U.S. Fastener Demand to Rise by 4.3% Annually

The demand for U.S. industrial fasteners is expected to grow 4.3% every year and will reach USD 14.8 billion by the end of 2017. Such growth of demand comes from recovery of the car manufacturing market, representing a quarter of the total fastener demand. The fastest increase in fastener sales is the construction market (incl. residential and non-residential), which slipped down during 2007-2012 and demonstrated a strong return later. The fierce competition from fastening technology like adhesives, fixing & welding parts will impede the increase in fastener demand in various applications, while the competition from overseas manufacturers (e.g. moderate raw material costs…) will restrain the prices from growth, impeding the increase in fastener sales values.

The demand for standard fasteners will be higher than that for aerospace fasteners up to 2017 due to the increasing application in OEM and the construction market. Externally threaded standard fasteners will still represent the largest market share and show the fastest growth along with the other products used in special applications. With quick advancement of aerospace vehicles, the development of aerospace fasteners will be better based on the growth during 2007-2012.

The growth of OEM for industrial fasteners will be higher than that of MRO, as U.S. machinery & aerospace vehicles industry will expand in an improved pace. On the other hand, the production of U.S. metallic products will also go up. The recovery of several U.S. industries is the support to the growth of fastener demand. By 2017, though the increase in car manufacturing will push the sales of fasteners, however, the design of cars is going to a trend of “less use of fasteners” for cost and weight reduction, which will prevent fastener demand from growing. In addition, though the performance in the MRO market is expected to be less remarkable than that in OEM, the sales in the MRO market will continue to grow on the basis built during 2007-2012, which is favored by the increase in fixed investment, growth in production, and the increasing equipment for fastener applications.