Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Manthei Wood Products, a leading manufacturer of high-quality wood-based materials, has made a significant investment in a fully automated BÜRKLE press line to set new standards in production efficiency and quality. The investment is part of the company’s ongoing strategy to modernise its production capabilities and improve operational performance.
Jeremy Manthei, CEO and owner of Manthei Wood Products, explained that one of the key drivers behind this investment was the need to improve efficiency per employee. “Recruitment is one of our biggest challenges, so it was crucial to increase the throughput per employee while minimising production errors,” he said.
The new press line is designed not only to increase productivity but also to offer a high level of flexibility. “We wanted a line that could produce a wide range of products, from panel preparation to pressing, trimming, and filling,” Jeremy Manthei added. To further optimise production, special attention was paid to self-cleaning mechanisms within the presses, helping to prevent downtimes caused by material residues.
After evaluating several suppliers, Manthei selected BÜRKLE for this important project. While the technical specifications and flexibility of the press line played a major role in the decision, the relationship with the BÜRKLE team was equally important. “An important reason for our decision were the BÜRKLE employees around our contact person Axel Mayer. Of all the contacts we spoke to, we had the greatest confidence in his project team and him. They understood our requirements exactly and were able to present technical solutions convincingly,” Manthei explained.
He praised the solution-oriented and pragmatic approach BÜRKLE offered throughout the process. “Other suppliers gave us little or no details. Axel Mayer asked us to send veneer and glue. His team then created a comprehensive presentation with various brush and belt solutions, tested them in the BÜRKLE technology centre, and presented the results to us. I knew then: they don’t just talk, they also do it,” Manthei said, highlighting the commitment of BÜRKLE to deliver on their promises.
A reference visit to a similar producer in Europe, who had similar requirements, ultimately convinced Manthei of the engineering capabilities of the BÜRKLE team.
Manthei Wood Products: A Commitment to Quality and Innovation
For over 80 years, Manthei Wood Products has been synonymous with quality, innovation, and sustainable wood processing. Based in Petoskey, Michigan, the company has established itself as a leading manufacturer of high-quality veneers and wood-based materials. The company’s commitment to technological advancements has been evident throughout its history, particularly following the significant fire in 2017. During the rebuilding process, Manthei Wood Products incorporated the latest technologies into its operations, reinforcing its position as an industry leader.
Now, the company is making another technological leap forward with its investment in the cutting-edge BÜRKLE press line. This new addition to the production line will allow Manthei to produce chipboard, MDF, and plywood panels with single- or double-sided veneer coating at higher capacity, efficiency, and quality.
From Concept to Automated Production: A Collaborative Effort
The project’s success was driven by close collaboration between Manthei Wood Products and BÜRKLE’s project team. From the initial concept to the final automated production process, both teams worked together to define all relevant line parameters and product dimensions. The result was a fully integrated, high-performance press line that meets all of Manthei’s production needs.
The project was completed exactly within the targeted 20-month schedule, allowing Manthei to rapidly integrate the new system into its production. “The installation process was very well organised. Fast and pragmatic solutions were always found for any challenges that arose, so that the schedule could be adhered to exactly, which is not a matter of course in a project of this kind,” said Jeremy Manthei in retrospect.
A particularly noteworthy achievement is the complexity and integration of the new system. Manthei has successfully combined the pressing, trimming, and downstream manual filling stations into a continuous, fully automated line. Previously, these steps were handled by separate systems. The new system includes two presses with five layers each and an output capacity of up to eight cycles per minute.
Maximising Flexibility with Special Laying Stations
The press line also includes a special laying station for handling special products and multi-layer structures, providing maximum flexibility. The veneers are fed via manual laying stations and vacuum conveyor belts, enabling fully automatic and ergonomically optimised processing. This system improves the reaction speed during product changes, with a veneer stack feeding system that ensures particularly short stack change times, while the feeding and stacking systems allow stack changes without any losses.
A Reliable Partnership for the Future
With this modernisation, Manthei Wood Products has not only boosted its production capacity but also strengthened its partnership with BÜRKLE for future projects. “My assessment of the project is very positive. The BÜRKLE project team has never shirked its responsibility to this day. It was always clear who was responsible for what and the cooperation was very fair and solution-oriented,” said Jeremy Manthei.
As Manthei Wood Products continues to grow, it sees BÜRKLE as a key strategic partner for future ventures. “Our company is growing and I see BÜRKLE as one of our key strategic partners for future projects. Would I make the same decision again today? Yes, definitely,” Manthei concluded.
The new BÜRKLE press line is setting a new benchmark for efficiency, quality, and flexibility in the wood processing industry. Manthei Wood Products is now positioned to meet increasing demand while maintaining its commitment to innovation and sustainability in manufacturing.
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Tags: BÜRKLE, BÜRKLE press line, Manthei Wood Products, MDF, plywood, press line, press line news, Veneer, wood-based materials
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