By Malene Bou Zeid

System TM has recently replaced Ramsey Timber Group’s former System TM line with a world-class, resource-preserving Opti-Kap 5003 line that makes optimal use of timber quality and consequently, eliminates costs associated with material waste.

From canal boats to timber products
In 1890, George Edward Ramsey made a living by building canal boats and barges in Bradford. On September 25, 1979, Peter Ramsey & Sons Timber Ltd. was established. Now, 127 years and four generations later, Ramsey Timber Group is a leading supplier of timber components for the UK bedding industry.

Ramsey Timber Group’s dynamic and innovative vision is based on a commitment to advanced technology, as well as continuous investments in product research and development. On an annual basis, the company sources over 30,000 cubic meters of quality soft and hardwoods. Using high-tech machinery, RTG produces over 1.5 million divan bed bases a year and operates from three sites in Bradford, West Yorkshire – a total of 110,000 square feet of manufacturing and distribution space.

Utilizing wood resources to maximum advantage
Ramsey Timber Group has been a valued customer for 17 years that System TM has been happy to equip with advanced production machinery. System TM has recently made a significant change to RTG’s production process by replacing the company’s previous System TM line with two lines; a moulding automation system and an optimizing Opti-Kap 5003 cross-cut line that includes a Microtec scanner, Goldeneye 301. Essentially, this replacement makes optimal use of all types of wood quality – some of which were previously discarded and ultimately, generating high waste costs.

The moulder line consists of a semi-automatic Opti-Feed 6000 feeding system and Opti-Stack 6000 stacking system. After being processed by the moulder, workpieces are graded and stacked into packs. Upon entering the cross-cut line, the packs are processed by an automated Opti-Feed 6000 Vack. One by one, the processed layers are lifted and placed on a chain conveyor where stability sticks are automatically removed. Next, the workpieces are transported to a Microtec scanner, Goldeneye 301. Then, scan results are conveyed to the Opti-Kap 5003 cross-cut saw’s optimizing software, which defines workpiece qualities and determines the optimal position for the Opti-Kap 5003 to place its cut. As a result, workpieces are cut into fixed lengths by the Opti-Kap 5003 saw and stacked by three automatic Opti-Stack 3000 stacking machines.

What is particularly noteworthy about the Opti-Kap 5003 optimizing saw is its remark-able ability to identify and remove defects so as not to influence the quality of the final component. Ultimately, this makes the Opti-Kap 5003 line highly resource-preserving, exceptionally good at utilizing timber to the fullest and excellent at positioning or removing defects intelligently to keep them from weakening or disfiguring the end-product.

Customer-centric approach
As part of their customer-centric strategy, Ramsey Timber Group seeks to achieve improved economies of scale through volume production and customer specific quality criteria, all whilst delivering maximum timber utilization. Due to its increased speed, power and excellent utilization of timber resources, the optimizing Opti-Kap 5003 cross-cut line will be securing Ramsey Timber Group economies of scale for many years to come.

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