Fastener + Fixing Magazine #69

In this May issue‌ Structural fixings Fastener Fair India report Solar applications

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Issue 69 May 2011

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Part of the Mack Brooks Group Romeland House, Romeland Hill, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 4ET, UK

36-37 46-48 Building on a century of fastener experience

Fastener Fair India report

50-52 60-82

Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 400 Fax: +44 (0) 1727 831 033 www.fastenerandfixing.com Publishing Director Jamie Mitchell jamie.mitchell@fastenerandfixing.com Executive Editor Phil Matten phil.matten@fastenerandfixing.com Deputy Editor Will Lowry will.lowry@fastenerandfixing.com Senior Advertising Executive Harry Whyte harry.whyte@fastenerandfixing.com Advertising Executive Claire Lake claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com Production Manager Andy Clow andy.clow@fastenerandfixing.com Fastener + Fixing Magazine is a dedicated, trade-only publication which is circulated freely throughout the European trade.

Taking ‘Solutioneering’ seriously

Disclaimer

Construction Fixings

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 Limited.

Copyright

98-106 Application Technology 6

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Entire contents copyright © Fastener Fairs Limited 2011.

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.

Annual subscription (6 issues) to non-trade and outside EU is €140.00

If the world was a disc, it would be made by Pühl.

Maximum Efficiency Made in Germany: that’s Pühl!

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

Choose Pühl: said and stamped!

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Well, that was fun!

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I have always enjoyed trade shows and, despite all of the new ways of communicating and networking (many of which I do employ despite my grey beard), I still firmly believe that exhibitions offer a unique opportunity to learn what is going on in the industry and connect with its players. Some shows, it has to be conceded, are harder going than others. Then, every so often one comes along that is simply, well, great fun.

astener Fair India - Mumbai was just such. It no doubt helped that it was set in one of the most colourful, vibrant and unquestionably noisy cities in the world, where I defy anyone not to be infected by the sheer vitality of the place. It also helped that, in a somewhat challenging venue, the organisation of the show was excellent.

How everything actually came together for the opening hour continues to remain a mystery to me, but it unquestionably did. There was also a fascinating mix amongst the 90-strong courageous community of exhibitors for this inaugural event.

What really made the show for me, though, was the sheer volume and remarkable quality of the visitors. Volume, perhaps, was not unexpected although it was surprising to see how far many visitors had travelled and I have seldom seen so many people packed in an exhibition hall. The quality, though, was remarkable. My first conversation was with a senior automotive engineer and the day continued in similar vein with very

high quality fastener users from a diverse range of sectors; microelectronics to massive power generation and pretty well everything in between. There were also a lot of Indian fastener producers and some distributors, not convinced to be an early adopter and exhibit first time round but, from conversations I had, very clear about the missed opportunity and keen to know when the next Fastener Fair India - Mumbai would be.

You will find the 2013 dates in our report on page 46, which also highlights one other important facet of this, the first Fastener Fair outside Europe. It was located alongside an excellent second edition of BLECH India - I was staggered by the scale and complexity of technology demonstrated in the hall which doubled both exhibitors and visitors compared to the first edition in 2009. If that is any kind of indicator of the potential for Fastener Fair India - Mumbai 2013 then all I can say is prepare for a couple of great days.

CONTENT S INDUSTRY NEWS Europe and World ....................................................................10-22 America.................................................................................... 24-28 Russia + CIS..............................................................................30-32 Asia................................................................................................. 34

The Construction Products Regulation 2011.......................... 74-75 BiLO® UBt-connector - “One for All”............................................ 76 JCP celebrates a decade in business...........................................78 Load relaxation and anchor testing.........................................80-82 MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY News........................................................................................ 84-90 Working with the customer........................................................... 92

COVER STORY Building on a century of fastener experience.........................36-37 EXHIBITIONS Events Calendar............................................................................38 News.........................................................................................40-44 Fastener Fair India - Mumbai report...................................... 46-48 BLECH India report.......................................................................48 Intersolar Europe preview...........................................................108 INSIGHT Taking ‘Solutioneering’ seriously.............................................50-52 British business celebrates 40 years of helping industry hold it together.............................................................................. 54 Landmark year for Jubilee® Clip.............................................56-57 Rivco announces exclusive agreement.........................................58 CONSTRUCTION FIXINGS News.........................................................................................60-64 Structural Fixings.................................................................... 66-70 Assessment as a product differentiator....................................... 72

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CATALOGUE RACK European manufacturers.........................................................94-97 FOCUS ON Stainless steel + non-ferrous.............................................. 110-113 MANAGEMENT + SYSTEMS News.................................................................................... 114-118 An easier way to run your business............................................120 A brand - far more than a pain in the backside..................122-124 PRODUCT NEWS Application technology news..................................................98-106 Tools news............................................................................ 126-133 Products news......................................................................134-144

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

RECRUITMENT & ADVERTISERS INDEX................................... 146

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Type website address www.brightonbest.org or www.brightonbest.co.uk in the browser

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Select “Progress PO” button on Quotation Manager page

EU opens anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases against India On Friday 13th May the European Commission announced it had initiated both anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against imports of stainless steel fasteners from India.

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he investigations are the result of a complaint lodged on 31st March 2011 by the European Industrial Fastener Institute, representing more than 25% of the total European Union production of the stainless steel fastener ranges cited in the case. Dumping and subsidy are alleged on stainless steel fasteners falling within CN codes:

7318 1210 - wood screws of stainless steel.

7318 1410 - self tapping screws of stainless steel.

7318 1530 – other screws and bolts of stainless steel.

7318 1561 - Hexagon socket screws of stainless steel.

7318 1570 - Hexagon bolts of stainless steel.

In the anti-dumping announcement the Commission notes “in the absence of reliable data on domestic prices for India, the allegation of dumping is based on comparison of constructed normal value (manufacturing costs, selling general and administrative costs) with the export price (at ex-works level) of the product under investigation when sold for export to the Union.

On this basis the dumping margin calculated is significant for the exporting country concerned.”

The anti-subsidy announcement notes: “It is alleged that the producers of the product under investigation originating in India have benefited from a number of subsidies granted by the Government of India and from regional subsidies.” It goes onto detail the alleged subsidy mechanisms.

In both cases provisional measures may be applied no later than nine months from the date of publication of the notices (Friday 13th May 2011). The Basic Anti-Dumping Regulation also requires that anti-dumping provisional measures are not applied until at least sixty days from the date of publication. The deadline for definitive decisions in the two cases does, however, differ.

Anti-subsidy investigations must be completed within 13 months, whereas a final decision in anti-dumping cases is not required for 15 months. Specialists in the field, however, say that the Commission will normally finalise both types of case within the 13 month deadline.

The notices include strict deadlines for registration of interested parties and completion of questionnaires. Copies of the notice, in each official languages of the EU, may be downloaded from the EU Official Journal by searching the Eur-Lex website eur-lex.europa.eu. The antidumping notice reference is 2011/C 142/04; anti-subsidy 2011/C 142/05.

Hilti maintains course of growth Hilti Group sales growth continued on a very positive path over the first four months of 2011. Sales in local currencies rose 13 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

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hen consolidated into Swiss francs, Hilti Group sales of CHF 1,275 million translates into a rise of 2 percent over the first four months of the current year. This underscores the extremely negative influence that currency effects are having on Hilti’s results.

In spite of the different growth rates in the various markets, the Hilti Group’s sales development is distributed quite broadly. The positive trend recently established in North America continued with a rise of 20 percent in local currencies, whereof 10 percent can be ascribed to the acquisition of Unirac. Europe also showed strong growth of 8 percent, further contributing to market stabilisation. Sales in the region Asia/Pacific have also increased by 8 percent. Aboveaverage growth continued in Latin America, with 14 percent, and the East Europe/Middle East/ Africa region, with 42 percent.

“It’s very pleasing to note that we were able to maintain the growth trend at this level. But this cannot mask the fact that currency effects remain strongly negative while the rising price of raw materials also poses an ongoing challenge. Therefore a specific cost management and prioritising of our projects and investments remain necessary,” stated chief executive officer Bo Risberg. “Furthermore we will continue to drive the internationalisation of our company and will increasingly focus on developing significant additional resources in the growth markets.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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Now you can order in...

Circumvention decision due by July The European Commission investigation into alleged circumvention of antidumping measures via Malaysia is required to report its findings by 26th July 2011.

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G Trade investigators made a further visit to Malaysia in late April and exporters there expect to receive the results of these investigations during May, after which there is a period for comment. EU importers, however, appear unlikely to see an official ruling on exemptions until approaching the final deadline. The period of extended uncertainty in relation to longstanding Malaysian fastener manufacturers has been a regular cause for criticism from importers, who say it has effectively made it impossible to order from these suppliers.

Trifast issues trading update Trifast will issue results for its year end 31st March in June. In a trading update the company says the business has continued to experience buoyant trading conditions, evidenced by March sales setting a record since the early 2009 restructuring.

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roup profit before tax, adjusted for the negative impact of foreign exchange, is expected to be ahead of current market expectations. Year-end net debt has increased, in line with expectations, because of increased inventory to service sales growth. Looking forward, Trifast confirmed it would pay “well earned wage rises for staff” and would have an on-going focus on maximising margins, with particular attention to pricing of new and existing contracts and more efficient sourcing.

Bossard: 18% organic growth in Q1 Bossard Group reported 2011 first quarter sales at CHF 130 million - a year on year increase of 18.4% in local currencies.

BBI customer can now quote and operate buying account in Euros including invoicing and payments

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ales in Europe were CHF 73.5 million up 16.3% in local currencies. American sales grew 23.7% based on growth with existing customers and the acquisition of new customers.

Asian sales totalled CHF 20.4 million, up 17% year on year.

Bossard notes that while PMIs in its main markets are all positive indicating continued stable demand, economic growth is impacting the procurement market, with longer delivery times and supply bottlenecks, as well as price increases.

Separately CEO David Dean scotched the idea of a hostile takeover bid for Bossard suggested by one analyst, based on the increased value of the company’s shares on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Dean said a hostile takeover bid would be totally pointless, reminding that the majority of voting shares are family owned.

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At the end of April PSM International Holding Ltd announced the completion of its acquisition of BAS Components Ltd.

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SM purchased BAS, which has a manufacturing facility in South Wales and an applications engineering centre in Kent, from TT Electronics plc. PSM announced that BAS North American sales and operations will be moved to a PSM facility in Newbury, South Carolina. The BAS facility in Youngstown, Ohio will be converted into a combined North American Technical Centre for both PSM and BAS, allowing both to be in closer proximity to Tier One automotive customers.

Lee Timbrell, managing director of BAS, said that the acquisition was a positive step strategically for BAS and the company welcomed the opportunity to be part of a worldwide fastener focused organisation.

Established in 1930 PSM now has manufacturing and engineering operations in 23 countries.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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NE W S GAZ Group and FinnvedenBulten agree JV The Automotive Components Division of GAZ Group, a Russian manufacturer of commercial vehicles, and the international industrial group FinnvedenBulten has signing a letter of intent to establish a fasteners joint venture at the GAZ Group facilities of Gorky Automobile Plant, providing FinnvedenBulten with its first production site in Russia.

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he parties will determine the full scope of the joint venture at the end of this year, and production is planned to start in 2012. The joint venture will develop and manufacture fasteners for the automotive industry in Russia and the CIS. It will also supply fasteners to Bulten’s global customers producing in Russia.

Gorky Automobile Plant, which manufactures fasteners for Russian customers, will provide production and distribution infrastructure.

Bulten, which supplies fasteners to the global automotive industry, will provide the development for new products and technologies.

“As one of the world’s foremost suppliers of fasteners, Bulten estimates the potential of the Russian market to be significant. High import duties in Russia and high demand for quality products create great opportunities of efficient

development for local manufacturers. The experience and competence of GAZ will benefit Bulten greatly in the process of producing high-quality fasteners in Russia,” commented Tommy Andersson, CEO of Bulten.

“Through the cooperation with Bulten, the working equipment of Gorky Automobile Plant used in fasteners manufacture will be significantly upgraded. The creation of hightech components production at GAZ aimed at a wide range of customers is provided for by the Automotive Components Division’s development strategy. Implementing this strategy, in 2010 the Division increased supplies to external customers by 70% in comparison with 2009; these include automakers, transportation companies, companies in aviation and other industries,” said Bo Andersson, president of GAZ Group.

Norma successfully refinances Following its successful initial public offering (IPO), NORMA Group AG, a global market and technology leader in engineered joining technology, has agreed to completely refinance its credit facilities.

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s a result of the IPO, the company received about 147 million euros from the capital increase. The net proceeds were used partially to pay off financial liabilities. In addition, NORMA Group agreed on a comprehensive new refinancing scheme. The credit facility consisting of a term debt of more than 250 million euros and a revolving credit facility of more than 125 million euros has a total volume of 375 million euros and matures in five years.

The group of underwriters includes Commerzbank AG, SEB AG and Unicredit Bank AG. NORMA Group used 250 million euros from the credit facility in addition to 135 million euros realised from the capital increase in order to fully repay existing loans taken out in 2007. Among other debts, NORMA Group is paying off a mezzanine credit agreement in the amount of 53.5 million euros and the shareholder loan of about 11.9 million euros extended by 3i Investments plc.

“The capital increase we realised with the IPO combined with the comprehensive refinancing of our credit facilities has enabled us to significantly optimise our financing structure,” said Dr. Othmar Belker, chief financial officer of NORMA Group. “We are now well positioned to take full advantage of future growth trends in the international markets for engineered joining technology.

With our improved cost and capital base we have established a solid foundation for sustainable, profitable growth.”

BASF increases prices BASF has recently increased prices in Europe, Africa and western Asia for polymer dispersions as well as additives by 110 euros per metric tonne and acrylic resins and redispersible powders by 180 euros per metric tonne.

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ASF explained that the price adjustments are necessary due to significantly increased raw material costs. The products affected by the price increase are used as polymers for adhesives, fiberbonding, architectural coatings and construction chemicals.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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New Sundram Fasteners plant for wind energy market Chennai based Sundram Fasteners, part of the TVS Group, has announced that it will set up a plant, near Pondicherry, to manufacture special fasteners for the wind energy market.

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he investment, expected to be worth around 23 million euros, represents a departure from the company’s focus on automotive fasteners and parts.

Sundram Fasteners acquired Peiner Umformtechnik in 2005 and the technology for the new plant will be drawn from the German large diameter bolting specialist.

TATA invests in wire rod mill TATA Steel is investing £1.2 million in new high technology equipment at its Scunthorpe wire rod rolling mill to increase quality and efficiency and to boost production of the most technically demanding steels.

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new testing machine will improve quality testing of cold heading quality wire and a new size and shape measuring gauge will provide operators with rapid feedback on rod dimensions during the steel rolling process.

The investment will not result in increased overall production at the rod mill but will enable TATA Steel to increase its focus on the most demanding and safety critical fastener products for the automotive industry.

Both machines are expected to be commissioned in October 2011.

60 years of screws from Achilles Achilles Seibert GmbH is starting the year of its 60 year anniversary with an expected record result.

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he company was founded on 1st April 1951 by Mr. Achilles Seibert in Hamburg and has been supplying screws and fastening elements worldwide ever since. Under the management of the Scholle family, the company has made a name for itself in the field of high-quality hexagon insert and hexagon head screws.

After the early introduction of short-time work and relevant consolidation, the company emerged stronger from the economic crisis. In the year of its anniversary, the best result in the company’s history is expected. “That is not only a success of targeted economic policy, but specifically also the drive of all employees, who believed in the company during the difficult time.”

Big anniversary celebrations will be foregone, in order to pass on a piece of the success. In May, within the setting of a small ceremony among friends, inter alia, a cheque for 10,000 euros was presented to the “Sternenbrücke” children’s hospice in Hamburg Rissen.

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CSC holds June wire prices Taiwan’s China Steel Corporation announced that bar and rod prices for June delivery to domestic customers will remain unchanged.

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SC says it faces pressures from increased raw material costs, estimated at US$150-170 per tonne for the first half of 2011.

However, it says the effect of the Japanese earthquake on the steel market is still unclear and it has limited increases in its steel prices in order to maintain the competitiveness of downstream industries in Taiwan.

Goebel has new headquarters

At the beginning of 2011 Goebel moved to its new 1,300m2 headquarters in Erkrath, close to Düsseldorf.

All employees, as well the owners, are proud and very motivated by the new facilities.

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he increase in office space has allowed Goebel to recruit new sales staff as part of a commitment to continue to grow based on high performance and good service. A new 140 square metre meeting and testing area for training customers and distribution partners has also been set up.

From the second half of the year Goebel will invite interested customers for training in its extensive product ranges.

Investments have also been made in test equipment for quality control. A test machine for shear, tensile, torque, and pull testing (especially for blind rivet nuts), a stereo microscope with

camera and picture data base, a grinding and buffing machine for metallic cross sections, a mandrel breaking control instrument (for blind rivets) have all been introduced and are networked to provide a central results database.

The upgrading of the existing laboratory inventory, says Goebel, guarantees that it is testing at the highest technical level on behalf of its customers. Social considerations have also not been forgotten in the new headquarters. A new canteen offers every day a varied lunch, with the possibility afterwards to relax with a game of pool or table soccer.

GRAEWE - ensuring the best connection GRAEWE has successfully established screws from Bosnia-Herzegovina on the European market.

The GRAEWE Tadiv Company was formed more than four years ago from the former State screw factory in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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he production portfolio comprises hexagon socket and hexagon head screws and cold-forged parts from drawings. Products are marketed exclusively through GRAEWE GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. Within a relatively short time, GRAEWE Tadiv was able to establish its products successfully on the European market and is currently achieving high growth rates. True to the corporate philosophy of the GRAEWE parent company, GRAEWE Tadiv sees service, punctual delivery and quality as cornerstones to its success.

The head office and the production, logistics and distribution centre of the GRAEWE Group with its three plants are located at Finnentrop, Germany. As a partner of trade and industry, GRAEWE is supplier to key sectors of the economy, including the steel construction sector, the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, power station construction, agricultural machine manufacture and wind power. Advanced production machinery, well-trained staff, modern production, warehouse and administrative buildings and facilities for the performance of all quality-relevant tests within the company are the guarantee for GRAEWE’s high quality standards.

At the Finnentrop logistics and distribution centre, not only products from GAEWE Tadiv, which are subjected to further comprehensive quality testing here, but also products from GRAEWE’s own plant and from METHAL GmbH in Halle, Germany are distributed. The product portfolio of the GRAEWE Group comprises not only hexagon socket and hexagon head screws but also threaded couplings, threaded rods, studs, anchor screws and bolts, double-ended parts, trapezoidal nuts and precision turned parts.

GRAEWE and its supplier companies GRAEWE Tadiv and METHAL are certificated in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2008.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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Lee Spring appoints distributor in Italy Lee Spring has agreed a partnership arrangement with Berardi Bullonerie, a well-known home market supplier of industrial fasteners in Italy. Lee Spring’s comprehensive range of technical springs will complement Berardi’s portfolio of products, enabling the company to expand into new markets.

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global supplier of stock and custom springs, with European headquarters in the UK, Lee Spring believes that the partnership with Berardi will allow the organisation to make a quantum leap in the development of its presence in the Italian market. Central to the initiative is to provide customers with local engineering support and fast delivery.

Chris Petts, managing director of the Lee Spring’s European operation said: “Both companies are well established and forward looking organisations who share an ambitious outlook on

the development of their respective market positions”. He added: “Italian manufacturers will now have access to over 17,000 stock spring types as well as a custom design service on their doorstep while benefiting from first class service and technical support from our local partner.”

“World class customer service is a key driver for both our organisations” says Giovanni Berardi, managing director of Berardi Bullonerie. “Now we can offer our customers the widest range of screws, nuts and bolts plus technical springs from our 12 branches throughout Italy.”

AFS appoints Unifast as Italian Camloc distributor Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) has appointed Unifast Srl as the new Italian distributor for its Camloc range of products.

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ocated in Settimo Torinese, Unifast Srl employs 30 people and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010. The company, which is a well established distributor for the Huck® brand from AFS, specialises in developing full service engineering solutions for a variety of customers in the automotive, truck, trailer, rail and HVAC industries.

The Camloc range of push-turn and push-push, quick-release fasteners, draw-latches, solid inserts and locks, hinges and handles are used in electronics, industrial, transportation, aerospace and defence applications. Camloc fasteners are ‘captive’ meaning that the fasteners remain attached to the machine or the guarding enabling instant access, for example, electrical cabinets. Vibration resistant, safe and easy to use, the products are available in a comprehensive range of styles and sizes.

Commenting on his company’s appointment, Gianni Bergadano, director at Unifast Srl said: “Unifast has a long and successful working relationship with AFS, now reinforced by the addition of Camloc to our product offering. We are currently working on a number of automotive applications using Camloc, which includes one for Iveco a leading manufacturer and supplier of commercial trucks, parts and diesel engines. With support from the marketing, technical and engineering teams at AFS we look forward to maximising Camloc’s potential throughout Italy.”

Piero Bruno, sales manager at AFS, said: “We are sure that the Unifast team’s knowledge and expertise, combined with its excellent reputation, will help us to open up new markets and applications for the Camloc brand in Italy.”

Home grown talent Mrs Tracey Brotherton was recently appointed purchasing manager of Stainless Threaded Fasteners, the stainless steel and brass specialist within the Hexstone Ltd group of companies.

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racey joined STF’s purchasing department in late 2003 and over the last 8 years has developed from an administrator, through buyer to her last position of assistant purchasing manager. During her time with STF, Tracey has also gained progressively higher qualifications from the Charter Institute of Purchasing and Supply. She’s also found time to get engaged, married and give birth to a son!

Since returning from maternity leave almost two years ago, Tracey has worked closely with David Harris and implemented STF’s current purchasing and stock strategy. As the youngest member the management team, Tracey succeeds the most experienced member of the team Mr David Harris who has now taken up the role of commercial manager, which will allow more time for a wider role within the company.

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NEWS

Sterling Bolt acquires Parkers of Peterborough Peterborough, UK, based fastener distributor Sterling Bolt & Nut Co. Limited has acquired the assets of Parkers of Peterborough from the administrator.

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ouglas Samuel, the current executive chairman, established Sterling Bolt in June 1990. He told Fastener + Fixing Magazine that the acquisition had already extended the company’s opportunities in the Peterborough area.

“We were able to take advantage of an unfortunate situation,” he said, “assisted by the flexible approach from our bankers with whom we have a long and solid working relationship.” Parkers of Peterborough had operated for 44 years in the area but had got into increasing difficulties leading up to the appointment of the administrator. It mainly serviced the construction and maintenance and repair market, which has resulted in an immediate increase in business at a newly refurbished Sterling Bolt counter. “Weekly sales, now we have brought everything into Sterling’s premises, have doubled,” says Douglas Samuel. “One of the great benefits has been, that in addition to the sales to accounts that were new to Sterling and those previously shared by the two companies we are now able to offer an extended range, including consumables, hand tools and construction fixings, to longstanding Sterling customers.”

The staff level at Sterling Bolt has risen to thirteen, which required reorganisation of office and counter areas as well as integrating new ranges to the Sterling warehouse. “The people that have joined us have brought valuable experience and contacts particularly in new market and product sectors.” Sterling Bolt & Nuts Co Limited is ISO 9001:2001 accredited and is a longstanding member of the British Association of Fastener Distributors. The company prides itself on its commitment to quality and to a “can do and will do” attitude backed by a genuine depth of expertise. “The next phase,” says Douglas Samuel, “is to select a new computer system that will provide us with the additional capacity and strengthened managerial information, which can support us in fully taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the acquisition.”

Gesipa UK celebrates 40th anniversary Gesipa Blind Riveting Systems Ltd was established as a UK subsidiary for the German Gesipa Group in 1971, setting up its manufacturing base in Keighley, West Yorkshire.

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ith the initial aim of providing German technology to the UK fastening sector it began its existence as piece part manufacturer but over the years has evolved into a modern industrial production facility able to offer a full process from concept through to design, manufacture and testing in addition to standard off the shelf products.

Gesipa Blind Riveting Systems Ltd now manufactures and delivers an extensive range of rivet, rivet nuts, rivet nut studs, associated tooling and bespoke based solutions. With ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO/TS 16949:2009 accreditations Gesipa offers a complete range of engineering solution for specific fastening requirements to the automotive, construction, railway, white goods, electronics and many other varied industries.

“A great deal of the credit for the company’s enduring success has to go to the highly experienced team of staff working throughout the organisation - a high proportion of who have been with the company for over 10 years. Gesipa engineers are always looking for innovative and cost effective ways to help solve customer’s application fastening issues.”

Commemorating this event Gesipa Blind Riveting Systems Ltd in Keighley will be hosting a couple of events in June 2011 for its customers showcasing its versatility as a manufacturer and thus demonstrating its experience in the fastening sector.

We have a new home Fastener + Fixing Magazine recently relocated 4.8 kilometres to new offices which are closer to Mack Brooks Group headquarters in St Albans.

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ommenting on the move Jamie Mitchell, publishing director said: “We have been looking to move to new bigger premises for several months and have finally found offices that are in an ideal location.” Jamie added: “We moved at the beginning of May and are now fully connected to the Mack Brooks server and telephone system, so all calls will now go through the Mack Brooks switchboard.”

The new offices mean that all postal information for Fastener + Fixing Magazine should now be sent to the following address:

Fastener + Fixing Magazine Romeland House Romeland Hill St Albans Hertfordshire AL3 4ET

22

Fastener + Fixing Magazine is also now approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), meaning that all the paper used in the production of the magazine is from responsible sources.

The FSC is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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american NEWS

By John Wolz editor@GlobalFastenerNews.com

Ex-TV reporter leads North American fastener manufacturers In March Jennifer Johns Friel became the first woman chair of the Industrial Fasteners Institute in its 80 year history.

I

n high school and college she worked summers at Mid West Fabricating Co, but Jennifer Johns Friel’s first career was as a news reporter for WKYT TV in Lexington, KY. Her fastener manufacturer father, David Johns, insisted she earn a business degree at the University of Denver so she could “make a living” in case the television news goal didn’t work out.

After nearly five years chasing news stories, Friel was looking at alternatives. She took a research role and three years later became company vice president. Friel became president in 1997 when her father developed health problems.

David Monti is the new IFI vice chair. Monti is general manager of Fall River Manufacturing Co. of Fall River, MA. He entered the fastener industry in 1999 after 13 years in the automotive parts business.

Friel’s grandfather, Stanton Johns, is generally credited as the founder of Mid West Fabricating. Friel emphasizes that

her grandmother, Jane Johns, was truly a co-founder. Jane Johns had the business degree and front office knack. Stanton Johns had the technical knowledge, held patents and had the entrepreneurial spirit to start the company in 1945. Friel’s father, David Johns, was the 1993-94 IFI chairman, and her husband, Michael Friel was the 2005-06 chair.

Friel told GlobalFastenerNews.com she envisions more technical services for IFI members. Director of engineering technology Joe Greenslade has been using GoTo Meetings and there will be more technology applied to IFI meetings. For example, during breakout sessions a speaker may participate via Skype without the cost of travelling to the meeting.

Mid West Fabricating specializes in cold forming of steel into special fasteners and formed rod. It has plants in southern California and Ohio, and is headquartered in a 125,000 sq ft facility in Amanda, Ohio.

Precision Castparts acquires PB Fasteners Precision Castparts Corp has agreed to acquire the assets of PB Fasteners. PB designs and manufactures fastener products for airframe applications, including the development of the SLEEVbolt fastening system. The company’s sleeve bolt technology is critical to mitigating the impact of lightning strikes on the Boeing 787 aircraft.

L

ocated in Gardena, California, PB entered the aerospace fastener business in 1967. “We have been looking at PB for a long time as part of our continued strategy to expand our critical aerospace fastener portfolio,” said Mark Donegan, chairman and chief executive officer of PCC. “PB provides the technology to accelerate our growth into composite-based aircraft like the 787, as well as other new, advanced aerospace platforms. We will look to leverage their knowledge base across our other fastener operations. In addition, PB will now be our ninth fastener manufacturing operation in southern California, providing further opportunities for synergies and leverage.”

Specific details of the deal are not being disclosed. The acquisition is expected to complete first quarter fiscal 2012, after which PB’s results will be reported as part of the PCC Fastener Products segment.

State program aids hot forming facility A Michigan program to train new employees contributed to Dokka Fasteners decision to build the first new hot forming facility in the U.S. in 40 years, the Daily Tribune reports.

D

okka Fasteners CEO Marc Strandquist told the Tribune that training opportunities at nearby Oakland Community College were the defining factor for his company to locate its 100,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Michigan rather than Indiana, Illinois or Missouri.

In 2010 Dokka established its first hot forming fastener manufacturing facility in North America to supply the growing U.S. wind energy market. The site is a state-of-the-art fastener facility featuring a fully automated manufacturing process something parent company Würth called “the first of its kind in the U.S.” The US$20 million robotic hot forming manufacturing facility replicates the high-tech process found in the facility of Dokka Norway - an industry leader in providing wind energy fastener products for over two decades.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

New employee training opportunities are part of the Michigan New Jobs Training program, an incentive passed by the state Legislature in 2008.

Strandquist said the ability to “train a workforce from the ground up” on brand-new equipment made a huge difference, according to the Tribune.

“We’ve hired 25 people so far and I’m really proud that 12 people were on unemployment at the time we hired them, so we’ve been able to take people off the unemployment roll,” stated Strandquist.

Auburn Hills-based Dokka will utilize the program to hire and train a total of 76 workers to produce fasteners for the wind energy market. The US$950,000 training costs are covered by the state’s incentive program.

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american NEWS

TineLok hastens market appeal Permanent Technologies is pursuing a sales and marketing strategy of non-exclusive licensing of TineLok to domestic fastener distributors as a means of faster and more efficient commercialization of its products.

C

EO Patrick Tremblay stated: “Our plan is to capture a portion of the US$55 billion global industrial fastener market as quickly and as effectively as we can.” Permanent Technologies holds numerous domestic and international patents for TineLok’s vibration proof fastener technology.

“TineLok is an innovative product that has the potential for broad acceptance in the vibration proof fastener market and which we believe to be superior to any other similar product in the market today,” Tremblay explained.

“Our goal in leveraging our partners’ expertise, existing customer base and well established channels of distribution is to commercialize our products and earn returns for our investors faster than we could by ourselves.”

‘Columbus’ fastener show closing its doors The National Industrial Fastener and Mill Supply Expo is ending its show in Columbus, Ohio, show management announced.

I

n a statement on its website show management said it was “very disappointed” with low exhibitor and distributor attendance this year. “We are baffled by the poor turnout.”

NIFMSE/East listed 53 companies totalling 55 booths a month ahead of the 26th – 27th April 2011 trade show.

Final show numbers were not available. Last year NIFS/East had 70 companies exhibiting.

Show management said it is closing Columbus to focus on NIFMSE/West in Las Vegas. “We want the Vegas Show to be the centre of the fastener industry universe.”

The Vegas show is scheduled for 19th – 21st October 2011 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Darling at Pac-West: Asian steel & labor costs up Bruce Darling summed up the 2011 Asian fastener market for the Pac-West Fastener Association: Taiwan: Steel is rising, the dollar is weak, Northern Africa is in civil war and Europe is unsure where to buy. China: Steel and labour prices are up and there is little plant expansion. Electricity and pollution are major problems.

“T

he more you know and what your customers know, the better,” Darling said. “In Taiwan business in 2010 was better than 2009, but not as good as expected or predicted,” the vice president for materials management at Porteous Fastener Company said of Taiwan. “If 2011 does not pick up, there will be fall out.”

“The latest round of steel prices – at 9.3% – was significant and already there is talk of larger increases to come,” Darling said. The U.S. dollar is steadier at the moment, but during its weak period “has been causing problems.”

There has been some equipment expansion – most replacing old equipment but some parts formers that allow Taiwan to move more into specials. North America is still the largest market for Taiwan fasteners, Darling noted.

Europe is hard to predict. “Anti-dumping duties against China have shifted some business to Taiwan, but the WTO has ruled the anti-dumping duties were calculated wrong,” Darling said. “If removed, the volume will go back to China.”

Darling predicted higher prices from Taiwan in the next quarter and the following quarter could climb higher depending on the Q2 steel price announcement. “Everyone believes steel

26

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

prices will eventually come down, but each quarter they push those predictions forward.”

In China “all the indicators point to higher prices,” Darling said. Flooding in Australia and Brazil hiked iron ore contracts.

“There are rumours that steel will increase 66% in 2011,” Darling reported. “However, we see price increases in the 10% to 15% range for the immediate future, with another 5% to 8% for the remainder of the year.”

Electricity is an issue during hot months with rolling blackouts shutting production temporarily. “Pollution is a major government issue and is causing the closure of production at many steel mills, contributing to a shortage of steel and increase of prices,” Darling observed. There is little plant expansion in China, he noted.

There is growing demand for fasteners within China. Darling cited the example of Gem Year, which initially produced half of its fasteners for export. Now with high speed railroad parts and a subway bolt order, 70% of production is for use in China.

Darling said fastener factories that are 100% export “are having a difficult time.”

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american NEWS

“ Perception” important in fastener pricing It isn’t just today’s price of steel. It isn’t just sea freight rates. It isn’t just fuel surcharges or supply and demand or currency. “Perception” is a key factor in fastener pricing, Stelfast Inc. president and owner Simmi Sakhuja told the Southeastern Fastener Association.

F

astener manufacturers are often calculating prices six months before they will get paid. So where they perceive those factors will go makes a difference in setting today’s pricing. “I know today,” said the speaker who prefers to be referred to by her first name. “What is next is speculation.”

While steel price increases are widely publicized, there are more subtle factors involved in determining fastener prices. For example, Taiwan fastener plants were operating on three shifts in 2008 and dropped to two shifts in 2009. Though orders are up this year, Taiwan manufacturers have not returned to three shifts, which limits supply, Simmi pointed out.

“Distributors need to educate customers about what is going on. You need to explain why five to six months from now there may be increases.”

Simmi joined Stelfast in 1996 and went through an eight-year rotation – including purchasing fasteners – before becoming president.

Thus far in 2011 demand is softer than in 2008, she reported.

One current factor in fastener pricing is the cost of wire rod.

Steel makers are not increasing production of rod because it isn’t as lucrative as rebar. Price changes can vary from one country to another. Steel prices are up slightly in China, but not as dramatically as in Taiwan and other countries. Steel prices also are more speculative in China than Taiwan where China Steel Corporation announces prices in advance. “We are hoping for gradual price increases,” Simmi said of wire rod prices in Taiwan.

However, in China there have been more suppliers and more volatility. As most of the Chinese manufacturers purchase their wire rod from brokers and only the largest companies buy directly from the mill. “We know where the currency is trading today,” Simmi said of China’s set currency, “It makes the future a little more uncertain as it is not controlled only by market forces.”

That creates more speculation and brings up the perception situation again. “Where do company owners think the currency is going to go 180 days from now?” Another current factor affecting China fastener prices is limited utilities. Last summer plants closed temporarily during rolling blackouts. Will 2011 be a hot summer with more rolling blackouts that amplify supply problems?

STAFDA distributors report Q4 sales rise of 10.4% Fourth quarter sales rose an average of 10.4% and all of 2010 sales were up 5.5% for distributors participating in the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association Trend Report.

Q

1 will be slightly down an average of a half percent, according to the STAFDA distributors’ forecast. Six of nine U.S. regions forecast sales will be down 1.9% to 9.8%. In contrast, the Midwest expects an average 7.9% first quarter sales gain vs. 2010 Q4.

Sales for 2010 increased for all regions except the Pacific states where sales were down an average of 4.7%.

The Mid-Atlantic region rebounded best at 12.5% and at 10.9% the South Central region also reached double-digit increase.

Distributors participating in the survey averaged US$12.3 million in annualized sales.

Aerospace fastener companies join growing association The Aerospace Industries Association enrolled ten new full members along with eleven associate members in the first quarter of 2011 to reach its highest total membership in history.

T

he new members included two fastener companies: Hi-Shear Technology Corp. and Phillips Screw Co. Torrance, CA-based Hi-Shear designs and manufactures aerospace fasteners and installation tools used in commercial, military and space vehicles. Founded in 1943, Hi-Shear is a part of the aerospace branch of Lisi Group, which includes aerospace, automotive and cosmetics operations worldwide.

Phillips Screw developed the original PHILLIPS drive system for the automotive industry in the 1930s. Company affiliate Wrentham Tool has provided header tooling products and technical services to the fastener industry for more than sixty years.

In the fifteen months since January 2010, AIA has grown 44%.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

r uss i a n + c i s N E W S Alexander Ostashov, Editor Fastener, Adhesives, Tools and… Magazine www.fastinfo.ru

Protective measure comes into force

On 18th March 2011 the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation “About the Special Protective Measure Regarding Fasteners” came into action.

A

ccording to this document, a special duty equal to US$282.4 per tonne is applied for the period of 3 years to the following fasteners, imported to the Russian customs territory and falling under classification codes FEACC TEACHSUP 7318 15 810 0, 7318 15 890 0, 7318 15 900 9, 7318 16 910 9, 7318 16 990 0, 7318 21 000 9:

• Threaded bolts from ferrous metals with hexagon or square head and/or nib and/or square shoulder with exterior thread diameter 6mm through 30mm (except bolts with additional elements of construction, flange, clamp and/or pointed end of the core).

• Hexagon nuts from ferrous metals with inner diameter 5mm through 30mm (except nuts with additional elements of construction, flange, clamp and domed nuts).

• Single-turn spring washers from ferrous metals with diameter from 6mm through 42mm.

The resolution requires the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation together with the Federal Antimonopoly Service to analyse the fastener market and to provide its results to the government of the Russian Federation annually throughout the validity period of the special protective measure.

New stage in development of Russian automotive market The next decade will see a new stage in the development of the Russian motor-car market, with plans not only for considerable growth in sales volume but also improvements in the quality of vehicles in the market. So runs the Strategy of Development of the Russian Automobile Industry.

T

he members of the 14th Annual Russian Automobile Forum in Moscow discussed the methods and possible problems in realising such ambitious plans. The largest industrial event, organised by Adam Smith Conferences, gathered topmanagement of automotive companies, component producers, authorities and independent experts. According to the Strategy of Development of the Russian Automobile Industry for the period up to 2020, in ten years the annual volume of cars sold in the country will grow 30% in comparison to 2008, up to 3.6 million units. The proportion of citizens with private vehicles will grow from 226 to 363 out of a thousand people.

The current production capacity of Russian enterprises is not enough to fulfil the Strategy 2020, which is why the government plans to increase the market by means of foreign assembling productions, located in Russia.

At the end of 2010 the rules for automotive assembly in Russia were sharply hardened. The government raised minimum production volume for foreign producers to 350,000 cars per year – otherwise they will face increased duties on imported components.

Those changes have caused two problems. Firstly, 350,000 is a very high production volume. For reference, the capacity of the Autoframos plant (Renault in Moscow) is 160,000 cars per year. The Ford plant in Vsevolozhsk produces 125,000 cars, the Volkswagen/ Skoda plant in Kaluga assembles 150,000 cars. In this context the companies are deciding to create joint ventures. According to the ministry of economic development and trade six agreements for work under the new regime have already been signed. The other problem is the rather low quality of home-produced components. For foreign cars produced in Russia not to differ significantly from their “real” counterparts in other markets a quantum leap has to occur in the component industry as well. If the plans find realisation, in 2020 up to 88% of cars on the Russian market will be Russian-made. In 2008 the figure was 52%. While the potential for growth in Russian consumer purchasing power remains rather vague, the car producers look at the Russian market with optimism.

Würth North-West revives logistic project Würth North-West, subsidiary of the German Würth Group, has defrosted its project to construct a logistics and stocking complex in the Leningradskaya Region costing more than 13 million euros.

T

he distributor of fasteners, construction consumables and tools also plans to double its retail trade network to more than 20 outlets in the North-West Region.

Galina Vasilyeva, the general director of Würth North-West, announced that the company was reviving logistics and warehousing complex in Shushary village. “We have defrosted the project and started master-planning. We plan to see the new complex in operation by the beginning of 2013”.

The company had announced the project before the economic crisis, but decided to suspend it.

30

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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Fasttec 2011. What’s new?

After a long interval Fasttec 2011 returned to its cradle – Sokolniki. This was the 9th exhibition.

Another significant change has been in the ownership of organiser MVK Holding, which is now part of the ITE Group of Companies.

T

he primary sponsor of the 9th exhibition was the Bolt.Ru Company. As usual exhibitors included the Rechitzky Hardware Plant, Druzhkovskiy Hardware Plant, LogCompany, ZIL, and ZITAR. This year new companies joining the event included: Trud, Saturn (adhesives producer), Faber fix, and Heico Fasteners GmbH. Taiwanese companies presented fastener production equipment on the stand of Rost Group & Technology Co. Ltd. The majority of foreign exhibitors were from China.

According to statistics provided by the organisers, the number of visitors for three days of the event was 15% higher than last year.

Interviews carried out by the editor in chief of “Fasteners, Adhesives, Tools and…” Magazine Alexander Ostashev highlighted important changes occurring on the Russian fastener market.

Dmitriy Lebedev, head of the fastener department of Severstal-Metiz, who visited the show, shared some perspectives of the development of the fastener production at his enterprise.

He told “Fasteners, Adhesives, Tools and…” Magazine the company had purchased a series of modern manufacturing equipment from Nedschroef for the production of new types of fasteners aimed at the automotive market. Investment of this level in such equipment speaks for the intention to achieve a serious breakthrough towards high technologies. This intention was confirmed by Dmitriy Lebedev’s comments: “We aim at becoming a fastener producer of the European level.”

The enterprises of post-soviet formation, developing dynamically in the difficult economic conditions of the present

time can also provide new impetus to the development of the Russian fastener market. Alexander Ostashov came to this conclusion after interviewing directors of two other companies, participating in Fasttec 2011. The director of one of these companies, located in Taganrog, Gennadiy Vinogradov has chosen a narrow specialisation for its main production, successfully producing a full range of split pins according to Russian standards. To organise the production he had to buy equipment for the total cycle, including for wire preparation. Customers for the company’s products include producers of aircraft and defence equipment. Sergey Perimbayev, the director of the Russian Fasteners Company, located in Ryazan, spoke about the innovative approach to his business, which includes the sale of newly-designed fasteners and an innovative approach to the organisation of sale in the chain of company shops.

(Full versions of all the interviews can be read in Russian in “Fasteners, Adhesives, Tools and… Magazine).

Show statistics from MVK International Exhibitions: • 92 exhibitors from seven countries ( Russia, Belarussia, Ukraine, China, Taiwan, Italy, Germany).

• 4,000 visitors during three days – a 15% improvement on 2010.

• 60% of visitors came from the Moscow region. 93.4% of visitors came from within the Russian Federation.

BLECH Russia 2011 successful The 2nd International exhibition of equipment and technologies for metal sheet working BLECH Russia 2011, which took place in St Petersburg on 15th – 17th March 2011, was a success.

1

50 Russian and foreign producers and suppliers of metalworking equipment took part in the exhibition. The participants displayed modern machines, software and the newest technologies for cutting, welding, folding, moulding, fastening and press-forming of sheet metal. Well known brands from 21 countries were displayed at the fair.

Böllhoff took part in BLECH Russia for the first time and said it had welcomed more than 300 specialists at its booth during the three-day event. Vistors showed particular interest in the company’s RIVCLINCH® system for sheet metal fastening. Böllhoff also demonstrated machines for fastening of sheet metal by means of self-penetrating rivets RIVSET® and technology for installing RIVKLE® rivet nuts and studs.

BLECH Russia Exhibition is a part of a world-known network of BLECH events organised by Mack Brooks Exhibitions – in St Petersberg in partnership with VO Restek. The organisers said: “… the exhibition was a great success and has good potential in Russia. There was notable development compared to the event in 2009, with more visitors and improved organisation.”

32

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

New Flaig und Hommel plant in Zavolzhye A new plant for the German company Flaig Und Hommel GmbH has come into operation in Russia. This enterprise will produce fasteners for the automotive industry and other technical products.

T

he decision to open the plant in Zavolzhye was made by the board of the company in 2009. At that time the company considered Zavolzhskiy Motor Plant as the main consumer.

The company has already invested 50 million roubles (1.25 million euros) into the project with the total investment of 300 million roubles planned by 2015.

Within its expansion plans Flaig Und Hommel GmbH intends purchasing land in the Gorodezkiy Region to build a new production facility covering at least 5,000 square meters. In addition to the Zavolzhskiy Motor Plant consumers of the plant’s output are expected to include KamAZ, UMZ, UAZ, GM-autoVAZ and Knorr-Bremse.

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asian NEWS

Fifth Fastener Trade Show “A Great success with the most exhibitors and visitors ever”

by Alice Hu, editor, Chinafastener.info As a large international fastener specialised exhibition, the 5th Fastener Trade Show was held at the Suzhou International Expo Center, Suzhou, China on 8th – 9th April 2011, displaying the exceptional charm of the China fastener industry.

W

ith the theme of “New Achievement, New Brand, New Trend”, the 5th Fastener Trade Show was staged for the first time in Suzhou, one of the centres of the Yangtze Delta, less than 200km from the Shanghai, Jiaxing, Wuxi, Ningbo, Hangzhou fastener manufacturing cities.

Within exhibition space of 12,000 square meters, the exhibitors showcased their latest fastener products and supporting technologies. A record 305 exhibitors occupied more than 400 booths. Exhibitors include Zhejiang Aozhan, Sanhuan Fasteners, Jiashan Zhongsheng, Wuxi Anshida, Rivet Precision, Shanghai Jingyang, Evan Fastening Systems, Shanghai Nutech, Haiyan Dazhong, Haiyan Heaven & Earth, and Morgan Brother Technology. Supporting companies included Taicang Minjui, Jiangnan Nut Tapping Machinery, Jiaxing Miyo, Dongguan Donglong, PointMaster Machinery, Hongkong Xingsheng, and Zhejiang Yeswin.

In addition, National Machinery, which has a production facility in Suzhou, Universal Punch Corp., COGEIM Europe SRL, Sala Punzoni Asia, Kyouei Fastener and other well known overseas companies came to exhibit, aiming to compete with the domestic

companies and expand in the Chinese market.

The number of visitors also set a new record, with an increase of 30% to 9,852 buyers from various sectors, 763 of which were overseas buyers, who came from 49 countries and regions including USA, Japan, Italy, UK, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, Vietnam, and Brazil.

During the exhibition, a series of value-added “Fastener FAQ Forums” was held at the Exchange Section of the 5th Fastener Trade Show. Topics included: “The key to European market: EC directives brief introduction related to fasteners”, “Automotive fastener standardisation”, “Heat treatment technology of automotive fasteners and its development”, “Effect of oversize tapped nut on proof load” and “Performance characteristics of austenite stainless steel”, which attracted a myriad of attendees and has become a unique feature in Fastener Trade Show.

11th – 12th November 2011, the 6th Fastener Trade Show will return to Guangzhou at the Poly World Trade Expo Center, aiming at the theme of “Globalisation, Innovation”.

“ The show is good. I came to look for many kinds of fasteners and plan to purchase these products for more than US$1 million.”

(USA - vice-president fasteners) “ The show is excellent. I have found 30 potential suppliers.”

(USA - director of purchasing) “ The show is good, very professional compared with the Canton fair. We can find many suppliers in a small zone.”

(Egypt - general manager fastener company) “ Everything about the show is excellent including the show itself, catering service, exhibition environment, exhibitors’ manner and organiser manner. I was impressed by your exhibition.”

(Russia – purchasing specialist) “ The show is good. I just come here and have found a machinery supplier and inquired some detailed information. If the price is reasonable, we can deal it.”

(Turkey - machinery dealer) “ The show is good and specialised because it involves all the fasteners I’m going to look for.”

(Canada - president fastener company) “ The exhibition is excellent. The exhibition environment, the exhibitors’ manner, the organiser manner and the catering service, all is excellent. I have found more than 10 factories till now.”

(USA import manager) “ The show is very nice. This is my second time to the Fastener Trade Show. I come to purchase screws and 4 sets of machines.

(India - director fastener company) (F+FM Editor Note: Company names were provided with these quotations but specific permission could not be obtained to publish within our deadline)

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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c ove r sto r y

Building on a century of fastener experience Deepak Fasteners and Unbrako are highly respected names across the global fastener industry, which have become synonymous with quality and innovation. Deepak is marking 100 years of fastener experience with a major commitment to the future and the further development of its international reputation.

S

ince its inception Unbrako has developed precision-engineered fasteners, which meet and exceed recognised international standards, resulting in higher tensile strength, improved fatigue resistance, improved ease of installation, reduced total cost of maintenance and an extended product life cycle.

Unbrako’s corporate philosophy is one of customer satisfaction based on a quality and value proposition, where both parties prosper. Since its establishment Unbrako has proactively implemented global strategies to create an internationally integrated business structure. Currently with three manufacturing plants in India and one manufacturing plant in Ireland, all equipped with the latest technology, complemented by a skilled

and experienced workforce, Unbrako is well resourced to meet exacting customer requirements. Unbrako aims to perfect its products to the minutest of details, achieving near zero-defect results, assuring high quality and lifelong durability. Unbrako has expertise not only in standard products, but also in make-toorder customised products.

Large capacity warehouses in the United Kingdom, USA and Australia, along with an extensive Unbrako distributor network, provide a well-connected infrastructure and availability in close proximity to end user demand.

This year, Unbrako celebrates 100 years of delivering high quality, innovative and reliable products. From humble beginnings in 1911, Unbrako has grown to include a wide range of products

from sockets, high tensile bolts, nuts and washers and its vibration-resistant Durlok™ range- a total now of 20,000 specialised fastener-related products, mostly available ex-stock.

Underpinning its commitment to continuous improvement, Unbrako has invested heavily in research and development of both product and production processes. Modern laboratory facilities support ever more stringent quality control and testing procedures.

In February 2011 Unbrako launched four new products: • Unbrako ARC Welding Stud – Designed for use in construction of steel structures. It prevents the slip between two objects, improving the strength of the structure.

• Unbrako Total Solution Bolt Assembly (Tamper proof) – A vibration resistant security fastener product line, which prevents the bolts from loosening.

A useful technology for use in windmills, buildings, railways, tunnels, automobiles and towers.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

• Unbrako Tension Control Bolt (TC Bolt) – Heavy-duty bolts for in use in steel frame construction. These are efficient, safe, easy to install, corrosion resistant and eco-friendly fasteners.

• Unbrako Direct Tension Indicator (DTI) – A precision made mechanical load cell which helps indicate if the defined preload has been achieved in the bolt.

Unbrako prides itself on sustained performance over time to meet and exceed specification or relevant standards and to consistently deliver to schedule.

To maintain this edge, Unbrako utilises special bolt making equipment, including the latest in cold heading and thread rolling technology, and a state of the art heat treatment plant comprising integrated continuous processing.

Unbrako also offers a variety of coatings, applied in-house, which include hot dip galvanising, mechanical galvanising, Trivalent electro galvanising (with top coat of yellow, green or black), PTFE Xylon Coating (Whitford), Geomet, Sheradising, Delta Protekt, and also Rilsan coating (with WRC approval) for the water supply industries of UK, Europe and USA. Unbrako has certification from world recognised quality assurance organisations including: ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002, WRC Approval, BS EN ISO 9001:2008 (monitored by NQA) & CE 15048, CE 14399 Certification, ISO 14001, ISO18001 among others.

Unbrako has used its rich experience in manufacturing and distribution of all types of fasteners and engineering goods to supply more than 35 countries

Mr Kalra went on to explain: “Unbrako across the globe. The ever increasing also plans to extend its range of industrial application of its products range from fasteners to include products for the shipping, petroleum oil & gas, power demanding aerospace and nuclear energy generation, transmission and overhead sectors.” The location of the new plant in line accessories, automotive, marine, Bhopal also presents important logistical construction, rail industry, aerospace, advantages. “From Bhopal it is possible to water, agriculture, electronics and make shipments to the main export ports telecommunications. overnight, compared with up to five days At the Fastener Fair Mumbai, where from plants in the Punjab. The location Deepak and Unbrako had an impressive of these ports is also very important in corporate stand to welcome new and providing a rapid link to Dubai and the existing customers, it was announced that Middle Eastern markets.” the company had invested in 300 acres To provide additional experienced (122 hectares) of industrial land at Bhopal management for this strategic for the construction of a completely new development, Mr Kalra also confirmed production facility – its fourth in India. that Mr Carl Naish, currently CEO of Phase 1 of the project, expected to cover Deepak’s business in Australia, would one third of the new site, will take delivery be relocating to Bhopal, managing the of more than 70 advanced technology Group’s sales development throughout the fastener production machines with the Asia-Pacific region from the new plant. objective of being fully operational for the Unbrako’s prestigious applications beginning of fiscal year 2012-13 in April already include the Repsol Tower in Spain, next year. The plant will manufacturer the Unbrako range from M2 to M39 diameters, Melbourne’s Rectangular Stadium (AAMI Park), the Delhi Metro, Bandra-Worli Sea using entirely cold forging technology, and will produce other hexagon head ranges in Link and Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi both metric and inch specifications. Target International Airport. “With a major expansion and investment in advanced markets for the additional output will be manufacturing processes,” says Sanjeev automotive, construction and electronic Kalra, “we are looking forward to many sectors in all of which Deepak and Unbrako products featuring on many Unbrako are rich in experience. The new more prestigious applications throughout manufacturing plant is expected to double the world.” existing group capacity of 300 metric tonnes per day.

Deepak joint managing director, Mr Sanjeev Kalra, told Fastener + Fixing Magazine that production would be for the world market. “We need space and capacity to support the excellent demand for Unbrako and Deepak products already established in North America, Europe and across the Asia Pacific region. Growth in Asia is now extremely rapid and Deepak wishes to respond positively to that opportunity. That will include the roll out of a more extensive product range in the Indian market.

We are also keen to be able to effectively develop our capability to service the potential for additional business from the Middle East and Gulf regions.”

Mr Sanjeev Kalra and Mr Carl Naish

www.fastenerandfixing.com

37

events c a lend a r

Intersolar Europe Where: Munich, Germany When: 8 Jun - 10 Jun 2011 What: International exhibition for solar technology.

Fastener Tech™ 2011

Where Illinois, USA When: 13 Jun - 15 Jun 2011 Web: www.fastenertech.com What: Fastener manufacturers, distributors and users.

Web: www.intersolar.de

BalticBuild

Where St.Petersburg, Russia When: 12 Sep - 14 Sep 2011 Web: www.balticbuild.ru What: Building and interiors exhibition.

China International Hardware Show 2011 2011 Fastener Expo Shanghai + Where Shanghai, China nd 2 Shanghai Auto Fastener Exhibition When: 21 Sep - 23 Sep 2011 Where Shanghai, China When: 16 Jun - 18 Jun 2011 Web: en.fastenerexpo.cn What: Specialist industrial fastener exhibition.

15th Mechanical Components & Materials Technology Expo

Where Tokyo, Japan When: 22 Jun - 24 Jun 2011 Web: www.mtech-tokyo.jp/english/ What: Mechanical component and material technologies.

The 12th China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition Where Guangzhou, China When: 23 Jun - 25 Jun 2011 Web: www.julang.com.cn/english What: Metal industries and materials including fasteners.

Industrial Components & Subcontracting 2011

Where Bangkok, Thailand When: 23 Jun - 26 Jun 2011 Web: www.components-subcon.com What: Industrial parts, components, equipment and

solutions exhibition.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Web: www.cihs-practicalworld.com What: Hardware and DIY sector.

MSV Brno 2011

Where Brno, Czech Rep When: 3 Oct - 7 Oct 2011 Web: www.bvv.cz/msv-gb What: International engineering fair.

14th Mechanical Components & Materials Technology Expo Osaka Where Osaka, Japan When: 5 Oct - 7 Oct 2011 Web: www.mtech-kansai.jp/english/ What: Mechanical components & materials.

SAIE 2011

Where Bologna, Italy When: 5 Oct - 8 Oct 2011 Web: www.saie.bolognafiere.it What: Building technology, systems and machines.

National Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo

Where Las Vegas, USA When: 19 Oct - 21 Oct 2011 Web: www.fastenershows.com What: Fasteners, machinery formed parts, tooling and packaging.

e x h i b i t i ons

First Fastener Fair Hannover takes place alongside Hannover Messe 2012 Mack Brooks Exhibitions has announced it will hold the first Fastener Fair Hannover from 24th – 26th April 2012 alongside Hannover Messe 2012. Fastener Fair Hannover, exhibition for the fastener and fixing industry, will take place in hall 21 at the Hannover exhibition grounds. The event will adopt a two year cycle alternating with a two year cycle for Fastener Fair Stuttgart.

S

usanne Rauberger, exhibition director Fastener Fair, on behalf of the organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions, commented: “The analysis of the exhibition survey at the highly successful Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011 event shows that there is demand in the fastener and fixings industry for a business platform in the north of Germany.” She added: “With Stuttgart as an important technology region in the south and Hannover as a key trade exhibition site for the north of Germany, we now offer our exhibitors the opportunity to present their products and services to a specialised trade audience in both of Germany’s most prosperous business regions.”

“We are particularly delighted to be able to hold Fastener Fair Hannover during Hannover Messe, internationally renowned as the world’s most trendsetting technology fair covering all areas of the industrial value chain. For Fastener Fair Hannover this co-location offers the potential for a greater end user audience,

in addition to the traditional fastener trade audience which is the focus of the Stuttgart show,” explains Susanne Rauberger.

With three halls, a total of 667 exhibitors from 40 countries and more than 8,300 trade visitors from 85 countries, Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2011 was the biggest Fastener Fair ever. As previously announced, the next Fastener Fair Stuttgart will take place from 26th – 28th February 2013 at Stuttgart’s exhibition grounds.

The exhibition profile of Fastener Fair covers industrial fasteners and fixings, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems, fastener manufacturing technology as well as storage and logistics services. The exhibition provides buying and networking opportunities for distributors, suppliers, engineers and industry professionals.

Detailed information about Fastener Fair Hannover 2012 and Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2013 will soon be available at www.fastenerfair.com

MIDEST 2011 innovates for its exhibitors The 41st MIDEST, the industrial subcontracting show, will take place from 15th - 18th November 2011 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre.

M

IDEST is pursuing initiatives throughout the year to provide subcontractors with as much relevant information about it’s activities as possible. As part of this constant effort, MIDEST will feature four major new features. It will extend its coverage to the wood processing market, it is creating an Environment & Services Village, a ‘Partnership/Alliance Award’, and MIDEST is now on twitter.

In 2011, MIDEST will welcome almost 1,750 exhibitors and 40% of these will be from outside France and they will be representing some forty countries. They can exhibit in three different settings.

The first of these is for an exhibitor to take an individual stand in the relevant sector: Metal processing, processing of plastics, rubber and composite materials, wood processing, processing of other materials, electronics and electricals, surface and thermal treatments and finishes, industrial fastenings and industry services. Secondly, an exhibitor can take space in one of the ten trade Villages: Environment & services, foundry, treatments for materials, shaping metals, plastics, rubber, forging, electronics, machining/special machines, and European fastenings. Finally, exhibitors may choose to exhibit on a joint venture stand and

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

this year 18 French regions and some thirty countries or foreign regions will be represented.

Organisers predict that nearly 40,000 professionals from all sectors of activity will come to the show to meet them and 14% of these visitors will be foreign customers from over 70 countries.

A host of events will also be staged during MIDEST 2011 in order to deliver information and to encourage contacts. The now well established MIDEST awards will allow exhibitors to highlight their performance and their unique strengths in six major categories: ‘Innovation’, ‘Outstanding implementations’, ‘International’, ‘Organisation’, ‘Design offices’ and ‘Partnership/ alliance’. Sixty free lectures, both comprehensive and brief, will cover the latest technical, strategic or economic advances in subcontracting. Finally, experts from CETIM (the mechanical engineering industries technical centre) the CTIF (the development centre for the materials shaping industries – Foundry) and the LRCCP (rubber and plastics research and monitoring laboratory) will be manning the Technology Centres to offer visitors the benefit of their expertise in relation to innovative techniques and processes.

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exhibitions

Ferroforma flourishes against the odds The Ferroforma-Bricoforma hardware and DIY fair opened on Wednesday 23rd March in a new format, featuring almost 600 international exhibitors and a highly participative programme of activities.

B

y the close of the event four days later, 16,275 visitors from a total of 80 countries from all over the world had walked through the halls of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC).

José Miguel Corres, the CEO of BEC, describes the visitor numbers as “satisfactory, which is just how this year’s participants have assessed the event to us”. With exhibitor numbers having declined from a 2009 show ravished by economic conditions, even a seven percent increase in visitors could reasonably be considered a triumph against the odds and certainly a testament to the huge level of energy injected by BEC. The majority of visitors came from France, Portugal, Italy, Germany and the UK – all of them leading countries in the EU. There were also trade specialists from Poland, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia, among other countries, many of who came as part of a programme for purchasers.

In all, the number of foreign visitors was up by 10%.

There were also over 8,000 Spanish visitors from outside the Basque Country. They came from all over Spain, though the largest numbers were from Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia, Cantabria, Galicia and Andalusia.

Exhibitors at the event stressed the high standard of visitors, and therefore of the business contacts made during the week.

Records show that most of those who attended the fair were decision makers, heads of purchasing and company managers.

The sectors in which they showed most interest were hand tools, power tools, locksmithery and industrial supplies, with over 100 new product presentations being carried out during the show in the various sectors.

The side events organised at the fair combined various formats, such as presentations, round tables, case studies and talks, and between them drew 732 trade specialists. The exhibition area given over to live demonstrations by exhibitors of innovations and the use of products was also a great success, and helped firms contact trade specialists and, especially, end users.

This 19th edition of Ferroforma-Bricoforma was opened by Bernabé Unda, the Basque government minister for industry, innovation, trade and tourism. The overall balance of the event was positive, BEC reckoned, and confirmed the suitability of the new format and the major efforts made by the organisers to ensure its profitability and assure a high international profile.

MosBuild 2011 confirms its status MosBuild 2011, the largest and best-known construction sector exhibition in Russia, took place on 5th - 8th April, occupying two of Moscow’s largest exhibition venues, Crocus Expo and Expocentre.

T

his year, MosBuild outgrew the show forecasts and featured 18% more exhibitors compared to last year’s event. 2,472 companies from 49 countries demonstrated their latest products, technologies and services to 150,000 trade visitors who attended during the four days of the exhibition. The increasing global participation was also reflected by sixteen National Group stands, including from Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Lithuania, Serbia, Italy and many others.

International event manager, Chris Christofi, comments: “As the leading trade exhibition, MosBuild gives an accurate indication of the potential and the development of Russia’s building and interiors market. We are absolutely delighted to welcome three new national groups from Croatia, Denmark and Lithuania this year. This really confirms that Russia is becoming a key territory for thousands of international industry players”.

Scell-It launched its new Russian subsidiary at Mosbuild. “Scell-it Russia is the last ‘newborn’ in the Scell-it family, after Scell-it UK, Scell-it Poland, Scell-it Scandinavia and Scell-it Baltics,” said Anna Olexova. “We had a very good show at MosBuild and had a lot of visitors to our stand all interested in our new blind rivet battery tool.”

For 2012 the organisers have announced that MosBuild will be held in the Expocentre only, but spread over a two week period.

Week one will take place from 2nd – 5th April and week two from 10th – 13th April 2012.

Week one will feature a series of interior and decor products events, each promoted within their niche sectors. They include bathrooms, ceramics, technoceramica, doors and locks, flooring, wall decor, decotex, and paints and coatings. Week two will focus on the building sector and will feature events covering building materials and equipment, hardware and tools, windows, plumbing and pipes, lighting and electrics, architectural stone and interior finishes.

Commenting on plans for MosBuild in 2012, event director Ruzanna Sarkisova said: “The decision to alter our venue arrangements next year provides us with yet another opportunity to drive MosBuild forward. We have structured the two-week event to enable visitors to plan an efficient trip so that they can spend more time conducting business and less time travelling between two venues.

MosBuild is a first-class marketplace for business and our commitment is to make it better and better – every year”.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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exhibitions

Hannover Messe Turbocharged industry revs up the recovery machine The world’s foremost technology event, Hannover Messe 2011, ended with the best outcome in 10 years. “This year’s event in Hannover has given industry a real boost, powering it up to drive the economic recovery,” commented Deutsche Messe managing board chairman Dr. Wolfram von Fritsch at the end-of-show press conference in Hannover on Friday 8th April.

H

e added: “This Hannover Messe has generated even more momentum for industry as the force behind the economic upswing.” Over 6,500 businesses from 65 countries came to Hannover to display their solutions.

Positive economic indicators meant that exhibitors had arrived with high expectations. But according to Wolfram von Fritsch, Hannover Messe 2011 “even surpassed those high expectations - with the right themes, over 5,000 innovations on exhibit, and significantly greater international participation”.

‘Smart Efficiency’ as the keynote theme for Hannover Messe 2011 was the common thread running through the majority of this year’s displays, and was also addressed in the many debates and forums featured at the event. “A total of over 60 forums drew greater attendance than ever before – 30% up on 2009 as the most recent show of comparable scope. This further consolidates Hannover Messe’s position as the world’s leading platform for technology and knowledge transfer.”

Energy and automation topics were at the very heart of visitor interest. “Major emphasis was placed on the energy mix for the future, as well as on energy efficiency. The message from Hannover is very clear: There are promising ways of saving energy right now, and we can do this faster than the time it takes to build new plants. Hannover Messe has shown that industry is

already able to provide the efficient technologies needed; now it’s a matter of putting them to work. Experts estimate the total savings potential at around 30%,” von Fritsch noted, adding that each of the sectors covered by Hannover Messe had profited greatly from concerted efforts to bring the energy topic to the forefront of interest over the past several years.

Hannover Messe 2011 attracted a total of well over 230,000 visitors. This represents growth of 10% - 15% over the comparable 2009 event. Some 60,000 of these visitors were from abroad, which is over a third more than in 2009. “Our foreign visitors, alone, would have filled over 150 jumbo jets,” said a delighted von Fritsch. “Attendance was up from every country, thus bringing tangible benefit to exhibitors in every sub-section of the event.” One in every three visitors was a member of top management, marking a 20% increase in this category.

Germany’s federal chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and the French prime minister Francois Fillon opened Hannover Messe 2011 on 3rd April in Hannover before an audience of 2,400 invited VIPs, among whom were over 120 political delegations from abroad. “France as this year’s Partner Country presented its profile as an innovative industrial nation and a strong partner for the German economy,” commented von Fritsch.

The next Hannover Messe will be staged from 23rd – 27th April 2012.

Countdown to Intersolar China 2011 Following its international events in Europe, North America and India, 2011 will see Intersolar’s worldwide exhibition network completed with the inauguration of Intersolar China.

T

he organisers of Intersolar have partnered with MMI (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. to organise Intersolar China, taking place in 2011 from 7th – 9th December at its annual venue at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing.

Intersolar China organisers explain that the exhibition is the new flagship event for solar professionals looking to do business in the lucrative Chinese solar markets. It has been designed from the ground up to offer new business contacts and networking opportunities for the international solar industry. During its three days, the event expects more than 250 exhibitors and 7,500 visitors with an exhibition space spanning nearly 16,500 square meters. More than 500 attendees are expected to take part in the accompanying conference programme.

“Intersolar China brings together all solar energy technologies and the entire supply chain, including equipment and material suppliers, cell and module manufacturers, balance of systems (BOS) suppliers, distributors, project developers, academia/ research, as well as government. Intersolar China will feature both domestic and international companies committed to contribute to the rapid growth and profitability of the Chinese market.”

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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exhibitions

First Fastener Fair India ‘total success’ Launched as part of the series of the internationally renowned ‘Fastener Fair’ brand, the first edition of Fastener Fair India, trade exhibition for the fastener and fixings industry, proved a big success, reports organisers Inter-Ads Brooks.

F

rom 16th – 17th April 2011 a remarkable 4,800 visitors came to the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai to meet with industry experts and discover a comprehensive range of industrial fasteners, construction fixings, assembly and installation systems as well as manufacturing technology. Both visitors and exhibitors praised the show as a highly professional and worthwhile industry event.

Half of the ninety exhibitors at this specialised industry event came from outside India, with an even spread of companies from Europe, Asia and the Americas. In the exhibition survey 95% of exhibitors were able to report positive business enquiries at their stands; and the large majority of exhibiting companies achieved their aims. It is no wonder that three quarters of the exhibitors had already indicated on site that they intended to exhibit again at the next exhibition. Fastener Fair India 2013 will take place from 17th – 18th April 2013, at the same venue, the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.

In the exhibitor survey the show received excellent marks for the quality and quantity of its trade visitors. These were mainly from India; however, some 3% of visitors came to Fastener Fair India from all parts of the world.

Visitors at Fastener Fair India 2011 were mainly fastener and fixings manufacturers (32%), purchasers (21%), engineers (18%), end users (12%) and distributors (11%). Key industry sectors to which the visitors belonged included mechanical engineering (25%), the automotive industry and its suppliers (22%), electrical products and domestic appliances (13%) and hardware / DIY retailing (11%). The exhibition attracted fastener and fixings specialists at all levels, with the majority having managerial responsibility (27%), being head of production (26%) or having purchasing responsibility (16%).

“The Indian economy is well known as one of the great powerhouses of global industrial growth. Consumer demand for cars, domestic appliances and electrical equipment as well as current and future infrastructure and energy projects mean that the Indian fastener and fixings industry will need to rapidly increase capacity to respond to this growth. It is in this context that we launched Fastener Fair India. The dedicated trade exhibition is the ideal market place for networking and

46

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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exhibitions for gaining an overview of the latest technical solutions”, says Stephen Brooks, chairman, Mack Brooks Exhibitions on behalf of the organisers Inter Ads – Brooks Exhibitions (India) Pvt. Ltd. “We are delighted that the first Fastener Fair held in India has been such a big success. The launch of this show came exactly at the right time, as there has been long-standing demand by the Indian fasteners and fixings industry for a targeted industry event. Co-located with the second edition of BLECH India, exhibition for sheet metal working, Fastener Fair India was well-placed to meet the needs of industry professionals and end users. We look forward to sustainably developing this show into India’s key platform for the fastener and fixings industry,” says Rajan Sharma, chairman, Inter Ads, on behalf of the organisers Inter Ads – Brooks.

2013 dates confirmed Both, Fastener Fair India and BLECH India will come back to the Bombay Exhibition Centre in April 2013: BLECH India 2013 will take place from 17th – 20th April 2013 and Fastener Fair India, Mumbai will be held from 17th – 18th April 2013.

Information on Fastener Fair India 2013 will soon be available at the show website www.fastenerfair.com

BLECH India 2011 reflects positive growth prospects With 139 exhibitors from 18 countries and more than 7,000 trade visitors, mainly from India, the second BLECH India, exhibition for sheet metal working, reflected the positive growth prospects for the Indian sheet metal market.

H

eld from 14th – 17th April 2011 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, the exhibition more than doubled in size compared with the launch show in 2009.

Participants were highly satisfied, particularly with the comprehensive range of products on display and with the professional flavour of the show. BLECH India 2011 showcased a large variety of machines, tool and solutions for the complete sheet metal forming and fabrication process; an enormous amount of live machine demonstrations were on display.

“We are delighted to be able to report that BLECH India has taken a big step forward in both size and profile.

The exhibition has developed into a major quality event for India’s sheet metal working industry since its debut two years ago, and this rapid development corresponds to the fast-paced Indian market for this industry sector,” explains Stephen Brooks,

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

chairman, Mack Brooks Exhibitions on behalf of the organisers Inter Ads – Brooks Exhibitions (India) Pvt. Ltd. “We want to congratulate our exhibitors and visitors for this success. There was lively trading activity throughout the four exhibition days and the mood was buoyant. The excellent results of this event show that we have been able to design a highly professional industry platform for India’s sheet metal working industry. A dedicated trade exhibition such as BLECH India is vital for one of India’s key industry sectors in the face of the country’s economic growth potential and the large number of investment projects to cover the ever-increasing consumer demand,” says Rajan Sharma, chairman, Inter Ads on behalf of the organisers.

Over 90% of exhibiting companies reported positive business enquiries, and 95% said they had achieved their aims. Exhibitors praised the high quality and number of trade visitors, expert talks and contact with potential customers at their stands.

Visitor segments covered sheet metal and sheet metal products (53%), mechanical engineering (44%), the automotive industry (11%), iron and steel production (10%) as well as steel and aluminium construction (9%). The show attracted sheet metal working specialists at all levels, the majority being head of production (41%) or having managerial responsibility (26%).

Visitors particularly rated the outstanding quality of the products and services on display and the large number of live machine demonstrations.

insight

Taking ‘Solutioneering’ seriously There is a risk with hybrid words that they can be seen simply as smart marketing slogans. For Phil Matten ‘Solutioneering’ did make sense on first reading but a day at the KVT headquarters close to Zurich was an excellent opportunity to test the integrity of the strategy and thinking behind it.

T

he KVT Solutioneering Group owes its roots to Dr Ing. Max Koenig who, in 1927, began offering customised sheet metal engineering in Zurich. In 1950 the company introduced complementary products including blind rivets and fasteners. It also relocated to Dietikon, around 15 kilometres from the centre of Zurich, which remains its headquarters as well as a manufacturing site.

It is one of KVT’s distinctions that it is both innovative manufacturer and successful fastening technology distributor. The KOENIG-expander®, manufactured now in both Dietikon and North Haven, Connecticut, is a unique

means access and regular connection to all tiers of the global automotive and hydraulics supply chain. It also means a very strong engineering technical base, which includes testing facilities in both Europe and America that are regularly used to provide both quality assurance and modelling results, for example for anti-corrosion capabilities or tensile strength, to fastening customers. Least tangible, but of unarguable significance, is an innate comprehension of the needs of the manufacturer and its interface with the supply chain, which KVT uses to its advantage in differentiating the relationship it develops with its fastening suppliers as well as customers.

sealing system for drilled holes. Innovated in the 1970s primarily for hydraulic applications it today ensures safe and tight closures, even at extreme pressure loading, in a wide range of applications, including engine, power transmission, steering and fuel injection systems for many automotive manufacturers. As well as contributing substantially to the sales and profitability the expander business imparts a series of invaluable advantages to its fastener technology counterpart.

Its innovatory design and engineering integrity have, even after 40 years, only been bettered by KVT’s own developments, making it one of the world’s leading sealing systems. For the KVT group that

In 1973 a second location was founded in Illerrieden, Germany and in 1992 Debrunner-Koenig Holding, as it was then, developed a KVT sales and distribution presence in Asten, Austria. In the early years of the next decade KVT established a presence in Gdansk, Poland and at Brno, in the Czech Republic. The most significant development in its international profile came in 2008 through the acquisition of the sealing plug distribution part of Sherex Industries and Farmington Engineering in the US, which becoming KVT Koenig LLC meant the American market could for the first time be serviced in situ.

In 2008 Koenig Verbindungstechnik

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

parted company with Debrunner-Koenig Holding AG through a leveraged buyout. The KVT Solutioneering Group encompassed both sealing and fastener technology supply to a remarkably diverse range of market sectors across a growing geographic profile. Since the buyout additional European branches have been opened in Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary. Most recently KVT founded national trading entities in both Brazil and China, with the expander acting as spearhead to these rapidly developing markets.

Sitting at a meeting table in Dietikon, listening to seven of KVT’s key managers, it does not take long to recognise one of the most important consequences of the buyout. KVT has a management team that, all the evidence suggests very effectively, has melded a rich seam of experience and knowledge with some extremely incisive business brainpower. No question either, that the resultant combination has a clear and critical understanding of the KVT strengths, which can be effectively deployed to drive the group from a still primarily central European business to the genuine global player, now required by many of its major accounts and stakeholders.

‘Solutioneering’ is at the core of that strategy. “We focus on customer specific solutions and on individual components and not the mass market for standard products,” explains Dr Frank Hilgers, head of group sales & portfolio and member of the executive board. The point is reiterated: “We are the company that provides the customer with a solution to their problem.” Frank is also quick to link that capability to KVT’s relatively unusual mix of manufacturing and distribution competences. “We are not a normal distributor because we are also a manufacturer. That gives us a special ability to understand manufacturers because as one ourselves we work with distributors, so we see both sides of the matter.”

The solutions KVT offers are founded on a series of strong partnerships with innovative and competent supply manufacturers. “We have a lot of good partners that produce premium brands,” explains Dr Christina Würthner, director group portfolio & supplier, and

DETAILS DELIVER PERFORMANCE Future-oriented applications demand reliable details.

High-performance solutions from KVT are found wherever absolutely safe and secure connections are essential. www.kvt -koenig.com

JOINED TO LAST. 110

insight like Frank Hilgers an addition to the KVT management team since the buy out. Relationships with PEM, Southco and Emhart are longstanding, KVT having represented these principals in Switzerland and other key markets for many years, contributing strongly to their development. A spectrum of other well-renowned technical brands includes bigHead Bonding, Tappex, Filko, Tubtara and Loctite.

Expansion brings with it relationship challenges, Christina Würthner, acknowledges. Many of the KVT supply relationships were founded on geographic agreements and over the last year she has led a series of negotiations to try to ensure the Group is able to offer its full breadth of solutions in all its markets.

Her team is also working to rebrand and develop KVT’s own range of products – and were that not enough, continually

seek out potential new supply partners.

“Our objective is to create premium value from high growth innovative technologies and strong reliable partners,” she says.

Equally emphatic is the belief that KVT is able to deliver substantial and potentially crucial benefits to those partners. The commercial opportunities presented

by KVT’s reputation and relationship with major OEMs across many industry sectors, and its logistical and sales capabilities are clear. The quality of KVT’s laboratory facilities is also significant to smaller supply partners unlikely to be large enough to invest in as comprehensive a range of modern testing and inspection technology. “As well as the engineering and testing departments,” Frank Hilgers adds, “we also have a business development department that is able to apply its skills and resources to

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help a partner bring a product to market.”

Referring to supplier development Christina summarises: “What has been done intuitively before is now done more consciously.” This articulates a theme that is clearly detectable throughout the discussion of all aspects of the KVT Group. “The emphasis is on functioning systematically as a global organisation,” Frank Hilgers echoes. “With the investors came some new management but we did not think we must change everything.

Rather we looked carefully at the strengths of the company and how we could develop them.”

The presence and contributions of Swiss managing director and member of the executive board Philippe Graber, throughout the day are a clear validation of the point. The Swiss market continues to represent a strong pillar of the KVT business; more than half of the KVT business comes from the German market, with rapid growth from the ‘new regions’ of North America and Eastern Europe.

“We have a sales force in the market that has both a solid reputation and a lot of experience,” says Philippe.

“We have a technical partnership with our supplier, our sales people work closely with them, often going together to the customer, presenting one face.” That approach is, he reiterates, strongly supported by KVT’s inhouse technical facilities. “For example, if the customer needs to test corrosion capabilities or tensile strength we have the equipment and the know-how to do it.”

“We are committed to providing the best solution for the customer. It is quite usual for us to offer a number of potential solutions and while we will normally recommend the one we consider to be optimal, we respect that the customer has the final decision.” It is a commitment that extends for the lifetime of the relationship and includes provision and maintenance of the installation systems required to ensure the customer achieves maximum productivity. “Our aim is to provide the complete system for fastener technology for the customer. That includes the

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

guarantee that we can repair and service their tools and equipment well into the future.”

The theme of systematic management recurs in relationship to the development of KVT’s human resources. “What surprised me coming into KVT was the tremendous industry experience in the group and the awareness of new developments and technologies in the market,” says Frank Hilgers. “We said ‘what about industry X or business opportunity Y?’ and the immediate and substantiated response was ‘yes, we’ve been working on that’”.

“It is crucial that we systematically replicate the experience and know-how to KVT people working in new markets. That means developing the infrastructure to work together, exchange that experience and knowledge, make the training available and create the opportunities for progression that allows people to grow in the company.” Having the appropriate initial material is also critical: “Where we are recruiting new sales people, as we have done in Eastern Europe, we look for people with an engineering background and industry experience – people whose natural instinct is to think first about the solution and secondly the price. Even so we know it will take a while to develop someone to be truly effective in KVT.” There is plenty more to discover about KVT’s market segments and the solutions it offers to each. The Group’s web presence and literature does a comprehensive and highly competent job, as one would expect. It is a rare opportunity, though, to challenge a management team robustly, something to which KVT responded remarkably openly and thoughtfully.

Two voices, reflecting on facets of the future, go a long way to summarise the consistency of vision KVT emanates.

From Philippe Graber: “The cycle of product development in all markets is getting shorter and shorter. KVT aims to be closely integrated into that cycle with its customers, in order to work together to develop the solutions required for the next cycle.”

From Frank Hilgers: “There is only one way to survive and develop in mature markets, which is by effectively managing complexity. We need to go into the niches and to grow you need to have many niches, so the management of complexity is fundamental to growth”.

For KVT ‘Solutioneering’ unquestionably does have real meaning and its application is taken very seriously indeed – as is the clear invitation to both demanding fastener users and innovative suppliers to test its capabilities.

by

buy better

insight

British business celebrates 40 years of helping industry hold it together Major fastener manufacturer and distributor Non Standard Socket Screw (NSSS) is celebrating its past - and preparing for an even brighter future.

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he company recently reached its 40th year of supplying a unique range of high quality fasteners and screws to sectors such as engineering, construction, automotive and the waste recycling industry. From its start in 1971, the Birmingham-based company has gone on to provide a range of products to customers worldwide.

Although Non Standard by name, it is not just non standard by nature. With its self contained manufacturing facility Non Standard Socket Screw has the ability to manufacture a diverse range of products to both standard specifications and individual customer requirements. The company carries a full range of standard socket screw products and is a Master Distributor and stockist for all Unbrako products, including the Durlok™ range.

“…Non Standard Socket Screw has the ability to manufacture a diverse range of products to both standard specifications and individual customer requirements.”

With its 100 strong workforce including a sales and technical team with over 200 years combined experience in the fastener trade, the company has been successful in meeting their customers’ expectations. NSSS attributes this global success by focusing on continually improving what it offers its customers.

It’s an achievement the business is determined to build on in the future.

One important step NSSS has taken to achieve another successful 40 years is the recent addition of a micro-site to its main website, giving customers seamless online access to stock and ordering information for 20,000 products.

Another way in which the ISO 9001 accredited company is staying ahead is by investing in advanced technology and equipment so it can produce high and low volume specialist

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

“…we are continually looking ahead to enhance what we offer our customers in the future.” parts. Over the years NSSS has succeeded in keeping up with changing demands from businesses across the world, thanks to ongoing improvements in its manufacturing capability. It’s a sign of the times that the current focus is on larger threaded components for the offshore and recycling industries.

NSSS is also helping to support a more positive future for the planet by installing the latest energy management controls across its operations and recycling products such as oils, paper, cardboard and ink cartridges.

The company is seeking to broaden its customer base even further and will exhibit at future leading industry events, including the Oil & Gas Offshore Exhibition and the Recycling & Waste Management Exhibition.

Alan White, director of NSSS commented: “We’re very proud to have reached our 40th year of supplying high quality products to the industry. Since 1971 we have worked hard to establish Non Standard Socket Screw as a leader in our field. As well as looking back on our achievements, we are continually looking ahead to enhance what we offer our customers in the future.”

For our customers, our 40th birthday is just the beginning At Non Standard Socket Screw we’re celebrating 40 years of supplying high quality screws and fasteners to the industry. We’re proud of our achievements, but for us, our 40 year history is just the start. We’re continually working hard to achieve even better results for our customers across the globe, by: • Creating a dedicated micro-site that lets customers find, view and download details of over 20,000 products online.

• Investing in advanced technology and equipment to create even more choice.

• Continually increasing our product range by improving our manufacturing capabilities.

CELEBRATING

Years www.nssocketscrews.com

insight

Landmark year for Jubilee® Clip Ninety years ago in post World War 1 Britain - when Winston Churchill was appointed colonial secretary (years before he became prime minister), and when Shackleton set sail on his last expedition to Antarctica - retired naval officer, Commander Lumley Robinson had an idea. His subsequent design for a hardwearing, reliable and secure worm drive hose clip was brilliantly simple.

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o brilliant in fact that, ninety years down the line his brainchild, the now world-famous Jubilee® Clip, continues to go from strength to strength as its manufacturer celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The Jubilee® Clip, a registered trademark of L. Robinson & Co (Gillingham) Ltd is a ubiquitous product – you can quite literally find it everywhere you look. In virtually every manufacturing sector or industry (automotive, marine, agriculture, heating & ventilation) Jubilee® Clips, in different sizes and configurations, provide temporary or semipermanent connections for all types of hosing, tubing and ducting.

Using premium grade materials, innovative design and advanced manufacturing technologies, Jubilee® Clips are recognised worldwide for their quality, reliability, high performance and cost competitiveness.

The new managing director of L. Robinson & Co (Gillingham) Ltd is Ian Jennings (pictured above), the great grandson of Commander Lumley Robinson. Heritage and pedigree are important issues to the Jubilee® Clip manufacturer. Ian Jennings says: “We’re proud of our history... but our sights are firmly set on the future.” The family-owned business is today unrecognisable in many respects from the fledgling company first established by Commander Lumley but it is still run on the same, sound business principles that served it so well in the past.

Guiding principles

Every successful business has a number of guiding principles that permeate the organisation - shaping everything it does.

L. Robinson & Co is no different. “Our unswerving commitment to product quality and a customer focused business approach built on integrity, trust and creating brand loyalty are as relevant today and in the future as they were in 1921,” explains Ian Jennings.

Adherence to these principles means L. Robinson & Co constantly reviews its entire operation (manufacturing, quality control, sales and after-sales). In recent years it has: • Relocated to its current, more spacious facility in Gillingham, Kent.

• Developed and strengthened its distributor and agency networks in Europe, and the rest of the world.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

• Introduced new product lines.

• Invested in new manufacturing equipment, streamlining and further automating its production capabilities.

The watchword is ‘quality’

Every year L. Robinson & Co manufactures ‘tens of millions’ of its products that, via its distributor networks, ultimately find their way to all corners of the world. There are currently over 580 different product ‘types’ manufactured by the company, all carrying its ‘quality’ Kitemark. “We live or die by the quality and reliability of our products,” sys Ian Jennings. “We were instrumental in creating the first UK Quality Standard for wormdrive hose clips in the 1960s (BS 3628), and were one of the first manufacturers to be accredited to the BS 5750 Standard in 1987.”

This commitment to quality is further evidenced by the company’s current BS EN ISO 9001: 2000 certification, and UK Ministry of Defence quality accreditation.

“Quality is, and has always been, a key differentiator for us,” says Ian Jennings. “During the 1950s and 1960s the UK hose clip market was flooded by cheaper and, in some instances, ‘copy’ products.”

“The Jubilee® Clip name became a generic term for hose clips and, despite making it a registered trademark, the size and complexity of the hose clip market made and still continues to make trademark protection and policing a difficult, if not impossible, nut to crack.”

For L. Robinson & Co this is a critical issue and explains why much of its marketing and promotional activities focus on Jubilee® Clip’s USPs - “quality grade raw materials, quality manufacturing methods and quality control, and quality service.”

Ian Jennings acknowledges: “Customer understanding and education about why Jubilee® Clips are premium products continue to be a big issue for us. There are a number of factors that influence a customer’s hose clip selection - including price, availability, performance - and that’s why we need to keep on hammering the message home that a hose clip that doesn’t carry the registered Jubilee® trademark – simply isn’t a Jubilee® Clip and won’t perform like a Jubilee® Clip either.”

Market presence and penetration

The hose clip market is mature, and L. Robinson & Co is constantly looking at new ways to increase its market share, especially in Europe. “Not surprisingly we are a leading player in the UK market which accounts for about 50% of our sales turnover,” says Ian Jennings. “Whilst the domestic market is clearly important to us – the opportunities for growth lie in our export business.”

L. Robinson & Co has become far more active in Europe, which the company now sees as its ‘home’ market, and has developed a strong market presence in Germany, Holland and Poland. “From our base in Kent,” says Ian Jennings, “I can get to our German offices and warehouse much faster than I can get to many parts of the UK – so travel and logistics aren’t a problem.

Set up in 1988, Jubilee® Clips Deutschland GmbH provides us with a strategic hub to meet demand in Europe and tap into a market some 60% larger by population than the US.” Jennings reckons the key to exploiting the potential in European

countries requires proactive, well-connected and ‘market-savvy’ distributors that embrace the Jubilee® Clip ‘quality’ mantra. The company has spent significant resources in ensuring that such distributors are now in place in most EU countries as well as the rest of Europe, the Middle and Far East. But, says Ian Jennings: “We’re always on the look-out to recruit more”.

On the front foot

The company’s recent attendance at the 2011 Fastener Fair exhibition in Stuttgart as well as being used to raise the company’s profile at an international show, also provided the opportunity for key staff - including Ian Jennings, sales manager Chris Bunting and Ingro Ingrillini from Jubilee® Clips Deutschland GmbH - to meet existing distributors and to talk to potential new ones. For Chris Bunting: “The exhibition provided us with an ideal platform to promote a range of our products to what in effect is a global audience, and we were delighted with the large number of exhibition attendees that visited our stand over the three days.”

Products featured at the show included: • BS5315 hose clips - often the preferred solution for industrial applications in Europe.

• DIN3017 hose clips - favoured by OEM companies particularly in the automotive sector.

• Multiband - for low pressure, large diameter applications such as industrial ducting for ventilation/heating.

• Superclamps - for heavy-duty and high pressure applications such as delivery hoses.

• Tamper resistant and quick fitting ‘O’ clips for gas line applications such as welding equipment.

• High torque - high clamping force clips for high pressure pumps and compressors.

Illustrious history – bright future

Napoleon said: ‘An army that stays within its fortifications is doomed’. L. Robinson & Co. sees it as an apt analogy. Rather than resting on its laurels and basking in historical glory, the company is grasping the opportunity for growth with both hands and running with it. Armed with new products, the latest and most advanced manufacturing capabilities, staff that are committed to the cause - and of course a brand that exudes quality, reliability, value and performance - confidence concerning the future growth and prosperity of the confidence is high.

insight

Rivco announces exclusive agreement Rivco Ltd, based in Worcestershire, UK, has recently become the exclusive distributor for Rivit tools in the UK and Ireland territory.

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ivco has been working with Rivit Srl, based in Bologna, Italy, for many years, with the two companies previously operating with an informal arrangement.

Discussions started to develop when both companies looked at developing a closer trading relationship which would offer mutual benefits. As a result of these positive discussions it was agreed in early 2011 that Rivco would operate as the exclusive distributor for Rivit tools in the UK and Ireland territory.

The visit of Adrian Andreescu the public relation manager responsible for developing the Rivit network of approved distributors helped to finalise the agreement with Rivco, with both companies completing stock holding arrangements and repair and service audit approvals.

Rivco is now able to offer the complete range of Rivit tools from stock and has started to discuss with its customers the benefits of using the high quality tooling products. Indeed Rivco has already put a number of the Rivit tools into its ‘Tool Hire’ fleet and has completed a number of customer demonstrations, with great success.

The Rivit tool range currently offered has received approvals from many international automotive, domestic appliance and large sub contract sheet metal companies who provide assemblies to the IT and telecommunications industry.

Rivco listens to customers

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ivco also recently completed a customer survey where the main points of discussion involved the provision of a flexible and reliable distribution service that offers a complete range of services.

“The next day delivery for customers is now an industry standard requirement; however the request for more flexible delivery solutions is now a very common request,” explains Matthew Roden, commercial director at Rivco.

In listening to its customer requests Rivco has confirmed the following services as part of the improved distribution agreements it has negotiated for its customers.

• UK & Ireland operates on a next day delivery with orders taken up to 17:00pm.

• Timed deliveries are available upon request.

• Deliveries required Pre – 09:30am are available.

• Deliveries required Pre – 10:30am are available.

EU export arrangements are available for all consignment sizes, from small parcel consignments through to Euro pallets requirements. Rivco is currently exporting regularly to Germany, Italy, Turkey, Czech Republic, Poland and more recently Sweden.

Exports outside of the EU have seen Rivco sending Euro pallet consignments to China, UAE, Saudi Arabia and India. Rivco is able to complete all the relevant documentation using the relevant authorities to control and approve the required documents.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

The final piece of the jigsaw to fall into place

pplier u s t r e s nut & t e v i upply s e W The r . e.. of choic

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

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

Thunderbolt gets the galvanised treatment Boasting superior strength and inherent versatility APT states that its Thunderbolt is a super hero in the world of fixings, with the latest product innovation including a new galvanised Thunderbolt.

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he galvanised Thunderbolt is coated with a 45 micron coating of zinc oxide to protect the steel from the elements that would normally lead to oxidation, corrosion and eventual weakening. The galvanised Thunderbolt is designed specifically for use in coastal, marine and industrial environments, where salt and chemicals in the air can speed up corrosion.

Mike Mitchell, sales manager at APT explained: “Because of its reliability Thunderbolt has long been a favourite with engineers and is recognised as being ideal for reliable fixing of medium and heavy duty construction applications. The new galvanised Thunderbolt is exactly the same product, but its galvanised coating means it will perform for longer

Sormat’s new drop-in-anchor Sormat has recently added a drop-in-anchor with a lip to its family of trusted high-tech fixings.

Index brings out its new TEXZ® Index, the Spanish manufacture of anchors, fixings and screws, has launched its new high-performance chipboard screw, TEXZ®.

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he new zinc plated arrival is called LAL and Sormat says it makes drop-in-anchor installation easier and safer since the lip assures flush placement and keeps the anchor from slipping too deep keeping it perpendicular to the surface of the concrete.

The LAL drop-in-anchor can also be used in hollow concrete slabs, with more information concerning the range available online and directly from Sormat.

Stuttgart grip challenge winners!

Nearly 1,000 visitors participated in the Sormat Grip Challenge Contest at the Fastener Fair Stuttgart. The Top 3 grippers in the individual category were: 1st place: Mr. Jukka Haikonen of Ferrometal - 81.6kg 2nd place: Mr. Frank Roehnert of Monta-TEC GmbH - 78.7kg 3rd place: Mr. Harald Scheiner of Hoffmann & Co - 76.3kg The best company average was gripped by Team Simpson Strong Tie/Liebig with a combined result of 322.5kg. The team included strongmen Mark Kennedy, Ingolf Buche, Ryan Vuletic, Charles-Henry Mathis and Andreas Wendt.

The Fastener Fair 2011 Prize Draw Winner was Mr. Dirk Berger from Berlin.

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in environments with a corrosive atmosphere, such as coastal, marine and industrial locations.”

The threaded anchor and self-tapping action of the Thunderbolt allows for safe anchorage, with the substrate becoming the nut to the bolt – applying a tried and tested method for metals and wood to a broader selection of materials.

APT highlights that a main feature which helps to seal the galvanised Thunderbolt’s popularity is its simplicity. It uses standard drill bits, no special tools are required and no marking out is required making it a cost effective solution. The Thunderbolt can even be used on temporary jobs as it’s completely removable.

he launch of the new TEXZ® with patented geometry is part of Index’s strategy to complete its wide range of products, in order to satisfy the highest standards for screws, metal anchors, chemical anchors and plastic anchors.

The TEXZ® features optimised geometry and special technical characteristics, which make the screw an alternative for installations where a high performance is required.

Index points out that a high pitch allows the TEXZ® to be driven in faster and allows for a firmer fastening to the base material.

Also ribs in the lower part of the head generate a direct countersink during the installation of the screw, helping to save time and additional tools.

Other features of the TEXZ® include a GSWR serrated thread with irregular dentations on the first 3 - 6 coils (depending on screw diameter), which triturates the fibres and reduces the installation torque. Another feature is a cut of 25º which Index says facilitates balance and penetration of the screw in any installation position.

The TEXZ® is available in zinc-plated, yellow zinc-plated and Chromium-VI free coating, and is also environmentally friendly.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

S I S T E M I

D I

F I S S A G G I O

-

F A S T E N I N G

S Y S T E M S

heavy&metal

Ancoranti meccanici - Mechanical anchors

FM

sistemi di fissaggio

速

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

VdS

ETA

Fire Resistance

A S S O C I A T O

Confindustria Unione Industriali

European Technical Approval Option 7 non cracked concrete

European Consortium of Anchors Producers

ETA Option 7

M E M B E R

ETA European Technical Approval Option 1 cracked and not cracked concrete

ETA Option 1

O F

Associazione Italiana per il restauro architettonico, artistico, urbano

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

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

SEAC launches Polytop® campaign SEAC, a Midlands based manufacturer of industrial fasteners, has launched a campaign to remind the signage industry that its Polytop® socket-drive screws are ideal when it comes to signage fastening solutions.

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EAC pioneered the Polytop® design over 20 years ago and is looking to the signage industry in a bid to double sales of its hex (6-point) and bi-hex (12-point) head screws.

The hex and bi-hex head products are just two of 26 different types of Polytop® fasteners in a huge range of gauge, size and colours all of which are manufactured on site at its factory in Leicester.

The socket drive screw is a one piece fastener with an injection moulded plastic coloured head.

The coloured head means that they can be used in visible positions, where ordinary screws would need capping or painting, making them ideal for signs and point of sale.

Additionally the tamper proof head means that installations remain secure. A socket drive tool is available from SEAC for installing and removing the screws. SEAC also points out that the tough polymer also resists fading and is resistant to most chemicals so perfect for outdoor installations.

Richard Beer, SEAC’s financial director said: “Currently around 80% of our socket drive screws are sold to the construction industry but we’ve long identified their suitability for the signage industry as well. We hope that a new marketing campaign will highlight the benefits of these products to sign writers and retail display fitters.”

Delivering decking solutions As part of its commitment to offering the best products backed by the highest levels of service and sales support, ForgeFix, a distributor of fixings, fastenings and associated products, has added a new display stand to its range of Point-of-Sale materials.

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he new stand, which has been unveiled to coincide with the run up to spring and clearer weather, provides an innovative all-in-one solution that promotes ForgeFix’s wide range of decking products.

Supplied pre-assembled and actually made from decking boards, each stand comes complete with stock that includes decking screws packed in 200 piece boxes and in tubs of 1,000 with a free insert bit. In addition, ForgeFix has included timber fixing screws in fully recyclable cases and twin packs of hex drives to make using these screws quicker and easier than ever.

ForgeFix believes the stand’s ability to offer answers to any decking product need from one POS solution will help stockists to maximise opportunities to cross and up-sell, whilst also

encouraging impulse buying.

Commenting on the launch, Mike Smith, sales and marketing director at ForgeFix, said: “ForgeFix’s success comes from offering merchants and DIY outlets access to nothing short of the complete package. As well as high quality products, we aim to provide customers with the kind of service and support that can add value to their business - and pounds to their bottom line.”

He added: “We believe that the launch of the new merchandising units will build on our already impressive track record, not least because of their timely release - with spring approaching and people taking advantage of the improving weather to get started on those outdoor projects.”

TOX has everything under control In terms of heavy duty fastening such as handlebar, canopy or porch, it all depends on the building material, the torque to stabilise the construction, and of course on the right plug. With the Control MSL-S2, TOX states that everything is under control.

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he all-purpose metric frame-plug from the German manufacturer provides an integrated hex bolt and is fitted with a four segment metal expansion section, as well as a plastic sleeve with optical control ring and a projecting collar.

TOX underlines that thanks to this structure, any craftsman or handyman can at first sight actually see when the maximal extension is achieved. Therefore a torque is not especially required with a simple wrench being able to carry out the job, which TOX believes makes the Control MSL-S2 a unique product in the field of fastening.

Available in six dimensions, the Control MSL-S2 is appropriate for concrete, stones, ACC and perforated bricks. The maximal expansion in different building materials is reached, together with the proper torque, when the projecting collar and the ring are compressed together.

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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

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

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

For further information and a full list of valid ETAs you should visit EOTA’s website, www.eota.be.

ETA NUMBER

TRADE NAME

HOLDER

ETAG 001 Metal Anchors for use in Concrete (all parts) ETA - 10/0356

Cayes injection system TACO QUIMICO VINYLESTER for concrete

Ceys S.A.

ETA - 10/0453

DXE

Tecfi S.p.A.

ETA - 10/0456

Berner Simplex anchor BA

Berner AG

ETA - 10/0457

Berner Simplex anchor BAZ

Berner AG

ETA - 10/0473

Berner High Performance Anchor BHA

Berner AG

ETA - 10/0474

Berner Heavy-duty anchor BTA M, BTA M S, BTA M T

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0033

Berner Multicompound MCS Diamond

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0058

JCP Throughbolt-galvanised

JCP Constrcution products Unit 07

ETA - 11/0059

Interfixings Injection System FIX

INTER FIXINGS - Easy Fix

ETA - 11/0068

TEAM PRO Anchor Bolt TPB

TEAM PRO

ETA - 11/0070

Spit Injection System Epomax + for rebar connection

Société SPIT

ETA - 11/0072

VINKRAFT SF

TOP KRAFT HANDLES FMBH

ETA - 11/0075

Berner Nail Anchor BNA

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0076

Chemical Anchor BCA

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0077

Rebar Connection with Berner Milticompound system MCS Diamond

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0079

Multicompoundsystem MCS Uni Plus

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0094

Chemofix V345 and Chemofix V300

Outimat- Drilfix BVBA

ETA - 11/0096

BILTEMA ANKARMASSA

Biltema Nordic Services AB

ETA - 11/0112

Berner drop-in anchor BE

Berner AG

ETA - 11/0118

Tremco FX130, FX130 W

TREMCO ILLBRUCK s.r.o.

ETAG 014 Plastic Anchors for ETICS ETA - 11/0066

Thermo Universal Anchor MDD-S and MDD-S WS

Mungo Befestigungstechnik AG

ETA - 11/0082

Isoplus N 8-60 and Isoplus N 8-90

Société SPIT

ETA - 11/0085

Isoplus 8L

Société SPIT

ETAG 020 Plastic Anchors (all parts) ETA - 11/0100

TOX SDF 10V and TOX SDF 10H

Revolutionary restraint gains LABC recognition Simpson Strong Tie has announced that both its patented Heavy Engineered Strap (HES) and Light Engineered Strap (LES) ranges have been recognised for use by the LABC (local authority building control) as a registered solution.

S

impson Strong Tie highlights that even though HES and LES are 40% lighter than conventional 5mm restraint straps, and thinner at only 1.5mm, they perform as well as conventional straps in terms of structural strength and robustness due to their unique design.

CE approved, the HES and LES are suitable for vertical and horizontal restraint applications, they come in a range of sizes and are easier to handle and store.

Chris Sanders, marketing manager at Simpson Strong Tie, comments: “Many installers don’t realise that if a restraint strap fails, it is almost always on the bend - regardless of the thickness of the steel. By reinforcing the bend we found that we could make the strap thinner and even add mortar key slots, which not only eliminates the need to notch out joists but also makes inspection much easier. Gaining LABC recognition gives the installer confidence in the specification and performance which more than matches traditional restraint straps.”

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

TOX-Dübel-Technik GmbH & Co KG

HIGH QUALITY. RELIABLE. TIME-SAVING.

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A multitude of intelligent details combined with solid quality – that is what distinguishes our fixing and fastening products. Products that enable the user to work quickly, easily and reliably, whatever the application.

Don Quichotte

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04.03.11 09:25

American and British

inch sized screws USA - fasteners

Screw thread types:

Over 30 years experience in trading and in supplying customers with inch sized fastening items.

Don´t hesitate to ask us – We shall be pleased to help you.

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

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

Leading the way Andrews Fasteners Ltd continues to be one of the leading fastener suppliers in the UK. Having led the way with the introduction of colour coded bags (according to diameter), sizes stamped on the bolt head, colour coded labels (to indicate the finish on fasteners) and by supplying assembled products, Andrews has made products easily identifiable on sites.

A

ndrews’ innovations are now standard practice in the UK and have been adopted by the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA). More recently, Andrews’ Quality Management System has successfully been assessed by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance UK (LRQA) and the company now holds CE approval for Preload (BS EN 14399) and Non – Preload (BS EN 15048) fasteners, and is also approved to the National Highways Sector Scheme 3.

Assembled stocks of CE approved and non-CE fasteners are available in self colour, galvanised, bright zinc plated (CR3) and sherardised finishes. Square square holding down bolts, washer plates and a vast range of blanks are also ex stock items.

Andrews is an accredited stockist for Lindapter, Rawlplug, fischer Fixings, TurnaSure DTIs and many other products.

Andrews also has the capability to manufacture items to special requirements such as, shoulder bolts, tie bars and longer length bolts or setscrews.

With the company’s own in-house testing facilities both in Leeds and Malaysia, Andrews’ customers can be assured of

receiving quality products, which can be supplied with test certificates (2.2/3.1/3.2).

In recent months Andrews’ solely owned factory in Malaysia has begun production. Andfast Malaysia will enable Andrews to manufacture and stock a large range of assembled fasteners (from M6 to M64) for global supply.

For more information customers can access the Andrews Fasteners website, where they can find general and technical information including guidance on pre-load (HSFG) bolts, a presentation on CE marking, a downloadable wall chart and more information on Andfast Malaysia. Customers will see that Andrews also supplies anchorage fasteners to the railway industry.

Andrews has supplied fasteners to many prestigious contracts over the years and in recent months has supplied fasteners into the new Olympic stadiums.

“Andrews Fasteners Ltd will be at the forefront of fastener supply globally with continual improvements and innovations ensuring consistent supply to existing and new customers in the future.”

Lindapter’s design specified at Gatwick Airport Steelwork fixing specialist Lindapter has designed a unique high capacity support assembly to secure a new baggage system to existing steel beams as part of the £31 million Gatwick North Terminal baggage upgrade.

T

he brief required a method of connecting vertical SHS hollow sections with stiffened end plates to various types of structural sections including castellated beams, whilst delivering a safe working load capacity of 250kN per connection. Lindapter’s technical support engineers proposed the use of Type AF24 clamps with grade 10.9 bolts in a bespoke hanger assembly. The design fulfilled the significant load requirements and vibration considerations, and also removed the need to drill or modify existing steel beams thereby allowing a faster installation.

Lindapter’s drawings and calculations were presented to the consulting civil and structural engineers who approved and specified the Lindapter connection for use at the UK’s second largest airport.

During installation, the ease of adjusting the Lindapter fixings simplified the precise alignment of the baggage system, despite being suspended from various sized beams throughout the span of the upgrade. A further advantage at the construction phase was that a hot working permit was not needed, removing any associated and potentially costly construction delays.

Gatwick along with Doha and Dublin T2 are the latest in a number of airport projects to utilise Lindapter components and assemblies, with typical applications including securing structural steel, aluminium curtain walling and suspending building services.

Lindapter’s high strength Type AF fixings are approved by TÜV Nord, verifying the tensile performance of a 4 bolt girder clamp configuration of up to 250kN and 70kN in friction. An international distribution network provides worldwide availability of sizes M12 - M24, supplied hot dip galvanised as standard for extra corrosion protection.

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

A key part of a structure is its fixings Ornit Blind Rivets, a manufacturer and designer of a wide variety of structural fasteners, underlines that it can offer products for all types of structural joints including those requiring high clamp forces, as well as vibration resistant and maintenance free joints.

F

or vibration resistant joints Ornit has several alternative locking systems which create a high shear and tensile strength.

Ornilock’s internal, Or-Bolt’s external and Orlock’s double-locking systems all hold the pin securely in the rivet body creating a tight, corrosive resistant joint.

For thin, fragile or brittle joint materials, that may deform or break if the incorrect structural fixing is used, Ornit can offer the Orlock, Super-Orlock and Or-Bulb series which it says are ideal for these materials because the large blind side area created on assembly distributes the high clamp load over a large area. Also, they all provide a secure joint without damaging the joint material.

Ornit points out that the Ornilock, Or-Bolt and U-Fix (not structural) series boast excellent multi grip performance, meaning only one type of rivet is needed for a wide variety of material thicknesses, thereby simplifying stock control and reducing operator error.

The material used to manufacture a structural fastener also influences the strength of the joint. Ornit has a wide variety of structural fasteners which are available in a range of metals, including cost effective aluminium, high strength steel and corrosive resistant stainless steel, allowing customers to choose the material most suitable to their application.

“At Ornit we work vigorously to provide customers with quality structural fasteners best suited to their applications. Our engineering department answers all enquiries concerning product enhancement and our R&D department is currently involved in two structural fastener projects, to be launched this year, involving a bulb type 4.8mm and an Orlock type 6.4mm.

Galaxy expands structural fasteners range Galaxy Fasteners, a supplier of fasteners into distributors specialising within the structural market, has launched two brand new product ranges.

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he extensive BSEN 15048 CE approved assembled bolting range covers diameters M12 - M30, from 30mm to 150mm long in zinc plated and galvanised finishes. The galvanised motorway barrier bolt kit range meanwhile is available in grades 4.8 and 8.8 and includes products F01 to F20, and CM028 through to CM053.

Tom Murphy, sales director at Galaxy Fasteners, explained: “Galaxy is renowned within the industry for supplying specialist structural fasteners and we evolve by continually investing in new products. 2011 has heralded the launch of two exciting new ranges that complement some of our existing lines, such as the original DIN Specified assembled bolting range.”

He added: “The new ranges will offer enhanced choice and product availability for customers and ensure they have access to the widest structural fastener range in the market.”

All Galaxy products are head marked and batch controlled to ensure both traceability and quality, promoting peace of mind for the customer. Motorway barrier bolting kits are specifically bagged and labelled to meet industry requirements.

As a major supplier to distributors specialising in structural engineering, agricultural and steel framed building sectors, Galaxy Fasteners says that it is the only company which offers a full package under one roof, saving distributor customers from needing to use additional suppliers to fulfil their requirements. The complete product range is available from stock, covering application at the initial fabrication stage with the original draftsman’s list, right through to the fully finished cladded structure.

Galaxy offers guaranteed next day delivery, including direct to site and on customer’s own paperwork, with exact quantities and full test certification.

Full specification details of the assembled bolting range and motorway barrier bolting kit range will be available in the new 2011 Structural Fasteners Product Guide.

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Small parts – big possibilities The right items for every project

Your partner for fasteners and fastening technology We’re looking forward to your call: +49 40 85363-0 Everything · Always · Reliable www.reyher.de

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

BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® steel connection solutions Kee Safety explains how its extensive range of BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® solutions, launched in 2005, have gone from strength to strength with growth across the world.

K

ee Safety is widely known for its Kee Klamp® structural fittings for making handrail, guardrail and other tubular structures. Alongside, Kee Safety also offers ever-growing product ranges of roof top fall protection systems for both collective and personal protection.

The company manufactured its first Kee Klamp® casting in 1934 and ever since has been producing extremely high quality complex products. All Kee Safety products are sold with approvals, test certificates and are supported by a technical team that has 27 years of experience.

Kee Safety has facilities across the world, with offices in the UK (four offices), France, Germany, Poland, Dubai, and has five offices in the USA. It also has its own export department operating out of the UK which looks to seek partnerships in areas where Kee Safety doesn’t have its own presence.

no debris created from drilling. These benefits are becoming very important in situations where drilling and welding can create hazards. For example in a food factory no drilling is permitted over the plant and in an oil refinery a hot work permit is required for making any drilled or welded connections.

BoxBolt®

The BoxBolt® range is the blind fixing solution for connecting into hollow sections or where access is restricted to one side only. This system provides an economical solution to making blind connections when compared with traditional methods such as welding or bolting through. The system eliminates complicated fabrications such as welding internal nuts or providing internal stiffeners to reduce crushing from tightening.

BoxBolt® is approved by Lloyds Register and also DIBt (Deutsches Institut fur Bautechnik) and complies with the design requirements to Euro Code 3 and DIN 18800.

Quality / new product development

Kee Safety prides itself on providing a quality product that is compliant to all relevant approvals and legislation specific for the market it will be used in. The BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® products are approved by Lloyds Register and DIBt and go through regular external audits from these two approval bodies.

Kee Safety aims to lead the market in new product development and has the facilities in-house to perform prototyping and product testing to make sure that the right product gets to the market as quickly as possible. It has a dedicated area within the 40,000 sq/ft facility in the West Midlands for this type of work alongside regular day to day quality testing.

Technical support

The products can be used in an almost infinite amount of configurations to come up with connection solutions across a wide range of market sectors and therefore require technical expertise to support them. Kee Safety offers this support for its products across the globe and has facilities such as 3D CAD design, finite element analysis, in-house bespoke testing, project support, project design and engineers available for site visits. This facility is provided free of charge by the engineers to ensure that the most economical and technically correct solution is provided.

BeamClamp®

The BeamClamp® range is a series of clamps that are used in conjunction with structural bolts to provide a solution for securing steel together without the need for traditional on site methods such as welding or drilling. When all the costs that are required to make a connection are calculated, the clamping system, in the majority of situations, is the most economical as the installation speed and labour costs are vastly reduced. There are many other benefits such as a guaranteed load, adjustability, no damage to existing steel or coatings, no hot work permits and

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

New UK sales manager

With the introduction of new products and the growing demand for the BeamClamp® and BoxBolt® ranges, Kee Safety has re-organised the UK sales team. This sees sales manager, Matt Jordan promoted to global product manager to support the expanding activates around the world. To replace Matt in the UK, John Kay has been recruited to drive forward the growth expectations and manage the sales team to provide high level support and gain specifications for products. John has 12 years experience within the industry of technical support, specification sales and account management.

A KEE SAFETY PRODUCT

Introducing the New High Performance Type BY BeamClamp®

• • • • • •

High frictional and tensile loading capacity Guaranteed safe working loads Hot Dip Galvanised Manufactured from Ductile Iron Third party tested Suitable for use with grade 8.8 or 10.9 bolts

The new type BY Clamp is suitable for applications that require a high frictional and tensile capacity.

The BY BeamClamp® provides a way of securing heavy duty secondary steelwork such as the pipe support shown above, without the need for on site drilling or welding. This system is extremely flexible and allows for on site adjustment before it is finally secured with a torque wrench.

All BeamClamp® products available through Owlet Jaton: STONE - Head Office Tel: 01785 819819

ELLAND Tel: 01422 370121

SWINDON Tel: 01793 527829

MILTON KEYNES Tel: 01908 330050

Kee Safety Limited • 1 Boulton Road • Reading • Berkshire • RG2 0NH Tel. 0118 931 1022 • Fax: 0118 931 1146 • Email: sales@keesafety.com www.keesafety.co.uk

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

Assessment as a product differentiator Andrew Way, manager, Light Gauge Steel Construction and Product Assessment from SCI outlines some of the key drivers for increased demand for assessment and certification in the fasteners and fixings market.

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ew legislation, product standards and design standards are increasing the need for third party verification services. Savvy manufacturers are increasingly using product assessment as a cost effective method of providing specifiers with added independent confidence in their product and as a way to differentiate and access new markets in one of the toughest markets the construction industry has seen.

As SCI Assessed holder Julian Imms, managing director of Blindbolt comments: ‘We are winning contracts on the superior performance of our product. Achieving SCI Assessed supports our continued expansion by giving specifiers and clients added independent assurance that they are choosing the right product over and above our competitors.’

Third party assessment and certification such as the one that SCI and others offer can help provide real competitive advantage to manufacturers and added assurance to specifiers keen to ensure they are opting for the best fastener and fixing option for their project.

Assessed have been derived using the appropriate procedures as detailed in the latest standards. When published standards do not provide procedures for a particular product and situation SCI uses its technical expertise to develop suitable methods for calculating design values.

Which assessment scheme?

Choosing which assessment scheme to use is often not a straight forward decision. However, of SCI’s offerings, the most relevant to fixings and fasteners manufactures are SCI Assessed and CE Marking:

Key features SCI Assessed

•

Increased sophistication and complexity of products

Products and construction systems are growing in complexity and are invariably pre-engineered for optimised performance across a range of criteria which relate to both structural and non-structural requirements.

Clients and specifiers use the performance values and product capability information that manufacturers and suppliers provide on their products and they must have confidence in this information to specify and use their product over another competitor’s option.

Additionally tenders often request product certification and growing companies are keenly aware they need to factor in compulsory CE certification in 2013 as part of their continued European business growth strategies.

Eurocodes, standards and regulations

The implementation of the Eurocodes is creating demand as specifiers look for assurance that performance values quoted by manufacturers have been derived correctly and in accordance with the latest relevant standards.

Third party certification is particularly important when design values have been obtained from testing. Historically, obtaining design values from test results has not necessarily followed formal procedures.

Specifiers can be confident that design data covered by SCI

All sectors of construction.

Ideal for fastener and fixing products.

• For products and product assemblies; technical data and design tools.

• Flexible scope tailored to client needs.

• Technical performance assessment and derivation.

•

CE Marking

• All

sectors of construction. performance.

• Worldwide recognition.

• Includes factory production assessment.

• Collaboration with notified body.

• Technical

CE marking will become compulsory in all EU member states for all construction products for which there is an applicable Harmonised Standard (hEN). This will apply equally to domestically manufactured products and imports (including imports from outside the EU).

The SCI are currently working with a range of forward thinking companies helping them to gain CE Marking for their steel construction products. The companies include manufacturers and suppliers of; light gauge steel sections, structural fixings, cladding systems, building systems and floor decking.

SCI Assessed is a flexible, wide-ranging and independent verification service awarded to testify that manufacturers’ technical data is accurate and that appropriate procedures have been used to derive the data. It can be utilised as a stepping stone for gaining CE Marking or as a means to verify technical data outside the scope of the CE Mark.

About SCI SCI is a UK leading, independent provider of technical expertise and disseminator of best practice to the steel construction sector. It works in partnership with clients, members and industry peers to help build businesses and provide competitive advantage through the commercial application of its knowledge. It is committed to offering and promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions. www.steel-sci.org For more about SCI Assessed please visit www.sci-assessed.com

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3

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0800 808 7172 www.aptfixings.co.uk

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

The Construction Products Regulation 2011 Barbara Sorgato, Secretary to the European Consortium of Anchor Producers ECAP’s Barbara Sorgato provides a first consideration of new EU legislation that, over the next two years, will affect all suppliers of fasteners and fixing products to the European construction sector.

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n 4th April 2011 the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR) No: 305/2011 was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Regulation came into force on 24th April but its major provisions and annexes apply fully from 1st July 2013, on which date it completely replaces the Construction Products Directive (CPD).

So what is the CPR, and for which products is it conceived?

The CPR is a Regulation on construction products. Unlike a Directive the Regulation text is acknowledged and must be brought into national law by all member countries without any modifications. This enables it to have more clarity and a better applicability in the European internal market.

The CPR’s objective is not to define construction products’ safety but to ensure that reliable information is presented in relation to the products’ performance. This is achieved by providing a common technical language, mainly in standards.

“ U nlike a Directive the Construction Products Regulation …must be brought into national law by all member countries without any modifications.”

Like CPD, the CPR also applies to all construction products.

It is aimed at removing technical barriers to trade in the field of construction products in order to enhance their free movement in the internal market.

So let’s see what a manufacturer will have to do, from the 1st July 2013, to ensure that their construction product can freely circulate in the European Market.

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As in the CPD so in the CPR a “free circulating” construction product will need a CE marking. So the manufacturer must affix a CE marking. The CE marking is just a mark, very simple to print… but by affixing it, the manufacturer becomes wholly responsible for the conformity of their product to the stated performances.

These performances are declared in a “Declaration of Performance” (DoP). So, before affixing a CE marking, the manufacturer must first draw up a Declaration of Performance.

All information necessary to draw up a DoP is contained in a harmonised standard: i.e. technical data, information on the Verification of the Constancy of the Performance of the product (VCP), list of the essential characteristics for the declared intended use of product, information on hazardous substances and on the product sustainability.

So, a DoP can be issued only for a product that is covered by a harmonised standard. The manufacturer must first check whether the product is covered by any standards.

• If so, the manufacturer has to buy the standard as published by a national standard institution. Then, he must read it, understand it and implement it. After carrying out all procedures required by the standard, the manufacturer will put all the achieved information in a DoP. After drawing up the DoP, the manufacturer can finally affix the CE marking.

• If the product is not covered by a harmonised standard, the affixing of the CE marking is not mandatory. A manufacturer who wishes to get the CE marking still has the possibility to ask for a special, product-tailored technical specification on its product: an ETA - European Technical Assessment (similar but by no means identical to a current European Technical Approval as issued by EOTA) issued on the basis of an EAD European Assessment Document (similar but by no means identical to a current ETAG – Guideline for European Technical Approval, as issued by EOTA). EADs are not harmonised standards, so, for products covered by EADs, the affixing of the CE marking is not mandatory.

What difficulties can a manufacturer meet along the CE marking route?

A product is often covered by many standards. If you have dealt with standards related to one or more construction products at least once in your life, you know that it is hard to get clear and full information about the procedure to follow to achieve the CE marking. Once the standards are identified, the least effort is buying them. The real problem is to understand which are those

that concern a certain product, and implement all of them.

Moreover, each member state has the right to introduce provisions, related to health, durability, energy economy, economic aspects, environment, and protection of workers. This means that, as it also happened for the CPD with the CPR, the CE marking opens the doors to the internal market, but at the same time it does not prevent the more diligent and regulation minded member states asking for further certifications on issues that are outside the safety of products. An example: In Germany, for some CE marked products, one requires additional certification for installers specifically for that product.

The good news is that, to help the manufacturer, the CPR provides for the creation of Product Contact Points for Construction. These institutions must provide precise and reliable information about the law in force in the Member State where a manufacturer intends to place or make available on the market their product.

Once the laws and the standards are identified, and all provisions have been carried out successfully, the manufacturer will draw up a DoP. What does a DoP look like? The format of a DoP is given in Annex III of the CPR. Depending on the product, a DoP can be a short note or a kind of booklet. As a DoP needs to be translated into all EU languages where the product is sold, the booklet can become very big. Therefore, the CPR foresees the possibility to supply the DoP via websites. A discussion between the European Commission and the industry is still ongoing to define under which conditions this will be possible.

“ T he good new is that… the CPR provides for the creation of Product Contact Points for Construction .”

Good news for some manufacturers - but very much discussed and criticised because it could create disadvantages for all other firms – a manufacturer is permitted to refrain from drawing up a DoP if a product is: • Individually manufactured, or custom-made in a non-series process.

• Manufactured on the construction site for its incorporation in the respective construction works.

• Manufactured in a traditional manner or in a manner appropriate to heritage conservation and in a non-industrial process for renovation construction work, which is officially protected because of their special architectural or historic merit.

To get down to the fine detail you can download the CPR in your language from http://eur-lex.europa.eu searching on 305/2011.

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

BiLO UBt-connector - “One for All” ®

The BiLO® UBt-connector, from BiERBACH® Fastening Technique, is a highly efficient timber joint, that eliminates the need for slitting or tapping – it simply connects timber joints of solid wood and wood material quickly and invisibly.

T

he BiLO® UBt-connector is manufactured of 4mm thick steel and galvanised all-around. It is distinguished by its numerous application options and the high flexibility in planning and designing wood structures that it provides.

The wide range of connector sizes, supplied by BiERBACH®, allows the optimal implementation of all connections in static wood construction. Invisible use of this smart connector enables clean component joints and the ability to meet the highest aesthetic demands in application.

The BiLO® UBt-connector can support loads in the hanging direction (symmetric axis), lateral to the hanging direction as well as resisting tensile forces. Forces against the slide-in direction (such as lifting forces) can be absorbed in conjunction with the BiRA® HK-screw connector. The simple plug-in system of the BiLO® UBt-connectors provides the operator with great potential cost-reductions.

Potential applications for the BiLO® UBt-connector include main-secondary beam joints, whether visible or invisible, which can take the form of: • • • •

•

Horizontal joints less than 90° (orthogonal connections).

Horizontal slanted connections.

Vertically slanted connections.

Sloped connections, such as purlins on connectors in the roof slope.

Connections to OSB sheets outdoors.

Post and screw connections may also be visible or invisible, and take the form of: • Horizontal joints less than 90° (orthogonal connections).

• Horizontal slanted connections.

• Vertically slanted connections Additional applications for visible or invisible connections can be: • • • • •

• • •

For connecting tanner purlins.

For connecting wall elements in wood frame construction.

For connecting beam structures.

For connecting ridge connections.

For attaching pre-manufactured attaching elements in interior finishing.

For attaching platforms with covered balconies.

For attaching balcony railings (posts and handrails).

Versatile connections for the construction of conservatories, summer houses, saunas, harbours, exhibition stands, carports.

The BiLO® UBt-connector conforms to DiBT General Building Inspections Permit Z-9.1-651 as does the range of BiLO® UBtconnector screws offered by BiERBACH®. These screws were developed simultaneously with the BiLO® UBt-connector and therefore precisely coordinate with its requirements. The screws are corrosion-protected according to DIN 1052 and feature the tried and proven BiROX® drive, which together with the extra friction coatings, guarantees easy installation.

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BiRA® HK-screw connectors were developed for structural timber connections and deflect lifting forces (forces against the direction of insertion) when used with the BiLO® UBt-connector.

The method is approved under Z-9.1-667.

A hole of diameter 5mm is introduced in the direction of the upper edge of the secondary beam to precisely position the BiRA® HK-screw connector through the longitudinal hole of the assembled BiLO® UBt-connector on the secondary beam at an angle ≤ 80°. The BiRA® HK-screw connector is bolted in effortlessly and precisely after attaching the secondary beam through the hole at the desired length. BiLO® UBt-screw connectors are also corrosion-protected according to DIN 1052, feature the BiROX® drive as well as the additional friction coating.

Amongst the list of advantages outlined in BiERBACH®’s detailed and comprehensively illustrated BiLO® UBt-connector brochure are: • An invisible, easy and powerful plug-in connection.

• Load reduction of both lateral and suction (against the insertion direction) forces.

• No gap formation.

• Low sinking depth and negligible cross-section reduction.

• Time-saving and efficient assembly of pre-manufactured complete elements.

The BiLO® UBt-connector and its highly complementary accessory range is just one example of Bierbach’s commitment to “the perfect connection”.

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

JCP celebrates a decade in business 2011 marks the tenth anniversary of construction fixings specialist JCP Construction Products. Here, general manager Nick Beardon gives an insight into how the business has developed over the last decade to become a leading force in the UK fixings market.

J

CP Construction Products was created in 2001 as a specialist supplier of construction fixings to distributors. Since then, the business has strengthened its position as part of Hexstone, the company behind leading fastener and fixings experts including such recognisable names as Owlett-Jaton, Galaxy Fasteners, Stainless Threaded Fasteners and Icon Fasteners.

Ten years on, the same core values of customer service and loyalty and a dedication to sourcing and supplying only the highest quality products still drive JCP forward.

In the beginning

From its launch in 2001 with Ken Twiby (formerly of Ramset) at the helm, JCP made an immediate impact on the market.

Starting with a blank sheet of paper, Ken created a core product offering that resonated with potential customers – so much so that 70% of our product portfolio in 2011 is unchanged from the very first catalogue.

Ken and his sales team of four achieved more than £1 million in revenue in his first year, growing to £2.7 million after three years. For a start-up company, this was a rapid rise and the industry was starting to take notice.

In 2004 I took over from Ken and my aim was simple; maintain high service levels and support customers with the best products available. A fairly straightforward message but it is one that has seen us through some challenging periods.

The JCP offering

Today, as in 2001, JCP offer a comprehensive range of products to suit a variety of applications. Quality is key and all of our 100+ products come with full technical specification, and in a number of cases European Technical Approvals (ETAs). All products come with a technical data sheet and/or a manual as standard and a full library of product information is stored on our website for constant easy access.

Customers can choose to order product from one of our regional sales offices based throughout the UK. Alternatively, they can access their own account through the trading portal OJ Trade 24/7 to place orders and check stock. Our product guide is available to download from the JCP website, allowing easy access to the range.

Our commitment to an extensive stock holding means product is readily available, competitively priced for next day delivery throughout the U.K. JCP prides itself on being a valued partner within the fixings industry and as such we represent the UK anchoring industry as part of trade associations like ECAP (European Consortium of Anchors Producers). As you would expect we also closely monitor industry regulations and legislation; most recently regarding CE marking and changes to ETAs. We work closely with governing bodies to ensure we can not only help and advise in such areas but also share knowledge and feedback with our customers directly, so they are advised of any updates.

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A loyal following

JCP is all about offering convenience and choice and this is something that is recognised and appreciated by our customers.

Brand loyalty is important and we feel incredibly appreciative that the majority of our customers have been trading with us since the very beginning.

We believe this relationship has been cultivated out of mutual appreciation. We see JCP not as a quick fix – a trade and then you’re done – but more of a long term support system.

Our sales team has 200 years industry experience, covering the whole of the UK to offer on site product testing and technical advice. We also offer a fully staffed technical hotline to answer any queries or anchor calculations quickly and efficiently.

We update our product price list every year – as simple as that sounds, it is something that is hugely appreciated and it has become something of a product bible for the fixings industry.

A unique anchoring solution

As well as our renowned product offering, JCP is well known within the industry for launching a free software programme – the Anchor Calculation Programme – that is available to download from our website to help builders, architects and specifiers design and select the best anchor for safety critical applications.

The programme is popular because it is easy to use with simple graphics and data input clearly explained to ensure all factors are taken into consideration. A wide choice of anchors can be quickly identified with the option of a number of different configurations, allowing for key parameters such as concrete thickness, anchor spacing, edge distance and loads in all directions to be accommodated for. Anchors can also be filtered out depending upon the material and finish required.

A report sheet can be downloaded to ensure all the calculation results, product identification and installation details can be kept on file.

A forecast for the future

Since our inception, on average we have seen a sales increase of 10% - 15% a year, which is a fantastic achievement and testament to everyone’s dedication and hard work. Even through highly challenging periods, we have been able to maintain a loyal customer base and this is what gives us purpose to continue our journey and look ahead to the next ten years.

We are a relatively small team but one with great ambitions.

One of our aims over coming years is to be specified on larger projects consistently. We achieve consistent results and feedback and it would be a major coup for us to be recognised on a larger industry stage.

Ultimately though, our aim for 2012 and beyond is what it’s always been. We will continue on our quest to find new product opportunities and make them accessible to our customers. The relationship with our customers is paramount and as long as they are happy, then we’re happy to serve.

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The JCP website offers...

ACP (Anchor Calculation Programme), Technical manual, Data sheets, Safety data.

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

Load relaxation and anchor testing

By Mark Salmon, Independent Fixings Consultants In his last article, published in issue 67 of Fastener + Fixing Magazine in January, Mark Salmon outlined the relationship between tightening torque and clamping force and introduced the idea of “Load relaxation”. In this article he follows this up by explaining how this can affect anchor testing in general, why it’s particularly significant when testing resin anchors and why it should be born in mind when selling them.

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oad relaxation – for those of you who may have missed issue 67 - is the phenomenon whereby stresses induced into the base material around the fixing gradually dissipate further into the material causing the tension in the anchor bolt, and hence the clamping force through the fixture, to relax. In issue 67 I showed the stresses around the expansion point of an expansion anchor. The diagrams below are my attempt to show the stresses in the base material parallel with the bond of a resin anchor plus the stresses in the resin bond itself which also relax.

Immediately after tightening – high stress around the fixing and in the resin, high tension in bolt and clamping force through fixture.

After relaxation – stresses dissipate into material and within resin, tension in bolt and clamping force through fixture both reduce.

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When we test fixings on site this may or may not be apparent. With fixings which have been tightened down we should experience no load relaxation until we have exceeded the clamping force introduced by tightening. Yes, the clamping force will be in the process of relaxing but until it relaxes to below the test load we won’t notice it. But with fixings where we have not clamped down a fixture, or a test adaptor simulating a fixture, e.g. a resin stud with no fixture applied, we may see load relaxation because all the stresses in the base material and in the resin will have been introduced by the test load and will start to relax immediately they are applied. This relaxation is seen as a small drop off in the load reading. With most fixings all we need to do when this happens is to return the load to the original figure and the subsequent relaxation will usually then be hardly apparent. But it can cause doubt in the mind of some observers, the natural reaction being “The fixing must be failing.” One recent development which emphasises this is the introduction of digital readouts on some testing equipment. We get to a load and instead of it holding steady the load is seen to be clicking back giving the appearance of a failure. Somehow with hydraulic gauges the slight reduction in load is more readily accepted.

The problem we get with resin anchors in this regard is to do with the way they fail and to understand that we need to go back to the way they work.

Essentially what we do when we install a resin anchor is to drill a hole, usually using a hammer drilling machine, part fill that with resin so that once the anchor is inserted it will be fully encased in the resin which, when cured, is very hard indeed. This hard material forms very strong interlocks between the rough shapes of the anchor on one side and the surface of the hole on the other. We can see the “roughness” of the anchor as it will usually be either the thread of an anchor rod, the knurling of an internally threaded socket or the deformed shape of reinforcing bar. But the characteristics of the hole sides are harder to appreciate. There are two aspects to this. The first is easy – the roughness of the hole sides. This roughness is generated on an almost microscopic level by the hammering action of the drill bit.

It may not feel rough but it is rough enough for the resin to form a very useful interlock.

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

Figure X Surface roughness from hammer drilling is the “Key” to resin anchor strength.

The second feature plays an important role and that is its meandering shape. When we drill into concrete the drill bit is deflected first to one side and then the other by the aggregate the drill tip meets on its journey. And in materials without aggregates, like brick or stone, it’s us that causes the drill bit to wander simply because we can’t hold the drill straight.

So we have a rough surface in a meandering hole. When we load the fixing we increase the stress in the bonds between the resin and the hole sides and between the resin and the anchor.

If we keep increasing that load eventually the bond between the resin and the hole sides will break and, if we’re testing a fixing when this happens, we will only see a slight reduction in the load.

The meandering hole – even after the bond is broken pulling an anchor out of this shape takes a high force.

This failure of the resin bond happens at the level of the surface roughness of the base material but once the bond is broken then pulling the awkwardly shaped plug of hard resin from the awkwardly shaped hole can take virtually as much force as the initial failure load as gradually more of the resin and base material are sheared off. This can be regarded as a safe mode of failure, as the anchor does not just pop out of the hole, but a slightly misleading one.

The time when this can be confused with load relaxation is when we are proof testing anchors to check the quality of installation and when there happens to be a problem with the installation such that the anchor fails at a load close to the proof load. In the years that I spent site testing over thirteen thousand anchors of all sorts - many of them resin anchors - I actually came across this more times than you might imagine, in both concrete and masonry.

From the tester’s point of view what may happen is this. Let’s say we’re testing an M12 anchor with a recommended load of 8kN to a proof load of 1.5 times that i.e. 12kN. We load the anchor carefully to 12kN and leave it to settle. After a minute or so we notice a slight loss of load to say 11.9kN.

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Is it just load relaxation? Or has the anchor failed?

We increase the load back to 12kN. If the anchor is well founded the initial loss of load was just relaxation and further relaxation will be hardly noticeable. If, on the other hand, the bond has broken then when we reapply the 12kN load again it will reduce again and we will eventually be aware that the anchor is pulling from the substrate.

In fact the bond probably started to fail at a load less than 12kN we just didn’t notice it. The trouble is that each time we reapply the load we need to give it some time, say a minute or so, to see if it is relaxing or not. We just have to be patient. But of course there would need to be something wrong for the anchor to fail at a proof load. Maybe the installer had not cleaned the hole as thoroughly as he should have. Maybe he had not pumped any resin to waste before pumping into the hole. Maybe the anchor had been tightened before the resin had cured properly and the bond had inadvertently been broken in the process. Sadly this happens far more frequently than it should as many installers who I meet openly tell me: “You don’t need to allow the full curing time, the resin cures in ten minutes.” when the manufacturer’s instructions talk about three or four times that. And the problem with tightening before the anchor is cured is that we can induce a pretty high load in the anchor when we tighten it (too high if we don’t use a torque wrench) and the overload we then cause only breaks the resin bond locally but we don’t realise it as the anchor doesn’t just pop out of the hole. Even testing an anchor at the manufacturer’s recommended curing time will show more relaxation, due to creep of the resin, than if left much longer.

So there are a few conclusions we can draw from this.

1. A reduction in load during a test may not mean failure – it may just be load relaxation.

2. Re-applying the proof load with no movement of the anchor shows it was just load relaxation.

3. When proof testing resin anchors we need to take time to differentiate between relaxation and failure.

4. If we’re selling resin anchors to installers we should take the opportunity of reminding them about correct installation especially thorough hole cleaning (sell them a brush), pumping the first resin to waste, allowing the full curing time and not over tightening.

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

Threads for winners In the area of thread-rolling dies, WAFIOS Umformtechnik through HILGELAND is among the market leaders. What is the secret of its success, why do customers prefer to use HILGELAND dies?

WAFIOS explains that it is the sum of advantages that eventually counts.

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AFIOS highlights that companies that use HILGELAND thread-rolling dies benefit from low system costs as well as from an increased competitive capacity. The reason: HILGELAND thread-rolling dies are made with the highest precision for long tool life and a program variety with which almost any thread and profile can be produced from a multitude of materials.

Jürgen Hecht, area manager of WAFIOS Umformtechnik, explains: “Our thread-rolling dies enable a highly productive, constant and reliable production of quality products. When using dies of lower quality on the contrary, unexpected failures and high reject rates are possible. Moreover, a considerably increased quality control is required. Customers can be sure that our dies meet their requirements. We produce on up-to-date machinery and constantly optimise our production processes. It should be

noted that we are EJOT licence holders.”

WAFIOS tool experts provide comprehensive advice on the right choice of thread-rolling dies that meet the customers’ application requirements. Special geometries like knurls or cut-ins, for example, can be produced with HILGELAND threadrolling dies.

All current die sizes such as TR, GW, WFF can be delivered directly ex stock – special sizes are also available within a very short period of time. Thread-rolling dies are made for metric threads, UN, BBS as well as for threads with a round or trilobular cross section. Furthermore, symmetrical and asymmetrical threads are possible for welding, dowel, T-head screws or furniture fittings. Thread-rolling dies can also be made from other materials such as HSS steels and powder-metallurgical steels in order to meet specific requirements.

Multiple operational VCM machines Videx is offering a new series of VCM machines which perform multiple operations at the same time and replace traditional processes in production of straight parts with turned ends.

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he VCM machines are equipped with 2 - 3 turning stations that turn, chamfer and drill the edges to virtually any requested length and diameter. The machines pull the wire from an uncoiler or in-line drawer, straighten it, cut to length and turn the edges, face, drill and chamfer.

Each turning station can performs up to four operations such as facing, drilling, chamfering turning and calibrating the diameter. The cut-to-length parts move from one station to another by a servo operated transfer. All stations work simultaneously to save time and complete the part as quick as possible. While the first station turns the part for example, the second station drills or faces the next part, with each part only staying in each station for as long as it takes to complete the operation. The timing is controlled from the computer screen.

The machines will accept wire directly from an in-line drawer or will pull drawn wire from an uncoiler. Videx points out that the wire straightness is critical to achieve a precise finished part.

This is achieved by using the Videx oscillating straightener

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which is equipped with four pairs of feed rollers and three straightening shoes.

Videx highlights that the length tolerance and repeatability are also important. The wire in the Videx machines hits a positive stop before the cut-off takes place, assuring a length repeatability of ±0.1mm.

During cut-off the straightener recoils against a spring and travels back, to avoid turning on one spot along the wire.

This feature is especially critical for hi-tensile wire, because stationary shear machines turn around the wire 3 - 8 revolutions during cut-off, creating an unavoidable weakening point which reduces the wire elongation and tensile strength.

“This weakening is usually unseen but the parts made on stationary shear systems will always be weaker then expected by the wire grade.”

Videx also offers ‘Dual side – Dual purpose’ machines, which can be used as straighten and cut on one side and perform other operations on the other side.

Precision parts forming machinery Machine Show HC5FT Cold former with rotating die-block and 2 forming stations linked with thread roller Cold former (1-die-2-blow) HD6-40 with induction heating Cold former (2 forming stations) HC4-35 with rotating die-block Heading center SMR 2.6 Multi stage former MSF 10

In-House Exhibition From 18th – 21st May 2011 the WAFIOS in-house exhibition will take place again in Wuppertal.

WAFIOS Umformtechnik invites to come to the machine show with special highlights and lectures about the forming sector.

Automatic pointer SKM08 Nut tapper MAS 06F two spindle and more...

Lectures Tool development (WAFIOS Umformtechnik) Service – Concept (WAFIOS Umformtechnik)

We look forward to your visit.

Please send your announcement to: WAFIOS Umformtechnik GmbH Im Rehsiepen 35 42369 Wuppertal / Germany Phone +49 (202) 46 68-0 Fax +49 (202) 46 68-225 sales@wafios-umformtechnik.de www.wafios-umformtechnik.de

Hilgeland Kieserling MRP Nutap

3-D Hybrid sensor technology for head crack detection (Schwer & Kopka) WDI-mer Wire surface coating (Westfälische Drahtindustrie) Wire-Pre-Drawing (Jankowski)

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

Captec launches OTCs fit for the production floor Captec Ltd has announced the launch of a new range of ruggedised Operator Terminal Computers (OTCs) designed for process or machine automation in demanding environments. The Captec OTC-50 Series was showcased at the recent Hannover Messe 2011, Germany.

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he Captec OTC-50 Series Industrial All-in-One touch PCs extend the delivery of powerful and reliable process automation and machine information onto the production floor in a flexible, reliable and hygienic way. The OTC-50 Series form part of a Manufacturing Execution System or ERP system, giving timely information to personnel working in production units such as food, beverage and pharmaceutical.

These Operator Terminals feature a 15.4 inch WXGA touch screen and can be mounted onto arms, poles or into panels to position the display optimally for the production staff and their environment. “The ability to place Operator Terminals anywhere, whilst maintaining ingress protection helps manufacturers to design their equipment layouts in a flexible manner” said Max Toti, Captec Ltd, managing director.

The OTC-50 Series are designed for high pressure antibacterial wash down environments. They are certified and sealed to IP66, ruggedised, with stainless steel surrounds and cables and connectors terminated within a unique internal connector bay.

“We are using all of our 25 years experience in building computers for harsh environments. Avoiding dirt traps, withstanding high levels of dust, liquid ingress and operating in high humidity and temperatures are just some of the technical challenges we have overcome,” explained Toti.

Captec’s OTC-50 is supplied with a Microsoft operating system (XP or Windows 7) pre-installed ready for the client software.

The integration of Microsoft Windows Embedded significantly reduces the setup time and installation costs. The first models in the OTC-50 Series are the OTC-51 with an Intel D510 Dual Core Atom processor and OTC-55 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

OBO Bettermann takes delivery of a new AF 101 When it comes to the installation of wiring OBO Bettermann is hard to miss. Cable support systems, lightning protection systems, connection and fastening systems, terminal clamps, - the product assortment of the family owned firm in the German Sauerland encompasses more than 30,000 items for the electrical infrastructure of buildings.

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t the headquarters in Menden there is a complete cold forming facility. 3,000 different products with over 800 different geometries are produced, mostly for the OBO systems. The thread rolling department alone consists of 11 rolling machines producing in three shifts. Heart of this small factory within the factory is a brand new EWMenn AF 101 flat die thread rolling machine.

“This new machine greatly expands our threading capabilities in the M6 to M12 range and is also capable of handling headless parts thanks to a special feeding system,” explains Stefan Prumbaum, head of the cold forming department. Prumbaum is in the process of restructuring his department. The workflow will be improved in order to handle the constantly rising capacity requirements. Also, the threading department will move to its own building.

Basis of the new EWMenn system is an AF 101 flat die thread rolling machine that has been custom tailored for the special requirements at Bettermann. “As a matter of principle we never use only one supplier for our machinery”, Prumbaum explains, “but when it comes to customised solutions you can hardly miss EWMenn.”

The most obvious feature of the new machine is the complete sound enclosure over the machine and the feeders. Inside is the most modern thread rolling machine at OBO Bettermann.

Among other features the AF 101 is equipped with hydraulic die carrier clamping, push button shank length adjustment and push button die match system that allows match setting while the machine is running.

Foreman Christof Grosch is enthusiastic: “Changeovers, process control and optimisation of the threading process are truly simple. We save a lot of time. Once set up the machine

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runs consistently with amazing precision.”

For Mr. Prumbaum especially the flexibility of the new machine made him decide for EWMenn. Beside the wide working range for parts with heads the electronic feeding system for headless parts has been convincing. Even at high speeds it works very reliable he reports. The machine is also equipped with a loading system that can be used to feed blanks to both the standard bowl and the headless parts feeder.

Already after a few weeks the AF 101 has become a central part of the cold forming department at Bettermann.

With its short changeover times and high output rates, even for larger diameters, Stefan Prumbaum and his team run a wide variety of parts on the “new one” that were previously run on other machines. The impressive number of 850 million heads parts or 2,200 tonnes in 2010 should be topped again in 2011 with the new machine.

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

Opening new horizons for corrosion protection Large R&D resources in NOF Metal Coatings Europe (previously Dacral) have been allocated in recent years to the development of the range of GEOMET® applications.

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Also, outdoor weathering tests and vehicle tests have shown a corrosion resistance performance that matches the current expectations for chassis parts in the automotive industry.

Another development by the R&D department at NOF Metal Coatings is life-resistant coatings for chassis components. NOF Metal Coatings explains that in order to obtain a life lasting zincbased coating on chassis components in the automotive industry, it is necessary to apply a sufficient thickness of coating material.

Depending on the application, a range of 15μm to 30μm will give the appropriate protection. As the usual thickness of GEOMET® for bulk parts is 6μm to 10μm, ways for increasing the thickness had to be studied by NOF Metal Coatings.

After NOF Metal Coatings had carried out the R&D it introduced a specific product, GEOMET® 900, which enables the application of 15μm to 30μm in 1 or 2 coats. The product development was completed together with the application process development.

After alkaline degreasing and without phosphating, the components are dipped in the GEOMET® tank and drawn out at a controlled speed. As the product is non-drip and non-sag, the drying and curing cycle can start immediately.

“Practical trials over two years, with components of various types and shapes, have proved the potential of this development.”

OF Metal Coatings explains that these developments open new possibilities for industrial applications in the field of protection against corrosion. At the same time, NOF Metal Coatings’ R&D helps in developing production routes for the GEOMET® chemicals, allowing the VOC content of these water-based products to be reduced substantially.

A recent development at NOF Metal Coatings was black corrosion protective coatings for threaded parts and other metal components, which are requested for design reasons by the automotive industry as well as in other industrial fields. NOF Metal Coatings offers two families of black coatings: • GEOBLACK® ML and GEOBLACK® 500M - Obtained by addition to the GEOMET® basecoat a PLUS® Black topcoat.

• GEOBLACK® KT - A new development with basecoat GEOMET® and topcoat GEOKOTE® Black. This topcoat ensures a high resistance against all chemicals including strong acids and solvents.

All black coatings are chromium-free, water based, and offer a high corrosion resistance: 1,000 hours NSS (Neutral Salt Spray Test) without red rust (Fe corrosion) or white rust (Zn corrosion).

New DELTA-MKS® approval in Asia Dörken MKS-Systeme has announced that the products of its DELTA-MKS®-Systeme have recently been incorporated into the global specifications for high-performance corrosion protection of Japanese motor vehicle manufacturers NISSAN (according to M4601 2010-N) and ISUZU (according to ISC-B22-003F).

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örken highlights that with this incorporation DELTA-MKS®-Systeme continues its progression in the Asian market.

Dörken also has a goal of optimising technical consulting locally, which is why it has opened a Tech-Center in Shanghai, joining the existing one in Korea.

“This is a further step to providing optimal support for the entire Asia region in the scope of the global MKS network.”

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Minimising tooling and changing times With the newly developed ‘Schleipo N1’, a grinding and polishing machine for bright drawn steel, SMS Meer, Germany, says it is helping minimise tooling and changing times between two orders from two hours to just ten minutes.

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ohannes Kahlen, head of the Schumag & Copper Product Unit says: “It allows our customers to produce even small lots quickly and flexibly. This is being increasingly demanded by the automotive industry where the polished bright steel bars are used as piston rods or as steering and drive components.“ In addition to a new grinding spindle bearing and drive system, special devices enable the guides to be pre-set and the grinding wheels to be quickly changed outside of the machine. Other benefits include ergonomic operation and easy maintenance.

“Overall the series guarantees a higher degree of flexibility thanks to a modern operating and tooling concept, with increased performance at the same time,” continues Kahlen.

The new ‘Schleipo N1’ from SMS Meer operates in a bar diameter range from 2mm to 25mm and is designed for a minimum bar length of 1,300mm. Furthermore, an intelligent control system and laser measuring system ensure that a high level of quality is consistently maintained. For example, materials of different grades can be used thanks to the programmable grinding wheel dressing device.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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

Outsourcing heat treatment is a no-brainer Debbie Mellor, MD of HT services specialist Keighley Laboratories

Outsourcing is now firmly entrenched in virtually every modern business, as a management tool for cutting costs, increasing efficiency and gaining access to specialist skills.

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t Keighley Labs we contend that heat treatment has all the right hallmarks for outsourcing. It is a non-core manufacturing process that carries massive overheads in equipment, manpower and energy consumption. Those with in-house facilities might benefit when handling high volumes of limited product types, but otherwise outsourcing this function is a ‘no-brainer’ and here are the reasons why: • Cuts processing costs – Economies of scale make outsourced services more cost-effective than in-house facilities.

• Reduces in-house overheads –Including staffing costs, regulatory compliance, capital investment and on-going upgrades.

• Achieves greater flexibility – Changes in material or new product lines demand new knowledge and techniques.

• Accesses new technology – Outsourcing gives access to a broader range of treatments and updated methodology.

• Improves carbon footprint – Energy consumption is the biggest associated cost, so plant-wide carbon reduction is enabled.

• Enhances product quality – Contract heat treaters can advise on alternative methods that improve product performance.

• Eliminates compliance issues – Furnaces are potentially hazardous, so management rids itself of complex safety issues.

• Reduces capital investment – Upgrading and enhancements demand ongoing capital, that could be released for investment.

• Improves cost control – Outsourcing represents a known, fixed cost, controlled by the contract agreement.

10,000,000 gallons achievement award celebration The Magni Group Inc. recently celebrated producing its 10 millionth gallon of coating product by inviting more than 400 global leaders and engineers to its coating manufacturing facility in Detroit, Michigan.

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overnment officials, Detroit City councilwoman Jenkins, Oakland county deputy executive Bertolini and Michigan congressman Hansen Clarke, presented awards to the Berry family on-stage, with the 10,000,000th paint can being sealed during the ceremony on stage.

In addition to its automotive customers, Magni serves the agricultural, construction, heavy truck, marine, military and off-highway markets worldwide with an excess of 100 different coating systems. The company’s engineered coatings are custom-designed to meet the performance criteria of customers’ fasteners, fuel and brake specifications and a range of other

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metal products by resisting the corrosive effects of heat, humidity, etc.

In support of the company’s global customers and more than 100 applicators, Magni has 20 company-owned operations in North America, Japan, China, India, Europe and Brazil. To further support the Japanese and Indian markets, Magni will open new Technology Centres in both countries by 2012.

“It took Magni 37 years to achieve 10,000,000 gallons, and now, with our rapid growth, we are on course to produce one million gallons every year.”

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

Working with the customer “A small business with a big company philosophy” was how one of RLS Tooling Ltd’s customers recently described the Cannock based company. Rather apt for a business that started as a one man operation and now manufactures a variety of dies for customers globally.

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LS Tooling was established in 1989 by current managing director, Roger Smith, who would go out during the day trying to get orders, and then make the dies during the night. “We definitely started the hard way,” laughs Roger. “The first couple of months weren’t easy but we got through it.”

“The business was built on giving customers a personal service and providing a high quality product,” explains Marcus Smith, production director and Roger’s son. “That is still a key part of the business today and we are continually looking at ways of improving the service and product quality.”

Marcus started his career with the company by working on the factory floor at the first stage of production and all subsequent processes to the final product, including seeing the tools in operation. “It gave me the opportunity to understand the product and manufacturing process better,” says Marcus.

RLS started by making milled dies for wood screws and AB types and as the business started to grow so did the demand for ground thread dies which resulted in RLS purchasing machinery to supply the ground thread market. Later on in 2000 RLS acquired a company which made circular thread rolls giving it a complete range of thread rolling tools.

RLS now has a product line that includes an extensive range of flat dies for AB dies, wood screw, Taptite®, MAThread®, construction bolts as well as standard Metric threads, cylindrical thread rolls for both thru and plunge rolling on 2 and 3 roll machines and tangential chasers. The range of flat dies covers 00WF – 70WF and GW22 – GW141 and circular thread rolls up to 315mm diameter. All dies can be made in a variety of materials from standard D2 to M42

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and powdermet steels, with coatings to enhance tool life an option on all materials.

Also, to ensure the quality of each part, inspections are carried out at each stage of production and equipment is calibrated according to ISO 9001:2008.

RLS encourages its staff to be multi skilled allowing for more flexibility in the workplace. “Our enthusiastic staff are very experienced and with a good product knowledge base,” underlines Roger.

“We are currently in the process of updating the machines on the blank making section and are also looking to add more CNC machines on other sections in the upcoming months,” states Marcus.

As part of an expansion RLS is currently in the process of acquiring extra premises next door to the current units. “At the end of 2008 we put together an expansion plan, but then came the recession. Like everyone else we got knocked back and we had to condense the manufacturing area from four to three units,” explains Roger. “However, now we are starting to get the confidence back and are at the level we were in 2008 which is why we are looking to increase the manufacturing area to four units again and adding more staff.”

The expansion plans are as a result of the success RLS has recently had and underlines its commitment to continuously trying to improve its service and offer high quality products.

However, Roger and Marcus are still cautious about the future.

“At the moment we are busy and we hope it continues, but we realise that there is a possibility it could all change,” comments Marcus. “The problem is that people talk about the negatives too much but should be more positive,” adds Roger. “In six months times the situation might have changed, but currently we are doing well and looking to build on the momentum we have gained.”

It is this commitment to continuously look forward, coupled with a dedication to provide high quality products supported by a competitive service, which has enabled RLS to become a vital partner for companies globally and belie its small business persona. As Roger points out: “Whatever your size it is about working with the customer and continuing to offer a first class service whilst letting the products speak for themselves.”

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

• Circular thread rolls • Tangential chasers

Product range • • • • •

Flat thread rolling dies Flat knurling dies Flat form rolling dies Circular thread rolls Tangential chasers

Licenced Products

• Taptite 2000 ® • Duo Taptite ® Licensed products ® • Powerlock • High-Torque ®® ptite 2000® • Taptite II II ® ® CA uo Taptite®• Taptite • Taptite ® CA ® werlok® • Taptite • Plastite ® • Plastite gh-Torque • Screwbolt • Screwbolt • Mathread® • Mathread ® Visit our website

ww.rlstooling.co.uk

Manufacturer and stockist of Quality Threading Tools

www.rlstooling.co.uk email: info@rlstooling.co.uk tel: +44 (0)1543 271 808 fax: +44 (0)1543 277 571 Apex Business park, Walsall Road, Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffs, WS11 9PU, England

e-mail: info@rlstooling.co.uk fax: +44 (0)1543 277571 tel: +44 (0)1543 271808 iness Park, Walsall Road, Norton Canes, nnock, Staffs, WS11 9PU, England

First Piece Inspection SPC Sampling Final Audits Ppap’s

LASERLAB The World’s Most Accurate 3-D Fastener Gauging System To stay competitive in today’s global market you need technological advantages. There is only one fastener gauging machine in the world that can provide that advantage: The LASERLAB from General Inspection.

“Wurth Service Supply maintains an A2LA certified quality lab equipped with the latest technology for quality assurance purposes. We deal with thousands of suppliers and ship hundreds of thousands of orders each year. Accuracy, traceability and time are the keys to the success of our quality department. The LaserLabTM system drastically improves our turnaround time and abilities in all areas of inspection.”

Rob Girdley, Director of Quality

The LASERLAB has revolutionized the way fastener manufacturers and distributers measure parts. What once took hours to perform has been reduced to seconds. More importantly the system improves quality, reduces scrap and provides peace of mind for you and your customers.

The next time you walk into your lab and see the old optical comparators, the cabinets filled with thread gauges and the “human subjective” micrometers think about how much time and money can be saved by one machine.

Call or email Philippe Linders for a free demonstration:

www.generalinspection.com

Tel: +34 609539510

email: philippe.linders@gmail.com

CATALOGUE RAC K

May 2011

European Manufacturers Fastener + Fixing Magazine provides a unique reference guide that offers the industry a fast and easy way to source both current and upcoming product Catalogues.

Use this convenient service to call, fax or email the companies to request a copy of their latest Catalogue and up to date product information.

A.M.C. (UK) Fasteners Ltd AMC Manufacture Hexagon, Square and Round Nuts including Special parts, M3 to M64 Diameter.

Parts include: All Metal Locknuts, Weld Nuts, Wheel Nuts, Flange Nuts, Heavy 2,2H 4 & 7 Nuts, Usual Full, Lock Castle & Slotted Nuts, Custom Specials.

All in Carbon & Stainless Steels.

All normal accepted finishes.

Quality Approved to BS EN ISO email: sales@amcukfasteners.co.uk 9001 (PPAP Level 3 Certified) & TUV AD2000. www.amcukfasteners.co.uk

Alfran Fasteners Ltd UK Manufacturers to Europe Grades 4.6 / 8.8 / 10.9 / 12.9 metric 4.6 / R / S / T / SAE8 Imperial M12-M100 Hex Head 1/2” - 2.1/2” Hex Head HSSP Preload Bolts/Nuts All Specials Made to Order Hot Dip Galv / Zinc Plate / Shera / Geomet Finishes Available Specialists to European Industry Tel: +44 (0) 1535 664 993 email: sales@alfranfasteners.co.uk

B+M Breitbach + Müller GmbH

Ash Fasteners Ltd

Tel: +44 (0) 121 328 3881 www.patternfasteners.co.uk

For more than three quarters of a century, and in some of the world’s most demanding manufacturing environments, PSM International & BAS Components have been designing, manufacturing, installing, tailoring, and maintaining innovative and highly-capable fastening and assembly solutions.

www.psminterna�onal.com

www.bas‐components.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 1646 683 501 www.bas-components.co.uk

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The UK’s foremost manufacturer of long length & specialist cold forged fasteners in Steel, Stainless, Aluminium or Brass. Any length from M3 up to a M12 diameter with Hex, Flange Hex, Cup Square, Countersunk, Pan, Round or Cheese Heads with Torx, Pozi, Struck Slot or Indented Hex. Threaded Metric or Imperial including UNF, UNC, Whitworth, BSF, BA.

We are one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of connecting fittings for several industry branches. Our large warehouses located in Germany enable us to supply customers around the world with large quantities of various articles flexibly and at short notice.

Ask for our free catalogue now.

Fax: +49 27 5359 5650 www.bum.de

BAS Components PSM International

Caparo Atlas Fastenings

BAS Components - major manufacturer of proprietary Flangeform fasteners in addition to non-proprietary weld nuts and other cold-formed components.

Widely utilized in automotive, white goods, electronics, and general sheet metal industries.

Largest UK manufacturer of male threaded fasteners offering product from M3-M33 thread diameter in a range of materials including high temperature stainless steel and aluminium. Our extensive portfolio also includes other non-threaded complex cold forgings, semi-tubular components and Propriety Licenced Products such as Taptite and Remform.

PSM International - worldwide market leader in design, production, and distribution of special engineered fasteners. Supplying the automotive, mobile telecommunications, PC and laptop markets.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

email: yad.chahal@atlasfastenings.com www.caparoatlasfastenings.com

CATALOGUE RAC K Corbetta Srl

www.defremm.it

DEFREMM S.p.A.

We have been producing high quality forming screws, rivets and pivots according to drawing for 40 years.

The recent generation change allows us to adapt our experience to the fast market changes.

Our mission: Highest quality and flexibility for a product entirely manufactured in Italy. email: corbettaviti@corbettaviti.it www.corbettaviti.it

Defremm S.p.A., ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified, specialises in cold forming production from carbon steel, aluminium alloy, copper, brass and stainless steel wire.

Defremm manufactures special parts according to customer drawings for different applications: automotive, household appliances, fittings, sports equipment, fasteners and standard parts such as rivet nuts and blind rivets. email: r.casagranda@defremm.it www.defremm.it

Degometal

Tel: +33 (0) 4 92 08 56 56 www.degometal.com

email: info@e-u-r-o-tec.de www.e-u-r-o-tec.de

• French Fabrication & Know-how • ISO 9001 Certified • More than 44 years of experience • Rivets, Nuts, Riveting tools, Screws, Cable ties • Standard Products & Custom Technical Solutions • Constant drive for Research & Development • Presence in the Industry & the Specialized Distribution • Mastering our craft is our major strength

Dörken Dörken MKS-Systeme has been developing micro layer corrosion protection systems for over 30 years. Under the brand name DELTA-MKS®, Dörken produces and configures extremely effective surface protection mainly for the automotive industry. Our worldwide approved products like DELTA-PROTEKT® are without any heavy metals, such as chrome (VI).

Tel: +49 (0) 2330 63243 www.doerken-mks.com

E.U.R.O. Tec GmbH

Growermetal

E.u.r.o.Tec - The specialist for fastening technology - offers professional fasteners made of hardened steel, coated steel, stainless A2/A4, hardened stainless for wood constructions, hardwood deckings, glue wood, roofings, facades, as well as solar fasteners.

All approved and in certified quality.

The main goal is to create fasteners offering the professional enduser a most possible benefit. For detailed information of the most recent developments, please, refer to the E.u.r.o.Tec homepage.

Growermetal is a modern company located in Calco.

Since 1950, Growermetal is a leading manufacturer of security washers, standard washers as well as special parts according to customer specifications.

The latest product launched on the market is Grower Twin-Lock®, a great bolt security system for safe locking, that guarantees the best performances even with vibrations and dynamic loads!

Tel: +39 039 953 53 00 www.growermetal.it

Güldner Sonderschrauben Gmbh & Co.KG

INDEX Fixing Systems

Güldner manufactures special purpose screws, CNC-turned parts and fasteners according to customer’s requirments.

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

They provide certification according to DIN EN 10204 / 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, TÜV, GL, etc.

Tel: +49 (0) 7932 9155 11 www.gueldner.com

Güldner is certified according to TÜV, AD-2000 Merkblatt W0 / TRD 100, PED 97/23/EG, KTA 1401 / IAEA 50-C-Q and ISO 9001:2008.

Tel: +34 941.272.131 www.indexfix.com

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

www.fastenerandfixing.com

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Manufacturers of Hi-Grip, Hi-Torque and Tamtorque, the world’s finest quality worm drive hose clips and clamps, and approved to BSI Kitemark and Lloyd’s Type Approval Standards.

Lieferprogramm

Lieferprogramm 2011

Lieferprogramm 2011

JCS Hi-Torque Ltd

01/2011 LP D MKT 8.000 Printed in Germany

CATALOGUE RAC K MKT - Metall Kunststoff Technik GmbH

2011 mit technischen Daten

JCS products are exported throughout the world for use in the Industrial, Automotive, Marine, Construction and Petro-Chemical industries.

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

Tel: +44 (0) 1787 376212 www.jcshi-torque.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 121 556 0824 www.ndjig.com

Tel: +90 (0) 2323 767 610 www.norm-fasteners.com.tr

Phone 0 63 74/91 16-0 Fax 0 63 74/91 16-60 info@mkt.de www.mkt.de

We offer a wide range in design and material specification to meet the needs of modern industry.

Please contact us for a catalogue.

The Most Comprehensive

Conversion Tables Imperial, Fractions, Metric, Decimal Specifications: Hexagon Heads, Socket Screws Material Reference, Hardness Comparisons

Nordic Metalblok

ND Jig & Gauge is a leading manufacturer of Metallic Washers.

Large stocks of washers, square from 25sq x 3thk up to 150sq x 25thk. Black Washers BS3410 & BS4320.

Also BS4395 hardened washers.

Special washers in Mild Steel, Stainless Steel, Brass and other exotic alloys made to your requirements.

Please contact us now.

1971-2011. Forty years of production in Italy. Nordic Metalblok is the unique Italian manufacturer of metal hose clamps and the value of our original products are well appreciated on the market because we have never compromised our quality.

Range of clamps for industry, automotive and spare parts, hydraulic and ventilation sectors, marine sector.

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Tel: 0121 525 1137 Fax: 0121 525 3525

Norma Group

Norm Fasteners is a unique company who produces Specials & Standards, Bolts & Nuts for Automotive and many other industries with 48,000 tonnes capacity 60% special production.

Quality Certifications; ISO/TS16949:2002 by BV, ISO14001, Ford Q1. IN HOUSE facilities; Heat Treatment, Tooling Manufacturing, Organic and Inorganic Platings under the licencee of MacDermid® and DÖRKEN MKS®.

NORMA Group is a global market and technology leader in the attractive niche market Engineered Joining Technology, manufacturing and selling a wide range of innovative high quality products and solutions. NORMA Group leverages its worldwide manufacturing and distribution network to provide high-quality standardized products under its well known brands.

Performance Fasteners, a surprisingly alternative manufacturer, specialising in socket screws, plugs and turned parts in alloys, super alloys, performance stainless steels and yellow metals.

Reliable, ISO approved company specialising in on time manufacturing to order.

For your free copy of our Fastener Technical Guide please contact us at:

Tel: +44 (0) 121 525 1137 www.performancefastenersltd.co.uk

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email: export@nordicmetalblok.com www.nordicmetalblok.com

Norm Fasteners

All you need to know…..and more

Registered to: ISO 9001:2008 C ifi Certificate N Number: b QM26 QM2658 888

Tel: +49 6374 91160 www.mkt-duebel.de

ND Jig & Gauge

Performance Fasteners Fastener Technical Guide

www.mkt.de

Are you interested in High Standard Fasteners? Do you know the new MKT Product Range?

MKT manufactures European (ETA) approved anchors like Wedge Anchors, Highload Anchors, Drop-in Anchors and Chemical Fastening Systems. Products are tested and approved in Europe and many other countries.Technical support including design software is available.

Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

email: info@normagroup.com www.normagroup.com

Premier Washers Manufacturer of washers and pressings in all types of metal and in a variety of finishes with in-house tool facilities. An excellent service & competitive prices, supported by our registration to BS EN ISO 9001:2008, places Premier Washers in a position to fully satisfy the requirements of all our customers. email: sales@premierwashers.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1902 307 121

CATALOGUE RAC K AEROSOL MANUFACTURER Made in Italy PRIVATE LABEL

E-mail: info@siliconi.it Tel.: +39 0444 649766

www.siliconi.it

Tel: +39 0444 649 766 www.siliconi.it

Siliconi Commerciale Spa Founded in 1957, SILICONI is nowadays one of the European leaders in technical aerosols production for industry, such as: Lubricants, Adhesives, Zinc, Cleaners, Protectives, Removers, Antispatters. SILICONI is present in over 50 countries to serve different industrial sectors in Europe, Asia, America, Africa.

SILICONI is constantly researching new eco-compatible and great quality products.

Tecfi Spa TECFI S.P.A. is an Italian company specialised in design, production and merchandising of fixing systems with an own brand.

Our daily work strongholds are: the employment of selected raw materials, a large stock availability, quick delivery service, focusing on customer satisfaction and extreme respect for environment.

Tel: +39 0823 883 338 email: sales@tecfi.it

Titgemeyer (UK) Ltd

Transformers UK Ltd

Titgemeyer (UK) Ltd manufactures the Lockbolt pin and collar fastening system in the West Midlands and is approved to ISO/TS 16949. We also offer a comprehensive range of other fastening technology solutions including threaded inserts, blind rivets and installation tooling.

Call us or visit our website for more information.

With over 40 years experience delivering quality fasteners this Merseyside based company continues to grow from strength to strength. We have become one of the leading international manufacturers of Screw and Washer Assemblies (Sems) and cold forged screws and bolts.

Sems are available with single or double washers and screw sizes range from M2 to M12. Suppliers of Super Duplex Fasteners

Tel: +44 (0) 151 709 0425 www.transformersuk.com

Tel: +44 (0) 121 557 9777 www.titgemeyer.co.uk

Viteria Fusani SRL

Washer Factory Ltd

Screw manufacturers since 1955.

Production of standard and special screws to customer design.

Screw size from Ø 1,6 to Ø 8 • Metric screws • Self-tapping for plastic materials • Dual thread self-tapping • Wood screws • Screws for chipboards • Self-forming with trilobated profile • Machine screws • Security screws Different types of materials and treatments.

We are one of the leading manufacturers of non-standard and specialised stainless steel, duplex stainless and non-ferrous washers and light pressings.

We have an extensive range and offer quick turnaround, see our website www.washer-factory.com for more information, or call our sales office for fast and friendly help.

Tel: +44 (0) 1902 865 777 www.washer-factory.com

Catalogue Rack July 2011 Coming up in the next issue...

UK & Ireland Contact: Claire Lake email: claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com • Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 508 www.fastenerandfixing.com

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

Lesjöfors moves into the fast lane In close cooperation with Öhlins racing, Lesjöfors has designed innovative chassis springs to the dampers of the newly released Lamborghini Aventador.

L

amborghini Aventador is a brand new sports car model characterised by modern design and lightweight technology.

The 6.5 litre V12 motor gives an effect of 700bhp and the Aventador achieves 0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds. Top speed is 350km/h and the price estimates to about 3 million SEK (324,000 euros).

Innovative chassis springs for dampers

The chassis springs give the car good driving qualities at the same time as they manage the loads that are transferred from the wheels into the car. The Aventador also has a new type of lifting system for levelling of the front of the car that puts extra demands on the springs. Lesjöfors has in a close cooperation with Öhlins Racing designed two types of springs with different rigidity, one front spring and one back spring, that live up to the Volkswagen Group´s high demands for the Aventador´s shock absorption system.

In the coil over dampers used in the Aventador, the springs are placed on the outside of the damper. The spring is an open, uncut spring with an unusual end fitting. A shim in rubber is placed between the spring and the spring seat to avoid noise. Manufacturing is carried out at the factory in Lesjöfors, Sweden.

Cooperation with extreme demands

A comprehensive, 28 page demand specification was the base for design and testing of the chassis springs. Construction and testing were carried out during 2.5 years in close teamwork with Öhlins. Among others, wide-ranging tests to verify the springs fatigue strength and the corrosion resistance of the surface treatment were carried out. At some stages, extreme short manufacturing processes and deliveries were required, with Lesjöfors living up to the high standards.

“We are highly satisfied with our cooperation with Lesjöfors. Quick responses and innovative problem solving are qualities we have experienced and appreciated much in our contacts with the company,” commented Rade Catovic, project manager for the Lamborghini damper at Öhlins Racing.

ITW Plexus co-exhibits with ITW WindGroup ITW Plexus, a European structural adhesives manufacturer, once again exhibited at JEC Composites in Paris and this year the company shared its stand with its newly formed wind energy group, known as ITW WindGroup.

T

he recently formed ITW WindGroup manufactures and supplies adhesives, tapes, sealants, foundation systems, coatings, and other solutions to the wind energy market. These products provide the wind industry with solutions for blade assembly, maintenance and repair, tower manufacturing and assembly, and nacelle and hub assembly.

At the show Plexus also highlighted the benefits and savings that major transportation, marine, automotive and engineered construction manufacturers are achieving by using the company’s latest high performance range of methacrylate adhesives to bond many dissimilar materials. Plexus explained to visitors how its adhesives are facilitating faster and easier

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Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

assembly, and produce durable high-strength bonds to virtually all resins and gel coats, as well as most thermoplastics and metals.

An example is in boat building applications where there are problems caused by having wood beneath the water line. Plexus says it has eliminated these problems by introducing composite stringer and liner assemblies. Also, unlike marine putties, Plexus adhesives chemically fuse FRP and composites. They produce bonds so strong that the substrates will delaminate before the bond fails. Plexus also points out that because its adhesives eliminate surface preparation and cure rapidly at room temperature, they dramatically simplify and shorten assembly times, taking cost out of the finished product.

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CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS SPECIALISTS

NOW IN STOCK – CE Approved Products: • Galvanised Through Bolts • A4 Stainless Steel Through Bolts • Vinylester Styrene Free Resin

Tel.: 01384 483657 Fax.: 01384 483663 Email: sales@adisupply.co.uk Web: adisupply.co.uk Unit 9 | Two Woods Trading Estate Talbots Lane | Brierley Hill | West Midlands | DY5 2YX

The original bonding fastener. +44 (0)1202 574 601

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

Huntsman drives sustainability Working in partnership with Huntsman Advanced Materials, the National Institute of Applied Science and Paul Sabatier University have designed and manufactured a lightweight, energy efficient vehicle.

T

he TIM 05 demonstrates the possibilities of making a vehicle using environmentally sustainable components, weighing just 27kg and running on bio-ethanol fuel. To maximise its performance and achieve the best power-to-weight ratio, the students and professors involved in the project decided to use composite materials in designing the TIM 05.

The body, made of a sandwich of polystyrene and silk reinforced with carbon, and the chassis, made from unidirectional carbon and foam laminate are laminated by hand lay-up process with Araldite® LY 5052/Aradur® 5052.

Huntsman highlights that this low viscosity epoxy resin was selected for its easy handling behaviour and excellent mechanical and dynamic properties in the production of laminates. Araldite® 2011, a two component epoxy adhesive has also been used to bond many other details on the vehicle.

“This project shows how Huntsman products are enablers for green technologies and reinforces the company’s philosophy that innovation and technical advance is balanced with sustainability.”

Huntsman is now working with teams from other leading European educational institutions to assist with projects focused on designing, building and driving the most fuel-efficient vehicles.

Innovative anti-removal system In light of the constantly developing industrial expertise in every sector of industry the need to protect what are often highly sensitive applications from unauthorised use is becoming of ever greater importance.

O

ne example is in the regenerative energy sector, where solar modules have to be protected against theft and intelligent fastening mechanisms are required to guarantee operational safety.

For many years, such applications have been secured using a special kind of fastener. Many methods exist, from the breakaway screw and nut, safety drives which can be removed only with a special screw wrench, to small steel balls inserted into the screw drive, all of which produce variable practical results.

Arnold Umformtechnik, based in Germany, believes that there is a need for optimisation, particularly as regards to removal protection security and processing speed improvement, which is why it is offering the LocTec® screw drive as an alternative to the systems used up to now.

The LocTec® is a special combination of screw drive and tool, meaning that a fastener can be removed only with the aid of the tool and then only by destroying the connection itself. The drive incorporated into the screw head means that the fastener can only be screwed in using a screwdriver tool adapted specifically to the fastener.

Whilst there are countless such combinations in the industry, Arnold point out that the LocTec® drive’s flank position makes it impossible to remove the fastener, even using the special tool which was used to fit it in the first place. Any attempt to do so simply causes the screwdriver to screw itself out of the screw head. The joint can only be taken apart by mechanically drilling the screw or by milling a groove and both these ways will inevitably invalidate any warranty claims, and any potential thief would be put off by the considerable amount of noise the procedure would make.

Arnold highlights that with the LocTec® system it is not necessary to make any changes to the fastening machinery, the screw position or the process technology, and the system can be supplied in individually customisable designs and is available for all standard screw and nut types.

100 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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

Ornit is in the frame Using solar panels to generate electricity is fast becoming a trend among many Israeli businesses with rooftop space to spare.

T

he solar panels are fastened onto steel frames but these frames are initially fixed onto roof tops of various material types i.e., concrete, tiles or corrugated iron. These different joint types require alternative characteristics from the fasteners, but it is essential that the fasteners can also resist the damaging wind force at these higher altitudes.

Ornit’s solution for the steel frame structures are the high strength, structural fasteners Stelock, Steelfix, Orlock, Super Orlock, Or-Bolt and Ornilock, which are available in 4.8mm, 6.4mm, 6.5mm and 7.8mm sizes.

Ornit explains that these powerful breakstem fasteners are ideal for this type of application due to their exceptional shear and tensile strengths, which create a vibration resistant joint. The fasteners are also available in a range of corrosive resistant materials including steel, stainless steel and aluminium, so the end user may chose the material most suited to their roof type. One of the predominant features of the blind rivets is that after installation they become tamper-free, making it very difficult, if not impossible, to dismantle them.

Ornit Blind Rivets is also currently part of a project involving dairy farms all over Israel which are switching from traditional power sources to solar power.

The corrugated-iron roofed shelters for the cows on the dairy farms provide a vast area on which the solar panels may be fastened. Ornit’s special peel rivet, the TPR, is designed especially for roof fixtures, it is vibration resistant and has enhanced shear values, which Ornit says makes it the ideal choice for fixing the frames to the corrugated-iron rooftops.

“Our extensive product range means that we are able to offer solutions for many application types and our research and development team is always looking to design and improve products for the end user.”

High-strength frame bonding within seconds The photovoltaic industry is striving to increase productivity while lowering manufacturing costs.

With a new generation of elastic adhesives and sealants based on silane-modified polymers, Henkel says it is now making it possible to attain significantly higher process speeds during automated frame bonding of crystalline solar modules.

H

enkel explains that unlike conventional adhesive and sealant systems, the new products Terostat MS 500 and Terostat 2K Ultrafast have high initial bond strength and thus substantially reduce the dwell times in the production line. Terostat MS 500 even eliminates the waiting time that is normally required until handling strength is reached.

In addition to primerless adhesion to glass, metal and plastics, Henkel points out that the elastic adhesives have excellent UV, temperature and weathering resistance, and compared to fastening with adhesive tapes offer convincing advantages as they are much easier to handle in the manufacturing process.

The elastic adhesives and sealants also offer advantages in terms of design and construction as they are capable of compensating for tolerances in the laminate or the frame, which reduces the risk of modules becoming detached from frames. Providing high-quality full sealing, they also assure long life of the solar modules. By sealing off all joints and edges, they effectively prevent the penetration of moisture and thus enhance the efficiency of the module during its service life.

Henkel’s MS technology contains no solvents, isocyanates or silicone. The patented Terostat MS 500 is based on silane-modified polymers and exhibits high initial bond strength directly after joining. This sag-resistant one-component adhesive is applied warm and crosslinks by reacting with atmospheric moisture to form an elastic product. By contrast, the two-component product Terostat 2K Ultrafast already cures at room temperature. Crosslinking begins as soon as the two components have been thoroughly mixed, irrespective of moisture levels.

102 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

www.wintech-solar.cz

MOUNTING AND FASTENING SOLAR SYSTEMS

Development • Production • Sale • Systems design • Technical consultant service • Full supply

Development • Production • Sale • Systems design Technical consultant service • Full supply VISIMPEX a.s., Seifertova 33, 750 02 Přerov, Czech Republic tel.: (+420) 581 808 150 • e-mail: solar@wintech.cz • www.wintech-solar.cz • www.visimpex.cz

The power of the sun

(Photo taken by Siemens)

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

Transformed by Siemens turbines - secured

by Nord-Lock by Alexander Farnsworth

Assembling an industrial-sized turbine requires acres of room. It also requires thousands of bolts and washers to be assembled and tightened to guarantee a service life of the product, which in the solar energy, biomass, oil and gas sectors, is typically upwards of 30 years.

A

Siemens turbine factory in Finspång, Sweden, is one of the leading suppliers of steam turbines to the burgeoning solar energy industry. The factory, which also manufactures gas turbines, relies on Nord-Lock safety washers to make sure the bolts in the turbines stay put.

This represents savings of almost 80% compared to traditional bolting methods.

Steam and gas turbines are assembled from pre-machined steel parts. They operate in solar plants, biomass, and in oil and gas facilities, under enormous pressures and temperatures to generate electricity. Historically, tab washers were used to secure bolts. After installation, these washers were manually folded over the bolts to prevent them from moving.

“It is amazing how such a little thing as a Nord-Lock safety washer can be so beneficial. They save an enormous amount of time and they are cheaper,” says Martin Lindbäck, who works with R&D at Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery AB in Finspång.

Indeed, anywhere you look in the well-organised factory you see bolts, and more bolts. “We save a lot of time by using NordLock safety washers,” says Nicklas Lundbom, a 14-year veteran of the Finspång factory. “It is a very easy solution that works.”

104 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Nicklas Lundbom (left) and Oskar Gunnarsson tightening turbine joints.

(Photo taken by Alexander Farnsworth)

Securing a brighter future To generate a maximum amount of clean energy, concentrating solar power (CSP) systems follow the motion of the sun. Heat, wind and constant movements put high restraints on the equipment.

The unique Nord-Lock solution safely secures the joints, providing maximum reliability every hour of the day. Using Nord-Lock will contribute significantly to your profitability by diminishing maintenance and failure costs.

Nord-Lock Group • info@nord-lock.com • Tel: +46 (0) 31 7192 300

www.nord-lock.com

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

Thousands of bolts and washers have to be assembled and tightened to guarantee a service life of over 30 years.

(Photos taken by Alexander Farnsworth) A steam turbine is a device that extracts thermal energy from pressurised steam and converts it into rotary motion to drive a generator that in turn can make electricity. It is like a reverse fan.

Hot and pressurised steam is used to spin the blades that impart rotary motion to generate electricity.

The steam turbine is a key component for solar thermal power generation. In these so-called Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, water, and sometimes oil or liquid sodium, gets heated up by solar panels, or mirrors, which concentrate the sunlight in three different ways - a parabolic trough collector, a linear Fresnel collector, or a solar tower. In each case, the solar energy is used to make steam to drive a turbine.

Interestingly, the heat can be stored for hours, for example in tanks filled with molten salt, which means that solar thermal power plants can also supply electricity when the sun is no longer shining. Power generated in this way does not produce any pollutants like carbon dioxide.

According to a one-year production estimate, two out of every four steam turbines made in Finspång will be used in the solar industry.

“The solar energy market is notoriously cyclical and highly dependent on government subsidies,” says Lars-Göran Sjöberg, general manager for industrial steam turbines at Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery. “But we have had a good run.”

“As living standards increase around the world, an incredible need for electricity arises. And everyone agrees that renewable energy in the form of biomass, wind and solar is the way to go,” says Sjöberg.

Some notable Siemens steam turbines that are being bolted together in the Finspång factory include the 123-MW steam turbine for BrightSource Energy Inc’s Ivanpah Solar Complex in Southern California. The order is for an SST-900 steam turbine that is especially suited for the load swings and frequent starting and stopping that is characteristic of solar energy generation.

In the gas turbine field, the Siemens Energy sector launched a new industrial gas turbine on 18th November 2010, in Finspång, Sweden. With a capacity of 37 megawatts (MW), the SGT-750 will close a gap in the Siemens industrial gas turbine portfolio, which offers a power range between 5MW and 50MW. This versatile machine can be employed for both power generation and as a mechanical drive. The new development provides economic viability and eco-friendliness as well as a high level of availability and reliability.

Siemens Finspång benefits from Nord-Lock safety washers in the following ways: • Time saving - Compared to other bolt locking systems, Nord-Lock washers are faster to install by a factor of 20.

• Ease of use - Easier to install and perform service on turbines on customer sites.

• Lower costs - 80% costs savings were achieved compared to tab washers that can only be used once.

• Safety - No risk of bolts loosening.

• Corrosion resistant - Nord-Lock washers are coated with zinc flake, Delta Protect®, as a standard.

Steam and gas turbines are assembled from pre-machined steel parts. They operate in solar plants, biomass, and in oil and gas facilities, under enormous pressures and temperatures to generate electricity.

(Photo taken by Alexander Farnsworth)

106 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

exhibitions

Munich welcomes the international solar industry From 8th - 10th June 2011, the international solar industry will flock to the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Germany, where Intersolar Europe will open its doors.

T

he world’s largest exhibition for the solar industry will feature over 2,000 international exhibitors presenting their products and services across 165,000 square meters of exhibition space, spanning 15 exhibition halls and an outdoor exhibition area.

Over 75,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to attend Intersolar Europe 2011, all eager to find out about the latest products and services in the fields of photovoltaics, PV production technology and solar thermal technology.

Intersolar Europe focuses on the areas of photovoltaics, PV production technology and solar thermal technology. Since its founding, it has become established as the most important industry platform for manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers and service providers.

Markus Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, Pforzheim, one of the organisers of Intersolar, summarises the positive experiences of many exhibitors when he says that Intersolar Europe “creates synergies, has a multiplier effect and establishes close contacts, which all result in successful business deals.” Elsaesser goes on to say that “the continuing growth of Intersolar Europe in Munich consolidates its role in the international industry year after year and demonstrates that the German solar market is expanding like never before.”

Shedding light on the future of photovoltaics

The share of photovoltaics in German electricity supply is growing at a welcome rate of knots, and is set to rise from 3% to 10% by 2020. However, in order for the power supply system to smoothly accommodate this level of solar power, it needs to become more sophisticated and flexible.

The “PV ENERGY WORLD” Special Exhibition at Intersolar Europe has therefore been designed to reflect the importance of this issue in the future development of photovoltaics. This exhibition will highlight the growth potential of solar power in the German energy mix and also illustrate the measures, technological advances and political conditions necessary to achieve the set targets.

An increasing number of solar installations in Germany are generating more and more solar power. Between 2009 and 2010, the German market for solar power installations almost doubled. According to estimates from the German Federal Network Agency, more than 240,000 new photovoltaic installations with a total output of 7.25 gigawatts (GW) were connected to the grid in 2010. By the end of the year, the total installed PV capacity had therefore increased to around 17 GW. The percentage of solar power in the German energy mix is anticipated to rise from the current share of 3% to approximately 10% by 2020. The German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) expects the total installed PV output to be between 52 and 70 GW by then. Solar power will therefore continually evolve into a mainstay of a sustainable energy system.

Award ceremony, innovations and Job & Career Forum enhance exhibition

“Intersolar Europe is not only the best technology exhibition in the world, but it also boasts top class contacts which make industry experts come back year after year,” says Klaus Seilnacht, CEO of FWTM. “We are therefore continually expanding our accompanying programme to meet the needs of this audience.”

Intersolar Europe, together with the German Solar Industry Association e.V. (BSW-Solar) will be presenting the Intersolar AWARD for the fourth time running. The award will be presented to the most innovative companies in the industry during an official award ceremony on 8th June 2011. The award categories are ‘Photovoltaics’, ‘Solar Thermal Technology’ and ‘PV Production Technology’. Current trends and new products will also be featured in the Innovative Exchange in Hall B2. Here exhibitors have fifteen minutes to present their innovations, which are then discussed after the presentation. The Job & Career Forum in Hall C2 brings job seekers and employers together. Visitors can also look at employment and training opportunities on the Intersolar Europe website ahead of the exhibition.

108 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

FOC U S ON S ta i n l e s s s t e e l & n o n - f e r r o u s

May 2011

Stainless steel & non-ferrous material This issue’s Focus On is dedicated to Stainless steel & non-ferrous material.

Suppliers of products within this market sector have provided details of their capabilities along with up to date contact and product information.

Coming up in the next issue…

Construction fixings

Contact Claire Lake Tel: +44 (0) 1727 814 508 email: claire.lake@fastenerandfixing.com Apex Stainless Fasteners

Dejond Cold Forming

Apex Stainless Fasteners have further increased both the depth and range of their stocks. The full range is highlighted in the company product catalogue, available on request. A large inventory of Stainless Steel Fasteners enables the company to continue the focus on Trade Sales both in the U.K. and in export markets. The products include metric, unified and imperial thread forms in A2, A4 and A4-80. Recent additions to the range include an enhanced range of security screws, Din 975/931/933 up to M36 in A4-80 and a full stock range of high quality cut and chamfered allthreads to DIN 976B.

Tubtara®: your reliable connection

As one of the few major European Stainless stockists with a manufacturing division (Aerotight Manufacturing), the company is capable of producing high quality special parts in addition to the well established Stainless Steel Aerotight self locking nut.

The company is now established as one of Europe’s major stockists of Stainless Steel Fasteners and is well placed to meet the needs of Fastener distributors worldwide, whether it be for full pallet loads or small box shipments available on a same day despatch service.

Tel: +44 (0) 1788 537 979

www.apexstainless.com

110 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Dejond offers one of the widest ranges of headed stainless steel blind rivet nuts in the world.

Its Tubtara® programme in stainless steel 304 and 316 is extensive and includes open and closed end versions from M4 till M10, with round or hexagonal shanks, different head forms and several gripranges. All available from stock.

The stainless Tubtara resists corrosion in atmospheric exposure.

It has proven its effectiveness in circumstances, indoor as well as outdoor, where corrosion is critical and a long-term, nonmagnetic solution is required. It is used in industrial kitchens, bathrooms, hospitals, for architectural components, garden tools etc. The stainless 316 Tubtara more specifically targets applications exposed to chlorides, salt water and elevated temperatures. It serves customers in the marine, offshore, chemicals and food industry as well as in the general industry in transport, paper and pulp, hotwatersystems, swimming pools, coastal climates, polluted or industrial environments etc.

Dejond even produces 2 stainless steel Tubtara’s for the latest aerospace programmes.

Besides stainless steel, Dejond’s Tubtara® programme also offers a wide range in carbon steel and aluminium.

Tel: +32 3 820 34 36

www.dejond.com

F OC U S ON S ta i n l e s s s t e e l & n o n - f e r r o u s Fabory UK

INOXDADI S.R.L.

FABORY’s Non-Ferrous range

INOXDADI S.R.L. is one of the most important producers of stainless steel and brass nuts, washers and fasteners certified ISO 9001.

FABORY’s standard range consists of over 52,000 items including non-ferrous fasteners, which boasts at least 800 categories and over 2000 lines, in both metric and imperial (coarse and fine pitches) ranging from standard hex bolts to the more unusual.

BRASS – CU2 (cold-formed), CU3 (turned)Plain and nickel plated – Hex products; Thumb, book, wing and machine screws; Dome and sleeve nuts; Plain, lock and cup washers; Woodscrews; Rivet bushes.

COPPER – Sealing rings, Washers, Mushroom head rivets, Split pins.

KUPRODUR – Hex products PHOSPHOR BRONZE – Lock washers ALUMINIUM – Sopral P40, P60, P65, AG3 and Dural – Hex products; Machine and self-tapping screws; Studding, Plain, lock, cup washers; Sealing rings; Round and countersunk head rivets; Hand wheels.

TITANIUM – Grade 2 – Hex products, studding, nuts, washers.

VARIOUS PLASTICS – Seals, Dubo rings; Nylon hex products, binder screws, caps, rosette; Handles.

PERMAGLAS – Studding and nuts.

STAINLESS STEEL grades A1, A2, A4 (classes 50, 70, 80) – Hex, eye and socket products; Diameters <M4 also available; Retaining rings;Pipe plugs; Machine and self-tapping screws, including Phillips; Washers including 90 degree countersunk.

For further information please contact FABORY Tel: +44 (0) 121 556 3474

email: sales.faboryuk@fabory.com

For the great experience developed on the field of nuts for over 30 years, INOXDADI S.R.L. can boast a wide range of items produced in various grades of stainless steel such as: AISI 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 316Ti, 321, 309, 310, 314, 904L, Duplex W. 1.4462 - W. 1.4529, W. 1.4923, Monel 400, Hastelloy, Titanium besides aluminium, brass, steel and zinc plated.

Upon request, all the items produced can be provided with certificate of chemical and mechanical tests.

“INOXDADI S.R.L.” is specialist in production of:

• shear nuts • cage nuts • hex nuts • pressed insert nuts • weld nuts • flange nuts • square nuts

• lock insert nuts • domed cap nuts • wing nuts • castellated nuts • flat washers • spring washers • special nuts and washers

Tel: +39 (0) 363 914959 56

Italbolt Inox Service SRL

Lederer

The society was founded in 1990.

Thanks to the associates’ thirty years experience in stainless steel fasteners field, the company has grown not only in Italy but even on all foreign markets.

Fasteners made of Stainless Steel: Screws, Nuts, Bolts, Thread Rods, Washers, Pins, Studs, Rivets and lots more!

Two of the main features of the firm: • THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRODUCT: Only stainless steel • THE SERVICE THE RANGE The product range is in conformity with the main sizes DIN rules from M1,6 to M 52 in A2 (AISI 304) and A4 (AISI 316).

SPECIAL ITEMS • UNC-UNF: “all range” in stock • ALL KINDS OF WASHERS • BARS 1-2-3 METERS AND ANY LENGTH OF STUDS • SECURITY FASTENERS: NUTS – SCREWS AND WASHERS • FLANGED: nuts – hex – socket – self drilling – self tapping • INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS: wire rope–chain–redance–spring hook–thimbles–wire rope clips–lifting eye bolts • SIX LOBE DRIVE THE SERVICE Our society has more than 20,000 items in stock, ready in the warehouse. The service is quick and flexible, the minimum quantity is not requested and delivery can be made in one day.

www.inoxdadi.com

Lederer is one of Europe’s most specialized suppliers for highquality fasteners made of stainless steel. Our decisive strengths: an optimally equipped warehouse with more than 25,000 articles, committed, highly qualified staff and a full service concept.

Retailers and wholesalers all over the world rely on the experience that Lederer provides. The name “Lederer” now stands for more than 40 years of experience with fasteners made of stainless steel, both normed and standardized parts (ref. DIN, ISO and others).

This development is the expression of our customer-oriented corporate philosophy – products or services are not the focal point of everything we do; you, the customer, are the focal point.

We are not satisfied until you are!

We have very special prices UPS prepaid all over the world. www.italbolt.com

email: sales@italbolt.com

Fax: +49 (0) 2333 8309 18

www.lederer-online.com

www.fastenerandfixing.com

111

FOC U S ON S ta i n l e s s s t e e l & n o n - f e r r o u s Nestinox

Owlett-Jaton

Nestinox, your partner in stainless steel fasteners.

Stainless Steel – Continued Success!

The Nestinox stainless steel fasteners are used in various industries: • Construction / building • Solar • Yacht- and shipbuilding • Food • Machine construction • Greenhousing, etc.

Aside from our extensive range of stainless steel fixings such as bolts, nuts, screws, washers, machine feet, concrete fixings, studs, roofing- and cladding screws etc. (both A2 and A4, DIN / ISO), Nestinox is the ideal place to turn to for special pressing and turning according to drawings / samples.

A complete assortment stainless steel security fasteners can also be delivered by Nestinox.

For this reason Nestinox developed a complete new SECURITY leaflet which includes its range of stainless steel security screws, including hexagonal break-off nuts and pinplug hexagonal.

The security screws are available in various finishes including Snake Eyes®, Torx® Pin, Phillips Pin, One Way. They are also available with various screw heads including pan head, round countersunk and flat countersunk.

For further information on our stainless steel fasteners, please contact NESTINOX: www.nestinox.com

Tel: +31 (0) 499 339 000

The Stainless Steel Fasteners product range continues to expand at Owlett-Jaton, now established as a leading supplier of Stainless Steel fasteners. This complements the already comprehensive range of fasteners, fixings, ironmongery, and hardware, making OwlettJaton the largest supplier to the distributor and merchant trade.

This product range includes Bolts, Setscrews, Studding and Nuts in metric, unified, and imperial threads, together with Machine Screws, Self Tapping Screws, Woodscrews, Chipboard Screws, Washers, Cup Square and Coachscrews; all are available in A2 and A4. Recent additions include Security Screws and Thread Forming Screws.

The Stainless Steel department is headed by Olive Dickinson and Ian Phillipps, both are based at Stone and support the regional sales teams throughout the U.K. The sales office network is another strength of Owlett-Jaton and allows prompt processing of customer orders and enquiries by experienced staff.

Owlett-Jaton offers an unparalleled ex-stock nationwide, next day delivery service to you. Just one call to your local sales office gives you access to our comprehensive product range.

Tel: +44 (0) 1785 819 819

Fax: +44 (0) 1785 816 239

Premier Washers Ltd

Schäfer & Peters

­­ Premier Quality and Service @ Premier Washers Ltd

Your special in stainless steel fasteners.

A Midlands based manufacturer, with comprehensive industry knowledge, supplying washers and pressings to the automotive, construction, white goods and other industries.

An extensive range of machines including CNC and high speed coil fed presses enable us to supply high and low volumes with production capabilities from outside diameter of 6mm up to 150mm, in thickness from 0.2mm up to 10mm.

We can supply our products in a large range of materials including mild steel, carbon, brass, stainless steel, copper and other exotic metals and in a wide variety of finishes including heat treatment, grinding, machining and surface treatments.

In house toolroom facilities enable us to produce tools quickly in response to customers ever-changing needs.

An independent and reliable partner.

We carry a stock of over 25,000 different products from the DIN/ ISO standard parts sector which are available to you immediately.

Our logistic partners guarantee shortest lead times worldwide.

We combine quality and service.

Take advantage of our excellent business connections.

Products Stainless steel fasteners such as metric screws, tapping screws, drilling screws, self-sealing cladding screws, security screws, hanger bolts, wood screws with or without building approval, nuts, washers, round steel chains, wire ropes, hooks, Shackle straight, chain link, roof hooks, heavy fortifications, special parts.

An excellent service and competitive prices, supported by our registration to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 places Premier Washers in a position to fully satisfy the requirements of all of our customers.

Tel: +44 (0)1902 307 121

email: sales@premierwashers.co.uk

112 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Tel: +49 (0) 7941 6094-0

email: info@schaefer-peters.com

F OC U S ON S ta i n l e s s s t e e l & n o n - f e r r o u s Stainless Threaded Fasteners

Titgemeyer

The Complete Corrosion Resistant Fastener Distributor

The TITGEMEYER Group develops and manufactures fastening technology solutions, including blind rivets, rivet nuts, lockbolts - our two part high strength fastening system which is absolutely vibration proof - and the associated installation tooling. In the TITGEMEYER Group our principal focus is to provide our customers with expert technical advice.

Fastening of non-corrosive stainless steel products is becoming increasingly important and prevalent in industrial applications. TITGEMEYER Group has recognised this trend and undertaken intensive testing of our products. We have collated and presented our range of A2 (1.4567) and A4 (1.4578) fastening solutions in a special ‘Stainless Steel, Corrosion Resistant’ brochure, which is also available in pdf form on request.

An example of recent innovation by the TITGEMEYER Group is the development of our lockbolt system in A4 (1.4578) stainless steel. This system not only offers new opportunities in evolving industries like renewable energy but also in traditional sectors like rail vehicles or the chemical industry. Specific customer requirements are met using cost-effective cold forming production and this underlines our commitment to product development together with our customers.

STF are one of Europe’s largest distributors of Stainless Steel and Brass Fasteners. Operating from 100,000 sq. ft premises in the heart of the West Midlands of England. STF carry over 10,000 product lines in stock, all of which are available for same day despatch worldwide. Our extensive range of products and services includes; Stainless Steel, A2 , A4 and A4-80 - A full range of Metric & Imperial Threadforms.

Security Fasteners, A2 - Vandal -Pruf™ range of screws complete with Tooling.

Brass Fasteners – A full range of Metric Threadforms.

Philidas® Allmetal Self-locking Nuts - A2-80 Class & A4-80 Class, the re-usable Self - locking nut.

Special Fasteners, can be supplied in all grades of Stainless Steel, Brass and other Non Ferrous Alloys including Titanium, Aluminium, Hastelloy & Duplex materials.

Marine Products, Stainless Steel Marine Hardware & fittings, wire rope, chain and prepack fasteners , available with eye catching point of sale display stand options.

Quality, Registered to BS EN ISO 9001-2000.We are committed to offering quality products and a first class customer service. We can also offer I.S.I.R., PPAP Level 3 and 3.1.b certification on request.

For a friendly, helpful service please contact STF for all your Corrosion Resistant Fastener requirements. www.stf-fasteners.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 1902 490 490

Tel: +49 541 5822 0

email: info@titgemeyer.de

Washer Factory Ltd

WASI

The Washer Factory Ltd

WASI (Wagener & Simon WASI GmbH & Co. KG)

We do exactly what is says on the label, we manufacture washers and light pressings.

WASI is a global system partner for stainless steel fasteners. WASI stands for innovation, customer satisfaction and top product quality for 50 years. WASI supplies the widest and most extensive product range on the market and is a global market leader in the supply of stainless steel fasteners.

We will manufacture any size washer you require We will manufacture any quantity you require We will manufacture in any type of material you require We will manufacture to any delivery requirements you require We have been manufacturing washers and light pressings for some time now, and have slowly built our reputation on the quality of service we provide. So if you requirement is for a 1 off super duplex stainless steel washer or 10000 exotic alloy steel washers, please give us a call.

We have just launched our new website, www.washer-factory.com it has some of the more unusual shapes we manufacture and a list of some the materials used to manufacture.

Any enquiries to; Tel: + 44 (0) 1902 865 777

email:sales@washer-factory.com

WASI fasteners are made of rust-proof stainless steels of grades A1 to A5 in all strength classes and of various other special materials. The product range consists of items standardised according to DIN or ISO and all other common international standards: Screws, nuts, rings, washers and lock washers, pins, rivets and threaded rods, as well as a special product range including hose clamps, threaded inserts, among other items.

WASI has over 26,000 products in stock. Additional items can be quickly provided. The company has transformed from a wholesale supplier to a solutions provider which simplifies the procurement management process for its customers. Its services include IT connections for a more expedient order processing, optimised product availability and individual order assembly, commissioning, packaging and labelling.

Tel: +49 202 26 32 0

www.wasi.de

www.fastenerandfixing.com

113

m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s

Acorn ‘future-proofs’ business Acorn Industrial Components has appointed international managed services specialists PRAIZAR, to lead its IT and marketing strategies. The appointment was made in response to an increase in demand for Acorn’s specialist industrial components services.

C

hris Till, managing director, Acorn Industrial Components explained: “Supplier consolidation is a key trend for 2011 and we’re experiencing rapid growth in this area, particularly consolidated procurement and small sub-assembly. But for every contract we win, that’s up to 30 or even 100 other businesses losing contracts.” He adds: “We’ve been delivering exceptional customer service for over 30 years and I firmly believe our reputation for having skilled, knowledgeable and accommodating staff is saving our business today and helping us to grow. We brought in PRAIZAR to ‘future-proof’ our business which will allow us to continue to respond quickly to change.”

PRAIZAR will be updating Acorn’s ERP solution to increase its ecommerce services, consolidating its online presence and entering new digital channels such as YouTube, facebook and twitter.

Till was keen to reassure customers that service was still their main priority: “Improving our IT systems is purely to give us the tools we need to be able to respond quickly and effectively to change in the market. Our commitment to traditional service ethics is as strong today as ever, and we will continue to deliver consultative sales to all our customers.”

The full family of Acorn websites will be consolidated and re-launched during 2011 as part of the strategy to provide small businesses and sole-traders competitive trade prices online.

Embracing the new manufacturing reality Olivier Drean, director of manufacturing solutions at Apriso, a manufacturing software provider that offers a platform-based solution to manage global manufacturing operations, explains how embracing the new manufacturing reality will require managers to manage operations holistically across their company.

T

he increasingly global nature of business means that manufacturers need to adopt a “design anywhere, make anywhere, sell anywhere” strategy in order to outpace the competition and remain innovative and responsive to customers. Doing so successfully creates virtually unlimited business opportunities, but significantly complicates the manufacturing process.

In recent years, manufacturers have come to realise that their operations can be more effectively managed in the aggregate, from an enterprise perspective. This means looking at operations spanning all locations – rather than being confined to traditional silos, on a plant by plant basis. As a result, companies are taking an increasingly more strategic view of manufacturing by thinking holistically. Processes can be optimised when managed from an end-to-end perspective, rather than as islands of automation performed autonomously on a plant by plant basis.

The challenge is that plant operators are not always inclined to change the way they do business, especially if current processes work just fine. The counter-point to this perspective is “how do you know?” Your processes may or may not be best-in-class. In today’s increasingly global marketplace, goods and services are being purchased and evaluated from a global perspective. What may have once been a high quality, low cost production process may now no longer compare as favourably. Those plant operators that facilitate this process by helping to identify what inventory level, equipment performance or production throughput level is best will be seen as leaders in transforming their manufacturing operations to best in class.

Manufacturers today must embrace a new reality and rise to a new challenge, which means fundamentally rethinking how and what you do. This new thinking involves taking a perspective that extends beyond just plant-level activities, seeing manufacturing operations as an activity that must be managed and continuously improved across the enterprise.

114 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

4

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Serrated Flange Bolts

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

m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s

Manufacturers bid farewell to unprofitable projects Andrew Kinder, director of product marketing at Infor looks at how better bid and project management can lead to increased profitability for manufacturers.

A

s we find our feet in the precarious new world following the latest recession, discrete manufacturers are focusing their resources into customer retention and growth over and above customer acquisition. The evidence comes from research commissioned by Infor which was undertaken by IDC Manufacturing Insights, and involved 720 discrete

manufacturers being interviewed.

In particular, bid and project management has taken centre stage, second only to customer fulfilment, as a top initiative over the next two years, particularly for those in the industrial equipment and hi-tech sectors. Most manufacturers also admitted to there being a substantial gap between where their bid and project management capabilities are currently, against where they need to be.

Where high capital investment items are being produced, well managed bid and project management can make a huge impact

on the bottom line, optimising the financial, manufacturing and people resources involved, thus mitigating risk. However, traditional bid and project management tends to fall short of achieving this best practice, and with customer retention strategies demanding investment, the contingency to absorb these inefficiencies simply isn’t there – any deviation from best practice eats directly into a manufacturer’s profitability.

As raw materials costs continue to rise and prices continue to be driven down, the only viable approach to increasing profitability is to ‘turn up’ the efficiency of the manufacturing process itself.

While cost cutting and productivity optimisation have always been a focus, manufacturers must now look far and wide at where additional savings can be derived, and our findings show that bid and project profitability is unchartered territory for many.

The biggest challenge in bridging this gap it seems, is system capabilities. While traditional Material Requirements Planning (MRP) based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are effective in supporting production, managing inventory and tracking costs, many fall short of meeting today’s complex requirements.

The good news is that a new raft of solutions, which have functionally built in to maximise profitability from bid and project management, are now available to bridge this gap and reap the associated rewards.

ProgressPlus takes production control to a new level The latest version of Berkeley Myles’ ProgressPlus technology has been in full operation at a number of its 200 sites since the end of last year and Berkeley Myles says the implementation will continue throughout this year until the benefits are being enjoyed by all of its 1,600 concurrent users.

B

erkeley Myles points out that unlike other companies’ standard upgrades, ProgressPlus has once again been re-written from scratch to take into account the speed and intensity of technological change across both the specialist and nonspecialist manufacturing sectors it serves.

Tony MacBride, director at Glasgow-based Berkeley Myles, said: “The technology that our customers use doesn’t stand still and we don’t either. There is no value in cosmetic upgrades and, in order to give clients the service they need, we have completely redesigned ProgressPlus from the bottom up to take current technologies into account.

He continued: “This is the second complete revision of our process and management information system since it was first written in 1996. It was completely revamped in 2001 and again at the end of last year and the response from the initial users this time has again been strongly enthusiastic.”

With ProgressPlus, Berkeley Myles says it has carved out a significant UK and Irish niche in production control software, which tracks and records all work undertaken along each and every step of the product manufacturing process, from a customer’s initial enquiry through to sales invoicing. This data, on such items as material tracking for retrospective traceability, stock management and wastage, is then applied to track, manage and develop every aspect of the manufacturing process.

116 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Blind Rivets

A Riveting Experience ORLOCK Double locking system OR-BULB Spilt Tail STELOCK / STEEL-FIX Steel High Strength and Multi-Grip Hafren 2009 July A5 Advert:Layout 1

6/7/09

14:32

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U-FIX High Versatile Multi-Grip T.P.R / O.R.P Superior Peel ORNILOCK / OR-BOLT Multi-Grip Structural

Unit 23 Mochdre Industrial Park Newtown Powys SY16 4LE United Kingdom T: +44 (0)1686 621 300 F: +44 (0)1686 621 800 E: info@hafrenfasteners.com

www.ornit.com

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

m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s

OGL launches Disaster Recovery Suite

OGL Computer, an IT support & solutions provider based in the Midlands, UK, has now launched a Disaster Recovery Suite including office space to allow customers to relocate in the event of a disaster enabling them to maintain normal operation.

T

he Suite allows OGL customers to come and use the facilities in the event of a disaster at the customer’s premises, such as a fire or flood. The Disaster Recovery Suite enables its users to have access to their data and to continue working while their damaged site is repaired.

The Suite is combined with OGL’s Offsite Recovery solution which enables users to have remote access to their data in the event of a disaster. OGL’s Offsite Recovery solution provides automatic nightly backup via the internet of all mission critical data, e-mail, operating systems and applications, to OGL’s Tier-IV aligned data centre: the most secure classification of data centre available in the UK. In the event of a disaster, data can be accessed remotely by key workers from any broadband connection including OGL’s Disaster Recovery Suite - within 24 hours.

The Disaster Recovery Suite also provides all of the facilities you would expect from an office environment, including printing, photocopying, faxing, plus the practicalities of ample on-site parking, a meeting room, plus a kitchen and a shower area.

Should your business or employees not be located in the proximity to the OGL Disaster Recovery Suite, in Worcestershire, OGL is also entering into partnership with office-space providers throughout the UK with the intention of providing the same office facilities, coupled with OGL’s Offsite Recover disaster recovery & offsite data backup system.

“Adding a Disaster Recovery Suite at locations nationwide is the next logical step for our Offsite Recovery Solution. Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for our customers to get back up and running after a disaster,” says OGL’s head of research and development, Paul Colwell.

Mobile solutions with abas ERP ABAS Software AG has announced that its 2011 software release offers many new functions included as standard.

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bas Business Software 2011 includes new abas portals with multiple role-based dashboards, transaction management and CRM, business intelligence (BI) with pre-defined cubes for managing business operations, and document management (DMS) with an intuitive and improved web-based interface.

Introducing abas mobile for smart devices

Understanding how essential mobile access to business data is, ABAS is also now offering users the ability to access CRM and Sales Management right from their Smart devices. ABAS explains that its abas mobile eliminates paper-based forms, increases sales force productivity, and improves communication to regional and global offices. Users can also obtain sales reports and key performance indicators (KPI) to make the right decisions while on the road, in the air, or on the golf course. “abas mobile runs on any smart phone or tablet PC with a web browser. Commands and interactions are directly processed in abas ERP and ensure a quick and secure collection and transmission of data. Double entries are avoided and the accuracy of order information is highly improved.”

118 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s

An easier way to run your business Freyr Guðlaugsson, consultant, dk Software Ltd It is a popular topic in the world of marketing that when purchasing a product, you are not really buying a product but rather the benefits it will bring you.

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popular example of this is when you buy a drill you are not really buying a drill but a hole in the wall. This is true for any purchase you make and buying a system is no different. When faced with the decision of whether or not you should invest in a software system, have you actually thought about it from this viewpoint?

Generally speaking when you are buying a system, you are buying an easier way of running your business. In the past few years we have seen a global economic crisis deeper than ever before in history. It is safe to say that the wheels of the market have slowed down as a result and although there are indications that the economy is recovering, it will be a slow one. In this period, companies have been slow to invest while not always realising that by investing, they can actually save significant amounts of money both in the short and the long term.

A system should provide a platform for management to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the business. This happens in a variety of ways. With accurate stock records, companies are able to gauge their stock holdings, stock value, pricing structure, margins, etc, allowing them to run the business with more efficiency and accuracy. Managing the relationships with customers and vendors is another important aspect and allows senior management to identify their best, highest value customers, service them in a way where they are satisfied and by doing so increase their effectiveness. Being efficient is important but being effective is even more important

“ M anaging the relationships with customers and vendors is another important aspect…””

120 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

“ B eing efficient is important but being effective is even more important.” or as the saying goes; before you build a better mousetrap, it helps to know if there are any mice out there.

The dk Business Solutions system has been developed based on the philosophy that it can increase both the efficiency and effectiveness of a business through various features. The system’s level of integration is exemplary, ranging from dk’s Point of Sale solution across finance, accounting, inventory, CRM, project billing, sales and purchasing to name a few. By integrating and streamlining the activities and processes within the business it can create significant cost and time savings throughout the company’s workflow while giving the management team a complete overview of operations through the system’s powerful reporting and analysis tools that are an integral part of every module. By getting the complete overview of operations the management team is more capable of spotting opportunities and threats in a timely manner as well as being able to make better informed decisions.

As well as being able to save both time and money by using the dk Business Solutions system, a range of options have been designed in collaboration with dk’s official re-seller in the UK, Black Diamond IT Ltd, where the aim is to make implementation as easy as possible and to reduce the perceived risk of purchase.

These options include up to 18 months interest free financing on the system purchase (subject to credit check), the option to lease the system, as well as using the hosted version of dk Business Solutions via the dk Vistun hosting facilities allowing you to access the system from anywhere in the world over the internet.

m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s

A brand - far more than a pain in the backside

By James Hammond The meaning of the word brand can be traced back to early Greek and Roman times. But perhaps the meaning we know best refers to the branding used by cowboys in the days of the Wild West to denote ownership of livestock.

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anchers would take an iron rod that had affixed to it at one end an iron plate bearing a symbol of their ranch, or the initials of the ranch owner. They would heat this branding iron in the campfires to glowing point. This iron would then be applied onto the backside hip of a rancher’s animal – literally burned into the skin – in order to aid identification and deter cattle or horse rustling.

In effect, it was a one-sided deal. The rancher identified the animal as his. But all the cow or horse got out of it was a pain in the backside. Sadly, if we liken this situation to the modern world, many businesses are repeating the same relationship.

Companies often think of a brand merely as a way of showing ownership from a visual basis. Vast sums of money – more than a small business can usually afford – are wasted on having elaborate logos designed and produced, or mission statements written and placed in expensive frames in the boardroom. At the same time, the customer gets poor service and poor value – and the company’s brand is merely a painful experience for the recipient of the brand. It’s that kind of enterprise that’s doomed to failure.

“ A brand is an experience that’s embedded in the mind of every person who has ever come into contact with your staff and your product or service.”

Defining a brand

So, as we prepare to create a powerful brand for your small business, let’s be clear about our definition of a brand: In fact, a brand isn’t even something that you and your business own!

122 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

Rather:

A brand is an experience that’s embedded in the mind of every person who has ever come into contact with your staff and your product or service. That, my friends, is how it is. And if that customer experience doesn’t match the way your company describes its brand or thinks about its brand, then guess what – you lose!

Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying that logos, advertising campaigns, mission statements, colours and the like aren’t important. They can be vital parts of the brand experience your customers have. At the same time, it’s important to notice the emphasis on who gets to determine what’s important and what isn’t. That’s right, it’s the customer. Put customers first and work on how to develop the best relationship, then you can go to town on creating brand impact with all the tools available, from logos to colour schemes. The trouble is, most smaller businesses work the wrong way round, focusing first on designing symbols or corporate identities before understanding their place in the whole brand scheme. I call such folly ‘cartbefore-horse-ism’.

The two keys of branding

But wait a moment. If the picture really is that bad (and I believe that it is very, very bad), and if customers control and create the brand through their own experience, then what control do you have over ensuring that they see your business in the best possible light? If it isn’t logos, slogans, adverts or promises, what is it?

The answer is in two parts. The first has to do with you. It’s about having a different mindset about your business and what it needs to do to win and keep customers. It’s about understanding that a brand is not only about customers’ heads, but their hearts too. It means changing your position from seeing a brand as a collection of isolated activities, to seeing your brand as a holistic experience for the customer, one built in to all the important places the customer defines as reflections of your business and what it stands for. In short, it’s about looking through the window as a customer, rather than looking out as a business owner.

Then, and only then, can you begin to appreciate the second part: influence.

That’s right, influence. Influence your customers’ experiences of your business. If you don’t want to drown in a commodity pit, influence is really all you have to build a brand. But the good news is, it’s all you need. And it ain’t rocket science.

The all-encompassing Brand Halo

You can have a major influence over your customers’ perception of your brand by creating what I call a Brand Halo.

A Brand Halo may well include most of the above components – logos, mission statements, slogans and the like. But unlike the fragmented, empty purpose most of these elements provide when used in isolation, this time they’ll be a part of an overall

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m a n a g e m e n t + sy s t e m s dialogue with the customer that only stops when you can no longer be bothered to have something to say.

A Brand Halo fits right around your company and displays what you have to offer in the best possible light. If it’s polished correctly, you’ll have a strong brand. If it’s tarnished, guess what... your days in business could be numbered.

What’s more, it really doesn’t matter whether you market a product or a service, whether you’re selling canned drinks, running a hairdressing salon or providing financial services to your clients. Any manufacturer or service provider can build a strong brand.

“…branding is not exclusive to the business- to-consumer market…”

‘But’, you protest, ‘I’m in a business-to-business market.

I don’t just sell to one person, I have to persuade various executives throughout an organisation.’ So what? All this means is that you have to influence more people at the same time. But whatever position they occupy in that company you’re going after, they are still all human beings influenced by emotions, feelings and relationships. Believe me, branding is not exclusive to the business-to-consumer market even though some of the parameters may be different. Even a not-for-profit organisation can construct a powerful brand by using the Brand Halo approach.

A brand of EPIC™ proportions

Your Brand Halo will be built upon four core components.

They’re easy to remember if you use the mnemonic EPIC™:

READER OFFER This article is an extract from ‘Branding your Business’, written by James Hammond, and part of the new Business Success series from Kogan Page.

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124 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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stands for EMOTION. This is the key part of creating your powerful brand, upon which everything else will be built.

If you don’t have emotion as an ingredient in your product or service, then you don’t have a brand, you have a commodity.

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stands for PERCEPTION. Emotions aren’t stirred or influenced by thin air. They are the result of sensory stimulation arriving at the brain through the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Most small businesses focus only on the ‘sight’ sense, ignoring the power of the other four to really build a strong perception of the brand in the customers’ minds.

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stands for INNOVATION. Being aware of the five senses is one thing. Coming up with novel ways of presenting sensory information is something else. This is where your Brand Halo becomes your guiding light. All the important processes, systems and procedures will be documented in your Brand Halo manual, and employees will be given guidance on how to monitor and improve each customer Brand Reflection. Innovation is what keeps the brand alive and kicking. It gives longevity to an otherwise stagnant and outdated brand, and provides the freshness needed to keep your brand ‘top of mind’ when it comes to purchasing your type of product or service.

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stands for COMMUNICATION. Why do you want to create an emotional brand? What is your purpose – and why should your customers or supporters care, anyway? This is where your Brand Storybook comes into play. Using narratives that describe your business along with your aims and achievements, you can communicate emotional messages to your customers and your staff and use them to underpin the whole customer experience.

Brands, like growth, are not static. You can’t just create your brand and leave it alone. People change. Society changes. Even cultural biases change. And your brand, if it is to reflect the kind of image that says ‘We know, we understand, we’re with you’, needs to be continually polished. Through your Brand Halo, built on the solid foundations outlined in this book, you can build a brand of EPIC proportions.

Branding: not a cover-stick for a spotty business A brand is not a short-term solution to building a business; it’s a way of creating long-term competitive advantage. When you add value through a strong brand, your future income streams will be more secure. Your customers will keep coming back for more and you can capitalise on their support and enthusiasm to buy from you and your loyal and motivated workforce. This in turn means that you can provide a solid strategic base from which to develop new products and services, as well as to plan for expansion and growth.

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Prepare to be rocked Milwaukee, a global manufacturer of heavy-duty electric power tools, reckons that the construction industry is set to be rocked by REDLITHIUM-ION™, a new generation of lithium-ion batteries.

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ilwaukee says that REDLITHIUM-ION™ clearly shows its commitment to innovation, with the latest development in cordless battery technology providing unmatched run-time, performance and durability for the professional tradesman’s power tools.

REDLITHIUM-ION™ batteries provide an exclusive integration of chemistry, cell design, construction and electronics to optimise the user’s experience and ultimately make users more productive on the jobsite.

Fully compatible with the expanding range of M12 and M18 cordless tools, Milwaukee highlights that the new REDLITHIUM-ION™ batteries provide up to 40% more run-time, 20% more power and 50% more recharges compared with previous Milwaukee battery technology and other lithium products available on the market. The new technology also operates in extreme temperatures as low as 0°F/-18°C and runs 20% cooler with fade free power and no memory effect.

“In short, users are able to instantly upgrade the performance, run-time and durability of the M12 and M18 tools they already own, simply by switching to the REDLITHIUM-ION™ battery packs.”

From 2011 onwards, all Milwaukee cordless products will be sold with REDLITHIUM-ION™ batteries, at no extra cost to the user.

There are currently 29 tools in the M12 range and 23 tools in the M18 range.

New air pistol tools Rivit Srl, based in Bologna, Italy, has introduced RIV806 and RIV810, two new air pistol tools for rivet nuts, to its wide range of fastening systems and tools.

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IV806 is ideal for installing rivet nuts for M3 to M5 (M6 aluminium only), it consumes on average 9.9 litres per cycle and can operate with 5/7 bar air pressure.

RIV810 is suitable for installing rivet nuts from M6 to M10; it consumes on average 9.2 litres per cycle, and also operates with 5/7 bar air pressure.

Both tools feature ergonomic design and coating, and are equipped with dual (left and right) air connection, and with a button controlling the rotation intensity of the spindle. Rivit highlights that they were designed for the comfort of the operator and are both ergonomic and extremely lightweight.

The new dimension in independent blind rivet process

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At the recent Fastener Fair Stuttgart the new battery blind rivet tool RIVDOM from VVG was presented to the public with great success.

VG-Befestigungstechnik is a company within the Honsel-Group, based in Fröndenberg, Germany, and has developed and produced rivet and fastening technology for more than 80 years. This broad know-how was incorporated into the design of the new tool.

RIVDOM is a lightweight, modern riveting tool which VVG says provides a lot of advantages for nearly every application. The standard version offers a powerful 14.4V/1.5 Ah battery which can be charged with the included quick charger in less than one hour. Optionally a 14.4V/3.0 Ah battery is available.

The tool features a transparent mandrel collector so that the fill level is always in view of the user and the batteries big footprint assures that the RIVDOM can always be placed in a safe position.

Furthermore a LED lamp illuminates the drill hole for the rivet automatically, so that the work can be done even in bad lighting conditions.

RIVDOM is designed for blind rivets of all materials up to 5mm. As normal for all tools of the Honsel-Group, all necessary nosepieces are included to the scope of delivery.

Sales of RIVDOM started with the recent introduction of the new VVG catalogue 2011/2012. The tool completes the wide product range of VVG, which includes a variety of manual tools, pneumatic-hydraulic tools as well as all types of blind rivets, blind rivet nuts and blind rivet bolts, industrial rivets, axial clamps and sheet metal fasteners.

126 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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ProSet proving popular ®

The POP® ProSet® range of rivet power tools are proving to be very popular with customers across Europe, states Jamie Willson, product manager – tools, at Emhart Teknologies.

Quick disconnect front end assembly

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here are three tools available in the POP® ProSet® range – Proset1600, with capacity for 2mm – 4mm rivets, Proset2500, with capacity 3mm – 4.8mm rivets, and ProSet3400, with capacity 3mm – 6.4mm.

The POP® ProSet® range combines a lightweight, compact and ergonomically designed body with a high pulling force, making them

ideal for production line environments.

ProSet® rivet tools also incorporate many additional features to facilitate easy maintenance - such as a quick disconnect front end assembly and a quick disconnect mandrel collection system.

“When these features are combined with the comfortable two finger trigger activation, and directionable air exhaust, it shows that the design of the ProSet® tools clearly has the comfort and efficiency of the user at heart,” comments Jamie Willson.

He adds: “We have had some really positive feedback from customers regarding the design and special features of these tools, and by listening to our customers we can improve the design of the POP® tools of the future.”

The lightweight dry wall screw gun FEIN is adding a mobile variant to its screw gun range in the form of the new batterypowered FEIN dry wall screw gun.

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he lightweight screw gun with 14.4V lithium-ion batteries has a long battery life and is very powerful, with up to 1,800 screw fittings able to be performed with one battery charge. An improved autofeed (which can be fitted without any tools) is added to the tool for repeated screw fittings.

FEIN points out that the quick charger requires a maximum of 25 minutes for one charge process and therefore enables uninterrupted working.

Also, intelligent monitoring electronics integrated in the charger continually check the function of the individual battery cells and protect them from overload, overheating and total discharge.

Including its battery, the battery-powered FEIN dry wall screw gun weighs just 1.6kg and is therefore one of the lightest dry wall screws guns on the market. The housing is shaped ergonomically and there are hollows for the thumb and index finger in the top part of the moulded recess for a comfortable yet powerful grip. Finally, the newly developed removable hook allows the dry wall screw gun to be safely laid down during breaks and is ready to be picked up again at any time.

Quick disconnect mandrel collection system

2X expansion plug hand tool Scell-it has launched its new and unique expansion plug hand tool 2X, which it says is much quicker than classical expansion plug hand tools.

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he 2X is suitable for diameters M4, M5, M6 and M8, with the added advantage that there is no need to use a screw to expand the plug. The user simply screws the plug onto the mandrel of the 2X tool and when pulling the ratchet trigger it will expand directly onto the tool. The user then unscrews the mandrel easily with the help of the thumb wheel and the plug is installed.

The 2X tool has an ergonomic handgrip for a confortable installation.

The package includes mandrels for all compatible diameters (M4, M5, M6 and M8) and the tool can also be used for setting Jack nuts and Spyder nuts.

2X is available in France as well as Scell-it subsidiaries – Scell-it UK, Poland, Russia, Scandinavia and Baltics.

128 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

The POP速 ProSet速 rivet power tool range delivers.

Three times over.

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ProSet速 1600/2500/3400 Expertise in fastening solutions

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MEMFast launches new patented Rivet Nut Hand Tool The new RNHT48 Rivet Nut Hand Tool has just been launched by MEMFast (Make Ends Meet Limited). Packed in a tough but attractive aluminium case with individual foam cut outs for each component, the patented tool can be assembled and ready to use in seconds.

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his very robust tool, made in the UK, offers great flexibility – it installs M4 to M10 rivet nuts in steel, stainless steel, aluminium and brass by using a simple ‘spin’ action. MEMFast highlights that there is no stroke to set, it is much tougher and easier to use than conventional hand pliers and is much more compact than lever type tools.

“In terms of the combined benefits of design quality, component durability, ease of assembly and use, the RNHT48 could realistically be described as one of the best rivet nut hand tools available.”

The mandrels are standard 12.9 grade socket head cap screws – that can be sourced anywhere and, if worn or broken, changed very quickly. Spare mandrels are included with the tool.

The main components have zinc nickel silver plating which will provide up to 4,000 hours salt spray resistance, and the outer bodies and inner hex screw drives are case hardened for long life.

A 10mm ratchet spanner is included with the tool to assist with installation of larger sizes of rivet nuts and a special hex allen key is also provided to enable extraction of a worn or broken mandrel.

The UK and European versions of the tool will have metric mandrels – those for the USA and Canada will have UNC as standard with metric conversion kits available.

Because of its “spin” action, MEMFast says that the RNHT48 is ideal for use with not only sheet metal but also plastics, GRP and composite materials.

The existing RNHT07 Rivet Nut Hand Tool with the gold knob will continue to be sold alongside the new tool for customers who only need to install specific sizes of rivet nut, for example M6.

New clinching tool delivers

International fastening and assembly technology specialist Böllhoff has developed a new fastening tool which it says enables class D airtight air duct flanges to be manufactured significantly faster, cleaner and more economically than traditional drill and fix methods.

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alled RIVCLINCH® 0404 IP Aero the tool is TÜV NORD certified for class D and produces cold formed airtight joints in cycle times of between 0.9 to 1.5 seconds: which Böllhoff points out is less time than it takes to drill a hole.

The robust, pneumatically operated tool achieves low cost, high quality, joints in a single operation. No additional fastener components are required, there is no swarf and hence no waste.

Key to the success of RIVCLINCH® and the class D joint it achieves is its tooling which is designed to penetrate the top and bottom layers of each joint while leaving a middle layer in tact to prevent air leakage. The process delivers high strength, interlocking joints which do not vibrate or work loose over time.

The clinching tool is easy to use. Jaws are opened either manually or pneumatically and positioned along the profile. A trigger is pulled to deliver a clinching force of 35kN. Distances between fastening points are generally between 120mm and 160mm.

Weighing in at 4.7kg the clinching tool requires 5 to 6 bar air pressure supply.

The RIVCLINCH® technique can be used to join steel and stainless steel sheet as well as aluminium and other non-ferrous materials. Coated and prefinished materials can also be joined together without surface damage.

“Advantages of the RIVCLINCH® process include no consumable items, low energy use, absence of thermal load and damage to work pieces, option to use interim layers of film or adhesives, no pre or post treatments, excellent repeatability and environmental credentials – no heat, fumes and low noise.”

130 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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Arrow Fastener sees R.E.D.™ Arrow Fastener Company LLC has announced the introduction of its new product line called R.E.D.™ to signify its key features which are, “Reliable.

Ergonomic. Durable.”

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he new R.E.D.™ product line includes a major evolution of the company’s T50® heavy duty staple gun, which will now also be available as the T50 R.E.D.™ staple gun. The other products in the new R.E.D.™ line include the ET50 R.E.D.™ electric staple and 1 inch nail gun, the HT50i R.E.D.™ hammer tacker and the EBN320 R.E.D.™ electric brad nail gun.

The T50 R.E.D.™ professional manual staple gun and 1 inch brad nail gun feature U.S. patented drive technology that enables the user to set a staple or nail right on virtually any surface. Arrow also highlights that the T50 R.E.D.™ staple gun is the only manual tacker capable of firing a 1 inch brad nail.

“We’re very excited about the new R.E.D.™ product line which is a big step forward in product design for the staple and nail gun category,” said Gary DuBoff, president of Arrow Fastener. “It’s also a very professional looking product line with a sleek, black and red design, which should help it jump off store shelves when our customers get a look at it.”

“The market research and R&D effort that we have put into the R.E.D.™ product line is a very important milestone in our journey to revolutionise the stapler and nailer category,” adds DuBoff.

“We’ve also made substantial investments in implementing Lean manufacturing principles to improve our productivity and ensure our ability to continue producing quality, innovative products for years to come.”

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Testing time for torque screwdrivers Norbar Torque Tools is expanding its TruCheck™ range of torque wrench testers with the introduction of three new products specifically designed to calibrate torque screwdrivers.

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he new Norbar TruCheck™ Screwdriver Testers will allow operators to perform quick and simple calibration checks from easy-to-read LED displays without the need to call on third party calibration services, saving both time and expense.

Accurate to +/- 1% of reading, Norbar points out that the easy-to-operate Norbar TruCheck™ Screwdriver Testers are ideal for performing line side checks on torque tools in the electronics, automotive and engineering sectors. Features include: • 0.1 - 3Nm with a vertical tool input for easy screwdriver testing.

• 1 - 10Nm with a vertical tool input for easy screwdriver testing.

• 1 - 25Nm provided with a horizontal tool input and supplied with ¼ and 3/8 inch adapters, so that it can be also used to test small torque wrenches.

In common with other tools in the TruCheck™ range, all three new Screwdriver Testers come in a basic TruCheck™ version and an enhanced TruCheck™ Plus option, which includes all the capacities of the standard models but with three modes of operation – Track, Peak and First Peak in both metric and imperial measurements. TruCheck™ Plus also has a user selectable ‘limit’ feature and an RS232 serial data output including lead.

Further innovations for these TruCheck™ products are: • Newly designed housings of machined aluminium.

• ¼ inch male hexagon tool interface.

• Work-bench mounting via two M6 bolts.

www.actioncan.com Tel: 00 44 (0)1942 713667 Fax: 00 44 (0)1942 716235

pr o d u ct s

ThermoNut adds security to joint Have you ever thought about how much stretch is being put into a stud when you tighten it down onto a joint?

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he number of turns of the nut might fool you into thinking you were putting quite a lot of stretch into it, some millimetres at least, explains John Hirst of Enerfast Ltd. In fact you are mainly pulling up the joint and squashing a gasket. In reality there is only a very small elongation of the stud. For example take a typical flange 75mm thick then the studs themselves will only have a stretch of about 0.2mm – about the thickness of a coat of paint. The loss of just 0.2mm in the joint, though, can reduce the load to zero. A situation this unpredictable, which is not uncommon particularly on hot joints, leads often to high maintenance costs when joints have to be remade. In the worst situation of course it can lead to leaks of dangerous chemicals.

There can be many causes for this loss of elongation such as paint and zinc coatings deteriorating but the most serious one is the effect of temperature on a joint. Basically a joint going through temperature cycling expands and contracts but the gasket never quite gets back to its original size i.e. hysteresis is taking place. This size loss leads to load loss in the studs and then quickly ensuing leakage past the gasket.

The ThermoNut has been developed to deal with this situation. It is a high temperature donut shaped spring that fits under the nut, adding ‘springiness’ into the joint. This added extra spring changes the joint so that it is not relying solely on the tiny elongation of the stud to keep the joint intact.

ThermoNuts are made from Inconel grades used in jet turbine engines so are able to operate up to 450°C and are resistant to creep and corrosion. They can be fitted to each end or one end only of the fastener depending on the application. Standard size range is M12 (½ inch) to M76 (3 inch) fasteners.

Meeting the demands of the marine industry Southco® says that its stainless steel R4-10 rotary latch brings corrosion-resistant durability to a proven latching solution suitable for vandal-proof and watertight storage areas.

C

onstructed of 304 grade stainless steel, the R4-10 meets marine requirements in performance and salt spray. The concealed latch allows flexible styling of the storage compartment area and accommodates misalignment between the latch and striker bolt. A double stage latching option provides additional security and functionality. Stainless steel actuators and cables are available for multipoint latching solutions, and the new 316 grade stainless steel AC-M1 actuator delivers corrosion resistance and enhanced security to the toughest environments.

The R4-10 is available in low minimum order quantities and features varied strength options to meets customers’ application requirements.

Product manager Manan Patel adds: “The new R4-10 is designed to withstand the toughest environments and provide enhancements to applications needing an upgraded latching system.”

PROTECTION & FASTENERS

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Unter dem Hofe 5 · D-58099 Hagen Tel. 0049 (0)2331 62 45-0 Fax 0049 (0)2331 62 45-200 email: info@e-u-r-o-tec.de · www.e-u-r-o-tec.de

1-2S.Anz.Terra engl 12.05.11.indd 1

13.05.11 12:09

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Torque of the trade Everbuild Building has launched its brand new ultimate high grab strength adhesive: Maximum Torque.

M

aximum Torque is based on next generation hybrid polymer technology, says Everbuild, and is the ultimate high grab adhesive, providing a level of immediate grab strength not previously possible with cartridge packed adhesives. Everbuild highlights that the unique polymer blend used in Maximum Torque gives incredible initial grab, typically double that of most grab adhesives on the market today, eliminating the need for temporary support in most applications.

“Maximum Torque has the ability to bond basically everything to anything in virtually all conditions, even in the wet. Where other adhesives promise to replace nails and screws, Maximum Torque even replaces nuts and bolts in many applications”.

It’s a claim that Everbuild backs up with a YouTube video demonstration comparing Maximum Torque’s capability to stick a house brick against a vertical surface with three competitive products.

RapidPick™ enables smart, fast, ergonomic order picking Dematic, a supplier of logistics systems for the factory, warehouse, and distribution centre, has introduced RapidPick™, a new high capacity goods-to-person order fulfilment system that brings split case items to an operator and allows pick rates of up to 1,000 items per hour.

R

apidPick™ consists of a highly engineered operator work station that rotates containers of items into and out of the station enabling the operator to efficiently pick items into an order container. RapidPick is typically integrated with an inventory staging buffer, such as Dematic Multishuttle, that stores and delivers the split case items to the RapidPick work station for picking.

Dematic explains that RapidPick is smart as its lets the operator stays in one place while items are delivered to the pick station in precise sequence; heavy items first, fragile items last, for lot control, by family group or in whatever sequence required.

Also RapidPick allows ultra-high pick accuracy as only one SKU is presented to the operator at a time. Furthermore, the RapidPick workstation accommodates totes and/or cartons of different sizes and facilitates picking directly into the shipping container.

“It’s all about efficiently presenting items to the picker in an ergonomic environment, and in the desired sequence, thereby creating a high performance process”, says Benny Rokni, product development manager at Dematic. “RapidPick offers an ideal way to assemble orders with extreme accuracy at the fastest picking rates available.”

Adhesives gain water approval Loctite 2400 and Loctite 2700 threadlocking adhesives from Henkel have been granted WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) approval, allowing them to be used with potable water.

T

he approval demonstrates that Loctite 2400 and Loctite 2700 do not contaminate the water and therefore satisfies this particular requirement of regulations and byelaws.

This approval is in addition to the existing qualifications for “white” Material Safety Data Sheets. This means that according to the tough EC Regulations No. 1907/2006 - ISO 11014-1 neither adhesive carries any hazard symbols, risk or safety phrases.

Loctite 2400 is fluorescent blue with a viscosity of 3,000mPa·s and a shear strength on steel of 9N/mm². The high-strength Loctite 2700 is fluorescent green, has a viscosity of 500mPa·s and a shear strength of 18N/mm². Once cured, both products offer resistance against vibration and most industrial chemicals. They achieve good thermal resistance, withstanding continuous operating temperatures up to 150°C.

136 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

ALLBOLTS LTD

Unit 18 Fortress Close, Brome Industrial Estate, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7HN

Tel: 01379 872910 Fax: 01379 872915

allbolts@btconnect.com

pr o d u ct s

Holding on in the wet tesa has launched an innovation that it says is as simple as it is effective, helping consumers quickly and easily transform their bathroom into an “oasis of well-being.”

T

he core of the new product range is tesa Powerstrips®, which will be available in a waterproof variant, as well as the conventional version, starting in the summer of 2011. In combination with hooks, holders, and storage baskets made of stainless steel or high-quality white plastic, the powerful little adhesive strips will let users securely affix items in place in bathrooms and other wet and damp areas and remove them without a trace whenever they wish – without tools, wall anchors and screws, and without leaving unsightly holes in walls or tiles.

Rated to hold up to 2kg, tesa Powerstrips® waterproof can hold even more weight than their predecessors (1.5kg). This feature is made possible by a cloth, developed and patented by tesa that has a special base coat for preparing the areas where users wish to affix the Powerstrips®. This waterproof primer guarantees an ideal bond between the surface and the adhesive strip and ensures that no drops of water can seep beneath the adhesive layer.

Bond It added to Owlett-Jaton portfolio Fasteners and fixings provider Owlett-Jaton is offering customers better access to building products by adding the ‘Bond It’ range of sealants, adhesives, bitumens and chemicals to its already extensive portfolio.

T

ony Williams, national sales manager of Owlett-Jaton, explained: “Owlett-Jaton is an invaluable resource for thousands of merchants across the UK; they rely on us to source and stock only the very best products. As part of our dedication to being a ‘one-stop-shop’ we felt that the Bond It range was ideally placed to add to our already broad offering.

He added: “The Bond It range is widely used and respected by tradesmen and specifiers globally, and provides a comprehensive selection of products suitable for a variety of industry sectors – from commercial building to industrial, leisure and residential applications.”

Bond It manufactures a comprehensive range of building

products, including two tiers of silicone products; a ‘Premiere Range’ of high quality silicones and acrylic sealants and a ‘Mate Range’ specifically created for the general building trade and DIY market; construction and industrial adhesives, PU foams and the ‘Builders Complete’ range of chemicals that as well as general building chemicals offers waterproofers, jointing and levelling compounds, and high strength cleaning products.

A ‘Decorators Range’ of fillers and adhesives and a specialist ‘Plumbing Range’ is also available.

Amber Composites adds ROHACELL® Amber Composites has announced that it is now offering ROHACELL® high-performance foam core, a premium product for high-grade lightweight sandwich construction.

R

OHACELL® is compatible with most popular composite processing methods and ideal for use with prepreg. The unique properties of ROHACELL® high-performance foam core enable efficient machining processes, one-step cure cycles, and easy thermoforming. ROHACELL® is free of CFCs and will withstand temperatures to 180ºC and pressures to 0.7MPa (100psi). Amber is currently offering all densities of the ROHACELL® IG and ROHACELL® IG-F grades.

“ROHACELL® core is an excellent complement to our own range of prepreg composite materials” said Andrew Dugmore, Amber Composites sales director, “and shows our commitment to providing customers with the highest quality products available. Our full suite of composite materials - initial patterns (via epoxy and PU tooling boards), tooling and component prepreg, sealers, release agents, adhesive films, consumables and core materials - enables Amber to meet the needs of the most demanding customers”.

Uwe Lang at Evonik Industries, makers of ROHACELL® said: “We chose Amber to be our official UK distributor given its great reputation for providing high-quality material and expertise to composites customers.”

138 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

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Uniquely designed panel fasteners PEM® Type PTL2™ spring-loaded plunger assemblies allow users to quickly and easily move racks, slides, access panels, and similar equipment to new positions without requiring tools.

P

ennEnginnering® highlights that if necessary, a unique lockout feature keeps the fastener’s spring-loaded plunger retracted until the plunger pin drops into final position.

A simple quarter-turn of the fastener enables the retracted locking and unlocking actions.

Type PTL2™ spring-loaded plunger assemblies install permanently in aluminium or steel sheets as thin as 0.060 inches/1.53mm with hardness of HB 80 or less or HB 150 or less.

Also their engineering allows the reverse side of the sheet to remain flush when the plunger is retracted.

These fasteners install reliably into properly sized mounting holes in a sheet. The fastener is placed into a recessed anvil and then the work piece (punch side) is placed over the fastener’s shank. With punch and anvil surfaces parallel, installation is completed by applying squeezing force until the shoulder of the retainer comes into contact with the sheet material.

As a variation of these fasteners, Type PSL2™ spring-loaded plunger assemblies are available on special order without the lockout feature. Detailed specifications (Bulletin PF) and free part drawings (PEM CAD Library) for these RoHS-compliant fasteners can be downloaded from PennEngineering’s website.

The Peel Rivet Ornit Blind Rivets, a blind rivet manufacturer that supplies rivets for the construction, automotive, electronic and solar energy industries, has for the past 36 years provided the fastener industry with a continuously expanding range of top-quality products.

O

ne product that Ornit highlights as being particularly special is its TPR (The Peel Rivet). The TPR is a two piece threadless fastener designed for use on flat roofing applications, which can also be used on virtually any deck type such as plastic, concrete, wood and metal. TPR has a self-piercing mandrel point allowing for assembly without pre-drilling in most materials and provides a secure, back-out resistant joint with a positive clamping action. TPR is designed to curl tightly underneath or in the decking material thus creating a gripping area four times wider that its own diameter. Ornit manufactures the TPR from corrosive resistant, high magnesium aluminium alloy making it ideal for harsh environments like moist roof decks.

TPR is available in a range of rivet lengths, ½ inch (38mm) - 10 inch (250mm) and types: • TPR – S: Used in or through high density decks.

• TPR – L: Used through light steel decks, wood and aluminium.

• TPR - X: Use in gypsum, itung, tectum and other wood fibres.

Ornit’s product range also includes standard and structural fasteners such as: U-Fix, Orlock, Or-Bulb, Or-Bolt and Ornilock structural rivet, all of which are available in a variety of grip ranges, diameters (3.2mm to 7.8mm), head types (protruding, large, X-large), and materials (steel, aluminium and stainless steel).

APM expands SEELOC® sizes APM HEXSEAL has announced the expansion of its SEELOC® self-sealing, high-pressure washer line of available stock sizes, which will include the range of metric sizes from M3 to M6.

A

ccording to APM director of international business, John Doda: “Six new popular metric sizes have been added as the foundation to satisfy the increasing international demand for this industrial-grade sealing washer line. We are experiencing a surge of metric size requirements from OEM’s who are building marine, medical, military, instrumentation and a broad range of electrical and enclosure equipment throughout the world”. Doda added that “within this size range, the washer O.D. is 12.7mm to 25.4mm, and maximum thru-hole sizes of 6.35mm to 15.87mm are being offered. Additional sizes are contemplated, based on demand”.

The SEEELOC® washer platform is built with 300 series stainless steel - a uniquely profiled and ribbed silicone rubber section is molded onto one side (facing down) creating a high-pressure seal to 100psi. SEELOCs are rated to IP66/68 for Type 4X and Type 6 enclosure protection, and are resistant to salt water, acids, weather, sunlight, ozone and a myriad of harsh, hostile conditions. SEELOCs can also handle a temperature range from -106°C to +260°C. The APM self-sealing fastener line has been sold for more than 50 years under the following trademarks: SEELBOLT®, SEELSKREW®, SEELNUT®, SEELRIVET® and SEELOC®.

140 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 69 May 2011

®

paal A trusted brand in Europe

Disk springs

complete fastening solutions +44 (0)1435 860333 www.thefastenercentre.com Having a fastening dilemma? TFC has the solution with an extensive range of products and services. Whether it is design, sourcing or supply, TFC’s expert team can cater for every eventuality.

Considering the world wide trend of immediate deliveries for disc springs, we have set up an extremely efficient manufacturing system which is well supported by aggressive complete stocks.

As 15 years ago we delivered also ball-bearing disc springs.

This is what we call sustainable: Short delivery time, premium quality, and a full product range.

Tension pins // Coiled spring pins Heavy-duty design > Tension pins acc. to DIN EN ISO 8752 > Coiled spring pins acc. to DIN EN ISO 8748

Light design > Tension pins acc. to DIN EN ISO 13337

Regular design > Coiled spring pins acc. to DIN EN ISO 8750

Spannstiftstraße 2 D-58119 Hagen T. +49 2334 957-0 info@jvu.de

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www.jvu.de

Paal, in line with ist core competence, has developed the ability for • designing of disc springs to suit the customized applications • development of complicated tooling within a very short period • wide range of materials • various surface coating including Epoxy coatings, Mechanical Zinc plating & other special plating requirements

paal Blumentalstraße 2 D-42859 Remscheid Germany

30.03.11 14:46

T: +49(0) 21 91 9060-0 F: +49(0) 21 91 9060-100 www.paal.de paal@paal.de

pr o d u ct s

Remform helps reduce costs ®

Arnold Umformtechnik GmbH & Co says that its Remform® screws help reduce the overall assembly cost of plastic parts as they do not require nuts or inserts. Remform® screws also ensure the highest levels of assembly security, due to a specific design that creates a large difference between the forming torque and the stripping torque.

T

he main application of Remform® for plastic parts assembly is the automotive industry.

In contrast to other joining methods for plastic components, direct assembly with Remform screws does not require nuts or inserts to hold the components together. Remform screws form their own threads and the necessary core hole in the plastic component concerned.

This automatically eliminates the need for cost-intensive processes involved in joint preparation, and the high threading speed required by the method also helps reduce production times.

At the same time, Remform screws do not sacrifice anything when it comes to joint security.

The asymmetrical thread geometry of the Remform design steers the resulting forces during the threading process in the desired direction. To improve material flow, the thread flank facing away from the head of the screw is radiused. The steep thread flank facing the head of the screw accommodates the displaced plastic and increases the thread flank overlap, which ensures high breakaway force for tension as well as torque.

Arnold explains that the large difference between the forming torque and the stripping torque provides an extra margin of safety, which is reflected by Reform screws always being fully tightened with stripped threads out of the question.

“The resulting stripping torque and pull-out load, as well as the difference between the threading and stripping torques, are in some cases considerably more than 30% greater than the values with 30° low-angle screws.”

Reactec reaches 10,000 mark Scottish engineering firm Reactec has celebrated another milestone after selling its 10,000th safety device in the UK.

T

he firm has broken past the five figure barrier for sales of its innovative HAVmeter safety devices, which monitor exposure to vibration levels and helps reduce injuries among workers using vibrating power tools.

The latest milestone comes just weeks after the firm revealed that over £1 million worth of HAVmeters were currently available through UK hire companies alone – and the new figure includes sales to construction, ground maintenance and manufacturing companies.

Jim O’Hagan, managing director of Reactec, said that the latest milestone proved that the HAVmeter is becoming the safety equipment of choice for many of the biggest companies in the UK. “We are delighted to have achieved 10,000+ HAVmeter sales across the country and we’re looking forward to continuing this success in the coming years.”

He added: “Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) is one of the biggest dangers facing anyone who regularly uses vibrating tools or equipment. It is a crippling disease that can leave you unable to perform even the simplest of tasks such as picking up a glass, tying your shoelaces and there is no cure.”

“However, you can prevent the disease from being contracted by limiting your exposure to vibration. Our HAVmeters record exactly how much exposure that every worker faces when using vibrating tools and provides individual reports for each user so they can clearly see whether they are in safe levels.”

The HAVmeter system builds up a complete and detailed record of tool usage and HSE exposure points for each employee every day. Once the data is uploaded into Toolminder software, a comprehensive set of standard and custom reports can be created that show workers a full breakdown of their exposure to vibration levels that occupational healthcare staff can use to manage each employees healthcare plan.

“The reports are complete, accurate and with no ambiguity – providing the most comprehensive information about exposure to HAV levels in the workplace.”

CornerTape teams up with Centurion Europe

PLASTIC - METAL - STANDARD ELEMENTS

To support the on-going increase in demand for its products CornerTape has teamed up with Centurion Europe, a UK trade supplier of tools, hardware, DIY and associated products, in a distribution deal which will take the availability of CornerTape to new levels throughout the UK.

S

tocks of the sealant-taming product system are now being held at Centurion Europe’s 80,000sq/ft state-of-the-art distribution centre in Doncaster, ready for shipping to Centurion’s 7,000+ customers as well as CornerTape’s existing national stockists.

In addition to CornerTape itself, in two roll lengths and a choice of four widths, the CornerTape product system includes Silicone Remover Tools, dedicated Preparation Wipes, a Caulk Gun and Silicone Forming Kit, all of which now feature in Centurion Europe’s product portfolio. Centurion and its customers will also be the first to receive the brand new CornerTape SiliconePro Kitchen & Bathroom Sealant with an anti-drip valve and pre-cut nozzle in a selection of four colours.

Andy Toyne, sales director for CornerTape in the UK, said: “Bringing our warehousing and central distribution centre to the UK will increase efficiency, reduce costs and better support our rapidly expanding network of stockists. Centurion Europe is a well-established and highly respected supplier in the industry and we are thrilled with the distribution agreement, which extends availability of the whole CornerTape product range to thousands more retailers, merchants and their customers throughout the country.”

CornerTape provides a pair of perfectly parallel micro-thin metal tapes which are quick and easy to apply. Simply fill the gap between the tapes with sealant, smooth over with the tool supplied in every box and remove the tapes for a perfect finish every time. The CornerTape product system includes patented remover tools, dedicated preparation wipes and now CornerTape SiliconePro Kitchen & Bathroom Sealant, for a simple, speedy way of preparing, applying and finishing for a longer-lasting, perfect bead of sealant every time.

Bäcker GmbH & Co. KG Industriegebiet Jägersgrund I D-57339 Erndtebrück - Schameder Tel.: +49 (0) 27 53 / 59 50-0 Fax: +49 (0) 27 53 / 59 50-44 www.baecker-kunststofftechnik.com e-mail: info@baecker-kunststofftechnik.com

We are seeking sales partners

Abbey Clamps...................................15

Representative/ Agents required We are a progressive manufacturer of washers and light pressings, who supply niche products to market, and are looking to increase our customer base in Europe.

We already have established customers, and would like to build upon these relationships and explore potential others.

The successful person/persons would probably be working already within the fastener industry and may already be representing other allied products. Initially we are interested in Holland, Germany and Italy, however we would like to hear from other countries also.

In the first instance please reply to email address: r11dmw@hotmail.com All replies will be treated with the strictest confidence

Krumm & André GmbH & Co. KG..... 81

ACT Fasteners & Components Ltd...23

Lederer...................................... 20, 146

Action Can ......................................133

London Screw Company Ltd...........144

ADI Supply Ltd...................................99

M&W Fastener Co.,Ltd.....................39

Adolf Pühl GmbH & Co. KG.................7

Masons Fasteners Ltd......................75

Advance Spares Ltd........................ 127

Mecavit Srl........................................17

Albert Pasvahl GmbH & Co...............45

MEMFast......................................... 131

Alexander Paal GmbH..................... 141

MKT...................................................67

Alfran Fasteners Ltd....................... 117

Multiple Overseas Exports................ 11

Allbolts Ltd...................................... 137

Nakashimada Engineering Works.... 91

Alloy & Stainless Fasteners Inc,.......25

National Machinery...........................49

Ambrovit SRL....................................13

ND Industries.............................. 47, 83

APT....................................................73

Neofast..............................................35

Arpel Ltd.........................................123

Non Standard Socket Screw.............55

Avon Stainless Fasteners.................. 41

Nord-lock........................................105

Bäcker GmbH & Co. KG..................145

Nordic Metalblok Srl....................... 101

Baker & Finnamore..........................23

Norm Civata AS...................................9

BeamClamp...................................... 71

Norma Group..................................139

Bendfast............................................53

Orbit International Corporation......115

Berdan Bolt & Nut Co.Ltd..............119

Ornit Blind Rivets............................ 117

Bierbach GmbH & Co. KG.................77

Owlett-Jaton.....................................79

bigHead Bonding Ltd........................99

Pee-Wee............................................87

Birlik Baglanti...................................75

Peter Schröder GmbH......................65

Bossong............................................ 61

Pinstructure Ltd................................15

Bralo................................................143

Precision Technology Supplies Ltd...45

Brighton Best...............4, 10, 12, 14, 16

Prelok................................................ 31

Brooks Forgings..............................103

Ray Fu.............................................142

Bülte Plastiques SA........................135

Reyher...............................................69

Chatsworth Computers..................115

Rivco Ltd...........................................59

Chemfix Products Limited................65

Rivit Srl............................................ 147

Ching Chan Machinery......................89

RLS Tooling.......................................93

Crest Industrial Ltd...........................33

Rosmil Industrial..............................27

De Wit B.V........................................123

Saima Corporation..........................144

Deepak................................................1

San Shing Fastech Corp.....................3

dk Software Ltd............................... 121

Schnorr Adolf GmbH & Co. KG.........15

Don Quichotte B.V.............................65

SD Products Ltd................................ 81

Dörken MKS-Systeme GmbH.........148

Shanghai NSJ Hardware Ltd............69

DS Fasteners Ltd............................135

Shin Chun Enterprise Co Ltd.......... 107

E.U.R.O. Tec GmbH.........................135

Smith-Bullough Ltd........................ 137

Electra Engineering Services...........33

Specialinsert Srl............................... 31

Emhart Teknologies........................129

Spirol......................................... 83, 131

eurovis Josep Prats, S.L.................109

Stafa Holland BV...............................35

Everest Overseas.............................. 41

Staytite.......................... 31, 41, 73, 115

EW Menn GmbH & Co. KG................87

Super Nut Industrial Co Ltd...........132

Fastbolt...............................................2

Tecfi S.p.A..........................................63

Fasten.it............................................ 21

Tecno Impianti SRL...........................87

Fastener Fair - Brasil.......................19

TFC Ltd............................................ 141

Fixi Srl...............................................79

Titibi...................................................69

FK Moore & Sons..............................45

Top Screw Metal Corp. Ltd................73

Fwu Kuang Enterprises Co. Ltd....... 81

Trojan............................................... 127

General Inspection, LLC...................93

UBK Spa.......................................... 131

Global Engineered Products.............53

Vibration Master...............................83

Goebel GmbH....................................43

Vipa SPA............................................53

Graewe GmbH & Co.KG....................27

Visimpex..........................................103

Hafren Fasteners............................ 117

Vlier Products...................................29

HAPARE GmbH...............................123

Vogelsang............................ 27, 79, 141

Heinz Soyer.......................................99

Volt Industrial Plastics, Inc.............125

Hommel + Keller . ..........................134

VVG - Befestigungstechnik............. 127

Hugo Benzing GmbH & Co KG..........23

Wafios Umformtechnik GmbH..........85

Jubilee Clips......................................57

Washer Factory...............................146

Koenig Verbindungstechnik GmbH... 51

WASI................................................ 137

DELTA® protects surfaces.

TECHNOLOGY LEADER

We have just tightened the quality screw up a bit.

(Just turn it clockwise.)

You can always improve on everything. That is why we have set up our Quality Development department, where new measures to step up the quality standards of our DELTA-MKS® systems are constantly taking shape. These measures help us to monitor, test and improve the entire process, from the production of the coatings via the coating process, right the way through to the delivery of the parts to the car builder. This makes our new department a partner to parts manufacturers, coating specialists and end-users. An interface for every link in the value chain, if you like. So it’s worth tightening up the quality screw just a little bit more. More info at www.doerken-mks.com