AUBURN, Mass., January 24, 2017 – Kadant Solutions, a division of Kadant Inc. (NYSE:KAI), announced the launch of its Conformatic™ AL creping holder. The next generation Conformatic holder incorporates the latest technology bringing improved blade holder performance to the tissue market. The holder is designed for use in all Yankee doctor positions including cut-off, creping, and cleaning.

Significant upgrades to the holder’s adjustability was achieved with a proprietary adjustment mechanism allowing for precise control of the holder profile across the entire Yankee face without the need for edge fingers. The robust construction is designed for today's high-performance tissue machines and features a self-conforming liquid tube, a backup blade, and a quick removal feature that allows the holder to be removed for cleaning and maintenance. Optional smart features can be integrated to provide real time process feedback such as vibration and load.  The holder is available in new doctor systems or as a retro-fit to existing Conformatic holders.

According to Jerry Vandoros, director of tissue market sales at Kadant Solutions, “The Conformatic blade holder is the industry standard when it comes to tissue making, but we knew it could be even better.  With this next generation model, the Conformatic AL, we focused on features that would make it easier to use and minimize- risk to the Yankee.” Vandoros continued, “The proprietary adjustment mechanism allows for effortless bi-directional adjustment, with enough movement to accommodate even the most extreme Yankee crowns. The new design uses adjustment screws to maintain the desired positioning and eliminates the need for edge fingers.  As the operating duty these holders are exposed to is extreme, we increased the load capability of the conforming tube and designed a carbon fiber backup blade that will eliminate issues caused when running stainless steel blades.”

Kadant Solutions, based in Auburn, Massachusetts, is a leading supplier 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 cleaning of forming and press fabrics and the filtration of process water as well as engineered wet-end products for papermaking.

Kadant Inc. is a global supplier of high-value, critical components and engineered systems used in process industries worldwide. The Company’s products, technologies, and services play an integral role in enhancing process efficiency, optimizing energy utilization, and maximizing productivity in resource-intensive industries. Kadant is based in Westford, Massachusetts, with 2,000 employees in 18 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 and technologies. Our actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including those set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in Kadant’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2016 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These include risks and uncertainties relating to adverse changes in global and local economic conditions; the variability and difficulty in accurately predicting revenues from large capital equipment and systems projects; the variability and uncertainties in sales of capital equipment in China; currency fluctuations; our customers’ ability to obtain financing for capital equipment projects; changes in government regulations and policies; oriented strand board market and levels of residential construction activity; development and use of digital media; price increases or shortages of raw materials; dependence on certain suppliers; international sales and operations; economic conditions and regulatory changes caused by the United Kingdom’s likely exit from the European Union; disruption in production; our acquisition strategy; our internal growth strategy; competition; soundness of suppliers and customers; our effective tax rate; future restructurings; soundness of financial institutions; our debt obligations; restrictions in our credit agreement; loss of key personnel; reliance on third-party research; protection of patents and proprietary rights; failure of our information systems or breaches of data security; 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.