Hardware & Fastener Components Magazine No.47 by Fastener-World

87 17

Cover Story

王總引領金全益突破傳統開拓高附加價值的新路

「人」是企業的根本！

Employees are Essential for a Business. General Manager Rick Wang Leads “MASTERPIECE HARDWARE” to Break Traditional Rules and Develop High Value-added Products by Dean Tseng, Fastener World Speaking of the history of Taiwan construction and industrial fasteners industry, Masterpiece Hardware Industrial Co., Ltd., specialized in self-tapping screws, self-drilling screws, concrete screws, drywall screws, and wood screws, etc., definitely plays a very important role. This 100% export-oriented supplier is recognized worldwide by its high-quality products, service and reasonable prices. Every year the company reports around 20% sales growth and has consolidated its own presence in the global market where cost effectiveness is always put into priority. We could feel the passion and ambition of general manager Rick Wang in an interview, he seems to be ready to eliminate everyone’s stereotype of the fastener industry and lead Masterpiece to expand its future product and business territory!

A New Face for the Traditional Fastener Industry. Wang Proposes 3 Strategies to Keep Pace with World Trends “People used to consider the fastener industry to be a “traditional business” and when it comes to “traditional business”, untidy, disordered workplaces and tough tasks are what people will usually come to minds. Such a long-lasting stereotype unquestionably has resulted in the current issue of insufficient labor force faced by several Taiwanese fastener companies. If such a scenario can be changed, I believe that our new generation can absolutely become a powerful force to facilitate the industrial upgrade & transformation of Taiwan fastener industry,” said Wang. So, how will Wang lead the company to achieve these goals? The following are his strategies. Strategy one- Factory expansion. The factory of Masterpiece is located directly next to its modern office building, which offers a quite comfortable workplace where all employees can truly focus on their own work. The company is also building an all-new manufacturing site, which will operate with automated facilities, integrated

Cover Story software and tidy bright space. With such new facilities and upgraded manufacturing procedures, the company expects that its existing capacity could be doubled. What’s most important, Masterpiece can obtain its new strengths to attract more people who are willing to join this industry.

INNOVATION

of STRONGER FIXINGS and FASTENERS

THAN EVER

JCY’s contact: General manager Rick Wang E-mail: jcy@jcy-hardware.com ®

Strategy two- Big Data analysis and digitalization of processes & orders. Masterpiece fully integrates all production parameters and has them available online for customers to keep track of their orders or inventory at any time. Wang noted that his team is able to analyze production parameters and continue to optimize production lines. “Leave the time-consuming and arduous work to automated machines and make employees do more productive and innovative work. We’re very concerned about the interests and skills of our employees, so, put them on the right positions and do the right things!” said Wang. Strategy three- R&D. The R&D division has developed many new products and acquired patents and is dedicated to develop high value-added products. However, Wang, who started his business in construction and industrial fasteners, has another plan on his mind, i.d., extending business reach to the automotive market. Why? He said, “This is one of the most critical parts in seeking high added value of products.” Wang said that all strategies are based on two incentives. One is to create environment friendly products of more excellent performance via product optimization, process reduction and lean manufacturing, while the other is to ensure the connection of our R&D with the market demand and product innovation to make each of our masterpieces highly competitive in the market. “What I’ve done is all for reducing our manufacturing cost, offering more competitive prices, sharing more benefits with employees, customers and creating a win-win, through a complete change in the current production structure and system,” said Wang.

Be a Business Owner That Sees Both Challenges and Opportunities Speaking of price cutting competition, we should be aware that this is definitely not the path for the fastener industry. Wang particularly pointed out, “Customers nowadays are requesting both high quality and competitive prices, so some fastener companies would choose to make a compromise and cut their prices, which may be a crisis! Instead, we should focus more on increasing the added value of our products, reducing pollution and offering customers high quality products at competitive prices to correspond with major market demand.” He calls upon business owners to reconsider positioning of their products and would like to be a pioneer to boost the progress in Taiwan fastener industry again.

The Second Generation Who Values Employee Trainings and Division of Labor It has been more than a decade since Wang takes the helm of the company. The predecessor of Wang invested a lot in increasing the capacity and profit margin and established a cornerstone for the business of Masterpiece nowadays. However, as the exchange of business info has been fast and transparent, business owners cannot but turn to integrate the knowledge and power of all members to become competitive. Wang values employee trainings and division of labor very much and makes senior engineers help train newcomers. He said, “Employees are essential to a business and training employees is also enhancing our competitiveness. With good competitiveness, we can achieve continuous innovation and progress year after year.” At the end of the interview, Wang also expects that Masterpiece can continue to break rules in the fastener market and offer customers new advantages. He concluded, “We are efficiently supporting customers to meet their needs and working as a long-term partnership. We also expect to make progress together in all aspects in the future.”

Wanna buy NUTS? or FASTENERS Go! Contact CLC now!

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CONTENTS NO.47

feb,2019

Features 77

Stamped Parts Suppliers 78 Ho Sheng Company 80 Shou Long Precision Industrial Co., Ltd. Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers 98 Novumtec Eurasian Associated Co. 100 Yun Chan Industry Co., Ltd. 102 UJEN Development Co., Ltd. 104 Jin-Zhun Enterprise Co., Ltd. 106 Plus Craft Industrial Co., Ltd. 108 Helic Cutting Tools Co., Ltd.

104

100

106

102

108

Cover Story 32 Employees are Essential for a Business. General Manager Rick Wang Leads “MASTERPIECE HARDWARE” to Break Traditional Rules and Develop High Value-added Products

Industry Focus

Special Feature

114 2018 Financial Reports of Hand Tool & Tooling Companies品 116 Overview of the Tools Industry in France and Italy in Q3 2018 x Behrooz Lotfian 136 German Tools Trade Statistics in Q1-3 2018 x Sharareh Shahidi Hamedani 138 China’s Car Market & Automotive Fastener Market in the First 3 Quarters of 2018 x Shervin Shahidi Hamedani 141 US Top 10 Trading Partners of Hand Tools Import & Export 144 Taiwan’s Top 10 Trading Partners of Hand Tools Import & Export (The First 10 Months of 2018)

109 Hardware & Tools Innovation Alley品 112 2019 Taiwan Excellence Award Winners- Tools & Fastening

Company Focus 86 Jin Shin Chyuan Industry- CNC Machined Parts Specialist of Special Screws & Precision Parts品 88 Apach Industrial Co., Ltd.- Apach, Building Futures Total Hand Tool Solutions to the Rescue 90 Huang Liang Precision Enterprise Co., Ltd.- One-stop Manufacturer Featuring Critical Components “SHAFT” for Motorbike Carburetors 92 Hose Clamp Specialist- Wei Shiang Co., Ltd.

Exhibition

118 Fastener World’s Exhibitions Footprints in Aug-Dec 2018品 122 Fastener World Exhibitions Calendar in 1st Half 2019

118

News 127 Hardware World & Association News品

122

Feature: Stamped Parts

沖壓件專輯

Feature : Stamped Parts by Fastener World

aiwanese stamped parts industry has entered a full-fledged development period and is characteristic of its ability to satisfy highly customized product demand. With so many Taiwanese stamped parts manufacturers with decades of experience and a complete and well-developed supply chain, customers requesting high-end or customized parts are definitely able to find high-quality manufacturers in Taiwan most suited to their specific demand. Moreover, as Taiwan has quite concentrated industrial clusters for stamped parts manufacturing, the cost for special finishes or secondary processing can be greatly reduced, thus increasing profit margins, shortening lead times and making prices more competitive.

tamped parts are widely used in various applications, so manufacturers will receive many different drawings for product development. Facing these requests for non-standard parts, Taiwanese stamped parts manufacturers are always able to help each customer modify their drawings or develop new parts without sacrificing any functionalities. Taiwanese manufacturers cherish every order and hope to try their best to satisfy any customer’s demand, which is why they are admired by buyers worldwide.

n this issue, we feature Ho Sheng Company and Shou Long Precision Industrial Co., Ltd., both of which show strict requirements for their product quality and a wealth of experience in satisfying customers’ demand for customized products. Through these features, we hope to make our readers get more acquainted with the characteristics of stamped parts manufacturers in Taiwan.

Feature: Stamped Parts

Ho Sheng Company—The Master of Customized Stamped Parts Submit Your Drawing and Ho Sheng Can Make It for You

合笙工業社—客製化沖壓件的匠人

by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World

ounded 20 years ago, Ho Sheng Company w a s o r i gin al l y a s m al l workshop with only a set of machine before it gradually grew to the scale today. Mr. Xi-Wu Hsieh, the founder of the company, recalled his career in the past and said, “I started my business at a rented factory and was once a mold apprentice, which later helped nourish Ho Sheng’s strict requirement o n m o l d qu al i t y. W h e n molds are of good quality and high precision, they can be used to manufac ture high quality stamped parts. And, if customers have demand for customized products, we definitely must have knowledge of mold manufacturing. When adjustment or modification is required, we can offer right-to-the-point solutions immediately for customers.”

The Ability to Satisfy Customization Request With a wealth of experience, Ho Sheng is able to satisfy all kinds of customization demand. General manager Hsieh said, “many of our customers come to us with their drawings. Some customers may not have full knowledge of stamped parts processing, but we’ll do whatever we can to help them modify their drawings in order to manufacture finished products that meet their request for functionalities. We also once helped a customer manufacture a wave washer, which is very difficult to be processed, as the angle of its split open end is quite different from that of standard washers, and is requested to be flexible in use. Although it was indeed a tough task, we still successfully developed the special wave washer eventually and won top-rated evaluation from customers.”

World-class Quality and Brilliant R&D Ability Products of Ho Sheng have been indirectly sold to many foreign manufacturers around the world. Ho Sheng also once won the orders and positive feedback from a Japanese company after they visited Ho Sheng’s factory. Nowadays, Ho Sheng’s major products include simple hand tools and various washers and components for furniture. It can satisfy different demand for stamped parts of various types, sizes and materials. Currently, Ho Sheng is developing interior parts for new height-adjustable computer desks for an US customer and has confidence in developing this type of products for furniture and collaborating with customers in R&D to

achieve their requests and quality requirements. Although the competition among stamped parts companies is fierce, Ho Sheng with its superior quality and reasonable prices is not afraid of challenges in the market. Mr. Hsieh, Ho Sheng’s founder, said, “I hope that we can manufacture parts for more new types of furniture in the future and create the value of products with customers together.”

Upgrade Facilities and Keep Showing Its Expertise T he factor y of Ho Sheng has been installed with many sets of highprecision lathes and the company also continues to renovate and upgrade its facilities, which not only helps it achieve more accu rate lead times, but also advances the quality of its stamped parts. Ho Sheng moved to the current location in 2013 and owns 30 sets of machines in operation. Hsieh added that he is considering expanding the current manufacturing site and introducing more new machines in order to make Ho Sheng connected to the world continuously. As a master in this field, Hsieh focuses on hardware and stamped parts, which show great market demand, and values every customer and every order very much. With such expertise, Ho Sheng is able to help customers develop important parts needed in their products. Such a spirit has been also passed down to the son of the founder. Ho Sheng hopes that “the spirit of craftsmen’ can be passed down and it will continue to do whatever it can for the development of customers’ important parts. Contact: Mr. Hsieh Email: winner7718578@gmail.com

Feature: Stamped Parts

Shou Long Precision Industrial— Providing Stamped Parts Made by Modern Equipment & with Engineered Design 碩隆精密工業股份有限公司—擁有現代化設備與設計 provided by Shou Long Precision Industrial 思維的沖壓件製造廠 Established in July 1991, Shou Long Precision Industrial Co., Ltd., is a manufacturer specialized in tooling design and various kinds of stamped hardware. It has more than 90 machines to provide more than 10,000 kinds of products including retaining rings, washers, nuts, pins and customized stamped parts. With technological improvement and continuous craftsmanship accumulation in manufacturing procedures, Shou Long provides customers with better tooling development speed and productivity than competitors. Moreover, it is constantly purchasing equipment to meet customers' requirements on capacity. “Providing high quality products to customers based on our techniques is our commitment to customers and to our persistence as well,” said Shou Long. Shou Long company depends on nearly 30 years of technology and experience. From the product drawing, tooling design, tooling test, trial run, inspection, to sending samples, all processes have been completed in-house and can greatly shorten the tooling design and development time. “In order to meet the strict quality requirements of customers, we have installed Rockwell hardness machine, Vickers hardness machine, salt spray test machine, load testing machine, mounting press, polishing machine, hydrogen embrittlement oven and other inspection equipment for customers to control product quality of hardness, corrosion resistance and performance. In addition, we are also equipped with KEYENCE automatic image measuring equipment, and many conveyor optical sorting machines to perform more accurate measurements to ensure that each size of the product meets customer requirements.”

Shou Long Precision Industrial Co., Ltd. can tur n your requirement to good quality products. Nearly 30 years of experience in tooling design and stamping combined with traditional attitude, modern equipment, and concept of design. We are always committed to offering superior quality, excellent manufacturing technology and competitive prices. Under the concerted efforts of all colleagues, We have been certified to ISO 9001:2015 quality management system and won “ 2015/2016/2018 D&B TOP 1000 SMEs Elite Award” in Taiwan, which is an honor and affirmation to us.

Company Focus 金欣全精密工業

30年製造經驗的CNC車修件老行家

Jin Shin Chyuan Industry - CNC Machined Parts

Specialist of Special Screws & Precision Parts by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World

For the past 30 years, J.S.C. has been dealing with CNC machined parts and is very experienced in manufacturing special screws and parts. For this reason, there is not a type of special screw that the founder Amos Huang cannot produce. The plant, said Amos, adopts multi-functional machine tools combining machining, milling and drilling in one process. These machine tools can manufacture various special parts in 2.5 mm-42 mm diameters, and up to 180 mm diameter per single workpiece. Therefore they are more advantageous for higher precision, speed and efficiency. They can significantly improve the precision of parts and processing efficiency, and shorten manufacturing time and the time until delivery.

Professional CNC Technique & Fearless to Take on Any Challenges J.S.C. has worked for almost all industries, including the automotive industry with very strict requirement on precision parts and general industries that use metal parts. J.S.C. is very confident of its manufacturing quality and the products are guaranteed to satisfy customers. The main equipment of the plant is CNC sliding head lathes. Unlike average lathes, this type of lathe can do all the things from forming to heat treatment in a single process. With higher precision and more flexibility, CNC sliding head lathes can cope with higher manufacturing difficulty even if it has to handle special materials or special angles. J.S.C. has earned a reputation with its technique that brought inquiries from many Taiwanese and overseas companies, because an experienced professional like J.S.C. is exactly what they need to manufacture special parts. The most challenging special part is the one with a 2.5 mm inner diameter that requires the operator to cut in a 0.5 mm depth within a 0.7 mm gap. This kind of special part would break a tool bit immediately after the bit goes in, but that won’t be a problem for Amos because with 50 years of experience, he can nail it and deliver products on time. For many years he has been praised by loyal clients. One time Amos machined the same workpiece 40 times just to meet the quality required by a client. In return, the client left a comment saying that he had never seen a collaborator working as hard as Amos did. Amos is very experienced in CNC machining, and he can always work his magic to make satisfying products that others just can’t.

100% Product Yield Rate Besides having the ISO9001 certificate for QA assurance, J.S.C. closely monitors quality throughout the manufacturing process. True quality control means to constantly notice and fine-tune the status of equipment and to carry out personnel training. J.S.C. is most serious about manufacturing quality and every workpiece should be flawless the

moment when they are manufactured out of the machines. 100% product yield rate means total perfection for each J.S.C. product fresh out of the machines. As a part of quality assurance, J.S.C. uses high quality materials originating in Taiwan and it can process brass, stainless steel, aluminum among many other materials. That is how J.S.C. can stay in the business for 30 years continuing to push the limits of CNC machining.

Diverse Equipment & Improved Quality J.S.C. has a sizable manufacturing area and a large capacity to cope with large demand from clients. Besides CNC sliding head lathes, J.S.C. has high-speed automated lathes, CNC automated lathes and various other equipment to satisfy different clients. Amos said parts machining is not a difficult thing for anyone who wants to learn it, but to satisfy clients requires years of experience in this business, and J.S.C. is already 30 years ahead of rivals. Unbound by its origin and always tak ing a higher level of challenge, J.S.C. has the experience and unique technique to make itself irreplaceable.

J.S.C. contact: Mr. Jam Huang Email: jam@jinsc.com.tw

Company Focus

Apach Industrial Co., Ltd. — APACH, BUILDING FUTURES

Total Hand Tool Solutions to the Rescue 力偕實業股份有限公司—完整手工具系列解決客戶問題 by Nai-Wen Chang, Fastener World Heading to its third decade, Apach Industrial Co., Ltd. is one of the Taiwanese influential pneumatic tools manufacturers. Established in 1993 in Taichung, Apach Industrial is surrounded with superior technology in metals and CNC machining in conjunction with a strong Taiwanese supply base. Since the late 90’s, the pneumatic nailer/ stapler with our “APACH” brand has been known and trusted in the North American market. In a legend, “Apache” was a brave and invincible warrior in an Indian tribe in North America who was worshipped by the Indians as the symbol of bravery and victory. The image of this warrior reflects the spirit of Apach Industrial to develop new products for the industry and break the limits.

Experienced OEM & ODM Service Provider Well-known Worldwide Apach Industrial specializes in developing and producing various nailers, staplers and pneumatic tools. It always does endurance tests on every critical component and strict preliminary tests on final products. Apach’s product are highly acclaimed by global professionals because they are durable enough to work under harsh environments. The current product line of the company includes coil nailer, frame nailers, finish nailers, staplers, carton closing staplers and various specialty nailers for use with construction, furniture, interior decorating, carton closing and so on. Apach Industrial’s ultimate goal is to make its brand international to cope with a diversified society and cater to clients’ needs. The company provides more diverse services and taps into more fields to meet market demand. In 2016, it acquired a pneumatic tool company with 30 years of experience in manufacturing. In 2017, it began to develop a series of pneumatic wrenches, grinders and other pneumatic tools in addition to its nailer and stapler series to fulfill the need for one-stop purchase and provide more options for clients. Apach Industrial’s global proportion distribution of business shows that 40% of the business is located in North America, 30% in Europe, 20% in Southeast Asia, and 10% in other countries. The company values client service, listens to clients voices and fulfills their needs. With a powerful R&D team and a wealth of collaborating experience with international brands, the company can customize or develop specialpurpose tools tailored to OEM and ODM requests. Apach Industrial also collects client feedback and seeks to manufacture products that better fit the needs of users.

The Go-To Durable Tools for the Big Names in the Fastener Industry Apach Industrial strictly follows quality requirements in every manufacturing process including R&D, purchase, inspection, production and testing. It uses precise manufacturing equipment and inspection instruments to replace human-operated production line and tests. The products go through 3 layers of quality check, which means adding 2 full-range tests to the post-assembly test and pre-shipment inspection. Apach Industrial checks and takes care of everything before the products go to final shipment. “Often our clients write in emails inquiring a purchase of discontinued products, ” said the compa ny, “ T h a t me a n s ou r durable products last for over 15 years and they only need simple maintenance and replacement with eco-friendly components.” Apach Industrial guarantees the clients with unstopping commitment to quality. It carefully looks through and verifies every detail to bring out the best products to customers. It doesn’t ask for high profits, but only every client’s loyalty and trust. With the support of clients, Apach Industrial continues to progress and grow with them. CN70-CL is a patented tool provided by Apach Industrial and a designated maintenance tool for global wooden pallet companies. The variety of application and service life makes this tool irreplaceable by many knockoffs distributed in the market. Another product by Apach Industrial is AW050H 1/2”Super Stubby Air Impact Wrench with the following features: The user can replace with 1/2” or 3/8” drive shafts or just attach with a traditional sockets. (No need to purchase special sockets with this method.) The user can attach with special sockets for convenient use in minimal operating distance. The user can attach with bits or torx drives for greater range of application and the benefits of minimal operating distance. The wrench is all for shorter distance with sufficient torque power. Operating torque: 550 ft/lbs (746 N.m.) Support for single-handed operation, forward/reverse rotation and 3-stage speed settings. Mission statement: To build a better future, take on new challenges, improve quality, get to know clients’ background and their needs, and get better results with clients. Apach Industrial contact: Sales manager Ms. Momo Chen EMAIL : info@apach.com.tw

86mm Replaceable anvil design for special short sockets, bits and torx Suits traditional anvil of 3/8” and 1/2” Mechanism：Jumbo Hammer Light Weight-only 1.45 kg (3.2lb) Max Torque 550 ft-lb (746 N.m.) in reverse, with 9,000 rpm free speed One hand F/R operation & 3-stage speed settings

Air driving clamp technology (Patented) Powerful, High efficiency on pallet repairing Well Protectors Equipped Top Exhaust Cap Available 15°Flat Wire Collated Clinch Nails

A PA C H I N D U S T R I A L C O . , LT D . 176 Industrial 9th Rd., Tali Dist., Taichung City, Taiwan 41280 T: +886-4-2491 5576 F: +886-4-2491 5580 www.apach-tools.com info@apach.com.tw

Company Focus

Huang Liang Precision Enterprise Co., Ltd. One-stop Manufacturer Featuring Critical Component “SHAFT” for Motorbike Carburetors 皇亮精密股份有限公司 — 以製造服務業自詡高精度機車化油器SHAFT品質業界公認 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World Huang Liang, founded in 1986, produces precision machined parts applied in various fields. The development of the company centers around “quality”, and various methods have been applied to monitor and increase product quality. Furthermore, the company has been an active applicant of international certificates seeking a better corporate image and operations. It has an eye for watching the market change and is constantly changing and evolving.

Do It Timely and Boost Business “Roughly 30 years ago, our president Mr. Xue happened to take over several camshaft machine tools which later set out the path towards CNC machining for our company. We were fortunate enough to be in the 80’s when Taiwan’s economy took off and there was a swarming demand for motorbike components. That was when we tapped into the supply chain of motorbike components. Through the course of time we have grown into an innovation-driven company with professional manufacturing capabilities,” said general manager Chang as he recalled. After the company got in the supply chain for quite some time, its revenues from motorbike components reached 70% of the total. The president sensed the risk in over-depending on a single market which might undermine future development, so he started to look for other fields to tap into and it didn’t take him long to finally implement CNC machine tools. Back then the CNC machine tools cost a pretty penny but produced higher quality products, and it was by adding these machine tools to the manufacturing process that eventually got the company into the electronics supply chain. Later the company made its way into the connector, medical equipment, valve and other industries. This had brought revenue growth and motivated the company for a more diverse development and a complete corporate system.

Top Seller— “SHAFT” Components; IoT Implementation for Quality Control Huang Liang provides many types of CNC machined components, and “SHAFT” is one of the best sellers used as a critical component for motorbike carburetors. SHAFT utilizes the benefits of CNC machine tools that complete multiple machining processes in one stop for mass production in higher precision and lower cost, while allowing room for providing clients with post-engineering services. One-stop manufacturing service has significantly increased client attachment to Huang Liang. As the general manager put it, “Our goal is to make our manufacture a complete package of service!” On top of that, Huang Liang is relentlessly trying new ways to control quality. The company has a few different control systems to prevent quality anomaly, in addition to average production checks. In recent years the company has been implementing IoT connecting all CNC machine tools to the cloud to quickly monitor production status of the machines and provide immediate feedback. This advanced system significantly lifts production efficiency and reduces product defects.

Acquiring Multiple Certificates and Deploying Market Segments Huang Liang is proud of the many certificates it has acquired, which as the general manager put it, surely helped the company to grow business. “IATF 16949 certificate helps us win orders from overseas carmakers. It is very difficult to acquire and therefore lifts the par for applicants. Apart from that, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 are respectively for environment and industrial safety/health certification that not only concern the environment and employees health, but are also highlighted by major overseas companies. Therefore ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 put us in a better position to win orders.” Speaking of the next international certificate in the pocket list of Huang Liang, Chang said: “Our next target is ISO 17025 because we believe this can further increase clients’ trust on us.” In Huang Liang’s market deployment, the overseas market takes up 60% of the whole business and is topped by North America taking up 30%, followed by Europe at 18% and Asia at 12%. Extending from his current business map, the general manager has come up with a blueprint for overseas development. “I hope to expand our business to South America because

the region has higher population and improved economy in 2018, and that means many business opportunities are lying ahead for us. South America has a shor t age of heav y i ndust r y though, but light industry products and assembled products will benefit from the demographic dividend and that is a perfect entry point for CNC machined components.”

Future Plans and Target of Development “We will be appea ring again at Taiwan Motorcycle Show 2019. This year we will put some of our focus on cross-border ecommerce to speed up our overseas business, ” said the general manager. Huang Liang will prioritize the purchase of new equipment and improvement of machine operating efficiency this year. As for business plans, it will continue to tap to other industries to increase revenues. It is also planning to increase wages, improve business performance and employee capabilities. As the general manager concluded, “T he f ut u re of global economy is still unclear but we must go on with faith even if we have to fumble our way through. God speed, everyone!”

Huang Liang’s contact: Miss Liu Email: service@huangliang.com

Company Focus

Hose Clamp Specialist — Wei Shiang Co., Ltd. Multiple Overseas Patents & Clients Across 5 Continents

HF-2203

HF-2202

維驤股份有限公司 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World 擁有多國專利、客戶橫跨五大洲的管夾製造專家

HF-2101

History & Background Founded in 1987, Wei Shiang is a specialized maker of various hose clamps and hardware. The owner, President Chen is an experienced expert who has manufactured hose clamps for more than 40 years. In his leadership, the company gradually becomes a major hose clamp maker in Taiwan and well-known worldwide. In 2000, it began to improve its production lines due to the market change and heightened competition. It replaced traditional equipment with automated machines and even refined molds and designs for providing high quality and stable products to clients across 5 continents in the world. In 2008 it finished setting up the current production line and inventory management. Today, Wei Shiang is a one-stop maker combining R&D, design, mold, production, quality control, inventory, packaging, purchase and marketing. President Chen shared, “The Persian Gulf War in 1990 and Financial Crisis in 2008 had a large impact on my company. For example, some of our clients cancelled their orders, or we had to delay delivery. We took immediate action at that time. However, we cater to customers’ demand by adjusting our capacity and controlling inventory, and after everything was settled we offered more competitive prices and the shortest shipment time to satisfy market demand in the shortest timeframe. We are thankful for the support of loyal clients who regularly place orders to us, give us help when we need it and provide us with the newest market intelligence to help us grow stronger.”

Bestsellers: HF Hose Clamps with Strict Quality Control “The popular products include HF-2101, HF-2202, and HF-2203 hose clamps made to American standards, and HF-3111 & HF3118 hose clamps made to German standards,” said President Chen. “The American hose clamps are available in a variety of width and thickness for clients to choose from. The HF-3111 and HF-3118 series have no holes on the bands, and therefore, threads will not contact the hose. This feature is favored by our European clients.” Twenty years ago Wei Shiang was the first company in the industry to have refined the assembling structure of its hose clamps to increase quality and reduce costs, making itself a leader in the industry. Wei Shiang constantly pursues quality and it invests enormous funds in refining equipment every year. Each product has to go through many inspections. For example, incoming raw materials will be tested for hardness, thickness and materials, and more focus will be on the torque test of the final products. The company strictly monitors quality to maintain competitiveness in the international market.

Multiple Overseas Patents & Future International Deployment Currently Wei Shiang has acquired patents in Taiwan, China, Europe and Southeast Asia. These patents prove that its products are recognized by the world. “We are still actively developing other products and applying for other patents. We are doing this to show the world the competitiveness of Taiwan.” Today, Wei Shiang’s global deployment covers many countries across 5 continents. Other than maintaining its current clients, the company is actively looking for other potential regions to develop. “There are many developing countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa. These regions show very large demand for hardware and we are considering taking them into account to be our target markets in the future.”

HF-3118 HF-3111

Wei Shiang’s contact: Miss Wu Email: wsclamp@ms59.hinet.net

Special Feature 97

Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers 手工具及鑽頭廠商專輯 by Fastener World In this issue we feature competitive Taiwanese hand tools & drill bits suppliers. Nearly 70% of Taiwanese hand tools & drill bits companies are located in central Taiwan. Transforming from OEM into ODM, Taiwanese hand tools manufacturers with many years of experience have become one of the most competitive industries in Taiwan. It is reported that one third of the hand tools used around the world are made in Taiwan and these hand tools are all for high-end applications and produced for globally known manufacturers, making Taiwan the largest invisible contributor behind those shining international hand tools brands. All these results must be attributed to the relentless transformation and upgrade of Taiwanese hand tools companies, which have successfully won for Taiwan the title of “Kingdom of Hand Tools.” According to the statistics of Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan released in Jan. 2019, Taiwan exported US$ 3.52 billion worth of hand tools (HS codes falling within 8201-8215 for non-power hand tools; 842420, 846711, 846719, 846781, 846789, 846791, 846792, 846799 for pneumatic hand tools; 8460909010, 846593, 846721, 846722, 846729, 850819, 85098010, 85098090 for power hand tools) to the world in the first 11 months of 2018, which shows a 3% YoY ratio and is expected to reach a new high in the full year statistics of 2018. In the first 11 months of 2018, non-power hand tools represented around 74.5% of Taiwan’s total hand tools export, followed by pneumatic hand tools at 19.6% and power hand tools at 5.9%. In the world’s largest hand tools market- USA, Taiwan represented 6.6% of U.S. total imported hand tools value in the first 10 months of 2018 and was ranked the 4th place, only after China, Mexico and Germany. As for the category of pneumatic hand tools, Taiwan was ranked the 2nd place and represented 18.2% of U.S. total imported pneumatic hand tools value; on the other hand, Taiwan was ranked the 1st place in China (incl. Hong Kong) and represented 21.6% of its total imported pneumatic hand tools value.

Hand Tool Export Value of Taiwan 3,800 3,700

Million USD

3,600 3,500 3,400

Novumtec Eurasian Yun Chan UJEN Jin-Zhun Plus Craft Helic Cutting Tools

3,300 3,200 3,100

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UK Japan

2017

2018 Jan.-Nov.

Netherlands

Power Hand Tools

Percentages of Major Countries in Taiwan's Total Hand Tools Export in Jan-Nov 2018

Pneumatic Hand Tools 20%

Germany 9%

China 20%

USA 52%

Percentages of Categories in Taiwan's Hand Tools Export

Non-Power Hand Tools 74%

Source: MOEA (Taiwan)

Special Feature Quality Exceeds DIN & ISO Standard Power and Pneumatic Hand Tools Supplier

- Novumtec Eurasian Associated Co. 品質超越DIN / ISO標準的電動及氣動手工具廠－歐邦貿易有限公司 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World Established in 1979, Novumtec Eurasian Associated Co. has been serving its customers with stable quality and honesty and does whatever it takes to satisfy every customer’s strict or special requirement, in anticipation of completing every transaction in a win-win, mutually satisfying and happy situation. No matter where the orders are placed, or who places the orders, Novumtec will always try its best to satisfy each customer or market’s demand. Novumtec is also planning to continuously develop new products.

Customized Products Made in Taiwan with Guaranteed Quality Novumtec’s screwdriver bits and magnetic nutsetters are all made in Taiwan and have high industrial quality. Each process from material selection, manufacturing to finished products is under inspection. Novumtec’s current products have been expanded to cover various industrial applications. In addition to power tool accessories, Novumtec is also very good at offering customized products to customers and is very confident of offering customized samples as per customer’s request in the shortest time and the most competitive prices.

To Exceed International Standard, Novumtec Has Multiple Sets of Inspection Devices In order to ensure that every products are compliant with quality standards, Novumtec has multiple sets of measuring and inspection devices (e.g., Rockwell hardness tester, torque tester and projector) to conduct a series of tests and excellent quality control. Compared to other general products in the market, Novumtec’s tools are with higher quality and stability. Novumtec’s products are suitable to be used in any applications to enhance work efficiency, such as furniture, household appliances, upholstery, auto assembly, and many others. The stable quality and very competitive prices make Novumtec’s products trusted by customers. All these advantages are also reflected upon the customers’ strong will to place orders to Novumtec again. According to Novumtec, more than 80% of buyers will come back again to buy its products.

Global Vision for New Business Novumtec is located in West Dist. of Taichung City and is focused on the R&D of power and pneumatic tools. With more than 30 years of experience, Novumtec’s business covers all over the world and its products have been successfully exported to Australia, Canada, UK, France, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, India, etc. Looking forward, Novumtec has set “expanding business globally” as its only one strategy. According to Novumtec, a business must have a global vision. If it only focuses on a certain region, it’ll be very difficult for it to survive the challenging market and compete with others. Novumtec will hold an active attitude to get as many business opportunities as possible. By far, Novumtec still has its goal focused on maintaining product quality and stability, which is also one of the principles Novumtec has strictly followed for so long.

Contact: Mr. Rax Huang Email: box@gfb.com.tw Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

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Yun Chan Industry Co., Ltd. - Evolved Manufacturing Process & Embracing New Ideas 雍昌工業有限公司- 產品製程創新勇於嘗試新想法 by Nai-Wen Chang, Fastener World Yun Chan mainly supplies bits and impact drivers. Compliant to international standards, Yun Chan uses specialized equipment for inspection and German special alloy steel as the material for products to have better quality than average alloy steel. Over 40 years of experience in manufacturing made this company a professional service provider and a flexible maker of customized products. Yun Chan has many loyal users who bought and used its tools when they were apprentices and after they opened their businesses. Its tools are so robust that customers would rarely need to purchase again, only if they have lost the tools.

A Professional and Dedicated Solution Provider Catering to various demand, Yun Chan is able to leverage different sets of manufacturing procedures to produce top quality products in a cost effective way. “I often tell my clients that choosing a tool is like choosing your car, ” said sales manager Ray Hsiao, “A good car takes you to your destination safely. A different car may work well with different client demand. Our role is to secure safety before we provide products tailored to our clients. If you ask why you should choose Yun Chan, I would say it is much like choosing someone for a car race. Would you choose just any random guy over a racing driver? The answer is pretty obvious.” Many clients have said they were surprised that Ray never holds back and shares what he knows about his specialty. Quite a number of companies are professional but tend to conceal what they know and don’t have much of a spirit of collaboration. It is the traditional way of thinking that trapped them in the pool of competing for their own interests. In Ray’s perspective, the global coverage of information and the progression of our time mean that Yun Chan has to leverage its specialty to gain client trust. It doesn’t matter if the products are cheap, but it matters when the clients trust the integrity and quality of Yun Chan. That is the root for their decision to work with Yun Chan.

How You Treat Employees is How They Will Treat Your Products Unlike other companies which can’t think of other ways but to keep adding inspection equipment, Yun Chan sees and secures the values of its products so that it can strictly monitor quality. Just ask yourself if you are willing to pay for the products you are dealing with. With every corporate member cherishing the value of each product, the company must ensure they can express themselves and be respected, instead of just making a cursory effort. Put this kind of mindset on the manufacturing, inspection and personnel training, and your employees wouldn’t do just a hasty job and they will meet the targets set by the company. Take manufacturing process check for instance, Yun Chan’s employees set the check frequency higher than what is regulated out of their own will. In a sense this might seem to have increased production cost, but actually helps quite a lot to build up the quality for the future. For example, Yun Chan’s tooling normally would have been able to process 10 thousand parts, but the employees increase the rounds of check and lowered the replacement interval from 8000 to 5000 processed parts. The cost increased, but so are precision and stability. Yun Chan’s tolerance is only at 0.05mm versus others at 0.1mm.

To a More Competitive Future Founded in 1976, Yun Chan used its self-invented equipment to manufacture. Now the company has full grown technique and it will gradually adopt automated production and quality management of inspection equipment, so that the employees will have more time to do what is more important for the company. The company is likely to apply for an environmental protection badge or a corporate social responsibility certificate to become a friendly business to the environment and employees. Ray encourages young people to be a part of the traditional industry because the industry needs new ideas and must pass on to the next generation. He said Industry 4.0 is just a matter of the owners' will on expenditure but “Talent 4.0” is what the manufacturing industry needs right now.

Contact: Sales manager Ray Hsiao Email: jhaiso@ms32.hinet.net Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

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UJEN Development Co., Ltd. Stylish Clamping Knobs with Color Combinations for Your Own Choice 佑嘉開發實業有限公司- 旋鈕螺絲也可以很時尚，讓您大膽玩配色 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World The name of UJEN respectively stands for Unique, Jaunty, Esthetic and Noble. The company is dedicated to developing easy-to-use, esthetic, durable and unique hardware accessories for enhancing product quality of customers. “Continuously Improving Quality & Creating Value for Products” has always been the DNA of UJEN.

Globally Admired “Luxury” Series and High Value-added Products

Luxury Series

UJEN has successfully turned clamping knobs into luxury series, which help customers create the competitive edge of their products and reveal the value of their brands. In addition to commonly requested color combinations, UJEN also offers clamping knobs in various materials with customized quality surface finishes (e.g. water transfer printing, carbon fiber pattern, metal-like painting, etc.). UJEN can also offer products with a soft touch and comfortable gripping experience, enabling customers from any industry to find the most suitable and high-quality clamping knobs for their applications. UJEN is the first company that successfully developed such delicate clamping knobs. Vice general manager Chen said, “Our products are 100% made in Taiwan and we’d like to make this unique technology known to the whole world.” UJEN’s stylish clamping knobs are of unique shape design and can be customized with different color combinations. With four types (convex, concave, flat and dot) for selection, the round of knob's top is also categorized into the inner circle and central circle, which can be in seven different colors as per customer’s request. There are nearly 200 combinations for each stylish clamping knob. UJEN adopts RoHS compliant nylon and fiberglass as materials to reinforce the strength and durability of products. Its screws also feature flat and chamfered ends to reduce the damage to mating pieces. In addition, it also adopts electroplating friendly to the environment and produces RoHS compliant products exported to Europe. Chen added, “Our products with delicate design and various color combinations can not only help companies improve their brand image, but also increase the competitive edge of their products.”

Ergonomic Flat Clamping Knobs / Easy-to-use and Safe Patented Indexing Plungers Another new product introduced to the market is Flat Clamping Knob, made of nylon + fibers, which allow for more extraordinary shape design, new curves and ergonomic gripping experience for customers. Chen added, “Our flat clamping knobs feature caps more flat than other common plastic knobs and are more economical than other metal knobs. Such products are mostly used on sophisticated instruments or products requiring more space.” UJEN has acquired a Taiwan patent since 2012 for its indexing plungers (alert type), whose internal pin can be raised and fixed by pulling the knob and turning it to the right. Moreover, when the internal pin does not revert to its original position, a mechanism will immediately pop out as an alert. Such improvements and R&D clearly show the effort of UJEN in product and function innovations and its will to offer customers better service. Chen added, “We hope to develop one or two new products every year, including model design or function modification.”

Contact: Max Chen (Vice general manager) Email: HandleTaiwan@gmail.com

Future Market Prospects The proportion of UJEN’s domestic customers to foreign customers is 8:2. Its foreign customers are mostly from Canada, Japan, Italy, and Sri Lanka, etc. If viewed by industry, its customers are mostly from sports equipment, support holders, small sophisticated instruments and woodworking machinery, etc. Chen said with excitement, “I received some customers’ feedback telling me that our price was very competitive and of high quality. I also saw that several Japanese customers at trade shows were satisfied with our products.” When it comes to whether UJEN will take any step to increase its market share, Chen said, “We plan to introduce the ISO quality management system as it’s necessary if we’d like to expand globally.” This shows the determination of UJEN to make changes and expand its global business territory after the 2nd generation takes the helm of the company.

Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

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Jin-Zhun Enterprise Co., Ltd. The Specialized Blind Rivet Nut Gun Manufacturer Who Takes Customers and Quality into Account First 金諄股份有限公司- 以客為尊品質至上的拉帽領域生產專家 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World Jin-Zhun Enterprise Co., Ltd. founded in 1994 has more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing metal tools. Located in Changhua - the manufacturing heartland of Taiwanese hand tools industry, Jin-Zhun enjoys advantages of a convenient location, proximity to a complete satellite associate companies, quick manufacturing procedures & high mobility, and the capability to meet customers’ demand for different product specifications. It is specialized in manufacturing hand-operated blind rivet nut guns and blind rivet nuts (aluminum), and is fulfilling strict quality control in order to provide customers with products of high quality and all specifications. Jin-Zhun mainly manufactures blind rivet nut guns used to fix blind rivet nuts onto sheet metal, steel plates and wood plates. The specifications include M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, 8-32, 10-24, 10-32, 1/4-20, and 5/16-18. They are easy to use, work fast and won’t damage workpieces, which can effectively increase working efficiency. In addition, the blind rivet nut guns of Jin-Zhun can work with low energy consumption and are very durable and of high safety coefficient, so they can help reduce the cost of users and are widely admired worldwide accordingly. Jin-Zhun focuses on satisfying customers’ demand. As a superior supplier, Jin-Zhun considers strict quality control, excellent technology, and high-quality products at competitive prices to be the most essential factors to establish a reciprocal benefits and profit sharing business approach for customers. With such a “customer first” insistence, JinZhun hopes to become an enterprise offering professional and excellent service and it will never stop going toward this way to continuously improve its strengths. In order to offer customers satisfying service, Jin-Zhun is always trying its best to reinforce its employees’ professional knowledge and improve service quality, in anticipation of offering the most complete service experience and sharing more profit with customers. Jin-Zhun, adhering to the principles of “quality first, honesty first and customers first,” will definitely continue to offer customers service in the future.

Contact: Mr. Xin-Zheng Li Email: jinzhun1758@gmail.com

Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

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106 Special Feature

Plus Craft Industrial Co., Ltd. Used for Better Work Efficiency, 3-in1 Socket Wrenches and Ratchet Wrenches Become Bestsellers in Japan and Germany 鑫爵實業股份有限公司- 幫助作業效率提升三合一套筒與轉體棘輪板手熱銷日、德 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World Plus Craft Industrial Co., Ltd., dedicated to making improvement, is a developer always staying true to itself. It developed the turning ratchet wrench with widely appreciated appearance and practicality, which is popular in Germany. Such an achievement forces Plus Craft to develop new products continuously and the company also hopes to extend business reach to more markets around the world and arouse a trend within Taiwan hand tools industry to develop more practical and esthetic products. 3-in-1 socket wrenches and turning ratchet wrenches are the recent bestsellers of Plus Craft in the market. The 3-in-1 socket wrenches are mainly applied to construction (i.e., the operator only has to use one (rather than 3) socket wrench to complete work above the ground, effectively reducing the workload of operators and greatly reducing the cost of tools. The socket wrenches are mainly exported to Japan and are expected to be exported to other regions in the future. Another bestseller are the turning ratchet wrenches, which, compared to other general wrenches, are more ergonomic in design, easy-to-use and anti-slip. The ratchet wrenches are mainly applied to machines and wheel repair and are mainly sold to Germany. Speaking of the R&D of turning ratchet wrenches, General Manager Timmy Chen recalled, “The birth of this product can be traced back to a comment made by a German tool supplier at an int’l trade show on a certain turning wrenches manufacturer. The German supplier pointed out that bending the wrench by 90 degrees might result in internal stress and inferior appearance, which later pushed me to forge this product with anti-slip inverted triangle handle design.” This product was independently designed by Plus Craft and a breakthrough for the industry. Plus Craft is going to release its new 4-in-1 sharp end wrench and is also designing products for U.S. customers. What the company is doing now (e.g., self-development or ODM) is all for achieving the best performance, bringing more profit to customers, and enhancing its soft power & experience. It is also active in applying for patents in many countries for all products developed by Plus Craft, in order to make Plus Craft more competitive. Moreover, Plus Craft will also introduce QS and relevant industrial certifications in order to expand its high quality product range. Speaking of customer service, Chen pointed out, “Any customer’s feedback is essential to us and we’ll make responses and offer the most suitable solutions according to their feedback.” Plus Craft is good at satisfying customers’ needs with its products, which is why it could continue to develop so many amazing hand tools. Chen even mentioned that Plus Craft had visited its overseas customers’ factories for times only for helping them solve problems, which clearly reveals its passion to offer customers the best service. Initially started as a trading business, Plus Craft did also experience some bumpy roads with lots of challenges ahead (e.g., orders switched by Indonesian customers to other suppliers and former sales director establishing a new company to compete with Plus Craft). “Facing these challenges, we had no choice but reducing prices at that time. However, if the competitors were manufacturers, we definitely could not compete with them. As a result, we turned to R&D, design and production as our focused service range, and with years of effort, we finally reaped some benefits. There is no such language to describe all the experiences we’ve been through before,” Chen added. Chen noted, “Any path with difficulties can always make us stronger, and due to those difficulties, we are now not afraid of any challenges. Looking ahead, Plus Craft will continue to satisfy customers’ demand and focus more on the R&D of new products, in anticipation of making more progress in the hand tools field.”

Contact: Mr. Timmy Chen Email: sales@mail.pluscraft.com

Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

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Helic Cutting Tools Co., Ltd. - Excellent Performance and Precision Help Increase Customers’ Market Share 和俐鑽頭有限公司- 用優越的效能與高精準度協助客戶征服市佔率 by Nai Wen Chang, Fastener World 10 years ago, Helic Cutting Tools (“Helic”) co-developed and introduced “Flexible drill bit” with an U.S leading hand tools supplier (Brand K). Due to the sophisticated design, superb drilling performance, precision concentricity and reasonable price of “Flexible Drill Bit”, Helic and Brand K managed to defeat the major competitor, Brand G, at that time and take place with the highest market share in an extremely short time, which Helic won for itself the name - Speed Terminator.

The Cutting Tools Manufacturer Recognized Worldwide When Helic extended its business to New Zealand and Australia two decades ago, it immediately found that the material its tools were going to be used to process was ‘Australian Hardwood (one of the three hardest hardwood species in the world and sometimes called “as hard as steel”). Different from other wood species commonly seen in Taiwan and other markets, Australian hardwood is very hard to be drilled. In the period of R&D, many competitors responded to market demand with a conservative attitude and resulted in failure. However, Helic, adhering to the spirit of “trying the best to win” and with a great deal of experience in product development in various markets, introduced the concept of “bi-metal” to woodworking drill bits, which could not only achieve the expected performance, but also reduce the cost for customers. Such a success has made Helic gain remarkable reputation throughout New Zealand and Australia. Thus far, Helic has had several customers from railway, power pole and fence industries. For years, Helic has dedicated itself to developing “Stepped rail auger bit” in AU, NZ region for railway repair and maintenance. The unique “second step” is designed to drill one hole with two diameters to match a standard rail screw spike. Up to date, Helic has more than 6 different specifications of Stepped rail auger bits and more on going.

The Biggest Value of an OEM- Utilizing the Manufacturing Expertise to Help Customers Achieve Their Goals In terms of hand tools and hardware markets, many customers hope to be distinguished from others through new specification development, new functions, better performance and diversification of appearance. Helic has always been developing products for customers, which is the biggest value of an OEM, i.e. utilizing the manufacturing expertise to help customers achieve their goals. To deliver the core value to its customer, Helic introduced “Bi-metal auger bit” (made of two different metals) to increase drilling efficiency and decrease the cost of woodworking auger bit, which the auger bit has become an iconic product of Helic Cutting Tools.

Manufacturing Integration to Reduce Man-made Errors Integrating manufacturing procedures which used to be implemented on various machines, Helic developed a multiple-process integrated CNC machine for manufacturing drill bits to enhance manufacturing efficiency and product accuracy as well as reduce differences of parts resulted from being processed in various machines and by different operators, thus creating quality stability better than other competitors and shortening each processing time to increase capacity. Helic takes the lead currently in its manufacturing technique and it will make the most of this strength to develop more product series. With a wealth of experience in manufacturing various drill bits, the R&D of shape design, the expertise in heat treating materials and knowledge of how to make bits drill quick and smoothly and durable, Helic continues to leave its industry peers behind and has gained significant market share. In terms of the global market, Helic exports directly to its overseas customers, who then distributes Helic’s products to the local markets. Helic’s products can be categorized into five applications: Construction, Electrician, Power Pole and Fence, Metal processing and Railway maintenance. Helic is now actively expanding its product line and extending its tools’ application to diverse industries, for instance, glass/porcelain/ concrete drilling and automobile maintenance industries, to enhance its competitiveness in the global market. Helic’s founder Mr. Lee once went to Japan to learn manufacturing technology of woodworking drill bits and dedicated himself to manufacturing woodworking drill bits after he returned to Taiwan in 1963. As time goes by and the industry continues to grow, Helic, founded in 2006, being sensitive to market demand, and taking advantage of its manufacturing technology and the passion for R&D, successfully tapped into metal and masonry drill bits accessories. Although the company now has Contact: Mr. Lee a new name and goals in the market, President Lee continues to remind all employees of not forgetting Helic’s mission statement and offering high quality Email: sales@mc-auger.com.tw service to customers and associate companies that support Helic.

Feature: Hand Tools & Drill Bits Suppliers

Hardware & Tools Innovation Avenue

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五金暨手工具新品大道

Japanese Tohnichi Rolls out Water-resistant Torque Wrench

Snap-on® Proudly Introduces New, Completely Reimagined Flank Drive® Xtra (FDX™) Socket System

日本東日製作所開發出防水扭力扳手

美國Snap-on®發表改良款 Flank Drive® Xtra (FDX™)螺絲套筒 In its continued tradition of providing technicians with reliable tools that improve productivity and mechanical prowess in the shop, Snap-on is introducing its new Flank Drive Xtra (FDX) socket system. The first redesigned Snap-on socket since the patented Flank Drive system developed in 1965, the FDX takes the brand’s innovative socket and makes it even better, offering more turning power, a more secure fastener engagement and greater efficiency. “Snap-on has taken its genius, often imitated Flank Drive design and completely reimagined a new, improved socket that delivers even better performance than before,” said Brian Benes, a Snap-on Tools product manager. “We’re proud to take everyday shop tools and turn them into revolutionary, timesaving solutions, and the FDX is just one example of Snap-on raising the bar.” Five standout benefits make the FDX unique from any other sets of six-point sockets: 1) Small but mighty: in an improved design that grips fasteners further off the corners, the FDX offers up to 25 percent more strength than Flank Drive® sockets. 2) Rounded corner, no problem: with its angled contour, the socket wall grips damaged fasteners more closely for 50 percent more turning power. 3) Upgraded shape: an optimally chamfered lip on both the hex and drive ends of the socket allows for a better grip and more turning power, especially for shallow-headed fasteners and fasteners with limited top clearance. 4) Efficiently engineered: FDX sockets feature grooved, grippable outer walls, a unique design feature that makes them easier to remove. 5) Easily identified: easier identification and improved readability are both achieved through large, distinctive markings on the socket exterior.

Japanese Tohnichi Rolls out WIFIenabled Torque Wrench

日本東日製作所推出搭載無線WIFI連線機能的扭力扳手

CEM3-WF wireless torque wrench developed by Tohnichi can communicate under 2.4/5GHz IEEE802.11 wireless network with a wide communication range up to 50 meters. It supports 8 fastening modes and has a torque range of 2~850Nm. It launched sales starting October 21. With wireless connection, large factories can use multiple torque wrenches and manage real-time fastening data.

Tohnichi Mfg. Co., Ltd successfully developed "CLWP series waterresistant torque wrench" which in the stained state can be cleaned through water. The head of the wrench is replaceable. The series includes 6 models with adjustable torque range within 5-200Nm and fastenable screw size ranging from M6 to M18. The series was launched for sale starting from June 21,2018. 1. Most suitable for construction and infrastructure applications where sands, dust and dirt water are expected. 2. IP55/IP57 grade water and dust resistance powered by high anti-corrosion heat treatment. 3. The wrench head is replaceable for multiple fastening applications.

Market Launch of the BECK LignoLoc® F60 System 奧地利

BECK發表全新 LignoLoc® F60系列釘槍

O n 1 De cember 2018, t he BECK Fast ener Group from Austria will make the market launch of the further development of the award-winning LignoLoc® wood nail system. The new F60 system offers larger dimensions, better pull-out and shear values and more possibilities for ecological timber construction. One year after the market launch of LignoLoc®, the first collated wooden nail, BECK presents the further development of the innovation product. The system consists of the F60 LignoLoc® pneumatic nailer and beech wood nails with a length of 45 to 90 mm in diameters of 4.7 and 5.3 mm. Especially the ecological wooden house construction benefits from the new dimensions due to new metal-free fastening options, for exa mple for prefabrication of the laminated timber ceilings or in the p r o d u c t i o n of s ol i d wood wall systems.

110 Special Feature

Floating Clamps with a Compact Design by Halder 德國Halder發表精巧設計型浮動緊固夾件工具 Every single day workers have to deal with spatial constraints caused by the machine, the component, and even the fixture while clamping workpieces. This handicap can quickly turn into a challenge when the task is to clamp complex components. The floating clamps made by Erwin Halder KG are uniquely suited to handle additional clamping points and clamp components that are extra thin and particularly sensitive to bending. The new compact design of these products makes them a superb choice for work in limited space.

Simpson Strong-Tie® Quik Stik™ Fastening Tool Reduces Worker Fatigue and Increases Productivity 美國Simpson Strong-Tie® Quik Stik™緊固工具協助減低工人疲勞並增加生產力 Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors a n d bu i ld i n g solu t ion s, h a s introduced the Quik Stik rafter and tr uss fastening system, a new solution for overhead fastening designed to reduce the risk of construction workrelated injuries while boosting jobsite efficiencies, with speedier and more accurate fastening of rafter and truss assemblies.

With a reach exceeding 43", the Quik Stik installation tool can eliminate the need for ladders and replace heavy pneumatic power nailers and compressor lines and the jobsite hazards and injuries they pose. Simply attach the Quik Stik to any corded or cordless drill or impact driver, load a Strong-Drive® SDWC Truss screw into the Quik Stik head, and drive the screw quickly, accurately, and easily. Features and benefits of the Quik Stik fastening system include the following: • Fast installation with the ability to drive screws overhead from a standing position without the need for ladders • Enhanced job safety via rafter or truss fastening from inside the structure • Operational simplicity to enable less experienced users to work more quickly and efficiently • Built-in angle guidelines and a detachable bubble level to help ensure proper screw installation angles • Designed for use with any drill motor or impact driver

Special Feature 111 DEWALT® Debuts TOOL CONNECT™ 20V MAX* XR® 1/2" Mid-Range Impact Wrench

美國DEWALT® 發表支援TOOL CONNECT™工具無線連結系統的中階 20V MAX* XR® 1/2"衝擊扳手

DEWALT adds to its growing line of 20V MAX* tools with the XR® 1/2" MidRange Impact Wrench featuring the TOOL CONNECT™ system (DCF896). The TOOL CONNECT™ system allows for tool control through its PRECISION WRENCH™ and PRECISION TAP™ control features, as well as a variety of additional customizable settings within the TOOL CONNECT™ app. The TOOL CONNECT™ 20V MAX* XR® 1/2" Mid-Range Impact Wrench achieves 0-2000 RPM, 3100 impacts per minute, and a maximum torque of 330 ft.-lbs. in forward and 600 ft.-lbs. in reverse. At only 6.95” in length and 3.48 lbs. (tool only), it’s a compact choice available in both Hog Ring and Detent Pin configurations. This wrench also features an efficient brushless motor, variable speed trigger, convenient belt clip, and bright LED for illuminating low-lit work areas.

German Stahlwille Releases New 1/4" Mini Fine-tooth Ratchets 德國Stahlwille新推出1/4英吋迷你型細牙棘輪扳手

The STAHLWILLE family of finetooth ratchets continues to grow: with the 1/4" 418QR mini fine-tooth ratchet and the 1/4" 418B mini fine-tooth bit ratchet. Space-saving. Perfectly suited for tight spaces where manageability and efficiency are essential requirements. The mini bit ratchet features a slim, compact shape without a 2-component grip and the special STAHLWILLE mechanism with 80 teeth. This guarantees a tiny ratchet angle of only 4.5°. Eight teeth. And as you work, no less t h a n eig ht t e et h a r e engagi ng simultaneously. Despite the compact dimensions, this enables extremely high power transmission without damaging the mechanical systems. Ergonomically designed. Even without the 2-component grip, the mini fine-tooth ratchets with their steel handles are safe and comfortable to hold, ensuring strainfree working.

112 Special Feature

2019 Taiwan Excellence Award Winners- Tools & Fastening Accessories 2019台灣精品獎-手工具及緊固配件 compiled by Fastener World

Air Discharge Adjustment Pneumatic Wrench Airboss Air Tools Co., Ltd. AIRBOSS AIR TOOLS CO., LTD. focuses on fast-growing DIY consumer products market to meet the increasing global demand for bike and locomotive assembly and maintenance, adopting the most advanced processing equipment and strict quality management to provide high quality pneumatic tools. air discharge adjustment pneumatic wrench features: small size, lightweight, and enhanced ergonomic design, being environmentally friendly, easy to control, for small space machining pneumatic w r e n c h e s. Bo t h volu m e r e d u c t io n a n d weig h t reduction reduce ma nufact u ring costs a nd save storage space a nd t ra nspor t ation costs. Further features include air discharge adjustment with buttons for counting, measurement, torque

and pressure adjustment, low torque error that improves torque accuracy and pre-settable reference value of torque moment that allows auto-stop and easy operation. Components are reduced from 16 to 8 in amount, overall length reduced by 10mm, saving manufacture cost by 25%.

Fixed Type Torque Screwdriver Chienfu-Tec Co., LTD.

Torque classif ication by color: human factors engineering is also been implemented. Different colors represent different torques to prevent i mproper use. 2. A nti-reversible structure: One way ratchets design keeps the product from improper use and SOP for manufacturing process to guarantee the quality and stability of product. 3. Variety of BIT set: the adapter can be applied to different kinds of tools, such as manual tool wrenches, air impact wrenches etc. 4. Overload protection: Slip occurs between the components to interrupt the transmission of power in the event of a torque exceeds the setting preventing the damage of overload. 5. Physics of friction application: Slip occurs between the contact regions as the torque exceeds the preset value, it stabilizes the torque transmitting to the output component. With all these benefit reduce the cost due to disposable tool during manufacturing process and the damage caused by improper torque transmitting to the screw.

Special Feature 113 Easy Releasable Cable Tie Kai Suh Suh Enterprise Co., Ltd.

1. Innovative idea KSS developed patented easy-press lever by combining power and art from outward ergonomics, Easy Releasable Cable Tie is strong and easier to use. 2. Green production a. We devote to CSR. b. UL approved material complies with RoHS and FDA.and FDA. c. Minimum strength of 20Kgf proved by SGS. 3. Certification KSS is an ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS18001, IATF16949 and ISO17025 certified company with thousands of UL, CSA, VDE, DNV.GL, LLOYD, CE, ABS, IP68 certified and RoHS compliant products. 4. Product features ‘Easy Releasable Cable Tie’ got utility model patent in R.O.C. in 2017. KSS developed ‘ergonomic easy-press lever’ and ‘transformable package’ with the idea of all-in-one design and environmental friendliness, which meets the consumers’ demands for change and fashion. a. Releasable, environmentally friendly. b. Outward ergonomic easy-press lever makes release easier.easier. release c. Smooth surface inside prevents fastened objects fromobjects damage. from damage. d. Released by one hand, body slides out automatically. automatically.

7 in 1 Multi Bit Ratchet Screwdriver Yih Cheng Factory Co., Ltd.

To provide users with high torque, high effectiveness, high speed and reduce the ache after using for a long period, Lancer dedicated MIT 7in1 MULTI BIT RATCHET SCREWDRIVER for specialists. High torque ratchet mechanism brings higher efficiency to the works, and Smart ratchet supports free turning ratchet with integrated switch for forward, locking and reverse operations. Newly developed SVCM+ steel brings toughness, torsion, and strength increased over 20%. Well and complete heat treatment, accurate size, and antirust. 3-mode ergonomic dual-material handle avoids slippery and provides resistance to chemical, oil and most solvents. Provide comfortable grip, and increase the speed to fasten and loosen screws by precisely positioning and rapid rotating. Super magnetic attraction free of bits fall off, Revolver style bit storage for 5 pieces of long 1/4”hex high quality bits for both hand and power tools.

KILEWS INDUSTRIAL CO.,LTD. Industrial Torque Calculate Electric Screwdriver and Smart Counting Controller System.

DC-TYPE Automatic Non-Carbon-Brush Electric Screwdriver with Counter Series.

DC-TYPE Automatic Non Carbon-Brush Micro Torque Series with the Z Type connector.

114 Industry Focus

2018 Financial Reports of Hand Tool & Tooling Companies Compiled by Fastener World / Updated on January 31, 2019 Companies in alphabetical order / Monetary unit in millions

年度工具大廠財報

U.S Net Sales

Gross Profit

Operating Earnings

Pre-tax Earnings

2018

11,221

4,348

1,158

1,081

782

2017

10,425

4,098

1,035

936

586

Change (%)

+7.6

+6.1

+11.8

+15.4

+33.4

Net Sales

Gross Profit

Operating Earnings

Pre-tax Earnings

2018

3,203.878

1,392.961

420.553

406.189

329.223

2017

2,887.744

1,286.247

379

367.992

231.431

Change (%)

+10.9

+8.2

+10.9

+10.3

+42.2

Net Sales

Gross Profit

Operating Earnings

Pre-tax Earnings

2018

13,982.4

33.3%

221.8

(66.7)

329.223

2017

12,966.6

36.0%

341.7

281.5

231.431

Change (%)

+7.8

-7.5

-35.0

---

+42.2

Period

Grainger (USD)

Year Ended Dec.

Period

MSC Industrial Year Ended (USD) Sep.

Period

Stanley Black & Decker (USD)

Year Ended Dec.

Net Income Total Assets 5,873 as of Dec. 31, 2018 vs. 5,804 as of Dec. 31, 2017

Net Income Total Assets 2,288.727 as of Sep. 1, 2018 vs. 2,098.912 as of Sep. 2, 2017

Net Income Total Assets 19,408.0 as of Dec. 29, 2018 vs. 19,097.7 as of Dec. 30, 2017

Europe Hilti (CHF)

Regions

2018 Sales

2017 Sales

Change (%)

Europe

2,809

2,460

+14.2

North America

1,331

1,213

+9.7

Latin America

129

128

+0.9

Asia Pacific

741

697

+6.3

Eastern Europe / Middle East / Africa

649

615

+5.5

5,659

5,113

+10.7

Hilti Group

Industry Focus 115 Net Sales

Gross Profit

Pre-tax Earnings

Net Income

Total Assets

2018

15,668.2

1,917.4

1,660.3

1,337.6

2017

14,197.6

1,665.3

1,417.9

1,302.6

Change (%)

+10.3

+15.1

+17.0

+2.6

17,914.9 as of Dec. 2018 vs. 18,173.3 as of Dec. 2017

Period

IngersollRand (CHF)

Year Ended Dec.

Japan Revenue

Operating Profit

Ordinary Profit

Net Profit

2018

131,368

22,520

22,567

14,710

2017

120,198

19,137

19,144

13,993

Change (%)

+ 9.3

+ 17.7

+ 17.9

+ 5.1

2019

137,000

24,000

15,300

Change (%)

+ 4.3

+ 6.6

+ 6.3

+4.0

Period

OSG (JPY)

Year Ended Nov.

Prospect for Year Ended Nov.

Total Assets

178,054 as of Nov. 30, 2018 vs. 166,712 as of Nov. 30, 2017

116 Industry Focus

Overview of the Tools Industry in France and Italy in Q3 2018 2018第三季法義工具產業進出口分析 by Behrooz Lotfian

In terms of export In this sector France is a bigger market for exporters and Italy is a reliable supplier for its consumers. Germany is the main market for both countries and more than 16% of their export shares are dispatched to Germany. The 2nd biggest market for Italy’s tools is Spain, and Switzerland is for France. Both of these two markets buy about 15% of Italy and France’s exported tools. About 8% of Fra nce’s tools a re bought by Italia n consumers and 13% of Italy’s tools are bought by French consumers.

In terms of import Italy is the main supplier of tools in France, which has bought more than 50% of its need from Italy; Germany is the 2nd biggest supplier for French consumers and German suppliers have satisfied 20% of French consumers’ needs.

Note: The numbers are in thousand USD

Overview Italy and France are the two largest industrialized countries after Germany. The numbers of tools industry in these two countries for the 3rd quarter of 2018 are shown in the following table. Unit: USD 1,000

Import

Export

Total

France

41,129

27,806

68,935

Italy

39,016

140,377

179,393

France and Germany are also the main players in the Italian market. 26% of Italy’s needs are satisfied by French suppliers and 23% are satisfied by German suppliers.

HS Code 820730 In this sector, Italy’s export value is 3.95 times bigger than its import. On the other hand, France’s import value is 1.49 bigger than its export value. France has a dependent market to the foreigner productions in HS code 820730.

In this industry, Italy is more active than France, as Italy’s number is 2.6 times bigger than France’s. In terms of export, Italy’s number is 5.05 times bigger than France’s. And in terms of import, France’s number is 1.05 times bigger than Italy’s.

820730

Italy is an independent country in the tools sector because its export value is 3.6 times its import value. On the other hand, France is a dependent country because its import value is 1.47 times bigger than its export value. Based on HS codes, the details of the numbers are studied as below:

HS Code 820720 This sector is the main category for Italians, their export value is 20.4 times bigger than their import. On the other hand, France’s export value is 1.34 bigger than its import value. 820720

2018-Q3 Import

Export

France

4,189

5,617

Italy

1,447

29,568

2018-Q3 Import

Export

France

28,066

18,805

Italy

25,851

102,232

In terms of export Germany is the main market for both countries, Italy sells about 40% of its products in Germany and France sells about 26% of its products in Germany. Austria with 9% share of Italy’s exported tools is ranked the 2nd biggest market for Italian suppliers. On the other hand, Czech with 14% share of France’s exported tools is ranked the 2nd biggest market for French suppliers.

Industry Focus 117 In terms of import Germany is the main supplier of tools in Italy in this sector. It supplies more than 42% of Italy’s needs. Slovenia is the 2nd biggest exporter to Italy with 12% of Italy’s import share. China with 31% and Germany with 23% of France’s imported tool’s share are the biggest and 2nd biggest tools exporters to France. Italy, Spain and Turkey are ranked in the next levels.

HS Code 820740 In this sector, Italy’s import value is 1.37 times bigger than its export, and France’s import value is 1.49 bigger than its export value. France has a dependent market to the foreigner productions in HS code 820730 and Italy is in the border of dependency, which means that Italy can improve its production line in this sector and balance its import and export values 2018-Q3 820740 Import

Export

France

8,874

3,384

Italy

11,718

8,577

In terms of export The same as the previous sector, Germany is the main market for both countries. Italy sells about 28% of its products and France sells about 23% of its products in Germany. China with 8% share of Italy’s exported tools is ranked the 2nd biggest market for Italian suppliers. On the other hand, Italy with 10% share of France’s exported tools is ranked the 2nd biggest market for French suppliers. France, Poland and Turkey are the other markets for Italy’s tools, while China, UK and USA are ranked the 3rd to 5th biggest markets for French tools.

In terms of import Germany is the main supplier of tools in Italy in this sector. It supplies more than 47% of Italy’s needs. China is the 2nd biggest exporter to the Italian market with 11% of Italy’s import share. South Korea, Spain and Switzerland are ranked in the next levels.

Germany with 39% and the Netherlands with 16% of France’s imported tools share are the biggest and 2nd biggest tools exporters to France. Belgium, Japan and China are ranked in the next levels.

Last Word Based on the above information, it seems that Germany, Italy and France make an unwritten contract to work with each other closely in the tooling industry. Therefore, it is predictable that penetrating to these three markets is difficult, but joint venturing with a company in one of these countries can guarantee your success in the market of the other two countries.

118

Exhibition

Fastener World’s Exhibitions Footprints in Aug-Dec 2018 滙達參展實績(2018年8~12月) compiled by Fastener World

Hand Tools Expo & Fastener Expo 印度新德里國際工具五金暨螺絲螺帽大展

08/29–31 The annual and the 17th Hand Tools Expo & Fastener Expo, New Delhi, India took place again at Pragati Maidan from August 29 to August 31, attracting 476 exhibitors f rom 16 countries (such as Taiwan, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Russia, S. Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, U K, USA, Ch i na) to showcase t hei r latest technology and products including hand tools, power tools, pneumatic tools, fasteners, fastening tools, automotive tools, MRO tools, DIY tools, abrasives, gardening tools, safety tools, etc. Noticing the growing domestic Indian market and significant demand for certain products, Fastener World was also present at this show to do real-time promotion for the products of fasteners, hard tools and many other hardware accessories manufacturers, distributors and traders, taking the lead once again to search for a more diverse range and a more effective way to expand the business reach in emerging markets for customers.

Expo Nacional Ferretera 墨西哥瓜達拉哈建材五金展

09/06-08

The 30th edition of Expo Nacional Ferretera took place September 6-8 in Guadalajara, the 2nd largest city of Mexico. This Expo is the largest hardware show in Latin America and showcases a large variety of exhibits every year. More than 1,200 exhibitors participated in the show in 2018 and showcased the latest products and service for screws, hardware, hand tools, industrial parts, etc. Several manufacturers, distributors, traders, importers and exporters from Latin America, Europe and Asia were also present. I n addition to the main exhibition, the organizers also held a series of seminars and invited many professionals to make their presentations and discuss the latest technology and trends with the guests in attendance. According to Fastener World’s correspondent, most exhibitors were f rom local Mexico, however, there were also exhibitors from other countries and Taiwan. In terms of visitors of the Expo, many importers and distributors also came to purchase. The 3-day event was very vibrant. Some companies on-site told Fastener World’s correspondent, “The Expo is one of the main approaches to tapping into Latin American

market. For local companies, they can also take this opportunity to develop markets in N. America and neighboring countries. In addition, as car manufacturing and relevant industries as well as FDIs in Mexico continue to grow, the demand for relevant products and service remain tremendous.” According to the organizers, the 31th edition of Expo Nacional Ferretera will take place Sep. 05-07, 2019 at Expo Guadalajara.

Fastener Shanghai Shanghai Fastener & Tech Show 中國上海緊固件暨技術展

09/26-29

Fa st e n e r Sh a n g h a i 2 018 - Sh a n g h a i Fastener & Tech Show took place September 26-29, 2018 at Hall E4 of Shanghai New International Expo Center. Exhibit profiles included standard/non-standard bolts, nuts, and screws; automotive, construction and aerospace fasteners; forming machines, headi ng mach i nes, t appi ng mach i nes; molds & dies, hardware, tools, measuring instruments and relevant fastener equipment. The show in 2018 was not only bigger, but also was concurrently held with Asia’s largest wire & tube show (Wire China & Tube China), greatly enhancing the influence of the show to the industry. Around 30% of the

Exhibition 119 exhibitors and visitors were from overseas regions. The 4-day event and other co-located shows attracted the attendance of about 1,700 exhibitors to showcase their latest products and service to visitors from around the world. According to the onsite observation of Fastener World’s correspondent, “visitors were mostly coming for fastener manufacturers. Some visitors visiting our stand even asked about Fastener World’s online B2B system and how to use it. The show in 2018 was quite vibrant. As China is the world’s largest fastener manufacturing country and the demand from the global fastener market is expected to increase greatly, the Asia Pacific Region will still be the largest regional market with potential and prospect that cannot be ignored.”

Torque Expo Coventry 2018 英國考文垂扣件暨手工具五金展 10/03-04 Torque Expo Coventry 2018 took place October 3rd to 4th and exhibits included fasteners, hand tools, small processing machinery as well as other related products. Exhibitors were fastener manufacturers and distributors, equipment and tools producers, and other relevant enterprises. It was the first time for the show to be held at Ricoh Arena, which is very close to the industrial districts of the UK and train stations and is just a few minutes drive from UK’s second largest city- Birmingham. The twoday event not only set up a new “innovation zone” for displaying special and latest products, but also gave free seminars inviting experts to give speeches on topics related to technology, trade, trends, etc. According to Fastener World’s correspondent onsite, the scale of this show was not that big, though, but it was the only show in the UK specifically dedicated to fasteners, hardware and hand tools, as a result, many manufacturers interested in the UK market registered their participation. In addition, some master distributors having operations in the UK also came to visit the show.

M-Tech Osaka 日本大阪機械要素技術展(螺絲區)

10/03-05

The 21th edition of M-Tech Osaka, concurrently held under Manufacturing World Osaka, was held from October 3rd to 5th . It is the largest fair for machinery components, also the biggest professional IT solution fair of machiner y pa r ts a nd processing tech nologies in t he wester n Japa n. Moreover, it was concurrently held with the 1st Industrial AI/IoT Expo Osaka and the 3rd Factory Facilities & Equipment Expo. The range of exhibits included

a variety of products, motors and processing machines in addition to fasteners and fastening techniques. According to the organizer’s statistics, Manufacturing World Osaka 2018 attracted 1,233 exhibitors and 38,673 visitors. The organizer held an orientation meeting on exhibiting skills and a series of speeches by major Japanese companies. The organizer has announced the 22nd M-Tech Osaka will be held at INTEX Osaka on October 2-4, 2019.

China International Hardware Show 10/10-12 中國上海國際五金展

The 18th edition of China International Hardware Show (CIHS 2018) was open at National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai on October 10th, 2018. The show is also recognized as the second largest in the world and the biggest in Asia-Pacific professional hardware show. In 2018 the show was arranged with 6,500 booths, and with this international business platform, more than 3,300 exhibitors came to display their products under one roof. According to the organizers, around 50,000 visitors came to visit this event. In addition to many top Chinese manufacturers, lots of international leading brands were also present. According to Fastener World’s correspondent onsite, many traders came to inquire about hardware and fastener products. As this show offered quick access to Chinese domestic hardware market, Fastener World’s correspondent went to the show to disseminate the latest publications, collect market information, and recommend suitable suppliers for local wire, construction, automobile and fastener companies to visitors by using the exclusive online-product-searching platform on Fastener World’s official website. Moreover, the visitors were highly interested in the advertisers’ information published in Fastener World’s magazines.

120

Exhibition

Fastener Poland 10/16–18

波蘭克拉科夫螺絲展

台灣代理：滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastener-world.com.tw / 展覽部陳怡婷小姐)

T he second edition of Fastener Pola nd was held at International Exhibition and Convention Centre EXPO Krakow on Oct. 16 to 18. This was the first show particularly dedicated to fasteners held in central and eastern Europe. The scale of the exhibition was 93% bigger than last year due to the success of the last show. In addition, there were up to hundreds of exhibitors coming from 15 countries (including Belgium, Taiwan, the Czech Rep., Denmark, France, Germany, UK, India, Italy, Poland, Spain, South Korea, Turkey, USA and China). According to the onsite observation of Fastener World’s correspondent, “Poland is one of the leading manufacturing countries in Europe and the local demand for automotive products is extremely high. In order not to miss the business opportunities in the supply chains of E. European market and in order to enhance promotion for Taiwanese fastener related companies, Fastener World also brought 31 Taiwanese companies to exhibit at the fair.” The organizer said that the next edition of Fastener Poland will be held again on Nov. 26 to 28, 2019.

Taiwan Hardware Show 台灣五金展 10/17–19 The Eighteenth Taiwan Hardware Show opened at Taichung International Exhibition Center (TIEC) on October 17-19, 2018. The show successfully attracted companies and buyers from across the world for Taichung’s presence as the core city of hardware and the traffic hub of Taiwan. The scale of the exhibition got bigger in 2018. There were not only Taiwanese but some Japanese exhibitors. Most of the attendants were traders, manufacturers, dealers and distributors. According to Fastener-World’s correspondent, 30% of the total visitors were foreigners, mostly Japanese followed by those from Southeast Asia, such as India, Malaysia and Thailand. Besides, there were a few visitors coming from Hong Kong, China, Australia, South Korea, Russia, Turkey and even Lithuania. The exhibition was divided into eight sections including Tools & Accessories, L o ck s, Fi x i ngs & Fa st en e r s, Building Hardware, Gardening & Outdoor Supplies, Automotive Repair Supplies & Automotive Accessories, Machines & Plant Equipment,

Safety Equipment & Products in 2018. Furthermore, the show had two events, Industry Forum and Product Launch, set up by the organizer to catch everyone’s eye. The organizer said the next Taiwan Hardware Show will be held on 10/17/2019 – 10/19/2019.

International Fastener Show China 10/21-23

中國國際緊固件工業博覽會

台灣代理：聯德國際（TEL: 06-2930066 / sales@united-expos.com /黃瑜欣小姐）

International Fastener Show China 2018 was held at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on October 21-23. The exhibition successfully attracted exhibitors and visitors from over 40 countries because of the advantage of its location. The scale of the exhibition was nearly 34,000 square meters. It drew over 700 exhibitors (booking 1,700 standard booths) and 25,000 visitors in estimation. Most of the visitors were traders and manufacturers. The exhibition was divided into two exhibition halls. Hall #2 focused on machinery, fastener materials, dies and consumption goods (including fastener manufacturing machinery, auxiliary equipment, inspection equipment, measuring devices, installation and measurement and maintenance, dies and spare parts, fastener technology and service). Hall #3 displayed standard fasteners, non-standard fasteners, aerospace fasteners and railway fasteners, construction fasteners, connectors and other specialpurpose fasteners. According to the onsite observation of Fastener World’s correspondent, in addition to some exhibitors from Taiwan and Korea, other exhibitors were mostly Chinese or some international companies having branches in China. The main visitors were from America, Europe, Ukraine, Malaysia and Korea. The organizers also announced that the next edition of International Fastener Show China will take place June 11-13, 2019.

Korea Metal Week 韓國首爾金屬週 10/30-11/02 The annually held Korea Metal Week was held again at KINTEX located in Seoul and took place from Oct. 30 through Nov. 02. In 2018 it drew about 469 domestic and foreign exhibitors in attendance, followed by other national exhibitor groups from Asia such as China, Japan and India as well as a few number of exhibitors from American and European countries. This show was divided into 13 thematic exhibit areas, which are Fastener & Wire, Foundry & Die Casting, Automobile & Machine Parts, Press & Forging, Tube & Pipe, Metal Surface Treatment & Painting, 3D Technology, Aluminum, Laser & Welding, Fundamental Manufacturing Industry, Pump Technology Industry, Tools, Composite. According to the observation of Fastener World’s onsite correspondent, a majority of visitors of the show were from local Korea, though a few were from nearby Asian countries. In addition, as there are quite vibrant and well-developed automotive, 3C and light/heavy machinery industries in Korea, there exists substantial fastener, hardware and industrial components demand in the country. Second, as the local Korean

Exhibition 121 manufacturing industry is also quite well-developed, the substantial demand for processing machinery has kept growing in recent years. All of these demands boosted the attendance of visitors in 2018. Fastener World Magazine was also one of the few exhibitors from Taiwan to help industries reinforce their promotion in the northeastern market and did meet many potential buyers on the stand.

International Fastener Expo (IFE) 美國拉斯維加斯螺絲暨機械設備展 10/30-11/01 台灣代理：滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastener-world.com.tw /展覽部陳怡婷小姐)

More shows Fastener World will attend… (★ means shows represented by Fastener World) 03/14-17 Istanbul Hardware Fair 03/19-21 Fastener Fair Stuttgart ★ 04/17-19 M-Tech Nagoya 04/25-26 Fastener Fair India ★ 04/25-27 Fastener Spring and Manufacturing Equipment Exhibition 05/22-23 Fastener Fair USA

IFE had a grand opening on October 30 to November 1 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Despite a relatively large turbulence in world trade, IFE, the first-rate fastener and machinery show of the U.S. continued to enlarge in scale, attracting 850 exhibitors and more than 5,000 visitors from more than 30 countries, including manufacturers and master distributors of fasteners, precision formed parts, fastener machines/tooling, and related products.

06/11-13 International Fastener Show China

As a critical cornerstone for promoting global fastener production and sales, Fastener World Inc. brought nearly a hundred Taiwanese exhibitors to the show and provided a powerful platform connecting the North American and global fastener trade. According to the onsite correspondent, the number of exhibitors of IFE still grew moderately and the number of visitors and transaction remained at a certain standard. Overall, the scale of the show continued to enlarge. Additionally, in 2018 China topped with the largest number of exhibitors, followed by Taiwan, together with local American exhibitors, which tells that the show gathered the top 3 fastener producing countries. Specialists at the Fastener World booth handed out the latest publications and attracted many visitors and local exhibitors, introducing Asian and International fastener suppliers to them. The show will be launched again in September 17 to 19, 2019.

09/05-07 Expo Nacional Ferretera

06/19-20 Fastener Fair Mexico ★ 06/19-21 Korea Metal Week 06/26-28 Fastener Expo Shanghai ★ 09/11-12 The Fastener Exhibition & Conference 09/17-19 International Fastener Expo ★ 09/20-22 Hand Tools & Fastener Expo 10/02-04 M-Tech Osaka 10/08-09 Fastener Poland ★ 10/10-12 China International Hardware Show 10/17-19 Taiwan Hardware Show 10/23-25 Fastener Trade Show Suzhou 11/05-08 Moscow International Tool Expo 11/14-17 MACTECH 12/04-08 ENGIMACH-COMFAST For more exhibition info, please contact Exhibition/Sales Dept. of Fastener World (+886-295-4000 / foreign@fastener-world.com.tw)

122

Exhibition

Fastener World Exhibitions Calendar in 1st Half 2019

The Fastener Fair Stuttgart exhibition profile covers all areas of the fastener and fixing industry: industrial fasteners and fixings, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems as well as fastener ma nu fact u r i ng t e ch nolog y. T he show t a rget s distributors, suppliers, engineers and other industry professionals and is therefore the meeting place for the whole industry.

2019上半年滙達展覽快訊 arranged by Fastener World Istanbul Hardware Fair M-Tech Nagoya 土耳其伊斯坦堡國際五金暨手工具展

03/14–03/17

Venue: Istanbul Expo Center T h e 3r d e d it io n of I st a n b u l Hardware Fair is going to take place on March 14 – 17, 2019 at the Istanbul Expo Center. Istanbul Hardware Fair is the only event specialized in hardware and tools in Turkey. The desire of Turkish hardware producers in increasing their quality, becoming a brand and getting acquainted with new markets and Voli Fuar’s success in specialized fairs plays a major role in the enthusiasm of the sector in the fair. The producers, consumers, procurers, implementers, foreign and domestic representatives…. in short, all members of the sector come together, at the Istanbul Hardware Fair. The Istanbul Hardware Fair gives participants an unforgettable experience through informative presentations and activities, entertaining stand shows and live performances by participant companies. Exhibits include electrical hand tools, mechanical hand tools, safety products, abrasives, machines, etc.

Fastener Fair Stuttgart 德國司徒加特螺絲展

03/19–03/21

Venue: Messe Stuttgart 台灣代理:滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastener-world.com.tw /展覽部陳怡婷小姐) Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2019, the world’s leading exhibition for the fastener and fixing industry, will take place from 19 – 21 March 2019 in halls 1, 3 and 5 at the Stuttgart Exhibition Grounds in Germany. Around 900 companies from 40 countries will be presenting the latest technological developments as well as conventional systems from all areas of the industry.

日本名古屋機械要素技術展

04/17–04/19

Venue: Portmesse Nagoya 4th Manufacturing World Nagoya is a purely business to business trade show in Nagoya, specialising in t he products, tech nologies a nd solution for manufacturing industry. All kinds of mechanical parts/subcontracting services (fasteners, springs, tube components, etc.), IT services (CAD, CAM, production management system, etc.), products/equipment for factory maintenance (factory facilities/equipment, energy saving products, etc.) and technologies/ components for aerospace manufacturing (ultraprecision materials processing, mechanical parts, etc.) are exhibited under one roof. It is held in Nagoya which is one of the central areas of the Japanese manufacturing industry.

Exhibition 123

Fastener Fair India 印度孟買螺絲展

04/25–04/26

Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai 台灣代理:滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastenerworld.com.tw /展覽部陳怡婷小姐) The ‘Gateway to India’, Mumbai, hosts the seventh edition of Fastener Fair India. High profile Indian and international companies will, once again, showcase a comprehensive range of industrial fasteners and fixings, assembly and installation systems, storage and logistics services, fastener manufacturing technology and construction fixings. The exhibition takes place from 25-26 April 2019 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, in Mumbai. In 2018, Fastener Fair India was held in the country’s capital city, New Delhi and ended with positive results. Over 140 exhibiting companies were present at the two-day event, highlighting market innovations to a highly qualified audience of 3,316 (compared to the last edition of Fastener Fair India held in New Delhi, visitor numbers increased by over 30%). The majority of exhibitors were India-based companies. However, a lot of exhibitors were non-domestic, namely from China, Taiwan, Germany, South Korea, Japan and Turkey. Fastener Fair India 2019 provides excellent networking opportunities to all industry professionals, including distributors, suppliers and engineers.

Fastener Spring & Manufacturing Equipment Exhibition 中國寧波緊固件、彈簧及製造裝備展覽會

04/25–04/27

Venue: NICEC Supported by the local government and associations, this show has been held for 15 consecutive years in Ningbo (China) and has been widely recognized by the industry. Its exhibits include: standard fasteners, automotive fasteners, stamped parts and machined parts, fastener materials, fastener molds & consumables, fastener equipment & technology, spring manufacturing technology & equipment, various spring inspection instruments & equipment, springs, bearings, etc.

Subcon Thailand 泰國國際工業零組件展

Venue: BITEC

05/08–05/11

SUBCON Thailand 2019 is the 13th edition of ASEAN’s Leading Industrial Subcontracting and Business Matching Event. This is the only event jointly organized by the BOI Unit for Industrial Linkage Development (BUILD) from the Thailand Board of Investment, UBM Asia (Thailand) and the Thai Subcontracting Promotions Association. The show is designed exclusively to present business opportunities for industrial part-makers and help them meet and negotiate business with major industrial partbuyers and manufacturers from Tier 1 and Tier 2 in the 5 new S-Curve industries. Also the entrepreneurs in supporting industries and those who seek to move into targeted industries to further enhance their business opportunities. The 2019 show will showcase over 10,000 quality industrial components and parts from Thailand, ASEAN and Japanese part-manufacturers.

124

Exhibition

The International Fastener Manufacturing Exposition 美國亞特蘭大緊固件機械暨相關設備展

05/14–05/16

Venue: Georgia World Congress Center 台灣代理: 聯德國際（TEL: 06-2930066 / sales@united-expos.com /黃瑜欣小姐） The International Fastener Manufacturing Exposition (IFME) is set for May 14-16, 2019 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The three-day event is co-located with INTERWIRE 2019. IFME is a breed apart from many other fastener industry events in the USA. Every attendee stepping into your booth will be actively involved in the design, development and manufacture of the full-range of industrial fasteners and precisioned formed parts—for every application. Simply stated, as a manufacturing show, IFME is not intended for distributors, resellers or end-users which means that as an exhibitor you will not have to spend valuable time and effort sorting out and determining who are the qualified prospects and potential customers for your products. As a leading supplier to the North American fastener and precision formed parts manufacturing industry, IFME is a prime opportunity to meet your buyers and prospects—up-close and personal.

Fastener Fair USA 美國底特律螺絲展

05/22–05/23

Venue: COBO Center

applications, standard fasteners, stamped parts & machined parts, fastener materials, fastener molds & consumables, fastener equipment & technology, fastener related service, etc. According to the organizer, the previous edition in 2018 drew 627 exhibitors and 25,637 visitors from 58 countries and regions in attendance.

台灣代理: 聯德國際（TEL: 06-2930066 / sales@unitedexpos.com /黃瑜欣小姐） Fastener Fair USA brings together manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, OEMs, and end users. It will be the meeting place for fastener professionals in 2019 for the chance to see the latest technology and solutions; unparalleled industry education for professionals of all levels and industries; a new bonding and adhesives pavilion; professional networking opportunities; and a convenient location in the heart of the Midwest manufacturing region.

Fastener Fair Mexico

Last year, 255 exhibitors from 20 countries showcased products, equipment, and solutions. Attendees can easily discover and connect with manufacturers of industrial fastener, fixing, and joining solutions, leading to collaborations to solve product design business challenges. No matter where someone is in the supply chain, they’ll appreciate seeing the latest technologies, innovations, and solutions for their business all in one place.

墨西哥墨西哥市螺絲展 06/19–06/20 Venue: World Trade Centre, Mexico City

Fastener Fair USA will offer a unique opportunity to get the latest industry information, forecasts, and technical education with keynotes and breakouts for all levels of experience, industry focus, and visitor segments.

Fast ener Fa i r Mexico c ove r s a l l a r e a s of t h e fastener and fixing industry and provides real insight into industr y trends a nd key information about the latest developments in this sector. The exhibition is the international platform for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and suppliers of fastener a nd f i xi ng t e c h n o l o g y. O v e r 1 5 0 exhibitors from Belgium, China, Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey and United States, among others, exhibited in Fastener Fair Mexico 2018. At Fastener Fair Mexico, products and services from the following industry sectors will be presented:

International Fastener Show China 中國際緊固件工業博覽會 06/11–06/13 Venue: SWEECC

台灣代理: 聯德國際（TEL: 06-2930066 / sales@unitedexpos.com /黃瑜欣小姐） International Fastener Show China 2019 is going to be given on June 11-13 at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. Held on the exhibition space of around 42,000 sqm, the show is expected to draw at least 800+ exhibitors and 30,000 visitors from China and other countries in attendance. Exhibits include fasteners for various industrial

台灣代理:滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastenerworld.com.tw /展覽部陳怡婷小姐)

• Industrial fasteners and fixings • Construction fixings • Assembly and installation systems • Fastener manufacturing technology • Storage, distribution, factory equipment • Information, communication and services

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Korea Metal Week 韓國工業大展(韓國首爾金屬週) Venue: KINTEX

06/19–06/21

On a total area of 21,546 square meters, Korea Metal Week 2019 will be held from June 19(Wed.) to 21(Fri.) at Hall 2~3, Exhibition Center 1, KINTEX in Goyang City, S. Korea. In 2019, Korea Metal Week will exhibit more wide-ranging and gather more sellers & buyers by newly-launching Control, Measurement and Automation applicable to fastener industry. Fastener & Wire will be shown various exhibits as below. - Bolt / Nut Products & Equipment - Automobile Parts / Fastening Products & Subsidiary Materials - Wire Production & Manufacturing Also, it will concurrently be held with Press & Forging, Tools, Automobile & Machine Parts, Tube & Pipe, 3D Technology, Foundry & Die Casting, Fundamental Manufacturing Industry, Aluminum, Metal Surface Treatment & Painting, Laser & Welding, Pump Technology, Composite, Control, Measurement and Automation. With subtitle ‘Advanced & Convergence Technology’, Korea Metal Week 2019 will invite experts of global automobile company such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, etc as keynote speakers. Also, through group invitation of their purchase department, the match-making service will be provided to the exhibitors for business meetings. Although Korea is not a big market in Asia, Korea Metal Week is the best marketing place to see the trend of the latest technologies in relevant industries.

Fastener Expo Shanghai 中國上海緊固件專業展暨汽車緊固件展

06/26–06/28 Venue: National Exhibition & Convention Center (Shanghai) 台灣代理:滙達 (TEL: 06-2954000 / foreign@fastener-world. com.tw /展覽部陳怡婷小姐) On 26-28 June 2019 a vast number of the industry’s leading companies will convene in Shanghai. Following the significant success of the recent 2018 exposition, which brought 633 exhibitors, 2019 sees a growth to over 700 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors. Occupying 60,000 sqm, next year promises an impressive display of products including non-standard pieces, fasteners for industrial applications, fastener manufacturing technology and equipment, mould and consumables for fasteners, raw materials, and even related support products and techniques. The 10-year anniversary will also mark the expansion into a new type of fastener: ITE is proud to introduce building fasteners, an unique area never showcased before. The 2019 Exposition, hopes to provide an interactive and unique experience for all those involved; Face-to-face services will also be offered allowing visitors to be matched to exhibitors in advance and a variety of seminars and conferences will be available allowing visitors to further expand their understanding of the industry.

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Hardware World & Association News Mergers & Acquisitions MW Industries Announces the Acquisition of Ameriflex, Inc.

美國MW Industries宣布併購 Ameriflex, Inc.

MW Industries, a leading provider of highly engineered springs, specialty fasteners, machined parts, and other precision components, announced the acquisition of Ameriflex, Inc., a leading manufacturer of precision formed metal bellows and bellows assemblies used in applications supporting the semiconductor, microelectronics, and aerospace industries. Located in Corona, CA, Ameriflex was founded in 1981 to supply bellows into the fledgling semiconductor industry. The company has maintained its semiconductor industry focus while diversifying into industrial equipment and aerospace. Ameriflex produces bellows, flexible metal hoses, and metal flanges used in the vacuum electronics industry. The company’s highly engineered products are chosen because of their exceptional performance in meeting the tight tolerances and exacting specifications demanded in vacuum applications. The company also produces custom assemblies, combining bellows and flanges together in value-added assemblies specifically meeting customers’ system requirements. Ameriflex has earned a reputation for quality and excellence. MW Industries has completed a number of acquisitions to strengthen its product offerings and enhance its value to customers. The company is currently evaluating a strong pipeline of possible transactions.

G.L. Huyett Acquires AZ Lifting Hardware 美國G.L.Huyett併購AZ Lifting Hardware On Friday, July 13, 2018, G.L. Huyett announced its acquisition of Phoenix, Arizona, based AZ Lifting Hardware (AZLH), a privately held lifting hardware distributor. G.L. Huyett’s CEO, Tim O’Keeffe, explained, “This acquisition complements G.L. Huyett’s strategy to grow our business exponentially through the addition of products and services that add value to our customers. We now have a warehouse located in the Southwest, allowing us to reduce freight costs to the West Coast for G.L. Huyett products, as well as plans to dispatch lifting hardware to our Tennessee Warehouse to reduce freight costs for customers on the East Coast.” Si n c e 2 0 0 6 , A Z L H h a s distributed a diverse ra nge of lif ti ng, r iggi ng, a nd susp en sion ha rdwa r e for shipping, constr uction, and architectural industries across North America.

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五金產業與協會新聞 arranged by Fastener World

DRIV-LOK Has Been Acquired by The Mendota Group 美國DRIV-LOK被The Mendota集團併購 DRIV-LOK has been acquired by The Mendota Group, in partnership with Capital for Business and Konza Valley Capital, Inc. (KVCI). DRIV-LOK is the preferred brand for the broadest range of press-fit fastening and joining components for the leading OEMs and fastener distributors. Founded in 1936, DRIV-LOK manufactures over 2,000 SKUs comprising spring pins, grooved pins, dowel pins, barbed pins and more, and specializes in manufacturing engineered, application-specific “specials” as well as standard parts through stocking distributors. With more offerings than any other press-fit fastener manufacturer, DRIVLOK offers customers flexibility without bias on the best fastening solution. DRIV-LOK is headquartered in Sycamore, Illinois. The Mendota Group, based in Madison, Wisconsin focuses on private investments to support ownership transition and growth opportunities. T he Mendot a G roup acqui red DRIV-LOK in partnership with St. Louis-based Capital for Business and Kansas City-based KVCI.

ABC Supply Co. Inc. Acquires the Assets of DRI Supply Co. 美國ABC Supply Co.Inc.併購DRI Supply Co. Building products distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc. has acquired the assets of DRI Supply Co., a distributor of drywall, roofing and insulation products. ABC will continue to serve customers from the three former DRI locations: 746 Church Hill Road in San Andreas, California; 2300 Cooper Ave. in Merced, California; and 5831 Highway 50 East in Carson City, Nevada. The acquisition allows ABC Supply to enhance its service in both existing and new markets and strengthen relationships with professional contractors. Current DRI Supply associates will continue to work at the locations, ensuring customers receive seamless access to the products and services they need to run and grow their businesses. “We’re happy to welcome the DRI Supply team to our ABC family,” said Matt Cooper, vice president of ABC Supply’s West Region. “Contractors will continue to work with the knowledgeable people they’ve come to know, trust and rely on while enjoying access to a wider selection of product options and delivery capabilities.”

Bufab Acquires Rudhäll Industri AB 瑞典Bufab併購Rudhall Industri AB Bufab has acquired the Swedish company Rudhäll Industri AB ("Rudhäll") including its three wholly owned subsidiaries ("Rudhäll Group"), with annual sales of approximately SEK 210 million.

129 Hardware World & Association News The Rudhäll Group is a producer and distributor of components and other C-parts to the Swedish and European markets, specialized in advanced machined components. It consists of three units in Sweden and one in China. Approximately half of the total sales refers to distribution and about half to in-house production. Rudhäll was founded in 1952, and has since 2004 been owned and run by its current Managing Director, Jesper Emanuelsson. Under his leadership, the company has expanded organically and via acquisitions to an international supply chain partner to customers across many industries. In 2017, Rudhäll Group had 74 employees and sales of approximately SEK 210 million with a 9% normalized operating margin. The acquisition will be financed within Bufab's existing credit facilities. The purchase price amounts to approximately SEK 100 million on an enterprise value basis of which the majority will be paid upon closing of the transaction. The transaction will close and take effect immediately, and will be reported within Bufab's segment Sweden. Bufab will book total acquisition-related costs of approximately 5 MSEK in the third quarter of 2018. The Rudhäll Group is expected to contribute marginally to Bufab's earnings per share starting from the fourth quarter of 2018.

Calsonic Kansei and Magneti Marelli to Create a Leading Independent Automotive Components Supplier 康奈可併購馬瑞利，期盼世界排名大幅躍升至第11名 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (“FCA”) (NYSE: FCAU/ M TA : F CA) a n n o u n c e s that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the “Tra nsaction”) to sell its a u t o m o t ive c o m p o n e n t s business Magneti Marelli S.p.A. (“Magneti Marelli”) to CK Holdings Co., Ltd. (“CK Holdings”), a holding company of Calsonic Kansei Corporation (“Calsonic Kansei”), a leading Japanese automotive component supplier. Following the closing of the Transaction, CK Holdings will be renamed as Magneti Marelli CK Holdings*. The combined businesses of Calsonic Kansei and Magneti Marelli will create the world’s 7th largest global independent automotive components supplier based on total revenues. The agreement represents a transaction value of EUR 6.2 billion. The Transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019 and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The Transaction represents a unique opportunity to combine two successful businesses to create one of the leading global independent automotive components suppliers, with combined revenues of EUR 15.2 billion (JPY 1,975 billion1). The combination is a decisive step towards both companies’ strategic ambition to become a leading globally-diversified tier-one supplier. The combined company will be well positioned to serve its customers around the world due to its enhanced scale, financial strength and the highly complementary nature of its combined product lines and geographic footprint. The new entity will operate out of nearly 200 facilities and R&D centers across Europe, Japan, the Americas, and Asia Pacific.

Apex Tool & Fasteners, Inc. Joins SouthernCarlson, Inc. SouthernCarlson公司併購Apex Tool & Fasteners公司 SouthernCarlson, Inc., one of the nation's leading fastener, tool and packaging distributors, announces the acquisition of Florida-based Apex Tool & Fasteners, Inc. The acquisition was finalized on Dec. 31, 2018. This latest acquisition strengthens SouthernCarlson's footprint in Florida, adding capabilities and local distribution presence in the Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa markets. Eric Heath, President of Apex Tool, stated, “We are excited to join the SouthernCarlson family. The support and backing of a national company will enable us to expand our Florida business even faster and provide more products and services to our customers.” Kenneth Sweder, SouthernCarlson's Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Florida is an important market for us and I am pleased to welcome the outstanding associates of Apex Tool & Fasteners to SouthernCarlson. Eric Heath and his team have built a strong business, and I look forward to accelerating our growth together.”

Sandvik Acquires USbased Wetmore Tool & Engineering 瑞典Sandvik併購美國Wetmore Tool & Engineering Dormer Pramet, a division within Sandvik Machining Solutions, has acquired the US based company Wetmore Tool & Engineering, a manufacturer of round tools specialized for the aerospace industry. The acquisition not only expands Dormer Pramet’s range of round tools but it also facilitates an improved position in key aerospace markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, etc. “The acquisition is aligned with Sandvik Machining Solutions’ growth strategy. Wetmore Tool & Engineering will add competence in application areas that complements our existing offering in round tools,” says Klas Forsström, President of Sandvik Machining Solutions. “I am very pleased that we have acquired Wetmore Tool & Engineering as they are a leader in air frame hole making, and this acquisition enhances our position as a one-stop-shop,” says Stefan Steenstrup, President of Dormer Pramet. In 2017 Wetmore Tool & Engineering generated revenues of about 160 million SEK and had 170 employees. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price and the transaction was simultaneously signed and closed. The deal is accretive to earnings per share from the start.

Company Focus Optimas Retains VDA 6.2 Accreditation to Assure Quality of Automotive Supply Optimas英國廠再次取得汽車業供應品質認證VDA 6.2 Optimas’ Bredbury facility in the UK has retained its VDA 6.2 and ISO9001:2015 certification for 2018, allowing the industrial distributor and service provider to continue delivering quality fasteners and c-class

131 Hardware World & Association News components directly to automotive manufacturing lines globally. Optimas is a key player in the automotive industry, supplying component solutions to some of the world’s most recognisable car brands and tier suppliers.

SFS Amongst the Top 3 at the Swiss Employers’ Award

ISO9001:2015, a certification of quality management systems within a business, forms the backbone of VDA 6.2. The standard permeates through all aspects of the automotive product lifecycle, providing OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers with the assurances that a supplier provides a consistently high level of service.

SFS獲瑞士最佳雇主獎第三名

Optimas is independently assessed annually for adherence and performance to requirements against the standard, with analysis carried out to identify correlations in service improvements. Only on successful completion of this annual assessment can certification continuity be granted.

Hilti Ranked as One of the Top 50 Best Companies to Sell for Hilti北美分公司獲前50大最佳銷售雇主企業殊榮 The corporate research team at Selling Power has identified Hilti as one of the best companies to sell for. Hilti has received a top 20 placement in the magazine’s annual evaluation of the best sales employers in the United States, and 2018 marks its 13th consecutive year on the list. “As an organization with a direct sales force, it’s great to once again be recognized by Selling Power,” says Avi Kahn, president and CEO of Hilti North America. “There isn’t just one thing that makes Hilti such a special place to work. I see it as an aggregate of everything our teams are doing to support each other every day. Our caring and performance-oriented culture impacts team members in every role - and definitely those who are working on the front line with our customers.”

Brighton-Best International Proferred Brand Wins Two Pro Tool Innovation Awards 美國大國鋼Proferred品牌手工具榮獲兩項專業工具創新獎 Judging for the 2018 Pro Tool Innovation Awards completed and BrightonBest International received two PTIA awards for products from the new Proferred line. The winning products include Proferred Drywallerz™ (P64040) and the Proferred 8” Ratcheting Adjustable Wrench (T09002). "Manufacturers are consistently improving their tools. Each year, however, some exceed the norms and develop products that truly deserve recognition. Business owners, builders, contractors, and tradespeople really need to understand which products can help them work smarter and more efficiently," said Clint DeBoer, Executive Director of the Pro Tool Innovation Awards. A panel of judges made up of tool and media professionals from across the United States and Canada weighed in on entries from top global manufacturers. This year, over 60 different tool manufacturers submitted nearly 300 tool entries in dozens of categories for a shot to win a 2018 Pro Tool Innovation Award.

The SFS Group reached 3rd place in the large companies category at the 18th Swiss Employers' Award. At this year’s Swiss Arbeitgeber Award 46,130 employees from 140 companies were rating their employer. The SFS employees from the Distribution & Logistics, Industrial and Services areas also took part in the comprehensive employee survey and answered questions on central aspects of their working situation, their work satisfaction and their commitment towards SFS. The best employers were ultimately derived from the answers from all participating companies. The SFS Group reached 3rd place in the large companies category (1000 or more employees) and therefore, as at the last participation in 2016, finished in the top 3. The management and the whole organization happily accept the good finish as feedback and appreciation on the part of the employees and take this opportunity to thank them for their dedication and loyalty. SFS can draw valuable indications for further development and improvement from these responses. In a broadly based process the indications will be discussed in the teams and appropriate measures taken.

PennEngineering® Wins $14M Judgment Against Patent and Trademark Infringer 美國PennEngineering®贏得專利和商標侵權案並獲得1400 萬美元賠償 PennEngineering® has obtained a $14,000,000 judgment and per manent injunction against Donggua n Fenggang Pinconn Hardware Factory trading as “Pinconn,” based on Pinconn’s counterfeiting and infringement of more than 12 PennEngineering patents and trademarks. In addition to being permanently restrained from selling the infringing products and being ordered to remove the infringing content from its website, Pinconn was ordered to pay PennEngineering $14,000,000 for statutory damages. The final order has been recorded with Customs to prevent importation to the U.S. of Pinconn products.

DEWALT® Partners with Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation 美國手工具大廠DEWALT®與Ellis Island基金會合作自由女神博物館興建計畫 DEWALT, a leading manufacturer of industrial power tools, hand tools, storage solutions, and accessories, announced a partnership with The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. to support the construction of the Statue of Liberty Museum. The museum, which is scheduled to be completed in 2019, will allow millions more visitors to enjoy the Statue of Liberty experience and be inspired by her history and message of freedom and opportunity.

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Through its partnership, DEWALT has provided f u ndi ng a nd donated thousands of premium power tools, hand tools, and accessories, including a variety of contributions from the FLEXVOLT® System, to assist with onsite construction services. DEWALT has also provided infrastructure services through the DEWALT Jobsite WiFi System, enabling connectivity throughout the remote location for both construction crews and visitors alike. Allison Nicolaidis, Chief Marketing Officer for DEWALT said, “As part of our pursuit to equip extreme jobsites around the world with DEWALT’s premium cordless tools, we are thrilled to support The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation’s significant and deserving efforts in constructing the Statue of Liberty Museum. It is a privilege to take part in honoring Lady Liberty’s continued legacy as a symbol of freedom and opportunity.”

STANLEY Announces Exclusive Partnership with The Home Depot 美國STANLEY宣布與The Home Depot建立獨家授權夥伴關係 STANLEY announces that The Home Depot will now be the exclusive home improvement retailer for its STANLEY hand tools and storage product portfolio, both in store and online, beginning in 2019. In addition, The Home Depot will also garner exclusivity across the STANLEY FATMAX product line, the world's leading tape measure brand known for innovation and durability. With a 175-year history in designing and manufacturing the most reliable tools for a ll users, the STANLEY

brand, including STANLEY FATMAX, is now entering into one of the largest exclusivity partnerships in the tools and storage industry.

PSM International Wuxi China Plant Renovation Project Completed PSM International中國無錫廠完成翻新 PSM International’s Wuxi China plant is working hard to expand its cold form and machining capability and capacity in 2018. Its effort has been well paid off by winning substantial strategic important projects from an international 1st tier Automotive supplier. Other than production expansion, it also built a new room for Laboratory, CMM and optical inspection. It had upgraded its Lab to improve the raw material chemical analysis and mechanical properties test. A new coordinate measuring machine has been purchased in CMM room to measure precision parts and its dimensional layouts. This room is also equipped with machines capable of evaluating surface roughness and contour. On the optical inspection room, it had space to further expand its capacity by adding new equipment. This expansion project has been completed since Oct 2018. PSM’s Wuxi plant will continue to expand its capability and capacity in order for the company to serve customers well and fulfill customers demand on quality, quantity and diversity of parts. Once the expansion project is completed, together with its sister company in Pembroke UK, it is capable of serving in global footprint on its cold form products.

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Hillman Canada Invests in State-of-the-art Facility Hillman Canada投資新廠 The Hillman Group, Inc. (“Hillman”), a leading solution provider to the retail h a r dwa r e m a r ket a nd memb e r of t he CHHMA, announced on November 15th that it will relocate its Canadian National Distribution Centre and Head Office to a newly designed, 400,000 square foot facility in the Metro East Business Park in Toronto. Now that construction of the 350-employed new facility is approaching completion, Hillman is entering the last phase of its Canadian modernization plan, consolidating seven operations around the Greater Toronto Area. Starting in early 2019, a phased move of the company’s $200+ million Canadian business will begin in the new location. The new facility is located at 1395 Tapscott Road, in Toronto.

Simpson Strong-Tie Increases Number of University Student Scholarships 美國五金大廠Simpson Strong-Tie增加大學生獎助計畫申請名額 Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, announced it has increased the number of scholarships in its Student Scholarship Program for the 2019-2020 academic year. The company added 32 more scholarships to the program, bringing the total number of scholarships available to 100. The Simpson Strong-Tie Student Scholarship Program supports education and encourages the design and building of safer structures in our communities by assisting architecture, str uctural engineering, and constr uction management majors in meeting their education costs. Up to 100 scholarships of $2,000 per recipient are awarded every academic year to university students at 93 participating schools. The online application for the 2019-2020 academic year is now available for interested students at strongtie.com/scholarships. The deadline to apply is March 25, 2019. Awards are for undergraduate study only and are not renewable, but st udents may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements.

New MD – Bufab Hungary Bufab匈牙利分部新總經理上任 András has wide experience, working for Hilti Hungary for the past fifteen year, last position as the Marketing & Engineering Director. András also has extensive experience within new Business Development and Sales- and Customer Relationship Management. “My first impression of Bufab, which really has impressed me, is that Bufab is not just a large international and professional company, it is rather a large international and professional family. Bufab has a very explicit culture of entrepreneurship, strong teamwork and a way of thinking that always put the customer in the focus point, which really appeals to me and the way I want to conduct business, says András. Now I look forward to grow together with the great team of Bufab Hungary,” András ends.

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Bufab Hungary is located in Budapest a nd is a Supply Chain Pa r tner who supplies C-Parts and services to the Hungarian manufacturing industry. Bufab helps its customers to reduce total cost and complexity, free up capital, achieve stable quality and deliveries. What it boils down to is a seamless supply chain, where the headache with C-Parts is gone.

Cromwell Appoints Neil Jowsey Managing Director 英國Cromwell指派Neil Jowsey為新任總經理 Cromwell, the leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products serving businesses and institutions in the UK, and a subsidiary of Grainger, announced the appointment of Neil Jowsey as Managing Director, effective September 7, 2018. Jowsey has deep experience driving profitable growth at both business-tobusiness (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) companies. Most recently, he was joint managing director and chief executive of Arco, a position he was appointed to in 2013. During his 11-year tenure at this leading provider of B2B safety and workwear supplies, Jowsey helped grow profitable sales, attain high customer satisfaction and team member engagement, and improve digital and supply chain capabilities. Prior to Arco, Jowsey held leadership positions of increasing responsibility in the UK at Mars, Asda/Walmart and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. Jowsey has completed the INSEAD Advanced Management Programme and has a BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering from City University, London.

PFERD Announces Successor To President Pferd公司宣布董事長接班人選 Pferd Inc., a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of abrasives, brushes, and power tools, has promoted Mariano Presas to president – Americas effective Aug. 31, 2019. He succeeds Gene Huegin, who will retire at that time. In this newly expanded role, Presas will be responsible for operations of Pferd Canada, Pferd Inc., and Pferd Latin America. C u r r ent ly P r esa s se r ves a s president of Pferd Latin America. Before joining the company, he was managing director – Latin America for Dayton Superior and sales and technical services director – Mexico for Hilti. Starting in early 2019 and throughout the year, Presas will gradually assume more responsibility and spend more time in the U.S. culminating with Huegin’s retirement.

Hoffmann Group Appoints Manav Goel as India Director 歐洲Hoffmann集團指派Manav Goel為印度分公司總經理 European tooling major Hoffmann Group has appointed Manav Goel as its India Director to bolster its expansion plans for the country. Goel will be responsible for driving the group’s sales and strategic business partnerships in India, Hoffman said in a statement. The Germany-based group describes itself as a Europe’s leading system partner for quality tools with major listed companies as customers in more than 50 countries. In 2017, it generated a worldwide turnover of over 1.2 billion euros. “India has always been a huge market for the company and we see immense growth potential for us here. At Hoffmann Group, we have the ability to support the manufacturing industry with our comprehensive portfolio and machining expertise of Germany,” Goel said. The group’s senior vice president (Asia) Christian Kober said Goel’s appointment further bolster its expansion efforts in India and he is expected to strengthen its brand presence in the Indian market.

Chicago Pneumatic Welcomes Business Line Manager with Proven Record in Industrial Tools and Global Marketing 美國Chicago Pneumatic歡迎新任工業工具及全球行銷經理上任 Ch icago P neu matic, i nter nationa l manufacturer of professional automotive and industrial tools, announces that Philip Warmbier has joined the team as Business Li n e M a n a ge r i n t h e c om pa ny's U.S. Headquarters located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Wa r m bi e r w i l l d i r e c t t h e C h i c a go Pneumatic Tools sales teams in the North American territory, which includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The team services industrial and vehicle service clients. A Midwest native, Warmbier holds a degree in communications and business management from Concordia University of Chicago, and an MBA from Marylhurst University near Portland, Oregon.

Nominations for Canadian Hardware & Housewares Industry Hall of Fame Now Open 加拿大五金產業名人堂正式開放提名 Since 1984, the Canadian Hardware & Housewares Industry Hall of Fame award has honoured individuals who have been builders of successful enterprises in the industry, and have made outstanding contributions to the industry through their leadership and innovation. In the 35th year, the CHHMA is honoured to serve as the custodian of the Hall.

135 Hardware World & Association News The award is given to an individual in recognition from his or her peers for outstanding achievement, service and contribution to the Canadian hardware and housewares industry over a long career. Nominations for the Hall of Fame award come from the CHHMA general membership. The following criteria are taken into consideration when selecting a nominee: • must be Canadian • total years in the industry (minimum 15) • examples of innovation and pioneering • must be a builder of a successful business • involvement in outside activities that benefit the whole industry • can come from the retail, distribution, manufacturing or agencies sector • personal characteristics such as ethics and integrity The 2019 inductees will be announced in the New Year and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during an industry luncheon held in conjunction with the annual CHHMA Spring Conference & AGM.

HAI Announces Launch of Spring 2019 Training Schedule 愛爾蘭五金協會公布2019春季產業訓練課程規劃 After a highly successful Autumn, with more courses, topics and participants than ever before, HAI is pleased to launch its Spring 2019 training schedule with classroom-based courses tailored specifically to the needs of hardware retailers, merchants, agri-businesses and suppliers. Thanks to continued feedback from members and training attendees the schedule comprises all of HAI’s most popula r and successf ul courses and workshops including Credit Control, Stock Control and Digital Marketing and Social Media, along with the return of newer courses like Merchandising Techniques and Leadership and Communication Skills. After the hugely successful level of attendance in Autumn it is encouraging to see the number of employers a nd ma nagers in t he sector becoming more involved in investing in their business’s and employees’ future by investing in training and development. Training in soft-skills

like Sales and Customer Service and more practical skills like Digital Marketing and Merchandising are key in helping developing businesses in the sector compete against online and offline challenges to trade.

136 Industry Focus

An Overlook to the German Market In the 3rd quarter of 2018, the total value of exported and imported tools (HS codes 820720, 820730 and 820740) in the German market was 529,159 million USD, 64.9% of which is for exported tools from Germany to the world and the remaining 35.1% is for imported tools by German users. In a simple calculation, it reveals that Germany is an independent country in terms of tools because the ratio of its export to import is 185%. The following graph shows that the growth trend of tools business in the German market. The base period is the 4th quarter of 2016. According to the graph, the market of Germany did not show a huge growth, between Q4 2016 to Q3 2018 (only 2.2% accumulative growth for this market). The middle of 2017 was the summit of the tools business in Germany, but after that, it dropped sharply. In the 3nd quarter of 2017 the tools business value passed 616.5 million USD, and it doesn’t seem to be repeated in 2019.

German Tools Trade Statistics in Q1-3 2018 2018前三季德國手工具進出口貿易統計概況 by Sharareh Shahidi Hamedani

2016-Q4

2017-Q1

2017-Q2

2017-Q3

536,135

471,558

537,448

616,981

-12.0%

14.0%

14.8%

15.0%

2017-Q4

2018-Q1

2018-Q2

2018-Q3

10.0%

Total value

615,032

558,173

517,957

529,159

5.0%

Growth rate

-0.3%

-9.2%

-7.2%

2.2%

Total value Growth rate

25.0% 20.0%

0.0% -5.0%

The right graph gives us more detail about German tools situation. Although both import and export have made the total amount numbers, the right graph shows that the fluctuations of total numbers look like those of the exported tools numbers, which means the German market is an independent market in the tools sectors.

*Values are in 1,000 USD

2016-Q4

2017-Q1

2017-Q2

2017-Q3

2017-Q4

-20.0% Toal Growth trend

Import Growth Rate

Export Growth rate

2016-Q4

2017-Q1

2017-Q2

2017-Q3

185,738

172,922

223,789

224,634

-6.9%

29.4%

0.4%

298,636

313,659

392,347 25.1%

Growth rate Export

350,397

Growth rate Exp/Imp Total

2018-Q2

-15.0%

The numbers of exported and imported tools are mentioned in the following table.

Import

2018-Q1

-10.0%

-14.8%

5.0%

189%

173%

140%

175%

2017-Q4

2018-Q1

2018-Q2

2018-Q3 185,838

Import

223,988

204,442

193,553

Growth rate

-0.3%

-8.7%

-5.3%

-4.0%

Export

391,044

353,731

324,404

343,321

Growth rate

-0.3%

-9.5%

-8.3%

5.8%

Exp/Imp

175%

173%

168%

185%

2018-Q3

Industry Focus 137

Which HS Code Plays the Main Role? The mentioned numbers in this article came through the following HS Codes and their shares are calculated on the 3rd quarter of 2018:

Imported Tools 1- HS code 820720 representing 6.8% of the total imported tools by Germany 2- HS code 820730 representing 80.2% of the total imported tools by Germany 3- Hs code 820740 representing 12.9% of the total imported tools by Germany

Exported Tools 1- HS code 820720 representing 4.4% of the total exported tools through Germany 2- HS code 820730 representing 73.6% of the total exported tools through Germany 3- Hs code 820740 representing 22.0% of the total exported tools through Germany

Therefore, in Total Amount 1- HS code 820720 representing 5.2% of the total tools business in Germany 2- HS code 820730 representing 76.0% of the total tools business in Germany 3- Hs code 820740 representing 18.8% of the total tools business in Germany This article studied the main partners of Germany in HS Code 820730 because 76% of the German tools business happened in this product category.

The right graph shows the situation of Germany as an exporter in this sector: the notable items in the graph are mentioned as below: 1- Germany supplies 4% of the world needs. 2- The share of China in Germany’s exported tools is 12.71% and the statistics show 2% decline in China’s import through Germany annually, and China’s import growth from the world is lower than Germany’s export growth to China, which means more business between China and Germany.

Scale: 4% of world imports

Austria

Annual growth of partner countries' Imports from the world between 2013-2017, %

HS Code 820730, Interchangeable Tools for Pressing, Stamping or Punching

Prospects for market diversification for a product exported by Germany in 2017 Product : 820730 Interchangeable tools for pressing, stamping or punching

Mexico USA Spain China

Share of partner countries in Germany's exports, 2017, % Germany export growth to partner < Partner import growth from the world

Germany export growth to partner > Partner import growth from the world

Reference bubble

The bubble size is proportional to the share in world imports of partner countries for the selected product

3- The share of USA in Germany’s export is 9.8% and US market shows 3% growth annually. US import growth from the world is faster than Germany’s export growth to USA, which means the share of Germany get smaller annually in US customers. 4- The share of Mexico in Germany’s export is 8.24% and the Mexican market shows 6% growth annually. Germany’s export growth to Mexico is faster than Mexico’s import growth from the world, which means the Mexican market gets bigger annually. 5- The 4th and 5th biggest tools importer countries from Germany are Austria and Spain.

Prospects for diversification of suppliers for a product imported by Germany in 2017 Product : 820730 Interchangeable tools for pressing, stamping or punching

In the import section,

2- China is the main supplier of the Germany’s required tools and China’s share in Germany’s import is 20.99%. 3- The 2nd biggest supplier is Italy with 9.79% share in Germany’s import. 4- The 3rd biggest country is South Korea, and its share in Germany’s import is 8.78%

Annual growth of partner countries' Exports to the world between 2013-2017, %

1- Germany has bought 3% of the world’s tools export. Scale: 3% of world exports China

S. Korea Turkey

Italy Switzerland

5- The 4th and 5th are Switzerland and Turkey. See the right graph:

Share of partner countries in Germany's imports, 2017, % Germany import growth from partner < Partner export growth to the world

Germany import growth from partner > Partner export growth to the world

Reference bubble

The bubble size is proportional to the share in world exports of partner countries for the selected product

138 Industry Focus

China’s Car Market & Automotive Fastener Market in the First 3 Quarters of 2018

2018前3季中國汽車和汽車扣件市場分析 by Shervin Shahidi Hamedani China is home to the world’s largest market for automobile sales. In 2013, for instance, about 22 million vehicles were sold in this country, which accounted for more than twenty five percent of the global vehicle sales. China, as the second-largest economy in the world, has seen notable GDP growth and economic development over the past years. This growth has led to the construction of a new middle class in China who has driven vehicle demand. In 2016 the car market in China recorded 30% of the total global sales. In 2015, China’s passenger cars production volume reached 21 million units and China was ranked the first among countries with the largest production of passenger cars followed by Japan, Germany, the United States and South Korea, which are home to the most valuable car brands worldwide. In terms of automotive fasteners market, China has developed and is known as the largest manufacturer and exporter of industrial fasteners in the region supported by existence of several SMEs in this market. Those players have invested recently in production as well as research and development of plastic and specialty fasteners to support application-specific demand and to sustain in the highly competitive automotive market. Despite of all those significant development in last decade, the growth of Chinese domestic car market declined in 2018. In September 2018, the sales fell the most in almost seven years. A slowing economy, higher gasoline prices, and serious pollution issues have all been named as major reasons for a softer car market in 2018.

Automobile Sales in China (in 1,000 units) Jan-Sep 2018 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Feb '18

Mar '18

Apr '18

May '18

Commercial Vehicles

Jun '18

Jul '18

Passenger Cars

Aug '18

According to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) the production and sales of vehicles had slight YTD increases in the first quarters of 2018; however the car sales volume decreased quarterly in the same year. In the first quarter of 2018, 7.2 million sales were recorded while in the second quarter the sales reduced to 6.5 million units of cars. The lowest number of sales was registered in the third quarter of 2018 with 6.3 million units. For the first three quarters of 2018, the total vehicle sales were 20.5 million units, which consist of 17.3 million units of passenger cars and 3.2 million units of commercial vehicles. The sales growth of passenger cars was only 0.6% while commercial vehicles recorded 6.3% sales growth in the first nine months of 2018. The left graph shows the vehicles sales breakdown in China’s auto market within the first three quarters in 2018. Sedans, within the passenger car segment, had the highest number of sales, 8.4 million units, which is 49% of total sales followed by SUVs which registered 42% of the total sales in this segment with 7.2 million units of sales. SUVs are known as one of the best performing categories in China’s automotive market in recent years.

3,000

Jan '18

After twenty years of growth in the car industry in China, this country is entering a mature phase and the year 2018 should be named as a transition year for China’s car industry despite of drastic slowdown in sales growth.

Sep '18

The highest sales growth, 81.1%, registered by new energy vehicles (N EVs) with 721,000 sales units supported by the new government policies and incentives. Other than new energy vehicle, the highest sales growth belonged to the light truck category. This category registered 7.6% sales growth with 2.9 million units of sales. Regardless of the impressive performance

Industry Focus 139

of light trucks and new energy vehicles, the consecutive monthly decreases in total vehicle sales were still recorded during the third quarter of 2018. The car market in China is moving towards a drastic change. The future evolution in the vehicle market is driven by addressing the two major challenges which are air pollution and traffic congestion. The electric and hybrid cars get more attention in this market. Chinese government has introduced plenty of incentives for the production and usage of low emission and green cars. In regards to the fastener market, over the recent years, the industrial fastener industry in China has been growing rapidly as automotive market in China has been facing the rapid growth. The growth in the industrial fastener market is driven by increase in local manufacturers, government investment in the urbanization, changing automotive industry trends of light weighting and green vehicles. In the first three quarters of 2018, China dominated the industry in the region by registering more than 40% of the regional fastener revenue. This is supported mainly by the massive production volumes of vehicles in this market followed by other industries such as electronic goods, home appliances and construction. China’s fastener market is predicted to advance at the highest rate, mainly driven by the Chinese manufacturers who provide fasteners at low prices and new investments by the European companies in this country. Among the countries in Asia, China is predicted to rise at the highest rate driven by high investments by the native companies and government regulatory framework. However, in

the automotive sector, metal fasteners are faced with a challenge in terms of market expansion, as the demand growth of lightweight vehicles has increased the production and sales of alternatives such as plastic fasteners, adhesives, and sealants. On the other hand, recently the market has experienced a significant demand growth for high-grade fasteners including titanium and brass, which offer outstanding performance under vibration and high impact. The production of specialized and light fasteners increased in 2018 and it is expected to grow drastically in near future. With no doubt, China’s car market is growing fast to position itself as a major auto exporter and to shake up the global auto market. Chinese automakers are aggressively pushing to export their productions in the international markets as their domestic market is getting saturated. China produces different types of vehicles, ranging from luxury brands for the developed markets to low-cost vehicles for the developing countries. Additionally, there will be an increase in exports of vehicles from China produced by top global auto manufacturers. As mentioned, China today manufactures more electric vehicles than ever, and they have put lots of efforts to become a world leader in self-driving vehicles by producing smart and connected cars. Finally, Chinese government was very protective about the domestic auto industry as high tariffs on imported vehicles imposed and limited foreign ownership of domestic manufacturing. As it now seeks to expand internationally, the government is easing the tariffs as well as ownership requirements.

Sources: Global Industrial Fastener Market; Research and Markets, Business Wire. Statista, The Statistics Portal. China’s Auto Sales, Forbes. Asia Pacific Industrial Fasteners Market 2018-2025 & China’s Auto Revolution 2018: Research and Markets, PR Newswire.

140

Industry Focus 141

US Top 10 Trading Partners of Hand Tools Import & Export (The First 3 Quarters of 2018)

2018美國前三季手工具類前十大進出口國 Graph 1. Top 10 Destinations of Hand Tools Export for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

(USD) 80,000,000 70,000,000 60,000,000 50,000,000 40,000,000 30,000,000 20,000,000 10,000,000 -

2012

2013

Canada

Mexico

2014

2015 Germany

2016 Australia

Japan

China

Singapore

Peru

Chile

2017

Graph 2. Top 2 Sources of Hand Tools Import for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

(USD) 400,000,000 350,000,000 300,000,000 250,000,000 200,000,000 150,000,000 100,000,000

50,000,000 -

2012

2013

2014

2015

China

2016

2017

Taiwan

Graph 3. 3rd to 10th Top Sources of Hand Tools Import for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000

Regardless of the types of hand tool, China, Taiwan and Germany are the top import sources for the U.S. In terms of export, the neighboring Canada and Mexico are among the top 3 destinations of export for the U.S. The statistics below cover the first 3 quarters of 2018 and the monetary figures are calculated in USD. The official statistics for the whole 2018 was yet to be published as of the date of our deadline. To give you the whole picture of annual trade progression, we put up line graphs in a 2012-2017 timeframe and couple them with descriptions of statistics for the first 3 quarters of 2018.

Hand Tool (HS Code 8204) US total export value with the top 3 destinations were USD 196,719,093 over the first 3 quarters of 2018. Much like in 2017, the top 3 destinations in 2018 were Canada (USD 52,164,831), UK (USD 13,400,675), and Mexico (USD 13,235,920). Japan came in fourth at USD 11,197,853 and Australia in the south hemisphere came in fifth at USD 11,165,267. The sixth was Germany at USD 9,958,417. The seventh was China at USD 7,594,687. The eighth was Singapore at USD 6,181,472. The ninth was the Netherlands at USD 5,650,582. The tenth was Brazil at USD 3,903,642. Unlike 2017, there was a small change in the top 10 in 2018, We should note that Brazil and the Netherlands were not in the chart in 2017 but made it in by replacing Peru and Chile in the first 3 quarters of 2018. Refer to Graph 1 for the export values during 2012 and 2017. In terms of import, the top 10 sources of hand tool import for the U.S. were the same as in 2017 (Graph 2 and 3). The top 3 were China, Taiwan and Germany, in that order. China took up over 50% of the total import with an value of USD 235,500,608. Taiwan came in second at USD 150,222,727, taking up 33%. Germany at USD 16,664,569 exceeded India by taking up 4%. India came in fourth at USD 14,203,339. Spain came in fifth at USD 6,857,226. Argentina made it in the top 10 since 2015 and landed at USD 4,657,406 in 2018 as the sixth largest source of import, squeezing UK out of the top 10. Mexico came in seventh at USD 4,135,684. Japan came in eighth at USD 4,123,333. Canada came in ninth at USD 3,208,989. Italy came in tenth at USD 2,841,508.

Screwdriver (HS Code 820540)

10,000,000 5,000,000 -

by Nai-Wen Chang, Fastener World

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

India

Germany

Spain

Argentina

Mexico

Japan

Canada

Italy

2017

The total export value of US screwdrivers for the first 3 quarters of 2018 dropped substantially from the previous two quarters. The export value in 2016 was USD 34,394,433. By 2017 it was down to USD 29,856,150. In the first 3 quarters of 2018 it was USD 21,732,362. The top 3 destinations of export were Canada at USD 7,158,371 taking up 33% of the total export, Mexico at USD 3,437,387

142 Industry Focus Graph 4. Top 3 Destinations of Screwdriver Export for the U.S. and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 40,000,000 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000,000 0

2012

2013

2014

Total export value

2015

Canada

2016

Mexico

2017

Graph 5. 4th to 10th Top Destinations of Screwdriver Export for the U.S. and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000

taking up 16%, and Australia at USD 935,214 taking up 4%. Costa Rico new to the top 10 came in fourth with a total export value of USD 889,067 in 2018. Chile at USD 846,412 was up from seventh place in 2017 to fifth place in 2018. UK bounced between the first 5 places in the chart over the past 2 years and landed at 6th place (USD 801,931) in 2018. Seventh place was Japan (USD 737,993) and eighth place was Israel (USD 673,661). South Korea (USD 655,438) came in ninth which was lower than its ranking in 2017. Colombia (USD 565,077) made it back to the chart again at tenth place after it was squeezed out in 2016. Ecuador was tenth in 2017 but was squeezed out of the top 10 in the first 3 quarters of 2018 and landed at twelfth place. The top 3 import sources of screwdrivers for the U.S. in the first 3 quarters of 2018 remained to be China at USD 62,248,013 taking up 59% of the import total, Taiwan at USD 28,156,083 taking up 27%, and Germany at USD 6,199,275 taking up 6%. Fourth and fifth place had been bouncing between Czech Republic and Japan since 2015. In 2018 Czech Republic (USD 2,910,206) outpaced Japan (2,539,306) by a small gap. Switzerland at USD 591,359 and UK at USD 591,359 came in sixth and seventh respectively. Spain came in eighth at USD 404,576, Canada came in ninth at USD 313,995 and France came in tenth at USD 282,835. The top 10 had not changed since Mexico was squeezed out. Refer to Graphs 6 and 7 for a comparison between the previous years.

Screwdriver Bit (HS Code 82079030)

1,000,000 500,000 0

2012

Australia

Israel

2013

2014

South Korea

2015 Chile

2016

Japan

2017

Germany

Ecuador

Graph 6. Top 3 Sources of Screwdrivers Import for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

In terms of screwdriver bits, the U.S. exported a total worth of USD 169,201,449 in the first 3 quarters of 2018, down a little from

Graph 8. Top 2 Destinations of Screwdriver Bits Export for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

(USD)

(USD) 80,000,000

60,000,000

70,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000 30,000,000

40,000,000 30,000,000

20,000,000

20,000,000 10,000,000

10,000,000 -

2012

2013

2014 China

Taiwan

2015

2016

2017

2012

2013

2014 Mexico

Germany

Graph 7. 4th to 10th Top Sources of Screwdrivers Import for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 3,000,000

2015

2016

2017

Canada

Graph 9. 3rd to 10th Destinations of Screwdriver Bits Export for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

(USD) 16,000,000 14,000,000

2,500,000

12,000,000 2,000,000

10,000,000

1,500,000

8,000,000 6,000,000

1,000,000

4,000,000 500,000

2,000,000 -

2012 Czech Republic

2013

2014

Japan

Switzerland

2015 Canada

2016 Spain

2017 UK

France

Japan

2012 UK

2013 China

Germany

2014

2015

South Korea

2016 France

Italy

2017 Australia

Industry Focus 143 Graph 10. Top Source of Screwdriver Bits Import for the U.S. and Total Import Value During 2012 and 2017

Graph 11. 2nd to 10th Top Sources of Screwdriver Bits Import for the U.S. During 2012 and 2017

(USD)

50,000,000

(USD)

45,000,000

400,000,000

40,000,000

350,000,000

35,000,000

300,000,000

30,000,000

250,000,000

25,000,000

200,000,000

20,000,000

150,000,000

15,000,000 10,000,000

100,000,000

5,000,000

50,000,000

2012

2013

2014 Total import value

2015

2016 China

2017

2012 Taiwan Hungary

2013 Germany Switzerland

2014

2015 Japan Brazil

2016 Canada

2017 Mexico

Italy

the previous two years. Refer to Graphs 8 and 9. The top 4 destinations of export for the U.S. have never changed since 2016 and they are Mexico at USD 34,274,514 taking up 20% of the total export, Canada at USD 31,350,078 taking up 19%, Japan at USD 12,047,101 taking up 7%, and UK at USD 11,000,724 taking up 7%. Germany came in fifth at USD 10,074,004 taking up 6%, and China came in sixth at USD 6,757,496 taking up 4%. Australia entered the top 10 in 2017 and rose to seventh place (USD 4,887,088, taking up 3%) in 2018. France at USD 4,820,016 and Italy at USD 4,547,511 came in eighth and ninth respectively as they did in 2017. South Korea at USD 3,902,249 came in seventh in 2017 but fell to tenth place in 2018. Refer to Graph 10 and 11 for US import of screwdriver bits during 2012 and 2017. The total import value began to grow slow in 2014 but increased its growth margin in 2018. The total import value for the first 3 quarters of 2018 was USD 288,642,259. The top source of import was China at USD 141,441,254, taking up 49%. Taiwan came in second in 2015 and remained so in 2018 at USD 36,871,014, taking up 13%. Germany came in third at USD 33,782,066, taking up 12%. Japan started to decline in 2016 and came in fourth in 2018 at USD 12,748,920, almost outpaced by Canada at fifth place (USD 11,919,235). Switzerland began to decline in 2016 and came in sixth in 2018 at USD 5,712,830. UK took a drastic dive during 2014 and 2015, began to bounce up in 2016, and came in seventh in 2018 at USD 4,718,396. Hungary (USD 4,444,421), Brazil (USD 4,282,107) and Czech Republic (USD 4,094,447) came in eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.

144 Industry Focus

Taiwan’s Top 10 Trading Partners of Hand Tools Import & Export (The First 10 Months of 2018)

台灣手工具類2018年前十個月十大進出口國 by Nai-Wen Chang, Fastener World Editor’s note: The official statistics of Taiwan’s hand tool trades for the whole 2018 were yet to be published as of the date of our deadline. To give you the whole picture of annual trade progression, we put up line graphs in a 2012-2017 timeframe and couple them with descriptions of statistics for the first 10 months of 2018.

Hand Tools (HS Code 8204) As shown in Graph 1 and 2, there was little change in Taiwan’s hand tool export ranking in the past few years. The top export destination for Taiwan’s hand tools was the U.S with the export value for the first 10 months of 2018 at USD160,569,924, taking up 30.5% of the total export. The export to the U.S. was rolling up since 2016 and overall grew 8.93% from 2017. Following the U.S., the export of hand tools to China grew a whopping 26.752% to a pretty good USD 52,141,384 taking up 9% of the total export in 2017. Export to Germany at 3rd place also grew since 2016 and landed at USD 34,468,538 in 2018 taking up 6.548% of the total export. France followed at 4th place and was very close to Germany Graph 1. Top Destination for Taiwan Hand Tool Epxort with a value at USD32,673,236. The Netherlands at and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 5th place grew 18.053% from 2017 and landed at USD 700,000,000 22,186,276. Japan coming in at 6th had a sluggish growth since 2015, landing at USD 21,338,011 with a 600,000,000 minor growth of 1.377% over 2017. Australia came in 7th with a pretty growth of 20.139% landing at USD 500,000,000 17,210,003. UK at 8th place did not have much growth 400,000,000 since 2015 and landed at USD 14,637,095 in 2018 with a growth of 4.469%. Sweden at 9th place had a 300,000,000 minor growth of 2.664% over 2017, landing at USD 14,025,566. Russia at 10th place was the only country 200,000,000 in decline but had pretty good growth from 2016 to 100,000,000 2017, landing at USD 12,388,750 in 2018 with a 5.161% decline. 2012

2013

2014

2015

Total export value

2016

2017

U.S.

Graph 2. 2nd to 10th Top Destinations for Taiwan Hand Tool Epxort and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 60,000,000 50,000,000 40,000,000 30,000,000 20,000,000 10,000,000 China

2012 Germany

2013 France

2014 Japan

The Netherlands

2015 Australia

2016 UK

2017 Sweden

Russia

In terms of import, Taiwan’s total import value of hand tools in the first 10 months of 2018 was USD 22,832,626, up by a smaller margin of 6.502% over 2017. The top source of import for Taiwan was China with an import value of USD 12,717,442, taking up 55.699% of the total import. Import from Vietnam at 2nd place started to grow since 2016, and grew 15.387% in 2018 to a total value of USD 3,513,180. Japan at 3rd place took a slight dive in 2017 and then grew 12.199% to a total value of USD 2,785,355. Significant growth was seen for undefined countries as well reaching a total of USD 1,138,124 in 2018. India at 5th place also had a pretty good growth since 2016, reaching a total of USD 800,050 in 2018 with a growth margin of 12.799%. The U.S. plunged 10.883% for the first time since 2015 and was ranked 6th with a total of USD 606,070. Germany at 7th place grew 49.801% in 2018 to a total of USD 394,797. Turkey at 8th place plummeted

Industry Focus 145 in 2017 and then grew 12.136% to a total of USD 358,073. Netherlands at 9th place slipped down a little by 3.678% in 2018 to a total of USD 141,090. Mexico at 10th place was on the ranking for the first time since 2015 with a pretty good growth margin and a total of USD 65,092. Refer to Graph 3 and 4 for the progression from 2012 to 2017.

Graph 3. Top 3 Sources for Taiwan Hand Tool Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 20,000,000 18,000,000 16,000,000 14,000,000

Screwdriver (HS Code 820540)

12,000,000 10,000,000 8,000,000 6,000,000 4,000,000 2,000,000 -

2012

2013

2014

China

2015

Vietnam

2016

2017

Japan

Graph 4. 4th to 10th Top Sources for Taiwan Hand Tool Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 -

2012 India

2013 U.S.

2014 Turkey

2015 UndeďŹ ned countries

2016

2017

Germany

Graph 5. Top 2 Destinations for Taiwan Screwdriver Export and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 70,000,000 60,000,000 50,000,000 40,000,000 30,000,000 20,000,000 10,000,000 -

2012

2013 U.S.

2014

2015

2016

Russia

Total Export Value

2017

Graph 6. 3rd to 10th Top Destinations for Taiwan Screwdriver Export and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017 (USD) 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 -

China

2012 UK

2013 Japan

2014 Italy

Australia

2015 France

2016 Germany

2017 Sweden

Judging from Graphs 5 and 6, Taiwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s export of screwdrivers started to grow since 2014. The total export value was USD 56,157,466 in the first 10 months of 2018, up by a small margin of 5.518% from the same period of 2017. The top destination of export for Taiwan was the U.S. with a growth margin of 19.781% over 2017 and export value of USD 22,377,364 taking up 39.848% of the total export. Export to China as the 2nd largest destination totaled USD 2,843,131, up 16.374% from 2017. Russia at 3rd place totaled USD 2,151,792, dropping 22.271% from 2017. Japan at 4th place totaled USD 2,049,602 in 2018 with a decline of 9.995%. UK at 5th place totaled USD 1,938,204 in 2018, declining 17.733%. Australia at 6th place was pretty much the same level with UK and totaled USD 1,937,460, remaining the level with the total in 2017. Italy at 7th place totaled USD 1,787,296 dropping 16.777% from 2017. Germany at 8th place totaled USD 1,761,314, up 22.288%. The Netherlands had a good growth with a total of USD 1,631,953, up 523.625%. Sweden at 10th place totaled USD 1,607,899 in 2018, up 13.805% from 2017. Taiwan imported USD 3,535,924 worth of screwdrivers in the first 10 months of 2018, up 38.222% from 2017. The top source of import in 2018 was China with an import value of USD 2,287,964, up 47.744% and taking up 64.706% of the total import. Japan at 2nd place was at USD 516,225 which took up 14.599% of the total import, but down 0.959% from 2017. Germany at 3rd place had a good growth of 50.476% and reached USD 248,081. Czech Republic had a good one at USD 143,674 up a drastic 161.454%. The U.S. at 5th place totaled USD 100,544, up 48.426%. Switzerland at 6th place totaled USD 95,823 in 2018, Undefined countries at 7th place totaled USD 54,417, down 13.184%. UK at 8th place totaled USD 35,747, down 42.304%. Hong Kong at 9th place totaled USD 14,154, down 42.304% from 2017. France totaled USD 12,468 in 2018, up 66.329%. Refer to Graph 7 and 8 for the yearly progression during 2012 and 2017.

Screwdriver Bit (HS Code 82079030) In the first 10 months of 2018, Taiwan exported USD 76,759,530 worth of interchangeable tools, which is roughly the same level in 2017. The top destination of export was the U.S. with an export value of USD 20,453,122, taking up 26.646% of the total export. The second was China at USD 9,250,448 taking up 12.051% of the total, up 20.839%. The third was Germany at USD 8,531,235 taking up 11.114%. The fourth was Canada at USD 3,894,882 with a minor decline of 5.959%. The fifth was Vietnam at USD 3,339,692. The sixth was Sweden at USD 3,044,638, down 12.808%. The seventh was Thailand at USD 1,978,995 in 2018, down 12.416% from 2017. The eighth was Japan at

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Graph 7. Top 3 Sources for Taiwan Screwdriver Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017

Graph 10. 4th to 10th Top Destinations for Taiwan Screwdriver Bit Export and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017

(USD)

4,000,000

7,000,000

3,500,000

6,000,000

3,000,000

5,000,000

2,500,000

4,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

1,000,000

500,000 -

2012

2013

2014

Total import value

2015 China

2016

Japan

2012

2017 Canada

Germany

2013

Sweden

2014

Vietnam

2015

The Netherlands

2016 Japan

2017

Thailand

Graph 11. Top 3 Sources for Taiwan Screwdriver Bit Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017

Graph 8. 4th to 10th Top Sources for Taiwan Screwdriver Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017

(USD) 30,000,000

(USD) 160,000 140,000

25,000,000

120,000

20,000,000

100,000 80,000

15,000,000

60,000 40,000

10,000,000

20,000 -

2012 Czech Republic

2013 Switzerland

2014 U.S.

2015

UndeďŹ ned countries

2016 UK

2017

Hong Kong

Belgium

5,000,000 -

2012

2013

2014

Total import value

Japan

2016 China

2017

Vietnam

Graph 12. 4th to 10th Top Sources for Taiwan Screwdriver Bit Import and Total Import Values During 2012 and 2017

Graph 9. Top 3 Destinations for Taiwan Screwdriver Bit Export and Total Export Values During 2012 and 2017

(USD)

2015

(USD) 4,000,000

25,000,000

3,500,000 20,000,000

3,000,000 2,500,000

15,000,000

2,000,000 10,000,000

1,500,000 1,000,000

5,000,000

500,000 -

2012

2013

2014 U.S.

2015 Germany

2016 China

2017

Germany

2012 U.S.

2013 Switzerland

2014 UK

2015 Malaysia

2016 South Korea

2017 France

USD 1,927,942% in 2018, down 24.559%. The ninth was Australia at USD 1,862,231 with a minor growth of 3.508%. The tenth was Slovenia at USD 1,861,645, up 29.035% which is relatively larger in the top 10. Refer to Graph 9 and 10 for the yearly progression during 2012 and 2017. Refer to Graph 11 and 12 for the import trend. The total import value for the first 10 months of 2018 was USD 17,648,172. The first of the top 10 source of import was Japan with an import value of USD 4,060,213, taking up 23.006% of the total, but down 25.834% from last year. The second was China at USD 3,533,586 taking up 20.022% of the total with a minor decline of 5.649% from 2017. Germany was the third at USD 2,710,731, up a minor 7.607%. The fourth was the U.S. with a growth of 11.614% to USD 2,652,356 which is not much different from Germany. The fifth was Vietnam at USD 2,100,838, down 31.991% from 2017. The sixth was UK at USD 574,966, down slightly by 1.388%. The seventh was Switzerland at USD 392,940 with the largest decline of 55.149% in the top 10. The eighth was undefined countries at USD 314,478, up 77.988%. The ninth was Canada at USD 250,778 with the largest increase of 115.055% in the top 10. The tenth was South Korea at USD 219,690, down 38.279% from 2017.

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