Integral Surface Designs is a new start-up which is all set to become a name to reckon with in the panel processing sector. Specialising in acrylic, vinyl-wrapped and PVC edged doors, as well as related items such as toilet cubicles and shop fitting accessories, a total of £750,000 has been invested in machinery and equipment to create a state-of-the-art production facility.
Integral to the design of the factory layout was a panel saw, and company owner, Jeff Green, found what he wanted at W12: a new Genisis P32 panel saw, sourced from J&C O'Meara Ltd.
Jeff told PW&SS that the new panel saw will play a number of vital roles. "With the vinyl-wrapped product, we have to cut items before our final pressing and we also have to cut after our final pressing, because of certain limitations on the other machinery."
"We will also be making components that will need to have angle cuts that our CNC routing machines cannot achieve."
"The panel saw will also be integral for cutting our PVC edge doors. And in addition, the panel saw is a very versatile machine for cutting up waste!" Jeff had three aims in visiting W12: to network with those in the woodworking industry, to liaise with other suppliers that he had already committed to purchases of equipment from and to seek to source the remaining items he needed to complete his factory layout.
The third objective was fulfilled when Jeff met Carl O'Meara on the J&C O'Meara stand - and probably the first objective as well! Jeff comments, "I have known Carl for nigh on 10 years through a previous company and so, when I saw his stand and his machinery, I stopped and we had a chat."
Jeff made the decision to purchase the P32 Genisis panel saw at the show, "It is a very good machine. I knew of the Genisis machines anyway and it was a very smart looking, capable bit of machinery, that was ideally suited for what we needed."
The Genisis P32 uses the same heavy duty sliding table of multi chamber construction as the flagship X3 Plus machine. These use large diameter dumb bell rollers to ensure an easy gliding motion which run on solid, hardened and chromed steel runners to ensure accuracy and longevity. The heavy duty saw carriage is securely seated in cast iron tilt quadrants with the raise, lower and tilting of the saw blades by ergonomically positioned hand wheels at the front of the machine. The machine is complete with fine adjustment to the rip fence, quick release to the heavy duty cross cut fence, 2 heavy duty flip stops, parallel overhead safety guard, LED indication to the angle of the blade and independent angle cutting fence which can be used +/- 45 degrees.
Jeff was delighted with the smoothness of the commissioning process. "He delivered it, installed it and the saw was operational within 24-48 hours." At the time of speaking the saw had been in place for a matter of weeks and Jeff was already delighted with the quality of the finish the saw provided, as well as its appearance: "It looks the part and goes in well with the other equipment." He adds, "How the factory looks can mirror a customer's perceptions of the quality of the product," and Jeff's offering is designed to be top-of-the-range: Carl O'Meara's comment was, "This is going to be a very high profile company."
On the saw, Jeff says: "It is absolutely perfect: everything it says on the tin it is doing. It is certainly living up to expectations! With some machines, you can pay a reasonable price but you don't get the quality: this appears to be a well built machine which we will get our money's worth out of." When asked if he would recommend the saw and the service provided by J&C O'Meara, the answer to both was "Absolutely."
Jeff is particularly appreciative of the private investor, the banks and the Regional Growth Fund which, between them, have secured the £750,000 that he has invested in new machinery.
Editorial courtesy of Pam Rowden at Panel, Wood and Solid Surface magazine.