Bostik celebrates 50 years of Prestik: The original reusable adhesive

Prestik/Blu Tack® was originally developed in 1969 in Leicester (UK) as an accidental by-product of an attempt to develop a new sealant using chalk powder, rubber and oil. Although the experiment was a failure, workers started using the resulting goop to stick messages to each other's desks. Once Bostik realised what they had, they started testing to manufacture the formulation on a bigger scale. The product was launched in early 1970 into a market with no knowledge of reusable ‘putty-like’ adhesives. The initial reaction was poor due to the lack of awareness of the product’s potential uses. Through TV advertising and word of mouth, the product quickly entered the growth phase of its life cycle.

This is how, within ten years of its launch, Prestik reusable adhesive became a true household name, perfect for a thousand and one uses around the home, office and school...pretty much anywhere! It now commands a dominant brand share of the adhesive tack market. The key to the sticky substance’s success is the fact it’s reusable, making it an ideal alternative to drawing pins and sticky tape, with thousands of other uses around the home, office and school... in fact almost anywhere. It’s also clean to use and non-toxic, making it safe for all the family.

More than just a product, Prestik & Blu Tack® is a heritage brand for Bostik and it illustrates our philosophy of creating smart adhesives for consumers that are multi-functional, easy-to-use for all kinds of creativity.