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What Is IATF 16949? If your company is not a part of the automotive supply chain (or even if they are), you may be asking this exact question. The International Automotive Task Force, or IATF, is made up of a group of automotive manufacturers. According to Cheryl Simon, Fastco’s Lead Auditor, “This task force develops […]

With increased insecurity in the global supply chain, the case for buying American-made products is stronger now than ever. Companies and consumers alike are seeing the rising costs of overseas products, while concerns about long-term sustainability and supply chain security remain central. These issues can be added to a growing list of reasons to shop […]

Like many entrepreneurs, Fastco’s founders Stephen Frantz and Arvin Tap had a vision. They were not just going to buy, refurbish, and sell machine equipment; they were building financial stability for their families and providing a service to their community. With goals rooted in hard work and innovation, it was easy to pivot their focus […]

It might seem basic: cold forming is when parts are formed “cold.” In other words, the metal is room temperature when the parts start the forming process. It is a high-speed and high-pressure forging process in which a coil of wire material is fed into a machine and progressively formed into shape with dies and […]

If you’ve plugged the phrase “fastener manufacturer” into Google, you probably already have an idea of why it’s better to buy direct than to purchase through a distributor. To validate your hunch, here is a list of the top three reasons to buy direct from a manufacturer: Buying direct saves money. This first one is […]