Furniture & Joinery Production #351

Enhance furniture with precision engineered fast to fit components

Use furniture components that deliver strength and ease on the first and one hundredth assembly.

HINGES. CONNECTORS. DAMPING. DRAWER SYSTEMS.

Durable fast to fit components

Titus has been designing cabinetry hardware for over 40 years. Our precision-engineered components provide lifetime performance and smooth operation.

With a tagline of ‘the UK’s leading trade show for manufacturers, processors & installers of wood & stone’, the UK’s flagship trade show for the furniture manufacturing and joinery industries, formerly W Exhibition, has relaunched as Materials & Finishes Show.

W Exhibition relaunches as Materials & Finishes Show

Materials & Finishes Show, which will run at the NEC from 19th-22nd May, 2024, is the reimagined concept developed by Montgomery Group. The event will continue to provide a platform for manufacturers, processors and installers of timber, alongside complementary materials including stone.

Speaking about the relaunch and the enhanced proposition the Materials & Finishes Show will deliver for the furniture manufacturing and joinery industries, event director, David Todd comments: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the launch of Materials & Finishes Show, which aims to build on the success of the W Exhibition.

“Since the show’s conception in 1974 it has passed from being a woodworking machinery exhibition to covering the full range of technology and materials for industrial woodworking. We aim to take this further providing a more valuable, time and resource effective solution for both our exhibitors and visitors from a more diverse community.

“We’ve conducted an extensive market research exercise and worked closely with our stakeholders which has concluded that there is still a huge appetite, and indeed need, for a platform for the industry, specifically across the UK and Ireland.

“A lot has changed since the last edition of W Exhibition in 2018 and we have adapted the show’s proposition to reflect the evolving needs of the market both now, and in line with our anticipations for the future.

“Wood and stone are two of the most widely used natural materials in construction in design, often used together in various ways. Whilst wood and timber will remain a core focus for Materials & Finishes Show, it was a natural progression for us to incorporate stone and broaden the delivery for our community.

“This more holistic view of the industry paves the way for other products such as stone kitchen countertops and natural stone flooring. The show will deliver a true end-to-end proposition for our visitors.”

‘A lot has changed since the last edition of W Exhibition in 2018 and we have adapted the show’s proposition to reflect the evolving needs of the market both now, and in line with our anticipations for the future’

All areas of the material journey, from the initial stages of raw processing through to finishing and component supply for completed products, will be represented at Materials & Finishes Show.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see running machinery together with components, materials, technology and services for the manufacturing and processing phases of materials, alongside the latest products and developments for finishes.

Materials & Finishes Show will attract buyers from every corner of the industry, from furniture and joinery manufacturers and designers right through retailers, the KBB market, carpenters, joiners, worktop fabricators and stone masons.

David concludes: “As an organisation, Montgomery Group is fully committed to protecting and building on the legacy of W Exhibition and the communities we serve. It’s our responsibility to preserve the long-term success of our platform for the sector, which is why we have been through this extensive period of consultation to reimagine and develop the show to meet the changing needs of the market, culminating in the relaunch with Materials & Finishes Show.”

Materials & Finishes Show will bring together some of the world’s leading suppliers of woodworking and stone machinery, materials, and tooling. The event, formerly W Exhibition, has over 50 years of heritage and will return to the NEC in its new and reinvigorated format from May 19th - 22nd, 2024.

Event director, David Todd

Materials & Finishes Show – the UK’s leading trade show for manufacturers, processors & installers of wood and stone

New Furnishings and Chemistry Division at SATRA

SATRA has appointed Martin Heels as divisional manager of the newly formed Furnishings and Chemistry Division – incorporating the existing furniture, floor coverings, flammability and chemistry business areas. With the importance of chemical compliance and continuingly evolving chemical legislation, access to chemical knowledge and expertise for manufacturers, retailers and all in the supply chain for the furniture and floor coverings industries is crucial. With Martin’s appointment, SATRA is able to provide increased support and expertise in this area, along with access to our UK testing facilities, for customers and members in this sector.

Martin (pictured) has a first-class degree in applied chemistry, he is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Fellow of the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists. Martin also uses his expertise in chemistry to represent the UK on CEN and ISO standards committees.

Supporting Martin in his new role is the experienced team of Johnny Worthington, business area manager for furniture, Phil Weal, business area manager for floor coverings and flammability and Emma Norris, appointed as SATRA’s new chemistry business area manager.

This new structure strengthens SATRA’s recognised expertise in the furnishings industry by providing additional chemical compliance support, consultancy, training, testing and innovation across all areas that are important to the industry.

Weinig to take over H.I.T. Maschinenbau

Woodworking machinery specialist, Michael Weinig AG has acquired the majority shares in H.I.T. Maschinenbau and H.I.T. Keilzinkentechnik.

The strategic acquisition, which requires the final approval from antitrust authorities, will see Weinig expand its portfolio in the area of automation and mechanisation and upscale its Glulam and sawmill technology segment.

Producing customer-specific solutions for the sawmill and timber industries from its sites in Ettringen and Breitenthal, H.I.T.’s Managing Director’s – Franz

Anton and Werner Spieth – will be responsible for the operational running of the business, with H.I.T.’s ongoing projects set to remain unchanged. Franz Jeckle will also continue to support the team in an advisory role.

Committed to the future development of the business, Gregor Baumbusch, CEO of Michael Weinig AG says: “With H.I.T., we are expanding our competencies in the project business and we are delighted to welcome a team with project experience to the WEINIG Group.”

www.weinig.com

NBF appoints new executive director

Well known to the NBF and its members, Tristine Hargreaves has been appointed as its new executive director having been technical manager for four years before leaving to work for research and technology organisation SATRA. Tristine has spent most of her working life in technical roles within the furniture industry – counting Silentnight, Next and FIRA among her previous employers.

Ms Alexander announced her decision last October to step down from her role at the helm of the NBF, which she has held for the past 17 years. She will, however, be staying on in a part-time consultancy capacity to support the team.

Says Jessica: “It’s been an absolute joy and a privilege working for the NBF and The Sleep Council for the past 36 years but now feels the right time to step back a bit and allow others to take up the reins and lead the NBF into whatever future challenges and opportunities lie ahead.”

Mrs Hargreaves took up her role at the NBF from in April and will initially work alongside Ms Alexander to ensure a smooth handover. Says Tristine: “I am delighted to be returning to the NBF as executive director. Having worked closely with Jessica over the last five years, I have been

Inside view of the Melling factory

involved in many of the NBF initiatives and projects aimed at helping the industry, including increasing its knowledge with regard to sustainability and the environment. l am looking forward to building upon the great work that has been achieved so far.”

Jim Gerety, NBF President said: “Jessica has worked for the NBF for an incredible 36 years, initially on the PR side, introducing the hugely successful marketing initiative National Bed Month and then running The Sleep Council for more than 10 years before taking over the running of the NBF itself in 2006.

“She has been an inspiring leader of the NBF overseeing its

transformation into the modern, forward-thinking, leading trade association it is today – we can’t thank her enough for all that she has done for the industry and we are pleased she has agreed to stay on and give us the benefit of her experience, passion and drive in a consultancy role for a while longer.

“Equally, we are thrilled to be welcoming Tristine back and feel sure that her knowledge and enthusiasm for the bed industry and the NBF will not only ensure the continuity of the good work the NBF is already doing but also bring her own individual and fresh perspective to the role. Our members can rest assured they will continue to be in safe hands!”

Gregor Baumbusch, CEO of Michael Weinig AG

Jessica Alexander, former executive director; Tristine Hargreaves, executive director of the National Bed Federation

“At Daltons Wadkin, we have delivered automatic crosscutting solutions into a range of industries,” says Director Alex Dalton. “As a change of pace this month, we asked the latest artificial intelligence, Chat GPT, to write an article on the topic …

Automatic crosscut saws: revolutionising the woodworking industry (written by AI)

As the woodworking industry continues to evolve, advancements in technology have led to the development of automatic crosscut saws, which have become increasingly popular due to their efficiency, accuracy, and safety. In this article, we will discuss the advantages of automatic crosscut saws compared to conventional crosscut saws.

Efficiency

One of the most significant advantages of automatic crosscut saws is their speed and efficiency. These machines are equipped with advanced sensors and cutting technologies that allow them to make precise cuts quickly and accurately, without the need for manual adjustments. This can significantly increase productivity and reduce the time it takes to complete a project.

Accuracy

Another major advantage of automatic crosscut saws is their accuracy. These machines use advanced laser technology and digital measurement systems that allow for precise cuts to be made every time. Unlike conventional crosscut saws, which

require manual adjustments and measurements, automatic crosscut saws can ensure that each cut is exactly the same as the previous one, leading to a more consistent and higher-quality end product.

Safety

In addition to efficiency and accuracy, automatic crosscut saws also offer improved safety features. These machines are equipped with advanced safety sensors that can

detect any potential hazards or obstructions, which can prevent accidents and injuries. Additionally, because these machines require less manual labour, workers are less likely to experience repetitive strain injuries or other physical ailments.

Versatility

Another advantage of automatic crosscut saws is their versatility. These machines can handle

a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic and can accommodate various sizes and shapes. This makes them ideal for a range of different industries such as woodworking and timber engineering.

In conclusion, the advantages of automatic crosscut saws compared to conventional crosscut saws are clear. They offer increased efficiency, accuracy, safety, and versatility, making them an essential tool for any modern woodworking or manufacturing operation.

As technology continues to advance, it is likely that we will see even more improvements in the capabilities of automatic crosscut saws, making them an increasingly indispensable part of the woodworking industry.

To witness these advantages first hand, contact the team on 0115 986 5201, email info@ daltonswadkin or visit www. daltonswadkin.com

INTEGRATED LINES FOR FURNITURE PRODUCTION

SCM offers fully integrated systems and processing cells for furniture production.

Cutting edge “turnkey” engineering projects and complete panel processing plants, which are capable of meeting the new market trends and requirements.

All the systems include an extensive and varied range of state-of-the-art SCM technologies and services, and are equipped with Maestro active watch supervision software to further increase efficiency and usability.

DRILLING LINES

morbidelli pwx100 integrated with mahros brush loading and unloading stations, offer great machining quality and mass production, together with high flexibility, bringing top levels of efficiency even on small batch processing.

Automation systems

Drilling solutions

SCM UK

Tel. +44 (0)115 9770044

scmuk@scmgroup.com www.scmwood.com

Axminster Tools has been honoured with the first ever King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category. The Devon-based woodworking tools and machinery retailer and manufacturer is one of 148 organisations to be recognised with the prestigious award.

Axminster Tools wins the King’s Award for Enterprise for own brand guide system

The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, with the new name reflecting His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 57th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.

Axminster Tools were recognised with the King’s Award for Enterprise for their own brand UJK Parf MKII Guide System. Based on Pythagoras’ theorem and developed in collaboration with Master Craftsman, Peter Parfitt, the UJK Parf MKII System helps to produce portable bench tops for woodworkers.

Peter Parfitt said: “I am so grateful that Axminster Tools had the courage to take my design ideas and turn them into a super

product that sells all over the world. This is a wonderful achievement that reflects the strength of our partnership.”

Last year Axminster Tools reached 50 years of trading. While celebrating their past, the company invested heavily in their future.

Axminster Tools manufacture an increasing number of own branded products in their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Axminster, Devon, including the award winning UJKParf MKII Guide System.

Alan Styles, Managing Director of Axminster Tools said: “We are delighted to receive the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Whilst we source products from across the UK and all over the world,

we take particular pride in the manufacture of a growing range of our own products in Axminster, Devon.

As a British retailer, we’re proud to support British design, quality and innovation and we’re thrilled to have been recognised in this category. It’s a wonderful achievement and a testament to the resilience of the company and our employees through these unprecedented times.”

A Grant of Appointment and trophy will be presented at the Axminster Tools headquarters by His MajestyThe King’s personal representative the Lord-Lieutenant, later this year. www.axminstertools.com

Peter Parfitt (right) with Tim Styles, Product Expert at Axminster Tools

Tim Styles using a track saw cutting station made using the UJK Parf MKII Guide System

The Heitz curve – a radius innovation

Heitz, the veneer edging specialist, is coming up with a strong trade fair novelty at interzum in Cologne: The Curve. It is a multi-layered thick veneer edging so flexible that it opens up new dimensions in the processingof thick veneer edgings around tight radii.

It differs from conventional thick veneer edgings by way of its special setup. This feature enables a processor to run a thick veneer edging around even the tightest radii (e.g. radius ≤ 20) in just one pass on a processing centre.

This ensures significant time savings and is thus also clearly beneficial in terms of economy and efficiency.

In summary: the curve unfolds its special qualities when it comes to cover edges of workpieces with small radii on proccessing centres. This is what makes this thick veneer edging so attractive for the demanding user. With this innovation Heitz once again proves to being an innovation driver in the veneer edgebanding market.

www.h-heitz.de

REHAU presents its new colour trend collection at Interzum

For the third time, REHAU is inspiring furniture manufacturers, carpenters, architects and everyone involved in interior design with its colour trend collection Passion.

REHAU’s latest collection is a real feast for the senses: Six colours, from warm, earthy Curcuma Gold to fiery Chilli Red and a soft Vanilla tone, that appeal to all the senses and set the stage for creative design freedom.

At interzum 2023, the experts from REHAU will show how interiors can be designed using the six colour shades from Passion for colour – combined with each other for effect or as strong colours on their own.

“Passion for colour is a collection that tells stories”, says Juliane Hoffmann, Specialist Marketing, Interior Solutions Division. “Stories that stimulate the imagination and convey emotion. We want to inspire our customers to create extraordinary projects. This year, the journey brings us to the world of spices.

Our colours stimulate the senses, and not only can you see them but, with a little imagination and closed eyes, you can even smell and taste them.”

Colours inspired by the world of spices

How could anyone who has visited a Jaipur spice market or a souk in Marrakech ever forget the colours and scents there? REHAU brings this sensory explosion to the inside of your home with Passion for colour 2023. With colours –inspired by the world of spices –that turn your home into a feast for the senses.

The collection consists of six different colour shades. The spectrum ranges from harmonious Curcuma Gold to elegant Pepper Grey and summery Vanilla Cream. Each shade works on its own or can be combined with the other shades in the collection or different materials. The references to nature and the warmth the

colours radiate fit perfectly into the current zeitgeist. “We notice how people long for places of retreat where they feel safe and secure”, says Linda Maglione, Product Management Furniture Components at REHAU. “That’s why we focus on natural, warm colour tones that harmoniously blend into interior designs and which you will never tire of.”

With the Passion for colour 2023 collection, REHAU is once again demonstrating its claim for “Enabling Exceptional Design” by offering its customers impetus for their design ideas. “The interiors are, in effect, the stage on which the designer sets their projects – Passion for colour is an initial inspiration for design. With our portfolio of well thought-out

products and solutions, we provide our customers with the necessary materials and solutions to bring truly extraordinary designs into reality”, says Juliane Hoffmann.

Composite design in interiors

At interzum, the colours of the collection will initially be available for the surface material RAUVISIO noir which particularly impresses with its classic matt finish and velvety soft feel. With its antifingerprint protection, the robust HPL surface is easy to clean and highly resistant to scratches. The low light reflection ensures that the colour tones are shown at their best, even at a flat angle.

For the composite design, the colours of the Passion for colour 2023 collection will enrich the RAUVISIO brilliant classic matt surfaces in the next step. This more budget-friendly RAUVISIO variant can be combined perfectly with RAUVISIO noir: RAUVISIO noir for horizontal surfaces that are most frequently used and RAUVISIO brilliant classic matt for vertical surfaces.

This way, REHAU offers furniture makers and designers everything they need to design interiors from a single mould with surfaces, edgebands and tambour doors that are coordinated in terms of colour and material – all high quality and technically tested.

There are more details on the current Passion for colour collection at: www.rehau.com/ passionforcolour

Lamello returns to Interzum & Ligna 2023

Interzum: Hall 7.1, Stand

Ligna: Hall 13, Stand B22

Swiss wood and panel fixings specialist, Lamello, will be returning to Europe’s largest furniture production and design show, Interzum and woodworking machinery and tools exhibition, Ligna, this May.

Taking centre stage on Lamello’s interactive stand will be the Cabineo 8 M6. The one-piece connector is quick and easy to install into a drilled or routed shape and requires no edge drilling, making it suitable for use on simple three-axis and nesting machines. It also requires no dowel holes which means less drill holes per connector and a high clamping

force so you can wave goodbye to long curing times, the preinstallation of screws and dowels and wobbly joints.

Where this new fitting does differ from its predecessors is its impressive wear-free design. Made to withstand vigorous use, it can be connected directly into a range of hard materials that have been pre-drilled to accept the M6 Cabineo.

What’s more, where the thread hole cannot be cut directly into the substrate, the new fixing can be partnered with a steel insert for an even stronger joint. This is an ideal option for those creating detachable corner and dividing panel joints with a heavy load.

It’s hardy design also makes

the insert an ideal solution for those looking to assemble and reassemble products multiple times without compromising on the products strength, and with two insert nuts available to work with 14-16mm and 17-25mm thick materials, the new Cabineo 8 M6 brings a wealth of design opportunities to the table.

In addition to this, visitors will also be able to see Lamello’s extended P-System fixing range in action – including the Clamex P-14 Flexus connector which won a ‘Best of the Best’award at Interzum 2021. Plus, by working alongside its long-standing CNC partners, Lamello’s CNC connector range will also be demonstrated on multiple machinery stands at Ligna.

Lamello UK’s Shaye Chatfield says: “Lamello’s product offering is synonymous with quality, innovation and excellent functionality and is used across the globe. With an established international sales network consisting of four subsidiaries, distributors in 50 countries and more than 400 sales partners worldwide, we’re excited to showcase our diverse product range at two leading European fairs and demonstrate just how flexible our fixings are. We look forward to seeing you there.”

For the booth and hall information please follow this link: https:// www.lamello.com/service/tradeshows/

OVVO’s range of award-winning connectors continues to grow

OVVO continues to expand its range of wood joining connectors leading the way in furniture ‘tools free’ assembly components, making life easier for consumers and end-users, and delivering a more profitable and efficient solution for manufacturers.

OVVO products are a range of cleverly engineered, awardwinning, invisible connectors that make joining wood simple. The connectors are installed during the manufacturing process so the enduser can simply click/push together cabinets, shop fit-out components, door frame assemblies or furniture without the need for tools, screws, or glues. The result is an accessible, sustainable product that saves time, money and effort for consumers and manufacturers alike. Manufacturers can also benefit from significantly reduced shipping costs, as items can be shipped flat-packed.

The latest addition to the OVVO product family is the incredible

OVVO DOWEL (OD30) which is specifically designed to work in standard drill patterns. The OD30 is inserted into the panel without any glue to form a permanent joint in 15mm panels and above. These new connectors make it even easier for manufacturers to incorporate OVVO into their standard processes, saving time and money by eliminating glue and case clamping time. No additional equipment or capital needed to deliver tools free assembly products to the end customer.

This new self clamping, glueless, invisible OVVO Dowel (OD30) is designed for connecting cabinet parts and all types of furniture using standard drilled holes on BOTH sides of the joint, thereby simplifying the panel processing operations while continuing to provide all of the benefits of OVVOs’ proven tools-free assembly methodology.

Established in Ireland in 2014, the OVVO brand has gone from

strength to strength, picking up numerous highly regarded industry awards along the way. Most recently awarded ‘Outstanding Furniture Accessories’ award at Interzum-Guangzhou in April 2023 for the innovative connection system, the relentless quest to make life easier for people ensures that simplicity is at the heart of every new product: with each new product developed, the OVVO range has become more accessible to manufacturers, with the ability to be integrated into existing production processes, and suitable for a wide range of production capabilities.

All OVVO connectors are designed for high-volume, automatic insertion, and ongoing partnerships with leading software providers Cabinet Vision, TopSolid, iFurn, Swood and Cabinet Sense ensure that manufacturers can easily incorporate OVVO into their existing processes, and also into new product design and development.

All OVVO connectors can be installed into a variety of materials ranging from high-quality hardwoods to low-grade particle board, and our recyclable plastic means any waste is put back into the production of our product.

OVVO works best in boards >12mm thickness and is available in a range of sizes to perfectly match your requirements. All connector sizes are available in both permanent and releasable options, extending the range of materials and opportunities to inspire creative design and innovative development.

Consumer demands are shifting more and more towards convenience and sustainability. OVVO helps you meet those demands and give your products a competitive edge. The company’s team is on hand to support a switchover to OVVO and to help take the next step of innovation.

Furniture assembly made simple – no need for tools, glue or screws – simply push, click and connect. Go and see for yourself at Interzum in hall 10.2 B10 and at LIGNA to in hall 11 B01/1.

What can we show you at LIGNA 2023?

John Penny Woodworking Machinerys’ principles have some exciting developments to show customers at LIGNA this year.

SHM Stegherr

Hall 27 stand D 59

SHM Stegherr will be showing the well-known KSF2E linear processing machine which can be supplied with cutting units for closed halving joints, end scribing, angle sawing and drilling for glazing bars and beads.

Over the last few years SHM Stegherr have designed, built, and installed several special machines for processing wood, aluminium, and plastic profiled bars.

The GLS2 is a perfect example as can be seen on this video, https://youtu.be/pfufTpuNxug

If you have a special application or manufacturing problem that you would like to discuss, please visit the SHM Stegherr stand where their experts will be pleased to help.

MB Maschinenbau

Hall 17, Stand A46

The Ligna show fast approaching our colleagues over at MB Maschinenbau are working hard to with production and final plans for Ligna 2023. MB are based in Herford in northern Germany, with Hanover only just over an hour’s drive away this is very much a home show for the team and chance to show a good range of machines.

MB will have all the following machines on demonstration:

• MB Roba Tech 1300 – Perfect top sanding for cabinet doors and panelled entrance doors

• MB Split Belt – Technical solution for difficult lacquer sanding applications

• MB Strukumat 1300 – Textured grain structuring machine applying an Antique Optic effect

Profile Mouldings Sanding

• MB Roba Belt – High speed profile sander for 10 to 100mm/min

• MB Roba Fentech (top) – Profile sanding with automatic setting from laser scanning for multiple profiles

Cleaning machine

• MB Anti Dust – Top and bottom cleaning of

parts before painting ideal for eliminating dust being trapped under paint or lacquer coats.

Special machinery

• MB Roba Fusion – Double sided profiling machine for cabinet doors with automatic setting for width and including return system

• MB REP (below) – Partner machine for the Fusion with double sided edge sanding for cabinet doors

John Penny Woodworking would be delighted to see you on stand A46 in Hall 17, please ask for Dean Grimbley.

UTIS AMF

Hall 13 Stand C01

UTIS AMF of Fegersheim will be exhibiting one of each of their range of heavy-duty classical machines.

One machine of particular interest is the R1050 thickness planer with a width capacity of 1050mm. This machine was originally developed

for wine barrel making but has found a ready market in the UK hardwood processing industry. The range of Utis thicknessers include 500, 600, 700, and 800mm width capacity machines and are constructed using cast iron casting for the body and table.

Also, on the stand will be two CSN Spindle moulders in diffident specifications, three axis programable and three axis digital machines. This range of spindles include both fixed and

tilting spindle with a wide range of options. Utis will also exhibit their 500mm wide surface planer named D52 which again was a demand of the wine barrel industry. The range also includes a 400mm wide surface planer with 2800mm long tables.

2023 looks like a great year for John Penny Woodworking Machinery with so many new and exciding developments from our European suppliers and we look forward to meeting you in Hanover.

01235531700

john.penny@btconnect.com

Salvamac: “I feel wood” at Ligna 2023

It is no coincidence that the ‘motto’ chosen by Salvamac for this busy season full of commitments and successes is ‘I feel wood’, a pay off that stands out on a colorful background and recalls a popular song ...

A message full of vitality and optimism, aiming, first of all, to express the growth path of the Italian-Polish company which, over the last few weeks, is finalising the transfer of production to a new factory – always in Poznan, along the highway leading to Berlin – that will offer new and larger spaces both for the construction of machines and the set-up of a showroom dedicated to tests and demonstrations.

A growth that occurs also through new professionals, employees and technical-commercial staff joining the company. All of them play a crucial role in meeting the increasing demand both in many countries where Salvamac is operating and in new markets where it’s going to expand.

A pay off that recalls also the feeling: a sensation that a material such as solid wood offers and the fundamental on which Salvamac has built its own mission, originating from the founders’ –Christian Salvador and Ziemovit Dolkowski – almost thirty years’ experience in this industry.

Ligna (hall 27, stand D20) will be an opportunity to present the most recent achievements of Salvamac, starting from the new series of crosscutting saw machines,

Legend: four models with blades of diameter 400, 500, 550 and 600mm equipped with the tested Salvastop, the equipment of electronic positioning that transforms the Salvamac cut-off machines in true numerical-control cutting centres, thus making the operations, the available data for company software, equipments and printers for labels or barcode readers extremely simple and fast.

The family of ‘top of the ranges’ is growing: the Salvacut 5000, an optimising saw of high speed with electronic cutting and a handling that allows the optimisation of up to 3500 linear meters per hour, is also getting the addition of the new Ultracut 7000, which will makes its debut at Hannover.

This is designed and produced particularly for heavy-duty jobs, for sawmills, for cutting of harder woods, for packaging and wherever

there is a need to rely on the extreme strength and efficiency of cutting. All this thanks to a blade of 700mm (at least) that ensures precise cuts on elements up to 450 x 120mm of cutting section. At Ligna you will not miss what it is defined as the ‘best buy’ of Salvamac, the SalvaPush 2000, that will be equipped with specific aggregates thus making it suitable for any type of use.

Among the solutions of Air&Painting department to be exposed at Ligna, there is the new version of Voyager, the suction filter with filter cartridges of high capacity, comprised of a touch screen control for its use management with a special attention on energy saving, subject of a careful process of product engineering that makes it even more efficient and green.

The innovations and the evolution

of Salvamac open up new horizons day by day: the company has always made relations, relationships between people, enormous potentialities inherent in creating network one of its own pillars. Collaborations, partnerships, shares that today become a real set, a group of companies that cooperate together in order to ensure solid wood professionals having responses in 360 grades.

At Ligna 2023, the brand WoodWe will be formally launched, a kind of umbrella term expressing the design of Salvamac and enhancing the collaborations with various companies committed in the world of solid wood, such as Incoplan in drying, Sia in the cleaning systems, Paoletti in bonding and jointing, Visionmek in the metallic framing, Awom and VF Group in industry services.

Salvacut is adding a 5000 model which can run at 3500 linear metres per hour

The Salvapush 2000 NC-controlled automatic optimising crosscut saw with integrated computer and SALVA-OPTIM software

The new Legend 500 cross-cut saw will be on show at Ligna in hall 27

SAVE ENERGY REDUCE COSTS

SEE ECOGATE IN ACTION

Hall 15 Stand F90/1

In many manufacturing facilities, extraction fans operate continuously, at full power, throughout the working day.

Even when some machines are not in use, and often during factory breaks, the powerful, energy-consuming fans continue to run at full speed – wasting valuable energy... and money!

With ECOGATE, the extraction system responds in real-time to variations in machine use. When a production machine is switched on, the greenBOX Controller opens a motorised damper to provide extraction for that particular machine.

With ECOGATE technology installed, an extraction fan will consume the minimum power required to provide optimum extraction – reducing electricity bills by 68% on average.

sales@ecogate.co.uk 01924 520462

www.ecogate.co.uk

Alwood edges ahead with HOMAG EDGETEQ S-300 and XES glue station

County Armagh based Alfred Briggs (Alwood) Limited is the oldest and most innovative kitchen manufacturer in Ireland. With its rich history of designing and manufacturing award winning bespoke kitchens and bedroom solutions, it serves the retail and developer markets.

Quality is the cornerstone of every product it manufactures which is why the company favours HOMAG woodworking machinery, as development manager Alfie Briggs explains: “We’ve been making kitchen and bedroom furniture since 1933 when my grandfather, Alfred Briggs, started the business. From the early days, our philosophy has always been to invest in the best machinery we could find.

“We were the first company in Ireland to purchase a CNC machine and have always found HOMAG equipment to be amongst the very best on the market. The machine build quality and consistency of finished workpieces that you get with HOMAG is without match, particularly when it comes to its edge banding machines.

“Most people have no idea as to the complexity of an edge bander. There are so many processes that go on under the skin of the machine including a joint trimming unit, a glue station, a snipping unit, a trimmer, a radius scraper, a glue joint scraper and a buffing unit. Each has to work perfectly in order to produce first-class joints between the edge tape and the panel.”

PUR glue for a strong, water resistant bond

“Our investment in the new HOMAG EDGETEQ S-300 with XES 200 glue station came about because the previous edge bander had reached the end of its productive life and we wanted to upgrade to a better quality model.

“With the new edge bander we wanted to be able to use water resistant PUR glue as well as the standard EVA glue. PUR glue offers increased resistance to moisture and heat. Consequently, it is ideal for use in manufacturing items that will be exposed to damp such as our kitchen furniture.

“Because we focus on small run, bespoke solutions, we don’t put high volumes through the edge bander. One drawback of this is that it

can cause issues with PUR glue, particularly if there are extended interruptions to work such as overnight or over the weekend, when the PUR glue can go off.

“For this reason we also invested in a HOMAG XES 200 glue station. This clever piece of kit eliminates these issues. It is a really compact unit with a footprint of less than 1m2, and it enables easy, efficient switching between different colours and glue types.”

The station stores the glue application units in a vacuum; this delays the bonding time so that the PUR glue does not harden during an interruption to production. It then pre-heats the glue application unit to minimise downtime before use. Also, cleaning or glue change can

‘We were the first company in Ireland to purchase a CNC machine and have always found HOMAG equipment to be amongst the very best on the market. The machine build quality and consistency of finished workpieces that you get with HOMAG is without match, particularly when it comes to its edge banding machines’

Alfie Briggs, Alwood development manager

be done automatically without interrupting production on the edge banding machine.

Selecting and specifying the HOMAG

EDGETEQ S-300 edge bander

Alfie Briggs again, “The majority of the machines in our workshop are from HOMAG UK. When it came to choosing a replacement for our old edge bander, however, it was important we did our due diligence thoroughly to ensure we found the best solution for our needs.

“A couple of our engineers had a good look at the alternative machines in the marketplace. They carried out research both online and at exhibitions to see what different manufacturers had to offer. Whilst HOMAG is often our first port of call, it was by no means a done deal that they would get the order.

“At the end of the due diligence process we were convinced that overall the EDGETEQ S-300 with the XES glue station was the best fit for our requirements. Our production engineer worked closely with HOMAG to specify the machine to make sure it was fit for purpose.”

Achieving new levels of quality

“Once the EDGETEQ was installed and commissioned, the HOMAG engineers trained our staff on site. The process was well planned and it meant we were up and running in about four days.

“We can now produce much higher quality products which we are confident will stand up against any of our competition. The PUR glue option gives us more flexibility and enables us to manufacture in smaller batches for bespoke solutions.

“The peace of mind we get from partnering with HOMAG means we can get on with designing and manufacturing the very best kitchen and bedroom furniture solutions. We don’t have to think about the quality of finish or the backup service; we just know it’s going to be first-class,” concludes Briggs.

For a demonstration or further information on HOMAG woodworking machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424 or email: info-uk@homag.com

www.homag.com

www.alwoodkitchens.com

HOMAG XES 200 PUR service station – cleans the glue application unit and pre-heats glue for future work steps

Alwood’s new HOMAG EDGETEQ S-300 came about because they wanted to be able to use water resistant PUR glue as well as the standard EVA glue

Microvellum software helps MAF Bedrooms & Kitchens impressive business growth

MAF Bedrooms & Kitchens is a relatively new player in the kitchen and bedroom furniture industry, having only been trading since September 2021. However, they have already made a name for themselves by implementing automation from day one and using state-of-the-art technology to provide their customers with precision manufacturing and shorter lead times.

The Managing Director, Zishan Saiyed, along with Operations Director, Nabeel Lambat and Sales Director, Syed Hussaini have together identified a gap in the market for bespoke kitchen and bedroom unit manufacturing.

While the market in the UK caters typically to standard-size units at affordable prices, offering bespoke sizes and finishes can significantly increase the cost to the customer.

MAF Bedrooms & Kitchens (MAF) was formed with the intention of providing the best quality and bespoke sizes at reasonable prices. The company invested in a Biesse Rover CNC from the start, which is driven by Microvellum software, allowing the smooth production of bespoke kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture. Microvellum’s

platform is designed to streamline the manufacturing process, from the design to the final product. Microvellum’s software, teamed with Biesse’s CNC, offers MAF design to manufacturing automation, meaning shorter lead times and precision manufacturing.

MAF manufactures kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom furniture, catering to the typical household. They have also built a client portfolio of business customers such as hotels.

They have one showroom

currently, based in Leicester, and there are exciting plans to open showrooms in Dubai, India, and additional showrooms around the UK in the near future.

This will allow MAF to reach a wider customer base and offer their products and services to a global audience. The implementation of automation and technology has put the company on the right track to achieving its goals.

“One of the biggest challenges for any manufacturer is to keep up with changing customer

demands while maintaining quality and affordability,” commented Zishan. “With the implementation of automation and Microvellum software, we have taken a step in the right direction.”

The expertise of the three directors and the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction has also been key to their success. As they expand their showroom presence globally, MAF is a company to watch out for. 0800 680 0669 www.microvellum.com

‘One of the biggest challenges for any manufacturer is to keep up with changing customer demands while maintaining quality and affordability. With the implementation of automation and Microvellum software, we have taken a step in the right direction’

Zishan Saiyed MAF Bedrooms & Kitchens

MAF Bedrooms & Kitchens’ well-kept workshop in Leicester features a Biesse Rover CNC driven by Microvellum’s intelligent software

Rack clad building for Bauking Lorup –everything on track even with slopes

As part of a merger of two locations, Bauking reorganised the storage of its timber products at its Lorup site. In a new Ohra rack clad building built from cantilever racks, the customers of the building materials retailer can now find all timber goods centrally in one place.

The racking system also offers significantly more storage capacity, so that Bauking can also stock a larger number of different items. To drain the outdoor storage area safely, the floor slab on which the building stands has a slope of 0.7 per cent in two directions. Ohra compensated for the slope by fixing the cantilever arms in a narrow grid of holes and a special, flexible roof construction.

Distributed storage, limited capacities

Before the reorganisation of the storage area, the timber products in Lorup were stored in different areas of the site, some in the main building and some outside, unprotected from the weather. The length of the stored beams and battens was limited due to the storage space situation, and the storage capacities were almost exhausted.

More items protected from the weather in one place

To provide its customers with a better overview and faster access to the timber goods, Bauking decided to store all timber goods centrally at the site in the new rack clad building. A building of this type, in which the racking acts as a load-bearing structure for the roof and walls, is significantly more flexible and less expensive

than a classic warehouse building. Bauking planned a building constructed from three rows of cantilever racks, each around 20 metres long. The cantilever racks, which are over 7.8 metres high, are equipped with up to seven storage levels.

Flexible roof construction

The runs of racking are aligned along a gradient direction. Since the cantilever arms of the Ohra racks are clipped in and Ohra uses a small arm pitch, the arms were able to easily compensate for the height difference of about 14 centimetres along the racking length. To compensate for the second slope in the transverse direction to the rows of racking in the roof construction, Ohra

utilised a variably designed roof ridge. Here, the roof arms of the racks are not connected to each other, but there is a gap of about 10 centimetres between them. It is covered by a flexible ridge cap so that the inside of the unit remains dry. This ridge solution not only compensates for the difference in height between the rows of racking, but also guarantees that vibrations and stresses that arise, for example, during storage, are not transferred from one row of racking to the other. This protects the roof structure from damage.

Wider product range for customers

The new racking hall for timber goods enables significantly more efficient logistics processes at the Bauking site in Lorup. Customers can access a wider range of products; for example, items up to 13 metres long can now be stored without any problems. Due to the central storage of all timber goods in a cantilever racking system, customers receive the desired goods in a shorter time.

+49 2237/64-0

HOMAG’s CENTATEQ P-110 creates secure fire doors for JLA Fire & Security

The JLA Fire & Security family now incorporates some of the UK’s most widely known and respected names in fire safety. Headquartered in Ripponden, West Yorkshire and formed in 2019, the division employs over 1000 people. Unable to find a consistently premium quality fire door supplier, JLA opted to manufacture its fire doors in-house.

“Our reputation is built on keeping people and premises safe when fire strikes, and high performance fire doors are one of the key elements that help us achieve this,” enthuses JLA Fire & Security’s National Operations Manager, Chris Fox. He continues, “The initial machinery the business purchased wasn’t ideally suited to the manufacture of fire doors. As the department grew, we recognised the need to invest in equipment that was more advanced and could do everything required to produce first-class fire doors.

“With the old machine we had to do much of the routing for locks and finishing by hand. This was not only time-consuming and inefficient, but also prone to human error. To ensure we found the best machine for our needs now and in the future, we asked five companies to tender for the supply of the new CNC machining centre.

“When the responses came back HOMAG’s was outstanding. I’ve always been well aware of the reputation HOMAG has in the market, so it came as no surprise that its sales team was so professional.

“From the way they conducted the initial site visit, through to the recommendations they made and the pricing for the package, everything was totally professional.

“They never once tried to over-sell us with options we didn’t need and they never talkeddown the competition; it was very refreshing to deal with a company with similar ethics to our own and it gave us tremendous confidence in them as a potential business partner.”

Specifying the HOMAG CENTATEQ P-110 CNC machining centre

“HOMAG eased the potentially challenging task of specifying the machine. We told them what we wanted to achieve with it, and they came back with a couple of options including a tandem load model.

“In the end we opted for the five-axis version of the CENTATEQ P-110 CNC machining centre with the woodWOP control software and tapio (which opens up a host of digital solutions including faster service for machine issues, live video diagnostics and cost savings on maintenance).

“The package we agreed with HOMAG included comprehensive training for our operator and a trainee both of whom attended a week-long course at HOMAG UK’s Castle Donington head office. This was extremely thorough and gave our people the tools to maximise the features of the P-110.

“The new CNC enables us to manufacture our fire doors quicker and to a much higher quality than before, with no need for hand-finishing. This has freed up skilled team members who can now be employed more effectively elsewhere in our factory.”

Out with the old and in with the new

“Before we could have the new CNC installed we had to have the old machine dismantled and removed from site. There were a few delays with this processes, but to their credit the HOMAG installation engineers were able to claw back the lost time to ensure the new CENTATEQ was in place and commissioned on time.

“Since it has been operational we have been able to stand toe to toe with any other manufacturer of fire doors in the country. Given the throughputs we are achieving and the potential we will have when a new HOMAG edge bander arrives, we believe the CENTATEQ P-110 will have paid for itself within 18 months.”

A powerful machining centre with a small footprint

“Although the CENTATEQ P-110 takes up a bit more space than the old machine, for its capabilities and power, it has a relatively small footprint. This was a key consideration for us as our manufacturing facility is only 1,832 sq ft.

“The old CNC and edge bander limited our production capacity to six doors a day. With the new CENTATEQ machining centre and soon to be installed HOMAG edge bander we will be capable of manufacturing 80 doors a day. Not only that, but the quality of those doors will be much higher and more consistent than before.

“Our new set up is already enabling us to attract bigger customers because we are confident we can meet the higher volumes and premium quality they demand. That is only going to improve further once we have the new edge bander in place,” concludes Fox.

For a demonstration or further information on HOMAG woodworking machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424 or email: info-uk@homag.com www.homag.com

The five-axis HOMAG CENTATEQ P-110 CNC as supplied to JLA Fire & Security included comprehensive training for our operator and a trainee

HOMAG tapio tablet live video diagnostics

FOR BOARD COATING SOLUTIONS FOR BOARD COATING SOLUTIONS FOR BOARD

& Tooling

Holz-Her: handling the market

What would you say if we told you that you could double your production capacity whilst increasing workable floor space, reducing labour costs and slashing your carbon footprint?

By investing in a Tectra 6120 beam saw and StoreMaster 5110 automatic storage and stock retrieval system from Holz-Her, Wellingborough-based toilet cubicle manufacturer, Formwise Washrooms Ltd did exactly that.

“Our beam saw is at the heart of our production and it feeds our entire factory,” begins Tim Jupp, Technical Director at Formwise Washrooms Ltd. “As a just-in-time toilet cubicle manufacturer, we work almost exclusively with 3.6 x 1.8m use solid grade laminate sheets that are up to 20mm thick. Offering hundreds of different colour variations, housing our materials efficiently has always been a challenge and with production significantly increasing year on year, we needed to find a way of keeping up with demand, whilst maximising our factory’s 1700 sq ft floor space.”

‘In total, we released 25% of the floorspace in our factory to accommodate the new beam saw and storage facility but in return, we freed up significantly more usable space’

The idea of purchasing a second beam saw to run alongside the company’s existing beam saw seemed like a logical move for the manufacturer but it soon raised more questions than it answered. “Where would the machine sit? Who would run the machine? And, with our internal racking full and two artic storage containers already being used to store material in our yard, where would we store the extra sheet? On paper, a second beam saw would have increased production but it wouldn’t have solved our space issues or helped us future-proof our manufacturing facilities.”

Following a recommendation, Tim started to explore the benefits of pairing a Holz-Her Tectra beam saw with a StoreMaster 5110 automatic

storage and stock retrieval system. Designed to increase the capacity and profitability of your production, the innovative, made-to-order storage solution works by storing sheet material at the back of the beam saw and retrieving the required sheet automatically when required. This allows for a more compact storage area – freeing up floor space and racking – whilst also minimising panel handling and simplifying the operation.

“The complete system was made to fit the space we had available to us,” explains Tim. “In total, we released 25% of the floorspace in our factory to accommodate the new beam saw and storage facility but in return, we freed up significantly more usable space.

The StoreMaster eliminated the

Operator on the Tectra has a large, clear and easy-to-use screen

Tectra 6120 Dynamic beam saw with StoreMaster 5110 automatic storage and stock retrieval system from Holz-Her installed at Formwise

Front view of the Tectra 6120 Dynamic beam saw

The 21.5” graphic user interface guarantees the largest possible overview with 3D real time graphics and complete graphical processing support

‘Before, we needed to run double shifts and pay overtime to get orders completed more quickly but we no longer need to worry about a bottleneck in production or wasted operator-hours’

need for us to use racking in and around the factory or store excess pallets and we no longer need to use additional storage containers in our yard. The number of pathways inside our factory have also reduced as our forklifts no longer need to keep moving material around the factory floor.”

Now, as soon as materials arrive on site, its automatically positioned behind the saw and the pallets are taken away. “We position up to 12 stacks of two metre high board behind the saw and separate them by less than one foot. The storage system knows exactly where everything is and reads each panel by its size and weight. All we have to do is tell it what colour each board is.”

Since it has been installed, productivity has doubled and costs have reduced. “A saw will only cut at one speed but we’ve easily increased our cutting capacity by 50% per shift. Before, we needed to run double shifts and pay overtime to get orders completed more quickly but we no longer need to worry about a bottleneck in production or wasted operator-hours. This is largely due to the fact that the operator is no longer waiting for materials to be positioned next to the saw. Instead,

the required panel is automatically selected and loaded in masked time by the system and waits on the infeed belt to insure the next cutting plan can start almost immediately. A label is then printed after every piece has been cut, allowing each part to be easily moved and tracked throughout the production cycle, reducing errors and loses whilst speeding up production.”

Tim adds: “We only need one operator on the saw. We also don’t need to run multiple forklifts or rent additional storage units, which has helped us reduce costs. It’s also helped us maintain high health and safety standards in a busy factory and prevent materials being damaged due to excess handling.”

The introduction of Formwise Washroom’s Tectra beam saw and StoreMaster has also made the manufacturer less reliant on material arriving the day before it needs to be cut or at a certain time as storing the panels has been simplified. Tim explains, “We’re still able to run a just-in-time manufacturing business but we now benefit from more flexibility if our customer’s production schedules change, our operators are on annual leave or there is a delay in our delivery.”

The system’s optimisation software also allows the manufacturer to manage stock more easily. “As well as being able to track individual parts and use a labelling system to help our production cycle run like clockwork, we can also run stock reports to aid our procurement team. It also makes stock checks much quicker.”

“All these factors are positively impacting our business and will help us see a return on investment

within four years. Looking ahead, it’s also freed up room for future investment in new machinery and is contributing towards the lowering of our carbon footprint thanks to fewer deliveries needed per week, the running time of our forklifts and the energy used inside our factory. These activities are helping us and our clients on our journey to become carbon neutral and proves our ongoing commitment to sustainability.”

Boards in storage to the rear of the beam saw

The Formwise forklift loading panels onto the StoreMaster

Tim says, “To fully appreciate the benefits of integrating new technology into your business, you can’t underestimate the long-term benefits it could have on your production. If you look at the now, you will be driven by the upfront cost of the machine and focus on the potential slump in production during the early stages whilst operators get up to speed but there is so much more to it than that.

“For us, investing in an automatic panel storage system has been about future-proofing our business and making our products more quickly and efficiently without compromising on quality. Our

industry is being affected by a growing skills and labour shortage, as well as rising material costs. The only way to tackle this issue is to invest in the latest technology.

Tim adds: “Holz-Her made the move into automation simple. They got to know our production processes and worked with us to design a system that reflected our requirements. They were easy and straightforward to work with. There was no drawn out process or technical jargon to get your head around. They proved to be good value for money and they delivered. We would definitely work with them again.” www.holzher.co.uk.

‘For us, investing in an automatic panel storage system has been about futureproofing our business and making our products more quickly and efficiently without compromising on quality’

Labels ensure all the boards are readily indetifiable

The StoreMaster can work with a variety of formats and materials. The panels can be positioned by the manipulator in a chaotic as well as assorted structure for maximum versatility

Vaccuum lifter from underneath

Pushers on the beam saw

shapertools.com

Technos range of CNC routers constantly growing for VWM

VWM are now in their 42nd year of trading –from humble beginnings of site service and breakdown to now being a well established and respected one-stop woodworking machinery supplier.

“One of our main product lines is our Technos range of CNC routers which has now become a major player in the UK CNC router market,” says Jason Varey, MD, “and with four models within the range has really helped build upon the first machine we supplied back in 2003.

“We have built up an enviable reputation for both price and quality with our machines working in a multitude of different industries and materials – the Start series, which is really targeted at the entry level, is well established with users of both medium- and

heavy production schedules from kitchen manufacturers to campervan conversion companies,” says Jason.

“Our ECO series is by far our bestselling machine and it offers a multitude of different table sizes allowing customers to tailor their machine specification to suit their specific needs and allows them to grow.

“The MD series is fast becoming a strong seller due to its very high specification and price – we have many of these machines in large furniture, aerospace and plastic manufacturing facilities working on very time sensitive work and effective production rates making them a great investment for long term production needs,” explains Jason.

“Our HD series is a very special machine in that customers can ‘make’ their own machine!

We supplied two machines last year to a vehicle manufacturer with table sizes of 14,000mm x 3000mm x 500mm Z axis with indexing sawing units capable of cutting 200mm deep material – so the MD range of machines really is a bespoke machine designed to suit almost any application.

“To bolster our sales, we are now increasing on numbers of CNC machines sales every year –again 2023 looks like being a very good year for us – and to further cement our position we have now introduced a range of laser machines for wood, acrylic, metal and many more products into our range and these are now available for demonstration in our showroom,” concludes Jason.

01282 870077

EVENTS

● WINDOW MANUFACTURING

18 – 20 APRIL 2023

● THE SMALLER WORKSHOP

12 – 14 SEPTEMBER 2023

Event opening hours: 10am - 4pm. Location: Weinig UK, Abingdon.

• WATCH TAILORED MACHINERY DEMONSTRATIONS

• MEET THE EXPERTS

• EXPERIENCE THE LATEST INNOVATIONS

• ENHANCE YOUR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

• GROW YOUR INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE

• CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY

For more information please visit weinig.co.uk

EVENTS

● EDGEBANDING TECHNOLOGY

7 – 9 FEBRUARY 2023

● FIRE DOOR MANUFACTURING

13 – 15 JUNE 2023

● NESTING VS CUT, EDGE & DRILL

17 – 19 OCTOBER 2023

Shaper Origin: the handheld CNC machine that’s changing the game

CNC machining has changed the way we work with wood, allowing us to create intricate designs and precise cuts with ease. However, traditional CNC machines can be expensive and take up a lot of space in a workshop.

Enter Shaper Origin, a handheld CNC tool that has been making waves in the woodworking community.

Shaper Origin is a handheld router that uses computer vision and augmented reality to ensure that the router follows the programmed path exactly, even if the user makes slight adjustments while cutting, rendering traditional bulky templates obsolete.

The tool has a camera with which the workpiece is scanned. In the process, it captures the so-called ‘dominos’, visual reference markers, which can either be applied flexibly as adhesive tape to your workpieces or are preapplied to the surface workstation/plate. This way it generates a map, allowing Origin to orient itself in real time and thus correct the user’s movements.

You just have to follow the cutting path displayed on the screen and make sure, to not leave the 2.56cm correction radius. If you do leave this radius, Origin will retract the Spindle to protect your workpiece. The screen also shows where to move the tool and where to cut, ensuring that the cutting bit follows the correct path.

The tool comes with an intuitive interface that guides users through the process of programming and cutting, allowing to create simple shapes, text and Box-Joints directly on-tool or import SVG files. Most common CAD programmes supports direct SVG export, but Shaper also offers its own coordinated webbased design software, Studio, which allows data to be transferred directly to the tool via the cloud. Unlike traditional CNC machines, which can have a steep learning curve, this makes Origin easy to use for anyone.

The tool has an accuracy of up to 1/100 mm, allowing for incredibly detailed cuts and designs, making its precision one of the most impressive features, besides its flexibility. Origin does not require a large, stationary workspace or many years of experience in programming and creating designs. It is highly portable and versatile, allowing users to work on projects in a variety of locations. The tool is also lightweight

and easy to manoeuvre, which makes it ideal for working on large scale work. This makes it a valuable addition to any workshop, as it can be used for a range of projects.

Not forgetting the cost-efficient side: Origin is much more affordable than traditional CNC machines, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Shaper Origin is unique in the way it works, making it the perfect tool for all woodworkers looking for a flexible, fast and easy way to integrate digital precision and CNC accuracy into their work process. It also brings some notable advantages that make it a perfect addition even to already well-equipped workshops. On top of that, hardly any other tool gives the joy of still being very close to the workpiece while working modernly and digitally, and of seeing results and progress already within the process.

www.shapertools.com

The tool comes with an intuitive interface that guides users through the process of programming and cutting

Shaper Origin is a handheld router that uses computer vision and augmented reality to ensure that the router follows the programmed path

Origin is highly portable and versatile, allowing users to work on projects like flooring inlays or reparations on site

40 YEARS

VWM TECHNOS CNC MACHINING CENTRES – ALWAYS IN STOCK

CALL US FOR SPECIAL DEALS ON OUR EX DEMONSTRATION MACHINES

TECHNOS FLEX

• Various table sizes, including Euro sheets

• Nesting, automatic loading and unloading

• Standard 9Kw spindle

• Automatic tool changers

• Minimum of 250cm/hr vacuum pumps

• PC controller with in-built graphics

• Fully guarded and light beams on the working side, to comply with CE and Health and Safety

• And many more options available

3 YEAR WARRANTY (conditions apply) CAD/CAM software included

TECHNOS ECO

• Less expensive (dip your toe in the water machine)

• Various table sizes, including Euro sheets

• Nesting, automatic loading and unloading

• Standard 9Kw spindle

• Automatic tool changers

• Minimum of 250cm/hr vacuum pumps

• Hand-held controller

• Fully guarded and light beams on the working side

AES at Ligna

For anyone looking at investing in a new CNC machine or beamsaw, the AES stand at Ligna will be the place to visit.

AES are one of the world’s largest producers of CNC machinery and are set to become one of the biggest names when it comes to CNC machinery. They are a global company with several subsidiaries throughout the world and are looking to expand their activities throughout the UK.

The AES formula is quite simple, offering robust, reliable, heavily engineered, high performance machines using quality branded components and complimented with both local and technical support.

The Ligna woodworking machinery exhibition being held in Hannover, Germany is an international exhibition that will give the opportunity to show the broad range of products manufactured by the AES Group. There will be multiple machines on display grouped into categories for easy navigation and reference. The categories will be for CNC drilling machines (five and six sided), Flat table nesting machines (three axis, five axis and through feed), Pod and rail (three axis and five axis), beamsaws and edge banders.

‘The AES formula is quite simple, offering robust, reliable, heavily engineered, high performance machines using quality branded components and complimented with both local and technical support’

The AES Extreme Ultra high production nesting machines have also proved a hit with cabinet and furniture makers

AES’ Alpha range of beamsaws have proved very successful since their recent introduction

‘The Flexa Pro, Extreme and Raptor series of nesting machines have proved a hit with cabinet and furniture makers with some having the Polyboard parametric cabinet design CAD coupled with the power of Alphacam for optimisation and nesting giving a complete manufacturing solution’

The AES brand was first introduced in the UK in 2017 and since then, there have been numerous installations of all types of machines from each product group. The Sirius drilling machines were the first to enter the UK market and proved a resounding success with several customers adding a AES nesting machine to give the ultimate flexibility for manufacturing and allowing any fixing methodology. The Sirius Model 950M is complete with a router head which expands the scope of possibilities making it more than just a drilling machine.

The Flexa Pro, Extreme and Raptor series of nesting machines have also proved a hit with cabinet and furniture makers with some having the Polyboard parametric cabinet design CAD coupled with the power of Alphacam for optimisation and nesting giving a complete manufacturing solution.

AES’ GO! CNC drilling line machine is a unique solution for serial and effective applications featuring fast drilling and routing applications on five surfaces of the panel. With routing motor and automatic tool change options, GO! can also be used in numerous applications other than drilling …

For fire door and staircase manufacturers the Vega pod and rail machines have proved a popular choice with various options available including a dedicated double sided horizontal router head for cutting locks and hinges. Several beamsaws have also been delivered to manufacturers in the UK in both 3200mm and 4200mm cutting widths and with capacity to cut three or four boards in a single operation. The AES Alpha range of beamsaws can be offered as either front or rear loading machines with the possibility of cutting up to six boards in one operation.

If you are looking to streamline your production or upgrade your machinery, or even looking for a more automated production, visit the AES stand at Ligna in hall 11 on stand D45 01704 893109

Swing when you’re winning: multi-panel pendulum loading enables ‘batch one’ production

As furniture manufacturers adapt to demand for smaller batches, this software innovation promotes efficient processing of bespoke orders and varied workloads by enabling multiple panels to be handled in pendulum mode.

Pendulum loading is well established as an approach for maximising uptime and productivity in CNC machining. Pendulum mode allows an operator to load and unload parts at one end of the bed while the machine works at the other end. This means the machine is never sitting idle, and the operator isn’t wasting time watching the machine and waiting for it to finish its cycle.

A standard CNC machine has to pause between cycles to allow the operator to swap workpieces in and out. With pendulum loading, an operator can go an entire shift without having to stop the machine, allowing more parts to be processed in a shorter space of time.

What if, instead of being limited to single-panel pendulum loading, CNC machines could handle two, or even more workpieces simultaneously in pendulum mode? This would enable furniture manufacturers to make seismic efficiency gains and would make ‘batch one’ production commercially viable.

Underpinned by software advancements

Biesse has drawn on its in-house software engineering expertise to make multi-panel pendulum loading a reality on its Rover series of CNC machines. By further developing its proprietary B_Solid software, which makes high-tech operations intuitive and accessible by allowing the user to view the machine in virtual reality, Biesse has taken the complexity out of multi-panel pendulum loading. For some time, there have been solutions on the market for machining multiple parts on one bed simultaneously. But not in pendulum mode. Now, thanks to this breakthrough, manufacturers

can run multiple programmes whilst performing pendulum loading. The number of parts that can be worked on at any given time is limited only by the physical size of the bed or the number of pods and rails - a large machine may be able to accommodate up to eight workpieces (four on each side) at a time.

Why multi-panel pendulum loading?

The long-term trend in cabinet making is towards smaller batch sizes and bespoke units. Rather than producing a batch of 500 identical base units or panels, for example, furniture manufacturers might produce just a few of

one cabinet type or part before switching over to a different programme.

Whilst introducing greater variability into furniture manufacturing has advantages for inventory management and waste levels, the frequent changeovers present a challenge for productivity. Biesse’s multi-panel pendulum loading solution can help manufacturers to maintain efficiency whilst adapting to increasingly varied workloads. It turns traditional production principles on their head. It makes it viable to machine an entire unit (a cabinet for example), as a single batch rather than machining multiple quantities of each component part one after the other. This is a particularly attractive proposition for shop fitters and manufacturers of ‘bespoke’ kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and home office furniture. For example, a machine in multi-panel pendulum mode will make light work of a kitchen order for cabinets of varying dimensions in different materials and colours, by treating every cabinet as a ‘batch one’ and producing it in its entirety before moving onto the next. This flexible approach to production eliminates the need to hold stock and has the potential to increase profit margins on bespoke work.

Viewing the machine’s operations in VR, Biesse’s propritary B_Solid software has taken the complexity out of multi-panel pendulum loading

New CNC disposable Dish Mould cutters

Wealden Tools are constantly working on increasing their range of sawblades, router cutters and spindle tooling and have just developed a new range of CNC disposable tip Dish Mould cutters.

Aimed at the bulk manufacturer of textured panels and high volume dish panelling, these cutters are designed to produce a good finish very quickly with improved running costs.

The polish on the large cutting knives of these

cutters clearly shows Wealden’s quality of manufacture and attention to detail.

The new range is available from stock via the company’s website. www.wealdentool.com

Kündig at Ligna 2023

Wide belt and edge sanding machinery specialists, Kündig of Switzerland will once again be exhibiting at Ligna, the largest European woodworking machinery exhibition being held in Hannover Germany from 15-19th May 2023.

Kündig are not only manufacturers of both wide belt and edge sanding machinery but also innovators in new sanding technologies. For many years, Kündig have led the way in the development of sanding machinery and were the first to introduce the fixed bed as a standard feature on all their machines.

This system gives greater accuracy and having a fixed working height makes it easier

to use when working with materials of different thickness or for example, where heavy parts are to be sanded such as fire doors etc.

As it is the sanding group that raises and lowers to the desired working thickness, another advantage is the working height which is 200mm as standard but can also be increased to 400 or even 650mm if required.

Many years ago, another feature originally introduced by Kündig as a standard feature was the inverter driven variable speed control to the feed mat, thus giving the operator direct and easy access both during sanding and when setting the machine.

At Ligna, the latest designs and developments

in sanding technology can be seen in Hall 16, stand D19 where Kündig will have on display a series of new models aimed at the small to medium sized manufacturer along with the latest series of Kündig Perfect machines that employ the innovative and patented oblique sanding technology.

This system eliminates the wavy scratch pattern (known as oscillation marks) and gives sanding in the shear plain as opposed to the traditional full frontal ‘straight line’ sanding. For high volume producers and for those looking for bespoke sanding solutions, there will be examples of the Kündig Technic machines on display.

‘Kündig are not only manufacturers of both wide belt and edge sanding machinery but also innovators in new sanding technologies. For many years, Kündig have led the way in the development of sanding machinery and were the first to introduce the fixed bed as a standard feature on all their machines’

The Botop series of wide belt sanders are built for double-sided sanding in one pass

‘At Ligna, the latest designs and developments in sanding technology can be seen … where Kündig will have on display a series of new models aimed at the small to medium sized manufacturer along with the latest series of Kündig Perfect machines that employ the innovative and patented oblique sanding technology’

These machines are purpose built for bespoke applications to cover a broad range of industry and would typically include precision machines working to 1/100ths of a millimeter, machines used in 24hour production environments, machines used for plastic and non-ferrous materials, top and bottom sanding lines, special high gloss machines plus many more. In short, if it can be sanded, Kündig can provide the solution.

Complimenting the wide belt machines will be the popular Uniq series of edge sanding machines. Typically designed for the operator, these have fixed beds on both sides of the abrasive and it is the sanding head that tilts to 45° making the sanding of angled edges easy, as the work piece always remains flat.

The machines are available with a host of extras including the bobbin attachment and an additional table to sand curves using the drive roller.

The Uniq is available with an integrated feed belt known as the Uniq-S to allow automatic and constant through feeding for greater productivity and efficiency. The latest addition to the edge sander range is the Kündig Flash designed for pre-sanding followed by de-nibbing the edges typically of MDF slab doors before and after sealing.

All machines will be operational at Ligna in hall 16 on stand D19 for information and live demonstrations.

0845 833 0565

Kündig’s Perfect machines that employ the innovative and patented oblique sanding technology

The Uniq Flash is designed for pre-sanding followed by de-nibbing the edges typically of MDF slab doors before and after sealing

Chilfen Joinery invests in HOMAG SANDTEQ W-200 for a first-class finish

Based in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, Chilfen Joinery is part of the Chilfen Group of companies. With a heritage stretching back to 1960 the joinery division delivers bespoke joinery solutions to the commercial, high end residential, office, education and retail sectors.

“The company’s philosophy has always been to combine traditional workmanship with the latest technology,” explains Chilfen Joinery’s sales director, Simon Brown. He continues, “This approach has enabled us to remain at the forefront of the industry working closely with main contractors, architects, interior fit-out companies, contract office furniture suppliers and designers for retail brands.

“Our relationship with HOMAG began about eight years ago when we invested in an automated storage and retrieval system with a HOMAG beam saw. Since then we have added a new edge bander and a DRILLTEQ V-500 vertical CNC machine. The latest addition to our plant list is the HOMAG SANDTEQ W-200.

“The old sander was coming to the end of its lifecycle. So, in line with our policy of continuous investment, the time was right to upgrade to a machine that would complement and improve the production equipment we already have.”

HOMAG – our first port of call

“Given the relationship we’ve developed with HOMAG UK over the last eight years, naturally they were our first port of call when it came to discussing a replacement for the sander. Whilst we looked at what else was out there in the market, our experience of working with HOMAG, coupled with the positive feedback we gained from a site visit where the sander was already operational, gave us the confidence we needed to place the order for the SANDTEQ

W-200. We were particularly impressed by the first-class finish the W-200 achieved.

Cutting-edge technology

”The SANDTEQ W-200 is far more efficient than the machine it replaced and that is largely down to the more advanced technology that is incorporated into the W-200. Although we have only had the machine a few months, we believe it will pay for itself in under three years. It is clear that not only is it more efficient, but it will also save us man hours and provide a superior finish to our products.

“As you’d expect from the world’s leading woodworking machinery brand, HOMAG planned the installation of the sander in great detail. It arrived on time and the installation went smoothly so there was little or no impact on our day-to-day operations.

“The SANDTEQ was fully operational inside a few days, with the HOMAG installation engineer training our operators on site. It really couldn’t have been more straightforward.”

A partnership that goes from strength to strength

“Working with a partner such as HOMAG is incredibly important for us. Not only have we benefitted from the build quality and technical superiority of all their machines, but we also profit from the trust, credibility, service, support and response times they deliver.

“As a second generation family run business it is qualities like these that we hold dear to our hearts. We would certainly recommend any joinery business looking to develop a true partnership with a machinery manufacturer to talk to HOMAG first,” concludes Brown.

For a demonstration or further information on HOMAG woodworking machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424 or email: info-uk@homag.com www.homag.com

Robotic Sanding by Mirka

Mirka® AIOS.

Designed by dedicated surface finishing professionals, this automated industrial orbital sander is easy to integrate and suits the requirements of different manufacturing industries.

For further information or to arrange a consultation, please contact Customer Services on 01908 866100.

Our

Dream Team fulfils your dream of perfectly sanded surfaces and edges.

Time and again, it is the delivery to the new owners where we discover that the purchase of a is far more than just another workshop upgrade. It is often the result of long-held dreams. This honors us enormously, but also comes with a high degree of responsibility, because dreams, after all, want to be fulfilled - and stay fulfilled. That›s why we stand for the highest sanding quality, a timeless and logical operating concept, durability and precision that will last for generations, and parts availability that is just as long. Contact us for a no-obligation demonstration or visit us at Ligna and experience our machines first hand.

New more sustainable base cabinet design by Space-Plug

Sustainability, intelligent design, manufacturing Innovation, production economics, customer experience – all of these are addressed when a manufacturer embraces the ‘Space-Plug Evolution’ according to SpacePlug inventor and MD, Cliff Pettit.

The last ten years has seen Space-Plug become a brand synonymous with fast and effective fittings for kitchen base units and tying back all manner of KBB furniture. According to With the launch of their new system, Evolution, manufacturers will now be more sustainable whilst saving money, and including brand new, fast-fit technology.

“It’s a simple idea,” explains Cliff, “the cabinet is made with shorter side panels that no longer have to reach the wall. This strip of material is now saved in manufacture and replaced with the addition of their, datum pegs – four grams

can replace 1000 and puts the unit back to its original datum depth without wood in the way. This simple, handy measuring stick replaces all that excess material manufacturers have included unnecessarily for decades.

“Manufacturers now save this material which more than covers the cost of a set of Evolution components, and so, Space-Plug guarantees to save money overall and offer much more to their fitters and more importantly, their customers!”

The reason? Cliff says these strips of board are in the way for fitting a kitchen. “The industry thinks installers want them … installers currently think that because manufacturers provide them they are needed to create the service void. But both the manufacturers and the installers haven’t seen Evolution cabinets … yet! Fitters time is wasted and customers cabinets’ edgebanding is sacrificed as these machined edges don’t marry to meandering walls, let alone around surface-mounted services.

“Fitters have to scribe round these pipes or cut away large sections to get the unit in place.

Space-Plug – a wonderfully simple solution to a repeating problem for fitters with a myriad valuable advantages for all concerned

Reduce on-site fixing and installation issues for a clean job at the first time of asking

Modifying the units on-site, causing more work, more dust and more risk … often contrary to manufacturer warranties. This results in brand new cabinet material wasted in the skip, and customers board edges now exposed – compromising the new unit’s integrity,” concludes Cliff.

“All of this is negated by Evolution,” says James Marchant Sapce-Plug’s Director of Marketing, “Not forgetting that all of these benefits are accompanied complete with a Space-Plug Adjustable Spacer Fixing. The five star, fast and purposeful professional fixing … basically free of charge.”

The system is already manufacturing in the UK and taking orders. With sustainability and customer experience at the forefront of its benefits, Evolution is shortly set to eclipse the seven million adjustable spacers Space-Plug it has already sold.

Further information including videos is always on the Space-Plug wesbite.

www.space-plug.com

Cliff Pettit, inventor and MD of Space-Plug

Improving quality and productivity with cabinet hardware

Titus’ furniture hardware solutions have been improving homes around the world for decades. They increase the quality and facilitate assembly of furniture, giving a significant competitive advantage to manufacturers and improving the consumer experience.

Their most popular components are the T-type concealed hinge that has a tool-free 3Way snapon mounting and the TeraBlack range that offers an attractive black matte hardware finish to enhance the appeal of cabinets.

T-type – the fastest hinge on the market Titus offers a comprehensive range of hinges for every door. The latest innovation, the T-type, enables time-savings at cabinet assembly and assures a lifelong consistent performance on a wide range of doors.

The T-type hinges with integrated soft closing assures above-average consistency of performance with no bounce effect and reliable closing at all closing speeds. A unique solution that works on doors of different dimensions and weights, with no rebounce.

The 3Way snap-on mounting system makes them exceptionally easy to install, with an intuitive hinge-to-plate mounting in three

Titus T-type assembly

Titus T-type Black really looks the part of dark colurs, white and timber finishes

directions (from the front, the back and the top). Mounting cabinet doors – even on large heavy doors with multiple hinges – has never been this easy.

The range has recently been extended to include pie-cut (bi-fold) hinges for corner cabinets, which fit standard drilling patterns and feature convenient ‘double lock’ opening. This means users can either open just one door leaf to get excellent access into the cabinet interior or they can fully open the doors by locking the hinge cup and make the door leaves work as one.

T-type is a high-performance hinge that allows for misalignments of drilling patterns up to 0.6mm. Even in case of misalignment drillings, the hinge performs at its peak capabilities and always ensures smooth and perfect close in every cycle.

T-type with ConfidentClose, creates the consumer preferred way of damping, based on results of Titus research made in UK, Germany and Slovenia. It is characterised by fast closing, late start of deceleration action and quiet landing with SoftTouch. The damper is placed in the hinge cup with its positioning transversal to the hinge cup, and can be easily adjusted to suit different types of doors.

TeraBlack is much more than a colour option

With a close eye on emerging trends in the international furniture market, Titus has developed TeraBlack versions of many of its

most popular products, including its hugely successful T-type hinges, TL5 ‘full metal jacket’ dowels, shelf supports and its push latches.

The new Tera (Titus Enhanced Resistance Application) versions feature an exceptionally attractive non-reflective black finish, which is not only visually appealing but also highly resistant to corrosion, uniform and consistent. The T-type

TeraBlack hinge has a smooth, uniform surface with a velvet feel which absorbs light and reduces reflection.

Particularly well suited to applications in high-end premium kitchen furniture, Titus TeraBlack products fully meet the requirements of designers and consumers looking for unobtrusive yet attractive cabinet hardware. They have highly uniform surfaces and a velvet feel that complements their quality and enhances consumer appeal.

“At Titus, we put a lot of effort into monitoring developments in the furniture sector and recently we’ve seen a growing demand for matt black cabinet hardware,” said Phil Beddoe General Manager at Titus UK. “We weren’t satisfied, however, with the idea of responding by simply offering another colour option – we wanted to offer a market leading solution that combined a visually appealing dark matt finish with genuine and valuable product benefits. And, drawing on our unique expertise in cabinet hardware development and manufacture, that’s exactly what we’ve done with the new TeraBlack versions of our products.”

The new TeraBlack products are Titus engineered solutions supported by tightly controlled, repeatable and efficient processes that provide a high level of corrosion resistance and consistency throughout the lifecycle of the product.

TeraBlack complements all — standard and on trend — furniture designs in kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms and offices.

01977 682582

uk@titusplus.com

uk.titusplus.com

Titus T-type is ideal for kitchen applications

Titus T-type Black looks amazing mounted on oak wood

TeraBlack joining plates on door

Titus push latch and shelf support Black combination

QUALITY PANEL SUPPLY

PRODUCTS

Wooden Edge Glued Panels

Worktops

TGV

Legs

Birch Ply

Wood veneered mdf

Wood edge banding

MDF MR

MDF MR Butt & Bead Primed

THICKNESSES

6/9/12/15/16/18/20/22/25/27/30/40mm

WIDTHS

LENGTHS

900 through to 4000mm

SPECIES

300/600/620/915/1210/1220mm

SERVICES

Cutting Service Available 24-72 hour delivery

Volume orders from stock

No minimum orders

Rubio Monocoat Supplier

01206 396725

sales@mlpanels.com

www.mlpanels.com

Follow us on social media @mlpanels

Oak, Ash, Pine, Knotless Pine, Tulipwood/Yellow Poplar, Beech, Iroko, Maple, Black Walnut and more

National & European delivery available

Complex connections made easy with Lamello

If you’re looking to join complex components with ease, it’s time you put Lamello’s awardwinning P-System to the test.

Recently, a Lamello Zeta P2 user asked for a quick and easy solution for inserting angled shelves into an entertainment unit after it had been lacquered. Traditionally, the process would have involved the gluing and lacquering of the complete unit but with multiple components and narrow angles incorporated into the design, it would have been a slow and laborious process.

For a P-System user, the solution is much

simpler. By building a carcass using Lamello’s Tenso fixings – a self-clamping gluing aid – a furniture manufacturer can assemble the unit independently of its shelves and, once painted, the shelves can be fitted using the Clamex P-14 Flexus.

So, how does it work? Thanks to its flexible positioning pins, the Clamex P-14 Flexus offers an adaptable assembly sequence. The pins are bevelled and moveable, enabling workpieces to be tilted in both directions for ease of use and, with no limitations on the sequence of assembly, its ideal for the joining of corner

connections, dividing panel joints and angles. It’s also fully detachable, offers considerably stronger results than traditional joining techniques and because it can go into thinner materials, it’s suitable for use on mitres from 22.5-180 degrees on surfaces, corners and dividing panel connections.

For more useful hints and tips visit www.lamello.co.uk or follow Lamello’s official social media pages by searching @ Lamello_Community on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Here’s how it’s done…

1. Cut P-System grooves into the end faces (main image)

2. Place the component in the correct position of the counterpar t and apply the centre cleft

3. Align the Zeta P2 with the centre marking and cut the grooves in the surface

4. Inser t the connectors halves. To tighten the Clamex P-14 Flexus, one half of the component needs a 6mm drilling. The positioning of the drill is easy thanks to the supplied drilling aid.

5. Inser t the component into the carcass and swivel in place

6. The flexible positioning pins engage in the correct position

7. Tighten the Clamex P-14 Flexus with the assembly tool

8. To disassemble simply release the lever again

9. Move component sideways and remove

‘By building a carcass using Lamello’s Tenso fixings – a self-clamping gluing aid –a furniture manufacturer can assemble the unit independently of its shelves and, once painted, the shelves can be fitted using the Clamex P-14 Flexus’

New sales channels at Grass

2023 will also see GRASS entering new sales channels: Instead of participating in the interzum trade fair in Cologne, the specialist in motion systems will focus on more targeted ways to reach its customers, and use the new customer centre in Hohenems for acquisitions and presentations. GRASS stresses that the company is not broadly declining to appear at trade fairs, rather that it wishes to take the road less travelled and dare to try new things when it comes to sales.

In autumn 2021, GRASS opened its new headquarters in Hohenems, Austria. This is the largest investment in the company’s history and in-cludes not only a state-of-the-art logistics centre with new administration facilities, but also an Experience Centre that showcases modern motion design over two floors and more than 500 square metres.

“For us, this development is an enormous step forwards,” says Andreas Marosch, Head of Marketing and Communications at GRASS. “By taking this step, we have created a location where we can present our products in their very best light.” Taking all of this into account, GRASS has decided not to participate in Cologne’s interzum trade fair in 2023. Instead, the com-

pany’s goal is “to test new formats, to try out alternative sales channels, to make the best use of the customer centre; in short, to be as innova-tive when it comes to customer relations as GRASS is with its product development,” says Andreas Marosch.

GRASS wants to emphasise that not appearing at this year’s interzum is not a statement against the trade fair format or the leading Cologne trade fair itself. It is rather about trying new things and making bold decisions to establish the sales channels and customer points of contact that are the most effective for the company. “Two factors came together for this to happen: During the Coronavirus pandemic, we saw that we were also able get in touch with our customers and prospective customers outside of the short trade fair period – and that we were often able to get deeper into conversation with them,” explains Andreas Marosch. “The second thing, of course, was the Experience Center. If we have such a state-of-the-art, visually appealing place to give presentations, why not use it?”

2023 is therefore going to be a year in which GRASS will break new ground in sales - something that is underlined even further by the fact that Ralf Priefer, a new sales manager

for Germany and France, has recently come on board. As for what the company will do in years to come, is it likely that it will return to the classic trade fair format? “We will decide in good time, once we have been able to draw the first conclusions from the new channels we’ve explored,” says Andreas Marosch. www.grass.eu

2023 will also see GRASS entering new sales channels: Instead of participating in the interzum trade fair in Cologne, the specialist in motion systems will focus on more targeted ways to reach its customers, and use the new customer centre in Hohenems for acquisitions and presentations

Häfele offers The XtraHand following Dragons’ Den appearance

The XtraHand, a new, innovative hands-free dust extraction tool for drilling, cutting and grinding, is now available exclusively from Häfele UK. The device that fits onto hose-mounted vacuums and sticks to almost any flat surface is ideal for tradespeople, furniture manufacturers and DIYers helping to minimise airborne particles and mess.

The XtraHand, which appeared on BBC Dragons’ Den in March this year, is the only tool on the market that is compatible with all drill bits, including spade, bullet, masonry and auger bits, as well as tile drills and hole saws. Invented by carpenter and cabinet maker, Alan Gillett, it also works on various surfaces such as wood, metal, plastic, concrete and brick – and will even attach to ceilings.

Helping professionals conform to Health & Safety Executive requirements on protecting

Stick with Screwshop for great prices & service

against the risks of hazardous construction dust, The XtraHand gives ‘on-tool’ extraction and helps trades keep sites and customers’ homes tidy.

“The XtraHand is a simple yet ingenious bit of kit that anyone who uses a drill or grinder should have in their toolbox and we can see why it caught the attention of dragon, Peter Jones,” said Tom Fletcher, Product, Innovation & Development Manager at

Häfele UK. “While Alan decided to turn down the dragon’s offer, we’re excited to have formed an exclusive distribution agreement.”

Alan Gillett, inventor of The XtraHand added: “When people see the product, their immediate reaction is: ‘why hasn’t this existed before?’ so I can’t wait for more people to see The XtraHand and use it to safeguard their health and improve their efficiency on jobs.”

To buy The XtraHand and see it in action, visit hafele.co.uk/xtra-hand

Welcome

to the dark side –

Blum launches new Carbon Black colour for LEGRABOX

When designing and fitting a new kitchen of any size or style, it’s the details that are key to its success. Blum knows all too well how important the components of drawers, cabinets, pull-outs and interior fittings are to any scheme. In every good kitchen, Blum in motion ensures its ergonomic fluency, ease and enjoyment of use.

For customers who are seeking a personalised and individual aesthetic from their fittings, design freedom is at their fingertips with Blum’s LEGRABOX, which is now available in a sleek and sophisticated Carbon Black colour.

The new Carbon Black LEGRABOX is designed in line with the ongoing trend for dark and dramatic palettes for cabinetry and surfaces. Retailers can incorporate the new colour even in minimum quantities thanks to the option of final assembly on site. Choose from LEGRABOX pure with metal sides or LEGRABOX free with design elements made from glass, wood or other materials. >>

Blum’s LEGRABOX takes any kitchen design to the next level. As well as a sleek and stylish finish both inside and out, it incorporates minimal opening forces, a synchronised featherlight glide and the flexibility for both retailers and their customers to implement three different motion technologies.

Whether dark or light wood, matt finishes or high gloss, dark accents can also be added to cabinets with hinges that enhance an elegant aesthetic. The new Carbon Black colour for LEGRABOX can also be complemented with Blum’s onyx black hinge. Its subtle point of difference creates visual impact in a sophisticated way. This sleek onyx black finish is available on all Blum’s standard hinges as well as profile/thick door hinges and blind corner hinges.

Blum storage solutions can be found in kitchens, living spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways and home offices.

www.blum.com/carbon-black

VOLLMER doubles benefits with new Loroch TWIN

Following the astounding success of two new circular saw blade grinding machines launched by VOLLMER last year, the saw blade sharpening experts are delighted to now present the new Loroch TWIN 860.

The revolutionary new Loroch TWIN 860 is a space-saving concept with a compact 2000 by 1250 by 1980mm footprint that introduces two different grinding processes in a single machine tool. This gives the end user a machine that can process both carbide tipped (TCT) saw blades for the wood, sawmill and metal cutting industries, as well as HSS, saw blades primarily used in the metal cutting sectors.

With the introduction of a fifth axis, a vast selection of TCT blades can be processed in addition to the common metal cutting circular saw blades. As with all Loroch machines, the new TWIN 860 machine grinds with the saw blade rotating. In each case, the grinding process consists of a precise, controlled movement of the grinding head and rotation of the saw blade with both axes controlled simultaneously in complete synchronicity.

HSS circular saw blades from 60 to 860mm can be sharpened and re-cut on the new TWIN 860 machine and automated chamfering is possible from diameters of 75mm and above. With HSS saws, the rake and clearance angles can be freely selected and this grinding process also permits the processing of solid carbide saw blades, friction saws and TK or TA saw blades such as carbide or cermet tipped thin kerf blades with chip guiding notches. This flexibility provides a remarkable range of opportunities for end users.

For the sharpening of TCT saw blades from 145 to 700mm diameter, the TWIN 860 has a secondary grinding process whereby the tooth to be ground will remain in a stationary position with grinding performed exclusively by the grinding head.

The feeding of each tooth is undertaken by the ultra-precise centre drive that intuitively identifies any pitch differences in the saw blade and automatically processes any irregular pitch patterns in the saw blades. In both grinding processes, complete machining is performed

with only one DIA or CBN peripheral grinding wheel (14F1) in each case.

The benefits of the new TWIN 860 go far beyond the ability to undertake both fixed position and rotary processing of the HSS and TCT saw blades through its five servo-driven axes and the ability to detect and process different saw blade pitches.

The flexibility of the TWIN 860 enables end users to process everything from straight back teeth, peg teeth, friction teeth, curved back teeth with chamfer, solid carbide teeth as well as TK saw blades and tooth shapes that include 301, 302/303, 304, 311 and many others.

The multi-purpose machine also has an exceptionally high angular precision level, which is a benefit of the ultra-stiff machine base that minimises vibration and the extremely powerful blade clamping system – both attributes that enhance surface finishes and edge quality.

From a user-friendliness perspective, programming is fast and effortless with the touchscreen control that provides easily understandable symbols that intuitively direct the operator through the process. To further simplify operation, the TWIN 860 automatically suggests favourable machining data to guide the user. Furthermore, grinding wheel mounting is automated to minimise setup times. Possible operating errors are reduced to a minimum. For the machining of HSS circular saws, it is possible to pre-programmed saw blades to separate the machine programmer from the operator. The operator only has to clamp the respective saw blade, close the door and press start – another feature that minimises operator errors.

From a saw blade perspective, the TWIN 860 offers a chamfering angle of 75° for HSS saws and 145mm for TK and TCT saws with a tooth pitch of 1 to 40mm on HSS and TK saws and 6 to 60mm for TCT blades. The machine is capable of processing chamfer/bevel angles up to 45° and can grind blades with a maximum blade width of 8mm.

0115 9491040

The Vollmer Loroch TWIN 860

Festool New Spring Products. It’s more than just power.

Warranty all-inclusive

Festool optimise results so that the products are perfect for their applications, and want to make work easier, safer and better for tradespeople. Safety plays a central role in the development of all products. This is why they have lots of clever details and work harmoniously as part of the system. Now available online or at your local dealer.

Discover more:

www.festool.co.uk/products/new-products

New Ostermann Profiles brochure

New colours, forms and services – a new Ostermann brochure ‘Profiles’ has just been been published. For the first time, carpenters/ cabinet makers will not only find on its pages all construction, functional and decorative profiles, but also handle profiles and handleless systems as well as lighting profiles for furniture.

Carpenters/cabinet makers are well known for their smart ideas and aesthetic sense. In order to meet even the most unusual customer wishes or room situations, creative solutions are sometimes required. The construction, functional and decorative profiles from the Ostermann range have already provided valuable help in many cases.

So that tradesmen can always find the right solution even in the growing range, a new Ostermann brochure ‘Profiles’ has been published, and for the first time the handle and lighting profiles will also be included here. In addition to the printed version, there is a digital one at the download centre at www.ostermann. eu.

Visitors to Interzum can also get their printed copy at the Ostermann stand in hall 05.2, stand F030.

More black, more white and more gold

For the construction and connection profiles, it is mainly new colours such as black, white or grey that are now available for numerous models and dimensions. After all, the useful profiles should

blend in with the furniture surface. Various products have also been extended to include the mentioned colours in the range of handleless systems. There are also other new colours available here, such as gold or copper.

More light, always light

When building modern furniture, you simply cannot forego lighting anymore! That is why the new brochure also includes the lighting profiles ChannelLine and Eco Line. Almost all of the ChannelLine aluminium profiles range are now available not only in aluminium-coloured, but also in black. If you want to insert the selected model inconspicuously into the furniture, choose a black, translucent cover for accent lighting. If more transparency is required, transparent or opal covers are of course also available. Alternatively, there are another seven plastic profiles named Eco Line.

A tip from Ostermann: all construction, functional and decorative profiles as well as the aluminium handle profiles and handleless systems can also be ordered made to measure in the Ostermann configuration tool.

s.parsons@ostermann.eu

01905 793550

www.ostermann.eu

IDS supports customers with biggest ever Solutions Guide

IDS, the UK’s largest distributor of decorative surfaces, has updated its Solutions Guide for 2023. Bigger than ever before, this new bumper brochure spans 80 pages and provides retailers, manufacturers and contractors with an insight into the depth of IDS’s unrivalled portfolio, which includes flooring, wall panelling, worktops, solid surface, laminate, decorative panel products and composite decking.

This must-have guide gives professionals a detailed introduction to the 50 leading surface material brands that IDS represents and distributes throughout the UK. Image-led, the A4sized book is packed with product information to support customers in their day-to-day business. For ease of reference, brands are split into

dedicated categories with each featured across a full page where USPs are highlighted alongside inspirational lifestyle photography. Information on IDS’s multi-channel service, which includes 24/7 online ordering, is provided along with contact details for each of the company’s regional branches.

The guide can be viewed online through IDS’s website and hard copies are also available by emailing or calling IDS directly.

0845 7 298 298

solutions@idsurfaces.co.uk

www.idsurfaces.co.uk

More than 80 pages full of solutions for furniture making, Ostermann’s new Profiles brochure

COURSES COVERING ALL TYPES AND MAKES OF WOODWORKING MACHINERY

The Daltons Wadkin “red team” have been providing industry led training for over 15 years, continually honing the courses to meet both customer and legal requirements.

PRECISION MEETS INNOVATION

THE

With the new VLaser 370, VOLLMER have extended the range of solutions for your tool manufacturing operation. In addition to the VOLLMER portfolio of grinding and erosion machines, VOLLMER now has a further technology for machining ultra-hard materials such as PCD, CVD-D and MCD. Highest flexibility, best quality and surface finish. New solutions combined with reliable precision: Simply VOLLMER.

‘With our numerous system accessories, it is like cutting with a stationary machine. It has never been seen before in this form – mobile and simultaneously precise, splinter-free sawing to exact dimensions

Splinter-free in a single cut – Festool’s new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function

Festool has been known as a byword for trustworthy quality and absolute precision since the introduction of its circular saws in 1962 and its plunge-cut saws in 1980. Festool is continuing this tradition with the introduction of its new plunge-cut saw with scoring function.

With a 60mm cutting depth, it produces splinter-free sawing on both sides, right from the very first cut. The integrated KickbackStop reduces the risk of injury and damage to the workpiece during a kickback. Thanks to the diverse range of system accessories, it is always mobile, precise and to exact dimensions. With the new TSV 60 K, workshop-quality results can be replicated on the construction site – just like with a stationary machine.

Festool has been well-known for its circular saws for many decades. “As early as the 1960s, Festool brought the world’s first portable circular saw with a guide rail onto the market. It then launched the first plunge-cut saw at the start of

‘With our numerous system accessories, it is like cutting with a stationary machine. It has never been seen before in this form – mobile and simultaneously precise, splinter-free sawing to exact dimensions

the 1980s. We were always raising the bar for saws with our new models. And from May 2023, we’re doing it once more with our new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function,” says Boris Seyfried, Festool Product Manager for Sawing.

Splinter-free sawing on both sides – like never before

The new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function ensures splinter-free sawing on both sides right from the first cut. This makes it extremely efficient; the cut edges are immediately ready for further processing. “We have integrated a scorer into the new TSV; a never-before-seen innovation for hand-held plunge-cut saws. We constructed the scorer unit to have track and depth adjustment which guarantees exact adjustment options and, when combined with the diamond scoring saw blade, long-term perfect cut quality. This is even true for efficient, high-quality panel cutting,” confirms Boris.

Perfect panel cutting – now available anywhere on the construction site

“This is particularly practical for day-to-day work – you can now precisely cut even large panels without splinters with the new TSV, not just in the workshop but also anywhere on the construction site. With our numerous system accessories, it is like cutting with a stationary machine. It has never been seen before in this form – mobile and simultaneously precise, splinter-free sawing to exact dimensions,” states Boris.

Depending on the application, the scorer can be turned on or off as required. In particular, perfect

results are important for panel cutting. And that is exactly why the new plunge-cut saw with scoring function can be used with a guide rail – exactly as you would expect from Festool.

Thanks to the guide rails fixed with fastening clamps and the tool-free adjustable guide jaws, the TSV 60 K runs on the guide rail without any play at all, ensuring high-quality work results.

Greater safety when sawing – thanks to KickbackStop

“Our innovative and unique KickbackStop function on the plunge-cut saw with scoring function doesn’t just protect the workpiece, but also minimises the risk of injury,” says Seyfried. He goes on to say: “Our new TSV 60 K is safe and highly precise, and offers excellent, splinter-free results.” In the event of a kickback,

TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function: Splinter-free – sawing like never before

“Splinter-free cutting on both sides – with a cutting depth of 50 mm – this has never before been available on a hand-held plunge-cut saw,” states Festool Product Manager Boris Seyfried

The integrated KickbackStop reduces the risk of injury and damage to the workpiece caused by kickback during sawing or plunge-cutting into the workpiece. Once the saw has been triggered, it is ready for immediate use without having to replace any parts or additional costs

the KickbackStop is triggered by the saw blade jamming during sawing or plunge-cutting into the workpiece and stops the saw blade faster than the blink of an eye. This means that the saw recognises a kickback and stops the motor within a fraction of a second.

Particularly practical: Once the KickbackStop has been triggered, the saw is ready for use straight away without replacements or additional costs.

Perfect results: Thanks to the guide rails fixed with fastening clamps and the tool-free adjustable guide jaws, the TSV 60 K runs on the guide rail without any play at all

Truly versatile

“With our new TSV 60 K, we have created our most versatile plunge-cut saw to date. With the 60mm cutting depth and a swivelling scorer unit, even mitre cuts up to 45° in combination with a guide rail are possible,” says Boris.

The entire accessory system around the TSV 60 K only really demonstrates its versatility in day-to-day use. What’s particularly practical is that the new plunge-cut saw can be combined with all cross cutting guide rails. This makes it incredibly easy to make reproducible, precise and clean cross cuts even “on a small scale”.

When developing the new TSV 60 K, Festool has considered many additional details such as the simple FastFix saw blade replacement, viewing window, speed control, exact depth setting with dual indicator and fine adjustment.

Robust, powerful and extremely efficient

Its latest-generation brushless EC-TEC motor makes the saw virtually maintenance-free and powerful. The maximum speed of 6800

Perfect cutting result: A cut comparison using the new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function:

1. Splinter-free cuts on both sides, immediately ready for further processing

2. Plunge-cut saw with splinter guard on both sides: Best cutting quality, virtually splinter-free

3. Plunge-cut saw without splinter guard: Visible splinters on the cutting edges

revolutions per minute ensures ideal machining, an effortless feed rate and, as a result, the best cutting quality.

This means that the new plunge-cut saw with scoring function is robust and, in combination with the comprehensive saw system, sophisticated down to the very last detail. It handles both precise cutting in solid wood and efficient panel cutting with aplomb – and all this whilst splinter-free on both sides. Say goodbye to time-consuming reworking.

Uncompromising performance

The new TSV 60 K is completely covered by Festool Service, offering you peace of mind for your day-to-day work. This includes repair orders, warranty claims, protection against theft and spare part availability.

The new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function will be available at specialist traders from May 2023.

www.festool.co.uk

The integrated scorer ensures splinter-free cuts on both sides from the very first cut. That way, the cut edges are ready for further work straight away

Scorer unit track and depth adjustment: Precision adjustments of the scoring saw blade for a splinterfree cutting edge

The diamond scoring saw blade guarantees a very long service life and perfect cut quality time and time again

Depending on the application, the scorer can be activated and deactivated as required

Perfect results: Thanks to the guide rails fixed with fastening clamps and the tool-free adjustable guide jaws, the TSV 60 K runs on the guide rail without any play at all

The TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw can also be combined with the FSK cross cutting guide rail, for a portable system enabling quick and accurate cross cuts to be made

Perfect from the very first cut – with the new TSV 60 K plunge-cut saw with scoring function

New colours at Arpa Fenix –Ostermann has the matching edgings in stock

Arpa Industriale’s extremely matt Fenix surfaces have been setting trends in furniture making since they were first brought to market. The Italian design specialist has just extended the range of colours by six extremely matt tones. The matching edgings are available at Ostermann.

Ever since the booming success of the Fenix NTM Bloom Collection we can be sure: new colours from this collection set trends worldwide. You could not find any kitchen on the market in colours such as matt dark green, warm red or corn yellow until recently.

Today, these colours represent exquisite Italian design and have found their way into many board collections. But Arpa Industriale is already one step ahead. Six new colours have just been introduced by the company, for which Ostermann once again has the perfectly matching edgings in stock.

The edgings impress with an extremely matt surface and are available in standard dimensions of 23, 33, 43 and 100 by 1mm. Furniture makers will also find all information on the new edgings by typing in the search term “#Highlights04” on the Ostermann website www.ostermann.eu.

New colours with trend potential

Once again, the new Fenix colours are exceptional, and their extremely matt finish gives them their very own, elegant look. The same is true of the matching edgings, all of which have been sampled by Ostermann with an ‘Excellent Matt’ finish.

The Viola Orissa edging shows a dark purple hue, reminiscent of the intense colour of an aubergine. Just not glossy, but extremely matt. The second shade of red - Rosso Namib - is reminiscent of red sand, brick or clay, and endows furniture with a warm touch. The relatively neutral shade of the edging Giallo Evora can best be described as warm sandcoloured and can - according to the Ostermann experts’ recommendation - be perfectly combined with one of the two previously mentioned shades.

Blue, green, grey - familiar yet new

The three other new Ostermann edgings Blu Shaba, Verde Kitami and Grigio Aragona cover the blue-green and grey colour spectrum. They all have in common a muted appearance with striking grey elements. Blu Shaba is a very calm and dark shade of blue that tends towards grey and also has greenish components. The

green of Verde Kitami is much lighter, very neutral, and less luminous than that of the Verde Brac edging, which has been on the market for a while. An ideal companion for the two edgings – according to the unanimous opinion of Ostermann experts - is the last of the 6 new colours: Grigio Aragona. The shade ranges between grey and brown and is reminiscent of the mineral mud used for health applications.

A tip from Ostermann’s experts

All Ostermann edgings with an ‘Excellent Matt’ surface are shipped with a protective film. To easily remove these from the edgings, use the REDOCOL protective film remover, a useful little tool from the Ostermann range. It has a soft, rubberised layer on the underside, which quickly detaches the film and facilitates its removal.

Another tip: fronts made to measure

In addition to the perfectly matching edgings, the new Fenix surfaces are of course also available from Ostermann as, e.g., ready-made furniture elements. You can design and order them online in the Ostermann configuration tool.

01905 793550 s.parsons@ostermann.eu

In stock at Ostermann: edgings to match the new surfaces of the Bloom Collection by Arpa Fenix NTM

STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL SURFACES

Whether you are a designer or a producer of interior furniture and fittings, floorings, outdoor facades, windows or doors, we have the right finish for you. At Sherwin-Williams we have a coating solution to meet virtually every need. As the leading provider of customized finishing solutions we can offer you the latest industry innovations at the highest quality to add value to your process and your everyday life. If you require a finishing solution, and you want the optimal one for your operations then look no further.

Panelco’s partner reveals clutch of strong contenders

Saviola is the eco-friendly choice that always upholds style; this Italian manufacturer has everything. Panelco has partnered closely with Saviola since 2020, and their passion and enthusiasm for this collection make this most recent update a simple choice.

Back in January, Panelco introduced designs at their Innovation Event, inviting customers to help choose the most popular decors they felt they would benefit from. Working closely with their customers they ensured a seamless update utilising the feedback given.

After months of research, Panelco has introduced 18 new décors to add to the existing collection, making this a strong contender in the design and specification process. Here we see unique textures and designs to enhance the current collection; the Leonardo finish has two contrasting tones of grey and black, creating an air of fantasy and a standout vision, an elaborate authentic wood finish derived from the look used in contemporary architecture. Both tones can easily be used as a focal points in furniture manufacturing to create modern and impactful schemes.

Vetta gives the option of a light or midtoned grain in a slatted intricate wood design inviting you to touch; this ribbed effect is a contemporary take on a striped wood effect. Strips paired with texture create a fascinating piece. The surface is the key to Saviola’s design process, and this certainly does not disappoint.

Saviola’s designs and strong ecoethical stance were well received at Panelco’s January Innovation Event

The more straightforward design with a light or dark tone is the On Track; this finish is plaid-like, structured to enhance a modern look but with the elegance of a classic eucalyptus bark-like appearance. A bold deep textured appearance is a must for interior design.

The natural sensation of stone is a trend that is still popular, and the four Art stone designs chosen were popular with customers at the event—offering a variety of light and dark greys with pops of natural colours to enhance and complement schemes that require a natural look. Blunt, the alternative to its real marble counterpart, is an addition to the already vast selection of marble finishes, displaying a perfect blend of a solid black modern theme with classic white veins to give this décor an elegant look. Traditional oak never goes out of style; we have three Baysen tones to choose from in an updated, natural contemporary look.

Not all designs warrant a deep knotted oak, and these designs are perfect for a more pairedback, calm feel. Synchronised textures are one of the classic Saviola designs; combining a traditional oak with the linear retro design creates Stripped Wood finishes a vintage yet classic overall look. The planked effect with the bold vertical lines in contrasting tones displays a contemporary décor – an opportunity to mix and match the application giving multiple directional pieces a real modern success.

Created with the heart and designed with passion, Saviola, the eco-ethical choice is a perfect partner for Panelco; all 18 designs will be available to order from mid-June, all with a matching 1mm edging along with sample swatches.

To register your interest in a new design swatch, visit the Panelco website and arrange for swatches to be sent.

www.panelco.com

Order samples direct from the Panelco website

Manufactured using state-of-the-art machinery using only the highest quality raw materials

Beautiful and innovative Dutch design

Manufactured with care for people and the environment with FSC Certification

Sinks made from 70% recycled steel

Est. 1976 with over 40 years experience

Six new on-trend uni-colours and two new woodgrains have been added to the Egger Decorative Collection décor range available from Hill’s Panel Products (HPP).

New pastel colours and woodgrains put the Eggerzum range at the cutting edge of design trends

They draw on the emergence of warm pastel tones and multiple colours running alongside each other in kitchens, bedrooms and other living spaces. In response to the latest trend, HPP’s partner manufacturer Egger has introduced a selection called Silent Solid Colours, fully aligned with the shift towards pastel shades, all available to order in 18mm MFC with matching edging.

The new colours are:

• Carat beige - with warm grey tones instead of the harsh yellow tones previously seen, this combines well with black accents to create a warm, light and modern interior.

• Almond beige - a warm tone with a slight reddish tint. It does not appear too colourful and brings with it a subtle colour tone.

• Cubanit grey - a light warm grey, it can be used as a neutral solid colour, creating a harmonious pairing with woodgrains that have grey elements.

• Rusty red – a new colour tone that is intense but not too colourful. The use of grey pigments give this colour a high-quality look that works well in combination with both woodgrain and material decors.

• Misty blue – another new colour tone that is a shade darker than the existing Denim Blue

decor. It works well in combination with light to medium woodgrains.

• Reed green - a natural green shade that does not appear too colourful due to its grey components. Combine it with woods in medium to dark brown natural shades for a natural and elegant look.

Aimee Fletcher, Design Manager at Egger UK, which has been supplying HPP for more than 30 years, says: “Pastel tones have taken on the challenge of replacing cool grey as the base colour and are succeeding so far! Instead of one dominant colour leading the way, we are now seeing multiple colour trends running alongside each other.”

Completing the new selection are two new woodgrains to complement the new colours:

• Brown Cuneo oak

• Bleached Cuneo oak

Dan Mounsey, HPP’s Marketing and Business Development Director, says: “We are an Egger Diamond Distributor, and the only distributor to offer our trade customers the unique service of processing full panel sheets from the entire Egger Decorative Collection into made-tomeasure doors or cut-to-specification orders.”

All the new décors are available using HPP’s Egger Optima service via its dedicated Egger Optima range page on its website: https://www. hpponline.co.uk/egger-optima

Account holders can choose any of the Egger Optima décors and a matching or accented edging tape, input the component sizes and the optimiser will create an instant price and a visual representation of the full sheet of the chosen design to help subscribers get the most for their money.

www.hpponline.co.uk

Attitudes to funding…

At Close Brothers Asset Finance they regularly survey business owners in the sectors we fund, including Manufacturing. Taken from our latest survey, in this piece we focus on attitudes to ‘funding’ (and related topics), finding out, for example, if firms are planning on seeking funding, and if they’re confident about getting access to the loans they need to grow their business.

A key finding is that only half of Manufacturing firms are aware of Asset Finance, meaning a large number still haven’t taken advantage of the many benefits to be gained from leveraging value from their existing assets.

Access to funding

A third of Manufacturing business owners say getting access to funding is a ‘major challenge’ and more difficult now than it was a year ago. A further 56% tell us it’s a ‘moderate challenge’ and as difficult now to access finance as it was a year ago. Only 5% say it’s become easier.

Four in 10 manufacturers admit to having been declined access to finance by a bank in the last six months, but despite the additional challenges, 77% of firms in the sector are planning on seeking funding for investment in 2023, although 63% have delayed their investment decisions because of market uncertainty.

Funding options ranked in order of popularity:

Unfortunately, 47% of respondents to our survey stated they had missed a business opportunity in the last 12 months because of a lack of available finance.

Impact

of energy price rises

The increases in the cost of doing business, compounded by significant energy price rises, has had a major impact on businesses in all sectors, including Manufacturing, leading to 47% of firms in the industry needing to take out finance just to cover higher energy costs.

Two-thirds of business owners disclosed that their energy bills had risen, with a further 59% stating it had impacted their profitability. As a consequence, 91% have implemented various energy-saving measures, including (in order):

1. Switching off lights

2. Lowering the thermostat

3.

4. Insulation

5. Switching providers

Interestingly, 58% of firms polled said they’d consider moving to a four-day week to save on energy costs, which is on par with the UK average of 57%.

Main business concerns

Energy costs top the list of concerns for Manufacturing firms, followed by inflation and higher materials costs – all of which have significantly contributed to the higher cost of doing business.

What are your main business concerns (respondents could tick up to five):

• Energy costs

• Inflation

• Materials supply

• Interest rates

• Tax / VAT

• Cash flow

• Late payments

• Lack of skilled staff

• Competitors

• Managing expansion

• Finding extra working capital

While late payments aren’t the biggest concern for business owners, well over half (59%) of Manufacturing companies admitted that customers taking too long to settle their accounts was an ongoing problem for them.

The main impacts were:

• Late invoice payments make cashflow difficult to manage

• Time spent chasing payments detracting from other tasks

• Significantly impacting their ability to trade (and plan) effectively

Main business priorities

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many firms’ main priorities were split between achieving growth, developing new products and services, and being able to continue to trade.

The encouraging element of the data is that more Manufacturing business owners are focusing on growth than survival.

• Achieving growth 23%

• Developing our products/services 19%

• Survival 18%

• Investing in staff 16%

• Business consolidation 16%

• Paying down debts 9%

Turning off air conditioning

ON THE EDGE

CAMCO ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST SUPPLIERS OF EDGE BANDING MATERIAL IN THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE OVER 3 MILLION METERS IN STOCK MATCHING ALL MAIN BOARD SUPPLIERS AND WE CAN SHIP ON A NEXT DAY BASIS NATIONWIDE.

• SERVING THE WOODWORKING INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS

• ANY WIDTH SPLIT TO ORDER

We have probably the largest selection of veneer edgebanding from stock, here in the picture you see Tom preparing an order of 30,000 meters of 2mm Ash from stock on a next day service to one of our valued customers.

• NO MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITY

• NEXT DAY DELIVERY

Our edgebanding can be slit to any width required in any thickness and all our edgebanding is full FSC certified.

• PERFECT MATCH TO COLOUR AND SHEEN

We can handle large volume orders as well as single rolls, so if you use ABS, PVC, Melamine or Veneer edge banding material why not add value to your supply chain by adding Camco to your preferred list of trusted suppliers?

• COLOUR MATCHING TOOL ON WEBSITE

AMS – the home of the planer moulders, grinders and multi-rip saws

As specialists in supplying and supporting multi-sided planers and moulders for decades to the woodworking industry, it makes sense to contact AMS when you are looking to purchase a new moulder, grinder or multi-rip saw.

Since starting in 2007, AMS has been working to train its apprentices and engineers to become experts with one objective in mind – to cover all customers’ needs, from when they go to the AMS showroom for a demonstration, until they need a new cutterhead or an engineer to service their woodworking machine

The Wadkin heritage at AMS ensures that you will receive the best of advice from their highly experienced sales and service staff. Most of the staff are ex-Wadkin employees and they have been working with planer moulders and grinders all of their careers.

New planer moulders

AMS’ state-of-the-art showroom in Leicestershire houses five models of the Wadkin Bursgreen Planer Moulder range – from four- to six-head models – all of which can be demonstrated using the customers own materials.

Planer moulders are hugely popular in the joinery, Furniture, sawmill and timber merchant sectors. Hardwood and softwood mouldings can be produced with a very high quality of finish at varying feed speeds.

A popular addition to the range is the Easy-Set system which controls the near side and top heads/feed works from a touch screen, reducing set up time and saving money. The heavy-duty cast-iron body of the machine absorbs any vibration and ensures a top-class finish and longer tool life.

Whether it is planed square edge material or a complex joinery profile the Wadkin Bursgreen range of planer moulders will suit your budget and specification.

New profile grinders

Regarding the grinders, Wadkin Bursgreen has added to its range an Auto-Straight knife grinder, a Profile and straight knife combination grinder and a Circular Saw Grinder.

The Wadkin Bursgreen Grinders have been developed with the busy woodworking machinery toolroom in mind and they are ideal for sawmill and timber merchant operations

The new Wadkin Bursgreen automatic straight knife grinder is the perfect replacement for the old Wadkin NZ machine.

Bespoke demonstrations can be organised for the customer to see his or her own products being produced and cutters ground from scratch.

New multi-rip saws – fastrack

Wadkin Bursgreen has added a Fastrack Multi-Rip saw with movables saw blades to its range of multi-rip saws. They have it on display in their Leicestershire showroom, ready for demonstrations.

The range of Wadkin Bursgreen Multi-Rip saws provide a perfect balance between accuracy and efficiency. The WB 120/150 Multi-Rip saws

are ideal for Softwood or Hardwoods and they have a precision saw arbor for clean and smooth cutting.

AMS has also developed, along with the manufacturer, special training courses to enable its engineers and its customers to use the machines confidently and speed up the setting process. AMS has spare parts and tooling available for all the machines that it sells –because the most important part of the sale for AMS is to take care its customers after the purchase.

0844 844 9949 sales@advancedmachinery.co.uk

Oil could rise to $100 US per barrel by summer 2023

The government energy price subsidy ended in April this year but an extension was announced by the Chancellor for a further three months. This is for domestic users only.

So, what is happening with industrial users? The UK woodworking industry relies heavily on electricity for powering machines to process wood and wood-based products.

The government has announced further support via the (EBDS) scheme. Energy Bills Discount Scheme.

So how can the UK woodworking industry help itself? The answer is to maximise the use of your woodwaste that is produced every day within your manufacturing facility.

Chris Franklin, MD at Ranheat Engineering, a leading UK manufacturer of wood combustion equipment-continues his series of articles exclusively for Furniture and Joinery Production. This issue he looks at how to make the most of your wood-waste and get the maximum amount of efficiency from your wood burning equipment. Wood and wood based raw materials such as chipboard and MDF are seeing price increases like never before, the manufacture of man made boards is energy

intensive as well as needing raw timber to process in the first place. Modern nesting programmes reduce the amount of waste from CNC machinery but eventually you get down to an off-cut that has to be disposed of. Now think of that off-cut as a valuable fuel along with the extracted sawdust from the CNC machine. A perfect dry wood fuel.

Ranheat’s next step is to produce an efficient boiler or heater system with a very high efficiency, to maximise the energy extracted from the wood fuel. (Let’s stop calling it waste as it’s now fuel!)

The key to boiler efficiency is surface area, the photo below shows a typical Ranheat boiler with 72 tubes, (36 in each pass) this means that all of the flue gasses pass along the entire length of the tubes twice. The bigger the surface area the lower the flue temperature and the higher the boiler efficiency. Full output is obtained at 180°C flue temperature – this means more of the energy goes into the output of the boiler.

For information on high efficiency boilers and heaters contact Ranheat Engineering.

01604 750005

sales@ranheat.com

www.ranheat.com

Ranheat three-pass wet back, high efficiency boiler

The less efficient heat exchanger shown below the flue gasses only pass along once and contains 48 tubes.

Other manufacturers use two pass dry back boiler heat exchangers

Ranheat employ a large number of heat exchanger tubes in their warm air heaters, not just boilers.

Four-pass Warm air heat exchanger gives high efficiency and low flue temperatures – extracting more of the heat from the fuel.

Did you know that it is a legal requirement to assess and maintain the Racking systems on your site?

As Full members of SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association), Stakapal highlight your legal obligations.

With over 55 years of manufacturing expertise behind them Stakapal play a very proactive role in the ongoing development of standards for the UK’s storage industry. Having witnessed countless examples of racking damage and collapse invariably due to negligence, they advise companies how to ensure that their equipment remains safe and fit for purpose as per current HSG76 guidance.

PUWER

All storage equipment is classed as work equipment that must be regularly monitored under PUWER (Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998). Inspectors and officers from local authorities make it a priority to investigate any business that appears to be failing to manage its health and safety obligations. Having an on-site rack maintenance programme in place should therefore be at the top of your health and safety agenda.

The racking in your warehouse could last for many years if correctly maintained, however in reality the majority of systems are subjected to a great deal of ‘wear and tear’ on a daily basis. All staff operating in and around storage areas therefore need to be ‘safety aware’ and committed to identifying and reporting any damage to a nominated member of your team.

What’s a PRRS?

The HSE’s current document HSG76 Health and Safety Guidance (Warehousing and Storage) recommends that companies appoint a specific Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). This person should have received Rack Safety Awareness training and be able to implement preventative measures that will keep the risk of a serious incident down to a minimum.

What training is available?

There are a range of Rack Awareness courses available to your business such as the Cantilever Racking and Pallet Racking awareness courses available from SEMA.Their courses cover the safe operation of racking systems, performing regular in-house inspections and damage identification along with guidance in terms of load notice data.Investing in this type of training guarantees that employees will become proficient in spotting any potential issues and able to act accordingly.

Use genuine spares and qualified installers

The ongoing maintenance and repair of your systems is just as critical as the initial installation process and it’s essential that any work required is performed by qualified installers using genuine spares. Employing unqualified installers using third-party spares could ultimately affect the original specification and verification of your systems, rendering any company warranties as null and void.

The full range of systems that are manufactured by Stakapal, are installed by the company’s own in-house SEIRS (Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) registered installation teams. This means that their customers can be safe in the knowledge that their racking has been installed by experienced personnel. The company strongly advises that when you are selecting a racking supplier that you also establish the level of expertise of their installers and the codes of practice they are working to.

Why do you need an annual Racking Inspection?

Once you have a regular maintenance programme in place and a PRRS, it is essential that your systems are thoroughly inspected on an annual basis. A trained inspector is highly skilled in identifying damage issues that could potentially lead to a serious incident in the future and will provide a comprehensive report detailing any required action.

HSG76 guidance recommends that expert inspections are therefore undertaken as follows:

– 646 A technically competent person should carry out inspections at intervals of not more than 12 months. A written report should be submitted to your PRRS (Person Responsible for Racking Safety) with observations and proposals for any required action.

– 647 A technically competent person might be a trained individual within the organisation, a specialist from your Racking supplier or an independent qualified Rack Inspector.

Investing in an annual inspection by qualified Racking Inspectors such as those listed on the SEMA website can only contribute towards ensuring your operation continues to run smoothly. An accident in the workplace attracts a lot of media attention and could ultimately affect the reputation of a business. With tougher Health & Safety laws and regulations now in place, harsh penalties are now being imposed on companies attempting to flout the law.

Stakapal’s SARI Racking Inspections

Following the installation of their racking and as part of their ongoing support services Stakapal offer all of their customers the opportunity to book an annual Racking Inspection. These are performed by one of their in-house SARI’s (SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors) who satisfy the Health & Safety Executives criteria of a technically competent person as per HSG76 guidance.

A SARI utilises a traffic light reporting system with a Red Risk category requiring immediate offloading and rendered unserviceable. An Amber Risk will require repairs to be actioned within a four-week period or they will be elevated to Red Risk. A Green category requires regular monitoring to ensure damage levels do not deteriorate.

Upon completion their SARI supplies a detailed report highlighting where any repair work is considered necessary and provide a quotation for the work.

As full members of SEMA Stakapal design, manufacture and install a comprehensive range of cantilever racking and pallet racking as well as a full range of warehouse racking systems. Their in-house design and project teams provide a concept to completion service as well as annual Racking Inspections that are undertaken by their own SARI Inspectors. www.stakapal.co.uk

SARI Racking Inspections

Meler Lab: the laboratory where the magic happens

Meler, the respected gluing solutions partner, provides customers with its new test laboratories. Equipped with the latest technology for the application of hot melt adhesives, they will allow real simulations of each project to be carried out before it is put into operation on the production line.

Meler, a company dedicated for over 40 years to the application of industrial adhesives across a multitude of sectors, opens the doors of the nerve centre of its innovation: its R&D&I laboratories where feasibility and prototyping tests are carried out. Meler’s objective is to improve the efficiency of adhesive processes and, to achieve this, it is essential to have indepth knowledge of the characteristics of each application in a real working environment.

How is this achieved?

On the one hand, Meler offers its ‘gluing knowledge’ experience and its ‘gluing tech’ (Meler’s range of products) and on the other, the manufacturer presents the production challenges faced by its business. Explaining the project, person to person, is essential to be able to offer the right adhesive solution.

“Communication with the customer is essential from the very beginning, but when you have good technical assets and multiple equipment, it is easy to replicate the working conditions of the customers,” says Mikel Zubiri, Test Lab Engineer. “We have a robotic cell, a lamination roll, a test bench and two winders that allow us to do lamination tests with heads of up to 2,000mm. And, of course, complying with all the safety requirements for these tests.”

New production challenges

In an increasingly competitive industrial context, many of the projects carried out in the Meler Lab have involved changes from conventional EVA adhesives to reactive PUR adhesives. Alberto Martínez, Meler’s Product Manager specialising in the wood sector, points out that furniture manufacturing is inevitably tending towards the use of structural adhesives with greater resistance to humidity.

According to Alberto, this is the only way to offer a long-lasting product, and he cites an example: “We recently collaborated with a manufacturer who wanted to test a robotised solution for the application of PUR adhesives on their products. The investment cost was holding them back. Our robotic cell served as a pilot for the customer, who followed the process closely and the excellent results encouraged them to make the investment to replicate the same process on their manufacturing line.”

A safe and confidential working environment

For Meler, a company with an intensive knowledge of adhesive applications, it is necessary to collaborate with companies and manufacturers to improve the adhesive application business together.

And to do so, the confidentiality of each working method must be respected. Meler is committed to building relationships of trust in which all procedures, simulations and documentation remain confidential. Each project that enters Meler Lab does so with a specialised technical team, authorised and trained to work in these circumstances.

Investment in innovation represents an important part of Meler’s strategy which, together with its vocation for service, offers manufacturers the opportunity to face, in the best possible conditions, the new challenges imposed by the industry.

Company saves money on waste disposal costs and gas bills, plus gets payback on wood waste heater in just four months

A bathroom manufacturer has purchased a new wood waste heater from Wood Waste Technology to save money on waste disposal and heating. Mereway Bathrooms is an award winning West Midlands manufacturer which produces high quality, bespoke bathroom furniture that is supplied to an extensive network of nationwide independent retail outlets.

Driven by the rising cost of heating the factory by gas, the management team looked around for alternative sources of heating. With abundant off cuts of MFC and MDF, they came to the decision to contact Wood Waste Technology with the view of installing a burner for the winter period. Michelle Nokes explains: “The factory for Mereway Bathrooms is in a 1940s building, with poor insulation and roller-shutter doors that let in the cold air every time they open! Originally, the factory was heated by three ceiling-suspended gas heaters, but the looming energy crisis demanded an urgent review as to how much these would continue to cost the business, so we contacted Kurt Cockroft, MD at Wood Waste Technology for a site survey and quote.”

Following the quote, Mereway Bathrooms purchased a WT15, that was installed by Wood Waste Technology’s experienced engineers last winter. The business has already noticed some massive savings and benefits. For example, the wood waste heater managed to payback in only 4 months when taking into consideration the gas and skip costs!

By burning all the wood offcuts generated from the factory, plus any packaging and cardboard waste items, the company has reduced its skip hire usage from three large skips a month to just one.

In addition, the business has been able to completely switch off its gas supply, as it no longer needs to use the gas heaters to keep the factory warm, which in turn has saved many thousands of pounds a year.

Michelle continues: “We’re delighted with our wood waste heater. Wood Waste Technology delivers everything it promises, including great heaters and fantastic customer service. We originally chose Wood Waste Technology because we liked the fact that it’s a UK manufacturer, like ourselves, but also because of the benefits that provides us, such as the quick availability for any parts and servicing. Wood Waste Technology also managed to supply our WT15 very promptly, to save us having to spend more on gas than we needed to. They’re a great

team to work with, and we’d have no hesitation recommending the company to others who manufacture items from wood.”

Kurt Cockroft says: “We’re delighted to have been able to help Mereway Bathrooms, and we’re always happy to hear about beneficial cost-savings, and payback on investment in less than 12 months.”

Wood Waste Technology’s years of expertise in wood waste solutions have helped many companies reduce their waste disposal and heating costs. As well as offering site survey, design, manufacture, installation and on-going

maintenance for new units, the company also services all types of wood waste heaters and supplies genuine spares up to 60% cheaper than other suppliers.

In addition, Wood Waste Technology is the UK official distributor for Gross Apparatebau GmbH, a German manufacturer of dependable, precision engineered shredders and briquetters, available in various size and specifications to suit all business applications.

01785 250400