Hot melt adhesives, or glues, are preparations – formulated speciality chemicals – whose technology is constantly being developed in response to changing customer requirements.  Hot melts will bond almost any substrate, pervious or impervious, rapidly and cost effectively.   

They are widely used throughout the industrialised world by household name companies for many applications, including packaging, labelling, woodworking, bookbinding, converting and product assembly.

Hot melts can speed up production, save factory space and reduce waste and pollution.  They give a tough bond by spreading their strength over the entire bonding surface and, by replacing nails, screws and other forms of fixing, enhance product appearance.

Hot melts are neither hazardous, toxic nor flammable.  They do not contain water or solvents and are 100% solid, so making their handling, storage, transportation and use easy, safe and reliable -  without harming the environment.  There is virtually no waste in manufacture.

Beardow Adams sells it hot melt adhesives into six end market sectors:

Labelling
End of line ('wet') labelling

Packaging
Paper production, packaging material manufacture, end-of-line packaging

Woodworking
Edge banding, profile wrapping, soft forming, etc.

Product Assembly
General product assembly, for example; automotive assembly and sub-component manufacture, domestic and industrial white goods. electronics, filter manufacture, cables.  They are highly successful at bonding dissimilar materials, typically plastics, rubber, metals, ceramics, glass, wood and fibrous materials such as paper, board, non-woven fabrics and leather.

Print Finishing
Binding applications, tip in and other print finishing adhesive applications 

Converting
Heat reactivatable coatings, lamination and hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives (HMPSA) for self-adhesive coatings.
 



Depending upon the choice of hot melt adhesive, bonds
are able to withstand extremes of heat and cold, humidity,
chemical attack and be resistant to salt water. Bonds may
be subjected to vibration, shock and long term stress.