Xerox To Get Innovation Medal At White House

Recognising 50 years of innovation, the US National Medal of Technology has been awarded to Xerox and will be presented at the White House in Washington DC next month.

Xerox joins an illustrious group of past individuals and corporations to have received the medal, including IBM, Bell Labs, DuPont and Dow Chemical.

The company said that its investment in innovation generates a steady stream of advanced technology and it holds more than 8,000 active patents.

Xerox invests about six per cent of its revenue in research, development and engineering activities.

The award citation said it marked, '50 years of innovation in marking, materials, electronics, communications and software that created the modern reprographics, electronic printing and print on demand industries'.

The National Medal of Technology is the highest honour awarded by the President of the United States to America's innovators.

The medal is given to individuals, teams, and or companies and divisions of companies for their contributions to the nation's economic, environmental and social well-being through the development and commercialisation of technology products, processes and concepts.

It also recognises technological innovation and development of the nation's technological manpower.

Sophie Vandebroek, chief technology officer and president of the Xerox Innovation Group, said: "Xerox has been, and continues to be, a leading innovator and a key architect of the information age from the first plain-paper copier to today's document processes that are revolutionising the productivity of people and businesses worldwide.

This is a fantastic recognition of the top-notch work of the scientists and engineers who are at Xerox today, as well as the many Xerox people across our company who have contributed to these innovations over the past 60 years." The purpose of the National Medal of Technology is to recognise those who have made lasting contributions to America's competitiveness, standard of living and quality of life through technological innovation and to recognise those who have made substantial contributions to strengthening the nation's technological workforce, added Xerox.

By highlighting the national importance of technological innovation, the medal's purpose is to also inspire future generations of Americans to prepare for and pursue technical careers to keep America at the forefront of global technology and economic leadership.

The National Medal of Technology evaluation committee reviews and evaluates all nominations for the Medal of Technology.

The committee makes its recommendations for medal candidates to the Secretary of Commerce, who, in turn, makes recommendations to the President for final selection.

Xerox added that its researchers, scientists and engineers conduct work in colour science, computing, digital imaging, work practices, electro-mechanical systems, novel materials and other disciplines connected to Xerox's business in printing and document management.

Named the Product Development and Management Association's outstanding corporate innovator in 2006, the company said that it builds its inventions in to business by embedding them in Xerox products and systems, using them as the foundation for new business, or licensing or selling them to other entities.

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