IWF Show Brought Variety of Solutions to Woodworking Industry, Including Door and Window Manufacturers

The International Woodworking Fair (IWF) concluded Saturday in Atlanta, and more than 1,300 exhibitors showcased products for the woodworking industry, including door and window manufacturers. The exhibits spanned three halls filling 811,000 square feet of space.

One manufacturer that had a huge presence was Stiles Machinery, who offers equipment for all facets of the woodworking industry including door and window manufacturers. The company had numerous representatives available to speak to attendees including representation from ten countries.

Stiles says it prides itself on providing “Total Production Solutions” to its customers, and this year it unveiled a new section at the show, “Total Shop Solutions,” which targets the small- to medium-sized manufacturer.

But no matter what the size of your company, Stephan Waltman, vice president of sales and marketing, says the company wanted to find a way to help manufacturers make its production waste more manageable.

To do this, the company partnered with C.F. Nielsen, a leading manufacturer of briquetting equipment, based in Denmark.

“We’re helping manufacturers go for the green,” adds Amanda Dombek, communications specialist. “We’re getting people to turn their dust into profit.”

And for door and window manufacturers specifically, the company has partnered with Stegherr, out of Germany, to offer two machines, one of which is the KSF-2E Cross Joint Milling Machine. It is fully automated for producing cross joints from wood, plastic or aluminum materials. It also offers an automatic CNC feeding system for fast and accurate positioning.

“To do this by hand [produce muntins] would be extremely time-consuming,” says Stiles Doug Maat.

Another manufacturer with a large presence at IWF was Biesse America. The company showcased a variety of machines, one of which was the Rover A machining center, designed to process door and window components. The company says this is an ideal solution for small- to mid-sized manufacturers that are ready to evolve their processes. It features the same high-end technology of larger machines in a more compact frame. These include a large guide system, 12-kW electro-spindle. Additionally, the worktable system makes machine setup fast and easy, virtually eliminating the need for expensive and cumbersome custom fixtures typically required in millwork applications, according to the company.

As an option, the Rover A can be equipped with a dedicated horizontal router for deep mortising machining in high-production environments and around-the-clock operations.

Carlson Systems Engineering was another company to offer a new machine for the fenestration industry, as it launched the ProMax Frame and Sash Clamp. Matt Sell, national account manager, describes it as an affordable, entry-level wood window assembly and fastening machine which increases productivity, decreases labor, increases profits and improves safety.

The machine squares, clamps and fastens a variety of wood window frames or sash, and is designed for fast material placement and finished product removal. It is capable of producing more than 400 frames or sashes per eight-hour shift, and features a programmable controller.

At the Graco booth, the company promoted a new product that will be launched officially in October. Graco’s Wendy Hartley says this is a new line of spray packages that can work for small to large companies, and points out that the product uses low air consumption and stands up to the elements well.

“Door and window manufacturers have many custom orders so this works well,” she adds. “They can make color changes in less than a minute.”

So while many people may think of IWF as a show geared toward just cabinet or furniture manufacturers, this is not the case.

“There is a lot of interest here from the architectural wood industry,” says Robert McElroy, marketing communications manager for Sherwin Williams.

And Jay Streu, president and CEO for door manufacturer Eggers Industries, believes the show is so important that he brought a total of seven representatives to Atlanta.

“We’re here to see what’s new from the technology standpoint,” says Streu. “We all have specific things we are looking for, such as the integration of robotics.”

IWF is held every two years. The next show will be held in 2010.

CLICK HERE to view DWM’s coverage of a special session held during IWF on going green, which was sponsored by DWM magazine and moderated by Tara Taffera.

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