Kennametal showcases end-to-end fastener solutions at FASTNEX 2026
Subhakrishna K.S., Sales Head – India, Infrastructure Business, Kennametal India, on platform innovation, aerospace-ready fastener solutions, and productivity-driven tooling
At FASTNEX 2026, held alongside IMTEX Forming 2026, Kennametal reaffirmed its strong focus on India’s fastener and infrastructure ecosystem by showcasing its comprehensive, end-to-end tooling solutions. As a global leader in advanced tooling and material solutions, Kennametal continues to support fastener manufacturers across automotive, aerospace, and industrial segments with innovation-led offerings designed for mass production environments.
In an interaction with mojo4industry at IMTEX Forming 2026, Subhakrishna K.S., Sales Head – India, Infrastructure Business, Kennametal India, spoke about the strategic relevance of FASTNEX, the company’s latest innovations for fastener manufacturers, and how its application-driven approach helps customers enhance productivity and efficiency.
Here are excerpts from the interaction:
What makes FASTNEX 2026 an important platform for Kennametal India, particularly for your infrastructure business?
FASTNEX is a very important platform for us because Kennametal has been offering solutions for fastener manufacturers for several decades now. This long-standing presence helps us continuously strengthen and upgrade our brand in this segment.
At the same time, FASTNEX provides us with an excellent opportunity to engage with customers and prospects whom we may not be regularly in touch with, including OEMs and fastener manufacturers. We are keen to interact with them, understand their evolving requirements, and showcase the breadth of our offerings. Platforms like FASTNEX enable meaningful conversations and help us expand our reach within the fastener manufacturing ecosystem.
What are the key innovations Kennametal is showcasing at the exhibition?Innovation is at the core of Kennametal, particularly platform innovation, which is one of our key competencies. At FASTNEX, we have showcased solutions that go beyond conventional fastener manufacturing tools.
Along with tooling solutions for fastener production, we have also demonstrated capabilities further upstream in the process—specifically, solutions related to rod manufacturing, which serves as a critical input for fasteners. Our offerings cater to fasteners used across automotive and aerospace segments.
In recent years, many OEMs and fastener manufacturers have started entering the aerospace segment, particularly over the last two to three years. Aerospace applications require non-ferrous fasteners, and for this, we offer unique solutions with special grades specifically designed for manufacturing non-ferrous fasteners.
Given that fastener manufacturing is largely a mass-production process, innovation plays a crucial role in improving productivity and efficiency. Our special grades and application-specific solutions help customers enhance output, reduce downtime, and achieve consistent performance in high-volume production environments.
How do Kennametal’s tooling & wear-resistant solutions help customers improve productivity?
At Kennametal, we strongly believe in offering end-to-end solutions. Our regular interaction and continuous engagement with customers play a critical role in ensuring that we recommend the right solution for each application.
There are three key factors that guide our approach. The first is a thorough understanding of the application, which is absolutely vital for offering a customised solution. The second is identifying the specific problem or challenge that the customer is facing in their manufacturing process.
These aspects together help us design and recommend the most effective solution. Additionally, we have a dedicated R&D facility located in Bengaluru, which works closely with Kennametal’s global plants. This close collaboration enables us to bring global innovation and best practices to the Indian market.
Through this integrated approach—combining application understanding, problem-solving, and strong R&D support—we are able to deliver products and solutions that significantly improve customer productivity and operational efficiency.
