Who says the adhesive industry can’t be trendy? Whether you want to call it “cheap chic” or the “look for less,” you’ve probably heard of the craze sweeping the design and fashion industries allowing average consumers to enjoy the look and feel of luxury goods at a lower cost. While you may be more concerned with function rather than fashion in the hot melt industry, APAO hot melts have jumped on the trend! APAO adhesives provide many of the same high performing benefits of a quality polyamide adhesive, at a much lower cost.
Amorphous Poly-Alpha-Olefin (APAO or APO) melt was created in the 1980s to address a growing shortage (and rising cost) in a-tactic polypropylene-based adhesives. By blending several chemical properties together, APAOs imitate the heat and cold resistance, low viscosities, polarity, and relatively long open times that make APP adhesives so popular. Their long open times, slow set times, and ability to bond with low surface energy materials makes APAO hot melts particularly versatile. Did we mention they are also easier to take care of? These bulk melts do not need to be stored in foil bags and offer no oxidation, so they’re ready to go when you are.
No sure which APAO to choose from? We’ll point you in the right direction.
PACKAGING AND PRODUCT ASSEMBLY:
If you’re on the assembly line and need a spray adhesive that will get the job done, we recommend TEC Bond 430 High Performance Sprayable Hot Melt. The TEC 430 is a high temperature APAO melt that works flawlessly with cardboard, wood and foam. It’s tan color, long open times (up to 6 minutes!) and easy manipulation makes it perfect for your packaging needs.
UPHOLSTERY AND FURNITURE MAKING:
For any project where fabric or other heat sensitive materials are involved, try the TEC Bond 420 General Purpose Sprayable Hot Melt. The light colored spray is ideal for fabric, foam, and wood and comes in an ergonomic spray canister for easy application on cushions, upholstery, and furniture pieces.
CONSTRUCTION AND CONTRACTING:
The TEC Bond 425 Sprayable Hot Melt is a heavy-duty, high temperature adhesive that bonds best with wood and plastic and other low tack surfaces. This is the most popular adhesive sold on our website thanks to its high delivery rate and high quality performance. For pre-cast concrete or construction – you simply can’t beat the TEC 425.
PRODUCT ASSEMBLY:
For product assembly jobs, versatility is the name of the game. Whether you’re bonding to wood and cardboard, foam and fabric, or a myriad of other surfaces, the Infinity Melt SuperTac 11 Hot Melt Sticks prove why APAO adhesives are so popular. These general purpose glue sticks are great for most projects and remarkably affordable.
PRECAST INDUSTRY
The precast concrete industry has been a growing market for APAO hot melt products. The two biggest sellers into this market are the CastTEC 42 which can be dispensed through a hot melt gun and the Infinity 8011 which is a bulk APAO which can be used in tanks and other melters.
FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECTS:
Then there are those projects that just won’t stick. If you’ve tried bonding metal and glass or plastic and struggled with other adhesives, the Infinity SuperTac 11-1 Bulk Melt is for you. Specifically formulated to bond to difficult substrates, we dare you to find a surface this adhesive won’t bond. At high or low temperatures, the SuperTac 11-1 can get the job done.
No matter what your use case is, APAOs offer the best of other adhesives to help you accomplish your goals while remaining sensitive to your project budget and bottom line.
Have questions or need samples? Contact one of our hot melt experts to discuss your application today.