Supplier Jan-Feb 2013

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Upfront Welcome to the first edition of Supplier Woodworking magazine for 2013.

A special thank you to Chris Adams of 3d Kitchen Design for, once again, offering a special software package valued at over $15,000 to a lucky Supplier magazine reader. All you need to do to go into the draw is send us your name and full contact details!

Check out the information on the inside back cover.

So, if you missed out in 2012, you can try again! It is certainly a most worthy prize and it’s free to enter!

The special Cabinet Makers and Designers Association (CMDA) Conference is on in Melbourne from 5 to 7 April at the Novotel, St Kilda. If you are serious about your business, you should take the time to work on your business by attending this industry focused event. Find out how you can register and mark your diary now. There are full details of the conference, keynote speakers and Gala Awards dinner on page12 This is definitely something not to be missed.

Supplier Woodworking magazine is your industry communication vehicle so if you have news you want to share, require a solution or need to source that elusive product, remember Supplier magazine can work for you. Just drop us a line.

Visit our new updated website www.suppliermagazine. com.au and let us all work together to make 2013 a profitable year for all.

Contents

JAN/FEB 2013 vol. 29 no.1

☞News

05 GRASS sets up subsidiary

in Spain 06 A future after the floods 08 3D Kitchens Software

package winner announced 10 Staron Design Awards program 11 Quality craftsmanship and

design rewarded

☞Design & Trends 16 A hinge for the door to

the future 18 Hand skills still required 20 A trip through time

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

Meet the team

☞Manufacturing

38 Beautiful kitchens, automatically 39 Setting up surface and

thicknesser cutters made easy 40 Proper housekeeping essential

Vicky Cammiade Publisher

Jennifer Curtis Group Managing Editor

Ashley Cooper Group National Sales & Marketing Manager

☞Front Cover

CDMA www.cdma.org.au

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

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Sean O’Sullivan Advisory Panel Member

Phil Ashley Advisory Panel Member

Member of the International Woodworking and Furniture Supplier Magazine Association

News

GRASS sets up subsidiary in Spain GRASS Movement Systems is taking over its customer base from Spanish importer Reinex and will in future be serving local customers through its own subsidiary in Spain.

“The decision to set up a new company was taken against the background of the economic turbulence in Spain, which Grass will be better placed to address from its own base,” explained Marco Müller, Area Sales Manager for Spain.

The manufacturer of premium movement systems expects the market to stabilise in the long term and is therefore maintaining its strategic direction. The current economic

situation has also affected Reinex, the previous Grass distributor in Spain, which has meant that in recent weeks and months customers had not been receiving the quality and speed of service they had come to associate with Grass over a period of decades.

“Having our own subsidiary in the Spanish market will have an immediate positive impact on the operations side for our customers. On-time delivery is an absolute priority,” said Marco Müller.

Grass will also be taking on most of the previous distributor’s staff, so personal contacts will largely remain unchanged for customers. Grass Iberia will continue to use the Reinex premises in Elgeta, northern Spain.

Marco Müller

In the past, Grass products accounted for the major share of Reinex’s turnover.

In addition, the Spanish company sold other products from a number of brand manufacturers. These will continue to be marketed through Reinex. Former Reinex managing director Celestino Urquijo now heads the new Grass subsidiary.●

2012 Australian Timber Design Awards

THE top prize of the 2012 Australian Timber Design Awards went to Paul Haar Architect for Candlebark School Library, an earth-covered library built into the side of a hill in Victoria's Macedon Ranges.

The judging panel was greatly impressed by the expert use of engineered timber within the Candlebark building structure.

The design is remarkable also for its careful detailing and timber selection. And like many of this year's finalists, Candlebark makes excellent use of new, recycled and salvaged timbers.

Winners were announced on 27 September 2012 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Many well-known individuals from government, the timber industry, and the design community were on hand to enjoy what has become the premier event in the Australian timber-design calendar.

The Australian Timber Design Awards has been honouring excellence in timber design for 13 years. Entry is open to architects, builders, designers, engineers, interior designers and landscape architects.

Categories cover all major applications, small budget projects, sustainability, a People's Choice Award and a Rising Star Award. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Austech 2013: Speaker program announced FOR the first time this year, the Manufacturers Pavilion at Austech, Australia’s advanced precision manufacturing and machine tool exhibition, from 7 to 10 May in Melbourne, will include speeches and discussions with key industry people.

CSIRO’s Dr Calum Drummond, Group Executive for Manufacturing, Materials and Minerals will present on CSIRO’s capability and role in helping Australian manufacturers innovate in an increasingly competitive environment. He will discuss the importance of innovative thinking and collaboration and how technology can be transformational for SMEs in Australia.

Göran Roos, Chairman of the Advanced Manufacturing Council in Adelaide and a member of the Economic Development Board and the Advisory Board of Invest in South Australia as well as of CSIRO’s Manufacturing Sector Advisory Council, will provide the audience with a framework for working towards higher profitability in a high-cost environment.

Other key-note speakers include Dr Mark Hodge, CEO of the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) and Tony Quick, Chair of DMTC, who will present several case studies on manufacturing best practice with specific examples being drawn from the defence sector. ● SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 5

News Introducing the new axolotl.com.au AFTER 18 years at the forefront of innovation in the metal coatings business, Axolotl has now evolved into a world leading architectural product manufacturer.

To celebrate its commitment to innovation, the company has launched a brand new website.

This new site will be much easier to navigate with the latest swatches and images of completed work. It will also include a blog where the company can include its latest projects and new designs.

In other news, Axolotl has announced the setting up of a factory in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam commencing early April. ●

A future after the floods TWO years after the floods in Queensland, Furniture Concepts keeps running with its entire staff.

Furniture Concepts Queensland was one of the many companies badly affected by the floods in 2011. Today, even when they are still struggling, the owners are continuing their manufacturing business as well as helping other companies to keep going by telling their story, supporting foundations and recruiting volunteer teams.

Furniture Concepts Queensland (FCQ) is a Brisbane owned and operated company that has supplied premier products – commercial furniture, workstations, custom joinery and storage and seating – for two decades, always with the idea of bringing more productivity into every space.

In January 2011 the unexpected happened: a severe flood destroyed many homes and businesses in Queensland. Once again, in 2013, another flood similar to the last one was expected to occur. This time, however, Furniture Concepts was more prepared and, with the help of many volunteers, worked to move all work in progress to higher ground and lift all machinery to one metre above ground.

Franz and Pauline Braun became owners of Furniture Concepts in 1994. Back then it was a business of five staff while today, even after the 2011 floods, it has more than 40 employees.

“A few weeks ago we were afraid that everything would repeat itself again. It’s one of those thoughts you cannot completely erase from your mind,” Pauline said.

6 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

Blum’s energy management system certified with the new ISO 50001

Today, even though they are still getting over the devastation from two years ago, avoiding another flood, and moving forward, Furniture Concepts is busy helping other companies to keep going.

“It seems impossible at the beginning, but sometimes the hardest step is to stand up and ask for help,” Franz affirms.

He has organised volunteer teams to go to affected areas and give a helping hand. “We will help as much as we can because we have been there ourselves; we know how much you need to hear the words ‘there is a future after the floods’.”

On Australia Day, Furniture Concepts hosted a race called the Ozziecup 2013 to raise funds for beyondblue. The goal was to raise AUD$5000 but the end result was an amazing AUD$10,000.

Furniture Concepts has also opened its Facebook page to share stories like this one and help companies to move forward, knowing that there is a future after the floods and they are not alone. ●

BLUM’S exemplary energy management system has recently been certified with the new ISO 50001 standard.

Blum is convinced that sensible environmental activities produce economic benefits in the long term and that is the reason the company has taken environmentally sustainable measures in various fields. Blum has been rewarded for their commendable energy policy and received certification to the new standard in September, 2012.

“Environmental protection is extremely important to Blum. At Blum, we realise it is our responsibility to focus on sustainability as part of our corporate mission to ensure an enjoyable future for all,” said Brett Ambrose, Blum managing director.

Blum’s efforts are comprehensive and are based on years of environmentallyfriendly measures. Blum recovers heat from production processes for heating purposes. This technique equates to 45% of energy savings. Furthermore, the company recycles waste and uses groundwater for air conditioning and the cooling of machinery. All of which helps to save energy consumption.

The ISO 50001 is a set of standards that a company must meet in regards to installation, implementation, maintenance and continuous improvement of an energy management system. In addition to Blum’s ISO 50001 energy management system certification, the company currently holds an ISO 14001 certification for its excellent environmental management systems.● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vogue Kitchens “Significant increases in factory

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

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

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

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

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

Empower Manufacturing Software Modules • Time Tracking/Labour Management Software (using 2nd hand PCs on the factory floor) • Job Scheduling Software • Quoting, Materials, Job Management Software Phone, e mail or go to our web site - and we will send you a FREE information package including a proposal to implement Empower Software in your business - manufacturing@xtra.co.nz or www.empowersoftware.biz

Sydney (02) 8011 3281, Melbourne (03) 9016 2537, Adelaide (08) 7200 1132, Auckland (09) 307 1115

News Hettich gears up to launch Dream Kitchen promotion

Adaptive interior solutions

AUSTRALIAN cabinetry fittings manufacturer, Hettich, has partnered with Fisher and Paykel to give consumers the chance to make their kitchen work beautifully, to the tune of $20,000.

“This will be our biggest consumer promotion yet – a doubling of last year’s prize value. Entrants will have the chance to renovate their kitchen with quality Hettich products, including our award winning Sensys soft close hinge, the soft close InnoTech Drawer System, and a range of practical storage solutions,” said Marketing Manager for Hettich Australia and New Zealand, Dave Angus.

“Then, through our collaboration with Fisher and Paykel, the winner will be able to fit their kitchen out with stunning new appliances such as the innovative DishDrawer dishwashers or the new French Door Ice and Water refrigerators.

“This is the first time we have offered this extra value in a consumer promotion.” he said. “The two brands, Hettich and Fisher and Paykel, both share a strong commitment to innovation and quality.”

One lucky winner will receive a voucher for $10,000 to spend at any Hettich Endorsed Showroom on Hettich products, cabinetry and installation plus $10,000 (RRP) worth of Fisher and Paykel appliances. ●

WORLD class kitchen and bathroom displays featuring height-adjustable cupboards, benches, sinks and work surfaces that can be raised and lowered to enhance the safety and comfort of people with a disability and their carers are on display at the communitybased Independent Living Centre NSW (ILCNSW) new site.

The kitchen and bathroom solutions from Enware Australia are among a broad range of innovative technologies assembled by the ILCNSW at its show premises in Westpoint Blacktown, where the ILCNSW has installed a complete model apartment within its premises to expand people’s awareness of the choices and possibilities available in assistive lifestyle technology.

“The ILCNSW – supported by NSW Family and Community Services, Ageing Disability and Home Care and the Australian Department of Health and Ageing – provides an outstanding range of impartial advice, information and education for everyday living, communication, mobility, home modifications and community services,” said ILCNSW Chief Executive officer, Robyn Chapman.

“One of the companies supporting the ILCNSW with displays for people to view is Enware. As the principal distributor of Pressalit Care kitchen and bathroom products for the disability, health care and aged care markets, Enware is well placed to offer a tailor-made solution for architects, occupational therapists and private individuals.”

ILCNSW’s Client Services Manager Harriet Korner in the kitchen featuring height-adjustable technologies

The kitchen display at the ILCNSW highlights features innovations such as heightadjustable sink and cooktop, combined with height-adjustable wall cabinets that a wheelchair user or the elderly can easily reach.

Standard vertical movement of the kitchen benchtop and diagonal movement for wall cupboards is achieved via slimline electric motors, or alternatively, can be specified with a manually operated system.

“Some 21% of Australians or more than one in five people have some form of disability,” said Enware Technical Specification Specialist, Sandor Franken.

“The total includes a rising number of younger and older people who are mobility impaired, who may have walking or standing limitations that require them to sit while working; use a mobility aid such as crutches, canes or walkers; or use a wheelchair.”

When looking at an adaptable kitchen to suit either a wheelchair user or an ambulant carer, there are various points to consider.

Access under benchtops for wheelchairs is important, while the location of preparation, cooking and cleaning stations are also critical, he says. ●

3D Kitchens Software package winner announced SOUTH Australian company, Not Just Kitchens is the 2012 winner of the 3D Kitchen software package competition.

The competition, which has been run by 3D Kitchen in conjunction with Supplier Woodworking magazine since 2009, has proved to be very popular with readers.

The 2012 winner, the owner of Not Just Kitchens, Nino Izzo is delighted with his prize, which will provide his company with its first ever software design program.

“I’m not really much of a computer person,” said Nino, 8 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

“but my son has already worked out how it works and he will be the person who operates it for me.

Nino has worked in the company, which he now owns, since he was an apprentice 37 years ago.

As the name suggests, the company is not just a kitchen manufacturer – he custom makes a variety of cabinetry and furniture items including sliding door wardrobes, bars and vanity units.

Based in Holden Hill, South Australia, his work takes him all over Adelaide and its environs as well as the

occasional job further afield.

He is currently working on a project in the Flinders Ranges and for one job in the past he made seven kitchens for the underground inhabitants of Coober Pedy.

3D Kitchen software is a completely integrated package. This means that all software is combined in one package including design, parts calculation, costing, material optimising and CNC link.

“With 3D Kitchen software there is no requirement to rely on anyone outside the business to provide any of the

answers you need,” explained 3D Kitchen’s director Chris Adams. “All you do is create the design and the rest of the information is automatically generated in a matter of minutes.”

Chris Adams is delighted with the interest the competition has generated with readers and believes its presence in Supplier magazine is an excellent marketing tool for his business.

“I should like to thank Supplier magazine for its support and look forward to another successful competition in 2013,” he said. ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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News Staron Design Awards program THE Staron Design Awards program is open to any designer, architect, developer, kitchen/ bathroom designer, student or any other designer who has created a design project using Staron Solid Surfaces.

The awards have been designed to create exposure for designers and architects using Staron in outstanding applications. The program is open in three categories: • Commercial Category: Any commercial/industrial project including but not limited to: food service, education, healthcare, retail, office, boating, public spaces, museums, exhibitions, art sculptures etc. Non residential projects only.

It must be a completed and installed project. Each edition winner prize: $2000 cash plus marketing exposure.

• Residential Category: Any house/apartment project including but not limited to kitchens and bathrooms.

Each edition winner prize: $1000 cash plus marketing exposure.

• Concept Category: An idea or concept. This can be a unique product or design that has been drafted or is still in design stage. The entry can be as simple as an idea, drawing or graphic.

Entrants need to submit photos or drawing sketches and student entries are welcome. Each edition winner prize: $250 plus marketing exposure.●

WorkCover launches working in the heat safety campaign WORKCover NSW ran an awareness campaign to highlight the dangers of working in the heat during summer.

The campaign, which ran throughout February on commercial radio stations in Newcastle, the Central Coast and Wollongong and urged workers to prevent heat stress by drinking plenty of water, taking breaks and limiting time in heat.

General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson said the risks of heat-stress can be deadly and had resulted in a number of fatalities in NSW. “Fatigue and heat stress can affect a worker’s health, 10 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

reducing their performance and productivity, and increasing the chance of a workplace injury through reduced ability to concentrate, recognise risks and communicate effectively,” Mr Watson said.

“In the three years to July 2011 there were 497 claims for workplace fatigue and heat stroke at a cost of $4.3 million to the NSW Workers Compensation Scheme.

“We’re currently in the hottest months of the year and it’s why we’re urging workers to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated when working during the hottest times of the day as it is the best source of hydration. ●

Häfele announces national tour driving Clever Storage to you YOU may have heard of the Häfele brand promise Clever Storage – but do you know what it looks like? Or how it will work in your next project?

Wonder no longer. Häfele is taking its very best design and hardware solutions on the road, and it is coming to a town near you. Just like its movie namesake at four metres high, 12.5 metres long and weighing in at 15 tonnes, Hafele’s Kong mobile showroom is a real showstopper. But it’s what’s inside that really excites.

Hafele will feature the latest and greatest in kitchen innovation on board – award-winning

clever storage fittings

by Kesseböhmer and brilliant LOOX lighting solutions, alongside designer accessories and stylish fittings from some of Europe’s finest manufacturers.

Beginning in Victoria in March and concluding in Tasmania towards the end of the year, The Kong mobile showroom is the ideal form of inspiration for those who can’t get to a fixed location Häfele design centre.

To find out when the Häfele Kong mobile showroom will be in your area, contact your nearest Häfele sales office and book an appointment. ●

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Associations

Quality craftsmanship and design rewarded Inaugural Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards The inaugural Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards to be held on 6 April 2013 present significant opportunities for cabinet makers and designers to be recognised and rewarded for their skills and expertise, as well as developing important marketing and networking prospects.

Businesses are strongly encouraged to enter the awards no later than 15 March 2013.

The Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards is modelled on a similar very successful award scheme that has been held in Victoria over the past 15 years.

The Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards The Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards conducted by the Cabinet Makers

Association in Victoria are the peak awards in that state for industry recognition in the design and manufacture of kitchens, bathrooms and fitted furniture.

Many Victorian cabinet makers have used their success at the Victorian awards as an opportunity to promote their business.

The prestige and recognition that the independent panel of respected industry judges affords is an asset to any business’s marketing.

Naturally, winning the peak award is the pinnacle for which many strive.

However, success as a category winner or finalist is also extremely valuable and can deliver significant benefits to any business.

Innovation and a national focus With the introduction of the Cabinet Makers and Designers Association in 2012, the decision was made by the inaugural

committee to introduce the Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards.

These awards are expected to bring together innovation and a national focus on future trends and superior workmanship. The benefits to the industry will be enormous and there will be significant opportunities for all involved.

Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards The 2012-2013 Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards are still open for entries with final applications to be received no later than 15 March 2013.

Interested applicants can lodge their application forms and supporting images electronically or by mail. The application form is available on the CMDA website www.

CMDA.org.au.

Businesses are strongly encouraged to enter and be in the running to win Australia’s peak award for

cabinet makers.

Judging of the awards is conducted by an independent panel of respected individuals from a range of backgrounds including design, manufacture, compliance and consumer perspective.

To ensure consistency, the same judging panel is involved in the whole judging process thus avoiding any inconsistencies.

Excellent venue for gala event The presentation of the awards will be at the CMDA conference dinner and Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year event to be held in the Palladium Room at Caulfield Racecourse, Victoria. This gala event will include entertainment from Big City Beat as well is the presentation of awards and the opportunity to view one of Victoria’s premium racing venues.

12 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Tools that underpin successful cabinetry and design business building CMDA inaugural conference The Cabinet Makers and Designers (CMDA) Inaugural Conference 5 to 7 April will present significant opportunities for representatives of the cabinet design, manufacture and installation industry to come together with suppliers and other service providers to discuss a range of issues associated with the future of the industry.

Innovation within the industry, future trends and colour styles will be celebrated and stimulated, as well as business issues and marketing opportunities.

There will also be a number of workshops looking at day-to-day management issues and other such relevant topics.

Networking and much more The conference will see plenty of opportunities for open and frank discussions as well as time for oneon-one engagement with colleagues to discuss new technology and product advances.

Many people involved in the industry comment that it is problematic to come together and network with their industry colleagues.

Organisers are well aware of this and are hoping conference participants will take full advantage of the pre-conference Golf Day at the Albert Park Golf Course

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

and a presentation lunch – both on Friday. 5 April.

A welcome evening will be hosted on 5 April at the Novotel Melbourne, St Kilda. The wide range of restaurants close by within the highly acclaimed St Kilda dining area will be a great temptation and should provide some easy impromptu socialising occasions.

Saturday will include conference sessions and be followed by the conference dinner at the Caulfield Racecourse and the Australian Cabinet Maker of the Year Awards. Sunday will see a number of workshops conducted on topical issues such as colour, successful change management and job costing for profit.

Keynote speaker – an expert on driving business growth and development The keynote speaker for the conference is Roger La Salle, who presented at the CMA 2011 conference. Several Roger La Salle

requests were received for him to attend a future conference and so he has been engaged again for the 2013 conference.

Roger’s presentation takes participants out of their comfort zone and invites businesses to look at new and innovative ways to review and drive their business and achieve personal objectives.

Roger La Salle, is the creator of the La Salle Matrix Thinking technique and is widely sought after as an international speaker on innovation, opportunity and business development. He is the author of four books, Director and former CEO of the Innovation Centre of Victoria (INNOVIC) as well as a number of companies both in Australian and overseas.

He has been responsible for numerous successful technology start-ups and, in 2004, was a regular panellist on the ABC New Inventors TV program. In

2005 he was appointed to the Chair of Innovation at The Queens University in Belfast.

Matrix Thinking (www. matrixthinking.com) is now used in more than 26 countries and is currently licensed to one of the world’s largest consulting firms.

For further information about the conference visit www.CMDA.org.au where you will find a full conference program and a registration form to download.

The cabinet making and design industry is professional and highly skilled

At a recent meeting of the Board of the Cabinet Makers and Design Association (CMDA) together with a number of other significant industry representatives, a detailed review of the priorities of the association was confirmed – the promotion of the industry as professional and highly skilled with a particular emphasis on design, manufacture and installation of cabinetry.

The importance of providing opportunities for industry members to network and gain the benefit of access to professional training and advice was also highlighted.

The regulation of the industry and the complexity of the Australian registration and licensing systems is a major topic of discussion.

Some Australian states have mandatory licensing, other states have registration – although not always enforced – and some states have no system at all.

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 13

Associations

Should mandatory registration and/or licensing be introduced?

CMDA is of the opinion that all practitioners should be registered or licensed and believe that, with the introduction of the National Occupational Licensing Authority (NOLA), now is an ideal time for this to occur.

All professional cabinetry and design professionals are encouraged to visit the CMDA website and respond to the survey as to whether they believe that licensing should be mandatory or not.

In the absence of a mandatory licensing system, the question is: “How does the industry ensure that its reputation is not damaged by shoddy practitioners who often have no trade background and are only in it for a quick dollar?”.

These businesses often disappear as quickly as they appea but, unfortunately, they leave behind a number of dissatisfied clients who judge the whole Industry on their experience.

At the forthcoming CMDA conference, CMDA will be launching an initiative to recognise and promote those businesses that have adopted a quality approach; are fully compliant with the regulatory framework (in their respective state); and have maintained the requirements considered necessary by the association to ensure a professional outcome for the consumer.

The association frequently receives calls seeking advice from tradesmen who are considering setting up their own cabinetry business. The inappropriate hourly rates that these callers are intending to charge can be detrimental to the business of cabinetry and, frequently, there is no consideration for including holiday and personal leave loading, superannuation, cost of equipment and factory rent, etc.

The outcome of this situation impacts the whole industry, which then creates an expectation in the mind of both consumers and trade clients of unrealistic prices for the work undertaken. This frequently means that other more reputable businesses must reduce their margins to remain competitive, at the detriment to their business objectives and quality standards.

CMDA is committed to providing support and opportunities to members to

maximise their return and create a point of difference between their business and the opposition, be it local manufacturing or distributing imported units.

For further information about the CMDA visit the CMDA website or call 1300 767 738.

Find a Cabinet Maker – an excellent resource

CMDA has recently launched its upgraded Find a Cabinet Maker facility at www.cmda. org.au, which includes a facility for all members of the association to promote their business at no additional cost.

The search facility, which is now available to consumers, enables people to search on project type and location or by member name. The search engine is very responsive and provides a number of members within the area specified by the consumer.

At this stage up to four images and a description of the business can be included on the member page with the geographical location and contact information.

Progressively, CMDA members are providing full details of the services and images and these are being uploaded onto the website. At the same time, the association is taking the necessary steps to ensure that the CMDA Find a Cabinet Maker facility ranks highly among the various search engines.

Not a member of the CMDA? Not a member of CMDA – complete an application form at www.CMDA.org. au and, upon approval of your application, provide the necessary information for inclusion on the website and you will be part of the CMDA ‘Find a Cabinet Maker within days.

For further information contact 1300 767 738.●

What is the competition doing to your business?

Unfortunately the lack of industry regulation (in many states) creates opportunities for people with limited business knowledge and inappropriate pricing structures to set up a cabinetry business.

14 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Design & Trends

A hinge for the door to the future Rarely has a movement system achieved such rapid success around the globe. Managing Director of Grass Australia/New Zealand, David Maitland is delighted: “With Tiomos we have ushered in an entirely new era of intelligent and highly functional hinge systems – maximum stability, variable damping, stylish design – Tiomos simply offers all you need to meet the growing needs of modern furniture making.”

The wheel can’t be reinvented but the hinge can Hinges were already used in ancient times. With Tiomos, Grass says it has now opened a new chapter, which will inspire the furniture makers of the future.

The development of Tiomos has benefited from several decades of know-how and experience. Years of research have been dedicated to reconceptualising and developing every detail and function from the bottom up.

The result is a very elegant movement system which already meets all the technical and functional requirements of tomorrow.

“With Tiomos, we want to give a clear message and bring the functional movement of furniture doors back into focus,” said David Maitland. “In most cases, a masterpiece is the summation of small strokes of genius. Tiomos is the best example to prove the point.”

"We are always looking for product solutions that are geared to the future," said Maitland, "and with Tiomos we have really managed to transform a vision into reality."

One of the outstanding features of the new hinge system is the Softclose damper, which offers stepwise 16 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

adjustment and is fully concealed within the hinge arm. The complex inner workings of this high-tech hinge are hidden from view, much like a Swiss clock movement. The closing process in each movement phase is smooth and completely without transition. And this is the case from an opening angle of 20°, irrespective of the size and weight of the door.

Optimum leverage for a minimum gap width Another stroke of genius is the new kinematics inside Tiomos. Thanks to physically optimised lever movements, furniture doors become extremely easy to open. In addition, this unique kinematic mechanism makes unprecedented alignment possible with minimum gaps. These unique characteristics of the new hinge system are of special benefit to furniture designers because the reduction in gaps and reveals opens up new possibilities in furniture design.

Perfect alignment with a twist of the hand GRASS has divided the fine adjustment options of Tiomos hinges into three movement dimensions: Dimension 1: depth adjustment in the range of +3 to -2 millimetres based on a worm gear principle and is continuous and self-locking; Dimension 2: height adjustment with a range of +/-2.5 millimetres; Dimension 3: relates to adjustment of the overlay and has a range of +/-2 millimetres, with limit stop.

"Genuine innovations focus on the people who will use them. This was our

guiding principle when developing Tiomos," said Maitland.

Tiomos offers efficiency: door thicknesses from 14 mm to 26 mm, for example, are covered by just one hinge type. Tiomos offers reliability: the ergonomic clip engages audibly, so installation errors can be avoided.

Tiomos offers continuity: the cup depth remains unchanged – therefore GRASS customers can continue to work with the familiar depth of 12.6 millimetres.

Top-level quality and stability "You can tell the quality of a hinge system by how long a hinge will function without developing a fault and how much it will drop under load," said Maitland. “The new hinge system from Grass achieves exceptionally positive values in tests for durability and dropping under load. In addition, the use of top-quality materials and cutting-edge manufacturing methods guarantees the same top product quality that customers are used to from other Grass products.”

One range to cover all applications Consistent design solutions are only possible when all kinds of door applications can be covered by a single hinge system. The systematically extended Tiomos range provides perfect movement solutions for virtually every application from glass, mirror or aluminium frame doors through to doors opening at variable wide angles – with and without damping function. In brief: Tiomos offers the ideal specification to meet the increasing requirements of modern furniture production.● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

2

4 3

1

1 Ergonomic clip element 2 Integrated damping 3 Depth adjustment +3/-2 mm

6 5

4 Height adjustment Âą2 mm 5 Overlay adjustment Âą2 mm 6 New kinematic

TIOMOS HINGE SYSTEM

Tiomos, an elegant hinge system that already meets the technical and functional requirements of tomorrow.

With or without integrated damping. Matching design for combinations of hinges with and without damping.

Door overlay up to 24 mm cabinet side width. Greater design scope. Full overlay for side widths up to 24 mm.

Tool-free damper adjustment.

Consistent closing action irrespective of door size and weight.

Utmost stability.

Strong connection thanks to 30 per cent more contact surface.

Durable stability in every position. Stepless, self-locking height adjustment.

Minimum gaps and reveals.

Newly developed movement sequences enable smaller gaps and reveals.

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

www.grass.eu

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

QUALITY CERTIFICATE

Design & Trends

Hand skills still required Clock It is a small Victorian company that specialises in quality bespoke timber work.

By Jennifer Curtis As a lover of classic cars, Scott Staples understands the concept of quality design and workmanship that withstands the test of time. He also understands that his customers have very precise ideas when they approach him to do a job so he ensures they get exactly what they want.

Recently, Scott was asked to create a wine cellar for one of his regular customers in Ceres, Victoria to house both the customer’s growing wine collection and also be available for future use by his (the customer’s) boutique winery.

Using 300 mm by 50 mm recycled oregon timber, Scott was able to create not only the timber portion of the wine racks but also the cellar table, stair treads and the roof joists.

“I had originally thought of using red gum but the chance of getting the lengths of timber I wanted was slim to none and it would have been incredibly expensive,” said Scott. “I 18 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

already had all the oregon I needed just sitting here and it was in long, clear lengths between 6.6 m and 7.2 m. It was perfect for the job.”

The customer (Glenn Batson) was so happy with Scott’s work that, knowing he has a passion for curved glass, he then asked him to make a glass wall and door for the cellar as well as pool fencing, balustrading for the cellar’s balcony and a cellar wall.

“Glenn likes everything to be absolutely perfect and he is a stickler for getting what he wants but I like that about him,” said Scott. “It is good to work on something that challenges me – it keeps it interesting.”

Scott enjoys challenges – especially if it means he is working on different types of jobs on a regular basis. Not for him the standard mass produced kitchen cabinet production line. When I visited Scott he had a number of jobs on the go – some using solid timber, some MDF and one in very thick plywood.

They ranged from a modern laundry re-fit for the grandmother of the wine cellar owner to restoring an old public phonebox to speaker cabinets for a recording studio built in the style of 1970 JBLs. He also does insurance work – anything from replacing whole kitchens and bathrooms to very small jobs.

“I make anything the customer wants,” said Scott. “Recently I made five solid blackwood buffets for a big house in Gippsland. The customer

supplied the timber, which his father had logged 15 years ago so it was beautifully seasoned. He was so happy with the work I did he now wants me to make him a dining table with more of the same wood.”

However, Scott is keen to point out that while he is happy to make what the customer wants he makes it to his standard and that means quality craftsmanship using everything from the most modern machinery to old fashioned hand tools. He has an SCM table saw, a Platinum edgebander and a Blum mini press as well as his basic tools.

Scott started Clock It in 1996 and took the name from his work repairing antique clock cases and manufacturing reproduction clock cases. He originally trained as a cabinet maker at Box Hill TAFE back in the mid ‘80s and then worked for several local companies to gain experience.

His tendency to push for more and better led him to working on his own projects both before and after the normal working day and, eventually, his work ethic got him noticed by a small company whose owner was prepared to allow him full use of the workshop after hours.

Once the side projects began to take over, Scott knew it was time to open his own business and Clock It was formed.

Today, Scott has one full time contractor and several others that he calls on for jobs as needed but for much of the time he works alone.●

Design & Trends

A trip through time

Visitors to this year’s LivingKitchen were

invited to take a trip through time to the Paris of the 1920s at the exhibition stand of granite sink manufacturer Schock.

Designed and put together by a multi-disciplinary team of product designers, architects and marketing experts, the stand created a real buzz, showcasing the extensive portfolio of new sinks and taps in genuine Twenties’ style.

Schock’s presentation captured the feeling of the era and provided the perfect setting for its elegant products. Details like street lamps, historic ice-cream carts, an authentically styled advertising pillar and lighting effects evocative of a burlesque show all combined to create just the right atmosphere on the stand.

Towards the back of the presentation space was a bar where visitors could retire for a business chat. And in the meeting room next door they could enter a realistic and urbane casino world complete with roulette table. Original accessories – from the lamp to the piano – along with the perfect musical backdrop and staff in authentic Twenties’ dress created a harmonious and appealing overall impression.

The idea behind showcasing Schock products in this unusual setting was explained by Sven-Michael Funck, Director of Marketing and Export: “One of the things the Roaring Twenties are known for is the flourishing of culture, art, fashion and design. These very influences are now once again shaping fashion and interior design trends.

20 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

“This extraordinary atmosphere enabled us to place even greater emphasis on Schock’s status as a lifestyle brand.”

The company’s theme met with a very positive response from visitors.

“Besides our own customers and potential customers, we also had many visitors at our stand who had heard the buzz and come to see it for themselves.” ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Business

World Furniture Outlook 2013 The CSIL report World Furniture Outlook 2013 was presented during the annual CSIL Forecast Seminar held on 23 November 2012 in Milan.

The World Furniture Outlook 2013 report contains analytical data on the furniture industry and forecasts for the growth in demand for furniture in 2013 in 70 countries including 35 European countries, 15 countries from Asia and the Pacific, 12 countries from the Middle East and Africa, three from North America and five from South America.

The macro economic situation over the three years 2013-15 The international scenario assumed in the CSIL forecast reports is as follows: • The world economy is experiencing a phase of slow growth, characterised by greater dynamism from emerging markets than from advanced economies.

• In 2013 the world gross domestic product will increase by 3.6% overall, the result of a 1.5% rise in advanced economies and a 5.6% rise in emerging countries.

• There are still risks that the result will be worse than the current forecasts (Table 1) because of the situation in the Eurozone and the uncertainties in the United States over the solution to the problem of the fiscal cliff (simultaneous increase in taxes and decrease in public spending at the beginning of 2013).

• The growth prospects of emerging countries also remain favourable in the medium term.

The world market for furniture According to the latest edition (November 2012) of CSIL’s World Furniture Outlook, the world consumption of furniture amounts to some US$ 410 billion at factory prices (that is, excluding the distribution mark-up).

This value (in current dollars) has doubled during the last 10 years.

The degree of openness of the markets (meaning the ratio between imports and consumption) is currently somewhere in the region of 27%.

The major importing countries are the United States, Germany, France the United Kingdom and Canada. US imports recovered after the crisis of 2008 and 2009, and in 2012 they returned the levels of 2007.

Table 1: Evolution of GDP. Annual percentage changes at constant prices

2012

2013

2014

2015

World GDP

3.3

3.6

4.2

4.4

GDP in advanced economies

1.3

1.5

2.3

2.6

GDP in emerging countries

5.3

5.6

5.9

6.1

22 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

Graph 1: Major furniture importing countries. Imports, 2002-2012.

Current US$ billion China increased its exports from US$ 25 billion in 2009 to US$ 45 billion in 2012.

Other large furniture exporters are Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States.

The international trade for furniture represents about 1% of the world trade for the whole manufacturing industry. This value recorded a rapid growth until 2008 (US dollar 117 billion), followed by a sharp contraction of -19% in 2009 and a further recovery in 2010 and 2011.

A growth of 4% is predicted in the world trade of furniture in 2012 and 2013.

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Graph 2: Major furniture exporting countries.

Exports, 2002-2012. Current US$ billion

Graph 3: Forecasts for furniture consumption by geographical area for 2013. Percentage changes at constant prices

The forecasts for changes in the demand for furniture in real terms in the major geographical areas are shown in Graph 3, which indicates a contraction for Western Europe but growth for the world, thanks especially to the contribution from the emerging countries. A growth between 3% and 4% in furniture consumption can be predicted at a world level in 2013.

For more information go to: www. worldfurnitureonline.com â—?

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Expos

FMC China 2013 Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China runs concurrently with FMC Premium 2013 and Furniture China 2013 from 11 to 14 September 2013 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre The FMC China Exhibition provides woodworking machinery and furniture raw materials for the world’s furniture industry. With 850 exhibitors over 71,000 m2 and 35,000 trade buyers, FMC China 2013 will emphasis the development of the whole industry in the Chinese furniture market and enhance industry chain linkage, providing sound foundations for the furniture and equipment manufacturing components, thereby enabling China to become the foremost furniture manufacturing nation.

24 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

The New Products, New Technologies and New Materials Collection areas will be arranged both in SNIEC and SWEECC. These professional showcases will build a bridge for exhibitors and trade buyers, benefiting both sides by generating direct communication between the upstream and downstream industry enterprises.

FMC China 2013 will be held concurrently with Furniture China 2013, one of the biggest furniture

shows in the world. The visitor’s badge is valid for both shows and a shuttle bus will be specially arranged for visitors’ convenience.

FMC has been successfully held for 18 years. In 2012, FMC China attracted 761 exhibitors and 30,759 trade buyers from 111 countries and regions. The Taiwan Pavilion, the States of North Carolina and Pennsylvania Hardwood Pavilions, as well as associations and groups from Malaysia,

Mexico, India and Vietnam all participated.

The exhibits included woodworking machinery and tools, furniture coating and chemicals, furniture hardware and fittings, furniture inspection, design and services, furniture panels and surface decor, cabinet and wardrobe fittings/ furniture lightings, furniture fabric and leather, upholstery furniture components and supplies, and office furniture supplies and gas springs.

Semi-finished furniture will be launched in 2013.

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

The organiser has expanded the exhibition area for woodworking and machinery so that visitors will gain a more comprehensive onsite experience. The exhibition is divided into four halls: • Hall 1 – woodworking machinery & tools.

• Hall 2 – FMC Premium 2013 including upholstery machinery, coating equipment and CNC machinery.

• Hall 3 – furniture raw materials & components area with seven themed sections:

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- furniture hardware and fittings; - furniture inspection, design and services; - cabinet/wardrobe fittings and furniture lighting accessories; - furniture panels and surface decor; - furniture fabric and leather; - upholstery furniture components and supplies - semi-finished furniture.

• Hall 4 – office furniture supplies and gas springs, furniture coatings, adhesives and chemicals products. ●

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 25

Expos

One trip, two fairs

www.interzum.com Furniture production Interiors Cologne

Visit two trade shows in one trip Every two years, wood and furniture specialists from around the world come to Germany to attend the most important trade fairs for their industry: Ligna in Hannover and interzum in Cologne.

The two fairs are staged in quick succession so that international visitors can attend both in a single trip.

2013 will be no different. Together, Ligna and interzum will once again provide a comprehensive overview of the materials, design solutions and technologies currently available for the woodworking, wood processing and furniture industries.

Ligna and interzum are the world’s foremost trade fairs in their respective sectors. Together, they cover a very broad spectrum of exhibition topics ranging from wood as a renewable material to woodworking and processing technology to components for the furniture and interior finishing sectors. For visitors from abroad the timing of the two fairs is ideal because it enables them to take in both events in a single trip – which is eminently feasible given that the host cities, Cologne and Hannover, are only 300 kilometers apart by road or two and a half hours by rail.

The future starts here.

interzum

13 – 16. 05. 2013

New: Monday to Thursday !

Our offer World’s Leading Event

All great success stories have one thing in common: an attention to detail.

Details make the difference – and therefore are essential to success. interzum presents everything the suppliers of the furniture industry and the interior design sector have to offer, concentrated in one location – from fittings, glass and lighting to surfaces and wood-based materials, as well as natural materials, leather and upholstery. As the leading global trade fair for the sector, interzum opens a window to the future. interzum is the meeting place for all of the key players. Gain an innovative edge – and let yourself be inspired.

Our offer for the days in between Ligna and interzum (11 to 12 May, 2013) After Ligna closes in Hannover the organisers have allowed two days which can be used for an additional program.

Book your trip here: foxtours@foxtours.de Booking deadline: March 31, 2013

Save time and money !

Register and buy your tickets online. www.interzum.com

Fairlab Exhibition Management Pty Ltd P.O. Box 1096 Bakery Hill VIC 3354 Australia Phone +61 3 5332 2823 Fax +61 3 5332 1304 info@fairlab.com.au

90x260-iz13_M3_AUS-Supplier.indd 1

26 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

07.01.13 14:29

interzum Cologne 2013 13 to 16 May World’s leading event for suppliers of furniture production and interior From Monday, 13 May 2013 to Thursday, 16 May 2013, the future will once again take shape in Cologne – at interzum.

Studies and product premieres, new materials, innovative design and pioneering concepts: interzum is the event where success stories begin – and the furniture sector receives inspiration.

The fair covers the following product groups: • materials and nature: wood, veneers, parquet flooring, interior works, decorative surfaces, decor papers, laminates, woodbased panels, laminated plastic, mineral materials, edges, surface treatments, adhesives, embossing cylinders and press plates; • function and components: semi-finished products for cabinet, kitchen, office and modular furniture, fittings, locks, built-in parts, lamps and lighting systems; • textile and machinery: machinery for upholstery and bedding, upholstery materials, upholstery accessories, cover fabrics, leather.

For more information www.interzum.com

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Ligna Hannover 2013 06 to 10 May Making more out of wood – technology for resource efficiency Ligna Hannover, the leading international trade show for the woodworking and wood processing industries, embraces the entire production chain – from forestry and the timber trade through to industrial mass production of wood products and surface treatment technology. In short, Ligna Hannover is the interface to every area of woodworking.

Keynote displays at Ligna Hannover include: • forestry (management and technology); • bioenergy from wood; • sawmill equipment and technology; • solid wood working; • wood materials and veneer production; • joinery, cabinet-making and carpentry trades, engineered woods, materials, accessories and services; • furniture industry; • surface technologies and lightweight construction.

Numerous special presentations dedicated to practical themes, informative seminars and conferences as well as B2B meetings and congresses underline the significance of Ligna Hannover as the trade’s international summit.

For more information www.ligna.de

Trip 1: Berlin city trip Trip price per person in double room: From 20 people paying in full – € 329 Additional charge for single room – € 99 Minimum number of participants: 20 participants paying in full Trip 2: Romantic trip to Heidelberg Trip price per person in double room: From 20 people paying in full – € 349 Additional charge for single room – € 99 Minimum number of participants: 20 participants paying in full Trip 3: Golf trip Rhineland Trip price per person in double room: From 20 people paying in full – € 379 Additional charge for single room – € 99 Minimum number of participants: 20 participants paying in full

Our offer – how you benefit Just buy one ticket for either Ligna or interzum and get access to Ligna and interzum Please order here your Day Ticket or your Full-Event Ticket: Ticket Shop Ligna: www.ligna.de/en/tickets Ticket Shop interzum: www.interzum.com/tickets All tickets can also be obtained from any sales partner of the organisers – Deutsche Messe or Koelnmesse.

MAKING MORE OUT OF WOOD One trip, two fairs

Your contact: • Fairlab Pty Ltd Phone +61 3 5332 2823, Fax +61 3 5332 1304 info@fairlab.com.au • Hannover Fairs Australia Pty Ltd Phone +61 2 92 80 34 00, Fax +61 2 92 80 19 77 info@hf-australia.com ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

ligna.de

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 27

Opinion

An insider opinion on TAFE cuts

By Phil Ashley, Teaching Centre Manager, Furnishing Programs, Holmesglen TAFE, Victoria.

December 2012: I’m sitting here in my (rented) holiday house, thinking about the future. It’s sad really because I should be in holiday mode and I’m not. So what am I thinking about just before the New Year?

I have spent 45 years in the industry and 32 of those in the training sector, and it’s coming to an end. Not my job although (along with eight others from my department, 2,000 from Victoria and 800 from New South Wales) I have been advised that from June my services are no longer required. I’m not concerned about that. What I am concerned about is the fact that training for the trades as we know it is all but finished.

And I’m in good company.

In November 2012, Reserve Bank of Australia board member Heather Ridout (formerly head of the Australian Industry Group) warned against TAFE funding cuts, saying: “Australia’s workforce is critically lacking in skills needed to support the nation’s future”. (source: Peter Trute, AAP Senior Finance Writer) The TAFE colleges blame Premier Ted Baillieu in Victoria and the other States will have their own scapegoats as they plan “broad changes”, according to the ABC’s Mark Colvin. A recent Queensland Government-commissioned report recommends the closure of several colleges and NSW will shed up to 1,000 TAFE teacher’s jobs.

28 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

The free ride is over! Publicfunded TAFE colleges have lived off the taxpayer for so long that they have become lazy and self-absorbed and it can be argued that change was inevitable. They no longer serve the community; they are now a business in every sense of the word. They have forgotten that the land they use is owned by the State and that the initial buildings were funded by our parents.

They have forgotten that most of their income is provided by you and me as taxpayers.

They think that just because they have hundreds of millions of dollars in cash reserves and countless more in investments, that they “earned” it. Well, they did not earn it; the profits were made from public-funded assets and income within a system that was easy to exploit. Their “gravy-train” has derailed!

In 2012 the balance of power shifted. The allocation of funds to the colleges now has a more stringent reporting system to eliminate TAFE “mistakes” and doubledipping. $290 million dollars has been cut from the Victorian TAFE colleges. They now have to fend for themselves and have no idea how to do this responsibly.

I know for a fact that some of the “cost-saving” measures being introduced include programs being cut (departments closed down), ongoing teachers replaced with part-time teachers,

administrative staff sacked, class sizes increased, teachers teaching loads increased, student fees doubled and face-to-face contact time with apprentices halved.

As an employer, a businessperson or a taxpayer you should not be happy with any one of these cost-cutting measures.

Of course, the bean-counters at TAFE have it all worked out. It doesn’t matter that up to 2011 most TAFE colleges made an annual profit in the millions of dollars. Their focus is maintaining the status quo at any cost. They’re going to take that (up to) $35 million (in Victoria) TAFE Institute cut and clear the ledger with what both the State Government and TAFE colleges are calling “reforms”.

However, according to (former) Federal Minister for Tertiary Education Chris Evans “this is not about reform, this is about budget savings”.

Heather Ridout agrees, saying: “Restructuring should not be a cover for cutting costs and cutting investment in this critical area.” Given that, at the college I currently work for, the Director, Deputy Director and Finance Manager would not have spent more than ten minutes a year between them in the furnishing department, it is fair to say that they have almost no idea what the issues are save those that involve dollars and cents. The word “ka-ching” has found its way into the vocabulary

of TAFE management and all meaningful communication (according to a documented collective of Heads of Department) between the directorate and line managers has ceased.

But wait, let’s blame the private providers!

The fact is that between 2008 and 2011 private training grew by 310% and at the end of 2011 had 44% of all funded students in Victoria (source: Victorian TAFE Association). In response to these increases, TAFE used words like quality, value, customer-focussed and integrity to differentiate itself from the evil private providers – and all the time developing their very own private provider networks hidden within their own system under fancy names like “Flexible Training Solutions.”

I am intimately aware of such a department where all the assessors are paid as contractors meaning that their income is based on billable hours – and you know as well as I do what that means. There goes your quality!

The TAFEs call them “contact hours” and that’s how the Government funds them. This department achieves almost two million documented contact hours a year with a Government subsidy of between two and 12 dollars an hour, depending on the course. I figure an average income of eight dollars an hour brings in sixteen million dollars a year and this does 30 www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Opinion 28 not count the enrolment fees paid by the student. Ka-ching!

I recently received a TAFE flyer on which there was a “word-cloud”. Yep, it’s the first I’ve heard of this too.

Anyhow, this word-cloud is a jumble of words arranged into a cloud shape where the words are supposed to represent the future values of the TAFE college. The bigger the typeface of the word, the more important is its value.

I notice that those words I mentioned before – words like “quality and value” are the tiniest words in the cloud.

It’s like trying to find (where’s) Wally! Apparently TAFE has reassessed its values. Ka-ching!

And what do these “values” mean to you as an employer?

Well, you (or your apprentice) will pay more fees; you will receive a reduced service (less face to face hours with a teacher) and the teacher you do get may possibly be unskilled. Case in point is a person known to me who has not spent one single day on a building site yet is being paid to assess real workers doing a real job.

The likelihood is that your friendly TAFE college will now offer you the great new service they call “on-site training and assessment”. The 7-30 report on ABC covered this last year in a revealing piece on a private provider but I can reveal as fact that I was told at 2-30 pm on 1 August last year (to my face) by a manager in a TAFE college that (and I quote): “It’s all about the money” and “We sign off half the course in the first (industry) visit”. That’s 400 hours at $12 an hour (furnishing rate) or $4,800 for one day! Kaching!

There is no doubt the private providers, funded by Government, have done some damage to our once qualityoriented trade training system.

30 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

Employers were schmoozed into a system where the “needs of the employer” were the primary consideration. “Send the apprentice to TAFE? No way – we’ll come to you.

We’ll give you the training you need, it’ll cost you less and you won’t lose a single day’s production. In fact, how about we give you an iPad to sweeten the deal?”

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

The educational value appears to have been lost but hey, it’s a great deal. Of course, over time those employers that saw this deal as too good to be true will realise that it actually is.

I mentioned before the issue of responsibility. The question could be asked as to the responsibility that TAFE colleges have to the industries they serve. And what responsibility do they have to those young Australians where TAFE is their last chance to get the skills for meaningful employment? Is it good enough for them to shut down a department just because it’s expensive to run?

Just because the wood trades require a lot of floor-space, equipment and tools does this make it okay to close it down?

Apparently the bean counters think so. Departments with small numbers of students are in grave danger of going to “on-site” delivery and the only measure of success that I have seen so far is the number of student contact hours (income) delivered by the TAFE college.

Ka-ching!

In my opinion, Government is attempting to privatise the post-secondary education system. The fact is, though, that the colleges have many profitable departments, have made a lot of money over the years at taxpayers’ expense and should have some responsibility to their respective industry sectors.

Unfortunately it appears as if

the only responsibility is to their significant bank balance.

According to the websites of the following Victorian TAFE colleges, the 2011 financial resources (cash at bank, receivables and term deposits, less financial liabilities) look pretty good – Kangan $54 million; Box Hill $48 million; Holmesglen $47 million; Northern Metropolitan $29 million. Ka-ching!

A secret document “TAFE Transition Plan” was leaked by the Victorian Government to the press late last year (The Age 14 September 2012).

In it, a TAFE college talks about “preparing advice on its preferred governance model premised on buying out the State Government’s ownership and full legal and management authority”. They are not just thinking about it, they put it in print! If this particular TAFE has the funds to “buy-out” three campuses at potentially half a billion dollars, does this strike you as being a little bit unreal? I find it offensive for a TAFE college to cry poor, sack teachers and cut services with these financial resources available.

As an employer and manufacturer you should be very concerned about these recent developments. By the time this article is published your students should already be enrolled and many of you will now be dealing with “flexible delivery systems.” As an educator for 32 years I can only advise you to ensure, as far as possible, the integrity of the trades. It would be a mistake to accept “easier, lowcost, flexible” training without looking closely at what you are actually trading off. Remember that any decision you make now about training in your company will only reveal problems several years down the track when you discover that your “tradesmen” haven’t

got a clue and your company now has a debilitating skills issue.

At all costs, avoid what is known as “tick and flick” training – it’s a cash-cow for both private providers and TAFE colleges alike and you, as the manufacturer, (and your apprentice) are the only losers.

One thing in your favour is the new “competency-based training” system introduced a few years ago. It is up to you to agree that your apprentice is competent and can be passed as such. If you disagree with the assessor you should say so and refuse to sign off until your apprentice actually has the skills you need. That’s if you can find a training provider still delivering your trade course.

As you (rather than the TAFE college or private provider) will possibly be doing most of the hands-on training in the near future, you have the power to ensure that the trade maintains its integrity and you are getting what you paid for.

In my second year of teaching my head of department told me that we did not work for the industry, that we trained apprentices.

His stupidity reflected TAFE attitudes back in 1982 and I fear they have changed little.

I remember a cartoon where Daffy Duck had just stolen the Genie’s treasure. Daffy said “It’s mine, all mine” and the Genie instantly made Daffy two inches tall. Maybe that’s what will happen to our TAFE colleges? Their greed and lack of community responsibility will see them shrink to almost nothing – nothing, at least, that matters to our industry.

I hope this is not the case; I hope that the TAFEs get back to their core values and provide the service they were set up to deliver. But that’s just my opinion and I’ve only had 32 years’ experience in TAFE. What do I know? ● www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Business

Building products: a compliance free zone?

With more and more building products being manufactured offshore, and increased access to these products, the need to focus on compliance with standards and ensuring a level playing field for Australian manufacturers has never been greater.

HIA Executive Director for Kitchen and Bathrooms, Diane Sebbens explains.

Most of us have a story about an encounter with nongenuine consumer products, often purchased on an overseas holiday – a brand name watch that doesn’t keep time or a DVD that fails just before the final scene.

The reality is that we know what we are getting and expect as much when we pay next to nothing – and if the product lasts then that’s just a bonus.

But would most consumers feel the same way about the building products going into the family home if they knew that this was what was occurring?

There is no doubt that the problem of non-genuine and non-tested building materials and components making their way into in residential building is growing. This has been on the agenda of HIA’s building and manufacturing members for some time, but it should equally be of interest to consumers and policy makers.

There is extensive use in building of imported products and components in Australia, some of which can be cheaper, and many of which may also meet local standards – even if we are not always sure which ones.

What we do know for certain is that the cost of failure 32 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

and subsequent replacement of substandard materials – and the damage they can cause – will invariably outstrip any initial savings on the original purchase. And in the case of structural materials, or electrical and sanitary components particularly, the potential cost to the health and safety is far greater.

So what we are saying is simply that regardless of where something is manufactured, it should meet Australian standards.

Unfortunately though, it would seem that the evolution of compliance and enforcement in Australia has not kept pace with changes to our economy

and how or where products are manufactured or sourced.

Such is the extent of this problem, it was the theme of the Housing Industry Association’s third annual Building Better Cities summit in Melbourne earlier this year.

The summit was titled Building Products: a compliance free zone?, and brought together a well-credentialed array of Australian and international experts from across a range of disciplines all relevant to the topic.

Scoping the extent of the use of non-compliant materials in Australian residential construction was one of the first challenges faced by the

“What we do know for certain is that the cost of failure and subsequent replacement of substandard materials – and the damage they can cause – will invariably outstrip any initial savings on the original purchase. And in the case of structural materials, or electrical and sanitary components particularly, the potential cost to the health and safety is far greater.”

summit. It became obvious from the evidence tabled by a number of presenters that there are products being used in Australia that are not fit for their intended purpose.

The other fundamental problem identified by the summit was that inconsistent compliance regimes have led to an uneven playing field between the manufacturers that comply with standards, and those that do not.

Manufacturers who do the right thing are being disadvantaged against those that neither invest in producing products that meet Australian standards nor programs to demonstrate compliance.

At the end of the summit, HIA announced a number of initiatives that we intend to pursue to address this problem. And the postsummit feedback to these proposals has indeed been encouraging.

The flagship of the HIA response will be the development of options for an industry led product registration scheme. Through interrogation of the register, builders, certifiers and consumers can all be satisfied that a product is compliant and fit for the purpose and conditions under which it will be used. It would www.suppliermagazine.com.au

most likely be supported by a manufacturer applied compliance mark to show it conforms to a credible product standard.

To be a success, such a scheme will need the buy-in of government as well as industry, so it will require an extensive consultation process.

But the extent of the problem means that we can’t afford to ignore it.

In addition to exploring a product compliance register, HIA has undertaken to: • further scope the extent of the problem by seeking feedback from manufacturers and builders; • work with the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) in their review of the existing Codemark and Watermark certification schemes;

• work collaboratively with existing credible industry based compliance programs to ensure their ongoing success; and, • develop an industry education and information program to increase the understanding amongst builders, contractors and suppliers about the importance of compliance.

We are in the business of supplying innovative and world class housing to the residential sector. It is essential to the sustainability of our industry into the future that our customers have confidence in the product they are buying.

But leadership from industry shouldn’t be seen by governments, or enforcement agencies such as the ACCC, as an excuse to abrogate

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their responsibilities to the community. No one would suggest this is going to be a simple fix, but public safety and basic fairness to manufacturers who are struggling with a high dollar dictate that they have an obligation to contribute.

Conversely, the challenge for industry and regulators is to ensure that the outcome is not just more bureaucracy and red tape. Solutions will need to have a positive cost-benefit and not result in a burden on those manufacturers already complying, who may be seen as the easy targets.

The rise of the internet and accompanying web based commerce tools has transformed the nature of trade from an enterprise to individual level – but perhaps

product compliance hasn’t caught up yet.

There are many locally manufactured and imported materials – premium or budget – that help Australian industry build quality homes, provide goods and services to the community and drive the economy. Not everything cheap is all bad, but that doesn’t mean it’s all good either.

The question is how can we be sure if they are not all subject to the same transparent compliance regime?

Manufacturers or suppliers interested in providing input during the consultation phase are invited to contact Bob Markham (b.markham@hia. com.au) or Kristin Brookfield (k.brookfield@hia.com.au) for more information.●

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Business

Introduction to No Nonsense IP Tim O’Callaghan and Tim Clark, Piper Alderman www.piperalderman.com.au Part one of the No Nonsense IP Seminar Series.

The effective management and protection of intellectual property (IP) is not easy.

Primarily this is because IP is intangible. It’s a set of legal rights. You can’t see IP, and that makes it harder to do the usual cost/benefit analysis behind any decision about management and protection of an IP asset.

It isn’t the same as, for instance, real property. You can see real property. You know where it is. You can generally see if others are camping on it. And you can fence it off to stop that from happening.

It isn’t the same as a car, or a fleet of cars. You can see them too. You can identify them and keep a record of where they are. You know what they are worth. You can see when they are damaged or stolen. You know what that damage or theft will cost you. And you can take steps to protect your vehicles from being damaged or stolen.

With tangible property, it is easier to be confident about a decision to undertake a management or protection measure.

It’s not the same with IP. Every business has IP. Some of it is, for that business, very valuable. You need to manage and protect your valuable IP. It will cost you money and resources to do it, but its essential that you do this or your business will suffer.

By contrast, however, particularly in times when money is short, you can afford not to spend money and time trying to manage 34 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

and protect what is, for that business, ‘nonsense IP’.

Nonsense IP is intellectual property, which most businesses have, and which adds very little to the business objectives and will be of little value.

Piper Alderman’s IP practice is entirely devoted to helping our clients to recognise the nonsense IP and to manage, protect and enforce their valuable IP. We have observed that it can be difficult for a business to form decisions about the management and protection of their IP assets. It can be difficult to form a decision about whether the costs and resources required for a particular IP protection measure are warranted. This is because it is difficult to decide objectively whether the IP in question is valuable or nonsense.

As a consequence of this, some businesses can do far too little to protect valuable IP assets and leave to chance whether the IP will survive. Other businesses want to protect every IP asset they can identify which is fine when the business is profitable, and economic times are good. But when times are lean, it is not advisable to be spending resources on what is for that business, nonsense IP. Consider some IP protection decisions, which have recently received media attention: • Mambo opposing Mabo’s trade mark application for indigenous design clothing.

• The Bradman family taking a large law firm to court over the right to use (the word) Bradman on cookies.

• Cadbury’s multi-million dollar decision to fight for the right to claim monopoly over the use of the colour purple as a trade mark.

• The cigarette companies’ decision to fight the Australian Government’s plan to ban the use of trade marks on cigarette packets.

• Apple’s decision to use its patents to sue companies that try to copy its computer tablet.

Each of these decisions involved a boardroom level cost/benefit analysis of the value of the IP, being the costs involved in the decision to fight for it versus the anticipated benefits. That is not an easy analysis but it is what we hope this seminar series will help you consider.

This series has been designed to help identify those IP assets which are valuable and worth protecting and distinguish these from your nonsense IP. When you can do that, you will be better equipped to articulate the reasoning behind a particular IP management, protection or enforcement measure and to form a robust decision about this.

You will be able to justify that decision to your business unit, in-house lawyer, CFO, CEO, Board and shareholders. As a whole, the company will be able to fully understand why a particular IP measure is being undertaken.

Identifying nonsense IP Our aim is not just to advise you on the steps that can be taken to manage, protect and enforce your IP and the costs of taking those steps, we also aim to help clients make good commercial decisions about their IP. This involves helping you to do the cost/ benefit analysis of the IP protection measure in question to make sure that the proposed measure meets your business objectives.

The value of an IP Audit To be really helpful, the IP audit needs to be done in a way that addresses the commercial issues. The task of conducting an audit of the IP assets of a business can be huge, in both resources and cost. It needs to capture information, which may or may not be confidential software or documents that may have copyright attached brands that act as trade marks that may or may not be registered patents and designs.

This process will identify that the business has a lot of IP. But unless the company takes the next step of working through the list and identifying what is valuable IP and what is nonsense IP, the audit has simply produced a big list of everything that can be called IP. The more commercially useful IP audit includes a process, which helps the business to build a culture in which: • everyone understands the business strategy; www.suppliermagazine.com.au

• valuable IP, which assists in meeting the business strategy is identified as it is created; • the business takes appropriate steps to record, manage and protect that valuable IP as an ongoing process.

The aim of the No Nonsense IP approach is to look at the strategy and decision making process that should occur before a decision is made whether to proceed or not proceed with a proposed IP protection or management step.

IP Go/No Go Decision Checklist This decision makers tool aims to provide a cost/ benefit analysis of the particular IP management, protection or enforcement steps being proposed.

The IP Go/No Go Decision Checklist takes into account the fact that some IP is valuable and truly critical to your business aims, whereas other IP can be less important or ‘nonsense’.

And this is all done within the context of your business goals.

IP Go/No Go Decision Checklist works around this formula AAIPC _________ V - to determine the value of a proposed IP protection measure and to determine whether the measure is warranted or not.

A = Achievement – what is your business trying to achieve? What are your business objectives?

A = Assets – what assets does the company rely upon to meet its aims? What assets are needed to meet the business objectives? www.suppliermagazine.com.au

I = Intellectual property – What are the intellectual property rights in those assets?

How can that intellectual property be effectively protected?

P = Protection measure proposed – For the purpose of this particular decision making process, what measure of protection for that intellectual property right is being contemplated?

C = Cost/benefit – What is the cost of the intellectual property measure being proposed? In terms of benefit, what is the likelihood that the protection measure is going to successfully remove or greatly reduce the threat that it needs to address?

V = Value – Is there value in the IP management measure being proposed having regard to the cost and benefit and in light of what the business is trying to achieve overall?

Achievement: What is the business trying to achieve?

Broadly speaking, most businesses are generally trying to generate revenue and make a profit, but this can be achieved in a number of different ways and there will be a number of factors that impact on this.

Firstly, it is wise to be mindful of at what stage in the life cycle your business is, for example: • Short term sale of the business or build to flip –The business aim is at a stage where it wants to be a target for a acquisition within five years for a capital gain to shareholders.

Short term profit is not important, and is fed back into the business. An example of this would be YouTube.

• Be profitable and sustainable – The business owner intends to keep the business for as long as it

can be profitable, driving a steady income flow out of the business. An example of this would be News Corp.

• Longer term income – The business aims to build its capital base with a view to earning income in the longer term, such as oil exploration company, Beach Energy.

Secondly, there is consideration of an organisation’s business model, including strategies about how to differentiate your business from competitors: • The business aims to have technology advantage, such as Telstra.

• The business aims to set the industry standard, such as Microsoft.

• The business aims to have significant brand recognition and reputation, such as Nike.

• The business aims to be first to market and sell product until competitors catch up, then be ready with the next product. For example, Sony.

• The business obtains revenue through licensing/ franchising or achieves revenue through royalty streams. The business may have been set up so it can be run profitably with only high level input from the owner, who may only promote the business, helps to train staff or build royalties. Such examples include McDonalds or IBM. Some business objectives may change over time. Apple, for example, was once reliant on innovation and being the alternative to the dominant player. Now it is the dominant player and aims to maintain that position and defend its market share against competing alternatives.

Some businesses can also have multiple objectives

that can sometimes give rise to tension within the organisation. For example, organisations like Sony and Telstra, who have been historically seen as the industry standard with a monopoly in their sector, are now faced with trying to hold onto their existing market, while also evolving and innovating to make up any loss in position and managing the different priorities of various business units.

Location can be a factor also. Different territories or countries may need different strategies.

Assets: What assets does the business rely upon to meet its aims?

Assets are a key part of the achievement of a business’ goals: • human assets – people’s time and effort. Through people, a business develops assets such as: »» knowledge and data, which includes fruits of research and development »» expertise »» group capability • physical assets – premises, equipment, raw materials • financial assets – cash and investments • intangible assets – IP, knowledge, reputation and goodwill The importance that a business places on assets will differ depending on the organisation’s goal, its business model and end product or service.

The quality of these assets will also be a key factor in differentiation of that business.

Consider Nike. It is known to be a shoe company but it does not make shoes. It has no manufacturing facilities. Its income relies entirely upon its reputation.

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 35

Business In a service firm like Piper Alderman, the major differentiator with our competitors is likely to be the individuals, in other words competency and personality of our lawyers. The firm as a whole has developed a good reputation over time as a result of the collective personalty and competency of its lawyers.

As another example, this time in manufacturing industry, the differentiating asset would more likely to be the different sizes and capabilities of machinery the factory floor, which could impact things like production volumes and even quality.

Intellectual property: What are the IP rights in those assets?

IP is a set of rights, which are created by statute or by common law. In general terms IP rights aim to protect the fruits of one’s thoughts, knowledge, research and innovation.

IP rights may be registered or may arise automatically upon creation: • confidential information • copyright • circuit layout rights • patents • designs • registered and unregistered trade marks.

IP rights relate directly to the tangible assets of the business: A tool can be the subject of a patent or registered design, for example, or software or an instruction book can attract copyright protection.

Knowledge can be protected as confidential information and reputation can give rise to the need to have a trade mark protection strategy.

So the drivers of value in a business are often a combination of the tangible assets that a business owns and the IP rights that subsist in those tangible assets.

While all businesses have a range of tangible and intangible IP assets, a business 36 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

will rely more heavily on some of those assets than on others.

As mentioned previously, good business planning will identify what differentiates you from your competitors and what the key assets are that give rise to that differentiating factor. This applies to both tangible assets and intellectual property.

The “key assets” can be identified by answering the questions: • What is the major differentiator between my business and that of my competitors?

• What are the intellectual property assets that allow us to have that differentiating factor?

• To what extent would the business suffer if it lost one or more of those assets?

• What intellectual property rights help to protect against the loss of their assets?

By answering these questions, one is able to separate the more important IP assets (being those that give us our differentiator) from the less important IP assets (being those that all businesses have).

Nike’s important IP assets are its trade mark registrations and the protection from laws against passing off. If everyone could copy the Nike brand with impunity, Nike would lose its position in the market.

Apple’s iPod and iPhone’s differentiating factor is the look and feel of its products as well as the ease and reliability of use. Apple protects these factors by relying upon registered designs of the units and the patents underlying the technology, but does not rely heavily on its trade mark.

Looking at your own iPhone, iPod or iPad, you will see that there are very few words on the product at all, including the word Apple. They rely on the design protection and trade mark that is constituted

by the shape and look of the item itself.

Scooter company X manufactures and sells kick scooters used by boys aged between eight and18 years.

Kick scooters are a dime a dozen, so Scooter company X relies on the shape of its scooter as a differentiating factor. It is therefore in its commercial interests not to allow others to copy that shape.

Protection measure proposed: What is the IP protection measure proposed?

There is a range of steps that can be employed to manage or protect particular IP rights. These include: • knowledge audit – to identify and collate the knowledge of a business • registration of patents and designs • identification of trade secrets and the steps that are necessary to maintain those secrets • steps required to maintain copyright • practical steps to prevent or make it more difficult to copy • trade mark registration • enforcement of intellectual property rights when faced with a potential infringement • due diligence to ensure that the company owns the rights in the identified intellectual property.

Cost/Benefit: What is the cost/ benefit of the proposed IP protection measure?

Each of those IP protection measures described above has a cost attached, both in terms of money and resources for the business.

The questions surrounding whether or not these costs should be expended is essentially part of a standard risk management analysis.

A standard risk management analysis is:

• What is the risk if we don’t take this protection measure?

• What is the likelihood of risk occurring?

• How big would the risk be?

• What are the best protection measures for eliminating or reducing the risk?

• What are the prospects of success for that measure in reducing or eliminating the risk?

• What is the anticipated cost of that step in time, money and resources?

When we look at benefit at this stage, we are thinking of the extent to which the proposed protection measure will reduce or eliminate the risk that has been identified.

So the question is, how confident can we be that it will be effective in eliminating or reducing that risk? And how long will this benefit last?

Value: is there value in the IP management measure being proposed?

The element of the equation that underlies all of these issues is value and whether the cost/benefit of the protection measure is good value in helping the business achieve its goals.

When considering IP steps that will be expensive in cost, we must then return to consideration of what the business is trying to achieve and the key intellectual property assets that the business relies upon to meet those aims. Greater cost is justified in protecting those key assets.

The cost/benefit analysis has to tie back into the overall business model, and should have regard to where in the business life cycle you happen to be. ● Lawyers, Tim O’Callaghan and Tim Clark specialise in protecting intellectual property rights. They are partners of Piper Alderman, a full-service, commercial law firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Supercharge your www.leitz.com.au trade business or how to thrive in the post GFC economy

Trade business owners gained ideas and advice on how to build their business to the next level at a free event called Supercharge Your Trade Business on 3 December 2012. The evening was a great success with 16 business owners from a variety of trades including electrical, tiling, landscaping and plumbing learning the keys to building their customer base, increasing profits and claiming back their time and lifestyle.

Jurgen wants trades business people to start enjoying their business and Presented by successful improving their lifestyle. business owner and Wealthy Tradesman coach, Jurgen Mennel, the workshop was designed to help tradies learn how to get out of the rut of long hours running from one job to another and never seeing the kind of benefits they really want.

“I’ve learned that being a successful business owner has nothing to do with my trade skills but everything to do with a few crucial principals that are not taught in trade school.” Jurgen explained.

“People can be great at their trade but lack the business knowhow and end up buying themselves a bigger, more demanding job. I want them to learn how to start enjoying their business and improving their lifestyle.”

Over two hours, Jurgen shared these principles along with some valuable lessons he learned while building his engineering business. The event proved popular and participants enjoyed having the information presented by someone who had “walked in their boots”.

"Until now, nobody has put anything together that really helps tradies build a business,” commented Ray Poole, who attended the night and has run a business in the building industry for many years.

“There is more to it than simply learning your trade. The Wealthy Tradesman program is not about teaching trade skills – it is an entire process developed to take a tradie from a 100K subby to a million dollar plus business," said Ray. Keen to pass on a step-by-step blueprint that allows trades business owners to build an extraordinary business, Jurgen plans to hold a number of workshops in 2013. In the meantime, tradies interested in finding out more can access information and download a free e-book at www.wealthytradesman.com. They can also register their interest in attending workshops in 2013.

“High achievement in any business requires some work but if they don’t shy away from that, trades business owners can predictably grow their trade business, create six figure profits, have more time for their family, their friends and take control of their life,” Jurgen concluded. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

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Manufacturing

Beautiful kitchens, automatically Kingston Joinery now uses a Morbidelli nesting cell to produce its bespoke kitchens and cabinetry.

The Tasmanian company is known for offering highquality products directly to the client. They pride themselves on working with their customers through the entire kitchen making process, from consultation and design to installation.

Kingston Joinery promise simple, elegant and tailored service – and they demand the same standards of their workshop. Their machining production system needs to be streamlined and cost-effective.

When they wanted to improve their machining process, they knew what to do. Make it automatic.

Nesting machines make light work

make time for customer communication and foster client relationships. In short, they can now do many things at once.

Kingston Joinery demands superior production Last year, Kingston Joinery chose to upgrade to the Morbidelli nesting cell.

Nesting machines are an affordable revelation to any joinery, but Kingston Joinery wanted that little bit extra – they wanted to fully automate the panel processing with a full nesting cell. Gabbett Machinery worked with them to find a European machine with a remarkable edge.

The Morbidelli 2412 nesting cell includes all the features of a regular nesting machine plus the ability to load the sheet, nest the sheet and unload the sheet. That means: • automatic nesting; • automatic loading and unloading.

With a regular nesting machine an operator would load one sheet at a time and press go. Kingston Joinery can now load a whole stack of board, around 20-30 sheets.

All they have to do is unload the machine.

Bespoke service Bespoke service ensures everyone gets the right fit.

The Morbidelli usually runs

from right to left, but because of the production flow of the Kingston factory, Gabbett Machinery worked to change the machine to arrange it to run from left to right.

“The Morbidelli 2412 gives Kingston joinery the same superior service they want to deliver to their customers. It allows them to operate in the simplest, most time efficient way and to continue doing what they do best, making superior kitchens and joinery.” said Lee Gabbett.

“Make your life easier, and your business more efficient with a nesting cell. At Gabbett Machinery, we work with Morbidelli throughout Australia and New Zealand to provide the best bespoke solution.” ●

Cutting MDF or particleboard usually demands a hands-on approach. The boards need to be manually handled from the panel saw through to the boring and edging process.

It is labour intensive, time consuming and complicated.

Nesting machines simplify this process.

Kingston Joinery recognised this and for the past five years has used an SCM Pratix HU from Gabbett Machinery.

This machine automatically: • nests and size the sheet; • drills mounting holes; • drills adjustable shelf holes.

The operator is then free to ensure all other elements of production are working smoothly. They could spend the time edgebanding or completing other production tasks. They are free to 38 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Setting up surfacer and thicknesser cutters made easy Say goodbye to screws and adjustments with the new Tersa cutterblock knife setting system, fitted standard on all new machines in the Minimax and SCM range .

Tersa replaces the standard cutterblock set-up system found on most surfacers and thicknessers. It gives a minimum set-up time, and anyone can do it – you don’t need to be an expert.

The Tersa knives can be changed in a few seconds, no special tooling or equipment is required. The knives are automatically

clamped safely in position using centrifugal force – to within an accuracy of 0.02mm – without you having to setup or measure anything.

“This system has also been proven to reduce noise at the cutterhead, so now you can work better, quicker and safer,” said Lee Gabbett of Gabbett Machinery.

To learn more about tersa visit the Minimax pages on the Gabbett Machinery website, where you’ll find videos, product reviews and specifications. ●

Manufacturing

Proper housekeeping essential Besides panel sizing and edge banding, drilling holes is one of the three essential machining operations when producing panel furniture.

The development of CNC machining processes have made it clear how unproductive boring is compared to other machining processes.

Poor hole quality is a common issue, which distinguishes top quality products from low grade furniture. There are numerous suppliers of drill bits in the market with drill bit qualities ranging from lowest to highest levels. Using quality drill bits ensures reliable operations, continually high quality, minimised reject rates, long tool life, low machine down times and ultimately lowest production cost.

Proper housekeeping, sharpening, storage and handling of drill bits will ensure that the tools will perform at their best. The basic rule for cutting tools also applies to drill bits: only sharp, clean tools with proper cutting geometry can work properly!

Through feed and CNCpoint-to-point boring machines are purpose-built equipment, usually pneumatically operated with rather poorly controlled feeding systems. These machines and the drill bits in use are the productivity constraint when demanding for a good hole quality. The development of solid tungsten carbide dowel and through40 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

hole drills represented a major improvement for the most common boring operations, drilling of through holes and dowel holes.

Wear resistant types of tungsten carbide (HW) give longer tool life thereby reducing non-productive setup times. Tungsten carbides’ modulus of elasticity is three times higher than that of steel.

This fact translates into three times higher stiffness of the solid HW, which means that solid HW drill bits don’t bend as easily as traditional drill bits with tool bodies made of steel.

By eliminating the bending characteristic of traditional drill bits, scrap and lost parts from oversize holes, irregular boring and surface damages caused by bent drill bits is drastically reduced.

Should one not try to implement the same technology with the hinge boring bits?

Conventional hinge borers can only achieve moderate tool run time and feed speed.

They require frequent tool changes and multiple “chip clearing strokes” are often necessary for deep holes, both of which are productivitylimiting handicaps.

The geometry of the blank is much more complex with hinge boring bits than with through hole or dowel drill bits. First a procedure had to

be found to manufacture the required HW blanks without twisting, warping or flaws in the sintering process.

On the other hand, not having to braze the small centreing point, the spurs and rakers onto a steel tool body allowed for a radical re-thinking of hinge boring bits and their design. The result is a family of hinge boring bits with a revolutionary new design totally committed to hole quality and productivity.

By eliminating the need for brazing HW- tips, high performance tungsten carbide can be used to increase the tool run time and to reduce the machine down time. The basic shape is reminiscent of an aircraft propeller; its function is similar in that it clears the chips considerably better than

a classical hinge boring bit.

Additionally, the smaller work piece contact area reduces the surface friction and power requirement. This reduces the risk of damage to the edge of the hole and simplifies the sharpening process.

The higher grade tungsten carbide improves the rigidity and stability of the hinge boring bit, again improving the hole quality. The smaller feed forces benefit productivity particularly with pneumatic drilling aggregates.

The cutting geometry and the spurs in particular are designed to optimise the quality and productivity in all the common work piece materials. High feed speeds of up to 3.5 m/min at 6,000 min-1 and 5 m/min at 9,000 min-1 are possible; holes www.suppliermagazine.com.au

SPECIALS FROM

www.leitz.com.au 35x70 RH Hinge Boring Bit

$55

ID 34811

HSK-F 63 Collet Chuck

$185

ID 37412

3SK30 Collet Chuck

$185

ID 37904

Z3 Nesting Compression

$59.50 can be drilled to within 3 mm of the panel thickness (e.g.

16mm deep hole in 19mm thick panel).

The new hinge boring bits can also be easily modified to suit specific profile requirements.

When being sharpened the projections of the centre point and spurs are reduced compared to the main cutting edge, which means a slight reduction in productivity. The 2.5 mm re-sharpening area means these boring bits can be sharpened six times making them highly economical.

The solid tungsten carbide hinge boring bits are available in diameters of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm and overall lengths of 57 and 70 mm in the right hand and left hand rotation. www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Until recently, changing drill bits used to be a time consuming task. Newly developed quick change drill clamping systems make tool change fast and simple. The latest quick change systems

by Leitz consist of only two parts – the quick change unit, which is mounted on the drilling spindle and a specially designed clamping screw, which replaces the original length adjustment screw of the drill bits used.

With the new generation quick change chucks drill bits are changed manually in a matter of seconds, which reduces non-productive down times and adds convenience and safety for the machine operators. ●

ID LCO51888

Nesting Planer

$250

ID 41550

90° V Groove Cutter

$250

ID 42935

FREE FREIGHT

ALL ORDERS OVER $50

SALES 1300 135 127 Order online: www.leitz.com.au All items plus GST

Valid to 31/04/2013

Information courtesy Leitz SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 41

Manufacturing

Empower Software saved us $600,000 in wage costs Russell Reardon, owner and general manager of Kitchens R Us and Mr Shelf, explains how Empower Software has helped progress his businesses. By Sean O’Sullivan, B Com (Hons) Otago University Empower Software Our manufacturing floor is based is Tauranga, New Zealand. We manufacture and sell shelving cabinets through several nationwide wholesalers and we manufacture and sell kitchens through three companyowned retail outlets in Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland. We employ 25 staff all up.

We paid $11,000 for Empower Labour Management Software five years ago. Since then, Empower Software has saved us two and a half to three factory staff, which is a total wage cost saving of approximately $600,000 to date, and we save $120,000 in wage costs every year into the future.

The main things Empower Job and Staff Time Tracking Software has done for our manufacturing businesses are as follows: • most importantly, our factory productivity gains: at the same time as reducing our factory staff numbers, Empower has enabled us to significantly increase our production with the fewer factory staff; • we can now schedule production backwards from our planned kitchen completion date.

Empower reporting allows us to effectively plan our due-by dates for each 42 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

kitchen at each stage of the project, namely: 1) office, 2) machining, 3) assembly and 4) installation.

Then Empower reports live to myself and all other management the accurate current workloads to each work centre so we can see that each kitchen is progressing according to its schedule. Using Empower we have not missed one installation date in five years; • Empower reports our forward workloads for up to four weeks ahead

allowing us to schedule all our jobs well in advance; • Empower has freed me to get away from the factory floor and regularly visit my three retail sales outlets to build our business from the coal face. Without Empower I would be tied to the factory floor full time attempting to chase jobs and staff to help ensure that kitchen installation dates were being met.

With Empower I don’t need to be on the factory floor full time. I get all the key Empower reports emailed to me every

second day, which allows me to see that production is meeting the dates and is being completed within budgeted time – or I ask the hard questions. I now go overseas knowing with confidence that I see accurate production reports whenever I wish to ensure all kitchens are being pumped out as planned despite my absence.

Initially, when we put Empower in, there was a little negativity from a few staff concerned about the 44 unknown and simply not

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Manufacturing 42 liking change. We put the PCs on the factory floor and held a staff meeting the next day and explained to factory staff how the system works and the benefits to them, management and the business. The very next day we turned Empower on and we were away.

The learning and implementation of Empower was pretty seamless – our production and productivity did not drop back even during the first few weeks. It took about six months to fully bed Empower in and now factory staff treat it as just another process they carry out in their daily job. The

system is so simple for factory staff to use not a single staff member has had any issue over the years.

Empower has run very smoothly over the five years. Whenever we have a management meeting and decide we need some information that we should be able to be get out of Empower we phone David Garrett, one of the owners of Empower. We explain what information we need and how we will use the information to better manage our productivity and David does all the figuring out and develops the report to our

requirements. We get the latest version of software with the report we require that same day.

The Empower policy on custom development of software for clients is great. All ideas from my business and all other 160 manufacturing clients go into the ‘boiling pot’ and all Empower clients get everyone’s requested developments.

I will shortly start using Empower cell phone texting for tracking and reporting site workers day start and finish as well as the start and finish on each job throughout the day to drive

their productivity. I will also start using Empower’s full job scheduling system as Empower Time Tracking has got our kitchen numbers and installations up so much we now need to schedule pretty tightly.

I like the fact that each of my staff on the factory floor uses Empower Software on the factory PCs as their own tool to manage their own jobs and times to ensure their jobs are completed within budgeted times and by their due dates.

If you are a joiner and are considering putting Empower Software into your business I recommend it. ●

Go online to streamline processes and boost profits A new online system for ordering cabinetry is making life much easier for cabinet makers seeking to bring more jobs into their factories.

The online portal, called goCabinets, is being used by cabinet makers and builders to quickly and easily upload new jobs and automatically place them in the queue for processing. Because it’s online, any builder or cabinet maker can access the program and make it ‘talk’ to their existing systems.

“We designed goCabinets to respond to a need in the market. Our customers were telling us that they wanted efficient ways to fit more jobs into their cutting schedules – without having to worry about more administration and quoting,” said Gary Cannard, director of Cabinets by Computer.

44 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

“Setting up a cabinetry business involves a huge investment in machinery – and these business owners really want to make the investment pay off. goCabinets is an efficient way to make the machinery work harder, without any extra effort from employees.”

The secure online ordering system uses a simple and logical interface, making it very easy for builders and cabinet makers to order new jobs. The system automatically calculates the cost of the job, and then syncs with existing cabinetry software to book the job into the production schedule.

“It’s all about making things easier, faster and

more profitable for cabinet makers,” said Cannard.

Indeed, this sums up the philosophy of Cabinets

by Computer, which has developed a range of software systems for cabinetry business. Other

products in the Cabinets by Computer range include the kitchen design software, KD Max; the highly automated cabinetry software, WoodCAM; and the nesting and labeling software, PackIT. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Software

Time… that most precious commodity If you have any success in business, a funny thing tends to happen, without even noticing, you wake up one day and find yourself neck-deep in the daily grind of peripheral tasks that you don’t even enjoy; things like paperwork, for instance, when you could be out there seeing new prospects, and making new sales.

Remember, it’s never too late to start re-arranging and changing some of the ways you used to do things when the business was new.

It’s always a good idea to learn new ways of working smarter, more efficiently, in order to free up your time and increase profits.

One of the things business mentors advise is to figure out what your strengths are and focus more on the opportunities in front of you then delegate those tasks you are weaker in or don’t enjoy so much to others.

Most tasks can be simplified and optimised with the introduction of business management software. It’s

always best to use software that’s specific to your industry, designed to meet the needs and requirements of your business; software which will connect you with your suppliers and can be easily adapted to the way you run your business.

“The first step in acquiring the proper business management software is to choose the right vendor.

Select a vendor with experience in your firm’s industry, with firms of the same size as yours and with a track record of excellent service after the installation” – source: WiseGeek.com EQ Software was designed specifically for the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom industry. It has the ability to grow with your company's plans as well as with industry trends and future technologies.

By being proactive and shaking things up a bit, this will allow you to get back to your core strengths and, before you know it, your days will pass by

quickly, you’ll be enjoying yourself and your business again and, without even realising it, you’ll regain your confidence, energy and focus. ●

"Remember, it’s never too late to start re-arranging and changing some of the ways you used to do things when the business was new." www.suppliermagazine.com.au

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 45

Product Update Laminate repair

Ecological Panel from Zoneform

SPECIALIST postformer manufacturer, JASONbLUE is now Australia's exclusive distributor of SeamFil laminate repair products.

SeamFil fills in seams, seals joins and repairs chips. It is scientifically blended to resist moisture, detergent and other household products as effectively as the original plastic laminate. Its resistance to fading is another one of the many qualities which has contributed to SeamFil’s success. SeamFil can also be used on laminate flooring.

Match any solid, pattern, or woodgrain laminate with SeamFil by easily mixing colours using its colour guide or you can request a custom-matched colour. It is the only product of it's kind on the market in Australia.

Also available is the SeamFil KiT, which includes 12 tubes, solvent, putty knife and colour mixing charts.●

ECOLOGICAL Panel is the only one of it's kind in the world. It's good looking, green, has low toxicity and costs less than you would expect.

Ecological Panel is FSC certified 100% post-consumer recycled particle board. There is no virgin timber in Ecological Panel it at all – it is literally made from mashed up furniture and cabinets.

Available in various melamine flat and embossed finishes, Ecological Panel is made in Italy and comes in panels measuring 3760 x 1860 x 18.

You can choose from both horizontal and vertical embossing and it is available with matching ABS edging as well as, in some combinations, with matching HPL. The Ecological Panel range is so vast that the manufacturer can offer exclusive colour and embossing combinations. This will allow those companies to market certain colours and finishes exclusively. ●

Design, quality and efficiency

EUROPEAN style and efficiency come together in Hera’s range of LED lighting solutions for the kitchen, bathroom or commercial applications.

Hera combines versatile design and state-of-the-art technology in high performance luminaires.

The latest in European LED flat under cabinet lighting solutions, the L & Q Pad from Hera is unique, slimline, ultra modern and perfect for kitchen, bathroom and commercial applications. The latest in Hera’s flat LED under cabinet luminaire range, the L & Q Pads are available in a stainless steel finish, high gloss black or high gloss white and combine versatile design and state-of-the-art technology in a high performance luminaire.

LED Cove Lighting Profile is a slim galvanised metal dry wall profile for LED Stick, LED Line and LED Power-

46 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

Line. Combined with innovative LED technology, it offers elegant and energy saving indirect lighting solutions for walls, ceilings and floors. Create ambient or accent lighting, or combine with LED RGB Line for a colourful display.

Make your space come alive with colour with pressure-sensitive, flexible LED RGB Strips with quick and easy installation.

LED RGB Line is an RGB light control system for creative coloured highlights for shops and exhibitions, counter tops and room elements. Select your colour from red, green, blue, magenta, turquoise, yellow and white, or set the system to flow through all of the colours. Use in combination with the LED Cove Lighting Profile to create amazing displays and accents. ●

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Go in "the draw" to win $15,000 of manufacturer’s software!

You get to choose the Empower product that suits you!

You can select:1 Time Tracking Jobs & Staff Labour Management Software (using 2nd hand PCs on factory floor) 2 Job Scheduling 3 Quoting and Materials (incl: costing, bill of materials, CRM, ordering, stock control, job cost) 4 Manufacturers ERP / MRP system (can link to your finance / payroll software)

Vicky Cammiade states

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

To Enter Email your applications to vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au or fax 61 3 9890 0087

In the subject line nominate Empower Product 1, 2, 3 or 4 ....and provide full business name and contact details.

www.empowersoftware.biz

Product Update Holytek panel saws prices reduced THE new Holytek panel saw range is one of the best value sliding table saws available today.

Incorporating high levels of engineering and construction, this manual panel saw is a real workhorse. Oversized worktables, large horsepower motors and big capacities make this machine ideal for any workshop.

As either the number one saw, or as a backup machine, this dimension saw will perform.

Gabbett Machinery has upgraded the machine to include the overhead guard (as shown) making it even safer to use.

Powered rise and fall of the mainblade makes this machine even easier to use. The wide aluminium sliding table provides plenty of support and slides effortlessly. As an option this

saw can also be upgraded to include a powered rip fence. This allows pushbutton operation of the fence, increasing accuracy, repeatability and saving massive amounts of production time.

Holytek features: • 3200mm sliding table;

• independent motor for mainblade and scoring saw; • blade capacity of up to 400mm; • sawblade tilting from 90 to 45 degrees; • table locks to allow easy panel loading; • table extension on outfeed side. ●

New offering from Laminex FACE AND EDGE SANDING SOLUTIONS FOR WOOD, PLASTIC AND STEEL.

BELT SANDING MACHINES

EDGE SANDING MACHINES

THE Laminex Group recently released a new product in its componentry door segment.

This exciting new cabinetry door offer is made from Laminex’s new Impressions textured finish18mm decorated MDF and is an extension to the current Finedge door offer. This now also includes two new texture finishes – Riven and Nuance.

Using the new Laminex Impressions finishes in a fully manufactured ready to hang door option provides a new dimension to the current Laminex cabinet door offer.

The doors are available in square, 3mm and 7mm rolled profiles. ●

BRUSH SANDING

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

48 | SupplierJan/Feb 2013

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

Classifieds

We repair high speed router spindles Supply new: HSD, COLUMBO, OMLAT etc.

Authorised HSD agents + repairs

SPINDLES NZ LTD 66 Manuka St. Nelson mobile: 021 023 89028 email: info@spindles.co.nz

www.spindles.co.nz

MINIMISE YOUR OUTGOING EXPENSES We specialise in the installation and repair of equipment servicing the timber industry.

We will SAVE you money on call out fees and provide you with peace of mind. Most repairs can be done in the one visit. No more waiting around for multiple trades.

Our services include: • Air compressor servicing/repairs • Air line installations/modifications • Dust collector installation/servicing • Duct installation/modification • Spray booth repairs • Roller door repairs • General machinery repairs/servicing • General fabrication If you are interested in any of our services please call 0406 545 993 or email: twmnsw@live.com

www.suppliermagazine.com.au

SupplierJan/Feb 2013 | 49

Events

MARCH 2013 6-8

FurniTek China 2013 International Exhibition of Machinery and Accessories

Shanghai, China http://www.furnitekchina.net/cn/ index.asp 6-8

WoodBuild China 2013 International Exhibition of Machinery Components and Supplies

Shanghai, China www.woodbuildchina.net/cn/index. asp 6-8

WoodMac China 2013 International Forestry and Woodworking Machinery and Suppliers Exhibition

Shanghai, China www.woodmacchina.net/cn/ 7-9

Advertisers 3D Kitchen Design Biesse Group

11, 51 3, 21

Empower Software

7, 47

The Big 5 Saudi 2013 International Building and Construction Show

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia www.thebig5saudi.com

11-14 IFFINA 2013

International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia Jakarta, Indonesia www.iffina-indonesia.com/2013

Fax: + 61 3 9890 0087 Website: www.suppliermagazine.com.au www.elitepublishing.com.au PUBLISHER

45

Vicky Cammiade

FSM Association

15

GROUP MANAGING EDITOR

Gabbett Machinery

39

Email:jennifer.curtis@elitepublishing.com.au

Grass Australia/New Zealand

17

Philip Ashley, Sean O’Sullivan, Dave Kahle,

Hafele Australia

2, Back Cover

Kockums Bulk Systems

31

Kory-Dubay Mfg

48 37, 41

Ligna

27

Lincoln Sentry

23

Millsom Hoists

33

Multicam Systems Pty Ltd

49

Ron Mack Machinery Sales

29

Spindles NZ

49

Total Workshop Maintenance

49

Wealthy Tradesman

49

Email: vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com.au Jennifer Curtis ADVISORY PANEL Michael Buckley, Dr Greg Chapman NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Ashley Cooper ashley.cooper@elitepublishing.com.au CIRCULATION MANAGER Georgia Gilmour georgia.gilmour@elitepublishing.com.au PRODUCTION For artwork and production enquiries please email: production@elitepublishing.com.au PRE-PRESS Prominent Digital PRINTED BY Prominent Press Pty Ltd OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES Representative Agent for Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co Ltd,11F-B, No. 540 Wen Hsin Road, Section 1,Taichung, 408, Taiwan Tel: +886 4 2325 1784 Fax: +886 4 2325 2967 Email: sales@wwstaiwan.com ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD PUBLISHERS OF: Supplier Magazine, FB Magazine, Flooring Magazine, Members of the Publishers Australia Association

Member of the Australian Furniture Association South West

Officially supported by:

• Cabinetmakers Association • Australian Thermo Laminating Association • Australian Wood Panels Association • Decorative Wood Veneers Association • The Furnisher’s Society of Victoria

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

Ph: + 61 3 9890 0815

EQ Software

9-17 Tendances Maison 2013

Home furniture fair

Charleroi, Belgium www.tendancesmaison.be 9-12

ABN: 27 006 876 419

Email: info@elitepublishing.com.au

9

Leitz Tooling Systems

IFFS / AFS 2013 International Furniture Fair Singapore / ASEAN Furniture Show Singapore www.iffs.com.sg

ELITE PUBLISHING CO PTY LTD

Elton Group

8-10

9-12

Published bi-monthly

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Interzum 26

9-12 Hospitality Asia 2013

Products for the hospitality and contract furniture industry Singapore www.thehospitalityshow.com.sg

Proudly produced and printed in Australia

Cabinet Makers & Designers Association (CMDA) Front Cover

Klimainfisso 2013 Specialized tradeshow dedicated exclusively to the production chain of windows and doors

Bolzano, Italy www.fierabolzano.it/klimainfisso LAS Expo 2013 Timber Industry & Forest Resources Management Fair Poland Kielce, www.targikielce.pl/?k=las_expo_ en&s=index

Contact Us

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

Win a free

software package!

Winner will be announced in the November issue of Supplier Woodworking magazine !

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

The offer includes…

3D Kitchen Pro Custom software producing… ➨ 3D images ➨ Floor plans ➨ Elevations ➨ Full cutting lists ➨ Full job costing ➨ Material optimising u Easily create your own unique cabinets u Complete customised system (cabinet library built to your own specifications) u Full unlimited product support (yes, no time limit) – broadband internet required

What’s the catch?

1. You must be a reader of Supplier Woodworking magazine 2. You must be a manufacturing cabinetmaker 3. You must not already have design or production software 4. The offer does not include future software updates 5. Email applications to vicky.cammiade@elitepublishing.com. au or fax +61 3 9890 0087

… subject “3D Software 2013” … supply full business name and contact details.

Readers who purchase 3D Kitchen during the promotion will also be permitted to apply.

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