Southco’s Dzus fasteners lead the way in cutting-edge design solutions for the automotive industry

Market-leading Dzus quarter-fasteners meet the growing demand for cars and trucks to be designed with lightweight underbody protective shields. They improve both the aerodynamic efficiency and the overall fuel economy and stand out for their strength, accuracy, and convenience.

Dzus, the pioneer of quick-access fasteners with a history going back to the 1930´s, was acquired by Southco in 2004 and the two brands have been harmonised, enhanced, and developed over the past eight years. The company has the global resources and ability to offer automotive OEMs worldwide a superior and effective replacement to conventional threaded fastening devices, and to meet the underbody and protective shield requirements of today’s cars and trucks.

The key benefits of Dzus quarter-turn fasteners include resistance to vibration, fatigue and temperature changes, resistance to corrosion, and a variety of head style options. Furthermore, thanks to advanced technology developed by working closely with automotive customers over many years, the Dzus fasteners can be simply secured to steel, aluminium, or composite chassis underbody components through pre-punched holes.

Ulrike Sturman, Industry Marketing Manager for Transportation at Southco, explains: “There is a perpetual contrast between fasteners based on traditional screw thread systems and those based on quick-release mechanisms. It has long been perceived that for a robust and durable fastening system, threaded fasteners offer the most cost-effective solution. However, although a threaded system might be cheap to buy, the time it takes to lock and unlock the system makes it expensive in terms of initial installation as well as ongoing service.

¨The recovery gains of the Dzus quick access quarter-turn system, made from reducing the time it takes to install and then from ongoing access needed for servicing more than outweighs the upfront investment. Also, the Dzus quarter-turn stud is retained in the panel and will not get lost during maintenance work. In summary, Dzus quarter-turn quick release fasteners offer a competitive alternative to existing threaded systems by capitalizing on the ‘added value’ solution.”

More recently, Southco has developed a range of new quarter-turns and accessories. These include a stud in which the head and bottom of it have the same orientation; the advantage is that the heads are always engaged and locked in the same position. The lock position of panel fasteners can therefore be identified, and installation time is speeded up. Furthermore, in response to the increased use of textile-type panels in the auto industry, Southco offers larger washer faced quarter turns which spread the load and provide for a stronger and more robust fastening system.

Ulrike Sturman further commented: “At Southco, we are looking closely at the market potential resulting from the increased demand for new cars and 4x4s, and we also recognize the significant opportunities presented by the growing electric car market, where our fasteners are ideal for securing, and providing quick access to, battery pack enclosures.”

Southco offers an extensive range of Dzus fasteners which satisfy individual requirements and applications across a wide range of industries for quick access, high strength and economical performance. Each product line comes with its own set of matched receptacles for accurate, secure engagement and convenient mounting in a range of applications.

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