Holzma Boosts Capacity at VCi

Stourton-based VC Industries is a specialist panel processor offering a complete cut, edged and drilled service to the general panel furniture industry, office furniture manufacturers and the retail outfit trade.

The company was set up four years ago by Robin Cliff who is now joint Managing Director with Pauline Vernon. They took over the then existing panel processing works that had gone into administration. Since that time, and through shrewd investment in manufacturing technology, they have achieved a turnover of £4.6 million with a projected turnover of £5 million this year.

Pauline Vernon explains: ‘Essentially we are order takers in a highly competitive market so to increase our customer base we need to offer better quality of product and service which is why we have a solid policy of investing in the best technology. In turn, this allows us to develop efficiencies that allow us to protect our margins and further develop the capacity and service we can offer customers.’

The saw that was 'inherited' was old and not any more up to job that was required by VCi's new direction and drive. Intensive research into the beam saw supply market eventually led to VCi installing a state-of-the-art Holzma HKL11 angle plant.

VCi Works Manager Paul Douglas said that working with Homag UK and Holzma was a very positive experience with exceptional expertise and machinery technologies on offer. Led by Homag UK area sales manger John Shepherd, VCi arrived at a specification that was particularly suited to the company’s immediate requirements while still offering a future-proof investment in terms of reliability, accuracy and spare capacity.

The HKL11 is an angle plant with a dual level powered roller infeed station and an integrated turntable for head cuts (which accounts for significant savings in material). The 4330mm bed gives large capacity along with a 125mm sawblade projection and 150m/min saw carriage speed.
Many of the movements on the saw like the pressure beam extension and 'sharks fin' central side pressure device are optimised to the program running which has a major impact on reducing cycle times. The CadMatic control is particularly easy to program and use and is directly on-line with the Magi-Cut parametric optimisation software operated by the production management department.

Dimensional accuracy is guaranteed by, among other elements, the contactless magnetic encoders which position the program fence and the special side pressure alignment device. Superb cut accuracy is delivered via Holzma's patented mono-rail saw carriage which ensures long term alignment between the main and scoring blade so that no chipping occurs - particularly when cutting MFC which is important for downstream processes like edgebanding.

Pauline Vernon expresses total satisfaction with the machine, the installation and with the relationship with Homag UK: ‘The company has been totally professional, it agreed to install over our Christmas shutdown to minimise production disruption and the training and subsequent service and back-up has been great. This is a very key investment for VCi and our customers.’

Tel: 01332 856500
Email: info@homag-uk.co.uk
Web: http://www.homag-uk.co.uk