In conversation with Apratim Ghoshal, Editor-in-Chief of Wood & Panel, featuring Simon Muntar from Felder, USA. Recorded during the AWFS Fair 2025, held from July 22 to 25, the conversation explores Felder’s latest product offerings for the North American market, including their award-winning industrial edge bander and brush sanding machine. Simon also discusses the company’s popular machinery for both solid wood and panel industries, as well as their innovative safety systems, remote connectivity features, and commitment to exceptional after-sales service. This insightful dialogue highlights Felder’s role in advancing woodworking technology.
WP: I’m talking to Simon Muntar from Felder, USA. How are you doing?
Simon Muntar: I’m doing great, thank you very much.
WP: We’re here at AWFS 2025. First, I’d like to ask, what new products are you exhibiting for the North American market?
Simon Muntar: For the North American market, we are showcasing our largest industrial edge bander, the Tempora F1000, which also won the Visionary Award today. We’re very proud of that. We’re also featuring our fine brush sanding machine. In the U.S., there are many five-piece doors and raised panels, so we specifically designed this machine for the American market. Of course, we sell it globally, but it’s tailored to meet the needs here. It’s an entry-level machine with three sanding units, designed to reduce manual labor in tasks like denibbing sanding, intermediate lacquer sanding, and sanding of profile panels.
WP: What industries mainly use these machines?
Simon Muntar: These machines are used in cabinet making, as well as for solid wood. For example, if someone is working on solid wood raised doors or shutters, the brushing machine is ideal. It’s also useful in cabinetry. The range is quite broad; it can be used for both solid wood and cabinets.
WP: Which other machines are popular in the North American market, especially for solid wood?
Simon Muntar: It depends on the materials used. In panel-focused areas, our nesting CNC machines are very popular, often paired with an edge bander. Beam saws are also in demand. For solid wood, we’re known for our jointers and planers, as well as our silent power cutter block. Across all materials, our saws and shapers are very popular. We’re also showcasing two saws with the safety system, PCS, here at the show.
WP: Are these products award winners?
Simon Muntar: Yes. Our PCS system has won multiple awards globally, including the Visionary Award twice in a row. We’ve also won awards in Central Europe. It’s the first and fastest non-destructive safety system for professional panel saws, so we’re very proud of that.
WP: Do you organize in-house shows for your customers in North America?
Simon Muntar: We do host in-house events, in addition to large shows like this one in Las Vegas. We also hold dedicated events for clients or potential clients, especially when we have new products. These events usually take place in spring or fall. Our clients are welcome to visit our showrooms at any time. They’re not just offices, but full showcases where they can see, try, and feel the machines. We typically host two or three events like this each year.
WP: How much remote connectivity do your machines have, so customers can monitor productivity and machine health through an app or connect with your service center?
Simon Muntar: Our machines are quite advanced in this area. For example, the very popular Shaper Profile 45 X Motion has LAN connectivity. Once connected to a network, we can access the machine remotely, with the client’s permission, to assist with any questions or issues. This is true for our edge banders and other complex machines as well. For CNCs, remote access is more or less standard in the industry now. Clients can monitor things like machine runtime, workpieces produced, and productivity data. This helps them calculate costs more accurately and run their businesses efficiently. We aim to provide real, actionable data, so they can make informed decisions about pricing and business operations.
WP: Lastly, what about your after-sales service? How quickly can you address issues, and do you manage spare parts for the American market?
Simon Muntar: These are two separate questions. First, regarding reaction time, we’re always available to help our clients, whether in the U.S. or at the factory. Since we’re factory-owned in the U.S., clients have direct access to our service department in Hall in Tirol, Austria. You’ll even find service people from Austria here at the show. We offer fast digital support through phone calls or a ticket system. For spare parts, we stock the most common ones in the U.S. If a part is more specialized, we can ship it overnight from the factory. We also have subsidiaries in South America and Canada, with over 250 service and sales locations globally. Our priority is to make our clients productive and happy, and we go out of our way to ensure that.
WP: Thank you very much. That’s reassuring. I appreciate your time.
Simon Muntar: Thank you. I appreciate yours as well.