The Right Start From Ferwood

When commercial furniture specialist, Claughtons, began trading last year, refurbished machinery specialist, Ferwood, sourced and installed a used machine that met the new company’s exact specification and budget within just two weeks.

“As a start-up business, we wanted to hit the ground running. This meant getting the right machinery in place quickly and efficiently,” begins Jeff Attwood, Operations Manager for Claughtons. “We knew the products we would be manufacturing and the materials we would be using, so when it came to shortlisting a machine, we knew the exact specification we were after. We needed a beam saw that was capable of cutting up to 100 sheets of 18mm Trespa and 25mm thick MDF measuring 2800 x 2070mm MFC each week. We also needed a tech and printer package that could run with our existing CAD software. We were not set on a particular make or model but, as a new business, we didn’t have the means to invest in a brand new machine.”

Having worked with Ferwood before, Jeff was fully aware of the scale of readily-available machines in Ferwood’s inventory. “I’d sourced used woodworking machinery from Ferwood in a previous job and I’ve always found them easy to work with. I knew they could offer a prompt service and had the means to get the job done quickly and efficiently. It seemed like the perfect fit for us: they could find us a machine that ticked all the boxes and get it delivered and installed almost immediately.”

After browsing Ferwood’s online inventory, Jeff purchased a front loading Holzma HPP11/32 Profiline CNC Beam Panel Saw. The machine came under Ferwood’s ‘Ferwood Functional’ brand, which sees machines checked by an independent specialist during the installation process. “This approach suited us perfectly,” says Jeff. “It meant that as well as offering us peace of mind when it came to the machines performance, the lead time was exceptionally fast. In fact, the whole process from initially viewing the machine on Ferwood’s website to it being fully installed was only two weeks. It was a massive selling point for us.”

The complete installation, which was carried out by an experienced Holzma engineer, took just three days, with introductory training given to Claughton’s machinists. Jeff says, “At the point of installation, the factory wasn’t fully up and running, which made the logistics much easier. We had the extraction system and electrics already in place and we weren’t restricted by production deadlines or the threat of downtime. It was a sleek performance and the end result was a fully functional machine that was ready to be put to good use. What more could you ask for?”

Sixth months on, Claughton Office Equipment is set to work with Ferwood for a second time. Jeff explains, “The whole experience of working with Ferwood has been easy. The machine has been reliable – we’ve had no nasty surprises - and it does exactly what we need it to do. From previous experience, we knew that we could count on Ferwood to deliver tried and tested machinery and offer us an honest and reliable service. They did exactly that. That’s why we’ve chosen to work with Ferwood again. We’re now in a position to grow our business and we need more machinery to do it. We know Ferwood deliver on their promises and because of this, it’s a relationship we see continuing. We would highly recommend them.”