From its purpose-built facility in the Yorkshire seaside town of Bridlington, Inventair Ltd designs and manufactures dust extraction systems for the joinery/woodworking sector; the company also produces spray booths, transport fans, and waste-wood bagging units. In addition, wood-waste-based heating systems are manufactured in-house and sold under the CAS brand, further extending Inventair’s reach.
With a strong and diverse order book, production capacity and capability play a critical role in maintaining competitiveness and are the reason for the company’s investment in an Accurl Smart Cube Compact 3015 CNC fibre laser cutter and an Accurl Genius Plus CNC press brake. Both were supplied by
Axe & Status, Milton Keynes, and are giving Inventair measurable gains in quality, speed and competitiveness; and while the manufacturer’s long-serving CNC plasma cutter remains in occasional use, the new fibre laser now undertakes virtually all profiling work at Inventair, marking a ‘decisive step forward in performance and efficiency’.
Bob Griffiths, Inventair’s managing director, said: “We’ve been running a CNC plasma cutter since 1999, and back then it was one of the first in the area; and the fact it helped us to secure new business highlights the power of investing in the latest advances. Now, the time is right to move forward again and transition to laser technology, which offers two primary advantages — edge quality and speed. In fact, the quality of plasma cutting in comparison is nowhere near as good.
“With the Accurl Smart Cube Compact, we enjoy a beautiful edge finish — one that eliminates the need for secondary edge-cleaning operations for a saving on time and cost. Clean-cut parts now move straight into fabrication and assembly without additional clean-up, reducing labour input and improving workflow.”
Outstanding dynamicsInventair uses its new laser to cut materials that include mild steel, galvanised steel, stainless steel, and aluminium, typically thin gauge but sometimes up to 8mm. In addition to edge quality and subsequent downstream benefits, the laser’s speed adds further positive impact. Mr Griffiths said: “The outstanding dynamics of the Accurl Smart Cube Compact series comes from a combination of a low-set gantry, digital AC servo motors, and precise planetary gearboxes. Regarding the phenomenal speed, I would say the Accurl Smart Cube Compact is at least 25% faster than our plasma cutter, and that is a conservative estimate. However, even 25% adds up quickly when you multiply it across all our profiling work.”
For a lean, 10-employee business, a 25% uplift in cutting throughput represents a significant expansion in productive capacity without increasing headcount. “The Smart Cube Compact’s 6kW power source also provides headroom for future requirements, offering the ability to cut material up to 25mm thick. Indeed, we chose the 6kW model over 4kW one for its potential. We didn’t want to limit ourselves. If we need to start processing thicker work, we can handle it.
“When assessing the market for fibre laser cutters, we identified broadly comparable technical capabilities across several brands, but capital cost and footprint proved decisive factors. Many machines seemed similar in performance, but the price competitiveness of the Accurl Smart Cube Compact really got our attention, and we saved significant capital outlay. As a small business, we cannot justify expenditure of £200,000-plus, which is what some new laser cutters cost. Space was an equally important consideration, but the Smart Cube’s manually retractable cutting table and ultra-compact footprint meant it slotted neatly into our production unit.
“Before committing to the investment, we visited the Axe & Status showroom in Milton Keynes to assess first-hand factors like cut quality and speed; the improvement over plasma cutting was immediately clear. Axe & Status also arranged a visit to an existing Accurl user within easy reach of our own facility, enabling us to see the machine processing real-world components. It was so valuable to speak with a company already using the technology. Moreover, the Accurl laser got a glowing report, and seeing it cutting live gave us confidence.”
By January 2026, the Accurl Smart Cube Compact was in place and operational. Two members of staff received training during commissioning, followed shortly by final training/sign-off. Alongside the new laser cutter, Inventair opted to upgrade its forming capability and replace an earlier press brake with an Accurl Genius Plus CNC press brake.
Mr Griffiths said: “The previous machine was good, but compared with the Accurl it seemed a little ‘entry level’, if I had to describe the difference; and as with the Accurl laser, it was once again the specification versus price that proved compelling, as the Genius Plus presented the opportunity to buy a press brake with a specification comparable to the so-called ‘big players’, but without spending the money those companies ask.”
Enhanced profiling performance He continued: “The result is a tangible uplift in bending quality and repeatability, complementing the enhanced profiling performance delivered by the Accurl fibre laser. The press brake’s hybrid ‘ECO’ configuration represents a further benefit, with the Delta servomotor ensuring precise control of ram motion using a minimum amount of oil and energy.”
Axe & Status says Accurl’s latest Genius Plus series of hybrid servo CNC press brakes offer increased working speeds, stroke, daylight and pressing capacities. “With advanced motion technologies and impressively quiet running, the Genius Plus is adept at bending complex parts. Together, the two new Accurl machines at Inventair create a cohesive cutting and forming platform that improves consistency from flat sheet to finished component.”
Mr Griffiths added: “Inventair operates in competitive markets, facing pressure from a growing contingent of suppliers in mainland Europe. Retaining a strong quality-to-price ratio therefore remains central to our strategy. By increasing throughput, improving part quality, and eliminating secondary operations, the new Accurl machines reinforce Inventair’s proposition; and with such a big advance in cut quality and profiling speed, we are confident the laser will generate new opportunities.
“The current market remains robust, with a consistent flow of orders. However, by investing in new manufacturing technologies that enhance productivity without overstretching finances, we are further strengthening our resilience and growth potential.”
He concluded: “The relationship between Inventair and Axe & Status dates to 2014 with the purchase of a guillotine shear, and over the years the partnership has continued to flourish based on machine reliability and responsive support. Across all the machines supplied by Axe & Status, we have had no issues. For Inventair, the twin Accurl installation represents more than a machinery upgrade, it signals intent reflected in sharper quality, faster throughput, and stronger competitiveness in demanding markets.”