SFS INTEC ACQUIRES GERMAN RIVETING EXPERTS GESIPA

Swiss based fastening systems and door hinge manufacturer SFS intec, which serves window and door fabricators across the country from its UK base in Leeds, has strengthened its group offering by acquiring the German riveting technology specialist GESIPA.

The deal sees SFS intec broaden its range of mechanical fastening systems to include GESIPA’s rivets which are available as standard and metric rivets, plastic rivets, structural blind rivets and blind rivet nuts.

The primary objective of this acquisition is to concentrate the efforts of both companies in fulfilling customer needs. Riveting technology and threaded fasteners complement each other perfectly in many fields of application common to both companies.

The GESIPA brand will be retained and it will continue to operate its 14 sites in 10 countries, including Keighley in West Yorkshire. GESIPA had a turnover of €108 million in 2007.

Glen Wainwright, director of SFS intec’s UK Industrial Fasteners division says, “This acquisition is excellent news for the SFS group which continues to invest to ensure manufacturers have access to cutting edge solutions. GESIPA’s riveting technology expertise, product excellence and reputation in their markets mirrors that of SFS intec’s in our fields of threaded fasteners and hinge technology.”


PET PROJECT BRINGS THE TEAM TOGETHER AT SFS

Customers of SFS intec are benefiting from a new staff initiative set up by the company to focus on the values that lie behind its success and make it unique in the marketplace.

In a bid to enhance staff recognition of the values, which underpin SFS intec’s ethos, the UK division of the company has introduced a new ‘pet’ to its staff.

The innovative internal communications initiative has been named ‘THE PET’, an acronym that represents Teamwork, Honesty and mutual respect, Entrepreneurship, Positive attitude and enthusiasm, Experience and competence and Trust and reliability. It has been pioneered by SFS intec to convey the values message across all areas of the company, from accounts right through to logistics and sales.

A quirky cartoon dog, named ‘Screwbie’ by the winning entry in an internal competition, is the mascot behind ‘THE PET’, and this is being rolled out on all promotional items to raise awareness of its important values.



Nigel Wood, product manager for SFS intec’s hinge technology division, says, “Although we initiated this project purely as an internal exercise, our customers are already seeing benefits through the enhanced approach the SFS intec team is taking to their day to day roles. To ensure our customers are fully informed about SFS intec and its people, we have also produced a new corporate guide which is available on request.”

To ensure that every area of the company is involved in the scheme a values committee, with a representative from each department, has been established.

PET PROJECT BRINGS THE TEAM TOGETHER AT SFS

Nigel is a member of the values committee, he continues, “We set up our committee to ensure that everyone feels involved in all aspects of the business. The meetings provide an opportunity to discuss issues that affect everyone and great ideas continue to emerge from having perspectives from all areas of the company. The whole UK group has now adopted ‘THE PET’ campaign bringing staff throughout the company together”.

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