National Office Furniture, a unit of Kimball International, Inc., has been recognized by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) as a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. National was awarded this honor in the Pollution Prevention category for its robotic finish technology which was identified as an exemplary and innovative environmental project with measurable results.

“We are very pleased to receive this award,” said Wendell Sloan, National’s Director of Manufacturing. “Our robotic automated finish line reinforces our culture of continuous improvement in serving our customers by utilizing technology in a cost efficient manner while improving pollution prevention efforts within our community.”

This robotic system is one of the first of its kind in the United States in the woodworking industry. The technology creates a reduction in product throughput time and material usage. Halogen curing ovens have replaced the older electric ovens that remained on throughout the day to maintain temperatures. Designed for on-demand operations, the Halogen ovens only operate when product is present, automatically turning off once target temperatures are met, therefore reducing electrical consumption. With this new robotic technology, National was able to consolidate two traditional finishes lines into one state-of-the-art automated finish application line.

“I am pleased to award this year’s Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence,” said Bruno Pigott, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). “These projects demonstrate the excellent work that our Hoosier businesses, governmental agencies, organizations, and communities are doing to protect and improve our environment.”

 For more information about National and its products, visit www.NationalOfficeFurniture.com.