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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Cloves in Germany | 1
CBI Product Factsheet:
Fasteners in Europe
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 2
Introduction
Europe is among the largest manufacturing regions in the world and therefore it is also one of the largest markets for
fasteners in the world. The six leading importing countries in Europe offer good opportunities for Developing Country
exporters. So far they mainly source fasteners from five developing countries, which are China, India, Turkey, Vietnam and
Malaysia. Two important trends that dominate the market are the demand for application specific products and price
competition. This offers two strategic directions which can be chosen by fastener producers from developing countries:
supply relatively standard fasteners to European importers in high volumes at low prices, or develop and specialise in
customised manufacturing.
Product description
Fasteners are objects by which two or more elements can be ‘joined together’. Their range of application can be
categorised as follows:
indirect connection, for which a nail or screw is used,
detachable connection, with screw or bolt and nut,
difficult detachable connection, which can only be loosened by damaging the construction, for example, with blind
rivets.
Fasteners are used in virtually every conceivable industry, from automotive (the largest market segment for fasteners) to
machinery, furniture and construction.
When ‘fasteners’ are referred to in this survey, this concerns the selection of products in Table 1 of Annex 1, unless stated
otherwise. All of the codes for fasteners belong to the CN Chapter 7318.
Geographic scope
The geographic scope is the European Union area, however, in certain parts of this survey, the focus is on a selected group
of countries: Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria. These countries are the largest
importers of fasteners in Europe. When ‘focus countries’ are referred to in this survey, this concerns the selection of these
six countries, unless stated otherwise.
Product specifications
Specifications of fasteners as required by European buyers are described below. Pictures 1-6 show a few examples of
fasteners sold in Europe.
Material: Fasteners can be made of many different materials: steel, stainless steel or iron, brass, copper, aluminium,
or alloys or exotic materials like kuprodur and titanium. As a rule of thumb, the particular field of application defines
the material requirements. Often, steel and iron fasteners also get a coating or treatment against corrosion: zinc-
plated, hot-dip galvanised, nickel-plated, black or yellow passivated, or phosphated.
Design: Considering design there are many forms, such as: standard fasteners, internally threaded, externally
threaded and non-threaded. In addition, there are also several application specific designs, varying from self-drilling
roof screws to aerospace grade fasteners.
Labelling and packaging: Fasteners can be packed in a carton or a wooden box, depending on the size of the parts.
The outer package should include the brand name and type number.
In the specific case of (Do-It-Yourself) retail packages, customers will have very specific packaging requirements, for
example the use of plastic bags or carton or plastic boxes. Retail customers will also specify the labels, including a
barcode.
The package for ocean transportation is a wooden, steel or plastic pallet, wrapped with plastic sheet and sealed with metal
strips. The size of the boxes depends on customer requirements and preferences and is also influenced by the weight per
box and handling possibilities.
Note: If you use wood packaging materials to export products to Europe, you must consider health (phytosanitary)
requirements set for these materials; in practice this means that the wood must have undergone heat treatment or been
fumigated with methyl bromide.
Last but not least: packaging is always labelled, not only for the purposes of identification during transport, but also to
indicate the quantity, weight, the products themselves and the producer’s name.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 3
What is the demand for fasteners in Europe?
Imports
Figure 1-7: Imports of fasteners to Europe and focus countries, by main origin (2010-2014), in € million
Europe
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 4
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 5
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 6
Netherlands
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Source: Trademap
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 7
Figure 8: Absolute growth in imports of fasteners from developing countries (2010-2014), in € million (countries in range of
largest importers)
Source: Trademap
European imports of fasteners peaked in 2014, reaching €11.5 billion. Average annual growth in 2010-2014 was 7%.
The share of European imports from developing countries peaked in 2011 (15%). In 2014, it amounted to 14%. Most
imports originate from intra-European sources (63% of all imports). For the coming years, the share of imports from
developing countries is predicted to remain stable.
The six focus countries represented 61% of all European imports in 2014.
The leading importer is Germany, followed by France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, the Czech Republic
and Austria. Germany is the leader in imports from developing countries, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands and France.
The import of fasteners is expected to grow slightly in the next few years, in the range of 0%-2%.
Leading suppliers
Germany, Italy and France are in the four leading suppliers.
Taiwan is by far the largest supplier in the category ‘rest of the world’, followed by the USA, Japan and South Korea.
In the past decade, Taiwan has been the primary beneficiary of the anti-dumping tariffs enacted for imports from
China.
Imports from developing countries are dominated by China, followed at some distance by India, Vietnam, Turkey and
Thailand.
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Tip:
Benchmark your company against your peers from China and India and also those from European countries.
Several factors can be taken into account, such as market segments served, perceived price and quality level,
countries served, etc. One source that could be used to find exporters of fasteners per country is ITC Trademap.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 8
Exports
Figure 9: Exports of fasteners from Europe, by main destination (2010-2014), in € million
Source: Trademap
Figure 10: Leading exporters of fasteners (2014), in € million
Source: Trademap
European exports of fasteners reached €11 billion in 2014. Average annual growth in 2010-2014 was 7%.
The share of European exports to developing countries increased year by year, reaching 18% in 2014. Nevertheless,
most imports originate from intra-European sources (68% of all imports; note that this also includes some transit
trade of imports originally from developing countries). For the coming years, the share of exports to developing
countries is expected to grow to 20%, as the manufacturing industries in these countries will continue to expand at a
relatively high rate.
The six focus countries represented 78% of all European exports in 2014.
The leading exporter is Germany, accounting for 41% of total exports in Europe. Italy is in the second position
(13%), followed by France (10%). The United Kingdom accounts for 6% of all European exports, with the
Netherlands and Austria accounting for 5% and 3%, respectively.
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CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 9
German exports to developing countries are massive. This is not surprising in light of its domination of the
manufacturing industries and fastener industry in Europe. German exports represent 54% of all European exports to
developing countries. France is in the second position, followed by Italy.
The European export of fasteners is expected to grow slightly in the next few years, in the range of 0%-2%.
Production and apparent demand
Figure 11: European production of fasteners (2009-2013), in € million
Source: Eurostat Prodcom
Figure 12: Leading European producers of fasteners (2013)
Source: Eurostat Prodcom
European production totalled €10 billion in 2013, after an average annual increase of 11% in the period 2009-2013
(note that this was partly due to the weak reference year 2009).
Germany accounted for 40% of total European production in 2013. Italy is number two, accounting for 20% of
production. Italian producers still manufacture relatively low quality fasteners, which was also the reason for their
strong request for anti-dumping measures against Chinese imports in the past.
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Germany 40%
Italy 20%
France 10%
United Kingdom5%
Spain 5%
Netherlands 4%Other 16%
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 10
Figure 13: Apparent demand for fasteners in Europe (2009-2013), in € million
Source: Eurostat Prodcom
European apparent demand totalled €10 billion in 2013, after an average annual increase of 10% in the period 2009-
2013 (note that this was partly due to the weak reference year 2009).
Each of the six focus countries has an own market profile, which can be described as follows:
Germany is the number one producer in virtually every industry in Europe. It is well-known for its output of
machinery, cars and electronics. The largest market segment for fasteners is the automotive industry, followed at
some distance by a range of other industries: household equipment, electronic equipment, furniture, machine
building, steel construction and general construction (house and office building).
France’s leading industries produce machinery, automobiles, aircraft and electronics equipment. Of course, also the
general construction industry is among the major market segments.
Key manufacturing sectors in the United Kingdom include aerospace, automotive, defence equipment, electronics and
machinery and equipment. Of course, also the general construction industry is among the major market segments.
Italy’s main industries are, among other things, machinery building, motor vehicle production, aircraft and household
equipment. After Germany, the country is the 2nd largest machinery producer in Europe; the country produces
virtually all categories of machinery. Of course, also the general construction industry is among the major market
segments.
Key manufacturing sectors in the Netherlands are machinery and equipment, shipbuilding and electric engineering. In
terms of machinery production, there are two segments that stand out: agricultural machinery and machinery for
food, beverage and tobacco processing. The largest market segment for fasteners, however, is general construction.
Most Austrian industrial enterprises are relatively small on an international scale. In several cases, Austrian
companies have strong ties with German companies. The largest market segment for fasteners in Austria is
construction (houses and offices), followed by motor vehicle production (cars, motorcycles) and machine building
(Austria is especially strong in agricultural machine building and wood processing equipment).
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Tip:
Figure 12 reveals that in addition to Germany, there is also considerable production output in Italy and France.
The presence of producers in these countries offers subcontracting opportunities to exporters from developing
countries.
Tip:
Developing Country exporters could focus on market segments that are strongly represented in the focus
countries. Specialisation in any of those segments may give exporters a competitive advantage, as there is an
increasing demand for customised solutions. European importers therefore prefer specialised suppliers who are
able to offer customer support and joint engineering in specific market segments.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 11
Macro-economic indicators
Figure 14: Real GDP, % change from previous year
Source: OECD Economic Outlook 96 database
The major determinant of fasteners demand is spending activity in the end-user industries, such as automotive or
ship building, but also spending activity among consumers. In turn, this demand is stimulated by economic growth.
In each focus country GDP is expected to show continued growth year on year in the years to come. Evidently, it is a
profound basis for continuous demand and import growth in the coming years.
The profitability of fasteners imports is influenced by the exchange rate between the euro and the US dollar, as
products that are sourced globally are paid in US dollars. While earlier forecasts predicted that this exchange rate
would not surpass 0.80 until 2020, it reached this point in 2015, with an exchange rate of 0.90 in June 2015. This is
having a major effect on the price imports. Particularly if it persists for several years, this situation is likely to have a
negative impact on the level playing field of European imports paid in US dollars, relative to local European
production.
What trends offer opportunities on the European market for fasteners?
Technological drivers
One of the major trends emerging in the European industrial fastener market is the development of industry-specific
fasteners. For instance, companies are developing alloy fasteners and wrenchable nuts with increased strength and
corrosion and temperature-resistance properties for the aerospace and defense sector. Other developments are in the
area of self-clinching and self-locking fasteners that are expected to enhance the operational efficiency for plastic
assemblies.
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Tip:
Although GDP growth forecasts are improving, pricing is and will continue to be a leading influential competitive
factor. Competitive pricing is elementary for exporters from developing countries planning to enter the European
market. Although this especially applies to the Do-It-Yourself construction market segment, it has also become a
leading factor in the professional segment, notwithstanding the high quality requirements in that segment.
Tip:
If the value of the euro remains at its current low level, producers from developing countries should increasingly
focus on reducing costs in order to remain competitive in the European market.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 12
Lightweight fasteners are clearly increasing in popularity in Europe, especially in the professional markets. Such
fasteners are increasingly made of stainless steel, aluminium, and coated with teflon or geomet, instead of being
galvanised.
Non-threaded fasteners are forecast to show the highest growth rate in the next few years, as innovations in this
product area may offer end-users interesting cost advantages.
The market for fasteners with 6-sided heads has decreased quickly in recent years. As their production was relatively
energy-intensive, they have been replaced by round headed products with an inner profile.
Very slowly, professional tapes, adhesives and glues gain in importance and replace fasteners in a wide range of
applications.
Environmental drivers
Environmental awareness is growing among companies in Europe, for a main part driven by implementation of
stricter legislation. Companies nowadays not only judge products on aspects like price, quality and standards, but
also on their environmental aspects. In the case of fasteners, there is special attention for the anti-corrosive surface
treatment with chemicals like zinc, chrome or other coatings, like geomet.
Economic drivers
Tip:
There are better opportunities for producers from developing countries who are able to supply advanced fasteners
by offering customised manufacturing based on the need of end-users.
Tips:
Fastener producers increase their chances by being able to do coating treatments in-house, following process
certification according to ISO 14001 and being compliant with the RoHS standard (EU legislation restricting the
use of hazardous substances).
By taking the right precautions and producing environmentally sound products, suppliers from developing
countries may create a competitive advantage in the European market, when emphasising the environmental
soundness of the product in their marketing and product information.
European industrial production is set to increase further in 2015, after it recorded strong year-over-year gain in
2013 and 2014. Signals of progress in several manufacturing industries will create favourable conditions for
industrial suppliers in and to Europe in 2015. Other positive factors like a relatively low inflation rate should
support these positive developments.
New residential construction in Europe is expected to grow by 2.5-3.5% on average in the period 2014-2016 and
residential renovation and maintenance will grow by some 0.7-1.7% per year. On average, the construction
segment is set to growth by about 2% per year.
The European market is flooded with unbranded, cheap Chinese manufactured fasteners. In such segments where
brands are not important, (low) prices are extremely important.
Most of the lower quality fasteners are sourced in Asia, especially in China. This goes for all products up to a DIN
norm of 8.8. The higher quality products, like DIN 10.9 and 12.9, are still produced in Europe (but also already in
Asia). In other words, most products for the professional market are still being produced in Europe, the products
for the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) construction segment are mainly sourced in low cost countries like China.
Tip:
Basically there are two market entry strategies for fasteners producers. The first one is the production of
mainstream, relatively low quality fasteners for low-end markets. Importers/distributors in Europe sell these
products passively to their customers. The second one is the best choice for most fastener manufacturers from
developing countries: do not compete on price but offer customised manufacturing, based on customer
(importer/distributor) or end-user requirements. This approach, however more demanding in terms of quality
assurance of production and service, offers most benefits.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 13
With which requirements should fasteners comply in order to be allowed on the
European market?
Requirements can be divided into: (1) legal requirements you must meet in order to enter the market and (2) additional
requirements, which are those most of your competitors have already implemented, in other words, the ones you need to
comply with in order to keep up with the market.
You can find a general overview of the EU buyer requirements for metal parts on the Market Intelligence Platform of CBI.
In addition, refer to the EU Export Helpdesk, the ITC Market Access Map and the ITC Standards Map for more information
on gaining access to the European market.
Legal requirements
For fasteners in general, there are no specific legal requirements applicable. There are, however, three exceptions:
fasteners intended for use in the construction industry, motor vehicles and railway systems.
Also the Liability for defective products (Directive 85/374/EEC) in fact refers to finished products. The Product Liability
Directive states that the European importer is liable for the products put on the European market. The European importer,
however, can in principle pass on a claim to the producer/exporter.
Other, general legislation that must be taken into account:
Wood packaging materials used for transport (including dunnage) (Directive 2000/29/EC): Europe sets requirements
for wood packaging materials such as packing cases, boxes, crates, drums, pallets, box pallets and dunnage (wood
used to wedge and support non-wood cargo).
Another packaging related directive is the general directive about packaging and packaging waste (Directive
94/62/EC). This directive prescribes the marking of the kind of packaging material used, and the maximum levels of
heavy metals in the packaging material.
For most fasteners a 3.7% duty is levied on European imports from third countries, which also cover China and India.
Several countries benefit from a preferential 0% tariff, for example Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bosnia
and Egypt. The TARIC database shows more details for Chapter 7318. Note that it is only possible to claim a preferential
tariff treatment with a Certificate of Origin.
Although the import tariff for most fasteners is 3.7%, there are a few exceptions. For a few products from specified
countries there are anti-dumping tariffs in place. This, for example, includes some fasteners exported from China, but also
from other Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines. Anti-dumping tariffs vary a lot: they start at 22.9% and
are for example 27.4% for self-tapping stainless steel screws from the Philippines and 74.1% for spaced-thread screws
from Malaysia. Most Chinese exporters of fasteners with outside thread and washers face the highest anti-dumping rate of
74.1%, however, the group of exporters that cooperated with Europe’s original anti-dumping investigation face a reduced
tariff of 54.1%.
Additional requirements
The customer’s main requirements will be related to the technical aspects of the fasteners; design, material, dimensions
and finishing must meet the customer’s specifications.
In general a mechanical fastener is described by about 10-20 geometrical and just as many mechanical characteristics laid
down in international or national standards. Those products have to fulfill acceptance tests according ISO 3269
(acceptance inspection). This standard contains sampling plans and statistically based acceptance quality levels (AQL) for
the acceptance of a manufacturing lot. Fasteners for special applications or markets (e.g. automotive, electronics) made to
drawing for highly sophisticated or safety critical applications may have additional requirements and the requested quality
level is much more demanding. In such cases, the defect rate is measured by parts per million (ppm) and camera
inspection systems are used for statistical process control.
There are many standards applying to fasteners, varying from standards for acceptance inspection and a quality assurance
system, to standards specifying dimensions, mechanical properties and surface coatings.
Tips:
Make sure that your wood packaging material qualifies for the European If you are not sure, ask your wood
packaging material supplier for clarity. Your wood packaging material supplier should take any further action
required in order to comply with the Directive. If the supplier is not able to do so, you can possibly switch to
another supplier.
Exporters from a country with a preferential 0% tariff have a small to considerable competitive advantage versus
competitors from countries without such a preferential tariff. Stay ahead of new developments concerning
European anti-dumping tariffs for specific countries for specific fasteners and fastener materials (e.g. the
examples above show that there can be different anti-dumping rates for different types of fastener materials).
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 14
As a rule of thumb, the professional market segment has high requirements. For example, the tensile strength is
extremely high, with corresponding DIN norms of e.g. 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9. Contrary, the non-professional Do-It-Yourself
construction market segment is dominated by price and quality demands are much lower; most products are galvanised
and the usual DIN norm is 5.5 or lower.
Prospects who have asked for a quote, should be send a confirmation of receipt immediately, including details of the
follow-up process. Sending the quote should be done as soon as possible. In case the product offer concerns specialty
fasteners which have undergone some CNC machining, exporters from developing countries can improve their chances
considerably by sending some free product samples along with the quote. And, this is very important too, make a
telephone call within 5 days after sending the quote, ask for example if everything is clear.
If all conditions are agreed upon (and if relevant, the samples are accepted), the contract can be signed. After that, the
main challenge for the suppliers is to deliver the products according to the agreed specifications, delivery times and
volumes. Suppliers should not underestimate these conditions.
What do the trade channels and interesting market segments for fasteners look like in
Europe?
Fastener producers from developing countries have two main options to enter the European market: importers/distributors
and manufacturers of fasteners. Of both possibilities, importers/distributors are the best prospect group, also shown by the
thickness of the arrow in Figure 14. Figure 14 also shows the major difference between the consumer segment and the
professional segment (further explained below).
A short explanation of the types of prospects is also given below, including a few examples per type and per focus country.
Sources to find prospects are included in the section “Useful sources”, while also the major events in the focus countries
are listed there. The foremost fastener fair in Europe is Fastener Fair in Germany – this is the place to get introduced to
the European fastener industry!
Tip:
More details can be found at the following websites:
o ISO Catalogue TC2 Fasteners - for an overview of ISO standards. The following ISO standard are of
particular importance: ISO 16426, but also several other standards are relevant, such as ISO 8992:2005
and ISO 3269.
o The British Fasteners Association offers an overview of standards, specifications and grades.
o Search EN norms in the online shop of the British Standards Organisation.
o Refer to the AFFIX Reference guide for quality rules and practices for fastening products: it shows a range
of the most successful quality assurance practices applied by European fastener producers.
Tips:
Exporters from developing countries can improve their chances a lot by sending some free product samples along
with a quote.
The importance of customer satisfaction should not be underestimated. Of course, customers consider good
quality of the products important, but they also attach great value to compliance with delivery times and delivery
volumes.
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 15
Figure 14: Trade structure for fasteners in Europe for professional and consumer segment[1]
Europe is home to several interesting players. As each company is unique, with its own customers, market segments and
products, the profile of the potential partner is very important. You are very likely, however, to find a match.
Market segmentation
Generally, the market for fasteners can be divided into ‘professional’, with users in for example the construction, machine
building, automotive, shipbuilding and furniture industry, and ‘consumer’, where users can be defined as ‘Do-It-Yourself’
(DIY) consumers. Some details per segment are:
Professional segment: chances for direct sales are limited for exporters from developing countries. Therefore, it is
best to target specialised importers and agents when interested in supplying these professional markets.
Consumer segment: Because it is difficult for a small exporter to get into direct contact with large trade partners such
as the DIY chains (or their purchasing combinations), it is recommended you focus your initial attention on finding an
importer or agent. In the consumer market segment in Europe, DIY market chains take a leading role, although their
market share differs from European country to European country. Most Dutch DIY chains buy from distributors,
because they do not have large stocking possibilities at the DIY markets. Fast delivery is required and mostly small
quantities are ordered for delivery within 48 hours. Only promotion articles are sometimes ordered directly from
manufacturers, like buckets with screws and/or ranges of fasteners. This offers a (small) opportunity for exporters
from developing countries.
Distributors
The group of distributors can be classified as generalists. The majority of them sells a very broad range of fasteners.
Examples of importers in the European focus countries are the following:
Germany: Achilles Seibert, EDE, Fastbolt Schraubengroßhandels GmbH, Ferdinand Gross, Herbert Knoke, Keller &
Kalmbach, Lederer, Nordwest Handel, Reyher, Schäfer + Peters, Würth Industrie Services
France: Action, Dela, JCL Importation
United Kingdom: Apex Stainless, Cooper & Turner, Cromwell, S. Fasteners, Fastbolt UK, JCP
The Netherlands: Eurobolt, Fabory, Jeveka, Kobout, Pimentel Fasteners, Onkenhout, Elcee, Bevar, Nestinox.
Italy: Berardi Bullononerie, Gandini Group, Italbolt, Sariv
Austria: KVT-FasteningGmbH, Stahlservice Warenhandelsgesellschaft mbH, Weyland GmbH
Producers
Despite the strong competition from Asia, many European countries still host a range of fastener producers. In several
cases these companies have specialised in a product type(for instance the BECK Fastener Group specialised in wood-to-
wood fasteners) or a market segment (for instance Bové specialised in roof construction applications). Examples of
producers in the European focus countries are:
United Kingdom: Allbolts, Apex Stainless, Blakeacre, Cooper & Turner, TRfastenings
Germany: Bierbach GmbH & Co. KG, Böllhoff, Max Mothes, Peco Peltzer
France: Bonioni, ING Fixations François Inglese, Lisi, Volvis
Italy: Agrati Group, Bossong, Sariv, Spinelli Inox, Viteria Euganea, Viteria F Fusani, Viteria Meridionale
The Netherlands: Bové, Bodegraven, Nedschroef
Austria: BECK Fastener Group, Schmid Schrauben Hainfeld GmbH
Purchasing combinations often concerns a co-operative society, with members combining their purchasing capacity, paying an annual fee
and a service fee. The purchasing combination negotiates supply contracts for large volumes at sharp prices on behalf of the members.
Members are smaller retail chains and smaller distributors. Probably the largest purchasing combination in Europe is EDE from Germany.
Developing
country
producer
of fasteners
Importer/distributor/
agent
Professional:
Equipment
manufacturer
Consumer: DIY or
other retail outlets
Producer
Developing
Country
Trade in Europe Market
segments in
Europe
Professional segment:
subcontractor/system
supplier.
Consumer segment:
purchasing combination
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 16
What are the end-market prices for fasteners?
To establish an export price, you need to consider many of the factors involved in pricing for the domestic market:
Aim to charge the price the market will bear and keep in mind the quality-price ratio of your products. It should be in
line with competitor prices;
Pricing is a mix of knowing your domestic costs and calculating costs you will incur in delivering and supporting your
activities in a foreign market;
Use contracts with variable material costs. It is important to set the reference-index for the fluctuations in agreement
with the buyer. Use, for example, the steel index of the London Metal Exchange.
Bear in mind that it is not easy to increase prices once you have agreed to deliver at a certain price. The negotiated
price should never be below your cost price (except for the first order; in this context you may accept a loss if larger
quantities and thus lower costs are expected for the following orders). No European buyer will accept an
unreasonable/unexpected price increase after the first order;
The negotiated price depends on the delivery conditions, the means of payment, credit terms and currency risks,
quantities and the means of transport;
Exchange rates fluctuate. Cover this risk by including the currency risk in the contract. This practice has been
accepted in international business transactions for a few years.
Margins vary from country to country, and from market segment to market segment. For example, in the automotive
industry, margins are very low (single digit percentages). Prices depend on the local competitive environment. Generally
speaking, the total mark-up from manufacturer’s price to final consumer price including VAT can reach up to 400%,
especially when taking the costs of logistics and services into account.
Useful sources
Germany
Finding prospects: German Commercial Agents Directory, Wer liefert was?
Magazines and news: diyonline, Industrie, Maschinen Markt, Springer VDI Verlag
Trade fairs: Fastener Fair, Hannover Messe, BAU, Maintain Europe
Associations: German Fasteners Distributors Association, German Fasteners Association, VDMA market (database of
German industrial companies)
Finding prospects: Applegate Directory, Engineering, Hotfrog
Magazines and news: DIY Week
Trade fairs: Subcon
Associations: Confederation of British Metalforming, British association of fasteners distributors, Engineering
industries association
United Kingdom
Finding prospects: Applegate Directory, Engineering, Hotfrog
Magazines and news: DIY Week
Trade fairs: Subcon
Associations: Confederation of British Metalforming, British association of fasteners distributors, Engineering
industries association
Tip:
As explained before, the best entry strategy for exporters from developing countries is offering customised
manufacturing for the professional segment, based on customer (importer/distributor) or end-user requirements.
Tips:
Use contracts with variable material costs
Include the currency risk in the contract
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 17
France
Finding prospects: Federation of French Commercial Agents, French Chamber of Commerce
Magazines and news: Axes Industries, Industrie & Technologies
Trade fairs: Midest
Associations: French fasteners association, French fasteners distributors association
Finding prospects: Azienda in fiera, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Confindustria, Dutch Chamber of Commerce,
Dutch association of DIY stores, Italy Business
Magazines and news: Metall, Products 4 Engineers
Trade fairs: European Subcontracting & Engineering Fair
Associations: Association of Austrian Machinery and Metalwork Industries, Italian Fasteners Association, Federation of
the Italian associations of mechanical and engineering industries, Dutch fasteners distributors association
Finding prospects: ABC Business Directories, Europages, Fastener + Fixing Directory, Kompass
International associations: European Industrial Fasteners Institute, European Fastener Distributors Association,
European DIY retail association
International magazines and news:Fastener, Fastener + Fixing Magazine, Global Fasteners News
Trade fair databases: AUMA, Eventseye.
Trade statistics: Eurostat, ITC International Trade Statistics.
Other: EU Export Helpdesk, Kwintessential.
Italy, The Netherlands, Austria
Finding prospects: Azienda in fiera, Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Confindustria, Dutch Chamber of Commerce,
Dutch association of DIY stores, Italy Business
Magazines and news: Metall, Products 4 Engineers
Trade fairs: European Subcontracting & Engineering Fair
Associations: Association of Austrian Machinery and Metalwork Industries, Italian Fasteners Association, Federation of
the Italian associations of mechanical and engineering industries, Dutch fasteners distributors association
Other general sources
Finding prospects: ABC Business Directories, Europages, Fastener + Fixing Directory, Kompass
International associations: European Industrial Fasteners Institute, European Fastener Distributors Association,
European DIY retail association
International magazines and news:Fastener, Fastener + Fixing Magazine, Global Fasteners News
Trade fair databases: AUMA, Eventseye.
Trade statistics: Eurostat, ITC International Trade Statistics.
Other: EU Export Helpdesk, Kwintessential.
CBI Market Intelligence
P.O. Box 93144
2509 AC The Hague
The Netherlands
www.cbi.eu/market-information
This survey was compiled for CBI by Globally Cool – Creative Solutions for Sustainable Business
in collaboration with CBI sector expert Peter Lichthart
Disclaimer CBI market information tools: http://www.cbi.eu/disclaimer
December 2015
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 19
Annex
The codes for fasteners all belong to the CN chapter 7318. Also refer to Table 1 below for the classification. Table 1 also
shows the Prodcom codes used for the production statistics of fasteners.
Table 1: Selected products, based on CN and Prodcom nomenclature
Subsector and product groups
CN code Prodcom code Description
Coach screws
73181100 coach screws of iron or steel
Wood screws
73181200
25941153
wood screws of iron or steel (excl. coach screws)
73181210 wood screws of stainless steel (excl. coach screws)
73181290
wood screws of iron or steel other than stainless (excl. coach
screws)
Screw hooks and rings
73181300 25941157 screw hooks and screw rings, of iron or steel
Self-tapping screws
73181400 25941173 self-tapping screws, of iron or steel (excl. wood screws)
73181410 25941175
self-tapping screws, of iron or steel other than stainless (excl. wood
screws)
73181491 spaced-thread screws of iron or steel other than stainless
73181499 25941175
self-tapping screws of iron or steel other than stainless (excl.
spaced-thread screws and wood screws)
Threaded screws and bolts, with or without nuts and washers
73181500
threaded screws and bolts, of iron or steel, whether or not with their
nuts and washers
73181510 25941113
screws of iron or steel, turned from bars, rods, profiles, or wire, of
solid section, threaded, of a shank thickness of <= 6 mm
73181520 25941115
screws and bolts, of iron or steel "whether or not with their nuts and
washers", for fixing railway track construction material (excl. coach screws)
73181530 25941117 screws and bolts, of stainless steel "whether or not with their nuts and washers", without heads
73181541 25941117
screws and bolts, of iron or steel other than stainless "whether or
not with their nuts and washers", without heads, with a tensile
strength of < 800 mpa
73181549
screws and bolts, of iron or steel other than stainless "whether or
not with their nuts and washers", without heads, with a tensile
strength of >= 800 mpa
73181551 25941123
slotted and cross-recessed screws and bolts, of stainless steel
"whether or not with their nuts and washers", with heads
73181559
slotted and cross-recessed screws and bolts, of iron or steel other
than stainless "whether or not with their nuts and washers", with
heads
73181561 25941127
hexagon socket head screws and bolts, of stainless steel "whether
or not with their nuts and washers"
73181569 25941129
hexagon socket head screws and bolts, of iron or steel other than
stainless "whether or not with their nuts and washers"
73181570 25941131
hexagon screws and bolts, of stainless steel "whether or not with
their nuts and washers", with heads
73181581 25941133
hexagon screws and bolts, of iron or steel other than stainless
"whether or not with their nuts and washers", with a tensile strength
of < 800 mpa, with heads
73181589 25941135
hexagon screws and bolts, of iron or steel other than stainless
"whether or not with their nuts and washers", with a tensile strength
of >= 800 mpa, with heads
73181590 25941125 25941139
screws and bolts, of iron or steel "whether or not with their nuts and washers", with heads
Nuts
73181600 nuts of iron or steel
73181610 25941183
nuts of iron or steel, turned from bars, rods, profiles, or wire, of
solid section, with an inside diameter of <= 6 mm
73181630 25941185 nuts of stainless steel
CBI | Market Intelligence Product Factsheet Fasteners in Europe | 20
Subsector and product groups
CN code Prodcom code Description
73181650 25941187 self-locking nuts of iron or steel other than stainless
73181691
nuts of iron or steel other than stainless, with an inside diameter of
<= 12 mm
73181699
nuts of iron or steel other than stainless, with an inside diameter of
> 12 mm (excl. self-locking nuts)
Threaded articles
73181900 25941190 threaded articles, of iron or steel, n.e.s.
Lock washers
73182100 25941210 spring washers and other lock washers, of iron or steel
Other washers
73182200 25941230 washers of iron or steel
Rivets
73182300 25941250 rivets of iron or steel
Cotters and cotter pins
73182400 25941270 cotters and cotter pins, of iron or steel
Non-threaded articles
73182900 25941270 non-threaded articles, of iron or steel
Source: CN and Prodcom Nomenclature
