Why this 4th-generation woodworker built 30 machines to automate his job

Ros Broughton built custom wordworking machines to help him make craftsman-quality furniture more affordable.

Ros Broughton is a fourth-generation woodworker. For the first 15 years of his career, he mostly focused on high-end cabinetry and custom furniture. Then he decided to move away from ultra-luxury work and produce more affordable furniture. After starting his new company, Fyrn, he found himself in a bit of a pickle: The first chair he designed was such a big hit that orders were rolling in faster than he could make them. So fast that Broughton found himself wondering: “How are we going to make this next order?”