The FINANCIAL -- Auinger furniture makers employ a total of 10 people, including two of his three sons. The third is already knowledgeable about wood but is still studying and intends to specialize in marketing. From WEINIG.

However, the Auinger family certainly does not need coaching in this sector. In addition to quality and design, profitability of the business has always played a central role in the family owned business.

When an interesting order for solid wood beckoned in the shape of choir stalls for a church, Jürgen Auinger first calculated thoroughly whether this order was really worthwhile. In doing so, he detected a weak point in his production process: 4-sided planing.

He rapidly understood that the laborious process of joining and planing would severely reduce his profits. He needed a 4-sider because another interesting order was in the pipeline. First he familiarized himself with the market through the internet. Nothing fancy, he wanted something simple and effective. And so compact that it would fit into his rather cramped workshop without any problem.

He came to the trade show Ligna with a short list in his head. The first impressions of the standard models on offer were disappointing. "Clumsy and adjustment devices as in the Middle Ages" he remembers. Then he came to Weinig and hit gold. The brand-new Cube offered him exactly what he was looking for. He tested the machine personally on the stand itself. 

He could view the later results before processing using the MPV laser projection and correct the spindle settings where necessary. "Absolutely nothing can go wrong" he concluded and spontaneously decided to buy the 4-sider demo model. One week later the Cube was in his workshop. The solid wood order was pressing and the machine was needed. "Fortunately the Cube can be connected up quickly and is self-explanatory so the start-up phase took only a couple of minutes" explains Auinger.

On the very first day 1800 running meters of wood passed through the machine. Numerous different dimensions and mostly small runs were needed down to single-item batches. Working with traditional machines, according to Jürgen Auinger, would have meant long, laborious work processes under permanent stress. But this was not the case with the new, user-friendly Cube which supplied him with the finished pieces fast and reliably in perfect quality. The experienced carpenter illustrated the difference with a striking comparison.

His time recording program, which he has used carefully for each cost center for many years, provided him with the proof. According to the program, last year joiner and planer were used for 8 hours each month. However, the modern Cube operates much more efficiently, saving around 7 hours. These 7 hours, according to Auinger's calculations, mean his staff is free to do other tasks, increasing the productivity of his business. Including the added value in his final calculations, this means a reduction in costs of 90 per cent for the Auinger furniture workshop for planing processes.

The costs of financing the machine hardly affected the overall positive balance. The leasing rate and monthly operating costs for the Cube amount to € 430. The 7 hours freed up each month, calculated with an hourly rate of € 50, amount to € 350 per month.

So Jürgen Auinger only has to pay an additional € 80 per month and the Cube will be his after 5 years. And his figures look even better when he calculates the 1800 running meters from the first day of production with the Cube as cost savings. Because then financing for Jürgen Auinger's brand-new, highly efficient machine is already at the cost level for jointer and planer.

Related Stories

• PUMA Introduces Evospeed Cross Category Collection
• New research to help improve inflammatory bowel disease treatment management
• Nespresso reaffirms support for Colombian coffee growers with five year investment programme