Staircase manufacturer HMS Joinery has boosted profits by 30% and productivity by 40% after switching from traditional production methods to CNC maching technology.
The Newcastle-under-Lyme-based company made the change because too much overtime was being paid out to keep up with work, which was eroding profitability.
HMS Joinery said the turnaround started with the purchase of a Masterwood Atlas XL CNC machining centre to replace a semi-automatic trenching machine and other manual jobs. The unit makes the main body of staircases.
A second Masterwood, the Project 416KS, has been added to make staircase components, including newel posts, treads and kite winders.
Harry Murray, owner of HMS Joinery, said: “In a short time we have gone from being a traditonal joinery based on hand-work to running a modern staircase production line.”
He said the company is now able to take on additional work, with a standard staircase incorporating kite winders taking about three hours compared to a whole day using the previous traditional production techniques.
The Atlas XL features a 6m bed, an X axis of 6000mm, Y axis of 1350mm and Z axis of 650mm. Its main router can tilt from vertical to horizontal, from –5 degrees to 90 degrees, by pneumatic movement or DC motor.
The Project 416KS has an eight-post tool changer, 10.5hp router and rack and pinion movement.
Masterwood CNC machining centres cost from £40,000-120,000.
