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INSIGHT Still relishing the challenge


As mainstream suppliers become more conscious of return on investment and consolidate ranges, it is left to other businesses to fill the gaps and meet distributor’s requirements. Sometimes necessity determines such specialisation; for others though the truth is they simply delight in the challenge.


revelled in, well frankly, the more oddball stuff. The business is still run by its founders. Clive Clark had been


I


manager of the Essex operation for Peter Abbott; Stuart Brand worked previously for Philidas. Not surprising, then, that self- locking nuts featured as a strong specialism from day one. It remains an important element of the business – epitomised in Abbott’s exclusive UK distributorship for the Vargal self-locking nut. “The Vargal nut has been developed and manufactured in Italy for applications where security is an absolute requirement,” explains Clive. Its high resistance to vibration, re-usability and resistance to high temperatures make Vargal a favourite in the railway industry, specified by Bombardier, Alstrom and Siemens amongst others.


Abbott’s also


holds vast stocks of a whole array of other self-locking technologies, from Philidas® ,


Aerotight® Stover® and Cleveloc® to


nylon insert nuts in steel, brass and stainless, as well as


fine pitch full nuts’ castle or slotted nuts,


flange nuts, wing nuts and dome nuts in a wide range of


materials and finishes. Abbott Fasteners,


though, probably remains best known for Helicoil® wire thread inserts - the other range that


provided the foundation for the business in 1982. “Today, we hold the largest stock of Helicoil®


inserts and tools in the UK,


in all thread forms, both Metric and Imperial,” explains Clive Clark. “Helicoil was originally conceived as a repair product to reclaim stripped and damaged threads. Later it became an original equipment design feature taking the brand to where it is today and making Helicoil still the world’s leading wire thread insert system.”


t’s a delight that for Essex-based Abbott Fasteners is anything but new. Formed thirty years ago, from the ashes of the Peter Abbott Group, then a mainstream fastener supplier to the trade, the company always seems to have


“We continue to


service both the repair market, through our comprehensive range of KITS, TOOLS and TAPS in every thread form, and the OEM sector, covering everything from power generation to Formula 1, largely through distribution.” “The other thing that put us on the


,


map was that we were into the American products infinitely before anyone else in this country,” says Stuart Brand. “We established strong partnerships in the U.S. and fly consolidated loads of product in regularly. The key is total reliability.” Abbott’s continues to bring in core SAE Grade 8 products but, as the market has developed, specialises increasingly in non-standard product, where reliability has become an even more significant characteristic. “Last week for example,” says Stuart, “our consolidation consisted of an eclectic mix of silicon bronze woodscrews, miniature nylon insert nuts (2.56 UNC), brass terminal nuts, hi-collar spring washers and aluminium jam nuts - all destined for our distributor customers.” “One of the keys,” says Stuart “is that we are the sole decision


makers. If something goes awry, as things inevitably do on rare occasions, we sort it out. If that means freighting on the next flight at our cost, we do it.” Don’t, though, think for one minute everything is brought


in to order. As Stuart Brand puts it “we have 17,000 square feet of warehouse full to the gunnels.” “Conservatively that is more than GB£3 million of inventory, including many products the mainstream wholesalers don’t want to stock anymore,” says Stuart. “We’re a bit of an odd company, really,” adds Clive Clark.


“Our sales are made up of many niche, non-standard fastener products. Every day is different, which is why we enjoy it.” You can tell they do: you can also tell they really know their product. “Maybe we are old school,” smiles Stuart, “but these days a lot people don’t have the product knowledge. It’s a bit cheesy but your problem is our challenge, and we love a challenge.” So, cue a certain 1980s movie theme, when there’s something


strange and you can’t track it down, “who you gonna call?” www.abbottfasteners.co.uk


96 Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 78 November 2012


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