What KENYON GROUP LIMITED does

Kenyon Group Limited is a privately held UK industrial distribution business founded in 1979 and headquartered in Oldham, Lancashire. It operates primarily through its e-commerce storefront Glue Guns Direct (gluegunsdirect.com), selling hot melt adhesive applicators and consumables — glue guns in 12mm, 15mm, and 43mm formats, Tecbond adhesive sticks and slugs, glue dots and mechanical dispensers, and bulk industrial adhesive systems — to manufacturing, industry, and trade customers across the United Kingdom.

The company's product portfolio combines a proprietary branded range (Tecbond adhesives plus specialty sub-brands including Knottec wood repair, Foundrytec foundry core adhesives, Casttec precast concrete adhesive, and Overtec low-pressure moulding) with authorised UK distribution of major third-party adhesive brands, notably Henkel (PUR, PU, edge banding, water-based), Nordson melter systems, ValcoMelton D4L tanks, Tec Applicators glue guns, Tuskbond professional adhesives, and Everbuild construction sealants. Complementary categories include PVA adhesives (D2/D3/D4 PVAc plus GUPFO Pfohl applicators), cleaners and wipes, and millinery products. Customer use cases span woodworking, furniture and caravan manufacturing, window and door production, flooring, packaging and print, electronics assembly, roofing, foam and upholstery, and arts and crafts.

Kenyon Group's business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce, with phone-based trade account support (0161 627 1001) and content-led demand generation via SEO, a blog ("Glue News"), and a Service & Advice Center. The storefront carries a 4.9/5 average across 1,012 verified customer reviews. No revenue, headcount, funding, app, API, or AI capability is disclosed in the available source material; the business operates exclusively within the United Kingdom with no documented international distribution footprint.

Name

KENYON GROUP LIMITED

Legal name

Kenyon Group Ltd

Website

https://kenyon-group.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kenyon Group Limited, trading as Glue Guns Direct, is a privately held UK e-commerce specialist founded in 1979 that supplies hot melt glue guns, Tecbond adhesives, glue dots, and bulk adhesive systems to manufacturing, industry, and trade customers across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Adhesives and Applicators

NAICS

Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Adhesive Manufacturing (325520)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891)

akta.pro primary industry

Adhesives (Structural & Assembly) (IMAEAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tapes, Labels & Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives (IMAEAGAJ), Adhesives & Sealants Chemicals (IMAEABAA)

Keywords

• Hot melt adhesives
• Glue guns
• Industrial adhesives
• Adhesive applicators
• Bulk adhesive systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct online sales of adhesive products including glue guns, glue sticks, bulk adhesives, and accessories to manufacturing, industry and trade customers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kenyon Group Limited, trading as Glue Guns Direct, manufactures and distributes hot melt adhesive systems including Tec-brand glue guns (12mm, 15mm, 43mm), Tecbond proprietary hot melt adhesive sticks and slugs, glue dots with mechanical dispensers, and bulk industrial adhesive systems (Nordson, ValcoMelton). The company also distributes third-party adhesive brands such as Henkel, Tuskbond, and Everbuild to manufacturing, industrial, trade, and craft customers across the UK, complemented by technical advisory content and trade account support.

Product overview

Kenyon Group Limited operates Glue Guns Direct, a UK-based e-commerce platform supplying adhesives and application equipment to manufacturing, industry, and trade since 1979. The product portfolio centers on hot melt adhesive systems (glue guns and Tecbond adhesive sticks/slugs), complemented by glue dots, bulk adhesive systems (Nordson, ValcoMelton), and branded adhesive ranges (Henkel, Tuskbond, Everbuild). The offering spans multiple product categories including PVA adhesives, specialised adhesives for applications such as woodworking, packaging, electronics, flooring, and construction. The business operates as both a manufacturer of Tec applicators and a distributor of third-party adhesive brands, providing technical advice and application support alongside product sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Glue Guns Direct: E-commerce platform selling glue guns, glue sticks, dots and hot melt adhesives for industrial and trade use.

Products and services

• Glue Guns

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NordsoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReseller of Nordson melter systems and bulk adhesive equipment. Provides industrial-grade melter systems for high-volume adhesive applications.
• Tec ApplicatorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier and distributor of TEC brand glue guns and applicators including 12mm, 15mm, and 43mm models, battery-powered units, and pneumatic systems.
• HenkelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorised distributor of Henkel adhesive products including 1C & 2C PU adhesives, edge banding hot melt adhesives, flat lamination products, polyurethane dispersions, reactive hot melt PUR adhesives, and water-based adhesives for woodworking, furniture, caravan, window and door manufacturing.
• ValcoMeltonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor of ValcoMelton D4L hot melt tank system for industrial adhesive applications.
• EverbuildminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStockist of Everbuild building and construction adhesive products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Valco Melton: Manufacturer of industrial hot melt adhesive application systems including the D4L tank system that Kenyon distributes. Comparable as both a strategic supplier of bulk dispensing equipment and a competitor in high-volume manufacturing lines.
• Intertronics: UK-based specialist adhesives distributor serving manufacturing customers with technical advice, dispensing equipment, and a curated range of industrial adhesives. Directly comparable UK SME peer with overlapping customer base and product categories.
• Ellsworth Adhesives: Specialty industrial adhesives distributor operating a similar e-commerce + technical-support model targeting manufacturers, offering hot melts, structural adhesives, and dispensing equipment. Closely comparable business model to Kenyon/Glue Guns Direct.
• Power Adhesives (TEC): Manufacturer of TEC-brand hot melt glue guns (12mm, 15mm, 43mm) and Tecbond adhesives — the original equipment manufacturer whose products Kenyon distributes under the Tec Applicators and Tecbond brands. Direct upstream peer and key supplier relationship.
• Permabond Engineering Adhesives: Manufacturer of structural and instant adhesives (cyanoacrylates, epoxies, UV-curables) supplying UK and European manufacturers. Comparable as an independent specialty adhesive manufacturer competing for the same industrial customer wallet share.

Broad incumbents

• Henkel Adhesive Technologies: Global leader in industrial adhesives including the PUR, EVA, polyolefin, and polyurethane dispersion ranges that Kenyon distributes. Comparable as the principal supplier whose product breadth Kenyon resells to UK manufacturers, and a direct competitor in any in-house formulation work.
• H.B. Fuller: US-headquartered global industrial adhesives manufacturer with comparable hot melt, reactive PUR, and packaging adhesive offerings. Overlaps with Kenyon in woodworking, packaging, and product assembly end-markets.
• Bostik (Arkema): Global industrial adhesives manufacturer offering hot melt, PUR, and pressure-sensitive adhesive ranges targeting packaging, woodworking, and construction — directly competing with both Kenyon's Tecbond line and the Henkel/ValcoMelton products it distributes.
• Nordson Corporation: Manufacturer of bulk hot melt melter systems and adhesive dispensing equipment that Kenyon distributes (Nordson Melter Systems). Comparable as both a strategic supplier and a competitor in industrial-scale adhesive application systems for high-volume manufacturing.
• 3M Industrial Adhesives & Tapes: Diversified industrial conglomerate with a large adhesives and tapes division covering hot melt, pressure-sensitive, and structural adhesive categories. Competes with Kenyon across multiple industrial and trade segments and offers broader portfolio depth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/glue-guns-direct/?viewAsMember=true

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 KENYON GROUP LIMITED