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Tech Briefs
Seeing the wood
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Preparing a wood veneer dashboard at Lawrence Automotive.
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The use of veneer trim for car interiors is on the increase. Wood is perceived as a luxury image-maker in a similar way to leather, and often the two are used extensively in executive cars. The UK firm Lawrence Automotive, specializes in the production of automotive veneer dashboards and trim, supplying GM, Saab, Lotus, Land Rover and Vauxhall. It is also supplying wood veneer dashboards and panels for the U.S.-built GMC Yukon Denali, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Seville. For the Yukon Denali, Lawrence Automotive uses Zebrano, a wood veneer with high contrast, zebra-like stripes. Zebrano is very popular with U.S. buyers and veneers are also used in the Escalade on panels produced by Lawrence Automotive in the UK for the front floor console, door panels and instrument panel. It explains: "Typically, Cadillac produces 275 cars per day and, with 11 individual veneers, Lawrence Automotive has to make sure the Detroit company receives 3025 individual trim sections manufactured in Nottingham, England, per day." A 24-hour stock is held at the U.S. end of what is a near 4,000 mile supply line. Shipments are made daily from the UK to meet specific orders. The system is said to work very effectively although on one occasion because of a computer glitch, it was necessary for a Lawrence employee to take veneer sets to the United States on the Concorde to meet manufacturing requirements.
Lawrence Automotive can trace its beginnings to a cabinet making business established in 1875 by William Lawrence. It first became involved in making automotive components in the 1960s.
Stuart Birch
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