In March 2025, bespoke contract furniture manufacturer Witley Jones embarked on its biggest challenge yet: to find a new, innovative fixing that could withstand the rigours of school life, whilst maintaining the elegant aesthetics expected from luxury retail giants.
A seasoned furniture provider for some of the most prestigious schools in the UK, the company’s more recent partnership with one of Europe’s biggest shop fitting companies led Managing Director, Simon Downes to look at new ways to improve both his products and production.
“Moving away from metal cam and dowels had been on my mind for some time – they’re difficult to hide and don’t offer a sleek look – but I knew it would be a root and branch change for the company,” says Simon.
“At peak times, we can machine up to 800 sheets per week so we couldn’t afford to make any wrong moves.” But, as a volume manufacturer working on fit-out projects that are often in excess of £500,000 – each with its own strict completion deadline – he had a lot of questions: Where do you start when looking to integrate a new fixing into your production? How long will it take?
“From the very beginning, everything seemed to be pointing to Lamello and their Cabineo X CNC fixing,” recalled Simon. “A casual chat with an industry friend ended up in a conversation about Lamello. The trade magazine I was reading featured a story on Lamello and a demonstration on a Drillteq vertical drilling machine at Homag UK’s showroom was done using Lamello’s CNC fixings.
“Very quickly, Lamello felt like a good fit for the business and everyone had positive things to say about them, but I needed to involve the entire team in this decision. I am lucky in the sense that I have a very progressive workforce, but we needed to test the Lamello theory and prove to all involved it was the right move. Did it offer the aesthetics we wanted? Did it offer the brute strength we needed? And, could we integrate this fixing into our production without costly delays?”
Simon already knew the Cabineo X worked seamlessly with his new HOMAG Drillteq, thanks to his earlier demonstration on a P-system-ready CNC that he subsequently went on to buy out of the showroom. Once up and running, Simon’s team was ready to put Lamello to the test. “We designed two desks: one with metal cams and dowels and the other using Lamello’s Cabineo X. We cut, edged, drilled and assembled each design and then tried our best to break them. Lamello’s design remained intact.”
The testing didn’t stop there. “We then created two key items in our school range that were more prone to damage. We mocked them up on Cabinet Vision and made them using Kronospan’s particle board and Lamello’s Cabineo X fixings. We then sent them to FIRA for testing. They passed everything with no advisories. Impressive. Another tick in the box.”
Then came the cost calculations. “While cost isn’t always at the forefront of my mind, it is never far from it,” says Simon. “There’s always a concern when trialling new things that you could end up trying to reinvent the wheel and spend excessive amounts doing so. But the fact of the matter is, there were reasons why metal cam and dowels weren’t working for us any longer – aesthetics being a major consideration – so we needed to adapt what we were doing and streamline our manufacturing for the good of the business. The cost between metal cam and dowels and Lamello fixings was not that dissimilar and due to their strength, we could use fewer Lamello fixings without impacting on the furniture’s integrity.
“We also ran timed cycles on our Drillteq to see what difference it would make to production. It took seven seconds longer to drill the three holes required than it did to machine cam and dowel holes but we knew this could be reduced if using an aggregate. Also, considering how quick they were to assemble, those seconds paled into insignificance.”
Fast forward three months and Simon has just placed his third order with Lamello and is on track to exceed 100,000 fixings this year alone.
“We’ve used them extensively since March and we’ve had zero comeback. They’ve even helped us rethink designs we’ve been manufacturing for some time and allowed us to create new items. Take our modular bunk beds as an example: we create single beds for schools that can be made into a bunk bed as and when required. All the parts are stored within the frame of the single bed. We now use Lamello fixings to dismantle and reassemble these beds multiple times because they remain strong time after time. They also make assembly of bulky items like wardrobes quick and easy on site.”
They’re also helping Simon with his sustainability pledge: “We’re winning public contracts because of our sustainable credentials,” he says. “Whilst our aim has always been to supply aesthetically pleasing furniture, longevity matters. That’s why we offer a 10-year guarantee on all our furniture. Lamello’s longevity is helping us to maintain our pledge. Teamed with our new HOMAG machine – which can optimise the cut, edge and drill process on boards larger than 8x4 – and particle board from Kronospan that can be recycled seven times in its lifespan, we have the ability to produce furniture that can be used far longer than 10 years, maybe even 20!
“Now, imagine if we can recycle our customer’s furniture at the end of its 20-year lifespan seven times over and create new furniture from it. This would mean we could produce furniture for 140 years without needing to chop down another tree. Now that’s proper carbon capturing!”
Simon admits the integration of Lamello into the family-run businesses has revolutionised not just their products but his team’s mindset, too. “I try and empower my team to come up with new ideas and find ways to incorporate different fixings into our furniture. Our mentality cannot be We’ve always done it this way. It must be What if we did it this way? This attitude is helping our business succeed.
“We’ve found working with Lamello, Cabinet Vision and HOMAG exceptionally easy throughout this transition. The integration of the new fixings has been seamless and everyone involved has been supportive. This is just the tip of the iceberg for us. We have a long way to go, but I know this investment will help us move the business forward. Lamello’s ethos centres on growing and evolving. We’re very similar in that respect and I’m excited to see what is next for us.
“I’ve been in business over 30 years and if I have learned anything, it’s that if your business doesn’t innovate, you’ll only go backwards. My advice to anyone looking to make the leap and move away from cam and dowels is: open your mind to new possibilities and leave no stone unturned. Old habits die hard. Break the mould and make the change. It’ll be worth it.”
For more information please visit www.lamello.com.
