Wood industry professionals from across North America were hosted on SCM's 2011 Windows+Doors technology tour, including Woodworking Network publisher Laurel Didier (third from right).

RIMINI, ITALY

- SCM Group's annual Technology Days Doors+Windows drew 1,200 door and window manufacturers from all over the world, including Germany, UK, Belgium, Belarus, Portugal Switzerland, Romania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, France, Tunisia, and its home base Italy.

Also among the group were U.S. woodworkers who visited the Rimini, Italy headquarters of SCM Group). The tour took place late last month, allowing visitors to see not only the latest SCM Group technologies for door and window production, but to visit a number of significant wood manufacturing firms in Italy.

The event, which followed a similar tour at Rimini by SCM Group woodworking machinery dealers, included technical presentations, demonstrations in a new showroom and product concept  presentations of SCM Group's upcoming offerings for production of doors and windows, some of which will be on view at ligna next month. Webcam videos of some of demonstrations are online at http://www.scmgroup.it/live/index.asp

The SCM tour included a visit to the manufacturing site, fully integrated including a foundry (below).

SCM Group is distinctive in its manufacturing process: the production of its CNC wood routers and moulders is vertically integrated to a casting process.

One highlight of the factory open house was a panel discussion moderated by Luca Rossetti, and editor for Xylon - the group that runs the Xylexpo woodworking show.  Guests included execs from some of the most important Italian companies in their field: Claudio Bussi from Bussi, Erio Cavazzoni from Cormo, Maurizio Campini from Fail, Giancarlo Cinci from MC Infissi and Gianfranco Danese from Danese.

Coverage of SCM Group's Technology Days Doors+Windows will continue here online and in the May and June issues of Wood & Wood Products magazine.