Finding the Right German Connection
When people see “Made in Germany,” they expect precision. And rightly so. But in the world of double sided tapes, finding that precision isn’t always straightforward. You aren’t just looking for sticky tape; you need a bonding solution that won’t fail under heat, stress, or time.
I know how overwhelming sourcing can be. Are you looking for a chemical giant to formulate a new glue? Or do you need a nimble converter to die-cut thousands of tiny parts for an assembly line? It makes a huge difference.
To save you time, I’ve cut through the noise. I analyzed the top players in the German market, focusing on those with real manufacturing roots and technical depth. Here are the 8 most reliable double sided factories that can actually solve your sticky problems.
Quick Comparison
I listed the key strengths of each manufacturer below. This helps you decide faster. Your choice depends on your project requirements. You might need Henkel’s raw chemical science. Or you might want the flexible converting from Volz.
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Factory Name |
Core Focus |
Best For… |
|---|---|---|
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1. Henkel |
Chemical Formulas & Structural Bonding |
High-tech bonding uses complex chemistry. This matters for structural and medical jobs. |
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2. Volz Tapes |
Custom Converting & Precision |
Handles complex technical needs. You get rapid prototypes and military-grade standards. |
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3. Tesa SE |
Universal Industrial & Electronics |
Reliable, standard options. Use these for electronics mounting or general industry. |
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4. Cardinal Tapes |
Construction & Technical Customization |
Fits niche applications. Think construction, events, or technical assembly. |
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5. ADDEV Materials |
Aerospace & Mobility Converting |
High-end converting. This serves aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors. |
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6. Coroplast Group |
Automotive Wire Harnessing |
Car electrical systems. It wraps cables and bonds against vibration. |
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7. ATP Adhesive Systems |
Eco-friendly & Water-based |
Sustainable projects need solvent-free adhesives. This suits medical and graphics work. |
|
8. Supra-Ratiopac |
Packaging & Printing |
Branded double-sided tapes. Perfect for packaging and marketing logistics. |
Use this list to choose the right partner. Match them to your industry needs. You might do heavy automotive engineering. Or maybe you assemble delicate medical devices.
1. Henkel
Henkel is a big name based in Düsseldorf. Since 1876, they have led the glue market. You might know their home glues. But their industrial side drives the double sided tape world. They don’t only make tapes. They build the chemistry behind the bond. Factories everywhere trust brands like Loctite and Teroson.
High-Performance Double-Sided Solutions
Henkel tackles tough bonding jobs, not simple office tapes. Their range includes:
Structural Mounting Tapes: The Loctite brand offers double sided tapes. You can use these instead of screws. They grab tight right away. Then, they cure for a permanent hold.
Pressure Sensitive Adhesives (PSA): Henkel makes high-tech Duro-Tak and Technomelt glues. Other tape makers use these. They provide the core stick for medical and electronic tapes.
Automotive Tapes: Teroson tapes attach trim and emblems. They handle heavy shaking and bad weather well.
Advanced Capabilities & Customization
Chemistry First: Henkel shines in the lab. They tweak acrylic, rubber, and silicone layers for you. You get exactly what you need. This includes heat resistance for electronics or gentle glues for skin on medical devices.
Thermal Management: Use these tapes to move heat in electric car batteries.
Optical Clarity: You get clear glues for touch screens.
Global Impact & Sustainability
Production Scale: Henkel works in over 75 countries. This keeps your supply safe. Need millions of parts for a big launch? They handle it easily.
Green Leadership: They push for bio-based adhesives. They also avoid solvents. The goal is simple. Remove bad materials but keep the bond strong. Have strict green targets? Henkel fits your needs.
2. Volz Tapes
Volz Tapes operates from Lüdenscheid, Germany. They’re a leading maker and converter of double sided adhesive tapes. Their expertise spans decades. They started in 1976. In 2005, they became Volz Selbstklebetechnik GmbH. Since 2014, they’ve made their own line of double sided tapes.
Wide Product Range
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They offer over 12 families of double-sided adhesive tapes. They work on plastics, glass, metals, mirrors, fabric, paper, and more.
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You also get electrical insulation tapes, packaging tapes, industrial tapes, specialty tapes, tape dispensers, and finished die-cut parts.
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Production is flexible. Choose from mini rolls to jumbo cross-wound spools.
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They make custom widths and die-cut shapes. Unique spool sizes fit your project needs.
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Different carrier materials and adhesive types are available. These include foil, film, foam, fabric, acrylic, rubber, and silicone.
Custom Engineering and Modern Manufacturing
Volz Tapes moves beyond standard manufacturing. You get personal advice to help solve tricky adhesive problems. Their modern facility focuses on flexibility. This allows for rapid prototypes and quick delivery on both small and large custom orders. You also get full project support and die-cutting precision down to ±0.1 mm. They handle technical industrial needs with ease.
Quality Standards & Certifications
Reliability sits at the core of their work. A wide range of certifications proves this, including ISO 9001:2015 quality and ISO 14001:2015 environmental standards. They are also a long-standing tesa Gold Converting Partner by UL listings and AEO certification for global trade. This shows a focus on safety and quality that few competitors can match.
Industry Reach & Major Partnerships
Volz Tapes supplies metal processing, machine engineering, medical, automotive, building, appliances, and HVAC sectors. Since 2011, they’re the exclusive supplier of all self-adhesive tapes to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). They also hold exclusive supply deals with the German Police, Emergency Services, and various federal agencies.
3. Tesa SE
Tesa SE started in 1898 in Norderstedt. They’re one of Germany’s top producers of double sided tapes and self adhesive solutions. The company serves many industries with standard and custom tape products.
Core Double-Sided Tape Solutions
Product Types
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Film, foam, removable, and structural bonding tapes
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Special tapes for conductivity, waterproofing, and heat management
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Mounting, fixing, and joining uses in automotive, electronics, and packaging
Key Product Examples
tesa 56172: Universal double-sided PP tape (50 mm x 25 m, 185 µm thick). Strong on smooth surfaces. You can tear it by hand. Great for carpets, decoration, crafts, and signage.
tesa 55741: Extra strong double-sided mounting tape (19 mm x 5 m). Works well for securing small objects indoors.
Adhesion Performance: Bonds well on metal, glass, paper, polycarbonate, and stainless steel. Holds up in tough conditions. Adapts to material expansion and contraction from temperature changes.
Customization Capabilities
Custom Adhesive Development: Custom formulas, widths, carrier materials, and designs for specific needs. Solutions for batteries, sensors, touch panels, insulation plates, PVC, felt, fleece, and foam-backed flooring
Industry Applications
Automotive: Bonds exterior parts, trim, mirrors
Electronics: Mounts components, manages electrical and thermal issues
Packaging: Splicing tapes and sealing
Production Scale, Quality, and Sustainability
Production Range: Over 125 years of adhesive know-how. More than ten industrial-grade double sided tape models. Used for printing, mounting, and insulation.
International Presence: Global distribution network. Known for creative, reliable solutions and ongoing tech support.
Certifications and Environmental Commitment:
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ISO 9001 (Quality Management)
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ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)
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ISO 50001 (Energy Management)
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Green practices built into design and production
Technical Features & Advantages
Double sided tapes give you fast, clean production. They replace glue and mechanical fasteners like screws or rivets. Acrylic foam options spread stress evenly. They adapt to moving surfaces for strong, lasting bonds.
4. Cardinal Tapes
Cardinal Tapes is a leading German maker of custom double sided adhesive tapes. They focus on technical and industrial uses. It started in 1988 and have been running for over 30 years. Tim Cardinal manages the company in its second generation.
Custom Tape Solutions & Technical Expertise
Product Range: They offer single-sided and double-sided adhesive tapes. They get specialized products for high load capacity, heat resistance, and long-term use.
Custom Capabilities: Pick custom tape widths, adhesive types, multi-layer builds, and die-cut shapes for exact industrial needs. They develop prototypes and work with you on projects. This gives you custom solutions for new products or unique technical problems.
Technical Processing
Die-cutting: Cardinal Tapes makes custom shapes and sizes based on what you need.
Laminating: Cardinal Tapes combines multiple layers to boost function or performance.
Their production scales from small to large orders. They adapt to different industry needs.
Quality Assurance & Certifications
ISO 9001 Certified: All their processes and products meet strict international quality standards. You get reliability and traceability.
Regular Process Optimization: They review and improve our methods constantly. This ensures top-level manufacturing and environmental standards.
Industry Applications
Cardinal Tapes serves many sectors: automotive (mounting trims, sensors, weather seals), electronics (module assembly, component securing), construction (sealing, joining), and event/stage technology.
Example uses: Custom die-cut double sided foam tapes for car weather seals. High-grip tapes for electronic assemblies.
Market Presence & Export Strength
Cardinal Tapes supplies domestic clients and export markets across DACH, Benelux, France, Italy, and broader Europe. They partner with international suppliers and customers for varied adhesive needs.
5. ADDEV Materials
ADDEV Materials started in 2006. The company is based in Ratingen, Germany. They focus on custom double sided tape converting and technical tapes distribution. The company belongs to a global group with over 800 employees and 16 industrial sites. Sales reached around €170 million. They specialize in material solutions for mobility, energy, construction, and aerospace.
Custom Tape Capabilities & Technical Services
ADDEV Materials makes custom adhesive tapes. You can specify:
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Formulation and adhesive type
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Tape width, thickness, length, and carrier material (polyester, foam, specialty films)
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Designs for specific bonding needs
The company operates facilities across more than 25 sites. They handle:
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Large orders and custom batches
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Precision slitting, die-cutting, and laminating for technical and industrial uses
Sectors Served & Industrial Examples
Automotive: Interior mounting, wire harnessing solutions
Electronics: Component fixing, insulation tapes for assemblies
Construction: Panel bonding systems
Aerospace: Surface bonding, tapes for tough environments
Strategic Partnerships, Expansion & Innovation
In 2022, they partnered with Winterhalder Selbstklebetechnik GmbH. They also bought Dutch tape specialist Dickson Holland. This strengthened their presence in Germany and Central Europe.
They work with converters like WINTERHALDER (Germany), RIEWOLDT (Cologne), and ADDEV EUROBANDS (Belgium). This expands local capacity. You get faster delivery of custom orders.
The company grows its product range through purchases in adhesives and coatings (DIMEX, VMS Aircraft, Graytone Group, Andpak, Zipchem).
Notable Units & Regional Structure
Mobility & Industries Central Europe Business Group:
Hermann Hogg leads this group. It focuses on tape and bonding solutions for industrial, mobility, and energy clients in Germany and Central Europe.
Commitment to Sustainability
They pursue the mission “Transforming industrial challenges into sustainable tape material solutions.” Their focus is on sustainable material innovations. They work to reduce environmental impact. They partner with customers and industry players on this.
6. Coroplast Group
Coroplast Group stands out in the German adhesive industry. This family-run business started in Wuppertal back in 1928. Today, it is a global innovator. They employ around 7,000 people worldwide. Coroplast differs from general tape makers. They engineer specialized bonding solutions. You find these mostly in the automotive and electrical sectors.
Core Double-Sided Tape Solutions
Coroplast goes beyond basic packaging tapes. They target high-performance technical bonding:
Acrylic Foam Tapes (Corofix®): These are strong choices for permanent bonding. They absorb stress and balance tension. This helps when you join different materials, like plastic trims to metal car bodies.
Double-Sided Film & Tissue Tapes: You get high-tack options here. They work well for mounting technical parts, emblems, and laminating foams.
Wire Harness Fixation: The brand is famous for wrapping tapes. But their double sided solutions are standard too. They secure cables and electronic components in tight spaces.
Technical Performance & Innovation
In-House Adhesive Development: They mix their own glue recipes. You might need UV-cured acrylics for outdoor weather resistance. Or maybe synthetic rubber for instant grip. They match the chemistry to the job.
Low-Emission Focus: Coroplast leads the way in low-VOC and solvent-free tapes. This matters for modern car interiors. Air quality rules are strict there.
Converting Capabilities: You get precise die-cut parts with finger-lifts. This makes assembly easy. Level-wound spools (long continuous rolls) let automated machines run longer. You stop less often to change rolls.
Quality Standards & Industry Reach
Automotive Specialists: Coroplast acts as more than a supplier. They work as a development partner for major car brands (OEMs). Their tapes hold many specific automotive approvals.
Certifications: IATF 16949 (The gold standard for automotive quality); ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001
7. ATP Adhesive Systems AG
ATP Adhesive Systems AG is based in Wuppertal, Germany. They’ve specialized in custom double sided adhesive tapes since 1981. Their production runs across multiple sites—Mihla/Buchenau and Wuppertal. Over 220 employees work with it.
Advanced Production & Customization Capabilities
Custom Tape Widths: ATP Adhesive Systems AG produces double sided adhesive tapes up to 2250 mm wide.
Adhesive Layer Options: Acrylic-based adhesive thickness ranges from 10 to 450 g/m². This lets you adapt the tape to your industrial needs.
Carrier & Backing Materials: You get non-woven, film, and specialty options. They tailor all materials for specific uses. This works well for demanding tasks.
Die-Cutting & Slitting Services: They provide custom die-cut parts and slit rolls. These fit specific applications like loudspeaker membranes, electronic fixations, building materials, and graphics.
Industry Sectors Served
They supply custom adhesive tapes for:
Automotive
Foam manufacturing
Graphics and labels
Semi-structural composites
Building and construction
Electronics
Medical and healthcare sectors
Innovation & Sustainability
ATP combines advanced tech with a serious green commitment. Operating a high-tech 70m coating line, they ensure premium quality through clean-air manufacturing. They back this up with a recent €20 million investment to boost capacity and eco-standards, focusing on solvent-free, water-based adhesives and active VOC reduction to keep production strictly sustainable.
Recent Highlights and Case Studies
Strategic Acquisitions: We acquired BDK, a UK medical tape converter. This expanded us into ISO Class 7 cleanroom manufacturing and full medical device solutions.
Industry Partnerships: We’ve supplied ISOWA GmbH for over 30 years. They use our custom pressure-sensitive tapes.
European Market Leader: We’re recognized in several niche adhesive tape market segments.
8. Supra-Ratiopac
Supra-Ratiopac started in 1969 in Cologne. They’re one of Germany’s top custom double sided tape makers. They hold ISO 9001:2015 certification. This means you get high and consistent quality across all adhesive products.
Key Production Capabilities
Annual Output: Supra-Ratiopac makes around 15 million m² of adhesive tapes each year. They use 20 advanced printing machines. All machines sit in their modern Cologne facility.
Extensive Customization: Clients get wide-ranging design options:
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Widths, lengths, and roll sizes fit specific industrial needs
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Choice of adhesive types: acrylic, hot melt, or natural rubber
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Color variations—white, brown, transparent, and more
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Print designs: both positive and negative, plus detailed promotional graphics
On-Demand In-House Printing: Their print studio is equipped for real-time quality checks. Fast turnaround on custom tape designs? They handle it. This setup works great for unique branded tape for marketing or ID purposes.
Diverse Product Portfolio
Double-Sided Adhesive Tape: Works for various industrial and packaging uses. Customization is available for tough environments or special needs.
Additional Products: You’ll find packaging tapes (like fiber-reinforced and polypropylene), stretch films, strapping, and shipping document pouches. They also supply machine-compatible solutions.
Service Scale: Supra-Ratiopac serves large industrial customers. They supply hundreds of packaging resellers in Germany and across borders.
Specialized Features and Industry Recognition
PP Tape Choices: You can pick from hot melt adhesive (for strong bonds), softer acrylate (quiet application), or natural rubber options.
Marketing-Ready Tape: Custom printed tape gives you up to 66 meters of continuous promotional space per roll. Perfect for branding or call-to-action messages right on packaging materials.
Sustainability Commitment: Supra-Ratiopac partners with Interseroh. This ensures eco-friendly production processes.
Reputation: They rank among Germany’s top packaging and adhesive providers. Known for reliable service, innovation, and more than 50 years of expertise.
Final Thoughts: Choosing Your German Partner
The German double sided tape market is unique because it offers two very different types of partners. You have the chemical powerhouses like Henkel and Tesa, who define the science of adhesion. Then you have the engineering specialists like Volz and Coroplast, who excel at turning those adhesives into specific industrial solutions.
Your choice really comes down to your specific pain point. Do you need a brand-new adhesive formula? Go to the labs. Do you need precise, custom-cut shapes delivered fast? Go to the converters.
Ultimately, sourcing from Germany is an investment in reliability. While the upfront cost might be higher than sourcing elsewhere, the value lies in consistency. A bond that holds for ten years is always cheaper than a recall after six months.
