Whilst offering many opportunities for the merchant sector, the changing nature of the adhesive tapes market also presents a number of challenges. Jason Burns, MD of Shurtape, discusses the ways in which merchants can capitalise.
The international tape market is rolling along nicely and it’s having an impact on all types of product ranges and markets. Globally, the adhesives tape market was worth almost $55bn in 2018 and this is expected to reach almost $74bn in the next four years.
That’s healthy growth and of course it is largely down to online retailing, which is leading to demand for packaging tapes and partner products. However, we are also seeing increased demand for our adhesive tapes across other industries, including electrical and electronics, logistics, healthcare and, of course, building, construction and DIY.
This is all reflective of a quite buoyant market for adhesives in general. A combination of falling interest rates and bigger mortgages had already flattened out the UK housing market according to experts, and then when Brexit brought uncertainty and threatened consumer confidence, the larger construction industry took quite a hit. The DIY industry, meanwhile, is doing quite nicely, albeit cautiously, as a ‘make do and mend’ approach comes out of the downturn in larger construction and house-buying.
This is not bad news — it is an opportunity.It is also something reflected in the widening range of adhesive tapes available — and their different costs. For example, we are currently seeing an increasing trend for price reductions in the home improvement market and this has quite naturally led to a rise in Own Label products.
This rise of Own Label is not isolated to the DIY or building industries. They have outperformed national grocery brands for the last four years, according to IRI, and have over 52% value share of sales — with the most notable gains being made in homecare and personal care goods.Their position in the market, of course, is very different to branded products.
Since Shurtape launched in the UK 10 years ago, we’ve taken two adhesive tape brands from 0% market share to being market leaders — FrogTape, for instance, has become the masking tape of choice for professional decorators thanks to its unique PaintBlock technology yet atthe time of its launch, 80% of the market was own label.
With the growth of FrogTape, within a few years we extended the range to includeMulti Surface, Delicate Surface and Gloss and Satin products. We also oversaw the successful UK relaunch of the much-trusted Duck Tape in addition to the more recent launch of the extra strong T-Rex Tape, which now has nine SKUs.
There is definitely room in the market for brands and own label — the key is how we differentiate between the audiences and the products themselves. For example, FrogTape is increasingly being used as a creative aid — for art, feature walls and upcycling — and it is used by professional decorators, furniture restorers and award-winning artists.
Our range of adhesive tapes across Duck Tape and T-Rex Tape, meanwhile, are used by homeowners and professional builders alike and we have created distinct product offerings to target these differing audiences. We will be expanding our outdoor ranges this year, as different applications increase, and the company is continually looking to new adhesive technologies, watching trends in the US and working closely with the research team in Carolina.
“As Own Label makes a comeback to reflect a cost-cutting audience, there is still the need for brands to lead the way in R&D, continuing to develop products that answer the needs of an in-demand builder and a cautious construction industry.”
Our marketing for 2020 will continue to reflect the diverse requirements of the adhesive industry. And as Own Label makes a comeback to reflect a cost-cutting audience, there is still the need for brands to lead the way in R&D, continuing to develop products that answer the needs of an in-demand builder and a cautious construction industry.
Increasing and different applications provide clear merchandising opportunities for merchants, marketing outdoor tools and machinery or art and craft led tools alongside supporting adhesive ranges to encourage cross purchasing, and we look forward to working closely with our customers to create distinct offerings, to follow and then lead purchasing trends.
Shurtape’s latest addition to the adhesives market is Duck Wrap-Fix. The product, described as a “self-fusing silicone repair tape”, was developed in recognition of the need for long-lasting hold and protection across a range of surfaces and environments. It offers a tensile strength of 700 PSI and is UV, chemical and weather resistant.
Jason Burns, MD of Shurtape, said: “Duck Wrap-Fix offers something more extreme for your plumbing, auto and marine repair. Itcan hold across all materials and in all types of weather conditions, making it ideal for leaks and fixes that need long-lasting protection.”
To use, the product is simply wrapped around pipes, insulation, hoses or tools as the tape is designed to mould around the surface area — creating a watertight seal — without the need for additional adhesives. This is designed to ensure a long-lasting solution until the issue is resolved or replaced permanently.
For more information on Shurtape’s brands for the construction sector, visit www.shurtape.co.uk
