Megatrends like CO2 reduction, urbanization, e-mobility, ease of design and lightweight construction are reshaping economies, businesses, and lifestyles. Environmental changes and growing population require cleaner energy and better-functioning cities. These forces are driving the demand for intelligent construction materials and smart mobility systems to ease congestion. Technological answers include smart products which will bring digital intelligence to new places, as sensor-equipped machines become increasingly autonomous thanks to decision-making software.
Technologies for Sustainable Construction and Transportation
Driving Innovation with Purpose: At Sika, we develop proprietary technologies that deliver real performance advantages—while addressing global demands such as sustainable building methods, energy-efficient and low-emission materials, faster manufacturing, and lighter, safer vehicles.Our innovation efforts focus on:
- High-performance molecules with distinctive features
- Advanced polymer and surface modification techniques
- Custom lab setups that enable rapid scale-up from lab to full production
Working closely with our technical operations teams, Sika engineers and researchers aim to:
- Optimize and streamline our product portfolio
- Invest in next-generation component technologies
- Simplify processes across production, marketing, and distribution
Corporate Technologies
Sustainability and performance
Performance is the foundation of sustainability. Sika products take less from the environment and offer more in durability and longevity, which results in a smaller overall environmental footprint.
Working to create industry leading innovations that extend the product life cycle – from concrete and flooring products, to sealants and roofing systems used on buildings and parking garages, bridges and stadiums as well as dams and water treatment facilities — Sika seeks to make a difference in meeting the sustainable challenges the industry and planet face today and tomorrow.
The overall ambition for Sika is to reduce the CO2 footprint in its own operations and by its sustainable solutions. New product formulations in this context consider alternative raw materials, for example as a substitute for sand.
Exemplary technologies
- Supplementary Cementitious Materials
- Waterproofing solution for concrete basement
- High performance sustainable mortars
- Synthesizing bio-based PCE superplasticizers
- Protective coatings for concrete
- Concrete Reinforcing Fibers
Urbanization
Urbanization is one of the most prominent megatrends. It is characterized by greater diversification, more high-rise buildings, larger building complexes, and growing demand for infrastructure services. At the same time, the quality requirements that buildings have to meet are rising in response to increased safety and sustainability reagulations, lack of space, or dense traffic. Sika provides the solutions to overcome these challenges in collaboration with customers and is set to benefit from these trends.
Exemplary technologies:
- High performance concrete
- Sikasil to insulate glass facade elements
- SikaProof A+
SikaPower® MBX
First Body Shop adhesive able to absorb tensions caused by different thermal elongations.
Sikaflex® UHM
First Semi Structural 1C-PUR suitable for mixed bonding in the assembly line.
SikaBiresin® TC and RE series
Products for e-motors offer high thermal conductivity with excellent dielectric properties and low-viscosity.
SikaForce®-757x
Unique Elastic 2C-PUR products for PC and plastic bonding (roof and tailgate) - under development.
Ease of design and application
The construction industry is always changing and evolving. For example, prefabrication and modular construction have both increased in popularity over the last couple of years. Both trends are energy efficient and cost-effective, which is ideal at a time when most material prices are rising. But not only. Complex requirements due to global and local construction standards require a lot of knowledge. With an overall ease of design, the actual work on the construction sites therefore has to be facilitated. Sika technologies are sophisticated in terms of performance and sustainability, but easy to apply.
Productivity improvement
The formerly so called “brick and mortar” industry has entered the digital age. The digital push is accelerating. Processes which are digitalized from start to finish raise standards and increase construction speed. The value chain is changing fundamentally, from 3D planning to digital processes carried out on the construction site but also in the manufacturing process. Digitalization does not depend on new tools and new software; it is more about the mindset. Initially, it is all a question of the right business model – the process requirements and the essential technologies will follow, allowing the construction sector to exploit the massive potential of digitalization. It is unstoppable.
Selected Key Achievements
Application system for high-precision concrete 3D printing
Novel amine hardeners for flooring and coatings
High-end micro fibers for shotcrete/precast concrete