Steelcase Brings Enhanced Aesthetics and Performance to Raised-Access Flooring

SAN FRANCISCO, April 30  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Steelcase Inc. (NYSE: SCS), a global office environments manufacturer, today unveiled a new access floor at the AIA 2009 National Convention and Design Exposition at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

The nesso(TM) access floor offers increased aesthetic and performance features that allow this floor to go further, and do more, than traditional access floors.

The new floor provides a surface that feels solid, strong and safe, like walking on concrete, and also offers a range of premium finishes, including marble, granite, slate, ceramic, linoleum, rubber, wood and vinyl - allowing it to be used in places traditional access flooring hasn't typically been specified.

Designed in Italy, nesso, which means link in Italian, connects the infrastructure throughout the workplace, allowing easy access to power and data, so organizations can create better connected and harder working spaces. nesso was designed to complement the company's collection of solutions for more open, connected workspaces; recent Steelcase(R) product introductions also include c:scape(TM) and media:scape(TM).

"Access flooring easily integrates technology and allows organizations to create a collaborative and connected work area, in addition to providing significant cost savings," said Mike Lobbestael, general manager, Architectural Solutions Group for Steelcase. "Based on research indicating that the lack of premium finishes was preventing the use of access floors, Steelcase aimed to deliver a solution that combined the performance and visual appeal of other flooring options, with all the proven flexibility that raised access flooring provides."

Floor finishes offered by nesso come fused to fire-rated core material comprised of gypsum, recycled paper and cardboard. Floor panels are installed on adjustable-height pedestals and a rigid understructure in two-foot square modules, resulting in a surface that is strong, safe and flexible. The nesso access floor panel design also meets the Class A requirements for Interior Finishes to minimize the threat of flame and smoke to allow for easy exits and public safety in case of an emergency.

Comprised of high percentage recycled newspaper content and containing no PVCs, nesso is the newest product in the Steelcase portfolio to express the company's commitment to sustainability.

For more information, please visit http://www.steelcase.com/architecturalsolutions or the Steelcase booth at the AIA 2009 National Convention and Design Exposition (#1449).

About Steelcase Inc.

Steelcase provides furniture, services and insights to help people have a better work experience, and to help companies and organizations create inspiring spaces with a maximum impact on performance and a minimum impact on the environment. A Michigan-based company that has been serving customers for nearly a century, Steelcase leads the global office furniture industry with $3.4 billion in annual revenue. Learn more at http://www.steelcase.com/. 

DATASOURCE: Steelcase Inc.



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