10.30.14 | Green Bay, WI | KI was among the top 10 companies honored at the Greenbuild conference for innovative products for 2015 by BuildingGreen, publisher of Environmental Building News. KI’s chairs made from AirCarbon™—a revolutionary, paradigm-shifting thermoplastic developed by California-based Newlight Technologies—received a coveted spot on the publication’s highly regarded “Top 10 Green Products” list. Newlight’s patented manufacturing technology combines oxygen from air with concentrated methane-based carbon emissions that would otherwise become part of the air to produce AirCarbon, a thermoplastic material that can displace fossil fuel-based plastics by matching on performance and out-competing on price. KI will be the exclusive provider of AirCarbon in the contract furniture industry.

“AirCarbon represents the future of sustainability and is on the cutting-edge of sustainable manufacturing practices,” said Dick Resch, CEO, KI. “We’re honored to receive this prestigious award and are excited to introduce AirCarbon to our customers, who emphasize good stewardship of the environment and want to do business with companies that share that commitment.”

Inspired by carbon-capturing processes found in nature—and as a result of Newlight's breakthroughs in gas conversion yield and polymer performance—AirCarbon-based materials represent a market-driven solution to displacing oil and combating climate change.

"After over a decade of work to reach this point, we are honored receive this highly regarded award,” said Mark Herrema, CEO, Newlight. “By capturing carbon emissions that would otherwise become part of the air and using that carbon to move oil out of the world’s products, AirCarbon changes the role of carbon capture and plastics manufacturing in society.” (See video by Newlight about AirCarbon here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwoqJj2brLQ)

Upon completion of lifecycle analysis and environmental testing, KI will begin introducing AirCarbon into some of its most successful product lines, including the Strive and Grazie seating collections.

KI manufactures innovative furniture and movable wall system solutions for education, healthcare, government and corporate markets. The employee-owned company is headquartered in Green Bay, Wis. and operates sales offices and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia. KI tailors products and service solutions to the specific needs of each customer through its unique design and manufacturing philosophy. For more information, visit www.ki.com.

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(BuildingGreen's complete list of Top 10 Products for 2015 may be found here: http://www2.buildinggreen.com/article/buildinggreen-announces-top-10-products-2015)