1992 Matchboard is born
With £1,200, founder of the company Mike Arksey builds the first primitive profiling machine. He produces and delivers the very first sheet of Matchboard to handmade kitchen company Smallbone of Devizes.
1993 Matchboard on the move
We move to an 1,800 square foot industrial unit in Sussex.
The new premises provide just enough space to accommodate eight packs of MDF and three members of staff.
1997 PanelPlus goes into production
We develop the first ever integrated MDF wall panelling system consisting of profiled panels, rebated skirting and dado rails successfully launching and selling the product into multiple DIY stores across the UK.
1999 Matchboard’s first true industrial space
1999 is a big year for us! Not only do we move to our current location in Littlehampton and purchase our first CNC machine, we also win our first large contract with timber construction specialists Finnforest and become the third company in the UK to achieve Forest Accreditation.
2001 ‘Cut to size’ made easy
We invest in a state of the art beam saw with turntable, helping to dramatically increase our production capacity and capabilities.
2002 Not a speck of dust
We spend £190,000 installing the latest state-of-the-art extraction system and furnace, which doubles up as a warm air pump heating our factory and reducing our energy requirements.
The purchase of a second CNC machine allows us to produce a further 400 kitchen doors per single shift.
2005 First dedicated multi process machines designed, built and installed in-house
We design, build and install the Mini-Pro and Multi-Pro machines dramatically speeding up the production of flexible MDF and kitchen end panels. Production becomes 5 times quicker, and we quickly see a return on our £150,000 investment.
2007 Time to ditch the paint brushes
We install two new purpose built spray shops, with the capability of priming up to 500 boards per day, and increasing our productivity levels on a par with paint line technology.
The new facilities allow us to achieve targeted spraying into the grooved exposed core areas making denibbing easier, more efficient and cost effective. Unique to Matchboard, we call this paint finish ‘Super Cover’.
2012 It’s a wrap
An Orma membrane press capable of handling 10′ x 4′ sheets is installed at our factory and housed in a completely self-enclosed air filtered environment to prevent dust contamination. The new press makes it possible for us to offer an infinite range of colours and textures.
2013 Edging forward with HOMAG
The latest HOMAG edge banding machine is installed allowing us to increase our finishing options for the house, kitchen and wardrobe sectors including panels edged with PVC, melamine and veneer. Our number of sub contract customers requiring edge banded panels increases.
2015 Come and get it!
Our purpose built Trade Counter and Showroom opens to tradespeople and the public. Customers are able to purchase a range of products and receive advice on making the right choices for their projects.
2017 Creativity at it’s best
Our new sales brochure and website are launched bringing a fresh and inspiring new wave of creativity to the Matchboard brand.
2018 We add a bit of colour
There’s no end to our creativity and we install our Arizona 350 GT flat bed printer. Capable of printing onto flat sheet materials 2.5 x 1.2m, upto 40mm thick or roll media 2.5m wide using full colour plus white UV cured inks. This allows us to not only develop our own printed MDF panel project, which is still ongoing, but to also offer a print service to the trade and the general public.
2022 We celebrate!
This year we celebrate our 30th Anniversary of our business, which started 28th April 1992. Thirty years down the line we continue to thrive and all the years of diligent hard work and ingenuity invested by Mike and his team have propelled Matchboard to the forefront of the British Wood Industry. We raise a glass to many more years of continued success. Congratulations Mike!
2022 We invest in a 3D printer
Keen to increase our range of available services to trade and private customers Matchboard have invested in a new state of the art SLS 3D printer, the Fuse 1+.
The first in the UK to acquire this SLS 3D printer it offers advancement into new sectors whilst complimenting our fundamental skills and knowledge in engineering and design.
The 3D printer offers printing solutions from conception to completion creating prototypes and production parts for all your design and engineering projects.