EuroFasteners May 2023

Corporate News

Bulten increases holding in TensionCam Bulten, a manufacturer and supplier of fasteners to the automotive and other industries, has acquired an additional 36.5 per cent of the shares in TensionCam Systems AB at a purchase price of SEK 4mn. The acquisition makes Bulten the majority owner with 63.5 per cent of the company’s shares. as wind turbines, water and sewage, and the process industry, in which the sensor technology has been integrated into complete screw joints. The aim of the projects is to accelerate development and finalise a concrete customer offering.

Emmy Pavlovic, SVP technology and innovation at Bulten, commented, “TensionCam has a highly interesting product that’s particularly suitable for installation and monitoring of critical fastener applications, such as large pipe joints and machines that are exposed to various types of stress and strain. “These are the kind of applications we believe to be of interest, and ones that can bring new business opportunities for Bulten.” Bulten AB www.bulten.com

“Pilot projects over the past year using TensionCam’s sensor technology have produced positive results,” said Anders Nyström, president and CEO of Bulten. “It is now time to begin industrialisation and commercialisation of the product. This is completely in line with our strategy to diversify our offering with new, practically applicable technology.”

In 2020, Bulten acquired a minority holding in TensionCam, a Sweden-based company specialising in developing sensors for measuring and monitoring clamp loads in screw joints. Since then, TensionCam has initiated several pilot projects with third parties in areas such

Creating opportunities for disabled community to participate in manufacturing careers

in various manufacturing environments. During the VPI camp, participants were offered paid work experiences on a variety of VPI’s packaging production lines to develop the “hard skills” needed for manufacturing jobs. In addition, they toured several local employers to learn about the wide variety of industries and jobs in manufacturing. “Our vision is to empower youth with disabilities to lead productive lives,” says Kevin R Webb, who serves as senior director of the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and sustainability and social impact with Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. “We see the NBT Inclusion Camps as a unique way to introduce youth with disabilities to job opportunities and help develop a pipeline of talent for the manufacturing industry. MEAF is proud to support this innovative programme and see it expand around the country.” The Inclusion Camp model is an expansion of NBT’s traditional Summer Manufacturing Camps, designed for students aged 12-16. More than 160 NBT camps were hosted at community colleges and technical schools across the USA and Canada in 2022. Studies have shown that attending an NBT camp increases participants’ awareness of career options and job availability in manufacturing, including those in their local community, by at least 82 per cent by the end of camp. Fabricators and Manufacturers

Dernulc, director, foundation, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. “We are grateful to our partners, to these local communities and to the broader metal fabrication industry for their commitment to strengthen our future workforce in such a positive manner.” NBT partnered with agency staff from Trinity Services and Helping Hand in the Chicago area to host an Inclusion Camp at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois. A second Inclusion Camp was hosted by VPI, Inc (formerly Valley Packaging, Inc), in Appleton. Each four-week camp programme allowed participants to engage in interactive activities designed to improve job readiness and “soft skills”, help individuals gain confidence in their abilities and provide opportunities to explore careers

A new programme last summer opened new opportunities as young adults with disabilities joined manufacturing camps across the Midwest USA. Hosted by Nuts, Bolts, & Thingamajigs (NBT), the foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA), two Inclusion Manufacturing Camps were launched, aimed at showing local employers that this group of indi- viduals is a viable option to meet their workforce demands. Held in the Chicago area and in Appleton, Wisconsin, the pro- grammes were made possible by dona- tions from Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) and Nestlé USA. “At the heart of the NBT Inclusion Camps is the opportunity to provide real pathways to meaningful careers to those who have been underserved,” said Ed Participants in the NBT summer camp programme

Association, Int’l www.fmamfg.org

EF 4/76

www.read-eurofasteners.com

May 2023