The rise of “bed-in-a-box” mattresses demands adhesives that can withstand compression, maintain shape, and support fast production. Chemique Adhesives, a leading UK manufacturer of industrial adhesives, offers high-performance hot-melt and water-based solutions ideal for various mattress types, including foam, pocket spring, and hybrid designs. Designed for both manual and automated applications, Chemique Adhesives provides formulations designed to bond a variety of materials from memory foam to natural fibres. These adhesives are easy to apply, fast-setting, and allow for immediate roll-packing, boosting both efficiency and product quality in the manufacturing process.
What is the best adhesive for foam-to-foam bonding?
In recent years, the way consumers purchase mattresses has changed considerably. The rise of e-commerce has led to a significant shift towards convenient online ordering, offering popular ‘bed in a box’ concepts with next-day delivery.
To meet these demands, mattress manufacturers must rely on high-performance adhesives that can securely bond substrates together. These adhesives play a crucial role in ensuring that the finished mattress can be packaged in a box, delivered to the customer, and then unpacked, safe in the knowledge that the mattress will successfully return to and maintain its original shape.
High-performance hot melts and water-based adhesives excel in foam-to-foam bonding applications due to their ability to create strong, durable bonds with fast setting times. These advanced formulas allow for clean and precise application, while supporting more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
Hot melt and water-based adhesives are ideal for manufacturing spring, pocket spring, and foam mattresses, as well as hybrid combinations. Due to their advanced chemistry and application techniques, these adhesives provide the added benefit of immediate roll-packing.
For several years, Chemique has established itself as a key adhesive supplier within the UK mattress market, offering both hot melt and water-based variants. At the forefront of cutting-edge bonding technology, their specially developed mattress adhesives are optimised for layering and are suitable for both synthetic and natural substrates including memory foam, polyurethane foam, polyester, fabrics, and natural fibres.
Choosing the right adhesive for mattress manufacturing – foam bonding solutions
For mattress and foam bonding applications, choosing the right adhesive can significantly impact production speed and product quality. Many UK mattress manufacturers using hand-applied systems commonly rely on traditional pressure-sensitive hot melt adhesives, and an extended tack life is typically required for these processes, especially for assembling the various layers of a mattress.
Hot melt adhesives
Advances in hot melt technology have produced formulations with extended open and tack times, providing greater flexibility and a more efficient production process. These changes also significantly reduce the ‘crackling’ noise often associated with traditional pressure-sensitive adhesives.
As well as delivering excellent adhesion, hot melts offer rapid setting times, significantly improving production efficiency compared to traditional adhesives. Whilst ensuring a reliable and durable bond, they also promote a safer environment as they are formulated with EVA and polyolefin resins, eliminating hazardous solvents from the workplace.
Specially designed hot melt systems allow for immediate roll packing within the production process. These solutions provide strong adhesion across all substrates, without holding a pressure-sensitive tack. As a result, this allows the mattress to return to its original shape when unpacked, avoiding any pinching or misshaping.
Water-based adhesives
If water-based mattress adhesives are more suited to your needs, you can choose from a variety of one- and two-component formulations, including high-tack grades. These allow for a lower coat weight and faster drying times, helping to streamline production processes.
For manufacturers using traditional cold-cure roller-coat systems, high-tack water-based adhesives are designed to lower both coat weight and drying time. These adhesives represent a key advancement in mattress production, allowing manufacturers to deliver safer, more sustainable, and higher-quality products while maintaining or even enhancing efficiency.
When combined with a roller coater drying oven, advanced thermo-setting water-based adhesives enable a mattress to be roll-packed immediately after production, eliminating pinching issues and preventing unpleasant odours.
However, if this method is not a suitable option for your mattress production, a range of alternative adhesive and application systems can be tailored to your requirements. Well-established across the UK, these products deliver proven results and are favoured by many leading mattress manufacturers.
Manual & automatic application for efficient bonding
Water-based and hot melt adhesives are incredibly versatile, supporting a range of application methods including roller coating, spraying and bead application. For precise and efficient bonding in foam applications such as mattress manufacturing, these adhesives can be easily applied either manually with a spray gun or an automated system. Both methods ensure consistent coverage and provide strong, durable bonds with every use.
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