Furniture Production hears from one of Kündig’s satisfied customers, who describes how a combination of strong craftsmanship and a dedicated maintenance programme means his Premium sander, bought in 2006, is still going strong.
Birmingham-based Solihull Joinery is a manufacturer of high-quality display furniture, supplying to the shopfitting and building industries.
From tables and radiator covers to display counters and bars, the company makes its carefully-crafted furniture to order, working closely with customers to provide a solution to their retail and commercial interior needs.
In March 2006, the company invested in a Kündig Premium three-belt sander. Nearly seven years on, the sander is still going strong, due in part to the original build quality and the ongoing maintenance programme organised through Kündig UK.
Company owner, Patrick Murphy, says that 2006 was a time when his company’s workload was increasing and, in particular, a contract won with Birmingham City Council meant that a new sander was required.
When it comes to buying machinery, Patrick likes to go back to companies he knows and trusts. Patrick had purchased an Altendorf panel saw from Carl O’Meara of J & C O’Meara, when setting up his company in 2002. Patrick says: “I had built up such a trust with Carl that I asked him, ‘Carl, if you were buying a sander, what would you buy?’ He recommended a Kündig sander.”
At that time Carl had just taken over the running of Kündig UK, so the recommendation may well have been expected, but Patrick comments that Carl is “very honest: if he felt the machine was not right for you, he wouldn’t try to sell it to you”.
Patrick was immediately impressed with the quality of the Kündig sander. “We used to sand our bartops with a sander we had bought in 2003 from another company. It was cheap, but wasn’t very good. With the Kündig sander, you could put a bartop on there, sand it up and it would come out perfect.
“The Premium has a very high quality of finish. I have worked at various joinery companies over the years and so often have had to use a hand sander trying just to get that perfect finish.
“A bartop that would take four or five hours to sand by hand can be sanded on the Kündig in just 15 minutes, saving both time and money.”
Although principally used on bartops, the versatility of the Premium is such that it can work on the full range of the company’s products. Patrick adds: “Even if we had made a mistake and have laminated something up that should not have been, with the Kündig Premium we can sand the laminate straight off!”
The Premium is still producing a perfect finish nearly seven years after it was purchased, and Patrick puts that down to the maintenance programme that has been organised through Kündig UK.
“It’s like a car,” says Patrick. “If you buy a new car but don’t look after it by checking the oil and water, meanwhile driving it up and down the motorway, sooner or later it will break down and will cost you a lot of money. Similarly, it is important to look after your woodworking machinery. It is all about maintenance: and as a result, the Kündig is still absolutely fantastic.”
When asked if he would recommend Kündig, Patrick replied: “Without a doubt: if I needed another sander I would buy a Kündig instantly. It has helped my company so much. It has helped me take on extra contracts which has made getting through the recession so much easier.” He adds: “I couldn’t get a better company to deal with or a better product.”
Indeed, his enthusiasm for his sander is such that Patrick has welcomed visitors to his factory who are also considering purchasing a Kündig sander and would like to see one in operation.
The Premium three-belt sander selected by Patrick is specified exclusively for joinery. The Premium range comes in a variety of working widths: 650mm, 1100mm, 1350mm and 1600mm, with a working height of 3-200 mm. The possible head configurations include a contact/calibrating roller, an inflating pad, an electronic segmental pad – veneer and lacquer – and two forms of combi unit: roller and segment, or roller and standard air pad.
Available options include: infeed and outfeed extension tables, increased motor sizes, belt cleaning devices, a vacuum bed and lacquer sanding options. One, two and three head models are available.
Patrick and Noreen Murphy with the Kündig Premium sander
“Without a doubt: if I needed another sander I would buy a Kündig instantly. It has helped my company so much.”
