Interview with European Industrial Fasteners Institute President Anders Karlsson
1. What kind of important events has your esteemed association held and what kind of achievements or milestones has the association speaking for the interest of your members reached in 2018?
The main event that EIFI organizes on an annual basis is its general assembly, a congress that develops over three days where meetings and convivial moments do alternate. The last assembly took place in May 2018 in the beautiful setting of Split, in Croatia, where we had Speakers from the Fasteners Associations of China, Taiwan and USA, as well as from EFDA, from the Croatian Automotive spare-parts Industry and from the University of Zagreb.
All the topics discussed during the Assembly proved to be of great interest and gave an excellent and professional contribution to the EIFI Members.
I take the occasion to thank Fastener World magazine that published two pages article about our event in Split on its July/August 2018 issue.
Apart from the annual congress, there are many meetings that EIFI organizes during the year with access restricted to EIFI members only. The Automotive Group, the Legal Commission and the Executive Committee are particularly active and are working on very interesting projects such as the wire cost change index improvement, the update of the EIFI Legal Position paper, the amendment of CN 7318 heading structure, the participation to important ISO standardization projects, and many others.
2. Could you please tell us more about the production and trade statistics of the fastener industry in your region in the past few months? What do you think is the reason to cause such a development?
EU28 total imports of fasteners increased by 10.5% in the period January/August 2018 in comparison with the same period of the last year, as well as total exports which increase resulted to be 5.5% (source Eurostat). As the As far as production, we expect in 2018 an increase of around 2%.
3. What do you think are the main trends in fastener businesses? Do these trends cause any challenges or result in any benefits or influences to the fastener industry in your region?
The European Fasteners Production trend is stable and satisfactory.
4. The ongoing trade war between USA and China has generated many significant influences to the global industries for a couple of months. Do you think that the trade war will cause any concrete influences to the market and region your association represents (please specify)?
The commercial war between the USA and China has not, for the time being, impacted the Companies Members of EIFI.
5. As there is still no sign that the trade war will end soon, what do you think your association can do to help members face the challenges?
The Association needs to play a key role in support of Members in particular when challenges are difficult to face.
It must promote the exchange of ideas, experience and knowledge among Members, represent their interests vis-à-vis authorities, public bodies and other organizations at international level, encourage studies and research work as well as collaboration with scientific institutes. It must look after and further the joint economic, professional, technical and scientific interests of its Members. When one single Association/Company/Country’s problem becomes an everyone’s problem, it is easier to face it.
Henry Ford said: “Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”: unity is not only strenght but success.
6. With the advent of 2019, does the association have any plans to give or participate in any regional or internationals events?
EIFI will hold its 2019 Annual Conference in France, venue to be decided, from 16 to 18 May where we will have the pleasure to invite, as usual, Representatives from the Taiwanese Fasteners Industry and many others.
EIFI will participate, as ever, in all events to which it will be invited to and will attend the major Fastener Shows and conferences, promoting the voice of the European Fasteners Manufacturers.
7. What is your expectation and prospect toward the fastener industry in 2019?
The European Fasteners Production Industry should remain stable and healthy, at least this is what we hope for.
8. Is there anything else you’d also like to share with our readers?
In September 2018 a strong decline in sales of new cars in Europe was registered and expected. Such general slowdown (-23.4% in comparison with Sept. 2017) is a consequence of the exceptional growth in sales that occurred in August which was due to the entry into force, on September 1st 2018, of the new regulation on emissions. This recent trend will not impact the full-year performance of the Automotive sector in Europe, which remains healthy and registered in the period January/September 2018, an overall increase of 2.3% in comparison with the same period of 2017.
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