International Fastener Expo successfully staged the 40th edition of the event September 21 – 23 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. The three-day event was packed with special events, opportunities to network and a robust conference agenda. Despite a different year, the feedback from exhibitors and attendees was largely positive and many were thrilled to be back and connect as an industry in-person. Morgan Wilson, Show Manager of International Fastener Expo provided additional insight. “Exhibitors and Attendees both commonly stated they experienced high-quality interactions and it was clear those who participated this year were focused on doing business.”
Day one of the event kicked off Tuesday morning with the 2nd annual golf tournament at Bali Hai Golf Club. More than 90 players across 23 teams enjoyed friendly competition, networking and good times. First place, second place and third place teams were awarded prizes. Participants were also awarded prizes for longest drive and closest to the pin. Congratulations to the winners!
First Place Team: Erik Mason, Tim Quick, Dennis Doyle and Jack Dobek
Second Place Team: Michael Morrissey, Chris Berner, Dan Finucan and Jason Shortt
Third Place (tie): Kyle Lang, Zachary Schihl, Brad Burel and Erik Lang
Aaron Dollenmeyer, Mike Weishaar and Ted Grove
Women Closest to the Pin: Jamie Ausec
Men Closest to the Pin: Dennis Doyle
Women Longest Drive: Tara Rinkdskopf
Men Longest Drive: Mike Shall
Day one concluded with the annual Welcome Reception at Mandalay Bay’s Daylight Pool, where more than 500 industry leaders gathered to celebrate the Golf Tournament winners and enjoy an open bar, light appetizers and live DJ entertainment.
With health and safety protocols in place, the expo hall was buzzing with productive business on the remaining days of the show. Noteworthy attending companies included Fastenal, Bossard North America, D.B. Roberts Company, Penn Engineering, Stanley Industries, Field Fastener, All Integrated Solutions (AIS) and ITW Shakeproof Industrial. Top exhibitors included Brighton-Best, B&D Cold Headed Products, Nucor Fastener, G.L. Huyett, American Ring, Doerken Coatings North America and Durham Manufacturing. “Our team worked tirelessly to ensure our fastener community felt safe and comfortable at IFE this year, and we are thankful for those that trusted and supported us,” added Morgan Wilson. The overall sentiment of show guests was positive with one exhibitor noting, “[International Fastener Expo is] the most important and productive fastener industry event of the year!” Many attendees echoed the sentiment, with one saying, “I really liked the smaller show as I was able to get better meetings with fewer distractions. This was excellent for me and my agenda.”
Continuing the tradition, the 2021 Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional of the Year Award winners were celebrated at a ceremony at the Session Stage on Wednesday afternoon. The Hall of Fame and Young Fastener Professional of the Year Awards recognize those who have made lasting inputs to the fastener industry on a national or global scale, and leaders, 40 years old or younger, who already have a record of integrity and respect in the industry. Steve Andrasik of Brighton-Best International, Charlie Kerr of Kerr Lakeside and Nancy Rich of Mid-West Fastener Association were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Melissa Patel of FIELD was selected as the 2021 Young Fastener Professional of the Year. Recipients not able to attend provided a recorded acceptance speech.
The Session Stage provided the perfect place for attendees to learn about the latest fastener trends and tools, with nine cutting-edge sessions presented over two days. Session highlights included High Demand and Longer Lead Times – Strategies to Tackle the Post-COVID Supply Chain Double Whammy with Josh Bartel, Co-Founder and CEO Hydrian Inventory Optimization. Josh explored specific strategies that can be used to minimize stockouts in the face of huge demand and supply uncertainty. Nelson Valderrama hosted another session titled, Did You Think Artificial Intelligence is Only Being Used by the Largest Distributors? Think Again. This session focused on common misconceptions surrounding AI and explored the benefits of incorporating the technology into your business. Finally, Lyndon Lattie, Chirag Patel and Mike Gray explained the benefits of adopting eCommerce in a panel discussion hosted by Mili Dutta, eCommerce for the Fastener Industry: Your Questions Answered.
International Fastener Expo 2022 will take place October 17 – 19 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. For show updates and to be the first to know when registration opens, click here.
