Fastener Fair Turkey drew 2,900 attendees to the 2018 trade show in Istanbul – with 11.2% coming to Turkey from 47 countries, show organizer Mack Brooks announced.

Mack Brooks attributed the increase to strengthening of Turkey’s fastener manufacturing and exporting and the accessible location of the March 1-3, 2018, trade show in Istanbul.

Security concerns dampened attendance by international buyers at the 2016 Fastener Fair Turkey.

According to Mustafa Tecdelioglu, chair of the Tecde Group and of BESIAD, the fastener manufacturers’ association, Turkey’s fastener manufacturing sector grew by 15% in 2017, with exports valued at US$365 million increasing by 17% and imports declining by 4%. Tecdelioglu pointed out that Turkey’s growth as an automotive, domestic appliance and other engineered product manufacturing and exporting are important to the domestic fastener industry. BESIAD estimates indirect exports of fasteners are now worth close to US$1 billion.

The 2018 trade show expanded to three days, opening on Saturday, which Mack Brooks said contributed to visitor growth.

Exhibitors included Turkey’s top fastener manufacturers, such as the Norm Group, Turkey’s largest fastener manufacturer with nine production facilities in Izmir and Salihli, with a combined annual output approaching 100,000 tons. Norm Group customers include the automotive sector.  

Tecde Group is projecting 30,000 ton production in 2018, with 40% to be exported. A new Tecde 25,000 sq meter plant in Malatya will include US$13 million in new machines, coating and heat treatment lines.

Berdan Bolt produces for wind energy and mega projects. The company opened an R&D center in 2017 and reports 70% of output is now in special fasteners, with 25% exported.

Partially because of the strength of its domestic industry, Turkey is not the easiest market for overseas fastener companies to penetrate, Fastener+Fixing editor Phil Matten observed.

The trade show includes manufacturing technology suppliers – cold forming and thread rolling machinery, heat treatment, coating lines and systems providers, inspection systems or wire suppliers.

“The Turkish political climate may remain uncertain, but its fastener industry is definitely doing well – and looking to do better,” Matten summarized.  

Mack Brooks is planning the next biennial Fastener Fair Turkey. Web: fastenerfairturkey.com