Acquisitions: Kamax, Raymond Form Automotive Joint Venture; Sullivan Sells A-1 to Eastwood

John Wolz

Kamax, Raymond Form Automotive Joint Venture
Kamax Werke and A. Raymond Group have formed a joint venture, Facil, as a fastener supplier to the automotive industry in Europe and North America.
Kamax specializes in high-tensile screws and bolts, and Raymond in molded plastic and stamped metal clip fasteners.
The two companies have a combined annual revenue of US$437,150,000, or 500 million euros.
Facil � Fasteners & Connections International � is headquartered in Belgium and has offices in suburban Detroit and Australia to supply automobile manufacturers and Tier 1 companies.
The venture offers engineering support, logistics, line feeding, quality assurance, transport, purchasing and market research to automakers.
The new company emphasizes cost reduction as �the keystone of Facil�s philosophy. By closely studying how to improve the quality of the fasteners and simplify their design, as well as how to rationalize the number of parts and applications, Facil is able to increase their effectiveness and avoid unnecessary and superfluous costs.�
Facil also seeks to provide cost reduction to automakers by offering a �complete automobile fastener package, as well as a rationalization of the number of suppliers from 25% to 40%.�
Facil Europe is located at Swinnenwijerweg 18, 3600 Genk-Zuid zone 6B, Belgium. Tel: (32) 89 322650. Fax (32) 89 322651.
Facil USA is located at 1972 Brown Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326. Tel: 248 364-0196. Fax 248 364-0198.
Sullivan Sells A-1 to Eastwood
Luke Sullivan announced the sale of A-1 Nut & Bolt to Eastwood Manufacturing and his retirement.
Eastwood owner Dale Stark said the business will be moved to Houston. Stark said Eastwood �specializes in short runs, odd balls, nonstandard and precision machining. And now we do forging.�
A-1 of Commerce, CA, is a hot header, which produces primarily nonferrous specialty fasteners for aerospace, government, OEM and distributor customers and has been in business for 30 years.
Sullivan, a member of the Fastener Hall of Fame, will retire after 45 years in the fastener industry upon completion of the sale. Prior to A-1 he owned and operated Sullivan Bolt for 30 years.
Eastwood, founded in 1985, is headquartered at 6825 Green St., Houston, TX 77086. Tel: 281 447-0081. Fax 281 447-0098. E-mail: boltman@boltman.com Web: boltman.com
Sullivan will retire to: 550 N. Trayer, Glendora, CA 91741-1957. Tel: 626 335-8007. E-mail: l.n.perez@att.net. \
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