Here’s what’s happening in and around the fastener industry the Week of November 7th, 2022
Listen now: (7:05)
In The National Association of Manufacturers’ Monday Economic Report Manufacturing employment increased by 32,000 in October, up from 23,000 in September and continuing to rise solidly. Currently, the manufacturing sector has 12,922,000 employees, the most since November 2008. The average hourly earnings in manufacturing rose from $25.25 in September to $25.35 in October, up 4.9% from one year ago.
The labor market remained a bright spot in an economy that has seen softening in other areas. Through the first 10 months of 2022, the sector hired 367,000 employees, building on the 365,000 workers added in calendar year 2021 and the most so far of any year since 1994.
WIFI (Women in the Fastener Industry) Announces Scholarship Winner: Amanda Chance, Fast-Spec Inc, is the winner of the Joanne Sherman E-Learning (THORS) Scholarship. This scholarship will allow Amanda to build skills and learn more in the classes she chooses to take within the fastener industry.
NEFCO, a leading partner to the construction trades has opened a new fulfillment center in Columbus, Ohio to further support and service professional contractor trades throughout the Midwest. This is NEFCO’s third fulfilment center and is designed to support growth in the Ohio market. The new Ohio fulfillment center is in Albany, Ohio and will provide customers with access to local inventories and enhanced services. The 75,000 square foot warehouse will include an extensive inventory.
NEFCO has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2022 honor by Hartford Courant Top Workplaces. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.
A labor union representing about 4,900 rail workers said that members narrowly ratified a tentative contract agreement with freight railroads in the United States. The union representing locomotive machinists, roadway mechanics, and facility maintenance personnel is the seventh of 12 to approve the deal, while two unions previously voted to reject the national deal announced in mid-September. Read more:
Howmet Fastening Systems a division of Howmet Aerospace, is pursuing a business grant from the city of Waco and McLennan County as it pledges to expand its plant, install $9.1 million in new equipment and create 17 new full-time positions. Read more:
2022 NFDA EXECUTIVE SUMMIT
November 9 – 11, 2022 at The Naples Grande Beach Resort Naples, FL @nfdafastener
Includes:
NFDA Board of Directors Meeting
The Culture of Comfort – How Business Suffers from the Pursuit of the Easy Way with Tim O’Keeffe
Transportation and Logistics Update with Chris Donnell
Roundtable Discussions
State of the Industry Panel Discussion with Bryan Wheeler, Jun Xu, and Sebastian Janas
Fastener Training Week | LA | starts next Monday, Nov. 14-18, 2022. Fastener Training Week offers 5 intensive days of education and virtual plant tours as part of the acclaimed FTI Certified Fastener SpecialistTM (CFS) advanced technical training program. Fastener Training Week is sponsored by Optimas. To register go to FastenerTraining.org.
November 17th is After Hours with the Pacific West Fastener Association. 5-8PM at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse Stop by and meet other people in the fastener industry and expand your professional network. For more info go to Pac-West.org
The Fastener Training Institute and Industrial Fasteners Institute present a live webinar looking at how we install fasteners and why. The Very Basics of Bolted Joint Installation will take place December 1st at 12:00-2PM ET. Participants will gain an understanding of the fastener engineering of the bolted joint and how users approach achieving the tension they desire. This is a “basics” webinar and good for anyone new to the fastener industry, in a position where understanding how the customer is applying the product is essential, or just wants to learn more about the industry. For more information go to FastenerTraining.org
The stories featured in this week’s episode of IN THE NEWS can be found at Fastener News Desk or in our Twitter feed @FastenerNews and on LinkedIn in the Fastener News Group!
Industrial products are comprehensive and purchasing them online can lead to poor customer experiences when utilizing filtered search. The Product Genius’s grid technology allows your clients to search, sort and purchase 100’s of products from a one-page buying experience. Experience and Demo FAST Fastener buying at 1-800-Fasteners.com.
PGT’s services also include, data cleaning and preparation, consulting, and strategizing. Contact ProductGeniusTechnology.com or call 1-800-fasteners to find out how to get started today.
If you would like to share your company’s events, news or sponsor an upcoming episode of IN THE NEWS or would like to add to the Fastener Museum me: lisa@fastenernewsdesk.com.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of IN THE NEWS with Fastener News Desk.
Until next week, be well, be safe and Keep it Fastenating.
QUESTION: True or false: ISO 4162 and EN 1665 standards omitted class 12.9 steel and fine thread pitch?
A: WATCH VIDEO NOW FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER
Eurolink is the premier US #distributor of #metricfasteners and fastener lines with hard-to-find metric #fasteners manufactured to both DIN and ISO standards. As the nation’s leading source for hard-to-find #metric fasteners, Eurolink offers access to more than 100,000 quality C-class parts from countries such as Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, France, and Great Britain. Regardless of your required size, material, or finish, #EurolinkFSS has the European resources to meet your demands.
If you’re looking for a top fastener supplier you’ve found one!
Eurolink is committed to providing you fast HASSLE-FREE ordering, fair pricing, and timely delivery. Are you spending hours searching fastener websites or catalogs? Waiting on hold while a sales rep digs through their catalog to confirm a #DIN number? Wondering if your invoice will even be processed correctly? How about worrying whether or not your quoted ship date was just a sales rep’s guess? Not at #EurolinkFastener!
Simply submit a quick RFQ for the items you require. We’ll do all the research, and follow up with you personally with a complete quotation. As you order products from #Eurolink, you can do so with the confidence that your order will be processed accurately and efficiently — along with the best available pricing and delivery — means HASSLE-FREE to you.
Looking For a FASTER Shipment Option?
Eurolink’s consolidated weekly air freight ships from Europe each and every Wednesday. If you miss our monthly sea freight order date of November 17th or would like your order delivered FASTER, add your items to our next air freight shipment by the following Tuesday at 4:00 PM EST.
Eurolink’s consolidated air freight shipment from Europe arrives at our U.S. facility within 1-2 weeks of shipping. This speeds up delivery when you need it FASTER. Here are the upcoming weekly air freight order deadlines:
• Tuesday, November 8th, 2022 • Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 • Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022 • Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 Get The FASTEST Shipment Option
Upcoming Sea Freight Order Deadlines: • Thursday, November 17th, 2022
* Please have all orders delivered to Eurolink sales team by 4:00 PM EST on the deadline dates above to have your order added to the consolidated sea freight shipment.
Express air freight orders normally ship from our European partners within 24-48 hours after your order is placed with us and arrives at our U.S. facility within 4-7 business days. Our express freight option is available upon request. Contact our sales team if you would like to request the pricing for this freight option.
If you have questions about our freight options, check our website for more information.
Amanda Chance, Fast-Spec Inc, is the winner of the Joanne Sherman E-Learning (THORS) Scholarship. This scholarship will allow her to build skills and learn more in the classes she chooses to take within the fastener industry. The 5 courses Amanda has chosen include: Threaded Fastener Terminology and Components, Threaded Fastener Testing and Defects, Oil Seal Fundamentals: Rotary Applications, Heat Treat Basics, and Plating Fundamentals.
Amanda has been with Fast-Spec Inc for 14 years but in the fastener industry for 24 years. She is a hard-working mother and wife and has been wanting an opportunity to learn and grow in her fastener knowledge.
I am so honored to be chosen as the recipient of this Scholarship. Even being in this industry as long as I have, you are always learning something new and I look forward to learning more.
Thank you so much! This is so cool.
ABOUT WIFI
Women in the Fastener Industry provides opportunities for women in the fastener industry at all levels of experience. We work together to unite, educate, mentor and encourage one another, for the express purpose of advancing women in the fastener industry.
ABOUT Joanne Sherman E-Learning Scholarship
THORS eLearning Solutions
WIFI honors the memory of Joanne Goodman Sherman, co-owner of Industrial Rivet and Fastener. She began her career part-time in high school and ultimately grew to oversee the entire administrative and operational areas of the 100+ year old business. She was responsible for managing the company’s many brands and copyrights – including the RivetKing® brand – while continuing to offer her rivet and fastener expertise to long-term accounts across the country, and around the world.
Joanne took professional development and continuing education seriously. She was an award-winning member of the NAPW (National Association of Professional Women) and active in Vistage International – a peer-mentoring group for business owners. She believed in the power of education and would have been proud to sponsor women in the fastener industry: who are interested in furthering their fastener education through this channel of E-Learning courses.
Scholarship application submission will fully cover course fees for WIFI Members requesting financial assistance to complete an online course through THORS eLearning Solutions – Online Training Specifically for Manufacturing and the Fastener Industry. THORS will provide courses specifically designed to your industry needs.
Get more details about all the WIFI Scholarships. Click here.
Happy Halloween to all our listeners and freaky fastener friends.
Here’s what’s happening in and around the fastener industry the Week of October 24th, 2022
Listen now: (6:43)
In Fastener News…
Pivot Point Incorporated, a manufacturer of Non-Threaded Fastener solutions, has completed a 30,000 square foot expansion to their manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin. This will bring their total manufacturing campus to nearly 100,000 square feet. Pivot Point manufactures both stock and specialty Non-Threaded Fastener Solutions.
The Best Booth awards from the International Fastener Expo Have been announced. And the winner are…
BEST OVERALL BOOTH – CONTINENTAL-AERO claims the Championship Belt
BEST GROUP – BRIGHTON BEST INTERNATIONAL
BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE – FULLER METRIC PARTS LTD. & PACIFIC BOLT MANUFACTURING
Lots of buzz still happening around the very well received international fastener expo in Vegas. This year’s show provided new features and proved that in-person events are making a strong rebound! IFE 2022 saw outstanding attendance, gathering more than 3,500+ attendees representing 36 countries from around the world for the three-day event. Show Director, Morgan Wilson said, “It was clear our industry was ready to be back in person and reconnect with each other.” The Expo Floor featured 450 total exhibitors including 30 new exhibitors making their debut at IFE this year.
The IFE Fastener Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional of the Year award ceremony took place in Las Vegas. The Hall of Fame Inductees were: Andy Cohn – Duncan Bolt, Tim Malone – Spring Bolt and Nut Manufacturing, Rick Rudolph – Rick Rudolph Associates LLC., and Joseph Volltrauer – Volt Industrial Plastics. The IFE Young Fastener Professional of the Year went to Bryan Wheeler – Star Stainless. For those of you unable to attend we have transcripts of the acceptance speeches and videos featured at Fastener News Desk or on our YouTube channel FastenerTV.
FASTENER TRAINING WEEK – LOS ANGELES is right around the corner! Today is the last day to take advantage of Early Bird registration. Earn your Certified Fastener Specialist™ (CFS) designation at the end of a 4-day immersive education experience! Instead of 7 separate one-day classes, Fastener Training Week | LA will offer 4 intensive days of education and virtual plant tours as part of the acclaimed FTI Certified Fastener SpecialistTM (CFS) advanced technical training program. See details and register at FastenerTraining.org. Fastener Training Week is sponsored by Optimas. http://fastenertrainingstore.com/product203.html
The Fastener Industry’s Favorite Podcast
ThreadHeads and FasteNerds Fully Threaded Radio episode 181 is LIVE! The latest episode
“ The No Show Show” explains that IFE is like no other show in the fastener industry, and this year’s edition seemed a lot like “the good old days” without the carpeting. FTR’s Lynn Dempsey took her mic to the show floor and spoke to attendees from every part of the thread biz. Go to FullyThreaded.com to hear the latest episode.
MWFA Scholarship Award Dinner
On November 3rd is the Midwest Fastener Association’s Scholarship Awards & Elections Dinner. Guest Speaker will Dan Hampton, former Chicago Bears player. Get more info: https://www.mwfa.net/pdf/110322.pdf @MWFA_News
November 17th is After Hours with the Pacific West Fastener Association. 5-8PM at BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse Stop by and meet other people in the fastener industry and expand your professional network. Pac-West will host one beverage per person along with complimentary appetizers! More info: https://www.pac-west.org/
The stories featured in this week’s episode of IN THE NEWS can be found at Fastener News Desk or in our Twitter feed @FastenerNews and on LinkedIn in the Fastener News Group!
Industrial products are comprehensive and purchasing them online can lead to poor customer experiences when utilizing filtered search. The Product Genius’s grid technology allows your clients to search, sort and purchase 100’s of products from a one-page buying experience. Experience and Demo FAST Fastener buying at 1-800-Fasteners.com.
PGT’s services also include, data cleaning and preparation, consulting, and strategizing. Contact ProductGeniusTechnology.com or call 1-800-fasteners to find out how to get started today.
A Simple Solution to a Complex Problem.
If you would like to share your company’s events, news or sponsor an upcoming episode of IN THE NEWS or would like to add to the Fastener Museum me: lisa@fastenernewsdesk.com.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of IN THE NEWS with Fastener News Desk.
Until next week, be well, be safe and Keep it Fastenating.
Endries International, Inc. is pleased to announce that we have acquired Alliance Nut & Bolt, LLC. Alliance was founded in 1978 by Leon and Kevin Oshman. From the beginning, the business set out with a passion and commitment to provide the marketplace with an unparalleled level of customer service. In 1999, Kevin purchased his father’s stock securing complete ownership and embarked on a journey of growth. Today that passion, commitment, and drive for growth remains core to Alliance which operates facilities in Salina, Kansas and Okarche, Oklahoma.
Alliance Nut & Bolt’s major fulfillment offerings include: vendor managed inventory, dock-to-dock managed inventory, and kitting solutions. Rick Ambrosier, a 20-year veteran with the company will continue in a leadership position as Branch Manager.Kevin Oshman will remain with the company during a transition period.
“In Alliance we are welcoming a team that took the lead from their founders regarding the high level of customer service they expect to deliver. In addition, Endries is excited to expand our footprint in the heartland of the United States and have the opportunity to meet the needs of the customers in the region,” said Steve Endries, President of Endries International.
About Endries
Endries is a leading distributor of fasteners and Class-C parts serving industrial Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) and the Industrial marketplace worldwide. From its headquarters in Brillion, WI and eleven U.S. and international distribution centers, Endries provides over 500,000 SKUs to its customer base. Endries operates primarily through a vendor managed inventory model, managing C-part categories for its customers across diverse industrial end markets. Endries partners with customers through robust replenishment systems that provide products and support services, which are critical to maintaining the manufacturing process.
– Knight to succeed Steve Endries, who will serve as Chairman and Head of Strategic Partnerships –
Brillion, WI, October 31, 2022 –
Endries International Inc., a leading distributor of fasteners and related production components, today announced that Michael Knight has been named as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective November 28, 2022. Mr. Knight will succeed Steve Endries, who will transition to become the company’s Chairman and Head of Strategic Partnerships, a role in which he will continue to focus on leading Endries International’s M&A program. Mr. Knight also will join the Endries International Board of Directors.
Mr. Knight brings to Endries more than 25 years of experience in the electronic components distribution and manufacturing industries, including the last 18 years in various management positions at TTI, Inc., a leading specialty distributor of electronic components that is a Berkshire Hathaway Company. Most recently at TTI, Mr. Knight has served as the President, Exponential Technology Group and Senior Vice President of Corporate Business Development. Prior to TTI, he served in general management and sales roles at companies that included Berg Electronics and McKenzie Technology, and was President and Chief Operating Officer of Substrate Technologies, a manufacturer of advanced substrates for the semiconductor industry. Mr. Knight is a member of the board of directors of MacroFab, Inc., which operates a digital platform for electronics manufacturing, and is a former President of the National Electronics Distributor Association and Chairman of the Electronic Component Industry Association. He received a B.S. in Biology/Biological Sciences from Widener University.
“I am excited that Michael Knight will join Endries International as our next President and Chief Executive Officer,” said Steve Endries. “Michael is a tested leader who has a deep knowledge of the distribution industry. I look forward to working closely with him in ensuring a smooth transition, as well as in continuing to be part of the Endries team as Head of Strategic Partnerships, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Endries is executing well on its strategy, and after 20 years as CEO this is an ideal time for a new leader to drive the company forward in its next phase of growth.” “I’ve long watched Endries International in the marketplace and always have been impressed with its partnership with its OEM customers to address their Class C component challenges,” said Michael Knight. “I am honored to succeed Steve Endries as the company’s new CEO and to lead a team so dedicated to providing customers with innovative solutions and high-quality products.”
“As we welcome Michael as our new CEO, I would like to thank Steve Endries on behalf of the Board for his exceptional leadership over the past two decades,” said Kevin Brown, a Partner of MSD Partners and Head of MSD Private Capital. “Over the past five years, the company’s annual sales have more than doubled to over $500 million, with more than 70% of sales developed organically over the Company’s history and the balance resulting from acquisitions. We look forward to the continued partnership with Steve in his new role.”
About Endries
For over 50 years Endries has worked with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and has built its business around delivering world-class service to those customers. Endries sources over 500,000 SKUs, including various fasteners and related production components, from a worldwide base of suppliers and is a mission critical supply chain partner to its customers. For more information, please visit http://www.endries.com.
Media Contact: Todd Fogarty Todd.Fogarty@kekstcnc.com 212-521-4854 # # #
Question: What Property Classes are included in ASTM F880M Socket Set Screws?
A: WATCH VIDEO NOW FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER
Eurolink is the premier US distributor of metric fasteners and fastener lines with hard-to-find metric fasteners manufactured to both DIN and ISO standards. As the nation’s leading source for hard-to-find #metric fasteners, Eurolink offers access to more than 100,000 quality C-class parts from countries such as Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, France, and Great Britain. Regardless of your required size, material, or finish, EurolinkFSS has the European resources to meet your demands.
If you’re looking for a top fastener supplier you’ve found one!
Eurolink is committed to providing you fast HASSLE-FREE ordering, fair pricing, and timely delivery. Are you spending hours searching fastener websites or catalogs? Waiting on hold while a sales rep digs through their catalog to confirm a #DIN number? Wondering if your invoice will even be processed correctly? How about worrying whether or not your quoted ship date was just a sales rep’s guess? Not at Eurolink Fastener!
Simply submit a quick RFQ for the items you require. We’ll do all the research, and follow up with you personally with a complete quotation. As you order products from Eurolink, you can do so with the confidence that your order will be processed accurately and efficiently — along with the best available pricing and delivery — means HASSLE-FREE to you.
Looking For a FASTER Shipment Option?
Eurolink’s consolidated weekly air freight ships from Europe each and every Wednesday. If you miss our monthly sea freight order date of November 17th or would like your order delivered FASTER, add your items to our next air freight shipment by the following Tuesday at 4:00 PM EST.
Eurolink’s consolidated air freight shipment from Europe arrives at our U.S. facility within 1-2 weeks of shipping. This speeds up delivery when you need it FASTER. Here are the upcoming weekly air freight order deadlines: • Tuesday, November 1st, 2022 • Tuesday, November 8th, 2022 • Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 • Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022 • Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 Get The FASTEST Shipment Option
Upcoming Sea Freight Order Deadlines: • Thursday, November 17th, 2022
* Please have all orders delivered to Eurolink sales team by 4:00 PM EST on the deadline dates above to have your order added to the consolidated sea freight shipment. Express air freight orders normally ship from our European partners within 24-48 hours after your order is placed with us and arrives at our U.S. facility within 4-7 business days. Our express freight option is available upon request. Contact our sales team if you would like to request the pricing for this freight option.
If you have questions about our freight options, check Eurolink’s website for more information.
Pivot Point Incorporated Completes Factory Expansion
Hustisford, WI, October 31st, 2022. Pivot Point Incorporated, a manufacturer of Non-Threaded Fastener solutions, has completed a 30,000 square foot expansion to their manufacturing facilities in Hustisford, Wisconsin. This will bring their total manufacturing campus to nearly 100,000 square feet.
Bayland Buildings of Green Bay, WI was the general contractor and erected a steel frame building that allows for a greater clear span of the interior space, thus optimizing work and traffic flow for manufacturing.
Says owner Sol Leitzke: “We’ve invested heavily in equipment, especially automation, so that we can have the best value proposition in quality, pricing and lead times. This has resulted in robust, steady growth- we’re practically bursting at the seams. This factory expansion will allow us to continue to add equipment and continue to grow without constraint.”
Notably, the expansion included the installation of a 150-foot tall flagpole believed to be one of the tallest in the state of Wisconsin. Pivot Point hosted a public Dedication Ceremony on October 26th, raising the flag for the first time. Nearly 300 people attended.
Pivot Point’s products include Clevis Pins, Cotter Pins, Quick Release Pins and Devices, Locking Pins and Wire-Rope Lanyards; as well as several unique and highly popular proprietary items, including the SLIC Pin™- a pin and cotter all in one.
To learn more about Pivot Point Incorporated and their products, please visit www.pivotpins.com
What a pleasure to get back into the swing of things at IFE2022 this year. Plenty of exhibitors and attendees to network and interact with. There were the usual show exhibitors and many new ones to meet and greet. The show days were spent with a full schedule of taking photos, videos, and interviews with the exhibitors and attendees.
There were many new and newly designed booths to preview, adding to the excitement and creativity of the expo. This year it was not any easier narrowing down the finalists to win the Best Booth Awards.
After much deliberation, the winners were decided upon. They were chosen based on their commitment to the expo experience and its attendees as well as standing out in each award category.
Congratulations to this year’s IFE2022 Best Booth Award winners!
Best Overall Booth – Continental-Aero
Continental-Aero brought it all to Vegas this year. Their sleek booth earned top honors based on its design, product layout, uniformed look, and team. The booth was colorful, spacious, with great signage identifying what they did, and the display of their product samples that was neat and organized. Their team was energetic, pleasant, and helpful in their interactions with attendees, pointing out products and sharing product information. Continental- Aero came prepared this year with the full package.
Best Group – Brighton Best International
Brighton Best brings it to every show. They have the largest contingent of employees at the expo. All of them wearing the BBI uniform and eager to assist attendees with questions on all their product lines. Many of their employees have been with BBI for their entire career in the fastener industry. BBI clearly takes care of its people on all sides of the sale. From the show floor to the private meetings and customer gatherings the BBI employees exemplify how to take care of business.
Past Best Booth Awards for Brighton Best include:
Best Digital Booth 2020
Best Booth 2018
Best Character 2016
Best Customer Experience – Fuller Metric Parts Ltd. & Pacific Bolt Manufacturing
The Fuller Metric & Pacific Bolt companies joined together on their booth. Prepared to serve the show attendees with their Canadian Bolt Bar, they served up beverages and the company knowledge that the attendees craved. This booth had a full bar and a waiting line. It was full every time I walked by. A great customer experience was created by these two companies by providing a favorite drink and a comfortable atmosphere to do business.
Best Giveaway – Risco Fasteners
Risco Fasteners was spot on with their giveaways. Not your typical mass-produced promotional show item, this took some thought and planning. A whole series of adult beverages in cans that were named after their products. The cans had the company name, product name, and a graphic identifying what they sell. I’m told the actual beverage was served at the correct temperature and went down easy.
Best Creativity – Afixx Crossroads
The folks at Afixx/Crossroads find new ways to outdo themselves every year. This year’s theme of a ‘Backyard Bash’ was a series of challenging games that tested your agility and skill. Flip the cup, roll three of a kind (with the biggest dice in Vegas), a giant Jenga, cornhole and a polaroid selfie and get in done in the fastest time possible. Even though I was not in the top 50 with my score, thank you Afixx/Crossroads for all the fun!
Past Best Booth Awards for Brighton Best include:
Best Booth 2019
Best Giveaway 2018
Best Customer Experience 2017
Best Use of Technology – Fry Steel
Fry Steel showcased how to use technology to interact with attendees in their booth. If you can’t bring customers to your manufacturing plant, why not bring the plant to them. The use of a virtual headset that allowed you to walk around the Fry Steel facility gave attendees a firsthand view of their capabilities and products. Great use of technology to showcase your product and engage with attendees.
Every year the fastener industry gathers together at the International Fastener Expo to network, do business and celebrate those who have contributed to the industry. Meeting with and listening to the inductees’ stories is one of the highlights of the show, always drawing the largest crowd. Those who introduce the inductees share personal experiences they’ve had with the newest Hall of Fame members and you learn something more about them with every story. This celebration of people and history confirms why the fastener industry is one big family, built to last!
The Fastener Hall of Fame recognizes professionals who have made significant and enduring contributions to the industrial fastener industry on a national or global scale. Individuals selected for induction will join other honored industry members, including but not limited to inventors, business leaders, and educators.
The Young Fastener Professional of the Year award recognizes and honors a young professional who has made significant contributions to fastener industry.
The recipients were recognized at a special event during the International Fastener Expo and received a commemorative trophy. The 2022 IFE Fastener Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Award Ceremony took place on October 18th. Industry colleagues, family and friends gathered at Sessions Stage to honor and recognize the award recipients.
Morgan Wilson: Hello everyone, thank you for joining us today.
Welcome to the 2022 Fastener Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Award Ceremony. We’re really excited to continue the tradition this year hosting our annual awards at our event. We’ve got a great lineup this year. I’m honored to be able to be up here on stage and present these to everyone. To give us a little background on the process, we’ll be presenting two different prestigious awards this year. The first one, the Fastener Hall of Fame Award, which honors professionals who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the fastener industry on a national or global scale. The second award is the Young Fastener Professional of the Year. This recognizes a young professional who has made noteworthy or impactful contributions within the industry. Nominee applications are submitted throughout the year. We partner with the Fastener industry Coalition. The Coalition is made up of a representative from each industry association. Then what happens is the Coalition ranks the list through a series of votes and they narrow it down to the finalists. And the winners will be recognized today. Thank you to all the board members on the FIC for your time and effort. We know you put a lot into this and we truly appreciate it. Please join me for a round of applause for all these folks. Now to get the party started. We’re going to get going and celebrating the inductees. I’m delighted to begin our 2022 Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional Award Ceremony. We’re going to start it off by bringing up John Wachman of Desert Distribution to introduce our first Hall of Fame winner.
ANDY COHN, DUNCAN BOLT
Overview: Full line fastener distributor and manufacturer with branches in California and Arizona.
John Wachman: Thank you Morgan. We really appreciate Morgan and his team at IFE for continuing the tradition of the Hall of Fame. I’m here today because Kevin Costner couldn’t make it. He had to take somebody to the train station. If you don’t watch Yellowstone that made no sense at all.
I met Andy first as a customer then as a colleague and I’ve learned to love him like a friend. He is second generation fastener although he did not spend his life in his family business. He bought a small distributor in Los Angeles and not a nice neighborhood in Los Angeles. He grew it into a large company including a division in Phoenix and one in China. Andy has been active in all of the Fastener associations. The Midwest, the Metropolitan, Pac-West, NFDA and he helped launch the Fastener Training Institute. He also was one of the founding members of the Fastener Education Foundation. We’re running short on time and we’ve got a lot to do so I would like to introduce my friend Andy Cohen.
Andy Cohen: Thank you very much John. I’ve got two conflicting pieces of information. The first of which is, I got 30 seconds and the second one is, John told me that one time he was here at one of these and somebody was talking who won this award. He said 10 minutes in he was still in the third grade so I’m certainly not going to do that. I ended up getting into the fastener business because I couldn’t get a job. My father said we got a customer out in San Francisco and he’s hiring in the warehouse but I warn you it’s a buck and a quarter an hour and I was like okay. I don’t have much choice. Since then, it’s been mostly a very fun ride. Met a lot of wonderful people. Many of whom are standing or sitting here. And I really don’t have anything to add other than thank you all very much and retirement ain’t bad either.
TIM MALONE, SPRING BOLT AND NUT MANUFACTURING
Overview: Founded in 2001, Spring Bolt and Nut Manufacturing has been helping companies fill rush orders and been turning prints into reality for over 15 years.
Morgan Wilson: Now we’d like to bring up our next presenter for our second Hall of Fame winner. He’ll be introduced by Richard Sivley, President of Spring Bolt and Nut Manufacturing.
Richard Sivley: I’ll be short and sweet because that’s the way I think it should be. First of all, I wanted to say congratulations to all the award winners today. I think it’s awesome, you guys have done a great job. Secondly, I just wanted to introduce very someone very special to me. I met him 30 years ago, I think. He’s a mentor to me, He’s taught me more than I could ever convey to anyone else. He’s also a business partner of mine and he’s also one of my closest friends. Mr. Tim Malone. Thank you.
Tim Malone:
Well, all I can say is I love the fastener industry. I think it’s one of the few things in the U.S that you can start a business from.
I mean so many of us have done that. You don’t need much. You start a little business, and you grow it like Andy did into a big place. Richard and I grew it into a pretty nice machine shop, forging shop. One of the biggest factors I think in all of this has been the Southwest Fastener Association. I met so many people through the associations and the different committees and things and it just it expanded my knowledge, my networking, whatever you want to call it. Just a lot of really dear friends. Which I think the fastener industry as they’ve said it’s a family. We’re in it and we’re never going to get out of it. It’s just life. I love it. The other person I want to thank is Mr. Ralph Walker who started Walker Bolt Manufacturing and just was one of the neatest guys ever. If you got a chance to meet him, he always chewed on a cigar. Always had some tidbit from a football coach to tell you. You know some little thing and the one that always stuck in my brain, he would always say what Bear Bryant said, “We’ll go with what brought us.” That’s what we’ve always done. We love short runs, fast delivery, high prices. You know that’s what we love, and we like to keep it that way. Thank you all.
RICK RUDOLPH, PRESIDENT AT RICK RUDOLPH ASSOCIATES LLC
Overview: Manufacturer’s Representative Agency in the Northeast | Rick Rudolph Associates is a Manufacturer’s Representative Agency representing the highest quality manufacturers, master distributors, and importers of the finest fasteners, hardware, tools, electronic components and related products and services to Northeast distributors. Rick Rudolph Associates, based in Melrose, MA, has a team of experts that can provide the resources and solutions you need to get the job done right!
Morgan Wilson: I would like to bring up on stage Mr. Morgan Rudolph from Rick Rudolph Associates to present his father’s award for the Hall of Fame.
Morgan Rudolph: The Fastener industry. What a great thing is to be a member of this community and of course I have my father Rick Rudolph to thank him for introducing me into this business. Some might call that child abuse but so far things have gone well. They’re going pretty well. As I stand up here I realize that the challenge of presenting a speech about my dad, my boss, my mentor, and a guy that some of you might know nearly as long as I’ve known. To be candid I’m not really that young now myself. One thing I do know about this industry and the members of the Fastener Community is that they do not like long speeches, so I hope to keep this short and sweet.
I’m going to set aside my feelings about this man I called Dad and I’m going to stick to the business side in this presentation. I’ll just stick with calling him Rick. Quickly I’ll give you a rundown of my dad, Rick’s career. In 1971 he joined Rhode Island Bolt and Screw as the Massachusetts branch manager. In 1975 he joined Precision Socket Screw as their national sales manager. In 1985 he became a partner in Hendrickson and Rudolph Associates. In 1988 he became partner of New England Bolt in Everett, Mass. In 1993 he became a partner in Fallon and Rudolph Associates. In 1997 he was the president of Northeastern Fastener, now Wurth Revcar. In 2004 joined Lehigh-Armstrong as director of sales. In June 2013 he formed Rick Rudolph Associates which of course is when I came into the picture.
Okay, I know I was going to avoid the father son discussion here but let’s be honest I was born in 1974. As a kid you look for stability at home, right? Yeah, you get it, I had a dad that could not seem to hold down a job. I mean every few years boom, he was working for somebody else. Sorry, sorry I was just going to stick… we’re going to pull it together and just call him Rick. As a member of the Fastener Community now I’m in awe of Rick’s vast work experience. He was a sales manager, he ran a manufacturing facility, he worked for a large distributor like Wurth, and he recreated his rep agency several times with different business partners. Rick has pretty much seen it all.
I think one of the reasons he is being inducted in the Hall of Fame is he has always stayed involved. He has had Rick Rudolph and Associates join several regional and national associations and he still regularly attends each event. As a partner I also attend. My dad or Rick got me involved in this industry, joining all these associations and lo and behold, I’m now the president of the New England Fastener Distributors Association. I mean it was good to go golfing and out to drink a few cocktails at parties but now I have responsibilities and it’s not just fun and games. You led me down this path, this guy Rick. He knew I could fall into this pattern but he let it go. At the beginning of the speech, I said I’ll keep this short, and I will I know. My dad Rick has many friends and associates here today, and I want to thank each and every one of you for showing up to honor him. His industry friendships mean the world to him and to me too. Without further delay I want to welcome my dad Mr. Rick Rudolph to the Fastener Hall of Fame.
Rick Rudolph: Thanks, Morgan. I’m really truly humbled by this honor. I just love this industry. I love all the people in it. My kids you know, I’d go off to Columbus for the Fastener show every year. They thought I would be gone for a week out there. They all thought I had a second family in Columbus, Ohio. They’d say you’re going to go visit the other family, dad. The fastener industry has been very, very good to me. When I told my mom when I first got out of college, that I landed a job in the fastener industry she said oh wonderful, buttons and zippers and that new thing they invented up in in New Hampshire. Velcro. Is that what you’re going to be doing? I said no, I’m going to be selling bolts, nuts, and screws and she started crying and saying how the heck are you ever going to be able to provide for a family! It’s been a wonderful ride. It’s also been great with the support, the mentorship that I’ve received over the years. The friendships that I have developed with all of you. And as I say I’m just truly humbled by this honor. It’s just wonderful.
Thank you all so much.
JOSEPH VOLTRAUER, VOLT INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS, INC.
Overview: With a heritage of growth and hard work, Volt Industrial Plastics is committed to our customers and our future. You are valued. We are innovative and take pride in our company and the products we manufacture. We welcome every opportunity to put our experience, technical expertise and rapid-response production capability to work for you.
Morgan Wilson: All right we’re on to our final Hall of Fame Award Winner now. Unfortunately, this winner was unable to attend IFE but we’re thrilled to be able to have his daughter here. Heidi Voltrauer to present and accept his award this year.
Heidi Voltrauer: I’m going to put this down for a minute I need these. I forgot I have them on my shirt for a reason. I can’t see.
For those of you that don’t know me my name is Heidi Voltrauer and I’m accepting this honor on behalf of my father, Joseph Voltrauer, who brought me into the fastener industry in 1992. He’s the reason I’ve been a part of this industry that I love for the past 30 years. I currently serve as CEO and president of sales and marketing for Volt Industrial Plastics. I would like to thank Emerald Expositions for continuing to honor people like my father and members of the Hall of Fame who have had such a positive impact on our industry. I want to acknowledge and thank the Fastener industry Coalition. As I know it is the FIC board that reviews the nomination applications and makes a recommendation on who they think should be added to the Hall of Fame. I know I’m biased but I think they made a great decision. I could not be more proud of my father for being inducted into the Fastener Hall of Fame.
My father began his career in 1959 as an apprentice in a tool shop in Chicago. In the mid-70s he founded JB Tool in Chicago, a tool and die company. A few years later he moved JB Tool to Arkansas because of his love of the outdoors and the Ozarks. His experiences there allowed him to perfect the art of mold making. A skill that would prove instrumental in his ability to innovate the fastener industry.
He eventually founded Voltrauer Plastics on his 54th birthday, June 1st, 1992. That was his birthday present to himself that year. In his 30 years as founder and CEO of Voltrauer Plastics he has introduced numerous innovations to build his business and educate a multitude of employees including myself along the way.
My dad has always been a dreamer and he can always see the bigger picture of what something can become. He’s not only a dreamer but he puts his dreams in motion and motivates people to help them achieve their fullest potential. He is a team builder, and he knows how to pick the right people to make his dreams a reality.
I personally have learned so much from my dad and I can attest to the fact that he loves this industry so much so that he refuses to retire and he still keeps working to this day at the age of 84. My father wished so badly he could have been here today to accept this huge honor in person but he’s here in spirit and now he will always and forever be a part of the industry that he loves by being inducted into the Fastener Hall of Fame. Thank you.
See 2021 Young Fastener Professional Winners here.
BRYAN WHEELER, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER AT STAR STAINLESS SCREW CO.
Morgan Wilson: Now, last but not least we would like to bring up Mr. Bruce Wheeler from Star Stainless to introduce our Young Fastener Professional of the Year award winner, Mr. Bryan Wheeler.
Bruce Wheeler: Well, I’m glad everyone rolled along pretty quickly with the speeches. It’s going to give me a lot more time.
I will keep it to a minute. I’ve known this year’s YFP award winner since he was a little kid, since he’s, my son. Bryan, I have a lot of material I can use but I’m not going to. I’m not going to use it all. I never saw Bryan moving forward into this industry. Following behind me. When Bryan got out of grad school, he approached me and he wanted to know what his opportunities were at Star, so we sat down. He started work and that first day on the job I got a phone call from my wife about midday and she said so “Who’s Bryan working with. Who’s teaching him the ropes? Where’s his desk at?” I said his desk is in the phillips pan aisle out the warehouse. That’s where you learn this business from. You don’t learn it at the desk.
Over time Bryan finally made it into the office and I encouraged him to move forward. Get involved in the associations. Get involved in the industry. Shortly thereafter he approached me and said “hey Dad you going to the next NFDA meeting?” I said yes and he says well I’m one of the speakers. I said hey starting out in the major league. So you ever think about swinging in the minor leagues first and he says no, no. I said let me hear what you got. He says no I got this dad, I got this and he did he killed it.
Bryan’s a third-generation fastener person. His grandfather, myself, and him. Between the three of us in this industry in the stainless business we have 108 years within our family. All with Star Stainless.
As time went on Bryan continued to develop and really did a bang-up job. I’m going to tell you really quickly here when I knew he really had it. I had picked up some suppliers from overseas, brought them to the office and it was I was unannounced. I walked in and I looked in someone’s office and I saw two big rolls of blueprints. I rolled them out and it was the demolition of my office and also the contracts with the contractor to do the demolition. At that point I knew the kid had it. I’m being moved out of here.
Bryan, your mother, and I are very proud of you. You’ve come a long way and I’d like you to come on up. I’d like to introduce Bryan Wheeler, my son, as this year’s Young Fastener Professional Award winner.
Bryan Wheeler: When I got the call about this I was actually pretty relieved. It put some context to a previous text message I had gotten when I was at the airport that just said how old are you. It was from one of the FIC board members. I think there was a question as to my age. I’m 36 by the way. I still had a few extra years to make this. Honestly, if you would have asked me 18 years ago when I was at this show for the first time if I was going to be receiving an award or be a part of it, there would have been no question because I wasn’t joining the fastener industry. I just wasn’t going to do it. Looking back on that now I was wrong because I’ve done it now for about 10 years and not going anywhere else. I’d like to thank the customers for constantly reminding me that I sound just like my father. Still not sure if that’s a compliment but I think it might be. Thanks to my Star family for always being there supporting me and putting up with me for all these years. Really, it’s my parents who pushed me to get here and I’m going to keep doing that one for them. Thank you all.
About Bryan: “Young Fastener Professionals” (YFP) Board member. “Young Fastener Professionals” is a national organization led by young professionals and the companies that employ them within the fastener industry. YFP was founded with the goal to create an inclusive community to empower the next generation of fastener professionals and their companies through education, collaboration and networking.
Past Awards: 30 Under 30 | Issued by Young Fastener Professionals and Fastener Industry Coalition · Oct 2014
Morgan Wilson: We had an amazing lineup this year for the Hall of Fame Awards and YFP. 4 Hall of Fame winners and one YFP winner. It was a great award ceremony. Let’s give everyone, all the winners one more big round of applause.
Thank you everyone. There are so many companies, associations, and individuals who contributed to the success of this event. We really truly appreciate it. We’re off to a great start this year where everyone seems to be having a great event overall. Thank you all for coming today. Please stick around for a cocktail or beverage and we’ll be doing pictures.
WIFI (Women in the Fastener Industry) Announces Scholarship Winner: Amanda Chance, Fast-Spec Inc, is the winner of the Joanne Sherman E-Learning (THORS) Scholarship. This scholarship will allow Amanda to build skills and learn more in the classes she chooses to take within the fastener industry.
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