Gene Simpson, vice president of quality & engineering at Semblex Corporation, joined the board of directors of the Fastener Training Institute.

Simpson has a bachelors degree in engineering and an MBA. He has held distributor and OEM training programs for manufacturer Semblex.

Ongoing board members are Jennifer Harder, Empire Bolt, Spokane, WA; Dallas Puckett, Valley Nut & Bolt, Olympia, WA; Tim Roberto Jr., Star Stainless Screw Co., Fremont, CA; Andy Cohn, Duncan Bolt Co., Santa Fe Springs, CA.; and John Wachman, Desert Distribution Sales, Scottsdale, AZ.

FTI plans 25 training programs in 10 cities in 2017 and 20 product training webinars. An on-demand option for webinars will be added.

FTI will hold a week of training December 5-9, 2016, in Cleveland. Instructors are Laurence Claus, NNI Training & Consulting; Salimi Brahimi, Ibeca Technologies and the Industrial Fastener Institute; and Jim Speck, PE.

For information contact the Institute. Tel: 562 473-5373 Email: info@FastenerTraining.org Web: FastenerTraining.org

 

Southwest Fastener LLC named Ron Stas as business development manager, president Ken Lubbering announced.

Lubbering cited Stas’ background in manufacturing and Southwest’s experience supplying product for 7GW of Global Solar Installations as keys in the distributorship’s role as a recognized EPC vendor. Email: rstas@swfastener.com

Southwest Fastener handles 14,000 SKUs of fasteners, hardware and tools for the industrial, construction, solar and waterworks industries. Southwest has locations in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas and is headquartered at 242 E. University Dr., Phoenix 85004. Tel: 602 272-2658 or 800 350-8265 Email: sales@swfastener.com Web: swfastener.com

 

Metal stamper Talan Products was named to Crain’s Cleveland Business 2016 class of the 52 fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio.

From 2014 to 2015, Talan’s sales increased 35%, with annual revenue totaling between $40 million and $50 million. Employee count grew at a similar rate, bringing the total to 70.

While Talan’s core business – stamping metal parts for the building products industry – accounts for two-thirds of its production, much of the company’s growth comes from newer niche market segments, such as solar energy and LED lighting.

“We knew solar would be a natural extension of our core competency in building products, because it’s often installed on buildings,” said CEO Steve Peplin. “We began focusing on the solar energy industry 10 years ago, and it has doubled every year.”

Solar energy is “easily our fastest-growing segment,” accounting for 35% of business, Peplin said.

“In a new industry like solar, people don’t just look for a supplier to make a part,” Peplin explained. “They’re looking for a partner who will bring manufacturing expertise to help them design a part to do the job better.”

Talan has found additional growth by partnering with LED lighting manufacturers to provide mounting brackets, heat sinks and other metal components. It also manufactures parts for automotive, military and consumer goods applications.

Incorporated in 1986, Talan Products is a metal stamping company – including specialty washers –  and manufacturer of tooling and engineers parts for 150 customers in the fastener, building products, solar, LED lighting, appliance, hardware, defense and transportation markets. Talan is located at 18800 Cochran Ave., Cleveland, OH 44110. Tel: 216 458-0170 Web: talanproducts.com