Q What is SPEB Adhesives Limited’s strategic roadmap for innovating or expanding its range of water-based, hot-melt, or bio-based adhesives to help mattress manufacturers meet global eco-standards and low-VOC requirements?
India is yet to adapt to Water-based Adhesive Technology fully due to its high price and operational issues in current setups. Since the market size for Water-Based Adhesives is small, it is not viable to have a dedicated manufacturing facility in-house. SPEB is executing a multi-tier innovation roadmap focused on sustainable, high-performance adhesive technologies that align with global environmental norms such as SCAQMD 1168, LEED v4.1, GCC/GSO Green Standards, and Indian Green Building Council requirements. Although this is not in their immediate priority, SPEB is looking for a Strategic/Technical Collaboration for this in the coming financial year.
Q The adhesive industry faces volatility in petrochemical raw materials. How is the industry addressing this challenge?
The industry is adopting structured strategies to mitigate the impact of fluctuating petrochemical prices and to provide supply stability to mattress OEMs :
Raw material diversification : Sourcing from multiple domestic and international suppliers and integrating hybrid chemistries that reduce reliance on petroleum-derived polymers.
Formula engineering & optimization : Designing high-solid adhesives and functional filler systems to maintain performance while decreasing the need for high-cost resins.
Q Where does the adhesive industry see the greatest opportunity for adhesive technology to enable new mattress product features?
Enhanced durability : High-strength adhesives that improve compression-set resistance and enable the use of thinner, performance foams.
Heat-conductive adhesives : Formulations designed to complement cooling gels and heat-transfer systems for advanced comfort technologies.
Recyclability : Adhesives engineered for clean separation during end-of-life recycling, allowing recovery of foams, fabrics, and metals.
Eco-safe fire retardants : Novel adhesive systems compatible with FR requirements such as BS 5852 and TB 117 while maintaining sustainability.
Q What are the top two challenging adhesion problems SPEB Adhesives Limited is solving through R&D to support next-generation mattress designs?
Foam-to-fabric & foam-to-non woven bonding with high elasticity : Modern mattresses use stretch fabrics, knitted textiles, and fire-retardant nonwovens that demand flexible, soft-feel bonding.
Multi-layer foam bonding for hybrid mattress structures : Memory foam, gel-infused layers, latex, coir, and PU foams have varying absorption and thermal properties.