Torque Magazine Issue 49 by stagpublications

issue 049 / November-December 2020

fasteners

tools

distribution

magazine

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ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES Since 1955 ND Industries has specialized in the development of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies. ND serves a global market with divisions across the continental US, Taiwan, and licensees around the world. ND’s core business revolves around the application of a wide variety of materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration dampening. ND also manufactures a line of bottled products under the Vibra-Tite® brand name for MRO and retail use.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EPOXY-LOCK® NUTS This pre-applied threadlocker consists of separated epoxy hardener and expoxy resin. Upon fastener installation, the two materials mix and activate. When fully cured, EpoxyLock provides greater breakaway torque than conventional nylon fastener locking devices.

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

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

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

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

08 NEWS 12 WOMEN IN FASTENERS > DIANA SCHOLEFIELD > GESIPA UK

Publisher Jerry Ramsdale jerry@torque-expo.com Editor Jonathon Harker jonathon@torque-expo.com Staff Writer Liberty Sheldon libby@torque-expo.com Sales Manager – UK Claire Warman claire@torque-expo.co.uk

16 ACCU > COUPLING EVERGREEN SUPPLY PRINCIPLES AND A MODERN APPROACH TO PRECISION COMPONENTS 20 GUEST EDITOR CHOICE > REDUCING LIFECYCLE COSTS WITH DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS 20 COATING AND PLATING > 22 C-PARTS, LOGISTICS AND KANBAN >

Sales Manager – International Harry Whyte harry.whyte@torque-expo.com

30 25 YEARS IN FASTENERS > FEATURING APEX STAINLESS FASTENERS, OWLETT-JATON, HAFREN, 25 TITE-FIX, DELTALEIGH & OUR YEARS OWN JERRY RAMSDALE

Sales Manager – USA & UK Tom Keenan tom@torque-expo.com

44 AUTOMOTIVE FASTENERS AND TOOLS > ACCU, BRALO & NORMA

Circulation Tracy Howell tracy@torque-expo.com

52 MANUFACTURING > PRINZ, RFKS & KALELILER

Head of Production Luke Wikner luke@torque-expo.com Designers Dan Bennett dan.bennett@torque-expo.com

IN FASTENERS

56 INTERVIEW > GESIPA MANAGING DIRECTOR URS LANGENAUER

Tina Ries tina@torque-expo.com

62 BUILDING & CONTRUCTION > FISCHER + ADHESIVES, TAPES, SEALANTS AND FILLERS

Victoria Arellano victoria@torque-expo.com

66 INSPECTION & QUALITY ASSURANCE >

Published by Stag Publications Ltd 18 Alban Park Hatfield Road St Albans Herts AL4 0JJ tel: +44 (0)1727 739160 fax: +44 (0)1727 739169 Email: info@torque-expo.com Web: www.torque-expo.com Disclaimer

Although the utmost care is taken to ensure that information contained herein is accurate and up to date, 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. 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 of Stag Publications Ltd. Proud member of:

68 BHETA > 76 TORQUE MAGAZINE IN 2021 >

GUEST EDITOR Turn to page 6 for his insight into the market Turn to page 20 for the ‘Guest Editor Choice’ – a special feature chosen by Lars Holm himself.

To subscribe to Torque Magazine visit: or scan this QR code...

Entire contents copyright © 2020 Stag Publications. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the publisher.

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What people think a job entails often doesn’t match up to the day-to-day reality. Racing drivers likely spend more time talking about tyre treads in offices than behind the steering wheel and actually racing. Similarly, film stars spend more time waiting around on set than acting. Possibly, you may imagine a magazine editor spends all day typing furiously while shouting at junior staff members (that’s what I was promised, anyway). The reality is that there’s a lot of organising involved and – probably the crucial bit – plenty of listening too. Being good at listening is not up there with the skillset of a pilot, maybe, but being able to gently prompt interview subjects, encouraging them to pick up on a detail and generally shutting up and letting your interviewee speak is essential. So, in one sense, this issue of Torque Magazine has been easy to put together, because I’ve spent a lot of time listening over phone and video calls. This month I’ve mainly been listening to fastener industry executives regaling me with stories of the past quarter century (for our special 25 years in fasteners feature, commemorating the start of Fastener Fair, starting on page 30) and, perhaps more pertinently, putting their years of experience and insight to work and giving us a few predictions for the next five or even 25 years. Listening to customers and colleagues is a loose theme to this month’s issue and we’ve been responding to what our readers and supporters have been saying in our 2021 plans (page 76). We hope you enjoy this magazine and we’re ‘all ears’ if you want to drop us a line.

This issue’s Guest Editor is Lars Holm, new Managing Director of BUMAX

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IT’S GOOD TO TALK... AND LISTEN

As part of our commitment to the environment, Torque Magazine is fully recyclable.

Jonathon Harker Editor jonathon@torque-expo.com

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GUEST EDITOR COMMENT LARS HOLM, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BUMAX, IS GUEST EDITOR OF THIS ISSUE OF TORQUE MAGAZINE

HOW SUSTAINABILITY WILL DOUBLE SALES AT BUMAX AS OF 1 October, I am Managing Director of premium fastener manufacturer BUMAX of Sweden. With a strong sales background from industries such as logistics, manufacturing, adhesive and tooling industries, my primary objective is to have even more companies discover the benefits of our range of high-strength and corrosion-resistant stainless steel fasteners. My focus is to proactively drive sales with a focus on sustainability – and to solve more of the world’s most challenging fastener issues out there along the way. We already have some of the world’s leading brands in our customer base, but the importance of fasteners for sustainability will put us in an even better position to gain market share and substantially increase sales. INCREASED FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY Fasteners need to be durable and need to last for as long as possible. The global cost of corrosion exceeds US$2.5 trillion annually, or three percent of global GDP. In addition, the environmental consequences of poor-quality fasteners that require maintenance and replacement are enormous. There is increasing awareness of the benefits of using high quality fasteners in the construction, vehicle, marine, energy and engineering industries all around the world. High quality fasteners reduce maintenance, have longer lifespans and help avoid potentially catastrophic fastener failure to significantly decrease lifecycle costs. Our own sustainability program has been running for nearly ten years now and we have managed to reduce the energy used for heating and electricity at our facility in Åshammar in the Swedish ‘steel // We have kept our factory open belt’ by over 50% – to significantly reduce our and operational throughout the carbon footprint.

corona crisis with no delays or

MORE RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAINS disruptions to production. // I firmly believe we have the potential to drive our sales by taking a more aggressive approach to marketing. I believe we can double our turnover in the next five years. With the supply chain disruptions experienced during the corona crisis, I believe that many customers would be interested in developing a solid and dependable supplier based in northern Europe. We have kept our factory open and operational throughout the corona crisis with no delays or disruptions to production. So, besides a much stronger focus on quality and sustainability, I think companies are taking a long hard look at their supply chains. Where can we find the most reliable source of high-quality fasteners for our products and projects? Let the Northern Lights guide you.

Lars Holm Managing Director of BUMAX www.bumax-fasteners.com

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TURN TO PAGE 18 FOR A SPECIAL FEATURE COMMISSIONED BY GUEST EDITOR LARS HOLM HIMSELF.

THINK BIG

IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT. Walt Disney

Ĉńƪ ŕō Ý žŕńĭā ŴÝŸƇōĈŸ Ƥĩŕɕ ğŕŸ ŕƣĈŸ ɀȾ ƪĈÝŸžɕ ĩÝž ùĈĈō Ý ńĈÝāĈŸ ĭō ƇĩĈ ƼĈńā ŕğ ùŕńƇž Ýōā žûŸĈƤž ĭō ƇĩĈ UƇÝńĭÝō Ýōā 1ƍŸŕŴĈÝō ŋÝŸŀĈƇɚ {ƍŸ ûÝƇÝńŕġƍĈ ĭōûńƍāĈžɔ āŸƪƤÝńń žûŸĈƤžɕ ûÝŸŴĈōƇŸƪ Ýōā ûĩĭŴùŕÝŸā žûŸĈƤžɕ āŕŋĈ Ýōā ĈƍŸŕ žûŸĈƤžɕ ŋÝûĩĭōĈ žûŸĈƤžɕ žĈńğɫƇÝŴŴĭōġ žûŸĈƤžɕ ûŕōûŸĈƇĈ žûŸĈƤžɕ ùńŕûŀğŸÝŋĈ žûŸĈƤžɕ žĈńğɫāŸĭńńĭōġ žûŸĈƤžɕ žƇÝĭōńĈžž žƇĈĈń žûŸĈƤžɕ ĩĈƩ ńÝġ žûŸĈƤžɕ ōƍƇžɕ ƤÝžĩĈŸžɕ ùŕńƇžɕ ùńĭōā ŸĭƣĈƇžɚ AMBROVIT: YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER FOR FASTENING SYSTEMS

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NEWS

News from the distribution industry… www.torque-expo.com

BERARDI FASTENERS WELCOMES FIFTH GENERATION

erardi Fasteners CEO Giovanni Berardi has revealed that the family‐run fastener company has now welcomed a fifth generation of the founding family to the business. Anastasia Berardi has joined the Marketing Office and Cesare Berardi is now working in the Logistics Depart‐ ment, while Bernardino Berardi has been working in the Technical and Sales Offices for some time. The trio are the children of Francesco Berardi, as well as niece and nephews of CEO Giovanni Berardi. Giovanni Berardi and his brother Francesco brought about significant expansion of the company, building on the 1919‐established fastener business, founded by Giulio Berardi. The two brothers made the company grow and assert itself among the leaders in the market, opening as many as 12 branches on Italian soil, three subsidiaries (Vibolt, Vitman and VIBF) and even an interna‐ tional branch in Morocco in 2017. Today, the company keeps expanding and deep‐ ening its industrial synergies, and

explores the international market with its ﬂexible working approach. Key to Berardi’s development is the expansion of the stock‐ready product range, with dedicated technical and logistical support. Reportedly, family businesses at their third generation represent only 13% of the total, while only 4% of them makes it to the fourth. Berardi is among the very few to reach the ﬁfth generation.

CEO Giovanni Berardi said: “Our company has a dynamic heritage, an ever‐evolving process, where know‐ how and interpersonal relationships are as important as the energy and innovation brought in by each person, to safeguard a business model that responds to modern business needs, while maintaining its historical roots.” www.berardi-screws-bolts.com

Torque puts boots on ground in Germany

xperienced fastener industry executive Harry Whyte has relo‐ cated to his native Germany to continue his role as Sales Manager for International, for Torque Magazine. The move means Torque Magazine will, for the ﬁrst time, have highly expe‐ rienced team members working full‐ time in mainland Europe and in the UK, where the magazine is headquartered.

“After 20 great years in the UK, I am excited to be based in Germany, in order to serve my clients in Europe more effectively,” said Whyte. “It also means that Torque is prepared for whatever the ‘Brexit hurdle’ will throw at us as we’ve got facilities on both sides of the Channel.” There is more detail on page 76.

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News from the distribution industry

Philidas picks PTS Bülte unveils PEEK range P

recision Technology Supplies Ltd has been appointed as a distributor of Stainless Steel Philidas Nuts. Philidas is among the leading all‐metal self‐locking nut manufacturers in the world, specialising in the design and manufacture of self‐ locking nuts for numerous industrial and domestic applications, including automotive, railways, earth moving equipment, elec‐ trical appliances, off highway vehicles, mining and aerospace. Philidas Nuts lock at any position on a bolt and are, there‐ fore, a convenient and practical fastening method for modern industry, particularly where vibration is a problem. They also help reduce assembly time, are less expensive and use few components than alternative methods, says the brand. Phil‐ idas products are specified by Network Rail and other OEMs for use in safety critical applications. PTS said: “Philidas is recognised as a quality brand and this links well with the likes of Bumax and Nordlock already offered as part of PTS’s product range. For more information visit our website www.pts‐uk.com or contact us on sales@pts‐uk.com.”

lastic protection and fastener specialist Bülte has launched a new range using organic thermoplastic polymer for engineer applications, PEEK. PEEK is a thermoplastic with excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties that are retained to high temperatures (oils, hydrocarbures). The highly robust material can fabricate items for demanding applications, including bearings, piston parts, pumps, compressor plate valves and electrical cable insulation. Due to its low flammability (UL 94), it is one of the few plastics compatible with ultra‐high vacuum applications, which makes it suitable for many types of industries. PEEK is also considered as an advanced biomaterial used in medical implants. It also has a lower density than metal, which makes it an excellent substitute when weight is a limiting factor in the final product. Bülte’s product range in PEEK material includes washers, hex socket head screws, hex head screws and hex nuts. There are more details via info@bulte.com or find out more in Torque Magazine’s October issue www.torque-expo.com/ magazines www.bulte.com

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INTERVIEW WOMEN IN FASTENERS

DIANA SCHOLEFIELD Diana Scholefield discusses her career highlights, Brexit and the importance of introducing young women into the manufacturing world with Torque Magazine… How did you first get into the fastener industry? I started at GESIPA as a Project Engineer in 1995 after doing a Mechanical Engineering degree. I was working on various fastener projects and process improvements. I then moved into Quality in 1998 when GESIPA was wanting to implement the QS9000 quality standard. Working in quality is, in my opinion a great learning experience, as you are working with customers and the teams internally in high pressure situa‐ tions, solving quality issues. I then moved into Commercial Operations in 2000 being the bridge between the external technical teams and the customer requirements and develop‐ ing the design internally with the various Gesipa teams. In 2014, I became Managing Director and am very proud of what the team in Keighley have achieved. What does your day-to-day job involve? My day‐to‐day job includes managing the business. I could be speaking with customers, suppliers or colleagues across the Group in various countries or working on a project with one of our internal teams. This is what is so great about this posi‐ tion, every day is different.

// I am also passionate about getting young women interested in manufacturing and engineering. It is a great career and will lead to many places. //

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You have children, but would you say that GESIPA is a family friendly company? I have two children and throughout my career where I needed to change my hours to fit with childcare arrangements, GESIPA worked with me to find a solution that worked for both sides. GESIPA is a family friendly company but I think it is about communicating together to find the right solution that works. It is also about being flexible and I believe that having the correct work ethic goes a long way. What are the biggest changes you have seen in the industry and/or the company since you started? GESIPA UK moved from making rivets and threaded fasteners to just making threaded fasteners. This was a huge change for the employees of GESIPA as we had made rivets since the company started in 1971. We did this over a period of time and worked with the plant in Germany to ensure a smooth transi‐ tion. It was a huge leap to produce only the threaded fasteners and the structural rivets at the Keighley plant, but we believed it was the correct strategy to take and it has certainly paid off. From an industry perspective the biggest change has been

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INTERVIEW WOMEN IN FASTENERS GESIPA UK stopped the production of rivets to focus on the manufacture of threaded fasteners

the change in materials to be fastened and the ever‐changing requirements of the fasteners. Also, the tooling to set the rivets, rivet nuts and rivet nut studs and the development and how smart that tooling is now. Can you share some of your career highlights and milestones so far? One of the highlights of my career is the different countries that work has taken me to – China, USA, Switzerland, Sweden and Dubai to name but a few and working with the Group across the world and the different cultures. Another highlight was getting my MBA whilst my children were young. I wanted to do this to give me a business qualification to go with my Engineering Degree. The main highlight was actually becoming MD of GESIPA Keighley. I am passionate about our products and what we do. How does GESIPA bring in new talent from a variety of backgrounds? Do you think this is a challenge for the industry? One of the things I am passionate about is getting young people interested in engineering and manufacturing. We work closely with local secondary schools and Keighley college offering workshops and insights into manufacturing and the world of work. I am also passionate about getting young women inter‐ ested in manufacturing and engineering. It is a great career and will lead to many places! We also offer apprenticeships and at the moment we have four apprentices in various areas – quality, customer service, marketing, and maintenance. By working with young people, we hope that when they see our name in job adverts they have a recognition of GESIPA, you also never know where these young people will end up working! Overall, women are still underrepresented in management positions globally, do you think this is the same for the UK? And why? I do think women are underrepresented in management, but it is becoming more common. How did you find the coronavirus period apart from the economic consequences? Our biggest concern was keeping our employees safe. It was a very uncertain time and like nothing I had ever experienced before. We stopped certain production sections for a short

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// We need to ensure that we make it as simple as possible for our customers outside of the UK to continue to work with us. // period, and you don't realise that the machines aren't running until you hear the silence. It was also a constantly moving land‐ scape but being members of Make UK was very useful as they us kept very up to date with the government schemes and advised. We worked closely with our supply chain to ensure that we could supply our customers that were still running. It was a very stressful and uncertain time, but we are all here and healthy. What plans does the company have for the next 12 months? Our plan for the next 12 months is to manage Brexit and the challenges that that will bring. We need to ensure that we make it as simple as possible for our customers outside of the UK to continue to work with us. We are also continually improving our processes and it is great to see the outcomes of these improvements. What is your favourite thing about the fastener industry? I love the challenge of solving customers fastening require‐ ments. You think that there cannot be another variant of a certain type of fastener and then an application is brought in that requires something extra – and seeing the design be manufactured and then work is a great feeling. Any final thoughts? I would advise anyone to do engineering and work in fasten‐ ers, it can open up so many opportunities and if I had my time again I would do exactly the same. www.gesipa.co.uk

COVER PROFILE ACCU

“QUALITY, SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY ARE EVERYTHING” Accu has coup coupled evergreen supply principles with a very modern approach to the precision components supply business. precisio Torque T To r ue Magazine speaks with Accu Corq Founder Martin Ackroyd about how the Founde rapidly growing business was conceived and how it is tackling Covid-19 while simultaneously readying for Brexit…

ccu is one of the world’s leading preci‐ sion component suppliers. Founded in 2012, Accu has shipped more than 50 million components to 50% of the world’s 100 largest manufacturers; and to more than 15 150 countries worldwide. Able to design, engineer and deliver prototypes for f r exacting components, Accu is renowned in a number fo of industries industries, such as motorsport, space, education and medicine. Its components have been used in ventilators in the fight f ght against fi agains COVID‐19 and for the UCL Mars Rover. Co‐ Founder Martin A Ackroyd explains to Torque Magazine how the firm f rm has come so far in eight years… fi In such a traditional sector as the component industry, tradit why did you to invest in a strong digital presence? y u decide yo de Accu was founded f und on the basis that the almost archaic engi‐ fo neering compo component industry was ready for a shake‐up. I’d spent years in the precision engineering sector, where stac of paper catalogues on your desk was having a stack commonplace and generally considered an essential commonplace, ‘weapon’ in the design engineer’s arsenal. I knew that there had to be a better, more efficient way. I wanted to th process of finding the perfect components, streamline the engine could spend more time innovating. I knew so that engineers that not only would it have a positive impact on engineers, w an industry as a whole. but businesses and

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Our real digital strength happens behind the scenes. We employ more programmers than sales staff, and they’re mostly working on internal tools that run end‐to‐end operations. We’re heavy on digital innovation and automation to drive efficiency. The fastener industry, in particular, is compliant with the tradi‐ tional, outdated idea that components are sold in standard pack sizes, and that’s just the way it is. But that’s not particularly useful when an engineer is at the prototyping stage of the design cycle, so our warehouse utilises custom‐built technology to allow us to offer a unique “pic’n’mix” choice to our customers ‐ they can buy a single component, or they can buy thousands. This minimises waste, increases efficiency and means that we are a very good option when it comes to prototyping. An unintentional by‐product of being digital is the huge potential to scale quickly. When we add a new component range, we’re not thinking about expensive catalogue reprints and distribution. We can focus purely on the benefit to our customers: does this component solve a customer’s problem? Is it high in accuracy? Does it have industry‐leading reliability? Those are the things that are important. You supply components to 50% of the world’s 100 largest manufacturers. Why do you think you’ve seen such success in a relatively short period of time? This might come as a shock, but we never set out to actively target the blue‐chip manufacturers. We don’t have sales execs on the road and we’re not a pushy sales team. Our customers come to us because we can provide something that they need. Whether we’re working with an innovator, prototyping the next big thing in their garage, or a huge manufacturer, they're all looking for the same thing ‐ a personal, customer‐centric experience that saves engineers’ time. When it comes to big scale manufacture, precision compo‐ nents are usually a very small piece of the bigger supply chain, so we know that quality, service and efficiency is everything ‐ they just need to be delivered on time and work as intended. We’ve focused on building the best customer experience by reducing the time it takes to identify and buy components, allow‐ ing small prototyping quantities and offering fast delivery. For example, we’ve created AccuPro, allowing regular customers to get next day delivery for an entire year, for just £30. During the Covid lockdown, your business performed well. Can you explain what happened? Accu’s objective is to be the prototyping partner for all engi‐ neers. Covid has united the globe in a joint effort to tackle the virus. It caused a wave of ground‐breaking medical innovation that we were lucky enough to play a key role in. The most rewarding part of working at Accu is that I get to see the amaz‐ ing achievements of our customers and the positive change they bring to the world, that’s never been truer than this year. As a result, we’ve seen a 60% year‐on‐year increase in the number of orders being processed in our warehouse. Opera‐ tionally, it’s been a challenge and has meant we’ve had to adapt quickly to keep our service high and our staff safe.

Given how much has changed in the last eight months, how will Accu look in five years’ time? This year, more than others, has shown how hard it is to predict the future. Above everything, we want to stay technol‐ ogy‐focused and be adaptable to new challenges and opportu‐ nities. It’s really important that we continue to offer improved efficiency to our customers and be able to respond quickly to whatever our customers need.

// A by-product of being digital is the huge potential to scale quickly. When we add a new component range, we're not thinking about expensive catalogue reprints and distribution. //

At the start of 2021, we’re really excited to be launching a major revision to our ecommerce platform, aimed at making it even easier to find the perfect component. In parallel, the team is working hard on our internal systems too, to bring even more automation and accuracy to our daily operations. Going forward, localised distribution is going to play a key part in improving our service level. The closer we can get to our global customers, the quicker we can get components into their hands. Right now, we have 24/7 customer service split between the UK and US, but distribution all happens from our UK warehouse. Speaking of the future, do you expect Brexit to affect Accu? Brexit really is around the corner and has been massively over‐ shadowed by Covid‐19. Having said that, as a business, we’re well prepared. Our stock levels are higher than they’ve ever been, and we’ve got everything in place to make the transition as smooth as possible. We’ve got an extremely strong and diverse supply chain. Our top component lines have two backup manufacturing sources, and in the unlikely event that doesn’t go far enough, our Made‐ ByAccu service can manufacture any components on a short lead‐time. The EU isn’t one of our key geographical markets but supporting new and existing customers through Brexit is going to be a major focus at the start of 2021. www.accu.co.uk

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Guest Editor’s choice REDUCING LIFECYCLE COSTS WITH DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS This month’s Guest Editor of Torque Magazine – BUMAX Managing Director Lars Holm – looks at how duplex stainless steel plays a vital role in the efficiency, sustainability and longevity of fasteners…

ustainability and life cycle analyses are becoming increasingly important in the fastener industry – not only because it is good for the planet but also since customers demand it. Here duplex stainless steel fasteners can play a crucial role. They combine super high strength, excellent ductil‐ ity and corrosion resistance – to reduce lifecycle costs in demanding applications compared with alloy steel fasteners. INTRODUCING DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS Duplex stainless steel, also known as ferrite‐austenitic stainless steel, is a family of stainless steel that has a two‐phase microstructure containing ferrite and austenite. The mix of ferritic and austenitic phase is roughly 50/50 to ensure optimal corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Duplex stainless steel fasteners are unique as they combine super high strength with excellent ductility. Even at very high strength levels, such as classes 10.9 or 12.9, duplex fasteners offer equally good or better elongation than the A4‐80 stainless steel grade. The duplex microstructure together with low inclusion content also offer excellent strength and good corrosion resistance. Another essential property of duplex stainless steel is that it has excellent corrosion resistance – far better corrosion resis‐ tance than A4 (316L). Duplex fasteners are not subject to hydrogen embrittlement, poor ductility, as well as many of the associated quality and performance issues inherent with the use of coated alloy steel fasteners. ACHIEVING LIFECYCLE COST – AND HUMAN – SAVINGS The superior properties of duplex stainless steel fasteners ensure they can be a more cost‐effective solution than alloy steel fasteners in high‐strength applications in corrosive envi‐ ronments. Duplex fasteners can significantly lower total lifecy‐ cle costs by reducing or eliminating future maintenance,

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// Duplex stainless steel fasteners are unique as they combine super high strength with excellent ductility. // downtime and replacement costs, which can often far outweigh the initial higher cost of the fastener. Beyond lifecycle cost savings, the failure of an alloy steel 12.9 fastener due to corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement or fatigue can be catastrophic for the application and the associated assets. Such a catastrophic failure can involve massive financial costs and risks to human life – think bridges, vehicles, vessels, skyscrapers, refineries, oil platforms, etc – which can all be mitigated against by using duplex stainless steel fasteners. APPLICATIONS Duplex stainless steel fasteners are used for critical applica‐ tions that demand a combination of excellent corrosion resis‐ tance and high strength. Duplex grades are primarily used in the oil/gas, chemical, and pulp and paper industries, and subsea or other applications in highly corrosive environments. Premium stainless steel fastener specialist BUMAX of Sweden is a company steeped in history that has a long tradi‐ tion of being at the forefront of fastener innovation and devel‐ opment. A few years back, it developed the world’s strongest bolt – the BUMAX Ultra – with three times the strength of a standard stainless steel fastener. Its next generation of very high strength duplex stainless steel fastener is called BUMAX DX (Duplex) 129. With excellent corrosion resistance, BUMAX DX 129 is poised to be the ultimate choice for strength, ductility and corrosion resistance.

BUMAX DX 129 is the next generation of very high strength duplex stainless steel fastener

// Customers are increasingly taking a lifecycle perspective on their fasteners – to reduce overall lifecycle costs and risk. //

Torque Magazine quizzes BUMAX Technical Director Anders Söderman on trends, R&D and the future of fasteners… HOW HAVE FASTENERS IN GENERAL DEVELOPED IN RECENT DECADES? I think a major trend in the last 30 years is that we have seen an increase in cheap fasteners on the market that might lack the required properties for a particular application – such as strength and corrosion resistance. It may seem to make good business sense when purchasing cheap products, but such fasteners might require regular maintenance or replacement, and even result in catastrophic fastener failure if not properly maintained. This is why it is essential to source high‐quality fasteners from suppliers that can help with selecting the best fasteners for a particular application from a lifecycle cost perspective. At the same time, materials technology has continued to develop – to make high quality fasteners with exceptional prop‐ erties for extremely demanding applications. Duplex stainless steel fasteners are the latest addition to the list of high‐ performing stainless steel fasteners on the market, providing excellent strength and corrosion resistance. IS THERE A SHIFT IN CUSTOMER FASTENER DEMAND? Yes, we have seen the growing trend of stainless fasteners being used to substitute alloy steel and standard stainless fasteners. Customers are increasingly taking a lifecycle perspective on their fasteners – to reduce overall lifecycle costs and risk. There is also greater appreciation of cold formed high‐quality fasteners with excellent properties.

HOW DO YOU DEVELOP NEW FASTENERS? We have a structured process when developing new products. It always starts with an idea, either from a customer to solve their particular need or by us anticipating a particular need for better performing fasteners in the market. We create the business case, conduct a feasibility study and eventually initial product trials. New products are tested by us, third parties and often by our customers. If the samples from the trial are approved, we can move to the last step, which is full‐scale production and commercialisation. The entire product development process typically takes between one to two years. Our new range of BUMAX Duplex stainless steel fasteners for example took 18 months to develop and have been tested on extremely demand‐ ing customer applications. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENT IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY? Besides high‐performing duplex stainless steel fasteners that have the potential to solve many customer application issues in corrosive environments, Smart Bolts are really interesting. Basically, a Smart Bolt is a fastener with a built‐in tension sensor, which measures stresses and preload in the bolt over time. They reduce the risk of failure and costly inspections – particularly for critical or difficult to access fasteners. FOR YOU PERSONALLY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO IMPROVE IN THE WORLD OF FASTENERS? At BUMAX, we have always been at the forefront of fastener innovation. Several of our products are unique when it comes to strength and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. We are also actively developing Smart Bolts. www.bumax-fasteners.com

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TORQUE FOCUS COATING & PLATING

ADDED VALUE IN COATING > THE MULTIVARIABLE COATING SYSTEM Sven-Michael Tolksdorf, Reinhardt Technical Sales Manager Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Dipl.-Ing. (FH), explains how the dip-spin coating system technology specialist can significantly improve material flow with intelligent part guidance…

ith the Multivariable Coating System, different batches and coating states can be run simultaneously in one system. Traceability is always guaranteed. A new air‐conditioning system in the coating chamber guarantees an even more continuous color quality, and the re‐dosing has also been optimised. These measures minimise the consumption of the coating media. Since there is only one drum or basket in the medium at a time, considerably less space and material is required during the actual coating process compared to multi‐drum systems. The intelligent control of the speed, direction of rotation and angle of inclination produces excellent results even with scooping parts. Evaporation, drying and cooling is carried out in the furnaces developed and produced by Reinhardt GmbH. The renowned

manufacturer of industrial furnaces guarantees a perfect air flow with high temperature uniformity at all times. The patented and proven pallet transport system over several levels saves expensive space in the user's hall, and thus saves money. In summary, the systems offer the following advantages: I Very good coating quality I Coating plant and furnace technology from one manufacturer I All assemblies from one source I perfect coordination of the individual components I Reduced material and energy consumption I High flexibility I Low space requirement www.reinhardt.gmbh

Reinhardt’s dip spin system (left) and dip spin unit (middle) with part of the electrical equipment (right)

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QUALITY SINCE

19 51

classic • system • automotive

NEW O ON N STO S TO C K: K: Tapping screws: ISO 14585 / ISO 14586 type C Drilling screws: ISO 15481 / ISO 15482 / DIN 7504 type K Thread rolling screws: ISO 14583 / ISO 14579 / ISO 14580 / ISO 14581

A L S O N EEW W ON S STO T OC C K: K: Hexagon socket set screws: DIN 913/ISO 4026 / DIN 914/ISO 4027 Nuts DIN 985 / DIN 6923 Achilles Seibert GmbH · Philipp-Reis-Straße 3 · D-24558 Henstedt-Ulzburg · Fon: +49 4193 89 55 Fax: +49 4193 89 56 99 · sales@achill-fasteners.com · www.achill-fasteners.com

T H E

G L O B A L

P A R T N E R

F O R

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

TORQUE FOCUS C-PARTS, LOGISTICS & KANBAN

HOW CORONA IS CHANGING C-PARTS MANAGEMENT The pandemic is going to bring lasting change to the C-parts business, argues industry veteran Ferdinand Gross…

hether the Spanish flu, world wars, oil or financial crises – anyone who has been in the market as the oldest “screw dealer” in Germany for over 150 years knows well that crises are part of business. For Ferdi‐ nand Gross, the main challenge is to identify the processes triggered by the crisis and to find the right answers. Because one thing is certain: The corona crisis will change C‐parts management permanently. MORE HOME OFFICE - MORE DIGITISATION! In the course of the home office boom, there is a growing demand for web‐based tools that not only provide real‐time insight into the company's own Kanban system, but also offer

active control options. With the “Falcon” tool, Ferdinand Gross was reportedly the first company to bring such an innovation onto the market. It enables buyers to control the use of C‐parts from the home office in an effective manner and to react quickly to peaks in demand using statistics and evaluations. INCREASING PRICE COMPETITION FOR DRAWING PARTS The increased price competition is a further development that will intensify significantly. While the scope for cost savings has largely been exhausted with standard C‐parts, the market for custom‐made parts, which has grown strongly in recent years, offers potential for savings. Cost reductions can primarily be achieved here by sourcing outside of Europe. C‐parts dealers

The home working boom has seen increased demand for web tools to provide Kanban system access

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FFA ASTENERS & FIXING TECHNOLOG GY Y

With W ith over over 1130 30 yyears’ ears’ experience, experience, REYHER R EYHER is is one one of of Europe’s Europe’s leading leading distributors fasteners distributors o off ffa assteners teners and and fixing fixing technology technology ssupplying upplying ccustomers ustomers w orldwide. e. worldwide.

who have aligned their supplier management to this trend at an early stage and who can present successful reference projects are in a good position here. Provided that they can guarantee the customer long‐term security of supply. SECURITY OF SUPPLY AS A CENTRAL SERVICE In the wake of the corona crisis, there is much talk of the dark side of globalisation. The highly internationalised supply chains and the resulting potential dependencies and bottle‐ necks in crisis are discussed in particular. But what does that mean for C‐parts management? In principle, C‐parts special‐ ists can bring their strengths into play right now. The prob‐ lem is often not so much the globalised supply chains but just‐in‐time production. As a C‐parts dealer, however, you can secure the JIT production of your customers with the appro‐ priate stocks and easily cushion short‐term delivery difficul‐ ties of the C‐part manufacturers. And even in the event of long‐term crises and production stoppages, the supply of C‐parts can be guaranteed: Ferdinand Gross anticipates potential delivery bottlenecks as part of the “Safe Supply Chain” management and approaches customers actively with alternative suggestions. In this way, additional sources are organised and, if necessary, accredited at an early stage, especially for drawing parts. It can be said that globalisation, with its diverse, geographically widely distributed sources of supply, with competent support from an international C‐parts specialist, does not endanger security of supply, but rather increases it (see diagram above). In summary, the crisis also turns out to be an opportunity to accept the developments of recent years even more resolutely and to advance them with important innovations and services. Above all, it harbours the opportunity for more intensive and productive cooperation with the customer, which can lead to more appreciation for the complex service of C‐parts management. And in the end, appreciative and personal customer relationships are the best means to emerge stronger from a crisis.

We secure We secure your your ssupply uppllyy off C-parts o C-pa parts 130, 130,000 130 0,00 ,000 a articles rticles in in stock stock Over Over e 9 99% 9% readiness readiness ffo for or d delivery elivvery erryy TTechnical echnical competence competence Diverse Diverse e e-business -business ssolutions olutions Flexible Flexible K Kanban anban ssupply upply Individual Individual p packing pa ackiing ssolutions olutions

www.schrauben-gross.com

F. REYHER F. REYHE EEYHER RN Nchfg. Nch c fg. GmbH GmbH & CCo. o. K KG G Ha e eg 1 · 22769 Haferweg Haferw 22769 Hamburg Hambur bu g · Germany German a y Phone P hon o e+ +49 49 4 40 08 85363-0 85 363-0 3ccontact@reyher.de ontact@reyher.d act@reyher.de @rey reyher eyhe de · w www.reyher.de ww.re eyher.d de e torque-expo.com

TORQUE FOCUS C-PARTS, LOGISTICS & KANBAN

PGB-EUROPE > RESPONDING TO DEMAND Torque Magazine discusses expansion, supply chains and digitalisation with pgb-Europe…

gb‐Europe is a good example of how an efficient supply chain develops into a sales argument. The specialist in fasteners and fixings is armed with a robotised pallet warehouse and a new ERP and WMS system for the future. Vincent Pennoit, Logistics Manager, says: “We gained in effi‐ ciency, respond to the demand for traceability and optimised our delivery times. These are assets that our customers appreciate.” Since 1956, pgb‐Europe has developed from a local player into a reputed international business. The head office in Melle, near Ghent, functions as a logistics center for the storage and delivery of fasteners and tools. Its own production units are located in Poland (anchors) and Vietnam (wood screws). The sales market from Melle is mainly located in Belgium and neighbouring countries. With Frederik and Vincent Pennoit and Johannes Heye, the third generation is active within the company. pgb‐Europe settled in Melle in 1997. In preparation for the future, pgb‐Europe has already gone through several expansion phases. Among other things, a new WMS and ERP system lay the foundation for a streamlined future. In addition, work has been carried out on the construction of a new 5,000 m2 high‐bay warehouse, bringing the total to 28,000 pallet locations. pgb‐Europe continues to critically analyse its own logical workflows and there is a strong focus on digitisation with new system‐to‐system connections such as EDI, scanning and e‐invoicing. pgb‐Europe sees the supply chain as an important asset for its customers. “We do not aspire to be the cheapest, but offer our customers optimum quality, a beautiful appearance on the shop shelf, convenient ordering modes and fast delivery – at a correct price. Our base contributes to the image of the company. The customers notice that we do everything we can to serve them optimally and they appreciate that,” adds Pennoit. pgb‐Europe is not resting on its laurels even after its exten‐ sive transformation trajectory. The company is now working on the digitisation and automation of its Polish site, pgb‐Polska. www.pgb-europe.com

// The customers notice that we do everything we can to serve them optimally and they appreciate that. //

pgb-Europe’s warehouse transformation is to be echoed in its Polish site, pgb-Polska PGB Logistics Manager > Vincent Pennoit

torque-expo.com

TORQUE FOCUS

BERARDI ENHANCES KANBAN SERVICE WITH RANGE EXPANSION

erardi Fasteners is an Italian C‐parts management specialist. Headquartered in Castel Guelfo (Bologna), the company has 12 branches across Italy, and three national subsidiaries (Vibolt, Vitman, VIBF), a sales office in Croatia and an international subsidiary in Morocco (Berardi Maroc). With over 100 years of experience in fasteners, Berardi is specialised in C‐parts management, creating simple and personalised services for its clients. Understanding that the market of industrial supplies goes toward the optimisation of logistics and the reduction of the number of suppliers, Berardi has expanded its product range with a variety of components beyond fasteners, to complete its Kanban service offer. Among the new products, there are components for hydraulic, fluidic, and pneumatic systems, such as tubes, fittings, and sealings. In partnership with specialised suppliers, Berardi offers a wide range of high quality products, as well as technical sales support. Berardi’s own quality assurance office completes the picture, guaranteeing the highest quality stan‐ dard for every product. The ‘Extra Components’ project (non‐fastener items) is being developed by several product managers, supporting the sales network with technical know‐how, and providing a big value‐add for Berardi’s clients.

YOUR PARTNER FOR STAINLESS STEEL FASTENERS Optimize your process chain with only one supplier and save valuable time and process costs. Take advantage of our procurement expertise and know-how gathered in more than 55 years of experience. www.wasi.de/en

YOUR ADVANTAGES 21,000 PRODUCTS IN STOCK HIGH AVAILABILITY & FLEXIBLE LOGISTICS WORLD-WIDE SUPPLIER NETWORK

www.berardi-screws-bolts.com

ADVISORY SERVICE IN YOUR LANGUAGE ORDER 24/7 & FAST DELIVERY TIME EXCELLENT QUALITY MANAGEMENT IHRE VERBINDUNG ZUM ERFOLG YOUR ACCESS TO SUCCESS torque-expo.com

TORQUE FOCUS C-PARTS, LOGISTICS & KANBAN

AVAILABILITY FOR SCREWS 2.0 >

HOW SCREWERK MADE AVAILABILITY ITS BUSINESS MODEL THROUGH INDUSTRIAL DIGITISATION Thanks to Screwerk’s clever “predictive production” approach customers don’t have to worry about sourcing screws for plastics anymore.

n the world of C‐parts, products are usually manufactured in very high quantities but limited to a small variety of in‐demand items. However the same can't be said if you need smaller quantities or atypical sizes of an item. Despite this existing demand for more variation and low quantities, manufacturers and distributors are often not in a position to adjust their processes accordingly. A great example of this bottleneck is found with screws. Founded in 2013, Screwerk developed its innovative “predictive production” to solve this problem and with an initial assortment of screws for plastics the company can pretty much provide a suitable dimension for every need. Guided by its founder’s IT background, Screwerk applies a digital approach to provide technical solutions in an industrial environment. The company created a comprehensive digital system that integrates an extensive inventory with a standard‐ ised “assortment production” for screws. While most produc‐ ers are just starting to gather data to optimise machine maintenance, Screwerk is already combining production and distribution data in its very own innovative business model. The “predictive production” is an example of what can really be achieved by consistent digitisation", says Alexander Hoffmann, one of the company’s founders. Screwerk’s self‐developed software named “Graph” is the

Screwerk’s founders Heiko Schlabach and Alexander Hoffman

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heart of the system. It allows the order fulfillment department to organise an inventory of over 300 million individual items in 10,000 different variations. The “Graph” also controls the work preparation of production through algorithms using data such as order history, inventory levels, and production capabil‐ ities of the individual machines. Data gathered every day is statistically evaluated for future demand and production slots are organised in an optimal order. As a result, the decision to produce a certain item is made even before the customer’s order comes in. Using computerised processes Screwerk secures the uninterrupted availability of the existing assort‐ ment while at the same time expanding it with production‐opti‐ mised small batch additions. Now with in‐house production, the company, which origi‐ nally started as an E‐commerce business, has evolved into a pioneer in the industrial digitisation of cold forming processes. At Screwerk’s Lüdenscheid facility in Germany, the company has built a production hall where existing machines are digi‐ tised through open source‐based retrofits that secure contin‐ uous open standards. These standards allow information to flow freely without interfaces throughout the organisation and enable processes to be modelled with flexibility. The existing machinery can be fitted with sensors and actuators connected to the mainframe and can be controlled digitally. “A digital

In its R&D production, Screwerk pioneered the industrial digitisation of cold forming processes

transformation in which existing machinery has to be replaced with new ones is not affordable for any company,” explains Hoffmann, “therefore a highly adaptable retrofit approach is necessary to connect the vast variety of production resources in a cost‐efficient way.” Today, Screwerk’s strategic decision to strictly stick with open‐source software and hardware solutions has resulted in one of its decisive competitive advantages. The approach provides a showcase of what can be achieved with technologies that are available to everybody. The necessary information, software solutions and hardware are available in abundance on the internet. Storage space and processing power are not a constraint anymore. And all of this at prices that only a few years ago were unimaginable. It’s in this environment that the company can re‐think solutions for industrial production in a digital way and transform a traditional industry. More than 2,500 new customers per year find what they are looking for through Screwerk’s availability of screws for plastic and the firm is one of Germany’s fastest growing companies. Since the business model is not only based on the screw as a product, but rather on its availability in an extreme niche, it offers a valuable proposition to all market participants. End customers benefit from the extended availability in small quantities while distributors and C‐part managers benefit from reduced search costs and drop shipments to their customers; and manufacturers can now provide quantities

Any order quantity is possible by integrating standardised production and inventory into one digital system below their minimum lot sizes if requested by their customers. With its successful model already in place, Screwerk is currently expanding its offer by including metric machine screws and every day is building up the assortment. And all in line with the company’s vision to provide the ultimate availability for screws. screwerk.de

THE SEARCH IS OVER!

The assortment specialist for Screws for Plastics

Over 10.000 items available online No minimum quantities Transparent prices & stock levels Very short restocking cycles Global shipping

World: screwerk.de USA: screwerk.com

TORQUE FOCUS C-PARTS, LOGISTICS & KANBAN

STAFA LOGISTICS SERVICES

tafa is continuously looking for ways to improve and expand its products and services, most recently with the addition of a Kanban service, “Stafa Logistics Services”. This service makes Stafa an even more reliable and complete fastener supply partner, the firm says. Both existing customers and new customers have been reacting very enthusiastically to the addition of this service, Stafa tells Torque Magazine. By using RFID identification, stock levels are kept accurately and articles are automatically ordered when the RFID labels are scanned. On the touch screen that is attached to the Kanban cabinets, real‐time information is immediately shown to warehouse operatives. On this screen you can see which items have been ordered and which ones are on their way. Booking new stock is also very easy. By taking one bin out of ‘received shipment’ and scanning it with RFID in front of the scanner, the system scans the entire delivery and the stock is instantly updated. At all times customers can print out their own overview from Stafa’s specially developed portal with usage data per line or article. In this way, up‐to‐date information is always available in both the warehouse as well as the office. Stafa Logistics Services (SLS) assists its customers, which ultimately results in a streamlined supply of articles without having to keep large numbers in stock. www.stafa.nl

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25 YEARS IN FASTENERS

25 YEARS OF GOOD AND LONG-LASTING

CONNECTIONS

Twenty-five years ago, 24 October 1995, saw the birth of a fastener legend, Fastener Fair. The industry-leading event debuted with a three-day show taking place in Donington, in the Midlands of the UK. Twenty-eight pioneering exhibitors showcased their products and services for the inaugural Fastener Fair, which drew in over 2,000 visitors. In the year of the show’s 25th anniversary, Torque Magazine took the opportunity to look back at that first ground-breaking show and speak to the people who were there, see how much the industry has changed and look at its future. And we’ve started with the brains behind that first Fastener Fair (and Torque Magazine publisher), Jerry Ramsdale…

Many exhibitors remain familiar names in the fastener trade, while others have been absorbed by larger groups

torque-expo.com

// People do business face-to-face, they look each other in the eye and shake hands. //

was looking to promote a new business I had set up called Socket Screw Supplies. I had the idea of stocking zinc‐ plated, hydrogen de‐embrittled socket screws in bulk and supplying the trade. I offered next day delivery in the UK, which was in its infancy at the time. I could offer stock rapidly which in normal circumstances could easily take up to seven days to turn around. Today I’m told a high percentage of socket screws are supplied this way. So, there was an exhibition recently started for the fastener industry that targeted the user, and was for companies in manufacturing, which was not suitable for my business or the ones I attracted as we looked to supply the trade. Steep learning curve The first exhibition was the hardest. There was a steep learning curve; venue, suppliers, visitor promotion and attracting exhibitors to the concept were all new to me. Some people I knew already and some have become great friends over the years. There was less than six months from the idea to the show opening, which was an extremely short time, looking back. When we opened the doors for the first day, we didn’t know what to expect and we were amazed with the number of visi‐ tors. For those first 28 pioneering exhibitors, it was probably the best exhibition they ever attended. As I cast my mind back, there was so much excitement when the doors opened. It was almost a party atmosphere, with some people meeting old friends, such as people that they had been apprentices with many years before but lost contact with over the years. Good and long‐lasting business connections were made. The show trebled in size the next year and in 1998 I sold Socket Screw Supplies to Brighton Best to concentrate on the exhibition and fastener magazine I had started to publish. The business grew internationally thanks to a great team with the launch of a show in Stuttgart in 2005, which trebled in size by 2009. I sold the business to Mack Brooks Exhibitions in 2010 which has done a fantastic job with growth and has taken the exhibitions to many other countries.

THE FIRST EXHIBITORS Abbey Stainless Components Ltd Adam Equipment Co Ltd Agrati Apex Stainless Fasteners Ltd Brighton-Best Socket Screw Ltd Crown Washer Co Ltd Deltaleigh Ltd Eurofast Eurofix GSS Fasteners Ltd Hafren Fasteners Hampton Plating Co (Birmingham) Ltd Harrison & Clough Ltd

The industry has changed over the last 25 years, but it’s a gradual thing. The larger wholesalers now have highly sophis‐ ticated computer systems for sales, stock control and ware‐ house systems. For their customer, especially in the UK, if they wish they are able to place their orders online, into the evening and often getting the order delivered before they open for business the next day. It’s a fantastic service which has resulted in distributors not needing to hold as much stock, which has enabled many of them to expand their range of product mix. Watch this space... And so to the future, what does the next 25 years hold? With the outbreak of Covid‐19 which has rocked the planet it’s diffi‐ cult enough to predict a year ahead. As the vaccine is rolled out in 2021, I expect business travel will reduce as more tech‐ nology like Zoom and Microsoft Teams are rolled out. The demand for fasteners will continue to grow, with more global‐ isation and buy outs. I expect a lot of people that can, will continue to work from home at least partially as the social experiment seems to have worked and there will be more digi‐ talisation. But people are naturally sociable which brings me back to exhibitions, which will return. One thing is for sure, people do business face‐to‐face, they look each other in the eye and shake hands. So why did I come back with Torque-Expo five years later? I missed it and all the people in the industry. I’d been in the fastener industry over 35 years and there was no longer an exhibition for the UK market. And I was still in publishing and events with Fleet World for the car market and Cycling Industry News for the cycling industry. The idea of Torque was to focus on a wider product range that was sold through distribution and to offer new ideas, which we do through Torque Magazine and to the future with cutting edge technology and news through our digital presence. For exhibitions, there are going to be some changes, watch this space! jerry@torque-expo.com

Heads & Threads JBS Computer Services Magdrill Sales & Site Services Nettlefold Oetiker UK Ltd PRD Fasteners Ramset Fastening Systems RCF Bolt & Nut SEP Group Socket Screw Supplies Ltd STF System Cases (UK) Ltd WD-40 Weighpack International

Turn the page to hear more from some of those original 28 exhibitors...

torque-expo.com

25 YEARS

APEX STAINLESS FASTENERS

IN FASTENERS

25 YEARS OF RADICAL CHANGES FOR THE STAINLESS FASTENER SUPPLY CHAIN

Paul Lower, Founder & Director of Apex Stainless Fasteners, established the business shortly before the first Fastener Fair took place in 1995. Here, he provides his recollection of that first show, how Apex has changed in the quarter century since and on the shifts that have taken place in the fastener industry…

pex Stainless Fasteners formed only a few years before the inaugural Fastener Fair and looked to establish a specialist stainless fasteners business to service the fastener trade in both the UK and Ireland, with an initial target of incrementally growing turnover by one million GBP every year. At that time, nearly all contact with customers was over the telephone and the product was largely of European manufacture. While Far Eastern manufacturers had also come on stream these were based in countries other than India and China, which now largely dominate supplies to the European market. The first Fastener Fair was like a breath of fresh air and the first trade show Apex ever attended. It was geared to the UK market almost exclusively and as a new growing business Apex were very keen to participate. Obviously, no one knew quite what to expect so it was with a degree of uncertainty that the decision to exhibit was taken. All existing customers were given advance details, but not quite knowing the extent this would provide an invitation to meet competitors. In hindsight this was never really an issue for that first show proved a great idea and a success story for Apex, as UK‐based businesses attended and as such it did not provide an early entry route for what subsequently became major European competition. Apex staff took the opportunity to come face‐to‐face with customers, plus the many other fastener distributors attending that had up to then either not known of or traded with the company. Lots of new business contacts were forged and for Apex it was not only the first but almost certainly the most successful of all the fastener trade shows ever attended! Provi‐ sional expectations were greatly exceeded with significant new business achieved as a direct result.

Right from the start (set up) the banter, humour and fun were almost contagious, and there was little spirit of being in a “competition” nor any lack of openness amongst exhibitors. All were working not only to promote themselves but together to facilitate the success of the venture as it was in their mutual interest. This may simply have been because it was the first such event and a great idea, but everything went from strength‐to‐strength throughout the show and nearly every‐ one seemed delighted with the outcome. It set a great prece‐ dent and foundation for all the shows that followed. FROM A BIT PART PLAYER TO A SIGNIFICANT WHOLESALER Since these early days, the pattern of growth in the Apex busi‐ ness has remained remarkably consistent with a similar incre‐ mental rate year‐on‐year in line with the original target. The company has seen its transition from being a part player to probably the major force in the UK market for stainless steel fasteners, developing from a small sized distributor to a signif‐ icant stainless fastener wholesaler. The business has steadily grown by adding good staff, while consistently following the procedures and business ethics set in stone in those early years, focusing always on customer service above everything while ensuring that key sales staff remain at the forefront of all direct contact with customers. Initially based in a small 4,000‐plus feet² warehouse, the business now occupies 100,000‐ plus feet² cumulatively, with an additional 15,000‐plus feet² UK manufacturing site. The stainless fastener supply chain has seen a radical change over the last twenty‐five years. The manufacturing base has moved from Europe to the Far East, despite efforts by the

Apex Stainless Fasteners has developed from a small sized distributor in its early days to a significant stainless steel wholesaler

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European manufacturers to hold back the transition by means of anti‐dumping legislation. It is now truly a worldwide supply chain with both China and India vying for market leadership. The demise of the European manufacture base has also elimi‐ nated any “manufacturers inventory” while consequently increasing both lead times and size of orders. It has in essence transferred effective internal control of the European Market to a group of major European stainless wholesalers. However, one thing that has remained constant within the UK is the 24 hour delivery expectation that customers effectively rely on to service their business needs and this has been core to both service and mutual success of Apex and customers alike. COVID, BREXIT AND BEYOND Throughout this period there have been significant events and developments both within the trade and at Apex. There have been exceptional years when sitting on shed loads of stock proved a financial godsend, such as when the nickel price increased dramatically, but other years when external factors had the opposite impact. Inventories and pricing are poten‐ tially the Achilles heel of all wholesalers. Anti‐dumping measures (duty) clearly created a challenging business climate as well. However most external factors have been compara‐ tively straightforward to cope with, save the 2008 recession when business levels literally almost changed overnight, and

thereafter the struggle to realign costs quickly ensued. Since then and until 2020, with the arrival of the Covid pandemic, business has developed well year‐on‐year. This year saw busi‐ ness fall dramatically again for a number of months, but the initial recovery phase has so far proved a less daunting busi‐ ness prospect than in 2008/2009, although it is clearly too early to assess the longer‐term business impact. Following a decent first quarter this year, three poor trading months followed due to the pandemic lockdown. The use of Furlough to save jobs that may otherwise have gone has worked, although a limited reduction of staff (and costs) has been necessary to maintain viability and efficiency. Inventory was consequently reduced although will soon recover as new stock orders are already placed with the intention of rebuild‐ ing stock levels in advance of Brexit. Once the outcome of government negotiations is known, Apex has plans to speak to customers and particularly Irish and other European based customers with a view to minimising both disruption and any net cost impact on them. By allocating purchase orders to a greater number of manufacturing outlets any negative impact of Brexit on the service and supply to customers should be minimised in 2021. Moving on beyond Covid and Brexit, Apex will continue to look after its customers with the same service focus as in the past. Potential future raw material pricing factors appear to be stabilising, with gradually increasing nickel prices due to world demand (for electric vehicle batteries). The stainless fastener market share has continuously grown year‐on‐year, based on attention to life cycle costs, coupled with the recy‐ cling capability of stainless steel. This trend is almost certain to continue in the future. Following a long‐time association with Apex and the fastener trade my own involvement is gradually winding down, with a new Managing Director just appointed (David Vahter). The leadership transition will be complete by the end of 2020 with the business and all its staff well placed to look forward to continuing prosperity in the years ahead. www.apexstainless.com

PAUL LOWER AWARDED BUFAB’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Unknown to Paul Lower while writing this article, Bufab Group is giving a special award to him – one of only three granted in four decades...

he Bufab Group has decided to honour Mr Paul Lower, Founder and Managing Director of the highly successful Apex Stain‐ less, with the Bufab Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognises his outstanding achievements in the industry, in Apex Stainless and in the Bufab Group. The Bufab Lifetime Achievement Award recognises outstanding business achievement over a long time, often decades. It has been awarded to only three people in over 40 years. Founded in 1991 by Paul Lower himself, Apex Stainless Fasteners has built a world‐wide reputation for service, competitive pricing as well as an extensive and comprehensive stock range, and is now one of Europe’s leading specialist suppliers of stain‐ less steel fasteners. Since 2015, Apex Stainless is a member of the Bufab Group. “Paul Lower embodies the entrepreneurial values that are core to the Bufab Group,” says Jörgen Rosengren, Bufab’s President & CEO. “Combining this entrepreneurship with excellent people leadership and a unique business acumen, he has built up one of Europe’s strongest players in the very competitive stainless fasteners industry. Apex Stainless is also a highly appreciated and important employer in several locations throughout the UK. Against that background, it’s my honour and privilege to award Paul the Bufab Lifetime Achievement Award.”

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25 YEARS

HAFREN FASTENERS

IN FASTENERS

HAFREN FASTENERS > A LOOK BACK AT 25 YEARS IN SECURITY FASTENERS Hafren Security Fasteners exhibited at the first Fastener Fair in 1995 at Castle Donington. Business Development Director Ben Cooper attended that first show. He tells Torque Magazine: “25 years ago Hafren Fasteners was a pioneering new business created with the mission of stamping out theft through the supply of specialist security fasteners. “At the same time the first Fastener fair at Castle Donington created the ideal platform for us to promote our business and raise awareness about security fasteners as well as meet distributor customers, many of whom we still do business with to this day.” Here, the firm looks back on the development of the security fastener market since the mid-‘90s.

the widest range of security fasteners globally available from stock, including several patented products that can only be obtained through Hafren approved distributors. From its humble origins of a garden shed, Hafren has gone from strength‐to‐strength outgrowing its premises six times. In Q1 2020, Hafren opened a purpose built warehouse increasing storage space by more than four times. With an industry leading service, dealing with Hafren is easy for any proactive distributor wanting to maximise margin opportunities and offer its clients solutions to their fastener demands. At the outset, Hafren said it wouldn’t deal directly with end users… 25 years on and that is still the case. With a growing list of distributors globally, it means you are never far from effective security solutions.

Hafren Security Fasteners was one of a handful of exhibitors at the first Fastener Fair

WHY THE NEED FOR SECURITY? ‘Stamping out the impact of theft globally’ was a straightfor‐ ward reason for the creation of Hafren Security Fasteners. The ‘impact of crime’ is significant and difficult to measure. It is this ‘impact of theft’ that we wished to stamp out through the application of our innovative fastener products. HOW SECURITY FASTENERS HAVE EVOLVED? Staying one step ahead of the ever‐increasing threat of theft, Hafren Security Fasteners invests heavily in innovation and R&D helping to develop new products. This has led to one of

R&D continues to be a priority in 2020 and likely beyond, with new ranges expected in 2021

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THE FUTURE OF SECURITY FASTENERS DISTRIBUTION 2020 has had its challenges for fastener distributors, but Hafren is cautiously optimistic about the future ‐ theft hasn’t gone away and the need to safeguard products and property is of all importance. Continual investment in R&D for new security fastener prod‐ ucts is happening ‐ watch this space for new ranges in 2021. Bespoke specials are a large part of what Hafren offers, giving clients exactly what they require in terms of material, plating, patching, painted heads and unique styles and variations. In 2020, Hafren celebrated its 25th year and launched its new ‘orange boxes’ – this product packaging gives the range a new look and feel that is much bolder and more appealing across all prod‐ uct offerings. Multiple openings, configurable sizing across the range, tougher, more durable and greener than ever before – this packaging will soon come with barcoding for the whole range too.

Looking tie-dy > The Hafren team at Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2017

// 2020 has had its challenges, but Hafren is cautiously optimistic – theft hasn’t gone away. //

The future’s bright > Hafren at Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2019

Hafren is a strong reliable brand that has been embraced by the market; is renowned for quality; reliability and a world class customer service – a reputation they have worked hard to achieve for over 25 years. Hafren Security Fasteners are available through approved distributors throughout the United Kingdom and worldwide. Contact us on +44 (0)1686 621 300 to find out more about becom‐ ing an approved distributor or to find a distributor near you. www.hafrenfasteners.com

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25 YEARS

TITE-FIX

IN FASTENERS

PIONEERING INNOVATION Tite-Fix Founder Michael Wilkinson was at the first Fastener Fair, exhibiting with Nettlefolds. Since then the industry veteran has launched the innovative and award-winning Tite-Range® of fixings and seen plenty of industry changes along the way…

What were your expectations of that first Fastener Fair? I thought it was a good idea and I expected it would be a success. The industry didn’t have a specific fastener show at that time so we were up for it. There was a great atmosphere and it sounds dramatic, but we felt like pioneers, in a way. We felt early on it would be successful. It was in a great loca‐ tion in the country for visitors from the south and the north. There was plenty of parking and it was easy to access. I thought it was a great venue.

showcase that innovation. It’s nice to get innovation awards and I think we’ve won more from Fastener Fair than any other company. We do have patents, but you get copycat products, taking the idea. That’s the nature of things and I suppose it’s like they say, it’s a compliment. Tongue‐Tite won an innovation first prize and over time we’ve changed the head size and other tweaks and it’s gone on to sell container loads. On a career level, every prize we’ve won is a milestone to me, as has starting Tite‐Fix and the development of the Tite range.

What are some of the big changes you’ve seen in the In 25 years, is 2020 the year that has seen the most disrupfastener industry since that first Fastener Fair? There’s been a big change in the route to market to the end user. tion in the fastener industry? I’m not sure it has been. It’s unfortunate and a wrecking ball Not from the wholesaler and distributor, but we’ve seen some has gone through the economy. Some sectors have been suffer‐ of the big companies like Screwfix and Toolstation cut out some ing terribly, but parts of the fastener industry have seen of the distributors and merchants and offer a package that the unprecedented demand. On the construction side or anything end user really enjoys. So that has shifted the buying policy a to do with DIY, supply to builders and joiners, we’ve seen little bit for businesses that have jumped on board, like us. That unprecedented demand and we know approach has won extra customers this some of our competitors have too. But if year, as during lockdown some of the big // We are very proud you look at the engineering sector or nationals closed to begin with. So, we’ve automotive it’s a different story. Overall, if seen things shift even further this year of our innovation. The you look at the pressure on supply as well and I think it might endure – they will probably retain some of those customers. ethos of the business is as the constricted demand in those other sectors, overall you would have to say Another big change has been CE Mark‐ to innovate and listen there has been disruption. ing. This hasn’t been policed, but if it had April was bad and we had to make some I think there would have been turmoil. to what the end difficult decisions. So, we went to We did it right and we have CE Marking user wants. // customers and worked really closely with on our products. them, perhaps the closest we ever have. Even though it hasn’t really affected us And we’ve so far been proved right in those decisions. It has because we don’t buy from China, the other big change has strengthened a lot of our relationships and we’ve never been in been anti‐dumping, when it has been imposed and removed a stronger position. But I know that some are not in that position, over the years. Strangely enough, CE Marking and anti‐dump‐ I can only say how it is for us. ing are both things that have been driven by Europe, especially CE Marking. It’s going to be a big issue. If your CE Mark has given by a UK We hear there are stock issues in the market right now. test house it won’t be recognised in Europe so you can’t use it. Have you found that to be the case? Everyone is saying that transport is an issue. Stock from source is not a problem, but getting it into the UK is an issue. There Tite-Fix has earned a reputation as an innovator, picking up are container delays and one guy told me a ship came to dock multiple awards over the years... and ended up leaving with some containers still left on board We are very proud of our innovation. The ethos of the business because they ran out of time, including his container. Also, we is to innovate and listen to what the end user wants. Innova‐ hear that drivers are becoming scarce. So, there are issues in tion usually comes around application problems. Someone has the UK at the moment. We have managed our supply chain a task and have been able to bodge it, then we look at that and quite well, despite demand going through the roof. develop something that works for the application and drive it to market. Innovation is what drives Tite‐Fix and has done all Looking ahead, what will the fastener industry look like in along. It sounds simple, but it’s not that easy. I’ve just finished the next five or 25 years? developing a screw which has taken two years. 25 years is too far to look ahead at, but in the next three or four On the back of that, Fastener Fair is a vehicle where we can

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Tite-Fix has won a number of innovation awards, including from Fastener Fair

years I think we’ll see a change in what the customer wants. I think people are fed up of low quality products, specifically low quality finished goods, although there will always be cheap and cheerful products. I think this will drive quality up for all parts and components and I can see that continuing. There’s also the possibility that we will see changes to the supply chain. It depends on the relationship between East and West after we’ve seen trade barriers and a reaction against China from the likes of Trump. Maybe after Brexit the UK will get closer to other countries around the world. Even if we don’t get a trade deal, I’d like to think that as a business we’ll continue to collaborate with quality companies.

This year we’ve seen a lot of working remotely from homes, so how important is that face-to-face experience with customers. As important as it was in 1995? We do a lot of shows normally. This year we’ve probably been talking to customers more than normal, so we’ve got closer in some respects. But I’ve always said that at shows and Fastener Fair especially, in three days we can have thousands of chats with people. And at shows you get those unexpected visitors on your stand you wouldn’t normally get. www.tite-fix.co.uk

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25 YEARS

OWLETT-JATON

IN FASTENERS

ROUNDTABLE > A QUARTER CENTURY OF CHANGE & THE FUTURE OF FASTENERS Exhibitors at Fastener Fair’s first show included STF and SEP Group, both now absorbed by Owlett-Jaton. Torque Magazine brought together three of Owlett-Jaton’s highly experienced senior executives to chat about the days of those first Fastener Fairs, how the fastener industry has developed over the following 25 years and what the future has in store for the sector…

David Jackson > Key Accounts Director

Nick Horton > Purchasing Director

Tony Williams > Sales Director

WHERE WERE YOU 25 YEARS AGO? For many of us, the mists of time have made it difficult to pinpoint exactly what we were doing a quarter of a century ago, and it’s no different for the good people of the fastener industry. Many are sure they attended some of the early Fastener Fairs, but it is less easy to be precise about which of the shows they visited. Thanks to the exhibitor list, we can be sure which companies were there. We know that while Owlett-Jaton didn’t exhibit (or, strictly speaking, exist in its current form back in 1995), key contributory parts of the company did exhibit. Owlett-Jatons’s Key Account Director David Jackson (previously STF Sales Director) is one such attendee of one of the first Fastener Fairs. Torque Magazine hosted a roundtable discussion with David, Owlett-Jaton Sales Director Tony Williams and Owlett-Jaton Purchasing Director Nick Horton (the latter with over 40 years’ experience of general purchasing in the industry) to talk about how the fastener sector has changed since the mid-‘90s and what lies ahead…

Timeline > How Owlett-Jaton has developed over the decades

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David Jackson > I went to Fastener Fair just after I joined the fastener industry and remember it was held in what seemed like an old aircraft hanger and there were a lot of people attending. STF was established in 1985 and privately owned by Alan Stennett, who subsequently started Icon Fasteners in 1995, followed by Galaxy in 2001. Those three companies became part of Hexstone and more latterly Owlett‐Jaton, so somewhere in there are the remnants of those companies. What kind of changes have you seen in the industry over the 25 years since that first Fastener Fair? Tony Williams > We have gone from a regionalised business with warehouses strategically placed across the country, to a business with one warehouse in the Midlands serving the whole of the UK. Our Regional Sales offices and teams remain an integral part of the business, continuing to serve customers in their own regions. The destocking of branches has been one of the biggest changes for me in that period. Nick Horton > The Owlett side of the business also held stock in Dartford and Nailsea. Another big change was the company had its own fleet of vehicles 25 years ago, servicing the country. Tony Williams > Then you look at sourcing – both compa‐ nies were among the last wholesalers buying from UK manu‐ facturers such as GKN, Atlas Bolt and Regis Bolt. Nick Horton > I went out to Asia at least once a year in those days and the big difference is the quality of factories in China. They were Chinese government‐owned and not necessarily great. Now most of the factories you go to in China are overseas‐owned, primarily Taiwan, and the difference in quality is huge. David Jackson > I can echo that. At STF and Icon, both started in the early ‘80s and ‘90s and sourcing was not from the UK, it was European and Northern Italy in particular. Then in the following 10 years that changed to Far East sourcing. Almost immediately it was Taiwan for stainless steel and also for ICON’s socket products.

Nick Horton > From 1990 onwards we started moving our product sourcing out to Asia – we had to, to be competitive. There was still bolting sourced in the UK, but it tended to be the lower carbon steel. Originally imports that came into the country were either big wooden cases, or big plastic drums, including self‐tappers and hexagon nuts. When I ran the Leighton Buzzard operation, I employed one guy simply because he was strong enough to lift up these 30‐40 kilo tubs.

// Originally imports were either in big wooden cases or big plastic drums. I employed one guy simply because he was strong enough to lift these 40 kilo tubs. // PACKAGING Nick Horton > Health and safety and packaging have changed a lot. In fact, Jaton were one of the first to improve the packag‐ ing of products coming into the UK, moving away from bulk. We were spending an awful lot of time weighing things out. It has been a big switch in the last 25 years from bulk product into small boxed products. Even the bulk products now are 20 kilos maximum. Tony Williams > That brings us onto how demands on the wholesalers have changed. The change in packaging demands during the last couple of decades has been immense. The vast majority of product we sell used to be packaged in ‘non‐retail’ fit for purpose boxes or cartons. Now it is all about smaller quantities, more informative labelling and packaging, and of course, moving to recyclable materials wherever possible.

Unifix trade and retail bags were launched in 2017 (see timeline, left)

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25 YEARS

OWLETT-JATON

IN FASTENERS

Operational effort > Primary and tertiary packaging has become more important

David Jackson > From our perspective at STF and Icon, it started with a manufacturer’s box with a pretty basic label on it. Then we got requests from customers for more and more detail. Then barcodes came along and these changed the face of packaging for the customer as well as how products were handled in our own businesses. There is so much detail on labelling now, it is astonishing compared with 25 years ago. Nick Horton > I’ve spent the last six months working through all the packaging of our plastic pouch bag range to make them fully recyclable. Some plastics are called recyclable but they are highly difficult to recycle. What we have approved and have on order is fully recyclable packaging, for the trade and retail bags. From February onwards you will start to see 100% recy‐ clable packaging coming though. David Jackson > A lot of effort has gone into the operations side to make sure that when you ship products out they arrive in great condition. Time has been spent getting the primary packaging right, the tertiary packaging right, the tape, the labels and on how you actually ship it out overnight to the customers. When I first arrived at STF the product was simply packaged into an outer box sometimes as much as 25 kgs. I remember watching a delivery driver drop a 25 kilo box of bolts off the back of a carrier’s lorry onto the floor and let the customer collect them up and take them into his warehouse. IT TECHNOLOGY David Jackson > Technology and IT have become absolutely integrated in everything we do, day‐in, day‐out. Whether that’s spreadsheets, software we’re using to buy, software to run the CRM, software for everything. I remember when I first joined STF we used to have a daily sales book. Someone would fill the figures in and we’d hand it around the management team. Now we have reports every morning with masses of information about the previous day’s sales. Nick Horton > Jaton actually had automated purchasing back in 1993, we only used it for UK suppliers, based on a demand planner. The computer churned out orders once a month and it would run a program and calculate all the orders on a preferred supplier basis, because you had a price list discount negotiated with all the manufacturers. David Jackson > IT in the warehouse now gives us a mass of information, with barcodes and handheld terminals. That control of stock means product is live and in the system within hours of it coming off a lorry.

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Nick Horton > When I started in the trade, if you were on the sales desk, you had to write your orders out, then pass it over to the person who did the stock allocation. You’d have to write it on the form and tell the warehouse where to pick it from. Then you would write out the advice note to the customer, then accounts would write in the sale prices and calculate VAT and anything else, then post it. At one stage we had 15 people employed just raising invoices.

// There is no substitute for a walk around a customer’s warehouse or shop, spotting opportunities for both them and us. // Relating back to shows, with so much remote working from homes thanks to Covid-19, is it still as important to get face-to-face with customers now as it was in 1995? Tony Williams > It is just as important. Home working is fine for many of our staff such as our internal sales teams, however, the sociability aspect of the external Salespersons character, makes it difficult for them to function as well behind a screen using Microsoft Teams or Zoom. A physical call produces so much more than you can ever achieve from behind a screen. There is no substitute for a walk around a customer’s warehouse or shop, spotting opportunities for both customer and us. David Jackson > People buy from people. Video calls on Microsoft Teams is brilliant, it’s certainly better than no meetings. I think ultimately, however, you have to go and meet somebody. Tony Williams > Expanding on this point, the business faces challenges in 2021 regarding home working. The results of a survey we conducted a few months ago clearly showed that almost 95% of people who had moved from office‐based work‐ stations to home working, would not choose to revert. Many would like the opportunity to ‘mix it up’ i.e. four days from home, one day in the office. For many of them, the thought of the commute to work after dropping children off at school or nursery, battling the traffic jams and coping with the stress of being late for work, and then having to repeat all of this at the end of the day, is something they do not relish.

Industrial Bolting Special Metals and Alloys Over 150 Material Grades 10,000 Ton Inventory Over 300 Machines We Service All Quantities Serving Distributors Worldwide David Jackson > I think that is a good thing in many ways. There is a work life balance. You don’t have to spend 40 minutes going to work and 40 minutes going home. Tony Williams > I agree. As a business, we had no choice but to make it work. IT played a huge part in ensuring the connectivity and communications systems worked, and our teams adapted remarkably well in changing the way they operated. We are a business that is in tune with the work and lifestyle balance. The needs of busy families, and of course those of the business, are proving to be working cohesively. We’ve talked about some of the ways the fastener industry has changed over the past 25 years, so what about the future, five or even 25 years ahead for the industry? Tony Williams > I do not see a change in technology, I see an acceleration of the use of this technology within our industry. As the generation change progresses, we will see an increase in the number of customers who will want to place their orders without speaking to anybody. David Jackson > Nevertheless, we get a lot of people who like to pick up the phone and talk to us, but you look at the younger generation coming through and they are much more driven to the digital platforms and websites. I am sure this industry will be slow in that process, so in the next 10‐20 years there will be a gradual drift towards that as the older people like us retire and the new young ones come through. It will all be about tablets and laptops and that availability at people’s fingertips. Packaging might change to become more recyclable as well as smaller and lighter for health and safety, so no more 30 kilo tubs. I think quality of packaging will get better, I think the labelling will get better, I think the use of digital information will get better, but I think fundamentally, people will still buy bolts, nuts, washers and fasteners in boxes to get shipped overnight. David Jackson > The environment will become more of a concern for the industry in general, whether that’s trying to recycle more or use different materials in the first place. We can’t keep doing what we’re doing to the planet as we have for the last century. It has to change and I am sure that we will as an industry.

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25 YEARS

DELTALEIGH

IN FASTENERS

“A STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN” Deltaleigh Managing Director Simon Haywood recalls how exhibiting at Fastener Fair’s debut was a leap of faith but gave the firm chance to meet much of the industry for the first time. Since those days, Deltaleigh has continued to adapt and implement new methods as the business world changes… Before the Fastener Fair in 1995, did you have any reservations about it, or did you have high expectations? The first show was really a step into the unknown, I doubt anyone really knew how it would go. It was a gamble but defi‐ nitely worthwhile for Deltaleigh Ltd. What was the atmosphere like at that first show? I remember the hall being only partially filled with stands. The floors weren’t completely carpeted and it was a very large area for approximately 26 or 27 stands to try and occupy fully, quite daunting for those of us preparing for our first ever exhibition. Was it successful? On reflection I’d say yes, it was the first time many of us had even exhibited so whilst also the first show for Jerry [Ramsdale] it was the first time many of us had even met. We continued to exhibit at all subsequent shows, I believe it gave Deltaleigh (which was back then a relatively new company) a good presence in the market, it certainly became a place our customers old and new expected to meet us. In the 25 years since, 2020 has probably been the most disruptive for the fastener industry, thanks to Covid. Is that fair to say? 2020 has certainly been a challenging year. It has seen business change dramatically, not just to ensure the safety of staff and customers alike, but also the way business is actually conducted on a B2B level. I do believe certain aspects will return to ‘normal’ eventually, but other areas will certainly remain changed forever. How has Deltaleigh fared this year? How has it adapted to Covid? Deltaleigh has adapted like most companies, much more of our sales are conducted via call or video which to date has gone well. Our overall service remains unaffected. If anything it has probably helped us streamline our procedures. Next year potentially brings more disruption for the fastener sector with Brexit. Do you see any particular challenges or advantages? Brexit will obviously affect how a lot of our businesses operate in the UK. I really don’t see it as more of a change than a hindrance after all, changes were made when we joined the EU. Business adapted then and will undoubtedly do the same again. Looking beyond Covid and Brexit, what will the fastener industry look like in the next 5 (or 25) years? As a company we remain committed to ensuring our customers receive the quality of product, price and service they have come

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to expect from Deltaleigh Ltd over the years. We are continually adapting to the changing face of business be that through natural progression or more recently circumstance. We are a relatively small team and believe we will continue to grow through these uncertain times. www.deltaleigh.co.uk

Dot & Dab, Plasterboard Wall Fixing Solutions!

Rigifix is constantly rated as one of the best fixings available when fixing into Dot & Dab Platerboard Walls. Heavy duty applications include s, fixing Plasma TV’s, Kitchen Units, Radiators, Boilers, Curtain Rails, Shelving and much more. Available in Pre-Pack and Bulk ns. Boxes in both M6 and M8 versions.

Coming Soon............ To perfectly compliment the Rigifix range we are very soon going to be launching the Rigifix Lite. This easy to fit combination fixing offers the simple solution to fixing into dot & dab plasterboard walls. Packs come complete with Drill bits and Screws. For further information on these exciting products Contact us on: TEL: (+44) 1422 824959 DELT T LEIGH or visit: www.deltaleigh.co.uk Fixings, Fasteners & Power Tool Accessories

TORQUE FOCUS AUTOMOTIVE FASTENERS & TOOLS

LIGHTWEIGHT FASTENERS FOR A GREENER AUTOMOTIVE FUTURE Lightweighting is becoming even more important to the automotive market as it contends with the new challenges of electric vehicles, set to become the standard in the next 15 years in Europe and beyond. So what are the options? Yasin Boulakhras, Application Engineer at Accu runs through some of the materials and fasteners that can provide strong fastening without weighing too heavily the scales…

035 is the official year in which all petrol, diesel and hybrid cars will come to an end in the UK ‐ no new versions of these cars will be produced. Yet, this date is highly likely to be brought forward in line with the majority of Europe. There is now more pressure than ever before for car manufacturers to produce cleaner, more efficient cars, leading to industry‐wide discussions on lightweighting. Offering the ability to increase range and performance in electric vehicles, lightweighting has become the new buzz word in automotive design, pushing engineers and designers down to the very last gram. And it’s no surprise that fasteners are at the forefront of this lightweighting phenomenon. On their own, fasteners don’t account for much in terms of weight, but collectively, they make up a big proportion of a car’s weight. When thinking about how to save weight when it comes to fasteners, choosing the right material is the first step. Tradi‐ tionally, fasteners in the automotive industry have been manu‐ factured from mild and hardened steel because they are cheap to produce and offer excellent mechanical properties. But they aren’t particularly lightweight.

// Metal fasteners have been the go-to for many years in the automotive industry. However, they come with downsides... // So, with increased focus on fasteners in recent years, more exotic metals, such as aluminium, have begun to trickle down from the aerospace industry and onto the factory floor of most car manufacturers. There are now more than 500 different types of aluminium, offering varying characteristics, from high‐strength to high‐ heat resistant properties. Aluminium bolts, for example, offer

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numerous benefits; they are lightweight, cheap, easily recy‐ clable and strong – perfect for use in joints which are subject to varying temperatures. They also decrease the risk of increased stresses in components, or dropped clamp load from different thermal expansions. However, while there are a number of benefits with aluminium fasteners, there are other factors to consider, such as the environment that they will be used in and what dissim‐ ilar metals they will come into contact with. One of the major concerns with using aluminium is galvanic corrosion; a process which happens when two dissimilar metals are brought into electrical contact via a conductive fluid, such as water. This is common in the automotive industry where aluminium bolts are used in conjunction with steel parts. The lesser noble metal; aluminium, electrically contacts the higher noble metal; steel, resulting in the aluminium corroding, damaging the component and making it highly unsuitable for areas of the car that are likely to come into contact with water. There are, however, ways to counteract this. Plastic washers, for example, can break the contact between the two dissimilar metals. An alternative fastener material that has also made its way into the automotive industry from aerospace, is titanium. This exotic material offers excellent strength, lightweight and excel‐ lent thermal and corrosion properties, allowing car manufac‐ turers to keep the strength properties of steel and stainless with the added benefit of reducing weight. The only downside to this material is price. The costs are a lot greater than steel or stainless and these added costs in manufacturing are subse‐ quently passed on to the customer. But what if metals weren’t the only fastener solution? After all, there is an awful lot going on under the bonnet of a car, from car oil to brake fluid, heat and humidity, meaning that the envi‐ ronment which fasteners are subject to is extremely harsh. As this element of the car is so critical from a safety standpoint and for vehicle reliability, metal fasteners have been the go‐to for many years in the automotive industry. However, they come with downsides; they are extremely prone to corrosion and with all the fluids and chemicals in a car engine this can be detrimental to reliability and safety of the car.

// There is now more pressure than ever before for car manufacturers to produce cleaner, more efficient cars, leading to industry-wide discussions on lightweighting. // Another fastener That’ss why, y more and more, the automotive industry is turn‐ f stener gaining popularity within the industry fa industr is ing to plastics as a way to save weight. They can now be chem‐ thread forming screws. These ingenious fasteners are able to ical and acid resistant, dealing well with moisture and heat, and join multiple layers of material without the need for tapped are incredibly lightweight. The problem with plastics is that holes. Numerous combinations of materials can join together, they are not typically known for being strong. However, with saving multiple nuts and bolts that would have been used previ‐ recent advancements in technology, this has all changed. They ously. As more and more car manufacturers use aluminium are now becoming as strong as some metal fasteners; the auto‐ panels combined with composite panels and steel panels, it’s motive industry just has to be smart with the plastics it the thread forming screw that is making this all possible. chooses. Fiberglass epoxy is a popular plastic because Another great and simple way of saving weight it is flame resistant. It is a composite material that when it comes to fasteners is to think about the is made up of woven fiberglass cloth and an head of a screw. Normal sized socket cap heads epoxy resin, providing it with good strength are often used, however changing these to a to weight ratios similar to some aluminiums. low cap head screw reduces weight and Another favourable plastic is Thermoplas‐ replacing the drive type to a special drive, tics Polyurethane (TPU), as it is a very such a TORX, allows car manufacturers to strong product and is significantly lighter generate the same amount of torque than metal, as well as being resistant to required to fasten parts together but save chemicals, moisture and UV radiation. weight with reductions in head heights. Electric cars are set to Therefore, plastic fasteners are more The obvious solution for a greener future become the standard versatile than ever and they can provide a in the automotive industry comes down to in just a few years wide range of benefits. With the help of the car manufacturers and the fastener industry fastener industry, the automotive industry just working together to help make the right choices; needs to do its research on which plastic is suited to whether that’s choosing a different fastener alto‐ the application. gether or choosing standard fasteners in new advanced Not only does using different types of materials help the materials. Careful consideration is required when making cars automotive industry to save weight, but using different types lighter, and it can’t be at the expense of passenger safety. of fasteners does too. Pop rivets or blind rivets are a perfect That’s why Accu stocks a wide range of both rivets and example. As they are often made from stainless steel or thread forming fasteners, specialising in stainless steel and also aluminium, they can hold very thin types of material together, offering more exotic materials with our custom manufacturing with incredible strength retaining properties – all whilst being service. To see the range, head to the Accu site. incredibly lightweight. www.accu.co.uk

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TORQUE FOCUS AUTOMOTIVE FASTENERS & TOOLS

SOLVING GREAT TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES > BRALO Adaptation is key to success in the automotive market, and with three production and distribution facilities in key worldwide locations, BRALO is (literally) well placed to provide fastening systems for the automotive industry…

RALO, manufacturer and distributor of fastening systems, has been working for over 35 years in the automotive sector to offer a wide range of high quality solutions, adapted to the requirements of its customers, which it incorpo‐ rates in its production processes regardless of where they are carried out. Its three factories, located on three different conti‐ nents (in Spain, Mexico and China), ensure the production and distribution of its products is wherever they are needed. The automotive sector produces great technological chal‐ lenges and BRALO responds to the expectations of the sector by creating innovative products with the latest technology. Its production factories are based on the highest quality standards, certified by an external certification body. BRALO is IATF 16949 certified enabling direct supply to OEMs and BRALO is ISO 14001 certified, supporting its commitment to environmental management systems. A well‐established SE‐Team (Simultaneous Engineering) based on expertise of Quality, Manufacturing and R&D engi‐ neers ensure that products are a suitable solution to individual customer’s needs, focusing on values such as durability, safety and recyclability. The automotive sector makes up 30% of production. All BRALO’s products are fitted inside and outside of vehicles: doors, airbags, seats, roof, dashboards, body, etc; and not just cars, but also trucks, buses or even heavy machinery. At the same time the materials, processes and coatings cover all costumer needs; no matter if parts need to be produced in aluminium, steel or stainless steel, BRALO has standard solu‐ tions and bespoke designs to cover specific needs according to the most demanding quality requirements. In the automotive sector, adaptation is key to success, and BRALO is able to respond quickly. Another advantage of using BRALO products, either tools or fasteners, is the company’s commitment to quality and innovation. The design to production

BRALO has factories in key worldwide locations

// The automotive sector produces great technological challenges and BRALO responds to the expectations of the sector. // philosophy enables the manufacturer to fulfil customers’ requirements quicker than many others, BRALO says. And if there are any problems or changes are requested, the company has a very high speed response time. BRALO has an innovative line of Visual Inspection Machines that perform product quality control to ensure a “0” failure commitment to their customers. BRALO ensures parts are delivered without defects and carries out a complete 100%‐ dimensional check on the most important dimensions. www.bralo.com

BRALO can supply standards as well as manufacture fasteners specific to customer needs

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TORQUE FOCUS

NORMA’S NEW TWIST

SELF-TAPPING AND SPECIAL THREADED INSERTS

ORMA Group has developed a new quick connector for battery‐powered vehicles. The eM Twist is extremely light and is space‐saving on installation, so it is ideally suited for the usage in thermal management systems in e‐cars and hybrids. The eM Twist was developed for the VDA type spigot and it can be used in cooling water applications. Its assembly‐friendly self‐locking mechanism can be securely locked with a single movement and opened without tools by twisting the locking ring. “The shift in vehicle drives towards lower‐emission tech‐ nologies offers enormous potential for us,” says Dr Michael Schneider, CEO of NORMA Group. “It is important to meet customer requirements precisely. With the eM Twist, we are expanding our portfolio for the growing electromobility market with an easy‐to‐install solution without compromising on safety.” The eM Twist is optimised for use at operating tempera‐ tures of up to 110 °C and a maximum operating pressure of 2.5 bar, geared to the temperature range and pressure require‐ ments of electrically powered vehicles. Its low assembly force makes it easy to install. During development, NORMA Group's engineers concen‐ trated on the essential components and the best possible use of materials. The connector saves around a third of CO2 in production and the supply chain compared to similar connec‐ tors in conventional cooling systems. The main reasons for this are the optimised use of raw materials in product design and less emissions through transport of the components. Production of the eM Twist will initially start at NORMA Group’s plant in Pilica, Poland. In the future, production can be expanded to other locations.

The FIXI self-tapping bushes are metal inserts with an internal and external thread. They are used in either hard materials (steel, stainless steel) and soft materials (light alloys, plastics, copper, cast iron, wood) and provide high performance mechanical fixings.

EASY INSTALLATION HIGH PERFORMANCE MONEY SAVING MAIN OFFICE

www.normagroup.com NORMA is expanding its electromobility portfolio

Via Bellardi, 40/A - 10146 Torino - ITALY Phone +39 011 707 23 98 +39 011 707 08 77 www.fixi.it - info@fixi.it

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WEBINAR REPORT TAIWAN EXCELLENCE

TAITRA GOES DIGITAL As fastener shows around the world face cancellations and online adaptations, TAITRA host its Taiwan Excellence webinar in Taiwan which welcomed more than 200 visitors…

he Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) hosted its successful Taiwan Excellence Build‐ ing Material and Fastener Webinar in Taipei, Taiwan, on 30 October, and welcomed more than 200 buyers and media from around the world. The webinar provided global participants a closer look at Taiwan’s top brands and their innovative building material and fastener products that improve user quality and safety. These brands included King Slide Works Co, Ltd, TRONCO Electric Machinery, Inc, Sheh Kai Precision Co, Ltd and Sheh Fung Screw Co, Ltd. The webinar concluded with business match‐making sessions for participants to further interact with brand repre‐ sentatives. Simon Wang, Executive Vice President, TAITRA, says the brands are all ramping up production and actively seeking global, collaborative opportunities with buyers as well as other product manufacturers. Attendees were impressed by the presentation of stellar prod‐ ucts offered by these four top industry brands, says TAITRA. King Slide Works Co, Ltd > presented three revolutionary safety designs including “Ever‐Active Push‐Open Design”, “Vibration Safety Design (VSD)” and “Switchable Push‐Open Design,”, among which the product “SIMLEAD Safety Drawer System with Push Open, Soft‐Closing and VSD” was selected for the Taiwan Excellence Silver Award in 2019.

Sheh Kai Precision Co, Ltd > presented a comparison between screw anchors and expansion anchors, demonstrat‐ ing the high‐quality products available to buyers. Its concrete screw anchor won the Taiwan Excellence Award 2017, featur‐ ing high ductility within the load bearing area of the fastener, and lowering the sensitivity of the fastener to damage by embrittlement by way of hydrogen as well as corrosion. TRONCO Electric Machinery, Inc > presented an intelligent automatic door system that marries systematic integration and mechanical design. TRONCO’s door systems assure customers of safe and secure operation within a variety of settings. The SW30 series of Automatic Swing Door System incorporates microprocessor servo controllers that bring the benefit of precision door position control and smooth noise‐ free operation. It is also a green electric system with high effi‐ ciency power supply units. Its stand‐by power consumption takes below 0.5W, offering a superior energy, cost‐effective automatic door solution. The built‐in obstruction detection feature reacts to the lightest touch on the doors when closing to prevent accidents. Sheh Fung Screw Co > is an enterprise affiliated to Sheh Kai, and a fastener brand offering quality and safety for the user. Sheh Fung said it has developed an exclusive, superior corro‐ sion resistance coating for its fasteners and offers customisa‐ tion for different uses. Sheh Fung’s Timber Construction Screws have the characteristics and function to let users handle them more easily and save more time by their patent design to reduce screw torque and the risk of splitting wood. The winners of the Taiwan Excellence Award look forward to partnering with international buyers to bring their innova‐ tions to global building material and fastener markets. en.taitra.org.tw Many webinars post videos of the event online for industry executives to catch up on at their leisure

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Quality welding studs

OBTEC GmbH

Hüingser Ring 52 58710 Menden Germany

Tel.: +49 (0)2373 89-1166 Fax: +49 (0)2373 89-1238 info@obtec.eu

www.obtec.eu

Watch the video!

THINK SAFE

> Cost-efﬁcient > High process reliability > Avoidance of quality costs

Setting process monitoring toring inside!

TAURUS ® C WINTECH SAFE. PRECISE. ALWAYS RIGHT!

The experts in riveting technologies

GESIPA Blindniettechnik GmbH Nordendstraße 13-39 64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf Germany

T +49 (0) 6105 962 0 F +49 (0) 6105 962 287 info@gesipa.com www.gesipa.com

CASE STUDY

SPHINX INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES GROWS ITS BUSINESS BY DIGITALLY TRANSFORMING ITS OPERATIONS WITH OGL SOFTWARE When time-consuming manual processes are holding your business back, OGL Software is on hand to help…

phinx partnered with OGL in 2015 having realised it needed to remove the manual processes that were hold‐ ing it back in order to reach its full potential. With big plans to extend its trade counter, showroom, services, and website, Sphinx needed a software solution that centralised and digitalised its processes to manage multiple sales channels and become more eﬃcient and effective. Prior to OGL Software, Sphinx used QuickBooks which “was terrible”. The Finance Director explained to us that “there was just no stock management in QuickBooks so our stock was all over the place because we couldn’t keep track of what was coming in and going out. As the company grew bigger and the number of customers and product lines increased, it just became a headache.” The manual processes involved in managing their stock and taking orders meant the staff couldn’t focus on growing the business and instead spent hours doing admin. “All our back orders were done manually, we all had to remember what customers had ordered and when they needed it and as we got busier and busier, that became a big challenge.

The Sphinx Industrial Supplies team

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“We have a trade counter too which had an A4 folder where we recorded customer orders. I’d then have to sit for two weeks just pricing all the handwritten notes and invoicing. I wouldn’t do any of my sales or ﬁnance role because the paper‐ work was huge. You couldn’t view customer pricing on Quick‐ Books so you’d have to look through customer paperwork, it was just impossible to keep on top of.” “OGL Software has helped to streamline everything. We wanted to expand without employing more people and the system helps massively to manage all our sales channels because we can easily see and control all our stock in one place. “We use the system in everything we do, especially order processing, purchasing, eCommerce, warehouse management and pricing structures.”

// OGL Software has helped to streamline everything. // Needing an integrated eCommerce system was a key driver for choosing OGL Software and thankfully the website helped Sphinx to ride out the 2020 global pandemic, increase sales revenue and promote its brand. “We had a website before for four years and we never had an order. That speaks for itself. We are now getting 8‐15 orders a day on our new website and it’s only been live a year. We also get a lot of calls from prospects looking at the website, so we need to take that into account when looking at its value, it’s a great promotional tool.” When looking at the first lockdown period during the pandemic, Sphinx explains: “I think we still would have been here [after the lockdown], but we would have struggled. The website has saved us. It was just processing orders because people could see what we sold and the stock we had. The website kept us ticking over the whole time. Sales revenue increased by 300% during that period, it’s been manic.” Implementing OGL Software, a fully integrated ERP system, has helped modernise Sphinx’s operations which has enabled them to improve their customer service, increase productivity and efficiently grow their business. Embracing technology has enabled Sphinx to stay flexible and adaptable in the ever‐ changing climate. www.ogl.co.uk/software www.sphinxindustrial.co.uk

Rapid Industrial Fasteners Ltd Honest lead-times you can rely on... Say goodbye to ‘should be’ ISO9001-2015 Manufacturer of special Fasteners M1.6 - M100, Componets and Turned parts • Proudly 40 years old, established 28th November 1980 • Can work from your free issue material • . .7 ERH GIVXMǻGEXMSR EZEMPEFPI • T CARD system for complete visability • Shift work for emergency jobs and break down

Materials we manufacture from include:

Duplex & Super Duplex • Exotic Materials & Alloys Heat Resistant Materials • Stainless Steel • Carbon & Steel Non-Ferrous • Standard Bolting Grades 4.6, 8.8, 10.9, 12.9 Petrochemical grades B7/L7, B7M/L7M, B8M-1, B8M-2, B8-1,B8-2, B8T-1, B8T-2 Rapid Industrial Fasteners Manufacturing Hub 27 Lye Valley Industrial Estate, Stourbridge DY9 8HX Telephone : 0121 501 3903 Email: manufacturing@rapidfast.com www.rapidfast.co.uk

FASTENER MANUFACTURING

PRINZ

GERMANY – SÜDWESTFALEN – PLETTENBERG

“PRESERVE TRADITION AND SHAPE THE FUTURE” PRINZ continues to be a leading automotive specialist in the fastener industry as a visit from Torque magazine sheds light on the manufacturer’s success since it was established nearly 150 years ago…

PRINZ manufactures fasteners almost exclusively to customers drawings.

ounded in 1875, PRINZ is one of the leading manufac‐ turers of fasteners for the automotive industry, the household appliance industry, window construction and the tool industry. With a production area of 16,000 m², the company use the cold forming methods to process more than 8,000 t of steel per year directly from the coil into high‐quality connecting elements. PRINZ manufactures fasteners almost exclusively to customers drawings and works with companies such as BMW, Mercedes Benz, Bosch and more and as its mission statement contests, products that leave PRINZ are of the highest quality and meet all customer requirements 100%. PRINZ has more than 180 employees and more than 10 apprentices who work to continuously develop optimisation processes to ensure the best quality of fasteners leave the warehouse. Additionally, all products are carefully checked for their internal, metallurgical quality. To do this, PRINZ uses the latest digital image processing as well as microscopic and macroscopic examinations of the finished parts. Last year saw the fastener manufacturer sell approximately 137 million parts with an annual turnover of €32.5 million and its exports at 50% worldwide. It is therefore no surprise that PRINZ remains one of the leading fastener suppliers for the automotive industry. Now in its fifth generation, PRINZ continues to work under the motto: “Preserve tradition and shape the future”. This is done through continuous renewal and expansion of the machine park. Its preliminary rounding is done by the commis‐ sioning of two six‐stage presses for the production of products with a diameter of up to 20mm and the construction of a 100% test using automated testing technology. The addition of a new

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production hall of more than 1,500m² serves to optimise processes and increase efficiency. 2012 saw the company expand as it added approximately 1,000m² of production to its portfolio to improve the area process flows in shipping and to expand automated testing and analysis. Additionally, the company also expanded its production capacities in 2014 through a major investment of almost five million euros for a machine package with two multi‐stage presses, two thread rolling machines and one testing machine. Technology used at the company includes: upsetting (forming), rollers, straightening and cutting, flattening and punching, toolmaking. Cold forming technologies carried out at PRINZ include > Upsetting Bending Flat die thread rolling Round die thread rolling Stamping Machining welding Surfaces/ hardening and tempering Assemblies Further project specific features It is difficult to predict what the future holds during such unprecedented times as many industries experience one of the hardest economical challenges in the last decade, however, it seems likely that PRINZ will continue to produce fasteners of the highest quality whilst keeping a solid foothold in the automotive sectors and more. www.prinz-h.de

FASTENER MANUFACTURING

R+FK SCHULTE

GERMANY – SÜDWESTFALEN – PLETTENBERG

HIGH-END STAMPING TECHNOLOGY Innovation is key for Plettenberg-located washer and stamped parts business, rfks drawing parts according to customer specifications, all produced with its state of‐the‐art machinery. With a comprehensive service and a customer‐oriented approach, customers include fastener wholesalers, the exacting automotive industry and its suppliers, screw and dowel manu‐ facturers, machine and steel construction companies and more. Innovation is key to the RFKS philosophy. Continuously devel‐ oping and improving production processes, with the help of

n 1938, toolmaker Friedrich Karl Schulte set up a factory building in Plettenberg and began production of washers and stamped parts. In 1954, the Schulte brothers decided to join forces and created Rudolf & Friedrich Karl Schulte oHG, Pressund Stanzwerk, which became the more concise Rudolf & Friedrich Karl Schulte KG in 1976. Just as in its early days, R+FK Schulte (RFKS) still produces stamped parts, as well as embossed and bent products. And just as it started, the business is still family‐owned and headquar‐ tered in Plettenberg, only now with 160 employees and process‐ ing more than 30,000 tons of flat steel annually. Among the milestones of the RFKS business came in 2004 when the company bought a 12,000m² site (once part of a German railway company), paving the way for extensive expan‐ sion over the following decade or so.

modern machinery and material combinations, RFKS aims to keep production costs low for customers and partners and keep the business one step ahead. www.rfks.com

High-end stamping technology German‐made high‐end stamping technology is today’s focus for RFKS, backed by technology expertise. Featuring its own tool manufacturing unit staffed by well‐trained specialists, RFKS can also count on large raw material stocks, modern packaging lines and a logistics centre for stock. Supplying not only a wide range of DIN/ISO washers, the manufacturer also offers a broad production range of special and

Standard Listed - you know who’s best! But contact us for all the rest... • Non-preferred Metrics • Intermediate Sizes • Short and Long Lengths • Slotted Grub Screws • A4/80 Bolts & Socket Caps • 6 Lobe (TX) Drive Screws • All Metal Self-Locking Nuts • Studding Connectors And many more...

Tel: +44 (0) 117 - 972 8560 Fax: +44 (0) 117 - 972 8570 Email: sales@avonstainlessfasteners.co.uk

Online Product Guide: www.avonstainlessfasteners.co.uk Unit 10, Riverside Business Park, St Anne’s, Bristol, BS4 4ED, UK.

FASTENER MANUFACTURING

KALELILER FASTENERS

TURKEY

FROM A SHOP TO A GROWING MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER Kaleliler has been a reliable supplier for steel fasteners since the 1990s but the firm has changed and grown considerably from its humble beginnings...

ALELİLER Fasteners was founded by Mr Kazım Kaleli in 1995 in Ankara, Turkey as a small 35m² hardware shop with a team of five. Today, Kaleliler is manufacturing and selling to Europe in a factory of 9,500 m² covered area in a total area of 14,000 m² in Ankara/Saray with a team of 132. Production Kaleliler’s production facility can manufacture a wide variety of fasteners. There is bolt production, stud bolt and anchor bolt production, nut and special fasteners production via hot forging & cold forming methods with different steel and stainless steel raw materials and electro‐galvanized coating. Hot dip galvanised coating and Geomet coating applications can be applied as well. In the machining section, the business manufactures custom‐ made parts to meet the requirements of different industries. Fast production of superior quality fasteners is possible thanks to Kaleliler’s machinery and equipment, from an auto‐ matic cutting unit to a hot forging unit, a heat treatment & machining unit, the thread rolling unit, the coating unit and a quality control laboratory. Kaleliler can produce a wide range of fasteners with its KLR marking bolts and screws between M12 – M72 diameter up to length of 900 mm. It also produces threaded rods and studs between M8 – M220 mm, with all length nuts between M20 – M72. Anchorage bolts and bended items like U‐Bolts and J‐Bolts are also manufactured by the business. In addition to a wide range of manufactured products, Kaleliler also has a considerable range of stock items for all type of fasteners. Sectors and quality control With such a wide‐ranging production facility, it perhaps comes as no surprise that Kaleliler supplies a broad range of markets and sectors, including: Energy > Renewable energy, wind turbine power plants, thermal coal power plants and hydroelectric power plants. Petrochemical plants and refineries. Bridge and tunnel construction Industrial plants Steel constructions Airport constructions Machine industry and heavy machinery Kaleliler’s Quality Control Laboratory sees all checks and tests performed by qualified engineers. Checks begin from raw mate‐ rial handling and the results are registered by the help of ERP programs including CANIAS, and related 3.1 B certificates according to EN 10204 standard are generated, so that the firm can guarantee traceability to its clients.

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Kaleliler’s Quality Control lab

The well-stocked QC lab features > Universal tensile tester (600 kN & 1500 kN ) Hardness tester (Micro Vickers) Hardness tester (Mechanical) (HRC-HRB) Impact test machine Coating thickness measurement device Magnetic particle testing device Spectral analyser Calipers, micrometers and other measuring instruments Profile projector Metal microscope Cutting machine Bakelite press Polishing machine Nuts & bolts gauges Traceability is handled with an ERP program while all production and quality control steps are registered in the computer system beginning from the handling of raw material and right throughout the process. For more information on Kaleliler’s offering to the fastener industry, contact the firm directly via: info@kaleliler.com.tr export@kaleliler.com.tr www.kaleliler.com.tr KALELILER FASTENERS’ CERTIFICATIONS ISO 9001:2015 (TUV NORD) ISO 14001:2015 (TUV NORD) ISO 45001:2018 (TUV NORD) TSE EN 15048-1_01.07.2020 ÜRÜN MARKA BELGESİ (TSE) TSE EN 14399-3_01.07.2020 ÜRÜN MARKA BELGESİ (TSE) TSE EN 14399-4_01.07.2020 ÜRÜN MARKA BELGESİ (TSE) TSE EN 14399-5_01.07.2020 ÜRÜN MARKA BELGESİ (TSE) TSE EN 14399-6_01.07.2020 ÜRÜN MARKA BELGESİ (TSE) TSE EN 1025-Splm_06/01-073096 EN 14399-1:2015 EN 15048-1:2007 (SZUTEST) CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY DAST Richtline 021 (SZUTEST) RÜZGAR ENERJİSİ EKİPMANLARI YERLİ ÜRETİM BELGESİ T.C. TÜRK PATENT ve MARKA KURUMU (MARKA TESCİL) 2007-70787

INTERVIEW

GESIPA > DRIVING VALUE AND EMBRACING CHANGE Urs Langenauer became Gesipa Managing Director and Head of the Riveting Division in SFS Group last year, after over two decades with the group. While it’s been an eventful period to have taken the helm (not least with the company celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2020), SFS’ former head of Automotive North America spoke with Torque Magazine about disruption, longer term trends in the market and embracing change…

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You’ve been head of the Riveting Division for almost a year and a half now – it has been quite a disruptive period to be in the role... I have actually been with Gesipa parent SFS Group for 25 years on 1 August. Yes, coronavirus has certainly impacted us all. SFS Group has a large presence in China so we had a lot of insight and communication early. Thanks to our colleagues in China, we had already looked at things like best practice and communi‐ cated about it before even the German government started to be active on Covid rules. Another advantage we had was our IT system, so we were ready to move our office team to work remotely thanks to our system. It was definitely eventful, but from that point of view it was controlled and with no major issues. We know the virus is still out there, but we have a lot of safety measures in place. There have been changes from an employee perspective; Video calls have become a daily tool, in our Walldorf headquar‐ ters everyone puts on a mask as soon as they leave their desk… From a company perspective, we started strong in the first quarter then corona had a big impact in April and business progressively improved. We’ve seen improvement in Germany and also in other countries. No one is jumping up and down about the sales numbers, but we were able to control our costs to the point that the results are acceptable. SFS Group results for HY 1, saw the fastening systems division seemed almost at last year’s levels – so it sounds like things are better than expected? For us it was quite a mixed bag. It feels like construction didn’t really slow down much while the automotive riveting business unit was clearly down. Overall for the SFS Group, I would also say the results for the first half were definitely solid. Automotive does seem an important sector for Gesipa and SFS, and has clearly been hit quite hard by Covid. Are you seeing signs of recovery? Clearly the automotive market shut down plants for quite a while and actually came back quite strong in September. However, the question is always, how much is just reducing the backlog that has accumulated? And how much is people buying cars again? In Germany, new car registrations were significantly down in July and August, so we will see. If you look back at the financial crisis, there were a lot of concerns, but the reality is that two years later, people still need to drive cars and buy cars, they still need to replace them. The business comes back. That comparison of the impact of Covid to the 2008/2009 financial crisis has been made a few times... Clearly the cause is different. I would also say the development was different. Globally you can see that government and central banks have clearly learned from the credit crunch. For this

crisis, they were quick to improve liquidity. The challenge here is you are dealing with another dimension. Back then the health of employees was never impacted. Health of employees is obvi‐ ously very important and we are very concerned about it. When sales and revenue disappear, you have to act quickly on costs. You use the opportunity to improve the organisation and keep going on projects. From that point of view, that’s defi‐ nitely an area where there are parallels. One thing I feel is different is that in the financial crises every‐ one stepped on the brake, but the behaviours of how we do things didn’t change much. Coronavirus has changed how we do things dramatically. Video conferences, e‐shops… people that probably had never used an online shop have become experts in using them. Coronavirus has had a really disrupting dimen‐ sion that we probably have not seen in the last financial crisis. Has it been hard to implement social distancing in warehouses and plants? In the offices it was quite simple, you can say work from home. It is more complicated in the warehouse. On the production line you can add plastic boards between people where it is not possible to wear face masks, and you can stagger lunches, for example. Germany is Gesipa’s biggest market, so how big is the UK business? It’s definitely an important business for us, we have Germany which is our largest market historically. UK is a strong market, also the US. Will you be looking to launch into new markets? I have a lot of respect for the history of the company, one of the impressive things about Gesipa is that it has had a very good distribution network around the world for a long time. The company was at the pulse in a lot of markets quite early on and still is. Something interesting right now is that some Chinese automotive suppliers are starting to build up manu‐ facturing in the Balkans. Clearly it will be an unusual few months ahead with corona, but looking further in the future, what are your goals for Gesipa? Coming back to corona, the market is also changing. One excellent example is when you look at mobility. E‐mobility has been gaining market share quickly through the coronavirus pandemic. Politically the signs are there that e‐mobility will gain even more traction, and this is a field where there are a lot of fastening solutions, so that clearly also impacts us. I think the other topic is our distribution models in the future. What impact does e‐commerce have on our industry ? I personally also believe, while everyone talks about digitali‐ sation – what we’re not talking about enough as an industry is decarbonisation, climate neutrality. I believe, as an industry it

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INTERVIEW

will impact us. CO2 emissions will become more expensive. Steel production today is very CO2 intense. Our industry uses a lot of steel. In the further term it will definitely impact us all. When I speak to senior fastener executives, this topic is coming up more often. Is Gesipa addressing it? As SFS Group we publish a sustainability report. That’s at group level, but it impacts Gesipa. There are expectations today from shareholders as well as from some of the larger customers to reduce our carbon footprint. For SFS Group, protecting the environment has been part of our policy for a long time. In terms of progressing the company, are you developing new products to grow business? Our energies are concentrated on what we can create to help our customers. Not just how can we build value for us, but also how can we add value for the customer. We want to be focused on our strengths that are riveting technology and its application. The Brexit transition period is coming to an end – is it a concern for Gesipa? We are preparing for it, Gesipa UK´s managing directorand her team have been planning and I think we are as ready as we

// It's challenging... but if we are able and willing to accept and embrace change, then the future is ours. //

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can be. I think the challenge for us and our colleagues in the UK is that Brexit adds another dimension of uncertainty. But on the other hand, I am Swiss and Switzerland is not part of the EU but is somehow working together, so apparently there are models that seem to work, that’s my hope after the noise and things become clearer. No one is sure what is really being discussed away from the headlines. One thing we learned in the last four years is that politics have got much louder. Have you got any final thoughts for our readers? Personally speaking, it’s definitely challenging at the moment, but we have built a good team here and I know we are ready for the future. Some topics have been accelerated by corona and I believe having good people using common sense and being willing to learn and change, to accept and embrace change, then the future is ours. I am very positive. We are able and willing to adapt to whatever the challenges for the future are. I had to fly from the US into Europe around January when people were just starting to wear face masks. It looked strange at the time, but now we have all adapted. It clearly shows if we have to change as humans, then we are surprisingly adaptable. www.gesipa.de

TORQUE FOCUS ABRASIVES AND CUTTING TOOLS

MAKE THE CUT >

5 TOOL TIPS Knowledge is where distributors and merchants can offer a point of difference over pure play retail. FEIN UK’s Managing Director shares knowledge from the tool industry stalwart on how to speed up projects with Torque Magazine readers…

t’s often said that a “poor workman blames his tools,” which is an odd thing to say as many installers will know that without having the right tool, some jobs are virtually impossible! And, to use another well‐worn phrase, because “time is money” it’s especially important to make sure that your toolkit will help you finish a task as quickly and efficiently as possible, and to a high standard. As a manufacturer of power tools and accessories, we’ve built up a lot of experience at FEIN in understanding what the equipment installers use every day needs to provide, so that they can work quickly, accurately and to a high standard. We’ve used this knowledge to create the following list of tips to help identify the tools that will enable installers to complete a project as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

The importance of multitasking Tools that can tackle multiple tasks are a great way to streamline your working processes, as they enable you to spend more time focused on the work and less time setting up and packing down equipment, or making trips to the van. They also enable you to complete a multitude of jobs, while generally having less gear to move around. Oscillating multi‐ tools are a good example, as they can be used for a long list of jobs, such as sawing metal and plastics, cutting tiles, sili‐ cone joints and carpets, scraping out adhesives, polishing and much more. Our MultiMaster range for instance, is compatible with Starlock. Meaning, users can benefit from up to 180 acces‐ sories and 100% power transmission.

// Our MultiMaster range is compatible with Starlock, so users can benefit from up to 180 accessories and 100% power transmission. //

The FEIN MultiMaster range

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Easy to swap out attachments will save end users precious time on the jobjob, says FEIN

Easy to swap out attachments If you do opt for using multi‐tools over single‐purpose power tools then it’s important to have the right attachments to hand and know that they can be easily swapped out without any hassle or fiddly connections. Tools that have a simple click‐on connection avoid losing time when switching between tasks, with some systems enabling you to carry out quick tool changes in a matter of seconds. The connection between the motor and the attach‐ ment also determines the power transfer between the two and therefore needs to be robust as well as easy‐to‐use. Having clear visual indicators on the attachment, such as its specifications and intended application, is another bonus, as it further speeds up the process of working out what tool you need next. Having accessories and spares on hand Even by using multi‐purpose tools it’s likely that you’ll need a long list of accessories as well as backups for the blades/drills/sanding pads/etc. that you know you’re going to be using a lot. Choosing a kit that keeps all of this together and in one place might seem like a simple idea, but the stress and time that it’ll save when that one crucial blade breaks and you can’t remember where you put the spares is worth its weight in gold. The importance of durability Using low‐quality tools for intense jobs or for too long risks equipment breakages, which will slow things down while you wait for a replacement. Even if the tool survives, it also risks the installer being in a situation where they just don’t have enough power to do the work properly. Also, there is no guarantee a tool will have the ability to put out a lot of power for a long duration of time. This is particu‐ larly the case with battery powered tools as, if the battery is not properly protected, then it can be affected by overloading, overheating and total discharge issues.

Getting the right amount of power Whilst we’re discussing power, it’s important to get the power level right, particularly when it comes to cordless tools. In general, an 18‐volt motor that provides 450 watts of power will be sufficient to handle extreme loads for a long period of time. Bear in mind though that different 18‐volt motors have different levels of performance, which will affect the intensity of work it can do. In addition, not all motors are the same, and ideally you want to choose one that is not only powerful but which can generate power at constant speeds even under load and which is also not going to be too heavy. For example, FEIN’s MultiMaster 700 has an incredibly power‐ ful 450‐watt high‐power motor which is suited for continuous use and overload for maximum cutting speed and rapid work progress. This multi‐tool has the ability to saw wood, metal and plastics, while also quickly cutting out tiles, and it comes with up to 60 accessories, making it ideal for an array of jobs. Having the right tool for the job not only means that the work can be done quicker and better, but it also provides peace of mind for an installer that they have what they need at their fingertips and therefore don’t need to worry about breakages, failures, replacements and a lot of unwanted hassle sucking up their valuable time.

FEIN is the specialist brand of quality and reliable power tools and accessories for the metal working and interior sectors. As the inventor of the first electric handheld power tool, FEIN has been developing innovative and efficient solutions for everyday use by industry and manual trades for over 150 years, and now has a wide range of power tool products. FEIN also offers an extensive range of special accessories, which are tailored to pre-defined applications for professionals.

www.fein.com

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BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION FISCHER

FIXING UP A LONDON LANDMARK Fixings expert fischer supplied Zykon panel anchors FZP II with nuts and drilling technology to securely install a limestone façade in a high profile London building…

egent’s Place is a prime site in London’s West End hous‐ ing international businesses like Facebook, Santander Bank, the headquarters of department store chain Debenhams HQ as well as investment management company Dimensional Fund Advisors LP. The location, which also houses retail, restaurant and other recreational facilities, has recently undergone an extensive renovation project, not least at 1 Triton Square, where the building will extend from five to eight stories, with four large roof terraces. Covering a whopping 366,000 ft² (34,000 m²) and increasing space by 127,000 ft² (approx. 12,000 m²), more room has been made available for retail and office rental. 310,000 ft² (approx. 29,000 m²) of office space have been pre‐ let to the Dentsu Aegis Network, a global communications and media consultancy firm. During the refurb, British Land Company PLC focused on the requirements of the building’s users as well as on targeting various client groups. The original character of the ‘90s‐ constructed building has been maintained during updates, with one of the main factors being the design of the building envelope. This contract was awarded to façade specialist Josef Gartner GmbH of Gundelfingen, Bavaria, which belongs to the Italian headquartered Permasteelisa Group. The task involved maintaining the object’s familiar features while giving it a fresh and modern look. The single‐leaf façade made of glass and natural stone was refurbished and expanded on a total sur‐ face of 120,500 feet² (approx. 11,200 m²). The majority of the existing façade and extension was reused and partially refurbished, which corresponded with the project’s sustainable BREEAM‐certified approach. New façade surfaces were also added over the course of the building’s extension – facade panels were installed over a surface of approx. 2,300 m². The panels consist of the French “Val de Nod”

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// We offered the right solution for the project, consisting of undercut anchors, nuts and drilling technology. // limestone and measure 900 x 450 x 40 millimetres. The lime‐ stone panels were securely installed in the anchor base using approx. 24,000 fischer Zykon‐panel anchors FZP II. The under‐ cut anchors were supplied with nuts featuring a custom geom‐ etry. The façade system consists of stainless steel (A4) and is therefore corrosion resistant. The Zykon panel anchors FZP II are installed in natural stone without expansion pressure. “To begin with, conical drill holes are created before an undercut hole is drilled,” says Detlef Postler, Project Support fischer Façade systems. “Next, the anchors simply need to be expanded using the setting tool before being connected with the substructure. We offer complete systems with the corre‐ sponding accessories from a single source for this purpose.” This technique offers many advantages, explains Steven‐ Henrik Maier, Market Manager fischer façade systems: “In comparison to edge fastenings, the load‐bearing capacity increases and the bending stress of the panel is reduced by up to 50% by attaching the anchors to the reverse side in a struc‐ turally optimised position, the so‐called 1/5 point. “And that’s not all, as the undercut anchors also provide opti‐ cal advantages in comparison to edge fastenings by providing a harmonious look between the gaps without any visible fixings elements.” Postler adds: “We offered the right solution for the project, consisting of undercut anchors, nuts and drilling technology. Also thanks to local expertise at our national subsidiary fischer UK, we were able to provide not only prompt engineering support for those involved with the construction project, consisting of planning and calculation services, but also on‐ site assistance by our local ACT expert Jeff Holmes. We will continue to do so until the project's successful completion.” www.fischer.group

FEBRUARY + MARCH 2021 SPECIAL

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LOW-COST AND EFFECTIVE Torque Magazine will publish a targeted Fastener Fair Stuttgart Preview – spread over 2 key issues.

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I Guaranteed presence in 2 issues – February print + March digital I 100 words each + image/company logo + stand details + contact details 2019 digital edition viewed on iPad

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BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION ADHESIVES, SEALANTS & FILLERS

// This white, solventfree, water-based sealant is highly flexible, with a joint movement capability up to 12.5% and can be overpainted within one hour. //

DON’T CRACK UP UK sealant and adhesives manufacterer Bond It discuss its new No Crack Caulk sealant with Torque Magazine…

CUTTING WASTE AND SAVING COST Cutting the use of Single Use Plastics is driving sales, saving cost and waste, explains Scarlet McAleese-Banks, Marketing Director of Hilton Banks.

he rise of more environmentally friendly sealants and adhesives is a responsible move in the right direction. Plastics are finding their way into our seas and oceans, and of those plastics that are sent to landfill, some take over a thousand years to breakdown in the soil. There is little doubt that the construction sector and its product suppliers need to take action. Research by the company found that 87% of small to medium sized tradespeo‐ ple said sustainability and the environmental impact of construction work is an important issue for them. 97% believe the industry could be less wasteful in terms of packaging and 81% would expect the cost of more sustainable packaging to be the same.

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HB42 is listening to the trade and working to tackle the pressing environmental problem of disposing of the single use plastic cartridge. In 2019, the company launched its best‐sell‐ ing HB42 All‐in‐One Sealant and Adhesive in 400ml Eco Foils. The 400ml foils produce 95% less waste than the single use tubes and users get 38% more sealant than in the 290ml plas‐ tic tube. Using the latest MS Polymer technology, the product seals, sticks and fills, is flexible up to 230%, can be over‐ painted and works in the wet. It is low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and bonds to almost anything; it is also food safe, fully curing in 24 hours. For merchant customers, moving away from Single Use Plastics and switching to foils can be a strategic and socially

ALL NEW IN

2020 B

ond It, one of the UK’s fastest growing manufac‐ turers of sealants, adhesives and building chemi‐ cals, has launched a new sealant to complement its already growing silicone and sealant range. No Crack Caulk, introduced under the company’s Superheros Brand, is a water resistant, high quality decorators caulk that prevents craze cracking when painted. This white, solvent‐free, water‐based sealant is highly flexible, with a joint movement capability up to 12.5% and can be overpainted within one hour. With excellent gap‐filling properties this hard wearing caulk contains a fungicide to retard mould growth and is suitable for use on both interior and exterior jobs. In addition, caulk adheres to most surfaces without the use of a primer and is non‐corrosive to metals. It is more resistant to movement than most standard caulks and is longer lasting. Furthermore, it is perfect for sealing around window frames, architraves, cornices PVC profile trim & cladding, plasterboard joints and for sealing cracks and gaps in plaster, brickwork, concrete, skirting boards and walls. For more information on Bond It contact the Sales Team on 01422 315300 or visit

)FBE 0GGJDF Unit G16, River Bank Way, LowGields Business Park, Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 9DN Tel: +44(0)1422 315300, Email: salesuk@bonditgroup.com www.bonditgroup.com $)&$, 065 063 4*-*$0/& "%)&4*7& 3"/(&4 '03 "-- :063 '*9*/( /&&%4

www.bond-it.co.uk

Nylon insert nuts Cleveloc nuts High grades Castle nuts responsible business decision. It can also be a decision that makes financial sense too. According to a 2019 survey from Hotwire, 47% of internet users worldwide said they had switched to a different product or service because a company violated their personal values. As society’s attitude changes, merchant suppliers will need to adapt their products and the packaging they come in. The good news is that we are already changing minds and we have seen a 20% increase in sales of Eco‐Foils through merchants in 2020 and it is a trend we want to build on.

Nyloc dome nuts Stover nuts Stover ﬂange nuts Fine pitch Full and lock nuts And stacks more!

www.hiltonbanks.com

Caxton Way, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3RY Email: nuts@dsfasteners.co.uk www.dsfasteners.co.uk

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INSPECTION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

ON CLOSER INSPECTION We hear from two expanding QA labs – Owlett-Jaton’s in the UK and a bolt maker in Spain…

Part of Owlett-Jaton’s revamped QA facilities

OWLETT-JATON INVESTS IN NEW QA FACILITY Significant investment in a new laboratory at Owlett‐Jaton’s Head Office in Staffordshire will provide a new base for its Quality Assurance Team. Moving locations has presented an opportunity for Group Quality Manager Steve Phillips to improve the existing facilities into a single dedicated fit‐for‐ purpose department located within the Stone operation. “The move has allowed us to expand and has provided us with two dedicated rooms, one for sample preparation and limited re‐working of products, whilst the other room provides a clean environment for performing inspection and conducting investigations. “Our optical inspection equipment includes both a Keyence IM‐7000 Image Dimension Measuring System together with a more traditional Mitutoyo shadowgraph, allowing us to inspect parts to a high level of accuracy. We also carry out on‐ site hardness determination to Rockwell B&C scales, and a significant range of the traditional ring, plug and caliper gauges are still invaluable and enable us to inspect a large sample of incoming products.”

// The move has allowed us to expand and has provided us with two dedicated rooms. //

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Owlett‐Jaton’s goods inwards inspection process is rigorous, spot‐checking ~50% of inbound fasteners ensuring they conform to the relevant national and international manufac‐ turing standards. A bespoke fastener orientated inspection system is employed, the system provides the dedicated goods inwards inspector with all the information he needs to effec‐ tively assess the products without having to reference the applicable manufacturing standard. The inspection system is integrated with the purchasing supplier approval system, providing the inspector with insight as to which manufacturers or products he should focus on if required. The majority of critical fasteners are sourced from reputable approved manufacturers and are supplied with certification, typically a 3.1 to DIN‐EN‐10204. The quality department are also equipped and have access to NAMAS (The National Measurement Accreditation Service) approved test facilities which allow more advanced product verification documents to be produced, such as an ISIR (Initial Sample Inspection Report). Customers at the enquiry stage can also request a PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) submission from the manufacturer, an essential requirement for the supply of auto‐ motive components. Regarding changes in customer requests and market trends, Phillips explains: “There is an increasing focus on environmen‐ tal issues and we are being asked more and more often for prod‐ uct conformance to REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) and RoHS (Restric‐ tion of Hazardous Substances). This isn’t a trend which is going to go away, it will only grow in momentum and our purchasing practices are changing to reflect this. We are also keeping a close eye on developments such as the EU SCIP database (substances of concern in articles, as such or in complex objects/products)”. www.owlett-jaton.com

Ring gauges

General Inspection HALO for cutting B-1 with Feeder

BOLT MAKER PICKS GENERAL INSPECTION’S HALO Davisburg, Michigan‐based General Inspection (Gi) has installed another HALO inspection system, this time for a bolt maker in Spain. This particular HALO is equipped with a total of eight cameras providing 360° dimensional inspection, 360° visual defect detection, crack detection, recess inspection and recently developed bottom cameras for bearing surface analysis. The standard HALO uses four cameras that produce eight images through a patented light sequencing process. HALO measures all profile features including; threads, lengths, diameters, tapers, angles, straightness, perpendicularity and concentricity with back lighting. Simultaneously, HALO detects surface defects such as; dents, scratches, knurl damage, thread nicks and patch quality/presence with front lighting positioned from the top and bottom. Additionally, two cameras positioned from the top are used to detect cracks and recess defects. A special lens plus Gi’s software algorithms combine to deliver opti‐ mum crack detection capability at unmatched inspection rates, says Gi. A second special lens is used to view the inner walls of recesses to detect small chipped punch defects, plating fill and dimensional measurements of recess features. Finally, three cameras mounted from the bottom provide bearing surface inspection. Defects such as cracks, burrs, dents and other damages are detected using Gi’s sophisticated algorithms, advanced lighting techniques and a special “unobstructed view” part handling technique. After searching the world for an inspection system that provides complete part coverage the Spanish bolt maker selected Gi. Defect detection was key to the purchase decision, but inspection rates at a minimum of 285 parts per minute and less than 10 minute part changeover time were important factors. want to build on. www.generalinspection.com

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market

ENSURING THE DIY BOOM CONTINUES With an additional £550 million expected to be spent in Q4 2020 thanks to lockdown 2, suppliers to the DIY market have an opportunity to embrace the extended season. Will Jones, Chief Operating Officer of the British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA), provides his views…

s I write, the UK is going into Lockdown 2 – which it goes without saying has implications for every aspect of personal and commercial life. One of the big differences for our sector this time around is that hardware is deemed essen‐ tial and so consumers and professional end users will still have the choice of bricks and mortar and online purchase. And predic‐ tions are that they will keep on purchasing! According to data, insights and consulting company Kantar, Brits look set to spend £4.94 billion on improving their homes and gardens between September and Christmas as DIYers say they still have work to do. 34% of consumers intend to complete jobs before Christmas and if shoppers follow through with their plans, it will mean an additional £552 million is spent on DIY between September and December compared with last year. This includes an extra £124 million on garden work and £119 million on the home; and the sales opportunity extends from true DIY across to ‘do it for me’, so the opportunity for tradespeople also remains despite the lockdown challenges. This is a huge opportunity for tools and fixings and while it may sound cynical to say so, it means that the traditional ‘season’ for sales has just extended. So, everything depends on the ability of suppliers and retailers to reach the tools and fixings end user – professional or consumer – regardless of the restrictions under which we might be trading. It goes without saying that online ‐ supplier platform or retailer platforms, ideally both – has already proved key, and will undoubtedly continue to do so. The positive sales projections from many BHETA members have most commonly been from those who were able to access their end customers via these routes; and the popularity of the BHETA webinars on digital strat‐ egy and how best to go direct is also testament to the acceleration of ecommerce. But ecommerce capabilities alone are not enough. Customer engagement is at least as crucial, as is the ability to get the product – physically ‐ to where it is needed. One tool company that has had a success on both those fronts and as a result has seen busi‐ ness flourish during the pandemic is BHETA member, DK Tools. The Greater London‐based company manufactures and

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distributes hand tools and power tools for the home, garage and garden under the Amtech name, selling to both wholesale and retail trade customers. Throughout the first Covid lockdown, it saw the huge surge in enthusiasm for DIY projects; and one of the company’s key strategies was to focus not just on making sales, but on educating end users about the skills they needed to use the tools correctly. To do this DK Tools used its dedicated consumer website to feature both detailed Q&A and personalised video tutorials to demonstrate products are used to best effect. Ricky Johal, Head of Marketing, commented: “We are aware of a generational skills gap in DIY and have been developing online tutorials to assist the younger consumers. We saw a significant increase in watch time on our YouTube channel, showing the value our customers see in these videos.” At the same time, DK Tools made sure it was able to supply product to meet the demand using its dedicated business‐to‐busi‐ ness (B2B) web portal, supported by its warehouse operation. Such was the success that the company was able to action a major push to encourage new stockists to come on board. Johal contin‐ ued: “This has been incredibly successful; and we’ve seen a huge interest in potential new stockists registering. We’ve also ramped up our email communications by creating a weekly newsletter to keep customers informed about the latest trends, products and industry insights.” As we all experience Lockdown 2, the tools industry must embrace the extended season and keep momentum going. Suppli‐ ers need to invest not only in the way consumers and end users now shop, but also in the way they make decisions about purchas‐ ing one product as opposed to another. Inspiration and education are both key. As is easy, instant product availability. That means looking to marketing and to operations, as well as to sales and routes to market. To find out more about how BHETA can help, and to register for BHETA webinars, including the opportunity to pose questions, contact Nicola Adams in BHETA Member Services on na@bheta.co.uk or on 07946 078566

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2021 FEATURES JANUARY (enhanced digital) Online catalogues, brochures and webshops PREVIEW > Eisenwarenmesse – International Hardware Fair Cologne IT services, software and e-business

FEBRUARY (print) Rivets, rivet tools and rivet technology Hand tools and consumables Rail fasteners IT services, software and e-business Building & Construction > Wood, chipboard and decking screws Fastener Fair Stuttgart preview 1 TERRITORY FOCUS > North America

MARCH (enhanced digital) Hexagon and socket screws Connected & smart tools Fastener Fair Stuttgart preview 2

APRIL (print) Fastener distribution special Nylon and plastic fixings and fasteners Drill & screwdriver bits Building & Construction > High tensile (HT) and bolt assemblies PREVIEW > Fastener Fair USA Fastener Fair Stuttgart (SHOW ISSUE) TERRITORY FOCUS > UK TERRITORY FOCUS > Taiwan

MAY (enhanced digital) TERRITORY FOCUS > Nordic countries Special fasteners Sheet Metal – Structural Engineering

JUNE (print) Nuts, washers and locking systems Tools > Made in Germany Machines & tooling Building & Construction > ETAs and Accreditations Rising Stars > 30 under 30 Renewables > Fasteners and tools TERRITORY FOCUS > Italy

SEPTEMBER (print) Fastener manufacturing special Stainless steel fixings and fasteners Torque tools (torque wrenches, etc) Workwear, PPE and safety Building & Construction > Anchors TERRITORY FOCUS > China

OCTOBER (enhanced digital) Rivets, rivet tools and rivet technology Plugs, plasterboard and cavity fixings Janitorial supplies > Wipes, cleaners, sprays, etc

NOVEMBER (print) JULY/AUGUST (print) Women in fasteners special > North America QC laboratory focus Oils, sprays and lubricants PREVIEW > International Fastener Expo PREVIEW > Taiwan International Fastener Show PREVIEW > Torque-Expo Telford Building & Construction > Structural timber fasteners and connectors TERRITORY FOCUS > Netherlands & Benelux

C-parts, logistics and Kanban Connected & smart tools Automotive fasteners & tools Surface treatment Building & Construction > Adhesives, tapes, sealants and fillers Turkish manufacturing

REGULAR FEATURES WOMEN IN FASTENERS & TOOLS BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION APPRENTICE Q&A’S NEW TORQUE TESTED

Submit an article or idea for consideration to jonathon@torque-expo.com

DIRECTORY SPOTLIGHTS Welcome to this month’s NEW ADDITIONS

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCTS TO OVER 12,000 INDUSTRY DECISION MAKERS

ND Industries, Inc. I Self-Locking & Sealing Fasteners I Adhesives & Sealants I Thread-Locking & Patch Products I NAS Fasteners T +1 248 288 0000 E info@ndindustries.com W www.ndindustries.com

Rapid Industrial Fasteners

Torque Directory offers a cost-effective platform to promote your business all year round in both print and digital issues of Torque Magazine (published 10 times a year, reaching an audience of over 12,000 international decision makers), as well as online at torque-expo.com.

I Special fasteners and turned parts manufacturer I Duplex fasteners I Rapid manufacturing lead-times I Galvanised Threaded Bar I Galvanised Nuts, Bolts and Washers

CALL +44 (0) 1727 739 160 FOR MORE DETAILS

Unique manufacturer AND distributor of fasteners, fixings and turned parts. We manufacture fasteners and turned parts out of all standard and exotic materials in our own workshop. We have state of the art machinery including a sliding head turning centre. We also carry large stocks of galvanised fasteners.

T +44 (0) 121 501 3903 E manufacturing@rapidfast.co.uk W www.rapidfast.co.uk

One of Europe’s largest stockholders of blanks and semi-finished fasteners in grades 8.8/10.9/12.9/SAE 8/European BL/L7 in all head forms.

Special print editorial exposure (Profile) included as part of the Directory package. COST: Only £500 / €650 for the year

ND Industries specialises in the development and production of innovative materials and processes which increase the safety and reliability of fastener assemblies. ND Industries applies a wide variety of materials onto fasteners and assemblies to aid in functions such as locking, sealing, masking, lubricating, and noise and vibration dampening. ND Industries supplies high-quality fastener coating products and services to industries such as automotive, electronics, aerospace, marine, military, construction, and appliance.

Victory Fasteners Limited I Un threaded blanks I 10.9/12.9 Hex Bolt/Set I Din 6921 / ISO 4162 Hex Flge I Hardened Washers Din 6916/F436 I B7/L7 European Bolting T +44 (0)1902 544 480 E sales@victoryfasteners.com W www.victoryfasteners.com

Our standard stock range in grades 10.9/12.9 includes Hex bolts/sets/Flange/ in metric coarse, fine and extra fine threads. 8.8

10.9

12.9

B7/L7

Torque Magazine Issue 49

Articles inside

INSPECTION & QUALITY ASSURANCE