Fastener + Fixing Magazine #126

In this issue‌ Together, stronger than ever Made in eastern Europe Tapes + adhesives fastenerandfixing.com ≥ Issue 126: November 2020

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Over 600 stock items BRAND QUALITY self-drilling screws

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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES Since 1955 ND Industries has specialized in the development of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies.

ND serves a global market with divisions across the continental US, Taiwan, and licensees around the world. ND’s core business revolves around the application of a wide variety of materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration dampening. ND also manufactures a line of bottled products under the Vibra-Tite® brand name for MRO and retail use.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EPOXY-LOCK® NUTS This pre-applied threadlocker consists of separated epoxy hardener and expoxy resin.

Upon fastener installation, the two materials mix and activate. When fully cured, EpoxyLock provides greater breakaway torque than conventional nylon fastener locking devices.

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

Scan QR Code for more info.

CONTACT US www.ndindustries.com www.vibra-tite.com info@ndindustries.com

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

VIBRA-TITE® PRODUCTS Vibra-Tite, the bottled product division of ND Industries, is one of the world’s market leaders in anaerobics, cyanoacrylates, epoxies, and ultraviolet technologies.

CONTENTS NEWS 10-40 Financial reports, acquisitions and trade duty news

COVER STORY 42-43

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Together, stronger than ever

INSIGHT 46-50 Haemers invests in washer production Optimas’ ‘manufacturing solutions’ strategy 100 years of passion for fastening

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

51-79

An insight into the fastener manufacturing market across eastern Europe

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EXHIBITIONS 80-82

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CONSTRUCTION 84-96 FIXINGS Bossong never gives up

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

98-120

Testing, inspection + packing feature PLUS® VLh: Best in class stability for COF SACMA upgrades warm forming product lines Furnace technology in Industry 4.0

MANAGEMENT + 122-126 SYSTEMS The hidden costs that damage profits

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

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128-140

Canute’s tidings held together Amusement park safety: Leaving nothing to chance

PRODUCTS + 142-170 TOOLS Tapes + adhesives feature

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Will Lowry, editor, Fastener + Fixing Magazine

Part of the Mack Brooks Group

Romeland House, Romeland Hill, St Albans, Herts, AL3 4ET, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 400 www.fastenerandfixing.com

Bring on 2021…

Most people within the industry will be happy to see the back of 2020, which has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult years for a lot of businesses – with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns globally making it almost impossible to plan even a couple of months ahead, never mind for 2021 and beyond.

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hilst the market conditions have been difficult, there are some companies that have been able to make the most of the situation, which is underlined by our special Made in eastern Europe feature.

Including companies from Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia, and Slovakia, there are several manufacturers that have reported increases in sales and attracting new customers during this difficult period. Others talk about how the pandemic has impacted the global supply chain and what opportunities this might bring for the future. Covering a wide variety of products and sectors, it is well worth a read.

For the Cover Story we have an exclusive interview with Italian manufacturer Colombo Special Fasteners. Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge spoke to Sales Director Pietro Colombo about how the company has been investing in a ‘verticalisation’ process to enable it to take control of its supply chain.

Within our Insight section we have an exclusive interview with Annika Grässle, assistant to the executive board at OTTO ROTH GmbH & Co KG, who focuses on how the esteemed German wholesaler meets the needs and demands of the markets. There is also an interview with Marc Strandquist, chief executive officer at Optimas Solutions, who talks about the Group’s renewed strategy for delivering ‘manufacturing solutions’.

To add to this, there is the Testing, Inspection + Packing feature within Manufacturing Technology, which looks at the role testing and inspection plays within the production process and the key machinery available. Plus, there is an excellent Tapes + Adhesives feature within Products + Tools. This includes articles from Dr Keith Berry, technical service manager at Chemique Adhesives, on the pros and cons of polyurethane adhesives; as well as a piece from Dr Detlef Heindl, head of application engineering at Panacol-Elosol GmbH, who concentrates on ‘joining with adhesives’.

There are also other articles that focus on the role of tapes and adhesives within multiple applications and installations.

Fastener Talk podcast

Whilst working hard on the magazine we have also finished the first series of Fastener Talk. However, don’t worry we will be back at the start of 2021 with a new series of interviews and podcasts focusing on key topics within the market.

Catch up on all of the first season podcasts by visiting www.fastenerandfixing.com/podcasts and make sure you subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts so that you do not miss out on Series 2.

Subscribe for free at www.fastenerandfixing.com

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Publishing Director Jamie Mitchell jamie.mitchell@fastenerandfixing.com Editor Will Lowry will.lowry@fastenerandfixing.com Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge claire.aldridge@fastenerandfixing.com Sales Manager Mac Rahman mac.rahman@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – Italy Emiliano Pagliaroli emiliano.pagliaroli@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – DACH Beata Csano beata.csano@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – Europe Chantal Ridings chantal.ridings@fastenerandfixing.com Production & Design Manager Lee Duskwick lee.duskwick@fastenerandfixing.com Find us online: @fastenerfixing FastenerandFixingMagazine fastener---fixing-magazine Fastener and Fixing Fastener + Fixing Magazine is a dedicated, trade–only publication which is circulated freely throughout the European trade.

Disclaimer The Publisher cannot be held responsible or, in any way, liable for errors or omissions, during input or printing of any material supplied or contained herein although the utmost care is taken to ensure that information contained is accurate and up to date. The Publisher also cannot be held liable for any claims made by advertisers or in contributions from individuals or companies submitted for inclusion within this publication. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Fastener Fairs Ltd. Copyright Entire contents copyright © Fastener Fairs Limited 2020.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

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NEWS COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF KEY INDUSTRY NEWS

Healthy growth and strong increase in profit for Bufab During the third quarter of 2020, Bufab Group delivered its best ever net profit for a single quarter, as well as a strong cash flow. Results were also the best ever for the first nine months of the year.

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rder intake for the third quarter of 2020 was SEK 1.219 billion (€119.2 million) a 17% increase on the same quarter in 2019 (SEK 1.042 billion). Net sales for Q3 also increased by 13% to SEK 1.181 billion (Q3 2019: SEK 1.044 billion).

Jörgen Rosengren, president and CEO at Bufab Group, commented: “This is a sign of strength, given the coronavirus pandemic, which continues unabated in most of the countries where Bufab operates.

The strong earnings increase in spite of this is partly due to good contributions from our two most recent acquisitions, but there are also three other important reasons. First of all, we gained early knowledge of the coronavirus pandemic and how to handle it from our subsidiaries in Asia. When the pandemic subsequently arrived in Europe and North America, we were able to act rapidly, flexibly and decisively to protect our employees, our customers and our business.

This was key to maintaining stable deliveries with good quality to our thousands of customers worldwide.”

“Secondly, we had already initiated a comprehensive efficiency and savings programme during the autumn of 2019. We were therefore able to rapidly expand it to SEK 100 million on a full year basis, with full effect from January 2021. The programme is progressing according to plan and will achieve its targets with comparatively low restructuring costs.”

“The third and most important reason is that Bufab, as a trading company, has a flexible and agile business model, which has been an important asset throughout 2020. In practical terms, this was apparent when our 43 subsidiaries, in a very short time, initiated and implemented the measures necessary to adapt to the development.”

Jörgen continues: “During the third quarter, we noted a gradual recovery in demand in all segments. Towards the end of the quarter

sales were in-line with 2019. Combined with an improved gross margin and sharply reduced costs, the recovery led to a strong increase in operating profit and operating margin.”

“The cost level deserves special mention. The savings programme of SEK 100 million generated very good results during the quarter.

The organisation succeeded in delivering sales in-line with last year despite an 8% reduction in the number of employees (adjusted for acquisitions). This was due to systematic work on efficiency and investments in digitalisation – a part of our leadership strategy which we have accelerated during the year. Moreover, all business units displayed highly effective cost control. This resulted in major cost savings during the quarter, despite the fact that we almost completely abstained from government subsidies during the quarter.”

Bufab’s acquisition strategy has also been a strong asset during the year with strong earnings contributions by its most recent acquisitions – HT BENDIX and American Bolt & Screw. “The current market creates many business opportunities for strong companies with investment capacity. Bufab has this capacity and sees many opportunities in all markets. We are continuing to work with promising acquisition candidates.”

Jörgen concludes: “The coronavirus pandemic is a unique event.

We have to accept that it brings uncertainty and new risks. We are carefully monitoring the development and we always prioritise health and safety. However, we also want to offer our customers, employees, and owners, stability and security moving forward. Our lower cost base, stable margin, and strong cash flow, generate flexibility and strength. In this way, we stand well equipped for various potential market scenarios.”

Impact of Covid-19 less negative than feared After a significant slowdown in business due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Hilti Group has reported that initial signs of recovery are emerging. Whilst total sales for the January to August 2020 period decreased by 12.3% to CHF 3.426 billion (€3.19 billion), and by 7.3% in local currencies, compared to the previous year – Hilti reports that figures have been recovering since June. hristoph Loos, CEO of Hilti Group, comments: “Following the unprecedented slump in our business during the spring lockdown, our figures have gradually recovered since June. We are therefore weathering the crisis better than originally feared, albeit with very large regional differences.

This makes us cautiously optimistic, even though the crisis is by no means over and uncertainty remains high.”

While the year got off to a good start, business in north Asia slumped sharply in February and from mid-March onwards there was a clear downward trend in all markets. After the low point in the second quarter, a gradual recovery set in. From January to August, total sales fell by 12.3% to CHF 3.426 billion. Net income fell by 13.9% year-on-year to CHF 314 million. The result is also burdened by the strong appreciation of the Swiss franc. The negative currency effect, for the period from January to August, amounts to about 5% points in terms of sales.

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Regional business development dependent on lockdown Regional sales developments were directly related to the intensity of the lockdown in those regions. While the construction industry in the Mediterranean region or in some Asian markets, such as India and Singapore, were confronted with massive restrictions, sales in north Asia, North America, and the rest of Europe, fell less abruptly as construction activity in these regions saw no interruption.

Over the entire year, Hilti Group expects a decline in sales of approximately 5% in local currencies and 10% in Swiss francs.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

QUALITY SINCE

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classic • system • automotive

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T H E

G L O B A L

P A R T N E R

F O R

D I S T R I B U T O R S

NEWS - INDUSTRY

Bulten reports strong order bookings Bulten AB confirmed strong order bookings and increased market shares, thanks to new contracts, for Q3 2020 after the quarter began cautiously following the Covid-19 pandemic.

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perating earnings during the quarter rose to SEK 40 million (€3.9 million) and primarily reflect the higher sales and production volumes. All employees on reduced working hours or furlough due to the pandemic have been back on full hours since 1 st October.

During the quarter, Bulten’s net sales increased by 18.8% to SEK 853 million on the same period in 2019 and order bookings by as much as 70.2% to SEK 1.322 billion. Anders Nyström, president and CEO at Bulten, commented: “The higher sales and dramatic increase in orders indicate that the automotive market is in recovery and we continue to win market shares as satisfied customers entrust us with new contracts.”

“We are very pleased about the new full service contract (FSP) that we signed and communicated in July with an annual order value of approximately €60 million at full pace. The contract is a takeover of an FSP solution from a competitor for two assembly plants with an existing customer, which meant that deliveries begin immediately at the prevailing pace. Thanks to the new business, combined with the strong development of our strategic acquisition of PSM, we are now performing better than the market, which has been and remains our ambition.”

Anders continues: “It is difficult to predict market developments for the rest of 2020, due to Covid-19 and macroeconomic factors that could affect our customers’ production. As we have done previously this year, we will continue to adapt our operation to changes in the wider world.”

Changes in Bulten’s group management

Earlier this year, Bulten acquired the global fastener supplier PSM International (PSM). In connection with the start of the

integration work, PSM’s CEO Marco Suzuki has chosen to leave his position. Bulten’s President and CEO Anders Nyström will take over the management of PSM until a new management structure is in place.

“Marco Suzuki has, since taking over as CEO of PSM in 2018, in an excellent way led PSM to the profitable company it is today. We thank Marco for his efforts and begin the next phase in PSM’s strategic development in the Bulten Group,” commented Anders.

As an important part of Bulten’s enhanced focus on technical leadership, a new position has also been established in the group’s executive management team. As senior vice-president technology and innovation, Bulten has recruited Emmy Pavlovic, who will join Bulten in December.

“We operate in a product focused business and the requirements from the automotive industry, as well as other customer segments are changing. For Bulten, this is an opportunity that we are determined to capture. We are serious about being the leader in sustainable fastening solutions with superior functionality and I am very happy that Emmy will join Bulten since she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in this field,” adds Anders.

Emmy Pavlovic most recently comes from a position as technical account manager at Arcam AB and also has 11 years of experience from leading technical positions at the fastener supplier Nedschroef in the Netherlands, China and Sweden. Emmy holds a MSc in Engineering Physics from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and a PhD in Materials Science from Delft University in the Netherlands.

Bossard shows considerable improvement in Q3 After the marked decline in sales in the second quarter of 2020, driven by global government Covid-19 measures and their impact, Bossard Group has reported that the third quarter showed some recovery – achieving sales of CHF 200.6 million (prior year: CHF 218.5 million). ossard underlines that whereas sales had dropped by 17.5% in the second quarter, they fell by only 8.2% in the third quarter (-5.6% in local currency). For the first nine months of 2020, the Group posted sales of CHF 600 million (prior year: CHF 669.4 million), a decrease of 10.4% (-6.5% in local currency). Notwithstanding the strong Swiss franc, the Group stated the third quarter results give reason for cautious optimism.

In Europe, Bossard posted a third quarter drop in sales of 10.7% to CHF 113.5 million compared to the same period last year (-8.9% in local currency). After the difficult second quarter and the 18.5% drop in sales, the economic environment brightened somewhat. However, conditions remain challenging because the lockdown and its consequences affected European countries with differing degrees of severity.

Sales in America totalled CHF 51 million in the third quarter (prior year: CHF 53.8 million). Compared to the 22.6% drop in sales in the second quarter, the third quarter decline was just 5.2% (-1.7% in local currency). Thus, Bossard Group recorded a visible stabilisation in America.

Approximately two thirds of its sales in Asia is generated in China and India. Although both countries were severely affected by the lockdown in the first half of the year, Asia posted sales of CHF 36.1 million in the third quarter of 2020, a slightly positive growth of 0.3% in local currency. Due to the negative currency effect sales in Swiss francs declined by 4%.

In spite of the difficult market environment, Bossard Group continues consistently to pursue its strategic direction. “We are well positioned and we have an excellent team, and a solid balance sheet, with a high equity ratio and the necessary liquidity to take advantage of new opportunities on the market and to invest in forward-looking projects,” states CEO Daniel Bossard. This includes digitalisation projects as well as expanding office and warehouse capacities in Wuqing, China and Strasbourg, France. The move from Beijing to Wuqing took place in August 2020, an investment that enables Bossard Group to achieve further growth in the northern region of China.

As long as the Covid-19 pandemic does not lead to further significant restrictions in the sales markets of the Bossard Group, Daniel Bossard anticipates sales between CHF 780 million and CHF 800 million for the financial year 2020. “We are now seeing a slight recovery in our markets, even though some uncertainty remains as to how they will respond to the resurgence in the number of Covid-19 infections,” adds Daniel.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

NORMA Group’s business rebounds strongly in difficult environment NORMA Group has published its financial results for the third quarter of 2020, with figures showing a noticeable recovery of the business compared to the previous quarter. Rising demand in the market, as well as strict cost control and decisive liquidity management within the company, have made a positive impact.

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ORMA Group posted Group sales of €245.9 million in the third quarter of 2020, a 10.2% decline compared to the same period of the previous year (Q3 2019: €274 million) due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Organic sales were down 7.5%. Currency effects also had a negative impact on sales of 2.7%.

“We performed quite well in the third quarter, considering the difficult environment,” said Dr Michael Schneider, CEO of NORMA Group. “Our customers’ needs for joining technology has increased noticeably and we managed to make the best possible use of the clear signs of recovery in the global economy. We continued to consistently pursue our cost control and liquidity management measures.

Our continued goal is to position the company for the future in an environment that continues to be characterised by uncertainty.”

At €40.6 million, net operating cash flow in the third quarter of 2020 was €3.2 million higher than in the same period of the previous year (Q3 2019: €37.4 million). NORMA Group continues to pursue various measures to ensure maximum financing flexibility and maintain its strong liquidity. Also in the third quarter, these measures included making personnel costs more flexible by reducing overtime, using short-time working, prioritising investments and maintaining a sustainably solid financing base with a high equity ratio of 40.9%.

Regained strength in all three regions

In the EMEA region, sales in the third quarter of 2020 were down significantly, by 12.6%, to €102.9 million compared to the same period of the previous year (Q3 2019: €117.7 million). Nevertheless, the slump in the first half of the year was followed by positive momentum. The gradual recovery of the automotive sector, and general industry, led to a noticeable increase in demand for joining products compared to the second quarter.

In the Americas region, business with joining solutions for use in water management, in particular, continued to develop positively.

After what was already a good second quarter of 2020, NORMA Group again achieved significant organic sales growth of 10.6% in the US water business in the third quarter compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Overall, sales in the Americas region totalled €101.3 million in the third quarter. This represents a decline of 11.8% compared to the same quarter of the previous year (Q3 2019: €114.9 million).

The Asia-Pacific region showed the strongest improvement in the third quarter. Sales amounted to €41.7 million and were thus slightly above the level of the same quarter of last year (Q3 2019: €41.4 million).

Business with advanced joining technology for the automotive sector recorded organic growth of 11.5% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2020. This is mainly due to a significant rise in demand in the Chinese automotive industry.

Stanley Black & Decker reports organic growth in Tools & Storage Stanley Black & Decker has reported third quarter group revenue of US$3.9 billion (€3.3 billion), an increase of 6% on the previous year – led by an 11% organic growth in its Tools & Storage division. ames M. Loree, president and CEO at Stanley Black & Decker, commented: “The third quarter was one of the most remarkable and memorable quarters in my 20+ years with the company. In the third quarter we successfully pivoted to organic growth, capturing the strong demand trends in Tools & Storage while leveraging our swift and effective cost actions to deliver record operating margins and earnings per share, as well as impressive free cash flow. The agility of our team and its ability to navigate, collaborate and shift key areas of focus during this period was truly a differentiator for us, and I want to thank our 54,000 employees around the globe for their efforts.”

James continues: “Our critical priorities to guide our decision making since the onset of the pandemic remain unchanged: Ensure the health and safety of our employees and supply chain partners; maintaining business continuity and financial strength and stability; serve our customers as they provide essential products and services to the world; and finally doing our part to mitigate the impact of the virus across the globe. It’s critical for us to sustain this focus, which has helped us ensure strong financial performance during this challenging period, as we continue to face uncertainty associated with Covid-19. In that regard, we will retain discipline on costs and the cost savings programmes put in place earlier this year, while we simultaneously making investments in key growth areas associated with society’s nesting and reconnecting with the home and outdoors, eCommerce and health and safety.”

Organic revenues across all regions were positive, benefitting from consumers reconnecting with the home and positive eCommerce trends that have emerged during the pandemic, including North America (+11%), Europe (+12%) and emerging markets (+11%). This strong growth occurred even as certain shipments planned for September shifted into October. North America organic growth was driven by strong DIY and professional demand in retail and eCommerce channels, which was partially offset by declines in industrial focused customers. Exceptionally strong point of sale demand in US retail continued through the end of the third quarter as the Group observed only modest improvement in retailer inventory levels. Europe benefitted from similar trends. Emerging markets enjoyed a Latin America-led recovery that began in August.

Industrial net sales on the other hand declined 7% versus the third quarter in 2019 as the CAM acquisition (+10%) and currency (+1%) was offset by volume (-18%). Gradual market recoveries continued across many of the businesses with automotive end markets showing the largest sequential improvement. Engineered Fastening organic revenues were down 14% due to lower global automotive light vehicle and general industrial production. Infrastructure organic revenues were down 25% from lower volumes in Attachment Tools and a sharp reduction in oil & gas pipeline construction.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

CONDAT acquires KEMNO CONDAT SA and KEMNO have reached the closing date of an agreement giving CONDAT possession of the Italian-based company.

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stablished in 1854 and headquartered in France (near Lyon), CONDAT formulates and produces a wide range of lubricants. Its mission is to create sustainable added value for its industrial customers and partners throughout their manufacturing process. As a multi-specialist, the group has earned worldwide recognition thanks to high performance lubricants dedicated to a wide range of applications – such as wire drawing, tunnel boring, forging, glass, machining, heat treatment and industrial maintenance.

KEMNO sas di Novati Davide & C, like CONDAT, is a family-owned company.

Created in 2004 the Italian firm is specialised in the production of neat and soluble coolants. Mainly active in the cold heading business, KEMNO also offers metal working fluids, maintenance oils and greases, as well as quenching oils.

This acquisition shows bright promise and is based on solid common values between the two companies, including customer satisfaction, performance and innovation. KEMNO will benefit from the acquisition as it will be able to expand whilst supported by an international and stable group. CONDAT Group will be able to strengthen its diversification strategy in Italy, particularly in the fastener and machining industry.

As proof of its commitment in this new deal, CONDAT has decided to formalise this venture with the creation of a 100% subsidiary, named CONDAT Italia. The company will be committed to guaranteeing continuity and optimum quality of service locally. With both ranges being complementary, Italian customers will therefore benefit from the largest choice of lubricants dedicated to their specific needs, whatever the field of application. They will also rely on strong services with a high-tech laboratory.

Keller & Kalmbach Group expands its European footprint Keller & Kalmbach Holding & Co KG has announced its intention to acquire the trading business of Fameco Holding AB as of November 2020 from its current private shareholders. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. ameco is based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and has over the years established strong commercial relationships with several important Swedish manufacturers. It has long-standing experience in delivering small parts (screws, bolts, washers, critical fasteners, etc) to demanding blue-chip customers primarily within the Swedish industry. Sales reached €18 million per annum in 2019.

Keller & Kalmbach, based in Munich, Germany, is well known as one of Europe’s premier full service fasteners providers and will be able to enhance Fameco’s offering with state of the art logistics, C-part management systems and application engineering expertise.

This acquisition will improve Keller & Kalmbach’s ability to grow the business in Scandinavia and further extend its European footprint. Dr Seidl, CEO and proprietor of Keller & Kalmbach, noted: “We are excited with the quality and dynamism of the Fameco team that will be joining the Keller & Kalmbach family.”

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LISI Group sees signs of improvement for Q3 LISI Group achieved consolidated sales of €923 million in the first nine months of 2020, with an uptick in sales between Q2 (-45.9%) and Q3 (-30.4%) driven by the automotive division.

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hird quarter consolidated sales were €286.7 million, down 30.4% on the same quarter in 2019, but up 20% quarter-on-quarter. On a like for like and CER basis, LISI Aerospace’s Q3 sales were down by 39.6% at €137.5 million compared to the same period of the previous year. This decline is amplified by the deconsolidation of Indraero Siren and LISI AEROSPACE Creuzet Maroc, which represented a decrease in sales of €28.7 million.

The ‘Fasteners’ segment of LISI Aerospace, which had enjoyed good momentum before the Covid-19 pandemic, posted a -34.7% sales decline in Q3 compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year. In North America, markets outside commercial aviation (business, military, and helicopters) could not offset the collapse in demand for commercial aviation.

At €121 million, the quarterly sales of the LISI AUTOMOTIVE division recovered to -14.3% compared to the same period of the previous year, after the -60.1% drop recorded in Q2. In the first nine months of the year, they were -29.1%, compared to a decline in global production of 27.9% over the period under review.

The high value-added ‘Safety Mechanical Components’ and ‘Clipped Solutions’ segments of LISI Automotive are the most resilient in the Covid-19 crisis. They are supported by the gradual ramp-up of new products intended for electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, whose market share has more than doubled in one year in Europe (7.5% in Q2 2019: 16.8% in Q2 2020).

At €28.4 million LISI MEDICAL sales were down 21.5% compared to the same period in 2019 – a positive effect compared to the 32.2% decline observed in Q2. On a like for like and CER basis the Q3 sales were down 17.9% and 18.8% for the first nine months of the year.

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

Howmet Aerospace Q3 revenue down 37%

In its third quarter 2020 results Howmet Aerospace has reported revenue of US$1.13 billion (€953 million), down 37% year-on-year due to disruptions in the commercial aerospace and commercial transportation markets. This has primarily been driven by Covid-19 and 737 MAX production declines – somewhat offset by growth in the defence aerospace and industrial gas turbine markets.

H

owmet Aerospace reported income from continuing operations of US$36 million in the third quarter of 2020 versus US$58 million in the third quarter of 2019.

Third quarter 2020 operating income was US$73 million versus US$256 million in the third quarter of 2019.

The Fastening Systems division reported revenue of US$271 million, a decrease of 31% year-on-year due to declines in the commercial aerospace and commercial transportation markets.

Segment operating profit was US$33 million, down 68% year-on-year, driven by volume declines, unfavourable product mix, and delayed cost actions in Europe; partially offset by other variable and fixed cost reductions and favourable product pricing. Segment operating profit margin decreased approximately 1,390 basis points year over year to 12.2%.

John Plant, executive chairman and co-chief executive officer at Howmet Aerospace, commented: “As expected, Howmet Aerospace

New BUMAX managing director Lars Holm is the new managing director of BUMAX Sweden AB, having been appointed to the role in October. With a strong background from the logistics, manufacturing, adhesive and tooling industries, he will focus on increasing global sales of BUMAX’s top quality fasteners. n addition to appointing Lars Holm to managing director, Lennart Löfgren has been promoted to a new position as COO. As such, he will oversee the company’s operations at its factory in Åshammar in the heart of Sweden’s steel district, while Lars Holm will focus on the international market.

“BUMAX can help customers in a variety of industries overcome their fastener problems with superior solutions and by rethinking customer needs,” commented Lars Holm. “BUMAX has huge marketing potential to more proactively target customers with our unique products, and customer success stories, and that is my objective going forward.”

He added: “We are extremely well positioned as the ‘world’s strongest’ bolt, with a great range of products, and I like the fact that we are a solutionist. BUMAX products can add significant customer value compared with standard fasteners by overcoming customer problems and reducing lifecycle costs. Being part of the Bufab Group, Bufab is the mother company of BUMAX, is another competitive advantage as we can find synergies by working together with our sister companies and by thinking broader.”

BUMAX’s previous managing director, Patrik Lundström Törnquist, takes up a position as managing director of Bufab Norge AS, Bufab’s Norwegian subsidiary.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

faced significant headwinds in the third quarter of 2020 from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, reflected in our commercial aerospace revenues being down 56% year-on-year. Nevertheless, third quarter 2020 results were in-line with our expectations and included strong cash generation. We continue to focus on price increases, variable cost flexing, structural cost reduction, and capex reduction, to drive free cash flow.”

John continued: “We expect that third quarter 2020 revenue and earnings will represent the low point for the year as commercial transportation and industrial gas turbine markets continue to recover, and we see fourth quarter 2020 adjusted EBITDA margins returning to the 20% to 21% range. In fact, we have improved our full year 2020 outlook, strengthening sales, increasing adjusted EBITDA, and lifting adjusted earnings per share. Howmet Aerospace remains focused on the trajectory of margins as we move into 2021.”

Brian Deluce retires after over 40 years in the industry After nearly two decades with specialist fixing supplier JCP Construction Products Ltd, Technical Manager Brian Deluce is retiring.

A

lthough he has been with JCP for 19 years, Brian has actually been in the industry for over 40 years.

Brian joined JCP from Ramset Fasteners, just six months after the company’s launch in 2001.

Responsible for all technical aspects, Brian has developed and implemented a comprehensive technical library, which is used by many specifiers of JCP fixings. Responsible for achieving European Technical Assessments (ETAs) on products, Brian has also carried out thousands of on-site tests for customers.

He has seen JCP grow to the multi-million-pound division of Owlett-Jaton that it is today and has been instrumental in developing the technical approach and service provided.

Reza Jafari succeeds Brian and has been with JCP since 2017. Employed as assistant technical manager, Brian took Reza under his wing to show him the ropes. In 2019 Reza was promoted to technical manager when Brian reduced his days to consider his retirement plans.

A keen diver, Brian plans on spending his days on his boat enjoying the good old British weather. Everybody at JCP and Owlett-Jaton wishes him a happy and well deserved retirement.

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

GESIPA® celebrates th its 65 anniversary In 1955 a small company named ‘GESellschaft für Internationale PAtentverwertung’ was founded. Shortly afterwards a patent application was filed for the ‘process of producing breakstem blind rivet joints’ and a ‘hand tool for setting blind rivets’.

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his was the beginning of GESIPA®, with the company’s first participation at the Hanover trade fair coming at the end of the 1950s, where it made a lasting impression on many customers, from various industries, with its blind riveting technology.

Family-owned until the end of 2008, GESIPA has now been a member of the internationally operating SFS Group for more than ten years and has established itself as one of the leading suppliers in the sector of blind riveting technology. From the first battery powered blind rivet setting tool to efficient, automatic processing, with setting process monitoring, GESIPA blind riveting technology has been meeting the highest demands in industry and trade for 65 years.

Despite some challenges, its targeted investments in worldwide locations, market orientation, flexibility, and concentration on local core competences, have made GESIPA a strong company in the past few decades.

“It was, and is, mainly the people, affectionately called ‘Gesipaner’, who create the trust and reliability associated with Gesipa – with their enthusiasm, experience, competence and honesty,” comments GESIPA. “They translate slogans into values that today, especially in these difficult times, are more important than ever and thus shape the cooperation with customers and partners.

We have made it our business to constantly improve our products, to develop new ideas the markets of tomorrow need and that will continue to impress our customers.”

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NEWS - INDUSTRY

New super efficient production facility in Latvia In Latvia, Lesjöfors has launched a new manufacturing plant, which is already in full swing and exceeding the company’s expectations. The well planned, highly sustainable facility is optimised not only for a streamlined production, but also for a healthy work environment.

L

esjöfors AB is the largest spring manufacturing company in the Baltics and the new factory of 11,300m 2 in Liepāja combines all Lesjöfors’ manufacturing of springs, gas springs and pressings in Latvia.

Previously there were six different manufacturing buildings in two locations, but the new location concentrates this all into one location. To have all manufacturing under one roof brings many advantages. “The manufacturing rooms are all carefully designed to meet the diverse needs that different spring type production requires. During the relocation process, the management’s focus was to keep only the latest machinery on the market to assure high-quality products. The project team also worked hard to streamline process flows as well as material logistics,” explains Ingars Jaunzems, managing director of Lesjöfors Springs LV.

Smooth building process

The building process went beyond all expectations, with the contractors handing over the keys six months before schedule.

The relocation process, from several different addresses into the new premises, was also surprisingly smooth. “Some of the most

important and busy machines were turned off for only two hours before they were back in business in the new factory,” says Ingars.

“Our turnover or delivery precision were not affected at all by the moving process and there was no need for employee downtime planning either. Everyone involved made extraordinary efforts to make this happen.”

Sustainability in focus

In the planning process of the new building, the project team had Lesjöfors’ sustainability goals in focus at all times. Every detail in the factory was important to increase productivity, save energy and reduce transportation. There are also coordination benefits to having an integrated manufacturing unit, which also add to the sustainability objectives.

“Our new, updated machinery that replaced the old machines is also an important step for us to be not only more productive but also more environmental friendly. We are very happy that Lesjöfors’ management team understands the great potential here and believe in us. The Latvian team is now more than ready to take on new business and advanced spring projects,” concludes Ingars.

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NEWS - NORTH AMERICA

by John Wolz, editor, GlobalFastenerNews.com

US tariffs on Chinese fasteners ruled illegal The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on more than US$400 billion in Chinese goods, including fasteners, violated international trade regulations.

I

n 2018, the Trump administration placed 10% tariffs on bolts, screws and other fasteners (HTS subheadings 7318.11.00 to 7318.29.00) manufactured in China and on all Chinese iron and steel nuts (HTS subheading 7318.16.00). Those tariffs were hiked to 25% and 15% respectively, the following year.

The tariffs were issued under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the White House to fight foreign trade policy it deems “unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restricts United States commerce”.

However, a panel of three WTO adjudicators ruled “the US was unable to prove its tariffs on Chinese products were necessary to level the global trade playing field”, according to The Hill. While the WTO can’t force the USA to rescind the tariffs, the panel concluded the Trump administration “has not met its burden of demonstrating that the measures are provisionally justified”.

The Trump administration criticized the ruling. “The United States must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices, and the Trump administration will not let China use the WTO to take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers,” stated US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

American businesses and consumers are bearing the financial brunt of Trump’s strategy to use import tariffs to protect and boost US manufacturers, leading to job losses and higher prices, according to a Federal Reserve study published.

US Federal Reserve research shows that US tariffs on Chinese industrial components and materials – which largely won’t be lifted by the new deal that was signed in January – are “proving especially damaging to American manufacturing competitiveness and jobs”, Reuters reports.

“US tariffs continue to be almost entirely borne by US firms and consumers,” stated Mary Amiti, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) list includes: 7318.11.00 – iron or steel coach screws.

7318.12.00 – iron or steel wood screws.

7318.13.00 – iron or steel screw hooks and screw rings.

7318.14.10 – iron or steel self-tapping screws, w/shanks or threads less than 6mm in diameter.

7318.14.50 – iron or steel self-tapping screws, w/shanks or threads 6mm or more in diameter.

7318.15.20 – iron or steel bolts and bolts and their nuts or washers, imported in the same shipment.

7318.15.40 – iron or steel machine screws (o/than cap screws), 9.5mm or more in length and 3.2mm in diameter.

7318.15.50 – iron or steel threaded studs.

7318.15.60 – iron or steel screws and bolts, nesoi, having shanks or threads less than 6mm in diameter.

7318.15.80 – iron or steel screws and bolts, nesoi, having shanks or threads 6mm or more in diameter.

7318.19.00 – iron or steel threaded articles similar to screws, bolts, nuts, coach screws and screw hooks, nesoi.

7318.21.00 – iron or steel spring washers and lock washers.

7318.22.00 – iron or steel washers (other than spring washers and other lock washers).

7318.23.00 – iron or steel rivets.

7318.24.00 – iron or steel cotters and cotter pins.

7318.29.00 – iron or steel non-threaded articles similar to rivets, cotters, cotter pins, washers and spring washers.

Lower fastener sales drive FDI down The Fastener Distributor Index declined in August, dropping to 49.2 from 54.6 the previous month amid plummeting sales. June’s figure of 56.9 was the best reading since November 2018.

D

avid Manthey, an analyst at R.W. Baird, wrote: “After two consecutive months of fairly sharp improvements in the FDI, naturally the rate of improvement stalled some in August.” The sales index fell 31.6 points to 47.6.

The Forward Looking Index dipped 1.7 points to 53.1, while employment grew a modest 1.8 points to 46.1 also in August and supplier deliveries improved 3.4 points to 60.5.

“Taking the FDI and FLI together, in our view, we believe this indicates August fastener market conditions showed relative stability in trends after several consecutive months of strong month-to-month improvement,” explained Manthey.

Meanwhile, month-to-month pricing fell 6 points to 52.6, while year-to-year pricing declined 1.3 points to 65.8.

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The August FDI reading “indicates the trajectory of sales trends is improving month by month, but activity levels are likely not yet near pre-Covid levels”, stated Manthey. “Looking at the drivers of the m/m moderation in the FDI, sales trends continued to improve, but the employment index slightly decreased, dragging down the overall index.”

Twice as many distributors expect lower activity over the next six months, while 53% expect higher activity and 24% anticipate no change.

The FDI is a monthly survey of North American fastener distributors conducted by the FCH Sourcing Network, the National Fastener Distributors Association and Baird. www.fdisurvey.com

NEWS - NORTH AMERICA

MW Industries combines with Life Sciences business MW Industries’ parent company, American Securities LLC, is acquiring NN Inc’s Life Sciences division and combining it with the Rosemont, IL-based fastener manufacturer. The US$825 million (€700.8 million) transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2020.

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arren Veltman, CEO at NN Inc states: “This transaction offers the right partner for Life Sciences and fair value for the business. The combination with MW Industries will help Life Sciences accelerate growth and innovation across global markets, as well as position the business for long-term value creation and success to the benefit of all its stakeholders.”

Life Sciences manufactures implants, surgical instrumentation, single-use disposable devices and assemblies for medical applications. Core capabilities include precision metal stamping, electron beam welding, CNC milling and turning, plastic injection molding and micro molding, plastic machining, as well as additive manufacturing.

NN, which manufactures high precision metal and plastic components and assemblies, plans to use the estimated US$700 million in net proceeds from the sale to pay down its debt.

Founded as a tool and die company, Rosemont, IL-based MW Industries Inc manufactures precision springs and specialty fasteners for more than 25,000 customers in 35 countries.

Its 50,000 products are sold through a combination of direct sales, catalogs, and distributors, to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers in aerospace, medical, electronics, energy, agriculture, construction, as well as other sectors.

Lawson Products buys Partsmaster Lawson Products Inc has acquired Greenville, TX-based Partsmaster from NCH Corporation for US$35.3 million (€29.9 million). The deal is Lawson’s largest acquisition in five years and will push its revenue to US$400 million.

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awson paid US$2.3 million of the purchase price at closing, and will pay the remaining US$33 million in May 2021.

Founded in 1968 as a division of NCH, Partsmaster is an MRO products distributor with US$63 million in annual sales to 16,000 customers through its 200-plus sales reps. Partsmaster provides six specialty product lines, including the Dyna Systems line of domestic premium bolts, general Grade 8 and Grade 5 bolts, and stainless steel and metric fasteners.

“This transaction is an important step in our continued growth strategy,” stated Michael DeCata, CEO at Lawson Products. “Partsmaster is a strong strategic fit with a similar VMI business model, similar product margins, a complementary product offering and a passion for providing great service to customers.”

Founded in 1952, Chicago-based Lawson Products distributes MRO products and services. Lawson has distribution centers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Orbitform acquires C&B Machinery Orbitform and a group of investors have acquired Brighton, MI-based C & B Machinery for an undisclosed sum.

C & B Machinery will operate as a separate entity with its own staff and facility.

P

hil Sponsler, president at Orbitform, comments: “We intend to carry on the heritage that C & B Machinery established over the last 40 years. We look forward to working with the existing, highly skilled C & B team to grow the business.”

Founded in 1980, C & B Machinery designs and manufactures high production and precision grinding machines, including double disc grinding equipment for the automotive, aerospace and hand tools markets.

Founded in 1984, Jackson, MI-based Orbitform designs and manufactures orbital forming riveting machines and forming, fastening and assembly automation equipment.

AFC acquires Master Distribution AFC Industries has acquired Master Distribution, a distributor of channel and pipe fittings as well as related fasteners and accessories including nuts, clamps, screws, washers, bolts, brackets and post bases. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

B

runswick, OH-based Master Distribution maintains a large stock of steel, 304 stainless, 316 stainless, aluminum, zinc plated, hot dipped galvanized, electro galvanized, painted, and powder coated fasteners, for commercial, industrial, infrastructure, utility and energy end markets.

“The acquisition of Master Distribution extends the boundaries of our core business by adding a robust line of adjacent products,” stated Kevin Godin, CEO at AFC Industries. “We are excited to apply our institutional experience and expertise to fuel growth at Master.”

The deal is the 11th acquisition for AFC since being acquired by Incline Equity Partners in 2015. In January AFC also acquired The Chess Group, a distributor of metallic components for OEMs. AFC provides supply chain management of fastening and other assembly components. Customers’ industries include automotive, defense, fluidhandling, food equipment, lighting, medical, transportation and solar energy.

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NEWS - NORTH AMERICA

Pac-West panelists on USMCA replacing NAFTA The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) came into effect on 1st July 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In Canada the new agreement is called CUSMA, and in Mexico it’s known as T-MEC.

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egardless of what you call it, there are some practical effects for the fastener industry. “NAFTA is officially gone,” stated Jamie Lawrence of AVK Industrial Products.

Lawrence, alongside Würth International trade compliance officer, Chad Bussell, and John Gaudette of Metric & Multistandard, led a 3rd September panel sponsored by the Pacific-West Fastener Association.

“USMCA is in effect now, so please reach out to a trade advisor to understand how this impacts your fastener business,” Lawrence advised.

NAFTA still governs orders placed before 1st July, Bussell clarified.

While NAFTA’s certificate of origin is no longer needed, fastener distributors still need some sort of certification, Bussell added. “Even if you’ve been to a factory and seen the fasteners made, and someone can issue a certification of origin, the fasteners are not originated.”

Overall, the USMCA is more flexible than NAFTA, allowing claim information to be written on a commercial invoice, according to the panelists. Most fastener codes remain unchanged under USMCA, but there is a regional value content that requires calculation.

“If you’re a manufacturer, you have to do the math, and if you’re a distributor, you need to make sure your manufacturer did the math,” Bussell stated.

One of the most significant impacts on fastener distributors involves a delayed clause in the act. “You have a little bit of a time

bomb built into this act,” Bussell explained. From now until 1 st July 2023, nails can ‘tariff shift’, meaning foreign material has to start as something other than a nail, go through manufacturing in the US, Canada or Mexico, and end up as a nail. But in 2023, nails will require both tariff shift and that 70% of the steel used must originate in North America. “This does not impact screws,” Bussell noted.

The best way to request documentation from a manufacturer is at the time the order is placed so the documentation is included with the order.

What is the transactional value of a fastener under USMCA? It’s the overall value of a part, including value-added work, such as machining or plating, which changes the percentage of origin. “60% is a threshold but it’s not where you want to be,” Bussell stated.

Beware discounts, Bussell also warned, because they increase the foreign content value of a fastener. “All of your math goes out the window at that point.”

There is a low value threshold for small orders under US$1,000, Bussell pointed out. “But if you have several orders under US$1,000 that go across the border in a single day, customs is going to investigate,” he added. Proper documentation is essential.

“You need to have a really good paper trail,” Gaudette explained.

The terms of USMCA will remain in effect for 16 years. www.pac-west.org

Fastenal fastener Canada renews tariffs on sales stabilize Fastenal Co has reported that the decline in fastener sales that began in March – due to the pandemic – continued to slow in August, with sales down 7.3% compared to a 7.5% decrease the previous month.

O

verall sales at Fastenal dropped 2.2% to US$465.2 million (€395.2 million) in August, while daily sales rose 2.5% to US$22.15 million during the month. Sales in the US improved 1.9%, while sales in Canada/Mexico rose 3.8%.

By end market, sales to manufacturing customers decreased 5%, and sales to non-residential construction customers were down 13.5% in August. The company’s workforce decreased 8.6% during the month to 17,747 employees. Distribution personnel shrank 10.3% to 2,591 while manufacturing personnel declined 11.4% to 624 workers.

“The evolution of a market leader like Fastenal, now heavily invested in shifting to an eCommerce and omni-channel approach, represents where the industry is headed,” according to a Market Leaders report by Modern Distribution Management. “Fastenal is closing locations, consolidating inventory, putting its personnel inside customer locations and moving toward eCommerce.”

Fastenal reported fastener daily sales declined 16.4% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2020 to US$392.3 million (26% of total sales) as sales of safety equipment (PPE) surged 116.3% during the quarter. Fastener sales declined 2.6% to US$449.7 million (32.9% of total sales) during the first quarter of 2020.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Asian screws

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) renewed duties on certain carbon steel screws from China and Taiwan “used to mechanically join two or more elements” and the subsidizing of such products exported from China, excluding carbon steel screws specifically designed for automotive or aerospace applications, Fastener World reports.

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he Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) initiated a reinvestigation to update the normal values and export prices, in accordance with the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), respecting certain carbon steel fasteners originating in or exported from China and Taiwan, as well as the amounts of subsidy respecting certain carbon steel fasteners originating in or exported from China.

The reinvestigation was part of the enforcement of the CITT’s order made on 5th January 2015, in Expiry Review No. RR-2014-001. Continuing its order made on 6th January 2010, in Expiry Review No. RR-2009-00, which continued its findings made on 7th January 2005, in Inquiry No. NQ-2004-005.

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NEWS - RUSSIA + CIS

by Alexander Ostashov, editor, Fastener, Adhesives, Tools and... Magazine www.fastinfo.ru

Joint programme created to provide high strength fasteners A joint programme between MMK, MMK-METIZ and BelZAN has been developed to provide KAMAZ with high strength fasteners.

W

ithin the framework of this programme, MMK and MMK-METIZ will master the production of high-quality section and calibrated rolled steel grades 32CrB4, 36MnB4 and 42CrMo4. The development of steel with various alloying elements will significantly improve the performance properties of automotive fasteners. Chromium will increase strength and corrosion resistance; manganese – the hardness and wear resistance; molybdenum – strength, corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance; boron – hardenability.

Regulatory documents for hot rolled and calibrated steel are currently being developed. MMK-METIZ will supply the calibrated rolled products of these steel grades to BelZAN for the manufacture of fasteners with strength classes 10.9 and 12.9.

The ultimate goal of the joint programme is the complete localisation of the production of high strength automotive fasteners in the Russian Federation.

BERVEL celebrates 5th anniversary On 9th September BERVEL’s high strength fastener plant celebrated its 5th anniversary, to which partners and customers of the business were invited.

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pening the event was Yuri Medvedev, CEO of BERVEL, who commented: “These were the first years of the establishment of our enterprise and we have survived. Our plant was initially conceived as an extremely ambitious project, its entry into the market would not go unnoticed, and this is what happened. We were focused on the professional level of the team, on the development of technologies, on the introduction of new products and gaining consumer confidence by producing reliable and quality products.

Today, BERVEL’s high strength fastener plant is the most modern plant for the production of fasteners and calibrated metal products in Russia.”

The plant is certified for compliance with international standards, has a Quality Management System according to ISO 9001: 2015 and the production control system of the enterprise complies with the right of CE – product marking. The export direction of sales is developing, the geography is constantly expanding and, in addition to well established supplies to the CIS countries, products are already being delivered to Germany and the Netherlands.

As part of the development of BERVEL, the implementation of the second stage is planned, which will increase the volume of production, expand the range of products and, as a result, expand the sales market for finished products.

Even in the current situation in the world with coronavirus, the plant did not stop, providing all possible requirements and taking measures to preserve the health of the team.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Oryol Steel Rolling Plant begins supplying fasteners for retail The Oryol Steel Rolling Plant (part of Severstal-Metiz, the Severstal Hardware Group) has started to supply fasteners for retail sales – with the first store based in the Lesotorgovaya Base in Orel.

O

n the counters of the Lesotorgovaya Base there are now long threaded rods and small sized bolts produced by the Oryol Steel Rolling Plant. In the near future, the plant will expand both the geography of retail supplies and its range. In addition to the supplies for the retail trade, the steel rolling plant is engaged in small scale wholesale.

Severstal reports that the Oryol Steel Rolling Plant is the first in Russia to begin production of full threaded studs with a thread angle of 60 degrees. The cost of the investment project amounts to almost 59 million rubles (€636,950).

The development of the new type of product took place within the framework of an investment project for import substitution. Now in the fastening workshop of OSPAZ there are two new production sites equipped with modern technological equipment. The hairpin production line itself is equipped with imported machine tools with software. A new galvanic line was also installed to apply the protective coating. Additional jobs were created at the enterprise.

“Our development strategy involves more than just the production of fasteners. We strive to master complex and demanded products, such as full threaded studs, so that the domestic construction industry develops,” comments Alexey Erenichev, director of the Oryol Steel Rolling Plant.

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NEWS - RUSSIA + CIS

Fastening standards submitted for public comment Road Transport Technical Committee 56 of Rosstandard has submitted a number of fastening standards for public comment.

T

he draft national standards submitted by Road Transport Technical Committee 56 include the following: GOST R fasteners: Torx head for a wrench for bolts and screws.

GOST R automobile vehicles: Fasteners. Self-tapping screws with a semicircular head with a clamp and a torx head for a wrench.

GOST R automobile vehicles: Fasteners with thread. Axial fatigue tests. Test methods and evaluation of results.

The above standards have no analogues among international and regional standards.

GOST R fasteners: Countersunk torx head screws. The standard is identical to the international standard ISO 14581: 2013.

GOST R fasteners: High countersunk torx head screws, head high.

The standard is identical to the international standard ISO 14582: 2013.

The following draft interstate standards were also submitted for public discussion: GOST fasteners: Acceptance control. The standard is identical to the international standard ISO 3269: 2019 Fasteners.

Fasteners – Acceptance inspection.

GOST fasteners: Self-locking steel nuts.

Operational properties. The standard is identical to the international standard ISO 2320: 2015.

The developer of the above standards is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise NAMI. At present, new national standards for fasteners are being developed in other technical committees of Rosstandard.

BelZAN appoints new general director Interfax reports that Sergei Rodionov, general director of Avtonormal Belebeyevsky plant (BelZAN, part of the structure of RT-Capital of Rostec), has been replaced by Roman Bukarev, former general director of Molot-Weapon LLC (Kirov region).

I

n September the BelZAN board of directors prematurely terminated the powers of Sergei Rodionov, who had headed the business since March 2019. The new General Director Roman Bukarev has agreed a contract for three years.

The general director of RT-Capital, Kirill Fedorov, told Interfax: “The board of directors decided to strengthen the management of the plant.” At the same time, he noted that Sergei Rodionov “successfully coped with the transition of the enterprise to the perimeter of RT-Capital and stabilisation of its financial condition”.

Mariya Valiakhmetova, editor in chief, Metiz Magazine, Ukraine

Ukraine introduces anti-dumping on Chinese and Taiwanese fasteners The Ukraine has implemented tough anti-dumping regulations on fasteners from China and Taiwan of 67.4%.

The regulation came into force on 29th September and will last for five years.

T

he Ukrainian Interdepartmental Commission on International trade introduced the anti-dumping regulation to protect the national producer of fasteners – PJSC Druzhkovsky hardware plant. Exception was made for only for two companies, Haining Hisener Trade Co Ltd and Ningbo Jinding Fastening Piece Co Ltd, for whom fasteners will now cost 32.47% and 38.37% more respectively.

This regulation has created huge disagreement within the market as it touches on a wide range of fasteners under HS codes 7318 15 69 90, 7318 15 81 90, 7318 15 89 90, 7318 15 90 90, 7318 16 91 90 and 7318 16 99 90. These are some of the bestselling fasteners in the market

and the introduction of the anti-dumping regulation will not just lead to increase prices on the market, but also a tax burden for importers.

Bohdan Dmytruk, head of the Ukrainian association of producers, importers and exporters of fasteners (Fastexim), sent an open letter to the Ukrainian government that stated the PJSC Druzhkovsky hardware plant cannot answer the demand as it produces a narrow range of fasteners; besides, these duties were implemented only in favour of one company, which goes against world practice.

The only point in which all participants agree is that the final anti-dumping ruling will badly influence an already unstable Ukrainian market.

MMK-METIZ increases export sales After the first 8 months of 2020, OJSC MMK-METIZ’s production has shown significant growth when compared to the same period of 2019 – with steel ropes increasing by 102% and fasteners also up by 102%.

D 32

espite the ongoing global pandemic and the effect of restrictive measures, shipments of hardware for export in 2020 also increased by 106% compared to 2019. To further develop, MMK METIZ is also now focused on producing high strength fasteners from steel grades 32CrB4, 36MnB4 and 42CrMo4.

The development of steels with various alloying elements will significantly improve the performance properties of automotive fasteners.

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

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NEWS - ASIA

Taiwan’s fastener exports slump in H1 2020 The Taiwan Industrial Fasteners Institute (TIFI) has carried out a survey that has revealed the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered a decline in both Taiwan’s fastener export volume and value for the first half of 2020.

T

aiwan’s fastener volume reached merely 687,700 tonnes, down 14% over the same period last year, and the export value was only US$1.979 billion (€1.68 billion), down 14.69%.

The lowest half year performance since the financial crisis.

What is in contrast and rare is that China’s import of fasteners from Taiwan grew 10.2%. Mr Tu-Chin Tsai, chairman of TIFI, says the orders redirected to Taiwan were the result of the increased demand in China and the shutdown of a portion of Chinese fastener production lines.

TIFI’s survey revealed that fastener exports in June neared 110,000 tonnes, which was higher than that in April or May, but still 17% lower than the export volume last June. The export unit price for June was US$2.88 per kilogram, down 0.28% from last June.

Chairman Tsai thinks the large decrease in fastener export was mainly due to the continuous spread of the pandemic in North America, which is the largest export destination for Taiwan’s fasteners. In the first half of 2020, the American market declined 10.9% while the export to Germany and the UK also showed a decline of 21.3% and 32% respectively. He forecasts that the fastener demand in China for reconstruction after the current great floods will increase exponentially and will boost the fastener export of many Taiwanese fastener companies.

China becomes EU’s King Yuan Dar top trading partner commissions in first seven months three new heat In the first seven months of 2020, China became the top trading partner of the European Union (EU), a position previously held by the United States, reports Eurostat.

T

he EU’s imports from China increased by 4.9% in the January – July period, compared to the same period last year, whereas its imports from the US dropped by 11.7%.

The bloc’s exports to China recorded a slight drop of 1.8%, while those to the US fell by 9.9%, according to the EU’s statistical office.

China and the USA were followed by the United Kingdom, Switzerland, as well as Russia on the EU’s main trading partner list in the first seven months.

In accordance with the world’s changing epidemiological situation during the first seven months, the EU’s international trade started to fall in January, and regained momentum after May, when confinement measures were gradually eased.

In July, EU exports out of the bloc stood at €168.5 billion, down by 11.3% compared to July 2019, and its imports from the rest of the world reached €142.6 billion, down by 16% year-on-year, according to Eurostat estimates.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

treatment furnaces

Many suppliers to European automakers are seeking the latest eco-friendly equipment due to more stringent requirements, which ask for compliant manufacturing procedures and good quality.

W

ith this in mind, Mr Tseng Chang-Lung, general manager of King Yuan Dar Metal Enterprise, has used his years of experience and background in the gas industry and appliances, as well as his know-how of heat treatment, to introduce three new heat treating furnaces.

The three heat treatment furnaces include a cyclic continuous vacuum spheroidising furnace, a cyclic continuous vacuum high temperature sintering furnace, as well as a cyclic continuous box vacuum carburising furnace.

Features of these new furnaces include increased capacity and stable quality, high efficiency, as well as being eco-friendly and energy saving – with less gas consumption. There is also the possibility for batch production management, as well as the option to combine remote visual management and intelligent AI monitoring.

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NEWS - ASIA

Revenue ranking for Taiwanese fastener companies Fastener World Magazine researched the revenues and growth of major Taiwanese fastener companies and published the following table of its results.

Company

Revenue H1 2020 (1,000 NT$)

Revenue H1 2019 (1,000 NT$)

Change in H1 revenue (%)

Tycoons Group

4,304,647

5,963,092

-27.8%

Tong Ming Enterprise

3,967,914

4,242,185

-6.47%

Chun Yu Works & Co

3,775,268

4,623,246

-18.34%

QST International

3,696,462

4,968,654

-25.6%

New Best Wire Industrial

2,486,271

2,936,132

-15.32%

San Shing Fastech

2,281,930

3,423,021

-33.34%

NAFCO

1,045,952

1,349,823

-22.51%

Rodex Fasteners

1,007,478

1,204,808

-16.38%

Intai Technology

974,708

1,217,821

-19.96%

Sheh Fung Screws

969,668

930,196

4.24%

Sumeeko Industries

926,467

1,301,847

-28.83%

Chen Nan Iron Wire

817,754

878,090

-6.87%

PATTA International

733,788

941,188

-22.04%

Chun Zu Machinery

629,064

815,877

-22.9%

Sheh Kai Precision

493,683

543,009

-9.08%

OFCO Industrial

444,968

603,191

-26.23%

Ching Chan Optical Technology

218,416

314,103

-30.46%

Former US ambassador to help Ford explore Chinese market Jon Huntsman Jr, US ambassador to China during President Barack Obama’s tenure, will return to Ford Motor Company’s board of directors as the US automaker looks to tap into his trade expertise and global experience, especially in China, the Detroit News reported.

F

ord China reported a 25.4% sales increase year-on-year in the third quarter of this year, the largest quarterly growth since the fourth quarter of 2016. In all, Ford and its joint ventures, Changan Ford, JMC and Ford Lio-Ho, sold 164,352 vehicles in Greater China.

“Jon Huntsman is exactly the right guy at the right time for Ford,” the local newspaper quoted Michael Dunne, CEO of Hong Kong-based advisory firm ZoZo Go LLC, as saying. “As Ford constructs a comeback in China, Huntsman can play a pivotal role, especially on the crucial company-to-government relations front.”

Huntsman’s election to Ford’s board brings the total number of directors up to 14. He’ll serve on the board’s nominating and governance, compensation, and sustainability and innovation committees.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

China foreign trade up 7.5% in Q3 Official data shows that China’s foreign trade increased 7.5% year-on-year in the third quarter of this year.

Exports jumped 10.2% year-on-year while imports climbed 4.3% in yuan terms, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) reported.

T

he quarterly value of both exports and imports reached a record high in Q3, according to GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen. In the first three quarters, China’s foreign trade of goods totalled 23.12 trillion yuan (€2.9 trillion), up 0.7% year-on-year, reversing declines reported in the first two quarters when the country’s foreign trade was weighed down by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations remained China’s largest trading partner during the period, followed by the European Union and the United States, while trade with countries along the Belt and Road went up 1.5%, GAC data showed. Private companies played a significant role in propelling trade growth, with their foreign trade expanding by 10.2% in the first three quarters.

China has seen a notable rebound in exports during the period, led by strong sales of pandemic control supplies and gadgets such as laptops and tablet computers, Li said.

As the country strives for production resumption amid containment of the pandemic, it has managed to restore export orders while stimulating domestic demand, which led to a rebound in imports, Li added.

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NEWS - ASIA

China launches new Free Trade Zones

In September China officially opened three new pilot Free Trade Zones (FTZs) and expanded another, as it seeks greater ‘opening-up’ and ‘high-quality development’.

T

he three new FTZs are in Beijing and the provinces of Anhui and Hunan, increasing the total number of the country’s FTZs to 21. The expanded FTZ is in the coastal province of Zhejiang.

The launch came after the State Council issued a master plan to outline the priorities for the three new pilot FTZs and adopted a plan to double the area of the pilot FTZ in Zhejiang.

China’s decision to set-up a new batch of pilot FTZs demonstrated the country’s firm determination to accelerate the formation of a new development pattern through a higher level of opening-up, commmented Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen at a press briefing.

Experts believe the new FTZs will further improve trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation in China through a new round of system and mechanism reform and innovation. It will also grasp the strategic opportunities brought about by the scientific and technological revolution, promote the transformation and upgrading of China’s foreign trade, as well as the development of strategic emerging industries.

Zhou Mi, with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce, said the new zones are a supplement to the layout of the existing 18 pilot FTZs. “From the coastal areas to the central inland regions, it shows that China hopes to promote diversified and higher level opening-up.”

Experts said the expansion of the FTZ in Zhejiang is an effort to boost the development momentum of the entire central region. This aims to further expand the entire Chinese market, and therefore, foreign funded enterprises will focus more on the Chinese market in the future.

Zhou believes that the three new FTZs will attach greater importance to the overall investment environment, seeking to meet more and higher demands of foreign investors to realise coordinated development with local companies and industries.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

“The new step provides foreign funded enterprises with good expectations for China’s continuous opening-up,” Zhou said. “It also provides system innovation and more experimental attempts, which can effectively cut investment costs and loosen investment restrictions.”

The Beijing pilot FTZ will focus on supporting the construction of an innovation centre with global influence. It will accelerate the construction of a leading area for the expansion of trade in services and a pilot area for the digital economy.

The FTZ in Hunan will focus on building a world-class advanced manufacturing cluster and an international investment and trade corridor linking the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the Guangdong Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It will also be a leading area for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa.

Expected to set the standard for opening-up in the inland region, the pilot FTZ in Anhui will focus on promoting the in-depth integration of scientific and technological innovation and the development of the real economy. It will accelerate the pace of its pioneering role in scientific and technological innovation and the cluster development of advanced manufacturing and strategic emerging industries, as well as promote the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

The expanded area in Zhejiang will focus on building a new type of international trade centre and a global shipping and logistics hub, as well as the construction of a commodity resource allocation base centred on oil and gas. It will also see the construction of a digital economy development demonstration zone and a cluster area for advanced manufacturing industries.

In the first seven months of 2020, more than 3,300 new foreign funded enterprises were established in the already existing 18 pilot FTZs. These FTZs also reported an actual use of foreign investment of over 90 billion yuan (US$13.3 billion) and contributed 2.7 trillion yuan of foreign trade, accounting for 16.8% and 13.5% of the country’s total, respectively.

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

JOMARCA acquires South Brazil Furniture Accessories JOMARCA Parafusos announced in August the acquisition of the entire industrial park of South Brazil Furniture Accessories, owned by the Group South Brazil (GSB).

W

ith 30 years in the market, GSB opted for the sale to invest more in its activities in the nonwoven fabric business.

“This agreement consists of the acquisition of all lines of accessories from GSB, such as hinges and slides, except the plastic line of handles. In the coming months all this equipment will be moved from Caçador town, from Santa Catarina State, to JOMARCA’s industrial plant in Guarulhos, São Paulo State,” explains Ricardo Marques Castelhano, superintendent director at JOMARCA. Ricardo continues: “We estimate that we will start operating in the beginning of 2021. However, a part of it should be operational in 2020. As a result, our current number of employees should jump from 1,000 to 1,200 people. We will expand the JOMARCA portfolio of furniture accessories and deliver even more variety to our customers and partners.”

New business director at ArcelorMittal – Sul Fluminense

Tatiana Furtado Nolasco de Abreu has been appointed business director for long steel, including steel bars and wire rods used for fastener production, at ArcelorMittal – Sul Fluminense. This is the first time a woman has been appointed as a director in the company’s history.

A

nnounced in August, Jefferson De Paula, CEO of ArcelorMittal – Sul Fluminense, commented: “The appointment of Tatiana is a source of great pride for us because she is breaking barriers and paradigms within our traditionally male segment. The role includes responsibility for the Barra Mansa and Resende industrial plants, both towns from the Rio de Janeiro State, which have around 1,300 own and indirect employees, the majority of whom are men.”

With a degree in production engineering Tatiana has been working in the steel sector for 20 years.

Brazil fastener imports at 60% compared to 2019

In the first nine months of 2020, Brazilian companies imported around 74,854 tonnes of fasteners at a value of US$361 million (€305.5 million). This is 60.4% of the total tonnage for the whole of 2019.

I

n 2019 Brazilian companies imported 123,934 tonnes of fasteners at a value of US$621.6 million. Due to the impact of Covid-19, and the subsequent depreciation of the Brazilian currency, it is going to be difficult to make up the shortfall. By the end of the year it is predicted the total fall will be around 25% compared to last year. www.mdic.gov.br

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Hassmann celebrates 65th anniversary In 1955 an Austrian and Brazilian couple, Elka and Karl Hassmann (1930 – 2014), founded Metalúrgica Hassmann. Today, the company is one of the most important Brazilian fastener manufacturers – especially as an automotive supplier.

A

t the beginning Metalúrgica Hassmann was just a modest repair company, carrying out maintenance on equipment and manufacturing spare parts for the other local industries. Soon, these activities were enlarged to include the manufacturing of door locks, door windows and metal frames for windows.

Activities relating to the fastener industry began in the 1960s after the company struggled to find a serial product that followed international standards in Brazil. The company therefore started the production process itself.

Since then, Hassmann has been dedicated to ensuring the highest excellence in quality, which has enabled it to become one of the most important fastener manufacturers in South America.

Currently, Hassmann has 280 co-workers and its installed capacity, both cold and hot forming processes, allows for the production of around 1,800 tonnes per month. This covers over 50,000 different fasteners types, such as bolts, screws, rivets and special parts, produced from 5mm to 30mm diameter. These products are supplied to the automotive, agricultural and electrical-electronic industries.

Hassmann also has operations overseas, with its own office in Brickell Key, Miami, USA.

COVER STORY

Together, stronger than ever Over the last four years Colombo Special Fasteners (CSF) has been investing in a ‘verticalisation’ process, which it says will enable it to have the primary steps for its supply chain under its direct control. The most recent additions to this process include the acquisition of its heat treatment supplier and a merger with its sister company.

P

ietro Colombo, sales director at Colombo Special Fasteners Srl, explains: “As a company we have always looked to grow our capabilities and control as much of the processes as possible. Through the ‘verticalisation’ process we have looked to get involved with additional aspects of the supply chain.

Originally we started this process with the opening of a department entirely dedicated to the secondary operations of our cold forged parts, with fully robotised and automated machinery. Sending the parts for secondary operations was very time-consuming and we did not have full control of the process, so we decided to bring it in-house.”

The next step of the process was the acquisition of Tecno Fasteners Srl in 2016. “We acquired Tecno Fasteners as the company’s range and capabilities complemented CSF, with minimal overlap in target markets,” mentions Pietro.

The most recent step has been the acquisition of Citt Trattamenti Termici Srl, which has been involved in the heat treatment sector for more than 40 years – having started life as a manufacturer of heat treatment plants for metal materials. The company has several lines including static belt and static chambers for various types of treatments such as hardening, tempering, normalisation, cementation and carbonitriding, so is able to treat even large diameter and length parts.

“We have always believed in the importance of controlling the heat treatment process and Citt has been our strategic, highly technical and qualified supplier for a number of years. That is why in September 2019 we took the decision to acquire 100% of the company,”

CSF can offer a wide range of products – from diameter 2.5mm to 33mm and lengths from 7mm up to 240mm

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

states Pietro. “Our goal is to give new life to the business and give it the necessary economic and technical resources to further its specialities and continue to operate on behalf of third parties with an unmatched quality.”

As well as this, in September this year CSF finalised another important step towards the full control of its supply chain through the merger of Tecno Fasteners into Colombo Special Fasteners.

“With this merger, the mission of CSF is now very clear, we want to be a top level partner for our customers. This means being a necessary and functional partner able to give a quality, highly specialised product, which we can also co-design with the customer when required. Tecno Fasteners has the same philosophy, whilst providing a different range of products. With the merger we are in a strong position due to the synergies that have been generated,” points out Pietro.

By controlling its production chain CSF has the ability to combine cold forging, with secondary operations – using automated CNC machines, as well as the heat treatment process, whilst working with specific surface treatment suppliers. This means the company can offer a very wide range of products, starting from diameters 2.5mm up to 33mm and lengths from 7mm up to 240mm. Products can be manufactured in a wide range of materials such as carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, brass and aluminium. CSF can also produce special fasteners for different sectors such as automotive, prefabricated building, naval, electronic, agricultural, oil and gas, heavy plant engineering, as well as special screws for windows and doors.

CSF’s secondary operations department includes fully robotised and automated machinery

“The goal is to become a reference and reliable partner for our customers across all industries who are looking for 360° support. This is why technology and automation have become critical factors for the future of companies. Productivity and quality need technology and automation, which is the reason we are introducing more and more robotic systems in the company,” explains Pietro. “However, we consider the human contribution to our work to be fundamental.

Humans can never be replaced by machines, instead we have to be helped by them, even more so with the rise of this pandemic that has highlighted the importance of social distancing.”

With the Covid-19 pandemic undoubtedly impacting everybody within the industry, CSF, like most companies, had to adapt to the various restrictions imposed by governments. “Covid-19 suddenly turned our lives upside down, no one was prepared for it. We had to restrict the entrances to common areas, introduce temperature measurements for each entrance via automatic scanners, as well as maintain constant use of masks and other devices,” mentions Pietro.

“The lockdown period will result in a loss of turnover for all sectors that cannot be recovered by the end of the year. There is a lot of uncertainty and although we have resumed our work at a convincing and promising rhythm, we are not under any illusions – the first half of 2021 will also be a period of uncertainty and general slowdown.”

Pietro continues: “We also believe there will be an important reallocation of products on the European market, previously supplied in more remote areas such as China for example. As an Italian company, we will have to be up to the demands of the

new market. We are very satisfied with what we have already done since the first moments after lockdown – acquiring many new products, as well as satisfying the requests of our historical customers and others with whom we are developing new important business.”

How then does Pietro see CSF rising to the challenges of the future? “It is essential to have your own corporate identity and pass it on to the market – this is the first thing. Work on process optimisation, products, and diversification, by expanding the customers’ portfolio and sales sectors. It is exactly the diversification and specialisation of our product that has allowed us to better deal with this pandemic and the crisis it has caused.”

Pietro concludes: “If the customer is looking for standard parts at a low price, there will be hundreds of companies more competitive than us. If, on the other hand, they are looking for a company that produces highly special parts in small/medium batches, with important specifications, that is able to guarantee the control of the whole production process, supporting it technically – here we are.” www.colombofasteners.com

www.fastenerandfixing.com

43

INSIGHT

take a look into the workings of fastener companies

Haemers invests in washer production Haemers NV, a manufacturer of washers, non-standard nuts and presswork according to customers’ plans and models, has spent the last two years making some significant investments in its machinery and buildings in order to meet the growing needs of its customers.

A

fourth generation family business, Haemers is a specialist in flat washers in all kinds of material – covering 5,800 dimensions and all to DIN, NFE and ISO norms. Another segment within its capabilities is presswork according to plans or models, with thicknesses up to 20mm and coil widths up to 600mm in different types of materials – such as steel, stainless steel and aluminium.

“Our machine park consists of 23 eccentric presses ranging from 30 tonnes to 400 tonnes, which can be used to press parts in all kinds of ferrous and non-ferrous materials – according to the customer’s plans or models,” explains Haemers. “Our machine park allows both small and large series with fully automatic lines with coil supply, but manual handling is also possible if necessary. For the goods we produce we can also provide threading, chamfering and welding.

Deep drawing is also one of our options.”

Throughout its production capabilities, quality is of paramount importance for the Belgian company, which has been ISO 9001:2015 accredited since 2016. “With an average seniority of 23 years, we have a driven and highly experienced team that is able to reliably and consistently produce the high-quality products that we have become well known for within the industry,” states Haemers. “There is also one area where we try and deliver even more quality and that is the relationship with our customers. We do this by ensuring we do what we promise and deliver what our customers need when they need them.”

This commitment is underlined by Haemers’ recent investment strategy, which has seen it invest in its machinery and buildings over recent years. “For our flat washer range we have more than 5,800 dimensions and we have barely any tool costs in this segment, which means we can be very competitive in non-standard washers. We of course also following the trend for working with high strength steel, but the biggest challenge is more in the custom parts segment. It is

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

in this sector that we have been investing in new machines so that we can produce products even faster and more accurately. At the end of this year we will also introduce an additional fully automatic line from coils, which will give us even more capability and flexibility when it comes to meeting customers’ needs.”

Working with customers on special parts and producing parts according to drawings or models is a key part of Haemers’ business and the company is convinced that even in the current Covid-19 pandemic there is an opportunity for this market to grow. “When Covid-19 broke out and China went into lockdown, our production got a huge boost – with new orders coming in regularly,” mentions Haemers. “However, when the pandemic broke out here in Europe,

there were of course consequences.

May was a very bad month for us but we stuck to our principles. Instead we looked to cut costs, lower stocks and mostly used the time to rethink our production flow.”

Haemers continues: “After our expansion last year, we had the necessary room to redesign production here and there, which led to a cost reduction and further production efficiency, as well as the set-up of a new modern toolshop.

Working more efficiently not only ensures better cost control and shorter delivery times, it also motivates staff members as they start to think about how they can improve the processes.”

As for the long-term impact of Covid-19 on the market, Haemers believes that the balance between imports and European production may be better in the future. “A lot of customers were so focused on imports that they would sometimes forget to even make a comparison with European production to see if there were any opportunities,” points out Haemers. “I think the impact of Covid-19 and the lockdowns around the world have once again exposed the difficulties with Far Eastern imports – communication, transport, efficiency, etc – and companies are now starting to look at European production and the benefits this brings. Thanks to our recent investments we are in a very good position to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise in the future and can offer customers the complete range of washers, non-standard nuts and pressworks they need.” www.nvhaemers.be

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INSIGHT

100 years of passion for fastening Here we speak to Annika Grässle, assistant to the executive board at OTTO ROTH GmbH & Co KG, about the services and products the German wholesaler can provide and how it ensures it is meeting the needs and demands of the market.

How was the company established and what have been the key points in its development?

“The company was founded in August 1914, by a 32 year old businessman named Otto Roth. The core business was initially in heating pipe clamps. After that, Otto Roth expanded his business to become a screws wholesaler and took over a company that machined DIN standard parts and bespoke parts. A new factory making precision parts, in Stuttgart-Weilimdorf, was added in 1955.

The company founder died in 1961 at the age of 79. His widow, Marianne Roth, son-in-law Albert Grässle and nephew Carl Roth took over management of the business. They continued to build the business with a new warehouse built in Stuttgart-Feuerbach in 1964.

This new style, multi-storey warehouse included an innovative ski-lift-inspired circulating conveyor system, which attracted a great deal of attention in the sector at the time.

In 1982 Rainer Grässle – son of Albert Grässle – started to run the business and he is still in charge today. In the 1990s we introduced the C-parts management modelled on the Japanese Kanban system and we extended the company’s presence with a branch in the former East Germany, as well as acquiring key companies that provided synergy benefits and a unique product portfolio with over 100,000 articles.

The company celebrated its centenary in 2014 and now operates in a total of nine locations throughout Germany. It has an advanced logistics network, at the heart of which is the Weilimdorf headquarters with around 12,000m 2 of warehouse space, 30,000 tray and 8,700 pallet positions. The company’s own high-tech factory in Buchen now covers 5,500m 2 , has ‘up to the minute’ machinery and employs around 80 workers.

As a fastener wholesaler, OTTO ROTH offers DIN and ISO standard parts, bespoke parts, pipe connector parts, fastening systems, wood fasteners, tools and chemical products.”

© OTTO ROTH GmbH & Co KG

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What are the services and products you are able to provide your customers?

“In addition to acting as a fastener wholesaler, our portfolio includes complete solutions for bespoke parts. At OTTO ROTH we are able to manufacture special parts and sophisticated bespoke parts for customers. We assist clients in the procurement of bespoke and special parts (turned, milled and modular parts), offer technical and business consulting, and take responsibility for supplier management, process optimisation, warehousing and quality assurance. We have developed a good reputation – particularly in highly sensitive areas such as hydraulics, pneumatics, aviation and space technology.

In a cutting-edge production plant in Buchen, in Odenwald, we make precision rotationally symmetrical, hardened and polished turned parts from key materials, ready to install. Processing capabilities include grinding, honing, milling, boring, deburring and modular assembly.

Moreover, in our Stuttgart headquarters we employ experts who implement procurement plans for bespoke parts alongside our clients, offering full accompanying services. Before submitting an offer, we carry out a thorough analysis. This begins with design checking to rule out any conflicting specifications. Depending on the customer’s requirements and budget, we will also test the optimum production technology and manufacturing method. If requested, we will also suggest alternative materials – all this of course with an eye to optimum functionality and quality. Assembly processes in the customer’s production facilities are also taken into consideration and inspection methods are coordinated for everyone concerned.

We also specialise in customised Kanban solutions for C-parts management. This includes both single and double container systems, as well as innovative barcode and RFID labelling systems. We notonly supply standard fasteners, but also custom-made parts and complex pipe connector parts covered by Kanban agreements.

The heart of OTTO ROTH’s ultra modern logistics network is the Weilimdorf headquarters which has approximately 12,000m 2 storage space, 30,000 tray and 8,700 pallet stations © OTTO ROTH GmbH & Co KG This enables us to offer a unique and sophisticated range with a large number of different fasteners, pipe connector components and bespoke parts in any desired materials, quality classes and surface finishes.

All of this is combined with a comprehensive range of services with customisable logistics solutions and supply models.

Our customers are based all over the world and encompass the processing and manufacturing industries, mechanical and systems engineering, automotive component suppliers, pneumatic and hydraulic engineering, construction and agricultural machine engineering, shipbuilding, electronics and electrical engineering, tool and mould making, the solar power industry and installation contractors, among others.

Other advantages provided by OTTO ROTH include a sophisticated global network of certified suppliers, use of cutting-edge measurement and testing technology, dedicated customer care, flexibility and short decision making times. We have more than 100 years of market experience, outstanding know-how in all areas of the business, as well as highly qualified and dedicated staff.”

How have you adapted since the outbreak of the pandemic?

“Firstly we implemented all the necessary regulations and safety measures. As we have large premises at all our sites, we have also been able to ensure that required social distancing is maintained at workstations. Employees have been instructed in the hygiene rules and disinfection procedures. What is more, we have also now increased digital communications – for example in the form of web conferences with clients and suppliers, but also internally by online training and meetings between different sites. With our extensive stock, we have also been able to absorb almost all Covid-19-related supply disruptions for our customers.

The coronavirus has made it clear to us once again that digitisation will play an ever-increasing role – including in the supply of C-parts. Our Kanban services, in particular scanner and RFID models, will be used increasingly. There is good reason for this.

After all, it facilitates the procurement process for customers while at the same time considerably speeding it up. The error rate is also significantly lower with our digital solutions. In this way we can help companies to succeed in the face of increasingly fierce competition.

As a business we are are developing steadily from being simply a supplier into a service provider, partner and solutions finder – as we support our clients, not only with products, but also with our expertise. Of course this means that we too rely in turn on a great many suppliers. We are proud to have created a very reliable network over the past 100 years. Regional suppliers are particularly important to us in this regard as we believe that regional sourcing will become increasingly important in future, just as will our multi-supplier policy and more efficient risk management.”

What general trends do you see for the fastener industry in the future?

“For the reasons stated above, digitisation will continue to impact and change the sector for a long time to come. We are already experiencing a trend towards greater focus on service.

Companies are not just looking for suppliers, but partners who will help

OTTO ROTH has a unique product portfolio with more than 100,000 items, including DIN and ISO standard parts, drawing parts and pipe connection parts. They are also available as part of Kanban models them find solutions to the particular challenges that face them. This means they rely increasingly on service providers in close proximity to them who can respond quickly and efficiently to needs as they arise. It is our task to be ready to deliver at all times and to supply customers with the right products at the right time and in the right place.

We also continue to offer our ‘Just in Time’ service, for which we offer framework contracts. This means that we are able to plan and purchase better and the customer profits from a high-level of supply dependability. This also enables us to combat material price increases as well as material shortages. Considering the savings customers are able to make in the procurement of C-parts and warehousing, I would say that the demand for ‘Just in Time’ supply will grow.

Customers are also increasingly demanding a ‘one stop shop’ style service and prefer to work with a permanent partner rather than with several suppliers. We are in a very good position to meet such demands with our extensive range and our tried and trusted high performance supplier network. Kanban systems too are increasingly being introduced by companies. This means that not only is rapid ‘Just in time’ supply in demand, but also end-to-end process optimisation in order to make procurement and the downstream processes as easy and as efficient as possible. With the know-how we have gathered over the decades, we are able to support and assist customers in this regard. Another trend is an increasing demand for custom-built and special parts. In many sectors requirements for parts and components are increasing all the time and many applications can no longer satisfactorily use standard products.

With our specialist knowledge and our production capabilities, we are able to help our customers advance towards their objectives and sustainably improve both procurement and assembly processes – and that, ultimately, will benefit both sides.”

www.fastenerandfixing.com

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INSIGHT

Optimas’ ‘manufacturing solutions’ strategy Optimas Solutions recently announced a renewed strategy for its Americas market that is focused on delivering ‘manufacturing solutions’ to customers. Here we speak to Marc Strandquist, chief executive officer at Optimas, to find out more about the strategy and how it will benefit customers. about how we can use this production to further enhance the products and services we are providing customers.

To enable us to deliver these ‘manufacturing solutions’ we have spent 2020 introducing a lot of new procedures and developing this aspect of the business, which was not made easy by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we have been very focused on coming out of this pandemic with a better, stronger, more agile and more customer responsive company and we are now in a position to be able to introduce the strategy.”

In September, Optimas announced it was introducing a renewed strategy for its Americas market. Tell us more about it.

“When I joined the company in January the first thing I noticed, which was a pleasant surprise, was the amount of resources at Optimas and I felt that these were under developed and not being focused on as much as they should be. With that in mind, we decided to renew the strategy and focus on delivering ‘manufacturing solutions’.

The term ‘manufacturing solutions’ has two meanings for us. Firstly, our customer base – the OEMs and tier suppliers – manufacture products and to do so they need our products to assemble them. So, for this definition it is how we ensure that we are providing the products our customers’ need. Secondly, as a business we also have our own in-house manufacturing capability in Chicago, which a lot of customers do not realise. The Chicago site includes some pretty amazing capabilities, so for this definition it is

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What are the parts of the business that you have looked to develop and how will this help you support customers further?

“As a business, Optimas is an amalgamation of a variety of acquisitions, which means there have been a lot of capabilities added over the years. However, what the company has lacked is a clear value-added proposition to explain to customers exactly what we can do.

We have therefore been extremely active in optimising parts of the business to provide a complete overall service to customers.

For instance, at our manufacturing plant

Optimas’ US manufacturing site is based in Wood Dale, Illinois

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

in Chicago we have implemented new manufacturing software – which provides us with a modern ERP system. This has allowed us to take a gigantic leap forward in this regard. From a manufacturing process perspective, this is a state of the art system, including screens on the shop floor that show live information regarding each and every machine. This helps us to analyse processes and orders in significantly more detail.

We have also implemented ToolsGroup, a probabilistic forecasting, demand and supply planning solution that more accurately optimises inventory, better predicts supply chain behaviour, and helps us and the customer perform more efficiently. It identifies a range of outcomes and the probability of each of those outcomes occurring. Inventory optimisation (IO) systems can then use this information to better identify the optimal inventory targets.

We have also introduced a new Cloud-based CRM system, which will be implemented across the business and is a further example of us using state of the art technology to help us stand out as a tech-enabled supplier to our customers.

The market post Covid-19 is going to be very different and as a business it is going to be vital that you are able to utilise technology to provide products and services to the different markets and customers. You have to be innovative and look at how you are going to improve your supply chain and streamline costs.

Another example of us optimising technology is our new eCommerce website, which I believe rivals the leading

INSIGHT companies in the sector. The platform was already developed, but we had the wrong strategy around it – we offered a variety of different products, but we didn’t stock anything. We have therefore converted it into an inventory-based, much more competitive platform.

We are also now offering it to our larger customers – so they can use it for their suppliers. With the customer’s approval we are going to be able to give access to all their suppliers and they are going to be able to order products straight off the website. It would be like buying from any other online source and they can then just go and checkout. This will make it a lot easier for our customers, and their suppliers, to find the products they need from us.

One final note on being a tech-enabled company, and underlining our capabilities, is on the JIT (Just In Time) front. As a business we are able to supply RFID bin systems, in addition to two bin systems, but it was a service that we were not promoting. Some companies can struggle with this type of service, but we are able to provide a good service and competitive price. We just need to do it and make sure our customers are aware of what we can provide.”

As mentioned, alongside its distribution capabilities, Optimas also has its own manufacturing capability.

What does this add to the business and what are the benefits to customers?

“The manufacturing plant in Chicago is a 140,000 square foot (13,000m 2) facility, so it isn’t a small place, and it has some amazing equipment – including a 3D printer for prototyping. However, it wasn’t being fully utilised and was just being used for blueprints from the distribution part of the business. This led to the manufacturing capabilities of the business not really being recognised by customers.

We have therefore introduced three salespeople focused on the manufacturing side and they are giving it a real big push. In many ways it is a separate company, on separate systems, and we are going to be developing our own customer base in order to bring some stability and sustainability to that plant.

By bringing the manufacturing side to the forefront, alongside the other aspects of the business, we can underline to customers that we are able to provide the full package and create some excitement within the market. Previously it was almost as if we were embarrassed to talk about what we could offer, but we need to focus on it if we are going to make ourselves stand out in the market.

If a customer just wants a box of bolts, then there are thousands of competitors. If the customer wants a JIT system, then the numbers go into the high hundreds, if they want RFID and scales programmes it goes down to the mid-hundreds. When the customer starts look at engineering support, you are going down to low hundreds. You then have those that need a true global presence, we have a large international division in Europe and in Asia – China and Taiwan, so now you are in the double-digits regarding competition. Finally, if you include in-house cold heading manufacturing capability, which a customer can lean on when there is a problem, then you are talking a handful of companies.

To have all of this capability puts us at the very forefront of the industry and we need to be shouting it from the rooftops and that is what we will be looking to do going forward – both within the Americas as well as internationally.”

How has the company had to adapt since the outbreak of the pandemic and what are your plans for the future?

“There is no management team in any industry around the world that has dealt with a situation such as the Covid-19 pandemic before.

It is a once in a lifetime situation. I believe that we have managed the situation successfully. It has been a very difficult time, but we have

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taken all the necessary steps in terms of being successful. We have been able to adapt quickly by keeping the employees engaged, such as holding regular ‘town hall’ meetings (virtually) where we talked about what was going on.

Throughout my career of managing multiple locations and countries, there is nothing more difficult than trying to get a message out and making sure everybody understands it. So, the more you have meetings and the more you communicate, the more it helps get the message out to everybody within the company.

We want to be the company of choice for not only our customers, but also our employees. That is why it is key they feel part of the process, as well as part of the culture. I think Covid-19 is always going to exist, alongside other illnesses such as the flu, chicken pox, etc. I think this will lead to us adapting how we do business and how we live our lives.

Prior to Covid-19, I believed that everybody should work in the office, but then the pandemic hit and people worked from home and if anything were even more productive. This is just one example of how the pandemic will change how companies work in the future.

I also see Covid-19 as a big opportunity for us to develop our business – as we can utilise our in-house manufacturing. During the pandemic customers may have seen a log jam in their global supply chains. However, thanks to our manufacturing capabilities within Chicago, as well as Gloucester in the UK, we are able to offer the solution. We have the capabilities as a business and we can supply the products and services customers demand. Going forward as a business we are looking to grow and make an impact in the marketplace. We have the tools to do it, we just need to go out and do it.”

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MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

Made in eastern Europe With the global pandemic affecting all parts of the fastener supply chain, European companies are now looking at manufacturing capabilities closer to home to supply products.

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ere, we take an exclusive look into the inner workings of fastener and fixing companies across eastern Europe including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Latvia.

This comprehensive market review outlines the products and capabilities from businesses across the whole supply chain, from the production of threaded rod, wood screws, fixing systems, injection moulding, nails, high strength fasteners, and a host of other fastener products and fixings.

www.fastenerandfixing.com

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MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

Partnering with Marcopol Marcopol’s comprehensive offering as a Polish manufacturer and supplier of fastener and fixing elements – for many industries – distinguishes it as a highly valued partner for customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

Here Anastazja Janus, export and foreign markets business development director at Marcopol, sheds some light on the business and its role as a European distributor and manufacturer.

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arcopol’s production facilities, with its own bespoke machinery, enables the company to quickly execute orders, including a wide range of standard products and customised products – adapted to the individual needs of customers. Through its modern machine park and production capacity the company is able to produce goods of a total weight of up to 500 tonnes per month.

“We have two state of the art factories in northern Poland that enable us to meet the needs of our customers. In addition, we have our own heat treatment plant, as well as our own tooling department,” points out Anastazja. “This means we can produce fasteners and fixings quickly, including specialised orders, to the very highest quality – whilst controlling the complete production process.”

Vast product portfolio

The company is able to produce from carbon and heat treatable steel (Class 4.8, 5.8, 6.8, 8.8 and 10.9) as well as from stainless steel (A2, AISI 304 and A4, AISI 316 Class 50 and 70). Marcopol is able to produce metric bolts and screws (from M2.5 up to M8, with a maximum length of 220mm); screws for thermoplastic materials, self-tapping screws, wood screws and chipboard screws (from 2.2mm diameter up to 8mm, with a maximum length of 220mm) as well as self-drilling screws (from 2.9mm diameter up to 6.3mm, maximum length of 150mm, and for special customer requests from M3 up to M5 – maximum length 150mm).

Marcopol can also produce threaded rods (with metric thread, thread for wood, for sheet metal, for plastics, and a combination of the above mentioned materials – from 3mm to 8mm diameter, with a maximum length of 220mm). Threaded rods with metric thread can

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also be produced from stainless steel Class 80 and 100. Marcopol is also able to entice customers with its range of serrated screws, which are available in carbon steel and stainless steel, as well as its ability to produce thread forming metric bolts and screws.

“All products can be manufactured with various types of recess, such as Philips, Pozidriv, slot, kombi, six lobes, hexagonal and special recesses. Marcopol can also supply the products with a wide range of coatings including zinc plating (white, yellow, black), nickel, zinc-nickel, zinc flake coatings, hot dip galvanising, pre-applied coats (e.g Dri-loc, Eslok), Delta Seal, colour painting, varnishing and other special coatings according to customer’s technical requirements, as well as in accordance with RoHS. Finally, the products can be delivered with a declaration of conformity and with the required certificates on request of the customer,” explains Anastazja.

Another key development trend at Marcopol is the requests for product customisation. “Alongside standard products, customisation is becoming increasingly expected by customers. It’s all about producing high-quality, custom-made fasteners and fixings,” points out Anastazja. ‘We’ve been providing both standard and specialised products for such markets as furniture, construction, window and door joinery, electro-technical, electro-mechanical, household appliances, sports equipment and others for many years now and the number of industries using our products is constantly growing.”

Packaging service

Not only can Marcopol produce fasteners and fixings quickly, it can also customise packaging in accordance with its customers’ needs. “We also provide a full packaging services as part of what we offer,” mentions Anastazja. “A very wide range of standard products are available in stock and this ensures short delivery times. It really is a perfect solution for companies that do not want to waste their time packaging goods themselves. We make this process considerably quicker and more profitable.”

This packaging service also includes completely packed assembly sets on request – depending on customers’ individual needs. In addition to fixing elements and fasteners, the sets may also include manuals and warranty cards. “Through our ‘confectionery’ process our customers can combine fixing elements and fasteners to the exact quantities they require, whilst picking entrusted products,” explains Anastazja. “All ordered elements are packed in plastic bags, according to customer instructions. We offer plastic film of various thickness and colour. We can also add identification labels or print a label directly on the film. Through our modern, multi-station packing line we can provide simultaneous completion of multiple elements and each set is electronically verified as correct. The bags are then packed into cardboard boxes in the final stage of the process – once again according to the instruction of the customer. This means the goods leave the packing line packed aesthetically, securely and – most importantly – quickly.”

POLAND

Quick delivery

Alongside its production facilities, Marcopol has over 12,000m 2 of modern warehouse, with some 31,000 pallet spaces, which enables it to hold high stock levels – with continuous availability of over 30,000 products in 40 product groups. “We can deliver orders quickly thanks to our own production facilities and thereby maintain high-levels of inventory. We differentiate ourselves by ensuring full stock availability for immediate deliveries,” explains Anastazja.

“That is why we implemented a new logistics management system – Qguar WMS Pro (Warehouse Management System Pro), which supports all of our warehouse processes, from the acceptance of goods through to their storage and release. This has helped us increase traceability and shorten our delivery times considerably.”

The modern warehousing system also guarantees efficient order process for Marcopol’s extended sales network, which includes 12 branches in Poland, as well as foreign branches in Russia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Guaranteed quality

The company also has its own quality control laboratory, supervised by external bodies. Detailed control procedures, using top class measuring devices, guarantees the highest execution quality and product repeatability for the customers. “Product safety and quality are the cornerstones of our strategy,” states Anastazja. “We look to maintain the highest standards in these fields, working on the basis of a certified Quality Management System conforming to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards.”

The newest acquisition, which is used for product testing, is a state of the art tensile testing machine. “This new testing machine provides high accuracy and repeatability of measurements, which in turn allows us to guarantee high-quality products. We strive to constantly improve quality standards by investing in our own laboratory.”

Marcopol’s vast capabilities and services have been put to the test during the current Covid-19 pandemic, but the company has been able to handle the situation. “Working during the pandemic has been complicated for sure, for everybody, but I can say that Marcopol has dealt with it very well both in our domestic market, as well as in exports,” states Anastazja. “I think that a huge plus here is the wide range of items we can offer and the high-level of availability of products in stock. For instance, when the requests from furniture producers reduced we noted an increase in requests from the construction industry. Also the quick production of special products by Marcopol, as well as quick deliveries, were very useful for customers who had experienced postponed supplies from other sources.

Anastazja adds: “I think that a lot of companies, producers and distributors in terms of the pandemic realised how important it is to have safety of the supply chain. In terms of quickly changing conditions, and the unstable situation on the market, having a reliable European supplier that is able to quickly deliver the standard products, as well as produce items according to special order – in-line with such services as quality control, customised packaging (including ready to use sets of items), quick transport, competitive price and with short delivery time – are esteemed by customers more and more.” www.marcopol.pl

www.fastenerandfixing.com

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MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

Domax and its DMX® screws Polish-based Domax Sp z.o.o was founded in 1996 with a focus on timber construction.

Since then the company states it has become a leading manufacturer for wood screws within the European market – through its DMX® brand.

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ased in Koleczkowo, near the Baltic sea, Domax first started producing its DMX® range in 1998 and since then has developed a full range of components, brackets, and screws, to meet a wide variety of timber solutions.

“From the very beginning the durability and strength of the screws we offered was determined primarily by the rigorous quality control process carried out – according to the relevant standards,” explains Karol Gliszczynski, international sales director at Domax. “All tests are performed by specialised control and measurement equipment and we have our own laboratory to ensure the highest quality.”

Domax has numerous screws available within in its production portfolio, which have a wide range of applications. “The range of DMX screws we provide customers offer simple and convenient usage, whilst ensuring high-quality and reliable installation,” states Karol.

“Through our technical capabilities we have been able to design and introduce screws that are at the cutting edge of the market.”

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The first range within the DMX line is carpentry screws, which are available with either a wafer head (CT) or a flat head (CS). By increasing the thread length by 20mm, the parameters in terms of resistance to pull out and screwing the thread into the wood has been improved by Domax. Other features include an optimised shape of the ‘cutter’ threads, which translates into a reduction in the force required for screwing into the wood. Plus, the design of the wafer head has been reduced to enhance drag resistance.

To add to the carpentry screws, Domax is also able to supply full thread screws, which – unlike partial head screws – can be used in applications requiring a strong and rigid wood connection.

POLAND Thanks to the design of the full thread screws, there is no need to use additional wood connectors and the connection is practically invisible – thanks to the cylindrical head of the screws. The DMX range of full thread screws is offered with a cylindrical head (CPW) and a countersunk (CPS).

The next line of screws within the DMX range are for fixing rafter insulation. The WKW and WKT screws are intended for the installation of over-rafter insulation (soft and hard) and have longer double threads. The longer 100mm screws are for the rafters and the shorter 60mm screws for the counter batten – guaranteeing minimum pressure is exerted on the insulation material. The WKW screws can be introduced at any angle in relation to the ground. The result is a larger pressure area with high joint strength.

To go alongside this, Domax also supplies WDS distance screws that are very often used during works related to the renovation of roofs, as well as for fixing façades vertically. Domax points out that its WDS distance screws feature

special rings under the head – to which material can be held and fine adjustment can be made. In addition, the distance between the elements can be changed by reversing the screwing direction.

The final screws within the DMX line are GS and GT, which are intended for aerated concrete and provide an alternative to traditional assembly with expansion plugs. Domax highlights the simple installation of the GS and GT screws, which can be installed without pre-drilling and do not require any specialised equipment, help minimise the risk of damaging the wall. Due to the large thread surface of the screws, resistance to pulling out is also ensured. The screws are also available with a special anti-corrosion coating made of zinc flake, which means installation can take place both inside and outside. www.domax.com

EN

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

A continuing commitment to quality products pgb-Europe N.V, or Pennoit-Grootaert Boutenhandel in full, is a family controlled business that has evolved from being a sole proprietorship into a renowned international player on the market – with production capabilities within Poland.

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hilst its head office, which is also the logistics centre for its wide range of fasteners and hand tools, is located in Melle near Ghent, Belgium, the company also has production facilities in Vietnam – focused on the production of wood screws – as well as pgb-Polska in Poland, which focuses on the production of anchors. pgb-Polska has a history that dates back to 1997 and specialises in the production of the SMART® brand of fastening solutions. The division is headed up by Krzysztof Biskup, a 25 year veteran within the fasteners industry. “I have seen many changes during my time within the industry – especially within the local Polish market,” states Krzysztof. “For example, the Polish market has shifted from a sole focus on producing cheaper basic products towards a market that gradually started to ask for higher quality products and a more innovative product range, where pricing is no longer the only determinative factor. Because of this evolution towards quality, a stronger connection has been noticeable between the domestic Polish sector of the fasteners industry and the European markets. This has strengthened all trade and partnership relations.”

Through concentrating on European markets, combined with Poland’s membership of the European Union, pgb-Polska has been given plenty of commercial opportunities to grow its production capabilities and product portfolio, which has resulted in the company achieving a variety of certifications and accreditations for its quality, such as European Technical Assessments (ETAs).

“By focusing more on the European markets, pgb-Polska has

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introduced higher standards and improved relations between production, distribution and final customer,” explains Krzysztof. “The high-quality products produced by pgb-Polska are up to the standard and expectations of the European markets and are even beginning to set the tone and direction in the innovation and development of new products.”

Krzysztof continues: “Within pgb-Polska and pgb-Europe a vast majority of products have a unified certification and a unified packaging system, which greatly benefits the customer base.

This means it does not matter if the products are shipped directly from our warehouse in Poland or the headquarters in Belgium. All products adhere to the same level of quality.”

In addition to the quality and price of the products, pgb-Polska also guarantees a high availablility of products to its customer base. Through smart warehouse management pgb-Polska is able to offer full traceability, technical support and quick responses to customer requests. All of this is supported by a modern and IT-driven sales system that gives pgb-Polska the possibility to hand out sharp commercial offers and discover the best prospects for the future.

Together with the Belgian mother company, pgb-Polska focuses primarily on development and production of new products within the existing pgb-Europe family of brands. Prime examples of these brands are SMART, PFS+ and HAPAX among others. Besides these brands, pgb-Polska

POLAND

also services private labels and is able to deliver the products in any kind of packaging as specified by the customer.

By working with these private labels and offering a full customisable quality product, at a sharp rate, pgb-Polska is able to take maximum advantage of the growing emergence of these labels within the European fastener industry.

Krzysztof concludes: “I am convinced that the fastener industry and Polish market is facing a bright future. The focus on quality and service will further open foreign markets to pgb-Polska. It will not only be European markets that are within reach, but also the Middle Eastern and Asian markets that will become open to us.� www.pgb-polska.com

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

THALE – offering technical support and quality With over 60 years’ experience, and a constant desire for dynamic development, THALE Sp. z o.o, Sp. k., the owner of the Niczuk brand, has established itself as a leading supplier of fixing systems within the Polish market.

T

HALE was initially founded in the 1950s as a small workshop focused on providing locksmith services, before developing its production for warehouse racks with self-propelled ladders and elevators for their operation. In the 1960s the company focused on mass produced products, such as car jacks, suspension elements and subassemblies, which were present on the automotive market at that time.

During the years of economic transformation and changes within Poland, new opportunities for the company’s development appeared.

It was during this period the board decided to introduce a new series of products – pipe clamps. This was a turning point for the business and provided a new direction for its development – to become the main supplier of installation fixtures on the Polish market. Over the years, more than 740 products used in the installation industry have been introduced to the Niczuk brand offer, which today constitutes a complete system.

“Our strength and high market position in the installation fixtures industry is the result of experience and the emphasis we put on every single detail to ensure the safety of the users, of the installation, and the entire structure,” states THALE. “Our products must meet the highest quality and strength requirements. We are also constantly developing our products to meet the growing demands and needs of the market.

We not only improve their ergonomics, but also the quality of materials and coatings used for their construction, as well as take care of the aesthetics and compatibility of the whole system for fixtures.”

Throughout this period the share of export sales as a sum of total sales has been growing year-on-year, with the company adopting a new strategy to achieve dynamic growth in the future. “Our new strategy to grow exports is based on three main pillars. The first and most important pillar is building our own distribution network in selected countries. In this way, we already operate successfully in the Baltic states, Hungary and Romania. Currently, there are advanced activities aimed at building foreign branches from scratch in other markets, where our high-quality products will be appreciated by customers. Our strategy assumes the functioning of local entities according to all the standards of the local market – while ensuring service standards that meet the expectations of the domestic market,” explains THALE. “The second pillar of export sales development is cooperation with local independent distribution companies and wholesalers. This way we reach our end customers and we already have agreements in Greece, Italy, Russia, Denmark, Spain and Ukraine. We are also currently conducting advanced talks about cooperation between companies in several new markets. Finally, the third pillar is cooperation with local companies based on consignment warehouses.”

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As a business THALE started its exports by focusing on the neighbouring markets, where logistics costs and operation are similar to the domestic market. However, it has not closed itself off to the chances and opportunities to enter the markets located a little further afield. For instance, after making a contact at a previous trade show, it now works with a company in South America.

In-depth product portfolio

A key part of THALE’s ability to develop its export sales is its in-depth range of Niczuk branded products. The product portfolio includes anchor fixings, fastening and connecting elements, pipe clamps, channel systems, accessories for mounting, roof support systems, wire rope suspension systems, fixed points and sliding plates, as well as stainless steel products and hot dip galvanised products.

“As a business we are able to work alongside customers at the design stage, using our proven solutions and extensive experience, to ensure proper use of our products – whilst taking into account the specificity of the structure and following safety guidance,” points out THALE. “We have the largest department of fixtures designers in the country, which helps us realise complex projects for a variety of applications, including the suspension and support of sanitary, ventilation and air conditioning units, as well as other installations.”

This enables THALE to provide support in designing installations for industrial, public utility, commercial and residential construction, with the company delivering Niczuk branded products to the construction sites of nearly 1,500 customers in 2020 alone.

As part of its design support, THALE also provides a CAD library of its entire range, both in 2D and 3D format. In addition, the company has introduced a new Revit program, which facilitates the flow of information between the designers, contractor and investor by improving the design process.

“As part of this program we can provide innovative calculation software for selecting products according to installation specifications, which helps save customers time and energy,” states THALE. The calculation software includes three calculation modules, with the first being Beam, which allows the user to determine the stress values in the assembly profile and the deflection arrows of the profile – depending on how the element is supported and on the values of applied forces.

The next module is Frame, which is designed to determine the appropriate elements to build a 3D frame under the given loads. Finally, there is the Compensations module, which is used for determining forces acting on fixed points, thermal elongation and stresses in a pipeline. Calculations are made for one of the five compensation schemes - type L, U and Z, no compensation and spool pieces.

Alongside all of this, the company also provides professionals with a library of schematics for products in its Autodesk Revit software.

This software can be used for Building Information Modeling (BIM) and allows customers to use a smart model-based process to plan, design, create and manage buildings and infrastructure elements.

The software also helps installation designers to discover optimal solutions and opens the way to increasing creativity and innovation, as well as giving the opportunity to share work, which means that many team members can work on a design at the same time using a centrally shared model. The program improves the coordination of work between the architect, constructor and installation designer, so

POLAND that the risk of errors resulting from data conversion can be reduced and the design process is more predictable.

“As a business it is vital that we are able to understand our customers’ needs and flexible enough to meet them and provide an individual approach – thanks to having our own production capabilities,” states THALE. “A big challenge is the speed of design development and efficient logistics at the investment stage, but as a company we can meet this challenge and provide the necessary answers. Our company is also distinguished by the fact that we are less afraid of developing our business. By having better contact with the customer, we can make decisions about increasing technical support or other activities faster.”

Innovation and development

For over 60 years THALE has been offering products of the highest quality and it has been able to do so thanks to its research and development laboratory, which is equipped with the latest material testing machines. “Our R&D laboratory enables us to design and test completely new solutions in the field of fixing systems. The technical approvals and certificates that our suspension systems have achieved are proof that we are the right partner for customers,” mentions THALE. “In our opinion, one of the biggest impacts on the sector of installation fixing systems, in addition to the economic situation within the building construction market, is the innovative system solutions a business can provide and how they help improve the installation assembly stage and, consequently, save time and money during the whole assembly process.

The company whose new standards will be accepted by the market will impose development directions for the whole industry.”

Long-term strategy

THALE’s long-term strategy is to participate further in larger projects of a diverse nature – such as infrastructure investment,

hospitals, etc, and to carry on meeting its customers’ varying needs.

“We want to develop our system and offer so that we can cover other fields and move towards a wider use of products,” states THALE. “To have all the solutions in your system – that will meet customers’ needs – means that as a business you can provide a comprehensive service.

Large projects are characterised by the need to provide a huge amount of support at a high-level. That is why we will continue to underline our ability to offer technical support and guarantee the highest quality of the products. The coming years may be hard and customers, and investors, tend to make decisions based on the price. However, this may be fatal, hence the importance of highlighting the role of quality and reliability. Customers expect a reliable, professional partner and that is what we can deliver.” www.niczuk.eu

Fastening systems We focus on DURABILITY.

THALE Sp. z o.o. Sp. k.

Wilimowo 2 11-041 Olsztyn POLAND tel. +48 89 521 13 98 export@niczuk.pl

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

Valenta ZT – niche threaded rod Valenta ZT has been active in the fastener market since 1995, becoming an important supplier for customers in the distribution chain of standard fasteners. Supplying not only to the construction industry, but also to other sectors such as engineering, power engineering and civil engineering.

V

alenta ZT started as a one-man operation, with owner Stephan Valenta slowly growing the business to the company it is today. Stephan comments: “It wasn’t until the 2000s that we really started to develop, which was when we made the decision to start manufacturing threaded rod – as there was not much available on the market in the Czech Republic.”

Valenta soon realised there was a lot of competition and bigger players when it came to standard threaded rod, so with that in mind it decided to simply trade in the standard range of threaded rods and focus on manufacturing the niche threaded rod products – where it was more competitive.

“The big volumes of standard threaded rod we imported and we focused our manufacturing on other grades like 5.6, 5.8, 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9, as well as specials such as trapezoidal threaded spindles and drawing parts, as well as larger diameters and length,” points out Stephan. “We also found that for these special threaded rod products customers also prefer to work with European mill materials and require the products to be supported by quality certificates. So this proved a very successful area for us.”

For the threaded rod it produces, Valenta uses thread rolling processes, as it finds this has many advantages including an increase in strength by means of cold forming; very good surface roughness values; as well as high dimensional accuracy. “As part of our production we can offer thread rolling, cutting, bending, cold drawing, and CNC machining, which enables us to meet our customers’ needs,” mentions Stephan. “If a

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customer cannot find what they need within our portfolio, we can also work alongside them to offer customised production.”

Valenta is able to supply threaded rod in a wide variety of materials, from low grade steels to high strength alloys and stainless steels, and typical production can vary from a handful of larger parts to orders of tens of thousands of pieces. “We are very proud of our production capabilities and have recently moved the production into a new facility, which is 4,000m2 and based on the same site as our existing operations,” highlights Stephan. “This has provided even more space for us to increase our capacity so we can be even quicker in meeting customers’ needs.”

Whilst manufacturing accounts for a third of Valenta’s sales, the trade of standard products still accounts for two thirds of the business. The key range of goods available from Valenta includes standardised fasteners such as screws, bolts, nuts, washers, threaded rods, as well as timber connectors, pole anchors, fence components and nuts. “Most of the standard DIN products we import from Asia,” explains Stephan. “We have built very good partnerships with the suppliers and we regularly check the quality of the products, as well as the production processes that are used.”

To further guarantee the quality of the products, Valenta is continuously investing in modern production equipment and its quality management system. It has also updated its laboratory to include machines that can carry out hardness, optical measurement, X-ray spectrometer and straightness measuring tests. “When we first started producing threaded rod, we committed ourselves to the highest quality and this includes not only the

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

products we produce, but also the products we import,” states Stephan.

This was underlined a few years ago when there were several cases of substandard threaded rod – with incorrect pitch thread – entering the market. “This caused a real problem within the market because you had low cost products bringing down the margin, but it did not meet the standards,” explains Stephan. “The standard requires a pitch thread of 60 degrees and we committed to this whether it was something we imported or whether it was something we produced. The substandard products had a pitch thread of around 48 degrees angle and this made them around 10% cheaper than the standard price.”

Stephan continues: “We did lose some of our market as customers’ were tempted with the lower price, but we stuck to our values. This benefited us in the long run, as customers who had been enticed by the cheaper price found they were receiving claims from their customers regarding the quality of the threaded rod and it not being fit for purpose. They came back to us as customers and respected our decision to stay committed to the higher quality. There is less of this type of product in the market now, because customers have become more aware of the situation and the consequences, but there are still occasions where this type of substandard product arrives. We

Czech Republic

THREADED STUDS DIN 976-1

We introduce new products in our range - threaded studs DIN 976-1 with diameters from M4 and the length from 16 mm.

from M4 and length 16 mm

NEW

DIMENSIONS Diameters (d1): M4, M5, M6, M8 and more Lengths (L): from 16 mm Chamfer: Form A, Form B

MATERIALS Classes: 4.8, 5.8, 8.8, 10.9 Stainless steel: A2, A4 Brass

refuse to compete with the substandard quality, so we point out the differences and leave it to the customer to make the right decision.”

Through its commitment to quality, niche manufacturing, and production range, Valenta has been able to establish itself within the market – with more than 90% of its products being sold to customers across Europe. “Being based in the Czech Republic means we are actually very central within Europe, so we can cover a lot of different markets very easily,” mentions Stephan. “Ten years ago exports accounted for around 30% of sales, but it now accounts for 60% and there is still further opportunity to grow. Our largest market is the Czech Republic, then come the neighbouring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Austria and then other countries as well. We also have customers in other continents, but our main business remains in Europe.”

Stephan concludes: “Thanks to our new facility we have a lot more production and warehouse space and we want to add even more capacity to be able to offer more flexibility with orders and reduce lead times. New machinery and equipment can be acquired at competitive prices right now, due to the impact of Covid-19, and the engineers and designers are not as busy, so we are taking this opportunity to get them involved more in the processes we use and how we can optimise our business. We look forward to continuing to develop as a company and supplying customers with the products, service and quality they have come to expect from Valenta.” www.valentazt.com

We may also produce threaded studs DIN 976-1 with left and right thread.

We are able to produce threaded studs DIN 976-1 according to customer´s request.

And we also continue producing threaded studs of bigger diameters.

www.valentazt.com

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

POLAND

Paweł Klimas and Wojciech Klimas

Wkręt-met – combining technology with quality Wkręt-met was established in 1990 by the family of Joanna and Wojciech Klimas.

Located in Kuźnica Kiedrzyńska (Silesian province), Poland, the company started with the production of plastic fastening elements and through its owners’ ambitions, and market requirements at that time, was able to expand its portfolio very quickly.

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hilst expanding its portfolio, Wkręt-met also focused on improving product quality, investing in new technologies and expanding production facilities – using top of the range European equipment such as presses, rolling mills and injection moulding machines.

Today, Klimas Wkręt-met is a leading Polish manufacturer of the highest quality fastening techniques and is continuously developing its domestic and export market, with its products being used in

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over 60 countries worldwide. Thanks to the experience of high-end specialists; cooperation with producers from various industries; as well as new investments and dialogue with customers; the Klimas Wkręt-met brand has become synonymous with the highest quality fastenings used in the construction industry.

Here we speak to Wojciech Klimas, owner of Wkręt-met, about the development of the business and its production capabilities, as well as how it will continue to provide a complete portfolio to its customers in the future.

POLISH PRODUCER

WOOD SCREWS - STRONG FOR GENERATIONS

4

PRODUCTION AND STORAGE FACILITIES OF TOTAL AREA OF

80 000 m²

Production plant no. 2 and central warehouse - total area of 30,000 m2 New investment: plants no. 3 and 4 - total area of 30,000 m2

MULTI-OPERATIONAL STAMPING PRESSES

CUSTOM COATING

MULTI-OPERATIONAL STAMPING PRESSES

Zn WHITE

SUPER

more at: www.klimas.com

QUALITY SQ CERAMIC

Zn YELLOW

White / Yellow Zinc - Thickness of zinc coating min. 12 μm, guarantee of quality and high level of anti-corrosion protection.

SQ Ceramic - Very high level of anti-corrosion protection (several times higher than the traditional galvanization).

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE How was the company founded and what were the key points in its development?

“I remember our beginnings pretty well as it was a very tough time in Poland. However, we still managed to buy the first machines, which were the equivalent of our six months’ income, which helped us to establish our first machine park.

At that time, we were very happy about the quality of our products and continued to work on the quality aspect so that we quickly caught up with the development gap that separated us from the western Europe economies. The most important step in our development was the investment in the research laboratory, where we developed our own solutions, such as a three-sided expansion plug, a universal expansion plug, as well as a multipurpose expansion plug pattern, which are all patent protected.

From the beginning, we also focused our investment into the full digitalisation of the enterprise. It was our priority as we knew a modern facility would give us a competitive advantage, through guaranteed quality, repeatability of products and speed of order fulfillment.

Digitalisation continues to be a key focus for our business. That is why, among other things, we have created the e-klimas.com platform – an IT tool dedicated to the company’s clients and improving the product purchasing process.”

What are the production capabilities in your company? What products are you able to produce?

“Today we can offer a full portfolio of products, starting from fasteners for thermal insulation, flat roofs, screws for light housing, frame fasteners, as well as metal and chemical anchors. Wooden construction products, such as hardened wood, also play an important role in our portfolio. We also cooperate closely with the furniture and joinery industry, to whom we provide fastening solutions in the scope of production and assembly. Generally speaking, we offer a whole range of products for the wide construction industry.

What is definitely worth paying attention to is our ability to produce a full portfolio in terms of sizes (length and width). We are able to produce screws with a size from a few millimeters up to a few hundred millimeters. Additionally, as part of our portfolio, we give our customers the possibility to choose the material from which the screw can be made (carbon steel, stainless steel, etc) or the coating we are able to apply on each of the products – such as yellow coating, white coating, or our newest lamellar coating – SQ CERAMIC, which gives 10 times better results in terms of corrosion resistance when compared to standard zinc.”

What services are you able to provide to your clients?

“We often work with our key clients on the basis of customised solutions, so we try to take into account all the needs of our clients in our daily work. This, of course, translates into activities that we undertake together, such as dedicated training, meetings, lectures, as well as joint marketing projects. In addition, the solutions we provide

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to our partners today are aimed at accelerating and simplifying their work. Hence, our offer includes professional programs for technical calculations of fastenings for thermal insulation, fastenings for light housing and flat roofs, as well as calculations for anchors.”

What are the main benefits of being a producer in eastern Europe?

“Economically, our location may not seem very ideal. Central and eastern Europe have always been in the position of ‘chasing’ its competitors from the western border. We had a lot of catching up to do, but many Polish companies are showing that there is a space for us on the international market. Such a quick development in relation to western European countries is closely related to the geographical location of the region. Poland is almost in the centre of the European Union, enabling quick delivery to customers and significant savings related to logistics.

Other factors that have enabled Polish companies to ‘catch up’ include product qualifications and entrepreneurship.

If we combine all these aspects, we can conclude that our location has contributed to the success, which is confirmed by the development of production facilities, increased employment, and also the expansion of the distribution network around the world.”

The pandemic has undoubtedly hit everyone in the industry. How has your company been impacted over the last six months? How have you adapted?

“2020 has surprised everyone with a pandemic and all spheres of life have been impacted by it. However, I believe this has made having a good brand reputation, and customers having trust in that brand, even more important. A company’s values will become even more visible in

POLAND is negative. I believe that there is nothing wrong with promoting local companies if the products have unique characteristics and when purchasing I take into account the origin of the product. However, this is not a crucial criterion because price, quality, availability, as well as convenient packaging are also very important. If the products are similarly positioned in terms of price and quality, then you can choose between domestic and foreign suppliers. Such a model is most close to us because our products can compete on any market.”

What role do you think technology and automation will play in the fastener manufacturing sector going forward?

the near future on every level – from employees, through to production process management, quality control, as well as customer service.

2020 is also a special year for us, because we are celebrating our 30 th anniversary, but we are also crowning the two year period of huge investments in the construction of production halls and expansion of the machine park. Through these investments, we will not only be able to meet the demand for our products, but we will also be able to propose new product solutions that we will soon offer to our partners. Of course, we have no influence on the economic situation in the global and Polish construction industry, but based on our 30 years of experience, we are well prepared for various perturbations on the domestic and foreign markets.”

Will manufacturing companies have to change in the future as a result of the pandemic? How will their role in the supply chain be impacted?

“Companies that ignore new global trends will lose customers and competitive advantage over better prepared firms. The same situation concerns economies and entire societies. In the modern world, only those who can adapt in advance to the new conditions and mechanisms of operation, in an increasingly digital world, have a chance for success.

The pandemic has to some extent accelerated the processes for which many companies have only just started to focus on.

As for the impact on the supply chain, the ‘Just in Time’ service we provide is a global trend, which has been developing regardless of the pandemic. Admittedly it is an extraordinary organisational challenge, but it helps lead to a ‘work in progress’ reduction, and above all, a reduced level of maintained inventories in production and warehouse processes.

These are important development factors for every modern enterprise – especially in organisations with a profile such as our company, which supplies producers not only in its own country but also abroad.

We reach 65 countries through various models of product distribution, starting from cooperation with trading partners to opening our own sales branches in selected countries, including in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and India, so ‘Just in Time’ will continue to be a key factor for us.”

“Technology and full automatisation of production processes are already a standard in our plants, which we constantly improve. Of course, this helped during the ‘social distancing’ rules, as we did not need lots of people in our plants. Instead we have large production spaces that are filled with specialised machines that enable us to increase production capacity while minimalising costs, which directly affects the competitiveness of our products. Due to the fact that hard work is performed by modern technology, our employees are focused on activities that are less burdensome for health, working in peace and order.

A well coordinated team is built based on good working conditions, but also on the basis of good relationships, often obtained in direct contact, and this factor may suffer from the new normality of the growing ‘social distancing’. Ensuring the right atmosphere between employees in times of growing social distance is a challenge that all companies will face.”

Where do you see the company in five years? What opportunities do you see for the future?

“We are consistently implementing the strategic goal of achieving the leading position in the production of fastening techniques in Europe and this is exactly where we see ourselves in the next five years. That is why we have invested in further development of the production facilities. Over the last 5 – 6 years, we have started to make conscious, strategic decisions about the areas in which we want to develop.

In 2019, we established commercial cooperation with partners from Senegal and Australia. It was a courageous move to also establish a company in India, but after 12 months of its operation, we know that it was the right decision. A sales team working for us in India makes sure that our product range is mainly allocated to large investments.

We have also focused on the growth in the south and east European markets and then on the western European market – all the time being aware of in which countries and on which continents there is a demand for our products. Today, we can confidently say that we are no longer just a European player on the market.” www.klimas.com

Due to the global impact of the pandemic, do you think that the country of origin will become more important to customers? Does this create an opportunity for you as a European producer?

“The pandemic affected everything, including economic patriotism, which is more noticeable in some countries. However, economic patriotism must be distinguished from nationalism, which

www.fastenerandfixing.com

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MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

ESTONIA

Arras looking to double production capacity Established in 1999, Arras Construction Furniture OÜ is focused on the production and wholesale of fasteners and is looking to double its production capacity in the future.

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EO Lauri Kivi explains: “Since the very beginning we have been a company that has looked to develop our range and capabilities in order to meet customers’ needs. We started automating our production line in 2006 and thanks to our capabilities we are able to produce over 3 million pieces per month. However, we are already looking at growing further by adding another automatic line, which will enable us to produce over 6 million pieces per month once introduced.”

Arras is proud of its manufacturing capabilities, with the company able to manage the entire production cycle from start to finish. “Firstly we map out the customers’ needs and then we work on the design and manufacture of the dies,” mentions Lauri.

“The next step is to acquire the necessary material and start production of the parts. After quality checking the parts we can then move onto packing and labelling the products, before storing the finished products.”

As part of its packing and labelling service, Arras has extensive experience in private labelling for companies. Depending on a customer’s needs, and purchase volume, Arras can offer packaging with the customer’s own design; sales support material with their information; as well as display stands with the customer’s brand livery.

In addition to its die stamping technology, Arras also offers cutting services for sheet metal. This enables the company to produce a wide variety of products including angle brackets, nail plates, joist hangers and purlin anchors, which are supplied to the DIY sector, wholesale companies and the production industry.

Arras also has its own online store where customers can log in to access the latest stock information and can submit orders via the online cart or by uploading a file (PDF, Microsoft Excel or Word, etc).

Users of the online shop receive feedback regarding delivery times for special orders and can access product information such as drawings, certificates, product images and prices.

“With a population of just 1.3 million our home market isn’t very big, which means we have to focus on export and reaching new customers,” explains Matis Allikmaa, sales director at Arras. “Exports account for 70% of turnover, with the home market accounting for the remaining 30%. We have customers across Europe and being located in Estonia means that we are situated close to the Nordic countries, as well as having easy access to the Baltic sea – which gives us more possibilities for transport. Estonia is well known for its high-quality and through our very focused and passionate workers, we have been able to build on this reputation.”

Arras’ ability to export across Europe was a big advantage after the Covid-19 pandemic hit at the beginning of 2020. “As soon as the impact started to be felt in Europe in March, we saw a huge sales rise,” points out Matis. “So much so that we had to change our shift from 1 to 2. For a short period, we even had to work with 3 shifts – during late night hours and on weekends. We did this to ensure that we could satisfy our customers’ needs.”

Matis continues: “We have developed a lot as a business over recent years, but there are still opportunities for the future. We are already seeing companies looking to move to European production instead of Asian production, to ensure shorter supply chains in the future. As a business we see this is as a further opportunity to grow into new markets and work alongside new customers. Over the next few years we will also look to add a new building for the warehouse, production, packaging department and office. We may come from a small country, but we have very big ambitions.” www.arrascf.eu

Czech Republic

Using the Czech ‘can do’ attitude WTE PowerBolt is a European manufacturer, stockist and supplier of special fasteners and drawing parts for the oil & gas, petrochemical & chemical and powergen industries.

F

ounded in 2008, the company’s first step to becoming a manufacturer was in 2011 when it acquired its first CNC machine. Today, the company has 10 CNC turning machines, 2 CNC milling machines, 4 thread rolling machines and 30 other machines to produce its own fasteners – with the head mark WTE. With a manufacturing range from M8 up to M160, and from ¼ inch up to 7 inch in standard or fine thread, WTE PowerBolt’s products are manufactured according to all the key specifications, including ANSI/ASME, ASTM, EN ISO, DIN, national standards, as well as to customer specific requirements – such as Alstom, Siemens, Doosan, Skoda Doosan, Aker, Valmet, etc.

The company can also supply the products in a variety of materials and specialises in products made of EU origin steels and nickel alloys, in compliance with industry standards – AD 200 Merkblatt and PED 2014/68EU – with one of the widest range of products in stock worldwide.

The products are also used in a wide variety of applications including flange connections, pipe lines, skids, valves, pumps, turbines, heat exchangers, as well as industrial boilers and heaters.

“As a Czech company we are focused on an individual approach to customers’ needs and ensuring that we supply a quick delivery,” points out Radek Szabó, co-founder of WTE Powerbolt. “It is in Czech nature

that if we do not know how than we will figure it out and customers appreciate this ‘can do’ attitude. Historically the Czech industry has a very good reputation worldwide, across all industry fields, and we are keen to keep this legacy and prove that it still stands.”

This has been further underlined by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to reliability and services becoming even more valuable. “Thanks to Covid-19 a lot of changes for the future were accelerated and have been introduced a lot quicker,” mentions Radek. “The companies who already implemented (or at least started with) changes covered by the Industry 4.0 approach are ahead now.

This will continue and become more necessary for the future. Our role every day is to provide a quick service for our customers. The challenge for us is to keep this standard during this difficult period and beyond.”

By doing this the company hopes to strengthen its position as a leading manufacturer and supplier of fasteners for valves, turbines, heat exchangers, pipelines, refineries and nuclear power plants.

“We have already started to implement some new products to our portfolio that we will add to our offer within the coming months,” points out Radek. “We shall also double the size of our company stock within three years and increase our production capability by around 20% over the next 12 months.” www.powerbolt.eu

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

Czech Republic

Hašpl – living for fastening A traditional Czech family business, Hašpl AS has grown from a small manufacturer of nails to a leading European manufacturer with over 230 employees and nail production volume of 25,000 tonnes per year.

W

hilst nails production has been its focus, both loose and collated nails, Hašpl has also expanded its assortment of fasteners so that it can supply screws, bolts, nuts, washers, thread rods, blind rivets and anchors.

“In order to stay competitive with our products, from the very beginning we placed emphasis on an uncompromising quality on the products we produce, as well as the products we import,” states Hašpl. “That is why from the raw material at the start of the production process, all the way through to goods out, we carry out quality checks.”

Due to the company’s commitment to long-term quality standards for its products, it also ensures its machinery is undergoing constant modernisation. “It is important that you are always looking to develop your capabilities with modern machinery, but you also need to keep existing processes available to customers,” mentions Hašpl. “That is why we maintain our traditional nail production using classic conventional machines, as well as ensuring that we have at our disposal top quality equipment for the production, cleaning, thread rolling, collating and packing of nails.”

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Hašpl supplies its products to European and North American wholesalers, as well as producers involved in the construction and wooden packaging industries. The company is looking to develop these markets even further in the future. “2020 has undoubtedly been an unusual year for everybody, but surprisingly as a business we did not see any major impacts,” points out Hašpl. “Our business was still fully operational and our sales, especially wood connecting materials, went up rapidly due to the restrictions along the supply chain for customers. There was obviously social distancing to contend with, but this process had already begun a long time ago, due to the development of automation within the production process. If anything Covid-19 might see this process increased.”

For over 25 years Hašpl has shown itself to be a reliable partner for not only its nail production, but for all types of fasteners it can supply.

“Thanks to the honest work, verve and commitment of our employees we have been able to establish a good reputation within the market.

Our motto is ‘we live for fastening’ and that is shown by our production capabilities, products, as well as the hard work of our employees.” www.haspl.cz

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

POLAND

HAMAR moves forward with its long-term strategy

Despite the effects of the Covid-19 crisis on the global construction sector, HAMAR has continued to realise its action plan, by investing in a modern machinery park and company facility expansion, whilst also concentrating on constant development and active participation in this challenging market.

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Polish manufacturer and distributor of fasteners, HAMAR was established in 1993 and from the very beginning set itself the mission of providing high-quality, proven and tested fasteners to the construction industry. Over the years the company has undergone dynamic growth based on the production in its own production facility and distribution of products under its own brands. When faced with the global Covid-19 pandemic the manufacturer was determined to not only successfully handle the situation but to come out of it as resilient as it was before.

Recently, HAMAR developed its machinery capability with new injection moulding machines to produce the extended range of telescope plugs for fixing flat roof insulation membranes. HAMAR states that the investment has enabled it to introduce a new quality on the European market for flexible thermal and roof waterproofing systems for steel, concrete and timber substrates. The significantly wider range of telescope tubes, screws and steel washers, as a part of the system, allows HAMAR to meet the most demanding markets.

In addition to its production capabilities, the company offers its customers a technical support in the selection of products and technologies. Using the industry experience and professional HAMAR® IDP App software, its technical office is able to propose individual selections for the optimal number of fasteners, fixing frequency and spacing, as well as wind load calculations, according to the Eurocode EN 1991-1-4. Providing its partners with the highest level of customer service and delivery has always been one of HAMAR’s main principles.

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Also, this year, HAMAR has finalised the expansion of its second facility in Gdynia, Poland. The project was designed and built with the use of modern, low emission construction technologies. The expansion includes opening modern office space and the establishment of new technical site infrastructure and a testing laboratory, which are to provide a development impetus for HAMAR’s performance. All this will enable the company to offer its customers complex technical advisory and professional support. www.hamar.com.pl

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

POLAND

Trutek plans for the future Trutek Fasteners is looking to not just be a supplier of construction fastening systems, but a long-term business partner for its customers, which is why the company is looking to invest in production in Poland.

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y working with local producers, as well as investing in machinery and tooling to set-up its own production facility in Warsaw, Trutek is looking to meet the needs of locally produced products that have arisen since the Covid-19 pandemic. “Dealing with uncertainty regarding long lead times has become an issue for a lot of customers at the moment,” states Steve Miller purchasing/marketing manager at Trutek. “Flexibility is what the market is looking for and the ability to act fast with quick turnarounds is required. That is why we are investing in our production capabilities within Poland and we are excited about what opportunities this can bring us in the future.”

Formed in 2002 Trutek Fasteners Polska Sp z.o.o has always had one vision and that was to service the market place with high-quality products at competitive prices, supported by the technical back-up customers would expect from a leading player for construction fastening systems.

Trutek is part of an international holding group that includes production and trading companies operating in all parts of the world, including in Poland where the company has its logistics warehouse and offices. “We moved into a new warehouse in 2019 and this has given us the ability to store over 1,000 pallets and given us room to grow our business,” explains Steve. “Through the new warehouse we have also been able to heavily invest in our stock, so that we can react quickly to any fluctuations in demand.”

From the very beginning Trutek’s aim has been to supply the full range of construction fastening systems, as well as build a strong supply chain that could deliver quality and consistency. “This strategy has worked to help make Trutek a strong and recognised brand in the industry,” mentions Steve. “Another key development for us as

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a business was in 2016 when we embarked on an extensive approval programme to further back up our statement as a serious player in the market. Today we can boast over 40 European Technical Assessments and ITB approvals – with an extensive technical database – to make selection of the correct product a seamless solution.”

Trutek has also recently worked on its online presence, with the introduction of a new website, as well as branding geared towards customers’ requirements. “Online customers can select the right product, for the right application, with the knowledge that all the information is at hand to make the correct choice,” points out Steve.

“We also have a design software calculation program that is available to all our customers. This helps structural engineers, in the process of selecting products for building projects, make sure the correct loadings are achieved.”

By the end of 2020 Trutek also plans to have a full library of product animations, which will be developed to show clearly how products should be installed to achieve the right results.

“Trutek is always evolving and we will continue to evolve to meet the demands of our customers now and in the future,” concludes Steve. www.trutek.com.pl

TGT iS200 - Insulation GAS TOOL

I NSULATI ON FAST E N IN G - S IMP L IF IE D

SAV E T I M E A N D M O N E Y F I X I N S U L AT I O N D I R EC T TO BAS E M AT E R I A L ACC U R AT E A N D CO N S I S T E N T LOW E R O P E R AT I N G FAT I G U E 5 T I ME S FAS T E R T H A N T R A D I T I O N A L M E T H O D S E ASY M A I N T E N A N C E O F TO O L S , L E S S D OW N T I M E

Ceiling Insulation

Exterior Walls

Underfloor Heating

Trutek Fasteners Polska Al. Krakowski 38, Janki, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland. trutek.com.pl

trutekfasteners.eu

Parking Garages

MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

HUNGARY

Hungarian high strength fasteners Founded in 1988 Szatyina Kft has grown from a family business – exclusively engaged in the production of wood screws – to a company that has followed the changing market demands to focus its production on uniquely designed, high strength, special products.

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ased in Hungary, Szatyina is able to produce custom designed fasteners by working alongside its customers and has its own in-house heat treatment facilities and quality laboratory to ensure the very highest quality. The company can produce products with a diameter from 1.5mm to 16mm and lengths from 2mm to 320mm.

“We have experience in producing a wide variety of products, including standard fasteners (DIN, ISO, etc), wood screws, stay bolts, flat screws, socket set screws, studs, as well as rivets,” explains Szatyina. “However, we predominately focus on high strength fasteners. Our customers mainly work in the electronics business, as well as construction and automotive sectors, most of which we serve through our wholesale partners, but we are also in touch with end users. Supplying these markets means that the quality of our product is of the upmost importance, which is why we carry out our own heat treatment, have our own quality laboratory, as well as why we applied for and achieved the IATF 16949:2016 certification.”

Initially focused on its domestic market, Szatyina now supplies customers across Europe including to the Swiss, German and Austrian markets. “We are proud of our growth across Europe and we have succeeded in the western European market, as well as central and eastern Europe, thanks to our commitment to quality and working with customers.”

Szatyina also believes the Covid-19 pandemic will lead to further opportunities for it to grow as a business. “Due to the pandemic situation we predict European consumers will start to look at working with European manufacturers, compared to Asian or American manufacturers, even more in the future. This will provide further opportunities for us as a business as we can offer greater reliability, safety and production continuity.”

“As an eastern European manufacturer we cannot only survive but thrive within the market, thanks to our high-level of flexibility and broad product range, especially at a time of similar market difficulties. Before the pandemic, there was already a general decline, which was mainly experienced in the automotive segment. Due to this we placed more emphasis on serving the needs of other areas and have therefore adapted and developed a new strategy for the future that looks at developing our markets.”

Future plans for the business include a bigger factory and manufacturing site, which will provide Szatyina with new capabilities, new technologies, and a new production environment for it to meet modern requirements. “We are proud to be a Hungarian manufacturer and we look forward to developing our capabilities as a business, so that we can continuously supply high-quality products, as well as a high-level of customer satisfaction.” www.szatyina.hu

Szatyina is able to produce custom designed fasteners by working alongside its customers and has its own in-house heat treatment facilities and quality laboratory…”

SLOVAKIA

Manufacturing plastic anchors TopKraft S.K has been operating on the Slovakian market for more than 23 years and has built a stable position as a manufacturer, importer and distributor of fasteners and fixings.

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eadquartered in Myjava, to the west of Slovakia and close to the Czech Republic border, TopKraft’s manufacturing is focused on its nylon plastic anchors range, which includes the Nail plug NP – available in diameters 6mm and 8mm and lengths from 35mm to 160mm; Façade dowels FI – available in diameter 8mm and 10mm and lengths from 70mm to 50mm; the Expansion plug KR – available in diameters from 6mm to 12mm; Knotter dowels PX – available in diameters of 6mm – 12mm; as well as Plug P anchor – available in diameters of 6mm – 14mm. Each product can be used for a variety of different materials including concrete, clay brick, hollow brick, aerated concrete and stone. TopKraft also specialises in roof telescopes and moulds for production of telescopes in diameters 4.8mm, 6.3mm and 8mm, which are combined with several screws.

The roof telescopes are in lengths from 65mm to 525mm.

“We are very proud of our production capabilities and when combined with our complete production portfolio we are able to offer customers everything they need,”

points out TopKraft. “This has enabled us to become a trusted brand within the fastener and fixings market that is known for its high-quality, as well as reliable service.”

Alongside its plastic anchors range, TopKraft can also supply universal screws with collar for wood, metal and plastic, large flat head screws, drywall screws, plastic frame fixings, steel dowels, mechanical anchors, injection resins, a complete range of brackets and beams, threaded bar, as well as a host of tool accessories.

“We look to supply a full range of products so that we can meet our customers’ needs and we are always look ing at how we can diversify our products and customer base, so that we can develop the products and services even further,” explains TopKraft. “Whilst we have recorded a 10% drop in turnover due to Covid-19, our production has continued through the pandemic without any break. We are very proud of our capabilities and we look forward to 2021 and the opportunity to continue working with our customers and providing the products and solutions they need.” www.topkraft.sk

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MADE IN EASTERN EUROPE

POLAND

Śrubena-Unia’s vast capabilities Śrubena-Unia has a rich tradition in manufacturing that dates back to 1832.

Through its strategy of continuously improving technological processes the company has been able grow its product range, as well as target new markets, to become one the largest manufacturers of industrial fasteners in Europe.

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rubena-Unia is relatively unique in the fact that it possesses both cold and hot forging technology and offers a wide variety of standard bolts, nuts and screws, as well as custom-made products to drawings, in a full range of materials and coatings, from M5 – M64.

The main industries that the company supplies include construction, railway, coal mining, machinery, wind power, as well as automotive. 50% of its sales are within the domestic market, with 50% across the rest of Europe – with Germany being the main

export market.

“Supplying such a diverse range of industries means that we have observed the negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on practically all of them,” mentions Śrubena-Unia. “This has obviously had an impact on us as a business as there has been a reduction in demand, due to a slowdown or suspension in many projects, constructions or new investments. However, this is true for a lot of businesses around the world.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has also impacted the company directly, with three positive cases within the business. “Thankfully the colleagues that were impacted by the pandemic did not have major symptoms and recovered relatively quickly,” points out Śrubena-Unia. “However, it was a challenge for us to analyse the colleagues that had been in contact with these people and then quarantine these additional colleagues. We were able to trace and identify all staff members and we have not experienced any infections since.” Śrubena-Unia believes that there will also be some long-term effects of the pandemic that will also need to be taken on board. “We believe that the experiences of companies and customers since the outbreak of the pandemic will mean that storing of products and stock will become even more critical. The pandemic has underlined the risk of interruption to the supply chain and due to this both distributors and manufacturers will need to look at their stocking capabilities and whether they should be increased, so that they have even more in reserve if required in the future.”

The company also believes that the impact on the supply chains will lead to companies reviewing their Far East sources and looking at the feasibility of using more local manufacturers within Europe – where there is less opportunity for the supply chain to be as severely impacted. “Our vision for the coming years is to make sure that Śrubena-Unia continues to be one of the biggest fastener manufacturers in Europe, through the development of both our machinery and products.

We believe the situation on the market will let us continue investing in our machine park and we will continue to focus on the construction industry, as well as other sectors, to enable us to continue to grow.” www.srubena.com

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LATVIA

Best packaging solution for any product type After conducting a series of tests, Kronus Ltd – a manufacturer of pallet collars and pallets – has discovered that the most reliable and practical packaging for the transportation and storage of fasteners and fastening parts is the pallet collar.

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n total, seven types of packaging, which are widely used for the transportation of both large and small items, were tested – including a cardboard box, a plastic box, a wooden box, a plywood box, disposable plywood packaging, as well as a metal box.

A total of 22 parameters were compared, such as protection of the goods; compliance with international standards; lifespan of the packaging; possibility of reuse and resale; convenience of use; and a selection of other parameters.

Results showed that the wooden pallet collar was the most reliable and practical type of packaging for the transportation and storage of fasteners and fastening parts. The pallet collar proved to be significantly superior to other types of packaging solutions in 21 criteria. Regarding resale value and the use of empty packaging for delivery over long distances – the pallet collar was superior to all other types of packaging solutions.

In addition, the pallet collar is an environmentally friendly packaging solution made from recyclable materials using an environmentally friendly paint, which does not pose risks to human health or the environment, as evidenced by international certificates.

Kronus was established in 1995 as a small wooden packaging producer and has grown into a high-tech enterprise with a production capacity of over 6 million pallet collars and two million pallets per year. Headquartered in Latvia, the company has sales offices in Germany, China and Lithuania, as well as exporting its products to 53 countries around the world. Its key markets are Germany, Italy, the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, South Korea and Latvia. www.kronus.eu

EXHIBITIONS

PREVIEWS AND REPORTS FROM INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIRS

EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit has successful launch The first EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit, which took place online from 27th – 30th October 2020, has provided the first meeting platform this year for the international sheet metal working community.

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ore than 5,500 registered participants from 91 countries used the opportunity to log on to the platform during the virtual event to network, watch webinar content live and on demand, view product demonstrations and visit virtual stands of exhibitors. This new event format proved successful in current times, as many participants from all over the world joined to discover innovations, trends and current solutions in the sheet metal working industry.

“This year has been everything but normal due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While we were unable to hold EuroBLECH in Hanover, our focus was to provide a meeting place for the sheet metal working community at this crucial time to generate business and keep the industry connected. We thank all participants for joining us at this digital event. In times like these we have to be innovative, venture into new areas, and adapt to new circumstances, which is exactly what our objective was when launching the EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit. At present, keeping the industry connected and providing a platform for networking and knowledge exchange is fundamental, as a complementary format to the live show,” says Evelyn Warwick, event director of EuroBLECH, on behalf of organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions.

The EuroBLECH Digital Innovation Summit provided a much anticipated trade and networking event for the global sheet metal working community.

Visitors could virtually meet relevant exhibitors in pre-booked and drop-in meetings, watch informative product presentations and follow webinars on current industry trends, followed by live Q&A sessions. Similar to a live event there were several options for visitors to get in touch with exhibitors – drop their business card at virtual stands, pre-book meetings with exhibitors or instantly contact exhibitors as they browsed the virtual stands.

“The feedback we have received from participants was very positive – many pointed out they did not expect a digital event to deliver such a great value to the industry. Our platform already offered a lot of functionalities to our participants, but we will obviously look at further improvements using the valuable feedback we have received,” continues Evelyn.

“As we are approaching the new year and further lockdowns are on the horizon, we are certain that the industry will need a meeting place like EuroBLECH Digital to stay connected and generate business.”

wire® and Tube cancelled Following close consultation with both exhibitors and partners, Messe Düsseldorf has cancelled the wire® and Tube trade fairs, which were scheduled for December, due to the current Covid-19 infection developments. he next events will be held in their usual cycle in Düsseldorf in 2022. The other events of Messe Düsseldorf planned for 2021 are not affected by this decision.

“Due to the decision of the federal and state governments on 28th October 2020, trade fairs cannot be held until the end of November for the time being. This means that the last physical events of this year will not be held within our fairground here in Düsseldorf. Our hygiene and infection protection concept, which was received well by exhibitors and the focus on a European orientation of the trade fairs made the hope for a successful holding, with the highest protection levels possible, seem realistic for all parties involved until recently. Due to the increasingly critical pandemic situation in Germany and our European neighbouring countries, however, the situation had to be completely reassessed. Against this backdrop and the currently high number of uncertainties on both exhibitors’ and visitors’ part we have taken the decision to call off the trade fairs,” explains Wolfram Diener, president and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. Wolfram continued: “Exhibitors and visitors can continue gathering information on the latest news from the industry, as well as trends and product innovations, on our online platforms. With this in mind we are constantly developing our digital content.

The decision taken is an event and industry specific decision that does not impact the other events planned by Messe Düsseldorf. We are in close contact with the authorities and partners of the respective trade fairs, with whom we will reassess the situation to then decide responsibly.”

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exhibitions

TAITRA holds successful first fastener webinar Unveiling the latest industry innovations, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), Taiwan’s trade promotion organisation, hosted its first ‘Taiwan Excellence Building Material and Fastener Webinar’ in Taipei, Taiwan, on 30th October, welcoming more than 200 buyers and media from around the world.

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his live streamed event transcended travel limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and provided global participants a closer look at Taiwan’s top brands and their innovative building material and fastener products.

These brands – all winners of the Taiwan Excellence Award – included King Slide Works Co Ltd, TRONCO Electric Machinery Inc, Sheh Kai Precision Co Ltd, as well as Sheh Fung Screw Co Ltd. Fastener products presented included those from Sheh Kai Precision, a specialist in high-end construction fasteners, such as bi-metal screws, and ultimate performance bi-metal and carbon steel screw anchors. The company presented a comparison between screw anchors and expansion anchors, demonstrating the high-quality of its products available to buyers.

Its concrete screw anchor won the Taiwan Excellence Award in 2017, featuring high ductility within the load bearing area of the fastener, as well as lowering the sensitivity of the fastener to damage by embrittlement by way of hydrogen as well as corrosion.

Also presenting was Sheh Fung Screw, an affiliated enterprise to Sheh Kai and a fastener brand that is synonymous with quality and safety for the user. Sheh Fung reports it has developed an exclusive, superior corrosion resistance coating for its fasteners and offers customisation for different uses. Sheh Fung’s timber construction screws have the characteristics and function to let users handle them

more easily and save more time – thanks to their patent design, which reduces screw torque and the risk of splitting wood.

After presentations by respective company executives showcasing their products, the webinar concluded with business matchmaking sessions for participants to further interact with brand representatives. Simon Wang, executive vice-president at TAITRA, said the brands are all ramping up production and actively seeking global, collaborative opportunities with buyers, as well as other product manufacturers.

As a leading player in the global hardware industry, Taiwan is one of the first Asian countries to invest in the development of high-value metal production products such as hardware, building materials, and fasteners. Bolstered by the country’s IT technology and complete supply chain, Taiwan’s hand tool industry has an export value of more than US$3.79 billion, placing Taiwan among the top three in the world in 2019. Within the fastener industry, Taiwan ranks among the top four globally with an export value of more than US$4 billion.

EISENWARENMESSE to be hybrid event As part of Koelnmesse’s digitalisation strategy, EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Köln 2021 will be held as a hybrid event for the first time. he exhibitor response to the show, which will take place from 21 st to 24th February 2021, clearly reflects the commitment to physical trade fairs, with around 2,000 exhibitors registering so far. Fastener companies already registered include Metabowerke GmbH, GESIPA®, HAZET, Prebena Wilfried Bornemann GmbH & Co KG, REYHER and Stanley Black & Decker.

New theme platforms at EISENWARENMESSE also offer excellent added value for exhibitors and visitors, with a new eCommerce area featuring a variety of innovative, disruptive solutions and strategies for business in the areas of payment, shop systems, ERP, hosting, search engine optimisation and multichannel. In addition to exciting solutions, there will also be excellent keynote sessions delivered by digital rock star Michael Atug and digitalisation guru Frank Thelen.

Besides informative expert talks and lectures, online giants such as Facebook and eBay as well as business providers like Shopware will also

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be exhibiting in the eCommerce area. Physical product presentations and networking formats will be complemented by new, digital offerings and ensure greater international reach.

Overall, the strong response to the trade fair clearly demonstrates that companies want face-to-face business networking opportunities.

The comprehensive #ROCK-SAFE4business hygiene concept, widening the aisles to five metres, ultra modern ventilation systems and the addition of two halls will ensure maximum safety.

“The current registration status is a fantastic signal of the industry’s trust in the trade fair and proves that physical networking formats are irreplaceable for generating sustainable business success,” explains Matthias Becker, director EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Köln. “In the future, we will enhance the benefits of a physical event with innovative, digital formats in order to provide customers with even more added value before, during and after the trade fair.”

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

news and information dedicated to construction fixing products

SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

New features for INDEX®’s range of polyurethane foams INDEX® is expanding its range of products from the polyurethane foam family with a new polyurethane adhesive (Pu-EP), new nozzle formats for the TILE (PU-TC) and FIRESTOP (PU-FC) versions and a new ECOFLEX nozzle.

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he new SATE/ETICS PU-EO polyurethane adhesive is suitable for the installation of ETICS (External Thermal Insulation Composite System) plates, insulation panels and drywalls. The high density in its formula ensures immediate initial fixing and high adhesion.

The adhesive is certified in accordance with ETAG 004 (EOTA TR046), offers instant fixing and provides maximum performance at a lower cost, covering up to 16m 2 of panels/slabs with one unit – the exact dose of polyurethane adhesives reduces the use of materials. The mechanical curing time of between 1 – 2 hours offers express installation and is versatile as it is suitable for use in any climate.

Also new, the ECOFLEX nozzle allows the product to be applied in a more ergonomic manner, even making it possible to access the most difficult spaces with just one hand thanks to its flexibility.

Its innovative blocking system means the product can be kept and reused for several days, reducing product waste and being more environmentally friendly. The nozzle is available for the multipurpose foam PU-SC and the fire resistant foam PU-FC. In addition to this, the FIRESTOP and TILE versions have been added in a nozzle application format. Both products are supplied in 750ml solutions. www.indexfix.com

SEALANTS + ADHESIVES FEATURE

TÜV Nord certifies WACKER’s manufacturing of silicone sealant German-based WACKER Chemie AG has achieved TÜV approval of its resource efficient manufacturing method for silicone sealants according to the new REDcert2 standard.

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ACKER’s approach involves determining the mass fraction of raw materials and auxiliaries derived from fossil-based resources and offsetting this with methanol produced from biomass. WACKER says it is the first chemical company to produce the organic components of its sealants exclusively on the basis of plant-based materials instead of raw materials derived from petrochemicals. Silicone sealants are important materials in construction and installation projects and are primarily used for the bonding and sealing of joints.

WACKER states it is also the first company to apply a certified mass balance method when manufacturing silicone sealing compounds. Silicone sealants consist primarily of a silicone polymer that cures at room temperature to form a rubber-like elastomer, plasticisers, fillers and additives. Apart from silicon, which is manufactured by reducing quartzite with coke, an important raw material for manufacturing the polymer is methanol. The compound is first converted to methyl chloride, which then reacts with elemental silicon in the commonly known Müller-Rochow process in order to produce a mixture of various methylchlorosilanes. These, in turn, serve as starting products for silicone production. WACKER uses methanol derived both from fossil raw materials and from biomass, which makes no difference in chemical terms since the molecule is always identical with respect to its structure and properties.

The mass balance method takes advantage of that. If methanol from both plant and fossil-based sources is used within an integrated production system, the portion of raw materials derived from biomass can be determined and explicitly allocated to individual sales products.

The approach is comparable to the green electricity certification system used in Germany.

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2017

BOSSONG S.p.A. Fastening Systems Zona Industriale 2 - Via E. Fermi, 49/51 24050 GRASSOBBIO (Bergamo) Italy Tel +39 035 3846 011 - Fax +39 035 3846 012 info@bossong.com

G&B FISSAGGI, the Italian company

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Contact our experienced staff to assist you for all you need.

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

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

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Bossong never gives up Here we speak to Mr Michele Taddei, owner of Bossong SpA, about the importance of certifications and regulations within the construction market and how the company has developed to meet these requirements.

What have been the key developments for Bossong over recent years?

“A key focus for us over the last few years has been on fixings in areas of high seismicity. This includes not only chemical anchors, which are our main business, but also mechanical zinc galvanised and stainless steel anchors. We also have a full range of concrete screws that reach the C1 and C2 performance category. For masonry we also have our injected anchors with sock, which is a well-known system for restoration in ancient buildings and monuments.

It is important to remember that seismic category C1 is only for non-structural uses and for levels of low seismicity. Whereas seismic category C2 is for structural uses and non-structural uses and for all levels of seismicity.

It is well known that Italy has a high seismic history and our country is almost completely in the C2 category. For this reason, Bossong was one of the first companies in Europe to focus on this qualification for its products in order to offer reliable and safety solutions in earthquake situations.”

How important is it to keep up with certifications and regulations and what are the benefits to you as a manufacturer?

“In many countries, and the number of countries is increasing, the high-level of qualification is not only required but it is becoming mandatory if you work with professional consultants and contractors.

For our full range of anchors with seismic certification we can offer the following approvals: ETAG 001 – Annex E: Guideline for assessment of metal anchors (mechanical and chemical) under seismic action.

EOTA TR049: Post-installed fasteners in concrete under seismic action.

EOTA TR045: Design of metal anchors for use in concrete under seismic actions up until the Eurocode 1992-4 became effective.

EOTA TR055: Design of fastening based on EAD 330232, EAD 330499 and EAD 330747. Transitional document between different publications for the design of a fastener for use in concrete, such as ETAG 001 Annex C, TR029, TR045 and the Eurocode 2-4.

Eurocode 2-4: Design of fastenings for use in concrete. Into this document it is possible to find reference for the static, seismic and also fire design of fastening for use in concrete.

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If we want to be an important reference point within the construction market, then it is vital that we follow these European standards and regulations and show we can meet the requirements.

European Technical Assessments (ETAs) are recognised worldwide and have a production procedure check that is controlled yearly to ensure companies maintain their ETAs. In addition, the seismic performance categories are very demanding for instance in seismic the C1 test protocol includes everything that is recommended already in the United States regulatory document ACI 355-2 and requires 10 tests to be performed, with tensile and shear seismic simulation for every diameter of the anchor, to achieve certification. The test protocol for the C2 performance category is even stricter and requires a minimum of 30 tests per diameter and tests in which the anchors are qualified for the load cycling, and in cracks up to 0.8mm in width, by simulating the inversion of the moment through the active compression of the concrete around the anchor.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly impacted everybody within the industry. After nearly seven months, how is your business now operating?

“Bergamo was unfortunately the centre of the Covid-19 pandemic in Italy. I still have in my mind and in my eyes the images of military truck with coffins of hundreds of my citizens – ‘bergamaschi’ – people of Bergamo. We are people of the mountain and workers, we are strong. Here we use to say: ‘Berghem mola mia’ that translates as ‘Bergamo never give up’ and this saying has become famous in all of Italy from the north to the south of our peninsula.

Yes, we have already recovered part of the loss of sales thanks to our export, which is still increasing, and our national market is running well. However, we still need more time to return to last year’s turnover.

A difficult aspect of the handling the pandemic from a business point of view has been the change in business relationships.

Unfortunately, we are losing human interaction and the importance of a ‘real meeting’ that helps build relations between people.

Relationships between companies go on of course with mails and video conferences, which give us the possibilities to plan video meetings all over the world, but it will never replace the face-to-face meetings.

I’m confident that now the world knows how to approach this virus and I hope we will start to come out of this difficult time.” www.bossong.com

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

A4 stainless steel renamed as R The benefits of fischer’s fixing solutions are visible in projects across the globe. For instance, its corrosion resistant steel anchors are required for multiple projects, including the development of the public transport network as part of the Le Grand Paris or in the Netherlands’ longest land tunnel. With this in mind fischer is now renaming its product range by changing A4 to R to clearly label stainless steel according to international standards.

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he fischer Group of Companies is renaming its stainless steel products to comply with the CRC corrosion resistance classes (I to V) in accordance with DIN EN 1993-1-4. The fixings specialist is thereby aligning the terms for its steel anchors with the European standards for material selection for the design of steel structures. This ensures the product descriptions are harmonised and simplified on an international scale.

The move allows civil engineers and designers across the globe to see at a glance whether fixing solutions meet anti-corrosion requirements.

The classification helps guarantee the building’s stability, preventing harm to life and limb.

Suitable materials and measures depend on the environmental conditions. The level of corrosion exposure is much higher closer to seawater or in chlorinated swimming pools than in other areas, for instance.

A tragic accident at an indoor swimming pool in Uster, Switzerland, demonstrated the importance of protecting individual construction elements including steel anchors from corrosion. During the accident in 1985, a 200 tonne concrete roof collapsed, burying 40 people beneath it and resulting in the loss of 12 lives. This was caused by the fixings being damaged by corrosion. CRC classifications can help prevent incidents such as these.

The letter R (which stands for resistant) signifies that stainless steel fischer products belong to corrosion resistance Class III (CRC III). Alongside austenitic steel, this will also include austenitic ferritic (duplex) steel. These products provide positive performance features and corrosion resistance due to advantageous alloying elements. They can be used for applications outdoors, in industrial and coastal atmospheres, as well as in damp locations in accordance with ETAs. Steel fischer products made of the highest corrosion resistance Class V will bear the initial HCR (high corrosion resistance) in future. These stainless steels can also be used for particularly aggressive application conditions in addition to CRC III applications. These include alternating submersion in seawater or chlorinated atmospheres in indoor swimming pools.

The data in the fischer Fixperience design software will also undergo changes due to the renaming of the fixing specialist’s steel anchors. This will make it even easier for users to verify state of the art designs with corrosion resistant steel anchors that are valid across Europe. The altered descriptions and the classifications of the corresponding material numbers have also been applied to all approvals and evaluations. fischer points out that products already on the market featuring the A4 designation can continue to be used. Structural engineering calculations and tenders that have already been created using the A4 description can still be carried out with products that have been renamed R. The product characteristics remain unaffected by the change of name.

A permanent, secure hold

Corrosion resistant steel anchors by the fischer Group of Companies are used in numerous projects across the globe. The corrosion resistant steel anchors are in high demand for infrastructure projects, such as the stainless steel FH II-I internal threaded anchor, which is being used to install power lines during the expansion of the public transport network in Paris.

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ULTRACUT FBS II ROCKSTARS. Heavy Metal in Concrete.

Quick and easy to install, while offering top level performance in concrete: the fischer concrete screws ULTRACUT FBS II stand for absolute reliability and are ROCKSTARS for dealing with Heavy Metal in Concrete. The innovative thread geometry absorbs high tensile and lateral forces in concrete. The teeth of fischer concrete screws cut deep into the concrete when screwing in. The varied concrete screw assortment

is ideal for attaching railings, cantilevers or shelves, and anchoring beams and thresholds and wood construction. The small diameter six version suits perfect for mounting applications in heating, air conditioning. fischer-international.com

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Approximately 20,000 stainless steel internal threaded anchors FH II-I made by fischer were used.”

The French capital is expanding with the Le Grand Paris project. The existing metro line 14 has been expanded by 6km and five new stations.

Approximately 20,000 stainless steel internal threaded anchors – FH II-I – made by fischer were used to firmly and securely install the console systems of the power supply lines. These have an ETA for cracked concrete as well as a visual placement control. The chosen variant is suitable for threaded rods with a diameter of 10mm and a 15mm inner drill diameter. Numerous pull-out tests in various building segments demonstrated that this was the best solution for the application of the special bore in the prefabricated parts. The system combines high load-bearing capacity, reliability and assembly comfort along with cost-effectiveness. The FH II-I were fitted using the prior insertion method of installation with an anchoring depth of 70mm and a minimum fixture thickness of 150mm.

The installation experts also drilled 15mm holes into a plastic component in the concrete wall before positioning the fixings and expanding them quickly and easily against the drill hole wall using the internal threaded bolt. The console systems were each subsequently fixed to the concrete walls using stainless steel FIS A M10 x 110 threaded rods and two nuts also made by fischer.

Another example of a project that uses fischer’s stainless steel anchors is the Netherlands’ longest and second widest land tunnel, which is currently under construction. More than 1.7 million stainless steel fischer nail anchors – FNA II – were used to install fire protection plates to walls and ceilings as well as for other applications.

The project includes a new tunnel that will be 3km long and 73m wide upon its completion in late 2020. The fischer Group of Companies was able to successfully complete the installation of the fire protection plates to the walls and ceilings in close cooperation with the building contractor Kaefer Construction GmbH. The purpose of the post installed tunnel cladding is to protect the concrete construction in the underground traffic facility in the event of a fire.

The fire protection plates are installed in just a few installation steps. They are simply positioned on the wall or ceiling before being drilled through to create a drill hole into which the anchor is quickly placed with a pneumatic setting tool using the push-through method of installation. The FNA II expands automatically under load, during which the cone is pulled into the expansion clip and expands it against the drill hole. www.fischer-international.com

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

LIGNOLOC® now with technical approval Earlier this year the German Institute for Construction Engineering (Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik – DIBt) issued a National Technical Approval for load-bearing timber connections using LIGNOLOC® wooden nails.

After extensive tests and complex calculation models, all expectations of the expert committee were met.

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he approval enables the planning, design and execution of load-bearing connections in timber frame construction. Planks and panels made of solid timber, wood-based materials, or gypsum fibre, can be attached to wood building materials using LIGNOLOC® wooden nails from Raimund Beck GmbH. In addition, connections can also be made with LIGNOLOC to produce bracing and load-bearing wall diaphragms.

Since wooden nails are not yet covered by a standard, the test results had to give the committee of experts the confidence they needed to approve the product for 50 years of use in construction.

“The technical approval makes our vision of sustainable building with sustainable fastening systems even more tangible and it is the official confirmation that this is not just a crazy abstract idea, but a completely well thought-out and marketable concept. For us it represents the first major step out of the niche towards the mass market,” commented Dipl-Kfm Christian Beck, general manager and CEO at Raimund Beck.

LIGNOLOC is the first collated wooden nail for future-oriented use in industrial production and in ecological wood processing, made from central European beech wood. The special design of the LIGNOLOC nail point, and the large amount of heat generated by friction when the nail is driven in at a high-speed, cause the lignin of the wooden nail to weld with the surrounding wood to form a substance-to-substance bond. This effect – referred to as lignin welding – has been tested and confirmed by scientists at the University of Hamburg, by means of UV scanning of the cell structure.

Key benefits of LIGNOLOC wooden nails include not acting as thermal bridges and avoiding unsightly wood discoloration or traces of corrosion, as well as causing less tool wear when processing nailed wooden components subsequently. Raimund Beck points out the nails are also ideal for ecological timber construction using 75% less greenhouse gases than when producing steel nails.

“With the approval for LIGNOLOC wood nails, the application possibilities in timber construction will expand even more in the future,” commented Christian.

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Hilti unveils BIM-enabled construction jobsite robot Hilti has introduced its first robot for construction jobsites with the launch of Jaibot – a semi-autonomous mobile ceiling drilling robot. The Hilti Jaibot will help MEP installation contractors tackle productivity, safety and labour shortage challenges, and enable Hilti to take a further step towards the digitisation of construction sites.

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he Jaibot executes its tasks based on Building Information Modelling (BIM) data. The robot is a completely cordless and easy to use system that doesn’t require expert skills. It locates itself accurately indoors, drills the holes (dust controlled) and finally marks them according to the trade. This is what makes the solution ideally suited for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trade (MEP).

“The productivity of the construction industry has been lagging behind other sectors for years. Margin pressure and shortages of skilled labour are already facts of life in our industry and make it increasingly difficult to overcome productivity shortfalls. However, leveraging the opportunities offered by digitisation will compensate for it. We do this by intelligently linking processes, teams and data,” said Jan Doongaji, member of the executive board at Hilti Group. “With Jaibot, and in close collaboration with our customers, we are further stepping towards realising the efficiency that digital transformation can and will bring to construction sites.”

Time and budget overruns are common, especially for large construction projects. Significant productivity gains are possible with digitally planned construction projects and their realisation with the help of robotic solutions. BIM-enabled robotic solutions also make the construction process more transparent with improved execution speed, constant performance and fewer errors.

Daily progress can be reported from the field to the project office via Cloud computing. Potential conflicts between the trades involved on a jobsite also can be detected at an early stage and then limited, resulting in more projects delivered on-time and within budget.

Safety also played an important role in the development of the Jaibot. It is designed to assist tradespeople in physically demanding, repetitive installation tasks such as drilling numerous holes overhead for many mechanical, electrical or plumbing installations. It is navigated by the worker via remote control and uses reference data from a robotic total station, the Hilti PLT 300. Holes within reach are drilled automatically.

“We looked at which routine work on the construction site is among the most stressful, and that is primarily overhead work,” said Julia Zanona, product manager for robotics at Hilti. “From the beginning, it was important to us to develop a robotic solution that supports our customers where it is most needed. The Hilti Jaibot takes over the most strenuous and exhausting tasks, working alongside the installation team.”

A Perry unveils TENZ FROM PERRY® wood screw A Perry Ltd has unveiled its latest wood screw, TENZ FROM PERRY®, with patented TENZ® stairs thread technology.

TENZ FROM PERRY® has been in development for over a year in an exclusive agreement with TENZ. It is now making its debut to the UK market with a raft of awards and accreditations to its name already. teve Perry, head of marketing at A Perry, said: “This is a huge coup for us and we know it is going to be a market leading product. Developed for projects demanding the highest of standards, the key point of difference between conventional wood screws and the new TENZ wood screw is the revolutionary thread design. TENZ reduces the friction along the thread making work more efficient. The wood fibres are gently displaced and not drilled or milled, which uses less energy force thanks to the oscillating screw.”

Perfect for use on both hard and soft wood, TENZ offers an unrivalled grip, fixing and overall drive performance ability. Reduced energy needs means that capacity is used as efficiently as possible and even extends the tool life when using a battery powered drill. Reduced energy levels, from using TENZ, of up to 50% means more screws can be fixed, which maximises the battery life. Through low screwing torque, TENZ utilises any cordless screwdriver’s entire battery performance making it a more economically viable choice for those in the industry.

With TENZ no pre-drilling is required, which effectively cuts out an entire work step, trimming down the time and energy required. In

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addition to the energy saving gained with no drilling and no milling, the displacement of the wood fibres by the stairs thread technology also means the screw optimally bonds with the wood. Over time, that bond becomes more secure to give life longevity to the construction project.

The new technology also brings health benefits to the user as it requires minimal physical effort when screwing into the wood. The hardened steel thread ensures maximum output with minimum effort – giving welcome relief to the DIY’ers as well as professionals as fatigue is reduced and the strain on joints is minimised. With arthritis a common ailment to those in construction, TENZ could have a positive impact on those individuals who suffer; which in turn reduces the time off they would otherwise be forced to take from their job or self-employment.

Launching in the UK now exclusively with A Perry the TENZ wood screw also boasts a ‘Red Dot’ award in recognition of the unrivalled design technology.

The Red Dot accreditation is a mark of distinction given internationally as one of the most sought-after seals of quality for good design.

Available to pre-order now, TENZ FROM PERRY will also be available in eco-friendly plastic free packaging.

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Lindapter launches new fixing for ComFlor decking Lindapter has announced the immediate availability of the Type COM, a new decking fixing for quickly attaching building services to ComFlor® 60 and ComFlor® 80 profiles manufactured by Tata Steel.

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indapter’s Type COM provides an efficient and economical fixing for suspending a variety of equipment including HVAC systems, fire protection, pipe work, electrical items and lowered ceilings. The CE marked fixing also creates genuine efficiencies for the contractor as it is installed within seconds and is adjustable on-site without the requirement of specialist labour, expensive tools or power.

The latest addition to Lindapter’s extensive range of decking fixings was developed at the request of Tata Steel. The company asked Lindapter to design and manufacture a connection point for its popular ComFlor® 60 and ComFlor® 80 composite decking.

The fixing locks inside the dovetail re-entrant channel of the profile and unlike shot firing methods, this zero impact method preserves the strength of the deck and avoids delamination (separating the steel from the concrete) and damage to the deck.

As with all Lindapter products, safe working loads are independently approved and rigorous quality procedures ensure a secure connection with a capacity of 1.25kN per fixing, calculated at a safety factor of 3:1.

The introduction of the Type COM highlights Lindapter’s continued commitment to developing high-quality, cost-effective fixings, and reaffirms the availability of connection solutions to suit all major decking manufacturers.

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ISO 14585 | ISO 14586 D6 | 1.4462 DUPLEX CRC IV Application areas

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This DUPLEX steel is the ideal solution for all connections near the sea, affected by chloride or salt water and is therefore preferably used in the direct splash water zone up to 250 m away from the sea, e.g. offshore plants, oil rigs or facades of buildings established directly at the coast.

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

The importance of inspection Over the past 20 years, the inspection and testing of fasteners has become one of the major challenges in the fastener industry. Here, Massimo Agrati, CEO at Dimac Srl, looks at why it’s crucial for fastener companies to be investing in inspection as there continues to be an exponential increase in the automatic assembly of products.

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or a long time many objects were assembled by hand. Now more and more of these are produced with advanced automatic assembly lines, which require perfect fasteners to guarantee the expected yield. The development of automation in assembly has prompted the redesign and re-engineering of products in order to be assembled efficiently with the new automatic lines.

Those improvements led to the development of special fasteners produced with new materials, and very complex shapes, and consequently boosted the evolution of treatments and finishing processes necessary to guarantee the functionality of the fixings and the final quality of the assembled product.

To keep up with the new production processes, and prevent the production of non-compliant fasteners, monitoring equipment on production machinery and surveillance systems of treatment lines have been introduced. New SPC control strategies and new ERP systems integrated with the production departments, together with predictive maintenance procedures, have been introduced in order to reduce the intervention time in the event of any process anomaly.

Despite the above mentioned progresses in the production departments, it is still impossible to produce fasteners with zero defects. This happens because the fasteners are more complex, the processes are more automated and the noncompliances to be detected are including much more critical features than before.

Thirty years ago the noncompliance to be detected on standard headed screws were much more simple – head diameter, recess depth, shank length, missing thread, etc. Today, the noncompliances on the same type of screw must include, for example, radius below the head, thread starting point, nicks and dents on the threaded shank 360°, head marking logo, coating stains, nicks and dents on any surface, missing heat treatment, cracks on the head, bending of the shank, overall socket shape, socket broken lobes and more.

This means every project to produce a new type of fastener includes the final 100% inspection and sorting process with suitable machines. Every new production line is designed including the inspection machines, which are necessary to check the most important dimensional and functional features of the fastener together with its aesthetical aspect. Moreover, in the last four years the demand to perform NDT checks for cracks and

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hardness/heat treatment – with high output rates – has undergone a significant surge, which has led to most of the modern control machines offering eddy current stations as options for this type of verification. The eddy current technology has evolved a lot in this sense, the equipment and the probes to detect cracks and material quality have become very sensitive and the software processing algorithms very sophisticated but also very user-friendly.

With more than 20 years experience, and more than 1,000 machines installed around the world, Dimac Srl is challenged every day by fastener manufacturers to design and study custom machines for the sorting of a wide range of products for different markets – including automotive, aerospace, hydraulic, electronic, medical, appliances, furnitures and more.

Fastener manufacturers require Dimac to build high performance 100% automatic inspection and sorting machines with adaptive control stations and a user-friendly ‘teach-in’ operator/machine interface. Dimac provides machines that can run unattended on a 24/7 basis with very complex inspection technologies, operated by unskilled personnel for the set-up.

Artificial Intelligence algorithms have been introduced in these machines, starting from 2019, to allow the inspection of surface defects, which only the human eye could detect and judge. Any cylindrical and flat surface of the product must be scanned with lasers and digital cameras to recognise any little deformity of the part.

The objective is to replace human manual sorting, which is still present in many production factories, in order to reduce the costs and obtain a more reliable inspection for several products that can’t be controlled with automatic procedures.

Last but not least, many manufacturing companies are developing Industry 4.0 projects, which involves every single department of the factory, including the inspection and sorting departments. Every machine in the production floor is connected to the company network and monitored through the MES and ERP in order to adjust the processes in ‘real time’.

Inspection machines can provide a big amount of data regarding every single batch of fasteners, including measured features, defects by attributes, and statistic calculations, which could be treated with the company ERP procedures – combined with AI algorithms – to trace and to know nearly everything about the quality of every single produced fastener. www.dimacsrl.com

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Marposs Monitoring Solutions for SMART forming

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TESTING, INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Failure diagnosis with Brankamp X7 Traditionally failure messages displayed to a machine operator are limited to the indication of the monitoring method – such as maximum force, envelope or trend, etc. The Brankamp X7 monitoring system from Marposs goes a step further and detects a wide range of typical process faults caused by tools, material, lubrication or transfer.

Tool protection

Quality control

Production management

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Set up aide Machine protection Productivity increase

Process optimisation Big Data analysis

ailure messages displayed to the machine operator by devices so far are usually limited to the limits that have been violated and the corresponding sensor number, which often corresponds to the affected stage of the machine. Determining cause and type of malfunction that occurred, the localisation of the fault, and the determination of the damaged tool parts, is then usually left to the machine operator. Depending on their level of training, the complexity of the tool, and the process fault that has occurred, the fault finding process can take considerable time.

The Brankamp X7 monitoring system provides a suitable method to assign a certain failure cause and description. When a process fault occurs for the first time, the operator determines the cause, the fault location and the affected tool parts. The operator enters the result into the on-screen keyboard of the unit (e.g punch chipping in station 4, change part number 1234567) and the pattern recognition system stores their fault description together with the descriptive signal characteristics in a user programmable database.

If the same or a similar process disturbance occurs again during subsequent production, the fault characteristics stored in the database are checked for similarity with the current fault case. If the characteristics match sufficiently, the corresponding fault diagnosis is displayed. If there is not a sufficient match to already stored fault cases, a new fault class must be created. If the operator confirms the reported failure cause, the previous error describing characteristics are updated.

This diagnostic method provides an effective tool for reducing downtime in case of increasingly complex tools – with many different causes of malfunctions. The more comprehensive and meaningful the failure description that is entered into the X7’s knowledge database by the operator, the more helpful the information becomes in correctly diagnosing the process fault.

The expert knowledge collected in the database then provides even less qualified operators with well founded information for rapid troubleshooting. A reduction of repair and downtimes of the machine, as a tool for cost reduction, will be achieved. www.marposs.com

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TESTING, INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Qualified fastener inspection If a machine on a production line is fastening something with a fastener that does not have threads – it will shut down the line. This makes machines such as Mectron’s Qualifier crucial – using both lasers and eddy current to test every part at high-speeds to keep up with production without sacrificing quality.

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oss of productivity equates to a loss of revenue. If parts are worn or misshapen in some areas, the life of that part can drop drastically. This can cause premature failure in a car, plane, or any other type of machine that uses fasteners. A crack in the head of the part can lead to the structural integrity being compromised and the head coming off. All of these problems are solved by 100% inspection of parts at high-speeds.

Additionally, if a part is safety critical it is important to know that it is dimensionally and metallurgically correct. If it is out of specification or not hard enough the results can be catastrophic. It is not easy to tell if a part is hard enough to do its job without running the part through something such as an eddy current coil or doing destructive tests.

There are a few schools of thought about inspection. One is testing a part every few hundred pieces with very precise measurements to see if it is in specification. Instead of waiting for bad parts to be produced this allows for companies to see trends and act before tooling wears out. Usually this is done on a first article scanner and takes a few seconds – scanning the part completely and giving detailed measurements for that specific part.

While some measure of control can be gained from testing one part thoroughly, every few hundred parts, to see how out of tolerance tooling is getting it is better to test every part if possible.

Splits or seams in the original material can lead to defects unrelated to tooling.

To catch those one must inspect every part. Machines such as Mectron’s Qualifier use both lasers and eddy current to test every part at high-speeds. The lasers inspect the part for any dimensional defects; while the eddy current tests the part metallurgically to ensure consistent hardness and no foreign material exists. It achieves its speed by comparing the part to a known good part and making its decision without human interaction. Since the machine can operate at over 300 parts a minute, it becomes practical and in the end profitable to inspect every part.

Taking things a step further past functionality, the look of the part is also important. This is especially true for commercial sales. If a customer sees a big scratch or small dent that doesn’t change the part enough to be thrown out dimensionally, they may think the goods are low quality. So surface inspection of every part also becomes necessary. For example, the Mectron Surface Qualifier uses a camera and takes pictures of the part as it moves and rotates to get the whole surface area. It then casts light on the part and looks for distortions of that light outside the norm to determine if a part has any cosmetic blemishes or defects.

…problems are solved by 100% inspection of parts at high speeds.”

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the Science of Cold Forming The Met-MAX Innovations division at National Machinery is strategically positioned to develop innovative net-shape metal forming processes. We provide solutions by utilizing expert staff and a state of the art facility with advanced one of a kind development equipment. Met-MAX Innovations offers superior capabilities to help our customers develop and produce net-shaped parts with higher quality and strength, using a faster process, while also reducing costs.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TESTING, INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Excellence in quality control Inspection, measurement and quality control processes are inseparable parts of the fastener production process. Quality reassures the market and gives manufacturers the advantage in competitive sectors.

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ome companies still utilise the conventional method of testing and inspecting the parts one by one without an automated process. This method is considered obsolete and outdated. Errors are inevitable when humans perform inspection related tasks repeatedly.

Mood, fatigue, lack of experience, and many more factors can influence the results of the test and inspection. In addition, some impurities and defects are too small and not easily visible. Also, since fasteners and fixing components are parts of devices, home appliances, and automobiles that we use every day, how can the end users of these products be sure that their safety and well-being are not compromised by human inspection? VISION Srl offers a solution for the testing and inspection of fastener and fixing components – its SATURNO automatic visual inspection machine with rotating table and integrated vision system.

Forward-looking businesses of any scale, which are quality oriented, opt for automated visual inspection technology. It is an answer for manufacturers who want to keep up with the increasing demands and expectations of customers, as well as wanting to reduce waste, to save the resources and to enhance the profitability.

The precision, efficiency, and the speed of the artificial visual inspection systems, also allow manufacturers to rest assured about the quality of fastener and fixing components, so they only have to focus on growing their businesses.

The main principle and mechanism of an automatic artificial vision system is not so far off from conventional manual inspection.

Inspecting parameters are set – dimensions, colours, defect catalogues, external and internal threads, impurities, etc. The camera systems and the software, similarly to human eyes and brain, then take the high-resolution images of the pieces and perform the inspection tasks to make sure that parts conform with the parameters.

However, unlike the conventional method, all inspection tasks will be done at high speed, high precision and high productivity.

VISION reports that with this innovative inspection system a ‘zero-defect’ production batch is achievable.

SATURNO, an automatic visual inspection machine with rotating table and integrated vision system, is equipped with up to 8 high resolution cameras, which can be added at any time, in-house

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developed innovative software and the speed of up to 1,200 pcs/min.

Customisation to accommodate any piece shape, sizing, colours, etc, is also possible.

SATURNO can also provide statistics of the inspection, conduct ‘real time’ analysis on each piece inspected, and connect with the data management software, allowing the manufacturers to utilise the information for improvement, optimisation and preventive maintenance.

Looking ahead, VISION will also be launching a new telepresence robot for production – GoBe Robots. It is a telepresence robot with a monitor, HD camera and audio system that moves freely with the control from the Cloud, and connected to a service team 24/7. No matter where the production is in the world, manufacturers can save travelling expenses and lower the CO 2 emission, while also have the access to swift and quality service of VISION’s technicians.

Artificial visual inspection systems

“With the uncertain future of the industrial supply chain in the upcoming years and the global macro trend of digital transformation in the industrial sector, automatic visual inspection can also help solve production challenges that manufacturers will face beyond 2020, such as, the lack of labour pool due to population shift or economic crisis, rising costs of materials and transportation, and more,” comments VISION. The company continues: “Ultimately, the manufacturer who is willing to invest in digital transformation, such as automatic visual inspection, will be less vulnerable to external changes and will rebound even stronger when the economy recovers. Let VISION assist your step forward into the future. Our solutions can be tailor-made just for you and your production, whether your product is a simple fastener in household furniture, or a complex high precision fastener in the aerospace sector. We are the leading integrator of automatic artificial vision systems, based in Italy, with over 30 years of experiences in various sectors. We design, construct, install, integrate, and provide the service for automating quality control processes.” www.visionsys.it

TESTING, INSPECTION + PACKING FEATURE

Hydrogen embrittlement in aircraft components Some aircraft components are made of high strength steels, which are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, a phenomenon by which hydrogen atoms diffuse into the microstructure of a metal and cause it to become more brittle – resulting in sudden and unpredictable fracture.

In order to guarantee the required performance, the aircraft industry relies on creep testing machines to characterise material properties.

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wickRoell supplies multipurpose creep testing machines covering both basic and advanced creep applications, enabling hydrogen embrittlement tests in accordance with ASTM F519 and F1624. Depending on the customer’s additional requirements, electromechanically loaded, dead weight or spring loaded creep machines are the most popular systems for these types of test.

A creep test measures the progressive rate of deformation of a given material at high temperatures. It is performed by subjecting a tensile specimen to a constant load at a fixed temperature and recording the corresponding amount of strain. Creep increases with temperature and is more common when a material is exposed to high temperatures for a long time or at the melting point of the material.

Structural components and fasteners manufactured from mayes warwick quarter page-2018-outlines.pdf 1 high strength steels have to withstand high temperatures and

high stresses in airframes, aircraft engines and helicopters.

If the load is high enough, a brittle fracture due to induced hydrogen can occur – without any recognisable indications of the imminent failure. Reliable testing of these aircraft parts for eventual use in planes and helicopters is essential in order to eliminate this potential safety risk.

Creep machines are important to see how much strain an object can handle under pressure, so engineers and researchers are able to determine what materials to use to suit challenging environments. The creep machine generates a creep time dependent curve by calculating the steady rate of creep in reference to the time it takes for the material to change. Creep tests can be conducted under either a constant load or constant stress but for experimental convenience, most creep tests on engineering steels are conducted under a constant tensile 25/01/2018 load and at10:17 a constant temperature.

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INTEGRATOR OF ARTIFICIAL VISION SYSTEMS FOR OVER 30 YEARS

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Italian Market Leader for:

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ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INLINE MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY, AND INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

PLUS® VLh: Best in class stability for COF NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP has been a leading coating supplier for more than 40 years and is continuously developing new products and meeting new requirements. The commercial and technical success of its PLUS® VLh topcoat – in combination with the GEOMET® basecoat – helps create a system of high corrosion performance and perfect friction control.

Mastering the science of friction behaviour

The primary function of a threaded fastener is to ensure a specified clamp load. To that extent, fastener coatings are designed to not only give corrosion protection but also to bring the right assembly characteristics, ensuring that the applied torque brings the needed clamping force and a secured safe joint. These demands are assessed by testing friction in a controlled environment.

The specifications define parameters to verify characteristics such as torque or clamping force. Multi-tightening testing can be part of these test specifications, especially for wheel screws testing where it’s an important feature.

To ensure the needed clamping force will always be reached, the test specifications define the range of a friction window that on one hand guarantees a minimum clamp load and on the other hand avoids overloading the screw. Most of the OEMs request this against several types of material like e-coat, aluminium and steel, all for the same screw with one coating system only. Top coats developed by NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP successfully reach all these requirements.

Many fasteners have been used with phosphate and oil for a very long time and electroplated fasteners can answer torque/tension requirements. However, since zinc is the major metal used for corrosion protection, only zinc flake coatings such as GEOMET® systems are able to provide at the same time a very good and adjustable coefficient of friction (COF) together with the highest corrosion protection.

GEOMET® 321 + PLUS® VLh coated on M12 screw with internal 12-points socket head on passenger car rear axle assembly Through these milestones NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP confirmed its role as the leading coating supplier, in close contact with the market, and its ability to introduce a product that fulfils new demands of OEM and tier 1 customers.

The new PLUS VLh topcoat has been successfully used for series production in the truck and automotive industries, as well as in other markets such as wind energy. The coating technology has also proved once again that NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP is able to fulfil the increasing requirements from reputable OEMs, such as VW-AUDI (VW 01131) and DAIMLER (MBN 10544).

Years of reaching new requirements on friction coefficient behaviour

NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP is the manufacturer of GEOMET and the inventor of zinc flake coating systems. The GEOMET system for corrosion protection and friction control made NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP the leader of zinc flake coatings in the market.

With its PLUS® portfolio of topcoats, the Group has been able to always reach new OEM/tier 1 customers and continuously serve the market over the years.

Key milestones in the market include: In 2000, the friction test focused only on one tightening against steel at low speed (<30rpm) described by general automotive specifications such as VW TL 245 and DIN 946, or DBL 9410 [µ = 0.08 – 0.14].

In 2005, e-coat was introduced as a bearing surface for friction testing. A new focus on stick slip (high speed pre-assemble speed at e.g 200rpm) and also loosening torque at 150°C were introduced.

In 2013 there was an improved focus on aluminium as a bearing surface and also the assembly of steel coated screws in aluminum threaded parts. Multi-tightening (e.g 5 times) was also requested in the OEM specifications. This was the impulse for NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP to develop its new PLUS® VLh, based on the very successful PLUS® VL, which had proven its stability and cost reduction potential in the assembly chain.

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PLUS® VLh – perfect friction control

The development of PLUS VLh was based on the improvement of the already performing characteristics of the PLUS VL – in combination with the GEOMET basecoat – to create a system of high anticorrosion performances with excellent assembly characteristics.

GEOMET is a chromium-free waterborne anticorrosive coating that can be applied as a thin sacrificial coating layer. This basecoat can be applied as bulk during a dip-spin operation but also on rack or by spray for bigger parts applications. PLUS VLh topcoat is also waterborne and can be applied using the same coating process.

The development of PLUS VLh integrated the demand for stable friction coefficient on different bearing surfaces (steel, aluminium, e-coat) but also anticipated the request regarding high speed tightening (till 700rpm for M6). The PLUS VLh chemical contains binders, lubricants and waxes. Each raw material was selected and adjusted considering its influence on friction properties of the film.

Coating formulation is a fascinating sport.

High speed tightening.

Perfect friction control.

Evolution driven by people. www.nofmetalcoatings.com

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY The combination of GEOMET and PLUS VLh not only provides corrosion performance and controlled friction properties, but also improves abrasion resistance and thermal resistance to the coated part’s surface. PLUS VLh also exhibits very reliable performances whatever the bolt geometry. A statistical analysis on different diameters demonstrates the good COF stability, which stays in the same range for all bolts’ sizes.

In the charts below (Figure 1) there are examples of the different values.

PLUS® VLh high-level standard

must be guaranteed. In addition to standard grey/silver, the system with PLUS VLh is also available in black colour.

NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP continues to work on the operational excellence of its solutions – whether it be from a product or application process point of view – to further establish its technical robustness and commercial success. www.nofmetalcoatings.com 5 multi-tightening COF test on e-coat, according to MBN10544

The combination of GEOMET and PLUS VLh top coat is a very robust coating system – helping to solve almost all kinds of assembly issues that could generate high costs in the assembly line versus the individual low cost of a single fastener.

The successful introduction and the commercial success of PLUS VLh confirm the very high skill level of the NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP’s teams and its GEOMET licensee applicators in the field of anticorrosion and lubricated coatings for fasteners.

NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP produces and sells GEOMET and PLUS VLh all over the world. More than 580,000 tonnes of screws have been coated with PLUS VLh since 2013. Its high-level of performance enables it to be specified for other types of industries such as wind energy or trucks, on parts such as U-bolts and wheel bolts, where safety

Figure 1

Client testimonials Pascal Bisschops

Senior application engineer – NEDSCHROEF Schraubfachtechniker (DSV)® “With PLUS® VLh we are able to solve almost all application challenges. Especially with the high demands in the automotive industry with numerous fasteners in all different shapes and sizes, such as long parts (torsion effect). But also, in combination with coated surface like e-coat, it shows high performance consistency in getting the right pre-load (no stick slip effects anymore). Additional lubrication in severe cases belong almost all to the past.”

Tim Koopman

manager technology – FABORY Schraubfachingenieur (DSV)® “The performance of the PLUS® VLh topcoat supersedes that of the well known PLUS® VL. Especially the low sensitivity for stickslip at higher tightening speeds on various materials and e-coats is a significant improvement. This combined with the stable coefficient of friction makes it a perfect top coat for a variety of industries.” *Measured according to MBN 10544, on screw M6, M10, M12, M14 Class 10.9 and M8 Class 8.8

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4.0

MES software SK-go!

Machine terminals Process monitoring

Leading MES software in the fastener industry wide range of data collection terminals SK 400 to SK 800 process monitoring specialist with more than 19.000 machine terminals installed worldwide high competence through international sales & service partners more than 30 years experience

New line of process monitors:

SK 4.10 and SK 5.12 with the latest hard- and software components and a completely new mode of operation We are exhibiting: WIRE 2020, DĂźsseldorf December 07 - 11, 2020 Hall 16, Stand A 25

Schwer + Kopka GmbH Herknerstrasse 4 D-88250 Weingarten (Germany) Fon ++49 751 56 164 0 www.schwer-kopka.de

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

SACMA upgrades warm forming product lines

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SACMA Group has introduced a new warm forming production line, which it says reaffirms its position as the market specialist for headers and threaders for special materials.

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nitially the hot forging process was the first, and for many years the only, process applied to form shaped metal pieces. In the second half of the last century, pushed by the needs of mass production, the cold forming process became widespread, initially to produce bolts and screws and after also special parts – solid and hollow. The warm forming process stays in the middle of the cold and hot processes, but is closer to cold forming to ensure precision/accuracy of the tools and machinery.

The main difference among processes are the temperature of the material to be formed. For cold forming, all the materials start the deformation from room temperature. At hot, the steel blanks are heated in the range from 950°C up to 1,250°C. For warm forming, the operating temperature is lower and doesn’t exceed 900°C for steels.

The total energy spent to perform the warm forming process is less than hot forging and quite similar to cold forming, because the heating energy is compensated by the lower amount of deformation energy.

However, the tools are generally more durable for cold forming, less for hot forging and in the middle for warm forming.

By warm forming it is possible to produce more difficult parts than cold forming and also the range of suitable materials is much wider. Despite the interesting features of the warm forming process, the development is still quite limited for different reasons – such as dedicated machinery, specific lubricants, as well as effective coatings.

A common question when approaching the warm forming process is about the heating temperature to be used. The goal is to define the right temperature for each material, enlarging the plastic field and the limits of deformation just enough to allow the required deformation.

For low carbon steels the warm forming process is not so interesting, because these are typical materials for cold forming. High carbon and alloy steels require temperatures in the range of 600°C – 700°C. Austenitic stainless steels are heated to 200°C – 300°C to form solid parts and up to 500°C to produce hollow parts by backward extrusion.

Lastly, the typical materials used in the aerospace industry, such as titanium alloys and nickel superalloys, need temperatures from 500°C to 850°C – depending on the quality of material and shape of the part.

The key point for warm forming machinery is to handle the temperature without affecting

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reliability and precision.

For high temperatures the technology becomes more complex and exclusive. When the products don’t require important pre-heating, the machine could be more simple and less expensive.

It’s because of the ‘right equipment for each demand’ focus that SACMA is now presenting the ultimate WF headers product line. The line is suitable for a range of wire diameters from 4mm to 25mm and of temperatures from room to 900°C. The 5 and 6 die headers WF are size 2 – wire max 10.5mm, size 3 – max 15mm, size 4 – max 20mm and size 5 – max 25mm.

For size 2 and 3, there are different models defined by the maximum reachable temperature: WF300, WF500 and WF900. For sizes 4 and 5 there is only one warm forming version covering all the field up to 900°C.

Ingramatic introduces new warm forming rollers

To complete the SACMA warm former line, Ingramatic has also introduced new warm forming rollers. Combining the heavy-duty design and the features of the revolutionary I-Thread, the warm WF rollers provide a significant increase in thread quality, productivity, and efficiency, by rolling all shapes of bolts, screws, studs, and parts, made of materials difficult to be rolled by cold forming.

Features of the new line include new feeding rails allowing the installation of the induction coil with an exclusive design; a generator from 12kW to 30kW; high frequency inverter box; optical pyrometer; chiller; and a coolant system to thermoregulate the stationary die holder and the feeding rails.

A system of cadencers manage the parts out the exit of the induction coil to ensure the parts are delivered to the starter unit at the right temperature. During the production, to manage the quality and the repeatability of the part dimensions, the pyrometer and the load monitor check each part and reject the non-conforming parts automatically without stopping the machine and the heating unit.

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NEW ULTIMATE WARM FORMING PRODUCT LINES www.sacmagroup.com

RP220-WF Roller | TR2/W10 | 12 kW. heating unit

SP470-WF900 Former | 6 dies | 150 kW. heating unit

Ingramatic WF Rollers And Sacma WF Formers

Warm Up Your Business !

Sacma Gourp is now presenting the ultimate WF rollers & formers product line.

The Sacma offer is well articulated for a range of wire diameters from 4 to 25mm and, a range of temperatures from 300°C to 900°C. The WF headers are size 2 (wire max 10,5mm), size 3 (15mm ), size 4 (20mm), size 5 (25mm) and available with 5 or 6 dies in the following versions: - For size 2 and 3, there are different models defined by the max reachable temperature: WF300, WF500 and WF900.

- For size 4 and 5, the WF version is suitable up to 900°C and branded WF900.

To complete the Sacma warm former line, Ingramatic introduces its new line of Warm Forming rollers. Combining the heavy duty design and the features of the revolutionary I-Thread concept, the WF rollers provide a significant increase in thread quality, productivity and efficiency by rolling all shapes of bolts, screws, studs and parts made of materials not suitable to be rolled by cold machines.

Ask for more information to : info@sacmalimbiate.it Sacma Limbiate S.p.A.

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

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY For a complete changeover, Ingramatic says only 30 minutes is necessary and for a changeover consisting only on the part length, 10 minutes is enough. This makes the rollers very competitive for the aerospace market where the production quantity is very low. This is possible because the WF rollers are part of the I-Thread machine design, the revolutionary line of thread rolling machines emphasised by a quick set-up with all adjustments fully motorised, as well as the rigidness of the WF rollers – the one piece iron casting bed frame includes the reaction block designed to counter the stresses caused by thread rolling special materials and profiles.

The rollers are also user-friendly with an I-Panel touch screen to control all warm forming functions integrated in a page dedicated to the WF unit and constant control is possible thanks to the main page showing the real temperature and the kW necessary to warm the parts. Flexibility also features with the WF rollers, with the single starter unit driven by servomotor. The bigger machines also feature the servomotor for die match adjustment with load monitor control and hydraulic clamping of the drive unit.

Simple to use for operators, the WF roller also features an electronic handwheel that can be used for all machine adjustments – die match, rail position and starter unit – eliminating the use of hand tools.

With this new WF line, SACMA Group completes its whole range of machines and is now able to provide the right equipment for each individual demand of a variety of industries – including the aerospace market. www.sacmagroup.com

RP220-WF

Machining systems from HS ASPE The range of CNC machines for secondary operations designed and manufactured by HS ASPE – a SACMA Group company – meet the needs of productivity and precision required by the specific markets for high precision metal components and fasteners pre-formed by cold forming operations.

S ASPE’s range of lathes includes three machine architectures: Single spindle, double spindle, as well as multi spindle on an indexing table. The machines are equipped with leading-edge equipment such as Direct Drive technology coupled with torque motors, allowing top performance and high precision.

The multi spindle configuration allows for the maximum productivity, making possible the execution of diverse operations in overlapping processes.

Parts loading and unloading can be in a dedicated location keeping the working part in process over the spindle. Parts sorting and feeding, can be optimised by customising the solution to each machine based on each part according to the needs of the client.

As a general feature all spindles are indexable and independent, which allows for the feeding optimisation. These solutions can be customised with various feeding solutions such as vibrator bowls, linear vibrators, motorised belts, robotics, and pick and place units. This large variety of loading/unloading systems allows an optimal personalisation of the machine to run different parts with different morphologies.

The modular concept enables a simple reconfiguration of the machine and tools to run different parts. Always looking for an evolutive architecture, HS ASPE can provide diverse machining units in different sizes and number of axis. This is why, thanks to the indexable spindles and the radial units, it is also possible to make piercing or milling operations – combined with the standard turning operations on the machine. The customers can focus its priority to speed, power and flexibility. www.hsaspe.com

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Full reliability when it counts

precote 85

thread locking

omniTECHNIK Mikroverkapselungs GmbH Munich | Germany | precote.com

precote 15

underhead & thread sealing

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Furnace technology in Industry 4.0

By Dr Ing Gerhard Bosch, managing director, Reinhardt GmbH Dipl Ing (FH) Sven-Michael Tolksdorf, technical sales, Reinhardt GmbH A medium-sized German company headquartered in the Black Forest town of Villingen-Schwenningen, Reinhardt GmbH is one of the global market leaders for thermotechnical solutions in temperature ranges up to 650°C in the areas of industrial furnaces and heat treatment, coating and slush moulding systems.

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n the coating sector, the systems are used for dip spin coating and for zinc flake systems. Reinhardt products are characterised by significantly higher demands on the accuracy of the systems, which is achieved by means of appropriate design measures and high-quality measurement technology.

For decades, it has been common practice to document thermotechnical

processes. At first, this was done using mechanical-electrical recorders.

Their paper printouts were often simply enclosed with the batch and filed away by order. Later, the storage medium changed – floppy disk, USB stick, etc – but the basic principle did not change fundamentally.

Over the years, customer requirements and expectations have continued to increase, with medical and pharmaceutical technology in the vanguard. Today, these higher customer requirements, with respect

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to traceability and temperature accuracy, are common in all industrial sectors and furnace systems must therefore also meet these requirements. Examples include the AMS 2750 in the aerospace industry or CQI-9 in the automotive sector. One aspect that is often also discussed is security against manipulation of data, which must be implemented with an adequate level of security, whether by means of intrinsic data encoding or secure processes.

For company and production control, it must be possible to view and document all relevant production parameters at any time and anywhere. Orders or product batches are tracked as they pass through production, and it is possible to see centrally where and how an operation was carried out at any time during the manufacturing process. This form of automated batch data acquisition is most easily seen in the identification of batches with scanners before each process, which again checks the processes and, with intelligent control, identifies which process is to be carried out in the subsequent operation.

These three requirements became relevant to the idea of Industry 4.0 years ago, which in essence is the theory that ‘industrial production should be dovetailed with modern information and communication technology’.

As far back as the early days of BITNET at the beginning of the 1980s, the focus was

CLINCHING FASTENER SPECIALIST Main Products: • Clinch & Sheet Metal Fasteners • Self-Clinching Nuts, Standoff, Studs • Welding Studs and Standoff • Cage Nut • Rivet Bushes • Brass Inserts for Plastics • Rivet Nuts • Customeized CNC/Colf foring hardware.

Strengths: • Producer in China • IATF 16949 Certificate • PPAP and IMDS free • Optical Sorting 100% • Full range for clinching fastener

t: +86-139-2920-4841 e: zhuyb@grandametal.com w: www.grandametal.com

TEUDELOFF & TOOLING INTERNATIONAL

WE THINK AHEAD WORLDWIDE

AUTOMOTIVE • AEROSPACE • WOOD • CONSTRUC TION • WHITE GOODS

QUALITY SERVICE SECURITY PERFORMANCE BS EN ISO 9001

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

Teudeloff GmbH & Co. KG Rodbachstraße 37 74397 Pfaffenhofen, Germany Tel: +49 (0)7046-88 0 84 0 www.tooling-international.com www.teudeloff.de

your trust worthy partner for more than 25 years

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY on data exchange or remote access, which at that time was simply described using FTP (file transfer protocol), SMTP and Telnet. More than 20 years ago, we asked ourselves why chat and other forms of communication were possible on the internet, while a connection to a machine was established point-to-point in the old fashioned way using a modem. In the meantime, security issues have arisen, with access to a control system now encrypted via a VPN connection.

As a system manufacturer, Reinhardt faces a special challenge. Not only does an interface have to be provided to its customers, but also within the machine or system itself.

Frequently, competing fieldbus systems are used because the components we use are assigned to a wide range of different industries – CAN for components from the automation industry, Profibus / Profinet or Modbus from the process and automation engineering sector. Reinhardt therefore also integrates across industries. The decision as to whether individual components are then connected in the traditional way via digital or analogue inputs, or via a bus interface, depends on the frequency of use and the amount of data exchanged. The system as a whole should not be made unnecessarily complicated.

In the networking of company and production control, the individual machines or industrial systems – including the thermotechnical systems provided by Reinhardt – are connected with an ERP system (enterprise resource planning), which today goes far beyond the concept of any PPS (production planning system). Given the heterogeneous hardware structure, it is essential that platform independent, service oriented architecture such as OPC UA is used.

The goal of standardisation is to reduce the time and effort spent on communication, making more time available for the selection

of information – OPC UA uses only a single protocol, which can be used for all data in the production process. It is independent of both platform and manufacturer. Security mechanisms are already integrated. All components from individual sensors to the ERP system can be in communication. The basis for this is a client-server principle.

An important aspect is that the data fits into the ERP system. For example, only a good/bad message and certain benchmark temperatures and treatment times are transferred to the ERP system. The actual temperature trends, which are more complex and cumbersome to embed in an ERP system, are stored separately, in most cases via an email distributor or FTP. With these tools, the mechanical engineering sector is fit for Industry 4.0. We have been using this for years – our controllers have an Ethernet connection, making all of the possibilities of this worldwide linking possible.

All technically feasible adaptations in the control technology can be implemented, in order to facilitate processes and handling at the subsequent place of use. In addition to integration into a higher-level PLC, the systems themselves are equipped with a

Today… higher customer requirements… are common in all industrial sectors and furnace systems must therefore also meet these...”

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PLC. This enables remote control, remote monitoring and the documentation of peripherals over the intranet or internet.

Data acquisition/storage – directly or over the internet – can be optimised to each customer’s requirements. Warnings and error messages are available anywhere in the world via GSM networks or email. If required, third party devices can also be integrated.

Reinhardt controllers offer these essential features: Continuous condition monitoring and data storage.

Automatic back-up of data on a computer system/back-up system.

Individual recording of data (short and long-term storage).

Continuous remote monitoring of machines.

Remote control of machines.

Simple operation via internet browser as web HMI or local HMI on IPC panel.

Simple networking via your intranet/Ethernet.

Within our systems, time critical and non-critical functions are separated, whereby a cycle time of less than 10 msec is normally sufficient for time critical functions. These result from switching and reaction times for sensors and switching outputs. Functions that are not time critical can be easily handled using local Ethernet connections. A reading of the current literature shows that this distinction will also be a decisive factor in the future, whereby the decision is newly framed within the protocol, so that multiple networks are no longer necessary.

As a basic principle, Reinhardt offers a proven and flexibly expandable complete system, which with adapted technology can be adapted to a wide variety of different requirements. www.reinhardt.gmbh

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Automated blasting technology for optimum fastener preparation Netherlands-based Thielco Steel Solutions Group has invested in four new rubber belt tumble blast machines for GEOMET® corrosion protection of small steel parts – having been the sole licence holder for GEOMET chromium-free coating technology in the Netherlands since 2007.

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EOMET® technology is water-based and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional coating or galvanising of smaller metal products. A zinc aluminium laminated coating is applied to the component in a specially designed fully automated production line. This achieves extremely high corrosion resistance and avoids hydrogen embrittlement.

Companies such as Thielco that have acquired the GEOMET licence are subject to the strictest production and quality control inspections by the licensor NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP, thus ensuring the best possible corrosion protection for steel parts from a technical point of view. Thielco also conforms to the international IATF 16949 quality standard for the automotive industry.

Many automotive manufacturers use screws and other small steel parts that are surface treated with GEOMET at Thielco. In addition to automotive applications, GEOMET coated components are also increasingly used in the transport industry and in wind turbines.

Hanger type blast machines for rack goods

“We initially only used the GEOMET process for small parts (bulk material), but the enormous growth in the wind power industry in particular meant the demand for larger components with a GEOMET coating became ever stronger. This led us to invest in a new production line in 2013 for the coating of rack goods with GEOMET,” explains Michèl Jacobi, head of production in the GEOMET plant at Thielco. “Rack goods are the name of the game, so-called because the parts to be coated are transported on racks rather than in baskets or similar, as is the case with small parts.”

A new production line for the fully automated GEOMET coating of rack goods was designed and implemented together with the plant manufacturer WMV Apparatebau GmbH. One of the key processes involved here is blasting. Only a perfectly prepared surface will result in a perfect coating finish that complies with strict GEOMET requirements. Two AGTOS hanger type blast machines (type HT 11-13) were selected for the blasting process.

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Each of these is equipped with two high performance turbines, each delivering 11kW of drive power.

The third system (also a type HT 11-13) is used for de-coating and cleaning the racks. “We coat the workpieces together with the racks in these production lines. The racks are de-coated each time following removal of the finished parts, ensuring that fresh racks are always available,” points out Michèl.

All three hanger type blast machines can handle a maximum workpiece height of 1.3m and width of 1.1m. The blast machines operate with automatic abrasive volume control (via pre-set value) and have a connection for cartridge filter units.

2015 saw renewed investment in an AGTOS blast machine, but for hot dip galvanising of rack goods in a second Thielco production plant. This system is a linked continuous overhead rail shot blast machine of type DHT 10-08. One special feature of this coating line is the automated loading and unloading of workpieces on the racks using robots, a system developed by the customer.

The largest investment to date was made in 2018 on new blast machines for the GEOMET small parts (bulk material) coating line, which has been in operation since 2007. “More than 10 years of continuous operation of the existing blast machines from another manufacturer had worn them to an extent where they no longer complied with contemporary quality standards. Costs for continuous maintenance and spare parts were high, making any further use of these machines economically impractical. They simply had to be replaced,” mentions Michèl. “We sought the advice of WMV Apparatebau, a plant manufacturer with whom we have dealt for many years. Additionally, we also needed to take the specifications of NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP into consideration when selecting new blast machines. Its recommendation and our own extremely positive experience with previous AGTOS blast machines led us to choose four series-connected AGTOS rubber belt tumble blast machines of type MG 0180.”

AGTOS blast machines are distinguished by a high degree of robustness, a long service life and maintenance friendliness. The high performance turbines are designed to ensure extremely low wear, even in the severest of operating conditions. Moreover, they are capable

of a high abrasive shot flow rate – while requiring the same amount of energy as other turbines. They are extremely efficient as a result. The blasting chamber itself is lined with highly wear resistant, replaceable manganese and tool steel plates.

AGTOS customers always emphasis the high-level of maintenance friendliness of these blast machines. The entire machine is not only designed for long-term operation, but optimised for maintenance and the replacement of spare and wear parts. For example, AGTOS high performance turbines are equipped with easily replaceable turbine blades and the push system means that filter cartridges can be replaced without difficulty in the clean gas area. Other servicing work such as replacement of the rubber belt can also be quickly realised, thanks to a well designed maintenance system.

The tumbling motion of the continuous rubber belt turns the workpieces to be blasted and exposes them to the abrasive stream for the entire blasting duration. The rubber belt also ensures that turning of workpieces is relatively gentle. Maintaining low gap dimensions means that even very small parts can be blasted. Machine loading and unloading is automated at Thielco, involving a feeder and discharge chute.

The turbines used in these rubber belt tumble blast machines each deliver 11kW of drive power and an abrasive shot flow rate of 162kg/min at the currently configured speed.

Within just 10 days, AGTOS and WMV removed the old blast machines with the assistance of Thielco, followed by complete integration, installation and commissioning of the four new rubber belt tumble blast machines in the existing GEOMET coating line. The rack good line continued normal operation during this.

Baskets with bulk material are cleaned and deoiled, blasted, coated several times with a zinc aluminium laminated coating, cooled and dried in continuous four shift operation. Four rubber belt tumble blast machines are positioned parallel to each other in the production line. The baskets with bulk material are moved to the position required in each case by a transfer unit.

“The minimum requirements for GEOMET are two layers of base coat. We can apply up to four base coats, depending on the customer’s wishes, but the fourth application would involve a special process.

A top coat is then usually applied to obtain particular friction characteristics. The coefficient of friction can be set at values between 0.06μ and 0.18μ (ISO 16047),” states Michèl.

The new production machines enable Thielco to provide a complete GEOMET® 321 and GEOMET® 500 package with different top coats for parts in all steel qualities and diameters ranging from M5 to M42, both with and without a thread, and up to a maximum length of 850mm. www.thielco.net

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

CAN-ENG supplies tier 1 automotive manufacturer CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd has recently been awarded a contract from a global tier 1 manufacturer of lightweight forged suspension components.

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his new North American project will produce high-quality lightweight forged aluminium components for passenger vehicles. The system, comprised of a pre-forging aluminium heating furnace, water quench, and continuous aging furnace, will be integrated into an automated forging cell that includes specialised material handling components and advance controls.

For the heating of aluminium billets prior to forging, the furnace of choice was CAN-ENG’s patented rotary hearth furnace. This space saving multi-level compact design is ideal for modern automated cells where a reduced footprint of equipment is required while processing parts of varying sizes and cycle times.

The customised air flow system is used to produce a large operating range while maintaining rigid uniformity requirements.

Post forging, the parts are automatically transferred into a custom designed CAN-ENG water quenching system – built to specifically handle the current and future range of parts. CFD Modelling was used to develop the agitation flow across forgings and features automatic cooling and heating. A continuous aging system automatically conveys forgings through using a custom designed material handling system, which includes the accumulation of finished parts without direct operator intervention, thereby reducing manpower requirements. CAN-ENG’s rotary furnace system continues to replace the conventional continuous chain/belt style heating systems –

reducing the overall system footprint, energy consumption and maintenance requirements.

Shipping furnaces around the world

CAN-ENG also recently shipped another industry standard 6,000lb/hr mesh belt furnace, which it was contracted to design and commission for a world-class processor of safety critical automotive fasteners. The system includes a computerised loading system, controlled atmosphere mesh belt hardening furnace, oil quench system, post quench wash system, mesh belt tempering furnace, soluble oil system and CAN-ENG’s PET™ SCADA system.

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The hidden costs that damage profits Hidden costs can be found everywhere, including in a supply chain, where they can be seriously eroding profit margins. Here Keith Kentish, group commercial director at TFC Ltd, highlights some unseen supply chain costs and explains how manufacturers can avoid them.

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he Covid-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for manufacturers to source the parts they need and it’s no surprise companies are concerned about the impact of lockdown on the continuity of their supply chains. Now, as ever, the priority for supply chain managers is keeping operations running while minimising costs – some of which may be hidden.

In many supply chains a lot of time is spent keeping track of inventory, whilst even more is spent making and processing the required orders. This issue is often exacerbated when companies work with multiple suppliers because each supplier comes with its own paperwork requirements. According to a report more than 100 million hours of time is wasted by UK businesses in procurement, supplier management and freight administration annually. This creates an annual cost in excess of GB£1.5 billion (approx €1.6 billion).

It would be far more valuable to reduce the amount of administration required and move staff into more productive roles. Vendor reduction and rationalisation is a good way to achieve this, as it means fewer orders and far less paperwork. An even better approach would be a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) system. VMI benefits include, but are not limited to, technology to trigger automatic stock replenishments, supplier on-site stocking, as well as consolidated invoicing. This can reduce the required administration and management time of C-class components.

In addition, smaller companies may find it hard to get good value without significant purchasing leverage, particularly if they change suppliers. The key here is relationships – maintaining long-term partnerships with trusted suppliers. Smaller companies can benefit from the leverage of a larger VMI service partner.

For example, TFC regularly purchases on behalf of numerous businesses’ consolidated demands from UK, European and Far East partners, passing on the cost reduction from buying in bulk to customers.

122 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

While stockpiles of spare parts are a useful buffer against uncertainty, they are also a hidden cost. Warehouse operations cost companies billions each year and this continues to grow as supply chains become more complex. Here, the three main costs facing manufacturers are space, labour and equipment. Specifically, companies will need to pay for a building to keep inventory safe, employees to move parts around and equipment to process it.

Understocking is even more problematic – if businesses don’t have the parts they need, when they need them, they risk having to halt production and downtime is expensive. By working with a VMI service partner to understand how much inventory is needed, and how often, a balance can be found that suits production schedules and still ensures a reduction in on-site stock, whilst enjoying the subsequent cash flow benefits this can bring.

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With our clever IT and logistics solutions we offer you, besides procurement security, also procurement simplification through our ordering systems such as the WASI Webshop, the WASI App and EDI. www.wasi.de/en

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MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS STORAGE SYSTEMS + MATERIAL HANDLING FEATURE

Mecalux opens an office in the Netherlands Worldwide storage system provider Mecalux S.A has opened its first office in the Netherlands. From there Mecalux’s objective is to strengthen its commitment to customer proximity and offer increasingly reduced turnaround times.

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he new sales office in Amsterdam is the result of the expansion plan Mecalux has been implementing over the past few years. With this branch, the company aims to meet the strong demand driven by the eCommerce boom that, in addition to revolutionising warehouses, is transforming companies’ production and distribution systems.

Mecalux has European sales offices in Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the UK and Turkey. It also has four production centres – three in Spain (Barcelona, Gijón and Palencia) and one in Poland (Gliwice).

With sales in over 70 countries, Mecalux Group’s main source of growth and development is based on a policy of substantial expansion. This includes the opening of nine offices, the expansion of sales and distribution networks, the allocation of resources to R&D and innovation, as well as the division between automated storage and software.

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MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Cloud solutions ensuring business continuity for remote workers DocuWare, a provider of Cloud solutions for document management and workflow automation, reports that it has seen a strong and consistent usage of its Cloud solutions during the current worldwide pandemic.

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ince March this year, workforces have gone remote and demand for document management solutions has soared. DocuWare grew its number of new Cloud customers by 24.3% compared to the same period in 2019. This increase is driven by businesses who never had a work from home set-up, now needing secure document management and workflow solutions for their newly distributed teams.

In addition, DocuWare saw continuous usage of its Cloud platform from customers through the wave of lockdowns in the first half of 2020. Every week saw millions of documents added and tens of thousands of users accessing business information.

“The type of document management solution most sought after right now offers secure document access and archiving but also enables ‘real time’ collaboration between remote teams,” says Dr Michael Berger, DocuWare president.

The product can be very quickly customised to fit individual business needs, positioning it as a leading choice for the small to medium sized businesses. “Our focus on usability means that the learning curve is short – a crucial benefit to any company in this current environment,” concludes Berger.

Almost all industry sectors have adjusted to work from home teams and DocuWare predicts that its cloud customer base will steadily expand, especially with new DocuWare solutions designed specifically to help manage the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes an employee screening form, a simple mobile friendly eForm for managing office visits, built and released to customers in just a few days.

Headquartered in Germany and the USA, DocuWare provides document management and workflow automation solutions in the Cloud. DocuWare has helped 14,000 customers across 90 countries simplify work through digitising, automating and transforming key processes.

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY FASTENING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL INDUSTRIES RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

The power of the sea around Britain’s coastline is phenomenal...”

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Canute’s tidings held together

ind and waves are unpredictable, but tides are not; they are absolutely predictable and unstoppable as King Canute demonstrated.

He was the 11th century king of Denmark, England and Norway who, according to legend, demonstrated his inability to hold back the tide to end the fawning of his courtiers.

128 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

By Ian Parker, freelancer, ianfliesrussian@aol.com Last October, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted every home in Britain to be powered by offshore wind energy by 2030. The Earth’s atmosphere will become an ever-increasing source of energy, but hot (or should we say cold) on its heels will be energy from the sea, both from waves and tides.

Due to its high latitude and often cloudy weather, the UK is not so well suited to solar power, but it is very well suited to wind, wave and tidal power. The greatest tidal range is in the Bay of Fundy in Canada (up to 17 metres), but the second highest is in the Bristol Channel (up to 13 metres). The power of the sea around Britain’s coastline is phenomenal as is the design and operational task of machines to extract it.

Does not damage the bearing surface

GROWER TEN KEEP SAFETY WASHERS

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY An Atlantis tidal stream turbine being readied for deployment

Operating generators exposed to the natural environment is challenging because both the air and sea are destructive in chemistry and sheer power. Checking the health of machinery is important and this applies as much to the fasteners as anything else. A good example is the nuts and bolts on wind farms. They require frequent torquing and a recent development in ultrasonic checks by the UK’s EchoBolt promises to reduce the maintenance costs by GB£250 million (€276.7 million) a year across Europe’s wind farm industry.

The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult has supported EchoBolt in securing Innovate UK funding to expand the capabilities of its technology, as well as providing access to its 7MW Levenmouth Demonstration Turbine for further testing. EchoBolt has also taken advantage of its contacts with GE Renewables and has secured a further testing and validation project on GE’s operational turbines this year. But how do you check machinery under the sea, which may be expected to run for five years continuously, in a total lifetime of 15 to 25 years? Do you send divers or robots down or lift it for examination?

These are questions being address now by the ORE Catapult and the industries that are designing and running prototypes.

Torqueing tidal blades at their root to the turbine hub has also been a challenge. Many subsea turbine nacelles are built in two or three pieces. Originally bolts were on the outside, but suffered from bad corrosion and so the fastening was redesigned to have the bolts on the inside. Then the problem was access for tightening and checking in a confined space.

Lessons learnt mean that internal equipment is often mounted on a sledge that can slide out for maintenance.

A tidal stream The turbulence turbine from Sabella of the water can also cause severe vibration that travels into the nacelle along the driveshaft to the gearbox (if fitted) and generator.

Fixings and fastenings w i t h i n the nacelle therefore have to withstand the effect of long cycles of varying frequency as the turbine increases and decreases speed

130 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

with the ebb and flow of the tide. The ebb and flow currents are not the same and so the designer faces a large frequency range to manage.

Subsea turbines are normally connected to a gravity base or monopile by a stab connection relying on the 200 tonnes – 300 tonnes weight of the turbine to keep it in place. Some designs use a hydraulic collar to lock the turbine to the base. The risk here is releasing the hydraulic lock after months submerged in the water, when tooling points become blocked with biofoul. Maintenance teams are still amazed that even using marine grade fastenings and fixings, corrosion remains a significant problem.

During their development, solar and wind industries benefited from government subsidies called Feed-in-Tariffs (similar to the tariff system for the power generated by the solar panels on homes) when the cost of these technologies were prohibitively high. As costs have fallen significantly through economies of volume, technology advancements, and learning by doing, the subsidies have reduced. Wave and tidal stream industries need these subsidies to help develop and reduce costs, however since 2018 no such subsidy has been accessible. The UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is currently reviewing responses to a public consultation on the subsidy mechanism, which may recognise the potential of tidal stream not only to generate renewable electricity, but also thousands of jobs during this green recovery.

Conflict becomes cooperation

The English Channel, historically the scene of conflict between Britain and France, is now the location of a powerful cooperation. The Interreg France (Channel) England Programme has approved the biggest ever Interreg project that may prove to be game-changing for the European tidal stream energy sector. The Tidal Stream Industry Energiser Project, known as TIGER, is an ambitious €45.4 million project, of which €29.9 million (66%) comes from the European Regional Development Fund.

TIGER falls within the funding category for low carbon technologies and the managing authority is Norfolk County Council.

Up to 8 megawatts (MW) of new tidal stream capacity will be installed and consent for 24MW of the next tidal stream commercial arrays (farms) will be obtained at sites in and around the Channel.

Coastal communities used as ports of deployment will benefit from knock-on investment and job creation. The total theoretical tidal energy capacity in the Channel region is nearly 4GW, enough to power up to three million homes.

Teo van der Kammen, technical manager for the TIGER project, points out that the cost per unit power is critical and that the tipping point will be when tidal stream power gets down to GB£150 per megawatt hour. “A lot of lessons learned in offshore wind will feed into wave and tidal power. Wave power is about 10 years behind tidal stream. Tidal stream is on the cusp of commercialisation.”

TIGER partnership

The TIGER project includes 18 partners from across the UK and France spanning turbine developers, ocean energy demonstration sites, research organisations, as well local and regional authorities.

Founded in 2005 as a supplier of tidal stream turbines, SIMEC Atlantis (Atlantis) is a company that has quickly grown to include development of tidal stream projects. It now has rights to some 600MW of tidal sites in the UK alone and is the majority owner of MeyGen, the world’s largest tidal stream energy project.

At MeyGen, there are plans to increase the existing 6MW array by adding at least two new Atlantis turbines. These will use a new subsea connection hub and will share a single export cable, cutting the costs of a dedicated export cable per turbine.

Known as Project Stroma, the project will receive €16.8 million from the European Commission’s NER300 programme. The company expects the yield from the enhanced array to increase by approximately 40% compared with the current configuration of four turbines.

In May 2019, Atlantis also entered a formal agreement with GE under which both parties will work together and share resources for the ongoing development of utility scale tidal energy generation and associated energy storage solutions. Atlantis and GE have been working in partnership since September 2018 on the development and performance validation of Atlantis’ AR2000 tidal generation system, which is expected to be the world’s largest and most powerful single axis turbine.

Recently, Atlantis has led the consolidation of the tidal power sector in Scotland. It is the majority owner of Tidal Power Scotland Limited (TPSL), the HoldCo that owns all phases of the MeyGen project, as well as other leading projects such as the Sound of Islay, Ness of Ducansby, Brough Ness and the Mull of Galloway. It has recently welcomed ScottishPower Renewables and DEME Concessions as co-investors in TPSL. In France, Atlantis has agreed a joint venture with AD Normandie Développement, the regional agency for economic development in Normandy and regional investment fund Normandie Participations to develop a phased large-scale tidal power project in the Raz Blanchard. The company plans to energise the first array of tidal turbines in 2021, before rolling out larger projects from 2022.

Atlantis is actively exploring project opportunities in Japan, China and Indonesia. In India, Atlantis has identified more areas of tidal resource and has been working with Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd to complete the concept design and consenting for a 200MW project in the Gulf of Kutch.

Sean Parsons, who joined Atlantis in June and has a background in energy, comments: “It’s not a race among the technologies with an anticipated winner – it is a combined effort. It’s not a case that one technology wins and the others lose. Wind has a lot of advantages in scaleability and has been rolled out on a large scale, but the supply chain is almost all offshore UK. State-backed manufactures are producing most of the kit.”

Sean continues: “Wind is unpredictable, which means it is hard to know the battery size requirements, because you don’t know how long it will be on and off. With tidal stream, the energy density is much greater so you a need a lot of smaller turbines. Tidal stream is approaching the sub-hundred pound per megawatt hour bracket. However, it doesn’t have the backing of large oil companies, which offshore wind does.”

Operating generators exposed to the natural environment is challenging because both the air and sea are destructive in chemistry and sheer power.”

Conclusion

So King Canute and the Old Norsemen were right in their observations of tidal power, but they could never have imagined how significant this power would be in powering man’s machines and ending harm to the Earth’s climate.

Two different types of tidal resource:

Tidal range – comparative to hydropower dams tidal range extracts energy from the vertical movement of water by holding back water as the tide level decreases and allowing the water out through turbines. This is what the infamous Swansea tidal lagoon project was about and is a mature technology.

Tidal stream (focus of TIGER) – this is comparative to wind turbines and converts power from the horizontal movement of the tides. This horizontal movement of water is accelerated in locations around islands and peninsulas, which impede flow. This technology is maturing rapidly, but faces much harsher environmental conditions under the sea – making costs comparatively high at this early stage of development. Tidal stream turbines will be much smaller than wind turbines due to the higher energy density of water compared with air (some 800 times denser).

A vertical axis tidal stream technology from HydroQuest

www.fastenerandfixing.com 131

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY RENEWABLE ENERGY FEATURE

stamping out the impact of theft globally

Securing the future of green energy

By Ryan Crawley, marketing executive, Hafren Fasteners Ltd The growth of renewable energy is driven mainly by two resources – sun and wind. Other forms play a role in specific regions but tend to be more complex, less standardised, offer lower economies of scale and require larger investments to harness.

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lectricity from solar and wind should account for almost 50% of worldwide production by 2050 – the ‘50-by-50’ model. Coal is predicted to shrink to just 12% of worldwide production compared with today’s 37% due to the possibility that it may be banned or heavily taxed in the future. As well as this, renewables are cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable long-term. Clearly, the future is bright for renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. However, with growth comes a proportional increase in risk and a need for solutions.

Solar and wind farms are subject to a wide range of natural hazards such as windstorms, floods, hail damage and climate change associated with more intense weather events, which all make renewable energy a risky business for insurers and investors alike. As well as the natural hazards, solar and wind farms are also susceptible to theft and vandalism.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are often targeted by criminals as they are worth thousands of pounds.

Soaring copper prices have also driven up wind farm crime.

The fact is that copper wiring from a single turbine can fetch a considerable sum of money, which is certainly enough to provide a powerful incentive for thieves, who are increasingly prepared to travel to remote wind farms to seek their fortunes. The costs of theft and vandalism to a project are difficult to predict as they are often random events, but installations that fall victim to such criminality can face significant downtime and expensive repair costs.

This is where security fasteners from Hafren come in. Security fasteners are specialised screws, nuts, bolts, and enclosures, which are either permanent mechanical fixings or designed to make it extremely difficult to remove them without the matching tooling.

These security fasteners can be used in a variety of applications such as fixings used on fencing and perimeter security, video survelliance systems, alarm systems, as well as signage. The fasteners can also be used to secure cabling and component enclosures. www.hafrenfasteners.com

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Amusement park safety: Leaving nothing to chance

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ome people love them and can’t get enough, others not so much, but when it comes to thrills – or outright fright – amusement park attractions cover a lot of ground.

So, whether it is taking a free fall from 80m high; going at high-speeds upside down then into a hairpin curve; or generally exposing yourself to crazy G forces, amusement parks deliver. Whilst there are many ways to test how brave somebody is, it would be taking it too far if they couldn’t depend on safety.

Most attractions move a lot of mass at high-speed, so there are tremendous forces at play. It can put extreme loads on the mostly steel structures and carriages.

Safety and reliability are paramount to avoiding incidents or accidents.

Strict demands throughout the value chain

© Gröna Lund

Even though the number of accidents remains relatively low in Europe, the European Committee for Standardization,

CEN, introduced a new European standard – EN 13814 ‘Safety of amusement rides and amusement devices’ – in May 2019. It covers everything from the design of an attraction, operation and maintenance, as well as monitoring and inspections.

The standard puts heavy demands on manufacturers, but also on the companies that operate amusement parks. “Safety is a fundamental part of our business and covers the visitors, as well as our staff. We never compromise on that,” says Peter Andersson, ride maintenance manager, at the Gröna Lund amusement park in central Stockholm and at Parks and Resorts Scandinavia – the group that owns and operates Gröna Lund, as well as some of Sweden’s most popular theme parks.

Parks and Resorts’ local maintenance departments perform meticulous daily controls of both rails and carriages, looking for any wear or damage. Yearly, the carriages are dismantled, and all parts are X-rayed. According to licensing authority rules, in-depth checks are carried out every five years, where attractions are dismantled into small pieces.

© Justin Garvanovic

When it comes to safety for amusement park attractions, nothing can be left to chance. Maintenance can both be expensive and time-consuming. However, there is a solution for wear that can solve the problem – permanently.

Often enough to change washers

As in all engineering, loosening bolted joints are a safety hazard. For example, the Gröna Lund attraction Eclipse (pictured, bottom left) is made from 910 tonnes of steel and concrete and involves 80,000 bolts. That is a lot of potential problems.

“If we detect any bolt loosening, we often perform root cause analysis. Generally, it is enough to switch to Nord-Lock washers,” says Andersson who first learned about Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers back in 1998, when they were used to secure the rails on one attraction after visual inspection.

“When I saw how well that solution turned out, there was no going back,” he says. “Since then, if we find loose bolts, we immediately order Nord-Lock washers.”

Many attraction manufacturers specify Nord-Lock washers already at the design stage. They generally find use in large bolted joints, in applications such as the rails and steel structures, but also for moving parts in wagon brakes.

A solution that saves time and money

Apart from using Nord-Lock washers, Parks and Resorts is also using the Expander® System to counter lug wear.

134 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

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Stock Nut Overview HEAVY HEX

HEAVY HEX

FINISHED HEX

ASTM A194

ASTM A453

ASTM A194

GRADE 2H 2H ZINC & CLEAR 2H ZINC & YELLOW 2H MECH GALV 2H METRIC (H=D) 2HM 3 4 6 6F 7 7L 7M 16 8 8 METRIC (H=D) 8A 8 STRAIN HARDENED 8C 8F 8M 8M METRIC (H=D) 8MA 8M STRAIN HARDENED 8T

GRADE 660B NR 660D NR

STAINLESS STEELS GRADE 304 304 STRAIN HARDENED 310 316 316 ELC 316 STRAIN HARDENED 321 410 416

NON-FERROUS

GRADE ALLOY 20 ALLOY 400 DUPLEX 2205 HASTELLOY C-276

GRADE 2H 8 8M STRAIN HARDENED

STAINLESS STEELS GRADE 18/8 304 ELC 304 STRAIN HARDENED 309 310 316 316 ELC 316 STRAIN HARDENED 317 ELC 410 ALLOY 20

NON-FERROUS

GRADE ALLOY 400 DUPLEX 2205 HASTELLOY C-276 SILICON BRONZE

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY This has saved a lot of money and minimised downtime compared to traditional repairs, such as line boring. It has also significantly prolonged attraction lifespans, which translates into serious savings – given that a new big sized attraction can cost upwards of €900,000.

Andersson first learned about the Expander System back in the late 1990s as well: “We had tried various reparation solutions, but the feeling was always, ‘there must be something better’. Then we found the Expander System.”

Since then it has been used on numerous attractions at Gröna Lund. In 2009, the Expander System was installed on all arms of the Octopussy attraction, which has worked flawlessly since then.

Another exciting attraction is the Flying Carpet – the oldest at Gröna Lund.

“The Flying Carpet has a historical value and it is difficult to find a replacement,” Andersson says. “About eight years ago, we noticed wear on a critical area. Attending to this would traditionally have meant doing new calculations and finally a complete inspection, which would probably have meant that the attraction would have been put out of commission.”

Expander System replaced the worn-out axles and bolts meaning the Flying Carpet can still be used safely.

The use is spreading

The use of the Expander System has spread within parks and resorts. When the maintenance department at the Kolmården wildlife and amusement park contacted Andersson about installing the Expander System on their attractions, he was happy to recommend it.

The wheel bogie suspensions on attraction wagons are usually a weak spot as they are under the most significant strain. Due to wear and tear on the axles, chassis hole tolerances get enlarged, sometimes in just a couple of years.

Fredrik Johansson, a mechanic at Kolmården, says: “If you’ve been at it for 30 years like me, you know that if something is loose, you’ve got a problem. Given our high safety standards, we don’t put together any makeshift solutions. If it costs a bit more, then that’s okay.”

136 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Saving money in the long-term

“At first glance, the Expander System may seem expensive, but in a life cycle perspective, you can’t save money,” Johansson explains. “When comparing the purchasing price of the Expander System to dismantling an entire attraction and sending parts away for line boring, the latter is both more costly and time-consuming.”

As a mechanic, Johansson appreciates how easy the Expander System is to install. “There is no line boring or welding involved, you can perform it at the site, directly in the worn mountings. It’s a brilliant solution,” he says. “We have used it for a season now, and it just works. Problem solved.” www.nord-lock.com

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Bolt & Socket Overview ASTM A193

GRADE B5 B6 B7

B7M B16

HEAD TYPE HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP 12 POINT FLANGE HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP

GRADE B8 Class 1 B8 Class 2 B8M Class 1 B8M Class 2 B8C B8T

HEAD TYPE HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX FINISHED HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX

ASTM A320 GRADE L7 B8 Class 1 B8 Class 2 B8M Class 1 B8M Class 2

HEAD TYPE HEAVY HEX SOCKET CAP HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX HEAVY HEX

STAINLESS STEEL GRADE 304 304 ELC 309 310 316 316 ELC

GRADE 17-4 PH HASTELLOY INCOLOY INCONEL

HEAD TYPE FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX

GRADE 317 ELC 321 347 410 ALLOY 20 ALLOY 400 DUPLEX 2205

HEAD TYPE FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX

NON-FERROUS & HIGH-NICKEL ALLOYS HEAD TYPE FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX

GRADE K-MONEL MONEL 400 NICKEL 200 NITRONIC 60

HEAD TYPE FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX FINISHED HEX

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

What is short bolting?

By Dr Bill Eccles, Bolt Science Short bolting is a term frequently used to describe the situation when a bolt is installed and the thread does not fully protrude through the nut. In order that the full strength of the nut is to be realised, it is vital the bolt thread protrudes through the nut. Failure to do so runs the risk of thread stripping occuring.

I

t is common practice to specify that two thread pitches must protrude. Typically, the first few pitches of the thread can only be partially formed because of a chamfer, etc. Nut thickness standards have been drawn up on the basis that the bolt will always sustain tensile fracture before the nut or bolt thread will strip. If the bolt breaks on tightening, it is obvious that a replacement is required. Thread stripping tends to be gradual in nature. If the thread stripping mode can occur, assemblies may enter into service that are partially failed, this may have disastrous consequences. Hence, the potential of thread stripping of both the internal and external threads must be avoided if a reliable design is to be achieved. When specifying nuts and bolts it must always be ensured that the appropriate grade of nut is matched to the bolt grade.

In cases of when a threaded fastener is tapped into a plate or a block it is usually the case that the fastener and block materials will be of

different strengths. If the criteria is adopted that the bolt must sustain tensile fracture before the female thread strips, the length of thread engagement required can be excessive and can become unrealistic for low strength plate/block materials. Tolerances and pitch errors between the threads can make the engagement of long threads problematical.

In summary the full height of the nut is to be used if trying to avoid thread stripping – that is – ensure that the thread protrudes through the nut. Also use a standard height nut as this is designed so the bolt will break before the threads start to strip. www.boltscience.com

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Setting process monitoring inside!

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T +49 (0) 6105 962 0 F +49 (0) 6105 962 287 info@gesipa.com www.gesipa.com

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Stock Washer Overview

MATERIAL

FLAT

18/8 310 316 316 METRIC 316 ELC 317 ELC 321 347 410 ALLOY 20 ALLOY 400 HASTELLOY C-276 DUPLEX 2205 K-MONEL F436 LOW CARBON ZINC LOW CARBON HDG

1/4” TO 2” 1/4” TO 1 1/2” 1/4” TO 1 1/4” #6 TO 2” #8 TO 1 1/2” M8 TO M14 M6 TO M20 1/4” TO 1 1/2” 3/8” TO 1/2” 1/4” TO 1 1/2” 3/8” TO 3/4” 1/4” TO 1” 1/2” TO 3/4” 1/4” TO 1” 3/8” 1/4” TO 1” 3/8” TO 1” 3/8” TO 3/4” 3/8” TO 1 1/4” 1/4” TO 1” 1/2” TO 2 1/2” 1/4” TO 1 1/2” 1/2” TO 1 1/2”

DISC SPRING WASHERS H13

LOCK

(Belleville Type) 5/8” TO 1 1/2”

FLAT WASHER DIMENSIONS STAINLESS STEEL BOLT SIZE 1/4” 5/16” 3/8” 7/16” 1/2” 9/16” 5/8” 3/4” 7/8” 1” 1 1/8” 1 1/4” 1 3/8” 1 1/2” 1 3/4” 2”

O.D. 5/8” 3/4” 7/8” 1 1/8” 1 1/4” 1 3/8” 1 1/2” 1 3/4” 2” 2 1/4” 2 1/2” 2 3/4” 3” 3” 3 1/2” 4”

I.D. 9/32” 11/32” 13/32” 15/32” 17/32” 19/32” 11/16” 13/16” 15/16” 1 1/16” 1 3/16” 1 5/16” 1 7/16” 1 9/16” 1 7/8” 2 1/8”

THK. .050” .050” .063” .063” .078” .078” .078” .109” .109” .125” .125” .125” .125” .140” .160” .160”

STAINLESS STEEL FLAT WASHERS ARE GRADE MARKED EXCEPT FOR THE 18/8.

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

ZinKlad® for fittings introduced ESI Automotive, a specialist in providing surface finishing technology, integrated advanced circuitry and joining materials, has been working closely with MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions to introduce a new standard – ZinKlad® for fittings.

A

Safety to the max SCHNORR® products are always the first choice when metal is being used to meet requirements of movement cushioning - securing through force and form.

Original SCHNORR® Safety Washers: • Highly vibration-resistant • Twofold effect from one component • Extensive range Original SCHNORR® disc springs: • Various applications • Best price-performance ratio • Customized solutions

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

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

fter the move from hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium passivation, the demand for greater anti-corrosive performance has accelerated. Now that automotive and equipment manufacturers have included specifications for galvanic treatment of fittings, ZinKlad® is in a unique place to fill this requirement. The fittings market supplies various industrial sectors ranging from automotive, commercial vehicles, earthmoving equipment, tractors, packaging, power generation, food and beverage, etc.

The new standards – existing of ZinKlad® 240 F, ZinKlad® 250 F and ZinKlad® 1000 F – are an excellent addition to the already established ZinKlad programmes. The whole fittings range offers a hexavalent chromium-free coating for barrel (250 F and 1000 F) and rack (240 F) processing, specifically designed for use on hydraulic and fluid fittings. These coatings deliver excellent corrosion resistance, which extends component life, particularly in extremely harsh conditions.

Lammert de Boer, global director for ZinKlad, DecoKlad and XMAPP, explains: “The new range of ZinKlad for fittings is an excellent addition to the ZinKlad range and improves the technical dialogue between fittings manufacturers, electroplating suppliers and the OEMs.” ZinKlad fittings will complete the current gap between the original manufacturer and the plating supplier, the ZinKlad applicator. By defining the quality standards agreed between the parties throughout the supply chain, it will be optimised by quality audits and inspections. These will be carried out at the approved ZinKlad applicator for fittings on a defined frequent base.

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Manufacturing Materials STAINLESS STEELS

STAINLESS STEELS

ALLOY STEELS

303

ASTM A193 B5

4140

304

ASTM A193 B6

4340

304 STRAIN HARD

ASTM A193 B8 CLASS 1

ASTM A193 B7

304 ELC

ASTM A193 B8 CLASS 2

ASTM A193 B7M

309

ASTM A193 B8M CLASS 1

ASTM A193 B16

310

ASTM A193 B8M CLASS 2

ASTM A320 L7

316

ASTM A193 B8C

ASTM A320 L7M

316 STRAIN HARD

ASTM A193 B8R

ASTM A320 L43

316 ELC

ASTM A193 B8S

ASTM A325 TYPE 3

317 ELC

ASTM A193 B8T

ASTM A354 BC

321

ASTM A320 B8 CLASS 1

ASTM A354 BD

330

ASTM A320 B8 CLASS 2

ASTM A490 TYPE 3

347

ASTM A320 B8M CLASS 1

ASTM A588

410

ASTM A320 B8M CLASS 2

SAE J429 Grade 8

410 HEAT TREATED

ASTM A453 660A

416

ASTM A453 660B

COPPER ALLOYS

430

ASTM A453 660D

COPPER

ALUMINUM ALLOYS

440C

NICKEL ALLOYS * NICKEL 200 * MONEL 400 * MONEL R-405 * MONEL K-500 * INCONEL 600 * INCONEL 601 * INCONEL 625 * INCONEL 718 * INCONEL X-750 * INCONEL 925 * INCOLOY 800H * INCOLOY 825 * HASTELLOY C-22 * HASTELLOY C-276 * HASTELLOY X

BRASS

2024T4

501 HEAT TREATED

DUPLEX

NAVAL BRASS

6061T6

630

2205

SILICON BRONZE

* 17-4 PH

ALUMINUM BRONZE

ADDITIONAL

904L

SUPER DUPLEX

PHOSPHOR BRONZE

MATERIAL GRADES

ALLOY 20

2507

CUPRO-NICKEL

UPON REQUEST

* A286 * 254 SMO * AL-6XN * CARPENTER 20Cb-3 * FERRALIUM 255 * NITRONIC 50 * NITRONIC 60

* ZERON 100 TITANIUM ASTM B348 ASTM B381

CARBON STEEL ASTM A325 TYPE 1

* Registered Trademark

ASTM A490 TYPE 1

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

Pros and cons of polyurethane adhesives

By Dr Keith Berry, technical service manager, Chemique Adhesives and Sealants Ltd The objective of this white paper is to provide a background to one part (1K) and two part (2K) polyurethane adhesive systems. Polyurethane-based adhesives can be formulated to give a wide range of properties that enable them to adhere to many substrates and there are many advantages to using them, as well as a few limitations that must also be considered.

P

olyurethane-based adhesives are very versatile with good performance characteristics and can be formulated to give a wide range of physical properties, such as viscosity and application properties, as well as pot life.

Polyurethane systems used for adhesives can be separated into two main classifications, these are the 1K (one part) and 2K (two part) systems with both sharing some similarities, as well as each having their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

All polyurethane adhesives use the same chemical reaction as their base, this being a reaction between an isocyanate and a polyol (Figure 1).

For 2K systems the isocyanate and the polyol will be manufactured and supplied as separate components. Mixing of the two components, just prior to application, to create the chemical reaction and fully cross-link the system will be required. To ensure this happens correctly an accurate ratio of components and sufficient mixing must be guaranteed.

nOCN-R-NCO + nHO-R1-OH Isocyanate + Polyol

[-C-NH-R-NH-C-O-R1-O-]

Polyurethane (Urethane lankage)

Figure 1: Chemical reaction between isocyanate and polyol to create polyurethane linkage Alternatively, with 1K systems during manufacture the polyol will be reacted with excess isocyanate such that the polyol chain is terminated with an isocyanate group (Figure 2). The ratio of isocyanate to polyol will help to determine the chain length of the terminated polyurethane prepolymer. This polyurethane prepolymer becomes the reactive component of the 1K system.

nOCN-R-NCO + nHO-R1-OH Isocyanate + Polyol

OCN-R-NH-C-O-R’-O-C-NH-R-NCO Polyurethane prepolymer

Figure 2: Reaction between di-isocyanate and polyol to create a polyurethane prepolymer To complete the reaction a 1K system will need to interact with water to fully cross-link. Figure 3 shows the chemical reactions that occur between the isocyanate on the end of prepolymer chains of a 1K

142 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

system and water that results in a polyurea linkage. This means that water needs to be present for a 1K system to cross-link and this can be from moisture in the atmosphere, however, for some adhesives this will be from the application of a water mist prior to the addition of the second substrate being bonded. Alternatively, the prepolymer may be dissolved in a solvent carrier and the prepolymer will react with moisture as the solvent evaporates.

R–N=C=O

+

Isocyanate R–N=C=O Isocyanate

+

H20

R–NH2

+

Water

Amine

Carbondioxide

R1–NH2 Amine

R

NH

CO2

NH

R1

Urea

Figure 3: Reaction between isocyanate and water that show the polyurea linkage formed when a 1K system reacts with water

Advantages and limitations

Polyurethane adhesives of both classifications (1K and 2K) share some advantages and limitations. These advantages include the cure time and that pot life can be varied through formulation changes, as well as good resistance to solvents when cured. Depending on the formulation, polyurethane adhesives also have a moderate cost and can be applied using multiple methods such as roller, brush, spray and these can either be manual or automatic.

Polyurethane-based adhesives are also non-flammable and have an excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates. Although they can be solvented, polyurethane-based adhesives can also be supplied solvent-free. Another advantage is that good flexibility can be achieved in the cured product, as well as heat not being required for cure – but can be used to speed up the cure once both substrates are present. They can also stay bonded through a wide range of operating temperatures.

Despite these advantages polyurethane-based adhesives also have some limitations. These include the uncured material being sensitive to moisture, as well as having a shorter shelf life – generally 3 – 12 months for both 1K and 2K adhesives. Although they adhere to most substrates, some substrates may also

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS require a primer for the polyurethane-based adhesive to adhere.

Due to the formation of carbon dioxide, which can cause foaming, assemblies made using polyurethane adhesives may also need to be held in a press under sufficient pressure whilst the adhesive cures to stop this occurring.

Due to the way in which the adhesive is supplied and the formation of urea linkages when curing, 1K adhesives also have some additional advantages. These include requiring no mixing, being easy to apply, featuring excellent chemical resistance and they can be either solvented or solvent free depending on the application required.

They will also have some additional limitations in that the cure time and pot life will be very dependent on the ambient conditions.

Due to the moisture cured nature of the material, once the container is open it will start to react with moisture in the air â&#x20AC;&#x201C; shortening its shelf life and increasing its viscosity. As well as requiring

sufficient moisture to fully cure, this may mean appropriate level of water misting before application of the second substrate.

As there are additional advantages and limitations of 1K polyurethane adhesives, this also applies with 2K adhesives. The advantages of 2K adhesives include generally longer shelf lives than 1K polyurethane adhesives, a cure time more dependent on formulation rather than ambient conditions, as well as requiring no additional processes (such as water misting) after the application of the adhesive.

Limitations of 2K polyurethane-based adhesives include that the correct ratio of components is required to properly cure the adhesive, as well as sufficient mixing of the two components before application.

The issues that most often arise with polyurethane adhesives are usually due to one of the following reasons. Firstly, using an adhesive with a pot life that is too short for the conditions so that the substrates are not assembled and under pressure within the pot life.

Also, when insufficient adhesive is applied to substrate there is not enough coverage to give a complete bond. If one of the substrates is porous this must be taken into account, as should the uniformity of the surface. Lastly, issues can arise if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not enough pressure within the press. The total surface area of the substrate needs to be considered so the pressure is approximately 10psi.

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Joining with adhesives

By Dr Detlef Heindl, head of application engineering at Panacol-Elosol GmbH

I

n the Middle Ages, the emergence of letterpress printing and the first mass production of books gave rise to the beginning of an adhesives industry.

These glues adhered to paper, cardboard and leather. However, it was not until the 20 th century that an adhesives industry arose for industrial assembly, mainly based on epoxy resins and cyanoacrylates.

UV-curing acrylic adhesives did not appear until the 1970s, while the first conductive adhesives were not developed until the beginning of the computer age in the 1980s.

Today, joining still means the permanent connection of components. This can be achieved, for example, by means of screw and press connections (frictional fitting), splined shaft connections and fitting screws (positive fitting) or welded and adhesive connections (material fitting). Adhesives can reinforce or even completely replace these joining techniques. In the course of the miniaturisation of components, joining with adhesives is often the only applicable technology. This is the special advantage of adhesive bonding compared to other joining methods. In the industrial sector, more and more special adhesives are being developed for specific applications.

Each application for joining brings with it different performance requirements. Adhesives are highly flexible in meeting those requirements, since their properties can be evaluated for suitability in each specific application. Modern industrial adhesives will allow the bonding together of very different materials.

The adhesive may need to be resistant to temperature fluctuations, humidity, shock or vibration after curing. With many adhesives, properties such as viscosity, colour or hardness can be

146 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

Bonding is a technology with an origin rooted in the early history of mankind. The first adhesive was invented in the stone age – birch pitch was produced by dry distillation of birch bark. This enabled parts of prehistoric tools and weapons to be bonded together. It can be assumed that this happened long before mechanical joining methods.

modified to meet these assembly and performance requirements.

In some cases, a better adhesive match is obtained by evaluating a different base chemistry. For example, an epoxy-based adhesive may be a better choice than a acrylate when performance requirements include high hardness and no movement from shrinkage during cure. For applications requiring flexibility and low stress on fragile connections, both soft epoxies and acrylates may be considered.

The choice of process can also contribute significantly to product recommendation. For high volumes, fast and automated, UV curing is highly recommended. When cured with broad spectrum UV or monochromatic LED UV light, UV curable adhesives can polymerise within seconds. Components are quickly bonded and can continue to be proceesed as soon as they move through their curing cycle. High performance UV adhesives can be epoxy or acrylate-based, offering a broading range of performance options.

Traditional UV curing relied on curing equipment that produced a broad spectrum of light energy, typically 320Nm – 460Nm wavelength.

First generation UV adhesives contained photoinitiators that reacted only with long wave UV wavelength, 320Nm – 390Nm. Subsequent UV adhesive development combined two photoinitiators that permitted absorption of UV light and visible light (400Nm – 420Nm). This reduced curing time and provided the ability to cure through transparent substrates that contained UV blockers. Broadspectrum UV is still a reliable method for curing all UV curable adhesives. In fact, it is the optimal curing method for UV epoxies.

In recent years LED UV curing equipment has made the UV curing process easier to incorporate and more efficient. Small, modular units with high intensity output can be easily mounted in existing

Features Calendar 2021 ISSUE 127: JANUARY 2021

Fastener + Fixing Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dedicated features take an in-depth look at key topics, products, and applications within important industry sectors.

Advertisers can tailor their campaigns to benefit from not just highlighting expertise in a specific feature, but also as part of strategy to build and maintain a presence in the market.

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Stainless steel fasteners Torque wrenches

ISSUE 128: MARCH 2021

SPECIAL FEATURE: Fastener Fair Stuttgart preview Route to Fastener Innovation 2021 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FASTENER TESTING CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

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Structural steel + cladding fasteners

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Manufacturing software Rivets + rivet nuts Battery powered installation tools

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ISSUE 130: JULY 2021

Heading + forging

ISSUE 129: MAY 2021

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Coatings, lubrication + locking technologies Corrosion + coating thickness testing

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Nuts, washers + locking systems

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

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Testing, inspection + packing

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Storage systems + material handling Nuts, washers + locking systems Tapes + adhesives

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS automated processes. LED curing eliminates UV bulb replacement and also generates significantly less heat during the curing process.

Adhesives can be cured using several wavelength options, including 405Nm, which is in the visible light spectrum.

For adhesive applications with shadowed areas that cannot be reached by light, dual curing products are available for reliable and complete curing processes.

The adhesives are initially exposed to UV/LED light and then thermally post-cured in a second step. Also available are dual curing UV adhesives that utilise atmospheric moisture to cure the areas that could not be reached by the UV/LED light.

If the components to be bonded cannot be reached by light at all, there is the option of curing with heat only.

Thermosetting epoxies are available with very repeatable curing cycles. The cycle time is determined by the volume of dispensed adhesive, oven temperature and the desired production output. Curing temperatures as low as 80°C may be used with some of these thermosetting epoxies. For truly heat sensitive components, two component adhesives can be used. Here, joining and curing is carried out at room temperature.

A further special feature of industrial adhesives is that they can be electrically and/or thermally conductive. These adhesives provide conductivity while bonding components in place. Electrically conductive adhesives, for example, can replace soldered connections.

These adhesives are filled with special particles, usually silver flakes, to create a corrosion-free conductive path. Conductive adhesives are more flexible than solder and are particularly suitable for heat sensitive components in micro electronics assembly.

Thermally conductive adhesives are synthetic resins augmented with metallic or inorganic filler materials. Metallic fillers, however, make the adhesive electrically conductive, which can be undesirable in many applications. To achieve thermal conductivity and electrical insulation at the same time, adhesives augmented with ceramic or mineral-based fillers must be used. Adhesives with thermal conductivity are often used to dissipate heat from power electronics.

148 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE ≡ ISSUE 126: NOVEMBER 2020

When used to bond heat sinks, the thermally conductive adhesive reduces thermal strain, preventing performance loss or failure of electronic components.

Through specific selection, the bond formed by the conductive adhesives can be made rigid or elastic. Elastic bonds can have a vibration damping effect and can be applied to flexible PCBs or other flexible surfaces.

Bonded joints have a number of advantages over other joining techniques such as welding, screwing or soldering. For example, large area connections of very thin parts are possible with very even stress distribution and without weakening the joined parts. Adhesives can be gap filling, which permits use of less stringent component tolerances. By skilful selection of the adhesives, they can take on the properties of the joined parts or compensate for stresses that arise from joining different substrates. Crevice corrosion can also be minimised or completely prevented by using adhesives. For wide gaps, adhesives in a gel like viscosity can act as sealing material.

Joining by means of adhesive bonding represents a very cost-effective technology, as often only very small amounts of adhesive are required. Many bonding processes can be fully automated – dispensing and subsequent curing with UV light can be integrated into existing production lines and controlled automatically.

Without high-tech adhesives, today’s digitalisation and miniaturisation of electronic devices, as well as the automotive, medical, and consumer electronics industries, would be unthinkable.

The range of what is feasible is far from exhausted. Adhesives are continuously being developed to provide better performance and to make new component design easier to implement. In addition, current development is very much focused on making adhesives more environmentally friendly. Future adhesives are likely to be based on renewable raw materials, which will facilitate recycling and easy disposal for users. Adhesives will continue to evolve as manufacturers continue to introduce new technologies and products into the marketplace.

ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

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Adhesives to suit every industry Huntsman Advanced Materials has launched the ARALDITE® 2000 Adhesive Core Range, which has been designed for up to 80% of all bonding needs – from assembling high performance products to making repairs in tough conditions.

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he ARALDITE® Adhesive Core Range is made up of nine high performance adhesives that can simplify product selection. The range consists of three technologies – epoxy, acrylic and polyurethane – and includes adhesive products that are resistant to impact, high temperatures, water, and chemicals, while offering a variety of colours, open times, viscosities and appearances.

Huntsman reports that these high performance products enable greater innovation, performance, and sustainability, with well proven applications across bus and truck, rail, wind, marine and general industry. Meeting the most stringent industry safety standards, the range also includes products with KIWA approval, Lloyd’s Register approval, and conformity to HL3 requirements, as well as Class R1 and R7 of the Railway European Fire Protection Standard EN 45545-2.

“At Huntsman, we have been pioneers in adhesives for more than 70 years. We also offer more than 200 other speciality adhesives for even the most demanding tasks. In addition, we provide development support across simulation, testing, and processing, to help make any idea possible,” explains Huntsman.

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

PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Adhesives on the production line Adhesives can have many benefits over the use of more traditional mechanical fixings.

Here, Simon Dearing, managing director at Eurobond Adhesives Ltd, looks at how adhesives and tapes can be used over these traditional fastening methods on a production line.

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dhesive bonding can simplify a product’s design as they can often reduce the weight of a finished product. Eliminating mechanical fixings can also allow the product design to be more aesthetically pleasing with cleaner, simpler lines and form. It can also reduce the number of processes and components required to manufacture a finished product.

Finally, adhesives can give a uniform bond line with no stress points, which could be caused by riveting, using nuts/bolts or welding.

In many cases production can also be increased by the use of adhesives. For example, if a product may be fixed with five screws and washers, making ten components that need to be handled and five holes that need to be drilled, a simple bead of cyanoacrylate adhesive could cure instantly. For variety, it could also be cured ‘on demand’ if it were a UV light curing adhesive, as well as curing instantly if it were an adhesive tape.

A two component adhesive could also be used, which would cure in a matter of minutes and whilst the material is curing the operator can move on to another job. If it were an electronic application, perhaps bonding SMDs to PCBs or bonding heat sinks with conductive adhesive, these processes can be done simultaneously and cured in the oven with heat. The curing and production processes really depend on the application.

This also depends on what dispensing equipment is available for a production/assembly line. Advances in both adhesive chemistry and dispensing equipment have vastly improved in recent years and this has helped to increase production rates. Some one and two part adhesives can be dispensed simply by using a manual or pneumatic hand gun for small production runs.

Larger production lines can incorporate an in-line metering, mixing and dispensing machine, which can dispense adhesives from small 30ml syringes up to 1,000 litre bunds and these can incorporate XY axis control. As many products, particularly in electronics, get smaller every year, dispensing equipment has had to develop new application techniques to keep up. It’s now possible to ‘jet dispense’ many adhesives – including electrically conductive adhesives in very fine adhesive lines up to 0.5mm wide. Dispense equipment can operate in three dimensions delivering adhesives with immense precision.

Two component structural adhesives such as methylmethacrylates, epoxies, polyurethanes, silicones and

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polysulphides can also be used on production lines. However, production has to be modified to meet the pot life of the adhesive.

For example, most two component adhesives will be applied via a mixing nozzle. As the two components mix, the curing clock starts ticking. The machine will have a limited time to dispense the adhesive before it cures in the nozzle if unused or cures on the product. If substrate ‘A’ with the mixed adhesive on is not applied to substrate ‘B’ in good time the adhesive may cure before the two are put together.

Similarly if the mixed material is not purged from the nozzle or the nozzle is not replaced when production stops for shift changeovers, tea or lunch breaks, the adhesive will cure in the nozzle.

But what should be used? Liquid adhesive or an adhesive tape?

Once again it depends on the application. The design of a product may make it impossible to apply a regular bead or dot of adhesive without it contaminating another component. Adhesive tapes can either be cut to the required length from rolls supplied or can be die cut to specific shapes that fit an application and spooled onto rolls for easy application.

Eurobond Adhesives has an extensive range of high performance adhesive tapes, including high strength metals and plastic bonding tapes, clear tapes for bonding glass and acrylics, thermally conductive tapes, automotive application grade tapes, flame retardant and high temperature grades, as well as a range of tape for bonding low surface energy substrates – such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

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Y E A R S

PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Bondloc UK announces national distribution agreement Bondloc UK Ltd, a UK manufacturer of adhesives and sealants, has strengthened its UK distribution network by appointing MSC Industrial Supply as a national channel partner for its premium engineering range of adhesives and sealants.

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aul Nelson, sales and marketing director at Bondloc, explains: “The growth in demand for our products in the UK engineering market, has created the need to bolster our distribution network with a national distributor that has the infrastructure to service the whole of the UK market based on a comprehensive stockholding policy.”

He continued: “MSC is supporting the manufacturing industry by reframing what customers expect from suppliers. Alongside next day UK delivery across the full range of our engineering adhesives, MSC can support and improve manufacturing performance by delivering first-class engineering and technical support as well as cost saving solutions.”

Tom Coleing, product manager at MSC, adds: “Now, more than ever, our customers face the challenge of trying to reduce the manufacturing costs of products, whilst ensuring the overall quality is not diminished. Bondloc’s comprehensive adhesive range will help customers control costs yet still ensure consistent, high-quality results. The company’s UK manufacturing set-up means it has full quality control and is highly responsive to manufacturing and adhesive challenges. Bondloc’s offering aligns with our commitment to our customers to provide ‘the right product at the right price at the right time’.”

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

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

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

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

PRODUCTS + TOOLS TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Thermally conductive epoxy for large potting applications Master Bond’s EP29LPAOHT is a two component, NASA low outgassing approved, epoxy system featuring a long working life of 8 – 10 hours per 1,000g batch.

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ue to its low exotherm and flowable consistency, this product is suitable for speciality potting applications where large masses of the epoxy need to be cured. It can be mixed and poured in volumes of more than a gallon at a time. Even in deep cross section thicknesses, this product does not generate much heat. Since the epoxy does not start gelling quickly, it is especially advantageous for use in many production environments that require a long open time after mixing.

EP29LPAOHT has a 100 to 50 mix ratio by weight and a mixed viscosity of 10,000 cps – 30,000 cps. It possesses a high thermal conductivity value of 0.87 – 1.15 W/(m•K), and is electrically insulative with a volume resistivity of more than 1,015 ohm-cm. Upon curing the epoxy exhibits low shrinkage, dimensional stability and a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Other noteworthy properties include a compressive strength of 24,000 psi – 26,000 psi, a Shore D hardness of 80 – 90, as well as a tensile modulus of 450,000 psi – 500,000 psi. This epoxy is serviceable over the wide temperature range of -60°F to 350°F (-51°C to 177°C).

EP29LPAOHT also bonds well to a variety of substrates including metals, glass, ceramics and many different plastics. It resists many chemicals including, but not limited to, water, fuels and oils. It is available for use in ½ pint, pint, quart and gallon container kits. EP29LPAOHT does not contain solvents and is also RoHS compliant.

TAPES + ADHESIVES FEATURE

Bonding solutions for electric mobility As new design concepts are being realised in the modern world, new materials need to be developed.

Bonding engineers from Lohmann have been developing new innovations to play a considerable role in electromobility – in the field of functional tapes and its antistatic (AS) range.

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unctional tapes do more than just connect two objects with one another. These adhesive tapes feature additional properties such as insulation, conductivity, grip, shielding and much more.

Functional tapes are in great demand, particularly in the field of electromobility, because here it is not primarily a question of bonding, but rather of thermal and electrical conductivity and thus shielding or grounding in the component – as is required for sensors, for example. In addition, electronic devices are becoming smaller and smaller, even in vehicles.

In principle, this is advantageous, but the tight space also increases the probability of short circuits or disruption from electromagnetic interference. This is where functional adhesive tapes are the right choice, because they not only ensure precise bonding of different components, but can also be used for earthing, heat dissipation or shielding. Adhesive tapes are also used in the area of sealing. To protect the highly sensitive electronic components, materials are used that adapt perfectly and seal gaps. These not only ensure that dust, dirt and moisture cannot penetrate, but in the field of display technology, for example, they also have a damping effect and protect the sensitive technology from impact.

It is actually no wonder that an average of around 4.5m² of adhesive tape is used in an automobile today. Lohmann GmbH & Co KG says its AS (antistatic) range offers display protection against dust, as well as scratches and electrostatic discharge. Design and function of an electrical car are often more important than they are for conventional automobiles.

Antistatic films (DuploCOLL AS) help to protect the function of lenses, TFT and LCD modules, as well as optically bonded touch displays.

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When it comes to function and safety topics such as ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) or highly automated or fully autonomous driving, different issues need to be taken into consideration. Here, EC (electrically conductive) and TC (thermal conductive) tapes come into play.

Another thing is the fact that manufacturers in the automotive and electronics sector are increasingly demanding silicone-free bonding solutions for parts and components. For this Lohmann has developed the DuploCOLL® HCR range. The adhesive solutions are silicone-free, highly chemical and temperature-resistant, and resistant to all kinds of environmental influences. The double-sided PE foam adhesive tape DuploCOLL® G, which is equipped with a customised activator, is particularly suitable for the assembly and permanent fixation of mounting parts on large glass surfaces, which are often used in the construction of electric vehicles.

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Berardi expands Kanban offering Understanding that the market of industrial supplies focuses on the optimisation of logistics and the reduction of the number of suppliers, Berardi Fasteners has expanded its product range beyond fasteners to complete its Kanban offering.

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mongst the new products are components for hydraulic, fluidic, and pneumatic systems, such as tubes, fittings and sealings. In partnership with specialised suppliers, Berardi offers a wide range of high-quality products, as well as technical sales support. Berardi’s own quality assurance office completes the picture, guaranteeing the highest quality standard for every product.

The ‘Extracomponents’ project (non-fastener items) has been developed by several product managers supporting the sales network with technical know-how, which helps to provide an added service for Berardi’s customers.

Berardi Fasteners is an Italian C-parts management specialist.

Headquartered in Castel Guelfo, Bologna, the company has 12 branches across Italy, 3 national subsidiaries (Vibolt, Vitman, VIBF), a sales office in Croatia, and an international subsidiary in Morocco (Berardi Maroc). With over 100 years of experience in fasteners, Berardi is specialised in C-parts management, creating simple and personalised services for its clients. www.gberardi.com

NEWS

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Get into the groove The groove is the concave space located beneath the head of the screw or bolt and above the threads on the nut. It has a specific geometry that holds sealing rings or elastomers securely in place as the fastener is tightened. APM Hexseal is able to offer customisable sealing solutions to prevent contamination or leakages from either side of an enclosed space.

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well engineered groove is critical to the ability of the fastener’s sealing ring to compress properly upon tightening, allowing an airtight, leak-proof barrier to form between the groove and the mating surface. In industrial applications, sealing hardware is essential for securely fastening components within a system – while simultaneously blocking contaminants from entering or exiting the sealed space.

APM Hexseal has decades of design and manufacturing experience to provide intelligently designed sealing solutions for a variety of mission critical and sensitive applications.

APM Hexseal’s screws, bolts, and other fasteners, are designed with built-in grooves that allow sealing elements to fit snugly and precisely under the fastener head. For instance, Seelnuts® contain a custom groove that enables the moulding of the elastomer directly into the threads, providing a superior and long-lasting seal. The design helps create a tight seal that confines the contents of operations while preventing external contaminants or debris from entering. Making sure the integrity of the fastener remains fully intact during the fabrication process is essential for achieving reliable sealing and fastening performance from the hardware.

High-tech sealing components are also available by request with FDA approved silicone to best support equipment used in sensitive applications, such as medical and

pharmaceutical applications. With APM’s products the hardware’s integrity is maintained by incorporating the groove into the actual manufacturing process using cold forming techniques.

Selecting the right fastener with the appropriate groove geometry is essential to the hardware’s ability to seal properly.

The exact parameters of a fastener’s groove will depend on multiple factors, such as the screw size and the panel cut-out. APM can customise virtually any aspect to the fastener or sealing element including the fastener material, as well as the sealing ring material. They can both be moulded from a wide range of elastomers allowing the choice of a material based on the specific conditions the fastener will encounter in applications.

The colour of the elastomer can also be customised and the fasteners can be made to include various locking features, including self-locking pallets, strips and patches.

When choosing or designing sealing hardware for a specific application, there are several factors that should be considered to make sure the final product performs as intended. To form a proper seal, the elastomeric sealing element of the fastener must be able to deform by being compressed or stretched in va r iou s ways.

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The diameter, depth, and width, of a fastener’s groove will determine the sealing ring’s ability to be compressed properly against the mating surface to provide an adequate seal.

Because of this, proper groove design plays a major role in the overall sealing performance of the hardware.

The exact features of a groove will depend on the overall size and style of the fastener, as well as the characteristics of the mounting panel that will be used. One of the most important design considerations is making sure the groove can be sized appropriately for the application without causing damage to the screw’s integrity.

A common mistake in fastener design is to allow the undercut to penetrate too deeply into the shank, causing the head of the fastener to break off when drilled into a surface. The engineers at APM Hexseal possess the expertise to prevent these types of failures, creating custom sealing hardware with expertly designed grooves that can ensure success in each application.

APM Hexseal’s reusable self-sealing fasteners can block or contain liquids, lubricants, gases, and dust, making them perfect for protecting and confining sensitive materials and equipment. The fastener’s tight seal prevents contaminants from seeping into or out of the sealed environment through small gaps between the screw and the mating surface.

APM is ISO 9001:2015 certified and complies with a variety of other industry standards, including Dodd-Frank, REACH and RoHS. www.apmhexseal.com

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Unity is strength For box applications where access is limited and fixing is extremely complex, Specialinsert® says its new DEFORM-NUT® SELF-LOCKING deformation rivet is the ideal solution for fixing parts subject to risk of loosening and strong vibrations.

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esigned, patented and produced by Specialinsert®, this deformable tubular rivet with self-locking thread, in cylindrical or hexagonal version, provides a nylon ring at the end of the thread to provide friction for the connecting screw during assembly. It can be easily installed on boxes, pipes, sheet metal, profiles and on all those supports that do not allow the insertion of nuts inside them.

DEFORM-NUT® SELF-LOCKING combines advantages of the classic deformation rivet with the function of self-locking nuts. As well as installation on parts without the possibility of access from the inside, its technical advantages include anti-loosening guaranteed without the use of additional components, such as a thread locker or spring washers, as well as a quick assembly of the connecting screw. This is due to not requiring the use of two tightening spanners, unlike the self-locking nut.

Available in galvanised steel, oppure zinc plated and stainless steel, as well as in other different shapes and dimensions, the DEFORM-NUT SELF-LOCKING features a medium tightening torque for correct installation of M6 – M8, a tightening torque 9Nm -18Nm and traction loads of 13,000N – 21,000N. Applications for this new anti-loosening deformation rivet include the ceiling rails of train carriages where access is an issue. www.specialinsert.it

RIV303 designed for cartridge rivets The new hydropneumatic tool RIV303 from Rivit Srl features a built-in booster and has been specifically designed for the application of cartridge rivets. epending on the diameter of the rivet, the RIV303 is equipped with special spare parts, with head, mandrel, and relative spring, selected according to the diameter of the rivet. Technical specifications of the RIV303 include a 5 – 7 bar air pressure, 30mm stroke, as well as a 3,890N pull force. Its cycle time is one second and it weighs 1.92kg and measures 475mm in length without the head.

Speedriv rivet cartridges are to be used in conjunction with the RIV303, for quick riveting. Suitable cartridges include those that can hold 24 to 58 pieces, according to the rivet’s diameter and length, and are strung on a proper rod, ready to be used.

Rivets in cartridge are available in stainless steel, steel and aluminium, with dome or countersunk head, in diameters 3.2mm, 4mm, 4.8mm and 6mm, as well as in several lengths. Rivets in cartridge allow a drastic time saving during assembling and, Rivit points out, the Speedriv ensures good flexibility and can be easily included in automatic assembly lines. Rivets in cartridge are mostly used in automotive, electronics, electro mechanics, furnishing and general light fabrication applications.

Rivit Srl specialises in the production and distribution of fasteners, fastening systems, tools and machines for sheet metal assembling. www.rivit.it

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CMY

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SILVERDALE LTD

T: +44 (0)1634 281200 www.jubileeclips.co.uk

I N N OVAT I V E FA S T E N E R S making the right connection

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Born from the fusion of riveted insert and selfblocking nut, DEFORM-NUT® SELF-LOCKING is the new anti-loosening deforming rivet: the ideal solution for fixing parts subject to risk of loosening and strong vibrations. DEFORM-NUT® SELFLOCKING can be easily installed on boxes, pipes, sheet metal, profiles and on all those supports that do not allow the insertion of nuts inside them.

DEFORM-NUT® SELF-LOCKING

UNITY IS STRENGTH Nylon ring

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Glove safety with BBI

Brighton-Best International (BBI) has taken precautionary measures to protect its employees and warehouses during this worldwide pandemic and, as PPE continues to be as important as ever, the company is focusing on glove safety – by introducing more core styles.

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espite selling its Ironclad® and KONG® brand gloves for over a year now, BBI has not pushed its full range into all markets – until now. This new core range includes the Command™ ILT A4 PU (KKC4PU), Command™ A2 Insulated, sandy nitrile knit (KC1SNW2), Command™ Grip (IEX-MGG), Command™ Utility, Hi-Viz (IEX-HSY) and KONG® Knit Cut A5 Impact glove (KKCA5), all of which are suited to the manufacturing, construction, material handling and renewable energy industries.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic BBI has been distributing N95 masks to all employees and implementing many safeguards to provide extra layers of protection in all offices and warehouses. This includes minimising pick up orders, as well as sanitising offices every four hours in all common touch areas. Everyone is also practicing social distancing and hand washing is being urged as frequently as possible. www.ironclad.com

GLOVES WITHOUT LIMITS TOUCHSCREEN

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T: 01224 047066

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A Brighton-Best International Company

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

A wide range of rivets Italian-based Tecfi SpA is able to supply a wide range of rivets, developed according to ISO standards, including the aluminium alloy open end blind rivet with dome head â&#x20AC;&#x201C; available in a variety of colours.

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he aluminium alloy open end blind rivet with dome head, with zinc plated steel break pull mandrel, is available in a wide variety of painted aluminium colours such as RAL 9010 pure white, RAL 9002 grey white, RAL 9006 white aluminium, RAL 1013 oyster white, RAL 3009 oxide red, RAL 8004 brick red, RAL 8017 chocolate brown, RAL 9005 black, and RAL 5017 traffic blue.

Also available from Tecfi are aluminium alloy open end blind rivets with large dome heads, with zinc plated steel break pull mandrels; A2 (AISI 304) stainless steel open end blind rivets with dome heads, with stainless steel break pull mandrels; copper and copper anodised open end blind rivets with dome heads, with zinc plated steel break pull mandrels; zinc plated steel open end blind rivets with dome heads, with zinc plated steel break pull mandrels; as well as aluminium alloy open end blind rivets with countersunk and dome heads, with zinc plated steel break and aluminium break pull mandrels. Peel type painted (RAL 5017 and RAL 9010) aluminium alloy open end blind rivets with dome heads, with zinc plated steel break pull mandrels, and aluminium alloy closed end blind rivets with dome heads, with steel break pull mandrels, are also available in RAL 8004 and RAL 9002.

Tecfi also offers four lines of zinc plated knurled open cylindrical shank rivet nuts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with dome head, reduced dome head, countersunk head and reduced countersunk head.

As well as its range of rivets and rivet nuts, Tecfi also offers a wide range of hand riveters.

Additional types and colours of rivets and rivet nuts are also available on request with quantity and delivery time negotiable. www.tecfi.it

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Ultimate security for bolted joints The choice of nuts, washers and locking systems available is vast.

Owlett-Jaton offers a solution to almost any application, but whilst most are standard and offer a fit for purpose solution, its partnership with HEICO Group means it can bring something unique to the table.

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he HEICO-LOCK® system was developed to counter the effects of dynamic loads and high vibration causing loosening of bolted joints by self-rotation. It consists of a pre-assembled pair of washers that have inclined cams on the inside and radial teeth on the opposite sides. When a bolt is tightened the external radial teeth embed themselves in an interlocking fashion with the respective mating surface. As the angle of the internal cams is greater than the angle of the thread pitch, any movement across the cams increases the pre-load force and effectively self-locks the bolt.

As an innovative addition to the HEICO-LOCK product group, the one piece HEICO-LOCK® Wedge Lock Nut combines the original HEICO-LOCK® Wedge Lock Washers with a flange nut.

The riveting of the connection between the wedge lock washers and the flange nut creates a one piece design that removes the need for a separate washer, providing a reliable, faster and cost optimised bolt security solution. The HEICO-LOCK Wedge Lock Nut, available from M6 to M27, is supplied pre-assembled and provides the user with the clear benefit of always being in the correct locking position – particularly important if being installed and removed repeatedly, especially in hard to reach locations.

The HEICO-LOCK® Wheel Nut, a TÜV approved version of the wedge lock nut supplied in fine thread M20 x 1.5 and M22 x 1.5 variants, provides ideal protection for securing wheels against self-loosening even under the most adverse circumstances, high-speeds and demanding road conditions. Suitable for all common steel disc wheels, the wheel nut minimises the risk of accidents caused by loosening of wheels in the field of construction machinery, agricultural machinery, heavy goods or public service vehicles, and many more.

Owlett-Jaton stocks the HEICO-LOCK system ready for next day delivery in the UK. www.owlett-jaton.com

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Stainless steel clamps and ties Our range available on www.acton.fr

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Inserts for plastics SPIROL has introduced a new, high performance series of moulded-in inserts for plastics assemblies, consisting of multiple bands of helical knurls to maximise torque resistance, balanced with radial undercuts to achieve high pull out (tensile) force.

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hese moulded-in inserts are designed to be placed in the mould cavity prior to plastic injection and, SPIROL says, offer exceptional performance due to unrestricted plastic flow into the retention features on the outside diameter of the inserts.

These lightweight, lead-free threaded inserts are manufactured from 2024 grade aluminium, which provides the best combination of strength, corrosion resistance, machinability and cost. SPIROL states the Series 63 and Series 65 inserts are 40% stronger than brass, and ⅓ the weight of the same insert manufactured from brass.

Standard metric thread sizes include M4, M5, M6, and M8, and standard inch threaded sizes include 8mm – 32mm and 10mm – 24mm.

SPIROL offers a comprehensive line of inserts for plastics including press-in, self-tapping, heat/ultrasonic and moulded-in styles to accommodate specific performance and installation requirements. SPIROL’s application engineers can also be involved in the design stage and will not only recommend the most cost-effective threaded insert for plastic assembly, but can also help make critical design recommendations between the engineered fastener and an assembly. www.spirol.co.uk

New profile clamp withstands up to 900°C NORMA Group, a specialist in engineered joining technology, has developed the VPP Compact High Temperature – a new VPP profile clamp that can withstand component temperatures up to 900°C. he VPP Compact High Temperature is therefore ideally suited for use in vehicles with state of the art petrol engines that must meet strict emission standards.

“The regulations for reducing emissions from combustion engines are increasing worldwide,” said Dr Michael Schneider, CEO of NORMA Group. “This increases the technological requirements for internal combustion engines, which also leads to higher temperature ranges. With the VPP Compact High Temperature, we have developed a product that can also be used with rising engine temperatures due to its extremely high resistance to heat.”

Fuel combustion in petrol engines generates higher temperatures than in diesel engines. In the wake of ever stricter emission regulations, additional components, such as particle filters, must be installed in combustion engines as close as possible to the engine. This creates additional heat sources in a very confined space, which further increases the temperature inside the engine compartment. Modern petrol engines are therefore dependent on joining products that can withstand high temperatures, such as the VPP Compact High Temperature.

T

Smith Bullough

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