Fastener + Fixing Magazine #119

In this issue… ETAs Collated systems Coatings + lubrications fastenerandfixing.com | Issue 119 September 2019

Introducing...

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02.09.19 09:17

FIXING EXPERTS

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CONTENTS INDUSTRY NEWS

10-42

Financial reports, acquisitions and trade duty news

COVER STORY 44-47

Supplying technical expertise

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

78-106

CE Marking on post-installed fasteners: Why no European standard?

ETA? Evidence of the safety, top quality and professionalism of fixings

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

108-134

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

136-140

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

142-156

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

158-176

Demanding CoF standards, one coating system Details, details, details…

INSIGHT 48-60

Würth mobile smart order solution

A Portugese giant Lancaster Fastener increases stocking capacity by 20% Cetin Civata: Investing in the future First class quality inspection from FQC Providing a wide range of benefits

EXHIBITIONS

The fastener industry in Taiwan Fastener Fair Turkey 2020 now held at TÜYAP

62-76

New extended size range of Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts Electric cars need structurally sound fastening solutions

A new member of the safety washer family New innovation for lockbolts

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Our part in every solution Stafa makes it happen: from little things to big

We are involved and driven, because that generates

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More information stafa.nl

EDITORIAL Part of the Mack Brooks Group Romeland House, Romeland Hill, St Albans, Herts, AL3 4ET, UK

Will Lowry, editor, Fastener + Fixing Magazine

Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 400 www.fastenerandfixing.com Publishing Director Jamie Mitchell jamie.mitchell@fastenerandfixing.com

Uncertainty the only certainty In a climate where uncertainty seems to be the only certainty, staying up to date with the latest news and developments within your market has never been more important.

I

n this edition we once again provide thought provoking insight into leading players within the fastener and fixing industry. Mustafa Tecdelioğlu, president at Cetin Civata, talks about the challenges of being a Turkish manufacturer and how the company is still investing in its future; Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge visits PECOL Group’s headquarters in Águeda, Portugal, to see first-hand the capabilities of this Portuguese fastener giant; and our Cover Story focuses on JCP Construction Products and how it has established itself as a technical expert within the fixings sector.

In Construction Fixings, Barbara Sorgato, secretary general of the European Consortium of Anchors Producers, draws strongly on her personal experience, to present an impassioned argument for a fundamental change in the basis for CE Marking post-installed fasteners for concrete and masonry.

There is also an article from Magdalena Grzelak, chief communication officer at Rawlplug, who concentrates on how ETA certification helps ensure the safety, top quality and professionalism of fixings.

For our special feature on coatings, lubrications and locking technologies, there are articles from Dennis Gündel, global product manager zinc flake coatings at Atotech Deutschland GmbH, giving an insight into the company’s ‘one coating’ system and how it meets demanding CoF standards. Plus, Mark Thurber, CEO at Maelstrom Chemical Technologies LLC, explains why when it comes to lubrications in the fastener industry, the ‘devil is in the detail’.

To add to this Nord-Lock highlights the features of its new extended size range for Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts; Star Fasteners describes how its new innovation for lockbolts makes it easier to identify when lockbolts have been installed correctly; and Growermetal underlines how the Grower TenKeep® guarantees maximum performance against loosening of bolted joints.

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Executive Editor Phil Matten phil.matten@fastenerandfixing.com Editor Will Lowry will.lowry@fastenerandfixing.com Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge claire.aldridge@fastenerandfixing.com Sales Manager Mac Rahman mac.rahman@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – Italy Emiliano Pagliaroli emiliano.pagliaroli@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – Europe Peter Makin peter.makin@fastenerandfixing.com Business Development Manager – DACH Thomas Schwarz thomas.schwarz@fastenerandfixing.com Production & Design Manager Lee Duskwick lee.duskwick@fastenerandfixing.com Digital Content Assistant Grant Rebecca grant.rebecca@fastenerandfixing.com Find us online: @fastenerfixing FastenerandFixingMagazine fastener---fixing-magazine Fastener and Fixing Fastener + Fixing Magazine is a dedicated, trade–only publication which is circulated freely throughout the European trade.

Disclaimer The Publisher cannot be held responsible or, in any way, liable for errors or omissions, during input or printing of any material supplied or contained herein although the utmost care is taken to ensure that information contained is accurate and up to date. The Publisher also cannot be held liable for any claims made by advertisers or in contributions from individuals or companies submitted for inclusion within this publication. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or Fastener Fairs Ltd. Copyright Entire contents copyright © Fastener Fairs Limited 2019. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

Bossard results impacted by weaker demand Bossard’s interim report for the first half of 2019, reflects “noticeable signs of a slowdown in economic growth” in industrialised markets.

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ossard reported a 3.2% fall in sales to CHF 218.7 million (-1.6% in local currency) for its second quarter. For the first half Bossard posted a 1% increase to CHF 450.9 million (+1.9% in local currency).

Bossard says the slowing economy plus the renewed strength of the Swiss Franc are notably affecting business in Europe. European sales in the second quarter were 1.9% down on the same period in 2018, at CHF 125.9 million. For the first half of 2019 the European business posted 1.7% growth to CHF 264.8 million (4.2% increase in local currency). Bossard describes a mixed overall demand picture with some business units posting double-digit growth rates, whereas others felt the effects of a weaker economic environment.

Bossard says that, following pleasing business performance in 2017 and 2018, it is now also fighting headwinds in America in recent months. For the second quarter, net sales fell 9.9% to CHF 55.3 million (-11.2% in local currency).

First half sales declined 5.1% to CHF 113.4 million (-8.3% in local currency). Bossard says one reason is that a number of customer projects from the previous year have now been completed. However, it also notes that in general it faced weaker demand from major US customers.

Asian sales in the second quarter increased 3.9% to CHF 37.5 million (+7.1% in local currency). First half sales increased 9.7% to CHF 72.7 million (+12% in local currency). Bossard says the effects of the US-China trade dispute can be felt but it continued to post growth in China, India and Taiwan.

Bossard reported a net income of CHF 41.6 million for the first half 2019 (previous year CHF 49 million). Return on sales dropped to 9.2%, from 11% in the same period the previous year. Bossard cites waning demand, plus additional investments to expand the services portfolio in Smart Factory Logistics and Engineering.

These long-term and targeted investments in expansion of services, the company said, mean high initial expenses, especially in personnel costs. It also said it was currently observing a rise in labour costs as a direct result of high employment levels in various industrialised countries.

Based on the declining trend in purchasing manager indices, Bossard expects demand is also likely be moderate in the second half of the year. Against this backdrop, it says, the EBIT margin for 2019 is expected to be at the lower end of the 10% – 13% target range.

Bufab reports positive Q2 but cautions on uncertain market climate Bufab Group net sales rose 11% to SEK 1.089 billion (€100.8 million) in Q2 2019. Net sales for the first half of the year were up 13% to SEK 2.18 billion. Organic sales growth for the first half of 2019 was 4%.

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perating profit (EBITA) for the quarter was SEK 103 million (2018 Q2: SEK 98 million). Operating margin was 9.5% (2018 Q2: SEK 10 million). Half year EBITA increased to SEK 222 million (2018 H1: SEK 204 million) with the operating margin at 10.2% (2018 H1: 10.6%). Order intake for the first half rose by 13% to SEK 2.164 billion, “somewhat lower than net sales”.

After the end of the quarter Bufab completed the acquisition of HT BENDIX A/S, which has annual sales of around SEK 500 million. Acquisition costs of SEK 3 million were charged to Q2 2019. Bufab described the acquisition as “a strong and significant complement to our existing operations in the Nordic region”.

President and CEO Jörgen Rosengren commented: “Bufab continued to perform well during the second quarter of 2019.

Earnings and cash flow increased compared with the very strong second quarter in 2018. We continued to invest in our ‘Leadership 2020’ strategy, and in July we completed a significant acquisition.”

“All of this was achieved against a background characterised by increased uncertainty in the market. The underlying demand decreased during the quarter, particularly in certain industries (such as automotive) and geographies (such as China). Despite this, Bufab posted organic growth of 3%, due to increased market shares in many markets.”

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Both Bufab operating segments increased their operating profit. International saw “a good but somewhat weaker growth than previously”, with increased market shares and continued investment in strategic areas. In Sweden, Bufab experienced weaker market conditions and negative organic growth. Despite a continued weak Swedish Krona, the gross margin strengthened significantly compared to the last two quarters, attributed to “comprehensive price increases, which, combined with effective cost control and the contribution from the acquisition of Rudhäll Industri AB, enabled a higher operating profit.”

Bufab continues to focus on its ‘Leadership 2020’ strategy and Rosengren said the Group was beginning to see results take form. Increased market shares have financed strengthening of processes and Bufab’s teams in the key areas of purchasing, logistics and quality. He also pointed to closer integration with customers and suppliers using new digital tools, to streamline the entire value chain.

In conclusion Rosengren cautioned: “Recently, the market outlook has become more uncertain than before, which is reflected in Bufab’s somewhat lower organic growth and order intake for the quarter. We will continue our strategic initiatives but are now entering a phase in which the focus will be mainly on generating results, for example, in the form of purchasing savings. We will also focus increasingly on internal efficiency.”

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Achilles Seibert GmbH · Philipp-Reis-Straße 3 · D-24558 Henstedt-Ulzburg · Fon: +49 4193 89 55 Fax: +49 4193 89 56 99 · sales@achill-fasteners.com · www.achill-fasteners.com

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D I S T R I B U T O R S 17.04.19 14:44

INDUSTRY NEWS

Modest growth in challenging environment SFS Group reported “modest growth in a challenging environment” during the first half of 2019. Group sales increased 1.4% to CHF 867.8 million (€797.2 million). However, like for like sales declined -2.4% “burdened by weaker economy and trade tensions”. Overall SFS expects “slightly better development” in the second half.

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FS reported earnings “marked by mix effects and demand-driven fluctuations in capacity utilisation”. EBIT was CHF 105.5 million for the half year, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 12.6%, down from 13.6% in the previous year. One time effects, including relocation costs in China, partially offset by Swiss real estate sales, reduced EBIT by CHF 3.7 million.

SFS strengthened its market position in the US by the acquisition of Triangle Fastener Corporation (TFC). It also successfully commissioned a new manufacturing platform in Nantong, China.

The Fastening Systems segment reported strong sales growth of 16.6% to CHF 248.3 million driven by consolidation of HECO and TFC. Organic development was, however, negative at -1.8% with further negative impact from currency exchange effects (-2%). Segment operating profit increased 15.5% against H1 2018 to CHF 24 million with EBIT margin maintained at 9.4%.

SFS reported divergent trends among its fastening divisions, with stable demand in the construction industry. The division also benefitted from close collaboration between TFC and HECO – expanding the product portfolio with innovative solutions in timber

construction. SFS sees trends to greater safety, energy efficiency, and building automation, as key areas of innovation and further growth. It expects the positive trend to continue in the second half.

In contrast Riveting experienced a significant drop in demand from automotive and industrial customers, with BREXIT uncertainty also impacting business. Corresponding shifts in capacity utilisation impacted earnings, with capacity adjustment measures taken to mitigate this effect. Urs Langenauer, former head of automotive in North America at SFS, has taken over responsibility for the division.

SFS expects the challenging market conditions to persist in the second half of the year, resulting in a flat business trend.

SFS Distribution & Logistics segment, operating in Switzerland, experienced slight positive organic growth (+0.3%) during the period with sales at CHF 165.3 million – attributed particularly to the tools business, e-shop and retail stores. EBIT at CHF 13.3 million reflected 7.4% growth over same period 2018, with adjusted EBIT margin increasing from 7.2% to 7.9%.

Full half year report at: https://www.sfs.biz/downloads/investorrelations/financial-publications/half-year-report-2019.pdf

Würth Group sales up 5.2% in H1 2019

EU reopens Malaysian circumvention investigation

In the first six months of 2019, Würth Group reported sales of €7.2 billion, a 5.2% increase over the same period of 2018.

However, operating results declined.

The European Commission published implementing regulation EU 2019/1374 on 27th August, re-opening the investigation originally concluded in July 2011 with the extension of the definitive anti-dumping duties applied on iron and steel fasteners from China to imports from Malaysia.

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n Germany, Würth generated sales of €3 billion, corresponding to 3.6% year-on-year growth. Southern European companies reported the highest growth rate at 11.8%. Adolf Würth GmbH & Co KG, the parent company and the largest in the group, reported sales of €1.035 billion (+ 6.6%) and says it is firmly convinced it will surpass the €2 billion mark for the full year.

Würth’s electrical wholesale unit reported the strongest growth overall, at 13.8%, partially attributable to acquisitions. Organic growth was 6.5%. In June the unit signed a contract to acquire Grupo Electro Stocks S.L.U. (GES), a leading electrical wholesaler in Spain reporting 2018 sales of €261.5 million in 2018. The transaction is subject to anti-trust approvals.

At €340 million at the end of the first half of 2019, the operating result of the Würth Group is down on the previous year (2018: €400 million). “Our gross profit margin has come under pressure. We cannot fully pass rising purchasing prices on to our customers in the market,” Robert Friedmann, chairman of the central managing board, explained. “In addition, our continued high investments in the expansion of our business units have an impact on the result, yet they are a means to prepare the ground for future growth. Nonetheless, we expect to close the financial year 2019 reporting an operating result comparable to last year.”

In 2018, the Würth Group’s operating result amounted to €870 million.

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he re-opening is the consequence of the judgement by the European Court of Justice (case C-644/17) on 3rd July 2019 in favour of Eurobolt BV, which amongst other things determined that the regulation (EU 723/2011) imposing the anti-dumping duties was invalid.

The Court determined that the European Commission had failed to communicate observations submitted to the original investigation by Eurobolt to Member States at least ten days prior to the Advisory Committee meeting. This meeting considered the Commission’s recommendations for the extension of the anti-dumping duties in recognition of circumvention of fasteners originating in China via Malaysia.

In the regulation reopening the investigation the Commission says it must take necessary steps to comply with the judgement of the Court of Justice and has decided to reopen the anti-circumvention investigation in order to correct the illegality identified by the Court. The Commission argues it is only required to resume the proceeding at the stage when the irregularity was committed. It also says the reopening is limited in scope and that it will analyse the observations presented by Eurobolt and submit the outcome to the Advisory Committee. The Commission also invites interested parties to come forward and make their views on the reopening known, providing information and supporting evidence within 20 days of the publication of 2019/1374 in the Official Journal on 27th August 2019.

Significantly, the Commission has instructed national customs authorities to await the publication of the outcome of the reopened investigation, which could take up to nine months, before deciding on any claims for repayment and remission of duties.

The full text of Regulation 2019/1374 can be obtained in any EU language at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2019:223:TOC

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Bulten Q2 hit by automotive downturn Bulten AB has announced second quarter sales at SEK 781 million (€72.2 million), a decrease of -3.5% on the same period in 2018. EBIT fell to SEK 21 million (2018 Q2: SEK 57 million) equating to an operating margin of 2.7% (2018 Q2: 7.1%).

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djusted for relocations costs in China, EBIT totalled SEK 27 million, equating to an adjusted operating margin of 3.4%. Earnings after tax amounted to SEK 14 million, compared with SEK 40 million for the same quarter in 2018. Order bookings totalled SEK 752 million, a decrease of -12% on the same period last year.

Net sales for the first six months were SEK 1.591 billion, a decrease of -4.3% against the first half of 2018. EBIT totalled SEK 79 million, down from SEK 124 million for the first half of 2018, and equating to an operating margin of 4.9%. Order bookings totalled SEK 1.485 billion, a decrease of -9.1% on the same period last year.

Bulten had earlier issued a warning that earnings for the second quarter were negatively affected due to a lower production rate in order to adjust the stock level.

President and CEO, Anders Nyström, commented: “The second quarter saw a continuation of the decline on the car market, which began in the second half of 2018, and the market situation is reflected in Bulten’s lower volumes.”

“Net sales decreased by -3.5%. Earnings were affected negatively by a lower rate of production in order to balance inventory levels to demand, but also due to lower sales, primarily towards the

end of the quarter. The lower production rate has brought the reduction in inventories according to plan, but also resulted in a lower utilisation of the production units’ capacity and thus under absorption of fixed costs.”

“The ambition of adapting inventory levels was previously communicated in connection with the Q1 report. The under absorption had a negative impact on earnings of approximately SEK 25 million during the second quarter.”

“We are not satisfied with the development during the quarter, but the adjustment of production rate was necessary in the prevailing market climate. At present, demand remains lower than last year, and volumes related to new contracts have ramped up more slowly than anticipated. With this in mind, the production rate will remain lower at the start of Q3. A review of the company’s costs has been initiated for adaptation to the current market situation.”

Bulten has contracts in place worth just over SEK 500 million a year at full production in 2021. During the first half-year it also won several smaller contracts with a total annual value of approximately SEK 20 million, in addition to those worth around SEK 130 million already announced.

Cooper & Turner acquires Beck Industries Andaray (Holdings) Limited and its direct and indirect subsidiaries (Cooper & Turner) has announced the acquisition of Beck Industries, a manufacturer and distributor of fully certified, high security bolting components.

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he combined company aims to be the first truly global manufacturer of safety critical fastening applications, supporting a broader range of industries – including renewable energy, downstream oil and gas, power generation, nuclear, rail, tunnelling, construction and heavy equipment, among others.

Established in France more than 100 years ago, Beck is now a global organisation with capabilities that complement and expand those of Cooper & Turner. As one entity, the company’s services span all key production processes, including hot and cold forming, heat treatment, CNC machining, thread rolling, robotics and automation. These collective capabilities and larger operational footprint enable the supply of world-class products and services from 17 strategically positioned facilities throughout Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa.

“We are excited to join the Cooper & Turner family,” stated Hugues Charbonnier, former Beck president, who together with his wife Karine Charbonnier, are selling Beck. Both remain on the management team as executive vice-presidents of Cooper & Turner.

“Our complementary technologies, facilities, services and product portfolios will form an unequalled platform to serve local and international clients.”

“Today’s acquisition strengthens our position as a seamless, one stop shop for the highest quality, mission critical industrial fasteners,” stated Tony Brown, Group CEO and president at Cooper & Turner. “Supported by our partners at the Watermill Group, we see tremendous opportunity to accelerate innovation and growth within the global energy and infrastructure markets.”

Watermill managing partner and founder, Steven Karol, commented: “This is an ideal time for these companies to come together. Both are thriving and well positioned in their respective markets. We are looking forward to supporting the combined management team in capitalising on the inherent opportunities.”

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

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INDUSTRY NEWS

New JV takes RIBE-Aluform® to North America Duncan MacLean, president and CEO of MacLean-Fogg, has announced the joint venture formation of Aluform USA between Richard Bergner Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co KG (RIBE®) of Schwabach, Germany, and MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions (MFCS) of Mundelein, Illinois, USA.

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he RIBE-Aluform® product is the market leader in the automotive industry for high strength aluminium bolt, screw and stud fasteners for lightweight, corrosion sensitive automotive applications. Aluform USA combines RIBE®’s and MFCS’ strengths to bring the Aluform range to the North American marketplace, with application engineering, customer support and manufacturing in the USA. Duncan MacLean said: “RIBE is a terrific, innovative fastener company. The RIBE-Aluform product line sets the global standard for high strength automotive aluminium fasteners. Vehicle lightweighting will continue to be a major industry trend as OEMs work to improve fuel economy and battery range. We’re excited to further help our North American customers in their lightweight efforts by including Aluform high strength aluminium bolts in our range of leading fastener solutions.”

Frank Bergner, managing partner of RIBE, said: “MacLean-Fogg has been well known for 94 years as a leader in innovative fasteners and high-quality manufacturing. The company’s excellent manufacturing capabilities, application engineering, and high customer service, makes it the ideal partner to support and grow Aluform in North America.”

Aluform USA LLC will be headquartered within the existing MacLean Maynard division of MFCS in Chesterfield, Michigan.

RIBE Verbindungstechnik offers lightweight construction, new materials and material combination solutions with secure, comprehensive systems integrated into the fastening element itself or as an automated fastening system. RIBE interlinks product development and engineering to ensure rational, sustainable production for the entire product portfolio.

RIBE high strength aluminium screws, RIBE–Aluform, RIFIXX® functional modules, maximum strength steel screws, complete sheet metal joining systems, including RIFAST®, and an extensive selection of special cold-formed parts have helped establish RIBE as a technology leader in the global market. The RIBE Group employs more than 1,400 people in Germany, the United States, Eastern Europe and Asia, and generated sales of €209 million in 2018.

MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions is one of two primary businesses of MacLean-Fogg, manufacturing fastener components, engineered components and engineered plastics for automotive, heavy truck and other diverse industries. MFCS has multiple production locations in the USA and Germany and customer support locations worldwide. MacLean-Fogg has 26 global manufacturing facilities with annual sales over US$1 billion and a workforce of 3,500.

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FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Bossard completes acquisition of Boysen Bossard Group has completed the acquisition of the Boysen distribution business of the German AQUAERO Group (owner of SACS Boysen Aerospace Group). With this acquisition Bossard significantly expands its presence in the aerospace industry.

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ounded in 1967, the distribution company Boysen has a superior reputation for high-quality fastening solutions and is characterised by a large international customer base.

Boysen, headquartered in Munich, employs 54 people and generates an annual sales equivalent of CHF 29 million (€26.3 million). The company has further locations in Hamburg, Germany, and Irving (Texas), USA. Boysen’s main sales market is Europe.

In recent years, the Bossard Group has shown substantial commitment to building up its expertise in the aerospace industry. In 2015, it acquired US distributor Aero-Space Southwest Inc. In 2016, Bossard received its official aerospace certification for France and Switzerland, as well as recently in Italy.

Bossard believes that based on the quality of its fastening solutions and engineering services, as well as its proven expertise and innovation strength in the field of logistics solutions, it will be able to unlock additional development and growth potential in this demanding industry. In this respect, the completed acquisition may be seen as an important element in Bossard’s long-term strategy.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

CEO Bernd Kleinhens leaves NORMA Group Bernd Kleinhens, chairman of the management board of NORMA Group, has left the management board by mutual agreement. Dr Michael Schneider has taken over the duties of chairman of the management board ad interim, in addition to his function as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

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ars Magnus Berg, chairman of the supervisory board, said: “We thank Bernd Kleinhens for his outstanding accomplishments during almost 30 years in the NORMA Group. Over the course of his longstanding affiliation he has decisively helped to shape the group’s track of growth and success.”

Bernd Kleinhens entered one of the predecessor companies of NORMA Group in 1991 as development engineer. He has since held various positions and leadership functions, and became a managing director in 2005. He was appointed to the management board in 2011 – responsible for business development. He has been chairman of the management board since the beginning of 2018. Under his leadership NORMA Group has expanded its business areas in a strategically sustainable manner, such as the growth markets electromobility and water management.

“With Dr Michael Schneider, we ensure the continuity of the group’s

Dr Michael Schneider

management,” says Lars Magnus Berg. “We are happy that this experienced industry and finance manager will take over the duties of the chairman of the management board ad interim, in addition to his CFO responsibilities. We are convinced that together with his colleague on the management board, COO Dr Friedrich Klein, he will successfully develop NORMA Group further.”

The supervisory board is initiating the process to find a definitive solution to fill the position as chairman of the management board.

Dr Michael Schneider has been a member of the management board and CFO of NORMA Group since 1 st July 2015. Before that, he has held long-standing leadership positions for several companies in the automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in Germany as well as abroad.

Bernd Kleinhens

Change in Hilti executive board Marco Meyrat, a member of the executive board since 2005, will leave the board as planned at the end of the year and join the board of directors and the Martin Hilti Family Trust. He will be succeeded as of 1st January 2020 by Joaquim Sardà, currently head of the region Southern Europe.

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arco Meyrat started in 1989 as a product manager in direct fastening at Hilti’s headquarters in Liechtenstein. Important positions over his thirty year Hilti career included leading the market organisation Switzerland, as well as Germany. In 2005, he became a member of the executive board responsible for worldwide sales and marketing. Since 2017, he has been responsible for the region North America and the emerging markets. After 15 successful years on the executive board, he will become a member of the board of directors and trust as part of long-term succession planning.

Joaquim Sardà (pictured left), a native Spaniard and father of three children, has been with Hilti for 15 years in different positions. He started in corporate development at the headquarters. Then he later held multiple management positions in sales in Italy and Germany. In 2012, he took over as the head of market organisation Italy. With his team, he successfully established the new region ‘Southern Europe’ and achieved a significant turnaround in Italy.

When choosing members of the executive board, Hilti has traditionally focused on developing internal candidates, who know the company well and have had different roles across the organisation. CEO Christoph Loos commented: “With Marco Meyrat, we are losing a ‘Hilti heavyweight’ in the executive board, who has significantly contributed to the development of the company over many years. At the same time, we are pleased to welcome Joaquim Sardà to the team and are certain he has the right experience and expertise to continue Marco Meyrat’s successful legacy.”

18

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

Nedschroef appoints Dr Matthias Sckuhr as new CEO Nedschroef has announced that Dr Matthias Sckuhr has been appointed as its new chief executive officer. Dr Sckuhr takes this position per 1st September 2019 and succeeds Dr Mathias Hüttenrauch, who will remain liaised with the company as an advisor to the board of directors until 31st December 2019.

W

ith the appointment of Dr Sckuhr (pictured right), coming from Vibracoustic, the global leading supplier of NVH solutions for the automotive industry, Nedschroef prolongs its high-level knowledge and experience within the automotive sector within the board. Dr Sckuhr’s addition to top management therefore allows the company to continue its strong focus on innovation, advanced solutions and services within the mobility industry.

Dr Matthias Sckuhr obtained his doctorate in mechanical engineering at the University Karlsruhe. He later worked in various international positions at Freudenberg and Vibracoustic. He has twenty two years of professional experience, thereof twelve years in management positions with full profit and loss responsibility. In his last position Dr Sckuhr led the business unit DRIVE Solutions at Vibracoustic in the role of executive vice-president. Prior to that position he was regional president in Asia Pacific based in China.

“I am very happy and excited to join Nedschroef and take on this position.

I look forward to continuing to build on Nedschroef’s positive development during the past and to leverage my experience for the joint success with the team,” said Dr Matthias Sckuhr.

“We are very glad to get Dr Sckuhr on board. We shall fully support him to lead the whole team for the long-term success of Nedschroef in the challenging global market with full opportunities,” commented Mr Zhiyan Zhou, chairman of the supervisory board.

Dr Hüttenrauch will remain as the advisor for Nedschroef’s management board until 31 st December 2019 in order to support Nedschroef’s new management for a smooth transition.

Dr Mathias Hüttenrauch (pictured left) said: “It is with regret that I came to decide to end my time as CEO of Nedschroef. It’s a decision with personal sadness as I will miss the dedicated employees of this flourishing company that make Nedschroef such a pleasant and exciting environment to work in. This team has made it possible to accomplish objectives we did not consider possible eight years ago, and I have had the opportunity to be part of the incredible growth. I believe it is time for a personal change to seek a new challenge. I am thankful to Nedschroef, its shareholder and supervisory board and most importantly, its employees for this incredible journey over the past eight years.”

Mr Zhiyan Zhou commented: “We are very appreciative of Dr Mathias Hüttenrauch’s contribution and devotion to Nedschroef over the past years. Under his leadership Nedschroef has become the great company it is today. We wish him great success in his future career and we look forward to continue the growth path in the future.”

BRALO appoints Daniel Suárez CEO BRALO has announced the appointment of Daniel Suárez as chief executive officer, with the appointment coming on the back of another strong year for the Spanish manufacturer.

D

aniel Suárez, the former managing director of Borgers Spain, is a seasoned leader with a proven record of taking industrial companies to the next level by accelerating their innovation and revenue growth.

Suárez has held additional high profile positions throughout his career. Prior to BRALO, he served at Borgers Spain, Bosch and Mercedes Benz. He is an industrial engineer and executive MBA with solid experience in the automotive sector – developing activities in operations, production, engineering and Lean management.

Basilio Lopez, founder and former CEO of BRALO, will serve as president and special advisor to the management team. “The strategic vision of Basilio has positioned BRALO as an international company and as a benchmark in fixing solutions. The trajectory of this success is based on an efficient organisation and a dynamic and entrepreneurial management,” said Daniel Suárez. “We thank Basilio for his effort and commitment during a lifetime. We also thank him for paving the way and creating a great business for me and the team to scale. We wish him a very happy and well deserved retirement.”

“Starting BRALO and having the chance to build and work with such a great team has been one of the most incredible and rewarding experiences of my career,” commented Basilio. “The time has now come to step aside and clear the way for new generations.

I am enormously confident in Daniel’s management ability and leadership. We have spent a great deal of time together and share the same values and same long-term vision for this company. BRALO’s future is in good hands.” www.bralo.com

20 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

Titgemeyer acquires Cirteq The holding company of Cirteq Ltd, a UK-based manufacturer of circlips and retaining rings, has been acquired by the Titgemeyer Group for an undisclosed figure.

B

ased near Keighley, Yorkshire, UK, Cirteq Ltd was established in the 1930s and is globally recognised as a leading manufacturer of all types of circlips, retaining rings, snap-rings and special parts to customer specification. The company produces rings from 1.2mm diameter to 1,000mm, with a range count of some 3,700 products.

All major manufacturing processes, including wire drawing, tooling design, presswork, heat treatment, and surface protection, are carried out at Cirteq’s Glusburn facility. For its financial year ending March 2018 Glusborn Holdings reported sales of GB£21.7 million (€23.8 million), reflecting more than 11% year-on-year growth.

Annual profit after tax increased some 17% to GB£3.2 million.

Cirteq was acquired by TransTechnology Corporation in the 1990s, having previously had a number of corporate owners including SKF. In 2002, majority ownership was acquired by Andrew Crabtree and Vic Stevens who renamed it Cirteq. Both resigned as directors at the beginning of August when Bakfin Limited, a UK subsidiary of Titgemeyer, took control but Mr Crabtree is reported to be staying in the business for a short time.

Headquartered in Osnabrück, Germany, and founded in 1901, Titgemeyer is owner-managed and now employs more than 800 people at sixteen sites across Europe, including seven manufacturing facilities. Bakfin Limited, best recognised for its ‘Starlock’ brand of push on fasteners, was acquired by Titgemeyer in 2012.

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PERSPECTIVE

by Phil Matten, executive editor, Fastener + Fixing Magazine

Phil Matten reflects on some of the key topics currently involving the fastener industry

T

The European Commission seems to possess an unerring ability to catalyse controversy around the European fastener industry.

his time it is the announcement of the reopening of the investigation of Malaysia regarding the circumvention of anti-dumping duties on carbon steel fasteners originating from China. That has been occasioned by a European Court of Justice ruling, which found the Commission had failed to communicate comments from an importer to member states before their approval was obtained to apply 85% duties on most Malaysia fastener imports. In the light of that failure the Court determined that the regulation imposing the duties was invalid.

Did the Commission fail fundamentally in its duty to properly listen to and correctly reflect the views of all stakeholders or was this just a technical oversight? Whichever one believes, the Commission is clearly intent on ‘fixing’ the issue with minimal jeopardy to the duties collected as a result of the Malaysian decision in 2011. I don’t know how much that was but clearly tens of millions of euros, given the investigation found that Malaysia’s annual fastener exports multiplied tenfold between 2008 and 2010.

It’s not just the case that is reopened but a whole gamut of contention. Some market participants say more realistic original duties on China would have meant circumvention never occurring. Others are adamant the law is the law, and as circumvention clearly occurred, importers deserved to pay the duties. Some that the fasteners should have been sourced in Europe anyway. Others believe the Commission acted illegally and that all duties should be refunded without further discussion. The Commission is clearly not going to play that particular game, having emphatically instructed national customs authorities not to make decisions on refund applications until the reopened investigation is concluded.

It gets more difficult. Some importers knowingly worked with Chinese suppliers to circumvent the duties, bringing in product at lower costs and using them to undercut and disadvantage law-abiding competitors. Others naively

took at face value supplier assurances that all would be fine. Some carried out thorough due diligence to ensure the factories were indeed making product in Malaysia. Undetectable to them, however, some factories were also transhipping, so their export volume was many times greater than production capacity.

Even if the Commission was inclined, which ‘deserve’ to recover the duties they paid, which not?

Ironically, it looks as if reopening the case may cause disruption in another way as it appears somehow to have triggered changes in the ten digit CN codes for the fasteners involved – 38 new codes and 17 cancellations have just come into force, seemingly to differentiate product consigned from Malaysia. That would be rational if this was a normal circumvention case, allowing imports to be tracked so duties might be applied retrospectively. Except there are no longer any anti-dumping duties in force. However, prior surveillance importing licensing is – which means importers need to reapply for a licence for each code that has changed.

All a coincidence? Maybe, although I am not a great believer in those. Or is this a bureaucratic oversight, generating unnecessary administration for importers?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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THERMAL DEFENDER®: SPATTERNIX® A weld nozzle and tip coating formulated to be the most durable and effective solution for weld spatter prevention on the market. Spatter-nix is adhered to parts beforehand and can be stored until necessary for use.

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

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

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

STAY-PUT® WASHERS Whether you’re looking for pre-assembly of parts, temporary retention, or an alternative to SEM Screws, Stay-Put simplifies the process by making practically any metal washer self-retaining.

NORTH AMERICAN NEWS

by John Wolz, editor, GlobalFastenerNews.com

Trump tariffs on fasteners escalate Twelve hours after China said it would retaliate against the latest round of Section 301 tariffs, including on iron and steel nuts imports (HTS subheading 7318.16.00) President Trump increased the tariff level from 10% to 15%. The tariffs came into effect on 1st September.

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he US applied 10% tariffs on most industrial fasteners imported from China in September 2018, increasing those tariffs to 25% in May 2019. President Trump has now said the US would increase these previously applied Section 301 tariffs from 25% to 30% effective 1 st October.

In addition to hiking tariffs, Trump ordered US companies to cut ties with Beijing. In response stocks fell sharply, with the S&P 500 closing down 2.6%, The Dow Jones industrial average was down slightly more than 2%.

FINdex keeps accelerating The FIN Fastener Stock Index climbed in the second quarter of 2019, boosted by a stock performance that produced the strongest June in decades.

T

he FINdex rose 13% in Q2, outperforming an index of related industrial stocks that increased 6.2%. Arconic achieved the largest percentage gain of the period, rising 35% in the second quarter of 2019.

Other fastener companies with gains of 10% or more during Q2 included Simpson Mfg (up 12.1%); Tree Island Steel (up 13.3%); and Wesco Aircraft (up 21%). During the first half of 2019, the FINdex rose 13.7%, bested by a 15.3% rise in an index of related industrial stocks.

Arconic achieved the largest percentage gain in the first six months of 2019, climbing 53.1% during the period.

Other fastener companies with gains of 10% or more during the first half included Carpenter Technology Corporation (up 34.7%);

28 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

bisco Industries (up 39.3%); ITW (up 19%); Lawson Products Inc (up 16.2%); Simpson Mfg (up 22.8%); Stanley Black & Decker (up 20.8%); TriMas (up 13.5%); and Wesco Aircraft (up 40.5%).

In the opening quarter of 2019, the FINdex recouped the losses it suffered in 2018, gaining 7.2%, compared to an 8.6% increase by an index of related industrial stocks.

The FINdex contracted in 2018, hampered by volatility that dominated the markets, making 2018 the worst year for stocks in a decade.

The FINdex declined 7.1% during the year, compared to a 7% drop by an index of related industrial stocks. The loss followed two consecutive years of double-digit growth.

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PRE-APPLIED PROCESS FEATURES How It Works Thermoseal is a dual-encapsulated dry film adhesive which is inert onpart until engagement with the mating fastener. During installation, shearing forces cause the microsphere capsules to rupture, mixing the two components, initializing the reaction and curing to form a strong chemical bond and effective seal.

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Thermoseal processed fasteners exhibit exceptional sealing properties and the ability to withstand pressures in excess of 5800 psi (40MPa) under challenging conditions. Thermoseal can replace the need for PTFE tape due to its better reproducibility and installation speed.

Upon fastener installation Thermoseal cures to a cross-linked molecular structure; making it one of the most resistant types of adhesives. Oil, gasoline, salt spray, acids, solvents, and water have virtually no effect on parts when introduced after final cure.

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Thermoseal processing is compatible with most fastener sizes, configurations, materials and finishes. The use of an acrylic based microsphere adhesive ensures that a strong reliable lock and seal is formed.

Thermoseal processed fasteners have an on-part life of 1 year and will remain inert until a cure is activated by engagement with a mating thread.

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Surpasses DIN & IFI Thermoseal processed fasteners meet or exceed all torque requirements of DIN 267-27, IFI 125, IFI 525, as well as automotive adhesive coated fastener performance specifications.

Product Specifications Break Away Torque: >20 Nm Prevailing Torque: <2.5 Nm Lubricity: 0.19 Temp Range: -40°C to 220°C

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NORTH AMERICAN NEWS

Duties on threaded rod from China & India The US Department of Commerce announced affirmative preliminary determinations in its countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China and India. It found that exporters received countervailable subsidies ranging from 23.41% to 24.89% and 6.07% to 155.03%, respectively.

C

ommerce has instructed US Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China and India based on these preliminary rates.

Excluded from the investigation scope are: Threaded rod, bar, or studs which are threaded only on one or both ends and the threading covers 25% or less of the total actual length; and stainless steel threaded rod, defined as steel threaded rod containing, by weight, 1.2% or less of carbon and 10.5% or more of chromium, with or without other elements.

Arconic reports fastener revenue growth Arconic reported Engineered Products and Solutions (EP&S) second quarter revenue, including fasteners, increased 6% to US$1.6 billion – including 8% organic sales growth “driven by aerospace engine and defense growth”.

S

egment operating profit rose 28% to US$286 million, driven by “net cost reductions, favourable pricing, and volume increases, partially offset by mix”. Segment operating margin climbed 310 basis points to 18.3%.

During the first six months of 2019, EP&S revenue grew 5.8% to US$3.07 billion, while operating profit improved 25% to US$539 million and margins increased to 18.3%.

Consolidated Arconic Q2 revenue gained 3% to US$3.7 billion, but operating income swung to a US$81 million loss compared to operating income of US$324 million in Q2 2018. Capital expenditures increased 5.5% to US$304 million.

Arconic said it remains on track to separate its portfolio businesses by the fourth quarter of 2019.

Global Rolled Products and Construction Systems will operate in a company that retains the Arconic name.

EP&S (engine components, fastening systems, and engineered structures) and forged aluminum wheels will be named Howmet Aerospace Inc.

30 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

In 2018, imports of carbon and alloy steel threaded rod from China and India were estimated at US$104.7 million (€94.4 million) and US$35.8 million, respectively. Domestic threaded rod manufacturer, Vulcan Threaded Products Inc, originally petitioned for the investigation.

Commerce is scheduled to announce final CVD determinations by 4th December. If affirmative, the US International Trade Commission will then be scheduled to make its final injury determinations by 17th January 2020. If both final determinations are affirmative, Commerce will issue countervailing duty orders. If either makes a negative final determination, the investigations will be terminated.

After declines, headline FDI recovers The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) for July rose to 52.2, recovering after weak June results, which saw it dip below 50 for the first time since early 2017, according to R.W. Baird analyst David Manthey.

M

anthey writes: “A slight uptick in the percentage of respondents perceiving customer inventory levels as ‘too low’ was the primary driver of the recovery.”

From a sales perspective, 18% of respondents experienced sales above seasonal expectations, slightly weaker than in June (23%) and well below average 2018 levels (55%). Pricing was relatively stable.

The seasonally adjusted Forward Looking Index edged up (44.9 vs.

44.4), but remained the sixth sub-50 reading in seven months. “Of the FLI’s components (employment index, respondent inventories, customer inventories, and six-month outlook), all but customer inventories weakened sequentially,” Manthey writes.

The six-month outlook retrenched further with respondents still seeing contraction on balance in late 2019. Hiring sentiment was stable “as hiring was again in line with seasonal expectations for nearly all fastener distributors, consistent with June and May.” The tone of qualitative commentary “remained cautious” this quarter. “[There] seems to be a little slow down in the fastener world,” one respondent said. The six month outlook was “mildly more bearish”, with just 21% of respondents expecting higher activity, 32% expecting similar activity, and 47% expecting lower activity.

“Putting this into context, however, the percentage of respondents expecting lower activity has soared versus the 16% in April, representing the most pessimistic reading since mid-2012.”

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

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NORTH AMERICAN NEWS

Mowins and McLean take IFI division roles The Industrial Fasteners Institute named Porter McLean as IFI’s division III/automotive Industry fastener group manager and Mike Mowins as division II/aerospace products division manager.

M

cLean was the 2006-07 IFI chairman. His 40+ years of fastener experience include five years as managing director of the Global Fastener Alliance, and he was most recently with ATF Inc. He succeeds John O’Brien, who was automotive group manager for a decade. Mowins retired earlier this year after 31 years with The Phillips Screw Company. He has been active in the IFI for 25 years and his roles included being a board member and chair of the associate supplier division. Mowins succeeds Patrick Meade who held the post for a decade.

“Both John and Pat served the industry so well, and their contributions have helped grow the IFI membership and keep the focus on the most important matters for their respective divisions,” IFI managing director Dan Walker commented.

“The addition of both Porter McLean and Mike Mowins represents yet another windfall for IFI, as they will have new ideas and bring their individual talents to their divisions for the benefit of the membership,” Walker added. “We are extremely fortunate the timing was right for them both to come aboard.”

Bossard opens new facility in Boston Bossard has opened a new office and design centre in the Boston area, holding a grand opening on 5th June with a crowd of over 30 manufacturers and engineers from across New England in attendance.

T

he move to the new 100,000 square feet (approximately 9,200m 2) facility, located in Stoughton, MA, took place in February. “The space was designed with education, hands-on experience with fastening solutions, Industry 4.0 driven supply chain management and cutting-edge testing services in mind,” the company stated.

“It will provide a collaborative environment for Bossard customers to engage first-hand with Bossard’s Assembly Technology Expert and Smart Factory Logistics services and solutions for application into their own assemblies and manufacturing process.”

The facility includes an ISO Class 5 clean room for applications including medical devices, robotics and vacuum environments where machining and particle contamination need to be controlled.

Arnold Industries, which Bossard acquired in 2016, moved its main office and warehousing to the facility in February.

32 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

RUSSIAN + CIS NEWS Alexander Ostashov, editor, Fastener, Adhesives, Tools and…Magazine www.fastinfo.ru

Russia replacing US components for MS-21 aircraft The Russian Federation Ministry of Industry and Trade has developed measures to replace foreign composites and components for the MS-21 aircraft.

A

ccording to Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, the potential for increased United States’ sanctions could jeopardise the development of the Russian medium range MS-21 aircraft.

“A ban was imposed on the supply of composite materials used in the manufacture of the wing for the MS-21 aircraft. In addition, supplies of titanium fasteners, dry carbon tape laying machines and other equipment were blocked. The risk of new sanctions remains,” Mr Borisov said at a meeting implementing production programmes at the Irkutsk aviation plant, which is responsible for the realisation of the project.

According to Mr Borisov, in order to successfully implement the MS-21 programmes, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, together with the Irkut Corporation, has developed and is implementing measures to replace foreign composite materials and a number of components with Russian counterparts.

“This will ensure technological independence of the production of MS-21 aircraft from sanctioned products. That is why the Russian government has provided and will continue to provide support to the MS-21 programmes,” Mr Borisov emphasised. Earlier, he announced the deadlines for the MS-21 project would shift by about a year due to the refusal of American manufacturers to supply components for the airliner.

No dividends for BelZan and MMK-Metiz shareholders

Chinese automotive company further investing in Russian plant

The State Corporation Rostec, which received 99.2% of the shares of the Belebeevsky Avtonormal Plant (BelZan) at the end of March, will not receive dividends from 2018 participation in the business.

The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced approval for the Chinese carmaker, Great Wall, to invest more than 42 billion rubles (€568 million) to further develop its automotive production in Russia.

T

he decision was made at a shareholders’ meeting on 27 th June. BelZan’s net profit in 2018 was 5.12 million rubles, about 18 times lower than the previous year. Shareholders approved the allocation of 4.83 million rubles to reserves, with the balance not being distributed.

At its annual meeting on 21 st June, MMK-Metiz shareholders decided not to pay dividends for 2018. According to MMK-Metiz’s reports net profit in 2018 fell to 544 million rubles (€7.3 million), less than half of its 2017 result. The plant has not paid dividends since 2002.

G

reat Wall is working to conclude a contract on behalf of its Russian subsidiary, Haval Motor Manufacturing Rus, providing for the further development of its car factory in the Tula region.

Construction and development costs for the current Great Wall factory, which officially started production at the beginning of June, rose to some US$500 million. Manufacturing crossover SUVs, the Haval plant currently has an annual capacity of 80,000 units with the capability of expanding this to 150,000.

Beloretsk metallurgical plant increases Q2 sales

In the second quarter, the Beloretsk Metallurgical Plant (BMK JSC, part of Mechel Group) increased sales quarter on quarter, both in general and for specific types of hardware.

T

he greatest demand was for products intended for the automotive, electrode and construction industries. Sales of low carbon welding wire, used to manufacture electrodes, doubled. Supply of wire for automotive fastener production increased by a factor of 1.7.

34 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Demand for reinforcing mesh for industrial and civil construction increased 47% and for nails by 35%. Sales of calibrated rolled products, for the manufacture of various fasteners and high strength wire for reinforced concrete products, increased by 33% and 31% respectively.

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RUSSIAN + CIS NEWS

Italian equipment contributes to Russian fastener development Overhaul of the twin strand small diameter wire mill 170 at the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works has been completed, following wide ranging reconstruction during May and June of this year.

A

s part of the mill modernisation, the heating furnace was rebuilt and the water cooling line and fans were replaced.

The modernisation contract, worth around €5.5 million, was awarded to Danieli & Officine Meccaniche SpA in 2017.

It included supply of equipment, installation supervision, training services and documentation. Both the mill 170 lines are now commissioned and operating at full load, delivering benefits in increased uniformity of wire rod properties to the mill’s main consumer, the MMK-METIZ Magnitogorsk hardware calibration plant.

NLMK-Metiz, one of the largest manufacturers of hardware products in Russia, has contracted to purchase an additional bell furnace for its steel wire workshop. Today, light heat treated wire with a diameter of 1.2mm to 6mm is one of the NLMK-Metiz’s most demanded products – it produces 30,000 tonnes annually. Three bell-type furnaces are already operating in the steel wire workshop. The new furnace will allow the plant to produce an additional 9,200 tonnes per year. Equipment is again being supplied by Danieli & Officine Meccaniche SpA. Installation will begin in 2020, with the new furnace expected to be operational by the summer of that year.

Mariya Valiakhmetova, editor in chief, Metiz Magazine, Ukraine

Severstal-Metiz celebrates fifteen years This year Severstal-Metiz celebrates its 15th anniversary, having been established on 1st July 2004 as a management company for three plants: Cherepovets Steel Rolling Plant OJSC (Cherepovets), Orel Steel Rolling Plant OJSC (Orel) and VolgoMetiz LLC (Volgograd).

S

ince its formation Severstal-Metiz enterprises have received more than 12 billion rubles (€162 million) of investment to improve efficiency, productivity and quality.

A large-scale modernisation programme for drawing equipment at the Cherepovets enterprise was launched in 2014, with four out of five modernisation stages now implemented.

The Cherepovets plant also recently achieved record monthly screw production beating the previous record established in October 2018. The plant’s railway screws are widely used for the construction and repair of all types of railways and underground systems. “We achieved this record thanks to coordinated work of operators, mechanics and electricians. They constantly monitored the efficiency of the equipment, timely eliminated the causes of breakdowns and carried out work to prevent downtime. The teams for project development of the product area contributed to the

record. They proposed measures that increased the productivity,” commented Sergey Kovryakov, CEO of Severstal-Metiz.

From 2014 a project for the development of fastener production has also been ongoing at the Orel facility to increase production of large diameter products, master production of new types of fasteners, and increase the overall efficiency of existing equipment. The Orel Steel Rolling Plant is now one of the largest suppliers of fasteners for the most critical construction projects, which have included stadia for the Sochi Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. “Now Severstal-Metiz is among the largest hardware enterprises in Russia. Our share in the domestic market is about 21%, and our product portfolio has over 100,000 items. All these successes are due to a large team of Severstal-Metiz employees and veterans, our partners and customers,” says Sergey Kovryakov.

Belarus Steel Work has new CEO The new chief executive at BSW is Dmitry Korchik, whose appointment was agreed with the president of the Republic of Belarus.

D

mitry Korchik began his career as an apprentice turner. From 2002 to 2012 he worked in the central office of the Ministry of Industry, where at different times he had to deal with energy resources, foreign economic activity, and investment. Since 2012, Dmitry Korchik has been director for industrial and technical policy and development of OJSC Borisov plant of automotive and tractor electrical equipment. Since March 2015 he was deputy minister of industry for the Republic of Belarus.

“Dear colleagues,” said Dmitry Korchik. “In any work, the most valuable thing for me is people. BSW has a professional and well coordinated team. I believe that through dialogue we will make decisions that will allow the company to go forward and develop successfully.”

36 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

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ASIAN NEWS

China fastener exports to the USA plummet

In the first four months of 2019, China exported 225,480 tonnes of fasteners to the USA – a significant drop of 26% compared to the same period in the previous year.

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he average fastener export value was US$1.86/kg, 6.3% higher than the previous year. Influenced by the additional 25% tariff (initially at 10% before January 2019), imposed on Chinese imports by the US government, China’s fastener exports to the USA last November rocketed, resulting in excessive inventory levels in the US fastener industry. However, China’s fastener export to the USA started to decline from December 2018 and show no signs of turning round at the moment.

Chinese exports to Europe grow, price declines China’s fastener exports to Europe during the first four months of 2019 showed volume growth but a decline in price.

I

nfluenced by the US – China trade war, the Chinese fastener industry is currently suffering from a sharp decline in exports to the USA. As a result, many Chinese fastener suppliers have switched their focus to the European market. However, the existence of too many competitors on the market has also resulted in the drop of the average price despite the increase in the total export volume.

In April 2019, China exported more than 70,000 tonnes of fasteners to Europe, a significant increase of 20.5% from March this year, but the average price was US$1.84/kg, down 4.46% from March last year.

In the first four months of 2019, China exported 257,000 tonnes of fasteners to the EU, up 16% from the same period last year. However, the average price was US$1.91/kg, down 1.65% from the same period last year.

Report: Fastener World Magazine

Businessmen protest delay in GST refunds Ludhiana businessmen are unhappy with the delay in getting Goods & Service Tax (GST) refunds and have blamed both state and central GST departments. Inordinate delays in getting refunds are affecting their working capital and they are desperately seeking a solution.

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aj Kumar Singla, president of the Fasteners’ Suppliers’ Association, said that whether it was state or central GST departments, refunds are not happening on time. He added that years’ old VAT refunds were still pending even after VAT was scrapped. GST refunds worth crores of rupees have piled up.

Singla said his association will approach Punjab finance minister, Manpreet Badal, to apprise him of the problem and seek a solution.

Munish Sachdeva, a fastener manufacturer said: “We are conforming to all the rules and regulations of the GST law, but still are unable to get refunds on time. The biggest problem is that it is part of our working capital and any kind of delay means that amount is blocked with the government.

As a result, we face fund shortages and our businesses suffer.”

Report: Fastener Association of India

38 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Taiwan fastener exports to the USA rise In the first four months of 2019, ChinaFastener.info reports, Taiwanese fastener exports to the USA increased by more than 10%.

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xports during the four months totalled 236,377 tonnes with an average price up 7.7% to US$2.74/kg. Total export value for the period increased to a record US$1.91 billion (€1.72 billion), up 15.4% on the same period the previous year.

Taiwan fastener exports to Japan grow In May 2019, Taiwan exported 6,576,973kg of fasteners to Japan, lifting it to the third largest export destination for fasteners, and overtaking the Netherlands.

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he May volume exported to Japan represented an 11.7% increase year-on-year while the Netherlands recorded a 26% decline. In June, exports to the Netherlands recovered slightly but were still 16% down year-on-year. Exports to Japan grew 9.3% by volume with the average price up 1.86% on the same period last year.

The Japanese government has revised upwards its forecast for economic growth in the first quarter, but the country continues to face uncertainties as domestic taxes increase and global trade disputes intensify.

Report: Fastener World Magazine

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ASIAN NEWS

Top Taiwanese fastener manufacturers Below is a list of Taiwanese fastener, precision parts or fastener machine manufacturers, which featured in a survey of the Top 2,000 Taiwan Manufacturing Enterprises in 2018.

Fasteners, precision parts, fastener machinery manufacturers #

Ranking of Top 2,000 Taiwan manufacturing enterprises Company name

Revenue (NT$0.1 billion)

Revenue growth (%)

Net profit after tax (NT$ 0.1 billion)

Profit margin (%)

2018

2017

2016

1

↑50

58

70

Ta Chen International Inc

837.11

29.94

60.39

7.21

2

↑276

364

381

Tycoons Group Enterprise Co Ltd

111.17

41.91

-0.51

-0.46

3

↑282

293

286

QST International Corp

108.4

4.78

6.27

5.78

4

↑305

328

329

Chun Yu Works & Co Ltd

98.4

9.37

4.61

4.68

5

↑306

405

460

Tycoons Worldwide Group (Thailand) Public Co Ltd

98.38

43.83

-0.34

-0.35

6

↑336

374

436

Tong Group

88.87

17.04

5.36

6.03

7

↑371

388

386

San Shing Fastech Corp

79.82

9.96

11.21

14.04

8

↓434

417

437

Boltun Corporation

65.21

-0.44

8.05

12.34

9

↑647

663

679

Tong Hwei Enterprise Co Ltd

38.15

10.1

N/A

-

10

↑685

-

808

Jinn Her Enterprise Co Ltd

34.99

32.74

N/A

-

11

↑799

800

836

Jau Yeou Industry Co Ltd

28.18

5.15

N/A

-

12

↑836

843

903

Rodex Fasteners Corp

26.2

7.07

3.05

11.64

13

↑913

1,051

1,094

National Aerospace Fasteners Corporation

22.79

30.38

3.01

13.21

14

↑985

1,201

1,219

Sumeeko Ind Co Ltd

19.74

47.64

1.53

7.75 15.31

15

-

1,028

949

Intai Technology Corp

19.07

5.13

2.92

16

-

1,104

1,258

Min Hwei Enterprise Co Ltd

18.9

18.79

N/A

-

17

-

1,137

1,139

Chun Zu Machinery Industry Co Ltd

16.75

12.57

1.27

7.58

18

-

1,329

1,293

Fwu Kuang Enterprises Co Ltd

14.85

36.87

0.33

2.22

19

-

1,328

1,319

14

28.79

0.94

6.71

20

1,244

-

-

OFCO Industrial Corp

12.33

38.23

0.54

4.38

21

1,262

-

-

Thread Industrial Co Ltd

12.04

27.68

N/A

-

22

1,321

-

-

Sheh Kai Precision Co Ltd

10.89

14.99

1.65

15.15

23

-

-

1,342

Jern Yao Enterprises Co Ltd

10.62

4.42

1.09

10.24

Sheh Fung Screws Co Ltd

Automotive sector waits to gather steam The Indian automotive sector has been witnessing headwinds with the sale of passenger vehicles plummeting by over 30%. Automobile and auto component sectors see the road to recovery getting difficult by the day.

L

umax Industries Ltd, a market leader in automobile lighting solutions, has recently laid off around 500 contractual workers in its manufacturing units in Haryana, citing poor demand from automakers. With a 20% drop in revenue, Lumax has joined the growing list of component manufacturers that have downsized their workforce and trimmed production. Vineet Sahni, CEO and senior executive director at Lumax, said that the slowdown was highly significant and the drop in the revenue is forcing companies to shut their plants.

Vehicle suspension springmaker, Jamna Auto Industries Ltd, revealed it may close plants due to stagnating demand. Bosch Ltd has decided to restructure its business with the slowdown decelerating production.

40 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Small businesses are deeply affected by the sales slowdown. The share of SMEs in auto component turnover is around 30% and many are in fastener production.

Expansion and modernisation have been kept on hold. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), almost 15,000 workers have lost their jobs in automobile manufacturing companies.

The slowdown in the auto sector has had a cascading effect on the economy, causing hardships to small businesses providing logistics and raw materials to the manufacturing sector.

Report: Fastener Association of India

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

Brazil Windpower moves to São Paulo City

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During this event the federal government announced investments of around US$100 billion in the energy sector over the next ten years.

he largest trade fair and congress event for wind energy in Latin America, ‘Brazil Windpower’ debuted at its new home, in the Transamérica Expo Center pavilion, São Paulo City, during 28th – 30th May 2019. Previously it has been presented in Rio de Janeiro.

For this edition, exhibitors and companies from the fastener sector were still few. Present were trademarks such as Dörken, Assahi Tightening Systems, Forte Fixadores and Brazilian company, Metaltork, which announced an agreement with Tailer Baigorria to produce fasteners in Argentina.

During the event, the Brazilian Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, announced investments of around US$100 billion in the electricity sector over the next 10 years. Of this total, according to the Minister, US$565 million will go to centralised renewable generation: Around US$4 billion will go to new wind projects – with the expectation of implementing another 12GW in wind generation. US$8.2 billion will go into solar energy projects; US$3.5 billion into hydroelectric power plants; and US$3.2 billion into biomass.

EXPOMAFE 2019

EXPOMAFE once again solidified its status as the most important mechanical fair in Brazil during the odd years, with the Brazil international machine tool and industrial automation exhibition already scheduled for 4th – 8th May 2021.

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oth EXPOMAFE, held in odd years, and FEIMEC, held in even years, have total support from ABIMAQ, the Brazilian industrial association – support that contributed fatally to the extinction of the old trade fairs, Mecanica and Feimafe.

Similar to FEIMEC, scheduled for May 2020, the EXPOMAFE occupies the São Paulo Expo, on Imigrantes Highway. For this edition, EXPOMAFE received more than 750 exhibiting brands, 20% more than 2017, attendees, both exhibitors and visitors, totalling more than 55,000 people.

As Brazil does not currently have a trade fair exclusive to the fastener market, Revista do Parafuso, as the Fastener Magazine for Brazil, attends both events to catch up with exhibitors involved in the production of bolts, screws, nuts and other related products and complementary services.

42 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

EJOT-FEY celebrates five years

The joint venture formed to provide fasteners to the automotive and construction sectors was founded in October 2014, through a joint venture agreement between Metalúrgica Fey (Brazil) and EJOT (Germany).

S

ince then, the EJOT-FEY Sistemas de Fixação has provided innovative products to the most demanding sectors of the automotive and construction industry in Brazil. “Our aims are not limited to delivering bolts, but to providing the customer with engineering advice as part of the ‘package’ we provide,” said Mr Yalçin Cihan, alongside Mr Ricardo Fey. “EJOT-FEY activities take place from the beginning of the project, including the design of the application point, where the screw will be housed, and its dimensions. From there, we define the type of item to be applied, and its torque requirements, etc. This way, the customer engineering can be ‘carefree’, because we assume this role, if they allow us, of course.”

FEY and EJOT are part of the GFA Global Fastener Alliance, a global network of eight high performance fasteners suppliers, including Richard Bergner and Böllhoff (Germany), Jinhap (South Korea), ATF and the MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions (both USA) and Kato Rashi (Japan).

COVER STORY

Supplying technical expertise Through its knowledge and experience within the market, as well as its commitment to continuously innovate its products and service, JCP Construction Products has established itself as a technical expert within the fixings sector.

44 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

A

Available as a free download from JCP’s website, the ACP enables users to enter details for a specific job and calculate the correct number of fixings for the application

specialist supplier of construction fixings to distributors, JCP Construction Products (JCP) has developed a reputation for its technical insight and experience in applications and fixings.

“Whilst our target market is fixing distributors, we have created close relationships with engineers and end users on construction sites, so we can demonstrate the capabilities of our solutions,” states Nick Beardon, general manager at JCP Construction Products.

By talking directly to the engineers on-site, JCP can demonstrate the features and benefits of its products and how they can help save installation time and improve applications. “The user can see first-hand the capabilities of the fixing, which can be especially helpful when you come across somebody who is accustomed to using a particular part,” points out Nick.

“By talking to them face-to-face, and carrying out demonstrations, they can see the advantages of our solution.

It is only by having this connection with end users that you can ensure your range is meeting their needs. We can then be confident the portfolio we are supplying to our fixing distributors are right for the market.”

Anchor calculation program

JCP also looks to provide the right services to end users, such as its Anchor Calculation program (ACP).

Available as a free download from JCP’s website, the ACP enables users to enter details for a specific job and calculate the correct number of fixings for the application. “There are a host of data sheets that provide the necessary information for applications that fall within set boundaries,” explains Nick.

“However, it is when you get outside of these scenarios – regarding edge

FASTENERANDFIXING.COM 45

COVER STORY distance, anchoring spacing, and various embedment depths – that end users need help and that is where the ACP comes in.”

The ACP includes a wide range of information and data, including fire and seismic requirements, and can accurately suggest suitable anchors and base plate configurations – making calculations according to European guidelines. “We have recently updated and reformatted the software so it is more efficient and we have also added an additional program for rebar, which can calculate the amount needed for an installation,” mentions Nick. “We are also looking to develop the ACP further by introducing a program for façade fixings in the future.”

Nick adds: “If you are going to compete with the leading players with the fixing sector, you need to be able to offer a competitive service. An anchor calculation program is becoming an important part of that service and is crucial if you are going to appeal to the decision makers on-site. By doing this you get the pull through demand from the engineers, who go to the fixing distributors and ask for our products – as they know they will get a high-quality solution and a first-class support service.”

Reliable quality

Whilst additional services are important, the need for quality is still the leading factor in meeting end users’ needs.

“Without doubt the market has become a lot more aware of quality and certification, especially regarding health and safety,” states Nick. “As a company we are committed to quality and we are confident in the performance of our products, with several being supported by European Technical Assessments.”

Nick continues: “The introduction of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) over three years ago put quality at the forefront of people’s minds and did lead to engineers looking at the quality of the overall process. However, we are now getting to the stage where it has become more of a ‘tick box’ routine, rather than end users continuing to focus on the quality benefits. For instance, site tests are now an essential part of our service. Going back even just a decade you would normally do site tests on just the bigger projects or for new customers – when the specification had been changed and they wanted the quality reassurance. Now we are doing pull out tests five or six times a week – primarily for parts that are already being used on-site. The end user just wants the certification to say it has been carried out. In fact, we are even being asked to visit sites to test ETA certified fixings, which we shouldn’t need to do as the certification proves the capabilities of the products.”

“As a business going to sites has always been part of our service, so we are happy to meet customers’ needs. We have always carried out these tests and we will continue to do so in the future.”

New pouch bag range

Whilst JCP looks to work closely with the end users and engineers, it is also focused on offering a complete service to its fixing distributors, which is underlined by the introduction of a new pouch bag packaging line – covering popular products and sizes for a wide selection of fixings. “The new JCP pouch bags offer the highest level of quality, with the bags being strong and robust, as well as resealable, drop-proof, water resistant and easy to identify – making them ideal for working on-site,” explains Nick. “The pouch bag line also includes an updated labelling system on the bags, which provides a lot more information, such as hole diameter, fixture

46 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

thickness, range available, capabilities, etc. There is also a picture of an installed product on the front, as well as a QR code that takes the user to the technical data on the website.”

In addition to the pouch bag, JCP has also introduced a retail range that offers a similar offering as the pouch bag, but in small pack quantities. “We have already introduced the pouch and retail packaging lines to our existing fixing distributors and they have been very well received,” points out Nick. “With the bags the first thing you see is the JCP logo and then the product, as well as the informative label giving the customer all the information they need – making the choice for customers quick and easy.”

Endless development

The new pouch bag range is just another example of JCP always looking to innovate and introduce new developments and products where possible. “As a business we are focused on new ideas that will benefit the end users,” says Nick. “We carry out in-house research, work closely with engineers, and study upcoming regulations and standards, to see what opportunities there may be in the future.

In addition to new products lines, we have found adding additional benefits and improving an existing range is just as important. It shows as a business you are in a constant process of development.”

A prime example is the recent introduction of JCP’s range of premium nylon plugs. “We took the existing range and added extra benefits such as additional pull out test results on various substrates – brick, concrete and blocks – so we now have loading data for this range,” mentions Nick. “We also have two or three new lines we are planning to introduce in the coming months, which will further extend our existing range.”

Another area that has been successful for JCP is getting products confirmed in projects. “We are starting to see our solutions specified in projects, which is a real ‘feather in our cap’,” states Nick proudly.

The new JCP pouch bag range has a colour key on the labelling to signify the different products: BLUE – medium duty fixings, RED – heavy-duty fixings, YELLOW – nylon & cavity fixings, and GREY – self-drilling screws

A big advantage for JCP is that not only does it benefit from being an SME – flexible, responsive, personal service – it also has the added benefit of being part of Hexstone Group.” helping keep the knowledge within the business. The key is finding people that are enthusiastic about the product and the job they are doing, which is not as easy as it sounds.”

“The bigger companies have engineers working in drawing offices day in and day out, but we don’t have the man power to do this. Therefore, to see the drawings say ‘JCP’ and our codes, is a real achievement and shows the level of service and technical knowledge within the business.”

Targeting growth

Preserving technical knowledge

As with many sectors, keeping the technical knowledge within a business and introducing the next generation is a big task, but it is something JCP is already working on. “As a business you need that understanding if you are speaking to the end user, you can’t just know the product number and the catalogue price,” explains Nick. “That is why we have already taken steps to start the knowledge transfer.”

Firstly, JCP has replaced experience with experience, with Karl Greenwood joining the business as area sales manager – replacing Pete Gaster who recently retired.

“Pete had virtually been with the business since the beginning and had a lot of knowledge of the products and the industry,” points out Nick. “It was therefore vital his replacement also had a similar longevity within the fixing industry. Karl Greenwood is vastly knowledgeable and will be a good addition to the team.”

JCP has also introduced an extra employee within the technical department to learn and understand the technical aspects of the business. “Brian Deluce, our technical manager, was 70 years old in August but he is still working with us. Over the last two years Reza Jafari has been working alongside him and developing the understanding of the business and products –

Karl Greenwood, new JCP area sales manager

Reza Jafari technical manager at JCP

JCP is currently focused on the UK market, but moving into Europe is a growth target for the future.

“In the UK we believe we are number three in the market when it comes to supplying industrial fixings to distributors,” states Nick. “Some companies might have a higher turnover, but a large part of that is into the DIY sector. Whilst we are established within the UK fixing sector, we are still relatively unknown in Europe. However, we know we have the products and service to compete, so it is a case of getting involved and making European customers aware of what JCP has to offer.”

A big advantage for JCP is that not only does it benefit from being an SME – flexible, responsive, personal service – it also has the added benefit of being part of Hexstone Group. “Being part of a bigger organisation such as Hexstone enables us to invest in JCP and in new opportunities. We have the financial resource that allows us to invest in new products, as well as research, testing and certifications – such as European Technical Assessments and fire regulations.”

“As a business we will continue to look to develop where possible, whilst always ensuring we are providing our distribution partners with the right products, as well as working closely with engineers on applications.” www.jcpfixings.co.uk

FASTENERANDFIXING.COM 47

INSIGHT

Situated in Águeda, Portugal, everything about PECOL Group is large scale – its 160,000m2 headquarters, its 45,000 pallet warehouse and its €30 million worth of stock – highlighting the Group’s vast capabilities and reaffirming its position as a global Portuguese fastener giant.

L-R: António Novais, general manager at PECOL Sistemas de Fixação S.A and Miguel Silva, sales manager at PECOL Automotive

A Portuguese giant

L

ast year, PECOL Group achieved €85 million turnover – with 40% from PECOL Sistemas de Fixação S.A. The industrial group also comprises of PECOL Automotive – the largest unit for manufacturing parts by cold stamping in Iberia; RETSACOAT – a surface metal coating and treatment plant; and SERMOCOL – a plant specialised in manufacturing tools and technical parts in hard metal – all housed at its Águeda headquarters.

“What we can offer here in Portugal, under one roof, is a very unique proposition. We have the entire fastener supply chain and that’s why our customers buy from us,” explains António Novais, general manager at PECOL Sistemas de Fixação S.A. PECOL Sistemas is presented to the market under the brand PECOL. “Our name stands for quality and we are known for producing high-quality products. Our brand is about consistency, which is important when it’s such a populated market,” explains António. “50% of PECOL Sistemas’ turnover is from fasteners – the other 50% is from chemicals (silicones and adhesives), power tools and consumables.”

48 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

At the heart of its headquarters is PECOL Sistemas’ pallet warehouse with 45,000 pallet spaces – storing €30 million in stock.

“Our picking area serves more than 12,000 customers annually, and prepares about 1,000 orders a day,” comments António. “Our customers select us because we give them added service and we offer more – including next day and, in some cases, same day delivery.”

Items are delivered with zero defects and full traceability due to PECOL’s product labelling system, which provides all information needed such as the batch number, and barcode, clearly displayed on the box. Boxes are packed with fully automatic packing lines, especially designed to fulfil the needs of professional clients, packing approximately 300,000 boxes a month.

Alongside this, PECOL Sistemas also has packaging systems for the industrial segment. These polybag packing lines are specially designed to provide a professional service of packaging kits of one or more items. “With the infrastructure, automation, and staff, I am confident that the service we offer our customers is high-quality, efficient and unbeatable. We must keep innovating to keep this offering, which includes constantly making sure our facilities adapt and evolve with us,” proudly states Antonio.

An example of this adaptation includes PECOL’s plans to expand its chemical sealant capabilities. Last year the company manufactured more than 2 million tubes of sealants on-site and is planning to expand its facilities to increase its market share. “For us, it is important we create our products in-house and create any new innovations here, in Portugal. We want to keep Portugal on the map.”

To aid this innovation, PECOL also has partnerships with universities in Portugal, to encourage the next generation of engineers. “These young, ambitious engineers enable us to think outside the box and concentrate on innovations purely based on customer needs.”

An example of this includes its newly launched range of power tools, which PECOL hopes will strengthen its leadership in the market. “Creating our own power tool brand seemed like the next logical step. Many of the products we sell require power tools

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for application and therefore a natural extension to our range is a line of professional machines that are highly robust, reliable and outstanding in their performance,” explains Antonio.

Designed for professional use, the range includes battery powered machines, and electrical screwdrivers, drills, hammers, and angle grinders.

A new maintenance area is also under construction on the Águeda site in order to best serve the customer. “As with everything we do, we need to make sure we are offering the after sales and added value services to the customer. Eventually we will have repair technicians based here and a warehouse is already under construction, which will comprise of all spare parts for the tools.”

“We’ve also taken the selection of materials, as well as mechanical and electronic components – to ensure maximum robustness and durability – very seriously, and we already have several major worldwide distributors interested in representing our brand. Both in the domestic and international market the response to our new venture has been fantastic. We’re confident we’ve developed high-quality machines built to last and are setting standards by being the first Portuguese brand of 100% professional power tools,” points out Antonio.

PECOL is also trying to keep one step ahead of the market with a ‘green push’, such as the installation of solar panels, which shows its contribution to reducing its ecological footprint. The company has also introduced electric cars for its sales force, and is looking to reduce the amount of plastic used on its blister packs for the retail market, whilst continuing to offer retail clients an innovative, attractive, informative and functional packaging. “Our blister packaging allows the creation of organised areas in customers’

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stores and are extremely attractive to the final DIY consumer,” comments Antonio.

Antonio continues: “We only exist because of our customers – and they only select us because of our high-quality products, added services, and unique proposition. I can only name a handful of companies that can offer what we do under one roof. We have everything in-house, we make our tools, we prepare our raw materials, we manufacture, then we do our own surface treatment and packaging. This enables us to control our quality and produce high-quality products.”

With the Águeda site being the home for the entire PECOL Group, the company can offer an extended portfolio of special parts, manufactured in various materials such as steel, stainless steel, brass, aluminium and copper. Due to the automotive business, a large percentage of this production is supplied to the automotive industry with applications in different vehicle components. To ensure the high-quality of these materials, all wire rod is sourced from Europe, and is stored in the raw material warehouse, which currently houses 2,000 tonnes of wire coil.

In order to further guarantee the quality of the products, PECOL also has four Kardex machines on-site storing all tools, which have been manufactured on-site through tooling company SERMOCOL. PECOL’s Águeda site is constantly evolving and the company is investing in not only its infrastructure but it’s services too, to supply its customers with a complete package.

“As a business we are always looking to move forward and develop, with the site almost doubling in size over the past 10 years. Our aim is to be the best so that our customers can have confidence and trust in us. We are a Portuguese giant, who’s ready and capable to take over the world.” www.pecol.pt

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INSIGHT

Lancaster Fastener increases stock capacity by 20% As a stockist, Lancaster states that the key to its year-on-year growth over recent years has been stock availability. Now, with the recent completion of a warehouse extension, the company is able to increase its pallet locations and continue investing in its stock levels, to further improve availability.

L

ancaster Fastener Co Ltd is recognised throughout the global fastener distribution industry as a specialist importer and stockist of small diameter industrial threaded fasteners. Trading within the fastener industry for over 35 years, Lancaster Fastener has successfully developed a brand that is synonymous with exceptional standards of quality and customer service. Product ranges are sourced from ‘quality assured’ manufacturers and supplied to a network of fastener distributors in over 50 countries worldwide.

Operating from 3,150m2 premises in the North West of England, Lancaster Fastener supplies many of the leading multinational fastener distribution groups – whilst also offering support to smaller distribution companies throughout the world. Lancaster’s position in the market forms an essential supporting stock interface between the distributor and the Asian manufacturer, reacting largely to the infill demands of the industry.

“It is our commitment to invest in large volumes of stock against a specialised, small diameter product portfolio,” explains Sam Wilson, managing director at Lancaster Fastener. “The recently completed extension to our warehouse will allow us to increase stock levels across our entire product range to offer customers a dependable and continuous source of supply.”

Product ranges include: Screws for plastic applications, self-tapping screws, self-drilling screws, Tap-Fix® DIN 7500 thread rolling screws, DIN 7985 and DIN 965 machine screws, micro diameter screws, tamper proof security screws and fasteners for sheet metal.

From over 3,000 tonnes of stock, comprising over 10,500 product lines, customers are offered a fast and efficient delivery service supported by

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an excellence in worldwide logistics. Lancaster’s stock profile is geared to meet the demand for ‘fast moving’ product sizes and to offer peripheral sizes that are outside other ranges available within the industry. “It is the depth of our range that differentiates us from our competitors,” adds Sam Wilson. “In addition to stocking commodity size ranges of products within our range, we also offer smaller/larger diameters and shorter/longer lengths that aren’t readily available elsewhere.”

Lancaster’s stocked ranges are reviewed regularly to identify gaps within each product group from which to formulate future stock investment. “It is our aim to be in a position when preparing a quotation, irrespective of the number of line items, to offer at least a 95% stock availability against the products listed within our stock list. On the occasion of a partial ‘stock out’, our sales team will automatically advise customers when new stock has arrived into our warehouse,” continues Sam Wilson.

Product ranges are available for immediate despatch in 20kg bulk carton quantities. Lancaster can also split carton quantities and offer products in small box quantities to meet the exact quantity requirements of its customers. Complete batch traceability is guaranteed by a clearly defined product label that is included on all despatched goods. All labels display a product image, item description, box quantity, supplier reference, batch number and RoHS compliance confirmation logo. A product code specific barcode is also displayed on each label to allow automated product identification and the implementation of data.

Lancaster Fastener is continuously listening to the industry and developing its product range to meet the requirements of its customers.

To this end, more stocked ranges of threaded fasteners with a black

It is the depth of our range that differentiates us from our competitors.”

finish have been added to its product range. “The decision last year to increase stock levels of fasteners with a black finish was also a driving factor behind the decision to increase our stock holding capacity,” explains Sam Wilson. “Our increased stock availability and our willingness to have other zinc plated products from our range finished black has been welcomed by our customers in what is often seen as a problematic and time-consuming product range for fastener distributors to source.”

Lancaster Fastener understands the urgency of the fastener industry and the daily pressures faced by distributors when

contacting suppliers to enquire after stock availability, check current pricing options, progress existing orders or to seek technical support.

Lancaster believes that a considered and timely response to customer enquiries is mutually beneficial and strengthens relationships and enhances loyalty between all parties. “It is our service commitment to reply to customer enquiries within 30 minutes in an effort to increase efficiencies throughout the supply chain,” concludes Sam Wilson. www.lancasterfastener.com

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INSIGHT

Cetin Civata: Investing in the future Cetin Civata is one of the biggest fastener manufacturing groups in eastern Europe, producing a wide variety of products in metric and unified thread – for both end users and distributors. After significant investment over the past twelve months, we spoke to Mr Mustafa Tecdelioğlu, president at Cetin Civata, to find out what the investment means for the business and its plans for the future.

Over recent years Cetin Civata has implemented a significant investment strategy, what new developments have been involved?

“We have recently invested in six new multi-station cold forging machines, of European origin, which arrived and were installed in the factory over the last quarter of 2018 and in the first quarter of 2019. In addition, there is a project to build a new logistic/sorting/ warehouse hall within our main factory campus, which recently started in Q1 of this year. Also in Q1 of 2019, our mass production product range for domestic white goods industry clients has nearly doubled, which has been a big positive.

To add to this, we have also invested into digitalisation, by installing an advanced ERP software system for the whole of our production process – from input/raw material entry through to packaging and delivery. The ERP system has also been extended to include all commercial, financial and accounting procedures for the company.”

How has the market progressed for Cetin over the last 18 months? Did it differ from your expectations and what have been the challenges?

“In comparison to 2017, our turnover for 2018 grew by over 25% in terms of net sales revenue. We reached our expected 2018 turnover targets, in spite of the foreign exchange fluctuation in Turkey, which affected the general cash flows in the domestic market heavily towards the end of the year. In 2019, we experienced a slow domestic market and also a decreasing export market. However, we are confident we will cover the dropped turnover in our domestic and export sales, with increasing export quantities for the second half of 2019.

We exhibited at Fastener Fair Stuttgart at the beginning of the year where we had very fruitful introductory meetings with some new companies, and we are starting to see new orders as a result of the show. We also see strong signs that prices and demand will rebound after August in the European markets.

Thanks to our ability to ensure a consistent and satisfactory service to the market – through our total quality management system, which is approved and controlled by our international global buyers’ regular audits – and also through the continuous orders and forecast order plans from our direct OEM clients, our products will continue to fit perfectly into our clients’ production lines for their daily consumption and usage, as well as their plans for the future.”

54 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

You mentioned Fastener Fair Stuttgart. What were your overall thoughts on the show?

“We believe that Fastener Fair Stuttgart is always a unique opportunity for effective and comprehensive global networking amongst the important players within the global fastener market.

It allows fastener producers like us to exhibit our capabilities, to show to the market what we can produce, and to introduce ourselves to a number of potential clients in a very short time. This helps us save costs and time, as our sales people do not need to spend several weeks making long business travels around Europe.

During the show we focused on reviewing the business we had in the last two years and we also made plans for the next twelve months with some of our biggest European key accounts – including future projects for new special fasteners.”

What makes Cetin Civata different in the market?

How will the company develop in the future?

“Flexibility, wider product range, proactive strategy, tailor-made new and special product development, as well as a good brand name and reputation. These five properties make Cetin Civata different in the market. Going forward we also need to be more active and dominate in the OEM market. That is why we are reinforcing our engineering staff and improving the capability of our R&D department. We are also looking to increase the dynamism of our sales team.

One of the biggest opportunities for us going forward is the reputation we have established for ourselves within the fastener market. Thanks to the capacity and flexibility of our machinery set-up, and our ability to carry out all production processes in-house without subcontracting, we can provide a first class service to customers and ensure long and successful partnerships.”

What impact have the fluctuations in raw material prices and currency exchange rates had on the business in recent years? How have you combatted these fluctuations?

“We are not really impacted by the fluctuations in raw material prices, as we regularly have orders for on average four months of production throughout the year. This fully booked situation secures a kind of hedging against fluctuations of input

INSIGHT

As a business we are committed to growing and the only way you can do this is by planning for the future. The recent investments over the last two years, show how determined we are as a business to succeed.”

56 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

costs. As already mentioned, exchange rates volatility created only a temporary collection difficulty in the domestic market. However, we combatted this issue with our liquid financial structure – coming from the big variety of our customer portfolio with minimised commercial risks.”

How has the Turkish fastener market developed in 2019 and what are the challenges of being a Turkish manufacturer?

“We cannot talk about any optimistic development in the Turkish market for 2019 so far. However, for our domestic market sales activities we have taken additional steps, including employing further experienced sales specialists – who will be active in the field by regularly visiting customers in strategic industry areas of Turkey.

One of the biggest challenges of being a Turkish manufacturer is the difficulty of making mid-term and long-term strategic business plans.

However, just because it is difficult does not mean you should not do it.

As a business we are committed to growing and the only way you can do this is by planning for the future. The recent investments over the last two years, show how determined we are as a business to succeed.”

How do you see the shape of the global fastener supply chain changing in the next ten years? What do you think will be the challenges for the big players and the smaller companies?

“We see consistent but modest growth in the global fastener supply chain in the next 10 years – with more consolidation within the market.

As a big player, one of the main challenges is the narrowing and tightening of profit margins.

This has been a big ‘headache’ for all metal and steel related industries during the last decade – throughout the world. For smaller companies, one of the big challenges could be to accommodate their production set-up’s in accordance with the Kanban service markets and in conformity with Full Service Provider companies – so they can give the correct service for just-in-time deliveries. I believe they also have to be more dynamic over the years to come.” www.cetin.com.tr

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INSIGHT

First class quality inspection f Established in 2007, the Fastener Quality Center – Shanghai is a testing facility positioned in the heart of the Asian manufacturing industry, providing high-quality third party quality inspection to customers.

F

ounded by two European fasteners distributors, the original concept was to detect problems with fasteners before they were shipped to Europe. “It is very costly when you find problems with fasteners from Asia once they have arrived in Europe,” mentions Eric Ni, general manger at FQC Shanghai. “You have to send the products back and there is the time delay of getting new products shipped over.

Plus, there is the damage to your brand of not being able to supply products to meet customers’ needs. The FQC Shanghai was set-up by the founders to ensure total confidence in their suppliers from Asia.”

After setting up the facility, it became clear that other European fastener companies were also interested in utilising the FQC facilities to inspect the production of their own manufacturers. “To enable us to carry out tests for businesses as a third party, we installed the necessary procedures and work practises to fully comply with ISO 17025:2005,” mentions Eric. “Since our initial accreditation

by CNAS (China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment) we have consistently been reaudited over the years to guarantee continuous compliance – with the scope of the accreditation being enlarged year after year. New testing methodologies and new equipment has also been added to the portfolio of the FQC’s services.”

In 2009 anti-dumping regulations on most standard fastener products originating from China were introduced – reducing the number of European customers cooperating with the FQC for quality inspections. This led to the FQC establishing itself within the Chinese market – by offering its reliable services to Chinese manufacturers, distributors and end users of industrial fasteners – creating a database of active customers of over 300 different companies.

“After the introduction of the anti-dumping duties a lot of the Chinese manufacturers decided to focus on special fasteners and therefore the quality of the parts became even more important,” mentions Eric. “This resulted in us growing our customer base initially with Chinese companies, as well as with branches of large European brands based in China.”

Eric adds: “Since the cancellation of the anti-dumping tariffs in 2016 we have once again seen an increase in interest from European distributors buying from Asia – who need a quick turnaround on sample testing.”

58 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

European companies can get their suppliers to send samples directly to FQC Shanghai for testing. There is also the option for the FQC to pick up the samples from the factory if required. “Getting manufacturers to send the samples straight to us helps to speed up the process and means we can carry out the necessary tests and provide the results even quicker,” explains Eric.

The FQC can also carry out supplier audits for customers as and when required. “We can visit customers’ external suppliers and carry out on-site audits and pre-shipment inspections,” points out Eric. “We work with the customer to agree a set of requirements and then we ensure the supplier meets them.”

Investing in technology

Over the years the FQC has continuously added new machinery to increase its capabilities. “We always look at customers’ requests and let them lead us as to what we need to do regarding new machinery, services, etc. We then conduct market research before making any new investments,” points out Tom Hou, operation director at FQC Shanghai. “For instance, a couple of years ago we added an impact machine and a friction machine, as we could see that we were receiving more and more requests from customers.”

Tom Hou continues: “We are always working with the customers so that we can better understand their needs. By keeping in close contact, we are aware of the tests they require and what their needs might be for the future.”

Another important aspect of the business is being aware of changes in the market and regulations that could impact testing requirements. “We have definitely seen an increase in the requests for chemical analysis tests over recent years, especially for stainless steel – as there were problems with the quality within the market,” mentions Tom Hou. “As a business we need to be able to react to these requests and provide the tests customers need.”

Eric Ni adds: “We set high standards for our entire inspection activity. This includes an ongoing training programme for our staff; on-time maintenance and calibration of our inspection equipment; and the optimisation of our internal processes – aiming to always meet customer set completion deadlines.”

n from FQC

FQC Shanghai testing capability: Tensile test (200kN/1,000kN machines): Tensile testing for full size bolts or machined test pieces, as well as under wedge loading of finished bolts and screws. The tensile test also includes proof load test for nuts; defining lower yield strength or stress at 0.2% non proportional elongation; as well as testing elongation or reduction of area after fracture and bending tests.

Hardness test Rockwell (HRB, HRC) and Vickers (HV0.1 – HV30): This test can be used for determining surface hardness, core hardness, case hardness depth (CHD), de/carburisation for bolts, as well as hardness profile test.

Impact test: An automatic impact testing machine (with maximum 450 Joule) for impact testing at a maximum -110ºC. Torsion test: Using a torsion inspection machine (2,000Nm) tests include torque, drive in torque, friction coefficient, torque coefficient, function test of adhesive or locking coatings, function test on locking nuts, as well as preloading test for the detection of hydrogen embrittlement.

Material analysis: An ARC/SPARK optical emission spectrometry (OES) analyser can measure a variety of elements including carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorus, nickel, chromium, copper, molybdenum, aluminium, vanadium, titanium and boron.

Coating thickness: X-ray fluorescence, magnet-inductive or microscopic method for checking coatings, such as: Zn/Fe (0µm – 35µm), Ni/Fe (0µm – 20µm), NiZn/Fe (0µm – 25µm), Cu/Fe (0µm – 20µm). Tests can also be carried out for hot dip galvanised products and zinc flake coatings.

In-depth capabilities

At its laboratory located in Pudong, the FQC carries out a wide range of mechanical/ technological tests such as tensile/wedge/proof load, hardness and micro-hardness, decarburisation, chemical analysis, coating thickness, salt spray, impact and roughness tests, as well as all relevant dimensional and functional tests.

“We can handle all of the major tests ourselves and our aim is to be a ‘one stop’ service for all fastener testing,” states Tom Hou. “Our team has the knowledge of standards and procedures to guarantee that all tests are carried out accurately, which offers quality assurance to customers.”

Eric Ni concludes: “In the modern global fastener trade the role of quality assurance is gaining importance every year and the Fastener Quality Center – Shanghai has successfully found its position in this market and will continue to offer a first class inspection service.” www.fqc-shanghai.com

Dimensional and tolerance tests: Fully automated dimensional inspection for length, radius, angle, straightness (bending), head height, recess depth, as well as tests for thread ring gauge (go/ no go), thread plug gauge (go/no go) and roughness.

Other tests include structural examination by microscope to determine de-/ carburisation for bolts; function test for selfdrilling screws; determination of corrosion resistance (NSS) and the head soundness test.

FASTENERANDFIXING.COM 59

INSIGHT

Providing a wide range of benefits Marcopol’s comprehensive offering as a Polish manufacturer and supplier of fastener and fixing elements for many industries, distinguishes it as a highly valued partner for customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

M

arcopol’s production facilities, with its own bespoke machinery, enables it to quickly execute orders, including a wide range of standard products and customised products – adapted to individual needs of customers. Due to the increasing demands of customers for stainless steel products in global markets, Marcopol has continuously expanded this line of products, so it is available as custom items on request.

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

The company can also produce threaded rods (with metric thread, thread for wood, for sheet metal, for plastics, and a combination of the above mentioned materials – from 3mm to 8mm diameter, with a maximum length of 220mm). Threaded rods with metric thread can also be produced from stainless steel Class 80 and 100. Marcopol is also able to entice customers with its range of serrated screws, which are available in carbon steel and stainless steel, as well as its ability to produce thread-forming metric bolts and screws.

“All products can be manufactured with various types of recess, such as Philips, Pozidriv, slot, kombi, six lobes, hexagonal and special recesses. Marcopol can also supply the products with a wide range of coatings including zinc plating (white, yellow, black), nickel, zinc-nickel, zinc flake coatings, hot dip galvanizing, pre-applied coats (e.g Dri-loc, Eslok), Delta Seal, colour painting, varnishing and other special coatings according to customer’s technical requirements, as

60 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

well as in accordance with RoHS. Finally, the products can be delivered with a declaration of conformity and with the required certificates on request of the customer,” explains Anastazja Janus, export and foreign markets business development director at Marcopol.

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

Alongside its production facilities, Marcopol has over 10,000m 2 of modern warehouse space, which enables it to hold high stock levels – with continuous availability of over 30,000 products in 40 product groups. The modern warehousing system guarantees efficient order process for Marcopol’s extended sales network, which includes 12 branches in Poland, as well as foreign branches in Russia, Lithuania and Estonia.

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

Anastazja continues: “The production and warehouse facilities, as well as the extended sales network, plus the individual approach to every customer, ensures that as a company Marcopol is known for the highest business reliability. The wide range of listed benefits that we continuously develop and offer also guarantees our position as a reliable supplier in the industry.” www.marcopol.eu

EUROPEAN PRODUCER AND DISTRIBUTOR OF FASTENERS AND FIXINGS 2 OWN FACTORIES IN POLAND 30 000 PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ON THE MODERN STOCK STANDARD ITEMS AND PRODUCTS PRODUCED FOR SPECIAL REQUEST OF THE CUSTOMERS 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN MANUFACTURING AND EXPORTING OF FIXING ELEMENTS ADVANCED QUALITY CONTROL VARIOUS TYPES OF PACKAGING AND CUSTOMISED SERVICE FAST DELIVERIES

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EXHIBITIONS

Early bird booking increases for EISENWARENMESSE The first early booking phase of the EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Köln, taking place from 1st – 4th March 2020, closed with organisers reporting excellent results.

I

nterest this year was especially high, as seen by the 5% increase in the list of participating companies over the corresponding period for the last trade fair. Due to the greater interest, around 90% of the available space is already reserved, which means remaining bookable spaces are limited.

Internationally, the EISENWARENMESSE also continues to be a strong draw. Applications have been received from 49 countries, with 70% of the exhibitors coming from abroad – and more are expected. Along with the usual strong representation from Asia, the USA, Spain, and the Netherlands, will be present. This result underscores the international significance of the EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Köln as a network and business platform for the hardware industry.

Suppliers who have already confirmed their participation include F. REYHER Nchfg GmbH & Co KG, fischer, GEDORE Werkzeugfabrik GmbH & Co KG, HAZET-Werk Hermann Zerver GmbH, Schäfer & Peters GmbH, STAHLWILLE, and SWG Schraubenwerk Gaisbach GmbH. The organisers were also able to score a major success with confirmation of the CAS partnership. The cross-manufacturer Cordless Alliance System (CAS) initiated by Metabo is a battery system based on the powerful battery technology of the Nürtingen-based power tool manufacturer.

The CAS umbrella currently consists of ten well known manufacturers, encompassing around 130 machines and devices that are 100% compatible with the same battery and can be combined as required. Chervon GmbH with the brands EGO, Flex and Skil, as well as JCB Powertools will feature prominently for the first time.

Highlights: eCommerce, DIY Boulevard and Start-Ups

The eCommerce arena and DIY Boulevard in cooperation with the manufacturers’ association Haus und Garten e.V. (HHG) established themselves at the previous two EISENWARENMESSE events and will be optimised conceptually for 2020. In the increasingly popular DIY Boulevard exhibition area, which will now be in Hall 11.1, international exhibitors from fediyma associations (European Federation of DIY Manufacturers) will have the opportunity to

62 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

present their innovations to the trade public for the first time in a POS-like environment. Young, innovative companies will also have the opportunity to present their ideas to companies, trade visitors and multipliers in the hardware industry in the EISENForum, which will become a start-up stage for one day.

The topic of eCommerce will be presented at the upcoming event in cooperation with eCommerce rock star Michael Atug, who recently gave a very open interview in Eisenwarenzeitung on the future of the industry. In addition to Michael Atug, Marcus Diekmann and Hendrik Lennarz, international speakers from the eCommerce and start-up sector are already on the programme, with others to follow.

New: Hall 11.3

In order to promote the growth of the trade fair, Hall 11 – with a total area of more than 31,000m2 – will also be used for EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair Köln 2020. This means more space for even more hardware concepts and clearer clustering by segment on the entire exhibition area. In the new Hall 11.1, DIY exhibitors will present themselves around the DIY Boulevard (formerly Hall 5.1) and exhibitors in the field of fastener and fixing technology sector and tool suppliers will be on level 11.2. This way, existing exhibitors can also be given the chance of having their request for larger stands met. The central event stage of the EISENForum will also move to Hall 11.

Koelnmesse – hardware worldwide

As an international top organiser of trade fairs, Koelnmesse is the global market leader for the product sections hardware/ironware divided up into the segments tools, industrial supplies, fasteners and fixings, fittings, home improvement, as well as for the innovations of these industries. The leading trade fair EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Köln, as well as Asia-Pacific Sourcing in Cologne, the Hardware Forum in Milan/Italy, and CHIS – China International Hardware Show in Shanghai/China, are prime examples.

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EVENTS CALENDAR

FASTENER POLAND Krakòw, Poland 8 Oct – 9 Oct 2019 www.fastenerpoland.pl 3rd edition of the international trade fair for fastener and fixing technology.

22nd Mechanical Components & Materials Technology Expo Osaka

parts2clean

Afera’s 62nd Annual Conference of the European Adhesive Tape Industry

FastTec 2019

INDOFASTENER 2019

The 19th Fastener Trade Show Suzhou

Osaka, Japan 2 Oct – 4 Oct 2019 www.mtech-kansai.jp Asia’s leading B2B trade show for mechanical components/processing technology.

Lisbon, Portugal 9 Oct – 11 Oct 2019 www.aferatapeconference.com Professionals from the adhesive tape industry come together to share, learn and network.

Jakarta, Indonesia 9 Oct – 12 Oct 2019 www.indotools-hardware.com Dedicated trade fair for the Indonesian fastener and fixing industry.

Stuttgart, Germany 22 Oct – 24 Oct 2019 www.parts2clean.de Leading international trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning.

Moscow, Russia 22 Oct – 24 Oct 2019 www.fasttec.ru Russia’s specialist fastener technology fair.

Suzhou, China 23 Oct – 25 Oct 2019 www.fastenertradeshow.net International fastener exhibition in China.

China International Hardware Show

SAIE International Building Exhibition 2019

Offshore Technology Days

BATIMAT

Shanghai, China 10 Oct – 12 Oct 2019 www.hardwareshow-china.com Tools, security systems, locks, DIY and building hardware fair.

Stavanger, Norway 16 Oct – 17 Oct 2019 www.offshoredays.com Oil and energy professionals meeting to do business, share technical knowledge and network.

Taiwan Hardware Show

Taichung, Taiwan 17 Oct – 19 Oct 2019 www.hardwareshow.com.tw Tools, building materials/DIY and houseware products.

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Bari, Italy 24 Oct – 26 Oct 2019 www.saiebari.it Building technology, systems and machines.

Paris, France 4 Nov – 8 Nov 2019 www.batimat.com Building exhibition for the construction industry.

Intersolar India

Bangalore, India 27 Nov – 29 Nov 2019 www.intersolar.in Exhibition for the Indian solar industry.

B st oo an k y d ou no r w !

Looking to trade in Turkey?

5th International Exhibition for Fastener & Fixing Technology

27-28-29 February 2020 Istanbul ÂŹ Turkey

Organiser:

Information and Reservations:

turkey@fastenerfair.com www.fastenerfairturkey.com This fair is organised with the permission of the union of chambers and commodity exchanges of Turkey in accordance with the law number 5174

EXHIBITIONS

Rawlplug takes big presence at UK Construction Week Rawlplug will be one of the main attractions at this year’s UK Construction Week – taking place from 8th – 10th October at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK – with the RawlTruck taking centre stage.

U

K Construction Week (UKCW) is the UK’s largest built environment event including dedicated areas on Build, Building Tech, Civils, Energy & HVAC, Surface & Materials and Timber running.

Rawlplug exhibited at the 2018 edition of UKCW and reported a positive show. “The 2018 show was our second UKCW in a row and was a great success,” mentions Niall Thompson, marketing manager at Rawlplug (UK) Ltd. “We attracted a number of architects, structural and civil engineers, contractors and sub-contractors to our stand. We also had a lot of interest from universities and colleges regarding training, which was one of the factors in our decision to launch the Rawlplug Academy® and Training Centre in May of this year.”

The Rawlplug Academy is an innovative development programme intended for the company’s employees and customers, based on four pillars: E-learning, the new training centre, traditional training and an in-depth knowledge base.

“Our e-learning platform gives users access to online training modules to help develop their knowledge of fixings and with the new theoretical and practical zones in our new training centre in Reading, they can further develop their knowledge – as well as benefit from hands on training,” explains Niall. “We can also carry out training at any of our branch offices, as well as customers’ premises, and have an enormous portfolio of information and development materials – covering products and services. We already have training courses scheduled for the remainder of 2019, with e-learning courses set to be launched in Q1 of 2020.”

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RawlTruck rolls into show

Rawlplug’s main stand at UKCW 2019 will be its RawlTruck, which prior to the show will be travelling throughout the UK & Ireland – providing professional training and technical support to Rawlplug’s existing customer base. “At stand B220 the RawlTruck will focus on Rawlplug’s 100 year anniversary, by showcasing how the first Rawlplug has evolved over this time, as well as how the brand has established itself as one of the world’s leading fixing and fastener manufacturers,” mentions Niall.

The stand promises to be a hive of activity with visitors also given the opportunity to enter the ‘Become a Rawlplug Expert’ competition, with the winner receiving a once in a lifetime ZERO-G Experience®, worth over GB£20,000.

“As part of the ‘Become a Rawlplug Expert’ campaign, we have focused on four categories (lightweight fixings, mechanical anchors, bonded anchors, and direct fastening system tools) and will be demonstrating three out of these four categories at the show: R-LX (mechanical anchors), SC40 II (direct fastening system) and R-KER II (bonded anchor),” mentions Niall. “By entering the competition and answering eight questions, the winner will embark on a ZERO-G Experience involving complete weightlessness whilst flying in a plane. It begins with the aircraft climbing at a 45 degree angle to approximately 23,000 feet (7,000m), after peaking at 32,000ft (9,800m), the aircraft then points down at a 30 degree angle – enabling the winner to experience zero gravity.” www.rawlplug.co.uk

EXHIBITIONS

‘Mini-Expo’ with max return for fastener manufacturers The CBM Fastener Sector has a brand new event coming up in October, when it invites UK fastener and precision component manufacturers to its ‘Mini-Expo’ of fastener manufacturing equipment, technologies and services.

T

he one day event will take place on Wednesday 16th October at the National Metalforming Centre, West Bromwich, opening to visitors at 10:00 and running until 16:00.

This first ‘Mini-Expo’ will feature around twenty leading UK-based suppliers of manufacturing equipment and technologies – cold heading and thread rolling machinery, process monitoring systems, tooling and dies, coating systems, inspection and test equipment, lubricants, as well as wire and rod materials. Alongside this will be providers of heat treatment, coating and threadlocking applicators, testing and inspection, and simulation software.

That adds up to a uniquely time efficient opportunity for general, production and quality management, from UK fastener and precision component manufacturers, to catch up on support for their businesses.

There’ll be a lunchtime seminar programme that includes the opportunity to hear more about the CBM and its activities supporting the sector, as well as other developments affecting UK fastener manufacturing. Georgina Barnard, commercial director at Dudley College, will also be talking about the apprenticeship levy, training funding for SMEs and opportunities to upskill your workforce.

Here are just some of the companies you can expect to meet: Carlo Salvi UK, Hatebur, National Machinery LLC, Smart Machinery, The Phillips Screw Company, Mectron, Brankamp, Total UK, Heat Treatment 2000 Ltd, Petrofer, RLS Tooling Ltd, Anochrome Group and QForm UK®.

Entry will be free to UK engineering, production, quality and general management by prior registration, which takes a couple of minutes.

Simply visit https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CBMFastenerExpo/ and complete the short booking form.

More information about location, travel and parking, plus an up to date exhibitor list can be found at https://thecbm.co.uk

Meet some of the exhibitors: Anochrome Group

Anochrome is the UK’s largest independent specialist surface coatings and metal finishing service provider, supporting critical market sectors as varied as automotive and construction, wind energy and petrochemicals.

Anochrome applies advanced coatings to a wide variety of components and fasteners to provide corrosion resistance, improve aesthetics and modify surface engineering properties, as well as sealing materials and thread locking patches to fasteners.

Carlo Salvi UK

Carlo Salvi is a leading European producer of header machines for cold and warm wire forming. Its production technology is chosen by fastener and precision component manufacturers in demanding and quality critical sectors including automotive, aerospace, industrial and electronic. In 2016 its merger with Hatebur combined highly complementary product offers to provide innovative technologies and services in the fields of cold, warm and hot forming.

Carlo Salvi UK also works closely with Brankamp, pioneers of process monitoring systems to improve quality and utilisation in industrial manufacturing.

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EXHIBITIONS Dudley College of Technology

Dudley College is an outstanding provider of vocational and technical education, adept at reaching out to provide highly responsive and tailored solutions to company educational needs, including support in achieving an effective return on the apprenticeship levy and helping SMEs secure funding to support workforce development.

Forming Solutions (UK) Ltd

Forming Solutions has decades of experience in supporting UK cold forming and other manufacturing processes, providing turnkey solutions and a wide range of other expertise. Working with globally recognised technology providers, Forming Solutions is the UK and Ireland representative for SACMA Limbiate cold forming and Ingramatic thread rolling technologies, as well as Accuvision optical inspection machinery.

Heat Treatment 2000 Ltd

Heat Treatment 2000 was established in 1992 as a quality orientated heat treatment company to supply better product to the market at a competitive price. In particular it supports the UK fastener and automotive component sectors. In 2005 the company was one of the first in the sector to achieve ISO/TS 16949, and in 2017 again led the way in achieving IATF 16949:2016.

National Machinery LLC

National Machinery is a global leader in advanced cold and warm forming machinery and process technology. Established in 1874 it remains a strong privately held company, with a global footprint providing support to customers locally on four continents.

As well as supplying new machines and rebuilds, backed by services and technical support, National provides advanced technology and support for net-shape forming.

Petrofer

Petrofer is an international, family-owned, formulator and manufacturer of industrial lubricants, speciality fluids and process chemicals, which has made a name for itself worldwide.

Its product range comprises more than 600 chemical products, which are continuously being developed through its own research and development.

The Phillips Screw Company

There are no substitutes for genuine Phillips Drive Systems, proven technologically superior in the most demanding applications for over 75 years. New, proprietary, state of the art Phillips Drive Systems provide modern alternatives to out of date, low-tech assembly methods. Phillips Drive Systems include: MORTORQ® Spiral, MORTORQ® Super Spiral and External Super Spiral, HEXSTIX®, AC Ribbed Phillips®, TORQ-SET®, TRI-WING®, and Phillips SQUARE-DRIV®.

Powerstar

Powerstar assists businesses to reduce electrical consumption and costs, and in recent years, to enhance supply resilience through patented UK manufactured technologies that integrate into a comprehensive energy strategy. These include smart distribution transformers, voltage optimisation, and battery energy storage, operating in isolation or as part of a fully connected, comprehensive energy solution to provide a site wide smart grid network to meet sustainability and efficiency objectives.

QForm UK®

QForm is professional engineering software used for simulation, analysis and optimisation of metal forming processes, providing excellent reliability. It covers the needs in metal forming simulation for large and small forging companies, as well as research and educational establishments. QForm software can simulate most metal forming processes.

RLS Tooling Ltd

RLS Tooling provides a comprehensive range of tooling for most thread rolling applications as well as form rolling. The RLS range includes flat thread rolling dies, tangential chasers, knurling dies and circular thread rolls. RLS extensively uses CNC machine tools in manufacturing and deploys CAD systems to assist in developing special tools and forms. RLS Tooling is also the UK representative for a full range of inspection machines made by Regg Inspection Srl.

Total UK

Recognising increasing legislative stringency in relation to metalworking and the focus on reducing hazards, improving safety and protecting the environment, Total has launched FOLIA – a game changing range of waterbased metalworking fluids. FOLIA products are designed to increase component lifespans and machining speeds and improve the performance of metalworking operations. It also provides a range of health, safety and environmental benefits to protect workers, workplaces, customers and the environment.

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EXHIBITIONS

Third FASTENER POLAND® in October FASTENER POLAND®, the international trade fair for fasteners and fixing technology, will be held for the third time on 8th – 9th October at the EXPO Krakòw in Poland.

F

ocusing on the latest developments in industrial fasteners and fixings, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems, fastener manufacturing technologies, storage and distribution factory equipment, and a wide range of dedicated services, organisers are predicting another successful show.

4,000 visitors were reported to have attended the 2018 event, with a third of visitors coming from abroad, including the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Russia, Ukraine and even Singapore.

“At this year’s show exhibitors and visitors will have the opportunity to present their offer, target potential business partners, and initiate cross-border contacts as well as long-lasting cooperations,” comments the organisers. “We encourage visitors to register online by 4th October so they receive a free admission ticket.”

The trade show will be accompanied by interesting seminars, workshops and conferences, including the Fasteners Forum, Career Area and Agent Area.

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EXHIBITIONS

Fastener i

nd

ustr

i y

w a i n a T n

The 6th edition of the Taiwan International Fastener Show (FASTENER TAIWAN 2020) will take place from 21st – 23rd April 2020, once again at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

F

ASTENER TAIWAN is the only international B2B fastener show in Taiwan, serving as a trading platform for sourcing and procurement, drawing more than 430 exhibitors (using 1,200 booths) to showcase their latest products with innovative, integrated strengths.

The previous edition of FASTENER TAIWAN in 2018 marked a record high, featuring 415 exhibitors and more than 1,100 booths – the most recorded since the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center was established. With the enthusiastic participation of buyers and fastener exhibitors from around the world, the three day exhibition attracted 2,193 international buyers from 73 countries, who visited and made purchases. Participation increased by 10% when compared with the previous exhibition. The show also drew over 30,000 domestic and foreign visitors. A lively atmosphere of active business activities brightened the venue floor

Exhibit Scale, 2010-2020

* Exhibitors

Booths

International Visitors

*Estimated

74

FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

and was a welcome boost to the fastener industry. Up to 90% of buyers expressed their approval and satisfaction with this year’s exhibition and over 80% expressed their intention to return in 2020.

Organised by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (MOEA) and Kaohsiung City Government – and implemented by the Taiwan Industrial Fastener Institute (TIFI) and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) – organisers report that Fastener Taiwan 2020 promises to be the best show yet.

“Taiwan is renowned for its 70 years of fastener manufacturing history and has always been a stable supplier in the fastener industry, earning the global reputation as ‘the kingdom of screws’. The unique industrial clusters that synergise every facet of fastener related supply chains allow these products to gain great popularity throughout the world with the companies known for their prompt delivery, excellent quality and competitive utility.

In 2018, Taiwan’s fastener export value reached US$4.6 billion, exporting up to 1.6 million metric tonnes of products.”

Taiwan fastener makers produce a broad spectrum of products ranging from fundamental to high-end, spanning nuts, bolts and screws for ICT, automobiles, aerospace, medical care, construction, transportation, general machinery and precision instruments.

To add to its proven capacity for supplying custom-spec fastener products to the automobile, 3C, aerospace and medical industries, Taiwan’s key fastener players have formed the ‘High-end Fastener Products R&D Alliance’ with government support to greatly boost capacity for supplying the high-end market.

Alongside the show, FASTENER TAIWAN is packed with an abundant of activities, including the Global Fastener Summit, VIP dinner, 1-on-1 procurement, meetings, and employment meeting for global talents. All serve as networking hubs for buyers, exhibitors and industry players to interact, explore future business opportunities and share market trends.

“Come join us at FASTENER TAIWAN. Don’t miss out on the industry extravaganza of 2020!” www.fastenertaiwan.com.tw

Visitor information Show venue Kaohsiung Exhibition Center No 39 Chenggong 2 nd Road, Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City 806, Taiwan Opening times Tuesday 21 st April 2020 – Thursday 23rd April 2020 9:00 – 17:00

2018 Top 10 international visitors China Japan

India

TOTAL

2,193

USA

Germany Italy Malaysia Vietnam

Thailand Korea

How to get to Kaohsiung Exhibition Center From Taoyuan International Airport: Take a shuttle bus to Taoyuan High Speed Rail Station. Then take the High Speed Rail to Zuoying Station in Kaohsiung. From Zuoying Station, take the MRT (Kaohsiung Metro) to Sanduo Shopping District Station.

From there take a free shuttle bus to Kaohsiung Exhibition Center on show dates.

From Kaohsiung International Airport: Take the MRT (Kaohsiung Metro) to Sanduo Shopping District Station and transfer to a free show period Fastener Taiwan shuttle bus to Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

By MRT (Kaohsiung Metro): Take the Red Line (Gangshan South Siaogang) and get off at R8 (Sanduo Shopping District) Station. From there, take a Fastener Taiwan free shuttle bus to Kaohsiung Exhibition Center on show dates.

By taxi: Taxis are convenient in Kaohsiung and fares are reasonable. The minimum fare is NT$85, increasing by increments of NT$5 per 250m. It takes only about 15 minutes from Kaohsiung International Airport to the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

By shuttle bus: Ride the free show period Fastener Taiwan shuttle buses that zip between Kaohsiung Exhibition Center and MRT Sanduo Shopping District Station.

FASTENERANDFIXING.COM 75

EXHIBITIONS

Fastener Fair Turkey 2020 now held at TÜYAP Organisers Mack Brooks Fuarcılık A.Ş has announced that the upcoming Fastener Fair Turkey show will move to a new venue in Istanbul. The dates of the exhibition will be kept and the show will now take place from 27th – 29th February 2020 in hall 12 at the TÜYAP Exhibition Centre in Istanbul.

O

livia Griscelli, exhibition director of Fastener Fair Turkey, on behalf of the organisers, commented: “With its modern halls and excellent infrastructure, TÜYAP is the ideal venue for Fastener Fair Turkey.

The spacious exhibition site, which is Turkey’s largest exhibition centre, offers state of the art facilities and technical services of the highest standards.

The new location will boost the standing of Fastener Fair Turkey as the premier exhibition of this industry sector for the Turkish market. We guarantee all exhibitors a clear improvement of their presence at our show with the move to this new venue.”

More than 100 exhibitors have already secured their stand space at the 5th edition of Fastener Fair Turkey, occupying some 3,000m 2 in net exhibition space. While to date a large majority of exhibitors are Turkish companies, 15% of exhibiting companies come from outside Turkey.

“With the new internationally renowned venue, we are confident to develop the exhibition further, both in size and international participation. For manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, Fastener Fair Turkey is a key event in the region of Eurasia, attracting visitors from important industry sectors, such as automotive, hardware, construction and civil engineering.” explains Olivia Griscelli.

The previous edition of Fastener Fair Turkey in 2018 ended with very positive results and saw a 70% increase in visitor numbers. Over 190 exhibitors from 14 countries and a total of 2,900 trade visitors from 48 countries attended the specialised industry event. The exhibition survey revealed that 98% of exhibitors fully or partly achieved their aims and 92% of exhibitors made new business contacts at the show.

The exhibition profile of Fastener Fair Turkey covers industrial fasteners and fixings, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems, fastener manufacturing technology, storage and factory equipment, as well as corresponding services. Visitors to Fastener Fair are wholesalers, distributors, engineers and manufacturers from various industry sectors.

Fastener Fair Turkey is part of the worldwide series of Fastener Fair exhibitions for the fastener and fixings industry. Other events include Fastener Fair France, Fastener Fair India, Fastener Fair Italy, Fastener Fair Mexico, Fastener Fair USA and the flagship event Fastener Fair Stuttgart in Germany, the world’s leading trade show for this industry sector. www.fastenerfairturkey.com

76 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

CE Marking on post-installed fasteners: Why not a European standard?

Drawing strongly on her personal experience, Barbara Sorgato, secretary general of the European Consortium of Anchors Producers, presents a characteristically impassioned and thoroughly reasoned argument for a fundamental change in the basis for CE Marking post-installed fasteners for concrete and masonry. Inevitably there will be diverse, indeed polarised, views on this important subject and this magazine will invite others to contribute to the debate.

I

n May 1999, I had just started working for a manufacturer of bonded and metal anchors. I was working on a project with a customer about fixing a beam in a concrete wall with a bonded anchor.

We discussed the weighted average of the test results – 90% fractile or 95%?; about applying a safety factor of seven instead of five, because, you know, masonry and concrete walls are not an exact science, tests made in laboratories are fine but you never know what you will find in the job site and… ‘did I tell you what I have seen on a jobsite two weeks ago?’ And so on.

Downloading emails, I found one from a British colleague. He was quite worried and reported an ongoing process of CE Marking on anchors. I called him.

Major manufacturers started writing technical rules tailored to their products, he said. No, not a standard, but an ETAG, something different. ETAGs, he explained, were the basis for ETAs which,

…in 2011, the Construction Products Regulation came. This regulation aims to support SMEs and, by eliminating national markings and approaches, strengthen the European standardisation system.”

78 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

together with the FPC certification, was the basis for a AVCP system 1 CE Marking – basically a European copy of a ‘Zulassung’. I couldn’t quite cope with all these acronyms, so I interrupted and asked: “Why not a standard?”.

After a moment of silence, the colleague said that, apparently, someone managed to classify anchors as a special, innovative product that needed a special CE Marking – something ‘stronger’ than a normal European standard.

I stopped posing this question 23 years ago – and had to accept that CE Marking on anchors approached them not as a products, but rather as tailored systems. The CE Marking of anchors certifies not just the anchor, but the anchor tested in a certain specific detailed context, which includes a detailed definition of base material, temperature conditions, simulated mistakes of installation and other job site mistakes.

There were many ways this approach might be denounced. Such a system-based approach was creating enormous costs entirely borne by anchor manufacturers. It was neither fair nor sustainable for SMEs. Many tests were unnecessary or unrepresentative. Marketing by the big players forced SMEs to get CE Marking even though it was (and is) optional. Testing in laboratories does not simulate the reality of a job site. Fighting over the last Kilonewton for marketing purposes does not make a product safer. None of these, however had any short term effect. The path was opened up, the marketing campaign on ETAs was massive – and small manufacturers had to follow, if they wanted to continue selling.

Committing nearly €200,000 to CE Marking a product required very serious financial planning. SMEs managed to budget for the CE Marking of a few products and, through ECAP – their only route to gain access to the EOTA drafting tables – started to get involved in the EOTA system. Ultimately, this CE Marking could prove to their customers the high-level of their products.

Acting through the ECAP platform implied sharing. Political and technical decisions on the present and the future of their products, up to date technical knowledge through research, access to innovation through EU projects and the costs and updates of two Eurocode-based calculation programs. Members invested more and more in ECAP and in ETAs. After some years, they became active participants of the EOTA system, starting from its Working Group.

Around the table of the EOTA Working Group sat Approval Bodies (today called Technical Assessment Bodies or TABs), universities, multinationals and, since 2001, ECAP small and medium sized manufacturers – all working together to define appropriate test and assessment methods, each one adding grist into the mill. Good old Europe.

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS We got used to working in a similar manner to standardisation but in a much more flexible system: A closed group of stakeholders, no member state weighted voting, a few approval bodies driving the process. The market got used to ETAGs and ETAs, approval bodies and labs multiplied, and prices sunk a bit.

Until, in 2011, the Construction Products Regulation came. This regulation aims to support SMEs and, by eliminating national markings and approaches, strengthen the European standardisation system.

For EOTA, weakened by this approach, things started to change radically: Approvals became assessments – no more approvals for fitness for use; just sort of snapshots of the product.

The expiry date of ETAs was removed… does the snapshot of you eating your first ice cream expire? No. ETAG 001 had to be rewritten according to CPR principles. But ETAGs were written by leaving a large interpretative freedom to approval bodies on test methods and assessments. EADs on the other hand had to be drafted like standards, unequivocally defining test and assessment procedures. After almost six years of redrafting and discussions, ETAG 001 squeezed through the eye of a needle and became EAD 330232-00-0601 and EAD-330499-00-0601.

a European standard on the design of anchors was published in 2019: EN 1992-4:2018 Eurocode 2 – Design of concrete structures – Part 4: Design of fastenings for use in concrete. The term ‘anchors’ was superseded by the highly engineered ‘post-installed fasteners’.

As for the old ‘CUAPs’, the first manufacturer to apply for an ETA has a big influence on the content of the EAD and common work done by ‘EOTA Working Group’ was no longer foreseen. As a consequence, the EOTA Working Group was first made dormant. Experts no longer had a table where technical discussions could take place and, anyway, discussions were mainly about format and CPR procedures, rather than technical issues. Then it was reconvened again under the name ‘Experts Group Fixings’; experts elaborated revisions of EADs, but did not have any status under EOTA. Then, as started again in June 2019 under the name ‘EOTA Experts Group Fixings’ it began to draft EAD revisions.

Impossible names? Who cares, because: EADs and ETAs are no longer intended for customers. The Declaration of Performance is the reference tool. ‘CE Marking and performances’ should be the point, not ‘ETA brands’.

Design could no longer be covered by ETAGs. So,

ECAP’s last general meeting in Lyon, France

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1 SEISMIC FIXING

PERFORMANCE CATEGORY C2 - C1 ETAG 001 - ANNEX E

UNDER

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS Nothing was as it was before and yet everybody tried to continue as if nothing changed. Everybody, included SMEs, wanted to keep the status quo as it was under the Construction Products Directive before 2011. Until, in 2018, the delicate balance broke.

On one side EOTA maintained a Working Group, which was not foreseen in the CPR because it had got rid of the ETAG concept. On the other side EOTA also followed the CPR by allowing Technical Assessment Bodies and manufacturers to issue EADs for single manufacturers.

The result was that, while the EOTA Working Group experts together elaborated revisions of EADs, they also found that some of their colleagues, TABs and manufacturers, had at the same time silently elaborated single EADs on characteristics and uses that were of interest to the whole working group, or on variants of EADs. The CPR requires that EADs remain confidential within EOTA. Because everything was done under the CPR auspices, manufacturers could only discover the content of the new EADs after they were made public by EOTA. But then, what is the sense in having a Working Group dealing with EADs as ‘common work’? And what kind of working atmosphere and trust can exist in this Working Group?

In 2019, the proliferation of new ‘individual’ EADs and of ETAs, with ad-hoc technical changes to the main EADs (i.e. EADs transferred from ETAG 001), has increased drastically. That makes it a challenge even for experts in the sector to compare the different EADs. Several new individual EADs are popping up, some of them just referring to main EADs and adding just a little technical addition or change.

The marketing trend on ETAs developed years ago. One must update ETAs to the “last version of EADs”– even if, in this moment, it is not clear which is the last version of what. So, everybody is running behind new issued EADs and updating ETAs – and related DoPs, and labels, and websites, and certificates, and catalogues – just to sound updated.

This leads to a crazy waste of money and marketing without technical added value; confusion on the market; as well as huge efforts for SMEs to explain how things are to customers that are not involved, nor wish to be, in this confusion. Can this work any longer?

Because it is the European Commission, hence European taxpayers, that pay the EOTA costs for issuing an EAD (not the manufacturer. The manufacturer pays for the ETA and the tests and the FPC and all around the CE Marking), the Commission is now trying to control the proliferation by asking EOTA to merge individual EADs into main EADs. However, merging individual EADs to ‘main’ EADs is the wrong way, as it faces discrepancy of approach, of robustness and of safety levels between similar ETAs. That has already been experienced

during the transfer of ETAGs into EADs, where discrepancies between ETAs issued by different TABs became tangible. Whilst main EADs were discussed extensively together, single EADs find individual solutions for complex and interrelated issues that were previously discussed in a group and, in the past, required research and discussions – as they did not have easy answers.

The actual system makes it impossible to continue having, as was the case until 2011, one set of technical requirements which apply, without the possibility of adding singularly technical changes or modifications, to all anchors.

Hence, 23 years later, in a dedicated General Assembly in Brussels, ECAP members met to deal with the same question I posed on the phone in 1999: ‘Why not a European Standard?’

SMEs from nine different Member States discussed, for a whole day long, all the political, marketing and economical aspects of a change of system. Manufacturers had different views on several things, depending on their size, their marketing approach and their investment in ETAs. In the end they agreed, they all see that, despite several attempts and proposals to rule out the proliferation of EADs, the actual legislative framework no longer provides for continuity and for a shared and adequate technical level under the EOTA system.

They unanimously agreed on the need to keep the high technical level reached by the main EADs, which should be used as a basis for a harmonised European standard on post-installed fasteners. The future standard should be further developed to include European technical common topics, under discussion or not yet developed at EOTA Working Group level, enabling manufacturers to use test results already obtained via the EAD route, instead of having to retest their products.

They see and share the concern of colleagues on the economic burden of a mandatory CE Marking based on a European Standard instead of the EOTA voluntary one. On the other hand, they consider that a product, which is relevant for the safety and stability in buildings, should have a mandatory CE Marking.

They consider that the industry will benefit from a standard created on the basis of a wider consensus, including a wider part of the industry, particularly SMEs, and various stakeholders, which will be able to access the standardisation tables through their national mirror groups, enriching the level of the standard.

These considerations resulted in a CEN internal balloting, which is now ongoing in CEN TC 185 ‘Fasteners’. If you wish to express your opinion, contact your national CEN member (AFNOR; AENOR; BSI, DIN, UNI, etc) and have a say in this important vote. www.ecap-sme.org

The actual system makes it impossible to continue having, as was the case until 2011, one set of technical requirements which apply, without the possibility of adding singularly technical changes or modifications, to all anchors.”

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Adhesion Technologies develops solution for FRP composite moulded parts Adhesion Technologies Ltd (ATL), a specialist UK fixing systems producer, has launched its latest fastening solution primarily designed and engineered for FRP composites – the Fiba Spida™ – an all-in-one fastener and ‘tow steered’ reinforcement fabric fixing system.

G

iving designers and manufacturers of glass and carbon fibre FRP moulded parts more design freedom than is possible with alternative fixing systems currently available, the Fiba Spida™ also helps save production time and boosts output rates. The system is also effective for other structural materials including metals, woods, plastics and concrete.

Fiba Spida is based on ATL’s proven Spida™ fixings and proprietary adhesion enhancing technologies, and similar to ATL’s other innovative products can be used by OEMs and tier 1 industrial companies, as well as sold via trade and retail outlets for new build, repair, maintenance and self-build DIY projects. The most popular Spida fastening is the M bolt type threaded stud and nut system, but Spida is a universal fixing system supporting studs, nuts, spacers, conduit strapping, spikes, cable trees, cable, and embedded electrical circuits.

The design and technologies used in Spida and Fiba Spida fixings enables applied stresses to be spread across a larger part of the substrate, so smaller and fewer fixings can be specified in some applications in order to reduce the overall weight of an assembled component.

For composite part producers in particular, the new range of Fiba Spida fixings, with glass and carbon fibre options, offer significant design, productivity, production, cost reducing and performance enhancing benefits. These compelling benefits have already attracted growing interest in the last three years from buyers and design engineers in the rail, mining, automotive, marine, medical equipment and industrial market sectors, where Spida fixings are already specified and being supplied.

Built-in fabric ‘hybrid’ fixing system

This new product development combines ATL’s proven Spida stud, parabolic base fixing system and patented AdMaxTM base surface area enhancing treatment, which provides a stronger resin bond, with the new ‘tow steered’ technology – the ‘Fiba’ part of this new fixing system. The innovative ‘tow steering’ production system avoids cutting the glass or carbon fibres by guiding the fibre tows around either a metal or engineering plastic threaded Spida bolt/stud, maintaining the maximum possible reinforcement strength from the fibres.

The next production step is to high pressure inject a compatible resin, which encapsulates the Spida bolt/ stud, base and ‘locks in’ the glass or carbon fibre fabric option to produce the final Fiba Spida fixing; depending on

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the application, either a single or double fabric layer for interleaving can be produced. The overall result is a high performance ‘hybrid’ fixing system with a built-in quadraxial fabric reinforcement system, which is able to handle considerably higher tensile and torsional loads as point loads and cluster stresses in the fabricated component are dissipated over a much wider area.

Versatile fixing system

Fiba Spida fixings are supplied fully assembled and are very versatile, being suitable to apply fixings in a new build component or to upgrade fixing requirements as part of a maintenance, repair or refurbishment project. Fiba Spida has been designed so that a fixing can be quickly and accurately positioned in a mould during the dry layup pre moulding stage, with no additional preparation needed.

Alternatively, it can be bonded or overlaminated to the surface of an existing moulded part needing fixings.

Fiba Spida has solved a number of challenging fixing applications, such as how to apply a fixing onto a thin, honeycomb sandwich laminate under 200g, where using a traditional drilled screw, helicoil, potted insert or bonded base/stud fixing would not work in practice, as typically the top skin is pulled off under load. Unlike other fixings, due to its load spreading design, when a load is applied to

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CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS Fiba Spida fixings bonded or laminated onto the honeycomb sandwich laminate, the surface skin does not pull off.

For use with other structural materials, such as wood and metal, Fiba Spida fixings can be secured onto the outer surface, where needed, by over moulding using a compatible thermoset resin for the glass or carbon fibre fabric and the substrate.

For building and construction applications, Fiba Spida fixings can be dry positioned and permanently set into or onto concrete.

Tow steered technology benefits

ATL’s automated tow steering patented production method avoids damaging the glass or carbon fibres by moving fibre bundles apart to create the fastening stud hole rather than drilling or cutting; according to ATL sourced data, drilling a 5mm rivet hole severs 96,000 stress dissipating filaments per 1,000g of fabric. The integrity of the original long fibres is maintained, avoiding weak spots and any loss of reinforcement performance, enabling a Fiba Spida fixing to cope with higher stress loads.

The tow steering method of producing Fiba Spida fixings enables ATL to offer designers and manufacturers a higher performing, alternative mechanical fixing solution, which not only significantly increases productivity, but can also reduce weight and material costs. This is because, for many designs, fewer fastening points, smaller studs and bases, and less fabric, are needed with the right Fiba Spida fixing, compared to using hole punched, cut or drilled reinforcement fabrics in combination with a conventional welded stud and base fastening of equivalent specification.

Fastening material options

The Fiba Spida product range offers design engineers a choice of high performance specification metal and plastic fastener materials, along with a quadraxial stitched fabric (from 600g) in either carbon or e-glass fibres to suit resin types and application needs. All Spida studs, threaded standoffs and bases can be used separately or as a complete fixing. The current Fiba Spida standard range is available in M4, M6, M8, M10 and M12 threaded stud/nut diameters in combination with a standard 53mm diameter (1.8mm thick) base, available in three standard cold formed metal options: Brass; passivated 316L stainless steel (austenitic marine grade); zinc-nickel plated, heat treated (20MnB4/CR4 rated) carbon steel. Standard stud lengths range from 20mm to 60mm.

Adhesion Technologies operates a highly flexible production service able to cope with manufacturing bespoke fixings. Order quantities are dependent upon the design and material specification required, with limited volume orders accepted to support new product development projects. On request, customised Fiba Spida fixings in M14, M16 and M18 stud/nut sizes, custom lengths and base sizes other than 53mm, as well as in other materials to suit specific applications can be made to order. Alternative material options include aluminium, titanium, titanium alloy (Ti/Al) or UltemTM polyetherimide (PEI) engineering plastic.

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Glass and carbon fabric options

In order to provide standard Fiba Spida fixings with optimal stress dispersion capabilities, after extensive prototype testing, ATL specified glass or carbon quad-axial fabric options, both with stitched layers of parallel fibres laid in four orientations (0º, +45º, 90º and -45º), 120mm x 120mm, 120mm x 240mm and 200mm x 290mm are the standard Fiba Spida quadraxial reinforcement fabric size options. Other sizes, custom shapes and alternative fabric configurations are available to order. All fastenings and fabrics have full QC traceability and can be supplied with certificates of conformity.

Proven Spida fixings technology

ATL’s established range of metal and plastic Spida fixings are the outcome of more than five years of research and development work to find better, stronger solutions for the modular assembly of fibre reinforced composites, metal and engineering plastic parts. The R&D carried out to develop the strongest metal Spida fixings established that autogenously welding the stud to the base maximised the ultimate breaking load performance of this critical joint; this welding technique used for all steel fixings has been used by Adhesion Technologies for many years and perfected for the Spida production line.

The proprietary design and adhesion technology used for Spida fixings creates a much higher strength bond with a wide range of substrates. This includes the optional proprietary AdMax surface treatment, which is standard on Fiba Spida fixings; having the AdMax coating increases the bond surface area, adhesion surface energy and wicking properties, so significantly improves the bond strength. The overall adhesion performance can be up to 56% greater than alternative solutions. Application of the Admax coating also increases metal strength and density, ensuring a stronger fixing.

Spida bases also have a number of key design features to further improve adhesive performance. These include castellated anti-torsion edges, which enable the adhesive to form lugs, and the castellated edge design providing 24% greater torsional resistance strength than circular fixings. The concave shaped inner section of the base design provides a ‘micro chamber’ in which the long chain molecules of the adhesive can orientate from zero to 180 degrees during curing, resulting in enhanced peel, shear, torsion, cleavage, tension and compressive loading capabilities.

The overall result is a significantly stronger method of mechanically joining metal, composite and other engineering materials together with enhanced peel, shear, torsion, cleavage, tension and compressive loading capabilities.

This is supported by validated data, following a long-term performance testing program carried out by approved global fastening component suppliers: Barton Cold Form, Australian Parts & Equipment and at the Research Institute for Industry (RIfI) at the University of Southampton.

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

New certifications for Bossong’s BCR V-PLUS Bossong SpA has announced that its BCR V-PLUS chemical anchor has been upgraded in accordance with the new EOTA guidelines and has obtained important new qualifications.

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hanks to the new qualifications and based on the EC/ETA load data, Bossong states that customers now have access to one of the best products on the European market with dual certification – ETA Option 7 for non-cracked concrete (ETA – 09/0140) from M8 to M30 and from 8mm to 32mm in diameter, as well as Option 1 for cracked concrete with rods from M10 to M20.

This certification also includes the seismic qualification in accordance with the new TR049 guidelines of anchoring systems under seismic action.

The product is, in fact, classified in seismic performance category C1 for diameters M12, M16 and M20, as well as seismic performance category C2 for diameters M12 – M16, thus making the product suitable for use in structural fixings in high-risk seismic areas.

The BCR V-PLUS has also been approved for fixings with a variable anchoring depth to give added flexibility to design engineers. Maximum anchoring depth is up to twenty times the

nominal diameter of the threaded rod. The product also has another certification for the qualification of rebars with improved adhesion (diameter from 8mm to 32mm) for post installed rebar connections in reinforced concrete (ETA – 09/0246). The ETA also includes fire resistance certification up to a maximum rating of R240.

Finally, the product is qualified for the design and construction of post installed connections in case of seismic action, according to the latest EAD 331522-00-0601 for diameters 12mm to 32mm.

Other features of the BCR V-PLUS are the possibility of anchoring installations with dust extraction drill bits. This method of installation avoids having to remove dust with an air pump and metal brush – significantly cutting down on installation times. The product can also be used in dry and wet concrete, as well as flooded holes and it is possible to carry out installation at temperatures below 0ºC – making it suitable for all types of environmental conditions. www.bossong.com

Committed to quality In recent months, INDEX Fixing Systems has added a series of products to its assessed range – based on the needs of its users, as well as the safety and quality the company demands for its products.

I

NDEX Fixing Systems is always focused on developing approved products, as this helps guarantees quality, and consequently a certainty, that the products meet the highest standards.

New developments for 2019 include INDEX updating its range of chemical anchors to adapt to the needs of the market with an optimised vinylester and hybrid resin formula and features that increase the loads supported; increase the range of temperatures of handling and curing; as well as greater flexibility in depths of installation. The company has also achieved new Seismic C1 and C2 assessments for its Mopure and Mopur3 products.

In addition, the new chemical anchor range also has a renewed image and design to improve its identification and management.

To add to the chemical anchor range, INDEX Fixing systems has also introduced the new metal sleeve anchor (CH), which has new ETA Option 7 certification and has major improvements in terms of its features and dependability. INDEX Fixing Systems points out that the improvements applied to this assessed version mean the performance of the new anchor increases by 20%, placing it above the main anti-spin anchors on the market.

Other development includes the new metal male anchor (MTH) in SS304 (A2) stainless steel, which is ETA Option 7 approved – broadening the range of options when choosing the anchor that best suits customers’ needs; as well as the new metal anchor for heavy loads (SL-PT), which is ETA Option 1 assessed.

To add to this there are also new sizes in the range of self-drilling hardware and the company’s high performance threaded screw (TEX), which is zinc plated and has a TX recess.

Plus, INDEX Fixing Systems can offer a wider range of clamps including the Clevis Hanger clamp, as well as clamps with a 7mm diameter. www.indexfix.com

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pgb-Europe brings colour pgb-Europe has further expanded its range with the addition of a variety of new wood screws to meet customers’ needs, all with coloured heads.

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irstly, there is the new stainless steel A4 screws for Rockpanel, which are available in all colours and packed per 200 pieces.

These original screws are made in Europe and are now available from stock.

To add to this, pgb-Europe has also added wood screws with neoprene washer, available in stainless steel A2 with raised countersunk head (DIN 7995) and neoprene washer (with a diameter of 20mm). Colours available include in RAL 7016 (anthracite grey) and RAL 9005 (jet black).

Finally, the company has launched a wide range of stainless steel A4 screws for solid core plates – again available in a range of colours to match any colour of façade finish. www.pgb-polska.com

info@blumorgana.it

VINYLESTER RESIN STYRENE FREE

NEW

UPDATE

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CSTB Document Technique d’Application n° 3/16-857 publié le 25/7/2016

2017

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

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

ETA? Evidence of the safety, top quality and professionalism of fixings

By Magdalena Grzelak, chief communication officer, Rawlplug Fixings and fasteners, even if considered to be the most professional products of this category available in the market, require certification to prove their quality and to confirm that they satisfy or surpass market expectations. ETA stands for European Technical Assessment, being a proof of excellent collaboration between R&D and production areas. But is it necessary?

Document for actual manufacturers exclusively

A European Technical Assessment is by definition a document that determines performance characteristics declared by the manufacturer, described either descriptively or in a breakdown into levels or classes – issued upon the manufacturer’s request by an authorised certification body specialised in technical assessment.

Theoretically, it all seems very simple, but in practice, it is a very complex, time-consuming and costly process. So why do internationally recognised manufacturers of fixings and fasteners decide to apply for it?

In a decided majority of markets, the ETA provides grounds to decide whether or not the given product is to be used in construction investments, irrespective of their scale.

There is more to it, since the law prevents companies from introducing products not accompanied by appropriate technical documentation into trade. However, in the UK, for instance, where construction experts are very informed and highly specialised in assessing parameters of fixings, such evidence is not expected, and yet the best brands still invest their time and money in an effort to obtain the European Technical Assessment certificates for their products.

Why is that? This is a means to document the safety, top quality and professionalism of products, while the ETA is an exclusive privilege of their actual creators.

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Crowning of the best parameters

The European Technical Assessment is a document that certifies that the given product actually responds to the market needs, or that it even surpasses them in terms of the best technical parameters – enabling it to be used in different and even the most demanding applications.

Those that call for special attention are the certificates that document not only the diversity of substrates and installation methods, but also product application variants, e.g. depending on highly specific weather conditions or location of special requirements, such as seismically active regions. For example, certified fixings are suitable for use in a wide spectrum of applications in corrosive environments of classes from C1 to C5/I/M owing to the fact that their specifications account for numerous variants of anticorrosive coatings and grades of steel the given fixing or fastener is made of.

The ETA means that installers can use our fasteners in damp or even water flooded holes, in both cracked and non-cracked concrete, in combination with rebars and rods made of materials starting from electroplated, zinc flake coated or hot dip galvanised carbon steel, to rods made of stainless steel or those featuring the HCR coating.”

However, such uniqueness can be found in far more Rawlplug product categories than just mechanical anchors. For instance, lightweight fixings and the FF1 frame fixing, which provide

RAWLTRUCK

100 years of expertise in fixings, fasteners and tools

RAWLTRUCK RETURNS! The Rawltruck is a mobile showroom that has been traveling around Europe and is set to visit the UK for the second time this year, due to popular demand.

The journey in September will see it travel from the South of England to the North of Scotland, before traveling to its main event at the UK Construction Week.

The Rawltruck visits large events across Europe and in the UK. It visits numerous trade and DIY outlets to demonstrate, training and educate its visitors on the day.

EXPERIENCE THE RAWLTRUCK THE UK’S NEWEST AND BEST MOBILE SHOWROOM 3 areas, products, services and training Engaging product demonstrations Amazing competitions Experts to answer your questions Prizes to be won

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! Rawlplug has numerous competitions running, if you buy our products, visit our website or follow us on social, you will probably have already seen some of the amazing prizes to be won.

Check below wherever the Rawltruck goes there are sure to be exclusive 100 year Rawlplug merchandise and prizes up for grabs. Some of the biggest prizes will be at the UK Construction Show and Screwfix Live!

You will also be able to get to know the team and find out more about what is on offer.

VISIT THE RAWLTRUCK Visit rawltruck.com to find out where the Rawltruck is and put the dates into your calendar to be sure not to miss out.

You will also find a lot of information on our social networks, so consider following us. Thank you.

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS proof of Rawlplug’s specialisation and understanding of even the most specific needs of selected sectors of the construction industry. The FF1 frame fixing’s European Technical Assessment certifies its application with carbon steel bolts when installing ventilated façade brackets, which is possible owing to the adequate bituminous coating.

The best brands never limit themselves to the basic requirements of the Technical Approval Body (TAB), an authority that decides whether or not to grant the ETA, but they go beyond their scope to successfully reach designers and contractors, and to make their job easier – regardless of how narrow the specialisation of the design or construction project these professionals are working on may be. This is the case for fire resistance, being a mandatory requirement which results from an application that the TAB finds obligatory.

“It is not infrequent that, bearing specific applications in mind, we decide to extend the basic range of tests with fire resistance tests, for instance in cases of the R-KER II or R-KEX II anchors,” says the product category manager for bonded anchors at Rawlplug. This portfolio could also be extended with the R-GS metal hammer-in wedge anchors, the R-LX screw-in anchors or the R-HPT II A4 ZF throughbolts.

Applying for an ETA for products dedicated for professionals seems absolutely obvious, but in reality only the best actually decide to extend the scope of documentation with additional options, which naturally entails increased costs and preparation time.

However, the crown goes to the manufacturers who apply for the European Technical Assessment not only for specific fixings, but also for complete systems comprising main products that come with accessories such as drill bits, hole cleaning tools or fixing optimisation solutions in a package. This is very important, since the fixing’s post installation parameters is one thing, while the working comfort also depends on the installation procedure itself, as well as the system solutions, including the accessories, provided by the manufacturer along with the fixings.

The very fact that we invest in procuring the European Technical Assessments is a source of certainty that you are dealing with a manufacturer who truly cares for working safety, infallible technical parameters for users, and consequently also durability in operation.

However, going beyond the standard requirements imposed by the Technical Approval Body proves our excellent understanding of the ever changing and growing needs of the dynamic market, expecting suppliers to propose tailor-made solutions, the crowning of which is the award of the ETA. Hence the conclusion that we have indeed made the right decision.

Testing. Evaluation. Approval.

In order to place a new ETA certified product on the market, one must first submit a duly filled application to the Technical Approval Body, which marks the beginning of a three-step process, particularly complicated in terms of formal, legal and technical aspects.

Testing comes first, but the tests are preceded by verification of the manufacturer’s application. The reference document is the European Assessment Document (different for each product category), making it possible to check whether the product reported to the Technical Approval Body actually meets the criteria in question. Positive verification provides grounds to transfer the product to an accredited laboratory for testing. The tests are highly complex and based on restrictive measures and indicators, while the testing laboratories are run by certification bodies.

“The tests are conducted in accordance with such European documents as ETAG or EAD as well as the Technical Report (TR). The Technical Report defines the relevant testing criteria with regard to a specific type of product application under the given category.

For example, for bonded anchors, document TR048 provides details to EAD 330087-00-0601 in terms of the tests required to approve

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application of bonded anchors with deep-set rebars,” explains Anna Donesz, technical documentation leader at Rawlplug.

Secondly – evaluation. Test results are subject to detailed analysis, and they provide grounds for calculations aimed to convert them into parameters useful to architects, constructors, engineers and contractors. “Recommended/safe parameters, i.e. load capacity, minimum edge distance or safety factors, are the parameters considered crucial in evaluation. Satisfying these requirements opens the door to the award of a European approval,” adds Anna Donesz.

Thirdly – approval. In the event of a positive evaluation, the Technical Approval Body issues a document intended for the manufacturer. “At this stage, we are entitled to comment upon the document or negotiate individual provisions, if only it is necessary,” adds Anna Donesz. Next, the document is distributed among the members of the EOTA (European Organisation for Technical Assessment), which we tend to call the circulation period, and it takes about a month. Meanwhile, the EOTA members can share their comments as to the form and individual provisions of the document.

ETA. Do you really need it?

To all those who still haven’t made up their minds, at Rawlplug we say “definitely yes”. It is an unconditional guarantee of the products’ top quality on which the working comfort of the users is based, and consequently, it marks the security of the construction investments where the given products have been used.

What obviously settles the true value of technical assessments is the fact that the parameters they certify are reflected in practice.

Nevertheless, the comfort of being certain about it already when making the purchase decision is invaluable. www.rawlplug.co.uk

APPROVED FOR YOU

E TA AP P ROV E D P RO DU CT S

F IRE R ATED

SEI SMI C

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

trutekfasteners.eu

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Part 6 – Metal Nail

PRODUCT SELECTION PROGRAMME

Option 7 Throughbolt – Stainless Steel

Option 1 Throughbolt - Stainless Steel

TESTING & TRAINING

Option 7 Throughbolt – Steel Zinc

TECHNICAL DATA SHEETS

Option 1 Throughbolt with C1 seismic – Steel Zinc

Option1 - Concrete Bolt

Option 7 & part 6 Drop In anchors – Stainless & Steel

CERTIFICATION

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

New brand colours for Trutek

Trutek has introduced new brand colours, moving from blue and orange to red and dark grey, with the new combination representing where the company has been and where it wants to go – as a brand recognised for quality products, certifications and excellent customer relationships.

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ounded in 2002, Trutek’s offices and logistics centre were originally based in Sheffield, UK, before introducing a polish operation in 2006. In 2010, all logistics where moved to Poland due to the country’s positioning in the centre of mainland Europe and the company’s strategic plans to grow its export markets.

“2019 has been a big year for the company as not only have we introduced new brand colours, but we have once again moved our logistics and offices to a new location just outside of Warsaw,” mentions Steve Miller, purchasing/marketing manager at Trutek. “The new warehouse facility is in its 1st phase and currently allows 1,000 pallet locations – with plans in place to double this by 2020. The new modern office also enables us to have a new showroom and training centre, where we can demonstrate or new brand packaging and various point of sales material, as well as give training and demonstrations to customers.”

Trutek’s new brand colours were introduced to help make the selection process for products easier, with clear production information included on the newly designed packaging. “We completely overhauled all the packaging for our ranges, to make it easier for customers to make the correct choices based on the type of application and the base material,” mentions Steve Miller. “We will also be offering Trade Focus products where all the parameters usually asked about, will be answered. A new online tool for this process will be available at the beginning of 2020.”

Trutek currently supplies accredited products with ETA and ITB (Polish accreditation) certification and its mission is to continue this offer throughout all of its heavy to medium duty products, such as

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concrete anchor bolts, throughbolts, chemical resins, gas and PAT tools and consumables, as well as power tool accessories.

“Our products cover a wide range of applications and are key to the growing success of the business,” points out Steve Miller. “In addition, our new technical data sheets for all of these products are packed with information, both technical and informative, relating to the material make up, how to install the products, and results after installation. We will also offer advice in the selection process to make it easier to find the right product.”

New lines added to the Trutek range include a next generation gas insulation tool with consumables, which is easy to handle for repetitive usage; as well as a full and comprehensive range of concrete anchor bolts, with ETAs available through the company’s premium section. In addition, Trutek’s range of chemical resins has been revamped to offer a complete solution for all applications and its nylon product range has also been increased. The company is also looking to introduce a new range of trade focus anchors for trades such as plumbing.

“Our company is broken down into two divisions – the home market, being Poland, and our export division,” explains Steve Miller. “For the export department we have invested heavily in new salespeople covering Europe, Middle East and Africa. We are also establishing strategic partners in countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, as well as new partners in Dubai, Lebanon, with the most recent in Egypt. We are looking to grow our exposure in these regions and we will continue to invest in the infrastructure of Trutek to help us achieve this.”

Steve concludes: “Our targets for the future in essence are simple.

We want to offer a full and comprehensive range of products, backed up with accreditations, technical data and training, so our customers are totally confident they have made the right choice. Through the new brand colours and the continuous addition of new products we are well on our way to becoming a preferred supplier for our customers.” www.trutek.com.pl

trutek.com.pl

CHE MICA L R E S IN S

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

trutekfasteners.eu

Epoxy Acrylate

Pure Epoxy

Vinylester - Extreme SF

Vinylester

Polyester

TGT iS200 - Insulation GAS TOOL

PAT LV600M Disc Load Tool

TGTC38 - Steel & Concrete GAS TOOL

GAS & PAT R A N G E

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Recent European Technical Assessments for fixings Following an agreement with the European Organisation of Technical Assessments, here is a list of recent ETAs published in the last two months on the EOTA website.

ETA NUMBER

TRADE NAME

COMPANY

ETA NUMBER

I

t is important to note that existing ETAs may be amended or withdrawn so this list should not be considered definitive.

For further information and a full list of valid ETAs visit EOTA’s website. If you have recently received an ETA, and would like to have it included in our table, please email us the full details at editor@fastenerandfixing.com www.eota.eu

TRADE NAME

COMPANY

EAD 330232-00-0601 Mechanical fasteners for use in concrete

EAD 130118-00-0603 Screws for use in timber constructions

ETA - 16/0867

ETA - 19/0129

SFS WB-T Threaded rod

SFS intec AG Division Construction

ETA - 16/0156

DOMAX CS, CT

DOMAX Sp.z o.o.

ETA - 18/0284

Timber construction screws

Sheh Fung Screws Co Ltd

ETA - 19/0074

Profix PowerCut, Profix PowerCut 2.o and Profix PowerBuild screws

PROFIX AG

ETA - 19/0168

Blue-Tip 2 Screw-Bolt, Blue-Tip 2 Screw-Bolt+ Hangermate, Hangermate+ fischer Hammerset anchor EA PLUS

DEWALT/POWERS

fischerwerke GmbH & Co KG

EAD 330076-00-0604 Metal injection anchors for use in masonry ETA - 18/1007

BIT EASF Injection System

BIT United Ltd

EAD 330747-00-0601 Fasteners for use in concrete in redundant for non-structural systems

ETA - 19/0337

Sigillite PRO VINIL CE

PIGAL SpA

ETA - 19/0169

fischer Hammerset anchor EA PLUS

fischerwerke GmbH & Co KG

EAD 330499-00-0601 Bonded fasteners for use in concrete

EAD 332342-00-0602

ETA - 11/0285

Chemofast Injection system PASF, PASF Blue, PASF Tropical, PASF Express

CHEMOFAST Anchoring GmbH

ETA - 13/0300

ETA - 17/0659

MOPUR3

Index - Técnicas Expansivas S.L.

EAD 330196-00-0604 Plastic anchors for fixing of ETICS with rendering

ETA - 18/1010

BIT EASF Injection System

BIT United Ltd

ETA - 13/0875

ETA - 19/0338

Sigillite PRO VINIL CE

PIGAL SpA

ETA - 19/0339

Sigillite PRO SG Poliestere CE

PIGAL SpA

EAD 090034-00-0404 Kit composed by subframe and fixings for fastening cladding and external wall elements ETA - 19/0052

Lindapter Girder Clamps – Type A and Type B

SPIT ISO WBS

EPSILON-T

Lindapter International

SPIT

Fachadas del Norte S.L.

R

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Pictures: Phil Pham/Red Bull Content Pool

A unique skatepark assembled using HECO screws Carpenter Andreas Schützenberger is a passionate skateboarder and his extraordinary expertise, coupling his hobby and his profession, makes him one of the most successful skatepark builders in Europe – through his company IOU-Ramps.

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ndreas is especially proud of one particular project – for the action sports festival MASH 2018 in Munich, Germany, he designed and built a skatepark with an innovative course concept for the festival’s sponsor, Red Bull. Securing the wooden course required an impressive 80,000 screws and because Andreas relies heavily on quality, he once again chose HECO’s reliable fixings for the job.

The Munich Olympic Park witnessed a truly exceptional event: 88,000 enthusiastic spectators watched the show on a sunny June weekend at the Munich Mash 2018 action sports festival. For the fifth time, the competition brought together international stars from the wakeboarding, BMX sports and skateboarding scenes.

To ensure the event left a lasting impression among spectators and athletes alike, the festival’s sponsor, Red Bull, had a clear vision: Building a skate ramp unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was supposed to challenge the athletes physically and at the same time impress from an architectural perspective.

Wooden roller coaster style skate ramp

Everything happened very quickly. Red Bull’s request came in January, the site inspection took place at Munich Olympic Park in March, and in April designers spent three days on the drawing boards. The result: The ‘Red Bull Roller Coaster’ – a 300m long skateboard track.

Andreas Schützenberger developed the unique concept together with Switzerland’s Oli Bürgin, the triple European bowl skating champion. The ramp was to be reminiscent of a roller coaster and was therefore designed to start at the highest point and go only downwards from there. What made the descent so special was that it combined elements from various skateboarding disciplines like ‘Street’ and ‘Bowl’. Bowl skaters

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ride in bowl-shaped ramps, while street style skaters perform tricks, e.g on walls, stairs and railings.

The Munich course covered 12 vertical metres and meandered under trees, over roads and through water basins. Andreas Schützenberger recommended the use of spruce wood as the building material for the installation. The natural material fitted visually into the park environment and conjured up associations with a traditional wooden roller coaster. Another advantage was that the wooden structure could easily be dismantled after the festival.

Adrenaline guaranteed: Spruce wood and HECO screws

The six strong team of experienced ramp builders used a total of two and a half kilometres of material. The track surface consisted of 450 birch plywood panels. More than 1,400 transverse and longitudinal beams, 1,800 support legs, and a number of frames and diagonal supports, gave the ramp stability and shape. As the support legs were of different heights and stood on uneven ground, Andreas Schützenberger and his team cut each support to size individually. The individual elements were fastened with wood screws from HECO. This was when choosing the assembly fittings, the carpenter attaching particular importance to good workability, time saving insertion and high load-bearing capacity.

“There are worlds between fasteners from different manufacturers,” said Andreas Schützenberger. “I know what quality means – that’s why I use HECO screws for my constructions.” Apart from the material, clean processing also played a crucial role in ramp construction. The individual track boards had to be screwed together as closely as possible without any gaps, and there could be no differences in height greater than three millimetres. This was

the only way to guarantee the safety of the skaters and ensure maximum skating enjoyment. “Equal competition opportunities require stable construction of the ramp.

Good fasteners remove any concerns in this respect,” commented Andreas Schützenberger.

Stable and secure

The ramp builder chose the HECO-TOPIX part threaded screw for the assembly of the substructure in the dimensions 6mm x 120mm and 5mm x 80mm. To secure the surface panels, he chose the HECO-UNIX fully threaded screws with 6mm x 40mm. With their variable thread geometry, they pulled the components together and at the same time ensured optimal hold even with low material thickness. The surface made of 9mm and 18mm thick plywood panels could thus be mounted safely and without any gaps. Naturally, the stability of the construction, as well as the functionality of the individual elements had to be tested after the individual construction phases. The keen skater therefore hit the ramp every once in a while to ascertain its functionality first-hand.

In the case of the Red Bull roller coaster course, the ramp builders were certain that the combination of elements would offer the participants maximum skating pleasure and challenge them at the same time on an athletic, as well as creative level.

And indeed, the facility thrilled enthusiasts and spectators alike at the Munich Mash 2018 and became the main attraction of the extraordinary sports event. www.heco-schrauben.com

HECO®-Schrauben Innovation.

Safety.

Future.

High end products for professionals

HECO-Schrauben GmbH & Co. KG, Dr.-Kurt-Steim-Straße 28, D-78713 Schramberg Tel.: +49 (0) 74 22 / 9 89-0, Fax: +49 (0) 74 22 / 9 89-200 E-Mail: info@heco-schrauben.de, Internet: www.heco-schrauben.com

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

Klaus Fischer donates fixing technology to Notre-Dame Five months on from the major fire in the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, the full extent of the damage is still uncertain. What is certain is that the restoration of the world famous Gothic landmark is pushing forward.

L

ive images on television and the internet showed the collapse of the spire and the nave’s rib vaults. Large parts of the centuries old roof framework burnt down. The Notre-Dame fire was met with global dismay despite its relatively lucky escape. The plans for its repair are already in full swing.

One thing is certain, the restoration of the French landmark requires a high degree of technical know how. For this reason, Prof Klaus Fischer, owner of the fischer Group of Companies, is supporting the efforts with products and services worth €20,000. The contribution is being made via fischer’s French subsidiary and has been confirmed by the French Ministry of Culture, which is overseeing the restoration of Notre-Dame as its owner.

“A building of such historic importance has an extraordinary cultural value. I am pleased to be able to make a contribution to the quick restoration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral,” says Prof Klaus Fischer.

Thanks to the efforts of over 600 firefighters in mid-April, the fire was prevented from spreading to the two main towers on the west façade. Around 90% of the artworks and relics were salvageable. The immediate reaction demonstrated the importance of the medieval building as a symbol of the nation. France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced the restoration of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on the same evening of the fire.

Geocel® AIRBLOCK helps with air tightness AIRBLOCK flexible foam, from sealant and adhesive specialist Geocel®, provides a simple and convenient solution to some of the most common air leakage points, offering a versatile solution to filling voids to improve energy efficiency.

F

inding solutions to air leakage in buildings is increasingly pressing, a requirement which is now vital due to legislation and mandatory air leakage testing of new homes, extensions and commercial buildings.

Up to 30% of energy can be lost from a building through excessive air leakage. Part L of the UK building regulations requires that new homes and non-residential buildings must be built airtight to ensure optimum energy efficiency, minimise heat loss and reduce energy costs. The regulations include stringent air tightness tests for new residences and commercial buildings – even extensions and alterations are required to achieve an air tightness of a maximum 10m3/hr/m2 air loss.

AIRBLOCK flexible foam helps fill voids and seal the gaps where air leakage most commonly occurs – where building services enter and leave the building (such as electrical cables vents and pipes), as well as gaps around windows and doors, suspended floors and loft hatches, even through light fixtures. As it is a high performance polyurethane foam AIRBLOCK will fill and seal most construction materials. The unique AIRBLOCK formula gives low expansion during application, minimising the chances of distortion around frames and joints but with a flexibility that retains the airtight seal during natural expansion or contraction of the building materials. It can be cut, sawn, sanded, painted or plastered over after application.

AIRBLOCK is tested in accordance with EN 12114 – Air Permeability of Building Components and Building Elements. In addition, it is Acoustic Rated to EN ISO717-1 (tested to 60DB), Fire Rated to DIN 4102-1 B2, and Driving Rain tested to EN 1027.

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Innovations in the field of concrete fixing Eurotec GmbH has announced that its Eurotec bolt anchor is now available in stainless steel A4, further extending the company’s wide range of fixing solutions.

T

he Eurotec bolt anchor is a torque controlled expanding plug made of electrogalvanised steel for through hole mounting in uncracked concrete.

Eurotec points out that the special thing about the bolt anchor is the possibility to maintain small centre and edge distances despite the high load-bearing capacity.

Different anchoring depths and various sizes mean the bolt anchor can also be used in a variety of ways. Every bolt anchor is fitted with an expansion clip, which ensures high load-bearing capacity and means fewer fastening points are needed.

The bolt anchor has also received a European Technical Assessment (ETA-18/00533) and therefore meets the high-quality standards of Eurotec. www.eurotec.team

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

HECO announces new MD

HECO Schrauben appointed Achim Carstanjen as managing director as of 1st July – taking over from Guido Hettich, who will gradually reduce his working hours and dedicate himself to selected projects in the coming months. This personnel change finalises the succession plan in the HECO management and safeguards the future viability of the company in the long-term.

G

L-R: Guido Hettich and Achim Carstanjen

uido Hettich explains: “Through our succession plan, we ensure that the values of our family business are maintained even after my brother Stefan and I retire. For this reason, we have identified and chosen a suitable and experienced successor. We are convinced that Achim Carstanjen will excel at steering the company and developing its performance very well in close cooperation with our Swiss partner SFS.” Achim Carstanjen has many years of experience in managing medium-sized companies in the automotive and construction supply industries. “Product quality and business ethics are paramount at HECO, the innovation leader in the fastening industry. I am committed to ensuring this culture continues to be fostered and strengthened as a basis for healthy business growth,” said Achim Carstanjen.

Guido Hettich joined the family business in 2006 as the second managing director and led the company together with his brother Stefan, who switched from the management board to the advisory board in 2018. Guido Hettich will still be responsible for important projects and the production site in Romania until the end of 2020.

He will then join the advisory board as the second representative of the Hettich family shareholders. www.heco-schrauben.com

Think Fixing

G&B UK warehouse Quality products with a service to match available

for next day delivery direct from our branch in Sheffield (UK mainland only).

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

G&B GROUP, the Italian company

www.gebfissaggi.com

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

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

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

OUR COMPETENCES Timber I Deck and Garden I Roof I Façade I Concrete

e

WE ARE

CELEBRATING

YEARS of quality

nd

E.u.r.o.Tec GmbH • Unter dem Hofe 5 • D-58099 Hagen Tel. 0049 (0) 2331 62 45-0 • Fax 0049 (0) 2331 62 45-200 • email: info@eurotec.team

www.eurotec.team

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

TIMco announces partnership with local wildlife organisation TIMco is supporting its local community by partnering with Bees In Our Community – a bee conservation organisation based in Northwich and operating throughout Cheshire, UK. The partnership is part of the company’s strategy to build a sustainable business and support the communities in which it trades.

B

ees In Our Community was set-up in 2016 as a not for profit social enterprise to offer a free ongoing ‘loan’ of beehives and honeybees to home owners, land owners and farmers with many hives being located close to TIMco’s headquarters and warehouse in Nantwich, Cheshire.

The aim is to get to 300+ hives into the local community. The bees are all locally bred and raised and are of the native (Apis mellifera mellifera) strain. The native bees make best use of the variable weather and forage that Cheshire experiences and play a vital role in pollination – with an estimated one third of all foods consumed each day relying on pollination by bees.

The hives are too expensive to buy new so they are hand-made from locally sourced and recycled wood, which requires a large volume of screws and glue in their assembly. To support the charity’s endeavours, TIMco has initially donated over 25,000 items of its screw stock (as per Bees In Our Community requirements) to the cause, as well as supplying wood for the construction of the hives.

TIMco is looking to pledge further donations to the organisation throughout the coming year.

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TIMco has committed to supply the charity with all its fixing needs to achieve their targets. It has also contributed to the redesign of the hives so that they can be made from timber originally used in pallets. This mutually beneficial opportunity has reduced the amount of timber being recycled and reduced the material cost to zero.

Simon Midwood, managing director of TIMco, comments: “We are excited to be supporting local initiatives such as Bees in Our Community and to be helping them with such a positive initiative.

As a ‘Founding Sponsor’, we look forward to continuing to support the organisation’s outstanding work and to help make a positive environmental impact within our local community. In the future, we hope to have some hives on TIMco’s land in order to bring our support for this cause to life.”

Karl Colyer of Bees In Our Community was delighted with the support given by TIMco: “As a not for profit business, every penny counts and is directed towards helping honeybees. The very generous supply of screws and several van loads of wood has really helped us provide quality hives for the bees.”

CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS

New generation of cladding support system SFS has launched its new generation NVF2F vertical cladding support system. Created by NVELOPE, part of the SFS business, the system enables floor-to-floor span rainscreen façades to be installed quicker than ever before with fewer components and a stronger end result.

T

he heavy-duty aluminium bracket and rail system has been reengineered to offer increased strength for vertical rainscreen cladding that have been designed to span floor-to-floor. The result is a back frame system that SFS states has one of the highest strength to weight ratio for conventional vertical rainscreen support systems – fixing directly into the concrete floor slabs. This makes the NVF2F ideal for multi-storey buildings, including car parks, residential apartment blocks and commercial developments.

NVF2F provides a solution for projects that have limited fixing locations. Capable of spanning much larger distances compared to conventional framing systems, the system is perfectly suited to span full floor levels, supported by brackets fixed directly into the concrete slab at each level.

David Fraser, business unit manager at NVELOPE, said: “Our new generation NVF2F represents a step change in rainscreen attachment for multi-storey buildings. It offers the low weight and handling benefits of aluminium whilst engineering the metal in a way that offers great structural strength. The result is an innovative engineered system that is easy to handle, very quick to install and completely aligned with sustainable building design.”

“With our unique Project Builder service, we can provide detailed guidance on the configuration needed for brackets and rails bespoke to every application. This takes into account all load calculations and the building design to set out the most robust, reliable cladding support solution.”

NVF2F is available in four different bracket sizes – 72mm, 122mm, 172mm and 222mm – which include a 5mm clip-on thermal isolator as required. Each bracket has two primary fixing holes, one used per

bracket, but with a second hole allowing for different positions to be used instead, such as in cases where the primary slot is not accessible.

Brackets are fixed directly to the concrete floor slab edge.

The SFS MULTI-MONTI® concrete fixing, which provides a secure anchorage in concrete without the need for wall plugs, is the preferred fastener to deliver a secure, lasting installation.

Two rail profiles are available – aluminium box and T box. These work in the same way as NVELOPE L and T profiles. Once rails are fixed in position, the cladding panels can be installed. For additional fire safety, a mineral wool ‘fire plug’ is installed into the rail profile to prevent a chimney effect in the event of fire.

Maximising sealing applications Bond It, a UK manufacturer of sealants, adhesives and building chemicals, has now introduced the tried and tested WP100 oxime silicone formulation into its range of LMN products as a bigger 400ml cartridge, aimed specifically at sealant applicators.

A

vailable in seven colours – white, anthracite, buff, black, brick red, dark anthracite and mid grey – for matching to an array of profiles, Bond It says this is the perfect exterior silicone for uPVC window and door frame installations, offering rapid curing and excellent adhesion properties. Certified low Meko and containing additional uPVC adhesion promoters means sealing jobs can be completed in record time.

Bond It states: “The 400ml version of the WP100 oxime silicone formulation offers customers a premium quality product that is more efficient for larger installations – all at a competitive price.”

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Demanding CoF standards, one coating system

By Dennis Gündel, global product manager zinc flake coatings, Atotech Deutschland GmbH Successful automotive pioneer Henry Ford knew one thing for sure: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” Today, thanks to many innovations and changes, this motto is still key in the automotive industry.

B

esides looking to the future and setting major trends, such as introducing alternative drive trains and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV), the industry has also been taking a closer look at more traditional vehicle manufacturing processes.

Fully automated assembly lines in the automotive manufacturing process repeatedly present new challenges for fastener suppliers. Automotive OEMs prioritise different factors for fixing elements, such as weight reduction (downsizing fasteners), faster screwing (productivity increase), cost optimisation and process reliability in fastening. Reduction of the fastener portfolio is driven by cost pressure and requires coatings that can both be applied universally and work reliably.

Furthermore, they must also be effective in combination with the various materials that can be applied during the automotive engineering process. The coatings must provide the same mounting properties, regardless of whether the fastener is screwed against steel, e-coat or aluminium – materials that are increasingly used in diverse combinations on various internal vehicle components.

Besides the coefficient of friction (CoF) properties that surface finishes on fasteners have to fulfil, additional factors to be taken into consideration include heat loosening requirements and corrosion protection functionalities.

A prime example of where these complex requirements have been successfully met is the latest Daimler specification, MBN 10544. The introduction of this specification coincides with the diversification of various platform strategies and features at OEMs, which will ultimately affect fastener mountings. For this reason, a rationalisation has been implemented to simultaneously increase standardised parts and profitability.

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Bolts coated with Zintek® 200 and Zintek® Top LV

The new test standard defines new requirements for coefficient of friction whereby single values are evaluated – a higher tightening speed is adapted to the latest assembly technologies, multiple mountings for each bolt, as well as new washer materials including steel, e-coat and aluminium.

The standard window for the CoF must be within a narrow range of μtot 0.08 and 0.14. For multiple mountings against different washer materials, Daimler has specified certain CoF ranges that must be met.

The demands of the MBN 10544 specification require a single coating system that can be used for a very wide range of Daimler fasteners.

After a thorough evaluation, Atotech is now able to provide the perfect zinc flake coating solution: Zintek® 200 + Zintek® Top LV. Atotech’s silver base coat, Zintek 200, is a versatile zinc flake finish that provides excellent cathodic corrosion protection. To fulfil the highly demanding CoF requirements, a sophisticated top coat is essential – the clear finish Zintek Top LV. This thin layer water-based top coat provides effective additional corrosion protection thanks to its reactive properties. The integrated lubricant ensures that the complex CoF requirements requested by MBN 10544 can be met without difficulty.

The combination of Zintek 200 and Zintek Top LV is a first rate product combination on the automotive market that is also approved for the Volkswagen TL 245 specification and thus also fulfils the equally demanding multiple mounting and heat loosening properties (VW 01131).

Furthermore, this system fulfils the requirements of BMW in terms of corrosion protection

Triple?

You deserve the best!

The zinc flake system for champions.

Zintek® 200 + Zintek® Top LV Meet the demanding requirements for Daimler MBN 10544, VW 01131 and BMW GS 90010.

> > >

Combines a versatile, premium zinc flake base coat with a thin-layer water-based top coat Sophisticated top coat provides a constant CoF between 0.09 - 0.14 µ even with multiple mounting Excellent corrosion protection even after thermal pre-conditioning

Atotech Group Untergasse 47 65468 Trebur-Geinsheim +49 6147 50130 info@atotech.com Corrosion Protection Competence Center

atotech.com

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY Fig.1: Very low deviation of Zintek® 200 + Zintek® Top LV measured against e-coat, steel and aluminium washer

and CoF behaviour (BMW GS 90100). The zinc flake coating has shown high-quality results in corrosion testing even with prior thermal pre-conditioning for 96 hours at a temperature of 180°C, a process typically required by members of the German Car Association (VDA).

“With the coating system of Zintek 200 and Zintek Top LV, we’re able to provide a leading zinc flake coating system that fulfils the tough requirements of major German automotive OEMs Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW,” states Pascal Poschmann, OEM manager Europe.

“This approach creates synergies and has advantages for both applicators and tiers,” summarises Erwin Gaedt, OEM manager Germany, pleased to have successfully taken on the MBN 10544 project with Daimler. He continues: “Only two products are needed for the big three German OEMs. Atotech could support Daimler with an exceptional coating system that simultaneously helps to simplify their fastener component portfolio.” www.atotech.com

Coefficient of friction

Tightening

Coefficient of friction

Zinc flake coating versus steel

Tightening

Zinc flake coating versus aluminium

Coefficient of friction

Besides the coefficient of friction (CoF) properties that surface finishes on fasteners have to fulfil, additional factors to be taken into consideration include heat loosening requirements and corrosion protection functionalities.”

Zinc flake coating versus e-coat

110 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Tightening

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Details, details, details…

By Mark Thurber, CEO, Maelstrom Chemical Technologies LLC

“The Devil is in the details,” my father often said to me growing up, and what wise words they were. This phrase marks a cautionary reminder to all of us to look beyond what is squarely in front of us and dig deeper, plan ahead and be thorough in our endeavours.

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s a boy, I was amazed and admired my dear old dad for being (almost) always right. Upon reflection, I could not have imagined all those years ago, how much those very details can make every difference to so many things.

This adage applies to our world of fasteners as much as anywhere. Much change has come to the old reliable nut and bolt in recent decades, probably more so than during the preceding centuries. However, so much focus is paid to the physicality of the fastener, changes to surface technology fly somewhat under the radar. It is well expected that a change in diameter or pitch will affect the assembly dynamics of a joint, while changes to enhancement materials and coatings often go unnoticed, yet these tiny details can change the entire character of an assembly.

In joint design, accounting for coefficient of friction is essential in achieving all of the correct attributes desired. Without attending to surface friction, clamp forces may demonstrate very wide variation from part to part. This is the spot where the ‘details’ creep into play.

There are countless lubrication product choices available on the market.

Any one of which will usually reduce the friction and statistical variation, however, what happens if it is too slippery? One word ‘SNAP!’. In a single

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staccato, you have been notified of exceeding the ultimate strength of your part. Worse still, if that load is just below the fracture point, lying in wait until a little extra stress is induced in the field. We must never forget; measurement of torque is simply a rough proxy for what we are truly trying to determine – clamping force.

Despite many choices of torque-tension control coatings, a thorough walk-through of the intended use of the product is quite important. When evaluating a coating, has the temperature range in which the part may be assembled been considered? Will it be wet or dry? Will the choice product perform the same after the parts have been stored for a year? Will the assembly be painted?

How will the coating affect the paint, or will it accept paint at all? Is corrosion a factor? Accounting for these details allows the development team at Tectorius® to innovate new Tec-Slip™ lubrication solutions to meet even the most difficult of situations.

In super critical applications, such as in bridge and structure assembly, an extra level of clamp load assurance may be in order.

For such demanding and vital construction, specialised parts and finish coating must achieve consistent and proper assembly each time. Engineering teams from Tectorius and TurnaSure collaborated to produce Tec-U-Seal™ and the ViewTite™ washer system. The concept is simple: Once proper clamp load of a joint is achieved, the compression forces a brightly coloured indicating material to the perimeter of the washer, leaving no question that each bolt is tight.

With scores of different lubricants available, applied over a multitude of finish coats, the next detail, ‘Devil’, steps in when the discussion turns to function enhancement, such as adhesives and sealers. The premise of many corrosion preventative finishes is to provide a barrier or ‘seal’ the base metal of the fastener. This barrier is intended to be impermeable, non-porous and repel intrusion of corrosive elements.

The lubricant, which is often applied over the top of this coating, is fully intended to be slippery and provide a barrier between metal surfaces where they might bind or otherwise stick to each other.

In both cases, by their very nature, they are ‘anti-adhesives’. As a result, there is a widely varying collection of ‘anti-adhesives’ to which a successful adhesive or sealer is expected to bond, without fail, from type to type. When broken down and examined, one can easily see that this ‘detail’ expands becoming an area of major concern, hardly deserving of the title of ‘detail’. Despite the wide standard product range offered by Tectorius and other producers of thread locking products, achieving consistent performance on all corrosion, barrier and lubrication surfaces is not easy.

There are only two available paths to address these concerns: The first, and most common approach is to treat lubrication, and function enhancement materials as an afterthought. Design the joint system, then choose a list of possible coatings materials, testing each until the best choice is found. Alternatively, I recommend that coatings manufacturers be engaged in the design phase wherever possible. Efficiencies and value gained by bringing in the right expertise in the early stages of a project cannot be underestimated. Planning, forethought, and collaboration are your best defence in keeping the ‘Devil’ in its place. www.tectorius.com

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

GLOMA® – challenge us Since 1997 GLOMA® has been a specialist in surface treatments, including the painting of screws and other small accessories for industry.

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hrough a young, motivated and dynamic team, GLOMA® has been able to assure both quick and efficient services, combining top quality and continuous innovation. “Our constant pursuit of quality, the strict control of finishing, and our professional and rigorous customer service, has enabled us to establish ourselves a trusted partner,” explains Andreia Mota, manager at GLOMA. A key focus for the company is screw lacquering, which gives the product the highest protection against oxidation in harsh environments. In addition, the company also looks to combine lacquer resistance with aesthetics to create the ‘perfect marriage’.

“If the objective of the customer is to hide the screw then we can paint it the same colour as the surrounding. If the goal is to highlight the screw, we can paint it a contrasting colour,” explains Andreia. “Regardless of the colour or texture we can always guarantee the same quality – even for smaller quantities.”

GLOMA underlines that its commitment to quality begins by selecting the right partner for the raw material. “We are proud to have an exclusive agency agreement with the renowned German company HUELSEMANN, and we represent its paints in Iberia,” points out Andreia. “Our experience, supported by the quality of HUELSEMANN products, allows us to guarantee salt resistance up to 15 years according to EN ISO 9227: Class 4-Medium; achieve very satisfactory results regarding impact resistance according to EN ISO 6272 – 1: 2011; and paint adhesion certified to EN ISO 2409: 2013.”

Andreia concludes: “We are a small Portuguese company, but we are unique in this field, thanks to our installed capacity that is ready to support customers’ needs. We are in a constant process of technical evolution and we combine this with the latest robotic automation. Thanks to our 20+ years of experience in the Iberian market, we are now seeking to expand our services to other European countries… challenge us!” www.gloma.pt

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Optimum blasting of fastening elements

Loading an AGTOS drum type blasting machine with workpieces (fastening elements)

For more than 50 years the BENSELER Group has been a competent partner for technically sophisticated solutions in the areas of coating, surface finishing, deburring and design of series components – with the company recently commissioning a new plant in Lüdenscheid, Germany.

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n addition to its award winning architecture, BENSELER points out that the new plant is an aesthetically appealing structure, which embodies a multitude of modern technical details that are especially attractive. Particular attention was paid to energy efficiency, which is reflected in heat exchangers installed on the ovens and an in-house thermal circuit for the pre-treatment process and the building. In addition, a chiller operated with waste heat ensures that room temperatures are at all times pleasant.

It therefore comes as no surprise to see that new approaches have also been adopted in surface technology with the creation of a fully automated concept.

BENSELER has introduced job coating of fastening elements for customer orders at the Lüdenscheid location. As a consequence, screws, nuts, and washers, all receive a high-quality zinc flake coating through the GEOMET® process – 2,500 to 5,000 different parts and designs are involved.

The majority of customers are in the automotive supplier industry, and these insist on workpieces retaining absolutely identical characteristics after processing. This stipulation also influences surface coating. Pre-treatment of workpieces is realised in three drum type blasting machines installed on the line by AGTOS GmbH. These are filled automatically and emptied onto a conveyor belt that transports the parts to the coating process.

Johan Adriaan de Hek, plant manager at Lüdenscheid, comments: “We opted in favour of AGTOS as a supplier for blasting technology, as we were impressed by the drum type blasting system concept. It’s similar to the concept of the downstream coating process.”

Three AGTOS drum type blasting machines in an automated process

116 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Drum type blasting systems have the major advantage of eliminating any tilting or jamming of parts. Damage to parts is prevented as a result, which is an absolute necessity during mass production in the automotive industry. A further advantage of these machines is their low maintenance requirement, this being a benefit of the avoidance of jamming. The geometry of the drums also means they can be emptied completely, thus preventing mixing of different workpieces.

Over the years, BENSELER has gained extensive experience of different blasting technology concepts. One example was the use of a large snail drum blasting system, but the extensive drop height involved here during charging led to damaging of the workpieces.

Other machines of the same type exhibited disadvantages during emptying, and rubber belt blasting systems also proved inadequate.

The concept presently employed, which involves a combination of three smaller AGTOS drum type blasting machines, ensures that the company has adequate reserves to increase capacities even further in the future. Blasting of around 150 tonnes per day is currently realised with a cycle time of approximately 6 minutes per blasting machine. The loading capacity of the machines is approximately 250kg, depending on the geometry of the workpieces. The parts are introduced gently to the drums and discharged with equal care following blasting by tilting the drums.

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A centralised control system was installed at BENSELER that monitors the complete coating line. A plug-in control panel enables direct on-site operation of individual machines.

Electric linking not only involves the master computer, which manages and visualises machine data, the blasting machines are also linked to the production line by WMV Apparatebau GmbH. This means that charging/discharging and the blasting machines work hand in hand and some functions can be operated parallel to each other, thus preventing time wastage. Resulting in all players involved on the production being are optimally integrated.

Key advantages of AGTOS drum type blasting machines

Drum type blasting machines are filled in batches using automated charging equipment. The drum is in the loading position for this purpose, pivoting into the blasting position after the charging process. An AGTOS high performance turbine hurls abrasive into the rotating drum. Effective mixing means that all workpieces are exposed to the same degree of blasting. Following blasting, they are gently tipped out of the drum back into the original container or conveyed on further on a belt.

What is special about this system is the attention to detail. First and foremost, it is necessary to work out what the customer requires from the blasting process. Machine requirements are derived from this, namely the geometry of the drum base and the perforation of the drum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which allows the abrasive to flow off and the degree of mixing of the parts. This part of the project involves a mutual exchange of experience between the customer and manufacturer.

The combination of several machines makes the development of a continuous production system possible. In addition to an increase in capacity achieved through additional machines, this concept reduces non-productive periods and compensates for downtimes (e.g. due to maintenance).

Proven processes are essential for reliable production. For instnce, AGTOSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; high performance turbines employ a practical single disc system â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a further maintenance-friendly and powerful argument in favour of this plant. The optimised design saves abrasive, the real tool of blasting technology. In addition to these proven turbines, the reliable and service friendly filter technology employed also deserves particular mention. Cleaning of filter cartridges governed by differential pressure also contributes to efficient operation.

A further aspect of the design process relating to these drum type blasting machines was energy efficiency. All drives are designed to conform to the current Ecodesign Directive. As a consequence, the blasting machine consumes a comparatively low volume of energy when compared to conventional systems, and this keeps operating costs down.

Also, the abrasive is maintained in continuous circulation. This involves collection following the blasting process and its conveyance to the upper part of the machine using a bucket elevator. The abrasive is cleaned here and undersized particles are eliminated before it is fed back again to the high performance turbines.

The extent of the blasting plant needed is developed on the basis of customer requirements and experience. Numerous variables, such as turbine performance, the charging and discharging system, abrasive type, or other influencing factors, ensure that the customer receives an extremely individual system.

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Solving BaP emissions in cold heading Since 2015, concerns about PAHs and BaPs have been quite current in the metalworking industry. Indeed, some petroleum-based products, such as process lubricants, can release PAHs and BaP under severe operating conditions.

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or greater vigilance, the French health insurance authority issued a recommendation, reference R.451, concerning the ‘Prevention of chemical risks caused by cutting fluids’. It uses the data provided by the INRS* on the risks and thresholds related to BaP contained in new and in-service neat cutting oils.

While this issue is regularly raised when using machining neat oils, there are no recommendation for cold heading operations.

Guided by its HSE and CSR convictions, CONDAT decided to go a step further by taking into account this question and by anticipating the regulation.

Capitalised know-how

With in-depth knowledge on how to reduce PAHs/BaPs in in-service machining oils, which led to the development of NEAT GREEN oils – a new generation machining oils that do not show any increase in BaP content after 1,500 hours of machining, CONDAT took the lead and requested its R&D laboratory in early 2018 to work on new formulas for cold heading oils with neutral impact in terms of BaP. Beyond its CSR commitment, the company also wanted to address the concerns of automotive suppliers and provide its customers with the safest possible products. The objective was to co-develop with major automotive groups a high performance product for very difficult forming operations.

After six months of research, the EXTRUGLISS HT 268 VP was created. In partnership with a first grade automotive supplier, the product has been tested for nearly 12 months on cold heading operations for the manufacture of seat pinions as well as hubs, and showed very good results.

EXTRUGLISS HT 268 VP

Available for sale since June 2019, and following the success encountered with the automotive partner, EXTRUGLISS HT 268 VP is positioned as a premium product specially formulated for extreme operations that generate excessive heat (stainless steel, alloy steel with high elastic limit, etc). Developed to solve BaP emissions problems, this neat cold heading oil is formulated from high-quality, highly refined base oils and it contains fewer residual compounds that may degrade to PAH. CONDAT points out that the EXTRUGLISS HT 268 VP is much more stable and pure, is resistant to oxidation, increases the life of the baths, and facilitates degreasing by preventing the formation of sticky residues on the parts. Less volatile, it also limits oil evaporation and mist generation, thus improving the atmosphere in the workshops.

With a highly additive formula, it offers high-level performance for all difficult operations on hard metals such as stainless steel and alloyed steel. This dual-purpose cold heading oil, which provides both superior lubrication characteristics to the mechanical components of cold heading machinery, as well as outstanding lubrication for the deformation operations, has a viscosity of 68cst and thus meets the standards of the largest cold heading machine manufacturers. * Institut National de Recherche et de Securite

Replacing tungsten carbide coating on stainless steel Expanite AS, a Danish pioneer specialising in surface hardening of stainless steel and titanium, is widely replacing coatings in a variety of demanding applications.

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or more than 70 years, coatings, in their various forms, have been ‘the standard’ to improve resistance towards wear, impact, and corrosion for stainless steel components in a great variety of industries, including food and beverage processing, oil and gas, aviation, transportation, industrial, and consumer products. However, in recent years several performance limitations associated with coatings have driven the engineering community to seek better coating materials, as well as more cost-effective methods to apply them. Among the most promising alternatives is the patented Expanite hardening technology, which is an environmentally friendly surface hardening solution that offers short and flexible lead times.

Recently, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of precision nozzles and nozzle systems has converted from tungsten carbide coatings to Expanite ® surface hardening after experiencing quality issues with the coating cracking off. In cooperation with Expanite, the company found a hardening solution that made the surface of the nozzles resistant against chipping, cracking, delamination, etc.

The specific customer performed field tests over a period of several months where the results from Expanite hardened nozzles showed significant increased lifetime without any premature failure. Based on the test results, the conversion to Expanite hardening was implemented.

“It is far less expensive to apply Expanite hardening compared to many of the exotic coatings, hence the conversion resulted in better performance while reducing cost,” explained the customer. “By converting from a coating to a diffusion hardening process, issues with adhesion where eliminated, again whilst ensuring superior wear and corrosion resistance.”

120 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

Wrexham Wire’s new coating cuts costs and reduces environmental impact Wrexham Wire has recently added Gardo Hybrid to its chemical coating portfolio to further widen customer choice. The hybrid coating is a direct replacement for zinc phosphate and offers additional benefits.

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nlike phosphate, Gardo Hybrid coating does not require removal prior to heat treatment – reducing the processes and therefore cost. It also contains no heavy metals or CMR substances making it more environmentally friendly.

Wrexham Wire states it was also the first in the cold heading wire industry to introduce a polymer in-line coating from its UK facility, which provides a more uniform and consistent coating – giving greater performance and facilitates more complex heading applications. It is an environmentally friendly process, which is water-based and is free of heavy metals and VOC (volatile organic compound) and causes no dust or contamination of heading oils and lubricants. It offers a cost-effective alternative to soap and solid lubricant-based coating processes.

Both of these coatings offer a range of benefits including: Improved output compared to batch coated material in-line polymer only.

Reduced tool wear and increased lifespan.

The capability to produce more complex parts in fewer stages.

Reduced energy consumption.

Higher run speeds and productivity.

Longer lifespan of heading oils as no soap contamination.

These coatings are in addition to other coatings offered by Wrexham Wire, which include HCI pickling, zinc phosphate, copper wash, reactive soap, electro plate galvanised and lime.

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Process monitoring and control on thread rollers Today, a high degree of machine automation is achieved in flat die rolling machines for fasteners, with new rolling machines being equipped with process monitoring systems as standard – such as Brankamp’s X-units.

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rankamp monitoring systems on thread rollers detect process failures; sort out defective parts; monitor the withdrawal of the slide to detect roll backs; and alert the operator to poorly reproducible insertion processes. They are monitoring rolling forces during the forming process. The sensors are mounted into the frame, before or inside the adjusting screws or in bolster pieces in the direct force flow.

In special requests these force sensors can be added with acoustic sensors to detect hardening cracks of bolts, which cause a massive sound variation during rolling, but no major force variation during the forming process.

The multi sensorial working Brankamp X-units can also be equipped with a distance sensor, which is mounted above the dies and working as a riser detector probe. Each time parts are passing the sensor the distance between the head of the screw and sensor should be nearly identical, only if the part is rising or spiraling will the sensor measure a difference which exceeds the envelope curve and therefore sort out the defective part.

All monitoring units are able to control a sorting gate, which is used to separate bad parts. In case the scrap percentage is too high or there is a permanent failure inside the process the machine and the introduction is stopped for operator inspection.

To make sure that the sorting flap is working correctly, there are two proximity switches mounted to check the gate opens

and closes with expected speed. The benefits of monitoring units are further improved when the basic tool settings made by the operator are checked in dynamic operation and automatically corrected and adjusted during production run – such as the machines available from EWMenn. This means the tool alignment can be kept constant even under changing production conditions, the thread quality is improved, the reject rate is reduced and the wear of the dies is minimised.

The Brankamp X5 monitoring system (pictured above) evaluates the normal component of the rolling force for quality control, while the additional measurement of vertical force components is used to control the die alignment. During thread rolling, the formed threads of the moving tool hit the stationary tool side for the first time, no vertical force component should be generated if both tools are ideally aligned. However, if a positive or negative vertical force component occurs at this point, there is a mismatch between the two sides of the dies and the X5 unit controls the slide position automatically.

The X5 contains this ADM® (Automatic Die Match) function as an option, which transmits positioning information to the machine control system in the event of systematic changes of the vertical force signals. If the vertical force falls below the specified limit value, the adjustment is stopped and only activated again when it is exceeded again. www.marposs.com

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Built to last – 40 years of excellence

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stablished in 1979 by Mr Angelo Gnecchi, and still operating from the same property since its foundation, Tecno Impianti has an in-depth product range including horizontal and vertical drawing blocks, horizontal and vertical spoolers, double automatic vertical spoolers, power-driven uncoilers, in-line drawing machines, cold rolling lines for the production of wire for electrowelded mesh, for the fastener, construction and thin wire sectors.

“When my father started the company 40 years ago the fastener industry was not yet the most important sector we operated in – we concentrated on the rebar industry, on thin wire and welding wire applications. It wasn’t long, however, before my father was introduced to a wire drawing machine, specific for drawing wire in-line with cold heading machines, and our main market was established,” comments Roberto Gnecchi, managing director at Tecno Impianti.

A key part of its machine range is the in-line wire drawing machine model SKP, which is a horizontal axis mono-block machine that is positioned between the uncoiler and the cold heading machine.

Used to size the wire to the exact wire diameter needed for the cold heading application, different models are available for different wire requirements – from 1mm diameter up to 35mm.

...one of the reasons for our success is our flexibility and reliability.”

In the industrial district of Lecco, Italy – a city that has always been linked to the metalworking industry – Tecno Impianti this year celebrates its 40 th anniversary. Through phases of continuous growth and reliability the company supplies drawing machines to customers on every continent worldwide.

Available in 15 different standard models, Tecno Impianti’s in-line drawing machines can be further personalised according to the requirements of the customer. “I like to think one of the reasons for our success is our flexibility and reliability. All our machines are customised and I’ve never sold two identical machines. They are manufactured bespoke for our customers and of course, no two customers are the same.”

Tecno Impianti also designs and manufactures a series of horizontal wire drawing bullblocks (model MO) for the drawing of cold heading wire. These wire drawing bullblocks are utilised for big productions of drawn wire and are meant for companies that produce cold heading wire or for big manufacturers of fasteners who execute the wire drawing off-line and take the drawn wire to the cold heading machines, in the form of wire coiled on wire carriers or as bound coils.

The horizontal wire drawing bullblocks are manufactured in four different versions and cover a range of wire diameters between 6mm and 36mm. The drawn wire is taken up on a rotating platform positioned into a hole in front of the capstan and is taken out with wire carriers or through a coil extractor.

“Just the other day I met with a customer who still had one of my father’s original machines from 40 years ago – still fully operational.

We really mean it when we say Tecno Impianti machines are quality and built to last,” says Roberto emphatically.

In order to continue his father’s work and to stay one step ahead of competitors, Tecno Impianti is always looking at potential new markets to expand into. “Just like my father did when he first entered the fastener market, we must continue to invest in our machines, our electronics and innovate the only way we know how. Our machines stand for quality, and as a result our customers expect more. Whether that’s the latest electronics, bespoke pieces, smaller machines – it’s important we deliver and continue to exceed these expectations.”

Wire drawing line with bullblock M026

124 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

A prime example is Tecno Impianti’s quick and efficient aftersales – something that Roberto believes to be paramount in the industry. “To be able to assist the customer after the sale is far more important than people think,” explains Roberto. “Our customers know if a problem with the machine does arise we’ll be there to put it right as quickly as we can. It’s important that our machines are seen as reliable and built to last.”

“As well as ensuring our machines are up to date with the latest trends and technologies, it’s a very good selling point when we can tell potential customers that one of our machines has been up and running for 40 years.”

It’s apparent that this family-owned company has its customers’ needs right at its heart, working together with customers to create unique machines to bespoke specifications. Roberto clearly shares his father’s love and passion for the business, viewing Tecno Impianti not just as a fastener machine manufacturer but as an extended family.

“I like to think my father did a very good job building the foundation of the company, and I’m proud to continue what he started. Tecno Impianti is family and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 40 th anniversary then to continue to do what we do best and serve our customers, whilst looking ahead to the next 40 years,” concludes Roberto with a smile. www.tecnoimpianti-italy.com

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

A smart, quality partner for thread rolling EVIRT Italia Srl has come a long way in its short three year history – to supply thread rolling machines to national and international markets, whilst investing 15% of its revenue into research and development activities to ensure it’s one step ahead of the market.

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riginally founded by experts with over 50 years of experience in the thread rolling market, EVIRT’s continued investment is a business concept strongly oriented on customers’ technical requests and highly focused on machines with innovative solutions. “It’s fair to say the market is very full, which means it’s important we stand a step ahead from the crowd,” comments Simone Farina, technical manager at EVIRT Italia. “Every single one of our machines has a technological innovation, as well as being intuitive, user-friendly and fully customisable. Our goal is to always be flexible in order to supply the most effective machine possible for our customers.”

EVIRT Italia rolling machines are equipped with the most recent technological features to assure a qualitative rolling process on every rotation. The construction of EVIRT Italia thread rolling machines allows a universal application of the rolling process with round tools, such as grooved rolling and through-feed rolling with swivelling rolling spindles, including

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the combination of different processes. Its core range consists of four series – MONO™; PLANAR™, RADIAL™ and the Special series.

Previewed at this year’s Fastener Fair Stuttgart, the PLANAR series closes the loop between the die centre line positioning axis and the rotary die positioning axes. The series offers many user-friendly benefits, which not only cut job set-up time but also offers extended rolling processes and control features for high-levels of quality and tool life savings.

In addition, the automatic spindles’ inclination makes the machine’s set-up automatic and absolutely independent from the operators’ skills. Performed by servomotors and locked by hydraulic devices, the Smart Rolling feature makes the spindles’ inclination process easy, instantaneous (inclination performed in less than two seconds) and highly repetitive, warranting a positioning precision lower than 0.01 degrees.

The EVIRT Italia laser-based auto-pitching system is also able to automatically measure and calculate the most suitable dies’ rolling positions. Lasting only two minutes of optical analysis, the patented system does not require any operators’ skill or material waste.

“Our machines are quality and we’re proud of that,” states Simone. “All our parts, both mechanical and electronics, are made in Italy and then assembled right here in our factory in Verona. In a market where there’s always new competitors it’s our quality that sets us apart, as well our flexibility, which leads to customisation, and of course our excellent aftersales care.”

“Aftersales is so important in our industry, because of the calibre of our clients. With machines going into high-end markets such as automotive, aerospace, oil and gas, etc, customers cannot afford to have any downtime caused by an unreliable machine. We have the knowledge and technical know-how and we must share this with our customers to build long-term relationships,” mentions Simone. “It’s EVIRT’s promise, therefore, that within 48 hours the company will diagnose the issue and begin to put it right.”

Using its technological know-how and applying this to other industries is also something EVIRT is focused on to diversify its product range. “We have just developed a finning machine, which will be up and running in the next year – this will be ideal for the oil and gas industry. We’re also looking at other potential applications such as internal threading. In order to achieve our projected growth, we need to diversify into a number of industries in the years to come.”

To research these new application areas EVIRT is exhibiting at the EMO trade show for the metalworking industry in Hannover from 16th – 21st September. “We want to continue to be known as a turn key solution provider and a smart partner for thread rolling technologies.

In order to set ourselves apart we must continue to grow our integrity and adapt our technological innovations to different markets and applications to become bigger than the rest.” www.evirtitalia.com

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MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Tool protection

British Steel’s Scunthorpe Rod Mill has recently been awarded IATF 16949 certification – the internationally adopted quality management system standard for the automotive industry.

for SMART forming

British Steel gains IATF 16949 certification

I Quality control

Production management

Set up aide Machine protection Productivity increase

Process optimisation Big Data analysis

ATF 16949 certification is internationally recognised and provides a common approach in the supply chain for supplier or subcontractor management and development, driving consistency, customer focus, competence and control from a risk-based approach.

The standard promotes a focus on continuous improvement via performance measures and the prioritisation of improvement initiatives. The system also places emphasis on proving and analysing the control of manufacturing processes and the clear communication of both customer requirements and lessons learned.

Adam Lynaugh, British Steel quality manager, said: “At British Steel, we’re dedicated to continuously improving our processes, work environment and practices. A high percentage of our order book is destined for the automotive supply chain, so it was a natural progression for us to become IATF certified.”

The standard was developed by The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) members consisting of automotive bodies and manufacturers to provide improved quality products to automotive customers globally. It’s also applicable to any organisation that manufactures components, assemblies and parts for the automotive industry.

Adam continued: “The independent verification against a global industry standard means that not only are we delivering products that consistently meet customer requirements, but we’re also providing a dependable service that can be relied on.”

Employees from right across the business were involved in the two stage audit assessment process, demonstrating their continued commitment to existing procedures and their flexibility to adapt to new systems.

“After the initial gap analysis last March, we developed a comprehensive action plan – 180 actions have been completed in total. We had a big focus on manufacturing, developing detailed control plans, which we could audit against, revise and improve on – the challenge now is to develop this further and continue to improve going forward.”

Richard Sims, British Steel Wire Rod managing director, said: “As a business, our priority is to ensure our customers continue to receive premium products and a fantastic service. IATF certification is a great testament to the hard work and commitment of all at Scunthorpe Rod Mill to achieve this goal.”

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Our performance. Your advantage.

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

How testing technology boosts efficiency in electronics production Zollner Elektronik AG manufactures a huge variety of bolted joints, and must ensure they are reliable and compliant with the relevant standards.

That’s why Zollner puts its trust in mobile testing systems from Schatz, a Kistler Group company. Across many different industries, Schatz systems help to safeguard know-how and quality in the long-term – playing a key part in preventing costly recalls.

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ince 1965, when Zollner Elektronik was founded as a one man business in Zandt (Bavaria), the firm has become one of Europe’s most prominent electronics manufacturers. Single parts, modules, complete devices and even complex systems: Zollner covers all these product types, across diverse sectors of industry and for countless applications from rail technology engineering to telecommunications.

Bolted joints and screwed connections are indispensable elements of many electronic assemblies. They are used in printed circuit boards, control units and a host of other products manufactured to order by Zollner – all of them are held together by bolts and screws. VDI Guideline 2230 provides a standard for calculating and designing high strength bolted joints – but new standards for specific applications are constantly being added in the numerous industries where Zollner operates. This creates a level of complexity that cannot be underestimated.

Michael Zeller, who joined Zollner in 2007 and is responsible for test equipment monitoring and measurement technology, explains the situation: “Over 2,000 torque tools are currently in use across our company. All bolted joints that are assembled with those tools have to be tested for compliance with the standards – and on top of that, the tools themselves have to be calibrated at regular intervals.”

Standard compliant calibration of torque tools

This means that testing and documentation of all bolting processes is a key function the company must perform to safeguard against system outages or product recalls. “When I started at Zollner, most of the calibration work was still outsourced. But we weren’t satisfied with the processes – especially as the solution that was implemented was only loosely based on the standard. That prompted our decision to consolidate all our know-how on bolt testing in Zandt, Germany,” mentions Michael Zeller.

While seeking out suitable solution providers, Michael Zeller came across Schatz, a technology leader in the bolt testing sector and a member of the Kistler Group of Switzerland. He made contact

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with the company at a trade fair and was soon convinced. “Schatz listened to us very carefully, and they were extremely flexible regarding implementation – they didn’t just offer us off-the-peg solutions. That’s exactly the sort of advice you hope to receive!”

The project is already paying dividends, with over 2,000 torque tools that need calibration at least once a year, the annual cost savings amount to at least €60,000 – and that doesn’t even include the time gained while the tools would otherwise be out-of-house.

The Schatz products that Zollner is currently using include the InspectPro for testing bolted joints during production. The InspectPro is a portable testing system that measures torque, preloading force and rotation angle – guaranteeing process capability for bolt assembly. Since 2016, Zollner has also used combiTEST for standard compliant testing and calibration of all torque tools, regardless of the manufacturer. The testing system from Schatz has been complemented by external simulators to avoid the need to dismantle tools for calibration purposes. In addition, a handling system to make calibration even easier was integrated especially for Zollner.

In-house solution completed in less than four months

Thanks to mobile testing systems from Schatz, Zollner has successfully improved its internal real net output ratio, and the firm has been able to accumulate immense know-how on the various bolting processes across different departments. Alongside the cost factor, process reliability also plays a critical part. “All our customers have one thing in common – their technical requirements are increasing all the time. There are always new standards and guidelines to accommodate.

Therefore, the more different sectors and customer groups we serve, the more standards we have to meet,” notes Michael Zeller.

Manufacturer independent testing of all torque tools in compliance with the applicable standards, directives and guidelines has been an enormous success for Zollner. Over 95% of calibrations are now performed in-house, with excellent efficiency in terms of costs and time. Rapid implementation was another reason for Zollner’s exceptional level of satisfaction with Schatz. After

Since 2016, Zollner has used combiTEST for standard compliant testing and calibration of all torque tools, regardless of the manufacturer

Taking wire to a new level.

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

Michael Zeller had convinced the board of directors with a cost-effectiveness calculation, less than four months passed between the start of work and the final training from Schatz.

Vision for the future

It comes as no surprise that Zollner intends to continue expanding its collaboration with Schatz. Two additional InspectPro solutions are planned, as well as another combiTEST system for the firm’s facilities in Hungary. “It’s going to become even more important to comply with all the standards and guidelines required for product liability. Traceability is another critical aspect,” Michael Zeller adds with conviction.

That’s why he has already developed a vision for the future, which he calls the ‘professional testing chain’. “When the new Schatz combiTEST arrives for our sites in Hungary, we shall also implement the server solution for the first time. Our long-term goal is to have transparent data on the status of all tools at our 18 facilities across the globe – and what’s more, to have automated input of new standard requirements. That would guarantee that each and every bolted joint required by our customers meets the standards – throughout the world.”

EN ISO 9001 IATF 16949 EN ISO 14001 EN ISO 50001

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

The forming experts meet in Wuppertal In May WAFIOS AG once again held an in-house exhibition under the roof of its subsidiary, WAFIOS Umformtechnik GmbH, in Wuppertal, Germany. The event is an important platform for the market leader in wire and tube forming to provide information about its latest technological developments.

The highlights of WAFIOS Umformtechnik and EWMenn were the HT 5-40 double-stroke cold forming machine and the AF 102 high performance thread rolling machine

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ach year the WAFIOS group of companies, with its headquarters in Reutlingen, brings many new developments to the market, among them wire and tube bending machines, spring coiling machines, as well as control and application software, etc.

“The in-house exhibition in Wuppertal is the ideal opportunity for us to introduce all our innovations to our customers gathered together in one place,” comments Dr Uwe-Peter Weigmann, board spokesperson of WAFIOS AG. This year’s event was the twelfth edition, with around 900 participants attending. With 27 exhibited machines spread over a total of 1,400m² in two halls, the presentation area was also bigger than ever before. Demonstrations and specialist presentations formed the core programme.

In total, five companies from the WAFIOS Group were present, WAFIOS AG, WAFIOS Umformtechnik GmbH, EW Menn GmbH & Co KG, Witels Albert GmbH and WAFIOS Tube Automation GmbH – alongside twelve partner companies, as well as the University of Siegen as the representative of research.

This underlines the important role of cold forming in the metal industry that demonstrates itself in, amongst other things, the current developments around electromobility. For instance, in the latest generation of electric motors, special formed wire components, so-called hairpins, are required, likewise contact rails between motors and batteries. The WAFIOS Group is able to supply the most modern production solutions for these products. Digitalisation also plays an increasingly important role in this. WAFIOS has developed its own programming and control systems that can communicate with other systems and can even fully control robot cells.

The last exhibition day was also an open house day, which is when – in addition to customers – the employees were also invited. Many took the opportunity to show their workplaces to their families. In doing so, they underlined a deep loyalty to the company that is recognised as one of the most reputable machine manufacturers in the region. WAFIOS Umformtechnik in Wuppertal can look back on nearly 100 years of tradition.

“Our region is the cradle of the wire industry of the world, many medium-sized companies involved in wire processing are located here.

Therefore, and because we address all company levels, I believe our in-house exhibition is at least as important and valuable as major public trade fairs,” said Gunther Neuhaus, sales director west at WAFIOS in Wuppertal. www.wafios-umformtechnik.com

The twelfth in-house exhibition of the WAFIOS Group, under the roof of WAFIOS Umformtechnik in Wuppertal, gave the specialist world the opportunity to inform itself of the latest developments

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Cold Former ND 91 Hilgeland Kieserling EWMenn Nutap

Made in Germany Cold Former ND 91 Tandem Double-Blow Former With „Tandem“ principle simultaneous production of two different head shapes and lengths possible High output up to 1000 pcs / min (separated double blanks) Multicut unit for special point designs Less phosphates – less wire costs Precision Parts Forming Machinery

WAFIOS Umformtechnik at the „International Fastener Expo“ Las Vegas 2019 17th – 19th Sept. 2019

1_WU_Fastener+Fixing_ad-216x303_119-2019_ND 91_RZ

Manufacturer WAFIOS Umformtechnik GmbH Im Rehsiepen 35 42369 Wuppertal · Germany Phone +49 (202) 46 68-0 sales@wafios-umformtechnik.de www.wafios-umformtechnik.com

11.07.2019

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

ZwickRoell high cycle fatigue fastener testing machine High cycle fatigue testing allows improvements in the design and durability of fastener products designed to meet tough aerospace requirements.

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erospace fasteners – bolts, studs, screws and rivets – are among the most critical components used in aircraft manufacturing. Large aircraft can use up to 3 million fasteners in their assembly, with structural bolts comprising about 25% of the total and rivets the remainder. These fasteners must withstand the demands of repeated pressure and temperature cycles, variations in dynamic loads, and high vibration levels.

Dynamic forces due to engine operation and aircraft manoeuvre loads are superimposed on fastener installation loads, resulting in a constantly changing stress environment.

The fatigue strength of fasteners in this cyclic loading environment is a critical factor in the design process and in quality control of the manufactured part.

While static tensile tests provide a measure of fastener performance under peak load conditions, and microscopic examination can be used to characterise basic material properties, laboratory testing that simulates actual operational conditions is crucial to obtaining a thorough understanding of the fastener’s performance over its service life.

For aircraft manufacturers and fastener suppliers, conformance to government and industry standards such as NASM 1312-7 and ASTM E 466, as well as to individual manufacturer specifications, can be guaranteed only by

testing with systems that reproduce realistic dynamic loading conditions.

Fatigue failures are the result of cumulative stress cycles, which can be applied by thermal, mechanical, or vibratory effects. Particularly important for aerospace fasteners is how they perform under vibratory loading over the course of numerous cycles at stresses well below the ultimate strength of the material. These cycles may alternate tension and compression loading, or lie completely within the tensile or compressive loading regimes.

Magnetic resonance testing machines, also known as high frequency pulsators or vibrophores, are advanced systems for HCF testing. Vibrophores are specifically designed for testing rigid metal specimens, and can induce low amplitude stress cycles at loads similar to those experienced in aircraft applications.

ZwickRoell is one of the world’s leading suppliers of materials and component testing systems. The company supplies both standard and tailor-made solutions to satisfy the most demanding requirements, in research and development, production and quality assurance, across more than 20 industry sectors.

The future of quality is mobility Dimac Srl is always testing innovative solutions when it comes to integrating new technologies into the segment of fastener inspection and sorting, such as the DRA+, which stands for Dimac Remote Assistance Plus.

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uccessfully exhibited at the recent Fastener Fair USA show in Detroit, General Manager Massimo Agrati comments: “DRA+ represents how much we care about our service support. We developed the App – available for tablets and smartphones, and compatible with the most popular smart glasses – to meet our customers’ requirements for a prompt service, without waiting for a technical visit on-site. The procedure is simple, any customer in the world can call through the App for remote support. Their call is routed immediately on the Dimac Service real time dashboard. The Dimac technical staff can activate a real time video-audio chat with the customer, sharing images and texts.”

Accessing the operator’s smartphone camera, the Dimac experts film or snapshot the situation from their remote location and can provide aid written or drawn instructions by augmented reality tools, which are displayed on the operator’s visor.

Massimo continues: “Any assistance session can be closed by solving the issue, by opening a request for a visit on-site or by ordering spare parts to be shipped immediately.” At Dimac we have over 30 years experience within the industry, which makes it possible for us to take these steps into the digital future – getting all the advantages that the new technologies are bringing.” www.dimacsrl.com

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MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Würth mobile smart order solution In today’s fast-paced world, ordering goods and production materials can be extremely challenging. Even with smartphones and e-commerce systems, stock management involves a great deal of time and money, and mistakes in the ordering process are all too common.

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ustomers depend on fast and correct delivery of products, materials and office supplies in order to run their business successfully. That is why every wrong order is a huge disappointment.

Manual ordering is prone to human error, which often leads to item numbers being forgotten, mixed up, written illegibly or incorrectly communicated. Some purchasing and operations managers make inventory decisions ‘on the fly’ while ordering, relying on predetermined ordering intervals that don’t represent real-time operations. Inevitably, this results in out of stock or excess inventory situations that impact business profits due to increased shipping costs, expensive returns and, most of all, dissatisfied customers.

Even with most ‘automatic’ ordering systems, additional manual orders are necessary because of online shopping offers, and customer orders placed by phone or email. These ‘offline’ order contributions cost valuable time, and significantly increase the risk of transferring inaccurate data and ordering the wrong product.

Würth is a global leader in fastening and assembly materials offering more than 125,000 products – from screws, screw accessories and tools, to chemical products. The effort required by Würth’s customers to manually capture product orders and submit them via fax, email or by phone is very time-consuming, costly and prone to error.

To simplify this process, a scanner solution called ORSY® ‘order with a system’ was developed in cooperation with Würth, designed to improve the manual process of capturing product data. This makes the ordering

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process faster, more efficient and increases visibility throughout the entire supply chain – from the customer order to product delivery.

The ORSY scan provides customers and employees of Würth a fast, contactless and simple data capture product. It’s so simple that one key on the scanner activates reading of the barcode, and a second key enables deletion of data. Just one touch of a button is enough to capture the barcode on an empty package to order out of stock products. When data capture is finished, the scanner is put into a transfer station, which connects it to the customer’s computer. With teamwork and experience, more than 50,000 ORSY scans came to life, with the goal to keep it simple and improve handling – eliminating the need for each user to have access to a computer. Thanks to the integrated SCOUTtechnology, requirements for special software installation belong in the past. In addition, 25,000 mobile scanners were integrated successfully into Würth’s stock management process.

The software automatically forwards orders via the internet to the Würth online shop. Würth’s customers then receive immediate order confirmation and the ordering process is completed.

A good ordering system is characterised by its flexibility. With Internet of Scanning®, users are able to send barcode and RFID data from any of the scanners directly to wherever they want it to be sent — and from anywhere in the world — without any installation or manual effort.

The Smart Order Solution doesn’t require special software or any additional drivers for the application, so an IT department doesn’t need to spend time on software integration, adding drivers,

downloading updates or training. The middleware EMMWare Scout that connects and communicates with ordering systems is already included in the mobile barcode/RFID scanners. This application will run automatically and send data to the e-commerce site, then open the filled shopping cart with the web browser.

The devices easily interfaces with all ERP systems, web-based shops or Microsoft® Office programs. With bidirectional data exchange between scanners, smartphones, tablets, terminals and web servers, the data is always synchronised and up to date on all current equipment.

The mobile barcode/RFID scanners also connect to Apple® or Android® devices via the Stock Data Collector App. The application can manage barcode (1D/2D) input, RFID (HF/UHF) labelled enterprise resources or even typed part number entries. The application can be used for placing orders, as well as tracking resources, registering incoming and outgoing goods, inventory control and stock management.

Without the ease of a barcode scanner, users are required to manually collect part numbers, find a computer and open the e-commerce site, authenticate to the site, search for part numbers one by one, and fill out the shopping cart. Typically, a user does not remember part numbers and searches for product names instead.

This requires extra diligence to identify the exact product, leading to high risk of selecting the wrong product or product variant.

The Smart Order Solution provides an innovative system that makes ordering absolutely quick and simple with 100% accuracy. This solution helps prevent mistakes from the beginning, using mobile RFID/barcode scanners like SCANNDYbasic or powerlineECCO® from FEIG. These easy to use scanners are used by inventory management personnel in the field to collect part numbers encoded in barcodes, storing them in its memory.

A good ordering system is characterised by its flexibility.”

Scanning can be performed either from a catalogue, directly at the product itself or at the warehouse shelf. By pushing only one button, the barcode will be scanned and the product is added to the ordering cart. After all the desired products have been detected, the scanner connects via USB to any Windows-based computer with an internet connection. In just a few seconds the data is 100% correctly transferred to the user’s e-commerce system shopping card. The user can see and verify all items scanned before clicking the ‘order’ button to place the order. This complete process is done in less than one minute with limited potential for errors. If desired, ordering information can be communicated via email instead of e-commerce systems.

Fortunately, there is a smart way to place orders by bringing the process right to the stocking shelves or shop floor, and directly scanning the product users need to order. The PANMOBIL product line for mobile AutoID solutions of FEIG Electronic provides the Smart Order Solution, a foolproof method to enable customers to purchase materials with 100% accuracy – typically saving 35% of ordering costs and increasing sales by simplifying the customer’s ordering process. That is why logistic experts such as Würth, have chosen this smart ordering solution.

MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Kellner & Kunz AG expands with inconsoWMS Kellner & Kunz is going on the offensive with the expansion of its logistics centre in Wels, Austria. Together with the logistics software specialist inconso GmbH, the realisation phase for the 23,000m2 building extension has begun, by means of which the leading company of the RECA Group is comprehensively modernising existing logistic processes.

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or the new building, consisting of a high bay warehouse with 15,400 pallet locations and 200,000 container locations, the company chose an efficient warehouse management system and warehouse control system from inconso. Loading and shipping of about 2,800 daily deliveries to commercial and industrial companies throughout Austria and eastern Europe will be controlled fully automatically by Kellner & Kunz with inconsoWMS and inconsoWCS. Through the sale of high-quality tools and bolts, as well as extensive C-parts management services for handcrafting and industry, Kellner & Kunz AG has been experiencing steady growth for years. The Group’s last turnover was €273.2 million, an increase of almost 12% compared to 2017. Accordingly, the capacities of the current logistics centre in Wels are reaching their limits. Kellner & Kunz is investing €45 million to add a three-story functional building not far from the existing facility.

When the plant is finished, Kellner & Kunz will continue to rely on highly automated processes. The C-parts specialist stores over 120,000 different positions that can be transparently monitored with inconsoWMS. The company currently supplies more than 60,000 customers in Austria and eleven foreign subsidiaries from Wels and delivery up to the production line is becoming commonplace.

The technical components used for material flows from goods receipt to shipping are special features of the project. These include electric floor conveyors and driverless transport systems for the transport of pallets, container conveyor components in the automatic storage and retrieval systems and shuttle areas (shipping lanes, conveyors, carton erectors, conveyor technology) and sequencing components for handling the pre-picked order containers.

Driverless transport systems are also planned to enable an efficient interplay of the existing and extended building areas for controlling the transport of pre-picked goods from inventory into the new building and replenishment from the existing and the new high bay warehouse. In addition to classic order processing for handicraft and industry customers, the site’s logistics include Kanban delivery, customer specific labelling processes and consolidated goods shipping. In the future, orders for the existing plant will also be controlled via inconsoWMS. With the new software landscape, Keller & Kunz is able to maintain its high performance standards. In the course of the expansion, the company also relies on the ‘human factor’. People with various disabilities first worked in the barrier-free service centre in 2012. Today, about 100 people with disabilities assemble the assembly sets. The company is particularly proud of this and showcases what the logistics of the future can look like.

Berardi wins supply chain award During the celebrations of its centenary, and for the third year in a row, Berardi Fasteners has won the Negotiorum Fucina prize, awarded by the Association of Italian buyers and supply chain management.

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he 2019 edition was titled ‘Value builders – next generation procurement and supply management’.

Berardi won the first prize with Project S-BBK 4.0, a high-tech smart supply system that communicates the quantity of a given material electronically. This allows operators to constantly monitor material stock and makes procurement automatic. When the quantity in a container goes below the point of reorder, the system generates an order that will be shipped regularly on set dates.

For Berardi Fasteners, this is the first major project in the Industry 4.0 era, in which information exchange costs time, money, and influences the company’s perceived value.

This new service complements Berardi’s offer of integrated logistics, keeping its service ahead of the competition. www.gberardi.com

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Smith Bullough

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Adv-FastenerFixingMagazine-92x135mm.indd 3

Fully integrated ERP software specifically designed for Stockists, Distributors, Wholesalers, Merchants & Manufacturers 05/08/19 13:49

ERP Software designed to help businesses in the Fasteners & Fixings industry improve their business efficiency

“Simple & Straightforward to put into use” From Purchasing to Sales to Accounts, Merlin has you covered every step of the way.

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MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS

Real time visibility with OrderWise Proof of Delivery For any businesses fulfilling orders through their own fleet of delivery vehicles, it is important to ensure that drivers are always armed with the tools and information they need.

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ithout visibility of scheduled drop offs and collections, details on the optimum routes to take between stops, and easy access to customer contact details, drivers can quickly become disorganised. This results in more delays and failed deliveries, which ultimately impact customer satisfaction.

As well as providing drivers with the tools they need to deliver orders at their intended destination promptly and on schedule, it is also important for businesses to record when deliveries are successful. To capture this, many businesses will obtain proof of delivery to confirm shipments have arrived safely in the right place.

However, the issue is that many businesses still use paper notes to record proof of delivery signatures, which can result in these getting easily lost, damaged or misplaced in transit.

With OrderWise Transport & Routing, businesses are already provided with a fast, organised method of managing fulfilment and logistics through their own fleet of vehicles. Now further extending the functionality available, OrderWise has recently launched a companion mobile App for Transport & Routing – Proof of Delivery (POD).

Functionality for successful fulfilment

OrderWise POD can be downloaded through the Google Play Store onto an Android device, with the flexibility to configure in-App colours and logos to match company branding.

Drivers can access their calendar and take on runs for customer deliveries, returns, collections or indeed a mixture of both. They will also have full visibility of delivery schedules, including which runs are assigned to which vehicle registration and estimated drop times for each stop.

Through seamless Google Maps integration for intelligent, up to the minute navigation, users can ensure drivers avoid traffic where possible and always take the fastest routes. If drivers need to call customers prior to drops, the OrderWise POD App also provides easy access to customer contact details, with telephone integration for making phone calls if needed.

Then once they arrive at their destination, the Proof of Delivery capture software on the App allows drivers to digitally record recipient signatures. Once the drop has been completed, these will then be accessible within ‘delivery and return history’ should they need to be referred to.

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So, whether its managers looking for at-a-glance insight into delivery progress or drivers looking to manage all aspects of their delivery schedule on-the-road, OrderWise provides the complete transport management solution.

OrderWise robotics impress

OrderWise recently welcomed over 200 delegates to its annual client expo, where it unveiled its latest robotics technology.

The all day event, held at the EPIC Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground, UK, was an opportunity for clients and selected partners to find out about the latest developments in OrderWise software, as well as attend a series of useful business talks.

David Hallam, CEO of OrderWise, said: “This is only our second business expo and I am delighted the event was so well attended – visitors travelled from all over the country from Cornwall to Scotland, and some clients even flew in from Ireland. It was important to us that we provided our clients with a showcase of the latest OrderWise innovations, as well as useful tips to help clients grow their businesses.”

David added: “Our new warehouse robotics were out in full force and clients were able to see exactly how these operate in our warehouse demonstration zone. Seeing the technology brought to life really highlights the benefits – delivering stock directly to the pickers – so businesses can achieve faster fulfilment at a much lower cost.”

The OrderWise warehouse robots are due to be launched later this year with A Perry & Co (Hinges) Ltd, an OrderWise client since 2012.

Guy Perry, director at A Perry, said: “The OrderWise software has been instrumental in streamlining all our business operations, from sales to stock management. The next logical step for us is to move to a warehouse robotics solution in order for us to remain competitive.”

“Our warehouse is being prepped as we speak, and we are excited to benefit from the technology – not only will it give us a cost saving of approximately GB£154,000 per year but it will also maximise efficiency and allow us to keep up with customer demand.”

Delegates to the client expo were also able to hear from guest speakers such as The Wilson Organisation on the importance of insuring your business, Parcel Hub on the rise of the customer review culture, along with Shooting Star offering advice on SEO and a digital marketing strategy. www.orderwise.co.uk

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Warehouse Robotics

“The thing that we found OrderWise are great for, are helping us develop as a joint partner; we don’t look at OrderWise as just a supplier. For us, OrderWise are a partnership, who work very, very closely with us. They come up with some fantastic ideas and they help us to continue to grow.”

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

New extended size range for Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts Unintentional loosening of wheel nuts is a costly and potentially dangerous problem, which can easily be avoided with the use of Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts. A new extended range is now available, from sizes M16 to M24, and can be applied to a wide variety of heavy-duty on-road and off-road applications.

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he Nord-Lock Wheel Nut is based on the proven wedge-locking method, which relies on force rather than friction to keep bolted joints intact, and is considered by many professionals to be the ideal solution for holding vehicle wheels firmly attached to the wheel hub. The size range of this successful design has now been expanded to fit essentially all heavy-duty on-road and off-road vehicles, allowing both drivers and maintenance teams to improve their productivity and safety.

The wheel nut offers several benefits, with the most important one being a secure fit – making it impossible to loosen unintentionally and thereby lowering the risk of accidents. It also leads to reduced costs for manual tightening and inspections, as well as improved peace of mind for both the drivers and the companies that own the vehicles. All of these benefits are achieved due to the proven design, which assures that preload in the wheel nut is always maintained, even when it is exposed to extreme vibrations and dynamic loads.

The Nord-Lock Wheel Nut has become very popular with many transport companies who want reliable locking from a nut that is quick and easy to install, and remove, using only normal hand tools.

EDEKA a good example

EDEKA Südbayern, one of the largest food retailers in Germany, is a big believer in safety and therefore uses Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts extensively. The group has a fleet of about 300 trucks and 475 drivers covering the entire southern part of Germany – driving in shifts, 24 hours a day.

“Safety is more important than money for us,” declares Anton Klott, EDEKA technical director. “And the wheel nut solution from Nord-Lock is a perfect system that increases safety. Earlier, we used to have big problems with loosening wheel nuts. Sometimes they were not properly de-rusted or sometimes the driver forgot to retighten them, and the alternative solutions were always complicated. For example, the driver had to regularly check that certain indicators on the wheel nuts pointed in the right direction. That’s all history now.”

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This is very good news, both for EDEKA and for the general public on roads and highways. Statistics show that loosening of wheel nuts is a big problem and the main reason for wheel detachment – an occurrence that happens more often than you might think. In the UK, for example, there are up to 400 wheel detachments from heavy trucks every year 1 .

The unique design, which helps reduce this kind of accident, is both sophisticated and simple. Every wheel nut comes permanently attached to a pair of Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers, which have cam faces on one side and serrations on the other. “So when the wheel nut is tightened,” explains Stephan Gruber, sales engineer with Nord-Lock Group, “the serrations on the outer faces of the washer grip into both the fastener and the mating surface on the wheel rim, thus creating a tight fit. Each rotation of the nut leads to an immediate increase in preload, hence making self-loosening impossible.”

The extended range of Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts (M16 - M24) offer increased safety for a wide range of on-road and off-road vehicles

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Other vehicles can also benefit

It is not, however, just traditional lorries or HGVs that can take advantage of these wheel nuts. Vehicles used in many other heavy industries and businesses, like agriculture, mining, forestry or aviation can also reap big gains by using this easy to implement insurance against accidental loss of preload.

As an extreme example, in Europe there is a sport called ‘Truck Trial’ which involves giant 13-tonne trucks driving down steep cliffs in a, hopefully, controlled manner. Marcel Schoch is the six-time European champion and star driver of the HS Schoch team, with the German team having used Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts for a long time.

“When you are driving down hills like these, it’s good to know that your wheels are safe,” says Schoch. “We’ve been in some pretty tough situations, but we haven’t had any wheels come loose since we fitted them with Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts.”

Original size has been widely used

The original M22 wheel nut has been very popular with manufacturers and users. Now, in what is good news for many people, the expanded range brings higher productivity, convenience and safety to more vehicles.

“The fact is that these wheel nuts solve numerous problems at the same time, thereby reducing costs and increasing safety,” says Stephan Gruber. “For example,

144 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

they save time by eliminating the need for the drivers to make physical inspections of caps and arrows that indicate loosening.”

“They also save money, since there is no need for retightening, which some companies must do regularly. In addition, by using force instead of friction, lubrication can be applied, which helps prevent rust and its associated problems.”

Wider size range for more on-road and off-road vehicles

“To equip your fleet with Nord-Lock Wheel Nuts, and gain productivity and safety benefits that come with them, don’t hesitate to contact your Nord-Lock representative.” www.nord-lock.com United Kingdom Department of Transport.

Report: Heavy Vehicle Wheel Detachment

1

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Security fasteners for railway Transport systems are an essential element of modern societies providing a vital function with strategic significance. Millions of people travel every day using public transport, commuting for the purpose of work or study; to shop or just for recreation and leisure.

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ransportation systems and infrastructure are increasingly seen as attractive targets for antisocial, criminal and terrorist actions – largely due to their innate openness and their ease of accessibility. Nationally there has been a 12% rise in the number of crimes committed at railway stations in England, Scotland & Wales over the past year.

One way to help stamp out the impact of crime is by ‘target hardening’, which is a term used for making infrastructure physically more resilient to attack. This in turn makes crimes more difficult to commit, increasing the perceived risks involved and often discouraging offenders from committing crimes in the first place.

Hafren Security Fasteners has developed a range of specialist ‘anti-tamper’ fixings, designed to make tampering and removal almost impossible or at least extremely difficult.

Security fasteners are specialised fasteners that are either permanently mechanically fixed (not removable) or have an unconventional drive system meaning it is difficult and near impossible to remove without the matching driver tool.

Security fasteners are often used in areas where an application is accessible to the public, as a means to deter or prevent tampering, vandalism or disassembly. Examples of applications in public transport that rely on the protection of security fasteners include signage, perimeter security, fencing and barrier systems, lighting, street furniture/infrastructure, safety systems, CCTV cameras, call points, alarms and control panels, electrical access points, electrical and signalling cable, as well as bike stations and lockers.

“The ever present threat of terrorism, and the negative and destructive effects of crime and vandalism, means security fastener measures for preventing crime have become a real necessity in mass public transport systems,” comments Hafren. “Being an approved Hafren Fasteners distributor helps establish your business as a specialist in the supply of fasteners and opens the door to a variety of exclusive supply opportunities. Added to this are the great margins on specialist security fasteners and the linked sale opportunity of supplying specialist tooling, alongside fastener sales.” www.hafrenfasteners.com

Lightweight solution for carbon fibre and composite panels EFC International’s offering of the BCT Rivet Nut is a best practice lightweighting solution for attaching carbon fibre and composite panels in automotive. The rivet nuts are manufactured by BBA with BCT® (Bulge Control Technology).

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CT Rivet Nuts are ultra high strength and engineered to prevent cracking or delamination of carbon fibre panels. The patented design enables an engineered yield point on the body of the rivet nut – ensuring the bulge formation always begins beyond the panel and is drawn back on the panel. BCT Rivet Nuts can be placed near the edge of the panel without fear of inducing a crack.

The installation process of BCT Rivet Nuts can be fully process monitored and controlled. They can be installed into areas that offer limited rear side clearance. An M6 rivet nut needs only 8mm of rear side clearance prior to installation and only 5mm after installation.

This is perfect for use in thinner version of sandwich (composite) materials, avoiding the need for a through hole. The bulge of the BCT product is strong enough to form by pushing away any material in the sandwich material.

Additionally, producing BCT Rivet Nuts from aluminium for use in aluminium and magnesium, weight is reduced dramatically.

EFC International is a leading global supplier of speciality engineered metal, plastic, cold formed, spring steel stampings, electrical and assembled component parts to the OEM and distribution markets – serviced from locations in North America, Europe and Asia. www.efc-intl.com

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OUR TECHNICAL APPROVALS FOR YOUR SAFETY!

SUPPLIER TO THE OEM AND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

An “ISO 9001 Approved Supplier”

Further products with our technical approvals: solar fastener, hanger bolts, DIN 931, DIN 933, DIN 934, wedge anchor, bi-metal self-drilling screws, concrete bolts Schäfer + Peters GmbH ● Zeilbaumweg 32 ● DE-74613 Öhringen Tel. +49 (0) 7941 6094-0 ● info@schaefer-peters.com ● www.schaefer-peters.com

Unit 21, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham, LL14 6HA, UK t: +44 (0) 1978 823 900 e: sales@aslgroup.uk.com

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Lindapter Girder Clamps provide solution for cladding system German discount supermarket chain, Lidl, recently built a brand new headquarters in Heilbronn, Germany, which involved the construction of an office building, meeting rooms, a reception facility, cafeteria, underground parking facilities, fitness centre, logistics facilities and outdoor parking facilities.

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art of the development included a requirement for a façade sun protection cladding system for the multistorey staff car park. Main contractor Leonhard Weiss sub-contracted this building element to Colt International, a specialist cladding designer and installer.

The challenge was to find a suitable method of connecting the cladding system to the steel structure on the car park, and one that was easy to install.

The engineers at Colt International designed a T-shaped steel bracket with an end plate incorporating four pre-drilled holes. The Lindapter Type A Girder Clamp, with M12 bolts, was then specified for the end plate connection to achieve the required tensile resistance and safe working load.

A hot dip galvanised finish was also specified for the Girder Clamps to provide a high-level of corrosion protection. The decision to use Lindapter Type A Girder Clamps was influenced by independent technical accreditations, which include CE Marking (ETA – 13/0300), TÜV and Lloyd’s Register approvals.

Secondary steel sections were fixed onto the existing concrete façade in preparation for the T-shaped brackets to be installed.

The brackets were connected to the steel sections using Lindapter Type A Girder Clamps through the end plates in a four bolt configuration.

Installation was quick and easy as each bolt is simply inserted into the pre-drilled holes with the Type A on one end and nut on the other.

The recessed top of the clamp holds the bolt captive while the nut is tightened with a torque wrench to the recommended tightening torque.

This arrangement provided the necessary standoff distance between the original structure and allowed the large cladding panels to be attached to the other end of the T-shaped brackets and complete the installation.

“Lindapter Type A Girder Clamps provided a drilling and weld free connection on-site that was quick and easy to install. The clamps are fully adjustable, which gave the contractor the ability during installation to manoeuvre the brackets into their final positions before fully tightening them,” commented Lindapter.

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APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Electric cars need structurally sound fastening solutions If developers and manufacturers of fasteners wish to succeed, they must face the issue of vehicle electrification – and it’s a topic that Arnold Umformtechnik has been concerned with for some years.

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rnold Umformtechnik GmbH & Co KG began solid and comprehensive work on customers’ projects in this field back in 2016.

“It was the technical progress we made with our Flowform® screw that quickly convinced our customers in this sector that enabled us to enter this market,” explains the company.

Clean and reliable processing is the key feature of the thread rolling fastener, but what lies behind designing fasteners for electric vehicles? One thing is certain. Structurally sound fastening solutions are crucial.

For example, in certain applications it is important that holes are blind, so that any of the tiny particles that inevitably arise during the screw-in process will be caught. It would, of course, be a disaster if a particle were to fall from a through-hole onto a printed circuit board. Then again, there is electric current inside the battery area.

That is why the material that the client uses, and the fastening solution tailored perfectly to it, play a major role.

From Arnold’s perspective, drawing parts also represent an important aspect in developing and selecting the appropriate fastening solution.

“Increasingly, turned parts are being used. Customers are often not aware that with the technology we have today it is possible to form even very complex parts such as sleeves or individual drawing parts.

In appropriate numbers this creates a technical and financial advantage.”

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Early collaboration facilitates the process

For the development engineers at Arnold it is important to work with the client as early as Clean and possible in the pre-development reliable processing process so as to ensure they can with Flowform® give the expert advice on the and Flowform® fastening solution required. The Plus screws fastening specialists are convinced from Arnold Umformtechnik this is the only way to develop and design the optimal component.

At the new metal joining laboratory in Dörzbach, Germany, fastening solutions can be tested under realistic conditions with close-to-series action.

Customers will receive the screw parameters relevant to their specific application.

Besides the fastening solution and the metal joining laboratory tests, Arnold’s customers can also order the appropriate screwdriving technology, perfectly tailored and implemented – with the company’s long-standing partners – for each application.

In the case of the battery pack Arnold brings the company’s entire product range into play – Flowform for the cover, Taptite®, or even drawing parts, for various other fastenings. Arnold’s customers include OEMs and suppliers in the electric vehicle sector.

Close-to-series action can be achieved under realistic conditions in the metal joining laboratory.

Customers receive the screw parameters relevant to their specific application

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Battery powered mobile stud welding

As a specialist for fastening technology SOYER has presented its new generation of mobile stud welding units with high-end battery technology.

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n the world of stud welding devices, the newly developed battery powered stud welders BMS-9 ACCU and BMK-8i ACCU are lightweights – weighing only 7.2kg and 8kg respectively. These stud welders offer maximum mobility and flexibility with optimal energy efficiency. They are ideal for mobile working where there is no access to electric grid power, such as with installation work. Even longer transport distances between different working areas can be easily covered without any excessive physical exertion being entailed.

Despite the devices’ limited weight, they prove themselves to be a compact, robust, powerful and very helpful piece of equipment to work with. When needed, the battery of the compact stud welders can be charged quickly and easily – either with an external charging device or via an integrated charging module. Thanks to this fact, the operator experiences practically no loss of effective working time.

METAL SHEETS

SOLID PARTS

PLASTIC

COMPOSITES

Crown-Nut is a revolutionary response to the need of creating threaded seats at the head of tubes, either round or square ones. It is a system that solves any anchoring issues of ontube machining processes, guaranteeing a superior holding performance.

Crown-Nut, like any Specialinsert® product, is guaranteed by the experience of a company that, since 1974, is a leader in the field of fastening systems.

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Laboratory and test services at our own and the only test laboratory in Turkey accredited acc.to ISO/EN 17025 Wind Energy

6500 hours of alt sprey tested special fasteners for the Mega Project of clean water pipelines under 250 meters of Mediterranean Sea from Turkey to North Cyprus

10.9 class of Anchorbolts for Europe's second World's fourth Longest Suspension Bridge of Japanese Contructor IHI over Bosphorus

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www.berdancivata.com Berdan Cıvata Somun Makine Laboratuvar Hizmetleri Tic.San. A.S. MTOSB 5. Cadde No: 6 Huzurkent / Tarsus 33540 Mersin, Turkiye • T: +90 324 6764490-2 (Pbx) • F: +90 324 6764493 • Email: info@berdancivata.com

• Hydroelectric Power Plants • Stadiums • Defence Industry • Railways & High Speed Trains • Terminal, Hangars & Tunnels

It is not just our production, but our solutions that make us a Leader.

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

Demonstrating the lightweight potential in hybrid automotive body parts In a comprehensive joint study, Henkel and RLE International have examined and validated the potential of high performance structural foam for lightweighting in automotive body and closure parts.

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he study revealed that fibre reinforced polymer components with structural foam ribbing and reinforcements can save more than 40kg of weight per car versus conventional all metal designs.

Body components and especially closures have always been in the focus of lightweighting in automotive engineering, since they form some of the biggest parts of vehicles. Even one tenth of a millimetre in thickness can mean several kilos in overall weight, with subsequent effects on fuel or electrical power consumption, as well as carbon emissions. In most modern cars, however, the engineering limit on thickness and steel grades are definitely a challenge, so further thickness reductions can create problems in meeting the required mechanical strength and crash protection.

“In a radical new approach, we investigated the possibilities of overcoming these constraints by replacing traditional all metal designs with hybrid fibre and structural foam reinforced polymer solutions,” says David Caro, head of global engineering, OEM design, automotive and transportation at Henkel. “The results of our study have confirmed that we can achieve significant further weight reductions without compromising the safety in typical crash scenarios by optimising the stiffness of fibre reinforced plastic frames or carriers with selective foam ribbing and reinforcements, with competitive costs.”

With the optimised structural hybrid design, the buckling (displacement) of the door panel under load was effectively minimised The hybrid parts feature a solid frame or carrier moulded in higher percent fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) and selective reinforcements using Henkel’s Teroson EP structural foam, a commercially available epoxy-based material that delivers high strength and stiffness at extremely low weight. The foam is injected into the carrier at predefined sections, expands in the e-coat oven and creates a stiff connection between the hybrid component and adjacent parts in the body-in-white.

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Non-cured, it is resistant to normal automotive washing and phosphating solutions, as well as to electro-dip coating. Curing then takes place within 15 minutes or less, depending on the specific foam grade.

The comprehensive project included all major body and closure parts of an SUV vehicle, from the bumpers, fenders, pillars and doors to the rocker panel, side panels and tailgate. “The final designs were arrived at in several consecutive optimisation cycles, based on extensive finite-element engineering and crash simulations in-line with standard specifications,” explains Tobias Wigand, project manager, new business development, RLE International. “In some cases, such as the side doors, our hybrid structural plastic and foam solution was even capable of exceeding the expected performance when compared with the initial all aluminium design.”

The crash simulations performed in the study strictly adhered to demanding international automotive standards, such as offset and small overlap frontal crash testing according to the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) at speeds of 64km/h and 50km/h, respectively. The side (or pole) crash performance was tested according to US NCAP specifications at 32km/h. The rear impact scenario was simulated with a 60km/h moving barrier onto a fixed test vehicle as defined by US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 301. Another IIHS test standard was applied to establish the roof crush behaviour.

Altogether, the hybrid designs with Henkel’s Teroson EP structural foam were found to pass all these tests well within the limits of deformation and intrusion, while offering substantial weight savings versus conventional all metal components. Henkel and RLE International are offering their hybrid structural design technology as an encompassing joint approach from concept to launch and series production, ensuring the process security and sustainability of all development, engineering and material processes. Each design is fully engineered and optimised for all pertinent crash load cases according to customer specifications and applicable industry standards.

APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY

DELO sets world record for strongest adhesive DELO, a manufacturer of industrial adhesives for automotive, consumer and industrial electronics applications, has broken the world record for having the heaviest lift using an adhesive – lifting a 17.5 tonne truck, which has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records.

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n order to demonstrate that DELO offers not only the fastest and most versatile adhesives in the world, but also the strongest, the company decided to take on the challenge of setting a new world record. Customers of DELO rightly presuppose that the high-tech adhesives reliably bond parts together. Nevertheless, an extraordinary strength is always a fascinating feat of engineering.

For the world record attempt, a 17.5 tonne truck was lifted by a crane to a height of one meter with only 3g of adhesive. The entire weight hung for one hour on a bonded aluminium cylinder with a radius of just 3.5cm. This corresponds to the diameter of a standard soft drink can. With the new record, DELO is 7% above the previous official record of 16.3 tonnes.

In addition to the roughly 600 DELO employees, two local politicians accompanied the record attempt as witnesses and were impressed with the success of the company. An official adjudicator from Guinness World Records was also present to confirm the record and congratulate the company.

“We made it. The great result is an absolute team success, which also shows how we work every day. We don’t shy away from challenges and we know our adhesives can live up to extremes,” proudly commented Sabine Herold, managing partner of DELO. The strongest adhesive in the world, specially developed for the record attempt, is a high temperature resistant DELO MONOPOX. The one component, heat curing epoxy resins in this product group are known for their high strength and are used in the automotive industry and mechanical engineering. Electric motors in electric cars, for example, would be inconceivable without these adhesives.

• THREADED INSERTS • SPRING STEEL CLIPS • SHEET METAL FASTENERS • THREADFORMING SCREWS • ELECTRONIC HARDWARE • TURNED PARTS

Tel: +44 (0) 1246 296 930 fasteners@harrisonsilverdale.co.uk www.harrisonsilverdale.co.uk

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

A new member of the safety washer family Growermetal’s R&D department has developed the Grower Tenkeep® safety washer family. Launched at this year’s Fastener Fair Stuttgart, the washers have two surfaces with knurls of different geometry, specifically designed in order to ensure maximum performance against loosening of the bolted joints – even in the presence of extreme vibrations and dynamic loads.

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he Grower Tenkeep® family of washers is the first innovation to come out of Growermetal’s own R&D internal process. “In our kind of work, it’s very difficult to find something new. We have been active in the automotive industry for many years and so have developed experience and know-how about safety washers and our new Grower Tenkeep has been the fruit of all of this. That is why we are extremely proud of the Grower Tenkeep - yes it’s a member of the already large safety washer family, but it is working very well based on a friction principle with many advantages,” explains Paolo Cattaneo, managing director at Growermetal Srl. The washer has two sides with different serration geometry. The side of the washer on the head of the screw/nut side (side A) slides against the surface of the underhead of the screw/nut when tightening the bolted joint. The advanced serration geometry of this side instead counteracts very efficiently the loosening of the bolted joint connection.

This side of the washer also has a chamfer on the hole, which provides the dual function of avoiding any interference with the radius under the screw head and allows the user to orientate the washer correctly.

The side of the washer that is in contact with the bearing surface (side B) becomes immediately solid to the bearing surface when the bolted joint is tightened, thanks to the exceptional grip of its knurling.

The washer then remains permanently solid to the bearing surface.

“We’ve had some really positive feedback from our customers on a technical viewpoint so far and our initial test results are looking very positive – we know we’ve created a quality product. We also won 3rd place in the Route to Fastener Innovation Competition at this year’s Fastener Fair Stuttgart – which had its highest ever number of innovations entered,” proudly states Paolo.

Growermetal points out that there are three main technical advantages to the Grower Tenkeep washer: The friction conditions are defined and uniform – not depending on the material or on the mechanical characteristics of the bearing surface. As a consequence, the tightening torque to be applied in order to achieve the desired screw preload is always the same.

During tightening and untightening of the bolted joint, the Grower Tenkeep washer does not damage the bearing surface, even on galvanised, painted or soft surfaces.

The untightening torque is significantly higher (+40% minimum) than the tightening torque.

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Grower Tenkeep safety washers are manufactured in three different versions – medium series (ideal for hexagonal head bolts), large series (ideal for flange headed bolts and for bearing surfaces made of soft materials such as aluminium, plastics, etc), and the cylindrical series (ideal for cylindrical head bolts). All three versions can be used with bolts of all strength classes up to 12.9.

Another recent addition to Growermetal’s portfolio is the family of spherical washers and conical seats, according to DIN 6319. “After Fastener Fair Stuttgart we had quite a lot of demand to produce this standard product,” commented Paolo.

The spherical washer, used in combination with the conical seat, guarantees a safe locking function on non-parallel bearing surfaces – when the hole and bolt are not perfectly aligned. Working together, the spherical washer and conical seat will compensate each other to a maximum of 3 degrees. These washers are available with surface treatments such as burnishing with light oil film protection, phosphating and others on request.

For many years Growermetal has been able to offer heat treatment due to its modern on-site heat treatment plant, with two new fully bespoke heat treatment lines being added this, and next, year to its site in Calco, Italy.

“We decided it was time to expand our heat treatment facility and we aim to increase our capacity by almost 70% to better serve our customers. These new lines are fully bespoke to us and are built and engineered on-site,” mentioned Paolo.

The first line is due to be fully operational by the end of this year. www.growermetal.com/ grower-tenkeep/

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

New innovation for lockbolts Star Fasteners has developed a clever colour changing indicator that visually verifies if its lockbolts have been installed correctly.

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he new red coating helps to improve final product quality checks, crucially making pre-assembled, uninstalled fasteners much easier to identify. Dan Starbuck, director at Star Fasteners, explains: “We were asked by a customer to remove welding from their production process in a safety critical application. We worked with them to specify in a lockbolt pin and collar fastener.”

“They were very pleased with the outcome as the manufacture time was halved and health and safety issues associated with welding were completely removed. There was just one concern and that was at the final quality inspection stage (PDI). Their question of ‘how can we tell that a Lockbolt has been installed completely?’ needed to be addressed.”

“To a trained eye this is simple, but the customer wanted further assurance. We developed the lockbolt colour changing collar coating to give a clear visual warning; if the collar is red it is an instant indication that the fastener hasn’t been correctly installed or fully swaged.”

The Lockbolt fastener is a two-part fastening system that consists of a pin and collar.

“Lockbolts are installed using a direct tension technique in which the pin is pulled and the collar is simultaneously swaged into the locking grooves of the pin. The material is clamped together, which creates structure and strength,” explains Dan Starbuck.

“In most cases,

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lockbolts can replace welding.

They are faster, safer, more productive and an environmentally friendly alternative method of joining.

Advanced, two piece fasteners are installed using a torque-free, direct tension, swaged-on method, providing for a reliable installation. This method of joining ensures a consistent clamp, which is the key to a strong, reliable hold – so users know the joint is permanent and vibration resistant.”

The patent pending colour changing lockbolt collar coating is applied by Star Fasteners. A visible change occurs when the collar is swaged, in this case from red (uninstalled) to silver (installed). Dan Starbuck continues: “It’s a definite visual that the fastener has been installed correctly. The bright red colouring, which you can see when the collar has not been swaged, is very easy to see. If for example a fastener has been accidentally missed in the production process, the nose assembly is damaged or is becoming worn, or a collar has only been part swaged, then the red coating can be used as a precursory visual indicator, great for quality control purposes.”

Star Fasteners points out that some lockbolt collars have swage bumps or bar indicators on the flange, which are partially flattened on installation. However, these cannot necessarily be easily seen from a distance or in low light.

Operators and quality managers have to be fully aware of their correct installation and if necessary, carry out additional checks using a swage gauge to identify fasteners that have not been correctly installed. The advantage of Star Fasteners’ method means operators do not require that level of familiarity. All they need to know is that a red collar has not yet been installed.

Dan concludes: “While a new development, the colour changing lockbolt collar has proved to be popular and is already in use with a number of chassis builders. With the implications of product recalls in terms of time, monetary cost and brand reputation, this innovation appears likely to be a requirement in automotive production and safety critical applications.”

“In fact, potential applications for the colour changing lockbolt collar are as varied as they are for a standard lockbolt, including solar and wind power, agricultural and commercial vehicles and machinery, rail, bridge building, screening equipment, portable/ steel framed buildings and other industrial applications.” www.starfasteners.co.uk

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SELF-DRILLING & SELF-TAPPING

SCREWS

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Wooden nails used in the BUGA wooden pavilion One of the key highlights at the National Garden Show 2019 (BUGA), running from 17th April – 6th October 2019 in Heilbronn, Germany, is the bionic research pavilions of the University of Stuttgart. With LignoLoc® wood nails from BECK Fastener Group playing a ‘binding’ role in the self-supporting wooden pavilion.

Tradition meets future: Wooden nails set by robotic hand

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he breath-taking wooden pavilion stretches like a roof 30m over the summer island of the BUGA 2019 and represents an architectural masterpiece of digital timber construction. The shell construction was entirely digitally planned and consists of 376 tailor-made individual segments, which were manufactured exclusively by robots. At the BUGA the segments were assembled like a 3-dimensional puzzle to a pavilion with 30m span in just 10 days.

As it is often the case with architectural masterpieces, nature is the model also for this lightweight construction project. Thus, the self-supporting construction was modelled on the plate skeleton of the sea urchin. In order to keep the basis weight low, the individual segments were made hollow. They are composed of two panels glued to a wooden frame.

Layer protection with LignoLoc® wooden nails

In order to avoid downtime in robot production, LignoLoc® wooden nails were shot in addition to the adhesive. The wooden nails fixed the moulded parts until the adhesive hardened. 18,000 pieces of beech wooden nails were processed by a robotic arm in the design without unduly affecting the basis weight. Even in the subsequent high precision milling of the segments, the nails could be processed without problems.

The resulting lightweight construction segments were connected with each other by box joints and functions as a form active supporting frame, which also convinces aesthetically.

Until 6th October the wooden pavilion and the fibre pavilion – another project of the University of Stuttgart – can be admired at the BUGA 2019. Thereafter, the structure can be dismantled without damage and reinstalled elsewhere.

Adve

The Eurofast® Adjustable Screw (EAS) combined with our tube washers, is the mechanical fastener for tapered insulation The EAS / tube washer combination offers full confidence in a correct fixation of the roofing system, by means of visible clamping of the roofing membrane.

NOW AVAILABLE !

www.eurofast.nl

sales@eurofast.nl | +31(0)493 315 885 Eurofast® is the trade name of Van Roij Fasteners Europe B.V.

EAS_Advertentie-190x135-EN_NLadres.indd 1

15-8-2019 16:00:52

Zinc Alloy Inserts Steel Inserts Brass Threaded Inserts Furniture Connectors

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

tel: fax: email: web:

+44 (0) 121 439 7329 +44 (0) 121 439 7346 sales@theinsertcompany.com www.theinsertcompany.com

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

One stop solution for anti-vibration and safety fasteners Gala Precision Engineering Pvt Ltd is a one stop solution for anti-vibration and safety fasteners for heavy vibration applications.

Offering a wide range of anti-vibration products, including wedge-lock washers, serrated washers, Belleville washers as per DIN 6796 and also disc springs as per DIN 2093 and customised products.

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ala Precision points out that its products are successfully tested and approved for various tests including fatigue, vibration (Junker), clamp, proof load, and various other tests, at premier testing institutes and laboratories such as Siegen, Aachen Universities and IMA Dresden in Germany, UKAS in UK and ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) in India.

The company’s plants are also audited and approved by global leading companies including ABB, Alstom GE, Brembo, Case, Delphi, Dana, Emerson, John Deere, Knorr-Bremse, Tata, Rane TRW, Schneider, Siemens and Valeo.

Gala Precison’s manufacturing facilities are located near Mumbai in India, with over 60% of products exported to more than 25 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. The company also has an office in Germany and a warehouse and office in China.

“Our expertise lies in processing a variety of raw materials such as chrome vanadium steel 50CrV4 and 51CrV4, work hardened stainless steel 301, 304, and 316, Inconel 718 and X750, precipitation hardened steel such as 17/7 PH and other variety of spring steels,” explains Gala.

Gala also has in-house specialisation, and partnerships, for offering surface treatments such as mechanical zinc plating (Cr6 free), phosphating, zinc flake coating (like GEOMET®, DELTA-TONE and Magni), zinc silicate, blackodising, powder and epoxy coating with salt spray life up to 1,000 hours.

To add to this the company also has complete in-house inspection and testing facilities such as counter profile measurement, optical inspection, automatic sorting systems, coating thickness measurement, plus load and fatigue testing. “We are committed to quality products and exercise strict quality control guaranteed by ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and VDA 6.3 certification. Our team of qualified and experienced mechanical engineers are also ready to help customers with technical queries.” www.galagroup.com

ET (4 PCS) S T R E P X TER E NEW! DUS xpert Adapter E · 1 x Duster xpert (Ø 6 /8 /10 mm) E · 3 x Duster

DUSTER EXPERT EXTRACTION DRILL BITS The innovative 2 in 1 drill bit: Now also available in a practical set!

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

stamping out the impact of theft globally

A note of colour for Rivit blind rivets

Known for its production and distribution of fasteners and tools for sheet metal assembly and working, Rivit Srl also underlines that its blind rivets can be made in all RAL table colours.

E

nsuring a beautiful aesthetical result even when directly applied on painted surfaces, the most commonly used RAL colours are grey white (RAL9002), chocolate brown (RAL8017), moss green (RAL6005), oxide red (RAL3009), and colours such as antique copper, anthracite grey, and copper coloured – ideal for fastening aluminium laminates.

Blind rivets are a fastening system that allows users to make rapid blind joints, working from one side of the workpiece only – providing a simple rapid installation. Installed in just three phases – insertion into the hole, deformation of the rivet body and breaking of the mandrel.

Blind rivets also come with different types of head, including dome, countersunk or large and are available in materials such as aluminium, galvanised steel, copper, stainless steel, cupro-nickel and monel.

The copper body blind rivets are also available with their mandrel in steel, brass or bronze – making them an optimal solution for fastenings on copper bodies. Cupronickel blind rivets (90% copper plus 10% nickel alloy) are widely used in roofing because they are more easily soldered in fastenings on stainless steel parts.

For the installation of blind rivets, there are the specific Rivit riveting tools, which can be either hydropneumatic, cordless or hand tools. www.rivit.it

Stafa – trust in quality As a business Stafa Group is committed to quality, both for the quality of the products it supplies customers, as well as the quality of its internal processes to ensure an optimised service to the customer.

S For more security fasteners visit; www.hafrenfasteners.com Or call us

+44 (0)1686 621 300 Or email

sales@hafrenfasteners.com Don’t forget to follow us

tafa guarantees its fasteners comply with the most stringent safety standards and are CE approved where applicable. The company performs random checks on incoming products in its own quality department, where it carries out tensile tests and checks for thread deviations. It also performs hardness measurements, microscopic and optical (surface) checks and salt spray – with certificates available upon request.

A new addition to the quality department is the Keyence IM7020 optical measuring system, which enables the company to inspect products quickly, consistently and easily. “The new Keyence machine underlines our commitment to quality and enables us to carry additional checks,” explains Pim van Leeuwen, commercial director at Stafa Group. “The machine also supports large and tall objects (up to 4x the measurement volume) and it measures obscured areas.”

Stafa Group also monitors quality outside the head office through branches in China and Taiwan, which allows it to stay close to its suppliers. “We work with carefully selected – and often certified – manufacturers,” notes Pim. “This integrated approach allows us to monitor product quality each and every day.”

In addition to its product quality, Stafa is also certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 and it monitors all its processes, to ensure a consistently high service to its customers. “Our quality management system enables us to continuously improve our processes,” points out Pim. “This means that process quality is an integral part of the whole organisation, and we are constantly pushing ourselves to get better at what we do. This is how we excel and exceed our customers’ expectations.” www.stafa.nl

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Hilti innovations win product design awards Hilti’s product design has once again been proven successful by winning several Red Dot and iF design awards, with both competitions citing the DX 9-HSN, a fully automatic powder-actuated nailer for fastening profiled metal sheeting to steel decks.

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ne significant design development factor of the DX 9-HSN was the ergonomics.

The stand-up operating position relieves stress on the operator’s back while the handle cushions the tool’s recoil, protecting the wrists, elbows and shoulders of the operator. The display, which is integrated into the handle, also shows the user when the tool requires maintenance in real time, helping to avoid unplanned downtime.

The second tool receiving both the Red Dot and iF awards is the PM 40-MG multi-line laser, used for plumbing, levelling, aligning and squaring when installing drywall, supply pipes and cables runs. The green laser is four times more visible than red laser lines and can be identified from a distance of 25 metres in bright light. Hilti’s Metal Blade Axicon technology ensures that the tool stands up to construction site conditions by protecting all sensitive diodes and prisms against drops and rough handling.

A Red Dot Award was also given to the new TE 60-A36 cordless combihammer. Hilti reset the bar for battery powered performance with this tool while adapting cordless flexibility to even include heavy-duty drilling and chiseling work. The modest weight and low level of vibration generated by the tool also ensure precise and comfortable work over a lengthier period of operation. The SC 60W-A36 cordless circular saw, which also exhibits ergonomic balance suited to longer operation and was developed specifically for the North American construction market, also received a Red Dot Award. This tool features, among others, a fast acting blade brake and minimised kickback for added safety.

The juries of both product design competitions primarily assessed the submissions according to design and ergonomics, degree of innovation, product quality and functionality.

Bülte’s slotted capstan screw DIN 404 Bülte’s range of screws has recently been extended with the ‘slotted capstan screw DIN 404’ range, which is composed of an enlarged cylindrical head, a straight slot on the top of the head and two radial holes on each side of the head.

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his new range of screws is fully in nylon, contrary to the metal DIN 404 screws usually available on the market. In comparison with the metallic fasteners, nylon fasteners offer various advantages; they are lighter, cheaper, and easier to recycle. They do not conduct electricity and are also not subject to corrosion.

Slotted capstan screws have a unique design in that head, which is similar to a cheese/pan head in shape, that includes two holes bored through the side of the head at 90 degrees to one another – serving a dual purpose. Firstly, the slotted capstan screw DIN 404 may be tightened by inserting a tee bar into the holes – when it is not possible to use a screwdriver to tighten the screw. Secondly, locking wires can be attached to the cross holes to secure the screw.

Slotted capstan screws DIN 404 are designed to be either tightened or loosened from the side rather than from the top, by inserting a small bar into one of the side radial holes in the head. This is very useful when there is restricted access to the top of the screw.

Slotted capstan screws DIN 404 are also applicable in such areas as machine building, instrument making, as well as industrial sectors for bonding structural elements from various materials.

In term of design, the standard colour of the slotted capstan screw DIN 404 is natural nylon. However, polyamide can be coloured on request according to the RAL chart, meaning the slotted capstan screw DIN 404 range will be in line with every kind of industrial application, whatever their colour might be. www.bulte.com

168 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

SPECIAL

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Nedomická 494, 277 16 Všetaty, The Czech Republic Call for information +420

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PRODUCTS + TOOLS

New cordless impact wrench from HAZET

HAZET has introduced a powerful cordless impact wrench with a power of 18V (5Ah). The basic unit is optionally available solo or with a charger and one or two batteries and is listed under article number 9212-1000 with a square output of size 12.5mm (1/2 inch) or under article number 9213-1000 with a 20mm square (3/4 inch).

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he impact wrench is highly efficient in the way it works. There is no need to change carbon brushes thanks to its brush-free DC motor. Plus, its high efficiency helps keep battery consumption low. The compact DC brush motor ensures its dimensions are as small as possible, enabling the tool to remain relatively light with a weight of just 3.64kg. Its dimensions are 278mm x 230mm x 89.5mm including the battery. The basic unit has three selectable performance levels for torque screw tightening: 1st level: Approximately 180Nm at 0rpm – 400rpm.

2 nd level: Approximately 400Nm at 0rpm – 800rpm.

3rd level: Approximately 1,000Nm at 0rpm – 1,800rpm.

The sturdy housing is suitable for continuous operation in professional workshops. When operating the switch, the work area is clearly illuminated by the integral LEDs before the first movement by the output. The cordless impact wrench has a multistage forward/reverse mechanism and comes with a belt clip (for attachment on both sides). The maximum

tightening torque is 1,000Nm, and maximum loosening torque an impressive 1,400Nm. This means pre-tightening can be limited to the values 180Nm, 400Nm, and 1,000Nm, at the press of a button. All sets are supplied in a sturdy plastic box and are compatible with all batteries from the HAZET range of rechargeable batteries.

High-quality lithium ion battery

The batteries are included in the sets 9212-1000/3 and 9212-1000/4 or 9213-1000/3 and 9213-1000/4. The lithium ion batteries have a much lower self-discharge than conventional NiMH batteries (about 2% compared to 15% – 25%). Featuring a memory effect, they have more than double the energy density of nickel-cadmium batteries and around three times the nominal voltage of nickel-metal hydride batteries. The lithium ion models consist of individual cells each with 3.6V. Once fully charged, however, they have a higher voltage overall. A peak voltage up to 20V is possible with five cells. The charging time for 5Ah batteries is about 80 minutes, but several complete charging cycles are needed to attain full capacity.

Double-X hose clamp pliers offer convenient solution When disconnecting the fuel pipe from the filter housing, VAG fuel filter hose clamps can prove tricky to remove due to their spring loaded design.

W

hilst other hose clamp pliers require constant and even pressure to be applied to the plier handles to successfully slide the clamps along the fuel pipe, the Sykes-Pickavant Double-X hose clamp plier features an innovative ratchet lock, which retains the open position of the clamp for quick and easy removal.

Due to the brittle nature of this hose clamp type, they are also susceptible to snapping under the uneven pressure, applied using regular hose clamp pliers, which can be avoided using the Sykes-Pickavant solution, allowing removed clamps to be refitted and reused as required.

Two versions of Skyes-Pickavant Double-X hose clamp pliers are available; the 03277000 straight plier and 03278000 bent plier – both with a new multi-angle gripping head for increased access possibilities in hard to reach areas and narrow spaces.

NYLON FASTENERS

Global Inch - Fasteners

for more than 40 Years ®

Fax: (+ 49) 02591/9194- 34

bulte@bulte.com - www.bulte.com

60

FOR MORE THAN

BÜLTE GmbH - Kunststofferzeugnisse D 59348 Lüdinghausen - Germany Te l : ( + 4 9 ) 0 2 5 9 1 / 9 1 9 4 - 0

Y E A R S

Tel.: +49 (0) 71 32/99 60-0 • Fax.: +49 (0) 71 32/99 60-60

www.schroederschrauben.de

Türk imalatın mükemmelliği Fastener & Fixing Dergisi Türk üreticilerini destekliyor Ocak 2020’ye özel “Made in Turkey” özel edisyon Fastener Fair Turkey 2020’de dağıtılacaktır Mac Rahman – Satış Müdürü Email: mac.rahman@fastenerandfixing.com Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 507

Bu, şirketinizi 50.000’den fazla sektör profesyoneline sunmak için mükemmel bir fırsattır. Özel paketimiz, şirketinizin nitelikleri, güçlü yönleri ve yetenekleri hakkında uluslararası bir izleyici kitlesi önünde farkındalık oluşturmak için harika bir yol sunar.

Bu fırsat sadece iki yılda bir gerçekleşiyor, şimdi size nasıl yardımcı olabileceğimizi öğrenmek için satış müdürü Mac Rahman ile iletişime geçmenin zamanı geldi.

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

ARK to expand branded tool range ARK has announced that the complimentary ARK branded battery tool range is the first phase of it introducing a complete ARK branded tool range, which will include ARK hand tools and ARK pneumatic tools – providing more products to help enhance distributors' customer margins.

A

RK underlines that its branded battery tools are satisfying distributors demands for stock, reliability and performance.

The distributors purchasing ARK branded products are also enjoying enhanced margin sales on the ARK rivet and rivet nut product range.

Steve Auld, managing director at ARK, explains: “My recent trip to the ARK factory has given us new levels of energy and motivation as the continued commitment and support from our licenced factories is powering the ARK brand into 2019/2020 with new product launches."

"In 2019 we have seen five new product launches, those being ARK aluminium coloured multi-grip rivets, ARK aluminium black and white coloured standard rivets, ARK steel and stainless steel closed end rivet nuts, as well as the ARK battery tool range. Of course, more is planned for 2020 and the future.”

Steve continues: “Launching a new brand into an established market was always going to be a risk, but the support from our factories and distributors, from conception to now, has been a very humbling experience and we will continue in our commitment to supporting distributors with ARK products in the general industrial market. There is much more to come from ARK branded products and the approved distributors.” www.arkbrandedrivets.co.uk

Made in Taiwan

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

New lines of Jubilee® clips from SD Products Three new lines of Jubilee® clips are now available from SD Products, with these sturdy worm drive hose clips ideal for a variety of applications.

J

ubilee® clips have a band that is continuously threaded, enabling extra flexibility when adjusting the clip to the correct size. The smooth inside profile of the band and rolled edges give protection for all types of hoses, including soft hoses made from rubber or silicone.

The three new lines available from SD Products include: Mild Steel Jubilee® clips: Original Range Jubilee® Clips in zinc protected mild steel are the most popular Jubliee clips. They are ideally suited for most day-to-day requirements; joining hose in areas such as the automotive industry and the automotive aftermarket, agricultural applications such as irrigation and

farm machinery, pneumatic and hydraulic applications in the industrial sector, as well as hardware/DIY applications and in construction.

304 Stainless Steel Jubilee® clips: The most versatile of clips in the Jubilee range, is the Original Range Jubilee® hose clips in 304 (18/8) stainless steel, which are widely used across all industries where hose clips are used, as well as for other applications. Their corrosion resistance enables their use in the marine, oil and gas, and food sectors, as well as the agricultural, hardware and industrial sectors, where higher corrosion resistance is required.

316 Stainless Steel Jubilee® clips: The Original Range Jubilee hose clips with the highest corrosion resistance, the 316 (18/10) stainless steel Jubilee clips, are the hose clip of preference in shipbuilding and maintenance when the highest level of corrosion resistance is demanded. Other areas they can be used are the food and chemicals industries, where highly corrosive acids can be present, and this material grade is also favoured by the oil and gas industry. www.sdproducts.co.uk

One-sided connection – versatile options With the expansion of its product range in the field of blind rivet technology, WASI offers corrosion resistant solutions for quick and easy assembly. All of which can be used in a large number of applications with restricted component accessibility.

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lind rivet technology has become an essential part of many modern industrial processes in which connecting technology is required due to its cost-effectiveness and versatility. Riveting technology is used in all areas of manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic pre and final assembly. As a specialist for stainless steel fasteners, WASI offers a wide range of corrosion resistant blind rivet technology in A2 and A4 materials. In order to meet market requirements and customer demands, knurled blind rivet nuts, flat head blind rivets made of A4 material, and sealing blind rivets, have been included in the WASI stock range.

Because of the quick and easy assembly, blind rivet technology is suitable for a variety of applications. It is versatile and easy to use due to its one-sided processing capability. It reliably, quickly and easily connects various flat components, such as sheet metal, wood, steel, aluminium and plastic, as well as hollow bodies, profiles and pipes. Compared to welding, no heating is necessary during assembly and still provides a strong and permanent connection. The deformation of the rivet produces a positive riveted connection between

174 FASTENER + FIXING MAGAZINE // ISSUE 119 SEPTEMBER 2019

several components. Blind rivet nuts also produce a thread in the component. Blind rivet technology is cost-effective because it is easy to handle, saves time and can be integrated into automated assembly processes.

An important field of application for blind rivet technology are lightweight constructions made of aluminium. The corrosion resistance of stainless steel blind rivet technology, in particular, makes WASI articles interesting for industries such as the metal industry, the construction industry, shipbuilding, the automotive supplier and automotive industry, manufacturers of household devices, fittings and electrical engineering. The colour design in the visible area plays an increasingly important role in many different areas. Typical applications for blind rivets with head coating are façade construction, high-quality roller shutters and sun protection systems, as well as the sanitary sector. On request, WASI also offers its customers head painting by powder coating according to RAL or NCS. The WASI range includes blind rivet nuts from M4 – M10, blind rivets from diameter 2.5mm – 6.4mm and suitable tools. www.wasi.de.en

Standard Listed – you know who’s best!

But contact us for all the rest . . .

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

FA S T E N E R S & F I X I N G T EC H N O LO GY

Online Product Guide:

Non-preferred Metrics ~ Intermediate Sizes Short and Long Lengths ~ Slotted Grub Screws A4/80 Bolts & Socket Caps ~ 6 Lobe (TX) Drive Screws All Metal Self-Locking Nuts ~ Studding Connectors And many more...

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

Tel: +44 (0) 117-972 8560 Fax: +44 (0) 117-972 8570 sales@avonstainlessfasteners.co.uk www.avonstainlessfasteners.co.uk Unit 10, Riverside Business Park, St Anne’s, Bristol, BS4 4ED

Extensive product range expansion C

C-parts diversity for industry and

M

commerce

Y

CM

Immediately available

MY

CY

Order quickly and flexibly in our

CMY

webshop

K

T: +44 (0)1634 281200 www.jubileeclips.co.uk

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

PRODUCTS + TOOLS

Fixi range of rivet tools extended

Fixi Srl produces and distributes a wide range of fastening systems such as blind rivets, threaded inserts, welding studs, self-clinching fasteners, as well as wire inserts, fasteners for plastics and inserts for tubes.

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he extensive Fixi fastening systems catalogue is completed by the offer of professional equipment designed to speed up the installation of fasteners.

This includes hand and oleo-pneumatic rivet nut and rivet tools, as well as new battery-operated riveting tools, presses for self-clinching fasteners, plus accessories and tooling for wire inserts.

Among the 2019 novelties, Fixi has introduced the new 021600 oleo-pneumatic riveting tool, a smaller and lighter tool specific for setting rivets of 2.4mm, 3mm and 3.2mm diameter, which complements the well-established F1, F2, F3 and F4 series of riveting tools.

The ergonomic design and the lighter weight ensures comfort during handling and low fatigue during use.

Fixi can also supply the 02RBZ battery powered riveter is a very speedy setting tool, complete with a rear mandrel collector, able to pull even 5mm diameter stainless steel rivets.

The long battery lifecycle, the low noise emissions, and light weight, makes it a very versatile setting tool easy to handle for its transportation. Fixi is also planning to introduce the new 02RBZPlus riveting tool for stainless steel rivets up to 6.4mm diameter.

Fixi also offers its customers a series of exclusive advantages, such as the customised package labelling service and the possibility to produce specially designed fasteners based on customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements and drawings.

Through the website, demonstration videos can be viewed and the complete updated catalogues of the full range of products can be downloaded. www.fixi.it

Een solide verbinding Eine feste Verbindung A fixed connection Une conexion Fixe www.eurobolt.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX 310Express Company.................................... 170 Abbey Clamps......................................................15 Achilles GmbH..................................................... 11 Acton.....................................................................161 Advance Spares................................................147 Albert Pasvahl......................................................9 Alloy & Stainless Fasteners........................ 178 Ambrovit...............................................................13 Apex Stainless Fasteners ..............................72 ARK Group (Arpel)......................................... 163 ARK Group (Kamtech).................................... 63 ARK Group (Rivco)........................................... 33 Astrotech Steels Private Limited............. 164 Atotech................................................................ 109 Avon Stainless Fasteners Ltd.....................175 Bendfast.............................................................. 178 Berardi Bullionare......................................... 139 Berdan Bolt........................................................ 153 Birlik Baglanti Elemanlari San..................147 Bomet................................................................... 180 Bossong................................................................. 89 Bralo....................................................................... 69 Brighton Best International..........................67 Bülte.......................................................................171 Carlo Salvi.......................................................... 129 Cetin Civata.........................................................55 Chavesbao.............................................................19 Ching Chan Optical Technology Co........ 107 Colombo Special Fasteners Srl................... 43 Dimac................................................................... 135 Dipl. Ing. Fritz Lichthart.............................. 135 Don Quichotte......................................................87 DS Fasteners......................................................177 Eurobolt...............................................................177 Eurofast.............................................................. 162

Eurotec................................................................ 103 Evirt Italia.......................................................... 126 Fareast Metal International Co Ltd........ 172 Fastbolt....................................................................2 Fastener Fair Turkey....................................... 65 Fastener Taiwan................................................73 Fastener + Fixing magazine.......................171 FastFixSearch.com........................................ 149 FastFixTechnology.com....................................3 Fixi Srl.....................................................................37 Fong Prean Industrial Co Ltd...................... 99 Lüling GmbH & Co. KG................................ 131 G & B Fissaggi Srl............................................ 102 Gala Precision Engineering Private Ltd...... 41 Gesipa.....................................................................15 Gloma....................................................................114 Growermetal Srl.............................................. 159 Hafren Fasteners Ltd.................................... 166 Hang zhou RET trade co ltd.............. 169, 176 Harrison Silverdale....................................... 156 Heco Schrauben................................................ 99 Heller Tools........................................................ 165 Hexstone Group..............................................1, 17 Index Tecnicas Expansivas Srl.......................3 Industrial recence.......................................... 155 Jeveka.....................................................................41 Johan Smit......................................................... 137 Joker Industrial Co. Ltd............................... 156 Jubliee clips........................................................175 KINFAST HARDWARE CO LTD....................141 Lancaster Fasteners .......................................53 LD Fasteners....................................................... 63 Lederer GmbH............................................. 22, 24 Lusavouga SA................................................... 4, 5 Marcopol...............................................................61

Marposs.............................................................. 128 Mecavit...................................................................31 Merlin Business Software Ltd................... 139 Mustad SpA..........................................................71 Nakashimada Engineering Works Ltd..... 39 National Machinery.......................................113 ND Industries........................................26, 27, 29 Ningbo Londex................................................... 23 Nord-Lock.......................................................... 143 Norm Civata.........................................................21 omniTechnik Mikroverkapselungs GmbH....111 Orderwise............................................................141 Pecol....................................................................... 49 Peter Schroder..................................................171 PGB - Europe NV................................................ 79 Pinstructure........................................................15 Precision Technology Supplies....................51 PRK Technologies..............................................57 Püehl....................................................................... 25 Rawlplug ...............................................................91 Ray Fu Enterprise Co.................................... 145 Rexlen Corp....................................................... 157 Reyher...................................................................175 RFKS........................................................................77 Rivit...................................................................... 179 Robert Grass GmbH......................................... 83 Rosmil.................................................................. 148 Rotorclip..............................................................151 Sacma...................................................................115 San Shing Fastech...........................................117 Saspi Tallers.......................................................119 Schäfer+Peters.................................................147 Schnorr..................................................................37 Schwer + Kopka................................................118 SD Products......................................................... 69

Shanghai Fast-Fix Rivet Corporation....177 Sheh Fung ........................................................... 96 Sheh Kai Precision Co................................... 101 Shin Chun Enterprise.................................... 173 Sipa..........................................................................85 Smith Bullough................................................ 139 Specialinsert..................................................... 152 Spirol Ind.............................................................161 Stafa.......................................................................... 7 STS-Tectorius.....................................................112 Star Fasteners...................................................161 Tecfi..........................................................................81 Tecno Impianti................................................. 125 Teknoform.......................................................... 155 Test GmbH.......................................................... 127 Teudeloff............................................................. 127 The Insert Company...................................... 163 TITIBI.................................................................... 105 Top Screw Metal Corp Ltd........................... 105 Trutek ............................................................ 93, 95 UBK..........................................................................87 Valenta................................................................ 169 Videx......................................................................121 Vipa Spa.................................................................35 Viteria Ratto........................................................ 97 Wafios Umformtechnik................................ 133 Wan Iuan Enterprise Co Ltd....................... 123 Wasi.........................................................................57 WPI Services..................................................... 122 WTI...........................................................................57 YUYAO ALFIRSTE HARDWARE CO.,LTD.......167 Zago Manufacturing Inc............................... 33

Bolts • Nuts • Studs Sockets • Washers Specials Made

®®

® ®

Special Metals and Alloys

Over 150 Material Grades 10,000 Ton Inventory Over 250 Machines We Service All Quantities Serving Distributors Worldwide www.GoASF.com

info@GoASF.com

NEW

THE

RIV609

POWER OF SPEED

INCREASE

PRODUCTIVITY

Put the efficiency under automation, RIV609, the automatic feeder for blind rivets, turns the riveting into a time-saving operation.

For blind rivets Ø 3.2-4.0-4.8, excluding aluminum nail (as long as the body head does not exceed Ø 9.8).

RIV609 is a pneumatic system with automatic feeding.

The working cycle is made possible by the feeding system on the head, this avoiding the manual insertion of the rivet.

The system is configured based on the length of the rivet from 8 to 18 mm.

Phase 1: START OF CYCLE

Phase 2: BLIND RIVET LOAD

Phase 3: BLIND RIVET LOADED

The automatic system is sold with the RIV503 RIVIT Srl ITALIA HEADQUARTERS Bologna / Italy T. +39 0514171111 rivit@rivit.it / rivit.it

RIVIT INDIA Pvt Ltd SUBSIDIARY Chennai / India T. +91 44 428 50 250 rivitindia@rivit.in / rivit.in

RIVIT MAROC Sarl Au SUBSIDIARY Temara / Maroc T. +212 661 379 765 rivit@rivit.ma / rivit.it

R I V I T . I T UNI EN ISO 9001:2015