A well-equipped workshop is essential for the efficient production of organ components. Soundboards, action, casework and consoles are all made to the highest tolerances in order to ensure a perfect match. A sensitive key action will incorporate a high proportion of solid timber components, including back-falls and trackers that are individually made and cut to length in our workshops. All the timber we use is dried in our own computer-controlled dehumidification chamber, to ensure ideal moisture content.

Our concern for the environment has seen us at the forefront of the campaign to ensure that timber is always sourced from managed forestry. Many different timbers are used, alongside continuous research to find new and more appropriate materials for the job. Where advantageous, we use manufactured materials, but our soundboards, casework and most of the components continue to be made almost entirely of timber.

Efficient completion of an organ demands that the right components are ready at the right time to ensure that work proceeds smoothly through the workshops right up until delivery. LESLIE ROSS, our works manager, began his career at Mander on the bench in 1962. He has worked extensively on site and has been responsible for the installation of some of our most prestigious projects. This has given him a unique and comprehensive insight into the requirements of efficient work flow. It is his responsibility to ensure that production is at an optimum, and he regularly assesses machinery which might enhance that efficiency.