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News & PR
We’re creating quite a buzz.
As an industry leader, we are constantly seeking ways to improve our programs, products and services. Our innovative programs, including Active Inventory Management, continue to set higher standards. Our experience and expertise are highly regarded by our customers and our colleagues. We are helping to shape the future of this industry. Below are News Items and Press Releases that highlight significant milestones in our company history, as well as in our common industry.
From Buddy Blattner, CEO, Active Screw & Fastener
Active Screw & Fastener, Skokie, IL, a leading Sourcing and Inventory Management company, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Action Threaded Products of Countryside, IL. Action Threaded Products is a fastener distributor specializing in stainless steel, ferrous, non-ferrous, and specialty products. “Active will enhance many segments of Action Threaded Products and will increase our current customer benefits,” said Action’s President Raul Torres, “and likewise, Action will support Active’s growth as a foremost supplier of parts and services to Original Equipment Manufacturers.”
This new acquisition will bring about no change to Action’s management or service teams. Raul Torres will continue as President of Action, and will report to Buddy Blattner, President and CEO of Active. Tom Anderson will continue to lead the sales team for Action. Ultimately, we will rename Action to incorporate the Active name and potentially re-brand all of Active to better identify each group’s different activities, but currently, no other changes are planned for Active’s structure.
Action’s customers will be immediately contacted by Active team members to welcome them as Active customers. “This is a thoughtful purchase of a company whose many years of fastener distribution experience and reputation for customer dedication matches ours,” said Buddy Blattner, President of Active. Additionally, Active will immediately invest in technology and coordinated sourcing efforts in order to maximize both companies’ strengths.
As this new relationship evolves over the next year, employees and customers will not only see a rise in daily efficiencies, but also a full bodied line of products and services, matched with dedicated customer service, that supports manufacturers ongoing efforts to grow.
From Buddy Blattner, CEO, Active Screw & Fastener
The demand for fasteners in Taiwan has noticeably increased compared to our visit just one year ago. For example, one supplier we met with last year was only working three days per week. This year, the same supplier is working at 90% capacity. Several factors account for this increase. European regulators have attached anti-dumping duties on some Chinese fasteners. Those items are now being purchased in Taiwan. Additionally, pent up U.S. demand is growing and orders are being placed. As of today, the U.S. demand has not begun to rise at a similar pace.
Raw material pricing is growing. The major supplier for wire fasteners is the Taiwanese controlled, China Steel Corporation. China Steel is now experiencing demand for its product based on the increasing demand for fasteners. Chinese manufacturers of wire for fasteners are not allowed to export, leaving Japanese and Korean suppliers, known for their high prices, as the remaining suppliers. The large Iron Ore processors are placing higher prices on their raw materials, which make up over 40% of total fastener costs. This will translate into double digit wire rod cost increases for the third quarter of 2010.
China is using a lot of raw material; even with an 8-10% increase in GNP, this is still an understatement. Ed and I traveled through three provinces and saw an amazing amount of buildings, highways, and railroads being built. It seemed as though every crane in the world was in use in China during our visit.
Each of these kinds of projects requires Steel and Iron Ore. With a solid understanding of supply and demand, I can soundly state the Chinese are consuming Steel at an unprecedented rate. A March 23, 2010 J.P. Morgan research report outlined a possible 114% increase in the Iron Ore benchmark. This would imply large increases in the cost of wire used for the manufacturer of fasteners and small parts.
At the close of our trip, we attended a fastener expo in Eastern China and until this trip, I had underestimated the size, scope, and ability of the Chinese manufacturers. During our three hour visit, we found an impressive array of items from small to large parts. We learned more detailed nuances of importing and communicating with Chinese manufacturers. They are eager and very capable.
Bryan Burgy of Rockford Fastener, Inc.
Tucson, AZ (December 23, 2009) Rockford Fastener, Incorporated, located in Rockford, Illinois, has unseated Ho Hong Works’ two year reign to take home the “2009 Vendor of the Year” award presented by Active Screw & Fastener. This award represents the highest level of industry standards as designated by the Six-Star Program, which is based on superior standards of performance for vendors/suppliers.
Each year a vendor is selected who consistently meets and exceeds the Six-Star standards. This year’s ceremony was held in Rockford, Illinois, on December 9, 2009 where Mr. Bryan Burgy, President of Rockford Fastener Incorporated, was presented the “2009 Vendor of the Year” award. During the luncheon ceremony Burgy accepted the award with over 40 employees in attendance. This marks the first year a domestic supplier has attained the highest level.
In 2007, President and CEO of Active Screw & Fastener, Buddy Blattner collaborated with industry vendors/suppliers to develop this Six-Star program. Vendors must first qualify as a
Six-Star Vendor. To quality, all products a company provides to Active Screw & Fastener must have no rejections for over two years. Suppliers receive honors by reaching levels four, five or six stars, as specifically defined by the program. Upon outlining the vendor program, a “Vendor of the Year” award was created. This award provides public recognition to one company each year that most exemplifies what Active Screw & Fastener considers a great vendor. Three critical components are reviewed: 1) Price, 2) Quality, and 3) Service. The 2009 award ceremony marks the third year of this prestigious recognition.
As any business person understands, products from key vendors often provide the identifiable backbone of the business. As Blattner explains, “Active expects, from vendors, what we expect from ourselves; exceptional service, exceptional quality, and a price commensurate with the quality and service we provide.”
Buddy Blattner, CEO Active (Left), Bryan Burgy, President Rockford (Right)
ISO 9001:2008 Certification Achieved
Active Screw & Fastener has successfully completed the re-certification/transition to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. This new edition of ISO 9001 was published in December 2008 and released in February 2009.
ISO 9001:2008 does not introduce additional requirements compared to the last edition in 2000, nor does it change the intent of ISO 9001:2000. ISO 9001:2008 is the fourth edition of the standard, which was first published in 1987. The third edition, published in 2000, represented a thorough revision, including new requirements and an enhanced customer focus. It reflected developments in quality management, as well as valuable experience gained since publication of the initial version. Compared to the 2000 revision, ISO 9001:2008 represents fine-tuning, rather than a thorough re-write or overhaul. It introduces clarifications to the requirements existing in ISO 9001:2000, based on user experience over the last eight years.
Active Screw & Fastener also received a commendation, from our Registrar, for the Active Access Tool, which is a customer centric portal that delivers service offerings, usage reports and searchable commodities by various critical specifications.
We believe that our 2009 ISO audit results reflect our continuing commitment to provide quality products and services that meet and exceed customer requirements through continuous improvement processes involving our employees and suppliers.
Active Screw and Fastener’s Tucson, Arizona location was awarded the state Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award on October 23, 2009. The award was presented to Buddy Blattner, CEO and Barbara Sullivan, Admin & Finance Manager at the Scottsdale Marriott Mountain Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, by the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award committee chair. The win was recognized on the Arizona state level. Active will now compete at the national level for this award.
Established in 1999 by the American Psychological Association (PHWA), this award was designed to recognize organizations for their efforts to promote employee health and well being while enhancing organizational performance. For a company to be considered, a referral must be submitted directly to the PHWA. Following the application process, an on-site interview must be conducted. Candidates under review are evaluated on their workplace practices in the areas of employee involvement, health/safety, employee growth/development, work/life balance, employee recognition, as well as the attitudes and opinions of current employees.
Pictured: Buddy Blattner CEO Active (Center), Dr. John Blattner Chairman APA (Right)
New Customer Focused
Portal -
Saves Time, Money
& Increases Efficiencies
(June 8, 2009) If information is king, then Active Screw & Fastener customers’ will
all be king’s when they receive their key to customized account information on
June 15th. Active’s customer centric portal, Active Access, will offer a spectrum of services and
solutions to help strengthen end-to-end business relationships. This quick
reference point will be accessible anytime of the day from any location in the
world, provided internet capabilities are available.
Active Access will offer a proprietary service
called Active Items outlining all
parts and specs currently supplied to each Active client. This sub-category
within the Active Access database,
will allow clients to view photos of each inventoried item, a print of each
item and the Last Twelve Months (LTM) usage report (in units). Searching by commodities, size, thread style,
thread pitch, drive, and other specifications will also be available.
This extensive project was developed in order to meet the
demand of multinational and multidivisional companies. Although manufacturing
and engineering departments will most likely be the predominate users, it is
expected that executives will find this portal a valuable resource for quick
snapshots of company estimated annual usage.
Active Access is the first of several new
services set to launch over the next six-months. As a benefit to clients, other brands are
being created that encompass customized sourcing solutions to help manage
inventory, save time, save money and increase efficiencies.
Current clients will receive a step-by-step tutorial on
the program via e-mail on Monday, June 15th. Customers new to the Active family will receive their key to
the kingdom of knowledge within days of coming on board. On-going support of Active Access will be provided by way of Active’s account managers and sales executives. If information is
still king, then shouldn’t it be vast, accessible and accurate?
