Global Fastener News

November 5, 1981 FIN – Kentucky Threaded Products, a new fastener manufacturer located in Louisville, “should be 9% capable by mid-November,” president Finley Garvin tells FIN.
It will be a manufacturer of specialty fasteners such as anchor bolts, U bolts, eye bolts, J-bolts, all-thread studs, etc.
“There won’t be any heading,” Garvin says. “It will be strictly cutting steel bending it and threading it. We will also do welding as I pipe sleeve/anchor bolt type assemblies.”
Asked by FIN about getting into fastener manufacture at a time when others are fleeing, Garvin responds, “I personally just think it’s a good time. Even though things aren’t real good throughout, now’s a good time to try to get set up. If we can just get enough business to maintain us as far as financing is concerned until things do turn around, then we’ll be ready for it. This is better than trying to go into something when it’s booming and the, when it slows way down, you get into one of those over-extended type deals.”

The company is going to market through fastener distributors, mill supply houses and construction supply houses. The majority of their business will be construction with some OEM business in U bolts and double-end type studs.

Garvin was with Southeaster Bolt & Screw for 14 years, the last two as a district manager for them in Columbia, S.C., where he oversaw five of their operations.
His partner is Charles Yates, who will handle production. He is a machinist and tool and die maker, who worked for a Louisville company, Stauble Machining & Tool, for eight years.

How much capital do you need to start such a business?  “As much as you can get,” Garvin tells FIN. “You could really get started with a minimal amount by just going around and trying to find equipment here and there and trying to fix it up yourself. It’s a question of how much time you can take to set up and begin some kind of production. It takes a lot longer than I thought it would take, I’ll tell you that. We’ve bought all of the equipment now and are in the process of setting up and getting it tooled. We already have the majority of our raw material inventory in.”

The location of the new company is: Kentucky Threaded Products, 4102 Bishop Lane, Louisville, KY 40218. Phone: (502) 968-8224. ©1981/2012 Fastener Industry News
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