American Fastener Journal

What American Fastener Journal does

American Fastener Journal (AFJ) is a privately held, Akron, Ohio–based trade publication serving the U.S. fastener industry. Founded in 1993 and currently in its 42nd volume as of 2026, AFJ publishes a bimonthly print and digital magazine targeted at fastener manufacturers, distributors, OEMs, and end users, with free subscriptions offered to qualified U.S. professionals and digital editions distributed to international readers via the Bluetoad platform. The publication's product portfolio comprises the bimonthly AFJ Magazine, a continuously updated Digital Edition archive (issues from 2009 to present), the annual American Fastener Source Guide (March/April), and the annual Fastener Literature Profiles (November/December), supplemented by a website/news portal at fastenerjournal.com.\n\nAFJ's technology footprint is intentionally lean: a WordPress-style website for news and subscription acquisition, Mailchimp for email registration, and Bluetoad as a third-party hosted digital reading platform. The publication's core asset is a 30-year editorial archive of technical fastener articles used as reference material by industry professionals. There is no proprietary software, no AI/ML capability, no mobile application, and no public API.\n\nAFJ's revenue model is advertising-led. The company sells print display advertising, web banners, email campaigns, and premium placements in two annual publications (Source Guide logos at $160 B&W / $260 Color; Fastener Literature Profiles at $425 standard / $950 with cover spot). Distribution and lead flow are amplified through partnerships with the International Fastener Expo and Fastener Fair USA trade shows and through circulation lists sourced from 60+ fastener and distributor associations (including NFDA, STAFDA, and NAWD). No revenue, headcount, or ownership figures are publicly disclosed.

Name

American Fastener Journal

Legal name

American Fastener Journal

Website

https://fastenerjournal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

American Fastener Journal is a private, Akron-based bimonthly print and digital trade magazine, founded in 1993, serving U.S. fastener manufacturers, distributors, OEMs, and end users with technical content and industry news via an advertising-led revenue model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Publishing (Industrial Media)

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

Keywords

• Trade magazine publishing
• Fastener industry news
• B2b advertising media
• Industrial print publication
• Digital publishing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Akron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Primary revenue stream from print and digital advertising. AFJ offers custom advertising programs with various ad sizes, color options, covers and special positions, web banner ads, and email campaigns. All print ads are included in digital editions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

American Fastener Journal publishes a bimonthly print and digital trade magazine providing technical articles, industry news, business coverage, and editorials for fastener professionals, manufacturers, distributors, and OEMs. The publication also offers an annual Source Guide, annual Fastener Literature Profiles, a digital edition archive hosted on Bluetoad, and a website news portal — all supported by free subscriptions for qualified U.S. fastener industry professionals.

Product overview

American Fastener Journal is a bimonthly print and digital trade magazine serving the fastener industry since 1994. The publication offers a unified portfolio of content products including the bimonthly American Fastener Journal Magazine (available in both print and digital formats), the Digital Edition platform for accessing archived issues from 2009-present, the annual American Fastener Source Guide (March/April) for supplier sourcing, and the annual Fastener Literature Profiles (November/December) for technical documentation. Combined with the AFJ website and news portal, these offerings provide comprehensive coverage of fastener technical articles, industry news, business trends, and market intelligence for fastener manufacturers, distributors, OEMs, and end users.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• American Fastener Journal Magazine (Print and Digital) Bimonthly print and digital trade magazine providing technical articles, fastener industry news, business coverage, and editorials for fastener professionals, manufacturers, distributors, and OEMs. Distributed free to qualified U.S. fastener industry professionals with a digital version for international subscribers.
• Digital Edition Archive Online access to all American Fastener Journal magazine issues from 2009 to present, hosted on the Bluetoad digital publishing platform, with hotlinks to advertisers' websites and contact information for current and back issues.
• American Fastener Source Guide Annual directory published in the March/April issue featuring fastener manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers, providing sourcing information for the fastener industry.
• Fastener Literature Profiles Annual feature published in the November/December issue showcasing fastener industry literature, technical documentation, and product catalogs for advertisers in the fastener industry.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Fastener Expo (IFE)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAFJ partners with IFE for free issue preview and distribution at the annual International Fastener Expo (September/October). The publication covers show news and events.
• Fastener Fair USAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAFJ partners with Fastener Fair USA (May/June) for free issue preview and distribution at this major trade show event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Assembly Magazine: B2B trade magazine covering manufacturing assembly processes, fasteners, and fastening technologies. Closely comparable to AFJ in serving manufacturers and OEMs with technical editorial content supported by advertising revenue.
• Design World: Engineering and design trade publication covering mechanical components including fasteners and joining technologies. Comparable to AFJ as a B2B trade magazine serving engineers and manufacturers with technical editorial and advertising-driven monetization.
• Industrial Distribution: Long-running B2B trade publication covering industrial distribution, including fastener distributors and suppliers. Directly comparable to AFJ as a vertical trade magazine monetized through advertising and serving overlapping readership of fastener distributors.
• Fastener Technology International: International trade publication dedicated specifically to the fastener industry, covering technology, manufacturing, and distribution. The most direct head-to-head competitor to AFJ in the fastener trade magazine category.

Emerging players

• Torque Magazine: B2B publication focused on fastening and joining technologies across industrial markets. Overlaps with AFJ in serving fastener manufacturers and distributors with technical editorial content under a similar ad-supported model.
• National Fastener Distributors Association (NFDA): Industry association serving fastener distributors in North America. AFJ leverages NFDA's membership list for distribution, and the association produces some industry content, making it an adjacent player in the same fastener media ecosystem.
• Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI): Industry association for North American fastener manufacturers that publishes standards, technical documents, and industry content. Not a direct competitor but an adjacent ecosystem player whose standards and publications overlap with AFJ's editorial scope.

Broad incumbents

• Today's Motor Vehicles: B2B trade publication covering automotive manufacturing including fasteners and assembly. Broader in scope than AFJ but overlaps in advertiser base (manufacturers, OEMs) and shares the ad-supported trade magazine business model.
• Thomas Industry Update / Thomas Publishing: Industrial sourcing platform and B2B media property publishing content for manufacturers and suppliers, including sourcing directories. Comparable to AFJ's annual Source Guide and trades on an overlapping advertiser base in the fastener and industrial supply categories.
• Machine Design: Established engineering trade publication covering mechanical design, components, and fastening. A broader incumbent than AFJ in industrial engineering media, but operates the same print + digital B2B trade magazine model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-fastener-journal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 American Fastener Journal