Mike McGuire spotlights fasteners' role in manufacturing

Mike McGuire of Worldwide Fastener Sources was recently featured on Close Up Radio, where he highlighted the importance of fasteners in product safety, reliability and manufacturing. The interview also underscored his long-running push for fastening education, U.S. manufacturing strength and better training for engineers and workers.

Why it matters: - Fasteners are a small part of a product's cost, but they are critical to safety, reliability and performance across transportation, healthcare, electronics, construction and household goods. - McGuire's work centers on closing an education gap in fastening application engineering, which he sees as a weak point in college and university training. - His outreach is aimed at helping manufacturers, engineers and students make better decisions about sourcing and assembly.

What happened: - Close Up Radio featured Mike McGuire, president of Worldwide Fastener Sources, in an interview with Jim Masters on Wednesday, July 15, at 2 p.m. Eastern. - The interview was presented as a look at McGuire's more than 65 years in the fastener industry. - The program positioned McGuire as an educator, publisher and advocate for American manufacturing.

The details: - McGuire founded the American Fastener Journal to share industry knowledge. - Worldwide Fastener Sources and related platforms offer information on more than 238 fastener categories and more than 13,000 individual fastener types. - The websites are designed to connect buyers and suppliers and make sourcing easier. - McGuire also founded the National Industrial Fastener Show in Columbus, Ohio, in 1981. - The event is now known as the International Fastener Expo and is intended to expand product knowledge and fastener sourcing. - McGuire said, "We're the Rodney Dangerfield of components," and added, "We get no respect." - McGuire also said, "Everything made has a fastener on it—or the machine that made that product does." - The article says McGuire has written to elected officials about engineering education, workforce training and manufacturing capabilities tied to critical industries. - The article says his websites and sourcing platforms are among the most extensive fastener information resources available worldwide. - Listen to the podcast - Listen on iHeart - Listen on Spotify - More information

Between the lines: - The feature frames fasteners as an overlooked but foundational part of modern manufacturing. - McGuire's message blends industry expertise with workforce policy concerns, signaling that the issue is as much about training as it is about hardware. - The emphasis on practical experience suggests a critique of how the industry prepares new engineers and sales professionals.

What's next: - McGuire is expected to keep pushing for broader education in fastening application engineering. - His advocacy points to continued efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia. - The interview may help draw more attention to the International Fastener Expo and to sourcing resources built around Worldwide Fastener Sources.

The bottom line: - McGuire's pitch is simple: the smallest parts can determine whether big products work at all.