Meeting Fixed Production Deadlines
When you’re manufacturing theatre sets, you have no choice but to meet the deadlines you’ve been set. The production dates have been fixed, the cast have been booked and the tickets have been sold. So, when faced with an old, unreliable vertical panel saw, set manufacturer, Visual Scene didn’t hesitate to purchase a refurbished 2008 Striebig Standard TRK2 4216 vertical panel saw from TM Machinery.
“After 45 years of service, it was finally time for our old vertical panel saw to be put into retirement. It was showing its age and it was difficult to get spare parts for,” explains Andy Johnson, Works Manager at Visual Scene Ltd.
“We knew we wanted a used saw. Our entire workshop is made up of used machinery. It’s always been a cost effective option for us,” admits Andy.
Choosing TM Machinery’s Refurbished Striebig
After browsing eBay and speaking to a few machinery dealers, it was TM Machinery’s refurbished Striebig Compact panel saw that caught Andy’s eye. “Not only did TM Machinery’s refurbished saws come with a warranty, we could also go and see the engineers work through a checklist – replacing worn parts and giving it a thorough once over – at TM’s Leicester showroom. Now that’s the kind of thing that gives you real peace of mind.” He continues, “When you consider the price difference between TM’s refurbished machines and the ones being sold on eBay without any information on the saw’s working hours or condition, it was a no-brainer.”
Selecting the Right Striebig Compact for the Workshop
Andy chose a 10 year old Striebig Compact ___. “It’s a basic, manual saw but for us, that’s exactly what we needed,” explains Andy. “I’ve worked at two different companies that have used large, semi-automatic Striebig saws. They were impressive machines but we didn’t need anything so industrial. We would have ended up paying for features we wouldn’t have used. We needed it to cut 8’ x 4’ MDF and plywood from 6mm-18mm thick and 3m x 2m acrylic sheets. It also needed to fit neatly into the same footprint as our old model as space was tight.”
The saw also needed to be easy to use. “Our set-up doesn’t allow for a single, dedicated operator,” says Andy. “We need our whole team to use the saw. So, the more straightforward the workings of the machine, the better.”
Once the Striebig vertical panel saw was installed, accuracy issues were rectified immediately and spare parts for a ten year old machine weren’t going to be an issue thanks to TM’s vast spare parts division. “The new saw does exactly what we need it to do and nothing that we don’t,” admits Andy.
Investing in Reliability and Long-Term Value
When it comes to a return on investment, Andy says, “If it lasts 45 years like the last one, I won’t be around to work out the ROI! But in all seriousness, we’ve invested in reliability. Knowing the saw won’t break down, that panels won’t need to be re-cut and that spare parts are easy to come by is what is important to us. There is no leeway when it comes to our project deadlines. It only takes one late order for our reputation to crumble. We can’t afford to break our customer’s trust and with the new saw, we’re confident project deadlines will always be met.”
TM Machinery’s Strong Reputation
Andy adds, “The Compact has proven to be a sound investment and is being put to good use but before purchasing the machine, I researched TM Machinery. I’d know the name for years – without having direct dealings with them – and everyone I spoke to had positive things to say and the reviews online were good. Reputation matters in whatever industry you’re in. So, my advice to anyone looking to buy a vertical panel saw: do your homework and don’t be led by cost and cost alone. The level of refurbishment and the warranty on TM’s used vertical panel saws made it great value for us and we’d definitely buy from TM again.”
Contact TM Machinery for More Information
Ready to transform your woodworking operation? Talk to TM and discover how the automation within Striebig’s range of vertical panel saws can help streamline production and increase your business’s potential.
