SPRING 2025

In the Spring 2025 issue of

6 DISTRIBUTOR NEWS

8 AEROSPACE FASTENERS PART 1 – WHAT KIND OF

FASTENERS HOLD AN AIRCRAFT TOGETHER?

Laurence Claus

10 CYBERSECURITY: THE PLAYBOOK FOR FASTENER

DISTRIBUTORS - HOW TO STAY AHEAD OF HACKERS

Joe Dysart

12 FASTENER SCIENCE: CORRECTIVE ACTION REQUESTS –

APPROACHING THEM AS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL PARTIES

Rob LaPointe

14 VISUAL LOCKING ELEMENTS AND LOCKNUTS FOR SHAFTS

Bruno Marbacher

16 [COVER STORY] LINDFAST SOLUTIONS GROUP: OUR

GROWTH, YOUR ADVANTAGE

26 WHAT FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

USING TWO NUTS TO LOCK A BOLT

Guy Avellon

28 THE “5-STAR” WAREHOUSE: THE PHYSICAL FACILITY –

SEASON 1, EPISODE 3

Robert Footlik

30 2025 - THE YEAR OF THE TARIFF INCREASES

Chris Donnell

32 UNTHREADED: INTELLIGENTLY REACTING TO NEW TARIFFS

Eric Dudas

34 LOK-MOR: A LEGACY OF QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE

IN DOMESTIC LOCKNUT MANUFACTURING

36 TRUMP SETS RAPID PACE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS –

WILL IT BE A BOOST FOR BUSINESS?

Jim Truesdell

38 VETERAN TALENT: 5 VALUABLE WAYS FASTENER

DISTRIBUTORS INVEST IN THE FUTURE

Nelson Valderrama

40 INTERSTATE SCREW CORP: THE OLDEST AND LARGEST

FASTENER DISTRIBUTOR IN FLORIDA

Dennis Cowhey, Computer Insights

42 PROPER INSPECTION OF SLOTTED RECESSES

IN SCREW HEADS

Larry Borowski

44 ATTENDEE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR

FASTENER FAIR USA 2025

48 THE BENEFITS OF LIGHT DUTY COILED SPRING PINS

IN SOFT AND BRITTLE MATERIALS

Adolf Valasek

50 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY

AND ISO/IEC 42001

Scott Mersch

52 MWFA HOLIDAY PARTY RECAP AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Francesca Lewis

54 DECKER MANUFACTURING EXPANDS PRODUCT LINE

56 IFE 2025 – BUILT ON TRADITION, DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

58 ROTOR CLIP: HARNESSING THE VERSATILITY OF SPIRAL

RETAINING RINGS

60 MFDA ECONOMIC FORECAST MEETING

Rob Rundle

62 GROWERMETAL CELEBRATES ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY

WITH THE LAUNCH OF GROWER ECONICAL ®

64 EUROLINK FASTENER SUPPLY SERVICE: CELEBRATING

25 YEARS OF ROCK-SOLID SERVICE

66 E-Z LOK: E-Z THREADED INSERTS AND KITS FOR METAL

68 MID-WEST FASTENER ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY PARTY PHOTOS

72 CRESCENT MANUFACTURING: WHERE TINY SCREWS

MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

72 HRISTIJAN GEORGIEVSKI ELECTED YFP PRESIDENT FOR 2025

74 WOMEN IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY ANNOUNCE

AWARD WINNERS

volume 48 // issue #2

78 STAFDA’S 2025 PHOENIX TRADE SHOW AND CONVENTION

Georgia H. Foley, CEO

79 BELMETRIC.COM: AT BELMETRIC.COM, WE SPEAK METRIC!

81 OFFSHORE MILLING: YOUR FASTENER IMPORT SPECIALIST

84 E&T FASTENERS CELEBRATES 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

91 BRYNOLF MANUFACTURING: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS

OF SERVING THE FASTENER INDUSTRY

108 2025 SEFA SPRING CONFERENCE CELEBRATING

50 YEARS IN APRIL!

Nancy Rich

114 NEFDA SCHOLARSHIP

Laura Murphy

126 UPDATES FROM THE NORTH COAST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

Gary Graham

127 NCFA PLANT TOUR PHOTOS

144 NFDA: EXECUTIVE SALES PLANNING SESSIONS® RETURN

Amy Nijjar

148 FASTENER INDUSTRY WEB LINKS

154 PAC-WEST SPRING DINNER MEETING & VENDOR SHOWCASE

Amy Nijjar

155 PAC-WEST GOLF OUTING & HOCKEY EVENT PHOTOS

157 SUBSCRIPTION FORM

161 NCFA “FASTENER 500” PHOTOS

163 PAC-WEST CONFERENCE: WELCOME RECEPTION PHOTOS

168 PAC-WEST CONFERENCE: TABLE TOP SHOW PHOTOS

175 ADVERTISE IN OUR SUMMER BIG 2-SHOW ISSUE

6 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK

DarLoc Corporation, of Long Grove, IL, a

stocking supplier of the highest quality, specialty

niche product line of Miniature and Clinch Self-

Locking Nylon Insert and All-Metal Locknuts, now

offers Automatic Screw Machine Parts to Print &

a free sample kit. DarLoc supplies at competitive

“commodity-like” prices, within your delivery

requirements.

DarLoc has added many different patterns of

locknuts to their product line. Most are available

from stock, in steel, stainless, brass, & aluminum

materials. Let us know if you have a special

material requirement. We offer zinc, zinc yellow,

cadmium, cadmium yellow, cadmium olive drab,

& cadmium with molybdenum film lube, wax, &

other platings. Chemical, Physical, & Plating

Certifications are available.

Their product line now includes the following

patterns: “1660” Miniature Hex (from #0-#4),

“LH1660” All-Metal, Miniature Hex (from #2-#6),

“NM107, 408, 2234” Reduced Hex (from #4 -1/4”),

“ND” Spline (from #8-1/2”), “NCFMA” Miniature

Clinch Flush Mounting (from #2-#10), “LHCFM”

All-Metal Miniature Clinch Flush Mounting (#2-

1/4”), “NKCFM” Miniature Clinch Flush Mounting,

with Nylon Cap (#2-#10), and “NC” Clinch (#4-

5/16”).

Most patterns are available in Steel, Stainless,

Brass, & Aluminum. Metric sizes are also available.

Automatic Screw Machine and CNC special

parts, per your print, are also available.

For a free sample kit, contact DarLoc Corporation

at 5348 Red Oak Grove Drive, Long Grove, IL

60047. Tel: 847-840-9467, email sales@darloc.

com or visit them online at DarLoc’s new website;

www.darloc.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

AFC Industries a leading provider of

customized inventory management and tooling

solutions, is proud to announce the opening of

its newest location in Monterrey, Mexico, also

known as the “Industrial Capital of Mexico,”

on February 19, 2025. This expansion reflects

AFC’s commitment to supporting OEMs and

manufacturers in Mexico and across North

America with tailored solutions that streamline

operations, reduce costs, and ensure supply

chain excellence.

The Monterrey facility will serve as a key hub

for AFC Industries de Mexico, enhancing the

company’s ability to deliver inventory management

programs, just-in-time (JIT) delivery, and valueadded

services such as kitting and custom

packaging. This expansion also strengthens

AFC’s presence in the vibrant industrial corridor

of Mexico, where automotive, aerospace, and

manufacturing sectors are thriving.

“We are thrilled to establish a presence in

Monterrey, a city known for its dynamic industrial

growth and innovation,” said Antonio Ron,

President of AFC Industries de México. “This new

location allows us to be closer to our customers,

understand their unique needs, and provide the

exceptional service that AFC is known for. Our

goal is to build strong, lasting partnerships with

businesses in Mexico and help them achieve

supply chain excellence.”

The Monterrey location will be fully operational

by mid-February and staffed with a dedicated team

of local supply chain experts. AFC Industries de

México is committed to providing customized

solutions that meet the evolving needs of its

customers while upholding the company’s values of

reliability, responsiveness, and service excellence.

AFC Industries is a leading provider of supply

chain solutions, specializing in Vendor Managed

Inventory (VMI), custom-engineered components,

and value-added services. With a strong

commitment to streamlining operations and

reducing total cost of ownership, AFC partners

with manufacturers and assemblers across a

wide range of industries, serving them from over

100 locations in 8 countries worldwide.

For more information about AFC Industries visit

them online at www.afcind.com.

8

THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK

Laurence Claus

Laurence Claus is the President of NNi Training and Consulting, Inc. He has 25 years of

experience with a medium sized automotive fastener manufacturer, holding positions including

Vice President of Engineering, General Manager, Director of Quality, Director of New Business

Development and Applications Engineer. In 2012 he formed NNi offering technical and business

training courses as well as technical consulting, expert witness and consultation work. He can be

reached at 847-867-7363 or by email: Lclaus@NNiTraining.com. You can learn more about NNi

at www.NNiTraining.com.

AEROSPACE FASTENERS PART 1 - WHAT KIND OF

FASTENERS HOLD AN AIRCRAFT TOGETHER?

Fasteners have traditionally been divided into four

different commercial segments; aerospace, automotive,

construction, and industrial. Each segment has its unique

characteristics and individual identity, which usually prompts

suppliers to either focus their entire business or separate

service facilities to one specific segment. In general,

this has provided customers with some advantages,

namely their suppliers are knowledgeable of their products

and needs, understand specific and unique quality and

commercial requirements, and are, mostly, gathered

together in narrow regional areas of North America.

None of the four market segments exemplifies these

advantages better than aerospace fasteners. In fact,

there is a mystique about aerospace fasteners that is not

possessed by any of the other market segments. Naturally,

some of this is the nature of the product these fasteners

go on. Anyone that has ever flown on a plane understands

the importance that every component of that aircraft must

work flawlessly, every time, since the consequences of

them not working right are simply too grave.

So, for those not familiar with aerospace fasteners,

what differentiates and uniquely identifies this segment

from the others? We will explore this question in a threepart

series on aerospace fasteners. Part 1 will investigate

the types of fasteners that are commonly employed in

aircraft. In some cases, these fastener types will bear

striking similarity to those used in other market segments,

while others are uniquely reserved for aircraft deployment.

Part 2 will explore the requirement for extraordinary

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

workmanship and engineering and how certifications and

quality requirements differ from other fastener markets.

The final segment, Part 3, will explain how to understand

the designations and numbering of aerospace fastener

standard parts.

Until it ceased manufacturing in 2023, the largest

aircraft in Boeing’s fleet was the 747-8. This aircraft

consisted of almost six million individual parts. Of those,

one-half or three million are fastener components. That is

a lot of fasteners in one individual product. If we were to

completely disassemble one of these aircraft and lay out all

the fasteners for inspection, one of our first observations

may be surprise at the wide assortment of different types

of fasteners laid out in front of us. Of course, we could

make a similar argument that tearing down a car or boat

would produce a similar result, but with so much going on

in an aircraft it makes sense that a diverse assortment of

fasteners is required. In this segment, we will examine and

categorize the predominant fastener types found in this

diverse assortment of parts.

Proprietary Versus Standard

Fasteners can be divided into two broad categories,

“customer proprietary” and “standards.” The aircraft OEMS

utilize both. In fact, although different for each OEM,

typically about 60% of the fastener Bill of Material is

customer proprietary parts and 40% standards. A customer

proprietary part is one that the customer has developed for

their own unique purposes.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 80

10


Joe Dysart

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and business consultant based in Thousand Oaks,

California. A journalist for 20 years, his articles have appeared in more than 40

publications, including The New York Times and The Financial Times of London.

During the past decade, his work has focused exclusively on ecommerce.

Telephone: 631-256-6602; web: www.joedysart.com; email: joe@dysartnewsfeatures.com

CYBERSECURITY: THE PLAYBOOK FOR FASTENER

DISTRIBUTORS: HOW TO STAY AHEAD OF HACKERS

With another year of hacker break-ins looming before

us, now is a great time to evaluate the cybersecurity

protecting your fastener distributorship to ensure that

you’re using the latest in technology and methods to keep

cyber-criminals at bay.

Here are the top ten tactics cybersecurity pros

recommend to help ensure that breaking into your computer

network is -- for hackers -- simply too overwhelming to try:

¤ Consider Zero Trust Architecture: A relatively

new approach to business network security, this strategy is

based on the assumption that cyber-threats can originate

from both outside -- and within -- your computer network.

Ergo, you must unfortunately proceed with a

philosophy of ‘trust no-one.’

ZTA begins with micro-segmentation -- or the slicingup

of your computer network into smaller segments --

each of which has its own set of security controls. Ideally,

a hacker can be trapped in a single segment of your

network -- rather than scoring keys to the entire kingdom

-- if you’re using micro-segmentation.

Next, you’ll want to implement the concept of ‘least

privilege access’ across your network. That ensures

employees are only given access to the systems they

absolutely need to do their jobs.

And finally, you’ll want to adopt multi-factor

authentication across all systems in the network serving

your fastener distributorship -- such as the requirement

of a password, followed by the need for a separate code

sent the user’s smartphone.

“Zero Trust Architectures have become the aspiration

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

HACKERS ARE WILY -- BUT SO ARE THE BUSINESSES USING STATE-

OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES TO THWART THEM

and objective of cyber defense operations nationwide,”

says Ismael Valenzuela, author, “Defensible Security

Architecture and Engineering,” a course available through

Sans, a cybersecurity trainer.

¤ Continually Train Employees in Good

Cybersecurity Hygiene: Since the dawn of hackers,

cybersecurity pros have known that fooling employees is

one of the easiest ways to break into a business network.

Friendly sounding emails soliciting employees for

passwords, harried phone calls asking for emergency

computer access, company laptops lost on trains or in coffee

shops -- these and similar missteps are all nightmares that

computer security officers fret over regularly.

Security pros advise that every business using

computers and the Internet -- no matter how small --

create a cybersecurity training program for all employees.


12


Rob LaPointe EXPEDITE TESTING SERVICE

Rob LaPointe is a noted authority in materials and fastener technology. With extensive experience in the

management and science of materials testing laboratories combined with master’s degrees in physics and

education, he excels at bringing solutions to the client. Working specifically in the fastener testing industry, he

has developed expertise in mechanical, nondestructive, metallurgical and chemical testing. With a background of

20 years in physics education, Rob is effective at communicating complex ideas in a simple and understandable

manner, communicating well with clients enabling them to make informed decisions about their products and

business. Rob is President/CEO of Expedite Testing Service, 11645 Riverside Drive, Suite 127, Lakeside, CA

92040. Tel: 619-736-7872, Cell: 909-254-1278 or visit www.expeditetest.com.

FASTENER SCIENCE: CORRECTIVE ACTION REQUESTS –

APPROACHING THEM AS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL PARTIES

If your business operates with an ISO quality

management system, corrective action requests are part

of your process procedure when a dysfunction is noticed

within your system. In ISO systems, corrective actions have

the specific design and purpose to achieve a meaningful

and long-lived solution to the problem that is preventing

the streamline function of the business. The protocol to

achieve this solution and regain smooth function in the

business is a simple step-by-step methodology, that when

employed with the goal of the betterment of the system,

will deliver positive and durable improvement for the

business, its products, its suppliers and its customers.

A corrective action request is a request for action to

be taken to fix a problem. A request to make a correction

that will prevent the problem from recurring under the

most general circumstances. And specifically, within the

same circumstances that allowed the problem to exist.

By taking a systematic approach to problem solving, we

can be much more effective at permanently solving the

problem and simultaneously improving our system in the

FIGURE 2 THE ACT OF BLAMING SHOULD BE AVOIDED WHEN THE

SYSTEM CAN BE FIXED TO CORRECT A PROBLEM.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

FIGURE 1 ISO STANDARDS CONVENTION.

process. Improved systems will have a positive impact on

the function of the system, increase the ease of operating

the system and improve the quality and desirability of the

products that are produced by the system; the products

we sell. Ultimately, this improvement will increase

efficiency and quality and reduce the cost of bringing

goods and services to the market. All these improvements

will have positive impacts on the company’s success and

profitability. If your role in your company involves working

with corrective actions, it is critical to the betterment of

the process and the outcome of your efforts to consider

each corrective action as an opportunity to make it better,

rather than an opportunity to lay blame.

It is not an uncommon response, when faced with

criticism towards your department at work or the job tasks

for which it’s responsible, to feel defensive. We often

take criticism personally and feel that if we are in some

way responsible for the system or its operation, then the

problem is, somehow, our fault. This is often induced

by others’ pursuit of a person or group in which to lay

blame upon so that they themselves can be absolved of

responsibility in the issue.


14


Bruno Marbacher

Dear Reader -with this article I conclude the series

of articles about thread locking fasteners. I covered

the essential locking methods and locking elements.

There may be additional locking methods and/or locking

elements available. I will write about them when I

become aware of them.

Bruno Marbacher earned his mechanical engineering degree in Switzerland, he also holds a business

degree. He started out as a tool and die maker (poly-mechanic) and over the years he has held

various management positions in quality and engineering. During his time in America he has

developed and given numerous seminars on topics related to the proper use of mechanical fasteners

and machine elements, and assists engineers in solving fastening/assembly issues. His has groomed

and directed many young engineers in fastening/assembly technology. He now offers his 40 years of

experience through writing and lecturing.

VISUAL LOCKING ELEMENTS AND

LOCKNUTS FOR SHAFTS

Safety Plates With Flaps And Tabs

Locking plates for screws and nuts have limited

locking-ability.

The locking plates are made from relatively soft and

thin sheet metal parts with a clearance hole for the screw.

The locking plate is either put under the hex cap screw

head and or underneath a hex nut. After installation of

the fasteners, a portion of the locking plate is bent

upward against one of the six flats. The tab is either bent

over the edge or into the corner of a clamped part. Thus,

the screw/nut is restricted from turning loose.

They only work on fasteners that have corners and

flats (Hex cap screws and hex nuts etc.)

Locking plates are available for the fastener sizes

M3-M52. They are covered by national standards only.

Their Locking effectiveness is uncertain. (visual locking

element).

Even for M52 fasteners the sheet metal thickness is

only about 1.5 mm-2mm. If the washers were thicker,

one would not be able to bend them firmly against the

flats.

The sheet metal is too thin to prevent loosening. The

bent washer portion would be pushed away.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

Usually when the screws come loose the sheet metal

is only partially pushed away and then stops. However,

the preload has already dropped considerably.

The proper use of a “locking plate” is not to lock screws

and/or nut from coming loose, but to use them as visual

locking elements. Once the sheet metal is pushed away

one can see that the screws/nuts have come loose.

There are several different locking plates available for

various applications:

A locking plate with external tab requires a drilled

hole in the clamped component. The tab is engaged into

the drilled hole next to a screw head and/or nut. Then, a

portion of the plate is bent against of the flats of either

a hex cap screw or hex nut.

Locking plate with two flaps requires clamped

component to have edges or angles. The longer flap is

bent tightly over an edge, the second flap is bent tightly

over one of the hex flats.

Safety Locking Wires

Locking wires, also known as safety wire, when

installed correctly, are an excellent locking method,

which prevents fastener loosening due to vibration.


26


Guy Avellon

Guy Avellon has been in MRO and Fastener Distribution for over 30 years, in such positions Sales

Engineer, Chief Engineer, Manager of Product Marketing, Product Engineering & Quality and Director

of Quality & Engineering. He founded GT Technical Consultants where he performs failure analysis,

lectures on fastener safety, works for law firms and designs/audits Quality systems. He is a member

of SAE, is Vice Chairman of the ASTM F16 Fastener Committee, Chairman of the F16.01 Test Methods

Committee and received the ASTM Award of Merit in 2005. Guy can be contacted at 847-477-5057,

Email: ExpertBoltGuy@gmail.com or visit www.BoltFailure.com.

WHAT FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT USING TWO NUTS TO LOCK A BOLT

Customers have always had that one application

that always comes loose. The problem is that there are

many choices to make for which product to use, only to

find out that some products will work better than others

or not at all.

Early methods employed the use of two standard

sized nuts. It was easier then as there wasn’t a choice of

which one goes on top. Many older pieces of equipment

from the last century were assembled with two nuts.

Then, a few decades later, thinner nuts were developed

which were called ‘jam’ nuts and after that we have the

lock nut.

Now the question becomes; what works better?

Tests were conducted using a load cell and 3/8-16

fasteners using SAE Grades 2, 5 and 8 with matching

grade nuts and hardened flat washers. The sample bolts

and nuts used were both zinc plated and unfinished,

with the exception of the grade 2 bolts and nuts which

were both unfinished. However, the nuts used on the

unfinished grade 8 were unfinished 2H nuts. The flat

washers were all hardened with zinc plating. Each test,

unless otherwise noted, used new nuts, bolts and flat

washers.

Double Nuts

Two standard sized, unplated SAE Grade 2 nuts

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

were used with two unplated SAE Grade 2 bolts. To

determine a target clamp load range, several new nuts

and new bolts were tested in the load cell, tightened to

their recommended torque. When the second nut was

added onto the bolt and tightened against the first nut,

the clamp load increased by 8%.

The positions of the nuts were then swapped. The

used nut which had been on the outside and was now

against the joint surface produced a loss of 8%. When

the second nut was tightened against the first nut, the

clamp load increased by almost 17%.

This indicates that the threads were not as severely

distorted on the first used nut against the joint surface

as one would expect and the top nut is now carrying the

stress load of the fastener.

The next test used zinc plated SAE Grade 5 bolts

and zinc plated Grade 5 nuts. When the second nut was

tightened, the clamp load increased by 6%. The amount

of joint relaxation only amounted to less than 1%.

Unplated SAE Grade 5 bolts were used with

unfinished ASTM 2H hex nuts. When the second nut

was tightened, the clamp load increased by 11% higher

than the target load. This increase can be attributed to

an increase in friction between the two nuts due to their

rougher finish and the larger surface area on the face of

the 2H nuts.


28


Robert Footlik

Robert B. Footlik, PE is a retired Professional Industrial Engineer. With over 50 years’

experience as a Warehouse and Logistics Consultant to a wide variety of clients including

Fastener Distributors, Bob has a wealth of valuable information for our industry and he is

willing to share it. While Footlik & Associates is now closed, his expertise is still available

to his friends and our readers. For friendly advice, a second opinion or just to start a

conversation, he can be reached at robert@footlik.net.

THE “5-STAR” WAREHOUSE – THE PHYSICAL FACILITY -

SEASON 1, EPISODE 3

Over the years I have toured many warehouses and

generally everyone started by following the processes

from the office that does the purchasing, to receiving

where the goods arrive, thru stocking, put away, order

picking, packing and final shipment. This is the path the

merchandise follows for order fulfillment. Touring “5-Star

Supply,” however, followed a far different roadmap.

After spending quality time explaining the

philosophies and personnel policies that have radically

changed both the staff work habits and their lives, Boss

Mike, the Operations V/P led the way to what he called

“THE HEART OF THE OPERATION,” the shelving area.

More Than Just Filling A Space With

Shelving

As Mike explained, “We used to have a very neat

and mostly organized shelving area. It was essentially

our Founder’s first layout moved multiple times to a

new space. Everything was organized by vendor for

ease of stocking, and to expedite the manufacturers’

representatives who would periodically ‘eyeball’ the

inventory for reordering. The only change was to

relocate the fastest moving items in a “family” to an

aisle endcap to expedite picking. The remainder of the

“family” was still located down the aisle/row of the

shelving. This was great for stocking, but inefficient

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

for picking. One of our warehouse staff observed that

we stock once and pick a hundred times. This started

everyone thinking about a different paradigm.”

“The shelving was also set to expedite counter

customer sales. What we thought was an active walk

in trade turned out to be less than 2% of our business

and most of the transactions were will call orders with

at least 30 minutes of warning. Online ordering was a

growing percentage of what amounted to a miniscule

percent of sales and customer pick up is now thru a

drive-up window. So, why was the shelving designed to

expedite the tail wagging the dog?”

Thanks to the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence

(AI), what I used to call “Data Mining,” we reanalyzed

the last three years of orders by type of customer. This

resulted in a more customer-centric family grouping.

Currently we are looking at Original Equipment

Manufacturing, Repair/Maintenance, Construction,

Customer Specific Stocking, Branch Reordering, Branch

Customer Orders and Casual (walk in) customers as

separate businesses. As we walk thru the shelving area

I’ll point out some of the layout differences.”

“Essentially there are now six zones for stocking

materials. The first floor front bank of shelving is used

for primary picking of materials common to most, if not

all of the customer families.


30


Chris Donnell

Chris Donnell is the National Sales Director for Scanwell Logistics International (CHI) Inc.,

specializing in Supply Chain Management, Inventory Control, Logistics Sales and Management.

Chris excels at selling the “Solution” to advanced program analysis and implementation. A highly

ambitious and effective team leader who thrives on the challenges of this industry, Chris currently

oversees a National Sales and Partnership Program consisting of more than 100 Sales executives

who focus primarily on SCM and Logistics development in most vertical markets. Contact Chris at

847-228-6789 or email: chrisdonnell@scanwell.com.

2025 – THE YEAR OF THE TARIFF INCREASES

Hello, everyone. Well, it’s been a tough start to the

year. The new administration has announced sweeping

changes including new tariffs, some of which will greatly

impact the fasteners industry - but more about that later.

As I typically do, I want to cover all things transportation

and industry related. I will break down everything by

industry so as to make sure you are brought up to speed

in the comings and goings of the global supply chain.

We all know that 2024 was a trying year. We saw

service disruptions, capacity issues, threats of labor

strikes here and there; and if that wasn’t enough, we had

an election for the ages, and a new administration that

seems to be moving at break-neck speed. Below is a brief

breakdown of what we saw in 2024 along with what we

anticipate happening in 2025.

Ocean Import/Export

Importers saw their fair share of disruptions in 2024.

In fact, disruptions, for the most part, have become

customary in this industry. We saw issues with the

Panama Canal, the Suez Canal and Houthis blocking

access to the Red Sea. We saw rates rise and drop and

rise again. Since January of 2024 until the end of the

year, rates have increased by roughly 45%. Overall import

volumes in 2024 increased by more than 13% year over

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

year. The last quarter of 2024 saw the highest rate of

increases - October 12%, November 15% and December

19% versus the same month in 2023. The increase is

attributed to the early Chinese New Year Festival, but

more so the threat of increases in tariffs which forced

importers to ramp up production and movement of their

imports to avoid the increase.

For 2025, ocean rates have steadily dropped, however,

as of March 15th, the ocean carriers have announced a

substantial rate increase in the form of a Peak Season

Surcharge (PSS). This increase is roughly $1,000.00 per

forty-foot container (FEU) or a 25% increase in current

pricing. Making this increase more bizarre is the fact that

ocean imports for the past month have been relativity flat.

This makes me wonder if the increase is a ploy by the

ocean carriers to elevate rates just before negotiations

ramp up with logistics providers and BCO’s. Any increase

the carriers are capable of getting during the negotiations

is certainly a win for them. It will be interesting to see if

the rates take a tumble once the contracts are signed.

Overall, most analysts are predicting 2025 to show

little to no growth in the global ocean sector. Rates are

forecasted to rise and fall similar to what we saw in 2024,

where the highest levels were reported in early summer

and then again in late fall.


32


Eric Dudas Fully Threaded Radio

Eric Dudas co-founded FCH Sourcing Network in 2006 and launched the industry renowned

Fully Threaded Radio podcast in 2010. With business partner and co-host Brian Musker, FCH

operates its widely used digital inventory marketing platform, and provides data cleansing and

formatting services for fastener distributors across the industry. FCH also produces the monthly

Fastener Distributor Index. Apart from industry punditry, Eric ponders the deeper existential

aspects of life driving a tractor around his small farm in semi-rural northeast Ohio. eric@

fastenersclearinghouse.com

UNTHREADED:

INTELLIGENTLY REACTING TO NEW TARIFFS

Working through the thought process with an

AI bot and a fastener parrot...

Like most people working in the fastener industry,

I’ve been preoccupied with the tariff story lately.

As predicted by many, the mere threat of 60%

aggregate tariffs on many product categories coming in

from China triggered buttpuckerment-inducing price hikes

even from suppliers in countries where the threatened

additional levies will “only” see a 25% increase.

I wonder, did the AIs forecast this?

No matter, I just finished compiling the latest

Fastener Distributor Index report, and based on the

abundant tariff related commentary we received on the

survey this month, the price increases really are a thing.

My guess is that tariffs will still be all the buzz by the

time this article hits the streets in good old fashioned

print on glossy hard stock, months from now.

I still like magazines, by the way. They have a real

feel to them, and also because I can read them with no

retina scan required.

Speaking of print, I received a tear sheet from the

Chicago Tribune dated 2/25/25 via snail mail today,

courtesy of the lovely and talented Lynn Dempsey. She

will not give up her subscription to the old daily “news”

rag, mostly for sentimental reasons, but also because

of Harpo the parrot. He makes full use of every issue,

putting down on the paper more of what the editors

already placed there.

Another thing about Lynn is that she’s also a little

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

“HARPO THE PARROT SITS OVER THE MORNING PAPER, WHERE

HE DROPS HIS TIMELY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEWS DAILY.

HE WAS FEATURED ON EPISODE 201 OF THE FULLY THREADED

RADIO PODCAST, AND APPEARS RANDOMLY, WHENEVER THERE’S

SOMETHING TO SQUAWK ABOUT.”

old school, and she doesn’t require her news to arrive at

twice the speed of 6G hyper-accelerated light.

Lynn sent the front page of the Tribune Business

section which features a story lamenting the effects the

tariffs are having on small business. The story continues

on page two, which is the back of the front page that she

marked up for me to review.

Speaking of small business, I wonder if this front

and back page is all there is to the newsprint Business

section these days. If so, at least there’s one place in

the country left with no inflation in sight.


34


LOK-MOR, INC.

661 Airport Dr, Mansfield, TX 76063 TEL 800-843-7230

EMAIL sales@lok-mor.com WEB www.lok-mor.com

A LEGACY OF QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE IN

DOMESTIC LOCKNUT MANUFACTURING

The Foundation And Legacy

Established in 1982, Lok-Mor® has grown to

become America’s leading manufacturer of made-tostock,

commercial-grade locknuts. Located in Mansfield,

Texas, the company’s dedication to quality and customer

service has set it apart in the fastener industry. Lok-Mor’s

commitment to innovation and product support has made

it the industry standard for manufacturing locknuts that

consistently deliver high levels of quality and performance.

Lok-Mor® specializes in manufacturing an extensive

range of locknuts, with more than 20 different types

available to match various application requirements. The

company’s products are available in a wide variety of

materials, thread patterns, and finishes. The Lok-Mor®

product line includes:

¤ ANCO® PN-LOC®: Lok-Mor’s proprietary, allmetal,

self-locking nut features a patented, non-breakable

stainless steel ratchet pin. Recognized as the industry

standard for structural locknuts, the ANCO® PN-LOC®

ensures consistent locking torque while minimizing

damage to bolt threads and preserving galvanization.

¤ Prevailing-Torque and Free-Spinning Locknuts:

Designed to withstand the effects of continuous heavy

vibration, shock, extreme temperatures, and numerous

loading cycles, these locknuts are proven resistant to

loosening. Lok-Mor® offers a wide variety of prevailingtorque

and free-spinning locknuts, each engineered for

optimal performance.

Custom Locknuts

In addition to its standard product offerings, Lok-

Mor® provides custom domestic manufacturing to meet

unique client requirements. The company regularly

manufactures such specialized fasteners as acorn nuts,

hex nuts, round-knurled nuts, square nuts, hi-nuts,

coupling nuts, slotted nuts, and castle nuts. These

fasteners are available in standard, non-standard, and

left-hand threads. Additionally, Lok-Mor® manufactures

custom spacers, bushings, standoffs, and washers to

customers’ specifications.

The company’s domestic manufacturing process

accommodates parts turned from bar stock, as well as

cold- and hot-formed parts, ensuring flexibility in meeting

various design and material needs. The company also

offers expedited delivery options to meet urgent project

timelines.

BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE


36


Jim Truesdell

James Truesdell is Chairman of Brauer Supply Company, a distributor of specialty fasteners,

insulation, air filtration, and air conditioning with headquarters in St. Louis. Mr. Truesdell is

Associate Professor at Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz School of Business where he has taught

their opening MBA class for the past twenty years. An attorney and frequently published writer,

he is the author of “Total Quality Management: Reports From the Front Lines”.

TRUMP SETS RAPID PACE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS -

WILL IT BE A BOOST FOR BUSINESS?

Just as promised, President Trump hit the ground

running in the days and weeks following his inauguration.

He immediately signed a pile of executive orders

rolling back actions of the Biden Administration and

launching sweeping plans to shrink regulation and

send the nation and the business environment in an

entirely new direction. We can’t say he didn’t tell us. He

seems intent on doing what politicians normally do not

do—that is doing exactly what he promised to do in the

campaign. He shook up a shocked federal bureaucracy

and work force and roiled the international community

with aggressive statements and an instant imposition

of large tariffs (from which he pulled back and delayed

after offers of cooperation from some intended targets).

Is this the style of leadership we are going to become

accustomed to for the next four years? I suspect so,

but maybe we see a pattern which tells us not to get so

excited or concerned at first glance.

Clearly, the President sees things as a series of

deals and he leads with an extreme position to set

the parameters of what will be negotiated. We see this

type of strategy in a lot of business dealing, but we

are unaccustomed to it where the deal making is out

in public for all to see in a political setting. Taking a

maximum position at the start of the negotiation opens

up a leader to media statements of shock and political

opponents raise questions about the moral vacuum and

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

insanity the President is operating under. The difference

here, unlike his predecessors in the office, is that this

particular president doesn’t seem to care what the initial

public reaction is. He is waiting for his opponents to

start to deal within the framework he has established.

Thus, in the case of the hefty tariffs he announced

one week into his term he then put them on hold fortyeight

hours later when he received signs of some trading

partners being willing to deal on issues of consequence.

Look at the financial markets’ reaction to this. After

his weekend tariff announcement the markets briefly

went into a tail spin on the first Monday morning only

to limit the damage as the day progressed and then

bounce back when there were signs of other countries’

willingness to negotiate. We are going to have to get

use to this. Manufacturers and distributors may have to

“keep their powder dry” at the first sign of events that

will move prices before reacting, until it appears there is

reason to immediately change their pricing strategies.


38


Nelson Valderrama

Nelson Valderrama is the CEO of Intuilize, a software Service platform that specializes

in helping mid-sized distributors transform data into profits. With more than 22 years’

experience as P&L manager executive for major PE firms and industrial distributors. Nelson

has dedicated his career to help business uncover hidden competitive advantages and

unleash the power of data in the new Digital Economy. For more information contact by

email nelson@intuilize.com or visit www.intuilize.com

VETERAN TALENT: 5 VALUABLE WAYS FASTENER

DISTRIBUTORS INVEST IN THE FUTURE

productivity is independent of place.

On average, people ditch their jobs after about

4.7 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks these

resignations by age group and percentage—it’s like a

quitting scoreboard!

COVID-19 affected the economy’s ability to breathe.

Masks, social distancing, and fear closed company

doors, shook the global supply chain, and sent people

home. The pandemic prompted many to reevaluate

their careers and seek a more flexible and purposeful

worklife balance. It modified everyone who touched the

supply chain, and many Baby Boomers retired during

this period. Distributors facing talent shortages must

reassess the value of their veteran staff and invest in

seasoned talent before they leave with all the secrets.

Veteran Talent Shortages

According to the World Economic Forum (2023), the

Great Resignation during the pandemic in 2021-2022

saw a whopping 4 million U.S. workers quitting every

month! Even the warehousing sector felt the heat, with

2.8% of their workforce saying, “I’m outta here!” Low

pay, bad bosses, and zero career growth discouraged

them. But hey, the rise of remote work proved that

CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE

Mature workers usually stick around in their jobs

because they focus on retirement, need the money, take

pride in their work, or are loyal to their employer.

Research at Intuilize, available in our recent benchmark

report, finds

¤ 90% of companies experience a negative margin

impact from weak execution.

¤ 60% suffer additional losses from delayed

implementation.

¤ The average company sees 17.7% of its annual

revenue affected by delayed or poorly executed

price updates.

¤ The most impacted companies had up to 35% of

their revenue at risk.


40


INTERSTATE SCREW CORPORATION

475 West 18th Street, Hialeah FL 33010 TEL: 305-888-8700

EMAIL sales@interstate-screw.com WEB www.interstate-screw.com

THE OLDEST & LARGEST FASTENER DISTRIBUTOR

IN FLORIDA by Dennis Cowhey, President, Computer Insights

Interstate Screw Corporation has been in business for

almost seventy years, and they are the oldest and largest

fastener distributor in the state of Florida. They have two

divisions, Allied Screw of Dixie, their export division, and

Atlas Bolt And Nut, their repackaging division.

A Long History

Interstate Screw Corp. was created in Miami, Florida,

in January 1954 by Albert Seiden and his son, Ronald

Seiden, as an offshoot of the Maxwell Venetian Blind

Company when Albert found that selling the installation

fasteners was a better business than selling blinds.

ISC was subsequently legally incorporated in

November 1956. Contrary to Ronald’s long-standing and

amusing story, Albert did not win the company in a poker

game. Ronald had just completed his BBA degree at

the University of Miami when the company was formed.

Together Albert and Ronald established the fastener

distributorship, industriously gaining a foothold in the

supply chain of screws, nuts, and bolts, eventually adding

numerous ancillary items to complement the extensive

line of fasteners and fastener-related products.

Miami and the surrounding cities of Southeastern

Florida were experiencing a bout of population growth,

during which time Interstate Screw Corporation was

successfully servicing the industry from its original

location.

In the late 1970s, Interstate acquired Atlas Bolt and

Nut Company from The Jim Walters Corporation when

founder Albert Seiden passed away.

In the early 1980s, under the sole direction of Ronald

(pictured working at his desk), Interstate acquired Allied

Screw of Dixie from Sterling Bolt of Texas, Allied’s parent

company.

Coinciding with the Allied acquisition was the

relocation to 475 West 18th Street (pictured below) in

Hialeah, Florida, because moving Allied into the original

Interstate location at 6760 NW 37th Avenue proved

impossible due to space constraints.

The new facility offered nearly 50,000 square feet of

warehouse space for continued growth. Interstate remains

at this prime location to this day, and the name Interstate

Screw Corporation has become synonymous with fastener

products throughout the Southeastern United States,

South America, the Caribbean, and beyond.



42


Larry Borowski President

GREENSLADE & COMPANY INC.

2234 Wenneca Avenue, Fort Worth, TX 76102

TEL 817-870-8888 FAX 817-870-9199

EMAIL sales1@greensladeandcompany.com WEB www.greensladeandcompany.com

PROPER INSPECTION OF SLOTTED

RECESSES IN SCREW HEADS

A slot in the head of a screw was undoubtedly the

first form of a recessed driving mechanism ever used

in screws hundreds of years ago. Today there are many

recess designs available, all of which are much more

effective at delivering tightening torque. Not only are

slots poor at delivering torque, they are also extremely

hard to drive effectively with power drivers.

In spite of the poor performance of slots as a screw

drive system, slotted screws are still commonly used

in industry because of their easy serviceability. In fact,

many “combo drives” incorporate a slot in conjunction

with a 6-lobe, cross recess, or square recess, simply for

the option of using either type of driver when servicing

an assembly. When slotted screws are used in high

volume assemblies, slot quality is very critical. Since the

performance of even a perfectly formed slot is so poor,

the quality of slots in terms of consistent shape and size

is essential if any kind of efficient assembly of items is

to be achieved.

If you have ever used a slotted screw to assemble

items, you can relate to this. They have a tendency to

cause the screw driver blade to slip latterly out of the

slot. If the screw driver blade is worn or is not seated

perfectly in the slot, it has a tendency to strip the

recess. Also, if the required torque is too high, the slot

can deform to a point that is no longer even useable for

tightening or loosening. For these reasons, it is critical

that the slot is manufactured correctly, and periodically

inspected for tooling wear and breakdown.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

Many suppliers of fasteners try to inspect screw

slot using calipers and/or optical comparators. It is

impossible to get consistent measurements using

either of these methods. When these methods of

measurement are subject to Gage Repeatability and

Reproducibility studies, the results are in excess of the

allowable 30% as required in all SPC systems.

Screw slots should be inspected using the gages

specifically designed for slot inspection. These gages

are as follows:

[1] One slot depth gage that will measure all inch and

metric slot depths in screw head styles and in sizes #2

(M2) and larger.

[2] GO/NOGO slot width gages. The widths of screw

slots are consistent with the nominal body diameter

regardless of the screw’s head style. In inch screws

an eleven piece blade set will cover #2 through 3/8.

For metric screws, a nine piece blade set will cover M2

through M10.


44


ATTENDEE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

FOR FASTENER FAIR USA 2025

Excitement is building as attendee registration

officially opens for Fastener Fair USA 2025, taking place

May 28–29, 2025, at the Music City Center in vibrant

Nashville, TN. For the first time, Fastener Fair USA will

be co-located with ALUMINUM USA, providing attendees

with unprecedented access to two powerhouse industry

events under one roof. With a single badge, attendees

can explore both shows, unlocking new opportunities for

networking and collaboration at no additional cost.

Blanca Delgado, Event Director for both Fastener Fair

USA and ALUMINUM USA, shared her enthusiasm for

the upcoming event, stating, “Bringing Fastener Fair USA

and ALUMINUM USA together in Nashville is an exciting

milestone for both industries. This co-location provides

a unique opportunity for professionals to connect,

learn, and discover innovations across the fastener

and aluminum sectors. Add Nashville’s dynamic energy

as a destination, and this year’s event becomes an

unmissable experience.”

Event Highlights

The two-day event will feature a dynamic lineup of

exhibits, educational sessions, and interactive experiences

designed to deliver valuable insights and practical tools

for attendees across industries. Key highlights include:

Opening Night Networking Party

Kick off the conference in style at the Opening

Night Networking Party on the evening of Day 1, May

28, at Honky Tonk Central located on iconic Broadway

in downtown Nashville. Socialize with peers and expand

your professional connections while enjoying live music,

SHOW EVENT ARTICLE

drinks, food, and awards! Tickets are $70 and can be

purchased during badge registration. Don’t miss out on

the party everyone will be talking about all year long!

Complimentary Learning Theater Sessions

Both shows will feature free-to-attend Learning Theater

Sessions right on the show floor. These complimentary

sessions will offer valuable insights into industry trends,

innovations, and best practices, providing continued

professional development opportunities for all attendees.

Testing Zone

Attendees can roll up their sleeves in the new Testing

Zone, hosted by BeoWolf Testing. This interactive area

offers a hands-on experience using portable testing

instruments, such as microscopes, to evaluate the quality

of aluminum and fasteners. Industry experts will guide

participants through testing procedures, share insights

on enhancing quality control and help attendees better

understand their products’ potential vulnerabilities. Don’t

miss this unique opportunity to boost your expertise in

product evaluation and quality improvement.


THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 45

48


SPIROL INTERNATIONAL CORP.

30 Rock Avenue, Danielson, CT 06239

TEL 1-860-774-8571 FAX 1-860-774-2048 EMAIL info@spirol.com WEB www.spirol.com

THE BENEFITS OF LIGHT DUTY COILED SPRING PINS IN

SOFT AND BRITTLE MATERIALS by Adolf Valasek, Applications Engineer

General Benefits of Spring Pins

Spring Pins are mechanical fasteners used for a

variety of functions including: hinging, aligning, and joining

two or more parts together. Their method of retention

is by radial tension that results from their interference

with the host component. The key difference to other

fastening methods that rely on interference is that Spring

Pins are designed to be the compliant, flexible element

of the joint. Spring Pins exert a constant radial tension

against the hole wall and can protect the host component

from incurring deformation or other permanent damage

to the hole. Thanks to its flexible diameter, Spring Pins

also allow for a much wider hole tolerance, lowering the

manufactured cost of the host component.

“Spring Pin” is a general term, however. There are

other types of fasteners that satisfy the above definition,

of which two are the most prevalent – Slotted Spring

Pins and Coiled Spring Pins. Slotted Spring Pins are best

known by their C-shape cross section, while Coiled Spring

Pins have a 2 ¼ coil cross section and present the more

flexible option as they are made of multiple wraps of

thinner material and do not have a slot that would limit its

flexibility when it closes.

The Three Duties and Differences

Between Them

The Coiled Pin is available in three duties – Light,

Standard and Heavy – so designers have the option to

choose the optimum balance of strength, flexibility and

diameter of the pin for their specific application. All three

duties have the same 2 ¼ coil formation with the core

physical difference between

them being the thickness

of the raw material - and

subsequently their flexibility

and strength.

Typically, the optimum

“Duty” is driven by the host

material of the application

and its strength/hardness as

well as the actual functional

requirements of the pin within

the assembly. Light Duty is

recommended for plastics, soft metal castings (such as

zinc and aluminum die castings) and brittle materials such

as ceramics. Standard Duty is recommended for mild

steels (such as unheat treated steels and cast iron) and

non-ferrous metals (such as bronze and aluminum), while

Heavy Duty is reserved for hardened steels or severe

shock and vibration environments. Host material type,

however, only limits the use of the heavier duties, with

the goal being to design in a pin that is strong enough to

withstand the applied load, yet flexible enough to isolate

and protect the soft or fragile hole material from the

forces.

LEFT: COILED SPRING PINS,

RIGHT: SLOTTED PIN

COILED SPRING PINS ARE AVAILABLE IN HEAVY, STANDARD, AND

LIGHT DUTY

TECHNICAL ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 112

50


IMSM LTD.

The Gig House, Oxford Street, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 9AX, England

TEL +44 1793 296 704 EMAIL ScottMersch@imsm.com WEB www.imsm.com

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FASTENER

INDUSTRY AND ISO/IEC 42001 by Scott Mersch

Artificial intelligence is here. Managing your AI can

be profitable for your business.

Manufacturing Improvements, Quality Assurance,

Speed of Manufacturing and Distribution, are just a few

of the areas where AI will help.

ISO/IEC 42001 is an international ISO standard

developed to provide comprehensive guidelines for

the implementation, maintenance, and improvement

of artificial intelligence (AI). ISO standards like this

help establish a common understanding across

industries, which is critical for global AI advancement.

ISO consultancy services are invaluable in navigating

the intricacies of ISO/IEC 42001, ensuring organizations

align AI practices with the standard.

ISO certification under ISO/IEC 42001 ensures

that organizations implement AI efficiently and ethically.

Covering various aspects such as risk management,

transparency, accountability, and compliance with legal

and regulatory requirements.

Introducing AI into your fastener business is an

exciting step! Here are some strategies to instill

confidence in your customers:

Transparency

¤ Explain AI Usage - Clearly communicate how you

are using AI in your products. Whether it’s for improving

quality control, optimizing inventory, or providing better

customer service, transparency will help build trust.

¤ Data Handling - Assure customers that their

data will be handled securely and responsibly. Share


your data privacy policies and how you protect their

information.

Quality And Reliability

¤ Showcase Benefits - Highlight the tangible

benefits your customers will experience with AI, such

as faster delivery times, higher quality products, or

personalized recommendations.

¤ Performance Metrics - Provide performance

metrics or case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness

and reliability of your AI-powered solutions.

Certification And Standards

¤ ISO 42001 Certification - Consider obtaining

ISO 42001 certification to show your commitment to

ethical and responsible AI practices.

¤ Industry Standards - Adhere to industry

standards and best practices in AI development to

ensure your products meet the highest quality and safety

standards.


52


MID-WEST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 255, Park Ridge, IL 60068

TEL 847-438-8338 EMAIL mwfa@mwfa.net WEB www.mwfa.net

MWFA ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY RECAP

AND UPCOMING EVENTS by Francesca Lewis

The Mid-West Fastener Association closed out the

year in style with a festive Holiday Party on December

12 at Medinah Banquets. The night was filled with

excitement as members and guests enjoyed an evening

of celebration, camaraderie, and giving back.

A lively casino kept the energy high, while Santa

made a special appearance to spread holiday cheer.

The DJ kept the dance floor buzzing, ensuring there was

never a dull moment.

Beyond the fun and festivities, MWFA members

demonstrated their generosity by raising over $1,000

for our scholarship program. Additionally, we were proud

to continue our tradition of giving, once again making

MWFA the largest donor to the DuPage County Toys for

Tots chapter—a distinction we hold every year. Knowing

that our contributions help bring joy to children during the

holiday season is something we take great pride in.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed

to making this event a success. Your support continues

to make a meaningful impact within our industry and

beyond. We look forward to an exciting year ahead!

MWFA & NASF Joint Meeting On CBAM:

A Night Of Insight & Engagement

The MWFA’s recent joint meeting with NASF on

CBAM, hosted by Darlene Collis of LindFast Group, was

an outstanding success! With CBAM being an everevolving

topic, attendees gained valuable insights from

Darlene’s expertise as she navigated the complexities

and latest developments surrounding this critical subject.

The discussion was dynamic, with questions

continuously flowing as participants explored the impact

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

of CBAM on the fastener industry and beyond. Darlene’s

in-depth knowledge and engaging presentation made for

an informative and thought-provoking session.

Beyond the learning, the evening was elevated

by an amazing dinner, fostering great conversations

and valuable networking opportunities. The interactive

atmosphere underscored the importance of staying

informed and adapting to regulatory changes that affect

our industry.

A huge thank you to Darlene Collis for leading such

an insightful session and to everyone who attended for

contributing to a lively and engaging discussion. If you

missed this one, be sure to join us for our next MWFA

meeting—you won’t want to miss out!

MWFA Welcomes New Members

King Steel Corporation - Grand Blanc, MI

Fastco Industries - Grand Rapids, MI

Precise Stamping - North Aurora, IL

Modern Plating Corp - Freeport, IL


54


Decker Expands Product Line - Decker

Manufacturing Corporation has expanded its

product line to include A242 structural nuts,

specifically designed to meet the demands of

today’s infrastructure projects. These nuts are

manufactured from low-alloy, corrosion-resistant

steel, conforming to ASTM A242 specifications,

ensuring durability and resistance to atmospheric

conditions, making them ideal for applications in

highway, bridge, and building construction, where

long-term performance is critical.

A key advantage for Decker is their domestic

production capabilities. Their Michigan facility is

equipped with over 50 cold-forming machines,

capable of producing nuts ranging in size from

M6 to M24. State-of-the-art internal tapping

and external thread rolling machines allow for

precise threading, meeting exact specifications

required by structural applications. The in-house

engineering and tooling teams enable quick

design adjustments and growth for new products,

like the A242 structural nuts.

Decker also provides flexibility in custom

finish options, ranging from plain to various

protective platings, including hot dipped and

mechanical galvanized zinc, that enhance

corrosion resistance and aesthetic appeal based

on the application.

By choosing Decker’s domestically

manufactured products, customers benefit from

superior quality, reduced lead times, and the

assurance of supporting American industry.

Since 1927, Decker’s dedication to excellence

and innovation continues to set them apart as

a trusted partner in the structural and guardrail

sectors.

For more information about Decker

Manufacturing Corporation, contact them at 703

N. Clark Street, Albion, MI 49224. Tel: 517-629-

3955 or visit them online at www.deckernut.com.

56


EMAIL info@fastenershows.com

WEB www.fastenershows.com

IFE 2025 - BUILT ON TRADITION, DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

The 2025 International Fastener Expo (IFE) is shaping

up to be a must-attend event for fastener industry

professionals worldwide yet again. With booth space filling

up quickly, suppliers and manufacturers are securing their

spots to showcase the latest in fasteners, technology, and

machinery and tooling.

Set to take place September 15-17 in Las Vegas, this

year’s IFE theme, “Built on Tradition, Driven by Innovation,”

reflects the industry’s strong foundation and continuous

evolution. Attendees can expect a dynamic blend of longstanding

favorites and exciting new experiences.

IFE 2025 will bring back signature events like the

Welcome Party, Golf Tournament, and the prestigious IFE

Awards Ceremony, offering prime opportunities for industry

connection and celebration.

Education is taking center stage in 2025 with

expanded learning opportunities both on and off the show

floor. New this year, IFE will host a half-day conference

SHOW EVENT ARTICLE

on Monday before the Expo Hall opens, featuring three

in-depth, one-hour sessions covering key industry topics

that matter most to both attendees and exhibitors. In

addition, expert-led sessions throughout the event will

address industry challenges, future trends, and innovative

solutions, ensuring valuable insights for all participants.

“IFE 2025 is set to be our most dynamic event yet,

bringing together the best in the fastener industry under

one roof. With our theme, ‘Built on Tradition, Driven by

Innovation,’ we’re honoring the industry’s legacy while

embracing the future with expanded education and premier

networking events. Whether you’re an exhibitor or attendee,

this is the place to connect, learn, and grow your business.”

– Ali Gonzalez, IFE Account Executive, North America.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of the fastener

industry’s premier event!

For more details, visit www.fastenershows.com.

Registration will open mid-May 2025!

INTERNATIONAL FASTENER EXPO

58


ROTOR CLIP COMPANY INC.

187 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873

TEL 1-800-557-6867 EMAIL info@rotorclip.com WEB www.rotorclip.com

HARNESSING THE VERSATILITY OF

SPIRAL RETAINING RINGS

Spiral retaining rings are engineered to provide solutions

across diverse industries like aerospace, automotive, and

medical. Made from materials such as stainless steel,

Inconel, and Elgiloy, these rings are designed to meet

performance and environmental demands.

Whether choosing standard or custom options,

understanding your options is essential for the success of

your application. Rotor Clip manufactures every retaining

ring style, offering expertise to help you select the right ring

for your project.

Unique Features Of Spiral Retaining Rings

The coiled design of spiral retaining rings ensures even

load distribution, reducing stress concentration points. This

enhances resistance to high loads and vibrations. Unlike

traditional retaining rings, spiral rings have no lugs, allowing

for space savings and preventing interference with mating

components. In multiple-turn configurations, spiral rings

offer a 360° retaining surface.

Adaptability And Flexibility

Spiral retaining rings can be coiled to nearly any

dimension or number of turns, making them highly

adaptable for various assembly needs. Their flexibility in

size allows for compatibility with small to large diameters.

Custom features like locking and balanced designs are

also available for specific applications.

Cost Efficiency And Waste Reduction

Rotor Clip’s spiral retaining rings are adaptable and

cost-effective. Their customizable design reduces the need

for expensive tooling and minimizes manufacturing waste.

The coiling process generates minimal scrap, contributing

to a more efficient production process. Additionally, the

simplicity of installation and removal reduces assembly

time and costs.

Ease Of Installation And Removal

Spiral retaining rings are simple to install and remove,

requiring no special tools. They can be manually twisted

into grooves, or automated systems can be used for

production line assembly. The smooth edges reduce the

risk of scratching components, while the design allows easy

removal with a screwdriver, simplifying maintenance tasks.

Standard Or Custom Spiral Rings

Spiral retaining rings are highly customizable, and Rotor

Clip offers both standard and custom options to meet specific

needs. Customizations include material selection, diameter,

thickness, radial wall, end configuration, and more. Additional

features such as coatings or surface treatments can be

added to enhance corrosion resistance or reduce friction.

Materials For Every Environment

Spiral retaining rings come in various materials to suit

different environments. Stainless steels, such as 302 and

316, offer corrosion resistance for medical, saltwater, and

aerospace applications. Inconel and Elgiloy perform well

in high-temperature and corrosive environments, providing

superior performance and reliability.

TECHNICAL ARTICLE

ROTOR CLIP COMPANY INC.


60


METROPOLITAN FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

233 Rock Road #205, Glen Rock, NJ 07452

TEL 201-254-7784 FAX 201-612-0638 EMAIL mfdaboard@gmail.com WEB www.mfda.us

ECONOMIC FORECAST MEETING

by Rob Rundle

The Metropolitan Fastener Distributors Association

kicked off 2025 with its Economic Forecast Meeting

in the Historic Fraunces Tavern in New York City. The

meeting was sponsored by Brighton-Best International,

Kanebridge Corporation, Lindfast Solutions Group and

Fall River Mfg.

Featuring a presentation from ITR Economics’ Lauren

Saidel-Baker, the meeting attendees heard about ITR’s

forecast for the year to come, while also learning about

their prediction for a depression which ITR believes will

occur in the early 2030’s.

Lauren told the group that the economy is currently

at “somewhat of an infection point”. That 2025 Leading

indicators are turning up, and an accelerating growth

trend for the US economy (which is still the biggest

economy in the world) is on the horizon.

Lauren cautioned though that not everything is rosy.

ITR predicts that inflation will rise during 2025 into

2026, which may cause the Federal Reserve to either

pause lowering interest rates or lower them by a smaller

amount than the market was hoping for.

As far as employment, Lauren said the issue is “not

the people that can’t find jobs, the constraint we’re all

feeling is the jobs that can’t find people”. At the low point

in 2022 there were 2 open jobs for every unemployed

worker (that is people who were actively looking for

employment). Today, that number has “improved” to

.88 unemployed workers for every open job. Lauren

discussed that employers are going to have to go the

“fringes” to find employees who left the workforce for

one reason or another – but even that group is smaller.

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

The labor participation rate among the prime working age

groups (25-54 years old) is at a 20-year high. It will take

higher wages to encourage people to rejoin the labor

force, which will put pressure on prices.

ITR predicts that between inflation, Federal spending

(which is currently above PPP levels during the pandemic)

and debt (US debt is now over one hundred thousand

dollars per person), the next depression will occur during

the early 2030s. This will affect all sectors, and ITR’s

recommendation is to identify safe assets that can

be turned to in order to protect ourselves. There is an

upside though - Lauren told attendees to “be ready to

invest at the trough of this cycle - this is going to be the

greatest wealth generating event… of our lifetime.”

Attendees’ questions ranged from discussing how a

worldwide aging population will affect growth to whether

AI is being used as effectively as possible right now.

MFDA members will be able to view the presentation

on the Members’ Only page of the MFDA website. To

access the page, or for more information on becoming a

member of the MFDA, please visit www.mfda.us.

METROPOLITAN FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

62


GROWERMETAL SPA

Via Nazionale 3, 23885 Calco (LC), Italy

TEL +39 039 9535300 FAX +39 039 9535400 EMAIL info@growermetal.com WEB www.growermetal.com

GROWERMETAL CELEBRATES ITS 75th ANNIVERSARY

WITH THE LAUNCH OF GROWER ECONICAL ®

By the end of March, during the Fastener Fair Global

2025 in Stuttgart, Growermetal celebrated its 75-year-long

history with a special event at its booth. The company’s

long journey started in the North of Italy in 1950, when the

founder Virginio Cattaneo established a workshop, before

moving to its current location in Calco during the 1960s,

where it kept expanding the business.

Throughout its journey, the company has become

an international leader in safety washers, building a

reputation for cutting-edge R&D and a customer-centric

approach. Nowadays, Growermetal counts on three

dedicated sales branches in the United States, Brazil,

and Germany, as well as the Growermetal Innovation

Center (GIC), a new multifunctional building inaugurated in

2024 and featuring spaces and laboratories for research,

training, and product development.

Fastener Fair Global 2025 provided the perfect

backdrop to showcase this legacy, offering visitors

an engaging experience that blended history with

innovative solutions, through interactive displays, digital

presentations, and live demonstrations of the wide

product range.

The true highlight of Growermetal’s participation was

the launch of its latest innovation, Grower Econical®.

Developed by the company’s R&D team, Grower Econical®

is a conical washer engineered to be 20% lighter than

standard conical washers while enhancing elastic force,

residual deflection, and uniform load distribution.

“The sigmoidal design of Grower Econical® eliminates

indentations, protecting surfaces and preventing damage

while ensuring superior locking performance,” explained

Filippo Pia, New Product Development Manager at

Growermetal. “Additionally, its reduced weight contributes

to cost and material savings, reinforcing our commitment

to sustainability.”

Following the success of Grower TenKeep® and

Grower SpheraTech®, the new product participated in

the Route to Fastener Innovation, Fastener Fair Global’s

award for distinctive fastening innovations.

“Trade fairs are invaluable platforms to connect with

customers and industry experts,” said Michela Mauri,

Marketing Manager at Growermetal. “Fastener Fair Global

was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our history and

unveil our latest innovations. Now, we are ready to bring

our expertise to the aviation sector at MRO Americas -

visit us at Stand 5115.”


GROWERMETAL

64


EUROLINK FASTENER

SUPPLY SERVICE

851 Robinson Road, Greer, SC 29651 TEL 864-801-0505

EMAIL sales@eurolinkfss.com WEB www.eurolinkfss.com

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ROCK SOLID SERVICE

2025 marks a significant milestone for Eurolink Fastener

Supply Service—we’re celebrating our 25th anniversary! It’s

been a quarter of a century of providing ROCK solid service

to the fastener industry, and we’re hitting this significant

milestone with the same vigor and dedication with which we

started back in 2000. This year isn’t just about looking back

at our achievements; it’s about showing appreciation to our

clients, our team, and the community that has supported us

throughout this journey.

A Journey Through Time

Founded in 2000, Eurolink began as a modest

enterprise, dedicated to solving the complex challenges

of sourcing hard-to-find metric fasteners. Over the years,

we have not only expanded our inventory but also our

expertise, becoming the go-to supplier for industries

ranging from automotive to aerospace. Our commitment

has always been to provide unparalleled customer

service and high-quality products, ensuring our clients’

projects proceed without a hitch.

As we hit this 25-year mark, it’s incredible to reflect

on the relationships we’ve built and the challenges

we’ve overcome. Our success is not measured just

by sales and numbers but by the trust and loyalty of

our customers who have made Eurolink their preferred

partner year after year.

Celebrating With Our Community

To commemorate our silver anniversary, we’re

rolling out a year-long celebration with special giveaways

and events designed to thank those who have been part

of our journey. Here’s what’s in store:

Monthly Giveaways

Win a $250 Gift! Each month: We invite our customers

to participate in a special drawing. Place a purchase order

of $2,500 or more in a month, and you’ll be entered into

that month’s drawing. A winner will be selected on the

last day of each month to receive a $250 gift. It’s our

way of saying thank you and encouraging our partners to

continue striving for excellence in their projects.

Quarterly Sales Challenge

We’re also setting up a friendly competition among

our clients. The company with the highest total sales

ordered each quarter will win a $250 lunch for their

purchasing department. It’s an opportunity to reward

your team for their hard work and commitment.

Looking Forward

While we take this year to celebrate, we also look

forward. The fastener industry is continually evolving, and

Eurolink is committed to staying at the forefront of this

change. We are dedicated to continuous improvement

and expanding our product lines to meet the future

needs of our clients.

As we celebrate this milestone, we extend a

heartfelt thank you to every customer, team member,

and partner who has been part of our journey. Here’s to

another 25 years of excellence, innovation, and ROCK

Solid Service!

Join us in celebrating a remarkable journey

and participate in the exciting opportunities we’ve

lined up for the year. Here’s to making 2025 a

year to remember!


EUROLINK FASTENER SUPPLY SERVICE


66


E-Z LOK

240 E. Rosecrans Ave, Gardena, CA 90248

TEL 1-800-234-5613 EMAIL sales@ezlok.com WEB www.ezlok.com

E-Z LOK THREADED INSERTS AND KITS FOR METAL

E-Z LOK, a leading manufacturer and master

distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and wood

offers E-Z LOK (Solid Wall) Threaded Inserts for metal;

including both Assortment and Installation kits.

E-Z LOK inserts are ideal for repairing or reinforcing

threaded holes in soft metals such as: aluminum,

magnesium and cast iron. External threads are standard

size and pitch, so they can be installed with standard

drills and taps. Solid wall threaded inserts are installed

with a screwdriver, bolt/jam nut (except IC series) or

optional power drive tool.

These inserts will not back out or vibrate loose. The

pre-applied, microencapsulated adhesive begins to set

immediately upon installation and the newly installed

insert is fastener-ready in 3-5 minutes. Despite their firm

hold while in use, E-Z LOK (Solid Wall) threaded inserts

for metal can be removed with a bolt extractor, which

overcomes the resistance to torque-out produced by the

adhesive. They can also be removed by heating the insert

to a temperature above 300°F (149°C), at which point the

adhesive will release.

E-Z LOK inserts are available in Thin Wall, Standard

Wall, Extra Heavy Wall,

Screw Locking and

Automotive designs.

They are available

in Carbon Steel and

Stainless Steel.

Stainless steel threaded

inserts are perfect for

applications requiring

additional corrosion

resistance, as well as

food, beverage and other clean-critical applications.

Assortment kits are equipped with inserts in a variety

of sizes. They provide an easy-to-store solution for thread

repair, giving maintenance teams added convenience.

Installation kits are specifically designed to make threaded

insert applications and repairs as simple as possible.

These feature a drill, tap and installation tool.

E-Z LOK is a leading manufacturer and master

distributor of threaded inserts for metal, plastic and

wood. Inserts for metal include solid wall and helical wirethread

inserts, while inserts for plastic feature press-in

and ultrasonic/heat stake designs. Those for wood are

die cast zinc alloy hex drives for soft wood and brass

knife threads for hardwood. A variety of kits for the above

inserts are available and feature installation tools, drill

bits, etc.

E-Z LOK is a third-generation family owned and operated

company. Founded in 1956, it primarily sells through local,

regional, and national industrial distributors.


EZ-LOK


HOLIDAY PARTY - DECEMBER 12, 2024



70


Lindfast Solutions Group is pleased to

announce the recent completion of the purchase

of Big Bolt LLC. Big Bolt is a leading domestic

manufacturer of specialty fasteners and is an endto-end

solution provider with unmatched product

quality and industry leading turnaround times. LSG

is excited to welcome the Big Bolt team and are

confident that together they will continue to offer

unparalleled service, quality, and product availability.

LSG looks forward to expanding Big Bolt’s ability to

serve their customers by leveraging LSG’s significant

base of fastener expertise, salesforce experience,

inventory, and physical locations across North

America. This combination continues to establish

LSG as the provider of choice for all fastener

needs, focused on creating value for our customers,

suppliers, employees, and all stakeholders.

For more information, contact Lindfast Solutions

Groups at 2950 100th Court NE, Blaine, MN 55449.

Tel: 1-800-328-2430, Email: sales@lindfastgrp.

com or visit them online at www.lindfastgrp.com.

Birmingham Fastener is excited to announce

their new partner, Anchor Bolt & Supply, a trusted

supplier of high-quality fasteners and industrial

hardware in the Permian Basin since 1952. Both

companies are working together to give customers

in West Texas better quality, service and inventory.

Paul Anderson and Kyle Anderson, co-owners

of Anchor Bolt & Supply, will oversee day-to-day

operations from the Midland-Odessa area. They’ll

leverage Birmingham Fastener’s more than 1

million square feet of manufacturing space to

provide reliable supply and built-to-spec parts.

“This is a game-changer for the Permian Basin

region,” Paul Anderson said. “We’re retaining the

hometown feel and customer service people love

while expanding access to high-quality domestic

manufactured parts, globally sourced parts and

specialized product development.”

Anchor Bolt & Supply will continue to specialize

in supplying critical fasteners for the oil and gas

industry while broadening parts offerings in the

construction and renewables sectors. Backed by

the power of Birmingham Fastener, customers

can expect customization capabilities to meet any

challenge.

“We’re excited to grow our presence in West

Texas,” said Brad Tinney, president and CEO of

Birmingham Fastener. “This strategic partnership

allows us to strengthen our commitment to

American manufacturing and world-class service.”

James Province, general manager of Houston

Fastener Manufacturing (a Birmingham Fastener

company), will play a pivotal role in this partnership.

He’ll use his decades of experience in the oil and

gas industry to help drive innovative products,

such as the all-new PROTINN purple bolt that

delivers unmatched torque load accuracy.

For further information contact Birmingham

Fastener Inc. at 931 Avenue W, Birmingham, AL

35214. Call Toll-Free: 1-800- 695-3511, Local:

205-595-3511, Fax: 205-591-7107 or visit their

website at www.bhamfast.com.

For more information about Anchor Bolt, reach

out to the team at www.bhamfast.com/locations/

anchor-bolt-supply.

72


CRESCENT MANUFACTURING

700 George Washington Turnpike, Burlington, CT 06013 TEL 860-673-2591

EMAIL sales@crescentmanufacturing.com WEB www.crescentmanufacturing.com

WHERE TINY SCREWS MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Thank You for 65 Incredible

Years! For over six decades,

Crescent Manufacturing has

proudly served our customers with

high-quality fasteners, precision

craftsmanship, and unwavering

dedication to excellence. Since our

founding in 1960, we’ve built strong

relationships, evolved with the industry, and remained

committed to delivering reliable miniature screws that

keep companies moving forward.

Reaching this 65-year milestone would not have

been possible without the trust and support of our

valued customers, partners, and employees. Your

loyalty and confidence in our products have been the

foundation of our success, and we are truly grateful. As

we celebrate this milestone achievement, we remain


focused on innovation, precision quality, and great

service—continuing to provide the superior miniature

screw products you’ve come to expect from Crescent

Manufacturing. Thank you for being part of our journey.

Here’s to the future!

Crescent Manufacturing - Precision. Reliability.

Service

CRESCENT MANUFACTURING

YOUNG FASTENER PROFESSIONALS

WEB www.youngfastenerprofessionals.com SOCIAL www.linkedin.com/company/youngfastenerprofessionals

HRISTIJAN GEORGIEVSKI ELECTED YFP PRESIDENT FOR 2025

Hristijan Georgievski of IFE Americas has been

elected as the 2025 president of the Young Fastener

Professionals. Zech Williams of Wurth Industry

USA will serve as vice president, and

Craig Beaty of Beawest Fasteners will

remain on the Board as immediate

past president.

Continuing on the YFP Board

are Jake Glaser of Sherex Fastening

Solutions, Mallory Nichols of

Advance Components, and Nihar

Sinha of AmeriSteel Fastener.

The YFP Board is laying the groundwork to

provide YFP involvement and support to all areas of the

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

industry.

If you are interested in volunteering, mentoring, or

being added to the YFP email list, please email

Amy Nijjar at amy@nfda-fastener.org.

Young Fastener Professionals

is an inclusive, non-profit fastener

association aiming to empower

the next generation of fastener

professionals and their companies

through education, collaboration and

networking.

For more information about the Young

Fastener Professionals, visit www.nfda-fastener.

org/young-fastener-professionals.

YOUNG FASTENER PROFESSIONALS

74


WOMEN IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY

PO Box 763, Webster, NY 14580

EMAIL scholarships@fastenerwomen.com WEB www.fastenerwomen.com

WIFI ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

Women in the Fastener Industry (WIFI) is proud to

recognize outstanding individuals who have made a

lasting impact on our industry and the advancement of

women within it. This year, we celebrate three incredible

honorees whose leadership, advocacy, and dedication

embody the mission of WIFI. From championing women’s

professional growth to fostering inclusive workplaces,

these recipients exemplify excellence and inspire future

generations. Join us in congratulating Holly McDaniel,

Jennifer Sturm, and Dan Duffield on their well-deserved

awards!

Woman of the Year - Holly McDaniel, Sales

Manager, WCL Company

An award that recognizes exemplary leadership and

success in the fastener industry. The recipient will have

a long and distinguished

record of advocacy for the

professional advancement

of women.

“I am deeply honored

to be recognized as this

year’s WIFI Woman of the

Year, thank you so much!!

This award isn’t just

about me, it represents

countless women who have paved the way before me.

Being part of such an amazing industry for the last

29 years has been a journey of growth not only for

myself, but for the fastener industry and watching the

opportunities that WIFI offers women in this industry is

nothing short of awe-inspiring.

I am lucky enough to have mentors that believe

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

in me and if we all embrace the responsibility of

encouraging others to use their voice, to embrace risk,

to believe in themselves, and to lift one another up,

together, we will continue to achieve great things. To

women new to the industry, my advice for you is simple:

Be you, be relentless in pursuing your passions, don’t

ever be afraid to look a challenge in the eye, and always

use your unique perspective to innovate new ideas that

will shape you and your future in this industry.

Thank you again for this award, I am so grateful to

be part of WIFI and the wonderful world of fasteners.

I promise to continue spreading positivity and

encouraging growth within the fastener industry for years

to come.”

-Holly McDaniel

Woman in Business - Jennifer Sturm, Chief

Operations Officer, Empire Bolt & Screw Inc.

Defined as a champion and advocate who contributes

and supports her own organization and community by

sharing knowledge, ideas,

insights, and strength.

They are women who are

dedicated to empowering

more women to achieve

full potential in all aspects

of life.

“I am deeply honored

to be named this year’s

Woman in Business by

Women in the Fastener Industry. It is a privilege to

contribute to an industry filled with talented and driven

individuals.



76


Field Fastener, a global leader in fastening

solutions and inventory management services,

has strengthened its network with the opening

of two new facilities in Batesville, Arkansas, and

Phoenix, Arizona. This expansion increases Field’s

global footprint to 13 strategically located sites, all

designed to optimize service capabilities and bring

greater value to customers.

The new locations are a direct response to

Field’s commitment to delivering superior

customer experiences, helping businesses reduce

inefficiencies, and driving cost savings.

“We are thrilled to bring our best-in-class VMI and

engineering expertise to Phoenix and Batesville.

This expansion represents an ongoing effort to

having our products and services closer to the

customer. We are excited to be growing, creating

jobs, building relationships within the communities,

and delivering top-tier service in these markets.”

commented Chris Pauli, Executive Vice President.

To learn more about Field, please call 815-637-

9002 or visit them online at www.fieldfastener.com.

Safety Socket LLC vs Relli Technology

Inc: Federal Court Upholds Jury Verdict

Finding Many of Supplier’s Military Parts Are

Counterfeit.

The jury in a federal court case tried in June of

2024 found that high-strength fasteners produced

by a supplier for military applications were counterfeit

under federal trademark laws. The case is Safety

Socket LLC v. Relli Technology, Inc., filed in the U.S.

District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The

jury found that Relli committed willful counterfeiting

when it sold fasteners bearing the registered

trademarks of Safety Socket to fill orders for military

part numbers, without Safety Socket’s authorization

to sell them as such. Relli’s post-trial challenge to

the jury’s verdict of willful counterfeiting was denied

by the Court on February 10, 2025.

The evidence presented by Safety Socket at

trial showed that Defendant Relli was taking Safety

Socket’s commercial parts, bearing Safety Socket’s

registered trademarks, plating them – or, in some

cases even without modification – and selling them

as parts meeting applicable military requirements.

The parts were sold to foreign as well as domestic

military contractors, for use on contracts for various

combat vehicles and heavy equipment.

Evidence presented at trial by Safety Socket

also showed that the modified parts did not meet

the minimum requirements associated with those

part numbers. In addition, there was evidence that

similarly modified parts had failed prematurely

compared to the life-expectancy of properly-made

parts.

The statute of limitations restricted the evidence

to fasteners sold by Relli starting in October of

2015, but even within that timeframe, the evidence

showed that nearly 10,000 counterfeit, high-strength

fasteners were sold by Relli Technology to various

contractors.

This was the second such litigation successfully

pursued by Safety Socket. The prior case was Safety

Socket LLC v. Accurate Aerospace, Inc.

Safety Socket LLC has supplied high-strength

fasteners for demanding commercial, military and

aerospace applications for over 80 years.

For more information about Safety Socket, Inc.

visit them online at www.safetysocket@proton.me.

78


SPECIALTY TOOLS & FASTENERS DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

PO Box 44, 500 Elm Grove Rd., Ste. 2I0, Elm Grove, Wl 53122

TEL -800-352-2981 EMAIL info@stafda.org WEB www.stafda.org

STAFDA’S 2025 PHOENIX TRADE SHOW

AND CONVENTION by Georgia H. Foley, CEO

Although STAFDA’s (Specialty Tools & Fasteners

Distributors Association) 49th Annual Convention & Trade

Show, November 9 – 11, in Phoenix, AZ at the Phoenix

Convention Center is months away, planning is well

underway. 2025 marks STAFDA’s third return to Phoenix

within 10 years.

Part Bear Grylls, part

Indiana Jones, STAFDA keynoter,

Pasquale Scaturro, has led

an adventurous life and will

be STAFDA’s keynote speaker

on Monday, November 10.

As a world-class explorer and

geologist, Scaturro has managed geophysical oil and gas

exploration in many of the most remote, dangerous, and

technically challenging places on earth. He’s also been

extremely active in high altitude mountaineering including

three trips to Mount Everest. In addition, Scaturro has had

multiple descents of major world-class rivers including the

Bio Bio in Chile, and the Omo and Zambezi in Africa. But

his most famous descent was the 114-day, first completed

descent down the Nile. He’ll take the STAFDA audience

on a visual journey of his hair-raising adventures and

escapades!

STAFDA’s educational

workshops on Sunday,

November 9 kick things off.

Top business experts will

share practical information and

practices. Speakers include Dirk

Beveridge with a session on “The Self-Empowerment

Cycle” which will focus on shifting from conventional

leadership to becoming a beacon for societal leadership.

AI is a hot topic and sales expert, Paul Reilly, will launch at

the STAFDA meeting a new generative AI tool focused on

SHOW EVENT ARTICLE

Value-Added Selling. This on-demand tool will help users

learn how to sell value in the flow of work. “How to be an

Influencer in Any Market” will be the topic of Mike Staver.

This is not a social media influencer, rather, how to be a

leading influencer when markets change, people change,

and circumstances change. Rounding out the morning is

Steve Yastrow with “Creating a Compelling Brand Story.”

He’ll make audience members think of ‘why’ customers

buy from them and ‘why’ are they loyal. They’ll discover

their company’s purpose and foundational reason to exist!

For the Emerging Leaders session, Don Yaeger is

making a return visit to the STAFDA Convention after six

years. In his session, “The Art of Storytelling”, he’ll share

with up-and-coming leaders why storytelling is critical to

motivate employees. Lecturing or top down orders don’t

resonate with people as well as weaving messages and

motivation into relatable stories. Yaeger will share his craft

to connect a story that prompts a valuable response and

action, along with credibility-building detail.

With the retirement of industry

economist, Alan Beaulieu,

STAFDA will feature his former

protégé, Alex Chausovsky

Tuesday morning, November 11,

for an “Economic & Labor Market

Update.” Chausovsky will cover

time sensitive economic topics

such as inflation, interest rates, labor market conditions,

business investment, and industrial activity. He’ll also

share how businesses can thrive in an increasingly complex

labor market including tactical strategies to improve talentoriented

initiatives. His goal is to have the audience leave

being better data-driven decision makers.

Convention & Trade Show details will be posted to

STAFDA’s website www.stafda.org as they are announced.

SPECIALTY TOOLS & FASTENERS DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

AT BELMETRIC.COM, WE SPEAK METRIC!

We’ve been fluent in metric since we began in 1976,

servicing local automotive dealerships around New England

and have since expanded into a world-class enterprise

shipping metric fasteners around the world.

Only Metric Fasteners

BelMetric.com carries over 10,000 SKUs ready to ship

in its expansive warehouse, specializing in rare fasteners.

In addition to this stock, BelMetric.com also offers a special

order program, where box quantities of difficult to source

metric fasteners can be purchased.

Picture Perfect

Instead of relying on illustrations or stock images, we

produce all of the product photography on BelMetric.com in

our in-house studio. To further our commitment to accurate

representations of our products, BelMetric.com has an

extensive library of technical drawings and CAD files available

for download.



BELMETRIC.COM

35 Westech Drive, Tyngsboro MA 01879 TEL 978-649-6201

EMAIL sales@belmetric.com WEB www.belmetric.com

Try Before You Buy

BelMetric.com is committed to getting our fasteners into

people’s hands. Business customers can request samples

from the majority of our in-stock items; to learn more, email

sales@belmetric.com.

BelMetric.com also offers a free monthly sample pack

promotion, showcasing a featured product from our catalog,

and available to all customers.

Shipping

In most cases, orders placed on BelMetric.com before

2:30pm EST are shipped the same day. BelMetric.com offers

shipping options through all major carriers, including USPS,

UPS, FedEx and DHL. Customers are welcome to use their

company’s collect account with any of these shipping carriers.

For nearly 50 years, BelMetric.com has been talking

metric. But it’s time for a little less conversation and a little

more action: visit BelMetric.com today!

BELMETRIC.COM

80


LAURENCE CLAUS AEROSPACE FASTENERS PART 1 - WHAT KIND OF FASTENERS HOLD AN AIRCRAFT TOGETHER? from page 8

These parts are given unique customer part numbers

and are defined by individual customer prints or customer

product standards. Even though some of these parts may

very closely approximate a competitor’s or standard part

design, one or more details in the engineering record

have been changed to make them unique to that specific

customer. Standard parts are product standards developed

by a Consensus Standard or industry organization that can

be utilized by anyone citing the standard. Standards parts are

especially beneficial to users because they can significantly

lighten the design, engineering, and administrative load on

a customer for products, like fasteners, which can be used

in multiple places and systems and by multiple end users.

Aerospace standards are governed and maintained by the

National Aerospace Standards Committee (NASC). The

NASC is a division of the Aerospace Industries Association

(AIA), a large trade association of aerospace OEMs and

tier suppliers. This committee maintains NAS, NASM,

NA, and NAM aerospace standards. Although this family

of standards contains products other than fasteners, the

majority of them are fastener standards.

Who Sells Aerospace Fasteners?

Although this question is not directly related to the

different types of aerospace fasteners it is important context.

Fasteners can be purchased directly from manufacturers or

through distribution. The channel that a customer chooses

is often a function of their internal decision tree and which

channel provides them with better value. Often some will

argue that it must be better to go right to the manufacturer.

However, this mindset fails to recognize the value that a

distributor can bring, especially in a market like aerospace.

Since aerospace standard parts are very mature and so

widely relied on, one of distribution’s primary advantages

is naturally leveraged. The individual order size for many

aerospace part numbers is small. However, when aggregated

by the demand of multiple customers requiring the same part

number, a distribution model has obvious advantages for

the market. Another advantage that aerospace distributors

bring is their knowledge of the many specific certification

and qualification requirements of individual part numbers

which can relieve customers from having to invest in all the

resources necessary to manage such things. In any event,

though, the aerospace fastener segment has good options

to both serve its customers with direct relationships with

manufacturers and through distribution channels.

Materials

Aerospace fasteners are unique to the other segments

relative to the diversity of materials utilized. When

considering automotive and construction fasteners, they are

almost exclusively made of steel, with occasional needs for

stainless steel. Aerospace fasteners are made of an array

of materials depending on their intended use and desired

performance requirements. Since weight is a special

concern, a significant percentage of aerospace fasteners

are made of Aluminum and Titanium. Aluminum is about

one-third the weight of steel and Titanium is a little over

half. Thus, when designers are considering what engineers

refer to as the strength to weight ratio, both materials,

but especially Titanium, become extremely attractive. Of

course, because of the many benefits of steel, they find

significant usage in aircraft. Steel alloys, 8740 and 4140,

are very commonly employed for aerospace fasteners. As

we approach the engine or systems that operate at elevated

or very cold temperatures, the performance requirements

take an exponential leap, and the nickel super alloys begin

to emerge. These include A286, Hastelloy®, Hastelloy X®,

Waspaloy®, and MP35N®.

Screws And Bolts.....

Tension Versus Shear Bolts

Most bolts sold at the hardware store are considered

for general purposes and are employed in wide ranging

applications. Some applications, though, require the

designer to exert a greater deal of control over the

fastener design. In aircraft there are many joint locations

that are specifically designed for carrying tensile loads

and others for specifically caring shear loads. The

fasteners operating in these specific conditions are

designed a little differently



OFFSHORE MILLING & SOURCING

18798 East State Highway 10, Danville, AR 72833 TEL 503-244-1516

EMAIL info@offshoremilling.com WEB www.offshoremilling.com

OFFSHORE MILLING - YOUR FASTENER IMPORT SPECIALISTS

Offshore Milling & Sourcing is a company with

over 25 years of expertise in importing high-quality

threaded fasteners, specialty components, and OEM

parts. We source these directly from trusted and proven

manufacturers located in Taiwan, China, Vietnam,

Thailand, and India. Our specialization includes a wide

range of products such as nuts, bolts, screws, and

custom made parts.

What sets us apart is our commitment to customer

satisfaction and quality control. Our established

relationships with reliable overseas factories allow us

to offer competitive pricing without compromising on

quality.

We manage the entire import process, enabling


our clients to focus on their core business while we

handle the complexities of sourcing and logistics. Our

services include everything from factory selection and

pricing negotiation to quality control, order processing,

and logistics management. We handle duties, tariffs,

taxes, customs clearance, and ensure on-time delivery.

This comprehensive approach allows our clients to

receive high-quality products without the usual hassle

associated with importing.

Please send over any new request for quotes you

may have or any opportunity to improve your pricing on

current products.

We are here to help you, as your #1 Factory Direct

Importer!

OFFSHORE MILLING & SOURCING

82


JOE DYSART CYBERSECURITY: THE PLAYBOOK FOR FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS: HOW TO STAY AHEAD OFHACKERS from page 10

Some businesses even contract special security

monitoring services -- which try to trick employees into

surrendering passwords or granting network access -- and

then educate employees who fall victim to the ruses with

deterrence protocols.

Moreover, once the cybersecurity training program at

your fastener distributorship is up-and-running, it’s critical

to keep it updated. Says Jo Vandeberg, CEO, Phished

(www.phished.io), a cybersecurity services provider,

agrees: “Our threat alerts inform employees on the most

recent scams hackers are using. This is necessary since,

in this ever-changing digital landscape, scammers are

always innovating.”

¤ Cautiously Evaluate the Pros and Cons of AI

Security Before Adding the Tech to Your Network:

While a raft of new AI-powered tools have emerged in

the cybersecurity space, you’ll want to carefully look over

these tools before embedding them in your computer

network.

Granted, AI cybersecurity software can auto-identify

unusual activity patterns on your network, such as offhours

log-ins, log-ins from users that have not used your

network for months, log-ins from remote locations on the

globe that don’t make sense and similar anomalies.

However, AI-powered cybersecurity can also become a

headache if it is not trained properly on your system.

Plus, such software has also been known to generate

false-positives, false negatives and other types of

inaccurate reports.

The best bet here is -- if possible -- to slowly introduce

any AI-powered cybersecurity software to your fastener

distributorship in a ‘sandbox’ setting, where it can be

EACH YEAR, FASTENER DISTRIBUTORSHIPS SHOULD DOUBLE-

CHECK TO ENSURE THEIR CLOUD PROVIDER IS USING THE LATEST

IN CYBERSECURITY TECH.

IT CANNOT BE SAID ENOUGH THAT EVERY SHRED OF DATA

GENERATED BY YOUR NETWORK NEEDS TO BE BACKED-UP

NUMEROUS TIMES.

rigorously studied and evaluated before ‘going live’ across

your computer systems.

¤ Ensure Your Cybersecurity Protocols are

Compliant: Increasing numbers of government agencies

-- including, most recently, the Securities and Exchange

Commission -- are requiring fastener distributors and other

businesses to have a written cybersecurity plan in place

-- and be able to prove that the cybersecurity plan exhibits

due diligence.

You can ensure your business stays in compliance

with government regulators by engaging in regular audits

performed by your business security team -- as well

as external audits handled by outside cybersecurity

compliance experts.

Fastener distributors can also use automated

compliance software to stay on top of their cybersecurity

readiness. “These tools can track changes in regulations

and ensure that your business remains compliant,” says

Bema’s Green.

¤ Backup, Backup, Backup: Even in 2025, it

cannot be said enough that every shred of data generated

by your network needs to be backed-up numerous times.

Good data backup hygiene begins with backup

software on each digital device used by each employee,

where appropriate, followed by a continual, system-wide

backup that is sometimes made in duplicate or triplicate.

Some businesses also add data backup to the cloud

as yet another layer of security -- which comes in handy

if your fastener distributorship is hit by a fire or other

property wrecking catastrophe.


84


E&T FASTENERS

41 Odell School Road Unit A, Concord, NC 28027 TEL 1-800-650-4707

EMAIL megan@fastenercomponents.com WEB www.fastenercomponents.com

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

E&T Fasteners, Inc. is proud to announce our 20th

anniversary! Twenty years in the plastic fastener business

have been a journey marked by continuous adaptation,

unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, and the

evolution of our understanding of the market landscape.

Starting as a small business in 2005, we have

steadily grown through a combination of innovative

product development, strong community engagement,

and a dedication to building lasting relationships with our

clientele and suppliers.

Over the past two decades, we have navigated economic

fluctuations and issues, technological advancements, and

changing consumer preferences with resilience and agility.

We stay humble by keeping in mind that we have all faced

these challenges together in this industry and have grown

because of it. By consistently investing in research and

development, we have introduced new solutions that

address emerging needs, while maintaining our core values

of quality and reliability.


Building trust and loyalty within our community has

been paramount, and we are proud of the reputation

we have earned for exceptional customer service and

responsiveness. We dedicate ourselves to solving our

customers fastener requirements. We enjoy aiding in

figuring out the customers material requirements and sizes

needed for their projects. We give the same dedication to

all of our customers, from the big corporations down to the

at-home personal projects. As we look ahead, we remain

dedicated to staying at the forefront of the plastic Fastener

industry, embracing new opportunities for growth while

continuing to serve our customers with the same passion

and commitment that has defined our success for the past

20 years.

We thank all of you for your loyalty and continued

support over the past two decades. We are sincerely

grateful for the trust you have placed in us. We look forward

to continuing our journey of providing the best service

and products possible. Thank you for choosing us!

E&T FASTENERS

86


ROB LaPOINTE FASTENER SCIENCE: CORRECTIVE ACTION REQUESTS – APPROACHING THEM AS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL PARTIES from page 12

This approach and response are entirely

counterproductive to effectively diagnosing the problem

and correctly deriving a solution that produces a better

system than before. To most effectively address the

issue, we must move away from blaming and other

personally punitive approaches and embrace a systems

approach to both the problem and the process of

correcting the problem.

The ISO corrective action procedure has four

components.

¤ Describing the Issue

¤ Finding the Root Cause

¤ Developing a Correction/Improvement

¤ Evaluation of the Results

This simple four-step approach is essentially what we

know to be the scientific method. That is, the method

used by science to observe the world around us and

to develop a functional understanding of the world to

produce a better life. It works!

Describing The Issue

Depending on the complexity of the issue, its

description may range from being a simple observation

to requiring a complicated investigation into many

facets of an operation. The objective of this step is to

simply state the undesired effect on the system and to

illuminate what part(s) of the system are being affected

and what is the immediate risk to the company, people

and products.

FIGURE 3 RISK MATRIX USED FOR EVALUATION OF RISK ON TWO PARAMETERS, LIKELIHOOD OF

OCCURRENCE AND IMPACT OF OCCURRENCE.

FIGURE 4 FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF AN ISSUE IS LIKE SEEING

THE BROKEN LINK IN THE CHAIN.

What is the likelihood and severity of experiencing

this issue? A great way to evaluate these parameters is

to employ a risk matrix (Figure 3). This table is used by

determining or estimating the likelihood that the issue

will occur and the impact it will have on the organization if

it occurs. The likelihood parameter is on the vertical axis

and its range is very unlikely to very likely. The impact

parameter is on the horizontal axis and its range is from

negligible to severe. Once the value of the parameters

is determined, the risk is found by the correlation of

the parameters. There may be predetermined actions

that are taken depending on the risk assessment level.

Medium to high risk to the company, people or product,

may involve immediate process changes to quarantine

a process or product with the goal of reducing the

likelihood of occurrence. Low risk issues need not be

addressed so aggressively but should have a definite

timeline for completion of the corrective action process.

Finding The Root Cause

The root cause is that single event, decision or step

which, when changed, would prevent to occurrence of the

problem. The root cause may be easy

to identify, especially if the process

affected is linear like a chain of events.

Like a physical chain, the point of failure

is as easy to spot as the broken link.

Often, systems are more complicated

with many serial (one-after-another)

and parallel (simultaneously occurring)

attributes. It is not always clear what is

at the core of the problem. It's possible

that there may be multiple simultaneous

inputs to an undesirable effect.



88


BRUNO MARBACHER VISUAL LOCKING ELEMENTS AND LOCKNUTS FOR SHAFTS from page 14

Nevertheless, their major drawbacks are that they are

time-consuming to install, requiring skilled personnel,

and needing to be cut and replaced when doing repair

and maintenance work. They are costly, the bolt head/

nut must be drilled to create holes for the locking wire.

The wires cannot be reused, a new wire must be installed

every time the bolted joint is re-installed.

There are a few procedures for different applications.

The word “safetying” is used in the aircraft industry,

which means locking by various means, any nut, bolt,

turnbuckle, etc. on the aircraft so that vibration will not

cause it to loosen during operation.

Safety wiring prevents the loosening of fasteners by

counteracting it with more tightening.

The wire itself keeps tension and remains in place by

being twisted around itself and attached to the fastener to

be secured on one end and an anchor point (which could

be another fastener) on the other end.

It also allows quick and easy visual inspection to

check whether fasteners are tight, still tight. Aviation

maintenance technicians are responsible for always

checking safety wires before each flight.

Fasteners may be purchased pre-drilled with holes to

accept a safety wire, however, sometimes one must drill

the hole into fasteners already in stock.

There are two methods of safety wiring:

¤ Double wire method

¤ Single wire method

Single Wire Method

Single wire method is used on screws, bolts, and/

or nuts in tight spaces, they may also be used in

constricted geometric arrangements such as triangle,

square, rectangle, or circle. The single wire method may

also be used on parts in electrical systems and in places

that are difficult to reach.

Double Twist Method

The double twist method of safety-wiring shall be used

as the common method of lock wiring. All safety wire

applications excluded from the single wire method shall

employ the double twist method.

When using the single wire method, the largest wire

that the hole will accommodate should be used. Copper

wire (.020-inch diameter), aluminum wire (.031-inch

diameter), The double-twist method involves threading a

wire through holes in the fastener to lock it against being

rotated loose. The wire is twisted before being strung to

the next bolt. Safety wire should be placed in and around

the bolt head to maintain the pre-load.

Safety Cable System

Safety cables are fabricated high tensile pre-twisted

cables. They are more flexible than safety wires, although

the functional diameters are equivalent. This provides a

stronger assembly which has greater strength and lighter

weight. The cable ends are electrically fused to form a

threading end.

The Safe-T-Cable system is an alternative to safety

wires. A “safety cable system” refers to a system using

a flexible, high-tensile strength cable designed to prevent

fasteners from loosening under vibration.


90


CHRIS DONNELL 2025 – THE YEAR OF THE TARIFF INCREASES from page 24

Air Import/Export

Overall, 2024 was uneventful for the air import and

export market other than the airlines removing a lot of

direct capacity from the marketplace, meaning daily

direct flights from Shanghai to Chicago as an example,

were replaced with indirect, multi-stop services.. Air rates

seemed to hold steady for most of the year, which is odd

as available capacity has been pushed to its breaking

point on multiple occasions this past year.

Conversely, 2025 started on rocky ground. We had

multiple airplane crashes, close calls and speculations

about a declining workforce, obsolete equipment and

systems throughout the industry. That being said, we

should expect 2025 to show a rapid improvement in

training, governmental regulations and funding which will

go a long way to ensuring passenger and cargo safety.

With regards to rates, 2025 should be much of the same

as 2024 with airlines continuing to look at cost cutting

measures to increase their depleted profits and improve

overall confidence.

Port Services

In 2024 we saw our fair share of service disruptions

caused by congestion and equipment shortages, threats

of labor strikes on almost a monthly basis. We even had

a major bridge collapse in Baltimore which shuttered one

of the busier ports of our East Coast for 3 months. While

these were true impactors on a global scale, it’s amazing

that the impact was minimally felt. For the strike, it was

something we all had spoken about for months and most

importers looked for alternative shipping routes leading

up to the strike - such as using the West Coast as a

bridge to the East. For the bridge collapse, if there was

ever a location where impact would be minimal it’s in

Baltimore. Yes, boats were diverted; however, with the

close proximity of the ports of New York and Norfolk and

the fact these ports are larger and capable of handling

the increase in capacity, the impact imports and exporters

experiences was handled as best as it could and everyone

was able to adapt rather quickly.

Today, most ports are still reporting some sort of

congestion, none worse than what we are seeing in the

New York Terminals where getting pick-up and delivery

appointments are problematic due to lack of available

space at the terminals. In some instances, we’re seeing

containers being rejected for up to two weeks before they

are allowed to be returned. This issue increases costs

to importers and exporters alike because the containers

run into issues with storage, detention and the use of

a chassis for an extended period of time. The terminals

in Long Beach are spotty and issues with appointments

seem to be isolated to specific terminals.

Inland Rail Services

The rail industry made some monumental changes

over the past 2 years and if there were any industry that

stood out it was the rail industry. They’ve become more

adaptive in troublesome areas, especially when it comes

to equipment shortages and being able to respond quickly

to surges in demand. Throughout the pandemic, the rail

lines suffered from labor shortages, broken contract

negotiations, massive environmental derailments and

aging equipment. Ocean container traffic grew in 2024 by

more than 6% and analyst are predicting 2025 will see a

moderate level of growth of 2-4%.

Trucking and Drayage Services

We know 2024 was a brutal year for the trucking

industry. Over the course of the year, some 80,000

trucking companies alongside 8,000 truck brokers either

filed for bankruptcy or simply closed their doors. These

issues are directly due to the high amounts of debt;

market downturns, including crippling deduction in rates;

growing issues with driver retention; and fraudulent /

freight ransom schemes.

As I’ve mentioned before, this industry is vital to the

strength and stability of the US Economy. More than 90%

of all cargo moves by truck at some point. This includes

cargo moved by air, ocean, over the road and cross border

traffic.



CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF SERVING THE FASTENER INDUSTRY

With 80 years of experience between the two of

them, brothers, Bob and Dan Brynolf, founded Brynolf

Manufacturing, Inc. in Loves Park, Illinois in March of

2000. Fast-forward 25 years and add 100,000 square

feet of manufacturing space, and you will see the

evidence of their experience. Now located in Rockford,

Illinois in a 116,000 square foot facility, the Company

is currently managed by Dan, Bob’s two sons, Chris and

Zack, who both have close to 30 years of experience in

the industry, and Dan’s son-in-law Aaron Traum.

“When my brother and I started the company in

2000, I really don’t think either of us were thinking about

what might be in 25 years.” said Dan. “But looking

back, it has been a journey I would not have missed for

anything. I have so many past and present employees

that I am thankful for and who helped get us to where


BRYNOLF MANUFACTURING INC.

412 18th Ave, Rockford, IL 61104 TOLL-FREE 877-237-4554

EMAIL info@brynolfmanufacturing.com WEB www.brynolfmanufacturing.com

we are today. This company is truly a family and a great

team to be part of. I look forward to seeing what God

has for our company as we continue to move into the

future. If my brother were still alive, I know he would be

very thankful and proud of what we have accomplished.”

Being an ISO 9001 registered company since June

of 2001 is one of the many ways Brynolf Manufacturing,

Inc. has positioned themselves to change and grow

with their customers. Their 100% USA melted and

manufactured stock line of self-drilling screws combined

with capabilities to manufacture standards and specials,

position Brynolf Manufacturing, Inc. as your premier

source for cold headed fasteners.

Brynolf Manufacturing, Inc. wants to thank their

customers, employees, and suppliers for an amazing 25

years, and they look forward to 25 more and beyond!

BRYNOLF MANUFACTURING

92


GUY AVELLON WHAT FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT USING TWO NUTS TO LOCK A BOLT from page 26

Using SAE Grade 8 plated bolts and nuts produced an

increase in clamp load of approximately 7%. Then, using

unfinished Grade 8 bolts with unfinished 2H nuts required

applying an increased torque to achieve the desired target

clamp load, the load only increased by 6% when the top

nut was tightened.

Jam Nuts

There has always been a continuing debate over the

use of jam nuts, particularly how they should be placed.

Should the thinner jam nut be tightened first against the

joint or should it be tightened against the standard nut?

For the testing of the jam nuts, all bolt and nut

samples were zinc plated. However, when searching for

jam nut products in hardware stores and from distributors,

it appears that all jam nuts are the equivalent of the SAE

Grade 2.

When tightening the standard Grade 2 nut first onto

the SAE Grade 2 bolt, the clamp load lost 21% due to the

internal thread distortion of the nut. Then, tightening the

jam nut against the standard nut, the clamp load jumped

by 31% for a net gain of 13%.

Next, the jam nut was tightened first, then the

standard nut. The clamp load increased by 15%. Not much

difference in clamp loads noted.

Grade 5 bolts were used with a standard Grade 5 nut

and the Grade 2 jam nut. Using the standard nut first,

then tightening the jam nut increased the clamp load by

7%. Then using the jam nut first, then tightening the Grade

5 nut produced an increased clamp load of 8%. Again,

there was not much difference noted in the clamp loads.

The SAE Grade 8 bolt came close to the target clamp

load when tightened with the Grade 8 nut and increased

the clamp load by 4% when the jam nut was tightened

against the regular nut.

However, when the jam nut was tightened first, the

loss of clamp load was approximately 20%. When the

standard nut was tightened, the load only increased by

8%. The total load was still down 12%. At this point it

was obvious that the jam nut was too soft and did not

have enough threads to carry the expected load of an SAE

Grade 8 bolt.

Conclusions

In all cases, it appears that the use of double nuts,

or two nuts of the same size and grade, is valid as far as

producing higher clamp loads. Of course, when producing

greater clamp loads, the joint becomes more resistant

to vibrational and joint loosening. But is this enough to

prevent loosening?

It was found that as the top nut tightens against the

bottom nut, the bottom nut becomes the joint surface and

the threads of the bolt begin to stretch at a new interface.

This basically reduces thread stresses. It also creates a

greater interference between the threads of the two nuts

since their threads are being deformed at two different

levels, and this will create a ‘locking’ effect.

The use of the jam nut first is effective with a grade

2 bolt and to some extent may be used with the grade 5

fasteners. However, since jam nuts are thinner and much

softer than an SAE grade 8 and a Property Class 10.9

metric fastener, they should never be used with these

higher grades.

Double nuts would be useful on threaded rod

applications, where the run up to the joint surface may

be too long for a lock nut. They would be good on wooden

joints where there may be some movement. However, one

must consider that in order to use two nuts of any type,

the fastener must be long enough to accommodate both

nuts.

On a non-critical joint, the proper way to tighten any

double nut connection is by using two wrenches, one for

the bottom nut and another for the top nut. Then, rotate the

bottom nut counterclockwise while at the same time rotate

the top nut clockwise against each other. It must be noted

that by doing this, clamp load will be reduced.

GUY AVELLON


94


ROBERT FOOTLIK THE “5-STAR” WAREHOUSE – THE PHYSICAL FACILITY - SEASON 1, EPISODE 3 from page 28

For around 80% of the orders the pick-packer

travels a short loop and they are done. .The materials

are removed from the shelves, sold only in prepackaged

quantities and placed directly in the cartons

for shipping. Under what’s called ‘Pareto’s Rule’ 80%

of the merchandise…for any of the customer-centric

families…comes from only 5% of the 150,000+ items

we stock. That is about 7,500 items.”

“The middle bank of shelving covers another

15,000 items that are sold in less than box quantities

along with the slow moving materials. There is some

duplication of SKU’s between open and box stocks.

When necessary, the pick/packer will travel a longer

loop that encompasses another 15% of the orders. All

this saves a tremendous number of steps. We used

the staff cell phones to track their daily walking and

found an average 65% reduction in walking. Even the

most skeptical were impressed.”

“You will notice that the back third of the shelving is

fairly empty. It is used for customer specific materials.

For example, MIL Spec or AN fasteners that are held

for a customer are inventoried here, even if the same

fastener is located elsewhere in the warehouse. For us,

the customer, and often a regulatory body, isolating the

products ensures that only the specified materials are

likely to be picked. This is a growing part of the business

and a major quality control selling point. Picker/Packers

who venture this far around the shelving usually also

handle more esoteric SKU’s along the way.”

“Then there is the mezzanine. Upstairs follows

the same general stocking plan, with the front group

of shelving reserved for metric fasteners, subject

to periodic review as metric usage increases. The

remaining banks of shelving are strictly for the real

oddball items that we stock as a full line distributor.

These are what many distributors term “C,” “D,” or

even “E” SKU’s. Most of the inventory comes from

culling out the slowest moving/dead materials from

various locations or auctions we have purchased.

Essentially, everything has zero value on the books, but

it is a great way to fetch more business by being a first

call, full service source. Worth its’ weight in gold when

a customer calls or contacts us on line.”

“Technically, the order picking path starts on the

mezzanine. Our Warehouse Management System is

designed to bypass the areas where orders are not

being picked and combine all the orders into batches by

area. We are currently using a batch size of 50 lines,

spread over as many as 50 one-line orders. Usually

this will be for merchandise that is Picked/Packed into

cushioned pouches or envelopes. A batch size of one

big order is the minimum, but we could break huge

orders for pulling the inventory for a new branch or

stockroom as multiple orders…by zone.”

“All the mezzanine orders are sent down to Order

Finishing with that kid’s playground slide. It is cheap,

reliable and already designed to slow the goods at the

bottom. Pouches are accumulated in a plastic tote and

released when the tote is full or the Finishers call for

more work.”

“Even with millions of pieces on the mezzanine,

the actual usage is still very low and restocking is done

with a pick cart that is lifted by a fork truck. This is

way cheaper than an elevator and handled as a normal

component of pallet rack restocking.”

A Layout Without An Operating Plan

Is An Impediment

“That is the layout. It seems simple and

straightforward when you look at it, but there is a fourth

dimension, timing. The actual use of the area depends

on the time of day, or night. First thing in the morning

we mostly put things away and Pick/Pack orders to

meet UPS, USPS and FedEx shipping times.



AFC Industries has

acquired Ontario based Irwin

Industrial (www.irwin-ind.

com), terms of the deal were

not disclosed.

Founded in 1970, IRWIN

has become a trusted

partner for manufacturers

across Canada, renowned

for its innovative supply

chain solutions and

exceptional customer

service. Specializing in

customized vendor-managed

inventory programs and

supply chain solutions for

unique components, IRWIN

delivers tailored solutions

that drive efficiency for

customers across a broad

range of industries.

Irwin owner and president

Glenn Irwin said, “We are

excited to join the AFC team.

We see in them the same

perseverance, commitment

to exceptional service, and

values that are at the core

of how we approach our

customer relationships. I am

confident that together we

will be able to continue to

grow and to do it the right

way.”

AFC CEO Kevin Godin

added, “Canada is an

important market for us and

we recognized we would need

additional resources and

infrastructure in Canada for it

to reach its full potential. We

were looking for a Canadian

partner whose culture and

approach to the business

would fit well with ours.

Irwin quickly rose to the

top of the list, and we are

thankful to be able to add them

to the AFC family.”

AFC Industries is a leading

provider of supply chain

solutions, specializing in Vendor

Managed Inventory (VMI),

custom-engineered components,

and value-added services.

With a strong commitment to

streamlining operations and

reducing total cost of ownership,

AFC partners with manufacturers

and assemblers across a wide

range of industries, serving them

from over 100 locations in 8

countries worldwide. Backed by a

global network and a commitment

to excellence, AFC delivers

tailored solutions that enhance

efficiency, drive innovation, and

build lasting partnerships.

For more information about

AFC Industries visit them online at

www.afcind.com.

96


ERIC DUDAS UNTHREADED: INTELLIGENTLY REACTING TO NEW TARIFFS from page 32

Be that as it may, the Tribune story quotes Rockford,

Illinois based Field Fastener CEO Jim Derry as saying, “If

tariffs are increased or added, we cannot absorb them.”

I take that to mean his strategy is to pass the

increases along to customers.

That also makes me wonder if the Chicago Tribune

thinks of Field Fastener as a small business. Didn’t Field

just make it to the Fortune 50 list? Or was that some

other landmark award they just won? Field is always

breaking growth records, so it’s hard to keep track. But

they seem larger than a small business to me.

Don’t get me wrong, large, small or somewhere

in between, businesses would not survive the kind

of margin evaporation the current tariffs are causing.

Increased costs of goods sold have to be offset

somewhere. It doesn’t take an AI to figure how that will

work.

Anyway, if “the administration” had run the tariff

scenario through its AIs, wouldn’t they have seen this

coming? Didn’t they realize prices would rise across the

board for all goods affected by tariffs, and that would

defeat their efforts to curb inflation? Perhaps they’re

taking their lead from the guys who run the Chicago

Tribune Business section.

Or maybe they used the same AIs they used to

decide to fire all the “probationary” managers at the

Department of Energy, the ones who turned out to be

the only guys who actually know how to run the power

facilities. I heard they hired them back, though, when

they realized they need the energy to keep running the

AIs that tell them to keep firing more bureaucrats, who

might or might not be needed to actually run things.

Government uses more and more AIs to do things

like this these days. And AIs require lots of energy.

It’s complicated big government stuff, being driven

by people who are using AIs to make government less big

by replacing it with AIs.

Like the case for the new tariffs, you probably don’t

see the logic. But you also probably don’t see why it was

necessary to continue funding many of the programs that

were recently identified as wasteful spending. Those are

the very programs that were to be cut from the budget,

just to be clear. And we just re-funded them. Or maybe it

was the AIs that did that.

Not grasping the logic means you probably should

not work inside the government. You’re probably better

suited to remain in the fastener industry, where you don’t

have to think about things like implementing tariffs.

You only have to figure out how to survive them.

I think friend of all humanity, Cass Sunstein wrote a

book about this, and it might have been inspired by some

unknown guy named Edward Bernays. It’s also rumored

the book was co-authored by an AI, but that’s not really

important.

The point is you know that even if the ideas seem

synthetic, people way smarter than you and me think

they’re very good.

This brings us back to the idea of passing the tariffcaused

cost increases on to customers, the approach

favored by Mr. Derry and 10 out of 10 fastener

distributors surveyed.

To check the overall validity of this concept, I

thought I would consult an AI chatbot.

I first considered using the new Grok AI, but then I

remembered I’m supposed to be mad at Elon. With all

his firing of highly effective public servants and all that,

we’re supposed to avoid sending him any more of our

money. Or our training data. So I went with old reliable,

the chatbot brought to us by guys who must be way

better than evil Mr. Musk, ChatGPT4.0.

You still have to think deeply for yourself about

things like where you’re going to get your synthetic

information, and those who control the AIs. Am I right?

Before asking the chatbot about the tariff issue, I

decided to give it a reality test. I asked it a purely scientific

question, something very important to the fastener

industry: Why can’t we end hydrogen embrittlement?

To its credit, the reasons it provided were mostly

HE orthodoxy as I know it. And I’ve listened to plenty

of Carmen Vertullo lectures on the subject. So the

response seemed reasonably correct.

But there was a section that struck me odd.



ERIC DUDAS UNTHREADED: INTELLIGENTLY REACTING TO NEW TARIFFS from page 96

The chatbot also included this comment: “Hydrogen

embrittlement is a lot like artificial intelligence. Just as

AI-generated customer service chatbots sometimes turn into

gibberish-spewing robots, a batch of fasteners that “should

be fine” will sometimes fail spectacularly in the field.”

I hadn’t asked it anything about AI, and I wasn’t

expecting the reference. I found that a little weird.

So I threw it a follow up question to probe further,

asking if we could wipe out hydrogen embrittlement by

reducing our hydrogen footprint.

Why not? The concept of footprint reduction is

working so well with other heinous, trace, atmospheric

gases that are endangering humanity, why not use the

same approach for hydrogen?

The bot played along. It was a little patronizing,

actually. But again, the answer seemed mostly correct.

But once more, its closing comment gave me pause:

“Final thought:”, it wrote. “Hydrogen embrittlement isn’t

going anywhere - but neither are we. If it were easy to fix,

fastener engineers wouldn’t have job security.”

Aside from the obvious irony of AI commenting on the

topic of job security in the first place, the bot seems to be

saying it will tolerate the existence of a solvable problem

if it means steady employment for the people pretending

to solve it.

More unctuous flummery couldn’t be uttered by

any soul sucking bureaucrat infesting our rudderless

Department of Commerce. Or Education. Or the Bureau of

Bureau Oversight. Or the guys who are needlessly killing

all the laying hens in the country, for that matter.

Maybe this kind of “thinking” explains our current

tariff policy.

Instead of pursuing this line of inquiry with the AI,

I’m going to consult Harpo the parrot. His vocabulary

is limited, but everything that needs to be said on this

subject he’s already put down on paper.

ERIC DUDAS

98


JIM TRUESDELL TRUMP SETS RAPID PACE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS- WILL IT BE A BOOST FOR BUSINESS? from page 36

Businesses, and their trade associations, were

hoping for relief from the burgeoning federal regulations

of the past four years. It certainly looks like they will

get their wish. Even before his cabinet nominees were

in place President Trump was revoking entrenched

government programs such as “Diversity, Equity and

Inclusion” programs. These not only had extensive

government enforcement offices but many private

companies had also built up their own layers of staff

to administer and gain compliance. Now, based on the

new executive orders, acting on DEI plans raises the

specter of actually engaging in unlawful discrimination

by those very acts. The President’s order to “terminate

all discriminatory and illegal preferences” revoked

numbers of previous orders all the way back to the

1965 Executive Order which set up non-discriminatory

hiring rules for federal contractors. Most wholesalers

have had occasion to fill out paperwork and make

assurances about this over the years. Will that now

go away? What will be the impact on preferences and

documentation requirements involved in selling to and

working with Minority and Women Owned Business

Enterprises?

Moves to freeze federal grants until they could be

reviewed and affirmed also threw both government and

many not-for-profits into a tailspin. Local governments

as well will be reviewing their various programs which

receive federal funds to see which might be affected by

revocation of funding or restrictions in how funds can

be used. Various contracts at all levels may come into

question as to how they will be impacted by funding

changes or new requirements or the lack thereof.

Contracts entered into with federal contractors may now

have to include terms spelling out what will happen and

how responsibility will be allocated amongst the parties

in the event of cancellation caused by lack of funding,

termination of the programs, audits and possible

clawbacks. Distributors entering into product sales

agreements with their federal contractor customers will

want to carefully review what they are signing.

The United States Chamber of Commerce and

other business trade associations have indicated

their readiness to back these widespread moves to

alleviate the burdens which have been slowing down

businesses. In fact, they are pointing to the need for

Congress to quickly pass the Congressional Review Act.

While the Biden Administration proposed a bundle of

regulations at the end of their tenure, the opportunity

to pass a joint resolution and disapprove them at one

fell swoop is available during a 60 day window of the

new Administration’s inauguration. If these regulations

are timely disapproved in this manner it will be more

difficult for the agencies to issue the same or similar

rule in the future without Congressional approval.

A real wild card here in the quest to get rid of

unnecessary paperwork, regulation and costs is the

role Elon Mush and the new DOGE (Department of

Government Efficiency) which is tasked with rooting out

inefficiency and waste. Musk certainly got the attention

of a nervous bureaucracy. At a mid-February conference

in Dubai he pronounced “I think we need to delete

entire agencies, as opposed to leave part of them

behind…It’s kind of like leaving a weed. If you don’t

remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the

weed to grow back.”

President Trump’s Executive Orders are probably

good for the business community. Nevertheless the

confusion and pain points of their implementation might

persist for a while. At some point the need for these

steps was going to confront us if we are to shore up

our government and economy for our grandchildren---but

maybe we didn’t expect to face the pain so quickly. We

apparently will get to see how ready we are to take the

medicine.

JIM TRUESDELL


100


NELSON VALDERRAMA VETERAN TALENT: 5 VALUABLE WAYS FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS INVEST IN THE FUTURE from page 38

To find and hire the talent to correct these faults,

employers must change how they think about recruiting.

Distributors face some staffing hurdles:

¤ The labor force lacks specific logistics, inventory,

and sales skills.

¤ B2B and B2C distributors compete actively with

other industries for talent.

¤ People have changed their career expectations,

shifting to childcare, benefits, opportunities, and flexibility.

Getting younger people interested in these jobs

can be tough because they have negative industry

perceptions. As Mike Hockett of MDM (08/20/2024)

wrote, “From an outsider’s view, especially to millennials

and Gen-Z, it’s likely that they still view distribution as

dimly lit warehouses full of boxes and forklifts—if they

even know what distribution is.”

Distributors can recruit new talent by describing a

clear career pathway. They can also offer continuous

learning opportunities in a comfortable work environment

with attractive benefits. Distributors must also highlight

employee interaction with robotics, automation, and

advanced technologies.

Experienced employees can welcome, train, and

develop new hires and step up to fill in the gaps.

Veteran vs Aging

Distributors should not confuse “veteran” with “aging.”

Senior employees offer experience and engagement. Their

skills and knowledge deliver substantial benefits. While

some may be older, they are not “dead weight” or “past

their prime.”

Longevity on the job brings wisdom and moral

judgment. These employees should not be dismissed as

used up or burnt out.

Long-term employees are veterans, vintage, and

seasoned. You can trust them to make mature decisions,

fully participate, and offer sage feedback. Veteran

employees, regardless of their level in the business

org chart, have indispensable knowledge, skills, and

experience. Distributors rely on their expertise, stability,

and mentorship:

EXPERTISE

¤ Extensive Experience and Deep Understanding:

¤ Retain tribal knowledge of industry trends, best

practices, and challenges.

¤ Enhance strategic decision-making, problemsolving,

and innovative solutions.

¤ Specialized Skills and Expertise:

¤ Able to navigate complex situations.

¤ Completed various projects, clients, and

organizational changes.

¤ Diverse Experiences and Perspectives:

¤ Enrich team discussions.

¤ Model good listening behaviors.

STABILITY

¤ Dependability and Reliability:

¤ Handle critical tasks and consistently meet

deadlines.

¤ Model discipline on productivity.

PROFESSIONALISM

¤ Set a positive example of conduct,

communication, and work ethic.

¤ Report to work on time, minimize absenteeism,

and recognize the value in others.

STRONG WORK ETHIC

¤ Demonstrate commitment to responsibilities and

understand the value of hard work.

¤ Go the extra mile to meet and surpass

expectations.

LOYALTY

¤ Committed to the employer and its goals, reducing

turnover and creating a stable work environment.

¤ Willing to admit failure and success.

MENTORSHIP

¤ Individual Advisors:

¤ Comfortable mentoring down, sharing their

knowledge, experience, and insights to guide their

younger colleagues.

¤ ransfer institutional knowledge, ensuring the

organization secures its proprietary information

and expertise.

COLLABORATIVE TRAINERS

¤ Train new employees, helping them quickly

integrate into the workplace and become

productive team members.

¤ Create a supportive and collaborative work

environment.

¤ Lead teams to contribute value to collaborative

projects and initiatives.



102


INTERSTATE SCREW CORPORATION YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNER from page 40

Ronald Seiden (pictured) remained President of

Interstate until his passing in August 2013 with his son

by his side, who more than doubled Interstate in size.

His son Eric was earning his MBA at ASU when

Ronald passed away, so Ronald’s wife, Hermina, became

President at that time. In 2016, Dominick Menendez,

Ronald’s son-in-law, became Vice President. Ronald’s

daughter, Samantha, is now President of the company.

After earning his MBA at ASU, Eric returned as Chief

Purchasing Officer.

The story of Interstate Screw Corporation’s success

has been attributed to the nature of the product it

distributes; the ability to diversify; the growth of the

population requiring product; sustainable economic

conditions; an appreciation; an ability to service its loyal

customers; and employee longevity.

Another reason for their success is that they are a

good organization with the motto SERVICE, QUALITY, &

PRICE. Old-world thinking for New World Times is a motto

coined by its co-founder, Ronald H. Seiden, in 1956 and

remains true to this day.

Interstate remains poised for the future, adopting new

technologies, innovative fastener design, and creative

solutions for customer needs. Eric Seiden shared, “Our

decision to upgrade our ERP system to The Business

Edge TM

has been crucial in helping us stay efficient and

service our customers at the level they expect from us.

Working closely with the fine folks at Computer Insights,

Inc. continues to be enjoyable and productive.”

Service Quality Price

Over 35,000 items are available from stock and “on

the shelf,” with ready and rapid access to over 75,000

additional items just days away.

Interstate carries a full line of screws, nuts, bolts,

anchors, rods, specialty fasteners, power tools, adhesives,

and much more in their nearly 50,000-square-foot Hialeah

(Miami) warehouse, all available for quick delivery on their

fleet of trucks or to ship anywhere in the world.

They are happy to manufacture any fastener you

want to your specifications. They can even supply direct

mill orders from factories worldwide right to your door. All

their products are available in boxed and bulk quantities,

and they can handle blanket orders and stock-and-release

programs.


106


LARRY BOROWSKI PROPER INSPECTION OF SLOTTED RECESSES IN SCREW HEADS from page 42

Screw slots are manufactured either by sawing,

machining, or by striking the slot in the head during the

cold heading process. Screw standard requirements

do not differentiate between these methods of

manufacturing, meaning that the method used is up to

the manufacturer, but the slot still has to

conform dimensionally, even if the process

chosen inherently produces variations.

For example, a #8 slotted pan head

screw must have a slot depth of .045” to

.058” and a slot width of .045” to .054”

regardless of how the screw was produced.

There is a tendency for slots made during

cold heading to be wider at the outer edges

than in the middle of the head of the screw.

This is allowable as long as the NOGO width

blade does not enter either end, or in the

middle.

Suppliers of high volume slotted screws,

manufacturers and distributors, should use slot depth and

slot width gages for slot inspection to assure consistent

quality screws are provided to end users. Consistent

screw slot depths and slot widths are essential for

achieving efficient and effective assembly results.

LARRY BOROWSKI | GREENSLADE & COMPANY INC

108


SOUTHEASTERN FASTENER ASSOCIATION

PO Box 473. Lake Zurich, IL 60047

TEL 847-732-8338 EMAIL sefa@thesefa.com WEB www.thesefa.com

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE 2025 SEFA SPRING

CONFERENCE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS! by Nancy Rich

April 29th - May 1st 2025

Saddblebrook Resort, Tampa, FL

Come enjoy the event at this great resort with

opportunities for networking, informative sessions,

entertainment, social events, 50th celebration and

awards, golf & even some pickleball. If you can help us

locate SEFA past presidents no longer in the industry,

please contact Nancy Rich sefa@thesefa.com. This will

be a great event bringing the industry and SEFA members

past and present together!

Our special keynote speaker

will be Derrick Brooks, a member

of the NFL Hall of Fame and the

Capital One Academic All America

Hall of Fame. His career with

the Buccaneers earned him great

recognition. His accomplishments

and successes don’t end with football. He pours himself

into family and community. Derrick Brooks Charities are

a major focus for him today. Come meet this incredible

man.

Please consider sponsoring this event whether you

will be in attendance or not. We want to make our 50th

a special event for all and need your support!!!

SCAN FOR HOTEL

RESERVATIONS

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

SCAN FOR CONFERENCE

DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

Added Feature to Spring Conference

For those not golfing or playing pickle ball on

Wednesday afternoon, we will have a special session:

Sharing Ideas with Robbie from 10:00 a.m. to noon. There

will be a discussion, with Robbie Gilchrist, of industry

events and issues. This will be a great opportunity to

learn what your peers challenges and concerns are. The

best way of facing business is networking with your peers,

this is one more opportunity during the conference!

Upcoming SEFA Events

April 29th-May 1st 50th Anniversary Spring

Conference

Saddlebrook Resort-Tampa, FL

August 7th

SEFA Summer Social

Atlanta, GA

December 4th SEFA Holiday Social

Location TBD

SEFA In The Spirit Of The Holidays

Thank you to our sponsor International Fasteners

On December 12th SEFA members met to celebrate

the holidays in Tampa, FL. They came in their holiday

attire to enjoy food and beverages at the Sail Pavillion

before boarding for a cruise on Tampa Bay. The few

hours of great camaraderie provided great holiday cheer

among the group. There were some great holiday outfits

with Anthony Crawl taking the prize as the evening’s

gingerbread man.

Check our social schedule to plan your next business

trips around them!




HOLIDAY PARTY - TAMPA BAY, FL - DECEMBER 12, 2024

110


FASTENER FAIR USA ATTENDEE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR FASTENER FAIR USA 2025 from page 44

NASCAR Simulator

Looking for some fast-paced fun? Visit the NASCAR

Simulator, sponsored by Eurolink Fastener Supply Service,

for an exhilarating experience on Pit Row. Compete for

the top spot and a chance to win two (2) NASCAR race

tickets! It’s a perfect way to balance business with a bit

of excitement during your visit to the exhibit hall.

Fastening 101 Presented By The Fastener

Training Institute

Gear up for an educational deep dive on Day 0, May

27, with Fastening 101, presented by the Fastener Training

Institute (FTI). This all-day workshop, led by fastener

expert Laurence Claus, will explore key fastener concepts,

including head styles, thread forms, materials, plating, and

more. It’s perfect for attendees at all experience levels,

especially OEM professionals, looking to elevate their

fastener knowledge. Those interested in participating can

register directly through FTI here. The Fastening 101 badge

includes exhibit hall access with the option to add-on a

ticket to the Opening Night Networking Party.

Nashville: Come For Fastener Fair USA,

Stay For Fun!

Nashville, known as the vibrant “Music City,” is more

than just a cultural hotspot; it is a premier location for

both business and leisure. With a thriving economy, worldclass

venues, and exceptional hospitality, Nashville sets

the stage for meaningful connections and unforgettable

experiences. Nashville’s strategic location in the heart of

the Southeast manufacturing corridor allows easy access

to a wealth of resources and expertise. Enjoy iconic

attractions such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, live

entertainment on Broadway, and a dynamic culinary scene

that caters to every palate. Whether networking or relaxing

after a full day, Nashville provides the perfect balance of

productivity and fun.

Make the most of your ALUMINUM USA 2025

experience with exclusive discounted hotel rates

through Connections Housing. Conveniently located

accommodations ensure proximity to the event while

allowing you to explore Nashville’s many offerings. Book

now to secure the best rates and take advantage of

this limited time offer! Visit our Hotel and Travel page to

reserve your stay today.

Why Attend?

Co-locating Fastener Fair USA with ALUMINUM USA

creates a truly unique opportunity for attendees to explore

overlapping innovations, expand networks, and gain

industry knowledge from two major sectors. Whether you’re

a fastener professional, aluminum expert, or industrial

manufacturing leader, this event offers unparalleled value

in one convenient venue.

Don’t miss out on this incredible event! Visit

fastenerfairusa.com to register for your badge, secure

Opening Night Networking Party tickets, or learn more

about the exciting features awaiting you at Fastener Fair

USA 2025 in Nashville.

Exhibitor Categories And Highlights

Fastener Fair USA 2025 features a diverse range of

exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge products, services,

and innovations tailored to the fastener and industrial

manufacturing industries. Attendees can expect to connect

with global leaders and explore a variety of categories,

including:

¤ Fastener Manufacturing - Featuring the latest

machinery and solutions for producing a wide range

of fasteners, including bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, and

specialty parts. Technologies on display will include cold

and hot forging, CNC machining, heat treatment, thread

forming, and surface treatment, catering to industries

requiring high-precision, high-performance fasteners.



PENCOM, a global leader in component

manufacturing, is proud to announce the strategic

acquisition of Integrated Defense Products (IDP),

a Texas-based machining specialist known for its

precision, efficiency, and quality. This acquisition

represents a major step in PENCOM’s continued

growth and its commitment to delivering advanced

component solutions across a multitude of

industries.

Located in Rockwall, Texas, IDP brings

extensive expertise to the partnership, operating

as an ISO9100-certified company and a BATF

Class 7 FFL Manufacturer. IDP is known for highquality

CNC milling, turning, EDM, and assembly,

providing around-the-clock service five days

a week. The company serves key industries

including Aerospace, Defense, Aviation, Medical,

and Communications, and is equipped to handle

a wide range of materials, from aluminum and

steel to plastics, brass, titanium, and more.

“With IDP’s exceptional certifications and

advanced manufacturing capabilities, this

acquisition allows us to offer even more

specialized services to our global clients,” said

Bill Gardiner, Founder and CEO of PENCOM. “We

are excited to welcome IDP into the PENCOM

family and look forward to leveraging their industry

expertise to set new standards in precision

manufacturing.”

PENCOM’s existing global manufacturing

footprint is further strengthened by this

acquisition. PENCOM operates world-class

production facilities, including manufacturing

centers in Nogales, Mexico and Dongguan,

China, and offers rapid prototyping capabilities

from its Fort Mill, South Carolina location.

These facilities allow PENCOM to deliver fast, highquality

component production and tailored solutions

to clients across industries such as automotive,

aviation, clean energy, and medical.

Purchased in 2025, Integrated Defense Products

(PENCOM-Rockwall) is a 21,300 square-foot precision

CNC Milling and Turning machine facility designed to

support high-precision manufacturing needs. Led by

a management team with decades of experience,

this modern facility specializes in Communications,

Aerospace, and Defense components as well as

supplying numerous other industries such as Energy,

Electronics, and Medical. Advanced 4th and 5th axis

machining capabilities insure exceptional quality and

performance in every part produced.

Certifications: ISO9001:2015; AS9100; ITAR; ATF

Class 7 FFL; DFARS Compliant.

For more information, contact PENCOM at 1300

Industrial Road, Suite 21, San Carlos, CA 94070. Tel:

650-593-3288, Email: sales@pencomsf.com or visit

them online at www. pencomsf.com.

112


SPIROL THE BENEFITS OF LIGHT DUTY COILED SPRING PINS IN SOFT AND BRITTLE MATERIALS from page 48

A pin too stiff for the applied load and host material

would not flex and thus could damage the hole and

potentially result in a failed assembly. On the other hand,

Light Duty Coiled Pins can be used in all types of host

materials. This makes Light Duty extremely versatile –

especially when used in alignment applications where

there is limited force applied on the pin.

Strength Comparison

The Light Duty presents the most flexible option of

the three duties, yet it still has sufficient strength for most

applications. In fact, the name Light Duty doesn’t do it

justice in terms of its actual strength.

Table 1 provides a comparison between high carbon

steel Light Duty Coiled Pins and low carbon steel solid

Grooved Pins per ASME B18.8.9M.

The strength difference of the Grooved Pin varies from

a mere 1.2 kN to 8.2 kN higher than that of the Light Duty

Coiled Spring Pin. Considering that the majority of the

assemblies that use Light Duty Coiled Spring Pins are soft

or fragile materials, the reality is that the strength of the

Light Duty Coiled Pin is often more than sufficient - and

in fact - often exceeds the strength of the host material.

(Believe it or not, the strength of a single 6mm Light Duty

Coiled Spring is enough to hold up a passenger car!)

Additionally, the vast majority of applications only see

loads at a fraction of the pin’s strength. (Remember, we

are dealing in kilo Newtons, or hundreds and thousands

of kilograms of load). So in this sense, the slightly higher

strength of the Solid Pin often adds no benefit to the

assembly because it isn’t necessary. Generally, if the

pin is not a part of a power transmission mechanism

or doesn’t bear large weights, then its ultimate shear

strength is not of concern

Benefits Of The Light Duty Coiled Spring Pin

Selecting a Light Duty Coiled Pin for an application can

bring multiple benefits to the assembly, both functionally

and commercially.

LOWER INSERTION FORCE

The most notable benefit of a Light Duty Pin is its

lower insertion force due to greater flexibility. The insertion

force of a Light Duty Coiled Pin is 50% less than a

Standard Duty Coiled Pin and 75% less than that of both

a Heavy Duty Coiled Pin and a Slotted Pin. Additionally,

Light Duty also has the best ratio between shear strength

and insertion force, meaning that in cases where there

are no limitations on pin diameter, it will always be easier

to install a larger diameter Light Duty Coiled Pin versus

a smaller diameter Standard or Heavy Duty Coiled Pin

of equivalent shear strength. Manually installing Light

Duty pins will be less strenuous for assembly workers,

improving the ergonomics and safety of the assembly line.

LOWER ASSEMBLY COST

Light Duty Coiled Pins are comprised of less raw

material (as described previously), resulting in a lower

piece price compared to other Duties. What is more

enticing, however, are the potential overall assembly

cost savings. Given the lower insertion force of Light Duty

Coiled Spring Pins, the fastener installation equipment

does not need to be as powerful, thus a lower cost for the

capital goods expenditure can be realized. In fact, when

you compare a Light Duty Coiled Spring Pin to a rigid Solid

Pin and consider the lower material costs, lower cost for

installation equipment, and the lower manufacturing cost

of creating the required hole diameter in the host material,

the Light Duty Coiled Spring Pin has the lowest overall

cost of assembly!





114


IMSM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY AND ISO/IEC 42001 from page 50

Customer Support

¤ Responsive Support - Offer robust customer

support to address any questions or concerns customers

may have about your AI-powered products.

¤ Educational Resources - Provide educational

resources, such as FAQs, tutorials, and webinars, to help

customers understand and get the most out of your AI

solutions.

Continuous Improvement

¤ Feedback Loop - Establish a feedback loop to

gather customer insights and continuously improve your

AI offerings based on their experiences and suggestions.

¤ Regular Updates - Keep your customers

informed about updates and improvements to your AI

systems to show that you are committed to ongoing

innovation.

By adopting ISO/IEC 42001, organizations can

demonstrate their commitment to best practices in AI,

fostering trust and reliability in their AI systems and

enhancing their overall operational effectiveness to

ensure a positive experience for their customers.

Since 1994 IMSM has been helping the Fastener

Industry and all types of Industries implement the ISO

Standards worldwide. IMSM offers a fixed fee, fixed

time frame process to help companies achieve the

prestigious ISO Certifications.

IMSM’s regional director Scott Mersch has had

personal experience helping clients from the Fastener

industry achieve their ISO certifications. For those

interested in ISO certification contact Scott Mersch for

more ISO-related information.

IMSM LTD.

NEW ENGLAND FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

PO Box 701, Tewksbury, MA 01876 TEL 816-686-8987 EMAIL nefda@nefda.com WEB www.nefda.com

NEFDA SCHOLARSHIP by Laura Murphy

The New England Fastener Distributors Association

scholarship application is now open for 2025! For the

past six years, the NEFDA has awarded an average

of over $15,000 per year to deserving memberstudents.

Last year we awarded scholarships to 18

different students, and we look forward to high program

engagement again this year.

This program has been ongoing for 40+ years and

this year’s scholarship committee of Lisa Breton (DB

Roberts) Dan Bielefield (Crescent Manufacturing) Katie

Hogan (Arnold Supply Inc.) and Frank Hand (Fall River

Manufacturing) review every application and essay.

This year’s scholarship deadline is May 1st. For

more information on the NEFDA scholarship, criteria,

and to apply, please visit www.nefda.com, contact

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

a Board Member, or Laura Murphy, administrator at

nefda@nefda.com.

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars for the NEFDA’s Annual

Scholarship Golf Outing! We’ll be teeing off Thursday, June

5th at Southington Country Club in Plantsville, CT. Join the

NEFDA for a day of golf, networking, prizes, great food and

the best people!

Last year’s event was a blast with low scores and

high spirits. You won’t want to miss this; registration will

open soon!

For more information on the NEFDA, please visit www.

nefda.com, contact Laura Murphy, administrator at nefda@

nefda.com or PO Box 701, Tewksbury, MA 01876.

NEW ENGLAND FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION


116


MWFA ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY RECAP AND UPCOMING EVENTS from page 52

MWFA Upcoming Events

April 24

Heat Treating & Plating Class-

April 24

May 28 & 29

May 22

July 30

August 23

SWD Addison, IL

April Dinner Meeting

Addison, IL

Fastener Fair

Nashville, TN

Screwed Up Open

Bensenville, IL

Milwaukee Meeting

Brewers Game

Milwaukee, WI

Tough Mudder

Rockford, IL

August 24-27 FSTR Week ‘25

August 24

Marriott Lincolnshire, IL

Sleep In Heavenly Peace

Bed Build


August 25

MWFA Welcome Mixer


August 26

Educational Seminar


August 26

Tabletop Show & Bash


August 27

Golf Outing

Cranes Landing Lincolnshire, IL

August 25-29 Fastener Training Week

Marriott Lincolnshire

September 15-17 International Fastener Expo

Las Vegas

November 13 Hall of FameScholarship Awards

Elk Grove Village, IL

December 11 Holiday Party

Locaition TBD

For the most up-to-date information on upcoming

events, check out our website at www.mwfa.net or contact

Francesca Lewis at mwfa@mwfa.net.


LOK-MOR A LEGACY OF QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE IN DOMESTIC LOCKNUT MANUFACTURING from page 34

operations. The company maintains an A2LA-accredited

and ISO 9001 compliant quality assurance lab, reflecting a

commitment to the quality of every locknut. Chemical and

physical test reports, along with process certifications,

are available to ensure transparency and trust in their

products.

Quality

Lok-Mor® products are crafted to meet the industry’s

highest quality standards. All manufacturing processes

are conducted at the company’s Mansfield facility. This

control over the production process ensures that each

locknut meets or exceeds quality expectations.

Quality control is a cornerstone of Lok-Mor’s

Conclusion

Lok-Mor® isn’t just about manufacturing locknuts;

it’s about setting the standard for quality, innovation, and

customer service in the fastener industry. With a legacy

spanning over 40 years, the company continues to be

an industry leader, offering a wide range of high-quality

locknuts and custom fastener solutions, all made in

America with pride and precision.

Lok-Mor® serves a broad market, including the U.S.,

Canada, Mexico, and overseas. The company’s locknuts

are accessible through various channels, including

distribution and direct sales.

LOK-MOR, INC

118



Therefore, one of the first things we learn about

aerospace bolts is that some are specifically intended for

either shear or tension joint applications. Bolts designed

for a shear joint will have full body diameters and tighter

control on the grip length tolerances.

Head Styles

Although there are many different head styles available

for screws and bolts, aerospace fasteners predominantly

utilize five different ones. They are:

¤ Hex Head - Aerospace hex heads are almost

all simple hex heads (see Figure 1) rather than the hex

washer or hex flange variants popular in the automotive

and industrial segments. Most of these hex heads are

trimmed, although some have been formed by pressing

them into a hex shaped die. Trimmed hex heads provide

a significant advantage for aerospace fasteners. When the

hex shape is formed in the die, a number of factors can

collude to prevent the corners from completely filling out

over the entire height of the head. The result is a hex with

slightly rounded corners or underfill at both the top and

bottom of the hex corner (see Figure 2). A hex with either

or both conditions present is likely to engage the wrench

or socket less tightly than one with entirely sharp corners.

That may limit the amount of torque that can be applied to

the head before it cams over and rounds off the corners. To

FIGURE 2: FORMED HEX HEAD- NOTE RADIUSED CORNERS & UNDERFILL

compensate for this possibility, formed hexes are usually

“taller” than trimmed hexes. A trimmed hex usually does

not have this problem because the hex shape is cut out of

a larger round disk, much like a cookie cutter is used to cut

cookies from a sheet of dough (see Figure 3). Thus, the hex

shape is sharp at all the corners and uniform across the

entire height. This allows the head height of trim hex heads

to be on the thinner side, which is advantageous from a

weight perspective.

FIGURE 3: PRE AND POST TRIMMED HEX HEAD

FIGURE 1: EXAMPLE OF A TYPICAL HEX AEROSPACE HEX HEAD

In addition to the head shape, hex parts are

occasionally drilled to accommodate lock wires. Either

the head is drilled across opposing flats generating a

hole that goes across the entire part (see Figure 4) or at

an angle passing through two adjacent flats. This style

of head drilling incorporates all six flats so that there are

three unique holes passing through the perimeter of the

head (see Figure 5).



120



Even more cautious cybersecurity pros include ‘airgapped’

backups -- or data backups to devices that are

disconnected from the computer network at least oncea-day.

Admittedly tedious, such air-gapped backups are a

godsend when the entire computer network of a business

goes down and the resident cybersecurity pro can say with

a grin, ‘No worries, I have all data on an air-gapped device

that was completely insulated from today’s hack.’

Says Anand Eswaran, CEO, Veeam (www.veeam.

com), a data backup and recovery firm: “In a digital world,

organizations face three critical challenges: They must

protect their data and be able to rapidly recover it no

matter what happens, they need the freedom to move to

new platforms and their data must be available where it’s

needed.”

¤ Safeguard Your Cloud Operations: As fastener

distributorships increasingly rely on the cloud, it’s critical

that they confirm with cloud providers that they have

ample cybersecurity throughout their systems.

Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools, for

example, help continuously monitor cloud environments

for any nefarious behavior. Says Chris Green, director

of technology, Bema Information Technologies (https://

bemaservices.com): Such tools “can automatically

remediate issues -- such as misconfigurations -- that could

lead to vulnerabilities.”

Green also recommends that businesses encrypt data

at both ends of the cloud connection -- at the source and

on the computers and data storage centers maintained by

your cloud provider. “Ensure that your encryption practices

meet industry standards and comply with regulations,”

Green adds.

¤ Partner With Third-Party Companies on

Cybersecurity Hygiene: Too many businesses have

learned the hard way that their state-of-the-art security

protection can be easily compromised if a business partner

they’re linked to is operating with subpar cybersecurity.

Says Eric Jackson, CPO, Fusion Risk Management

(www.fusionrm.com), a cybersecurity firm: “In today’s

interconnected business landscape, organizations rely

on hundreds – if not thousands – of vendor partners and

third-party suppliers.”

KEY TO YOUR CYBERSECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM IS A

SPECIALIST IN PUBLIC AND PRESS RELATIONS.

Essentially, cyber-criminals take advantage of this

kind of cybersecurity asymmetry by hacking into the

smaller partner’s poorly protected network first -- then

using the IDs, passwords and other data they find there to

break into the larger trading partner’s computer network.

The solution: Fastener distributors should regularly

assess their shared security vulnerabilities with all trading

partners. And they should also regularly verify that their

partners’ cybersecurity protections are at least as good

as theirs.

In fact, some companies go a step further by

embedding minimally acceptable security practices into

the contracts they make with trading partners.

¤ Update and Patch All Software ASAP: Microsoft

and other tech titans have been lecturing us for decades

on the wisdom of installing all updates and patches of

software the moment those become available -- which

makes perfect sense.

Consider: All providers of major software have

dedicated teams of IT pros whose entire job is to stay

alert for security vulnerabilities and patch those problems

the moment they’re caught.

Why not profit from all that substantial oversight by

installing the security updates and patches those teams

release -- most of which are freely offered?

You can make that job a bit easier at your business

with automated patch management software, which

ensures all software updates are installed ASAP. Some

versions of this genre of security software will also

regularly scan your network to ensure that all your

software is up-to-date.




Says Rohit Gautam, cybersecurity instructor, Securizy

(www.securzy.io), a cybersecurity training firm: “Software

updates aren’t just about new features: They patch security

holes. Keep your systems updated to stay ahead of

potential vulnerabilities.”

¤ Implement Advanced Threat Detection and

Response: Besides erecting a digital firewall and installing

antivirus software, fastener distributors will also want to

add endpoint detection and response protection.

These software solutions monitor and defend against

hackers trying to infiltrate your network via employee

laptops, smartphones and other digital devices.

Bema’s Green also recommends adding automated

response software to your cybersecurity mix. Says Green:

“Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): SIEM

systems collect and analyze security data from across your

network, providing insights into potential threats. They can

automate responses to certain types of attacks, helping to

mitigate damage.”

¤ Create a Cybersecurity Incident Response

Team and Plan -- Before the Unthinkable Occurs:

Sadly, getting hit by a hacker in any given year is now

considered by many businesses a mostly inevitable, runof-the-mill

experience.

Savvy fastener distributorships have already created

incident response teams to leap into action the moment

a hack occurs. They also have a detailed, step-by-step

plan that includes neutralizing the hack’s impact, alerting

partners affected by the intrusion and restoring the

organization to everyday, safe operations.

Key personnel on the incident response team you

create should include IT staff, lawyers-- and at least

one company expert in public and press relations. “The

ability of an organization to respond effectively to these

incidents can mean the difference between a minor

disruption and a catastrophic business crisis,” says Ian

Atchison, VP product, Enveedo (www.enveedo.com), a

cybersecurity firm.

JOE DYSART

122



FIGURE 5 PROCESS FLOWCHART DIAGRAM.

Creating a flow chart or map of steps in a process

is often very helpful in locating a root cause. Once you

have the flow steps laid out, note the consequence of

a missed or nonconforming step to the downstream

flow. This will help to illuminate the problem in a similar

fashion to seeing the broken link in the chain. This is

especially true for processes that have simultaneous

input components. If the determined root cause is not

the true root cause, then the issue will resurface. If this

is the case, rework the action steps incorporating the

new knowledge to help reveal the true root cause.

Developing A Correction/Improvement

This is often the easiest step. Once the issue has

been understood and the problem step has been

identified, the solution or correction can be self-evident.

Sometimes, finding the correcting effect may require

some investigation into alternative corrections to

determine which is best suiting to the solution. There

may also be corollary effects to the correction that do not

bring desired outcomes. Testing, observing, evaluating

and adjusting is the basic process for finding the most

effective and enduring solution to an issue.

Evaluation Of Results

It’s temping to think you are finished with the process

of a corrective action when you have implemented

the correction or improvement. It’s fixed…I’m done.

However, the process is not complete until you evaluate

the effectiveness and quality of the results. Does the

implementation of the correction fix the issue short

term and long-term? Does the correction cause other

problems or corollary effect that are undesirable? The

questions need to be asked and answered to understand

whether the correction is acceptable.

Does this problem or correction affect a supplier

or customer? If so, that other party may need to be

notified of the issue and the action taken to correct

the problem. Other interested parties can be called

upon to help facilitate the process itself. Others from

a different perspective can sometimes see aspects of

the problem or solution that are not visible to us. It is

usually beneficial to include other interested parties in

the process to ensure all have investment and see the

justification and security of the solution.

FIGURE 6 SOMETIMES THERE ARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

TO ANY ACTION.




FIGURE 7 TEAM (TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE)

Evolving customers and vendors in corrective actions,

when applicable, also fosters openness and trust in

relationships. Companies often forge a closer, more

effective and more profitable working relationship when they

face and solve problems together.

The process of corrective actions brings issues to a

focus and brings solutions to bear on problems to create

smother flowing systems. I encourage you to not take

process issues personally, but to have a systems view and

approach to problem detection and solution implementation.

The bottom-line goal for every quality management

system is to provide a sustainable platform, with provision

for amendment and correction, so that the company may

produce goods and services for other companies with mutual

economic benefit. Remember that we can’t do it alone and

that customers and vendors are our allies. All interested

parties have a common need for quality products and

services, stability and dependability and a strong sense of

community.

ROB LaPOINTE / EXPEDITE TESTING SERVICE

124



The system consists of a cable system, ferrules,

tensioning, crimping, and cutting tools. It permits

installation in half the time it takes for lock-wiring,

reduces rework and inspection and there are no sharp

wire edges, hence eliminating injuries to assemblers.

The safety cable is put through the holes in the

fastener head before being threaded to the adjoining

bolt. Thus, they lock it against being rotated loose.

Safety cabling prevents the loosening of fasteners by

counteracting it with more tightening. Safety cables

should be placed in and around the bolt head to maintain

the pre-load.

The pre-twisted cable is cut to various lengths and

is supplied with a square formed end attached to one

end. Safe-T-Cables are available in nominal diameters of

.022” .032” .040”.

As is the case with safety wires, Safety cables allow

for a quick and easy visual inspection to check whether

fasteners are tight, still tight. Aviation maintenance

technicians are responsible for always checking the

Safety cables before each flight.

Safety cable systems and safety wire systems all

work on the same principle, the tension of the wire/cable

on the fastener prevents it from loosening. A certain

amount of preload loss may occur.

Castle Nuts

Castle nuts are nuts that look like crowns or

fortifications of mid evil castles. These nuts are used

together with a bolt and a cotter pin to secure the nut in

place so that it cannot be tightened or loosened.

The flat sides of slotted nuts extend fully from the top

to the bottom of the nut. Both castellated and slotted

nuts are designed to use a pin (usually a cotter pin) that

fits through the slots and through a hole in the screw

to which the nut is attached. This pin prevents the nut

from turning and loosening. Compared with slotted nuts,

castellated nuts allow the cotter pin to be confined

closer to the margins of the nut itself, providing added

security.

The bolt has one or two holes drilled through its

threaded end. The nut is torqued properly and then, if

the slot is not aligned with the hole in the bolt, the nut

is rotated forward to the nearest slot. The nut is then

secured with a split pin/cotter pin, R-clip.

Another option is to drill after the nut has been

assembled. First, the nut is tightened. Then aligned with

a pair of slots a hole is drilled through the bolt thread

and the cotter pin is inserted. In the next step, its ends

are bent over to such an extent that it will not come

out. One leg of the cotter pin is longer, making it easier

to bend. The castle nut may back off slightly, thus may

cause preload loss.

Castle nuts typically come in metric sizes M6 to

M52 - inch sizes 1/4” to 3”. There are different styles

available, as well.

Bearing Lock Nut Locking Plates

These Lock nuts are used to keep roll bearings

in place on shafts. Also, they can be used to mount

bearings with a tapered bore onto tapered shaft seats

and adapter sleeves. In addition, these types of lock

nuts are frequently used to secure gears, belt pulleys

and other machine elements.

Lock nuts must be secured to prevent unintentional

loosening by:

¤ A lock washer that engages in the keyway of the

shaft or key slot in the adapter sleeve,

¤ An integrated locking mechanism in the nut



126


NORTH COAST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

7737 Ellington Place, Mentor, OH 44060

TEL 440-975-9503 FAX 440-350-1676 EMAIL lgraham@ncfaonline.com WEB www.ncfaonline.com

UPDATES FROM THE NCFA

by Gary Graham - NCFA President

The North Coast Fastener Association (NCFA) continues

to bring the fastener industry together through engaging

events that foster networking, education, and camaraderie.

Recently, on a cold and snowy day in Cleveland, members

had the opportunity to tour leading manufacturers to get

an up-close look at the fastener production process and

put the pedal to the metal in some friendly competition on

the racetrack at the inaugural “Fastener 500”. It was a day

packed with learning, laughter, and high-speed thrills!

On February 20th, the NCFA and Buckeye Fasteners

hosted plant tours at Ohio Nut & Bolt in Berea and Modern

Fasteners in Brook Park. Attendees kicked off the morning

at Ohio Nut & Bolt, where the aroma of fresh Dunkin’

Donuts and hot coffee helped fuel discussions before a

brief that included an informative weld fastener video from

all the way back in 1991. The video’s production holds

up surprisingly well and led to some interesting industry

reflections amongst our group. We were then split into

smaller groups to venture on to our in-depth tour of the

facility. Guests had the unique opportunity to witness the

production of weld fasteners from raw materials to finished

products, gaining insight into the craftsmanship and

precision that go into every bolt and nut.

After a short but snow-covered drive, the journey

continued at Modern Fasteners, where attendees were

welcomed with an impressive sandwich spread—because

no great networking event happens on an empty stomach!

Industry professionals explored the facility, exchanged

ideas and had questions answered by the knowledgeable

staff, and got an inside look at the innovative processes

that keep the fastener world turning.

With knowledge in hand, it was time to shift gears—

literally! The action moved to Boss Pro-Kart in Brook Park,

Ohio, for the much-anticipated “Fastener 500.” This social

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

event delivered full-throttle excitement as racers strapped

in for multiple rounds of time trial warm-ups before the

grand finale: a high-intensity, winner takes all, 12-lap

showdown for the coveted NCFA Trophy. Engines roared,

tires screeched, some walls and bumpers may have been

rubbed, and the competition was fierce. Alex Simmons of

BoltsandNuts.com took the checkered flag, proving he had

both the speed and strategy to claim victory. Carli Graham

of BoltsandNuts.com raced her way through the pack to

secure second place, with Nate Tuttle of S.W. Anderson hot

on her bumper in third to claim the final podium position.

For those not in the driver’s seat, the evening was just

as entertaining. Spectators cheered on the racers while

enjoying a pizza and wings spread with some of the best

wings around. Between the close finishes, fast-paced turns,

and a whole lot of friendly rivalries, the “Fastener 500”

proved to be a major highlight and a fantastic way to cap

off the day’s events.

Looking ahead, the NCFA is shifting into high gear for

its biggest event of the year: the NCFA Distributor Social

on May 8th at the Wyndham Independence. This annual

gathering is the premier networking event for fastener

industry professionals, drawing a diverse crowd eager to

connect, collaborate, and strengthen industry relationships.

If you attend just one event this year, make it this one!

Expect great conversations, invaluable connections, and

an atmosphere that keeps people coming back year after

year. Stay tuned for more details, but for now—mark your

calendars and get ready for an unforgettable evening!

The NCFA remains dedicated to providing outstanding

opportunities for industry professionals to engage, learn,

and grow. With exciting events like these, we continue to

build a strong and connected fastener community. We look

forward to seeing you soon!

NORTH COAST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

NCFA - OHIO NUT & BOLT & MODERN FASTENERS

PLANT TOURS - FEBRUARY 20, 2025


128



For the better part of 2024, we saw spot rates

tumble by more than 40%, making contracted yearly

rates un-useable therefore putting unforeseen financial

pressures on trucking companies which rely heavily on

contract rates.

Optimism for 2025 is high as many analysists are

predicting that 2025 could be a rebound year with a

7-10% increase in expected trade volumes. Furthermore,

with the excess closures in 2024, many small to

medium sized regional and national carriers are taking

advantage of the market and picking up the pieces which

is resulting in signs of growth. While it’s tragic to see

such a large number of companies going under, many

are saying it was necessary for the industry to stabilize

and eventually grow. What does that mean for the large

number of drivers who were left in the cold in 2024? We

are hopeful that the majority will be picked up by other

carriers or transition into other rolls within the industry.

US Customs and Tariffs Announcements:

As indicated in the title, we are entering a pivotal

year marked by significant increases in tariffs. For those

involved in the import processes over the past five

years, you may have noticed minimal changes. Many

rely on Series 73 (steel) and Series 76 (aluminum) for

the bulk of their customs classifications. The last major

alteration occurred in 2018 when these series were

included under Section 301, resulting in a substantial

25% tariff increase on products manufactured in China.

At that time, many believed this increase would severely

impact the fastener industry in China or at least drive

that business toward emerging markets. While some

importers began to diversify their global supply chains,

the overwhelming majority chose instead to accept the

increased costs and continue their operations as usual.

Fast forward to February 2025, when a wave of

announcements from the new administration threatens to

drastically reshape the landscape of imports worldwide.

The first announcement, made on February 1st, revealed

the president’s executive order to raise tariffs on China

by an additional 10%. He also announced a hefty

25% increase on tariffs for both Mexico and Canada;

however, these increases were quickly suspended for a

month, contingent upon both countries meeting stringent

border protection and immigration requirements. The

most significant development, however, involves the

incorporation of Series 73 and 76 under Section 232,

which imposes an additional 25% tariff across the board.

This increase is not limited to any specific country but

applies universally to any commodity group classified

under Section 232 from anywhere in the world. As

a result, the effective increase raises tariffs globally

by over 25% and imposes a staggering 35% increase

specifically for imports from China. In practical terms, if

you are importing from China using either the 73 or 76

series and paying the Section 301 tariffs plus the new

increases, your total duty amount exceeds 60%. This

means the landscape of international trade is about to

change dramatically—it’s time to adjust and prepare for

this new reality.

Another term that has been frequently mentioned

is “derivatives.” This term has caused considerable

confusion regarding its definition and application. To

clarify, a derivative is a finished good that contains

components that could be classified under a different

tariff section. For example, if you were importing bedroom

credenzas, customs could evaluate the credenza and

apply a derivative tariff to the hardware classified under

Section 232, imposing a 25% tariff based on its specific

value. It is important to note that before any derivatives

are assigned, U.S. Customs must conduct an evaluation

on how it will proceed, which is no small task. Unlike

the President signing an executive order, this process

must go through the U.S. Trade Administration, and U.S.

Customs has indicated it would require a minimum of

90 days to assess how to implement these changes.

For importers, this means all commercial documents will

need to be broken down based on the actual commercial

invoice value per product.




In summary, we still have time before U.S. Customs

sends out clear and precise information answering any

questions, you might have regarding derivatives under

Section 232 and how it will be applied.

Geo-Political/Governmental Regulations

The year 2025 is likely to witness significant geopolitical

issues and internal governmental regulations. In

addition to the previously mentioned tariffs, we may see

retaliatory tariffs imposed on various U.S.-manufactured

products by several countries, including Canada,

Mexico, China, and the European Union, among others.

Additionally, ongoing conflicts, such as the war between

Russia and Ukraine, tensions between Israel, Hamas, and

Iran, as well as civil unrest in various regions of Africa,

Central America, and South America, could all play a role

in destabilizing the global supply chain

Furthermore, geo-political tensions in Panama

involving the United States, China, and the Panamanian

government could also have serious repercussions on

international trade.

Conclusion

2025 is expected to be a challenging year for

global supply and transportation. We predict a shift

in manufacturing, with emerging countries taking a

larger share of the global manufacturing landscape.

Additionally, we anticipate that governments will

implement more impactful regulations, particularly

concerning shipbuilding, tolls for Chinese-made ocean

container vessels entering the United States, and other

related areas. As new details and changes arise, we will

keep you informed well in advance so you can effectively

navigate the challenges ahead.

CHRIS DONNELL

130



Late mornings are devoted primarily to second run,

expedited orders for same day delivery. If Amazon and

others can do this, so can we.

It is just a matter or focus and cut off times. Initially

this had us in a panic, but as we rolled it out with flexible

timing it has been simple.”

“Later in the day, we can start on next day delivery.

This will not encompass all the orders, it is just a way of

staying busy and ahead of the rush hour that starts at

5:00PM when the branches close for the day. With system

wide tracking of daily sales, we know what each location,

branch or customer stockroom, needs for restocking.

This information is compiled, and turned into orders for

a night crew that is supplemented by day staff who start

at Noon. Orders are then released against the schedule

for overnight, ‘Lockbox’ delivery to caged areas within the

more distant facilities. The drivers have a master key and

passcode for dropping off the materials 24/7. There are

even a couple of really small town, off the grid, deliveries to

fire stations manned by volunteers.”

“The real ‘icing on the cake’ is that the night crew

also pulls the orders for branch next day delivery. With this

change we were able to cut the branch inventories by 50+%

while increasing customer satisfaction. If a customer needs

20 pieces NOW we can deliver 10 for immediate use and

the rest by 9:00 AM the next day. Overall, it gives us a 99%

fill rate within a single day. Way better than our old rate of

around 88%.”

As we left the shelving area, Mike asked us to turn

around and look up. Unlike most places where the mezzanine

steel shelving has solid grey metal backs, “5-Star” used

white garage liner pegboard. Same installed price as steel,

but there were painting, pictures and banners displayed

on the boards. This is the supply house equivalent of the

“Amana Art Gallery” on my home refrigerator. Staff and

family artwork is displayed for everyone to admire until the

artist takes it home. Nice touch.

Nothing Is Finished Until It Is Out The Door

At the start/finish of the Pick/Packer’s route is a

simple belt conveyor next to the Order Finishing Station.

Orders that have been placed in the shippable container;

boxes, pouches, reusable plastic totes, etc. are checked

by item count, packing materials and advertising are

added and the finished order goes thru an automatic

random taping machine, then continues on the conveyor.

Simple, clean and highly efficient. Very impressive

and professional with standardized corrugated boxes

that featured the vendor’s logos. Attenuating this is

the use of white corrugated and multi-color printing. A

presentation worthy of a 3-star Michelin restaurant.

One anomaly was that some boxes had birthday and

anniversary label affixed to the top. When asked about

this, Boss Mike replied, “We try to track the receiver’s

special events and send a ‘greeting card’ with the box.

For Valentine’s Day we might add a small box of candy

and our resident artists do a special card for Mother’s

and Father’s day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. All this

makes receiving a “5-Star” order a nice surprise and an

event. If the customer changes vendor to a competitor

their staff is likely to complain!”

At the other end of the conveyor, goods are off

loaded to pallets by delivery vehicle, route or carrier.

Mike pointed out that the flat conveyor, 12’ above

our head, from order finishing to the dock is also an

accumulation line with powered, roller conveyor. This

way the rubber belt conveyor that goes down to the

staging area can control the carton flow without slowing

any other part of the operation. They initially did the

palletization at the order-finishing end, with movement

by a hand pallet jack, but a simple workflow analysis

pointed to a 5-month return on the investment in the

conveyor. At some point, they might add an automated

sortation system, but the $500,000+ price tag has a

10-year ROI.



132


NELSON VALDERRAMA VETERAN TALENT: 5 VALUABLE WAYS FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS INVEST IN THE FUTURE from page 100

LOYAL STAKEHOLDERS

¤ Mentor upwards, helping management lead in

production and worker relationships.

¤ Bring material experience to senior strategic

meetings.

Others often refer to veteran staff as “storytellers” or

“historians.” They sit on years of company experience, its

“ups and downs,” and good and bad decisions. They have

made their own mistakes and corrected others. And this

treasure is priceless.

For instance, distributors must involve long-term

employees in decisions about new technologies. The

leadership should ask them to adopt, install, and train

others in advanced technology. Veteran staff knows what

operations and inventory need and what the company

needs.

5 Strategies To Invest In Veteran Employees

Encouraging senior staff to share stories about the

past shows respect to them and gives them a new role.

However, distributors should make more effort to invest in

their strengths and encourage them to bring their history

to the decision-making table.

Distributors can leverage this boots-on-the-ground,

down-and-dirty experience for leadership potential.

Veterans are good at mentoring upwards to management

leaders, offering organizational knowledge and strategic

thinking. While encouraging senior staff to share their

experiences shows respect and provides them with

a new role, distributors should actively invest in their

strengths and encourage them to contribute their historical

knowledge to the decision-making process.

Wholesale distributors can use these five strategies

to invest in this gold mine.

[1] Recognize veteran employees: Avoid linking

seniority with aging, but recognize veteran staff as a

formidable force. Use company communication channels

to highlight their performance and value as go-to people.

[2] Give them a seat at the table: Always try to include

veterans as part of the C-suite team. Invite individuals or

groups to give unfettered feedback on plans and projects.

[3 Train them on expectations: Help veterans feel

comfortable at the C-suite table, moving their focus from

legacy behaviors to making opportunities possible.

[4] Become a student: Position yourself as a mentee,

willing to learn where and where not to walk. Empower

them to voice the context for your behavior, choices, and

expectations.

[5] Reward veteran achievement: Old-timers are

not looking for new titles or multiplied responsibilities.

Sometimes, an “atta boy/girl” will suffice. But leaders

might consider offering a restaurant dinner, tickets to a

ballgame, time off, or a team recognition.

Leaders could show the company’s appreciation by

offering team recognition, a restaurant dinner, tickets to a

ballgame, or time off.

A Closing Thought

Distribution management should not link wisdom

with age. Leadership should learn to watch for staff

reaching longevity milestones and to invest in their talent

for the future. Veteran employees should have a voice

in discussions about operations, inventory, processes,

packing, and delivery. Their hands-on experience with

systems like ERP, CRM, MES, SCM, and WMS is

invaluable. While some may not be the most tech-savvy

members of your team, their knowledge and expertise

are critical. The real challenge lies in how you leverage

their experience to ensure they feel valued, transfer their

knowledge to the team, and help your customers avoid

disruptions.

NELSON VALDERRAMA



134


INTERSTATE SCREW CORPORATION YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNER from page 102

In South Florida, their fleet of trucks provides

regularly scheduled delivery. In other areas, they have

a freight policy available. For international customers,

your export orders will be palletized appropriately, shrinkwrapped,

and delivered to your forwarder in South Florida

at no additional cost.

They accept all major credit cards and company

checks and offer Net 30 terms upon credit approval.

Interstate is always fully compliant with the Faster Quality

Act – while required by law, many companies skirt around

it.

Interstate has the globally accepted Quality In

Business Certificate issued by the internationally

recognized and prestigious International Trade Council,

of which they are a member.

Every fastener they sell (where appropriate) is made

to IFI, DIN, ISO, SAE, and/or ASTM standards. The raw

metals are made to ASTM, SAE, or AISI standards.

Industry Commitment

Interstate Screw is a proud member of the globally

recognized, prestigious International Trade Council (ITC).

They are heavily involved in our industry in the USA and

have been a member of the Specialty Tools & Fasteners

Distributors Association (STAFDA) for decades.

They are also members of the NetPlus Alliance. and

a Certified Woman Owned Business

More Information

Interstate Screw Corp. is located at 475 West 18th

Street, Hialeah FL 33010. Contact Eric Seiden, Chief

Purchasing Officer, for more information at (305) 888-

8700, email: eric@interstate-screw.com or visit them

online at www.interstate-screw.com.

Computer Insights, Inc. is located at 108 3rd Street,

Unit 4, Bloomingdale, IL 60108. Contact Dennis Cowhey,

President, for more information at (800) 539-1233,

email sales@ci-inc.com or online at www.ci-inc.com.

INTERSTATE SCREW CORPORATION


Suncor Stainless is the leading manufacturer

for stainless steel hardware in the industrial,

marine, government,

architectural, OEM and

commercial industries.

Suncor Stainless is

pleased to announce

the appointment of Don

Piccirilli as the new West

Coast Senior Regional

Account Manager. With

a focus on expanding

Suncor’s reach and enhancing client relationships

in the area, Don will play a integral role in driving

growth and delivering exceptional service to both

new and existing customers.

Don Piccirilli joins Suncor Stainless with an

extensive background in engineering, sales,

account management and business development,

he will be responsible for managing customer

accounts, identifying new opportunities, and

strengthening partnerships across the West

Coast. We are excited to welcome Don to the

Suncor team. With Don’s wealth of experience

and strategic mindset, we are confident that he

will be instrumental in helping us achieve our

business objectives and deliver outstanding value

to our customers.

“It’s refreshing to be associated with a

company that is so customer focused, employee

conscious and value driven as Suncor Stainless.”

commented Don.

Suncor Stainless, Inc. is a leading

manufacturer for stainless steel hardware in

the industrial, marine, government, architectural,

OEM and commercial industries. Suncor’s

modern facilities manufacture the highest quality

stainless steel chain, wire rope assemblies and

custom parts. The in-house capabilities include a

product development staff whose tireless efforts,

along with valuable input from clients, work to

continuously improve and perfect their everexpanding

product line.

For more information contact Suncor Stainless

at 70 Armstrong Road, Plymouth, MA 02360. Tel:

1-800-218-7702, Email: info@suncorstainless.com

or visit them online at www.suncorstainless.com.

136



¤ Tools and Equipment - Offering an extensive

range of tools and systems designed to improve the

efficiency and precision of fastener assembly and

installation. These products include automated insertion

systems, hand tools, nailing and stapling equipment,

power tools, and riveting systems, all essential for

enhancing productivity across various manufacturing and

construction applications.

¤ Raw Materials and Coatings - Showcasing

premium raw materials such as steel, aluminum, brass,

titanium, and stainless steel, along with specialized

coatings and plating technologies for fastener durability.

Exhibitors will highlight surface treatments, including

corrosion-resistant coatings, plating options, and finishing

techniques, which are vital for meeting performance

standards across industries like automotive, aerospace,

and construction.

¤ Industrial Automation and Technology -

Presenting state-of-the-art robotics, process automation

systems, and fastener assembly technologies, this

category will focus on solutions that streamline production

processes. Automation tools like feeding, discharging, and

sorting systems, alongside software for process control

and data analysis, will be essential for manufacturers

seeking greater operational efficiency and smarter factory

management.

¤ Quality Assurance and Testing - Featuring

the latest inspection and testing technologies to ensure

the reliability and performance of fasteners. Tools for

materials inspection, product testing, and quality control

will be on display, helping manufacturers meet stringent

industry standards and deliver high-quality, dependable

fasteners for applications in sectors like construction,

automotive, and electronics.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to access the

ALUMINUM USA exhibit hall featuring even more valuable

categories such as:

¤ Raw Materials and Primary Metal Products -

Source high-quality aluminum raw materials and primary

metal products, ideal for fastener manufacturing, including

aluminum billets, ingots, and alloys used in creating

lightweight and durable fasteners.

¤ Semi-Finished and Semi-Fabricated Products -

Explore a wide range of semi-finished aluminum products

such as extrusions, sheets, and plates, which can

be utilized in the production of fasteners, fastener

components, and other related applications.

¤ Aluminum Products for Special Applications -

Discover advanced aluminum products designed for

specific applications, such as aerospace, automotive, and

high-performance industries, perfect for manufacturers

seeking specialized materials for custom fasteners.

¤ Surface Treatment - Find cutting-edge surface

treatment technologies for aluminum, including anodizing

and coating solutions that enhance the durability and

corrosion resistance of fasteners and related products.

¤ Plant, Machinery, and Equipment - Access

the latest machinery, tools, and equipment used in

aluminum production and processing, including systems

for extrusion, casting, and fabrication that can be applied

to fastener manufacturing processes.

¤ Services and Consultancy - Connect with

service providers offering consultancy, logistics, and

support for aluminum production, recycling, and fastener

manufacturing processes, helping to streamline your

supply chain and operations.

¤ Light-Metals Trade and Recycling - Learn

about sustainable practices in aluminum recycling and the

trade of light metals, providing eco-friendly solutions for

sourcing raw materials used in fastener production.

REGISTER NOW! Visit www.fastenerfairusa.com to

secure early bird pricing.




Interested in Exhibiting?

Showcase your products and innovations to a

dynamic audience of industry professionals at Fastener

Fair USA 2025! Exhibiting at the event provides an

unparalleled opportunity to increase your brand visibility,

generate quality leads, and establish valuable business

connections. Whether you’re launching new products,

entering new markets, or reinforcing your industry

presence, our event platform ensures you gain the

attention your business deserves. Join an elite network

of exhibitors and demonstrate your solutions to a highly

targeted and engaged audience. Don’t miss this chance

to make a lasting impact—secure your space today!

About Fastener Fair USA

Fastener Fair USA is North America’s premier trade

show and conference event for the fastener industry

and the manufacturing sectors it serves. This dynamic

and productive two-day event serves as an essential

marketplace drawing fastener professionals from every

segment and all around the world. The event is organized

by RX, a leading organizer of international trade shows and

conferences. Visit www.fastenerfairusa.com for info.

FASTENER FAIR USA

138



FIGURE 1 - FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SOLID PIN, SLOTTED PIN, HEAVY DUTY COILED PIN, STANDARD DUTY COILED PIN, LIGHT DUTY COILED PIN

PROTECTS HOST COMPONENT

Given the superior flexibility of the Light Duty Coiled

Spring Pin, the amount of radial pressure and strain

exerted onto the host material is the lowest of all

Coiled Pin duty options, thus mitigating the likelihood

of damage to the host even in shear conditions. This

property makes Light Duty perfect for soft and brittle

materials, and applications where the joint must remain

serviceable. Figure 1 shows a comparison of radial

stress created by different pins. The wider and more

colorful of the bands around the pin diameter, the more

stress is exerted by the pin onto the hole material.

Typical Applications Where Light Duty

Reigns Supreme

ALIGNMENT

In a typical alignment application, the pin only

serves to align two components during assembly. After

getting secured by other fastening methods, the pin

serves no further purpose. During these steps, there

is close to zero shear force being applied to the pin.

Traditional components used for alignment applications

are precision ground Solid Dowels, cold formed Dowels,

Spring Dowels and Coiled Spring Pins. Spring Dowels

and Coiled Pins do not require as tight of a tolerance for

the host hole, and they also facilitate ease of assembly.

Both Spring Dowels and Coiled Spring Pins are a much

lower cost component as compared to the precision

machined Ground Dowels. Between the various duties

of Coiled Pins, the Light Duty accentuates all of these

benefits, and is a great solution for most alignment

applications.

HINGES

Hand operated or simple swivel point hinges are

another example that do not impose great shear strength

requirements. Therefore, they are a great application for

Light Duty Coiled Pins in terms of ease of assembly and

overall cost while providing a highly functioning solution.

With Light Duty, it is also very simple to achieve a highquality

“feeling” friction hinge.

A special subset of this segment are Cosmetic

Cases, where specially developed extra light duty Coiled

Pins with 1½ coils are the industry standard solution for

high-quality case hinges.

LIGHT DUTY COILED SPRING PINS IN AN ALUMINUM AUTOMOTIVE

VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY

SPIROL’S SERIES 550 COSMETIC COILED PINS PROVIDE A HIGH-

QUALITY FRICTION HINGE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE ASSEMBLY.



SPIROL is pleased to

introduce a range of 2024

aluminum Press-In Inserts.

Available in symmetrical

(Series INS 50) and headed

(INS 51) versions, the new

aluminum Press-In Inserts

complements the existing

brass line. Threaded Inserts

are essential for reinforcing

plastic components and

provide a reusable thread

within a bolted assembly.

This ensures a proper

seating torque and prevents

the potential for plastic

creep over time that could

otherwise compromise the

performance of the assembly.

SPIROL’s Inserts are

designed to optimize both

performance and cost, and

are available in a variety of

options tailored for different

performance requirements

and installation methods.

Inserts designed to be

Pressed-In without heat, such

as SPIROL’s INS 50 and INS

51, are intended to provide

the lowest cost to install with

acceptable joint performance

for many applications.

While brass remains

the industry standard for

machining due to its material

properties, 2024 aluminum

offers distinct lightweight

advantages at 1/3rd the

weight. This 2024 aluminum

grade is lead-free, addressing

evolving environmental

health and safety concerns

associated with lead content

in machined products.

Additionally, the distinct

galvanic properties between

aluminum and brass provide a

broader spectrum of options,

catering to diverse application needs

The function and total overall

cost of the assembly vary drastically

based on the type of Insert used

in the application. SPIROL’s

Engineering team will help determine

the most appropriate Insert based

on the specific application and

assembly requirements. For

complimentary design assistance,

contact the nearest SPIROL

location or simply request Technical

Support for help determining

the most appropriate Threaded

Insert for your plastic assembly!

SPIROL is a leading manufacturer

of a diverse line of engineered

components for fastening and

joining. Since 1948, SPIROL has

been providing technical expertise

in fastening, joining and assembly to

the world’s leading manufacturers.

For more information contact

Spirol International Corporation at

Tel: 1-860-774-8571, Fax: 1-860-

774-2048, Email: info@spirol.com

or you can visit their website at

www.spirol.com.

140



FIGURE 4: DRILLED HEX HEAD FOR LOCK WIRES

FIGURE 5: CROSS DRILLED HEX HEAD FOR LOCK WIRES

¤ Countersunk Head - Countersunk head screws

are used throughout an aircraft but play a special role in

fastening the skin of the plane to the structure underneath.

In this role, countersunk heads are found not just on

threaded screws but on a variety of aerospace fasteners

such as rivets, lockbolts, and pin and collar assemblies.

The primary purpose of this head style is to be flush with

the surface so that they do not generate unwanted drag on

the surface of the aircraft.

Countersunk heads are defined by the included angle

of the head (see Figure 6). The higher that angle is the

thinner that head becomes and the thinner the sheet the

fastener can capture and remain flush to the surface.

Although this style of head at any angle is non-fully load

bearing, the higher the angle becomes the less strong the

head becomes. In industrial applications the most common

angle is 82°, but in aerospace 90°, 100°, and 130° are all

common. Countersunk head screws need a driving feature

and will always include some form of drive recess.

¤ Pan Head - In the interior of the aircraft, performing

mostly important but non-critical functions, are pan head

screws (see Figure 7).

Pan heads are common

through all the fastener

market segments. They

are usually found on

smaller screws used

to hold non-structural

components

together.

Pan heads also require

a driving feature and will

always include some form

of drive recess.

¤ Double Hex - A double hex is the generic description

in aerospace circles for a 12 Point head. The geometry of

such a part is two six sided hexes intertwined with each

other by offsetting one 30° from the other. This head

configuration allows more torque transmission than a

single hex and is, thus, popular in applications where high

preloads are necessary. This head can be plain (see Figure

8) or combined with a flange to become a 12 Point Flange

Head (see Figure 9).

FIGURE 7: EXAMPLE OF

CRUCIFORM RECESS

PAN HEAD

FIGURE 6: EXAMPLE OF AEROSPACE COUNTERSUNK HEAD

FIGURE 8: EXAMPLE OF DOUBLE HEX HEAD



WIFI SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCED from page 74

I am honored to work alongside so many inspiring

women who continue to break barriers and set new

standards of excellence. This recognition is truly humbling

and holds profound meaning for me—not only as a

professional but as someone deeply passionate about

empowering others to reach their full potential. I am

wholeheartedly committed to paying this forward by

supporting, uplifting, and empowering women within our

industry and beyond.

Thank you to the WIFI organization and its members

for this incredible honor and for creating a platform that

celebrates the achievements of women. Together, we are

building a future where all women can thrive.”

-Jennifer Sturm

Man Up - Dan Duffield, Sales Manager,

Wyandotte Industries Inc.

Awarded to an individual male or a company that

has demonstrated a

commitment to supporting

women and the WIFI

organization. The recipient

is a partner that provides

tools and resources that

empower the women in

their organization or

industry.

“I am honored to have

been chosen as the WIFI Man Up Award recipient. I

appreciate that you have selected me and I am honored

to represent WIFI and will do my best to help in any way

I can. You all do a great job of bringing people together.

Thank you very much!”

-Dan Duffield

For more information about WIFI and the scholarships,

visit us at www.fastenerwomen.com.

WOMEN IN THE FASTENER INDUSTRY

142



KM Locking Nuts

These locknuts have 4 or 8 evenly spaced slots on

the circumference. As a result, they can be tightened

easily with striking-face or hook wrenches. The locknuts

are locked by tab lock washers or retaining clips, thus

guaranteeing optimal operation of the equipment.

KMFE Precision Lock Nuts With

Integral Locking

To lock the nut in place, KMFE lock nuts are furnished

with a set screw. When the set screw is tightened, it

causes the nut thread to deform and press against the

shaft or sleeve thread. Lock nuts with integral locking are

locked by friction. The friction is sufficient to prevent the

nut from coming loose.

Some Different Brands of Shaft Thread Lock Nuts

KM Locking Nuts are often referred to as bearing

nuts, shaft nuts of withdrawal nuts.

KM Locking Nuts come in sizes M10 x.75 to M200x3.

Type N 14 is the inch equivalent, it comes in sizes from size

.969 - 32 TPI to size 37.41 – 3 TPI (TPI = threads per inch).

KMT And KMTA Precision Lock Nuts

With Locking Pins

Bearing Lock Nuts - KMT Series offers reliable

retention of bearings by utilizing retaining pins. The three

equally spaced locking pins enable these lock nuts to be

precisely positioned to the shaft. They can be tightened

with set screws to lock the nut. The end face of each pin

is machined to match the shaft thread. The set screws,

when properly torqued, provide sufficient friction between

the ends of the pins and the not loaded thread flanks.

KMT and KMTA lock nuts should not be used on shafts

with keyways in the thread or adapter sleeves. Damage

to the locking pins can result if they align with either.

Because the locking pins are tightened against the not

loaded flank of the shaft thread, they are not subjected

to any application loads.

IBC High Precision Lock Nuts

IBC precision locknuts are supplied with two different

locking systems. Both types make sure that the

shaft thread and the locknut are not damaged during

installation and locking.


144


NATIONAL FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

3020 Old Ranch Parkway #300, Seal Beach CA 90740

TEL 562-799-5509 FAX 562-684-0695 EMAIL nfda@nfda-fasteners.org WEB www.nfda-fasteners.org

EXECUTIVE SALES PLANNING SESSIONS ® RETURN

JUNE 11-13 IN CHARLOTTE, NC by Amy Nijjar

Registration is open for one of the best business

meetings of the year. NFDA’s popular Executive Sales

Planning Sessions® will take place June 11-13, 2025 at

the Le Meridien Charlotte in Charlotte, NC.

During the Executive Sales Planning Sessions

(ESPS®), you’ll schedule private, one-on-one business

meetings with the partners who are most important to

your business strategy. It’s not as rushed as speeddating,

but the principles are similar, allowing you to

meet with several people in 1.5 days, without having to

travel to multiple destinations.

The NFDA ESPS® appointments will be held in a

ballroom again this year. Each host will have a 6-foot

table, chairs, and a sign with an assigned table number.

This format allows for more appointments over the two

days and less time traveling from room to room.

How ESPS ®

Works

¤ NFDA Associate and Service Provider members

who want to set up private appointments

register as hosts.

¤ Registered meeting attendees book

appointments in advance with the hosts of their

choice by using our scheduling app.

¤ The schedule can accommodate up to 18

appointments.

Pickleball

Start the event with some pickleball fun! Registration

includes access to two private indoor courts with

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

lounges, all necessary equipment, a 30-minute tutorial,

breakfast bites, and non-alcoholic drinks—plus plenty of

fun with your NFDA friends!

For more information and to register, visit www.

nfda-fastener.org. Contact Jamie Adams at jamie@nfdafastener.org

with any questions.

Education

The NFDA 2025 Annual Meeting will feature an

Economic Update with Dr. Chris Thornberg from Beacon

Economics.

2025 NFDA Calendar of Events

May 8, 2025

CBAM

Virtual Program

June 11-13, 2025 Annual Meeting & ESPS,

Charlotte, NC

October 1, 2025 Fastener Certifications and

Test Reports

Virtual Program

October 15-17, 2025 Executive Summit

Key West, FL

June 17-19, 2026 Annual Meeting & ESPS,

Indianapolis, IN

Be sure to save the dates! For more information about

NFDA and its activities, visit www.nfda-fastener.org

NATIONAL FASTENER DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION

146



What About The Pallet Racks?

Pallet and hand stacked storage is much simpler

thanks to the WMS, online stockers/restockers/pickers

and real-time computer direction. With the lowest 8’ of

stacking devoted to hand stacked cartons and prime full

case picking, nothing, unusual was noted until we heard

a soft whirl overhead.

That’s When Boss Mike Pointed Out

His Robotic Workers

“Every pallet position has a bar coded and Radio

Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. Stockers read the

tags to verify proper placement. Restockers replenishing

the shelving and pickers verity both the warehouse

position and item using scanners, or even a cell phone

app. In theory this should guarantee that the right

materials are in the right place at the right time, but

there is still room for error and the accountants required

quarterly and yearly inventory verification…until now.”

“Every day and more often at night there are

autonomous drones that cruise the warehouse in both

the pallet rack and shelving areas. Onboard scanners

look at the bar codes on the cartons and compare that

information to the shelf or rack tag. The drones also

identify and verify empty shelves.

In this manner, whenever there is a ‘stock-out’

a drone will verity the empty space and, if necessary

look for any missing inventory as part of its’ normal

programming. This workload is shared currently by only

two drones, but more can be easily added.”

“More importantly, because in a typical fastener

distribution facility full pallets of one item are an

anomaly, not the rule, every carton that moves has a

WMS generated label to track where it came from and

where it is going. For shelf replenishment, the tags are

verified at both ends and for shipping the tags include

all the customer delivery information, including customer

name, address, routing and delivery vehicle. This too

could be tracked by the drone or a scanner at the dock

door. Nothing is foolproof, but when you are seeking

perfection an extra level of autonomous redundant

checking never hurts.”

None Of This Works Without Perfection

“Now you know,” Mike said, “why we place so much

importance on perfection. Even with an online, computer

directed, WMS managed operation we still absolutely

must depend on each and every person getting things

right the first time, checking and rechecking each other

and performing knowledge based intuition along the way.

“For example, our staff knows our customers, their

needs and ordering patterns. Any anomaly is likely to

be caught by an individual in house, not shipped to

a customer. In other words, we are the customer’s

receiving checking department. You can see this at the

shipping dock where a roving quality verification inspector

opens around 4% of the finished boxes and verifies that

everything is perfect. If they find a mistake of any kind,

they will open up another 4% of the orders and depending

on who, what and when the error was made the inspector

has full authority to inspect every order!”

“So far, this has never happened, but I remind

everyone daily that it could. That’s the real backstory to

perfection. You have to be ready to absolutely guarantee

everything that is shipped is always perfect. Remember,

we are shipping branch orders and branch replenishment

so any negative feedback from within is taken seriously

by every individual in the entire company. As President

Harry Truman’s desk sign said, ‘The buck stops here.’”

In Season 1, Episode 4, we will complete the tour of

the physical warehouse; and learn why we are here at

“5-Star Fastener Distribution.”

ROBERT FOOTLIK

NCFA - BOSS PRO-KART

“FASTENER 500” - FEBRUARY 20, 2025


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154


PACIFIC-WEST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

3020 Old Ranch Parkway #300, Seal Beach CA 90740

TEL 562-799-5509 FAX 562-684-0695 EMAIL info@pac-west.org WEB www.pac-west.org

PAC-WEST SPRING DINNER MEETING &

VENDOR SHOWCASE by Amy Nijjar

What’s New, What’s Next - A Fastener

Industry Update

Jun Xu (Brighton-Best International), Tim Roberto

(Star Stainless Screw), and Jamie Lawrence (Lawrence

Consulting) will bring us up-to-date on the latest

developments in stainless steel, carbon fasteners, and

domestic manufacturing, as well as what we can expect

from our suppliers in the future.

When: May 1, 2025

Where:

DoubleTree by Hilton

Norwalk (New Location)

13111 Sycamore Dr, Norwalk, CA

Vendor Showcase Opportunities

Vendor showcase companies will be listed on all

event marketing and will have the opportunity to introduce

their company during the meeting announcements.

Vendors are provided one six-foot table with chairs.

¤ The fee for a vendor showcase table is $200 per

company

¤ Fee does not include attendee registration

¤ Up to eight companies can participate at each

dinner meeting

¤ Companies can participate once per calendar year

¤ Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis

¤ Available to Pac-West members only

Sponsorship Opportunities

Support Pac-West by becoming a sponsor!

¤ $250 General Sponsor - Company name listed

on event website, email blasts, social media, signage

ASSOCIATION ARTICLE

and slide show at event, and podium recognition.

¤ $350 Premium Sponsor - Includes all of the

above plus a $50 gift card in company name for raffle

and a marketing piece in the digital handbook.

Visit www.pac-west.org for all the details and to register.

Contact Jamie Adams at 562-799-5509 with any questions.

Pac-West 2025 Event Calendar

Save the date for these upcoming Pac-West events:

April 10, 2025

After Hours - Phoenix, AZ

May 1, 2025

Spring Dinner Meeting and Vendor Showcase -

Norwalk, CA

June 5, 2025

After Hours - Buena Park, CA

June 26, 2025

After Hours - Vancouver, BC

September 9, 2025

After Hours - Denver, CO

October 9, 2025

Fall Dinner Meeting and Vendor Showcase -

Norwalk, CA

November 6, 2025

After Hours - San Diego, CA

December 11, 2025

Holiday Party - Norwalk, CA

March 11-13, 2026 - Spring Conference and Tabletop

Show, Anaheim, CA

For more information about Pac-West and its

activities visit www.pac-west.org.

PACIFIC-WEST FASTENER ASSOCIATION

2025 PAC-WEST SPRING CONFERENCE

GOLF TOURNAMENT & HOCKEY GAME - MARCH 12 & 14, 2025

156



with aerospace screws and bolts is to employ lightening

features. This is either a formed dimple (see Figure 11) or

drilled hole (see Figure 12) in the head of the part. This

does not detrimentally impact the strength and provides

weight reduction. Although it is small, when added up

over the thousands of fasteners employed, it makes a

noticeable difference.

FIGURE 9: EXAMPLE OF DOUBLE HEX FLANGE HEAD

¤ Spline Head - A head similar to the double hex is

the spline head. Unlike the double hex whose facets end in

sharp points, the spline head has teeth like a spline gear

(see Figure 10). Like a double hex, these parts are used

when achieving high preloads through torque transmission

is necessary.

FIGURE 11: EXAMPLE OF A LIGHTENING DIMPLE-FORMED DURING

COLD HEADING

FIGURE 10: EXAMPLE OF SPLINE FLANGE HEAD

FIGURE 12: EXAMPLE OF DRILLED LIGHTENING HOLE

Lightening Features

Another distinctive attribute of many aerospace

fasteners is the deployment of a lightening feature. Weight

control is of the utmost importance on aircraft, so that

aerospace engineers are always trying to find new ways

to make components lighter. One way they have done this

Recesses

Often the geometry of the head prevents the head from

also serving as the driving feature. For these heads internal

recesses are used to drive the part. In some instances, hex

heads are combined with internal drive recesses as well to

provide two drive options.



Precision locknuts with radial locking (types of MMR,

MMRB, MMRS) have several screws on their outer

diameter, which are used to radially clamp a profiled brass

locking Pin. They have a nut thread machined into the end

of the pin that faces the shaft.

They are offered in size M 6 x 0,5 – M300 x 5

The MBA and MBC precision locknuts are axially

secured with slotted segments that are integrated into

the locknut and have the nut thread machined into them.

These segments are elastically deformed axially via set

screws. As a result, they clamp against the flanks of the

shaft thread.

They are offered in size M 17 x 1 – M300 x 4. Neither

type is offered in inch sizes.

Spieth Precision Locknuts

Spieth lock nuts offer excellent thread locking, used

for holding ball bearings, or spindle bearings in place.

Spieth locknuts can be fastened to induce constant

clamping forces on the thread flanks.

The nut consists of two functional segments, one

segment absorbs the load, the other segment locks. The

segments are separated by a grove. In addition, six screw

are used to press the segments that locks against the

tread flank opposite to the load flank.

Spieth locknuts automatically self-center, hence

eliminating play in the mating threads as much as possible.

They are available in sizes M20x1 to M200 x 3.

Spieth locknuts are not offered in inch sizes. There are

other styles of these lock nuts available.

In Conclusion

Locking methods that allow reliable visual inspection

are crucial for safety, they indicate that the fasteners have

been properly tightened, even more so are still tight. They

are absolutely essential for any aircraft. Shaft nuts are

critical machine elements, they assure reliable operation

of equipment.

BRUNO MARBACHER

158



Not all recesses perform the same. Therefore,

designers must consider the required performance

characteristics and carefully choose the best drive recess

for the circumstances. Although a number of the drive

recesses utilized by aerospace fasteners are shared by

their cousins in the other fastener market segments, there

are a couple of drive recesses that are utilized almost

entirely by the aerospace market. The most common

aerospace drive recesses are:

¤ Cruciform (a.k.a. Phillips®) (See Figure 13)

¤ Offset Cruciform (a.k.a. Torq-set®) (See Figure 14)

¤ Dovetail Slot (a.k.a. Hi-Torque®) (See Figure 15)

¤ Tri-Slot (a.k.a. Tri-Wing®) (See Figure 16)

¤ Six Lobe (a.k.a. Torx®) (See Figure 17)

¤ Mortorq® (See Figure 18)

¤ Hex (See Figure 19)

FIGURE 13: EXAMPLE OF A

CRUCIFORM DRIVE RECESS


DOVETAIL DRIVE RECESS


TORX® DRIVE RECESS

FIGURE 14: EXAMPLE OF OFFSET

CRUCIFORM DRIVE RECESS

FIGURE 16: EXAMPLE OF TRI-

SLOT DRIVE RECESS


MORTORQ® DRIVE RECESS

FIGURE 19: EXAMPLE OF A HEX DRIVE RECESS

Wrenchable Nuts And Anchor Plates....

Wrenchable Nuts

This category of nuts refers to traditional nut products

that can be turned with a wrench. Most Wrenchable Nuts are

designed to be highly loaded and, thus, are used in critical,

structural joints. This style of nut must be removeable

for service and requires access to both sides of the joint.

Although not a requirement, many of these wrenchable nuts

are also “self-locking.” Now that is a confusing term because

it implies that the nut can be permanently locked into place.

Disappointingly these features are unable to do that, but they

do provide prevailing torque benefits which can significantly

improve their resistance to self-loosening. Wrenchable Nuts,

like bolts, can employ different profiles, such as double hex

and spline, for improved drivability in critical joints. Some

examples of common wrenchable nuts include:

¤ Hex Nut

¤ Hex Flange Nut

¤ Double Hex Flange Nut

¤ Spline Head Flange Nut

As with all aerospace fasteners, designers have

developed versions that are lighter in weight than traditional

nuts. Two standouts in the wrenchable nut category include

lightweight sheet metal locknuts (see Figure 20) and

lightweight, thin-walled hex flange locknuts (see Figure 21).

Of course, these are highly beneficial for weight control

but must be carefully deployed. In fact, in recent years

a number of aircraft accidents have been traced to the

misapplication of these types of fasteners. They were used

in critical, highly loaded joint applications for which they

were never intended, and the consequences were simply

catastrophic.



160



FIGURE 20: EXAMPLE OF LIGHTWEIGHT SHEET METAL LOCK NUTS

FIGURE 22: EXAMPLE OF FLOATING NUT ELEMENT ANCHOR PLATES

FIGURE 21: EXAMPLE OF THIN WALLED HEX FLANGE NUT

Anchor Plates

Another type of nut element is an anchor or nut plate.

These are considered “self-wrenching,” meaning that they

are fixed into place, and no wrench is required to hold

them. There are many locations in aircraft where it is

impossible or impractical to apply a wrenchable nut, but

the nut element of a joint is required. Anchor plates are an

excellent solution to this application need. The nut feature

of the anchor plate is aligned with the axis of the intended

companion screw and fixed into place with one or two rivets

at its anchoring point. This then provides a permanent nut

element on the inside of the joint at the desired location.

Anchor plates come in a wide assortment of types. They

include:

¤ Fixed nut element

¤ Floating nut elements (meaning the nut can move a

little providing some alignment compensation)

(See Figure 22)

¤ Corner Anchor Plates (See Figure 23)

¤ Self-sealing anchor plates (See Figure 24)

FIGURE 23: EXAMPLE OF CORNER ANCHOR PLATES

FIGURE 24: EXAMPLE OF SELF-SEALING ANCHOR PLATES

Solid Rivets

Solid rivets have been utilized in aircraft manufacturing

since the very beginning. They have long been used in

building the airframe. Changes in aero structures and

innovation in fasteners have increasingly diminished the

usage of solid rivets, but they are still a prevalent fastener

on aircraft. They are exclusively used in joints loaded in

shear and generally are only made of Aluminum or Titanium.

The most common head styles include countersunk and

universal heads (see Figure 25). Countersunk heads are

intended to be flush with the surface while Universal heads

are slightly domed and protruding above the surface.


NCFA - OHIO NUT & BOLT & MODERN FASTENERS

PLANT TOURS - FEBRUARY 20, 2025


FASTENING

For situations where two components are joined

together and the joint isn’t highly stressed or load

bearing, a Light Duty Coiled Pin is an excellent choice

as it will leverage all of its benefits. Typical examples

include a joint between plastic and metal components

(such as an oil dipstick), shaft/hub assembly (without

torque transfer), etc.

Conclusion

In closing, Light Duty Coiled Spring Pins offer a host

of advantages in many applications, including lower

component and overall assembly costs, host material

protection, and ease of installation. Thus, Light Duty

Coiled Pins should always be considered in applications

absent of high load bearing.

SPIROL INTERNATIONAL CORP.

162



Solid rivets require access to both sides of the joint.

Special installation tools hold the part, compress the joint,

and upset the non-head side to complete the joint.

An installation tool places load on the part while turning

the screw mechanism. This slides the bulb on bottom

upward upsetting the bolt and compressing the joint. At a

predetermined load, the screw mechanism breaks away

from the head of the blind bolt.

FIGURE 25: EXAMPLE OF ALUMINUM UNIVERSAL HEAD SOLID RIVETS

Blind Fasteners

In some instances, a fastener is needed in a location

where the back side of the joint is inaccessible. One

solution to such a limitation is to utilize a blind fastener.

Blind fasteners are designed to install from one side only

and employ mechanical leverage to deform or upset the

inserted end of the fastener to hold the joint together. In

aerospace fasteners, there are two commonly utilized types

of blind fasteners, blind rivets, and blind bolts.

Blind rivets are a multiple part component comprised of

a hollow “sleeve” surrounding a break-away mandrel (shaft)

that has an enlarged hardened sleeve or bulb on one end

and a series of gripping rings on the other end. Special

installation tools apply an axial load on the rivet to push it

into and hold the joint together while grippers hold the rings

on the top of the mandrel and pull it upward. The enlarged

bulb on the end of the mandrel slides upward and deforms

the hollow sleeve compressing and expanding the end

which cinches the joint together. Once a designed load that

guarantees the joint is properly compressed and the sleeve

deformed is reached, the mandrel will break off at the head.

Blind rivets are not suitable for structural applications.

Blind bolts come in two varieties, pull type and threaded

core. A pull type is similar in design and installation process

to a blind rivet. Blind bolts, however, are stronger than

blind rivets. The threaded core type (see Figure 26) has

an internal screw mechanism that is used to set the joint.

FIGURE 26: EXAMPLE OF THREADED CORE STYLE BLIND BOLTS

Swaged Pin And Collar Systems

Swaged Pin and Collar systems are also known as

lock bolts. These ingenious fasteners include a pin with

locking grooves that resemble threads and a locking collar

(see Figure 27). They are light wight, high strength, and

easy to install. Once attached they will not vibrate loose

and are able to develop and hold high clamping loads.

They are commonly used to attach airframe members and

components to wing spars, stringers, and ribs.

FIGURE 27: EXAMPLE OF SWAGED PIN AND COLLAR- UNASSEMBLED



WELCOME RECEPTION - MARCH 12, 2025

164



They require a special installation tool. The pin is

inserted into a pilot hole and the installation tool grabs

the tail. The tool then pulls the head of the pin flush with

the work surface and a collar is placed over the pintail.

The tool swages the upper collar portion to the pin’s first

locking groove. The tool then proceeds to swage the rest

of the collar into the locking grooves. This action elongates

the collar, stretches the pin, and compresses the joint. The

result is a precisely “locked”, preloaded joint. The pintail

separates, and the installation is complete.

Pin And Collar Systems

Pin and Collar systems are also known as Hi Lok®

systems. They are like Swaged Pin and Collar systems

described above except they utilize a threaded pin and

collar (see Figure 28). This system is a hybrid of a bolt and

nut joint and a swaged pin and collar joint. The “Pin” looks

like a bolt except it is likely to have no driving feature on

the head. Instead, there is an internal hex recess in the tail.

The “Collar” is similar in appearance to a nut except that

there is a deep groove about midway through and only the

top of the collar has a hex drive.

has been reached. These systems are highly engineered

so that the torque at which the collar separates achieves

the desired joint tension. Like swaged Pin and Collar

systems, these are used to attach airframe members and

components to wing spars, stringers, and ribs.

Studs And Inserts

There are many joint sites in aircraft where a standard

bolt and nut combination is not possible, where the

material being fastened into is soft and does not have the

requisite strength to prolong thread life, or when greater

torsional or load resistance than the parent material can

provide is needed. In these applications, designers may

employ studs and inserts. A stud is an externally threaded

part that is fixed into the application site, and an insert is

an internally threaded component fixed into the application

site. Often these applications can be tricky to deliver

adequate torque-out or pull-out resistance, because of the

nature of the parent material. Although these components

are most commonly made of carbon or alloy steel they may

be made from stainless steel, A286, Titanium, or other

nickel alloys.

The most common versions of these are:

¤ Solid Wall Staked Products (See Figure 29)

¤ Ringlock (See Figure 30)

¤ Swaged Inserts

¤ Helical Wire Inserts (commonly known as HeliCoil®)

(See Figure 31)

FIGURE 28: EXAMPLE OF PIN AND COLLAR- UNASSEMBLED

Once again, a special installation tool is required. This

system needs access to both sides of the joint, although

the installation tool only drives the part from the tail end.

The installation tool holds the pin stationary using the

hex recess in the tail end while the driving part of the tool

tightens the collar. The groove in the middle of the collar

is specially designed to shear when a specific torque value

FIGURE 29: EXAMPLE OF SOLID WALL STAKED INSERT AND STUD


NCFA - BOSS PRO-KART

“FASTENER 500” - FEBRUARY 20, 2025

166



aerospace fastener industry, however, has innovated a

wide selection of honeycomb panel fasteners for different

types of structural and non-structural connections. Specific

honeycomb panel fasteners include:

¤ Non-metallic

¤ Threaded

¤ Floating Nut

¤ Thin Panel

¤ Tensile

¤ Shear

¤ Floor Panel

FIGURE 30: EXAMPLE OF RING LOCK STUD AND INSERT

FIGURE 31: EXAMPLE OF HELICOIL® INSERT

Honeycomb Panel Fasteners

Aircraft cabins utilize a lot of honeycomb panels. These

are lightweight structural panels where the top and bottom

surfaces sandwich a layer of material that is structured

like honeycomb. The face layers of these panels can be

made of Aluminum, fiberglass, Kevlar®, carbon fiber, and a

variety of other thin sheet materials. The core can be made

of paper, plastic, Aluminum, or again any material that can

be formed into a honeycomb pattern. This configuration can

produce structural sheets that are rigid and exceptionally

strong, yet a small fraction of the weight of a solid sheet

of material. These panels are commonly used for the floor,

bulk heads, and other places in the cabin. These panels

are produced in large continuous sheets, so that finding

a way to connect things to them can be challenging. The

Wrap-Up

Every fastener market segment has adapted and

innovated special fasteners to support the needs of their

customers. The aerospace fastener segment, however, is

perhaps the most interesting in this regard. The complexity

and importance of every component in an aircraft working

right every time has fueled this need. Understanding and

appreciating all these different product types is a crucial

step for any supplier that is interested in or currently

supporting aerospace customers.

In the next feature of this series, Part 2, we will

investigate how the quality and workmanship requirements

on aerospace fasteners set them apart from the other

market segments. In particular, we will explore how fatigue

failure impacts aircraft and why that drives users to demand

fasteners with the highest levels of workmanship.

Attributions

¤ Torx ® is a registered trademark of Acument ® Global

Technologies

¤ HeliCoil ® is a registered trademark of the Böllhoff Group

¤ Hastelloy ® and Hastelloy X ® are registered

trademarks of Haynes International Inc.

¤ Hi Lok ® is a registered trademark of Hi-Shear Corporation

¤ Torq-Set ® Tri-Wing ® , and Mortorq ® are registered

trademarks of Phillips Screw Company

¤ MP35N ® is a registered trademark of SPS Technologies

¤ Waspaloy ® is a registered trademark of United

Technologies

LAURENCE CLAUS


TABLE TOP SHOW - MARCH 13, 2025

advertisers index

A

ACS MANUFACTURING, INC 93

Formed spring steel fasteners

Tel (888) NUTS-R-US

Email: info@acsmanufacturing.com

ALBANY STEEL & BRASS 39

Specialty Tapping Screws - Swageform®

Tel (312) 733-1900

Email: sales@albanysteel.com

ALL AMERICAN WASHER WERKS 111

Quality producers of washers and stampings

Tel (847) 566-9091

Email: sales@washerwerks.com

ALPHA-GRAINGER MFG. CO. 25

Electronic hardware, captive screws,

shoulder screws, spacers & standoffs

Tel (508) 520-4005

www.agmi.com

ALLOY & STAINLESS FASTENERS 59

Special metal fasteners in over 150 material

grades, over 25 coatings and platings using

over 300 machines with a 10,000 ton inventory

and Emergency 24-7 On Call Service.

Tel (713) 466-3031

Email: info@GoASF.com

ALUMINUM FASTENER SUPPLY 104, 105

The only exclusive aluminum fastener supplier

of made in the USA products. 6,500 line items

in stock with same day shipping. It’s all we do!

Tel (800) 526-0341

Email: info@alumfast.com

AMERICAN BELLEVILLE 87

Belleville Washers, Belleville Springs, Disc

Springs, Flange Washers, precision-machined

custom components. Stamping, CNC lathe

and mill machining, grinding, heat treating.

Tel (440) 721-8350

Email: lriga@AmericanBelleville.com

AMERICAN IMPERIAL SCREW CORP. 53

Push on hats, push on bolt retainers, locknuts,

self-treading locknuts and washers, regular

washer locknuts, push-on retainer fasteners

and wing nuts, adhesives and metal anchors.

Tel (800) 431-2391

Email: sales@discountscrews.com

AMPG

INSIDE BACK COVER

Domestic manufacturer of shoulder screws,

button head sex bolts, flat head sex bolts,

prairie bolts, non-standard flat washers, and

machined specialties from stock.

Tel (317) 472-9000

Email: sales@ampg.com

B

BARBAROTTO INT’L MACHINERY 119

High speed counting units, weigh scales,

vertical and horizontal bagging machines,

carton forming and closing, palletizing,

material handling and more!

Tel (888) 988-8733

Email: fred@barbarottomachinery.com

BAY SUPPLY 3

Have you joined Bay Supply’s Marketplace Yet?

Join the 400+ Manufacturers and Distributors

already connecting with 44,000 Sourcing

Professionals FOR FREE! We’ve developed

the most powerful RFQ software application

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Tel (800) 718-8818

Email: help@baysupply.com

BELMETRIC.COM 79

Masters of metric fasteners since 1976

carrying over 10,000 SKUs ready to ship.

Specializing in rare fasteners. In addition to

stock items, we also offer a special-order

program where box quantities of difficult to

source metric fasteners can be purchased.

Tel (978) 649-6201

Email: sales@belmetric.com

THE BRADLEY GROUP OF COMPANIES 29

Our proprietary applications of thread

lockers, sealants and nylon patches are

renowned for their effectiveness and

reliability. We use brand names you can

trust including Loctite Driloc and 3M Scotch-

Grip, Precote, all applied in our quality

assured processes.

Tel (800) 201-7381

Email: coatingpros@bradleygoc.com

BRIGHTON-BEST INTERNATIONAL

OUTSIDE BACK COVER

Socket & square head set screws, hex keys,

L-Nine products, Grade 8 hex head, shoulder

bolts, pipe plugs, dowel springs, nuts & metrics,

hand tools and a full line of stainless products.

Tel (800) 275-0050

www.brightonbest.com

BRIKKSEN STAINLESS FASTENERS 33

Full line of stainless-steel inch and metric fasteners.

Tel (800) 962-1614

Email: sales@brikksen.com

BRYNOLF MANUFACTURING INC. 91

Celebrating 25 years as your source for quality

American Made cold headed fasteners.

Tel (877) 237-4554

Email: info@brynolfmanufacturing.com

BTM MANUFACTURING 99

Leading manufacturer of bent and threaded

products. U-bolts, J-bolts, studs, anchor

bolts, spade bolts, eye bolts and bent/

threaded product to custom specifications.

Tel (800) 369-2658

Email: sales@btm-mfg.com

C

CARVER ENGINEERING 159

Fastener testing and consultation. With

13 dedicated in-house labs and external

partners, we have your needs covered.

Tel (619) 204-1543

Email: carmenv@carverem.com

CHICAGO HARDWARE & FIXTURE CO. 159

Mfrs of Wire Rope and Chain Fittings,

Industrial and Marine Hardware and Allied

Products

Tel (847) 455-6609

Email: info@chicagohardware.com

COMPONENT PACKAGING 65

Kitting, hand packaging, and assembly. We

are passionate about packaging - it’s what

we do!

Tel (417) 624-9395

Email: nickm@componentpackaging.com

COMPUTER INSIGHTS 19

The Business Edge – The simple solution

with a proven step-by-step method for

unlocking your fastener company’s

potential.

Tel (800) 539-1233

Email: sales@ci-inc.com

CRAFTECH INDUSTRIES, LLC. 71

Providing high performance plastic solutions

for your prints, parts and engineering

problems for over 50 years. Product design,

engineering, prototyping and manufacturing.

Proudly made in the USA.

Tel (518) 828-5001

Email: info@craftechind.com

CRESCENT MANUFACTURING 73

Celebrating 65 years of manufacturing

expertise in the field of miniature screws

and miniature fasteners, Crescent offers

distributors an established source for

Aerospace, Military, Commercial, and

Special Engineered needs.

Tel (860) 673-5983

Email: sales@crescentmanufacturing.com

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D

DARLING BOLT 169

Supplier of US, metric and stainless-steel

fasteners including nuts, bolts, screws, washers,

assortments and specialty auto body fasteners.

Tel (800) 882-0747

Email: sales@darlingbolt.com

DECKER MANUFACTURING 54

Leader in manufacturing and global sourcing of

high-quality fasteners to the automotive, farm

equipment, highway, and construction industries.

Tel (330) 926-2070

Email: johnh@deckernut.com

DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK 137, 175

Tel (800) 356-1639

Email: tracey@linkmagazine.com

E

E & T FASTENERS, INC 85

Molded, machined, and stamped plastic

fasteners - Uts, bolts, washers - Kynar, Teflon,

PVC, Nylon, and Polypropylene. Low minimums.

Tel (800) 650-4707

Email: eric@fastenercomponents.com

EDSON MANUFACTURING, INC. 2

The Distributor’s Source supplying high

quality rivets for 60 years!

Tel (203) 879-2529

Email: CustomerService@edsonmfg.com

EUROLINK FASTENER SUPPLY SERVICE 65

Specializing in the provision of metric fasteners,

Eurolink offers a wide range of options to fit

various industrial applications and with their

Fast, Faster and Fastest freight methods they

cater to the unique requirements of each client.

Tel (864) 801-0505

EXPEDITE TESTING SERVICE 123

Fast and efficient testing solutions.

Delivering excellence, on-time.

Tel (619) 736-7872

www.expeditetest.com

E-Z LOK 67

Your single-source supplier of threaded inserts

used in metal, plastic, wood, and additive products.

Tel: (800) 234-5613

www.ezlok.com

F

FALL RIVER MFG CO., INC. 27

Manufacturer of Stainless steel & nonferrous

fasteners.

Tel (800) 275-6991

Email: sales@fallrivermfg.com

FASCOMP ELECTRONIC HARDWARE 117

Male-female standoffs, female standoffs,

male-male standoffs, spacers, shoulder

screws, captive screws, thumbscrews, swage

standoffs and spacers, handles and ferrules.

Tel (407) 226-2112

Email: sales@fascomp.com

FASTAR, INC. 101

Coiled and Slotted spring pins, dowel pins,

cotter pins, taper pins, grooved & special pins

Tel (845) 369-7990

Email: fastar@optonline.net

FASTENER DIMENSIONS 107

Quality fasteners proudly manufacturing in the

USA. Aerospace, Military, Defense, Marine,

Space, Nuclear and Racing Industries.

Tel (718) 847-6321

www.FastDim.com

FASTENER FAIR USA 45

Premier exhibition in the US dedicated to

the full supply chain-distributors, mechanical

and design engineers, purchasers,

wholesalers, and OEMs. May 28-29, 2025 –

Music City Center, Nashville, TN.

www.fastenerfairusa.com

FASTENER SOLUTIONS, INC. 76

Full line industrial distributor, specializing in

standard and custom fasteners, with highspeed

packaging, kitting, cutting, threading

and bending capabilities.

Tel (866) 463-2910

www.fastenersolutions.com

FASTENER WEBSITE LINKS 148

FCH SOURCING NETWORK 135

(Tel) 877-332-7836

Email: eric@fastenersclearinghouse.com

FORD FASTENERS, INC. 15

Celebrating 60+ years of providing 410

stainless steel screws, sheet metal screws,

self-drilling screws, self-piercing screws, and

EPDM bonded sealing washers.

Tel (800) 272-3673

Email: info@fordfasteners.com

G

GF&D SYSTEMS 115

‘One-stop’ for grease fittings and

accessories. Couplers and hose whips,

grease fitting caps, grease guns, custom

designed fittings, assortments, private

labeling, custom kitting.

Tel (800) 360-1318

Email: sales@gfdsystems.com

GOEBEL FASTENERS, INC. 7

Innovative fastener solutions: blind rivets,

self-tapping/drilling screws, toggles,

strapping, wing seals, tools & safety and

insulation accessories.

Tel (713) 393-7007

Email: sales@goebelfasteners.com

GRAPHIKA CREATIVE 167

Marketing solutions tailored for the Fastener

Industry. Web, digital, email marketing,

exhibitions, point of sale and corporate

branding. Graphika - your off-site, in-house

comprehensive marketing department.

Tel (224) 489-9533

Email: lee@graphikacreative.com

GREENSLADE & COMPANY, INC. 106

Fastener inspection equipment, innovative

gage design, and dimensional calibration.

Tel (817) 870-8888

Email: sales@greensladeandcompany.com

GROWERMETAL USA, LLC. 63

The American branch of a leading European

washer manufacturer since 1950, provides

standard washers (ASME, AREA standards)

and customized special blanked parts.

Tel (440) 773-4948

Email: info@growermetal-usa.com

H

HANGER BOLT & STUD CO. 143

USA Hanger bolts, studs, dowel screws, pins.

Tel (800) 537-7925

Email: sales@hangerbolt.com

HANSON RIVET & SUPPLY CO. 75

Rivets, threaded inserts, riveting tools,

riveting machines, washers

Tel (800) 777-4838

I

ICS FLANGE 41

Stocks flange bolts and nuts in Grade 5, 8, 8.8

and 10.9 in steel and stainless in any finish.

Tel (800) 231-0360

Email: matt.daleiden@

innovativecomponentsales.com

IDEAL SUPPLY, INC. 125

One of the largest Monel® fastener

inventories in the world to meet your

customer’s military & commercial

requirements to ASTM/MIL-SPEC.

Tel (847) 961-5900

Email: idealsupply@idealsupplyonline.net

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I

INDUSTRIAL RIVET & FASTENER CO. 9

One name, one number, one source for

rivets and RivetKing® FreeSet Series.

Tel (800) BUY-RIVET

Email: info@rivet.com

INTEGRATED PACKAGING 97

Parts are electronically counted, heatsealed

in our poly-bags, and labeled with

identification information on every bag, with

accurate optical counting mechanisms and

printers for SKUs.

Tel (847) 439-5730

Email: sales@integratedpack.com

INTERCORP 1

Your expert-grade fastener supplier for

the professional advantage. Premium selfdrilling,

drywall, needle-point, pole gripper,

stainless steel, outdoor, concrete, cement

board, woodworking and special application.

Tel (800) 762-2004

www.intercorpusa.com

INTERNATIONAL FASTENER EXPO 2025 57

Discover the ultimate destination for

everything fasteners, machinery and tooling,

and industrial products - September 15-17,

2025, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV.

Visit fastenershows.com

INTERNATIONAL FASTENERS, INC. 77

Daggerz construction fasteners. Self-drill,

drywall, deck, wood, concrete, clip, needle

point screws, post frame and aluminum

industry screws, EDPM bonded washers,

bits & threaded rod.

Tel (888) 241-0203

Email: sales@daggerz.com

INxSQL SOFTWARE 55

Full-featured, easy-to-use ERP distribution

software designed and optimized for the

Fastener Industry.

Tel (877) 446-9775

Email: sales@inxsql.com

ISC – INTERCONTINENTAL SALES 119

Fastener and Building Related Products.

Same day shipping, free private labeling, no

minimums

Tel (800) 741-4278

Email: info@isc-sales.com

J

JAY-CEE SALES & RIVET, INC. 46, 47

Leading supplier of rivets, screws, nuts, bolts,

and fasteners, offering a wide selection of blind

rivets, solid rivets, and specialty hardware for

industrial and commercial applications.

Tel (248) 478-2150

Email: sales@rivetsinstock.com

J. LANFRANCO FASTENER SYSTEMS 87

Manufacturer of self-locking nuts, t-bolts, and

other safety critical hardware. Available in carbon

steel, stainless steel and exotics. DFAR compliant.

40 years of experience and trusted worldwide.

Tel (855) 694-3250

www.jlanfranco.com

K

KEN FORGING 21

Domestic manufacturer of eyebolts, nut

eyebolts, rod ends, turnbuckles & fittings, eye

nuts, pad eyes, D-rings, c-clamps & screws,

swivel hoist ring. Custom forgings up to 250 lbs.

Tel (888) 536-3674

Email: sales@kenforging.com

KINTER 145

X-mas tree clips, binder posts and screws, binder

rings, steel barrel bolts and screws, wall anchors.

Tel (800) 323-2389

Email: sales@kinter.com

L

LINDFAST SOLUTIONS GROUP

FRONT COVER, 16

North America’s largest master distributor

of fasteners. LSG serves over 3,100 unique

customers made up of national, regional, and

local distributors.

Check out LSG Brands at LindfastGrp.com.

LOK-MOR, INC. 35

America’s leading made-to-stock manufacturer

of commercial-grade locknuts, servicing the

U.S., Canada, Mexico, and all overseas markets.

We manufacture more than 20 different types

of locknuts, and we continue to develop and

manufacture new standard locknuts, along with

a variety of specialty fastener designs.

Tel (800) 843-7230

Email: sales@lok-mor.com

M

BRUNO MARBACHER 125

With over 40 years of experience in the

fastener industry, and a recently retired

Director of Application Engineering, Bruno

is available to assist and resolve critical and

lingering fastening/assembly/quality issues.

Email: brunomarbacher4@gmail.com

MAR-BRO MANUFACTURING 83

Domestic manufacturer of standards, specials,

MS and NAS fasteners. Specializing in A286,

12 pt flange and hex flange fasteners.

Tel (602) 278-8197

Email: sales@mar-bro.com

METRIC & MULTISTANDARD 13

Providing quality metric industrial

products and exceptional customer

service since 1963

Tel (800) 431-2792


FSTNR WEEK ‘25 99

August 24-27, 2025 – Marriott Resort,

Lincolnshire, IL. Bed Build, Plant Tours,

Welcome Mixer, 43rd Fastener Show and

Bash, Class, and Golf Outing.

Registration and details: www.mwfa.net

MW COMPONENTS 121

NAS/MS/AN parts in stock and ready to ship.

Fast turnaround for high-demand parts.

www.aeromw.com

MW INDUSTRIES, INC – TEXAS 37

Washers, special fasteners, and metal

stamping for over 45 years. ISO 9001:2015

certified.

Tel (800) 875-3510

Email: sales@mwindustries.com

N

NORTH EAST FASTENERS (NEF) 11

AS9100 certified, supplying IFI, ANSI, MS,

NAS, NASM, AN, DIN, JIS, JCIS high quality

fasteners for commercial, military, and

aerospace.

Tel (860) 589-3242

Email: nef@nef1.com

NOVA FASTENERS CO. INC. 61

Anchors, screws, nuts, washers, rivets, pins,

inserts, rods. Serving industry since 1948.

Tel (800) 645-1234

Email: info@nova-anchor.com

O

OFFSHORE MILLING & SOURCING 81

Over 30 years of expertise in importing and

sourcing high-quality fasteners, specialty

components, and OEM parts.

Tel (501) 516-7718

Email: weston@offshoremilling.com

advertisers index

P

PIVOT POINT 103

Pins - clevis, cotter pins, quick release,

locking - wire rope lanyards, stock and

specials and award-winning inventions

Tel (800) 222-2231

Email: mail@pivotpins.com

R

R&R ENGINEERING CO. 95

Largest U.S. Manufacturer of U-Bolts, Bent

Bolts, and Threaded Products.

Tel (800) 979-1921

Email: sales@randrengineering.com

RHS STAINLESS 129

Stocking a full range of domestic/DFARS

stainless pitch diameters and standard

diameters. Non-standard and custom lengths

are also available. Supplying nationwide.

Tel (610) 997-7604

Email: sales@rhsstainless.com

W.J. ROBERTS CO. 45

Spacers and standoffs. Hex and rounds

3/16 to 5/8 diameter. Standoffs in brass,

aluminum, steel and stainless steel.

Tel (781) 233-8176

Email: sales@wjroberts.com

ROTOR CLIP 31

The only manufacturer of every style of Retaining

Ring (tapered section, constant section, spiral

rings). Wave Springs and Self-Compensating Hose

Clamps. Full line of inch, metric, DIN, ANSI and JIS

parts. Also support assembly through installation

tooling, including applicators, pliers, dispensers,

and automated assembly equipment available.

Tel (732) 469-7333

Email: info@rotorclip.com

S

SEMS AND SPECIALS 75

Your trusted source for sems and specials

since 1991. A cold forming manufacturer

of fasteners, we offer a diverse portfolio of

products ranging from standard commercial

fasteners to custom specials and ending

with Class II military hardware.

Tel (800) 888-7367

Email: sales@semsandspecials.com

SETKO FASTENERS & DISTRIBUTION 70, 93

Hex socket set screws, nylon & brass tip set

screws. Socket, flat and button head cap screws.

Socket and 6-lobe cap screws, square head set

screws, and shoulder bolts. Dowel pins, zinc plated

sockets, specials, standards and secondaries.

Tel (630) 800-6377

Email: sales@setkofasteners.com

SHEAR-LOC PRODUCTS 135

The original instant thumbscrews. The

ultimate socket head cap screw accessory.

Over 5000 combinations. Inch and Metric.

Tel (800) 775-5668

Email: sales@shear-loc.com

SPIROL 49, 139

Coiled and Slotted Spring Pins, Solid

Pins, Disc Springs, Alignment Dowels and

Bushings, Spacers, Compression Limiters,

Threaded Inserts and Shims.

Tel (800) 321-4679

Email: info@spirol.com

SUBSCRIPTION FORM 157

SUNCO INDUSTRIES CO., LTD. 43

One of Japan’s leading master distributors,

with a limitless inventory of fasteners and

supplies. With a reliable supply chain in

place, we provide any type of product, any

time. With our 3Q Net online store, search

2 million products and let us fulfill all your

metric fastener needs!

Tel +81-6-6539-3560

Email: export@sunco.co.jp

SUNCOR STAINLESS 141

Leading manufacturer of stainless- steel

hardware and components in the industrial,

marine, architectural, commercial, government

and OEM markets. Suncor’s product line is

one of the world’s most complete and highest

quality sources for stainless steel chain,

hardware and custom parts.

Tel (800) 394-2222

Email: sales@suncorstainless.com

SUPERIOR WASHER & GASKET CORP.

23

Your “single source supplier” for Made in

the USA washer and gasket products for the

last 50 years.

Tel (631) 273-8282

Email: swg@superiorwasher.com

T

TAMPER-PRUF SCREW, INC. 89

Leader in Security Screws since 1974.

Tel (562) 531-9340

Email: sales@tamperpruf.net

TUTTLE MANUFACTURING 173

Anchors, bent bolt specials, spade bolts,

acme threaded bars.

Tel (847) 381-7713

Email: tuttlemfg@gmail.com

U

UC COMPONENTS 56

Clean-Critical Fastener and Seal Solutions.

HV, UHV, Cleanroom Ready Fasteners and

seals. RediVac® clean-packaged screws and

O-rings. Custom products and prototypes.

Tel (408) 782-1929

Email: sales@uccomponents.com

UNICORP 109

Manufacturer of electronic hardware,

fasteners and handles since 1971.

Tel (973) 674-1700

Email: sales@unicorpinc.com

V

VIRGINIA FASTENERS 131

Specializing in HDG timber, hex, carriage,

lag bolts, tie rods, nuts and washers.

Tel (800) 368-3430

Email: sales@vafasteners.com

VOLT INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS, INC.

INSIDE FRONT COVER

US made plastic fasteners, all types &

quantities, custom molding since 1992.

Over 100 million parts in stock.

Tel (800) 844-8024

Email: sales@voltplastics.com

W

WESTERN WIRE 51

Your source for Standard and Specialized

Wire Fasteners. Cotter Pins, Hitch Pins,

S-Hooks, V-Hooks, Spring Pins, Safety

Pins, D-Rings, Key Rings, King Clips, and

Perforated Hanger Bar.

Tel (800) 325-3770

Email: sales@westernwire.com

WILLIE WASHER MFG. 171

Domestic manufacturer of fender, spring,

tab and flat washers,

Tel (847) 956-1344

Email: sales@williewasher.com

X

XL SCREW CORPORATION 69

Importer of standard fasteners - hex cap

screws, bolts, nuts, locknuts, sheet metal

screws, self-drilling screws, washers and

anchors, metrics and mill shipments.

Over 14,000 imported products in stock.

America’s finest quality imported threaded

fasteners since 1968.

Tel (800) 323-7367

Email: xlw@xlscrew.com

SPRING 2025

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