Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
Operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product. Processes include joining veneer sheets into plywood; gluing paper; or joining rubber and rubberized fabric parts, plastic, simulated leather, or other materials.
Also called: Coater Operator · Glue Line Operator · Glue Reel Operator · Gluer Machine Operator · Gluing Pressman · Machine Operator
Median pay (national)
$45,210
$31,290–$60,420 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
12,170
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+1%
~1,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $60,420 versus $31,290 at the bottom 10% — 1.9x. The median of $45,210 leaves roughly 34% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +1% from 2024 to 2034 — slower than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 39 states with released data, Rhode Island pays the most for this role (median $61,420, +36% vs the national median), while Mississippi sits lowest at $30,820 — a 99% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Monitoring as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Align and position materials being joined to ensure accurate application of adhesive or heat sealing.
- Adjust machine components according to specifications such as widths, lengths, and thickness of materials and amounts of glue, cement, or adhesive required.
- Fill machines with glue, cement, or adhesives.
- Perform test production runs and make adjustments as necessary to ensure that completed products meet standards and specifications.
- Examine and measure completed materials or products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring devices such as tape measures, gauges, or calipers.
- Remove and stack completed materials or products, and restock materials to be joined.
- Observe gauges, meters, and control panels to obtain information about equipment temperatures and pressures, or the speed of feeders or conveyors.
- Maintain production records such as quantities, dimensions, and thicknesses of materials processed.
- Remove jammed materials from machines and readjust components as necessary to resume normal operations.
- Mount or load material such as paper, plastic, wood, or rubber in feeding mechanisms of cementing or gluing machines.
Tools & technology
- SAP software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics