Felder machinery is 100% Austrian made so it was a pleasant surprise to see an invitation to their 2015 “Octoberfest”.

We all know Oktoberfest to be a German institution and, in fact, it’s held in Munich over a 16 day period late September and early October every year. Six million people from around the world attend the festival every year and, in 2013, almost eight million litres of beer were served!

Nonetheless it was a great idea as Oktoberfest is now celebrated all over the world. Plenty of customers thought so too and flocked to Emu Plains in Sydney’s Western suburbs to sample the beer, eat traditional gourmet German and Austrian food and to take a look at the special deals on offer.

Felder pride themselves on being 100% made in Austria and this is their point of difference with other suppliers. Felder is able to produce in Austria as effectively as they could in China. They know exactly how much it costs to produce a quality machine, even down to the cost of each metre of weld. I
t’s this attention to detail and control using quality Austrian parts that makes a Format-4, Felder or Hammer machine one that can be relied upon to perform exactly as designed.

Felder’s history stretches back to 1955 making it one of the oldest machinery manufacturers. Still operated by the Felder family today, they started to export in 1966 and produced the first Hammer machines in 1977. The Format-4 industrial panel saw was realised in 2002 and this was followed with the CNC router range in 2004, beam saws in 2008 and edgebanders in 2009. Today, Felder produces some of the finest high-tech machines on the market.

Felder now also supplies the Mütek Systemtechnik – the expert solution for the disposal of wood, woodchips and dust. Unencumbered with the Italian trimmings, the Mütek wood disposal equipment is robust and simple, much like the German cars made in the same area of Southern Germany. Chopping; conveying, exhaust and filtering, briquetting and packaging are all covered. Mütek co-operates with German universities to ensure that the latest waste management developments are always at the forefront of its technologies.

Felder’s Oktoberfest is an annual tradition. Stefan Kremer said: “No-one comes here for a sausage, they come because they are interested in what we have and how our product can help their business.
“We have installations all over the world making the most complex components to exacting quality standards.”

On display this year was the H8 CNC point-to-point machine (sold at the Oktoberfest), FW950Classic wide belt sander (several sold), K540S panel saw, G660 edge-bander and the RL300 clean air dust extractor.

Stefan reported that in their planing machines, almost all are now optioned with the Silent Power spiral cutter-head.

Over 100 visitors to the event bought almost all the stock but there’s plenty more on the way.

Pictured: Stefan Marquart discusses the Felder Profit H08 CNC machining centre.