ROK European Kitchens is a new venture that brings together a dynamic team with combined experience of over 100 years in the UK contract market. This positions ROK at the forefront of contemporary kitchen specification and design. The company works closely with architects, designers, developers and house builders to deliver high quality products and exceptional service.
“From the start, our aim was to create a state of the art production facility in Essex,” explains ROK’s head of operations, Andrew Lee. He continues, “Although it is a new company, the senior team has a vast amount of experience in the industry. Our aim was to create a manufacturing facility that would give us a mix of automation, for speed and efficiency, blended with the flexibility of traditional craftsman’s skills.
“The search for an equipment partner originally focused on a nesting machine. We looked at two suppliers, both of which we had had previous dealings. Initially, we felt that either of these two companies had the machinery that would do the job.
“Being one hundred percent honest, we always wanted HOMAG equipment, but we didn’t think we could afford it. But in actual fact, the deal HOMAG offered us was better than that of the other supplier. So, having seen the machinery in action at the W18 exhibition, we worked closely with Charles Smith, the HOMAG area manager, and the HOMAG UK team to specify the machinery that would best suit our needs.”
The ideal manufacturing cell
“The goal was to create the ideal manufacturing cell to meet our development plans. This included a beam saw, CNC machining centre, edgebander, a drilling and dowel inserter and a carcass clamp’.
“The package HOMAG put together included a SAWTEQ B-300 beam saw with MagiCut software, a CENTATEQ P-110 (4-axis) CNC, the EDGETEQ S-380 with the airTec edging system, a DRILLTEQ D-500 drilling and dowel inserting machine, and a CABTEQ S-250 carcass clamp.”
Panel dividing saw – the HOMAG SAWTEQ B-300
The SAWTEQ B-300 offers high performance in a compact space. This panel dividing saw is suitable for producing in batch size 1 as well as in smaller series and is ready for connection to automatic horizontal storage systems.
Designed for smooth material flow and precise logistics practice, it is also ideal for networked production processes. The saw has been designed to meet future expansion requirements; these can be achieved thanks to the many options that can be retrofitted.
With a dimensionally accurate program fence and a rugged pressure beam, the B-300 produces a first-class quality cut each and every time. To shorten cycle times it features a central side pressure device which is integrated directly in the saw carriage.
CENTATEQ P-110 CNC processing centre
This CENTATEQ P-110 CNC series offers high levels of performance and versatility to small and medium-sized carpentry and joinery companies. It is based on compact technology, a reduced installation area and operation directly at the machine.
Options include 3, 4 and 5-axis models for the processing of kitchen, office and solid wood furniture, as well as for the construction of stairs, windows and doors. The 3 and 4-axis models are ideal for profiling furniture fronts, routing lock cases, completing mitre cuts and cutting recesses for connecting fittings.
The machines feature HOMAG’s high-speed drilling technology with patented clamping of the spindle and quick-change system for tools. This gives the CENTATEQ P-110 maintenance-free precise drilling and fast cycles. In addition, there is free access to the machine from all sides due to the ‘bumper safety technology’ enabling more efficient utilisation of space.
EDGETEQ S-380 1650 E edge bander
Even in its basic equipment configuration, this model offers a high level of automation and simple processing of several radii as standard. The base version is equipped with a joint trimming unit, a precise Quickmelt gluing unit, a 2-motor snipping unit, a multi-stage trimming unit and a profile trimming unit. A multi-stage scraper, a glue-joint scraper and a buffing unit ensure a perfect finish.
The multi-stage trimming and scraper units provide the optimum radius and consequently the very best results for frequently changing applications. The EDGETEQ S-380 has the option for airTec zero joint technology, an essential feature for ROK Kitchens which has used this method of edging since its inception.
CNC-drilling and dowel inserting machine - DRILLTEQ D-500
With a heavy and sturdy machine bed made of SORB TECH, the vibration-free DRILLTEQ D-500 delivers accurate drill holes and precise positioning of dowels. It also features vertical drilling in the border area, ideal for connection fittings or hinge drill holes.
Workpieces are held firmly via the use of up to 8 clamping cylinders, variable to length and thickness. In addition, the adjustable centre stop allows for flexible handling of workpieces, thereby ensuring an optimum two-field operation.
Case clamp CABTEQ S-250
When it comes to building kitchens, manufacturing bathrooms or producing office furniture, cleanly pressed cabinets are a key sign of quality in pre-assembled furniture.
The CABTEQ S-250 is a robust assembly aide for pressing of carcass furniture. It has two speeds: ‘approach’ (rapid) and ‘pressing’ (slower). At the touch of a button, the plates move from their starting position to the pressing position at rapid speed just before hitting the cabinet. The speed then automatically switches to a lower pressing speed. This dual speed function allows for more cabinets to be pressed per shift. Each cabinet is pressed centrally and over the entire surface giving a solid, square finish.
Attractive finance deal removes financial constraints
Andrew Lee again, “Being a new company, cash flow is extremely important and when HOMAG offered us an attractive finance package through HOMAG Finance we jumped at the chance. The five year deal will enable us to focus on building the business without having to worry about the financial commitment. We estimate the equipment will have paid for itself well within that time frame.
“The installation was spread over a four week period and went extremely smoothly. Prior to the machines arriving we sent some of our operators to HOMAG UK for training. HOMAG then gave our team onsite training to ensure we would get the most out of the machines; it was a very comprehensive package.
“The set-up we have is really efficient and we are confident that it will prove to be an extremely productive manufacturing cell in the months and years to come.”
German engineering excellence
“HOMAG’s heritage gives us tremendous peace of mind. The Germans are renowned for producing well-thought out, technically advanced and totally reliable machinery. These factors are extremely valuable to us as a business. With this reassurance we can forge ahead safe in the knowledge that our manufacturing capability is not only cutting-edge, but also 100 per cent dependable.
“From the operators’ point of view, these new machines are very intuitive and so it hasn’t taken them much time to master the day-to-day running of the equipment. Obviously, as we get more experience under our belts, we will extract even more out of the machines,” concludes Andrew Lee.
If you’d like a demonstration or more information about HOMAG machinery and software, please contact HOMAG on 01332 856424.
“Being a new company, cash flow is extremely important and when HOMAG offered us an attractive finance package through HOMAG Finance we jumped at the chance.”Andrew Lee, ROK's head of operations