Cable Ties for Effective Wire Management, Safety

Cable ties, which were invented in 1958 for the electrical industry, are now widely used in various industries. They bind wires and cables together, protecting them from damage and keeping them organized and tidy. Because they come in various colors, they also serve as labels or hold tags that help make equipment and wiring maintenance work easy.

Called zip ties, cable fixers and cable tie wraps, among many other names, they are used to bundle hoses and pipes as well. In HVAC systems, these fasteners secure air ducts and other equipment in plenum spaces and, as such, are known as plenum cable ties.

Most zip ties are made of plastic, with other variants using metal, metal and plastic, or cloth. In the food and beverage industry, they are usually made of detectable metal for instant identification in case they accidentally drop into the product during processing.

Across many applications, cable ties are selected based on their mechanical and tensile strength and life span, in addition to length and width.

In China, manufacturers employ materials that ensure high performance. Dongguan Reflying Leather Products Co. Ltd, for instance, turns to silicone for its flexibility, durability, and tear and pull resistance. It offers a series of cable ties that are easy to clean and can be reused. In 10 colors and four sizes, these products have a button lock for quick opening and fastening and a tiny opening for attaching them securely to cords without sliding. Besides various cables, they can be used to bundle telephone lines. There are also suppliers that market silicone cable ties with self-locking magnets on both ends.

Others have stainless steel units with high tensile strength, nonflammable quality, self-locking function and resistance to acetic acid, sulphuric acid and corrosive chemicals. They are usually intended for bunding communication cables or binding parts used in shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing and other industries, and can withstand temperatures as low as -60 C to as high as 150 C.

Stable market growth

The ubiquity of cable ties in industries has been keeping their market in an upturn. Globally, these fasteners posted $161.5 million in 2021 and are forecast to reach $232.8 million by 2028, according to GlobalInfoResearch (GIR).

China, the world's largest production base for this category, has benefited from healthy market demand with a 5 to 10 percent annual increase in total sales value in the past two or three years. Manufacturers there are confident this upward trend will continue through 2024 and expect to raise their output levels.

There are hundreds of suppliers in China in this predominantly labor-intensive product line, and only a few are from overseas. Many are found in Ningbo, Yueqing, Suzhou and Changzhou, with others in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan and Guangzhou.

CHS, Xingo, Huada, Atai and Hont are some of the top Chinese players. Giantlok and KSS, large-scale manufacturers from the Taiwan region, have factories there.

Most China-based companies also offer tapes and ropes, with cable ties accounting for 10 to 30 percent of their shipments.

Homegrown enterprises export 30 to 80 percent of their cable ties, mainly to Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region.

Plastic cable ties dominate

Cable ties from Chinese manufacturers are made of plastic materials such as nylon, POM, PEEK, polyolefins, PP and PP, as well as of stainless steel and silicone. Plastic types account for more than 80 percent of shipments.

These fasteners are available in a range of sizes and colors to suit any application, with further categorization based on features such as self-locking, flame-retardant, flexible and reusable types. They can also be made according to specific requirements, with customization generally accommodated.

To ensure product quality, most companies ensure compliance with international standards of safety such as CE, RoHS and UL.

Manufacturers turn to domestic providers for plastic and metal materials but accommodate requests for inputs from foreign companies.

Material costs and cable tie prices have remained stable and are expected to stay so until 2024, according to suppliers interviewed by Global Sources.

Nylon cable tie

Company: Dongguan Fangbei Electronic Co. Ltd

Dongguan Fangbei’s FBCT-M nylon cable tie comes in 48x300mm or custom size and red, yellow, green, blue, orange, black or white. Its operating temperature is -30 to 80 C.

MOQ: 1,000 pieces

Lead time: 5 days

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Nylon cable tie, self-locking

Company: Jiangsu Goldmoon Industry Co. Ltd

From Jiangsu Goldmoon, the GOLDMOON-EE-1-2229 self-locking nylon cable tie comes in custom sizes and colors.

MOQ: 100 pieces

Lead time: 7 days

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Nylon cable tie, releasable and self-locking

Company: Wenzhou Nowike (Plastics) Electronic Co. Ltd

Made of nylon, the Push X25 releasable and self-locking cable tie from Wenzhou Nowike has a tensile strength of 40 pounds, operating temperature of -14 to 77 C and life span of two to eight years. Its flame-retardant rating is UL94V2.

MOQ: 1,000 pieces

Lead time: 10 days

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