Increasing flexibility to compete on the market: the Glicerio Chaves Hornero case
- Furniture Technologies
For the Spanish furniture industry giant, high production flexibility is not only a must but also a key competitive advantage.
A goal achieved together with SCM, a partner for over 30 years, through advanced edgebanding and sizing-edgebanding solutions.
Glicerio Chaves Hornero is a benchmark in the Spanish furniture sector and has never stopped growing since its foundation in 1983 in Almagro, when it operated out of a 500-square-metre facility. In 1992, the company moved to its current site, a 3,000-square-metre plant with 25 employees. Today, it spans a total area of 200,000 square metres, including 80,000 covered, generates a turnover of €75 million and employs more than 475 people.
At the core of this unstoppable growth lies a business model focused on extreme flexibility and customization.
Success is driven by offering a very wide catalogue, with almost unlimited choice options - an approach that enables the company to compete with both low-cost manufacturers and high-end brands.
The nearly 30-year partnership with SCM has been instrumental in this development. In particular, the recent investment in a flexible edgebanding industrial cell, the “stefani cell H”, has proven decisive in optimising batch-one production. Efficiency has increased, with performance on smaller parts doubling, while finishing quality has significantly improved. This solution, based on barcode reading, minimises human intervention as well as execution errors.
Continuous development, together with SCM
SCM solutions represent the core of Glicerio Chaves Hornero’s flexible production model. The latest supply includes not only the “stefani cell H” for batch-one production, but also a “stefani sb” squaring-edgebanding machine for medium batches and a “stefani s” single-sided edgebander for oversized components. Machines and systems are designed to operate autonomously and are integrated with the technical and engineering office to further maximise efficiency and finished product quality.
Within the “stefani cell H”, the operator simply loads the parts: the machine reads a barcode label and performs all edgebanding operations on the four sides of the panel without any further intervention until the finished piece exits. Work order data (panels, edges, adhesives, machining operations) are sent in real time from the office to the machine, which can process panels in different sequences (for example longitudinally first and then transversely, or vice versa) depending on the desired aesthetic result.
The company manages around 120,000 catalogue items, in addition to approximately 30,000 different special parts every week. Achieving perfect communication and integration between software and machines is therefore essential.
After one year of operation, management’s assessment of the new cell and the other SCM machines is highly positive, particularly in terms of productivity and quality.
“The stefani cell H offers a unique combination of high flexibility and production capacity. It operates fully autonomously and with great reliability,” explains Ángel Chaves, General Manager of Glicerio Chaves Hornero. “The system can run continuously 24 hours a day, across three shifts. Performance improvements are especially evident on small parts, where productivity has doubled compared to previous systems thanks to the elimination of intermediate handling. We have also recorded significant improvements on large panels.”
In addition, the edgebanding quality and final finishing of the parts are excellent and fully meet the expectations of the prestigious Spanish brand, which uses both EVA and PUR glues.
A large-scale factory with a craftsman’s soul
How can a family business evolve into a large-scale industrial company without losing its craftsmanship-driven identity?
This is a challenge many companies face: growing without sacrificing the essence that has contributed to their success. In the case of Glicerio Chaves Hornero, this essence lies in flexibility and a direct relationship with customers.
In a traditional sector such as furniture manufacturing, the company’s story shows how it is possible to become a leader by challenging conventions and relying on a well-defined strategy, implemented with rigour and strong commitment.
“A cabinetmaker’s workshop—on a much larger scale”
Batch-one production is at the heart of the company’s business model, although it is not without risks. This approach can create bottlenecks and requires a high level of skilled labour. As Chaves explains: “The product we manufacture is fully customised, and there comes a point where not every stage can be automated.” Despite this, flexibility remains total, and the company can produce custom furniture starting from a simple sketch provided by the customer.
“We are like a workshop—a cabinetmaker’s workshop on a much larger scale,” comments the General Manager. This is not a weakness but a true strength compared to companies more oriented towards mass production.
Why an italian partner like SCM?
The long-standing partnership with the Italian group is based not only on the quality of the edgebanding and squaring-edgebanding solutions supplied, but also on a shared approach focused on flexibility and close attention to customer needs in order to deliver the most suitable solution.
Today, the Spanish company operates around twenty SCM solutions, including machines and systems. Edgebanding and squaring-edgebanding account for the majority of the machinery supplied by the Italian Group. This partnership enables Glicerio Chaves Hornero to continuously set new production targets, pushing beyond previous limits.
The “Zara” of interior design
Glicerio Chaves Hornero’s vision provides a strategic response to the increasingly complex challenges of the market. Observing the gradual decline of the middle class in Spanish society, the General Manager raises a simple question: “In the medium term, who will be able to afford to buy a bedroom set?” Chaves draws a parallel with a major Spanish fashion giant: Zara.
“Zara doesn’t sell clothes—it sells accessible fashion. It has brought design from the catwalk to the street at a competitive price. Furniture retailers should do the same, transforming into ‘low-cost’ interior design stores where customers receive consultancy, a complete project and service at a reasonable price. This is the only way for traditional retail to survive.”
This story demonstrates that exponential growth is possible through a clear business vision, advanced technologies and a solid, reliable partner capable of developing tailored solutions for specific production needs. Just as Glicerio Chaves Hornero does with its own customers—without fearing that high flexibility could slow down its processes.
Juan Manuel Miranda for Madera Sostenible
