Insight

Based in Saarburg, BTS is a manufacturer of fasteners made of malleable cast iron, as well as a distributor of fasteners made of steel, stainless steel, brass and aluminium. Here, Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge speaks to Markus Becker, sales director, about the importance of German made quality, and added services, when supplying products worldwide.

Established in 1971, BTS Befestigungselemente-Technik GmbH manufactures and exports fastening and connecting materials. This includes products from its own production, such as wing nuts, wing screws, beam clamps, timber connectors and various special parts made to drawings or samples, as well as commercial products such as channel nuts, hammer head bolts, cap nuts, and special customised products – supplied to Europe, Russia, Australia, North Africa, the USA and the Middle East. 

BTS and its products are also certified to international standards, along with its wing nuts and wing screws shaped exactly according to the DIN standard. Malleable iron beam clamps – used for steel constructions to suspend building services from I-Beams, such as sprinkler systems, cable trays air conditioning systems and pipe supports – also have the necessary certifications such as VdS, FM and UL for sprinkler systems and cable management. “With beam clamps for threaded rods from M6 up to M16, and clamping distances from 18mm up to 45mm, we offer beam clamps for almost all kinds of applications,” comments Markus.

One of the key advantages and basis for the high-quality standard of BTS’ products are the blanks sourced from its sister company VS GmbH & Co KG in Solingen. VS has over 100 years of experience in the manufacture of thin walled small cast pieces with a unit weight of up to 1,500g. As well as experience in the fastening technology market, VS also supplies into vehicle technology, agricultural machinery, mining, air cargo and the electrical conduit markets, meaning that cast products from VS are highly valued by customers all over the world.

What does this mean for the products coming from BTS? Markus explains: “We process, drill, cut threads, weld, as well as assemble our products in-house. During the Covid-19 pandemic it was a big advantage that we manufacture the complete products in-house. Starting from melting the iron and casting of the blanks, to machining and welding, to finally assembling and packing the finished products into our own or into custom-made packaging – completely within our German locations. In the area of sub-suppliers we choose, when possible, German or European manufacturers. This includes German made threaded rods, which during the pandemic made it much easier for us to secure the manufacture of our wing screws and, of course, to ensure the supply of our customers.”

The close working relationship with its sister company VS is also a big advantage for BTS when dealing with special custom-made items. “We have the knowledge, expertise and know-how to work alongside our customers to turn even just the idea of a fastening solution into a final product. The most modern tools such as CAD systems, computerised solidification modelling, rapid prototyping and our own tool shop are also available for this purpose.” 

Besides products from its own production, BTS offers a wide range of commercial products that are constantly expanded. The most recent examples are quick assembly aids for mounting rails and beam clamps with U-Bolt. “Belonging to the same group of companies as VS, helps us here too,” mentions Markus. “Today we can even trade custom-made items in cast iron, brass and aluminium for a wide range of industries that don’t necessarily have anything to do with fixings.”

Looking ahead to the future and Markus is clear investments must go on. “Despite the challenges we faced during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, quick solutions had to be found. These include the procurement of equipment for online video conferences, the training of employees, as well as air purification systems against viruses, which were installed across the company. We rose to these challenges and now we look ahead. Currently high raw material prices and soaring energy prices are impacting the German fastener market and these will remain a big challenge for German manufacturers post Covid-19. We’re also seeing a shift for ‘greener’ working environments – where the German industry is expected to become more green. As we continue to move into the future, we have to continue to set ourselves apart by supplying a reliable, quality product and of course added services.”