As a core category of basic fasteners in the manufacturing industry, brass flat-head screws have recently shown distinct features of increased demand, technological upgrading and structural optimization, driven by multiple favorable factors. Benefiting from the explosive growth of high-end industries such as new energy and electronic information, coupled with the accelerated green transformation of the industry, this traditional sub-sector is now brimming with new growth vitality.
Structural growth on the demand side has become the core driving force of the industry. Data shows that the domestic brass market size is expected to rise to 215 billion yuan in 2025. Among them, brass flat-head screws, as key connecting parts, have a particularly prominent demand growth rate in the field of new energy vehicles. As the copper consumption per new energy vehicle exceeds 80 kilograms, which is more than twice that of traditional fuel vehicles, models like Tesla Model3 need to be equipped with over 100,000 brass fasteners per vehicle. Among them, flat-head screws are widely used in battery packs and electrical systems due to their advantages in adhesion. Meanwhile, the construction of 5G base stations and the popularization of smart home appliances have also created an increase. The annual demand growth rate for high-precision brass flat-head screws in the electronic information industry has exceeded 8%.
The fluctuations in the raw material market test the cost control ability of enterprises. Due to the linkage of international copper prices and the influence of exchange rates, domestic brass prices have recently shown a "narrow range fluctuation" trend, with the quotations of mainstream brass strips rising by 3.2% compared to the third quarter. To cope with cost pressure, leading enterprises have been actively laying out the utilization of recycled copper. Currently, the proportion of recycled brass in raw material supply has reached 35%, and it is expected to exceed 40% by 2025. A leading enterprise in Zhejiang Province has reduced the raw material cost of brass flat head screws by 12% through the establishment of a closed-loop recycling system, enjoying a significant competitive edge.
Technological upgrades and environmental protection policies are reshaping the industry landscape. The strengthened implementation of the "Normative Conditions for the Copper Smelting Industry" by the state has driven enterprises to accelerate their transformation towards lead-free brass. Currently, the market share of lead-free brass flat head screws in China has increased from 18% in 2023 to 25%. In terms of processing technology, the popularization of continuous casting and cold heading techniques has enabled the dimensional accuracy error of products to be controlled within 0.02 millimeters, meeting the assembly requirements of high-end electronic equipment. The high-strength and high-conductivity brass alloy developed by enterprises such as Jintian Copper Industry has a tensile strength 15% higher than that of traditional materials and has been applied in batches in the aerospace field.
The effect of regional industrial clusters has been further highlighted. Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces contribute over 60% of the national output of brass flat-head screws. Among them, the fastener industrial cluster in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, has formed a complete industrial chain from raw material smelting to finished product testing. Meanwhile, the central and western regions have taken over the transfer of manufacturing industries. The growth rate of brass demand in these regions is 2 percentage points higher than that in the eastern regions, making them new growth poles.
Looking ahead, with the deepening of the "dual carbon" strategy and the upgrading of high-end manufacturing, the brass flat head screw industry will move towards "more precise, more environmentally friendly and higher added value". Enterprises with lead-free processes and the ability to utilize recycled resources will take the initiative in the new round of competition and promote the steady transformation of the industry from a "manufacturing giant" to a "manufacturing power".