Sika Corporation

S. Rosenberg

15 February 2012

Gun Grade Sealants

This presentation represents the views of Sika Corporation only. It does not represent the 

views of the American Chemistry Council Center for the Polyurethanes Industry, or the 

Adhesive and Sealant Council. ASC, ACC and CPI shall have absolutely no liability, under 

any theory of liability, in connection with resulting from the use or misuse or, reliance upon, 

this presentation or the information in it.
Sika Corporation

Gun Grade Sealants

v Sika

v Application

v Chemistry

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Sika Corporation

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Sika Group founded by 

Kaspar Winkler in 1910

Major break through of construction - Electrification of 

St. Gotthard rail tunnel

New mortar needed to stop water infiltration.

Kaspar Winkler, 1872-1951
Sika Corporation

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Sika – Global Knowledge 

with a Local Presence. 

¢ 5 continents ¢ over 70 countries ¢ 90 production and marketing companies ¢ approx. 12 000 employees
Sika Corporation

Sika Group - 2011

§ Consolidated net sales CHF 5.1 bil. ($ 5.5 billion)

§ Stocks quoted at Swiss Exchange SWX

§ Majority with founder family

§ Four Global Divisions

§ Concrete

§ Contractors

§ Distribution

§ Industry

§ Activities:

– Construction Chemicals 75%

– Industrial Materials 25%

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Sika Corporation

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Sika Corporation 2011

§ Sika Corp. largest company in the Sika Group

§ Sales over $645 million

§ 6 Customer Groups

§ Over $200 million invested in the last 10 years

§ ~1200 Employees

§ Founded in the US in1937

§ Shareholder: 100% Sika AG
Sika Corporation

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Automotive

Distribution

6 Customer Groups 

Concrete

Contractors

Industry

Roofing
Sika Corporation

Application

One Component Moisture Curing Polyurethane Based 

Elastomeric Sealant
Sika Corporation

Application

v Joint – “the point at which two substrates are joined, or the 

opening between component parts of a structure” 

v Seal – “a material applied to a joint or on a surface to 

prevent the passage of liquids, solids, or gases.” 

v Sealant – “in building construction, a material which has the 

adhesive and cohesive properties to form a seal.” 

Sometimes defined as an elastomeric material with 

movement capability greater than 10% but this definition 

has been expanded to include all sealants covered by 

ASTM Committee C-24.

v Tooling – “the act of compacting and shaping a material in a 

joint, which may also assist in expelling any entrapped air” 

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Sika Corporation

Sika in Big Box Store 1 

Concrete Repair Aisle
Sika Corporation

Sika in Big Box Store 2

Sealants/Adhesives Aisle
Sika Corporation

Sikaflex® Construction Sealant

p Elastic Sealant

p Seals joints & gaps

p Vertical/overhead 

applications

p Waterproof after cure
Sika Corporation

Sikaflex® Construction Sealant
Sika Corporation

Sikaflex

®

Mortar Fix

p Elastic, Flexible and Waterproof

p Textured look, mortar appearance

p No more stuck pointing mortar joints

p Will not shrink or crack like other repair 

products
Sika Corporation

Sikaflex® Concrete Fix

pElastic, flexible and 

waterproof

pNon-sag, great for vertical or 

overhead application

pWill not shrink or crack like 

other repair products
Sika Corporation

Gun Grade Sealants

• Applications are primarily outdoors.

• Product applied with a caulk gun.

• Gloves use recommended. Limited 

contact with skin. 

• Majority of applicators are medium 

to small contractors and 

experienced DIY’ers.
Sika Corporation

Chemistry

v Typical Sealant Formulation

v Polyurethane Prepolymer 25 to 35%

v Filler 30 to 40%

v Plasticizer 20 to 30%

v Pigments 3 to 10%

v Thixotrope 1 to 5%

v Solvent 1 to 5%

v Adhesion Promoter < 1%

v Moisture Scavenger < 1%

v Catalyst < 1%

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Sika Corporation

Chemistry

v Polyurethane Prepolymer

v Reaction Product between 

Diisocyanate and Polyol

v Are manufactured in a separate process 

and stored in bulk tanks

v Dramatically reduces the amount of 

free monomer in the product

v Depends on the ratio of diisocyanate to 

polyol 

v Can be further processed to “strip” residual 

monomer

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Sika Corporation

Chemistry

v Currently Sika uses two main prepolymers in its 

Construction Sealants sold to Home Centers

v TDI Prepolymer

v Typical Residual Monomer Level is 0.09%

v MDI Prepolymer

v Typical Residual Monomer Level is 2.25%

v Residual Monomer in Sikaflex Construction 

Sealant would be:

v 0.02 % TDI

v 0.11 % MDI

v Based on this calculation of residual monomer 

Sika uses the following warning statement on its 

products 

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Sika Corporation

Sikaflex Construction Sealant

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Sika Corporation

Sikaflex Construction Sealant

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Sika Corporation

Sikaflex Construction Sealant

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Sika Corporation

Gun Grade Sealants

v Questions?

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