ANAHEIM, CA - Laminate Creations by Hand, an architectural millwork firm in Anaheim, CA, hosted Biesse America's West Coast Spring 2014  One2One technology event March 20 with a tour, showing off nested-based CNC machinery, edgebanding and other systems. The event was one of two Biesse holds annually at each of its four North America showroom locations – the West Coast, Charlotte, NC, Toronto and Montreal.

John Hand, owner of Laminate Creations by Hand, said he got his start in a garage. He was so impressed with the Biesse Rover B flat table router that he bought one before he even knew how to use a computer.

“I knew that was the wave of the future,” he said.

Biesse worked with him on the technical end, and he eventually bought several more of the company’s machines and built up a strong following for his high-end commercial interior woodwork.

Laminate Creations was established in 1999 by Hand following 15 years experience in custom furniture manufacturing.  Operating in Fullerton, CA, for nearly 14 years, Laminate Creations by Hand upgraded to a new building, a 35,000 square foot operation located close to the 91 Freeway in Anaheim.

About 100 guests registered to see how Laminate Creations puts Biesse’s machinery to work in its architectural millwork production. In operation were: 

• EKO 902 vertical machining center
• Akron 445 Edgebander with pre-milling and corner rounding
• Skill 1224 nested based cell with automatic labeling
• Rover B flat table router
• Rover 20 point to point
• Selco EB 75 panel saw
• Viet S211 wide belt sander with veneer package.

Among visitors to the open house was Steven World, owner of creativewoodwork.com in Fullerton, CA. World says he’s now running his business mostly “old school” with little high-tech equipment. He came to the open house with the future in mind, hoping eventually to add some Biesse equipment.

“They’re teaching me what this stuff is,” World said.

Dave and Lisa Halle, owners of Artistic Wood, Murrieta, CA, already own a Biesse Rover 24 FT CNC router and are considering additional equipment as their company expands.

The high-tech equipment is a significant labor saver, Lisa Halle said, adding that her company is “trying to get more to the technology side.”

Some of the concepts from the Biesse event may end up at the next Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers fair in Las Vegas.

Nancy Fister, education director for AWFS, came out to “find out what topics people are interested in.”

She was particularly impressed with the Akron 445 Edgebander with pre-milling and corner rounding.

“All the different things that happen within the scope of that one machine is awesome,” she said.

Customers said they like to see the machines in action, so the company plans to hold more of the “One2One – Grow with Us” events at customers’ facilities, said Randy Jamison, Biesse America VP, primary accounts.

“We try to use customers as our showroom because they’re the best testimonial,” he said.