B21G MAKING NEEDLES, PINS OR NAILS OF METAL
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- Subclass:
- MAKING NEEDLES, PINS OR NAILS OF METAL
Description
B21G covers mechanical processes for manufacturing metal needles, pins, and nails through forming, shaping, and assembling operations that do not fundamentally involve material removal. This includes techniques such as wire drawing, heading, pointing, and cold forming of these small elongated fastening or textile components. The class encompasses both the machinery and methods used in high-volume production of common fasteners and precision needles, excluding machining or grinding operations that would be classified elsewhere. Related manufacturing processes involving material removal are covered by other subclasses within B21 (such as turning or milling), while the design of the final products themselves falls under different classifications.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B21G recorded 1,702 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 113 in 2013 to 140 in 2023 (+24%), peaking at 252 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B21 are JFE STEEL (2,318 applications), JFE STEEL (2,294 applications) and POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) (2,083 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
B21G ranks 9th of 9 subclasses with filings in B21, with 1,702 applications between 2013 and 2023, 0.3% of the class. Annual filings grew 24% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+146%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B21D, Working or Processing of Sheet Metal or Metal Tubes, Rods or Profiles Without Essentially Removing Material; Punching Metal | Working or Processing of Sheet Metal or Metal Tubes, Rods or Profiles Without Essentially Removing Material; Punching Metal | 351,007 | 53.1% |
| 2 | B21C, Manufacture of Metal Sheets, Wire, Rods, Tubes, Profiles or Like Semi-Manufactured Products Otherwise Than by Rolling; Auxiliary Operations Used in Connection With Metal-Working Without Essentially Removing Material | Manufacture of Metal Sheets, Wire, Rods, Tubes, Profiles or Like Semi-Manufactured Products Otherwise Than by Rolling; Auxiliary Operations Used in Connection With Metal-Working Without Essentially Removing Material | 84,269 | 12.8% |
| 3 | B21B, Rolling of Metal | Rolling of Metal | 71,906 | 10.9% |
| 4 | B21F, Working or Processing of Metal Wire | Working or Processing of Metal Wire | 67,229 | 10.2% |
| 5 | B21J, Forging; Hammering; Pressing Metal; Riveting; Forge Furnaces | Forging; Hammering; Pressing Metal; Riveting; Forge Furnaces | 53,883 | 8.2% |
| 6 | B21K, Making Forged or Pressed Metal Products, e.g. Horse-Shoes, Rivets, Bolts or Wheels | Making Forged or Pressed Metal Products, e.g. Horse-Shoes, Rivets, Bolts or Wheels | 18,766 | 2.8% |
| 7 | B21H, Making Particular Metal Objects by Rolling, e.g. Screws, Wheels, Rings, Barrels, Balls | Making Particular Metal Objects by Rolling, e.g. Screws, Wheels, Rings, Barrels, Balls | 9,223 | 1.4% |
| 8 | B21L, Making Metal Chains | Making Metal Chains | 2,434 | 0.4% |
| 9 | B21G | Making Needles, Pins or Nails of Metal | 1,702 | 0.3% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
4 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- JFE STEEL 2,318
- JFE STEEL JP 2,294
- POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 2,083
- NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 1,650
- NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 1,631
- SMS GROUP DE 1,472
- BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL COMPANY 1,181
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 1,079
- ANHUI JIANGHUAI AUTOMOBILE 984
- HYUNDAI STEEL COMPANY KR 980