Two family-owned companies highlight tech tour's last day

The last day of facility tours is upon us as we head to an office furniture company named Sedus Systems. Founded in 1870, Sedus is a family-owned company that designs and manufactures modular office furniture systems. The company—which sells through retailers primarily in Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland—is one of the most automated I have seen. Only one employee is needed to control Homag’s Intellistore panel storage and retrieval system, panel saw, edgebander and CNC router. Robotics are employed for material handling. This Sedus facility is the perfect example of how technology is advancing the state of panel processing.

Our next stop is Bribus B.V., a mid-level kitchen cabinet company. This family-owned company has 280 employees and has been in business for nearly 20 years, producing an impressive 55,000 kitchens per year. Bribus is another fine example of how Homag automation and robotics have provided a competitive edge, improved product quality and increased speed to market.