FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2010

SmartWood Program of Rainforest Alliance Certifies Tate to FSC Chain-of-Custody Standards

Tate® ASP, a market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of raised access floors, introduces Woodcore panels certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Tate offers two FSC-certified products in its Woodcore product line – a panel with an FSC-certified board at its core and a panel with an FSC-certified board that contains no added urethra formaldehyde, a common bonding element in particle board wood products. "We are proud to bring these products to market," said Tate ASP General Manager Adam Mead. "As more and more organizations specify FSC-certified products in their purchasing policies, we offer a solution that helps them meet their goals for sustainable design and improved indoor environmental quality. At the same time, by offering FSC-certified Woodcore products, we encourage the responsible production and consumption of forest products that benefit both people and the environment."

The SmartWood Program of the Rainforest Alliance, the largest FSC-accredited certifier, recently evaluated and certified Tate to FSC Chain-of-Custody standards, enabling Tate to promote its FSC certification and label its certified forest products. Chain-of-Custody certification verifies company systems for tracking and handling materials used in FSC-certified forest products within the company's operations and ensures the credibility of FSC claims.

The Tate FSC-certified Woodcore product is made of 100 percent pre-consumer recycled content. As a result, the product can help achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) points in several Materials and Resources categories, in addition to those typically associated with the use of underfloor service distribution.

Tate Woodcore panels consist of a high-density composite wood core glued to and encased in hot dipped, galvanized, formed steel sheets. These panels provide excellent rigidity, durability and acoustic performance and feature a ULC rating. Fully interchangeable, steel perforated and die-cast aluminum grates are also available for the Woodcore system.

The new panels are also available with an air seal that reduces leakage between panel seams by as much as 97 percent when compared to standard woodcore panels in a typical office environment. The result is improved energy efficiency and better control of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and HVAC commissioning. The continuous vinyl gasket is mechanically attached to the panel perimeter, providing a strong durable seal that will last the life of the panel, even if the panel is moved or replaced. The air seal gasket is available on all woodcore panels and is intended to be used where a corner lock understructure system without a stinger is specified. Woodcore panels are available with several understructure support systems and numerous finishes, providing a wide range of applications, from general office environments to heavy-duty equipment applications such as data centers, telecommunication and mission critical facilities.

Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests. Products that bear the FSC logo are made of wood harvested from a certified, well-managed forest that follows the highest social and environmental criteria.

ABOUT TATE® ASP
Tate ASP® manufactures the woodcore line of Tate access flooring products. Located in Oakville, Ontario, the base of Tate operations in Canada houses sales, contracting and manufacturing operations. Tate access floor systems assure strength, stability and efficiency, which substantially contribute to a building’s environmental performance. Tate ASP® contracting offers a wealth of product and specification, estimating, project management and installation knowledge to effectively manage any size project.

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