3M Gulf celebrates the company's 100th anniversary with the most significant volume growth of its Scotch brand VHB (Very High Bond) joining systems in the Middle East.

"VHB tapes sales have shown consistent volume growth of almost 40 per cent in the region over the past five years. The range has increased from five variants when created to 20 different tapes to best suit our customers' need in the GCC and we are looking to exceed our sales target for next year," said Peter Lomax, sales and marketing manager, industrial department at 3M Gulf.

A result of more than 60 years of 3M leadership in tape and adhesive technology, VHB tapes offer greater flexibility for fabricators and builders in the Middle East and allow faster and easier assembly by eliminating the need for mechanical fastening such as screws, welding or even liquid adhesives.

"From the thousands of applications in the Gulf region, our highest profiles were the Burj Al Arab Hotel, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the Emirates Training Centre and the Aviation Club in Dubai, Faisaliyah Towers in Riyadh and the headquarters building of National Bank of Dubai," said Lomax.

High-strength Scotch VHB tapes are used throughout industry today to replace screws, rivets, welding, liquid adhesives and other permanent assembly methods. They are virtually invisible when applied to join mated parts leaving surfaces smooth and clean.

Specifically designed for bonding application to a variety of surfaces such as plastics, metals and glass, VHB tapes reduce holes to drill, screws to tighten and lessen the need to refinish surfaces and time-consuming clean up.

"VHB tapes are now widely utilised by local architects and consultants for internal and external cladding applications as the conventional assembly methods cannot match the performance and capabilities of VHB joining systems," commented Lomax.

Designed to handle both static and dynamic loads, VHB tapes are ideal for exterior applications such as architectural signage and flexible roof systems as they are resistant to moisture and UV light. They distribute stress over the entire bonded area to permit lighter, more flexible and less expensive materials.