Fastener Report: SPAX
HBSDealer spoke with Eric Ashack, SPAX product manager, Altenloh, Brinck & Co. U.S., Inc. Here is the edited interview:
Q:How do you see the fastener market growing in the coming 12 months?
A: The fastener market has grown substantially, as has our company. At SPAX, we expect significant growth again in the next twelve months, especially because our products are made in America and we know there is considerable demand for American-made building products.
Q: Are there any building trends that are influencing fastener development?
A: We’re seeing changes in pressure-treated lumber and an emphasis on matching that with coating technologies. Color is more of a player now in our industry. Contractors are looking for a great-looking finish for decks, as well as corrosion protection.
In addition, there are several new uses for engineered screw fasteners that can replace not only nails but also other hardware. Perhaps most important of all for the busy contractor, these new applications for fasteners can take less time and labor than traditional methods.
About Altenloh, Brinck & Co. U.S., Inc.
Altenloh, Brinck & Co. is proud to manufacture and distribute engineered fasteners under the SPAX® brand name for the construction market, the TRUFAST® brand for the commercial roofing industry and the TRUFAST WALLS® and for exterior building envelopes and facades.
The company is headquartered in Bryan, Ohio and operates a 200,000 square foot complex consisting of engineering, manufacturing, administration and central warehousing. ABC is part of the Altenloh, Brinck & Co. Group headquartered in Ennepetal, Germany.
Q: Are there specific problems your products aim to provide solutions for?
A: Contractors are converting from nails to wood screws because of tighter fit, better withdrawal values and better tensile strength. Furthermore, advancements in sustainable and durable building materials such as synthetic decking, trim, and siding create the need for longer lasting connections. Precision-engineered, heat-treated, and coated screw fasteners from SPAX are resistant to breakage and ensure long-term durability. In addition, using screws means that contractors can use far fewer fasteners, as well as save time through speed of installation and ease of use.
Using a product such as SPAX Engineered Fasteners alleviates pre-drilling, decreases driving torque and saves battery life — making work easier for contractors all the way around. Screws can be offered as a superior alternative in many applications in areas too constrained for the use of a hammer — and also for the contractor who just doesn’t feel like swinging a hammer, which is more labor intensive. Screws also work best where there is a need for the superior holding power and pull-out resistance in comparison to nails.
Q:Have you launched any new products or technologies that are bringing solutions to the job site?
A: This year to date, we’ve launched SPAX PowerLags Truss Screws for use in attaching truss/rafters to wall plates. These engineered fasteners ensure a building code required, continuous attachment method from floor to roof.
We’ve also launched new SPAX PowerTrim finishing and composite-PVC trim screws. PowerTrim fasteners can be used with composite or PVC trim. They feature a secondary thread that pulls in PVC pigtails and tucks it in for a clean, flush finish.
We also launched a new interactive catalog to help dealers and contractors to quickly find information on specific products by application or fastener type, as well as research relevant building code compliance (TER) reports and technical specifications. Users can look up products by head style, size, coating, drive system and more.
SPAX POWERLAGS TRUSS SCREWS
SPAX POWERLAGS truss screws are designed for use in attaching truss/rafters to wall plates for ensuring a building code required, continuous attachment method from floor to roof.
The new product is a #14 x 6-1/4” fastener that includes patented SPAX features:
• T-STAR plus drive within a cylindric head
• Patented thread serrations
• A UNIQUE 4CUT point for quick and easy installation with no pre-drilling required.
“Our new construction fastener is made of carbon steel with SPAX exclusive WIROX coating which is ideal for interior framing use. The truss/rafter fasteners will be packaged in a Contractor Pax 50 count carton ready for retail shelves and will include a 2” long T-30 plus bit. POWERLAGS truss screws are manufactured in our German facility, but will be packaged and stocked in the Bryan, Ohio warehouse,” said Eric Ashack, SPAX product manager.
ABC-US / SPAX received DrJ Engineering technical report No. TER 1912-07 for product data and TER 1910-02 for the Truss/Rafter to Plate Connection application report.
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SPAX PowerTrim Finishing and Composite-PVC Trim Screws
Builders and contractors gained a new fastening solution this summer in the trim screws category with the release of new SPAX PowerTrim finishing and composite-PVC trim screws, the latest addition to the line of SPAX Engineered Fasteners.
“We’re very excited about this new addition to our product line, which is a direct result of requests from our customers. We have taken our company’s German designs to the next level with this innovative American trim screw," said Ashack
This new product is considered a specialty fastener and is designed for use in attaching wood and composite/PVC trim boards for residential home interior and exterior work. Partial thread applications include window and door casing attachment, baseboards, cabinetry, door jambs, stairs and railings, crown molding and fine carpentry. Reverse double thread applications include fascia trim, baseboards, window and door trim and counter top trim.
PowerTrim fasteners round out the SPAX product line and feature the same patented attributes as the POWERLAGS product — T-STAR plus drive within a cylindric head; patented thread serrations for faster, easier driving, and a unique 4CUT point.
PowerTrim fasteners also feature a reverse double thread for PVC applications to pull and hide pigtail shavings and eliminate bulging.
The new construction fasteners are made of carbon steel with SPAX exclusive white and yellow HCR (High Corrosion Resistance) dual barrier coating, which is ideal for both interior and exterior applications including PVC and treated lumber
SPAX PowerTrim trim screws are available in both #8 and #9 diameters and in lengths of 1-1/4”, 1-1/2”, 2”, 2-1/2”, 3-1/8” 4” and 5”. The new SPAX product is manufactured in ABC manufacturing facilities; #8 fasteners are made in the U.S.A. All trim screw products will be packaged and stocked in the Bryan, Ohio facility. They are sold in lumberyards and through online retailers, as well as home improvement stores and wherever quality fasteners are sold.
ABC-US / SPAX received DrJ Engineering technical report TER No. 2001-01 for product data.
