The fully automated Wood Hub is one of the five production facilities of Royal Ahrend that are jointly responsible for the production of wooden and metal furniture, seating and upholstered furniture, school furniture and repair and refurbishment. From now on, wooden furniture will be produced exclusively in the Wood Hub. Ahrend is thus meeting the increasing demand for wooden furniture. The official opening of the Wood Hub took place on Thursday, September 26.
“This project represents more than just a production facility. It is another milestone in our mission to create Vitalising Workspaces that are empowering, sustainable and diverse. By introducing automation into our production process, we have created the conditions to further enhance the quality and sustainability of our activities. It also ensures that we have the production capacity and flexibility to meet current and future market demands,” says Rolf Verspuij, CEO Royal Ahrend. “Local expertise in wooden furniture and its central European location were key factors in opening the hub in Prague.”
After extensive testing, the automated production and assembly lines are now in full use. The Wood Hub, with a production area of 7000 m2 and warehouse space for 4000 pallet locations, enables Ahrend to produce, store and then dispatch high-quality office furniture.
The digitised production solution enables Ahrend not only to optimise production and increase productivity, but also to meet ambitious targets related to the protection of the environment as a result of a reduction in waste and energy consumption.
The newly installed machines are more economical and environmentally friendly than those used in the old production facility. In addition, the smart software used by the automated production line, combined with efficient production planning, reduces the amount of waste generated when cutting the board to the right size. The waste is then recycled by an external company and used in new board material. The new Wood Hub achieves energy savings of 50% per product compared to previous production methods.
The base material for the furniture produced at the Wood Hub is 50% recycled wood. We purchase wood that comes from sustainably managed and certified forests. Wood waste is recycled; it goes back to local chipboard producers. Modern extraction systems are used to minimize greenhouse gas and dust emissions.
