Issue: #139 January 2023

With so many challenges currently impacting every business within the fastener and fixing industry, it is nice to have something to look forward to, and Fastener Fair Global is certainly the highlight on my calendar – with it just over two months away.

Taking place from 21^st – 23^rd March, once again at Messe Stuttgart in Germany, Fastener Fair Global will bring together the whole industry, with the opportunity to meet face-to-face with both exhibitors and visitors. As an official media partner, we have an extensive preview of some of the products and companies that visitors can expect to see during the show, including a full exhibitor list – making it easier for you to plan what promises to be a busy three days. 

One of the main highlights at the show will be the Route to Fastener Innovation competition – which once again will be hosted by Fastener + Fixing Magazine. The competition is a first-hand opportunity to assess new products and services that exhibitors have brought to the market since the last show. To find out more, read the special feature in this issue and remember to take a note of the stand numbers or look out for the distinctive Route to Fastener Innovation competition logo on participants’ stands during the show.

For this issue, our Cover Story is focused on pgb-Europe, a leading supplier and producer of fasteners, anchors, and tools, and how it is strongly committed to digitisation and maximising its customer service. 

Within our Insight section we have an exclusive interview with EFDA President Andreas Bertaggia – who talks about how 2022 progressed for EFDA, and its members, as well as what they will be concentrating on for 2023. Plus, we have a very interesting article from Brazilian manufacturer Hassmann and how it plans to continue to grow internationally through targeted investments.

To go alongside this we also have pieces from our regular contributors, including Barbara Sorgato, secretary general at the European Consortium of Anchor Producers, discussing the ‘Smart CE Marking’ initiative and how its goal is the digitalisation of DoPs in the CPR; Jason Bader, from The Distribution Team, highlights how even fastener distributors have to handle ‘the curse of ego’; and Peter Standring, technical secretary at Industrial Metalforming Technologies, tries to use his ‘crystal ball’ to look at the future of global aerospace. 

I hope you enjoy this issue and I look forward to chatting to everybody at Fastener Fair Global, if you see me, make sure you say hello!