Since its inception in 1984, Allengray Kitchens has been a big fan of HOMAG. Allengray produces kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and home study fitted furniture for studios in Essex, Kent, Suffolk and London.
“We manufacture anything from one-off bespoke pieces to 500 or more items of furniture,” explains, Ben Hooper, a director of the business. He continues, “Since the early days we have always considered HOMAG to be the best woodworking machinery manufacturer in the world.” A statement also endorsed by his father, Gary who started the business 35 years ago.
Ben continues, “Not only is their equipment and software first class, but also the service and support they provide is, in our opinion, the best in the industry. This high level of support is vitally important to us, as it gives us tremendous peace of mind that we can in turn maintain the level of service our customers demand.”
Fifth generation edge bander
“My Mum, Pam, who sadly passed away recently, always played a major part in the decision as to what woodworking machinery to buy for the business. She championed our philosophy to think about the future and the pressures the business will face in the years ahead.
“This time was special for Mum, we were looking to replace ‘Her’ machine, the area of production that she was most passionate about. We simply had to make the phone call to HOMAG!
“Over the previous eight years Mum had put our ageing edge bander through its paces, edging over one million metres. During that time it had served us incredibly well and quality wise, it was still producing excellent results, however, we needed to process higher volumes of work.
“We had recently added a HOMAG BHX 500 CNC to work alongside the BHX 200 CNC that had already increased our capacity. These two machines working together handle considerably higher volumes of work and so we needed a new edge bander that could keep pace with them.
“Our HOMAG area manager, Charles Smith, is probably the best rep in the industry; he is knowledgeable, easy to deal with and completely honest. As a consequence, he is always the first person we turn to for advice.
“Mum explained exactly what we were looking for from a new edge bander and Charles came back to us recommending the EDGETEQ S-380 with a LOOPTEQ O-300 and XES 200 service station.”
EDGETEQ S-380 edge bander with LOOPTEQ O-300 and XES 200 service station
“One of the benefits of the new edge bander which was instrumental in the decision to buy it is the glue application system. This enables us to easily and quickly change the colour and glue type from EVA to PUR which gives us tremendous flexibility and saves considerable production time.
“As you’d expect with a HOMAG machine the quality of finish is excellent and we don’t have to do any hand-finishing which again is a big time saver. Combined with the LOOPTEQ O-300 return system the EDGETEQ S-380 gives us a high level of automation as we can now run tall panels (up to 2.5 m high) through the machine with just one operator.
“Charles also recommended the XES 200 PUR service station and that has proved to be a really beneficial option. The system has three major advantages. Firstly, the hardening of PUR glues when exposed to air has always been an issue causing lots of wasted glue and blocked application units.
“The XES 200 uses a system which enables us to store glue over the weekend without it hardening. This means work can simply continue uninterrupted first thing Monday morning.
“Secondly, it pre-heats the glue to the required temperature between storage and the machine being started. Again, this eliminates wasted time on changeovers and production continues without any significant delays.
“The third benefit is the glue application unit cleaning facility. When changing the colour or glue type the application unit has to be cleaned and the XES 200 handles this so production can continue without downtime.”
Keeping everything in house
“The new edge bander has enabled us to increase throughput by at least 45 per cent and delivers a gain in finish quality. In addition, we no longer have to put flat panel doors and tall panels out to a third party for edging, so that is a big plus point for us.
“As well as the improvement in throughput, the EDGETEQ S-380 with the LOOPTEQ and XES 200 probably saves us about 30 per cent in terms of production time. The latest powerTouch control system also makes operating the machine quicker and easier.”
A true business partnership
“The great thing about dealing with HOMAG is that you can rely on their advice one hundred per cent. Unlike some other companies, they won’t try to sell you something you don’t need. They are always open and honest in their business dealings and won’t promise something they can’t deliver.
“From Charles through to every member of the service team, you always get a professional, friendly and honest response. More importantly, you can rest easy that action will be taken to solve any issues
“The strength of our relationship with HOMAG shone through when Mum unexpectedly passed away just one week before the new edge bander was due to be installed. HOMAG were incredibly supportive and sensitive to our needs at such a difficult time for the business and the family.
“My only regret is Mum never had the chance to operate the new machine, but I am absolutely certain she would have loved it,” concludes Ben Hooper.
If you’d like a demonstration or more information on the HOMAG EDGETEQ, LOOPTEQ and XES 200 service station, please contact Adele Hunt at HOMAG UK on 01332 856424.
“The great thing about dealing with HOMAG is that you can rely on their advice one hundred per cent. Unlike some other companies, they won’t try to sell you something you don’t need. They are always open and honest in their business dealings and won’t promise something they can’t deliver.”Ben Hooper, a director of Allengray Kitchens