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SUMMER PURCHASING ISSUE

Around the offices at the American Fastener Journal, we call the July/August issue our "Summer Purchasing Issue" because of the popular Fastener Literature Profile (FLP) section, the annual Fastener Buyer Decision-Maker’s Survey, and the REP section, which is new this year.

We find there is a 20 percent turnover in distributor fastener buyers every year. The FLP section helps introduce new buyers to many of America’s finest fastener manufacturers and suppliers. The FLP section also introduces fastener buyers to several suppliers who are advertising with us for the first time, and it highlights the many regular advertisers who support the American Fastener Journal. The next opportunity to feature your company in an FLP section will be in our annual Buyer’s Guide, The 2009 American Fastener Source Guide, scheduled to mail to the AFJ readership in February 2009.

Last year, we received some very interesting numbers, compared to the previous year, for the Fastener Buyer Decision-Maker’s Survey. However, we were not satisfied with the number of responses we received, and we felt the survey might not be statistically correct. It was frustrating because we want to provide you with the information you want and need to help manage your business. So, we are going to give it the ol’ college try again. Please take five minutes this year to fill out the survey and fax it back to us at 480.563.1468. It’s your business, it’s your industry, and your participation this year is very important. Maybe it’s more important than ever before. Last year, the majority of responses stated that price increases would be mild (five percent), and we all know what has happened since.

We have just added a new feature tab, REP Connection, on the American Fastener Journal website home page. REP Connection will further help and support the Independent Fastener Manufacturers Reps. REP Connection is a directory of the fastener reps who we know work in the fastener industry. We have 69 companies now, and we will add more if they qualify and meet our listing standards. The list will be handy for fastener buyers when contacting reps they deal with daily. The list will be handy for sales managers at fastener manufacturers, for master distributors and for importers when locating potential reps to cover a specific territory for them. There are no fees or charges to be involved with REP Connection.

ToolingU.com and the AFJ are working together to advance online training for the fastener industry. You no longer need to belong to a fastener association or travel to get your fastener training. All you need is a computer. Go to www.toolingU.com, and see all the great benefits offered by the 10 fastener classes and 157 lesson plans. For the business owner, we just helped solve one of your largest problems: fastener training. Check out the website, and I think you will be very happy with the results.

Let us here from you.

Mike McGuire
Publisher/Editor

What happens when you combine the American Fastener Journal Publisher/Editor Mike McGuire’s direct access to the fastener industry, his 40 plus years of fastener industry experience and the internet?  You get KNOW WHAT MIKE KNOWS! If you want to get the inside scoop, click on KNOW WHAT MIKE KNOWS! Check every day!

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