Analysis of Fasteners Import and Export in the First Three Quarters of 2011 in the United States

In the third quarter of 2011, the US fastener exports continued to maintain a growth trend, which was a significant increase from the third quarter of 2010, which was a year-on-year increase of 21%. In the first three quarters of 2011, the US fastener export volume increased by 19% year-on-year. In September 2011, U.S. fastener exports increased for two consecutive months. The U.S. fastener imports also increased for three consecutive quarters, an increase of 24% over the same period in 2010. The trade deficit in fasteners narrowed from US$114 million in August to US$91 million in September.

In the third quarter of 2011, the number of U.S. fastener exports to Canada decreased, but exports to Mexico hit a new high. Despite this, Canada remains the largest fastener exporter in the United States. On the import side, in the third quarter, the US imported fasteners from Taiwan and China continued to maintain growth. In addition, due to the heavy setback in the March earthquake, Japan is currently in a difficult recovery. In 2011, US imports of fasteners from Japan fell by 1%.

In terms of average unit price, the average unit price of US exports of lag screws in shipping in 2011 was US$5.75/kg. In December 2010, the average unit price of lag screws increased significantly (see the chart below), mainly because the amount of square-head screws exported to Liberia during the month surged. As for the unit price of imports, the average unit price of imports for the whole year of 2011 has been growing. One of the reasons is the increase in global steel demand.