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furniture journal
november 2011
M Moorree iin nvveessttm meen ntt aatt D Deeccoorraattiivvee P Paan neellss EExxh hiib biittiioon n u up pd daattee P Prreessss ffoorr ssoolliid d ssu urrffaacceess
Christmas by BA The Perfect Kitchen Present
Tel: 028 8676 4600 E: sales@bacomponents.co.uk
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November 2011
furniture journal
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M Moorree iin nvveessttm meen ntt aatt D Deeccoorraattiivvee P Paan neellss EExxh hiib biittiioon n u up pd daattee P Prreessss ffoorr ssoolliid d ssu urrffaacceess
cover photo Two new oak décors from Decorative Panels Group form part of extensive autumn plans. Read more on pages 10-11.
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editor: Melvyn Earle publication manager: Jon Allaker email: Jon@FurnitureJournal.co.uk design assistant: James Crisp email: James@FurnitureJournal.co.uk production manager Jennifer Sims email: Jennifer@cpcadmin.co.uk circulation: Jennifer Sims & James Crisp email: Circ@FurnitureJournal.co.uk Tel: 01502 517115 Fax: 01502 517117
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Please note: points of view expressed in articles by contributing writers and in advertisements included in Furniture Journal do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in Furniture Journal, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights, including moral rights, reserved. COPYRIGHT: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. Copyright CPC Ltd, 2011.
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ISSN 13653-8969 Readers should note that a charge may have been made by the publishers to cover the cost of reproducing some colour photographs in this publication.
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origination: CPC Ltd
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printing: Norwich Colour Print, Taverham Road, Norwich NR8 6RL published by: CPC Ltd, Napier House, 11 Surrey St, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 1LJ, England
business news zow plans to wow The ZOW organisers are planning a bumper event for this year’s show in Bad Salzuflen. shine on ... Proadec brings a shine to the furniture business with Express Gloss. centre of excellence Renolit Cramlington Ltd celebrates the completion of its refurbished Northumbria Building and new Design Centre. good mood Positive signs and good numbers from a compact and cosy MoOD prove the Brussels fabric show is still high on the international agenda. doors galore East Coast Fittings introduces two new Door Portfolios with 100 inspirational room sets to showcase its growing range of doors. hpp on show Images from the recent HPP Exhibition. essential component By May 2012 Decorative Panels Group’s new components factory will be stateof-the-art equipped and ready for bulk production. easy online edges More than 2,000 different colours and décors from 65 manufacturers, 20,000 board patterns and 147,000 links - and a two per cent discount - await visitors to Ostermann’s online shop. get organised New soft close wirework interior fittings from Sycamore Products add value and storage solutions to kitchen furniture.
contents
01 Contents Nov
loox fantastic At last! A retro-fittable plug and play lighting system for any room that complies with regulations from all over the world - from Häfele UK.
increased space for w12 working with design Space available to Working with Design exhibitors at W12 has been increased by 30% - a positive sign. forming a good impression The new pressing and forming systems from Orma make light work of shaping solid surfaces. fingertip control BSF Solid Surfaces opts for the largest in Streibig’s Control range. bravo, bravorobot SCM Group’s Valtorta Bravorobot offers the subtlety and finesse of the human arm with the speed and precision of an automatic system. safe investments Oakwood Joinery sees the benefits of investment in new machinery from SCM. aerotech takes off Dust control no longer causes problems for J&J Ormerod thanks to a new Aerotech device from Cruing. km opts for dcs A new installation from Dust Control Systems is part of a major investment at KM Furniture Ltd setting standards A new high speed Biesse CNC station has meant a review of extraction at DFS Summercotes - and Dustraction has met all expectations. machine shop save a packet Cut costs, improve efficiency and free up space with a custom box-making packaging system from Packsize.
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Look, no handles ! The new Venice handleless door, vinyl wrapped in Noce Marino Gloss from Apex Interior Systems makes for a warm and generous kitchen. Apex has perfected the production of an 18mm door giving a tremendous boost for designers wanting the linear look. Another new design idea from Apex is to use vinyl wrapped panelling on the wall as an enhancement to the kitchen that can be used to hang shelves or utensil racks giving an extra dimension to the room. A new fully illustrated Kitchen Brochure is now available direct from Apex. Call 01704 896600, go to www.apexinteriorsystems.co.uk, or email sales@apexinteriorsystems.co.uk.
Award for Rehau factory Rehau’s furniture division is justifiably proud of the fact that it produces the majority of the edgeband it supplies in the UK at its own factory in Amlwch, North Wales. This factory has just been rewarded by the global polymer group for its outstanding achievement in implementing Lean Awareness principles as part of its continuous improvement process. Rehau began introducing lean management methods into its factories in 2006 to optimise efficiency in line with the requirements of the automotive sector, where the company is a major supplier of polymer components. A globally standardised system of lean management principles now exists throughout the company and each of its 41 manufacturing locations worldwide is assessed on how successfully these are being implemented Alongside Rehau’s plants in Brake in Germany and Pune in India, the edgeband manufacturing plant at Amlwch has been judged outstanding for 2011. Plant manager Peter Ault and Lean Guru Daniel Jones were presented with a trophy and cheque by Herr Schulz, CEO of the Rehau Group, at a ceremony held recently in Germany. Peter Ault said: “This award is testament to the hard work and commitment shown by all the staff at Amlwch who have embraced all the positive benefits which lean awareness principles can deliver – both for our manufacturing operation and for all our UK customers.”
FACES GOING PLACES AT DEC PANELS Left: Phil Dalton who has been with DEC Panels since 2002 has been promoted to Operations Director with responsibilities across all three divisions in the Decorative Panels Group (lamination, components and furniture). His key aims are to focus and build on the company’s continuous improvement programme and aim for further improvements in overall efficiencies to ensure that the company builds on its highly competitive role in the furniture industry.
New brochure from Polyrey Leading laminate manufacturer Polyrey has launched a brand new eight page brochure entitled Sustainable Development, outlining the full extent of its commitment to an environmentally friendly approach. With the statement “we create for you the products of tomorrow, more respectful of our environment today” Polyrey demonstrates how caring for the environment has been part of its corporate thinking for more than a decade. A copy of Sustainable Development is available for download on www.polyrey.com or can be ordered by phone on 01923 202700 or by emailing polyrey.uk@polyrey.com Our picture above shows Couer de Pommier laminate from the brochure.
Right: Charlotte Metcalfe has joined DEC Panels as Group Marketing Manager following graduation from Northumbria University with a degree in Business Studies with Marketing. She previously spent a year with the Group on placement within the Sales and Marketing Department.
Left: Julian Tatham who has been with DEC Panels for 11 years has been appointed Design Director. He has a strong background in furniture design.
BUSINESS NEWS
02 biz news (stu)
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zow plans to wow T
he new slogan of the prestigious Bad Salzuflen exhibition, ZOW, is “It’s where furniture is made” and never was a slogan more appropriate. ZOW, which takes place in the region of East Westphalia, has made its home in the very heartland of a booming German furniture industry. The industry's turnover increased by 7.3 per cent in the first half-year of 2011 alone and a growth rate of five per cent is expected for the whole year. Against this backdrop, the German market provides an excellent sales opportunity for international furniture suppliers in 2012. Between 6th and 9th February 2012 - the buying season for German manufacturers - ZOW will provide a superb platform for showcasing a diverse range of furniture components and the organisers promise to ensure ZOW 2012 is an event not to be missed! Almost all companies from the surface and fittings sector will be present at ZOW 2012. Due to the high exhibitor demand, hall 23.2 will also be open for the fair. Whilst the big players will be there in force, many other innovative companies have signed up to show their products and, say the organisers, together they make ZOW the display window for tomorrow's colour and design trends.
ZOW is also an excellent venue for Italian suppliers, who will present their design-orientated product range of fittings, lighting systems and furniture accessories. In hall 22.1, the latest product innovations in the world of cloth, leather, micro fibre materials and technical fabrics, as well as upholstery accessories, will be introduced. “Fabrics by ZOW” was introduced for the first time last year and was positively received by both exhibitors and visitors. Various events have been planned by the organisers for ZOW 2012. The 9th February has been designated as timber coating day and everything will revolve around furniture surfaces. DFO, the German Research Association for Surface Treatment, will extend an invitation to its annual meeting at ZOW Bad Salzuflen for the third time. There, the recent developments in surface technologies will be discussed. For the first time, a large-scale RFID showcase across the value chain has been organised in co-operation with Abaco Informationssysteme. Some 15 companies will participate in this unique project and introduce ZOW's audience to this innovative technology. Make a note in your diary: 6th-9th February 2012, Bad Salzuflen.
The ZOW organisers are planning a bumper event for this year’s show in Bad Salzuflen and fabrics and upholstery have been added to surfaces and components for the second year running.
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shine on... Proadec brings a shine to the furniture business with Express Gloss.
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xpress Gloss from Proadec offers a competitive high gloss range that includes standard colours such as white, grey and black plus on trend shades in burgundy, lilac, aubergine and more. All 20 decors from the Express Gloss collection are available ex-stock in ABS, in 1 by 23mm size (other widths are available upon request). This stock programme concept is particularly advantageous with respect to quick availability and quantities as the minimum purchasing quantity is one roll of 120m. The selection is offered to suit several high-gloss board
CONTROL LOGIC Spark detector designed for dust collection systems to protect storage silos from the risk of fire. 20137 Milano - Via Ennio, 25 - Italy Tel.: + 39 02 5410 0818 - Fax + 39 02 5410 0764 E-mail: controllogic@controllogic.it - Web: www.controllogic.it
lines such as those of Abet, Egger, Finsa, Formica, Kronospan, Polyrey and Sonae. In addition to the stock programme, the ProHigloss product line is available in any plain colour, woodgrains and fantasy décors, in thin and thick material. ProHigloss offers woodworkers competitive high gloss with a thermoplastic edging with mirror-like reflection achieved through a highgrade lacquered finish. For further information and for your free set of samples, contact Proadec, 01322 382932.
Sparks fly at high speed. They travel at a hundred kilometres per hour along the ducts of the dust collection system and reach the silo in less than three seconds The CONTROL LOGIC SPARK DETECTOR is faster than the sparks themselves. It detects them with its highly sensitive infrared sensor, intercepts and extinguishes them in a flash. It needs no periodic inspection. The CONTROL LOGIC system is designed for “total supervision”. It verifies that sparks have been extinguished, gives prompt warning of any malfunction and, if needed, cuts off the duct and stops the fan.
CONTROL LOGIC s.r.l.
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Left: Renolit Cramlington’s new Design Centre. Below: Even the exterior of the new Northumbria Building is a showcase for Renolit’s products.
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custom-built Design Centre has been incorporated at the heart of the recently refurbished Northumbria Building at Renolit Cramlington Ltd. It creates a permanent display of the company's products and provides an impressive environment for customers to visit and use for business meetings and new product design presentations. The building also provides much needed meeting rooms and conference facilities. The striking exterior façade is created by combining windows made from Renolit Exofol MX Hazy Grey Finesse with matching Hazy Grey Finesse cladding top and bottom, contrasted in the middle with Siena PR, a warm Italian walnut design. Both designs are Renolit Exofol MX Premier stock range effects which are produced at the Cramlington site. The Design Centre itself is divided in to four sections, presenting the products of the Design, Exterior and Waterproofing business units, along with an open display facility for interactive use during presentations. The design area houses the complete global 3D stock ranges of Renolit Covaren and Renolit Alkoren with an impressive display of almost 170 different effects. Rotating carousels show the UK 3D stock range, 2D applications, experimental ideas and new product developments, while a large conference table made from Renolit Alkoren Lissa A takes centre stage, with an informal seating
arrangement to the side. The room has windows running along its whole length which provide the necessary natural day light into the room. On the other side of the room are the display areas for Exterior and Waterproofing. The windows in the Exterior presentation are backlit to simulate an external view and currently feature the four most recent additions to the Renolit Exofol MX Premier range: Teresina XC, Wisconsin XD, Siena PL and Winchester XC. A more extensive selection of window corners is displayed on the central unit. The Waterproofing unit features Alkorbright, Alkorsolar, Alkorplan and Alkorgreen, which are primarily used in roofing and construction projects. Excellent storage for literature, samples, MFC matching boards, and Renolit branded giveaways is provided by the under-display cupboards, surfaced with Renolit Alkoren Platinum White Suedette Matt. The Northumbria Building has been developed as a working facility for staff and customers with rooms suited to individual presentations right up to those designed to accommodate large groups. Already the building has hosted its first major event. On 15th September, over 100 customers attended an open day to visit the Design Centre and to view new machinery investments within the factory. If you’d like to arrange a visit, call Renolit Cramlington on 01670 718222 or visit www.renolit.com
Renolit Cramlington Ltd celebrates the completion of its refurbished Northumbria Building and new Design Centre.
Above: Natural daylight floods the Design Centre and meeting rooms are available for in-depth discussion and selection of products.
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ompact & Cosy, say the organisers of MoOD about this year’s event in Brussels. It may not have been as expansive as it was a few years back (now down to three halls from four) but it seems plenty of business was being written. Stands were busy and, commented one source, “What I noticed is how the atmosphere is a lot more positive than last year. There is far less complaining at the stands, which also have more people in them. Most people are satisfied. There is no euphoria but there is more than normal satisfaction!” A total of 7,300 professional visitors was reported by the organisers to the 2011 edition of MoOD. Some 80% were from Europe with Belgium, Germany, France, England and Italy forming the bulk of visitors to what has become one of Europe’s most pleasant fabric exhibitions. Russian and Hungarian visitors increased, as did Japanese, Indian and Chinese visitors. With no fewer than 90% of responding exhibitors remaining positive about the exhibition’s capacity to attract quality visitors, MoOD continues to highlight Brussels as the place to be in September.
Positive signs and good visitor numbers from a compact and cosy MoOD prove the Brussels fabric show is still high on the international agenda.
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good MoOD
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doors galore East Coast Fittings introduces two new Door Portfolios with 100 inspirational room sets to showcase its growing range of doors.
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ast Coast Fittings is celebrating its 30th year with the launch of its new format Door Portfolios. Combining eight individual door ranges in two new brochures, the Door Portfolios include a Kitchen Door Portfolio and a Bedroom Door Portfolio. Featuring 100 inspirational room sets, the Portfolios present a selection of the very latest styles and finishes including seven new finishes to the popular Goscote, made-to-measure vinyl door range. The new finishes include Mussel, Olive, Dakar, Lava and Stone Grey (all matt finish), as well as two textured woodgrain finishes White Avola and Brown Grey Avola. Each double page room set image is accompanied by a 'quick glance' information panel highlighting key elements of the featured doors, as well as directions to alternative door styles
and finish options and details of the handle featured in the illustration. In addition to the high quality room set imagery, the Door Portfolios also include detailed photographs of all the most popular door styles and finish options in an easy to use index format. Furthermore, in direct response to customer feedback, the new Door Portfolios are also available in a consumer style, unbranded format. The finishing touch to the new literature is a new swatch pack, now available featuring all the most popular finishes in the Goscote made-tomeasure vinyl door range. For further information on the new East Coast Fittings Door Portfolios, or for details of other ECF products, please contact ECF on 01664 424288, email info@eastcoastfittings.co.uk or visit www.eastcoastfittings.co.uk
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on show Keith Bailey (Cruing)
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ill’s Panel Products (HPP) rounded off their 20th birthday celebrations with the HPX 2011 exhibition – a showcase of some of the best products in the furniture industry. The show was held at the company’s Manchester offices and attracted over 500 visitors across two days. As well as refreshments, entertainment and factory tours, visitors were able to see products from Rehau, Kronospan, Wilsonart, Decorative Panels, Unika, Egger and Cruing – and were able to see how age and disability affects the way people are able to use furniture thanks to Blum’s amazing Age Explorer suit. The show is just the start of big things for HPP with new products, new literature and new marketing initiatives in the pipeline. More information, 0161 620 5656, www.hponline.co.uk
Lee Etherington (Unika)
The Blum Age Explorer suit.
Mark Trayford (Marlborough)
Jonathan Heginbotham (Rehau)
Kronospan stand.
Stephen Cadwell (Decorative Panels)
The HPX 2011 show was busy and popular.
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It’s vast. It’s cavernous. And it’s empty. But take a long, hard look now. By May 2012 Decorative Panels Group’s new components factory will be state-of-the-art equipped and ready for bulk production.
essential comp G
rowth, like success, doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of careful planning, shrewd investment - and an innate sense of the right moment. For Decorative Panels Group, there have been many such ‘right moments’ since the company embarked on its mission to supply the furniture sector, first with panel products and, more recently, with components. Another ‘right moment’ is already in the making. It was early 2011 when Decorative Panels Group acquired an unbelievably cavernous 175,000 square foot former wireworks factory a stone’s throw from its prestigious Head Office in Elland. The factory was in poor condition, Lynn Atkinson recalls: “It was a heavy engineering factory with acid baths and heavy cranes, dust, grease and grime. We’ve invested £8.5 million, cleaning, painting, cladding and re-
equipping it. By May 2012, it will look like a new factory, equipped with stateof-the-art manufacturing facilities.” Decorative Panels Group already has expansive manufacturing facilities for panel production, component production, even finished furniture production but this factory - in itself, an essential component - will double DP’s components division capacity to over £40m a year, enabling the Group to offer greater capacity and flexibility to its larger clients. Says Lynn, “It will make us more flexible, increase our capacity and enable us to go into more areas of furniture componentry than we're already in. It may also allow us to offer more bespoke product but the big thing is the flexibility. We’ll be able to offer a much better service to the bigger companies we don't currently have the capacity to approach.” Charlotte Metcalfe, the newly
appointed Group Marketing Manager outlined how, “The old Head Office building from the wireworks company is going to become a centre of design and marketing excellence for the whole group. It will be the best and most impressive facility in the industry.” The feeling of excitement is running through the company from top to bottom: “It is a difficult market place,” says managing director Guy Metcalfe. “It's tough out there but we're embracing it. Now's the time! The new factory will be equipped predominantly with new machinery. When the new machines are up and running, we'll fit some of our existing machines back in. It’s a multimillion pound turnkey investment with the Biesse Group of Italy,” says Guy, the excitement evident on his face. “And we will have state-of-the-art dust
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mponent extraction from Moldow, supplied through Cades.” The new facility will provide bulk buyers of components with manufacturing and also, if required, with design. “We have a fully qualified design team,” says Lynn Atkinson. “We can make all the components to your designs, or we can design, make and supply ready for you to assemble, or supply flat pack. Our customers can specify whatever products they want us to use whether it be our own paper foil design or Melamine products produced by a third party.” Of course, there’s a lot of paint to flow before May 2012 and the grand opening. January will see the new machines arrive and for ZOW there will be more new design ideas and more stock foils. Find out more. Call 01484 658341 or visit www.decorativepanels.co.uk
G N I N M O COSO The new factory is vast - and at the side, the old Head Office building will be converted into a centre of design and marketing excellence for the whole group.
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easy online edges More than 2,000 different colours and décors from 65 manufacturers, 20,000 board patterns and 147,000 links - and a two percent discount - await visitors to Ostermann’s online shop.
F
inding the right edging for any worktop is just a few mouseclicks away with Ostermann’s edging search engine. If you’re not sure which edging matches which worktop pattern, what sizes are available and in what materials, or if there are compatible touchup sticks, profiles and carcass seals, with Ostermann’s Cross Reference List (the name of the program available on their homepage - www.ostermann.eu) it’s easy to find out. The CRL contains what is believed to be the most comprehensive worktop pattern list in the European market. It enables the user to find items for worktop patterns by all manufacturers and Ostermann provides 20,000 board patterns from 65 manufacturers. The search window of Ostermann's online shop enables you to find the boards you need by entering the details Model 6224 is the largest in Striebig’s Control of range, the manufacturer, pattern number or which contains nine vertical panel saws. name. Frequently only the number or
part of the name is needed. After entering the search term and clicking on the search button, the customer is presented with all the boards in the range that match the search. By simply clicking on the required board a list of all reference articles will be displayed to the user. The list will contain ABS, melamine, acrylic, aluminium or veneer edgings that match the chosen board pattern. The search function can also be used to find compatible touch-up sticks, wax sticks, worktop mouldings, crown mouldings and carcass seals. In addition to compatible plain or decorative colours, the cabinet-maker will also find creative tips showing which "fantasy patterns" in the comprehensive edging range can be tastefully matched with the required board. Placing an order is just as simple: click on the required article, place it in the shopping cart and click the "Go to
order" button. After a final check, click "Order" and await delivery. Orders received before 3pm will be delivered to customers within 48 hours. Sixty-five European manufacturers can be found in Ostermann's CRL. More than 147,000 links provide you with a clear and simple method of finding compatible edgings or useful supplementary articles. Ostermann stocks widths of 16mm to 104mm and thicknesses of 0.4mm to 3mm. What's more, edgings can be ordered from lengths of 1m and over. The choice of surface finishes ranges from high-gloss, smooth to miniperl and various wood structures. More than 10,000 edgings and profiles can be found in store. There’s even a 2% discount for every order made online. Take a look at www.ostermann.eu and see how easy it is!
13 - Sycamore (stu)
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FURNITURE JOURNAL NOVEMBER 2011 • 13 The kidney shaped Octo unit.
New soft close wirework interior fittings from Sycamore Products add value and storage solutions to kitchen furniture
get organised S
ycamore Products Ltd has added high quality Italian manufactured soft close wirework to its extensive 2011/2012 portfolio. With the emphasis on high quality soft close mechanisms, the range includes the kidney shaped Octo unit, which is a space saving must have for any kitchen. The Octo unit incorporates two independent shelves, with a stylish chrome metal surround, and is available in right or left hand options. Also featured is the unhanded corner organiser, which again is soft close, and includes four high quality chrome baskets, within a heavy duty frame. The unhanded corner organiser is suitable for both left and right hand applications, eradicating the need to purchase two separate units for either function. Adding to the range are the pull out columns, available in mid high or tall units, the
pull out bottle rack, and pull out drawers. Sycamore Products wirework collection is complemented by an innovative assortment of wirework accessories, including the new chrome railing system, with detachable items such as a recipe book holder and spice rack, and more. Sycamore Products has an extensive portfolio that also includes a vast collection of contemporary and traditional handles, worktop and flooring profiles, furniture fittings, the new Taiming soft close drawer boxes, and various bedroom storage solution options. The new 2011/2012 catalogue is out now, please contact Sycamore Products for your copy by calling 0113 2713200, emailing sales@sycamoreproductsltd.co.uk or visiting www.sycamoreproductsltd.co.uk
The unhanded corner organiser.
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loox fantastic At last! A retro-fittable plug and play lighting system for any room that complies with regulations from all over the world - from Häfele UK.
A
n innovative plug and play system for LED furniture lighting has finally arrived. The Loox 'Plug and Play' lighting system from Häfele is suitable for both built-in and easy fit retro installation. It has long been the Holy Grail of the furniture manufacturing industry, with required certification and compliance becoming a pre-requisite. At Häfele the thorny issues of connectivity, power supply type and switching circuits were addressed as a whole, with connectors to both lights and driver being matched to specifications and a universal switch portal giving total confidence to the installer. Dependant on the lighting requirements, Häfele can offer both 12V and 24V constant voltage systems, along with a 350mA constant current system with a 700mA constant current system coming soon. Loox lighting can be used in every
country - worldwide - meaning you can wait until the last minute to use Loox and your furniture can be manufactured without knowing its final destination. Häfele refers to the driver as the 'Heart' of the plug and play system, as its unique functionality is only surpassed by the universal testing and certification which has been completed, allowing the combination of lights and drivers to be used throughout the world with the addition of a suitable power supply cord. There are various output terminals on the drivers, dependant on size and capacity, but all derivatives carry an additional switching socket for the on/off, open/close, touch dimmer and PIR movement switches, regardless of system type. For more information on the Loox range contact Häfele’s sales department on 01788 542020 or visit www.hafele.co.uk
Felder Advert
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increased space fo Space available to Working with Design exhibitors at W12 has been increased by 30% - a positive sign that exhibitions with the right formula remain a great platform for new products.
W
12 Working with Design has increased space available by over 30% as exhibitor interest in the new design led area grows. The concept of the new show, which is co-located for 2012 with the W12 Technology show for the same joinery and furniture manufacturing audience, identifies strongly with the current emphasis on smart manufacturing. Manufacturers of all sizes increasingly aim to differentiate their products and increase margins rather than chasing the cheaper commodity-like markets. Build in some useful design and customers are happy to talk value rather than purely price. As markets get tougher the ideas and contacts gained at the W12 trade show will be vital in determining who succeeds in the new environment. Exhibition director John Smith-Bodden says, “Whilst the overall furniture and joinery
markets are, at best, static - some manufacturers report increased activity and profits. The reason for this is so often due to good product design - and the good news is that this can be bought in by dealing with our exhibitors.” Especially in the furniture industries, sales are ultimately driven by fashion and design. W12 Working with Design is hitting the spot because it deals in practical, attainable design for UK manufacturers. Rehau is just one example of a major name exhibitor recognising the value of this new area. Martin RoverParkes of Rehau, considerably increasing the space booked initially, said, “The W series of shows has the right audience and the new Working with Design area is our ideal exhibition platform for our new innovative products. This is a show which is clearly meeting a need simply not served anywhere else in the UK.”
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Trade show bookings increase as the economy tightens As the economic conditions become tighter, recent research shows that trade exhibitions have increased in popularity. Why? - especially as the advertising budget is often amongst the first to be slashed. Yet there it is, 'The Facts 2011', a cross industry survey by Facetime (www.facetime.org.uk) gives us the hard facts that the average number of exhibiting companies rose by 2.0% in 2010. Net space booked rose by a whopping 7.1% while organisers reduced gross space, indicating more efficient focus on exhibitor space. The implication is that exhibition features and non revenue space has decreased. There is an important point behind these two facts. Both apply to trade shows rather than consumer events. Business, it seems, has decided that tough times require more face to face selling activity. Companies are not only maintaining but increasing their exhibition budgets. Looking further into this upward swing in trade show exhibiting, the reasons become clear according to the Facetime Report. Those who have actually experienced the unique way a significant trade exhibition can deliver tend to see it as a very welcome recession busting tool. Here are some of the stand-out opinions from exhibitors. ● Before an event, 32% of visitors believed that live events are the best form of marketing as you can interact and compare with others. After the event this rises to 74%. ● After attending a trade event, 80% said that they had discovered new things. Before the event, 38% had the expectation of seeing something new. ● “Live events make buying easy” say 76% of visitors leaving an exhibition. This compares with 36% of people who thought that might be a benefit as they entered the exhibition halls. This tells us that experienced and innovative exhibitors are really the people sending visitors home happy and delighted with their value from a day at the show.
for w12 working with design
18-19 - RW DPS
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forming a good R Combining vacuum and membrane pressing technology, the new pressing and forming systems from Orma make light work of shaping solid surfaces.
W Machines has launched a new vacuum pressing and forming system by Italian specialists Orma Macchine to take advantage of the decorative potential in man-made solid surfacing materials. Using a combination of vacuum and membrane pressing technology, various thicknesses, sizes and weights of solid surface sheet materials can now be bent, shaped or formed easily and efficiently. Three different processing alternatives are available. The maximum operating temperature across the range is 200 o C (40 o higher than most processing temperatures for solid surfacing materials) and this is sufficient to produce formed pieces in weights from 550 to 6,000kgs, including 3D shapes. The first system is described by Orma as a 'duplex' system which combines two machines into one: a heating
kiln in the lower part with cooling and forming in an upper chamber. The heating kiln brings composite materials from 100 to 500mm thickness up to a working temperature of 200 oC. Cold thermo-forming takes place in the upper part of the machine by means of vacuum and membrane pressing on pre-made jigs of MDF or plywood. Through RW, Orma will be supplying solid surface composite materials in a range of formats, including sheets and box sections for the manufacture of a wide range of three dimensional kitchen and bathroom products. Using standard composite sections, it will be possible to form box sections in the cold FVM press to a maximum height of 500mm - though, by using box-shaped silicon membranes, which RW Machines will also be supplying, it will be possible to work towards a
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od impression maximum workpiece height of 900mm and weights up to a maximum 1,800kgs. For the production of smaller components, Orma's second stage solution comprises an FRA heating kiln together with an FVM cold vacuum press. After heating to 200oC, the composite material can be introduced to a range of jig forms in the FVM cold vacuum forming press (it takes the same sizes as the first machine) up to a more modest maximum of 1,000kgs. The third system includes an NPC/DIGIT hot hydraulic press, again teamed up with an FVM cold vacuum press in the upper part of the machine, but working with very much longer finished component sizes for worktops to a maximum length of 5050mm and a weight of up to
6,000kgs. The same box-sectioned size format applies to this third option as to the previous two but the technology used also renders the press suitable for a range of other wood and panel shop floor pressing applications - two machines in one. These three new heating and forming options work with their own acrylic-based composite materials and have been designed to offer the widest possible spread of kitchen and bathroom shop floor applications. The new solid surface materials are now available from RW Machines in a large range of sheet sizes and dimensions, thicknesses, effects and colours - literally hundreds are available. For further details of the new Orma press - and the materials available call 01869 244943 or visit RW Machines at www.rwmachines.co.uk
1: Orma's 'duplex' system - a heating kiln in the lower part of the machine with cooling and forming in an upper chamber. 2: The composite material, which has been previously heated in the kiln in the lower part of the machine, is cooled and pressed over MDF or plywood jigs in the upper part. 3: The FRA heating kiln is dimensioned to heat the composite material sheets up to 160°C prior to pressing. 4: Orma's FVM press can process working pieces to a maximum height of 500mm and indeed box shaped silicon membranes to a maximum height of 900mm can be processed to form a larger variety of working pieces.
20 - TM.qxd
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Fabulous fabrications are the speciality of BSF.
fingertip control BSF Solid Surfaces opts for the largest in Striebig’s Control range.
Model 6224 is the largest in Striebig’s Control range, which contains nine vertical panel saws.
B
SF Solid Surfaces is a flourishing bespoke fabricator of 3D and shaped solid surfaces, using all available quality sheet material. The company produces everything from reception desks and display equipment to shop front entrances and dispensing outlets, supplying offices, banks and the leisure, entertainment and medical sectors in the UK and overseas. BSF recently bought a top-of-therange fully-automatic Striebig Control vertical panel saw to replace a 12-yearold German-made model. Says managing director, David Bailey, “As far as panel sizing is concerned, I wanted to automate the operation as much as possible as long as the quality and reliability of the cut could be guaranteed.” BSF buys in 3.6m long lengths of solid surface board, in thicknesses of between 3 and 12mm, so it opted for the largest machine in the nine-strong Control range, model 6224, which has a cutting range of 5300 x 2240mm. After being sized, the cut panels go for fabrication or for shaping on BSF's CNC machining centre. The Control features an optional Electronic Positioning System (EPS) on both the horizontal and vertical axes for the automatic positioning of both the length stop and saw head. This increases productivity by delivering automatic repeat strip and upper trim
cutting. Incorporated as standard is Striebig's user-friendly “touch and saw” operating system, which delivers easy and convenient machine control through a touch screen panel that operates all of the machine's functions. Other standard features include a digital measuring system, accurate to 0.1mm and an adjustable precision display that can be set to an accuracy of 1.0, 0.5 or 0.1mm, according to the thickness of the panels being sized. The Control offers every possible option for automatic operations. With manual feeding of the saw unit eliminated, the operator's job is made easier, giving him ample time to prepare the next job. Locking and releasing the beam saw, setting the horizontal cutting height, plunging and swivelling the motor, locking the support rollers during sawing and fine saw blade adjustment are all carried out at the press of a button. “The Control is easy for our staff to operate and gives us a good clean and precise cut every time, both vertically and horizontally,” comments David. “It's certainly a piece of quality kit which laughs at cutting the hardest of solid surface panels.” For further information contact TM Services on 0116 271 7155, or visit www.tmpartnership.co.uk
21 - Ads
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wood waste technology chooses gross
G
ross are the leading German Manufacturer of high quality briquette presses and shredders, and their equipment is now being marketed by Wood Waste Technology. Kurt Cockroft, director of Wood Waste Technology explained “We have constantly been asked to supply shredders or briquette machines to complement our range of hand fired or automatic heaters. It is imperative to Wood Waste Technology that anything with our brand name or any associated products must maintain our high quality together with outstanding after sales service, as we truly believe this is more important than the initial sale.� “We pride ourselves in these areas and have a very good name in the market place because of this.� Kurt added “We didn’t want to just supply machines from Germany. If a customer has a problem we wanted to be able to have fully trained specialist engineers to respond immediately.� Engineers from Wood Waste Technology have attended courses in Germany and are trained in servicing and problem solving at all levels and on all machines. Wood Waste Technology Ltd can now offer a solution to almost any waste problem, whether it is burning waste cleanly and efficiently together with providing free heating, shredding waste to reduce skip charges or briquetting waste into a product to use or re sell along with the peace of mind of the the highest quality goods and second to none after sales service. Visit www.woodwastetechnology.com. For further information on briquette and shredding visit www.grossuk.co.uk or call 01785 250400.
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22 - Superfici/SCM.qxd
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The spraying arm is fitted with four guns, plus a fifth for edges which is fitted with a nozzle, while the roof of the substantial cabin is dedicated to filtration.
bravo, bravorobot! SCM Group’s Valtorta Bravorobot - the latest robotic spraying system from Superfici - offers the subtlety and finess of the human arm with the speed and precision of an automatic system.
V
altorta Bravorobot, the new flexible Superfici industrial panel painting system from the SCM Group, simulates the human arm, but it features the speed and precision advantages of a fully automatic system. Once the work pieces have been loaded into the machine and clamped in the cabin, the robot performs the pre-set spraying cycle just like an operator but with the continuity guaranteed by a robotised system. Furthermore 'soft' and precise movements are guaranteed by the precision linear guides for the arm movement and the drivers, which are controlled by fully digital brushless motors. The new control software is extremely versatile. It recognises and imports the shapes of the workpieces loaded, thus automatically adapting the pre-programmed spraying process. A series of functions is pre-programmed and can be recalled to set up
a customised spraying program, such as spraying internal edges, spraying various heights of the edges, nozzle cleaning and reciprocator or robot spraying. Bravorobot is an extremely flexible system which is able to spray very complex work pieces - even those with irregular shapes or very thick sections whilst maintaining a high quality finish. When spraying simpler work pieces, the system can operate in “Spraying Mode”: the work pieces do not stop in the cabin, they pass continuously whilst the arm, which acts as a reciprocator, performs an oscillating movement diagonally to the transport direction. This function gives greater productivity. The software can also manage automatic colour change systems, ideal for small batches. The cabin is very large and it has a filtering roof. All the mechanical components of the arm movement are
located above the filter roof in order to avoid contamination and guarantee a high production quality. The cabin can be accessed on both sides to facilitate cleaning and maintenance operations. The spraying arm is fitted with four guns. A fifth gun, used specifically for the edges, is fitted with a nozzle (a head that determines the spraying fan) and an optional product circuit that allows for the precise spraying of any type of edge, using any type of paint. The arm can be fitted with a quick release to replace the gun-support plate. The central transport that stops the work pieces in the cabin during painting can be used with a paper protective system to ensure maximum flexibility, or with a "Scrape on Wet" system to reclaim the paint and clean the conveyor. For further information call SCM on 0115 9770044 or visit SCM’s website at www.scmgroup-uk.com
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Above: The spindle moulders have “Easy” electronic controllers. Left: The new Compact NT planer moulder.
Oakwood Joinery sees the benefits of investment in new machinery from SCM.
safe investments L
ocated in Sudbury, the progressive and dynamic joinery business, Oakwood Joinery Services (OJS), is benefitting from its recent investments in a range of classical woodworking machines from SCM. It was a few years back when owner and managing director, Malcolm Rogerson, began to notice that the company’s old equipment was no longer meeting with current requirements in terms of safety, costs, or the environment. Along with workshop manager, Scott Grimwood, Malcolm began to look in detail at exactly what the company was doing and concluded a number of radical changes had to be made to the production processes - including the release of valuable space. Together, they called in Phil Vaux of Blyth Woodworking Machinery, SCM UK's distributor for East Anglia. Phil recommended the purchase of several new SCM machines, part exchanging some of OJS's old redundant traditional machines. The new SCM machines included a Compact NT Planer Moulder, a L'Invincible Spindle Moulder model TF 1400, a TI 155EP Class Spindle Moulder, a TEN 220 Class Single-End Tenoner and a ReSaw, adding to existing SCM Planers, a Thicknesser and a Sliding Table Panel Saw.
Above: The TEN 220 class single end tenoner.
The two new spindle moulders each have SCM's powerful "Easy" Electronic Controller fitted, making setting up of the spindles fast, simple and precise as well as being safe and reliable with recovery of programs easily achieved. The TI 155EP Class has a tilting spindle providing even more flexibility. Both spindle moulders have interchangeable spindles, ensuring fast changeover between jobs and avoiding the use of spanners, thus reducing set up times by as much as 75%. The SCM Compact NT, which replaced a four-sided planer, has a moulding facility as well as straightening and planing all round. Manufactured from a rigid single-piece steel main base, it has a long table infeed system that ensures high quality finished products. Setting up is fast and easy and includes the latest pressure
shoes, fences and exhaust hoods with an axial adjustment of 40mm and a 40mm profiling capacity. The electronic control unit provides rapid adjustment of the work piece section and, along with the integral safety cabinet, all controls are on the front of the machine for maximum operator safety. The TEN 220 Class tenoner has a rapid tool change system making changeover between jobs very fast. The machine is ready to use in only a few seconds. The two clamps for clamping two components together, allows the simultaneous processing of two tenons. The profiles in the rotating chip breaker, which has turret stops, can easily be replaced when required. Malcolm Rogerson is clearly very happy with his SCM machine purchases and concludes, "After the last 3 years, in our busy periods we can achieve a 30% increase in production with 50% less machines and with more factory space, our assembly area is now twice the size it was. Safety-wise, the machines allow us to do traditional work with all the supplied guards in place without the fear of accidents." He’s also reduced his electric bill - and the noise level in the factory. Naturally, Malcolm is delighted. To find out more about SCM machines, call 0115 9770044 or visit www.scmgroup-uk.com
24 - Cruing (stu)
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Above: The Aerotech System is perfect for complex door designs.
Right: The Aerotech device eliminates the need for a tool holder.
aerotech takes off K Dust control no longer causes problems for J&J Ormerod thanks to a new Aerotech device from Cruing.
The Aerotech System from Cruing has been a cost-effective addition to JJO plc’s Bacup production line.
itchen, Bedroom and Bathroom manufacturer J&J Ormerod (JJO plc), located at Bacup in Lancashire, have just taken delivery of their latest investment, a shiny new Ergon from SCM. The twin tabled three headed machine is the latest in a long line of considerable investments at JJO plc. New machinery, new plant and continuing growth are always on the menu there. One of last year’s major objectives was the installation of a fully automatic heating system from Mawera - an FSR 2.6. Now completed, the project ran as smooth in installation as it now does in operation. To complement this system the company embarked on another objective and are now in the latter stages of fully optimizing dust collection to maximize the air quality in the production departments. With an environmental policy at the forefront of all activities they realized that it is not often that an opportunity arises to be twice eco friendly. By collecting more fuel for the heating system, it improves the efficiency of the whole system. It’s a win win situation. Tony Devereux, Technical Service Manager and project leader for the heating system said, “We need all the dust we can get hold of to
fill our 500m3 silo. Thanks to Aerotech we will.” During the search for a new router it was realized that the Ergon’s ability to switch from conventional routing to nesting would give JJO plc a distinct advantage for the small to medium batches sometimes needed to maintain stock levels. However, it was the age old problem of dust trapped in the groove which provided the usual stumbling block. Thankfully the solution was just at hand. Aerotech from Cruing does the job effortlessly producing perfectly clean products whatever the process. As good as it is for nesting, it is also perfect for deep routed and complex door designs, providing dust free panels every time. The Aerotech device is also cost effective, as it eliminates the need for a tool holder. This bypasses the need for expensive new collets every year. You can see the effect on the atmosphere immediately you enter the production departments. There is no dust floating about, so there is no dust in delicate machine areas or on floors. But more importantly, no dust on the operators. Call Tony Devereux 01270 872924 or visit www.cruing.com
25 - DCS Half Page.qxd
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km opts for dcs (L-R) Richard Peel, Martin Rose and Carl Swift check out production schedules in the new panel production cell.
K
M Furniture Ltd has recently invested in an energy-saving dust extraction plant from Dust Control Systems. Purchase of the new system is part of a major investment programme by the Chesterfield-based company which includes the re-location and streamlining of its manufacturing facility and the acquisition of an impressive line-up of state-of-the-art woodworking machinery. At KM's 110,000 sq ft factory, more than 150 people are employed in the design and production of quality educational and contract furniture, with all aspects of production being carried out on site. It has the capacity to produce over 800,000 chairs, 200,000 tables and 20,000 storage units every year.
Martin Rose, KM's operation manager, confirms the recent addition of several new machines and the reorganisation of the wood-based processing into a single cellular unit meant an upgrade of extraction capability. KM Furniture called in DCS. The new extraction system was sized on a duty of 25,000m 3 /hr and comprises a high-efficiency, externally located modular filter unit and 45kW low-noise main fan set, with screw and rotary valve discharge to an existing wood-waste receiving hopper and burner which provides heat to the factory. John Barker, area sales manager at DCS, says, “The new extraction plant is controlled using the energy-saving DCS Dynamic Drive System. The power requirement is automatically adjusted with a transducer-controlled inverter drive system that adjusts the fan unit to the actual duty required at any time throughout the working day, as machine dampers are opened and closed, resulting in significant power savings.”
“DCS engineers stripped out the existing extraction and relocated what could be saved into the new unit,” he adds. “A new ductwork layout was created and, including installation of the new filter, everything was completed ahead of schedule allowing us to resume full production on the agreed date. The system operates extremely efficiently, will save on electricity costs and has provided a much quieter and dust-free working environment.” For more information call 0800 040 7116 or visit www.DCSlimited.co.uk
DCS modular rotary valve filter with screw conveyor.
26 - Dustraction/DFS.qxd
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Th extraction system by Dustraction at DFS is set to generate standards for speed and efficiency that may one day become the norm.
setting standards A new high speed Biesse CNC station has meant a review of extraction at DFS Summercotes and Dustraction has met all expectations.
D
ustraction's Steve Matuska recently visited the Summercotes factory at Ripley, in Derbyshire, to check the operation of a new extraction layout to service the latest CNC router layout by Biesse. “DFS Summercotes,” he says, “just might be the busiest factory I've ever been to - and I've been to a few! If there's a recession on, no-one at DFS Summercotes knows anything much about it!” Indeed, according to Woodmill Manager Eddie McDermott, output at DFS, where 20,000 suites are already passing through the factory each week, looks set to grow by a further 20% this year. The new Biesse CNC station that the extraction has been installed to service is set up to run at speeds between two and three times faster than its nearest competitor, according to Eddie, and is doing so reliably, without cutter damage or system breakdown. But, of course, more throughput means more waste. Dustraction's brief was to provide a clean running, reliable extraction system and to get it up and running on time. Eddie confirms everything has run like clockwork since the moment of switch-on. The Dustrax 4x4 cyclo filter that Dustration has installed to service this one machine is built to handle 15,000 cfm and separates 95% of the wood waste cyclonically before it reaches the filters.
Waste-laden air from the Biesse is passed into the filter chamber of the system tangentially. The remaining 5% of fine particulate dust cakes onto the external walls of the filter sleeve and, at a pre-set periodic pressure drop, a short burst of compressed air is released inside the sleeve to dislodge the caked waste into a lower collection chamber. The reverse air cleaning cycle is triggered by fastacting solenoid-operated pilot valves in a continuous, timed sequence of electronically controlled pulses, giving highly efficient material release for almost no movement of the cloth. The filter is ideal for continuous operation with almost no moving parts and, therefore, virtually no routine maintenance. Because the cloth sleeve filter comes into contact with only 5% of all waste generated - and the lightest and finest of it at that - the life of the filter medium is greatly extended. Says Dustraction's Steve Matuska, “It's always good to be associated with new and innovative installation projects and this one at DFS seems set to generate standards for speed and efficiency that may one day become the norm. If it does, that means there will be more wood waste generated and more work for state of the art filtration systems like this one.” For further details call Dustraction on 0116 271 3212.
27 - Machine shop
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machine shop
The Felder G500 series of edgebanders includes the G500, G560, G570 and G580. Users benefit from impressive features such as a feed speed of 11m/min for coiled and solid 0.48mm edging. The machines can process material from 140mm in length and 8-60mm in thickness. All have a 2kg Teflon-coated glue pot with a 12-minute heat-up time and a quick-change facility for switching between glue pots. Optional radius scraping, glue scraping and polishing units are available. The G560 performs Premilling, the G570 - Corner Rounding and the G580 does both. Users can opt for easy manual setup or automatic change of up to four settings in the X-Motion variety. 01908 635000 www.felder-group.co.uk
The Vector Revolution from RW is a new breed of edgebander that has the great advantage in a busy production environment of being able to work reliably on shapes of all sizes continuously and without a break. A single operator can keep up the pressure on the Vector - the single head works a piece on one side of the table while the finished panel is taken off and replaced with a new blank at the other. Vacuum clamps can be positioned at any point on the table to accommodate wide ranging sizes and shapes and can also handle very large single pieces like work tops and doors. Vector is ideal for edge finishing nested shapes because it programs itself - once the head has made contact with the work piece, it simply follows the edge until it returns to the point at which it started. 01869 244943
Multi purpose Morbidelli SCM Group's Morbidelli Uniflex HP is a new CNC Machining Centre that integrates the effectiveness of a cell with the flexibility of a machining centre for drilling, routing, blade cutting and hardware insertion. Uniflex HP features two machining heads fitted with 48 vertical spindles and with up to 18 horizontal spindles, a 9HP manual electro-spindle with HSK 63 taper, and a fixed or automatic saw blade unit, which can rotate from 0 to 90 degrees. Increased drilling speed with rotation speeds up to 8000rpm provide improved machine productivity. The unique rigidity of the drilling unit-tool system, extremely simple machine re-fixturing and the new Weldon couplings, with direct connection between the tool and the spindle ensure the Uniflex HP is at the top of similar machines in its class. Maximum precision and machining quality are assured by a digital control that instantly checks that the dimensions of the work piece in the machine match the data entered into the system. If they do not, the cycle is stopped to avoid irreparable errors on the finished work piece. There is also elimination of down time as the many independent spindles available avoid machine stops required to fixture the machining heads. This is an exclusive Morbidelli solution. The automated process with completely automatic integrated cells, also for the loading/unloading phases, can be set up in order to reduce the operator intervention to a minimum. 0115 9770044 www.scmgroup-uk.com
The vertical panel saw CUT 1255 with its new ergonomic design enables the processing of large panels up to 5,300 x 2,200mm. The machine’s vertical construction spans less than 10m2 this saves a great deal of space and money! Several product optimizations have taken place to increase performance and facilitate operation. The lower work support is fitted with wear-free stainless steel supports, this prolongs the life of your machine and protects your investment. The middle work support helps with cutting smaller work pieces and is easy to fold away. The longitudinal stop on hardened linear guides can be adjusted to the desired size quickly. This makes for efficient ergonomic processing of wood and composites materials. The premium model CUT 1280 has the possibility of automatic positioning of the saw unit in the horizontal cut and the longitudinal stop in the vertical cut. Large-format panels can thus be divided in the shortest time. A 5.5kW motor is powerful enough to cut panels up to 75mm thick. 01235 557600 www.weinig.co.uk
Beat winter energy bills with Fercell It is an undeniable fact that energy costs increase year on year, landfill charges increase year on year and business profit margins continue to be squeezed by competition. Win–win situations are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Fercell Engineering regularly helps customers by delivering win-win solutions that reduce costs, increase profitability and increase operational efficiency. Shredders, briquetting presses and wood burner solutions all available under one roof - and with winter ahead the company is busy providing energy saving equipment to customers. Installing a shredder to process end wood, a briquetting press to form briquettes and a biomass burner is a very sustainable solution - one that also improves your company’s green credentials as well as providing warmth. By taking advantage of Fercell’s current highly competitive shredder and briquetter deal, finance dependent on status, coupled with a successful Carbon Trust grant could result in you becoming another win-win Fercell customer with reduced heating bills this winter and for many, many more to come. Fercell also offers a previously owned, refurbished or ex-demonstration machinery option. In addition to effective solutions, customers can also benefit from a responsive nationwide manufacturer trained services team and professional sales account executives. With more than 35 years experience in the woodworking industry, Fercell provides a broad range of COSHH, systems design, supply and installation from its factory in Aylesford, Kent. 0845 130 4014 www.fercell.com • info@fercell.com
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Custom-designed and made packaging sounds expensive but, as Mity-Lite found out to the contrary, there can be enormous cost and space savings.
save a packet Cut costs, improve efficiency and free up space all in one go with a custom boxmaking packaging system from Packsize.
H
ow much space does your corrugated packaging stock inventory take up? Enough to accommodate more manufacturing plant? Perhaps it’s time you took a leaf from the notebook of Mity-Lite Inc., an American company that’s found on-demand packaging from Packsize saves time and space. Before the inception of the Packsize system, Mity-Lite’s extensive furniture offering obliged the company to stock more than 45 different box sizes. “Planning for packaging needs was a difficult problem,” admitted Mity-Lite’s Chief Operations Officer, Brian Bowers. “Our corrugated stock inventory took up too much significant warehouse space and we often found ourselves with too much inventory of slowmoving boxes and frequent stockouts in other sizes. “The Packsize system is amazing in its ability to build exactly what is needed when it’s needed,” added a delighted Brian. Selecting from three sizes of
corrugate, a Mity-Lite line operator chooses and enters the size and number of boxes needed on a keypad. The Packsize machine cuts the cardboard to size, complete with score lines and glue tab. The flattened box is then delivered to an outfeed table where another packaging operator inserts the box into an automated gluer. Furniture can then be inserted into the perfectly sized, custom-made boxes, closed and staged for shipment. “With the switch from purchasing and storing finished boxes to building boxes on demand with Packsize, we have enjoyed several layers of operational improvement and cost reduction,” explains Brian. Moreover, Mity-Lite has reduced the area previously needed for corrugated stock inventory by 60 per cent. If you could use a little extra space and more efficient, lower cost packaging, call Packsize on 07769 914144 or visit www.packsize.com. The MityLite case study video can be found at www.packsize.com/resources/videos
NEW Packsize A4 Advert
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www.packsize.com | 0776 991 4144 PACKSIZE LIMITED, 1 CHURCH STREET, WARWICK CV34 4AB, UK