Automation raises fastener demand

Conversion to a fully automated production line operating 24h/day by a French manufacturer at the end of 2006, is set to almost double its demand for fasteners.

A French customer's conversion to a fully automated production line operating 24h/day at the end of 2006, is set to almost double the demand in products supplied to them by a UK manufacturing company.

Located in Marseille, Southern France, FE Industries manufactures aluminium boat hulls, contemporary fireplaces and scaffold walkways for the construction industry.

Established in 1948 the company was acquired by the Altrad group in 1992.

Telford based Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS), with Huck fasteners as a key brand, engineer high-quality, high-performance fastening systems serving a variety of applications predominantly in the truck, trailer, commercial vehicle body builder, auto and railcar markets.

Based in the UK they have a dedicated commercial sales team and well established distribution network throughout France and the rest of Europe.

Representing 30% of FE Industries' EUR 12.8M annual turnover, the demand for steel and aluminium scaffolding products and in particular scaffolding walkways for which AFS has supplied 1.6 million fasteners this year and a projected 3 million in 2007, signifies a healthy construction industry in France, according to Frederic Espinasse, managing director of the company.

He said: "All our products contain the NF quality kite mark and when we researched the walkway design Huck fasteners and tooling were the strongest and most cost effective solution.

We currently produce 28 walkways per hour but when the production line becomes fully automated and this number increases to 40 per hour, using Huck fastening systems will provide us with an ease and speed of operation second to none." Marc Ait-Ouarabi, customer manager for AFS in France, said: "FE Industries currently use four sizes of Magna-Bulb fastener each with respective part numbers.

However, in light of their production process becoming fully automated they will soon switch to Huck-Lok, which is a multi grip fastener with only one part number and thus straightforward to order, hold in stock and easier to install." * About Alcoa Fastening Systems - makers of Huck fasteners - Huck fasteners solve the problems associated with extreme stress and vibration between adjoining materials.

They provide strength and facilitate lighter, stronger, more durable structures.

Today the product range based on Lou Huck's original drawing of a Lockbolt from 50 years ago, now known as a HuckBolt, has evolved to include small and large diameter Lockbolts, medium and heavy duty blind rivets and accompanying installation tooling.

Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) is part of Alcoa, the world's leading producer of primary aluminium, fabricated aluminium and alumina, of which Huck fasteners, Camloc, Recoil, Keensert, Simmonds and Snep are branded products.

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