The British and Irish Association for Fastener Distributors’ (BIAFD) spring meeting took place with a record breaking attendance on Thursday 3rd April at the Leonardo Hinckley Island Hotel, Hinckley, UK.
A packed programme saw Jamie McLeod, director, customs and international trade at Crowe UK, kicking off the spring meeting with ‘The next phase of CBAM: Preparing for 2026 and beyond’. Jamie outlined how the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) regulation has made for “the most complex trade environment ever”, whilst also reminding delegates of their responsibilities to be “CBAM compliant” –
stressing the importance of registering as an authorised declarant in good time before the January 2026 deadline.
Jamie also discussed the recent simplifications to CBAM, announced by the EU on 26th February 2025 – as part of its ‘Omnibus’ package (you can find out more from Jamie on page 82), as well as highlighting reports that Keir Starmer is actively looking to link the UK emissions trading scheme with that of the EU. “Alignment could mitigate trade impacts for CBAM goods between UK and EU,” mentions Jamie. “However, reaching an agreement is likely to be highly challenging due to divergence in existing schemes, financial contributions required and the need to dynamically align with the EU.”
Further diving into the topic of UK CBAM, a presentation from Katie Deegan of HMT and Isabel Freedman of HMRC followed, explaining the UK government’s intention to engage with industry on policy development. Katie and Isabel went on to explain the similarities with the two schemes, as well as the biggest differences. This includes UK CBAM operating as a tax behind the border, whilst EU CBAM has controls at the border, requiring the purchase and surrender of certificates.
Following the afternoon break, Steve Marr, chief operating officer at the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), gave an update on the importance of a construction code, underlining why, since the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the UK government is calling for the adoption of CCPI. He explained: “Throughout the Government Green Paper, the importance of clear, accurate, accessible, up to date and unambiguous product information and marketing is consistently underscored as critical to the change required. The Green Paper clearly sets out a clear direction of travel for construction product reform and strongly highlights and signposts CCPI.”
He continued: “CCPI seeks to raise standards in construction product information and marketing, as well as drive much needed positive culture across the manufacturing and supply sector.”
Following Steve was Glyn Jones of the Bank of England and Ross McDaid of Cardinal Global Logistics with an update on the economic outlook and global shipping trends, respectively. Headline sponsor Accu rounded off presentations with a session on eCommerce, whilst premium sponsor JLC Sales Solutions/GOEBEL UK was also on hand to showcase its support for the fastener industry.
With another record attendance, the event once again confirmed the importance of coming together to share insights, hear expert updates and keep better informed. “The complexity of running a fastener company just seems to be increasing exponentially, so the opportunity to network with most of the senior leaders from the industry in one place is enough of a reason for me to attend BIAFD meetings,” commented attendee Gary Henderson, managing director at Grampian Fasteners. “The range of topics that are covered and the quality of speakers is invaluable. In my opinion, anyone that’s serious about working in fasteners should be there.”
Fellow attendee, Mark Dorrington, business development director at Harrison & Clough Ltd, commented: “Being a member of BIAFD brings significant benefits and I would strongly recommend membership to anybody within the fastener industry. It provides fantastic networking opportunities and has created a forum where you can share best practice and stay up to date with all the latest developments and trends in the market.”
Finishing the meeting, BIAFD’s Policy Adviser Phil Matten was presented with a gift on behalf of the association and its members, after announcing his retirement from the association at the end of June. Phil said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to represent BIAFD, and I would like to thank members for their support over the years. I am confident that the association is in safe hands and will continue to go from strength to strength.”
BIAFD’s next meeting is scheduled to take place on 9th October 2025.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
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