International 
. According to estimates from the recent Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) report, the global market for sealants and adhesives will reach US$40.5 billion in sales in 2013; while in North America it will reach US$11.1 billion, at an annual growth rate of 2.2%.
The document also reveals that the global demand for vinyl, for the same year, will grow by 31% while that of acrylic and rubbers will increase by 16% and 13%, respectively. In the same way, polyurethanes will have an increase of 8%, block copolymers of 7%, epoxy 5% and silicones 4%.
For Matthew E . Croson, president of the ASC, "the market report comes in an economic climate that could be considered as an 'optimistic uncertainty', in which general business conditions and sales forecasts show positive signs. However, unemployment and a slower recovery of important market segments are causing anxiety."
Likewise, the use and application of technologies will have a considerable representation in the market in the next two years. Those that are water-based will rise by 50%, and those that are solvent-based will reach 16% more in 2013, followed by reactive technologies that according to ASC, will rise by 15%.
"The adhesives and sealants sector continues to serve a wide range of the industry, with immense harnessing technologies for complex polymers and sealants required by the engineering and design community," Croson added.
