MMQB THE MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

3.8.10

The Panton Chair at 50

2 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

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THE NEWSWEEKLY OF THE CONTRACT FURNISHINGS INDUSTRY • 3.8.10

Niels Diffrient says that “design is not a profession, it’s an activity.”

What makes Doug Ball tick? David Jenkins finds out.

Top News pg12

Industrial Designers pg18

Where are they now? We found a group of successful people, most of whom fondly remember their time in the industry.

Industry People pg20

Production returns to the U.S. The new woodworking facility was developed in response to an ongoing increase in table orders from the company’s healthcare, education, hospitality, corporate and government customers. Grand Rapids Chair Co. had a choice: It could invest heavily in new product lines at a time when few are buying or it could invest in the future with a new table plant to open up new markets as the economy improves. The company chose to invest in the future and last week opened its new 28,000 foot table plant near its headquarters in a gritty, industrial neighborhood on Grand Rapids’ Southwest Side. It is a major investment for the company that is expected to have sales of about $20 million this year. “While everybody else is outsourcing, we are insourcing,” said Tom Southwell, partner and vice president of sales and marketing. “A table plant has always been on our hit list of things we wanted to tackle.” Southwell said the company’s diverse markets have allowed it to hold its own during the recession. A few

years ago, the company was busy making chairs and tables for the restaurant industry. Now, it is the emerging FedMedEd (federal government, medical and education) markets that are leading the way. “Sales have picked up dramatically in the last few months,” he said. The company has added 15 employees to the new plant. About half of the plant is full, which gives

Grand Rapids Chair Co. the opportunity to expand as business rebounds fully. The new woodworking facility was developed in response to an ongoing increase in table orders from the company’s healthcare, education, hospitality, corporate and government customers. Focusing on the production of tabletops, the plant will enable the company to dramatically expand both the volume and

variety of its table offerings. The table plant occupies a rehabbed industrial building just down the street from the company’s headquarters and main manufacturing complex. The facility has been outfitted with a blend of new and vintage woodworking equipment -- from a state-of-the-art robotic multi-access CNC router to a refurbished 1940s-era madein-Grand Rapids miter saw. “More and more of our competitors are offshoring their manufacturing operations, but we insist on building our tables and seating products right here, using the best mix of foreign and domestic parts,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Miller, an unabashed wood geek. “It gives us the ability to absolutely control material, construction, finish quality and lead times. It also plays to one of our greatest competitive strengths:

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the ability to customize product in almost unlimited ways.” Grand Rapids Chair Co. is known for its “customs.” The company can etch logos into chairs and conference room tables and make furniture in just about any shape or size the customer can imagine. “Having this plant allows us to offer quick lead times and lots of customization,” Southwell said. “We don’t like saying ‘no’ to anyone when they come to us with a project.” Take, for example, the Wisconsin bed and breakfast that Grand Rapids Chair Co. counts as a customer. The B&B was built on a lot filled with trees. Instead of cutting them down and wasting them, the B&B owners wanted to use the trees to build furniture for the rooms. The trees were cut and sent to a lumber processor who moved the wood to Grand Rapids Chair Co. The company built the B&B furniture from its own trees. The new plant also boosts the company’s environmental resume. Here’s how: It’s repurposing an existing facility and refurbishing vintage equipment that has conserved energy, material resources and waste; 100 percent of the lumber used in standard solid wood tables is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as coming from sustainably managed forests; tabletops are made with lowformaldehyde particleboard, minimizing VOCs; a water-based wood-finishing system eliminates solvents and significantly reduces VOC emissions; and a www.mmqb.com

comprehensive recycling system extends to paper products, shipping skids, along with wood, aluminum and steel scraps. “This dedicated table plant allows us to keep doing what we do best -- creating one-of-a-kind signature looks -- just on a bigger scale,” Southwell said. “Customers can look forward to a variety of new and enhanced table collections -- applications for training, conferencing, touchdown stations, waiting rooms, lobbies and more.” The new table plant is located just down the street from the company’s headquarters. With this expansion, Grand Rapids Chair Company now maintains 153,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing and administration space in Grand Rapids. It currently employs about 110 people. Though Grand Rapids Chair Co. is not a household name, nearly everyone has sat in one of their seats. The Melissa Series of chairs is favored by McDonald’s restaurant franchises. The chairs are part of McDonald’s efforts to freshen up the The Monday Morning Quarterback Copyright © 2010 by Zig Zag Corporation. ISSN 1064-3575 All rights reserved. Founded 1990 Subscribe instantly at http://www.mmqb.com Editorial / Sales office: 847-681-1199 Issue 1,018 Email: [email protected] • http://www.mmqb.com Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction or transmission of this publication (pdf ) in any form and imposes fines of up to $100,000 for violations. Do not copy, it’s stealing and we will find you! Really! March 8, 2010

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Top News and the Caribbean, but the company serves a worldwide clientele, including major international hotel and restaurant chains. The company prides itself in its delivery speed. The majority of its orders ship within two weeks.

MMQB.COM ONLINE POLL How much time did you spend watching the Olympics?

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There was an Olympics?

Inscape Sales Fell 21.7% in Latest Quarter

12.0%

Took over my life

The company says the results reflect the contraction and pricing pressure being experienced in office furniture businesses

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style of its restaurants. The company’s chairs also fill Applebee’s restaurants. Grand Rapids Chair has installations in arenas, banks, casinos, churches, cruise ships, health care environments, hotels, malls, offices, restaurants, stadiums and theaters around the country -- and increasingly, around the world. Most of its customers are concentrated in North America, South America

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Inscape Corporation Thursday reported sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were C$17.9 million, 21.7% lower than the same quarter of fiscal 2009. Year-todate sales of C$52 million were 17.4% behind the same period of last year. The results reflect the contraction and pricing pressure being experienced in office furniture businesses. Without the benefit of gains from the U.S. currency hedge contracts, sales in the third quarter would have declined 23% and the year-to-date sales would have been down by 21%.

The third quarter of fiscal 2010 which ended on January 31, 2010 had a net income of C$0.1 million or 1 cent per share compared to a breakeven result in the same period of fiscal 2009. The quarter included an expense accrual of $0.5 million contractual benefits relating to the resignation of former Chief Executive Officer, which was announced in November 2009. The third quarter’s gross margin as a percentage of sales was 29.6% compared to 23.6% in the same quarter of last year. Year-to-date gross margin rose from last year’s 23.5% to current year’s 26.7%. While the gross margins were depressed by pricing pressure and unfavorable overhead absorption resulting from lower sales volumes, the negative factors were more than offset by gains in currency hedges, reductions in fixed overheads and improvements in variable production costs. The third quarter also benefited by the C$0.1 million reversal of asset retirement obligation discussed in the previous paragraphs. This non-recurring item contributed 0.9

March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 7

Top News percentage points to the third quarter gross margin and 0.3 percentage points to the year-to-date gross margin. The third quarter’s SG&A expenses were C$0.3 million or 5.5% lower than the same quarter of last year. The variable selling expenses were C$0.5 million lower resulting from lower sales volumes. The fixed SG&A expenses were $0.2 million higher because of the C$0.5 million contractual benefit expense accrual for the former Chief Executive Officer. With the exclusion of this unusual item, the fixed SG&A would be $0.3 million lower than the same period of last year due to various cost control measures. As a percentage of sales, the third quarter SG&A was 29.1%, compared with 24.2% in the same quarter of last year because of current year’s lower sales volumes and the contractual benefits accrual. Year-to-date SG&A expenses were C$2.3 million less than the level a year ago. $1.2 million of the decrease related to variable selling expenses and $1.1 million were savings from fixed overheads. As a percentage of sales, SG&A increased from last year’s 27.7% to current year’s 29.0% mainly due to lower sales volumes. The quarterly interest income was comparable to the income earned in the same quarter of last year. On a year-todate basis, current year’s interest income was less than prior year’s records because last year’s yield on investments started to decline only after the first quarter. “We are pleased with the modest return to profitability in the third quarter,” said Madan Bhayana, Chief Executive Officer of Inscape. “Sales levels remain depressed as the industry continues to experience widespread reductions in demand. Our employees and business partners continue to rise to the challenge of improving our business processes while at the same time streamlining our cost structure. In spite of the challenging sales environment, we generated positive cash flows from operations which allow us to make financial investments that continue to elevate our products to the highest possible quality levels. “During the quarter, we purchased our New York State based manufacturing facility where our wall products have been manufactured for the past 12 years. In addition to the substantial economic benefits supporting this 8 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

purchase, there are substantial strategic benefits as the Company continues to expand its market position in the moveable wall segment of our industry. Our Wall division has been awarded substantial contracts for US government facilities where there is a growing need for our flexible, sustainable and cost effective moveable wall solutions. “Throughout our 120 year history, Inscape has demonstrated ability to provide creative solutions to customers. Our entire organization continues to work closely with our customers and our business partners to provide intelligent application solutions based on our integrated product offering. Despite the temporarily unfavorable industry climate, we will continue with our long- term commitment to deploy our cash resources towards products and capabilities that provide outstanding value to our customers.” The year-to-date nine-month period ended January 31, 2010 had a net loss of C$1.3 million or 9 cents per share compared to last year’s net loss of C$0.3 million or 2 cents per share. Current year-todate results included an unrealized U.S. currency translation loss of C$0.6 million whereas last year’s results included an unrealized U.S. currency translation gain of V$1.3 million. When the unrealized exchange loss and gain are excluded from both periods, current year’s net loss would be C$0.7 million compared to last year’s net loss of C$1.6 million. “We expect that sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 will be slightly lower than the third quarter of fiscal 2010.” said Bhayana. At the end of the quarter, the company remained debt free and had cash and cash equivalents of $5.8 million and liquid short-term investments of $15.1 million. The decrease in cash and cash equivalent balance of about $3.3 million from the level at the end of the second quarter was mainly attributed to the purchase of the Falconer plant in New York State. The company does not expect significant change in the current working capital requirements in the near-term. The cash position and credit facility provide the company necessary capital resources to develop new products, meet all other expected financial requirements, and support business growth and acquisition opportunities. www.mmqb.com

Top News United Stationers Creates Furniture Division The results reflect the contraction and pricing pressure being experienced in office furniture businesses United Stationers said Thursday that they have created the United Stationers Furniture Division, which will operate as a part of United Stationers Supply Co. Jim Fahey has been named president of the new division, which will have its own channel marketing and category management team, as well as a nationwide team of dedicated furniture salespeople who will be developing new business opportunities and working collaboratively with United’s existing Supply Division sales organization. Several key sales management appointments have been made as part of the launch, including: Rich Aievoli, vice president & general manager, sales; Felton Jones, region sales director, West; Michael Pritchard, area sales manager, West; William Miller, region sales director, Central.

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Additional appointments are expected to be announced in the coming months. “Building a dedicated furniture sales team, with focused furniture merchandising, marketing and operational experts, will help us serve the needs of resellers who already specialize in furniture as well as those across other channels looking to grow their furniture business,” said Jim Fahey. “We bring a vast pool of resources to apply to many different furniture needs: broad selection of products, deep inventory, nationwide distribution, quality marketing tools and value-added support services.” The new division will continue to provide distribution through the United Supply Division’s network, with the Furniture Customer Care group based in St. Louis.

COMPONENTS CompX Fourth Quarter Sales Fall 22%, Posts Loss Net sales decreased principally due to lower requirements from customers across all business segments Furniture component maker CompX International Inc. announced Wednesday sales of $29.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to $37.4 million in the same period of 2008. Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2009, were $116.1 million compared to $165.5 million in the previous year. CompX reported an operating loss of $2.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to operating income of $3.1 million in the same period in 2008, and reported an operating loss of $4.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to operating income of $6.2 million for 2008. The 2008 operating results include a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $9.9 million. The 2009 operating

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The Monday Morning Quarterback 9

Top News results for the fourth quarter include charges relating to litigation expenses of $2.1 million. The 2009 operating loss for the year includes aggregate charges relating to litigation expenses and a valuation adjustment for assets held for sale of $5.3 million. For the fourth quarter of 2009, Compx reported a net loss of $300,000, or $0.03 per share, compared to net income of $700,000, or $0.06 per share, for the same period of 2008. Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2009 was $2.0 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $3.1 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, in 2008. The year ended December 31, 2008 includes the non-cash goodwill impairment charge which was $0.80 per share, relating to the Marine Components segment. Excluding the goodwill impairment charge, 2008 operating income would have been $16.1 million. Net sales decreased principally due to lower requirements from customers across all business segments as a result of general unfavorable economic conditions in North America. Excluding the impact of the 2008 goodwill impairment charge, decreases in operating income are primarily due to the negative effects of the lower order rates, reduced coverage of overhead and fixed manufacturing costs from the resulting under-utilization of production capacity, higher legal expense associated with certain patent related litigation and the assets held for sale charge in the second quarter of 2009, partially offset by the positive effects of cost reductions implemented in response to the lower order rates. “I am pleased with the efforts of our people in the face of the difficult market conditions during 2009,” commented David A. Bowers, President & CEO. “Our operations team did an excellent job of responding to the decrease in demand by reducing operating costs by $6.4 million and generating $15.3 million in cash flow from operations for the year. In addition to focusing on improving the efficiency of our cost structure during 2009, we continued to invest in new product offerings and identifying new markets for our products. As a result, we feel that we are well positioned to take advantage of demand growth as it returns.”

10 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

SUPERSTORE CHANNEL Staples Sales Increase, Profits Drop in Fourth Quarter Sales at stores open at least a year rose 3 percent on improving traffic and strong sales of computers, ink and toner - offset by softness in furniture Staples, Inc. announced Tuesday the results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended January 30, 2010. Total company sales for the fourth quarter 2009 increased four percent to $6.4 billion compared to the fourth quarter of 2008. Net income for the fourth quarter 2009 declined 18 percent year over year to $234 million, and diluted earnings per share, on a GAAP basis, decreased 20 percent to $0.32 from the $0.40 achieved in the fourth quarter of last year. “We made great progress on the integration of Corporate Express, took big steps toward building a global Staples brand, laid a solid foundation for growth in our technology services and copy and print businesses, and strengthened our international leadership team,” said the company in a press release. During the fourth quarter of 2009, the company recorded a previously announced pre-tax charge of $42 million related to a settlement of several retail wage and hour class action lawsuits, and also recorded a pre-tax integration and restructuring expense of $20 million related to Corporate Express. Excluding the impact of these special items, as well as pre-tax integration and restructuring expense of $41 million and a tax gain of $57 million during the fourth quarter of 2008, adjusted earnings per share, on a diluted basis, increased six percent to $0.38 from the $0.36 achieved in the fourth quarter of last year. “With a strong finish in the fourth quarter, our team delivered a solid 2009,” said Ron Sargent, Staples’ chairman and chief executive officer. “We made great progress on the integration of Corporate Express, took big steps toward building a global Staples brand, laid a solid foundation for growth in our technology services and copy and print businesses, and strengthened our international leadership team.” For the full year 2009, total company sales increased five percent to $24.3 www.mmqb.com

Top News billion compared to the full year 2008. Net income decreased eight percent year over year to $739 million, and diluted earnings per share, on a GAAP basis, decreased 10 percent to $1.02 from the $1.13 achieved last year. Total company sales for the full year 2009 decreased eight percent after adjusting sales for 2008 to include Corporate Express’ sales of $3.4 billion for February 2008 to June 2008, prior to the acquisition. For the full year 2009, the company recorded $84 million of pre-tax integration and restructuring expense, as well as the previously announced pre-tax charge of $42 million related to a settlement of several retail wage and hour class action lawsuits. Excluding these special items, as well as $174 million of pre-tax integration and restructuring expense for the full year 2008, adjusted earnings per share, on a diluted basis, decreased 12 percent to $1.14 from the $1.29 achieved last year. On a GAAP basis, fourth quarter 2009 operating income rate declined 13 basis points to 6.59 percent compared to

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the fourth quarter 2008. Excluding the impact of the 2008 and 2009 special items, fourth quarter 2009 operating income rate improved 17 basis points to 7.55 percent. This improvement primarily reflects Corporate Express integration synergies and leverage of distribution, rent and marketing expense, offset by increased incentive compensation. On a GAAP basis, full year 2009 operating income rate declined 25 basis points to 5.69 percent compared to the full year 2008. Excluding the impact of the 2008 and 2009 special items discussed above, full year 2009 operating income rate declined 48 basis points to 6.21 percent compared to the full year 2008. This decline primarily reflects the inclusion of the less profitable Corporate Express business for the full year 2009 compared to only seven months in the prior year, subsequent to the July 2008 acquisition. Results also reflect increased incentive compensation, offset by Corporate Express integration synergies and increased marketing efficiencies. Generated record free cash flow of $1.8 billion after $313 million in

capital expenditures during 2009. Staples reported that its North American delivery sales dipped 1 percent to $2.4 billion, while North American retail sales climbed 8 percent to $2.6 billion. Overseas sales increased 7 percent to $1.4 billion. For the year, Staples’ earnings declined 8 percent to $738.7 million, or $1.02 per share, from $805.3 million, or $1.13 per share, in the previous year. Full-year sales increased 5 percent to $24.28 billion from $23.08 billion. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 2 percent for the year. For the full year 2010, the company expects total company sales to increase in the low single-digits compared to the full year 2009. The company expects to achieve diluted earnings per share, on a GAAP basis, in the range of $1.18 to $1.28 for the full year 2010. Excluding approximately $50 million to $60 million of pre-tax integration and restructuring expense, or approximately $0.05 per share, the company expects to achieve adjusted diluted earnings per share for the full year 2010 in the range of $1.23 to $1.33.

March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 11

Top News

Diffrient at Cooper Hewitt

Diffrient has been adding his brand of magic to lighting and seating solutions for Humanscale as of late, years after making a name for himself in ergonomic seating focused on human movement at Henry Dreyfus and later on his own. BY: KAOMI GOETZ

I

t might seem a bit startling for renowned designer and ergonomist Niels Diffrient to tell a room full of designers, students and educators that, “design is not a profession, it’s an activity.” But the provocative statement opened the door to a stimulating discussion that was thematic for the talk, “Design for Humans,” held last week at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. “I would say there are many definitions of design as there are people in this room,”

said Diffrient. “Probably the thing that’s most frustrating today is design is figured to be entirely devoted to visual aesthetics, ‘How does a thing look?’ Virtually everything is judged by its look. But design is a lot more than that.” Diffrient’s comments were part of a larger discussion on human-centered design in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the museum’s National Design Awards. Industrial designers Sigi Moeslinger of Antenna Design and Dan Formosa of Smart Design also participated. Diffrient explained designers were the opposite of engineers who are fundamentally without an aesthetic motive, working out functionality and the mechanics of an object. He said designers add to it poetry, cultural relevance as well as something that’s visually stimulating. “The real magic of design is when you do something that satisfies a real need for people, which adds that extra something that’s beautiful or satisfying to use and that’s what makes the difference,” he said. Diffrient has been adding his brand of magic to lighting and seating solutions for Humanscale as of late, years after making a name for himself in ergonomic seating focused on human movement at Henry Dreyfus and later on his own. But he said designers lacked real accountability, to explain why he believed design isn’t a profession. Moeslinger’s said one way to measure the work is consumer response. Her firm is known for its public transportation and technology projects. “If people don’t like your product, people won’t buy it,” she said. “There’s some 12 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

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Top News The panel said research is important when it comes to design. Moeslinger talked about the importance of observation and asking questions about the user, their backgrounds, beliefs and socioeconomic status. Diffrient brought up a train study in the U.K. where researchers used time-lapse photography to understand how people shifted and interacted with their seats over the duration of a ride. Formosa agreed that observation and other techniques are powerful tools that often get lost. “I actually think there’s a lot of opportunity for designbased research but many design groups are borrowing techniques from marketing,” he said. That’s because marketing often funds the budget and retrieves consumer research. But marketers use different methods not always appropriate for design, like surveys. Observation, the designers agreed, is a method that can uncover ideas about design and interaction beyond what even the user is aware of or choice people have in disagreeing with what you’ve done. Unfortunately, they might not know they don’t like something until after they buy it. Still, the bigger picture is people have a choice with what they get.” Moeslinger conceded that’s not the case in the public realm, citing the example of subway cars, which her firm designed for the New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority. So how does one measure accountability where people don’t have a choice in the products they use? “There is feedback from the general public whether they appreciate [the subway car design] or not,” Moeslinger said. “It’s not in any rigorously measured way, but overall we do get feedback. And it’s something we use too, so as a customer, so we can see how it works.” Formosa joked his company looks for customer reviews on Amazon. Smart is known for its human-centered approach to products like the OXO Good Grips kitchen utensils line, where the company designs for the extreme user, or one with the most barriers, thereby better designing for all users. Joking aside, Formosa said we are in an age where online customer reviews is a force to be reckoned with. “We know a lot of people check Amazon. If there are 200 great reviews, and 4 bad reviews, which do you read? You look at the 200 number and then you read the 4 bad reviews because you want to be forewarned. Those four reviews have a lot of power.” Diffrient said the average person makes no pretense of knowing about design. He said it was curious that they become the arbiter of what designers do by what they buy. “One wonders, whether you should take the approach of the marketing person, ‘Let’s just find out what they buy and do more of that.’ But they buy a lot of hamburgers too, and that doesn’t do a lot to advancing civilization,” Diffrient said. www.mmqb.com

could articulate. Formosa said time-lapse photography, biomechanics (the science of human movement), perception, psychology, usability studies all just scratch the surface. Moeslinger also pointed out it’s important to take into account who is doing the interpretation of the research. Formosa said it was important for all designers or design teams to establish the goals early in the process. He used the case of Smart Design’s medical syringe, and said they set the goal as not necessarily designing the syringe or the packaging, but getting the medicine into someone’s body. “We set our goal as we need to get the medication into someone’s body. Once you set that goal, the discussions are a bit different,” Formosa said. Moeslinger said changing consumer’s behavior is one the key roles of a designer. “In our contemporary times, there are a lot of behaviors that should be made more healthy, starting from physical health, obesity rates, it’s a time bomb. As a designer we are trying to make products that are more environmentally sustainable, but the big thing is, we need to change our lifestyle, and through design we can help with that.” Diffrient said he never thinks about environmental sustainability per se, but about efficiency. He thinks about how to make a product that uses the least amount of material, satisfies the need in the simplest way, and is the lowest cost, and accommodates the human being successfully. “If you answer those questions in any depth, you’ve taken account of sustainability,” he said. One need only look to his latest accomplishment, the World Chair for Humanscale, to understand what he meant. It uses just 80 parts, half of what’s the norm, is half the weight of other comparable examples and nearly all of it is recyclable. For Diffrient, “doing the most with the least” is satisfying. 6 March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 13

Industry History

The Panton Chair at 50

The Panton Chair, born 50 years ago in the mind of Verner Panton and produced by Vitra, was an product ahead of its time that seems to get stronger as the years pass. BY: ROB KIRKBRIDE

Industry History

O

n very rare, very special occasions, you come across something that actually gets better with age -- a fine wine, a great cheese, a classic car. The office furniture industry, being relatively young and focused mainly on utilitarian products, finding classic products is rarer still.

The Panton Chair, born 50 years ago in the mind of Verner Panton and produced by Vitra, was an product ahead of its time that seems to get stronger as the years pass. It remains one of the top selling Vitra products in the U.S. and Europe and over the years and decades since it was conceived, its curvaceous -- some call it erotic -- shape continues to attract new admirers. Its importance to design cannot be overstated. The chair was made from one piece of synthetic material -- at the time the Holy Grail for modern designers. Instead of having sharp lines, the chair is known for its organic curves.

Like all designs that stand the test of time, the Panton Chair is a great chair, not just furniture eye candy, said Vitra USA Director Jo Kaiser. “If you sit in it, it is surprisingly comfortable,” he said. “It was a little bit ahead of its time. If look at the numbers, the chair is growing, growing and growing. Its real time is right now.” Early on, it looked as if the Panton Chair would be shortlived. The Panton Chair design was presented to Vitra founders Willi and Rolf Feldbaum in 1960 and they were fascinated by its shape. After a long and difficult development process, the chair finally went to market in 1967. Over the next several years, the chair was built using a variety of materials. None of them worked particularly well. The first models were made out of fiberglass-reinforced polyester, followed by a version in rigid polyurethane foam (Baydur) and another in injection-molded Luran S (ASA). It became apparent with time that the latter material was susceptible to fatigue and breakage. For this reason, Vitra suspended production of the chair in the late 1970s. 16 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

Through the initiative of Verner Panton, however, the complex -- but reliable -- casting method using rigid polyurethane foam was resumed in the 1980s and has been continued to the present day. This version for design connoisseurs is marketed under the name Panton Chair Classic. In the meantime, so much progress had been made in plastics technology that the Panton Chair can once again be manufactured by injection molding – now in the material of polypropylene, which is fully recyclable. The renewed alternative of injection molding technology makes it possible to also offer the chair in an inexpensive version. “It was a difficult piece to produce,” Kaiser said. “We wanted to make a chair that would be as long lasting as it should be. It was quite a process for us. It was 1999 until we were able to build a fully recyclable version of the chair.” Still, Vitra wouldn’t sacrifice quality for high design. The chair is rigorously tested. The Panton Chair is subjected to 28 different tests, which it endures for 1,230 hours or 51.25 days. One of the 28 tests is the dynamic seat-backrest-test. It subjects the Panton Chair alternating between 220 pounds on the seat and 66 pounds on the backrest. The test is repeated 1,000 times for 98 hours in total. Vitra is proud of its durability, but it is the sex appeal of the chair that has drawn fans for five decades. According to Mathias Remmele, curator of the exhibition “Verner Panton: Collected Works” at the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, the chair has been in a number of erotic photo shoots. Photographer Brian Duffy shot a series of photographs of pop singer Amanda Lear undressing on and next to a redorange Panton Chair. The photo shoot was called “How to undress in front of your husband.” Supermodel Kate Moss posed nude on a red Panton Chair for the cover of Vogue magazine. The iconic (and often knocked off ) chair recently received trade dress protection, which means its shape is so associated with the product that it cannot be copied, like a Coke bottle is to Coca-Cola. Last year, Vitra announced it would add new colors to the Panton Chair palette. But the celebration of the chair really begins this year. The company is planning events at shows in Milan and New York to celebrate the chair, though details are not set. The Panton Chair has become synonymous with Vitra itself. “We have only a very small number of real classics defining the culture behind Vitra, besides our Eames products,” Kaiser said. “The Panton Chair is very important to us. There are only a very few number of chairs that have protection under the trademark and image of the chair.” 6 www.mmqb.com

Industrial Designers

What makes Douglas Ball tick?

“I’m obsessed with invention. Most designers may stop short, producing nice work that clients are pleased with. My curse is that I’m not content with what went before.” BY: DAVID JENKINS

W

hat makes Douglas Ball tick? Douglas Ball is acknowledged as the leading practitioner of the design of workspaces and office seating. I had the fortunate opportunity to meet this world renown Canadian Industrial Designer while a student at Ontario College of Art during a class visit to the Sunar company. At Sunar, (which Doug named after the Ontario based steel fabricator, Sunshine, and Montreal based Artwoodwork), Doug was given very broad powers by president Jack Vingoe, to focus the company on office furniture, one of many products produced by Sunshine company ( baby carriages was another). Doug proved he was ahead of his time, by designing a desking “System” - a precursor to the boom in systems furniture, followed-up by the ‘Antisystem’, ‘Race’ in the late ‘70’s, proving Doug’s ability to lead direction for the changing marketplace. Race was later incorporated into the Haworth product portfolio after being purchased from SunarHausermann. One of his most recognized pieces was called Clipper CS-1, a notable singular work space capsule aimed at assisting the worker both ergonomically and mentally. The product was honored by museums. He has also designed two systems for Herman Miller: My Studio Environments and Vivo in the past decade, adding to Herman Millers innovative product offering.

Doug, Race was the first break from panel-based furniture, what was your stream of thinking leading up to it?

layout and controlled sight lines by linked panels with a 135 degree connector. This design led to the North American shift towards panel systems and away from free standing furniture. I had already designed the ‘free Several concepts influenced my thoughts leading to standing S System’ desk series. What I felt was emerging the design of Race. First of all the late sixties was a very from the two different approaches was a need to address exciting time. Burolandschaft, a German office plan- both privacy and acoustic issues. The ‘PAS’ System was ning philosophy, placed free standing acoustic screens the first to actually integrate some measure of acoustic in work spaces to modulate space among desks and control into a panel that supported work surfaces. The cabinets to create some visual privacy, hopefully elimi- connector between panels allowed for an infinite angle nating the need for private offices. At the same time in of connection but because work tops were mainly rectNorth America Bob Probst’s Action Office 2 introduced angular this led to a predominance of rectangular work an alternative approach. His book “The office, a facility cells. What evolved from this was the fact that it proved based on change” introduced the concept of an office to be more efficient for large corporate customers and

18 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

www.mmqb.com

toward resolution. I believe that the need to experience this rush of adrenalin can become the hook that encourages one to seek out the more complex projects. After all, I’d rather be confronted by a complex design dilemma, than a hungry bear!

When did you experience this motivational feeling? I remember it clearly during the development of Race, I realized I was moving into uncharted territory, every detail and connection had to be re-thought! Consequently, there was an intense flow of adrenal energy surging through the studio for at least 6 months, incredible highs and lows, hurtling toward one all encompassing final solution. It was THE most exciting time!

My Studio for Herman Miller

architects to create a six pack’ of work stations based on a rectangular grid. What also happened, and this proved to be unfortunate, was the fact that the panels that were specified were often too high. Small stations surrounded by high panel walls created the ammunition for Dilbert who made much of the modern office and their dreaded cubicles.

Dreaded? Yes. Long before Dilbert when I saw my first very large installation of PAS I realized that the system, if misapplied, could lead to an extremely inhumane environment and that there was more work to be done. What followed was a seven year period of extensive research with the goal of opening up views, making workers more aware of others, and creating a design that was much more forgiving and flexible. Building in the wiring was simply an afterthought.

In some ways, Race is both contemporary and old hat, its hardware and attributes are well known. It was radical in its time, not an expected ‘next step’. Tell us about your thinking, how have you pushed yourself to go that extra mile? I’ve often asked myself about what the driving force has been and not found the answer. I recently recalled an evening when Richard Neutra spoke in Toronto. I was a student, and remember one cogent thing: he said that during the process of resolving a difficult design, coping with a myriad of associated problems, adrenaline started to flow, a fight or flight situation. Neutra claimed that adrenaline comes to the fore during modern day activity, and can assist the mind in dealing with extreme complexity. Until the problem is resolved, there is a disturbing feeling that encourages one to keep pushing forward 19 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

For you, systems are a piece of cake, right? Sure, just one of the most perplexing and complicated endeavors in design that a designer could be involved with. I was always strongly attracted to this complexity, and kind of became a slave to it. Awards, fame , fortune weren’t my driving force, simply the need to feed my intellectual emotions and again feel the excitement of the chase. The designer is a hunter of ideas!

Do you have any further thoughts about motivation in designing? Why do we do what we do as designers? You know, why go the extra mile to find a personally satisfying solution? I’m obsessed with invention. Most designers may stop short, producing nice work that clients are pleased with. My curse is that I’m not content with what went before. I have to invent things that result from searching and identifying problems that perhaps no one else sees. Innovation follows. So, why work this way? Maybe to remake a small part of the world, certainly not for the money, or racking up more patents. There have been a good percentage of failures along the way, probably a more conservative approach would have resulted in a steadier cash flow. For instance, what do you think drives a guy like Frank Gehry? Maybe he’s just bored with doing the normal’ designs. He’s proven he can do that, but yet he seems to be reaching for a more original, creative expression to move the emotions. In my case, I always thought I possessed this ability to identify and solve problems. Maybe it’s just simply about ego. After all a little ego can be a good thing. 6 David Jenkins, Jenkins Design 702-575-0979 www.mmqb.com

Industry People

Where are they Now? The stories are varied, but all offer sage advice, based on years and decades in office furniture, on improving an industry in which they once served. BY: ROB KIRKBRIDE

O

ver the past decade, the office furniture industry has shed thousands of workers. Some have left by choice. Many others were laid off during the maelstrom of job cuts in the early 2000s and again over the past few years. The cuts were both a necessary bloodletting and a massive talent loss. The Monday Morning Quarterback decided to catch up with a few of these former office furniture industry workers to see where they are today and what they think of the industry they left behind. What we found is a group of successful people, most of whom fondly remember their time in the industry. Most are happy to be out. A few want to come back. Some of those interviewed came from the executive offices and others the shop floor. One is working on engineering projects with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to protect New Orleans from hurricanes. Another is helping corporate America become green. One is teaching companies how to treat customers and improve sales. And yet another is working in an industry that is worse off than office furniture:

20 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

automotive. One is training salespeople how to sell mattresses. The stories are varied, but all offer sage advice, based on years and decades in office furniture, on improving an industry in which they once served. These are their stories. Mike Veal: Fighting over ‘same piece of ground’ Mike Veal spent nine years in the office furniture industry, all of it within HNI Corp. Veal was laid off from his job as vice president of sustainability and alliance partnerships at Allsteel in January. He currently works at Stanley Consultants, an engineering firm in Muscatine, Iowa, a job where he still sits on HON chairs. Though he enjoys his job working on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Task Force providing project management support for hurricane/flood protection projects in New Orleans, he still misses an industry he grew to love while moving up the ranks at HON and Allsteel. He is the only one of two people interviewed by MMQB that would consider returning to the office furniture industry. www.mmqb.com

“What I’m doing now is a lot different than office furniture, but I really like it,” he said. “Still, I really miss the office furniture industry. It is too bad, because the office furniture industry was pretty much hit by the first wave of the recession. Office furniture always gets it first. I don’t miss the ups and downs of the industry, but I really liked the product and really liked the people. “When you are in it for 10 years, you get to know a lot of people. If the right opportunity presented itself, I would definitely go back. I have nothing against the industry at all and I still have a lot to bring back. But it is never the employee’s call, is it?” On the positive side, Veal said the office furniture industry is good at connecting with its customers. It receives feedback from customers and is able to quickly respond to their needs and demands. Sustainability is one area where the give and take between manufacturers and customers led to the industry changing its practices. That kind of feedback system is rare in other industries, he said. Veal said there are simply too many office furniture makers in the industry. He said too many companies are trying to push the same product into the same environment. That makes for a hyper-competitive market where few win. “It is like wolves jumping on a dead carcass,” he said. “A lot of companies are fighting over the same piece of ground.” Chuck Otto: Turning green into gold Chuck Otto was caught in a 2008 downsizing at Haworth. A veteran public relations expert, Otto was in charge of communicating Haworth’s green initiatives. He was only there for 17 months when he was told his job would be eliminated because of the economic downturn. “Since I was the last one in, I guess I was the first one out,” he said. “Losing my job was one of the worst days of my life. I’ll never forget it.” Like many, Otto fell into the office furniture industry more than chose it. About 10 years ago, he moved from Chicago to West Michigan. He met someone at Herman Miller who gave him project work. “They liked me enough too keep me coming back,” he said. “I worked a lot with them during the first recession.” When some of Herman Miller’s marketing people migrated to Haworth, Otto was offered a full time job there. Though it didn’t last long, he said he learned much from the industry about sustainability. Like so many who have been displaced by office furniture industry cuts, Otto has made the most of his career change. And he has used what he learned in the industry to consult other companies hoping to adopt green prinwww.mmqb.com

ciples. “I think the furniture industry has done a great job looking forward at what we can do to make an environmentally responsible product,” he said. “It’s really been a leader. I’m proud of the experience I got and what I learned from them.” Though Otto appreciates much of what he gained from his experience in the office furniture industry, he said he won’t miss NeoCon and some of the ridiculous environmental claims made by some of the smaller companies in the industry. He hopes some of those companies will be called out for what he calls “greenwashing.” Otto currently is working with several firms in Chicago on improving their green credentials -- something he couldn’t have done without his time at Herman Miller and Haworth. “My time in the industry focused a lot of my green leanings,” he said. “I really got a handle on what it is I care about. I was a tree hugger for a long time, but after Herman Miller and Haworth, I found out what I could actually do with sustainability. It’s set my course for the rest of my life, thanks to walking into Herman Miller that day.” Don Brecken: There is life after Steelcase For more than 25 years, Don Brecken worked for Steelcase and he watched as the company changed from a family-run corporation to a public company beholden to Wall Street. He is one of the few people MMQB talked to who left the industry voluntarily. For the majority of his time at Steelcase, Brecken was a quality management representative at the company’s computer furniture plant. In 2001 he was caught up in a round of downsizing, where his salaried position was eliminated. He was one of the few to have the option to stay on by taking a hourly position in the factory. Brecken worked nights in the company’s file plant as a welder and on a press. He worked his way back up to being an assistant night supervisor and later, to a continuous improvement position. He went on to take a salaried position at Steelcase’s University building. Despite moving back up in the company, Brecken, who has an master’s degree in business administration and extensive training in quality control, felt he was being underemployed by Steelcase. He left the company to be the director of quality at Commercial Tool & Die, a company that makes plastic injection molds for automotive suppliers. Despite going to an industry that is in worse shape than office furniture, Brecken said he doesn’t regret his decision to leave Steelcase. “I more than doubled my income, for one,” he said. “I was severely underemployed at Steelcase. I had an MBA and was quite active American Society for Quality. I miss the people and the work March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 21

Industry People was good, but I don’t miss the ups and downs and angst caused by the economy.” If Brecken has any gripe about the industry, not surprisingly, it is its lack of employee development. He said employees are trained, but not with skills that are easily portable to other industries. He has advice for Steelcase as well: Return the family feel to the company by boosting morale. “To everyone still working there, I have to say, there is life after Steelcase,” he said. “I feel like I have moved on and graduated from Steelcase and people should know that leaving is not necessarily a bad thing. I’m sitting here at my new job with a 25 year (Steelcase employee recognition) watch on and I wear it daily. I have no complaints about the Steelcase, but there are opportunities to be found after working there.” Juanita Brown: Missing us terribly Juanita Brown has been away from the office furniture industry since she closed her training consulting business in 2006. Prior to that, she was a divisional sales training specialist at Kimball Office. During an office furniture career that lasted nearly 25 years, she also worked for Haworth, Knoll and DeKalb Office Environments. “Now that I’ve gotten a taste of retail, I aspire to

lead a sales training program for an office furniture maker again.” And she desperately misses the office furniture industry. “I miss it terribly,” said Brown, now a territory sales trainer for mattress company Tempur-Pedic. “It was my whole world for 20 years. Now that I’ve gotten a taste of retail, I aspire to lead a sales training program for an office furniture maker again.” She misses the tightness of the people in the industry, though she recognizes that close familiarity does have its drawbacks. “When I got out I realized what it meant and how valuable it was to know so many people,” she said. “Knowing so many people is what kept me up to date. When you are outside in a different industry, it doesn’t matter how much you read or try to keep up. Without that day-to-day interaction with people, you lose so much perspective. I would say to everyone in the office furniture industry: Cherish your connections. They are all giving you very valuable things that you can use to help your career.” That industry tightness can also have its drawbacks, Brown said. The office furniture industry needs to do a better job of looking outside at what’s going on. She said the industry becomes “a world in and of itself,” which can stifle creativity. “I always thought that many of the 22 The Monday Morning Quarterback

March 8, 2010

products were just reproductions of something that was already done,” she said. Mark Moreland: ‘glorious’ layoff from industry Mark Moreland spent about 16 years in the office furniture industry where he held a variety of positions in sales at Kimball, Herman Miller, Workscapes and finally, Aaron’s Office Furnishings. When he was let go late last year, he calls it the “glorious act of God that got me laid off from a position I was miserable in.” “That forced me to get out of the industry,” he said. “(After I was let go) I had friends who I had helped with their businesses and they came to me with a business plan to help me launch my business. I went home and said, ‘Honey, I guess we started a company today.’ It’s been great. It’s very refreshing to have people come to you because you can do something to help them.” Moreland started Moreland Marketing in his hometown of Orlando. Moreland acts as a networking advocate for professional representation and business development. His company allows companies to outsource their marketing and business development to save costs and drive profits. He said he is happy to be out of the office furniture industry after watching it focus less on the beauty of the furniture and more on the bottom line. He also was disturbed to watch the industry mostly ignore the small and emerging companies that form the backbone of the economy. “For me, it all boiled down to one thing: The office furniture industry never really comes up with solutiondriven products,” he said. “Everybody in that industry has a focus group made up of its best clients and the most friendly facility managers. They fly them in, and these focus groups tell them how great they are. I think that’s the wrong model. I’ve learned that the key to sales and marketing is long term relationships and actually listening to what people say to you -- good and bad.” He also wishes the office furniture industry would listen to its sales force more. Too often, salespeople are seen as a “necessary evil,” Moreland said, though they are the frontline and the direct connection to customers. Moreland said he misses helping customers find “great solutions” to their office furniture problems, but for the most part, he’s happy to be out. “I’m smiling a lot more since I’ve been out. It’s a crazy business full of wonderful people who have great ideas,” he said. “If the companies they work for would listen to the front line people, the industry would be much better off.” 6

www.mmqb.com

Product Briefing [ Products ]

Raynor Contract’s Nefil and

[ Products ]

Sedia Systems Piretti Table SEDIA SYSTEMS, together with their manufacturing partner Lamm, introduces the Velo table designed by Giancarlo Piretti. Perfect for offices, classrooms, training rooms or any multi-purpose space, the Velo flip-top table features synchronized movement between the table top and legs, allowing tables to nest securely against each other. A simple one-hand movement of the flip-top mechanism smoothly moves the table to its vertical position while the legs simultaneously rotate www.mmqb.com

inward. Designed by Giancarlo Piretti, the Velo offers the clean lines and innovative features for which Mr. Piretti is famous. The table’s versatility cannot be underrated. Available in six rectangular sizes, two oval sizes and a round option, the Velo can be utilized in education, hospitality or corporate settings, as well as easily stored. Options such as a table connecting system and modesty panels further enhance the Velo’s utility.

RAYNORCONTRACT introduces Nefil (above), an affordable yet aesthetically pleasing task seating line, designed to adjust to any position and economy. The main structure of the chair, a multi function ergonomic back, arm and seat support, is highlighted to give definition to the composition. The back features “smart motion”, an element that gives flexibility during movement. Seat and back components are available in mesh or fabric. An aluminum structure

and base version is also offered for the executive office. Raynorcontract’s design

March 8, 2010

team also has re-engineered the Ergo Human (left) for a sleeker and highly functional product. The main structure of the chair, a multi function ergonomic back, arm and seat have been re-designed to give more options and support. The chrome back and base suit the executive office environment with comfort and modern styling. Seat and back are available in leather, mesh or fabric with a standard chrome base. The Monday Morning Quarterback 23

Weekly Figures Stocks MMQB Contract Furniture Index 3500

3000

2500

2000

2/8

2/15

2/22

3/1

3/8

MMQB INDEX FOR THE WEEK:

COMPANY

SYM

CLOSE

CHANGE

52/W LOW

52/W HIGH

P/E

MKT CAP

Aaron’s Inc.

AAN

31.16

1.49

21.47

35.21

15.12

1.69b

Chromcraft

CRC

2.48

0.25

.23

2.65

na

11.52m

CompX Int’l Inc.

CIX

8.55

-0.74

4.58

10.00

na

105.76m

Design Within Reach

DWRI.pk

0.17

-0.04

0.31

4.46

na

5.08m

Flexsteel

FLXS

13.41

1.58

4.98

13.51

26.93

88.65m

Herman Miller

MLHR

19.61

1.41

7.91

19.62

55.40

1.10b

HNI

HNI

24.86

1.09

7.72

29.40

na

1.12b

INSCAPE

INQ.TO

C2.01

0.01

C1.60

C2.60

na

C19.6m

Interface

IFSIA

9.86

1.26

1.45

9.86

57.33

623.78m

14.24

0.34

7.96

16.42

8.63

36.58m

Close

Previous

Change

Kewaunee

KEQU

3086.26

2894.18

+192.08

Kimball Int’l

KBALB

7.38

0.77

5.02

9.59

25.99

277.15m

KNL

12.20

0.18

5.35

12.45

20.27

555.27m

52 week high

52 week low

Knoll Inc.

2950.62

1363.30

Leggett & Platt

LEG

20.61

1.66

10.03

21.44

29.48

3.07b

YTD Gain or Loss: +7.34

Office Depot

ODP

7.41

0.19

0.59

7.84

na

2.03b

The Dow finished with a triple-digit gain Friday, fueled by a lighter-than-expected drop in February nonfarm payrolls that appeared to reassure investors about recovery in the labor market. The solid finish also helped the MMQB Index finish the week to the upside, gaining 6% for the week. The Nasdaq jumped 3.9%, the Dow improved 2.3%, while the S&P 500 gained 3.1% on the week. A new 52-week highs were achieved last week by Fleexsteel, Herman Miller, Interface, and OfficeMax. There were no new lows.

OfficeMax

OMX

16.44

0.47

1.86

17.04

na

1.39b

Staples

SPLS

23.29

-2.47

14.35

26.00

21.15

16.86b

Steelcase

SCS

7.14

0.57

3.03

7.68

na

948.70m

20-20 Technologies TWT.TO

C3.00

0.00

C1.00

C3.75

20.00

C56.78m

United Stationers

USTR

58.40

1.29

18.20

61.75

13.93

1.40b

Virco

VIRC

3.68

0.14

1.65

4.03

70.77

52.25m

U.S Office Furniture Production Est. SOURCE: BIFMA

Year

Volume

% change

2009

$7.845 billion

-29.7%

2010e

$7.55 billion

-3.8%

2011e

$8.08 billion

+7.0%

e=estimate Revised 2/19/2010

U.S Office Furniture Consumption Est. SOURCE: BIFMA

Year

Volume

% change

2009

$9.23 billion

-29%

2010e

$9.18 billion

-.03%

2011e

$9.93 billion

+8.2%

e=estimate Revised 2/19/2010

The chief office furniture trading partner with the U.S. is Canada, receiving about 50% of all U.S. office furniture exports, and currently providing about 45% of all office furniture brought into the States. That percentage was closer to 60% in the late 1990’s but imports from other countries, particularly China, have gradually been increasing their share of the U.S. market.

24 The Monday Morning Quarterback

Value of U.S. Office Furniture Market (Millions of U.S. Dollars)

SOURCE: BIFMA

Year

Production

%Change

Imports

Exports

Consumption

%Change

2009

$7,845

-29.7

$1,875

$490

$9,230

-29.0%

2008

$11,160

-2.3%

$2,510

$679

$12,991

-3.2%

2007

$11,420

5.5%

$2,563

$565

$13,419

4.4%

2006

$10,820

7.4%

$2,531

$492

$12,859

7.9%

2005

$10,070

12.7%

$2,280

$438

$11,912

12.3%

2004

$8,935

5.1%

$2,022

$347

$10,610

5.4%

2003

$8,505

-4.3%

$1,870

$307

$10,068

-2.5%

2002

$8,890

-19%

$1,777

$338

$10,328

-16.4%

2001

$10,975

-14.4%

$1,806

$430

$12,351

-17.0%

Revised 2/19/2010

Annual Shipments by Product Category Year

Seating

Desks

SOURCE: BIFMA

Storage

Files

Tables

Systems

Other

2009

29.5%

10.7%

5.3%

13.7%

10.4%

25.8%

4.7%

2008

28.4%

11.3%

7.8%

11.6%

8.3%

28.1%

4.5%

2007

27.9%

11.0%

7.3%

12.7%

7.5%

28.8%

4.8%

2006

26.5%

10.9%

7.4%

13.3%

7.2%

30.2%

4.5%

2005

26.3%

11.1%

7.6%

14.6%

7.5%

28.8%

4.2%

2004

26.5%

11.0%

7.9%

14.1%

7.2%

29.4%

3.9%

2003

26.6%

11.0%

8.0%

13.5%

6.8%

30.5%

3.5%

2002

25.7%

11.9%

6.3%

14.3%

6.8%

30.9%

4.1%

2001

25.2%

11.5%

6.0%

12.6%

7.1%

33.7%

3.9%

March 8, 2010

www.mmqb.com

Industry Briefing Events CHICAGO / June 14-16, 2010 NeoCon Chicago at the Merchandise Mart TORONTO / September 23-24, 2010 IIDEX/NeoCon Canada at the Direct Energy Centre. BALTIMORE / December 15-16, 2010 NeoCon East at the Baltimore Convention Center COLOGNE / October 26-30, 2010 Orgatec held at the Koln Meese in Cologne, Germany www.orgatec.com

BRIEFING HNI to Close Additional Office Furniture Factory On Friday HNI Corporation announced it will close its Salisbury, North Carolina office furniture manufacturing facility during the second and third quarters of 2010. The information concerning the closing was contained in a filing with the SEC. HNI said it will consolidate the Salisbury production into existing office furniture manufacturing facilities and anticipates the closure and consolidation to be substantially completed during the fourth quarter of 2010. The company said it made this decision to reduce structural costs. HNI anticipates charges related to the closure will impact pre-tax earnings an estimated $5.9 million. HNI estimates the realignment will save approximately $4.5 million annually beginning in 2011.

TAB Products Co LLC Set to Grow Mayville Workforce with Acquisition of Ames Mayville, WI. TAB Products Co LLC, headquartered in Mayville, Wisconsin, announced Friday that it has acquired the assets of Ames Safety Envelope Company (“Ames”) of Somerville, Massachusetts, and will market Ames’s

www.mmqb.com

products and services, expanding TAB’s presence in the medical marketplace across the United States. The Ames product line will continue to be sold under the Ames brand name. Established in 1919, Ames is the nation’s largest supplier of medical records and space management solutions for hospitals with over 25,000 active clients. “We are excited about acquiring such an outstanding company as Ames. It is a significant milestone in our growth strategy,” said Bill Graham, President of TAB. “Ames’s portfolio of products are highly respected. Our top priority will be to continue the superior level of service that Ames customers have always enjoyed.” “The Ames acquisition will present new opportunities for growth, and in order to support those, TAB will be expanding its workforce in Mayville,” said John Palmer, CFO of TAB. “Our Mayville employees are a key strength of our organization and have shown a remarkable dedication to providing our customers with the records management industry’s leading products and services. We look forward to building on that track record with additions to the team.”

Indiana Furniture Appoints New Director of Marketing Indiana Furniture announced Monday that Chris Rogers has joined the company as Director of Marketing. In this position, Rogers will oversee all new product development, marketing and public relations campaigns, reporting directly to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mike Blessinger. Rogers has a solid track record in the office furnishings industry and has held various positions in management, sales, product development, and marketing. “We are excited to welcome aboard such a seasoned industry professional,” said Indiana VP of Sales and Marketing, Mike Blessinger. “Chris’s experience will be a great asset to growing the Indiana Furniture brand.”

Played:

Chicagoland office furniture dealer Interior Investments hosted their 4th Annual Aeron Office Chair Hockey Tournament on Thursday, March 4, 2010 at Navy Pier. The event raised over $30,000 for the Special Olympics Illinois. Click here to watch the video

Rick Glasser joins izzy+ as vice president of marketing and product management

distribution and market development for Haworth, as well as a product manager at Automated Marketing Systems.

Rick Glasser has joined izzy+, a Spring Lake, MI-based office and educational furniture business, as vice president of marketing and product management. Glasser has 22 Glasser years of experience in marketing and product management. At izzy+, Glasser oversees marketing and brand strategy activities including product management and marketing communications. Previously, he was director of

United Stationers Acquires MBS Dev United Stationers Supply Co. has announced the acquisition of MBS Dev, a Colorado-based provider of software and services to business products resellers. MBS Dev serves customers in the office products, JanSan, industrial/MRO, technology, electrical, plumbing and HVAC, and building and construction supplies industries. “Acquiring MBS Dev is consistent with our long-term goal of assisting resellers with their technology needs,” said S. David Bent, United

March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 25

Industry Briefing Stationers’ senior vice president of eBusiness services and corporate CIO. “Our goal is to employ MBS Dev as a solution to capitalize on key trends and to develop marketing and merchandising best practices on behalf of all resellers and technology providers,” continued Bent. “ MBS Dev will continue to serve customers’ needs under its current management team of Steve and Laura Guillaume, and will operate as a separate business unit within United.

Indiana Furniture joins IDEM’s Voluntary Idling Program Company to reduce vehicle emissions Jasper-based Indiana Furniture is the second area company to join the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s

Bret Ackerman & David Holder

(IDEM’s) Voluntary Idling Program (VIP) in the past year, making a commitment to reduce vehicle emissions. IDEM’s Southwest Regional Office Deputy Director Dave Holder visited Indiana Furniture today to officially inaugurate the company into the state program. Deputy Director Holder presented a certificate to Bret Ackerman, Indiana Furniture Chief Executive Officer, to commemorate the occasion. “By joining VIP, Indiana Furniture is doing its part to reduce diesel emissions to help improve air quality,” said Deputy Director Holder. “They are to be commended for their efforts.”

26 The Monday Morning Quarterback

IN PRINT Is There a reason to be Optimistic in the Office Market? “Though 2009 was a horrific year for commercial real estate, the office market ended the year with a whimper rather than a thud, leading to some guarded optimism as we prepare for the year ahead. In the final quarter of 2009 we observed fundamentals that contrasted starkly with the rapid deterioration that was the hallmark of much of the year. Gross leasing activity was strong enough to offset the lack of demand to which we’ve grown accustomed, and the steep vacancy increases moderated. Moreover, the job market outlook improved measurably as employers of office-using workers increased payrolls during the final quarter of 2009—something that has not happened since 2007,” writes Arthur Jones, Economist for CBRE Econometric Advisors. “We often talk about the lags associated with real estate recoveries; this time it is no different. While new hiring activity has begun the process of rebuilding the office demand base that the past two years have decimated, the job market has a long way to go before it replaces all of the office-using jobs that were lost. As it stands right now, the office market remains incredibly weak. The vacancy rate is now at 16.3%—380 basis points over the market’s pre-recession low and well over the equilibrium rate that would support sustain rental increases coveted by investors. The real problem, however, is not the vacancy rate itself, but the unobserved slack in the market that needs to be addressed before a sustained recovery can take hold. “Recessions are often associated with increases in space-use inefficiencies, as jobs are cut at a far higher rate than are leases. A typical office lease is roughly five years and sometimes longer, depending on location, which means that tenants are locked in to their space, regardless of unplanned layoffs. The result during recessions is typically an increase in the number of empty

March 8, 2010

Seen:

KI Houston sponsored a recent continuing education credit (CEU) seminar, entitled Storage Planning for Today’s Evolving Workplace, along with Shaw Contact Group, Pallas Textiles, Spacesaver, Southwest Solutions Group, and Koroseal. The CEU was followed by an evening of celebration with dining and music. “We welcomed over 100 contacts from the architect & design community to the celebration, with about 40 people also attending the CEU,” said KI Houston District Manager Terry Kaczmarek. “It was a great time to celebrate our recent successes while learning and mingling with our associates.”

Seen:

OFS Brands, Plant #6 in Huntingburg was one of seven Indiana companies recognized last week with the 2010 Governor’s Workplace Safety Awards for advancing occupational safety and health. Indiana Commissioner of Labor Lori A. Torres, on behalf of Gov. Mitch Daniels, presented the honors during a luncheon ceremony at the Central Indiana Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers and Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s annual Safety and Health Conference & Expo in Indianapolis. The 2010 Governor’s Workplace Safety Awards are a result of a partnership among government, business and safety leaders: the Indiana Department of Labor, on behalf of Gov. Mitch Daniels, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Central Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers. The focus is on best practices for eliminating job-related accidents and illnesses, and saluting those organizations for which safety is the number one workplace priority. This year, awards were handed out in five categories: overall safety for general industry; overall safety in construction; education, outreach and partnership for general industry; education and outreach in construction; and partnerships in construction. www.mmqb.com

Industry Briefing offices and cubicles, which drives up the number of square feet per worker. When this figure drifts too far above a market’s long-term historical average, it creates a phenomenon known as “shadow vacancy”; this unobserved vacant space creates additional slack in the market that must be worked off before tenants seek new space. The challenge over the coming year will be for tenants to rightsize their leasing footprints so that the office market can stabilize and begin the recovery process. “The office market can deal with the slack that has accumulated in a few ways. First, the economy might produce enough new office-using jobs to backfill the space that was left vacant during the recession. This healthy and natural way to deal with the slack will certainly have a role in the recovery; by itself, however, it would be a lengthy process for the market to endure. As it stands now, office-using employment will not likely reach its pre-recessionary peak until late 2012. “The healing process for the office market is going to involve a few rounds of treatment before health is ultimately attained. The coming year will be a critical round in which companies continue to adjust their leasing behavior to coincide with the current market and in doing so make 2010 another sub-par year. As we work out way through, however, the prospects for 2011 are far better and with any luck will lead us back to a market where we can all share a healthy dose of optimism.”

ODDS & ENDS JOINED: Heather Shoop as A Healthcare Specialist in Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania for OFS Brands. Heather has years of experience in the metro Philadelphia Shoop marketplace both with a dealer and independent representative firm. Heather will provide dealer, A&D and End User support for healthcare and higher education projects in the territory. www.mmqb.com

JOINED: Becky Duignan as the Market Resource Manager in New York City for OFS Brands. Becky will be responsible for the OFS Brands NYC showroom located at 12 W. 21st St., as well as local marketing and specification assistance. Becky is a LEED accredited professional, and was most recently employed as an Interior Designer at Nelson, NYC. RELOCATED: Kelsey Brown, Teknion’s Architecture and Design Market Manager for North and South Carolina, has accepted a relocation into the Atlanta market. Brown She will join Teknion’s Atlanta team, led by Regional Manager Rhiannon Adams and supported by Susan Percy, District Manager, Chandra Jackson, Showroom Manager, Bart Mackey, District Manager and Pete Nikolich, District Manager. APPOINTED: David Wright has joined Dauphin as Product Manager – Tables. David was employed with Dauphin years ago and recently has worked with Dauphin as a Wright consultant. In this newly created position, David will be responsible for the overall management of all table products for the Dauphin and Valo brands for North America. APPOINTED: Vanessa Hartke to Director of Sales & Marketing for First Office. Over the past 10+ years with parent company OFS Brands, Vanessa has served in capacities Hartke such as Director of Corporate Education and Director of Environmental and Sustainability Resources. NOW REPPING: Carlson Marketing Group in the New England territory consisting of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for Burch Fabrics Group.

Seen:

Just in time for the Oscars, Peabody Office Furniture is making the final touches on their Spring Window, “Lights Camera Action!” a display of furniture featured in movies including Shutter Island, The Company Men and Twilight. The window is also a tribute to movies filmed in Boston including The Departed, Fever Pitch and Legally Blonde. Several of the pieces on display have been loaned to Peabody by local designer Suzanne Boucher (pictured above) of Full Swing Textiles whose vintage upholstered furniture and drapes have been used in dozens of TV shows and movies.

March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 27

MarketPlace To place a Marketplace Ad simply go to: http://www.mmqb.com and click on “Place a Job Ad” or “Place a Classified Ad.” Questions? Call us at 847681-1199 x1. Ads close Friday 6:00 pm for Monday’s edition.

Outstanding Sales Career Opportunity Join the successful leader in office furniture sales National Business Furniture, the 30 year leader in catalog and on-line business furniture sales has expansion opportunities for top notch outside sales representatives residing in or near Chicago and Washington, DC.·Will consider placement in other major cities with good customer base. Stable company. No caps on commission. Generous full benefit package, car allowance, computer, solid customer base, large vendor selection, access to government contract, excellent design and customer service support. 3-years of business-to-business end-user office furniture outside sales experience required. Must be comfortable working from home office and have ability to travel within territory including use of personal vehicle. Comfortable with sales process. Well organized. 3-4 months on salary and then draw against commission Visit www.nationalbusinessfurniture.com for company information. Send resume and earnings expectations to:·[email protected] : Attn: OSGH

Controller Needed Join one of the largest and most established contract furniture dealers in the tri-state area. Controller position available in accounting department reporting directly to CFO. Responsibilities to include: Month/Year End Closing, Account Analysis,Maintenance and Reconciliation of General Ledger, Bank Reconciliations, Journal Entries, 1099/1096 preparation, Budgeting and Schedules. Candidate should have skills in Excel and Word along with BA or higher in Accounting. Please forward resume to [email protected]

National Sales Manager Wanted - Office Chairs Importer and distributor of budget office chairs is looking for a national sales manager. Great opportunity! Flash Furniture, the premier importer and distributor of budget office chairs, is seeking a national sales manager. Ample sales opportunity and room for growth! Competitive pay package and incentive plan available. Email resume to [email protected]

www.mmqb.com

Healthcare Division - Sales Leader Excellent growth opportunity with a Premier Steelcase Dealer in Tampa, FL! Storr Office Environments, one of the fastest growing Steelcase dealers in the Southeast, is looking to hire an ambitious Sales Leader to manage and grow their Healthcare Business Unit in Tampa, FL. Successful candidates will develop, market, and promote Storr’s Healthcare knowledge, products, and services throughout our marketplace. Candidates will take a leadership role in developing, managing, and coaching current/new account managers. This position will ensure success by achieving established sales goals. The Healthcare Leader will be responsible for establishing relationships with A&D firms that focus on Healthcare and developing ongoing training/development programs for these firms. Knowledge of the Healthcare arena, facilities, and clinical environment is critical to the success of this position. A previous knowledge of healthcare/office furniture/ interior design is recommended. Ideal candidates will integrate themselves into our industry and community through organizations and relationships. Please visit www.storr.com. Apply to: [email protected]

Seating Product Specialist Opportunity Come grow with us at izzy+ in Spring Lake, MI! Headquartered in Spring Lake, MI, izzy+ is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of cool and affordable office furniture and seating products. We currently have an opening for a Seating Product Specialist. Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing or Finance is required in addition to 2-5 years of experience in a product management and/or marketing department, preferably in the contract office furniture environment. Leadership and organizational skills are required as well as the ability to drive many projects simultaneously. Candidate must be analytical, have strong communication skills and exhibit the ability to drive training and support to the company’s customer service and sales/ distribution teams. Travel is estimated to be between 30 to 40%. Benefit package includes 401k, disability, health, dental and life insurance. Qualified candidates should send their resume in confidence to: izzy+, Human Resources 17237 Van Wagoner Road Spring Lake, MI 49456 email: [email protected] fax: 616-847-4279 An Equal Opportunity Employer izzyplus.com

VP of National Sales

Unique Position for the Sales Professional with an Entrepreneurial Spirit! Dynamic, high-energy team player needed to build and lead a sales team at a nationally prominent art consulting firm servicing the healthcare sector. Must have proven track record in developing and implementing marketing plans, branding, client care, hiring, training and motivating sales staff, developing incentive programs, instituting processes and success measures, client presentations, RFP and bid management and networking. Healthcare, architecture, or interior design experience is preferred. We are an employee-owned company and offer excellent benefits and incentives. Send Resume to [email protected]

Furniture Sales Consultant Work the Los Angeles Market! Responsible for proactively developing and maintaining furniture opportunities with federal government prospects by finding creative methods to engage key influencers. Develop and support furniture sales growth of $5 Million or more in the next 3 years in the Los Angeles market. Continue to increase sales and maintain margins of office furniture projects by educating customers on all IB furniture marketing campaigns for our BSC stores and online website. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, minimum of 5 years experience in office furniture design/sales (government sales preferred). Email resume to: [email protected] or mail to Industries for the Blind, 445 S. Curtis Rd., West Allis, WI 53214 EOE No phone calls please.

National Market Development Manager ISE IS GROWING! ...and needs a dynamic, self-motivated individual to spearhead the continuing growth of its “Line-of-Sight” Education Product Line. Reporting to the President & CEO, you will work closely with ISE’s Regional Sales Managers to develop and implement a strategic product, pricing and placement plan. Compensation will comprise a base salary and an attractive growth bonus ensuring that you directly benefit from the successful implementation of the plan. ISE needs your leadership, business savvy and insatiable drive to win, in order to continue the growth momentum. Please email your resume to [email protected]

Account Manager Great opportunity! Brennan’s Office Interiors, Inc. , a preferred Haworth dealer, is one of the largest and most respected contract furniture dealerships in the Greater Philadelphia area. Make an impact by joining us today in the following position based in our New Castle, DE office: Account Manager You will be responsible for the sales and management of large accounts. Specifically, you will be the single pointof-contact for coordinating all dealer activities, services, orders and personnel for each assigned account. REQUIREMENTS: • Minimum 5+ years industry experience with systems furniture • Must be able to travel multi-state territory • Proficiency in Windows based applications • Strong oral and written communication skills • Ability to remain organized and effectively manage individual and team time schedule while working on multiple projects in various stages of completion We provide a creative and rewarding work environment with a competitive compensation package. Sharon Brennan Human Resources Brennan’s office Interiors, Inc. 650 Center Point Blvd. New Castle, DE 19720 Phone: 302-325-8190 ext.30 Fax: 302-328-2071 Email: [email protected]

Seating Designer Coordinator Come work for a dynamic company! ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Communicate with China & US staff regarding R&D, Production, Graphics, Logistics, QC, Accounting, Customer Service and operations on all pertinent issues related to sales. Prepare materials for internal & external sales force for account presentations Communicate effectively with external personnel on Sales, R & D, Customer Service, Graphics, and Logistical Issues Manage, coordinate and organize paper flow for materials such as orders, correspondence. Sarah Lopez, HR Manager True Innovations 2052 Alton Parkway Irvine, CA 92606 Phone: 9494284141 Fax: 9494264147 Email: [email protected]

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The Monday Morning Quarterback 29

MarketPlace Sales Representative & Account Manager

Market Manager - South Carolina/North Carolina

Exciting Opportunity For Aggressive Sales Representative in the Worlds Leading Materials Library

Great Opportunity!

International Materials Consultancy & Library seeking an experienced inside sales rep/account manager. Background in design, architecture, or media sales helpful. You will be responsible for generating new sales and maintaining current accounts for renewal. Ideal candidates should have at least 3 years experience in a sales role. The candidate must be a closer with a track record of meeting and exceeding sales quotas and able to establish and build client relationships. Candidate must be comfortable selling to designers of different disciplines from fashion to architecture, in one-on-one and larger group settings. Must be detail-oriented, able to schedule and prioritize responsibilities and followthrough consistently to maintain the highest level of customer relations. MUST be able to cold-call new prospects. Base of $38,000.00 plus structured bonus plan and benefits. [email protected] www.materialconnexion.com EOE/M/F/D/V

A&D Business Development Manager We are Growing, Come on Along ! ECA is a leading OEM supplier of power and data grommets and modular electrical systems to the contract furniture market. We need an enthusiastic, team player on our team in the role of New Business Development Manager servicing the A&D and end user markets. Qualified candidate will build ECA’s brand awareness within the A&D and direct customer sales channels by developing and maintaining long term relationships with key specifiers and users of electrical and data products. Responsibilities include identifying new accounts, sales presentations and guiding the specification and sales process through project term. Ideal candidate will have a BS in business, marketing or design and a minimum three years sales experience in the field of contract furniture or architectural and design sales. Position will ideally be located within the Tri-State area but coverage will be throughout the US and require approximately 60% travel. Send resume and salary history to: [email protected]

30 The Monday Morning Quarterback

This position is responsible for achieving established sales goal objectives for the North Carolina/South Carolina sales territory through a combination of business development and supporting/growing existing customer/dealer relationships. Responsible activities include developing the current distribution network, new business and existing account development, conducting product/process training, making joint sales calls, and analyzing competition. A Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, design, or equivalent with five to seven years of experience in a sales or marketing role preferably within the contract office furniture or closely related industry. Must also have a proven record of generating results and working under measurable goals. Reply in confidence to [email protected]. Please indicated DEPARTMENT Z in the subject of your email. EOE

SEEKING REPRESENTATION INDEPENDENT SALES REPS WANTED BRC Canada seeks Independent Sales Representation for selected US Territories. Are you ready to join North America’s fastest growing Contract Furniture Manufacturer? BRC Canada (www.brccanada.com) will provide a broad range of competitively priced, high quality laminate products, with custom capabilities that make our products attractive to dealers, designers and end users. * Industry leading Environmental Policies And Certifications. LEED Friendly. * All products ANSI BIFMA tested. * Full Custom Capabilities. * GSA Contract. * ISO9001 / ISO14001 * 48 Hour Quote Turnaround Guarantee with drawings. * 300,000+ Standard Product SKU’s. * Approved OEM Vendor for Herman Miller. * Mill work Solutions/Health care. * +++++ More ! Motivated Sales Professionals should have an established dealer network and contacts and in return BRC will provide complete sales support and an aggressive commission plan. Dealer Spiffs, Quick Ship and Rebate Programs available to dealers. Interested parties should contact Steven Geiger, Vice President Sales, 1.877.260.4309 (X109) [email protected]

March 8, 2010

Here we grow again!

Representatives Wanted

Leader in Ergonomic Seating Solutions looking for Top Notch Reps

Add a new line for your healthcare sector

So Cal Based Ergo Chair MFG. Looking for Independent Reps for AZ, Bay Area and other areas. Also looking for reps that specialize in GSA Sales and Reps that have experience in Corporate Sales. Contact: [email protected] Website: www.ecdonline.net

American Art Resources is looking for independent reps for Southern and Northern California, South and Central Florida, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Seattle, New York, Cleveland and Boston. We are seeking an experienced professional that has existing relationships with decision makers in the healthcare sector. AAR is the leading healthcare art consulting firm in the US. Impressive client list and strong marketing support for reps. Our product line is complimentary to furniture lines for healthcare. Send inquiries and qualifications to: [email protected]

GET THIS GSA OPPORTUNITY! Win-Win Business Proposal! KOASWELL, the company which introduced the Office Furniture System into Korea and enjoys an excellent reputation as a leading furniture company, is a GSA contract holder. We would like to find our win-win business partner who can be our representative in the GSA market in the US, Japan and Guam area. We are eager to expand our market to US Government as well as commercial market. Get this fruitful business opportunity! Details: • Excellent commission rate. (Can be improved depends on your achievement!) Requirements: • Experience in Government Sales is preferred. • Dedicated endeavor to promote and sell our products. • Professional business communication skills. We will look forward to you knocking our door! Contact us! Peter Shim (General Manager): [email protected] (82 2 2163 6076) Jennifer Yoon (Account Manager): [email protected] (82 2 2163 6073) Visit us and see what we can do! www.ikoas.com

Independent Rep Firms Wanted in PA, NY/NJ, LA Rep the hottest growing firm in furniture! Enwork, a leading manufacturer of Tables, Laminate Casegoods, Steel Desks/Storage and Components is seeking independent sales rep firms for PA, NY/NJ, and LA. Interested candidates must be multiperson rep firms that will service aligned contract furniture dealers with adequate resources and complimentary products. Enwork has enjoyed significant growth every year since its inception in 2003 including 2009! Many rep firms have sold $1M+ in year 1. A rich history of outstanding value, rapid product development, and unparalleled customer service has resulted in a fast moving company equipped for the contract furniture industry of the 21st century. Need an anchor line? Look no further. Learn more about Enwork at www.enwork. com. Email David Powell at [email protected] if interested.

Independent Representatives Your Total Solutions Provider Jasper Desk is the leader in value, performance and flexibility. Being vertically integrated everything is made to order, we lay up our own veneers and mill our own hardwoods. This means you never have to compromise whether the specification is for new offices, office redesigns or the renovation of historic buildings. Jasper Desk has earned the FSC Certification for all our products (SCSCOC-002924). Standard lead time is 4 weeks or 10 days on our extensive standard product offerings and 4 to 6 weeks on customs. Jasper Desk has been an American tradition since 1876 and has openings in Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, Minnesota and North and South Dakota. Choice Awards Program in effect for Dealers and Designers. Please send resume to the attention of Larry Kuzemka at [email protected] or fax to 812.482.9552. Thanks.

Manufacturer’s Representative Wanted Great opportunity for Higher Ed. focused Rep’s. Clarin Learning Systems - a company well known in fixed and portable seating industry - is looking for aggressive self starters focused on A&D sales to University & Educational markets in AZ, CA, NM, and CO. Clarin offers exclusive territories and a unique well known line of fixed and multipurpose & portable seating product offerings. Clarin is known for our outstanding design, engineering, and customer support! If you are interested in discussing select market opportunities contact; Michael Slater 303-550-7846 [email protected]

www.mmqb.com

MarketPlace SERVICES GOODBYE EXPENSIVE PHOTO SHOOTS! State of the art graphics technology that allows your product or concept to come alive and get noticed! These renderings are a powerful marketing and sales tool when incorporated into websites, presentations, brochures, and other media. Show your finish selections and other options to visually communicate how a product will look. Personal, professional, and timely service is what has made Alexie Robbert Studio the premiere rendering service for the contract furniture industry. To view the online portfolio, visit www.alexierobbert. com. For questions, quotes and information, call Alexie at 269-686-2405, or email [email protected]

MMQB THE BUSINESS OF THE CONTRACT FURNISHINGS INDUSTRY

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March 8, 2010

The Monday Morning Quarterback 31

Last Word

Original ad for Vitra’s Panton Chair