China Fastener Industry Export Outlook 2025

Shanghai, China, January 29, 2026 — In 2025, China’s fastener exports continued to maintain a growth trend. According to preliminary customs statistics, the total export value of Chinese fasteners for the year reached approximately USD 11.919 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of about 4.1%. Export volume totaled around 6.239 million tons, up 6.7% year-on-year, while the average export price was approximately USD 1,910 per ton, slightly decreasing by 2.4% compared to 2024.

China’s fastener industry is moving into a phase of “higher volume, stable pricing, and structural upgrading.” Export volumes are expanding, while prices remain under pressure from global competition, new capacities in emerging markets, and volatility in inflation and raw material costs.

Regarding the changes in China’s fastener exports in 2025, Mr. Herry Meng, General Manager of Fastener Expo Shanghai, the report’s producer, stated: “As an industry platform, we continuously track the performance of China’s fastener exports on a quarterly basis. Looking at the full year of 2025, the export market is transitioning from being ‘dominated by Europe and the U.S.’ to a multi-region growth model, with Asia and emerging markets serving as new growth poles. Enterprises need to accelerate market diversification and adopt localized service strategies.”

I. Changes in Export Market Structure

In 2025, China’s top 30 fastener export destinations totaled USD 9.336 billion, accounting for 78.3% of exports—down slightly from 79.6% in 2024, signaling a more diversified market structure.

1. European Market

China’s exports of fasteners to major European economies continued to grow. Export values to Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy increased by 8.8%, 6.9%, and 14.5% year-on-year, respectively, while exports to the Netherlands also rose by approximately 14.9%. This growth reflects Europe’s sustained demand for Chinese fasteners across various applications, including automotive manufacturing, machinery, construction, and infrastructure.

The total imports by Western European countries reached USD 2.064 billion, surpassing the U.S. and becoming China’s largest export destination. Europe’s rapidly growing demand also calls for diversified global fastener supply chain collaboration. The Fastener Expo Frankfurt (FEF) has emerged in response to this trend, with the inaugural event scheduled to be held in March 2026 and recurring biennially. Rooted in European industry demand, the expo will connect global fastener traders, manufacturers, and equipment suppliers.

2. U.S. Market
The U.S. remains China’s largest single fastener export market. In 2025, exports totaled about USD 1.515 billion, down nearly 10% in value and 9.7% in volume, mainly due to U.S. trade policies, tariffs, and supply chain adjustments.

3. Southeast Asia and Emerging Markets
Vietnam became China’s second-largest export destination, with exports reaching about USD 761 million, up over 30% year-on-year. The growth is mainly driven by its role as a regional transshipment hub rather than purely by end-market demand. Exports to other ASEAN countries such as Thailand and Malaysia also maintained positive growth.

4. Russian Market
Russia remained the third-largest market, with exports of about USD 569 million, down 6% year-on-year; high-end fasteners still retain premium pricing.

5. Japanese, South Korean, and Indian Markets
Japan’s exports grew marginally (+0.2%), South Korea’s declined (-10.6%), and India’s dependence on Chinese standard fasteners decreased due to domestic industry growth and local sourcing policies.

6. ASEAN, Central Asia, and Belt & Road Markets
ASEAN remains a major growth engine for China’s fastener exports, with Thailand (+15.1%) and Malaysia (+7.4%) continuing to expand. Central Asia, led by Kyrgyzstan (+89.7%) and Kazakhstan (+51.1%), saw rapid growth driven by rising demand for Chinese industrial products. Middle Eastern markets such as the UAE (+9.7%) and Saudi Arabia (+7.1%) also sustained momentum, supported by infrastructure and industrial projects and their role as transshipment hubs to Europe and the U.S.

Figure: Top 30 Destinations of China’s Fastener Exports in 2025

II. Export Performance by Product Category

China’s fastener exports in 2025 continued shifting toward higher value-added and specialized solutions.

High-strength fasteners (“Other Screws and Bolts, ≥800 MPa”) grew 11%, and copper fasteners rose 14.7% with prices up 14.1%, reflecting premium potential from special materials and system integration.

Bulk standard fasteners grew in volume but saw falling prices. “Steel Nails and Flat-Head Nails” rose 4.6% in volume but dropped 5.6% in price, while traditional items like “Self-Tapping Screws” and “Nuts” showed similar trends, reflecting intense competition and margin pressure.

The fastener industry is upgrading from “ordinary standard fasteners” to “high-strength, corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and customized” solutions, but transformation speed is uneven: high-end segments are growing strongly, while traditional categories remain scale-dependent and vulnerable to raw material prices and international competition.

III. Changes in Provincial Export Patterns

Against a backdrop of stable overall growth, China’s provincial export patterns show structural evolution.

Traditional hubs in the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas have shifted to a quality-driven stage: Zhejiang’s exports grew 4.6%, accounting for nearly 40% of national exports, driven by industry chain support and optimized product structure; Jiangsu’s exports rose 6% with higher unit prices. Central and western provinces leveraged cost, location, and policy advantages: Hebei’s exports increased 11.6% in value and 23.4% in volume, focused on standard and bulk fasteners, while Xinjiang surged 93.4%, benefiting from its role as a Belt & Road western corridor hub and the China-Europe Railway Express.

Mr. Herry Meng noted that while traditional coastal bases consolidate advantages, central, western, and border provinces are leveraging policy and location for rapid growth. China’s fastener exports are shifting from coastal-led to multi-region coordinated development, with industrial clusters increasingly showcasing unified branding at Fastener Expo Shanghai.

Figure: China’s Provincial Fastener Export Patterns in 2025

About Fastener Expo Shanghai

As Asia’s industry benchmark for fasteners and a top 3 worldwide fastener trade fair, the Fastener Expo Shanghai 2026 (FES 2026) will be held from June 24–26, 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), covering more than 70,000 square meters. FES is expected to feature over 1,400 quality exhibitors and attract 25,000 global professional visitors. After 15 successful editions, Fastener Expo Shanghai is recognized as one of the world’s top three professional fastener exhibitions.

Contact Info:
Name: Goblic Hu
Email: Send Email
Organization: Shanghai Shangsou Exhibition Co., Ltd.
Website: http://www.fastenerexpo.cn

Release ID: 89182266

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