The Swedwood Facility in Danville, VA, is set up similarly to the highly automated European facilities. At start up, the facility processed an estimated 20,000 panels daily for IKEA’s board and frame LACK, EXPEDIT and BESTÅ product segments in a cost-effective continuous flow.

Strong but light-weight panels are produced with a board-on-frame technique. A Schelling panel saw cuts particleboard and HDF panels to size. The particleboard sides are matched with a recycled paper honeycomb core and an HDF panel is placed on the top and the bottom. This “sandwich” of materials is put through a Buekle press, and the finished panels are cooled before being transferred to an integrated production line for edge processing and finishing.

Panels for the LACK, EXPEDIT and BESTÅ lines are sent through a Homag Profiline KFR 620 double-sided sizing and edge-processing machine. Next they are cut with a Holzma Powerline before going through a Homag Profiline KFL 620, which can perform double-sided longitudinal edging, profile trimming and transverse edging. A Weeke Profiline BST500 bores holes in the panels before they are cut down the middle, turned with a Bargstedt panel turner and conveyed to a Homag Optimat KFL 525 sizing and edgebanding machine. A Bargstedt panel loader loads the panels at the end of the processing line.

Pieces for the LACK and EXPEDIT furniture families go through a UV finishing line equipped with RBO material handling equipment to minimize the amount of lifting employees have to do. Up to nine different layers of finish can be applied by a series of Costa sanders, Sorbini roll coaters and Cefla UV ovens. Akzo coatings are used to finish the panels in birch, black, black/ brown and woodgrain. BESTÅ products carry a foil finish applied with a Friz wrapper for solid color finishes.

The wood based pieces are paired with hardware and instructions, then flat packed and shipped to IKEA stores