Rethinking CNC: How to automate without buying new machinery

Rethinking CNC: How to automate without buying new machinery June 15, 2026 | 8:38 am CDT

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Closets Conference & Expo News

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Woodworking Industry News

Rethinking CNC: How to automate without buying new machinery

By

Michaelle Bradford

June 15, 2026 | 8:38 am CDT

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Ennis Henry, sales specialist at MachMotion

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., As custom closet and storage manufacturers face mounting pressure to increase throughput and minimize material waste, a common misconception is stalling progress: the belief that automation requires a total, top-to-bottom shop overhaul.

At the upcoming Closets Conference & Expo, Ennes Henry, a CNC sales specialist at MachMotion, will debunk this myth. His session, "Optimizing CNC and Automation for Closet Manufacturing," will offer practical, cost-effective strategies to integrate advanced machinery logic and software into existing workflows without the burden of massive capital expenditures.

Henry, an industry veteran with over a decade of hands-on CNC application and technical sales experience, notes that the hesitation to automate often stems from a misunderstanding of what automation actually entails.

"In my opinion, one big misunderstanding of automation in the industry is that many shops think, ‘If we want automation, we need to buy entirely new CNCs, new software, new everything.’ In our experience, that’s just not true. In fact, that’s often what slows down progress, sometimes for years," he said.

Instead of aiming for an immediate, fully robotic factory, Henry advises closet manufacturers to identify and target specific production bottlenecks, such as lengthy setup times or repetitive manual tasks, to achieve immediate gains in consistency and scalability.

"Automation does not have to mean a fully robotic factory. For many closet manufacturers, automation starts with one repetitive process that is slowing the team down or creating inconsistency."

Attendees will walk away with actionable insights on how to optimize current CNC machinery to reduce material waste, streamline workflow transitions, and unlock hidden production capacity.

The Closets Conference & Expo runs from June 30 to July 2 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. To register, visit closetscon.com.

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About the author

Michaelle Bradford

| Editor

Michaelle Bradford, CCI Media, is Editor of Closets & Organized Storage magazine and Woodworking Network editor. She has more than 20 years of experience covering the woodworking and design industry, including visits to custom cabinet shops, closet firms and design studios throughout North America. As Editor of Closets & Organized Storage magazine under the Woodworking Network brand, Michaelle’s responsibilities include writing, editing, and coordinating editorial content as well as managing annual design competitions like the Top Shelf Design Awards. She is also a contributor to FDMC and other Woodworking Network online and print media owned by CCI Media.

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