Global Fastener News

Fastener Machinery Expo to Be Co-Located With Interwire in 2007; Fastener Week May Be Revised

John Wolz

The International Fastener Machinery & Suppliers Association and the Wire Association International trade shows will be co-located for 2007.
The manufacturing-oriented International Fastener Exposition fastener machinery trade show will be held with the Interwire exhibition May 5-10, 2007, at the I-X Center in Cleveland.

It will be a revival of the International Fastener Exposition, which was held every other year in the 1980s until Reed Expositions produced the show during the 1990s. For 2001 the Industrial Fasteners Institute and IFMSA went together to form the International Fastener & Forming Exhibition. IFFI was held on its own in 2001 and 2003. In 2005 IFFI was held alongside the distribution-oriented Mid-West Fastener Expo and as part of Fastener Week in Chicago.

IFMSA executive director Ray Zirkle told FastenerNews.com that the “co-location of these two events marks the return of a similar combination that occurred in the 1980s. From the rod and accessory suppliers to the many equipment manufacturers that service both the wire and fastener markets, there is great value in linking the two events.”

Fastener Week Plans

The IFI will not be directly involved in the 2007 trade show. IFI managing director Rob Harris explained that some IFMSA members wanted a show in conjunction with WAI, but “we did not feel that was consistent with the Fastener Week concept of co-locating fastener-oriented shows, meetings and technical conferences.”
The Fastener Week concept allows industry-wide participants to save travel time and money “while allowing all elements of the industry to network together on common issues, problems and opportunities.”

The IFI and IFMSA reached a “mutually acceptable agreement and settlement to dissolve our arrangement for the 2007 show” and “all parties will thereafter proceed with packaging what makes the most sense for their constituents for future events.”
“For the IFI that means working with our sister fastener industry manufacturing, distribution and industry supplier associations and companies on future shows, including international participation.”

The IFI retained ownership of the IFFI and Fastener Week names, Harris noted. “We look forward to working within the industry on putting together an event by the industry, for the industry and to the direct benefit of the industry in future years.”
Industry associations have already talked about a revised Fastener Week for 2007 or 2008, but no format has been established.

IFMSA represents 92 companies that sell equipment, supplies and services to the global fastener industry. E-mail: rzirkle@bzsales.com
WAI is an individual member-based educational organization with 2,500 members from 65 countries. wirenet.org
The IFI, represents North American manufacturers of industrial aerospace and automotive fasteners and suppliers of raw material and production services. E-mail: rharris@indfast.com Web: industrial-fasteners.org �2006 FastenerNews.com