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Construction Fixings

The mega project

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106-114 Fastener Fair Budapest Report Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

e d i to r i a l

Jumping the gun is risky On 10th August Reuters published an exclusive report titled “WTO raps EU anti-dumping in China fasteners case”. A “person familiar with the case” had revealed that the World Trade Organisation had condemned the way the European Union assesses duties on non-market economies. The unnamed source is quoted as having studied a confidential interim report by a WTO panel, issued two days earlier to Brussels and Beijing, considering China’s complaint over the EU imposition of stringent anti-dumping tariffs on carbon steel fasteners. The WTO panel reportedly found that the European Commission’s tariff calculation discriminated against Chinese exporters compared to exporters from other countries. The source describes the content of the interim report as ‘mixed’. While apparently objecting to the Commission’s approach to handling non-market economies the WTO panel is said to reject China’s claim that the Commission failed to differentiate between high-end automotive fasteners and those destined for general and DIY applications. The final report should be issued to the disputing parties during September - with publication to all WTO members following later. Predictably, Chinese exporters are already telling importers the anti-dumping regulation will be lifted in three months time. That is wishful thinking of the first order and improbable in the extreme. Both parties have the right to lodge an appeal once the report is generally published. WTO procedures allow 90 days for consideration of the appeal after which the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) has 30 days to adopt the appeals report. Given the potential implications not just for the fastener case but also for other cases involving China it seems inevitabe that the European Commission will use every recourse available to

defend its position. Once the case is decided the WTO itself acknowledges resolution is unlikely to be immediate. The priority is for the losing defendant to bring its policy into line with the ruling “prompt compliance with the recommendations or rulings of the DSB is essential in order to ensure effective resolution of disputes…”, it says on its website, but adds “if complying with the recommendation immediately proves impractical, the member will be given a “reasonable period of time to do so”. If the WTO member fails to act within this period, whatever it turns out to be, there is a process of negotiation for “mutually-acceptable” compensation, and if those fail, further periods for the DSB to impose limited trade sanctions. By now you may well have reached the conclusion that holding your breath is most likely to simply lead to personal oxygen starvation. So, where are we? WTO panel final reports rarely vary significantly from the interim one. Everything, so far, though is based on a limited leak of information that, while highly credible, has not in fact been confirmed officially by any of the parties involved. The answer, then, is the fastener industry is once again presented with another period of uncertainty while those behind closed doors wrangle. It is hardly what one can call conducive to good business. Sadly, it really is too much to wish for the rapid severance of an increasingly tortuous Gordian knot.

CONTENTS INDUSTRY NEWS Europe and World ..................................................................... 6-18 America.....................................................................................20-22 Asia............................................................................................24-26 Russia + CIS............................................................................. 28-30 COVER STORY Specialist in specialities.......................................................... 32-33 EXHIBITIONS Events Calendar............................................................................ 34 News........................................................................................ 36-38 NIFS/West Preview........................................................................40 STAFDA Preview............................................................................ 42 Fastener Fair Budapest Report...........................................106-114 INSIGHT Distributor of choice.................................................................44-46 Penning new chapters..............................................................48-49 Build your own bigHead................................................................50 Ornit embarks on awareness campaign...................................... 94

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS Dresselhaus extends product family............................................ 52 Throughbolts - the risks of getting too familiar......................54-56 News.........................................................................................58-64 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Fasteners coated in GEOMET® .................................................... 66 The mega project..................................................................... 68-70 News.........................................................................................72-76 FOCUS ON Socket screws + hexagon bolts................................................78-81 MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS Commanding the midfield.......................................................82-84 News........................................................................................ 86-88 CATALOGUE RACK Spain + Portugal...................................................................104-105 PRODUCT NEWS Tools News................................................................................90-92 Application Technology News................................................96-102 Products News.................................................................... 118-138 ADVERTISERS INDEX..................................................................138

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

news

Lakshmi expects profit improvement Interviewed on CNBC-TV-18, Lakshmi Precision Screw chairman Lalit Kimar Jain confirmed the Indian fastener maker had experienced a strong first quarter (ending 30th June).

e predicted 2010-2011 sales of Rupees 285 crore (47.6 million euros) and a 50% net profit improvement over 2009-2010. Export sales account for 35% of revenue and LPS says it is negotiating a new export licence agreement with a German customer. The LPS export order book currently stands at seven to eight months. Lalit Kimar Jain estimated LPS share of the Indian automotive market at 45% - 50%, “where two-wheeler is our largest customer followed by tractor industries and then passenger car and heavy commercial vehicle”. Note: a crore equals 10 million

Sundram reports Q1 sales rise Sundram Fasteners reported a 43% rise in Fiscal Year 2011 Quarter 1 sales to Rupees 406 crore (67.8 million euros).

omestic sales grew 38% to Rs 333 crore while exports jumped 69% to Rs 103 crore. Quarterly net profit was up 32% to Rs 22.5 crore, reflecting, the company said, higher cost of inputs, additional use of own generated power and increased labour costs from a long-term settlement in its major factories.

Acument completes sale of Avdel and GEC On 3rd August Platinum Equity confirmed that Acument Global Technologies had completed the sale of its Avdel and Global Electronics & Commercial (GEC) business units to Asia Trading Company Limited. Terms were not disclosed.

latinum acquired Acument from Textron Inc in 2006. Beginning in late 2008 Acument faced rapidly falling revenue caused by economic dislocation and steep declines in global automotive production. Over the nearly two years that followed, the Platinum operations team worked with Acument management to develop and execute a global restructuring initiative. As part of the restructuring effort, Acument aggressively scaled its cost structure while working closely with customers, lenders and other stakeholders to stabilise the business and ensure continuity of supply. Avdel manufactures and markets blind fasteners for customers around the world. Based in London it has operations, sales and distribution capabilities in the UK, USA, Canada and western Europe. GEC manufactures and markets fastener solutions for customers in the global electronics, industrial and commercial, construction and Asia automotive segments. GEC is based in Singapore with operations throughout Asia and in the USA and Australia. All the Avdel and GEC businesses will be grouped under a new brand, infastech™, headquartered in Singapore. The new organisation is among the world’s largest producers of engineered mechanical fasteners. It has more than 1,800 employees, with facilities in 16 countries and serves customers in more than 150 countries. Acument emerges from its restructuring as a producer of engineered mechanical fastening products and services for the transportation market, including automotive, heavy truck and bus, off-highway equipment, military and aerospace. It now comprises of North and South America business units, an aerospace & defence business unit, plus Aprilia in Italy, (not sold because it produces primarily threaded fasteners) and Acument Germany, which continues to operate under insolvency. Acument CEO Rich Dauch noted: “Acument is a much stronger competitor in the fastener industry today, thanks to a healthy balance sheet and a strong focus on improving operational performance. As a result, we are now well positioned to invest in and grow our core transportation businesses.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

news

TR receives Achilles accreditation TR Fastenings is now fully registered as an approved supplier of fastenings and fixings on the Achilles Utitilites Vendor Database. It is also approved by the procurement services leader for the rail sector and, for Norwegian markets, as a supplier to the oil and gas industry.

alcolm Diamond, TR’s chairman explains: “Achilles’ accreditation is a welcome recognition of the global competency of TR Fastenings. We offer world-class manufacturing quality and unrivalled engineering support and service levels across all sectors. We are trusted by businesses ranging from global manufacturers requiring direct line feed to small workshops needing special orders.” The Achilles Group, headquartered in the UK, and with a presence in 21 other countries across the globe acts as a trusted third party for procurement professionals, identifying, evaluating and monitoring supplier information for over 700 of the world’s biggest companies and organisations. TR Fastenings is a distributor of commodity products, as well as a manufacturer of niche fastenings. TR points out that it can supply Cat C componentry and consumables competitively, meaning that its customers can rationalise their vendor databases and reduce internal administrative costs dramatically.

Holo-Krome to relocate Fastenal, the parent company of Holo-Krome company, has announced that it will relocate Holo-Krome’s manufacturing operations from West Hartford, CT, USA, to Wallingford, CT, USA.

olo-Krome, a US manufacturer of socket head fasteners, has been located in West Hartford since it’s founding in 1929. Fastenal described the new location as an ideal environment to grow Holo-Krome successfully into the future, noting that the building’s 187,000 square-foot footprint could potentially be doubled within the 51 acre property. “Our vision is to apply lean practices and energy-saving equipment to US-based manufacturing,” explained Cory Jansen, executive vice president of operations at Fastenal. He added: “We’re looking forward to creating a truly world-class manufacturing site in Wallingford.” Fastenal reports that the relocation will take up to 12 months to be completed.

Earnest and KMC Stampings extend partnership Earnest Machine Products, based in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, is extending its partnership with KMC into Europe.

arnest Machine Products says that it has seen excellent results from its US partnership with KMC and now will be introducing products into the UK, through its European distribution centre in Kingswinford, West Midlands. The KMC range of products, are found in applications across the globe in industries from heavy construction and agriculture to power generation, automotive and electronics. KMC highlights that it is known for a broad range of high-quality, domestically produced stampings, plugs, clamps and clips. KMC also points out that a multi-disciplined engineering team allows for the development of custom product solutions for unique applications, and KMC has the ability to design and build tooling for any in-house manufacturing process, significantly shortening development time and cost. All KMC standard products are developed and manufactured in the USA at one of three ISO/TS 16949 certified production facilities.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

news

Fastbolt fundraising hits personal best Following the most successful Fastbolt Charity Golf Day ever, Graham Joyce, Fastbolt UK managing director and organiser of the golf day, presented a cheque for £6,750 to Julia Rogerson, events and promotions manager for the Willen Hospice.

illen Hospice relies heavily on the support and generosity of local businesses to raise the funds it needs to provide specialist care to over 400 adults with terminal illness each year. The money raised at the Fastbolt Charity Golf Day will go towards helping to provide this care at no cost to patients and support for their families. Next years event will be held on Friday 10th June 2011, once again at the splendid Mentmore Golf and Country Club.

Schuler AG names new CEO Stefan Klebert is to be appointed new CEO of Schuler AG, based in Göppingen, Germany, on 1st October 2010. The present CEO, Juergen Tonn, will retire on the same date, at his own request.

s a member of the management board of ThyssenKrupp Services AG, Stefan Klebert was responsible for the industrial services division from 2006, with 30,000 employees and sales of 2.1 billion euros. He left the company when ThyssenKrupp sold the division in late 2009. Klebert, an engineering graduate (MBA), has held leading positions with several renowned industrial companies (Festo, Schindler, ThyssenKrupp) and, underlines Schuler, made a name for himself as an excellent manager with extensive experience and success, especially with regard to performance enhancement and industrial services. Juergen Tonn has been CEO of Schuler AG since 1st October 2006. Major events during his term of office include Schuler’s successful takeover of Müller Weingarten AG and an extensive restructuring programme which enabled the company to steer a safe course through the current economic crisis.

Continuing to expand Brighton Best International has announced the expansion of its website, which is available 24/7 and offers distributors the opportunity to utilise Brighton Best International’s one million plus square feet of warehouse space as their own.

he website is completely transparent for inventory quantities and pricing and has other benefits such as finding material certifications and the ability to check order status and track shipments. BBI has also announced the appointment of Scott Gooding as UK sales manager. Scott has nine years of experience of working within the fastener industry. He also brings seven years of engineering experience. Scott is based at BBI’s Cradley Heath warehouse in the UK West Midlands, a recent move which provides it with over 60,000 square feet (5,575 square metres) of space.

Bossard deputy chairman to retire Bossard Group has announced that Rolf E. Thrunherr, deputy chairman of the board and representative of the holders of bearer shares in Bossard Holding AG, will resign from the board in 2011 having reached retirement age.

M 10

r Thurnherr was elected to the board of directors in 1992 and appointed deputy chairman in 2003. A new candidate for board election will be proposed in the invitation to shareholders to attend the annual general meeting on 12th April 2011.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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news

LUSAVOUGA starts construction LUSAVOUGA S.A., established in 1967 and based in Aveiro, Portugal, has announced the start of construction on a new logistic centre.

he logistic centre will cover 5,000 square metres, be 18 metres high, and LUSAVOUGA expects it to help increase the company’s competitiveness, efficiency and effectiveness, allowing it to provide a faster and better service to its clients. LUSAVOUGA says that it has also recently invested significantly in fasteners, enabling it to provide a wide stock compatible with market needs, all of which is ready-to-deliver. LUSAVOUGA also offers a wide range of products which includes such distinct areas as fixing systems (chemical and mechanical), consumables and industrial accessories, such as industrial maintenance, equipment for storage and logistics, hand and power tools, cutting and deburring products, welding equipment, protection and safety equipment, as well as various other products. “We have centralised the widest range of products for the industry into one single supplier. Our aim is to continue to grow by focusing on specific markets with high potential such as southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.”

Exploring potential in Mozambique 3Marcos, the specialist in fastening and fixing products and solutions for construction, and part of the EU Steel Group, reports that its recent trade mission to Mozambique exceeded initial expectations and provided new insight for future growth.

Marcos made an intensive trade mission to Mozambique, led by export manager, Carlos Silva, and discovered a new focus on infrastructure and construction development in Mozambique. Silva commented: “Mozambique is a country in the middle of a great transformation. Well-structured, with increased security and civil justice systems, it has rapidly expanding infrastructures which are helping to ensure the safety of commercial activities.” “The 3Marcos export team visited with the intention of reinforcing the company’s commercial position in the Mozambican market. Our longstanding contact with clients in the region has been greatly enhanced with a network of strong potential clients.” He added: “When we visited suppliers, it was clear much scope remains for the integration and advancement of distribution services. While local stores and warehouses try hard to meet the supply needs of their clients, a lack of integrated distribution centres limits the speed and efficiency of supply. 3Marcos has extensive experience in this arena, and we expect to assist our clients with the creation and management of more advanced distribution services.” Silva points to the importance of Mozambique’s strategic and geographical position. He remarked: “In the short term, Mozambique can become a reference point and a model for European companies exporting goods and services to Africa. In the long-term, Mozambique may yet become a powerhouse of African trade.” “3Marcos is very positive about its future role in Mozambique, and the lessons we are learning there will impact how we do business throughout Africa.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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news

Looking for Performance?

Sally Matthews and Cliff Roberts have taken their combined half century of experience in the manufacture of socket screws and special fastenings to establish Performance Fasteners Ltd.

he aim was to create a company that would manufacture fasteners that combined quality and service with affordability. “Traditionally overseas manufacturers offer the most cost effective purchasing route for suppliers to European OEM’s however service problems can often outweigh cost savings,” explains Cliff Roberts. “At Performance Fasteners we aim to offer the flexibility and personal service of a lean and compact operation, which will offer an affordable option for European buyers looking for supply solutions to specialist requirements.” Cliff highlights that Performance Fasteners is currently working towards achieving ISO 9001:2008 accreditation. He goes on to say: “Although fasteners may seem a small part of any product, their performance plays a far bigger role in the success of the product then people might think. We understand that it’s imperative to offer high quality products and get it right every time.”

TR promotion underpins quality leadership TR Fastenings, an international manufacturer and distributor of industrial fastenings to the assembly industries, with operations in Europe, Asia and the Americas has promoted Ian Carlton to the newly-created position of quality director.

an has been with TR Fastenings for 11 years, most recently as European quality manager. In his new role he retains overall responsibility for product quality and the resolution of any technical issues that arise in the marketplace. TR highlights that this promotion to the senior management level emphasises its determination to maintain the high internal and supply chain standards which have made it a supplier of choice across the globe. TR points out that business quality, legal, environmental and safety standards have not been allowed to slip as the business continues to share in the global recovery. “Fastenings may only represent 1% or 2% of the total cost of raw materials on a production line, but the cost of failure is 100% of the value of the end product,” commented Ian. “Whether you are buying a specially-made product from any of or six factories across Asia or buying one of the thousands of third party commodity products that we source, screen and supply, TR offers incomparable levels of assurance. This assurance is based on product, process and supplier feasibility against customer requirement at the outset of a contract. However, should anything go wrong with a fastener, its substrate or the fixing process, we are there to provide service and support until the solution is found.”

N E Fasteners celebrates 25th anniversary N E Fasteners Ltd is celebrating the 25th year anniversary of a business that Nigel Elliott started from his garage in 1985.

E Fasteners has survived probably the worst of several recessions and bounced back with a record sales year, many new products and taken on several new staff members. The company tells us it feels its success is partly down to a flexible approach that helps adapt to customer requirements particularly regarding product and packaging. Its ability to either supply ‘parts only’ or in ‘packs/kits’ as well as with special finishes has, says N.E., created a one stop shop for its customers. Based in Cradley Heath, in the UK West Midlands, the company’s proximity to the M5/M6 motorway network enables it to easily provide a quick service to all UK customers. N.E. Fasteners main products include woodscrews, wall plugs, screw cup washers/sockets and furniture fixings. These items service a variety of industry and tradesmen. Prices are competitive because stocks are sourced direct from the Far East, India, western and eastern Europe and more locally supporting the UK. Nigel is still very much at the helm working closely with fellow director Matt. His original decision to use his initials was a play on words, “for ANY fastener requirement”. Nowadays the company not only supplies threaded screws and fasteners, but also machined components, plastic/nylon parts and pressings. The N.E. Fastener staff are very proud of their achievement and would like to thank all customers for their support over the years and look forward to an exciting future.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

news

Open for 30 years On a Saturday bathed in late August Italian sun, Mecavit opened its factory doors to welcome some 200 invited guests, many travelling from across Europe. The celebration marked 30 years since the specialist in socket and special screws based in Bologna Castel Guelfo was established.

isit the Mecavit factory at any time and it is impossible not to be impressed by its organisation. For the Open House, first time and returning visitors particularly remarked its immaculate presentation. For many visitors it was the first time to see the major extension, virtually doubling the covered area of the facility, and technical enhancements introduced over recent years. A second building, linked at the rear of the original factory, now houses a narrow aisle pallet storage system, as well as the company’s automatic packing line and goods despatch area. The space released in the main factory now means that wire stocks are conveniently located for the heading machinery and an efficient production flow culminates in a new heat treatment line. Designed in a ‘U” conformation, which provides remarkably efficient space utilisation, the advanced automatic line is monitored constantly by a series of video cameras. Alongside, Mecavit’s thoroughly equipped laboratory provides testimony, were any needed, to the company’s commitment to quality production. Before being treated to a lunch of Emilio-Romagna specialities, guests witnessed the unveiling of a sculpture especially commissioned to mark the anniversary. For Mecavit, as for most fastener manufacturers, the last two years have been intensely challenging. As the guests departed, sales manager Giuseppe Verdoliva was clearly not only pleased with how the impeccably organised event had gone but was looking forward to the return to full production, following the summer shutdown, to satisfy a strong programme of orders and a very positive enquiry book.

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Ferrometal launches RFID based VMI application Ferrometal, an industrial fastener and c-part supplier operating in the Finnish and Baltic market, has launched an innovation in vendormanaged inventory based in RFID technology. After years of operating traditional barcode driven kanban system, the company has developed a system that is independent and real-time.

errometal’s kanban RFID requires no human actions to collect the replenishment information at the production line. The empty bin is linked to an online IT system that identifies the product, quantity and point of consumption. The replenishment is released at Ferrometal logistics centre for customer’s rack filling. The system builds on proven kanban methodology and IT technology that already has thousands of bins in circulation in the Ferrometal customer base. The first applications of RFID based supply were installed in May. Typical users of Ferrometal kanban VMI are machine builders that use a wide range of fasteners and other c-parts in the assembly process. Kanban RFID has unlimited applications, regardless of type of product, says Ferrometal. Remarkably, the system has high durability against wear out because it has no moving parts. Also the method is independent from the size or weight of product and can be used for pallets or small bins. Ferrometal reports that this revolutionary industrial small part system has generated strong interest due to the advantages the RFID technology offers, such as faster response to consumption, less dependency on human work and opportunities for productivity improvement. Ferrometal provides industrial c-part services in Finland and the Baltic countries. Part of WINWORK, the Würth Industrial Network, logistics services are provided through the network of companies world-wide.

Avoiding cost cutting catastrophes Don’t expect startling revelations from Colin Barrow’s latest book, Cut Costs Not Corners. As uncertainty continues in so many markets, though, any manager should benefit from his solid advice on developing a coherent and structural approach to cost cutting as a permanent activity.

ntil recently Colin Barrow was head of the Enterprise Group at Cranfield School of Management in the UK, where he taught entrepreneurship on the MBA and other programmes. His management credentials include senior staff and line positions including that of managing director of a multi-plant and multi-country manufacturer. He has now authored more than 30 books on entrepreneurship and business management. In Cut Costs Not Corners Barrow covers strategic and tactical cost cutting options such as analysing space needs, buying technology for less, selling off redundant assets, reducing credit risk, reviewing distribution methods and sourcing new suppliers or consolidating existing ones. He also looks at changing the route to market, minimising finance and tax costs, crisis measures, including freezing recruitment, delaying pay rises, keeping budgets rolling, and using a daily cash flow model. There is little ‘cutting edge’ in Cut Cost Not Corners and any competent manager or business owner might be tempted to feel ‘I know this stuff’. There is, though, as always a crucial gap between knowing and doing and Barrow’s book definitely lives up to its sub title “A practical guide to staying competitive and

improving profits”. It is comprehensive in its coverage, clear and succinct in its delivery and structure, and relevant to managers at all levels in every scale of business or organisation. Above all it is a cogent reminder of the necessity to look critically at all aspects of the business in order to ensure effective not catastrophic cost reduction. One of the book’s strengths is in iterating some crucial truths that perhaps became somewhat unfashionable in the pre-recession good times. “Acquiring customers is an expensive process,” he reminds, continuing, “Retaining them will do more than almost any other marketing strategy to grow your profit margin”. He is also emphatic about the critical importance of engaging all the people in a business when making cost cuts happen. “Setting a budget and allocating priorities, whilst necessary parts of the cost-cutting process, are insufficient in themselves to make the savings a reality,” Barrow emphasises. He lays stress on “moving people and the organisation … to accepting that the changes required to implement strategic cost cutting is the new steady state”. Cut Costs Not Corners is published by Kogan Page and is available in the UK at £12.99.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

american news

By John Wolz editor@GlobalFastenerNews.com

Nucor appeals moving forward Nucor Fasteners’ trade dispute with Asian fastener producers continues to make its way through the U.S. Court of International Trade.

he company’s appeals on its anti-dumping and countervailing petitions continue to move through the legal system, with each case being handled by a different judge. Nucor Fastener’s appeal on the Department of Commerce’s refusal to initiate consideration of currency undervaluation as a subsidy is on a ‘faster track,’ trade attorney Matthew McGrath told GlobalFastenerNews.com Reached by phone at his office in Washington DC, McGrath said all briefs have been filed in that case, with oral arguments set for 16th September in New York. “It’s a stretch,” McGrath said of the currency undervaluation appeal. “I think they were just keeping the ball in the air with this one.” All three parties in the dispute - the U.S. Department of Justice, Nucor Fastener, and a group of importers - will have a chance to speak at the hearing. The second appeal, involving the International Trade

Commission’s unanimous decision that the domestic fastener industry had not been injured by alleged dumping of products on the market, has been partially briefed, McGrath noted. A full brief is due by mid-September, with a reply brief due on 28th October and oral arguments to be scheduled after that. “Things are moving forward,” McGrath commented. McGrath, who represents a group of importers in these cases, said the judge could find that the ITC failed to consider the affects of product sales declines, though in his opinion a reversal appears unlikely. “Chances that this will change are slim.” In the event the judge ruled in favor of Nucor Fastener, the case would be sent back to the ITC, which would need to reach a 4-2 decision in favor of the judge’s ruling to reinstate the case, McGrath explained. The original ITC vote against Nucor Fastener’s anti-dumping petition was 6-0.

Q2 FINdex drops amid stock slump Following two consecutive quarters of gains, the FIN Fastener Stock Index fell 8% during the second quarter of 2010. The FINdex outperformed an index of related industrial stocks, which declined 11% during the period.

he second quarter challenged numerous companies that watched revenues rise while share value decreased. Fewer than 30% of the public fastener companies tracked by FIN achieved stock gains during Q2. The biggest winner was TriMas, which saw its share value jump 74% during the period. Park-Ohio also did well, with its stock growing 64%. Other companies with rising share value during Q2 included Fastenal, MSC Industrial, Lawson and Dorman. Public fastener companies losing 10% or more in stock value during Q2 included Alcoa, Barnes Group, Stanley Black & Decker, ITW, Nucor, Precision Castparts, B/E Aerospace, and Simpson Mfg. The FINdex gained 10% in the final quarter of 2009, and grew 66% during the opening quarter of this year. The FIN Fastener Stock Index rose 33.4% during 2009, regaining most of the value it lost during the stock plunge of 2008. Detailed company results are posted on GlobalFastenerNews.com.

Online fastener supplier reports sales up FastenerSuperStore.com reports 2010 sales are up 40% during its 10th year online.

he online fastener distributor experienced 39% growth in the first quarter of 2010 and 45% increase for Q2. June sales were 84% up. “I can’t speak for the rest of the industry, but from our perspective, the fastener market is thriving,” founder and president Greg Fields told GlobalFastenerNews.com. Even having just weathered some of the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, Fields say his company has never experienced negative year-to-year growth during their ten years of operation. FastenerSuperStore recently upgraded

business management software, he added. Fields began his fastener career with EFC International. He created Carver Industrial Products in 1998 as a specialty fastener supplier and then launched e-fastener.com as a web portal. E-fastener.com was purchased by Partini Inc. in 2000, but Fields retained E-Fastener when Partini folded during the dot.com melt down. In 2001 Fields combined Carver, E-Fastener and Partini concepts to launch FastenerSuperStore.com. Today Fields reports 18,000 registered buyers and 30,000 products in stock.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

american news

Judge denies Fastenal motion to dismiss lawsuit A U.S. district judge denied Fastenal’s motion to dismiss B&B Hardware’s lawsuit accusing Fastenal of violating an April 1999 contract that made B&B Fastenal’s exclusive supplier for self-sealing fasteners, the Winona Daily News reports.

he lawsuit claims Fastenal broke that agreement by marketing and selling competing products at a lower cost. Fastenal unsuccessfully argued that the contract expired shortly after it was signed, pointing to a provision in the contract automatically terminating the agreement “upon any change of more than 25% ownership in (Fastenal),” which the company argued occurred in May 1999. B&B claimed the provision meant a single transaction of 25% of company ownership, not cumulative stock sales. B&B’s lawsuit claims that in April 1999, B&B and Fastenal signed an agreement making B&B the exclusive supplier and manufacturer of self-sealing fasteners sold by Fastenal. “During relevant times, Fastenal marketed and sold lower quality and lower cost self-sealing fasteners, not manufactured or provided by B&B.” The suit charges “Fastenal is itself, or in connection with other companies, manufacturing and selling self-sealing fasteners, using B&B technology, trade secrets and

New features added to FIN’s website Visitors logging in to GlobalFastenerNews.com are seeing multiple changes this year. The new website design launched in July places more emphasis on breaking news. Readers also are seeing new sections of GlobalFastenerNews.com: • • • • • •

The Feature section at the top of the home page informs the industry on a variety of fastener topics. There have been features on the history of fastener tariffs, major fastener companies, stocks, fastener standards and dozens of other news-related. The Fastener History section launched in 2009 now hosts more than 150 articles from when Fastener Industry News was found in 1979 to 2010. More ‘re-newed’ articles are added weekly. Fastener History has become one of the most frequently clicked on sections of the website. There are more than 150 obituaries starting in 1979 through 2010 in the new Fastener Obituaries section. The Product News section features news releases about new fasteners. Industry events around the world are listed on the FIN Calendar and Trade Shows sections. The Fastener Quiz changes daily to encourage fastener education.

Fastener Industry News articles have been posted online since 1999. All of those articles plus hundreds of fastener history articles, product news, obituaries and features will be searchable by premium subscribers. More features will be added in the coming months, including a Fastener Store and Fastener TV.

other proprietary information, in direct competition with the Sealtight line of self-sealing fasteners.” B&B’s patented self-sealing patent allows screws, rivets and other fasteners to form fluid and gas-tight seals. B&B’s suit charges Fastenal also “diverted customer leads for self-sealing fasteners generated by B&B to other self-sealing fastener manufacturers”; failed to provide sales reports to B&B as required; and placed the name of B&B’s primary competitor APM Hexseal - on the Fastenal website as a “Diamond Marketing Partner.” “We contend Fastenal agreed to be B&B’s exclusive partner in marketing self-sealing fasteners and then later ignored the partnership agreement,” B&B attorney Barry Snyder wrote. While Judge William Wilson didn’t rule on the argument itself, he found B&B presented a plausible claim and the case can continue. A proposed trial date for the case has been set for 30th August 2011.

Fastenal: OEM inventory a thing of the past Fastenal continues to garner praise from market analysts. Winona, MN-based Fastenal reported sales from fasteners and other items grew 20% to US$571.2 million during the second quarter of 2010, while net earnings jumped 59% to US$69.18 million.

aily average sales to manufacturing customers during the second quarter nearly doubled its growth rate to 29.8% sequentially, while Q2 sales to non-residential construction customers improved 0.5% after a 14.7% dip in segment sales the previous quarter. First-half sales increased 13% to US$1.09 billion. Analysts tout Fastenal’s ‘conservative’ corporate culture as a positive trait. “They’re a conservative company,” says Michael Jaffe, an analyst at Standard & Poor’s Equity Research. “When they take a step in a more assertive manner, it typically means they feel good about their sales and their business prospects.” Jaffe expects the company to grow earnings at an annual rate of 28% over the next three years. Wall Street’s confidence comes amid a game-changing shift in operational strategy. “We’re very optimistic that no one will ever rebuild their inventory, and they’ll depend on Fastenal to be their supply store for their factory,” stated CEO Will Oberton.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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asian news

China Steel cuts domestic steel prices On 25th August 2010, China Steel Corporation (CSC) held its pricing meeting for the domestic market and announced an across the board price decrease for October and November 2010 shipments.

SC noted that, according to the World Steel Association, the estimated 10.7% growth in global steel demand compared unfavorably with a 28% growth in crude steel production in the first six months of 2010. This, CSC said, implies that “the steel industry has escaped from the aftermath of the global financial crisis but implanted the cause of price volatility and reversing direction from oversupply in the second half of 2010”. CSC said that the Taiwanese domestic steel market had recovered to the pre-crisis level in early 2010. However, “the overcapacity and price fall since mid-April in China had led to surging low-price-steel exports to Taiwan from China, Japan and Korea”. Steel prices in China bottomed out in mid-July as steel

mills suffered operation losses, production cuts and the effect of inflated raw material cost. Nevertheless, says CSC, it decided on an average price cut of NT$1,482 per metric tonne “to fight against the dumping steel import and fortify local market in view of the added HR capacity of CSC Group (Dragon Steel) and the new CR and GI production lines coming on stream soon”. Bar and rod prices will decrease, confirmed CSC, by NT$1,088 (approximately 26.7 euros) per metric tonne. This is the least of the percentage changes across CSC’s steel grades, which otherwise range from a reduction of NT$1,132 for hot rolled coil to NT$2,500 for electrical and electro galvanised sheets.

Kaohsiung show ready for visitors in October The first Taiwan International Fastener Show is scheduled for 19th - 20th October 2010 at the Kaohsiung Arena. TAITRA, joint organisers with the Taiwan Industrial Fasteners Institute, expect 190 Taiwanese exhibitors to showcase their products in 320 booths, virtually filling the current capacity of the venue.

aiwan is one of the top five fastener supplying countries in the world exporting 90% of its products to the international markets. In 2009, the United States, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom ranked from first to fifth on the customer list of Taiwan’s fastener products, and the US market had accounted for 40% of the total exports. Leading Taiwanese fastener manufacturers and service suppliers such as San Shing Fastech Corp., Taiho Tool Mfg. Co., QST International Corp., Sheh Kai Precision Co., Ho Hong Works Co., Fang Sheng Screw Co., Tong Hwei Enterprise Co., Min Hwei Enterprise Co., Chun Zu Machinery Ind.Co., Chun Yu Works & Co., Boltun Corporation, Jinn Her Enterprise Co., Jau Yeou Industry Co., New Best Wire Industrial Co., Rodex Fasteners Corp., Lu Chu Shin Yee Works Co., Tycoons Group Ent. Co., and National Aerospace Fasteners Corp., will all be showcasing their products at the trade show. TAITRA says the 2010 Taiwan International Fastener Show has drawn substantial attention from global buyers and anticipates visitors from home and abroad totaling 2,500. Leading companies from Germany, Canada, Sweden, France, the United States, the

United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands, Italy and Singapore have been invited to attend the show. TAITRA has also invited international buyers from emerging countries such as Brazil, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Poland, India and China to attend the exhibition. “To better serve the international buyers and to promote the overall effect of the exhibition”, TAITRA has organised a series of “oneon-one procurement meetings,” in which foreign buyers can prepare their demand lists beforehand and send them to the organiser to search for appropriate exhibitors. With this matchup system, TAITRA hopes to help more international buyers and Taiwanese manufacturers to close deals during the exhibition. Reporting on the state of the Taiwan fastener industry, TAITRA notes that fastener output in the first quarter of 2010 reached NT$21.7 billion (534 million euros) marking a 31% growth compared with the same period last year. Overall production of Taiwan’s fastener industry is projected to notch up to NT$98 billion (2.41 billion euros) this year, a 28% increase compared with last year.

The following reports have been compiled with the assistance of Fastener World Magazine.

China says no to steel capacity expansion before 2011 China will not allow any item of steel capacity expansion before the end of 2011 in order to carry out the policy of “energy saving and low carbon emission”.

he China State Council Information Office proposed in its “comments on accelerating structural adjustment of steel industry” that preventing steel capacity from growing too fast is a key action in satisfying the goal of energy saving and low carbon emission. Except for the projects approved prior to the announcement China will not allow any application before the end of 2011. The authorities will also strictly examine all new building and renovation applications. The “comments” also point toward the need to increase the concentration of the steel industry in China; continue to control the export of low added value steel products; establish long term and stable iron ore importing; strengthen the communication among associations and steel related industries, and establish a sound price control mechanism for imported iron ore. According to China’s ministry of industry and information technology steel output for 2010 could hit a new record of between 620 and 630 million tonnes, up 10% on 2009. Output for the first five months was 269mmt. The China Iron & Steel Association reported crude steel output fell in June, although only to around 52 million tonnes. While smaller mills are reported to have partially shut down as the market declines there are few indications China has successfully reduced inefficient production generally.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

asian news

Taiwan fastener companies expand in the Philippines Benefiting from stronger economic links between Taiwan and the Philippines, one Taiwanese fastener manufacturer in the Philippines is expected to invest US$30 million in factory expansion.

aiwan MT-Tek is reportedly planning to invest US$30 million in the following five years, including US$12 million for building new factories and buying new equipment in the first year. This plan is expected to result in a five times growth in annual export revenue. According to the contract, MT-Tek will expand in the Clark Freeport Zone, with a production floor plan of 64,000 square metres and an increase in employee numbers of between 1,000 and 1,500. The economic cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines has been effective since May 2006, forming an economic triangle among Kaohsiung Export Processing Zone, Subic Bay, and Clark Freeport Zone. It aims to facilitate cooperation of shipments, manpower, finance and transportation as an alternative before the Free Trade Treaty is signed. This has made the Philippines a “stepping stone” for Taiwan to further penetrate the Southeast Asian market. Products made in the Philippines by Taiwanese companies are treated in the same way as those made by ASEAN members and enjoy tax-free benefits.

China plans further high speed rail expansion

For first time Chun Yu chairman not a founder

China is planning to invest RMB$700 billion (80 billion euros) in expanding its high speed rail system, laying an additional 6,000 kilometres of track by 2012.

At its shareholder meeting on 29th June Chun Yu confirmed its new chairman as Mr Chien Fu Gan, the first time the current chairman has not been succeeded by another of the company’s founders.

eneral engineer of China Railway and academician of China Engineering Academy, Mr. Wu-Hua Ho told the ‘2010 International Rail Transit and Urban Development Forum’ in Chang Chun city that the high speed rail under construction now totals around 10,000 kilometres. He indicated: “In 2010, we have planned to invest RMB$700 billion on HSR, building new rail routes of around 4,600km. The existing total of HSR has reached 6,552 kilometres. China will expand and complete the railway network to the west, central, and east - the newly built railway will total 10,000km.” The Shanghai-Beijing link scheduled for completion before 2012 will see Chinese developed trains running at 380kph.

r Chien Fu Gan bought a substantial shareholding in Chun Yu, gaining a seat on the board as a “free market advocator”. His appointment is seen as part of a transition to a company totally controlled and operated by professional managers in order to drive faster growth. Other directors and supervisors were confirmed in their positions and the board unanimously voted that president Simon Lee should continue. Mr Gan announced that the loss after tax of each Chun Yu’s outstanding share last year was NT$2.83. However, he expected that revenue would rapidly recover this year.

Low nickel price threatens stainless steel plants The decline in nickel price, since the peak of US$27,000/tonne in April, has created pressure on the stainless steel market in Taiwan.

alling 30% by mid summer the nickel trend has forced the market price of stainless steel in Taiwan to slide. The price of series 300 products made by upstream factories in June dropped by NT$10,000/tonne, increasing the pressure to the downstream. Some analysts said that due to the bank credit crisis in Europe and the state intervention to curb the overheating real estate market in China, the short-term nickel level, which has been up and down around US$20,000, is unlikely to go up. Stainless steel plants are therefore expected to face a very big challenge in Quarter 3.

russian + cis news Alexander Ostashov, Editor Fastener, Adhesives, Tools and… Magazine www.fastinfo.ru

No price increase for fasteners!

RosMetiz Association and the newspaper Industrial News have organised a campaign collecting signatures for a petition to be submitted to prime minister, Vladimir Putin regarding Russian protective measures applied to fastener imports.

lexander Semenov, the coordinator of RosMetiz Association explains: “This campaign is a legal form of expression of public opinion.” According to him, the protective measure offered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation will provoke unfounded price increases not only for imported fasteners but also for fasteners produced in Russia for about 36% - 40%. Semenov argues that it will cause harm to thousands of Russian enterprises that are indirect consumers of import fasteners since some of the fasteners have no alternatives produced in Russia. www.rosmetiz.ru

Tougher localisation conditions for car production

In June the president of AutoVAZ, Igor Komarov, and the president of Renault in Russia, Christian Estev, met in the Ministry of Industry and Trade to discuss perspectives of localisation of component parts production in Russia.

mong other issues, the heads of the two Russian car producers and the representative of the Ministry discussed the question of prolongation of the regime of industrial assembling of motor cars on new, tougher terms. The previous industrial assembling regime allowed car producers in Russia to import component parts to the territory of Russia at reduced tariff rates, between zero and five percent. A plant must produce not less than 25,000 cars per year, create facilities for body welding, paint coating and assembly, and achieve a local sourcing level of 30%. These agreements were concluded with the Ministry for Economic Development up until November 2007, and were valid for seven years, that is to 2013 - 2014. In December 2009 the Ministry for Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Finance gave permission for new agreements. But the terms are much more stringent. A plant will have to increase its production volume to more than 300,000 units per year within four years of the agreement being undertaken, and production of engines, transmissions, axles and large press-work will have to be

carried out in Russia. The localisation level increases from 30% to a minimum of 50%. The objective of the changes is to stimulate creation of new modern production of high added value component parts in Russia, explains the Ministry. Thanks to large volumes, quality control and lowering of transport costs for the companies located near the motor car plants, the alliance of AutoVAZ and Renault-Nissan can contribute to the reduction of suppliers’ costs by approximately 20%, says Mr. Komarov. But it is the State who must help to reduce suppliers’ costs for another 5% - 10%, he adds. The State can be most helpful in developing engineering infrastructure for component productions, and also in creation of special economic areas for them, says a representative of automotive specialists Sollers. Foreign producers of components are ready to invest in equipment, but do not want to spend money for construction of infrastructure. Sollers itself plans to develop production of components in Alabuga, Tatarstan. Last year the company received a sovereign credit for 3.2 milliard (billion) rubles (818 million euros) for the development of this project.

SOK Group leaves auto component business SOK Group has ceased to be one of the largest suppliers of components for AutoVAZ, leaving the auto component business by selling six of its enterprises.

he Group has disposed of VAZinterservice, Autosvet, OSVAR, Komplekt Ltd, Motor-Super and a distributor in the secondary market of auto components Volgaprommarket. These companies represented about 10% of the whole supply of component parts for AutoVAZ. Motor-Super was even announced by AutoVAZ as one of its best suppliers. The representative of SOK Group, Dmitriy Rumyantzev, said the enterprises were sold to a Russian company but did not disclose its name. He did not comment on the transaction value either, though noticed that it was a monetary one. “We have left the auto component business entirely and intend to concentrate on other business segments. This bargain was satisfactory for both parties”, he underlined. At the present moment the fastener producer BelZAN is a part of SOK Group. SOK Group is a management company, which previously had as its main area of activity car and component production.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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russian + cis news

Fasteners from new steel grade produced in Orel Severstal-Metiz Company, part of Severstal Russian Steel, has received a positive conclusion from the Central Science and Research and Design Institute of Construction Metalwork by Melnikov, Moscow, regarding a pilot run of M27x100 bolts from a new steel grade 30G1R.

he pilot run of fasteners from the new steel grade was produced on new equipment at the company’s fasteners factory in Orel, passing heat treatment and tests under the plant’s systems for conformance to GOST requirements. The fasteners were then sent for testing to the Science and Production Center of Bridges (St. Petersburg) and to the Central Science and Research and Design Institute of Construction Metalwork by Melnikov (Moscow). “According to preliminary results, the new steel grade that our specialists will test further in fastener production, will be more readily processed and will secure cost reductions as well as increased processing speed”, comments Dmitriy Lebedev, the head of the fastener department. “Fasteners made of the new steel not only comply with the requirements of GOST, but surpass analogues from other steel grades in some characteristics”.

The following reports are based on contributions from Mariya Valiakhmetova, editor, Metiz Magazine, Ukraine.

Severstal-Metiz starts fastener deliveries for Olympic construction Severstal-Metiz Company has started deliveries of high-tensile fasteners for the metal structures to the orders of GK Olympstroy for the construction of facilities for the 2014 winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

leg Veter, the general director of Severstal-Metiz explains: “Use of our products in the construction of Olympic facilities is subject to strict quality standards and delivery conditions.” She added: “We are convinced that today we have all that is necessary to deliver products with the required characteristics to our customer and to do it on time. We have new equipment, a team of high-grade specialists, experience in the sphere of additional service and, of course, a commitment to one of the key state projects”. In March 2010 Severstal-Metiz received certificates for the volume production of bolts and nuts according to GOST R 52644 and 52645. Deliveries of fasteners to the construction of Olympic objects started in May, when builders began to assemble metal structures. To date 250 tonnes of bridge fasteners M22 and M24 sets (bolt, nut and washer) were delivered to Sochi. The whole order calls for delivery of 400 tonnes of product. Oleg Veter believes that that Russian producers of fasteners are ready to support federal programmes with high quality product that can meet all the customer’s requirements, who can have confidence in a long-term partnership and commitment to development. “We hope that tomorrow we shall have new orders, including those from federal projects”, concludes Veter. “On my side, I can say that we are absolutely ready to fulfil these order, even for the most complex products”.

UZPS increased sales of metalware According to its six month results the Ural Plant of Precision Alloys (UZPS), part of NLMK-Sort of NLMK Group, increased sales of metal products to 104,000 tonnes, which is 22% more than in the first half of 2009.

he increased delivery volumes is linked with the reanimation of demand from Russian buyers this year, as well as the extension of the range of products. From January till June the plant increased deliveries of key products of the plant’s range. Aggregate supply of wire increased 21% to 82,000 tonnes. Nail output was up 24% to 22,000 tonnes. The plant sold 800 tonnes of self-tapping screws, compared with 2009 sales from warehouse stocks of around 20 tonnes. Besides stable export deliveries, export sales of metal products for the 6 month period grew by one third to 89,000 tonnes. The plant’s domestic market share for low-carbon metal products grew 21%. In 2010 the plant plans to sell more than 200,000 tonnes of metal products, which is 6% higher than last year.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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c o v e r s to r y

A specialist in specialities In its brief eleven year history, E.U.R.O Tec GmbH, based in Hagen, Germany, has managed to establish itself as a creator of fastening technology, become renowned for innovation and development, and experience significant growth, all whilst being fully committed to providing its customers with high quality products and service.

he last time E.U.R.O Tec was featured in the magazine was in March 2009 with an article focusing on its ‘Innovation Days’ which are held to allow customers to find out more about innovative products, as well as other products available from the E.U.R.O Tec range. The ‘Innovation Days’ are still a big part of E.U.R.O Tec with recent events having the added advantage of customers being able to see the progress of the new warehouse extension. “The new extension will be open by the end of September,” explains Peter Beckmann, sales and marketing manager at E.U.R.O Tec GmbH. “We are always looking at new potential products and markets and it is important that we have the space to accommodate these products. The new warehouse will give us the opportunity to significantly increase the amount of stock we can hold, so that when a customer asks for an item we can supply it from stock.” The current warehouse has space for approximately 3,500 pallets; with the new warehouse adding an additional 7,500 - 8,000 pallet spaces, increasing the total pallet capacity into the region of 11,500 pallets. “We are almost tripling our capacity and there is still some space that we can further expand into if necessary,” adds Peter. Originally the extension was planned for the start of 2009, however, due to the global recession E.U.R.O Tec decided it was best that it waited to see what happened, before committing itself. “You have to

The new warehouse takes total capacity to 11,500 pallets earn money before you can spend it,” explains Peter. “We wanted to make sure that we safeguarded the company and didn’t want to overstretch ourselves.” At the beginning of the recession E.U.R.O Tec had regular meetings to see how the recession was affecting the company, and it was decided that it needed to introduce some short work and release some staff as a precaution. However, after only a

couple of months it was clear to E.UR.O Tec that the amount of orders it was receiving was a similar amount to previous years, and so everybody who was released was brought back and full work was resumed immediately. “Even in a crisis people need something to fasten, and they want to have the best products for their money,” comments Peter. “Throughout the difficult period the company moral remained positive and the staff grouped together. In fact last year saw us make a plus on 2008, even though 2008 was an exceptional year for us.” Peter highlights that a mixture of personal contact with the customers, innovation power within the company, and the quality of service and products, are the key to E.U.R.O Tec’s success. “We are not an importer and we are not a distributor, we create our own products,” explains Peter. “This allows us to create the fasteners that our customers want. We have our own technical specifications from the type of material, grade of hardening, bending angle, to the angle of the thread. Everything has to be one composition, not just a thread and a head, which allows us to guarantee high quality products.” E.U.R.O Tec visits various producers around the world to see who can produce screws to its specifications. Once a producer has confirmed they can meet all the specifications, they are asked to produce a sample batch to be tested, after the sample batch has been tested and verified a small production run is agreed. It is only after several months of continuous production, and the producer proving its quality and reliability, that E.U.R.O Tec agrees to full production. Even after a producer has been verified every order batch is still checked by an independent testing company to ensure that only the highest quality products reach E.U.R.O Tec’s customers. As well as making sure the quality of the product is of a high standard, E.U.R.O Tec also offers a full range of each of its product sections. “There are companies who only have a selection of products from certain ranges,” says Peter. “At E.U.R.O Tec we have thirteen complete ranges, guaranteeing that we can offer the exact product type a customer needs for their application.” E.U.R.O Tec’s different ranges also enable it to concentrate on different product sections throughout the year, meaning it is constantly working on its next launch. “We have the decking range which we start to prepare in September/October for the following season, after this we then focus on the solar range,

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

not to mention our wood construction and window construction ranges.” The solar range is relatively new at E.U.R.O Tec, with the company originally only offering one product. “We were confident in the product and visited various international solar exhibitions so that we could show the visitors how the product worked and the advantages it offered,” comments Peter. “We received so much interest that we decided to look into what other solar products we could offer.” E.U.R.O Tec now offers an entire package for solar modules on both slanted and flat roofs, with the whole range made of stainless steel material. Peter highlights that the flat roof range is particular innovative as there is no need for drilling into the roof to secure the panels. “The angle of the construction in combination with calculated weights, allow the panels to stand on the roof without destroying the surface of the roof by drilling,” adds Peter. “The parts have also been structurally calculated to resist the loads of various weather conditions including wind and rain.” Innovations like the flat roof system have given E.U.R.O Tec the reputation for producing new fastener technology, this is supported by the various innovation awards the company has received at exhibitions for its products. The company is constantly working on innovative products. “Our goal has always been to try and create fasteners that offer the most possible benefits to the end user,” reports Peter. “We listen to what the end users say and then adapt our new products to bring in all the requirements they have asked to be included.” However, E.U.R.O Tec is fully aware that once an innovation has been introduced into the market it is important to listen to customer feedback and look to see if any improvements can be made to the product. “Today a new product has a life cycle of approximately one or maximum two years,” says Peter. “After this you start to see similar products from other providers, which might be cheaper but will not be as high quality as our products.” To combat this E.U.R.O Tec continues to develop its products, so that when the competition brings out a similar product, E.U.R.O Tec can bring out a newer version that will have extra technical characteristics. “We introduce a new ‘old’ product, which offers more advantages then the old product, meaning that we are always one step ahead of the competition,” comments Peter. Continuously developing products to answer the needs of customers is an important part of E.U.R.O Tec, but Peter highlights that just as important is the staff. “We can create screws that drill in automatically without doing anything, you can make them of gold, but if you don’t have the man power you cant do it. Business is not just about creating and selling screws, everything must combine together and pull in the same direction if you are going to be successful.” Peter adds: “We have a young group of staff who are motivated and focused in what they are doing. Everyone is taking

ownership of their roles and has great experience and this will continue to grow as the business develops.” The development of staff both in technical education and experience is something that E.U.R.O Tec is focusing on. “In future we see E.U.R.O Tec becoming a specialist in technical advanced fasteners. For us it is a growing market and we are interested in concentrating on this area because it is the development of the market requirements. We are developing the technical knowledge of our staff and are introducing fasteners that require structural calculations.” E.U.R.O Tec has already adopted the policy of offering technical support to customers when required. “Whenever a customer rings up with a specific product problem they are immediately passed to the engineering department,” reports Peter. “One of our engineers can then talk through the application and highlight which products offer the best technical advantages.” Customers with technical requirements can also go onto E.U.R.O Tec’s website and enter their information into E.U.R.O Tec’s structural calculator, which will tell them exactly what products, and how many, are needed. “The structural calculator offers customers a guide as to what they may need, but they still need to get it verified by the official administration,” says Peter. “The structural calculator is a very important service, and we highlight it at the various end user exhibitions that we attend. It can be used for different products, and a lot of customers appreciate the service.” E.U.R.O Tec is a company that is clearly focused on its future and is having great success in continuously offering new, high quality, innovative fastener technology to its customers. However, throughout all the expansions, innovations, product developments and technical services, E.U.R.O Tec always has its customers as its main focus. “The secret to E.U.R.O Tec has always been the close relationship with our customers,” highlights Peter. “From the beginning we have had the simple philosophy of asking the customers what they need, producing what they need, and then selling them what they need, and we will continue to do so.”

www.fastenerandfixing.com

events calendar

National Industrial Fastener Show / West Where: Las Vegas, USA When: 8 Nov - 10 Nov 2010 Web: www.fastenershows.com What: Fasteners, machinery formed parts, tooling and packaging.

Interbuild Onsite Where: Birmingham, UK When: 17 Oct - 20 Oct 2010 Web: www.interbuild.com What: Construction industry.

Taiwan International Fastener Show Where: Kaohsiung City, Taiwan When: 19 Oct - 20 Oct 2010 Web: www.fastenertaiwan.com What: Specialist fastener show.

Taiwan Hardware Show Where: Taipei, Taiwan When: 21 Oct - 23 Oct 2010 Web: www.hardwareshow.com.tw What: Tools, building materials/DIY and houseware products.

PTC Asia Where: Shanghai, China When: 25 Oct - 28 Oct 2010 Web: www.ptc-asia.com What: Trade fair for power transmission and control.

EuroBLECH Where: Hanover, Germany When: 26 Oct - 30 Oct 2010 Web: www.euroblech.com What: Sheet metal industry.

SAIE 2010 Where: Bologna, Italy When: 27 Oct - 30 Oct 2010 Web: www.saie.bolognafiere.it What: Building technology, systems and machines.

India International Hardware Show Where: Mumbai, India When: 29 Oct - 31 Oct 2010 Web: www.hardwareshowindia.com What: Hardware and DIY sector.

AAPEX - Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo 2010 Where: Las Vegas, USA When: 2 Nov - 4 Nov 2010 Web: www.aapexshow.com What: Automotive aftermarket products exhibition.

MidEst

Where: Paris, France When: 2 Nov - 5 Nov 2010 Web: www.midest.com What: Subcontracting and services for the processing of metals, plastics, electronics and electricity.

STAFDA’s 34th Annual Convention & Trade Show Where: Phoenix, USA When: 7 Nov -9 Nov 2010 Web: www.stafda.org What: Speciality tools and fasteners.

Elmia Subcontractor

Where: Jönköping, Sweden When: 9 Nov - 12 Nov 2010 Web: www.elmia.se What: For subcontractors and suppliers within the engineering industry.

The Big 5

Where: Dubai, UAE When: 22 Nov - 25 Nov 2010 Web: www.thebig5exhibition.com What: Construction and contracting industry.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

impressive. long-distance.

Maximum Efﬁciency Made in Germany: that’s Pühl! We do not only manufacture a comprehensive range of washers according to standards (DIN, NFE, BS, SS, UNI, ASTM, etc.) but also special washers and stampings to drawing or sample for various branches of industries i.e. steel constructions, wind and solar energy, railway and road protection, etc. Everything is done with high requirements as regards to quality, logistics, efﬁciency and reliability. Choose Pühl: said and stamped!

e xh i b i t i o n s

Booking boom: Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2010 extends to three halls Industry professionals in fastener and fixing technology from all over the world will meet again for their industry highlight, Fastener Fair Stuttgart, from 22nd - 24th February 2011. “We are experiencing a real booking boom,” says exhibition director Susanne Rauberger, on behalf of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. “516 exhibitors from 30 countries have already secured their stand space, and we are still receiving a great number of enquiries every day. We have therefore decided to expand the show by a third hall to meet the huge demand for stand space at Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011. The show will now occupy halls 4, 6 and 8 at Messe Stuttgart Exhibition Centre.” Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011 will again be a highly international show: 54% of the exhibiting companies are from Europe, with Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom being the biggest European exhibitor countries. 45% of the current exhibitors are Asian companies, from Taiwan, China, Korea and India. The remaining 1% comprises of companies from North America. Visitors to the show will therefore have the choice of a broad range of international products and services. The show profile ranges from materials and semi-finished products via production equipment, surface technology and quality assurance to finished products in diverse materials and modern bonding processes. Storage, distribution and information services round off the exhibition profile. High-tech machinery as well as

conventional equipment and systems will also be on display. A detailed exhibition profile as well as extensive information about the event and the exhibiting companies can be found on the multilingual show website www.fastenerfair.com. The up-to-date exhibitor list now also includes company profiles with detailed information about their products on display. Travel information is also available from the show website: Stuttgart, with its excellent infrastructure, can easily be reached by air, train, car and public transport. The exhibition venue is within walking distance from Stuttgart’s international airport. The city offers accommodation of all ratings, and hotel bookings can be made directly via the show website.

Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011 at a glance: Event: Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011 International exhibition for fastener and fixing technology 22nd - 24th February 2011

Dates and opening times: 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday, 22nd February 2011 rd Wednesday, 23 February 2011 09:00 - 17:00 Thursday, 24th February 2011 09:00 - 15:00

Venue: Neue Messe Stuttgart Messepiazza 1 70629 Stuttgart / Germany Halls 4, 6 and 8

Entrance fees: Pre-registered visitors Visitors registering on-site

20 euros 30 euros

The Big 5 set to pave the way forward Recent research commissioned by dmg :: events, organisers of The Big 5 exhibition, has revealed that the 2009 edition of The Big 5 was responsible for multi-million dollars worth of business, reinforcing the organisers beliefs that it is the leading event for the building and construction industry in the Middle East.

he Big 5 has firmly established itself as a place where the construction industry comes to do business. However, there has never before been an estimate of the value of business involved. This is why the organisers of The Big 5 commissioned Vivid Interface, a full service agency specialising in event market research, to undertake the research. The results showed that 90% of visitors to The Big 5 had purchasing responsibility, and 81% of visitors were likely to do business with an exhibitor. Average exhibitor sales to The Big 5 2009 visitors were estimated at in excess of US$700,000 at the show, and over US$1.1 million afterwards. In addition, average exhibitor sales to other exhibitors were over US$650,000 at show and around a further US$755,000 after the show.

Set to take place from 22nd - 25th November at the Dubai World Trade Centre, The Big 5 2010 is looking to capitalise on the massive opportunities still available in the construction industry in the Middle East, by bringing together exhibitors and visitors from across the world. Simon Mellor, vice president of construction at dmg :: events said: “Our research has validated what we have always known, that multi-million dollar deals are done as a direct result of attending The Big 5. Our extensive experience and feedback from attendees has allowed us to refine the show and it now without doubt provides a winning combination of a place to do business in addition to a forum for learning about the industry from senior global executives.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

International Exhibition for Fastener and Fixing Technology 2 2 – 24 1 F e b r u a r y 2 01 ar t Me s s e S t u tt g Ger ma n y

FASTENER FAIR STUTTGART

Be par t of Europe’s biggest trade show for the fastener and fixing industry!

Fas t ener s

Fixings

Manuf ac tur ing Technology

For information on how to book your st and please cont ac t: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1727 814400 or Email: s t u t t gar t@ f as t f air.ne t

www.f as t ener f air.com

e xh i b i t i o n s

EuroBLECH 2010 shows latest trends and innovative technology From 26th - 30th October 2010, the 21st international sheet metal working technology exhibition, EuroBLECH, will open its doors again in Hanover, Germany, with a focus on innovative technologies for the future of sheet metal working.

nhanced fabrication processes for adapting to changing demand; intelligent systems for energy-saving and environmentally sustainable production; new materials as well as the latest trends in R&D will all be on display. “The current situation, a period of economic regeneration, demands a great deal of innovative capacity from every company. After a difficult time, it is important to now set the course for the future by sourcing the right equipment,” explains Nicola Hamann, exhibition director of EuroBLECH on behalf of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. She adds: “For industry experts from all over the world, EuroBLECH 2010, with its theme ‘Time for Innovation’, is therefore the first choice when it comes to gaining a comprehensive overview of trends and innovative technology, and to finding suitable machinery and tailor-made solutions.” With 1,410 exhibitors from 42 countries and a net exhibition space of 78,000m2 this year’s EuroBLECH is bigger than the show in 2006, a very successful year for the sheet metal working industry. “Although this year’s figures do not match the record exhibition in 2008, the current booking status clearly shows that the sheet metal

working industry is on the up again”, says Nicola Hamann. International participation at this year’s EuroBLECH has risen again slightly, with 46% of exhibitors coming from outside Germany this time. Following Germany and Italy, Turkey now represents the third biggest group of exhibitors. The number of exhibitors from Asia, particularly from China, Taiwan and India, has also increased substantially for this year’s show. Traditionally EuroBLECH is also a highly international event as regards the visitor numbers. At the last exhibition, 35% of the trade visitors came to Hanover from abroad. A total of 69,400 visitors from 98 countries attended the EuroBLECH 2008 show. A comprehensive Exhibition Preview with detailed information on many exhibitors and their products is available. The Exhibition Preview also includes a complete exhibitor list, an area map, an article on the latest trends in laser technology, as well as useful tips for travel and stay. The Exhibition Preview can be downloaded from the EuroBLECH website or can be ordered on the website as a print version free-of-charge.

Integrate to build The 46th edition of SAIE, the international building exhibition, held in Bologna, Italy, from 27th - 30th October 2010, will prove to be a turning point according to its organisers, with a new format, new contents, and new ideas on offer to professionals in the building industry.

here are many new features for the 170,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors that regularly fill the 235,000m2 space of the exhibition, united this year under the slogan ‘Integrate to build’. SAIE 2010’s mission is to help achieve full and effective integration of knowledge, skills, and technologies in order to drive the building industry toward the qualitative leap that professionals are so eagerly awaiting. The 2010 edition is based on three main areas: sustainability, production, and services. The three areas will contain the traditional LATERSAIE, SAIEBIT, SAIELEGNO, SAIE NEW STONE AGE DESIGN, SAIENERGIA, SAIECANTIERE, SAIEPRECAST and SAIECONCRETE events. A detailed programme offers visitors and exhibitors a 360° look at current trends in each area. “After the successful 2008 and 2009 editions, SAIENERGIA expands to become SAIENERGIA & SUSTAINABILITY, uniting spaces devoted to renewable energies with those devoted to materials, systems, and components for safe and sustainable building. As always, Hall 14 will host Piazza dell’Energia, the site of conferences, workshops, exhibits, debates, and meetings. This year, in addition to Piazza dell’Energia, other theme areas will be devoted to aspects of energy-efficient building.”

Fastener show announced in Egypt The Fasteners and Machine Supplies Fair will take place 17th - 19th December at the Cairo International Conference Centre, organised by GTEX.

ased in Egypt, GTEX previously organised a metal and steel exhibition in Cairo in February. GTEX general manager, Ahmed Moustafa, told this magazine his team has ten years experience through involvement in exhibitions staged at the Dubai World Trade Center. The exhibition floor plan for the Fasteners and Machine Supplies Fair offers around 90 booths but there are no confirmed exhibitors currently. News information on the website www.fastenersafrica.com includes product information from companies that are known not to be planning to exhibit in Cairo.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

There’s lots to do in Branson! Remarkable vacation destination at an incredible value 12 championship golf courses including Payne Stewart Golf Club More than 50 live performance theaters Three pristine lakes International awardwinning theme park, Silver Dollar City

2nd Annual

All American Fastener Show

May 12-13, 2011 • Centrally located in the heart of the U.S.A.– Branson, Missouri – easy travel and great entertainment! • Cost effective way to generate sales leads, introduce new products and enhance your image and visibility. • Mix business and pleasure within the fastener community. • New for 2011: Golf tournament at award winning course.

Full range of dining options available Retail & outlet shopping galore including Branson Landing Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is the show location

10x10 Tabletop Booth Spaces • Standard $695, Premium corner $795 (Early birds, register by 2/4/11 for $100 off) • Registration deadline 4/4/11 • Attendees: pre-register $15, at the door $25

Space Includes: 8 foot table, 2 chairs, 3 exhibitor passes, wastepaper basket, 24-hour security, year-round promotion for the show (direct mail, advertising in “industry specific” publications, online, free listing in show directory), and more.

Visit Us Online – AllAmericanFastenerShow.com • For the latest schedule updates • Reserve and pay for exhibit space • Pre-register • Convenient links to book hotel and airfare Photos courtesy of SwiftShots, Silver Dollar City, Rob Perry.

Interested in exhibiting, attending, or being a sponsor – visit us online at

AllAmericanFastenerShow.com Toll Free 1-877-865-8237

e xh i b i t i o n s

Las Vegas exceeds 2009 and still growing The 14th Annual National Industrial Fastener Show/West scheduled for 8th - 10th November 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, has already exceeded 2009 exhibit space sales and continues growing, reported Susan A. Hurley, show manager on 17th August.

e have already sold 651 booths to 528 companies from throughout the USA and 13 other countries including Belgium, Canada, China, India, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the Netherlands, Taiwan and United Kingdom. This puts us 5% ahead of last year’s numbers and we are seeing other encouraging signs that our industry is recovering. We have contracted with over 60 new and returning companies which were not with us in 2009. We are anticipating up to 700 booths and more than 550 exhibiting companies by show time.

Three shows in one

“Our merger with the International Fastener Exposition (IFE) has caused us to greatly expand our already well established machinery & tooling section to accommodate member companies of the International Fastener Machinery & Suppliers Association (IFMSA) and other makers of fastener machinery, components, manufacturing systems, controls and support services, materials, accessories, tooling and supplies from around the world”, say Jim Bannister and Mike McGuire, general partners. “Industry veterans Ray and Doug Zirkle are marketing and selling the show to their contacts throughout North America, Asia and Europe. We are excited about having the entire industry represented under one roof. It is natural to bring this all together and it responds to the need to reduce the number of fastener trade shows in the U.S. Our event is the only exhibition in North America to include machinery and tooling for the design and manufacture of fasteners and formed parts”, add Jim and Mike. We are also experiencing increased interest from manufacturers of mill supplies such as abrasives, air tools, cutting tools, drills, hand tools, plant maintenance and safety supplies. We are welcoming these suppliers to our event. Having these lines in the show will be of interest to today’s multi-line distributors who carry such items in addition to fasteners. A complete exhibitor list can be viewed at www.fastenershows.com

More information and education than ever before

This year’s show includes the most comprehensive educational programme ever offered. The conference features topics of vital, current interest to fastener distributors, manufacturers, sales reps and others. On Monday 8th November the Fastener Training Institute is presenting an all-day Fastening Technology Workshop as well as two half-day programmes on ‘Print Reading for Fastener Industry Professionals’ and ‘Solid Modeling and Computer Aided Design for Fasteners and Assembly Components’. Other meetings and programmes include: a ‘Mergers and Acquisitions Roundtable’ moderated by

Ross Shell, CEO, Red Idea Partners; ‘DFARS: What You Don’t Know Could Hurt You’ presented by the National Fastener Distributors Association (NFDA); an all-day meeting of the Fastener Industry Finance, Treasury, Credit & Controllers presented by the Fastener Industry Financial Group Network and the Business Credit Management Association; and a meeting of the newly-formed Women in the Fastener Industry (WIFI) group chaired by Mary Lou Aderman, president, The Aderman Company, Inc. On Tuesday 9th November there will be a meeting and reception for members and invited guests of the International Fastener Machinery & Suppliers Association (IFMSA) beginning at 4:00pm. The ASME B18 Standards Committee meetings will be held at the Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday, 11th - 12th November. New this year will be a Fastener Information & Education Center set up as a mini-theater on the exhibit hall floor where show visitors can hear the latest information on: ‘Understanding and Dealing with the Asian Marketplace’ presented by Rob Lucas, Fidelis Fasteners; ‘Using Social Media to Build Your Business’ presented by Eric Dudas, FastenersClearingHouse. com; ’Technical Knowledge Policies as a Risk Management Tool’ presented by Carmen Vertulo, Simply Better, Inc.; and ‘Understanding Machine Rebuilding’ presented by Jim Flanagan, Reed Machinery, Inc. The programmes will be offered at 10:00am, 11:00am, 2:00pm and 3:00pm on Tuesday 9th November only. Complimentary admission to these sessions will be by badge only.

Party Time!

The always popular and well attended Welcome Reception will be held from 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Monday 8th November. This gala event sponsored by Show Management is open free-of-charge to all registered show exhibitors and attendees wearing a badge. As usual, the reception will feature complimentary drinks and plenty of tasty hors d’oeuvres. Be there for this industry mixer “where networking is King”.

Stay at Mandalay Bay for less - but hurry!

The show is offering special ‘early bird’ rates at Mandalay Bay. We are delighted to offer our exhibitors and show visitors the opportunity to stay where all the action is and save considerable time and money by not taking taxis back and forth to other hotels. Now, everyone can enjoy the luxury and amenities of our 4-Star headquarters hotel at bargain prices. The special rates are only available for a limited time and rooms are expected to sell-out quickly. Rooms can be reserved at www.fastenershows.com

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

www.trfastenings.com Visit our website for technical and dimensional information on 1000’s of fasteners!

24 hour support including: • • • • •

T: 08454 811 800 F: 0870 458 7851 E: sales@trfastenings.com

CAD Library with over 20,000 configurations Online Project Toolkit Engineering Support Animation Library Dynamic Part Number Generator

exhibitions

Old frontier roping in STAFDA members “Now six weeks into registration for the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association, 7th - 9th November Convention & Trade Show in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, things are off to a solid start,” STAFDA executive director Georgia H. Foley tells us.

o date, 577 booths have been sold versus 523 for STAFDA’s ’09 Atlanta show. Also to date, attendance is stronger with 55% more distributor companies registered, 10% more associates, and rep registrations are running 110% ahead of last year! Yes that number is correct! Even though the U.S. economy is still slow, it has stabilised and STAFDA members are more optimistic about the future. Many Phoenix exhibitors have upgraded their booth size from ’09 when many downsized due to the economy. This is encouraging. This is the first time STAFDA has ever met in Phoenix. Although it has always ranked high as a meeting destination with members, there was never a large hotel near the Convention Center. That problem has been solved! Not yet two years old, the Sheraton Phoenix is a spectacular 1,000 room hotel which opened a block away from the newly expanded and renovated Phoenix Convention Center. STAFDA’s other two hotels - the Wyndham and Hyatt - are also one block away from the Center and both underwent major renovations so all three hotels are essentially “new.” Everything is walkable and downtown Phoenix has undergone a major renaissance the last two years. Plus it’s safe. STAFDA’s educational sessions will cater to today’s important business sessions. STAFDA economist, Alan Beaulieu, will lead off Sunday’s day of education with a three-hour programme focused on the 2011 economy along with how he foresees 2010 ending. The most pressing issue for STAFDA members is credit and banking. Most members spent ’09 cutting and slashing their operation to make them as lean as possible. At the same time, the U.S. financial industry underwent a major overhaul which significantly tightened up lending. STAFDA will have a panel of banking experts, plus an official from the Federal Reserve Board, to talk about the construction industry, credit, and financing. Sunday’s other workshops include Bob DeStefano on “How to Build an Online Marketing Machine”; Bill McCleave with “Differentiating Your Distribution Company” and Tom Reilly with “Winning the Price Battle, One Profitable Sale at a Time.” STAFDA’s General Session promises to be a draw as former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, will be STAFDA’s keynote speaker. As the face of the conservative grassroots political movement - the Tea Party - FOX News analyst, author, among a host of other titles, Ms. Palin has been in the news a lot this year and will be speaking one week after the November elections. Her comments will be pro-business and address fiscal responsibility, energy independence, and

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

the importance of small government. Preceding Ms. Palin will be STAFDA president, Robert Devers, Ajax Co., Jacksonville, FL, with the Distributor State-of-the Industry address, followed by Max “Andy” Johnson, president, Mar-Mac Wire, McBee, SC, with a manufacturer’s perspective on the industry. Johnson is an expert in the Buy America Act and the majority of his comments will focus on domestic manufacturing. STAFDA’s Trade Show will run for six hours on Monday 8th November and Tuesday 9th November. The show is unique in the fact that over 35 different product categories are represented under one roof. It’s a buying show so distributors come and place orders - either taking advantage of fourth quarter specials or previewing (and buying) new products that will be introduced in 2011. STAFDA rep agents use the show to source new vendors and meet with customers. During Monday’s Trade Show only, STAFDA hosts a Tech & Consultants Fair where leaders in software, ebusiness, and networking solutions, along with STAFDA’s consultants and endorsed service providers, can meet individually with members to discuss their business needs. Legal concerns, taxes, sales, inventory, financial, human resources, and credit/collections are just a few subjects that will have experts available to answer questions. STAFDA is known for its social events and this year is no exception. Rawhide in nearby Chandler, Arizona, is a recreation of an old frontier town where food, entertainment, and libations abound! Rawhide is a step back in time providing a glimpse into old Arizona. Tuesday’s closing party at the Sheraton will have a Tex-Mex theme to get attendees in the mood for STAFDA’s 2011 San Antonio Convention & Trade Show. In addition, spouses/companions have a workshop Sunday afternoon by a renowned collector of Southwest and Native American art followed by a jewelry making session. Spouses/ companions also have the option of two, daylong tours on Tuesday 9th November to either the red rock country of spectacular Sedona, or a city tour with museums and shopping. Other activities with STAFDA’s Phoenix Convention include a golf outing at Troon North on Saturday 6th November, and a postconvention motorcycle ride to the Grand Canyon. The Annual Convention & Trade Show is just one of the many services and benefits the Association provides its members. STAFDA also produces educational training manuals and important benchmarking reports. Annual membership dues are US$350. Learn more about STAFDA at www.stafda.org

insight

Distributor of choice Rivco Limited, based in Worcestershire, UK, has recently been going through a transitional period introducing a host of changes and investment that are aimed at making the company more efficient, whilst still offering high value quality products.

teve Auld, who became managing director and majority shareholder of Rivco Ltd in March 2010, explains that some new operating methods have already been introduced. “The subtle changes that we have made to the business are already making a big difference and we are looking to build on this.” Rivco Ltd was established in 1994 by the Roden family, who are still involved within the company. Chris Roden, who started the business, is a non-executive director and shareholder, and Matt Roden, the son of Chris, works within the company and is also a shareholder. Originally Rivco supplied rivets, blind nut products and associated tools, all mainly aimed at end user application processes within the UK. The company served both the UK OEM and MRO markets which allowed it to develop a skill of visiting companies and recommending products for engineering applications. As business opportunities and customer interest changed so did Rivco’s target audience. The business now concentrates on being a specialist in the distribution of Huck® fasteners, Huck® bolts (pins and collars), blind rivets, rivet nuts and setting tools, selling its products to other merchants across the UK, as well as exporting to Europe, Turkey, India, America and the Middle East. “Export accounts for 20% of our sales value,” says Steve,” the majority of interest comes from our website, which allows us to enter territories that we would not normally service.” He adds: ““Visitors to our website can enquire about products online, download product data sheet PDFs, as well as watch online demonstrations on how various products work. We are looking to enhance our online presence so that we can attract even more visitors to the site and continue to export our products around the world.” Today Rivco’s stock range boasts of over 3,500 stock lines, with the company recently introducing a stock investment programme in which it is planning to increase the amount of stock, enabling it to offer a better depth and breadth of products. By introducing a stock investment programme Rivco is ensuring that when its customers ask for a product it is able to fulfil their requirements. The stock investment programme will focus on higher value products and will include the full ranges of Monel rivets, stainless steel rivets, Orlock rivets in stainless steel, as well as various other sheet metal products. As the market place starts to find alternatives to the brand leaders, Rivco is aiming to move into the position of selling more products around Europe. “Our aim is to become the distributor of choice,” says Steve. “We are committed to the brand leaders because like most industries they help set standards whether it is for products, innovations or prices, but being a distributor of choice we want to offer our customers a complete range, which is why we will continue to offer a wide range of branded products, complimented by a selection of imported products.” Rivco’s dedication to branded products is underlined by its

double digit sales growth of Huck® products this year. “We have been a Alcoa Fastening Systems Huck® brand product distributor for several years and are able to offer a full range of Huck® fasteners, manufactured in aluminium, steel and stainless steel. Also with our strong partnership with Alcoa Fastening System on Huck® products we are able to utilise the support facilities

“Our aim is to become the distributor of choice.”

offered by a large multi-national corporation and share these with our valued customers. We are able to provide engineering, design testing and installation support, complete with all the certification that is demanded in the current market place,” comments Steve. Another company that Rivco is looking to focus on is Spurway Cooke a Singaporean manufacturer of rivets. “We are planning to launch selective brands of Spurway Cooke rivets back into the UK,” explains Steve. “Spurway Cooke products are high quality with a large amount of its blind rivet products being used in the aerospace industry.” Steve adds: “By using Spurway Cooke it means that when our customers order from us there will be no minimum order quantities or extended lead times, we will have them available in stock.” Rivco is also a distributor for Israeli based Ornit Blind Rivets and is able to offer the Avdel® and POP® rivet alternative ranges. This underlines Rivco’s aim of developing strong trading relationships with high quality producers who use high grade materials in producing structural rivet products. Steve highlights that Rivco is also very competitive on stainless steel rivets. “The stainless steel rivets we supply are exclusively manufactured for Rivco in China and we are proud to be their sole distributor in the UK and we are pleased to have an exclusivity deal with the manufacturer.” In preparation for the increase in stock Rivco has recently introduced a location control system in its warehouse, meaning that each product will be designated a specific section within the racking. “We are also planning to introduce a new picking machine which will take the picker to the relevant product,” mentions Steve. “This will allow the picker to pick the products they need, rather than the pallet being brought down from the racking, helping to improve the overall efficiency of the warehouse.” Rivco is also able to offer tool servicing to its customers. “A lot of companies seem to have stopped offering tool servicing, but we see it as a vital part of our company,” comments Steve. “Tony Lewis runs our servicing department and has over 40 years experience with setting tools, and we are looking to expand this area of the business.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

The final piece of the jigsaw to fall into place

etin v i r e h T

hoice c f o r e suppli

We supply . . .

Unit 10 Finepoint Business Park Kidderminster Worcestershire DY11 7FB T: +44 (0) 1562 513910 F: +44 (0) 1562 69666 E: sales@rivco.co.uk W: www.rivco.co.uk

insight To add to the tool servicing department Rivco is also planning to introduce a new testing area, which will give customers the opportunity to test a selection of tools, as well as introduce an apprenticeship scheme. Steve points out that by introducing an apprenticeship scheme in the tool servicing department it will help bring new blood into the business and enable Tony to pass on the knowledge and skills he has learnt over the years. So far Rivco has spent heavily on infrastructure investment and is planning to continue to invest in key areas to make sure the company becomes more efficient and effective. “The infrastructure investment has really motivated our staff, as they have seen us invest in a new telephone system, office equipment, delivery vehicles, apprenticeships, staff recruitment, preparation of a new detailed product catalogue, and install new computer software which will help drive better decision making process, ” explains Steve. “The reason why we have invested so heavily in the infrastructure is so that our staff has the most modern equipment to enable them to work in the most efficient way possible.”

Further investment is planned for the future, with Rivco aiming to continue the growth it has seen over the last year. “As a business in total we have grown 16% over the last year,” highlights Steve, “but if you look at the final quarter of our financial year that figure is up in the 20% area. We see no reason why we cannot continue this growth over 2010/2011 and indeed we are planning to manage the continued increase in demand for Rivco products.” With the stock investment programme, coupled with the infrastructure investment and the focus on efficiency, Rivco is positioning itself to develop and grow over the coming years. The investment has given the staff a new determination, and

they are clearly motivated and passionate about the future of the company. Also, by continuing to concentrate on leading brands, and ensuring that it is able to meet customer demand from stock, Rivco is able to carry on offering a high quality service to its customers, whilst at the same time attracting new potential customers. All this results in a company that is pulling together with one clear focus: “We are looking for the Rivco brand name to become well known across the industry and our ultimate goal is to become a distributor of choice, so that when people think of rivets they think of Rivco.”

“…we are looking for the Rivco brand name to become well known across the industry.”

insight

Penning new chapters The capstone of Baker & Finnermore’s factory in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter affirms it was established in 1850. Within the walls there is undoubted pride about 160 years experience in the design and manufacture of precision pressings - but there is certainly no sentimentality.

n the mid nineteenth century chances are almost everyone using a dip ink pen, wherever in the world, formed characters with a nib manufactured within a kilometre of the ‘Bak-Fin’ factory. At one stage some 20,000 people were employed in the area making nibs and Baker & Finnemore grew to be one of the top manufacturers. Those fascinated by industrial heritage can do little better than refer to www.bakfin.com to find an impeccably researched history of the business - from the pen of Graham Russon, normally to be found on the Bak-Fin sales desk. For the modern Baker & Finnemore, though, two periods of history are particularly significant. In the 1950s, as the company emerged from war service, it responded to a customer’s need for a spring fastener to secure on a spindle. By the end of the

decade, Bak-Fin had developed a standard range of the Starlock® Push On Fastener in imperial sizes for the British manufacturing market. Today the Starlock is the mainstay of the business - its now vastly expanded range of guises accounting for more than 85% of production. The standard Starlock range now fits shaft sizes from 1.5mm to 30mm in one-millimetre increments. The metric range was developed in the early 1960s as opportunities to develop sales in continental Europe emerged. The imperial range continues, from 1/16th to 1.1/8th inches, for the UK, US and Australian markets. Manufactured in spring and stainless steel, with a variety of finishes and formats, the Starlock is designed for applications where a quick, permanent and efficient means of assembly is required to retain plain shafts of steel, non ferrous and plastic materials. Eliminating costly threading or grooving operations, the product facilitates rapid assembly and, once fixed, is so secure it cannot be removed without destruction. All of the standard Starlock range (and a good proportion of non standard ones) can be capped - in stainless, plated or vinyl coated steel, and also in nylon.

Today, the Baker & Finnemore plant produces some 500 million Starlocks annually, servicing a broad spectrum of industries. In addition to producing Starlock variants and derivatives to meet specific customer requirements the company also designs and manufactures outright special precision components in spring steel - the Bak-Fin website illustrates several examples. We have, though, stepped past that other significant date, in August 2006, when the current board of Derek Sharp, Ian Packer, Paul Yates and John Clark completed a management buy out. At that point Derek Sharp, now 44 years in the company having worked up from the tool room and design office, shared the managing directorship with John Barnwell, last representative of a family involved in the business since 1869. Paul Yates, a qualified engineer who also started in the Bak-Fin design office, had been invited back by Derek Sharp five years previously to become sales director. “We brought in a new finance guy who had worked in the city and overseas,” explains Paul, “and another to bring to bear larger company expertise to the business’ facilities and infrastructure.” ‘Since then,” continues Paul, “we have invested in the business every year, to provide better facilities, modernise production equipment, and improve the heat treatment technology. Right now we are looking at a further investment in our computer systems to improve the customer interface.” The management team’s focus on Bak-Fin’s future attracted special note from TS 16949 auditors during the company’s first audit earlier this year. “There were a few minor non-conformities,” acknowledges Paul Yates, “but we are looking forward to the second audit this autumn. Naturally we hope that achieving accreditation will create more opportunities but it is equally important for our existing automotive customer base in assuring their supply chain.” Already accredited to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 the process targeted at achieving TS 16949 has been used as an insight to the business and to its further development. “It makes you look at yourself critically,” says Paul Yates, “even into areas of contingency management and disaster recovery.” Tour the plant and history cannot be ignored: parts of the building date to the early twentieth century and manufacturing is carried out on three storeys. That said the production organisation is logical and geared for efficiency. Bak-Fin produces all its own tooling using advanced CNC machining

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Starlock Push-on Fasteners

and wire erosion equipment. Volume production is carried out on modern, high-speed presses, process monitored to ensure within-parameter forming. Older presses are generally reserved for lower volume sizes, where flexibility is an advantage. On the lowest floor level a recently acquired atmosphere-controlled, continuous austempering furnace ensures the essential balance between hardness and ductility, critical to the Starlock’s performance. All of the products are also put through deburring and cleaning processes to remove irregularities and improve the final finish. In a compact warehousing area around 80 million pieces of inventory are held. Currently Baker & Finnemore employs around 60 people. That’s less than half the headcount of 25 years ago, the numbers eroded by productivity improvement and systems introductions - and, in the last two years, by the unavoidable impact of world recession. “As for many companies, the order tap turned off at the end of 2008,” recalls Paul Yates. “We sat round the table and realised that cuts in the headcount and in working hours were unavoidable.” Hard decisions were rewarded: despite a market destocking at an unprecedented rate, Baker & Finnemore still reported a profit for 2009. “Big fastener distributors across Europe like to have stock on their shelves,” says Paul. “When things are running along nicely they like to have perhaps 8 or 9 months stock available. However, as soon as there is a slow down the block goes on, they simply live off their stock, eroding it and topping up only as necessary.” The corollary, as stocks rebuilt, has been an excellent first six months of 2010 for Baker & Finnemore. “Now we are recruiting skilled toolmakers and are confident in a good forward order book,” says Paul Yates. “The real challenge is to judge the balance between restocking and underlying improvement in end demand, and particularly its sustainability. The final quarter may be somewhat quieter but we realistically expect to be within 10 percent of our 2008 sales total by the year end, which by any standards will be a very satisfying achievement.” “What we have been able to do is to switch the machine back on reasonably smoothly, manage our cash position effectively, and critically sharpen all the aspects of the business ready for the next stages of its development.” Further penetration of export markets is certainly a significant ambition. A proactive response to market opportunities is also evident - watch out for a new range of bolt retainers to help satisfy the needs of machinery guard regulations. Most significantly, steady hands are drafting the next chapter for a 160-year old business.

Precision Pressings

www.bakfin.com Baker & Finnemore Limited, 199 Newhall Street, Birmingham, B3 1SN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 121 236 2347 Fax: +44 (0) 121 236 7224 e-mail: sales@bakfin.com

insight

Build your own bigHead One size does not fit all. To be successful, a product must fit the customer’s needs with precision and ease. While this truth has been embraced by manufacturers of consumer products, bigHead recognised the significance for fasteners a long time ago. Now, with ‘Build Your Own bigHead’, bespoke fastener design has been made really easy, reports Matthew Stevens, managing director at bigHead Bonding Fasteners Ltd. Flexible design bigHead fasteners were invented in 1966 to solve a fastening problem that most traditional fasteners could not; how to achieve a strong and efficient fastening in a composite material. bigHead’s unique design was effective and versatile: a flat perforated head which locks the product securely into position, spreads the load, and can be welded to a wide choice of studs, nuts, collars, pins and other fixings. Critically this unique design, together with the bigHead production process, can support a huge range of design solutions. Consequently, since 1966 bigHead has made over 5,000 designs for customers, in addition to the 400 standard products supplied on a day to day basis. As Sunseeker Yachts recently confirmed to bigHead “your products are a fantastic solution to our engineering challenges.”

Flexible manufacturing bigHead continues to manufacture in the UK, at its factory in Bournemouth, Dorset. bigHead has not outsourced to Asia. We believe that manufacturing in UK gives us an important competitive edge in terms of quality, service and innovation. Our key suppliers are also based in UK for the same reason. For us to provide a high quality product and service to our customers we need control of each manufacturing step and a closely integrated supply chain. Only then can you consistently respond with speed and the attention to detail each customer needs. We can consult with a new customer on Monday and within the same week supply prototypes, options, test data and technical support. If we outsourced our manufacturing to Asia we simply could not do it. Only recently one customer has come back to bigHead having run into major problems by buying from China. The Chinese supplier’s low prices were a false economy and ended up costing a lot more than they bargained for. To make sure it is offering the best value for money and the best possible service, bigHead has been investing in Lean Manufacturing. We rigorously analyse data to streamline our operations and reduce waste and inefficiency. This ensures our service to customers is always as accurate and as responsive as possible.

Original quality One well established measure to assess the consistency of quality control indicates an outstanding performance at bigHead. Measuring the number of fasteners per million (ppm) shipped with a defective weld over the last 2 years, bigHead achieved the following results: 2008

37 ppm

2009

0.4 ppm

Because bigHead bonding fasteners are integrated into the customer’s products it is of critical importance that their

weld integrity is very high. The significant costs of repair or replacement mean that customers rightly insist on the highest possible standards of quality. One such customer is Rolls Royce Motors. In 2006 bigHead became an approved tier one supplier to Rolls Royce Motors having passed a BMW factory audit. Of course, bigHead’s other longstanding customers such as Sunseeker Yachts, RNLI, Aston Martin and Bentley also know a thing or two about quality. Benchmarking quality against counterfeit bigHeads made in Asia is revealing. Critical to the reliability of a bigHead fastener is the consistent high strength of the weld. Each weld is closely monitored and every production lot is tested to ensure all key parameters are met and the optimum weld is achieved. The following graph shows recent test results for a bigHead copy, and clearly demonstrates the superior strength of an original bigHead weld.

Flexible service Central to bigHead’s philosophy is the desire to serve customers and provide them with the best fastener for their application. This philosophy of service is founded on people. bigHead has a loyal and dedicated team who together have 188 years of experience at bigHead. You can see photos of each bigHead team member, and what they do, on the bigHead website. As a company and as a team bigHead has some core values that help define them and to which they say they will always stay true, no matter the commercial pressures or circumstances. • Integrity • Innovation • Loyalty • Expertise • Quality To find out more about bigHead and to build your own bigHead, please visit our website.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

How will you use yours? For over 40 years bigHeadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design and manufacturing has been trusted by industry. Versatile and strong, embedded or surface bonded, bigHead fasteners can simplify product assembly and save time. Unit 23 Mochdre Industrial Park Newtown Powys SY16 4LE United Kingdom T: +44 (0)1686 621 300 F: +44 (0)1686 621 800 E: info@hafrenfasteners.com

Visit our website:

www.bighead.co.uk

bigHead â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the original bonding fastener. +44 (0)1202 574 601

C ONST R U CTION F IXINGS

Dresselhaus extends product family Dresselhaus has launched the JD Plus® product family range which it says primarily convinces users by its outstanding process quality.

he patented product JD Plus® is versatile for the most diverse applications. The range of screws available includes Multipurpose, Timber Construction, Decking, Window Frame and Floorboard. The JD Plus® Multipurpose screw is suitable for most applications in hard wood, soft wood, chipboard, PVC, and many other materials, with other head designs and materials available to suit customer needs. Dresselhaus points out that the angle of the head of the Multipurpose screw has been designed with a double countersink to allow for extra deep bit engagement to provide safe and secure driving of the screw. Also, the self countersinking ribs of the I-Star version forms a perfect countersink with a tidy burr free finish. The JD Plus® Multipurpose screw also features low driving torque, this is due to the patented thread design along with unique lubricant, which Dresselhaus says provides faster screw insertion times, coupled with a superior pull out resistance than standard screws. The JD Plus® Timber Construction screw is available in countersunk or flange head in 8mm, 10mm and 12mm diameter.

screw. Dresselhaus explains that the JD Plus® Decking screw is made from A2 stainless steel and can be used in all decking applications, making it ideal for all exterior environments. The screw will also not react with tanalised timber.

Locking thread - Secure fastening of both the deck and the frame

The thread cutting tip - Speedy insertion, no splitting Dresselhaus points out that the reverse locking thread underneath the head ensures both the deck and timber frame are securely fixed, also that the I-Star provides optimal torque transmission whilst the thread cutting razor sharp point ensures speedy insertion, and the thread cutting prevents the wood from splitting, although pre-drilling is required. Other products include the JD Plus® Window Frame anchor which is suitable for plastic and wood profiles, and is available with I-Star recess giving it a stick fit recess and helping to avoid cam out problems, as well as the JD Plus® Floorboard screw which is a professional screw that can be used for solid wood planks.

The JD Plus® Window Frame anchor features a patented double thread for safe and quick processing, as well as a razor sharp tip.

JD Plus® Timber construction screw features a countersunk or flange head with I-Star recess The I-Star recess gives the JD Plus® Timber Construction screw a positive stick fit recess avoiding cam out problems. Also no pre-drilling is required due to the razor sharp tip with cutting notch. Dresselhaus highlights that the JD Plus® Timber Construction screw is approved by the German Building Authorities. Another product in the range is the JD Plus® Decking screw which Dresselhaus believes is the ultimate timber decking

The JD Plus® Floorboard screw features I-Star and self countersinking ribs for optimal torque transmission and perfect self-countersinking. The thread of the JD Plus® Floorboard screw is the patented star cut which Dresselhaus says allows simple, fast and effortless screwing-in. To compliment the range Dresselhaus offers JD Plus® assortment cases which offer a wide range of selected JD Plus® Multipurpose screws properly sorted in an assortment case. The list of assortment cases that are currently available from Dresselhaus include countersunk with I-Star recess, zinc plated, countersunk with I-Star recess, zinc plated yellow chromated, countersunk with I-Star recess, stainless steel, A2, pan-head with cross recess, zinc plated and pan-head with I-Star recess, zinc plated.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

A quality

which inspires

Joseph Dresselhaus GmbH & Co. KG Zeppelinstraße 13 · D-32051 Herford Tel.: +49 5221 9 32-0 Fax: +49 5221 9 32-4 00 E-Mail: info@dresselhaus.de Internet: www.dresselhaus.de

C ONST R U CTION F IXINGS

Throughbolts - the risks of getting too familiar By Mark Salmon, Independent Fixings Consultants The throughbolt is one of the most popular anchor types available. With that popularity, almost inevitably, comes the risk of undervaluation, even commoditisation. Mark Salmon reiterates the need to ensure familiarity does not equate to lack of care in selecting and supplying an appropriately engineered product for what is often a critical application.

veryone knows about throughbolts don’t they. Or do they? Certainly your customers won’t know all there is to know about throughbolts. Very often, after they’ve checked that you have the size they want, all they want to know is the price. If price were all that mattered then everyone would be selling the cheapest (and often that also means the nastiest) product they could and margins would be pathetic. So what we need are some reasons for persuading the customer to avoid the cheapest product and to choose one that they can rely on to work even though it may cost a little more. So, as well as running through some of the features of throughbolts that we’re all familiar with, I hope to give you some ammunition in selling premium products which can make you some profits while impressing your customers that you know what you’re talking about.

Base plate fixed with throughbolts - quick, easy, reliable. Throughbolts are one of the most commonly used anchors around because they are easy to use and come in a wide range of diameters and lengths, as well as in carbon and stainless steels. So they cope with most general purpose, and quite a lot of safety critical, jobs into concrete. But their relatively small expanders mean compressive forces are quite high around the expander so they are not recommended for brickwork, which they either crack or slide out from, but may be used in hard stonework as long as edge distances within stones are large. In common with other ‘torque controlled’ expansion anchors

(ones whose expansion, and hence holding power, is controlled by the torque to which they are tightened) throughbolts exhibit the safety feature of ‘follow-up expansion’. This is just the continuation of the setting process if for any reason the anchor is subject to a tensile load higher than the clamping force introduced by the initial tightening process, the tapered expander section of the bolt will simply pull further into the clip and take the higher load. Of course if the anchor has been correctly set in the first place, by tightening to the manufacturer’s recommended torque, this feature will not be needed. If chosen carefully, the recommended torque should give two benefits. It will ensure that the clamping force through the fixture will exceed the recommended tensile load by enough to cater for the load relaxation, which takes place through the life of every fixing. This means the fixture will not move. It should also protect the bolt material from being over stressed. Manufacturers who have gone to the trouble of getting European Technical Approvals will have established their recommended torques after a lot of careful thought so their values can be relied upon. While we’re on the subject of European Technical Approvals we tend to take it for granted that most anchors, and especially those intended for safety critical applications, will have an ETA. However, when the European Technical Approval Guideline (ETAG) 001 Metal anchors for us in concrete was being developed, prior to its publication in 1997, everyone involved in that process assumed that the requirements for proving that anchors would function correctly, in such a wide range of extreme conditions including crack widths of up to 0.5mm, were so onerous that they would only be met initially by undercut anchors. No one expected that a throughbolt would gain a meaningful approval to this complex test regime let alone be the first anchor type to gain an ETA! So why is this such a challenge? It’s because functioning reliably when a crack opens depends on the friction between the expander cone and the expander clip being less than that between the clip and the concrete. Otherwise the whole anchor may just slide out of the concrete rather than the expander pulling into the clip. So, apart from expander clips having fancy projections and ridges to grip the concrete, the tapered surface of the expander cone needs to be smooth and made consistently so in the manufacturing process - both of which are easier to achieve with a cold forged product than a machined one, which will often appear to have a series of ridges along the taper and will therefore offer more friction resistance to the clip and be more likely to slide out of the concrete. This is just one benefit you can point out to your customer for choosing the product from a well-known brand carrying an ETA, rather than one whose only benefit is that it’s cheap. After all there are very few applications

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

S I S T E M I

D I

F I S S A G G I O

F A S T E N I N G

S Y S T E M S

shoot&fix

Fissaggio a sparo - Powder Actuated Fix

Chiodatrici OMOLOGATE C.I.P. APPROVED Tools

sistemi di fissaggio

速

w w w . b o s s o n g . c o m BOSSONG S.p.A. Sistemi di fissaggio e consolidamento

A S S O C I A T O

Confindustria Unione Industriali

European Consortium of Anchors Producers

M E M B E R

O F

Associazione Italiana per il restauro architettonico, artistico, urbano

Zona Industriale 2 - Via E. Fermi, 51 - 24050 GRASSOBBIO (Bergamo) Italy - Tel +39 035 3846 011 - Fax +39 035 3846 012 - info@bossong.com

C ONST R U CTION F IXINGS where the functioning or strength of a fixing is unimportant. What about different formats? Well, whereas other fixings come in a wide variety of styles, throughbolts tend to come in just one (with one or two exceptions). Usually like this:

Sometimes like this:

the expansion to work deep in the concrete. A second clip nearer the surface, usually smaller than a single clip, will work with a smaller concrete cone and so not add significantly to the overall strength of the anchor: it will certainly not double it! One useful variation manufacturers offer is alternative embedment depths for the same anchor length. This enables the fixture thickness to be increased, albeit with a lower recommended load. Reduced embedment depths should not, however, be used with thin fixtures as this will mean a lot of thread projecting unnecessarily. And if the component being fixed is very thin, for instance a thin plate or bracket only 3mm - 4mm thick, there may be the risk where the thread ends coincide with the concrete surface on the reduced embedment version, that the plain shank will be drawn through the fixture and bind on the nut during the tightening process thus preventing full expansion.

And occasionally like this:

So let’s look at the variations shown above. The increased thread length is a feature I just don’t like as it implies there will be occasions when miles of thread are left poking out? When might we want to do this? Well, only when we’ve got a stand-off fastening. But this usage, for things like lift guide rails, where the only loading is strictly along the axis of the fixing, is very rare.

Another key point for installers concerns the position of the nut when the anchor is hammered into the hole. Ideally it should be assembled to just expose the plain nib, which is there (on most quality products) to prevent the hammer from damaging the thread. And by keeping the nut as high as possible on the anchor we maximise the embedment depth and therefore the performance.

Stand - off fastening - axial loads only No, I suspect that the main usage for these fixings is for those occasions when the installer hits rebar, and can’t be bothered to sort out what to do by asking an engineer. Instead of most of the anchor going into the concrete, as it should, it is fixed into a very shallow hole above the rebar leaving most of the thread poking out to be cut off with a grinder. Uuuuurrrgh! If I need to say it this is criminal negligence. The anchor will not be developing anything like the strength it should; safety margins will be reduced and anchors have been known to fail, with disastrous consequences, for just this reason. The other variation shown above is a double expander version, which probably offers very little benefit over a single expander. Maximum strength of any expansion anchor is gained by getting

One thing sometimes forgotten is that, unlike many other anchors, throughbolts are nigh on impossible to remove without damaging the concrete. So if it is possible that the fixture may need to be moved or removed at some time in the future machinery on a factory floor for instance - then the throughbolt can at least be hidden if the hole has been over drilled at the time of installation to a depth of the overall length of the anchor plus at least 20mm. When the fixture is removed the anchor can be knocked to the base of the hole, which must then be filled with a suitable grout. In summary throughbolt is a straightforward fixing capable of satisfying many applications and which, if carefully chosen and installed, will be reliable and problem free.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

When I’m in a fix, my mate’s always

n my side

When you’re out on the job, you need a mate you can always rely on. Unifix products have the quality and strength to be your number one companion, whatever fixing solution you require. After almost 50 years, Unifix products are still setting standards for service levels and unbeatable availability. With an unrivalled range of fixings, Unifix is one mate who will never let you down.

Find out more about what your new best mate can do for you at www.unifix.co.uk

Unifix, Shire Business Park, Wainwright Road, Worcester WR4 9FA T: 0800 808 7172 F: 0800 731 3579 www.unifix.co.uk

MKT VMZ dynamic

The anchor for alternating loads and vibrations. Highest long-term fatigue bearing capacity Higher load capacity means fewer or smaller anchors are required Available in HCR-Steel with up to 70% higher load than comparable products

MKT Metall-Kunststoff-Technik GmbH & Co. KG Auf dem Immel 2 67685 Weilerbach, Germany

new

Phone +49.6374/91160 Fax +49.6374/911660 mkt@mkt-duebel.de www.mkt-duebel.de

c o n s t ruct i o n f i x i n g s

Up on the roof INSTA-STIK roofing adhesive, manufactured by Dow Building Solutions, is used to attach insulation boards and waterproofing membranes to a variety of substrates on flat roofs.

ow Building Soultions explains that the product has a unique delivery system allowing precisely controlled doses, so less product and time is wasted. “Operators looking for a portable, quick, clean and easy to use system providing fast adhesion appreciate being able to apply the product with the specially designed application wand,” said Nick Mills, of specialist roofing products company InStar which distributes INSTA-STIK for Dow Building Solutions in the UK. “It means they don’t have to rely on guess work which can jeopardise performance on the one hand, or lead to waste on the other.” INSTA-STIK comes in a portable, pressurised container which need no external power source. Dow Building Solutions highlights that unlike liquid polyurethane adhesives, the product is already expanded when dispensed and application can be accurately controlled. It also needs no heating, meaning no set up time, enabling faster and leaner construction. INSTA-STIK is compatible with a range of insulation boards including extruded and expanded polystyrene, glass fibre tissue faced polyurethane and polyisocyanuarate, mineral and glass fibre, cellular glass, cork, wood fibre and foamed silica. It works with substrates including oriented strand boards, bituminous vapour control layers and existing bituminous built-up roofing (sanded bituminous membranes), mastic asphalt, concrete decks, galvanised metal decks and plywood.

Hilti creates new role Gareth Lewis has been promoted to the newly created role of general manager Great Britain (GB) & region head of Northern Europe for innovative construction products manufacturer, Hilti.

he position, which replaces and expands on the preceding managing director’s role, will see him initiate a new hub that will be responsible for sales, marketing and purchasing across several countries, including Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Lewis, who joined Hilti in 1999, previously held the title of general manager south in North America. Prior to that he held senior positions for the company in the USA, Europe and Great Britain. “The UK is the second biggest economy in Europe and coupled with the business and cultural similarities with Northern European countries, it makes eminent sense to have the significant presence and workforce in this country,” said Lewis. “Despite the recession, Hilti is in a very strong position in terms of brand, product innovation and project expertise and the company uses these credentials to really add value to our customers.” He added: “By utilising our strengths in key areas, such as supply chain management, technical support and health and safety, including our market leading products designed to minimise dust, working at height and hand-arm vibration, I see strong growth potential.”

Tellerkop ideal for timber Nestinox has now added the stainless steel Tellerkop (star pin) screw to its range and says that the screw is quick and easy to use and ideal for timber construction.

he Tellerkop can also be used for fixing solar systems, roofing and cladding, garden fences, car ports and in various other applications. Nestinox highlights that Tellerkop doesn’t require any pre-drilling and it helps reduce wood splitting thanks to its special screw point. The Tellerkop also features better weight transfer meaning that fewer fixing points are needed. “To obtain more information on the Tellerkop screw or our other stainless steel fasteners, please contact our sales department.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

c o n s t ruct i o n f i x i n g s

Tekla software integrates BeamClamp® fixings Kee Safety has announced that its range of BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® steelwork fixing products are now integrated into Tekla Structures, a piece of time-saving design software used by structural engineers across the globe.

ekla Structures is a modelling package which allows the engineer to build a realistic model of a building in a 3D environment and detail every aspect of its steelwork connections. In the past, BeamClamp® fixings and BoxBolt® hollow section connections were detailed manually outside the model. However, this new development will ensure that BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® products can be integrated as intelligent macros into the Tekla Structures package, allowing engineers to enter any loading details and even change the style of fixings to suit their preference. Kee Safety highlights that another major benefit is that BeamClamp® fixings generally require a location plate/bracket to connect them to the steel sections. Previously, these fabrication drawings have been calculated manually. Now, they can be taken straight from the model, again saving time for engineers. Also featured in the Tekla Structures package is Kee Safety’s FloorfixHT range which provides a fixing solution for chequer/durbar plate flooring. FloorfixHT allows the flooring to be secured to the supporting steelwork without the requirement for drilling into the existing structure or access to the underside of the floor.

fischer, no lightweight option For over 50 years fischer has been using nylon as the preferred material for its range of light duty fixings. Why nylon? Only pure material is used in fischer fixings as it is a higher grade of plastic called polyamide.

ischer highlights that the higher grade of polyamide provides higher load performances as it is a more rigid, tough material which is temperature resistant from -40ºC to 80ºC. Other advantages over polypropylene products are the capacity to reduce vibration and sound insulation, excellent chemical resistance and better performance in UV light. fischer says that the birth of the world famous fischer S-Plug revolutionised the building market and set the standard for more innovative nylon fixings to follow. Other innovative nylon fixings from fischer include the SX wallplug, which was the first anchor with quadruple expansion, the UX wallplug which was the first universal plug which ties in to a knot, the SXS frame fixing which was the world’s first plug with construction approval for use in cracked concrete, and the SXR 10 frame fixing which is the first nylon fixing with an ETA (ETA - 07/0121) for virtually all load-bearing types of masonry materials and for centric tension in cracked concrete. “Our range of light duty fixings offer safe, secure installations for many light to medium weight applications endorsed by a 100% commitment to innovation - a duty which is not taken lightly.”

Hole in one!

The Everbuild Wood Filler range has a bright new look with easy to follow colour coded packaging and a product to suit every application. The tried and tested trade formulas have been improved using the latest resin technology so that they dry quicker, sand down easier and take a stain better than any other filler on the market. The Everbuild Wood Filler range â&#x20AC;&#x201C; bright on the outside, and bright on the inside! Everbuild Building Products Ltd Site 41, Knowsthorpe Way, Cross Green Industrial Estate Leeds LS9 0SW Telephone: 0113 240 3456 Fax: 0113 240 0024 Email: info@everbuild.co.uk Website: www.everbuild.co.uk

REPAIRS WOOD PERMANENTLY

c o n s t r u ct i o n f i x i n g s

Expanding for the future

In a year where it celebrates its 65th anniversary A.S.F. Fischer BV has been laying the foundations for a warehouse expansion, which will see the company expand the 15m high warehouse by 2,500m2.

msterdamse Schroeven Fabriek Fischer was founded in 1945 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as a specialist in the production of nuts, bolts and screws. Following a period of rapid growth and relocation to Lelystad, in the early 1980’s A.S.F. Fischer BV switched from production to the import and distribution of fasteners within Europe. Since July this year the contours of a fully automatic high-rise warehouse have gradually emerged. The company decided on a high-rise variant with moveable storage units and fully automatic operation. Everything will be automatic: from the reception of the products, the storage and the internal transport to the supply of the goods to meet orders. In the new facility the current number of pallet places will be increased to a total of just under 20,000. “The new building will improve and accelerate our logistic processes, so that we will be able to serve our customers even better. To add to the new warehouse we have also introduced a number of new brands and products, the sales team has been expanded and there have been major investments in IT and logistics.”

Recent European Technical Approvals for fixings Below is a list of recent ETAs granted in the last three months to fixing products, following the agreement with the European Organisation for Technical Approvals.

t is important to note that existing ETAs may be amended or withdrawn so this list should not be considered definitive. For further information and a full list of valid ETAs you should visit EOTA’s website, www.eota.be.

ETA NUMBER

TRADE NAME

HOLDER

ETAG 001 Metal Anchors for use in Concrete (all parts) ETA - 09/0406

BTI Injection System UVT-SF Plus for concrete

BTI Befestigungstechnik GmbH

ETA - 10/0005

Hilti Concrete screw HUS-HR

Hilti Aktiengesellschaft Business Unit Anchors

ETA - 10/0099

2KPS EASF-V, EASF-VC galvanized or stainless steel bonded anchor

2K polymer systems ltd

ETA - 10/0105

Miltitek Fix VSF

De Neef Technologies SL

ETA - 10/0110

FORTE PRESA PREMIUM VINILESTERE

SARATOGA INT. SFORZA S.p.A.

ETA - 10/0111

FORTE PRESA PREMIUM VINILESTERE for rebar connections

SARATOGA INT. SFORZA S.p.A.

ETA - 10/0114

TOGE Concrete screw TSM 6

Toge-Dübel A. Gerhard KG

ETA - 10/0128

B+BTec BV for concrete

B+BTec BV

ETA - 10/0129

Injections system Dana Lim Forankringsmasse 294 for concrete

Dana LIM A/S

ETA - 10/0130

Mungo Injection System MIT-SE Plus for concrete

MUNGO Befestigungstechnik AG

ETA - 10/0131

VJ Tecnology Injection System V420+ for concrete

VJ Technology

ETA - 10/0132

HAMAR Injection System Vinylester STVK for concrete

HAMAR sp.j.

ETA - 10/0133

Zweygart injection system ZW for concrete

Zweygart Fachhandelsgruppe GmbH & CO KG

ETA - 10/0134

Apolo MEA injection system Vinyl for concrete

Apolo MEA Befestigungssysteme GmbH

ETA - 10/0135

B+BTec BV Injection system BIS-V for rebar conection

B+BTec BV

ETA - 10/0136

VJ Technology injection system V420+ for rebar connection

VJ Technology

ETA - 10/0138

VIFER II fo rebar connections

Batifix

ETA - 10/0167

Soudafix Injection System VE-SF for concrete

SOUDAL NV

ETA - 10/0179

Expandet Throughbolt EXG-A4 II

Expanded Screw Anchors A/S

ETA - 10/0180

Expanded Throughbolt EXG II

Expanded Screw Anchors A/S

ETA - 10/0197

BISON - CHEMICAL ANCHOR

Bison International

ETA - 10/0213

RBS 345 MX

SOMAIN ITALIA srl

ETA - 10/0219

UNIFIX PROFIX EVO 2.0

Unifix SWG s.r.l.

ETA - 10/0220

UNIFIX PROFIX EVO2.0 for rebar connections

Unifix SWG s.r.l.

ETA - 10/0280

Apolo MEA Quick fiw anchors

Apolo MEA Befestigungssysteme GmbH

ETA - 10/0293

FM-753 crack A4

Friulsider S.p.A.

ETAG 014 Plastic Anchors for ETICS N/A

N/A

ETAG 020 plastic Anchors (all parts) N/A

N/A

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

N/A

c o n s t r u ct i o n f i x i n g s

GX-L NYLON for through fastening G&B Fissaggi, based in Turin, Italy, has introduced the new GX-L NYLON , a nylon plug for frame fixing which has been designed for through fastening.

&B Fissaggi explains that the GX-L NYLON features a four way structure expansion body to increase pull out values on the main building supports. Designed for the frame fixing sector, the GX-L NYLON also assures quick installation and extra safety. The GX-L NYLON features an asymmetric anti-rotation system, knot expansion for high performance on different profiles, and a screw block system to prevent plug expansion during tightening. Suitable for applications in stone, concrete, solid, semi-solid and hollow brick, as well as light concrete, the GX-L NYLON is available in 8mm and 10mm diameter, in lengths up to 260mm. G&B Fissaggi points out that the GX-L NYLON can be supplied with countersunk flat head screw, T30 and T40, hexagonal head screw T40, and hexagonal all round screw T40.

J-Bond proves a great mixer J-Bond, a versatile new two part epoxy adhesive for a wide range of uses, has been introduced by JCP Construction Products, a specialist supplier of construction fixings to distributors.

uitable for a range of applications, from bonding brick slips and natural stone, through to heavy tiles, steel and concrete, J-Bond epoxy resin (Part No. JFB3000) can be used on horizontal and vertical surfaces as well as overhead, although heavy items will need support during curing. It can be applied to damp surfaces and will cure down to 5ºC or in one hour at 25ºC. Nick Beardon of JCP explains: “J-Bond is an extremely versatile addition to our range. Its excellent adhesion properties in heavy duty applications make it a valuable resource - it can even be used for patching and crack repairs.” JCP highlights that because J-Bond is supplied in a single 3kg tub with the two components in separate compartments, it is easy to mix, with sufficient space in the bottom half of the tub meaning it can be mixed together without the need for a separate container. Also, if smaller amounts are required then equal parts of the two components can be easily mixed on a flat non-porous surface and the remainder stored for future use.

INDEX adds Gravitex to range INDEX, based in Logron ˜o, Spain, has launched a new toggle head called Gravitex, which is available in a wide range of sizes and two models: threaded bar and hook.

NDEX explains that the innovative characteristics of Gravitex provide it with a higher load capacity. Together with the launch of Gravitex, INDEX also offers a wide range of products for light fixings, such as TAPLA ZK zamak plugs for plasterboard, perforated bandings, different models of nylon plugs, MTH through bolt anchors Option 7 ETA (ETA - 05/0242) homologated at both zinc-plated and stainless-steel versions, and CH sleeve anchors with anti-spin system in all versions (screw, bolt, hook, eye bolt, stainless-steel or zinc-plated material). “All these and the rest of INDEX product families, such as chemical anchors, anchors for heavy loads, screws, as well as clamps and blisters, make us a reference global supplier in the world of fixing systems.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Machine Screws Limited Stockist & Distributor of Rolled Thread Machine Screws Complete Range of Metric Threads in All Heads Zinc Plated Offered Ex-Stock with Next Day Delivery Within UK Imperial Threads & Non-Standards also within the Range can be Manufactured Specially.

THS G N LE LITY R E G IA LON SPEC A

Tel: +44 (0)1527 516528 Fax: +44 (0)1527 516492 I N T E R N AT I O N A L E N Q U I R I E S W E L C O M E Machine Screws Limited Unit 5, Kingfisher Business Park, Arthur Street, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 8LG

Email: adrian-morris@blueyonder.co.uk

m a n u fa ct u r i n g t e c h n o lo g y

Fasteners coated in GEOMET® NOF Metal Coatings Europe, formerly Dacral S.A, has 30 years experience of supplying DACROMET® for use on fasteners, which has now been replaced by GEOMET®.

OF Metal Coatings Europe is owned by NOF Metal Coatings Group, the anticorrosion division of the Japanese Chemical Group NOF Corporation, a subsidiary of which invented zinc flake technology in the 1970s in the USA. Before the Millennium, NOF Metal Coatings Europe’s R & D centre began research on the possibility of developing a material that anticipated the requirements of the End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV) and VOC control. The final choice of materials for the coatings composition has allowed: • Reduction of the environmental impact by not using any chromium compounds and a water-based formulation. • Improvement of the recyclability of the coated components at their end of life. • A pre-mixed delivery form at extreme low VOC.

In developing Goemet® NOF Metal Coatings Europe had a clear vision that the ideal coating for fasteners needed to be: • A thin coating to ensure no thread interference. • A lubricated coating to ensure ease of assembly and disassembly. • Highly corrosion resistant. • A cost effective coating that does not induce hydrogen embrittlement. • Damage resistant to resist “attack” by assembly tools. • Worldwide accepted to reduce stock problems. • A coating that will accept paint, in case painting is required after assembly. • Environmentally friendly. GEOMET® is sold worldwide through licence agreements and the international network of licensees now has over 350 coating lines. NOF Metal Coatings Europe sees its coatings as the benchmark in the automotive and truck industries, as well as being used in other industrial sectors such as renewable energies. GEOMET® is a coating made from waterborne chemicals and

is composed of zinc and aluminium flakes in an inorganic binder. It ensures the protection of metallic surfaces by: • Barrier protection - Overlapping zinc and aluminium flakes provide a barrier between the substrate and the corrosive atmosphere. • Galvanic action - Zinc corrodes to protect a steel base material. • Passivation - Metal oxides slow down the corrosion reaction of the zinc and steel to provide greater corrosion protection than with pure zinc. The effectiveness of this combination ensures that thin coatings are able to give extensive corrosion protection. GEOMET® 500 is an integrally lubricated coating. This material has a mean coefficient of friction of 0.15, designed to remain within a narrow band to help ensure that critical fasteners can be tightened to give consistent clamp load. Other lubricity requirements can be supplied using a range of PLUS® topcoats and/or DACROLUB® lubricants. GEOMET® 500 has been shown to eliminate most of the stick-slip problems associated with high speed tightening and tightening onto painted surfaces. The PLUS® and DACROLUB® top-coats associated to GEOMET® 321 or GEOMET® 500 base-coats, according to customers specifications, provide consistent torque/tension relationships under practical assembly conditions with most common bearing surfaces: aluminium, steel, e-coat painted steel, powder or liquid painted components. The application of the coating, in bulk, is ideal for small fasteners as it makes it very cost effective. After cleaning, parts are dipped into the GEOMET®, centrifuged to remove excess material, dried and cured. This is repeated for all articles coated in bulk to ensure an even coating thickness. No hydrogen is released in the coating process ensuring that embrittlement is not induced. For larger parts alternative application techniques can be used, such as spraying or dip-draining on racks. Realising that fasteners are subject to damage in automatic feeds and tightening processes, NOF Metal Coatings Europe technicians have developed a damage and heat cycling test which is used to evaluate all finishes and monitor production samples. From the inception of GEOMET® the NOF Metal Coatings Europe technicians have worked with the licensees to optimise their production lines to guarantee the level of quality required by the final customer, improve production, and give advice on health protection.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

DACRAL changes name to :

Innovation links us together For over 30 years, the Global Leader in anticorrosion zinc flake technologies. Our group companies :

reinforce their union, adopting the same company name, all becoming NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP, as of April 1, 2010. Through the most powerful worldwide network of DACROMET ® and GEOMET ® licensees, the NOF METAL COATINGS GROUP now offers even more industry leadership and value to its customers.

www.nofmetalcoatings.com NOF METAL COATINGS EUROPE S.A. 120, rue Galilée 60315 CREIL Cedex / France Tel. : + 33 ( 0 ) 3 44 64 63 62 Fax : + 33 ( 0 ) 3 44 64 63 40 E-mail : infofr@nofmetalcoatings.com

M A NUFA CTURING T E CHNO LOG Y

The mega project

By Dr. Gerhard Reusmann, CEO, Dörken MKS-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG & Carsten Stolle, R&D, August Friedberg GmbH

With 9.9 gigawatts of installed capacity the USA has since 2009 been the No. 1 in energy generation from wind power. German companies that specialise in components for wind turbine construction are benefiting from this boom. One company from Gelsenkirchen, for instance, is producing complete sets of high-strength fasteners that will in future be ‘holding together’ the 338 wind turbines on a huge new wind farm in Oregon. The highly effective surface protection for these parts also comes from Germany. A joint effort for a mega project.

lthough economic growth fell last year in many countries, the wind power sector continues to be on the up. More than 37 GW of new capacity was installed around the world in 2009, 30 percent more than the year before. The strongest growth market in terms of total capacity is the USA. This No. 1 position is something the country will also easily hold for the next five years - not least due to the political will of the Obama administration. In 2008 alone the United States’ installed capacity went up by 60% to 8,358 gigawatts. That is the highest rate of growth ever recorded up to then by a single country. In 2009, the USA even overtook Germany, which had held pole position since 2004.

The US trend: large wind farms

It is a typical feature of the American market that the majority of newly installed capacity is concentrated within a small number of states. Leading the way here are Texas, Iowa, California,

Minnesota and Washington. Typically operators here are also not investing in the very largest wind turbines. Instead, the biggest wind parks are being built using what have now become the standard 2.5 MW turbines. One such mega project is the ‘Shepherds Flat Wind Farm’, being erected over the next three years in Oregon. When it joins the grid in 2012, it will have a capacity of 845 MW, making it the largest wind farm in the world. 338 wind turbines of the 2.5 MW category are being installed here over an area of 30 square miles. The manufacturer of these turbines is responsible not just for their assembly and commissioning. The company has also taken on the task of maintaining them for ten years. It is therefore very much in the company’s interest that the turbines are to the greatest possible extent maintenance-free. In this regard, especially in areas of relevance to safety, the fasteners play an important role, as high-strength threaded fasteners with different types of corrosion protection make a significant contribution to

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

M A NUFA CTURING T E CHNO LOG Y the reliable operation of a wind turbine during the prescribed period of use. One highly competent partner in this field is August Friedberg GmbH of Gelsenskirchen, which has been supplying virtually every major-name manufacturer of wind turbines with complete sets of fasteners for many years.

The subsequent application of an organic topcoat using Delta®-Seal increases the anti-corrosion protection still further. However, the main advantage of this topcoat for wind turbine use is that it meets defined properties of friction and slide, thus enabling the bolts to be screwed fast with ease on the construction site. As additional benefits, it is also possible using this topcoat to fulfil further requirements in respect, for instance, of colouring and of temperature, as well as chemical and UV resistance. In this case, the thickness of the full coating structure is between 15µm and 25µm.

Pro Germany

A Studbolt set for rotor blade bolt connections Fasteners for every area

August Friedberg GmbH has been working with the wind power industry as a development partner since the early days of industrial wind power use and thus has over two decades of experience in manufacturing fasteners for wind turbines. The company supplies everything that holds a wind turbine together, including tower bolts, heavy machine bolts for use in the turbine housing and even long rotor blade bolts. In tandem with the increased capacity of the turbines, the bolt dimensions required have also grown over recent years. Fasteners with a thread diameter of up to 64mm are now being produced en masse. The HV-quality tower bolts are manufactured by hot metal forming at the company’s main plant in Gelsenkirchen. For the production of reversible threaded bolts, which for rotor blade fastening are largely configured as expansion bolts, the machining work has been concentrated in a new plant in Goddelsheim, Hessen. The numerous different fasteners call for an equally large number of functional surface protection systems, tailored in each case to the particular requirements. In the case of rotor blade bolts in the size range M30 to M42, for instance, nonelectrolytically applied zinc flake coating has become established as the standard. In order to prove their worth in the tough practical world, these coating systems have to go through salt spray testing and show resistance to red rust of over 1,000 hours. The setting of defined coefficients of friction via the coating system ensures reliable application of preload force, a fundamental requirement for secure connection of the rotor blades (up to 65 metres long) to the hub.

While other manufacturers are relocating their production to Asia, the management at Friedberg and Dörken are consciously backing Germany as a production location. Both companies, however, make full advantage of their technological edge internationally and successfully export this abroad with their highly efficient solutions. Strong winds, after all, blow everywhere - and the only thing that helps then are reliable connections. That goes for companies, too.

Anti-corrosion protection with multiple benefits

The requirements for highly effective anti-corrosion protection and secure thread-fastening capacity through adherence to defined coefficients of friction are ensured by the use of a microlayer anti-corrosion system that has proved itself in use on wind turbines for over 15 years. The Delta®-Tone and Delta®-Seal chrome (VI) free coatings from Dörken MKS-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG of Herdecke fulfil these requirements as a tailored, system-based solution. The system’s Delta®-Tone basecoat provides active cathodic protection and, with a layer thickness of just 10µm (regardless of layer build-up, shape of the parts or type of application), achieves corrosion endurance times as per DIN EN ISO 9227 of over 1,000 hours. For the large components the coating is primarily applied by spraying or by the dip spin process. As no hydrogen is introduced in the coating process, any danger of hydrogen embrittlement caused by the coating procedure can be confidently ruled out. Subsequently the coating gets annealed at temperatures of 180°C - 220°C for 30 - 60 minutes. Any pre-installation damage to the high-strength steel components caused by exposure to excessive heat is thus avoided.

Feeding the rotor blade up to the gondola

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

victorycommunication.it

the

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Flexibility in production has become an essential parameter in conquering new markets. It is important to produce highly customized machines according to the customer needs and strategies. Ingramatic present several solutions, such as: THREAD ROLLING CENTRE; which demonstrates machine flexibility, directly targeting dynamic factories present in different markets with only one production mean, the capability to thread parts after heat treatment, special parts (grooves) and studs. For this achievement Ingramatic incorporates different feeding systems within the same machine, in order to enable it to produce both bolts and studs. The machine includes both rails and vibratory feeder for screws and a tube device feeding unthreaded studs into the introduction area.

WASHER AND BLANK PORTER UNIT

VIBRATORY FEEDER

Other customers may want to use the machine for only one product, minimizing downtime and maximizing the machine productivity. To meet this need we propose solutions which allow both automatic and continuous blanks feeding; such as our vertical feeding systems for bolts and the Porter feeding system, for both screws and washers. In addition Ingramatic has several solutions providing both maximum reliability and working life; thanks to the high specification of the machine feed items (HSS rails, control sensors, discharge rails, conveyors, etc.)

SACMA LIMBIATE S.p.A.: Limbiate - Milano - ITALY - Tel. +39 02 99 45 21 - Fax +39 02 99 05 01 85 - com@sacmalimbiate.it - info@sacmalimbiate.it - www.sacmalimbiate.it INGRAMATIC S.p.A.: Castelnuovo Scrivia - Alessandria - ITALY - Tel. +39 0131 87 161 - Fax +39 0131 82 30 70 - com@ingramatic.com - www.ingramatic.com

M A NUFA CTURING T E CHNO LOG Y

Innovation factory The innovation factory at Arnold Umformtechnik is housed in the company´s historic original building. Arnold explains that experienced ´old hands´ work side by side with bright new talent on research and development projects for the new joining systems of tomorrow.

n the view of Georg Vogel, head of innovation management at Arnold Umformtechnik, this combination of different generations of employees is one of the special keys to success. “At first it took a while to become attuned to each other in the individual projects. But when they did, everybody involved realised that they could learn a lot from each other. As a result, the innovation factory has already come up with several clever solutions that spark the interest of customers.” “We spent a long time thinking about how to address market demands for time, quality and cost as much as possible at this early stage, while at the same time not overlooking any potential solutions. Among other things, this led us to base our innovation process on the TRIZ methodology developed by the Russian scientist Altschuller (1926-1998),” noted Vogel. The TRIZ development methodology (TRIZ is a Russian acronym for ‘theory of inventive problem solving’) is based on the observation that the same basic problems and solutions occur repeatedly in all fields of science and all branches of industry; the evolution of technical systems follows specific trends and in many cases true innovations only arise from external scientific insights (from outside the innovator’s personal area of activity). For example, a customer may require screws that remain tight under all conceivable conditions, or a customer may be looking for a new technology for joining sheet metal components. Using the TRIZ ideation process, the problems are analysed and suggestions for various problem solution scenarios are formulated on the basis of this analysis. The company’s prototyping department then converts the proposals from the innovation factory into actual test prototypes. These prototypes are constructed as functional prototypes, but they are also built to quality standards closely approximating the requirements for regular series production and with an eye to selecting the best manufacturing method for series production if they ultimately get that far. This is followed by an extensive series of tests in the company’s lab to scrutinise the potential solutions.

Answering annealing demands By providing the highest-performing batch annealing equipment and patented control of wire surface quality, RAD-CON Inc says it has been able to become the supplier of choice for answering the most demanding annealing needs of wire and Cold-Heading Quality (CHQ) fastener processors around the globe.

AD-CON says that its 100% Hydrogen SuperHigh Convection™ (H2SHC™) bell-type annealing furnaces (BAF) offer the highest convection flow in the industry to reduce temperature variations in a minimum amount of cycle time resulting in uniform material properties with low utility costs. RAD-CON explains that the number one wire application for the H2SHC™ system is CHQs. The reason for this is that it achieves consistent mechanical properties on annealed wire and wire rod, its Spheroidize anneal allows it to produce CHQ wire for automotive-grade products, it produces a clean surface, free of decarburisation of the steel wire, and it also reduces the overall per tonne utility costs. Another system which RAD-CON says has enabled it to become the supplier of choice is its FlexLoad™ plenum which allows a variety of multi-stack configurations. The system includes RAD-CON’s patented AC/APEx™ Atmosphere Control System for regulation of heating rates and atmosphere flows according to wire quality requirements. AC/APEx™ provides continuous, closed-loop feedback and adjustment of atmosphere conditions and temperature profile to match metallurgical requirements and is designed to produce annealing results free from additional decarburisation. “Our systems reliably provide the full spheroidization and protection against decarburisation that ferrous CHQ demands. Endproduct fastener quality, downstream machine speed, and drawing die life—which are all dependent on the uniform properties achieved during annealing—are enhanced. With superior convection and advanced controls, we lead the way in the production of consistent batch annealed CHQ wire.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

ESCAPE WITH ND INDUSTRIES’ COMPETITIVE BULK MICROCAP MATERIALS

• Meets industry specs • Signiﬁcant cost savings • Customized service

Put ND Industries’ 50 years of experience to work for you and take back control.

ND Industries, Clawson, MI USA • Phone: 248-655-2580 Email: products@ndindustries.com • www.ndindustries.com

M A NUFA CTURING T E CHNO LOG Y

Thread rolling agency established F. David Knowles has set up FDK & Associates, a new agency that will provide technical sales and services for the design and implementation of thread rolling equipment and tooling.

avid has over 38 years of service in the thread rolling industry with hands on experience in the design and application of all types of rolling from bump, straddle, and pinch, to the flat, cylindrical, and planetary methods of rolling. He started his career in engineering with Thor Power Tools Ltd, UK, designing pneumatic tools and torque assembly systems for the automotive industry. He then worked for Rolls Royce Ltd, UK, in manufacturing engineering, helping to work on the redesign of the car to replace the chassis with fabricated front and rear sub frames. As vice president of engineering for C J Winter he was responsible for the design and development of the company’s unique line of thread rolling attachments and thread rolls, which were primarily used on multi spindle screw machines and CNC Lathes. He was vice president, sales and marketing for Reed Rico and director of Reed Ltd, UK, and Nissei Reed, Japan. He was also director for Teledyne Landis responsible for the machine tool divisions, attachments, chasers and dies in the USA, UK, and Mexico. David has spent the last 13 years with Tesker Manufacturing Corporation as vice president of sales and marketing from where he has recently retired. FDK & Associates will continue to represent Tesker for sales of the product in key areas.

Simufact-Americas joins Forging Industry Association Simufact Engineering GmbH, a provider of software and services in the area of bulk metal forming, has announced the membership of its affiliate Simufact-Americas in the American Forging Industry Association (FIA).

he FIA is a corporate membership association comprised of some 110 North American forging producers operating over 150 plants. The cooperation was established at the end of April this year and will extend the activities of Simufact and its affiliate Simufact-Americas in the North American market. As a member of the FIA, Simufact-Americas will benefit from a direct access to valuable information and trends in the North American markets and is able to better get in touch with potential future customers. “We joined the Forging Industry Association to be able to serve the North American forging industry at the best possible way,” said Arjaan Buijk, managing director, Simufact-Americas. “By being a member of the FIA, we are able to learn more about the common challenges of our North American customers and prospects within the forging industry. We are looking forward to working with industry partners on resolving these challenges by applying our forging simulation technology.” After joining the FIA, Simufact-Americas plans to participate pro-actively in advanced research activities, under the FIERF programme (Forging Foundation for education, technical development and research), working together with the leading universities and academic institutes in North America.

Forging a partnership Impact Global Machinery Inc, based in Ontario, Canada, has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Nedschroef Herentals N.V. of Belgium. Impact explains that its sales and service activities in Europe will be managed via Nedschroef’s extensive support network.

mpact highlights that the agreement will bring local support to its European customers and allows them to capitalise on the combined technical strength of Impact and Nedschroef. “Together we can offer a complete range of technically advanced solutions for cold, warm, and hot, metal forming applications including those for advanced materials. These solutions will include the highest quality equipment available to improve our customer’s performance, provide a sound return on investment, and excellent overall value. True value includes continued support after the initial sale and a commitment to customer satisfaction, which is the basis of our partnership.” Impact is a manufacturer of automatic precision hot forging equipment and offers fully integrated solutions, complete with a choice of induction units. The company points out that it has successfully installed machines around the world in various industries such as aerospace, nuclear, defense, automobile racing, construction, and cutting and forming tool.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

PRELOK ® We provide our customers with the right pre-applied locking & sealing solutions for their fastening demands

At PRELOK® we offer a complete range of evaluation test facilities and our team of dedicated specialists is available to advise you on the most appropriate solution to your fastening problems. With technical support, application engineering and processing facilities located throughout Europe and global strategic alliances, we can support your company wherever you are.

Component Processing to One-Stop Shop Solutions ●

From miniature items for mobile communication to M30 Bolts for Bridge Construction, we have the ability to process a vast range of components.

●

We can also work with a wide range of materials including stainless steel and non-ferrous materials.

●

We are approved by a majority of OEMs and have been recognised with a number of industry approvals and standards.

●

Complete fastener finishing service including a comprehensive range of corrosion resistant surface treatments.

Our range of products include: Tuflok, Precote 200, Nytemp, Scotchgrip, Driseal, Microseal, Nyltite, Nyseal and Nyplas. UK

*FRANCE

Longacres, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 2JS, UK Tel: +44 1902 600000 Fax: +44 1902 600155

Chamerande, 01 190 Saint Benigne, France Tel: +33 (0)3 85 30 66 31 Fax: +33 (0)3 85 30 98 72

GERMANY Cologne Finsterwalde

SPAIN

Paseo FF CC 138, 08940 - Cornella Barcelona, Spain Maarweg 233, 50825 Köln, Germany Tel: +34 93 474 0707 Tel: +49 221 491 1063 Fax: +34 93 474 1197 Fax: +49 221 497 3359

*Prelok enjoys the benefit of access to [production/service] capabilities throughout Europe, including its own sites in UK, Germany and Spain and maintaining close ties with its former French business after supporting its buyout by management in 2009.

www.prelok.com

M A NUFA CTURING T E CHNO LOG Y

Independent chemical analysis Currently celebrating its 90th anniversary, heat treatment and metallurgical testing services company Keighley Laboratories is putting the spotlight on its advanced chemical analysis facility, bringing it to the attention of an even wider spectrum of industry.

hemical analysis at Keighley Laboratories involves determining the elemental constituents of a wide range of materials, including cast iron, steel and stainless steel, aluminium, copper, nickel and titanium alloys, weld metals and non-metallic compounds like foundry sand. The laboratory employs state-of-the-art spectroscopy equipment, classical gravimetric and volumetric ‘wet’ methods, and qualitative depth profile analysis to check that submitted samples meet a required specification, for quality assurance purposes, as well as identifying any material coatings and metallurgical treatments. In addition to analysing known samples from general engineering companies, foundries, the aerospace industry, galvanisers and platers, importers and the like, Keighley Laboratories also applies reverse engineering principles to unknown components. This enables parts of existing machinery

to be identified and replicated where documentation is lost. Similar examinations also form part of the company’s Problem & Failure Investigation service, for forensic analysis of failed components, health & safety investigations and insurance claims. “It is relatively unusual for an independent metallurgical services company to offer this level of experience and equipment,” says chief chemist, John Whittaker. “We offer a prompt turnaround and a highly personal service and, because we don’t manufacture anything ourselves, there are no confidentiality or conflict-of-interest issues.” Results usually take the form of material certification, positive material identification or trace element analysis and are typically emailed to the client. Work is carried out to UKAS Metallurgical Laboratory Service accredited standards and conforms with relevant BS EN ISO specifications.

Meeting plating demands Atotech explains that fastener plating is by far the most demanding application for corrosion resistant coatings, because of the increasingly stringent requirements for corrosion protection and appearance coming from various industries, especially the automotive industry.

totech knows that customers expect consistent deposit quality from its coating processes, which is why it is vital that such processes are constantly kept within the optimum working window, avoiding downfalls in deposit properties while ensuring the most efficient use of all resources available. Responding to these concerns, Atotech developed regeneration systems that allow customers to get the best performance from zinc and zinc nickel processes for fasteners. The ZYpHEX® regeneration system is designed to remove contaminants from acid zinc electrolytes, reducing their TOC values and keeping the cloud point at a constant high level for optimum plating results. Used with alkaline zinc nickel processes, Atotech says that its Membrane Anodes prevent the decomposition of organic compounds in the electrolyte. Also the formation of breakdown products can be completely avoided and carbon treatment is no longer necessary. Furthermore, Atotech points out that its Recotect® ensures a constant plating quality at high current efficiency by continuously removing breakdown products, generated by the anodic decomposition of electrolyte components. The removal of by-products eliminates the need for periodical corrections of the Ni concentration in the solution, normally required to obtain a constant layer composition on the fasteners. Atotech also offers a whole range of environmentally responsible Cr(VI)-free passivates, as well as the Tricotect® Ion Exchange Regeneration System, which it says provides best plating quality allowing for the continuous on-line removal of Fe and Zn contaminations from the solution. “This means that silver and black finishes with excellent corrosion protection performance are produced with no need for regular dumping or interruptions of the production flow.”

General Metal Finishing

Corrosion Resistant Coatings Sustainable Plating Solutions for Corrosion Protection

Tricotect®

ZYpHEX®

Market requirements for the metal ﬁnishing industry are progressively changing, according to both societal expectations and increasingly demanding environmental regulations. Investing approx. 10% of its total sales in research and development, Atotech is committed to lead the transition of the electroplating industry towards sustainable solutions for all decorative and functional applications.

Recotect®

Among its environmentally responsible processes for corrosion resistant coatings, Atotech offers: ▪ Bioremediated long life cleaners: UniClean® Bio ▪ Boric acid-free acid zinc and acid zinc nickel: Zylite® ST processes, Zinni ST AF 210 ▪ Cyanide-free alkaline zinc processes: Protolux®, Unizinc® ▪ Zinc iron processes free of strong complexing agents: Protedur® Plus ▪ Hexavalent-Cr and Co-free passivates Atotech’s production technology contributes to reduce the environmental burden by maximizing the synergy between processes and equipment. Atotech’s Membrane Anodes, Recotect® ion exchange system for zinc nickel, and ZYpHEX® regeneration system for acid zinc, allow Atotech’s electrolytes to constantly maintain their productivity at high plating quality. The Tricotect® ion exchange technology for passivates also keeps a highly consistent plating performance while increasing the lifetime of the solutions. Furthermore, Atotech’s auxiliary equipment is always designed to reach the most efﬁcient use of raw materials at minimum plating cost.

Atotech Headquarters P.O. Box 21 07 80 · 10507 Berlin · Germany · www.atotech.com Tel. +49 (0) 30-349 85-0 · Fax +49 (0) 30-349 85-777

FOCUS ON S o c k e t & He x a g o n B o lt s

September 2010

Socket & Hexagon Bolts This issue’s Focus On is dedicated to Socket & Hexagon Bolts. Suppliers of products within this market sector have provided details of their capabilities along with up to date contact and product information.

Coming up in the next issue…

Nuts, Washers & Locking Systems Contact Claire Lake Tel: +44 (0)1727 739 150 email: claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com

Albert Pasvahl GmbH & CO

Ash Fasteners Manufacturing Ltd

DIN and Specials Direct From Stock Huge Product Range

Ash Fasteners is the UK’s foremost manufacturer of Long Length and Specialist Cold Forged Fasteners in Steel, Stainless, Aluminium & Brass.

Albert Pasvahl offers you their experience and expertise in special connection elements and accessories, resulting from over 75 years in business. During the course of this time, they have become a leading stockist of special standard screws.

Based close to the centre of Birmingham the company has established itself as a proven manufacturer of cold forged components from 3mm to 12mm in short to long lengths. To complement the forging we have a wide range of threadrolling machines which means we can provide you with quality thread rolled products, currently we forge one particular M8 stainless steel set screw and thread roll it to 400mm under the head.

• • • • • •

Leading stockist of rare standards Immediate delivery High product quality Variety of sockets and hexagon bolts/plugs/screws with dog/cone point Square head bolts, knurled thumb screws, flat headed screws and specials Leading supplier for European Wholesaler

Ash Fasteners also specialises in the manufacture of custom designed fasteners for all varieties of fasteners. Tri Head Security Fasteners, Tee Bolts and Long Cup Square Bolts to name a few. The company typically works to provide a 3 to 5 week turnaround from receipt of order. Frequently we produce and deliver within 5 to 7 days. Ash Fasteners is efficient and flexible and tailors its solutions to the needs of the customer. Whatever your requirements think Ash - Why?

Ash Fasteners is Well Bolted to the Market Tel: + 49 (0) 40 532 852 0

www.pasvahl.de

Tel: +44 (0) 121 328 3881

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

www.patternfasteners.co.uk

FOCUS ON S o c k e t & He x a g o n B o lt s Berdan Civata

Eurobolt

Berdan Civata, founded in 1970, has become one of the most competent and reliable manufacturers of fasteningcomponents with constant R&D, widely known throughout Turkey and in the world for the production of bolting systems (hexagonal/ heavy hexagonal bolts and nuts, cap screws, machined bolts, studbolts, double-ended studs, anchorbolts, foundation bolts, holding down studs, spindles, etc.) for automotive, construction, wind energy sectors and power plants, petrochemical plants, steel mills, power transmission lines.

Eurobolt, the stockholding importer of Steel Fasteners with almost 30 years of experience.

Eurobolt, Your second warehouse for: • Hexagon head bolts (Din 931,933 and ISO 4014, 4017) • Socket head cap screws (Din 912, 6912, 7984) • Hexagon head bolts FP (Din 960, 961) • Hexagon bolts (Din 601, 558, 7990) • Special head screws (Din 571, 603, 6921, 7380, 7991) • Nuts (Din 555, 934, 982, 985) • Washers and springs. (Din 125, 127, 440R, 7989, 9021) • Lift eye bolts and nuts. (Din 580, 582) • Special bolts Naamloos-4 1

Berdan is proud to be among the suppliers of the international companies with its extensive range of first quality products to satisfy the special and standard needs, in terms of shape, dimension and materials, with resistance to severe conditions of high/low temperature and pressure, corrosion, and special applications, in accordance with ASTM, ASME, DIN, EN, ISO, TS and BS standards. Berdan’s well-equipped test laboratory has re-enforced its reputation of First Class Product Manufacturer, with ability to have a wide range of destructive and non destructive tests, and now took another big step by integrating heat treatment and hot dip galvanization plant in its facilities. Tel: +90 324 676 4490

www.berdancivata.com

Depending on the product, we have grade 4.6 up to 12.9 plain but also Zinc plated, HDG, Yellow zinc plated and Geomet. We export to all European countries and exclusively to distributors. With 25,000 pallets in stock, we have substantial stock levels including a lot of intermediate sizes. Please send us your enquiries. We will answer right away.

Tel: + 31 3146 75730

email: sales@eurobolt.com

Fabory

Fastbolt GmbH

Fabory offers wider product range on higher classes 8.8, 10.9 & 12.9

Fastbolt is a range specialist - our focus is on a small number of areas within the comprehensive spectrum of fastener types available. Being a specialist and not a generalist enables us to be competent in those areas that we encompass. Our current stock range covers a portfolio of eight product groups. Besides a comprehensive range of small screws we also offer:

HT Strength is usually attributed to property classes equal or higher than 8.8. What are the main benefits of HT Fasteners? Savings on space, material and labour (drilling times). A comparison of bolts with same load capacity, approx. same length but in different grades, shows that those in higher classes have thinner diameters to allow for smaller holes, lighter and more compact assemblies. The market demand for HT is not limited to one class (e.g. 8.8 only) and is diverse. FABORY’s product range - one of the largest available in the market - includes over 30,000 HT fasteners. 10.9 and 12.9 fasteners play a significant role in FABORY’s extensive range which now offers a wider spectrum of types and sizes - all readily available. Few examples: • Hex Bolts & Sets • Studding • Socket Caps, Shoulder and Csk screws • Socket Button screws including flanged & tx versions • Socket sets (45H)… And many more! 10.9 Bolts in exceptional diameters from M39 to M45 are the latest additions to FABORY’s original range M6 - M36 covering also fine threads. For further enquiries please contact us: Tel: +44 (0) 121 556 3474

email: sales.faboryuk@fabory.com

08-09-2009 09:57:45

• Hi Tensile Bolts & Setscrews DIN 931 8.8 plain, zinc plated and yellow zinc plated M 4 - M 30 DIN 933 8.8 plain, zinc plated and yellow zinc plated M 3 - M 30 New in our stock range: • Hexagon Socket Head Screws DIN 912 (ISO 4762) 8.8 plain and zinc plated M 3 - M 24 DIN 7991 (ISO 10642) 08.8 plain and zinc plated M 3 - M 20 DIN 7991 (ISO 10642) 010.9 plain M 4 - M 20 We strive to constantly increase our stock range, but place product competence above size of range. We believe that this competence is prerequisite to being a successful strategic partner with European distributors. email: info@fastbolt.com

www. fastbolt.com

www.fastenerandfixing.com

FOCUS ON S o c k e t & He x a g o n B o lt s Güldner Sonderschrauben

Harrison & Clough Ltd

Experts in Screws and Special-Purpose Fasteners

Harrison & Clough Ltd wholesale an unrivalled range of quality Socket and Hexagon bolting products supplied across the UK and Europe.

CNC turned and milled parts, CNC sliding lathe turned parts, axles, shafts, spindles and special-purpose screws and fasteners - these terms represent a wide range of production and manufacturing methods as well as products ranging from microscrews to fasteners weighing over 50 kg. Our flexible production system, our know-how and our strong relationships with business partners qualify us as genuine experts in the field of fastening technology. As your expert partner, we are capable of meeting your specific needs and providing user-oriented logistics solutions. Employing a variety of production methods, we manufacture all lot sizes - from the single piece to the complete standard series. Our strengths include extensive experience in the processing of various materials and proficiency in the application of futureoriented production technologies.

MetalMate® Hexagon products available from H&C include Metric High Tensile Bolts & Sets DIN 931/933 grade 8.8 & 10.9, Unified UNC/UNF through to traditional XOX, DIN 601 and Carriage Bolts, DIN 603. (Available in Zinc, Self Colour, Stainless, Nylon & Brass.) H&C have the largest range of Sockets and Hexagon bolts in the UK including even more longer lengths & larger gauges of HT bolts/sets. H&C wholesale an extensive range of 12.9 and 10.9 MetalMate® Socket Cap Screws, DIN 912 & DIN 7991, and can offer full batch traceability to source with PPAP and full 31b certification all manufactured by the world leading YFS Fang Sheng, Taiwan.

As a TÜV-certified processor of materials in accordance with AD-Merkblatt 2000 WO / TRD 100 with a quality management system in conformity with Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23 EC, Appendix 1, Section 4.3 and certification under DIN EN ISO 9001:2000, we guarantee compliance with the highest quality standards.

With colleagues based in the Far East, we can offer access to special parts to your specification, as well as meeting your requirement for volume container business.

Tel: +49 (0) 7932 9155 11

Tel: 0844 571 2222

www.gueldner.com

From a box… to a container, Harrison and Clough Ltd has the answer. www.harclo.com

Icon Fasteners

Non Standard Socket Screw Ltd

‘THE HIGHER GRADE SUPPLIER’ With Icon Fasteners you have the reassurance that you are dealing with the biggest highgrade socket screw, ht bolt & nut supplier in the UK, all stocked within our centrally located 20,000 sq ft warehouse. Our aim is to supply you with the highest quality of product and service. Icon therefore offers an extensive range of both metric & imperial high-grade alloy fasteners available from stock with product quality levels from C of C to PPAP level 3. Icon has introduced Lindapter & Erico products to its ever-growing portfolio; this continued investment increases our ability to service our customers to the highest standard. With Icon’s philosophy of being a service provider, we offer a complete range of secondary finishes & lubricants and offer a nationwide 24hr delivery service.

Non Standard Socket Screw are a major stockist and manufacturer of high quality fasteners.

NEED A SPECIAL? With our strategic stock of socket & hexagon blanks, your specific requirements can be processed through our skilled network of manufacturing facilities. Our ever-growing specials team can quote on all sorts of special fasteners and non-fastener related products.

We have the capacity to manufacture a unique range of products from standard to prototype to specials in a variety of materials including alloy steels, brass, B7, L7, titanium and a range of other exotic materials. Our manufacturing facility has been developed over 35 years and includes double blow hot forging presses, CNC turning lathes and CNC miller plus grinding and thread rolling machines. We can produce diameters between M1.4 to M64 (with imperial equivalents) and lengths as long as 700 mm with full batch traceability. We are a Master distributor for Unbrako and a leading supplier of Holokrome and other standard socket screws products from the world’s foremost accredited manufacturers. This enables us to offer our customers an unrivalled range of high grade and quality fasteners at the most competitive prices. Accreditation to BS ISO 9001(2008) ensures quality products meeting worldwide standards are distributed to a customer base that extends across 5 continents. From bar to box to you - Non Standard Socket Screw delivers

So your tailor made solution is only a phone call away! email: icon@icon-fasteners.co.uk

www.icon-fasteners.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 121 515 0121

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Fax: +44 (0) 121 523 4440

FO C U S O N S oc k e t & H e x a g on B o lt s PRK Technologies GmbH

Schröder Schrauben

P.R.K. Technologies GmbH is a trading enterprise having collaboration with Micron Precision Screws Ltd., India, an internationally acclaimed leader in manufacturing and supplying High Tensile Industrial and Automobile Fasteners.

American & British Inch sized Hex Head and Socket Screws in Grade 5 (8.8), Alloy and Stainless Steel!

PRK Technologies provides the perfect solutions to its customers by giving the best quality at competitive rates with quick delivery by getting its customer’s requirements manufactured in India, stocking the goods in their warehouse and supplying its customers as per their delivery schedules. This reduces the inventory costs for the customers and ensures availability of stocks! - Dowel Pins - Flange Bolts - Pins Clevis - Slotted Grub Screws - Socket Button Screws - Socket Cap Screws - Socket Countersunk Blanks - Socket Countersunk Screws

- Socket Screw Blanks - Socket Screw Products - Socket Set Screws - Socket Shoulder Screws - Square Head Bolts - Hex Head Bolts/Screws - Hex Fit Bolts

Immediately available from stock or can be supplied at short notice. Furthermore we also supply special items to drawings or pattern. This broad spectrum spans from the simple slotted screw to the MS/AN/ NAS specifications and specifically finished items. In practically every design, material and type of thread. Over 30 years experience in trading and supplying. Do not hesitate to ask us - we shall be pleased to help you.

P.R.K Technologies provides the perfect solution to its customer by giving the best quality at competitive rates with quick delivery! Fax: +49 (0) 40 386 45556

www.prk-tech.com

Tel: +49 (0) 71 32 99 600

www.schroederschrauben.de

Visserie Guerry

Woods & Hughes Ltd

Since 1924, we have manufactured The Special Screw. This screw is the solution to your problem. Due to the cold heading and threading process, we guarantee you an economic and quality production. We are ISO 9000 certificate. Our company uses a variety of different materials including: steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and brass copper. Dimension from 2 to 10 mm in diameter and to 90 mm in length. Protection: Rohs zinc plated, Geomet delta protects, passivation and phophatation. We can produce screws following DIN, ISO, NFE, UNC, UNF, along with other specifications, and can guarantee a high quality level by camera sorting system if needed.

We carry a range of pressure plugs in sizes from 1/8”-2” in BSPT, 1/16”-2” in NPTF (3/4” taper) and 1/16” - 2” in PTF (7/8” taper) in both A4-316 stainless and alloy steel and available for immediate delivery. Our other comprehensive threaded stock includes socket screw products and hexagon bolts also in both alloy and stainless steel.

We produce a lot of Sems Screws with One or Two washers. (DIN 6900) A team of about 20 people manufacture more than 2,000 different models for an approximate of 150 million pieces per year. Visserie Guerry is your choice for a large variety of fasteners. To meet your particular product requirements, send us your enquiry.

Tel: +32 2 361 28 00

www.visserieguerry.be

Established over 60 years ago as a manufacturer and stockist of threaded fasteners, nuts, bolts and washers, Woods & Hughes has always been able to supply an unrivalled range of products to meet all applications. With our combined sales experience and group manufacturing facilities, we can also supply an extensive range of products in a variety of materials in both standard and non-preferred sizes produced from either drawing or supplied sample.

Tel: +44 (0) 121 505 7551

www.socketscrews.co.uk

www.fastenerandfixing.com

management + systems

Commanding the midfield There’s a new name for business software emerging in the UK fastener distribution sector. While we don’t think long-ships played a part in their arrival, it did take a trip to Reykjavik to explore the bloodline of DK Software.

K Software is an Icelandic company. While it has been supplying systems to the UK for some five years - developing a solid reputation in the charity and retail sectors through the work of its UK director, Jonathon Gwilt - it is in its home business market that the company has really established market leadership. As you well know, one of the core principles of our reporting is that we really like to get inside the company - so, next stop was a business park on the outskirts of Reykjavik where DK Software has its head office. The thing about Iceland is that there are not a whole lot of people - the total population is around 317,000 of which probably two-thirds live in the greater Reykjavik area. That means a business community of perhaps 20 to 25,000 companies. Iceland has little heavy industry, mainly aluminium smelting and, of course, the geothermal sector, which heats pretty well every building on the island. Agriculture and fisheries are very important, as is tourism. Small to medium scale distribution, retailing and service operations are, therefore, very typical. There are strong family links throughout the island and the Iceland accountancy and business service industry is probably even more closely interlinked than that in any major European city.

achievement of DK - it stands, incidentally, simply for Debit and Kredit - over the last twelve years even more remarkable. If you know anything about Iceland you will know that since the days of the Sagas bloodline matters so let’s start by looking at the DK pedigree. Between 1998 and

“What that all adds up to is a business community in which, frankly, it is nigh on impossible to hide if you are not good at what you do.” What that all adds up to is a business community in which, frankly, it is nigh on impossible to hide if you are not good at what you do. Which makes the

2000, four highly qualified and experienced programmers gathered in this nascent company to develop a completely new business software package. Dagbjartur

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Pálsson and Brynjar Hermannsson had already built up and then sold a successful Icelandic business software business but were disillusioned when its new owners failed to share their vision to develop a new generation system. Joined by Dagbjartur’s brother, Magnús, and Guðmundur Breiðdal, the four, all with a string of computer science qualifications as well as masses of experience in system design, had by 2000 become the core development team for DK. It was a conscious decision to assemble this level of initial expertise. “We knew that we needed four programmers,” recalls Dagbjartur. “That way, if for any reason one fell away, we would still have the critical mass to achieve what we wanted.” Far from reducing, by 2002 the team had been enhanced by the arrival of another previous colleague, Jóhann Reynisson. Of course, it’s one thing to have the intellectual and technical capability to take on the massive task of creating a new business system from a blank sheet of paper…or rather screen. There is, though, the small matter of finance. In 1998, the year in which DK was actually founded, Ragnar Bogason was chief financial officer for the Icelandic operations of a major oil company - and a friend of Dagbjartur. He

User friendly DK software can be tailored to meet your specific business needs – and you only pay for the modules you require:

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

General ledger Accounts receivable CRM Accounts payable Sales Inventory Purchase orders Projects

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Automated processes Web store integration Full hosting available Dedicated support team EDI

cial er e p S off t g n i s pric the fir for new 10 mer s to cus

Point of sale

For further information contact Black Diamond I.T. Limited

T: 08449 670997 E: Simon@blackdiamondit.co.uk www.blackdiamondit.co.uk www.dksoftware.co.uk

management + systems stepped in, with four others, as investors. By his own admission it was something of a leap into the dark. “When we started, I did not realise what kind of work was required to develop such a program. I often said that if I had prior knowledge of systems development I would probably never have taken part in it.” However, he did, providing invaluable financial acumen and the operational knowledge that led to his current role as CEO of DK Software. While the challenges were massive, one of the key benefits of the new venture was not being hampered by having to adapt a legacy system. “We had the freedom to do what we wanted without disturbance,” says Dagbjartur. “We basically had three years to develop a more or less complete system.” That said, there were detours on the way - the main one proving to be an invaluable building block for the business. “We developed a tax system, which was not originally in the development plan,”

a member of the DK team. “We knew we could trust Gunný to look after our customers, to install and support the systems,” says Ragnar, “so we could concentrate on completing the full business program.” By 2004 five hundred companies in Iceland were using the DK tax or business systems. A deal had been tied up for a variant especially for the 700 members of the main farming association and DK had also developed a special system for the healthcare market. The DK business program, grown dramatically from the basic accounting package launched in 2001, was already distinguishing itself for its ease of use and for its powerful analytical capabilities. Customer feedback, inevitably, had become a major driver in developing further enhancements and generally ‘rounding’ the system. In 2006 that include a highly intuitive and user friendly Point of Sale package, which was crucially attractive to retailers, restaurants

“The DK system is all in one; it is quick to learn, it is quick to implement, and it is a very powerful business tool that feels much smaller than it really is.” explains Dagbjartur. “We knew very well how to design it and the existing system in Iceland was, truthfully, not very good so we decided to divert some energy to make a better system.” Better it certainly proved to be. By end 2002, 140 tax systems had been sold, representing a crucial revenue stream to the business. “You have to remember,” interjects Ragnar, “that the people in DK already had excellent relationships with the accountancy and book-keeping profession here in Iceland so even a brand new product was trusted.” Today there are basically two systems in the Icelandic tax field - the tax authorities’ online system for individuals, and the DK system, which has been adopted by virtually all bookkeeping professionals. DK remained focused on systems development, partnering with a support and service business, operated at that time by Gunnhildur Valgeirsdóttir, now

and other service organisations as well as business-to-business traders. Today DK Software provides a complete, integrated system, supported fully from within the business. It has also become one of the biggest business server hosts in Iceland, a country likely to see rapid growth in this sector because of the low cost of power generation. There are thirty-five people in the business; five management, eleven programmers, says Ragnar, everyone dedicated to supporting the clients. And there are a lot of those now. DK commands a remarkable market share in Iceland. Ragnar Bogason estimates that approaching 40% of businesses in Iceland directly use DK Software. “If you look at it in the indirect way, and count the companies that use a book-keeper operating DK, it is probably over 50% of businesses here.” It is not just small-medium enterprises - the

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

client list includes all of the multinational accountancy and consultancy groups in Iceland. “Accountants are very careful people,” says Ragnar. “They will not recommend a system that they do not implicitly trust. We have long said it is not DK that sells the system, it is our customers.” The conversation turns to what makes the system special. Ragnar smiles and says, ”I suppose you want the elevator speech - you know, what you have to do to sell your business to someone you meet in the elevator.” There is a laugh around the table. As an aside, it is in the nature of DK that you do not meet or talk with one person, there is always a community, chipping in ideas and thoughts. Perhaps a natural characteristic of a creative and very people-oriented business, one thing that determines is authenticity. When five or six people from a business are all involved in explaining it, one can very rapidly tell what is authentic and what is spin. In DK, the conversations are open, friendly - often laced with humour - highly knowledgeable, but there are very few inconsistencies. In this case, it is Gunný who is first with the answer. “The DK system,” she says, “is all in one; it is quick to learn, it is quick to implement, and it is a very powerful business tool that feels much smaller than it really is.” No-one dissents and it is Dagbjartur who adds a soccer metaphor. “It is really like a good midfield player. It is not a specialist striker or defender, and maybe it is possible to find specialist software that is better in a specific area. For DK, though, it is about being able to play competently in any position on all parts of the pitch, but most importantly bringing everything together and coordinating the whole team.” Freysi Gudlaugsson is currently spending time in the UK working alongside DK representative distributor Black Diamond I.T., so it is probably apt he has the final word. “DK has worked with every kind of business, and every aspect of those businesses and that is reflected in the way in which our system operates. We are already proving in two fastener UK fastener distribution companies that DK is everything Gunný said - the people really cannot believe how quickly they have taken to the system and how much more efficiently it is allowing them to work. The managers, now, are beginning to explore its power, and in particular the ability to extract exactly what information is required to run the business in the incisive way that is essential in today’s market conditions.”

management + systems

Refining supply management systems Wagener & Simon WASI GmbH & Co. KG aims to refine the supply management system for specialised retailers through a sales merchandising system on which WASI stainless-steel connecting elements can be presented on double-sided shelves.

he shelving system is currently being tested by Holzland Peter Verbeek GmbH & Co. KG in Straelen, Germany, who has been using it since April 2010. Holzland initially used the WASI-shelving system only for decking screws but has subsequently extended its assortment of corrosion resistant fasteners, adding a second shelf and refining labelling for its customers’ benefits. WASI says the aim of this test has been to optimise the label layout and cartons with integral pourers, fine tuning them for both specialised retailers and customers. The racks used have sloping grey shelves so that the cartons of stainless steel products slide into place at once. The cartons and the storage containers are space saving, adapted to the stable shelves to make ideal use of available space. The cartons come in different sizes and have a pour-out facility. Retailers always receive WASI products in boxes, which in addition to the typical WASI design, feature their own individual labels. This gives the shelves a consistent, tidy appearance.

Getting ahead in the cloud Solarsoft Business Systems has announced the availability of a cloud based version of its flagship ERP platform for discrete manufacturers. The iVP ERP solution is already being used by 350 manufacturing companies across 2,500 plants, in order to eliminate shipping errors, tighten inventory accuracy and strengthen enterprise-wide control and supplier management.

olarsoft explains that the launch of a pay monthly SaaS model now gives companies greater choice meaning they can opt for either a Cloud-based ERP system or a traditional on premise solution based on their individual requirements. Steven Hargreaves, product director at Solarsoft, comments: “Our new Cloud-based ERP solution for discrete manufacturers relieves them of the burden of owning, updating and maintaining their own systems, with all the skill, labour and expense involved. This means they are free to concentrate on what they are good at - making things. It also ensures that sensitive and expensive servers are no longer being housed on dusty shop floors, and that billing is consolidated into one predictable monthly service charge.” Hargreaves continues: “One of the clearest advantages of choosing the cloud option is that manufacturers gain earlier access to new capabilities without having to wait until a new fiscal period to secure the capital budget. Hosted, service-based solutions, whether simply for the software or a fuller cloud proposition including the infrastructure it runs on, are accounted for differently and treated as a monthly operating expense with a predictable charging structure and upgrades and maintenance built into it, so there are no nasty shocks.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Apriso® accelerates revenue growth Apriso®, a provider of manufacturing software solutions, has announced that its revenue growth has accelerated in the second quarter of 2010.

otal revenue grew 42% on a quarter-overquarter basis and 32% year-over-year basis. Software license revenue more than doubled on a year-over-year basis; growth was driven by existing customers expanding their FlexNet® solutions and by four new customers selecting Apriso® as their provider for enterprise manufacturing operations management. “The growth of our software license revenue is indicative of the substantial value Apriso® is delivering global manufacturers as they look for scalable enterprise solutions to drive continuous improvement, realise higher quality, while reducing their IT and manufacturing costs,” stated Jim Henderson, president and CEO of Apriso®. He added: “Along with adding to new customers and markets, our existing customers continue to expand their Apriso® footprints, contributing to our expansion in 2010 and their improved manufacturing operational excellence.”

A complete Business Solution for the Fastener & Fixings Industry Sales & Purchase Order Processing Customer & Supplier History Management Reporting P.O.D. Imaging Delivery Route Management Warehouse Automation / Bar-coding EDI & E-Commerce Financial Accounts Stock Control Full Contact Management (CRM)

Merlin Business Software is a multi-user, fully integrated order processing, stock management and accounting system for distributors, merchants and stockists.

Call us on:

ď&#x20AC;¨ 01246 457150 ď&#x20AC;Ş info@chatsworth.co.uk

www.chatsworth.co.uk

M a n a g e m e n t + Sy s t e m s

Increased complexity key challenge in manufacturing A global survey of over 700 senior executives across automotive, metal fabrication, industrial machinery & equipment, and high-tech electronics industries cites increased complexity as one of the key challenges faced in manufacturing.

he survey, authored by IDC Manufacturing Insights and sponsored by Infor and IBM, was undertaken amongst CEOs, COOs and CFOs in the UK, US, Germany, France, Benelux, Japan, China and Brazil. 52.8% of respondents declared their operations to be more or significantly more complex than five years ago. The automotive and high tech sectors have experienced the greatest acceleration of complexity reporting 55.2% and 56.1% respectively. Driving down costs and achieving profitability tops today’s business concerns but customer fulfillment is heralded as the most important business initiative in achieving these challenges - marking a significant change from manufacturers’ sole focus on cost cutting at the peak of the financial crisis in 2009. The survey reveals significant differences in the key initiatives underway to combat the recession in different geographies. In western Europe and the USA, a conservative ‘back to basics’ strategy of customer retention and productivity ranks high on the agenda, contrasting with Japan and China where innovation and development of new products and services rank highest - a much more aggressive, expansionist strategy. Overall consensus on cost concerns exists across all four industries, however raw material costs are a much greater

concern for the metal fabrication industry, which is most exposed to the volatile and fluctuating costs of steel or rubber. Conversely achieving revenue targets is more important for consumer-orientated industries, such as high-tech electronics and automotive. Better demand planning and forecasting presents the biggest gap in improving operational excellence when respondents were asked to rank current performance against desired performance over the next two years. Overall a lack of skills, business agility and access to accurate and timely information pose the greatest barriers to achieving operational excellence. But again, these concerns vary markedly amongst countries, as reflected in Germany (difficulty in collaborating with suppliers), France (lack of funds and inability to predict customer demand) and China (concern over ineffective/inadequate IT systems). Almost half (44.6%) of respondents recognise technology as a vital component in their pursuit of operational excellence, with improved decision making, profitability and cost reduction cited as the areas enterprise resource planning (ERP) can add the most value. “Increased competition, globalisation, product proliferation and elongated supply chains have conspired to create

escalating complexity for manufacturers,” comments Pierfrancesco Manenti, EMEA research director, IDC Manufacturing Insights. “Fuelled by the global financial crisis, the discrete manufacturing sector has faced unprecedented change in the last 18 months. As we begin to turn a corner, we are seeing a significant shift in emphasis towards customer fulfillment as an equal priority to cost cutting, as manufacturers seek to capitalise on the relationship between customer retention and profitability.” “In order to thrive post-recession and achieve long term business growth, investment in customer retention is imperative,” comments Andrew Kinder, director of solutions marketing, Infor. “However, manufacturers need to overcome the barriers created through increasing complexity to become more agile, and ensure they have accurate real-time information at hand to deliver on customer-led strategies. As the study highlights, improved IT infrastructure is a key component in facilitating better decision-making, profitability, customer fulfillment and efficiency of manufacturing operations. The next few years will inevitably bring new challenges in the quest to enhance customer fulfillment, but without the right tools to manage customer relationships, these challenges will prove even tougher to overcome.”

Over 8,000 lines

Hand picked for quality... Fasteners and Components for a vast range of Industries. • automotive • furniture & toys • marine • clothing & fabric • engineering • composites

Call or email for details and a comprehensive catalogue.

01623 655265 • sales@sdproducts.co.uk

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too l s

Combining performance with convenience Popper Senco UK Ltd, based in Warrington, UK, says its Senco Fusion is the most advanced nailing technology ever created, capturing the power and performance of pneumatics and combining it with the convenience of a cordless tool, meaning there are no compressors, no hoses and no gas packs.

opper Senco explains that the Senco Fusion incorporates Reflex-Shot technology to compress a permanently sealed cylinder of nitrogen gas which is then released under extreme pressure to drive the nail. The action is so rapid that with its virtually silent firing cycle the Senco Fusion can drive 2 - 3 nails every second. A fully charged 18v lithium ion battery delivers 500 - 600 drives and when it does need recharging the rapid recharge capability reaches 85% capacity in only 15 minutes. Popper Senco highlights that the Senco Fusion is comfortable to handle and incorporates proven Senco technology such as lockout protection to prevent dry fires; selectable contact/sequential/off trigger control; thumbwheel depth of drive control; a nose mounted LED work light; new E-Z jam clearance, plus a sturdy aluminium magazine. There are two Senco Fusion models available; the 15 gauge DA Finish Nailer which drives a range of nails from 30mm - 65mm and the 18 gauge Brad Nailer which drives pins from 22mm - 50mm.

Reducing over tightening Confirming good vibrations Recent tests carried out by the UK HSE (Health & Safety Executive) have demonstrated that vibration exposure for operators using pneumatic torque multipliers to tighten 100 commercial vehicle wheel nuts was 10 times lower than when traditional impact wrenches are used.

he Norbar Pneutorque® PTM-72-1350B and one other multiplier were subjected to lab and field tests by the HSE and both tools confirmed manufacturer claims of low vibration emissions. Philip Brodey of Norbar Torque Tools, based in Banbury, said that the HSE had identified the need for these tests because of the increased use of torque multipliers as an alternative to impact wrenches. “We believe that the tests have shown the very clear health and safety benefits that using torque multipliers can provide in the workplace,” he added. The HSE tests were carried out at the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) using the standard test outlined in ISO/FDIS 28927-2:2008, with declared vibration emission levels verified according to criteria set by BS EN 12096:1997. Both brake device and free running tests were used by the HSL, and the multipliers were also trialled in the field at a commercial vehicle fleet maintenance workshop.

Torqueleader has introduced the TBN 200 breaking torque wrench, which utilises a 20° breaking action that helps reduce the possibility of over tightening by clearly indicating to the operator when the preset torque has been achieved.

orqueleader highlights that access to more awkward places is allowed by having the breaking action further down the TBN 200 wrench. Also, the TBN’s precision mechanism ensures that the set torque is applied consistently, delivering excellent repeatability and making certain the customer quality objectives are met. The TBN 200 models can be supplied either with a 16mm spigot or 14 x 18 carrier rectangular fitting drive which allows use of current end fittings. The TBN 200 and 200 G models are part of Torqueleader’s TBN breaking torque wrench range which goes from 0.2Nm - 2Nm (1.8lbf.in - 18lbf.in) right up to 40Nm - 200Nm (29lbf.ft - 147lbf.ft). These TBNs can be supplied with a choice of electrical switch and radio frequency for transmitting a signal when a tightening event has taken place. The TBN has a repeatability of +/- 4% of setting and exceeds the ISO 6789:2003 requirements.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Special screws Rapid supply of high quality, individual ranges

• Made out of steel, stainless steal, non-ferrous metals, titanium, aluminium, hastelloy, brass, ... • Available in small and medium size ranges too • ISO 9001:2000 quality

Peter Schröder GmbH Silcherstr. 38 • D-74172 Neckarsulm Telephone: +49 (0) 71 32/99 60-0 Facsimile: +49 (0) 71 32/99 60-60 info@schroederschrauben.de www.schroederschrauben.de

too l s

Maximum safety with minimal format Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH, the company from the Black Forest region of Germany, says that with its slimTECHNOLOGY it is presenting a completely VDE-tested solution for fastening tools.

iha explains that insulation that often poses a hindrance has been integrated into the through-hardened blades, thus creating maximum access to the fastening elements. In this way the slim blades achieve a reduction of total diameter of 11% to a maximum of 33% in the critical working area according to output size. This means that the slim blades are extremely narrow but are still characterised by a high performance that Wiha says surpass stipulations for VDE torque several times over. In addition to the existing VDE-tested SoftFinish® electric assortment, Wiha also offers a wide range of various outputs for three different slim systems in the new catalogue: slimFix, slimVario and slimTorque. With slimVario Wiha offers a flexible VDE screwdriver system consisting of a handle and VDE premium bits. As well as the individual components, the assortment is rounded off with three carefully selected sets, each containing six bits. The hand-held screwdriver is equipped with a metal locking mechanism. Unlike conventional VDE exchange blade systems, the Wiha slimVario consists of an exchange system for 90mm long, through-hardened and insulated premium VDE bits.

Lightweight tools for speed rivets

MTG Hartmut Thiele GmbH has development the DZ 500 and DZ 510 a new tool range for speed rivets.

he DZ 500 and DZ 510 feature a magazine for speed rivets which, after the assembly cycle, automatically load the next speed rivet. MTG highlights that its speed rivets provide rapid and reliable assembly of electronic parts in metal and plastic applications. Other features of the tools outlined by MTG include ergonomic design, increased impact resistance and durability, ease of maintenance, reduced operator fatigue, increased productivity and reduced setting time.

Powerboost older nailers Paslode® has introduced a new Fuel + Nail Combo Pack with a twist-on adapter, allowing users of older generation Paslode cordless framing nailers to take advantage of the convenient combo pack concept.

aslode highlights that now all Paslode cordless framing nailers can achieve optimised performance with the PowerBoost™ Black Tip Coated Nails (3 inch and 3-1/4 inch), which are only available in the Fuel + Nail combo packs. Paslode explains that the PowerBoost™ Black Tip Coating is a proprietary coating that allows Paslode cordless framing nailers to drive the nail flush into the hardest engineered lumber, such as LVL, something many pneumatic nailers cannot do. “Until now, the Fuel + Nail combo pack would work only with our newest cordless framing nailer, the CF325,” said Steve Golich, marketing manager for Paslode. “Now we are including a backward compatible adapter with each Fuel + Nail combo pack so that contractors using older versions of our tools can benefit from the convenience of the Fuel + Nail combo pack and the performance of the PowerBoost™ nail.” Fuel + Nail combo packs come in two sizes: 1,000 nails with one Quicklode™ fuel cell and one adapter, or 3,000 nails with three Quickload™ fuel cells and three adapters.

Are you ready for RIV916? Rivit Srl, based in Bologna, Italy, has introduced RIV916 a new hydro pneumatic tool, which Rivit says has been designed due to the need for a fixing tool with a long stroke for the application of special inserts, such as Tubriv and Jackriv from M4 to M10.

ivit highlights that the RIV916 features numerous advantages including a one phase trigger mechanism, easy stroke regulation, an adjustment ring which stops against the counter ring, tie rods which are now commercial screws, assembly using a ring gear (a key is no longer necessary), as well as being lightweight and offering easy handling. Moreover, Rivit points out that the most important technical features are that the tool works with a 6-bar nominal pressure (min.-max air pressure 5/7 bars), the air consumption per cycle is 7.5 litres, it has a stroke of 16mm, the pull force is 6 bar (13,000N) and it only weighs 2.3kg.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

insi g h t

Ornit embarks on awareness campaign “Greater awareness of a product can have an enormous effect on the bottom line”, says Arie Grimberg, marketing manager for Ornit Blind Rivets. Here he outlines how, by embarking on an active awareness campaign, a company that has been manufacturing blind rivet technology for 35 years aims to prove the point.

o most people hearing the words ‘blind rivets’ would immediately conjure up images of white canes and Labrador dogs. Only a person working in the fastener industry would use these words as part of their daily jargon. Most design engineers, specifiers and site managers are not even fully aware of the existence and obvious benefits of this fastening system. At least this is the way it is in Israel and my colleagues in other countries have told me that many of the professionals in the business are similarly unaware and uninformed. The mechanical properties in comparison with other fastening systems are providing solutions and saving many hours of installation in the relevant industry. And yet, still there are many companies who are unaware of the numerous benefits. At Ornit, we are often contacted at a stage in a project where it is already too late for our solutions to save the many manhours of designing and planning that have already been wasted. In order to avert this problem, which is simply born out of lack of knowledge, we are embarking on an active awareness campaign. Our mission is to see what we can do to help the relevant public be more informed. In other words, instead of looking where to lay the blame for this situation, we at Ornit have decided to be pro-active. By investing all means we have available we are determined to educate the potential users and change this state of affairs. The marketing team at Ornit approached the department of materials engineering of the Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva with the intention of convincing the academic staff of the importance of this issue. The reaction was very positive and a short series of lectures ensued. The feedback from both the staff and the students following the lectures was very encouraging. “There is no doubt

that the long-term view objectives were achieved,” commented Dan Marcipar, Ornit’s chief executive officer. He added: “We believe that the engineering students present at the lectures will become the leading force in changing the awareness and attitudes towards fastening systems generally and blind rivets particularly”. Future plans for the education of the public include other technological higher education institutions such as the TechnionIsrael Institution of Technology in Haifa and selected professional schools for practical engineers. We also linked up with a leading group of ‘technological seminar’ organisers in order to be able to participate in relevant seminars relating to fasteners, adhesives and welding. The first seminar we attended was the, ‘Technological breakthroughs in fastening systems’. The participation was extremely successful and generated a high number of leads, which are quickly translating into sales. The involvement in the seminar was in the form of a lecture on the subject of blind rivets and the setting up of a presentation stand. Taking part in this conference was the first in a series of other seminars, all covering the same or similar subjects. In 2011 Ornit will be opening its own blind rivet training centre. This is part of the ongoing orchestrated campaign. The actions that Ornit are taking serve as an example of how education and involvement at grass-root level can turn the unknown into knowledge and even further into increased sales.

About Ornit Ornit has been manufacturing blind rivets for over 35 years. The company exports 90% of its output to more than 30 countries. It markets its products worldwide and it is doing so through a network of experienced distributors that ensures the delivery of the right product on time. The company’s strategy is built on three principles: superior service, price competitiveness and uncompromising quality. Loyal to those key guidelines the company embarked on the ISO 9002 campaign having the certification formally granted in 1995. Subsequently the company was awarded the ISO/TS 16949 certification. The R&D, production and marketing teams are solely concentrating their efforts on bringing new and groundbreaking developments in the blind rivets domain to existing and new markets. Ornit has developed a number of brand names that over the years have become renowned and largely used by manufactures in many industries. Orlock, Orbolt, Ornilock and U-Fix are leading brand names, well known not only in the automotive and construction industries but, more recently, in the electronics and solar-energy fields too.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

Blind Rivets

A Riveting Experience ORLOCK Double locking system OR-BULB Spilt Tail STELOCK / STEEL-FIX Steel High Strength and Multi-Grip U-FIX High Versatile Multi-Grip T.P.R / O.R.P Superior Peel ORNILOCK / OR-BOLT Multi-Grip Structural

Germany France

Slovenia Croatia Bosnia & Herzegovina

www.ornit.com

World Wide: +972-86610222 USA: 1-877-627-0423

Serbia

A P P L I C AT I O N TE C H N O LO GY

ERITECH shines bright ®

The ERITECH® brand of solar bonding lugs from ERICO are designed to bond the frames and mounting structures of solar photovoltaic systems in accordance with NEC® requirements. The lugs are corrosion resistant and galvanically compatible with copper grounding conductors and aluminium photovoltaic module frames.

RICO highlights that the solar bonding lugs are supplied with the required mounting hardware and are easy to install. The stamped lug has a lay-in feature that allows the positioning of the grounding conductor along multiple frames prior to securing the wire. In addition, the same hex head power driver can be used to install the lug to the frame and secure the wire into the lug. “Stainless steel serrated washers provide a superior bond to anodised aluminium and a lay-in feature is ideal for installation underneath module frames. The lugs can accommodate #14 solid to #6 stranded AWG copper grounding conductors. They are also UL® 467 listed.”

As light as a feather Increasingly there are applications which require lightweight construction materials. One particular industry where the lightweight construction topic has high priority is the automotive industry since one of the central demands is fuel reduction accompanied by a reduction of the environmentally harmful emissions.

hese objectives can only be realised in an economic way through a clear weight reduction in car design. New drive concepts are all but dependent on the success of lightweight automotive construction. An example of this is a recent EJOT application which involved its FDS screws being used in a car body assembly by a famous German car manufacturer. Up to 310 screws were automatically fastened to a bodyshell without pilot hole into the respective auto body sheets. EJOT highlights that the use of lightweight and efficient materials is just one side of the coin. Stability, even under the highest loads, has to be guaranteed by the use of fastening elements as well. EJOT says that it is able to meet these demands and can offer the right solution for every lightweight construction application. Another example of EJOT helping with weight reduction in the commercial vehicle industry is the use of EJOT DELTA PT screws, which are used to help fasten plastic materials, instead of metal which used to be customary, in pressure tanks for brake systems. EJOT is also able to help build the casings of turbochargers out of thermoset instead of light metal. These highly loaded components can be assembled with a DELTA PT DS (Duro Set), a specially developed screw for the direct assembly into thermosets, in a reliable and durable way.

EMKA swings into action There are many situations where outdoor signage panels need to be opened or where vehicle locker doors need to be removed. EMKA says it has specifically addressed these situations with its 1031, 1056 and 1097 programmes of hinges and door stays.

he 1031 programme of internal hinges in zinc plate or AISI 304 stainless steel feature self-retaining pins whereas the 1056 in zinc die or AISI 316 stainless are externally mounted lift-off type with fixed hinge pins. The 1031-U14 variant in AISI 304 incorporates spring loaded pins in a 126mm format. Frequently opened signs often suffer from wind-closure, sometimes quite violently, with the danger of injury to operating personnel. Consequently, EMKA offers its 1097 programme AISI 303 stainless steel telescopic door stay with push button release to ensure that once opened large doors/panels stay open as needed and keep personnel safe.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

A P P L I C AT I O N TE C H N O LO GY

Heinz Soyer rises to the challenge Heinz Soyer Bolzenschweißtechnik says that aluminium is increasingly being used in various practical applications, which is creating a real challenge for capacitor discharge stud welding as a modern fixture and connection technology.

ue to this Heinz Soyer has created the innovative PTS-500 NC coordinate table. Heinz Soyer explains that the PTS-500 NC has been developed for the low cost sector and features a simple joystick and can be used without any prior knowledge of computer language for the automatic welding of studs. “The maximum stud diameter for aluminium was, up to now, 6mm or M6. However, with the growing demands from automobile construction, container construction, shipbuilding and automotive engineering industries for larger stud diameters made of highstrength aluminium AlMg5, an innovative new development with magnetic field stud welding has made it possible to double the stud diameter to a maximum 12mm or M12. This technical innovation which is ready to begin series production was officially presented for the first time at the recent trade fair ‘Aluminium 2010’ in Essen, Germany.

Huntsman helps strike a pose When Cresilas, a manufacturer of models and prototypes using rapid prototyping, was looking for an epoxy resin to secure the component parts of a new design of headset using stereolithography technology, it chose RenShape® SL 7811.

tereolithography technology is used to produce models and prototypes by using resin liquid, which is polymerised by an ultra violet laser. Objects are created by stacking successive layers one upon the other at an appropriate rate for the creation of the model. As well as assembling parts, substantiating hinge development and constructing models in full form, its value lies in providing a true rendition of the original design concept. Cresilas was posed with a significant challenge in taking the design concept of the headset through to the commercialisation phase in a period of one week. This involved assembling the component parts and finishing the headset to an ABS-like appearance that matched the overall design and functions of the final product, so that the packaging requirements could be realised as quickly as possible. Commenting on the choice of resin system, Elisabeth Rey of Cresilas said: “With its low-viscosity and surface tension, RenShape® SL 7811 allowed for even and smooth layers of resin to form across the component parts during the recoating stage. Most impressively, it did not leave any bubbles on the surface. The parts exiting the machine could be cleaned easily and the sanding finish was easy to perform and therefore much faster as a result.”

3M lays its card on the table

ee finally decided on vitreous enamelled steel, which When artistic furniture designer Lee Rowland of presented its own unique set of challenges in terms of fixing Rowland Art Engineering was commissioned to the enamelled steelwork to the furniture structure and then design and supply a bespoke luxury table which finishing the enamel and its edges. Here, the range of adhesive could be flipped over for use as a dining table on and abrasive products from 3M came into their own. Lee explained: “The process for enamelling steel uses very high one side and for poker on the other, the choice temperatures (up to 800°C) which can distort the steelwork which the of materials was crucial. enamel encases. This then has to be fixed to a flat surface, meaning a strong and reliable adhesive is crucial to take account of variations in distance between the two substrates being bonded. I spoke to 3M about the issue and they recommended Scotch-Weld EPX Acrylic Adhesive DP810 which I have found to be ideal for this application.” Scotch-Weld EPX Acrylic Adhesive DP810 is a low-odour, two-part toughened structural adhesive which 3M says rapidly bonds a variety of substrates with minimal surface preparation, and offers excellent impact resistance and durability. Lee also used 3M Abrasive Sheets to deliver the required finish on the table: “I have been using Wetordry Abrasives for more than 20 years on a variety of surfaces including titanium, bronze and aluminium, as well as wood and acrylics, and of course the vitreous enamel on this project. I have always been very impressed with the long life of the sheets and their flexibility - they do not crack when they have to be folded for use in hard to reach areas, unlike other abrasive sheets.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

A P P L I C AT I O N TE C H N O LO GY

FAST turn at the cutting hedge

Unifast’s quick acting fastener FAST turn has been chosen by agricultural machinery manufacturer McCONNEL for an application on its Power Arm range of hedge and verge cutters.

or 80 years McCONNEL’s machinery has been used worldwide in agriculture to maintain safety on highways and other areas where vegetation growth needs management. Highway verges are cut for road safety purposes to maintain clear visibility areas at junctions, at the inside of bends and to provide an area of refuge for pedestrians. Unifast’s FAST turn quick release fastener was selected by McCONNEL for a newly specified metal cover on its Power Arm that shields a high capacity oil cooler and debris blower. Unifast highlights that its FAST turn easily met the client’s requirements with its simple installation, easy removability for regular servicing and quick and secure re-attachment. Unifast points out that its FAST turn is a strong system, yet simple to use. It consists of a hardened steel stud, a spring steel or plastic retainer and a slip on receptacle that only needs to be clipped onto the opposing panel, completing installation in seconds. The fastener, which has strong anti-vibration qualities, only requires a quick quarter turn to operate. When undone the stud stays attached to the released panel so it will not be lost, a vital requirement when field access is required. While FAST turn comes in various head styles, including wing and phillips, McCONNEL opted for a slotted head, which can be easily opened, as the best fit for its customer service requirements.

Spirol gets a handle on things When a specialised moulder of chrome plated plastic automobile components, including door handles, wanted to improve production efficiency and enhance the quality of the final product, the expertise of Spirol Industries was called upon.

he process covered the installation of a steel threaded insert into various door handle covers after the moulding process. The inserts were being fitted manually using an induction heating unit and a simple press - an extremely slow process due to manual loading and the poor thermal conductivity of the steel insert. In addition, if the operator unloaded the assembly too quickly before the insert cooled, it would float out of position in the molten plastic. This process yielded erratic performance results with a production time of approximately 30 seconds per assembly and an 8% scrap rate. After evaluation of the design and production process, Spirol recommended replacing the steel insert with one of its own Spirol Series 28 headed brass inserts, installing it with a Spirol HA Automatic Heat Insert Driver. This machine automatically feeds, orientates and delivers the inserts to a heat chamber where they are quickly heated and ready for installation upon demand. The operator simply loads the component into a fixture and activates the machine via dual opto sensors. The machine advances, installs the insert, retracts and resets. The brass insert begins cooling the moment it starts to enter the plastic and by the time it is fully installed, it has cooled enough to stay in its final position. Spirol highlights that the production time has been reduced to less than 10 seconds, scrap is eliminated, and the final product yields consistent performance.

100 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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a p p l i c at i o n t e c h n o lo g y

Nothing boilerplate about this solution BAS Components has developed a unique automated feed system for its Flangeform® stud, which integrated with an advanced sheet metal processing line for producing boiler housings, delivers radical improvements in productivity and accuracy.

langeform® is a high strength fastening solution for thin gauge applications manufactured at BAS Components facility in Pembroke, Wales. Available in both nut and stud form, it provides high strength attachment points, particularly in thin and pre-finished sheet materials; it offers exceptional resistance to bending moment and is installed without distortion to the component with, of course, no weld heat damage or fumes to be concerned about. These features had already made a 70mm long Flangeform stud the ideal choice for a high volume boiler housing. To date the stud has been installed manually, taking approximately one minute to install the four studs required for each boiler panel. WEMO, a leading Netherlands-based provider of turnkey sheet metal working technology won the project to fully automate the processing of the boiler housing, including the challenge of rolling panels in pre-painted condition. The company approached BAS Components, which already supplied the stud via one of its Dutch distributors, to come up with an automated installation system to be integrated to the complete WEMO process line. ® Flangeform stud Engineers at BAS in position Components’ Sevenoaks facility, which specialises in installation and automation systems for the company’s in-die clinch products, custom designed a set-up to meet WEMO’s requirements and fit into the final stages of its automated process. The Flangeform stud is fed from a hopper into a vibratory feed bowl. The part is oriented, fed along a pair of tracks to a shuttle mechanism that fires the stud, using air pressure, through tubes into the stud feed heads. A two-head system, using mini-die bottom tooling, accurately positions two studs, which are secured in pre-punched holes in the 1.5mm painted sheet steel by a press simultaneously. The feed heads are then indexed along to insert the second pair of studs. As well

as achieving a radical time saving - the total time for inserting all four studs is now just seven seconds - the BAS feed system guarantees correct orientation, essential to ensuring the studs are positioned perpendicular. Sensors confirm the presence of a part every time obviating the potential for incomplete installation. BAS engineers acknowledge the customised solution was “quite a tricky set up to design”, particularly since there was only 20mm clearance from the curved edge of the housing. This necessitated precise positioning of the feed heads and offsetting a lot of feed and internal mechanisms. WEMO are stringent in their requirements. The company saw it as a significant advantage that the feed system should be designed and developed in-house by the fastener manufacturer. Nevertheless, the BAS team were put through their paces by WEMO engineers who visited the Sevenoaks facility. “They came with a detailed checklist of requirements,” explains BAS engineering manager Simon Milner, “and spent several hours looking to trip the system up.” The BAS design, however, was up to the challenge and it was approved. “In fact, they told us it was usual to have to make two or three visits before signing a system off” says Simon. “For both WEMO and BAS Components this formed the basis of an excellent relationship. Both parties are pleased that BAS Components has been able to take on the full responsibility from the manufacture of the part through to its final installation. As a result of this cooperation we have already received further enquiries for new projects.” WEMO will be using this system to demonstrate its one-stopshopping approach to sheet metal processing at the upcoming EuroBLECH 2010 specialist sheet metal exhibition at Hanover Messe. The company will demonstrate the full production sequence for the heater covers in several sizes. Starting from pre-painted coil the material is punched and cut. During cutting the head side is also bent and joggled. De-burring is carried out by means of rolling and double folding. The sides are double folded and then bent with a small and large radius. A mounting rail is positioned into the product, attached by the Flangeform self-clinching studs. Further handling is carried out by a robot. The full system is planned for installation at the final customer’s facility by the end of 2010.

Key elements of the installation system 102 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

c ata lo g u e r a c k

September 2010

Spain & Portugal Fastener + Fixing Magazine provides a unique reference guide that offers the industry a fast and easy way to source both current and upcoming product Catalogues. Use this convenient service to call, fax or email the companies to request a copy of their latest Catalogue and up to date product information.

Tel: +351 234 600 200 email: 3marcos@3marcos.com

3 Marcos

Bralo

Our products are produced in different steel resistance grades (4.6, 6.8, 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9), stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminium, in different surface finishing and thermic treatment. Over 18,000 pallets in stock. We are specialist in the production of special parts, equipped with high performance multi-station equipment and laser inspection systems. We are certified in the manufacturing of rivets, screws and fastening products by cold forming by the BVQI16949.

Bralo, a brand where quality is the main proposal. A company manufacturing and distributing Blind Rivets, Insert Nuts and Setting Tools with the philosophy to offer the market quality blind fixing solutions at a reasonable price. Quality System Certification: ISO 9001: 2000 and ISO TS 1694 . Certified by: TÜV CERT. Tel: +34 916 928 285 www.bralo.com C

Tel: +34 944 123 456 www.chavesbao.com

email: sales@heroslam.com www.heroslam.com

CY CMY

Chavesbao

Doistua SA

EXPERTS IN FASTENERS Thanks to the trust of a high number of companies, Chavesbao is one of the leader firms in fasteners supplies. Their wide range of products in stock (DIN, ISO or Stainless-steel families, among others), their strict quality checks and a well-developed automated warehouse, together with a continuous customeroriented staff training, make Chavesbao a reference in the market when it comes to satisfying their customers’ necessities.

DOISTUA has been exclusively manufacturing an extensive range of metallic washers and small parts for over fifty years, becoming one of this industry’s leading companies in Europe. The complete washer manufacturing process is carried out in DOISTUA, from stamping to heat treatments, using optical sorting for quality assurance. DOISTUA’s work is based upon values of service, flexibility and customer orientation.

email: doistua@doistua.com www.doistua.com

Heroslam

Index Fixing Systems

HEROSLAM is one of the few manufacturers/suppliers of the whole range of dies used for thread rolling: Flat, Cylindrical and Planetary dies. We have developed our own coatings for our dies that have a longer lifetime and accurate work. We supply the most demanding customers across all sectors: Automotive, Aerospace, Eolics, Nails, Railway etc.

One of the leaders in anchor manufacture and fixing systems supplies for construction worldwide.

Tel: +34 941.272.131 www.grupoindex.biz

104 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

We offer a wide range of products, a complete technical assistance, continuous staff training and an important development of European homologations, which together with our human capital, guarantee our customers’ satisfaction to their specific necessities.

CATALOGUE RACK Lotu SA LOTU offers experience and innovation in any special and standard fastener solution. Specialized in custom screw production, we supply to OEMs, automotive suppliers, household appliances, electronic, and any industrial customers throughout Europe. Zero defect sorting machines and any coatings available. ISO-TS and ISO-14001 company certified.

Tel: +34 948 188 516 www.lotu.com

FASTENERS DIVISION HEXAGONAL BOLT

PVC SCREWS

WASHERS RINGS

SOCKET SCREWS

RIVETS PINS

WOOD SCREWS

NUTS

ANCHORS

MACHINE SCREWS

CLAMPS CLIPS

LIFTING TACKLE

SUPPPORT SYSTEMS

TAPPING / DRILLING SCREWS

Industrial Hardware and Tools

email: export@lusavouga.pt www.lusavouga.com

email: damesa@damesa.es www.mikalor.com

Established in 1967, LUSAVOUGA characterizes itself by the aim of growth allied to a rigorous management making it one of the major economical groups of Portuguese capital in the business of equipments and industrial accessories. With 6,500m2 covered area (warehouse and showroom), LUSAVOUGA offers a wide range of fasteners, adhesives and sealants, power tools, industrial machinery and equipments, abrasives and welding solutions.

Pecol - Sistemas de Fixação, SA,

Mikalor Mikalor offers an extremely wide programme of metallic hose clamps ranging from low pressure clips (such as ear clips, retaining clips, etc.) to worm drive clamps and heavy duty clamps, all of them manufactured with the materials prescribed by the inherent DIN norms. Our company specializes also in the production of fasteners according to different DIN norms, special fixing elements and clamps on request.

Lusavouga SA

Founded in 1983, our main activity is production of screws, fasteners and cold forged parts. With 90,000 m2 area, Pecol offers a wide range of products in the fixing systems construction market/building industry.

email: veramelo@pecol.pt www.pecol.pt

With over 35,000 references in stock covering all products of fixing: Screws, nuts, washers; Anchors, clamps; Safety footwear and clothing; Tools; Sealants, Adhesives, Polyurethane foam; Technical/Lubricating/Painting sprays; Cutting, grinding Wheels.

Roberlo SA

Saspi Talleres

ROBERLO is a Manufacturer of Chemical Fixings with a range of Polyester, Epoxy Acrilate, Vinylester, and Pure Epoxy Resins, Polyester Grouts, Epoxy Grouts and Mortars. This range is quality proven by several Approvals and CE marks (ETA, EN-1504/6, Socotec…). Specialized in Private Labels ROBERLO is one of the most important Chemical Fixings Manufacturers in Europe.

Saspi a leading European manufacturer for fastener machinery for over 50 years offers a complete line of flat die thread rollers from size 0 to 100 highspeed thread rollers as well as a complete line of rotary thread rollers through 12mm diameter. Saspi also builds high-speed shave pointers that can be independent or mounted onto our thread rollers, as well as fully mounted washer assembly and independent washer assembly units.

www.roberlo.com email: exportsales@roberlo.com

email: saspi@saspi.es Tel: +34 943 850 262

Catalogue Rack November 2010 Coming up in the next issue... Germany Contact: Claire Lake email: claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com • Tel: +44 (0) 1727 739 150 www.fastenerandfixing.com

105

fa s t e n e r fa i r b u d a p e s t 2 0 1 0

Budapest emphatically proves its quality The second edition of Fastener Fair Budapest, staged at the Syma Center in the Hungarian capital on 6 and 7 September, emphatically proved its quality - for location, organisation and especially for the standard of both exhibitors and visitors. In all, over 2000 industry professionals gathered in Budapest.

n Monday 6 September 189 exhibitors from 27 countries were ready to greet visitors in the Syma Center’s largest event hall. As well as providing an 11% growth in the number of companies participating, exhibitors demonstrated their support for the second Budapest show with larger, varied and more sophisticated stand designs. Over half the exhibitors were European, with Germany, Italy and Hungary leading the way, joined by strong contingents from the UK, Czech Republic and Netherlands. Worldwide exhibitors came from China, Taiwan and India as well as Turkey, Israel, the USA and South Africa. It was not long before the first of 1537 visitors, representing a 51.8% increase over the 2008 show, began to populate the hall. Nearly three quarters of visitors opted for a fast track entry by pre-registering online via the Fastener Fair Budapest website – a notable increase over 2008 when a little over half of visitors had pre-registered. Visitors travelled from all over Europe – reflecting both their confident expectations for Fastener Fair, wherever it is staged, and the excellent flight connections to Budapest. Importantly, 61% of visitors came from the central and south eastern Europe markets for which the Budapest show is targeted. The number of visitors from Hungary increased by 24%, and from all of the target countries by 37%. Surveyed immediately the show closed, some exhibitors

Fastener Fair Budapest 2010 - Visitor Demographics

Target Countries:

Hungary, Poland, Slovakia & Czech Rep. Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia + Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria

expressed the desire to see the visitor numbers to the Budapest show continue to grow, but nearly 60% of respondents rated the quality of visitors as good or excellent, and over 97% as adequate or better. Over three quarters said they had received positive enquiries at the show and 91.9% said they had achieved their aims partially or completely; their most important aim being to obtain new customers or leads. Exhibitors also saw Fastener Fair Budapest as important for market research, direct sales, linking with agents in the region, and demonstrating products.

In all other aspects of the exhibition, ranging from the Fastener Fair website, exhibitor manual and show guide, through the venue and its facilities, to assessment of overall organisation, the survey showed greater than 90% of respondents were satisfied: more than 50% awarding good or excellent ratings for virtually every category. Show Director, Jamie Mitchell, commented: “We are delighted to have seen the second edition of Fastener Fair Budapest grow in all its dimensions. It was particularly pleasing to see our marketing campaign rewarded with a more than 50% increase in visitors, and to see substantial growth not just from Hungary but also from the surrounding central and south eastern Europe markets.” “The number of exhibitors supporting Fastener Fair Budapest also grew but what was most noticeable was the high quality of so many of the stands. That professionalism and commitment, combined with the excellent quality of visitors that Fastener Fair consistently attracts, no doubt played a significant part in the vast majority of exhibitors achieving strong results from the two days.”

106 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

fa s t e n e r fa i r b u d a p e s t 2 0 1 0

More than ever on offer at Budapest Fastener Fair Budapest 2010 featured a more varied range of stands than its previous edition as exhibitors confirmed their confidence in the show with larger and more sophisticated displays. On this and the following page you will find just a sample of the companies, brands and products that welcomed a record visitor attendance.

r o f d n a l o g s n H i r a f l a St ee e

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You need good quality fastening elements. Coated and packaged as desired, and delivered to you in time. That is possible. The Stafa Holland team is ready for you. Feel free to discuss with us what precisely you would like to have, and when, and we will get into top gear for you. As a stock keeping importer we can quickly deliver a wide variety of screws, bolts, nuts, threaded rods, washers, anchors, as well as a broad range of additional materials. We offer highly competitive prices, deliver our orders strictly on time throughout Europe, and have been known to guarantee high quality fastening elements for more than thirty years. See for yourself. Just send us an email or call us on 0031-495 599888. We will be more than happy to discuss our stock, our prices, and our production with you.

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When it comes to holding your business together, Earnest Machine knows not all fasteners are created equal. Earnest Machine is a leader in the fastener industry with a commitment to supplying high quality, high strength fasteners. Our knowledgeable sales staff is backed by in-house engineering and laboratory testing support.

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“ The worst is over the best as well” That was the assessment of Dr. György Gonda, CMC, head of management studies at the International Business School in Budapest as he addressed the first of two Fastener Fair Forum, staged within the exhibition hall.

ach of the two one-hour seminars started with a comprehensive and highly informative analysis, from Dr Gonda, of economic and business environment trends in Hungary and surrounding central and eastern European countries. “The crisis is over but problems still loom ahead,” Dr Gonda told the audience on Monday afternoon, and again on Tuesday morning. In addition to those who took up the fifty seats in the specially designed stand visitors and exhibitors were able to take in the discussion from the nearby food court. Emphasising that “forecasts and outlooks are subject to considerable risk, related strongly to developments in western Europe,” he assessed that “overall risks in CEE countries were more balanced now than in September 2009.” Dr Gonda gave detailed consideration to restrictions, changes and developments projected to impact the major economies in the region. While he saw a “gradually improving economic outlook and a more balanced recovery”, differences remained and growth would be reliant largely on export. Poland, he was emphatic, would outperform the region generally. Dr Gonda has given kind permission for full publication of his presentation at www.fastenerfair.com for those wishing to study it in more detail. For the second half of each forum Dr Gonda was joined by Geoff Hopwood, chairman of Owlett Jaton in the United Kingdom and president of the European Fastener Distributors’ Association, and Anders Karlsson, vice-president marketing for the Bulten Group, managing director of Bulten Poland and president of the European Industrial Fastener Institute. A short question and answer session provided the opportunity for both guests to comment on Dr Gonda’s presentation and to present their thoughts on trends in the region and for the fastener industry generally.

Drawing on the performance of his own operation in Poland, Anders Karlsson noted this was the only region in which the group operated that had not seen a fall in sales during 2009. “There was no crisis here,” he said, “in the same way as we had in the rest of Europe.” He concurred with Dr Gonda, “There would, for sure, be different fortunes, for different countries because of different political environments.”

Referencing the UK economy in which his own company primarily operates, Geoff Hopwood emphasised that government measures to tackle budget deficits were still largely to come into effect, presenting an additional area of business uncertainty.

Uncertainty was also central to Geoff Hopwood’s summation of the key issues on which fastener businesses needed to focus in the coming six to twelve months. “Demand levels are the most important consideration and in relation to that uncertainty is the biggest factor. There is probably a more uncertain future now that at any time in my business career.” He continued: “What we need to focus on is keeping our organisation fit and lean, in terms of responding to tough economic conditions, but also fit enough to be flexible and to respond quickly to changes.” Those changes, he felt, were more likely than ever to be ones that businesses would find difficult to forecast but to which rapid responses would be demanded. For Anders Karlsson the biggest challenge for the manufacturers was also “to be flexible in the next six months.” “We don’t really know how much the volumes will increase compared with 2009,” he explained. “They will increase, for sure, by double digits; maybe they will go up much more than that.” He identified as another critical influence on fastener manufacturing, “the changed game plan we have from the iron ore and coking coal producers, which refuse to give any yearly contracts to the steel works. That is being passed onto our business. We need to find a pricing model that allows the manufacturers to concentrate on being very efficient and productive in producing fasteners not in having to trade in steel futures.” Fastener Fair Show Manager, Jamie Mitchell commented: “We are extremely pleased with the way the Forums went. It would have been good to see a little more audience participation but I know that our speakers, and also Phil Matten, were busy answering individual questions for quite some time after the formal session finished. I would like to thank Dr Gonda for his time in preparing and making an excellent presentation and both Anders Karlsson and Geoff Hopwood for agreeing to take the time to travel to Budapest to participate.”

112 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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Waltzing down the Danube Fastener Fair Budapest launched with a delightful Sunday evening river cruise. 150 exhibitors and visitors enjoyed the magnificent sights of the twinned cities of Buda and Pest from the very best location, midstream on the River Danube. An on-board buffet introduced the culinary delights of Hungary. Guests were serenaded evening long by the strings of local musicians while admiring, and in a few courageous cases participating in, traditional folk dances - the high intensity energy levels of which could easily lend them to be marketed as the latest aerobic exercise programme. For the rather less energetic it was simply an evening to relax and network before Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show opening.

114 Fastener + Fixing Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 65 September 2010

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New small ® Sorta-Case System Cases (UK) Ltd has added to its specialist range of storage cases the new small, low cost, Sorta-Case®.

ystem Cases (UK) Ltd points out that the new plastic case is robust and ideal for making up assortments of fasteners and components for contractors. It is especially good for starter packs and clearing excess stocks on promotions. The small Sorta-Cases® are produced from robust plastic and have removable plastic compartments. There are two snap-fit catches and a comfortable grip handle. The cases have clear plastic lids to allow easy view of the contents. System Cases (UK) Ltd also offers a steel System-Case® range that it says is used throughout various industries and is great to make up assortment cases.

Smooth operator FDB Panel Fittings, based in Middlesex, UK, says the detailed design of its new Slide Shoe for cams makes the operation of cabinet locks much smoother.

DB explains that the simple two part plastic shoe fits easily over many standard lock cams for single and multi-point locking systems, thus maximising gasket pull-down while minimising the scraping effect on a cabinet frame, with the operational benefit of an easier, smoother mechanism. The new Slide Shoe features tool-less assembly with a positive locking design and is suitable for new assembly, as well as the option to be retro-fitted with due attention to clamping of door gaskets. “The Slide Shoe has excellent sliding properties as proven in laboratory tests of 20,000 cycles and its electrical insulation properties further enhance the safety of equipment housings.”

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Offering an alternative Permabond says that its threadlocking sealants are a cost effective and superior alternative to lock washers and locking threads.

ermabond explains that anaerobic adhesives and sealants are single component materials that cure only when in contact with metal, and oxygen is excluded. They work by filling the gap between mated parts, and cure to form a plastic seal and prevent loosening caused by vibration and thermal expansion. Permabondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complete line of anaerobic threadlockers includes permanent and removable grades as well as high temperature resistant grades and NSF/ANSI 61 or WRAS certified grades. Permabond highlights that the wide range of viscosity expands project possibilities, by including very low wicking grades for post assembly application and weld porosity sealing, and high viscosity gap filling grades for large nuts and bolts. Permabond manufactures cyanoacrylates (instant adhesives), anaerobics (for threadlocking, retaining, gasketing and pipe sealing), structural adhesives (one or two component epoxies and toughened acrylic adhesives), and UV - visible curable adhesives.

Hardlock Nut now in titanium Staytite has launched an aerospace grade titanium version of the Hardlock Nut, which it says helps reduce weight by some 45% of that of a traditional lock nut.

he Hardlock Nut has successfully been used in many industries for over 25 years, and the latest development is aimed directly at the aerospace industry where both performance and weights of components are critical. Staytite says that the Hardlock Nut outperforms any other locking mechanism on both the Junkers Testing machine DIN 65151 and the NAS 3350. In addition Staytite points out that the Hardlock Nut is also the only lock nut that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be seated to enable the locking mechanism to function, thus allowing it to be used for a far greater range of applications. Further benefits of specifying the Hardlock Nut include the ability for multiple re-use without any drop off in performance. A number of DIN 65151 video tests are available to view online and onsite demonstrations can also be arranged by contacting Staytite.

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Böllhoff lets RIPP Wilhelm Böllhoff GmbH & Co. KG has introduced the RIPP LOCK® washer, a new product in the field of mechanical screw locks.

he RIPP Lock® washer combines many individual benefits of existing screw lockings and washers, and as a universal product, it can be used in a variety of applications. Böllhoff points out that where high demands are made on the safety and/or the reduction of parts, the RIPP LOCK® washer is a sensible alternative. RIPP LOCK® washers have radial ribs on both sides. Böllhoff explains that the pitch angle of the ribs is larger than the thread pitch, thus providing an excellent locking effect. The washers are made of steel with a hardness of 350HV - 500HV and for the surface treatment a zinc flake coating is used. The corrosion resistance is 480 hours against white rust. When the screw or nut is assembled, the radial ribs of RIPP LOCK® washers closely emboss in the counter-surface and in the underside of the screw head. Therefore, there can only be relative movement in the separation gap between screw head and washer. “RIPP LOCK® is a reliable screw lock - even under extreme vibration or dynamic stress. Due to their high hardness, the washers can be used with screws of all property classes up to 12.9.” Other benefits of the RIPP LOCK® that Böllhoff highlights include excellent locking against self-unscrewing, suitability for slotted-hole applications, low fluctuation in preload-force at defined tightening torque, and suitability for all property classes up to 12.9.

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Straight to the point PennEngineering® has extended its range of Atlas® Plus+Tite® blind threaded steel inserts with a newly introduced version featuring a straight shank design.

ennEngineering® highlights that this fastener joins Plus+Tite® pre-bulbed inserts in offering superior pullout resistance when installed permanently in plastics or thin sheet metal. Both types provide reliable and reusable threads for ‘blind’ attachment applications, including tubing and extrusions, where only one side is accessible for fastener installation and component assembly. A single mating screw completes the final attachment process. Atlas Plus+Tite® inserts can install permanently into single, variable, or multiple-thickness materials as thin as 0.020 inch/0.50mm. The straight shank design will accommodate a smaller mounting hole and the pre-bulbed inserts will require less installation load. PennEngineering® points out that both install from the accessible ‘front’ side of a component. Installation can be accomplished anywhere and at any stage in the shop or field using either a spin-pull tool or spin-spin tool, depending on insert type. A shoulder on both styles serves as a self-locating feature. The inserts are available with internal formed threads in sizes #10-32 through 3/8-16 and M6 through M10. Threads are compatible with unified grade 5 or metric class 9.8 screws. All insert surfaces are plated for superior corrosion-resistance. Detailed specifications (Atlas Catalogue) and free part drawings (PEM CAD Library) for these RoHS-compliant fasteners can be found on the PennEngineering® website.

FR. u. H. LÜLING GmbH & Co. KG Stahldrahtwerk Kleffstraße 1 . 58762 Altena Germany Tel. +49 2352 977-0 Fax +49 2352 977-111 info@lueling.com www.lueling.com

EN ISO 9 0 0 1 ISO/TS 16949 EN ISO 14001

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Ready… now concentrate

Everbuild has announced that after acquiring the Opti-Mix brand name in March it is now manufacturing the Opti-Mix range of concentrated admixtures at its facility based in Leeds, UK.

he Opti-Mix range consist of 1 to 25 building admixtures which Everbuild highlights have been carefully formulated by removing most of the water found in conventional admixes to give a powerful concentration. Everbuild points out that the Opti-Mix range of products is manufactured to the ‘original’ formula and has always been a firm favourite with builders throughout the UK. “The Opti-Mix concentrate revolution has gathered pace in recent years, mostly due to the environmental and cost issues which have seen people rushing to convert to concentrates. The range, which includes Mortar Plasticiser, Integral Waterproofer, Render Additive, Cement Colourant and Accelerator & Frostproofer provides benefits not only due to the super concentrated nature of the products but also due to the easy to use controlled dosage and the environmentally friendly packaging.” Everbuild has completely re-designed the range to re-emphasise the Opti-Mix brand name and also to return the focus to the ‘original’ formula.

Adherence to all substrates Master Bond Inc says that its Polymer System EP31 offers superb adherence to a wide variety of substrates including metal, plastic, rubber, ceramic and glass.

Next generation of cable ties Dutch clamping specialist and stockist, Groen Bevestigingsmaterialen BV, has introduced what it says is the next generation of cable tie, where safety in application is the most important feature.

eneral manager Marcel Groen says: “With its low profile and contoured ‘locking head’ the Cobra® cable tie is safer, smoother and stronger than traditional cable ties. Safer because the (often barbed) stub is now deflected into a pocket at the rear of the head, more flexible because the flat lock section curves to the bundle contour, and stronger because the Cobra® uses an ‘in line’ mating design eliminating the stress points of traditional cable ties.” Groen highlights that Cobra® cable ties also feature very low profiles, smooth flexing contoured heads, trimmed stubs which retract into cavity, pick proof underside locks, as well as being UL/CSA listed and meeting MIL-S-23190 requirements.

aster Bond points out that its two part system features extraordinary adhesion with a lap shear strength exceeding 4,600 psi, a peel strength surpassing 40pli, a tensile modulus of more than 410,000 psi and a flexural strength of over 13,000 psi. “With an excellent resistance to many chemicals including water, oil and fuels, it is also an outstanding electrical insulator. EP31 has a versatile cure schedule and can cure at room temperature or more quickly at elevated temperatures.” Other notable characteristics of EP31 include a Shore D Hardness of greater than 75 and low shrinkage upon cure. It is easily processed with a convenient 3 to 1 mix ratio by weight and has a service temperature range of -60ºF to 250ºF. Available in both black and optically clear, EP31 is sold in half pints, pints, quarts, one gallon and five gallon containers. It is also available in a convenient non-drip version called EP31ND.

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Online project toolkit a hit Six months after the launch of it’s free online web resource for design engineers, fastener manufacturer and distributor TR Fastenings has grown its base of registered users to over 33,000 and now hosts designers and engineers from nearly 150 countries.

R Fastenings highlights that 66% of the new users are designers and engineers taking advantage of the enhanced CAD and project management facilities on the new site. The website now provides dimensional information on thousands of products and a comprehensive free fastener CAD library, with over 20,000 configurations. Engineers can specify the exact size of fastener required and then download the CAD model in anyone of 27 2D and 3D formats (including AutoCAD, Catia, Pro/Engineer, SolidWorks, DXF, IGES and STEP). Individual items can be saved into as many passwordprotected project folders as an engineer requires, making them easy to retrieve. The website also offers access to a knowledge base on application design and assembly, a conversion calculator and animated guides showing how TR-manufactured specialist products work. “These new web tools represent a large investment for TR Fastenings, but building them was a logical step for us as a fastener specialist providing unique levels of technical and engineering support for our customers. It is especially pleasing to see so many engineers using the site now but, of course, the many new purchasing professionals, quality inspectors and business owners who have also registered are equally welcome,” said TR Fastenings chairman, Malcolm Diamond.

Tech-Fast get the call Tech-Fast has announced the release of a new project for a European military application.

ech-Fast explains that it was approached with a view to supplying its R Lok Expansion Rivets for the application. Having sampled several products with suitable hole sizes and panel ranges, however, it became clear that none of the sampled items were in fact ideal. Two items did have features and performance that met the expectation of the customer so Tech-Fast developed a new part, taking the favourable attributes found in the original sample submissions. The new part, TF0405350, has now been created, sampled and approved for supply. The first shipments of this product have taken place with further orders to supply. Tech-Fast expects production volumes for the first year to be between 200,000 and 300,000 units. “When it comes to ‘engineered solutions to everyday problems’ talk to Tech-Fast first, we are where the industry comes to for the answers to their fastening and fixing needs in plastic.”

Full portfolio of abrasives Owlett-Jaton, a UK stockist of fasteners, fixings, ironmongery and hardware to the distributor and merchant trade, has launched a new range of specialised products that offer customers a full portfolio of abrasives and accessories.

wlett-Jaton explains that the abrasives and accessories catalogue, which is available now, is jam-packed with approximately 200 brand new products, from cutting and grinding discs and wire wool and emery rolls to diamond blades and wire brushes that are suitable for almost any specification. Tony Williams, national sales manager at Owlett-Jaton, explains: “We wanted to bring a range of abrasives and accessories to our customers to meet the demand for these often specialised products and to extend our already substantial product offering even further.” He added: “The abrasives and accessories catalogue has been specially created for the range and is a detailed guide for customers to find just what they need. Orders can be placed with no minimum order charges, for almost every account.” Owlett-Jaton highlights that products can now be ordered online, through the OJ Trade website, the online ordering service for the whole Owlett-Jaton group.

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Innovative adhesives for the photovoltaic industry Henkel recently exhibited at a solar exhibition and presented its latest innovative adhesives and sealants for the automated production of solar modules.

enkel explains that the photovoltaic industry will soon be taking a development leap in wafer production. Conventionally, wafers are rapidly and precisely sliced out of silicon ingots with a wire saw. The entire ingot is bonded to a glass plate and the work piece holder to ensure reliable processing. After the slicing process, the edges of the wafers are still fixed to the glass plate via the adhesive and the two parts then have to be disbonded through the application of acetic acid at high temperatures. Under its Loctite brand, Henkel has developed a new two-component epoxy adhesive which it says cures ultra-fast, resulting in high-strength and extremely reliable bonding even of extremely thin wafer edges. The new technology also offers the unique advantage that the adhesive can be removed easily and without residues during the following cleaning process, simply with water at a temperature of approx. 60Â°C. Acetic acid, which causes problems due to its corrosivity, is thus no longer necessary to disbond the wafer from the glass plate. Another innovation from Henkel is its new hotmelt adhesive Terostat MS 500 for framing crystalline solar modules. Henkel points out that the patented adhesive technology based on modified silane polymers excels thanks to its very high initial bond strength directly after assembly. This makes it well suited for fully automated framing of crystalline modules. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unlike conventional sealing systems, Terostat MS 500 achieves instant handling strength, thereby eliminating the usual waiting time. This accelerates throughput rates, resulting in substantial cost savings. With its ease of handling, Terostat MS 500 also presents convincing advantages over conventional fixing by means of adhesive tapes, as there is no need to perform additional steps such as changing reels or disposing of release paper.â&#x20AC;?

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An even wider choice Bülte Plastics is extending its range of polyamide (nylon) bushings with reinforced collar for its eight models with diameters 5.1mm, 6mm, 8.1mm, 10mm, 10.2mm, 12.1mm, 12.4mm and 16mm.

he reinforced collar (3mm to 6mm depending on the reference) is now available on all of its 5mm to 50mm long bushings (in 1mm increments). Specially designed to provide even better holding power, these flanged rings can be used to protect assemblies from damage. Made of polyamide, which Bülte says offers excellent mechanical properties (wear resistance, low friction coefficient, high melting point and good impact resistance), they are the ideal noise-free solution for rotating and pivoting parts and effectively protect surfaces. Lightweight, clean and with insulating properties, Bülte Plastics’ polyamide bushings also lend themselves to food and medical applications. Bülte Plastics’ standard bushings are made of natural polyamide. Other materials (PE, POM, PVDF) and colours (black, red, blue) can be substituted on request.

Two tier security EMKA (UK) Ltd has introduced the EMKA IP65 three-digit combination lock and cylinder key swinghandle system which it says offers users security on two levels.

MKA explains that the innovative 1155 swinghandle unit can be operated with a digital thumbwheel combination lock (which may be easily reset), or overridden with a standard cylinder key. The design therefore allows individual cabinets to be accessible to specific engineers, and also to supervisors by master key - even if the combination has been forgotten. Fitment suitability includes all existing EMKA flat and round rod actuator systems for single, twin and three point closure on larger doors e.g. typically 2m height, accepting simple single or twin hole mounting. Hole dimensions are fully compatible with all 1125, 1150 and 1225 programmes and so enable panel builders to use existing standard door punchings for adaptable installation in established cabinet designs. Protection degree is IP65, achieved with construction in black polyamide. Operation is available either RH or LH.

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Thread forming slashes costs by 88%

Taptite 2000® generation of thread forming screws combines efficiency advantages with process reliability, with a total cost saving of up to 88% achievable in threaded fastener assembly, reports Arnold Umformtechnik GmbH & Co. KG.

rnold Umformtechnik highlights that according to the results of various studies, 85% of the total cost of a conventional threaded fastener joint arises from secondary costs such as drilling, thread cutting, inspection, tools and workstation cleaning. The actual fastening components account for only 15% of the total cost. This is where Arnold believes that its Taptite 2000® generation can offer decisive efficiency advantages, since costly assembly processes can be eliminated when these fastening components are used. In particular, non-cutting formation of the nut thread with Taptite® products makes them true ´cost killers´. Furthermore, downstream operations such as cleaning and inspection are no longer necessary, and drilling operations can also be eliminated with pre-cast core holes. “Taptite 2000® users also benefit from the improved mechanical properties of the assembled joint. The trilobular shank form and radius-profile thread flanks result in around 50% lower thread forming torque than with conventional thread forming screws, which translates into higher clamping force together with a smaller statistical spread of clamping forces.”

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EJOT ALtracs® Plus In order to fulfil the increased technical demands for joints of high-strength and dynamically loaded light metal components, EJOT says it has optimised the ALtracs® screw.

JOT explains that the objective of this improvement was to obtain a selftapping fastener, with assembly parameters similar to a conventional metric 10.9 machine screw. The metric pitch and the specific 33° thread flank of the ALtracs® Plus leaves a larger thread root in the ‘weaker’ female thread of the light alloy. EJOT reports that this geometry allows a higher loading of every single turn of thread and the new design of this fastener reaches the failure criterion screw fracture at clearly shorter insertion depths. Lower installation and higher stripping torques offer a larger margin for the safe assembly with common pneumatic and electric screwdrivers. The circular cross section in combination with various installation depths (1 to 2.5 x diameter) allow a high amount of flexibility in the choice of the appropriate fastening system. The use of other, for example torque / rotation angle controlled fastening methods, is also un-problematic. The even load distribution on the circular screw cross section of the new ALtracs® Plus promotes a high retention of the clamp load even under thermal and dynamic stress. EJOT points out that compared to self-tapping screws with a 60° flank angle, the ALtracs® Plus screw’s low-damage displacement of the light metal enables a low installation torque. This is realised with an optimised screw point design. The thread flanks in the screw point are smaller in diameter just like the previous ALtracs® geometry, but the “Plus” is also tapered to the front. This way the first threads can enter the female material much easier. This produces an improved ‘start’ to thread-forming and a centred alignment, even in cast holes with hand-held assembly tools. Especially for manual work the pressure force needed for every screw joint plays an important role. “The new ALtracs® Plus also offers additional safety in the assembly process because of multiple repeat assemblies. Important in case of repair: a metric screw is completely interchangeable and can be fastened into the tapped hole.”

134 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 65 September 2010

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Böllhoff’s Blue Pages Wilhelm Böllhoff GmbH & Co. KG has introduced the 11th edition of its ‘classic’ Blue Pages, which it says is the manual for fastening technology and helps engineers and purchasers to choose the technically best and economically most reasonable fasteners.

he new edition presents all up-to-date DIN, ISO and standard parts on more than 1,600 pages. 768 pages are filled with steel products and 352 pages filled with stainless steel products, which Böllhoff says reflect its wide and comprehensive range of products. To add to this, the proprietary products from its own production such as HELICOIL® coil thread inserts and the RIVKLE® blind rivet technology, as well as the assembly tools, are also included in the manual. Böllhoff highlights that the already wide range of screws with TORX® and hexalobular internal driving features has also been further extended, and to comply with the 2006/42/EC Machinery Directive, Böllhoff has added two products to the standard assortment which can be used in already running series, as well as for new designs. In the individual chapters, the items in the Blue Pages are sorted by materials in ascending order of corresponding DIN/ISO standards. Also in addition to the product overview in ascending order according to DIN/ISO, there is now an overview by product groups.

Stella Seven first online-only distributor for AFS Stella Seven has been appointed as the first online-only distributor for Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) Recoil® brand of products.

ecoil thread repair kits are predominately used to repair damaged threads in a variety of automotive applications such as wheel bolts, spark plugs, brake callipers, oil sump and drain plugs, as well as a number of electronics, power generation and other general industrial applications. In particular, Stella Seven is promoting the new Recoil Pro XL Series kit, which replaces both the previous Pro Series and standard range. Neville Street, proprietor at Stella Seven, said: “The aim of the website is two-fold. It provides an easy-to-use experience for people with knowledge of and specifically wanting to purchase Recoil products. The website will also provide an additional online presence for potential customers who haven’t heard of Recoil but are looking for effective thread repair damage solutions.” Commenting on the new launch, Jay Sahadew, marketing manager at AFS, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Stella Seven into our UK Recoil distributor network. We have been looking for a company to support our online offering for a number of months and the integrity of Stella Seven and the service they will offer Recoil customers fits the bill.”

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New stainless steel range Plastic and metal fastener distributor Anixter Component Solutions has launched a new range of metric stainless steel male and female threaded fasteners in both A2 and A4 grades; ideal for applications where enhanced corrosion resistance is paramount.

he range covers popular drive styles including slotted, Pozi and hexagon socket, as well as Tamper TORX® drive for tamper proof fixing. Head styles include hexagon, pan, countersunk, button and cap head. Stainless steel threaded rod (Allthread) is also available in sizes from M3 to M20. This can be supplied in standard 1 metre lengths or cut to suit the customer’s requirements. Female fastener styles available include hexagon, dome, wing & selflocking nuts and flat, shake-proof and spring washers. To compliment the range there are ten standard assortment kits ideal for maintenance, repair and R&D departments. Anixter can also provide a bespoke kitting service. “Since their introduction to our standard range earlier this year, the fasteners have successfully established themselves in a number of marine, transport, medical and food processing applications”, comments Andrew Fletcher, technical director. “The range has fitted in well alongside our nylon fasteners, also used in applications requiring corrosion resistance.” The complete range can be viewed on-line or in its new 2010 catalogue which is available to order free of charge.

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ACT Fasteners & Components.................. 121 Action Can................................................. 91 Adolf Pühl GmbH & Co. KG......................... 35 Advance Spares....................................... 128 Albert Pasvahl GmbH & Co....................... 115 Alca Fasteners......................................... 125 Alexander Paal GmbH.............................. 119 Alfran Fasteners.. ..................................... 118 Allbolts.................................................... 131 Alloy & Stainless Fasteners Inc.................. 21 Ambrovit.. .................................................... 9 APT............................................................ 57 Arpel (Chilterns) Ltd.................................. 91 Ashish International................................... 27 Atotech Deutschland GmbH....................... 77 Autonic Engineering Ltd.. ........................... 31 Avon Stainless Fasteners......................... 126 Baker & Finnemore.. .................................. 49 BAS Components..................................... 103 Bendfast.................................................... 61 Berdan Bolt & Nut Co Ltd........................ 137 bigHead Bonding Ltd................................. 51 Birlik Baglanti.......................................... 118 BLECH...................................................... 136 Birmingham Coldform................................ 89 Bossong SpA.. ............................................ 55 Bralo.. ...................................................... 135 Brighton Best...............................6, 8, 10, 12 Bülte Plastiques SA.................................. 115 Chatsworth Computers Ltd.. ....................... 87 Chemfix Products Limited.. ........................ 61 Ching Chan Machinery............................... 85 Crest Industrial Ltd.................................... 29 CSS........................................................... 107 Dacral........................................................ 67 Deepak Fasteners Ltd.............................. 133 DIV D.O.O................................................... 95 DK Software Ltd.. ....................................... 83 Dörken MKS-Systeme GmbH.................... 140 Dresselhaus GmbH & Co. KG...................... 53 DS Fasteners.. ............................................ 46 E.U.R.O. Tec GmbH....................................... 1 Earnest Machine Products Ltd.................. 111 Electra Engineering Services.. .................. 132 Everbuild Building Products....................... 61 Everest Metal Industries.......................... 122 Fastbolt........................................................ 2 Fastener Fair India..................................... 17 Fastener Fair Stuttgart............................... 37 Filrox Industrial Co Ltd.. ............................. 89 Fixi Srl....................................................... 46 FK Moore & Sons Ltd................................. 13 Forward....................................................... 5 Fwu Kuang Enterprises Co Ltd................... 31 G & B Fissaggi Srl...................................... 65 Global Fasteners...................................... 129 Goebel GmbH....................................... 116-7 Graewe GmbH & Co. KG............................. 31 Hafren Fasteners....................................... 51 HAPARE GmbH......................................... 123 Heinz Soyer............................................. 103 Hugo Benzing GmbH & Co KG.................... 23 Index - Técnicas Expansivas S.L ... ............ 111 Ingramatic................................................. 71 Khind-Mistral Industries Sdn Bhd.. ............. 65 Krumm & André GmbH & Co KG.. ............. 121 Lancaster................ 26, 60, 76, 88, 108, 124 Lederer...................................................... 16 London Screw Company Ltd.. ................... 138 Lüling GmbH & Co KG.............................. 123 Lusavouga................................................. 93 M&W Fastener Co Ltd................................ 25 Machine Screws Limited.. .......................... 65 Masons Fasteners Ltd.............................. 121 MKT............................................................ 57 Multiple Overseas Exports........................... 7 Nakashimada Engineering Works Ltd.. ....... 69 National Machinery................................... 19 ND Industries.. ..................................... 13, 73 Neofast.. .................................................. 115 Net Civata.. ................................................ 47 Nordic Metalblok....................................... 23 Nord-Lock Ltd.......................................... 103 Norm Civata AS......................................... 15 Norma..................................................... 101 Orbit International Corporation Ltd............ 57 Ornit Blind Rivets...................................... 95 Pinstructure............................................... 11 Precision Technology Supplies.. ............... 109 Prelok........................................................ 75 Ray Fu..................................................... 130 Reyher....................................................... 23 Rivco Ltd.. .................................................. 45 Rivit Srl.. .................................................. 139 Rotor Clip.. ................................................. 29 Schnorr Adolf GmbH & Co KG.. ................. 113 Schröder Schrauben................................... 91 SD Products............................................... 89 Shanghai Fast-Fix Rivet Corporation........ 127 Shanghai Minmetals................................ 125 Shin Chun Enterprise Co Ltd.. ..................... 97 Smith-Bullough Ltd.................................... 99 Spirol....................................................... 131 Stafa Holland BV...................................... 109 Super Nut Industrial Co Ltd.. .................... 120 Tecfi S.p.A ... ............................................... 59 Tecno Impianti SRL.................................... 73 Test GmbH............................................... 131 Titibi.......................................................... 51 Top Screw Metal Corp. Ltd....................... 134 TR.............................................................. 41 TransTechnology........................................ 43 Trojan Special Fasteners Ltd...................... 99 U Queen Machinery Co Ltd........................ 99 UBK SpA.. ................................................... 87 Vipa SPA.................................................... 11 Vlier Products............................................ 41 Vogelsang GmbH & Co KG.. .......... 29, 73, 125 Volt Industrial Plastics Inc.......................... 39 Vorpa Officine Meccaniche snc.................. 63 WASI.......................................................... 13

INNOVATION AWARD

DELTA® protects surfaces.

Guess which of those awards we are most pleased with. Again in 2010, Dörken was officially one of Germany’s top 100 most innovative companies. No wonder really, as innovation is something of a tradition with us. And the reason for that has been the same for 118 years: our staff. They put their curiosity, creativity and passion to work, constantly developing new ideas to make our products and what we do better and better. Such as the state-of-the-art “2 in 1” zinc lamella system DELTA-PROTEKT® KL 105 with integrated lubricant, offering a high level of corrosion protection with a narrow range of friction coefficient. Keep an eye out for our next ideas. After all, we want the same accolade again next year. And every year after that. More at www.doerken-mks.com