NIFS Inductees Darling & Werner Have Combined 70 Years of Fastener Experience

John Wolz

Bruce Darling of Porteous Fastener Co. and Edward Werner of EZ Sockets Inc. will be inducted in the National Industrial Fastener Show “Hall of Fame during the May 1-2, 2006, NIFS/East trade show in Columbus, OH.

Werner, president of EZ Sockets, told FastenerNews.com he was “drafted” into the fastener industry in 1974 by his father-in-law, Isadore “Izzy” Mintz, called him to join MSL’s Hunter Stevens division in New Jersey. Werner was soon sent to open a branch in the Atlanta market.

Mintz and Werner opened EZ Sockets in 1978. Today Springfield, NJ-based EZ Sockets supplies domestic and imported socket screw products from branches in the Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Portland and Southern California markets.

Werner has been president of the Metropolitan Fastener Distributors Association and has spoken at conferences of numerous fastener associations.
He emphasized his role as the MFDA scholarship chair. “It is important to give back to students.” E-mail: ezsockets@juno.com

Darling, vice president/materials at Porteous, started his 38-year fastener career with Bosco Fastening Service Center, a subsidiary of RB&W (now known as ILS) in Dallas. Since joining Porteous in 1988 Darling has taken 30 trips abroad to make more than 1,200 visits to 400 factories and trading companies in Asia.

Most of the regional fastener associations have called on Darling to share his expertise with presentations including inventory control, technology, product pricing changes, the impact of China on the U.S. economy and steel pricing. Email: bdarling@porteousfastener.com �2006 FastenerNews.com