The global sealants industry has experienced modest growth since the 2008-2009 recession, as the construction and automotive industries recovered in western economies and rebounded more sharply in emerging regions. The world consumed 3.73 billion pounds of sealant in 2012, worth $8.8 billion, and volume is forecast to grow 5% annually through 2017.
Sealants can provide energy savings that lower green house gas emissions. Sealants can also serve to improve safety, such as an automotive windshield adhesive/sealant or a fire stop product. They are used in such specialized applications as aircraft fuel tanks and in the construction of solar panels, and also find use in more commonplace tasks, such as sealing a bathtub. Although sealant volume is concentrated in construction and automotive, there are a multitude of specialized applications for sealants in these and other end uses.