Furniture & Joinery Production #342

Issue 342 | August 2022 www.furnitureproduction.net

...it’s an open and shut case!

W W W . E C O G A T E . C O . U K

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR John Legg Tel: 01424 834973 john@media66.net EDITOR Gemma Lochhead gemma@media66.net ADVERTISING MANAGER Lisa Williams Tel: 01424 834829 lisa@media66.net PRODUCTION James Ash studio@media66.net DIGITAL CONTENT Nyall McCurrach digital@media66.net COPY ADMINISTRATION & DATA Steve Merrick Tel: 01424 776108 production@media66.net ACCOUNTS Wendy Williams accounts@media66.net SUBSCRIPTIONS UK-free with sign up Europe-£85 RoW-£95 lisa@media66.net REPRO, PRINT and DISTRIBUTION Stephens & George

Comment Welcome to our August issue, which we hope will bring a dose of optimism amidst an increasingly turbulent economic backdrop.

Buoyed by a worthwhile visit to HOLZ-HANDWERK earlier this month, catching up with industry colleagues and enjoying all the show had to offer, the F&JP team is very much looking forward to continuing its tour with WoodTech in Turkey and Xylexpo in Italy this October.

Much closer to home, plans for our own October event, The Furniture & Joinery Conference, are really hotting up. A call for entries to our fleet of industry awards will soon be posted; delegates are registering for their place; panellists are being confirmed and our newly-updated website and dedicated newsletters will be keeping everyone abreast of developments and opportunities to get involved. We’re all very excited to make this event as engaging and value-driven for our guests and partners as it can possibly be.

Within the issue itself, there is abundant evidence of individuals and businesses working to circumnavigate and supersede the challenging climate we find ourselves in. On page 28, for example, Scott Williams, national sales manager at REHAU, and Michael Sawyer, MD of Decorative Panels Laminations, shed further light on the brands’ new partnership.

On page 32, we explore the manifold benefits of an Ecogate® system in delivering cost savings, while our dedicated edgebanding; software; and joinery, window and door production features include a plethora of innovative and performance-enhancing products.

All that remains for me to say is that it’s been such a pleasure to delve back into the world

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of Furniture & Joinery Production as Editor these past months – thank you for the warm welcome. I’m going to be taking a hiatus to welcome a new baby to our family, but look forward to rejoining the team soon.

Hope you enjoy the issue!

Gemma Lochhead, Editor

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Contents 10 News 22 Events 28 Insight 32 Installations 28

38 Edgebanding materials & technology 50 Joinery, window & door production 56 Software 62 Products 78 Finished products 82 Classifieds

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10 NEWS

Interprint GmbH expands management team Interprint GmbH, Arnsberg, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of decorative surfaces for the wood-based materials, furniture and flooring industries, is expanding its management team.

In addition to Hideo Yoshikawa (CEO), Jens Bauer (CFO), Robert Bierfreund (COO) and Holger Dzeia (CSO), Stephan Igel will strengthen Interprint GmbH as Managing Director from 1st July 2022.

Also acting as CBDO (Chief Business Development Officer), he will assume overall responsibility for the regional and product-related

expansion of business activities as well as product management within the international organisation.

Stephan Igel is an internationally experienced manager and a proven expert in the decor industry. After studying business administration, he held various responsible management positions over a period of almost 30 years in the Felix Schoeller Group – one of the world’s largest manufacturers of photographic paper and decor paper. www.interprint.com

Fierce competition and record fundraising at Tim Bloyce Cup The Furniture Makers’ Company’s annual charity five-a-side football tournament returned in spectacular fashion in July, following a three-year hiatus, sporting a new look and identity, with furnishing businesses battling it out to raise the inaugural ‘Tim Bloyce Cup’.

The one-day competition, which was sponsored by Ocee Design, took place at the Lucozade Powerleague Football Centre,

Coventry, on Sunday 3rd July 2022.

Now in its eighth year, the tournament was renamed the Tim Bloyce Cup in 2022 to honour Tim Bloyce, a life-long football fan and employee of Ocee Design, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2021.

The event was on par with the biggest ever held, as 15 teams from furnishing retailers, manufacturers, distributors and service providers,

including Celtheath, the Furniture and Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO), Hafele, Headlam, Hypnos, JPA Workspaces, Lee Longlands, Ocee Design and Whitemeadow, were all competing to topple returning champions Axminster Tools.

At the end of the group stage, the top eight teams progressed to the main competition’s knockout stage, while the top four teams

from the bottom seven competed for the silver plate. After an hour of play, Ocee United and FC Hypnos had beaten off the rest of the competition to claim their spots in the final. Both teams gave everything they had in a hard-fought final but when the final whistle was blown, Ocee United was victorious 5:4. The tournament raised a record £6,518 for the charity. www.furnituremakers.org.uk

NEWS 11

Castelan Group joins The Furniture Makers’ Company Castelan Group, one of the largest providers of care and protection products and services to the furniture industry, has joined The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity to the furnishing industry, as a corporate member.

Based in the South West, Castelan Group offers national coverage through its Furniture Care Network of skilled technicians, providing a consistent service throughout the UK. The company provides and administers fully insured and compliant protection plans, first year liability and ‘in guarantee’ inspections and repairs, plus a range of products to maintain and protect furniture.

personally welcomed by the Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company during an admission ceremony.

Its ‘Commercial Services’ division delivers sector leading support and maintenance to the leisure, hotel and restaurant industry.

Castelan Group will be formally welcomed as a corporate member

on Thursday 6th October 2022 at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London. Ian Annand, chairman; Martin Napper, chief executive officer; and Stuart Armstrong, finance director, will be admitted as corporate liverymen and

“Castelan Group are delighted to be admitted as a corporate member of The Furniture Makers’ Company,” says Martin Napper, chief executive officer at Castelan Group.

“While not a manufacturer or retailer of furniture, we have long been part of the furniture industry providing insured warranty schemes and repair and care services. Being members is a great fit for us as we have enormous experience, and data, around product performance and quality and so feel we can contribute in those areas."

Allan Brothers awarded ‘Certificate of Quality’ Allan Brothers, reputedly the UK’s oldest wood windows and doors manufacturer, has been awarded membership of the Guild of Master Craftsmen in recognition of its excellence in timber craftsmanship.

To receive the prestigious ‘Certificate of Quality and Service’, qualifying companies undergo rigorous assessment to prove that they have earned the right to be called ‘master craftsmen’

NürnbergMesse expands its woodworking portfolio VietnamWood, a leading SouthEast Asia trade fair for the primary and secondary woodworking and wood processing industry, is being sponsored and supported by NürnbergMesse with immediate effect.

The organiser, Chan Chao International Co., Ltd., and NürnbergMesse announced the agreement at HOLZ-HANDWERK 2022 in Nuremberg, with their first project together set to be VietnamWood 2022.

“With our trade fairs in Germany, India and now Vietnam, our customers have access to the leading platforms in the key

markets for woodworking and wood processing,” says Petra Wolf, Member of the Management Board, NürnbergMesse. “VietnamWood is a top-level trade fair in the South-East Asian market, and it offers us major potential for growth in our existing woodworking events network.”

Following a break in 2021 due to Covid-19, the 14th edition of VietnamWood will take place at the SECC-Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City from 18th - 21st October 2022.

The series will then resume its normal schedule in the autumn of 2023. www.nuernbergmesse.de/en

through the quality of their work, the service they provide and their high standards of customer care.

“We are delighted to receive the Guild’s ‘Certificate of Quality and Service’, which is recognised throughout the industry as a badge of modern-day excellence with values of professionalism and integrity that very much align with our own,” says Morten Bach Valsted, Managing Director of Allan Brothers. www.allanbrothers.co.uk

12 NEWS

Furniture industry shifts focus towards sustainability The UK’s furniture industry is prioritising environmental issues – but many are struggling with the complexities and need more support.

In a survey of the industry conducted by the British Furniture Confederation, two thirds of respondents stated that sustainability was a top three management priority – but for a third it was not. Just over half – 55% – thought the industry was doing OK on sustainability – while 21% thought it was not.

Costs, other challenges, customer demand, competition, government, management or simply not knowing where to start were all stated as reasons holding companies back from doing more yet, with 62% saying they needed more help – in the form of more collaboration, guidance, financial

support and even consistency of approach. 92% wanted trade associations to provide more leadership and support.

Some of the more detailed findings were revealing. 44% of respondents are accredited to

ISO 14001 – but 46% are not and 10% did not know about the standard. Even fewer were aware of the industry’s own sustainability scheme – FISP, the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme – launched over 10 years ago. 23%

had not heard of FISP; 39% had joined or were considering joining FISP, while 38% were not.

Companies are already quite active on the waste front, nevertheless – with 80% already measuring in house waste and 97% recycling waste. 58% had set reduction targets but only 73% know the end destinations of their recycled waste. 73% are having their packaging collected for recycling, while 82% are purchasing packaging with recycled content – no doubt driven by the requirements of the new packaging taxes.

“It’s evident from the results that those who participated in our survey are already actively engaged in a sustainability agenda – but a lot more needs to be done,” says BFC chair, Jonathan Hindle. “For far too many companies, it is obviously still a low priority.”

Industry conference to inform HR professionals on welfare support The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, is inviting human resource professionals working in the trade to a free one-day conference this September to learn about the charity’s welfare support and how it can benefit the lives of employees who might be struggling due to the cost of living crisis.

The ‘Welfare Matters’ conference is taking place on Wednesday 28th September (10am – 3pm) at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London. The conference is specifically targeted at HR professionals or anyone in a furnishing business that oversees people management.

Delegates will learn about the charity, the various grants it can offer people, the communication tools available to disseminate information and much more.

The charity also plans to launch a new free service that will support workers struggling with mental health issues. In addition, the conference will provide HR professionals with an opportunity to network with peer equivalents at

other businesses during lunch.

“The cost of living crisis continues to deepen and with inflation at its highest level for 40 years and energy bills set to rise in October, an increasing number of families around the country will be feeling the pinch and worrying about their finances,” says Jonny Westbrooke, CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company.

“As the charity for the furnishing industry, we have been supporting the welfare of people working in

the trade since 1903. We help furnishing industry people by providing financial grants and practical, useful advice.

“Traditionally, human resource departments have helped communicate our message to employees at their company who they know to be struggling. We want to connect with as many HR professionals in the industry as possible, and the Welfare Matters conference will be an opportunity to bring them together so they can

learn about the charity and ask questions about the service.

“Delegates who attend the conference will also be the first to learn about a new free mental health support service that we’ll be launching in the autumn.”

Register free now: https://bit.ly/ WelfareMatters2022 Alternatively, HR professionals can sign up for more information about the charity’s welfare support here: https://bit.ly/ WelfareInformation

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14 NEWS

Armac Martin champions employees for International Women in Engineering Day Armac Martin celebrated the expertise of its female employees on International Women in Engineering Day. With manufacturing remaining a typically male-dominated industry, with just 11% of the UK manufacturing workforce made up of women, Armac Martin is proud to employ 36 women across all departments, making up 32% of

employees.

Armac Martin recognises the importance of shining the spotlight on women within the industry, inspiring and paving the path for future generations to consider careers in both manufacturing and engineering.

“At Armac Martin we recognise the challenges women face when entering the manufacturing

industry, and work to make manufacturing an accessible and equal sector for all,” comments Richard McGrail, Commercial Director at Armac Martin.

“We aim to increase our percentage of employees who are women within the business and encourage them to inspire future generations to get involved in the manufacturing sector.”

Firm prices and steady imports in early Q2, reports TDUK Steady demand and increasing operational costs ensured that timber prices and import volumes remained firm in April 2022, according to the latest TDUK statistics.

Softwood witnessed a strong start to Q2, with volumes reaching 608,000m3 in April 2022. Despite being 18% lower than the record import level seen in April 2021, this is one of the highest totals in the last five years.

Hardwood imports have been strong, with 2022 January to April totals 19% higher than the corresponding period in 2021.

Steady demand was also seen for plywood, particleboard and OSB sectors in April.

Despite the significant price pressures seen in 2021 largely abating, trade disruptions from rising interest rates, logistics and freight, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have kept the price

situation tight in early Q2 2022.

“According to the CPA’s latest forecast, the private housing and RM&I sectors are likely to slow considerably in the coming months as the cost-of-living crisis begins to bite,” says TDUK Head of Technical and Trade, Nick Boulton.

“This will disrupt the steady timber import patterns seen so far in 2022, with demand for softwood, in particular, likely to slow in Q3 and Q4. “Despite slowing demand,

continued price pressure is to be expected as high-interest rates, inflation and logistical costs continue as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The impacts of the RussiaUkraine conflict will also become apparent in the coming months as the market feels the impact of UK and EU sanctions. This will be seen in the hardwood plywood sector as imports of birch plywood from Russia begin to cease."

16 NEWS

BSW crowned Jewson’s Supplier of the Year BSW Timber has landed several industry awards, as the UK sawmiller goes from strength to strength.

After scooping two awards at the Jewson 2021 Supplier Conference & Dinner in Birmingham, BSW Timber followed up with another trophy at the Wood Protection Association (WPA) 2022 Awards and Conference.

At Jewson’s belated awards – cancelled in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic – BSW Timber scooped gongs for ‘Best Overall Supplier of the Year’ and ‘Best Sales Support of the Year.’

“We are honoured to receive these

awards which we feel reflect the efforts of the entire BSW sales and operations teams as we’ve strived to support Jewson in their sales growth strategy,” says Neil Horton, sales director for national accounts.

“We worked collaboratively with the category team to react to the unprecedented demand throughout the pandemic to ensure branches received the support they needed.”

At the WPA Awards, held at the Windmill Hotel, Coventry, BSW Group Marketing Manager James Brennan collected the Trader of the Year Award on behalf of BSW Timber. The recognition was a just

reward for BSW’s “outstanding customer service, marketing initiatives and good trading practice”.

It is the third year running that BSW Timber has collected a WPA award, having claimed the Treated Wood Campaign Award last year, and the Innovation Award for IRO Timber in 2020. www.bsw.co.uk

Blum posts 2.6 billion in turnover at year-end Fittings specialist, Blum, has recorded an 11.6% increase in turnover for the 2021/2022 financial year ending 30th June 2022, representing a growth in turnover of 266 million euros on the previous year.

“Consumers were again drawn to the homing and home improvement trend which remained strong during the last year,” says Philipp Blum, MD of Julius Blum GmbH. “The demand for fittings has stabilised at a high level.

“The last business year has again proved to be a challenge due to the ongoing COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine. This makes the 11.2% increase in turnover all the more pleasing.

“This year’s increase in turnover is partly due to a growth in sales volume and partly due to the price adjustments we had to make because of the dramatic rise in

costs.”

The family-owned business also added 644 employees to its headcount last year, taking staff numbers worldwide to more than 9,422. 6,981 of these employees are based in Austria.

Blum has invested a total of 224 million euros in its main production facilities, specifically in its plants in Bregenz, Hoechst und Gaissau.

“This is where we develop our products and production methods,

where we create most of the added value,” explains MD, Martin Blum.

“To overcome global supply chain challenges and reduce our ecological footprint, we will expand our global production network – in Europe and internationally,” he continues.

Another major milestone is the completion of a new plant in Shanghai. First production lines have been put into operation and Blum has been assembling hinges

for the local market since early April. The manufacturer of fittings will also have additional production space at its disposal at its Polish subsidiary from 2023.

In the past financial year, investments worldwide totalled 339 million euros. For Martin Blum, one of the most important investments is in the training of skilled professionals.

“Our programme of vocational training and ongoing education is designed to stem the shortage of skilled workers," he says. "We train 400 apprentices worldwide, 363 of whom in Vorarlberg.

"We’ve pulled together and come through despite another challenging year which put enormous pressure on our organisation. That wouldn’t have been possible without our extraordinary team.” www.blum.com

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18 NEWS

Industry raises £30k for charity at annual Big Shots event The industry came out in force in July for Big Shots, the annual clay pigeon shoot organised in aid of The Furniture Makers’ Company, raising £30,000 for the charity.

The fundraiser, which is supported by Furniture Village, took place on Wednesday 6th July and was held at Holland & Holland in Northwood, Middlesex, one of the UK’s premier shooting destinations.

Around 140 industry colleagues from companies including Blum,

Burbidge Kitchens, Castelan Group, Crofts & Assinder, Harrison Spinks, Hypnos, Furniture Village, Ocee Design, Panaz, TMJ Interiors and Whitemeadow were in attendance, making up 34 teams.

After breakfast, Jonny Westbrooke, CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company, welcomed guests before Tony Attard OBE DL, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, signalled the start of the 100-bird competition by firing Holland & Holland’s antique cannon. Each team then leisurely made their way round eight stands, set in the estate’s 60 acres of picturesque open countryside.

Once the final clays were shot, guests were able to relax and chat during the lunchtime drinks reception before sitting down to a hearty three-course meal in the club house.

The fun-packed day finished with a charity auction and raffle, followed by the results of the shooting competition, with the

awards being presented by Dr Ranj, television personality and Furniture Village sleep ambassador.

“As always, Big Shots demonstrated why it’s such a popular event with so many in the industry,” says Jonny Westbrooke, CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company. “It was wonderful to welcome new and returning faces to the event, where they got to enjoy the first-class shooting grounds and then network with their fellow guests."

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20 NEWS

JJ Smith & Co announces key staff changes Martin Smith, managing director at JJ Smith & Co has announced that he will be stepping down from his role. Also signalling his phased retirement from the company is sales director, John Stanley.

Martin and John, both born on 23rd August 1957, are third generation family members that have worked for the company for 39 and 46 years respectively.

Martin Smith joined the company as the company accountant in August 1983. On arrival, he introduced the first computer to the business, which had up to that point prepared its accounts in manual ledgers.

In the 1990s, he was appointed as MD and was responsible for a period of controlled expansion, underpinned by increasingly sound finances. In the late 1990s, Martin was able to spend less time on the management of the company and moved into sales, whilst retaining his role as MD. He used his accounting knowledge to see that an opportunity existed for the justification of optimising crosscuts, in particular to increase both productivity and yield to

John Stanley

make this equipment financially beneficial for customers. This led to the company becoming a market leader in such machines – a position it has retained for many years.

Around 2000, he was responsible for the company’s move into the offsite construction industry, which culminated in the setting up of a joint venture Modular Building Automation bv. This market segment is now the largest of the areas the company is active in.

John Stanley’s journey, meanwhile, started in 1976 with an initial role training in the tooling and spare parts departments, mainly to gain knowledge of machinery operation for the joinery and furniture industries. In 1977, the company was appointed exclusive UK importer for SCM machines manufactured in Italy and he was appointed sales manager for all the equipment. After spending two months in Italy training on the SCM machines, the wide range became a huge seller over the coming years and the company’s turnover rose exponentially with sales of classical machinery and more specialised

Martin Smith with his daughter, Dr Rachael Baker

edge-banders, beam saws, moulders and CNC routers.

Additional equipment from other major worldwide manufacturers was added over the next five years and became a mainstay for the company’s continued growth to this day.

John was appointed sales director in 1986, making him responsible for the purchasing and selling of all used machinery for the company. This led to worldwide travel, visiting customers and attending global exhibitions.

During the early 90s he negotiated and completed the largest order in the company’s history at the time – the supply and installation of a complete furniture factory to Sytvytkar in Russia which took JJ Smith technicians five months to install and commission.

On stepping down from a fulltime role in September this year, John will remain in the business assisting the next generation of the family (his son, Ian, being one) in the run-up to the company centenary celebrations in 2023.

Whilst stepping down from the day-to-day management of the business and retiring from the

position of MD, Martin will also still be involved part time in the business, maintaining an oversight role for the larger offsite projects.

As a third-generation family member, he has been keen to retain the business within family ownership and has sought to promote suitably qualified family members over the years. He is pleased that his daughter, Dr Rachael Baker, is able to take over as MD. As a fitting gift to a keen beekeeper (and past president of the British Beekeeping Association) Martin was presented with beekeeping equipment produced by one of JJ Smith’s customers, EH Thorne (Beehives) Ltd. “On behalf of everyone at JJ Smith we are incredibly grateful for the phenomenal dedication to the company that Martin and John have shown over the past 4 decades,” says Rachael. “Through their careful and courageous leadership JJ Smith has grown into an internationally recognised business and I am honoured to be part of the team that aims to continue that work into the future.” www.jjsmith.co.uk

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22

Events

Delegate applications, call for entries and voting forms are available online now

A conference and awards event designed for furniture and joinery manufacturers The much-anticipated one-day annual Conference will take place on October 27th at the VOX Conference Centre at Resorts World Birmingham and will feature panel discussions, awards and plenty of networking time to mix with your colleagues and peers.

The first-of-its-kind gathering of CEOs, MDs and senior operational staff at UK furniture and joinery manufacturing business is an annual, free-to-attend, one-day Conference and Awards for UK designed for furniture and joinery manufacturers being held at the impressive Vox facility at Resorts World Birmingham, part of the National Exhibition Centre complex.

So why now? The industry has been enjoying strong demand over the last few years, yet manufacturers are wrestling with a range of challenging issues – the Furniture & Joinery Conference will provide an independent platform to come together and debate, celebrate, network and learn.

The day comprises four panel discussions alongside six awards and the schedule is punctuated with ample time for networking before, during and after the Conference.

Registration and a light breakfast opens at 8.30am and the Conference begins promptly at 9.30am. The Conference concludes at 4pm and delegates are welcome to continue their discussions until The Vox closes at 6pm.

There is also an invitation-only Reception being held at The Apartment, Resorts World Birmingham from 4-7pm on the eve of the Conference.

reduce your carbon footprint, ultimately becoming a carbon neutral business, or better?

Creating advantages with technology and materials The panel discusses some of the latest techniques, technology and materials designed to help furniture and joinery manufacturers be more efficient and ultimately create better products for their customers.

Perhaps you feel motivated to join one of the panel discussions? An application form is on the website.

Panel discussions The Conference comprises four 45-minute panel discussions: Striking the right balance Education, training and the skills gap, along with the equality, diversity and inclusion issue, are significant challenges facing the furniture and joinery industry. What are we doing to engage communities from all backgrounds, and how will we attract and nurture the next generation for our industry?

Getting to market With logistics and supply chains under pressure and the customers’ demand for shorter lead times, we discuss what can be done to minimise delays, and also what sourcing options are open to manufacturers, including trade shows, open house events, traditional and social media.

Creating a sustainable business How do furniture and joinery manufacturers better navigate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable manufacturing and the circular economy. What are the actions needed to

Awards The Conference also includes a compact set of Awards interspersed throughout the day: Young Furniture & Joinery Designer-Makers Celebrating ‘Six of the Best’ talented under 30-year-olds Machinery Supplier of the year The year’s best machinery and/or equipment supplier Materials Supplier of the year The year’s best materials and components supplier Furniture Manufacturer of the year The year’s best furniture manufacturer Joinery Manufacturer of the year The year’s best joinery manufacturer Outstanding Contribution Award Recognising an individual whose commitment to the industry will be celebrated We encourage all quarters of the industry to cast their votes: you can even nominate your own business! Voting entry forms are available on the website.

CEOs, MDs and senior operational staff at UK furniture and joinery manufacturing business are invited to regsiter via the Conference website link … www.fjconference.com or via direct email … delegate@fjconference.com

DEBATE | CELEBRATE | NETWORK | LEARN 2022 CONFERENCE AWARDS

THE VOX AT RESORTS WORLD BIRMINGHAM

27th October, 2022 The platform for our industry leaders to debate key issues, to network and to access the latest trade intelligence.

Apply for your delegate ticket now

www.fjconference.com HEADLINE SPONSOR

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

24 EVENTS

VOLLMER organises successful VCampus training event The inaugural VCampus training event for trainees from the cutting tool industry took place from 22nd-24th June 2022. The VCampus was organised by sharpening specialist, VOLLMER, which, via the Sieglinde Vollmer Foundation, is dedicated to the development of young people.

Approximately 100 trainees – currently completing technical, industrial or commercial training in the tool industry – were on-site at the company’s Biberach headquarters to gain motivation, inspiration and knowledge through practical workshops on industry-specific topics.

The young learners had the opportunity to form extensive networks in a relaxed atmosphere, as well as to participate in workshops and exchange opportunities on the topics of training, marketing for training or Learning 4.0.

A lack of skilled personnel, academisation and the war for talent are all topics that concern the tool industry across the world, and it was

against this backdrop that VOLLMER set up the VCampus training event. Via the Sieglinde Vollmer Foundation, VOLLMER champions the development of young people, particularly those interested and engaged in the so-called STEM subjects.

“The more than 100 years of experience that VOLLMER has collected in vocational training was poured into the training event,” comments Jürgen Hauger, CEO of the VOLLMER Group.

“Concerning our Sieglinde Vollmer Foundation, we want to further strengthen our future and expect to hold the VCampus event again in two years.” www.vollmer-group.com

Experts iN vertical panel sawing

precisely for you.

■Models to suit all panel sizes

■cutting depth from 55mm to 150mm ■suitable for wood-based panels, grp, aluminium, sip’s, plastics & composites

0115 986 5201 | daltonswadkin.com

26 EVENTS

Daltons Wadkin Wood & Panel Machinery Show 2022 Leading machinery supplier, Daltons Wadkin, is holding its annual Wood & Panel Machinery Show in Nottingham from 4-6th October 2022.

This year’s focus will be on automatic crosscutting, panel sawing and CNC technology, showcasing the latest innovations from leading European manufacturers including SCM, Altendorf, Kimla, Salvador, Elcon and Stenner.

Salvador has a proven track record in revolutionising furniture and joinery manufacturing through the installation of automatic and semi-automatic crosscut saws increasing yield, reducing skilled labour, and boosting productivity. Visitors will be able to see live demonstrations on high-speed solutions, as well as semi-automatic, optimising and angle cutting saws.

Kimla’s flagship CNC router, the BPF Industrial

Salvador SuperPush 150

Exhibiting for the first time in the UK will be the sophisticated Kimla PowerCut fiber laser. The PowerCut delivers uncompromised performance, maximising the synergy between fiber laser efficiency and Kimla’s unique CNC motion technology – a must-see for anyone cutting large volumes of sheet metal.

The PowerCut will be taking centre stage at the show alongside Kimla’s flagship CNC router, the BPF Industrial. Equipped with a large format vacuum bed, 400mm Z axis clearance, oscillating knife head and the latest PC-CAM CAD/ CAM/ Nesting software, visitors will be able to witness a wide range of materials being processed including wood-based panels, plastics, foam, rubber, non-ferrous metals and composites.

Panel processing solutions including sliding table saws and vertical panel saws will also be exhibited, giving customers an objective view of the pros and cons of each cutting method. See the brand-new eye-S control system from SCM featuring large colour multi-touch screen. The Elcon 155DSXL wall saw will showcase a host of optional features, including pneumatic head plunge and tilt, electronic digital readouts, deep 80mm plus cutting depth and Elcon’s patented LIMPIO dust extraction system.

More products will be announced over the coming weeks, including band resaws, edgebanders, spindle moulders, planers, mortisers, bandsaws and more.

For more information, call 0115 986 5201, email info@daltonswadkin.com, or visit www. daltonswadkin.com/oh22 and follow Daltons Wadkin on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

28

Insight

A new industry partnership: REHAU and Decorative Panels KBB 2022 saw REHAU and Decorative Panels announce a new industry partnership, designed to circumnavigate the fallout from Brexit and Coronavirus. This union will ensure REHAU’s UK customers continue to receive its high-quality edgeband, surface and tambour door solutions.

(L-R): Jonathan Heginbottom (REHAU), Michael Sawyer (Decorative Panels Laminations), Scott Williams (REHAU), Julian Tatham (Decorative Panels)

Here, Scott Williams, national sales manager at REHAU, and Michael Sawyer, MD of Decorative Panels Laminations, shed light on the partnership and its aspirations ...

Introduce the partnership and what it means for the furniture production industry …

Scott: “The partnership came out of our realisation that in the post-Brexit market, it’s no longer as easy to supply surfaces into the UK in a cost-effective manner without local stock and lamination facilities. By collaborating with Decorative Panels Lamination, it will allow us to

grow our UK presence and facilitate the more efficient supply of materials across the country.

“We’re thrilled to be working alongside a business which has long established itself a leader within the sector. Having been in the industry for over 100 years, manufacturing and distributing laminated sheet materials throughout the UK, the company are the ideal choice for our furniture division.”

Michael: “As a business we are constantly adding to and evolving our collections to enable us to keep our product offering up-to-date and

relevant for our customers. The latest noir and brilliant matt designs from REHAU do just that and are the perfect addition to our dp-limitless range.”

How long has Decorative Panels been a supplier of REHAU products?

Michael: “Decorative Panels has been a user of REHAU products since 2001, over 20 years now!

And the partnership has grown from strength to strength – we most recently started introducing their first-class surface ranges to our customers and they’ve gone down so well.”

INSIGHT 29

What products does it cover and how are they different to others on the market?

Scott: “The main offering is acrylic and highpressure laminate (HPL) from our RAUVISIO range. RAUVISIO crystal décor uses a 2mm transparent PMMA (Poly(methyl methacrylate) surface over a high quality impregnated digital print stone décor, giving it a depth that looks like the real thing – be it wood or stone.

“Then there is RAUVISIO crystal mirror which has unrivalled light and flat reflection values that compare with a real glass mirror, but with half the weight and 10 times more break resistance.

“Detail is everything in this industry, and because we scientifically test in lab conditions to meet or exceed the highest standards from the German kitchen industry – as set by AMK and TUV – this sets out products apart from others on the market.

“For example, we know there are other brands that offer vertical and horizontal surfaces in a soft touch with a scratch resistant surface.

However, when you measure the light reflection at acute angles, some products on the market no longer look matt and you can see a reflection, as well as scratches not rubbing out with a sponge, or marks being left upon impact.

None of these issues arise with our RAUVISIO noble matt collection.”

Michael: “REHAU’s products look to offer something different, yet still appeal to the masses, which is why they are perfect for the dp-limitless range of specialised, decorative, and high-performance products available in a limitless number of possibilities. There is no commitment to purchasing in bulk and the offer is deliverable in quantities from as little as just one board.

“Combining the robust surface of RAUVISIO noir HPL with the matching economical surfaces of RAUVISIO brilliant matt makes this collection unrivalled within the market for its endless applications, exclusively available from dp-lamination.”

What is currently in demand from furniture and joinery manufacturers, and what are the key applications you’ll be tailoring to?

Michael: “We’ve seen a major global trend moving from high-gloss to soft-touch flat matt surfaces in the kitchen, and consumers also seem to be feeling bolder with introducing colour into their home. The colour palette on offer from REHAU is very appropriate for the market from the dark shades of After Dark, Olive Detour and Midnight Dash through to the contemporary take on greys and whites. Applications include doors throughout the home and all worktops including kitchens. You can easily achieve the “all over” trend within a kitchen using the matching horizontal and vertical finishes.”

(L-R): Scott Williams (REHAU), Jonathan Heginbottom (REHAU), Michael Sawyer (Decorative Panels Laminations) Julian Tatham (Decorative Panels)

Scott: “Applications have also diversified so it’s not just traditional KBB – manufacturers need versatile products that can go in different places around the home, such as media walls, offices, utilities and hallways.

“There is also increased demand for technical surfaces that offer the manufacturer and retailer a USP for the end-user, so scratch and chemical resistance is expected as standard now, not as an option. Most importantly, manufacturers want quality materials that can be sourced and processed easily, with a consistency that compliments their workmanship and allows them to offer a perfect finish on every product – which is what this partnership is all about.”

What’s the buying process? How can furniture and joinery manufacturers get their hands on the new products?

Michael: “RAUVISIO noir HPL and brilliant matt are all available from stock here at Decorative Panels Lamination. These can be supplied laminated onto board and direct to the customer ready for processing. For cut and edged panels, we can put the customer in touch with one of our regional conversion partners.

All surfaces can be laminated as sheet size 2800mm x 1300mm on MDF. “If a customer is unsure of what exactly it is they require, they can arrange a visit to our Marketing Suite where our sales and design team are on hand to support and advise on every project. Whether it is a high-volume kitchen or bedroom carcase, a fascia panel or intricate branded projects, we can help develop products for both home and commercial environments.

“The entire REHAU range is also available to view on www.decorativepanels.co.uk where you can order your complete set of samples.”

Scott: “For consumers interested in edgeband or any of our other product ranges, they can always contact REHAU direct at enquiries@ rehau.com where we will happily advise and support.”

How quickly will customers get their hands on new products?

Scott: “It’s in stock now! The RAUVISIO noble matt collection is ready to go, it’s held in the UK with nationwide delivery along with the matching edgebands.”

Michael: “Lead times are around four to six weeks, and we’re confident we can satisfy all the requirements every individual customer may have.”

What in store in the future, how will the partnership evolve?

Scott: “Plans are already underway to expand the RAUVISIO range, and the partnership leaves us perfectly poised to get these products into the UK market quickly and effectively.

“For instance, you will hear more about our new RAUVISIO crystal deep collection in the coming months, building on the popularity of our Titanio décor with a subtle metallic effect.

“Over time we will also expand our network of local fabricators who will be able to produce RAUVISIO components using zero-joint edging capabilities. Now that we have a trusted and reliable supply partner for laminates, it will also allow us to start talking to customers about the wider range of noble matt products, such as roller shutters, in a perfectly matching finish.

“The concept of homogeneity across the kitchen fronts and surfaces has become very important in Europe, and we see the UK market following this trend over time.”

Michael: “As a core supplier of REHAU materials going forward, we eagerly await any future developments, new colours and surface materials from the company. It would be great to see the addition of the extra four colours to the brilliant matt collection to make a complete set of 12 designs which match the noir HPL perfectly.” www.decorativepanels.co.uk

30 INSIGHT

Wood-waste – how do I use it in the summer?

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 what to do with wood-waste in the summer.

Some companies have seasonal variations in output of product, some don’t. If your output varies over the year, so will your woodwaste output.

With the current situation in Ukraine, it makes perfect sense to heat your factory using the woodwaste you produce. But what do you do with it in the summer?

Well, there are several options depending on the equipment you have. A simple warm air heater is supplied as standard with a summer winter diverter. In the winter the hot air is blown inside the building, while in the summer it blows into the atmosphere.

Some may feel this is a waste of energy and, well, yes it is, but it is still more environmentally friendly than sending it to landfill. 20 times more greenhouse gasses are emitted from decomposition than from combustion. So, it’s still better

A roof-mounted dissipator

300kW warm air heater with summer winter divertor

to burn and blow than drop and rot.

For boiler-based systems, you need a summer dissipator. A large heat exchanger is mounted

350m3 Ranheat storage silo in a 7m diameter

externally to cool the water and blow the heat into the atmosphere.

This enables the boiler to burn the waste, but not to use for heat again.

If the boiler is on the Renewable Heat Incentive, then this is a noneligible use and will not qualify for RHI payments. It needs to be on your schematic and OFGEM need to be aware of its presence.

Another option is briquetting

the wood-waste and placing it in storage for use in the winter. The problem is that the briquetting machine uses a lot of electrical power. So, conversion for storage is expensive. It all takes up a lot of space as the briquettes are bulky to store and some insurance companies see them as a fire risk.

One solution would be a bulk storage silo, which would allow fuel produced in the summer to be safely stored for use in the winter.

Alternatively, you can make use of the Organic Rankine cycle. Still under development, the Organic Rankine Cycle ORC is basically a way of producing electricity from hot water and is a welldocumented Physics law.

It’s based on the refrigeration cycle: if you compress a gas, it gets hot, and if you expand a gas, it cools. Gas fuelled fridges, for example, were available in the 60s.

01604 750005 sales@ranheat.com www.ranheat.com

The Glory of Silent Cutting The of Silent AKEGlory PCD SuperSilent SawCutting Blades AKE PCD SuperSilent Saw Blades

Since the launch of the AKE SuperSilent Saw Blades in 2013, the brilliance wonofmore thanSuperSilent seven awards crowds at the Since the has launch the AKE Sawwith Blades in 2013, the2013 Ligna Exhibition stating AKE have ‘reinvented sawing’.

The blade has brilliance has won more than seven awards with crowds at the 2013 a patented diamond MicroGeo tooth providing excellent cutting Ligna Exhibition stating AKE have ‘reinvented sawing’. The blade has quality on all wood based materials. to the diamond tooth, a patented diamond MicroGeo toothThanks providing excellent cutting you can achieve a large increase in yield leading to reduced down quality on all wood based materials. Thanks to the diamond tooth, time.

Theachieve SuperSilent Saw Bladesinhave proven to be one of the you can a large increase yieldbeen leading to reduced down most cost SuperSilent effective Saw Blades available. time. The Saw Blades have been proven to be one of the most cost effective Saw Blades available.

Along with the patented MicroGeo tooth, the SuperSilent Saw Blades also feature a patented andSuperSilent ChipBelt which Along with the patentedDirect-Chip-Guide MicroGeo tooth, the Saw replacBlades es traditional gullets.

This forces the chips into the ChipBelt rather also feature a patented Direct-Chip-Guide and ChipBelt which replacthan a gullet, gullets. eliminating multiple chipinto machining. es traditional This any forces the chips the ChipBelt rather than a gullet, eliminating any multiple chip machining.

As per the name, the SuperSilent Saw Blades are 75% quieter than all carbide Saw Blades, the quieter numberthan one As other per the name,tipped the SuperSilent Sawproving Blades to arebe75% choice incarbide all joinery shops. all other tipped Saw Blades, proving to be the number one choice in all joinery shops.

SuperSilent 2 Select For precise cuts in2low-strain SuperSilent Select

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material savings.

panels.

types of material. cut For precise cuts inPlaning low-strain quality possible.

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in ofresults material.

Forhigh-strain first-classtypes cutting even Particularly suitable for sizing in high-strain types of material.large panels.

Particularly suitable for sizing large

SuperSilent VP Specifically designed SuperSilent VP for vertical panel saws. for Specifically designed vertical panel saws.

Contact your local representative Contacttoyour localarepresentative arrange TRIAL to arrange a TRIAL South West & Wales

South East & Dorset

West Midlands

North West

South West & Wales Luke Stokes

South EastMakin & Dorset Adam

West Midlands Carl Westwood

North West Dan Randall

lukes@alliedtooling.com Luke Stokes +44 7778 064970 lukes@alliedtooling.com

adamm@alliedtooling.com Adam Makin +44 7545 757522 adamm@alliedtooling.com

carlw@alliedtooling.com Carl Westwood +44 7976 629505 carlw@alliedtooling.com

danr@alliedtooling.com Dan Randall +44 7751 932435 danr@alliedtooling.com

+44 7778 064970

+44 7545 757522

+44 7976 629505

+44 7751 932435

www.alliedtooling.com

sales@alliedtooling.com

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www.alliedtooling.com

sales@alliedtooling.com

+44(0)1202 675767

32

Installations

Half price dust extraction?

As a manufacturer in the woodworking industry, your extraction fans are likely to be burning more electricity than all of your machinery, so, with UK energy prices rising inexorably, is there a solution?

Often accounting for more than 35% of a factory’s total expenditure on electricity, a dust extraction system is typically the largest consumer of electricity, but returning a profit, or even surviving in today’s climate, requires machines to be as near to 100% productive as possible – which means dust extraction is also required to be operational for 100% of the working day.

For decades, furniture and joinery manufacturers have had to run their extraction fans at full power, all day, every day, irrespective of the number of woodworking machines that are operating, or the amount of dust to be extracted. To put that into perspective, a middleof-the-road extraction system, with a couple of 30kW fans, running 12 hours a day, five days a week, for 50 weeks, is going to consume around 180,000kW of electricity a year. Only last year, with electricity for industrial users costing around 10 to 15 pence per kilowatt hour, the total annual bill for powering the extraction system would have worked out at somewhere between £18,000 and £27,000. That’s a sizable chunk off anyone’s bottom line but, roll forward a year, and the same factory today is likely to be paying out in excess of £45,000 to power the same extraction system.

So, if your machines have to work all day, and the extraction system has to run all day, the only way to get those costs back in harness is to make the extraction system more energy efficient. There are other systems on the market now, but the original and innovative Ecogate® “Extraction-on-Demand” System, first introduced to the UK woodworking industry back in 2010, is a world leader in this field of energy-saving

There’s a full range of Ecogate motorised dampers to fit all common ductwork diameters

Ecogate’s greenBOX 12 and greenBOX Master continuously determine optimum fan speed to exactly match extraction requirements, and the Power Master variable speed drive unit adjusts power to the fan accordingly

technology. Ecogate’s throwaway claim is that the system can reduce extraction running costs by half but, on average, Ecogate installations have actually reduced electricity usage by over 65%, and have saved some users more than 20% off their entire factory’s electricity bill.

So how does it work?

The theory behind Ecogate technology is not a new concept; in fact, it’s based on science that was proven as long ago as the late 1800s. In this application, the laws of physics work in Ecogate’s favour and, in overly-simplified terms, it’s the relationship between fan speed and extraction volume that provides the explanation. Fan speed

and extraction volume are directly proportional; if you vary the fan speed, the volume changes by the same percentage. However, the relationship between volume and power is cubic3, which means a relatively small reduction in extraction volume achieves a much larger reduction in the electricity required to power the fan.

As a rule of thumb, Fan Laws dictate that a 50% reduction in power consumption can be achieved by reducing fan speed by just 20%, but the more complex side of the science is the technology which ensures any reductions made to the fan speed, which produces the power savings, are achieved without causing any reduction in the effectiveness of your extraction system.

INSTALLATIONS 33

Although extraction systems have traditionally been operated continuously, at full power, a typical joinery shop with, for example, a dozen different dust-producing machines, is rarely operating all of those machines at the same time. The technology behind an Ecogate system constantly monitors machine usage and, when machines are idle, or come on and off line, the system calculates the change in extraction volume required to maintain effective control of the waste dust being produced, at any given time, and then adjusts fan speed accordingly in order to optimise energy consumption.

Effectively, an Ecogate® System constantly adjusts fan speed, to exactly match demand for extraction, in real-time – the moment a machine goes offline, the fan speed reduces and power is saved. The system is also designed to maintain minimum airflow in the ductwork system; delivering good system balance and preventing sawdust from settling in the ductwork.

The computer-controlled system employs automatic motorised gates and remote sensors, which signal the controller to open or close appropriate gates when a machine comes on or offline. The central control unit, or greenBOX®, constantly monitors individual machines and determines the optimum fan speed, which is achieved via a variable speed drive unit – the Ecogate® PowerMASTER™ which was designed in collaboration with global technology company, ABB. The brain of the entire system is the Ecogate greenBOX® Controller, and Ecogate offers a range of controllers to manage any size of installation; from the greenBOX® 12, renowned for its simplicity, reliability, and flexibility, through to the greenBOX® Master – which is claimed to be the world’s most advanced control system for industrial extraction.

The greenBOX® 12 is ideal for small to medium workshops with a single main fan and up to 12 workstations, or multiple greenBOX® 12 units can work together to control a larger system. At the other end of the scale, a single greenBOX® Master, with colour touchscreen for monitoring, setup, and maintenance, is capable of handling up to four separate systems with a total of up to 180 motorised ‘Smart’ gates.

“On average, Ecogate installations have actually reduced electricity usage by over 65%, and have saved some users more than 20% off their entire factory’s electricity bill”

Ecogate’s automatic motorised dampers; quietly reducing energy usage by at least 50% in a typical joinery workshop

Is it just for new extraction systems?

Ecogate® is just as effective when installed as an energy-saving upgrade for an existing dust or fume extraction system as it is when installed on a new extraction system. Integrating Ecogate technology into an existing dust extraction system can be undertaken with minimal production downtime and, with an installation often paying for itself through savings made in the first 12 months, it’s certainly looking like there’s never going to be a better time to invest in Ecogate® technology.

The benefits As well as saving energy and delivering cost savings for your company, an Ecogate® system delivers many additional benefits that stand it apart from other products: • By reducing the volume and velocity of the air being extracted, Ecogate® also reduces the noise level in your factory.

• Ecogate® customers can also expect to

•

•

•

•

significantly extend filter media life because of the reduced air velocity and volume.

Reduced air volume requirements may also allow you to add new machines without upgrading your existing filter unit.

When adding, removing, or just relocating equipment to improve productivity, an Ecogate® system can be easily reconfigured to account for changes in extraction requirement.

Ecogate technology eliminates the risk of dust settling in the main duct and greatly reduces dust accumulation in the factory.

Dust that isn’t adequately removed is harmful for everything from employee health to finish quality and, ultimately, can increase the risks of fire and explosion.

With Ecogate® installed, you can rest assured that your dust extraction system will

•

continue to meet, and exceed, HSE requirements for LEV. Ecogate® reduces the environmental footprint of your operation; moving you closer to sustainability. Around the world to date, Ecogate customers have reduced emissions of CO2 by a total of more than 1.9 billion tonnes, and are currently saving a total of around 65 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

How much will it cost?

No industry can avoid addressing the problem of poor energy efficiency, but installing Ecogate technology allows you to take control of your running costs by taking control of your single biggest user of electricity; your extraction system.

In the UK, the company’s exclusive Ecogate® dealer and key installer is Extractly Ltd; a relatively young but highly-experienced and motivated team of engineers who have been involved with Ecogate since the product was launched in the UK. Extractly has a host of happy customers who would recommend Ecogate® in a heartbeat, and Extractly sales engineers are only too willing to visit your site to undertake a free survey of your extraction system in order to appraise your current power usage and the potential savings an Ecogate® system could achieve.

Once the survey has been completed, Extractly will provide a fixed price quotation for supply, installation and commissioning.

If you’re looking to rein in the costs of running your extraction system, contact Extractly to find out more, or to book an appointment for a free energy-saving survey.

01924 520462 info@extractly.co.uk www.extractly.co.uk

34 INSTALLATIONS

HOMAG’s machinery and service continues to be favoured by Archispek Kitchen designer and manufacturer, Archispek Ltd, improved its workshop’s woodworking machinery technology considerably with a selection of state-of-the-art HOMAG machines.

Archispek’s customers include retailers and architects who utilise its bespoke products for kitchen refurbishments, new builds and extension projects. Following the increased demand for the company’s products over the last few years, Archispek’s founder and director, Paul Morrice, has invested approximately £400,000 in HOMAG machinery over eight years.

An expanding workshop of HOMAG equipment The company’s first installation in 2014 was a HOMAG BHX 055 vertical CNC processing centre. Now known as DRILLTEQ V-200 vertical CNC processing centres, these versatile machines can be used for drilling, trimming and grooving, offering the ideal solution to save time, space, energy and money. They are particularly well-suited to just-in-time production for trade businesses and other small businesses and for custom production in large companies.

In 2021, Archispek acquired a HOMAG CABTEQ S-200 assembly aid for pressing cabinet furniture. Cleanly pressed cabinets are a key sign of quality in pre-assembled furniture when it comes to building kitchens, manufacturing bathrooms, or producing office furniture.

HOMAG’s assembly technology product series offers the right solutions for smart final assembly. Every case clamp has three things in common: reliability, high levels of performance and pressing quality. From the stationary case clamp to the throughfeed case clamp, the pressing force is conveyed to the cabinet

“HOMAG is now my preferred woodworking equipment supplier because of its products’ quality and reliability and the exceptional after-sales service I have always received from HOMAG UK” according to the individual material properties.

This ensures tightly pressed cabinets with the benefits of accurate square alignment.

The combination of ergonomics and power creates real benefits during final assembly, including ever-increasing assembly quantity and quality and a reduced workload for employees.

That year, a HOMAG SAWTEQ B-130 panel dividing saw was also installed in Archispek’s woodworking shop for cutting single wood panels and small batches. The SAWTEQ B-130 panel saw costs hardly any more than a wellequipped sliding table saw, while providing a much more precise and efficient cutting

process. This is achieved by proven HOMAG technologies and an increase in automation and processing capabilities.

More recently, in 2022, a HOMAG EDGETEQ S-300 edge bander was installed in the company’s technology-expanding 8,000ft2 workshop. HOMAG’S edge banding machines feature multi-level technology for automated processing of different wood profiles, as well as a grooving unit or the latest zero-joint technology offered by the airTec unit. The high level of automation of the units ensures short set-up times and optimal ease of use.

Quality equipment and exceptional after-sales service Commenting on his choice of woodworking machinery supplier, Morrice said: “I selected HOMAG for my workshop initially due to a recommendation from a director at another woodworking company. HOMAG is now my preferred woodworking equipment supplier because of its products’ quality and reliability and the exceptional after-sales service I have always received from HOMAG UK. “I find that HOMAG machines are easy for our operators to use and significantly increase the accuracy, speed and quality of wood processing.”

For a demonstration or more information on HOMAG’s machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424. www.homag.com

Idea. Project.

Success.

From edgebands and surfaces to tambour doors, all our products are developed with a clear aim in mind: to find the perfect combination of quality and style, without restricting your ability to shape our components the way you want. www.rehau.com/uk-en/interiors enquiries@rehau.com Tel: 01989 762600

36 INSTALLATIONS

Restylers advantage with Elcon Advance The Elcon Advance vertical panel saw has taken the weight out of processing large panels for North East-based Restylers. Specialising in kitchen and bedroom refurbishments, owneroperator Bill Knott manufactures replacement doors, wardrobes and bespoke interior projects.

Bill found handling and sawing jumbo sheets on his own taxing using his old traditional wall saw. Something had to change, and he found the solution with the Elcon Advance from sole UK & Ireland distributor, Daltons Wadkin.

With most vertical panel saws, boards are cut from the top working down. Horizontal strips are first sawn prior to rotating the head and crosscutting each strip to finished component size. This method requires the operator to use their trailing hand or wedges to support the

strip while being cut to prevent it pressing back onto the blade. Not such a problem with smaller sheet sizes, but when working large panels, the weight and height can be awkward for a single operator to handle. This was the key challenge Bill faced on a daily basis.

The Elcon Advance system turns the cutting process on its head. Two or more high-capacity clamps secure the board from the top, taking its entire weight, and allowing the operator to saw the material starting from the bottom.

Strips are cut and remain seated on the base of the machine. Each strip can be immediately crosscut to finished dimensions with no double handling of material or additional operators to assist. The remainder of the board stays securely held by the panel clamps waiting for the next strip to be cut.

Elcon Advance – operator panel

“It’s made it a lot easier, and a lot quicker,” comments Bill. “When you get to being an old fella’ like me, you want to make everything as easy as possible!”

As with all Elcon panel saws, the Advance provides operators with a safe, accurate and reliable cutting solution. Featuring a 300mm diameter blade, pneumatic saw plunge and double cut scoring, the Elcon Advance has been designed for heavy duty, large capacity cutting of material up to 80mm thick. The Advance can be configured with a range of additional options for processing wood-based panels, composites, plastics, non-ferrous metals and more.

Watch the YouTube interview with Bill Knott here: https://youtu.be/6VUMDpDJJJg For more information on the Elcon range of vertical panel saws, contact Daltons Wadkin on 0115 9865201, email info@daltonswadkin.com or visit www.daltonswadkin.com

38

Edgebanding materials & technology

Alexander Cleghorn invests in bespoke HOMAG EDGETEQ S-810 powerLine edge banders

HOMAG’s bespoke staggered tandem line edge bander at Alexander Cleghorn

Following a partnership spanning 25 years, Essex-based Alexander Cleghorn recently invested in a £1m plus machine deal with HOMAG UK. The investment, for a bespoke staggered tandem line edge bander featuring two HOMAG EDGETEQ S-810 powerLine machines, has helped the company drive processing speeds and facilitate bespoke production of narrow double-sided panels.

Specialising in tailor-made MDF, plywood, melamine sheets and other laminated/veneered panel products, Alexander Cleghorn prides itself on being a family-led business. Delivering high quality service with a personal touch for more than 60 years, the company has consistently upheld its commitment to offering custom, client specific solutions.

With over 100,000 square feet of covered buildings across a 16-acre site, the 90-strong team at Cleghorn delivers a £14m turnover

“The solution HOMAG created ticks every box, offering speed, flexibility and precision”

within the bespoke furniture sector. A strategic move towards a single supply chain over the last few years has encouraged the company to grow its partnership with HOMAG. “With a lot of equipment now driven by software, it’s very beneficial that programmes are interchangeable across the site,” explains MD Gary Cleghorn. “Partnering with a company and a brand that you trust to deliver the right quality products at the right price is very important.”

The longstanding relationship between HOMAG UK and Alexander Cleghorn was a key reason why the company chose to pursue business with HOMAG for this unique ‘staggered tandem’ edge banding line.

Providing a unique, state-of-the-art edge bander Prior to investment, the team at Alexander Cleghorn had been forced to be innovative with solutions in the production process of narrow panels. “A traditional edge bander has limitations regarding the width of the panels it can process,” explains Gary Cleghorn, “so to produce narrow plinth type panels, the team had to be more creative with production, putting multiple panels in at a time and then manually removing them to

repeat the process on the opposite edge.

“It was an awkward process which slowed down production, increased manufacturing time and ultimately made us inefficient and less able to hit price points.”

After initial enquiries into double-edge banding solutions, it was evident that no existing machinery was available within the marketplace to resolve the manufacturing issues that Alexander Cleghorn faced regarding processing narrow panels.

To solve the problem, the HOMAG engineers came up with a unique solution – a ‘staggered tandem line’ edge banding cell. Specifically designed to process double-edged panels from 70mm to 1200mm wide (frequently used in kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and office furniture plinths and carcass components), the 50m long machine installed by HOMAG has drastically improved production times and efficiency.

Comprised of two EDGETEQ S-810 powerLine edge banders in a staggered line, it overcomes the width restrictions (usually 200mm) of a normal double-sided machine. With automatic feeding and stacking via a vacuum robotic arm system, the machine also avoids the need for manual loading and stacking of panels.

EDGEBANDING MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY 39

Panels being edged on the staggered tandem line cell

Automated vacuum panel loading system

This feature – when combined with the highcapacity glue processing system operating at 35kgs per hour (normally 12kgs/hr), the servocontrolled edge feeding system which drives the edge tape into the machine to match the track speed, and the 12-coil magazines for edge tapes – enables the cell to run at a rapid 60m/min feed speed.

With a panel thickness range from 8mm to 45mm, and a width range from 1200mm down to 70mm, the machine offers previously unattainable speed and flexibility benefits. It is capable of producing up to 10,000 panels in a nine hour shift, whilst maintaining ‘zero joint’ quality on every panel processed.

“Our work can be bespoke batch-size one up to many thousands of a particular panel, so it is vital that the machine is able to accommodate this,” says Gary. “The solution HOMAG created ticks every box, offering speed, flexibility and precision.”

buy cheaper, we always search out the complete package.

“As part of our due diligence, we conducted multiple site visits to see various HOMAG machines in action before committing to the purchase of this edge banding cell. For example, we visited a site to see the automated handling in action and how it processes, picks up panels and delivers them into the machine.

“This was backed up by a separate visit to see a similar edge banding machine to evaluate the quality of the finished edging on the panels.

These visits enabled us to build up a picture of the machine’s capabilities and how it would perform with specific products.”

Expanding the partnership with HOMAG From inception to installation, HOMAG was clearly Alexander Cleghorn’s favoured partner for the project. “It is a combination of several factors that attract us to HOMAG,” explains Cleghorn.

“The reliability and quality of the machines are excellent, and this, backed by the superb service, has given us a trust in the brand and the people at HOMAG, both in the UK and Germany.

“We’ve got long standing relationships with our key account managers within the HOMAG Group. We know the people, we know the product and we trust them to deliver the solutions that we need for our business. We are a quality focused company, so although we can

Efficiency in installation, training and output “As with any project of this scale, you have to expect the installation to cause a degree of disruption,” continues Gary. “We left the installation planning to HOMAG to manage from start to finish (which took around eight weeks) and we were more than happy with how it went.

“Similarly, HOMAG provided training for our operators by their qualified engineers both in Germany as well as on site here in Essex. Being a unique and complex cell, they also provided ‘assisted production’ training during the first couple of weeks as we ramped up production.

This gave us real peace of mind after the initial handover, as we knew there were HOMAG

“Specifically designed to process double-edged panels from 70mm to 1200mm wide, the 50m long machine installed by HOMAG has drastically improved production times and efficiency” technicians onsite, guiding our operators as we increased the throughput before fully signing-off the machine.”

Long-term competitive value Choosing to purchase the machine with finance, due to the long-term competitive advantage it would bring to Alexander Cleghorn, the company estimates that the staggered tandem line double-edge banding system will achieve a return on investment within five years.

It is evident that the added value of HOMAG’s unique solution is vital for the long-term development of revenues at Alexander Cleghorn.

With its ability to produce high quality finished narrow panels at unmatched throughput speeds, the cell has helped raise Cleghorn’s reputation in the marketplace as an innovative and premium quality supplier.

“HOMAG’s technology and forward-thinking engineering team have given us the ability to produce both narrow and wider panels in an efficient manner,” concludes Gary Cleghorn.

“We’ve gone from needing to run extended hours to produce these narrow strips to having them in excess capacity, future-proofing our business. We now have the facilities to sell a much larger volume into the market.”

01332 856500 info-uk@HOMAG.com www.HOMAG.com

Nationwide Delivery

Finance Available

Installation & Commissioning

Service & Support

AVANT 6.0 Series Industry Line

The fastest and most powerful of the range, designed to manage large workloads

PRO Series Industry Line

Avant 4.0 Series Industry Line

Designed to manage large workloads, distinguishing itself for its robustness, versatility and productivity

DYNAMIC Series Industry Line

A referent in the sector due to its work capacity, ease of use and excellent finish quality

DYNAMIC Series represents the new generation of CEHISA edgebanders

SOFT-FORMING Series Industry Line

COMPACT Series

Designed for Softforming profiles

FLEXY Series

The FLEXY Series are compact edgebanders providing high performance and finishing quality, associated with an industrial machine

EP-C

For curved straight and bevelled panels up to 45º

The best quality-price ratio in the market, combining high performance and compact size

OPTIM Series

The most compact-sized industrial machine in the market, providing high performance at a competitive price

EPC-3

For curved and straight panels/trimmer/end trimmer

Unit 16, Gerards Park, College St, St Helens, WA10 1FZ

0845 274 3600 / 01744 754 127

sales@rjwoodworking.co.uk rjwoodworking.co.uk

NEW EDGEBANDER

DYNAMIC 9

MAXIMUM PRECISION

Motorised adjustment • C-MOTION 18 axis controlled • Motorized pressure beam with encoder and prismatic guides • Remote Connectivity kit • DUOMELT® EVA/PUR Gluepot • Intuitive interface software • Barcode reader • Multi-radius DIA tooling (up to 4 profiles) • Invisible joints with AIRFLOW® SYSTEM

LED MOTION SYSTEM

MULTI-RADIUS TOOLING

4 C-MOTION CONTROLLED AXIS CORNER ROUNDING

DUOMELT® EVA/PUR

INTEGRATED WITH CEHISA EDGE LINE

42 EDGEBANDING MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY

Ostermann furniture edgings in nautical blues

Pictured is a small selection of ABS edgings in cuttingedge blue tones. An even greater selection of blue edgings can be found in the Ostermann online shop

Since Pantone selected a classic blue as “Colour of the Year” two years ago, maritime hues have become one of the top colour trends in furniture design. With this trend in mind, Ostermann provides the matching edgings.

Studies confirm that blue is the most popular colour worldwide, bringing to mind endless skies and the vastness of the open sea. A room in blue is generally considered relaxing and calming; reason enough to implement the colour in diverse furniture making projects.

Matching edgings can be found in the Ostermann range, with an extensive variety on offer. In the 23 x 2mm dimension alone, the company offers nearly 80 blue variants. Under the search item “#Highlights07”, Ostermann’s experts present 10 selected edgings at www. ostermann.eu.

How to combine blue From Alpine Lake to Arctic and Atlantic, the

spectrum of colours available ranges from restrained blue-grey to intense ultramarine and maritime ocean and petrol tones. Different blues usually combine well with each other, but you should still consider your choices with care. Ostermann suggests that what applies to clothing, also goes for furniture: within the range of one colour, it is perfectly acceptable to vary and to play with different hues.

Put in a slightly lighter or darker tint and a room will automatically appear in another light, giving off that certain “something”. If you want to bring together furniture with more divergent shades of blue in one room, Ostermann recommends combining them with light woods or classic white.

From Minipearl to Excellent Matt The use of different edging finishes can loosen up the display of colours within the blue palette further.

If your customer prefers a classic look, Ostermann suggests a proven minipearl surface. If you want to give the furniture a more current look, the “Excellent Matt” surface is recommended. In between, there are numerous gradations, such as the discreet velvet structure or the soft-matt microstructure.

All edgings available from stock Ostermann supplies ABS edgings in standard dimensions of 23, 33, 43 and 100 x 1 or 2mm, starting at a length of one metre. In addition, these are available in any desired width up to 100mm upon request.

Post-processed edgebands finished with, for example, hotmelt adhesive coatings, retrofitted T-bars or a functional layer for the application with modern zero bondline technologies, are also not a problem. Orders placed before 4pm are sent that same day. www.ostermann.eu

The Complete Adhesive Package!

MORE GLUING

OPTIONS MORE GLUING

POWER

Don’t come unstuck, Call 0161 627 1001 Email salesteam@kenyon-group.co.uk or Visit www.kenyon-group.co.uk Keeping Britain Bonded Since 1979!

44 EDGEBANDING MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY

Altendorf Group presents Hebrock’s next generation of F- and K-Series edgebanders Hebrock machines guarantee clean and tear-free edgebanding at the highest level.

The spectrum of customers who rely on Hebrock ranges from small to medium-sized and industrial companies. As of now, both the K series and the F series are faster, more productive and more efficient thanks to a raft of new features.

Powerful performance with the new K-Series Joineries have long relied on the K 36 or the K 37 edgebanding machines from Hebrock. Now, the popular K series has undergone an update.

The former 10” display has been replaced by a 15” touch display with high-resolution 3D graphics. Here, in addition to the glue pot, all of the machine’s other units can be viewed in compressed form on one page, and various settings can be made, such as regulating the temperature of the glue pot.

If a workpiece is not fed into the machine for a longer period of time, it automatically switches to standby mode, including the heating of the glue pot system. Energy consumption is virtually zero.

In addition, the feed rate has improved from 10m/min to 15m/min. This enables a significant

F4

K 37

increase in production efficiency. Furthermore, by realigning the cross-cut knife (guillotine) to the first pressure roller, workpieces with a minimum length of 140mm can be approached and machined.

The milling stations have also been updated.

The space-saving new design simplifies adjustment work on the unit.

To meet the various needs of edgebander users, Hebrock has also launched the K 34, an extension to its renowned K series. This machine is just under half a meter shorter than its big brother – the K 36. In the interests of compression, the focus on this model has been placed on the four most important processing units.

The new F series: For the finest edge in the trade The popular F series of Hebrock edgebanders has also entered the next generation. Whether F 2, F 4 or F 5 – users can look forward to many new features.

The F series now also features a 15” touch display. Since economical energy consumption is essential, especially in this day and age, the new F series also has an automatic standby

mode. Furthermore, the feed rate has also been improved for this series. The LED workpiece tracking lamp at the machine infeed provides visual assistance during workpiece loading.

On the F-Series next, the hood has been raised by 100mm. This allows the machine operator simpler and therefore more ergonomic handling when changing the gluepot system.

While the F-series of Hebrock edgebanders already met the requirements of every woodworking store in the past, the new features now leave nothing to be desired.

About the Altendorf Group The Altendorf Group is a world market leader for the manufacture of premium sliding table saws and is one of the hidden champions of the German SME sector.

The company was founded in 1906 and has strong brand recognition worldwide. Its most successful product is the F 45 sliding table saw, also known as “The Altendorf”, with its latest innovation being HAND GUARD – a globally unique early detection system with two cameras that protects man, machine and material. www.altendorfgroup.com/next

K 36

F 5edgebander at Alexander Cleghorn

ON THE EDGE

VENEER ABS PAINTABLE ACRYLIC

CAMCO ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST SUPPLIERS OF EDGE BANDING MATERIAL IN THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE OVER 3 MILLION METERS • SERVING THE WOODWORKING IN STOCK MATCHING ALL MAIN BOARD SUPPLIERS AND WE CAN INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS SHIP ON A NEXT DAY BASIS NATIONWIDE.

• 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 • NO MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITY meters of 2mm Ash from stock on a next day service to one of our valued customers.

• NEXT DAY DELIVERY

Our edgebanding can be slit to any width required in any thickness and • PERFECT MATCH TOcertified.

COLOUR all our edgebanding is full FSC

AND SHEEN

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

+44 289 264 6688 orders@camco.uk

www.camco.uk

46 EDGEBANDING MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY

RW Machines presents the Flexa 607 edgebander

Flexa 607

The Flexa 607 represents the very top of the Casadei Busellato range of heavy duty edgebanding equipment.

Its key features include belt driven top feeding, ensuring that the panels to be processed are always securely held and providing the very best edge finish.

The machine is controlled via a 12” touch screen with an intuitive interface. Boasting 100 different programs and six rapid recall options, it allows the complete line setting of every function.

The Flexa 607 has recently been installed

by Banbury-based firm, Unitech, which has subsequently seen an increase in its previous edging capacity in excess of 30%.

MD Kevin Crouch advised the quick-change setting, which allows the smallest panel run to be implemented within minutes, saving valuable time and increasing throughput.

"The Flexa 607 has recently been installed by Banbury-based firm, Unitech, which has subsequently seen an increase in its previous edging capacity in excess of 30%"

Flexa 507

For more information, contact RW Machines on 01869 244943, sales@rwmachines.co.uk or www.rw-machines.co.uk

Flexa 27

Flexa 47

TWO NEW OSTERMANN CATALOGUES

NEW: FRONTS AND FURNITURE ROLLER SHUTTERS MADE TO MEASURE Our range for furniture making and interior design now includes more than 20,000 items. To offer you even more service, we created 2 new catalogues: “Creative Design“ and “Edgings. Everything for Practical Processing.“ While the first catalogue, with products such as surfaces and design items, is perfect for advising your customers, the second was conceived as a reference book for planning, purchasing, and the workshop. On the inside of both catalogues, you can expect numerous inspiring application pictures with ideas for kitchens, offices, bedrooms, bathrooms, and retail shops.

SERVICE, DIVERSITY AND SPEED: THAT IS OSTERMANN. For further information, go to www.ostermann.eu and type in

#catalogue

www.ostermann.eu

50

Joinery, window & door production

HOMAG equipment facilitates market expansion for Quest Joinery Quest Joinery has a history of delivering exceptional results for some of the most prestigious joinery projects in London and the Southeast. It is an award-winning specialist joinery manufacturer and high-end fit-out expert. The company recently invested in additional HOMAG woodworking machinery and storage facilities to enable competitive market diversification.

Established in 2011, Quest Joinery operates several HOMAG machines at its 25,000ft2 production site in Hemel Hempstead. The new equipment investment totalled £420,000 and included the acquisition of HOMAG’s SAWTEQ B-300 panel dividing saw and STORETEQ S-200 storage system.

Quest Joinery works in partnership with a The HOMAG SAWTEQ B-300 panel dividing saw at the heart of Quest Joinery’s manufacturing facility

selection of blue-chip construction companies, architects, designers, and high-end developers.

Its project packages include specialist joinery, carpentry and design. With the new HOMAG technology, the company now produces high-volume joinery products such as kitchen units, wardrobes, and cubicles for its clients, in addition to its core bespoke high-end joinery packages.

Remarking on the new HOMAG machinery investment, the company’s production director and co-founder, Allan Jackson, said: “the quality and accuracy of our wood cutting has improved

with the acquisition of HOMAG’s SAWTEQ B-300 panel dividing saw. We have also significantly enhanced our efficiency and productivity with HOMAG’s automated storage system.”

Superior quality, reliability, and efficiency Allan Jackson pursued a rigorous procurement process when selecting the new equipment.

HOMAG was chosen as his preferred supplier based on his belief in the superior quality, reliability, and ease of use of the HOMAG machines when compared to other leading woodworking equipment brands.

“The quality and accuracy of our wood cutting improved with the acquisition of HOMAG’s SAWTEQ B-300 panel dividing saw”

JOINERY, WINDOW & DOOR PRODUCTION 51

Commenting on the specification of the machines, Allan said: “The HOMAG sales representative guided us through the purchasing process and specification of the machines by taking the time to discuss our current and future production plans. He also took us to see the selected equipment in operation at similar production facilities, which was both useful and reassuring.”

High performance panel dividing saw The HOMAG SAWTEQ B-300 offers high performance in a compact space. This panel dividing saw is suitable for producing in batch size 1, as well as in smaller series, and is ready for connection to automatic horizontal storage systems.

It is also ideal for networked production processes and provides smooth material flow and precise logistics process. The saw is designed to meet future expansion requirements, achieved with the many options that can be retrofitted.

Quest production director and cofounder, Allan Jackson, in front of the HOMAG STORETEQ S-200

“The STORETEQ S-200 can increase productivity by up to 40% with the quick, efficient storage and safe handling of panels” With a dimensionally accurate program fence and a rugged pressure beam, the B-300 produces a first-class quality cut every time.

It features a central side pressure device integrated directly in the saw carriage to shorten cycle times.

CADmatic 5 – the state-of-the-art, highperformance saw control system The latest generation of the HOMAG saw controller, CADmatic 5, features an assistance graphic that clearly shows the machine operator what he has to do next. This 3D assistance tool is intuitive to operate, shortening the training period and reducing operator errors to a minimum.

The system has a 21” full-HD widescreen monitor with a multi-touch display to tap and swipe commands quickly and easily. Thanks to its intuitive operating concept and precise administrative functions, it provides a vast range of functions and ease of use.

What’s more, CADmatic 5 is ready to connect to tapio, HOMAG’s digital platform, and provides open communication with other machines and software solutions.

Efficient automated storage with the STORETEQ S-200 It is essential to have an efficient storage system in place to achieve fast production times. The HOMAG STORETEQ S-200 is an ideal entry level automated solution for small workshops restricted by space. It optimises the storage area in workshops, thus saving valuable production space.

The STORETEQ S-200 can increase productivity by up to 40 per cent with the quick, efficient storage and safe handling of panels. It calculates the best panel size to minimise material waste and speeds up the production process by keeping materials flowing. Furthermore, the S-200 features an intelligent standby mode, meaning the system only consumes energy when it is operational.

For a demonstration or more information on HOMAG’s machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424. info-uk@homag.com www.homag.com

52 JOINERY, WINDOW & DOOR PRODUCTION

What’s trending in ironmongery?

Here Roland Etheridge, category manager at IronmongeryDirect, reveals the latest ironmongery trends to be aware of, in order to make the best specifications and recommendations for your customers ...

Front doors hold the key Front doors are increasingly being incorporated into overall household design schemes, with customers demanding more choice when it comes to finishing touches that create impact and a style statement to visitors and passers-by.

IronmongeryDirect stocks a wide range of door hardware and furniture in a variety of finishes such as brass, nickel and bronze, that provide professionals with the versatility to meet any style.

For premium properties, the Hampstead collection encompasses locks, latches, bolts,

door stops, and accessories, to provide an opulent range of solutions that promise longevity and style with a 25-year guarantee.

Back to black Black continues to be a popular colour choice for ironmongery products. Whether paired with bright colours, or to blend with dark and dramatic features, door hardware solutions in this colour can be used to create a sophisticated finish that never goes out of style.

For those looking to offer a more sumptuous style, products with a matt black finish can work well with other materials such as metallics, wood and stone. The Altro matt black collection, which is exclusive to IronmongeryDirect, offers a stylish range of options in this luxe finish, including the Altro Mitred Door Lock Handle for interior and exterior doors. This elegant, hard-wearing product is manufactured from Grade 304 stainless steel to offer outstanding protection against corrosion, even in damp or external environments.

Cottagecore Celebrating the charm of country life, Cottagecore has seen a rise in demand with customers looking for more traditional and rural design features throughout their interior schemes. When working on these projects, IronmongeryDirect’s exclusive Elan range is ideal. Crafted featuring subtle, lightly hammered

textures for a truly faithful design, this solid cast iron ironmongery is backed with a 25-year guarantee as standard.

IronmongeryDirect is proud to claim that it’s the UK’s largest online supplier of ironmongery to the trade, with over 18,000 products in stock, including everything from cabinet hardware to sliding door gear. Woodworkers, carpenters and joiners can choose from a range of flexible delivery options to meet the needs of their busy schedules, including free next day delivery on orders over £45 ex VAT, same day delivery to postcodes in selected areas of London and the East of England, as well as click and collect from 6,500 pick up points across the UK. To find out more about IronmongeryDirect, visit www.IronmongeryDirect.co.uk

Nationwide Delivery

Finance Available

Installation & Commissioning Service & Support

VERTONGEN

Unit 16, Gerards Park, College St, St Helens, WA10 1FZ

sales@rjwoodworking.co.uk

0845 274 3600 / 01744 754 127 rjwoodworking.co.uk

VERTONGEN

COMPACT

ADVANCED

PENTHO COMPACT 3

UNIVERSAL

TENONING MACHINES

PENTHO COMPACT 4

PENTHO COMPACT 3

PENTHO COMPACT 4

A modern heavy-duty single end tenoning machine suitable for both traditional and modernjoinery techniques, complete with a 7” touch panel for starting motors and job recipes. This machine is perfect for the modern joinery manufacturer looking for a superior, flexible tenoner that is incredibly easy to set up.

The Vertongen Pentho COMPACT 4 Advanced tenoner brings classic woodworking techniques into the 21st century.

Pentho Compact 3 key features: • 150mm cut-off capacity Saw • Top and Bottom Tenon heads installed • 200mm vertical spindle with Prolock • 7” touch panel for starting motors and job recipes • Total table swivelling +60° / -60 • Tenoning and scribe heads with mechanical digital displays • Digital length-fence 2.4 with 1 x large swivelling backstop

COMPACT PACKS Make tenoners intelligent

PERFORMANCE PACK Use your set up time as production time • Electronic positions indicators with LED feedback • Clear visualisations of all axes • Easy storing and recalling of regular machine settings • Programming by teach-in

The COMPACT 4 combines a cut off saw, two tenon heads and two vertical spindles,complete with a 7” touch panel for starting motors and job recipes. The COMPACT 4 advanced tenoner has the same standard features of the Compact 3 but an additional Vertical scribe shaft Pentho Compact 4 key features: • 150mm cut-off capacity Saw • 7” touch panel for starting motors and job recipes • Top and Bottom Tenon heads installed • Total table swivelling + 60/ -60 deg.

• 2 Vertical spindles 200mm with Prolock • Tenoning and scribe heads with mechanical digital displays • Digital length-fence 2.4 with 1 x large swivelling backstop

HIGH PERFORMANCE PACK Increase your production time.

• All axes set themselves simultaneously and automatically in the correct position • Graphic application available for easy entry of new axe settings • Automatic recalculation of the length-fence position • Programming by teach-in • 300mm x 50mm Scribe Spindles

54 JOINERY, WINDOW & DOOR PRODUCTION

SCM presents Windorflex – the new machining cell for producing windows and doors Optimising production rhythms by maintaining high flexibility and excellent finishing: these are the strengths of the new SCM automatic cell, designed to perform all the necessary operations for window and door manufacturing in a single solution.

For SCM, design and eco-sustainability are the two main trends defining wooden windows production today. The design dictates windows’ finish quality and shape, while the ecosustainability mainly involves the way in which they are manufactured.

To ensure perfect wooden window quality and optimise production rates and flexibility, it is essential to pay significant attention to the machine’s construction features.

As a technology partner to the world’s leading window and door manufacturers for 70 years, SCM has had the opportunity to observe and respond to customer’s most detailed requirements, allowing the company to continuously come up with advanced responses.

Based on these prerogatives, SCM designed Windorflex, the new machining cell for the production of windows and doors.

According to the “Spread your wings with Windorflex & future-proof your windows production” campaign, the machine is an innovative and high-tech solution for producing window frames, regardless of the type.

Windorflex has a fixed gantry structure that enables high machining speeds, whilst ensuring the best accuracy. The configurability

“The machine is an innovative and high-tech solution for producing window frames, regardless of the type”

of the machining units, with four- and fiveaxis electrospindles, allows all the necessary operations for the production of complete windows.

The alternate use of the two routing units reduces the cycle time: while one unit is working, the other performs the tool change in the background.

JOINERY, WINDOW & DOOR PRODUCTION 55

The innovative automatic worktable is equipped with dedicated clamps to allow for the constant holding of work-pieces. It is possible to process from one to four work-pieces in sequence. The worktable modularity allows for three work-piece lengths – 3500, 4500 and 6000mm.

Work-piece repositioning, from the internal machining side to the external one, is direct between the clamps, without needing additional devices, to ensure excellent finish quality.

Another advantage is the automatic workpieces loading/unloading systems that enable the machine to work autonomously, without the

continuous input of the operator. These systems are available in two solutions: with loading/ unloading bench or with an anthropomorphous robot that picks up the rough elements and unloads the finished work-pieces on special trolleys.

The exclusive Maestro active windoor software, specifically developed for the control and the programming of Windorflex, is capable of meeting any demands related to window and door production, thanks also to Maestro connect – the SCM IoT system. www.scmgroup.com

56

Software

Bespoke manufacturer turns to Microvellum to overcome staffing shortage There’s no doubt that the strength of any business is its people. But these days, finding the right people can be challenging for some manufacturers. One company in Staffordshire has found a solution to handle the shortage of skilled workers with AutoCAD-based technology supplied by Microvellum.

Tek Contracts is a specialist bespoke manufacturer that does it all – from specialised fit-outs, custom joinery and office interiors to dental, pharmacy, and healthcare facilities.

“After our Joinery Manager retired, we found it difficult to find his replacement, someone with the level of knowledge required to keep our projects running smoothly,” explains MD, Chris Perrior. “So, we started looking at our options to see if we could substitute the need for a joinery manager with one or two production managers, a CAD technician and new software instead.

“We spent a significant amount of time examining our systems and researching multiple types of software we felt had potential.

Ultimately, we selected Microvellum.”

“Microvellum has not only given us a platform to improve how we work and operate our joinery shop, but a foundation for further growth” Microvellum helps companies align their processes behind one flexible platform – developed to put users in total control of the way they estimate projects, design, engineer and manufacture products. The open architecture of the program provides users with the tools to customise their experience, resulting in a competitive advantage that streamlines the entire design to manufacturing process.

“One of the most time-saving benefits of our Microvellum software is after the initial design is completed, most of the work is done,” explains Chris. “The drawings are detailed automatically, the cutting list with full edge detailing notes is done, the project reports are ready to be accessed – the only thing left to do is process the project for cutting on our SCM Pratix router.”

Microvellum’s platform is well-suited for small to large manufacturers equipped with point-to-point machining centres, nested-based routers, saws and other types of automated CNC machinery. The comprehensive software includes a fully integrated solution for part optimisation, machine code generation, and ondemand part labelling.

“After our projects are processed, code is

sent straight to the CNC and the labels and instructions print off right next to our machine,” says Chris.

“We challenged ourselves to think differently, to find a software solution that helped us fill the gap in our process left by someone who retired.

Microvellum has not only given us a platform to improve how we work and operate our joinery shop, but a foundation for further growth. The difference in efficiency compared to our old workflow is a long mile.”

If he had to give advice, Chris says he would encourage other companies dealing with shortages in skilled workers to invest the time to research software that is right for their [woodworking] business.

Moving forward, the team would like to investigate the option of an e-commerce site for products manufactured on a regular basis. They are also looking at a few new CNC machines to integrate into the workshop, as well as a beam saw and vertical drilling machine.

“We would easily recommend Microvellum as a good place to stop looking if you are serious about investing in your next software upgrade,” concludes Chris. www.microvellum.com

Software for Interior Design and Production

Get startet with the latest cloud solutions from CAD+T software Get access to your data 24/7 from everywhere + Cloud solutions specialised for interior design and production + Manage your data anytime from everywhere + Benefit from cloud licensing, parts lists, material master and more

CAD+T Solutions GmbH +43 7229 83100 0, A-4052 Ansfelden office@cadt-solutions.com www.cadt-solutions.com

With autokitchen you can do far more than just amazing presentations... www.autokitchen.co.uk - 01923 777707 - info@autokitchen.co.uk

SCAN ME Image Rendered Exclusively with autokitchen®

60 ADVERTORIAL

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Design software for kitchen and bedroom design and makers of bespoke cabinets.

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Features at a glance: 7000 Modifiable Cabinets Build New Cabinets Thousands of Appliances Hundreds of Accessories Thousands of Branded Paints and Laminates Granite and Marble Tiles and Flooring Easy to use interface Training provided

Bethel House, 48 Heronsgate Rd, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, WD3 5BB TEL: 01923 777 707 EMAIL: info@autokitchen.co.uk WEB: www.autokitchen.co.uk

Software for the Designer Kitchen design is not just a sales process for the bespoke kitchen designer. Most, if not all, kitchen design packages are aimed at retailers.

It’s good to know that there is one sophisticated and extremely capable design package out there called Autokitchen PRO. Autokitchen goes much further than other software solutions and offers a unique set of features, to not only design the room layout but that can also design and accurately replicate your cabinets to the minute detail.

The rendered 3D Images are produced by an in-built render engine; V-Ray, which is renowned by designers working in many different industries as one of the best on the market.

Amongst Autokitchen’s stand out features is the software’s file format

being .DWG. This is the same industry standard file format that AutoCAD uses and means that every graphical model inside the software is of the highest quality. It also means that you can work with architect’s plans which is also easy and incredibly accurate.

Autokitchen’s preloaded content is huge, featuring 7000 fully modifiable cabinets; covering In-Frame, Cock Beaded In-Frame, Lay-On and Modern Handless Cabinets. There are thousands of both branded appliances and colours from Industries top paint producers, laminates and textured finishes. Additionally, Autokitchen has hundreds of flooring finishes, tiles, granites, and marbles.

The catalogue builder will allow you to expand your range of cabinets as well as import new finishes to satisfy the demands of your customers.

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ADVERTORIAL 61

Software for Manufacturing Unlike other kitchen design packages, Autokitchen PRO is geared towards the cabinet maker that wants to build the cabinets straight from the drawings.

They will also want to make sure that the designers drawings sent into the workshop are clearly understood and capable of showing all the details of the more technical and challenging aspects of the project.

To do this, Autokitchen’s programmers have built the cabinets with all of their panel components just as they would be in the real world. This enables the software´s ability to produce a cabinet cut list with visual and accurate panel sizes to cut from which can be exported to a list or to many popular optimisation software. Despite all its intricate detail and flexibility, it´s surprisingly easy for someone with no prior CAD experience to use Autokitchen.

To make Autokitchen easy to learn and use, the programmers have built an intuitive and easy to navigate interface, partnered with a training package of six one-to-one online sessions to ensure that the new user will be up and running in the quickest time possible.

There is also a plethora of tutorial videos to complement the online training built right

into the help section of the software for the user to access.

If you are serious about bespoke cabinet production, then Autokitchen PRO which is used by some of the UK’s top bespoke companies, is certainly well worth a closer look.

They offer a FREE no obligation online demonstration which is intuitive as well as enjoyable to watch.

Call now on 01923 777 707 or email info@autokitchen.co.uk to book yours.

62

Products

CNC World: A guide to increasing the life of your CNC tools Jason Rowe, managing director of CNC World Ltd, talks about how to avoid tool breakages.

PRODUCTS 63

Over time, the tool that you use most frequently is going to break. It’s a given. Even the tools that you don’t use that often will reach a point where their function just is not up to scratch anymore. When that day comes, you’ll have no choice but to purchase a new replacement tool. But, until that day? There are ways to ensure that you get the most out of your tools so that you don’t have to even think about buying a new one (at least for a little while!).

Your CNC router is where everything starts; even if you follow the advice on avoiding breakages, if there is a problem with your machine, you still might not achieve a great cut. Look after your machine and check for vibrations. The easiest way to do this is to listen out and feel for any changes and then investigate them.

If the CNC router is where it starts, the tool is the last, and equally important, piece of the puzzle. Tools can be costly, and breakages can cause downtime, so let’s look at why a tool may break and what to look out for.

Cutting edge breakages on your CNC tools If the tool were to break on the cutting edge it could be for one of three reasons. One, the cutting edge length could be too long and you’re cutting on the tip of the tool. Two, it’s a feeds and speeds problem – you could be cutting too fast or too slow. Always use a feeds and speeds calculator to ensure the best finish without burning out your tool. Three, the tool is no longer sharp enough and needs replacing.

Shank breakages on your CNC tools If the tool were to break on the shank, there is most likely a tool holding problem that could be caused by the collet, collet nut or toolholder.

Collets Do you have the right collet for the tool? Sounds simple, but if you have a 6mm tool, use a 6mm collet and not a ¼” (6.35mm) collet with the tool shank at least 85% fully into the collet. If small markings appear on the shank of the tool, it is a sign that the collet is gripping unevenly. This can pinch the tool, affecting the angle that the tool is being held and can reduce the life of both your collets and tools.

It goes for every aspect of your machine but make sure that your collet is clean. Blow an air line over and through the collet or use a collet

cleaning brush so that there are no bits of material stuck, as this can affect how it holds the tool.

A rule of thumb is if you’re using the same collet for eight hours a day, five days a week, it would be a good idea to replace them every three to six months, so look out for signs of wear.

Collet nut and holder The first question to ask is: how old are the collet nut and toolholder? Just like the collets, over time they wear, and this can affect the alignment of the tool. If tools keep breaking in the shank it may be a good time to replace old collet nuts and toolholders.

Preventing breakages not only saves money on buying new tools but on the downtime that results from having to change tools or waiting for new ones to arrive.

With preventing breakages in mind, these are some questions to ask yourself to keep your tools working as well as they should for as long as they should: • Is the tool the appropriate length and not cutting on the tip of the tool?

• • • • • •

Is the tool the correct one for the material being cut?

Is the collet filled up so that it grips evenly?

Is the collet clean and in good condition?

Are the tool holder and collet nut in good condition?

Do I have the right feeds and speeds for the tool I’m using?

Is there any vibration through the gantry?

If you are still experiencing tool breakages, you should speak to your tooling supplier or book to attend CNC World’s open house on 21st and 22nd September. The company’s team of expert machinists and tooling personnel will be on hand to answer any questions.

Contact the team on 01953 668899 or visit www.cnc-world.co.uk

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RENOLIT unveils its 3D Thermolaminates Spring/Summer Trend Collection 2022 Paintflow in Reed Green

RENOLIT has presented its 3D Thermolaminates Spring/Summer Trend Collection for 2022. The collection, containing 10 exciting new décors, delivers products that are high performing, realistic in appearance and which align perfectly with current trends.

New introductions are announced twice yearly in seasonal RENOLIT Trend Collections to bring the most sought-after designs and colours to the forefront. All products are available from stock and ready for order.

Paintflow Paintflow is a unique new textured surface developed to replicate the look and finish of painted wood. The surface structure combines a distinctive new woodgrain structure, finished with the aesthetically pleasing smooth matt surface finish of Premier Matt.

The distinct engraving of the woodgrain design is very visual. It was specifically created to replicate the look of paint as it flows into the depths of the rounded valleys, which results in a highly realistic and pleasing effect.

Pearl Grey, Reed Green, Indigo Blue and Graphite are four new Paintflow colours that have been introduced since the initial Premier White Paintflow, announced in the 2021/22 Autumn/Winter collection, was well received.

“Material mixing is playful and on-trend – and felts are the breakout star”

Pearl Grey Paintflow is a very pleasant, warm grey colour and is used to create a peaceful, balanced interior style. The colour enhances the Paintflow surface texture, highlighting its distinct woodgrain engraving and superior matt finish and resulting in an overall aesthetic that is exquisite both from a visual and tactile perspective.

Reed Green Paintflow is a mid-tone green that offers a serene, subtle alternative to more popular darker shades of green in the market.

Reed Green falls centrally into the growing trend for green interiors as it associates with the environment. Creating a connection with nature,

Tuscan Red Premier Matt

the biophilic concept allows people to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle by incorporating a colour palette that feels affiliated with the natural world.

Indigo Blue is a powerful black-blue that fulfills the continuing trend for blues and darker shades. The deep rich tone of Indigo Blue creates a striking but not overpowering statement that suits a variety of design styles.

Graphite Paintflow is a dark charcoal grey that gives a smart, sophisticated style when used as a design choice. Combined with the Paintflow surface texture, this nearly black tone creates a modern contemporary effect.

PRODUCTS 65

Premier Matt Solid Colours Four new trend colours, combined with the superior Premier Matt surface, are included in the 2022 Spring/Summer Trend Collection.

Lichen Green Premier Matt is a muted green with a distinct proportion of grey and yellow, which creates a calming effect and harmonises with natural woodgrains and neutral tones.

Lichen Green brings to mind mossy rocks and tree trunks, bringing the outside in to create a serene and pleasant living space.

Monument Grey Premier Matt is a mid-tone grey shade with distinctly blue components.

This versatile colour suggests modernity and goes well with lighter woodgrains for a fresh environment, or could be complemented with dark blue for a sophisticated in vogue look.

Tuscan Red Premier Matt is an earthy terracotta with brown undertones. The colour adds a sultry dark tone, warm without being intrusive, and evokes the essence of the Mediterranean. Create a stylish interior design with a strong woodgrain and Black Premier Matt or Carbon Grey Grey Premier Matt for a softer finish.

Carbon Grey Premier Matt is a new “nearly black” colour with an undertone of blue. It looks particularly good when combined with lighter designs such as Haithabu Light Grey, or the modern Oak ENDGrain Delight for an up-to-date contemporary style.

Monument Grey Premier Matt

“Paintflow is a unique new textured surface developed to replicate the look and finish of painted wood”

Gran Sasso Sandbeige

Felt textile style Material mixing is playful and on-trend – and felts are the breakout star. Renolit has created Haithabu Twinkle P with an embossed fleece surface that looks and feels just like felt and adds a cosy cottage vibe to your design without being kitschy. While they look just like textiles, the Haithabu Greys are easy to clean and very robust, making them the perfect fit for any room, as well as shop fitting or office applications.

Haithabu Twinkle P

Stone Gran Sasso Sandbeige is a brownish coloured variation of this stone design with a visually matching undulating tactile surface texture. The design looks like it has been created by rain and wind flowing across over time to wear away small craters.

A depth of field produced by light-dark contrasts emphasises the structure of the design, creating a liveliness with a natural touch that resembles stone or a roughly plastered wall.

Paintflow in Indigo Blue

Find further information and order samples at www.renolit.com/interiorsurfaces. Or phone 01670 718222 to speak to the customer care team.

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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. The brand’s most popular components are the T-type concealed hinge, which has a tool-free 3Way snap-on mounting, as well as the TeraBlack range, which 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 assure 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 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 the 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.

PRODUCTS 67

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,” says 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 trendy — furniture designs in kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms and offices. uk.titusplus.com

68 PRODUCTS

Kickstart your creativity with décors With so much choice available in the decorative materials marketplace, it’s difficult to know where to start. As one of the UK’s leading distributors of decorative products, Lathams wants to make the product selection process as seamless, engaging and exciting as possible.

That’s why the company’s 2022 Décors campaign celebrates all 1,400 of its decorative lines, including laminates, melamines, edgings, veneers, solid surfaces and more.

Showcasing Lathams’ second-to-none range of products for furniture applications, the Décors portfolio will enable you to meet any client brief. Whether it’s the timeless style of EGGER, HIMACS, Abet and Kronospan, or the cool sophistication of UK-exclusive Transformad, XyloCleaf, Aristech or Dekodur, Lathams has got them.

The company also stocks some of the most innovative and sustainable architectural materials available on the market, from Honext, a high-performance interior panel manufactured from wastepaper pulp, to Garnica Ultralight, a Poplar plywood sandwich panel that weighs just 4.5kg / m2 for an 18mm sheet.

The Décors campaign will give you the opportunity to explore the depth of Lathams’ high-performance catalogue, and the wide array of textures, colours, shades and tones available.

Encompassing industrial metallics, rusts, concretes, marble and natural timber to sensual leathers, linens and lacquerware, Lathams has them all.

You’ll also find attributes such as anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, flame retardance, impact resistance, even thermo-healing properties throughout the ranges.

Additionally, Lathams possesses an extensive catalogue of MDF, plywood, fibre boards,

beautiful hardwoods and modified, engineered and profiled timbers, offering form and function in one place.

That’s not all. As part of the company’s commitment to making the product selection journey as intuitive, interactive and userfriendly as possible, it recently launched the James Latham Digital Showroom. Its powerful algorithm-backed search capabilities make the selection process simple, engaging and enjoyable.

With hyper-realistic 3D renders for each product, visible under a range of lighting conditions, a 48-hour delivery guaranteed sampling service and video consultancy service, the James Latham Digital Showroom makes it easy to find what you want, when you want it, wherever you are.

Lathams’ Summer Décors campaign not only reveals the extensive design potential of the company’s unique catalogue, but also highlights why it remain ready, willing and able to meet the needs and demands of the sector’s vibrant furniture manufacturer and joinery community.

To find out more, email info@lathams.co.uk or visit www.lathamtimber.co.uk/decors

EGGER

Transformad

HIMACS

Finsa

XyloCleaf

Decospan

SCM windorflex is the new automatic machining cell for windows and doors manufacturing, created to meet current and future most challenging design and sustainability requirements.

It is an innovative and technological solution, widely configurable and fully automated for processing complete window frames, always guaranteeing the best accuracy, high flexibility and superior finish quality.

The exclusive Maestro active windoor software, specifically developed for the control and the programming of windorflex, is capable of managing any demands related to windows and doors production thanks also to Maestro connect, the SCM IoT system.

DISCOVER MORE

SCM UK Tel. +44 (0)115 9770044 scmuk@scmgroup.com www.scmwood.com

70 PRODUCTS

Panelco and Alvic – the perfect partnership

Innovation is at the forefront of the Alvic design process. Continuously improving its processes and developing cutting-edge technologies is a standard which has led to many creative solutions in the market. Panelco understands that innovation is a crucial part of any range and endeavours to always bring the latest innovation to the decorative market, which is why the two brands partner perfectly together.

Panelco has worked closely with Alvic for many years, adapting exclusive designs for the UK market and offering the highest quality products along with superb levels of service.

Alvic has an innovation centre dedicated to development and research of new products and pioneering technologies. The laboratory – named after the company’s founder, Alejandro Rosales – focuses on the innovative spirit that is shared in this environment, promoting inspiration, creation and development in all areas.

Since the company was founded in 1965, improving quality and versatility in both furniture and interior design has always been the key, maintaining a strong commitment to new trends and always offering developing designs. This is why Panelco chose to partner with Alvic.

Panelco understands that it needs to show designers and manufacturers the very best in the market. The brand wants to have something unique and exclusive, which is why it has invested in its innovation design-led showrooms

at its head office in Stoke-on-Trent. Here, Panelco shows large format decors in various forms where you can really see the intricacies of these designs up close.

Alvic has invested a huge amount of time into its finishes – Luxe the high gloss classic finish, Zenit the supermatt on-trend feel and Syncron, the natural and lifelike texture. Using extraordinary physical-mechanical properties ensures these designs are completely unique.

With such versatile surfaces, Alvic products can be used across many areas of the home, but are also suitable for retail environments, offices and hotels.

Panelco has added 12 new designs to its already vast range in various finishes. These can be viewed at the company’s showrooms, or you can order the decorative sample binders, which show all of the effects, plus some new on trend designs which can be ordered with a small MOQ.

Alvic surfaces are high-quality and expertly tested for resistance, abrasion, humidity and scratching, making these panels a superior choice.

Sustainable development is an essential part of the Alvic core value focus. Only certified materials from sustainably managed forests are used, and the industrial processes comply with the environmental protection laws. Separating and recycling 90% of the non-hazardous waste enables Alvic to be more respectful of the environment. Since 2019, waste production has reduced by 5%, further reducing the environmental impact.

Contact Panelco’s sales team today to book an appointment in the company’s design studios or to order samples of the new updated range.

01782 392100 sales@panelco.com www.panelco.com/design-facilities

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.

Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Ltd | wood.sherwin.com | A1 Business Park - Knottingley | West Yorkshire | WF11 0BU | England Phone +44 (0) 1977 67 33 63 | ukinfo@sherwin.com

72 PRODUCTS

The new TS 60 K plunge-cut saw from Festool – available October 2022 Once again, Festool is setting new standards for plunge-cut saws with its latest design. The new TS 60 K plunge-cut saw is safer and more versatile than ever before, featuring unique KickbackStop technology, and a greater cutting depth of 60mm.

“Our best plunge-cut saw is now even safer because our unique KickbackStop not only protects the workpiece, it even minimises the risk of injury,” explains Simon Illing, application engineer and master joiner. “Our new TS 60 K is highly precise, safer and delivers excellent results.

“In the event of a kickback, 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. A particularly practical feature is that once the KickbackStop has been triggered, the saw is ready for use straight away without replacements or additional costs.”

Truly versatile With the TS 60 K, Festool has created its most versatile plunge-cut saw yet, with a 60mm cutting depth and compact design that enables users to achieve outstanding results. It can be used to saw mitre cuts of 45° in solid panels of up to 40mm, and the guide rail can also be used.

“The entire accessory system around the TS 60 K only really demonstrates its versatility in day-to-day use,” says Simon. “What’s particularly great 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 following marks.”

As you’d expect, Festool has considered many other details, such as easy saw blade changes, a splinter guard, an angle stop, a parallel side fence, precise depth adjustment with a double pointer and precision adjustment.

“The TS 60 K’s latest-generation brushless EC-TEC motor makes the saw virtually maintenance-free and powerful”

Robust and powerful The TS 60 K’s latest-generation brushless EC-TEC motor makes the saw virtually maintenance-free and powerful. The maximum speed of 6800 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 is robust and, in combination with the comprehensive saw system, sophisticated down to the very last detail. It can make both precise cuts in solid wood and efficiently cut large panels on top of stacks to size with ease, reducing user fatigue.

Uncompromising performance The new TS 60 K, like all Festool tools, is completely covered by Festool SERVICE, giving customers peace of mind for their day-to-day work. This includes repair orders, warranty claims, protection against theft and spare part availability.

The new TS 60 K plunge-cut saw will be available at specialist retailers from October 2022.

More information will be available on www. festool.co.uk from 12th July 2022.

Feel The Innovation

The and Innovation Exclusive, Feel on-trend diverse range.

Exclusive,elegance on-trend diverse Encapsulating for and unique design range. choices.

Encapsulating elegance for unique design choices.

Abstract, contemporary and industrial effects

Abstract, contemporary and industrial effects

Luxe classic high-gloss, Zenit super-matt, Syncron heavily embossed Luxe classic high-gloss, Zenit super-matt, Syncron heavily embossed

Unique physical-mechical properties giving a high decorative finish Unique physical-mechical properties giving a high decorative finish

• High-resistance • High-resistance

• Unique • Unique

•• Sustainable Sustainable

Contact us to out more design Contact us find to find out moreabout aboutthis this exclusive, exclusive, design ledled impressive impressivecollection collection

01782 392100 | www.panelco.com| |sales@panelco.com sales@panelco.com 01782 392100 | www.panelco.com

74 PRODUCTS

Business owners seek alternative solutions to save money on energy bills as prices rise As energy prices continue to rise, some business owners are starting to look into alternative options to help them save money on their gas and electricity bills, such as investing in a wood waste heater.

Managing director of Wood Waste Technology, Kurt Cockroft, has seen an increase in the number of enquiries about wood waste heaters, from businesses who are looking to save money by reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources.

Wood Waste Technology manufactures wood waste heaters that help businesses save money by recycling waste wood into free factory heating. As well as saving money on heating bills, investing in a wood waste heater also helps businesses save money on skips and other waste disposal charges, as the waste wood no longer needs to be disposed of via other methods.

“We’re getting an unusually high number of enquiries at the moment, from worried business owners who are becoming fearful about how much their energy bills might be once the colder weather arrives,” says Kurt.

“It seems they are starting to make enquiries about alternatives now, as they want to have a solution in place before the autumn and winter months as there’s just so much uncertainty, especially as business energy tariffs don’t have a price cap like the domestic market, leaving businesses open to potentially huge increases in their bills.

“Even before the energy price hikes, one of the most popular quotes we hear from our customers after buying a wood waste heater is, “I wish I’d bought one sooner”, because it makes disposing of waste wood so easy, whilst conveniently heating a factory for free. If your business generates or has access to waste wood or sawdust, there’s never been a better time to find out more about wood waste heaters and get a quote.”

Wood Waste Technology offers a full range of wood waste heaters, from small hand fired units to larger fully automatic systems, and all the heaters are manufactured in-house at the company’s head office in Stafford. The company offers site survey and design, as well as manufacture, installation and on-going maintenance – plus services all types of wood waste heaters and supplies genuine spares “up to 60% cheaper” than other suppliers.

For more information on how you can save money by recycling wood waste, call 01785 250400 or visit www.woodwastetechnology.com.

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ADHESIVE & MACHINERY FOR INDUSTRY

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Wood waste disposal problems?

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Safety Storage Efficiency Combilift is the perfect fit for the furniture industry. Our narrow aisle forklifts and pedestrian reach trucks will allow you to maximise the storage, efficiency and safety of your warehouse.

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78 FINISHED PRODUCTS

FINISHED PRODUCTS 79

A new take on wool Roger Oates Design is the proud custodian of Solidwool, a Devon-based brand which has developed a fascinating composite material from Herdwick wool.

Despite its special qualities, Herdwick wool has lost its perceived value over time, and is today considered one of the lowest value wools in the UK. With the ambition of giving this underated material a new lease of life, Solidwool combines

the wool with a bio resin as part of a unique manufacturing process.

The result is a strong and aesthetically-striking material; a dark grey composite with the lighter guard hairs creating a striking point of contrast.

The Devon team has worked tirelessly from its new workshop facility to refine the product and its manufacture, ensuring that it is as sustainable as possible.

The first product to be launched is the Hembury Chair, which captures the beauty and natural variation of Solidwool. Sculptural and comfortable, suitable for residential and commercial use, the design features handturned ash legs and steel welded frames locally handcrafted by skilled teams in the South West. www.solidwool.com

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HOFFMANN-SCHWALBE.DE

WE´RE FOUND IN THE BEST JOINTS! The Woodwork Dust Control Co Ltd Leaders in Dust Control Technology

A Complete Wood Waste Extraction Service to all Timber Industries • Design, Manufacture, Installation • Large hopper filters, fans, cyclones • Motors, control panels and impellers • Small bag filters, rigid ductwork, flexible hose • LEV COSHH testing, assessment, service • Fast nationwide service

hoffmann-uk.com

www.

tel. 01524 841 500

Contact us for our FREE product catalogue:

www.hoffmann-schwalbe.de tel. 0049 7251 95440

Tel: 01844 238833 Fax: 01844 238899 Email: enquiries@woodworkdustcontrol.co.uk Web: www.woodworkdustcontrol.co.uk

The scoring saw is adjusted automatically in just a few seconds by detecting the position of the main blade.

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Woodworking Machinery from

LHW Machinery are providers of quality SCM Group UK Tel. +44(0)115 9770044 - scmgroupuk@scmgroup.com - www.scmwood.com new and used woodworking equipment QUALITY USED MACHINERY WANTED, SINGLE ITEMS TO COMPLETE WORKSHOPS

USED EQUIPMENT SCM tf110 Spindle Moulder, Tenoning attachment, Mk4 Shaft, New power feed - £5800.00 + VAT 2 x Sedgwick 3 head tenoner available from £4950+vat Homag Ambition 1110 Edgebander, Pre-milling, 0.4-3mm - £17,500 + VAT Felder FS722 Pad Sander - £3500 + VAT Maggi System 23 Multi Borer - £3500 + VAT NEW SCM MACHINERY SCM DMC Sd10 950 wide drum sander - £12,250 +VAT SCM Class S520 Thicknesser, Tersa - £13,450 +VAT SCM Nova F520 Surface Planer with Tersa £7500+vat SCM Nova ti105 tilt arbor spindle moulder 7kw - £8250 +VAT SCM Nova si400 EP, LED Scorer, Digi r/o Rip Fence 9kw - £13,500 +VAT SCM Nova si300 and si400 from - £9500 +VAT Minimax Tw55es tilt arbor spindle moulder Minimax tw45-c tilt arbor spindle moulder single and 3 phase Minimax fs30c planer thicknesser 230v

Castle Pocket Routers

TSM22 Pocket Router The most popular Pocket Router in the Castle range has been re-designed with a new lift up table top. Other models available see www.ataeng.com

TREND Cordless Power Tools

The range includes: Router Kit, Biscuit Jointer, Circular Saw, Combi Drill, Detail Sander, Orbital Sander, Sheet Sander

NEW

The range includes: Lathes, Drill Presses, Bandsaws, Saws, Planer & Thicknessers, Sanders, Sharpeners, Air Filtration, Jigs & Accessories.

Extensive range of Router Cutters in stock at www.atacuttershop.com

follow us on Facebook and Instagram @lhwmachinery

ATA Engineering Products Ltd ATA House, Unit B, Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 7SS t: 01442 264411 e: sales@ataeng.com www.ataeng.com

sales@lhwmachinery.co.uk www.lhwmachinery.co.uk Unit 3, Roffey Hall Farm, Threshers Bush, Harlow, CM17 0NS

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JET Wood Machinery

13/07/2022 14:19

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23/03/2018 11:58

Specialists in Threaded Inserts for Wood, Plastic and Metal A huge range of high quality components available to buy online Price breaks available, please contact us for a quote We can have parts made to your specifications

www.theinsertcompany.com TheInsertCo_JA.indd 1

sales@theinsertcompany.com / +44(0)121 4397329 TIC 1/2JA.indd 1

18/02/2021 14:46

Classified

SOURCES OF SUPPLY – JUST £50 PER MONTH

“the moulder tooling specialist”

Advertise jobs, machinery, products, events, websites and trade services in the Classified section.

Contact Lisa Williams to organise your standalone or integrated classified advertising campaign.

Proud to be the UK’s only Weinig contract partner

+44 (0)116 276 6225

Tel: 01424 776102 Email: lisa@media66.net

4 Highmeres Road Leicester, LE4 9LZ, UK

www.coltontooling.co.uk

SOURCES OF SUPPLY – JUST £50 PER MONTH

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27/11/2015 12:13

HPL FOILS HPL // PLYWOOD PLYWOOD // FOILS

WE OFFER DELIVERY FROM STOCK +49 4081966126 info@modecor-international.com +31(0) (0)620 418767 // info@modecor-international.com

www.modecor.info

Hohe Bleichen 12, 20354 Hamburg, Germany

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www.iwmachines.co.uk

• Uk’s Leading Briquette Machine with over 500 sold in the Uk 19/05/2021 10:18 14/07/2022 10:39 • 6 Machines in the range producing from 20-100kgs/hr • Certified to meet governments NEW ‘Clean Air Strategy’

Visit our showroom in Newark with your material for a demonstration

T: 01636 918280 M: 07944 108747 E: ibrown@iwmachines.co.uk

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10/09/2021 11:49

ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS INSTANTLY

again and again and again …

FLIPSTOP is a unique measuring stop system which can be used on most types of machine tools to provide accurate, repeatable machining operations easily and quickly.

100

Datum Tools Limited The Factory, Mardens Hill Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1XL Tel: 01892 667 800 / 01892 667 900 Email: service@flipstop.com

for further information please visit

95 75

25

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Mirka® Galaxy FIND OUT MORE

Self-Sharpening Grain Technology Mirka’s innovative Galaxy abrasive combines effectiveness with long life, thanks to a new self-sharpening ceramic grain, a clog resistant coating and the new Multifit™ hole configuration.

At its core, Mirka Galaxy is a multipurpose product, ideal for sanding both soft and hard materials as well as various substrates.

www.mirka.co.uk

Keeping Britain Bonded since 1979

WHAT CAN YOU GLUE WITH HENKEL ADHESIVES? INSULATION ROOFING

ENGINEERED WOOD

PANELS FURNITURE PARTS

WOOD ASSEMBLY MATTRESSES

KITCHEN & BATHROOM FURNITURE

FLOORING

RESIDENTIAL & OFFICE FURNITURE

HAVE A GLUING PROBLEM? Don’t come unstuck, call 0161 627 1001 email salesteam@kenyon-group.co.uk or visit kenyon-group.co.uk

DOORS