North America’s fastest-growing expo for the fastener industry, Fastener Fair USA, will host its third-annual trade show and conference at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina. The event is now set for July 13 to 15, 2020.

“We look forward to getting back to business and reconnecting the industry in Charlotte in July,” said Randy Field, group VP with Reed Exhibitions. The Fastener Fair was originally scheduled for May and postponed due to COVID-19.

“Our number one priority is the health and safety of our exhibitors, attendees, industry partners, and staff,” said Field.

This year’s event theme, “Holding Industry Together,” is a direct reflection of Fastener Fair USA’s mission to serve all industry segments relating to fasteners and fixings. This includes fastener manufacturing, master distributors, equipment makers, tool and software providers, end-users, and more.

“Supply chain, assembly, measurement, and other processes are becoming increasingly integrated into the fastener industry,” shares Bob Chiricosta, event manager for the Fastener Fair USA. “It’s extremely important to us that we offer a comprehensive display of industry innovation with highly relevant education and networking opportunities — all of this in one of the U.S.’ fastest-growing manufacturing regions.”

The pre-show
Fastener Fair USA includes an educational pre-show conference program, starting on July 13. Beginning with an opening keynote, the conference will then segment into three tracks:

• Fasteners 101, presented by the Fastener Training Institute
• Tom Reilly Training: Value-added Selling, presented by Paul Reilly in partnership with Mid-West Fasteners, a fastener manufacturer and supplier
•   Fasteners in the Smart Factory, presented by Fastener Fair USA
• As these tracks conclude, registrants with a Monday Conference Pass will have the opportunity to visit a nearby industrial manufacturing plant at Blum, Inc., a family-owned company that operates internationally.

“By including a plant tour with the 2020 Fastener Fair, participants will experience the real-world impacts of the fasteners they produce, add value to, and distribute,” says Chiricosta.

The main event
To set the tone for the event, a 9 a.m. general session that’s titled, “Industry 4.0: Tap the Cloud and Ramp up Profits,” will be presented by Yannick Schilly, president and CEO of Altix Consulting, on July 14.

Attendees can also expect two days of on-the-expo-floor, “Industry Education Stage” presentations on July 14 and 15. This will include more than a dozen panel presentations, with topics such as moving fasteners to the front of the design cycle, sharing ideas for import and export strategies, and understanding smart tools, 3D metal printing, and more.

Additionally, an “Ask the Standards Experts” will take place on both days, starting at 10:15 a.m. with the Fastener Training Institute and Industrial Fasteners Institute, which provides a comprehensive online fastener data resource. Attendees can bring questions about fastening standards to Booth 1237.

“By adding more industry content into the Fastener Fair mix of outstanding networking and business developments, this event will offer everything fastener professionals need to build business,” adds Chiricosta.

Moving fasteners forward
The team at Fastener Engineering is proud to partner with Fastener Fair USA as a media sponsor. This year, Fastener Engineering will be hosting a panel entitled, “How to move fasteners to the front of the design cycle,” which focuses on the importance of considering fasteners early in the planning stages of an application.

The panel will take place on Tuesday, July 14 from 1:45 to 2:20 p.m. on the show floor. We hope to see you there!