Issue: #136 July 2022

As I stood at the cocktail reception for the European Fastener Distributor Association Conference, surrounded by the leading figures from the European fastener distribution sector, it underlined how much face-to-face matters when it comes to business and the fact you can’t beat ‘being there’. 

With that in mind I would like to thank EFDA for the personal invitation to the event and also to everybody I spoke to throughout the conference. As you will see from the in-depth report, as part of our exclusive Fastener Distribution feature, the conference was of the very highest quality – with speakers discussing anti-dumping, raw material prices and sea freight challenges, plus much more. 

Being at the conference also meant I had a great opportunity to speak to Andreas Bertaggia, vice-president, head of global supply chain at Bossard Group, after he had just been announced as the new president of EFDA. Never one to miss an opportunity, I quickly asked for an interview on his appointment and he happily agreed. Read his thoughts on the role and the future of the association, once again, in the Fastener Distribution feature. 

Alongside these two exclusives, the Fastener Distribution feature also includes market insights from key national associations – BIAFD, PRISMEFIX, NEVIB and FDS – as well as thought-provoking pieces from some of the leading players within the sector. Every contribution is very open about the challenges everybody is currently facing and how companies have used a variety of methods to handle situations.  

One such article is from Ekkehard Beermann, managing director at Fastbolt Group, who as always was frank about the current market and how Fastbolt has been able to handle the challenges.  

Fastbolt is also the focus of our Cover Story for this issue. I spoke to Ekkehard about the Group’s 40^th anniversary, which it celebrates this year, and how the growth of the business has enabled it to become a key player within the distribution sector. 

I was not the only one who was happy to be face-to-face with the industry again. Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge attended the wire® Düsseldorf show in June and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit stands and find the latest developments within the fastener machinery sector – for more read Claire’s report within the Exhibition section. 

Other articles include Dr Peter Standring, technical secretary at Industrial Metalforming Technologies (IMfT), talking about inflationary pressures on fasteners; Barbara Sorgato, secretary general of ECAP, looks at the new CPR proposal and how the regulation has changed directions; and Mariya Valiakhmetova, editor in
chief at Metiz Magazine, giving a powerful insight into the situation with Ukraine when it comes to fasteners