ATLANTA - Semi-finalists were announced in the 2016 International Woodworking Fair Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award, which promotes the development of innovative new technology in woodworking machinery, supplies, and services for the furniture, kitchen cabinets, architectural woodwork, store fixture, upholstery, or specialty and general wood product industries. 
Nearly 70 submissions were narrowed to this list of 39 for the 2016 competition. The Finalists, usually 21 contenders, will be named in coming weeks. The winners will be announced August 24 after the International Woodworking Fair opens.
IWF 2016 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the The IWF Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award. The Challengers Award has become known throughout the world for recognizing outstanding companies who have distinguished themselves by developing innovative technology in products, services, or manufacturing techniques that will advance the industry.
A panel of 8 distinguished judges, whom are all industry professionals representing a broad cross-section of the industry will review and analyze each entry. The top twenty finalists are announced at the end of May 2016 and final judging will take place the day before IWF 2016 opens. On Tuesday, August 23, the finalists perform live demonstrations for the panel of judges, who then make their final decisions on the most innovative product developments.
The 2016 Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award culminates with a presentation held on the show floor on opening day during which the winners are announced and presented with the now familiar distinctive bronze sculpture.
| Company | Entry Name |
|---|---|
| Accuride International | Senseon Secure Access System |
| Atlantic Machinery / VITAP | Vitap CNC Acoustic Panel Boring Machine |
| Bacci America Inc | CNC Router For Shaping & Sanding Cabinets Doors Outside Profile |
| Biesse | Viet Robotic sanding of cross grain scratching and MDF, wood or painted doors |
| Biesse | Biesse Setup Assistant |
| C.R. Onsrud | Osync |
| Cefla North America | Technomelt CHS UV Fusion Coating technology by Henkel |
| Cefla North America | Cefla Inert Coating Technology by Sorbini |
| Doucet Machineries Inc | Doucet In-Motion Crosscut Saw |
| Fastenlink | Fastenlink |
| Giben | Giben by Anderson nesting CNC |
| Holz-Her | Ltronic |
| Holz-Her | Multi Tool |
| Ice Edge Business Solutions | i-Cube |
| Kerno, LLC | aeCore |
| Koch Machinery | Paul Optimizing Crosscut saw |
| Leitz Tooling Systems LP | QuattroForm Cutterhead System |
| Leitz Tooling Systems LP | ProfilCut Q Premium Cutterhead System |
| Leitz Tooling Systems LP | WhisperCut EdgeExpert Pre-Mill Cutterhead System |
| LMT Onsrud LP | Polaris Compression |
| Luxhammar Corp | Luxhammar Thermal Modification Process |
| Mid-Coast Mfg & Suply | Panel Buddies |
| Next Wave Automation | Next Wave Automation's Virtual Vision 3D |
| OVVO | OVVO Connection Set |
| Pillar Machine | HMJ Beaded Face Frames |
| Red Horse USA, Inc | WINBAG |
| Riverside Tool Corp | SuperSand |
| RSA Solutions | Industry 4.0 Wood |
| Salice America Inc | Salice Air |
| SawStop LLC | SawStop Jobsite Saw |
| SD Machinery | MagPi |
| SNX Technologies Inc. Booth 6569 | SNX nVision System2 Contour Edgebander |
| SonicAire Booth 7900 | SonicAire 2.0 |
| Striplox Booth 3145 | Striplox |
| Taurus Craco Machinery Booth 8373 | WOOD-ED Table |
| US Router Tools | The Hurricane |
| Utility Composites Inc | Raptor Polymer Composite Nails |
| Weinig Group Booth 6134 | Weinig System Plus |
| WoodCraft Solutions LLC Booth 8166 | PantoRouter |
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