US office furniture producer Paoli has switched to a formaldehyde-free wood coating system supplied by AkzoNobel that meets indoor air quality standards and exceeds the levels of product performance of the previous system.
As well as complying with industry regulations, the move will enable Paoli to meet growing customer demand for products that meet the indoor air quality standards of groups such as the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers’ Association and the Greenguard Environmental Institute.
The challenge was to develop a new system that worked on Paoli’s existing finish lines, says Ron Cooper, North America regional sales manager for AkzoNobel's Wood Coatings business.
Paoli initially ran both systems side by side, but decided to convert entirely to formaldehyde-free because it offered benefits over the previous system. In addition to achieving indoor air quality certification, it also improved the finish with better clarity, depth and durability, and reduced materials used compared to the previous system, says Troy Apple, finishing supervisor at Paoli.
Late last year AkzoNobel partnered with Enerkem and other companies to explore the use of waste streams as a feedstock for chemical production and the development of waste-to-chemicals facilities.