Hitac Adhesives & Coatings

What Hitac Adhesives & Coatings does

HITAC Adhesives & Coatings is a privately held, specialty chemical manufacturer founded approximately 1946 and headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, California. The company develops and sells non-silicone release agents — pre-dissolved high solids formulations based on modified polyurethane and polyurethane/acrylic dispersion chemistry — that are applied during the manufacture of pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes, labels, and films. HITAC self-identifies as the first company in the world to commercialize pre-dissolved high solids release agent solutions for tapes and lists six core commercial grades: water-based RA-13W, RA-15W, RA-21S, RA-42W, and RA-44W, and enhanced solvent-based RA-23S, with additional RA-21S-T, RA-23S-T, and preliminary RA-33 grades disclosed on the website.

The underlying technology is protected by three granted US patents, a Canadian patent, and a European patent covering the core polyurethane and polyurethane/acrylic dispersion chemistry, with one additional patent pending on a solvent-based formulation. The products are positioned against conventional PVODC chemistry on the basis of processing advantages: no heating required during transport and storage for protected grades, stability free of precipitation and gelation, prevention of gravure roll clogging, and compatibility across SIS, SBR, natural rubber, and acrylic adhesive systems as well as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, PVC, and paper backings.

HITAC operates a direct B2B sales motion, supplying many of the world's largest PSA tape manufacturers over a roughly 20-year relationship horizon, with orders taken via phone and a dedicated email address. The firm has 11-50 employees, an in-house production capability at its Santa Fe Springs facility, and a basic digital presence consisting of a website with downloadable technical datasheets and a product brochure. No public revenue, funding rounds, partnerships, or M&A activity are disclosed. Andrew Shores is listed as founder and president.

Name

Hitac Adhesives & Coatings

Legal name

HITAC Adhesives & Coatings

Website

https://hitacadhesives.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HITAC Adhesives & Coatings is a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer in Santa Fe Springs, California, that develops and sells patented non-silicone, pre-dissolved high solids release agent formulations to PSA tape, label, and film manufacturers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Specialty Chemicals (Adhesive Release Coatings)

NAICS

Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Adhesives & Sealants Chemicals (IMAEABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tapes, Labels & Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives (IMAEAGAJ), Pressure-Sensitive Labels (PSL) (IMALAKAA)

Keywords

• Release agent manufacturing
• Pressure sensitive adhesives
• Industrial specialty coatings
• Polyurethane dispersions
• Tape coating chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Release Agent Solutions Sales: Sale of proprietary release agent chemical formulations (water-based and solvent-based) to PSA tape manufacturers. Products are sold as solutions with varying total solids concentrations (28-40%).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Hitac Adhesives & Coatings manufactures proprietary pre-dissolved, high-solids release agent chemical formulations for pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes, labels, and films. The company offers both water-based and solvent-based, non-silicone release agents sold as ready-to-use solutions to PSA tape manufacturers worldwide. Six unique formulations (RA-13W, RA-15W, RA-21S, RA-23S, RA-42W, RA-44W) plus a preliminary RA-33 variant are produced at the company's Santa Fe Springs, California facility.

Product overview

HITAC Adhesives & Coatings is a 70-year-old company that pioneered pre-dissolved high solids release agent solutions for pressure sensitive adhesive tapes. The company offers six unique, non-silicone, high solids release agents divided into water-based and solvent-based categories: RA-13W, RA-15W, and RA-42W (water-based); RA-23S (enhanced solvent-based); plus RA-21S and RA-44W (enhanced water-based for paper-backed tapes). All products are designed for PSA tapes, labels, and films, and offer significant processing improvements over conventional PVODC technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HITAC RA-13W Water-based release agent designed for general purpose release coating on film tapes, effective on adhesives based on SIS block copolymers, SBR, natural rubber, and solvent acrylics. Delivered at 29% Total Solids. Patented modified polyurethane technology with easier processing than PVODC, no heating required during transportation and storage, stable solution free of precipitation and gelation. For PSA tape manufacturers.
• HITAC RA-15W Water-based release agent solution with enhanced release properties yielding easy to moderate unwind in premium packaging tapes and filament tapes. Delivered at 28% Total Solids. Stable, free of precipitation and gelation, effective for SIS block copolymers, SBR, natural rubber, and solvenated acrylics. For PSA tape manufacturers.
• HITAC RA-21S Water-based release agent designed for paper-backed tapes with high total solids content. For PSA tape manufacturers producing paper-backed adhesive tape products.
• HITAC RA-23S Enhanced solvent-based release agent — a high total solids polyurethane solution in recoverable solvent, stable without heating even below freezing temperatures. Delivered at 40% Total Solids. Reduces energy cost, fire hazards, and gravure roll clogging. Effective for SIS block copolymers, SBR, natural rubber, and solvenated acrylics. For PSA tape manufacturers.
• HITAC RA-42W Water-based release agent designed for paper-backed tapes with high total solids content. For PSA tape manufacturers producing paper-backed adhesive tape products.
• HITAC RA-44W Enhanced water-based release agent designed for paper-backed tapes with high total solids content. For PSA tape manufacturers producing paper-backed adhesive tape products.
• HITAC RA-33 (Preliminary) Preliminary release agent formulation in development; preliminary technical data sheet is available for download. For PSA tape manufacturers.
• HITAC RA-21S-T Technical variant of the RA-21S water-based release agent for paper-backed tapes; technical data sheet available. For PSA tape manufacturers.
• HITAC RA-23S-T Technical variant of the enhanced solvent-based RA-23S release agent; technical data sheet available. For PSA tape manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces energy costs by eliminating heating requirements during transportation and storage
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mayzo Corporation: Specialty release coatings and additives supplier for the PSA tape and label industry. Smaller, focused specialty chemical competitor with comparable product offering to HITAC's release agent line.
• Momentive Performance Materials: Major silicone release coating supplier for PSA tapes and labels under the SilForce and other brands. Offers direct competitive overlap with HITAC's release agent products targeting tape manufacturers.
• Wacker Chemie: Produces silicone release agents and release coatings for the PSA tape and label industry through its silicones division. Competes with HITAC for specification positions at major tape converters.
• Shin-Etsu Chemical: Global leader in silicone-based release coatings for PSA tapes and labels. Directly competes with HITAC in release agent chemistry serving pressure-sensitive tape manufacturers, though Shin-Etsu is silicone-based and vastly larger.
• Elkem Silicones: Silicone release agent and coating supplier serving PSA tape and label manufacturers globally. Directly comparable to HITAC in customer base (tape converters) and product function (release chemistry).

Broad incumbents

• Solvay: Specialty chemicals producer offering silicones and surface treatment chemistries relevant to release coating in tape production. Compares to HITAC in serving release-agent applications, though Solvay's chemicals business spans many end markets.
• Dow Inc. Through its silicones and specialty chemicals portfolio, Dow offers release coatings and additives for PSA tapes. Overlaps with HITAC's product category but operates at vastly larger scale across a much broader chemicals portfolio.
• Evonik Industries: Specialty chemicals producer with release agents and surface modification chemistries used in tape and label manufacturing. Comparable in addressing release-coating applications though Evonik is a broadly diversified chemical company.
• Croda International: Specialty chemical company producing release agents, additives, and surface coatings used in adhesive tape and label manufacturing. Comparable in supplying release chemistry though Croda's portfolio spans personal care and life sciences as well.
• Daikin Industries: Produces fluorochemical and specialty release agents used in tape and label applications as part of its broader chemicals business. Overlaps with HITAC in release-coating function though Daikin operates at massive diversified scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Hitac Adhesives & Coatings