Business As Usual AWISA succeeds in creating new business
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here was an air of confident expectation with the first AWISA Exhibition since 2008. Held as usual in the Sydney Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour the show, based on the official figures was, not unexpectedly, down on previous shows in terms of attendance. That wasn’t such a bad thing though. Suppliers who participated by taking space consistently commented that they had had good response and many had made good sales and had plenty of quality leads to follow up. The feeling you got was that those who attended were doing more than just browsing: they were there to see what had changed in four years and were ready to seriously consider what was on offer. Given the very tight nature of the Australian and New Zealand domestic markets coming through the recession, it shows there is light at the end of the tunnel. The 2012 show recognized in a more concrete way the significance of the design community. In a move to make the show more attractive to architects and designers, the organizers designated Hall 2 as the AWISA Design Hall where those who market hardware and decorative product would be located. These include the likes of Hafele, Hettich and Blum for example. Hall 1 was dedicated to panel processing with the likes of Biesse and Homag to the fore while Halls 3 and 4 were a continuation of panel processing and solidwood respectively with suppliers such as Altendorf and WoodTech. In this way the show was more focused for the attendee who wanted to look at specific technologies – and could do so in one area. What was on display was more about encouraging new ways of thinking rather than groundbreaking new technologies. Take the stand for the German machinery supplier Homag for example. The centrepiece was their new integrated system for product handling and manufacturing which can be specified for a large or small operation. Central to the concept was an efficient time, space and labour saving system designed to handle product especially panel of any kind through automation and a central, customized software package (Homag’s eSolution developed in association with IMOS). This is a future solution as Homag sees it: a centrally controlled management and storage system integrated with complete service back up from Homag. The service
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backup is of course crucial and is the key challenge for Homag to meet. The notion here is a complete factory can be run by just a couple of people. This storage and handling system can then be linked through to the other CNC based machinery in the factory enabling a fully integrated manufacturing and storage facility. Homag backed this up with 5 axis CNC technology and the latest in edgebanding technology employing premilling. The other leading German machinery supplier Biesse looked at new ways of thinking by focusing on providing an educational role to the AWISA visitor through free interactive design software training classes led by experienced software trainers. Focused on BiesseWorks and Icam software, participants had the opportunity to learn more in an environment away from the usual distractions of the workplace. Customised factory layout design was another area visitors could learn more about as well. Biesse also looked to demonstrate the wider range of machinery they have developed since the last time they were at AWISA. Of note were the Rover AG FT CNC machining centre with the latest technical solutions including the innovative loading and unloading system with auto labeling of panels and the new compact and versatile drilling machine, the Skipper V31 which offered flexibility and performance in a small space, ideal for the small to middle size operation. Both these leading machinery suppliers recognized the need to think outside the square while at the same time recognizing the significance, and potential, of developments in the software field. Software companies in fact were well represented at this AWISA show (around ten companies involved) reinforcing the important marriage between software
and CNC machinery. Although software for optimization and 3D design have come a long way it is the maturation of software involved in production management that caught the eye with considerable interest being shown in it. Kiwi company Empower Software was right to the fore in this regard. Altendorf, the Rolls Royce of panel saws and now known in this part of the world as Altendorf Asia Pacific, had a notable display in Hall 3 with some eight of the latest versions and interestingly, one panel saw from the 1930’s – it certainly caught the eye. The centrepiece was the newly launched Altendorf_2. This machine marks the new generation of panel saws for Altendorf. At some 2.2m high and 6m long it was quite impressive. The gist was to give operational freedom to the user in how it was operated. You could walk panels through the cut or watch the safety bridge drop and let the machine do the work. You could operate it from both sides as well. Surprisingly it didn’t take up as much room as you think either. With the integrated travel saw carriage there is no need for an external sliding table thus reducing the space needed. On the other side of the coin were those exhibitors involved in architectural hardware. With the advent of the AWISA Design section you found the three leading players Hettich, Blum and Hafele all in the same hall. The use of software to demonstrate and instruct was prevalent in each one of them. Of particular note was the fact that all were looking to offer solutions to fitments in any part of the home and not just the kitchen. Hettich had their “Hettich everything” theme focused around their ArchiTech soft close drawer system. The smoothness, the weight it could hold and the flexibility in design were key features.