Fastener + Fixing Magazine #132 by Fastener + Fixing Magazine

In this issue… Exceeding expectations – with more to come Made in Germany Foams, sealants + adhesives fastenerandfixing.com ≡ Issue 132: November 2021

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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES Since 1955 ND Industries has specialized in the development of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies. ND serves a global market with divisions across the continental U.S., Taiwan, and licensees around the world. ND’s core business revolves around the application of a wide variety of materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration dampening. ND also manufactures a line of bottled products under the Vibra-Tite® brand name for MRO and retail use.

From two base products in 1965 to currently over two hundred twenty, ND continues its tradition of cutting edge research and development with the regular introduction of unique materials along with competitive brand offsets.

ELECTROLOC® High strength encapsulated epoxy threadlocker for use in electrical systems where low halogen materials are necessary. Contains small micrometer microcaps which reduce material extrusion on installation.

THERMOSEAL™ A high temperature, high pressure thread sealant which withstands up to 40MPa. Offering thread locking breakaway torques greater than 20Nm and a maximum temperature of 428°F (220°C). Thermoseal is an extremely versatile product for challenging sealing conditions.

THERMOLOC® 1500 ND’s highest temperature chemical threadlocker. Initially performs like a vibration dampening compound. Once temperatures reach 750°F (400°C), a secondary activation begins, causing the fastener to be permanently locked in place. Tested to over 1500°F (850°C).

AUTHORIZED APPLICATOR Did you know that ND is an approved 3M applicator? Further proof why ND should be your one stop shop for pre-applied fasteners.

ND PATCH® HI-TEMP Highest temperature pre-applied nylon threadlocker in the industry. Unlike the competition, ND’s application process requires only 120°C, preventing plating damage. However, once crosslinked, it can withstand temps up to 260°C. Meets MIL-DTL-18240F / QPL-18240.

THREAD ARMOR® GP Prevents galvanic corrosion in assemblies with dissimilar metals, such as aluminum, and steel, by electrically isolating the fastener. Specially bonded to the fastener, ND Galvanic Patch is durable, chemical resistant, and non-conductive.

THREAD ARMOR® VC An advanced anti-galling and lubricating thread coating designed to extend the life of bolts up to 15 times while under intense torque and high friction loads. Helps to ensure consistent clamp load. Works well on stainless steel fasteners.

EPOXY-LOCK® NUTS This pre-applied threadlocker consists of separated epoxy hardener and expoxy resin. Upon fastener installation, the two materials mix and activate. When fully cured, EpoxyLock provides greater breakaway torque than conventional nylon fastener locking devices.

EXPAND-A-LOCK® A unique pre-applied microencapsulated expanding threadlocking & sealing compound. Increases in volume 20-50% on installation, penetrating the gaps in fastener threads typically unfilled by conventional threadlockers.

EXPAND-A-SLEEVE™ Extruded ND Mastics are pre-applied to fasteners (threaded or non-threaded), bound for e-cote cycles. Heat from the process causes the material to expand, sealing large leak paths between fastener and assembly.

SEALTEK™ An acrylic-based sealing material which is applied to the underhead of the fastener. SealTek’s robust seal replaces the need for O-rings, gaskets, or sealing washers.

CONTENTS NEWS 12-38 Financial reports, acquisitions and trade duty news

COVER STORY 40-41

Exceeding expectations – with more to come

INSIGHT 42-66

Steel prices have boomed in 2021 but it won’t last forever pgb-Polska – a year of growth Accelerating towards an electric and autonomous future CE to UKCA Marking Masters in Fasteners

MADE IN GERMANY 67-106 An in-depth look at the latest developments at German fastener manufacturers

EXHIBITIONS 108-112 CONSTRUCTION 114-122 FIXINGS Foams, sealants + adhesives feature

MANUFACTURING 124-132 TECHNOLOGY Inspection + packing feature

TESTING 134-144 Controlling decarburisation Tensile and shear testing to ASTM F606 and ISO 898 Excellent protection and reliable processes

114

MANAGEMENT + 146-152 SYSTEMS Four ways digitisation can make inventory management more efficient

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

154-166

Fasteners: Standard versus non-standard Renewable energy feature

PRODUCTS + TOOLS 168-178 Tapes + adhesives feature

168

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Claire Aldridge, deputy editor, Fastener + Fixing Magazine

A green future? With world leaders descending on Glasgow for the COP26 summit – the environment and sustainability have been dominating the headlines. With a goal to inspire climate action, where better to start than the fastener industry?

his is nowhere more apparent than in our special ‘Made in Germany’ feature. It’s clear fastener companies see their commitment to the environment as a responsibility and are making positive steps to ensure their productions become more sustainable. Our special feature includes an article from EJOT – which is aiming for climate neutrality by 2035 as well as producing products for renewable energies markets and for fastening components for the thermal insulation of buildings. We also have an article from TOGE Dübel GmbH & Co KG that outlines its commitment to keep its emissions low, by saving approximately 600,000kg of CO 2 every year. The feature really is a homage to the German fastener manufacturing market, covering the entire fastener manufacturing supply chain – from coatings, locking and sealing solutions, stud welding, coating line machinery, storage boxes, to manufacturers of an array of fasteners. ‘Made in Germany’ also highlights that 2021 has been a time of investment for many companies, including an article from Eurotec which has doubled its production facility in Hagen, as well as investing in new machinery to supply a range of wood construction screws.

HEICO Group also details its new production facilities, as well as rfks highlighting its investment in three new automatic punching presses, increasing its production capabilities by 30%. Another investment that’s continued into 2021 is the JRP brand of rivets and rivet nuts. Our Cover Story concentrates on the JRP brand and the new lines of rivets that have been added to the range over the last 12 months, as well as the second edition of the very popular JRP catalogue. To add to this, I also had the pleasure of speaking to Thomas Ehrhardt, president of Stanley Black & Decker’s global engineered fastening automotive segment, for our Insight section. We last spoke to him five years ago when he took over as president of the automotive segment. We discussed what has happened in that time as well as the key trends currently in the automotive market. We also have a couple of articles that focus on notable company anniversaries. Firstly, this year Apex Stainless Fasteners celebrates its 30 th anniversary, as well as Don Quichotte celebrating its 100 th anniversary – which is an impressive milestone. Finally, we have some excellent features within Construction Fixings – foams, sealants + adhesives; Application Technology – renewable energy; and in Products + Tools – tapes + adhesives.

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www.fastenerandfixing.com Managing Director Jamie Mitchell jamie.mitchell@verulammedia.com Content Director Will Lowry will.lowry@verulammedia.com Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge claire.aldridge@verulammedia.com Digital Content Assistant Charlie Conibear charlie.conibear@verulammedia.com Sales Director Mac Rahman mac.rahman@verulammedia.com Business Development Manager – Italy Emiliano Pagliaroli emiliano.pagliaroli@verulammedia.com Business Development Manager – DACH Beata Csano beata.csano@verulammedia.com Business Development Manager – Europe Chantal Ridings chantal.ridings@verulammedia.com Production & Design Manager Lee Duskwick lee.duskwick@verulammedia.com Find us online: @fastenerfixing FastenerandFixingMagazine fastener---fixing-magazine Fastener and Fixing Fastener + Fixing Magazine is a dedicated, trade–only publication which is circulated freely throughout the European trade. Disclaimer The Publisher cannot be held responsible or, in any way, liable for errors or omissions, during input or printing of any material supplied or contained herein although the utmost care is taken to ensure that information contained is accurate and up to date. The Publisher also cannot be held liable for any claims made by advertisers or in contributions from individuals or companies submitted for inclusion within this publication. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Verulam Media. Copyright Entire contents copyright © Verulam Media Ltd 2021. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher. Annual subscription (6 issues) to non–trade and outside EU is €160.00 Verulam Media Limited, Office 121, Ashley Road 134, St Albans AL1 5JR Tel: +44 (0) 1727 743 882

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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NEWS COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF KEY INDUSTRY NEWS

Bossard demand remains high Bossard Group again reached new sales records in the third quarter, benefiting from the positive economic environment and ongoing growth initiatives. Third quarter sales grew by 24.4% to CHF 249.5 million (around €232.5 million), with the previous year achieving CHF 200.6 million. In local currency, growth was 23.3%, driven by continued momentum in all three market regions.

upported by the broad-based economic upturn that began in the fourth quarter of 2020, Bossard Group’s growth continued in the third quarter of 2021, as evidenced by strong double-digit growth rates in all three market regions. In addition to the positive economic environment, the Group also benefited from consistently high delivery capability to its customers and from further strengthening of its market position. In Europe, Bossard recorded growth of 23.5% to CHF 140.2 million, (in local currency: +22.2%), and thus played a major role in the improvement of the result. The increased demand was supported by newly won customer projects in the focus industries of railway vehicle construction and medical technology. Sales in America increased by 16.7% to CHF 59.5 million (in local currency: +18.1%). The positive business development was

accelerated by the ongoing diversification of the customer base, among others in the eMobility sector. In Asia, sales grew by 38% to CHF 49.8 million (in local currency: +33.2%). The growth initiatives in the robotics and electronics sectors led to further gains in market share. Solid positioning in various industrial segments also supported the strong growth. Bossard expects demand to remain strong in the fourth quarter, although the purchasing managers indices signal that it may level off. The situation on the procurement market will likely remain tense in the fourth quarter. By the end of the year, Bossard expects a further normalisation of the growth rate as the economic recovery progresses, as well as expecting the Group will meet its announced sales and result targets for the financial year 2021. The outlook for the full year remains subject to uncertainties and risks as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Semiconductor shortage impacts Bulten Bulten AB has announced third quarter net sales of SEK 764 million (€77.1 million), a decrease of 10.5% on the same period last year. Order bookings amounted to SEK 830 million, a decrease of 37.2% on the same period last year. nders Nyström, president and CEO at Bulten, comments: “The shortage of semiconductors that has been impacting the global automotive industry since Q2 2021 was an even greater obstacle during Q3. A number of our customers’ production units have been closed or running at reduced capacity during certain periods. The negative impact of the semiconductor shortage on Bulten’s sales is estimated at 25% - 30% during the third quarter. Underlying demand in the consumer stage remains strong, but at present vehicle production cannot keep up with demand.” Anders continues: “Reduced volumes and lower capacity utilisation in Q3 meant that we had to take necessary decelerating measures to reduce our stock, which has had a negative impact on earnings in the short term. The shortage of semiconductors, along with price rises for steel, are external macroeconomic and partly geopolitical factors that are expected to continue affecting Bulten’s sales and margins negatively for the rest of 2021. From a longer term perspective, Bulten’s growth and earning capacity is very good. The inflow of new contracts, from both new and existing customers in and outside of automotive, has never been as strong as it has to date in 2021.”

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These new contracts include the signing of a strategically important agreement in China regarding the supply of fasteners to a leading provider of consumer electronics. The agreement has an estimated annual value of approximately SEK 50 million. Deliveries started in the middle of the quarter. Bulten also strengthened an existing FSP (Full Service Provider) contract for the supply of fasteners, with a further order from a European automotive manufacturer. The order is worth approximately SEK 68 million per annum. Deliveries are estimated to start in Q4 2021, will reach full pace in 2022, and will run for three years. Finally, Bulten was also awarded a new FSP contract by a European automotive manufacturer, which is also a new customer. The contract relates to supply of fasteners for an electric vehicle programme that is under development. The order value is approximately SEK 220 million a year at full production. Deliveries are estimated to start in the third quarter of 2022, reaching full pace by 2025. “We can see the measures we have taken as part of our ‘Stronger 24’ strategy are producing results, both in the shape of new business and productivity, and we continue to roll the strategy out to build an even stronger Bulten,” concludes Anders.

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

Böllhoff Group acquires worldwide HELICOIL® trademark As of 1st October 2021, Böllhoff Group, a family company based in Bielefeld, Germany, has acquired the worldwide HELICOIL® trademark.

he trademark was previously held by STANLEY Engineered Fastening, a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker. This transaction allows each company to more closely align resources with independent strategic initiatives. As part of this transaction, Böllhoff Group will license this trademark back to STANLEY Engineered Fastening in the North American region for the automotive repair and non-automotive applications. In North America, OEM automotive applications for HELICOIL® and wire thread inserts will be served by Böllhoff Group, while automotive repair and aftermarket applications and other industries

Hilti Group recovering strongly Hilti Group has reported a sales growth of 13% up to CHF 3.87 billion (€3.57 billion) as per the end of August 2021. Both the operating result and net income significantly increased compared to one year ago to CHF 613 million (+38%) and CHF 466 million (+48%) respectively. EO Christoph Loos commented on the intermediate results: “We have managed to continuously recover from the pronounced dip last year, supported by a positive global construction market. Sales were approximately 5% higher compared to pre-crisis level of 2019.” All geographic regions showed a recovery trend, even though Covid-19 related restrictions are again being felt more strongly in some markets. Europe reported strong growth of 15.9% in local currencies, mainly driven by the Mediterranean countries. Both the Americas (+10.6%) and Asia/ Pacific (+11.3%) regions also grew by double-digits. The same applies to the eastern Europe/Middle East/Africa region (+10.7%), where ongoing challenges in the Gulf region are slowing down growth. Despite higher raw material prices and transport costs, Hilti Group generated an operating result of CHF 613 million, 37.7% higher than in the same period last year. Net income rose by 48.2% to CHF 466 million. Hilti Group is confident regarding the coming months and expects an ongoing recovery, despite remaining uncertainties due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sales growth over the full year of 2021 is still expected to be in the high single digits in terms of local currencies.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

will be served by STANLEY Engineered Fastening. The remainder of the globe will be served by Böllhoff Group. Böllhoff Group and STANLEY Engineered Fastening are both leading manufacturers of speciality fasteners serving the automotive, industrial and aerospace markets. The companies have a 70 year history of partnership in the HELICOIL product line and associated trademarks. During this long history together, they have established successful license agreements to develop the markets and products that serve customers around the world.

Nord-Lock Group invests heavily

Nord-Lock Group has expanded its production facility in Mattmar, Sweden, with a significantly larger production area and a new office building.

he opening is the Group’s third big investment as a result of its focus to meet increasing demand. The inauguration of the Mattmar facilities saw Governor Marita Ljung, Investment AB Latour’s CEO Johan Hjertonsson and the Group’s CEO Fredrik Meuller open the new heart of Nord-Lock Group. “We are seeing a sharp increase in demand for our solutions from customers all over the world, and to ensure future needs we have expanded our three largest units during the pandemic and invested in state of the art equipment. Today we are very happy and proud to be able to inaugurate our expanded business right here in Mattmar. The new facility ensures long-term production capacity and provides us with a good basis for continued focus on innovation and development of world leading bolting solutions. The focus for the expansion has been to create sustainable production and create a better working environment for our employees,” says Fredrik Meuller, president and CEO of Nord-Lock Group. Back in 2019, the first sod was laid for the Group’s most extensive expansion project ever, by upgrading and expanding the three largest production units in the business. As well as this, in February 2021, Fredrik Meuller inaugurated Expander’s operations in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, with a doubled production area to meet market demand for, among other things, pivot pins. In October, the Group’s brand new unit was also inaugurated in Pittsburgh, USA, which will be the base for the company’s Superbolt production and US sales offices.

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

Fabory acquires KEBEK Group Fabory has reached an agreement to acquire KEBEK Group from founder and current director Dalibor Bek, creating a leading fastener specialist platform in the CEE region and further enhancing Fabory’s ‘Masters-in-Fasteners’ strategy.

he strong strategic fit between and common high performance mentality of both organisations will enable the Fabory-KEBEK combination to provide a stronger and more relevant proposition to its customers including a deep and relevant range of specialist fasteners, differentiating supply chain solutions and quality and engineering. A family-owned fastener specialist headquartered in Chomutov, in the north-west of the Czech Republic, KEBEK has operations in the Czech Rep, Slovakia and Hungary. KEBEK offers a wide and broad assortment of specialised fasteners in combination with value added services, including in-house production capabilities and automated kitting facilities. This creates a strong value proposition to a customer base of over 8,000 customers, including several large key accounts in amongst others the healthcare, energy and the construction market. For more information on the acquisition visit page 62

Continued strong growth in Bossard acquires Jeveka a challenging environment Bossard Group has acquired Dutch company Jeveka – substantially expanding its presence in the Benelux countries. eveka B.V, headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, supplies product solutions as well as engineering and logistics services in industrial fastening and assembly technology in the Benelux countries. Founded in 1937, the company has 117 employees and primarily serves customers in the mechanical engineering and in high-tech segments. Jeveka expects net sales of around €27 million for the current financial year. “A decades long partnership unites us with Bossard. By joining the Bossard Group, we are pleased to deepen this relationship and also to broaden the range of products and services we can offer our customers,” points out Stephanie and Adriaan Veltkamp, Jeveka’s former owners. The acquisition of Jeveka is in-line with the Bossard Group’s strategic approach of broadening its market presence in technologically advanced end markets. In Jeveka, Bossard is acquiring a company well experienced in the market that will facilitate the successful continuation of Bossard’s profitability oriented growth strategy and open up further development and growth potential. “Jeveka is not only a strong partner who will help us significantly expand Bossard’s market presence in the Benelux countries, but also a company that has lived Bossard’s ‘Proven Productivity’ philosophy for years,” states Daniel Bossard, CEO at Bossard.

Bufab Group delivered high organic growth and strong earnings despite a continued very challenging operational situation following the strained supply chains. Net sales for Q3 2021 increased by 21% to SEK 1.425 billion (Q3 2020: SEK 1.181 billion).

rganic growth amounted to 20% which, alongside a weak comparative quarter, was primarily due to continued strong underlying demand in all segments, but also due to continued captured market shares. “The economic recovery and strong increase in demand after the pandemic created major challenges for the industry globally. This is primarily in the form of an extremely strained supply chain and higher prices for raw materials and freight, but also because there is now a shortage of capacity at many stages of the supply chain,” comments Johan Lindqvist, president and CEO at Bufab. Similar to most other companies Bufab has also been impacted by large price increases for raw materials and freight and has succeeded to date in offsetting this by passing these costs on to the customer. This work, together with the higher volumes relative to the comparative quarter, resulted in a good gross margin in the quarter. “We have a continued focus on acquisitions and we have a strong pipeline of potential acquisition candidates in several geographies,” says Johan. During the quarter, this resulted in the acquisition of US-based Components Solutions Group. The company, which has annual sales of approximately SEK 280 million and 85 employees, will strengthen Bufab’s position in the North American market. After the reporting period Bufab also acquired Jenny Waltle and Tilka Trading with annual sales of SEK 190 million and 43 employees and net sales of SEK 50 million and 18 employees respectively. The companies have operations in Austria and Sweden. “Overall, we are very proud that we, despite a challenging environment, have succeeded in maintaining supplies to our customers in a favourable manner. I want to sincerely thank all of our 1,450 solutionists for the incredible focus and flexibility they demonstrated during the year,” concluded Johan.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

Element Solutions closes Coventya acquisition Element Solutions Inc, a global and diversified speciality chemicals company, has announced that it has closed its previously announced acquisition of Coventya Holding SAS, a global provider of speciality chemicals for the surface finishing industry. Coventya will join the MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions business within ESI’s Industrial & Specialty segment.

oventya operates in 60 countries and has manufacturing sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Coventya’s products serve customers worldwide across a diverse set of end markets including automotive, fashion, construction, electronic, consumer goods, energy and aerospace/defence. Ben Gliklich, chief executive officer at Element Solutions, said: “Coventya is an excellent fit for our organisation. It brings a long, successful history and tradition of creating value for plating and finishing customers with innovative and high-quality technical solutions. Not only are its technologies complementary to ours, but we also share similar values based on innovation, exceptional service and a people-centric, customer focused culture. This acquisition will extend our capabilities and enable us to support further growth with existing and new customers. In addition, through this transaction, we acquire extraordinary talent, which we are excited to welcome into our organisation.”

Richard Lynch, senior vice-president at MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions, added: “I am eager to bring together the capabilities of these great companies with strong legacies, leading technology and outstanding talent. We believe this combination will dramatically enhance the value we deliver to our customers and stakeholders through our expanded geographical resources and sustainable technology portfolio, as well as the strong relationships both organisations have fostered in our markets. The acquisition of Coventya is a pivotal event within the industry and establishes us as a global leader in the plating and surface finishing market.” The acquisition of Coventya is strategic to MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions and is part of its continuing investment in technology, innovation and talent. The company remains focused on developing and providing the highest perfoming sustainable solutions for surface finishing applications in markets such as automotive, construction, industrial, consumer goods and electronics.

IVOSTUD purchases OBTEC production Following a long and intense planning phase, IVOSTUD GmbH has announced the purchase of both the welding stud section and the end customer business of the old established company OBTEC, strengthening its market position as a specialist supplier to the automotive industry. eing a 100% affiliate of the company group OBO Bettermann founded in 1911, OBTEC possesses a long-term expertise and manufactures high-quality fastening elements for both industrial and automotive end markets. Through the acquisition, IVOSTUD – being part of parent company Doncasters Group – expands its production capacities and therefore strengthens its market position in the automotive industry in the stud welding technology sector. The current staff of the OBTEC section will remain in the company. “We are very happy to welcome both staff and clients of this well established welding stud manufacturer to IVOSTUD and confidently look ahead towards a production intensive and innovative future,” explains Dietmar W Guttroff, general manager at IVOSTUD.

NORMA expects lower production Based on actual figures for the month of August and on the basis of expectations for the remaining months of the fiscal year 2021, NORMA Group SE has adjusted its guidance for the adjusted EBIT margin and adjusted EBITA margin in fiscal year 2021.

ORMA Group points out the main reason for this is the continuing limited availability of materials, especially steel and plastics, and a resulting increase in prices. Based on the current forecast, NORMA Group therefore now expects significantly lower production capacities in relevant industries as well as higher material and freight costs in all regions. Expenses in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, which lasted longer than expected, have also had a negative impact on the cost side.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

Considering these factors, the management board of NORMA has carried out a reassessment and is therefore now anticipating an adjusted EBIT margin of more than 10% in fiscal year 2021 (previous forecast – more than 12%) and an adjusted EBITA margin of more than 11% (previous forecast – more than 13%). With regard to the development of organic Group sales, the management board is maintaining its forecast published in August of low double-digit organic Group sales growth.

NEWS - INDUSTRY

EUROFER welcomes EU and USA statement on steel and aluminium

The European Steel Association (EUROFER) has welcomed the EU and the USA’s joint statement to tackle shared challenges in the steel and aluminium sectors. This includes negotiating an arrangement on carbon intensity and global overcapacity, as well as replacing the current 25% tariff measure of the US Section 232 on EU steel imports by a tariff rate quota regime based on historical volumes.

he arrangement between the USA and EU is a first important step in favour of a globally decarbonised industry in-light of COP26 negotiations. “We welcome the announcement of the agreement, which could be the starting point of a new, transatlantic partnership tackling global trade distortions and climate change together, addressing the interlinkage between both,” said Axel Eggert, director general of the European Steel Association (EUROFER). “State supported steel production and capacity built with CO 2 intensive technologies contribute significantly to climate change. The global steel industry is responsible for almost 10% of global direct and indirect CO 2 emissions, while the less CO 2 intensive EU steel industry accounts for only about 0.5%. The arrangement between the US and the EU is therefore the first important commitment towards a global, market-based and decarbonised industry,” underlined Mr Eggert. The EU is already a frontrunner in climate policy with a very stringent cap and trade system, which exposes EU industry to unparalleled carbon costs. The successful decarbonisation of the steel sector requires a supportive regulatory framework, including a global

Ahlsell acquires Finnish fastener distributor Ahlsell AB has signed an agreement to acquire Tarviketukku (Lognet Team Oy). The company is a technical distributor with a broad product portfolio and an annual turnover of €4.5 million. The acquisition is expected to be completed in November. arviketukku offers a wide range of tools, personal protective equipment, supplies, chemicals, and fastening products, primarily to construction companies, electrical and VS installers, facility managers and companies operating in the transport sector. The acquisition strengthens Ahlsell’s current position by broadening its product range and expanding its customer base, giving it the opportunity to strengthen its offering to new and existing customers. Ahlsell is a Nordic distributor of installation products, tools and supplies addressing installers, contractors, facility managers, industry, energy companies and the public sector. The Group has a turnover of approximately SEK 32 billion and has more than 5,700 skilled employees, over 240 stores and three central warehouses.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

level playing field. International cooperation needs to contribute to this objective with concrete and effective measures. “However, with regard to US import tariffs on steel it is important for EU steel producers exporting to the US that the new provisions, introducing a Tariff Rate Quota system, take into account traditional EU export levels within a stable framework, and that the product exemptions for EU steelmakers already in place are maintained or renewed,” continued Mr Eggert. This step forward on Section 232 is a positive signal after the EU-US frictions over the past years, which have put transatlantic relations under strain and impacted businesses and consumers alike. It prevents a further escalation in the trade dispute between the two blocks by avoiding the doubling of the EU tariffs on US goods otherwise kicking in on 1 st December 2021. “EUROFER stands ready to contribute to and support constructively the further exchange and work for alignment between the EU and the USA, in order to rebuild a sustainable global steel market and achieve carbon neutrality in the sector by 2050,” said Mr Eggert.

ARaymond acquires Castello Italia

ARaymond has acquired Castello Italia SpA, a company specialised in tube production for the pneumatic and industrial markets.

roadening ARaymond’s product offering, the purchase of the tubing manufacturing company will open up new diversification opportunities within some selected industrial sectors. “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Castello Italia. It will reinforce and complement our overall current and future product offering. The future of the automotive industry will be electric and autonomous vehicles and we firmly believe that we should actively participate in the mobility of the future and contribute to the shift in the market by meeting customers‘ new and challenging demands,” said Antoine Raymond, CEO at ARaymond. He adds: “ARaymond is an innovative leading supplier of QCs and nozzles for all fluid systems, and we will continue to design and produce QCs, invest in R&D and the global production capacity. We have a history of more than 155 years of innovations and we strive to continuously reinvent ourselves to be ahead of the very rapid technological changes in our market.” With more than 7,000 employees in 25 countries around the world, the ARaymond Network designs, manufactures and markets assembly and fastening systems. Founded in 1865, this family business – based in Grenoble, France – has always put human values at the heart of its success and is one of the global leaders in fastening and assembly solutions for many market segments.

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

Reinvesting for the future at EJOT UK EJOT UK has invested more than GB£6 million in a project to double the size of its site and extend its technical capabilities.

he business has invested in the future of its UK manufacturing, R&D, technical support, and customer service, in a project to expand its administrative, production and logistical facilities at Sherburn-in-Elmet near Leeds. The project brings to fruition Mr Hans Werner Kocherscheidt’s ambition two decades ago, when he purchased the site with the intention of one day creating a world-class facility in Britain that would enable it to grow and support EJOT’s next generation of young product designers, engineers and logistics specialists. EJOT UK focuses on providing high performing fastening solutions for the building industry, along with numerous other construction applications, as well as advanced engineering fasteners predominantly for the automotive industry. It is a business with a local focus but a global outlook, creating engineered product solutions for clients across the world that are highly respected given the heritage and reputation associated with German and British manufacturing and engineering. EJOT UK’s R&D team has developed market specific fastening solutions that have gained traction in markets globally. These

include the patented EJOT Opticore fastener, which has been widely used for installing membrane faced composite panels now for over a decade, and EJObar – a multipurpose bridging system developed in partnership with an OEM specifically for flat roofs waterproofed using single ply membrane. In addition to providing extensive new manufacturing space and a logistical control centre, which will increase storage capacity by 40%, the expansion also includes a state of the art upgrade to its Applitec centre – already unique in the construction industry. Unlike any testing and R&D facility available in the UK, this ‘application technology’ facility will be three times the size of the existing centre, providing a resource for multi-dimensional fastener testing and new product development in conjunction with OEMs. The testing resources available here will include two new environmental testing laboratories where the long-term performance of EJOT products can be reliably assessed. Robert Hardstaff, managing director at EJOT UK, said: “This investment in our UK site represents a major step forward for EJOT, giving us a unique position in our local market – and increasingly on a global level – in respect of the levels of technical, logistical and sales support we can offer, with a strengthening of our manufacturing base.”

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Hague Fasteners celebrates 50th anniversary with investment Hague Fasteners, a producer of non-standard fasteners and bespoke bolts, is celebrating its 50th anniversary by investing more than GB£100,000 on a new three axis CNC lathe to help it deliver more complex parts and increased capacity.

he new CNC machine was commissioned to deliver contracts for the oil and gas sector, with the company hoping the additional turnover will help it move towards its target of GB£2 million sales by the end of the year. “My father John Hague started the business 50 years ago and back then it was founded on technical expertise, the same technical expertise that is still crucial today in helping us supply parts to more than 30 countries across the world,” explains Jon Hague, managing director at Hague Fasteners who joined straight from school in 1989. “I think he’d be very proud that we have been able to withstand global recessions and the recent pandemic, as well as the fact the business now has the third generation of Hagues working here. The family ethic extends to all members of our 16 strong workforce. They have been fantastic during Covid-19, allowing us to remain operational and ensuring we continued to provide critical fasteners and bolts to the NHS and for power stations all over the world,” comments Jon. “The new three axis CNC machine is a perfect way to celebrate five decades in business and puts a marker in the sand for the technology we are trying to embed into our future capabilities.” Hague Fasteners has been manufacturing in the Black Country for the last fifty years, its most recent move being to an 8,500 square foot factory in Willenhall in 2017. From here, the company produces specialist fasteners, headed bolts, studs, nuts and milled components in high integrity materials and critical nickel alloys. It has built an enviable reputation for supplying products you can’t get ‘off the shelf’ in small to medium batch quantities and in very fast lead times. Working with high integrity steel and superalloy bar, the company can work to customer drawings to produce parts ranging in size from 2mm to 250mm in diameter. “We also wanted to do something in our 50th year that left a lasting positive legacy, so made the commitment to become carbon neutral by 2024,” adds Claire Hague, company owner. “This has seen us create the ‘Hague Forest’, where we will endeavour to plant and grow 200 trees every year in Haiti, Kenya and Madagascar to offset the 75 tonnes

of CO 2 we create manufacturing specialist fasteners for use across the globe. It’s our little way of giving something back and this, when combined with investment in apprenticeships, will hopefully ensure we start the next five decades in a positive social shape.” Hague Fasteners, which holds the ISO 9001:2015 and Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU) quality accreditations, has expanded by 30% this year with sales already passing the GB£1.6 million level, with future plans seeing it target £GB2 million over the next twelve months.

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NEWS - NORTH AMERICA by John Wolz, editor, GlobalFastenerNews.com

Supply chains worsen for US importers Supply chain issues are worsening for US importers. However, domestic manufacturers are not interested in orders that merely supplement what distributors are importing, reports Doug Ruggles, president of Martin Fastening Solutions.

hile importers have been forced to change their business process during the pandemic, there is no substitute for face-to-face interactions, according to a forum from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and Crain’s Chicago Business. Importers buy fasteners from Taiwan because of consistent quality, Ruggles added. “As soon as Section 301 tariffs went into effect, we utilized our Taiwan connection to meet our needs,” stated Joe Nagle, senior manager, strategic sourcing, customer solutions, Lawson Products. In today’s world, businesses have fewer resources and less time to continually vet their sources. Supply chain issues are keeping Taiwan fastener imports down.

Bartel advises IFE: Take action on inventory While lead times rose in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic, Josh Bartel termed today’s high demand and longer lead times as a “Covid double whammy”.

uppliers need to change their sales forecasting based on past sales, commented Bartel, CEO of Hydrian Inventory Optimization, in an International Fastener Expo conference session. Upon Covid-19, Q2 “demand sunk” while orders were still arriving. By relying on sales, suppliers got “gun shy on buying” during Q2 2020. Since the summer of 2020, “demand has been recovering and lead times extending”, Bartel said. Lead times have doubled in the past year. A company may now have 10 days inventory, but the lead time has increased to 42 days. “We have nothing when the customer wants it.” He cited an example of having 20+ days inventory last year and being down to 12 days now. “If your inventory is dwindling, you can be losing sales”, Bartel warned. “Take action right away” to restock, Bartel urged. If a supplier can’t ship to one location, can shipments be diverted to a branch? “Working with your vendors is critical,” Bartel declared.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

“It’s not a shift away from Taiwan at all,” Ruggles noted. A lot of customers are going back to domestic fastener manufacturers due to a 22 – 24 week lead time one year ago; now being 32 – 40, according to Jon Najeski, manager of purchasing for Screws Industries Inc. “A lot of industries can’t wait that long to get product. The capacity to meet demand is not there in the US, so we have to supplement with overseas suppliers,” noted Ruggles. “This is nothing new.” Infrastructure spending in the coming years will drive ongoing fastener demand, Nagle predicted. Taiwan exports 1.36 million tonnes of fasteners each year at a value of US$3.99 billion (€3.44 billion). The USA imports 609,000 tonnes of Taiwan fasteners each year at a value of US$1.69 billion.

Bufab to acquire Component Solutions Bufab has agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of Dayton, OH-based Components Solutions Group Inc (CSG) for US$26 million (€22.4 million).

performance related purchase consideration of a maximum US$10 million may be paid in 2023 – 2024 based on a significantly improved profit. CSG results will be reported within Bufab’s segment UK/North America. Founded in 2000, CSG distributes fasteners and other C-class components, with annual sales of approximately US$30 million. CSG also owns three subsidiaries – two in Ohio and one in Kentucky. Under the leadership of current president Ernie Riling and minority owners Matt Coy, Ken DeCrane, Thomas Girgash and Rick Clark, CSG has expanded – employing 85 workers and generating a 10% operating profit. “By joining Bufab, we will be able to continue to improve our customer offering, grow our business and strengthen our team,” stated Ernie Riling. “I am pleased to continue as president and CEO at CSG.” Founded in 1977 in Sweden, Bufab has operations in 27 countries and has 1,350 employees. Bufab’s net sales for the past 12 months amounted to SEK 4.2 billion (US$432 million) and the operating margin was 9.5%.

NEWS - NORTH AMERICA

FDI hampered by supply chain and labor issues The seasonally adjusted August FDI (55.4) moderated from last month’s 59.6, reflecting “lower employment levels and a softer seasonally adjusted sales index (-7.7 month-on-month)”, according to R.W. Baird analyst David Manthey.

ricing, however, continued to accelerate amid raw material inflation, inventory/labor shortages at the supplier level, and robust demand. This resulted in further improvement in the FDI Pricing month to month index. “In addition to extended lead times, labor shortages, and freight delays impacting respondents’ ability to meet orders, the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage continues to have negative impacts on demand (most likely in auto) for some respondents,” Manthey writes. After four months of decline, the seasonally adjusted Forward Looking Index rose to 73 due to “extremely low (and weakening) customer inventory levels, which could be a positive for future demand, as well as a better six month outlook”, according to Manthey. With the exception of the employment index, which continues to be impacted by labor shortages, all other FLI components (respondent inventory levels, customer inventory levels, and six month outlook) improved in August. The FDI employment index declined to 53.8 from 61.3 last month. Just 19% of respondents saw employment levels as

Nucor Fastener expanding Nucor Fastener has acquired “an existing state of the art coil processing facility” in Shelbyville, IN. The facility includes an automated clean and coat line, two STC furnaces and wire drawing capabilities.

n addition to coil processing, Nucor Fastener Sales will also be expanding its fastener manufacturing capabilities by installing bolt making equipment at the Shelbyville facility. This new operation will employ 33 team members at the outset with the potential to double those jobs as it reaches full capacity. “We are excited to grow our Fastener division with the acquisition of these assets,” said Joey Loosle, general manager of Nucor Fastener. “Adding bolt making capability to the Shelbyville facility will help expand our offerings to the automotive, heavy truck, industrial/MRO and structural fastener markets.” By recycling steel in electric arc furnaces, Nucor’s greenhouse gas emissions are one third of the global steelmaking average and nearly one fifth of the average blast furnace steel producer. The fasteners are made with 97% recycled content, which is more sustainable than fasteners produced from blast furnace steel made overseas. Along with recently announced upgrades at the Nebraska engineered bar mill, this new facility will allow Nucor to better service the automotive cold heading quality (CHQ) market. The Shelbyville facility will allow the Nucor Engineered Bar Group to offer processed coil with superior surface quality for the most demanding automotive CHQ applications. Nucor entered the fastener business in 1986 when it opened its US$25 million plant in St Joe, IN. The automated facility’s capacity is more than 75,000 tonnes of hex head cap screws, hex bolts, structural bolts and custom engineered fasteners manufactured by 240 workers.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

above seasonal expectations versus July’s 26% as the job market remains extremely tight, “although the recent expiration of enhanced federal unemployment benefits could spur additional return to the labor force”. Labor and logistics constraints continue to be respondents’ top concerns. “Continued supply chain challenges due to port/rail congestion, raw material availability,” one respondent commented. “Labor remains scarce.” “In my 30+ years in the business I don’t think I have ever had such a difficult time meeting demand,” another noted. Lastly, semiconductor chip shortages also remain a headwind for some respondents: “With delay in imported material and computer chips our sales are down by as much as 15% and it doesn’t look like it is going to improve anytime soon.” The FDI is a monthly survey of North American fastener distributors conducted by the FCH Sourcing Network, the National Fastener Distributors Association and Baird. www.fdisurvey.com

Trifast acquires Falcon Fastening UK-based Trifast Plc has acquired Falcon Fastening Solutions – a North American fastener distributor that will be rebranded as TR Falcon – for US$8.3 million (€7.1 million)

rifast CEO Mark Belton commented: “The Carolinas region is a strategically important area for us where a number of our global OEMs have facilities. The culture, values and work ethic at Falcon in many ways reflect those of TR.” “We believe that the combination of Falcon and Trifast’s locations, experience, knowledge base and skill sets will open significant opportunities to expand the service and portfolio offering to both existing and new customers on a domestic and international basis. We look forward to working together to create a stronger presence for Trifast in North America.” Falcon Metal Corporation was founded in 1979 by Bruce Roberts and Nancy Roberts. Don Nowak joined Falcon in 1997 from Hoyt Fasteners in Chicago and acquired the distributorship in 2008. The name was changed to Falcon Fastening Solutions in 2014. Current president and major shareholder Giovanni Cespedes, who joined Falcon in 2008 and acquired it from Nowak in 2018, will remain with the business. Today Falcon Fastening distributes industrial fastenings and class C-components from locations in North Carolina and Kentucky. Over 90% of production components supplied by Falcon are customer specials. Falcon specializes in customized supply chain solutions that support lean principles. The company serves a range of sectors with minimal crossover with TR’s existing North American customer base. Trifast announced it intends to retain all staff at both Falcon and US operations.

ADVANTAGES • • • • •

NEWS - RUSSIA + CIS by Alexander Ostashov, editor, Fastener, Adhesives, Tools and... Magazine www.fastinfo.ru

Izhstal introduces calibrated rolled products Izhstal, one of Russia’s leading speciality steel and stainless steel long product manufacturers, has mastered the technology for the production of calibrated rolled products for the manufacture of automotive fasteners.

he Izhstal plant (part of the Mechel Group) has mastered the production of 10 new steel grades for orders in the automotive and aerospace industries, such as GAZ Group and UEC Saturn. Among the new products there are stainless, tool, structural carbon and alloy grades. For the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, Izhstal has also mastered the technology for the production of calibrated rolled products with specific requirements for the microstructure and hardness of metal products, which are used in the manufacture of fasteners for almost all elements of cars.

Konar invests in new machinery A manufacturer of high strength fasteners for the oil and gas industry, as well as for metal structures, railway and automotive industries, Konar has invested in a new hot stamping equipment workshop with a modern press machine from Hatebur.

his is the third and most modern machine that Konar has for the production of large quantities of high precision metal products. It will enable the company to produce hot heading nuts for the petrochemical industry of the Russian Federation. The new equipment is also capable of producing three nuts per second with minimal waste, which ensures high productivity while preserving resources and the environment. “The total investment for the construction of the workshop amounted to 890 million rubles (€10.7 million) and will also create fifty new jobs,” commented Valery Bondarenko, general director at Konar.

BelZAN starts production of metal cutting tools The Belebeevsky plant Avtonormal has started mastering the production of metal cutting tools within the framework of the Russian diversification programme, by updating production assets and purchasing new equipment.

y the end of 2021, the plant will establish a serial production of import substituting axial cutting tools, which are used in multifunctional metalworking machines. The company will produce special cutters of different diameters with wear resistant coatings for processing different types of alloys, drills, threadrolling rollers and other types of tools. “The creation of a new production facility is aimed at diversifying production and entering new sales markets. The plant will organise a full cycle production of metal tools – from its development to production. Testing of the first manufactured parts has shown that the wear resistance of our tool is not inferior to imported counterparts and the cost is 2 – 3 times lower,” comments Roman Bukarev, general director of Belebeevsky Zavod Avtonormal.

Primorsky Territory to produce fasteners within two years A Primstroitel company plans to launch the production of fasteners in the Primorsky Territory in 2023, which will make it the first fastener manufacturer in the region.

preferential credit line was opened for a resident of the Free Port of Vladivostok for the construction of the first Far Eastern factory for the production of fasteners. Its launch in 2023 hopes to allow local construction companies to purchase domestic products at affordable prices. “At present almost all screws in the Far Eastern Federal District are imported from China and Taiwan,” said Alexander Bondarenko, general director of Primstroitel. He added that the status of a resident of the Free Port of Vladivostok, in addition to the possibility of concessional lending, gives the company a wide range of other advantages that make it possible to successfully implement the project. The total investment in the project will amount to 338.2 million rubles (€4 million).

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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NEWS - RUSSIA + CIS Ryazan Polytechnic University teaches fastener production Since the beginning of the 2021 academic year the course ‘Technology of fastener production’ has been opened at the Ryazan Institute of the Moscow State Polytechnic University, as part of the specialities in mechanical engineering technology.

ectures are given by Semyon Volkov, who has practical experience in fastener production. In his lectures, besides his own experience, he relies on modern teaching aids and technical achievements of foreign companies in the field of metal forming, lubricants, heat treatment, as well as protective coatings.

Standards for self-tapping screws take effect Rosstandart’s orders, dated 17th August 2021, put into effect national standards for self-tapping screws, which will see a manufacturer’s mark needing to be applied to the head of a screw.

n accordance with Clause 6.19 of GOST R 59571-2021, the manufacturer’s marking must be applied to the head of self-tapping screws for identification purposes. In addition to the digital marking, the screw head can also be marked with the trademark and/or symbol of the manufacturer in letters.

IDF approves Tempo-Metiz loan The Expert Council of the Industrial Development Fund (IDF) has approved the possibility of allocating a loan of 136.9 million rubles (€1.6 million) to the Tempo-Metiz company for the production of self-tapping screws in Tatarstan.

he appropriations are allocated under the IDF Development Projects programme for the launch of the production of self-tapping screws with a zinc lamellar coating. During the implementation of the project, 41 jobs will be created. The total project budget will be 273.9 million rubles.

Mariya Valiakhmetova, editor in chief, Metiz Magazine, Ukraine

MMK-METIZ develops new wire Specialists of the technical centre of OJSC MMK-METIZ have developed a new type of welding wire made of low carbon alloy under the MagWire brand. The wire is intended for automatic and semi automatic arc welding of low alloy structural steels. he company bought a new complex for the production of galvanised wire with galvanising units of the Belgian company FIB, which has a capacity of 12,000 tonnes and allows the wire production with diameters from 1mm to 6mm. In recent years, the plant has commissioned new modern facilities for fastener production, including large sizes in which Taiwanese cold heading and thread rolling machines were installed for the production of bolts and

nuts, as well as cold and hot heading equipment for the manufacture of railway fasteners. In addition, a fully automated galvanising line was also launched for small fasteners with a diameter of 6mm to 12mm. OJSC MMK-METIZ has also recently mastered the production of new types of fasteners – a screw with a flange for ventilated façades of strength Class 8.8 and self-tapping/self-drilling screws for a window profile.

Severstal-metiz expands production Severstal-metiz, part of the hardware asset of Severstal, has launched a new cold rolling line, purchased for 287 billion rubles as part of an investment project to increase the production of high precision cold drawn strip of several standard sizes to over 5,000 tonnes per year.

S 32

ergey Kovryakov, general director of OJSC Severstal-metiz, commented: “The launch of the third cold rolling line is a response to numerous requests from our customers who are in dire need of certain volumes of high precision cold drawn strip.” He continued: “I would like to emphasise that apart from Severstal-metiz, this type of product is not produced by any enterprise in Russia. We produce it in accordance with European standards and in accordance with all customers’ requirements.”

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS - ASIA

Taiwan fastener exports – 3 year comparison Fastener World Magazine has published a table comparing ‘Top 10’ fastener export destinations for the last three years (2018 – 2020), based on information from the Taiwan industrial Fastener Institute.

he data is focused on HS 7318 screws, bolts, nuts, coach screws, screw hooks, rivets, cotters, cotter-pins, washers (including spring washers) and similar articles of iron or steel.

Three year comparison from 2018 to 2020 (in descending order according to figures of 2020) Partner

2018 (kg)

2019 (kg)

2020 (kg)

YOY Ratio (%)

Partner

2018 (US$)

2019 (US$)

2020 (US$)

YOY Ratio (%)

World

1,595,705,450

1,479,292,223

1,363,248,785

-7.84%

World

4,638,685,129

4,316,380,032

3,969,360,344

-8.04%

USA

629,276,927

621,962,469

609,131,936

-2.06%

USA

1,775,046,209 1,751,810,124 1,689,801,153

-3.54%

Germany

155,300,468

132,505,809

116,637,180

-11.99%

Germany

453,134,133

392,118,297

340,191,792

-13.25%

Netherlands

92,492,281

80,348,283

67,226,720

-16.31%

Japan

230,517,250

241,272,905

209,498,781

-13.17%

Japan

69,039,707

72,771,839

63,283,611

-13.04% Netherlands

261,652,295

227,785,981

195,105,056

-14.33%

Rank

Canada

60,651,391

51,295,923

45,368,429

-11.56%

178,355,595

171,259,001

136,840,671

-20.1%

59,378,375

55,620,928

41,692,178

-25.04%

China

143,940,786

114,145,687

129,131,272

13.13%

Poland

34,104,044

31,645,985

27,418,561

-13.36%

Canada

163,070,593

145,037,763

128,760,834

-11.22%

Italy

41,551,408

32,429,910

27,368,054

-15.61%

Sweden

98,766,182

94,555,904

85,303,928

-9.78%

Sweden

29,841,067

28,912,202

24,839,100

-14.09%

Mexico

94,925,177

97,384,603

77,878,026

-20.03%

China

24,331,806

20,276,785

24,079,023

18.75%

Italy

105,402,379

82,026,949

70,888,895

-13.58%

Shanghai sees strong export growth in containers and container ships Shanghai has reported surging growth in the export of containers and container ships in the first eight months of this year, local customs reported in September.

rom January to August, Shanghai exported 246,000 containers, up twofold from the same period last year. The value of exports surged 455% to 8.06 billion yuan (about €1.08 billion). During the period, the city also exported 16 container ships worth 7.99 billion yuan, although there was no record of exports for the same period last year. The growth in exports of containers and container ships shows that the global demand for China-made goods is still strong in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, the customs authorities said. Market demand for containers has been strong, as global shipping prices spiked from the third quarter of 2020, according to Shanghai CIMC Baowell Industries Co Ltd, which alone exported 163,000 containers in the January to August period. Source: Chinafastener.com

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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New shipping route links Zhejiang to Europe A cargo ship loaded with more than 1,500 containers departed for Liverpool, UK, from Damaiyu Port in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, on 27th September, marking the opening of a new shipping route.

hinafastener.com mentions the freighter, carrying goods such as Christmas products and daily necessities manufactured by Chinese companies, is destined for Liverpool – from where the goods are transported to other European countries. Against the backdrop of rising international shipping prices and logistics costs, the opening of the new route is expected to alleviate the pressure of foreign trade enterprises in Taizhou and the surrounding areas, according to Wang Xiongfei, a local shipping service agent. “Previously, we had to transport the goods to ports in the cities of Ningbo and Shanghai. The opening of this route will reduce costs and save time, and the move has been well received by enterprises,” said Wang.

China releases 150,000 tonnes of national metal reserves

China’s state reserves authority has released a total of 150,000 tonnes of copper, aluminium and zinc from the national reserves to alleviate the burden on businesses over rising costs of raw materials, reports Chinafastener.com.

he National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said it would step up the monitoring of commodity prices and organise follow-up releases of national reserves. Since the beginning of this year, bulk commodity prices have surged due to factors including the overseas spread of Covid-19 and the imbalance in supply and demand, causing pressure on medium and small firms. This is the fourth batch of releases to the market. China has previously released a total of 420,000 tonnes of copper, aluminium and zinc to maintain market order.

First China-Europe freight train launched China’s economic hub of Shanghai launched a freight train service to Hamburg, Germany, in September. Marking the first cross-border railway service between Shanghai and Europe, Shanghai Customs has confirmed.

he ‘Shanghai Express’ will be loaded with apparel, auto parts, solar panels, tableware, furniture, daily necessities, machine parts and other goods. The train left China via the Alataw Pass in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and arrived in Hamburg traveling by way of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland. According to Shanghai Customs, trains along this route will run regularly every week, while new routes will be opened – providing new logistics options for enterprises at home and abroad. Source: Chinafastener.com

Taiwan CSC increases steel price for Q4 The Taiwanese steel supplier Chinese Steel Corporation (CSC) has announced an average 1.32% increase in its domestic list for the fourth quarter of 2021.

SC reports that the price of low carbon wire rod remains unchanged; medium-to-high carbon steel wire rod is up NT$ 500 per tonne; cold forged and low alloy steel wire rod is up NT$ 1,000 per tonne; and automotive materials are up NT$ 1,500 per tonne. Heading into the high season of Q4, CSC had expected market demand to continue to increase. However, with south-east Asia heavily impacted by the pandemic, as well as the severe delay of global logistics influencing the downstream production and sales, upcoming demand is likely to slow down. CSC points out that it considered market supply and demand, as well as the price level of every product item quoted on a monthly or quarterly basis, plus material costs, exchange rate fluctuations, and its current price level compared to other competitors on the global stage. Source: Fastener World Magazine

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

NEWS - BRAZILAIN Sérgio Milatias, editor, Revista do Parafuso, www.revistadoparafuso.com.br

Fastener imports will not reach US$1 billion in 2021 Despite a good final Q4 of 2020, followed by an increase at the beginning of year in fastener imports, it will not prove possible for fastener imports into Brazil to surpass the US$ 1 billion mark, which would have been a record.

or the first nine months of 2021, fastener imports into Brazil totalled US$ 693.62 million (the equivalent to 151,487.7 tonnes). This was an increase of 38.92% when compared to 2020, which was totalled at US$ 499.27 million (104,052.1 tonnes), and 11.57% bigger than the total of 2019, which was US$ 621.65 million (123,923.4 tonnes). Whilst the import performance for 2021 will not break the record, it is still going to be high, which is some achievement when you consider the Brazilian currency has depreciated against the dollar, as well as various other factors, such as some production stopping in automotive and auto parts companies – due to the semiconductor chip shortage, as well as a shortage of containers.

New-Fix celebrates 21st anniversary Normally companies celebrate achieving their 10th anniversary, maybe 15th or 20th. However, New-Fix, a fastener manufacturer, is celebrating its 21st anniversary having missed the chance to acknowledge its 20th anniversary due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

ew-Fix was founded in 2000 by Michael Kleber and Enéas Henrique, when both were practically teenagers. Whilst the company was established in 2000, Kleber and Henrique had been working for a small fastener store since the 1990s, rapidly developing their sales experience. In 1994 they both founded their own fastener store, as a specialist in rivets. In 2000 the store added its own production to guarantee products to important customers. Then, in 2002, there was an opportunity to buy a company named NeoFix, which became the new company – New-Fix. To date, New-Fix is operating with more than 540 employees and is forecasted for 2021 to produce more than 15,000 tonnes of bolts, screws, nuts and rivets, that latter of which it is a leading producer within Brazil.

JOMARCA continues expansion Located in Guarulhos City, São Paulo, around ten minutes from International São Paulo Airport, the huge site of JOMARCA will be further extended with the acquisition of 6,800m² of neighbouring land.

OMARCA is one of the biggest Brazilian fastener manufacturers with its current industrial plant covering 51,000m2. Now with the addition of the new land, which was previously occupied by a chemical company, the business will be able to continue its expansion. CEO Ricardo Marques Castelhano explains: “This expansion directly impacts the production of fasteners for the furniture industry sector. There will be machinery for the production of slides for drawers and other accessories to meet the demands of the furniture industries throughout Brazil.” Ricardo continues: “The new facilities will also have more machines for processing raw materials to manufacture fasteners overall, including our hinges lines. In addition, this new space will be occupied by new lines for painting and surface treatment.”

Walsywa®: Moving and expanding Walsywa®, the fastener supplier focused on the construction and solar energy markets, has moved into new headquarters in Jundiaí town, around 90km from the state capital, São Paulo.

W 38

alsywa®’s modern and new address has a ceiling height of 13 meters and space for more than 8,000 pallet positions, as well as eight docks – where it is able to move orders with greater speed. The site is also very close to two of the five busiest highways in the country. In the office there is an open space environment, in addition to rooms for rest and games – helping generate greater interaction amongst employees. The company is also still working on the construction of a new very modern laboratory.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

NEW KSP12-R Double Blow header with threading unit All In One www.sacmagroup.com

Sacma is introducing the new combined header model KSP12-R

ALL-IN-ONE to run fasteners from M3 to M8 with max. shaft length 60 mm. The KSP12-R combines typical SACMA solutions, proven by thousands of machines, with the most advanced mechatronic technology available in the market. The one-piece main frame, cast perlitic iron, normalized, natural aged for at least 12 months, high precision machined, is a guarantee of rigidity and stability for all the machine life. Major set up adjustments are now motorized for a quick and friendly changeover: S-feed wire feeder driven by torque motor, motorized wire stock gauge and DKO, threading starter driven by torque motor with self-learning function borrowed from Ingramatic rollers. The quality management is facilitated by two gates interfaced with the load monitoring system and discharging NC parts respectively after the header and after the roller. An optional sophisticated load control system is protecting the machine against overloads and is monitoring the forming and rolling processes. Scraps separators in different sizes are available when producing self-tapping screws. All those features make the KSP12-R the best value for Customer’s investment, especially when running parts traditionally by a line of connected machines. The high productivity ALL-IN-ONE allows to quick return and the legendary long life guarantees future proﬁts. Ask for more information to : info@sacmalimbiate.it

Sacma Limbiate S.p.A.

Viale Dei Mille 126-128 • 20812 Limbiate (MB) - ITALY Ph. +39 0299 4521 • info@sacmalimbiate.it

COVER STORY

Exceeding expectations – with Twenty months after its launch, the JRP range of rivets and rivet nuts has not only established itself within the UK riveting market but exceeded all expectations – with even bigger plans for the future.

he JRP line includes an in-depth range of riveting products – produced to the highest quality, reinforced by technical support and first-class services. “We are really proud to have made such an impact in the market,” states Tony Williams, sales director at Owlett-Jaton. “The JRP line has been fully accepted by the market, especially the added benefits and the service levels we bring – such as no minimums, next day delivery and carriage paid. Being able to provide this to the riveting market within the UK is one of the big reasons the JRP line has done so very well. When you add in the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic during this period, it makes our success even more impressive.” The JRP brand was launched with around 1,000 lines, including a wide range of rivets, such as standard, sealed, multigrip, peel, grooved, load spread, load spread with washer, and structural rivets. Each type is available in a variety of materials such as aluminium, steel zinc and Clr Tri3, A2 stainless steel, A4 stainless steel, and copper. The sizes available range from 2.4mm up to 6.4mm depending on the product. Head types include dome head, countersunk and flange. The rivet nuts within the JRP line include flat head knurled round open, flat head knurled round closed, countersunk head knurled round open, countersunk knurled round closed, reduced head knurled round open, reduced head knurled round closed, flat head full hexagon open, reduced head full hexagon open, flat head semi hexagon open and reduced head semi hexagon open. These are available in aluminium, steel zinc and Clr Tri3, A2 stainless steel, and A4 stainless steel – from M3 to M12. There are also seven tools within the JRP range, including three for rivets and four for rivet nuts. Plus, there are over 57 lines of spares including replacement nosepieces, mandrels and additional sized heads.

Adding to the range

The JRP line has recently been further extended with the introduction of a further 250 – 300 lines of different rivet types and

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

sizes. “The reason we added these additional lines was due to the demand from customers – who have seen the wide range of rivets we can supply and have asked for more niche rivet products, so that we can meet all of their riveting needs,” points out Tony. The latest additions to the range saw new lines added to the structural and specialist ranges, including bulb and hem structural rivets, as well as load spread with washer specialist rivets. A large range of black and white dome head rivets, as well as coloured multi-grip rivets, have also been added to the JRP range. Thirty-three colours have been chosen based on their popularity in the UK, and all have a RAL or BS colour reference for riveting projects requiring a colour match. Alongside the additional lines, there has been a significant investment in greater stock holding for the JRP line. “With lead times in the current marketplace getting longer, we decided to increase our stock so that we can continue to supply our existing customers and new customers,” explains Tony. “We identified certain lines where the demand was much higher than we had imagined. Once we identified this, we made the investment in the stock levels on these items.” Having the depth of stock for the JRP line has always been a key factor since the launch of the range. “Right from the outset we had roughly one year’s worth of stock for each line in our warehouse,” mentions Tony. “We really wanted to make an impact within the market. This has worked well and enabled us to grow at a comfortable rate, even during Covid-19 when the supply of products has been challenging, as well as more recently with the container freight issues within the market.”

Updated catalogue launched

Another new development for the JRP line is the launch of the second edition of the JRP catalogue, which incorporates the additional product lines and still includes easy navigation – thanks to its products being categorised in a sensible and logical order. “The first catalogue proved hugely popular with customers thanks to the amount of information within it. We really believe that it is the

more to come We will continue to invest in and innovate the JRP brand...”

best riveting catalogue available in the market,” states Tony. “We received a lot of positive feedback from our customers on the catalogue, as they can find all the technical information they require – quickly and easily. This is because every material combination of rivet/rivet nut is colour-coded using a system. This then follows through onto the packaging for the JRP line, which gives a visual aid to the people stacking the shelves as well to the final customers – making everything a lot easier. A hard copy request or a simple download of the catalogue can be done via the JRP website.”

Expert technical support

In addition to an in-depth range of rivets/rivet nuts, the JRP line also includes technical support to ensure that the correct type of rivets/ rivet nuts are used for applications. “From the very beginning we have ensured that our products reach the very highest quality standards and specifications,” points out Tony. “Rivet and rivet nuts are technical products and you quickly get found out if your products can’t meet the necessary standards. Just as important is ensuring the right rivet is being used for the right application. That is why we offer technical support to customers – so they can ask us about material choices, sizes, and types of rivets/rivet nuts, to ensure they can meet the necessary sheer and tensile strength requirements.” The JRP brand has gained such a good reputation within the market for its technical support that there have even been occasions were JRP has worked with its customer’s customer to resolve concerns regarding what type of rivet should be used in a certain application. “There was one example where a customer’s customer

was reporting that a particular size of rivet was splitting into two pieces when being installed,” mentions Tony. “Even with just the basic information we were given, we were able to conclude that the root cause was due to the punch used to make the hole for the rivet, which was creating a burr on the back of the hole. This steel burr was therefore acting as a guillotine on the aluminium rivet. The customer’s customer went away and checked the back (blind side) of the hole and it proved what we suspected. They simply updated their punch and the issue was resolved.” Tony adds: “We have been able to offer this service because our distributor customers know that we only sell to them and we are not looking to sell directly to end users. We have a disciplined distribution policy, which means our customers trust us to not only help them with their customers, but also deliver directly to them if required.”

Big targets for the future

With such a successful start to the JRP line, even bigger targets and goals have been set for the future to continue developing the range, as well as grow market share. “We will continue to invest in and innovate the JRP brand in the future,” concludes Tony. “Our strategy is to take a larger market share, whether through increasing our range of lines or by further increasing our volumes. Either way it is going to require continuous investment, which we are willing to do. From the very beginning our aim was to provide a complete package for the riveting market and we are well on the way to making the JRP brand the go to choice for riveting.” www.jrprivets.co.uk

INSIGHT

take a look into the workings of fastener companies

Steel prices have boomed in 2021 but it won’t last forever By Thais Terzian, senior analyst, and Chris Bandmann, analyst, at CRU Group Steel prices have surged during the post Covid-19 recovery as supply has struggled to keep up with demand. Prices for some products and markets hit all time highs in 2021 and detached from costs. However, the steel price cycle peak is now behind us – although upside risks are still live.

ire rod – and steel long products in general – saw massive increases in 2021, to levels not seen since before the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008. Even so, the price rise for long products looks small compared to flat products.

Why did prices rise so much?

Steel prices and long product prices have boomed since December 2020 as supply was insufficient to cover end use demand and supply chain restocking. Production of long products outside China was severely hit by the Covid-19 crisis and the recovery was gradual but was outpaced by the improvement in apparent demand. In 2020 Q2, lockdowns and a sudden drop in end use demand led to supply cuts and longs production dropping by 20% quarter-on-quarter. The recovery started in the following quarter but took three quarters to approach 2019 H1 levels. In the meantime, restocking and pent-up demand added to recovering underlying demand and pushed the market into undersupply outside China.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

INSIGHT Steel flat product prices increased more than long product prices in 2021

Data: CRU. CRUspi is an index showing relative global price movements for flat and long products The undersupply outside China was made worse by a strong economic stimulus in China, which totalled around 6% of GDP – the highest since the Global Financial Crisis. Part of the stimulus was invested in the construction and infrastructure sector. Longs demand in China was so strong that exports fell to a multi-year low by 2020 Q3.

Price pressure also came from costs

It isn’t just steel prices that increased. Global average scrap prices have increased significantly in 2021 due to tight supply and increasing demand from steel makers. Lower economic activity and strict social distancing measures in 2020, alongside severe weather conditions early in 2021, curbed scrap generation and collection. The resumption of idled steel mills and increasing production from others pushed demand for scrap higher. Long product prices increased further in 2021 H1 as production was insufficient to meet the increase in demand, particularly from the construction sector. Chinese demand remained strong and a cancellation of the 13% VAT rebate on exports discouraged Chinese longs exports. With less exports from China and no production growth in the rest of the world, global supply remained tight, and prices found room to increase to the highest levels since 2008 in all regions except China, where extreme price volatility was observed.

2021 has seen the biggest price-cost detachment in history

Data: CRU steel cost model detachment for long products was in the period prior to the GFC in 2008. At a global level it is unlikely to be repeated for a long time.

High energy prices mean higher steelmaking costs

Although we expect prices to return to their relationship with cost, energy prices have pushed that cost floor higher. The rise in electricity prices in Europe is now affecting European steel producers’ costs. The impact varies depending on the steelmaking technology and country. Electric arc furnace producers are affected more than blast furnace producers as they use more purchased electricity. In Europe, nearly all EAF producers serve the long products market, including many wire rod producers. After a year of strong margins, some have turned lossmaking and have even idled production. For some the party is over.

UK EAF-based rebar cost and price, $/t

Wire rod price rises have been highest in the USA and Europe

Data: CRU steel cost model, CRU steel long products monitor

About CRU Group

Data: CRU steel long products monitor The supply deficit was most acute in Europe and the USA where safeguard duties are a limiting factor for imports, and this was reflected by even higher market prices. By September 2021, low carbon wire rod prices in Europe were close to 1.5 times those in Asia whilst US prices were close to two times Asian prices. Prices in western markets detached from their long-term relationship with cost.

High prices won’t last forever

The high prices observed in 2021 are a once in a decade phenomenon. Although costs increased, prices increased much further. The Covid-19 recovery has resulted in the biggest long products price cost detachment in history. The last large price cost

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

CRU’s reputation with customers across mining, metals and fertilisers is for integrity, reliability, independence and authority. Its insights are built on a twin commitment to quality primary research and robust, transparent methodologies. CRU invests in a global team of analysts, the key to gaining a real understanding of critical hard to reach markets such as China. It strives to provide customers with the best service and closest contact – flexible, personal, responsive. CRU have regular and specialised coverage of more than 50 commodity markets. CRU Monitor products each provide a short-term, market analysis and prices service across a range of steel, bulk and non-ferrous commodity markets. Market Outlook products each provide a medium term market analysis service across a range of mining, metals and fertiliser commodity markets. www.crugroup.com

BERDAN CİVATA B.C.

ONE STOP SHOP FOR STRUCTURAL FASTENERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH EN 14399-3/4/5/6 HR & HV Bolt Sets EN 14399-10 Tension Control Bolts EN 15048 Series High Tension Rods, Bulons, Studbolts and Anchors Tower, Bridge, Heavy Steel Construction, Space Frame System Assemblies Foundation Anchors & Anchor Cages

Berdan Cıvata is a manufacturer of pre-loaded and non-preloaded structural fasteners in 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9 grades with a comprehensive diameter range starting from M16 up to M155. Under favour of having a fully integrated factory, Berdan Cıvata is able to implement surface coatings Hot-Dipped Galvanizing, Electro Galvanizing, Zinc Flake Coating etc. to products. "Hydrogen Embrittlement Risk" was removed on 10.9 and 12.9 grade HDG coated products with a Berdan patented method. "Hyrogen Embrittlement Risk" is ZERO on Berdan Cıvata products. Tensile Test is able to be implemented to M72, 10.9 grade full body bolts up to 500 Tons with Berdan Cıvata patented Europe’s Strongest Tensile Test Device. Also, Berdan Cıvata is able to implement torque friction tests up to M72, 10.9 grade bolts with one of two Europe’s Strongest Torque Friction Test Device, in its ISO EN 17025 accredited Test Laboratory and provide 3.1 certificates for each orders.

Mersin-Tarsus Industrial Zone 5. Ave. No:6. 33540 Tarsus-Turkey T: +90 324 676 44 90 - 2(Pbx) F: +90 324 676 44 90 E-mail: info@berdancivata.com

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INSIGHT

pgb-Polska – a year of growth In 2017 pgb-Polska moved to a 10,000m2 purpose-built site in Zabrze, Poland, with a plan to grow steadily. Four years later, the company is now nearing the completion of an additional 3,200m2 building on the site – after doubling turnover, expanding its export markets, as well as increasing stock.

gb-Polska’s new extension will enable the company to improve its logistics, by shortening the internal logistic flow, and achieve a fully automated packaging process. Krzysztof Biskup, vice-president and general manager at pgb-Polska explains: “When we first moved to Zabrze we expected to be settled here for a good number of years. However, as we started to see a growth in sales, we decided along with our mother company – pgb-Europe N.V based in Belgium – that it was necessary to increase our production capacity, increase our stock levels, and ultimately automate our packaging processes to increase our efficiency.” Further investments in its production facility will see the company increase its production capacity by 30%, as well as extend its range of products. pgb-Polska specialises in the development and production of high-quality and ETA certified nylon anchors from multifunctional nylon plugs (such as the XUP), frame fixings (RPT) to insulation fixings (IPH). Besides plastic fixings, the full range of SMART® anchors also include mechanical and chemical anchors. Recently pgb also added its own designed option 7 wedge anchor S-TB7 to its product range. “pgb has earned its place on the market with high-quality brands. We take the time to work with our customers to identify changing habits in the construction market to recognise new applications, as well as improve and develop these products to provide better and stronger solutions,” commented Johannes Heye, board member at pgb-Europe.

This year also saw pgb-Polska switch software systems – to a new SAP ERP and Dynaman WMS, in-line with pgb-Europe. “pgb-Europe has always been ‘one step ahead’ when it comes to digitisation – and this is something we are keen to implement at pgb-Polska too. Back in 1997, when pgb-Europe first moved to its Belgium headquarters, it implemented a paperless warehouse straightaway – when most companies were only beginning to think about digitisation,” commented Johannes. “pgb-Europe started first with the combined SAP and Dynaman platforms in Belgium, then implemented them in Poland to give a consistency throughout our companies. Digitisation has never been more important in the fastener industry and I strongly believe that if it wasn’t for our digital commitments within both companies we would be looking at the past 18 months very differently.” Johannes continues: “It’s important to stay ‘one step ahead’ and recognise it’s not just about the price or the quality of the product. Our customers expect more. We have to make sure we are offering added services such as EDI solutions, lot traceability, tracked deliveries, as well as technical assistance. We are committed to creating a digital synergy for our customers with state of the art technology – not just providing high-quality fixings.” “This investment is a reaction to the current situation we’re facing in the market,” adds Krzysztof. “There’s challenges with containers, freight, supply chains, as well as raw material supply, but that is no reason to stop investing – if anything it is a motivation to adapt and put the facilities in place in order to guarantee the supply of our products for our customers.” Guaranteeing supply is also possible due to the close working relationship pgb-Polska has with pgb-Europe. “If at any time we had a stock shortage in Poland, we are able to check the stock in the Belgium warehouse. We are able to react quickly and effectively, which is a great benefit to our customers. It does not matter if the products are shipped from our warehouse in Poland or the headquarters in Belgium, all products adhere to the same level of quality and, due to a large stock, we can deliver our goods in short notice. We are two solid companies with very strong teams – making pgb a solid and trustworthy partner in the fixings industry.” www.pgb-polska.com

pgb has earned its place on the market with high-quality brands…”

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

WE BREATHE FIXINGS ®

SMART packaging

IPH Insulation plug

manufacturer and distributor!

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A reliable partner for all your construction projects As a manufacturer and distributor of fasteners, we are the ideal partner for all your construction projects. pgb-Polska is proud to offer a large stock of more than 30,000 available products. Our customers can direclty benefit from our unique logistics and our one-stop-shop solutions. At pgb-Polska we produce nylon anchors such as standard wall plugs, various universal plugs, plasterboard anchors and nail plugs with ETA approval. Our SMART brand also offers a complete range of light, mechanical and chemical anchors supported by numerous European approval reports. For more information, visit us at: www.pgb-polska.com

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INSIGHT

Don Quichotte celebrates its centenary In 2021 Don Quichotte celebrates its 100th anniversary, having become a world leader in hardened steel nails and being known as a ‘one stop shop’ for fastenings, fixing and electrical installation material, as well as its full private label service. Here we speak to Sales Director Jan-Willem van der Wijngaart and Product Marketing Manager Naj van Galen about the last 100 years, the current market situation, as well as goals for the future.

he company behind Don Quichotte, J.H de Wit & Zonen B.V, was founded in 1921 by Johannes Hubertus de Wit and was originally named Ned. Kleinijzerwarenfabriek Jan de Wit. From the very beginning the focus was on the production of standard nails. However, by the 1950s/1960s standard nails had started to become more of a commodity and it was hard to achieve the necessary margins. Due to this, the De Wit family introduced hardened steel nails, which could be directly used in concrete. The company had to use all its know-how and experience when

introducing this specialised product, as it requires a precise hardening process to ensure the highest quality. Due to the capabilities of the hardened steel nails they became hugely popular, which made the business stronger and enabled it to become an expert in this product field. Through its hardened steel nails the business also became more international, although this created its only challenges as J.H de Wit & Zonen B.V was particularly hard to pronounce for foreign speaking customers. With that in mind it was decided that a trade brand would be established – Don Quichotte. “The name Don Quichotte as a brand name came about from the son of Mr J.H De

Wit one day visiting a market in Paris – where he stumbled upon a statue of Don Quichotte made from steel thread – the main resource of our product. He fell in love with the statue, bought it and named the trade brand Don Quichotte after it. This statue is still shining bright at the entrance of our firm,” explains Jan-Willem van der Wijngaart, sales director at Don Quichotte. With the brand name Don Quichotte, the company continued to grow to become the internationally recognised leader in hardened steel nails, which it still is today. Alongside its hardened steel nail range, Don Quichotte has also diversified over the years into plastics and combined products, Naj van Galen (left), Luc de Visser (middle), and Jan-Willem van der Wijngaart helped pack orders during the pandemic

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

Keeping things tight. Since 1921.

100 YEARS

When it comes to delivering perfect results, you need a partner you can rely on. With Don Quichotte, you can be certain of just that. We put all of our 100 years of experience into providing first class solutions for fastening, connecting, routing and protection. Count on us for high quality and clever solutions at competitive prices. That’s what we call being at home at your building site. See you around!

www.don-quichotte.com

INSIGHT such as nailplugs Speedplug, cable clips and other electrical installation material. This expansion of its product range also led to its sales channels growing, from just hardware wholesalers and traders to include electronical wholesalers. “We were growing at such a fast pace that we had to move from our old location to a brand new business park in Helmond in 2004,” points out Jan-Willem. “Nowadays, we have a very diversified portfolio, but our core will always remain in nails for which we are still producing over 10 million per day.”

Meeting today’s challenges

Even with 100 years’ experience, nothing could have prepared Don Quichotte, or any company, for the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Like everybody the pandemic had a big impact on us. However, we were able to quicky adapt and believe we handled it quite well,” mentions Naj van Galen, product marketing manager at Don Quichotte. “In the beginning we worked a lot from home and whilst we did have some issues with production, due to Covid-19 cases within our employees, the team came together with office staff even helping to pack products and get orders to customers.” Naj continues: “Thanks to the hard work of our staff, we did everything we could to meet the orders that kept coming in. Of course, the pandemic made business a lot harder, with increasing shipping (container) prices, material price increases and not being able to travel. We have done everything we can to ensure a consistent supply chain to our customers. Thanks to the investments we have made, and our in-house capabilities, we are able to produce and source almost all our goods in Europe, which is a big benefit. This saw us receive a lot of requests from European companies during this period, which was of course very interesting. However, we were very

aware that we needed to keep our current customers happy – so it was about getting the right balance.”

Ongoing investment

Through its experience, capabilities, and production range, Don Quichotte has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry as a supplier for not only the nails sector but also electrical installation material. Even so, the business is still committed to investing in its future and growing its capabilities and markets. “Investment and innovation are amongst our key pillars for the future,” states Naj. “Without investments and innovation, the company will very quickly come to a standstill and in business that means you are falling behind. We have to keep innovating our product range, our processes, and keep investing in our personnel and preparing ourselves for the future.” That is why Don Quichotte has made several significant investments over recent years that have enabled it to continue to develop and grow. This includes a high rise

warehouse with over 9,400 pallet locations, as well as investing in full LED lighting for all the whole site – which combines with the heat regeneration system from the hardening furnaces to help the company save energy. Don Quichotte has also installed several new machines, including three new packaging lines, a bag packaging machine, as well as some cobots (cooperative robots). Plus, it has created a new subsidiary, with its own warehouse, in Germany for cable routing and trunking products. “We will keep innovating and expanding our product ranges and we will continue to offer better tailored services to our OEM/private label customers,” concludes Jan-Willem. “We are continuously developing ourselves and also talking with our customers, in our key markets, to see and experience what they need. By doing this we can develop and expand our products and services in accordance with their wishes. However, we are famous for our hardened steel nails and this is where our heart will remain.” www.don-quichotte.com To celebrate the anniversary the employees presented a new trailer to the management board

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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INSIGHT

Accelerating towards an electric and autonomous future We last spoke to Thomas Ehrhardt, president of Stanley Black & Decker’s global engineered fastening automotive segment, back in 2016. We recently caught up with him again to discuss how the fastener industry is reinventing itself and how STANLEY Engineered Fastening is positioning itself at the forefront. How has the automotive market progressed over the past five years? What are the current trends in the market and how are they impacting your engineered fastening automotive business?

“When you think back to 2016 we had some absolutely fantastic years in terms of fastener demand. Since then the automotive market has had its ups and downs. Right now, there’s nothing we, or any other fastener supplier, can do about the volatility we’re seeing in terms of production volumes and short-term demand and supply. Therefore, we have to ride it out. Volatility can also mean that it’s just a fluctuation. We know the demand is still strong but there’s other impacts such as material shortages, freight costs, Covid-19, as well as the move to electric vehicles that are all having an effect on our market. Focusing on the move from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles, many people view this as a disruption, but we see it as an opportunity. Currently only a very small portion of our revenue is from fasteners in internal combustion engines – so focusing on electrification is an exciting prospect. We have the right team, the right culture and the right technology to target more specific applications in electric vehicles (EVs) – from the battery cell to the battery box, as well as the entire EV powertrain system – plus a combination of other fastening and value added technologies. We are not just a fastener supplier – we are a fastener solutions provider. This means that we are able to provide the self-piercing riveting systems for example, as well as the rivets.

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INSIGHT

In EVs, we’re also seeing the concept of ‘right material in the right place at the right cost’. This means that everybody is focused on how different materials combined can take weight out of the car, whilst meeting all technical requirements and managing cost. We’re also seeing more multi-material architectures, such as the battery box or the vehicle body, with a combination of high strength steel and lightweight material. We have to be able to fasten these multimaterial combinations and that’s where the opportunities lie, which is why we have introduced two new innovations focusing in this area. Tucker CleanJet is a robust fastening method for any type of aluminium stud welding in any application. It really is the next generation in aluminium stud welding. While use of aluminium brings many benefits to automotive manufacturing, it also brings great challenges when it comes to welding. This is due to aluminium sheets being treated with lubrication and processed in the press shop, which can cause surface inconsistencies to appear – creating an unstable condition for aluminium welding. With CleanJet, the new weld head has an attached plasma cleaning device that quickly spot cleans just prior to welding, leaving the surface prepped and ready – leading to the most reliable and consistent welding results. The other interesting dynamic, and something we are planning to launch the beginning of next year, is a single sided joining technology for any type of material combination. Currently there are some challenges when joining high strength material with another material. Obviously, a pre-hole isn’t ideal because you don’t want to lose any strength, so we’ve developed a single sided joining method, which is BETA testing in Germany right now.”

How important is innovation at STANLEY Engineered Fastening and how do you develop your market knowledge to deliver these solutions?

“Innovation is the most important aspect in our company. Keeping track of the trends is key and we need to make sure we’re answering a need – not just innovating for the sake of innovation. We therefore have a few approaches. Our ‘customer backed innovation’ means we

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have a very close interaction with engineers from our customers’ side. We work together to understand the application and the challenge and bring it in-house to find the best possible solution. As well as this, we have spent a lot of effort investing in an experienced and knowledgeable advanced engineering team. This team works with a much more agile method, with the intention to launch new products quickly and get them into the market. Knowing what’s happening in the market has never been more important, which is why we also work alongside universities, external partners, as well as technology companies, to understand where the specific challenges are in the automotive and specifically the EV market. We’ve discussed the challenges we’re facing as the market moves to electric cars, but there’s also some other areas we can develop such as autonomous driving, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), etc. These are new areas of interest for us as there’s a whole range of new technical applications, so we work alongside our partners to make sure we’re anticipating the needs of the market. Once we take a step back and look at our portfolio, as well as our strategic plans, we then develop a very robust technology roadmap to outline where we see growth and that’s where we must prioritise. We have to decide where to put the majority of our resources – but equally where to stop. As a business we can’t be afraid to phase out old generation technology and eliminate smaller product lines that do not have a future.”

How are you able to guarantee supply despite the challenges currently facing the industry?

“Unlike what we are used to in the automotive world, nowadays nobody really knows what the production volumes will be, so it is quite a challenge for us as a supplier to still guarantee supply, but that’s the challenge everyone in this industry is facing – including our customers. We must try to mitigate the impact for our customers – we feel that we have a responsibility to make sure we don’t become an additional disruptor. One of Stanley Black & Decker’s strategies is to ‘make where you sell’ and we’ve never seen how valuable that was until now. Of course, it

doesn’t always work – there may be certain situations where you need to focus production on a certain technology but in general, we try to supply the critical fasteners from the same region. It’s one of the benefits to being part of a larger corporation, as we have factories all over the world, so this helps us limit the impacts of market disruptions, including transportation challenges and material availability.”

During this time, it was also important to not lose sight of what it all meant for our workers. We had to find the right balance of empathy and engagement, which was where we were able to utilise our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). ERGs are a Stanley Black & Decker project around diversity and inclusion, which during Covid-19 became more important than ever. We established a number of ERGs, for example for working parents and caregivers, during the pandemic in order for us to understand their challenges and support them accordingly. The ERGs quickly became an important networking opportunity and were instrumental in making sure our employees felt heard.”

We are not just a fastener supplier – we are a fastener solutions provider.”

A big factor within the market has been the Covid-19 pandemic. How did the company handle the pandemic over the last 18 months and what is the current situation?

“It was obviously a challenging time but there was a potential for us to refocus on the right priorities as an organisation. It was a time to look at your business, understand which areas you’re strong, as well as others where you need to invest further. As a team we used it as an opportunity to come out stronger. We are still in a situation where we can’t look back and say ‘this is what we did’ because we’re still seeing the impacts worldwide. We are present in all regions of the world and right now it becomes better in one area and then there are additional challenges in another. Of course, when the pandemic started back in early 2020, we needed to manage it accordingly. Priority number one for us was our team and workforce. We made sure we protected our employees, as well as ensured constant interaction and communication between customers and suppliers. There are so many things that had to be implemented – camera temperature checks, mask policies, daily expert calls with company doctors. We even offered vaccinations for our employees here in Germany. We are also enormously proud of the speed our colleagues were able to adapt and switch to home working and hybrid environments.

What opportunities and challenges lie ahead?

“Benefitting from trends aforementioned will obviously continue. However, in terms of opportunities we have a very strong Industrial Division at STANLEY Engineered Fastening (SEF) and we see benefits to a collaboration between the business units. We continue to investigate how we can work more closely together, as well as how we can translate success from one business unit from another, mainly between SEF Automotive and SEF Industrial but also with our CAM Aerospace division. In terms of additional opportunities, it’s actually an exciting time for technology in the market, particularly across Asia. I want to make sure as a company we stay focused on that by positioning ourselves as the number one partner. The fastener industry is reinventing itself and we, as a full system solutions provider, want to be at the forefront. That is what drives us as an organisation. As the opportunities and challenges change, we have to be flexible and smart enough to adapt and make sure we have the right solutions, for the right applications, at the right cost.”

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INSIGHT

Apex – 30 years and counting Apex Stainless Fasteners is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021 having become renowned within the market for its wide range, depth of stock and quick deliveries. Here we speak to Managing Director David Vahter about the company’s development and how the last 18 months have been some of the most challenging of all.

avid joined Apex Stainless Fasteners Ltd in 2020 having worked in the fastener industry for the previous 12 years. “I started in fasteners as a management trainee at the head office of Bufab in Sweden,” mentions David. “From there I did two years in the UK in sales and business development; five years as a managing director of Bufab Denmark; three years as managing director at Bufab Norway; and then I joined Apex.” Having joined the company in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, David is only too aware of the challenges it has created for not only Apex but the entire fastener industry. “The first thing I must say is that I think the business, and especially our staff, have done an unbelievably good job to handle everything that has happened,” states David. “The impact of the pandemic was something most of us had never experienced before, but Apex was able to rise to the challenge and continue servicing customers. However, it was not just the pandemic we have needed to handle.” David points out that alongside the pandemic, with its various lockdowns and variants, there was also a host of other challenges – including BREXIT, freight issues and now difficulties regarding logistics. “These have all been factors over the last 12 months and we have looked to tackle each one head on,” reports David. “For instance, BREXIT made it difficult to get goods in and out of Europe. At the start of the year, something that would normally take a week

to arrive from Europe was taking 4 or 5 weeks. It was frustrating, as you know you have done all you can, but the products weren’t getting through the ports.” David continues: “As everybody within the sector will be aware there are also big challenges with the supply chain, such as longer lead times, lack of capacity at suppliers, as well as container and raw material prices. The longer lead times and lack of capacity at suppliers is a result of the pandemic and the current market situation. The lack of containers and the price of container freight is further exasperating the issue. For instance, the cost of a container is around 7 or 8 times more when compared to pre-pandemic times, with some prices being even higher.” A consequence of such challenges is costs are increasing – with these costs having to be passed onto customers. “When it comes to passing on the cost of container prices there is more acceptance within the market because it has been all over the news, so customers are more aware of the situation. Even so, we have still kept in close contact with our customers and explain why we are taking these steps.” David adds: “I believe we have been relatively sensible when it comes to how we have passed on these costs. As a company we look to be proactive with our customers when it comes to such issues. We believe prices across the board will continue to go up over the coming six months. In Europe, a lot of companies have already taken the step to increase their

Throughout the last thirty years Apex has established itself within the market thanks to its wide range, quick delivery, and depth of stock, and this is something we will look to continue to pride ourselves on going forward.”

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APEX STAINLESS FASTENERS TURNS 30 YEARS OLD IN NOVEMBER 2021! We would like to thank all our customers and business partners for their support during the past 30 years, and we look forward to continued relationships and co-operation in the future.

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INSIGHT prices and we are slowly seeing the same happen within the UK. As a business we have UK and European customers, so we need to try and balance this as best we can.” Even with all these challenges, an area where Apex believes it is doing strongly is its stock availability. “Considering the current situation, we are satisfied with our stock levels. We are not at the levels prior to the pandemic, but then this is not currently achievable for any business. Having stock availability is fundamental to Apex. We are working very hard to get our stocks back to pre-pandemic levels, but no sooner have we filled the shelves, it has already been sold and is being sent to customers. We have never seen a stock turnaround anything near as quick as the last six months. The purchases we did six months ago looked very solid when we did them. However, we have had a very positive few months, so knowing what we know now, we should have ordered 30% more. We will keep working hard to guarantee supply and I am confident we will get our stock back to pre-pandemic levels over the next three to six months.” Another more recent factor impacting the market is the shortage of HGV drivers within the UK. “At Apex we have a commitment to keep our promises to customers. We have always been driven to get the goods out to the customers the same day, so they receive it the following day,” points out David. “Our customers like the fact they can order products with us by 16:30 and then get them the next day. It is a service we are proud to offer and we will continue to do so. However, it is proving very tricky at the moment when there is a lack of HGV drivers within the UK, which is impacting our carriers.”

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David continues: “This is impacting all of the industry and it is very challenging when working with your carriers. We are constantly reviewing our options and looking to mitigate risks, but it is not a simple task and it is something we have to try and handle as best we can.”

Marking an important milestone

After such a challenging period, David believes celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary is just what Apex and its employees need. “We have been working extremely hard since the pandemic, so we haven’t arranged anything formerly. However, we are looking to plan something and I think it will be good to have a fun event to look forward to for everyone involved at Apex Stainless Fasteners,” states David. “Throughout the last thirty years Apex has established itself within the market thanks to its wide range, quick delivery, and depth of stock, and this is something we will look to continue to pride ourselves on going forward.” To do so, Apex is currently running efficiency programmes within every department, with the aim to help further improve processes and the overall service to customers. “We have the financial stability to invest in stocks or capacity as and when required, which is a very positive position to be in,” concludes David. “Going forward we have several areas we will look to develop and invest, such as digitisation – with an eCommerce platform. We will also focus on sustainability and what we can do as a company; as well as ensuring we continue to support our employees and how we can help them develop both on a personal level, as well as from a business perspective.” www.apexstainless.com

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The World’s Most Innovative Fastening Solutions EFC International Is A Global Provider Of Specialty Engineered Components Including Design & Application Engineering

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From experience, innovation For almost 70 years Ober has been designing and manufacturing portable compressed air tools, pneumatic motors, automated machinery, as well as systems for drilling, tapping, threading and screwing – including riveting tools with electronic pulling force.

ll of the products within Ober’s range are built within its facility located in Cadriano di Granarolo dell’Emilia to the north of Bologna in Italy. “Our advanced product lines and pre and after sales services are second to none and are backed by our vast experience,” explains Ober SpA. “This has enabled us to become a leader in the Italian market, as well as grow strongly throughout Europe – with the aim to enter the North American and Russian markets. We can do this because we know how to earn and win the trust of our customers by meeting and satisfying their needs.” Customer satisfaction has been Ober’s primary mission for over 70 years. The know-how and major investments in research and development have contributed to making Ober what it is today and has enabled it to become a supplier of innovative products and services to leading sectors of industry. “As a business we are able to supply customers with a wide range of tools, including custom-built solutions developed by our in-house technical team,” states Ober. “We strive to supply products of the highest quality, which is why we not only look to meet relevant standards – we are ISO 9001 certified – but go beyond them to guarantee the very best quality.”

A key factor in Ober’s ability to produce high-quality innovative products is its skilled and experienced employees, as well as modern machinery and equipment. “Without doubt the most valuable asset of our business is our employees – who have the knowledge and experience to enable us to continuously develop new features and tools,” points out Ober. “Alongside our employees, we also look to purchase the very latest production technology, whether machinery or software. This has led to our R&D capabilities being at the very forefront of the industry.” With this in mind, Ober is looking forward to continuing to develop its product range with the introduction of new ground-breaking high-tech tools. The company will also look to develop its brand awareness by attending and participating at international trade fairs. “We will carry on with our strategy of investing in R&D and enhancing our capability to cope with the increasing requests for automating the manufacturing processes and sub processes,” concludes Ober. “Our aim is to continue to stand out from the crowd and focus on more technically sophisticated products – while preserving the company’s huge know-how built over the last 70 years.” www.ober.it

INSIGHT

Masters in Fasteners At the beginning of October Fabory Group announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire KEBEK Group from founder and current director, Dalibor Bek. Here we take a more in-depth look at the acquisition and how the strong strategic fit, and common high performance mentality of both organisations, will enable the Fabory-KEBEK combination to provide a stronger and more relevant proposition to its customers.

hrough the acquisition of KEBEK, Fabory is looking to create a leading fastener platform in the central and eastern european region – providing a deep and wide range of specialist fasteners, differentiating supply chain solutions, as well as quality and engineering capabilities. Francisco Terol, CEO at Fabory, comments: “Fabory is highly impressed by KEBEK, with the width and depth of its product assortment, its strong commercial performance and value added services. We are therefore extremely excited and proud to welcome the KEBEK Group to the Fabory family. This marks an important step in our ‘Masters-in-Fasteners’ strategy and reinforces our leadership position in our core countries. We continue to make strong progress on our overall transformation and are looking forward to continuing this journey together with the KEBEK team.” A family-owned fastener specialist headquartered in Chomutov, in the north-west of the Czech Republic, KEBEK was founded in 1992 and has operations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The company’s successful initial distribution activities of air conditioning and ventilation components quickly expanded to the distribution of fasteners, which is KEBEK’s core activity today – offering a wide and broad assortment of specialised fasteners in combination with value added services, including in-house production capabilities and automated kitting facilities. This creates a strong value proposition to a customer base of over 8,000 customers, including several large key accounts in, amongst others, the healthcare, energy and construction markets. Dalibor Bek, current director at KEBEK Group, comments: “We are excited about our future as part of Fabory Group. The company and its management team have shown they have the required expertise and winning mentality to establish a leading platform in the strong and quickly growing central and eastern European markets. We are convinced that joining forces will open up many new opportunities in several countries and market segments.” As a leading specialist supplier of fasteners and related products in the Benelux, with a pan-European presence, Fabory provides a broad assortment of high-quality and application critical fasteners to over 60,000 customers throughout Europe. Its client base ranks from blue chip to small and medium enterprises across various end markets, including machine building, electrical appliances, automotive and construction. Fabory combines a deep technical knowledge with smart integrated supply chain solutions – providing its customers with reliable and safe fastener solutions.

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Masters-in-Fasteners

The famous tag line used for many years by the Fabory company, is being revitalised. Its recent acquisition emphasises the ambition and the new strategic direction that has been set-out since the change of ownership in July 2020, by Torqx Investment Capital. As an independent business, Fabory is clearly redefining its focus again on fastening solutions and starting to reclaim its former position as one of the leading enterprises in Europe in this field. After one year, the transformation from a more industrial generalist distributor in MRO and fastener products, into a ‘specialist’ in fastening solutions is starting to get the right momentum. Despite the turbulent market situation and the many challenges linked to that, Fabory has made significant investment in new value added capabilities. These are crucial to serve a highly demanding OEM and larger MRO customer group. “We are proud that in a short period of time we have been able to launch three innovative logistical solutions: Our new RFID-BINs, the Weight-Scale Digital Bin and our Pick-to-light Stock management system. These new logistical solutions, next to our already and proven ‘optical eye’ system, provides us the opportunity to tailor our logistical service to the local needs of the users. As each customer has different demands, even within one customer location, you need to tailor the right solution to serve the local needs of the operators at the production line or in their warehouse system. The fact that we can now offer the combination of these innovative logistical solutions, together with the more traditional merchandising services, is highly valued by our customers.”

Expansion of distribution centre

Fabory has also decided to further expand its central warehouse in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The existing building site dates back to the mid 1970s and requires significant investments to improve and optimise the logistical flow. The new distribution hall will also provide Fabory with the opportunity to install the latest technology and infrastructure to implement state of the art logistical solutions. From its Tilburg operation, Fabory serves over 30 countries around the world and a rapidly growing number of customers. The company expect the new distribution hall to be ready in Quarter 4 of 2023. This site expansion and the recent new build emphasises the strategic ambition of the Fabory Group and the strong momentum that the organisation is experiencing. www.faborygroup.com

Creating Peace of Mind We passionately develop high-quality fastening solutions, even for the most challenging applications. It is this dedication that drives us to partner with our customers to optimize their operations. Together we create safe and reliable connections.

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CE to UKCA Marking Earlier this year the UK government announced an extension to the CE Marking deadline so that it would continue to be accepted in Great Britain until the end of 2022, at which point products will require UKCA Marking. Here, Alex Lubbock, global construction practice director at BSI (The British Standards Institution) discusses everything fastener manufacturers need to know about UKCA Marking.

he UKCA Mark, which has been valid since 1 st January 2021, will be the only route to market for regulated products in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) from the 1 st January 2023. The UKCA Marks placed into the Great British market will act much like their predecessors, the CE Marks. The UKCA Mark indicates conformity with legislative requirements and is placed on products to declare they are safe and comply with essential health and safety characteristics. It’s objective is to ensure there is no reduction in product safety, accuracy, or consumer protections, due to BREXIT and aims to ensure the effectiveness of the current legislative framework is maintained. Manufacturers should take steps now and prioritise the application of this legislative requirement. From 1 st January 2023, the CE Mark will no longer be recognised by the Great British market and manufacturers will need to apply the UKCA Mark to any products they intend to place on the market. This may seem like an adequate length of time before manufacturers need to approach Approved Bodies and apply for the UKCA Mark. However, there are significantly less Approved Bodies

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for UKCA Marking and this increases the risk of long lead times and delays in 2022. This year we have all experienced backlog and disruption to transport and supply routes due to Covid-19, the Suez Canal shipping incident and leaving the EU. These issues have resulted in difficulty reaching clearance at UK borders and this is something BSI is keen to help the industry avoid next year. We strongly advise manufacturers and importers to get prepared early for UKCA by speaking to BSI to avoid disruption to supply chains and loss of confidence amongst consumers. There are over four hundred and forty designated standards under the Construction Product Regulation alone to which UKCA applies. Determining how to apply UKCA Marking is also very important. The intended purpose of the product and the annex to the standard you wish to test or certify against hold the key. Products such as construction materials, toys, personal protective equipment, gas appliances, and pressure vessels, all have their standards reviewed regularly, as a result of regulations in these areas. The BSI website and GOV.UK are great sources of information to find out whether your product falls under regulation or outside it. With the Building Safety Bill being put before the UK

INSIGHT parliament in 2022, there is likely to be an increasing requirement on manufacturers to demonstrate conformity and accuracy of what is placed on the market. Having knowledge of compliance and making Declarations of Conformity will help protect from disruption. Proper training courses can also help navigate the relevant rules and regulations. As an Approved Body, BSI can support organisations and ensure that appropriate testing and certification is provided.

Applying for UKCA certification

To apply for UKCA certification and for it to be processed without delays, an application must contain all of the necessary documents. If you do not already have CE certification with BSI, you will need to supply a technical file containing a contents list; revision history; product description – such as GA drawings, component drawings; materials and intended use; details of the organisation; risk assessment/compliance with Essential Safety Requirements (ESR); product type test reports; as well as user information. It is also beneficial to include product marking and draft Declaration of Conformity. We also ask our clients to complete an application form to ensure that the scope of our certification will be right from the outset. Clear guidance documents are provided to clients with each application to make the process smoother. Failure to supply complete documentation can lead to considerable delays. Approved Bodies may be unable to make a positive UKCA certification recommendation without a complete set of documents demonstrating conformity. The volume of applications and work for UKCA will likely result in a lead time for manufacturers, so the earlier documents are submitted, the better. BSI helps manufacturers avoid applications being delayed and this is why we are sharing this information. To make this easier, we’ve provided guidance documents showing new applicants how to put together a technical file. We have a quick

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and simple process for our existing CE certificate holders to gain UKCA certification, so they won’t have to worry about resubmitting a technical file.

What about the EU market?

BSI is well placed to assist manufacturers who require CE Marking, as well as a number of other global market access marks. BSI will continue to offer CE Marking services for EU27 market access via our Netherlands Notified Body (2797), as well as many other global market access solutions. However, time is very short and there are examples, such as insulated glass unit testing, which is taking up to five months. Therefore, any delay in conducting testing could result in products being placed on the market without the required supporting documents or even not being placed on the market at all, which could lead to negative consequences for both consumers and manufacturers. We have seen a lot of interest from European manufacturers who appear to be taking appropriate action and having their products tested ready for the end of the deadline next year. However, UK manufacturers who have previously worked with EU Notified Bodies are perhaps not fully aware of the consequences. As one of the UK’s leading Approved Bodies, BSI can guide manufacturers through the process to achieve UKCA Marking, explain the new requirements and provide solutions. We can also help with the complexities of supplying to and from Northern Ireland where there are further nuances related to the changes coming into force. UKCA is also not the only option for conformity within the UK. Where a product falls outside of the designated standards under the Construction Product Regulation, you might wish to consider a global voluntary mark like Kitemark™. The BSI Kitemark™ is the most recognisable mark of its kind in the UK and working with the BSI Kitemark brand brings more than access, it is also a differentiation as a manufacturer to customers who trust in the BSI brand.

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DSV: Evolution not revolution Here Hans Führlbeck, general manager at Deutscher Schraubenverband, the independent industry association for German fastener manufacturers, gives an insight into how the association works with its members, as well as the latest developments within the German fastener market.

eutscher Schraubenverband (DSV) represents not only German fastener manufacturers but the whole process chain around the production of mechanical fasteners. In total there are 53 full members of DSV, which includes a variety of fastener manufacturers – such as bolt, rivet and screw, as well as 76 associated members, covering other areas of the production process, such as coating, machinery, wire drawing, etc. Our wide spectrum of members is a big benefit as it means we are not just focusing on speaking to fastener producers. We are covering the entire process chain, which means we are fully aware of what is going on around the whole industry. The DSV is committed to promoting the common interests of its members and looks to concentrate on the technical, scientific and economical aspects of the industry. Regarding technical support, we have certain working groups where we discuss and commonly work on topics or issues impacting the industry – such as surface coating challenges, cold forming challenges, etc. Through these working groups, we can focus on bigger technical subjects that most manufacturers will face during the production of fasteners. We discuss technical aspects, without touching competition relevant subjects.

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MADE IN GERMANY As part of the working groups, the DSV also works alongside German universities, through governmental grants, to study these key topics and conduct the necessary research. Over the years there have been a wide variety of topics the DSV working groups have concentrated on, such as ‘friction under certain conditions’; ‘pre-loading of bolts in set conditions’; or ‘friction involving specific coatings’ to name just a few. Once research projects with the universities are finished, the outcome and results are published and made available to our members. It is then up to the individual companies on how they use these results and apply it to their products and company. Creating these working groups and covering such issues is very much appreciated by our members, as they get a chance to get involved in these topics and R&D work. It also enables smaller companies, which might not have the necessary resources to conduct internal studies, to have access to this type of technical R&D work, which is a real benefit.

Opportunities for the future

An area that does provide opportunities for DSV members is eMobility and the opportunities this will bring in the future. For me, eMobility is a given, there is no way back, especially here in Germany. The only conversation is how quickly things accelerate. There is no more discussion on whether it will happen. Maybe in some niche areas the combustion engine will stay but it will only be a small percentage. When it comes to electric vehicles, Germany is in a strong position as there have been a lot of governmental schemes – enabling customers to save money if they bought an electric car. This saw the usage of electric cars increase and I believe it will continue to do so over the coming years. This growth of eMobility will also have an impact on certain fastener manufacturers, both positive and negative. Those companies that produce engine bolts are clearly going to be impacted, but that is why it is critical they start to think about how they are going to replace this market share, because in 10 – 15 years it might not be there anymore. Manufacturers cannot sit back and complain about how the sector is developing. Markets are continuously evolving and as a business manufacturers need to look forward and have a strategy on what alternatives they can supply. For instance, all the batteries of e-vehicles need to be fixed, which raises a whole host of technical questions – regarding electrical current in a car and what happens if it goes through a fastener. There are a lot of extra questions and a lot of opportunities. So, whilst there might be less fasteners in the combustion area there might be more engineered fasteners needed. No market is standing still, eMobility is a major development in automotive that everybody can see in the news. However, within other sectors there is also development and it is continuous. It is not necessarily a revolution but an evolution, whatever industry it happens to be. As a manufacturer, if you just make what everyone else is making around the world, your possibilities to earn money is limited. By looking at the problems facing the different industries you can look to find unique solutions that will enable you to stand out from the crowd.

The DSV is committed to promoting the common interests of its members.”

Managing Covid-19

Where the DSV has also looked to help our members is with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring members were aware of the latest governmental information. After the crisis of 2008/09, I was sure there would be another crisis eventually, but nobody had any idea it would be this type. Covid-19 was a unique development and of course our members were impacted by the pandemic, but they were all able to handle the situation and quickly adapted to working remotely where necessary, as well as working in a new way with customers and suppliers. As a day-to-day part of the association, we provide information that comes from the political level. Unsurprisingly in the pandemic period the amount of information increased and our members appreciated the DSV providing updates, as it meant they didn’t need to get one of their own employees to search for the details. DSV members are B2B focused, with automotive a big sector for a lot of the members. Other sectors covered by members are construction – both building and machinery, electrics and electronics, white goods, renewable energy, rail, as well as aviation. Whilst some industries were impacted by the pandemic, such as the slowdown in automotive, others saw an upturn – for instance construction.

The challenge of automotive

Another factor currently impacting those members involved in the automotive sector is the availability of semiconductor chips. Normally you have schedules from the automotive sector and the fastener companies know when and how many pieces they need to deliver. However, these days fastener companies are planning and manufacturing everything, only to be told days before delivery the automotive customer doesn’t need the products – as they do not have the semiconductor chips. This means fastener companies have spent significant costs on production, as well as extra costs to now store or handle the products, but aren’t able to sell them. It is a very difficult situation, which doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. Just a few weeks ago the prognosis for the German economy was reduced by 0.8% to around 2.5% due to general raw material availability. Not specifically steel or wire, but everything – semiconductor chips, woods, etc. The market has definitely become a little more pessimistic than it was a few months ago and companies can only hope for better developments in 2022.

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Specific fastener education will be further developed

An area in which the DSV stands out from other associations and is looking to develop further in the future is its fastener education academy, where it has seen huge success. Our fastener training academy is very technically driven and provides a high-level of training, which has proved popular with fastener companies and clients throughout Germany. With this in mind, we are looking to extend our training capabilities by providing the training also in English, rather than just German. This would enable us to reach more people across the industry, as the demand is big. However, we do not have to rely on ‘selling’ this training. We are focused on a fastener specific high-quality education for engineers as Certified Fastener Engineer (DSV), for technicians as Certified Fastener Technician (DSV) and also for general technical staff, to the benefit of our members and their clients – whilst also delivering all the other association services and information we can provide to our full members and associated members to support their business. www.schraubenverband.de

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MADE IN GERMANY

Competence for every industry This year saw BÄCKER invest over €1.7 million to modernise its machine park in Erndtebrück-Schameder. Here we caught up with Alena Wied, marketing manager at BÄCKER, to find out all about its new manufacturing capabilities, as well as the benefits of using plastic screws across key industries. A big factor within the market has obviously been the Covid-19 pandemic. How have the last two years developed for BÄCKER GmbH & Co KG?

“Despite the pandemic, 2020 was the best selling year in the company’s history. 2021 is also looking to be positive and as we stand, we believe we’ll end the year stronger in terms of sales and earnings. During the pandemic, prices no longer became a decisive purchasing decision for our potential customers because they were struggling to purchase from Asia. This meant we could position ourselves to supply new customers as they looked for new suppliers and alternative products. Although we did have such a strong 2020, we still faced challenges. During the pandemic we faced, and still do, the supply challenge of raw materials and rising prices. We predict this situation will continue into next year, with prices already extremely unstable and difficult to predict. To add to this, we’re also seeing a shortage of truck drivers across Germany – which is being put down to Covid-19. Not only that, but goods are being ordered online with such a pace that there’s longer transit times for freight and less flexibility in delivery times.”

BÄCKER has invested over €1.7 million to modernise its production capabilities, tell us more about these manufacturing capabilities.

“We have the experience and professional expertise to make advanced injection moulded parts with high performance polymers, engineering thermoplastics and bulk plastics. In April we modernised

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a third of our entire machine park with new, more powerful and, above all, more energy efficient machines. Our production encompasses the latest generation modern and fully automatic ARBURG injection moulding machines from 250kN to 3,500kN, which enables us to supply a wide range of injection moulded products – weighing between 1g and 800g. Our new machines can produce around 1.4 seconds faster per stroke, meaning a 20% – 25% higher output is possible. In addition, we are also able to supply hybrid solutions combining both plastic and metal; manufacture inexpensive products with internal and external thread; as well as products according to drawing. Our factory produces 24/7, with all the machines connected online via the ARBURG host computing system (ALS) – making it possible to monitor production anywhere within the business. By monitoring the machines, we can see everything that we need, including which machines are running and how long it is going to take to produce a particular batch. As part of our latest investment, the raw material supply for the plant was also modernised. The raw material is now transported to the machines by means of a vacuum suction device, making it much quieter whilst also filtering the dust from the raw material.”

BÄCKER took delivery of seven new ARBURG injection machines in April 2021

Tell us a bit more about your extensive product range, as well as which key markets you supply.

“BÄCKER stands for competence in every industry. We manufacture products for leading industrial companies from various industries including electrical engineering, electronics, medical technology, mechanical and plant engineering, automotive, chemical, shipbuilding, leisure and sports equipment, as well as the sanitary industries. We have an extensive product range of more than 5,000 items with a total of 23,000 different variants and dimensions of the three different product groups – PlacoGrip®, PlacoTec® and PlacoCap®. These include clamping levers, locking pins, grip elements, plastic screws, nuts, protective caps and many other products. In addition to our standard items, we also produce special parts made of plastic, according to customers’ drawings. Our team of specialists is available to our customers in every project phase, from planning to series production. Sometimes our parts are tiny, but their impact is huge. Our products can be found in a variety of places – when mowing the lawn, shopping with a rollator mobility aid – providing a secure hold, as well as at a concert – ensuring the lamps are firmly mounted. We are proud of the application areas we can cover with our products

and count ourselves as one of the market leaders in Europe. 60% – 70% of our customers are in Germany, with the remainder in Europe and overseas.”

What are your plans for the future? Where do you see opportunities for the business?

“We will continue to invest in new technologies and improve our processes, together with modern machines and systems. By focusing on the needs of our customers, we will expand our product range accordingly. The plastics market is a growing market so there is a keen interest in our products and their capabilities. Plastic products offer multiple benefits to customers. They are lightweight, offer good insulation/nonconductive, have a high heat resistance, and are available in a variety of different materials, colours and sizes – giving customers as much flexibility as possible. There are now high performance plastics, such as Grivory, which can partially replace metal fastenings with regard to the strength. Therefore, fastenings made from plastic have become a real alternative to metal in many areas. Another opportunity is our focus on the PlacoTec series. Not only are they lighter than metal they are also corrosion resistant and have no electrical conductivity. In addition, they can be ideally exchanged for conventional metal products in certain areas by adding fibreglass or other solid plastics. The plastic items are particularly suitable for outdoor use because they are corrosion resistant. These articles are sold in large numbers, especially to dealers.” www.baecker.eu

Sometimes our parts are tiny, but their impact is huge…”

WWW.FASTENERANDFIXING.COM

MADE IN GERMANY

A sustainable and secure future for all Click here to watch our exclusive interview with Dietmar W. Guttroff

What makes a flexible and adaptable company and to what extent does this description fit IVOSTUD?

“I am convinced that flexible, successful companies must always listen to their customers’ needs in order to be able to respond to the different requirements of customers and markets. That’s what characterises companies that are able to adapt – at the customer’s request. When it comes to IVOSTUD, due to the separation from the automotive sector, from which our former group of companies originated, it was not possible for us to be active outside the automotive sector – specifically in the area of passenger cars. We have only been able to do this since April of this year and we are now active again in various industrial areas and also in the remaining automotive areas such as commercial vehicles. This is exactly the time for our activities to start in terms of adaptability and flexibility – from now on we can react to the requirements of the markets and the customer’s wishes and we do so at short notice.”

How do you manage your current day-to-day business in the company?

“Last year was characterised by a very poor order situation on part of the automotive manufacturers. It is also currently characterised by a very important topic that is ‘cost management’. In principle, this is exactly what shapes our current day-to-day business. On the one hand, we are making great efforts to expand our sales activities worldwide in order to generate additional orders. On

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Here we speak to Dietmar W. Guttroff, general manager at IVOSTUD GmbH – a global company for the manufacture of stud welding technology, which belongs to the British parent company Doncasters Group and is the legal successor to Nelson Automotive GmbH – about the importance of being flexible and adaptable; the significance of digitisation; the relationship between environmental protection and industry; and what future viability actually means.

the other hand, managing costs is a major challenge. This means that we are also resorting to common tools such as short-time working in order to position ourselves accordingly.”

A new factor is the additional challenges on the international procurement markets, which are changing virtually on a daily basis as a result of progressive shortages. Are there any points of comparison with the time before the pandemic? Have you noticed any significant changes?

“I think that international competitive pressure will continue to increase. I also believe that after Covid-19, an investment hub will be opened up again – similar to 2009. In other words, I am absolutely convinced that the entire global economy will experience a major upswing. We see this precisely as a reaction to the new crisis of shortages on the international procurement markets. New projects are being launched by companies, such as building their own semiconductor plants in Germany, in order to break away from international dependencies. This will not only be the case in this sector after, or as a result of, the pandemic, but also in many other sectors as well. The construction sector, as well as agricultural machinery construction, and the construction of industrial trucks, which are important potential customers for us in the industrial sector, will definitely invest in the future to make themselves even more secure and better prepared for future crises. I think that many will draw lessons from this pandemic and respond by investing in the future.”

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Contact information: IVOSTUD GmbH, Schützenstraße 6-8, 58339 Breckerfeld, info@ivostud.com, +49 (2338) 870 99 0

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MADE IN GERMANY So you think that industry will have to prepare for further, comparable future scenarios?

“Yes, of course. You have to get fit for the future, which can continue to be influenced by crises. We are in a pandemic, now we are talking about the Delta variant. Who knows how long this topic will be relevant to us. The point is that companies are hedging their bets for the future. That’s why we, too, are hedging our bets and are taking a step in the direction of industry. It’s true that mobility will continue to be driven mainly on four wheels. However, the extent to which this can also happen globally and sustainably in the next 20 years is something we all don’t know today. The mobility concepts of the future are diverse. In this respect, we cannot rely economically on this one sector alone, but must position ourselves more broadly. This is exactly what other companies will do in order to remain flexible and adaptable.”

Flexibility and adaptability also include the topic of digitisation. What role does it play in the realignment of IVOSTUD? Do you see opportunities and potential for your company?

“Very much so. We are in the middle of digitalising IVOSTUD. We are starting in production and will digitally capture, analyse and evaluate all company relevant data. We will also make business decisions regarding the future direction on the basis of the digitally determined data. In this respect, digitisation is a very important topic for us and not just when it comes to production, but also in terms of international networking with our suppliers. We want to create systems so that our suppliers – and we vice versa – can access digital data within the supply chain. This means that inventories and delivery times are determined and monitored digitally.”

The digitisation of companies will change many things. Do you think that it might even help a company to communicate its expertise more strongly to the outside world?

“We definitely see a lot of potential for us. You have to imagine, besides us, there is only one other significant global supplier of

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automated stud welding systems for the automotive industry. Most companies don’t even realise that there are only two manufacturers who can be used internationally. We will increasingly communicate that we are there; that we weld studs; and that we manufacture industrial equipment. All that not only in the field of automated stud welding technology for the automotive industry, i.e passenger cars, but also for delivery vans, commercial vehicles, vans, buses and trucks – everything is now open to us in the field of vehicle construction.”

What challenges do you see for companies in the future? Especially in terms of sustainability?

“Sustainability is not only an important issue for IVOSTUD, but for everyone. I am absolutely convinced that it will become increasingly important for every single company to be sustainable in the future as well. We, too, are trying to do even more. We are reviewing and reducing our consumption, we are using green electricity. The installation of a photovoltaic system for our factory roof is currently up for discussion. The goal is always climate neutrality. It is also a challenge for us to make our maximum contribution possible. We have to analyse in great detail what kind of carbon footprint we actually have in order to then offset it and ask: ‘How can we compensate for this?’ What we are doing in any case is examining our production and trying to optimise it in terms of oil and electricity consumption. We will continue to attach great importance to the issue of sustainability. There are also clear EHS targets in our group of companies, of which sustainability is naturally a part. Environmental protection and sustainability are also key pillars in the strategy paper of our parent company Doncasters Group.”

Some might say that sustainability and industry don’t go together at all. Do you think that’s a misconception?

“It goes together perfectly. I can predict that the companies that will be maximally successful in the future will be those that combine the two and don’t just think about profit and exploit the environment to make profit. Right now, there are movements around the world that are paying very close attention to which companies are

committed to sustainability and which are not: The latter being booted out. On social media, everywhere. If they continue to ‘out themselves’ as environmental sinners, these companies will run into economic problems by simply not getting orders anymore. There will be plenty of other companies that may cost a bit more but are eco-friendly. This will be controlled by future generations of customers – not by the economy alone.”

You just mentioned the topic of social media, which is also part of the area of digitisation. Do you think it’s true to say that investing in digitisation will cost jobs in the future?

“It’s a superstition to think that the more you digitise and automate, the more jobs will be lost. On the contrary, there are always other jobs and there are always other requirements. The number of employees needed to ultimately produce this growth of the future will not become fewer, but rather more. It just depends on how you look at it. Many entrepreneurs that I know personally simply have a problem with this because they have not yet experienced this development in their minds and spirits. They are still too entrenched in the history of their own company and unable to break away from it to try something new and pursue new approaches. For example, we manufacture industrial bolts. In addition, we will develop special types of fasteners in the future. Who says we can’t manufacture other components? You don’t have to stay where you are. If we find that we have the know-how to perhaps also manufacture weld nuts and not just weld studs, why shouldn’t we do it?”

Will all this ultimately determine the success of a company? How do you define success?

“It has certainly already been partially alluded to what my personal attitude is. I’m a family man myself, I have children, and of course I’m aware of this responsibility – precisely because I have children. My youngest son is only five. That means at some point, he will ask exactly these questions: ‘Dad, what did you do to make sure that I have it as good in this world as you had it?’ In this respect, success from an entrepreneurial point of view is the harmony between profitability – of course the company has to be profitable – environmental protection and sustainability. It is precisely those companies that create and live this harmony that will be successful in the future. They will experience support, from the population, from customers and also from politics. These movements in our society, which have been going on for a few years, are taking place all over the world. Everyone will be looking closely at the extent to which companies are making their contribution to environmental protection, sustainability and climate neutrality and, above all, which companies do not. These will ultimately be excluded. In my opinion, it will become more and more important to protect the environment for future generations and not to weaken it for the sake of profit. That will determine the success of a company in the future. Nothing else.” www.industry.ivostud.com

Sustainability is not only an important issue for IVOSTUD, but for everyone. I am absolutely convinced that it will become increasingly important for every single company to be sustainable in the future as well.”

MADE IN GERMANY

From the casting to the complete product Based in Saarburg, BTS is a manufacturer of fasteners made of malleable cast iron, as well as a distributor of fasteners made of steel, stainless steel, brass and aluminium. Here, Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge speaks to Markus Becker, sales director, about the importance of German made quality, and added services, when supplying products worldwide.

stablished in 1971, BTS Befestigungselemente-Technik GmbH manufactures and exports fastening and connecting materials. This includes products from its own production, such as wing nuts, wing screws, beam clamps, timber connectors and various special parts made to drawings or samples, as well as commercial products such as channel nuts, hammer head bolts, cap nuts, and special customised products – supplied to Europe, Russia, Australia, North Africa, the USA and the Middle East. BTS and its products are also certified to international standards, along with its wing nuts and wing screws shaped exactly according to the DIN standard. Malleable iron beam clamps – used for steel constructions to suspend building services from I-Beams, such as sprinkler systems, cable trays air conditioning systems and pipe supports – also have the necessary certifications such as VdS, FM and UL for sprinkler systems and cable management. “With beam clamps for threaded rods from M6 up to M16, and clamping distances from 18mm up to 45mm, we offer beam clamps for almost all kinds of applications,” comments Markus. One of the key advantages and basis for the

high-quality standard of BTS’ products are the blanks sourced from its sister company VS GmbH & Co KG in Solingen. VS has over 100 years of experience in the manufacture of thin walled small cast pieces with a unit weight of up to 1,500g. As well as experience in the fastening technology market, VS also supplies into vehicle technology, agricultural machinery, mining, air cargo and the electrical conduit markets, meaning that cast products from VS are highly valued by customers all over the world. What does this mean for the products coming from BTS? Markus explains: “We process, drill, cut threads, weld, as well as assemble our products in-house.

We process, drill, cut threads, weld, as well as assemble our products in-house…”

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During the Covid-19 pandemic it was a big advantage that we manufacture the complete products in-house. Starting from melting the iron and casting of the blanks, to machining and welding, to finally assembling and packing the finished products into our own or into custom-made packaging – completely within our German locations. In the area of sub-suppliers we choose, when possible, German or European manufacturers. This includes German made threaded rods, which during the pandemic made it much easier for us to secure the manufacture of our wing screws and, of course, to ensure the supply of our customers.” The close working relationship with its sister company VS is also a big advantage for BTS when dealing with special custom-made items. “We have the knowledge, expertise and know-how to work alongside our customers to turn even just the idea of a fastening solution into a final product. The most modern tools such as CAD systems, computerised solidification modelling, rapid prototyping and our own tool shop are also available for this purpose.” Besides products from its own production, BTS offers a wide range of commercial products that are constantly expanded. The most recent examples are quick assembly aids for mounting

rails and beam clamps with U-Bolt. “Belonging to the same group of companies as VS, helps us here too,” mentions Markus. “Today we can even trade custom-made items in cast iron, brass and aluminium for a wide range of industries that don’t necessarily have anything to do with fixings.” Looking ahead to the future and Markus is clear investments must go on. “Despite the challenges we faced during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, quick solutions had to be found. These include the procurement of equipment for online video conferences, the training of employees, as well as air purification systems against viruses, which were installed across the company. We rose to these challenges and now we look ahead. Currently high raw material prices and soaring energy prices are impacting the German fastener market and these will remain a big challenge for German manufacturers post Covid-19. We’re also seeing a shift for ‘greener’ working environments – where the German industry is expected to become more green. As we continue to move into the future, we have to continue to set ourselves apart by supplying a reliable, quality product and of course added services.” www.bts-saarburg.de

BEAM CLAMPS Approved for both tensile directions, full range for M6-M16 threaded rods and clamping widths from 18-45 mm, different finishes

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Tel.: +49 6581 916 888 info@bts-saarburg.de www.bts-saarburg.de

MADE IN GERMANY

Eurotec expands production To ensure its customers continue to receive the quality and delivery times they are accustomed to, Eurotec has recently doubled its production facility to 6,000m2 at its Hagen site.

ith an investment in new machinery to meet the current market demand, Eurotec currently produces timber construction screws with a diameter from 6mm – 13mm and a length from 160mm – 3,000mm. “Our primary target is to be self-sustaining in the supply and production of the whole range of fasteners we offer,” comments Markus Rensburg, managing director at Eurotec GmbH. “Using our own machinery, we want to be able to integrate more production processes and technologies in-house so we can control the quality of our products.” Markus continues: “This is one of the multiple benefits we have as a German fastener manufacturer. Our lead times will also be improved as more is produced in-house. Another added benefit is that we have no import bureaucracy and documentation – which is so important right now with the current challenges of the global supply chains and freight.” Eurotec is able to supply a wide range of wood construction screws that can be used for a number of different applications – including mass timber constructions, load-bearing timber frame joints, timber engineering, multiple hall constructions or the renovation of ceilings. The company points out its range of wood construction screws feature high corrosion resistance; applicability in service classes 1 to 3; as well as an excellent resistance to mechanical loading. The screws can also be utilised for carpentry work. Eurotec’s range of wood construction screws includes the Paneltwistec range, which the company points out is known for being an ‘all rounder’ among screws. It is available in different steel grades, head shapes, and screw tips, and each screw has special properties that are suitable and necessary according to the application. “Climate-friendly construction continues to be a big focus for Eurotec. Wood as a building material holds a clear advantage over cement and concrete in terms of CO 2 reduction. Timber construction is becoming more relevant and this investment in our facilities enables us to continue to be a reliable specialist for fastening technology in this field,” comments Markus. As well as a high-quality product, ensuring a consistent service to customers is also key. Eurotec is offering training sessions (on-site

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supervision on turnkey projects if required), consultancy services, as well as estimation services. The company also offers a number of calculation software programs for its customers. This includes deck software, developed to make it easier to plan the materials users need for deck construction. Once a few key parameters are entered, the application offers you a choice of suitable products for the substructure, the substructure support and the materials for fastening the deck boards in place. As well as the deck calculation software, Eurotec’s ECS software calculates structural timber connections, node connectors, roof, as well as façade construction and is the company’s core software, which gets constant updates and additions. To add to this, all relevant Eurotec products are integrated in the catalogues of the widespread timber engineering software solutions SEMA and CADworks. “Construction goes on and on and the challenges we face mean we have to be able to offer our customers a full package. As Asian manufacturers become more uneconomic, and global freight costs increase, this may lead to a trend of production returning to Europe, which again confirms our commitment to constantly develop our manufacturing capabilities. The main driver will be the highest possible degree of process controlled automation. By getting rid of as many manual processes as possible, we can achieve constant quality, ideal machine utilisation, as well as a cost-efficient production.” www.eurotec.team/en

FASTENING IS OUR PASSION

TIMBER DECK AND GARDEN ROOF FAÇADE CONCRETE

Tip geometry

For easy screwing in without splitting the wood

Thread with cutting notch

Diagonally offset, allows easy screwing – even in hard wood

Friction part

For pre-milling the wood for the shaft

Self-milling ribs

For easy sinking of the screw in all kinds of timber

Production capabilities

Today‘s possibilities

Whatever your requirements are, we provide you with everything from a single source. We produce in various processes such as stamping and stamping-bending technology, cold forming, injection moulding and extrusion technology.

Long screws up to 3000 mm are produced on fully automatic machines

Production possibilities • Screws from 160 mm – 1000 mm

Soon available Screws with 40 mm to 3000 mm, with a diameter of 3 –14 mm are produced on fully automatic machines

Surface process From zinc to blue galvanized for long-term resistance in weathered areas (C4 - C5)

• Simple thread • Double thread

Environmental consciousness

• Reduced thread

No oil on the floor, no exhaust gas in the air. Energy generation on our own roof. Compliance with legal and official requirements within an economic framework and the promotion of environmentally conscious action is an obligation for us.

• Milling tips • Different materials • Different coating • Individual customer requirements

www.eurotec.team/en

MADE IN GERMANY

First class threadlocking By working closely with everyone involved in a project – from engineers to suppliers and OEMs – omniTECHNIK provides optimal solutions for locking and sealing, as well as controlled assembly and disassembly, thanks to its precote® range of high-tech products.

recote® products are specially designed for the pre-coating of threads and are based on a unique microencapsulation technology, which enables omniTECHNIK to offer many advantages over conventional thread lockers. “It is only during assembly that the precote system gets activated, cures and provides reliable locking and sealing of the thread,” mentions omniTECHNIK Mikroverkapselungs GmbH. “This makes precote the ideal solution for all application areas – where high standards in operational safety, easy handling, and efficiency in mass production, are required.” omniTECHNIK points out the success of precote is thanks to the company’s global presence and the long-term relationships it has created with customers. “Germany has always been very strong in terms of engineering and this certainly applies to omniTECHNIK and precote,” states the company proudly. “We have spent a lot of time and invested a lot into our technical service, as it is key to our development. We created strong partnerships with our coating partners around the world and together we develop solutions for new applications in a close teamwork.” The company adds: “We do not only deal with the coating partners, but also with everyone involved in a project – especially the engineers at the supplier and OEMs. Providing the best quality

service is vital, so it is important to involve everyone from the beginning. If somebody fails, the whole design fails and everyone must be aware of what to pay attention to. Innovation is a matter of mindset – we have a top class technical service team, which is absolutely crucial in our success.” As well as this, omniTECHNIK still looks to keep innovating internally. “It’s important we’re constantly looking at our current portfolio of products to improve them, as well as looking at creating new products. This involves looking at new fields and new markets and staying ‘one step ahead’ – facing these challenges head on and innovating.” “The future for omniTECHNIK will see us continue to work together with our partners. We don’t see a big change because the basic requirement for threadlocking and sealing products will not change dramatically. However, we’ve seen German companies take a positive approach to the shift to eMobility and we can identify a need to have more specialised products for smaller screws. Finally, sustainability is an important topic for us, so we will continue to focus on improving our manufacturing in existing processes, as well as newly planned processes. We are proud that ‘Made in Germany’ is still a quality label that our customers can rely on and trust and we are also proud that omniTECHNIK is a market leader in the field of threadlocking and sealing products, as well as coatings for fasteners.” www.precote.com

Our success is based on our global presence and long-term relationships…”

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Full reliability when it counts

precote 85

thread locking

omniTECHNIK Mikroverkapselungs GmbH Munich | Germany | precote.com

precote 15

underhead & thread sealing

MADE IN GERMANY

Dip spin coating – all from one source Customers from around the world, and a number of industries, rely on the quality and durability of Reinhardt’s dip spin coating lines – where material is treated in bulk or on racks.

ocated in southern Germany, Reinhardt GmbH is one of the market leaders in providing dip spin coating equipment – offering solutions such as dip spin coating to post coating heat treatment – all from one source. The patented Reinhardt barrel lines boast soft material handling; small paint reservoirs; best coating

results – with paint scooping parts such as Allen head; smallest footprint/ throughput ratio; as well as cleaning cycles for barrels up to eight weeks. Its basket lines are also suitable for a wide range of parts, including small pointed screws, springs or other tiny, difficult to handle parts. The Reinhardt systems reduce the coating material and energy consumption with the best possible coating quality and throughput. This results in low operating costs and high-quality of the coatings. The cleaning cycles of the baskets, especially the drums, are also very long, as they will not run into warm ambient areas. The transfer of the material takes place in the cold area to the conveyor belt or to the material pallets of the tempering furnace. Reinhardt systems have the highest safety concepts. From the material transfer, the coating, the pre-drying zone, curing, and the cooling zone, are all built by Reinhardt. The optimised continuous ovens with pallets reduce the space requirement and shortens the system by up to 40% and prevents material mixing on conveyors. The heat treatment and tempering ovens of Reinhardt are based on more than 80 years of experience. Thousands of ovens are installed worldwide in all industries and in a huge range of different productions – with a temperature range up to 650°C. In the galvanic processes hydrogen embrittlement is a theme, therefore Reinhardt offers the tempering ovens to diffuse out hydrogen through heat treatment. “Customers can benefit from Reinhardt’s skills to install the best solution and layout for any heat treatment job. Customers will get the best available quality, perfect temperature uniformity, efficiency and smallest footprint on the market. It does not matter if a standard batch oven or a fully automated line is needed – Reinhardt will be here for you.” www.reinhardt.gmbh

systainer® – small parts sorting for professionals Developed and distributed by TANOS, the patented systainer® case system provides secure packaging and clear organisation of fasteners, tools, as well as small consumable materials, and can be stacked and linked together for a bespoke storage system.

he systainer® system offers an endless range of potential applications in many different industries and are a popular choice in trades and industrial applications. The storage system is available as a number of solutions – the most popular for sorting the small parts are Systainer³ Organizer, Systainer³ M 112, as well as the Universal Systainer³ L 137. “Thanks to our standardised manufacturing processes, we guarantee consistent, high product quality and quality control in Germany and Europe,” comments Denny Kähn, head of marketing and product management at TANOS GmbH. “Our research and development department, with highly qualified engineers and product managers, work continuously on accessories, variables, internal features and easy linking options to make the systainer® a truly smart system.” The Systainer³ Organizer is ideal for simple and secure transport and maximum mobility. With a uniform packaging and transport system, which can be optimally integrated in TANOS’ bott vario3 vehicle equipment, everything is organised and securely stowed away from the workshop to the mobile job site. Every small consumable material has its place and is clearly sorted. The different boxes can be inserted and removed individually and a transparent lid also allows users to see inside. Available in two sizes – M and L – this organiser is 100% linkable and compatible with other systainer solutions. The Systainer³ M 112 is ideal for storing small parts with its low height. It also features a precisely fitting lid to ensure firm and secure transport, which can be conveniently transported upright with its front handle. Also available is the Universal Systainer³ L 137, which is perfect for storage of bigger volumes as it comes with six different size dividers – offering lots of space for small parts, consumable materials or small tools. www.tanos.de

Systainer3 – perfect for sorting of small parts Learn more: www.tanos.de/en/products

• • • • • •

Linkable Versatile Individualized Quick and Easy Multifunctional Reliable

Systainer3 – The new generation – More than just a box!

MADE IN GERMANY

Professional solutions ‘Made in Germany’ Whether for professional applications on building façades or for anchoring solutions for technical facilities inside buildings, EJOT presents itself as the provider of the right fastening solution, ‘Made in Germany’, for every application.

JOT offers a broad range of innovative fastening elements, such as self-tapping screws for metal and plastics, engineered plastic and metal formed parts, a complete range of fasteners for roofing and cladding, the ejotherm® programme for fixing External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) and the award winning CROSSFIX® substructure system for rear ventilated façade constructions. Its main products are drilling and sealing screws, nylon anchors, assembly elements for attachments, profiles, chemical and mechanical anchors, as well as fasteners for flat roofs and solar applications. “We set ourselves very high standards internally at EJOT, which we audit regularly to ensure our customers receive consistently high-quality in both services and products,” comments Dr Jens Oliver Weber, managing director at EJOT Baubefestigungen GmbH. “The requirements of the construction industry are diverse and our solutions for making our customers’ projects a success need to reflect this. As a German manufacturer, we need to have flexibility in our production to react to the challenges in the market – whether that’s increasing demand or winning over customers through better delivery capacity – something that’s been so important over the past year or so.” “‘Made in Germany’ stands for high-quality, whether that’s in the fast, customer oriented services we offer or the fully developed innovative products that comply with regulations. In Germany, and some other countries, we are currently establishing a building trade concept in order to be able to offer our customers even faster availability of our most important products. This concept is already very successful in some of our subsidiaries abroad.” As an international company with 38 subsidiaries and a turnover rate of about 70% outside of Germany, EJOT conforms with all international standards and certifications, but also ensures that uniform standards for quality and environmental management, and occupational safety, are observed across all EJOT locations worldwide, such as ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and DIN EN ISO 14001. As well as a focus on these international standards, EJOT is also concentrating on sustainability and its carbon footprint. The company is aiming for climate neutrality by 2035. “As a global company, we bear responsibility towards our employees, business partners and future

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

generations. With this focus, we are reaffirming our commitment to reduce greenhouse gases in order to protect the environment and to drive forward sustainable development in our company,” explains Dr Weber. “Our products also help us to achieve these goals, because screws are basically detachable products and therefore recyclable.” EJOT’s products are also used to fasten systems for renewable energies such as photovoltaics, as well as for fastening components for the thermal insulation of buildings. “In terms of the construction sector, the last two years have developed very positively for EJOT,” points out Dr Weber. “The pandemic did not have a significant impact on the construction business in Germany, so 2021 has exceeded our expectations. However, there are still challenges we face including in the supply chain, as well as raw material challenges. As a fastener manufacturer, we tried to maintain price stability for our customers, where possible, for as long as possible. When this was no longer possible, we announced price increases as early, and as transparently, as possible.” Dr Weber concludes: “We expect healthy growth for the next five years in the construction market, but that is not certain. There are currently too many influencing factors that can dramatically change the situation on the market at short notice. Therefore, we must continue to be flexible and reliable – two very important building blocks for the future.” www.ejot.com

Next generation of concrete screws for higher load-bearing capacity EJOT® concrete screws JC2 Plus with optimized thread geometry

www.ejot.com/jc2plus

MADE IN GERMANY

High-quality products in CELO’s DNA CELO’s product range covers all applications from light fixings to safety relevant heavy-duty fixings. Now the company is further improving its high-quality technical fixing solutions with its multifunction frame plug.

arko Römpp, general manager at CELO, explains: “CELO has always been focussed on developing innovative screws and fixings that reduce costs and times in installations. A very significant part of our product portfolio is therefore comprised of products that save time for installers – such as the multifunction frame plug.” “Multifunction frame plugs, also known as frame fixings, are one of the most popular fixings when looking to mount façade substructures made of wood or metal, metal brackets and wooden slats, or windows and door fixings. Compared to chemical fixings, frame fixings are far less expensive and quicker to install – not even considering the curing times. Instead, they can be installed immediately and unlike metal anchors are suitable for almost all substrates.” The advantages of the multifunction frame plug MFR go beyond the general advantages of frame plugs. For instance, they pass through their entire creation process – from development and production to shipping – and meet the highest quality requirements at every step. The MFR multifunction frame plugs also feature a new and improved geometry for two setting depths of 50mm and 70mm, allowing a wider range of thicknesses for fixtures. In addition, excellent load values and a secure hold derive from its lateral bars and long expansion area, while the ageing, weather and UV-resistant nylon guarantees long-term security. The MFR multifunction frame plugs are mostly pre-assembled for easy handling and to minimise assembly efforts. The possible combinations of plugs with different collars and screws, with different materials and coatings, offer almost endless possibilities for frame fastening. The zinc plated and stainless steel variants

have additionally been ETA tested (ETA – 07-0337) and approved for maximum user security. MFR frame plugs can also be combined with other innovative products such as the ProtectFIX® window protection bracket, which provides fall and burglary protection for windows and doors. “‘Made in Germany’ is a worldwide seal for high-quality, innovation, technology and best technical values. Our customers appreciate that and it helps us to position the brand CELO in the fastener premium segment,” explains Marko. “High-quality products are in our DNA and to ensure this we have to control every aspect of the production. This has not always been an advantage where costs are more competitive in different locations, but we have continued to invest to improve our productivity and produce local. This has also benefitted us during times of major disruptions in the supply chain – enabling us to strengthen our services to our customers.” “It’s fair to say 2021 has been challenging for our supply chain. The availability of raw materials, cost increases, availability of sub-contractors, the lack of experienced and specialised workers in the German market, as well as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have all had impacts. As a small company, we must have a clear focus on our strategic objectives and be flexible and adapt our road map to the current situations.” “Despite these disruptions, the German construction economy is quite resilient at this time. German consumers are spending money in their houses, doing renovations and making construction investments – something that is a positive trend for us and the construction economy. There are also potential opportunities in the renewable energy – particularly wind and solar – markets, which opens doors for all in the construction industries – including fasteners and fixings.”

Multifunction frame fixings guide

Multifunction frame plugs have a wide range of applications in concrete, perforated and solid bricks, as well as aerated concrete. Because of this, it is often difficult to know and choose the right type of fixing, which is why CELO Befestigungssysteme GmbH has also created a simple guide to aid installers. CELO’s ‘Easy guide to choosing your frame plug’ takes the installer step-by-step, going through the different decisions needed to find the right fixing, such as the different head types of the plug and screw the installer can choose, as well as the materials and applications that will be worked on. “Our vision is clear. CELO is an international reference in screws, fixings and support systems that reduce cost and installation times. We will continue to strengthen our product portfolio and invest in our international expansion.” www.celofixings.com

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HAZET: More than a tool Striving for perfection and constant innovation, HAZET supplies quality hand tools to over 100 countries worldwide from its four manufacturing facilities in Germany, where it manufactures 75% of its products.

stablished in 1868, HAZET-WERK – Hermann Zerver GmbH & Co KG has three manufacturing plants in Remscheid. HAZET’s ‘plant one’ is an advanced facility with both forged and CNC controlled production, as well as the most advanced technology. The second Remscheid-based facility, HAZET’s ‘plant three’, contains a welding robot, a fully automatic laser cutting system and a punching and bending centre to ensure future top performances in sheet metal forming. In addition to the diverse sheet metal forming methods, the well-known Assistent tool trolleys are also made here. As well as this, at its HAZET’s ‘plant four’ in Remscheid-Vieringhausen, its high precision torque wrenches are made, mounted and calibrated. Another HAZET plant is based in Heinsberg, situated in the border triangle between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands – with good transport connections. With regard to the European market, HAZET’s logistics centre is also located here. “By keeping control of all our production processes we have the added benefit of offering our products ‘off the shelf’, which has never been more important,” comments HAZET. As well as this, HAZET works together with experienced and long-standing partners in over 100 countries worldwide to offer its customers and users additional benefits in terms of services. This includes its unique torque wrench service packages, which offer the customer an annual maintenance and calibration service. www.hazet.de

YOUR STRONG

PARTNER

HAZET-WERK Hermann Zerver GmbH & Co. KG Güldenwerther Bahnhofstraße 25 – 29, 42857 Remscheid · GERMANY · www.hazet.de

Fastener_Made in Germany/09.2021/cb/cs

FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY

MADE IN GERMANY

Speciality lubricants made in Bavaria From simple construction bolts to bearings in bicycles, microGLEIT ensures the predictability and reliability of threaded connections, supplying dry film lubricants, sealants, and solid film lubricants, to the European manufacturing market – all from its Bavarian factory.

art of the Coventya Group, microGLEIT Spezialschmierstoffe GmbH develops and produces dry film lubricants and sealants for all types of fasteners – pastes, lubricants and greases with microWHITE solid lubricants; solid lubricating films, also known as anti-friction coatings; as well as a dry alternative to oil and grease lubrication. “We develop special lubricants that can solve any problem users may be having,” comments Christian Kaiser, regional business director for central and eastern Europe at MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions, which recently acquired the Coventya Group. microGLEIT’s product portfolio also includes ‘black’ products with MoS2, graphite and other special solid lubricants; high-grade lubricants for fasteners; high-quality lubricating fluids; special temperature and environment resistant inert greases based on silicone; as well as other high-quality special lubricants in spray cans. Speciality dry lubricants include the DF and DCP series, which have been specially developed for coating small parts and frames in the electroplating industry.

A wide range of applications

Bearings are one of the most widely used components in machines of all types and complexity, due to their ability to reduce friction between two objects moving together. This friction is significantly lower in rolling bearings than in plain bearings, thanks to their inherent design. In turn, rolling bearings, depending on the type of application they are intended for, can be subdivided into ball bearings, roller bearings and gear bearings, which are required to meet certain constructional and performance characteristics – based on the function they must perform in the system in which they are inserted. For example, in common bicycles and their steering head, bearings are used as the mobile link between the front wheel and the rear part. Their function is fundamental both for the riding experience and for safety. Even small movements of the handlebars can change

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the direction of the moving vehicle. Most bicycles use ball bearings, which are a fairly inexpensive type that are easy to assemble and have low friction. In some cases, especially for high-end bicycles, the higher quality axial cylindrical roller bearings are used, which are more resistant to false frosting. Both types need good lubrication but, especially for roller bearings, the lubricant used will have a significant impact on wear behaviour and maintenance intervals. “In the axial direction the bearing must be able to ‘carry’ all the loads, i.e the weight of the bike and that of the rider. Then all dynamic impacts are transferred from the front wheel/fork, including any shocks and vibrations. The combination of small oscillatory movements and specific high loads make the bearings vulnerable to fretting corrosion and false brinelling. This will have a negative impact in terms of accuracy on the directionality of the vehicle and may also create safety problems in riding. To avoid this, frequent maintenance is required, including bearing replacement if necessary.”

microGLEIT states its GSV 791 lubricant is ideal for these applications as it minimises the wear issues. This is not only for solving critical problems in roller bearings in the headset of any bicycle, but also in applications with sliding guides, ball joints and power transmissions, for example. “It is a state of the art, high performance white lubricant based on a special soap with lithium complex, synthetic oil and a combination of synergistic solid lubricants – microWHITE,” comments Christian.

Suitability confirmed

To establish the suitability of this lubricant, SNR FEB2 tests were carried out, the configuration of which is close to the tribological environment of steering bearings. In this test, small oscillatory movements are applied to two ball bearings under high axial loads. In other words, difficult operating conditions for bearings and lubricants are recreated. If the lubricant does its job properly in the test, it will do the same in the steering heads. The test results clearly showed that the bearings lubricated with microGLEIT GSV 791 showed no wear. The contact areas had very thin layers of tribo-chemical reaction, which protects the bearing from wear and improves smooth running. The results were also supported by the choice of using a high-quality ‘reference grease’ with white solid lubricants in the test, which is used, for example, in wind power station bearings to prevent false brinelling and other damage through vibration or oscillation. “The microGLEIT GSV 791 lubricant outperformed the reference in all respects. After the test distance the volume of wear detected was much lower. The consistency of the grease was also still good, whereas the reference was completely worn, fractured and showed deep signs of wear, including red salt particles caused by fretting corrosion.” www.coventya.com

Safety to the max SCHNORR® products are always the first choice when metal is being used to meet requirements of movement cushioning - securing through force and form. Original SCHNORR® Safety Washers: • Highly vibration-resistant • Twofold effect from one component • Extensive range Original SCHNORR® disc springs: • Various applications • Best price-performance ratio • Customized solutions

Please contact us. Together we will find your tailor-made solution.

Schnorr GmbH Stuttgarter Str. 37 71069 Sindelfingen, Germany Phone: +49 7031 302-0 Fax: +49 7031 382-600 mail@schnorr.de www.schnorr-group.com

MADE IN GERMANY

Quality, precision and innovation teckentrup states that even as the proud inventor of the locking washer it continues to provide customers with further product innovations in the field of screw locking technology, such as the NSK, NSK-L and NSK-E washers.

key development in the history of the locking washer took place at the beginning of the 2000s, when the DIN 25201-4 was revised, resulting in the development of the NSK washer. Due to its specially developed arc shape, a significantly higher spring effect is achieved so that the more stringent requirements for screw locking elements are met. teckentrup locking washers are used in many areas for effective screw locking. These include the railway industry, mechanical engineering, lift or agricultural technology, etc. With three locations across Germany – Herscheid, Lüdenscheid, and Plettenberg, teckentrup GmbH + Co KG is a medium sized, independent family business with 245 employees. The company has 32 production lines, its own toolmaking capabilities combined with sorting and cleaning facilities, as well as a separate logistics centre. The company has also recently been able to focus on its quality testing and the functionality of its washers due to targeted investments. These include, for example, a Junker test bench in accordance with DIN 65151 / 25201-4 and the spring force test in accordance with DIN 267-26. Due to the regular, multi-stage (internal/ external) product tests, teckentrup is in a position to constantly expand the product range with new, effective locking washers. Its latest NSK-L washer, with a compact outer diameter and high wall thickness, is ideal for use on standard bores or also slotted holes on steel mating surfaces. The latest product development – the NSK-E – is intended exclusively for the electrical industry. As a one piece

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screw locking element, the NSK-E reliably ensures continuous contact pressure between the conductive components and at the same time protects the soft mating surfaces, such as copper and aluminium, thus avoiding system failures. “Fastening technology will always have a role in every industry,” commented teckentrup. “Fasteners such as screw locking devices will continue to be in demand, so we must keep rising to the challenges of the industries, which include continuously increasing customer requirements, poor market availability, steel price increases, as well as digitalisation. Despite these challenges, ‘Made in Germany’ will continue to represent quality, along with high technical expertise.” www.teckentrup.net

Fastening technology will always have a role in every industry…” NSK-E: EFFECTIVELY AND PERMANENTLY SECURES ELECTRICAL SCREW CONNECTIONS IN THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY - LOOSE BOLTED CONNECTIONS INEVITABLY LEAD TO SYSTEM FAILURE. Common causes for the failure of an electrical screw connection are : Loss of preload due to increased setting amounts Loosening of the connection due to vibrations Damage to the conductor materials and chip formation

THE SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS IS THE NEWLY DEVELOPED NSK-E FROM TECKENTRUP: Surface coating with high corrosion protection and defined coefficient of friction Protection of the counter-surface due to the specially moulded skid shape Easy to assemble due to one-piece screw locking solution Curved-spring geometry minimises settling and creep phenomena, even with stainless steel due to increased material thickness. Retention of pretensioning force and continuous contact pressure with soft materials. Positive locking effect underneath the bolt head or nut due to further developed serration on the washer surface.

LEARN MORE AT...

teckentrup GmbH + Co.KG | Elsetalstr. 6-10 | 58849 Herscheid - Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 2357-90 80 0 | info@teckentrup.de | www.teckentrup.net

Future through Quality, Precision and Innovation

MADE IN GERMANY

Looking ahead to innovation and sustainability Like many companies TOGE experienced a tough start to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the company believes the German economy is on the road to recovery, allowing the Nürnberg-based manufacturer to look ahead to 2022 and a year of innovation.

teffen Maertsch, head of sales at TOGE Dübel GmbH & Co KG, comments: “The lockdowns across Europe demonstrated how the world can change within months, weeks, days and even seconds. TOGE has gone from starting 2021 with uncertainty to finishing with increased manufacturing capacities and – against all trends – an increased stock level.” TOGE supplies concrete screws from 5mm diameter and 28mm in length to 24mm in diameter and 3m in length to customers worldwide – with Europe its main market. 2022 will see TOGE open its new product innovation centre with testing facilities, as well as the launch of several new products for the concrete screw market, including a new stainless steel screw TSM LT (low torque). “Investing in our own local facilities has never been more important,” commented Steffen. “The pandemic has shown us the challenges of globalisation. Supply chains suddenly snapped and entire productions came to a standstill. This will certainly lead to some companies needing to rethink their supply chains and production sites in the future.” During the pandemic customers were asked for forecasts in order for TOGE to plan in advance and schedule its production and supply chain

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accordingly. “Thanks to these forecasts we ended up increasing our stock level by more than 30% and we believe that the availability of our products was a game changer. Whilst other manufacturers were struggling with sourcing challenges, we were still able to deliver our goods to customers and even provide products they were no longer able to source from Asia. By supporting our customers, we generated new business for both them and us.” TOGE also surrounds itself with a local supply chain – with 90% of its suppliers located within a 600km radius of its facilities. “Our local supply chain means we are able to react very fast. We’re also able to keep supply of our raw material, despite the shortages manufacturers are currently facing in the market.”

A sustainable commitment

“‘Made in Germany’ is not just a slogan or motto – it is a responsibility. As a German manufacturer we have a responsibility to our customers to supply high-quality products, along with a high service level, manufactured under the best possible working conditions. Most importantly we believe we have a responsibility as a manufacturer to focus on the future of our planet,” states Steffen. TOGE is also committed to saving approximately 600,000kg of CO 2 every year by manufacturing in Germany, as opposed to sourcing products from Asia. The company is focused on how its production can become more sustainable, as well as how it can keep its emissions low. This is also important due to the continuously rising cost of energy that German manufacturers are now facing. “Last but not least we are committed to the future of our skilled workers. Germany is struggling and facing a severe shortage of skilled workers, which is going to be a major problem across the next decade,” mentions Steffen. “To invest in our future, it will be essential to cooperate with universities and schools to build a network of young talent and welcome them into the fixings industry.” www.toge.de

MADE IN GERMANY

MULTI-MONTI®-plus celebrates 25 years 25 years ago HECO-Schrauben launched the MULTI-MONTI®-plus screw anchor, which enables low driving torque and expansion free connections. Today, still ‘Made in Germany’, HECO is adding a new stainless steel variant to the range.

his new MULTI-MONTI®-plus in A4 stainless steel grade is suitable for demanding weather conditions that place a high demand on fasteners. “Be it for fastening railings, post holders, awnings, solar systems or fireplaces, the new addition to the range is proving to be a safe solution,” comments Frank Hofer, product manager at HECO-Schrauben GmbH & Co KG. The screw anchor also features an extra hard black phosphated BlackCut function tip, which offers some special advantages including an optimal undercut, better positioning and low insertion torque. This allows the screw anchor to be anchored securely. The MULTI-MONTI-plus is also available in HCR stainless steel, which is ideal for use in transport infrastructure, particularly tunnel structures. The complete MMS-plus range comes in 6mm to 20mm diameters and the variants from 10mm up to 20mm have additional seismic approval. The approvals also cover use in masonry under fire load. Furthermore, MULTI-MONTI-plus is also certified for use in solid lime sand brick, perforated lime sand brick, and lightweight concrete. General type approval Z-21.1-2103 is available for anchoring in masonry.

MULTI-MONTI®-plus: The original 25 YEARS OF for originals. MULTI-MONTI SCREW ANCHORS

heco-schrauben.com

Manufactured at its production site in Schramberg in the Black Forest, this newly launched variant of MULTI-MONTI-plus screw anchor adds to HECO’s extensive range of screw and fixing systems for wood construction, concrete and metal applications, as well as for heavy-duty fixings. The company currently employs 400 people and has a production area spanning 20,000m 2 . Founded in 1888, over the last 130 years the business’ strength has been building on its experience and developing in-depth knowledge of production to produce the highest quality fixing solutions. Today, HECO has over 2,800 products on stock permanently, which can be shipped the same day. Its wide range of production capabilities mean it can produce chipboard screws from diameter 2.5mm to 5mm; wood construction screws from diameter 6mm to 13mm – with a length of 1,000mm; as well as concrete screws with a diameter from 5mm to 20mm. Products are stored in HECO’s modern logistics centre, which is only a few hundred metres from its headquarters in Schramberg. “The needs of our customers over recent years have changed, with them wanting smaller deliveries in a shorter time frame. They were reducing their stock, and they were expecting us to carry their stock for them,” says Andreas Hettich, head of marketing at HECO. “Due to the lack of space, we were being constrained in our capabilities. We therefore decided to set-up a new logistics centre and reorganise our logistics.” The new logistics centre is 25,000m 2 and has capacity for 5,000 pallets and 60,000 outer cartons. It also offers fully automatic running to reduce the amount of manual handling required when sending out orders. “The logistics centre is state of the art, which is very important for our development in the future. We are now able to react to shorter delivery times and smaller orders to meet customers’ demands. Plus, with the new processes and space we can focus on the needs and wishes for the medium and longer future.” “We are extremely proud of our history as a German manufacturer, as well as our extensive range of quality leading products,” comments Andreas. “We have established HECO as one of the leading brands for the professional end user, which we supply through distribution partners worldwide, either in the form of exclusive sales points or reliable sales partners. Our core markets in Europe are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, France and the UK.” www.heco-schrauben.com

Focusing on lean logistics With an emphasis on added services, lean logistics, and high-quality products, Plettenberg-based washer manufacturer Güde produces safety washers, wire bended parts, as well as screw and fastening devices.

sing custom-made machines and tooling, Güde’s production facility ships up to 140 pallets of products every day to wholesalers and distributors worldwide. “We are constantly making sure we have all the latest technology available,” comments Lutz Güde, managing director at Güde GmbH. “This means we can offer full customisation to our customers, in terms of products, quantities, as well as packaging, which we do to stay ‘one step ahead’ of our competitors. Added services have never been more important and we are proud of our ability to adapt to each customer’s individual requirements.” As part of this customised service, Güde offers personalised labelling with desired quantities, as well as the ability to apply customers’ specific labelling to packaging. This enables customers’ production lines to be more streamlined as it avoids multiple unnecessary packaging processes, which in turn reduces total procurement costs. Another important element for Güde is its continuous work towards lean logistics. The company currently utilises barcode technology throughout its logistics process, along with a modern IT system, in order to react faster, diminish human error, as well as improve reliability and accuracy. In addition, the company also uses an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, which aims to be a more efficient communication path between the company and its customers. As part of a long-term strategy Güde recently opened a new facility in Mikołów, Poland, in order to increase its production capacity; be even more efficient as a supplier; and to be able to act quickly according to market requirements. www.guede.net

Spezialfabrik für Schraubenund Wellensicherungen

Sperrkant spring washer A/Z

DIN 6905 captive

DIN 127 ASME B18.21.1 A/B open / ﬂat

DIN 128 A/B convexed / corrugated

Railway washers

DIN 6796

conical washer

DIN 137 A/B curved / crinkled

Contact washer NF E 25-511 S/M/B/K slim / medium / wide / toothed

DIN 74361 limes type conical lockwasher C

Centring ring

Sperrkant spring washer captive

DIN 7993 A/B for shafts / for drillholes

Sperrkant washer S/M/B/K/Z slim / medium / wide / toothed

Doubled toothed lock washer DIN 6797

A/I/V outside / inside / countersunk

DIN 6798

A/I/V outside / inside / countersunk

DIN 7967

row 1 / row 2

Güde GmbH Dieselstraße 8 58840 Plettenberg Germany

+49 2391 - 91 90-0 sales@guede.net

www.guede.net

MADE IN GERMANY

A recognised quality worldwide Founded in 1921, REISSER has developed into a specialist in fastening and connection elements with its own 39,000m2 facility based in Ingelfingen-Criesbach, which also houses an in-house electroplating department – enabling the company to offer coating solutions for components in a wide variety of industries.

ichael Dartsch, CEO at REISSER-Schraubentechnik GmbH, explains: “Our production site in Germany offers a quality that is valued worldwide. ‘Made in Germany’ means many years of experience from our specialists, as well as modern machines, and systems, that ensure high efficiency and constant innovation.” REISSER currently supplies a variety of markets such as the roof, wall, solar, rear ventilated façades, retail, as well as wood construction industries. “During the uncertainty of the past two years the construction industry has had no lack of orders or demands – if anything it’s the opposite. We’re therefore looking to build-up more capacity with machines and manpower – so we can continue to ensure the availability of our products and be able to supply them in a suitable timeframe that customers have come to expect from REISSER.” The company is also looking to analyse its core markets and look at the different applications its products can be used. “Open communication with customers and suppliers is

paramount,” comments Julian Oppermann, head of sales at REISSER. “We try to be very involved in the development process and work together with our customers in every single step. German engineering is about always being in competition with yourselves to constantly improve.” “As more customers look to the European fastener market to have certainty for their supply chain – they know ‘Made in Germany’ stands for a quality product and a highly developed fastener.” www.reisser-screws.com

THE POWER OF FASTENING

BeA Professional Tools and Fastening Systems

A DUO FOR ALL CASES

BeA Autotec Automation Technology

Sliding and fixed point screw RV4-B5 Can be used flexibly for material combinations 3 - 8 mm and as a fire protection-compliant connection system in the Rear-Ventilated-Facades thanks to the A4 stainless steel material.

The market leader Spacer screw RDS Stainless steel A4: low thermal conductivity with full fire protection. Distance substructures quick and easy for Rear-Ventilated-Facades in new buildings and renovations.

In automation technology we are Number 1 in the world with BeA Autotec and brought pioneering innovations into the market over recent years. Our automation know how is part of our corporate DNA. Made in Germany: For us, this is not just a label, rather a quality promise for development, production and logistics. made in Germany

Julian.Oppermann@reisser-screws.com

www.reisser-screws.com

www.bea-group.com

Orange: 60-80-100

before processing

after processing

Special processing according to customer requirements. Experienced employees manufacture solutions on highly specialised, highperformance machines, tailored to the individual requirements of our customers.

The manufacturer for special screws

That’s exactly what we‘re aiming for every day for over 25 years.

◗ Hexagon Bolts ◗ Hexagon Socket Screws ◗ Fitting Bolts ◗ Square Head Bolts ◗ Triangle Head Bolts ◗ Spanner Gaps Reduction ◗ Specially Designed Screws Schraubenwerk Magdeburg GmbH · Meseberger Straße 9f · 39326 Groß Ammensleben Fon 039 202 521 35 · Fax 039 202 521 37 info@schraubenwerk-magdeburg.de www.schraubenwerk-magdeburg.de

Strength Class 8.8,10.9. 12.9 or from Stainless Steel and Measuring ◗ Contract Works, CNC Process, Grinding and Threading

MADE IN GERMANY

Maximum tool life with Teudeloff Teudeloff has been manufacturing tools for screw production and cold forming for over 25 years. The company is now offering 3D printing for prototypes, as well as a renewed website, in order to showcase its capabilities to customers.

ow fully compatible with mobile devices, the responsiveness of Teudeloff’s new site played an important role in the update. “The main focus is the improved customer experience,” commented Ester Redondo, managing director at Teudeloff GmbH & Co KG. “It is important that the new website shows our whole product portfolio and our services. Regardless of whether the visitor is a customer, partner, or prospective customer, they get a detailed overview of the core competencies and the wide range of products and services that Teudeloff offers.” This wide range of services includes the newly launched 3D printing offering for various types of metals. Teudeloff is now able to support its customers in 3D printing for prototypes, projects, and series, enabling the company to serve valued customers in more than 30 countries worldwide. Established in 1994, the key competences of Teudeloff, together with its production – Tooling International Limited (TIL), lie in recess tooling such as punches and pins for fasteners. This includes all geometries, as well as TORX®, TorxPlus®, six lobe, Pozi®, Phillips®, hexagonal, 12-Point/multiteeth, bihexagonal, or specials according to drawing. Teudeloff is also able to develop and optimise the tool life, reduce tool costs, improve productivity in production, as well as guarantee tool supply. “We have the biggest TORX stock in Europe, with almost all sizes and penetration depths – in various materials and coatings, including our top quality CodeT® – available from stock,” states Teudeloff. www.teudeloff.com

TEUDELOFF & TOOLING INTERNATIONAL

WE THINK AHEAD WORLDWIDE

AUTOMOTIVE • AEROSPACE • WOOD • CONSTRUC TION • WHITE GOODS

QUALITY SERVICE SECURITY PERFORMANCE BS EN ISO 9001

world class recess punches & fastener tooling info@teudeloff.de (Europe) sales.us@teudeloff.de (America) sales.fe@teudeloff.de (Asia)

Teudeloff GmbH & Co. KG Rodbachstraße 37 74397 Pfaffenhofen, Germany Tel: +49 (0)7046-88 0 84 0

your trustworthy partner from germany www.teudeloff.com

Tip top: our corrosion protection is thinner than a single hair. And easier to maintain! Despite the wafer-thin coat thickness, our coatings achieve excellent results and offer a high level of protection. And even better: we address your wishes and requirements individually, instead of brushing you off with standard service. www.doerken.com CORROSION EXPERTS

MADE IN GERMANY

Guaranteed supply with Gecko Through close relationships with its customers and suppliers, Gecko Fastener is able to quickly and flexibly react to changes within the supply chain in order to help guarantee the supply of its plastic fasteners across Europe.

riginally founded as a trading company in 1986, Gecko Fastener Co has been manufacturing plastic fasteners since the 1990s. “We are a developer and producer of small, essential components and can provide customised tool design, injection moulding, product design and professional consulting,” states Henry Wu, CEO at Gecko Fastener. “We maintain a high volume of stocks on numerous products to ensure a reliable supply to our customers. We also consistently invest in our tooling and make varieties of moulds to increase our product range. Our development department regularly introduces new products to the market.” Johann Nitsch, GM Europe & USA at Gecko Fastener, adds: “Predominately we focus on a variety of applications that require ‘made to order’ products, fasteners for industrial production, consumer products production, as well as the automotive industry. Thanks to our core value of supplying high-quality products – which is guaranteed through several international standards including IATF 16949, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 – we can provide the product solutions customers need. We have also found that professional customisation is a driver in the German fastener market.” “With all the challenges in the German economy these past couple of years, the German market has proven to be very robust. Growth is largely slowed down by the raw material situation, but we expect extraordinary growth for the entire industry in 2022 and thereafter, which will of course ultimately benefit fastening technologies,” adds Johann. “For our customers, ‘Made in Germany’ means a high-quality standard through incoming and outgoing goods tests. To continue to provide this we must be constantly looking to expand our product portfolio, as well as open new production sites worldwide. It is also important that we continue to adapt and be open to new technologies, as well as new materials. As a plastic manufacturer Gecko must also be working towards the maximum saving of environmentally harmful raw materials.” www.gecko-fastener.com

Leading the way through automation With handling the Covid-19 pandemic top of everyone’s agenda, Schwer + Kopka believes Industry 4.0 has never been more important – with German companies leading the way.

horsten Wüster, sales manager at Schwer + Kopka, explains: “The German economy remains one of the world’s leading economies. Today, well trained skilled workers and a high-level of automation are one of the biggest advantages of being a German manufacturer. The biggest challenge of the past two years has undoubtedly been dealing with Covid-19 and despite an already established interest in Industry 4.0 beforehand, this was definitely magnified during the pandemic.” “This is particularly true in regard to data acquisition directly at the production machine, as well as the demands on the level of detail. Whereas in the past only the basic data of the machine was requested, today often all data is published in order to evaluate and analyse in corresponding correlations. This is a trend that we believe will certainly continue over the next few years.” Schwer + Kopka GmbH, member of the Marposs Group, offers its own range of machine terminals and process monitoring systems plus a comprehensive MES solution in terms of Industry 4.0. It supplies 4.0 from one source – from the sensor on the machine to the connection of production to ERP and CAQ. Its products record and analyse the efficiency of production; ensure more productivity; assure high-levels of quality; and archive the production data for subsequent traceability. This helps to avoid expensive rejections, reduce tool costs, protect machines and tools against overload, enable reliable production even in unmanned blind shifts and enhance transparency and planning security. The company has also recently introduced the first device generation of the latest hardware platform for its process monitoring systems. As well as this, Schwer + Kopka has a strong emphasis on customer service such as direct contact, quick service and supplying quality reliable products – made possible due to cooperation with many regional suppliers and service providers. “‘Made in Germany’ is still synonymous with good quality and the service life of our monitoring devices also reflects this, which is appreciated by all our customers worldwide.” www.schwer-kopka.de

4.0

MES-Software

SK-go!®

the KEY for transparency and efficiency in production

Sales | Support | Information: www.schwer-kopka.de

Herknerstraße 4 88250 Weingarten T + 49 75156164-0

MADE IN GERMANY

All from one source 2021 saw rfks invest heavily in its Plettenberg facility, with three new automatic punching presses helping the company increase its production capabilities by 30% – reaffirming its status as a leading manufacturer of washers in the standard and special parts industry.

FKS believes that competitiveness and reliability are the most vital characteristics of a supplier in the fastener industry, which is why for more than 80 years the family owned company has strived for customer satisfaction and best price performance ratio. Working ‘in the heart of Germany’ rfks has a huge range of high-quality standard and special washers/stamped parts with material thickness from 0.05mm up to 12,000mm (or inside diameter: M0.8 to M160). The three new automatic punching presses have a punching force of 250 to 500 tonnes and will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2022. As well as this investment, the in-house tool shop – with 35 employees – was also recently restructured to make it ‘fit’ for the challenges of the future in the area of special tools. “With construction, tool productions, state of the art machinery, as well as motivated well trained employees, rfks is able to affirm our claim ‘everything from one source’ – something that’s being made more important with the current challenges of the market,” comments Peter Schlütter, sales manager at rfks. “We did see a decline in orders due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we used the low order time to build up stock of stamped parts, standard parts, as well as special parts according to customer drawings.” Peter continues: “This is one of the benefits we have of being a German manufacturer, as we were able to meet the demand when it picked back up again thanks to this forward-looking measure. This also, of course, emphasises the importance of buying ‘Made in Germany’.” To go alongside the challenges of the pandemic, there has also been an increase in raw material prices, as well as companies facing longer delivery times for steel. “We have been able to avoid serious supply challenges through a proactive purchasing policy and close customer communication. As we look forward to the future, one impact that will be of crucial importance is the outcome of the ongoing anti-dumping proceedings 676 against China.” Another key driver of the fastener market has been the focus on creating added value for the customer through individual customised

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solutions – especially in the area of special parts and washers, which requires the technical background to generate and develop adequate technical solutions. “As a manufacturer of DIN / ISO washers in the middle of Germany, fast availability of the standard products, as well as reliable delivery dates, loyal and competent long-term contacts in sales and quality assurance is paramount. But to go alongside this, a fair and transparent price policy remains top of our arguments for worldwide customers to purchase stamped parts from rfks. Competitiveness and reliability as a supplier will always be the cornerstone for rfks.” www.rfks.com

Leading the way with strong brands On 1st June 2021, BeA GmbH took over the business operations of Joh Friedrich Behrens AG, with the manufacturer of fastening technology for wood and wood-like materials now looking confidently to the future with a new owner and new management team.

r Jörg Dalhöfer and Stephan Kreft will lead the BeA Group as managing directors and the Group will continue with the well known brands and product range of BeA, BeA Autotec and KMR in all markets where they have been represented to date. “Reliability, quality and a high understanding of applications are our factors for success,” emphasises Dr Jörg Dalhöfer. “The motivation of the employees is very high. We have established new structures with flat hierarchies and a strong sense of personal responsibility among the employees.” The owner of BeA GmbH is GREATSTAR Europe AG, with BeA and its subsidiaries managed as an independent group of companies from the headquarters in Ahrensburg near Hamburg. Around 150 employees currently work there in the areas of administration, purchasing, development, production, logistics and sales. The company employs 450 people worldwide and has eleven subsidiaries and three branch offices in key markets. In addition, the company’s brands are present in more than 40 countries with sales partners. BeA generates 60% of its turnover outside Germany. www.bea-group.com

Reliable and easy cooperation with rfks

LIKE A WELL-OILED CLOCKWORK

SHORT ON COLLATED SCREWS? 1,000+ pallets in stock (Germany) Private label service Imports and inhouse collation Wagework collation for different systems Screw range: diameter 3.5 - 6.0 mm length 13 - 160 mm

GET YOUR OFFER NOW! inquiry@ adunox.com

www.adunox.com

R+FK SCHULTE KG

Stamped parts Washers Screw locking devices

R+FK Schulte KG | Herscheider Str. 73 58840 Plettenberg | Phone +49 (0) 2391 9192-0 www.rfks.com

MADE IN GERMANY

HEICO continues to invest For over 120 years the HEICO Group has been producing innovative product solutions in the field of fastening technology and cold forging in Germany. The Group is now continuing its growth plan by expanding its production capabilities to further optimise its processes and production workflows.

EICO’s innovative product solutions include the HEICO-LOCK® Wedge Locking System for sustainable securing of bolts; the HEICO-TEC® product series, which enables easy pretensioning of particularly large bolt connections by distributing force; as well as customised and drawing based cold forged parts under the brand name HEICO-FORM. “The Covid-19 pandemic has once again shown the advantages of Germany as a production location and a sustainable procurement policy close to the market,” commented Tobias Grobe, head of sales and marketing at HEICO Group. “Due to the changes in the market, the importance of German manufacturers and our products has increased immensely. During the Covid-19 peak, our customers were still able to benefit from permanent delivery capability – as we were able to react to unforeseen changes in a flexible and quick way.” This reliability is thanks to HEICO’s internationally extensive network of distributors, as well as its 14 company owned sales offices and warehouses.

HEICO FASTENING SYSTEMS

The best value to secure bolts!

HEICO-LOCK® WEDGE LOCK WASHERS High quality anti-vibration security for the most demanding of bolted joint applications! n Certified system for securing bolts n Suitable for high-tensile bolts and nuts of 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9 n Available in steel and stainless steel - special materials upon request WWW.HEICO-GROUP.COM

“Long routes, continuously increasing transport costs, and the current shortage of empty containers, had a negative impact especially on Asian manufacturers, where in some cases, entire supply chains were interrupted,” explained Tobias. “We were therefore able to take advantage of the quieter and more uncertain period and invest in new machines to increase our performance potential and make the production more sustainable.” The subject of sustainability is becoming an important focus at the HEICO Group with the responsible use of non-renewable resources, the use of regenerative energies, as well as the protection of the environment and ecosystems, high on the Group’s agenda for the future. As well as this, a new energy management system according to DIN EN ISO 50001 was introduced this year, with the goal to achieve 60% of its total energy needs from renewable resources by 2022. “Our main goal throughout this uncertain period has been to stay in constant contact with our customers despite all the rules and regulations in place. It was therefore vital that our sales channels in Germany were extended across the Group to aid our customers and prospective clients. A high-degree of flexibility gave us the tools to endure turbulent times and to look optimistically into a safe future,” concluded Tobias. www.heico-group.com

Due to the changes in the market, the importance of German manufacturers and our products has increased immensely.”

Your reliable partner, even when times are challenging

www.puehl.de

Products With a high demand of flexibility, reliability and quality, the mid-sized and in fourth generation family-owned and managed company PÜHL, based in Plettenberg (GER), manufactures standard, ISO-, DIN- and special stamping parts for mechanical connections.

STANDARD PARTS Service State-of-the-art manufacturing technology with 20 stamping machines and pressing forces up to 1,000 tons and a substantial warehouse of raw materials and finished products allow a fast production and delivery to competitive conditions.

SPECIAL PARTS Reliability Wholesalers and end users in the sectors of wind energy, steel construction, traffic engineering, railway engineering, agricultural machines and the automotive supplier industry, value the quality and the competitive conditions of the products.

PARTS ACCORDING DRAWING

EXHIBITIONS

PREVIEWS AND REPORTS FROM INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIRS

Registration opens for Fastener Fair CONNECT Registration to attend the digital event for the international fastener and fixing industry – Fastener Fair CONNECT – is now open on the official show website.

astener Fair CONNECT is a two day online business trade, network and knowledge platform calling all international fastener and fixing industry professionals from 17 th – 18 th November 2021. With the digital participation, attendees from various industrial sectors will be able to identify and connect with relevant technology suppliers, browse products and innovations on the virtual showrooms, and attend live sessions and webinars on current industry issues – tailored to deepen the sector’s know-how and competencies. “Fastener Fair CONNECT will provide attendees with a unique platform to specify the latest innovative products, equipment and technologies. Our matchmaking features will create new business potential by pairing participants with compatible profiles and interests,” states Liljana Goszdziewski, portfolio director of the European Fastener Fairs at Mack-Brooks Exhibitions Ltd. Liljana continues: “The event enables the industry to connect with potential and existing customers worldwide and arrange business meetings directly on the platform. In addition, Fastener Fair CONNECT will offer a webinar programme to discuss the

challenges of the fastener supply chain and the most recent fastener and fixing industry trends.” Exhibitors participating in the event are fastener and fixing systems, technologies and equipment suppliers, covering a wide range of products and services from the whole supply chain. Amongst them include Dimac Srl, a provider of automated engineered inspection solutions and sorting equipment for fasteners and special parts; Dörken Coatings – offering high-quality surface protection, with innovative technologies in zinc flake coatings, galvanisation systems and KTL; HEICO Befestigungstechnik GmbH, a producer of customer specific drawing related cold forges parts, mainly distributed to the automotive industry; IMANPACK, a provider of a wide range of weighing, packaging and boxing systems for the hardware industry, as well as small parts and kits; Rotor Clip Ltd, a producer of tapered section retaining rings, spiral retaining rings, wave springs and selfcompensating hose clamps; as well as SACMA Group, a manufacturer of multi-station cold forming machines for high precision metal components and fasteners. www.fastenerfair-connect.com

I N D I A M U M BA I

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EXHIBITIONS

EMO MILANO 2021 a great success EMO MILANO 2021, the world trade show dedicated to the metalworking sector, registered more than 60,000 visitors coming from 91 countries when it took place in October.

romoted by CECIMO, the European association of machine tool industries, and organised by the operational structures of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots and automation systems manufacturers’ association, EMO MILANO 2021 was held at the Exhibition Centre of Fiera Milano Rho in Milan, Italy. Luigi Galdabini, general commissioner of EMO MILANO 2021, stated: “The exhibition data confirms the value of the event, with EMO MILANO considered as the reference point for the worldwide manufacturing industry of machine tools, robots and automation systems.” Luigi continued: “In such a complicated, historic moment, where the public health emergency is not yet completely over, EMO MILANO showed its importance, drawing all those operators to Milan, who had the green light to move from their countries of origin. Moreover, the participation of the operators, coming not only from Europe, also proves the attractiveness of Italy, regarded as one of the most interesting and promising markets, as well as a leading manufacturing country in the sector.” Alfredo Mariotti, director of the exhibition, commented: “A very large number of exhibitors have expressed their full satisfaction with the results achieved over the six exhibition days. The work carried out by the EMO team has been appreciated by Italian and foreign operators, who also expressed their satisfaction on social media, thus supporting the climate of trust that characterises the sector and regarded EMO MILANO 2021 as the event launching the post-pandemic era.”

Despite the mobility restrictions still in force, EMO MILANO confirmed its international character. Foreign exhibitors accounted for 60% of the total, whereas foreign visitors made up 30% of the overall number. An attraction for the visitors of the world manufacturing industry was the wide product offering on show, representing all the segments of the sector, with over 700 enterprises, exhibiting within 6 halls, covering 100,000m 2 of overall exhibition area. The next edition of EMO MILANO will take place in October 2027.

Wind industry satisfied after successful on-site show Around 8,500 trade visitors flocked to HUSUM Wind 2021 in September with it being one of the industry’s first major on-site trade fairs in 2021. he wind industry’s flagship fair, HUSUM Wind took place in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and covered 20,000m2 of exhibition space. 387 exhibitors from Germany and abroad presented the current performance status of the wind industry along the value chain. OEMs showed their new onshore product portfolios and innovative products – from bolt-check systems to robotics and drone technology to augmented reality Apps for wind farm planning – all of which celebrated their premiere at the fair. HUSUM Wind has always been a strong sales platform characterised by practical relevance and a high-level of technical expertise. This year’s trend topics at the fair were new value creation through wind energy and green hydrogen, domestic markets, skilled workers, service and sector coupling. “With this fair, the industry has shown that it is ready to move forward for the energy turnaround,” sums up Klaus Liermann, head of

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the fair. “It took courage and commitment on the part of the companies in mid-June to go along with the decision to do the fair. Since day one there has been an exuberant spirit of optimism, the safety precautions are taking effect, business is booming.” Matthias Zelinger, managing director of VDMA Power Systems and head of the Competence Center Climate & Energy, added: “The fair exceeded our expectations under the given circumstances. We are very pleased that HUSUM Wind was able to take place as a presence event and are convinced that HUSUM was able to send out important signals and messages for wind energy and climate protection in the run-up to the federal election.” The fair took place under comprehensive security conditions, which included a one-way system, test stations, compliance with AHA and GGG rules, and check-in at the stands via Luca App. The next HUSUM Wind will take place in September 2023.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Fastener Fair CONNECT Digital event 17 Nov – 18 Nov 2021 www.fastenerfair-connect.com Global online event for the fastener and fixing industry.

SchraubTec OST

Swissbau

Fastener Fair India Mumbai

BUDMA – International Construction Fair

Dresden, Germany 30 Nov 2021 www.schraubtec.com German regional trade fair for screw connections.

Mumbai, India 25 Nov – 26 Nov 2021 www.fastenerfair.com/india/mumbai The fastener event for India.

BLECH India

Mumbai, India 25 Nov – 27 Nov 2021 www.blechindia.com Sheet metal working.

Intersolar India

Bangalore, India 2 Dec – 4 Dec 2021 www.intersolar.in/en/home.html Exhibition for the Indian solar industry.

Basel, Switzerland 18 Jan – 21 Jan 2022 www.swissbau.ch National construction fair.

Poznań, Poland 1 Feb – 4 Feb 2022 www.budma.pl Building technology, equipment and materials.

Mechanical Components & Materials Technology Expo

Tokyo, Japan 16 Feb – 18 Feb 2022 www.japan-mfg.jp/en-gb.html Leading B2B trade show for mechanical components/processing technology.

International Hardware Fair Köln Köln, Germany 6 Mar – 9 Mar 2022 www.eisenwarenmesse.com Hardware and DIY sector.

China International Hardware Show

TechniShow

Hand Tools and Fasteners Expo

SchraubTec SÜD

Shanghai, China 16 Dec – 18 Dec 2021 www.hardwareshow-china.com Tools, security systems, locks, DIY and building hardware fair.

Mumbai, India 16 Dec – 18 Dec 2021 www.iihtexpo.com Handtools and fasteners exhibition.

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Utrecht, the Netherlands 15 Mar – 18 Mar 2022 www.technishow.nl TechniShow is the largest event in the Benelux in the field of production technology.

Sindelfingen, Germany 15 Mar 2022 www.schraubtec.com German regional trade fair for screw connections.

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FA S T E N E R S & F I X I N G T E C H N O L O GY

With over 130 years’ experience, REYHER is one of Europe’s leading distributors of fasteners and fixing technology supplying customers worldwide.

We secure your supply of C-parts 130,000 articles in stock Over 99% readiness for delivery Technical competence Diverse e-business solutions Flexible Kanban supply Individual packing solutions

眀眀眀⸀戀椀爀氀椀欀戀愀最氀愀渀琀椀⸀挀漀洀 ⴀ 戀椀爀氀椀欀䀀戀椀爀氀椀欀戀愀最氀愀渀琀椀⸀挀漀洀

F. REYHER Nchfg. GmbH & Co. KG Haferweg 1 · 22769 Hamburg · Germany Phone +49 40 85363-0 contact@reyher.de · www.reyher.de

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

news and information dedicated to construction fixing products

FOAMS, SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

A complete range of chemical fasteners In recent months INDEX® A Perfect Fixing has been adding new references to its extensive catalogue of fixing solutions, including its range of silicones, MS, foams and chemical anchors.

s a manufacturer and distributor INDEX® A Perfect Fixing began the year by expanding its range of chemical fixings with a wide range of silicones, MS, foams and the expansion of its existing range of chemical anchors including the new MO-PS+.

Polyurethane foams

Within its polyurethane foams range INDEX A Perfect Fixing has a wide selection of products that it says guarantees quality and are for professional use. The range includes the PUEP polyurethane adhesive SATE/ ETICS, which is suitable for the installation of ETICS plates (External Thermal Insulation Composite System), insulation panels and drywalls. The high density in its formula ensures immediate initial fixing and high adhesion. Next there is PU-SC/PU-SP, a multipurpose polystyrene foam, which is appropriate for sealing, assembling, filling, insulating and fixing. It is useful in a wide range of applications and ensures excellent adhesion with all construction materials, except PTFE, silicone and polyethylene. PU-SC/PU-SP also offers excellent thermal and acoustic insulation and is water and age resistant. Also in the range is PU-FC/PU-FP, a high performance polyurethane foam that is B1 fire resistant. This foam can be used for sealing, assembly, filling, insulating and fixing in places where fire resistance is desired or required. PU-FC/PU-FP also ensures excellent adhesion with all construction materials, except PTFE, silicone and polyethylene. Finally within the foams range there is PU-TC/PU-TP, a polyurethane foam for fixing tiles. Compared with the traditional method, it allows users to fix tiles to the roof precisely, quickly and efficiently thanks to its low post expansion. The foam guarantees maximum thermal and acoustic insulation and can be used at low temperatures (up to -5°C). It also has excellent adhesion with all construction materials.

Adhesives MS polymers

The hybrid MS polymer from INDEX A Perfect Fixing mixes the strength of polyurethane with the insulating properties of silicone,

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creating a product with high performance adhesive capabilities that combines the advantages of the two materials. The range includes three types of adhesives, aimed at different uses: MS-PR: A neutral and odourless adhesive sealant with excellent multi-material adhesion, especially recommended for affixing and sealing shelves, roof finishings, gutters, decks, frame joints or structures subjected to vibrations, sealing expansion joints, cisterns, containers and other aluminium elements. It can also be used in the food processing industry as it has a ISEGA certificate. MS-TR: A colourless and odourless adhesive sealant especially recommended for affixing and assembling in materials where a transparent or visible join is preferred, such as glass, panes, acrylic, PVC, porcelain, ceramic and other transparent elements, whether outdoors or indoors. MS-SF: A white adhesive that acts immediately to secure heavy objects quickly in demanding conditions without supports. Suitable for all types of materials (concrete, wood, metal, cork, aluminium, PVC, copper, brick, stone, porcelain, etc) both indoors and outdoors.

Chemical anchors

INDEX A Perfect Fixing has further expanded its range of chemical anchors with the addition of the MO-PS+ styrene free polyester plus. By adding a new formula to the MO-PS+ it makes it possible for the mortar to change colour after being applied once the curing process begins, indicating that it can no longer be handled. The MO-PS+ is certified for installation of M8 – M24 rods and includes adjustment control. It is suitable for installation in damp holes and has A+ environmental and LEED tested certification. The chemical anchor can be used for both interior and exterior applications, as well as for structural applications and the fixing of stone cladding or restoration of façades. Other products within the range include the MO-PU, MO-V, MO-VS, MO-H, MO-HW, MOPURE and MOPUR3. www.indexfix.com

Think Fixing

G&B FISSAGGI, the Italian company

G&B UK warehouse Quality products with a service to match available for next day delivery direct from our branch in Sheffield (UK mainland only). Contact our experienced staff to assist you for all you need.

www.gebfissaggi.com

G&B Fissaggi S.r.l. Italia Corso Savona, 22 10029 Villastellone (TO) tel. +39 011 961 94 33 fax +39 011 961 96 39 info@gebfissaggi.com

G&B Fissaggi UK warehouse Unit 16 Riverside Court Don Road - Sheffield - S9 2TJ (UK) tel. 0114 242 0074 fax 0114 242 0075 uksales@gebfissaggi.com

G&B Fissaggi Vertretung Deutschland johnengebfissaggi@gmail.com G&B Fissaggi Ibérica gbiberica@gebfissaggi.com G&B Fissaggi Benelux export@gebfissaggi.com G&B Fissaggi France export@gebfissaggi.com

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS FOAMS, SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

‘Fire stop system’ from JCP JCP Fixings has grown to become a leading force in the fixings market, offering a comprehensive range of products, all capable of meeting the demanding expectations from the construction industry. This range includes a four hour ‘fire stop system’, comprising of a silicone sealant/ adhesive and expanding foam.

CP’s B1 fire rated silicone sealant/adhesive offers a high-level of fire and smoke resistance. Based on innovative new inert polymer technology, it is suitable for a wide variety of building trade applications. Out performing conventional silicone, MSP, butyl, and acrylic based products as a sealant and adhesive, it is also the only sealant that is free from dangerous emissions. It has a high resistance to UV radiation, as well as changing weather conditions, making it ideal for external, as well as internal projects. It is elastic after curing, impervious to shrinkage, and is also able to be painted on. JCP’s B1 fire rated expanding foam is a polyurethane foam, designed for sealing joints in walls and service openings to prevent the passage of smoke and fire. It is formulated to seal against smoke and does not create ‘dripping fireballs’ when there is a fire. It is ideal for use with most construction materials and cures by contact with moisture in the air. The foam provides high ageing resistance and is also resistant to mould and fungal attack. The product is effective in internal and external applications. “The ‘fire stop system’ is ideal for filling and sealing joints and gaps, which require fire resistant properties. Applications also include sealing and fixing of windows and doors and sealing penetrations

from mechanical, electrical, or structural penetrants, etc,” points out JCP. “The ‘fire stop system’ is ready to use, saves time and offers excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties, too.” When used in conjunction, it produces an efficient seal against smoke and gas for up to four hours. In-line with BS EN 13501-2:2016, the cured products conform to EI240. The B1 silicone sealant/adhesive and foam (in accordance with DIN 4102-1) form an excellent adhesion to most building materials. Whilst the silicone sealant/adhesive and expanding foam are most effective when used together as a system, they can be used independently for fire retardation. The ‘fire stop system’ also has a European Technical Assessment (ETA – 21/0413) and the B1 ‘fire stop sealant’ can be applied onto B1 fire stop gun foam, B1 fire stop foam or mineral wool according to EN 14303 or EN 13162, when used as a backing material. Corresponding datasheets, COSHH, and ETA documents are available to view as well as download from the JCP Fixings website. www.jcpfixings.co.uk

FOAMS, SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

15 years as the flagship of construction chemicals Product brand PENOSIL, part of Wolf Group Krimelte – one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of construction chemicals, is celebrating its 15th birthday this year. Launched in 2006, the brand’s construction foams, sealants, adhesives, cleaning and surface treatment products are sold on every continent, in nearly 40 different countries.

he development of the brand began with a practical need, as the company’s products were being sold under a number of different names, including Penoflex and Penoseal. PENOSIL is both a homage to what was before, while also being international enough to suit the European, American and Asian markets. PENOSIL’s first product was GoldGun construction foam, with sales in excess of 100 million cans. Three series were then developed, differentiated by quality and price: Gold, Premium and Standard. In addition, a small selection of EasyPRO foams and sealants for home users was launched in 2015. “Compared to the early years, the current product range is seven times larger and 28 times more foams, sealants, and adhesives are sold,” states PENOSIL. PENOSIL points out that it has always been valued among professional builders and industrial customers thanks to the brand development and innovation at the company’s Tallinn (Estonia) and Barcelona (Spain) development centres, which focus not only on chemical and tool development, but also on the development of various energy efficient construction solutions.

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“Our target group of window installation, sealing of façade joints and floor solutions consists of builders, designers and architects,” mentions PENOSIL. “In total, more than a million builders and related companies use PENOSIL products and solutions on a daily basis in both new builds and renovation projects.” Historically, PENOSIL points out it has always been modern, fresh, and innovative, shaking up the conservative building materials market. EasySpray sprayable foam sealant, adhesive foams with a wide range of application areas, sealants supplied with a unique applicator, and EasyGun construction foam – for use with both a gun and applicator – are only a few of the brand names that have received recognition at design competitions, in addition to positive feedback from construction professionals. Energy efficiency and green thinking are also part of PENOSIL’s values and mission. By 2024, more than 75% of its products will meet the low volatile organic compound (VOC) certification requirements. The company is also increasing its use of environmentally friendly raw materials, and PENOSIL’s packaging will contain 20% recyclable components by 2025.

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS FOAMS, SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Safe in the knowledge Effective performance is everything when it comes to fire safety products. However, without knowing it, many of us could be making compromises when it comes to our choice of fire foams and fire rated sealants. Here Bond It Group focuses on the important role both foams and sealants play when it comes to building fire safety.

s a company that manufactures sealants, adhesives and other building chemicals, you might expect Bond It to advocate increased awareness when it comes to choosing fire foams. But self-gain never has, and never will, be Bond It’s main motivation for urging greater consideration when it comes to these products. Instead, we believe the building industry in the UK is affected by a serious issue with equally serious, and potentially life threatening, implications. With lives at stake, and against a backdrop where we are all increasingly accountable for our work and where there have been a number of high profile examples of poor building practices contributing to the spread of fire, we see it as our responsibility to share our knowledge. The problem stems from the existence of too many different but similar sounding classification systems. This has created a degree of confusion, which has left many in the sector at risk of inadvertently using fire foams with levels of performance that fall woefully short of the mark.

To benefit from its classification, fire foam had to comply with BS476 part 20. This meant it would act as a barrier to fire for 4 hours giving a building’s occupants vital time to escape. Then, with an influx of European foams into the UK came a proliferation of different standards. The most widespread was a German standard based on a sliding scale. This ranged from A1 (100% non-combustible) through to A2, B1, B2 and B3 with the latter offering the worst levels of performance. If the introduction of a whole new standard system, and a large number of differing classifications, didn’t serve to create enough confusion, the way of assessing the UK and European standards was also totally different. The UK standard meant a fire foam had to act as a barrier to prevent fire transferring from one room to another for a period of four hours. The German standard meanwhile was based on someone trying to ignite the foam itself – not a very realistic scenario.

Not all fire foams are created equal

One of the most widely seen classifications people now find on fire foams is B2 and it’s not hard to understand why. However, in Bond It’s opinion, B2 ‘fire’ foam’s performance is totally inadequate and we don’t think it should be sold as fire foam at all. Yes, there are savings and profits to be made, but at the end of the day,

Years ago, specifying a fire foam was a lot simpler and arguably safer than it is today. You had the choice of either a standard foam or a fire foam with both types available in either a gun or handheld form.

118 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS what price do you put on property or even more poignantly, on someone’s life? Like most of our competitors, we react to market demand and do supply a B2 PU foam as part of our range. However, we are strict about this not being referred to as a ‘fire’ foam and it is not marketed under this guise at all. We clearly state what the products performance characteristics are and what it is tested to.

The role of sealants

Sealants also play a big part in ensuring the integrity of fire resistant seals and joints. These are used in re-establishing the fire rated integrity of a wall or floor assembly compromised by the inclusion or exclusion of a penetrant. Flames and smoke can spread through the smallest of gaps causing extreme damage to buildings and even human lives. Applying an intumescent sealant to linear joints, around pipes, and between cables, to close all the gaps and add fire resistance. An intumescent seal slows down the burning process and does not contribute to spread of flames. Therefore, it can minimise the damage by protecting structures, giving fire fighters more time to arrive and take the fire under control, as well as fireproofing escape routes allowing for efficient evacuation.

How does intumescent sealant work?

Intumescent seals are known as means of passive fire protection, but what is an intumescent sealant in practice? Also known as expansion sealant, intumescent sealant expands when it becomes exposed to extreme heat and can swell up to 40 times its original volume. The sealant increases in volume but decreases in density forming a char layer. The expanded sealant does not actually catch fire, but the char burns eventually, still much more slowly than most building materials. Depending on the product formulation, application, and backing material, an intumescent sealant can be

resistant to fire for up to 4 hours. Buildings require different levels of fire resistance depending on their size and whether they have a residential purpose.

Better safe than sorry

Of course, it would be remiss of Bond It to highlight an issue as grave as current fire foam classification and misclassification without proposing a solution. Thankfully, there is one – and it’s also easy to implement. In its simplest terms, our advice would in every circumstance if you need fire protection from your foams nothing less than B1 is really acceptable as a bare minimum standard and for sealants we would recommend a fire tested sealant. Look for the standards EN1366-4, EN1366-3, EN ISO 10140-2 and EN13501-2 on packs – which are proof that the foams and sealants will do their job and you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ve chosen a true fire foam or fire rated sealant that will leave people safe in their homes, offices and other buildings.

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Scell-it UK invests in new fixings tester technology Scell-it UK prides itself on being at the forefront of product design when it comes to setting tools and chemical dispensing guns. Now the company has just invested in the latest technology in the world of fixing testers via the Staht Digital Pull Tester.

taht has developed a new and innovative ‘next generation’ tester, set to revolutionise the process of testing construction fixings through its compact design, ease of use and versatility. This is achieved by combining class leading features into one simple unit, which include a full colour digital display; a lithium-ion rechargeable battery; Bluetooth connectivity; as well as a simple to use free App and reporting system. For Scell-it UK Ltd this offers a real advantage of being able to test its fixings quickly and easily, as well as provide a detailed report to confirm the fixings are up to the job and fit for purpose. Gary Moseley, managing director at Scell-it UK, explains: “We were given a demonstration of the new unit and we were so impressed with the ease of use and capability it would give us that we bought one there and then on the day. Our quality assurance has to be second to none and the quality and standard of our fixings is something we take very seriously.” Gary continues: “Staht has produced a testing tool that allows us to accurately assess the quality of our products quickly and within our own quality control department here at our warehouse. We can then use the reports and documentation features to reassure our

customers of the quality, and that our products meet the standards that are specified.” By using the Staht Pull Tester, Scell-it UK claims it can speed up the checking process of stock and be assured that the quality and integrity is still intact. Similar to the methodology of Scell-it tools, the Staht unit has many design features that also consider the health and safety of the worker. Safety straps to prevent tool drops, and enhanced mechanisms for easy load application, all help eliminate accidents and prevent repetitive strain injuries. Scell-it believes that wholesalers have to be held to account and should be questioned about the quality and standard of their stock. “Customers should insist on seeing credentials and evidence that items are fit for purpose. By investing in new technology, such as the Staht Digital Pull Tester, wholesalers will be proving they are taking their responsibilities seriously.”

Tapcon update to increase productivity ITW’s SPIT brand has made some changes to its popular Tapcon self-tapping screw range, which promises to increase productivity and help installers get the job done faster. apcon anchors are masonry screws designed with Advanced Threadform Technology™, which cuts threads into all masonry materials including concrete, block and brick. Available in a range of diameters and lengths, the Tapcon range has now been updated to include a star recess and underhead ribs, for improved productivity and usability. Megan Edgar, SPIT product manager – UKI & Nordics, explains: “We used customer feedback and user data to identify areas where we could improve the product and address customer concerns. The new star head has been engineered for a more stable drive with no bit slip, while the hex head now has underhead ribs to increased resistance to anchor spin-outs.” Both variants of the Tapcon range are manufactured from heat treated carbon steel for increased hardness and ductility. They also benefit from a Climaseal coating, which offers corrosion resistance and long-lasting quality. Megan adds: “Expansion anchors, such as wedge and sleeve anchors creates pressure on the hole walls. Tapcon anchors cut threads into the hole walls, eliminating pressure and allowing Tapcon anchors to be installed close to an edge and at reduced spacing. In addition, unlike expansion anchors, Tapcon anchors are reversible and removable allowing for greater flexibility on the job.”

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF THE FASTENER MANUFACTURING PROCESS INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Lazpiur masters inspection machines Lazpiur has introduced its new IRIS range of inspection machines to meet the demands of the market, which the company reports is also the most powerful hardware on the market.

or more than a century, Lazpiur states it has been at the forefront of research, technology and innovation, developing and offering efficient, precision solutions for high-quality machines – all in accordance with the most exacting standards. Through constant evolution, and the development and integration of diverse inspection technologies in its machines (vision, laser, photometry, eddy current, deep learning), the company can offer solutions for every control requirement demanded by the market. The new IRIS range of inspection machines include functional design and construction through their modularity; Lazpiur’s own proprietary UI and testing software, which is 100% verified; as well as offering connectivity, traceability and service through its Smart production and Industry 4.0 capabilities. “Based on our own design and modular structure, we have chosen a compact, modern layout for optimal, modular inspection processes. Machine configuration can be personalised, allowing the use of different machine settings on the same platform. The overall accessibility of the machine, its ergonomics, and aesthetics, are other parameters that have been thoroughly examined,” points out Lazpiur S.A. The new IRIS machine also uses the latest generation of PLC to handle all machine movements and incorporates an expandible, maximum-spec industrial PC with the latest processor. This gives the machine the capacity to capture and process up to 20,000 images per minute.

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To go alongside IRIS, Lazpiur is also able to offer a new platform of multi-machine software called LISP, entirely developed in-house. “LISP brings together all the experience and requirements of the market as far as 100% inspection is concerned,” explains Lazpiur. “The software platform is modular and scalable, employing technologies such as back/front lit multi camera vision, photometric stereo vision for fine defect analysis in 360º, eddy current crack and heat treatment inspection, 2D and 3D laser LED sensors, colorimetry, GO/NO GO mechanical controls, printing, QR reading, machine learning, and a variety of other features and benefits.” Lazpiur continues: “In the application of these technologies on our IRIS platform – aside from the classic solutions optimised for dimensional measurement, crack and heat treatment inspection – the inclusion of photometric stereo vision systems for defect detection in surfaces, and the application of Deep Learning in screwythread control processing, are particularly of note and will appeal to customers.” Finally, the IRIS family of inspection and sorting machines is also suited to the newest market trends in terms of Industry 4.0 and Smart production. “Machine connectivity is total, both for the customer and for Lazpiur service. Every one of the pieces inspected is recorded by the machine, ensuring total data traceability. Furthermore, the LISP software platform also has an offline version, which can be installed on any computer, thus enabling ‘off machine’ use in programming, testing, training, etc – without having to stop the machine to do so.” In addition to all this, Lazpiur also adds its Lazpiur Remote Service, so the customer can count on advice to help guide them in addressing their needs (programming of new pieces, addition training, error correction, etc). www.lazpiur.com

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Dimac L-Box: A packaging solution for 100% quality To ensure total quality, performance, and the usability of products, Italian-based Dimac recommends that fasteners are always packed in-line using 100% inspection and sorting equipment.

imac Srl points out that a fastener packaging system does more than just package fasteners. It accurately fills the specified package with the correct amount of conforming parts – as requested by the final customer – directly after inspection, avoiding any external contamination. A key factor in this process is the increasing demand for versatile boxing equipment within fastener sorting departments. To answer this demand, Dimac suggests the L-Box – a state of the art packing machine, which has been designed to combine with Dimac 100% inspection machines, as a turnkey solution, to provide a complete working cell – where the control cycle ends with the parts packaged to be delivered or stored into the company stock. The layout of L-Box can be customised upon customer demand to handle a wide range of containers with different lengths, widths and heights. It can also be plugged into any other master sorting equipment to perform a ‘slave’ boxing cycle by key switching to auto mode. Dimac’s L-Box set-up is controlled by a very intuitive, user-friendly panel, equipped with manual and automatic commands. A conveyor belt brings in the empty containers under the adjustable filling chute, whilst the filled containers are fed out by gravity through a free-rollers track to be unloaded. Sensors are fitted to prevent box collisions or wrong container positioning, while alarms display from where any problem is coming from (i.e conveyor belt or pneumatic cylinders) making it very simple to troubleshoot. The operator task is limited to simply adding empty containers into the L-Box and unloading the filled ones. “The L-Box speeds up factory automation and logistics, positively influencing the processes and reducing time and costs,” states Dimac. www.dimacsrl.com

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

CCT state of the art sorting machines As a result of new market demands for more accuracy and higher quality, Chun Chan Tech Co Ltd (CCT) has developed a new innovative system for inspection and sorting verification by rotating the parts by 360 degrees.

raditional sorting machines focus on dimensional criteria from a single view, which is a fast way but has the risk of not detecting defects in blind spots or partial or small defects. The new developed mechanisms and techniques from CCT can enhance inspection efficiency and meet stricter requirements

of customers. The CCT machine allows operators to check new parameters such as all the dimensions of the part – recording all sizes during 360º to select all min/max tolerances and any bended parts. The machine also records all data during the inspection process to sort maximum allowed measurements; as well as any line cracks, damaged threads or partial defects. Thanks to its ability to check materials from 360 degrees, the CCT machine can take hundreds of images and connect with each image to detect any tiny defects on the material.

INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

SKAKO semi–automatic packaging machine SKAKO Vibration has announced that it has optimised its compact weighing and packing system, which can be used to fill different kinds of carton boxes and plastic or steel returnable boxes (KLTs).

KAKO’s system consists of a vibrating storage feeder; a vibrating feeder; a chute system with accumulation possibility; a table with integrated load cells; and an integrated sample/check weighing platform. It can be configured in different sizes and supplied with a lift and tip unit. The lift tipper can be configured according to the customer’s specific container/containers. The system is especially suited for short and medium size production badges, as it is easy to operate and reprogramme. The SKAKO packing machine has a compact, single floor, design, allowing it to be placed in a limited floor space without the need for extra ceiling height. The machine also has an open construction, which makes the process both accessible and easily monitored. This is important for the fastener and automotive industry, which usually operates with many different items, thus has the need to be able to switch from one to another, without the risk of getting them mixed up. SKAKO Vibration A.S has been manufacturing light to medium duty vibratory feeders and screens since 1963. The hardware industry is a significant and growing part of SKAKO’s business – especially feeding, weighing and dosing equipment for heat treatment lines. Therefore the semi-automatic system for the packing industry fits perfectly and SKAKO´s know-how could be used.

128 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

Other factors that can be checked include cracks or hardness by Eddy Current, punch hole depths and nut thread inspection – with go/ no go gauges. CCT is also able to adapt systems or design customer specific solutions for a wide range of applications. Founded in 2004, CCT is a leading Taiwanese manufacturer of sorting machines for fasteners, bolts, nuts and any special parts. The company continuously develops innovative solutions by integrating modern technology – especially the self-developed optimised software, which CCT points out is well known within the market for its easy and simple use. Fastmatec is the European Agent for CCT and many leading companies are among its clients. The after sales service provided by CCT and Fastmatec responds to the basic needs of the customers who have constantly new challenging inspection requirements. Furthermore, CCT has also developed intelligent robotised warehouse stocking systems. www.fastmatec.com

CNP Myszkow introduces ZMspin coating CNP Myszkow has developed and launched to the market a new coating, ZMspin, based on an alloy of magnesium, aluminium, and zinc, applied in the process of hot dip galvanising with centrifugation. Mspin is dedicated to fasteners such as screws, nuts, washers, pins, and other types of fasteners, with the coating achieving “spectacular results” in salt chamber testing – where there was no trace of corrosion after 3,000 hours. “The technological process for ZMspin does not use acids to activate the surface and thus the parts have no possibility of hydrogen embrittlement,” explains CNP Myszkow. “Additionally, a low bath temperature is used in the ZMspin coating galvanising process, which provides additional assurance that components subjected to the ZMspin galvanising process will not be at risk of hydrogen embrittlement.” The technological process also generates much less waste than the classic hot dip galvanising, which reduces the negative impact on the environment. Another benefit of the ZMspin coating is that it reduces maintenance costs of steel structures. Thanks to its properties, potential damage to the anti-corrosion coating during assembly is reduced to a minimum. ZMspin can also be successfully used in applications currently requiring duplex coating.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Videx dual spindle machine for wheel bolts Videx has recently completed the updated design of a dual spindle wheel bolt machine that is capable of thread rolling 320 – 360 wheel bolts per minute.

idex’s dual spindle machine accepts headed parts directly from the header or from a vibratory feeder. The machine then thread rolls in the first station and knurls under the head in a second station. The thread and knurl rolling operations are independent of each other, eliminating any influence of one rolling operation on the other. This enables faster production rate, better quality parts and the use of simple and economical rolling dies. Advantages of the dual spindle design include individual adjustment, which ensures better control of the quality of each rolling operation and less operator skills are required. The separate rolling operations also assure better quality of the knurl and the thread. “The separate operations also guarantee higher production speeds as the second operation does not slow down the machine,” mentions Yair Wiesenfeld from Videx Machine Engineering. “Other benefits include less handling required, which eliminates the

possibility of mixing parts, as well as lower cost tooling – with the dies replaced within minutes and only when needed.” Both stations of the dual spindle wheel bolt machine are equipped with controlled thread rolling feed start, auto die clamping, zero taper mechanism for parallel threads and micrometric thread pressure screws, as well as full speed control, automatic air shut-off and two operator control panels. mayes warwick quarter page-2018-outlines.pdf

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GEOMET® has earned its marks as it comes to a solid and reliable zinc-aluminum flake coating solution. Thielco Steel Solutions Group offers, besides their bulk process, a high-end rack process for more delicate and larger fasteners. The non-electrolytic, chromium-free, water based system is the modern alternative to traditional processes that are sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement. This particular solution for zinc flake coating has some very distinguished advantages:

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

CAN-ENG supplies continuous mesh belt furnace for speciality fasteners CAN-ENG Furnaces was recently awarded a contract to design and supply another 6,000lb/hr continuous mesh belt furnace system to a precision automotive and speciality fastener manufacturer located in Michigan, USA.

he project marks the fourth CAN-ENG mesh belt furnace line for this captive heat treater, which – with the completion of this newest line – will be operating within three facilities across the state of Michigan. The new, high volume fastener system features an automated bin-dumping loader, pre-washer,  atmosphere controlled mesh belt hardening system, oil quench, post wash system, temper furnace, in-line soluble oil system, bi-directional conveyor discharge, and CAN-ENG Furnaces International Limited’s PET™ Level 2 SCADA system. By integrating CAN-ENG’s Level 2 automation, the customer receives access to vital tracking of products’ status; detailed process data for continuous process improvements; comprehensive equipment diagnostics; cost analysis; and inventory management. The state of the art system also utilises CAN-ENG’s Energy Reduction System (ERS™), significantly lowering energy requirements of the hardening furnace and providing up to a one third reduction in

required atmosphere. The line will also have the capability to bypass the soluble oil system to allow for speciality fasteners requiring post temper processing to be removed and collected. “When the customer demands quality, time and time again, CAN-ENG Furnaces’ continuous mesh belt heat treatment systems remain the choice of both  commercial and captive  customers for consistent, reliable, and efficient performance,” states the company.

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Tecno Lift, a Sacma Group company, can offer the best solution to ease the production process, taking into account the type of fastening elements to be moved and the working speed. The Tecno Lift range is consisting of vertical elevators to be connected directly to the feeding rails of machine tools; vibrating hoppers to load the blanks and washers into the vibratory feeders ; Porter units with combined weighing hoppers for the precise and accurate feeding for small and medium sizes parts; belt feeders to load the blanks into a vibratory feeders and other vibrating systems giving a constant and precise quantity of blanks; belt conveyors for parts or scraps; dosing systems allowing to split a large production batch into manageable sub-batches so that they can be controlled easily during the process and; bin tilting elevators for a complete automation of the loading system with the possibility to lift and rotate the containers.

TECNO LIFT S.R.L. • V.le Piemonte, 28 - Zona ind.le • 15053 Castelnuovo S. (AL) • ITALY • Ph. +39 0131 18 58 633 • sales.administration@tecnoliftitaly.com

TESTING

INSIGHT INTO TESTING METHODS FOR THE FASTENER SECTOR

Controlling decarburisation Here Cesare Certini, owner of S.M.T Srl – an independent Italian laboratory specialised in metallurgical testing, looks at the phenomenon of decarburisation during the heat treatment of fasteners and the steps that can be taken to control the undesired chemical reaction.

ome fasteners are subjected to quenching and tempering to increase the mechanical properties and to have structures capable of ensuring good toughness. In the case of the EN ISO 898-1 standard, it is mandatory to carry out this heat treatment for classes 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9. This heat treatment can be performed on the raw material (wire rod or bar) or on the threaded part and can cause decarburisation, a detrimental chemical reaction that involves a loss of carbon on the surface of the steel. At high temperatures, more precisely above the Ac1 transformation point, the carbon present on the superficial parts of the steel reacts with oxygen present in the atmosphere of the furnace to generate carbon monoxide (CO), which being a gas disperses – reducing the carbon present in steel. This is a phenomenon that mainly affects steels treated in non-controlled atmosphere furnaces but also in the case of furnaces protected with inert gases it is possible to have decarburisation due to incorrect settings, not perfect sealing of the furnace, etc. The surface loss of carbon has a negative effect because it reduces surface hardness, resistance to fatigue and wear. For this reason, the EN ISO 898-1 standard provides a control of the decarburisation of the thread with the aim of determining the depth of the area with complete decarburisation. This standard allows two different types of decarburisation control – the microscopic method and the hardness method.

Microscopic method

For the microscopic method the sample must be taken in the longitudinal direction, polished and then pickled with 3% nital (solution consisting of alcohol and 3% nitric acid).

After this, the sample should be observed under the microscope at 100X and the depth (G) of complete decarburisation measured (Figure 1), made evident by the presence of a completely ferritic structure (Figure 2).

case and then two Vickers HV0.3 hardness tests must be performed in points 1 and 2 (Figure 3).

E. height of non-decarburized zone in the thread H. height of external thread in the maximum material condition 1,2 measurement points, (1 is the reference point) 3 pitch line 1. completely decarburized 2. partially decarburized 3. pitch line 4. base metal E. height of the non-decarburized thread zone G. depth of complete decarburized in the thread zone H1 height of external thread in maximum material condition

Figure 1

Figure 3 The sample can be considered free from decarburisation if the hardness value HV0.3 in point 2 is equal to or greater than the hardness measured in point 1 minus 30 Vickers points. The height of the non-decarburised area is a function of the pitch thread.

Differences between the two methods

Figure 2 Another parameter that must be measured is the height (E) of the base metal, which must have a minimum value depending on the pitch thread (P). In the case of P ≤ 1.25mm, the microscopic method is the only one that can be used.

Hardness method

For the hardness method the sample must be prepared as shown in the previous

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The hardness method has the advantage of being an objective and not subjective method like the microscopic method, which is subject to the interpretation of the metallograph. However, the hardness method has the limit of being usable only with a pitch thread greater than or equal to 1.25mm and does not allow for the measurement of complete decarburisation. At S.M.T we have a laboratory that can perform both methods perfectly, in full compliance with current regulations. In the case of the microscopic method, the measurements are performed automatically using an image analyser, as well as in the case of the hardness method, where a dedicated software of the Vickers hardness tester is able to detect the hardness values in a precise and automatic way. www.smtsrl.com

TESTING

Tensile and shear testing to ASTM F606 and ISO 898 By J.J. Blenkhorn, application engineer, high force applications, INSTRON® Fasteners such as bolts, rivets, and washers, play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of consumer goods, vehicles and structures. Due to the importance of fasteners to the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries, the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and ISO (International Organisation of Standardisation) organisations have developed intensive standards to ensure that fastener products meet the desired expectations.

he testing of material properties to ASTM and ISO standards is an excellent indicator that a product is quality ensured and safe for consumer use. ASTM and ISO standards are developed and updated in response to market requests and trends in the associated industry. Both organisations are comprised of global experts who are involved in specific committees designed to address what is necessary for the standards. These experts regularly meet to discuss market needs and whether the standards need to be changed or updated to keep up with evolving trends, technologies and quality requirements. Two of the more pertinent standards for the tensile and shear testing of fasteners and fixings are ASTM F606 and ISO 898. ASTM F606 includes methods and procedures for the testing of externally and internally threaded fasteners, washers, direct tension indicators and rivets. Similarly, ISO 898 tests the mechanical properties of fasteners made of carbon and alloy steel. ASTM and ISO are both internationally recognised, but it is important to understand that similar standards between the two organisations may have different requirements. For example, it is common that the two organisations may define different specimen dimensions or have different tolerances for what counts as admissible pass or fail criteria for any given material. The mechanical properties of fasteners can be obtained in several ways. However, a large majority of results are obtained with the use of universal testing machines (UTMs). By exerting tensile, compression, or shear force on a specimen, these machines allow us to obtain useful data about the material’s maximum force, yield strength, strain, and many other properties. Testing to these standards does not come without its share of challenges, however, which are a result of the extensive requirements outlined by the standard committees. These challenges can include factors such as complex proof load procedures, various test types and set-ups, and documenting test results. One of the biggest challenges with testing fasteners is specimen proof loading. The proof load of a specimen is the amount of force it takes for the specimen to yield (permanently deform). Every material has what is referred to as an ‘elastic’ region and a ‘plastic’ region. Prior to a specimen yielding, the material is maintained within the elastic region, meaning that it will snap back to its original length when the load is removed. After a specimen yields, however, it enters the plastic region where the specimen is permanently deformed and cannot snap back into its original position. This can be seen in the stress/strain curve in Figure 1. It is important for many industries to know how much force the material can handle before deforming, as specimen behaviour can

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A universal testing machine with separate test spaces for tensile and compression testing

be unpredictable after yield and prone to breaking. Testing to ensure this proof load is a necessary requirement, as it ensures that industry products can withstand the rigors of their intended application. The challenge that proof load testing presents can be mitigated by using a tensile testing system and software package capable of running a series of controlled ramps. Both ASTM F606 and ISO 898 require that the fastener must be loaded to the specified proof value and held for a certain period. After this, the specimen must be unloaded and verified to ensure that no deformation has occurred. To increase efficiency, strain recording devices can be used in conjunction with software to automatically determine proof loading and record pass/fail criteria to exported test reports. An Instron 5900 series floor model universal testing machine

Yield point

– Elastic –

Plastic

Figure 1: Stress/strain curve – elastic versus plastic region

TESTING Another challenge posed by fastener testing is the variety of different test types required by these standards. For example, ASTM F606 and ISO 898 both outline tension and shear tests, where shear can be classified as single or double shear testing. Fortunately, there are techniques to increase the efficiency of testing with various fixtures. First and foremost, it is important to have test fixtures that are compatible with the machine and can be swapped interchangeably with ease. Another option is to utilise a dual space system where tension fixtures and compression/shear fixtures can be used simultaneously. This is possible because the system has multiple crossheads, which are often referred to as an upper and lower test space. Fixture versatility and dual space testing systems are vital for fastener testing due to the large volume of specimens that require testing in order to confirm that samples conform to international standards. The ability to swap fixtures and/or utilise multiple test space machines can drastically reduce set-up time and increase optimisation in a lab. Finally, ASTM F606 and ISO 898 both require extensive documentation of test results. All modern universal testing systems are capable of recording and exporting mechanical properties from the tests being performed, but the challenge posed by documentation requirements is that unique sample information is often called for in the reports. Some examples of this extra information include date of manufacture, coating properties, preparation steps, and many other possible data points. While historically this has been included as separate documentation or completed by hand with each sample, premium test software has the capability to add custom input for test procedures. Premium software can also include the ability to create linked calculations based on user input. This feature can help mitigate the need to maintain a large library of methods for each dimension of fasteners. In addition to proof loading, fixturing, and documentation, there are many other challenges that can arise when properly testing fasteners to ASTM and ISO standards. Furthermore, other types of testing may also be required depending on the intended application. It is because of these challenges and requirements, however, that products can be internationally recognised as meeting required criteria to ensure their quality. www.instron.com

Testing the tensile properties of a fastener

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Testing the shear properties of a fastener

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TESTING

Excellent protection and reliable processes Corrosion-proof fasteners are essential in the automotive industry and they perform an equally critical function in wind turbines. Thanks to its choice of four ANALYSE systems from Kistler to determine friction coefficients, Dörken can meet ever stricter test requirements and ensure compliance with uniform standards throughout the world – especially for its zinc flake coatings.

ow is it that a fastener testing laboratory is located on the site of a chemical company that generates most of its sales (totalling around €300 million) from paints, varnishes and laminated sheets for roofs? Founded back in 1892, Ewald Dörken AG has its headquarters in the German town of Herdecke in north Rhine-Westphalia. As well as construction finishing and coatings of all types, the company’s expertise also includes corrosion protection – with a special focus on fasteners. Virtually all the fasteners in a car are coated, and what are known as zinc flake coatings are used for this purpose in most cases. Small steel components are cleaned and dipped in an immersion bath containing the coating; the excess is then spun off, and the final stage of the process is baking. As zinc is less noble, it protects the coated metals

– and the same process is also used for large M24 anchor bolts in wind turbines. However, this process is not carried out on Dörken’s own site – instead, it is performed by coating service providers. These independent companies and licensees are supplied and audited by Dörken. Its worldwide network includes over 200 of these ‘coaters’ who ensure that the right corrosion protection is applied to fasteners, nuts and other parts for the automotive industry, the wind power and mechanical engineering sectors, as well as many other special purpose applications. There are also other technologies such as coil coating and galvanic coating – but these methods are not so important in terms of volume.

The easy way to determine the friction coefficient

It is essential to ensure that the fasteners can still be processed after they have been

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coated. For this purpose, friction coefficient tests are carried out continuously in the Herdecke laboratory and at three other facilities in China, Korea and the USA. An ANALYSE system from Kistler is operated in each of these Dörken Tech Centres. These systems can perform large numbers of friction coefficient tests that meet the specifications required by the automotive industry and many other sectors. Michael Stähler, lead technologist – fasteners, has been with the company for 15 years and is responsible for laboratory equipment, training, sales and advice for customers. He explains: “Thanks to the test stands from Kistler, we can accurately and reliably determine the friction coefficient – the link between torque and preloading force. One point to note here is that different customers or countries prefer different friction coefficient windows. These are influenced by lubrication, which

Maximum reliability

Minimized quality costs

No matter what size – 100% reliability matters. It’s crucially important for bolted joints to function safely and reliably. Therefore fastening technology must be continuously monitored and tested to eliminate the risk of recalls and additional costs. Kistler offers an extensive portfolio of test and analysis systems to analyze the functional characteristics of bolted joints and bolting tools.

www.kistler.com/reliability

TESTING makes the overall picture somewhat complex. Increasingly efficient processes in the automotive industry are presenting quite a few challenges for measurement technology – but with the ANALYSE system from Kistler, we have no problems in meeting customers’ standards that require pre-tightening up to 700rpm.” Different test methods have to be applied depending on the fastener and the specification – faster or slower tightening, and fastening in relation to specific reference parts with steel, aluminium or CDC (cathodic dip coated) surfaces. This calls for a system that can be used with some degree of flexibility, as well as software that reduces the user’s workload to the minimum and makes the process easier. Oliver Jakob, channel manager fastening technology EMEA at Kistler, outlines the benefits of ANALYSE systems. “Our test stands for determining the friction coefficients of detachable fasteners can be assembled flexibly from a variety of modules and components – also, for example, they can be equipped with different drives. For instance, our testXpert software includes both predefined and freely configurable test procedures, as well as being designed to be user-friendly.” Kistler’s global presence and reputation persuaded Dörken to opt for ANALYSE systems at an early stage. The test stand at the company’s German headquarters was expanded in 2015 and then in 2019 the USA became the fourth location for friction

The laboratory test stand for precise determination of friction coefficients. The ANALYSE system from Kistler Group features a modular structure and can be equipped with multiple drives and a vibration test stand coefficient determination. “That means we can now carry out uniform testing in all our Tech Centres. The testing regulations we develop here at the headquarters can be rolled out globally via Kistler software, with guaranteed process reliability,” adds Michael Stähler. Another advantage is that regular calibration ensures reliable compliance with customer standards that specify certain reference parts down to the last detail. Organisations such as the German Fastener Association (DSV) – where Stähler chairs the ‘Surfaces’ working group – also conduct round-robin tests to assess the comparability of test stands with different measurement principles.

Michael Stähler (left), lead technologist – fasteners at Dörken, in conversation with Oliver Jakob, channel manager fastening technology EMEA at Kistler

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The ANALYSE system: Uniform, efficient and modular

“Our four ANALYSE systems from Kistler also give us excellent international positioning. They stand us in good stead with our customers. High measurement frequency, excellent resolution and direct evaluation – this is a combination that leaves almost nothing to be desired,” mentions Michael Stähler. “What’s more, all the data and measured values – even from previous software versions – are stored and traceable. That’s quite reassuring not only for us, but also for the coaters and end customers – and into the bargain, there’s the good service that Kistler provides, available everywhere in the world.” Which trends are shaping the future of fastening technology and how is the market likely to develop in the coming years? Michael Stähler points to increasing test requirements imposed by the automotive industry, such as faster tightening and multiple fastening. He also foresees other developments that will depend on factors such as the availability of certain materials. Michael Stähler comments: “Ultrasonic control of tightening during the fastening process is an interesting technology, even though it’s not all that relevant for us in the corrosion protection segment. With this technique, the preloading force is determined continuously from the change in runtime on the fastener, which is measured ultrasonically. At present, however, this process is tied to general conditions such as plane parallel areas on the fastener heads and ends.” Oliver Jakob adds: “We can already feed ultrasonic signals into our ANALYSE systems and we can use suitable calculation functions to establish a direct relationship between the preloading force measured by the force sensor and the elongation of the fastener measured via ultrasound.” www.kistler.com

TESTING

Owlett-Jaton has the measure of fasteners and fixings As a special insight for the Testing section, Fastener + Fixing Magazine has focused on how the product testing laboratory at Owlett-Jaton’s head office in Stone, Staffordshire, enables the leading UK wholesale supplier to improve its existing quality facilities in a dedicated ‘fit for purpose’ department.

wlett-Jaton’s laboratory is comprised of two dedicated rooms – one for sample preparation and re-working of products, whilst the second offers a clean environment for performing inspection and conducting investigations on fasteners and fixings. Approximately 90% of all testing is dedicated specifically to dimensional testing. This includes product diameter, radius, and length testing, thread conformity, as well as coating thicknesses, all to the relevant conformance standards. Typical products to be examined include nuts, bolts, set screws, machine screws, socket screws, and washers, irrespective of size, material type and grade, thread type (metric and imperial, coarse and fine), drive type, head style or finish. The company’s on-site inspection equipment ranges from handheld devices – including a wide range of ring, plug, and caliper gauges – which examine male and female thread conformance, Vernier calipers and Mitutoyo Micrometres to help measure lengths, depths, diameters (internal and external) and thicknesses – through to much

more advanced equipment. The high-end equipment includes a Nikon shadowgraph, which is an optical measuring device for inspecting angles and lengths. A Keyence IM-7000 Image dimension measuring system, which is a high-tech, computer software operated optimal imaging device, is on-hand to measure angles, lengths, thread pitch measurements, and ‘true roundness’. There is also a Fischer Deltascope, engineered to measure coating thicknesses to microns. All equipment enables the inspection of parts to be executed to a high-level of accuracy.

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Other forms of product testing that make up the 10% balance includes carrying out on-site hardness determination to Rockwell B&C scales. Owlett-Jaton thoroughly investigates the rare reports of a product fault or failure. Initial investigation determines if the product was or was not sourced from Owlett-Jaton, which can be quickly established from the packaging and data from the label. If the product was not sourced from Owlett-Jaton, no further action is taken. Products that were originally supplied by Owlett-Jaton and show to have a fault or have failed, are investigated. It is often the case that faults and failures have been caused by human error from poor installation or incorrect application. A typical example of poor installation is a male or female threaded product (simply) being over or under torqued, causing damage to the thread or body. A common incorrect application could be as simple as the wrong grade of material being specified. Prior to any testing, the purchasing department undertakes rigorous checks on global manufacturers before placing orders, ensuring that products conform to the quality standards required. This practice is in-line with Owlett-Jaton’s ISO 9001:2015 accreditation. Owlett-Jaton’s goods inwards inspection process is also rigorous in checking inbound fasteners to ensure they conform to the relevant national and international manufacturing standards. www.owlett-jaton.com

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING THE FASTENER SECTOR

Four ways

digitisation

can make inventory management more efficient By Daniel Harms, president, Americas at Optimas Solutions As manufacturers, your goal is to build a high-quality product and get it off the line and out the door on time, on budget, and on pace with market demand – regardless of changing market dynamics. To get there, efficient inventory management is a must.

n today’s world, increasing efficiencies and improving inventory management has to draw on technology and the digitisation of processes to successfully support efforts in this area. Technology isn’t new to manufacturing. Though it seems somewhat old fashioned now, machines fueled the industrial revolution that saw items no longer made solely by hand. Then came the assembly line, Lean manufacturing, robotics, and so on. Now, technology is moving into other areas in this space. It’s helping to automate processes; maximise efficiencies; forecast demand; streamline the flow of information to address specific business needs; and improve logistics to the point of pinpoint on demand delivery. All of this is being driven more and more by digital solutions fueled by data and data analytics. There are a number of common inventory management challenges that can be solved with digital solutions. Inaccurate data, manual tracking, lack of visibility, and warehouse efficiency breakdowns can lead to inefficient inventory management. Any of these issues – whether they’re isolated incidents or happening all at once – can impact inventory management and overall business goals. These challenges are common but not insurmountable. Investing in automated processes and digital tools can help expose inventory management inefficiencies and allow them to be addressed

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proactively and thoughtfully. This enables better management of operations such as procurement, replenishment, customer costs, and response to demand changes, while increasing the speed of fulfillment and improving productivity across the organisation. At Optimas, we’ve been focusing on data and digitisation of processes for a few years now and have learned a lot about how technology can improve inventory management and consequently the business’ top and bottom lines. Here are the four key elements we focus on when it comes to technology and inventory management that may help when working to leverage technology and digital approaches in business.

Master data management

When it comes to assessing supply availability, forecasting material needs, and developing realistic production schedules, transparency is critical. This level of visibility into on hand inventory requires good, clean supply chain data. Collecting accurate data in ‘real time’ brings inefficient inventory management into focus, positioning your teams to make the best decisions for your business based on predictive and prescriptive analysis techniques, which can be extremely valuable. You can do this by designating a person or department to oversee supply chain data – or you can work with a third party supply chain

partner to manage that information and apply it to your inventory management processes.

Implement forecast models and plan for demand

Inventory forecasting is invaluable, especially in times when supply chains and consumer demand are evolving rapidly. The best forecasting uses a mix of quantitative (e.g past numerical insights) and third party qualitative data (e.g market trends, product lifecycle, competitive landscape, etc) that gives your team the flexibility to make more accurate inventory management decisions. That foresight allows you to predict where the demand is coming from and plan accordingly. You can see where your fulfillment orders are and adjust production and orders up or down, based on product availability in the supply chain. This also helps on the supplier side, as that insight can help avoid supply disruptions and avoid untimely delays.

Look into outsourcing automated solutions

Often, inventory management experts have both the necessary tools to assist in demand planning and a support team that can assess inventory levels against production requirements. It’s all about spotting potential issues before they ever start and that’s what you should look for in a supply chain partner. When evaluating that partner, it is important to gauge its level of dedication to using ‘state of the art’ digital tools, and best practices, and support mechanisms to ensure processes are as automated as they possibly can be.

Find an end-to-end supply chain solution

Only 6% of companies1 report having end-to-end supply chain visibility. A tech-enabled inventory management system, tailored to your specific business needs, can provide procurement-to-pay visibility of your inventory no matter where it is in the supply chain cycle – supporting both your current and potential customers. By requiring end-to-end supply chain visibility of your suppliers your business will function at a very high-level and provide your customers with the products and services they need.

Conclusion

Inventory management has long been an essential component of manufacturing. The only real difference these days is the technology at your disposal. Gone are the days of paper trails to track and monitor inventory. Technology enables greater visibility across the supply chain, improves inventory accuracy, avoids unexpected stockouts, and provides significant cost savings. Today, a key measure of a supplier, who can meet your needs as a manufacturer and avoid any supply chain disruptions – regardless of market dynamics or unforeseen interruptions beyond one’s control, is that supplier’s level of sophistication when it comes to digital assets and technological automation. Understanding that supplier’s blueprint in this area can be the difference in a high performing supply chain and success of your business. 1

https://www.logmore.com/post/supply-chain-visibility

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

MOM: A starting point for digital transformation By 3DS DELMIA, part of the Dassault Systèmes Group The hunger for transformation among industry players is at an all time high. However, at the same time, organisations want lower risk options to digitalise the shop floor. This is where a Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) solution comes into play.

o reduce the number of isolated, inflexible solutions, manufacturers will want to seek a connected, scalable and sustainable platform approach that enables them to simultaneously maintain high-levels of throughput, quality and customer service – while creating opportunities for sustainable innovation. A strong MOM environment on the shop floor is at the heart of digital transformation as this is where the product, business and operational functions of the enterprise intersect. MOM goes beyond traditional Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) as it involves automating, executing and managing the performance of all business processes relevant to manufacturing execution. This includes manufacturing production, quality, warehousing, the workforce and maintenance. From design to build to support, digitalising the entire manufacturing process with MOM enables manufacturers to gain global supply chain visibility to control and synchronise their operations with respect to these key modules: Production: Boost operational efficiency, accelerate New Product Introduction (NPI) and reduce the cost of quality and compliance. Quality: Enhance genealogy, traceability and containment as well as facilitate continuous process improvement. Warehouse management: Synchronise material flow to production in ‘real time’, improve operations performance and quality, as well as enable a demand-driven enterprise. Maintenance: Synchronise maintenance across all operations, increase equipment uptime, improve manufacturing productivity and quality, reduce maintenance costs and expand maintenance productivity and effectiveness to offline locations. Time and labour: Optimise time and attendance tracking and eliminate paper tracking and manual data entry. Beyond traditional business process accelerators, the optimal MOM solution functions as a comprehensive and core platform for manufacturing excellence. It helps establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) to drive process improvement configuration, distribution and governance, resulting in greater standardisation with less effort. Manufacturers can leverage MOM and operational intelligence to unify data to identify opportunities for improvement and cost reduction. With a common platform approach to all operations, they can scale resources, enable centralised management of the system and standardise processes and best practices across sites. This eliminates custom systems and enables scalable continuous improvement initiatives on a global scale. MOM is set to continue driving operations for several years. As such, it will naturally have to evolve and adapt as edge technology and IIoT continue to advance. For a more comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to transformation, manufacturers should consider these three aspects:

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Cloud and on-premise: There is a growing movement to put applications in a Cloud environment instead of on-premise, and for good reason. Lower hardware and architecture costs, less need for on-site technical staff and reduced large capital expenditures for new systems. Collaborative operations: Another critical consideration would be to invest in optimising team operations for more effective collaboration. Digitalisation breaks down organisational barriers and allows each team to take the right actions, cascade decisions to stakeholders and collaborate seamlessly regardless of their role. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT): This is maturing and brings with it a major realignment of how and where IT is used throughout manufacturing operations and decision making. The advent of digital transformation has boosted interest in MOM as a starting point for integrating factories into IIoT platforms. IIoT initiatives encourage manufacturers to examine their current state of automation and MOM deployment to plan for digital transformation. However, IIoT can only deliver maximum benefit when the data collected is contextualised and actionable. In most cases, MES/MOM is the ideal companion to IIoT to both contextualise collected or traced data and to initiate actions in response to issues identified by IIoT.

Starting with a MOM implementation can prove to be a low risk, high value entry point for digital transformation and to modernise the shop floor environment for improved performance, a competitive edge and to better manage disruptions. Leveraging the specific platforms, a manufacturer can unlock the potential for greater levels of manufacturing efficiency, productivity and profitability, bringing a manufacturer closer to manufacturing and operational resilience.

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MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Mobile Kanban shelf for floor plan flexibility Lean production principles increasingly require layout flexibility, which is why REYHER has introduced its new mobile Kanban shelf, with its future oriented design, in order to contribute to increased productivity at assembly workstations.

wing to its stable static design, with a load-bearing capacity of up to one tonne, REYHER’s mobile Kanban shelf is optimised for housing a lot of material in a limited space. The shelf consists of sheet metal on the front and riveted plugged-in shelving from a brand manufacturer – produced in accordance with RAL-RG 614 quality specification for storage and operating units. With a total of eight levels, including a shelf for empty bins, the new mobile Kanban shelf can hold 42 ROM | LTB Kanban bins using a two bin system. REYHER Nchfg GmbH & Co KG points out that there is also a push through guard to prevent the front bin falling out when a new bin is added from the back. Plus, four sturdy swivel castors on the mobile frame enable the shelf to be manoeuvred without problem in the smallest of spaces. Finally, a locking mechanism prevents undesirable movement and provides a stable stance.

Easy access to material from ROM | LTB Kanban bins

Combined with the ROM | LTB Kanban bins, the mobile Kanban shelf makes an effective contribution to increased productivity at

assembly workstations. Using the sliding mechanism, the bin can be transformed from a transport bin to an open fronted bin with only one hand movement. This makes it easier to collect materials from ROM | LTB bins in the mobile Kanban shelf.

Reliable Kanban supplies with ROM – REYHER Order Management

Using ROM – REYHER Order Management provides REYHER’s customers with the highest supply and process reliability. Modules can be combined, with the options of RFID technology, barcode systems, flexible labelling, and modern data interchange – enabling customers to build an all round seamless package for smooth materials supply. www.reyher.de

Directly from stock!

Extreme surroundings require special quality characteristics of the used material. So, in the offshore sector, but also for bridges and buildings near the sea, reactor construction and chemical industry, the material D6 | 1.4462 DUPLEX is essential, which distinguishes by its strong resistance and belongs to Corrosion Resistance Class (CRC) IV. We are the specialist in high-quality fasteners made from stainless high-grade steel and special materials. We are used to extreme conditions and face the toughest challenges on a daily basis. We never lose sight of our aim to give the customer just what they want. And we always offer that little bit extra. So, why not contact us? We are looking forward to your call.

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In the course of the harmonisation of standards the category of Corrosion Resistance Classes (CRC) has been regulated by the Eurocode 3/DIN EN 1993-1-4, annex A. Many European countries are therefore encouraged to consider these newly determined stainless steel grades for the calculation and construction of steel structures. TOBSTEEL is the only stockholder for fasteners who covers all Corrosion Resistance Classes (CRC) I to V according to Eurocode 3 – annex A.

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Via dell’Artigianato, 16-18-20 - 36027 SAN PIETRO DI ROSÀ (VI) - ITALY Tel. 0039.0424.562044 - Fax 0039.0424.564055 E-mail: sipa@sipaitalia.it - E-mail: ordini@sipaitalia.it - Web: www.sipaitalia.it

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

WinMan® unveils WinMan Cloud WinMan® – an enterprise resource planning (ERP) provider with over 25 years of experience supplying the manufacturing and distribution industries – has announced the impending launch of WinMan Cloud.

he new solution, which will be a separate alternative to WinMan®’s existing on-premises system, has been launched as a direct response to what the company sees as an increased demand for solutions that do not require an in-house infrastructure, as part of the wider evolution of the workplace in recent years. WinMan believes its Cloud solution will offer unprecedented value – being a comprehensive Cloud-based ERP solution for manufacturers and distributors, providing them with a complete toolkit to support their business processes. Users will benefit from a modern design and user-friendly interface. The product can also be accessed on multiple devices, assist remote working, and is expected to gain immediate market traction as a ‘simple solution for complex problems’. Jonathan Davies, sale director at WinMan, comments: “Investment in the right ERP system can improve productivity and efficiency for any business. WinMan Cloud ERP will make it easier than ever for organisations to make their ERP system available

company wide, when and where they need it. In the present climate, it is essential for WinMan to be a platform that is as nimble and flexible as possible. As an addition to our existing on-premise system, WinMan Cloud can be a truly game changing solution.” Nick Jacobs, technical director at WinMan, adds: “WinMan Cloud has been built from the ground up and is part of our ongoing investment into new technologies. As with the existing WinMan platform, WinMan Cloud is designed from the manufacturer’s and distributor’s perspective and can offer a pathway to a new level of efficiency by supporting an ultra-streamlined workflow in production and distribution facilities. For companies that are increasingly offering their personnel the option of remote working, WinMan Cloud will offer the ability to get the job done, in spite of a downsizing of on-site human resources.” With offices in both the UK and the USA, WinMan currently has hundreds of clients worldwide using its manufacturing and distribution ERP solutions; servicing a range of sectors and providing solutions to support optimal business processes.

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY FASTENING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL INDUSTRIES

Fasteners: Standard versus non-standard By Dr Peter Standring, technical secretary, Industrial Metalforming Technologies (IMfT) Without any doubt, the two factors in my own lifetime that have created the world in which we live are globalisation and standardisation. Globalisation in all its varied forms affects every aspect of life – including the planet itself. Standardisation is a factor because it is utterly impossible for us to do what it has taken the natural world one billion years of evolutionary trial and error to achieve; namely to produce 7.5 billion living customised humans. Historical trends

Until the start of the ‘digital age’ (electronics only made this possible) the progress of manufacture moved in lock-step with the weapons of war. From the beginnings of history, those having the resources, organisational skills and the desire to create more and better weapons of war, invariably won the argument. Whether land or sea-based Empires, all developed the means to mass produce the equipment to fight with. The most efficient created assembly lines whereby ships, swords, etc, could be produced to an agreed standard form. With the introduction of firearms, the demanded accuracy, larger numbers, maintenance, and repair, brought about the parallel development of the machine tool and metal production industries. Such spin-offs were rolled out to the general population creating facilities able to supply both commercial and domestic markets with the same manufacturing capabilities. This in turn led directly to an explosion of entrepreneurial activity with individual local manufacturers producing their own versions of similar products. The gravitational effects of the aggregation of local manufacture produced the distribution of 19 th and 20 th century industrial centres, which often remain today. The natural consequence of all these embryonic developments gave rise to a multiplicity of independent manufactured options

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to serve the same purpose. Roll out the respective government demands for weapons of war and this introduced an absolute requirement to: Standardise on what was produced. What it was produced from. How it was produced. This thrust for rationalisation was refined in both World Wars. The post war period saw a wider adoption of the means of manufacture developed by wartime emergency. In particular for this article, the ability to successfully cold forge steel developed in Germany in the late 1930s and kept as a state secret throughout the war. In 1960 – 1969, this became a collectively funded programme shared by OECD countries as a novel high-tech operation to be exploited by national and multinational enterprises. Big business soon discovered it was easier to acquire market share through acquisition and merger than by growing the market, which in turn led directly to the rationalisation of back office operations and products. Deproliferation was the term coined by General Motors for a programme designed to standardise and rationalise the billions of components it used. In 1994, this author attended a presentation by the Opel Manager of Fastener Development and Coordination

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY concerned with the reduction of welded studs used by the company in Europe. On their CAD system they had over 800 different components many being obsolete or varying in size by only a few millimetres. The cost of keeping each part on the CAD system was 12,000 DEM per year (in 1994 1 DEM was worth US$0.57). Using only what they needed, the number of active parts was reduced from over 800 components to just 17. This saved GM around DEM 40 million a year and resulted in the design control shifting from engineers to the deproliferation unit. Presenting another excellent example of ‘rational’ thinking, the deproliferation unit determined that on engines, there were 22 different fasteners used in six different working environments. These required six different coatings/treatments. Using ‘focused’ research, the unit were able to identify a single surface treatment that could cost effectively satisfy all the environmental demands. As a final point, the GM presenter ended with a comment that his team had surveyed the whole European automotive industry and concluded that if all OEMs and tier ones standardised their fastener product range, the total annual output could be met by just six large manufacturing units. Much has changed in the intervening 27 years with the explosion of manufacturing developments in central/eastern Europe and the Far East. However none of these have changed the inexorable trends of globalisation and standardisation. Despite the economic shake ups of 1998/9 and 2008/9 and the current supply chain wobbles resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, reshoring is, as yet, only a dream to be wished for by those who are in desperate need.

Manufacturing trends

Henry Ford’s grand vision of a company that could make everything in-house (vertical integration) was quickly proved to be infeasible. Specialist producers of special products, e.g tyres, glassware, non-standard metals, etc, were clearly focused on doing what they did best and what they produced was both better and cheaper than what the Ford Motor Company could provide. So, Ford had two choices; buy them and take the products they made off the open market or contract them to supply Ford (horizontal integration). And so, the supply chain concept was established. Clearly, in a mass market, the greater the mass, the bigger the profit (assuming the business case is sound). Investing those profits to grow the business means new opportunities, increased facilities, higher output and even better returns. It was this rush for growth in the late 19 th, early 20 th centuries – in the USA particularly – which led to the term, Industrial Robber Barons. Perhaps not inappropriate for those involved in today’s Big Tech companies... What is absolutely clear is the fact that, to be ‘big’ requires the facilities to produce ‘big.’ The question then arises, who determines the market? Pick up any article that links customers to products and the term ‘supply and demand’ is likely to be found, always presented in that order. So, does this mean ‘supply’ comes before ‘demand’ or, as many would suggest, the ‘demand’ must be there in order to ‘supply’. Assume you are a very large supplier with hectares of manufacturing space and run a highly efficient organisation. Then, for whatever reason, a global pandemic; a nuclear winter following an eruption of a super volcano; a devastating solar blast of radiation, which knocks out virtually all global communications; how long could you survive if there is no demand? Likewise, as in the case of recent panic buying of fuel, energy, some food and even toilet rolls. If the ‘supply’ is no longer available what can be done to meet the ‘demand’? The logistics, which facilitate the smooth running of all mass production, incorporating ordering, delivery, in-house manufacture, despatch, documentation and tracking, makes the Just In Time (JIT) concept a reality. And yet, similar to the Chaos Theory where the fluttering of a butterfly wing in one part of the world can create a

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storm in another, recently when a container ship blocked the Suez Canal many waves were created in the JIT supply chains. In a globalised and highly standardised world, when things work well the customer will benefit from a slick and unseen operation. Throw any large spanner in the works and the inevitable will happen.

Possible perturbations

In 1989 the tectonic plates of global politics changed. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the command economies of many communist states imploded. After a madcap free for all, these have adopted a general ‘Capitalist’ approach. Like all of manufacturing, the enabling factor has been ‘digitisation’. In China that year, the student protest in Tiananmen Square was dealt with in a different manner. In 1993, the Chinese Premier made the first visit to the USA. Before reaching the White House he gave a speech at a dinner in his honour by the rich and famous of L.A. In this, he stated that after much research and reflection, the Chinese Communist Party had concluded that the economic arguments proposed by Karl Marx were incorrect. So, the Chinese State was now adopting the capitalist economic model and would use it to defeat the capitalist system. The rest, as they say, is history. The simplistic tools China has used in achieving its manufacturing dominance have been the price and profit of those overseas players they dealt with. Or put more brutally, fear and greed. Buy cheaply from us and make large profits back home and by doing so, you can help destroy the manufacturing capabilities where you are based. A contact who worked for a multinational automotive manufacturer, which set-up a 50-50 joint venture in China, stated after his first visit: “We spent 100 years developing this technology and have just given it all away.” The carrot; to have access to the rapidly expanding Chinese market, the cost, to provide an on-the-job, 24/7 training programme using only cutting edge international manufacturing methods. When China joined the World Trade Organisation at the turn of the century, most other nations supported this in anticipation of a gentle merging of shared interests leading to mutual benefit. What none of them realised was they had caught a tiger by the tail. Interestingly, recent government actions in China suggest that the period of free reign, free market expansion has passed its high water mark and the economic model is beginning to change? Watch this space. Global business works well when it operates on a flat and level playing field. Given the current political tensions, this doesn’t provide comfort to those in the global supply chain.

Standard versus non-standard

Competition is the essential driving force of a capitalist system. Monopoly is the minimum energy consequence of a ‘command economy’. Strangely, as in the case of the previously mentioned Industrial Robber Barons of yesteryear, the reason for their overthrow was because of the monopolies they created in the capitalist market.

Table one Comparison of standard and non-standard fasteners Requirements Volumes Material

As in the natural world, big fish tend to get bigger by removing the competition from their area of operation. To ensure they don’t get too big to handle, governments introduce forms of regulation, which are designed to create a rules based environment. However, swimming alongside these international leviathans are the minnows that feed on the swirling currents the big beasts leave in their wake. So, if the trends presented above continue, the stark choice faced by virtually all manufacturers of fasteners is whether to link their business to main stream supply chains or to seek an existence outside. As always, the first consideration is finance. Being a small player doesn’t involve too much, being large requires plenty. The term, standard fastener, refers to the multitude of commonly used fasteners which over time have had their specifications ‘standardised’ by independent national bodies. Special fasteners is a term normally used for those components that have ‘above standard’ specifications, generally related to their ‘critical’ safety or special purpose attributes. These are often known by a trade name. Standard fasteners are high volume use, specials generally less so. The key here is the ‘demand’. General purpose fasteners used globally are required in very large numbers, specials less so. The volume determines the value and therefore, non-standard fasteners can have a value many times greater than an equivalent standard part. Imagine the value of a ‘special’, flown halfway around the world to solve a high cost emergency compared with a similar ‘standard’ available from any engineering stores. For these reasons, the manufacturers of fasteners face very complex circumstances irrespective of which of these products they produce. These are outlined in ‘Table one’ (right).

Evaluation

Few investors would risk having their entire shareholding in one stock. For them, diversification is the key to sleeping well. With most manufacturers, the choice is not so simple. As ‘Table one’ shows, the producer of standard fasteners must operate in a market where mass production is the only option. Sure, people can operate very profitably producing standard fasteners that are now obsolete and therefore no longer classed as ‘standard’. In today’s market, these are classed as ‘specials’ and have a higher value. Since standard fasteners are required to be produced in very large numbers, the investment in materials, equipment, tooling, etc, must also be very high. By the same token, any fall off in demand, unanticipated fall-off in output, currency fluctuations, changes in trade tariffs, etc, will hit hard. As with most things, when times are good and conditions stable, those who operate in the mass market can make serious profits. Contrast that with the smaller producer of non-standard fasteners. They often have a more diverse customer base, a wider portfolio of products and must accept the downtime of equipment due to the need for

Standard

Non-standard

High

Low

General Purpose (GP) GP to special purpose (SP)

Audited

Not normally

Often → always

Defects

Possible

Rare → zero

Manufacture

Large-scale

Batch production

Accuracy

Acceptable

High

Equipment

High output

Special purpose

Tooling

High cost long use

High cost short runs

Efficiency

Low downtime

More changeovers, high downtime

Piece part value

Low

High

Investment

High

Lower

Labour costs

Low

Higher

Heat treatment

In house

Outsourced

Toolmaking

In house

Outsourced (often)

Transport costs

Low

Higher

Markets

Trade house/ distributor

Specific customer

Competition

High

Low to very high

Demand

Consistent

Depends on customer’s market

ROI dependent on:

Material supplies/ costs Plant downtime Currency fluctuations Tariffs Shipping Orders

Production costs Orders

batch production. This naturally involves greater manual interaction, an increased range of labour skill sets and an ability to have flexible working at all levels. For the non-standard fastener manufacturer, the sleepless nights could arise from the fragility of the customer’s market; the poaching of both business and staff by equivalent competitor companies; and the need to continuously extend the range of the company’s technical capabilities to stay ahead of the game.

Where to from here?

Will globalisation continue? Modern communications provide 24/7 coverage, which show those who are able to receive them, just how everyone else lives their lives. This in turn creates demand, whether from those migrating to where what they want can be had, or by those who choose to stay at home. Only governments, acting on behalf of their own people, can throw a big spanner into this, or to use it to make things work better. Also, if globalisation continues at the increasing pace it has been doing, then standardisation of the market choices will inevitably follow. Fasteners for flatpack furniture, ring pull drink and food cans are standardised because it makes commercial sense to do so. Unique market identity of a smart phone, electric vehicle, an iconic building or a high-speed train is only a design feature that covers a series of parts, which together make it function. And, as always, at the core of these are the fasteners that hold the whole thing together. Standard or non-standard, without them, nothing would work.

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

Secure bolted joints for renewable energy generation Securing bolted connections, decreasing application downtime and reducing maintenance work are three important challenges that Nord-Lock Group’s innovative bolting solutions help customers to overcome in all power generation industries, including renewable energy.

iminishing natural resources and demands for clean renewable energy mean that there is a need to source power from increasingly isolated and inaccessible locations. Machinery is also expected to withstand a growing amount of pressure in extreme conditions, meaning that bolted connections must be more reliable than ever. Nord-Lock Group products are specifically developed to help find the most practical answers to these challenges. The company can offer a variety of bolt tightening and securing solutions that are quick and easy to install, without requiring frequent checking or retightening. Whether the work is far out to sea or deep beneath the ground, these advantages can increase the lifespan of applications and minimise downtime. From the Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers – that can withstand extreme vibrations, shock and flexing of the joint – to Boltight® Typhoon tensioners and Superbolt™ multi-jackbolt tensioners – that are specially designed for space restricted applications such as wind or hydropower turbines – Nord-Lock Group has a solution for every application in the sector. For this reason, Nord-Lock Group products can be found in countless applications including wind turbines, solar panels, steam powered generators, hydroelectric valves, nuclear reactors and many more across the world. Here Nord-Lock Group looks at three examples in more detail:

A win-win situation with Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers

Although it’s not obvious from a distance, wind turbine towers are designed to flex and bend, which helps them dissipate the significant forces being exerted upon them. This flexing and bending, however, had been causing a major North American power company dangerous and expensive to repair failures in the bolts that held up the yaw and saddle decks inside the tower. It was a major problem. The company alone has around 6,000 towers of this design and, in total at all companies, there are up to 35,000 of this type in North America. The wind tower OEM suggested various fixes, mostly putting stronger bolts in the L-angle deck brackets. To do this fix was complex and costly, involving maintenance crews working over shutdowns of 24 hours or more. But still, the failures continued. After struggling with this for several years, a creative engineer at the power company concluded that the bolts weren’t the problem; the bracket was. Recognising that a successful solution would most likely involve an articulating joint, he scanned the market for the right parts. Since no ‘off the shelf’ piece of hardware was readily available, the engineer approached his local Fastenal store to look for possible equipment that could replace the OEM bracket. Deeper discussions between the engineer and Fastenal’s technical experts took place. Eventually, a simple solution based on an articulating joint that is secured with Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers was assembled and installed on two of the company’s wind towers as a test.

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Tower assembly Power and control cables Yaw bearing

Yaw deck Drip loop

Access ladder with safety device

Saddle

Cable rack, power cables, or bus assembly, along with control cables

Saddle deck

Lighting

Mid deck

Access bulk head door Access stairs

Control and/or switching Down tower assembly Basement area Foundation

Master-Plate ATC Adhesive Thickness Control offers a better and more uniform distribution of the adhesive throughout the bonding area, ensuring a thickness of at least 0.5 millimeters. Whatever type of pressure you put on during installation.

IATF 16949:2016

UNI EN ISO 9001:2015

 BETTER PERFORMANCE thanks to the homogeneous distribution of the adhesive

 BETTER AESTHETIC without spilling adhesive from the base

 COST REDUCTION due to the optimization of the amount of adhesive use

SHEET METAL

SOLID PARTS

PLASTIC

COMPOSITES

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY The Nord-Lock washers are important because they prevent the bolts in the articulating joints from coming loose, holding the decks securely in place during operation – something that previous methods had failed to do. The chosen design allows the decks to move slightly in multiple directions when the tower deforms in the wind. After studying the condition of the twenty new test brackets installed for more than a year, in the yaw and saddle decks in operating wind turbines, no signs of wear have been apparent. Based on these positive results, the power company and Fastenal, supported by Nord-Lock Group, created a simple deck bracket replacement kit. The kit consists of five articulating joints and the associated bolts, as well as the Nord-Lock washers. Besides offering a permanent solution to the problem, the articulating joint is also much faster to install. This solution is positive and beneficial for several reasons, including revenue generation, the safety of personnel, maintenance costs and financial payback over the long run.

Superbolt™ EzFit ensures alignment on hydropower turbines

Coupling alignment is key for the smooth operation of hydropower turbines, however, many plants are forced to schedule frequent maintenance due to misalignment. When a hydropower plant in Vietnam was facing excessive shutdowns, it turned to Superbolt™ EzFit expansion sleeve coupling bolts as a solution. The hydropower plant, located in northern Vietnam, has a full capacity of 72MW, with three units of 24MW Andritz hydro turbines. There are strict coupling alignment tolerances in place on the Francis Turbine units. Every four years, the hydropower plant needed to conduct major maintenance on each turbine unit, which included realignment of the turbine runner, intermediate shaft and generator shaft coupling. Every two years, minor maintenance was conducted with only alignment checks necessary. However, in the first six years since the plant began operations, it was discovered that the alignments were always out of acceptable tolerance. This caused the hydropower plant to conduct coupling realignment work every two years for each of the three turbine units, raising concerns about the costs and effort required for such frequent shutdown and maintenance activities. To improve the situation, the hydropower plant chose to replace its existing bolts with Superbolt EzFit expansion sleeve coupling bolts. EzFit mechanical expansion bolts offer tremendous radial expansion and joint clamping power in one bolting system. They are specially designed for rotating couplings or alignment systems that require the bolts to transfer forces in shear. This innovative product replaces large fitted or interference fit bolts, no modifications are required. The key to this solution is the split expansion sleeve that mates with the customers’ machined holes. The split sleeve requires less tolerance on mating parts than is traditionally required with interference fit, saving critical machining time. Tightening and breaking the coupling has now become a simple and efficient operation. Each coupling bolt took on average just six minutes to install, with only 40Nm of torque required for each jackbolt. Moreover, thanks to the expansion sleeve technology, it is expected that the alignment will stay in place without any possibility of deviation during operations. This will reduce the frequency

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of realignment work and ultimately save the hydropower plant a considerable amount in maintenance and shutdown costs.

Launching the Boltight® Typhoon+ multi-stage wind tensioner

Boltight Typhoon+ tensioners have been developed to meet the technical and environmental demands of the wind energy market, where high bolt load and restricted access, low radial clearance applications are common challenges. Typhoon+ adds to a range of Boltight and Superbolt tensioning solutions that are tailored to the different sections of a wind turbine. This range includes hydraulic foundation tensioners, single and multi-stage tools for the tower connections, plus hydraulic and mechanical tensioners for nacelle-to-tower and yaw bearings, front main bearings and blade bearings to rotor hubs. The new Boltight Typhoon+ is a hydraulic tensioning solution specifically designed for blade-to-hub or blade-to-blade bearings on the wind turbine. Its robust design ensures reliability during the frequent and repeated use necessary on wind turbine projects, on and offshore. It has Boltight’s unique surface finish as standard, which provides long-lasting protection in harsh and hardworking environments, with a layer of corrosion resistance from the nitride external coating for added durability. Typhoon+ is packed with features to enhance user speed and safety, prevent over-stroking the pistons, extend the product lifecycle and reduce maintenance intervals. A fast, automatic spring return design, using a single reaction, allows a full return to zero stroke piston retraction. A high grade material puller bar maximises the product lifecycle and allows long service intervals, not restricted by a fixed number of cycles. Plus, the latest design eases seal changeouts and enhances general performance throughout high cycle usage. When asked about the launch of Typhoon+, Gavin Coopey, commercial and projects manager at Boltight, commented: “We’re delighted to be launching this new solution to our overall product offering. We feel confident that the Typhoon+ will play a crucial role by making the process of using hydraulic bolt tensioners on wind turbine bolts much quicker. The tensioners also improve the joint’s durability and reduce application downtime.” www.nord-lock.com

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

New range of fasteners for rooftop photovoltaic installations INDEX® A Perfect Fixing has expanded its catalogue of fastening solutions with the new Solar Fixing range. It is a complete range of solutions for all types of rooftop photovoltaic installations.

he range is designed to guarantee fast, efficient and reliable installation, for both coplanar and triangular installations. It offers a full suite of systems with their corresponding solutions for assembly, fastening, and watertightness, complementing a vast selection of products from the INDEX® A Perfect Fixing catalogue. The new Solar Fixing range consists of clamps and gauges for assembling panels, profiles, junctions, guides and joints for the support structures, connectors and accessories for assembling solar structures. It also includes triangles for adjustable accessories, direct fastening accessories, and watertightness accessories for installing solar panels, as well as kits. The entire range is also compatible with other INDEX products for solar panel installation. “The correct installation of steel and aluminium structures is essential to getting maximum performance from the system, as they help ensure the installation is long-lasting and optimally oriented and inclined,” explains “Our 13 new 06/01/2021 Solar Fixing range Fastener And Fixing Mag INDEX. Ad AW.pdf 12:22 provides a reliable system that is east to assemble and maintain.”

Looking to the future

The incorporation of this new range focused on the renewables sector is an example of INDEX’s commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. “The development of this new solution has been a challenging research and innovation project that led to the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies in materials/coatings and the need to design new profiles and assembly systems to deliver innovations to today’s market,” points out INDEX.

Technical support

The company is also able to provide customers with full advisement on the different systems and their suitability for the installation location, custom calculations and component breakdowns. It also has the technical resources to verify that the entire installation is done with maximum guarantees of success. Plus, INDEX’s technical team can provide its customers with full expertise in the range, giving personalised training to teach the correct use of all the possibilities and features of the products. www.indexfix.com

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

A ‘one stop shop’ for wind energy turbines Thanks to its vast production capabilities and wide range of products, Berdan Cıvata has been able to establish itself as a leading fastener supplier for the wind energy sector.

erdan Cıvata is a ‘one stop shop’ when it comes to fasteners for wind energy turbines and is an approved supplier for a list of world leading wind turbine producers, including GE Renewable Energy, SIEMENS-GAMESA, Enercon GmbH, Nordex SE and Vestas Wind Systems A.S. The Turkish company has been able to become such a key partner within the wind energy sector thanks to its fully integrated factory. Berdan Cıvata has both hot and cold forging production facilities, a heat treatment facility, a coating facility that includes hot dip galvanising, electro galvanising and zinc flake, a first class R&D centre, as well as what the company says is the first and only ISO EN 17025 accredited test laboratory for the fastener sector in Turkey. “Our accredited test laboratory includes a 500 tonne capacity tensile test device, which is Berdan patented, as well as a 30,000Nm capacity torque friction test device,” points out Berdan Cıvata. “With this tensile test device, a 10.9 grade M72 diameter wind turbine bolt was broken at 430 tonnes as full body. We are also able to implement torque tests up to M72 diameter and report suitable torque values, which should be used in the project, for clients with K1/K2 tests. The laboratory also supports our valuable customers with 20 different other quality control tests.” All of this capability means that from the acceptance of the raw material at the beginning of the process, all the way through to the final end product, every production process can be carried out under one roof – ensuring sustainability, integrity, reliability and traceability.

Solutions for multiple wind turbine applications

Due to its vast manufacturing capabilities, Berdan Cıvata can supply fasteners for multiple areas of a wind energy turbine – from the foundations to blades. The products available include anchors for anchor cages and plates of foundations, HR/HV and DASt-021 fasteners (EN 14399-3/4/5/6/8/9) for tower connections, SB bolts and nuts, control tension bolts (EN 14399-10), nacelle bolts and nuts, rotor and blade stud bolts (double end and fully threaded), as well as special products according to technical drawing for new designs. “All of these products are manufactured to the highest quality and using the very best coatings, but with zero hydrogen embrittlement risk on 10.9 and 12.9 grade products that have been hot dipped galvanised during heat treatment thanks to our patented special method,” states Berdan Cıvata The company has manufactured almost 33,000 tonnes of fasteners for 3,750 wind turbines, which have an energy production capacity of 5,500MW per year, to date. Alongside the wind energy sector the company has also worked on projects in various other sectors, such as: Northern Cyprus water supply project: The project starts from Anamur City (located in south of Turkey) and ends in Northern Cyprus. The pipeline distance is 80km and is located 250m underneath the Mediterranean sea. Berdan Cıvata supplied Bercrome® coated flange studbolts to the project. “The Bercrome coating is a patented solution that achieved up to 6,500 hours in a salt spray test, which means it offers nearly 150 years of corrosion resistance.” Trans Anatolian natural gas pipeline project (TANAP): 1,850km part of this pipeline project passes through Turkey. Berdan Cıvata supplied Teflon coated flange studbolts, bolts and nuts to the project. The Teflon coating has a resistance of 2,400 hours in a salt spray test. Kuwait International Airport project: Berdan Cıvata manufactured 820 tonnes of fasteners (bolts, nuts, studbolts, anchors, etc) for the project. Qatar Lusail stadium project: The stadium was built for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and has a capacity of 93,000. Berdan manufactured 200 tonnes of fasteners for the foundation, steel construction and space frame system of the project. “With our fully integrated factory, first class accredited laboratory, and huge amount of experience, we are excited to continue to work with our current wind energy partners and will look to develop new business with the market, as well as on other mega projects in different sectors – wherever and whenever,” concludes Berdan Cıvata. www.berdancivata.com

164 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

‘Eureka’ moment leads to wind turbine bolt tension inspection tool A passion for safety and a 1:30am ‘Eureka’ moment gave Danish Engineer Flemming Selmer Nielsen the idea for Bolt-Check – a bolt tensioning inspection tool for wind turbines.

ncorrect bolt tension can lead to the failure of an entire wind turbine, as Selmer Nielsen knows only too well. In his former job as the bolt expert at a major wind turbine manufacturer, he has seen it all, including one collapse. It had always bothered him that no simple and effective measuring instrument existed to measure the safety critical tension in the bolts. Recalling his eureka moment, Flemming Selmer Nielsen commented: “I still remember the exact time vividly; it was 1:30am and I was physically wide awake with the clear idea of the invention and exact equation of how to determine the accurate tension of a bolt in the wind turbine. The solution was in combining ultrasonic and physical measurements of the bolt, where the tension in the bolt can be determined by knowing only the difference between these two measurements. This had not been done before.” He continues: “Using a torque wrench or a tension tool to tighten a bolt provides indirect measurements of the clamping force. Our system directly measures the elongation of the bolts that occur when a bolt is under tension and that is a significant difference.”

The direct measurement provided by Bolt-Check achieves much greater accuracy than, for example, a torque wrench. “This means that we can afford to tighten the bolts somewhat harder than is otherwise possible. This may mean that we only need a single retightening of the bolts. We can cut the maintenance time in half.”

The engineers benefit too

Another benefit of Bolt-Check is improved health and safety for the engineers carrying out this vital work. Traditional tools can be heavy and can also be a safety hazard as they operate at high hydraulic pressure. Capable of checking more than 100 bolts per hour, the Bolt-Check tool is light and handheld and thus offers significant health and safety improvements. The Bolt-Check tool does not require specially manufactured bolts, but can be used with any bolt. This is one of the reasons that the system costs a fraction of the price of some other sensor-based systems. However, a unique traceability tag can be easily added to each bolt monitored, providing a detailed documentation trail that includes the location of each bolt, as well as its service and maintenance schedule.

Top Screw Metal Corp.

ISO 9001:2015

Zinc Alloy Inserts Steel Inserts Brass Threaded Inserts Furniture Connectors

Unit 4, Alma Industrial Estate Stafford Road, Wednesbury WS10 8SX United Kingdom

tel: fax: email: web:

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PRODUCTS + tools THE LAtest product and technology developments TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

How do adhesives work?

Anglo Adhesives & Services Ltd has established itself as a specialist in industrial adhesives markets, with its ability to focus on its own brand as well as private label products. Here the company looks at the different types of adhesives, how they work, and what type of bonds they are able to create.

dhesives come in many different forms. They may be liquid or sticky; they may bond on contact or require a special curing process; they may dry clear or opaque; they may create a flexible or rigid bond. These different features offer a huge variety of options for any bonding requirement. However, they also mean adhesives that are suitable for some applications are not always suitable for others. Understanding how adhesives work is important in determining which adhesive is right for the job in hand, so let’s look in more detail at what adhesives are, and how they actually work.

What are adhesives?

Natural adhesives can be made from a variety of materials, including animal skin, bone or muscle, aasein (a protein found in milk), starch and dextrin (obtained from corn, wheat, potatoes or rice), as well as natural gums such as agar, gum arabic or rubber latex. While synthetic adhesives are more expensive to produce than their natural counterparts, they can be manufactured to ensure uniform properties and a consistent supply. Almost all synthetic adhesives are made of polymers, providing the necessary properties for efficient bonding.

Understanding how adhesives work is important in determining which is right for the job in hand."

At its core, an adhesive is a substance that is able to bond two materials together, on a permanent, semi-permanent or temporary basis. Adhesives come in many different forms, including pressure sensitive adhesives, rubber-based adhesives, hot melt adhesives, structural adhesives, polychloroprene adhesives, ultraviolet-cured adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, PMMA methyl methacrylate cements and MS polymers. The general term ‘adhesive’ refers to glue, paste or cement that is made from organic materials, which can be both natural and synthetic.

168 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

What are polymers?

Polymers are giant molecules (or macromolecules) formed by thousands of smaller molecules called monomers. They add strength and flexibility to the adhesive, as well as allowing it to spread onto a surface and interact with it. The forming of the polymers (polymerisation) in the adhesive may happen before its application, making the adhesive ready to use from the container. Other adhesives use polymers that are created by a curing step, as is the case with epoxy resins. In this instance, polymerisation happens at the same time as the bond formation. This gives the benefit of giving the strong bond created by polymers while allowing control over when the bonding occurs.

PRODUCTS + TOOLS There are two types of polymer, thermoplastic and thermosetting, which allow for additional bonding properties. Thermoplastic polymers provide strong, durable bonding at normal temperature, whereas thermosetting polymers create permanent, heat resistant and insoluble bonds.

How do adhesives stick to things?

It’s one of those questions that seems very simple and obvious. Surely glue sticks because it’s sticky? Well, it’s actually more complicated than that. The seemingly straightforward process of sticking two materials together can actually involve chemical changes at a microscopic level. It’s important to consider the type of bond that is being created by the adhesive and the surfaces that it is connecting. There are three main types of bond, each of which has its own properties that make it more or less suitable for certain applications. However, first, let’s look at the two important forces that are at work in any bonding process – adhesion and cohesion.

What is adhesion?

Consider simple craft glue and paper. Paper is a porous, fibrous material, which has lots of nooks and crannies for the glue to encase. When the glue dries, it forms millions of microscopic handholds, with the glue gripping onto the surface of the paper. Of all the forms of adhesion, mechanical bonds are usually considered the weakest, though they can be used for a variety of applications.

Chemical bonds

Chemical bonds are typically the strongest and the most durable, as they involve physically changing the chemical structure of the surface. Bonding occurs when the adhesive molecules cause a chemical reaction with the molecules of the surface material, fusing them together. This type of bond can only form between adhesives and surfaces with mutually reactive chemical groups. In other words, not all types of material are able to be changed by the adhesive. However, compatible materials form an extremely strong bond, as they essentially form a new chemical compound at the point of bonding. Where the two materials to be joined are incompatible for chemical bonding, a coupling agent can be used. In this case, the first surface forms a chemical bond with the coupling agent, which in turn forms a chemical bond with the second surface. This allows for stronger joining of materials that would otherwise not be suitable for chemical bonding.

Anglo Adhesives is able to work with customers to develop an adhesive that’s right for the job."

Adhesion is the force that sticks two different things together. You don’t need glue to stick something to something else, at least on a temporary basis. Think of a raindrop on a window pane. That drop sticks there without the help of glue because various adhesive forces are at work. Although the force of gravity tries to pull the droplet down, the other forces at work cause the water molecules to stick to the glass, at least for a while. These adhesive forces are at work when we stick two surfaces together with glue.

What is cohesion?

Cohesion is the force that keeps the same types of molecules together. It’s a general term for any force that stops them from coming apart on an intermolecular level. Going back to that raindrop, the reason that rain falls in droplets instead of a fine mist is because water has strong cohesion. This means that it is always trying to pull the molecules together. That’s why the raindrops on your window merge together to form large droplets. When it comes to glue and adhesives, cohesion is an important force because it’s what keeps the glue itself together. No matter how strong a bond is between the glue and the surface, if the glue itself has weak cohesion, it can break apart in the middle, leaving a layer of glue on each surface. This happens when the adhesive forces are stronger than the cohesive forces and the cohesive forces aren’t strong enough to overcome gravity. You might simply think that this happens because an adhesive is ‘not strong enough’ but this is the scientific reason behind the failure. Understanding the cohesive and adhesive forces of a glue, as well as the type of bond that it creates, is key to ensuring the right selection for the application. Now, let’s look at the different types of bonds.

Mechanical bonds

A mechanical bond occurs when an adhesive enters porous openings in the surface or flows around protrusions on the surface. This type of adhesion creates a physical bond between the glue and the surface. It is particularly effective when used on a porous or textured surface, as there is more for the glue to grab onto.

170 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 132: NOVEMBER 2021

Electrostatic bonds

Also known as adsorption, this type of bond uses electrostatic forces to stick two surfaces together. When you spread the glue, it creates lots of very weak electrostatic forces between the molecules of the glue and the molecules of the surface it’s applied to. These forces are known as van der Waals forces, named after physicist Johannes Diderik van der Waals, who discovered them. This is a case of ‘opposites attract’. The electrostatic force is caused by opposite charges that create attraction between the molecules and pull them together. There’s no chemical bond at play here; just a huge amount of tiny forces. Think of it like millions of tiny magnets pulling the surfaces together. Because these forces are very weak, the two surfaces must be very close together to stick. The closer the surfaces get, the stronger the force of attraction. To be effective, the glue has to be spread very thinly and wet the surface well.

Not sure which adhesive you need?

Since its founding in 1905 Anglo Adhesives has been able to learn pretty much all there is to know about adhesives and what makes them effective. Its in-house product development team is constantly testing and researching fresh approaches to adhesion, so the company is always at the forefront of the adhesive industry. For unusual requirements, where existing solutions just don’t cut it, Anglo Adhesives is able to work with customers to develop an adhesive that’s right for the job. It can produce them in any quantity, so customers don’t need to worry about large production runs if they only require a small amount. “If you have a particular use case in mind and you’re not sure what adhesive to use, or if you require a bespoke solution, simply get in touch with Anglo Adhesives and we’ll be happy to help.”

Features Calendar 2022

Fastener + Fixing Magazine’s dedicated features take an in-depth look at key topics, products, and applications within important industry sectors.

ISSUE 133: JANUARY 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE: Janus Perspective EXHIBITION PREVIEW CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

EISENWARENMESSE Chemical anchors + resins

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Steel + alloy wire rod bar

FASTENER TESTING

Metallurgical testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Supply chain management

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Aerospace

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Stainless steel fasteners Torque wrenches

ISSUE 136: JULY 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE: Fastener Distribution EXHIBITION REPORT CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

wire Düsseldorf Light-duty fixings

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Tools, dies + punches

FASTENER TESTING

Performance + application testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Inventory + warehouse management

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Automotive

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Nuts, washers + locking systems Sockets + wrenches

ISSUE 134: MARCH 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE:

wire Düsseldorf preview

ISSUE 135: MAY 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE: Made in Turkey

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

Fastener Taiwan Show

EXHIBITION REPORT

Fastener Taiwan Show

EXHIBITION REPORT

EISENWARENMESSE

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Heavy-duty anchors

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Structural steel + cladding fasteners

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Threading, machining + secondary operations

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FASTENER TESTING

Heading + forging Mechanical testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Manufacturing software

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Electrical + Electronics

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Rivets + rivet nuts

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

EuroBLECH ETAs Coatings, lubrication + locking technologies

FASTENER TESTING

Corrosion + coating thickness testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Mobile technology

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Rail

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Collated fasteners, nailers, staplers + systems

Hardness testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Business intelligence

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Marine Security screws

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Battery powered installation tools

ISSUE 137: SEPTEMBER 2022 EXHIBITION PREVIEW

FASTENER TESTING

Drivers, screwdrivers + drive bits

ISSUE 138: NOVEMBER 2022

SPECIAL FEATURE: Made in Italy

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

Fastener Fair Italy

EXHIBITION REPORT

EuroBLECH

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Sealants + adhesives

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Inspection + packing

FASTENER TESTING

Dimensional testing

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Storage systems + material handling

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Renewable energy

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Tapes + adhesives

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

The nuts and bolts of confident bonding Bondloc is a UK manufacturer of industrial adhesives and sealants with over 2,000 adhesive formulations in its portfolio. The business was built on anaerobic adhesives over 28 years ago and this core range still accounts for over 40% of its UK sales. Here the company focuses on the role of threadlockers.

hreaded fasteners were invented more than 2,000 years ago and are still widely used in machinery design and assembly, although usage is declining. These traditional fastening methods have many flaws; they can self-loosen, particularly under the stress of heat or vibration, resulting in downtime, quality issues, recalls, corrosion and increased maintenance. Regardless of how small the gap, side to side movement of the bolt within the nut – caused by operational vibrations – will eventually cause the bolt to loosen, with sometimes catastrophic results. Anaerobic threadlockers replace mechanical threadlocking devices and offer tangible benefits in terms of productivity, efficiency and safety. These single component acrylic polymers have an anaerobic cure system that remains in a liquid form until air is absent and contact is made with metal ions. A

liquid threadlocker will fill all voids between mating threads and solidifies to form a thermoset plastic that unitises the assembly. Threadlockers also coat the entire thread and are resistant to water, solvents and oils. They serve the dual purpose as sealants and prevent corrosion from liquids, gases and airborne contaminants, such as dust, which would otherwise compromise bolted assemblies. Clean up is easy since any excess adhesive remains as an easily wiped away liquid. Bondloc UK Ltd has an extensive portfolio of threadlocking adhesives, including COSHH free safer products. They have varying differentials in viscosity, strength, temperature resistance, cure speed and flexibility. For more specific or unique applications, formulations can be modified and then manufactured in-house.

CLINCHING FASTENER SPECIALIST Main Products: • Clinch & Sheet Metal Fasteners • Self-Clinching Nuts, Standoff, Studs • Welding Studs and Standoff • Cage Nut • Rivet Bushes • Brass Inserts CNC/Colf foring hardware. for Plastics • Rivet Nuts • Customeized CNC/Cold forming hardware. Strengths: • Producer in China • IATF 16949 Certificate • PPAP and IMDS free • Optical Sorting 100% • Full range for clinching fastener

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

New epoxy adhesive for bonding magnets

stamping out the impact of theft globally

Structalit® 5858 is a modified, one component epoxy resin adhesive that was developed specifically for bonding magnets into electric motors. Its high bond strength and impact resistance ensures reliable bonding.

tructalit® 5858 can be cured thermally in a conventional oven at temperatures from 100°C. It is also possible to use induction curing for faster polymerisation and shorter curing cycles. The adhesive requires storage between 0°C – 10°C, but its stable viscosity and reactivity allow it to be processed on the line at ambient temperature for up to seven days. The Structalit 5858 was developed by Panacol-Elosol GmbH to expand its line of adhesives for electric motor assembly. After proper curing, Structalit 5858 generates excellent adhesion to metals. With bond strength over 34MPa on steel and aluminium, this adhesive creates reliable and high strength bonds. Even at temperatures above 100°C, Panacol says Structalit 5858 continues to exhibit excellent superior bond strength, ensuring consistent performance during thermal stress. The high impact strength of this modified epoxy ensures that bonded components will not loosen or separate from operational vibration or external forces. It is also particularly suitable for bonding magnets, such as the connection of half-shell magnets in stators, or permanent magnets on rotors. www.panacol.com

TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Bostik further extends Born2Bond™ range Bostik, an Arkema company, has extended its Born2Bond™ engineering adhesive range – designed to support the electronic manufacturing sector in the assembling, waterproofing, dustproofing and serviceability of miniaturised electronics, such as wearables and handheld devices and larger applications such as smart meters and LED lights.

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orn2Bond™ MECA-based cyanoacrylates and innovative dual-cure light lock adhesives (patented in multiple countries) are already available for electronic OEMs for high precision instant bonding, encapsulation and potting applications. Coupled with automatic dispensing solutions they provide high performing and convenient options for designers and engineers. The new versatile and single component high performance HMPUR (Hotmelt Polyurethane Reactive) range has been designed specifically for the manufacture of miniaturised handheld and wearable electronic devices such as mobile phones, smart watches and headphones. High performance HMPUR products are available with a range of viscosities and open times to suit different applications and assembly processes. “Born2Bond high performance HMPUR adhesives deliver excellent bonding performance (both rigid and elastic) and are capable of withstanding fluctuations in temperature and humidity, as well as being resistant to impact and chemical or organic compounds such as sweat or sebum,” points out Bostik. Also part of the Born2Bond range is the new UV-CIPG (UV Cure-in-place Gasket) adhesives, which provide single component, precise gasketing solutions with typically 0.5mm – 2mm high gaskets for waterproofing, dustproofing and serviceability of mobile phones, tablets, smart watches, digital cameras, and automotive applications such as battery management systems (BMS), electronic control units (ECU) and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The adhesives offer excellent adhesion to a variety of substrates including plastic, glass and metal – as well as providing effective and cost-efficient solution to cut or moulded gaskets that are typically assembled by hand with significant labour costs and carry a high risk of defect. They also eliminate the need for investment in expensive and space-consuming equipment such as moulds and ovens. “The UV-CIPG range delivers an extremely flexible and robust result that does not crack even when compressed or deformed. It can also withstand exposure to temperature fluctuations and chemicals,” explains Bostik. “With high thixotropic indexes, the products provide a consistent bead aspect ratio and can be rapidly and precisely dispensed using automatic dispensing equipment.” For larger applications, such as smart meters and LED lights – where 2mm – 5mm high gaskets are required for dust and waterproofing, Bostik’s UV-FG (UV Foam Gasket) range provides a fast curing alternative to moulded gaskets that can easily be integrated into manufacturing lines. Its single component design means mixing is not required and a high-foam expansion enhances resilience during the assembly process.

+44 (0) 114 247 3399

info@rotorclip.com

www.rotorclip.com

Industrial Solutions.

High-tech Industrial Adhesives Panacol offers electrically and thermally conductive adhesives as well as UV curing epoxies and acrylates. These high-tech adhesives ensure reliable bonding of metals, glass and plastics.

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UV and LED-UV curing systems from Dr. Hönle AG are precisely tailored to the UV-reactive Panacol adhesives, ensuring process reliable system solutions.

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Dymax introduces medical grade adhesive With its needle bonding adhesive Dymax MD® 1406-M, Dymax has introduced a medical grade, light curable adhesive specifically designed for the ever smaller bonding surfaces found on smaller needles and the innovative plastics in medical applications.

he adhesive has a very low viscosity for excellent wetting of components and cures tack free within seconds when exposed to LED or broad spectrum UV light – ensuring rapid bonding of substrates typically used in needle and syringe assembly, as well as the assembly of other medical devices. Medical needle assemblies are usually produced by automated machines in large quantities and at high-speed. One of the most challenging aspects of manufacturing disposable medical syringes, indwelling vein needles, insulin pens, etc, is the durable and secure bond between stainless steel cannula and the plastic hub. The ever smaller bonding surfaces, smaller needles, and the innovative plastics, which are often difficult to bond to, are continuously stretching the requirement profile of the adhesives used. Dymax MD® 1406-M is optimised to cure at 385Nm or 405Nm. Regardless of whether broad spectrum or LED technology is chosen, manufacturers can benefit from the advantages of light curing adhesive technology with high throughput rates and low processing costs, while at the same time significantly reducing the susceptibility to defects – despite the small size of the needle assemblies. Dymax MD 1406-M adhesive is resistant to yellowing and water absorption and fully complies with ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity requirements. An additional advantage stems from the fluorescent properties of the needle adhesive. Dymax MD 1406-M fluoresces blue under exposure to low intensity black light (365Nm). This greatly simplifies quality control and manufacturers can be sure that the adhesive has been applied correctly.

Hydropneumatic hexcutter tools for hexagonal holes Rivit has added the RIV990 and RIV991 – high-quality hydropneumatic tools for punching hexagonal holes – to its wide range of tools.

ivit Srl explains it has designed the range of hexcutter tools to allow the setting of hexagonal rivet nuts into pre-formed round holes. As it is not possible to perfectly fix and seal a hexagonal rivet nut inside a round hole, it is necessary to adjust the hole according to the hexagonal shape of the rivet nut to be set. As such, these tools allow the placing of hexagonal rivet nuts even on already bended metal sheets and folded boxes. This is thanks to a round off system, featuring a special punch that is housed in the front of the head, which can easily change a round hole into a hexagonal one. The RIV990 can be mostly used to place hexagonal Rivserts from M4 to M10, while RIV991 is used to place Rivserts from M5 to M12. Both tools come with no punches and no dies, which must be ordered according to the measure of the rivet nut to be used. www.rivit.it

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Big performance from small NSK ball screws A new high-speed series of miniature large lead ball screws, from NSK Linear Motion Control, offers a number of important benefits to users, including reduced product takt time, the potential to downsize equipment and reduced power consumption.

SK Linear Motion points out that the performance attributes of the new ball screws, together with a large lead and small diameter, make the products optimal for equipment used in the semiconductor industry, where demands include exceptionally high-levels of throughput and chip mounting accuracy. NSK has successfully reduced the load on motors by making the ball screw shaft diameter as small as possible to reduce inertia, while at the same time increasing the lead through the introduction of new manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, by adopting the company’s end deflector recirculation system, which offers high-speed and low noise characteristics, NSK has succeeded in achieving rotational speeds of up to 5,000rpm. These advanced capabilities are ideal for chip mounters and other such equipment that require a relatively short stroke, enabling operation at high acceleration/deceleration, as well as traverse speeds exceeding 1.25m/sec. This speed surpasses the performance of linear motors to ensure the easy reduction of takt time. The miniature large lead ball screw, which is part of NSK’s Compact-FA series and available on a short lead time, can also replace small air cylinders as it offers both high-speed and high precision multipoint positioning. Importantly, the range is environmentally friendly and free from any hazardous substances, thus helping to support the sustainability credentials of NSK customers. Both 6mm and 8mm shaft diameters are available alongside the largest lead options in its Class 8, 10, 12 and 15mm. A low profile nut, which reduces flange and nut heights by up to 33% compared with conventional ball screws, contributes to the downsizing of machines and, in turn, reduces power consumption.

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Online Product Guide:

advertisers index 310 Express........................................................ 176 Abbey Clamps......................................................15 Achilles................................................................... 11 Acton.....................................................................161 Adunox GmbH.................................................. 105 Advance Spare ................................................ 165 Albert Pasvahl......................................................9 Alloy & Stainless Fasteners........................ 180 Ambrovit...............................................................13 Anchor Fasteners Industrial..................... 152 Apex.........................................................................57 APM Hexseal..................................................... 163 Aramfix................................................................. 65 ARK....................................................................... 155 Astrotech Steels Private Limited..............161 Atotech...................................................................71 Avon Stainless Fasteners Ltd.................... 179 Baecker...................................................................67 BeA Group............................................................ 98 Bendfast.............................................................. 180 Berardi Fasteners........................................... 163 Berdan Bolt.......................................................... 45 Birlik Baglanti Elemanlari San..................113 Bossong................................................................117 Bralo........................................................................15 BTS.......................................................................... 79 Bülte...................................................................... 165 Carlo Salvi.............................................................31 CEIA...................................................................... 129 Celo.......................................................................... 89 Cetin Civata........................................................ 23 Chavesbao.............................................................21 Ching Chan Optical Technology Co........ 143 Colombo Special Fasteners.......................... 25 Condat SA........................................................... 127 Construcciones Mecánicas Lazpiur S.L.U....125

Coventya (MicroGLEIT).................................. 68 Dimac................................................................... 126 Doerken............................................................... 101 Don Quichotte..................................................... 49 DS Fasteners..................................................... 179 EFC.......................................................................... 59 EJOT.........................................................................87 Eurotec...................................................................81 Fabory.................................................................... 63 Fastbolt....................................................................2 Fastener + Fixing Magazine.......................171 FastFixSearch.com.........................................119 Fastmatec.......................................................... 129 Fixi Srl...................................................................117 Fong Prean Industrial Co Ltd.................... 173 G & B Fissaggi Srl.............................................115 Gala Precision Engineering......................... 43 Gecko Fastener GmbH.................................. 102 Grand Metal ..................................................... 172 Growermetal..................................................... 6, 7 Guede...................................................................... 97 Hafren Fasteners Ltd.....................................174 Hang Zhou RET Trade Co Ltd........... 169, 178 Harrison Silverdale....................................... 162 HASPL.....................................................................61 Hazet-Werk.......................................................... 89 Heco Schrauben................................................ 96 Heico..................................................................... 106 Index..........................................................................3 Industrial Recense......................................... 169 Inoxdadi.................................................................21 INSTRON ............................................................ 137 IVOSTUD................................................................75 Jiangsu Yongyi Fastener Co ........................ 33 Jiaxing Kinfast Hardware Co Ltd.............167 Johan Smit..........................................................177

Joker Industrial Co. Ltd............................... 172 Jubliee clips (L Robinson & Co)................. 165 Kaleliler Baglanti............................................ 149 Karter ................................................................. 125 Kistler...................................................................141 Klimas Wret .........................................................51 Kwantex...............................................................121 Lederer GmbH............................................. 22, 24 Load Control Technologies ........................ 145 Mayes & Warwick........................................... 130 Merlin Business Software Ltd....................147 Mule Technology ............................................ 130 National Machinery........................................ 29 ND Industries............................................ 4, 5, 27 Ningbo Londex....................................................35 Nord Lock........................................................... 182 Norm Civata.........................................................19 OBER SpA.............................................................. 60 OmniTechnik....................................................... 83 Owlett-Jaton....................................................1, 17 Panacol.................................................................175 pgb Polska.............................................................47 Pinstructure........................................................15 Puehl..................................................................... 107 Ray Fu.................................................................. 139 Reinhardt............................................................. 84 Reisser Schrauben........................................... 98 Remaches Factory Srl....................................117 Rexlen Corp..........................................................37 Reyher...................................................................113 rfks........................................................................ 105 Rivit.......................................................................181 RMZ....................................................................... 173 Rosmil..................................................................... 11 Rotor Clip ...........................................................175 S.M.T Srl.............................................................. 135

SACMA................................................................... 39 Saspi..................................................................... 127 Schaefer+Peters...............................................115 Schnorr..................................................................91 Schraubenwerk Magdeburg........................ 99 Schroeder Schrauben....................................174 Schwer+Kopka................................................. 103 SD Products....................................................... 159 Shanghai Fast-Fix Rivet Corporation..... 120 Sheh Kai Precision Co.................................... 111 Sipa........................................................................151 Smith Bullough.................................................131 Specialinsert..................................................... 159 Spirol Ind.............................................................161 Sumar OU............................................................131 Tanos GmbH.........................................................85 Tecfi....................................................................... 109 teckentrup........................................................... 93 Tecno Lift............................................................ 133 Teknoform.......................................................... 179 Teudeloff.............................................................100 The Insert Company.......................................167 Thielco Staalindustrie BV............................131 titibi.......................................................................115 Tobsteel............................................................... 150 Toge......................................................................... 95 Top Screw Metal.............................................. 166 UBK........................................................................177 Vipa Spa.................................................................53 Vision Srl............................................................. 139 Wan Iuan Enterprise Co Ltd....................... 123 WPI Services B.V.............................................. 132 WT Wintech a.s................................................ 139 Yuyao Alfirste Hardware Co Ltd.............. 153

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WHEN SAFETY REALLY MATTERS Our wedge-locking solutions are used all over the world, from the deepest subsea situations to power stations, bridges and wind turbines. Whatever your bolting challenge, we will be there to help you ensure safer, more efficient operations. nord-lock.com