Adhesion Matters - Top 10 Visionaries

Episode Date: August 7, 2025

This episode of Adhesion Matters highlights the Top 10 most influential visionaries in the global adhesives industry. These ten leading figures are currently shaping the global adhesives sector through their leadership in major corporations, strategic decisions, and impact on market direction, innovation, and sustainability. Their collective efforts highlight a significant transformation within the industry, driven by visionary leadership and strategic advancements, with a strong focus on sustainability and high-performance applications.   These 10 influential figures are not merely responding to current market demands but are actively anticipating and shaping the next generation of adhesive technologies. Their contributions are vital for sectors ranging from advanced electronics and electric vehicles to sustainable packaging and construction, ensuring the adhesives industry remains a critical enabler of global progress and innovation.

Have you ever stopped to think about what really holds your smartphone together? You know, allowing for those incredibly thin, complex designs, or like what keeps all the different parts of your car working together seamlessly, even when it's, well, under pretty extreme conditions. The answer, often, is adhesives. Sort of the unsung hero, right? The invisible backbone. Okay, let's impact this.

Today, we're diving deep into this really fascinating report. It profiles the 10 most influential living figures. currently shaping the global adhesives industry. And our mission, really, is to pull out the crucial insights from the source material. We want to show you how these, well, corporate visionaries aren't just reacting to the market. No, they're actively driving innovation, defining where adhesive tech goes next. And there's a big emphasis on sustainability and high-performance applications. Yeah, and what's really interesting about this report is how it defines influence.

It's not just about, you know, running a big company. It digs into the strategic direction they set, their actual market impact and the sort of ground breaking innovation initiatives they're championing right from the top we're talking leadership in r&D pushing for big industry shifts like circularity bio-based materials that kind of thing advanced manufacturing too and when you connect that to the bigger picture you you uh you quickly get why this industry which might seem kind of niche is actually so critical i mean adhesives underpin just countless sectors microelectronics skyscrapers food packaging aerospace composites you name it without their constant innovation. A lot of the tech we rely on daily. It just wouldn't exist or, you know,

it wouldn't work as well or last as long as we expect. Right. So who are these people? These architects of adhesion leading the charge. Let's meet the individuals who are really at the vanguard here, starting right at the top of the list. First up is Karsten Noble. He's the CEO of Henkel. Now, you might know Henkel for like laundry stuff, but they're actually the world's largest adhesive technologies producer. And here's a kind of surprising bit from the source. Henkel apparently got into adhesives almost by accident back in 1922 because of a supply shortage after World War I. Yeah, fortuitously, as the report says. Exactly. And from that kind of accidental start, they grew into this global leader. They even

bought locktide eventually. Huge acquisition. Huge. Now Henkel operates in over 800 industry segments. Mobility, electronics, packaging, construction, it's vast. So I guess the question is, with a company that big, nearly 150 years old, how does Nobel manage to keep? pushing for profitable growth and these really ambitious sustainability goals across so many different areas. Well, that's where his strategic skill really comes in. Nobel isn't just aiming for small improvements. He's guiding Henkel through pretty fundamental changes, given Hunkle's huge scale, I mean, hundreds of sectors. His focus on sustainability, it's not just internal, it's about influencing the whole supply chain. Like about it when a company that massive commits to things

like bio-based adhesives or making recycling easier. It has knock-on effects. Exactly. It creates ripples. It sets new standards for all those industries that depend on them. He's using their market power to drive change, not just react to it. That's a really good point about using scale.

Okay, shifting gears a bit. Let's look at Celeste Maston. She's president and CEO of H.B. Fuller. They're ranked fourth globally in 2024 for adhesives and sealance. What seems to stand out with Mastin is this real focus on customer-centric innovation and sustainability, efficiency too. They even have these customer innovation awards. How does that focus

on customer innovation actually set HB Fuller apart? Because it's competitive market, right? Often B2B. It's a really key differentiator. Yeah. In an industry where the product is often kind of hidden, Maston makes sure HB. Fuller is like deeply involved with their clients' R&D. Those awards aren't just for show. They reflect a co-creation approach, solving specific, tricky problems for their customers. In her background, you know, seven years at Bostick, That gives her a deep understanding of different market needs. Right. So HP Fuller can tailor solutions that really push the envelope, things like lighter car parts or more durable packaging.

And that approach also helps explain their global footprint. 81 manufacturing sites, 26 countries. It lets them offer that localized customer support. Makes sense. Okay. Speaking of iconic names, Bill Brown at 3M, we all know 3M, huge material science and manufacturing company, over $25 billion a year. And adhesives are absolutely core to their business, automotive, industrial electronics. Oh, yeah, central.

And, of course, the classic example of their adhesive innovation has to be the posted note, right? The ultimate example. So Brown's focus now is apparently on refocusing their R&D investments, driving organic growth, boosting efficiency. Given 3M's massive portfolio, what's the strategic implication of that refocusing specifically for their adhesive innovations? Well, Brown's strategy at 3M sounds like it's about disciplined innovation. For a company as diverse as 3M, it's probably easy to spread R&T too thin. Okay. So his refocusing likely means concentrating their resources,

putting them into the most promising high-impact adhesive tech that can really make a difference for their biggest customers. I think maybe advanced bonding for EVs or next gen adhesives for flexible electronics. It's about making sure the next Post-it note, whatever that might be, comes out of a more targeted, efficient R&D pipeline. Right, focusing the firepower. Okay. Now, another leader whose influence comes partly through M&A is Terry Lahanoff.

He's chairman and CEO of Arkima. He really shaped Arkhamas place in the adhesives market by leading that strategic acquisition of Bostick. That moves solidified Arkhamas' position in specialty chemicals. What do you think was the real driver behind such a big move? And how did it change Archama's direction? Oh, the Bostic deal was huge for Arkima, a real game changer. LeHanof clearly saw adhesives as a high growth, high value. part of specialty chemicals. Good margins, steady demand. By bringing Bostick's portfolio and

market know-how into Arkama, he didn't just diversify their income. No, it gave them scale. Exactly. Critical mass, technological depth. It let Arkhama speed up innovation, push into key emerging markets and get better operational excellence across a much wider product range than they could have before. It was definitely a bold move. And it paid off, made them a stronger, more resilient company. Okay. Then we have Jim Fitterling, chairman and CEO of Dow. Dow, another global material science player, big presence in adhesives and sealants. Fitterling's been key in transforming Dow, focusing it more on higher growth markets driven by consumer demand. But what's really interesting is his push on sustainability, like Dow being a

founding member of the Alliance to end plastic waste, the AEPW. From an adhesive standpoint, what's the actual impact of being part of something like the AEPW? That's a great question. How does that high-level commitment, you know, translate into actual adhesive chemistry. For Dow being a founder of AEPW means that there's a direct corporate push to develop adhesive solutions that help create a circular economy for plastics. Okay. So we're talking about adhesives and make it easier to recycle packaging made of different materials or adhesives made from recycled stuff themselves. Fidderling is basically pushing Dow to make adhesives that don't just stick things together, but also consider the product's

whole life. Production, deconstruction, recycling. Thinking end to end. Exactly. It's a systemic shift driven right from the top. That's a massive undertaking. All right. Next up, let's look at Tim Navish at PPG Industries. PPG global leader, mostly known for paints and coatings, right? But they also have this substantial specialty materials division, including adhesives. Yet it's right.

And interestingly, under Navish, PPG won an Adhesives and Seelance Council Innovation Award back in 2020 for a high-strength structural adhesive. What does winning an award like that tell us about his broader? strategy? Well, winning that ESC award, I think it wasn't just about one product. It really highlighted Navish's strategic focus on technology differentiation. He's actively managing PPG's portfolio, making smart divestitures, it seems, to focus resources on the most promising tech-driven products. So doubling down on the high-tech stuff? Precisely. For adhesives, that means investing heavily where performance is absolutely critical, like those structural adhesives for making cars lighter or advanced solutions for tough industrial uses. It shows a commitment

to leading through better product performance, not just selling more volume, optimizing for organic growth and, you know, financial returns. Right. Okay, moving into a slightly different but still critical area. Dionne Standard, president and CEO of Avery Denison Corporation. Avery Denison, they're multinational, making pressure-sensitive adhesive materials, labels,

even specialty medical products. Very diverse. Yeah. And his leadership seems to be driving innovation, not just in the self-adhesive tech itself, but also in digital solutions for supply chains. Plus, a big push on sustainability, circularity, transparency. How do those different areas, the physical adhesives and the digital solutions,

kind of come together under his vision? That's a great question, because it really points to a key trend. Standard gets that in today's world, a physical thing like an adhesive label isn't just physical. It's also a data point. Oh, okay. By integrating digital supply chain solutions with the self-adhesive tech, Avery Dennison can offer amazing transparency.

Think about it. A smart label could track a product's entire journey, prove it's authentic, maybe even give you disposal instructions. Right, like QR codes, but smarter. Exactly. But much more integrated. This convergence is crucial for handling complex supply chains and for actually proving sustainability claims are legit. It's about turning the label stuck on with adhesive into an intelligent carrier of information. Wow, it really shows how far beyond just sticking things together these companies are thinking.

It's fascinating how diverse the portfolios are among these leaders, too. Let's look at Peter R. Huntsman. He's chairman, president, and CEO of Huntsman Corporation. His company is a global maker of differentiated and specialty chemicals. They have a really strong portfolio of high-performance, adhesive tech epoxy, polyurethane, acrylate, phenolic systems. A wide range of chemistries. Right. So how does his focus on tailoring products to specific market needs and navigating all the regulations shape their innovation strategy?

Peter Huntsman's approach seems to be about strategic agility, being responsive to the market. With such a broad, advanced set of adhesive chemistries, his leadership ensures Huntsman isn't just, you know, pushing tech for its own sake. They're proactively developing very specialized formulas that solve real pain points for different industries, whether that's making planes lighter with advanced epochsies or making buildings more durable with polyurethanes. Got it. And navigating complex global rules is just part. part of the deal now. It means investing in R&D to create solutions that are not only high performing, but also compliant and, well, future proof. Okay, as we're nearing the end of the list,

let's talk about Dr. Christian Hurtell, president and CEO of Wacker Kimi AG. Wacker Kimi is a global chemical company. Big divisions in silicones and polymers, which are, of course, crucial ingredients and tons of adhesive formulas. Absolutely fundamental. Under Hurtell, Wacker is focused on accelerated profitable growth and pretty ambitious sustainability targets, like aiming to have their CO2 emissions by 2030. That's a big goal. It is. So what kind of investments are they making to hit those goals, especially in the adhesive

space? Well, Hartel seems to be putting serious resources behind it. Wacker is making big investments in expanding capacity, specifically for specialty chemicals, like high-performance adhesives and advanced silicone solutions. This includes developing new silicone sealants and adhesives that are maybe, more durable or more energy efficient to apply or just made with a lower carbon footprint. Having CO2 by 2030 is aggressive, yeah. It means every part of their production, including key adhesive components, is being looked

at for better efficiency and less environmental impact. It's clearly a top-down mandate, make their core chemistry greener. Okay, finally we get to Frank Hogg, CEO of Bodo-Muller-Chini Group. His company plays a really interesting role. They're a major solutions provider and partner to the big global chemical. companies in adhesives, BASF, Dow, DuPont, Henkel, Huntsman. Kind of a critical link in the chain. Exactly.

They operate in over 60 countries, 400 plus employees, pioneers in adhesives. And they offer this unique full service package through their adhesive competence center. It provides everything from picking the right product, validating it, process simulation, engineering, even certified labs for tough industries like automotive, railway, aerospace. Very comprehensive. Yeah. So what's really forward looking about Hogg's initiatives, especially this vision he has of converting molecules into functioning units.

Hogg's approach seems to be about solving the whole adhesive problem, not just selling the chemical. That phrase molecules into functioning units, I think it perfectly captures Boto-Muller-Chemmy's integrated model. They aren't just giving you a product. They're providing the solution for how that product works best in a specific use case. Right, the how-to. Exactly.

And what's really exciting under his, leadership are their initiatives in AI for developing materials. And some truly groundbreaking work in sustainability, things like bio-based epoxy resins and these revolutionary debonding on-demand solutions. Debonding on demand. What's that? Okay, so this allows adhesives to be essentially unstuck when you want them to be. Intentionally. Wow. Yeah. It's potentially a game changer for repairing products, recovering materials, and really enabling true circularity in manufacturing, especially in complex things like electronics or cars where separating parts for recycling is usually almost impossible.

He's anticipating what manufacturing will need next and designing adhesive solutions to make it happen. Okay. So stepping back from the individual leaders, what does this all mean for you, the listener? If we connect the dots across the work of these 10 people, some really clear, powerful themes emerged, don't they? Absolutely. And one of the most critical ones, as we've kind of touched on repeatedly,

is that sustainability is no longer just nice, to have. It's paramount. Leaders like Celeste Mastin, Jim Fittling, Christian Hartel, they're deeply integrating sustainability into their core business strategies. And like we said, it's not just about meeting regulations. It's a fundamental rethink of adhesive chemistry. We're seeing this huge push towards bio-based eco-friendly formulas, promoting circular economy ideas, and, like we just discussed with Frank Hogg, truly revolutionary tech like debonding on demand. That enables end of life recycling, material reuse. It's all about making sure adheses are part of the solution for a greener future, not part of the problem. And the second clear trajectory seems to be

the relentless push towards high performance and advanced materials. The industry is obviously committed to creating adhesives with better properties for tougher and tougher applications. Definitely. You see that with Bill Brown overseeing 3M's huge R&D engine, always looking for the next big thing. And Peter R. Huntsman's focus on tailoring those super high-performance adhesives for critical needs, these advances are just crucial, aren't they? Especially in areas like advanced electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy, where materials have to handle extreme conditions

and be incredibly reliable. Absolutely vital. So why should you care who leads the adhesives industry? Well, because their contributions are foundational. They're fundamental. These are the people making sure the bits inside your next phone stay connected, that EVs can be lighter, more efficient, that our packaging can actually be sustainable,

that new ways of building are more resilient. They ensure the adhesives industry stays this critical enabler of global progress and innovation, literally holding our modern world together. So, yeah, these leaders aren't just reacting to what the market wants now. They are actively anticipating, actively shaping the next generation of adhesive technologies.

Their vision is paving the way for innovations that will affect industries, affect products. we might only just be starting to imagine today. Which, you know, raises an important question, I think. As these leaders keep innovating, how will our reliance on these, well, invisible adhesive solutions evolve in future tech? And what new challenges might pop up because they're becoming so complex, so ubiquitous in pretty much everything we touch. Something to think about next time you pick up your smartphone. Okay, that wraps up this deep dive.