Colombo Special Fasteners Srl (CSF) was founded in 1955 by Pietro Colombo – my father and an expert press engineer and designer. At great sacrifice, he poured his charisma, passion and dedication into a business producing standard screws of fine quality until 1985, when he decided to break out of this intensely competitive sector and undertake a substantial restructuring of the company, transforming it into what is today – a well respected manufacturer of high-quality special fasteners (produced to the designs and the specific requirements of the client).
Our strength, which is also our day-to-day mission, is to realise the feasibility study, the planning of the work cycle and the stamps needed to produce any particular detail presented to us in a completely independent form. Our ability to produce special components even in small batches and therefore react quickly to special requirements and ‘last minute’ requests is a quality appreciated and recognised by our clients. This is also possible due to our highly qualified and expert staff from production engineers to designers, right through to the salesmen.
A very important aspect in all sectors is innovation. Thanks to the arrival of the new generation within the company, we are driving forward with new ideas and made to measure projects, so as to be continuously improving the product we offer our clients. This also provides the basis for continuity in our relations with our clients, enabling us to support them in their new projects as well.
The philosophy of our company is ‘specialisation, quality, service and optimisation’, which is what our daily work is based on. Our efforts, as well as present and future investments, are all planned for continuous improvement of these aspects of the company, with the aim of consolidating our position among the best in the industry, following highly qualified partners in their growth.
Most of our exports are towards the European market, in particular Germany. Producing only special items – often involving delicate and high precision mechanical finishing, heat treatments and ultra high-quality surface coatings (again with the help of a network of highly skilled partners selected by us) – the major outlet countries interested in our services are obviously those that are more technically advanced or highly developed, as well as manufacturers of special products. We are growing in these countries and we are gradually gaining ground in other countries too who are growing in specialisation. The American market is of great interest to us in future.
The development and the growth of Asian producers in the market is an aspect that cannot be underrated or ignored. However, we are convinced that pursuing our objectives will enable us to stand our ground and grow, carving out new niches for ourselves. We believe strongly in our work and the approach we have taken. Production in small lots, quality, service, and design assistance for clients, are only some of the features that mark us out from the competition – representing what the CSF brand stands for.
Without a doubt, over these past 20 years, many things have happened, starting with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the crisis of 2009, globalisation, the single European market, a real epoch-making revolution that has tested even countries with a strong economy. Even the fasteners sector has been severely affected and transformed. I believe that, until the standards of living in the emerging countries are more or less the equivalent of the so-called industrialised nations, the displacement of production volumes to countries where manufacturing costs are lower will continue and therefore even fasteners will suffer in terms of volume from this migration.
The challenge will be precisely that of remaining strong in our countries of origin and this will only be possible with a high-level of specialisation and production capabilities, which will create the conditions for commercial development – even in countries that are industrialising gradually. Italian manufacturing has always been among the most pioneering markets worldwide, and at CSF we will make sure we continue to be one step ahead of the rest.
www.colombofasteners.com
