Profile: A fastener is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together. Fasteners mainly cover nuts, bolts, screws, studs and rivets and are segmented between MS (mild steel) and HT (high tensile) fasteners. These fasteners are used in engineering systems. All types of fasteners, except high tensile and special type fasteners, are reserved for the SSI sector. Bolt is cylindrical piece of metal that fasten objects together. It is a piece of steel forged at one end to make hexagonal, square or round head and the shank fully or partially threaded at the other end. Nut is hexagonal or square piece with a threaded hole at the center. Bolts and nuts can be zinc or cadmium plating to resist corrosion. Application: • Bolt and nut are used to fasten together loose parts mainly in industries and workshops. • In construction connectors between structural members bolt connections are used when it is necessary to fasten two elements tightly together. • Threaded metal bolts are always used in conjunction with nuts. • Another threaded partner is screw, which has countless application especially for wood construction. • The wood screw carves a mating thread in the wood, ensuring the tight fit. • Pins are used to keep two or more elements in alignment; since the pin is not threaded, it allows for rational movement, as in machinery parts. The general applications of various objects having screw threads are: Fastening: screws, nut-bolts and studs having screw threads are used for temporarily fixing one part on to another part Joining: e.g., co axial joining of rods, tubes etc. by external and internal screw threads at their ends or separate adapters Clamping: strongly holding an object by a threaded rod, e.g., in c clamps, vices, tailstock on lathe bed etc Indian Scenario: The Indian Fastener Industry is estimated to have a domestic market of around INR 1500 crore. Automobile industry is the biggest consumer of fasteners. Mild steel fasteners are primarily manufactured by the unorganized sector while the high tensile fasteners require superior technology and dominated by companies in the organized sector. The organized sector commands nearly 70 percent of the fasteners market while the rest is controlled by the unorganized sector and imports. Global Scenario: Global demand for industrial fasteners is projected to increase 4.8 per cent annually to US$ 66 billion in 2012. All types of fasteners, except high tensile and special type fasteners, are reserved for the SSI sector. Total market size of the fastener industry is estimated at around €272m in revenues. Fasteners market can be classified into mild steel (MS) and high tensile (HT) fasteners. MS fasteners constitute about 30% of the market size and are mainly produced by the unorganized sector, while HT fasteners are produced primarily by the organized sector. Automobile sector is the major demand driver for the bearing industry and constitutes almost 50% of the total demand in value terms. The bearings industry consists of bimetal bearings and anti friction bearings. The anti friction bearings comprise €270 360 mn of the bearings market and bimetal bearings comprise the rest of the market. Imports comprise approximately 25 to 30% of the total market. Therefore the scope for this product is very bright. An entrepreneur venturing into this project will find it very lucrative.