KAMAX has been developing fasteners for almost 90 years, with an approach from the very beginning of designing and developing products alongside its customers to create bespoke solutions, which has enabled it to create a broad product portfolio that is targeted to individual applications within a range of sectors, especially automotive.
KAMAX Group is a global company, owned by the family of the founder Dr Rudolf Kellermann, and has around 20 locations – divided into the regions of Europe, America and Asia – all of which have different areas of expertise and complement each other. This enables the company to serve the demands of the markets with the ability to supply customers locally and quickly.
“At KAMAX we aim to be a reliable partner that customers can rely on in the long-term, which has proved to be a valuable asset in the current highly volatile and uncertain market environments – particularly in the automotive sector,” explains Mario Braun, vice-president business development and innovation at KAMAX Group. “The automotive sector – including cars, trucks, electric vehicles, motorcycles, as well as construction and agricultural machinery – is our most important market. We also supply products for bicycles, industrial machinery and other motor driven applications. Our largest sales market for this is Europe and we also see significant growth potential in America and Asia. Regardless of the region, the automotive industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation regarding CO2 neutrality, and new forms of propulsion, and at KAMAX we want to anchor stability in this transformation and create healthy, sustainable growth as a group.”
In order to meet the needs of the automotive market, KAMAX has created a broad product portfolio, which is characterised by its ability to tailor solutions to meet customers’ needs. “At KAMAX we do not produce ordinary bolts, instead we deliver solutions custom-made to individual applications,” states Mario. “There are hardly any areas of the vehicle for which we do not offer products – with particular expertise that relates to the chassis/suspension and engine. Regardless of the vehicle type and drive system, we can meet all our customers’ requirements – especially in demanding applications, which are predestined for our engineering expertise. We are able to do this thanks to a very experienced application engineering team that analyses closely the applications and drawings of customers, before optimising them for functionality and efficient manufacturability.”
Mario adds: “By working with our customers we not only make the fasteners but entire applications better and more efficient. We can do this thanks to the engineering, laboratory, testing and development expertise we have built up in this area over the last few decades, which sets us apart from competitors when it comes to what we can offer customers.”
Developing EV technology
KAMAX has also been working with customers to develop different types of fastenings when it comes to Electric Vehicles (EVs) – with this affecting not only the design of the parts but also the properties (i.e. the electric conductivity). “We started developing such solutions with the customers many years ago, to a point where EV products have become a new business area for us and represent a significant part of our turnover,” mentions Mario. “Some of the products we have produced include an insulating head by plastic over-moulding, which required us to introduce plastic moulding equipment and expertise within the group. We have also introduced a concept called KXpanded where we can make very long and thin bolts (e.g M6 x 600mm) with maximum straightness.”
Another product range that has a relevance to the EV sector is KAMAX’s KXtreme fasteners, which are ultra high-strength parts (up to strength Class 14.9U or 17.8U, depending on the environment/application) that can hold significantly more load than conventional screws.
“Thanks to the design of the KXtreme fasteners the total number of screws within an application and the size of the screws can be reduced. This gives the development engineer more design freedom and means additional load can be transferred,” points out Mario. “The KXtreme technology is not tied to any specific application; we can use it everywhere. However, with electrified vehicles there is significantly increased vehicle weights, which means increased load to the bolted joint – especially regarding vehicle crashes or where the high torques of the electric motor are impacting the joints. Here, we see the significant benefits of using ultra high-strength KXtreme bolts, with multiple applications in battery electric vehicles already proving this.”
Meeting the innovation challenge
KAMAX’s ability to introduce innovative solutions is thanks to its research and development capabilities, which have been a crucial part of the company’s success since the very beginning. “Innovation is essential for our business, we launch around 300 new products every year and in addition to our global and regional development teams, we have our own Innovation Hub to drive new ideas forward,” states Mario. “With the agile approach of our Innovation Hub, we can develop innovative solutions for challenging applications, which we find primarily in the battery environment of electric vehicles. Still, fuel cell electric vehicles are also a segment in which we have identified challenges that we are now working on.”
In recent years, KAMAX has also driven forward its vertical integration. “With majority shareholdings in the Robert Schröder Group and Galol, we have significantly expanded our expertise in cold formed and precision machined parts and coatings,” underlines Mario. “On the one hand, the aim was to diversify our product portfolio further and offer even more complex solutions. At the same time, we must have the critical steps in the value and supply chain under our control. Of course, this also has advantages for the customer, as they get complex products requiring different skills from a single source.”
KAMAX has also expanded its production capabilities, with three new operations around the globe, including Leon (Mexico), Bardejov (Slovakia) and a second plant in Changzhou (China). “Thanks to a combination of cold forming and precision machining, and the resulting production of complex formed parts and assemblies, we believe there is further potential to differentiate ourselves from competitors in the future. Our approach combines a high-level of application expertise with innovation, reliability and cost efficiency. If we continue to succeed in this, we will have opportunities for growth in all markets,” concludes Mario.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
