Other Industries

When it comes to security fasteners, Hafren Security Fasteners has dedicated its product portfolio towards preventing and discouraging unwanted tampering or vandalism. In this article Ben Cooper, business development director, highlights the journey which brought forward the security fasteners of the modern industry.

Back in the day, there were only very basic one way security fasteners in the market – namely, clutch head woodscrews and galvanised shear nuts. The reality was that people used to drill out a pozi recessed screw, or file down two edges of a slotted screw in order to make it undoable – sometimes by using an angle grinder, or even a manual file to produce a clutch head screw. 

In the 1980’s, hospitals, prisons, schools and other public places, saw increases in crime, tampering, or vandalism and at the same time those demanding clutch heads wanted much more than just zinc plated fasteners in a woodscrew format, there was now demand for stainless steel with a self-tapping thread. In various other parts of the world, the need for security fixings was also on the increase.

Moving into the 1990’s, the demand increased further. Metal theft became a big area, where car and van exhausts and their catalytic converters would be stolen in the night; with the precious metals being sold off – driving a pandemic of serious crime, funded by the proceeds. Thus came the need in the automotive sector for bespoke, high strength metal bracketry to surround exhaust systems and try to protect them. Many other areas, such as the Millennium Dome in London, The Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood all had requirements for security screws in order to protect valuable memorabilia. 

With a rise in crime, tampering and vandalism, the opportunity arose for security fasteners. In short, people desired security fasteners that could only be removed with a matching key, driver, or socket while being compatible with high torque power tools. These trends guided the development of Hafren’s security fasteners range. 

The aim for Hafren in all this was, and still is, to stay ‘one step ahead’. As security fasteners developed, so too did the criminals’ ingenuity to try and find a way around them. Nowadays, we are all very familiar with the 6-lobe pin and its matching driver bits – and these are still good as a security fastener. However, Hafren recognised the need for more varieties of fasteners, nuts and bolts – with specific drivers too – to keep ‘one step ahead’. 

Hafren offers a unique range of security fasteners, with 1 – 5 ratings, which enables increased levels of tamper proofing, depending on the individual application involved and what it’s exposed to in situ. This range includes patented and proprietary security fasteners including Armour Rings^®, NoGo’s^®, Sentinel^®, Kinmar^®, System Zero^®, 5-lobe pin, Scroll™, self-drilling, barrel nuts and Solok™ Plus one-way and two-way specials. This extensive portfolio also includes many different head styles, thread types, material varieties and surface coating options. The UK-based company has also acquired several product lines to add to its family, including GKN Nettlefolds, Sentinel^®, twin thread woodscrew and more recently, PSM International Fasteners System Zero^® machine and self-tapping screws . 

Looking at security fasteners in today’s climate, there are even more pressures and considerations for using them. The challenges of how to use security fasteners are so diverse that many manufacturers around the world are coming to Hafren first for advice.

It is always important to remember that for what may be seen as an extra few pence or pound spent on using a security fastener – compared to a standard non security fastener – these fasteners will potentially save thousands of pounds more, let alone all the hassles. Potentially they may even save a life.