Fastener + Fixing Magazine #141

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Will Lowry, content director, Fastener + Fixing Magazine

That was fun!

I hope you had as much fun as I did across the three busy days of the recent Fastener Fair Global show. It was great to be back meeting people face-to-face and discussing the latest developments within the fastener and fixing industry.

From the excitement of the doors opening on the first day, to the final closing announcement, the show seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. For those exhibitors and visitors I spoke to, there was unanimous agreement that it had been a standout event. As you can see from the in-depth report in this issue, nearly all the stands were busy conducting business and there are some very positive comments from exhibitors. The only negative is that we have to wait another two years until the next show!

To go alongside the Fastener Fair Global report, as usual we have a host of exclusive articles and insights that provide an overview of what is happening within the industry. Firstly, our Cover Story for this issue is focused on Chinese manufacturer ALFIRSTE and how it has established itself as a specialist screw and anchor manufacturer – who has gained a reputation for its high-quality products and excellent service.

Within our Insight section we look at another Asian manufacturer, this time its Malaysian-based Well-Union and its capabilities as a manufacturer of stainless steel bolts and screws. In the same section there is also a special interview with Dr Florian Seidl, part of the supervisory board at Keller & Kalmbach, who discusses his nearly fifty years within the fastener industry and how he believes the market has developed in this time. To add to this, there is also an article on Norm Fasteners and how its innovative solutions, and long-term business partnerships with leading companies around the world, has enabled it to develop flawless products and connections.

For our Construction Fixings section, we have a special feature on heavy-duty anchors with several companies highlighting their

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Published by

Managing Director Jamie Mitchell jamie.mitchell@verulammedia.com

Content Director Will Lowry will.lowry@verulammedia.com

Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge claire.aldridge@verulammedia.com

Assistant Editor Rebecca England rebecca.england@verulammedia.com

Sales Director Mac Rahman mac.rahman@verulammedia.com

Business Development Manager –Italy

Emiliano Pagliaroli emiliano.pagliaroli@verulammedia.com

Business Development Manager –DACH & Europe Chantal Ridings chantal.ridings@verulammedia.com

Production & Design Manager Lee Duskwick lee.duskwick@verulammedia.com

products and capabilities. This includes Reza Jafari, technical manager at JCP Construction Products, focusing on the different types of heavy-duty anchors and why and how they are different; pgb-Europe concentrates on how it has developed a complete range of heavy-duty anchors; Bossong talks about its new CLS-CE high performance concrete screw; and G&B Fissaggi reports on an upgraded version of one of its very important heavy-duty fixings.

I’ve only covered three sections and I am already running out of space, but there is so much more exclusive content for you to discover. Please do go through every page to make sure you stay informed about all aspects of the fastener market or listen to our May podcast – where I go into more detail about what you can find in this edition of Fastener + Fixing Magazine.

Fit bolts, plugs, knurled thumb screws, square head bolts, flat headed screws, hexagon set screws, brass screws and specials.

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Continued sales growth

Bossard Group continued its growth path in the first quarter of 2023, in spite of last year’s high comparative base. Sales grew by 4.4% to CHF 304.5 million (prior year: CHF 291.6 million), equivalent to an increase of 7.7% in local currency. The Group’s organic growth corresponded to 5.8% in local currency.

Regionally, demand dynamics were mixed. In Europe, in an environment of weakening economic growth, Bossard posted a sales increase of 0.6% to CHF 170.9 million an increase of 4% in local currency. The focus on the growth industries was supportive to further growth.

Sales in America increased by 24.7% to CHF 85.3 million. Adjusted for acquisitions, growth in local currency amounted to 16.7%. The favourable business performance was driven by the ongoing diversification of the customer base. Bossard also succeeded in establishing new customer relationships in the electromobility sector, with noteworthy growth rates. Bossard Ontario Inc in Canada (formerly PENN Engineered Fasteners Corporation), consolidated since 1 st December 2022, contributed to the positive sales performance.

Sales in Asia declined by 9.4% to CHF 48.3 million a drop of 3.2% in local currency. The major contributing factors included the impact of the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in China; the high comparative base from 2022; and the strong Swiss franc.

Notwithstanding the further normalisation of supply chains, and improved product availability, global wage and cost inflation, as well as the skilled labour shortage, remain central concerns. Bossard thinks these factors are likely to further drive demand for its automated and digital Smart Factory Logistics and Smart Factory Assembly solutions, which can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership in C-parts management and assembly for customers, thereby sustainably and measurably increasing their competitiveness. As for growth opportunities for the future, Bossard believes the course of inflation, central bank policies, geopolitical tensions, and the uncertainties on the procurement market, will continue to persist. As a result, the market environment will remain challenging. Yet even a volatile market environment offers opportunities, especially for product solutions and digital services in the growth industries of electromobility, railway, electronics and medical technology.

A strong Q1 with record sales

Bulten AB has reported a strong opening quarter of the year, with net sales at SEK 1.387 billion (€122.4 million) an increase of 34.1% on the same period last year (2022: SEK 1.034 billion). Operating earnings (EBIT) totalled SEK 116 million, equating to an operating margin of 8.4%.

Anders Nyström, president and CEO at Bulten, commented: “We have started the year with excellent financial results, and note that this is the fifth consecutive quarter with sales in excess of SEK 1 billion. Our strategy and our improvement efforts, based on 150 years of collective know-how, are clearly bearing fruit.”

He continued: “The first quarter of 2023 began with an excellent sales figure of SEK 1.387 billion, which is in line with our growth targets. This is an improvement of 34% on the same period in the previous year and slightly better than last quarter, which was itself a record quarter for sales. Furthermore, an operating margin of 8.4% indicates that we are on track to deliver on the financial targets we have set for 2024. Our resolute efforts to streamline the operation, while carefully balancing cost consciousness against the need for necessary investments, have certainly produced results. In addition, our focus on adjusting prices to customers in-line with rising costs and inflation has had a positive impact on the results.”

“For several quarters now, I have been talking about the importance of reducing our stock levels, mainly so that we can free up capital for new investments. During the first few months of the year, we have reduced stock levels by SEK 47 million, which has had a positive effect on cash flow. Our focus on stock levels has helped us to identify further potential for improvement in our internal material flows, as well as in our supply chain. We still have some work to do in order to further adjust stock levels, and also to further improve control and planning of production and material deliveries.”

2022 sales exceed €1.2 billion for NORMA

NORMA Group’s final figures for the financial year 2022 showed the company generated group sales of €1.243 billion, corresponding to a 13.8% increase over the previous year. Organic sales growth was 7.1%, driven by a consistent pricing policy implemented by the group to cushion the impact of inflation.

Positive currency effects from the strong US dollar made a significant contribution to growth, and all three business regions also made positive contributions. That said, earnings and margin were impacted by higher costs for energy intensive raw materials, including steel and plastic resins, higher logistics costs and special costs incurred in connection with the introduction of a globally standardised ERP system.

The Americas region was the fastest growing business region for NORMA Group with sales reaching €574.2 million – a total contribution of 46% to group sales. Business with standard joining products developed positively overall, posting an increase of 25.8% compared to the same period in 2021. As a result of the significant increase in production figures for light and heavy vehicles in the Americas, coupled with higher prices, the automotive sector also provided positive growth momentum.

In the EMEA region, sales increased by 5.8% to €489.2 million in 2022. The automotive joining technology business recovered in the second half of the year following what, at times, were considerable disruptions to the European automotive industry, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. NORMA Group’s business in this area grew by 9.5% over the year. The main driver of this growth was higher selling prices, which NORMA Group used to compensate for inflation related price hikes for raw materials and intermediate products. In the area of standardised joining technology for distributors and wholesalers, sales were down in FY 2022, falling by 4.3%. The sluggish business was due in part to capacity bottlenecks at some production sites, which were countered with efficiency measures and an increased level of interdisciplinary cooperation.

As for the Asia-Pacific region, NORMA Group grew by 3.9% with sales of €179.6 million. Restrained development in this region was primarily due to the weak automotive business in China as a consequence of the prolonged Covid-19 lockdowns in that country. In the area of standard joining solutions, the region grew by 6.6%.

As to the forecast for the financial year of 2023, NORMA Group anticipates medium, single-digit organic group sales growth, with the management board expecting an adjusted EBIT margin of around 8% for the year. The targeted figure for net operating cash flow is around €70 million.

New head for NORMA

The NORMA Group supervisory board has appointed Guido Grandi (pictured right) as the future chairman of the management board and CEO of NORMA Group, effective 1 st June 2023. He’ll take over from current acting interim CEO, Miguel Ángel López Borrego, who, in turn, will resume his position as a member of the supervisory board.

Günter Hauptmann, chairman of the supervisory board, said: “We are delighted to gain a distinguished leader in Guido Grandi. With his extensive experience in the transformation of companies, he is the right candidate to position NORMA Group for sustainable, profitable growth in all business areas.”

Guido Grandi has many years of management experience in Germany and the US. Most recently, he was CEO of WKW, where he was, among other things, responsible for the realignment of the company into divisions, comprehensive refinancing and the acquisition of new business. He is a German citizen and graduate mechanical engineer with focus on aerospace engineering and MBA. He began his career as a development engineer at Ford Werke AG and has profound experience in supply chain management.

CEO-designate Guido Grandi noted: “NORMA Group’s mission critical joining components and efficient water management products, as well as its development expertise, are highly valued by customers worldwide. I am very much looking forward to the task of optimally aligning the company with the dynamic requirements of customers and markets.”

For interim CEO Miguel Ángel López Borrego, Günter Hauptmann expressed thanks on behalf of the supervisory board, for recent achievements, ensuring continuity in management, and initiating important improvement measures on which Mr Grandi will continue to build.

PROUD TO SUSTAIN AN ENTIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD

With the strength of our concrete screws. The only thing we don’t know precisely it’s the whereabouts of all our products. But nonetheless we are sure that some are very close to you. WEARENOTNUMBERS.IT

Lesjöfors strengthens US position with acquisition

Lesjöfors has signed an agreement to acquire the shares of US spring manufacturer, Tollman Spring Company. Through the transaction, Lesjöfors further strengthens its US presence – following the previous acquisitions of John Evans’ Sons and Plymouth – and complements its industrial spring offering in the USA.

Founded in 1945, Tollman is a manufacturer of industrial springs with a well established market position. Its diversified customer base comprises more than 500 customers, mainly in the industrial, electrical, defence and firearms, as well as automotive markets. As with recently acquired Plymouth, Tollman, with some 100 employees, is located in Bristol, Connecticut, enabling seamless integration into the group.

The acquisition also enables other opportunities for profitable growth, such as purchasing coordination, cross-selling, as well as resource and knowledge sharing with Lesjöfors’ other US companies, especially with Plymouth, because of its close proximity. Like Lesjöfors, Tollman Spring Company has longstanding customer relationships, high-levels of technical expertise and a strong emphasis on tailored solutions.

Ola Tengroth, CEO at Lesjöfors, commented on the acquisition, saying: “Through this transaction, we increase our revenue in the US by around 30%, meaning that Lesjöfors now has a significant presence in the region. Tollman is a well managed company, which has made significant investments in recent years and we see

ample potential to accelerate revenue growth through Lesjöfors’ sales network.”

After the transaction, Tollman’s current owners, Rick Zink, Tim Dudzinski and Lisa Barnes, will remain operational during a transition period. The current plant manager, Matt Zink, will be promoted to CEO and continue to develop the business and, in-line with Lesjöfors’ decentralised organisation, Tollman Spring Company will continue to operate under its own brand and management.

Matt Zink commented: “… I would like to thank all our employees who make sure we continuously evolve as an organisation. We are all excited to join forces with Lesjöfors and we are convinced that the transaction will strengthen both companies and unlock multiple opportunities for future growth.”

Eurobond Adhesives acquired by Techsil

Adhesives specialist, Techsil, a company within the Diploma Group, has acquired the trade and assets of Eurobond Adhesives. Techsil has been aware of Eurobond for some time and says the two companies are a great strategic and cultural fit, sharing similar values, business models and end user markets.

Formed in 1984, Eurobond Adhesives has been a very successful business under the leadership of Simon Dearing, operating with an onus on outstanding customer service and excellent products. However, Simon felt it was the right time to sell the business and find the right trusted partner to help support long-term growth – with the backing of a larger resourced adhesives’ group.

With a technical sales interface team established to smooth the acquisition, this augments Techsil’s broad technical adhesive offering with the focus on adhesive, potting and thermal management solutions for the manufacturing sector and introduces the company to some attractive new customers and market segments, such as sign, glass and sheet metal bonding, amongst others.

Since 2021, Techsil, which was founded in 1989 with a focus on distribution of technical and high performance silicones, has been part of Diploma’s ‘controls’ business unit, which distributes into the speciality adhesives, wire and cables, interconnect products, and specialty fasteners segments. The company has grown to encompass many more specialist adhesive technologies without losing its core reputation for excellent customer service. The company follows a problem solving engineering and design led approach to finding the right adhesive and sealant solution for its customers.

Ford Aerospace acquired by SPIROL

SPIROL has announced that Ford Aerospace Ltd – based in South Shields, UK, and specialised in the manufacture of high precision metal components and subassemblies for the aerospace, industrial and high technology sectors – will be joining the SPIROL group of companies.

With a legacy spanning 75 years as an expert in fastening, joining and assembly, SPIROL’s well established global footprint will take the UK-based Ford Aerospace’s products to a wider international market. In addition, one of SPIROL’s core principles is to continuously reinvest back into the business to ensure long-term, enhanced success and better serve its customers. This principle is also firmly held by Ford Aerospace and therefore the synergies in markets, products, history, and approach to providing value to its customers, ties SPIROL and Ford closely together.

Speaking about the sale, Chris Ford, managing director at Ford Aerospace, commented: “Ford Aerospace is, and always has been, here for the people, especially our dedicated and skilled team, and it was important that any new Ford Aerospace owner share the values that have been at the heart of the company for over 100 years. Our two companies have a long history of working together, dating back to 1980 where SPIROL licensed a specialised manufacturing process from Ford Aerospace, which is still in use today. SPIROL respects Ford’s strong position in the UK market and our product manufacturing knowledge. SPIROL and Ford’s approach to its employees and its customers align wonderfully and I am excited to see our strong business carry on as part of the successful SPIROL group.”

Ford Aerospace’s technical skills in ‘space compensating’ management – the production of laminated and solid shims that ensure fast, precision tolerance compensation – used on products such as fuselages, gearboxes and movable components – was a key

offering that attracted SPIROL. These solid and laminated shims enable clients to reduce stock of individual shims and offers the option of ‘sizing’ a particular shim, by adjusting the shim pack to the desired thickness on assembly. These products simplify the assembly process while simultaneously reducing the overall cost of the assembly.

Ken Hagan, a division president at SPIROL, said: “SPIROL is an engineering, manufacturing and sales driven company, and as such we seek to grow and expand in our product space – where appropriate. This includes acquiring and holding exceptional companies that fit well with our overall business, global strategy and culture of excellence. We are excited to have Ford Aerospace join SPIROL and to be able to offer a more complete solution to our customers in Europe and beyond. We anticipate running Ford as a standalone business unit within the SPIROL group of companies. By combining the capabilities of both companies, our objective is to enhance our value-added offering to our customers both in technical expertise and products.”

ACL joins Ideal Tridon Group

Ideal Tridon Group, a leading global manufacturer of clamping, coupling, and support products, has announced the acquisition of Advanced Couplings Limited (ACL) – a manufacturer and supplier of stainless steel clamp type tube connections for the food, pharmaceutical and associated process industries.

Shaun Henry, sales director at Advanced Couplings Limited, explains: “We are very excited for our partnership with Ideal Tridon –with its commitment to service and dedication to quality making it a great fit with ACL’s mission. We know that our customers will benefit from the combination of our companies, allowing us to leverage Ideal’s existing global footprint, product line and engineering capabilities. We are proud of the reputation that ACL has earned over the past 35 years and will be able to continue to strengthen our capabilities to better serve our customers.”

Ideal Tridon serves a diverse set of end global markets by offering a broad portfolio of highly engineered clamp, coupling and strut support systems. This is the most recent acquisition for Ideal Tridon, uniquely positioning the combined companies to serve European customers with an unmatched industrial product portfolio.

“We are thrilled to have ACL join our Ideal Tridon family,” said Rick Stepien, CEO of Ideal Tridon. “Bringing our companies together will allow us to expand into new geographies and extend our portfolio offerings into new and existing markets.”

Merger of BTI and Berner Construction

From June 2023, BTI and the Berner Germany construction division will become the new brand BTI by Berner – and at the same time one of the largest B2B trading companies in the construction industry on the German market.

In the future, around 1,000 employees will provide building trade customers with fastening materials, tools, chemicals, work clothing and many other products and services. In the field of individual system solutions for roof and window installation, as well as for fire protection, BTI by Berner will be one of the market leading specialists.

“We are joining forces in the construction segment in Germany and thus strengthening our market position. Our construction customers benefit from a comprehensive expansion of the product and service range. By having access to each other’s top products, our sales department is now in a position to offer even more comprehensive problem solutions on-site at the customer’s premises in the future”, underlined Christian Berner, CEO of the Berner Group.

Until now, BTI and Berner’s construction division have operated separately on the German market. From June onwards, BTI by Berner customers in Germany will be able to obtain everything from a single source. BTI scores with customers above all in the areas of sanitary heating, air conditioning and electrical installation, roof and window installation, wood connection technology and fire protection. The construction division of

Berner Germany is strong in construction chemicals, metal construction, tools and DIN parts.

The decision is part of Berner Group’s growth strategy in the construction segment. In order to achieve this goal, the company has invested in the expansion of logistics; in specialist training offers for employees; and in the expansion of IT and the product range. “Bundled and united, we will also massively accelerate and consistently continue the digital transformation. The team has worked hard together to achieve this, which is why we are now one of the leading medium-sized companies in Europe when it comes to transformation and digitalisation of the business model,” emphasises Christian Berner.

Expansion at TCB continues at a rapid pace

Tension Control Bolts Ltd (TCB) states it is better placed than ever to meet demand, following significant investment in its production, warehousing and Quality Assurance Laboratory – with every aspect of the business geared up for increased demand from discerning customers globally.

Firstly, TCB’s new warehouse has created an additional 9,000 pallet spaces. There has also been major investment in a new purpose built QA laboratory at its UK headquarters in Wrexham, including the recruitment of technical engineering roles and the commissioning of updated test kits to carry out tensile strength tests under wedge, core hardness, pre-load and carburisation tests, which the company points out not only meets but also exceeds the mandatory European and British standards. As always there is also full traceability with 3.1 certification now having additional detail, providing the related assurance in a transparent and comprehensive manner.

With the investments in its new QA laboratory, TCB is inviting all customers to see the laboratory and capabilities first hand. Recent visitors include a project team from Laing O’Rourke who are building ‘The People Stadium’; the new home of Everton football club, with over 30,000 TCBs being supplied to that stadium alone.

“As well as the traditional core markets HRC and TCBs derived from – structural steel, highways and rail infrastructure – demand from the nuclear and wind energy sector is also up,” points out TCB. “In recent years we have also seen a surge in demand for specialist rail products. For many years TCBs have been installed in safety critical connections, connecting trains and carriage, mitigating against train derailment, with related niche applications including fixing bogey pins, drivers cabin, side panels, as well as carriage panel connections.”

Thanks to Norm Fasteners’ high-tech manufacturing skills and 50 years experience in cold forging, complex geometries are not difficult to produce anymore.

TFC seals new acquisition to strengthen VMI portfolio

TFC Ltd, an AFC Industries Company, has added to its portfolio of services and products with the acquisition of EAP Seals. This move strengthens TFC’s position as a leading provider of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solutions and technical engineering products.

EAP Seals is a leading distributor of rubber sealing products, including O-rings, gaskets and associated technical products. With almost 50 years’ experience in the industry, the business has strong and long-standing relationships both with its suppliers and customers. The business’s specialty is the O-ring, which it supplies in a range of materials including nitrile, genuine DuPont Viton, EPDM, silicone and high value chemically-inert perfluorelastomers. Alongside its product offering, the business has established complementary services including degassing, bespoke vulcanised joint manufacturing, and a bagging and barcoding service.

EAP Seals states it has one of the most varied stockholdings in Europe, and offers an individualised and personal service to its customers across several industries, including the oil and gas, food and beverage, energy and power, aerospace and defence, automotive, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, process engineering and water industries. EAP’s high-quality products are used in sealing applications in difficult environments, such as those with high temperatures and those subject to aggressive chemicals.

“The two businesses have a clear synergy, not only in their customer base but also in their commitment to delivering quality products with excellent customer service,” said Morgan Burgoyne, president of TFC. “We expect these to be popular products — there has always been strong demand for sealing products across the UK manufacturing landscape.”

Morgan adds: “Bringing EAP Seals into the TFC brand will help us better serve our UK manufacturing customers, by giving us the ability to supply seals direct from an in-house UK source.”

Dean Oliviero, managing director of EAP Seals, added: “For the team at EAP Seals, working with TFC feels like a natural fit. It opens new avenues with our existing customer base and means we can bring our 45 years of industry experience to TFC’s customer portfolio.”

EAP Seals will continue to be run by its current management team and operate out of its existing premises in Heywood, Greater Manchester, UK.

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STEM scholarship programme launched

A new scholarship programme, the Hilti IMD MBA Scholars Programme, which aims to attract more MBA applicants with a background in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), and encourage the pursuit of leadership roles in STEM professions, has been launched by global construction industry player, Hilti, in collaboration with the International Institute of Management Development (IMD).

Hilti and the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein have pledged CHF 3 million (€3.05 million) to establish the Hilti MBA Scholars’ Programme fund, which would make up to CHF 300,000 in scholarship funding available, annually, over 10 years. The objective is to support 60 Hilti IMD scholars over the period by covering 50% of their tuition expenses. Successful candidates are required to have an academic background and a passion for STEM subjects and need to convince IMD of their ambition and ability to use their education to pursue a leadership role in STEM professions.

Jahangir Doongaji, Hilti CEO, said: “A competitive MBA scholars’ programme aims to support the brightest MBA candidates from around the world. The new Hilti IMD MBA Scholars’ Programme also aims to nurture talent and encourage new voices, views, and perspectives, to pursue leadership roles in STEM industries.”

The two partners have worked together for many decades to develop customised educational programmes and research projects. In 2000, Hilti provided funding to establish the Martin Hilti Professorship in Marketing and Change Management at IMD. Since then, the Hilti Chair, held by Professor Seán Meehan, has been closely linked to IMD’s MBA programme. MBA graduates have worked with Hilti for decades as part of their consulting assignments, and many IMD graduates have become Hilti employees.

To further strengthen the connection between Hilti and the MBA programme, the new Hilti Chair will be filled by the Dean of the MBA programme at IMD. “It will put Hilti at the heart of the MBA programme by creating a highly visible, direct and permanent link,” said Professor Omar Toulan, current Dean of the MBA programme.

Professor Seán Meehan, holder of the Hilti Chair of Marketing and Change Management at IMD, presents Michèle Frey-Hilti, chairwoman of the board of the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, with a commemorative gift in recognition of the company’s and the Hilti family’s commitment to the new MBA scholarship program.

WE ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE

Whether combustion or electric engine

BRUGOLA WILL BE THERE

by John Wolz, editor, GlobalFastenerNews.com

Steel import tariff appeal declined by US Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to US steel import tariffs imposed in 2018 under former President Donald Trump, Reuters reports.

John Kruzel of Reuters writes: “The justices turned away an appeal by a group of US-based steel importers of a lower court’s ruling rejecting their challenge to the Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs under a Cold War-era trade law.”

In March 2018, Trump ordered a 25% tariff on steel imports from most nations and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports – a policy he touted as defending US national security – and largely maintained by President Joe Biden.

The tariffs were justified after the Commerce Department reported that steel and aluminum imports “threaten to impair the national security”, as defined by Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

A subsequent Federal Reserve study found that while the tariffs reduced competition for some industries in the domestic US market, this benefit was more than offset by rising input costs and retaliatory tariffs.

The Industrial Fasteners Institute warned against the 232 tariffs. “In our view, the negative effects on downstream consumers of steel and aluminum far outweigh any benefits that may be afforded to the domestic metals industry,” the IFI stated in an official letter sent to the White House in early 2018. “Specifically, we suggest that the negative impacts from these remedies will do more harm than good to our economy and national security than they will provide benefits to the domestic metals producing industries.”

US Court upholds higher steel tariffs

A US federal appeals court upheld higher tariffs on some imported steel products, reversing a lower court ruling that overturned the Trump administration action, Reuters reports.

Jonathan Stempel for Reuters reports: “Tuesday’s 3-0 decision by the US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington D.C. covers imports of steel derivatives, such as nails and fasteners, that were subjected to 25% tariffs in a January 2020 proclamation by then President Donald Trump.”

At the time, Trump said the new tariffs were needed after capacity utilisation had not recovered for an extended period. China retaliated with matching tariffs on an equal amount of US goods, embracing the largest trade war with the West in decades.

In 2021, the US Court of International Trade ruled against the new tariffs, saying the White House missed statutory deadlines to impose them. However, the appeals court said a subsequent ruling allowed presidents to impose “contingency-dependent” tariff increases to fulfill their original national security objectives, assuming those objectives remained valid.

Trump imposed the new tariffs to “close a loophole exploited by steel derivatives importers ... to address a specific form of circumvention”, Circuit Judge Richard Taranto wrote.

The Biden administration supported upholding the new tariffs. The tariffs had been challenged by importers Huttig Building Products, Oman Fasteners and PrimeSource Building Products, which said Congress never granted the president broad power over foreign trade to impose them.

The case is PrimeSource Bldg. Prods. v. United States, 2023 BL 38181, Fed. Cir., 2021-2066, 2/7/23.

The IFI joined 14 other trade associations representing over 30,000 US steel using manufacturers to warn that the entire US steel supply chain “will be damaged by restrictions on steel imports”.

IFI honors industry leaders

The Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) presented its 2023 Soaring Eagle Awards to Bob Hill and Henry Hogue. Nicholas Lessnau, account manager for MNP Corporation, also received the IFI’s Joe Greenslade 2023 Young Leadership Award.

The IFI Soaring Eagle Service Award recognises individuals who have contributed outstanding time and effort in the leadership of the IFI and entire industrial fastener industry. Bob Hill was the IFI’s long-time industrial products division manager, board member and former chairman.

The Soaring Eagle technology award was presented posthumously to Henry Hogue (1898 – 1953), who generated ten patents for fastener manufacturing and equipment design and had been president of Tru-Fit Screw Products.

The technology award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the technological advancement of the industry. Contributions may be through work on fastener standards committees; the publication of widely acclaimed principles or documents; and/or through the development of fastener-related equipment, products or processes, which

have been widely acknowledged as advancements in fastener technology. Hogue’s most impactful inventions were apparatus for wire drawing and separately for nut manufacturing. His innovations led to important and enduring advancements in fastener manufacturing technology and equipment design. These advancements represent a foundational pillar of the state of the art of cold forging and fastener manufacturing today.

Greenslade was IFI technical director from 2007 to 2015. The Young Leadership Award recognizes individuals who, early in their career, have contributed in a significant way to the fastener industry. One of Greenslade’s passions was to mentor and encourage young people to reach their professional potential.

Nominations for 2024 Young Leadership or Soaring Eagle Awards may be submitted at: IndFast.org/info/award.asp

LoneStar Group acquired by London equity firm

Fasteners and components manufacturer LoneStar Group, headquartered in the West Midlands, UK, has been acquired by private equity firm Epiris LLP. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

LoneStar Group manufactures and supplies high performance fasteners, sealing products, precision engineered components and pipeline packages for the world’s industrial and energy markets.

Employing more than 1,000 employees across 13 businesses, LoneStar operates facilities in the UK, China, Romania, India, Singapore, Dubai, the USA and Australia.

It supplies high performance fasteners to major OEMs, distributors and end users in 100 countries. The group maintains a US$48 million global stock inventory of finished, semi-finished and raw materials to supply all sizes of SAE, ASTM and ISO fasteners.

Fastener companies owned by LoneStar include AmeriBolt, LoneStar Fasteners and Walker Bolt.

“LoneStar is typical of the kind of business in which we seek to invest,” Epiris Partner Charles Elkington told GlobalFastenerNews.com. “It is a high-quality business; a global market leader with scale and clear competitive differentiation.”

He added: “It operates in attractive markets, benefiting from growing energy demand in both traditional and renewables. Most importantly, it is one which we believe we can transform by bringing our trademark focus on strategy, operational excellence and M&A.”

Simpson new chairman of IFI for 2023/24

Gene Simpson of Semblex Corporation is the new chairman of the Industrial Fasteners Institute and Dan Curtis of MacLean-Fogg Company is vice chair for the 2023-24 term. Jeff Liter of Wrought Washer Mfg Inc is ex-officio chair.

Founded in 1931, the IFI represents North American manufacturers of mechanical fasteners, formed parts and key suppliers to customers, government, and the public, and looks to advance the competitiveness, products, and innovative technology of member companies in the global marketplace.

Taiwan fastener exports break US$6 billion record

Taiwan’s fastener exports reached the third highest volumes in history in 2022, at 1,665,300 tonnes, while their value exceeded US$6 billion for the first time, reaching US$6.355 billion (€5.77 billion), a record high reports Fastener World.

Tu-Chin Tsai, chairman of the Taiwan Industrial Fasteners Institute (TIFI), highlighted that the second half of 2022 was affected by the negative global steel economy and although the number of orders received by manufacturers was mildly affected, resulting in a slightly lower export volumes than the previous year, export values exceeding the US$6 billion mark for the first time was mainly because the Taiwanese fastener industry has gradually succeeded in transforming to the development of higher value-added products, such as automotive screws. This resulted in a higher average unit price.

Recently, with gradual improvements to the international steel economy and the market situation in Europe and the USA, this has made it favourable, according to Tu-Chin Tsai, for manufacturers to receive orders. Beginning in May this year, the fastener industry is expected to recover and export orders should improve, offering a positive outlook for the fastener export market in 2023.

TIFI also pointed out that the average export price of Taiwan fasteners in November 2022 rose to a record high for a single month, at US$3.98 per kilogram. This slipped back to US$3.94 per kilogram in December 2022, though this was up 4.78% from the same period in 2021.

New special purpose long screws

Bi-Mirth, a specialist in the R&D, production and export of structural wood and concrete fasteners, has introduced three special products – the hardwood screw, timber-concrete connector screw, and A2/A4 stainless steel wood screw – all available for customised production.

Traditionally, timber constructions usually use softwoods, but recently more and more countries are using hardwood as a building material. Hardwood uses less surface area to achieve equal or higher performance than softwood. Bi-Mirth points out that regular screws could break when drilling into hardwood, due to its high density, which is why the company conducted intensive research on hardwood and rolled out a screw made with a specific material and heat treatment technology to cope with the wood’s high density. This special screw is characterised by low insertion torque and no breakage during installation.

When it comes to timber-concrete connector screws, wood’s flexibility offers good shear resistance, while concrete performs better in resisting pressure – with the use of both concrete and timber in the renovation process bringing out the advantages of both materials. In addition, their combination creates better acoustic effects in a building. Suited for such applications, Bi-Mirth timber-concrete connector screws offer a suitable solution for timber-concrete connection – preventing displacement between the two materials and providing excellent shear resistance.

As for the new A2/A4 stainless steel wood screw, these are now part of the BM Quickdrill wood screw series, with stainless steel a new material option for the range – with A2 304/305 and A4 316 stainless steel units delivering resistance against high salinity and acidic environments. High rust and corrosion resistance also makes these screws ideal for use in harsh environments near the sea.

Source: Fastener World

Sheh Fung’s Vietnam plant set for operation in Q4

Having begun construction on its over 20 hectare Vietnamese plant last December, Sheh Fung Screws expects it to be completed this August/September and become operational in Q4 of 2023. The capacity of the Phase 1 plant will be around 800 tonnes per month, reports Fastener World.

According to the company’s president, Terry Tu – who, along with General Manager Kent Chen and the company’s task force, decided to open the new Phan Thiet City plant back in 2019, the first overseas facility for the Taiwanese screw maker and distributor –Vietnam has fewer uncertainties than other Southeast Asian countries and, together with its young labour force and easy access to raw materials, has attracted investors from many countries.

Terry Tu explained: “The Phase 1 plant is a complete replica of our Taiwan plant, with heading, thread rolling, electroplating, heat treating and coating processes.” In the past, it’s understood the Taiwan plant mainly accepted orders for high-end products in small quantities and for diverse items, but not orders for lower end ones. “In the future, with the addition of our Vietnam plant, we can also accept orders for large quantities and specific items. Moreover, Vietnam’s advantageous geographical location could help expand our sales to the neighboring ASEAN countries and we could also benefit from the Europe-Vietnam FTA to expand sales to Europe.”

Terry Tu continued: “In the future, our Vietnam plant will also be upgraded towards intelligent automation. At present, we are also actively training staff for our Vietnam plant in Taiwan, so that we can seamlessly connect with the Vietnam plant after it is officially launched. I hope to lead Sheh Fung to play a leading role and attract other Taiwanese manufacturers to join us.”

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New SRC plant in Thailand enters production

Rivet manufacturing company Special Rivets Corps (SRC) has started production at its new 45,000m 2 facility in Thailand, where it has set itself a future target of making 300 million rivets per month.

SRC chose to set-up a factory overseas in order to serve the world’s demand for fasteners; expand its client base; and exploit the ambitions of Thailand’s Prime Minister to “make Thailand the top automotive manufacturing nation in Southeast Asia”. In addition, with many clients who identify Thailand as a key market in Southeast Asia, SRC’s new plant will be able to serve such clients locally.

The company said the main task of this plant, which began construction in 2021, is to increase production of the company’s existing blind rivet product line. New equipment has been purchased in large quantities to improve quality and develop flexibility for small quantity and diverse production to meet the needs of more customers. SRC highlighted that when lead times becomes a key factor, immediate delivery is far more important than lower prices.

Although production has now begun, the new plant’s floor is currently only 50% in use, with about 110 sets of automatic forming equipment operational, so far. The target of 300 sets will be added continuously. Through automation,

manpower is also streamlined and work shifts between the plant’s departments are rationalised. At this stage, SRC is aiming at a monthly capacity of 100 million rivets from the plant, but planning to increase to 300 million units in the future – at the same time providing clients with better quality and cost performance by reducing costs.

SRC is dedicated to the research, production and sales of a full range of blind rivets, rivet nuts and high-quality riveting tools. The company has also invested in a factory in China and today has evolved into one of the largest manufacturers of blind rivets in Asia, with a monthly capacity of over 500 million units of blind rivets and 100,000 units of high-quality riveting tools. A fully automated warehouse and index system also ensures accurate and rapid order fulfillment. Established 40 years ago and with extensive R&D manufacturing and sales experience, SRC has sold its products to more than 150 countries worldwide and accumulated more than 700 customers.

Source: Fastener World

Rexon’s new Guanmiao plant operational

A specialist in the development and production of various screws and parts, Rexson Fasteners Inc is now operational at its new Guanmiao, Tainan City, Taiwan, facility – recently set-up in response to growing global demand for fasteners and in order to optimise its services.

Rexson’s original factory in Guiren, Taiwan, will continue to operate and it is expected that with the synergy of the two plants in Guiren and Guanmiao, the company will be able to provide the best quality products and services to meet the diversified needs of global customers.

The main purpose of the Guanmiao plant is to add to existing capacity of the Gueiren plant, which is about to reach maximum levels. In addition to expanding production capacity, the new plant, operational at the end of March, will also, according to Kevin Wu, general manager of Rexson, introduce equipment and machines with specific differences to meet customers’ needs for a wider range of products and to enable faster and more efficient delivery of products.

The new factory area of 2,380m 2 is clearly defined with dedicated areas for such activities as 1 die 2 blow forming, multi-blow forming, thread rolling, sorting and packaging, including stainless steel screw sorting and packaging areas, which are new highlights from the old factory. Equipment has also been upgraded, including the introduction of 1

die 2 blow rounding and shearing machines, 5 die 5 blow forming machines, thread rolling machines and several 1 die 2 blow thread rolling machines, which can all help provide customers with improved and consistent quality products. With the expansion of production capacity, and more brand new equipment, Rexson expects to be able to improve the development of special screws and the manufacturing of stainless steel/carbon steel products. With the addition of the new plant, the monthly production capacity of stainless steel products will also reach 80 – 100 metric tonnes.

According to Kevin Wu: “Our stainless steel products are used in a wide range of industries and can significantly reduce maintenance costs. We will also focus on the EV, stainless steel and construction screw markets in the future, as demand trends continue.” He said that with current market uncertainties, the company would first make physical adjustments to meet future challenges and, more importantly, provide customers with faster and better quality service to meet demand.

Source: Fastener World

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Steel production falls in 2022

After overcoming the 36 million tonnes barrier in 2021, the Brazilian domestic production sector for steel dropped 5.84% in 2022, with 33.964 million tonnes produced in total.

Whilst there was this drop, the Brazilian domestic steel production sector has averaged around 33.7 milion tonnes per year over the last decade, with 2021 a record high.

In fact, over the last five years the Brazilian domestic steel production sector has produced a similar level to the previous five years. During 2013 – 2017 the total production achieved was 167.659 million tonnes; while the total for 2018 – 2022 was 169.426 million, just above 1% growth.

Although it is too early to draw conclusions, the results for the first few months of 2023 are 2.78 million and 2.53 million tonnes produced respectively, indicating an annual average of around 31.8 million.

Source: www.acobrasil.org.br/site/en

Brazilian annual steel production

Belenus at Fastener Fair Global

The recent Fastener Fair Global show in Stuttgart, Germany, marked the debut from Brazilian manufacturer Belenus on the international stage.

One of biggest and most important companies within the Brazilian fastener market, as well as in South America, Belenus manufacturers nuts, bolts and special parts and has more than 1,900 direct employees.

Recently the company had experienced some additional international business, which led to it taking a big step and confirming its presence as an exhibitor at Fastener Fair Global.

Ezio Ruocco, vice-president at Benelus, commented: “Last year we had some good experiences within the European market and attracted new business. We also started to travel to new countries and visit fairs – with the reception we received very positive, which made us take the next step and exhibit at the Stuttgart fair for the first time.”

He added: “Overall, the show was good, with only positive points to highlight. We had visitors all the time and the market was excited to have an alternative supplier from Brazil that helps them reduce their dependence on Asia. The only difficult part was making them believe that in Brazil there was a manufacturer with the size, as well as technological and productive capacity of Belenus, which we were quickly able to do.”

In addition to being a fastener manufacturer, with monthly product capacity of around 10,000 tonnes, Belenus has divisions that distribute hardware, tools and various types of equipment. These divisions operate in a unified management model, based on sustainability, which values the reduction of carbon emissions, water reuse and waste recycling throughout the process.

Exhibition season starts in Brazil

The trade fair NT Expo, the meeting point for the rail sector of Latin America, was held between 28 th February – 2 nd March in São Paulo City, SP, Brazil – with around 4,300 visitors.

Amodest event, the NT Expo could be bigger than it is today, a situation consequently caused by a lack of development by successive governments –dating back to the 19th Century.

Just to compare, the national railway network in Brazil is just 29,000km long, which is less than the 38,000km between 1940 – 1950. Unfortunately, practically all governments have promised to prioritise this sector, but they leave more promises than tracks.

However, since 1992 the sector has made a comeback to receive many private investments, which keep the hope better days are ahead for the rail sector. Today, around 75% of railroads are at the service of commodities such as iron ore, 12% for soybeans.

Fastener presence

The only fastener manufacturer attending NT Expo as an exhibitor was J. Lanfranco Amsud, a French fastener company specialised in the production of self-locking split nuts to use in tracks, from dimensions M2 to M48, in Classes 8.8 to 12.9.

“At the NT Expo the highlight was our lines of nuts for critical fastening systems – where there are high levels of corrosion and vibration,” commented Karin Schinasi, Lanfranco global export manager.

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

Manufacturing with heart

ALFIRSTE has established itself as a specialist screw and anchor manufacturer who has gained a reputation for its high-quality products and excellent service –enabling it to meet the varying needs of its global customer base.

Founded in 2006, ALFIRSTE has developed into an international business with a factory – based in Yuyao, Zhejiang province, China – covering 15,000m 2 and a monthly production capacity of 1,500 tonnes. Within its factory the company uses only the latest production machinery, including heading machines, thread rolling machines, drilling machines, point cutting machines, straightening machines, multi-station machines, as well as other equipment.

This extensive production capability has enabled the company to become renowned for the production of screws and anchors, especially drywall screws, hex head/truss head/CSK head/pan head self-tapping/drilling screws, chipboard screws, construction wood screws, sleeve anchors, metal frame anchors, as well as threaded rods. “Initially, we only produced standard parts,” mentions Michael Wu, sales manager at ALFIRSTE. “However, through the addition of leading experts, and the ongoing improvement of the in-house laboratory, we have continued to grow our product portfolio and now have the ability to develop products in-house.”

In recent years the company has used this technical know-how to develop the production of stainless steel products and bi-metal screws. “We see these two product ranges as a key factor in the future growth of the business,” underlines Michael. “At the same time, we have not given up optimising the production of our carbon steel products to make sure they continue to be competitive within the global market.”

Top quality products

Alongside the development of its product range, ALFIRSTE has also been committed to developing the quality of its products –helping to ensure customers receive only the highest quality. “As a company we continuously look to optimise our production processes to guarantee we are consistently producing quality

includes a salt spray test machine, a high and low temperature humidity box, image measuring instruments, a universal testing machine, a drilling testing machine, a Rockwell hardness machine, a metallographic specimen Mosaic machine, a Vickers hardness machine, a metallographic specimen polishing machine, a FISCHERSCOPE® X-RAY, a torque testing machine, a concentricity meter, a bending measuring machine, a metallographic microscope, a SPECTRO spectrometer, a temperature and humidity meter, as well as the standard callipers, groove depth gauges, torque wrenches, electronic scales and angle rulers.

“Our dedication to quality across every aspect of our business has enabled us to create strong relationships with customers, with our products being sold to customers in around 20 countries, including in Europe and the USA,” points out Michael. “As a business we are always looking to create close partnerships with our customers, which is why we invest a lot of money in participating

Innovative spirit

During the development of its production processes, expansion of its product portfolio, and continuous focus on quality, ALFIRSTE has always ensured innovation is at the centre of its business, which has been fundamental in the company’s success and growth. “Innovation is undoubtedly a core competitiveness for us,” states Michael. “The expansion of the company cannot be separated from the role of innovation, which in turn depends on investment in the business. The two complement each other, which is why, in order to continue to innovate, you need to continue to invest.”

An area ALFIRSTE is currently investing and therefore looking to innovate is its sustainable development. “Since the establishment of ALFIRSTE, we have looked to serve our customers, employees, and partners, in the correct way. It is the basis for the healthy and sustainable development of the business,” mentions Michael. “The topic of sustainability has become a key factor within every sector and as a business we want to make sure we are meeting the needs of our customers. That is why we are already taking the initiative to adopt cleaner production processes, which includes reducing waste generation. We are also looking at ‘greener’ procurement and how we can work more effectively from an environmental perspective.”

Michael concludes: “Thanks to our sophisticated production equipment, innovative methods of production and material combinations, as well as in-depth product range, we are optimistic about our future place within the fastener industry. We will continue to invest funds and innovate as a business, especially the production of our range of stainless steel and bi-metal screws. At the same time, we will continue to work with our customers and manufacture products with the spirit and heart that has seen us reach where we are today.”

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS AND REPORTS WITH FASTENER SPECIALISTS

50 years of insight

Dr Florian Seidl, part of the supervisory board at Keller & Kalmbach Holding & Co KG, has spent nearly half a century involved within the fastener industry –experiencing every aspect of the sector and its defining trends and advances. With that in mind, Content Director Will Lowry asked for his perspective on how the market has developed over the last 50 years.

You joined Keller & Kalmbach in 1975, nearly 50 years ago. How has the fastener industry changed and grown in this time?

“When I look back, I think one of the biggest differences, when compared to today, is back then both the production and distribution aspects of the market were only national and to some extent, especially within distribution, even regional. Most German companies were not even active across the entire country and especially not across the borders into other countries within Europe.

Over time manufacturers branched out and started to work with customers within the European market, whilst distributors were still predominately national – as distribution was often slightly behind the manufacturers. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that the majority of distributors started to import significantly more and supply customers across Europe.

This type of internationalisation was possible because boundaries between countries had been lowered. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and suddenly we had a European market where there were no tariffs between states and imports from other countries were a lot easier.

For instance, at Keller & Kalmbach we imported from Italy very early on, even before my time with the company. However,

in the 1990s a lot of companies started to import from Asia, which really changed the market. This meant distributors were a lot more competitive within the industrial market and could compete with European manufacturers.

Of course, as the market has become more international, the competition has also grown, which has created a pressure on prices within the sector. Until the early 2000s, customers would have to ring around different suppliers to check prices and stock availability. We would have common lists of all German/ European distributors with discounts being given. Today, with digitalisation, customers can compare the products a lot easier, and quicker, and know exactly what stock and prices they can get from suppliers across Europe. This means even though there might be higher demand from an international market, you must be more price competitive and keep an eye on costs to make sure they are under control.

In addition to the internationalisation of the sector, I think another factor that has changed is the quality level of the

products has risen significantly – as has the demands of the customers. For instance, over recent years a lot of customers have decided they do not want multiple suppliers, but rather have one company that is able to supply all the products, especially C-parts, as a Full Service Provider. Naturally this would be a distributor, which led to distributors becoming a lot more important within the supply chain and having to take on a lot more responsibilities – such as providing additional products and services to meet all the requirements. Being a Full Service Provider means you handle literally every aspect of the supply chain when it comes to fasteners. Customers put their full trust in a company and expect them to handle everything.

A final area that has changed is transportation costs, which have significantly reduced over the years. When I started within the sector, transport costs were very expensive, but over the years they have decreased step by step. The reliability and speed of the deliveries has also increased to the point that products can now be shipped within one day, especially within Germany. That means you don`t need many warehouses, a central one is sufficient.”

“With all these changes – internationalisation, digitalisation, Full Service Provider requirements – Keller & Kalmbach has invested as a business to guarantee it is able to go on meeting the needs of customers and this has led to it becoming one of the leading businesses within the market.

Keller & Kalmbach’s turnover is twenty-five times higher than 47 years ago; we have about seven times more employees; and we now have twenty sites in ten countries. To put that into perspective, when I started we only had two sites – both in Germany.

Over this period our market relevance has also undoubtedly grown. When I joined, we were number eight in the German market when it came to turnover size and, today, we are number three and perhaps number one when it comes to the industrial fastener market in Germany.

A fundamental part of this growth has been the markets and customers we have looked to target. At the beginning we supplied the DIY and craftsman sectors, which was our core business. However, around seven years ago we decided to not be as active in that market and instead to concentrate on industry – including machinery, automotive, rail and others such as electricity, etc. We looked to include a lot of technical knowledge and logistic knowledge, which was a big success.

A lot of customers in these segments were also international and not just based in Germany or Europe. This gave us the opportunity to also look to supply each customer location. Of course, in those other markets the plants are independent from the headquarters, so it wasn’t assured. However, by supplying one part of the business, it gave us a better possibility to also supply the others. This is one of the reasons we have looked to move into some of these important countries – to better serve our customers’ different sites, which has led to further growth.

Whilst supporting existing customers was a factor in moving to these specific countries, we also saw further opportunities within the different regions. In our experience it does not make sense to go into developed markets or markets where there are already established competitors, as it makes it very hard to gain a meaningful part of the market share.

This is why as a business we have always looked to move to developing countries, whether it be in Eastern Europe or in Asia, such as China or India. It is only in the USA and Sweden, where we had identified opportunities within the markets, that we

have acquired companies to enter these particular markets. The acquired companies still have a similar market share as before, but we can also supply the Keller & Kalmbach customers as well.”

Keller & Kalmbach is renowned for its automated central warehouse, with the first phase of the construction process starting in 2009. What led to the company committing to automation at that point – when it was relatively a new concept for the fastener industry?

“In 1990 we built a semi-automatic warehouse in Munich, Germany, which underlined the advantages automation could provide to us as business. However, it was only ‘half a step’. We still had sites and products in different locations, so we could not fully benefit from the advantages.

With the price of transportation reducing, and the opportunity to bring our different sites together, we decided to have one central warehouse. We bought some ‘green land’ and designed a completely new warehouse that was fully automated and state of the art.

It was a big investment and it was made in 2009, which was during the height of the financial crisis. However, I can say without any doubt it proved to be the right decision and it was such a success that after five years we enlarged it even further – so we could bring all the other warehouses we had within Germany and Europe together.

I think a big advantage at the time was we still had our old warehouse, so we could move over products step by step and ensure the automated warehouse was fully operational before completely moving over to it. Having one ‘big bang’ where you just switch to an automated warehouse from one day to the other is very risky, so we made sure we avoided that scenario.

There is no doubt it was a big investment, and risk to a certain extent, but it has undoubtedly paid dividends and ensures we stay at the forefront of the industry and continue to provide the products and services our customers need.”

What were the steps that Keller & Kalmbach took to handle these different challenges and how did they enable the business to grow?

Full range supplier Partner for distributors

Another area Keller & Kalmbach has been at the forefront is digitalisation and the introduction of C-parts management systems. What led the business to adopt these systems so early on and how have they developed over recent years?

“In 1987/88 one of our customers, Siemens, came back from visiting Japan and had seen a Kanban system working. They wanted to trial the system at a plant near Munich and offered several suppliers within the area the opportunity to be involved. I heard about it and thought it would be interesting. After talking with them, we decided to go ahead. It was a bold decision and I remember I even had some competitors calling me at the time and questioning why we were doing it and how it would be too costly for it to be implemented fully within the fastener industry. However, I could see there was huge advantages of self-serving systems, with orders fulfilled automatically, so we went ahead with it.

As soon as we started, we had customers who were asking for this type of service, which was initially just a ‘two bin’ system. However, then came digitalisation with barcoding, RFID technology, etc, and we continued to add all of these aspects to help increase processes and make everything more automatic and effective.

This is an area we are continuously working on, for instance we are currently looking at advance analytics to foresee the demand of the customer in the future – with the aim to avoid any stops in production. This has already proved very useful during the global supply problems in Asia last year. As a business we have a huge stock, which can prove very costly, but the advance analytics has been very helpful in these difficult times. This type of extra service is all part of our business – so we can guarantee the customers get the products they need when they need them.

In fact, that is a fundamental part of the market now. Customers do not want to hold as much stock themselves and the manufacturers do not want to hold stock either. So, as the company in between, you need to have the capacity and capital to store it.

At Keller & Kalmbach we look to use digitalisation and C-parts management systems as an opportunity to provide a better service to customers and make it easier for them to buy products. One of our slogans is: ‘You don’t need to care about C-Parts… we care’. Many customers really see it as a huge advantage.”

What do you see as being the big trends or challenges for the fastener industry in 2023 and beyond?

“One of the big challenges going forward will be regulations, especially on a European level. The number of regulations and requirements have increased significantly, with the supply chain a lot more regulated. The costs involved in handling these new regulations hinders a lot of European industry compared to other parts of the world. I also believe the current political situation could lead to additional tariffs that will make it difficult for distributors to buy from suppliers who offer the best prices.

Another challenge is inflation, which is a big issue. There is a huge uncertainty within the market on whether prices will go down or even up. At the moment, steel prices are going down a little, but general inflation is very high. Wages are also going up as well, so it is unclear what will happen with inflation in the future. For us, and for all fastener companies, it is very hard to bring the higher prices to the customers, especially when it is industrial customers were there are often long-term contracts.

That being said, Keller & Kalmbach will continue to invest in its capabilities and services. We have further plans to automate the central warehouse and we are currently carrying out studies into robotics and how they can possibly play a role.

If you are to continue to grow and develop as a business you always need to be looking at trends and opportunities, so you can check if they will give you an added advantage within the market. At Keller & Kalmbach we have always looked to be at the forefront of the industry and make sure we provide the products and services that guarantee we can take care of every customer need.”

INSIGHT

Designing the sustainable world of the future

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Norm Fasteners reports that its innovative solutions, and long-term business partnerships with leading companies around the world, has enabled it to develop flawless products and connections that have been the key to its growth and success.

The value of Norm Fasteners’ vast capabilities and service were underlined to its customers last year, when it was able to continue to provide uninterrupted service to its business partners despite the global supply chain crisis. Thanks to its 14 logistics and sales centres, located in 9 countries, as well as its experienced in-house engineers, Norm Fasteners was even able to increase customers’ satisfaction during this period.

Fatih Uysal, chairperson at Norm Holding, points out: “In a report that the Norm Holding board of directors uses to assessed the structure and operations in the ‘Best Practice’ category, the Corporate Governance Rating of Norm Holding

and all our companies was determined as 9.04 out of 10, which shows how we have been able to meet and exceed customers’ needs.”

In addition to its commitment to its customers, thanks to its development and organic growth oriented strategy, Norm Fasteners has also managed to double its turnover in the last two years using its own production resources. “With our production capacity of 200,000 tonnes, 400 forging machines, 21 heat treatment lines, and the projects that will be initiated, we aim to grow by 20% in 2023,” states Fatih Uysal. “To make this possible we are also progressing with our investments as always to achieve this goal.”

Full Service Provider identity

Norm Fasteners recently attended Fastener Fair Global, which took place in March, where it had the opportunity to meet with its customers and examine the market and opportunities together after a four year break. “With our VR experience corner located on our stand, our business partners had the opportunity to visit our production facilities virtually with a 360 degree video,” mentions Fatih Uysal. “This enabled visitors to see our Full Service Provider (FSP) identity, global service network, sustainability vision, and competence in manufacturing complex parts, which helped bring about new collaboration opportunities.”

Fatih Uysal continues: “With successful companies in our group, such as Norm Coating, Norm Tooling and NRM Engineering, we provide end-to-end in-house

production support to our customers through our R&D, engineering, surface treatment, cold forming, tooling, machining, heat treatment, machinery and automation, coating, sorting, packaging, and logistics services. Having further strengthened our production processes with investments, we work with the goal of providing our business partners with a faster, high-quality, costfocused and sustainable service.”

This enables Norm Fasteners to supply solutions that meet the needs of its business partners in various sectors such as automotive, white appliances, aftermarket, wholesaler and agriculture. The company also continuously improves its expertise in the fasteners industry, as well as in different and new product groups – such as hot forging, stamping, turning parts and additive manufacturing. “When these technologies are added to our 50 years of experience in cold forging, advanced technology production infrastructure, and expert engineering teams, we are able to provide a first class service when it comes to production of complex parts,” states Fatih Uysal.

“For instance, with Norm Additive, which operates in the additive manufacturing field, we provide services not only to the automotive industry but also to many different sectors such as aviation, white appliances, machine manufacturing and medical – both domestically and internationally. We can provide engineering and manufacturing support for weight reduction and performance improvement in structural parts of our customers, by providing cost and supply speed advantages compared to traditional production technologies.

We also offer prototyping and series production services through our modular production systems.”

Investments and innovations

In 2022, through a new sales centre in Canada, Norm Fasteners further added to its sales and logistics centers in Germany, Poland, Romania, France, and the USA –strengthening its logistics network. “Through the new sales centre we will continue to grow rapidly in the Canadian market in 2023, as we did in other countries. We always focus on customer satisfaction to better understand the desires and expectations of our customers and offer sector-based solutions,” explains Fatih Uysal. “We also prioritise our R&D and innovation activities accordingly. For instance, we are proud that our patented products such as HexLight® and NormSelf TM are included in automotive specifications and that we are the preferred fasteners partner of automotive manufacturers as a joint designer.

Fatih continues: “In 2023 we also incorporated the global production and sales license of TRILOBULAR® and REMFORM® of CONTI Fasteners AG into our company. With these licenses, we can also supply fasteners that provide productivity increase and cost advantage –due to their self-tapping abilities in metal parts such as steel, aluminium and plastic applications.”

Now in its 50th year, Norm Fasteners has established itself as a FSP and a

leading manufacturer within the sector. “We also supply other fasteners that our customers need besides the products we manufacture ourselves. We thereby have succeeded in becoming the ‘single business partner’ for our customers – with our R&D, design, engineering, production, sourcing, supply chain management services,” states Fatih Uysal. “We have also completed the installation of our Gölcük warehouse, where we will manage Europe’s largest commercial vehicle program. With our strengthened team, we are ready to further highlight our professional FSP identity in future projects.”

A development journey

In Norm Fasteners development journey towards the future and success, together with all its employees, the company aims to spread, sustain and develop the business and its culture. “We see sustainability as providing for the present needs without compromising the needs of the future generations, based on economic issues, as well as environmental and social development,” explains Fatih Uysal.

“Therefore, we strive to create value for our world and community. From installing solar panels in our manufacturing facilities to measuring our corporate carbon footprint; from transitioning to sandblasting technique to our digital transformation; all our actions are thoroughly planned to create a better future and more sustainable world.”

To add to this, Norm Fasteners has looked to incorporate digitalisation into every process, from production to packaging. “We have continued our digital transformation journey to facilitate our business processes without slowing down,” highlights Fatih Uysal. “A prime example is the integrated RPA systems into our production lines and offices with our digital colleague Normie.”

Fatih Uysal concludes: “At Norm Fasteners our main goals in 2023 will be to continuously advance our standards for quality and customer satisfaction and strengthen our steps in the sustainability field – whilst continuing our work toward being a responsive business partner for our customers. We will also continue to develop our main strategy, especially in regards to environmental, economic and social issues.”

Putting quality and the customer first

Malaysian-based Well-Union has established itself as a manufacturer of stainless steel bolts and screws – with a production capacity of 180 tonnes per month and exports to partners in more than 50 countries, including in the USA, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

An associate company of LINKWELL Industry Co Ltd, Well-Union Metal Sdn Bhd was founded in 2005 and, through its factory in Johor Bahru, is able to produce a variety of products according to DIN, ISO, and JIS, including stainless steel (A2/ A4/ SS305/ SS410/ SS430) screws and bolts, machine screws, tapping screws, chipboard screws, woodscrews, deck screws and screws according to customer drawings – from 2.2mm to 12mm in diameter and 4.5mm to 150mm in length.

“We have many years of professional experience in the production of stainless steel screws and thanks to our skilled management system, advanced technology, good reputation, and the latest production equipment from

INSIGHT

Germany, Taiwan and Japan, we have established ourselves as a key supplier within the fastener market,” states Well-Union.

The company also puts it success down to its commitment to the principle: ‘Quality and the customer always come first’. “Our quality is underlined by our certification to the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) B1111 and JIS B1122,” mentions WellUnion. “In addition, we have obtained a Certificate of Conformity for Factory Production Control, which fulfils the evaluation and verification of performance stability as described in a European Technical Assessment (ETA). To ensure production efficiency and product quality, we also continuously introduce advanced inspection instruments and computerised operations, which are able to control quality and meet international requirements.”

The company adds: “Another important factor is that we look to introduce high value-added products and continuously work on product improvements, which enables us to meet customers’ needs and create more competitive niche markets for us as a business.”

Well-Union points out that being based in Malaysia is also a great benefit to the business, as it helps it to differentiate itself from the traditional fastener manufacturing hubs of China and Taiwan. “Malaysia has two major ports in southeast Asia, Port Klang and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, and it is also close to the Port of Singapore. This provides Malaysian companies with great advantages in import and export,” explains Well-Union. “Malaysia also has a well developed infrastructure, with it only taking 1 to 3 hours to reach the three ports by road. This can ensure high-quality supplier networks and allows for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing and transportation of goods.”

Another key advantage related to the fastener industry is that Malaysia has the MTFTA (Malaysia-Turkey Free Trade

Agreement) with Turkey, which gives Well-Union the opportunity to attract more business partners from within the Turkish market.

“As a Malaysian manufacturer we are always looking to stay at the forefront of the industry, which is why we are continuously upgrading our machines and looking to introduce advanced automated machines with sensors – to collect data, identify problems and send signals for corrective action, as well as help improve our production efficiency,” explains Well-Union. “Another vital part of being a leading manufacturer within the industry is to ensure you are consistently producing high-quality and reliable products. That is why we regularly cooperate with external trainers to provide training courses for employees, in order to improve their skills and ensure they can keep up with the latest developments and processes.”

Another area in which Well-Union is looking to stay up to date is with its ERP system, which it is currently updating and will be completed by the end of 2023. “Our goal is to move towards a more systematic and automated standard operating procedure,” states Well-Union. “Going forward we will continue to focus on data traceability and data analysis for continuous improvement, which is why we are upgrading our ERP system now – so that we are prepared for the future.”

www.well-unionmetal.com

Innovation and solidity to explore new fastening possibilities

Combining its in-house productive model with exigencies of an evolving market, Growermetal has decided to invest in an exclusive branded line. It will be a line where digital solutions meet enhanced geometries, laying the ground for unique designs – while maintaining the focus on the production of safety washers.

Founded in Calco, Italy, in 1950, Growermetal SpA has been run by the Cattaneo family since the beginning. At the core of its business approach, safety washers, spring washers, and special parts for the most diverse applications, have always constituted its main specialisation. An area that, despite its general rebranding and refreshed image over the years, still represents the center of its strategy – addressing the fields of aerospace, railway, automotive, power generation and many other industries requiring safe and reliable fastening systems.

Growermetal’s capability is based on its 70 years of experience and supported by numerous investments in technology and resources. Nowadays, the company is able to produce the entire

range inside its headquarter in the north of Italy, delivering more than 4,500 standard products and 2,500 special washers and blanked parts to the local market and international customers.

Each component is checked to ensure the highest quality standards, starting with the materials used in production. Among the analyses available, the hardness testing procedure is handled directly in-house to determine the most suitable materials for the product’s use and their resistance, allowing the highest level of personalisation according to the specific customer needs and applications.

In this way, Growermetal is able to provide rapid test procedures directly on the washers, combined with other internal treatments – ranging from heat treatment aimed at improving the characteristics of raw materials, to mechanical zinc plating or zinc flake coating that provide an excellent corrosion protection with no risks of embrittlement of the pieces.

According to Paolo Cattaneo, CEO of Growermetal, this model leads to many benefits: “Our know-how, together with the completely internal management of the departments, allow us to offer a competitive service – based on the optimisation of the timing; the reliability of the process; the continuous check of the parts produced; and the flexibility in creating customised solutions for different sectors.”

In addition to the in-house productive model, and great variety of services, the strategy of Growermetal is based on another element in particular. “We have always invested in R&D, in order to push the creation of innovative products. The path we have undertaken over the last few years is the expression of this tendency,” points out Paolo.

INSIGHT

With the production of washers remaining the core business of the Italian company, the opportunity to develop exclusive designs has opened the way to branded lines of advanced fastening solutions. “Every application has specific requirements and conditions, so our objective is to improve the performance of our products and seize new opportunities for ourselves, the sectors we address and for our customers,” explains Paolo.

The expanding product family is part of a general evolution of the manufacturer, which keeps renewing its identity and image while maintaining the focus on its wide portfolio. Paolo points out that Growermetal’s R&D team operates in two directions: “We may create something completely original or start from a product that already exists, in order to improve its characteristics and achieve a new safety. In general, the definition of a new concept always starts from a specific requirement and with research, thanks to our internal laboratories, we can carry out as much testing and analysis as necessary.”

After the launch of Grower TenKeep® in 2019, the recent edition of Fastener Fair Global in March was the context to launch two exclusive products, on display through live demonstrations by the company’s personnel.

The first one is Grower Detecto®, a smart sensorised washer designed for ‘real time’ bolt monitoring. This function is enabled by a smart sensor embedded in its structure, which allows a detection of bolt loosening through an Electrical Mechanical Impedance method. “The integration of this technology within different application sectors offers several advantages, including the increased safety and efficiency of the system; the maximum cost-effectiveness of installation; the absence of downtime; and the opportunity to monitor the structure without manual inspections,” highlights Paolo.

The second product introduced is Grower Reaction®, which works in combination with Grower TenKeep®, as a backup washer, and the Reaction Drive System. This patented washer design is used as part of a fastening system that provides a fully concentric dispersion of the reaction torque around and underneath the nut or bolt head to be tightened or loosened, with no need for a reaction arm to generate the desired bolt preload.

“In this way, Grower Reaction® eliminates pinch-points, improves bolt axial alignment and reduces the weight of the fastening tool – making the application simple and efficient, while minimising the risks for operators,” mentions Paolo.

These Growermetal branded washers were not the only products in the spotlight at the trade show in Stuttgart. During the 9th edition of the event Grower SpheraTech® was included among the winners of the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition, which saw the participation of many finalists.

After the third place of Grower TenKeep® in 2019, the second place of Grower SpheraTech® represents a great achievement for the company’s team. “This competition is one of the most important acknowledgements in the field of innovative fastening technologies. We are proud of the excellent work done with Grower SpheraTech®, which is an expression of our commitment to innovation,” states Paolo.

Made from the combination of a spherical top washer and a conical seat washer, Grower SpheraTech® is a preassembled set that aims to eliminate the risk of parts loss and minimise the

possibility of incorrect mounting of the pieces during the application.

“One of the main issues linked to the use of separated parts is the risk of wrong assembly, which may lead to failures in the locking performance of nonparallel bearing surfaces. From this point of view, Grower SpheraTech® provides the same function and compensates the angle of inclination, but its inseparability reduces significantly the possibility of misapplication,” explains Paolo.

After the success of Fastener Fair Global in Stuttgart, Growermetal is now ready to travel overseas and bring its products to the American edition of the trade show – Fastener Fair USA, which will take place from 16 th - 17 th May in Nashville, Tennessee.

Growermetal

stand: 722

“The warm welcome reserved for our technologies has been very rewarding, so we are looking forward to taking part in the event in Nashville, which represents one of America’s most important insights on the fastener world and the last chapter of our Fastener Fair tour,” comments Paolo.

Open to the full spectrum of the fastener sector and supply chain, Fastener Fair USA addresses mechanical and design engineers, purchasers, wholesalers, OEMs and also distributors, processors, equipment makers and end users.

Growermetal will display its products at booth 722: “During Fastener Fair Global we have tested a new configuration for the stand, based on live demonstrations and a two-floor structure. A set that fits the new image and communication of our company, while strategically presenting the main characteristics of our washers. For North America we are working on a more agile proposal, but the style and experience will be 100% Growermetal.”concludes Paolo.

www.growermetal.com

Grower SpheraTech®

GRIP IT. USE IT. CONTROL IT.

BENEFIT FROM THE VERSATILITY OF PLASTIC CONTROL ELEMENTS.

TINY PARTS. HUGE IMPACT.

BENEFIT FROM THE VERSATILITY OF PLASTIC STANDARD ELEMENTS.

CLAMPING LEVERS, TENSION LEVERS AND EXCENTRIC TENSION LEVERS // INDEX BOLTS AND BLOCKING HANDLES // BALL AND SPRING INDEX PLUNGERS // BRIDGE HANDLES // START AND SOFTTOUCH KNOBS // LOCKING HANDLES // CROSS AND THREE-STAR KNOBS // KNURLED KNOBS // WING KNOBS // BALL KNOBS // CYLINDER HANDLES // MUSHROOM KNOBS AND T-HANDLES // HAND WHEELS AND CRANK HANDLES // LEVELLING FEET //HINGES // RUBBER METALBUFFERS // LATCHES

SCREWS // NUTS // WASHERS AND SPACER ROLLS // SPACER BOLTS // CABLE TIES // KNURLED KNOBS // WING KNOBS // THREADED RODS

Welcome to LEDERER WORLD

Lederer is inviting everyone to discover its diverse range of products, materials, and services, by entering LEDERER WORLD – an interactive part of its website that gives further insights into the assortments, materials, quality, logistics, digitisation, special parts and coatings available from the German distributor.

From screws and nuts to washers and springs; from maritime and solar to mechanical engineering and mobility; from quality and Kanban to material and logistics; from analysis and reporting to service and digitisation; the different options from Lederer, its products, and services, open up an almost infinite number of possibilities.

Lederer GmbH stands for decades of experience with fasteners, both standard and special parts, as well as C-parts management. Every day, more than 6.3 million items are shipped and delivered to Germany, Europe and worldwide. Via the LEDERER WORLD section on its website the company is enabling visitors to delve deeper into the different opportunities and services available.

The topics covered include:

Lederer supplies

Lederer is able to supply more than 40,000 fasteners according to norm and standard, including woodscrews, chipboard screws, machine screws, screw washer assemblies, nuts and washers, collars and springs, securing elements, pins and rivets, hose clamps, wing nuts, eye bolts, as well as slotted nuts.

Efficient logistics

From cardboard box to commissioning, Kanban, and RFID, Lederer can supply all types of packaging, assembling, labelling, containers, bins and shipping, as well as complete C-parts management and Vendor Managed Inventory services –helping to increase efficiency.

Working digitally

Whether EDI, online shop, eProcurement, Cloud, upload or download, Lederer is able to provide fast information, accelerated processes and short reaction times for customers looking for prices or stock digitally, whether just an enquiry or order.

The best quality materials

Lederer is able to supply a wide range of materials in the best quality – whether it is stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, bronze, aluminium or even plastics.

Quality management

Lederer tests, measures, analyses and controls every aspect of its processes with its own testing laboratory, accredited in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025, able to carry out spectrograph analysis, x-ray examination, salt spray tests, as well as Rockwell and Vickers hardness tests.

Special parts by drawing

On the basis of customer specifications, whether drawings or samples, Lederer is able to procure any special part – including swivelled, extruded, assemblies, press forged, hot formed, cast, forged, stamped or bent.

Coatings at Lederer

Lederer is able to meet every customer requirement accurately, whether it is for increased corrosion protection, easier processing or for screw locking. Coatings and processes available include burnished, oiled and tumbled, pickled, thermo-tight, Gleitmo, LOCTITE® Dri-Loc® 2040, zinc flake flZnnc-600, microGLEIT, Klemmtight, GEOMET®, Tuflok-360°, DURNI-COAT ®, as well as tin plated, copper plated, sliver plated, gold plated and chrome plated. www.lederer-world.com

Investing in European production

In the last three years Slovenian-based AS system, a wholesaler of screws and manufacturer of anchors, has invested significantly in its production capabilities –in order to offer its customers an even wider range of products.

Celebrating it 30th anniversary in 2023, AS system d.o.o originally started as a wholesale distributor of bolting and fastening technology. Then, in 2013, the company added the manufacturing of customised steel anchors and non-standard bolts to its portfolio. “AS system is a company with many years of experience in the field of bolting and fastening technology,” explains Aleš Seidl, director at AS system. “Whilst our main activity is the comprehensive and quality supply of screws to the wholesale and retail trade, we have also developed so we can now manufacture a variety of bolted goods for industry.”

AS system has a warehouse covering 4,600m 2 – with space for over 2,500 pallets. This enables the company to stock over 17,000 different items, with modern warehouse technology enabling it to supply customers around the world in just a few days.

In addition to the wholesale side of the business, AS system has also looked to develop and grow its manufacturing competences. “Through our production site we are able to produce a wide range of steel anchors, inserts, impact bolts and customer specific bolts,” highlights Aleš. “We have been successful in steadily growing our customer base and have invested €5.4 million over the last three years to further expand our production capabilities.”

AS system’s production investments include further machinery for the production of cold forged anchors, an automatic assembly and packaging line for steel anchors, machinery for its bolt production lines, as well as additional plastic injection moulding machines. “These investments allow us to further develop our company and give us more flexibility within our factory, which in turn enables us to offer our customers a wider range of products, shorter delivery times, as well as competitive prices,” adds Aleš.

He continues: “The manufacturing aspect of our business has been key in our overall growth, as it has enabled us to attract larger customers and work on bigger orders. Thanks to the investments, we now have fully optimised lines that will enable us to fulfil large volumes for bolted products. Our goal is to qualitatively satisfy the needs of our customers and successfully continue with the production of the ASfix brand – thus guaranteeing quality fastenings and complete satisfaction for our users.”

He concludes: “In cooperation with our business partners, we will strive for continuous improvements, including the expansion of the range – guaranteeing the best quality products and ensuring we remain successful in the future.”

www.as-system.si

ZAGO celebrates 30 years

ZAGO, a manufacturer of high-tech sustainable sealing fasteners and switch boots, is celebrating 30 years of providing sealing solutions to engineers, manufacturers and distributors worldwide, as well as hailing being a womanowned business.

Co-founded by married couple, Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich, a corporate attorney, and Harvey Rottenstrich, an electrical engineer, ZAGO Manufacturing Co has continued to thrive in Newark, NJ, USA, where it started 30 years ago, and today employs 35 women and men all from different backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities.

To mark its anniversary the company held a party for its employees, which was a huge success. It included guest speakers, with Michele Siekerka esq (pictured right), president and CEO of New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA), speaking about how ZAGO makes her proud to go to work and the company represents the way New Jersey businesses should be ran. She also mentioned how ZAGO genuinely cares about its team members and is a leader in manufacturing and business.

Next to speak was Emily Manz, senior vice-president of business development at Invest Newark, who spoke about ZAGO beginning, investing and continuing to stay in Newark. She explained why it is important for other businesses in the community to see ZAGO’s success, “because it is possible to recruit, develop talent and grow within the community.”

Becoming woman-owned

In addition to its 30 th anniversary, ZAGO has also taken the opportunity to celebrate being a woman-owned business. Out of eight management level positions, women occupy six of them at the US-based company. Jackie Luciano, vice-president at ZAGO, explains: “Back in March it was Women’s History Month, and it is only fitting that we recognise the pivotal roles women play at ZAGO and in shaping the manufacturing industry.”

Jackie joined ZAGO 15 years ago as a part-time bookkeeper, while raising her young children, and advanced to a leadership role after earning her Rutgers MBA in finance. “Gail and Harvey envisioned ZAGO being a diverse employer and a great place for both women and men to work and flourish.”

Alejandra Damacela, contract review/buyer and 10+ year veteran of ZAGO, who is also the mother of two little children, fully

agrees: “Among the reasons I love working at ZAGO is the level of support given to all employees. For instance, the business offers tuition reimbursement, so associates can pursue higher education and advanced degrees. I earned a Bachelor of Science, Marketing, in Spring 2021, from Kean University and for that I am truly grateful.” Co-founder and CEO Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich explains: “When it comes to leadership roles and owning a manufacturing company, women are vastly underrepresented. There are many qualified women in manufacturing, and in other industries, who can excel in this sector – but they have to see themselves in these positions. Both Harvey and I realised that ZAGO should become a woman-owned manufacturer to show women, explicitly, and implicitly, what is possible.”

C0-founders Gail Friedberg Rottenstrich and Harvey Rottenstrich

The highest production standards

Thanks to the continuous modernisation of its Łańcut factory machine park, making it one of the most modern fastener production plants in the industry, Koelner Rawlplug continues to be recognised for its ongoing reliability and high production standards.

Modern machinery, advanced technology and over 65 years of experience – these three factors are what Koelner Rawlplug believes places it as one of the leading manufacturers of fasteners in Europe –with its factory in Łańcut, Poland, a key factor in this reputation.

The Łańcut factory, together with a number of other manufacturing plants and distribution companies operating across the world, is a part of the Rawlplug Group. Products with the ŁF trademark are used in many industries and in the largest, most prestigious investments around the globe and beyond. Bolts manufactured in Koelner Rawlplug’s plant have been used on a wide range of applications, including the Curiosity Rover, which has been exploring the planet Mars since 6 th August 2012 – under the Mars Science Laboratory program.

“With state of the art equipment, and an innovative process focused approach, we meet the requirements of customers from a wide range of different sectors, where reliability and highquality are of the essence,” explains Koelner Rawlplug. “Most of our production is tailored for the automotive industry – a sector where safety and confidence are key and the requirements are among the most strict and demanding of any industry. ŁF branded bolts contribute to the faultless operation of vehicles produced by the leading car manufacturers in Europe and worldwide.”

Advanced tailored solutions

Koelner Rawlplug continues: “Our main focus is on meeting individual requirements of our business partners and providing advanced solutions tailored to their needs. Consequently, special products, manufactured according to our customers’ drawings and specifications, are the most important part of our offering. We offer top quality products in a wide range of sizes and protective coatings that are made to match customers’ individual needs –with made to drawing custom cold forged fasteners accounting for 70% of our plant’s production.”

The technology and production processes are developed by Koelner Rawlplug’s R&D department, supported by a group of in-house laboratories utilising computer simulations. The company’s in-house tool shop also enables it to build prototypes of tools, andconsequently to reduce product development time.

The company is able to provide these high-quality bespoke products thanks to the majority of processes within the production cycle being performed on-site in the Łańcut factory. “This gives us independence and absolute certainty of maintaining the highest production standards,” underlines Koelner Rawlplug. “Thanks to our on-site coating facility, and a machining division equipped with modern robotic machinery, the full production of even the most complex elements takes place in our factory.”

The products are manufactured using modern cold forging technology, including 50 state of the art 5 and 6 station forming machines, from SACMA Group and Nedschroef, with a production capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year.

Vast CNC capabilities

According to Koelner Rawlplug, one of the most interesting places in its Łańcut factory is its CNC machining department. This state of the art production division, with capacity of up to 10 million pieces per year, is equipped with modern robotic machinery. “The production is fully automatic, performed by custom designed robotic arms with automatic feeding,” underlines Koelner Rawlplug. “The machines perform turning, drilling, tapping and milling processes on elements in the M5 –M24 range, with lengths of up to 300mm.”

The machining department is not only the most modern but also the fastest growing department of the factory. Among one of the latest additions to this division is another HS ASPE secondary operation machine, which in addition to tapping is able to perform complementary operations such as drilling and external thread rolling. Another recent investment is a CNC automatic turning machine equipped with an automatic rod feeder – the first machine in Koelner Rawlplug’s portfolio that opens up the possibility of production using steel rods.

“This department allows us to offer the customer more complex products with additional processing in the form of turning, milling or drilling operations. This way, even with some very complicated elements, the full production process from start to finish takes place in our factory,” concludes Koelner Rawlplug.

Record-breaking edition of Fastener Fair Global

The 9th Fastener Fair Global ended last week after three successful show days at the Messe Stuttgart exhibition centre in Germany – with the show proving to be a record-breaking edition.

Almost 11,000 trade visitors from 83 countries attended the event to discover the latest innovations, products and services from all areas of fastener and fixing technology, as well as to connect with other industry professionals from various manufacturing and industrial sectors.

Fastener Fair Global 2023 welcomed around 1,000 exhibitors from 46 countries, filling up halls 1, 3, 5 and 7 of the exhibition venue. Covering a net exhibition space of over 23,230m 2 , a 1,000m 2 increase compared to the previous show in 2019, exhibitors presented the complete spectrum of fastener and fixing technologies, including industrial fasteners and fixings, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems, and fastener manufacturing technology. As a result, the 2023 edition represents the biggest Fastener Fair Global to date.

“After four long and challenging years since the last edition took place in 2019, Fastener Fair Global opened the doors to its 9th edition, reasserting its position in the industry as the go-to event for the manufacturing and industrial sector,” reported Stephanie Cerri, Fastener Fair Global event manager at the organiser RX. “Both the show size and strong

participation in Fastener Fair Global 2023 testify to the importance of the event as a milestone for the fastener and fixing sector internationally and serves as an economic indicator of the growth of this industry. We are delighted to have received positive feedback from the international fastener and fixing community – who gathered at the show to discover the latest technological advancements within the sector – whilst taking advantage of plenty of networking opportunities.”

A first analysis of the exhibitor feedback shows that participating companies were highly satisfied with the outcome of Fastener Fair Global 2023. A vast majority of exhibitors were able to reach their target groups and they praised the high-quality of trade visitors.

According to preliminary results of the visitor survey, around 72% of all visitors came from abroad. Germany was the biggest visitor country followed by Italy and the United Kingdom. Other major European visitor countries were Poland, France, the

Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Austria and Belgium. Asian visitors mainly came from Taiwan and China. The most important industries visitors came from were metal products, the automotive industry, distribution, the construction industry, mechanical engineering, hardware/ DIY retailing and electronic/ electrical goods. The majority of visitors were fastener and fixing wholesalers, manufacturers, as well as distributors and suppliers.

Route to Fastener Innovation

On the second show day, Fastener + Fixing Magazine hosted the award ceremony for the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition and announced this year’s Fastener Technology Innovators. Three exhibiting companies were awarded for their innovative fastener and fixing technologies, introduced to the market within the last 24 months. In 1st place, the winner was Scell-it Group with its patented E-007 power tool designed to install hollow wall anchors. Growermetal SpA was awarded with 2nd place for its Grower SpheraTech®, which was based on the combination of a spherical top washer and a conical seat washer. In 3rd place was SACMA Group for its RP620-R1-RR12 combined thread and profile rolling machine.

Date of the next show

Many exhibitors at this year’s show have already announced that they will exhibit again at the next Fastener Fair Global in 2025, which will take place from 25th – 27 th March 2025 at the Stuttgart Exhibition Grounds in Germany.

WE BELIEVE IN THE CAPABILITIES OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO SET HIGHEST STANDARDS AND TAKE OUR CUSTOMER-ORIENTED PERFORMANCE TO A NEW LEVEL THROUGH DIGITALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGY.

PUEHL A FAMILY BUSINESS 4.0

What the exhibitors had to say…

Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the show this year and it should be no surprise that we are definitely planning to come back in 2025!”

Ekkehard Beermann, managing director, Fastbolt Schraubengroßhandels GmbH

The show was an absolute success for BRALO. Both in terms of the number of visitors to our stand and the meetings held with companies interested in the full range of fastening solutions and comprehensive service that BRALO can offer as a partner of choice.”

Eduardo González, chief strategy officer, BRALO Group

The show was great. It was really a pleasure to see so many of our suppliers and customers in Stuttgart after such a long time due to Covid-19. All of us were really happy. All over, it was a really successful show.”

Timo Scholle, managing director, Achilles Seibert GmbH

The show went very well, above any expectations. There were three intense days full of interesting meetings, both with historical and new clients – with whom we were able to strengthen existing relationships – and also with potential new prospects.”

Daniele Zucchi, sales and marketing, Carlo Salvi SpA

We had a fantastic week at Fastener Fair Global – there were thousands of people coming through the trade show and a huge amount stopping by our stand. We met lots of old friends, and made lots of new ones.”

Mike Tuffy, CEO International, Optimas OE Solutions

It was great to be at the Fastener Fair again after two years of not being able to meet up with our customers, suppliers and colleagues. It was great to present our new booth and website and show how WASI has grown in the last few years.”

Arne

Kemper, WASI GmbH

We

met a lot of existing customers and exchanged business experience. It is always nice to speak to customers face-to-face. We also got some new business opportunities at the show.”

Pearl Ou, sales manager, Vertex Precision Industrial Corp

I perceived a very positive atmosphere, the halls were well filled and the discussions that took place were of good quality. From a global perspective, the Fastener Fair in Stuttgart is the most important industry meeting point for European screw dealers.”

Volker Lederer, managing director, Lederer GmbH

It was a good opportunity to meet existing and new potential partners.”

Alexander Henn, head of marketing and international sales, PROJAHN Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH

For Weighpack, it is always a pleasure to be among all its existing and potential customers. We were able to maintain contacts and get in touch with potentially new customers.”

Edward van der Ploeg, commercial director, Weighpack B.V

Fastener Fair Global:

We were there!

Product innovations

Extensive new products, e.g. a complete assortment of Duplex D 6

Sustainable products, e.g. the “greenline” plug range

Unique products, e.g. the patented counter nut CONU and the screw and washer assembly

Product range for Specialised Trade B2B

Catalogue with 84,000 items

RIO webshop – intuitive and mobile

Individual packing solutions

F. REYHER Nchfg. GmbH & Co. KG

Haferweg 1 · 22769 Hamburg · Germany

Phone +49 40 85363-0

contact@reyher.de · www.reyher.de

The show was very interesting and our expectations have been completely satisfied. Buyers of all our current OEM customers visited our stand together with a good number of potential new customers and suppliers.”

Vittorio Carravetta, senior sales manager, Brugola OEB Industriale SpA

The Fastener Fair was a complete success for Böllhoff Group. After a four-year break from the fair, we again had the opportunity to get in touch with our business partners.”

Simon Wittmann, head of marketing & eCommerce, Böllhoff GmbH

Fastener Fair Global remains the best international meeting point. The 2023 edition brought BENERI some new interesting contacts, with whom we intend to work closely to penetrate new markets and/or plan strategic technology investments in the coming years.”

Ronny Limonta, management assistant, BENERI SpA

This year’s Fastener Fair in Stuttgart once again offered an excellent platform for the various topics of the fastener industry. The EWMenn team would like to thank all visitors for the high level of interest and the first class exchange during the excellent discussions.”

Florian A. Münker, managing director, E. W. Menn GmbH & Co KG

Celebrating the industry’s latest innovations

One of the main attractions of Fastener Fair Global is always the opportunity to assess new products and services that exhibitors have introduced to the market – underlined by the three winners of the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition.

Once again sponsored by Fastener + Fixing Magazine, the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition included twenty-two applicants, with innovative solutions put forward by Berdan Civata, Bossong SpA, BRALO S.A, Dimac Srl, GebuVolco B.V, Gecko International Co, Growermetal SpA, Hans Schriver GmbH & Co KG, HONSEL Distribution GmbH & Co KG, HS Automazioni Srl, Ingramatic SpA, KEBA Fastenings, Klimas Wkręt-met, Kwantex Research Inc, Nord-Lock Group, NORM Fasteners, NORMA Group, Qonnect, SACMA Group, Scell-it Group, Sherex Fastening Solutions and TOX-Dübel GmbH.

After careful consideration of all the innovations, the first place award was ultimately given to Scell-it Group, with its patented E-007 power tool, designed to install hollow wall anchors. The company reports that the quick setting powered action of this tool means setting is performed effortlessly and accurately just by squeezing the trigger. This helps save time and effort in comparison to more conventional methods.

1 st place was awarded to Scell-it Group and its E-007 power tool

ROUTE TO FASTENER INNOVATION 2023

Rechargeable in just 30 minutes, the 18V –2.0 Ah battery of the E-007 is compatible with the rest of the Scell-it ELEMENT battery tools range, allowing users to be equipped with quality hollow wall anchoring and riveting tools – with a lower investment.

The E-007 sets anchors with a screw and can set a range from M4 – M8. A setting adjustment dial on the back of the tool also allows for the perfect setting of stroke adjustment, from 4mm – 40mm. Therefore, a wider range of diameter and lengths of anchor can be accommodated.

“With hand tools, you have to press two, three or four times to install longer hollow wall anchors. With the E-007 tool you can use the longer 40mm stroke to set the anchor with one press of the trigger,” highlights Jérémy Foulon, product development & sourcing coordinator at Scell-it.

Second place was presented to Growermetal SpA, for its Grower SpheraTech®. Developed by the company’s R&D department, SpheraTech® is based on the combination of a spherical top washer and a conical seat washer. This inseparable set ensures a safe locking function on non-parallel surfaces and therefore avoids damages or breakages of the bolted joint connection caused by bending of the head or the shank of the screw.

The Grower SpheraTech® is a smart solution, as it provides an inseparable set instead of two different pieces – ensuring that the top washer and the seat washer are loosely preassembled and permanently connected to each other. As the parts are inseparable, during the application there is no risk of incorrect mounting – making assembly easy, quick, and safe, especially in areas that are difficult to reach.

On receiving the award, Paolo Cattaneo, CEO at Growermetal, commented: “I would like to say that we are honoured to once again be part of the Route to Fastener Innovation with our new product Grower SpheraTech® and to once again win an award.”

Ingramatic, part of the SACMA Group, was awarded third place for its RP620-R1-RR12 combined thread and profile rolling machine. “SACMA Group is well known for providing combined machines to the fastener market. In this case, Ingramatic designed a combined machine with a washer unit, a thread rolling machine, a rotative station, and a flat dies station, all inside one machine,” says Frederick Nathan, vice-president sales & marketing at SACMA Group.

The ‘all-in-one’ machine features a R1 washer assembly unit, which has been updated with the integration of servomotors and a new design to manage better changeover time, as well as the quality of assembly. The RR12 rotary profiling/threading station is equipped with a GR3 size roller and sector to run special shapes or threads. Also, the machine features the RP620 standard flat dies station for rolling special parts after heat treatment from M6 – M16.

“This combined threader can produce finished parts like fasteners and screws for many industries and is the best solution for high productivity requirements; consolidation of production methods; floor space

2 nd place was awarded to Growermetal SpA and its Grower SpheraTech®

3 rd place was awarded to Ingramatic SpA and its RP620-R1-RR12 combined thread and profile rolling machine

utilisation; and work flow in the fasteners manufacturing process,” explains Ingramatic.

This year’s Route to Fastener Innovation Competition also saw a plethora of innovations, including maintenance free bolting assemblies, new and innovative tools, screws, machinery, rivets, washers, and many other innovations. One such example was NORMA Group’s Telescopic Compression Fittings, designed to help speed up the process of repairing damaged pipes and save material consumption at the same time. The user simply removes the broken section and installs the compression fiting by connecting one end to the pipe and extending the other so it fits to the other pipe end.

Another innovation came from BRALO with the new BT-20 professional battery riveting tool. Able to set a wide range of rivets, including Standard, Versagrip, Hardrip, Hardlock, G-bra, Structural and S-Trevol rivets, the tool is designed for the most demanding applications in the market. NORM Fasteners also entered the competition this year, presenting a mobile App powered by an image processing-based AI algorithm, which can be used to identify standard fasteners. With the App, the process of replacing or buying new fasteners is made simple.

Seen as a positive development for bolted joint security in European steel construction, Nord-Lock Group also entered its innovative structural bolting assembly to this year’s Route to Fastener Innovation Competition. The idea behind bolting assemblies is to provide a solution whereby all components come from one manufacturer. But, in collaboration with Peiner Umformtechnik’s HV bolt, a pair of Nord-Lock steel construction (SC) wedge-locking washers turn this idea on its head.

Following the succesful of the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition, and the array of innovations demonstrated throughout Fastener Fair Global, the Fastener + Fixing team are eagerly awaiting for the next show in 2025 to see what new developments and products will have been introduced to the market.

EXHIBITIONS

PREVIEWS AND REPORTS FROM INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIRS

Fastener Expo Eurasia in Turkey

Show organisers of Fastener Expo Eurasia Fair, taking place from 24th – 27th May 2023 at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in Istanbul, Turkey, are inviting all stakeholders within the fastener industry to meet and network at the show.

Organised by Reed Tüyap Fairs Inc, in cooperation with The Association of Fastener Industrialists and Businesspeople (BESIAD), Fastener Expo Eurasia aims to contribute to the growth of the fastener trade volume not only in Turkey, but also in the wide Eurasia region.

Alongside Fastener Expo Eurasia will be three other industry leading shows that will be held simultaneously. Fastener Expo Eurasia will focus on the industrial fasteners and fixing sectors; Eurasia Hardware Fair will concentrate on tools and general hardware, industrial hardware, furniture and building hardware; and the Tube & Steel and Wire Tech Fairs will involve pipe, wire and steel.

“With the expectation of more than 30,000 total visitors, 6,000 being international visitors – from 120 countries, we are

excited to bring together the leading professionals of the industry simultaneously under the roof of Istanbul Tuyap Fair and Congress Center,” reported Reed Tüyap Fairs Inc.

EUROPES LARGEST SUPPLIER FOR WINDOW FRAME SCREWS

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• STEEL AND A2

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• RC3 TESTED

Fastener Fair India

Mumbai, India

1 June – 3 June 2023

www.fastenerfairindia.com

The fastener event for India.

Fastener Expo Shanghai

Shanghai, China

5 June – 7 June 2023

https://shen.fastenerexpo.cn

Asia’s fastener trade fair.

Industry Tools by Ferroforma

Bilbao, Spain

6 Jun – 8 Jun 2023

www.ferroforma.eu

Spanish hardware and DIY show.

Intersolar Europe

Munich, Germany

14 June – 16 June 2023

www.intersolar.de

International exhibition for solar technology.

Adhesives & Bonding Expo

Michigan, USA

20 Jun – 22 Jun 2023

www.adhesivesandbondingexpo.com

Innovative bonding products and technology for end users, buyers and specifiers.

Manufacturing World Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan

21 June – 23 June 2023

www.manufacturing-world.jp/tokyo/en-gb.html

Asia’s leading B2B trade show for mechanical components and processing technology.

Vietnam Manufactuturing Expo 2023

Hanoi, Vietnam

9 Aug – 11 Aug 2023

www.vme-expo.com

Vietnam’s leading exhibition on machinery and technology for manufacturing and support industries.

Intersolar South America

São Paulo, Brazil

29 Aug – 31 Aug 2023

www.intersolar.net.br/home

Exhibition for the South American solar industry.

Hand Tools and Fasteners Expo

Mumbai, India

1 Sept – 3 Sept 2023

www.iihtexpo.com

Handtools and fasteners exhibition.

wire China

Shanghai, China

4 Sept – 7 Sept 2023

www.wirechina.net

Wire and cable, including fastener manufacturing technology.

Intersolar Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico

5 Sept – 7 Sept 2023

www.intersolar.mx/home

Exhibition for the Mexican solar industry.

Fastener Fair Mexico

Jalisco, Mexico

7 Sept – 9 Sept 2023

www.fastenerfairmexico.com

The fastener event for Mexico.

HUSUM Wind

Husum, Germany

12 Sep – 15 Sep 2023

www.husumwind.com

Wind energy trade fair.

BAU celebrates a successful comeback

Following a four year break, BAU, the world’s leading trade fair for architecture, materials and systems, had a successful comeback – with around 190,000 visitors attending the show from 17 th – 22 nd April at the Messe München exhibition centre in Germany.

Over 2,260 exhibitors, from 49 countries, showcased the latest trends and innovations during the seven days of the show. Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel, co-CEOs of the organiser, reported: “BAU has once again proven that it is and will remain the most important platform for innovations and premiers in the construction segment. Despite the four year enforced interlude, more companies than ever presented themselves in Munich. This underpins the very positive reception to trade fairs, in particular leading international trade fairs, as also seen in 2022.”

Dieter Schäfer, chairman of BAU’s exhibitor advisory board, agreed that this year’s BAU was extremely successful: “By shifting BAU 2023 to April we did everything right. Fully occupied halls and a high number of international visitors underscore BAU’s relevance. And of course, it was all the more important because the fair was back again after more than four years. In future BAU will take place again as usual in January.”

BAU’s successful comeback is also reflected in the survey run by the Gelszus opinion research institute, in which 93% of the

Keeping things tight.

exhibitors rated the fair as good to excellent. 91% also believe it has the right trade fair character. To add to this, 90% of exhibitors gave top marks for quality, and 89% for the internationality of the visitors. Visitors once again gave best marks for BAU 2023, as 98% of the respondents rated the fair as good to excellent.

Visitors’ internationality hits record level

At the top of BAU’s international visitor ranking are Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Poland and Turkey now rank fourth and fifth thanks to strong growth. International visitors on the whole amounted to almost 80,000, which represents 40% of the total number of visitors and therefore a record result.

The number of Chinese visitors in particular must be emphasised. With 1,600 people, China ranks among BAU 2023’s ‘Top 10’ visitor countries. A positive surprise after the Covid-19 restrictions for traveling outside of China were only recently relaxed.

The next edition of BAU will be held from 13th – 18th January 2025, once again at the Munich exhibition grounds in Germany.

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

INSIGHT AND NEWS ON THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET

Reliable design of fastenings

Here Thomas Holland-Letz and Ulrich Bourgund, from the Construction Fixing Europe Association, focus on the reliable design of fastenings based on ETAs, EN 1992-4 and EOTA Technical Reports.

Sound and reliable fastening solutions with anchors require proper performance data of the respective product and a suitable design methodology in order to ensure the appropriate level of safety (Figure One). Over recent years product performance data based on ETAs and design in accordance with Eurocode 2, Part 4 (EN 1992-4) has been widely accepted in the engineering community for this purpose.

According to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), European Assessment Documents (EADs) are the basis to issue European Technical Assessments (ETAs) for construction products, which are not or not fully covered by harmonised European Standards (hEN).

Due to new products and new applications requested by customers in construction, the EAD/ETA process has developed a high level of agility to provide the respective documents. The level of agility could not be matched by the respective design rules for fastening covered in EN 1992-4 (Eurocodes). Continuous agile development of design rules is needed in combination with performance data of products, based on ETAs, to ensure a transparent and adequate level of safety in construction.

For such cases, the European Organisation for Technical Assessments (EOTA) issues Technical Reports, which

Product performance Design

European Commitee for Standardisation (CEN)

Column & foundation Fastening element

Eurocode 2 and 3 Eurocode 2, Part 4

European Organisation for Technical Assessment (EOTA)

Fastening element

European Assessment Document (EAD)

European Technical Assessment (ETA)

Figure One: Reliable fastening solutions combine sound ‘Product performance’ data and proper ‘Design’ rules (e.g EN 1992-4, Eurocode 2)

complement the basic design rules in the Eurocode with tailored design methods for products and applications covered in the respective EAD. The drafting and approval process of EOTA TRs by EOTA follows the same high standards as for the EADs – with the involvement of the expertise of all interested national Technical Assessment Bodies (TABs), as well as experts from academia and industry when necessary.

The EOTA TRs are published together with the respective EADs and are referenced in each ETA issued for the respective product type and application. Table One gives examples of current EOTA TRs for the design of special fastening applications.

EOTA TRs can only complement the Eurocode design rules, but not override

or contradict them. Currently, there is no evidence for such inconsistencies at least with the TRs for the design of fasteners in concrete and masonry. For widely used applications, the content of EOTA TRs can also be integrated in the next generation of Eurocode. Design concepts given in EOTA TR 029 ‘Design of Bonded Anchors’ and EOTA TR 045 ‘Design of Metal Anchors For Use In Concrete Under Seismic Actions’ for example were integrated into EN 1992-4:2018.

The legal status of both kinds of documents is perceived identical and is mainly driven by a strong need for harmonisation on rules –to achieve transparent levels of safety in construction.

Some EOTA TRs, which cover a higher number of applications, are

already referenced in the national building regulations of EU member states. Such a reference gives a maximum of legal certainty to the specifier, but also TRs without such a reference reflect the state of the art and can be used without any technical or legal concern.

EOTA Technical Reports for the design of fastenings provide the same level of reliability as the EADs and complement them to provide a complete set of assessment and design methods.

For the revision of the current CPR, it is in the interest of the construction industry that TRs can be developed and issued. Only the agile development of design rules for new applications will support innovation and productivity gain in the construction sector. It is expected that future design concepts in fastening technology will have a further increased complexity, and it is therefore of utmost importance that the development process of necessary TRs is supported by a trustful group of design experts in the corresponding field.

www.construction-fixings.eu

EOTA

Calculation method for the performance of Anchor channels under Fatigue Cyclic Loading

Design methods for anchorages with metal injection anchors and screw anchors for use in masonry

•

•

• 330008-03-0601

• EN 1992-1-1:2004 + AC:2010

• EN 1992-4:2018

• EN 1990:200 +

A1:2005/AC 2010

EOTA TR061 2020

Design method for fasteners in concrete under fatigue cyclic loading

• 330067-00-0604

• 330067-01-0604

• 330067-01-0604V01

• 330460-00-0604

• EN 1991:2002

• EN 1992-1-1:2004

• EN 1996-1-1:2005 +A1:2012

• EN 1998-1:2004

• EN 1998-3:2005

• EN 1990:200 +

A1:2005/AC 2010

• 330250-01-0601

• 330250-00-0601

• EN 1991:2002

• EN 1992-1-1:2004 + AC:2010

• EN 1992-4:2018

For complete list see www.eota.eu/technical-reports

Table One: Current EOTA TRs for the design of special fastening applications

Mechanical expansion anchors can be divided into two groups: Torque controlled or displacement controlled anchors. Torque controlled expansion anchors may be further classified as either sleeve or bolt type.

The JCP heavy-duty anchors are sleeve-type anchors. They consist of a bolt or threaded rod with a nut, washer, spacer sleeve, plastic compression ring, which deformation prevents the spinning of the anchor in the hole, as well as an expansion sleeve. These anchors work by expanding against the walls of the hole in which they are installed, creating a tight and secure connection.

The JCP heavy-duty anchors are ETA certified mechanical anchors, suitable for cracked concrete and are widely used in construction, engineering and industrial applications. These types of anchors provide a secure and long-lasting connection between the load bearing structure and the anchor point. However, choosing the right type of mechanical anchor and correctly installing it is critical for ensuring the safety and reliability of the structure.

Three different models of the JCP heavy-duty anchors are available – hexagon bolt, hexagon nut and for flush surface mounting, a countersunk option. All models from M8 are approved for use under seismic actions C1

The different types of heavy-duty anchor

Here Reza Jafari, technical manager at JCP Construction Products, focuses on the different types of heavy-duty anchor; why and how they are different; and the key role testing and certification can play when it comes to mechanical anchors and the different applications.

and C2. The JCP heavy-duty anchors also come in zinc plated or A4 stainless steel. The choice of material/finish will depend on the application and the environment in which they will be installed. The diameter and length of the anchor can impact the load capacity of the anchor. Generally, a larger diameter and longer anchor will have a higher load capacity. The length of the anchor should also be chosen based on the thickness of the fixture being anchored. The load capacity of the anchor will depend on several factors, including the type of anchor; the concrete being anchored; and the installation method.

Proper installation is critical for ensuring the safety and reliability of the structure. For JCP heavy-duty anchors, the key steps for correct installation include drilling the hole, cleaning the hole, inserting the anchor, and tightening the anchor to the right tightening

Anchors should be tested to ensure they meet the required load capacity and performance standards. Additionally, anchors should be certified by an independent testing agency to ensure their quality and reliability. The test regimes and methods are based on the available EADs (European Assessment Documents) and TRs (Technical Reports) and any applications should be assessed and verified according to ETAG001-Annex C or EN 1992-Part 4. This process can be done using the JCP Anchor Calculator, which is free and available at www.jcpfixings.co.uk

MAKING CONSTRUCTION BETTER

Our purpose is Making Construction Better. Our aim is to be our customers’ best partner for productivity, safety and sustainability. Our passionate and inclusive global team of 32,000 members is at the core of our success.

FIXINGS

Complete range of heavy-duty anchors

As a manufacturer and distributor of high-quality fastening solutions for construction and engineering projects, pgb-Europe NV has developed a complete range of heavy-duty anchors to include drop-in anchors, through bolts, anchor shields, hollow ceiling anchors and its Turbo Smart® concrete screws.

pgb-Europe’s fasteners are designed to provide a secure fixing point for bolts and other fasteners in a variety of materials including concrete, brick, stone, hollow materials and hollow ceilings. All are supported by extensive European Technical Assessments (ETAs), with pgb-Europe constantly investing in this range to offer its customers the best products and technical documentation.

The company’s drop-in anchors – S-IA, S-IAL and S-IAD – are mechanical anchors used to provide a secure fixing point for bolts and other fasteners in construction and engineering projects. The Smart® drop-in anchors have two ETAs, one for structural use (Option 7) and one for multiple use for non-structural applications (Part 6) in concrete. The anchors can be zinc plated (type IA) or stainless steel (type IAI) – with a version including a lip (type IAL) to prevent anchor slips in the drill hole. Especially relevant for core drilling machines, the Smart® range also offers type IAD with a reinforced shell.

As for pgb-Europe’s throughbolts, the Smart® S-TB7 throughbolt, with ETA Option 7 for non-cracked concrete, is a flexible solution for mounting in, as expected, non-cracked concrete. As it’s approved for two anchoring depths, and has a long screw thread, the anchor can be used in a wide variety of applications and, in addition to push-through installation, pre-positioning and stand-off installation is also possible. Letter marking on the anchor bolt also makes easy post-installed site control possible.

The anchor shields from pgb-Europe, type S-H, T, TR, and O, are a type of anchor designed for use in hollow materials such as bricks, blocks and concrete. The Smart® metal expansion anchors are available as anchor shield (type H), shield with screw (type B), and shield with threaded rod and nut (type T). They are commonly used for renovations in old constructions and lower quality base materials, because of their extra wide, four-sided expansion capabilities, but are also suitable for pre-positioned, push-through and distance installations.

When it comes to optimum performance, the Turbo Smart® is a high performance screw anchor covered by two ETAs, one for use

applications. It also comes with a C2 performance certification for applications in seismic areas. Not only does the screw tap its own way into the drill hole, with no lateral tension in the base material, it allows for use of small spacing and edge distances. Different types of Turbo Smart® are available, including hexagon head with pressed-on washer (BSZ), countersunk head for a flush finish (type BSV), metric connection nut (type BSI), and many more. Its stainless steel version has obtained a renewed ETA for high loads and usage flexibility.

Finally, the Smart® high performance anchors offer a high grade of safety that is shown by the ETA Option 1 and C2 performance for seismic scenarios/locations. Their optimal expansion ensures the best functioning in cracked concrete and their plastic compression ring ensures secure clamping of mounted pieces to base materials. These high performance anchors also offer very high shear loads and have several different head shapes available – hexagon head (type ZAK), threaded rod with nut (type ZAT) and a countersunk head (type ZAV).

Overall, pgb-Europe’s range of heavy-duty anchors are designed to provide a secure fixing point for bolts and other fasteners in various materials, including concrete, brick, stone, hollow materials and hollow ceilings. The company’s anchors are made of high-quality materials, are easy to install, and offer a high load capacity. They are suitable for use in various construction and engineering projects and provide a durable and long-lasting solution for contractors and builders, alike, as well as offering reliable and efficient solutions for any smaller construction or DIY projects.

Pgb-Europe has also introduced its new easy to use anchor calculation program for Smart® metal and chemical anchors in concrete, which offers many features for planners and designers and ensures designs comply with the requirements of Part 4 in Eurocode 2. Resulting calculation reports are generated as a comprehensive pdf document.

www.pgb-europe.com

M anufacturer & distributor

Your partner for all fasteners and fixings!

Fasteners and Fixings. From small screws to ETA approved construction bolts. From nylon plugs to seismic tested anchors. These are the visible or invisible connections that keep building projects together. They are indispensable links.

For pgb-Europe and pgb-Polska it is our daily aim to provide our customers with quality products and a matching service. We have been an established supplier and manufacturer of fasteners and fixings for more than 60 years.

We breathe fasteners!

More information: www.pgb-international.com

Introducing the CLS-CE high performance screw

Bossong, the Italian anchoring and fixing specialist, has added the new CLS-CE high performance concrete screw to its existing CLS line, following extensive new materials and applications research.

Bossong underlines that the new screw meets the regulatory aspects of fasteners in construction, has CE Marking and meets ETA standards for cracked and non-cracked concrete, with seismic qualification in category C1 and C2 and fire resistance rating R120 (120 minutes).

The CLS-CE screw, which comes in three different head types: hex, countersunk and pan head, has a high mechanical performance and comes in a wide range of diameters, including sizes 6, 8, 10,12 and 14. It is highly versatile thanks to three different lengths for each diameter, which also means material thicknesses up to 95mm can be screwed together and the screws can be used in cracked and non-cracked concrete. The screws also allow small minimum distances between anchors and from the lower edges to be achieved. Shorter installation times are also said to be achievable due to smaller hole diameters compared with other anchorage systems. The screws, which can also be adjusted after an installation, are suited to applications such as fixing shelves, base plates, and railings, as well as anchoring other equipment, beams or metal profiles.

www.bossong.com

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New version of heavy-duty fixing

G&B Fissaggi offers products of the highest quality and certified performance, with the Italian manufacturer’s wide range including nylon, steel and chemical anchors – for the hardware, construction, industry, electrical, plumbing and heating sectors – as well as some very important heavy-duty fixings.

Anew version of a heavy-duty fixing from G&B Fissaggi is the GETO PLUS SMK ETA OPT 1, which is a self-threading anchor (anchor bolt) for structural fixings that has obtained seismic approval categories C1 and C2, as well as being R120 fire rated. The updated anchor features a new thread for quick installation and higher performance in a range of materials, including stone, cracked and non-cracked concrete, as well as solid brick. The anchor is available in diameters from 7.5mm to 16.5mm and lengths up to 160mm.

Another heavy-duty fixing from G&B Fissaggi is the SITA STEEL GBK ETA OPT 7, which includes a throughbolt, for structural applications, that has an extra long thread that helps guarantee high pull-out values. Available in longer lengths in diameters M8 to M20, it is also available in a stainless steel version (A4) from diameters M8 to M16.

G&B Fissaggi acquires MAREFIX®

G&B Fissaggi Srl also recently acquired Spanish manufacturer, and distributor of screws and fixing systems, MAREFIX S.L, whose portfolio is now part of the G&B Fissaggi catalogue. This acquisition will allow the G&B Group to offer customers an even more complete service and an even wider catalogue, combining over 40 years of expertise and experience of G&B Fissaggi with the techniques and know-how of another major manufacturing company in the fastener sector, and a specialist in screws.

The acquisition is also part of G&B Group’s growth to consolidate and develop new market opportunities, whilst maintaining the values, reliability and flexibility that distinguish its history.

MAREFIX® branded products by G&B Group are now part of a complete line of high-quality, versatile fasteners and accessories for applications on steel, aluminium, wood and plasterboard for the hardware and construction sectors. Full details and product specifications are available in G&B’s new 2023 catalogue, in the Geto-Fix Screws section.

Enrico Galeasso, CEO at G&B Fissaggi, explains: “Our goal is to continue to guarantee our customers high-level products and services with the highest quality and maximum versatility. Our competitive strength will be further consolidated by the seriousness and experience of MAREFIX®, which is seen as a reference point for the screws industry in the Spanish market. We are confident, that thanks to this new acquisition, we will also be able to satisfy every fastener and screw need, with an increasingly global approach.”

www.gebfissaggi.com

Official wholesaler for Lindapter products

Owlett-Jaton is the UK and Ireland’s leading wholesale supplier of fasteners, fixings, and associated products to the distributor and merchant trade, including products from over thirty market leading manufacturers – with it also recognised as an official wholesaler of Lindapter products.

Owlett-Jaton’s official wholesaler status for Lindapter products stems from the close working relationship of the two companies to continually deliver the highest level of service to their customers, including in-depth technical support and advice.

Lindapter’s range of high-quality products is designed to provide a solution for a multitude of structural steel applications, including steel-to-steel, structural hollow section, steel flooring, composite decking, building services, as well as lifting and rigging. Its products can be installed with standard hand tools – allowing for faster construction – and are cost-effective alternatives to on-site drilling or welding, which reduces labour costs, whilst helping to preserve steelwork integrity and protective coatings.

With a comprehensive stock range in terms of both depth and volume, supported by continuity of supply, Owlett-Jaton’s service offering includes free, next day delivery across the majority of the UK mainland, with no minimum order charges. The company also has a network of sales offices spanning the UK, supported by area sales managers and merchandising teams, ensuring customers have access to experienced staff. In addition, online ordering provides ‘round the clock’ visibility to pricing, stock availability and more.

www.owlett-jaton.com

Best practice videos for flat roof installation

EJOT UK has released two short videos with the aim of helping flat roofing installers to achieve the highest quality results when installing flat roofs using mineral wool (stone wool) and PIR insulation.

Produced as part of EJOT’s ongoing programme to support the use of mechanical fixings throughout the roofing and cladding sector, the new videos provide important tips for installers and advice on the correct fastener combinations to use when installing warm roofs. The videos were developed in conjunction with leading UK roofing contractor IPS Group, who were happy to collaborate with EJOT to create valuable resources for use in their own installer training programme.

Each of the videos follows the flat roof build-up process, starting with attaching the mineral wool or PIR insulation boards to the deck. EJOT explains the ideal tools to use, highlighting the fact that the same type of screw can be used for both timber and metal decks, as well as what diameter tubewasher is needed according to whether the membrane will be mechanically fixed or adhered.

As the videos illustrate, the number of tubewasher and fastener combinations needed, and the fixing pattern to use, are always determined by industry standard wind load calculation software – in accordance with the guidance of SPRA.

The videos go on to show what size tubewasher to use where the membrane is to

be mechanically fixed and the considerations for fixing around the parapet edges, as well as on to the parapet itself.

By sharing its knowledge and experience in this way, the EJOT team seeks to help installers make a few minor changes to the installation process – with confidence that will ultimately make a huge difference to the overall quality and lifespan of the flat roof.

Kevin Rackley, flat roofing product manager at EJOT UK, commented: “Many of the most common problems associated with warm roofs can be easily avoided by following the correct process for installing the insulation and membrane. Whether that is using an EJOT tubewasher and fastener combination or those from other suppliers, it is vitally important to follow the fixing pattern determined by the wind load calculation software, so we wanted to bring this to the industry’s attention once again.”

He continued: “SPRA has some excellent guidance on this topic on its website, so we would recommend spending some time reading this too. One of the most important things to note is to use the correct tubewasher diameter – it is usually a 50mm, but a 75mm tubewasher must be used to fix the insulation into place when adhering the membrane.”

EJOT’s range of products for flat roofing includes many different types of tubewashers, all manufactured in high grade plastic for optimised performance, along with carbon steel and stainless steel fasteners suitable for timber, metal and concrete decks.

Importantly, EJOT UK also offers ready to use tubewasher and fastener combinations to help installers save time on-site. Combinations such as the TKR carbon steel fastener plus HTK 2G 50 tubewasher come ready assembled, which means installers do not need to spend time putting them together on-site – saving a few seconds with every fastener insertion can save hours on an extensive flat roof project.

Penosil at BAU

Part of the Wolf Group, and a leading manufacturer of foams, sealants, and adhesives, Penosil was at this year’s BAU exhibition in April, where, as well as demonstrating its full range of products, it highlighted its exclusive application-based product categorisation that makes finding the right products that much easier for customers.

Each of Penosil’s nine product categories offer a complete selection of solutions for a particular job, whether for exam ple, for window installation or sanitary works. These Penosil product categories are also easily distinguishable as they are colour coded. For instance, general construction products have dark blue packaging; while window and door category products are green; decoration products are yellow; and so on – a simple and logical system that helps users effortlessly find the right products for the job.

Instead of focusing only on individual products, Penosil also offers complete solutions for such applications as window installation, ETICS façade insulation and sealing, flooring, interior decoration and sanitary works – with its products available in 2D, 3D and architectural drawings, which can be directly incorporated into any construction project.

At this year’s BAU trade fair the company also introduced its eco product range, ‘Sustainable Construction’, for the

first time, which was particularly apt with this year’s BAU focused on recycling; the sustainable use of resources; climate change challenges; affordable living; and modular construction.

With all Penosil products and tools on display at the BAU trade fair in Munich, Germany, the company also highlighted its complete range of more than 40 products for the DACH nations – having begun operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland during 2022. It also emphasised its aim this year to expand its portfolio and geographical coverage across the whole DACH region.

Penosil’s BAU presence also highlighted the company as the global product brand of the Wolf Group, one of Europe’s leading construction chemicals manufacturers. Penosil, itself, was launched in 2006 and its products are now sold in more than 60 countries and are suitable for use by construction professionals, industrial customers, as well as

New JCP technical website launched

JCP Construction Products has recently completed a large-scale development of its technical website to improve its online presence and provide customers with easy access to all of the technical information and support required for the JCP product range.

Simple to use and easy to navigate, the website features the full JCP portfolio, with clear navigation that follows the JCP catalogue – with an improved and consistent structure of product information and links to the Owlett-Jaton website for distributor purchases. It also offers direct links to download the JCP Anchor Calculation Program and Resin Calculator. The website enables visitors to search the online product catalogue by name or product code, download catalogues, access installation instructions, view installation videos, and request site tests, technical support and book training.

Designed to act as a reference point, the JCP website also provides end users with further detailed technical information for inclusion within specifications and installation instructions, when on-site. End users can also request stockist information.

Nick Beardon, general manager at JCP, explains: “Our goal with this new website was twofold. Firstly, we wanted to provide our customers, the distributors, with a site that is easy to navigate and provides the technical information required to help them support their customers. Secondly, for end users, the installers on-site, the new website will significantly improve the ability to quickly access the technical information required and request help at the click of a button. Installers can also easily download data sheets and view installation information on-site.” Featured on relevant product pages, many items are supported by detailed animation videos showing how fixings should be installed. Case studies that show products being tested to show competency are also available.

www.jcpfixings.co.uk

New ForgeFix point of sale

ForgeFix, the UK fixings and fastener specialist, has launched its new point of sale, designed to help educate customers and save time for busy counter staff.

Available in eye-catching ‘bus stop’ displays, which can be hung onto shelving and attract customers to an area, the ForgeFix point of sale graphics feature handy guides to screws, their uses, surface finishes, sizes, as well as head and thread types. One ‘bus stop’ also offers a measurement chart and imperial-to-metric conversion table.

The new point of sale is part of a wider programme of marketing support ForgeFix is launching for its merchant customers in 2023, including new training videos, packaging and a ‘good, better, best’ product range, which encompasses ForgeFix’s popular Fasteners & Fixings, Spectre and ForgeFast brands.

Rebecca Fortescue-Halliwell, head of marketing at ForgeFix, explains: “These ‘bus stop’ displays serve two purposes. Firstly, they grab the attention of the merchant customer and, secondly, they help save time when it comes to product selection and any queries the customers may have. They can also relieve pressure on counter staff, as they negate the need for customers to spend time waiting for answers on product sizes and suitability.”

ForgeFix is a fixings and fasteners distributor that supplies products predominantly to a network of independent retailers and merchants throughout the UK and Ireland.

New

stone and solid surface inserts

Fixi Group has introduced a brand new family of self-anchoring inserts for stone and solid surfaces to the market, in order to keep pace with new materials and applications.

Fixi Group has been working in the metal sheet, solid parts and plastic components industries since 1984 and has hundreds of customers in Europe and overseas.

These new inserts for stone and solid surfaces are made in stainless steel and are built as a threaded insert – with a set of spring washers, and a plastic ring, holding the components together. They are used to create threaded holes in any stones and solid surfaces such as marble, granite, sintered stones, HPL, ceramic tiles and many other materials. The self-anchoring inserts come in different lengths and thread sizes, with or without the head, to fit to several different material thicknesses and uses. Installation is said by Fixi to be very fast and easy, by simply drilling a 12mm hole into the material and then pressing the inserts in either manually or using powered tools. Fixi states that the new product’s pull-out force has been tested and is very high, making it suitable for most applications, from interior design, such as kitchen and bathroom tops, to construction for ventilated façades.

New Hydrajaws UAE distributor appointed

Hydrajaws has appointed Gulf Test Safety Consultancies as its new distributor in the UAE. With two locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the new distributor is a quality, health & safety and environmental firm with an experienced team.

Hydrajaws’ Training Manager Neil Stone recently headed up an online training programme for the new distributor’s team and gave comprehensive training on the company’s offering of pull testers for load testing fixings. This included equipment maintenance, safe use of the tester, and a detailed demonstration of the company’s Bluetooth digital report system and App.

Stephen Hynes, managing director at Hydrajaws Ltd, said: “We’re delighted to have Gulf Test Safety Consultancies as one of our official partners. The training was a great success and we’re looking forward to working with them to grow their business offering.”

Managing director of Gulf Test Safety Consultancies, Irshad Shaikh, commented: “This partnership will further enhance our value to our clients and extend our product offering. We are committed to the distribution of Hydrajaws’

products, while delivering local support and logistical services within the UAE.”

Hydrajaws states that it is committed to providing the knowledge and support to ensure its distributors benefit greatly from promoting and selling its products and ancillary services. Localised services ensure customers benefit from a quicker turnaround, reduced shipping costs, and local knowledge.

Since it was founded 35 years ago, the company has become a leading manufacturer of hydraulic pull testers for load testing anchors and fixings – supplying several large OEMs in the anchors and fixings sector with its comprehensive range of equipment, including several major construction projects –most recently Crossrail and HS2 in the UK. As well as growth in the UK market, exports have grown significantly with the business now supplying customers in over 70 countries.

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

THREADING, MACHINING + SECONDARY OPERATIONS FEATURE

Saspi delivers speed and precision

Spanish manufacturer Saspi states that its secondary operation machines are highly appreciated for their speed and precision, as well as their high technology and versatility. They also help provide customers with the opportunity to carry out various operation at the same time, whether threading, shaving, drilling, broaching or head operations.

Saspi has a range of thread rolling machines that it is constantly reengineering and updating to meet the current and future needs of customers, whilst guaranteeing the machines do not lose their renowned reliability and robustness.

Recent innovations included within the new generation of Saspi thread rolling machines includes a new cast iron body design; servo driven camless machines; user friendly set-ups with motorised rails and feeding systems –with carbide inserts for longer life and easier replacement; better ergonomics and fulfillment of CE safety standards; as well as state of the art technology implementation for patented die pressure adjustment, electronic handwheel jogging and touch screen controlled die match – adaptable to the latest process monitoring technologies.

“These machines can also be equipped with an induction heating unit in which the pieces are heated to a certain temperature,” mentions Saspi. “The machine ensures that the parts are heated to a desired temperature range, so the material does not lose properties and only suitable parts are threaded.”

Saspi points the way

Another key machine within Saspi’s portfolio is its MPA-14 automatic pointing machine, which is known for its ease of use and reliability. “The MPA-14 is a 3 in 1 machine and provides quick and easy

changeover,” reports Saspi S.A. “Its high speed and robustness is appreciated by customers in the automotive industry and its high precision and delicacy with parts is highly recognised in the aerospace sector. The machine is also fully motorised, including the centring, rails, top rail, as well as cutting depth.

The versatile MPA-14 machine can point, drill and broach parts from M2 (0.078 inches) to M14 (0.55 inches) and lengths from 4mm (0.19 inches) to 150mm (5.9 inches). A rotating device can also be added to the MPA-14 for head machining operations.

Saspi points out that one of the main features of the MPA-14 is that every part is held as close to the end as possible during the pointing, facing or drilling process, regardless of the length. This helps avoid vibrations at maximum operation and ensures precision and finishing quality of the part, as well as tool life.

The MPA-14 machines are used for pointing and facing, drilling, and broaching, and can be used for all type of materials – from different steel alloys and parts after heat treatment to materials used in the aerospace industry, such as titanium and Inconel.

The latest version of the MPA-14 is the MPA-14CL, which does not include cams. “Every single movement of the machine is easily adjustable and configurable to customers’ needs,” highlights Saspi. “It will start as a pointing, drilling or

these processes. This user friendly machine introduces a brand new technology with all the experience and features of the well know SASPI MPA secondary operation machine.”

Upgraded version of DOM-16

Another important machine within the Saspi range is its DOM-16, a reliable and easy to use secondary double operation machine, which it has recently upgraded with a completely new design. The DOM-16 can point, drill and broach parts from M2 (0.078 inches) to M16 (0.629 inches) with lengths from 4mm (0.19 inches) to 150mm (5.9 inches).

Similar to the MPA-14, on the DOM16 all parts are held as close to the point as possible. The DOM-16 machine is also a 3 in 1 machine with quick and easy changeover – thanks to its fully motorised set-up and high precision centring system, controlled by a touch screen.

“This type of machine is mainly made for the aerospace industry and highly appreciated for its speed and precision, as well as its high technology and versatility,” mentions Saspi. “The machine’s main characteristic is its ability to carry out three operations at the same time – shaving, drilling and broaching.”

www.saspi.es

DOM-16 secondary operation machine

THREADING, MACHINING + SECONDARY OPERATIONS FEATURE

Secondary operation machines for the fastener market

HS Automazioni, a SACMA Group company, is able to supply a wide range of automatic machines to run preformed parts obtained by cold forming – with the portfolio of machinery focused on those SACMA customers looking for a complete turnkey solution, from one solid and stable supplier.

Located in Ciriè. close to Turin, about 150km from SACMA’s headquarters, HS Automazioni Srl has 32 employees that design and manufacture a range of machines under the brand name HS ASPE, including tapping machines, combined machines, transfer machines and multi spindle turning machines. All components and electric equipment are also made and programmed by the HS Automazioni technicians.

Within its factory, HS Automazioni follows the industrial strategy of SACMA Group – with outstanding assembly lines, divided by product family, following a modular system concept, and serial production, to make the machines extremely precise and durable.

In-depth portfolio of machinery

The range of HS ASPE branded machines includes automatic tapping machines, based on the reversible spindle architecture, are mechanically driven by a lead screw or brushless synchronised motion systems. Internal threads, within the range M2 to M36, can also be executed with standard taps in both the technologies cutting and forming.

Modularity is at the base of the automatic tapping machines. In relation to the characteristics of the application, it’s possible to place single/double spindles –providing two autonomous working areas. Flexibility is also maximised, thanks to the possibility of working on two different parts in a completely autonomous process. Precision in operation is also achieved by means of the structural rigidity of the frame and the very fine design and engineering of the positioning/ clamping devices. Orthogonality and concentricity, as well as the other dimensional/ geometrical features, are also lifelong guaranteed. In terms of productivity, a configuration with four spindles, with an output rate up to 200 pieces/minute, represents the most complete machine architecture.

Drilling and tapping combined machines are used to execute complementary operations

in addition to the tapping. Operations like drilling, boring, facing, as well as chamfering, are performed sequentially or in overlapping – exploiting the single positioning/ clamping of the part under process. That way the output rate is strongly increased. These types of machine can be created with 2, 3 or 4 working units.

Next up, HS Automazioni has conceived its transfer machines to work on medium/big sized batches of parts, characterised by the need for high precision. At the core of the machine there is the permanent clamping system, pneumatically or hydraulically powered, which combines precision, repeatability and rigidity. The HS ASPE branded transfer machines are built on an orthodox bed, which guarantees very high rigidity joined with flexibility. This peculiarity allows the adoption of the top ranked equipment (Direct Drive Technology) and top operational performances –with a very high degree of customisation.

When it comes to its range of CNC machines for secondary operations, HS Automazioni also ensures it meets the needs of productivity and precision required by this specific market. The range includes three machine architectures: Single spindle, double spindle and multi spindle (four or six) on indexing table. The machines are gifted with leading edge equipment (Direct Drive technology coupled with Torque motors), allowing top performances coupled with high precision.

The multi spindle configuration also allows for maximum productivity, making the execution of diverse operations in overlapping modality possible, such as parts loading/ unloading –keeping the autonomy over the single spindle.

Parts sorting and feeding, which as operations are at the base of the performances, are designed and engineered to start from the drawing – optimising from the beginning the entire in-machine process. Most used solutions also include bowl vibrators, linear vibrators, motorised belts, robots, as well as pick and place units. www.hsaspe.com

HS ASPE transfer machine

HS ASPE turning machine

HS ASPE combined machine

HS ASPE tapping machine

HS ASPE will display the new tapping machine model T10-S

Come to see the demo at the Fastener Fair Global

The T10-S and T10-HC Automatic Tapping Machines are equipped with n.2 or n.4 reversible spindles mechanically driven by lead screws with an output rate up to 200 pieces/minute. Internal threads, within the range M2 to M10, can be executed using standard taps in both technologies, cutting and forming

Modularity is at the core of the machines with the double spindles which is enabling one or two autonomous working areas.

Flexibility is maximized with the possibility to work two geometrically different parts in completely independent processes with the n.4 spindle machine.

Precision in operation is achieved using a structurally rigid design of frame, along with the engineered and innovative design of the positioning/clamping devices. Orthogonality and concentricity in conjunction with other dimensional/geometrical features, are lifetime guaranteed.

Ask for more information to : info@hsautomazioni.it

THREADING, MACHINING + SECONDARY OPERATIONS FEATURE

Updated design of wheel bolt thread roller

Videx Machine Engineering is offering an updated design of its wheel bolt thread roller, which is capable of thread rolling up to 360 wheel bolts per minute.

The Videx dual spindle machine accepts headed parts directly from the header or from a vibratory feeder. It 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 – enabling faster production rates; better quality parts; and the use of simple and economical rolling dies.

“The dual spindle design means that individual adjustments require less operator skills and assure better control of the quality of each rolling operation,” points out Yair Wiesenfeld from Videx Machine Engineering. “Separate rolling operations also assure better quality of the knurl and the thread. Plus, the second operation does not slow down the machine, which leads to higher production speeds.”

Both stations are also equipped with controlled thread rolling feed-start, auto die clamping, a 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.

Videx U-bolt technology

Videx has also expanded its bent bolt line and is now offering fully automatic anchor bolt and U-bolt machines up to M27, from coil or bars, and the thread length range has been also extended to 200mm.

The machines and lines are all modular, allowing the customers maximum flexibility by adding modules such as chamfering and extrusion of the bar ends. The machines pull the wire from coil, straighten it, cut to length, thread roll one or both ends and bend to shape. Chamfering is optional on all models.

“In the new line of VAS-DBQ machines, customers will no longer have to make bending dies for each part,” explains Yair. “The new machines are supplied with a floating bending die that covers the entire range of anchor bolts and U-bolts, round or square. Change over between sizes also only takes minutes and allows the machine owners to give a very quick reply to their customers.”

Yair adds: “All the new models are equipped with process control systems that secure the machine from operators’ mistakes, prevent jams, and assure longer life of the tooling.”

THREADING, MACHINING + SECONDARY OPERATIONS FEATURE

New series of RP120 and RP220 thread rolling machines

Ingramatic is continuously working on new technology in connection to its I-Thread line, with its R&D department recently launching a new series of RP120 (W1015/TR1) and RP220 (W10/TR2) machines.

Ingramatic, a SACMA Group company, explains that these machines have been designed with the best technologies available on the market – in order to answer the most exigent users – making the RP120 and RP220 the most competitive thread rolling machines for building, construction, electronic, furniture and appliance fasteners.

Regarding the main features of the new series, Ingramatic firstly points out the bed frame, which is made of pearlitic spheroidal cast iron that has undergone thermal stabilisation before machining on SACMA’s high precision machine tools. Ingramatic has also used FEM software to develop the design –identifying and countering the stresses caused by thread rolling of heat treated parts and special profiles, such as concrete and self-tapping screws.

The company also underlines that the drive unit is powered by a high precision planetary gearbox with clutch brake. This type of drive, with epicyclical reduction gear, provides a cascade reduction ratio of the gear and favours higher torque, precision and lower consumption. In the gearbox, the clutch brake guarantees the speedy stop of the machine and the safety of the operator. Regarding the adjustments, the feeding rails and the vibratory feeder have the motorisation of the height positioning to facilitate the set-up according to the length of the parts. The slide is machined from high-quality, high strength aluminum alloy bar – according to Ingramatic specifications.

The most innovative RP120 and RP220 feature is the starter unit. The control of the introduction system is obtained by a torque motor and the motion of the introducing slide is realised by means of a linear movement on a guide with rollers. The machine

has a main encoder that controls the encoder of the torque motor, ensuring the synchronism of the two axes. The introducer stroke can also be adjusted by the operator panel or by means of the electronic handwheel – so the technician doesn’t need to make any manual adjustment with service wrenches, ensuring speed and accuracy of any changes.

The blanks are separated at the feed point by a stop system that positions the workpiece on three points before it is placed between the dies (stop plate, finger and end rail). Working in parallel with the insertion finger, the screw stop plate also stops the next blank from passing to prevent double insertion up to 600ppm on theRP120.

The machines are also designed with features that ensure rigidity and stability for running self-tapping screws with water base coolant. The engineering office at Ingramatic has designed specific protections to prevent the projection of coolant inside the machine and avoiding any contamination. When running self-tapping screws, it is necessary to divide the chips from the screws immediately after the threading operation generated by cutting the shank with the dies. For this purpose, there is a dedicated channel just after the threading area, which is installed on the linear vibratory system to convey the parts and the chips to the separator device. This channel is completely covered to avoid the projection of parts and coolant inside the machine. An additional tank equipped with a dedicated pump is installed outside the machine to recycle the excess of coolant from the channel, and the conveyor, to the tank of the machine.

Ingramatic supplies the thread rolling machine with a monobloc soundproof enclosure. The built-in safety enclosure guarantees operator’s safety and noise reduction. The doors and panels also provide easy and quick access to the work and maintenance areas. All the moving parts are protected with special covers designed with ergonomics in mind. Plus, the enclosure rests directly on the base to ensure that all the liquids circulating in the machine are contained and collected. A special design has been made for RP120 and RP220 in order to make the machine very compact and to reduce the space requirements and to permit a shorter commissioning time.

Multi-station Headers, Thread Rollers & Automatic Tapping Machines For Fasteners & High Precision Metal Components

Four companies to design and to manufacture cutting edge machineries.

Loading, Forming, Threading and Machining solutions.

Commitment to Quality, Modularity, Excellence, Reliability, Customer Centricity, Continuous Improvement, Innovation, Team Working and Employees Engagement are the core values that have been defining Sacma since 1939, world leader manufacturer of multi-station cold forming machines for high-precision metal components and fasteners. In the last 15 years we have been dedicating our efforts in extending our product portfolio through strategic acquisitions and product innovation. The result is what Sacma Group is today: an industrial ecosystem for the fastener and cold forming industry, that is able to offer cutting-edge technologies from process design through 3D simulation, multi-station cold forming equipment (SACMA), flat-die thread rollers (INGRAMATIC) all the way to dedicated CNC machines for secondary operations after forming and threading (HS-ASPE). Anything that goes in between these steps requires stable, high-efficiency loading and moving systems: for this Sacma Group supplies reliable solutions through its controlled company TECNO LIFT 1 Group, 5 interconnected Production Sites within 100Km range, 300 Employees worldwide, 5 Foreign Branches with local after sales staff (USA, China, Taiwan, Germany, Brazil), 24 Agencies, 84 years of history, 24/7 onsite and remote service: Excellence for our customers

HEADING - FORMING THREADING - ROLLING TAPPING - MACHINING LOADING - MOVING One Day In Sacma

Carlo Salvi Stories: Historical and mutual respect

In a new series of ‘Carlo Salvi Stories’ – a series of articles celebrating business collaborations, successes and shared goals – we focus on the relationship between Carlo Salvi and Turkish manufacturer ILGEN VIDA and how the partnership is based on historical and mutual respect.

ILGEN VIDA has been in the fasteners industry since 1976, through the production of screws, and can count a total of nine high-tech Carlo Salvi headers in its machinery range –a symbol of trust towards the Italian company and its ability to supply cutting edge and innovative equipment from a technological perspective.

“Providing our products and services internationally makes us very proud. ILGEN VIDA offers the perfect example of a long-lasting collaboration, over 20 years of partnership, that keeps evolving thanks to the trust the company has always placed in us,” explains Carlo Salvi. “ILGEN VIDA’s main goal has always been to significantly increase its production. We are therefore the perfect partner to provide them with innovative machines to modernise its machinery range.”

In fact, from 1982 to 2003 ILGEN VIDA moved its headquarters several times to increase its production, until establishing a 3,600m 2 factory in Silivri-Selimpaşa, near Istanbul. The Turkish company now has a team of 60 people, with a production and logistic area (also used as a warehouse) located 3km away from the main manufacturing site.

Quality above all

ILGEN VIDA’s product range is made up of parts with small diameters, starting from 2mm up to 80mm in length, such as fastening metric screws from M2 to M10 and triangular screws from M3 to M10. Plus, plastic thread screws in diameters 2.5mm to 10mm, self-tapping screws from 2.2mm to 8mm, as well as semi tubular screws, special bolts and rivets.

The Turkish manufacturer points out that some of these parts are ready for use after heading, whilst others need secondary operations to be finished – such as heat treatments and coatings.

Using the Carlo Salvi machines also means different raw materials can be formed, such as steel, stainless steel, brass,

aluminium and copper. The parts produced by ILGEN VIDA are sold around the world and are used by various recognised companies in the electric/electronics and automotive industries (Siemens, Volkswagen, Panasonic, Seger, etc).

ILGEN VIDA’s motto is ‘Quality above all’ with an aim to keep up with modern times by following the latest technology trends. According to this, the Turkish manufacturer chose to increase its annual production to up to 1.3 billion pieces. The first Carlo Salvi header, purchased in 2003, represented for the company the perfect asset in order to increase its capacity, and today the company can count on six CS 332 DL, one CS 003, and two CS 002 as part of its machinery portfolio. Through these Carlo Salvi headers a total of 400 million pieces were produced last year – 50% of ILGEN VIDA’s whole production.

It is the speed, the short changeover time, and the easy adjustments that distinguish Carlo Salvi machines, making them perfect for increasing productivity. At ILGEN VIDA the technicians benefit also from the load monitoring equipment mounted on the machines that allow problems to be detected during the heading process – stopping the machine in case of failure and preventing damages to the machine itself.

“Our decision to count on Carlo Salvi for the expansion and the improvement of our machinery range was driven by our need and desire to rely on new technologies, in order to increase our productivity and reach Industry 4.0 levels. Carlo Salvi headers help our company to constantly evolve and ensure we continue to be at the forefront of the industry, as well as always one step ahead when compared to our competitors,” states Tulay Ilgen, founder and general manager of ILGEN VIDA. “We consider Carlo Salvi the perfect partner to innovate our machinery range in order to increase our production. Carlo Salvi heading machines reflect our motto and help our company in providing excellent products.”

www.carlosalvi.com

Enhanced all-in-one machine from AMBA

Engineers at AMBA have enhanced its proven all-in-one machine – used to produce full thread screws in lengths of up to 420mm (16.5 inches) and with a diameter of 10mm (0.4 inches). The new machine has also been equipped with an improved, more efficient drive and an overload clutch for greater work safety.

All-in-one machines from AMBA – Aachener Maschinenbau GmbH form screws in a single unit. All process steps –from paying off, cutting and straightening of the wire to head forming and thread rolling to the discharge of the finished products – are performed on just one machine.

AMBA explains that the new improved machine is the first in the world to form such long and thick screws in one pass. The parts do not have to be fed, clamped, machined and removed one after the other. It achieves a throughput of up to 80 fully threaded screws per minute and thus sets a new benchmark in the industry.

Head of Sales Georg Haas explains: “Timber houses are becoming more and more popular and the new all-in-one screw machine meets this trend. In 2021, the timber construction rate exceeded 20% for the first time and the trend is still rising.”

This is certainly due to greater ecological awareness, but another reason is that a timber house is ready to ‘move in’

faster and is just as stable in value and long-lasting as a solid house if robust full thread screws are used. This means that almost any type of house can be made from wood as a building material.

“Our all-in-one machines are modular in design and offer screw manufacturers maximum flexibility,” states Georg. For example, the new machine allows the production of both fully and partially threaded screws with a high number of cycles and different lengths and thicknesses. “We configure the machines individually according to the customers’ requirements,” continues Georg. This means the new overload clutch can also be retrofitted to existing machines.

AMBA has confirmed that the first machine for the production of 420mm long full thread screws has already been delivered to a customer in Germany and further orders have already been signed or are under negotiation.

CEIA Induction Heating Systems for Fastener Industry

THE HEATING TECHNOLOGY FOR : warm forming • thread rolling • thread-locking • hardening • forging

>1,000 h

NSST without base metal corrosion

Thinking beyond stainless steel

Fulfilling current global environmental regulations such as REACH

Superior corrosion protection with powerful coating systems

Our engineered coating systems for wood screws provide topof-the-line corrosion protection for fasteners. Composed of electroplated zinc or zinc nickel and zinc flake, these coatings satisfy all of the technical requirements of wood construction and meet the industry’s stringent requirements in terms of aesthetics, chemical resistance, and friction behavior. At the same time, they promote properties such as cutting force and self-drilling.

Thanks to our more sustainable high-performance coating systems, wood screw manufacturers can now replace stainless steel as a substrate material for fasteners while lowering production costs and protecting the environment at the same time.

• Dedicated coating systems that meet the full range of industry requirements

• Highest levels of corrosion and chemical resistance

• Improved cutting force and self-drilling ability

• Reduced energy usage resulting in smaller CO2 footprint, lower chemical consumption, and less wastewater

Available now:

Process monitoring

SK5.12

Developed, to protect machines and tools with the latest hardware and software and to ensure the quality of series parts

Special as standard –via Walter GPS

With the Walter GPS App, all functions that were already offers for standard drills are now for the first time also available for special tools – with users able to generate application-specific tool solutions.

TESTING

ANALYSING TESTING METHODS FOR THE FASTENER SECTOR

Quality control for all process steps in production

At the Control trade fair in Stuttgart, Germany, Kistler showcased its wide range of solutions, including its modular inspection, test and measurement solutions for quality control throughout the production process.

Innovations on display included the mobile handheld testing devices in the 5811 family and the new cerTEST 3 test system for torque tools – along with the latest version of the KVC 821 automatic optical testing system that leverages artificial intelligence to minimise scrap.

The KVC 821 testing sysem is ideal as a quality assurance solution in many diverse sectors, ranging from punching and fastening technology to the medtech industry. The KVC 821 makes use of cutting-edge optical measurement technology to capture precise data about dimensional stability, as well as the geometric attributes and surface characteristics of the units under test. Image processing is handled by the KiVision software, while artificial intelligence is utilised to assess the parts. The image processing software, based on deep neural networks, uses anomaly detection to identify the very smallest defects on the surfaces of the tested parts – even those that were previously unknown.

From development to assembly, Kistler explains that complex industrial production processes must include rigorous and efficient quality controls if they are to meet the market’s demands for product quality and transparency. Right from the start of the process chain, therefore, manufacturers need precise measurement data so they can optimise individual process steps and minimise scrap.

Smart services for CNC machining

Thanks to a collaboration between Productive Machines and the Kistler Group, customers in the machining segment can also now benefit from a full range of performance optimisation services.

“Dynamic stiffness analysis together with force and vibration mapping are the keys to efficiently enhancing CNC machining processes and boosting productivity, in an approach based on simulations, measurements and data analysis,” states Kistler. “Production equipment such as machinery and robots must be maintained in good operating condition to ensure that manufacturing processes are productive, cost-efficient and highly sustainable. In the specific context of modern CNC machining, it is essential to apply, trace and adjust the right electrical and mechanical settings throughout a machine’s lifetime.”

That is why Kistler has announced a partnership with Productive Machines Ltd (UK) covering extended services to optimise machining processes, with a particular focus on milling applications. Productive Machines was founded by Dr Erdem Ozturk, who also led the machining dynamics team at The

University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The company supports manufacturers with dynamic analyses of CNC machining tools, as well as providing both physical and digital services to optimise NC programs.

The collaboration between Kistler and Productive Machines offers customers a range of value-added services in machine tool analysis. Methods such as dynamic stiffness mapping, cutting force simulations and feed rate scheduling will help to minimise milling force spikes and maximise tool life and performance. Chatter vibrations can also be minimised by a prediction per stability map and an according adaptation of spindle speed. Another focus of the partnership is holistic optimisation of CAM files as an aid to improving productivity and quality.

Insights into the machining process

The physical stage of the service is performed with an impulse hammer – a device containing a piezoelectric force sensor that dynamically excites the structure under test. Resulting vibrations are measured with IEPE accelerometers from Kistler, and a modal analysis then determines the dynamic behaviour of the structure (a milling machine, for example).

The partners are also offering DIGI-FORCE – a new digital service to determine key parameters of a machine set-up based on machine data. Various levels of the DIGI-FORCE service are available, and it can be combined with physical measurements to obtain a complete account of machine and tool capability and performance. The DIGI-FORCE OPT service adds the FRF file data from the machine measurement to the optimised CNC program –so chatter vibrations, tool wear and machine breakdowns can be significantly decreased or even eliminated altogether.

Researchers and production engineers who opt for these services benefit from simulated force levels as the basis for optimising their CNC machining programs – leading not only to enhanced productivity but also reduced effort for R&D and process analysis.

www.kistler.com

FASTENER TESTING

The significance of friction testing

Kaleliler has further invested in its in-house laboratory with the introduction of a new friction testing machine. Here the Turkish manufacturer explains the role of friction testing within the fastener industry and how the new machine will enable it to perform tests across its complete range of bolting sets.

Fasteners are essential components used to hold objects together – coming in different shapes and sizes and used in various applications, such as in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in construction and manufacturing.

One critical aspect of fastener design and production is the ability to resist the forces of friction, with a friction test a standard method used to evaluate the performance of fasteners in resisting frictional forces.

The friction test involves measuring the frictional force required to turn a threaded fastener when it is tightened to a specific torque. This test helps to determine the frictional characteristics of the fastener and the mating surfaces. It also helps to evaluate the performance of the lubricants used in the assembly process.

To perform the friction test, a torque measurement device is attached to the head of the fastener and a rotational force is applied to the fastener. The device records the torque required to turn the fastener, which is then used to calculate the coefficient of friction. The coefficient of friction is a ratio of the frictional force to the normal force between the fastener and the mating surface.

The friction test can be performed under dry or lubricated conditions. Dry friction tests involve tightening the fastener without any lubricant or coating, while lubricated tests involve the use of a specific lubricant or coating. The lubricant or coating can help to reduce the frictional forces and improve the fastener’s performance.

In addition to evaluating the frictional characteristics of fasteners, the friction test can also help to determine the optimal torque for a given fastener and mating surface combination. The optimal torque is the torque required to achieve the desired clamping force without exceeding the fastener’s yield strength. The yield strength is the point at which the fastener deforms permanently.

The friction test can also help to identify potential problems with the mating surfaces. For example, if the coefficient of friction is higher than expected, it could indicate that the mating surfaces are not flat or have rough spots that increase the frictional forces. Identifying these issues can help to improve the design and production processes, as well as ensure that the fasteners perform as expected.

In conclusion, the friction test is a critical method used to evaluate the performance of fasteners in resisting frictional forces. It helps to determine the frictional characteristics of the fastener, and mating surfaces, and identify potential issues with the design and production processes. By performing friction tests, engineers and manufacturers can improve the performance and reliability of their fasteners, leading to better products and safer applications.

Through its investment in a new friction testing machine Kaleliler Civata Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim

Sirketi will be able to perform tests on a whole range of bolts – from M12 to M72. The measuring capacity is from 500kN to 3,000kN and up to 30,000Nm with three full bridges of strain gauges and resolution of angle encoder of 0.1°. Kalelilier also ensures its tests are carried out to the relevant standards, with this test performed as described in EN14399-2, with three different size three-component sensors; each one able to measure clamping force, total torque and frictional torque under the bolt head –with accuracy class 0.5.

www.kaleliler.com

“….the friction test can also help to determine the optimal torque for a given fastener and mating surface combination.”

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

SYSTEM DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING THE FASTENER SECTOR

Tips to improve engagement at sales meetings

By Jason Bader, principle, The Distribution Team

Sales meetings are a natural part of all distribution organisations. Let’s face it, that is what our charter states – we sell stuff to others. At some point, as sales organisations, we need to talk about how all this selling is going. In a recent group discussion with some sales managers, we had a healthy discussion about engagement and how to make these gatherings more productive.

Salespeople, by their very nature, tend to be independent free spirits. Forcing them to stay seated for an hour or more while the management drones on about company performance and what they should be focusing on will never gel with their personalities. This is the rub. Management wants to corral them and the team would rather be doing anything else with the time allotted. So, how do we get salespeople to see value in a sales meeting? How do both sides, management and sales professional, walk away feeling that the gathering was not a colossal waste of time? Here are some ideas to start bringing both sides together.

Purpose

When associates are disgruntled with management, the most common cause is confusion about purpose. Why are we doing something? Are the goals clear? Probably not. If your meetings are stale and lack engagement, it might be a good idea to go back and revisit why you are having them. What is the focus of the meeting? Are we there for training? Is the meeting going to focus on a particular segment of the business? Are we going to focus on financial performance? Often, salespeople are pulled into these gatherings with very little information on what the ultimate goal of

the meeting will be. This needs to change. How can we expect people to engage when we don’t give them an opportunity to prepare?

Make sure to create an agenda and distribute it well ahead of the meeting. If you are going to talk about prospecting or upcoming projects, give the participants the opportunity to gather information. People don’t engage when they are uncomfortable sharing on a topic. The sales ego is a fragile thing. No one likes to look stupid in front of their peers. Some of you might be thinking, why do I need an agenda if we talk about the same things each meeting? This leads me to the next suggestion – diversity.

If your meetings are stale and lack engagement, it might be a good idea to go back and revisit why you are having them.”

Diversity

Where is it written that all sales meetings have to follow the same format? I think many of us have fallen into this trap and justify it with the word ‘consistency’. There is nothing wrong with consistency as long as it doesn’t lead us to professional laziness. One of the best suggestions that came out of my gathering of sales managers was diversify the focus of the meeting each week.

As an example, the first week of the month could focus on the financials and company performance. The second week could focus on individual wins or challenges. This is where we want the team to really engage. The third week could be a training session with a supplier rep. The fourth week could be a discussion stemming from an article or piece of media assigned by the manager. I found this suggestion fairly intriguing. One of the group members mentioned that he would look for an interesting article or abstract (short version of a business book) and distribute it to the meeting participants. During the meeting, they would discuss the piece and look for any opportunity to incorporate some new technique. A friend of mine, Paul Reilly, hosts a podcast called ‘The Q&A Sales Podcast’ where he discusses questions sent in from his listeners. I could envision the team sitting down, listening to one of his short form episodes and discussing the technique presented.

Obviously, the four different formats are just a suggestion, but what else could you try? Some companies are separated into different divisions or customer segments. Would it be beneficial to focus on one of these segments for a week? Sales managers struggle to get their people to sell the whole basket of goods available. Most salespeople become comfortable with a particular product group, or customer segment, and they rarely step outside their lane. By mixing up the focus of the meeting each time, salespeople will be exposed to areas where they might not be as comfortable.

Roles and attendees

During our group discussion, one of the members suggested that he was having trouble with team members holding back because the president of the company attended all sales meetings. I get it. The leader of this sales organisation wants to know what the sales team is doing to drive revenue. Unfortunately, it has led to very reserved conversation and a reluctance to discuss real challenges. So how do you tell the boss that their presence is having a negative effect on the meetings? Not an easy one. In this example, the president liked to talk about the numbers – revenue, margin, pricing, etc. This is how their mind functioned. Taking notes from an earlier paragraph, one group member suggested that the president attend the first meeting of the month. In this

meeting, they would focus on financials and sales performance. The president’s involvement would not be necessary in the other three meetings that month. Obviously, the sales manager would have to do a little soft selling of the idea to the president; but most president’s I have worked with have the ability to recognise the issue and see where their presence might become a barrier.

Another great way to get team members more involved is to assign leadership roles in the meeting. In other words, let others to the leading for a while. A good manager is willing to let others have the spotlight. This can be particularly effective in those meetings where you are trying to highlight a product group or customer segment. Let someone share their experience and expertise. If someone wants to take the lead on new prospects or projects, let them. The less the manager talks, the more the team engages.

These are just a few suggestions to break up the monotony of the sales meeting. Gatherings are supposed to be productive, and dare I say fun. This is a time to swap wins and losses. It can be a time to vent about customers that annoy us to no end. It is a galvanising time, but don’t let the banter get you too far off track. Sales meetings should take no longer than 55 minutes. I will leave you with a quip from one of my former mentors, Dr Rick Johnson: “If you really want to keep meetings short, take away the chairs.” Good luck and know that I am always here to help.

About the author

Jason Bader is a holistic distribution advisor who is passionate about helping business owners solve challenges, generate wealth and achieve personal goals. He can be found speaking at several industry events throughout the year, providing executive coaching services to private clients and letting his thoughts be known in an industry publication or two. Lat year, he launched his first podcast, Distribution Talk. Episodes can be found at www.distributiontalk.com and most podcast applications. He can be reached via email at jason@distributionteam.com

…how do you tell the boss that their presence is having a negative effect on the meetings?”

Predicting the fastener market

Here Peter Standring, technical secretary at Industrial Metalforming Technologies, will endeavour to identify the nature and sources of information that will help fastener manufacturers, distributors, and customers, to obtain the practical data on which sensible business decisions can be based.

It’s an amazing consideration that, out of the ‘known’ universe (literally countless numbers of galaxies each teaming with unimaginable numbers of stars and planets) the Earth appears to be the only one with life. Also, that of all present and past forms of life, humans have been the only ones that have traded goods with billions of transactions taking place daily. It is just beyond comprehension, but it happens, and it happens because, somehow, we have evolved it to be so.

In short, there are only two parties required for such transactions – the seller and the buyer. The simplest things to sell are natural resources, the value often being in their scarcity. As an alternative to natural resources, skilled and industrious people take these natural resources and turn them (often through manufacture) into a valued product.

Markets took a natural evolutionary step to bring those with something to trade together with others who wanted to buy. Step forward the middleman who, recognising both a need and a potential trade, found ways of squeezing between the seller and buyer to make life easier for them both – at a profit of course.

It was the adventurous middleman who found ways to cross territories, boundaries and seas with their search for trade. With them spread linguistics, numeracy and technology transfer. The ‘organisation’ of communities into substantial groupings led inevitably to hierarchies, governance and regulation (control of trade and taxes).

Today, the self-same system exists globally as shown in Figure One although often with digital speed, significant complexity and a demand on resources that can threaten the planet.

Big data

In the days of pen and ink, most industries were nationally based. The business model was often of merger and acquisition to achieve growth. Much like a spread of investment interests on the stock market mitigates risk, so industrial groupings were formed incorporating many diverse sectors. To aid and support these, the corporate body often formed centralised R&D, training and library facilities on which all members of the group could call. The costs of these group resources were imposed by corporate headquarters on all trading group members. The benefits to each group member; a few free hours of R&D time, group training and library research. Justification for maintaining a library was the monitoring and targeted circulation of potentially relevant information to those who registered for it. This service provided a free to use conduit for dissemination of data by those who had the expertise to obtain it.

With globalisation, many national industrial entities became international or selected parts were subsumed into existing global groupings as the digital revolution took place. Once a national group was split, shared group facilities were no longer necessary

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so, the R&D, training and library (data services) were dispensed with. The companies that moved on to become players on the international stage as part of global enterprises simply adopted the new corporate cultural norm and the support facilities they provided – 24/7. Those left behind, as perhaps part of a management buy-out, immediately felt both the freedom of independent action and the ‘chill wind’ of being alone.

It is perhaps no surprise that what once had been a fertile ground for national technical conferences, trade association membership, customer dinners, golf tournaments and the like, very quickly transformed into digital communication and much longer hours on the frontline. The rapid uptake of social media by business, as well as the development and use of the internet, has condensed all aspects of the industrial world into huge blocks of readily retrievable data and in turn, changed the world.

Online multi time zone meetings and 24/7 working have shrunk the globe to virtually ‘matter of fact’ status. Buy before a certain time and despatch the same day. All kinds of continuously monitored and recorded statistics through supply chain partner portals will show how good you are at providing reliable customer service.

The participants

Although the term ‘supply and demand’ is always used in that order, in reality it must be the ‘demand’ for something that comes first.

Assuming the ‘demand’ exists, then suppliers of goods must seek to provide them at a competitive price. For manufactured goods, the primary supplier is the manufacturer themselves.

As shown in Figure One, those who sell, must also have a source. For manufactured goods, this requires materials, labour, premises, equipment, transport, etc. In short, all the elements (direct and indirect) that are required for any modern manufacturing enterprise.

Recognised national and international industry quality standards provide the basic framework within which manufacturers must perform. These are supplemented by internally devised and applied systems that ensure both efficiency of production and monitored quality of output. It is the continuous measurement of all inputs and outputs, and their statistical analysis, that provides a manufacturer with the justification to price the products at a knowingly competitive value. To be ‘knowingly’

successful, the monitoring must be rigorously applied throughout the whole manufacturing process – including the supply chain. Since this cannot be done in isolation, manufacturers must always be seeking to benchmark their own operations – at every level including management – against their recognised major competitors. In doing this, the data obtained and applied by the manufacturer is the ‘gold standard’ by which they are judged.

The middleman in all transactions does not have the worries of the manufacturer but does have to be aware, and confident, in the competence, quality and delivery of those they buy from. This may not be of significance where the middleman (distributor) serves a general, non-specific market where quality issues rarely have any feedback. However, where quality audits and traceability are an essential factor, the necessity for this is both onerous and costly. The commercial data on which this business is based is its ‘street cred’ and once obtained, will ensure its valued place in the market.

In Figure One, the buyer section is interesting since it represents the user who could be either the person purchasing a screw or a major OEM based in automotive, aerospace, construction, etc. A member of the public may seek a small packet of fasteners from a hardware retailer, the commercial purchase could involve a wide range of products in significant volumes. These could be ordered/ reordered for Just In Time (JIT) delivery to OEMs, tier one, two, suppliers, etc, or to distributors/retailers. The importance here, is the reliability of supply to meet the actualities of demand.

The final participant in Figure One is the regulator. These are generally government appointed representatives involved with a wide range of activities including taxation, import/export, health and safety, legalities, etc. The potential influence of the regulator for both national and international trade can be positive, negative or benign for both fastener manufacturers and users.

Sources of Business Intelligence

For years, the phrase ‘It’s not what you know but who you know’ has been the mortar that has been considered as holding the business bricks together. Globally, the family, the school, the group, the obligations, all, depending on the cultures where they are found, contribute to the unseen and often unknown network of contacts. Although still in existence and well practised by those with ‘power’ (and amongst others trying to climb the slippery pole to join them), the evolution of social and business media digital platforms have significantly eroded the importance of closed networks.

Today, meritocracy is evidenced by the growing numbers of those who have embraced the digital ‘tech’ world and used it to achieve the financial escape velocity required to accelerate into the multi-million and billionaire mega sphere.

Others, who remain ‘gravitationally’ tethered and have no desire to enter the supply chain as a purveyor of goods, often employ their time trawling cyberspace to dredge up information, which they can sell. Perhaps the most well known example is that of the 24 hour newsrooms, which continuously track the outflow of digital information from whatever source and vie with each other to capture a ‘scoop’. Consultancy companies do likewise but in their case, they have targeted markets, for which they produce ‘overview reports’ using past data and

Time spent learning where to collect meaningful data… will provide any organisation with the independent information they deem necessary to ensure their company stays aware.”

prognosis to second guess the future. Naturally, information that might suggest the making, saving or loss of business are likely to encourage those at which a report is aimed to purchase a copy – they rarely come cheap. Benchmarking your company against the best of the rest is always a good seller.

However, just as in the case of 24 hour news outlets, where those who report the news are always in danger of making the news; so too in consultancy, only when the watch they have borrowed to tell the time goes wrong, do they risk anything other than obtaining one hundred percent success in their predictions.

The reason folks still publish books and texts of Nostradamus’ prophecies is not because of their accuracy, but because large numbers of people obsessively wish to know what is written in the stars. Consultants, if they are any good, have access to lots of published data on which they can base the contents of their reports. This data is often supplemented/supported by direct contact with individual selected commercial sources.

As any chef or cook will tell, it’s what goes into the mix that largely determines the quality of the outcome. Sure, cutting, heating, stirring and serving all contribute, but without the correct ingredients, it will only ever be what it is.

Time spent learning where to collect meaningful data and doing that on a methodical and cyclic basis (which can be added to and massaged as and when desired) will provide any organisation with the independent information they deem necessary to ensure their company stays aware.

At the top of the list of data might be the global concerns that could significantly influence trade. These include sanctions and embargoes, trade restrictions/tariffs, supply chain problems (plant closures, shipping/transport, industrial strikes), buy-outs, bankruptcies, etc.

At a local level, difficulties could include local authority issues with roads/deliveries, environment/levies/restrictions, trades unions, community action groups, etc. The commercially focussed reporting of consultancies and the generalisation of information gathered from membership of trade associations can never provide all the individual knowledge that an industrial company requires to at least be aware. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. So, if you don’t care that you are not aware, the probable protection you have from the vagaries of life will be what you pay – nothing. Alternatively, appointing one, or more persons to cover the ‘information’ roles at, global, regional and local levels and having them flag up any potential concerns will (a) make the company ‘aware’ of any issues that may/will affect it and (b) give justified cause to take matters further.

In addition, any viable plan requires reliable information on which it is based. The identification of specific ‘trends’ from the data collection will provide for the realistic planning of ‘what if’ circumstances.

This situation is true for the manufacturer and is the same for every player in the supply chain including the buyer/distributor. For those in a well constructed and established supply chain, the setting up of regular formal data sharing sessions will not only enhance the confidence of all those involved but also provide a forum where others along the chain could contribute their own experience in dealing with particular issues. As the global manufacturing industry continues to coalesce into fewer supply chains, the more a supply

At a manufacturing level, the greater the degree of ‘real time’ data of the production process a company holds, the greater those upstream controlling the demand will have confidence in maintaining the supply partnership. Doing this of course requires data acquisition and storage of all production/scheduling/handling information. It should be recognised that no matter how efficient a manufacturing centre may be in utilising the best tooling design, equipment, process control, and handling, a lack of awareness of problems external to the plant – both up and down stream – could ruin all the investment, planning and good practice.

Conclusion

The phrase ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’, often attributed to Mark Twain, is used to denigrate what is often an ‘inconvenient’ truth. The accurate and continuous monitoring and presentation of any and all activities, can only provide an objective assessment of what has taken place. The interpretation of what this may reveal and any decisions based on it regarding the future are –unless AI is involved – human centred.

For global information, the United Nations, World Bank, as well as a host of other global entities, all provide ‘free’ data on every aspect of life – including manufacturing supply and demand.

In the same way, regional bodies, trade groups and national bodies collect and present statistical data on imports, exports, sales, trends, etc, most of which is generally free of charge.

At a local level, municipal authorities collect their own data including electoral registers, industry and employment, amenities, etc. Bodies like the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) span the local and global by offering data to companies that seek to have global linkages between potential local level business partners.

In short, any company, large or small, can do what any major consultancy provides by spending just a few hours online finding sites where the data they are interested in can be accessed. It then requires just a little thought in identifying which information sites are most useful and then setting up a ‘regular’ data collection and monitoring system. How this is presented, reported and developed is a matter of preference. What is fundamentally important is the quality of the data obtained (accuracy and reliability) and the decisions that are made using it. In truth, it’s not that clever to tell the time but it is if you don’t need a watch!

What is fundamentally important is the quality of the data obtained (accuracy and reliability) and the decisions that are made using it.”

EasyAP automates supplier invoice processing

Using the EasyAP solution, users of K8 can benefit from software that automates supplier invoice processing. The functionality, which is pre-integrated with the business management software from Kerridge Commercial Systems (KCS), delivers significant time and efficiency savings to K8 customers.

EasyAP eliminates the need for manual invoice processing, allowing businesses to deploy the accounts payable resources elsewhere – while significantly reducing paperwork. Using EasyAP, supplier invoices are downloaded from email and all the details needed to process it within K8 are captured electronically. The system then matches the invoice to the purchase order and automatically populates the necessary fields within K8. Any corrections that need to be made can be entered manually, and artificial intelligent processes enable K8 to remember these changes for future use.

An electronic version of the information is immediately stored alongside an image of the original invoice, helping businesses cut down on the need to print, handle and file paper copies. In the event that a supplier cannot provide

a PDF, it is possible to scan in a hard copy of the invoice. EasyAP then automatically populates the fields within K8 using these details.

“We recognise that time and efficiency savings are high on the agenda for our customers – as is the need to operate sustainably. EasyAP is the functionality within K8 that will help them achieve this,” says James Mitchell, managing director UK & I at KCS. “The manual processing of supplier invoices can take several hours – especially for our larger customers – so we are excited to offer a solution that will speed up this process. We are proud that this solution is another great example of where sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand – as this product will encourage the digitisation of a traditional paper process and will reduce the administrative time and physical resources, such as paper and ink.”

What is Cloud-based inventory management?

Inventory management can be confusing at the best of times, especially when there are multiple warehouses and several different managers or teams interacting with stock. Here OGL Software covers the key benefits of Cloud-based systems; how they can help make informed decisions within inventory management; and whether Profit4, OGL’s own Cloud-based solution, can help provide a solution.

Let’s start off with the basics. What exactly is Cloud-based inventory management? Simply put, rather than managing inventory with pen and paper or a desktop application, with a Cloud-based system inventories are kept up to date via the Cloud. Data is stored online, where it can be accessed through any chosen browser. Most features can also be accessed on any device, so there is no requirement to download or install complex software.

Plus, all inventory data required from different departments is stored on the same platform. With ERP software, such as Profit4, there is also the opportunity to access ‘real time’ data for reliable stock count.

OGL believes there are also many other benefits that come with using Cloud-based systems, including:

Birds-eye view

A big problem with manual inventory management systems is that they often have information all over the place. Data about stock in a trade store might be kept in one place, whilst the inventory from different warehouses might be stored in multiple locations. One of the best features of a Cloud-based inventory management system is that everything is kept in the same place. With Profit4, stock control of multiple locations is all together, allowing for ‘at a glance’ access to inventory across all locations, both digital and physical.

‘Real time’ inventory management

Thanks to the ‘real time’ inventory management that comes with Cloud-based software like Profit4, product returns, sales, and movements between and within warehouses, are immediately notified. Sales channels are synchronised automatically, so it’s clear what’s on order, what’s been sold, and what’s nearly out of stock. Furthermore, because purchasing processes can be automated, as stock depletes, orders to replenish inventory can be automatically raised. Viewing inventory in ‘real time’ can save both time and money while ensuring customers receive their orders on time.

Security

When recording inventory management with a manual system, it’s natural to feel concerned about security. There’s the potential for important data to get lost or even destroyed permanently if it’s only kept on a physical computer. Meanwhile, if it’s backed up in the Cloud, any hardware issues will not impact valuable data. Additionally, Cloud-based inventory management has a multitude of options for security, so data will be safe at all times.

Easy access and installation

Everyone hates complex and confusing installation processes. It’s even more frustrating if load times are slow each time the application is opened. Cloud-based inventory management offers ease of access right from the beginning. As all the data is stored in the Cloud, downloading software isn’t necessary. With Profit4, the system can be accessed by multiple people via a browser, allowing easy and constant access to the inventory management system.

Reduced risk of human error

To understand how this works, consider how a manual system operates. Staff members with different roles input data into the inventory management system separately. A sales team member receives an order for a product and raises the order on the system. However, unfortunately, another team member within the warehouse has forgotten to update the system earlier in the day. That product is completely out of stock, but now it’s also on order to a customer.

Dilemmas such as this can easily be avoided with a Cloud-based system. As they synchronise data from all departments in ‘real time’, the chances of human error affecting the inventory management system are significantly reduced. When using Profit4, staff members are quickly alerted to any stockouts or orders. Human error can be reduced even further, as Cloud-based inventory management systems feature many automated processes, such as re-ordering out of stock items.

Analytics

When working with a manual inventory management system, it’s hard to see the bigger picture of the business. What’s selling well? What’s staying on the shelves as dead stock? It’s very difficult and time-consuming to gather all that data together, even more so to spot trends and patterns. That’s where Cloud-based inventory management software can help.

Using a Cloud-based system allows for access to data across multiple locations, with information on stock levels and customer sales history. This can help with decision making at all levels.

Conclusion

From keeping data secure to providing a bird’s eye view of inventory, Cloud-based inventory management systems offer countless benefits. They don’t just give a clear overview of inventory, they can help to maximise the potential of stock – and ultimately, make more sales.

Choosing the right storage solution

Equipping your warehouse with the right storage solution is a process of weighing the pros and cons, as well as finding the right provider. Here, Dexion, a member of Gonvarri Material Handling, offers manufacturers some helpful tips for choosing the best solution.

Who to source from?

When it comes to purchasing storage systems for a warehouse, it’s important as a buyer to understand where the equipment is produced. There are certain advantages in choosing a local supplier, such as reduced transportation, which results in reduced costs and more local support from the provider. Although, in some cases, local might not be the most ideal option. It depends on whether the company can accommodate the size of the project.

Knowing your quantities

By calculating the storage capacity required for your warehouse – such as how much weight it can hold; the size of the products; and knowing how much requires storing – the supplier has the chance to understand the project requirements. This also provides the opportunity to future-proof your business, as these considerations allows you to plan for the next 3 – 5 years.

Project timings

When approaching a supplier, go prepared with a plan of all the stages required for the project, from the initial set-

up to the final launch. This gives them not only a starting point, but allows them to set a realistic time frame once the order is placed.

Ideally, all projects should go according to schedule. Unfortunately, in the real world the project may experience delays for a number of reasons, like transport delays or limited stock numbers. Therefore choose a provider who is renowned for excellent communication to ensure you’re kept updated with progress.

Quality check

While everyone’s needs are different, the universal requirement is quality. It’s important to find a company that is either defined by the International Organisation of Standardisation, or meets local legislations laws regarding safety and stability – for instance European standards, which are recognised by the EN number.

It may take time to research the ideal warehouse solution provider for you and your business needs, but the overall result will be worth waiting for.

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

FASTENING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL INDUSTRIES

Protecting the seas and oceans

Here Jackie Hackett, director of global sales and marketing at APM Hexseal, explains how sealing boots can help seal marine equipment and protect sensitive internal electronics –helping to mitigate the risk of hazardous compounds leaking and spreading into the seas and oceans around the world.

Exposure to environmental substances, such as water, chemicals, dirt, and salt, can cause significant damage to electronic equipment and systems. Depending on the system and the contaminant, contact can trigger system outages or lead to complete system failure. Either of these conditions leads to unplanned downtime, increased equipment costs and loss of profits.

For many industrial electronic control systems, especially those employed in marine environments, sealing boots provide a solution to these issues and still allow the switch to function and actuate as intended. Properly protecting these vulnerable electronic and mechanical systems, ensuring their continued operation, is crucial to the safe navigation of the world’s waterways.

Sealing boots are devices that protect the internal and external components of an electronic system. They are used in a variety of marine applications, including military destroyers, commercial fishing boats and deep-sea submarines. In these extreme environments, sealing boots maintain the integrity of sensitive electronic components by sealing stuff out and protect vulnerable ecosystems by sealing stuff in.

Seal stuff out of sensitive marine electronics

Today’s marine vessels use high-tech electronic systems to plot their course; control operating equipment in various parts of the vessel; monitor and protect against external conditions such as weather and rough seas; and keep internal environments safe and comfortable for crew members and cargo. To maintain optimal performance in these systems, marine vessel and equipment manufacturers employ sealing boots to provide corrosion protection, prevent contamination, avoid overloads and short circuiting, extend equipment service life, as well as ensure long-term system security.

APM Hexseal manufactures a variety of different types of boots designed to protect various electronic components in marine systems, while still allowing the switch to actuate freely. This sealing boot offering includes circuit breaker boots, toggle boots, as well as pushbutton boots. Circuit breaker boots are available in ‘back of panel’ or ‘front of panel’ mounting styles. On both models, a continuous sealing rib wraps around the lower portion of the flange to provide a long-lasting seal. These boots are suitable for protecting electronic components from short circuiting and extending their service lives.

Also available from APM, toggle boots consist of moulded silicone placed over threaded mounting nuts. This design enables fully enclosed, single piece components that cover the switch to be produced. Available in full and half styles, APM Hexseal’s toggle boots include a sealing rib that keeps components securely

The

The approved system for bolt securing

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

attached to their mounting panels. These boots frequently find application protecting all types of toggle switches on fishing equipment and boat control panels.

Initially developed for military purposes, pushbutton boots are designed to provide push button switch protection against extreme environments, such as low or high temperatures, inclement weather, salt, dust, dirt, humidity, etc. Push button boots from APM meet MIL-DTL-5423 specifications. When used, these devices seal electronic switches and safeguard them from potentially harmful external elements that contribute to corrosion and other damages.

Applications for sealing boots

Across industry, sensitive electronic equipment requires protection against a variety of environmental factors to ensure continued operation and consistent performance. Within the marine industry, sealing boots find use in a broad range of applications including commercial and recreational boats, investigation and exploration, weather and marine, as well as military.

For more than 70 years, APM Hexseal has provided military grade sealing solutions. During World War II, APM designed and manufactured sealing fasteners to keep electrical military equipment free of environmental contaminants such as dirt, dust, water, grease and salt that could compromise operations. Designed from durable silicone material, APM sealing boots serve as a reliable and economical shield in the most hostile environments.

Like military vessels, commercial and recreational boats rely on sensitive onboard equipment. These systems similarly require protection from environmental substances, such as moisture, salt or dust – to prevent contamination and ensure their continued operation.

Seal stuff in to protect delicate ecosystems

In addition to sealing environmental substances out to protect sensitive internal electronics, sealing solutions also seal hazardous compounds in to protect vulnerable ecosystems.

From deep sea locations to inland waterways, the waters and surrounding lands used for marine activities are at risk of contamination from leaking marine and undersea vessels. Depending on the compounds or pollutants contained within, when these vessels leak, the impact on the local ecosystem can be catastrophic.

Taking preventative measures

As a whole, oil spills are one of the biggest contributors to water pollution. Although big oil spills do have significant and lasting effects on the environment, collectively, smaller oil spills –such as from refueling or bilge discharging operations – can have a greater environmental impact.

Taking preventative measures, such as installing sealing boots and other sealing solutions, helps reduce the impact of marine operations on delicate ecosystems. By sealing marine equipment, manufacturers and end users not only protect sensitive internal electronics, they also mitigate the risk of hazardous compounds leaking and spreading into the world’s waters. Implementing regular and thorough inspections of equipment and systems could prevent a potentially hazardous leak or malfunction. Sealing boots and fasteners from APM are reusable, making them a smart economic choice for items requiring frequent access or maintenance.

APM Hexseal designs and manufactures a wide range of sealing solutions to suit the unique needs of clients including circuit breaker boots, Seelbolts®, Seelnuts®, Seelskrews®, Seeloc® washers, as well as toggle, pushbutton and rocker boots.

www.apmhexseal.com

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Monitoring bolted joint preload to improve wind farm performance

Secure bolted joints are critical for the operation and safety of infrastructure, but ensuring such joints are tightened, and stay tightened, to the correct preload can be a challenging task.

As wind turbines get bigger, operating in increasingly harsh environments, or on floating platforms, bolted connections are reaching their capacity limits and are often complex to design, install and maintain. Traditional methods for monitoring preload, such as using torque wrenches, or ultrasonic measurement, can be time consuming and inaccurate.

Now, with advances in Nord-Lock Group’s SMART technologies, it’s possible to install sensors on the joint and monitor preload remotely, transmitting data via the Cloud and reading it from a smartphone or computer dashboard. Total control of preload on MP-TP flange connections can be achieved in this way.

Nord-Lock’s Superbolt LST (Load Sensing Tensioner) is based on the well known Superbolt Multi-Jackbolt Tensioner (MJT), with strain gauges installed around the lower section of the nut body to measure its expansion as preload increases, or decreases.

Companies interested in remote preload monitoring don’t need additional skill or specialist knowledge to use the products. The ‘plug and play’ systems can be used by an operator with a handheld device to read out preload during installation/ maintenance checks, then left installed to transmit data during the lifetime of the application. Using a wind turbine’s Wi-Fi, or radio networks via sim cards, preload data can be monitored from a laptop, or mobile screen, anywhere in the world.

As for how to use preload data gathered by Superbolt LST/LSF, one key advantage is that Nord-Lock Group’s SMART solutions can collect and store large amounts of data, which can be analysed to detect patterns and trends. By remote monitoring, live preload updates can be received at intervals defined by the user – as frequently as 100 times per second – which is especially useful for turbines located in remote, or difficult to reach, locations. Preload can be monitored in ‘real time’, on screen.

By using the data to understand changes in preload over time, predictive maintenance opportunities also arise where a potential failure can be identified and alerts sent to the maintenance team before it’s too late. In addition, automatic alerts/notifications can be set so if preload falls outside pre-defined ranges, maintenance teams can act to prevent damage. There’s also the opportunity for historical analysis of sea level data, wind speeds and other weather conditions, where saved preload data can be viewed to troubleshoot past maintenance incidents/discoveries. Finally, R&D can use preload data gathered by Superbolt LST/LSF, along with weather conditions, to help with planning future windfarm developments or innovating newer turbine designs.

As for where to monitor preload, there are few restrictions and Superbolt LST/LSF can be used on most bolted connections inside the turbine. They’re commonly applied to flange connections in the MP-TP connection, given the increasingly large forces to which tower bolts are subjected, as well as on blade-to-hub bolts, yaw bearings and anchor bolts.

More generally, this kind of IoT-based remote preload monitoring can be used in any industry where the use of bolted joints is critical for the operation and safety of equipment. There is huge potential for this in other power generation

industries, as well as oil and gas, construction, rail infrastructure, manufacturing and mining, to name a few.

Superbolt LST/LSF advantages

When it comes to some of the advantages of using Nord-Lock Group’s Superbolt LST/LSF, these include accuracy, for one, where torque checks tell if a bolt is loose or not. SMART solutions give accurate preload values within a range of ±5% (Superbolt LST). The solution is also secure, based on Multi-Jackbolt Tensioners (MJTs), which were originally invented by Superbolt in 1984, bolted joints can, as a result, be accurately tightened without specialised skills or heavy tooling. The company also emphasises the cost-effectiveness of using Superbolt LST and LSF, which can be spaced periodically around a critical flange connection, for example, giving a reliable, updated view on the long-term structural integrity of infrastructure. This means planning more efficient maintenance schedules can be conducted – prevention being ‘cheaper’ than cure.

The solution will also be profitable by extending the lifecycle of windfarm operations, with reliable structural monitoring. Another advantage of SMART technologies is scalability, as they can be tested by customers in partnership with expert engineers to prove the concept in their own applications, which can then be scaled up. Other advantages of Nord-Lock Group’s SMART products include being essentially ‘plug and play’, with the LST and LSF ‘at work’ continuously and dynamically, monitoring loads to avoid bolt fatigue and fracturing. Last but not least, while most monitoring and measuring methods are invasive, Superbolt LST is not, and leaves the bolted connection as it is, without destroying or altering anything.

In conclusion, using remote preload monitoring systems can expand the possibilities of structural maintenance and infrastructure design, with Nord-Lock Group’s SMART solutions today actively supporting the wind industry to improve safety; plan more efficient maintenance; and improve the overall performance of turbines. These principles and the company’s experience are applicable in industries, worldwide.

www.nord-lock.com

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Case study of fastener issues causing a rail accident

By Dr Bill Eccles, Bolt Science

A new case study has been added to Bolt Science’s distance learning course on Bolting Technology for Engineers and Designers 1 . The case study is on a major rail accident that occurred in the UK due to a problem with a joint secured with two M10 studs.

On 26 th August 2020, a freight train travelling from Milford Haven in Wales derailed near Llangennech in Carmarthenshire. The freight train comprised 25 tank wagons, each with 75 tonnes of diesel and fuel oil.

Ten of the wagons derailed spilling 446,000 litres of fuel, with three of the tanks catching fire – consuming about 116,000 litres. The remaining fuel spilled into an area of special scientific interest and a special area of conservation. Local residents were evacuated late at night by emergency services and it took 33 hours for the fire and rescue service to extinguish the fire.

The UK Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) investigation concluded that the derailment was likely to be due to the brakes being applied on one set of wheels during the journey. The sliding of the wheels on the rail caused a flat to be formed. The evidence indicates that the brakes had been applied due to a fault on a relay valve joint in which two M10 nuts had become loose, allowing air to pass and activate the brake actuators. The wagon with the brakes applied derailed when passing a set of points – decoupling itself from the train and derailing several of the wagons behind it.

When a previous service was completed on the relay valve, nuts had been re-used and washers missed off the assembly. This caused a high friction condition that resulted in the clamp force being provided falling below that needed to ensure the joint’s structural integrity. This is assuming that the nuts had been tightened correctly to the specified tightening torque. This resulted in the nuts being loose and allowing a

gap to open in the joint. This provided opportunity for one of the ‘O rings’ to migrate within the joint allowing air to pass into the brake actuator.

Originally, the brake relay valve was fitted to the mating surface of the pipe bracket by four M8 studs. A design change around 1985 reduced the number to two studs and increased the thread size to M10. This design has an inherently higher

risk. If one of the two fasteners is not tightened, or not adequately tightened, the moment loading acting on the joint would tend to rotate the joint around the remaining tightened stud. Even if fully tightened, this fastener would tend to loosen and cause the integrity of the joint to be at risk.

The line was placed back into service in March 2021, over six months after the accident and after a total of 37,500 hours of repair and environmental protection work. Some 30,000 tonnes of soil had been removed from the accident site.

Mr Simon French, the chief inspector of Rail Accidents, said that there was “a failure to appreciate” the importance of the correct fastenings in the braking system.

The Bolt Science case study focuses on the fastener related causes of the accident and what lessons can be learned and applied to both rail and other industries.

1 https://www.boltscience.com/ pages/training1.htm

The evidence indicates that the brakes had been applied due to a fault on a relay valve joint in which two M10 nuts had become loose.”

Adhesive and sealing training for manufacturers and MROs

A comprehensive range of survey and training services is being introduced by adhesives and sealant specialist, Henkel – extending its support to manufacturers and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) organisations.

The aim of the survey and training services is to help organisations reduce costs and improve quality through the use of Henkel products, including the LOCTITE® brand. With rising energy prices, raw material shortages, and fluctuating currency markets, manufacturers and MROs face significant challenges and are seeking ways to maintain and improve the performance of products and machinery, while contending with changing consumer demands, supply chain disruptions and increased competition.

This is where Henkel’s line of LOCTITE® adhesives, sealants, and equipment, can offer cost-effective solutions to improve quality and increase efficiency – helping manufacturers meet these challenges.

In addition to its product range, the company also provides detailed surveys of manufacturing plants and processes, which involves a tour of production lines and sub-assembly areas to document cost reduction opportunities, as well as potential challenges in MRO. On completion of a survey, manufacturers receive a detailed audit of their operations; recommendations for

process improvements; a report of cost saving opportunities; as well as a cost analysis. Henkel also then offers tailored seminars at manufacturers’ sites, incorporating technical guides, application information and case histories, and covering topics such as bonding, sealing, dispensing and curing equipment. Attendees are encouraged to bring parts and specific design challenges to workshops. This industry specific, application training helps manufacturers select the proper adhesives and equipment for their assembly challenges.

Gavin Jackson, applications engineering manager at Henkel, commented: “We’re dedicated to providing solutions that help our customers save costs and improve quality. We understand that manufacturers face a multitude of challenges and our team is committed to working closely with them to address their specific needs and give tailored solutions. Our LOCTITE® line of products, the surveys, and the training, are designed to assist our clients, increase efficiency, reduce waste, save time and costs and, ultimately, achieve manufacturing goals in the long run, too.”

TECHNOLOGY

Sustainable tear tape launched

tesa® has launched the tesa® 51344 paper-based tear tape –featuring a strong paper backing, combined with a high-tack adhesive – for use with cardboard and paper-based packing and shipping envelopes, boxes and other materials.

The tesa® 51344 is also highly recyclable and can be disposed of along with the paper and cardboard-based packaging materials with which it is used – making tesa® one of very few producers in the market that offers this innovation in its portfolio and providing customers in the corrugated board industry with a more sustainable product, one also suitable for use on automated production lines.

With online shopping booming and global parcel shipping volumes, according to Statista, reaching over 159 billion parcels in 2021, with a projected number of 256 billion shipping parcels in 2027, the downside of this boom are the tonnes of board and paper waste not disposed of correctly. Very often, plastic/polymerbased filling materials and adhesive tapes end up in wastepaper and must be

meticulously separated before recycling processes are possible – which is where the new tesa® 51344 comes into its own.

Frank Domann, corporate marketing director industrial markets at tesa® said the new product presents customers with a fully integrated and more sustainable solution for use with the production of packaging and cardboard shipping material. “We make tesa® 51344 without solvents and the paper used comes from controlled sources.” He added that the development of products that help promote sustainability is a strategic goal for tesa®, which also wants to support its customers and partners in achieving their own sustainability goals. “With tesa® 51344, our customers may take advantage of a more sustainable product for their manufacturing process, while at the same time we improve the

ecological balance of shipping boxes or shipping envelopes.”

The Paper Technology Foundation (PTS) classifies tesa® 51344 as ‘recyclable’. The recyclability test, according to PTS-RH 021:2012, confirming that the new tape is both recyclable and, therefore, disposable with board-based packing materials. During its development phase, tesa® 51344 also passed several application tests with different cardboard and corrugated flute types.

tesa® 51344 is now available and customer-specific materials can be tested with it at any time, on request.

Fabory launches innovation for the stainless steel market

Based on the wishes of customers, Fabory Group has developed Lubrinox fasteners, nuts, and bolts, with a high-end lubricating coating – making them especially suited for the stainless steel sector.

Fabory highlights that the innovative fasteners under the Lubrinox brand help reduce assembly time because loose lubricants are no longer needed. Lubrinox fasteners prevent the inner and outer threads of a stainless steel connection from sticking together. The quality of the connection is also guaranteed because the coating ensures durable lubrication in the threaded connection. Disassembly is just as smooth. “Gone are the awkward and dangerous situations caused by nuts and bolts that no longer come loose, break off or need to be ground through,” comments Fabory

The lubrication applied to the Lubrinox fasteners is FDA approved, which Fabory believes makes Lubrinox fasteners a perfect choice for machine manufacturers in the food industry and in industries such as steel construction, electrical engineering, the medical sector, as well as general mechanical engineering.

“Previously manufacturers would often prevent the cold welding of stainless steel bolts and nuts by using loose lubricants,” points out Fabory. “With the use of Lubrinox, manufacturers save an average of 25 seconds per bolted joint, as this extra step is no longer needed. For a medium-sized machine shop that means savings of about 1,700 working hours per year.”

Alternative to lubrication on bolts

The design and production company Geelen Counterflow from Haelen, the Netherlands, was one of the first companies to start working with Lubrinox. Due to intensive use of stainless steel fasteners, the company was looking for a cost saving

alternative to lubrication on bolts. The coating that shop floor employees previously used was a lot thicker.

Fabory’s Lubrinox fasteners do not require such a thick coating. René Derckx, technical buyer at Geelen Counterflow, explains: “A thick coating makes it more difficult to screw in screws by hand. They become very greasy. If you must use force, you slide over the hexagon with your fingers. With Lubrinox, you don’t have that.”

Juriaan van der Sluijs, senior tactical buyer at Viscon, a specialist in automating processes for the food industry, comments: “In the design of our machines, we look at where we can make processes for customers even more efficient. Timely delivery of high-quality fasteners helps tremendously with that.”

For Viscon, the biggest reason for using Lubrinox is in saving time and making efficiency gains. “Thanks to Lubrinox, we don’t have to buy lubricants and apply them manually.”

Jos Lavrijsen, product category manager at Fabory, adds: “By listening carefully to customers in specific market segments, we can make our assortment even more relevant to those specific industries. In good cooperation with specialised partners, we have developed Lubrinox.”

Lubrinox is a Fabory innovation and thus comes standard with all trusted value-added services. “We are happy to advise you on the solutions that fit your assembly and production process and ensure that you always have exactly the required quantities of fasteners. With Fabory as your partner in stock management, logistics and production, work can always go on. From now on, smoother than ever,” states the company.

Split-seam, compression limiter line expands

US-based SPIROL , a specialist in fastening, joining and assembly solutions, has expanded its CL220 compression limiter offering, by adding additional diameter and length combinations to accommodate a variety of application requirements.

The CL220 compression limiter’s split-seam, flexible diameter accommodates wide hole tolerances, with the gap designed so that the parts will not interlock in the free state. The CL220 is intended to be installed into plastic components after the moulding process –relying on spring force to provide self-retention within the hole. Once installed, the compression limiter provides a minimum clearance of 1mm around the bolt diameter to compensate for misalignment.

Produced from high carbon steel, the CL220 is finished with a protective coating of ArmorGalv®, a zinc alloy thermal diffusion coating complimented with two sealers that provides 1,000+ hours of salt spray protection for highly corrosive applications, such as automotive, marine, mining and industrial manufacturing.

Rated for use up to ISO Class 8.8 bolts, the CL220 compression limiter offers the widest range of standard diameter and length combinations to meet a variety of application needs. www.spirol.co.uk

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Environmentally sealed washers

US company SURE-BOND™ has introduced a very simplistic and cost-effective solution to solve the issue of degradation of electrical systems ,connections grounding, and bonding, due to corrosion and weathering – the Environmentally Sealed Washer.

When an electrical connection is exposed to the elements, weathering and water intrusion cause harmful corrosion in the connection. Together with galvanic corrosion, these hazards commonly break down the bonded, electrically conductive materials creating an insulation barrier between them. This causes the electrical bonding connections to fail.

With the SURE-BOND™ Environmentally Sealed Washer (ESW), part of the SURE-BOND™ electrical bonding and grounding hardware portfolio, a very simplistic and cost-effective solution has been created to solve this major problem.

“Safety and reliability are at the forefront of our mission and we recognise the importance of electrical grounding to protect against equipment damage, fire and shock hazards,” explains SURE-BOND™. “We therefore designed the ESW to provide 360 degree protection against corrosion and degradation of electrical connections. The product is embedded in an air and water-tight silicone layer and an electrical connection between two metallic surfaces requires the ESW to be present when the connections are exposed to corrosive environments.

Under the USA’s National Electrical Code (NEC) 250 Article, grounding and bonding star washers are included as a method of grounding and bonding. The NEC was created for the protection and safeguarding of industrial personnel and property from potential dangers associated with electrical installations.

Some of the key features and benefits of the ESW include being sealed to prevent contamination and corrosion, while allowing the washer to pierce and create an electrical connection to the surface. Being inside an air-tight and water-tight sealed environment, the electrical connection is ideal for outdoor use; all wire connections throughout the system are also protected. Among several further benefits, the ESW is suitable for AC and DC connections and for use in high and

low voltage applications. It reduces the chance of galvanic corrosion, due to contact between dissimilar metals, and, overall, the product improves safety and reliability, at the same time as reducing costs.

With solar energy growing exponentially, and the cost of solar continuing to fall as more homes, businesses and industries set up photovoltaic solar electrical systems, SURE-BOND™ believes there is a huge opportunity spanning many different electrical system categories, although it seems to be the solar energy business on which the company has its focus at this time. It believes it can improve the safety and long-term costs associated with solar array up-keep and maintenance, particularly through the use of its ESW.

...the ESW is suitable for AC and DC connections and for use in high and low voltage applications.”

New VOC-free, one component pedestal adhesive

UK-based Chemique Adhesives has recently developed a VOC-free (Volatile Organic Compounds), one component pedestal adhesive, Polyped 1, that has been specially formulated for bonding raised flooring pedestals to concrete subfloors.

Requiring no mixing, this moisture curing, polyurethane adhesive has been developed for pedestal installation and repair and refurbishment applications. The adhesive exhibits a thixotropic nature, which helps to ‘gap fill’ voids between substrates, whilst maintaining the integrity of the bond.

The new Polyped 1 pedestal adhesive, being VOC-free, has amassed several accreditations, including: Indoor Air Comfort Gold, EMICODE at EC1 Plus, and BREEAM International.

Stuart Francis, managing director at Chemique Adhesives & Sealants Ltd, reported: “We have been working on the development of a new pedestal adhesive that was safer for the user, whilst still focusing on quality. This new updated formula is VOC-free, meaning that the adhesive fulfils the requirement of lower emissions and contributes to a safer working indoor environment.”

Polyped 1 offers superior adhesion to galvanised and non-galvanised pedestals, as well as concrete and other materials commonly used in the raised access, flooring industry. To add to its performance, the adhesive complies with the T15 ‘pedestal strength’ test and the T42 ‘swinging bag’ test. In addition, a standard 9kg pack of Polyped 1 will bond between 200 and 300 pedestals, depending on pedestal design and quality of the subfloor.

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

‘Riveting’ extensions to JRP range

UK-based Jaton Riveting Products (JRP), the dedicated riveting brand from Owlett-Jaton, has further extended its product portfolio and introduced two new rivet ranges to support the continuous growth seen by the brand. These add to its already extensive range of quality blind rivets, rivet nuts and tooling.

The latest additions include a range of JRP retail bags. Comprising the most popular rivet lines in smaller bagged quantities, the new range is ideal for in-store merchandising and small usage requirements. The range includes seven types of open blind rivets, including dome head, dome head multigrip, large flange head and dome head JRP-lock structural rivets in a choice of materials, including aluminium, steel and stainless steel.

In addition, a range of large flange head, open blind rivets in RAL 9005 black, has been added. Available in diameters 3.2mm, 4mm and 4.8mm, large flange rivets are used in a multitude of industries, including aerospace, automotive, rail, HVAC, white goods, electronics, DIY and general engineering.

Tony Williams, sales director at Owlett-Jaton, explains: “The JRP range has proved hugely successful for customers and new lines are always well received. These latest additions follow the success of the Unifix and JCP retail ranges.”

The complete JRP range is supported by a full technical resource, with the company’s technical team on hand to offer technical advice and suggest best solutions; the technical knowledge needed to support the product range; as well as help customers support end users. The new products are available for free next day delivery, with low minimum order levels, across the majority of the UK mainland.

www.jrprivets.co.uk

LAPAFIL’s new cable tie plug

LAPAFIL, a leading manufacturer of fixing systems, has recently launched an innovative cable ties plug designed to provide faster and safer installations.

This new version of cable tie plug has been designed with an inner flange to prevent cable ties from moving during installation and preventing the cable tie from falling while the installer manipulates the tube or cable they wish to install.

“Traditional cable ties plugs are widely used in the industry due to their simplicity and ease of use. However, one of the main disadvantages of these products is that the cable tie can slide and fall during installation,” points out LAPAFIL S.A. “This can be particularly problematic when installing at height or in a difficult position.”

The new cable tie plug from LAPAFIL addresses this issue with a design that prevents the cable tie from moving during installation. This feature provides greater stability, ensuring that the installer can use both hands during installation without worrying about the cable tie falling.

The new cable tie plug is available in two diameters, 6mm and 8mm, to adapt to a wide range of installations. It is also available in three colours – black, grey and white.

“Our new cable tie plug offers several benefits compared with traditional plugs, including greater stability during installation and improved safety for the installer,” mentions LAPAFIL. “It is also compatible with a wide variety of cable ties sizes, up to 9mm width, and provides versatility in application thanks to a variety of colour options.”

Safety to the max

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Patent granted for IP Shearbolt

Integrity Products has introduced the IP Shearbolt – a new pantented innovation that is a permanent high security fastening that provides a range of benefits.

Integrity Products explains: A client in North America had an application where a bolt fixing was to be installed requiring a very narrow torque range, whilst at the same time achieving a high level of tamper resistance. At Integrity Products Ltd we were able to design and supply a special, but very competitively priced, IP Shearbolt with a shear feature to accurately meet their requirements.”

The IP Shearbolt offers maximum security as a permanent (non removable) threaded bolt fastening. The bolt hex portion of the IP Shearbolt shears off at a predetermined torque – leaving a tamper resistant dome or flat head button or countersunk head. Thanks to its unique patented construction the IP Shearbolt eliminates the possibility of corrosion at the ‘shear off’ area.

The IP Shearbolt is available in A2-70 stainless steel, together with steel, and can include zinc or hot dip

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HCL air tools launched at Fastener Fair Global

HCL Fasteners, a manufacturer and supplier of high-quality polymer and metallic hose clamps, recently showcased its portfolio at the Fastener Fair Global trade event in Stuttgart, where, amongst other things, it launched its new range of air/pneumatic tools.

With the ability to install ear hose clamps, polymer hose clamps, and other snap-fit hose clamps, such as NORMA Group’s Cobra and the Caillau Clic Clamp, the new HCL air tools offer a range of features, including options for customers and distributors to brand, or colour code, their tools to suit their individual needs. Adding logos and colour codes allows a customer’s own brand to be presented, whilst the colour code feature itself can add a lot of identification benefits to production lines and other operational environments.

In addition, the electronic versions of the air tools work with HCL’s control box, which adds further features to the tools, including digital control of air pressure and clamping time; dry-cycle detection; in-process advisory information screens; batch and unit count control; and supervisory control. These features allow customers to work more efficiently, reducing the risk of errors and increasing productivity. The new air tools have also undergone extensive reliability and durability testing.

“We understand the importance of delivering products that are built to last, so the testing process has ensured the tools meet the highest standards of quality and can withstand the demands of a busy working environment,” states HCL Fasteners. “Our new air tools are also one of the most affordable on the market, as we have worked hard to ensure customers can access the highest quality products at a competitive price – making them accessible to a wider range of users.”

With over 50 years of experience in the industry, HCL Fasteners Ltd has built a reputation for delivering innovative and reliable products to its customers, including its Ezyclamp nylon worm drive hose clamp, which has applications in the telecoms industry.

Gtreriv rivets the star attraction

Rivit was at Fastener Fair Global and displayed its fastening systems, new tools, products and services, including its star attraction, the Gtreriv rivet, which is especially suitable for the fields of construction and photovoltaic panels.

Rivit explains that Gtreriv rivets are quick and easy to fasten, thanks to the mechanism that allows the mandrel to break flush with the surface – ensuring the effectiveness of the rivet on joints with different thicknesses. The Gtreriv rivets are designed to be used even on soft, thin, flexible and fragile surfaces – with three large pressure wings ensuring the clamping force is distributed over a large part of the surface.This helps prevent damage, thereby enabling any material to be riveted safely.

Gtrerivs are also waterproof and feature good tensile strength, as well as resistance to cuts and vibrations, making them suitable for precision fastenings, due to an excellent level of grip, even on curved surfaces. The range is included in the extensive catalogue of fastening systems that Rivit Srl offers to the construction, industrial and retail sectors.

“We designed the Gtreriv rivets for the construction industry, because thanks to their waterproof characteristics – imparted by the neoprene gasket placed under the head – and corrosion resistance, due to the aluminium alloy that makes up the body and the mandrel, they are effective even in extreme weather conditions,” mentions Rivit. “Gtrerivs are particularly suitable as fastenings on the brackets that support photovoltaic solar panels on trapezoidal sheeting and sandwich panels.”

To ensure the clamping of thicknesses with different widths, Gtreriv rivets are available in different diameters, (5.2mm, 6.3mm and 7.7mm), as well as lengths, and can have a dome or large head, as necessary. To place these rivets, the company also offers tools suitable for fastening Gtreriv rivets.

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Something special from Owlett-Jaton

In addition to its large stockholding of standard products, Owlett-Jaton is also able to supply a wide range of special fasteners to customers’ specifications – including parts to drawing, in all material grades, head styles, and thread forms.

Owlett-Jaton’s specials team has many decades of experience in supplying special fasteners, covering a wide variety of applications. Working closely with customers, the team provides a fully bespoke service, ensuring that all specifications are met. The team can also provide the technical and documentary backup required to be a reliable partner in this important area of fastener supply.

The process includes managing the manufacturing process, through to fastener testing and providing the supporting certification. Short lead times and quick turnaround for urgent jobs are also part of the service, helping to reduce costs and keep downtime to a minimum.

To support the supply of special fasteners, Owlett-Jaton also provides a wide range of secondary processes, including all plating finishes and special coatings, along with thread patching and machining.

Once complete, the product is re-packaged in-house, complete with data on the label containing product code and description, quantity, barcode and batch reference. The majority of such orders are delivered complete when ready. Larger volume orders can be held at Owlett-Jaton’s warehouse facility and delivered as and when required by the customer on a ‘call off’ basis.

Special fasteners often end up in demanding applications, resulting in them potentially requiring additional certification. Owlett-Jaton can supply this additional certification, including Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and Initial Sample Inspection Reports (ISIR) documentation. Owlett-Jaton can also supply Country of Origin and full batch traceability. This is supported by its ISO 9001:2015 quality systems and ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system.

“This level of service all adds up to convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind for the customer, ensuring that their requirements are met right – first time,” states Owlett-Jaton. www.owlett-jaton.com

Lohmann launches biobased, solvent-free tape portfolio

As part of its own sustainability strategy, Lohmann is driving forward sustainable adhesive technologies with its new DuploCOLL® ECO adhesive tape portfolio, which contains newly developed, biobased adhesives.

In the latest development by Lohmann’s engineers to reduce the CO 2 footprint on several levels, the new biobased adhesives are solvent-free and feature recyclable liner systems that can be returned to the regular circular economy. The products are manufactured using Lohmann’s 100% solvent-free TwinMelt® technology, a coating process that enables adhesive tape production with low energy consumption and reduced CO 2 emissions. The energy required within the manufacturing process at the main production site in Neuwied, Germany, is also completely covered by renewable energies.

“With the ECO portfolio, we support our customers in making their individual production process even more sustainable. All whilst delivering the usual reliable performance, good initial adhesion, excellent cold-bonding properties, and good adhesive strength on high

and low energy surfaces,” says Sascha Rakhsh Bahar, head of sales projects at Lohmann GmbH & Co KG. “The tapes have high aging resistance and can be used on recycled substrates, such as cardboard or corn starch-based materials.”

For different applications in various industries, in foam and felt materials, laminating products or the production of special labels, the products of the ECO range are available as transfer tapes, double-sided scrim tapes or with special paper carriers, on jumbo or log rolls.

ais launches innovative self-checking bolt

Anstee Indication Systems (ais) has launched an innovative self-checking bolt that features robust internal sensor technology to detect and alert, via a remote monitoring system, when a crack or other failure occurs that could compromise the bolt’s integrity.

While the ais Smart Bolt is manufactured to meet specific customer size and strength specifications, from ¾ inch (20mm) diameter, its patented self-checking technology has been tested and proven in more than three years of service in other fixings.

Craig Anstee, managing director at ais, explains: “The ais Smart Bolt is suitable for all types of applications and is particularly beneficial where the condition of the bolt needs to be known and monitored for operation and safety. It is also ideal for applications that are not easily accessible for inspection or environments that are hostile and/or unstable. As well as improving safety for all stakeholders, it also improves the efficiency and productivity of maintenance operations by identifying which bolts require immediate replacement.”

STANDARD LISTED - YOU KNOW WHO’S BEST BUT CONTACT US FOR ALL THE REST...

Non-preferred Metrics ~ Intermediate Sizes

Short and Long Lengths ~ Slotted Grub Screws

A4/80 Bolts & Socket Caps ~ 6 Lobe (TX) Drive Screws

All Metal Self-Locking Nuts ~ Studding Connectors

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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.

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