“Best show ever”
Independent machinery supplier RW Woodmachines Ltd declared this year’s show as its “best exhibition ever”, with more than £700,000-worth of orders taken.
“And we expect to do at least another £500,000 worth of business on top of that,” declared RW managing director David Thompson-Rowlands.
He said it had been the first time in about three Woodmex shows that several machines had been ordered on stand.
On the stand, OTT had one of the show’s headturners – the Shark. With a fin-shaped control console, snazzy logo and shark-like colours, this edgebanding machine was making its UK debut.
Design features of the Shark include the CombiMelt glue application system, which OTT says aids flexibility and maintenance.
Elsewhere on RW’s stand was Anderson‘s new PTP 3013 point-to-point machine, aimed at small and medium-sized furniture and woodworking manufacturers.
Meanwhile, Giben showed how the latest gripper technology is changing beam saws, prodiving greater flexibility and output. The varied positioning of the grippers allows for various different sizes of panels to be machined.
Hot news from Wadkin UltraCare
Machinery service, supply and manufacturing operation Wadkin UltraCare lined up both new products and major corporate developments for the show.
While still making top-end moulders itself, Wadkin has embarked on a programme of expanding its range by sourcing products from other manufacturers and at Woodmex it announced the latest supplier relationship with Italian CNC router producer SAOM.
Sales and marketing director Nigel Smith said: “Our UltraCare service arm maintains CNC routers UK-wide and is constantly asked to recommend a supplier. It made sense to offer something in our own range.”
Also making their Woodmex debut were a heavy-weight Robinson-brand standard-speed six-head moulder, which is made under licence in Taiwan, and the Sherpa hydraulic mobile hoist for mounting and demounting heavy moulder cutter blocks.
The company also unveiled a new three-division operating structure and announced that it aims to be in its new premises by the end of the year.
Felder doubles first day sales
Austrian classical machine maker Felder was more than happy with its first day’s business at the show.
“Our initial estimate is that we’ve doubled sales off the stand compared to the first day of Woodmex in 2002,” said Felder’s Simon Hornby.
“This is in line with sales in the UK so far this year which are higher than 2003, part of the reason our UK business is taking on new 12,000ft2 premises in Milton Keynes.”
Among the exhibits attracting visitors and orders was the Format4 series “exact51” 20in thicknesser. This uses a six-knife, cutter for a smooth finish and, said Mr Hornby, has already developed a strong following in Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
Also getting its first UK exhibition outing was the Profil45 tilting spindle moulder. Key features of this machine include the “unique” rearward tilting fence, which creates a 320mm table opening for added ease of use and flexibility, plus a quick spindle change system.
DISA gives explosive education
Exploding dust extraction silos were an eye catching feature of the DISA Airmaster display.
The company had a video on its stand to flag up the difference in performance between wood filtration technology, like its own, which is compliant with EU ATEX directive on explosive dusts, and conventional systems.
“ATEX appeared in draft form in 1996, but both the timber and dust extraction sectors have been slow to adopt it,” said Gus Bishop managing director at DISA. “All our wood filters are now fully compliant.”
Getting the ATEX message across, he acknowledged, continues to be part of the sales job.
Key technology featured on the stand included the DISA Cattinair Cyclo filter. This was first seen at the last Woodmex since when it has sold widely.
The company also highlighted recent major installations, including a 100,000cfm dust extraction and handling system at RTD Crawford in Northern Ireland.
Brand new brand
German woodworking machinery manufacturer Reichenbacher is back on the market under new ownership.
Now called Reichenbacher-Hamuel UK following the takeover by Scherdel GmbH earlier this year, the company has recently moved to new premises in Penistone and intends to recruit more service engineers.
Company spokesman Gunther Schott said Woodmex represented a good window for the business, with several Irish customers checking out the new Artis X CNC machining centre.
The Artis features five axes, movable control panel, multi-drilling box with 15 drills and a working area of 4000x1250mm or 6000x1250mm.
Back to the future
On Altendorf’s stand there was a revival of sorts with the presence of a new WA 80 sliding table saw.
The original version of this machine, launched in the 1950s, laid the foundation for the company’s worldwide success and established the sliding table system internationally.
As well as recognising the service of the first WA 80, Altendorf revived the machine to meet carpentry shops’ need for a versatile, reliable and inexpensive second machine.
The new version features a 3200mm or 1800mm sliding table, a cutting length of 3100x1700mm, a 5.5kW motor and speeds of up to 5,000rpm.
