Altenloh, Brinck and Co. Celebrates 200 Years in Business

Altenloh, Brinck and Co (ABC) is celebrating a milestone anniversary: 200 years in business. Founded in 1823 in the town now known as Ennepetal, Germany, ABC was the first in that country to produce screws on an industrial scale. Since then, they have enjoyed a long tradition dedicated to innovative progress.

The most well-known product manufactured by the global, family-run company is the SPAX® screw, which revolutionized the fastener sector and continues to be one of the most innovative fasteners in the marketplace today.

ABC was officially established on September 8, 1823 by Daniel Altenloh, Theodor Altenloh, Wilhelm Brinck, Franz Riecke and Johan Wallershaus. ABC brought quality products to the European market and more countries turned to the fasteners made by ABC.

The years that followed were marked by innovation and a pioneering spirit. In 1967, ABC revolutionized the screw market with the launch of the premium fastener brand, SPAX. Today, SPAX continues to be seen as a premium, cutting-edge screw manufactured at both ABC facilities in Germany and the USA with global impact. Fueled by its huge success, ABC established various subsidiaries and locations all over the world between 1989 and 1996, thus extending its international reach even further.

“The entrepreneurial spirit of the five founding members of our company lives on in the organization today,” explains Nikolas Dicke, great-great-great-grandson of co-founder Daniel Altenloh and current CEO of ABC. “Each member brought a skillset and a strength to the group; coupled with significant drive and determination, their idea came to life and grew into what is now a global leader in fastener manufacturing. We are excited to see the company grow and evolve in the years ahead.”

Underlining the company’s ambition to continue innovation and growth, ABC Holding was founded in 2003 with three independent companies: ABC Umformtechnik (until 2021), AZ Ausrüstung und Zubenör (until 2017) and SPAX International, which continues today.

ABC tapped into a new sector through the acquisition of SABEU, whose innovative solutions in injection molding and membrane production are in demand across the globe for use in laboratories, the packaging industry, and medical technology.

The acquisition of the US roof fastener manufacturer TRUFAST® and a SPAX production site in Ohio propelled the company’s internationalization even further. TRUFAST is well-established in the commercial roofing industry and has been a trusted partner for OEM system manufacturers for more than four decades. In 2017, ABC US purchased the company that is now TRUFAST Walls, offering fastening solution for the building envelope.

“Building on 200 years of global excellence, ABC US proudly looks to continue the significant growth that has defined our organization since the US operations began as TRUFAST in 1981,” says Jason Beals, CEO of ABC US. “While our products will continue to evolve and our teams expand, our passion of building opportunity through growth will remain steadfast.” ABC US is headquartered in Bryan, Ohio, with a satellite office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

ABC has eight locations in Europe, the US, and Australia dedicated to the manufacture and sales of innovative products in the three growth sectors of construction and trade, medical, and life science. The company, which is still completely family-owned, collaborates with 40,000 retailers across the globe and employs 1,250 people.

In 2022, ABC expanded its Pioneer, Ohio facility to house packaging operations. The new 64,000 square foot packaging facility houses all fastener packaging operations including automated, semi-automated and manual packaging.

“Our culture, built around our core values, is what differentiates us from other employers. We care deeply about the growth of our people and the communities we serve,” says Charlene Swank, vice president of human resources with ABC US.

To celebrate the anniversary, ABC US is sponsoring a 200 Year Anniversary raffle, featuring several prize packages and will include several SPAX fastener assortment kits. The raffle will continue through the end of September, 2023. Learn more and register at www.altenloh.us.