Did you know that Austin Hardware supplies hard-working hardware to some of the biggest trailer manufacturers in the business? With 9 U.S. locations and 60 years of experience, we work with some of the best in the industry. We also have the products and knowledge to outfit many different types of trailers.

From car haulers to horse trailers and everything in between, we have the hardware you need for your trailer. We also have a helpful team of experts willing to set up a time to discuss your business goals and unique set of needs. No matter what size your business, we have multiple teams of experts ready to work alongside your business as a partner to provide you with the best trailer related solutions in the industry.  

The meaning of the term "structural fastener" is somewhat ambiguous. Here's what it used to mean:

As recently as a January 2020 article by ITA Fasteners, structural fasteners are described as being, "… characterized by strong, heavy-duty materials that facilitate the construction of structures employing steel to steel connections. They are an ideal choice … for connecting one metal structure to another." 

While not inaccurate, according to Steave Klein, National Sales Manager for Fasteners at Austin Hardware®, "That phrasing comes from a time when steel was the strongest material available for construction and structural applications. In the modern world of today, while steel is still commonly used in all types of manufacturing, we also have many other materials, some of which are stronger than steel, and due to some of their other characteristics, better suited to certain load-bearing applications." 

Sealants and Adhesives Online Tools

Applications for sealants and adhesives vary greatly. Consequently, whether you’re an OEM, repair facility, or at-home DIYer, there’s an almost limitless variety of products available. This large number of choices allows for there to be a product that perfectly fits your needs. Unfortunately, weeding through all of those choices can be challenging. 

Look no further!  

To help you make the right choice, Austin Hardware® has added an in-depth and highly detailed filtering system to the Sealants and Adhesives pages) of our website.

A Wikipedia citing notes that, “Solid rivets are one of the oldest and most reliable types of fasteners, having been found in archaeological findings dating back to the Bronze Age.” According to ThomasNet, Solid rivets “With their full-bodied design, solid rivets represent the strongest of the rivet varieties and, installed red-hot, were the rivets employed in structural-steel buildings and the like before bolted- and welded-joint techniques supplanted them.” Solid rivets are one of the strongest permanent fasteners and are commonly used in applications where safety and reliability are of the utmost importance. This is why they are used frequently in the aircraft and auto industries.

Like most fasteners, bolts are available in a wide variety of styles and materials to meet the needs of a world of applications. In the industrial world, carbon and alloy steel bolts are used most often. Steel bolts can be divided into two major categories: High Strength Structural and Common.

Steel bolts are rated and specified by numerous certifying bodies, but the two primary associations in the United States are ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials) and the SAE International (formerly Society for Automotive Engineers). ASTM standards for bolts and fasteners pertain primarily to construction applications, while SAE deals with machinery and automotive applications as well as those for original equipment manufacturing.

High Strength Structural Steel Bolts are typically used to join steel structures in construction. They’re mostly composed of quenched or tempered steel and have a minimum tensile strength of 120 ksi for use in structural connections. Examples are ASTM rated A325 and A490, Types 1 and 3 structural hex bolts.

Austin Hardware® understands the unique hardware needs of the marine industry. We carry top-of-the-line stainless steel door and hatch hardware, deck hardware, vents, and diverse solutions. In addition, many parts are available with a corrosion-resistant electro-polished finish, a fundamental requirement in the marine industry.

We've worked hard to source valuable and reliable hardware solutions for marine vessels of all shapes and sizes. Whether you're a boat owner or a boat manufacturer, you know the value of the right parts and products. Keeping a boat well equipped is essential as they undergo a lot of weathering and have to meet strict safety standards. As part of our promise to find solutions, we supply a variety of products for the marine industry.

Ready to learn more? Keep reading…

This year, Austin Hardware® celebrates 60 years in business. What started as a small, family-owned business has bloomed into the success we see today with 10 U.S. locations and employees spread across the country. Our company's success is based on our roots to serve and provide quality parts and services while becoming a reliable partner in the industry.

Our CEO Mark Dudenhoeffer says it best,"We believe that as a family-owned and operated business, we have an opportunity to invest in our people and our customers for the long term." Team Austin is built on family values, a customer-first attitude, and quality in all aspects of our business. In times like these, we know that's what matters most.

Retaining rings can be an alternative to traditional threaded fasteners for holding components in a housing or on a shaft. They’re installed inside a housing or bore, or into a groove on a shaft to create a shoulder which retains an assembly. They eliminate threading, tapping, drilling and other machining operations associated with screws, nuts, bolts, etc. Because the grooves required for using retaining rings can be machined with other processes, they can help reduce production costs. Retaining rings are more compact than traditional fasteners but no less functional. They can also impact the cost of raw materials and labor, as well as reduce the weight of an end product.

There are two primary types and four main styles of retaining rings.

Companies are looking for ways to safely allow employees to return to the workplace as businesses reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the primary modes of transmission of COVID-19 is via airborne droplets.

A simple solution to mitigate the transmission of these droplets is to place a physical barrier between employees working in an office environment. Placing a partition at individual workstations and other key areas throughout the business can help to insulate workers from the potentially virus-carrying particulates emitted by others.  

What is Time Management?

Your most precious and limited resource is time. Learning effective time management is a valuable skill in and out of the workplace. Time management is essentially the way that you manage your time in business, life, and other aspects of your day today. If you’re busy or have a job where you fulfill a lot of different roles, time management might even be a more significant part of your life than you know it. We are all busy, but finding ways to improve your time management is important for your business and well-being. There are lots of reasons to improve your time management skills and methods that your business will significantly benefit from doing so.

Top Reasons for Better Time Management

• Get more done in less time.
• Structure your tasks with a hierarchy.
• Make your workflow more efficient.
• Increase your and your team’s workflow.
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As you can see, there are many great reasons to learn and master better time management skills, even more than the ones listed above. There are only so many hours in the day, and getting the most out of them will drastically improve all areas of your life. By wasting time or not using time efficiently, it takes longer to complete tasks.

Over time, this can create pain points for your entire business. To learn proper time management, you need to learn to prioritize tasks, responsibilities, and performance as it relates to how much time is required for each job. Mastering time management in your business will help you improve your bottom line and increase your company’s efficiency.

Simplify & Strategize

Once you master time management skills, you can begin to simplify your current processes and therefore strategize ways to improve other aspects of your business. Once you start to strategize ways to improve your business, you can start to create opportunities.

Business is all about new opportunities, and when you have mastered your time well, you can begin to grow other areas of your business. Face it, we all want growth in our business, and by mastering simple skills like time management, you can start to shift focus on long term growth strategies and away from micromanaging daily tasks.

Ready to learn more? Click to download the Austin Hardware® Time Management Guide Here.