INDEX – a sign of things to come
18 January 2017
Over the last 30 years INDEX Fixing Systems has become an expert in providing a wide range of global fixing solutions, which are adapted to the needs of the customer. Editor Will Lowry visited the company’s headquarters in Logroño, Spain, to get a measure of the business and how it is developing into one of the leading players within the fixing market.
Based in the north of Spain in La Rioja, approximately 130km south of Bilbao, INDEX Fixing Systems has established itself as an industrial supplier of fixing systems – selling in 95 countries via distribution partners. The Logroño facility covers an area of over 12,000m2, including warehousing for more than 22,000 pallets, and was originally also the company’s manufacturing site.
In 2004, driven by its clear international orientation, INDEX Fixing Systems began the international expansion of the company. “We established our own new production unit in China to reinforce our production capacity and control our quality – to ensure we could produce products to the standards demanded on the most exigent markets,” states Oscar Cañas, export manager at INDEX Fixing Systems emphatically.
Based in Cixi City, Zhejiang Province, the company is perfectly situated to reach customers all around the world and includes cold forming machines, stamping machines, threading machines, injection machines, automatic assembling machines and packing machines. In 2012 the company introduced two new lines of products – wire and strip in ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
“We have developed the processes so they are identical to those carried out in Europe. We also worked on achieving all the necessary standards and certifications you would find in a European manufacturer,” mentions Oscar.
The management team is completely integrated with Spain, ensuring everybody is working the same way and with the same quality levels. This combination puts INDEX Fixing Systems in a leading position in the production and distribution of fixing systems for construction.
The company reckons to have one of the biggest fixing ranges on the market – covering mechanical, chemical and plastic anchors, direct fixings, a variety of screws for decking, façades, wood and drywall, as well as heavy-duty clamps, light metal clamps, plastic clamps, plus other fixings such as quick beam attachment systems and accessories, timber connectors, and strut channel framing systems.
Oscar explains: “Our commitment to customers is to supply a wide range of products that have a certified quality and come with the best service level.” INDEX Fixing Systems is focused worldwide and has achieved a strong position in the European market and looks to establish long-term relationship with its distributors. “We have grown together with our customers to make INDEX Fixing Systems a key brand in the market,” mentions Oscar. “It is important as a company that you are always pushing for the next opportunity, whilst looking to improve and help customers to have more profitability in their company.”
A major factor in pushing for the next opportunity is INDEX Fixing Systems’ policy of constantly introducing new products and ranges. “We are looking at developing new products every day,” says Oscar. “Our ability to develop our range is thanks to the close relationship we have with our customers and analysing markets. We try and introduce items where we can provide added value, such as items with approvals or where we can offer added support.”
Certified quality
INDEX Fixing Systems ensures quality through certifications and approvals from independent laboratories and the main official bodies. “Our desire to improve and to certify the quality of our range, to fully respond to the needs of our customers, drives us to increasingly widen our range of certified products,” explains Oscar. “The assessment processes are performed by prestigious institutions, which guarantee our products meet the highest possible standards of quality and technical requirements.”
Oscar continues: “Applying for an ETA certification is a difficult process and you can only achieve a positive outcome if the item is of the highest quality. Each stage of the production process must be fully under control. Also, the quality – from the raw material to the end – must be traceable and the design of the anchor itself must be excellent.”
INDEX Fixing Systems has invested in giving a solid portfolio to cover the most exigent demands of those customers requesting products with European Technical Assessment (ETA) Option 7 certification; ETA Option 1 for cracked concrete; as well as increased demand for seismic certification in the form of C1 and C2 and fire rated products: “Quality is absolutely vital to guarantee security, not only on critical application but also for any small fixing needs,” mentions Oscar. “We are always getting more items approved and more approvals for the same items. We have invested a lot in the last 10 years in certifications as we believe that offering certified quality is a significant difference we can offer customers.”
A key part of INDEX Fixing Systems’ quality service is its technical department, where it has the experience and knowledge to help customers choose the right product that can meet the necessary requirements on applications.
Oscar continues: “I also think from a technical point of view offering support to customers on applications and suitable products will continue to be a decisive factor. More approvals are being demanded in the market and not everybody knows what the approval means. Every year we receive more and more technical questions and as a company it is important you can supply the answers.
The companies that have the products, the approvals, the support, and the logistics, will be in the best position for the future.” As well as a quality guarantee, INDEX Fixing Systems looks to provide a service guarantee, which the company believes will be a major factor in the future. For this reason the company offers a fast and effective logistic service and has increased its stocks in Spain to enable it to answer to that demand.
When visiting INDEX Fixing Systems’ headquarters, it is clear the company already has these major cornerstones in place and with the ongoing development of its manufacturing facility – which aims to manufacture more products in the future – INDEX Fixing Systems is now able to take the next step and join the ‘top table’ of the fixing industry.
www.indexfix.com
