Investment in full automation and interlinking for finished parts

Egger is the reliable partner for dealers and carpenters in the field of prefabricated furniture components. In order to strengthen this position, the wood-based materials specialist is constantly optimising the processes between its own prefabricated furniture factories and its partner Horatec. Egger's latest investment in this product area was made at its site in Bünde (DE). Since 1994, front elements for the furniture industry have been produced here in medium and large batch sizes.

With the new, fully automated front panel plant, even small batch sizes are now produced efficiently and faster delivery times are guaranteed. The production data is mainly transmitted directly from the customer via EDI connection. Sources of error due to manual transmission are thus prevented. "Our focus in the development of new systems is on fully automated and interlinked production processes and consistently high quality," emphasises Georg Stolzlechner, head of sales for the finished furniture components product area.

On the new line in Bünde, Egger easily produces furniture fronts from melamine resin-coated boards and now also from PerfectSense lacquer-finished boards. Since their introduction in 2015, the high-gloss and matt premium surfaces have been writing a success story. Due to their convincing properties - pleasant feel and anti-fingerprint with matt and the extreme depth effect with gloss - they are also in great demand for finished furniture components. "Our customers appreciate the fact that the respective carrier material as well as the edge and finishing to the finished furniture part come from one manufacturer. Add to this our competent support in technical issues, furniture design and decor selection and you have the optimum package from the complete supplier," says Stolzlechner.

Every year, Egger produces around ten million square metres of prefabricated furniture components at the locations St. Johann in Tyrol (AT), Bünde (DE), Rambervillers (FR) and the partner company Horatec. "Many carpenters have already strategically adjusted to the purchase of prefabricated parts. But we are also noticing that more and more companies from the furniture industry are deciding to buy in parts," says Georg Stolzlechner.

With its production, Egger is ideally positioned to support customers during capacity peaks and to produce series as well as contract business. By networking the prefabricated parts plants, order fluctuations within the organisation at the respective location are balanced out. This ensures the best possible and continuous delivery reliability. "We have become more flexible with our specially established, cross-plant sales organisation and specialisation of the respective location. Thanks to short decision-making channels, we are able to respond and react to customer wishes in a more focused and faster manner," explains Georg Stolzlechner.