Sherex Fastening Solutions’ Optisert, the best performing round body rivet nut on the market, was recently awarded as a winner of the 2023 Fastener Innovation Awards by WorldwideFastenerSources.com.

The innovative Optisert was chosen as a winner because of its incredible performance against spin-out. Its proprietary combination of an engineered knurled body and underhead wedge design helps it grip into the base material to prevent it from spinning. In softer materials, like aluminum, plastics, and composites, the spin-out performance matches that of a full hex body rivet nut.

PennEngineering^® announced today the acquisition of Sherex^® Fastening Solutions, a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and installation of blind rivet nut and associated fastening solutions.

Headquartered in Buffalo, New York, Sherex is the premier technical provider of blind rivet nuts, with strong application expertise, and production capabilities worldwide.  Sherex has achieved an impressive growth trajectory and continues to grow through technical solutions selling, providing best total installed cost solutions along with industry leading rivet nut capabilities.

SPIROL International Holding Corporation Board of Directors announces the unanimous decision to appoint Jeffrey F. Koehl as Chairman of SPIROL International Holding Corporation.  Jeff joined the company in 1997, and has been serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SPIROL International Corporation since his appointment in 2010. 

Jeff succeeds his father, Hans H. Koehl, who passed away on November 30, 2023.  Serving as Chairman of SPIROL International Holding Corporation since his appointment in 1969, Hans retired from active management of the company in 2004 after 45 of dedicated service.  Hans’ vision, dedication, and passion led to the transformation of SPIROL from being a small, family-owned business in Northeast Connecticut into a world-renowned manufacturing company with locations on 4 continents and in 13 countries.  It is impossible to put into words the unparralled contributions that Hans made to SPIROL over the last 64 years – most importantly the education, coaching and mentoring of his son, Jeff, in preparation for him to be his successor.

DECEMBER 19, 1934 – NOVEMBER 30, 2023

Hans passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Christina, son Jeff, and close friend Russ on November 30, 2023.  Born in Stolberg, Germany to the late Herman Koehl and Maria Altdorf Koehl, Hans immigrated with his mother, father and two sisters, Gerda and Emmy, to the United States in 1948 and settled in Woodstock, CT.

Shortly after starting school in the US, Hans quickly mastered the English language and skipped ahead two grades within his first year at The Woodstock Academy.  After graduating from Killingly High School in Dayville, CT, Hans went on to earn his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with distinction from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in 1956, and his Juris Doctorate from Stanford University in 1958.  While at WPI, Hans was a member of the men’s soccer team, and he participated in Masque (student led dramatic theater organization), the Peddler (yearbook for the graduating class) and the Debating Club.  He was also a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity where he served as President his senior year. 

Eurolink FSS is pleased to announce the addition of two new manufacturer sales representative firms to our already amazing nationwide sales force. Beginning January 1, 2024, these strategic partnerships will significantly enhance our presence in the West, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain states, and help us to improve service for our valued clients in these regions.

With a commitment to excellence and a proven track record in driving sales growth, Budd Sales (Tom Buddenbaum) and Desert Distribution (John Wachman, Jo Morris, & David Palmquist) bring a wealth of experience and industry knowledge to our expanding network. Their dedication to customer satisfaction aligns seamlessly with our core values, and we are confident that these partnerships will contribute to mutually beneficial relationships. We look forward to the increased opportunities and collaboration that these partnerships will bring, ultimately delivering unparalleled service and support to our customers in their represented states.

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is partnering with International Fastener Expo (IFE) and hosting a day-long fastener training class on Monday, October 9. IFE runs October 9-11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Fastener Fundamentals - The Nuts and Bolts for Fastener Professionals, will be instructed by Carmen Vertullo, Fastener Consultant and Trainer of Carver Labs. He will teach the basics of fasteners and beyond to industry professionals including the best of Fastener Training Institute’s Fastener Basic Training and Certified Specialist Training programs. 

ACME Manufacturing is announcing that John Barrett will lead the company as President and Chief Operating Officer effective on June 1st, 2023. Barrett will succeed Tim Broderick as he retires in June 2023.

Barrett’s most recent post was at Oribi Composites, where he was Chief Operating Officer for three years. John brings 28 years of experience in manufacturing to ACME. He earned a master’s degree in operations and manufacturing management from Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. Barrett’s experience extends into the United States military where he served as an Officer in the Army while deployed in Operation Desert Storm.

SPIROL is pleased to announce that Ford Aerospace Ltd based in South Shields, UK will be joining the SPIROL group of companies. 

Ford Aerospace was founded at Tyne Dock in 1910 by Robert Ford, and the family business has most recently been led by the founder’s great-grandson, Chris Ford. The company specializes in manufacturing high precision metal components and sub-assemblies for the aerospace, industrial, and high-technology sectors.  It’s been a leading supplier over its 113 year history dating back almost as far as the first recorded flight in 1903 by the Wright Brothers.

After 51 years of success operating as a single location in Spokane, Washington, Empire Bolt & Screw announces the opening of a second warehouse distribution facility in Summerville, SC.

President and CEO Ron Stanley stated, "After receiving requests from various customers needing more localized inventory, we listened and started the process of setting up a distribution warehouse in South Carolina. We are already seeing the advantages of having inventory closer to our customers due to the logistical challenges of shipping freight across the country. Under the direction of chief operations officer, Jennifer Sturm, our new service facility was established within four short months at a location 2,600 miles away from our Spokane headquarters."

Frontenac-backed EFC International announced March 2 that it has acquired St. Louis-based Inventory Sales Company (ISC), a distributor of fastener products, components, and struts/accessories to diversified industrial and infrastructure markets. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

EFC, based in St. Louis, MO, operates globally and provides solutions such as engineering support, sales and marketing, distribution, and high-touch service to customers in the automotive, industrial, and other technical end markets. The Company has served as a critical link between suppliers and customers for over 35 years. EFC has a history of growth driven by longstanding supplier relationships and a tenured customer base.  

Jo Morris, Managing Partner at Desert Distribution Sales, LLC, and Karen Ardizone, owner of Incentive Sales, are today announcing that they are combining their manufacturer’s representative agencies. Effective March 1, 2023, they will conduct business as Desert Distribution Sales and cover the territories of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. 

John Wachman, Founder and Partner at Desert Distribution, expressed his appreciation for the work Karen and Jo did to bring this agreement forward. He also noted the long and accomplished careers that both these women have had in the fastener business. 

Fastener distributor The Olander Company, Inc. has confirmed last month that they are now certified by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, as meeting the high standards for quality outlined in their ISO 9001:2015 edition.

When serving industries like medical technology, semiconductor manufacturing, and automotive and aerospace engineering, a meticulous quality management system is key. Olander’s internal processes focus on continuous improvement and thorough documentation. “Our policy is that Olander meets or exceeds our customer’s requirements with quality products at competitive prices, through our Quality Management System (QMS) and continuous improvement process,” says Richard Thiedt, Operations and Quality Manager at Olander, who oversaw the auditing and certification process. “We’re glad to finally be certified,” he continued. “It has always been a priority for us at Olander to be excellent corporate partner to our customers, and they’ll now have the additional assurance of our ISO certification. We stand by our products and services, and constantly work to improve.” 

Big Bolt expands its presence in the strategic secondary services growth category.

Big Bolt, LLC (“Big Bolt”), one of the largest specialty fastener manufacturers in the US, announced it has acquired Delta Secondary, LLC (“Delta”), an Illinois-based manufacturer of fasteners and provider of secondary services.

LindFast Solutions Group (LSG), a leading master distributor of specialty fasteners in North America, today announced the completion of its purchase of Star Stainless Screw Company (Star). Together LSG and Star will be even more effective at meeting the needs of their diverse customer base, ranging from stainless to inch, to metric, to value-added services, and more.

"We believe the combination of LSG and Star will give our collective customers unparalleled ability to meet all of their fastener needs with one company," said LindFast CEO Bill Niketas. "With Star's 14 branches and distribution centers across North America and the 16 locations we have, this collective footprint will allow our customers to access product even more efficiently than in the past."

S.W. Anderson Company, a specialty and class C component distributor, has made two acquisitions: Jet Fitting & Supply Corp, a specialty and standard fastener distributor in Santa Ana, California, since 1946; and The M.E. Martin Company, a standard fastener distributor in Cleveland, Ohio, since 1977.

"We're thrilled to add both the Jet Fitting and M.E. Martin employees to S.W. Anderson," stated Jim Degnan, President of S.W. Anderson Company. "Their ability to work on applications with customers will pair well with S.W. Anderson's technical sales model and access to engineered products. We look forward to supporting our newly acquired customers with more products, services, and technical resources to help grow their businesses.

Last month, fastener distributor Olander unveiled its new website, which offers visitors the ability to order fasteners and hardware online. The site also features free 2D and 3D CAD (computer-aided drafting) files and spec sheets for over 40,000 products, and practical advice on the purchasing and application of different fastener options for all types of projects.

While Olander largely serves the industrial community (primarily in the medical, semiconductor, and aerospace fields), it has also been a trusted resource for engineers and inventors through its robust counter and will call offerings. With the health guidelines necessitated by Covid-19, the company has updated its curbside pick-up service; however, CEO David Byrne recognized the opportunity to release the long-awaited e-commerce option for Olander customers. Now, with a few keystrokes, users may find the precise hardware they need and place their orders (for shipping or local Will-Call pickup) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The in-house Sales Team and dedicated Business Development Managers will continue to work directly with clients, as well.

Advance Components is proud to announce a new partnership with Gage Bilt, a top manufacturer of rivet and lockbolt installation tools and components. Advance will now stock Gage Bilt’s extensive line of pneudraulic, hydraulic and pneumatic tools.

Since 1956, Gage Bilt has been manufacturing economically-priced, heavy duty riveters to install a wide variety of aerospace and commercial fasteners. Gage Bilt tools are ergonomically designed for fast installations, reduced hand fatigue, and simple maintenance. Gage Bilt tools can be used to install fasteners from POP®, Avedel®, Cherry® and Huck®.

Lancaster, PA – February 24^th, 2021  All America Threaded Products (AATP) is pleased to announce they have hired Al Bate as their National Sales Manager. Al brings with him a broad background as a Fastener Industry professional and leader with a track record of successful team management and development in sales, operations and manufacturing. His Fastener career spans over 30+ years across the UK, Europe and since 2008, the USA. He has held leadership roles with several divisions of the TR Fastenings group through much of his career, in both the UK and the USA.

In 2018, he took two years out of the industry to follow his entrepreneurial bent and help build Fast-Exec LLC—a head-hunting agency specializing in the industrial fastener industry—founded by his wife, Jacqui.

Lancaster, PA – March 8, 2021 Danielle Maze joins All America Threaded Products (AATP) as the Northeast Regional Account Manager. In addition to those accounts, she will also be managing catalog accounts. She brings over seven years of experience as Operations Manager, Service Manager, and Customer Service in the printer, toner, and copy paper industry at Weaver Associates Inc.

In addition to her sales experience, Danielle has managed delivery drivers, service teams, logistics requirements, and service calls. This foundation gave her the skills, attributes, capabilities, and attitude that made her an ideal candidate for further developing and building excellent customer relationships. Her keen sense of operations and logistics management means she is no stranger to the value of reliability, delivery and service.

SPIROL is pleased to introduce a new, high-performance series of Molded-In Inserts for plastics assemblies. The rugged design of the Series 63 Through Hole Inserts and Series 65 Blind End Inserts consists of multiple bands of helical knurls to maximize torque resistance, balanced with radial undercuts to achieve high pull-out (tensile) force. These Molded-In Inserts are designed to be placed in the mold cavity prior to plastic injection, and offer exceptional performance due to unrestricted plastic flow into the retention features on the outside diameter of the Inserts.

These lightweight, lead-free Threaded Inserts for Plastics are manufactured from 2024 grade aluminum which provides the best combination of strength, corrosion resistance, machinability and cost. The Series 63 and Series 65 Molded-In Inserts are lead free, 40% stronger than brass, and 1/3 the weight of the same Insert manufactured from brass. Standard metric thread sizes include M4, M5, M6, and M8, and standard inch threaded sizes include 8-32, 10-24, 1/4-20, and 5/16-18.