Лако-красочные материалы — производство

Directories come from a variety of sources, and although most typically consist of an alphabetical listing of names and addresses, they often cover a much broader range of topics. Most magazines oriented to the industrial market publish some sort of buyer’s guide or directory issue each year for their readers. These are handy reference publications to have, since addresses and phone numbers are items often provided in addition to listing members of organizations, companies involved in niche markets, suppliers of raw materi­als, suppliers of equipment, and much more.

Market research is a relatively late business concept. It is a technology that began to emerge in the 1950s and matured in the 1970s. It is still growing, and refining, and developing new techniques. Given the information resources and technology available today, market research is a healthy, growing industry, no matter what segment of indus­trial society one happens to be part of or selling to. Serving the adhesive and sealant market are several companies that specialize in technology-based market research, some of which focus one or more studies/reports on selected segments of this industry. Most companies use a Delphi or modified Delphi research method, i. e., researchers question key members of an industrial segment to develop a working sense of the nature and size of that segment, or even small sections of that segment. That information, combined with data from the federal government, from annual reports and other company sources, from associations, and from trade publications, forms the foundation for a report. The value of the research depends on the skill of the researcher and the qualitative and quantitative assessments compiled compared to the needs of the purchaser.

One point worth noting and discussing about market research is comparative data between studies. While there are a number of organizations that survey segments of the adhesives and sealants market, and the total market, it is virtually impossible to match up data from one report to another. Each researcher develops their own set of protocols for each study, and establishes specific parameters for the scope of the study. For instance, some studies of the entire market include products used for the manufacture of plywood and other composite wood products, others do not. Some researchers are unfamiliar with certain end use markets, others are quite knowledgeable. Some researchers may have better access to a member of an adhesive company that is more knowledgeable about user markets, or may provide more detailed information than others. Some studies identify only the adhesives used to make tapes and labels, others include the converted product. Because of these and other differences, each marketing study must be evaluated strictly on its own merit.

Directories, of course, are a mild form of market research, and often necessary for conducting that research. In addition, most studies and reports include a directory as part of the study. Some directories and market studies are updated on a regular cycle, some are updated irregularly. Most directories published by associations and trade publications are up-dated annually.

In Appendix E, directories and/or market studies are listed for each publisher, but most individual titles are not listed because there are so many from some publishers. Many are updated on a regular schedule basis. One directory is unique to the adhesive industry and covers the contents of this chapter in comprehensive detail. That directory is the Information Resource Guide published by Adhesive Information Services, also publisher of the Adhesives & Sealants Newsletter. The Information Resource Guide also contains the most complete bibliography of books for the adhesive and associated industries.