How a Swiss startup is shaking up the milling machine market
Two years ago, Kevin Buck turned his dream into reality by creating his own CNC milling machine – the Kubus Pro. On my second visit, it’s impressive to see how a one-man operation has turned into a rapidly growing company.
When I last visited Kevin Buck a little over two years ago, I found him alone in the back of a plumbing supply warehouse in Aargau. In a space spanning 80 square metres, he was sat between the first prototypes of his Kubus Pro – a computer-controlled machine tool that automatically removes material with high precision, also known as a CNC machine.
We’d agreed back then that I’d be back to visit in two years’ time. Now this time has come and I’m greeted by him at the new headquarters in Teufenthal, Aargau. The ground-level site spans 400 square metres, is entirely open plan with no walls or doors, but with direct access for lorries. «We’re already bursting at the seams again,» he says, pointing to the newly assembled pallet racks that reach all the way to the ceiling. «As soon as the machines have been picked up, new equipment starts being delivered.»
A lot has happened between our first meeting and this second one. We’re talking new company name, a completely redesigned line of machines and a team that’s grown from one person to what’s soon to be six.
A new name to amp up the Swiss connection
The most noticeable change is the company name. Neno-CNC is now Richner Precision. «Neno-CNC was just a name we made up. I wanted something with a stronger connection to Switzerland,» Kevin explains. Richner is a nod to the birth name of his father, who was adopted and took on the name of his non-biological father. «When someone says they have a Richner, that definitely has a Swiss ring to it,» Kevin adds with a smile.
With the new name came a completely revamped range. After starting out on 80 square metres and expanding to 180 square metres, that soon became too cramped as well. Moving to Teufenthal was the logical next step.
Source: Kevin Buck
From the Kubus Pro to the BLOQ series
The Kubus Pro laid the foundation for the company’s rapid growth. Although Kevin is happy with the machine, its design turned out to be too complicated. «It’s made up of too many parts that need to be pieced together.» It takes about 40 hours to assemble the Kubus Pro.
Kevin wanted to improve this, so came up with the idea of transforming a large part of the machine – including the frame, housing, and chip tray – into a single monolithic cast-iron piece. He calls it a castolite. Today, Kevin uses this for his BLOQ series, which significantly reduces assembly time. The one-piece cast body also gives the machine tremendous stability, which means milling steel’s a breeze.
With the launch of his compact steel milling machines of the BLOQ series, Kevin’s filled a gap in the market: «There are no other steel milling machines out there that are this affordable and compact. Any alternatives are massive and very expensive.» The BLOQ 4 is available from 7,000 francs, the BLOQ 5 from 9,500 francs. Competing companies are asking for way more.
With the RUIX – a CNC gantry milling machine for large-format wood and plastic processing – and the cost-efficient RUIX Core, Richner Precision also caters to maker and entry-level markets. The coming weeks will also see the launch of a CNC lathe called TORQ8. There’s currently no comparable product on sale in the whole of Europe. In addition, the IM3X injection moulding machine, which is also unrivalled, is set to follow in a few months.
A clear vision for growth
When he first started out, Kevin handled everything on his own, often without paying himself a salary. «I spent all my savings over the course of one or two years to make this happen,» says Kevin, proudly showing off the new site. The first employee, a relative who was looking for a job, joined the company about one year ago. Today, the team has grown to four people; starting September, there will be six.
The company’s growth is driven by demand. «I barely manage to finish designing new machines before they’re sold.» In fact, he once sold a machine before it even existed – simply because there was no alternative on the market. His goal is ambitious: He aims to have about 20 employees in three to five years and 40 to 50 in ten years. «I want the company to grow.»
As a result, things are already starting to feel cramped again in Teufenthal. There are now about 30 to 40 metric tonnes of materials and machinery stored in the warehouse, which is why Kevin is currently creating vertical space with pallet racks. Still, moving isn’t an option for him. «The building’s perfect. I’d like to take over the entire building in the next five years.» By this, he means the upper floor, which has the same amount of space as he has on the ground floor.
Kevin isn’t fazed by the current rise in prices for electronic components. The Raspberry modules used in the machines as well as the pre-assembled circuit boards purchased from suppliers have both become more expensive. Even so, this accounts for a small sum per machine. So far, Kevin hasn’t passed this rise in cost on to customers either and is sticking to his formula: In an existing market, either be cheaper or offer more for the same price – ideally, both at the same time.
Joining the pro league
While the BLOQ series is already a huge success, Kevin is working on an even bigger project: creating professional VMC milling machines equipped with Heidenhain controls. The 5-axis XM5 equipped with a Heidenhain TNC 7 Basic control system is expected to be available for purchase starting at around 70,000 francs. Heidenhain controls are something of a gold standard in the milling industry and generally found only in significantly more expensive machines.
The XM12 – a machine based on mineral casting, also equipped with a TNC 7 Basic control system, but featuring a 24-position tool changer – is set to follow straight after. It’s designed as a compact processing centre for demanding metalworking applications and is particularly well suited for individual parts, small-batch productions as well as tool and mould making. It’s also a machine Kevin’s particularly proud of. There’s a pattern that keeps repeating itself for him: As soon as a machine goes into production, he gains new insights into its design process and realises what he’d do differently the next time.
Source: Kevin Buck
«From the outside, the market for CNC milling machines seems completely oversaturated – and that’s true when you look at it globally,» says Kevin. «But if you zoom in on Europe and Switzerland, the market for manufacturers who actually build their own machines is only saturated in the high-end segment.» Anyone looking to buy a milling machine today for under 100,000 francs will usually end up with imported and modified machines made in China, Korea or the US. That’s the gap Kevin wants to fill. His machines are designed to compete with well-known, affordable brands in terms of price, while offering significantly more in terms of technical features – Heidenhain controls, a solid and rigid machine structure and brand-name components from Festo, Phoenix Contact and Siemens throughout.
According to Kevin, this is possible primarily because of direct sales. «In this price range, the competition is almost exclusively from abroad. In Switzerland and Europe, these machines are usually sold through distributors, which increases the final price accordingly. We, on the other hand, sell directly to our customers.»
Where passion meets frustration
For Kevin, there’s also a flipside to his company’s success. «I hate all the paperwork.» Payslips, HR stuff, bookkeeping, writing instructions are still all done by him. All of his current employees are mechanics, so he’s definitely going to need someone to handle administrative tasks when the company moves to the next stage of its development.
On top of that, there’s a problem of his own making. So far, Kevin has fulfilled almost every special request customers have had. That takes time and makes it hard to keep track of things. A promised delivery time of two months can easily turn into three or four. Even so, he hardly ever says no, because every special request means an additional sale. Other manufacturers that produce similar products rely on a small number of models, a limited range of accessories and correspondingly high production volumes. At Richner Precision, on the other hand, the product lineup has become increasingly broad and customised over the years. Kevin intends to tone down the complexity in the future.
Being creative is still what he likes doing best. «I enjoy everything to do with Fusion 360,» he says. He’s still excited about the design of the control boards made in-house as well. Once, he tried to incorporate a ready-made Chinese circuit board for a simple function but couldn’t bring himself to use it: «It just felt too cheap.» Instead, he developed his own.
But all of this comes at a price. Kevin works about ten hours a day, six days a week. «But thanks to the time I spend designing, it still occasionally feels like leisure time.»
Swiss roots, Chinese parts
Despite the company’s growth, Kevin remains committed to its ties to Switzerland. Designing and engineering happens in Switzerland, as does the assembly, fine-tuning and the final inspection of each machine. Raw parts, such as castings or milled components, he has manufactured in China. «We tried sourcing from Swiss and European manufacturers, but the prices were much higher without the quality being better.»
That’s why Kevin has decided against putting a «Swiss Made» label on his machines. Especially with professional machines, a significant portion of components are sourced from abroad. The Heidenhain control system from Germany alone accounts for a significant portion of the costs. Instead, Kevin wants to use the label «Designed and Built in Switzerland» to emphasise that the machines are developed, engineered and assembled in Switzerland. «I’m still very proud of how our machines are made.»
Company, wife, daughter
Not only has his company grown over the past two years, but also his family. His wife is now a full-time homemaker, and his mother, who lives nearby, also helps take care of their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Despite his heavy workload, there’s still plenty of time to spend together as a family. «Our daughter is a bit of a night owl and usually goes to bed pretty late. That way, we still have plenty of time to spend together in the evenings,» says Kevin. Although he hardly has any time left for himself, the support he receives from his family enables a lot: «I’m very grateful for my wife’s and mother’s support.»
The two-year plan
When asked how innovative the market for milling machines has become in recent years, Kevin is subdued. He has seen many innovations primarily in designs, but personally views technical integration as what matters. He sees his own strength in developing machines, software, control systems, mechanics and electronics as an integrated system. This is a key advantage, especially with the BLOQ series: «This kind of machine can only be implemented consistently if the individual components are developed together from scratch.»
That’s his basic plan for the coming years: to create a company that develops and builds everything in-house – from a 2,500-franc entry-level model to a 100,000-franc professional machine. «The plan is for the company to continue growing and become a real competitor to the established suppliers,» Kevin replies to my final question. It remains to be seen whether he’ll succeed – another visit in two years has already been set up.
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