A Bénéteau innovation: cabinetwork
Innovation at Bénéteau also means the capacity to offer a high-quality finish as standard. By combining industrial performance with craftsmanship, Bénéteau is developing an unequalled savoir-faire: real high-tech cabinetwork!
Welcome on board the woodwork shop where you can discover the major stages involved in fabricating the deck, furniture and bulkheads of your boats
Since 1884, several generations of cabinetmakers have succeeded one another. 126 years after the first generation, almost 300 employees continue to promote the family savoir-faire with regard to woodworking.
The main activities here include the inspection of the wood as well as the fabrication, transformation and addition of final touches to the end products.
The sawing of the solid wood is more or less mechanized depending on the shape of the pieces concerned. The teak and douka-wood go in at one end as rough planks of saw timber. They are then successively sawn up, machined, sanded by hand and transformed into doorframes, decorative moldings or connecting pieces.
Cold molded wood is formed from veneers and shaped in moulds according to a process that is unique in the sailing world. With its curves and flowing shapes, cold molded wood is used for all of the decorative parts found on board a Bénéteau.
As far as sheets of plywood are concerned, these are essentially sawn up by digitally controlled recessing machines into bulkheads and items for the accommodations. Even though the computer optimizes the cutting processes and ensures that they are accurate, the cabinetmakers use their talent to perpetuate the tradition of making finishing adjustments by hand.
Finally, the varnishing of the parts takes place. For the plywood items, a machine sands and varnishes the parts by passing them through a permanent curtain of varnish. For the other items, varnishing is done using a gun. This is precision work that requires the human touch.
A great, loyal team performs cabinetwork; where woodworking is performed with great precision thanks to its qualified workforce. It is a factory in itself, feeding all of the assembly lines throughout Bénéteau, including those in South Carolina in the USA.
Today, in its concern to improve the way in which it meets its customers’ expectations, Bénéteau’s cabinetwork section has just increased in size by 4 000 m2 with additions being made to its range of equipment, particularly the digitally controlled and varnishing machinery. As a result, the Company’s savoir-faire regarding the working of wood can be perpetuated and customers can be offered boats that are even more beautiful, more comfortable and more pleasant to live in!
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