During Stiles annual European Benchmarking Technology Tour, manufacturing professionals and leaders from across North America had the unique opportunity to experience behind-the-scenes tours of some of the most innovative, efficient, and productive manufacturing facilities in the world. The event, which took place September 22-29 , 2018, gave participants the opportunity to benchmark their own operations against global leaders in Germany and the Czech Republic, giving them a competitive advantage in the marketplace and equipping them with valuable knowledge and tools that will affect the overall success of their companies for years to come.

The tour kicked off in the Czech Republic, where attendees were welcomed into a variety of facilities ranging from highly advanced, automated production, to smaller family-owned shops who depend on world-class technology to meet the standards of quality and craftsmanship that have been a hallmark of the area for generations. Regardless of the size of the company, the common thread evident in each facility was a focus on technology and automation to meet rising consumer and customization demands. Participants experienced intelligent networked production systems that showcased innovative storage and retrieval technologies, batch size one capabilities, edge processing techniques, and finishing and packaging systems for a fully optimized production process from start to finish.

One of the tour highlights included a stop at HOMAG production facilities in Schopfloch, Germany, where Mr. Andreas Denker, VP of Sales and Marketing for HOMAG shared the latest technology trends including software solutions, newly designed machines with intelligent features, and digital breakthroughs made possible with tapio, the world’s first IoT platform designed to support the entire value chain of the woodworking industry from the palm of your hand.

In addition to gaining a behind-the-scenes look at how global leaders are addressing challenges and opportunities within the industry, attendees also enjoyed cultural experiences throughout the week-long event including medieval cities, historic market squares and the ever popular Volksfest fall celebration in Stuttgart, Germany.

For more information about Stiles’ European Benchmarking Technology Tour or to be the first to receive exclusive information and registration details for Stiles upcoming events, visit www.stilesmachinery.com/events

About Stiles Machinery
As the industry’s leading provider of advanced manufacturing solutions, Stiles has been helping manufacturers throughout
North America increase their efficiency and productivity for over 50 years. With world-class machinery backed by an
experienced and responsive support team, extensive parts inventory, unique upgrade capabilities and a nationally accredited education and training program, Stiles offers solutions that equip companies for success in every area of their business. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stiles has regional offices in High Point, North Carolina; Bristol, Pennsylvania; Coppell, Texas; and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Stiles is a proud member of the HOMAG Group, a global leader in the production of industrial manufacturing machinery.

TableLegs.com’s Industrial Metal Tapered legs are a big step ahead of the ubiquitous hairpin leg—a sturdier, more distinctive design with its feet firmly planted in the 21st century. They're a great solution for thicker table tops and live edge slabs, while the splayed stance and open silhouette make them suitable for Mid-Century furniture as well. 

With their natural variations in color and surface, the Antique Copper, Black Steel and Hammered Bronze legs are equally at home in rustic and contemporary industrial motifs. The more refined surface of the Satin Stainless is ideal for more polished settings—they're especially dramatic with darker wood tops.

Direct attachment makes Industrial Metal Tapered legs incredibly easy to install. Just affix the legs to the base of the table with 4 included screws. Two sizes—16" and 28"—make these perfect for dining tables, desks, benches, coffee tables and more. The legs are made from a single strip of cold-rolled steel, laser cut into a continuous taper, then thrice bent backward and welded to itself. Each leg is carefully detailed by hand with lightly chamfered edges.

Matthew Burak, owner and designer at TableLegs.com, notes that “With a heavy, slab-wood table top, you don’t want to be under-gunned with a light leg, like a hairpin. The Industrial Metal leg will hold a big, slab table top and a lot of weight. It creates a beautiful fusion with wood and is one of the easiest ways imaginable to build a great looking table."

• Easy to install: Simply attach with included screws
• Available in two sizes and four finishes: 16" for benches and coffee tables, 28" for dining tables and desks
• Splayed and tapered form: Perfect for Mid-Century Modern, Industrial, Rustic, Contemporary settings
• Superior strength: Cold rolled steel offers a more stable and sturdy alternative to hairpin legs

Laser cut and detailed: Lightly chamfered edges and continuous taper for a sophisticated look

See the product here: https://www.tablelegs.com/shop-by-products/new-products/industrial-metal-tapered-legs/
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About TableLegs.com: TableLegs.com is a Vermont company that designs and manufactures quality components for furniture, cabinetry and architecture, along with fine finished and unfinished furniture. They sell directly to professional woodworkers, furniture makers, hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers. Balanced proportion, crisp detail, and easy assembly are hallmarks of all our products.

Lockdowel Inc., the glue-less, tool-less fastening company that is propelling the woodworking industry to simpler lower cost assembly, announces the addition of Stephen P. Anderson as the company’s CEO. 

Anderson is an expert in increasing company value through customer focus, employee engagement, and continuous improvement through lean implementation.  He brings more than 25 years of experience leading private, public and family-owned building and wood product companies--including Enkeboll Designs, Pergo, and Wellborn Forest Products. Anderson has learned that lean principles and practices can be applied to any business and business process, and is looking forward to working with the team at Lockdowel to make the company the preferred source for woodworking fastening systems.   He holds a Masters of Management and an M.B.A. from the Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, and a B.S. in Psychology from Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado.

 “Lockdowel enables simple, fast assembly, installation and Ready-To-Assemble shipping.  By providing a glue-less, tool-less fastening method, Lockdowel is helping companies take much of the waste and time out of their production.  Their quality improves with less rework and fewer returns, and productivity increases significantly,” Anderson says. “I know many customers want an invisible fastener that provides sturdy joints, and Lockdowel is a perfect solution.”

“I’ve seen a lot of exciting trends in woodworking, and a fastening solution that increases a company’s capacity by 60% without adding headcount means it’s time to change the industry’s paradigm.”
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Anderson says customers are his number one focus and he will be talking with as many as possible. He encourages companies to call him to discuss their needs and how Lockdowel can help them improve productivity and profitability:  (650)477-7112  ext. 101
 
About Lockdowel
Lockdowel manufactures glue-less, tool-less invisible fasteners and snap-in drawer slides and hinges for fast and easy installation and assembly of cabinets, furniture and architectural millwork. Patent pending.
Lockdowel 41920 Christy Street  Fremont, CA  94538, (650) 477 7112 www.lockdowel.com   See Lockdowel fastening assembly at --   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugLbDTTOtg

Festool has just launched the “Trade Up to Festool” campaign, which starts today and will run through October 31, 2018. Customers who buy a new, Festool 55-series saw or Festool plunge router can send in any brand of used power tool, regardless of age or condition, and receive a $100 USD or $120 CAD prepaid Mastercard. The Trade Up promotion is the first of its kind for Festool, a premier power tool manufacturer, whose award-winning, German-made power tools and equipment are used by remodelers, carpenters, painters, cabinetmakers, and other professional tool users.
 
“We’re passionate about all of our tools and their unique functionality,” says Aaron Brading, Chief Sales Officer. “’Trade Up to Festool’ will provide an incentive for professionals to see how our 55-series saws and plunge routers will improve their work results and contribute to their bottom line, and existing customers now have an additional reason to expand their Festool line of power tools.”
 
How “Trade Up to Festool” works:

• Purchase any Festool 55-series saw or Festool plunge router between September 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018 and go to www.festoolusa.com/promo or www.festoolcanada.com/promo
• Send in any used power tool, regardless of age or condition - Festool will provide customers with a pre-paid shipping label
• Receive a $100 USD or $120 CAD prepaid Mastercard four to six weeks after the old tool has been received
• For complete Trade Up to Festool guidelines, go to Festool USA or Festool Canada

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About Festool
Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is known for its innovative, precision-engineered power tool solutions.  Based in Lebanon, IN, Festool USA offers a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance. For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com or www.festoolcanada.com.

On October 1, Festool will launch the new CT CYCLONE, an anti-static, pre-separator for large debris and coarse dust that is designed to be used with a Festool CT Dust Extractor. By separating large particulate before it reaches the dust collector, users can increase the efficiency and cost effectiveness of their portable Festool dust collection systems by reducing the number of filter bags needed. The CT CYCLONE also reduces the overall dust load on the main dust extractor filter which results in consistently high suction power throughout the work process. When used together, the CT CYCLONE and CT Dust Extractor form a three-step filtration system for dust and debris.
 
“For craftsmen who work with large volumes of dust and debris, the CT CYCLONE pre-separator is the simplest answer for further increasing the efficiency of our CT Dust Extractors,” says Eugen Gassmann, Festool Vice President of Marketing. “CT CYCLONE minimizes costs by decreasing the number of filters and dust bags that you’ll need to keep your CT running smoothly.”
 
CT CYCLONE can be used with all Festool CT 26/36/48 dust extractors and optimum usage is achieved with tools and applications which create high levels of dust and particulate. It separates and collects coarse and fine dust before it reaches the mobile dust extractor.
 
The dust-heavy air that is drawn in, is swirled into a spiral movement in the cyclone, causing the dust particles to hit against the wall of the cyclone and, due to the gravitational force, fall into the collection container.
The CT CYCLONE product video can be seen here.
 
Features of the CT CYCLONE include:
 
• Tool-free assembly and attachment means that users can easily attach and remove depending on their application and need
• Reduce the number of regular CT dust extractor filter bags needed by handling high volumes of dust and debris with cyclone technology
• Maintains consistently high suction power by reducing the dust load on the main filter
• Highly portable – compatible with all CT Dust Extractors and Systainers, CT CYCLONE is a stackable collection container with compact dimensions and a sturdy design
 
CT CYCLONE (CT-VA-20) includes

• Cyclone Systainer
• Systainer Pan
• Collection Container
• Hose Connector - CT-VA to CT Dust Extractor
• Disposable Dust Liner

For more information, please visit Festool USA or Festool Canada.
 
About Festool
Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool is known for its innovative, precision-engineered power tool solutions.  Based in Lebanon, IN, Festool USA offers a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance. For more information, visit www.festoolusa.com or www.festoolcanada.com.

Innovative Manufacturing Inc. is now a master distributor of a large selection of Milesi high-performance Italian wood coatings, according to a joint announcement released by the companies. The new distribution agreement marks the first time these two companies have partnered to offer a line of high-performance, Italian technology, wood finishing products to professional woodworkers, cabinetmakers, and millwork producers. Innovative Manufacturing services customers in Vancouver B.C. Canada, including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Interior of British Columbia, offering technical support, custom colour matching, and a team of Finishing Specialists to meet all their customer’s needs. The Milesi line includes two-component (2K) polyurethanes, polyesters, water-based interior and exterior finishes, natural look finishes, high gloss wet look finishes, UV, stains, and more.

The new partnership agreement pairs two companies with long traditions of providing high-quality finishing products to the woodworking industry. Since 1948, Innovative Manufacturing has been an industry-leading provider of wood coatings, spray equipment, and other building materials to the residential and commercial building sectors. Milesi has produced wood coatings since 1947 and is the leading wood coatings manufacturer in Europe with proven innovative wood finish systems sold in more than 100 countries worldwide. Milesi utilizes cutting-edge technology not commonly found in North America.
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"Partnering ourselves to include an industry leader like Milesi reinforces our goal of providing our customers with the most innovative products and the best industry professionals,” said Dave Stewart, Manager of Innovative Manufacturing. “We are confident our customers will be impressed with the finest quality and aestetic results of products offered by Milesi.”

“We consider this agreement a monumental step in our North American wood coatings business and another milestone in rolling out the Milesi North American National Distribution Program with highly respected and quality partners such as Innovative Manufacturing” said Jeff Takac, Milesi – Managing Director – North America. “It’s not often that a company with the expertise, knowledge, service, and history of Innovative Manufacturing and a company with the unique heritage, products, research, and chemistry of Milesi join forces. This relationship has the potential to help both organizations experience solid growth and to benefit our end users with cutting-edge high-performance European wood finish technologies in one of the largest wood markets in Canada. Milesi Wood Coatings are well known world-wide and are highly respected in the North American market, and this partnership allows our end users in Western Canada to have access to Milesi Wood Coatings through a highly respected and experienced partner such as Innovative Manufacturing.”

Innovative Manufacturing
Innovative Manufacturing Inc. was established in 1948 as Insulmastic Building Products, to provide industrial wood coatings for the kitchen cabinet market, as well as waterproofing and corrosion protection products for the construction and industrial markets. In 2005 we changed our name to Innovative Manufacturing to reflect our competitive strategy of flexibility to the marketplace. We now distribute and manufacture a broad range of coatings for the industrial finishing market, and well as specialty cements and tape for the roofing, concrete, automotive and maritime industries. The sales of our coatings extend beyond British Columbia into markets in western Canada, the Northwestern United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
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Milesi Wood Coatings - Italian Technology meets design solutions
Milesi is a brand of the IVM Group, one of the largest and influential wood coatings manufactures in Europe and in the world. Milesi products were born in 1947 in Italy, a country that has always been a point of reference in the furniture industry. These products were developed and perfected through constant interaction with local industry experts and designers who are appreciated all over the world. With its substantial investment in North America, the IVM Group declares its intention to make Milesi products and technology accessible to the North American professional user.
For more info: http://www.milesi.us

Biesse is proud to announce that IWF 2018, held August 22-25 in Atlanta GA, was another record-setting performance for Biesse America and Biesse Canada, even exceeding our expectations, with approximately $20 million USD of duly signed orders, making this our most successful show ever in North America.

With over 27,000sqft of booth space, packed with innovative technology, Biesse welcomed more than 1,400 companies in Atlanta. With the largest booth at IWF, Biesse was able to showcase a wide range of machinery, including integrated robotics and automated solutions to meet all levels of manufacturing needs.

”Automaction was the major theme for Biesse heading into this year’s show.  The technology we presented at IWF allowed attendees to see how our machinery addressed the challenge of finding labor with today’s record level unemployement rates in North America, as well as offering solutions for increased and consistent productivity,” said Federico Broccoli, Biesse America and Biesse Canada President/CEO.  “In the 12 months prior to IWF, Biesse had an order intake exceeding $50 million USD in integrated lines and is a recognized leader and solid, experienced and reliable partner in the high technology systems market.”  
Another attention getter from IWF was Biesse’s SOPHIA IoT platform.  Attendees were able to experience first hand how this innovative technology provides a comprehensive overview of specific machine performance features with remote diagnostics, continuous updated statistics and full integration with our new PARTS Portal.  We demonstrated how the portal makes it faster and easier for customers to purchase parts, check availability and track purchases online 24/7. 
 
“Biesse strongly believes that our products should be supported by high quality services and we continuously invest in research and development,” said Broccoli. “With SOPHIA and our new PARTS Portal, we have become more predictive of our customers' needs and are able to anticipate requirements for support. It is the right vision and we are strongly committed to following the path of providing the best Industrial IoT solution and platform to our customers to give them the competitive advantage.  The feedback has been excellent, rewarding all of our efforts because SOPHIA is a real added value.”

The company’s success at IWF continued a very strong trend for Biesse in the North American market where Biesse America and Biesse Canada are registering record order entrance, with a solid backlog for 2019.

At our annual VIP/Make-A-Wish party on Thursday, August 23rd, Biesse continued its longstanding tradition of giving back to the community by presenting a check of $12,000 to Make-A-Wish during Thursday night’s VIP/Make-a-Wish party at IWF.  Honored to host over 800 people at the event, Biesse doubled the amount of its initial check from $6,000 to $12,000. This already ensures that two wishes will be granted to children with life threatening illnesses.
Other exciting news announced during this event came from Niki Kaltsounis-Kampiziones, Biesse America and Biesse Canada’s Executive Vice President, where she unveiled Biesse’s plans to invest an additional $4 million USD in the Charlotte Campus to handle the outstanding growth of sales and employees in North America. “With this investment, the second in less than 3 years when we built our new showroom, our Charlotte Campus will exceed 80,000 sqft,” said Kampiziones. “Last year, over 1,300 Customers visited our Charlotte Campus to see one of the largest and most technologically advanced showrooms of its kind in North America. The ground breaking for this new expansion is forecast to begin in January 2019.”
"It is extremely satisfying to see the North American market and our subsidiaries growing so steadily. Biesse has always been, and will remain, dedicated to America and Canada and those tangible signs demonstrate our determination to continue this commitment to North America," said Broccoli. 
BIESSE S.p.A. - Biesse Group is a global leader in technology for processing wood, glass, stone, plastic and metal. It designs, manufactures and distributes machines, integrated systems and software for manufacturers of furniture, door/window frames and components for the construction, ship-building and aerospace industries. It invests on average 14 million Euro per year in R&D, boasting over 200 registered patents. It operates through 8 industrial sites, 34 branches and 300 agents and selected dealers, exporting 90% of its production. Its customers include some of the most prestigious names in Italian and international design. Founded in Pesaro in 1969, by Giancarlo Selci, the company has been listed on the Stock Exchange (STAR segment) since June 2001. It now counts 3.450 employees throughout the world.