Kadant Solutions Extends Doctoring Technology to Drum Flaking Operations
Auburn, Mass., June 25, 2010 – Kadant Solutions, a division of Kadant Inc. (NYSE:KAI), has extended its doctoring product line to include drum flaking applications with its new ProFlake™ doctor blade line. The ProFlake doctor blade uses a patented bi-metal technology for longer blade life, reduced operating costs, and improved flaker performance.
Available in a variety of widths, thicknesses, and bevel configurations, ProFlake doctor blades are made from a non-brittle, wear-resistant alloy that allows the blade tip to maintain its doctoring edge throughout its useful life. The wearing edge of a ProFlake doctor blade is more wear-resistant and harder than steel, yet the low-friction alloy is gentle on the drum surface. Based on data from the field, the ProFlake blade can provide up to five times longer operating life than conventional steel blades utilized in flaking operations.
The ProFlake blade complements Kadant’s full offering of drum flaking doctoring equipment, including blade holders that offer precise adjustment of the blade tip and allow for fast blade changes.
Kadant Solutions Division, based in Auburn, Massachusetts, is a leading provider of doctor blades, doctor blade holders, and doctoring systems for papermaking and other industrial processes. The division’s water management products are applied to the forming of paper in the wet end of the paper machine, the cleaning of forming fabrics and press fabrics, and filtration of process water in various industrial processing applications.
Kadant Inc. is a leading supplier to the global pulp and paper industry, with a range of products and services for improving efficiency and quality in pulp and paper production, including paper machine accessories and systems for stock preparation, fluid handling, and water management. Our fluid-handling products are also used to optimize production in the steel, rubber, plastics, food, and textile industries. In addition, we produce granules from papermaking byproducts for agricultural and lawn and garden applications. Kadant is based in Westford, Massachusetts, with revenues of $226 million in 2009 and 1,600 employees in 16 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.kadant.com.
The following constitutes a “Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including forward-looking statements about our products, technologies, and customers. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such statements are set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in Kadant’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended April 3, 2010. These include risks and uncertainties relating to worldwide and local economic conditions as well as the pulp and paper industry; significance of sales and operation of manufacturing facilities in China; international sales and operations; our debt obligations; restrictions in our credit agreement and compliance with covenants; future restructurings; competition; soundness of suppliers and customers; soundness of financial institutions; litigation and warranty costs related to our discontinued operation; our acquisition strategy; factors influencing our fiber-based products business; protection of patents and proprietary rights; fluctuations in our share price; and anti-takeover provisions. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise