Insight

MEFDA is as a group specifically for fastener importers and distributors from European countries where there is no active national fastener distributor association to represent their interests.

EFDA is still a very young group and was only founded in 2014 – originally by two members: Heco Nordiska from Sweden and Marcopol from Poland. Today it has members from seven countries – Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Romania and Sweden – and its members have formed a tight group that meet regularly and exchange information and views, as well as engage very actively in activities.

As MEFDA members are based in different countries, the impact of Covid-19 varies from one to another. However, after a heavy downturn of turnover in March/April, many MEFDA members have seen a slight recovery of the fastener market in the last few weeks.

Where DIY business has been going relatively well during the last few months, some industries, such as automotive, have suffered major declines in turnover. Some MEFDA members have also complained about payment problems of customers due to lack of liquidity or expect these problems to arise in the future.

All MEFDA members say that there is a great uncertainty of how the situation is going to develop, but have been keeping up to date with each other via video conferences, which gives them an opportunity to talk to each other and exchange information and views regarding the pandemic.

The MEFDA group usually meets twice a year in the country where a MEFDA member is based. It recently extended the format to a meeting that includes a visit to a member company.

MEFDA members further benefit from EFDA’s global network with international partner organisations. They are able to participate at meetings and conferences, which serve as a networking platforms for European fastener distributors. For instance, more than 130 representatives from fastener distributors, from all over Europe, attended the last European Fastener Distribution Conference held in 2018 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Members also benefit from EFDA’s lobby activities and receive information on legislative and other measures taken at EU level. Similar to other associations, MEFDA members are also able to closely follow any developments that could lead to the imposition of anti-dumping duties on imports of fasteners from third countries into the EU, thanks to EFDA’s commitment to defend free and fair trade against any protectionist measures.

MEFDA is a now a key part of EFDA and is looking to continue its strong engagement as a transnational group.