Exhibition News

The 5th Taiwan International Fastener Show (Fastener Taiwan) marked another record high, featuring 415 exhibitors, and more than 1,107 booths, across an exhibition floor of almost 20,000m² – showcasing the machinery and products that underline why Taiwan has a reputation as the ‘Kingdom of Screws’.

With the enthusiastic participation of buyers and fastener exhibitors from around the world, the three day exhibition attracted 2,193 international buyers from 73 countries. Participation increased by 10% when compared with the previous exhibition. The show also drew over 30,000 domestic and foreign visitors. A lively atmosphere of business activities was created on the venue floor, alongside some eye-catching stands that underlined not only the professionalism of the Taiwanese companies but also that this was a celebration of the Taiwanese fastener industry and its capabilities. Up to 90% of buyers expressed their approval and satisfaction with this year’s exhibition and over 80% expressed their intention to return in 2020.

The top ten purchasing nations this year were mainland China, Japan, India, the United States, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, and Thailand. Organisers reported that there were 70% more buyers from Italy this year, with more buyers also attending from Germany, Thailand, Brazil, Russia, and France – demonstrating that the exhibition has become an ideal business procurement platform for the global fastener industry.

A rapidly growing sector for Taiwanese companies is the automotive market, with several exhibitors highlighting the services and products they can provide. For instance, Nufast Logistics Co Ltd underlined its ability to work with OEMs and tier 1 and 2 suppliers – providing a flexible service and the ability to work with customers on designing new special parts. The company already works with leading companies within the North American and European markets and is looking to expand into new key markets.

Another company highlighting its automotive capabilities was Ying Ming Industry Co Ltd – a specialist in manufacturing high-tensile fasteners. Ying Ming is a tier one supplier to Ford North America and is able to carry out the entire production process in-house thanks to its own heat treatment and zinc plating lines. Carol Liu, project manager at Ying Ming, commented: “With 45 years of experience behind us, Ying Ming is not just a manufacturer but also a problem solver for our customers. Our experience with unique customer driven designs, and professional production expertise, ensures the ultimate in product quality, cost-effectiveness and customer satisfaction.”

With ISO/TS 16949 approval, Lu Chu Shin Yee Works Co Ltd had one of the most striking stands at the show – decorated with numerous plants and flowers to highlight the company’s connection with the environment. The company also focused on the addition of its new 5-storey office building in 2016, which was added to its manufacturing site with the aim to optimise its global customer service.

Other notably stands at the show included Your Choice Fasteners & Tools Co Ltd focusing on its 25th anniversary and wide range of products – including self-drilling, self-tapping, window, wood and roof screws. Jessica Huang, vice general manager at Your Choice, announced at the show that the company will also now be working with titanium and aluminium material, enabling it to expand its range, as well as optimise its product capabilities and the applications they can be used in.

Shuenn Chang Fa Enterprise Co Ltd concentrated on its screw manufacturing capabilities with the company producing screws from 10mm up to 1,000mm. The company also focused on its ability to work with customers on designing bespoke screws. Through the use of a 3D printer Shuenn Chang designs the product, as well as speeds up the R&D process by creating prototypes to show customers the exact design of the screw.

Anchor Fasteners Industrial Co Ltd presented its fastener production system, developed alongside Xwin, which helps Anchor visualise its rivet nut production process and provides quality monitoring to improve productivity.

Finally, Atotech Group showcased a cross section of its product portfolio for zinc and zinc alloy plating, zinc flake coatings, as well as combined solutions for industry demands. Also, Gertjan van der Wal, vice-president GMF division, Neil Patton, global product director zinc flake coatings, and Leon C.H. Liu, business manager GMF division, gave a corporate presentation on Atotech Group’s general metal finishing capabilities, its best local service strategy, and recent technology developments.

2018 Global Fastener Industry Summit
The 2018 exhibition featured a variety of activities, including the Global Fastener Summit held on the opening day of the exhibition with a car fastener-themed focus. The European Fastener Distributor Association (EFDA), Auto Manufacturer Mercedes Benz (Germany), Vissart Europe (France), TR Fastenings (UK), and QST International (Taiwan) were all invited to analyse the global automotive fastener industry and market trends. The summit drew over 250 fastener industry representatives from 19 countries including Taiwan, the United States, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, India, Poland, China, Brazil, South Korea, and Japan. The entire summit was also broadcast live to over 1,600 online viewers.

Taiwan International Fastener Show procurement meetings were also held during the exhibition. Fifty-one ‘heavyweight’ buyers from Germany, the United States, Russia, France, Brazil, and South Africa were invited to participate in 230 negotiation sessions with 78 domestic exhibitors, generating potential business opportunities of up to US$270 million. The first ever One-on-One Employment Meetings event attracted six domestic manufacturers and sixteen applicants to forty-six matching sessions. Five applicants were potentially hired as manufacturing employees. Two seminars focused separately on India and Indonesia’s fastener markets and smart manufacturing, and attracted over 300 fastener manufacturers.

Side events were also a huge success. Domestic industries were updated on industry trends and industry knowledge. The events also facilitated cooperative opportunities and matchmatching for industry professionals, thus strengthening the sustainability and global competitiveness of Taiwan’s fastener industry.