The re-launch has been made possible by a partnership between AMS, which owns the intellectual property rights for the Bursgreen name, and Rojek, the longestablished and highly-respected woodworking machine manufacturer in the Czech Republic. Competitively priced, the machines will be badged Bursgreen by Rojek. The offering will include three key product groups: the KDR range designed for hobbyists and disposable onsite applications; the Euro Series 7 range for semi-professional or small workshops; and the Industry Series professional range designed for medium to large woodworking facilities.
“Since we acquired the intellectual property rights for the Bursgreen brand in 2010 we’ve been looking for a suitable partner to work with,”
explains Steve Foster a director and founder of AMS.
He continues: “We identified a gap in the market for well-engineered, value product supported by first class service and back-up. With this business model in mind we began a rigorous search for the right partner. Groundwork included extensive market research which took us around the globe visiting a host of manufacturing plants in our search for exactly the right partner. “When we went out to visit the Rojek facility in the Czech Republic it was immediately clear that we were dealing with a professional manufacturer that has a respected heritage in the woodworking industry. The company has been designing and manufacturing quality classic machines since 1921 and has an enviable track record. It does everything inhouse, from design and development through to manufacturing and marketing,” says Steve.
“Rojek machines were already available in the UK through a distributor; however, it was predominantly a tool distributor and as such was focused on the semi-professional market, not the mainstream woodworking sector. As a consequence, the industry in this country has not been made aware of the full extent of machinery available in Rojek’s range. Now we are the sole UK distributor, this will change as our focus will be firmly on the woodworking industry. “As part of our due diligence, we also spoke to companies in the UK who already own Rojek machines and it was gratifying to find that they are delighted with the quality and performance of the equipment. Everyone we spoke to confirmed what superb machines they are and how cost effective they have proved to be,” claims Steve Foster.
One of the issues with manufacturers can be the limited warranty and service support they provide. Most manufacturers give a 12-month warranty with new machines but once this period passes service can often be an issue, as Steve McGloin, co-founder and director of AMS explains:
“The majority of companies selling woodworking machines into the UK market are sales-based operations and they have very little interest in the service side of the business. “
This is where we at AMS come into our own. Our core business is service support; it’s our passion and the very foundation of our business. From the outset, the Bursgreen by Rojek range of machines will benefit from our first class service support. New machines will come with an 18-month standard warranty which can be extended up to five years, dependent on the machine type.
“Our nationwide network of service engineers is being trained on the new range, with engineers going out to the Rojek factory for a two week period to get thorough training on the entire range. We provide customers with complete peace of mind; in the event of a fault, we guarantee the onsite attendance of a service engineer within 24 hours of the call alerting us of the issue. “A dedicated hotline has been set up for technical support and we have invested heavily in a comprehensive spare parts inventory to back up the service operation. With the investment we have made into this project we are one hundred percent confident that customers will experience a level of service support unequalled in the industry,” enthuses Steve McGloin. The Bursgreen by Rojek range will be sold via a nationwide network of distributors. AMS has already signed up three distributors: SW Woodwork Machinery in the North-east, Dennis Price Woodworking in Yorkshire and Grovewood Machinery in Hampshire. Steve McGloin adds:
“We want to have professionals handling the sales of the machines so, as service specialists, we felt it was important to set up a distributor sales network that we could work alongside to provide a single point UK support system."
“We are currently in negotiation with several reputable distributors and are looking for additional likeminded companies to complete our network. Ultimately, we expect to have a network of around 12 distributors across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
AMS is fully committed to the success of this new venture as Steve Foster explains: “Since 2007 we have established a strong track record as a provider of first class service support in the UK woodworking industry. Our strategy going forward is to shore this up with a growing machine sales operation, taking advantage of the famous Bursgreen brand. This partnership with Rojek is absolutely key to the future of our business and we are investing heavily to ensure its success. “For starters, we have doubled our stand space at this year’s W12 woodworking show at the NEC in October. The increased space will allow us to show the full range of Bursgreen equipment. We will also be exhibiting at the Timber Expo in September at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. “To underline our long-term commitment, we have commissioned a new purpose-built facility in Leicestershire that will be open at the end of this year. It will house our head office, showroom and training operations on one state-of-the-art site at Skeffington Mill. “The entire AMS team is really excited by the launch of the Bursgreen by Rojek range and we are eagerly looking forward to working with our network of distributors. To ensure the success of this groundbreaking venture, we have set the pricing of the machines very competitively, a factor we feel is vital in these challenging economic times.”
