Oakworks supplies some of the world’s top spas including Miraval (pictured) and those by Starwood Resorts
A massage table may host up to 50 bodies a week and it’s a therapist’s most important tool besides their hands. If it does its job well, the table will remain unnoticed under the layers of bedding. However, if it’s uncomfortable, squeaks or wiggles, you’ll have an unhappy client. But you could probably count the things you know about massage tables on one hand.
A husband and wife team who know considerably more are Jeff and Linda Riach who started the Oakworks plant in New Freedom, Pennsylvania in 1977. The couple learned about wood-working and how to make massage tables while living in a commune which hosted wellbeing retreats. Today, their 90,000sq ft-plus factory and office employs more than 100 people and turns out around 30,000 tables a year.
RAW MATERIAL The 60 different models of spa, medical and portable tables all start out in the raw materials storage area which houses eco-friendly wood from around the world and, if possible, locally. Then in the mill section, the table tops and frames are cut to size, drilled, glued, sanded and lasers are used to custom cut logos. T-nut bolts are used rather than screws which can become loose over time.
Jeff says: “Running the cutting machines is the most intellectually challenging job. It can take up to two years to master the skills which include operating computer control programs, picking up exactly the right materials and lining up the table, fixtures and jigs.”
In the upholstery department foam and fabric are applied to the top part, which Jeff says is the most physically challenging part of production. But first the quality of foam is tested for its density and Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) – the amount of force needed to make a dent. Ideally, says Jeff, high density/low IFD foam is desirable for comfort and durability. AeroCel foam, which is lightweight, contains no fibres and absorbs sound well, is preferred. Similarly, 100 per cent polyurethane fabrics are designed to be longer-lasting and have fewer off-gases.
THE END PRODUCT Next stop is the finishing department where motors and other parts that move the table top and lift it are installed. This is also where cabinetry is added, the wood is stained, the top is married to the frame and accessories are added – there are 70 extras including the therapist-designed Boiance face rest (pictured), featuring water spheres embedded into the foam for added comfort.
If the table passes the 20 quality tests, it’s boxed for shipment to a possible 34 different countries around the world.
The factory staff works as a close-knit team and all are cross-trained in different aspects of production to prevent repetitive stress injuries, and to keep their jobs interesting – the double production line for portable tables can crank out 160 units a day. Jeff says: “There can be up to 600 parts in a single table, and everything must work, look good, and not make noise. It’s quite a change from our days on the commune, but our goal is still the same – to make the best products we can .”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2012 issue 4
Interview: Laurent Houel
Evian's global brand development
director tells Katie Barnes about the
group's new evianSpa licence concept
that's set for a strategic global rollout
Promotional feature: Value Proposition
If you're thinking of investing in a spa development bigger than 300sq m,
a feasibility study – at a cost of only US$10k-US$18k – can reveal the
business model most likely to succeed.
Research: Work it out
Katherine Johnston reveals key
recommendations following a
much-needed study on global spa
management training
Top team: Miraval
The team that created the new spa at
Miraval shared a bold vision as Liz
Terry discovered on her visit
Family matters: The Brepohls
Natural medicine is the focus at
Lapinha: one of Brazil's original
medical spas. Neena Dhillon talks to
the founding family
The making of...: A massage table
Up to 18 million parts are needed for
a year's production of massage tables.
Lisa Starr takes an ‘undercover' look
at just what goes into making this
industry staple
Research: The cold war
Meditation and exercise can
significantly reduce sick days taken
due to colds and flu
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
Oakworks supplies some of the world’s top spas including Miraval (pictured) and those by Starwood Resorts
A massage table may host up to 50 bodies a week and it’s a therapist’s most important tool besides their hands. If it does its job well, the table will remain unnoticed under the layers of bedding. However, if it’s uncomfortable, squeaks or wiggles, you’ll have an unhappy client. But you could probably count the things you know about massage tables on one hand.
A husband and wife team who know considerably more are Jeff and Linda Riach who started the Oakworks plant in New Freedom, Pennsylvania in 1977. The couple learned about wood-working and how to make massage tables while living in a commune which hosted wellbeing retreats. Today, their 90,000sq ft-plus factory and office employs more than 100 people and turns out around 30,000 tables a year.
RAW MATERIAL The 60 different models of spa, medical and portable tables all start out in the raw materials storage area which houses eco-friendly wood from around the world and, if possible, locally. Then in the mill section, the table tops and frames are cut to size, drilled, glued, sanded and lasers are used to custom cut logos. T-nut bolts are used rather than screws which can become loose over time.
Jeff says: “Running the cutting machines is the most intellectually challenging job. It can take up to two years to master the skills which include operating computer control programs, picking up exactly the right materials and lining up the table, fixtures and jigs.”
In the upholstery department foam and fabric are applied to the top part, which Jeff says is the most physically challenging part of production. But first the quality of foam is tested for its density and Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) – the amount of force needed to make a dent. Ideally, says Jeff, high density/low IFD foam is desirable for comfort and durability. AeroCel foam, which is lightweight, contains no fibres and absorbs sound well, is preferred. Similarly, 100 per cent polyurethane fabrics are designed to be longer-lasting and have fewer off-gases.
THE END PRODUCT Next stop is the finishing department where motors and other parts that move the table top and lift it are installed. This is also where cabinetry is added, the wood is stained, the top is married to the frame and accessories are added – there are 70 extras including the therapist-designed Boiance face rest (pictured), featuring water spheres embedded into the foam for added comfort.
If the table passes the 20 quality tests, it’s boxed for shipment to a possible 34 different countries around the world.
The factory staff works as a close-knit team and all are cross-trained in different aspects of production to prevent repetitive stress injuries, and to keep their jobs interesting – the double production line for portable tables can crank out 160 units a day. Jeff says: “There can be up to 600 parts in a single table, and everything must work, look good, and not make noise. It’s quite a change from our days on the commune, but our goal is still the same – to make the best products we can .”
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2012 issue 4
Interview: Laurent Houel
Evian's global brand development
director tells Katie Barnes about the
group's new evianSpa licence concept
that's set for a strategic global rollout
Promotional feature: Value Proposition
If you're thinking of investing in a spa development bigger than 300sq m,
a feasibility study – at a cost of only US$10k-US$18k – can reveal the
business model most likely to succeed.
Research: Work it out
Katherine Johnston reveals key
recommendations following a
much-needed study on global spa
management training
Top team: Miraval
The team that created the new spa at
Miraval shared a bold vision as Liz
Terry discovered on her visit
Family matters: The Brepohls
Natural medicine is the focus at
Lapinha: one of Brazil's original
medical spas. Neena Dhillon talks to
the founding family
The making of...: A massage table
Up to 18 million parts are needed for
a year's production of massage tables.
Lisa Starr takes an ‘undercover' look
at just what goes into making this
industry staple
Research: The cold war
Meditation and exercise can
significantly reduce sick days taken
due to colds and flu
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii
is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
remaining actively involved with the company.
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism inv
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-
Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional
revenue opportunities.
The UK government has announced a temporary reduction in VAT on visitor attractions and
children’s meals as part of a summer cost-of-living support package designed to stimulate the
visitor economy and encourage family days out.
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively
to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using
colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work).
The government of Thailand is exploring plans for a THB300bn (£6.3bn, US$8.3bn)
entertainment complex in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with officials
proposing a large-scale theme park and sports destination as part of a broader tourism and
economic development strategy.
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An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
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