Fasteners are machine elements that are designed to hold two or more objects together. Typical fasteners are screws and bolts, nuts, washers, rivets, pins and nails offered in a wide variety of different shapes and dimensions. The probably best known types of fasteners are screws made from coiled wire made from cold upsetting steel. Other materials are alloy steel, copper alloys such as brass and bronze, aluminium alloys, titanium alloys, and nickel-base alloys. Fasteners are critical components in many industries. The analysts of the market research company Grand View Research estimate the size of alone the global metal screw fasteners market at USD 22.1 billion in 2024 and expect it to reach USD 33.0 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2025 to 2033 (Fig. 1).
Application areas
The automotive segment accounted for the highest screws revenue share of nearly 28% in 2024. Passenger cars, for example, contain more than 1,000 screw connections. Fasteners are used for assembling various components. Significant buyers of fasteners are also the aerospace, railway and off-shore industries, producers of home appliances, electrical and electronic devices, furniture, the construction industry, machinery building, medical technology, and the fittings industry.
Technological trends
One of the most significant trends is the growing application of AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies. They are applied in many fields, for example in the development of new alloys. Generally, the materials selection must consider factors such as strength and strength-to-weight ratios, the vibration behaviour, temperature fluctuations and the resistance against corrosive environments. AI technologies are also used to accelerate design processes, to increase the production efficiency and precision and to forecast the market development, optimizing stock-keeping. Furthermore, AI-based technologies monitor the material and energy consumption during manufacturing processes, enabling also the minimization of waste and scrap.
Manufacturing trends include the further development of eco-friendly plating and surface treatments that meet RoHS and REACH regulations as well as the integration with RFID or QR codes for traceability.
Furthermore, the role of 3D printing in fastener production is growing rapidly enabling the creation of complex designs that were difficult or impossible to manufacture using traditional methods.
Since fasteners are needed in all areas of society, there is a vast market for these industries and their suppliers. In view of increasingly challenging market requirements, manufacturers of fasteners need technologically up-to-date equipment to remain competitive. The wire 2026 provides from April 13 to 17, 2026 an ideal opportunity for equipment suppliers to show their innovations while visitors get access to information about the state-of-the-art.
