Birmingham Fastener and Supply Inc. won the 2018 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year award in the medium category.

The award is given by the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network. Companies are awarded based on financial growth, manufacturing leadership, market leadership, leadership development, and workforce enhancement. Awards are presented in three categories based on employee size and revenues.

Founded in 1980 by Howard Tinney, Birmingham Fastener has manufacturing operations in Alabama and distribution centers in Alabama, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Connecticut and Wisconsin and is headquartered at 931 Ave. West, Birmingham, AL 35214. Tel: 205 595-3511 Web: BhamFast.com


Centennial Bolt plans “to build a new plant in the Midwest, add new product lines, increase the size of its workforce and give out more bonuses as a result of savings and increased competitiveness from the recent passage of historic tax reform legislation,” according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

The new product line from the planned facility “is something right now that’s being manufactured primarily in China,” stated president Mark Cordova. “We’re actually going to be at a competitive level to build it in the United States again.”

Other plans include increasing its workforce by 30% (from 50 employees to 65) and upgrading machinery at existing facilities in Colorado and California.

Cordova said the tax bill prompted Centennial Bolt to give bonuses to hourly employees totaling about 5% of their salary. A second bonus is planned for mid 2018.

In addition, the company is donating some of its tax savings to combat homelessness. In 2017, Centennial Bolt supported the opening of a 150-bed women’s shelter in Denver. The company also plans to expand its charitable giving to California, where it also has a sister facility, Cordova Bolt, Inc.

Founded in 1975 by Moses and Rachel Cordova, Cordova Bolt is located at 5601 Dolly Ave., Buena Park, CA  90621. Tel: 714 739-7500 Web: CordovaBolt.com

Founded in 1979, Centennial Bolt supplies fasteners to construction and utility-related industries, and is headquartered at 4930 Fox Street, #A, Denver, CO 80216. Tel: 303 371-1370 Web: CentennialBolt.com


Componentes Innovadores, Innovative Components Inc.’s fully owned Costa Rican factory, has achieved certification of the new ISO 9001:2015 standard. The facility opened in 2006.

“Congratulations to Hector Ortiz and his team for the successful transition,” the company stated.

Founded in 1992 by Mike O’Connor, Innovative Components utilizes recycled plastics in manufacturing knobs, pins, thread identifiers, latches, and nylon tip fasteners. Innovative Components is headquartered at 1050 National Pkwy., Schaumburg, IL 60173. Tel: 847 885-9050 Web: knobsource.com


Earnest Machine added equipment at its Ohio facility, enabling high-volume production and specialty drilling of holes.

Manufacturing manager Al Shannon said the equipment “opens up additional opportunities, enabling us to bring more drilling services in-house and allows us to take on higher volume runs of up to one million pieces.”

It allows Earnest to offer “one-stop shopping for customers who need specialty work, making custom jobs quick and easy. Earnest already provide hex head and socket head drilling up to 1-1/4” diameter; thread drilling up to 2” diameter; core drilling up to 2-3/4” deep and tapping up to 2-1/2” deep.

“At Earnest Machine, we track our shop metrics and our on-time delivery rate is 97.4%,” Shannon said.

Founded in 1948, Earnest Machine is an importer, master distributor and manufacturer of large diameter and hard-to-find fasteners for agriculture, construction, heavy transportation, mining, structural construction and wind industries, and is headquartered at 1250 Linda St. #303, Rocky River, OH 44116. Tel: 440 895-8400 Email: PJG@EarnestMachine.com Web: EarnestMachine.com


Shannon Precision Fasteners LLC for the second year received a General Motors Supplier of the Year award.

GM Supplier of the Year awards include 11 companies earning GM’s Innovation and Overdrive awards. GM recognized 9 suppliers owned by minorities or women.

The 2017 award winners were chosen by a team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives.

Formed in 2004 with a goal of reducing variation in the fastener production process, today Shannon states it “can routinely hold half of traditional tolerances” by leveraging technological advances.

Shannon also has received supplier awards for Ford and FiatChrysler and has ISO and IATF certifications. 

Shannon opened a second plant is Auburn Hills, MI, and is headquartered at 31600 Stephenson Hwy., Madison Heights, MI 48071. Tel: 248 589-9670 Web: shannonpf.com


Ken Misch is the new managing director at Würth Timberline Fasteners, succeeding Russ Doran.

Doran is retiring but will continue with special projects for Würth Industry of North America. He entered the fastener industry as GM for A&I Bolt and Nut in 1990 after managing a steel-related manufacturer.

A&I, founded in 1923 by Ralph Kramer and his son Joel Kramer, was acquired by the McCallin family in 1985. It was rebranded as Timberline in 2000 and Doran acquired the company in 2007. Würth acquired Timberline in 2014.

A&I was a founding member of both the National Fastener Distributors Association and the Western Association of Fastener Distributors (now Pacific-West Fastener Association).

Doran, who was Pac-West president from 2011-2013, said the biggest change in fastener distribution is that the “full line stocking distributor model which was viable in 1990 is difficult to defend today. You cannot be a ‘jack of all trades.’ You have three options: Get big, get focused or get bought.”

The Internet, Amazon and Grainger have created “a completely different market,” Doran told FIN. Setting up a distributorship with a “shingle out at the front door is not focused.”

The 14 companies within WINA have “entrepreneurial independence” and operate under “standardizing, not centralizing.”

Würth Timberline is headquartered at 6195 Clemont St., Commerce City, CO 80022. Tel: 303 287-5555 Email: info@TimberlineFasteners.com Web: TimberlineFasteners.com