The company has consistently focused on offering its groundbreaking four-way lift truck technology into ever more compact packages, with the most compact to date being the CB series. Now it has taken that compression process a stage further with its first pedestrian reach truck model.

The Combi-WR4 Walkie Reach was unveiled at the Australian Aimex show in a two-directional format. The model at Ligna was fully multi-directional, capable of working in aisles as narrow as 2m-wide pallet to pallet – making it unique, claims Combilift – and capable of lifting 1,450kg up to 5m.

"The WR4 is, like pretty much most of our machines, our response to customer demand," said managing director Martin McVicar. "Existing Combilift users were saying they needed something to access narrow aisles, quickly and easily, in addition to their lift trucks. At the same time, the WR4 does open up potential markets in DIY and other retail businesses where you have more people around, and standard lift trucks are not suited, for health and safety reasons."

The new machine uses AC technology in traction, pump and steering motors and includes pantograph and side-shift functions.

"The multi-position tiller is also our own, patent-applied for design," said Mr McVicar. "It swivels round to the side for convenience in really tight spaces and added safety, meaning that in these confined areas the user doesn’t risk being trapped between the truck and racking."

Another launch was the two directional Combi-Sideloader.

"This filled another gap in the range and was also a response to market need," said Mr McVicar.

"Four-way lift truck users said they also wanted a more traditional, robust sideloader for moving timber and other wood products longer distances."

The new machine is available in 5 and 6-tonne carrying variants and to avoid the common issue of hydraulic oil overheating in sideloaders travelling at speed over distance for long periods, includes a JCB differential axle and variable piston hydrostatic drive motor.

P-System raises profile
A new profiling head with a quoted run time of 35 times better than conventional heads was the big news at German sawmilling machinery producer EWD.

The P-System profiling head’s secret is based on LEUCO’s P-System small-diameter tools for processing kiln-dried lumber and wood-based materials without any of the tear-outs associated with conventional profiling.

LEUCO’s P-System technology peels the timber with a shear angle larger than 55°. The cutter heads working in a different plane gives the clean cuts, says EWD.

EWD and LEUCO applied this technology to a much larger tool for sawmill profiling. The tool has a 360mm diameter and eight knives mounted on the circumference.

It replaces the chipper knives as well as the facing circular saw cutting the board’s narrow edge.

Runs of two million linear metres without regrinding have been recorded, with surfaces produced without tear-outs.

Holz-Her enters vertical CNC machining
Holz-Her has entered the world of vertical CNC machining centres with the launch at Ligna of the Evolution line.

Two versions, the entry-level Evolution 7403 and more advanced 7405, had their world premiere.

Holz-Her sales manager Paul Nightingale reported sales of the machine, including one to a cabinet manufacturer in England.

"You can set up a factory for under £100,000 with an Evolution, a wall saw and a small edgebander," he said.

Evolution vertical CNC machining centres can machine all four sides. A special feature is machining chamfered parts such as furniture fronts and countertops.

A vacuum clamping system is equipped with software-controlled suction cup positioning with hole recognition, allowing workpieces up to 1300mm to be machined on all sides without reclamping.

Milling spindles can accept tool diameter up to 80mm, with an upgrade to the 6.5kW HSK spindle (six-head toolchanger) allowing profile milling, point thinning and engraving.

The 7405 offers edge routing on four edges, allowing panels to be completely grooved and profiled.

Maggi celebrates 50th Anniversary
Tuscan woodworking machinery manufacturer Maggi Engineering had extra reason to make a big impression at Ligna – 2013 is its 50th anniversary.

Highlights for Maggi included the new Evolution 1000 CNC automatic boring machine; the Edging System 3/50; and STEFF feeder GRIP automatic feeding technology.

"Ligna has always been a very good show but this year has been particularly good," said sales manager Stefania Maggi told TTJ.

The €33,300 top-of-the range Evolution 1000 features drilling from underneath and/or automatic return of the workpiece, as well as a fourth axis drilling process and a clamping system to ensure accurate assembly even if panel surfaces are not perfectly flat.

The Edging System 3/50 for automatic edgebanding of 14- 50mm panels has a feed speed of 6m/min and can apply edging of 0.4-3mm thicknesses.

Maggi exports 90% of production and has sold its machines in the UK for 40 years.

Paul updates C14 and Push Cut
German sawing specialist Paul has given its C14 and Push Cut CX cross-cut saws a new look.

Gone are the rounded edges in favour of more square contemporary visuals – changes already made to the RAPID and C11 series.

Paul said improvements in the C14 II, for medium to large timber sections in the industrial timber processing sector, include more efficient workpiece guidance, optimised dust extraction and waste disposal, increased user friendliness and greater ease of servicing.

The Push Cut CX II features increased cut length accuracy, maintenance-free linear unit, and modular construction.