12/1/2014 11:14:00 AM
HEADLINES
Lederer: “EFDA Stands for Free and Fair Trade”
Global relationships are very important, the re-elected president of the European Fastener Distributors Association said. “Especially with the Asian fastener associations. The main issue, of course, is EU anti dumping and its implications for our members and their supply partners across the world.”
In a Fastener+Fixing Interview, Volker Lederer said the “EFDA stands for free and fair trade and to me that means anti dumping measures should only exist where really necessary, but if they are imposed they must be respected.”
“Building strong relationships with, for example, the Taiwanese associations is very important in trying to avoid further EU circumvention investigations. EFDA has helped the exporters and authorities in Taiwan to understand how crucial it is for their own businesses, as well as ours, to effectively police and prevent transhipment activities through their country. I am in no doubt that legitimate manufacturers and exporters in Taiwan are not involved in these activities, which are often carried out fraudulently by Chinese companies.”
“The uncertainty of a circumvention investigation would be extremely disruptive to the international trade in fasteners; a major concern for exporters and importers but also, ultimately, a big issue for the thousands of European industries that rely on the efficiency and reliability of their distribution partners.”
Dr. Lederer is managing director of Lederer Gmbh, which is based in Ennepetal, Germany. Web: lederer-online.com
Serge Kopinski was re-elected EFDA vice president. He is managing director of Intermetal of Maxeville, France.
EFDA in 2015
EFDA will take an active role during Fastener Fair Stuttgart, where the association will “demonstrate how it has grown over the last two years.”
Lederer noted the Netherlands association – NEVIB – is now a full member of EFDA and has “quickly become highly supportive and committed to our European association,” Lederer said.
In addition to the Netherlands, EFDA established MEFDA – which stands for ‘More EFDA’ and is designed to provide membership opportunities for fastener distributors in countries where there is no national association, Lederer added.
“At the Stuttgart Fair we hope to meet many more distributors that will recognize the benefits of MEFDA membership. For EFDA to continue to become stronger and more influential in Europe it is important we grow our network of national associations and MEFDA members.”
Association growth “allows us to constantly remind EU politicians and officials how great a contribution the fastener distribution industry makes to the economy of the EU, and how crucial it is in supporting major industries in all its states,” Lederer told Fastener+Fixing.
“For the member companies EFDA provides a unique opportunity to be represented and heard in Brussels, as well as having a reliable ‘pipeline’ of the latest information about legislation and EU processes that deeply affect their businesses,” Lederer said.
The EFDA’s Triennial conference will be held next April in Berlin, which is home to EFDA’s general secretariat – the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade & Services. “The conference provides a special opportunity for all our member companies to consider what is happening in global fastener industry, and also to see first hand the BGA organization that ably supports their European association,” Lederer said.
“I hope a lot of our member companies will come and participate,” Lederer added. “That support is important for EFDA to continue to demonstrate its growing strength and influence. I also believe, for the company managers and directors that attend, the conference provides a unique opportunity to meet their counterparts across Europe and to realize, as I now do, how many of their challenges and opportunities are shared.”
EFDA member associations are Fachverband des Schrauben-Grosshandels (FDS), Germany; Prismefix, France; ADEFI, Spain; and NEVIB, Netherlands. Web: efda-fastenerdistributors.org
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