FASTENER POLAND 2019 trade fair summary
The International Trade Fair for Fastener and Fixing Technology FASTENER POLAND® is worth waiting for all year. This year's edition, held on 8-9 October at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre EXPO Krakow, clearly showed the strength of the sector.
Over two days, 210 exhibitors showcased their portfolios. Importantly, as many as 71% had come from abroad, from countries such as Austria, China, Czech Republic, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, the USA, Great Britain and Italy. "Competition in the market is quite fierce and companies well know that they can't afford to stop looking for customers. The FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair attracted 4,000 industry guests. That's 4,000 potential contractors", sums up Beata Snopkiewicz, Project Manager.

Customers from all over the world
The trade fair attracts more and more interest every year. This year, 43% of all visitors came from abroad to look for new suppliers in Kraków. This huge potential is increasingly recognized by domestic exhibitors, who have good reason to feel glad today. In 2018 alone, domestic exports of fastening elements increased by 19% to a level of PLN 1.8 billion, the fastest growth rate in 8 years. Krzysztof Biskup, General Manager at PGB – Poland, says: We work with clients from Norway, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. This just goes to show how popular the trade fair is becoming; despite its short history, it's already able to attract guests from so far off. The importance of the FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair grows year by year. That's very good news for us.
Anastazja Janus from Marcopol Sp. z o.o. Producent Śrub weighs in: We were happy to meet many of our current clients here. We also held lots of interesting talks, which we hope will help us win new contractors. The FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair is a marvellous venue to come together and exchange views on the industry and its development. Direct talks are definitely more fruitful and interesting.

The only such trade fair in Poland
Exhibitors are proud that a trade fair of this kind has finally appeared in Poland. "For many years, we looked for a venue where we could exhibit our fixing systems, and the FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair is a specialized fastener trade fair. We are glad to have it in Poland, especially since it seems to attract more and more interest as the years go by. We see guests not only from Poland, but also from neighbouring countries and even other continents. I believe it augurs well for Poland and our domestic producers", sums up Tomasz Karwowski, Sales Director at Dromet Sp. z o.o.
This view is echoed by Krzysztof Biskup: This is our third time at the FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair and we are happy to have a trade fair of this kind in our country. It's plain to see that it attracts growing numbers of exhibitors, visitors, suppliers and audiences. All this makes for great potential. We feel motivated to be here and showcase as much as we can of our portfolio. The trade fair definitely deserves a thumbs up.
Tadeusz Jopek, Deputy Chairman of the Board at Śrubena – Unia Sp. z o.o., adds: It is the culmination of the market presence of all distributors and producers in Poland that the trade fair is now held in Kraków. We have travelled all over the world to meet our clients and forge new contacts. Today, we are back on our own turf; the magic of Kraków is well perceived, and I believe it's high time that the fastener industry begins to grow in strength right here.

The contest
On the first day of the trade fair, we met the winners of a contest for the best product showcased at the Trade Fair. Experts looked for modern structural and technological solutions, good exploitation parameters, aesthetic design, functionality, beneficial ergonomic features, as well as safety for the workplace and the natural environment. Presided over by Professor Dr. hab. Jacek Mucha, associate professor at the Rzeszów University of Technology, the jury selected winners in two separate categories. The award for the best fastener product went to S.T.M Systemy i Technologie Mechaniczne Sp. z o.o, for LOCK ONE, produced by Advanex. Two ex aequo awards were given to the best assembly systems: one to Mocujemy.pl Sp. z o.o. Sp. K. for the MASTER – PLATE ® fastening system by Specialinsert Srl, and the other to BHH MIKROMED Sp. z o.o. for the INTEGRACJA system.

Knowledge: the key to success
The trade fair also featured a Fasteners' Forum. In his opening address, Dr Marek Łangalis, editor-in-chief of "Fastener", presented the challenges faced by the Polish fastener market today, and panellists included experts from companies such as Atotech Poland, Nord-Lock Poland, Milar and Mocujemy.pl. The highlight of the agenda was the IV Conference Forum Druku 3D, organized by CADXPERT, the top conference in Poland devoted to the industrial application of additive technologies, as well as 3D scanning and modelling.
The fastener industry is faring well, but this is no time to rest on our laurels. Even though exports are at a record high, there is still room for growth. Exhibitors know this well, as evidenced by the stand reservations for the next FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair that started arriving even before the current event had ended.