This is incredible. dramatic image of a car stuck to a billboard paired with it also sticks handles to teapots that little bit of humor that change of direction it made the whole thing so memorable and relatable it connected the extreme strength back to everyday uses bridging the industrial and the domestic no wonder it won

awards yes in 83 and 84 very prestigious and the campaign wasn't just a one-off poster was it no they phased it cleverly built a narrative the first poster was up for just a week to generate maximum buzz make the brand feel bigger than its budget. Create that mental availability. Exactly. Then follow-up posters played on it, like one with a ripped hole asking, how did we pull it off, kept people talking. Brilliant.

And this fits into a longer pattern of clever marketing, doesn't it? It does. Eraldite has often used demonstration and sometimes humor. There was a publicity stunt back in 1965, a funny TV ad in 81, saying, Look, no hands. And real world proof always helps. Like that story. about the customer still using tubes from 1971?

Testimonials like that are gold. And of course, all those high-profile engineering projects, we mentioned Bluebird, Sylvester's 23, Tor, Agbar. They served as fantastic, indirect marketing, too. Real-world proof of performance. Okay, so where is Eraldite heading now? What's the future look like under Huntsman? Well, the focus is clearly on those high-performance engineering adhesives and are bringing out some interesting new products. There's Eraldite 2023.

It's designed for really tough joining and sealing, especially on large parts. Good for vertical surfaces because it doesn't sag, fills gaps well. Sounds useful for complex assemblies, maybe with different materials. Exactly. And then there are Aerolite 2080 and 2081. These are low odor, non-flammable acrylic adhesives. Ah, safer to work with. Big advantage.

Plus, they offer really high strength and durability, especially for metals, composites, plastics. They're aiming to replace older MMA and polyurethian. adhesives that had, well, some issues. And these new adhesives, they must be crucial for emerging areas, right? Like electric vehicles. Absolutely critical. Think about e-mobility. Improving performance in motors, batteries, even the charging infrastructure.

These materials are essential. And light weighting is key for EVs and potentially hydrogen vehicles, too. Definitely. Lighter vehicles mean better range, less environmental impact. Adheses like these enable that lighter construction. They're helping establish hydrogen as a potential future fuel. source too, indirectly. So how did these advanced products actually get into the hands of engineers and manufacturers? Through Huntsman's distribution network, they have key partners globally,

like Vodo Melorchini. Voto Milerchina, you mentioned them. They have a long relationship with Huntsman. Over 30 years, they distribute Aeroldeite pretty much worldwide from over 40 locations. And they're not just shifting boxes. They position themselves as solution providers. They have deep technical knowledge. Right, providing expertise along with the product. And I I understand they're involved in some cutting-age curing technology, too, something called BTDA. Ah, yes, pyromytic-carboxylic dionhydride, BTDA. It's a novel curing agent for epoxy resins. Okay, sounds technical.

Why is it a big deal? What does it actually do? Basically, it dramatically improves how well the epoxy performs, especially under heat. Yes. Well, think about the glass transition temperature, the TG. That's where a material goes from glassy and rigid to more rubbery, with standard. curing agents, an epoxy might hit a TG of, say, 125 degrees C, maybe 180 degrees, if it's a good one. Okay.

But using BTBA with certain epochsies, like bisphenol A epoxy, you can push that TG up close to 240 degrees C. Wow, that's a huge jump. What does that mean in practical terms? It means the adhesive stays strong and stable at much higher temperatures. It allows for extremely high cross-linking in the polymer structure. Leading to. Outstanding thermo-mechanical properties. Much better durability. Essentially, materials and components made with it last longer perform better under stress.

Which links back to sustainability, right? Making things last long. Better durability means longer product lifetime, which is a key aspect of sustainability. So this innovation directly contributes to that. So summing up Eraldite's journey, it's really gone from this pioneering epoxy to a globally trusted brand, quite the evolution. Its adaptability is key from supercars to guitar strings, as we said. diverse applications, iconic marketing, it's built an enduring legacy. And the future seems pretty solid, too. I'd say so. Under Huntsman, it's strategically positioned for continued leadership in material science,

especially with lightweighting bonding to similar materials, crucial for fields like immobility, advanced electronics. And the Pidolite Partnership covers the consumer side in key growth regions. Right. Ensures continued reach there too. So the final thought for you, our listener. Next time you grab that tube of eryldite, maybe to fix a mug. Or maybe you see a really sleek, lightweight car zip past. Just consider this.

That same fundamental bonding technology, that incredible strength, it might just be holding together the future of transportation. Proving that sometimes the biggest advancements are, well, literally holding our world together, one incredibly strong bond at a time.