SHOW NEWS: Optimism Abounds at Russian Fastener Show

John Wolz

Optimism about Russian fastener production was apparent at the fifth Fastech Exhibition in March, Fastener & Fixing Europe editor Phil Matten reported.
Two major manufacturing technology booths in the main hall at the Sokolnik Culture & Exhibition Centre outside Moscow Italy”s Sacma Group increased its presence form 2006 and shipped machinery to the show for the first time. German turnkey specialist WSD, representing National Machinery and others, featured a Formax header.
Ironically, though the Sacma machines were already sold to Russian customers, import regulations required the machines be returned to Italy and reshipped at a cost of over $30,000 a piece.
WSD represents a range of services from wire preparation through manufacturing heat treating, plating, packaging and training. “The training support is key,” a WSD official told Matten. “The maximum force you need to adjust a Formax is a small plastic hammer. Here setters are more used to taking a sledge hammer to the machine.”
Carlo Salvi and Czech nail machine makers Kovopol and five Taiwan manufacturers and heat treaters also exhibited.
Matten found the “increased optimism at the manufacturing technology prospects reflects a series of crucial trends in Russia.” Manufacturers are developing finance sources to expand such as the UZPS”s purchase of a plant and US$30 million in equipment from the German Wafos Group last year.
“Consumers are showing increasing discontent with the unreliability of Russian vehicles and preferring Korean, Japanese and Western European vehicles even at the low value end of the market,” Matten quoted trade show participants.
Automaker Avtovaz holds a large stock of unsold Ladas and has opened warned fastener supplier BeZan to improve quality or risk Avtovaz importing automotive fasteners or producing its own fasteners.
BeZan employs 6,500 people.
The number of Russian exhibitors fell and the number of exhibiting companies dropped 10% but total floor space increased due to larger booths.
Chinese manufacturers gained an advantage with the opening of rail freight options from China, avoiding the longer shipping route to St. Petersburg.
European exhibitors included more stainless steel specialists, including WASI showing for the first time and Schafer & Peters for the second year.
Matten note that historically, Russians have relied on heavily galvanized carbon steel fasteners or more specialized alloys including Titanium.
Russian “Goss” standards are slowly being “harmonized” with European standards and regulation, especially in construction, “is intensive with apparently more effective enforcement driving quality demands upwards,” Matten observed. UK-based construction fixings test equipment supplier Hydrajaws has found success in Russia.
English is spoken by only one in 50 Fastec visitors, making a translator necessary, Matten observed.
Several European companies have opened offices in Russia.
“Russian customs procedures are, at best, longwinded and unreliable, and at worst corrupt, making it a real gamble to service customers from outside the country, and in-country inventory a virtual essential,” Matten explained.
It is equally important to recognize that “Russians of all age groups retain a fierce patriotism, bruised by most certainly not bowed by the last two decades, and an innate unease about the motives of foreigners. Respecting things Russian is fundamental to doing good business.” Web: fastec.ru \ �2007 FastenerNews.com