The new operation’s initial focus will be on the burgeoning Tier 1 automotive sector, which continues to be an important growth-driver for the company.
TR Fastenings, the trading arm of Trifast, has developed its highly successful global footprint over the past 20 years by establishing a combination of greenfield sites and acquired business teams to support major customers on a more localised basis. Opening the facility in Spain is the latest move in a long-term strategy enhancing TR’s growing reputation as a full service provider, with the capability to provide early design and technical involvement, Value Analysis/Value Engineering, global sourcing, and logistical solutions.
TR selected Spain not only because of increasing customer demand in this region, but also for the availability of skilled personnel, affordable premises, government support and accessibility to major modern manufacturing clusters within the country, many of which are in automotive, electronics and domestic appliance assembly. Spain also has strategic and cultural links with Mexico, which is increasingly important to TR’s facility in Houston, Texas, providing some common links to the Group’s growth plans.
Geoff Budd, Trifast commercial director and managing director of TR Europe, commented: “Since Raul Fernandez Moreno recently joined us as a country manager for Spain, we have been planning the best route to give him a fully-resourced facility to operate from. The first priority has been a logistics and technical facility and when this Barcelona property became available we moved quickly to secure this vital first stage.”
TR’s Application Engineers work closely with Automotive Tier 1 customers at their design and engineering centres across Europe (as well as Asia and the USA), providing technical advice and support on the use of fastenings in numerous applications including car seats, cockpit modules, powertrain, door and instrument panels, steering systems, chassis, transmissions, engines and brakes.
