Global Fastener News

BTA Report: U.S. Fastener Sales Rose at 4.7% Annual Pace from 1992 to
2000

John Wolz

U.S. fastener manufacturers� sales rose an average of 4.7% per year from 1992 to 2000, according to a recently updated report by Business Trend Analysts Inc.
“This relatively successful stretch for such a mature industry had a lot to do with the separate but concurrent successes of the end-use markets that industrial fasteners serve,” according to The U.S. Industrial Fastener Industry report by the Commack, NY-based research firm.
“The automobile, aircraft and construction industries did quite well in both economic and unit growth” during the economic boom of the late 1990s.
The U.S. Fastener Quality Act, originally passed at the beginning of the decade was revised in 1999 to “clarify uncertainties and help companies attain certifications more easily.”
The FQA also changed the U.S. market by making importing of fasteners easier. “Since President Clinton was such a big supporter of free trade, it followed that he would be in favor of these changes to the law,”
according to the report. But raw material imports face a different situation. “Items such as steel are facing import quantity restrictions due to the cheap labor available to foreign companies during the production process.”
Raw material prices have been driven down “because of years of competition and cost-cutting. After prices and margins have been pushed as low as possible, it is usually the cost of raw materials that subsequently becomes the biggest influence behind price movement.” Web: BusinessTrendAnalysts.com �2002 FastenerNews.com\