The 2025 International Fastener Expo has concluded after three amazing days full of education, networking, and community. As the fnal year in Las Vegas, this year’s show served as a satisfactory end to an incredible era. The frequent mention of the new location change amongst attendees sparked an atmosphere of excitement fowing through the show-foor aisles. With over 700 booths spanning 19 countries, IFE 2025 featured thousands of attendees from across the world looking to take advantage of the fastener industry’s premier B2B event.

Our competitive attendees kicked of our show bright and early Monday morning, teeing of at 8am at the 6th annual IFE Golf Tournament held at the Bali Hai Golf Club. Congratulations to our 2025 Golf Tournament winners:

First Place Team: Jack Dobek, Tim Quick, Eric Mason, and Ryan Cooper 

Second Place Team: Bryan Wheeler, Morgan Wilson, Aj Gallo, and Rob Reynolds 

Third Place Team: Dennis Doyle, Jamie Nelson, Todd McRoberts, and Andy Sanderson 

Long Drive Champions:

Ladies: Brittany French

Men: Steve Delis

Closest to the Pin: Bill Adams

As a new addition to IFE, Conference Day kicked of the educational program by providing attendees with learning opportunities before the hustle and bustle of the show foor. Starting of with the returning Full-Day Fasteners Training Institute® Workshop, attendees invested in their professional development by attending this informative session on plantings, coatings, and corrosion, taught by Carmen Vertullo, a seasoned fastener vet and the owner and founder of Carver Labs.

From 1:00pm to 4:30pm, attendees focked to Tradewinds to sit in on three exciting sessions with topics featuring Artifcial Intelligence in the fastener industry, bolt failure and downtime, and fastener Mergers & Acquisitions. Hawksearch, Solon Manufacturing, and XLCS Partners each provided an hour-long session flled with real-industry examples and insight. With over 270 registrants, Conference Day highlighted attendees’ commitment to their career development and desire to stay ahead of the curve in this dynamic industry.

Music, drinks, and conversations were fowing as we wrapped up Day 1 in style with the IFE Welcome Party. Exhibitors, distributors, associations, guests, spouses, and family members, all made their way to the Mandalay Daylight Beach Club for an evening of relaxation and networking. Looking to either rewind after booth set-up, Conference Day sessions, or traveling, attendees enjoyed a beautiful event space featuring a bar, company cabanas, and a cigar rolling station.  

Tuesday began with our insightful keynote, “Weathering the Trade and Tarif Tempest: Responding to a Dynamic Global Trade Environment,” from Ned Steiner, Senior Director, International Trade & Government Relations at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. Seats flled with numerous of attendees eager to learn more about the recent tarifs , what it may mean for their businesses, and how they can stay the course during these times of uncertainty.  

Post-keynote, the ropes dropped, and thousands of attendees fowed through the entrance to begin their IFE 2025 exciting expo hall experience. This year, IFE expanded its show foor conference program to consist of 9 session stage presentations and 7 Fireside Chats across the 2 days, all hosted by real industry experts. With numerous topics to choose from —such as the future of engineering support, ASTM/ASME standards, navigating cost increases, and AI-driven distribution—attendees had free reign to choose how they would like to interact with the educational program. Please use this link to access the keynote and session stage PowerPoint presentations from the show: Session Stage Presentations - International Fastener Show

"The buzz on the show foor was undeniable this year," says Ali Gonzalez, long-time IFE account executive. "From the moment attendees checked in at registration, there was energy and connection everywhere you looked. It's exciting to see the show evolve each year, and this year truly set a new benchmark for engagement and growth!”

With the addition of lead capture included in the booth package, exhibitors were able to use their phone cameras to scan attendee badges directly in the IFE mobile app. This provided exhibitors with another way to keep track of their leads and create more connections during their show.

"The new lead capture system was so easy to use! No extra equipment or hassle like past shows — just simple, seamless, and free. We got some great leads!" says Kathleen Esquerra of Fry Steel Company.

The Awards Ceremony was extra special this year as IFE inducted both Maryann Marzocchi of Distributor’s Link Magazine (posthumously) and Laurence Claus of NNi Training & Consulting Inc. into the Fastener Hall of Fame. Tracey Lumia was present to receive the award on behalf of her mother Maryann and gave a wonderful speech in her memory. And the Young Fastener of the Year Award Committee chose Tim Vath of Lindstrom as the 2025 Young Fastener Professional of the Year award recipient.

When asked about the move to Arizona for 2026, Kerry Tyler, IFE’s show director, said: “Relocating IFE to Phoenix is a strategic step forward for the event and for our Fastener community. The city's central location, state-of-the-art facilities, and expanding manufacturing base make it an ideal environment to support our exhibitors and attendees as they continue to drive the fastener industry's evolution.”

With IFE 2025 over, we want to thank all the amazing individuals who made this year’s show possible- our sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, attendees, and event staf. We’re excited for IFE 2026, which will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ from October 7-9, 2026. We hope to see you there and continue the momentum from another great show! Stay tuned for more information regarding the 2026 show and the Call for Speakers by visiting our website: www.fastenershows.com.