June 30, 2025

FTR Unthreaded: The Art of AI B2B Fastener Sourcing with Sam and Anders

FTR Unthreaded: The Art of AI B2B Fastener Sourcing with Sam and Anders

A deep dive into the evolving world of fastener sourcing, exploring why it's still very much an art, despite rising interest in AI and B2B e-ecommerce. With Fastenal veteran turned homesteader Sam Aldinger and ERP code-slinger Anders Green, founder of ALOX4.

Season 2025

In this episode, Eric Dudas of FCH Sourcing Network is joined by Fastenal veteran turned homesteader Sam Aldinger and ERP code-slinger Anders Green of ALOX4 to dive deep into the evolving world of fastener sourcing, exploring why it's still very much an art—despite rising interest in AI, B2B e-ecommerce and automation. They discuss the complexity of matching vague inquiries to real-world parts, the limitations of current tech solutions, and how tools like FCH SourceFinder and the "Scrubber" are paving the way. It's a candid, forward-looking conversation on the digital future of industrial sourcing.  Run time: 01:15:18

Topics Covered

  • Why fastener sourcing is still an “art form”

  • AI’s current limitations in industrial procurement

  • The FCH SourceFinder platform: evolution & future vision

  • “The Scrubber”: FCH’s legacy data normalization tool

  • Challenges of integrating with PIMs and ERPs

  • The role of digital catalogs in B2B sourcing

  • How industrial buyers make decisions under pressure

  • Building smarter RFQ systems inside ERP environments

👥 Featuring

🔗 References & Mentions

🧠 Quote of the Episode

“If AI really worked, I could just say ‘I need a bolt about the size of my pinky to go through two strut channels’—and it would know exactly what to find. But that doesn’t exist yet.”