America's Silent Crisis: The Vanishing Bolt That Holds Us Together

June 05, 2025 at 03:00 AM EDT

Industry Pioneer Sounds Alarm Over U.S. Fastener Dependence—and Urges Swift Action

DANIEL ISLAND, SC, June 05, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In an age where global tensions threaten critical supply chains and engineering education overlooks vital components, one voice is calling the alarm—firmly, clearly, and with decades of authority behind him.

Mike McGuire, a Fastener Hall of Fame inductee and founder of Worldwide Fastener Sources and US Fastener Sources, warns that the United States faces a quiet but devastating crisis: it no longer manufactures the majority of its mechanical fasteners. And the consequences, he says, are already evident—from military vulnerabilities to high-profile product failures.

"Everything made has a fastener on it—or the machine that made that product has fasteners on it. No exceptions," says McGuire, a U.S. Navy veteran and lifelong advocate for U.S. manufacturing.

A Nation Held Together by Imports

More than 85% of standard, commercial fasteners used in the U.S. are imported, primarily from China and Taiwan, according to industry records under SIC Code 3452. The issue is particularly acute among small- and mid-sized American manufacturers, who rely heavily on these overseas components.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), which purchases over $250 million in fasteners annually, maintains a growing "No Bid" list—fasteners that are no longer produced domestically in adequate supply or quality. Perhaps most striking: the U.S. no longer produces its most common finished hex nut, the ¼-20.

Tens of millions of drywall screws are used daily, and not one is made in the United States.

"It's one thing to depend on foreign goods," McGuire says. "It's another to be incapable of making what we need in times of crisis. A typhoon in Taiwan or a blockade in the Taiwan Strait could paralyze American manufacturing within weeks."

Engineering the Problem—and the Solution

McGuire argues that the issue runs deeper than economics. It's also educational. Not one mechanical or civil engineering program in the United States includes formal training in fasteners or fastening application engineering.

"The next generation of engineers are designing advanced systems and prototypes," he says, "but they have no clue how to physically hold those things together."

To fill the gap, McGuire is partnering with Trident Technical College to launch one of the first formal courses in Fastening Application Engineering. Additionally, he's developing The Fastening Application Guide, a comprehensive resource to inspire creative and reliable use of specialty fasteners in innovative applications.

Fasteners: A National Security Issue

The consequences of fastener neglect extend far beyond hardware stores. During World War II, the United States produced 170 million fasteners per day, a capacity that proved decisive. Today, that number is a fraction of what it once was.

Compounding the issue is a shrinking domestic workforce of skilled machinists—operators of headers, threaders, screw machines, and CNC tools—essential for fastener production. Without them, U.S. defense contractors and OEMs are at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

"We're talking about the most basic component in every defense system we build," McGuire says. "Yet we've let our capacity to produce it slip away. That's not just an industrial concern. That's a national security failure."

The Real Cost of Fastener Failure

Fastener failures are more common—and more costly—than most realize. McGuire points to automotive data showing that 80% of vehicle recalls are fastener-related, causing millions in damage and, in some cases, loss of life.

Still, fasteners remain classified as "Class C" components—low-cost, high-volume parts with low prioritization. McGuire argues that this mindset is dangerously outdated.

"The 'C' should stand for 'Critical,'" he says. "They're the last thing people think about—until they fail."

Building a Legacy—and a Future

Mike McGuire's contributions to the fastener industry span more than four decades:

· Inducted into the Fastener Hall of Fame (1994)

· Honored with the Industrial Fastener Institute Soaring Eagle Award (2020)

· Founder of the National Industrial Fastener Show & Conference Expo (1981)

· Publisher/Editor of the American Fastener Journal (1983–2015)

· Creator of the industry's most expansive Fastener Glossary

· Author of the Fastener Quiz (1,000+ questions) and the Industrial Fastener Study Guide

· Director of the US Fastener Sources HONORS Program, which celebrates annual awards for Fastener Innovation and fastener industry leadership

Through Worldwide Fastener Sources and US Fastener Sources, McGuire has built the most comprehensive online platforms for sourcing, education, and fastener technology worldwide.

The Call to Action

As geopolitical tensions escalate and industrial capacity erodes, McGuire urges industry stakeholders, educators, and policymakers to act now.

"This is the time to invest in fastener education. This is the time to bring back fastener production to American soil," McGuire says. "We cannot build the future if we ignore the very things that hold it together."

Contact: 
Mike McGuire 
Zygologist & Industry Advocate 
Email: mmcguire@worldwidefastenersources.com 
Phone: 602-793-2383 
Web: www.WorldwideFastenerSources.com | www.USFastenerSources.com

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America's Silent Crisis: The Vanishing Bolt That Holds Us Together

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