NUA Manufacturing in Carlow, owned by Glenveagh Properties – one of the biggest homebuilders in Ireland, is the first to install the Hundegger SC480 (SPEED-Cut) machine in the UK/Ireland.
The company has made a commitment to design and build using sustainable timber frame systems, investing considerably in factories over recent years.
The Carlow factory is one of three off-site factories operated by NUA, the others being at Arklow and Dundalk. It is the site of the former Braun production facility.
At Carlow, the latest investment in Hundegger technology sees NUA add the SC480 to its production capabilities. The machine is a state-of-the-art timber processing machine with a 480mm working width and 200mm working thickness. The machine also processes beams up to 13m long.
The SC480 will enhance NUA’s capability to process various timber frame components, in quantity and high speed, and will eventually allow them to work on glulam roof systems and other structures, supported by Hundegger’s Cambium software for design integration.
“NUA supports Hundegger machinery and software,” said Chris Osborne, representative from Hundegger.
“The SC480 machine incorporates the latest technology and is a fast timber processing machine. Through the Cambium software, it is possible to link seamlessly to design software, enabling the creation of special structures at NUA via its CNC capabilities. Hundegger highly values NUA as a customer with so far five machines installed in the three factories.”
“We are pleased to introduce the new SPEED-Cut to our Carlow facility,” said Gabriel Prior of NUA.
“It enhances our capacity to deliver components efficiently and safely to our timber frame production lines. The versatility of the SPEED-Cut in performing various cutting, drilling, and milling tasks is a great asset as we grow and innovate our product range.”
NUA says the Carlow facility has up to 200 employees and is scaling up to produce the elements required to build 1,250 timber frames and 500 light gauge steel units for new homes annually.
The Dundalk site also has an interesting historic manufacturing link, being based at the former Heinz factory, negating the need for new purpose-built sites.
In partnership with Keenan Timber Frame, NUA Dundalk has about 100 employees. The thriving collaboration is currently producing the elements required to build 750 homes annually.
The Arklow site employs about 50 employees and plans to increase its numbers. It is currently producing the elements needed to build 450 new homes annually.
NUA is using timber frame systems to promote a Fabric First approach to construction, providing well insulated and airtight buildings that minimise the amount of energy needed for heating or cooling.
It says with off-site construction, the panels are built in a dry, quality-controlled environment which adheres to NSAI standards. This ensures fewer product faults and on-site drawbacks, reducing the construction time as well as health and safety risks and disruption in the local community.
Glenveagh Properties said its new investments increase its overall delivery capability and accelerate the supply of new homes.
Glenveagh’s annual results for 2024 show it produced 2,030 timber-frame and lightgauge steel units in its off-site manufacturing business, with capacity to support more than 2,500 homes per annum. The premanufactured value is to increase materially in future periods following the signing of an exclusive perpetual licence to produce a lowrise integrated external wall system at the Group’s existing facilities from 2027.
The Group completed 2,415 housing units on site in 2024 and recorded revenues of €869m, with a group gross margin of 21.2%.
