Challenge Europe

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Manufacturing philosophies are subject to change and fashion, but Challenge Europe find that the one constant is the need for trust between suppliers and manufacturing customer. Indeed, it can be seen that this “hand-in-glove” relationship may often become so close that it is difficult to discern where the boundaries lie – who orders, who determines stock levels, who even carries or funds the stock, who establishes the final specification, who a particular operative actually works for.

Challenge Europe know that manufacturing is a partnership operation based on mutual respect and trust, succeeding on the varied skills of the parties involved and the strength of their relationship, often forged over many years. Such is the case with sub-contract suppliers of specialist components and small quantities where efficiency at small scale is key to achieving desired outcomes.

It has been announced that Challenge Europe now carry an ex-stock standard range of metric and imperial threaded inserts for use in the manufacturing and installation industries, in order to provide a robust thread in moulded/fabricated plastic components, where the softness of the substrate precludes a tapped thread.

Challenge Europe recently announced the breadth of screw materials and finishes they work with on behalf of their industrial/manufacturing customers. The rational for using various materials or treatments/coatings is usually either technical or cost based. 

  Hex headed high tensile bolts and screws, together with hex drive socket head cap screws, are the mainstays of industrial fastening and as such are stocked in depth by Challenge Europe as part of their supply partnership philosophy.

Challenge Europe, in conjunction with their sales partners Hafren, are delighted to offer safety and security through the medium of their primary fastener ranges. These high quality competitive fasteners are in constant demand for use in a vast range of security applications in projects all over the world.

The team working at Challenge Europe are experts at exploiting the adaptability of simple, rugged threaded fasteners, and it is this adaptability which brings engineers to their use. Simple to use and to provide with vibration resistance, improved sealing, load spreading or good looks by combining with a range of washer accessories to enhance the performance of the basic fastener.

Ex-stock rivet nuts and rivet bushes from Challenge Europe are frequently used in fixing solutions by providing female threads in thin walled sections. Sheet materials are commonly difficult to integrate with more rugged bulky components since provision of solid fixing in thin sheet is often a problem – however it is a problem easily resolved with rivet nuts which compress onto the sheet, or by rivet bushes which are pressed into it.

The demand for fasteners – threaded or otherwise – is frequently impossible to meet from standard ranges – at the same time quantities and delivery schedules need to be managed for production scheduling. Challenge Europe are in a position to handle both since quality has always been a top priority for them, reflected both in the product range of their stock, and in the service they provide.

With the addition of molybdenum, A4 stainless (ASTM 316) is significantly more resistant to corrosion than the more popular A2 (ASTM 304) and very little more expensive. Although A4 stainless is often referred to as marine grade Challenge Europe have noticed an increasing need for this highly cost-effective grade to meet the demands of non-marine industries where equipment is subjected to more demanding service conditions. 

  Challenge Europe, specialists in fasteners believe they are 'big' on socket screws, as they have big stock and big service to ensure UK manufacturers across the electro-mechanical industries can save costs and ensure problem-free production schedules.

  Challenge Europe are finding an increasing requirement for rework and retro-fit projects – often involving changes to mechanical fastenings or the fitting of electronic components such as sensors

Recognising that managing the supply chain for large numbers of small fasteners is a major administrative issue for specialist manufacturers, Challenge Europe have decided to end that so have developed a versatile stock and supply system to take much of the worry out of this process, all under the umbrella of their BS EN ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management certification.

Challenge Europe serve central and eastern England with an ex-stock range of the well-known Action Can industrial consumables including industrial lubricants, cleaning sprays, foams and many related aerosols such as copper grease, cutting fluids, car cleaner, anti-static spray, welders anti-splatter spray, brake and clutch cleaner, glass cleaner, chain lube (also food grade), freeze spray, electrical control cleaner, isopropyl alcohol cleaner, corrosion inhibitors, stainless steel cleaner and many more.

In the engineering lexicon rivets and pins are In the engineering lexicon rivets and pins are commonplace and are fundamental to location, for example by use of dowels or groove pins and slotted steel tension pins. Challenge Europe ex-stock delivery reflects the everyday usage of simple security fixings such as split cotter pins as well as the wide range of weld studs, self-clinching pins, brass threaded inserts and the many types of rivet in daily use. 

Ex-stock specialist Washers and Dubo Rings from Challenge Europe aim to offer many benefits in terms of sealing, security, anti-vibration and mechanical protection. In addition they can normalise friction on torque sensitive applications, provide sound deadening and anti-corrosion by electro-galvanic insulation.

  While many machine screws or bolts fit into a tapped thread within a larger component the versatility of these threaded fasteners is often exploited by using a nut which Challenge Europe stock in many variations and materials. Their wide ex-stock offering supports manufacturing supply chains - including nylon insert nuts.

Available ex-stock from Challenge Europe specialist threaded fasteners come in high grades of material and include socket screws for production, incorporating milled sides (cap heads) so they may be easily spun up by hand and of course with a recessed hex drive which enable machine feed and torqueing on the assembly line.

In the modern world there are many issues coming to the fore such as the reduction of chemicals hazardous to your health (RoHS and REACH). In addition industry is continually being charged to reduce wastage and improve recyclability as well improve working environments, health and safety being key issues that most companies come across on a regular basis. Author: Kevin Moorcroft, M.D. at Challenge Europe Ltd