Global Fastener News

EFDA’s Berrang: Common Goals Amid Differences

John Wolz

“Distributors need good manufacturers,” the president of the European Fastener Distributors Association declared. Nevertheless Bernhard Berrang knows there are differences. Distributors and some of the European fastener manufacturers differed on a recently withdrawn European Industrial Fasteners Institute’s anti-dumping complaint (see FIN, April 11, 2007). “Some manufacturers think it is necessary,” but distributors generally “support open markets,” Berrang explained. “Distributors want a competition on the same level.”

There are distributors “who work closer and distributors who work not so close” with manufacturers, Berrang observed. And there can be a competition between manufacturers and distributors, he noted.
One uniting issue is quality, Berrang pointed out. “Quality requirements force us to work together” as both manufacturers and distributors strive for zero defects for customers.

European distributors’ priorities include worker safety, quality and the environment.

While exporting remains “more of the manufacturer’s” business,” an OEM”‘s “best supplier” in another country may well be a distributor. “There are things distributors can do better,” Berrang pointed out.
In comments to the National Fastener Distributors Association and in an interview with FastenerNews.com, Berrang explained that the EFDA was created by the British, French, Spanish, Italian and German fastener distributor associations in 2000, “because it was missed.” Each country maintains its national association.

The European Union, now totaling 27 countries, “is united in its diversity,” as is the EFDA, Berrang observed. Today EFDA has 170 independent fastener distributors with annual sales totaling EUR 3 billion (US$4.1b).

Berrang is second generation in the fastener business. In 1971 Bernhard Berrang joined the company founded by his father, Karl Berrang, in 1948. Today the distributorship has seven locations in Germany, plus branches in France and the U.S. The company serves primarily the automotive, agriculture, mechanical engineering and aerospace markets.

Berrang thinks the recent meetings between European and Taiwan distributors and the NFDA are important. “Talking together brings the world forward,” Berrang finds.

A challenge in the coming years for distributors worldwide is passing along increased raw material costs. The fastener industry finds itself “in the middle between raw materials people and customers. It is a sandwich effect.” Despite the difficult position, fastener manufacturers and distributors “have to pass along the increases.”

Berrang is familiar with distribution in both Europe and North America. A decade ago he opened a branch in South Carolina at the request of major customers. “You have to accept and adapt to the new market,” Berrang observed. But distributors must do that continuously even in their own markets. “You do what you can to learn what you have to do.”

Berrang’s key question for the future: “Are you technology driven or not?” And his advice to the fastener industry: “Only by adding value do standard fasteners become unique products.”
E-mail: Bernhard.berrang@berrang.de Web: Berrang.de Web: efda-fastenerdistributors.org �2007 FastenerNews.com