Global Fastener News

Vogelsang Fastener Solutions Inc. is marking its 50th anniversary as a U.S. company.

The Vogelsang name entered the North American fastener industry in 1972 distributing tension Rollpins made in Europe by Joerg Vogelsang and marketed through its Viking Tension Products in New Jersey.

Today Vogelsang Fastener Solutions is a German-owned, private U.S. & European manufacturer of tubular engineered fasteners with manufacturing facilities in New Jersey, Kentucky, Germany, Czech Republic, France and China. Vogelsang has 90 U.S. employees and 325 worldwide.

VFS products today include slotted tension pins; tension bushings; ground hollow dowels; compression limiters; automotive spring pings; spindles and custom engineered pins.

In 1976, Vogelsang acquired Viking Tension Products. In 1980, Vogelsang moved to a 15,000 sq ft facility in Eatontown, NJ, and began manufacturing tension bushings and started a steel slitting operation. By 1982, Vogelsang started manufacturing Rollpins.

By 1985, equipment was developed in Germany for fractional size coil pins for North America. In 1989 Vogalsang purchased the roll forming equipment assets from Elastic Stop Nut Corp.

Vogelsang opened a 50,000 sq ft facility in Lakewood, NJ, and added spacer products developed in Germany to its products in 1990.

During the 1990s, Vogelsang qualified for QS-9000  and ISO 9002 accreditation.

In 2006 Vogelsang was acquired by a European private equity group, Finatem, which specializes in manufacturing companies. Vogelsang became part of European Fasteners GmbH with facilities in Germany, France and Czech Republic.

Germany assisted Vogelsang in developing a market for specialized rolled metal products for the automotive industry.

Vogelsang rolled out a quick ship program for ‘quick ship’ program for coil pins, Rollpin, and tension bushings in 2009 and installed a 400-ton press line with in-line knurling and profiling capability.

In 2010 Vogelsang’s German plant built a product tool for an axle product to be produced in New Jersey.

In 2013 Vogelsang built a 40,000 sq.ft. facility in the automotive belt in Kentucky. By 2016 the plant was doubled in square footage.

Vogelsang-Mecanindus Metal Forming Co. Ltd. was formed in China for automotive products.

In 2014 VFS added a ERP system and fastener production equipment was relocated to Europe.  The New Jersey facility was renovated to become 29,000 sq ft of warehouse/office space.

Nick Penney, who started in the fastener industry in inside sales at Bell Fastener, was recruited to be sales manager at Vogelsang in 2011.  

Penney said he is most proud of the quality of the parts at VFS and “phenomenal engineering.”

Pinney said the European owners allow the U.S. to operate independently.

During Covid-19, Vogelsang plants scaled back and some people worked remotely, Penney said. Sales overall dropped 7%, but were saved by transportation and medical customers making up for most of the loss to other industries.

Plants could continue to operate because those working inside “are pretty far apart,” Penney observed. Plants in Europe closed longer than in U.S.

In addition to Penney, VFS is led by managing director Dale Stuban; Eric Delonge, purchasing manager; Jan Stuben, director of finance & administration; Will Brooks, warehouse manager; and Carrie Forgione, sales leader.

VFS is headquartered at 1790 Swarthmore Ave., Lakewood, NJ 08701-4593. Tel: 732 364-4422 Web: VogelsangFastener.com