Woodmex was the business
Provisional visitor estimates for Woodmex from organiser Centre Exhibitions put attendance at 12,207 (unaudited) over the four days. This compared with a final audited total of 14,935 in 2002.
Centre Exhibitions say they will be looking into the figures, although, according to exhibition manager John Southam, it may be difficult to reach a firm conclusion on visitor levels.
“There were so many variables in play,” he said. “The general situation in the machinery market, the fact that Woodmex moved to new halls and new dates, and the re-vamping of the ASFI exhibition that takes place alongside Woodmex and adds to visitor attraction.”
He also added that the general consensus was that, while the quantity of visitors was down, the quality was good. And this was borne out by feedback TTJ picked up at the event. One exhibitor in particular commented that “there had been no time-wasters at all…every visitor who came onto the stand had business in mind”.
Exhibitors were also reported to be “overwhelmingly impressed” by the new halls Woodmex occupied at the NEC. Also praised was the glass-walled outer Atrium relaxation area which was augmented by a display, sponsored by the American Hardwood Export Council, of the short-listed entrants to the Wood Awards.
Holding the show in October rather than November also seemed to be a popular move, allowing exhibitors to follow up leads before Christmas.
Exhibitors, organisers and the WMSA, which owns Woodmex, say they will be “reviewing all aspects of the exhibition and looking for ways to further improve the event for 2006”.
Double machine debut for Homag
Two machines on Homag’s stand were making their European exhibition debuts – the BOF211 Venture 12 CNC router and the Weeke BHP520 profi-line machining centre.
A Homag spokesperson said: “It is the first time ever that Homag has been able to premiere machines in Europe at Woodmex. It’s a recognition of the growing importance of this market that the two machines are being shown here.”
The company, whose theme was “Success with a System”, reported a number of machines sold at the exhibition, including technology not on display, such as a major order for Weinmann timber frame house production machinery.
Paul Cooper, Homag UK managing director, said visitor quality was “very high and volumes “well manageable”.
The BOF211, designed for heavy-duty work, features a console workpiece clamping station with LED positioning indicators, while the main spindle is a vector regulated, 18.5kW water-cooled unit and is programmable for 0-18,000rpm.
It can machine workpieces 4000mm long in a single operation or of 1375mm in alternate operations.
The Weeke BHP 520, an entry in the Challenger Awards programme, is equipped with a dual-table system, enabling one table to process material at high speed while the other is being loaded and unloaded.
Small but perfectly formed
Moretens of Sweden showed its classical machines at Woodmex for the first time in 2002. Since then, according to David and Louise Thomas, the husband and wife team who represent the company, sales have gone from strength to strength. Underlining this, founder Bo Mortensson attended the show this time.
The key to the success of the Moretens range, said Mrs Thomas, is their combination of quality, solid build and affordability achieved by sharing components between machines.
Among the products on show was the PH260 four-sided planer moulder. “This is ideal for the small joinery workshop or cabinet maker, but some bigger companies are buying two or three of them rather than one big moulder,” said Mrs Thomas.
A new development was an X/Y table for the Moretens spindle moulder range and also getting its first airing was the PS315 table saw featuring a 315mm diameter tilting saw blade, and maximum sliding table 1250mm.
Another launch was the H410 Panel combination thicknesser and two-side moulder.
New ways for windows
If all the inquiries Kimveda fielded for its new window design and estimating software at Woodmex translate into orders, the company is going to be working round the clock.
“We’ve done 120 demos; the interest has been incredible,” said director Alan Turner.
The company’s new product, JMS (Joinery Management System), will soon have modules for doors and door-sets, but windows is the first to come to market.
The software can hold a virtually limitless number of window designs and these can be rapidly tailored to customer requirements.
“The system, which has been used for a small number of companies for some time now, is based on woodworking expertise thanks to the input of co-director Mike Vincent who is also a joiner,” said Mr Turner.
“It is not just a glorified spreadsheet,” he added.
UK buoyant for Boere
According to Pieter Boere Woodmex made a refreshing change after recent wood technology trade shows on the Continent.
The managing director of the Dutch sanding specialist Boere Machinefabriek BV said that other exhibitions had produced “disappointing results”.
“But Woodmex has been encouraging, for us better than it was in 2002, which reflects that the UK is at the moment a very good market compared to the rest of Europe,” said Mr Boere.
Attracting a lot of interest, he maintained, was Boere’s new Special KS-1 targeted particularly at staircase makers. The edge-sander is oval and allows the operator to move round the table using the belt along its length.
The company also debuted the new heavy-duty 1100mm wide Sandrite, available with single combi head or with two heads, a contact roller and combi unit.
