SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* PAINTER JONATHAN W (Last) (First) (Middle) KADANT INC. ONE TECHNOLOGY PARK DRIVE (Street) WESTFORD MA 01886 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol KADANT INC [ KAI ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) PRESIDENT AND CEO
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/07/2012
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock								3	I	By Son
Common Stock	03/10/2012		M		14,500	A	(3)	65,796	D
Common Stock	03/10/2012		F		5,071	D	$22.8	60,725	D
Common Stock	03/10/2012		M		13,200	A	(4)	73,925	D
Common Stock	03/10/2012		F		5,505	D	$22.8	68,420	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Restricted Stock Unit(1)	$0	03/07/2012		A		30,871		(1)	03/07/2015	Common Stock	30,871(1)	$0	30,871	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$21.91	03/07/2012		A		38,515		(2)	03/07/2022	Common Stock	38,515(2)	$0.	38,515	D
Restricted Stock Unit	$0.	03/10/2012		M			14,500	(3)	03/10/2013	Common Stock	14,500(3)	$0.	14,500	D
Restricted Stock Unit	$0.	03/10/2012		M			13,200	(4)	03/10/2014	Common Stock	13,200(4)	$0.	26,400	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Each Restricted Stock Unit ("RSU") represents the right to receive one share of the issuer's common stock. The RSU vests in three equal annual installations beginning on March 10, 2013, provided that the issuer meets certain performance requirements for fiscal 2012 and the reporting person is employed by the issuer on the vesting date. The maximum number of shares the reporting person may receive is 150% of the RSU amount.

2. This stock option vests and becomes exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning on March 7, 2013, provided the reporting person is employed by the issuer on the vesting date.

3. The shares represent the partial settlement under a RSU award granted 3/3/2010. One-third of the RSU vested on 3/10/2012 and was converted to common stock on a one-for-one basis on the vesting date.

4. The shares represent the partial settlement under a RSU award granted 3/9/2011. One-third of the RSU vested on 3/10/2012 and was converted to common stock on a one-for-one basis on the vesting date.

Remarks:

	by Sandra L. Lambert for Jonathan W. Painter	03/16/2012
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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