Steve and Michelle Simmonds know the value of family and relationships, and the value the right partner can bring to their company. Recently, Steve and Michelle partnered with Biesse to provide their first CNC nesting machine to improve their technological advantage, meet the demands of a busy workshop and increase production.

Simmonds Kitchens is located in Tamworth, New South Wales. Originally operating from Port Macquarie on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Steve Simmonds and his wife Michelle moved their business to Tamworth in 1999. With forty years’ industry experience behind them, Steve and Michelle set out to run a family-owned and operated kitchen and detailed joinery business based on quality and family values. Steve said, “We pride ourselves on our exceptional service, our expert tradespeople, our quality suppliers, and the relationships we have with our clients.”

Simmonds Kitchens is a high-end residential and commercial renovation company specialising in the design and installation of custom-made kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and storage solutions in the Tamworth area for over 25 years. Michelle explains, “We’re a little bit different, we don’t work on quantity, it’s our quality workmanship that sets us apart and that applies to every job we take on. We understand that a home reflects our clients personality and style, which is why we offer a personalised service to each and every one of our customers.”

A Skills Shortage

Simmonds Kitchens is a typical small cabinet making company that currently employs nine persons. Michelle says, “We are very proud of our team, we couldn’t do what we do without each other.” However, like so many cabinet manufacturers, qualified tradespeople capable of producing high-quality work are becoming increasingly difficult to source. “The shortage of good tradespeople is what’s been holding us back and is one of the reasons we decided to invest in a Biesse CNC nesting machine. We can take on more work, but the skilled ‘manpower’ hasn’t been available to do this,” said Steve.

Steve and Michelle first started looking at the possibility of a CNC machine in 2019, before the pandemic and received some excellent advice from a friend who had been very helpful professionally over many years. Their focus on craftsmanship had been dependent on skilled employees using mostly classical woodworking equipment; but with the company growing amidst a national skills shortage, it was becoming apparent that technology was the only way to not only keep up with existing orders, but to meet the expected growth within the Tamworth region.

Their new machine is a Rover AS FT 1224. It was delivered in 2022 and takes a standard sheet of board. It’s their first ever CNC machine and Michelle admits that for them, it was quite a step to take. However, it was essential to ensure the company could maintain the quality and output necessary to meet their expanding order books. They will shortly open a new showroom in town and when that happens Michelle and Steve expect their orders to grow. Their new Biesse nesting machine will be an essential asset in satisfying the expected surge in demand.

“Biesse Just Handled It”

Their first CNC machine was a big step and one not taken lightly. Michelle had been on an industry association committee and had heard stories of production being down for six weeks while a particular CNC machine was installed, commissioned and the training completed. “At first it felt a little bit daunting; we’d had a less than satisfactory experience with another supplier and were concerned about what sort of support we were going to get but we needn’t have worried; Biesse just handled it. The after sales service was just amazing, everyone from Biesse were so accommodating, nothing was a problem for them,” Michelle said.

Steve added, “Being in regional Australia, when we need help, it needs to be available immediately. Biesse showed us they were up to the task. The machine arrived when Biesse said it would, the training took three weeks and within a month we were starting to see our output increase.

Biesse Fills the Gap

Michelle said, “We believe skills are as important as ever. We believe basics matter, so we train our own apprentices. We aren’t a company where one person uses one machine for months on end, our people are skilled in all aspects of our production. Even our designer uses the Biesse machine, it’s important to us that everyone has a complete knowledge of everything we do.”

“We don’t just sell and install customers’ dream kitchens and joinery, we love what we do. We like to think we can take our clients on a journey. We provide an experience and there is no better feeling than when someone calls us to let us know how well we’ve done, that their kitchen, bathroom, laundry or built-in cabinetry is beyond their expectation. We’ve had the same experience with Biesse, it’s been a great journey, we’ve got exactly what we needed and the support they gave us was beyond what we expected from a machinery supplier, they’ve been wonderful,” said Michelle.

Of their commitment to the community in the Tamworth region Michelle said, “It’s different out here, people are more conservative and far more loyal. Out here, ‘word of mouth’ brings in most of our enquiries and we’ve grown organically because of this. Today we’re an active part of our Tamworth community, which we are proud to support. Longevity; Functionality; Style. These are the pillars on which Simmonds Kitchens & Detailed Joinery was founded and which continue to drive our company philosophy today. Thanks to our family origins, we understand the value of creating spaces that genuinely feel like home. It’s what we do best!”