CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Wood Pro Expo attendees arriving a day before exhibits opened had the opportunity to see two special manufacturing companies. WPE attendees toured commercial cabinet manufacturer CABTEQ Solutions in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The tour was sponsored by Wurth Wood Group.

This company is only 18 months old, but they had established an efficient, high-tech commercial cabinet manufacturing operation. Wurth is a major partner for CABTEQ, providing laid-up panels, solid surface materials, edgeband, sandpaper, hardware and other shop supplies.

The equipment lineup includes a Weeke three-axis CNC machining center, two other Weeke CNC routers, Homag Ambition edgebander, Weeke dowel inserter and Holzma panel saw.

Homag edgebander at CABTEQ Solutions in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Attendees were also able to tour Blum in nearby Stanley, North Carolina, where they learned about the company’s award-winning apprenticeship program. Blum has been in the U.S. since 1977 and at this location near Charlotte since 1979. Blum’s $16 million expansion includes $7 million for equipment upgrades for its fully automated warehouse as well as $6 million for new manufacturing technology. Blum employs 430 in the U.S.

Highlights of the tour included the hinge and Tandem assembly, drawer runner and locking devices assembly, automated warehouse and injection molding. Those on the tour could see an automated assembly line in miniature to make small metal parts, while huge Weingarten hydraulic presses are used to stamp metal parts.

Wood Pro Expo is the regional show that brings education, equipment, and supplies close to cabinetmakers and custom woodworking businesses around the country. It includes a strong educational program on best practices for shop production, and as well as an expo oriented to equipment and supplies geared to the small- and medium-size shops, including CNC basics, employee recruitment, finishing, lean manufacturing, business management, software, and shop safety.

Exhibits at Wood Pro Expo will be open Thursday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.. If you can't make it on February 15 you still have February 16, which starts with a free keynote at 8 a.m. by the famous Wood Doctor, Dr. Eugene Wengert. Wengert will bring his unique perspective in a free keynote at the first Charlotte edition of the regional Wood Pro Expo woodworking show. You can take in the exhibits from 9 to 4 p.m.

For more information go to woodproexpo.com.