Interview with Eurotec - A German Based Specialist and Manufacturer of Fastening Solutions

1. Please briefly talk about the company history, core business & service range, and current main product categories.

Over its short 16-year history, Eurotec GmbH has already become a permanent fixture in the fastening technology sector. Eurotec has made it its mission to develop products that offer the maximum benefit and innovative lead for the professional user. At the same time, the company also realises customer-specific products on an ongoing basis in close collaboration with customers. The core product range consists of screws and fastening systems for the construction materials wood and concrete, as well as high-quality substructures and fastening systems for deck construction. In this regard, it is a declared company philosophy to focus not on the price but on the quality of the products. Our excellent price–performance ratio is confirmed by a constantly growing customer base consisting of more than 4,000 dealers worldwide. Eurotec GmbH’s high quality standard is underlined by numerous building-authority and European technical approvals for all products in the core range. Intensive product advice and the provision of information and product training also form part of Eurotec’s everyday work and are highly valued by its customers.

2. After Eurotec was established in1999, how could the company turn into the current medium-size scale within only 16 years? What is the reason for this success?

The company began its life in a small basement with an adjoining garage, whose 50 pallet bays served as a warehouse. It quickly became clear that the capacities were insufficient. After multiple relocations within Hagen, the decision is made in 2003 to move to a company building in Werkzeugstraße. At the time, the warehouse has space for approx. 300 pallet bays. This warehouse also quickly became too small. After several expansions, the capacities were completely used up and it was time for a new company building! The managing directors search for and find a suitable location. In 2007, the Eurotec team with its 30 staff members moved into the new building at “Unter dem Hofe 5”. This new construction consists of an office wing and an adjoining warehouse with approx. 3,500 pallet bays. Just three years later, the new building became the old building. A new warehouse was built, providing a further 7,500 pallet bays with offices upstairs. In 2012, the company decided to take the next important step. The cornerstone was laid for the production hall, paving the way for in-house production. Since 7 January 2013, the company has been producing a selected part of the wood construction screw range on its first machine in its own production hall in Hagen. In 2014, intensive work is undertaken to further expand in-house production. Now in April 2015 the second machine was brought online at the Hagen site. A third machine is already in development and is expected to arrive in Hagen before the end of 2015. So, the end is still not in sight. This healthy and slow growth was made possible by an economized management. All expansions were realized from own funds.

3. Most of Eurotec's products are for construction applications. Why did Eurotec choose to start business from this application area? What is the current application and future trend of these products in the market?

The construction industry is one of worldwide most reliable and constant business fields. Everywhere and everyday people construct or renovate something. If you look at current statistics the construction output only in Germany are 143 billion USD in 2015 until now. So by today Eurotec offers products for many fields in this big industry starting in the field of traditional timber construction, fastening solutions for concrete, landscaping and deck construction, roofing, cladding and many more. In the future Eurotec will further improve the current portfolio and expand its portfolio to further ranges like raised access floors.

4. How do you define the role of Eurotec in the fastener industry? Compared to other bigger multinational companies, what is Eurotec's advantage and how does Eurotec establish its own global distribution network?

Eurotec has become a constant in the fastening industry and has established a worldwide distribution and customer network. Eurotec is a well-established player in the European construction industry and has expanded its global business to the United States, Near, Middle and Far East up to New Zealand and Australia. Over the next years Eurotec will increase its export business and is seeking to become a worldwide supplier for high quality fastening solutions. This network is being established by starting cooperation with well-known local partners in the individual countries and adapting parts of its portfolio to the local requirements. The clear advantage of Eurotec is the short reaction and lead times, as well as the outstanding flexibility in creating individual customer specific solutions.

5. Since 2013 Eurotec as a distributor has officially stepped into the business of fastener production, what is the incentive? Over the past two years, how did Eurotec play its role as a distributor and manufacturer? What are the current percentages of fastener distribution and production in Eurotec’s business?

Eurotec has expanded its competencies from the simple field of distribution up to a wide range of various production techniques. As we are now able to refer back to a wealth of experience stretching back many years, as well as an extensive technical expertise, partly because in the past, we have successfully realized numerous projects in close cooperation with our customers. By today Eurotec can offer products made by cold forming, plastic injection-moulding, stamping and stamb-bending or even extrusion processes. Since January 2013, the company has been manufacturing a selected part of the wood construction screw range on its first machine in Hagen. In April 2015, this equipment was supplemented with a second machine. Since then, Eurotec has been able to carry out in-house production of screws with diameters of 6 to 10 mm and a length of up to 1 metre. A third machine is already in development and is expected to enter operation later in 2015, further increasing the range of screws that are manufactured in Germany.

6. European fastener users care about quality very much, in this regard, what does Eurotec do to earn customers’ trust and recognition? In addition to Europe, what is the current market deployment and sales of Eurotec in other markets?

Eurotec's focus is on the (further) development of fastening technology that provides users with the greatest number of advantages. We develop fasteners that satisfy our customers' requirements and have the highest possible quality standard. Approvals from the building supervisory authorities for all products in our core range and a series of registerd industrial property rights in Germany to protect unique product innovations underline Eurotec's quality level. Our customers are extremely interested in our intensive product advice, the information that we provide as well as product training, so that our company has become firmly established in the domestic market and to a great extent in the international market as well.

7. Eurotec has been doing business in Europe for many years, what is your point of view about the current and future European and global fastener market? Do you see any trend and challenge that may influence Eurotec in the future?

The complete fastener market is demanding higher standards concerning economic aspects, durability, sustainability and last but not least quality. These requirements are fully according to our paradigms and approaches. We seek to publish more and more the benefits of quality produced in Europe and especially here in Germany. The price structure of our products is fitting the market demands and is suitable and more than fair for the quality standards and benefits we offer. In the future we see ourselves more and more confronted with individual and customer specific solutions which will force us to add new technologies and production techniques to our production facilities. And we are sure that we are well prepared for these challenges.

8. Does Eurotec have any plan to further strength its image as “The specialist for fastening technology”?

As mentioned above, we will definitely expand our export business and enhance our current high quality standards even more in the future. We will strengthen our image brand by developing new global markets and show that our solutions are suitable for any kind of environment and challenge. Even today our products are used in all thinkable climate zones and we can look proudly on a wide range of experience we made with our current customer base. We will expand our activities at global major trade shows in all parts of the world from North to South America and all regions in the Middle East and Asia Pacific.

9. Is there anything else you would like to share with the fastener industry?

Everybody who had not the chance to make any experience with our products by today is highly invited to visit us on one of the many trade shows all over the world we will exhibit on in 2016. Please visit our homepage www.e-u-r-o-tec.de to keep up to date on current product and company news. Our Team is looking forward to meet you.