Breaking New Ground in “Clinching”

Revisiting a scene from the 70s, the metal industries are relying upon mechanical fastenings to assemble the wide range of equipment and devices made with metal substrates. Fast-forwarding to the present day, the advent of clinching or fastening of sheet metals without fasteners has stood in lieu of the traditional fastening processes. “Despite being devised in the early 80s, clinching seems like an up-to-the-minute technology with its tremendous market possibilities in the metal industry today,” says Jacques Kowalczuk, CEO of Bollhoff Attexor. From the elimination of corrosion, toxic fumes, and noise to the conservation of electrical energy; clinching is the ultimate panacea to press-join thin sheet metals. Pioneering the domain of clinching worldwide is Bollhoff Attexor, a Switzerland-based manufacturing company.

With more than 30 years of experience, Attexor is the producer of portable clinchers, with a wide range of fast and light tools, as well as heavy-duty production units. From being an ironmonger to international manufacturer and robotics service provider, Bollhoff had its watershed moments that led to its partnership with Attexor in 2013. With this integration, Bolhoff Attexor has offered solutions to most applications in the sheet metal assembly sectors throughout the world. Leveraging the technology from a big company and the agility from the smaller one, Bollhoff Attexor delivers specific solutions understanding every individual need of its customers across the sectors of construction, appliances, and automotive.

Bollhoff Attexor manufactures a wide range of clinching hand tools and portable machines based on unique RIVCLINCH (clinching) joining technology that joins together steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other non-ferrous materials in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner. Bollhoff Attexor is specifically using RIVCLINCH technology in the world of robotics. As per Kowalczuk, the portable machines that Bolhoff Attexor has in its portfolio are contributing to the robotic world in three varied ways. Firstly, the company’s tools enable the customer to leverage the clinching technology at a very reasonable cost. Secondly, the portable machines can be used as the first device to start and authorize the pilot line irrespective of its working by hand or being mounted on the robots. Thirdly, with the agility and experience of dealing with portable machines, the company provides turnkey solutions for any organization that has robotics in its portfolio.

Depending on the markets and customer preferences, Bollhoff Attexor chooses to develop its own solutions or to integrate its hardware process with the software technology of other robotics solution providers. Bollhoff Attexor has a few success stories in the elevator and automotive industries. Elevator being the simplest automobile with its displacing of people just on the vertical distance; Bollhoff Attexor integrates its technology with the elevator manufacturer’s automation department to enhance their market with even more innovative solutions. Highlighting various other instances, Kowalczuk reveals how various automotive players such as Bürstner and RIVTAC have incorporated clinching into their operations.

The company’s solutions are catering to a holistic line of industries, giving rise to the future prospect of its technology to be used in drones and other such devices. Having an around-the-globe clientele is one of the many milestones of Bollhoff Attexor. Already dominating its presence in the continents of Asia, North America, and Europe; Bollhoff Attexor is also expanding across Brazil and Argentina. The company’s extensive network ensures that they are on hand to advise its customers spread across the world. As a family-run business, Bollhoff Attexor stands for long-term success—through highly-qualified employees, innovative products and customer-friendly services.