Tesa marks 45 years in Singapore with new lab push

Tesa has marked 45 years in Singapore, where it has based its Asia-Pacific operations and built a technical hub supporting manufacturers across the region.

The adhesives and tapes maker set up in Singapore in 1981 and has since expanded its Asia-Pacific footprint through functions based there, including regional customer support and collaborations with research partners.

Tesa makes adhesive tapes and self-adhesive product solutions for industry, commercial customers and consumers. It operates in 100 countries and has manufacturing plants in Germany, Italy, China, the United States and Vietnam. The company reported 2024 sales of €1.7 billion.

Industrial applications account for around three quarters of group sales, with the remainder from consumer and professional products. Tesa is a wholly owned affiliate of Beiersdorf.

Regional role

Singapore serves as tesa's Asia-Pacific centre for operational best practices, linking offices across Vietnam, Thailand and India. It is also a base for work with customers in precision manufacturing and advanced technology.

Tesa supplies adhesive and bonding products used in consumer electronics, automotive manufacturing, industrial automation and packaging. Its products are used in devices such as smartphones and in vehicles, including electric cars.

Andreas Gunnestrand, President and Regional Manager, tesa tape Asia-Pacific, described Singapore as central to the company's regional development.

"Singapore has become a strategic partner in our growth across Asia-Pacific. Over the past 45 years, we have grown together with Singapore's industrial ecosystem and contributed to nation building through technology, knowledge transfer and long-term partnerships," said Andreas Gunnestrand, President and Regional Manager, tesa tape Asia-Pacific.

Lab partnership

A recent initiative in Singapore is a Debonding on Demand laboratory opened in partnership with A*STAR. Tesa described the facility as state-of-the-art and said it will support work on new adhesive solutions for manufacturing needs.

Debonding on Demand refers to adhesive systems designed to separate at a chosen stage. Tesa said the approach can enable clean, damage-free separation of parts and support disassembly and rework of components during manufacturing.

The work is tied to changing expectations around repair and recycling. Manufacturers in several sectors face tighter demands from customers and regulators on product repairability and material recovery, alongside cost pressure from downtime and scrap.

Customer support

Alongside research partnerships, tesa Singapore provides technical consulting and support on customised applications for regional customers. It also offers rapid prototyping services aimed at shortening product development cycles and improving manufacturing efficiency.

Tesa traces its history back more than 125 years in adhesives development and coating technology. In Asia-Pacific, it supports supply chains that use adhesives for assembly, protection, insulation, bonding and surface treatments.

Sustainability focus

Tesa has made sustainability a core part of its corporate strategy and linked its Singapore presence to environmental work in the region. It cited the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and regional decarbonisation efforts as context for its programmes.

It is focused on reducing emissions and improving resource efficiency, and has introduced more sustainable adhesive solutions. These include solvent-reduced technologies, bio-based materials and recyclable product designs.

Adhesives suppliers face growing scrutiny over chemistry, material choices and end-of-life considerations, particularly in electronics, automotive and packaging. In response, manufacturers are exploring changes to solvents, feedstocks and product design to improve recycling and repair.

Next phase

Tesa linked its plans in Singapore to shifts in manufacturing, including smart manufacturing, electrification and digitalisation. It said adhesive technologies are playing a more central role in industrial development, driven by efficiency and sustainability requirements.

Gunnestrand said Singapore will continue to act as a gateway for regional growth.

"45 years is both a milestone and a moment of reflection," said Gunnestrand. "Singapore will continue to serve as a strategic gateway for tesa's Asia-Pacific growth, supporting key markets across the region and beyond. We are proud of the role we have played in Singapore's journey, and we remain committed to contributing to the nation's next phase of growth through innovation, talent development and sustainable progress."