Insight

For over 45 years TR Fastenings’ UK manufacturing plant in East Sussex has produced millions of products, including its own highly regarded Hank® brand.

The current purpose-built factory, which opened in 1992, houses 50 single and multi-spindle machines and produces 3 million parts each month. The multi-spindle machines can form, turn, drill, knurl and part off a steel component in as little as 1.2 seconds.

In an era where manufacturing is usually focused in the Far East, TR Fastenings is proud to have retained its manufacturing unit in the UK to maintain a competitive advantage through greater flexibility with pricing, volumes and short lead times. Additionally, sourcing raw materials locally allows faster production times to meet customer demands.

As the only producer of the genuine Hank® Rivet Bush, the site also manufactures K-Series® nuts, as well as bespoke items in aluminium, brass, stainless steel and steel. The diverse range of machines enables TR to produce products as small as M2 and as large as M36, which are used across a host of industry sectors.

Looking to the future, TR Fastenings’ UK manufacturing plant will continue to make the product it is famous for – the Hank Rivet Bush. As well as the design and manufacture of new products, such as the recently introduced K-Series® Thin Nuts, TR will continue to work with customers on any application requirements and manufacturing of bespoke parts, when required.

Simon Lockeyear, production manager – who has worked for TR Fastenings for the last 37 years, comments: “The company is proud of its factory, the quality of the products we produce and the loyal and skilled workforce. In a day of dominant foreign imports, it is a breath of fresh air to have a UK producer holding its own in a very competitive market place.”