TIMBER
INVESTING IN TIMBER FUTURES
BMJ finds out how the £1.2m investment in Beesley & Fildes’ timber mill has helped to automate technology and benefit customers and the business.
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stablished in 2004, the timber mill at the Widnes branch is an important part of the offer from independent builders merchant Beesley & Fildes. It produces skirting, architraves, flooring, planed timber, door casings and certified fire door casing kits, which are then sold across the merchant’s 11 branches and online.
As well as supplying a broad range of different timber types and supplies, the facility can fulfil bespoke orders, providing customers with specialist services such as matching legacy timber features and providing like-for-like timber details for heritage projects. In short, if a product can be made from timber, then we can make it at the mill.
Paul Causer, timber mill manager says that the investment programme has been driven by a surge in demand for timber supplies across the branches. “As highlighted by the Timber Trade Foundation last year, upticks in the housing market, and the repair, maintenance and improvement sector are fuelling growth and keeping timber orders high. In response, we wanted to enhance our capabilities to boost efficiency and throughput, ensuring our customers benefit from reliable and cost-effective supply with full accountability, traceability and quality assurance.”
Smoothing timber processing New technology focused on automation is central to the Beeseley & Fildes investment and this has seen the company replace and upgrade the planing equipment. Causer says: “We have introduced two machines from Weinig, a market leader in machines and systems for solid wood and panel processing. The company’s technology is focused on maximising productivity and ease of use, enabling us to boost throughput and deliver a consistently excellent finish.
“The new Weinig P3000 planing and profiling line allow us to process up to 120 linear metres of timber per minute – a 600 per cent increase on our existing equipment. With lightweight tooling, digital programming, programme storing and pre-set capabilities,
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it is also much easier and quieter to run, helping us to optimise resources and improve the working environment for our team, while maintaining high quality and service standards.”
The P3000 adds to a P1500 timber moulding machine. Both can be pre- programmed, and settings stored for repeat jobs, enhancing efficiency and enabling faster operation with only one operative required for each machine.
Increasing automation He continues: “To further enhance our timber services, we have invested in a fully automated Stenner resaw. With much higher feed speeds than traditional models, this enables us to quickly and effectively cut larger sections of timber into smaller ones. The cut sections can then be converted into skirting boards, fence panels and feather-edged boarding using the moulding machines. The resaw machine is complemented by automated stacking equipment at the back of the equipment which further increases efficiency and productivity. Our industry-leading resaw technology provides us with increased capacity and broader in-house processing capabilities to boost supply chain reliability for customers.” Causer says the company has also acquired a small saw from Stenner to replace another legacy machine, providing additional capacity for angle fillets and feather edged timber. “Our increased focus on automation filters through to cross-cutting, which has seen us invest in an advanced equipment from Stromab. This has enhanced the range of door
casing and certified fire door casing sets we can offer across our branch network. This new technology not only enables us to crosscut large pieces of timber for door linings, but also the head for the frame and the trench, which the sides of the door frame slot into.” He adds that the machine is being used to produce 12 door casing variants - six different casing widths, with two alternative aperture sizes - along with certified fire door casings that will have a pre-profiled recess for intumescent material.
Embracing digital technology Investment in all five machines has been coordinated with an upgrade to the mill’s extraction system and tool room, ensuring the facility provides a safe, comfortable and digital- enabled work environment.
“The upgrade means that our experienced timber engineering and processing team can load CAD drawings straight to the new machines, driving significant time efficiencies. Without this digital technology, it could take up to two hours to produce profiled cutters whereas now, this tooling process can take as little as 20 minutes. The integrated digital system also provides superior levels of accuracy, real-time management information and the ability to prioritise workflows based on our customer’s needs.”
The introduction of more automation across the timber mill is bringing new skills into the business, Causer says, with employees no longer having to spend time learning how to operate old and often complex machinery. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net April 2023
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