The LOOPTEQ O-300 return conveyor system enabling one man operation of the edge bander
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Staverton (UK) Ltd has been making quality furniture since 1928. Today it is known for solving clients’ workspace challenges with innovative design, quality craftsmanship and unbeatable customer service. The company’s 60-strong work force is based in its 26,000 sq ft manufacturing plant in Rotherham. Staverton also has a prestigious London showroom in Clerkenwell where the sales team is based.
“The foundation of our business has always been built on innovation, quality and first class service,” explains Staverton’s operations director, Ian Samuel. He continues, “The woodworking machinery we’ve invested in over the years is one of the cornerstone of the business. We have been buying HOMAG equipment for over 20 years and today our manufacturing facility is 100 percent HOMAG.
“As the world slowly emerged from the COVID crisis we began to question what the best strategy would be to grow the business. Whilst many manufacturers looked to take cost out of their operations, we decided to be more bullish and invest in our factory to give us more capability and capacity.
“We believed this positive approach would provide a better proposition to take to the market in the post-COVID, post-Brexit period, particularly with our OEM (original equipment manufacturers) customers.”
HOMAG DRILLTEQ V-200
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HOMAG – renowned as the best in the world
“With the decision to invest in new machinery made, we turned our attention to finding the best machine manufacturer to partner with. Although we had a long-standing history with HOMAG, we evaluated two other Italian manufacturers before making the final decision.
“Obviously, machine build quality is a very important factor in the purchasing process for new equipment. However, whilst HOMAG is renowned as the best woodworking machinery brand in the world, we believe the key to making significant capital investments in machinery is the service levels the manufacturer can deliver. And ultimately, that was the deciding factor for us; HOMAG’s service levels, relative to the competition, remain far and away the best in the industry.
“Our HOMAG area manager, Alan Betteridge, is a key component in our relationship with the company. He understands our business and we can rely on him to be candid and give us unbiased advice. Consequently, we briefed Alan on what we were looking to achieve with the new equipment and he helped us specify the right models.”
Improved capacity, capabilities and flexibility
”The existing HOMAG CNC machining centre had been a real asset for the business. We felt, however, it was vital to move with the times and take advantage of the changes taking place in the office furniture market. There was a shift from single work stations to larger meeting tables and so Alan recommended the five-axis CENTATEQ E-310 to increase throughput, provide flexibility and improve our production capabilities, particularly of curved parts.
“To strengthen our inserting and drilling capacity Alan steered us towards the DRILLTEQ V-200 which has proved to be an excellent choice. For edge banding, he suggested the EDGETEQ S-300 with a LOOPTEQ O-300 automatic return system and XES 200 glue station. The S-300 edge bander is equipped with the latest airTec glue technology and this has proved to be a game-changer, eliminating any issues with the quality of the glue line.
“The LOOPTEQ return system and the XES glue station have further improved our throughput speed. The LOOPTEQ system means the edge banding cell is now a one man operation. Meanwhile the glue station enables us to eliminate downtime associated with changing glue types and cleaning glue pots.”
Smooth, efficient installation and training
“The installation process for the machines went smoothly. Our production manager, Mark Powel, worked closely with Alan Betteridge and the team at HOMAG to coordinate everything. As a result, we were operational within ten days of the machines being delivered.
“In preparation for the installation of the new machines we sent three of our operators to HOMAG UK for a week’s training prior to delivery. The remainder of the training was done onsite in Rotherham by the HOMAG installation engineers and I have to say, they did an excellent job.
“We reckon the new machines will probably pay for themselves within a three-to-five year window. What’s more important, however, is that the improved capabilities and delivery times have enabled us to grow our existing customer business. In addition, we are attracting new customers with the quality, flexibility and value for money we provide.
“By working closely together with HOMAG we have established a strong partnership which has enabled us to constructively work through any issues. All in all, we’re delighted with our new HOMAG machines. They have improved nearly every aspect of our manufacturing processes and increased our throughput by well over 40%. The consistent quality, particularly of the glue line, is fantastic and HOMAG’s service levels remain the best in the industry,” concludes Samuel.
For a demonstration or further information on HOMAG woodworking machinery or software, contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424 or email: info-uk@homag.com
