Insight

Here we speak to Maciej Strychalski, director of marketing at Klimas Wkręt-met, about how the Polish manufacturer has looked to continue to invest and innovate its wide portfolio of fixing solutions, and business, in order to stay at the forefront of the construction industry.

The magazine last focused on the eastern European fastener market in 2020, what have been the key developments at Klimas Wkręt-met over the last three years?

“The key is always commitment and having the right team as a business so you can build trust. Without trust, it is difficult to talk about development. Klimas Wkręt-met is, despite the size it has managed to achieve, a family company that is invariably guided by values. Among them, trust and respect occupy leading positions. Thanks to this, within three decades we have become known in the market as a manufacturer that provides the highest quality solutions. We have done this by firstly listening to the needs of the market – from DIYers to contractors and architects. We are also consistently pursuing our GO GLOBAL strategy of expanding into global markets. In recent years, we have opened several companies in different parts of the globe, including India and France, and our products today reach nearly 70 countries around the world.”

What investments has Klimas Wkręt-met made in recent years? Why did you decide to make these investments and what are the advantages to the business and to customers?

“An important and necessary step in the company’s development was the construction of a new site in southern Poland, near the city of Częstochowa, which covers a total are of 80,000m². The new site includes four halls, a high storage warehouse, an automated conveyor system, and modern office spaces – enabling the company to spread its wings and, above all, significantly increase production. Today, up to 30 million screws a day come off the Klimas Wkręt-met production lines. Such efficiency is possible thanks in part to the fact that the production halls are equipped with one of the most modern machine parks in Europe, which includes the use of innovative automation and digitalisation across many of the processes.

In addition to the investment and innovation within the business, we have also listened carefully to the needs of international markets. Thanks to this, and the fact that we have our in-house laboratory, we have been able to invest in innovative fastening solutions, such as our latest fastener for fixing thermal insulation – ThermoDrive V-2. 

This new generation fastener for fixing polystyrene, mineral wool, and wood wool, has an unprecedented tolerance to the inaccuracies of thickness and surface of insulation and substrates present in the realities of construction. Its creation is the result of a proper diagnosis of the needs of contractors and is thanks to our staff of specialists, whose knowledge and experience has created a truly innovative solution in the field of ETICS systems.”

You mention the new ThermoDrive V-2, what are the other types of products your business is able to manufacture? How do you guarantee the quality of your products?

”We manufacture construction fasteners, meaning screws or connectors, and our portfolio stands at around 6,500 products, including dowels for thermal insulation, frame fixings, SFX quick assembly dowels, as well as fixings for flat roofs or lightweight housing. The portfolio also includes hardened carpentry screws, among which it is worth mentioning two new products that have recently been launched – WKCH and WKCR, which are used to fix metal elements to wood.

To add to this, we are also continuously looking to expand our range, which is why we are in constant contact with our business partners and customers, so we can efficiently respond to their product and market needs.

Last year, we also developed a merchandising system, which we are gradually implementing in Polish, Czech, and Slovak stores. The system, based on ‘colour worlds’, allows the customer to quickly get an idea of the wide range of products presented on the shelves. In addition, pictograms have been added to the packaging, allowing retail customers to easily and quickly select products that serve a specific purpose, such as hanging a mirror or attaching a TV set. We have also changed the packaging and livery, with the new version better suiting the needs of our customers.”

What are the key factors that enable Klimas Wkręt-met to stand out from competitors?

“First and foremost, we offer our customers and business partners top quality solutions in the field of construction fasteners. In total, we have around 6,500 products in our portfolio, so we cater to various market needs. Such a wide range of products also allows us to become known as one of the best recognised Polish construction brands.

There are several factors that make Klimas Wkręt-met the production leader of central and eastern Europe. With more than 30 years in the market, our customers have become accustomed to the high-quality of our products, which is monitored during the entire production process and tested in the laboratory and workshops of Klimas Wkręt-met. Thanks to this, we can ensure repeatable quality and our status as a manufacturer allows us to have an uninterrupted supply chain even during an unstable geopolitical situation.

It is also not without significance that we treat local retail customers with equal care as we do powerful international contractors or developers. Our high standards of service, the technical support of our consultants, and our strong commitment to our projects, mean that we are not afraid of competition.”

What general trends do you see for fastener manufacturing in the future? How does Klimas Wkręt-met plan to take advantage of these trends and opportunities?

“It’s hard not to notice that all of Europe is in a difficult geopolitical position. Nevertheless, knowing the quality of our products, and the loyalty of our customers, we look to the future with optimism. What has become particularly important in the construction industry in recent years is sustainability and ecology in the broadest sense. Companies are looking for production solutions that will lead them to reducing their carbon footprint and at Klimas Wkręt-met we create solutions that contribute to environmental protection, so it is a perfect opportunity.

When it comes to sustainability, we have already taken into account aspects related to sustainable development, such as during the implementation and construction of our new headquarters. For instance, we heat our premises with the heat recovered from the quenching furnaces, while we recycle the leftovers from the production of plastic fasteners and use them to produce full value products. We are also taking further steps, by studying and modifying both the production process, and the entire company policy, so that we can continuously reduce our carbon footprint.

Another step we have taken is that we coat our products with innovative SQ Ceramic, a lamellar coating characterised by exceptionally effective corrosion protection – despite a relatively thin layer. SQ Ceramic provides 10 times the corrosion protection of electroplated zinc and 2 times that of hot dip galvanising (HDG). It maintains resistance to red corrosion for up to 1,000 hours in a salt chamber, while hot dip galvanising by comparison only offers resistance for 500 hours. Most important in this context, however, is the fact that SQ Ceramic’s formation process does not emit as much CO₂ into the atmosphere as traditional galvanising.

In addition, we strongly share the view that wood is the future of construction. Experts point out that wood is the most sustainable building material, due in part to the relatively small carbon footprint created during the production process. As a good insulator, wood also accounts for a building’s energy efficiency, due to its low heat transfer rate, and it is also a renewable resource.

It is for these reasons that we actively promote timber construction in Poland and Europe, as we appreciate its environmental friendliness.

Klimas Wkręt-met is well aware that its portfolio must keep up with the changing world, which is why the portfolio includes screws; the quality and parameters of which allow them to be used in wood construction in the broadest sense. For instance, in the case of connections that require tightening of elements, the WKCP and WKCS screws are excellent, while in the case of structural reinforcement and angled connections, the solution from the portfolio will be the WKFC and WKFS screws. This shows that Klimas Wkręt-met and its portfolio, whilst vigilantly monitoring global trends, is ready for the inevitable changes in the construction industry.”