OBERSTDORF, Germany - The Western European market for construction adhesives will grow by 1.8 percent in terms of value in 2011. The recovery from the economic crisis, which hit the construction industry significantly in 2008, began in 2010 and continues in 2011. A new study by Interconnection Consulting shows that the gradually arising economic upswing of the construction industry in Germany is the main driver of this turnaround.

Germany, the motor of the construction industry in Western Europe, is recording positive growth in the construction adhesive market with an expected turnover of EUR 1.5 billion in 2011. The Interconnection study shows that cementitious adhesives still constitute the largest share, but other product groups, like adhesives with two or more components, are catching up quickly.

Italy, the second-biggest European stronghold for construction adhesive manufacturing, is facing growing demand as well. Growth rates of three percent are expected after 2012. The outlook for the French market is promising as well with a growth of around two percent in value in the coming years. After the economic crisis, the French market quickly recovered. An increase of about eight percent is expected from 2010 to 2011. A similar development can be observed in the United Kingdom, which saw a turnover of EUR 260 million in 2010.

The Spanish market was hit hard by the economic crisis. At the end of 2008, the turnover of EUR 180 million decreased by 33.3 percent. From 2009 to 2010, a decrease by three percent was listed. From 2010 to 2011, another decrease of 9.3 percent is expected.

After the effects of the economic crisis on the Polish construction adhesive market, Poland increased its production in terms of quantity by 4.3 percent from 2009 to 2010. Experts forecast an increasing influence on the European market due to cheap production costs in Poland.

The importance of cementitious adhesives in the construction adhesive sector is indisputable. The trend to solvent-free adhesives, due to more positive health effects, is expected to continue. Silane adhesives - chemically reacting adhesives - appear to be a very promising product group. This trend is reflected by the share of other chemically reacting adhesives, which will be around 11.5 percent in 2011 and will grow even more in the coming years.

Interconnection Consulting Group is a leading European market research company in the field of adhesives. The company focuses on complex industry-oriented market research. Apart from the adhesive industry, market studies on about 30 different industries are being published.