EVERY
SCREW
COUNTS
While businesses can reduce their carbon footprint, cutting the environmental impact of products and their use is a significant challenge. It’s an issue TENZ has been tackling right from the beginning, with an innovative screw design that drastically cuts the energy needed to screw it in place. Torque Magazine speaks with TENZ Managing Director Gerhard Hubmann about the background behind the screw, its impact in the timber construction market and how constant innovation is helping the design provide incremental improvements for the environment…
EVERY
SCREW
COUNTS
While businesses can reduce their carbon footprint, cutting the environmental impact of products and their use is a significant challenge. It’s an issue TENZ has been tackling right from the beginning, with an innovative screw design that drastically cuts the energy needed to screw it in place. Torque Magazine speaks with TENZ Managing Director Gerhard Hubmann about the background behind the screw, its impact in the timber construction market and how constant innovation is helping the design provide incremental improvements for the environment…
How long was this innovation in development?
In my research and development, the focus is always on people as users. Our goal is to make screwing as easy as possible and to maximise the fun of the work - the dimension of the energy saved has become apparent in the course of development of the TENZ LOW ENERGY SCREW.
The idea was born in 2011, followed by development and prototype construction.
In the years 2014 – 2016, the function of the screw was verified in fundamental tests in cooperation with the University of Karlsruhe (KIT) and the Technical University of Graz. Not only was the function of the thread of the energy-saving screw tested on different sizes and dimensions of screws, but also the processing in different wood materials. It is a proven result that the function of the TENZ® thread technology is given in all sizes and lengths of screws for use in wood and composite materials. In 2016, the first high volume orders were placed in the manufacturing plants in Asia.
Since April 2018, the screw has been sold in Europe through distribution partners. In 2019, a nationwide distribution in the USA was implemented with the well-known DIY chain "The Home Depot".
In autumn 2020, sales in England started with a customised screw program "TENZ from PERRY" and the existing TENZ wood construction screws.
The year 2021 was marked by the establishment of the company's own sales team for Austria and the expansion of the product range. The new OUTDOOR screws with anti-rust coating in various colors were very well received via the online shop. They are a cost-effective alternative to stainless steel screws and are particularly popular in the DIY sector.
In order to be able to offer customers a complete range, screws with diameters of 3.5/4/4.5/5 mm were also added to the programme in November 2022.
What would you say to someone who has not yet tried the TENZ wood screw?
To them we say: ‘Have fun at work and save the world at the same time’.
It is a fact that screws are a must in the project – they are the project finisher. You have the decision whether to use just any screw – or to save energy and co2 with TENZ Screws.
The advantages of TENZ technology are so many that it really makes a difference.
- Minimal effort: up to 50% less resistance reduces the effort required for screwing.
- Increases tool life: the life of the tool is increased by up to 10 times. This means that the tool can be used for longer and there is less waste.
- The low load is not only easy on machines but also on the human body. TENZ is the only back-friendly screw that has been awarded the AGR seal of quality – this is how you support your skilled workers.
Finally, CO2 is also saved. Based on sales figures in the EU and USA from 2019 to 2022, this adds up to 82,000 kWh, which corresponds to a saving of 33 T CO2 compared to the use of standard screws.
We need to evaluate every area of life to see where we can make a contribution. So, every screw counts!
Are you looking at further developments for this screw technology? To make it even more efficient and environmentally friendly?
Yes! My heart beats for innovation, so I am constantly striving to improve my invention. Currently we are on v6 of the original TENZ stairs technology. The focus here is on efficiency in production, improvement of the application and sustainability in the entire product process.
On the other hand, we develop the geometry for our clients in interesting ingredient branding projects. The basis for this is always the use of Stairs technology in combination with other customer requirements.
My focus of the invention was the application in load bearing timber construction. We see a trend that there are new applications where the screws are used. The following applications are now also covered:
- Decking Screws for exterior applications
- Composite Screws
- Stainless steel screws
- Universal screws for several applications
I am proud to say that all these application areas are already being implemented with our partners in the USA.
In addition, we are also concentrating on the customer group of DIY users. For this purpose, the universal screws with diameters of 3.5/4/4.5/5 mm have been added to the programme. This ideally complements our own sales channels. DIY stores as project partners are our next step, where we are working on cooperations in Germany, Australia, Japan and the USA.
"Have fun at work and save the world at the same time."
Are you seeing evidence that the wood construction market is still growing? Do you think its expansion has been partly due to end users wishing to be more sustainable?
The trend towards timber construction is unbroken. The desire for sustainable projects has arrived in reality – around the world, ground-breaking buildings are being constructed with wood as a building material, and they are truly impressive.
In comparison, cement is the material with the highest CO2 emissions in the world – almost eight percent of global emissions are caused by this building material, which is more than global computing power and global air traffic combined. As a builder, you have to think twice about using it.
Wood as a building material is the alternative - with climate-positive properties over the entire life cycle. Today, wood and composite materials can actually replace concrete and steel structures to a large extent. A well-known material for this is hardwood laminated veneer lumber – known as BauBuche. This combines high load-bearing capacity with small column cross-sections and is suitable for large spans.
The TENZ screw is obviously developed for wood – is there potential to bring the technology/innovation to screws for other materials at some point in the future?
TENZ technology and wood are inseparably linked. But wood has many different forms, and there is a wide range. My invention works in wood, chipboard, MDF, OSB, composite materials, WPC etc.
The largest chipboard manufacturer in the USA has asked us for an innovative solution - and so we implemented a project in which the TENZ stairs are also used for drywall screws.
So, there is plenty to do in the screw sector.
