Client Story

Ferndale Furniture Improves Bottom Line Efficiencies with Microvellum

Ferndale Furniture, in Petone, New Zealand, has been manufacturing cabinetry, furniture and joinery for clients throughout New Zealand for over 30 years.

Throughout that time, it has continually invested in technology, enabling the firm to gain a reputation for professionalism and quality. The latest purchase of Microvellum Software has the company positioned to enhance its reputation even further.

Over the years, Ferndale had accumulated several different software applications to help with the various project requirements for design, engineering and manufacturing. However, when the need to upgrade its equipment came, the team felt it was time to reevaluate their collection of software; they knew there had to be a better way to achieve the efficiency improvements they needed to grow their business.

“We were looking for a significant productivity improvement to come with the purchase of new machinery, but recognized that our decision related to software would be vital in helping us achieve that,” said Grant Macdonald, Ferndale Furniture Director.

Ferndale products range from custom furniture to complex fit-outs.

“We took advice from some of our experienced staff, spoke with others in the industry and came to the conclusion that Microvellum was best suited for our type of manufacturing of custom cabinets and joinery."

“Our CNC operator, Doug Kraushaar, had previous experience with Microvellum, so we didn’t need a lot of support in the day-to-day use of the program. However, the team at Microvellum was great in terms of giving us advice and guiding us throughout the process," Grant added.

“Initially, we connected Microvellum to our pod & rail machine, but when we mentioned we were looking to buy new CNC equipment, we were encouraged to look at a flat-bed router. We followed this advice and have been able to shift into a higher gear in our productivity.”

“In our original Cost-Benefit Analysis, we were looking for a 25% improvement in the productivity of our assembly line. We are currently achieving better than that, at around 30-35% improvement."

“The biggest, single contributor to this has been the reduction of human error throughout the cutting process – and improvements here go straight to the bottom line," said Grant.

Daily user, Doug Kraushaar, agrees when stating, “One of the main features that stand out in my mind is the ability to create a working 3D model of a project, check to make sure that the model works for the client, and make changes before it goes into production. This saves us time and reduces costs on the factory floor which eliminates errors that may not have been foreseen in the original concept.”


About Ferndale Furniture

Ferndale Furniture has been manufacturing cabinetry, joinery and furniture for clients throughout New Zealand for over 28 years. From custom one-off pieces to complex interior fitouts, the team at Ferndale Furniture has the people, experience, and technology to deliver superior products and on-time services.

Learn more about Ferndale Furniture.