Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 9/8/25 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) moderated sequentially but still stayed at an expansionary level, coming in at 51.3 (July 53.1). This reflected moderation in the sales index and slightly lower employment levels. The Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) also normalized a […]
Year: 2025
Special Report: MWFA FSTNR Week ’25
Midwest Fastener Association table top show floor interviews featuring the lovely and talented Lynn Dempsey with Rick and Morgan Rudolph, Tom Blakley, Heidi Volltrauer, Josh Winkler, Tom Buddenbohn, Mallory Nichols, Matt Delawder, Sid Hirsch, Jill Coar, Luke Radtke, TJ Munson, Mike McNulty and many more. PLUS: Golf results including winner of the coveted FTR […]
Episode #218 – Tariffic Times
Fastener veteran, metric legend of the Midwest, Mr. Rich Cavoto of Metric and Multistandard shares his experiences dealing with tariff confusion (1:36:00). AFC Industries CEO Kevin Godin joins newsman Mike McNulty to question the shocking spike in the FLI on the Fastener News Report (48:42). Joanne Bialas celebrates International Fasteners 30 years in business […]
FDI July 2025
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 8/7/25 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) continued to move higher in July, reaching 53.1 (June 52.0), reflecting slightly better seasonally-adjusted sales trends and higher employment. The Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) was even more positive, coming in sharply higher m/m at 57.3 […]
FTR Unthreaded: Another Throw With Jason Baines
With tariff talk deadlines looming, Canadian locknut provider J. Lanfranco VP and part-time Highlander Jason Baines provides an update on where things stand. He also explains his entry into the realm of Scottish hammer throwing, how Canada could address some of its challenges right now, and the therapeutic aspect of raising chickens. Run time: […]
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Episode #217 – SW Threaded
MW Components VP of sales, Kara Bosse sees the exciting side of the fastener sales game as she works to make manufacturing an attractive career for the next generation (8:07). Meanwhile, pitmaster Rob “Big Country” Reynolds of INxSQL Software explains how his ERP platform has expanded to support fastener manufacturing as well as distribution […]
FDI June 2025
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 7/7/25 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) improved sequentially for the second consecutive month, reaching 52.0 (May 50.4), reflecting re-acceleration in sales and customer inventories. However, the Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) fell back below 50, landing at 47.4 (vs. May’s 50.2), consistent […]
Special Report: The Mud Racers
MWFA FSTNR Week ’25 is right around the corner, that means it’s time to start prepping for fastener mud racing! Team leaders Bob “GQ” Baer of Abbott Interfast, Jake “Valdez” Davis of BTM Manufacturing and Bobby “Tater Tot” Wegner of Beacon Fasteners set the stage for another memorable year. Once again, they hope to avoid […]
FTR Unthreaded: The Art Of AI B2B Fastener Sourcing With Sam Aldinger And Anders Green
In this episode, Eric Dudas of FCH Sourcing Network is joined by Fastenal veteran turned homesteader Sam Aldinger and ERP code-slinger Anders Green of ALOX4 to dive deep into the evolving world of fastener sourcing, exploring why it’s still very much an art—despite rising interest in AI, B2B e-ecommerce and automation. They discuss the […]
FDI May 2025
Written by R.W. Baird analyst David J. Manthey, CFA with Quinn Fredrickson, CFA 6/6/25 Key Takeaway: The seasonally adjusted Fastener Distributor Index (FDI) saw month-over-month improvement, reaching 50.4 (April 46.9). This reflected improvement in three of the four underlying components (sales, employment and supplier deliveries). The Forward-Looking Indicator (FLI) also improved at 50.2, the first reading above 50 […]