Global Fastener News

Ostashov: Construction Fasteners a Prime Export to Russia

John Wolz

The construction market is a major opportunity for fastener manufacturers wanting to export to Russia, the editor of a Russian fastener magazine advised.
Alexander Ostashov of Fasteners, Adhesives & Tools magazine pointed out that market activity is “intense and Russian manufacturers produce only the simple types of building fasteners.”

Hilti and W�rth have increased sales without discounting prices, Ostashov observed. Koelner built a factory near Saint Petersburg and Fischer opened a Moscow office. In addition many Russian companies now import standard construction fasteners direct from Asia as much as from Europe.

Ostashov told Fastener & Fixing Europe magazine that “specialized fastener products represent an important area of opportunity. Only a few kinds are produced by Russian enterprises for example, there is no anchor manufacturing in Russia.”

“However, the possibilities for foreign specialized fasteners are poorly presented in Russia and fastener consumers are informed only to a small degree,” Ostashov explained. “The designer or construction engineer needs to better understand the advantages of this or that fastener. Therefore the question ‘What are the advantages of this fastener in application?’ remains largely without answer. In many cases the question is not even asked because preference is still given to variants prescribed for decades. The director of one construction engineering firm admitted that they had not risked the use of chemical anchors in an important project, and used through bolts instead.” �2007 FastenerNews.com and Fastener & Fixing Europe