Fontana Fasterners Ibérica, 3 1 screws and bolts

As it explains us Jesús Herrera, general director of the company, this union forms part of the own strategy of company of Fontana Group, that explains, on the one hand, with factories of production and, by another, subsidiaries of distribution. “Fontana Has 15 plants of production where manufactures more than 10.000 million screws and, in some cases, sells directly to customers. It is the case of the sector of the automotion. But also it sells to his subsidiaries of distribution”.

This decision supposes to happen of three small companies to an a lot greater entity. “Why? As because although GFD operated pure and duramente in the distribution, his market was the one who was. Ramon Trench was a more local company that operated in the field of Catalonia in the sector industry and Lotor directed to the sector automotion. They were three small realities. Now we are an a lot of elder”.

This reports advantages also for his own customers. “If you have a commercial structure from the fusion of national field, the activity in the local industry can extend it to the rest of Spain because you already have of the network of sales. The commercial that somehow operated in the area of distribution in the zone of Andalucia, today can also devote to the industry, creating sinergias positive of business”.

Of the same way, also have a transversal service that can cover all the needs that present . “That is to say, if before it had a need in the field of the distribution, the customer called to GFD. But if it was for the sector of the industry, looked for another company. Now it finds in Fontana the solution to any need inside the tornillería and the bulonería. For the time being we do not leave without assisting to any sector of our field”.

In fact, can have the fingers of a hand the companies inside the tornillería and the bulonería that cover a so wide market like Spain and Portugal and that cover from the automotion until the industry and the distribution. “And our portafolio of customers includes from leading companies like Seat or Nissan until the ferretero that buys a box of screws, the installer, etc.”.

Concentrated and competitive

The reason that explains the Union of these three companies must be sought in the economic situation that we are dragging already (too long).

As Jesus Herrera tells us, "in the period 2007-2008, by the crisis, each of these companies was reduced its business activity, so the integrative process became even more sense to retrieve dimension." "Today would be three even smaller companies than in 2008 and this would be perhaps non-subsistence".

“Fontana Has to be seen like a European producer. It is as we position us”. Like this of rotundo expresses Herrera. “We have all the plants of production in Europe”.

Now well, if we speak of his competition, is flour of another costal. If it treats of the area of the automotion, the importing are not competition for Fontana Fasteners. “In the first place, because like provider it is necessary to be recognised/recognized by the manufacturer. If the company does not have this homologation, that award they same, can not be his provider. And to who recognise/recognize the manufacturers of automotion? To the plants of production, as those that Group Fontana has in Europe”.

On the other hand, fits also differentiate the standard product of the special. In the automotion, almost everything is special, in the distribution, the greater part is standard, and in the industrial state, to 50%. And, again, Fontana Fasteners can say that it operates in the three sectors (distribution, automotion and industry) and can offer so much tornillería standard like special. Besides, inside these two categories, has his products for concrete applications. It is the case of the mark TecnoSix, supeditada to a rule of forced European fulfillment CE.

Fontana Fastener Iberian has more than 4,500 m² of warehouse, which brings together a 60,000 references. With suppliers of first level as Aceralia, Arcelor and ThyssenKrupp Steel, employs approximately 44 employees in Spain.

Group Fontana account at present with some 2.500 people employed and with commercial presence in 53 countries.

More than 50% of ‘fasteners' that produces the group are realised/realized under design of the own customer, to end to answer to the exigencias specific of resistance, length and protection. Group Fontana produces also ‘fasteners normal', according to the norms UNIISO DIN standard. The diversification of product, with a range of the widest of the world, allows to the group be present in each sector, industrial or commercial, from the automotion until the machines of movement of earths, of the guardarraíles to the aeolian sticks, the metallic construction, the appliances, etc.

But further of the manufacture and supply of tornillería and bulonería, Fontana stands out also for having a specific society inside the group devoted to the R&D: Fontana R+D, that beside the industrial department, works to create new products and technical solutions that can sue the market.

Tailor-made service

In this section is where most shows how Fontana service transcends the simple sale 'pedido-entrega'. Upon request, signature can apply its experience in techniques "kanban" and deposit management acquired with the multinational customers tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises to take, during the Assembly process, only the necessary component at the right time.

Already in the past edition of Ferroforma could see between his multiple exposed products, and specifically for his application in wood, the new product VBA3, substitutive of the traditional VBA Plus, that incorporates a series of innovations and fulfils/fulfills with the new environmental rule European when being exento of chromium 6.

Treats of a screw with groove type aleta under the head cone of support of 90º, what allows an atornillado perfect in the wood and, besides, adjusts to the majority of the herrajes. It stands out also by his deep footprint that reduces the effect refuse.

On the other hand, fits to mention the new roscar asymmetric (patent GFD) conforms to the norms CE, that improves the resistance to the traction, and his thermal treatment, that allows a flexibility until the 40º and improves the pair of tighten.

Likewise, the milled of the screw reduces considerably the risk of break and facilitates his insertion. Regarding the tip, sharper, improves the hold on to the thread and reduces the times of the atornillado until 20%.

Also is an exclusividad GFD the lubrificación dry, that allows an atornillado faster without effort.

Ecologically responsible

Definitely one of the innovations that supposes the VBA3 is that it is a screw cincado yellow free of chromium 6, possible thanks to a new technology arisen of an ecologically responsible investigation, for an atornillado durable, respectful with the environingingment and the health combined with a perfect resistance to the corrosion.

Up to now, the chromium 6 contributed to the cincado yellow a greater resistance to the corrosion with regard to the cincado soft. However, the chromium 6 is a dangerous product for the environingingment and the health. By this reason, several European rules recently implemented forbid his use in electrical and electronic materials, of the car, toys, etc.

And GFD has attained to develop a cincado yellow that no longer employs like 6 and that offers a resistance to the equivalent corrosion, but without his toxicity.

The new VBA3 fulfils point by point the exigencias of the European directive on products of the construction (Eurocódigo 5, rule IN 14592), that demands a label CE in the products that employ in the construction. Said label tests that the product fulfils the norms of the DPC. It concedes it only and exclusively an organism recognised by the European Community and approved by the French government.

Three of the exigencias of the DPC affect especially to the fixation:

• mechanical Resistance and stability
• hygiene
• Hygiene, health and environingingment

Besides, this norm NF IN 14592 allows to implement in the French markets and European a norm of reference for the screws and pernos wooden and agglomerated. This norm turns into a referent that guarantees the quality and results.

With standard EN 14399 - 1... 6 took a step forward in the harmonisation of the fasteners of high resistance to metallic structures. In order to adapt to it, Fontana Fasteners offers the TecnoSIX market. A trademark consisting of the range HV, HR and HRC, whose characteristics are:

• It adapts to the Assembly of metal structures in steel
• They can undergo efforts and difficult conditions
• Its characteristics are a dimensional higher on standard hardware (key size)
• They are manufactured with high mechanical resistance characteristics
• It can be produced on request, particularly to increase the corrosion resistance coated
• TecnoSIX products are marked with the value of the coefficient of torque of tightening (K)
• They packaged in a same box (screw, nut and washer)

TecnoSIX hardware includes several product families. It is the case of the screws of heavy-duty metal construction with torque of tightening controlled, HV version (with class 10.9 bolt) and RM (8.8 and 10.9 class), which meet all the requirements of EN 14399-1... 6.

New hardware version HRC, according to the French norm NF EN 25-812 is pending approval in Europe.