Recently, the headless nail metal industry has shown a multi-dimensional development trend, with significant performances in market dynamics, technological innovation, and international competition.
From market data, the Chinese market for headless nails and bolts has been steadily expanding under the impetus of the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry and the increasing demand for automated equipment. The market size is expected to reach approximately 3.5 billion yuan in 2024, with an average annual compound growth rate of 5% to 7%. The total domestic consumption in 2023 was about 120,000 tons. The East China and South China regions, due to their concentrated manufacturing industries and complete supply chains, account for over 60% of the market share. It is expected that by 2028, the market size will exceed 5 billion yuan, with an annual growth rate possibly accelerating to around 8%. The new energy vehicle and robot fields will become new growth points. In terms of classification, aluminum nails and stainless steel nails dominate the headless nail industry. The market size for both aluminum and stainless steel nails in China is expected to reach several billion yuan in 2024. Aluminum nails, due to their light weight and corrosion resistance, have seen increasing demand in the construction and automotive fields, and are expected to grow at an average annual compound rate of over 10% in the next five years. Stainless steel nails, with their high strength and corrosion resistance, are widely used in construction and furniture fields and are expected to maintain stable growth in the next five years.
Technological innovation is a key driving force for the development of the industry. In the field of headless nails and bolts, the trends of material upgrading and intelligent manufacturing are evident. New materials such as titanium alloys and composite materials are beginning to be applied in high-end fields, enhancing strength while reducing weight, but their high cost limits their widespread use. In terms of manufacturing processes, the proportion of CNC precision processing and automated production lines is increasing year by year. Large enterprises have achieved intelligent manufacturing, with product defect rates controlled below 0.1%. For headless nails, by improving production processes and material formulas, their corrosion resistance and high strength characteristics are expected to be enhanced; the introduction of intelligent production equipment can achieve automated production and quality inspection, improving production efficiency and product quality.
However, the industry's development also faces many challenges. On October 17th, local time in the EU, under the application of the European Industrial Fasteners Association, the European Commission initiated an anti-dumping investigation into headless screws and bolts imported from China, with reference tariff codes including 7318 15 42 and 7318 15 48, etc. On May 19, 2025, the European Commission released an investigation disclosure, planning to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on headless screws and bolts imported from China. The disclosed rates show that Zhejiang Jun ***** Co., Ltd. is 62.3%, Jiaxing Haitai Fastener Co., Ltd. and others are 63.9%, Jiaxing Hua **** Co., Ltd. and others are 80.7%, and enterprises that cooperated but were not sampled are 67.4% (117 enterprises), while other non-cooperating enterprises are 80.7%. This has caused a significant impact on the export business of China's headless nail metal industry.
Facing international competition pressure and market changes, Chinese headless nail metal enterprises need to respond proactively. On the one hand, they should increase investment in technological research and development, improve product quality and technological content, enhance product added value through technological innovation, and strengthen international competitiveness. On the other hand, they should pay attention to international market dynamics and policy changes, actively participate in defense, and safeguard their own legitimate rights and interests. At the same time, they should expand the domestic market and reduce dependence on a single international market to achieve sustainable development of the industry.