Exhibition News

Two years ago, security concerns kept most international buyers away from Fastener Fair Turkey. This year, exhibitors at the fourth edition of the fair were delighted to welcome the return of many high calibre international visitors – as well as strong growth in domestic attendance. 

Visitors this year totalled 2,900, representing a very impressive 70% growth over a 2016 show that was still successful despite security worries. Significantly, 11.2% of 2018 visitors were from 47 countries outside Turkey, reflecting the continued strengthening of Turkey’s fastener manufacturing base and its export performance, and the location of the show in a very accessible Istanbul. 

According to Mustafa Tecdelioğlu, chairman of Tecde Group and of BESIAD – the fastener manufacturers’ association, Turkey’s fastener manufacturing sector grew by 15% in 2017, with exports valued at US$365 million increasing by 17% and imports declining by 4%. That is significant for an organisation committed to strengthening the self-sufficiency of Turkey’s fastener industry. Equally important to the fastener sector is Turkey’s growth as an automotive, domestic appliance, and other engineered product manufacturing and exporting nexus – as a result of which BESIAD estimates indirect exports of fasteners are now worth close to US$1 billion. 

In addition to a buoyant fastener industry and the welcome return of foreign buyers, Fastener Fair Turkey 2018 also expanded to three days, including opening for the first time on Saturday, which clearly also contributed to visitor growth and to the show’s reputation as the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

Fastener Fair Turkey is an excellent showcase for Turkish manufacturing – making for ease of access to companies that may be based anywhere up to 1,500km from Istanbul. Visitors to the main hall were immediately presented with rows of highly professional stands, symbolising the strength, enthusiasm – and hospitality – of Turkey’s top fastener producers. Appropriately located centre front row, was the NORM Group. Turkey’s largest fastener manufacturer now operates nine modern production facilities in İzmir and Salihli, with a combined annual output approaching 100,000 tonnes. NORM Group is unquestionably at the vanguard in advancing and projecting Turkey’s fastener making capabilities, particularly to the influential automotive sector. As a result, NORM’s presence at Fastener Fair Turkey represents a powerful magnet for both international and domestic visitors, evidenced by the calibre of the 150 international and domestic guests invited to NORM’s first night gala dinner. 

Not withstanding Mustafa Tecdelioğlu’s long-standing and very active role as BESIAD chairman, his family’s Tecde Group also played a major role in drawing visitors. The Group is aiming for 30,000 tonnes production in 2018, 40% of which is exported. A new Tecde plant in Malatya has a 25,000m2 covered area, and will be a major recipient of some US$13 million in planned investment in new machines, coating and heat treatment lines. 

Ambitious growth and investment plans are far from limited to these two leaders. Berdan Bolt has emphatically stamped its mark in fastening technology for wind energy and mega projects. Also, BOLT, located in the automotive hub of Bursa, opened a new R&D centre in 2017, and reckons that 70% of its output is now in special fasteners, with 25% exported. SME producers are equally committed to growth, with many expanding or relocating to increase capacity and aiming for major output and export growth in 2018. 

Partially because of the strength of its domestic industry, Turkey is not the easiest market for overseas fastener companies to penetrate. Fastener Fair Turkey, therefore, represents an excellent research and proving ground, the success of which is evidenced by those companies that now have Turkish subsidiaries at the show or have established representation via Turkish companies. 

There is another dimension that adds to Fastener Fair Turkey and makes it quite distinctive. The presence of so many fastener manufacturers, as exhibitors and visitors, has made it a particularly effective platform for manufacturing technology suppliers – whether cold forming and thread rolling machinery, heat treatment, coating lines and systems providers, inspection systems or wire suppliers. Most were located in the second show hall, together with a limited number of Asian fastener suppliers. While understandably quieter than the main hall, exhibitors here were clearly doing good business throughout the show. 

Many now have firmly established Turkish agents and service supporters – SACMA Group and Regg Inspection, for example, are ably represented by Santech. Simar represents primarily Asian machinery makers including Hyodong and Chien Tsai, as well as Israel’s Videx. Others continue to have their own stands; San Yung is one that affirmed the penetration of its heat treatment lines in Turkey and throughout Europe. Yesmin Machinery from Taiwan, was among several displaying machines destined for delivery to Turkish manufacturers.

The Turkish political climate may remain uncertain, but its fastener industry is definitely doing well – and looking to do better. It also clearly has confidence in the professionalism of Fastener Fair to deliver a pivotal event at which it projects its capabilities to domestic and international buyers.