From successful debuts to grand jubilees and international cooperation – summary of the 9th FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair

On October 14-15, 2026, EXPO Krakow once again became the most important meeting center for the fastener market in Central and Eastern Europe. The 9th edition of the International Trade Fair for Fastener and Fixing Technology FASTENER POLAND®, organized by Targi w Krakowie, proved that the capital of the Małopolska region is today not only an excellent place for cultivating business relations but, above all, a strategic decision-making center where the paths of manufacturers, distributors, and buyers from all over the world intersect.

From Japan and Vietnam to neighboring countries – global reach and tangible business results

The main goal of the professionals visiting EXPO Krakow in mid-October was to conduct business talks and diversify supply chains. This year's edition featured 150 exhibitors from 20 countries and was visited by 3,097 guests from 40 countries, 46% of whom were international specialists. The largest group of foreign visitors consisted of entrepreneurs from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and Italy, but there was also no shortage of representatives from markets as distant as Canada, Morocco, or the USA.

The dynamic economic development in Poland and Central Europe attracts global players to Krakow. It is the region's potential that prompted the Japanese headquarters of Sakamura Machine Co. Ltd. – a manufacturer of advanced machinery delivered on a turnkey basis – to change its status from last year's visitor to an exhibitor, which during their debut already resulted in promising partner talks and the prospect of future contracts. Excellent results were also achieved by the Asian company Charviso, a supplier in the Apple supply chain, making its debut in Europe.

“A friend recommended coming to Poland. Initially, I was worried about the scale of the event, but the very first day turned out to be much better than I expected. In just two days, I collected over 80 business cards, so it is definitely worth being here, and I will return to Krakow next year as well,” emphasizes the manager of the Charviso team.

The high turnout of foreign buyers directly translated into the results of Polish manufacturers focused on export expansion.

“The visits to our booth exceeded our expectations. We are very satisfied with the level of the trade fair and the quality of the clients – we gained many contacts from foreign markets, so our export department will have plenty to do after this year's edition,” notes a representative of MARK KYRC Sp. z o.o.

Technology overview: from steel structures and offshore to maintenance

This year's exhibition covered the full spectrum of the market – from fasteners compliant with DIN and ISO standards and HV and SB structural bolting assemblies, through solutions for the construction sector, pre-applied systems for the automotive industry, TAPTITE® screws, and the TOBI SYSTEM, to pneumatic tools and TOX® modular servo presses.

Solutions for the renewable energy sector proved to be a strong trend – including zinc-nickel coatings and protection systems for photovoltaics and offshore wind energy presented by ASMET. Alongside flake coatings, PFAS-free technologies, and ARG-LOCK® pre-application, exhibitors also promoted logistics solutions (e.g., Kanban) that reduce costs for end customers.

A rich product range was directed at maintenance services, presenting components and accessories essential for ongoing repairs, conservation, and modernization of machine parks. The efficiency of business talks was supported by the Meeting Zone, while a joint entry ticket allowing a visit to the parallel International Trade Fair for Suppliers of Maintenance Products and Services MAINTENANCE enabled specialists to conduct a comprehensive overview of industrial technologies during a single business trip.

Regulatory challenges, digitalization, and year-round education

Discussions at the booths were dominated by the changes shaping European industry. Exhibitors – including those from the German company Achilles Seibert GmbH – pointed to the growing role of artificial intelligence in data analysis and customer service, as well as groundbreaking EU regulations: the PPWR packaging directive and the CBAM carbon tax applicable from January 2026. As pointed out by representatives of ASMET Sp. z o.o., the lack of precise guidelines regarding the final physical costs of the tax remains a major problem for EU distributors and importers, which hinders product pricing and competition with the Chinese market.

“One may agree with the legitimacy of the CBAM tax or not, but it is certainly being introduced chaotically by the European Commission. This causes a great deal of uncertainty in our industry and among our clients, and unfortunately entails greater costs than the price of CBAM itself,” notes Maksymilian Krzysztoń from Eurofix Polska Sp. z o.o., a company operating in the automotive sector, which is currently facing a crisis and where maintaining a market position today is determined by pricing flexibility and the development of in-house production capabilities.

The organizers' response to the demand for reliable knowledge is the expansion of the FASTENER POLAND® trade fair into a year-round educational platform through a monthly newsletter on LinkedIn.

“We can learn from it what the current requirements for the fastener industry are, such as carbon tariffs or packaging documentation. These are newsletters written by practitioners and for practitioners,” evaluates Dr. Marek Łangalis, owner of Olfor Sp. z o.o.

Grand jubilees in the 30th anniversary year of Targi w Krakowie

This year's edition of the trade fair also had a unique, celebratory dimension. The year 2026 is a special time for the event organizer itself – the company Targi w Krakowie, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. This time of joint celebration coincided with significant anniversaries of as many as four exhibitors, who were honored with commemorative statuettes. Among the awarded companies were: the German company Achilles Seibert GmbH (75th anniversary), managed by the third generation of one of the oldest suppliers in the C-parts sector; BONIONI Polska Sp. z o.o. (70th anniversary), originating from the French Arve river valley; as well as two Polish leaders celebrating their 40th anniversaries – the family-owned company MARK KYRC Sp. z o.o., now steered by the third generation focused on flexible adaptation to market changes, and ASMET Sp. z o.o., which grew from a four-person workshop into a leading market player thanks to a passion for quality instilled by its president, Andrzej Sajnaga.

The power of direct relations and European cooperation

In an era of cost pressure, the trade fair also became a space for partner cooperation among the exhibitors themselves from Poland and neighboring countries. Local, European manufacturers – as pointed out by representatives of Eurofix Polska and ASMET – are increasingly willing to support each other technologically at the trade fair, exchanging experiences, production processes, and services.

“I definitely rate the quality of B2B contacts established here as an 'A'. Business is not done between companies; it is done between people, and the ability to put a face to a name helps immensely in understanding the other party. Furthermore, the Polish market is growing dynamically, and Krakow, thanks to its location, is an excellent base for cooperation with Eastern markets,” summarizes Timo Scholle (Achilles Seibert GmbH).

Both long-standing exhibitors, who consider EXPO Krakow a model of organization full of kindness and support, as well as foreign debutants – including those from the Italian company Bontempi Vibo S.p.A. and the Japanese Sakamura – highly rated the preparation and service of the event.

The 9th edition of FASTENER POLAND® confirmed once again that direct relations and the exchange of practical knowledge are the foundation of modern industry. The next edition of the event will have a special character – the organizers are already inviting everyone to plan their participation in the jubilee 10th International Trade Fair for Fastener and Fixing Technology FASTENER POLAND®, which will take place on October 13-14, 2027, at EXPO Krakow.