What Bemis Associates Inc does

Bemis Associates Inc., founded in 1910 and headquartered in Shirley, Massachusetts, is a privately held global manufacturer of thermoplastic adhesive films, tapes, and embellishment solutions sold primarily to apparel, footwear, outerwear, and consumer-goods brands. Its core technology — the registered Sewfree® platform — replaces traditional stitched seams with heat-activated adhesive films that bond fabrics into soft, durable, elastic connections, supported by adjacent product lines including EverFit™ elastic-replacement adhesives, Sewfree on Demand® digital dispensing, 2- and 3-layer waterproof seam tapes, seam reinforcement tapes, and reflective/specialty embellishment films. The company operates 12 wholly-owned offices across North America, Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka), and Europe (UK, Italy), supplemented by Co-Lab design centers in Portland and Milan and authorized distributors in Italy, China, and Tennessee.

Revenue is generated through direct enterprise sales of proprietary adhesive films and tapes to brand manufacturers and their global supplier networks, with technical service, prototyping, and testing bundled into the offering. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated per application. Customer concentration appears diversified across apparel sub-segments (Performance Wear, Outerwear, Intimates, Handbags & Wallets, Soft Goods, Footwear) with extension into Automotive, Advanced Textiles, Connected Products, and Graphics & Signage. Apple Inc. is the only publicly named customer, positioned as a sustainability partner. Leadership transitioned in April 2026 with Christina Chen appointed President and COO alongside CEO Michael Johansen, and recent inorganic activity includes the May 2022 acquisition of Protechnic and a subsequent acquisition of a France-based company, signaling continued expansion of both technology and geographic footprint.

Name

Bemis Associates Inc

Legal name

Bemis Associates Inc.

Website

https://bemisworldwide.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Bemis Associates Inc. is a 115-year-old, privately held US manufacturer of thermoplastic adhesive films and tapes — led by its Sewfree® platform — sold globally to apparel, footwear, outerwear, and consumer-goods brands to replace traditional stitching with bonded seams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Adhesives and Bonding Films

NAICS

Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Fabric Coating Mills (313320)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Adhesives, Tapes & Bonding for Apparel (Seam Tape/Hot-Melt Films/Heat-Seal Tapes/Trim Attachment Adhesives) (IMAOALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Elastic, Tapes & Webbing Manufacturing (Elastic Bands/Binding/Strapping/Webbing) (IMAOALAD)

Keywords

• Thermoplastic adhesive films
• Seam sealing tapes
• Textile bonding solutions
• Apparel adhesives
• Waterproof seam tapes

Headquarters

HQ city

Shirley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Adhesive Films and Tapes: Bemis generates revenue through the sale of proprietary adhesive films, seam tapes, seam reinforcement tapes, and embellishment products. Products are sold directly to brands and through authorized distributors globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bemis Associates Inc designs, manufactures and sells proprietary thermoplastic adhesive films, seam tapes, seam reinforcement tapes, and embellishment films used to bond fabrics in apparel, footwear, handbag, automotive interior, and other soft-goods manufacturing. Its Sewfree® adhesive technology replaces traditional stitching with heat-activated chemical and mechanical bonds, supported by global Co-Lab design and application centers.

Product overview

Bemis Associates Inc is a global leader in thermoplastic film, tape, and adhesive solutions for bonding applications, primarily serving the apparel and textile industries. The company's product portfolio centers on its Sewfree® brand — a registered trademark series of adhesive films that replace traditional sewing in garment manufacturing. Core products include EverFit™ 6430 (a next-generation elastic replacement adhesive), Sewfree on Demand® (digital dispensing solution), various seam tapes (2-layer and 3-layer waterproofing), seam reinforcement tapes, reflective and specialty embellishment films, and specialized adhesives for diverse substrates including natural fibers, heat-sensitive materials, and dissimilar substrates. The portfolio also includes construction adhesives, breathable adhesives, edge binding tapes, and the Flowfree™ waistband collection. Bemis also provides technical support services through its Design & Applications team and maintains global technical centers in Shirley, Massachusetts and Hong Kong.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sewfree®: Registered trademark series of adhesive films for adhesion to textiles used in apparel market, bonding fabrics to form soft, durable and elastic bonds.
• Sewfree on Demand®
• EverFit™
• Flowfree™
• Bemis Co-Lab
• Movement

Products and services

• Sewfree® Adhesives
• EverFit™ 6430
• Sewfree on Demand®
• 3-Layer Seam Tapes
• 2-Layer Seam Tapes
• Seam Reinforcement Tapes (SRT)
• Edge Binding Tapes
• Stretch & Recovery Adhesives
• Flexible Adhesives
• Breathable Adhesives
• Adhesives for Natural Fibers
• Heat & Coating Sensitive Adhesives
• Adhesives for Dissimilar Substrates
• UV Resistant Adhesives
• Moisture Barriers
• Thermoforming Adhesives for Rigidity
• Reflective Stretch Embellishments
• Stretch Embellishments
• Non-Stretch Embellishments
• Specialty Embellishments
• Embellishments for Nylon
• Nets & Webs Adhesives

Quantifiable outcome

• Adhesive films have been used in apparel market for 25 years with proven durability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and regional.

• Protect Our WintersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2025Bemis partnered with Protect Our Winters (POW), a climate advocacy non-profit. Bemis donated $500,000 and issued a $500,000 challenge grant, with successful completion generating $1.5 million to expand POW's climate advocacy work. This represents a significant sustainability initiative as part of Bemis's social and environmental responsibility program.
• DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBemis partnered with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products to launch the first Sewfree® product made from renewable material, demonstrating commitment to sustainable product development.
• Seatex - ItalyregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor covering Africa, Europe, Ireland, Middle East, and United Kingdom markets. Located at via De Gasperi 6, 17/B, 20834 Nova Milanese (MB), Italy.
• DongGuan BeiLi Adhesive Company LtdregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor covering China Consumer Electronics and Soft Goods Markets. Located in ChenWu Industrial Area, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China.
• Zone EnterprisesregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor covering Nashville, TN area. Located at 195 Polk Ave, Nashville, TN 37210.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sika AG: Swiss specialty chemicals company with industrial adhesives serving transportation, construction, and consumer segments; adjacent competitor in selected apparel-adjacent bonding applications.
• 3M: Diversified industrial conglomerate with adhesive tapes and bonding solutions that overlap with Bemis in apparel seam sealing and industrial lamination, though apparel is one of many segments.
• BASF SE: Global chemicals major whose Performance Chemicals division supplies dispersions, polymers, and adhesive raw materials; competes indirectly through customer-formulated alternatives to Bemis's films.

Direct peers

• H.B. Fuller: Pure-play industrial adhesives company selling hot-melt and reactive adhesives for nonwovens, hygiene textiles and apparel laminating; competes for the same brand and converter customers.
• Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG: Specialty tapes and adhesive systems company with strong presence in apparel, footwear, and technical textiles; comparable to Bemis in tape-based bonding solutions.
• Jowat SE: German industrial adhesives manufacturer supplying hot-melt and reactive adhesives for textile, foam and lamination industries; direct functional competitor to Bemis in apparel bonding.
• Henkel: Global adhesives and sealants major whose Adhesive Technologies division sells hot-melt, water-based, and reactive adhesives for textile lamination and apparel bonding applications; competes directly with Bemis's Sewfree® solutions.
• tesa (Beiersdorf): Specialty adhesive tape maker with industrial product lines for textile laminating and apparel seam reinforcement; competes with Bemis's seam tape and seam reinforcement tape portfolios.
• Bostik (Arkema): Specialty adhesives business of Arkema with dedicated textile, footwear, and flexible lamination adhesive lines serving apparel OEMs; one of Bemis's closest functional competitors.

Emerging players

• Pidilite Industries: Leading emerging-market adhesives company expanding into specialty industrial and textile bonding; an emerging competitor gaining share in South and Southeast Asian apparel production hubs where Bemis also operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bemisbonds

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bemis Associates Inc