Customers from across the UK and Ireland gathered in Leicester recently for the Midlands Woodworking Machinery Exhibition, hosted by Advanced Machinery Services (AMS). The three-day open house showcased live machinery demonstrations from Leadermac, Wadkin Bursgreen, Doucet, Xtrasharp and Bala, while also underlining the launch of the first dedicated Leadermac showroom serving the UK and Irish markets.
The event attracted joinery manufacturers, furniture makers, timber processors and workshop owners keen to see the latest developments in moulding, machining, panel processing and automation technology. Across the showroom, machinery ran throughout the event as visitors explored new production solutions, discussed technical challenges with the AMS team and caught up with industry colleagues. For AMS Managing Director Steve McGloin, however, the exhibition was about far more than simply putting machinery on display.
“Customers are asking about support more than ever before,” he said. “They’re not just buying a machine. They want to know who’s going to support it in five years’ time.”
That emphasis on service, technical expertise and long-term customer relationships has been central to AMS since the business was established almost 20 years ago by former Wadkin personnel. Today, the Leicester-based company supports customers throughout the UK and Ireland, combining machinery supply with installation, spare parts and tooling online shop, service engineering, training and technical support.
The event itself provided a useful insight into the scale of the operation. Professionally laid out across AMS’s Skeffington headquarters, the entire showroom and mezzanine were given over to machinery, equipment and automation systems, with demonstrations available throughout the three days. Visitors were able to see machines running under production conditions, discuss applications directly with engineers and technical specialists, and gain a clearer understanding of the solutions available through the business.
Beyond the showroom, visitors were invited into the company’s extensive workshops, where a number of machines were undergoing complete refurbishment and upgrading. Several examples illustrated the level of engineering expertise within the business, with older machines being rebuilt to a standard that Steve suggested often exceeded their original specification.
“There’s still huge demand for properly reconditioned machinery,” he explained. “A lot of those machines were engineered exceptionally well in the first place and customers know exactly what they’re getting.”
The scale of the operation became even more apparent within the stores, where shelves packed with components and replacement parts for both current and legacy machinery demonstrated the company’s long-term commitment to aftersales support. For many visitors, it provided a visible reminder that AMS’s commitment to customers extends well beyond the initial machine sale.
Launching Leadermac in the UK and Ireland
A key objective of the exhibition was the formal launch of Leadermac through AMS in the UK and Ireland. Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of planer moulders and associated machinery, Leadermac represents a significant addition to the AMS portfolio and one that builds naturally on the company’s long-standing expertise in solid timber processing.
“This is the launch of Leadermac for us in the UK and Ireland,” explained Steve Foster, AMS Director. “Leadermac has never had a dedicated showroom like this before and we’re financially committed to developing the brand here.”
Visitors were able to see a range of machinery operating live, including the compact six-head Leadermac planer moulder, which generated considerable interest from manufacturers looking to improve productivity without compromising machining quality.
Elsewhere, visitors explored machinery from across the AMS portfolio, including Wadkin Bursgreen classical woodworking machines, heavy duty Xtrashrp machines and Bala wall saws, reflecting the breadth of solutions now available through the business.
The Wadkin Bursgreen WB3200XL panel saw proved particularly popular during the event, with two machines sold over the three days and only one remaining in stock by the close of the exhibition.
The exhibition also highlighted AMS’s growing focus on automation.
One of the busiest areas of the showroom was the Doucet return table system, designed to improve material handling around moulders and multi-rip saws. According to Steve, the system can often deliver a return on investment within twelve months by reducing labour requirements and increasing throughput. “No operator required at the back of the machine, helping many workshops achieve a payback in as little as nine months.” Steve said.
While machinery sales remain central to the business, Steve believes customers increasingly want complete solutions rather than standalone equipment. “Support is what people are asking for now,” he said. “Any engineer can work on a machine, but customers want to know who is behind it and what happens when they need help.”
Built on Wadkin experience
Although AMS continues to expand its machinery portfolio, the company’s roots remain firmly embedded in one of British woodworking’s most recognised names. Both AMS directors spent much of their career at Wadkin and remains passionate about the heritage of the Leicester manufacturer. The experience gained during those years continues to shape the way AMS operates today.
“When we left Wadkin, people told us we’d be crawling back within weeks,” he recalled. “Twenty years later, we’re still here.”
That straightforward determination helped transform what began as a small independent operation into one of the UK’s leading woodworking machinery specialists. Unlike many machinery suppliers, AMS combines sales, installation, service, spare parts and tooling, training and technical support under one roof, while maintaining a close association with the Wadkin Bursgreen name, which continues to attract interest from manufacturers looking for robust, dependable machinery backed by local support and engineering expertise.
Visitors to the exhibition were able to see that philosophy in action, with AMS engineers and technical staff on hand throughout the event to discuss production requirements, maintenance considerations and future investment plans.
Financial discipline has also played a significant role in the company’s growth.
“Since we began we have worked incredibly hard, even weekends when required, and we have noticed along with industry friends that It’s been harder over the last two years because costs have gone up dramatically with little help for smaller businesses, but we’ve always invested carefully and kept moving forward.”
The result is a business that continues to recruit, invest and expand despite the wider challenges facing manufacturing, while remaining true to the principles on which it was founded.
Service, support and the next generation
If there was one theme running throughout conversations during the exhibition, it was the challenge of balancing productivity, investment and skills. Like many manufacturers, AMS sees first-hand the difficulties businesses face when recruiting experienced engineers and production staff, a challenge that is increasingly influencing investment decisions across the sector.
“The biggest issue for many customers is labour,” said Steve. “Finding skilled people is becoming harder, which is one of the reasons automation is becoming so important.”
That trend was evident throughout the exhibition, where visitors showed considerable interest in technologies designed to reduce manual handling, improve efficiency and maximise machine utilisation.
At the same time, AMS continues to invest in developing its own workforce. The company has taken on a number of apprentices in recent years and remains committed to bringing new engineering talent into the industry.
The business is also strengthening its leadership team as it prepares for the future, with recent additions including Service Director Gary Lane, whose production background brings valuable practical manufacturing experience to the organisation.
For Gary, one of the most encouraging aspects of the exhibition was the number of visitors who travelled from Ireland to attend.
“We had customers travelling from Ireland to attend the show,” he said. “One of the most common questions was whether we support customers in Ireland. The answer is absolutely yes – we have service engineers covering both the UK and Ireland.”
That growing presence across Ireland is becoming an increasingly important part of the AMS story, reflecting both the strength of the market and the company’s ambition to develop opportunities beyond its traditional UK customer base.
As the exhibition drew to a close, Steve was understandably pleased with the response. “It has been a really successful three days for the whole team,” he said. “It was fantastic to welcome so many customers to our showroom and introduce visitors to the first Leadermac showroom in the UK and Ireland. The response has been excellent and we will definitely be organising another in-house exhibition very soon.”
The exhibition also provided a timely reminder of how far the business has come. Approaching its twentieth anniversary next year, AMS has evolved from a venture established by former Wadkin specialists into a substantial independent machinery supplier serving customers across the UK and Ireland.
The launch of Leadermac, continued investment in engineering support, growing activity in Ireland and an increasing focus on automation all point towards the next chapter in that story.
Yet walking around the workshops, stores and demonstration areas, it was equally clear that the principles on which the business was founded remain unchanged. For AMS, machinery may be the starting point, but long-term customer relationships, technical expertise and dependable support continue to be the foundations on which the business is built.
As the company looks ahead to its third decade, the Midlands Woodworking Machinery Exhibition suggested there is plenty more still to come from the Skeffington team.
