ABOUT US 

We firmly believe in achieving ‘the best possible value’ in every product we make. This means finding the best possible mix between quality, features/benefits and price for you, the user of our products.  We call this our ‘Golden Triangle’ approach, and it is always a very challenging formula – but we want to achieve the best possible outcomes for our customers. 

Plenty of companies can claim to have very high spec quality, but if you are paying much much more for the product, is that best value for you as a turner?  It’s easy to spend a lot of money making a product and then charging a lot of money for it. It’s a lot more challenging to make products with a good range of features and a good level of quality for a reasonable price!

We believe that through SMART design and 21st Century Manufacturing Know-how, we can deliver products that are thoughtfully designed, have a great range of features and benefits, and are cost effective for the user.

A Commitment to Innovation

We also believe that providing new product solutions and constant innovation is a key part of our success, which can be summed up as:  "To get close to our customers, understand what they want and provide innovative product solutions to aid their woodturning"

Company History

Teknatool International is a leading innovator in the woodturning & woodworking industries for over 30 years.

We began to manufacture woodworking machines and accessories in our Auckland , New Zealand location in 1977. Around this time we also developed a special interest in woodturning. We soon began to appreciate that woodturning was a woodworking craft that required special solutions. As we looked around we saw that most equipment was based on very traditional concepts that didn't reflect the new directions woodturners wanted to explore. We are fortunate in this respect that New Zealand woodturners are some of the most progressive in the world. We very much appreciate our dialogue with woodturners and it continues to catalyse for us a rich creativity of ideas and possible product solutions.

Teknatool International began exporting in 1980, and our first international market was Australia . 

In 1996, Teknatool began exporting to the North American market and we are proud to say that most of those companies we started working with back then are still working with us today – Woodcraft Supply Corp, Craft Supplies USA, KMS Tools and Equipment, among others.

For more on our innovation and company history, see our timeline HERE. 

Innovation History

We have a proud history of being the most innovative company in the Woodturning industry:

• The first chuck based screw system developed and the name Woodworm™ screw first coined with the Multichuck System in 1986
• The first four jaw self centering scroll chuck – the NOVA Chuck, introduced by Teknatool in 1988. The four jaws chuck revolutionised work holding for woodturning. It soon became the industry standard.
• First with the NOVA Cole Jaw (named after our well known demonstrator in those days, Trevor Cole)  in 1989
• First to market with cost effective, high quality, user friendly features on our lathes such as extendable beds, Outrigger System, Indexing Heads, Full 360 Swivel Heads, Spindle Locks and much much more.
• NOVA Ornamental Turning attachment introduced in 1999 opening up the world of Ornamental turning
• In 2001, Teknatool International launched the NOVA DVR3000, powered by the world first Digital Variable Reluctant motor for woodworking machines. This motor drive technology developed by Teknatool delivers incredible intelligent design – energy efficient, and smart motor features.

Now, with the unique DVR (Digital Variable Reluctance) smart motor technology and our new larger factory in China , we are dedicated to becoming an even more valuable global supplier of woodturning and other woodworking related products.

For more on our innovation and company history, see our timeline HERE. 

NOVA Owners and the Teknatool/Nova Brands

Teknatool have pursued a strategy of product leadership and strong brand equity, in NOVA , its main Woodturning brand. This strategy has been very successful in the 'home' markets of New Zealand and Australia . Now Teknatool seeks to communicate its message in the wider global scene. We currently export to over 13 countries around the world.

Teknatool is proud of its after sales service and support and initiates regular dialogue with its owners. Newsletters, free projects, comprehensive website, special demonstrations for Teknatool owners and sponsorship of Woodworking events, clubs and associations are all used to help build closer ties with customers.

Skilled and Dedicated Staff

For our company, a highly skilled, trained and motivated workforce is one of our most important assets. We continue to invest in our staff knowledge pool, with everyone from the company directors down expected to be involved in some sort of ongoing training or education.

An open, communicative environment and ongoing training helps us to create knowledgeable, motivated employees who create value: productivity and quality for our company and our customers. They have a high sense of personal ownership and participation across all levels of the company. We place a high value on the power of a focussed team approach. Staff are supported with the best technology that we can resource.

Manufacturing

Our core manufacturing system is well able to handle our current range of products and international demand. However, we are always seeking (to ensure our continued success as a world-class manufacturer) to improve our production resources, efficiency and performance. Our current production system is based on 'constraint theory' and its implementation has greatly increased our plant capacity through better use of our resources. This added efficiency has enabled us to accelerate our development and manufacture of new products.

We have 3 manufacturing facilities around the world, 2 specialised manufacturing units based in New Zealand and the USA and our main manufacturing plant, based in Qingdao , China .  This facility is 100% New Zealand owned and is run in support by some of our New Zealand staff,  to Western quality standards and western manufacturing systems, using state of the art CNC machines.

Quality Systems

The use of 3D solid modelling has enabled us to design and manufacture prototypes virtually. Before the first CNC cuts metal, we are able to virtually manufacture and assemble, cutting down development time and costs.

Also essential in the development process is making sure that product has the right attributes for the target segment. We conduct concept and prototype market testing to random customers in our local market and ask them to complete detailed surveys about the prototypes.

Product Development Program

Our CAD/ CAM facilities, latest CNC technologies, highly skilled staff and alliances mean fast and responsive product development. We have in place an aggressive product development program, which we are accelerating through co-operation with several New Zealand Universities , and several companies overseas.

Our strategy of product leadership pushes us to continually develop. We seek constant improvement and our aim is to be our own competition - we aim to be the company that makes our own present innovations obsolete - not the competition!

Our joint development program provides us with state of the art design systems for rapid prototyping and gives us access to the latest in cutting edge programming and research facilities - linking our engineers with some of the best in Australasia and the world.

The use of 3D solid modelling has enabled us to design and manufacture prototypes virtually. Before the first CNC cuts metal, we are able to virtually manufacture and assemble, cutting down development time and costs.

Also essential in the development process is making sure that product has the right attributes for the target segment. We conduct concept and prototype market testing to random customers in our local market and ask them to complete detailed surveys about the prototypes.  

For more on our innovation and company history, see our timeline HERE.