3/23/2009
HEADLINES
Hopwood New EFDA President

By Phil Matten, editor of Fastener & Fixing Europe

The European Fastener Distributor Association elected Geoff Hopwood as president. Hopwood, chairman of UK importer/master distributor Owlett-Jaton, also serves as vice chair of the British Association of Fastener Distributors and has been EFDA vice president.
Hopwood played a leading role in EFDA’s campaign against anti-dumping tariffs on steel fasteners from China.

Dott. Bruno Trolano, managing director of Bossard Italy, is the new vice president. Trolano also is vice president of the Italian Fastener Distributors Association U.D.I.B.

EFDA will hold its triennial members conference at Stresa, Italy in May. Speakers include Mal Boi, London-based manager of the macro consulting practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Web: efda-fastenerdistributors.org

Auld Leaves Trifast; Diamond & Barker Return

UK-based fastener distributor Trifast plc announced Steve Auld has stepped down as CEO and three non-executive directors have left.

Two former CEOs have returned to head Trifast. Malcolm Diamond is the new chairman and Jim Barker, who succeeded Diamond as CEO in 2002 and held it until 2007, has returned to the job.

Auld became an executive director in 2005 following the acquisition of Serco Ryan where he was managing director. He was appointed Trifast CEO in June 2007, succeeding Jim Barker, who retired.

Anthony Allen, Eric Hutchinson and Bill Wilson left as directors.

Geoff Budd continues as executive director. Web: trfastenings.com

CELO Buys MEA Fastener Business

Barcelona-based CELO Group acquired MEA’s fastening systems business in Aichach, Germany.

The fastenings business was the smallest division in the MEA Group with EUR 10 million (US$12.9m) turnover and 40 employees. Celo sales are approximately EUR 30 million (US$38.8m) Web: celofasteners.com

Russia Mulls Anti-Dumping Claim Against China

The Russian Ministry of Economic Development & Trade received an application for a safeguard investigation on imports of Chinese fasteners from Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) and Russia North Iron & Steel JSC in December.

A Chinese delegation visited Moscow at the beginning of March to argue against the investigation. The delegation met with the Russian Hardware Industry Association, Russian importers and also visited MMK.

Reyher Names Managing Directors

Hamburg-based fastener distributor F. Reyher Ncfg GmbH & Co. KG appointed two additional managing directors: Dr. Peter Bielert and Matthias Gläser.

Bielert has worked as an attorney at Reyher since 2001 and is currently responsible for logistics, product and quality management, IT, E-Business and infrastructure.

Gläser who joined Reyher in January, was managing director of Leitz Group, and previously director for part and service at Terex and sales manager at Berner, Germany. He is now responsible for purchasing and sales at Reyher.

The new appointees will work alongside Hartwig Müggenburg, who has been with Reyher for 40 years, and Harm Schmitt, with over 30 years. A full transition to the new appointees will be completed in 2010.

Related Links:

• EFDA