Mike Mowins has retired as president of global licensing for Phillips Screw Company.

Mowins’ fastener career started in 1988 when he became vice president for commercial products at Phillips. He recalled his first assignment was “to take the ACR anti-cam-out feature that had been successful in the aerospace market and develop a commercial product around this technology.” That resulted in the Phillips II drive system.

Among the changes during his Phillips tenure is the “emergence of ISO 9000 in it’s many forms – AS9100, QS9000, etc. – as the global standard for quality assurance.”  

“Counterfeits have been an issue prompting the U.S. Fastener Quality Act and the more recent activity with SAE and other standards bodies to develop effective policies for counterfeit risk mitigation,” Mowins told FIN.

“Advancements in fastener materials have continued with exotic multi-phase alloys, ultra-high strength materials, and fiber reinforced composites like Peek finding their way into more demanding applications in both aerospace and automotive applications. Thread forms have evolved to provide better holding power in plastics, aluminum, magnesium and other materials. Fastener drive systems have also evolved to provide improved torque capability, anti-cam-out, and multi-tool compatibility in response to end user assembly issues.”

Mowins noted “traditional bolted joints have been replaced by blind bolts, thread forming screws, and in many cases different joining methods like adhesives, bonding, and friction stir welding.”

“His 31 years with the company have contributed significantly to make us who we are today,” Phillips Screw president Scott Filion said of Mowins.

Filion announced Chris Gallant is the new director of innovation. Gallant is an engineer who was with Velcro in R&D roles for 22 years. Gallant becomes the Phillips licensing contact. Email: cgallant@Phillips-Screw.com

Mowins told FIN that he is “exploring several options to continue to give back to the aerospace and fastener industries, including consulting and perhaps a new venture.”

In the interim he will “continue my work with veterans through Project Healing Waters.”

Mowins can be contacted at: mmowinspsc@twcny.rr.com.

Phillips Screw designs and engineers proprietary fastener technology, including drive systems for fastening applications in aerospace, automotive, electronics, marine, military, header tools and gauging markets.  Phillips’ licensed manufacturers include the Wrentham Tool Group.

Phillips is headquartered at 301 Edgewater Dr. #320, Wakefield, MA 01880. Tel: 781 224-9750 Web: Phillips-Screw.com