NFDA Members are invited to join NAW’s Government Relations team and industry experts on Tuesday, April 8th from 3:00-4:00 PM ET for an update and in-depth look at the Trump Administration’s latest tariff policies and their potential impact on the wholesale distribution industry. 

This webinar will provide key insights into regulatory changes, cost implications, and strategic approaches to mitigate risks and optimize supply chains. Members will also have an opportunity to engage and ask questions to help navigate the dynamic tariff landscape in 2025 and beyond.

Become a Certified Fastener Specialist™ (CFS) with Fastener Training Institute’s series of one-day classes and plant tours. Students who pursue a CFS with these individual classes have the flexibility to spread training out over time. After completion, students are eligible to test for CFS designation. 

“It’s a great solution for those who are unable to take an entire week off for Fastener Training Week,” said Jo Morris, Managing Director for Fastener Training Institute. “CFS classes can be taken in any order and at any time.”

The Fastener Training Institute (FTI) will present Fastening 101 ahead of Fastener Fair USA in Nashville on Tuesday, May 27. Come for the class and stay for the show – or come to the show and take the class.

“Our Fastening 101 class has really evolved. The content is extensive and offers much more than the basics,” said Jo Morris, Managing Director for FTI. “It’s the perfect way to kick-off the show.”

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) will host its next Fastener Training Week, April 7-11, in Cleveland, OH. Fastener Training Week, sponsored by Birmingham Fastener, is FTI’s flagship training program that earns students Certified Fastener Specialist™ (CFS) designation after completion and passing a final exam. 

“We look forward to welcoming our next class of Fastener Training Week students! Completing the class and becoming a Certified Fastener Specialist™ is a significant accomplishment,” said Jo Morris, Managing Director for FTI. “We are proud to make our industry safer and more reliable through advanced training.”

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is pleased to announce Würth Industry USA (WIUSA) will continue as its sustaining sponsor once again in 2025. 

The union highlights the significance of training. “Since 2019, Würth has been by our side prioritizing the importance of fastener education for all levels in our industry,” said Jo Morris, Managing Director for FTI. “We are humbled by Würth’s ongoing commitment and truly value our partnership.”

Milan is preparing to host the fourth edition of Fastener Fair Italy, the leading event for the fasteners and fixing industry, scheduled between October 29 and 30, 2024, at CityLife - Allianz MiCo, in Milan, Italy. With just one month to go, over 200 exhibitors from 18 countries have already confirmed their participation, with strong representation from companies in Italy, Germany, Turkey, China, and Taiwan, highlighting the strategic importance of the event and the high level of activity in the sector in Italy. 

The fair is an unmissable event for manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and end users of fastening systems and related technologies, as well as a unique opportunity to strengthen business relationships, discover the latest innovations and market trends, and forge new collaborations. In a rapidly evolving economic environment, the fair stands out as the ideal platform for exploring advanced technological solutions and addressing the new challenges related to sustainability and production digitalisation. 

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) will host its final Fastener Training Week of 2024 in Cleveland, OH, November 18-22. This five-day advanced fastener training program will be held at Industrial Fasteners Institute and is presented by Birmingham Fastener. 

FTI offers three Fastener Training Weeks each year. Graduates are eligible for Certified Fastener Specialist™ (CFS) designation upon class completion and passing a final exam. 

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is excited to announce a new Spanish Webinar Series offering dual access for both English and Spanish speaking attendees. 

“Spanish training has been a goal of ours for years. Removing the language barrier for training is important and it will make the perfect training opportunity for entire teams. It’s critical everyone in our industry has access,” shared FTI’s Marketing Director, Jo Morris. 

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) will host a Fastener Basics and Beyond Workshop during International Fastener Expo (IFE) on Monday, September 9, in Las Vegas – the first day of the 2024 show. 

Carmen Vertullo, FTI instructor, and owner and founder of Carver Labs, will present the workshop. Attendees will invest in professional development by expanding knowledge well beyond the basics. 

The Gilchrist Foundation has awarded three scholarships from the 2024 applicants. Congratulations to the recipients, we wish them well and are pleased to assist them with their education.  

They are as follows and their sponsoring companies:

Preparations are underway for the 4th edition of Fastener Fair Italy, the biennial event dedicated to the fastener and fixing industry. The event will kick off on October 29th in Milan, in hall 3, at CityLife - Allianz MiCo. Starting today, online registrations are open for free access at this link.

This is an unmissable two-day event dedicated to fastening and fixing technologies, where national and international producers and distributors will showcase their products, equipment and services. At the show, attendees can expect to see the latest innovations and technological advancements in the industry.

Fastener Training Week, the flagship fastener training program from Fastener Training Institute (FTI), returns to Chicago this year from August 19 to August 23.

The event will be held at the Lincolnshire Marriott and hosted by the Mid-West Fasteners Association (MWFA) as part of their annual FSTNR Week.

The Fastener Training Institute (FTI) will offer two training classes during the Fastener Fair Conference at Fastener Fair USA in May. Each class will be presented by Laurence Claus, Industrial Fasteners Institute’s Director of Education and Training. 

• The Making of Fasteners & the Cost Drivers Behind this Engineering Marvel, is planned for Tuesday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In this full-day class, Claus will take students into the fastener manufacturing world to explore why these sometimes-underappreciated components are complex engineering marvels. Topics will include fastener production methods (cold heading, hot heading and screw machining); the advantages and disadvantages of each manufacturing method; and thread rolling, grinding, machining, heat treatment and plating. 

The Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is pleased to announce Würth Industry North America (WINA) will continue as sustaining sponsor in 2024. 

FTI is the leading nonprofit provider of fastener product and technical training with content-rich and expertly instructed courses. WINA is a division of Würth Group, the world’s largest industrial distributor. The partnership between FTI and WINA is now in its sixth consecutive year. 

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is excited to announce a four-part webinar series for its Fastener Basics course. 

Students can learn over lunch and complete the training across four Thursdays this spring - March 28, April 25, May 30 and June 27. Each webinar will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time and will include time for audience Q & A.  

The Gilchrist Foundation scholarship application is available at: http://www.gilchristfoundation.com

Robbie and Gina Gilchrist established the Gilchrist Foundation Fastener Scholarship in 2000. Their goal was to return something to an industry that was very good and supportive to them.

The Fastener Training Institute (FTI) announces it will offer Fastener Training Week in Southern California, December 4-8. It comes on the heels of a sold-out session, so advance registration is encouraged.

“We had an incredible full class in Chicago last month and are eager to be on the west coast for an equally successful training week,” shared Jo Morris, FTI marketing director. “It’s wonderful to support students on the path to acquiring advanced knowledge, skills and confidence,” she added.

Fastener Training Institute (FTI) announces upcoming Fastener Basics classes in three separate locations in Colorado and California.

September 22: Denver, CO
September 27: Los Angeles, CA
November 16: Union City, CA

The Gilchrist Foundation has awarded two scholarships from the 2023 applicants.  Congratulations to the recipients, we wish them well and are pleased to assist them with their education.  

They are as follows and their sponsoring companies:

The Industrial Fasteners Institute (IFI) has announced it is starting the development of a groundbreaking new apprenticeship program for machine operators that will be recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. This program aims to address the pressing issue of workforce shortage in the fastener manufacturing industry. With an increasing number of skilled machine operators retiring each year, the need to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the next generation has become critical. IFI has partnered on the development of the apprenticeship program with the Marshall University Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC), located in West Virginia. Marshall’s MAMC is well versed in the development of apprenticeship programs, having successfully written and implemented multiple such programs in use across the country today.  

"The shortage of workers in fastener manufacturing will not resolve on its own. With each passing year, our industry continues to lose skilled machine operators to retirement, and that knowledge must be passed on to the next generation," stated Dan Walker, Managing Director of IFI. "IFI and its members have decided to roll up our sleeves and create an apprenticeship program for our industry to help solve this ongoing problem."