EuroFasteners January 2023

ISSN: 2633-9706 print

ISSN: 2633-9714 online Photo by Gregor Schram, Unsplash

Contents January 2023

Diary of events

6-8 March 2023 Cables (AMI event) Trade Exhibition Cologne, Germany Organisers: AMI www.ami-events.com 7-10 March 2023 Global Industrie Trade exhibition Lyon, France Organisers: Global Industrie www.global-industrie.com

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Corporate News

Products

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9-11 May 2023 Interwire Trade exhibition Atlanta, Georgia, USA Organisers: Wire Association International www.wirenet.org

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9-11 May 2023 Made In Steel Trade exhibition Milan, Italy Organisers: Siderweb SpA www.madeinsteel.it

10-13 May 2023 Lamiera Trade exhibition Milan, Italy Organisers: CEU-Centro Esposizioni Ucimu SpA www.lamiera.net 18-20 May 2023 China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition Trade exhibition Guangzhou, China Organisers: Guangzhou Julang Exhibition Design Co Ltd www.julang.com

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As with all shows, and with the continuing coronavirus pandemic, please check to ensure the event is going ahead

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January 2023

Corporate News

New apprentices at European Springs & Pressings

Securing the future of spring manufacturing

adopted a dedicated approach to creating a professional working environment that nurtures the staff’s talents and supports progression. The company views engi neers as expert problem solvers. “I began my own career in the industry as an engineering apprentice, so I know that this is a tool that both the individual and the company can benefit from,” said Mr McSheehy. “Many of our current employees started as apprentices and trainees before be coming engineers, with a number having risen to essential business positions such as purchasing officer, press shop manager, quality and metrology manager and even senior management roles.” Lesjöfors AB www.lesjoforsab.com

workers joining the manufacturing sector eventually results in a lack of succession. As such, a robust, and continuing, recruitment process is essential, and we are always actively searching for exciting new engineering talent.” Apprentices are able to gain a position within the engineering industry while also getting paid. Combining classroom instruction and on-the-job training, an engineering apprenticeship course offers the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills and experience needed to achieve an industry-recognised City & Guilds or BTEC qualification, and become a qualified engineer. To foster loyalty and increase staff reten tion, European Springs & Pressings has

Many of the companies in the Lesjöfors group use apprenticeships as a strategic way to introduce, train and keep the most suitable staff. In the UK, European Springs & Pressings has on-boarded five new apprentices in an extensive programme. The five apprentices have begun the training that will launch them on their journey to becoming qualified engineers. Stuart McSheehy, MD of European Springs & Pressings, explained why the company has chosen apprenticeships in its recruitment process: “Apprentices and new workers are in increasingly high demand, as the manufacturing industry in the UK has been facing the largest skills shortage in over 30 years, and a drop in the number of fresh, young

Graphics bigstockphoto.com/Artist tereh

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January 2023

Corporate News

Automotive fasteners market to reach $26.27bn by 2028

Other markets segments include propul sion type (internal combustion engine and electric vehicles), function (detach able and non-detachable) and material (aluminium, steel, iron, plastic and brass). The largest growth region is expected to be Asia Pacific, which will account for the greatest share of the market because of the increase in the sale of vehicles all over the region. A rise in demand for fuel-efficient vehicles across the Asia Pacific region will drive the market for automotive fasteners. The increase in the sale of aftermarket vehicle fasteners has also boosted demand. Brandessence Market Research and Consulting https://brandessenceresearch.com In addition to threads, VisionLab measures all profile features, including GD&T characteristics. An optional “end view” inspection meas ures and detects defects on both ends of parts, including features such as re cesses, inner/outer diameters, through holes and counterbores. Surface con trol – also optional – is used to detect visual defects, such as bad plating and thread patch presence/quality, as well as measuring knurl width, gap and height. Optional slewing optics automatically tilt for an enhanced view into the radius of the threads to measure root radii and pitch diameter. An upper tooling and bit kit are available as options for uneven parts or parts with a recess drive. For time savings, traceability and remov ing error, VisionLab creates thorough customised reports with graphs and data charts, which can also be uploaded to third party SPC packages. General Inspection, LLC https://geninsp.com

Brandessence Market Research has re ported that the automotive fasteners market, valued at US$21.62bn in 2021, is expected to reach $26.27bn by 2028, with a CAGR of 2.82 per cent over the forecast

period. The automotive fasteners market, including nuts, screws, bolts, spring clips, retainers and washers, has been seg mented by fastener type into threaded and non-threaded. By vehicle type, the

market has been segmented into commercial vehicles and passenger cars. The threaded fastener seg ment is expected to be re sponsible for the majority of the share of the market and will dominate in the coming years. Threaded fasteners find extensive application in the disassembly and assembly of multiple component parts of any vehicle. The growth in demand for lightweight vehicles will pro vide opportunities.

Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț on Unsplash

Non-contact gauging system to measure high/low threads

Greg Nygaard, General Inspection VP sales and marketing, said, “By popular demand, we’ve added a tool to our VisionLab system to make measuring high/low threads as simple as a press of a button.” VisionLab allows manufacturers and distributors to measure all critical part features in less than five seconds.

General Inspection has added a new high/ low thread measuring algorithm to its VisionLab 3D fastener gauging system. VisionLab’s thread measurement capa bilities include all pertinent system-22 requirements, lobular shaped threads, and now a specific algorithm for high/low threads.

VisionLab now includes the ability to check high/low threads

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Corporate News

Fastener and fixing exhibition returns

Four years after the previous edition, Fastener Fair Global, the international exhibition for the fastener and fixing industry, returns to Messe Stuttgart in Germany, from 21 to 23 March 2023. In its ninth edition, Fastener Fair Global is the largest exhibition worldwide specifically dedicated to presenting and promoting fastener and fixing products and technologies. In advance of the exhibition, there are already 780 exhibitors confirmed from around 40 countries, with strong representation from German, Italian, Chinese, Taiwanese, Turkish and Indian firms. More than 21,170m 2 of net exhibition space has been booked, covering halls 1, 3, 5 and 7 at the Messe Stuttgart Exhibition Centre. Among those exhibiting at will be Alexander PAAL GmbH, Böllhoff GmbH, Carlo Salvi SpA, Eurobolt BV, F Reyher Nchfg GmbH & Co KG, Fastbolt Schraubengroßhandels GmbH, Index Fixing Systems (Técnicas Expansivas SL), Inoxmare Srl, Lederer GmbH, MKT Metall-Kunststoff-Technik GmbH & Co KG, Norm Civita San ve Tic AS, Obel Civita San ve Tic AS, PGB Europe NV, Pühl GmbH & Co KG, Sacma Limbiate SpA, Schäfer + Peters GmbH, Spax International GmbH & Co KG, Tecfi SpA, Tobsteel GmbH, WASI GmbH and Würth. “It is such a pleasure to welcome the fastener and fixing industry back to Stuttgart at Fastener Fair Global 2023,” said Liljana Goszdziewski, portfolio director for the European Fastener Fairs, commenting on behalf of event organiser Mack-Brooks Exhibitions. “There has been so much happening within the industry in the last four years that we are looking forward to discovering at the show themost modern technologies the sector offers. Boasting strong participation from exhibiting companies, we can safely say that there is an eagerness for the sector to

Fastener Fair Global returns to Messe Stuttgart

return to the live exhibition, as there is no real substitute for face to-face networking to strengthen connections and enable new sales opportunities.” The mix of visitors to the show represents the diversity of mar kets served by the fastener and fixing industry. At the previous event, most visitors were either wholesalers, manufacturers or distributors from a wide range of professions, such as senior managers, buyers, engineers, R&D professionals and special ists who source and trade fasteners and fixings for sectors in cluding automotive, construction, distribution and mechanical engineering. The organisers have a programme of measures to support the health and safety of attendees, and are monitoring the situation in Germany closely, with plans in place to deliver the show in any situation. Mack-Brooks Exhibitions Ltd www.mackbrooks.com www.fastenerfairglobal.com

WINA expands senior executive team Würth Industry North America (WINA), an industrial distributor of supply chain solutions for fasteners, MRO and safety equipment, has appointed three senior executives to support its divisional structure and position itself for growth. information systems, and will serve as the liaison to theWürth Group global IT group.

enable business growth and meet HR business needs. He will be responsible for driving a strategy that supports the company culture, aligns human resources programmes with business requirements and provides a foundation for employees’ professional growth and opportunity. “Adding high-calibre members like Bastian, Ben and James to our senior executive team allows Würth Industry North America to grow through our divisional structure and provides us with resources to succeed at all levels of business,” said Dan Hill, chief executive officer of Würth Industry North America. “They bring extensive industry experience and leadership styles that complement our divisional leadership teams and allow us to work together to continue to advance the business.” Würth Industry North America www.wurthindustry.com

WINA also welcomed Ben Standhardt as vice president of process management and automation. Mr Standhardt has been with the Würth Group since 2016 and was previously managing director of Würth Industri Norge AS in Norway. In his new role he will be responsible for optimising business processes and measures/key performance indicators for the divisions of WINA. He and his team will also focus on finding processes with the potential to be transferred to robotic process automation. James Valdez has been named chief human resources officer for Würth Industry North America. Mr Valdez brings more than 20 years of human resources experience, and has worked at multi billion-dollar corporations, collaborating with senior management to develop and maintain strategic and tactical plans to

The reorganisation completed in 2021 allows divisions to focus entirely on their vertical market and to offer product ranges, services and expertise to their respective industries. Bastian Rottenberg has been hired as the company’s chief information officer. Mr Rottenberg has a background in information technology, working for Würth Industrie Service in Germany for seven years before owning his own IT business, then rejoining the Würth Group in 2020 and joining WINA in January 2021. In this role, he will be responsible for the strategy, design, architecture and functionality of the enterprise-wide

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Products

AWI can supply alloys suited to corrosive environments

Technical expertise and short lead time attractions at CASMI

there appears to be a lot of opportunities for us to supply this material.” Mr Olley continued, “It was also great having Andrew Du Plessis there to talk in depth about technical requirements. This included finer details of our nickel alloys, such as heat treatments to achieve a certain tensile strength after ageing, and which alloys are better suited to working in different corrosive environments.” Alloy Wire International provides more than 62 exotic alloys to over 7,500 customers around the world, with material available in sizes ranging from 0.025 to 5mm (0.001" to 0.197") and lead times often within three weeks of the order being placed. AlloyWire International www.alloywire.com

its investment in maintaining 400 tonnes of stock. “It was excellent to meet so many existing and potential new customers face to face, and CASMI certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of footfall and the quality of visitors,” said Stephen Olley, sales executive at AWI. “Our clients require material that can work in all types of demanding applications, from intense heat and sub-zero tempera tures to highly corrosive environments. That is why we were so pleased to launch Inconel alloy 686 after months of trials and testing. “This single-phase, austenitic alloy delivers excellent resistance to general and stress corrosion cracking that can occur in aggressive liquids and gases and, judging by the conversations we were having,

Alloy Wire International’s (AWI) technical knowledge was in demand when the company returned to SpringWorld 2022 (CASMI). Delegates from the USA, Canada and Mexico visited the UK manufacturer of round, flat and profile wire to discuss the firm’s new Inconel alloy 686 and to access its technical knowledge. Spring manufacturers were keen to dis cuss projects destined for the aerospace, automotive, chemical and petrochemi cal processing, oil and gas extraction and marine environments. A common thread throughout the conversations was the need for earlier development support and having availability of material in short lead times – which AWI says it has access to due to

Graphics bigstockphoto.com/Artistnd 3000

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January 2023

Products

High-strength fasteners for energy-saving ship propellers

or three per cent of global GDP, and the environmental consequences are enormous. Stainless steel fasteners offer significant benefits to counter corrosion, from product and asset infrastructure maintenance to total lifecycle costs.” MMG propellers are used for various large container vessels, tankers, bulkers and cruise ships, and can be up to 12m in di ameter. The company uses Bumax for its Escap solution because it needs high tensile strength bolts for safely transmitting the torque in existing propeller applications. Using standard stainless steel bolts would require expensive machining of additional and/or larger holes in a dry dock to deal with the required torque. With Bumax high-strength bolts the additional holes are not needed, and MMG can install the Escap while ships are in the water using diver installation teams. properties of Bumax 88 and Bumax 109 bolts are essential, as the fin caps are permanently submerged in seawater. The fin caps also play an important role in covering and protecting the shafting parts that are typically made of carbon steel and are susceptible to corrosion. The corrosion-resistance Spring Steel is used by electrical con- tractors at the stud level of construction to hang, support or mount wire, cable, conduit, rods, strut and steel boxes. Southwire’s initial range of more than 300 items encompasses five major subcategories in hanging and support: cable/conduit, structural attachments, stud/drywall, datacom/low voltage and acoustical/ceiling. “We are thrilled to be a new and trusted partner of choice in this important product category that helps electrical professionals work faster, better and safer on the jobsite,” said Brandon Moss, Southwire’s president of tools, components and assembled solutions (TCAS). “While there is much more to come, with our comprehensive spring steel line we take another step forward in our goal to be a complete components solution for our distribution customers.”

Swedish specialist fastener manufacturer Bumax has supplied premium stainless steel fasteners for German propeller manufacturer Mecklenburger Metalguss (MMG) and its innovative energy-saving propeller cap, Escap. MMG chose Bumax 88 and Bumax 109 models in various dimensions for their high tensile strength and corrosion resistance properties, which make them suitable to fasten the MMG Escap – a propeller cap with fins that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3 per cent by smoothing out the propeller swirl. The Escap can be mounted onto existing propellers, and the manufacturer claims that fuel savings typically provide a return on investment within three months. “Sustainability is essential for everything we do since our premium stainless steel products prolong the life of all devices and constructions they are used for, and thus reduce the need for wasteful repairs and replacements,” said Lars Holm, managing director, Bumax. “In this particular case, fuel savings also equate to reduced environmental impact. “Just looking at corrosion, the global cost of rust exceeds US$2.5 trillion annually,

Escap – MMG’s energy-saving propeller cap

The Escap is fastened by up to 24 bolts, depending on the cap size, and uses bolt dimensions up to M36. JörnKlüss, headofdesignandconstruction at MMG, commented, “A number of container vessels and bulk carriers are already in operation around the world with an Escap secured by Bumax bolts. The Bumax bolts have performed very well and avoided the need for ship owners to undergo costly dry dock re-machining. We are currently working together with Bumax to use larger dimensions of bolts to fit larger ships with Escaps.” Bumax AB www.bumax-fasteners.com Mecklenburger Metallguss GmbH https://mecklenburger-metallguss.com Southwire spring steel fasteners and supports are made of heat-treated, coated steel that is lightweight, flexible, strong and easy to install, with multiple tool-free options. The Southwire Geoseal™ anti corrosion coating is a high-performance, water-based, chrome-free zinc and aluminium flake technology. Southwire and its subsidiaries man- facture building wire and cable, utility products, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment, elec- trical components, hand tools and job site power and lighting solutions, and provides a variety of field and support services to customers around the world. Southwire Company, LLC www.southwire.com

New line of spring steel fasteners and supports in stock

Southwire has introduced spring steel fasteners and supports to its expanding portfolio of components solutions.

Southwire has added spring steel fasteners and supports to its range

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Products

Optimal tension springs for garage doors Springs are a vital part of the perceived quality of a sectional overhead garage door. If door springs are not well balanced, the door does not run smoothly. Spring technology is a complex part of the sectional overhead garage door and a combination of factors determine the quality, life span and functioning of a spring.

and residential buildings. Since 2017, Alcomex has been the sole supplier of door springs to the company, after a process of investigating, benchmarking and testing Alcomex’s solutions. Kees-Jan Honig, CEO of ConDoor, commented on the test process: “After running a severe testing programme in our own lab, we started producing small batches of doors with Alcomex springs. When all the lights turned green in 2017, we took the next step and Alcomex became our sole supplying partner in springs, whichmeans that we are 100 per cent relying on their operational excellence performance.” Alcomex introduced a Quattro tension spring solution that brought benefits to ConDoor. Tension springs were previously seen as a lesser solution in the garage door business. Mr Honig explained:“Torsion springs could be calculated exactly to the right door weight and lifting system, and with tension springs people always claimed that you had to compromise on this. The Quattro system proved to be perfect for our residential doors. Thanks to the spring-in-spring solution, the systemwas able to comply with the tough European safety norms. Also, the construction of the spring sets proved to be very compact, using little build-in space, which made it possible for us to offer pre-tensioned hardware sets to our customers, saving them time and money on site. The next step was the availability of that system for higher door weights, meaning bigger garage doors. Nobody wants to go back to the more complex and expensive old solution now.” Lesjöfors AB www.lesjoforsab.com

Alcomex, part of the Lesjöfors’ Group, is a specialised supplier to the door spring market in Europe. One of its customers is ConDoor, a producer of insulated overhead doors for industrial

ConDoor uses the Quattro tension spring solution

Industry & technology news from the world of fasteners

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