Trade Mouldings has strengthened its high-volume manufacturing operation with the installation of a SAWTEQ S-410 profiLine, supplied and supported by Electro-Tech Machinery, HOMAG’s sales partner in Ireland.
About Trade Mouldings
Established more than 45 years ago, Trade Mouldings is one of Ireland and the UK’s leading manufacturers of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom door frontals, mouldings and accessories.
The business operates from more than 250,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, producing over 30,000 door frontals per week alongside 50,000 linear metres of wrapped mouldings and accessories.
Sustainability is also central to operations, with solar panels contributing 35% of daily energy requirements, on-site wood waste heating systems, and all timber-based panels responsibly sourced and FSC certified.
Remaining at the cutting-edge
Trade Mouldings is no stranger to machinery investment, regularly upgrading equipment to optimise production. When the time came to replace its ageing panel saw, the business saw an opportunity to invest in the latest cutting technology to further enhance performance and efficiency.
“We invest in new machinery quite regularly,” explains Austin McOscar, Production Director at Trade Mouldings. “Given the age of our existing saw and all the new technology that’s now available, we decided it was time to upgrade.”
Why HOMAG?
Trade Mouldings already had experience with HOMAG technology, making the supplier a natural choice.
“We have a few HOMAG edge banders, and we have a good relationship with Derek Reid from Electro-Tech Machinery, HOMAG’s sales partner in Ireland. We’d been speaking to him on and off about a new saw, knowing that HOMAG saws were some of the best in the business.
“Before committing, we visited another local manufacturer already running the SAWTEQ S-410 profiLine, and this pretty much sealed the deal for us. We were really impressed by it.”
SAWTEQ S-410 profiLine
“For a machine with so many advanced features, it’s very simple to use”
A smooth transition
Installation and training were handled by Electro-Tech’s local engineering team. “It all went very well,” says Austin. “Electro-Tech have very good engineers, local to us, who know what they’re doing and are quick to react.”
Trade Mouldings opted for an extended training programme to maximise the benefits of the investment. “We arranged with Electro-Tech to have a full week of training rather than just a couple of days. They did a great job getting our boys up to speed with the technology, and the ongoing support has been excellent.”
Performance, safety and simplicity
Since installation, the SAWTEQ S-410 profiLine has delivered major operational gains. “Performance wise, it’s been a huge advancement,” says Austin. “The speed of the saw is immense, increasing both our efficiency and capacity, and the accuracy is consistently spot on.”
The machine has also brought with it a safer working environment for its operators. “It’s loaded with ergonomic features, including a lifting table for the automatic feed, which helps us process large quantities of panels in a far safer way.”
Despite its advanced capabilities, usability has remained straightforward. “For a machine with so many advanced features, it’s very simple to use. The software makes it easy to store programmes and load them up, and the machine itself runs seamlessly.”
A partnership built on service
“HOMAG and Electro-Tech are a great team; the service you get is always first class,” concludes Austin.
“Our experience with this latest investment has been very good. We’re thrilled with the results and are excited to see where this partnership takes us in the future.”
For more information or a demonstration of HOMAG’s machinery and software, contact HOMAG UK on 01332 856500, dialling option 4 for the sales department, or email [email protected].
