"First you must understand what you want"

Tiger You, founder and Managing Director of Tiger Excellent Wood Sdn Bhd

The man behind the desk has a striking name and is an equally striking personality. Mr. Tiger You is part of the furniture at this Malaysian rubberwood company.

Tiger Excellence Wood in Malaysia produces furniture parts from rubberwood, the Asian plantation wood. The raw material is provided by the company's own plantation. The residual timber is sold to a wood chip producer. A long value chain that says much about the quality of the company. Higher manufacturing productivity and independence from suppliers have long been on the wish list of owner Tiger You. He particularly wanted greater efficiency in the labor-intensive sorting process for rubberwood with its many shades of color. This is a key factor for commercial success as consistent surfaces are the ultimate quality benchmark. Tiger You was aware that it would take time to implement his plans. “First you must understand what you want," he underlines. WEINIG Asia ultimately convinced Tiger Excellence Wood with a unique combination of a high-speed solution and two-sided assessment of the workpiece – a crucial unique selling point in the sector. The customized system is able to produce 125 parts per minute. The major components are an OptiCut Quantum 450 cross-cut saw, a specially developed automation system and a Matchscan scanner. The scanner is equipped with high-resolution color cameras capable of sorting 300 parts per minute into 6 different color shades. Downstream of the scanner is a spraying device that marks poor board sides for further processing. Tiger Excellence Wood is highly satisfied with the system's performance. "German machinery is worth the price," says Tiger You, adding: "Taiwanese machines may be cheaper but quality is not guaranteed. Over the long term, maintenance costs can even exceed the purchase price of a German machine."

Source: Panels & Furniture Asia