Fastener Fair Stuttgart Opens

February 24

00:00 2013

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FEATURE

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The first Fastener Fair took place in October 1995 at Castle Donington in the East Midlands of England.

UK socket screw wholesaler Jerry Ramsdale, organizer of the exhibition, was looking to expand his business, but there was no exhibition targeting the fastener distribution industry.

Ramsdale told FIN the first exhibition was the hardest to organize, with a steep learning curve and only 27 exhibitors, but thousands of visitors.

“With the ratio of visitors to exhibitors, it was the best exhibition ever for those who took part,” Ramsdale told FIN.

The exhibition grew and in 2005 the first Fastener Fair Stuttgart, in Germany was launched. Exhibitors of raw material, fastener production machinery, coatings, product manufacturers and distributors of construction fixings and industrial fasteners.

In 2008 Fastener Fair Budapest was launched.

The Stuttgart trade show outgrew its original location and moved to Messe Stuttgart near the airport for 2009. That allowed more than 600 exhibiting companies for 2009 and FFS outgrew the National Industrial Fastener Show.

For decades NIFS had proclaimed its trade shows – first in Columbus, OH, and then in Las Vegas – as the “World’s Largest Fastener Show.” The October 2009 Stuttgart show drew 5,993 people, compared with 3,943 registrations for the November NIFS/West.

There were 625 exhibiting companies at the show in Germany vs. 497 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Since acquiring Fastener Fair in 2010, the UK-based international exposition firm Mack Brooks has added Fastener Fairs in Brazil, India,Thailand, Russia, China, Turkey and Mexico.

For a listing of fastener expos worldwide, click on Trade Shows at GlobalFastenerNews.com.

For the story of Fastener Fair, click on these articles from the Fastener History section of GlobalFastenerNews.com.

• First Fastener Fair Held in 1995 in England

• 2009 FIN – ‘World’s Largest’ Title Goes to Fastener Fair Stuttgart

• 2010 FIN – International Show Organizer Mack Brooks Acquires Fastener Fair

Global Fastener News