400,000 m² repaired, 90 % of machines repositioned: how Esco reconfigured its production based on one decision
When a Czech oak flooring manufacturer ordered two TRC 1500 systems as its first investment, this was not a case of repair, but of transformation.
Esco CZ Productions
From its own oak forest to the finished floor, Esco controls every step. Its 160 employees at two Czech sites generate 14.2 million euros in sales from 360,000 m² of premium oak flooring every year, with 65 % of its products being exported around the world. Owned by a Belgian-Dutch family, Esco does not think in terms of machines but in terms of systems.
When an investment triggers a complete rethink
The majority of companies buy a machine and integrate it into an existing layout. Radek Votápek, Operations Manager at Esco, did the opposite.
The pain points
Manual repair could not be scaled up without increasing the number of employees – a structural barrier to growth.
The repair quality was dependent on the individual employee and their experience – something that is incompatible with high volumes.
Stacking and drying between steps increased the WIP inventory and obscured the production flow.
The solution: 2× TRC 1500
Two fully automated TRC 1500 systems were ordered together before the first was even installed. Yet this investment triggered something larger: a complete production layout redesign with 90 % of the machines being moved.
600–700 m² per shift
Per machine at Esco's quality level. Two machines, 12 hours = 400,000+ m²/year.
Zero downstream delay
Repaired lamellas can be immediately transported to the next step – no stacking, no drying, no WIP build-up.
Finer results than manual repairs
Automated repair produces finer surfaces after brushing than manual work.
Two-color capability
One machine works with two colors – crucial for Esco's contract manufacturing model with small batches.
Summary
Esco hasn't just automated a process. It has automated a catalyst. Every plank of oak contains more value than conventional repair methods allow. When automation is the foundation rather than an afterthought, production is not merely improved, but transformed.
400,000+ m²
Repaired flooring per year (12 hours, 2 machines)
90 %
Of machines repositioned in the course of the redesign
Zero delay
Between the repair and the next process step
“Our main concern was expanding our repair capacity without recruiting extra staff. We see the efficient use of oak as our responsibility toward nature and toward ourselves. Oak has never been more expensive.”
Operations Manager, Esco CZ Productions
What would your production look like if automation was the foundation rather than an addition?
Talks to us about a system consultation on TRC surface repair – and what a holistic approach can unlock for your plant.