Driven by the dual forces of the high-end transformation of manufacturing and the explosive growth of the new energy industry, brass flat-head screws, as basic fasteners, have recently shown a steady upward trend in both volume and price. According to the "2025 China Copper Fastener Data Monitoring Report", relying on the excellent corrosion resistance and processing performance of brass material, the penetration rate of flat-head screws in the precision manufacturing field has continued to increase, driving the order volume of related enterprises to grow by more than 15% year-on-year.
The structural growth of market demand has become the core driving force. In the field of new energy vehicles, brass flat-head screws are widely used in battery pack connection systems and on-board electrical architectures due to their combination of conductivity and fastening properties. The annual growth rate of demand in this field has exceeded 15%. As a traditional major market, the power industry has maintained a stable demand for corrosion-resistant brass fasteners in high-voltage transmission equipment and smart grid construction, accounting for 37.5%. Meanwhile, the preference for the "flush installation" feature of flat-head screws in fields such as furniture decoration and precision instruments has further expanded their application scenarios.
The fluctuation of raw material prices has forced the industry to upgrade. Brass accounts for over 70% of the production cost of flat-head screws. Since 2023, the international copper price has fluctuated within the range of $8,000 to $9,500 per ton, prompting enterprises to accelerate technological innovation. Leading enterprises in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places have popularized automated cold heading production lines, controlling the thread size error within ±0.3mm and increasing the material utilization rate to over 85%. Under the intensification of environmental protection policies, green processes such as cyanide-free treatment and low-pollution electroplating are gradually replacing traditional technologies, significantly increasing the added value of products.
The export market has performed well but challenges still exist. In 2023, the export value of copper fasteners in China reached 530 million US dollars. Among them, brass flat-head screws, with their cost-performance advantage, occupied an important share in infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia and the home appliance market in Europe. However, international trade barriers and fluctuations in raw material prices still bring uncertainties. Some enterprises achieve risk hedging through futures hedging and supply chain integration.
The agglomeration effect of industries has been further highlighted. The Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions contributed 61.3% of the national output. Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places have formed a complete industrial chain from copper processing to finished product inspection. Industry consolidation is accelerating. It is expected that by 2025, the number of large-scale enterprises will be consolidated to within 400, and the market share of the top ten enterprises is expected to increase to 38%.
Looking ahead, with the continuous expansion in fields such as new energy and smart grids, brass flat-head screws will develop towards miniaturization and high precision. Industry experts point out that enterprises need to enhance collaborative research and development with downstream customers and increase investment in material formula optimization and intelligent manufacturing in order to take the initiative in the fierce market competition.