ANALYSIS
Michael Thomas managing director: SPAX International GmbH &
Co.KG
2
011 was a record breaking year for SPAX, even though we are still confronted with the total collapse of the Spanish building industry. In most European and overseas markets, however, we could realise growth, in many cases against the markets. Our sales organisation in Asia found new customers, proving that German quality is sought even in “enemy territory”. Obviously, we were not influenced by supply problems from the Far East, since we do not source there.
2011 has shown that our industry has accelerated its pace going up and down. After a booming first half, demand dropped in the
second; something we hear from our customers - and their Asian suppliers for that matter - as well. Trying to forecast 2012 is like looking into a crystal ball. Our budgets foresee a modest increase only, even in the booming markets
of 2011, with Spain still going backwards. Of great concern to me is the unlimited increase in energy costs, which influences our pricing more and more. Energy will overtake
wages in our cost structure in a few years if there is no ending to the price hype in the market. With Germany once again trying to be best in class with CO2
reduction and our main competing markets in the Far East and the US neglecting just this, our government harms its own industry, jeopardising our market position through unavoidable price increases resulting from the energy policy.
Giuseppe Verdoliva sales manager: MECAVIT S.r.l, Italy
A retrospective on 2011 After the extremely negative views we saw in 2009, the trend
reversed since early 2010 and continued during the first part of 2011. As of now there has been a strong recovery in demand. Despite the global financial crisis turning its devastating effects on the real economy, some positive parameters were added, making it possible for Mecavit to recover significant market shares. During the first months of 2011, major European distributors had to restore stocks that had been drastically reduced due to the crisis. They realised that Asia was no longer such an attractive source of supply as the price level was not very different from Europe. The imported cost was burdened by the various customs duties; transport costs that more than doubled; the effect of currency exchange and the lengthening of delivery times. An alternative was needed in the form of a return to a reliable European source. Many Italian producers were still paying off the effects of the crisis, during which they had to stop investing, reduce staff and actually reduce their production capacity. Our stocks of standard products became for the market something of a ‘rare commodity’. Investments completed in the crisis year allowed Mecavit
to be ready and equipped to engage fully with its market. With the acquisition of new business, driven by the requirements of automotive, electrical, mechanical and other sophisticated fastener demands, Mecavit not only increased sales beyond the most optimistic forecasts, but also improved both margins and order book, allowing us to operate optimal planning and economic production.
We believe the industry should learn from 2011 that despite
the product too often being poorly considered and valued, and the target of exaggerated cost savings in many sectors, the production of high quality fasteners must remain in Europe. Often the supposedly attractive purchase price from elsewhere is compounded by problems of quality, delivery delays or the risk of mechanical failure due to incorrect heat treatment.
The prospects and challenges for 2012 Unfortunately, the news accumulating since the summer
holidays, the stock market crashes, the weak euro, the situation of Greece, the change of government in Italy and Spain, caused a sharp slowdown in demand and widespread pessimism. No one can predict today if this slowdown will be confirmed in early 2012. As 2011 draws to a close we face a year in which we must
again cope with big challenges. It is important, though, to review the important occurrences
across the world during 2011 – the seaquake and associated nuclear disaster in Fukushima; the Arabian spring combined with the toppling of Mubarak and Gaddafi, the dearth in Africa bonded with the world’s largest refugee camp in Dadaab. If you look at these occurrences the near bankruptcy of Greece and the Euro crisis appear very small. We are looking to the future with a positive attitude. Our
confidence comes not least from the potential energy gained from strategic investment in production technology, which will allow Mecavit to maintain production of the high value, high quality articles clearly required by the market.
Dr Florian Seidl managing director: Keller & Kalmbach, Germany president: Fachverband des Schrauben-Grosshandels
2011 was a very good year Keller & Kalmbach has increased its turnover more than
20 percent. The demand from industrial customers was extremely high and sometimes it was a hard fight to avoid supply bottlenecks. The delivery times of the manufacturers extended and depending on the rising costs for raw materials there was hard pressure on prices. Unfortunately it was not possible to pass on all price increases to the customers so the margin was lower than the previous year even though in turnover Keller &
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Kalmbach matched the 2008 level much faster than expected. In summer and autumn 2011 the markets were much more volatile. The US debt crisis and the Euro crisis made many players anxious. Even when they had full order books they hesitated to invest in new production lines or material. All market actors should learn that it is always good to be careful and not to follow the herd. The panic in 2009 was as much an overreaction as the euphoria in 2011.
Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 73 January 2012
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