AFT Industries has acquired the experience and capabilities of Illini Metal Works to add to their long list of quality services. It will be renamed AFT Manufacturing. Located in Taylorville, Illinois, Illini Metal Works has years of experience in sheet metal fabrication and stamping. Now joining with the capabilities of AFT Fasteners and Automated Finishing Technology, AFT Manufacturing's sheet metal fabrication are a perfect fit into a tight group of companies that have the capabilities to produce high quality parts and products with experience based results.

In mid-August of this year AFT Fasteners added Illini Metal Works of Illinois to its holdings to become AFT Manufacturing. With the addition of this new partnership, AFT Fasteners now includes the ability of high quality sheet metal fabrication, stamping and forming. With a thorough knowledge of metal forming, aluminum and steel to stainless and alloy, AFT Manufacturing will be able to produce the highest quality products in the quickest possible turn-around time. Their skilled craftsmen employ specialized equipment to produce everything from single custom orders to high volume runs. AFT Manufacturing will be capable of producing precision fabrication of complex components to larger orders of super-sized products.

AFT Manufacturing believes in the philosophy of starting projects with professional engineering and design. Before any project begins there is a great deal of planning. Working from customers' prints or their own professionally engineered designs, AFT Manufacturing helps customers with all of the production logistics. They also specialize in sheet metal fabrication which includes: stamping, cutting, welding, forming, shearing, finishing, painting, heat treating, sub assembly and final assembly. AFT Manufacturing is efficient at short run prototype runs or large quantity production runs.

AFT Manufacturing is part of a metal fabrication, stamping, manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also can supply high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, so this allows them to provide expedited service and products . Please email AFT's professional sales staff at info@aft-com or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Manufacturing can provide companies with high quality metal fabrication, stamping and finishing.

The 2012 year has seen several new partnerships between AFT Fasteners and industry leading vendors, and this upward momentum is also being boosted by the addition of several increased product lines. AFT Fasteners has expanded its sources and offerings of brass fittings, brass valves, metal stops and other brass fastener products. This expansion in brass fitting products will provide an even larger assortment of fasteners for AFT's commercial plumbing, HVAC, Oil Field and Hydraulic customers.

     Brass has been the metal of choice for many industrial components when corrosion resistance, manufacturing malleability and lifetime durability are of great importance. Brass fittings, heavy fittings, barbs, valves, cocks, ferrules, stops and nipples are used in everything from HVAC, air compression systems, heavy machinery, oil field plumbing and hydraulic routing systems. AFT Fasteners has worked to become a great source for all different styles and sizes of brass fittings.

     AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows them to provide expedited brass fittings and valves all over the United States. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with the highest quality Brass Fittings and products.

- The AFT Team

AFT Fasteners has joined the outstanding group of distributors for Powers Fasteners. Powers Fasteners started in 1921 and currently is the leading supplier of concrete and masonry anchors and fastening systems in North America. Powers has extensive engineering and manufacturing expertise in several product groups, including mechanical anchors, adhesive anchoring systems and powered forced-entry systems such as powder-actuated and gas fastening systems.

AFT Fasteners has proudly partnered with a true industry leader in Powers Fasteners. Powers Fasteners is a top brand name in concrete masonry anchors and structural construction fastening systems, and AFT is well known internationally for its professional sales staff and its ability to provide solutions to manufacturers' problems. The goal of AFT, as a Powers distributor, is to successfully promote Powers Fasteners numerous products. In order to accomplish this goal, AFT utilizes the high quality promotional, marketing and training materials of Powers' Sales and Marketing teams. Powers is very involved in the education of its distributors, so that they might better serve the end-users who design, engineer and construct concrete and masonry structures.

The ISO certified products that will be distributed also speak volumes for themselves. The ease of marketing and customer satisfaction is greatly enhanced with such patented fasteners as Power-Bolt®, Lok-Bolt®, Power-Stud®, Wedge-Bolt®, Chem-Stud®, the Trak-It® series tool guns and more.

Engineering reference and software are also made available through Powers' revolutionary PDA (Powers Design Assist) software and the Powers Technical Manual for the Design Professional. Both of these references provide engineers with code compliant solutions to their anchor fasteners applications and requirements.

AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows them to provide expedited structural and concrete anchoring fasteners. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with the highest quality Powers Fasteners.

The 2012 AmCon Design and Manufacturing Expos are now underway. AFT Fasteners will be exhibiting at this year's Houston, Texas AmCon Expo June 6-7 at the Reliant Energy Center. AmCon shows are well known for bringing “job shops” and contract manufacturers together with regional OEM buyers, designers and engineers for finding solutions to their most difficult design and production goals.

Reliant Energy Center, Hall E - Houston, Texas

AmCon has been producing quality manufacturing trade shows since 1987, and AFT Fasteners will be at Reliant Center June 6-7 to meet with some of Houston's top manufacturing engineers and product developers. AmCon trade shows and expos are the perfect opportunity for designers and engineers to locate sources for forming, fabrication, machining, engineering, prototyping, finishing, assembly and electronic manufacturing. AFT Fasteners and Industrial Solutions will be featuring industry name brand products such as Kipp Adjustable Handles & Components, Power Fasteners and Martin Steel Hand Tools, to name a few. AFT looks forward to discussing these and other great products and services at Booth 301, Hall E in the Reliant Center.

AFT Fasteners and Martin Tools, a subsidiary of Martin Sprocket and Gear, have forged a customer driven relationship and are set to deliver American made industrial steel hand tools. Martin Sprocket and Tools produces the highest quality forged steel tools in the world. These tools are sought after internationally and are produced right here in North America and will now be distributed by the trusted team of AFT Fasteners and Industrial Products.

Click to download the Martin Hand Tools Catalog

For over 50 years Martin Sprocket and Gear, Inc. has produced some of the top quality sprockets, gears and hand tools in the world. They live by the philosophy "American made products to support American industry". Martin Tools also has a wide reaching distribution and support network spanning the entire North American continent. AFT is proud to be established as a distributor of these American forged and quality manufactured tools.

Just as in all manufacturing, the end products are the direct result of the materials that go into making them. Martin Tools uses top grade American forged steel in producing its line of tools. When a customer sees the Martin stamp on a wrench, socket set, or other body & fender tools they know immediately that they are in the presence of top quality American made tools. Martin Tools has over 20 United States manufacturing and sales locations. Together with AFT Fasteners multiple distribution centers, customer service and satisfaction are a local endeavor. Starting this month, AFT will be making available the entire Martin hand tools line up.

The parts manufactured by Martin are fully certified, providing traceability and complete documentation as needed. Quality assurance at Martin is documented and ensures that each forging meets with the highest standards set forth by Martin. Martin provides full heat treat capabilities including batch type, or atmospherically controlled, depending on the desired mechanical and physical properties needed in the forging.

AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows them to provide expedited industrial tools, services and parts. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with the highest quality industrial hand tools available.

- The AFT Team

The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) has been dedicated to improving trailer safety and performance for more than 20 years. The NATM represents manufacturers that produce towed trailers and provides a voice for trailer manufacturers when issues of trailer safety and regulation are considered by Congress and relevant government agencies. AFT Fasteners joins the NATM in their goals to encourage compliance with all mandatory federal regulations and safety standards, as well as promoting adherence to industry safety standards.

AFT Fasteners has joined the elite group of National Association of Trailer Manufacturers members who operate facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. These facilities collectively employ more than 210,000 Americans. AFT Fasteners joined the NATM recently and is already involved in ensuring that products meet or exceed those standards and federal regulations covering certification labels, tires & wheels, brakes, lighting, reflectors & conspicuity, underride protection, and cargo securement. In addition, NATM compliance requirements examines whether the trailer manufacturing process in place can meet industry accepted manufacturing standards and practices covering safety chains, couplers, electrical components, warning labels and consumer information.

These hardware and manufacturing parts required to meet and exceed the NATM's safety requirements are available at AFT Fasteners. AFT is specialized in providing Department of Transportation (DOT) reflective conspicuity tape and adhesive logos to meet state and federal requirements, as well as user safety devices such as gravel guard and anti-slip decking, flooring and surfaces. Safety requirements are often exceeded by offering trailer manufacturers services that enable them to concentrate on the manufacturing process and leave the testing and kitting of parts such as ramp gate kits, latching and pin assemblies and all the required testing and verification of parts. AFT Fasteners is looking forward to working with an agency whose mission statement is to improve future safety and performance, address regulatory issues, enhance the image of the industry, provide educational materials and informative manufacturing tools to its members.

AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows them to provide expedited trailer industry parts and hardware. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff at info@aft-corp.com or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with high quality trailer manufacturing parts and services.

- AFT Team

Making U.S. companies competitive in today's International Markets is the goal behind AFT Fasteners recently unveiled “International Solutions” program. AFT has removed any roadblocks, answered any questions and helped its clients start sourcing parts. This program will be dedicated to helping small and large businesses alike find hard-to-find sources for manufactured parts and hardware.

There are many advantages to sourcing international parts and hardware. Some include: Skilled Labor - foreign labor has become cheaper, reliable and more skilled than in the past; Resources - less expensive than domestic in many cases; New Aggressive Suppliers - emerging countries, markets and businesses compete for business at competitive rates to boost their economies. AFT's extensive global sources allows for a wide variety of products that range from hardware, electronic components and connectors, castings, plastics, injection molded parts, CNC machines parts, packaging, rubber, seals and more.

The AFT International Solutions program also addresses the quality issue of imported goods and services. There are definite cost savings offered by global sourcing, but concerns about quality have made organizations hesitate. As part of the International Solutions program, AFT has developed an effective quality assurance program to ensure product quality and durability. Onsite manufacturer visits, comprehensive testing and the prototype approval process allows domestic companies the ability to set high standards which are standard and expected. Companies are avoiding the hassles of defective parts and unnecessary fights over quality certifications and take advantage of our independent testing laboratory. Technical Assistance and design engineering are available to provide assistance from prototype stage to production. Factories are ISO, QS or TS certified with the ability to provide PPAP's, and MTR certs.

Logistics also play a large part in AFT's International Solutions program. AFT has established procedures and techniques for handling all of the logistics and customs services required to deliver products from the factory to customers' doors. There is no longer a need to devote precious factory room housing bulky pallets of materials. The International Solutions program provides warehouse capabilities and supplies components as customers need them. Another “Solutions” service popular with AFT clients is offshore consolidation of shipments to ensure that materials are shipped together in dedicated containers. Critical items can be dual sourced both domestic and import to avoid interruption of supply and maintain a low risk supply chain. AFT also holds a buffer stock in our domestic warehouse if needed.

AFT Fasteners is a fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. AFT also supplies high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. AFT serves customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows them to provide expedited domestic or global sourcing. Please contact AFT's professional sales staff at info@aft-corp.com or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with a successful International Solutions program.

- AFT Team

The Fort Worth Convention Center will be the hosting location for this year's 2012 NATM Convention, Trade Show and Workshop Expo. Early registration starts at 7pm on Tuesday, Feb. 7 and the show continues until Friday Feb. 10th. AFT Fasteners is pleased to be a member of the NATM and is excited to contribute to a show that stands for ever-improving safety standards and enhancing the manufacturing process of trailers and trailer accessories. AFT will be in booth 839, so please stop in and say hello to our staff.

Trailer manufacturers and trailer parts providers of all types are preparing to exhibit at this year's 2012 NATM Convention. This year's Expo will be held at the popular Fort Worth Convention Center. This facility is well equipped to provide a pleasant and enthralling venue right in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. Early registration will begin online and will start in person on Tuesday, February 7th at 7pm in the Fort Worth Convention Center.

AFT Fasteners supports this year's format of enhanced workshops that will continue through the week and provide excellent information on such topics as “Business Operations”, which will include “The Art of Execution” and “Canadian Transport”. Other workshops will include more technical topics such as “Structural Adhesive Solutions for Trailer Fabrication”, “Transportation Logistics”, “Galvanic Corrosion” and a great presentation by Ron Black, of The Mentor Group on “Business to Business Negotiating Skills: Creating Profitable, Long-term Business Solutions”.

Along with workshops there will, of course, be the main topic of this year's NATM Convention: vendors bringing their products to market and making contacts who share a common interest in building safe, efficient and profitable trailers. AFT Fasteners is a Texas based fastener manufacturing, importing, distribution, plating and industrial services company “All-in-One”, offering turn-key cost effective solutions to our customers. We supply high-quality standard, non-standard and specialty fasteners and hardware products. We serve our customers with sales and distribution centers throughout the United States, and this allows us to provide expedited domestic or global sourcing. Please contact our professional sales staff at info@aft-corp.com or call (877) 844-8595 for information on how AFT Fasteners can provide your business with successful trailer manufacturing solutions.

MRO supplies are the “behind the scenes” heroes of modern production facilities. Most attention is placed upon the final product; however, without MRO supplies like safety equipment, repair tools, lubricants, compressors and pumps then the final products would never make it to market. AFT Fasteners is now offering a complete line of MRO supplies from vendors such as 3M, Dewalt, MCR Safety, Greenlee, Dixon, Precision Brand, Kimberly Clark and many more.

Maintenance, Repair, Operations (MRO) items are supplies consumed in the production process but which do not either become part of the end product or are not central to the firm's output. MRO items include consumables, industrial equipment, plant upkeep supplies and even computer equipment. These types of items range from safety equipment, cleaning materials, laboratory and office supplies, compressors, pumps, valves, gaskets, lubricants, repair tools, and even computer equipment and supplies.

The economics of ordering MRO materials and the decisions on how to save money by consolidating the vendors involved in this order process is an ongoing science. For 2012, AFT Fasteners has dedicated copious resources to the science of saving businesses money. By consolidating the MRO shopping process into a “One Stop Shop”, AFT Fasteners has allowed MRO purchasers to save time. The goal is to provide the most comprehensive vendor line-up in the world of MRO supplies. There are numerous factors in deciding upon an MRO provider and one of the most critical is the availability of products and the “speed of delivery”.

Availability and “speed of delivery” are greatly increased by AFT Fastener's ability to drop ship items from 19 locations in the United States. Just a few of these new locations for 2012 include Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Houston, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Portland. These warehouses contain over 60,000 individual SKU items for maximum availability and rapid delivery. Now you can order an item from your location and not worry about it being organized and shipped from across the United States. These efficient and clean warehouses offer JIT ordering and help keep your company's inventory right where it needs to be.

As the new year progresses AFT Fasteners will be analyzing companies' needs and what items they order to make sure that the most popular MRO and Safety Supply items are maintained for production and manufacturing needs. AFT Fasteners is a global provider for fasteners, metal plating, industrial components, petrochemical hardware, kitting and warehousing services. If your company needs a resource for these services or has any questions about industrial solutions, then please contact AFT Fasteners online or call toll free at 877-844-8595. Their sales staff and operators are excited to help your company save money and succeed.