AFIM

What AFIM does

AFIM (Attrezzature Forniture Industriali Milano S.r.l.) is an Italian family-owned industrial fastener and hardware distributor headquartered in Milan, founded in 1971 by Sergio and Silvana Di Gregorio and currently directed by their son Marco Di Gregorio. Operating under the positioning "the distributors' distributor," the company supplies medium and large industrial distributors and OEMs across Italy and Europe with retaining rings, washers, pins, stainless steel screws, drill bushes, parallel keys, and shims, organized into seven product families. Its supply architecture rests on a 50+ year exclusive distribution partnership with Beneri S.p.A. (Europe's largest standard rings and washers manufacturer), exclusive distribution of Borrelly wave washers, and a curated network of certified Italian and international producers; over 70% of sales are supplied with European-manufactured products. Supporting capabilities include an ISO 9001:2024-certified in-house Quality Lab with Keyence IM-8000 optical measurement (±7.5 µm accuracy, ±2 µm repeatability) and Durolife V hardness testing, a 2019-launched Bespoke Lab for custom parts with sub-5-business-day response times (oriented to automotive OEM), and a Kanban storage consulting service.

The business model is B2B distribution with three revenue streams: standard fastener distribution, custom-part manufacturing via the Bespoke Lab, and value-added services such as Kanban inventory consulting. Customer-specific pricing is delivered through an authenticated B2B portal (afim.blusys.it) launched in version 1.0 in 2024 with real-time multi-warehouse inventory, RFQ, and order management; over 3,500 customers are active on the portal out of a total customer base exceeding 4,112 across 36 countries, of which more than 600 are outside Italy. The company reaches customers through a multilingual corporate website (Italian, English, Spanish, French, German), the B2B portal, direct relationship-based sales, and trade show participation. The structure is a private Italian S.r.l. with no external investors or parent company disclosed, no funding rounds on record, and no revenue figures publicly available.

Name

AFIM

Legal name

AFIM - Attrezzature Forniture Industriali Milano S.r.l.

Website

https://afimsrl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AFIM is a Milan-based, family-owned Italian industrial fastener and hardware distributor serving over 4,100 B2B distributors and industrial customers across 36 countries since 1971, supplying retaining rings, washers, pins, screws, drill bushes, parallel keys, and custom parts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Fastener Distribution

NAICS

Hardware Merchant Wholesalers (423710)

SIC

Wholesale-Hardware & Plumbing & Heating Equipment & Supplies (5070)

akta.pro primary industry

Fasteners, Nails, Screws & Anchors Retail (CRAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

HVAC, Water Heaters & Indoor Air Quality Distribution (CRAOAFAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial fastener distribution
• Retaining rings wholesale
• Stainless steel screws
• Pins and washers distributor
• Mechanical hardware supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano Marittima

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fastener Distribution: Distribution of industrial fasteners including retaining rings, washers, pins, screws, and hardware components to distributors and industrial customers. Products sourced primarily from European manufacturers with over 70% of sales from European-made products.
2. Custom Parts (Bespoke Lab): Custom-designed and manufactured parts according to customer specifications, particularly serving automotive OEM customers with specific tolerances and characteristics. Response time under 5 business days for custom part inquiries.
3. Kanban Storage Services: Consulting and implementation of Kanban storage systems for customers, including inventory management, automatic refill notifications, stock level optimization, and custom labeling and packaging services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AFIM supplies industrial fasteners and mechanical hardware — including retaining rings, washers, stainless steel screws, pins, parallel keys, and drill bushes — to industrial distributors across Italy and Europe, acting as the main distributor for Beneri S.p.A. and exclusive distributor for Borrelly wave washers. The company complements its distribution business with custom parts manufacturing (Bespoke Lab), Kanban inventory consulting, and an in-house ISO 9001-certified Quality Lab for technical conformity testing. Distribution is conducted through a proprietary B2B digital portal (afim.blusys.it) reaching over 3,500 customers across 36 countries.

Product overview

AFIM operates as a distributor-of-distributors ('the distributors' distributor') for industrial fasteners and mechanical components. The portfolio is organized into seven product families sourced primarily from European manufacturers (with over 70% of sales from European-made products): (1) the Beneri catalogue of retaining rings, washers, and pliers/tools — AFIM's founding and core product line distributed for over 50 years; (2) stainless steel A2 screws and fasteners added in 2019; (3) DIN 988 support and shim washers; (4) the exclusive Borrelly range of wave washers and Belleville springs; (5) parallel keys in C45 and AISI 316; (6) elastic and cylindrical pins; and (7) drill bushes. AFIM also operates the AFIM B2B Hub digital portal for real-time ordering, the Bespoke Lab for custom-part manufacturing, a Kanban storage management service, and an ISO 9001-certified Quality Laboratory for technical conformity testing. The company is headquartered in Milan and serves over 4,100 customers across 36 countries, with over 600 customers outside Italy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bespoke Lab: Customized parts design and production service launched in 2019
• AFIM Quality Lab

Products and services

• Beneri Catalogue (Retaining Rings, Washers, Pliers and Tools) Comprehensive range of retaining rings (DIN 471, 472, 6799, 983, 984), washers (DIN 6798 A/J/V, 6797, 137 A/B, 125, 988 SS/PS, RZB, RZBM, RZB MS, RESS, DE, RDD, RD EFL, RD IFL, RD IFS), and pliers/tools (DIN 6799, 5256, 5254) manufactured by Beneri S.p.A., Italy's largest producer of standard fasteners. Distributed by AFIM to industrial distributors and manufacturers.
• Stainless Steel Screws (Viterie Inox) A2 stainless steel screws and fasteners including hexagon head screws (DIN 933/ISO 4017, DIN 931/ISO 4014), socket head cap screws (DIN 912/ISO 4762), nuts (DIN 934, 982, 985, 6923, 439, 1587), and washers (DIN 125, 9021, 127). Distributed by AFIM to industrial distributors and manufacturers.
• Washers DIN 988

Quantifiable outcome

• 70%+ of sales from European manufactured products ensuring quality standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, supporting and core.

• Fondo Ambientale Italiano (FAI)minorOthers · 1 January 2023AFIM became Corporate Golden Donor of the Italian Environmental Fund in 2023, supporting cultural and landscape heritage preservation in Italy.
• Certified Manufacturers (Italian and International)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Program of selected and qualified certified producers in Italy and internationally, enabling AFIM to offer an increasingly wide range of products and competitive pricing for custom parts through the Bespoke Lab.
• Africabougou Association ONLUSminorOthers · 1 January 2014Charitable partnership where AFIM contributes >=1% of annual profits to support entrepreneurship promotion and rehabilitation centers in Mali and Burkina Faso since 2014.
• Beneri S.p.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1971Exclusive main distributor for Beneri S.p.A., the largest manufacturer of standard rings and washers in Europe, since 1971 (over 50 years). AFIM distributes the complete Beneri catalog including retaining rings, washers, and pliers and tools. All Beneri products are entirely produced in Italy.
• BorrellycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive distribution agreement for Borrelly wave washers, adding to the product portfolio alongside Beneri products. Borrelly products complement the washer range offered by AFIM.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wesco International: US-listed global electrical, communications, and utility distribution company with adjacent industrial fastener and MRO offerings. Comparable B2B distribution scale and digital ordering infrastructure but operates as a broad incumbent across multiple industrial categories.
• MSC Industrial Direct: US-listed broad-line industrial MRO distributor with significant fasteners category exposure. Comparable B2B digital ordering infrastructure and customer base model, though operating as a broad incumbent rather than a specialist fastener distributor.
• Würth Industrie: German industrial fastening materials and tools distributor, part of the larger Würth Group. Directly comparable product portfolio (DIN-standard fasteners, retaining rings, washers) but serves as a broad incumbent with a much wider product and service portfolio than AFIM.

Direct peers

• Berner Group: European family-owned B2B distributor of fasteners, tools, chemicals, and MRO supplies serving professional trades and industrial customers. Comparable European footprint, multi-decade history, and direct overlap in standard fasteners and washers.
• Optimas Solutions: Global industrial fasteners specialist serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial OEM customers with engineering and supply-chain services. Comparable in combining standard fastener distribution with custom-engineered solutions (analogous to AFIM's Bespoke Lab).
• Fontana Fasteners: Italian manufacturer and distributor of fasteners and fastening systems serving European industrial customers. Comparable Italian heritage, European customer base, and product portfolio overlap with AFIM's retaining rings and specialty fasteners.
• TR Fastenings: UK-headquartered engineered fasteners and components supplier serving European OEMs and distributors. Directly comparable in product category (standard and engineered fasteners), customer segments (distributors and OEMs), and European geographic focus.
• Fastenal Company: US-listed industrial fasteners and supplies distributor serving OEMs and industrial customers globally. Comparable B2B distribution model with proprietary digital ordering platforms, though operating at vastly larger scale and with broader geographic coverage.
• Bossard Group: Swiss-listed specialist in industrial fastening technology and assembly solutions with distribution across Europe, Americas, and Asia. Closest comparable to AFIM in product category (fasteners and assembly components) and distributor-of-distributors model, though at significantly larger scale.
• Reyher: German fasteners and fixings wholesaler (part of the Nagel Group) with a long European distribution history. Closely comparable product category, DIN-standard focus, and distributor-to-trade business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AFIM