Two days of industry meetings, presentations of the latest technologies and products, an expert conference on topics important for the fastener industry, Meeting Zone and novelty – Surface Protection Exhibition. This is a preview of this year's edition of the International Trade Fair for Fastener and Fixing Technologies FASTENER POLAND®. The trade fair will take place on October 15th-16th at EXPO Kraków.
The previous edition of the trade fair was attended by 153 exhibitors from 18 countries, 75% of which were foreign companies. The statistics of visitors were equally international. Of the 2,856 guests, 46% came to Krakow from abroad. Europe was most represented by industrialists from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. The above data only emphasize the importance of the event and the fact that the FASTENER POLAND® trade fair is the most important place for business meetings in the industry in Central and Eastern Europe.
Poland, a strategic player on the European market
The demand for specialised fasteners, in terms of quality and standards, is constantly growing. This is probably influenced by the most technologically advanced industrial sectors. Polish suppliers have specialised in supplying high-quality fasteners. Thanks to investments in modern technologies that are friendly to the environment and the continuous improvement in the qualifications of production staff, Poland is the third largest supplier of fasteners in the European Union, after Germany and Italy. The location of our country and well-developed transport infrastructure guarantee uninterrupted supply chains to the furthest corners of the continent. Although labour costs are also rising in our country, Poland still offers competitive prices compared to other European countries. All these factors make Poland an ideal place for investment in the fasteners industry. Exhibitors from all over the world know this, and every year at the only event dedicated to fasteners in our country they want to establish business contacts, find an agent or investigate the potential to open a branch. Simon Ward from TFC Ltd notes: "From our 3 European locations we have been working with companies across Poland for many years; now, as part of AFC Industries we are looking to expand our customer base and develop new opportunities. This was the first time TFC have exhibited at FASTENER POLAND® and it proved the ideal platform to showcase products and the TFC brand to new customers". Beata Snopkiewicz, the trade fair’s project manager, who has been observing the industry for a decade, looks into the future: "From my experience, I know that very often the move preceding the opening of a branch in our country is the presence of a company at FASTENER POLAND®. This has already happened with several foreign suppliers. I have been observing TFC Ltd for years and I was very pleased with this year's cooperation and their presence at FASTENER POLAND®. The company is developing dynamically, it already has branches in Germany and the Czech Republic. It will not surprise me if it opens a branch in Poland soon". The fact that Poland is a key sales market is also confirmed by Timo Scholle from the German company Achilles Seibert GmbH. "Customers from Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly important to us, especially from Poland, our developing market. We decided to exhibit here, in Krakow, because specific customers come to the trade fair. This was our first time at FASTENER POLAND® – the trade fair was very well organised and we won’t regret it."
All about surface protection
A novelty of this year's edition of the FASTENER POLAND® Trade Fair will be an exhibition devoted to the preparation and protection of the surface of fasteners. This work is carried out at every stage, both by manufacturers and distributors of fasteners. Therefore, we invite manufacturers and suppliers of cleaning, degreasing, coating, varnishing and protection of metal surfaces to EXPO Kraków. Manufacturers of machines and devices, suppliers of chemicals, paints, varnishes and galvanic technologies will present their offer.
Proven formula of B2B Meetings
The previous edition showed that B2B meetings are a very important aspect of the trade fair. Meeting Zone dedicated to companies that are beginning their adventure with participation in fairs and those that have not planned this form of promotion in this year's budget. In a dedicated area, with a small financial outlay, traders had the opportunity to present their offer and obtain orders. This project was enthusiastically received and will certainly be continued this year too.
Until the end of April, we offer discounted prices for participation in the Trade Fair. We encourage you to contact us and follow information about the FASTENER POLAND® posted on social media and on the website www.fastenerpoland.pl/en. 
