Fast-forward with fastener trends

Innovation fuels growth for a $15 billion plus category.

By Ken Ryan

The U.S. fastener market, with applications across all segments of the hardware and building supply industry, is expected to grow 2.6% annually to $15.2 billion in 2020, according to the Industrial Fasteners Institute. While sustained growth has been tempered somewhat by the increasing cost of raw materials due to tariffs on steel and aluminum, the fastener segment continues to flourish despite an ongoing shortage of skilled workers, the coronavirus pandemic and global competition. Among the trends industry observers are seeing: a slight shift to American-made products; time-saving measures used in the composition of fasteners; and a rise in cordless pneumatic tools, which appeals to a younger generation

Trends in fasteners are being driven by technology and recent innovations in fastening tools, particularly nailers and structural screws. Some examples:

Structural screws and lag screws. These screws are designed to bear more weight load in exterior or interior applications and are designed for an easier, more efficient install with no need for pre-drilling—unlike the traditional hex bolt installation.

Star drive (Torx) heads. Star heads increase the contact between the bit and the head of the screw providing a better hold of the screw. “In many cases, the new star drive head allows for one-handed installation rather than holding the screw in one hand and the drill in the other,” said Laramy Cooper, senior category manager of building products for Orgill.

Multi-material screws. These screws provide versatile solutions for multiple materials including wood, concrete and masonry.

Thread/serrated edges. “Everyone has a little different specialty element in their design, but the goal is to allow the fastener to bite into the wood, reduce the mushrooming at the insertion point and to pull the displaced material out from the hole for better hold,” said Cindy Hixson, merchandise manager — hardware, Do it Best Corp.

FastenMaster’s ThruLOK system brings time-saving efficiency to the job site.

Stainless steel fasteners for exterior projects. It costs slightly more, experts say, but using a stainless-steel fastener solves several issues faced by contractors. Notably, stainless steel provides weatherability against the elements, guards against corrosion, and promotes corrosion resistance to the ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) treating processes used in the lumber industry today.

Threading designed to move material up and out of the hole while at the same time decreasing the drive time is also trending.

Design elements in the head of the screw and in the tip of the bit allow for better grip and quicker, more accurate seating of the screw—the first time.

Pricing Tariffs continue to influence pricing, experts say. Many fasteners are manufactured in other countries and while suppliers have some leeway in moving production, these impacts nevertheless forced companies to pass along two or three price increases through late 2019 and early 2020. The Section 301 tariff that was implemented in the fall of 2018 on several categories of imported fasteners made domestically manufactured products more attractive to contractors and retailers.

“U.S. manufacturers have been reducing their prices for retailers and distributors for years in order to compete with cheaper imports,” Cooper said. “Now that tariffs are in place and the pandemic has forced capacity constraints along with longer than expected ship dates, many domestically produced fasteners are more favorable in price — as well as lead times in getting products to us quicker.”

Merchandising/Displays Over the years merchandising strategies have been evolving for the nuts and bolts category. Given the fact fasteners

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IN addition to innovation, SPAX promotes peace of mind for contractors.

are a huge SKU investment, stores need an option that best fits their clientele and location restraints. Bin systems, spinner racks, end caps, loop videos, fresh point of purchase (POP) materials and custom planograms are critical to the success of any fastener program, experts say.

“Our customers who have experienced the most success are those who have dedicated the space in their store to create a fastener destination for their local communities,” Cooper said. “We have noticed that retailers are seeing benefits from nuts and bolts suppliers who provide sophisticated bin systems with complex POP options that allow customers to selfservice while shopping their stores.”

Brand loyalty Brand loyalty and regionality are often deciding factors when choosing to purchase specific types of fasteners. Cooper explained that on a national level, hand drive nails, staples, nuts, bolts and drywall screws are less affected by brand preference than collated fasteners — the types of nails connected together in strips for use in a nail gun.

Certain types of collation are preferred in different regions of the country. Cooper said customers typically make their buying decisions based on the manufacturer or brand known for being superior within the category. For example, the Orgill category manager described the Midwest as a market where paper tape collation is most popular. The West Coast, he said, is more of a plasticstrip collation market. Wire weld-collation is huge in the Northeast. The rest of the country has a blended approach, he said, adding: “In the decking-construction screw category, there is a desire to use premium fasteners.”

In the competitive field, many brands say they build their reputation on the job site, one project at a time.

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