FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 2008

NEW ENGINUITY CABINET FASTENING SYSTEM

ENSURES ACCURATE STAPLE PLACEMENT DURING ASSEMBLY

                ELGIN, Ill. – ITW Industrial Fastening combines “engineering” with “ingenuity” to create the Enginuity™ Cabinet Fastening System to increase cabinet strength by up to 20 percent. Within major cabinet manufacturers, the patent pending system has eliminated fastening-related rework (a savings of one-to-three percent of annual sales) while increasing productivity up to 15 percent. 

              The Enginuity Cabinet System has been demonstrated to improve the integrity of custom, semi-custom and stock kitchen cabinets. Utilizing KCMA testing procedures, the Enginuity System, composed of DUO-FAST® pneumatic tools with task-specific engineered tool guides has been shown to achieve measureable results. The system also includes DUO-FAST application-specific fasteners. Tests of fasteners holding power were conducted to determine the optimal fastener for each application. 

            This seamless operation with Duo-Fast pneumatic tools provides consistently accurate staple placement during cabinet assembly to ensure strong adhesive bonding, increased productivity, minimized rejects and reduced downtime.

            The Enginuity Cabinet System improves accuracy and avoids staple blowouts by eliminating the need to “eyeball” setups or use shop-made jigs.

            Three new engineered tool guides cover 80 percent of pneumatic stapling requirements for cabinets with flush or recessed backs, including face frame-to-side, back-to-side, and top/bottom to back assemblies.

In addition, the company designs machine-mounted attachments for automated assembly operations.

           “We don’t simply manufacture a product and present it to the marketplace. We engineer a complete system that begins with thorough client consultation to determine the best industrial-grade pneumatic tools, guides and staples to provide optimum process efficiencies,” said Dick Pope, Cabinet System Programs for ITW Industrial Fastening. “Staples are perhaps the least expensive component in the cabinet construction business -- about one-thousandth of the cost – yet they’re among the most important.”

           Each innovative accessory design is the result of visits to cabinet manufacturing plants. ITW engineers met with both plant managers and line operators at major cabinet manufacturing operations to determine construction challenges and pinpoint opportunities for improvements.

           By simulating the cabinet assembly process in their lab and assembling cabinets against the clock, engineers were able to design and integrate a tool accessory system to make the assembly process error-free. 

           ITW’s new guides are designed exclusively for ITW Industrial staplers. They include the TTB Guide for cabinet top and bottom assembly (adjustable), BTS Guide for recessed back fastening and FTS Guide for face frame-to-side assembly. In addition, the system includes optional parts, including a double-length magazine, an auto fire cap and machine mount accessories designed to increase productivity in large scale manufacturing environments. 

          The ITW assembly processes are not only effective on kitchen cabinets, but also can be utilized in bathroom vanity and storage cabinet construction. 

         The ITW Industrial Fastening Enginuity Cabinet System is currently available. For more information, call 1-888-DUO-FAST (386-3278) or visit www.Duo-Fast.com.

ITW INDUSTRIAL FASTENING, Inc. is a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and is the proud owner and manufacturer of DUO-FAST® and PASLODE® brands. With over 50,000 employees worldwide, ITW’s dynamic organization delivers top quality, innovative products and service. ITW Industrial Fastening is headquartered in Elgin, IL, and has more than 450 distributors and dealers nationwide. As the leader in wood-to-wood fastening systems, ITW Industrial Fastening focuses on providing fastening solutions for customers in the cabinetry, flooring/carpet, truss, millwork and furniture markets. ITW’s commercial innovation culture creates value-added solutions to meet specific customer needs.

Media contacts:

Mike Mangan, MKM Comm.                                                           Ken Kueter, MKM Comm.

847/255-1903                                                                                262/279-6836 

mkmcomm@comcast.net                                                              lacom@genevaonline.com

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