Adhesives as everyday helpers. Frequently, we are not even aware of how often we come into contact with adhesives in our lives. This is precisely why the International Adhesive and Sealant Day was held for the first time this year to draw attention to their important role in our economy and in society.
Adhesives in everyday life
We come into contact with adhesives every day – starting in the morning with the ringing of our alarm clock to brushing our teeth with an electric toothbrush in the evening. Always and everywhere, adhesives and sealants make our everyday lives easier. If you don’t believe this to be true, take a look around! Regardless of where you are or what you are doing – at this very moment you are benefiting from the power of adhesives and sealants. The chair you are sitting on or the bag you are carrying will probably both have been glued. In the following sections you will find out how adhesives hold our world together in many different areas of our lives, facilitate our everyday routines and make things possible for us.
Doing sports without adhesives? Almost impossible!
Let’s start with your trainers. How do you think the sole stays attached to the shoe? Exactly – with glue! Do you wear a smartwatch on your wrist to track your miles while jogging? Guess what? The watch is glued too. Not only our sports outfits are held together by glue, but also our sports equipment, e.g. the zips in riding boots, the lead tapes on tennis rackets, the ice skates for ice hockey or the rubber coverings of table tennis rackets – glue is used everywhere. Even footballs for professional sports are more often glued than sewn because the elastic polyurethane used is water-repellent.
Adhesives in medicine – a reliable helper
The following situation is familiar to all of us, isn’t it? You haven’t been paying attention when cutting vegetables or you’ve tripped accidentally and have injured yourself. An adhesive plaster is a quick remedy. Even large wounds are glued with the help of a medical instant adhesive to stop the bleeding and protect the wound from infection. Prosthetic joints are glued into the bones, implants of all kinds are also glued, and medical technology could not exist without adhesives. For example, adhesives, such as a strong 2-component adhesive, are required for the production of minimally invasive surgical instruments.
Adhesives in the workplace
Your computer, tablet, mobile phone, headphones, keyboard… yes, the list is almost endless. We are surrounded by adhesives, especially in our everyday working lives. But people don’t always work in an office. What about other workplaces? Does a car mechanic come into contact with adhesives? Absolutely! Adhesives are used on the car body, windscreen and surfaces to carry out sealing and bonding work. Nothing works without adhesives and sealants in the construction and real estate sector either. Flooring, insulation, the sealing of walls and windows, even applying wallpaper involves the use of adhesives and sealants.
Adhesives as everyday helpers in household and leisure activities
At home, we constantly use adhesives and many products that contain adhesives. Crafting, decorating, gluing – many different adhesives are available for these purposes. From instant adhesives to glue sticks, there is a suitable product for every use and application. How else are you going to make beautiful Christmas decorations or fix a broken vase? But we don’t just use glue ourselves, we also use many products that have been glued. The toaster, the fridge and kitchen worktops are glued, as are many other kitchen utensils that are used in daily life.
Appreciation for adhesives
International Adhesive and Sealant Day is therefore an opportunity to recognise the importance of materials and products in our lives and to be grateful for their existence. We at WEICON are especially aware of the benefits of adhesives and sealants, as our work brings us into contact with them in many different ways on a daily basis. Three cheers for adhesives as our everyday helpers who hold our world together!
