Wood Finish contributes to LEED certification.
Press Release Summary:
Applied using environmentally friendly process, Clarity(TM) Finish includes wash, sealer, and top coats. Since it is water-based, wood casegood product is Indoor Advantage(TM) certified for indoor air quality. Finish allows repairs to top coat should damage occur, and provides consistency and clarity that allow natural look of wood to come through.
Original Press Release:
Steelcase Introduces Clarity(TM) Wood Finish
New Water-Based Finish Contributes to LEED(TM) Certification
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 2 /-- Steelcase Inc. (NYSE:SCS), a global office environments manufacturer, today introduced Clarity(TM), a water-borne wood finish applied using an environmentally- friendly process.
Clarity is a wood finish that includes the wash, sealer and top coats. Metro was the first Steelcase company to finish its wood products with Clarity. Now Steelcase joins Metro to achieve a major milestone in the transition it began in 2001 to eliminate solvents from its wood furniture finishing processes.
Clarity provides a number of benefits to customers and to the environment. For instance, since it is water-based, wood casegood products are now Indoor Advantage(TM) certified for indoor air quality by Scientific Certification Systems. This certification validates that many Steelcase wood products conform to the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA) and the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) low-emitting product criterion. Because this finishing process is used in standard production, all of the standard casegood products manufactured in our wood plant meet those criterion.
The Clarity water-based clear top coat is also more durable than solvent finishes. Typically the trade off for durability is limited reparability, but the Clarity finish is different. It allows for repairs to the topcoat, should damage occur. And the finish consistency and clarity allow the natural beauty of the wood to come through. Wood products with the new finish are shipping now.
"Not only is the Clarity finishing process beneficial to customers, it is better for the environment, as it enables us to decrease the total amount of hazardous waste in the manufacturing process," said Jim Keane, president, Steelcase Group.
Steelcase wood products are manufactured in the first LEED certified manufacturing facility in the world.
About Steelcase Inc.
Steelcase, the global leader in the office furniture industry, helps people have a better work experience by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. The company designs and manufactures architecture, furniture and technology products. Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steelcase (NYSE:SCS) serves customers through approximately 13,000 employees and dealers at over 550 locations worldwide. Fiscal 2007 revenue was $3.1 billion. Learn more at www.steelcase.com.
CONTACT: Jeanine Holquist of Steelcase Inc., jholquis@steelcase.com,
+1-616-698-3765
