Supplier July-August 2013

JULY/AUG 2013

Smart Simplicity

CLEVER STORAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY HÄFELE

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Contents

Upfront

Cabinetmakers, joiners, kitchen designers and all production managers should take note of Philip Ashley’s special report on the world’s largest woodworking exhibition – LIGNA 2013. Philip visited the show on our behalf and the result is a comprehensive overview of what was there. The report makes great reading, is easy to absorb and you will find it an invaluable resource.

In this issue, Supplier Woodworking magazine showcases Linak’s impressive automated systems that add movement to your kitchen to take your design to the next level. Mark page 10 and take notice! We also feature great new products from Grass, Hafele and Nover, including new products sourced from this year’s interzum fair.

Keep your entries coming in to go into the draw for your chance to win this issue’s fantastic software prize from 3d kitchen!(See page 33 for all the details) as well as the time tracking software from Empower. (See page 29 on how to enter.)

Remember to download Supplier Woodworking magazine onto your phone or tablet home and take it with you everywhere for easy reference.

JULY/AUGUST 2013 vol. 29 no.4

☞News

4 Create from a Crate competition 6 Safety coaches to help small business

☞Design & Trends 8 Design on display 10 Add movement to your

kitchen design 13 A revolution in Australian

timber chair making

☞Manufacturing

Vicky Cammiade - Publisher Ph: 03 9890 0815; Fax: 03 9890 0087 or Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

20 Ligna: what’s it all about?

22 Ligna 2013 show report 30 Interzum: Trends for 2013

Meet the team

☞Business 34 How to reach your business targets Vicky Cammiade Publisher

Jennifer Curtis Group Managing Editor

36 Productivity solution pays

for itself

Ashley Cooper Group National Sales & Marketing Manager

☞Front Cover Nover & Co Pty Ltd www.nover.com.au Sean O’Sullivan Advisory Panel Member

Phil Ashley Advisory Panel Member

The only specialist business publication servicing the Furniture, Kitchen, Shop/Office Fittings, Cabinetmaking, Joinery and the related timber and panel product industries in Australasia for over 26 years!

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association

News Create from a Crate competition THE Victorian Woodworkers Association and recycler Waste Converters of Dandenong South joined forces back in 2002 to initiate an innovative competition aimed at reducing waste.

The Create from a Crate competition ran from 2003 through to 2006. Now, in 2013 after a six year hiatus, Create from a Crate will be held once again.

Every year hundreds of thousands of crates and pallets containing goods and components from all over the world are imported into Australia. Much of the timber used in overseas packaging is from ‘exotic’ timber species. The pallets used for the 2013 Create from a Crate competition are from North America and the species used to construct them include oak, elm, cherry, maple, birch and sycamore. Such timbers are widely used in furniture making and wood art.

For many years crates and pallets such as these have been sent to landfill sites or pulverised into low-grade mulch. In Victoria alone, over 500,000 tonnes of timber waste are disposed of each year.

However, much of this timber has the potential to be recycled into new and value added products.

The ‘Create from a Crate’ competition aims to:

• promote the re-use of waste timber; • make the community aware of the potential for creative re-use of waste material; • add value to waste material; • provide an incentive for wood designers, craftspeople, wood workers and others to utilise this material; • showcase the varying talent of independent Australian designers, artists and craftspeople.

The Create from a Crate exhibition will be coinciding with the Sustainable Living Festival from the 8 to 23 February, 2014.

The exhibition, to be held at Hatch Contemporary Arts Space, Ivanhoe, Victoria will consist of furniture and other wood art made by skilled furniture makers, sculptors, turners and carvers from timber provided by the Waste Converters Recycling Depot.

Previous competiion entries have included fine furniture, sculpture and musical instruments.

The competition is open to artists and craftspeople from all states, although it is expected that the majority of pieces will come from Victoria. Entries are open until 31 October, 2013 for the 2014 competition. Entry forms are available from the Victorian Woodworkers Association. www.vwa.org.au ●

Training day DAVID Lawrence of NSW company Lean Manufacturing Ltd, in conjunction with Empower Software, held a training day in Production Management and Lean Manufacturing in May. Production managers, sales managers and general managers from a wide range of industries attended including joiners, cabinet manufacturers, furniture manufacturers and timber window and door manufacturers.

The focus of the training day was Production Management - Best Practice and covered lean manufacturing; a ange of live factory floor job and time tracking technology options available for manufacturers including: wireless bar code

readers, swipe card readers and PCs on the factory floor.

Cloud technology was also featured showing how job assignment and job tracking casn be accessed from iPhones, iPads and Androids as well as the same technology for management to access production and productivity reporting on and off site Also covered was job assignment from production software, live reporting, tracking non productive time including rework, variations and factory overheads.

These training days will roll out to NSW, Vic and SA shortly. Anyone involved in joinery or manufacturing is welcome to apply. ●

PEFC Forest Certification Week 2013 FOREST Certification Week 2013 is a five day event to be held from 11 to 15 November 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, organised in co-operation with the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC).

This is a very important week in the forest certification calendar in which PEFC aims to join concerted efforts to foster and expand sustainable timber supply chains in Asia, to learn about the opportunities and enabling conditions to mainstream sustainable production and trade in the region and discuss how current bottlenecks can be addressed to drive sustainability solutions forward.

Highlights of the week will include training seminars on learning about implementation and auditing of Chain of Custody and looking back at past Stakeholder meetings.

PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification system, and it

continues to make great strides in Asia. Building upon PEFC’s endorsement of Malaysia’s certification system, the assessment is now underway for endorsement of China’s certification system. Additional progress is on-going in national certification system development in a number of countries including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Myanmar.

Alongside national system growth is an increase in private sector interest for pursuing Chain of Custody certification, stimulating further demand for certified forest products. PEFC hopes to further cultivate this positive dynamic by hosting its annual event in Asia and putting the spotlight on issues of importance for the region.●

State-of-the-art equipment gives students a cutting edge NEW state-of-the-art machines at TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute (SWSi) Lidcombe college will give hundreds of timber trades students a cutting edge in the local manufacturing industry, according to SWSi Institute Director Peter Roberts.

Mr Roberts’ statement came as the first group of students tried their hand at one of five newly installed CNC computer controlled machines in May 2013.

More than 600 students who study a timber or furnishing trades course at TAFE SWSi every year will now have the opportunity to train on the latest equipment

as used in the industry across South Western Sydney and Australia. Using the new machines will enable students to quickly manufacture components from computer generated designs.

The start-up of the machines also marked the successful completion of the first stage in a $6.5 million State Government funded refurbishment of the Lidcombe college facilities.

The refurbishment project includes: • three brand new computer labs; • the latest interactive learning technologies; • remodelling of three workshops and equipment

to accurately simulate modern industrial practices and production methods; and • a comprehensive upgrade of the dust extraction system to meet the current environmental standards.

Final stages of the project are expected to be completed by June 2014.

Mr Roberts said the refurbishment ensured timber trades students gained the practical experience

needed to build a career in the modern furniture and timber manufacturing industry.

TAFE SWSi is one of Australia’s largest educational institutions, delivering programs to more than 72,000 students every year in nine colleges across South Western Sydney, in workplaces all over Australia and in partner colleges in China, and the Philippines.●

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7/22/2013 2:07:01 PM

News Laminex wins Australian International Design Award LAMINEX Impressions textured surfaces has received a Design Award in the Architecture and Interiors category of the 2013 Australian International Design Awards – one of the most prestigious global design awards.

More than 250 products were vying for recognition as part of this year’s awards and were judged for their innovation and design excellence by a panel of six Australian and international design experts.

Laminex Impressions textured surfaces is a range of decorative laminates with embossing that delivers the look and feel of timber or stone and was a leading product in the Architecture and Interiors category of the 2013 Awards.

Laminex Impressions is manufactured in Australia using world class digital and plate technology to create a range of decorative

surfaces with high-fidelity prints that are accompanied with textures, resulting in a realistic, naturalistic and authentic finished product. The range of 76 decors in three attractive textured finishes – Nuance, Riven and Spark – enhances the beauty of vertical and horizontal surfaces and can be used to create entertainment units, bookshelves, cabinetry, kitchen benchtops and bespoke furniture.

The Laminex Impressions textured surface range is one of Laminex’s most popular products and since its launch in October 2012 has been specified in a variety of commercial projects, including hotels, homes and workplace fitouts.

This year, 66 products and services across 15 categories in Australian International Design Awards were awarded for their design excellence. ●

Safety coaches to help small business WorkCover NSW has launched a new program for small business offering free coaching and advice from industry experts in how to make their workplace more productive, healthy and safe.

Up to 50 small businesses in the wood manufacturing industry will have the opportunity to participate in the program which runs until 30 August in the Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle areas with rebates of up to $2,000 available to businesses that invite a safety coach into their workplace.

Acting General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, Peter Dunphy said the Safety Coach Program was part of a WorkCover action plan to reduce injuries and illnesses and improve injury management in the industry.

“The wood products manufacturing industry has been identified as one of the state’s highest risk industries with 1,965 workers compensation claims in the three years to 2010 at a cost of $19.5 million to the NSW workers compensation scheme,” Mr Dunphy said.

“Businesses manufacture wooden doors and windows, kitchen cabinets, trusses and frames with most injuries occurring while carrying or putting down timber as well as while using industrial guns or saws.

6 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

“With most businesses employing less than five workers, there is evidence that they can be time and resource poor and require additional assistance to improve safety.

“The Safety Coach Program involves coaches with hands-on industry experience and knowledge of high risk work practices working with a business to assess their safety and develop an action plan to improve safety.

“The safety coach then returns to the business and supports them in implementing their action plan.”

Safety coaches are nominated by industry associations and are not directly employed by WorkCover. However, should a safety coach identify an activity that has the potential to be life threatening or seriously injure a worker, they are required to notify WorkCover.

Mr Dunphy added that businesses that invite a safety coach into their workplace will be eligible for rebates of up to $2,000.

“For a limited time a rebate of up to $1,000 is also available to all small businesses in the wood manufacturing industry who implement a safety solution that will improve work health and safety, return to work or injury management,” Mr Dunphy said.

Further information go to www.workcover.nsw.gov.au ●

New Corian interiors book CASF has launched a new Corian Interiors eBook at www.casf.com.au It is full of designs with timeless sophistication for kitchen, bathroom and furniture.

Inside there are inspirational ways of using Corian to create designs that suit various lifestyles – minimal, ultra-modern functional or the charm of classic style showing the endless design possibilities of Corian. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

KITCHEN DESIGN SOFTWARE DESIGN COSTING PRODUCTION CNC NESTING

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Design & Trends

Design on display

By Supplier magazine's editor, Jennifer Curtis Australia's longest-running design and architecture event, designEX, opened with style and excitement at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre at the end of May. Over 10,000 industry professionals flooded through the doors to see an excellent line up of global and local brands on the designEX show floor, hear from keynote speakers such as Michael Young and Patrick Frey at the Business of Design Seminar Series and enjoy stunning design collaborations on display at Hives and Nest13.

Among the many companies exhibiting were MOMA Group, Slice Veneers, Nikpol, Arrow Wood Products, Planit, Cosentino, Novofibre and Benchtop City.

MOMA displayed its inspiring collection of Lamitech high pressure laminates designed to enhance any decorative surface. MOMA prides itself on its green credentials and this year it launched its new OIKOS decorative paint range at designEX. These paints have no VOCs and are non toxic.

8 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Slice Veneers launched its Unique 2.5mm self radiused door. Available in 24 popular colours, these doors eliminate the need for edge strip. The doors are available raw, fine sanded, polished to 10% or more gloss levels or in the unique high-low grain effect polished wax look.

Nikpol displayed its Egger Eurolight composite board. Eurolight is made from extremely strong 8 mm Eurospan chipboard top and bottom surface layers, combined with a light, yet robust cardboard honeycomb core.

SmartForm from Arrow Wood Products (AWP) has an aesthetically pleasing square edge look. Using the latest European technology, SmartForm benchtops are available in most commercially available laminates.

Duropal splashback laminate panels from Benchtop City are made from flame resistant particleboard with decorative melamine resin direct lamination in sheet-leaf construction on both sides. They provide preventive fire protection in the decorative sector.

Suitable for interior outfitting as wall and ceiling coverings, installations, room dividers and furniture, in

industrial and administrative buildings, schools, sports facilities, hotels and care facilities.

Eco By Cosentino is an original product manufactured from 75% recycled materials such as glass, mirror, porcelain, earthenware and vitrified ash. The resin is also exclusively developed by Cosentino and is of a corn oil content.

Novofibre is an environment-friendly structural strawboard that is totally formaldehyde free. It combines 100% natural high-quality wheat straw with formaldehyde free adhesives, making it an environmentally conscious building material. Novofibre is available in panel form for construction, flooring and a range of interior building applications.

Vortek from Planit is a unique and revolutionary sales and marketing tool that allows kitchen and bathroom manufacturers to use virtual 3D technology to display and sell their designs more easily and efficiently. Vortek allows customers to take interactive control and visualise kitchen and bathroom designs at full scale. â—?

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

KINVARO FLAP SYSTEM

Exclusive flap fittings – the ideal solution for modern design, innovative technology and functional operating comfort.

NEW: KINVARO L-80 The single front opens parallel to the cabinet and remains fixed in any position. Parallel flap systems are very stable and well suited to cabinets that conceal kitchen appliances.

Easier installation with pre-mounted euro screws and stays.

Effortless access into cabinets with lift stopping in any desired position.

Light, ergonomic lifting as well as soft closing with adjustable settings.

Grass Australia/New Zealand Pty. Ltd. Australia: Phone +61 3 9421 3048 Email: Info-australia@grass.eu

New Zealand: Phone: +64 9 273 7491 Email: Info-newzealand@grass.eu

www.grass-australia.com

www.grass-newzealand.com

Design & Trends

Add movement to your kitchen design If you want impressive multi-functionality without compromising a clean and minimalistic design, Deskline from Linak will help you bring your kitchen to the next level.

10 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Adjustable kitchen tables to fit the individual user are just the beginning.

A multi-purpose table that you can raise to a comfortable height when preparing a meal and lower when serving is another obvious application. But it does not stop there.

Imagine automated wall cupboards that slide down and open when you need them. How about a height adjustable extraction hood that will slide completely out of view when you do not need it? You can also use powerful yet silent lifting columns to elegantly raise part of a kitchen island and reveal new functions.

The list goes on and on once you start to envisage new ways to improve both the looks and the functionality of the kitchen with smooth and easily controlled automation and adjustment.

The Linak Deskline division provides complete flexible actuator systems for kitchens and sit-stand desks based on your needs and wishes. We focus on easy modular and reliable solutions to fit your design both functionally and aesthetically.

Reasons for choosing Linak Local supply, local service and technical support are just three reasons for choosing Linak, along with: • Piezo – the name given to Linak’s anti-collision technology. Piezo provides optimised prevention against squeezing or blocking when raising or lowering the bench top. To prevent material damage, a Piezo sensor automatically stops and reverses the bench slightly when an obstacle is met.

It is more sensitive and reacts faster than known software based systems; • Plug and play – The Linak system is easy to integrate and needs no special testing or configuration; • 0.1W in standby - In order to be able to move immediately at the push of a button the system needs to be in standby mode all the time. With the Zero technology Linak has reduced the standby power consumption of Deskline control boxes to an incredibly low maximum of 0.1 W • PVC free – for health reasons and for the sake of the environment the new Deskline products are PVC free as standard

History of Linak– the first actuator Danish owner Bent Jensen came up with the first linear actuator, which he launched in 1979.

He originated the idea while working on improving a wheelchair for a disabled fellow student who had lost his mobility in an accident.

So, from the very beginning the driving force behind what was to become LIinak has been the wish to make innovative solutions to improve people’s quality of life and working environment.

The linear actuator soon turned out to be useful for a great many purposes. At first it was sold to the agricultural sector for forage harvesters. Today the linear actuator facilitates ergonomic improvements in workplaces as diverse as offices, hospitals, comfort furniture, farms and industry.

Today Linak is an international company and a world leader in designing and manufacturing electric linear actuator solutions. Linak is represented in countries all over the world either through subsidiaries or distributors. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Design & Trends

Thoughtful designs for a kitchen that flows Appliances, sinks and taps from Häfele

They say the kitchen is the social hub of any home – which makes choosing the finishing touches absolutely crucial. Everything has to just work.

Thankfully, those who choose from Häfele’s extensive range of appliances have it pretty easy.

No one has to wait hours for a roast to cook. No one has to worry whether the fridge they specified will meet the demands of a busy lifestyle.

They just choose Häfele and move on. That’s because Häfele appliances have thoughtfully built around the needs of a functional home, combining advanced technology with bold innovative design for modern living.

These elegant solutions promise years of high performance living. From clever cooktops, to streamlined sinks, from multifunction ovens to integrated refrigerators, we really have thought of almost everything. These kitchen solutions can fit any style home and will look just as good tomorrow as they do today.

And best part everything just works and life in the kitchen flows. ●

12 | SupplierMay/June 2013

A revolution in Australian timber chair making Three-fold approach to Australian chair manufacturing.

Chair designer-maker Evan Dunstone of Dunstone Design Global was recently approached by Denis Brown of Corsair Sustainable Timbers in Yackandandah and Rob Barrett of Davis Furniture in Melbourne to design a new contemporary Australian made dining chair.

Christened the Sabine, the chair utilises the strengths of all three companies and is a revolution in Australian timber chair making.

Dunstone’s company, Dunstone Design Global, is famous for its award winning contemporary handmade chairs, but the careful timber selection, extensive hand shaping and complex joinery comes at a price.

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

“The Sabine is a ‘distilled’ design that takes full advantage of Davis Furniture’s capacity, Corsair Sustainable Timber’s resource and my company’s skills to bring an affordable contemporary timber chair to all Australians,”said Dunstone.

The Sabine takes advantage of blackwood ‘shorts’ (short sections of timber left over from the milling process) and combines craft manufacturing with broad manufacturing. The vibrant natural colour variations and swirling grain of beautiful Victorian blackwood is a feature of the design.

“The aim of the project is to supply Australian retailers, interior designers and small manufacturers with a quality, stylish, contemporary

Australian made chair aimed at the 30 to 45 year old market,” he explained. “The low back chair is ideal for apartment, townhouse and open plan living. The robust informal design is “a chair for all seasons”, whether it is kids doing homework at the dining table, friends coming around for coffee or a dinner party for the in-laws.”

The frame of the Sabine is available in clear, black, or deep red. The seat and back can be ordered in an alternative timber to blackwood by request.

“A good chair is an invitation to sit. The Sabine is the child of nearly 20 years of considering ergonomics and designing chairs; it is sublimely comfortable,” said Dunstone. ●

SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 13

Design & Trends Runners • full extension synchronised soft close runners (50kg); • full extension concealed soft close runners for timber drawers; • bottom mount runners with Indamatic soft close option.

Hinges A full, comprehensive range including: • integrated soft close; • high-range – complete series with three independent adjustments; • mid range – quick clip assembly with soft close option; • numerous mounting plate options,

Lifting Systems

Announcing Nover's new European hardware offer from Indaux Nover is pleased to announce its new complete hardware offer from Indaux to the industry. ​Indaux is a Spanish brand and a very strong supply partner, which has been creating, developing, manufacturing and marketing fittings and components for the furniture industry since 1962. ”The Indaux product is second to none, they have an excellent set up, they are committed to innovation and quality and are a true leader in the industry,” explained Daniella Laurenzi, Nover’s Marketing Manager. “The company currently boasts four production plants in Spain and distributors in over 20 countries.​ ”Nover have secured the exclusive rights to the I​ndaux range in Australia and will be going to market with a very comprehensive and competitive offer.​” 14 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

In terms of product, the new Indaux offer from Nover will include:

​Drawers • premium double walled soft close drawers available in three heights and three colour options; • quality double walled soft close drawers in both white and silver; • quick assembly metal drawers with Indamatic soft close option.

• • • •

• • • • •

pivot arms; multipurpose lift up fittings; pneumatic pivot arms; fittings for lift up doors.

The Indaux range will also include; assembly aids; hanging supports; support elements; locks, latches and dampers; sliding and folding systems.

In addition to the new Indaux range, Nover will also be releasing a comprehensive range of ball bearing runners including; • full extension (45kg, 60kg, 90kg); • super heavy duty (180kg); • soft close (45kg, 60kg); • touch to open (45kg); • pocket door (11kg).

Nover's complete hardware offer from Indaux will be available from August 2013.

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Kitchen example from 30 years ago

Evolution of kitchen and bathroom design The past 30 years have seen kitchens become the heart of the home, while bathrooms have evolved into private relaxation zones, said Trends Publishing International editorial director Paul Taylor.

The National Kitchen and Bathroom Association NZ celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It has also had a 30-year association with Trends magazine. So, it makes sense for Paul Taylor to be looking at changes in kitchens and bathrooms over the decades.

“If you went back three decades, you’d find most kitchens were sectioned off from the rest of the

house. These days the kitchen is the heart of the home. It might be an overworked phrase, but it’s an accurate description of how we see our kitchens today,” he said.

In the meantime, bathrooms are now more closely connected to the bedroom than they’ve ever been.

“In some extreme cases, people are even putting their bath in the bedroom itself, instead of in the bathroom,” Paul says.

“Years ago you would have walked into a separate room, but there is now more openness between the bathroom and the bedroom. In some cases there’s no door to the bathroom, or there are only sliding panels, which means you can have it open to the bedroom, or close it down if you want to.

“Freestanding tubs have become a common element and give a sense of space or add something sculptural to the space.

“Some bathrooms have an Asian spa feel and design, creating an environment that’s relaxing and not just a place where you go to have a quick shower,” he explained.

Another concept is the wet room where there is no lip on the shower floor. Some don’t have a full shower enclosure, just a glass panel on one side.

“A lot more money is being spent on bathrooms and the number of bathrooms in each house has increased as well,” Paul said.

An interconnecting bathroom between two children’s rooms is one model, while other homes have one bathroom for every bedroom.

And the powder room concept – a bathroom off the living area – is becoming more popular as well.

In the kitchen, designers are thinking more about how the cooking space interacts with other living areas such as the dining room, the 16 outdoors or even the home office.

Design & Trends 15 A view is often what dictates the kitchen placement and that then has a flow-on effect for placement of other rooms, Paul said.

We’re also exposed to much more choice.

“Thirty years ago people would look at pictures of kitchens in overseas magazines but could never buy many of the things they saw. As the New Zealand market opened up in the early 1990s, we had access to much more products and materials.

Now, even if the products aren’t sold here, you can probably still get them online,” he said.

Paul says New Zealand has a contemporary aesthetic which is influenced heavily by European designs, though there are still plenty of more traditional kitchens being produced, particularly to work in with New Zealand’s villas and bungalows.

Colours have gone through various stages such as strong blues in the 1990s, and reds coming through at one stage. But more muted, natural shades are currently popular, with textures and patterns added.

Cupboards and drawers now have soft-touch and self-closing features, and large appliances can be fronted with the same material as the cupboards so everything is integrated.

The National Kitchen and Bathroom Association has almost 300 members, 60% of whom are design/ manufacturers.

Ingrid Geldof, the NKBA’s president, has been in the industry 21 years and is the owner of an award-winning company based in Christchurch.

“NKBA designers go out of their way to learn about the latest trends in the world with more than 30 of our members attending the Eurocucina

Kitchen example from 20 years ago (top) and 10 years ago (bottom).

exhibition in Milan last year,” Ingrid said. “Our designers strive to be the best and the NKBA provides them with the vehicle to achieve that.” ●

Integrating lighting concepts The integration of lighting concepts is becoming increasingly important for the kitchen and furniture industries.

Designers and decision makers in the furniture industry are recognising the additional enhancement of their furniture through lighting systems.

Because kitchen and living room layouts are increasingly merging, the theme of lighting as an additional design medium is moving more and more into the consciousness of planners.

The incorporation of lighting systems goes hand in hand with growing knowledge of the wideranging possible uses of the LED light and the resulting advantages for the end user: light makes it possible to create an atmosphere and with controlled lighting systems different moods can even be produced. This increases comfort 16 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

at home and, at the same time, provides high flexibility.

As a pioneer of integrated, intrinsic light planning in furniture, German company GERA Leuchten displayed a range of lighting concepts at interzum. In particular, the possibility of representing mellow, slightly sated pastel

shades and of linking individual light sources by wireless was well received.

As a development partner and supplier for the entire interiors industry, the company has a comprehensive knowledge of light design, furniture construction and electrical engineering..● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

16 Industry Leaders speak on Go to www.youtube.com now and search empower time tracking software Greenmount Manufacturing “Substantial increases in factory productivity” - $10 million annual turnover, 45 staff, in commercial fit outs, kitchens and camper van fit outs – using Empower for 8 months (Auckland)

Modulink Joinery “$6 million annual turnover, 30 staff, in hotel fit outs, kitchens and office furniture – business and turnover has grown ten fold in 6 years and Empower has controlled that growth and profitability over the 6 years” (Christchurch)

Comace Interior Fit Outs “We have achieved well in excess of 30% increase in factory productivity” – 27 staff business using Empower for 4 years (Adelaide)

Barrett Joinery “30% increase in Factory Productivity” 18 factory staff using Empower for 5 years (Timaru)

Rose and Heather Furniture “100% increase in factory and staff productivity using Empower Software” – 20 factory staff and using Empower for 5 years (Auckland)

Phoenix Aluminium Windows “160% + increase in factory productivity. 26 factory staff down to 10 staff and output increased” - $13 million annual turnover, one of New Zealand’s most productive and progressive aluminium window Manufacturers (Auckland)

Central Joinery “Our goal is for Empower to increase our factory productivity by 25%” – $10 million annual turnover, 45 staff, using Empower for 3 years (Auckland)

Vogue Kitchens “Significant increases in factory

RH Page Shop Fitters International Shop Fitter seriously committed to lean manufacturing and Empower Software – 30 factory staff using Empower for 2 years (Auckland) Peppertree Furniture 1 “45.25 % increase in factory productivity - using Empower for 10 weeks” – 20 factory staff (Adelaide) Peppertree Furniture 2 “86% increase in factory productivity ¬ using Empower for 6 months” – 20 factory staff (Adelaide) Montage Kitchens “17% increase in factory productivity in year 1” – 20 man kitchen shop using Empower for 8 years (Hamilton)

productivity within 2 weeks of Empower Software implementation” – 9 factory staff (New Plymouth) Total Timba “25% factory productivity increase - and Empower Software worked from day 1” - 8 factory staff using Empower for 4 years (Auckland) PJT Cabinets “We used to use time sheets that our staff filled in their times on jobs at day end. Empower proved the time manual sheet times were highly inaccurate. We have made significant productivity gains in the factory and office on Empower and I highly recommend it” MARS Heavy Road Transport “Empower turned our factory productivity on its ear increasing it by an absolute minimum 30%, and turned my business around” - 35 man engineering shop using Empower for 3 years (Riverland, SA) Home Plus Southland “160% increase in factory productivity. 9 factory staff reduced down to 5 staff in year 1 – same output. Then 5 factory staff doing twice the turnover and work load that the 9 staff had been completing previously” - using Empower for 5 years (Invercargill)

16 Industry Leading Kitchen, Cabinet, Shop Fitting, Furniture, Window and Joinery Manufacturers throughout Australia and New Zealand talk about their productivity increases, KPIs, factory secrets and use of Empower Software – live on YouTube NOW. All are short videos a few minutes each. Factory productivity increases profiled on YouTube range from 17% to 160% - the average increase in factory productivity across 21 manufacturers is 47.5%.

Go to www.youtube.com now and search empower time tracking software.

Diary note to view YouTube again in 3 months time: an additional 16 leading manufacturers who use Empower Software will be on YouTube.

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Design & Trends

Comfort in four dimensions Perfect access and top freedom of movement with wall cabinet flap systems from Grass.

The wide range of flap systems available from Grass, which includes folding, up-and-over, parallel lift and lift-up options for flaps, guarantees perfect access, top freedom of movement and maximum use of the space inside the wall cabinet. And comfort is not only writ large with the systems themselves – the configurator on the Grass website also makes light work of choosing the ideal product for a given requirement.

Wall cabinets continue to rank among the most favoured storage spaces in the kitchen. The highly functional and comfortable flap systems from Grass ensure that the popularity of wall cabinets is here to stay. Kinvaro stands for intelligent movement solutions, which address the many different wishes of end users as well as the requirements of furniture manufacturers.

Technology and design with no compromises Every Kinvaro model comes with impressive specifications. A single flap can be used to close widths of up to 120 cm thanks to the talented movers from the Kinvaro family. These stable and reliable systems offer silent, easy action, well-conceived ergonomic design plus operator comfort, making them the ideal ingredient for modern storage concepts.

Every Kinvaro product, from the Kinvaro S-35 (up-and-over system) and the Kinvaro F-20 (folding system) to the Kinvaro L-80 (parallel lift system) and

18 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

the Kinvaro T series (lift-up system), has been designed for highly individual use and combines excellent functionality, attractive aesthetics and above all top operator comfort.

To further enhance the product’s visual appeal, Grass recently introduced changes to the Kinvaro cover caps, which now come in a choice of colours and with a branded clip.

The weight of the flap plays only a minor role for Kinvaro. All types of surface can be used: wood, glass or metal and even handle-free flaps are possible. The Kinvaro range has a host of appealing features, which make these flap systems ideally suited to virtually any application.

Based on the dimensions, weight and material of the flap, the configurator suggests the best suited product solution from the Kinvaro range along with the appropriate accessories. The configurator can calculate flap weights for more than 40 different materials as well as many different handle options.

The winning combination of quality and planning service will ensure that these flap systems continue to provide a highly positive experience, both for the manufacturer designing the furniture solution and for the end customer using wall cabinet.●

Wall cabinet planning made easy – with the new online configurator from Grass.

To simplify the task of planning the optimal system for a given wall cabinet solution and therefore provide the best possible support for the manufacturer, Grass has developed a configurator, which is now available in five languages on the Grass website.

The wide range of flap systems available from Grass guarantees perfect access, top freedom of movement and maximum use of the space inside the wall cabinet.

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Expos

Ligna: what's it all about?

Ligna – a window on the world of wood and woodworking. A special report for Supplier magazine by Philip Ashley For many manufacturers Ligna in Germany is just another entry on the trade show calendar: large companies send someone because they can afford to keep up to date; smaller companies go when they have serious money to spend on equipment. Some feel that our own AWISA fair is more relevant to our local context and that the German trade fair is largely irrelevant to our needs but frequent visitors to Hannover see Ligna in a different light.

Ligna is a window on the world of wood and woodworking. It is where the leaders of technology present their latest achievements. At Ligna, suppliers must consider manufacturing from around the entire world.

If you have a problem in your factory here in Australia, it's probably been solved somewhere else in the world and someone knows about it. Someone has fixed the problem and all you need to do is to find out what the solution was. Case in point is on plastic edges applied by edge banding machines.

Conventional scrapers tend to ‘line’ and create a matt finish, affecting colour quality.

Machine suppliers and a tool manufacturer have come together to find a solution to this issue.

20 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Some feel that Ligna is mostly a benefit to manufacturers using hightechnology, computerised production lines. It's certainly true that this type of equipment abounds at Ligna. Suppliers of European equipment like Biesse, Homag, SCM and Weinig are well-known in this country and are likely to have high-tech solutions to most manufacturing requirements.

All these companies can sell you a complete production line to manufacture almost any saleable product.

Also well-known in this country are suppliers of (European) specialised equipment and these include Altendorf (panel saws), Costa (wide-belt sanders), Felder (static wood working equipment) and Schelling (beam saws) to name just a few.

Names aside, Ligna is possibly the premier onestop shop for ideas and solutions. While other shows are on the wane, Ligna (although smaller this year) still attracts the world's most astute buyers, and plenty of them – those companies that look to streamline their manufacturing and business practices for greater profit; those companies that look for the latest competitive edge and the latest design ideas; those companies that

understand that manufacturing is changing and that automation, sustainability and reductions in labour costs are a priority of the time.

Ligna managing board director Dr. Jochen Köckler said that 40% of Ligna visitors came from abroad, a figure that surpasses the last show in 2011. He claimed that 90,000 visitors from 100 countries visited the show including 52% more visitors from the USA. In spite of these figures it appears as though Australians (at the moment) are taking it one day at a time. Talking to Australian sales people on all the stands of parent companies I've mentioned already, it's estimated that only 100 Australian companies sent people to this year's show, a very small percentage of the 36,000 visitors from other countries. Yes, it's a long way to Europe but the trip

from the USA, Russia, Italy or even right next door in France would cost the same, apart from the airfare.

I managed to bump into a few Australians during an evening put on by the Leitz tooling company. It's not about business, it's about having a good time and Leitz, along with many European suppliers, does business on relationships not price. Project manager Trevor Crane and production manager Michael Buckley from Hume Doors (NSW) made the trip to look at the latest machines and processes. Joel and Kate Borsch from JK Windows and Doors in Colac were lucky to win the Gabbett open house prize of a trip to Ligna and we all found ourselves invited to the Leitz International get together courtesy of Chris Jones and Andrew Bismire of the Melbourne office of the Leitz group.

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The estimated 90,000 show visitors were able to see 1,637 exhibitors from 46 countries displaying the latest tools, equipment, machines and processes in the forestry, solid wood-work, furniture and panel manufacturing sectors of the industry. It's a costly undertaking, especially for the major exhibitors. As an example, the Homag group needed 120 semi-trailers to ship their equipment to Hannover. Seven hundred people were required to manage the stand and the 2,000 kilowatts of electricity needed would have powered a small Bavarian town.

Is it worth the cost?

Well apparently it is. Dr. Bernhard Dirr of the German Woodworking Manufacturer's Association (VDMA) said that: "In 99% of all cases, our members have found that the appreciable time, effort and money they invested in Ligna have produced a major return on investment".

The show was definitely smaller this year, with a revised, more compact layout of the ten halls and open air space at the fair site. I personally have never been

able to spend more than four days at the show, it's just too big. You get to a point where you've seen too much and it all becomes a blur but, in fairness to the show, I am looking at everything.

Of course if you're going to buy specific equipment, it's a much easier job. The new layout reduced the walking distance and made the fair a much more enjoyable and worthwhile experience. It may have been smaller, but the show still packed in the visitors. Lars Schmidt, General Manager of the German Sawmilling and Timber Industry said: "We see Ligna as the central industry networking hub in Europe".

This year there was strong demand for advanced machines with new functions.

There was also plenty of momentum from the wood construction sector, especially with regard to energy and materials savings, a reflection of the key focus of sustainability of this year's show. Sustainable practices often mean leaner manufacturing with less waste and lower production and labour costs. If your profit margins are small, you could

benefit by looking at smarter ways of doing things.

"Cut your costs" was the watchword of this year's Ligna.

Biesse's Stefano Porcellini said that: "Ligna provides an ideal platform for us to get our innovations out in front of a global audience". Felder's Hansjörg Felder agreed, adding: "People are primarily interested in machines that can boost productivity and profitability".

Other hot topics included lightweight construction with some panel materials weighing 30% less than conventional materials. It's not a big thing in Australia at the moment but it's coming.

Transport costs are reduced with lighter loads. Architects are beginning to be more aware of overseas trends and are much more likely to specify lighter, more environmentally friendly materials. You either meet the challenge or you lose the job to someone else.

Chris Jones, Kate and Joel Borsch, Michael Buckley, Andrew Bismire and Trevor Crane at the Leitz evening in Hannover.

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You can see from all these comments that Ligna is highly regarded as the premier vehicle for innovation and technology. You should be part of it. My trip cost me $3,000 for the week. Get a hotel out of Hannover and use the excellent German railway system to travel to the show each day. Book flights a month or so in advance and if you start saving now it will cost you $28-84 a week over the next two years. It's not much to pay and the benefits to your company will be outstanding.

The current industry caution will eventually be replaced with renewed optimism as our dollar moves to more acceptable levels. A small business survey conducted

by Bibby Financial Services, showed 65% of small businesses are more optimistic about sales growth in the coming 12 months and optimism has returned to levels not seen in almost two years.

When the industry turns around, you want to be in a position to take advantage of it.

Don't just listen to me, listen to Sandvik Coromant Global President Klas Forsstrom during a recent trip to Australia. The key is work for the future, he said. “By this I mean future technologies and future ways of machining. Don't be held back by outdated practices, try to adapt faster. Work out how to cut down machining time, how to improve efficiencies and work with new materials.”

A visit to Ligna in 2015 should do the trick.● SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 21

Expos

Ligna 2013 show report Ligna 2013 again showed why it's the world's top trade show for everything wood.

Philip Ashley reports for Supplier Woodworking magazine from the fair Ligna 2013 again showed why it's the world's top trade show for everything wood. With literally hundreds of new machines and technological firsts, the show is a must-visit for any manufacturer serious about their future.

While exhibitors were down slightly this year, visitor numbers were up and manufacturers from more countries went to see what's on offer. Of course if you could not make it this year, the next best thing is to continue reading this article, then talk with your preferred supplier about what they can offer your company.

To make the article easier to read I'll divide it up into manufacturers and report on each one separately.

Weinig Group Weinig CEO Wolfgang Pöschl said: "Our ultimate objective is to achieve

equal or even greater output with reduced usage of the valuable raw material that is wood".

This objective realised 30 innovations and developments in all four product segments.

For Weinig's core business of wood profiling (moulding) four Powermat moulders were on show including the cost-effective compact 600 machine capable of profiling short pieces. The machine is fitted with a groove guide to keep the shorts in line.

A highlight of the fair was the PowerCom Plus control that sets up the six CNC controlled axes of the moulding machine. And the new moulder master software makes the production of complex tools a simple job.

The software suggests how the mould should be broken down into individual tools for each spindle and, what's more, the whole process is paperless.

Weinig Group

22 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Other Weinig technologies on show included the newest version of their 3D surface profiling equipment where any customised surface pattern can be produced using Alphacam software.

New design patented feed rollers give better grip that improves through feeding on all Weinig moulders. The new pointed rollers last longer and reduce damage to the wood.

On a Powermat 2400 XL machine there were cutting spindles angled at 30 degrees to the feed of the wood. No, not an angled cutter but the entire spindle arrangement placed at an angle. Weinig claim this reduces ‘snipes’ on the ends of the wood. Also new are vertical ‘floating’ spindles that follow the bow of the wood in case you just want to dress the wood and aren't concerned about straightening it.

Of all the systems on display at Ligna one of the most impressive was the high-speed OptiLink fully automated optimised cutting plant. The plant is a virtual factory and includes a number of scanners, a crosscut saw, rip-saw, high-speed transport equipment and stacking units.

What this all means is that the material is scanned for defects, docked and ripped

through several processes and comes out the other end as wooden parts matching your cutting list. Through the process the equipment rescans the wood and makes automatic alterations to the cutting to make sure that your order is met with the required quality. Should any cut reveal a defect that could not be picked up on the initial scan, the piece will be re-processed and another one added to the program.

Even with the high-speed of up to 160 metres a minute, the new world-first system is able to process material down to 80mm in length to get the maximum value from the material.

Biesse Group Biesse's major release at this year's fair was bSolid, which is already available on many of the machines in Biesse's extensive range of equipment.

Biesse has been developing this new software for several years at the request of its customers and it made quite a hit.

With machines being more and more controlled by software, it's important that the software be intuitive.

That is, the software works like you do. bSolid is able to design and then simulate the machining of any part. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Biesse Group

Last year, Supplier magazine reported a new innovation in edgebanding.

Edge bander manufacturer Fravol working together with Schugoma developed a new way to fuse laser edge-tape to the panel by using high pressure hot air. This gives the edge tape a 98% waterproof seal to the panel with no glue line. The edge tape and board look like one piece.

Biesse has improved this system and can now supply the technology, and not just on high-end edge banders.

Felder Biesse has incorporated the latest computer aided design and drawing into their bSolid program that takes ideas from concept to reality with a few steps. Simulation ensures that no costly machining mistakes are made and you can check the correct tool paths and other machining information, including measuring and modifying every part before you even put it on your machine. The software will be able to detect a crash between a pod and any cutting tool.

Biesse used the cutting of an an Aladdin's lamp for the demonatration and video clips are already available on YouTube.

Other new Biesse products made quite a list. A new Rover A 5-axis machine capable of machining parts up to 225mm thick with a drilling head as well. The Rover B G Edge www.suppliermagazine.com.au

series allows the complete processing of shaped and edged panels. An entry-level Rover K G machine with overhead gantry allows midsize companies to make an investment in future growth with a small investment.

For window and door production, Biesse's new multicenter Uniline CNC machining centre allows for automatic operation including the loading and unloading of parts. Uniline can be set up so only 20% of a person's time is spent looking after the line. The modular line can be integrated into multiple cells making the equipment attractive for small batch processing.

A new Opera 7 wide belt sander by Viet offers cross, roller, spinbrush, superfinish and cross unit sanding in a standard configuration for superfinishing of veneered and

painted panels.

Of interest to Australian manufacturers are machines capable of small batch sizes.

Biesse introduced the Sektor 4 range of panel sizing (beam saw) machines in the same compact size but with an optional twin pusher that allows two cutting lines on the same machine. This means that a secondary pusher can move a second piece that is cut together in one saw cut.

For high output lines, the WNTR 650 incorporates a twin pusher capable of increasing productivity by up to 40%. That's a saving of over three hours a day.

Finally, a range of CNC equipment where the board is inserted vertically includes the EKO 902 and the Skipper V31. These compact machines allow routing and drilling including glue and dowel insertion.

Felder continues to take big strides in the supply of industrial woodworking equipment. Just a few years ago this brand was associated with the hobby market (albeit at the top end) and now they are making the other leading suppliers sit up and take note.

At the Ligna fair there was much interest in Felder's new Profit H50 5-axis CNC machining centre with its amazing 250mm cutting height. Be careful when suppliers talk about cutting height because they often quote Z axis (up and down) movement and this does not include a cutter.

Felder's claim includes a tool length (including the chuck) of 200mm. And their CNC machines come with automatic tables, large capacity tool changers and quality construction. They will make their mark here in Australia. I have it on good SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 23

Expos

Felder

authority that CNC machines are on their way to companies here even as we go to print.

Felder is, of course, well known for its static machinery – in particular its panel saws, planing machines and bandsaws. Visitors looking for solid wood planing machinery were particularly interested in the ‘silent power’ spiral cutter-head. It is so popular that Felder executives report it being fitted on 60% of all machines being shipped.

(The company is unable to manufacture heads for retro fitting, there just isn't enough time.)

Also for the small workshop, Felder introduced the G320 edge bander sitting on just two square metres of floor space. Higher-spec edgebanders now also include trimming saws with pull-away action and interchangeable glue pots for quick change of glue colours, or to use PUR glue.

The new Profit H08 CNC nesting machine is guaranteed to be one of the lowest price nesting machines available and comes with a neat new safety light barrier that you can move around yourself to allow forklift access to the machine.

of poplar OSB board and inspired by the frequency of sound generated from cutters working wood. There's a nice little video on YouTube showing this architectural work all going together.

Gathering another crowd was the full-scale reproduction of the Ferrari Cambiano electric concept car. CNC routered from recycled wooden mooring posts from the lagoon in Venice, the sculpture demonstrates the capabilities of SCM equipment and also expresses the company's respect for the value of wood.

SCM considers the real revolution as "turning something complex into something simple" and demonstrated this with the

‘vaulted’ table, designed by the London studio Bloomlab Architecture and Design. This table took just over a week to program and produce on a CNC machine but would have taken three months using conventional equipment and methods.

SCM has 30 brand names in the group and can offer simple solutions with basic machines through to CNC and large turnkey installations for mass production. Examples of recent major installations include a door manufacturing

plant in Russia manufacturing 15,000 doors every month with 400 employees and Aleaoffice, an office furniture manufacturer with ten million euro's in sales and no stock. The customer designs the furniture and Aleaoffice "brings order to chaos" with its 100,000 different items to supply small and large orders.

Both companies use SCM equipment in automated lines and despite a 30% downturn in woodworking companies in Italy, both do very well exporting to developing countries.

SCM (Gabbett)

SCM (Gabbett) The giant SCM company showed its affinity with wood with its frequency wall made from 850 different shapes 24 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

think DIAMOND

Leitz

Leitz and Leuco The Leitz and Leuco companies produce cutting tools and this is where much of the tooling development comes from.

This year we saw the introduction of the Leitz WhisperCut PLUS where

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As the cell is only operated by one person with the SCM ‘watch supervisor’, the entire cell is run as one machine and can handle mixed stacks of material.

The sizing cell consists of the new Galaxy 2 panel saw married with a Mahros panel store and retrieval system. Again, one person is needed and your stock is managed by computer software. The Galaxy 2 saw can do long and cross cuts in the same stroke, further improving output.

think

SCM promotes the use of work ‘cells’ where equipment is drawn from its many brands to provide optimum manufacturing solutions. The idea is to automate, guarantee consistent quality and lower production and labour costs. Sounds a little bit like what we need here in Australia, doesn't it? And while it all sounds like the technology belongs to big manufacturers, it can work for anyone. You just have to make a start.

On display at Ligna were several cells to demonstrate the technologies of sizing, edge-banding, boring and window and door manufacture. For instance, the boring cell consists of a Uniflex CNC machine, and Mahros automated loading and unloading equipment.

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SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 25

Expos

Leuco continues to advance its P system tools where the high shear angle of 55 degrees literally peels the shavings off the workpiece, leaving a high-quality finish.

The P tools are available on many of the Leuco products.

Also from Leuco but as yet unannounced in the general press is a new attachment fitted to a CNC routing chuck that lifts the dust off the table during nesting work. This new development is sure to make a hit with the kitchen and bathroom industry. I have only seen the device on a HSK chuck but as soon as more details come to hand, we at Supplier will let you know.

Leuco

practical tests show a cost reduction of 10% when processing coated and uncoated chipboard and fibreboard panels. With a re-usable aluminium body to reduce load of your machine bearings and individually replaceable cutting knives that can be re-sharpened up to 10 times, the WhisperCut PLUS makes economic sense.

Leitz also displayed the RipTec milling tools at this year's fair. While not a brandnew innovation, this new milling process is finding its way into Australian workshops where control over the wood quality is a concern.

The RipTec cutter produces a finely riffled profile in the surface of the work-piece.

This prevents any tearing or splintering of the surface during the next operational step, for example the finish planing. The new cutters also deliver a saving in energy consumption.

On edgebanding machines, the plastic edge tape is 26 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

trimmed with a cutter and this is followed by a scraper.

Conventional scrapers tend to create a matt finish. The colour quality is affected, especially on dark edge tapes. This issue is particularly troublesome for furniture makers using the new gluing technologies.

Leitz and edge banding machine manufacturers worked together for two years and developed a solution to eliminate the annoying "frame effect" on high-gloss furniture components. The brief was to eliminate the visual faults and use the new technology on existing edge banding machines. The Leitz DuoMulti-Profile scraper is the result of this research that uses two scrapers and a filler to separate the two knives. One knife does a pre-scrape and the other a micro-scrape. The result is high-gloss components without visible joints, ideal for high-gloss decors resulting in a ‘one piece’ look.

Altendorf Altendorf make panel saws.

Since the first Altendorf saw was produced in 1906, the company has led the development of the panel saw and continues to deliver its innovation at the Ligna trade fair. This year the innovation was the new Altendorf F45 Elmo III D. When you first see this machine you won't notice anything new. After all, it's still a sliding table panel saw.

However, look inside and the first thing you'll wonder is where the motor went.

Altendorf has replaced the traditional drive with a new synchronous servo motor.

These motors take up very little space and still deliver the same power as motors used on previous models and up to 15% more efficiency.

This technology saves energy as the motor only draws enough power needed to do the work. The new drive unit has energy reserves of up to 120% and delivers infinitely variable speed control between 1500 and 5000 rpm. Other features of the new

machine include minimal saw blade wear, optimum cut and high energy efficiency.

With the space saving ‘under the hood’, Altendorf can now deliver a machine that tilts to 46 degrees in either direction. You no longer need to work to the machine – now the machine will work to your needs. Your panel is heavy and it's difficult to move into a position that will allow a mitre cut? No problem, the saw will tilt either way so you can leave the panel where it is and just change the tilt. You get chipping on the board when cutting a mitre? No problem, the saw tilts either direction so you can leave the best side on top. And with a positioning speed through the ninety degrees of its travel in just twelve seconds its super fast.

Homag Group As a German trade fair, Ligna is Homag's premier release date for new equipment and know how. I am advised that Homag aims to develop 55% of all new technology in the woodworking trades. That's a big ask considering all other companies combined are relegated to the other 45% of development. However,

Homag Group

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

success is dependent on commitment and Homag has certainly laid down the challenge.

This year Homag turned up the tempo with a business card only access to its Touch the Future innovation centre where its20 latest technologies were on display.

The major equipment suppliers respond to the needs of the user. Homag, Biesse and SCM are all moving towards a standardisation of machine control. Homag's development is called powerTouch, which will be available on many of its new machines now, and on all machines from the end of 2014.

Whether you are working on a beam saw, nesting machine or edge bander; if it comes from Homag, it will have the same controller.

The functions will be different for each machine but the new layout should enable users to move from machine to machine with ease and confidence.

Central to the new system is a large multi touch monitor in wide picture format. The user interface offers a range of functions designed to simplify the work experience.

Standardized control elements

and software modules ensure that all Homag Group machines can be operated with the same familiar look and feel using powerTouch.

Like Biesse, Homag now has simulation software that can detect machine crashes, calculate exact production times and predict where your factory bottlenecks are.

And what about the existing Woodwop program? Well, this is now the longest running software program (20 years) for woodworking machines, first introduced in 1992.

Remember 1992? That was the year Sony released the playstation game console.

An interesting idea from the Holzma brand, and only in concept stage at the moment, is a beam saw with a drilling unit built into the rear (feeding) table. The idea is that panels can be drilled before or during the cutting stage. This allows kitchen manufacturer's who only need limited drilling patterns the option of doing away with a CNC processing centre altogether. Holzma has a working model and, if enough interest is received, this may become a reality.

Holzma also released a de-stacking software program for beam saws that guides

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SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 27

Expos

the operator in the handling and stacking of all different panels coming off the machine. The aim of the program is to save time by getting all of the correct panels together for future machining stages.

And if this wasn't enough, Brandt (edge banders) are now able to control corner rounding with servo motors controlled by a program. It's reported to be much more accurate and no machine parts touch the panel, leaving it scratch-free.

Finally, Brandt also offers the Schugoma system (we mentioned this before with Biesse) they call airTec and technical boffins at Homag report they are currently working on reducing heat loss common between the blower nozzle and the active edge.

28 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Homag Group

Other bits and pieces

Finally

In the past, double end tenoners could only be fed at the rate the feeding ‘dogs’ were set on the feeding chain. New technology is available where the feeding dogs pop up behind each work piece. It is now possible to feed the next piece almost immediately behind the last one, speeding up the feed rate considerably.

Suppliers are reducing the number of working parts in their machines to reduce wear and maintenance costs. Inkjet printers can now be used to print labels directly onto the panel with soluble ink, eliminating paper labels that take time to remove. 5-axis machines fitted with an edge banding attachment can now do tilted edgings. Several suppliers now manufacture machinery for other suppliers that are re-badged. And you can even grade a piece of wood by weighing it, hitting the end with a rod and then measuring the resonance.

Back in the early 1980s you went along to a supplier of woodworking machines and you ordered a machine. It was up to you how it was integrated into your factory but mostly it was just placed on the floor and became one of many machines forming the whole production. It worked faster or slower than your other machines but you just wore this as part of the many problems.

Back then, Allwood was one of the biggest suppliers, Gabbett was just about to get going and Homag was represented by individual sellers. Times have changed and now any one of the big four (Biesse, Gabbett, Homag and Weinig) can offer a complete line to manufacture kitchens, office furniture, bathrooms, windows and doors on a scale unheard of in 1985.

In 2013, you don't want a machine, you want a solution.

Ligna delivers solutions in spades.â—? www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Manufacturers ERP / MRP system (can link to your finance / payroll software)

Vicky Cammiade states

“Now you can have the tools to help you measure, monitor and manage your daily business tasks in real time, simply by going into "the draw"..... because: Empower Software understands that the pressure for profitabilty is an ongoing and unrelenting task in today's climate, and bottom line efficency is a day-to-day, 365 days a year business essential!”

To Enter Email your applications to vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au or fax 61 3 9890 0087 In the subject line nominate Empower Product 1, 2, 3 or 4 ....and provide full business name and contact details.

Check out the November 2013 issue of Supplier Woodworking Magazine to see if you have won!

www.empowersoftware.biz

Expos

Interzum: trends for 2013 In the furniture supplier and interior design industries, the interzum global trade fair in Cologne is the most important industry event for presenting newly developed products to a large audience for the first time, and for examining their impact in product studies.

Many exhibitors reorient themselves around the twoyear cycle of this Cologne trade fair in order to bring key innovations to the market. Held in Cologne from 13 to 16 May 2013, this year’s fair saw exhibitors revealing some of their innovations and identifying the most important trends.

In the materials sectors, authenticity of materials through natural textures and colours predominated, but sustainable aspects also playing a role. New colours for PET foils, a new thermoplastic foil based on polypropylene, bright fresh woods with authentic surfaces, thermally modified timber with attractive elegant textures, plastic components for skirting in the kitchen and 30 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

bathroom, side and back panels for drawers made from semi-soft plastic that can be bent to go around the waste trap in were just some of the new products presented at the fair.

A specialist in moulded plywood, Becker Brakel, presented many exciting designs at its fifth international design forum at interzum. Some 20 percent of the entries submitted by design professionals this year involved the new material Becker formfleece – a polyester fibre fleece material used in the manufacture of seats, roof linings, and glove boxes in the automotive industry. This material is very good for moulding, sturdy, durable, warm, feels pleasant to the touch, and

is a good sound absorber. It is perfectly suited to seating furniture that is used in large spaces. However, it can also be used in all other areas in which acoustics are important.

The damping or electrification of drawers, pull-outs and flaps, plus innovative solutions for medicine cabinets and corner cupboards were showcased in the components and functions segment. Leading trends in this area included perfect damping and electrification of all pull-outs and more resource-conserving LED lamps to ensure good lighting in kitchens and furniture interiors. Blum presented innovations in the areas of hinges, flap systems and pull-out systems. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

The company followed two trends – endeavouring to make working in the kitchen more comfortable and practical with functional and ergonomic solutions for fittings, and creating opportunities to differentiate products with regard to function and design.

Grass presented its new drawer system, Vionaro, based on the Dynapro system.

As well as viewing the various design versions of Vionaro, visitors were also able to experience the product in a specially produced video.

The Circulum of movement at the heart of the exhibition stand was designed as a mirrored room of infinite reflections, which created the impression of being part of the presentation.

A large number of additions and upgrades to the hinge, flap, corner cabinet and drawer systems were presented to the public and visitors were able to find out about the latest developments

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

as well as the existing range in clearly structured product presentations. The rounded design concept for the stand provided the optimum setting for showcasing movement systems.

Häfele went all out with more than 40 products presented for the first time with the emphasis on the new Free family of hingeless flap fittings, which combines two trends – convenient flaps, and lighting in furniture.

As far as the area of lighting is concerned, Gera Leuchten saw the strongest trend as making furniture interiors more individual and cosy, alongside the use of new technologies such as the LED. “The increasing fusion of kitchen and living space layouts results in new business areas for supplier companies, as the trendsetting products from the kitchen industry are ever more in demand in the area of household furniture.” ●

SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 31

Expos

FMC China 2013

Harn for growth and sustainability Harn – the emerging drawer runner system brand from Asia – was back at Interzum Cologne for its eighth term.

This year Harn presented the new theme Growth and Sustainability to its display stand, which represents Harn’s vision and expansionary approaches in delivering quality products to its customers.

“Just like a strong tree, it is in Harn`s nature to have every part of the organisation from the top management

32 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

to the dedicated partners and employees contributing immensely towards Harn consistency in raising the bar of excellence,” a spokesperson explained.

At this year’s fair for suppliers to the furniture industry and interior finishing, Triomax – the flagship of Harn soft close drawer system – once again become the highlight of this year’s showcase with improved features to guarantee superior performance. ●

FMC China 2013* will be held across two venues and will feature exhibits in over 80 product categories including woodworking machinery and tools, furniture hardware and fittings, furniture inspection design and services, cabinet/ wardrobe fittings and furniture lighting accessories, furniture panels and surface deco, furniture fabric and leather, upholstery furniture components and supplies, semi-finished furniture, office furniture supplies and gas springs, furniture coatings, adhesives and chemicals products.

Trade buyers from Brazil, Vietnam, India, Korea, Malaysia and Turkey will be organised through a worldwide agent network, and national industry associations from across the world are expected.

Seven groups and associations will share their new technologies and products onsite – the State of North Carolina Pavilion, the American Hardwood Export Council, the Swedish Trade and Invest Council, the French Timber Industry Association, the Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association, the Yuhang Home Textile Industry Association and the Asia International Furniture Material Trading Center.

FMC China 2013 will focus on downstream industry linkage for the furniture manufacturing industry together with the China Furniture Association, and 40 professional forums and conferences will be held onsite

dealing with subjects such as intelligent management, smart coatings, green panels and innovative design.

The assembly will invite several famous speakers including the following: Xue Yu, holder of a US MBA and a professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University; Yang Mingjie, the famous industrial product designer, and the winner of the German Red Dot Award, the iF Award, Japan's G-Mark Award and other international renowned design awards; Shi Yeping, the design consultant for Dutch fashion trends institution, KET; AJ Schep, the famous Dutch designer and fashion trend forecasting expert, and other famous guests from overseas. From macro to micro, the assembly will cover the Chinese furniture production industry and new trends, along with discussion on how to face the new challenges for upgrading the industry.

Technical seminars will also be held to create the latest industry trends, explore the upgrading of industrial structure and develop industry market demand. *FMC – Furniture Manufacturing and Supply China to be held concurrently with FMC Premium 2013 and Furniture China 2013 from 11 to 14 September 2013, Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre. Specialising in woodworking machinery, furniture raw materials. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Win a free

3D Kitchen SOFTWARE package With EVERY ISSUE of Supplier magazine!!

Readers of Supplier Woodworking magazine are invited to apply to be in the draw to win a free copy of the industry leading software 3D KitchenTM. The offer is being made jointly by 3D KitchenTM and Supplier Woodworking magazine.

The offer includes…

There must be a catch??

3D Kitchen QT software producing… ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒

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Floor plans Elevations High quality 3D images Full real time motion 3D rendering (same as using gaming software) Easily create your own unique cabinets Complete customized system (cabinet library built to your own specifications) Full product support (12 months) - broadband internet required

Supplier



DESIGN + MATERIALS + TECHNOLOGY

1. You must be a reader of Supplier Woodworking Magazine 2. You must be a manufacturing cabinetmaker 3. You must not already have design or production software 4. The offer does not include future software updates 5. Email applications to… vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au … subject “Free Software 2013” … supply full business name and contact details

dkitchen  SOFTWARE

Business

How to reach your business targets with KPIs There is an old saying – “If you aim at nothing, you will hit the target with amazing accuracy!” By Sue Hirst, CFO On-Call We would all like a silver bullet in our business that creates that wonderful profit we seek. The reality is that there isn’t one! There are plenty of things that take up the attention of owners/ managers in the effort to create a profitable and sustainable business. There are, however, a small number of key things that can have a big impact on any business’s bottom line.

The drivers to financial performance are Key Performance Indicators or KPIs. Ask yourself – how do you currently track, monitor and drive the financial performance of your business? If you don’t currently use KPIs, you could be in for a real boost to your profit by focusing on this vital area of business management.

What are some of the key drivers to financial performance? Here are some examples: • sales company – volume of sales, gross margin percentage; • manufacturing – number of machine hours sold, labour sales dollar/ machine hour, material margin percentage; • contractors – number of billable hours, dollars per

34 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

billable hour, utilisation percentage.

Key drivers vary from industry to industry, but ask yourself this question – if you was away from your business for a while, what are the five or six things you would want to know about the performance of your business? We are not talking here about the bottom line results but what impacts the bottom line results or more importantly the ‘top line’.

To see the value of managing KPIs it is worth calculating how much more profit you could make by improving them. This is called sensitivity analysis.

Here is an example of sensitivity analysis based on a manufacturing business with net profit of $80,000 This example illustrates that the most valuable impact is on number of hours sold, so this is the KPI that should receive maximum attention.

Steps for setting targets for key drivers: • set company targets for each key driver; • determine profitability from hitting key driver targets; * are targets realistic? * is profitability desired profitability? * realistic targets that result in a loss may mean your ‘business model’ needs to be changed; * determine actions/plans to achieve the targets and deadline dates; * set targets for staff who have influence on key drivers, eg sales staff; * bonus/incentive scheme for achieving targets.

Monitor actual versus target • monitor actual versus target by month (or week) for each key driver; • determine dollar impact on profitability of variances from target; • for actual less than target

– what actions can be taken to improve?

In summary: • every business needs to know what are the key things (KPIs) that need to happen to create a profitable level of sales; • the impact on profit of improving the KPIs needs to be understood and calculated; • realistic targets need to be set for the company, divisions and team members who influence them. This helps to get staff ‘buy-in’ and ownership; • incentives are a great way to encourage staff to achieve targets; • actual versus target needs to be measured regularly to ensure they are met; • variances needs to be investigated and below target results acted upon.

Above target results need to be also understood and what caused them repeated.

For help identifying your business KPIs speak with CFO On-Call anytime.

CFO On-Call is a team of financial and business advisors who work with open-minded people, committed to business growth and achieving success. For help call us on 0800 180 400 or visit our website www.CFOonCall.co.nz

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Manufacturing

What is WoodTecPedia?

WoodTecPedia (www. hoechsmann.com/lexikon. html) is a free accessible online encyclopedia from Höchsmann GmbH, a leading Germany supplier of woodworking machinery.

The Höchsmann company deals exclusively with second hand woodworking machinery, including assessment and marketing, purchase and sales as well as reconditioning and technical service.

WoodTecPedia is a platform of information especially for woodworking technology and is currently the most extensive collection of machine names, technical terms, pictures, product and producer information as well as brochures from the field of woodworking machinery.

WoodTecPedia has been online since May 2011 and is aimed at buyers and sellers of new and secondhand machinery, machine manufacturers, woodworkers, agents – anyone who deals with the purchase and selling of woodworking machinery.

Because of the extensive spectrum of specialised information, regular users also include banks, leasing companies, technical colleges, education centres, advising companies, etc.

The articles on the website are written by a team of experienced Höchsmann employees who are responsible for inserting new information while several interpreters translate the original German articles into other languages.

The images, specifications and other details come from the manufacturers of machinery and their sales partners, who present their products in diverse publications and through many other communication channels on the global market.

In the articles there are links to the manufacturers’ websites.

Collecting extensive information requires an intensive study of alternatives. WoodTecPedia allows comparisons without evaluating anything.

Neutral descriptions are a priority. If manufacturers present technical solutions which pursue similar aims, WoodTecPedia makes an effort to name them and to present them of equal value. WoodTecPedia also presents technical innovations which stand out at the time they are launched on the market, eg because of future

technology, sustainability, saving of resources and energy, protection of health and safety.

It should be noted that WoodTecPedia is not an

advertising platform for manufacturers who only want to present their latest products or who wish to gain an advantage with their advertising slogans.●

ROUTER BITS

Diamond Tipped (P.C.D.) Router Bits.

Diamond Tipped (P.C.D.) Wood Drills & Hinge Boring Drills. T.C.T. & H.S.S. Brad Point Drills. T.C.T., H.S.S., Solid Carbide & Replacable Insert Router Bits.

Also TCT Saw blades (up to 630mm) • Wood drills • TCT Hole Saws • TCT & HSS Buzzer Blades and Corrugated Back Knives • Planer Blades • Drill/Countersinks • Bandsaw • Handsaws • “3D” Router Carver Router Depth Gauges, Step Gauges, Contour Gauges, Adjustable Circle Cutters, Auger Bits, Expansion Drill Bits, Masonry Drill Bits, Step Drills, Glass & Tile Drills, Sharpening Stones, Specialised Cutting Lubricants.

CARB-I-TOOL (AUST.) PTY. LTD 12 Levanswell Road, Moorabbin, VIC 3189 Australia Ph: 03 9555 2966 Fax: 03 9555 8695 Email: sales@carbitool.com.au Web: www.carbitool.com.au

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 35

Manufacturing

Productivity solution pays for itself Zooby Cabinets, WA – a case study for Supplier Woodworking magazine.

By Sean O'Sullivan, Empower Marketing NZ Ltd “Twelve months ago we put two second hand PCs on our factory floor, which cost us $500, plus we invested in $11,000 worth of industry developed job and staff time tracking software in. With this labour management software we have achieved 150% additional production from all our factory staff, which increases our profit by $225,000 per year.”

Managing Director of Zooby Cabinets, Colin Ballantyne.

"Twelve months ago I had not given it much thought and, I suppose, I assumed that our factory floor and staff were productive at manufacturing kitchens,” said Colin Ballantyne. “However, we were starting to lose jobs on price and our profit was too low so we knew we had problems. Our labour times were too long and our labour cost were too high on each kitchen.

“We did have a manual system where our factory staff recorded in their work diary at the end of every day the times they started and finished each job. Our admin staff then keyed these times into the job cost part of our finance software to enable me to review the actual times taken on jobs against the budgeted times that we had in our quotations.

“I think that our factory staff were, at the end of the day, making their best guess at recalling and recording their start and finish times on jobs 36 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

but, when scrutinised, the times reported on jobs were found to be substantially in error – hours out at times. As the times reported were highly inaccurate, myself and other management could not carry out three critically important functions in our business, namely: • we could not use the actual times to motivate our factory staff to work more productively; • we could not use the actual times to discuss with our factory staff why they ran over the budgeted times; and • we could not use the actual times to improve the accuracy of future quotations.

“The solution to our problem was simple – we needed to replace our manual time recording system with a factory floor based computerised system.”

Zooby Cabinets invested in two $250 second hand PCs for the factory floor and Empower Job and Staff time tracking software. The Empower deal included all the factory and office software required as well as software installation, factory staff and management training, implementation advice and unlimited on-going monthly direction, advice and support.

“This package was $11,000 total, with terms payable over six months, which made it easy to afford,” said Colin. “The software was quick, simple and painless to

put in, set up and learn and we got significant production gains in the first week of putting it in.

“We followed Empower's advice and broke our jobs down to four stages of each kitchen – CNC and edging; assembly; benchtop and installation. Shortly we will progress using Empower to track additional processes including pre-production (before client order, ie selling and design); pre-production (after client 0rder, ie detailed design, order materials, receipt materials, program machines, site measure etc); rework and client requested changes.

“For each new kitchen a client ordered we then put into Empower the total budgeted time from our quotation plus the budgeted time for each stage of each kitchen.

“On the factory PCs our factory staff get to see the jobs assigned to them, the budgeted time they have available to them to complete the job and when they started each job and the actual time they achieved when they finished each job. In short, Empower Software gave each of our factory staff a performance review at the end of every job.

“The biggest gain we got was from our factory staff being aware of the times and knowing immediately at job finish how their time went against budget. Our staff really stepped up to the plate and have maintained their high productivity. Our foreman

uses Empower Management version live throughout the day to view production and productivity of each kitchen and each staff member.

“As MD of the business I view and analyse performance on every job and discuss performance with my foreman and factory staff regularly. As the times from Empower are highly accurate our staff fully accept the times, which makes the discussion about performance possible and beneficial.

“Also, as the times from Empower are highly accurate, we can make far better business decisions because our decisions are based on accurate facts rather than on gut feelings, averages and historical times and events.

“Up to 12 months ago we had five factory staff and one foreman. After using Empower for only 12 months we now produce the same number of kitchens and achieve the same monthly turnover with two factory staff and one foreman. Three less staff saves us in excess of $225,000 in wages each and every year.

‘Looking back, prior to having Empower Software our business was highly unproductive and our business was bleeding cash and floundering as a result. We got a full return on our investment on Empower Software in less than two months.

“Empower is the single best investment we have made in our business in the last decade.” ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Manufacturing

Drawing and manufacturing with the press of a button Benchmark Interior Joinery operates in South Australia’s Holden Hill and is a small family business run by brothers Steve and Andrew McGeorge. They cater for the Australian domestic market with their main avenues of work being in manufacturing flat pack and fully assembled kitchens along with making display stands for both Tasman and Oliveri.

Benchmark interior Joinery needed to find a solution so that they could manufacture their kitchens in both a cost and time efficient manner. Steve and Andrew McGeorge approached Planit’s South Australian Territory Manager, Tony Vella, to find a solution that would not only meet their budget but their design and manufacturing requirements.

Finding an effective solution After listening to what the team at Benchmark Interior Joinery needed to improve the business, it was clear

38 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

that it was not only the software that they needed, Planit also needed to play a crucial role in guiding and supporting Benchmark Interior Joinery as they integrated this software into the business.

Solid Essential with S2ME (Screento-Machine Essential) was a perfect fit to get the drawings to the machine without having to use another third party program. It provided all the drawing needs for Benchmark Interior Joinery as well as the detail for factory staff.

Solid Essential is an entry-level product. However, it still provides the customer with the plans, elevations and 3D photo vision renderings that allows them to be integrated into their design and detailing process.

For the manufacturing process, Cabinet Vision’s S2ME was able to shape parts, drill the holes required, optimise the job and provide labels for part information and identification. Planit was also able

to customise the integration to suit the needs of thebusiness, which was highly beneficial to the successful outcome.

Seeing the results Benchmark Interior Joinery was thrilled with the results of using Cabinet Vision’s entry level manufacturing software.

Andrew McGeorge said: “It has been a dream to be able to draw a kitchen, push a button and the machine cuts it for us”.

He is now drawing kitchens with Solid Essential and, with S2ME, cutting and drilling jobs on his new Weeke nesting machine, eliminating the previous manual process of creating a cutting list for his panel saw and drilling individual parts on his point-to-point machine.

Investing in Planit’s entry level manufacturing software along with a nesting machine was not only a big step forward for them but also played a key part in allowing them to grow their business. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

速

CUTTING EDGE SOLUTIONS

Manufacturing

Creation Furniture relies on Schelling Creation Furniture is one of Thailand's leading manufacturers of kitchen and bathroom furniture.

Its innovative production processes require reliable, modern systems, machines and plant. The Thai furniture producer entirely relies on Schelling products in order commissioning and cut-tosize.

A Schelling cut-to-size saw and area storage system combination will be installed in the Greater Bangkok area in Central Thailand.

For Creation Furniture with a total of 400 employees and a turn-over of €14 million it is very important to have a reliable partner, which offers

custom-made, advance products to increase productivity and quality.

The complete delivery of the Schelling sawstorage combination will be accomplished by Sirikrai Industrial Co Ltd, part of the Furniline Group, which is one of the most experienced companies in the field of industrial equipment in Thailand.

Schelling is supplying a saw-storage combination consisting of an fh 4 cut-tosize saw with a saw blade projection of 95mm and a vs 8 area storage system with a span of eight metres and a length of over 34 metres.

The storage system offers up to 45 storage locations and three rest-part storage locations. This means that the storage system can accommodate up to 5,200 boards. Transfer to storage is via stack infeed places. The area storages system ensures maximum flexibility and permanent infeed of the saw.

The fh 4 cut-to-size saw is a powerful and versatile machine, which can be used for Lotsize 1 or large book production. The productivity is yet further increased by integration in the area storage system, separate push-off carriage and a second independently controlled Duplus feeder. The automatic

labelling before cutting saves unnecessary interruptions to the machine operation and ensures reliable identification of the parts for downstream machines. A continuous production flow with a high output rate is thus assured.

The Austrian developer and manufacturer Schelling is recognized as a world technology leader in cut-to-size saws and plants as well as in area storage and material handling systems.

With over 400 employees at ten locations, Schelling is present in all key world regions and offers integrated services from individual planning through commissioning to aftersales services.●

Morbidelli next generation nesting cells The latest generation of Morbidelli nesting cells is soon to arrive in Australia.

Featuring upgraded label printing sytems, seamless software integration, upgraded loading and handling systems, the new

40 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

Morbidelli range builds on the success of the previous machines.

The Morbidelli nesting cells are fully automated.

The infeed zone allows a stack of board to be loaded via forklift. From this point

the machine automatically takes care of all loading, machining, routing and drillings required. A fully completed component is supplied to the operator – ready to edge and assemble.

The automation level allows you to maximise your production – giving you a competitive workshop with reduced operating costs.

See Gabbett Machinery for details.●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

MiniMax MM series bandsaws Now available in Australia Regular visitors to online forums and chat rooms would be familiar with the MiniMax MM series bandsaws. With 16”, 20” and 24” models, the MM series has attracted a cult-like following in the US. Heavy duty construction, combined with oversized cutting widths and depths make them a very popular machine.

This range is now available in Australia and New Zealand through

Gabbett Machinery.

So, why is the MM range so popular? According to Lee Gabbett of Gabbett Machinery, it is mainly due to the rigidity. “Made in Europe, the MM series features a triple box spine as well as oversized guide mounts – making this range of machines a dream to use,” he said.

“The good news is these machines are also supplied under the current MiniMax

‘I want the best’ promotion – making them fantastic value.

“First shipments have been presold; however, new stock is due to arrive soon. To put your name on the waiting list, or to get more information email minimax@gabbett.com with the model number in the subject line. You’ll receive spec sheets, videos and customer reviews delivered straight to your inbox.”●

Product Update Formaldehyde free wood products QUEENSLAND company Ashden trading has announced the introduction of Gen-Eco environmental wood products.

“Gen-Eco is a range of environmentally certified wood products manufactured to the highest quality standards using state-of-the-art, formaldehyde free, bonding technology and production processes to produce the most advanced wood panels available today,” explained Ashden Trading’s Tony George. “In conjunction with one of our quality global suppliers, Columbia Forest Products, we are proud to be able to offer the new Gen-Eco Purebond products to the Australian market.”

The benefits of Purebond branded wood products are: • certified by the Forest stewardship Council (FSC) to ensure total sustainability and minimised impact on the environment and the community from which the material is sources; • using Purebond bonding technology, Gen-Eco Purebond wood products contain no added formaldehyde and are bonded using non toxic adhesive, which makes Gen-Eco Purebond Plywood a great choice for the health conscious consumer; • replacing traditional urea formaldehyde (UF) hardwood

plywood construction with nontoxic, soy based Purebond enables Columbia to eliminate any added formaldehyde from standard veneercore hardwood plywood core panels.

Less cost, more benefit What really makes PureBond special is that it's cost-competitive with the standard UF construction of most decorative veneer-core hardwood plywood that is made today. That means PureBond is substantially less expensive than many other no-added-formaldehyde alternatives currently available.

Additionally, PureBond panels with formaldehydefree technology have outperformed UF bonded panels in moisture degradation tests.

New releases Newly released products include Purebond Maple premium decorative plywood, Purebond Jaycore platform plywood and Purebond Maple premium decorative plywood.

Purebond Maple decorative plywood is the only plywood panel available in three metre long sheet with the environmental and health credentials of GenEco environmental wood products.

This longer sheet is ideal for wall and ceiling lining, desk and furniture tops, all types of joinery or any other project which uses wood panels. The longer panel also gives better material maximisation for the fabricator all with the benefits of no harmful chemical exposure.

Purebond Jaycore Platform Plywood JayCore premium veneer core hardwood plywood from Columbia Forest Products is produced on PureBond formaldehyde-free veneer core platforms and carefully monitored for a controlled thickness range.

JayCore panels are the perfect choice for cabinetry and furniture manufacturers who want nothing less than the best in "all wood" hardwood plywood.

Each pre-sanded veneer core platform is constructed with sound HPVA J-grade cross bands, greatly reducing the finishing problems associated with voids, transfer, rough grain and telegraphing.

Their smooth substrates enhance the beauty of decorative veneer and dramatically improve finishing results, offering many of the same properties of a composite core – without the added weight. ●

Minimalist design meets proven technology THE Tandembox drawer system

by Blum has been impressing designers, furniture users and manufacturers with its proven technology for many years.

Tandembox antaro available from Lincoln Sentry is the creation of a more modern sophisticated drawer system that provides better design solutions with a clear cut rectangular design.

The silk white colour co-ordination of the components and clear lines emphasise and reflect the simple design of Tandembox antaro.

Pull-out sides are available open with gallery or closed with glass or metal elements, the various

42 | SupplierJuly/August 2013

options deliver a minimalistic style allowing creativity of all your design aspirations.

This minimalist design is internationally regarded receiving the 2013 Interior Innovation Award from the German Design Council – considered one of the most renowned design awards in the interior furnishing industry worldwide.

Tandembox antaro can be used with all Blum motion technologies including Blumotion for silent and effortless closing, Servo-Drive electrical motion support system and Tip-On mechanical opening support system.●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Adhesive gains VOC compliance

The new colours of Staron STARON Solid Surfaces are made of natural minerals and blended with pure acrylic to create a seamless surface solution suitable for endless applications in commercial and residential applications.

The five new colours of Staron Solid Surfaces 2013 are: Placid, Mist, Serene, Blis and Earthen Stratum. The colours have been inspired by the sights of city living, while also adopting the serenity and beauty of nature.

Staron worked closely with world-wide leading trend forecaster in fashion and style, Nelly Rodi, who was responsible for creating four of the new colours – Placid, Mist, Serene and Blis.

Placid: Pure, tranquil and fresh. Inspired by crystal blue waters and clear skies.

Mist: Storm clouds, light mist and calmness. Inspired by the smoky fog found on high mountaintops.

Serene: Water washed stone, deep natural tones, warm and comforting. Inspired by the hues of the dessert sand.

Blis: Concrete jungle, contemporary beauty and urban elegance. Inspired by city skyscrapers and modern living.

Earthen Stratum: Glistening city lights, sparkling views and sophistication. Inspired by the buzz of the city atmosphere and lights in the evening. ●

Superior high gloss wardrobe door panels STYLELITE is an Australian made premium high gloss acrylic finished panel.

The ultra high gloss ripple free surface of StyleLite is UV and colour fade protected.

It has high impact strength, won’t chip, crack or delaminate and is very easy to clean and maintain.

Economical and easy to fabricate, StyleLite comes in panels 2400mm x 1200mm x 9.5mm thick (other thicknesses available). Premium PUR laminated to MDF board with StyleLite Arctic white backing. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

INTERNATIONALLY, clean air regulations have added new requirements to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air pollutants.

Because of these regulations and other environmental concerns, builders want to use products that pollute less.

ATL Composites’ Techniglue R60 structural adhesive has recently been tested and gained approval for VOC compliance under the specification of the Green Building Council of Australia.

Independently tested by FORAY Industries – NATA Accreditation 1231 – using the SCAQMD Test Method 303-91 Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Various Materials Rule 1168, the VOC content of Techniglue R60 VOC is 80% under the grams per litre content requirement for the Multipurpose Construction Adhesive category.

This reinforces ATL Composites' commitment to developing safe and easily processed products that will meet customer performance expectations.

“Our strict environmental policy ensures that all ATL epoxy systems are non-solvented for maximum effectiveness,” explained ATL Composites’ Lorraine Murray.

“Before new products are introduced to the market, prototype samples are fabricated and undergo comprehensive testing, both in-house and independently, for mechanical performance, cure development and thermal analysis.”

The TechniglueR adhesive range includes systems suitable for secondary bonding of fibre-reinforced composite parts and multi-purpose bonding of timber, concrete and stone, through to highly toughened adhesives suitable for the structural bonding of metals, particularly aluminium and steel, where high peel strength is required.

ATL Composites has been formulating epoxy systems for over 30 years and has the flexibility to tailor products for specific markets including the specialised fields of building and construction, marine, automotive, and industrial tooling. ●

SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 43

Classifieds

FACE AND EDGE SANDING SOLUTIONS FOR WOOD, PLASTIC AND STEEL.

BELT SANDING MACHINES

Position Vacant Technical Sale Position – Queensland WEINIG AUSTRALIA is looking to appoint an experienced and motived person to promote and sell its Holzher range of Panel Processing Machines.

These machines include Edgebanders, CNC Machining Centres and Beam Saws.

The successful applicant will be based in Queensland and have demonstrated experience and success in selling capital equipment into the Timber Panel Industry.

EDGE SANDING MACHINES

BRUSH SANDING

If you fit the criteria and are looking for a challenge please forward your application to Neil Forbes at: nforbes@weinig.com.au For further information you can call on 02 9609 5911 Application deadline: 31st August 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Available DIRECT from Kory Dubay Manufacturing Aust. P/L Ph. +61 (03) 9311-1113 www.korydubay.com info@korydubay.com

SupplierJuly/August 2013 | 45

Events

AUGUST 2013 2-5 Furniture World China 2013

China International Furniture, Woodworking Machinery & Wood Products Exhibition

Beijing, China

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15-18 Formex 2013

Interior design fair for Nordic design

Sweden, Stockholm www.formex.se 21-24 Aseanwood Woodtech 2013

ASEAN International Woodworking Machinery, Timber Processing and Furniture Manufacturing Supplies Exhibition

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia http://tradelink.com.my/woodtech

3D Kitchen Design

Carb-I-Tool (Aust)

7 & 33

35

Empower Software

17 & 29

EQ Software FSM

28

44

Gabbett Machinery

41

Grass Australia/NZ

9

IFM 2013 International Famous Furniture Woodworking Machinery and Material Fair (IFM) (Autumn Ed.)

Houjie, DongGuan, China www.3fifm.com 11-14 FMC China 2013

Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre

Shanghai, China www.fmcchina.com.cn

2, Back Cover

PO BOX 800, Templestowe, Victoria, Australia 3106 Ph: + 61 3 9890 0815 Fax: + 61 3 9890 0087 Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au Website: www.suppliermagazine.com.au www.elitepublishing.com.au PUBLISHER Vicky Cammiade GROUP MANAGING EDITOR Email:jennifer.curtis@elitepublishing.com.au ADVISORY PANEL Philip Ashley, Sean O’Sullivan, Dave Kahle,

Kory-Dubay

45

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

Leitz Tooling Systems

25 & 27

Linak

11

Lincoln Sentry

5

Michael Buckley, Dr Greg Chapman Ashley Cooper ashley.cooper@elitepublishing.com.au CIRCULATION MANAGER Georgia Gilmour georgia.gilmour@elitepublishing.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au

Michael Weinig Aust

45

PRE-PRESS Prominent Digital

Multicam Systems

45

Front Cover

Planit

39

Plasquip Sales

38

11-15 KCC Kitchen and Cabinet China 2013

Professional Kitchen & Cabinet Fair

Shanghai, China www.furniture-china.cn/kitchen

Prodeco/Harn

15

***For more information on the fairs or to confirm dates, please check the individual websites.

ABN: 27 006 876 419

37

25-28 VietnamWood & Furnitec 2013

International Woodworking Industry Fair, Furniture, Fitting Components & Accessories Exhibition Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD

Kockums Bulk Systems

Nover & Co

24-25 Timber Expo 2013

Event for the timber industry

Coventry, UK www.timber-expo.co.uk

Published bi-monthly

Jennifer Curtis

Hafele Australia

11-15 Auckland Home Show 2013

Renovations, building, outdoor living and home improvement, kitchen & bath

Auckland, New Zealand www.aucklandhomeshow.co.nz

17-21 BIFE 2013

International fair for furniture, wooden products, furniture fittings, interior decorations, machinery & equipment for forest and woodworking

Bucharest, Romania www.bife-sim.ro

Proudly produced and printed in Australia

Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au

SEPTEMBER 2013 5-9

Contact Us

Ron Mack Machinery Sales

19

Solu

13

PRINTED BY Prominent Press Pty Ltd OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES Representative Agent for Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co Ltd,11F-B, No. 540 Wen Hsin Road, Section 1,Taichung, 408, Taiwan Tel: +886 4 2325 1784 Fax: +886 4 2325 2967 Email: sales@wwstaiwan.com ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine,

Members of the Publishers Australia Association

Member of the Australian Furniture Association South West

Officially supported by:

• Cabinetmakers Association • Australian Furniture Association (AFA)

Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association

• Australian Wood Panels Association • Decorative Wood Veneers Association • The Furnisher’s Society of Victoria • National Association Furniture Agents

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD (established 1985) All rights reserved - No part of this publication maybe reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without the express prior written consent of Elite Publishing Co Pty Ltd. Viewpoints, opinions, claims, etc expressed in articles appearing in this publication are those of the authors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the information supplied or for claims made by companies or their representatives regarding product performance, etc or for any errors, omissions, misplacement, alterations, or any subsequent changes, or for any consequences of reliance on this information or this publication.

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