Sharps Bedrooms -  United Kingdom

You&rsquo;re a furniture manufacturer, you&rsquo;ve got an urgent need for additional machinery to keep pace with orders, but the lead times for building new equipment just don&rsquo;t fit with your production demands. What do you do?
Juggling availability and the demands of production is often a balancing act, and one that has brought many furniture producer&rsquo;s to the door of used machinery specialists, Ferwood UK, including many of the UKs largest manufacturer&rsquo;s. With an experienced team, skilled engineers and a global machinery inventory at its fingertips, Ferwood UK is able to come up with a credible, timely solution when suppliers of new machinery have been unable to offer production slots, or meet budget requirements.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re not talkers, we&rsquo;re listeners,&rdquo; explains John Wilson, Managing Director of Ferwood UK. &ldquo;No two companies are the same, so unless we can hear what our customers want, we will never be able to understand their needs or solve their production problems. It&rsquo;s our job to listen to our customer&rsquo;s requirements, absorb their issues and transfer these into a viable solution for their business.&rdquo;
To do this, Ferwood sources and reconditions machinery from leading woodworking machinery manufacturers including Homag, Biesse, SCM and IMA. As well as its impressive 10,000 sqft Leeds-based premises, which plays host to as many as 15 or 20 machines at a time, the company has access to a vast global inventory through its worldwide subsidiaries. And, if you&rsquo;re looking for something specific, Ferwood&rsquo;s large sales network can go the extra mile to source a machine &ndash; or even a complete production line - that ticks all the boxes. &nbsp;
If you are keen to incorporate the latest technology into your production line, Ferwood has a solution for that, too. John explains: &ldquo;Thanks to our skilled engineers, we have the ability to modify most of the machines we have in stock. For example we&rsquo;re seeing a continual trend for PU and Hot Air technology on Edgebanders. This facility is not always available on machines over a certain age, but we are easily able to solve this by offering the option of retrofitting this bonding technology onto our reconditioned machines. This is a huge selling point for us and allows our customers to have the latest technology at a fraction of the cost of buying it on a brand new machine.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s not just edgebanders that Ferwood can bring up to date. Machines from beam saws to CNC machining centres and drilling lines to finishing systems can be modified to suit the customer&rsquo;s specific requirements&ndash; and it&rsquo;s likely to be delivered a lot sooner, and for a lot less than specifying new.
It&rsquo;s often said that to fully appreciate something, you have to understand the process it goes through and at Ferwood UK, they believe the same can be said when selling reconditioned machinery. &ldquo;We actively encourage our customers to visit our headquarters in Pollenzo, Italy, and to see the lengths we go to in order to recondition our machinery range first hand as for many, only seeing is believing. This dedication and attention to detail gives us the confidence to offer a six months parts and labour warranty on Ferwood Approved machines.
&ldquo;As part of the process of ensuring our machinery fits its intended purpose we encourage our customers to send us their sample materials, glues, tooling etc in order for us to recreate their products on a test run prior to dispatch. It&rsquo;s a great way of testing the machine and it shows the customer the exact results they can expect from one of our reconditioned machines. Once the machine is complete, we arrange the logistics and get it shipped directly to you.&rdquo;
John adds, &ldquo;For us, it&rsquo;s not about trying to fit a square cog into a circular hole. We have the advantage of selling a wide range of machinery from the very best manufacturers. Solutions are not always straightforward, but we&rsquo;re confident that with our experience in the sector and our comprehensive inventory, we can work with you to find the right machine to fit your business.&rdquo;

When Time is of the Essence

With over 50 years of experience manufacturing made-to-measure bedrooms and home offices in the UK, Sharps Bedrooms is one of the most established brands in the KBB market. When producing over 170 bedrooms a day, production has to be slick to maximise output and maintain high standards, so when when faced with an aging angle plant that was proving unreliable, Sharps Bedrooms turned to reconditioned machinery supplier, Ferwood UK, to find a solution.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;d never worked with used machinery before,&rdquo; admits David Lloyd, Factory Operations Manager for Sharps Bedrooms. &ldquo;In the past, when a machine needed replacing, we would go directly to the machinery manufacturer and purchase a new machine.&rdquo; It was following a chance encounter at the woodworking machinery and materials show, the W Exhibition, that Sharps started to take a greater interest in the Ferwood Group and its Ferwood Approved service &ndash; a service that sees second-hand machinery follow a strict 10-step process to ensure each one is stripped and rebuilt to the highest standard.
&ldquo;It was the cost saving element that first attracted us to the idea of a second-hand machine, but it didn&rsquo;t take us long to realise that we weren&rsquo;t just talking about a &lsquo;used machine&rsquo; that had been given a quick clean with an oily rag. We were talking about a machine that had been rebuilt from the ground up and reconditioned to within an inch of it&rsquo;s life. We didn&rsquo;t expect this from a second-hand machinery supplier and we were kicking ourselves that we hadn&rsquo;t looked into this market sooner.&rdquo;
Sharps knew what they wanted: a like-for-like Holzma angle plant that could continue to work with five 2.8 metre sheets at a time for up to 15 hours a day. Thanks to its vast global machinery inventory, a replica was sourced within three weeks and ready for David and his team to view in Ferwood&rsquo;s 18,600 square metre showroom in Pollenzo, Italy.
&ldquo;The team flew us out there to see it and took us though each step of the reconditioning process,&rdquo; explains David. &ldquo;From the initial handling, cleaning, sanding and painting to disassembling the complete machine and checking every component, the lengths Ferwood go to when reconditioning a machine is phenomenal. Seeing really is believing and it certainly made us re-evaluate our thoughts on Ferwood&rsquo;s approach to used machinery. After experiencing this for ourselves, the decision to work with Ferwood was inevitable.&rdquo;
Once rebuilt, Sharps Bedrooms were invited to view the Holzma angle plant in action and run their own materials through it. &ldquo;We shipped our materials to the factory so we could see how the machine would work with our board,&rdquo; explains David. &ldquo;We cut over 2,500 square metres of board a day and, as a result, we can&rsquo;t afford to be let down by our machines. Ferwood&rsquo;s approach left nothing to chance and the team were on hand throughout the process to answer any questions we might have had. It&rsquo;s simple actions like this that gave us confidence in both the machine and Ferwood.&rdquo;
To limit downtime, work planned to be carried out on the old machine was subcontracted, giving Ferwood time to install and test the machine in the factory. David adds, &ldquo;Sharps Bedrooms work direct with the public so we have to work to a given time scale and delivery dates must be met. Ferwood took this into consideration and worked around us. Their engineers also didn&rsquo;t leave until we were happy and the operators were confident using the machine.&rdquo;
David concludes, &ldquo;This experience has opened my eyes to Ferwood Approved machinery and I wouldn&rsquo;t hesitate to buy another machine from them. I&rsquo;ve already recommended them to somebody else. I couldn&rsquo;t fault the service and the team is always on hand to help. The machine is also exactly what we needed. In fact, it&rsquo;s a higher spec than our old machine &ndash; thanks to the addition of a wood chopper - but purchased for a fraction of the price. This has allowed us to keep investing in our manufacturing facilities and new machinery.&rdquo;

Stay Sharp With Ferwood

18 months ago, international fixtures, fit-out and maintenance company, CAPS Group, acquired its first manufacturing facility in the UK. Already established in Poland, central Europe, Asia and America and boasting an impressive portfolio consisting of Harley Davidson, Sports Direct, Accor Hotels, Vue Cinema, Triumph and L&rsquo;Occitane, the new Stockport-based facility needed to be equipped with a new edgebander that would be used as part of an exclusive bespoke manufacturing service. To do this, CAPS Group enlisted the expertise of reconditioned machinery supplier, Ferwood UK, to source the right machine quickly and efficiently.
&ldquo;In the past, I was always hesitant to buy used machinery,&rdquo; begins Paul Wilson, CAPS Group&rsquo;s Operations Director and UK Managing Director. &ldquo;As a global business, we aim to make the right decisions at the right time. We don&rsquo;t solely focus on cost because we can never be seen to be short sighted. Before we came across Ferwood, we were under the illusion that second hand machinery was a false economy. Yes, we could save thousands on the purchase price but would the machine meet our high standards and would it last?&rdquo;
It was Ferwood UK&rsquo;s business model and unique 10-step reconditioning process that first grabbed Paul&rsquo;s attention during an impromptu Google search. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d never come across a company that supplied second hand machinery in the way that Ferwood did and I was keen to find out more. Before embarking on a factory visit to see the processes for myself, I wanted to hear what Ferwood&rsquo;s customers had to say about them and their machines. I was pleasantly surprised to read references from well known names in the industry. Many were big manufacturers who, I know from experience, would not only have the financial freedom to buy new if they saw fit, but would also need to drive their machinery considerably harder than we would as a niche manufacturer. If Ferwood&rsquo;s reconditioned machinery worked for them, were we missing a trick?&rdquo;
A trip to Ferwood Group&rsquo;s 18,600 square metre showroom in Pollenzo, Italy, put an end to Paul&rsquo;s concerns and opened his eyes to Ferwood&rsquo;s flexible approach to used machinery sales. &ldquo;The whole process was astonishing,&rdquo; explains Paul. &ldquo;I was taken through the entire process &ndash; from stripping the machine down to its carcass and rebuilding it with new parts to thoroughly cleaning and painting the shell. The production line looked like it belonged to a new machinery factory, not a second hand one. They were unbelievably thorough in terms of overhauling the machines and I could immediately see the possibilities open to us. Knowing each machine &ndash; regardless of the make or model - would come with a warranty made me change my mind set. A used edgebander from Ferwood was a good fit for our business.&rdquo;&nbsp;
When deciding on the right machine for them, CAPS Group homed in on Ferwood UK&rsquo;s considerable experience in the sector. &ldquo;We knew that we wanted a premium machinery brand that would offer reliability and longevity but we were keen to get advice from Ferwood on the best make and model for our business,&rdquo; explains Paul.
As Ferwood UK works with a wide range of machinery brands around the world, offering their customers unparalleled choice from the market. &ldquo;In order to give the best possible advice, Ferwood was keen to find out more about our company and what we did, the processes we already had in place and the volume of product we were producing. They offered us several options that suited our needs and budget. The Homag Brandt KDF 660 Profiline edgebander was a good fit for us and ticked every box. In fact, it came with more extras than we originally discussed, helping us to future-proof our business.&rdquo;
Once the sale had been agreed, the machine was fully refurbished in accordance with Ferwood UK&rsquo;s &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; brand package and installed into CAPS Group&rsquo;s UK factory within six weeks. &ldquo;They certainly didn&rsquo;t disappoint with their lead time,&rdquo; says Paul. &ldquo;We try and plan everything to the best of our ability. Whether it&rsquo;s a new sales plan or assets acquisition strategy, our next move is always governed by our next order. Having the right machine in place at the agreed time and in full working order is key for the business to keep pushing ahead. And, if any issues do arise, we have seen first hand the amount of spare parts readily available to us if ever we need them.&rdquo;
Paul concludes, &ldquo;First impressions have always been important to me. You can have the best product in the world but if the person your talking to doesn&rsquo;t have the right approach, or their knowledge falls short, it can de-value the brand. We had every confidence in Ferwood from the off. Their knowledge and background in the industry is second to none. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re continuing to work with Ferwood on our next venture. We&rsquo;re about to start building a new logistics centre next to our Polish factory and Ferwood was our first point of call for advice on how to grow our production facilities going forward. We embarked on this new relationship with our eyes wide open and as a result, we know that we can rely on Ferwood to provide us with good quality machines from premium brands, offer solid after sales support and allow us to benefit from their years of experience in the industry and vast manufacturing knowledge. I couldn&rsquo;t recommend them more highly.&rdquo;

The Ferwood Experience

Geoff Burrows, owner of Dewsbury-based GB Projects, has been in the furniture manufacturing industry for over 40 years, servicing the contract furniture and shopfitting market. With this experience in the industry comes an exceptional knowledge of machinery, how it works and the maintenance required to keep it running smoothly. A firm believer in the benefits of used machinery, he doesn&rsquo;t always need to spend unnecessary time or money on sourcing new or fully reconditioned machinery unless it&rsquo;s absolute necessary. His team of dedicated engineers has the skills to achieve the same results for less, making Ferwood UK&rsquo;s no-nonsense &lsquo;As It Is&rsquo; machinery package an ideal solution for his business.
&ldquo;We decided to purchase a used 5-axis CNC machine to dip our toe in the water,&rdquo; begins Geoff. &ldquo;We hadn&rsquo;t bought one before and, when compared to the price of a brand new machine, buying a used CNC machine was a relatively cheap way of exploring the machine&rsquo;s capabilities and the different business avenues it could lead us down.&rdquo;
Ferwood offers three distinctive machinery packages - Approved, Functional and &lsquo;As It Is&rsquo;. These offer a flexible approach to buying used machinery that meets the time frame, budget, or specification of each customer. Geoff decided on Ferwood&rsquo;s &lsquo;As It Is&rsquo; machinery package. Designed for a quick and straight-forward sale, it gave him complete control of the machine, its handling and installation from day one.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve known Ferwood UK for a long time and I have every confidence in how they work. They are best known for their fully-reconditioned machinery, and I can see why it&rsquo;s a very appealing option for many businesses, but my team has become fully conversant with the workings of CNC machines over the years and we regularly fix and service our own machines in-house. This new addition would be no exception. We knew the machinery spec we wanted and we were keen to continue using the SCM brand, so as soon as we saw the machine we wanted become available, we organised the transport and installed it ourselves. The transaction was very straightforward.&rdquo;
The introduction of the SCM Record 110 NT 5-axis CNC machining centre has been a huge success for the growing business and, since it&rsquo;s installation last year, it has opened new revenue streams for GB Projects. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t take us long to see that this machine was far superior to an average CNC machine and our idea to invest in a used 5-axis CNC from Ferwood UK was the right thing to do,&rdquo; admits Geoff. &ldquo;As well as it benefiting our day to day business, we now supply the industry with CNC work and panel processing requests that they cannot fulfil internally. We offer out-sourcing on a nationwide scale and, thanks to the new SCM machine, we can supply smaller manufacturers with bespoke orders quickly and efficiently.&rdquo;
Geoff continues, &ldquo;It is also more efficient. It offers new ranges of products for us to manufacture and because of this, allows us to fulfil the most challenging design requests from our customers, whilst still offering us more margin. This flexibility gives us endless design possibilities and allows us to complete jobs even faster. A 5-axis CNC has certainly been a great addition to our machinery line-up and the machine itself hasn&rsquo;t let us down. In fact, it&rsquo;s done everything we needed it to do and more.&rdquo;
Geoff adds, &ldquo;Our company ethos is to get the best and most modern machines we can afford and that gets better year on year. Our workshop has a range of new and used machinery in it but on this occasion, the right decision for us was a non-refurbished machine from Ferwood. We know what we want and what to expect when we purchase woodworking machinery but Ferwood UK is always there to offer insight into the machine and its capabilities. They are also always on the end of the phone if you&rsquo;re looking for an honest opinion on something you&rsquo;re looking for or working on. You couldn&rsquo;t fault their product knowledge and professionalism. Should the opportunity arise, we would happily continue to use them again and again.&rdquo;

A No-Nonsense Approach From Ferwood

Maintaining strong values is key to creating a successful business and it is a focal point for many businesses looking to establish new relationships within industries such as this.&nbsp;
Contrary to belief, values are not just abstract words or concepts. They represent the foundations of our lives and ultimately determine the decisions we make day-to-day.&nbsp;
In business, values constitute a so-called "reference map" which, in turn, helps employees navigate their workplace.&nbsp;
For a forward-thinking company such as Ferwood, we believe people are what makes a business what it is and, whilst the machinery we recondition remains at the heart of the business, it is essential that the corporate values are shared by the Ferwood team to ensure the company continues to move forward. If the values of the individual work in parallel with the business, not only does the general well-being of the individual increase, but so does workplace efficacy and production efficiency which will inevitably benefit to the customer.
It&rsquo;s clear that countless benefits derive from solid corporate values.&nbsp;
Ferwood&rsquo;s family values play an important role in the company&rsquo;s identity. Luigi Rossi and, later, his son&rsquo;s Federica, Edoardo and Riccardo gave life Ferwood. It has grown to become a global brand that specialises in the sale and regeneration of used woodworking machinery and has become renowned for the quality of products and services it offers. But, this could not have been achieved without the people that make up the business and the bond they share.&nbsp;
For Ferwood, its trusted team are extended family. Regardless of the role they play within the company, individuals come together to achieve a common goal. Growth and development &ndash; both personally and professionally - come from the sharing of ideas and skills, which in turn contribute to the growth of corporate competitiveness. Being "people of the Ferwood group" means much more than being an employee. It means they are a trusted member of the family. The Rossi family understand this and have been able to mould a successful business model centred around the importance of relationships, trust and common beliefs.&nbsp;
Federica Rossi, Head of Human Resources at Ferwood believes that in order for a company to grow and be successful, a large amount of responsibility and trust is required. "For Ferwood, acting responsibly means giving value to everyone's actions. Without a level of trust, growth could not be possible and the company could not flourish.&rdquo; This successful formula has been reflected in the company&rsquo;s production processes, in the product and people within the company.&nbsp;
Ferwood strives for excellence by trying to ensure the best possible customer service. It works hard to ensure the highest technical and professional quality and is committed to offering a valued service to its customers. Ferwood&rsquo;s &lsquo;people&rsquo; are problem-solvers and, by working together, they can create solutions.&nbsp;
This is Ferwood's identity card: an approach focused on the development of its team&rsquo;s potential which moves from the concrete resources present in the company to the needs of the present. The vision for the future is continuous optimsation.
This is the Ferwood culture.

Our Value: Our Identity Card

What are the secrets to effective routine maintenance of edgebanding machinery?
We ask Danilo, our specialised technician, to find out.&nbsp;
"First of all, at the end of each production day, it is necessary to completely clean the machine in order to eliminate all residue that could affect productivity the next day. We recommend that you carefully lubricate all the sliding parts at least once a week and don&rsquo;t forget the electrical and electronic components. It&rsquo;s also important to clean the electrics and PC control panel every two to three months.
The cleaning and overhaul of the glue pot varies depending on the level of production carried out. We suggest that you do this at least twice a year. However, if the machine is not used frequently, we recommend cleaning it out more regularly to avoid the glue from burning.
Last but not least, don&rsquo;t forget to check the general wear and tear of the tools on the machine."
The maintenance of woodworking machinery is essential to ensure high production standards.
Ferwood has a special maintenance program that allows you to keep the systems in optimal conditions. To find out more, contact our support team!

Did you know that routine maintenance is important for your edgebander?

Like all machines, the glue pot is subject to wear. In the long run, this can lead to sudden breakdowns and consequently, lengthy downtime. To prevent this from happening, we suggest following these simple steps:&nbsp;
1) Carefully clean the glue roller of residues at the end of each work shift. 2) Remove the burnt glue inside the tank once a month. 3) Grease the glue roller rotation gear once a month. 4) Replace the heating elements of the glue pot once a year.
One last piece of advice is to always keep a replacement glue pot to hand.&nbsp;
Ferwood is able to provide you with an automatic glue roller cleaning system. To find out more, pleased do not hesitate to contact us. Our technicians will provide you with the necessary support you need. <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/ww/services/parts-services/machine-components-overhauling-update/glue-tanks-and-premelters-overhauling">Get in touch for more information</a>.&nbsp;

EVA glue tanks: Maintenance Tips

The maintenance of tracks on squaring-edgebanding machines is the first step you need to take to keep your machine running smoothly. Here are some tips to avoid unpleasant surprises:
1. Thoroughly clean and grease the track once every two months; 2. Monitor the swing of the track; 3. Check the wear of the pads.
If you experience any issues, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our team will be on hand to help you find the right solution for your needs.
For more information, <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/ww/services/parts-services/machine-components-overhauling-update/track-shoe-overhauling">consult our track service</a>.&nbsp;

Find out how to carry out maintenance and how best to clean the tracks on your squaring edgebander!

Square edgebanders: track maintenance - Ferwood

Tracks: Tips for Ordinary Maintenance

Looking for some useful advice when it comes to maintaining your machining centre? We&rsquo;ve asked our specialised technician, Riccardo, to share his hints and tips with you&hellip;&nbsp;
"First of all, it is important to stress the importance of cleaning the machine at the end of every production day. But, in order to maintain optimal performance and longevity, there are serval other maintenance checks that should be carried out, too: &nbsp; &nbsp;
- the daily unloading of electro-spindle cones inside the warehouse;
- regular lubrication of all moving parts of the machine&rsquo;s axes;
- the lubrication of the warehouse cones for the electro-spindle. The frequency this needs to be carried out caries depending on the production but in general, it is recommended that this should be completed at least once a month in order to avoid oxidation inside the component;
- checking the wear of the vacuum pump vanes, based on the times indicated in the machine&rsquo;s manual. It&rsquo;s also equally as important to disassemble, clean and reassemble the pump filters at least once a month to avoid vacuum leakage on the suction cups;
- and finally, it&rsquo;s important to regularly lubricate the boring head but remember, you should always follow the instructions and times indicated in your machinery manual."
Ferwood offer a special maintenance program for industrial woodworking machinery which allows you to keep your machines in optimal conditions, ensuring high production standards.&nbsp;
For any information, do not hesitate to contact us!

Machining centres: useful tips for routine maintenance

In a constantly evolving and increasingly connected global market, digital transformation is becoming ever clearer, making the digitalisation process a necessity for companies around the world.&nbsp;
What does this mean for Ferwood?
Already a forward-thinking company with a solid digital offering, it was the Covid pandemic that provided further innovative impetus to Ferwood. They were able to find immediate solutions to new market demands faster than they previously thought possible. The pandemic has accelerated Ferwood&rsquo;s existing support surrounding digital technology in the woodworking sector.&nbsp;
By promptly getting to grips with the new needs of the sector, in a world characterised by the sudden impossibility of moving freely, Ferwood has developed new solutions that not only offer competitiveness in the market but also new opportunities for its customers.&nbsp;
In addition, taking advantage of the launch of the new website, Ferwood now offers Live Demos, with appointments available to book online. Simple click the "book a Live-Demo" button on the site and you&rsquo;ll be transported to a dedicated page.
During the appointment, Ferwood&rsquo;s specialists will be able to answer any technical questions you may have and guide you through the best options for your business. You&rsquo;ll also be able to talk to technicians about the installation, maintenance, spare parts and the different services available. You&rsquo;ll also be given an tour of the machines using an interactive camera system, which allows a 360 &deg; viewing in high resolution.
Edoardo Rossi, Sales Manager and promoter of the project says, &ldquo;This is our solution: to offer innovative and direct options that shorten the distance between us and our customers and continue to always be by their side to enhance their business.&rdquo;&nbsp;
To meet the new needs that have emerged from the industrial woodworking market, Ferwood has also introduced a Virtual Tour of the group's factories, allowing customer to fully immerse themselves in the Ferwood world at the touch of a button.&nbsp;
Edoardo concludes,&ldquo;We are realising, now more than ever, how much technology can help us face this new way of doing business and if the customers can't come to Ferwood, then Ferwood goes to them. "

Embrace The Digital Transformation

Tips for routine maintenance on your panel saw.
We&rsquo;ve asked our specialist technician Vali, to share his thoughts and advice what to do to increase the life cycle and performance of your panel saw.&nbsp;
1. Clean the base of the machine where the saw carriage runs once a week. 2. Clean the mechanical parts of the machine, paying particular attention to moving parts such as the pusher and blade carriage. This step must be done once a week. 3. Lubricate the axes of the pusher and the saw carriage once a month. 4. Vacuum the electrical parts of the machine, especially the electrical panel. This operation must be performed every 2 months. 5. Check the wear of the belts on the cutting blade and the engraver. This check must be carried out every 3-4 months. 6. Frequently remove debris from the chip channel. The frequency of this action depends on the production quantities being carried out.&nbsp; 7. Finally, it is advisable to sharpen the machine&rsquo;s tools, including the cutting blade and the engraver when required.&nbsp;
In addition to routine maintenance and cleaning, it is important to remember to carry out scheduled maintenance every year. To help you with this, Ferwood has a special maintenance service for woodworking machinery that is carried out by competent technicians at times that work for you. Contact us to book a preventive inspection for your machine!

Panel Saws: Useful Tips for Routine Maintenance

What&rsquo;s the difference between a used and Ferwood Approved machine? You&rsquo;ll be forgiven for thinking they are the same thing but for used machinery specialist, Ferwood, rigorous processes and stringent attention to detail transform their reconditioned machinery into a class of its own. Proving it&rsquo;s really what is under the paintwork that counts, Ferwood has lifted the lid on its unique 10-step process to show you what it really means to buy a Ferwood Approved machine.&nbsp;
Based in Pollenzo, Italy, Ferwood&rsquo;s premises span over 200,000 sqft, with each section stringently categorised by its function and machine type. As well as an impressive showroom which homes completed machines, separate areas have been designed for handling, cleaning, sanding and painting, edgebanding, cutting, drilling and routing. Each area plays a vital role in the machine&rsquo;s restoration process and guarantees each machine, regardless of its make or model, benefits from an intensive programme.
The 10-step process begins with an evaluation of the customer&rsquo;s technical and manufacturing requirements. Kelvin&nbsp;Wilkins, Sales and Marketing Manager at Ferwood Group&nbsp;explains, &ldquo;For us, this involves us using our technical knowledge and industry know-how to find the best possible solution for our customers.&nbsp;What does the company need to achieve from its Ferwood Approved machine? What budget has been allocated and what timeframe does the customer need to work in? These are really important questions, especially when faced with a busy factory floor. But for us, listening to our customers is second nature and by working together, we can source and install the best machine for them in the most efficient way.&rdquo;
Step two takes place in the Ferwood factory. Here, it&rsquo;s disassembled, thoroughly cleaned and painted. Step three and four follow, as engineers replace any worn parts and check all mechanical, electrical, electronic and pneumatic components. The fifth stage sees a thorough inspection and upgrade of safety devices is carried out. Then, in step six, any software upgrades and technical changes required by the customer are made.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s at this stage, step seven in the Ferwood 10- step process, that we ask our customer to supply samples in order for us to complete a test run,&rdquo; explains Kelvin. &ldquo;This is a fantastic way of showing our customers exactly what they can expect from the machine. By using their own panels and components, we can create an exact replica of their product in real time. This highlights the machine&rsquo;s capabilities and the results they can expect from a Ferwood Approved machine on their factory floor.&rdquo;
Step eight is delivery to the customer and step nine is a final check to ensure the machine has been provided with appropriate software, tools and manuals &ndash; and these are often written or sourced by Ferwood&rsquo;s maintenance team. But, in true Ferwood style, there is one final step to complete in order for the machine to be Ferwood Approved. Once the machine is installed by Ferwood&rsquo;s technicians on your factory floor, a final inspection takes place to ensure the machine is running smoothly in its new environment. A final test run, using the customer&rsquo;s materials, and employee training completes the 10-step process.
&ldquo;This demanding step-by-step plan proves that Ferwood Approved machines offer you much more than a lick of paint &ndash; something you may not have been expecting to hear from a second-hand machinery supplier. We have every confidence in our machines and that&rsquo;s why we offer a six-month warranty absolutely free with every Ferwood Approved machine we sell. We actively promote trips to our factory because we know that by seeing the process for yourself, you can see just how dedicated we are to supplying high quality, reconditioned machines that are designed to last.&rdquo;

Lifting The Lid On Used Machinery

Manufacturers know their products better than anyone. They also have a good idea of the machinery needed to take their production to the next level. With pressure from customers to reduce lead times and increase production there is often a tight timeframe to source and install the new equipment required.
This is a common situation which is resulting in more and more companies turning to FerWood for a solution that not only fits the brief but does so within a much shorter timeframe than might be expected. The reason for that is simple: FerWood doesn&rsquo;t manufacture machines, it holds them in stock and then rebuilds the machines of leading manufacturers to an exceptional standard, bringing them right up to the specification they need for the job they want them to perform, at a fraction of the cost.
Working with a wide range of leading machinery manufacturers means knowing how each brand works and what unique features might suit a particular application best. Looking for the best option often means modifications are needed to achieve the very best results. That&rsquo;s when FerWood can offer a customised solution that best fits their customer&rsquo;s needs. Sometimes it can be the simplest of changes that makes the biggest difference to a production facility but, whether it&rsquo;s a simple modification, or a completely new function that needs to be added to a machine, skilled engineers are on hand to make all necessary alterations quickly and effectively.
This adaptable approach also extends to complete production lines, where FerWood&rsquo;s team has the experience, as well as an impressive global machinery inventory to integrate equipment from different manufacturers into one line. The process often requires multiple units being removed, modified and installed to overcome any challenging obstacles the customer might have initially faced.
FerWood&rsquo;s attitude is refreshingly flexible. It&rsquo;s all about their customer&rsquo;s needs. It is a high quality, timely and flexible approach to used woodworking machinery that sets them apart. Their wide knowledge of machinery and ability to think outside the box when faced with tricky manufacturing issues has given a reputation for being problem solvers. The combination of cost saving and a high quality rebuilding service with customisable options, within a shorter timeframe means the benefits of buying a reconditioned machine from FerWood creates a credible option when selecting machinery.

Finding A Brilliant Solution

When sourcing a brand-new machine, you get the benefit of being able to pick the exact specification you want but what if you could do exactly that with a pre-owned machine for a fraction of the cost that could also be delivered and installed on a much shorter lead time? Commercial furniture manufacturer and start-up business, Fusion 10 Joinery, challenged Ferwood to source and install a specific machine in just five weeks and the reconditioned machinery supplier did just that.
&ldquo;We knew the exact machine we needed to start our commercial joinery business,&rdquo; begins Lee Oldroyd, Senior Project Manager at Fusion 10 Joinery. &ldquo;From our experience in the sector, we knew we needed a versatile CNC that could work with a wide range of materials including Ply, MDF, Trespa, Corian and HI-MACS solid surface. It needed to feature cam and pin operations, offer precise routing, work with curved formers, include an offline programming system and have a bed size of 10 x 5 feet. On top of that we needed to work within a limited budget and be delivered and installed quickly. We knew it was a tall ask but we were not willing to settle for anything less.&rdquo;
Lee knew his demands wouldn&rsquo;t be easy to fulfil but he needed the right machinery to start his project. With its established machinery partnerships and a global sales network, Ferwood&rsquo;s reputation as a leading used machinery specialist led Lee to their door: &ldquo;I worked with Ferwood many years ago and my previous employer purchased three CNC machines from them. I knew they had strong links to the industry and their product knowledge was second to none,&rdquo; says Lee. &ldquo;I was right to give them a call. Not only did they have the means to source the kind of machine I was after, they had the exact specification I needed &ndash; and in budget &ndash; already in stock in their Italian factory. What I thought was going to be a challenge, turned out to be a very simple process with Ferwood.&rdquo;
The Wakefield-based joinery company purchased a Weeke BP 145 machining centre, which offered them the flexibility to create bespoke, one-off pieces, as well as work quickly and efficiently on larger projects for the commercial sector.
&ldquo;From that initial call, we had every confidence in Ferwood and the services they could offer. They were honest and upfront about everything - exactly how a sales team should be. They gave us a breakdown of the three servicing brands available to us and talked us through the the machine&rsquo;s specification. The whole process was made really simple,&rdquo; says Lee.
For prompt delivery, the new business opted for a &lsquo;Ferwood Functional&rsquo; machine, which saw the CNC function tested by a Ferwood specialist prior the installation process and a video of the machine in action sent to Lee and his team to make sure they were satisfied with how it performed before it was shipped.
The Weeke CNC was installed on time, with introductory training given on site. &ldquo;The engineer was brilliant and really helpful,&rdquo; says Lee. &ldquo;He was with us all week and trained the team on the fundamentals of the CNC. The process ran like clockwork and the introduction of the CNC machine has already helped us win time-sensitive contracts. In under 12 months, we&rsquo;ve reached a turnover of &pound;800k and we expect to reach &pound;1.5 million within two years. This couldn&rsquo;t have been achieved without investing in good quality machinery.&rdquo;
Lee concludes, &ldquo;Some people dismiss used machinery before looking into it but before making your next machinery purchase, why not challenge Ferwood to find you your ideal machine? On this occasion, we simply wouldn&rsquo;t have been able to afford a new machine with the specification we needed but even if our budget was bigger, we would always consider buying second hand. Similar to purchasing a new car, it will lose much of its value as soon as it&rsquo;s turned on. If you&rsquo;re confident with the service you get from your used machinery supplier, there are many great benefits to buying a used CNC.&rdquo;

The Ferwood Challenge

Selling Your Surplus Machinery? 
Picture this: you&rsquo;ve just bought a new machine for your business but now you&rsquo;re wondering what to do with your existing machine. You know you need to sell it but you don&rsquo;t have the time to market the machine yourself and you don&rsquo;t want the hassle of negotiating on price, arranging a suitable delivery slot that works for both you and the buyer. Neither do you want to deal with any follow-up calls on the workings of the machine. You could try and part exchange your machine but it&rsquo;s not guaranteed that the manufacturer will be able to market your machine or you may have to continue to home it until it&rsquo;s been sold on.&nbsp;
There is a simple alternative that takes the unnecessary stress and uncertainty out of selling your surplus woodworking machinery. Ferwood Group is an established used machinery specialist that, with almost 40 years of experience, has established a global sales network and an unrivalled ability to recondition used woodworking machinery to the highest standards. Ferwood can not only offer you a fair price for your used machine, they can also agree an up-front deposit &ndash; helping you ease your cash flow if you&rsquo;re yet to purchase a new machine - and arrange the removal of your machine at a time that works around you and the delivery of your new machine.
Alternatively, if you&rsquo;re looking to buy a used or fully-reconditioned machine from the Leeds-based machinery supplier, you can also part exchange your surplus machinery in the same fuss-free manor. But don&rsquo;t just take our word for it. Here&rsquo;s what some of Ferwood&rsquo;s customers had to say about the company&rsquo;s no-nonsense approach to buying their redundant machinery:
Chris Taylor, Operations Manager, North and East Sheets and Panels Ltd: 
&ldquo;Ferwood came recommended to us through our industry contacts. We have since used them on several occasions when needing to make room for new machinery or when we no longer need a machine. I find the service very effective, they always stick to an agreed timeframe and everything is handled professionally.&rdquo;
Alf Ellis, Owner, Ultima Kitchens: 
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve sold machines to other companies in the past but Ferwood is convenient and reliable. I buy a lot of new equipment and change my machines quite frequently. They are quick and easy to work with and get the job done.&rdquo;

Selling Your Surplus Machinery

When faced with a broken down CNC machine, the options very quickly narrow down. You can&rsquo;t afford to halt your production line, so do you take a gamble with your quality and outsource your work, or do you revert to manufacturing by hand while you wait for a spare part to arrive? Either way, it&rsquo;s going to cost you. But, for established fabricator, Seamless Solid Surfaces, the first port of call was reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood UK &ndash; and within four days of their breakdown, a Ferwood Functional CNC was sourced, financed and installed.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;d just found out that our old CNC machine had an electrical fault and the spare part was going to take up to three weeks to arrive,&rdquo; begins Gary Wade, Managing Director of Seamless Solid Surfaces. &ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t afford to be without a CNC for three weeks. It would have costs us up to &pound;2,000 for every week the machine was out of action.&rdquo;
The Wakefield-based business needed to find a solution and quickly. &ldquo;The engineer that came out to try and repair the CNC suggested that Ferwood might be able to find me a replacement machine quickly. They talked me though a suitable machine on the Tuesday, I saw the CNC in action on the Wednesday and it was delivered and fully installed on the Friday. All I had to do was make room for the machine in the workshop and supply some wires. It was unbelievable. I&rsquo;d never experienced anything like it.&rdquo;
The CNC needed to work effectively on acrylic and solid surfaces such as Corian, Staron, TriStone and Hi-MACS and work seamlessly with an existing template laser. It would also need to work quickly and effectively on commercial batch orders and a growing number of domestic worktops each week. The four axis, 12-tool SCM Record 100 AL ticked all the boxes and after being function tested by a Ferwood specialist, it was ready to be installed.
Once installed, an engineer spent three days training the team on the machine&rsquo;s features. &ldquo;Training was a must for us,&rdquo; explains Gary. &ldquo;I needed my team to hit the ground running and there was a lot of kit on this machine that we hadn&rsquo;t used before. We predominantly use a 12mm cutter on our most popular materials but the level of training we received gave us a greater insight into the machines capabilities, the jobs we could complete and the speed it performed at. A job that would have taken us 30 minutes can now take us just five minutes.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s also allowed the fabricators to approach jobs differently. Gary explains, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re now cutting plywood kitchens that, in the past, we would have cut on a saw. The CNC lets us pre-drill holes for dominos and shelf pegs, massively speeding up the process and limiting the chance of mistakes being made. We&rsquo;ve also recently made a curved jig on the CNC which will be used as a mould. Previously, we would have had to do this by hand, which would have caused a lot of material to be wasted.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s also made the company&rsquo;s production more efficient. &ldquo;We can now supply our fabricators with everything in kit form. They no longer have to look at a drawing and mark everything out. It reduces errors and makes each job quicker. I can now get an extra half job a week out of each member of the team. That&rsquo;s a huge return for the company and has made the new CNC a worthy purchase.&rdquo;
In fact, it&rsquo;s made such an impact on the business that Gary is now looking at buying another CNC machine. &ldquo;This CNC was a big investment for us but we are now reaping the rewards. A second CNC could well be on the cards soon. I will certainly be contacting Ferwood when I&rsquo;m in a position to buy another. I thought Ferwood were brilliant and they reacted so quickly. The whole process has been crazy. I would never have thought it possible to see a machine demonstration, organise finance, arrange transport and install a machine in the same week. Knowing that they can also offer fully refurbished machines is also a huge plus point and, with an experienced team behind them, I wouldn&rsquo;t think twice about using them again. I&rsquo;ve been thoroughly impressed with the whole experience.&rdquo;

A Speedy Solution

Downtime is costly for any business but when manufacturing performance door sets and fire doors for both the public and commercial sector, short lead times, consistency and guaranteed delivery slots are non-negotiable. For Hartlepool-based Bridgman IBC Ltd, this has meant investing strategically in reliable machinery and, where necessary, doubling up on its most vital machines with the help of global reconditioned machinery supplier, Ferwood.
&ldquo;Every manufacturer can relate to the frustration of machines breaking down and in our line of work, we can&rsquo;t afford to miss deadlines,&rdquo; begins Peter Bowes, Operations Director of Bridgman IBC. &ldquo;We trade principally on our ability to deliver product on time and as a result, we go to extra lengths to eradicate any issues that may arise before they have the potential to disrupt our manufacturing capabilities and lengthen our lead times. To combat this issue, we&rsquo;ve got a back up for every process that takes place in our plant. We have more than one press, several means of cutting product to size and more than two CNC machines for cutting glass and lock mortises into doors. It&rsquo;s been a big investment to get us to this point but it&rsquo;s important for us to identify areas of strategic weakness within our business. This has highlighted our need for an alternative edgebanding facility so we are not hindered by a machinery breakdown going forward.&rdquo;
Peter admits that the company&rsquo;s existing Homag edgebander works well with the dense timber needed to apply wood lippings to their FD30 to FD120 fire door range but he knows even the best machines can break down unexpectedly and was keen to guard against any potential interruption to production.
&ldquo;It was clear that we needed a new edgebander to eradicate this doubt. We run both new and used machinery, each differing greatly in the level of technology and the number of features they offer. On this occasion, we didn&rsquo;t need a machine with a plethora of fancy gadgets included. It needed to stick a lip on a door and trim it flush. That said, the machine needed to be robust enough to cope with upwards of 200 hard wood lippings a day, each measuring up to 20mm thick - not the usual 6mm lippings used on a standard domestic door housing - and be able to work with the same polyurethane hotmelt adhesive we&rsquo;ve been using for a number of years. This would eliminate any problems with quality or continuity, while also reducing the need to stock pile different adhesives. We also get asked to put a lot of intricate ironmongery into the edge of doors and rebates, as well as various profiles, so the new edgebander also needed to work efficiently with chunky pieces of material.&rdquo;
After being signposted to Ferwood following a recommendation from a colleague and following the installation of a fully reconditioned &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; UV tunnel on its lacquer line earlier in the year, Peter knew Ferwood was a company that delivered on its promises. Peter adds, &ldquo;I was impressed by their level of service and the reconditioning process and, after highlighting a need for a second edgebander, Ferwood were able to modify a machine to fit our needs perfectly. In fact, they built it especially for us.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Finding a used machine with the exact configuration needed by Bridgman IBC wasn&rsquo;t going to be easy due to the rarity of machines on the market that were capable of working with wide hard wood lippings. But, with hundreds of used machines in its inventory, Ferwood were able to reconfigure the door manufacturer a machine to suit their specification.
Ferwood&rsquo;s engineers used the frame of one machine - stripping it down and leaving only the controls in place - and remounted the necessary machining units onto it. It was built to fulfil the company&rsquo;s exact requirements and, because it had been assembled and tested in line with Ferwood&rsquo;s premium reconditioning programme, &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo;, the bespoke edgebander was installed into its new home by a specialist engineer. The purchase also came with ongoing technical support from Ferwood&rsquo;s after sales team and a 6-month warranty for extra piece of mind.&nbsp;
&ldquo;During the build process, Ferwood asked us to ship materials over to them so they could test the machine on our own door blanks, cores and lipping materials so we could see what the machine was capable of. It looked and ran like new,&rdquo; admits Peter.
After a visit to the factory in Italy to see the machine in action, the installation took place a few weeks later. From the first call to Ferwood&rsquo;s sales team to the machine running its first door set, it took just under three months.
Peter adds, &ldquo;The benefits of buying a similar machine meant that our operators needed minimal training on the machine and its software. The engineer left no stone unturned and the installation was quick and easy. In fact, the whole team was knowledgeable, straight talking and responsive, and that allowed us to achieve exactly what we had set out to do. We highlighted a potential risk of business continuity that has now been dispelled thanks to Ferwood&rsquo;s ability to source the right machine for us.
&ldquo;It was never a hard sell with Ferwood. It was more of a collaboration than a sales process. It wasn&rsquo;t a cheap solution but we got what we paid for: a fully reconditioned edgebander that fits the bill. It has everything we need and nothing more. Going forward, Ferwood will be my first port of call.&rdquo;

Bridging The Gap

Atlas Leisure Homes are one of the UK&rsquo;s leading caravan manufacturers, producing upwards of 44 caravans a week from their manufacturing facilities in Hull. But, when faced with an ageing beam saw that was breaking down three or four times a day and increasingly challenging turnaround times, the company needed to source a replacement or run the risk of falling short on their weekly orders. The solution was a Holzma Profiline HPL 510 beam saw from reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood.
&ldquo;In our line of work, we can&rsquo;t afford for breakdowns to impact our production lines,&rdquo; begins Michael Mason, Machine Shop Manager at Atlas Leisure Homes. &ldquo;We pride ourselves on offering our customers the very best service and a high quality product. We can&rsquo;t have our lead times dictated by unreliable machinery and continual breakdowns. When our production showed signs of slowing down due to our beam saw, we chose to work with Ferwood to find an alternative.&rdquo;
Atlas Leisure Homes are no strangers to purchasing used machinery and have found it an economical way of purchasing high-specification machinery for their factory. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve found that buying used machinery can be really good value for money and if, like us, you have a good idea of the kind of machine you want, it&rsquo;s often a really straightforward way of doing business. We were running our old Holzma beam saw for 18 years and were keen to continue using a brand that, until recently, had served us well. In addition to the build quality, the new model needed to work quickly and efficiently on batch orders and cut 400 panels over the course of two 10 hour shifts per day. It also needed to work with 12 and 25mm MFC, 11 and 25mm Sterling board, chipboard and plywood so both a main sawing unit and scoring unit were needed. The option of remote programming and integrated optimisation software that could help us reduce material waste and man-hours was also desirable.&rdquo;
Following an online search, Michael got in touch with Ferwood, who stock a wide range of beam saw brands including Holzma. &ldquo;We knew of Ferwood and came across several Holzma beam saws on their website that looked like they could work for us. Unlike other suppliers who often just service the machine before selling them on, Ferwood offered us a &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; beam saw that had been fully reconditioned from top to bottom and a six-month warranty to boot. Not only was this machine considerably cheaper that a new machine of the same specification, we were getting a reconditioned, fully serviced machine delivered to us at a time that suited us. It was a major selling point.&rdquo;
Once fully tested by Ferwood&rsquo;s specialist engineers, Michael flew to Italy to see the beam saw in action and, following an in-depth demonstration using their own materials, agreed for the machine to be stored until their summer shutdown.
&ldquo;Our manufacturing facilities close for three weeks during the summer. It&rsquo;s the only time we can afford to not have the beam saw up and running. The installation of the new saw had to take place during this timeframe and be ready to work as soon as we re-opened.&rdquo; True to their word, the new Holzma Profiline HPL 510 beam saw beam saw was delivered and fitted within the agreed timeframe. The engineers even worked around a new extraction system that was being installed at the same time. &ldquo;It went like clockwork.&rdquo;
With its new beam saw in place, Atlas is poised to increase productivity. The new machine not only has rear rollers designed to speed up lateral preloading of the machine, but once loaded, it can also cut up to seven panels at a time, cutting the overall running time when putting time-sensitive, batch orders through the saw. Its software has also de-skilled the job of the operator and has reduced the risk of errors thanks to its clear and precise cutting patterns. The machine gives a clear indication of what needs to be done to optimise each job and directs the operator if re-cuts are needed. It even highlights what needs to be completed and when. &ldquo;These functions are already proving valuable to production and have led to faster cutting, more effective use of labour and reduced material wastage.&rdquo;
Michael adds, &ldquo;Now we have good quality machinery in place, our next step it to look at more ways to automate our manufacturing processes and streamline our production. We&rsquo;re already looking to incorporate rainbow stacking alongside the new beam saw to increase efficiencies further &ndash; something we would not have been able to consider without the installation of a fast and reliable beam saw. The Holzma beam saw has certainly impacted our business positively and we&rsquo;re excited to see where our relationship with Ferwood will take us.&rdquo;

Sawing-Ahead

Infinitus Bespoke Interiors Ltd specialises in high-end bespoke interiors, architecture and contemporary furniture for luxury houses, super yachts and prestigious commercial projects. Offering a full in-house design, manufacturing and fitting service, each project varies considerably. With high expectations from its discerning customers, the Lancashire-based business knows the importance of investing in good-quality machinery that not only offers superior quality and reliability, but also the scope and flexibility needed to fulfil the most challenging of projects. This, along with an increasing project portfolio, has led the family-run business, co-owned by Joshua, Andrew and Luke Fishwick, to invest in its first 5-axis CNC from reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood.
&ldquo;Investing in a 5-axis CNC was the best thing we&rsquo;ve ever done,&rdquo; begins Luke Fishwick, Co-Director at Infinitus Bespoke Interiors Ltd. &ldquo;We knew what a 5-axis CNC was capable of but we underestimated the impact it would have on our business.&rdquo;
The craftsmen at Infinitus had been using a standard 8x4, 3-axis CNC machine for flat surface work but, with increasingly challenging designs needing to be fulfilled and an ageing drilling unit, it was struggling to keep up with demand. &ldquo;We use a lot of MDF and Birch ply but we also use premium materials like Trycoya&reg;, SikaBlock&reg;, solid timber and honeycomb aluminium that we can&rsquo;t afford to damage if a machine malfunctions. It also didn&rsquo;t have end-boring capabilities and, with poor suction on the bed, we were unable to work with large sheets, resulting in us having to manually pin small panels to the depth of the bed.
&ldquo;We needed a CNC that could work easily with bigger sheets and optimise each cut in order for us to reduce material waste and increase yield. We also needed a machine with a boring unit so it could load 10 drill bits without taking up additional tool changer space. Up-to-date software and a faster running time were also desirable but we didn&rsquo;t know if these features would be financially viable.&rdquo;&nbsp;
After researching a number of different machinery brands, Luke found the Biesse Rover B FT 1536 on Ferwood&rsquo;s website and, after viewing the machine at Ferwood&rsquo;s UK showroom, he knew it fit his requirements perfectly. &ldquo;We originally went to see two machines that had the specification we were after but we knew this was the machine for us. The Biesse Rover was only two years old with 50 hours on the clock and, because it fell under the &lsquo;Ferwood Functional&rsquo; brand, the machine was function-tested by a specialist prior to being sold. Not only were we getting a fantastic piece of nearly-new machinery for 50% less than what we would have paid for it if it was new, it was also delivered, installed and calibrated by Ferwood&rsquo;s engineers within two weeks. Ferwood even updated the BSolid software package for us so it included the very latest nesting software. We couldn&rsquo;t have asked for more.&rdquo;
Once the machine was installed, the company started to see a return on its investment almost immediately. &ldquo;In under eight months, it had paid for itself twice over,&rdquo; admits Luke. &ldquo;We get at least four enquires a week relating to 5-axis machining work which, in turn, has changed our approach to design and manufacturing considerably.
&ldquo;Not only has this machine&rsquo;s 5-axis capabilities opened new doors for us, it&rsquo;s allowed us to optimise and de-skill our old processes. Now, an order that requires 60 doors to be designed with intricate detailing, locks, hinge slots and end-boring can be completed in one hit without the need for routers, jigs or excessive handling.&rdquo;
It also speeds up the company&rsquo;s manufacturing processes. Luke says, &ldquo;We save time using the CNC, even when we&rsquo;re running the machine at lower speeds. That&rsquo;s why we now use it for everything we make. Processing fielded panels on our old CNC was a slow process and could take up to 90 minutes per panel. I&rsquo;ve just run 27 off and made all of them in a space of a morning.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s also helped us save time on simple things like cleaning a corner out on a panel. Instead of physically setting to work with a chisel, we now have a 60 degree corner cutter that cleans each corner perfectly. It&rsquo;s so much quicker, painstakingly accurate and, because of the machine&rsquo;s cyclone tool and impressive extractor, it&rsquo;s considerably cleaner to use too. It&rsquo;s such a game-changer for us and, if the cutting times on the machine&rsquo;s simulator are anything to go by, things are only going to be better.&rdquo;
Luke adds, &ldquo;I cannot rate the machine or the service from Ferwood more highly. Ferwood&rsquo;s knowledge and experience of working with this calibre of machinery is second to none. Ferwood gave us a lot of advice about the different machines and models available to us and because of that, we were able to make the best decision for our business. Knowing that machines of this quality and condition are available through Ferwood has opened our eyes to the fantastic opportunities used machinery can bring to our business. I couldn&rsquo;t recommend them enough.&rdquo;

Unleashing Potential

Established more than 25 years ago, Premiere Kitchens specialises in supplying kitchens to housing developers and providers across the UK. Keen to increase production, simplify both volume and just-in-time production and build on its reputation as a supplier of cost-effective, design-led kitchen solutions, the Gloucester-based business purchased a &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; Biesse Skipper 130 from reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood.
&ldquo;For over 15 years, we had been using a Brema drilling machine to feed our assembly line but it was struggling to keep up with demand,&rdquo; explains Mike Allen, Head of Operations at Premiere Kitchens. &ldquo;We needed a machine that could offer us a higher level of automation, work effectively on volume orders and help us to fulfil growing demand for response orders. We also wanted to decrease the machine&rsquo;s footprint in our factory, allowing us more room and increase machining efficiencies by at least 20%.&rdquo;
Following a recommendation from a trusted contractor, Mike began to research Ferwood&rsquo;s used machinery offering: &ldquo;I&rsquo;d never bought a used machine before but their business model made complete sense,&rdquo; he admits. &ldquo;By buying a &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; machine, the business would not only be benefitting from a newer machine with modern technology but also a fully-reconditioned machine for a considerably smaller price tag.&rdquo;
A Biesse Skipper 130 fit the company&rsquo;s requirements perfectly. Equipped with an automatic panel infeed and measuring system that verifies the exact size and thickness of each panel in real time and automatically adjusts the machining depth as necessary, it not only automated production, it also facilitated the machining of six panel faces simultaneously in one single step (including dowel insertion), eliminating the need to feed the panels through the machine several times.
A trip to Ferwood&rsquo;s Headquarters in Pollenzo, Italy, gave Mike and his team the opportunity to see the machine and to experience the company&rsquo;s unique 10-step reconditioning process, which sees machines completely stripped down and worn or damaged parts replaced before a full test by specialist engineers. Mike says, &ldquo;I was keen to see as much of the machine as possible and the engineers were really helpful. The level of refurbishment was incredible. They were also able to give me some background on the machine, talked me through the benefits of a Ferwood Approved machine, including its six-month warranty, and they used our own materials to demonstrate the machine&rsquo;s performance. This allowed us to make an informed decision and we bought the machine a few days later.&rdquo;
The machining centre was installed three weeks later and improvements to the company&rsquo;s manufacturing processes started to be noticed immediately. &ldquo;We had been running 400 units through our old machine on an eight-hour shift and we had hoped that the introduction of the new Skipper would help us reach 475 units per shift, but the double-sided production of doors, drawers and side panels, meant it smashed this target by continuously hitting 600 units per shift &ndash; and we know we can achieve even more.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve adapted our assembly line to work to these new speeds, and we no longer suffer from a lag between units and build time. It&rsquo;s also given us the production flexibility and responsiveness needed to fulfil response orders that need to be completed in a matter of hours. If this continues, we expect to see a return on investment in 18 months.&rdquo;
But it&rsquo;s not all about volume for the kitchen manufacturer. &ldquo;Quality is big factor for us and we haven&rsquo;t had any quality concerns since the Skipper was installed. It&rsquo;s helped us significantly reduce handling and material waste. Now, we get consistently accurate boring, routing and grooving at the touch of a button, allowing the assembly team to push panels together seamlessly. Even during the early stages of assembly, we&rsquo;ve now got a nice tight unit before we use any glues. It&rsquo;s phenomenal.&rdquo;
Mike adds, &ldquo;For those yet to experience a &lsquo;Ferwood Approved&rsquo; machine, it&rsquo;s well worth considering. Not only do they offer a cost-effective solution to purchasing machinery, the level of service and support they offer throughout the buying and installation process is great and the machine has been running like clockwork. My advice to anyone looking to invest in new machinery? Weigh up the pros and cons of buying new. We did, and it&rsquo;s changed our approach to buying woodworking machinery.&rdquo;

A Ferwood Premiere

Reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood UK, offers its customers four exclusive machinery packages. Ideal for those working to an exact time frame, budget, or specification, Ferwood&rsquo;s unique brands offer customers a flexible approach to buying used or selling surplus woodworking machinery.&nbsp;
So how does it work? Simply pick the package that best suits your requirements and let Ferwood take care of the rest&hellip;
Ferwood Approved: Ferwood Approved is Ferwood&rsquo;s premium machinery package and with good reason. Each machine in this category goes through a complete overhaul, restoring either an individual machine or complete complete line to its optimal condition. Ferwood Approved customers can also modify the machine to meet their exact requirements and with ongoing technical support following the machines installation and a warranty, you can buy a Ferwood Approved machine with complete confidence.
Ferwood Functional: Ideal for those with a limited budget but who still want the reassurance that the machine they are buying is in good order and can be delivered promptly, Ferwood Functional machines are fully function tested before being installed. This offers complete piece of mind when it comes to the machines operational condition, as customers know that any issues, however small, will be resolved by Ferwood&rsquo;s experienced engineers.
Ferwood As It Is: This is a simple and quick way to buy machinery from Ferwood. Offering low costs and fast availability, customers simply select a machine they would be like to buy from Ferwood&rsquo;s worldwide inventory, examine it to satisfy themselves it meets their needs, then purchase it. Ferwood can even help with the logistics. It really is that easy.

The Complete Package From Ferwood

When commercial furniture specialist, Claughtons, began trading last year, refurbished machinery specialist, Ferwood, sourced and installed a used machine that met the new company&rsquo;s exact specification and budget within just two weeks.
&ldquo;As a start-up business, we wanted to hit the ground running. This meant getting the right machinery in place quickly and efficiently,&rdquo; begins Jeff Attwood, Operations Manager for Claughtons. &ldquo;We knew the products we would be manufacturing and the materials we would be using, so when it came to shortlisting a machine, we knew the exact specification we were after. We needed a beam saw that was capable of cutting up to 100 sheets of 18mm Trespa and 25mm thick MDF measuring 2800 x 2070mm MFC each week. We also needed a tech and printer package that could run with our existing CAD software. We were not set on a particular make or model but, as a new business, we didn&rsquo;t have the means to invest in a brand new machine.&rdquo;
Having worked with Ferwood before, Jeff was fully aware of the scale of readily-available machines in Ferwood&rsquo;s inventory. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d sourced used woodworking machinery from Ferwood in a previous job and I&rsquo;ve always found them easy to work with. I knew they could offer a prompt service and had the means to get the job done quickly and efficiently. It seemed like the perfect fit for us: they could find us a machine that ticked all the boxes and get it delivered and installed almost immediately.&rdquo;
After browsing Ferwood&rsquo;s online inventory, Jeff purchased a front loading Holzma&nbsp;HPP11/32&nbsp;Profiline CNC&nbsp;Beam&nbsp;Panel&nbsp;Saw. The machine came under Ferwood&rsquo;s &lsquo;Ferwood Functional&rsquo; brand, which sees machines checked by an independent specialist during the installation process. &ldquo;This approach suited us perfectly,&rdquo; says Jeff. &ldquo;It meant that as well as offering us peace of mind when it came to the machines performance, the lead time was exceptionally fast. In fact, the whole process from initially viewing the machine on Ferwood&rsquo;s website to it being fully installed was only two weeks. It was a massive selling point for us.&rdquo;
The complete installation, which was carried out by an experienced Holzma engineer, took just three days, with introductory training given to Claughton&rsquo;s machinists. Jeff says, &ldquo;At the point of installation, the factory wasn&rsquo;t fully up and running, which made the logistics much easier. We had the extraction system and electrics already in place and we weren&rsquo;t restricted by production deadlines or the threat of downtime. It was a sleek performance and the end result was a fully functional machine that was ready to be put to good use. What more could you ask for?&rdquo;
Sixth months on, Claughton Office Equipment is set to work with Ferwood for a second time. Jeff explains, &ldquo;The whole experience of working with Ferwood has been easy. The machine has been reliable &ndash; we&rsquo;ve had no nasty surprises - and it does exactly what we need it to do. From previous experience, we knew that we could count on Ferwood to deliver tried and tested machinery and offer us an honest and reliable service. They did exactly that. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;ve chosen to work with Ferwood again. We&rsquo;re now in a position to grow our business and we need more machinery to do it. We know Ferwood deliver on their promises and because of this, it&rsquo;s a relationship we see continuing. We would highly recommend them.&rdquo;

The Right Start From Ferwood

Nobia - United Kingdom

How can you increase the life and performance of your boring assemblies, CNC drill heads and drilling machines in just 4 easy steps? &nbsp;
We asked our Field Engineer Christian to share these all important and easy to follow steps. &nbsp;Routine maintenance will take very little time but can significantly reduce the risk of unnecessary problems.
<ol>
<li>After every shift, thoroughly clean the inside of the spindles with air</li>
<li>Grease the head once a week while it rotates.</li>
<li>Check spindle accuracy control</li>
<li>Weekly checks for wear of the head attachment&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
If you experience any issues, please do not hesitate to contact us, our team will help find the right solution.&nbsp;
Ferwood offers a repair and thorough overhauling of drilling units and drilling heads for CNC and drilling machines. &nbsp;Find out more: <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/ww/services/parts-services/machine-components-overhauling-update/drilling-unit-overhauling">https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/ww/services/parts-services/machine-components-overhauling-update/drilling-unit-overhauling</a>

Drilling heads: Useful maintenance tips

&ldquo;Following the easing of COVID-restrictions, Ferwood had the pleasure of welcoming the Ferwood UK and Ferwood USA team to their Pollenzo Headquarters for a three-day workshop. It gave the team an opportunity to discuss and share ideas and insights into different markets and, by working together, create a strategy that will help the company continue to grow in new and existing markets. &nbsp;
Riccardo Rossi, CEO of the Ferwood Group says: - &ldquo;These were days full of opportunities for discussion and development. Each member of the team offers experience in different areas. We thrive on this and now, we have our sights set firmly on 2022 and beyond. I would like to thank our entire team for their ongoing support and commitment to Ferwood &ndash; our team is the cornerstone of our business.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Ferwood's workshops are a unique way to exchange ideas that will ultimately grow and strengthen the group. Find out more!

Woodworking machines: UK and USA workshop | Ferwood

Workshop For Ferwood UK &  Ferwood USA

You&rsquo;ve decided you no longer need a machine and want to sell it but where do you start? 
You could try and sell the machine yourself but do you really have the time to market your machine, arrange on-site demonstrations, organise the dismantling and logistics and be on hand to answer follow-up calls and on-going technical questions? For many, this approach to selling machinery is a false economy. But, there is a much simpler and quicker alternative: Ferwood.
With over 40 years of experience buying and selling woodworking machinery, it&rsquo;s our job to make selling your surplus machinery as easy as possible and because we hold hundreds of machines in stock, we don&rsquo;t need to have a buyer waiting in the wings before we can buy a machine from you. If the machine ticks the box, we work with you to arrange a suitable removal date.
Ferwood also takes the hassle out of removing the machine. Our experienced team organises everything around you. From the initial risk assessment checks and insurance, to arranging engineers, cranes and lorries, we cover every aspect of the move, so you don&rsquo;t have to.
So, what do you need to do to get stated?
It&rsquo;s pretty simple. Firstly, it&rsquo;s always a good idea to have some monitory expectations when selling a machine. Having a rough idea of how much you would accept for your surplus machine could simplify your decision and make the process even easier. Then, when making the call to Ferwood, be ready with the make and model number of your machine and take a note of the age and any technical features unique to that machine. An easy way to check this is to have a copy of the original machinery specification or order confirmation to hand. Any outstanding finance agreement on the machine will also be needed.
We will also ask for some images of the machine and the plate. Clear shots of the complete machine and close-ups of its key features, like a CNC&rsquo;s tool changer, spindles and operating system are important. It&rsquo;s also worth recording a short video of the machine running. This will help us agree a selling price more quickly. It really is that straightforward.
So what are you waiting for? Call Ferwood today.

How To Sell Your Surplus Machinery

BA Components is a renowned kitchen and bedroom manufacturer with over 30 years in the industry. With exciting new projects underway, new routes to market rapidly emerging and unprecedented demand for its existing portfolio that continues to require batch size one and batch size one thousand manufacturing, the Doncaster-based business needed to increase its edgebanding capacity &ndash; fast. But with demand for panel processing machinery soaring and lead times on new machines increasing rapidly following the pandemic, it was reconditioned-machinery supplier, Ferwood that offered an unbeatable solution.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Growth is behind the majority of our machinery purchases,&rdquo; begins Martin Towler, Manufacturing Operations Manager at BA Components. &ldquo;Our latest investment, a third IMA Novimat, was no exception. We predicted a surge in demand following the first lock-down and we needed to be in a position to hit the ground running when it took hold. We were already using two edgebanders at our Doncaster site &ndash; an IMA Novimat Compact single-sided edgebander and a fully reconditioned IMA Novimat single-sided edgbander that we purchased from Ferwood six years ago &ndash; but this set-up didn&rsquo;t offer us enough capacity or flexibility to move forward and safeguard ourselves and our customer&rsquo;s demands.&rdquo;
What BA needed was a third, high volume, low batch, single sided edgbander in order to maintain its profitable production processes. With the original reconditioned IMA Novimat single-sided edgbander performing simple 1mm edge work and the second IMA Novimat Compact single-sided edgebander applying a 2mm chamfer and different edge profiles, they were both running at full capacity.
Martin explains, &ldquo;When it comes to corner rounding our five-piece shaker door range, we use one finish on three sides and a different finish on the fourth side. This requires specific trimming and isn&rsquo;t easy to perform when the machine is running at full speed. We also use the edgebander to trim our J-pull door handles &ndash; a process that, if done incorrectly, could easily damage the surface edge. To get an identical machine built to our required specification would have taken 12 to 18 months. We didn&rsquo;t have that kind of time to wait, so we started to explore used machinery suppliers.
&ldquo;Ferwood hold hundreds of machines in stock. They are then put through a rigorous refurbishment programme &ndash; I&rsquo;ve never seen another used machinery supplier go to such lengths to refurbish their machinery. They quickly found us a like-for-like IMA Novimat Compact that was less than a year old and was modified to our requirements and was installed within three months.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s this quick and easy approach to selling machinery and the company&rsquo;s unique 10-step reconditioning programme that has seen BA Components and its sister company, BA Clic, continue to buy used machinery from Ferwood. Martin explains, &ldquo;With any second-hand machine purchase, there is an element of risk but that can be said for a new machine, too. Ferwood stand by their customers and support them every step of the way. They even offer a warranty on their Ferwood Approved range.
&ldquo;They also price sensibly. There&rsquo;s no game-playing. There&rsquo;s no heavy sales pitch and there&rsquo;s no inflated list price that can be slashed by 30% at the drop of a hat. It&rsquo;s straightforward and honest. That&rsquo;s what appeals to me. I know I will see a return on this machine within 18 months. A return on a new machine could take more than 24 months and we could easily have been waiting up to 12 months for it to arrive. These are figures that will make any manufacturer sit up and take note.&rdquo;
Martin adds, &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot to be said for Ferwood&rsquo;s willingness to help. I&rsquo;ve lost count of the number of times I&rsquo;ve asked them how would you do this? or could we do this better? We learn from Ferwood&rsquo;s experience and we work together to find new ways to solve challenging production requirements. This is evident in our latest purchase.
&ldquo;By investing in an edgebander from Ferwood, we have been able to spread the workload across our machines, multi-stream production and future proof against market changes. We predict a further 50% increase in production in 2022 due to the launch of new initiatives and, with our new edgebander in place, we&rsquo;re ready and raring to go.&rdquo;

BA Part Of The Ferwood Philosophy

Meet Melanie Pullan, Ferwood UK&rsquo;s Office Manager. Whilst you may not recognise her face, if you&rsquo;ve sold or bought a panel processing machine through Ferwood UK since it opened its UK-subsidiary in 2015, you&rsquo;re sure to have spoken to her.
A self-proclaimed organisation fanatic and lover of family holidays, Leeds United football club and her three &ldquo;football mad&rdquo; kids, Melanie has spent the last 25 years working in various administrative and sales support roles in the panel and wood industry. Her latest role as Office Manager for Ferwood UK, sees her undertake the complete post-sale orders process. This includes organising transport, coordinating engineer&rsquo;s schedules and liaising with customers, suppliers and the team both here in the UK and at Ferwood&rsquo;s headquarters in Italy, to guarantee a high-level of support and service to our customers.
It&rsquo;s a role that is fundamental to the success of the company and it requires someone who possesses a high degree of organisation, time-management and the ability to juggle multiple projects at one time.
Melanie says: &ldquo;I enjoy organising and planning &ndash; it&rsquo;s something that comes naturally to me and it&rsquo;s why, since completing my administrative apprenticeship at the age of 18, I&rsquo;ve&nbsp; continued to progress in this line of work. I&rsquo;ve met some fantastic people in this industry and I&rsquo;ve forged some great relationships. In fact, I&rsquo;ve worked with several members of Ferwood&rsquo;s team in pervious roles. These working relationships are so important and ultimately, shape how our business is run. As a team, we all know what makes each other tick, how we work and what our responsibilities are. We&rsquo;re a tightknit team and we always get the job done.&rdquo;
When asked what gives her job satisfaction, Melanie says: &ldquo;Doing a good job. When a machine arrives at its destination and is fully up and running, I get a real sense of achievement knowing that I&rsquo;ve done everything I&rsquo;ve needed to do to make it happen. This drives me to always go the extra mile and do what I do to the best of my ability.&rdquo;
Whilst Melanie is more than happy to shy away from the limelight and focus on the job in hand, her hard work and dedication doesn&rsquo;t go unnoticed by those around her. When asked to describe Melanie, customers and colleagues said she was hardworking, dedicated and a genuinely lovely person. That&rsquo;s what makes her great at her job and a brilliant fit at Ferwood UK.

Meet Melanie Pullan, Ferwood UK’s Office Manager. Whilst you may not recognise her face, if you’ve sold or bought a panel processing machine through Ferwood UK since it opened its UK-subsidiary in 2015, you’re sure to have spoken to her.

Meet The Team: Melanie Pullan

With new machinery in short supply and the need to upgrade its traditional joinery workshop fast becoming a priority, Bowkirk Joinery Solutions turned to reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood in a bid to source readily available machinery that not only met the specification requirements but also the company&rsquo;s budget.
The phrase speculate to accumulate couldn&rsquo;t be more fitting for commercial joinery company, Bowkirk Joinery Solutions. In the midst of a global pandemic and facing a rapidly changing market, the successful commercial fit-out company took the opportunity to diversify and become a commercial furniture manufacturer in its own right. But, with new machinery in short supply and the need to upgrade its traditional joinery workshop fast becoming a priority, the Pontefract-based business turned to reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood in a bid to source readily available machinery that not only met the specification requirements but also the company&rsquo;s budget.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;d been offering a commercial fit-out service since 2013 but we saw great potential in opening our own manufacturing division and making our own kitchens and bedroom furniture for the commercial sector,&rdquo; explains Paul Bowkirk, owner of Bowkirk Joinery Solutions. &ldquo;We had the contacts and the right skill set in house but setting up a production line was new territory for us. We didn&rsquo;t have the right machinery to do the job or vast sums of money to invest in new kit but these were minor obstacles for Ferwood. They worked with us to find the best machinery for our business and their direction played a huge part in how our business is run today.
&ldquo;We originally thought an entry-level three-axis CNC with nesting capabilities would have been a good starting point for us. It was affordable and would have done the job but it was Ferwood that opened our eyes to the level of versatility and scope a larger machine could offer our business and the additional time and cost-saving credentials it would bring to the table,&rdquo; says Paul. &ldquo;Unlike smaller models, Ferwood&rsquo;s used Biesse Rover A came with an automatic in-feed table and conveyor belt capable of working with up to 28 jumbo sheets at a time. It also featured a separate drill bank which could allow us to machine multiple holes at once and required just one operator. This machine could offer more flexibility and wouldn&rsquo;t limit production growth as the company grew.
&ldquo;We could see the potential immediately. We would be competing against more established businesses in the commercial joinery market so we needed to hit the ground running. With this machine, we could do just that.&rdquo;
To purchase the machine, the joinery took advantage of the government&rsquo;s Bounce Back Loan and, as the claim was being processed, Ferwood lent the joinery company a Biesse Rover B. &ldquo;In order for us to get to work quickly, Ferwood let us borrow a CNC from their existing stock. I don&rsquo;t know another company that would go to the same lengths to help their customers.&rdquo;
The company started winning business immediately and, with their Biesse Rover A installed in a newly-designed workshop, it set to work on its first project: the machining of 250 student bedrooms. &ldquo;It did this with ease,&rdquo; recalls Paul. &ldquo;What we didn&rsquo;t expect is that we&rsquo;d also need a quicker and bigger edgebander. We had a CNC that was churning out panels at a fast rate but our old edgebander couldn&rsquo;t keep up. It was proving unreliable and the team was spending more time fixing it than they were running it. We needed a CNC-operated edgebander that was easy to set-up and simple to maintain and that could work with hotmelt. It also needed to offer us the flexibility to handle hardwood lippings so we could eventually produce fire rated doors up to 54mm using a PUR system. Ferwood was our only port of call.&rdquo;
Ferwood suggested a fully-reconditioned Brandt single-sided edgebander which had been put through Ferwood&rsquo;s rigorous 10-step refurbishment programme. It not only offered simple handling but could also work effectively if production continued to increase.
&ldquo;It looks and performs like a new machine,&rdquo; says Paul. &ldquo;With minimal skill required, we doubled our output immediately. Working in tandem with the CNC, we now have a full machining cycle that allows us to cut and edge a complete kitchen (90 panels) in half a day, reducing machining time by 75%. There&rsquo;s no stopping and starting and no unnecessary labour costs. Plus, with the potential to increase our production by a further 100%, we&rsquo;re also in a position to explore several new revenue streams.&rdquo;
Not only is the newly-expanded company continuing to win FF&amp;E contracts throughout the UK, production is also being supplemented with private kitchen work &ndash; upwards of 10 kitchens per week, as well as kitchens for smaller homebuilders and a cut and edge service. Paul and his newly appointed Business Development Manager are also in talks with nationwide house builders about supplying kitchens to multiple development sites.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no way we could have achieved this level of production with the machines we originally had in mind,&rdquo; admits Paul. &ldquo;Our business model has become much more fluid and as a result, our business is working on numerous projects across different sectors. We certainly didn&rsquo;t expect the company to grow so quickly. It&rsquo;s not been without its challenges but Ferwood have been behind us every step of the way. Their technical knowledge and direction has ultimately helped us get to where we are today. The increased investment in machinery has paid off.&rdquo;
Six months on from the installation of the edgebander, Bowkirk Joinery Solutions is seeing a return on its investment. Paul says, &ldquo;We wouldn&rsquo;t have seen a return on a new machine this quickly and I don&rsquo;t believe the output or potential to grow our business and branch-out would have been any different. Ferwood is a great business model. They offer good-quality machines and the option to fully recondition them to an exceptional level without the hefty price tag. Would I buy from them again? Without a shadow of doubt. Their support and guidance has been a huge factor in our success and even now, several months on, they&rsquo;re continuing to help us with ongoing changes to our business.&rdquo; &nbsp;

Making Change Happen

Meet David Pugh, Ferwood UK&rsquo;s logistics specialist. Described by his colleagues as hardworking, conscientious and funny, his chatty disposition and boundless energy makes David a memorable character.
Having not taken a single sick day since he began working for Ferwood UK in 2015, David&rsquo;s ongoing commitment and dedication to his job is something to be admired. A qualified joiner with a background in kitchen and bedroom fitting, David&rsquo;s role sees him manage the dismantling and installing of used and reconditioned panel processing machinery in the UK, and overseeing Ferwood UK&rsquo;s 10,000 sqft showroom in Leeds.
A self-proclaimed History Channel boff and lover of &lsquo;how to&rsquo; mechanical tutorials on YouTube, David&rsquo;s eagerness to learn, problem-solve and expand his practical machinery knowledge has given him the skill-set needed to excel in his role at Ferwood UK and to become a firm favourite with repeat customers. It&rsquo;s also helped him to complete a wide range of on-the-job qualifications.
The devoted father of four &ndash; who has a rule to make his partner laugh at least five times a day - is also a practical handyman who isn&rsquo;t afraid to get stuck in when it comes to DIY and household chores. Keen to always be kept busy, his creative side also sees him make teddy bears, illustrate comic books and design Bo-Diddley guitars with his children at weekends.
When asked what motivates him, David said: &ldquo;My partner and children make me want to be the best person I can be. I have a strong work ethic and I want my family to be proud of me.&nbsp;I also really enjoy working with such a close-knit team. It may sound a bit corny but Ferwood are my work family and they motivate me to do my job to the best of my ability. No two days are ever the same because I work with so many different machinery brands and machine types. Each day brings a new set of challenges and I love that. I get great job satisfaction out of working closely with our customers and providing a smooth service with minimal on-site distribution.&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s this positive outlook and enthusiasm for his job that makes David an invaluable member of team and a brilliant ambassador for Ferwood UK .

Meet The Team: David Pugh

Meet Kelvin Wilkins, Ferwood UK&rsquo;s Sales Manager. Helping to establish the UK subsidiary of the Italian Ferwood Group, as the UK&rsquo;s leading expert in used and reconditioned furniture production machinery, Kelvin came on board in 2017. If you&rsquo;ve bought Ferwood-approved machinery, you are sure to have Kelvin in your contacts.
Ask Kelvin what is really important to him, and he will tell you it&rsquo;s family. Whilst he loves to spend time with his grandchildren away from work, it&rsquo;s also family that kickstarted his impressive career.&nbsp;
With Kelvin's Dad having founded Jaydee (Machine Sales) Ltd in the 1960s, his childhood was immersed in the furniture production industry and by 1985, a young Kelvin was heading to Germany to build machines at the Holzma factory. A fast learner and skilled technician, he installed machinery across Europe and the US before returning to the UK as an Area Sales Manager, and then Company Director. When Jaydee became Homag UK, Kelvin soon took the helm as MD. Since then, he has worked as Sales Manager at SCM, and Director of Kelwood Machinery. With over 30 years of experience, we&rsquo;d call Kelvin an expert in the furniture production industry.
So, what persuaded Kelvin to join Ferwood UK, just as he was beginning to enjoy a few more hours on the golf course? The answer is Ferwood&rsquo;s solid reputation in the industry, the company&rsquo;s growing inventory of high-quality machines and&nbsp;John Wilson, CEO at Ferwood USA &amp; UK.&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve worked with John over many years, with immense respect for his values and the tight-knit team he has built,&rdquo; says Kelvin.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;I have a good instinct for relationships and a keen sense of social responsibility. The growing demand for used machinery was perfectly timed with increasing awareness for sustainability, and I wanted to be part of something important. When John asked me to join him at Ferwood, it felt like the right thing to do&rdquo;.&nbsp;
Described by colleagues as honourable and fair, Kelvin&rsquo;s down-to-earth approach is appreciated by both customers and the Ferwood team. He has proven himself to be a man of many talents and is often the go-to person when anyone needs help. When asked what gives him job satisfaction, Kelvin said, &ldquo;My goal is to help people succeed.&nbsp;I don&rsquo;t sell machines, I sell solutions, and love to help improve a customer&rsquo;s production process. But it&rsquo;s not all new ventures and upgrades, sometimes we work with individuals closing a business, and I pride myself in making a hard task easier.&rdquo;
Whilst Kelvin is rarely off the phone, we know that he has twinkle toes and a big heart. As an ambassador for Martin House Children&rsquo;s Hospice, performing in the first Strictly Get Dancing is one of his proudest moments. With just seven weeks training, Kelvin and his wife&nbsp;Michelle&nbsp;stole the show with their Cha-cha-cha and Waltz steps, raising thousands for a deserving cause. Add this to his quest for knowledge that includes learning German, Italian, and the competition of the first year of BA honours in Archaeology - it's clear why Kelvin is such an asset to the Leeds team.&nbsp;
At Ferwood UK, we provide the best solutions for furniture production, and this requires knowledge, integrity, and the ability to think outside of the box.&nbsp;Kelvin's&nbsp;experience and helpful nature make us proud to have him in on board.

Meet The Team: Kelvin Wilkins

The long-awaited LIGNA&nbsp;2023 is heading closer in the diary, and for the global Ferwood team, it can&rsquo;t come soon enough.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
For the woodworking and processing industry, this is a key event to explore the latest innovations, technology, and future directions. LIGNA also brings our community together - for all of us to build and strengthen connections.
&nbsp;
As the world&rsquo;s leading supplier of used and reconditioned machinery for the furniture production industry, the Ferwood team will be in Hall 14, Stand H60. Visit the stand and find out how our established machinery partnerships, global sales network and fully reconditioned Ferwood Approved machinery can benefit your production process.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
With the latest machinery innovations and technology on display, LIGNA presents a unique opportunity to buy the latest production machinery. Coordinating the sale and removal of surplus machinery is an important factor in the purchasing process, so come and talk to the Ferwood team about our fully comprehensive, fuss-free selling package.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
We look forward to meeting you on the stand to show you how Ferwood can work with you to help your business. To activate your complimentary ticket <a href="https://www.ligna.de/en/?open=ticketRegistration&amp;code=bvYzY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>! To schedule a meeting, please get in touch: sales.uk@ferwoodgroup.com / +44 113 286 6689&nbsp;/ <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com">www.ferwoodgroup.com</a>.
Link to the website <a href="https://www.ligna.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ligna.de/en</a>
We look forward to seeing customers and exhibitors in Hannover.

Ligna - Hannover, 15-19 May 2023

Essential Interiors – United Kingdom

Decospan - Hazebrouck, France

Meet Kate Leedham, Ferwood UK&rsquo;s Account Administrator. With 15 years of experience in finance, nothing ruffles Kate's feathers when it comes to managing the busy accounts for Ferwood UK and Ferwood USA.
Kate&rsquo;s role sees her manage all of the finances - both in the UK and USA - and there's plenty to pack in each month. From sales and purchase ledgers, timesheets and stocklists to reconciling accounts, payroll and tax returns, Kate&rsquo;s strong organisational skills ensures that Ferwood UK and Ferwood USA run like well-oiled machines. Working in customer services and administration before moving into finance, Kate brings a wealth of experience with her. Perhaps&nbsp; the one position that perfectly encapsulates her ability to multi-task - was managing the accounts for a large country estate. With the business split between farming and children&rsquo;s tourist attraction, no two days were the same, and Kate loved it. And that's how we knew that she&rsquo;d fit straight into the busy Ferwood office.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Working under the umbrella of an International company presents many opportunities to add a w more skillsets to the list, and Kate is particularly keen to master a new language. Already signing off emails with &lsquo;Ciao&rsquo;, her top-notch communication skills and ability to prioritise have been appreciated when working alongside the finance department at the Ferwood Group HQ in Pollenzo, Italy.
When asked what gives her job satisfaction, Kate said&nbsp; &ldquo;Working closely within teams that span three time zones means that every day is different, and I take great pride in ensuring the smooth running of finances for customers, suppliers and employees, wherever they may be. Completing month-end reporting is always a great feeling. There are a couple of weeks that I am madly focussed, so finalising reports means I can take a breath before getting ready for the next month, and that&rsquo;s a really satisfying moment.&rdquo;
Kate&rsquo;s love of month end perfectly aligns with her love of family, so the scheduled monthly walk and catch-up, invariably finishing in a caf&eacute;, is always a key date in her calendar. As a devoted mum to a football-loving 11-year-old, weekends are often spent on the side of a pitch, so this regular meet-up with extended family is something she really looks forward to.
Described by the team as a bubbly personality who makes a sterling cup of tea, Kate&rsquo;s relaxed nature and can-do attitude make her a welcome addition to the Ferwood UK family.&nbsp;

Meet The Team: Kate Leedham

Xander Doors - United Kingdom

Diego Piersanti has been appointed as Key Accounts Manager for Ferwood USA. The role will see him manage and implement strategic solutions designed to develop and maintain key client relationships across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Starting his career as a Production Manager in the year 2000, Diego has since gained over 22 years of experience in the wood and panel industry - working for two leading machinery manufacturers. Previous roles have seen him become a specialist in his field, developing multicultural markets, establishing and consolidating substantial dealer networks and specializing in the sale of complex production systems and sophisticated machinery to large-scale manufacturers.
His industry experience, extensive technical knowledge and proven problem-solving capabilities have seen Diego grow and nurture relationships with some of the largest furniture and architectural door manufacturers in the Europe and has played an integral role in numerous multimillion dollar production projects during his time as Key Account Manager.
Diego Piersanti says: &ldquo;I enjoy building relationships with clients. My job is about forming a strategic partnership, offering advice and exploring opportunities that will ultimately benefit the customer and help them improve their production processes. Understanding what each customer wants to achieve and how best to make this happen is what I really enjoy.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to be starting a new chapter with Ferwood and I&rsquo;m looking forward to exploring the vast opportunities available to me in the US market. Ferwood has an exceptional offering &ndash; meeting the markets growing need for high-quality refurbished machinery at a competitive price point and with short lead times. It&rsquo;s a solid offering and one I&rsquo;m looking forward to promoting in the coming months.&rdquo;
John Wilson, CEO of Ferwood USA adds: &ldquo;America is already a thriving market for Ferwood and we&rsquo;ve seen consistent double digit growth over the last few years. With the introduction of highly skilled, experienced and competent professionals like Diego and backing from our global sales network, I&rsquo;m confident we have the right product and the right team behind us to continue to grow our presence in the American, Canadian and Mexican markets.&rdquo;

Diego Piersanti has been appointed as Key Accounts Manager for Ferwood USA. The role will see him manage and implement strategic solutions designed to develop and maintain key client relationships across the USA, Canada and Mexico.

New Key Accounts Manager For Ferwood USA

TOT FUSTA ESPAIS, S.L. - Manlleu, España

The woodwork industry has firmly placed the spotlight on sustainability in recent years, with UK furniture manufacturers working hard to respond to global and consumer demands to reduce carbon footprint by prioritising renewable resources and energy efficient production processes.
The role of used and reconditioned machinery in achieving sustainability goals is one area that continues to gain momentum, as manufacturers recognise that purchasing choices not only make a significant impact in carbon reduction, but help create a more sustainable industry for the future.
For panel processing machinery, a circular economy that maximises machinery life - by reconditioning, reusing and recycling - reduces our negative impact on the environment and improves our ability to meet and adapt to increasing market variables.
One company that has been working hard to transform the used machinery market and providing manufacturers keen to reduce their operational footprint with a real alternative to new machinery purchase, is the Ferwood Group. As the leading global supplier of used and reconditioned machinery, Ferwood has to date, recycled 4,000 machines, saved 6,000 and currently carries 150,000 recycled spare parts.
Specialists in their field,&nbsp; Ferwood UK&rsquo;s team of experts&rsquo; source and supply machinery from leading machinery manufacturers, including Homag Group, Biesse Group, SCM Group and IMA Schelling Group. As well as selling used machinery from its UK showroom, the Ferwood Group refurbishes high production panel processing machinery and complete production lines for many of the world&rsquo;s biggest furniture manufacturers from its headquarters in Pollenzo, Italy. &nbsp;From edgebanders, beam saws and CNC routers to full production lines, every Ferwood Approved machine is fully reconditioned, extending machinery life and reducing aunnecessary carbon footprint.
And those carbon savings are impressive: In 2023 alone, Ferwood customers purchased 500 used machines and helped save 4.625 tonnes of carbon. The steel required to produce this much new machinery would result in an average of 9.25 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, amounting to a staggering 92.500 tonnes over 10 years. With growing demand, continued investment in state-of-the-art factory facilities and highly skilled technicians providing high-tech customisation of full production lines, the Ferwood Group anticipate that carbon savings will continue to increase, making an impressive contribution to reducing carbon footprint in the furniture production industry.
Whatever the scale of production, the investment in panel processing machinery is a large part of any budget, and the financial implications of strategic sustainability can cause concerns. For manufacturers that recognise the importance of incorporating sustainability commitments into planning, used machinery is an effective and easy to implement purchasing strategy, whilst reducing unnecessary financial exposure.
"Reducing carbon footprint is not a new versus used machine scenario," says John Wilson, CEO of Ferwood UK. "Every manufacturer with a new machine on order is likely to have an old one that can be reconditioned and every high-quality machine provides potential to be reconditioned and re-used. By committing to place machinery into the circular economy, you help create affordable options for smaller manufacturers to streamline production and further reduce waste. This is positive action that supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions and helps create a sustainable industry."
John continues, &ldquo;Whether purchasing &nbsp;used machinery or making used machinery available, we can all play a role in this naturally circular economy. For any manufacturer looking at waste management, incorporating machinery disposal as part of the overall company sustainability policy makes sense.&rdquo;
With a fast and straight-forward purchasing service, Ferwood can even coordinate the dismantling of old machinery with the delivery of new ones, avoiding costly breaks in production. John adds, &ldquo;Your robust sustainability commitment improves your own sustainability credentials and helps reduce the carbon footprint for another manufacturer.&rdquo;
The UK furniture manufacturing market remains a key player in the overall economy, with the UK government&rsquo;s adoption of the Climate Change Act (2008) which set a target to reduce the UK&rsquo;s carbon emissions in 2050 to&nbsp; 80% below 1990's levels. We all play a role in reducing carbon footprint in the industry, and we will achieve more by continuing to work together.&nbsp;
As more manufacturers look to incorporate used and reconditioned panel processing machinery as part of their sustainability process, the positive impact in the industry can only increase. Manufacturers can achieve significant benefits in a circular economy and these can extend further than those all-important green credentials.
High-quality used furniture production machines provide all manufacturers with the opportunity to update machinery without being hindered by prohibitive capital expenditure increases. For growing businesses, this makes streamlining production, minimising error and increasing flexibility more achievable, and helps build in additional protection from the more difficult to control economic and market variables.
In a circular economy, what comes around, goes around - and it's naturally and mutually beneficial. Let's not forget it's often these smaller manufacturers with a focus on bespoke designs that kickstart the consumer trends set to shape the future of high output production. With growing consumer demands for sustainable products, customised designs and affordability, manufacturers that align with sustainable practises can benefit from increased customer loyalty.
&ldquo;The furniture production industry has faced unprecedented challenges in a very short period,&rdquo; says John. &rdquo;From escalating materials costs, supply chain difficulties and labour shortages, to unpredictable economic climate. Committing to sustainability and reducing carbon footprint can feel like an onerous task for many manufacturers already concerned about budgets, but it doesn&rsquo;t need to. From the largest manufacturers to smaller bespoke joinery outfits, introducing used and reconditioned machinery into purchasing and disposal choices are an effective way to reduce waste, conserve resources and create a more sustainable environment and a more sustainable industry.&rdquo;
The success of a circular economy is dependent on all parts having the same goals and aiming for the same high standards. Ferwood Groups reputation is built by only supplying premium brands whose build quality and reputation are already market leading &nbsp;and combining with second-to-none consultation, refurbishment and personalisation. Ferwoods success led to investment that has seen their headquarters grow to accommodate more than 200,000 sq. ft of factory space, with each separate area designed for handling, cleaning, sanding and painting, edgebanding, cutting, drilling and routing. The impressive showroom, sectioned and categorised by function, displays completed machinery and full production lines for customers to view in full operation.&nbsp;
&ldquo;At Ferwood, we believe that the success to growing a circular economy is in supporting a shared vision,&rdquo; says Riccardo Rossi, CEO of Ferwood Group. &ldquo;We invest in the best brands, the latest technology and importantly, the best employees. In doing so, we work together to create further resilience and sustainability in an industry we care passionately about. Ferwood saw 50% revenue growth between 2020 and 2022, and with demand for high quality used and reconditioned machinery continuing to increase, we have extended our presence in Europe and the USA.
&ldquo;Successful sustainability policies can reduce resources and create growth in new areas and at Ferwood, we are part of this progression. As automated machinery increase productivity and reduces reliance on labour, the demand to repurpose machinery will naturally create a widening labour need elsewhere. As the market for reconditioned machinery continues to grow, so too does the market for highly skilled engineers and apprenticeship programmes like our own.
&ldquo;We continue to look at ways to improve our internal organisational sustainability and include wellbeing and experience within our plans. We&rsquo;ve introducing virtual tours as an alternative option for customer visits, invested in solar panels for the Ferwood HQ factory and showroom, and opted for recycled materials for the new staff room. These are just some of the small steps in our journey to becoming more sustainable,&nbsp; and like the industry as a whole - these are the little steps that begin to build a brighter future.&rdquo;
The importance of sustainable furniture production in today&rsquo;s society can only increase. With growing awareness of environmental and social issues and global initiatives likely to expand - the industry will continue to develop sustainable practices that minimise the impact on the planet and promote a stronger industry.
The most effective circular economies promote the coming together of like-minded companies and individuals to share collective responsibility to create a better future together and working collaboratively is what the woodworking industry does best.
Riccardo adds, &ldquo;The market for used and reconditioned machinery isn&rsquo;t in competition with new machinery sales &ndash; it works alongside to reduce carbon footprint and create equity for all furniture manufacturers. Ferwood are committed to their part in providing machinery solutions that help create a more sustainable industry for the future.&rdquo;

The role of used and reconditioned machinery in achieving sustainability goals is one area that continues to gain momentum, as manufacturers recognise that purchasing choices not only make a significant impact in carbon reduction, but help create a more sustainable industry for the future.

Ferwood: A Sustainable Solution

Matt Long has been appointed as Key Account Manager for Ferwood UK. With over 35 years in the woodworking industry and bringing a wealth of industry and sales experience to the business, his role will see him manage key accounts in the UK market and develop new and existing relationships with customers across the country.
Beginning his career as an Electrical engineer in the late 1980&rsquo;s, Matt gained valuable technical experience installing and servicing woodworking machinery for Wadkin Agencies, before turning his hand to machine demonstrating and software training at Busellato UK. He thrived in a customer-facing role and with a proven technical background, the transition from engineer to technical sales came easily. His first sales role began in the early 2000&rsquo;s when Ferwood UK&rsquo;s CEO John Wilson recruited him to work for Machinery Sales Ltd (MSL). Subsequently, Matt moved to Homag UK in 2010 and continued to forge a successful career in sales.
With extensive experience growing and nurturing relationships with new and existing customers, Matt is equally at home selling entry-level machinery to start-up businesses as he is specifying high value production lines to large manufacturers. Putting his strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities to the test is something Matt thrives on. This, along with his solution-based approach to sales and solid technical background makes him a great fit for his new role at Ferwood UK.
&ldquo;I get great job satisfaction out of working closely with customers and finding a solution that allows them to meet their manufacturing needs,&rdquo; explains Matt. &ldquo;The more challenging the application, the better for me. I have a genuine interest in the technical side of manufacturing and I enjoy engrossing myself in the latest technology. &ldquo;
He continues, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t mind saying I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I saw Ferwood&rsquo;s state-of-the-art facilities for the first time and the level of equipment and refurbishment on offer. I was blown away by the company&rsquo;s set-up and the amount of high-quality machinery on site. Ferwood&rsquo;s clear capabilities were a game-changer for me and a real draw to the business.&rdquo;
The people within Ferwood also played a part in Matt joining the reconditioned machinery specialist. &ldquo;My career has come full circle. I started my transition from engineer to salesman with the help from John Wilson and we have a mutual respect for each other. It&rsquo;s a great feeling coming back into the fold and working with so many familiar faces. The work culture within the business and welcoming nature of the team felt like a great fit and something I could see myself being part of. I&rsquo;m now ready and raring to go in my new role and to present Ferwood&rsquo;s exceptional used and fully reconditioned machinery offering to the market.&rdquo;
John Wilson, CEO of Ferwood UK says: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to be working with Matt again. We work well together &ndash; we&rsquo;re both synchronised in our approach to our work &ndash; and that&rsquo;s seen great results over the years. Matt has gained a solid reputation in the woodworking industry and his technical knowledge and industry experience is second to none. He knows the market very well and is hungry for his next challenge. His drive and determination to find solutions and help his customers achieve success makes him the right person to help drive the market forward and build on Ferwood&rsquo;s solid reputation.&rdquo;

Matt Long has been appointed as Key Account Manager for Ferwood UK. With over 35 years in the woodworking industry and bringing a wealth of industry and sales experience to the business, his role will see him manage key accounts in the UK market and develop new and existing relationships with customers across the country.

Matt Long Joins Ferwood UK As Key Accounts Manager

Starting up a new business is no easy task. It requires a certain amount of grit, determination and at times, nerves of steel. For Essex-based Mason Projects, who began manufacturing high-end bespoke joinery solutions for the private and commercial market in the wake of a global pandemic, clear direction for the future and a plan to overhaul its original machinery within 18-months was at the heart of its business model. With the help of used machinery specialist, Ferwood UK, the company was able to invest in a Biesse Rover A CNC router and Holzma HPP230 Beam Saw to help them reach their production goals.
&ldquo;We originally started our business in 2017 to work in partnership with two existing joinery companies but in a relatively short period of time, one folded and the other closed due to retirement,&rdquo; begins Kerry Mason, Co-Director of Mason Projects Ltd. &ldquo;We made the decision to start manufacturing bespoke joinery ourselves and took on the lease of &nbsp;our 15,000sqft factory in May 2020.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Budget was tight,&rdquo; admits Kerry. &ldquo;Most of our staff members came from the other two companies, as did some of our equipment. In theory, we could start manufacturing from day one but we soon ran into problems due to the age of our machines. Some were over 20 years old. This is where Ferwood came in.&rdquo;
The family-run business couldn&rsquo;t afford new machinery &ndash; nor could they afford to wait for a machine when faced with longer than normal lead times thanks to the pandemic but Ferwood&rsquo;s Ferwood Functional buying option &ndash; which sees used machinery function tested before being installed to reassure customers the machine they are buying is in good order &ndash; ticked the box.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Ferwood&rsquo;s offering really worked for us,&rdquo; admits Kerry. &ldquo;We had zero confidence in buying a machine from eBay and certainly didn&rsquo;t want the hassle of arranging all the logistics that came with buying a machine from a private seller or auction site. Ferwood not only had machines in stock and available to view, but they could also test the machine and do all the heavy lifting &ndash; leaving us to get on with our day jobs.&rdquo; Kerry adds, &ldquo;Their prices also meant that we could spread our budget more widely and invest in other machines and areas of the business.&rdquo;
The need for modern machinery with updated technology was a huge factor for the ambitious company. Paul Mason, Co-Director of Mason Projects says, &ldquo;We had an operational factory but we needed it to work efficiently. We needed to work smart in order for our company to move forward. For us, this meant stepping away from the manual imputing of data directly onto the machines - which ultimately saw us doubling our workload after creating the original design files in our office &ndash; and being able to transfer data from the office directly onto our machines.&rdquo;
Kerry and Paul wanted to replace their failing Busellato Jet 3000 CNC router and their unreliable Holzma beam saw. They worked with Ferwood UK to narrow down some options that offered them the technology they needed, whilst giving them the technical specification required to fit today&rsquo;s budget and tomorrow&rsquo;s growth plans.
Paul says, &ldquo;We had a rough idea what we wanted but the team were great at explaining each of the machine&rsquo;s core processes and limitations. They were honest and that immediately gave us confidence in them. They also had a great selection of machines in stock and could deliver and install each machine quickly. They even offered us training.&rdquo;
Working predominantly with 8 x 4 MDF, as well as Medite and Egger board measuring 18mm thick, a Biesse Rover A 4-axis pod and rail and Holzma HPP230 Beam Saw were the best fit for Mason Projects.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The difference when each machine was installed was like night and day,&rdquo; admits Paul. &ldquo;Both machines have massively changed how we work and have significantly reduced production times and human error. Jobs that would have taken us a day due to our aging technology can now take us a couple of hours. This has had a massive knock on effect throughout the business and has given us much needed flexibility on the factory floor.&rdquo;
Working in tandem, the new machines have allowed the company to take on bigger projects and maintain strong profit margins. Kerry explains, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve recently finished a project that saw us create hundreds of wardrobes for a housing developer consisting of 121 new homes. This saw us produce large quantities of carcasses. They needed to be consistently accurate and cleanly cut before being moved to the CNC and edgebander. This is where the beamsaw really came into its own. It was so much simpler to programme and quicker and more precise when performing each cut cycle.&rdquo;
Production times have also reduced. &ldquo;Recently, we were asked to complete a large, last minute job that required work to commence immediately,&rdquo; says Kerry. &ldquo;We wouldn&rsquo;t have been in a position to do this before &ndash; we simply wouldn&rsquo;t have had the time &ndash; but our new machinery means this kind of ad-hoc job is possible to fit into our existing production schedule with minimal interruption, giving us more opportunities to grow our business.&rdquo;
Then there&rsquo;s been the completion of more challenging projects. &ldquo;We were commissioned to make a beautiful bar in someone&rsquo;s annex,&rdquo; says Kerry. &ldquo;To create the look of a compound curve, we made multidirectional fins that were faceted to create the look of curves on the CNC. It was stunning. With the new machines in place, the project was designed, manufactured and fitted within 12 weeks. This project wouldn&rsquo;t have been financially viable to do on our old machines due to the amount of time it would have taken to complete the programming and intricate machining. Now, we&rsquo;re only restricted by two things: imagination and budget.&rdquo;
Kerry continues, &ldquo;The machines were a necessity, not a luxury but they&rsquo;ve certainly paid us back more quickly than we expected and have allowed us to take on larger, more profitable projects we may have struggled to complete before. They&rsquo;ve also significantly reduced human error, the need for human intervention - both in the office and factory floor &ndash; and have helped us start to streamline our production. It&rsquo;s also given us an opportunity to embrace new software like BSolid, Cabinet Vision and Cabinet Works and incorporate a new barcode system into our processes to increase efficiencies.&rdquo;
Kerry concludes, &ldquo;As a company, we&rsquo;re not afraid of change and we wanted to invest in the right machinery to help us grow. Ferwood have given us the tools we needed to make every success of our business. Once both machines were installed, we saw revenue increase by 35%. Now, we&rsquo;re working towards doubling our capacity in the next four years. Our growth plan is steady &ndash; we know what we need to do &ndash; and by working with like-minded companies such as Ferwood, we have every confidence in knowing we&rsquo;ll reach our goals.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Starting up a new business is no easy task. With the help of used machinery specialist, Ferwood UK, Mason Projects was able to invest in a Biesse Rover A CNC router and Holzma HPP230 Beam Saw to help them reach their production goals.

Investing In The Future With Ferwood

&ldquo;Buying used machinery is a no brainer for me,&rdquo; begins Clive Christian&rsquo;s Production Manager, Steve Dale. &ldquo;Just like buying a car, a machine will lose value as soon as it leaves the showroom. So, if the right used machine becomes available, why spend unnecessary money on a new one?&rdquo;
It&rsquo;s this clear-cut approach to buying panel processing machinery that led high-end furniture manufacturer, Clive Christian Furniture, to purchase a SCM Cyflex 900 flexible drilling machine from used machinery specialist, Ferwood UK.
&ldquo;We needed to replace an old SCM Cyflex we&rsquo;d been running for over 15 years. &nbsp;It was going to cost us a lot to repair and it didn&rsquo;t offer us the flexibility of a router head like some of the newer models.&rdquo; With this in mind, Steve reached out to Ferwood to find a replacement.
&nbsp;&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve worked with Ferwood before &ndash; several of the machines in my workshop were sourced by them,&rdquo; admits Steve. &ldquo;If they don&rsquo;t have what you need in stock, they work behind the scenes to find something that fits the bill. That&rsquo;s why they&rsquo;re often my first port of call.&rdquo;
Within two weeks, Steve was offered a 2015 SCM Cyflex 900 <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/gb/machines/cnc-machine-centres-and-routers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flexible drilling machine</a> with low working hours. It could easily handle a range of materials used by the bespoke furniture manufacturer &ndash; including MDF, American walnut and Tulip wood &ndash; work within a 3000mm x 900mm parameter, benefit from 18 drilling spindles and, with a compact footprint, fit neatly into Clive Christian&rsquo;s Bolton-based manufacturing facility.
&ldquo;It was a near like-for-like replacement but with the addition of a much needed router head that would allow us to quickly and easily channel our gables.&rdquo; Plus, with a familiar interface, Steve was confident his operators wouldn&rsquo;t find the machine swap difficult to get their heads around.
For peace of mind, Steve bought the machine &lsquo;<a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/gb/we-sell/sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ferwood Functional</a>.&rsquo; This means the machine&rsquo;s operational condition is fully tested before it leaves Ferwood&rsquo;s showroom. Furthermore, if any issues arise regarding the functionality of the machine during the installation, they would be resolved by a Ferwood engineer.
Within six weeks, the machine had been fully tested and installed, with training given to the operators. &ldquo;I was astonished at how quickly Ferwood could turn my enquiry round. I&rsquo;d have been waiting up to six months for a new model to arrive and it would have cost considerably more,&rdquo; admits Steve.
Whilst the team are yet to put the machine through its paces, it&rsquo;s already benefiting day-to-day production. &ldquo;With the addition of a router head, it has allowed us to machine a 20mm trench to accommodate our lighting strips, cutting additional machining time and reducing material handling before each project arrives at our assembly area.&rdquo;
He continues, &ldquo;We were using our old Cylfex to drill and an Accord flat bed to channel each gable but the flat bed was situated at the opposite end of the factory to the Cyflex. Imagine moving 60 gables around our factory. It&rsquo;s not easy and adds time to each batch!&rdquo;
Now, the compact vertical flexible drilling machine is homed close to the assembly area and completes the work of two machines. Plus, as each hole has been drilled and channels have been grooved before it arrives at the assembly area, there&rsquo;s no need to measure and make up each job &ndash; &nbsp;removing any room for error. It also frees up our flat bed CNC for other work.&rdquo;
Steve adds, &ldquo;This machine was a very good acquisition for us and cost a fraction of the price of a new machine,&rdquo; admits Steve. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve known the Ferwood team for a long time and have a lot of respect for them. They know their machines and clearly know how and where to source good stock. I also trust them &ndash; this can&rsquo;t be overlooked. When they say they&rsquo;re going to do something, they do it. This is why I couldn&rsquo;t recommend them more highly and would choose to work with Ferwood again.&rdquo;

“Buying used machinery is a no brainer for me,” begins Clive Christian’s Production Manager, Steve Dale. “Just like buying a car, a machine will lose value as soon as it leaves the showroom. So, if the right used machine becomes available, why spend unnecessary money on a new one?”

Drilling Down Into Production

Already manufacturing multiple made-to-measure kitchen components in batch sizes that vary from one to hundreds, a significant increase in door production for Doncaster-based BA components saw the need to streamline production become a priority. And as a high output manufacturer of custom-made components, it&rsquo;s no surprise that this successful manufacturer would need a tailor-made solution.
Having worked with Ferwood UK before, Martin Towler, Manufacturing Operations Manager, knew that Ferwood engineers had the expertise to re-engineer and re-purpose machines to perform the specific tasks needed in a complex production set-up.
&ldquo;We manufacture components for kitchens &ndash; the carcase, the kitchen front, cornice, kick boards, drawer boxes&hellip;everything you need to build the wooden elements of the kitchen,&rdquo; says Martin Towler. &ldquo;But when door production started to grow, we realised we were manufacturing in an ad hoc way and it was affecting other parts of the factory; it was clear that we needed to streamline. We always get good service from Ferwood, so we didn&rsquo;t hesitate to bring them in on our latest project.&rdquo;
With so many components and batch variables, BA Components had multiple production routes throughout the factory, using angle plants, CNC routers, drilling machines and CNC edge banders, along-side profile wrapping, membrane pressing and packing. Having initially earmarked another CNC cutting cell as a production boost, calling in Ferwood provided a fresh look at the bigger picture, and the result was a more productive outcome than could have been predicted.
Working in collaboration, Ferwood and BA mapped the entire production process: from material picking, processing of individual parts, production flow between, and the labour content to final product delivery. Ferwood's experts spotted that manufacturing so many variations meant production was taking up a lot of space, was labour intensive and exposing the company to increased damage and fault rate.
As a highly experienced production manager, Martin had already highlighted machinery that he needed in order to improve production. BA Components were working with a single-beam saw at the head of the process, which naturally comes with an element of variance within the cut. With Ferwood&rsquo;s help, he specified a double end tenoner that would ensure squareness before edge banding and provide trimming out the internal radius of the J-pull.
Whilst this improved production in one area, BA components were looking to achieve a significant four-digit increase in weekly output, and to achieve these figures, they needed to maximise the potential of streamlining. Following a complete overview of every aspect of production, the Ferwood team came up with an unexpected solution. BA could immediately see the potential of a tailored approach and were delighted.
Ferwood UK suggested an automated warehouse system for storage and panel management attached to a beam saw to reduce the amount of handling and movement. Having successfully worked with Ferwood on previous projects over a ten-year period, BA Components were happy to go with this clever solution.
Opting for a Bargstedt storage and retrieval system with a high-quality Holzma beam saw and combining expertise and the original OEM, Ferwood engineers modified this machinery to perform the precise job BA needed. By working together, Ferwood established the constraints of the machinery and the production requirements that BA had, and found a sweet spot between them.
Redesigning the standard vacuum frame on the Bargstedt, Ferwood's highly skilled engineers were able to adjust the minimum and maximum working size to manage the smaller-dimensions and increase the number of available stack positions. They altered the position, size, function and number of loading and unloading position points to suit BA&rsquo;s requirement. Engineers then repositioned the Holzma saw within the storage system and replaced the guarding and safety systems to comply with current safety regulations.
The end result? More space and optimised flow have enabled BA Components to make significant changes that are now driving production forward.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve worked with Ferwood for many years,&rdquo; says Martin. &ldquo;We knew what they could offer us, but what they came up with was a solution we hadn&rsquo;t even considered, and it proved itself really quickly.&rdquo;
In opting for used panel processing machinery, BA components could significantly ramp up production with a tailored solution without unnecessary financial exposure, and were able to do so in a timescale that matched production need. &ldquo;From the start of the process, Ferwood ask what you need and when you need it by,&rdquo; says Martin.&nbsp; &ldquo;The price they gave us was honest, delivery was on time, and they&rsquo;ve given us much more than we expected.&rdquo;

Already manufacturing multiple made-to-measure kitchen components in batch sizes that vary from one to hundreds, a significant increase in door production for Doncaster-based BA components saw the need to streamline production become a priority. And as a high output manufacturer of custom-made components, it’s no surprise that this successful manufacturer would need a tailor-made solution.

A Tailor-Made Solution

From the 26-30th May 2025, reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood will be exhibiting at Europe&rsquo;s largest woodworking machinery exhibition, Ligna in Hall 15, Stand F30.
Following the company&rsquo;s recent 20th birthday celebrations, Ferwood&rsquo;s international sales and technical team will be on hand to offer a greater insight into the company&rsquo;s three established brands - &nbsp;Ferwood Approved, Ferwood Functional and Ferwood As Is - each offering a varying level of refurbishment. Plus, the launch of the company&rsquo;s brand new Ferwood Customized package.
In addition to this, visitors to the 81m2 interactive stand will also be able to browse the company&rsquo;s vast online machine inventory, which features over 400 readily-available, reconditioned machines from leading woodworking machinery manufacturers including Homag, Biesse, SCM, Holzma and IMA Schelling. Plus, learn how investing in used and fully reconditioned machinery from Ferwood can reduce a company&rsquo;s carbon footprint and strength its green credentials without impacting on production or profitability.&nbsp;
For those looking to sell surplus machinery, the five-day event is also the perfect opportunity to talk to the team about Ferwood&rsquo;s comprehensive, fuss-free selling options and to get a quote on your existing machinery.
Riccardo Rossi, CEO of Ferwood Group says: &ldquo;LIGNA is a must-attend event in the furniture industry&rsquo;s global exhibition cycle and this year is extra special as the show turns 50. For Ferwood, it is the perfect platform for us to launch our brand new Ferwood Customized product and to present our established used machinery brands to over 80,000 visitors. We will have representatives from Ferwood&rsquo;s global offices - including the US, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Poland and Portugal - who will be on hand to assist in the buying and selling process, as well as talking to new and existing customers about our long-standing machinery partnerships and global sales network. We look forward to welcoming you to stand F30 in Hall 15 this May.&rdquo;

From the 26-30th May 2025, reconditioned machinery specialist, Ferwood will be exhibiting at Europe’s largest woodworking machinery exhibition, Ligna in Hall 15, Stand F30.

Ferwood Exhibits At LIGNA 2025

Find out the latest news from Ferwood | UK

FERWOOD UK: SPECIALISTS FOR USED, SECONDHAND AND RECONDITIONED WOODWORKING MACHINERY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND

Book your live demo

Ferwood buy and sell used woodworking machinery for furniture production. Reconditioned or Second hand woodworking machines.

Used Woodworking Machinery for sale | Ferwood UK

<span data-slate-fragment="JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnBhcmFncmFwaCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMkklMjBoYXZlJTIwcmVhZCUyMGFuZCUyMGFncmVlZCUyMHRvJTIwdGhlJTIwJUUyJTgwJTlDUHJpdmFjeSUyMFBvbGljeSVFMiU4MCU5RCUyMiU3RCU1RCU3RCU1RA==">I have read and agreed to the <a href="https://www.ferwoodgroup.com/en/privacy">&ldquo;Privacy Policy&rdquo;</a>

Magazine

Xander Doors - United Kingdom