Locking Pliers Market Size - By Product Type, By Material, By Price, By End User, By Distribution Channel Analysis, Share, Growth Forecast, 2024 - 2032

Locking Pliers Market Size

The global locking pliers market size was valued at USD 1.5 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 3.5% during 2024 to 2032, due to industrialization, a rise in do-it-yourself culture, innovation in tools, and robust growth in the automotive and construction industries, the global market is anticipated to expand. Developing nations are experiencing higher levels of industrialization, which increases the demand for versatile hand tools such as locking pliers in the automotive, construction, aerospace, and heavy machinery industries. Simultaneously, in developed economies, there is an upward trend in home renovation, leading to increased demand for more reliable tools.
 

Moreover, manufacturers are continuing the trend of creating robust and ergonomic designs with materials like alloy and high-carbon steel. Such advancements augment the durability of the tools while ensuring a design that efficiently minimizes tool degradation when used in high-stress scenarios. Growing demand from the emerging automotive industry alongside the need for effective gripping, holding, and manipulation tools makes these pliers a necessity. Besides, the ever-increasing market for DIY automotive repairing and maintenance also maintains the surge in demand.
 

Locking Pliers Market Trends

Due to the ever-changing industrial needs, trends, and advancements in technology, we now observe a shift in the global locking plier's market. Companies are increasingly investing in designing more ergonomic handles alongside lightweight designs with the end goal of ensuring user comfort and safety. These factors are especially beneficial for professionals who use these tools for long periods as they help to ease the strain when a person’s hand is overexerted. Low swivelling friction tools coupled with non-slip soft grip handles have also become common features as they assist in a wide range of activities related to various industries.
 

Manufacturers of locking pliers are also modifying their products to extend into more markets. For instance, they are creating curved, straight, needle nose, and a variety of jaw shapes to further broaden the scope of their industry.
 

Demand for specialized locking pliers to be used in specific applications in the automotive, aerospace, and electrical industries has been on the rise. Such applications include holding small components and increasing accuracy in the manufacturing processes. A few of the locking pliers are also multi-functional, such as with clamps or adjustable jaws to perform various tasks of gripping and clamping.
 

Locking Pliers Market Analysis

Competition in the market for locking pliers is considerably high due to the presence of key players alongside new entrants with an array of varied tools. Cheap manufacturers in India and China are also impacting the price of the tools and in turn affecting various premium brands’ profit margins and brand identity. The core materials comprising steel, carbon steel, alloys, among others, are subject to volatile market prices. For instance, changes in the international supply chain, trade policies, and fluctuations in the prices of commodities will cause the price of raw materials to also be on the high end, which will significantly reduce retail prices or in turn profit margins.
 

The growth of modern tools that have the potential to replace manual ones with real-time feedback has greatly fueled demand for automation. As tools that aid in getting a procedure done efficiently and lockout tools become a standard, the holding tools market would gravely reduce as precision and robotics come into play.
 

• Based on product type, the curved jaw segment surpassed USD 600 million in 2023, and now it is expected to grow further with a 3.8% annual growth rate from 2024 to 2032. Automotive fixing, plumbing, and construction are all good applications for curved jaw locking wonders, which provide a tighter grip. As the demand for gripping pipe, bolts, and odd fittings increases drastically due to the creation of the plumbing and automotive fixing industry, it’s easy to guess that the demand for curved jaw locking tools is going to follow that growth.
   
• In contrast, straight jaw locking pliers grip flat surfaces or parallel edges. There are tasks that require precision, and this tool is often used. For general industry, automotive repair, and light manufacturing, the available straight jaw locking pliers are suitable. Stabilized jaws are fixed in place, and the edges of the jaw are appropriate for welding, metalworking, and other applications that require a solid grip. Furthermore, straight jaw locking pliers have become popular in more DIY projects around the home, such as twisting pipes, bolts, and certain fixtures around the house.

• Based on the end user, the automotive segment held 32% share of the locking pliers market in 2023 and is likely to increase at a CAGR of 3.8% between 2024 and 2032. The use of such tools like locking pliers is important in the automotive industry during assembly, maintenance, and repair stages. Curved jaw or straight jaw pliers are used to hold or squeeze bolts, pipes, and hoses with the appropriate pressure. With the emergence of electric cars, the shortage of precision locking pliers is growing. For the precise wiring and assembling of numerous parts of an electric car, such as small parts, tools such as needle nose pliers are critical.
   
• In contrast, due to the rise of DIY enthusiasts, the home improvement industry has grown exponentially after the pandemic. Straight jaw and curved jaw locking pliers are integral tools in plumbing and furniture assembly as well. E-commerce has aided these tools’ accessibility, with qualified retailers providing a wider range of high-standard locking pliers for other home improvement tools.

• The U.S. locking pliers market was reached USD 400 million in 2023, with an expected growth rate of over 3.6% from 2024 to 2032. The U.S. locking pliers’ market has seen an uptick in recent years with the increasing manufacturing activities of automotive, aerospace, electronics, and machinery industries. Fastening and maintaining these industries’ machinery requires hand tools, which include welding and clamping tools such as locking pliers. Along with the growth of manufacturing automation, the scope for manual operations and system diagnosis and recovery also widens, increasing the need for locking pliers.
   
• The increasing popularity of electric vehicles in the U.S. has also led to an upsurge in demand for enhancing EV assembly and repair tools. Locking pliers are also a major necessity in fastening battery packs, motors, wiring, and other components. Furthermore, more car owners are performing their own repairs, which also contributes to the increase in demand for locking pliers. Other tools such as needle nose, curved jaw, and straight jaw pliers are also widely employed for electrical systems, clamps, and bolts. In other words, locking pliers are highly sought after in developing regions with strong manufacturing, construction, and automotive presence. Professional grade locking pliers are in substantial demand in the automotive manufacturing regions of Michigan, Texas, California, and Ohio as well.
   

North America: In terms of the country, the U.S. is the largest with a considerable market share of nearly 79% of the locking pliers' market within the North American region. In the previous five years, the U.S. locking pliers market held steady growth primarily due to the resurgence of manufacturing within the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and machinery industries.
 

The Canada market for locking pliers, on the other hand, displays a healthy growth rate of 3.8% during the period of 2024-2032. For Canada, the industrial and manufacturing industries are the largest end-users of locking pliers, primarily due to the automotive, aerospace, and heavy machinery industries, where locking pliers are used for fastening, clamping, and holding materials while being assembled or repaired.
 

Europe: The locking pliers market in Europe is expected to have a considerable market share of around 25% in 2023 and show an increase at a CAGR of 3.3% during the period of 2024-2032. In European manufacturing plants, the growth rate in automation is increasing the need for specialized high-power hand tools, which are more ergonomic.
 

On the country basis, the Germany locking pliers’ market is expanding with a growth estimate of 3.9% during the period of 2024–2032. The robust tradition of DIY in Germany is fostering the desire for locking pliers as they are practical, flexible, and cheap, especially with the ongoing increase in home renovation spending.
 

Asia Pacific: Asia Pacific is expected to increase its locking plier market share from 29% in 2023 at a CAGR of close to 3.9%. Growth in industrialization, heightened consumer fascination with DIY tools, as well as advances in hand tools technology, is fueling the growth of the locking pliers industry in the Asia-Pacific.
 

China is the leading country in the Asia Pacific region with almost 32% share in the year 2023. This is attributed to the rapid urbanization and large-scale construction activities taking place in the country, which in turn are significantly increasing the market for hand tools, including locking pliers.
 

Locking Pliers Market Share

 In 2023, Crescent Tools, Stanley Black & Decker, Klein Tools, Strong Hand Tools, and Knipex are estimated to have a market share of approximately 8 and 12%. These companies are involved in mergers and acquisitions, facility expansion, and business partnerships for product expansion purposes and to increase market coverage.
 

To withstand price competition, manufacturers of locking pliers have resorted to increasing investments in product innovation and design. Consumers are recently more price-sensitive, and the newer developing markets such as India and China are becoming increasingly competitive.
 

Locking Pliers Market Companies

Major players operating in the locking pliers industry are:

• Bollmann 
• Channellock
• Crescent Tools
• Deli Group
• Grip-on
• Klein Tools
• Knipex
• Milwaukee Tool
• Snap-On
• Sonic Tools
• Stanley Black & Decker
• Strong Hand Tools
• Toptul
• Vermont American
• Wurth
   

Locking Pliers Industry News

• Channellock has recently, in September 2023, launched the Channellock professional locking pliers, which are specifically designed for trades professionals. These pro locking pliers come in thirteen types and sizes, have forged steel jaws providing strength, durability, and protection against rust and spatter, and a one-handed extended-release lever to prevent pinching fingers. Furthermore, the pro locking pliers with high-performance handles ensure a strong grip.
   

This Locking Pliers market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue (USD Billion) & volume (Thousand Units) from 2021 to 2032, for the following segments:

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Market, By Product Type

• Curved jaw
• Straight jaw
• Needle nose pliers
• C-clamp
• Others (sheet metal, claw grip etc.)

Market, By Material

• Carbon steel
• Stainless steel
• Forged steel
• Alloy steel   

Market, By Price

• Low
• Medium
• High     

Market, By End User

• Automotive
• Construction
• Home improvement
• Industrial & manufacturing
• Electrical
• Others (woodworking, plumbing etc.)    

Market, By Distribution Channel

• Direct sales
• Indirect sales   

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia 
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico 
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa