Leitz Custom Tooling for Sustainable Success

When it comes to sustainability, durability and innovation, Weathertex is a name that stands out.

Proudly Australian-made, Weathertex cladding is created from a unique formulation of 100% natural hardwood and just 3% wax, with no harmful chemicals, resins, silica or formaldehyde. With a better-than-zero carbon footprint, their weatherboards and panels are the greener choice for homeowners, builders and designers — combining natural beauty with unmatched strength.

But producing a material this tough demands tooling that’s just as resilient. 

 At their manufacturing facility in New South Wales, Weathertex runs a 56-inch Newman Whitney planer with a 110kW motor. Their existing 10-tooth planer head was creating constant headaches: knives lasted only 1–2 weeks before needing re-sharpening, the entire spindle had to be removed for maintenance, and operators often spent up to several days re-sharpening the knives.

Consistency was another challenge, as grinding wheels wore down during sharpening, introducing new problems into the process.

Weathertex approached Leitz to find a better way.

The Customised Solution

The solution came in the form of a completely customised HeliCut system. Engineered in Germany and tailored precisely to fit the existing planer spindle, the new head is a true feat of innovation:

• Weighing 610kg, the system incorporates five sections of 288mm knives, totalling 1440mm in cutting length.
• Four-sided TDC-coated knives mean operators simply rotate individual knives when needed — eliminating the need to remove and re-sharpen the entire block.

The results speak for themselves. Currently up to almost two months in operation, Weathertex is still running on the original set of knives, on the first knife side — a dramatic improvement on the 1–2 week lifespan of the old system.

Knife changes now take just hours instead of days, production runs quieter and smoother and operators can focus on output rather than constant tool maintenance.

Leitz HeliCut at a Glance:

 The Leitz HeliCut system has been engineered to deliver consistently clean results with high efficiency and reduced effort. The design allows for tear-free machining on a wide variety of materials, with optimised cutting angles that minimise defects even in more challenging applications. Knife changes are fast and straightforward, with four-sided turnblade knives that can be rotated to a fresh edge instead of being re-sharpened, extending tool life and reducing downtime.

The lightweight aluminium body ensures smooth, low-vibration operation while also reducing noise levels in the workshop. With multiple diameters and edge qualities available, along with customised solutions, the system adapts to diverse applications while maintaining premium performance.

Shaping The Future with Customer-centric solutions

This collaboration highlights what Leitz does best: working side by side with customers to solve real-world challenges, engineer smarter solutions, and create more efficient, sustainable workflows.

For Weathertex, it means more time creating world-class sustainable cladding and less time stuck in the workshop re-sharpening tools

If you’re looking for technology-leading solutions with high-quality tooling, contact Leitz at sales@leitz.com.au or call 1300 135 127.

Discover the HeliCut System

Learn more about Weathertex