DISC LOCK International

What DISC LOCK International does

Sherex Fastening Solutions, operating under DISC LOCK International and owned by Penn Engineering, designs, manufactures, and supplies specialized fastening solutions with a primary focus on blind rivet nuts and wedge locking products. The company describes itself as the largest manufacturer of rivet nuts in North America. Its product portfolio spans three categories: (1) blind fastening products for thin sheet attachments, including blind rivet nuts, the Optisert round body rivet nut line (including a stainless variant), high strength Class 10/Grade 8 rivet nuts, clinch nuts, compression limiters, and nut and stud plates; (2) wedge locking products under the Disc-Lock and TEC Series brands, including wedge locking nuts, washers, and the Disc-Lock M22 safety wheel nut, which use proprietary wedge locking technology to prevent joint loosening under high vibration and high load; and (3) fastener installation systems ranging from hand tools and pneumatic and hydro-pneumatic tools to automated installation systems delivered through an MDS partnership, plus process monitoring and calibration equipment.

The company's go-to-market is sales-led and quote-based, supported by engineering design consultation and a direct e-commerce storefront at fasteners.sherex.com. Customer segments are organized vertically, with primary focus on Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Heavy Truck, and Agriculture and Construction Equipment, and secondary expansion into General Industrial, Electric Vehicle assembly, and Solar and Battery Storage. Sherex holds IATF 16949 automotive and ISO 9001:2015 quality management certifications, which support OEM qualification. The company operates through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries in the United States (headquarters in Tonawanda, NY), Poland, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, providing global technical sales and service. Revenue model is hardware sales across both fastener products and installation tooling, with pricing not publicly disclosed and contracts negotiated per application.

Name

DISC LOCK International

Legal name

Sherex Fastening Solutions

Website

https://disc-lock.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sherex Fastening Solutions (DISC LOCK International) is the largest manufacturer of rivet nuts in North America, producing blind rivet nuts, wedge locking nuts and washers, clinch nuts, compression limiters, and installation tooling for automotive, aerospace and defense, heavy truck, agriculture, EV, and solar customers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Fasteners

NAICS

Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing (332722), Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (33272), Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (3327)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452), Screw Machine Products (3451)

akta.pro primary industry

Fasteners, Anchors & Connectors (Bolts, Weld Studs, Plates) (IMADACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aerospace Fasteners & Hardware (IMABANAA)

Keywords

• Blind rivet nuts
• Wedge locking washers
• Clinch nuts
• Compression limiters
• Fastener installation tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fastener Products: Manufacture and sale of fastening solutions including rivet nuts, wedge locking washers and nuts, clinch nuts, compression limiters, and specialty fasteners
2. Installation Tools and Systems: Sale of fastener installation tools including hand tools, pneumatic tools, hydro-pneumatic tools, and automated installation systems

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Manufactures and supplies industrial fastening solutions including blind rivet nuts, wedge locking washers and nuts, clinch nuts, compression limiters, and specialty fasteners for thin sheet attachments and vibrational loosening prevention. The company also sells fastener installation systems ranging from hand tools to automated installation lines. Customers span automotive, aerospace and defense, heavy truck, agriculture and construction equipment, and general industrial manufacturing.

Product overview

Sherex Fastening Solutions is a manufacturer and supplier of fastening solutions, described as the largest manufacturer of rivet nuts in North America. Their product portfolio includes three main categories: (1) Blind Fastening Products for thin sheet attachments including Blind Rivet Nuts, Clinch Nuts, Compression Limiters, Nut and Stud Plates, and Specialty Fasteners; (2) Wedge Locking Products including the Disc-Lock brand (Wedge Locking Nuts, Wedge Locking Washers, M22 Safety Wheel Nuts) and TEC Series Wedge Locking Washers that protect joints from vibrational loosening; and (3) Fastener Installation Systems including Hand Tools, Pneumatic Tools, Hydro-Pneumatic Tools, Automated Systems, Process Monitoring Systems, and Calibration Units. The company services Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Agriculture and Construction Equipment, General Industrial, and Heavy Truck markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Disc-Lock: Wedge locking nuts and washers for vibrational loosening prevention in high vibration and high load applications, including automotive, solar, wind, construction, agricultural equipment and battery storage.
• TEC Series
• Optisert

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Penn Engineeringparent_companyOthersParent company ownership of Sherex Fastening Solutions. Penn Engineering is a manufacturer of fastening solutions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hilti: Global supplier of fastening solutions, tools, and services primarily for the construction industry. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering fasteners combined with installation tooling, overlapping with Sherex's agriculture and construction equipment segment.
• Würth: Global market leader in fastening and assembly materials, distributing and producing a wide range of screws, nuts, and specialty fasteners. Serves overlapping industrial and automotive customer segments as a broad incumbent to Sherex.
• ITW (Illinois Tool Works): Large diversified industrial manufacturer with multiple fastening-related segments serving automotive, construction, and general industrial markets. A broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities to Sherex in industrial fasteners.
• Bossard: Swiss-headquartered provider of fastening solutions and engineering services with global operations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Operates an integrated fastener-and-installation model comparable to Sherex's product offering.
• Howmet Aerospace: Major aerospace manufacturer with a fastener systems business producing high-strength bolts, nuts, and engineered components. Relevant as a broad incumbent in aerospace fasteners competing for similar Tier-1 and OEM specifications.

Direct peers

• Stanley Engineered Fastening: A major global manufacturer of engineered fastening solutions for automotive, industrial, and aerospace applications. Directly comparable to Sherex as a competing supplier of specialty fasteners (including blind fasteners and assembly tools) to similar OEM customers.
• Böllhoff: A family-owned German manufacturer specializing in fastening technology for industrial applications, including blind rivet nuts and assembly systems. Directly comparable to Sherex's product portfolio and European regional presence.
• Nord-Lock: Specialist in wedge-locking washer technology for preventing bolt loosening in vibration-intensive applications. A direct competitor to Sherex's Disc-Lock and TEC Series wedge-locking product lines across automotive, energy, and heavy equipment.
• Atlas Bolt & Screw: US-based manufacturer of fasteners including blind rivet nuts and specialty threaded products. Sherex's own website publishes an 'ATLAS and Sherex Rivet Nut Part Equivalent' cross-reference, indicating direct product overlap and competitive positioning.

Emerging players

• LISI Aerospace: Specialist manufacturer of aerospace fasteners and structural components with global operations. Comparable to Sherex's aerospace and defense segment as a focused aerospace fastener supplier with higher-margin specialty exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sherex-fastening-solutions
• Xx.com/disclock

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DISC LOCK International