03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS CITED: “EDUCATING THE MIND WITHOUT EDUCATING THE HEART IS NO EDUCATION AT ALL.” —ARISTOTLE Color Revolution at 3form A color revolution is happening at 3form. The brand’s focus has to this point resided firmly with the technology and aesthetic of its interlayer – that is, the substance or aesthetic element pressed and baked into its architectural materials. In the past few years, however, 3form began studying close-up what design- ers and architects want out of the 3form product. How were designers using the products, what aspects of the products were presenting challenges, and what could 3form do to help solve those challenges and improve its offerings? The in-depth study showed 3form that architects and designers are placing a high premium on color. FULL STORY ON PAGE 3… Profitable Perspectives for Design Planning As designers, we are also psychologists providing clients with reputation enhancing environments backed by thorough re- search, relevant solutions, realized expectations and investment protection. You knew that already…but can we do it effectively without understanding the perspectives of the user, as well as the client’s decision team? Officeinsight contributor Peter Ot- terstrom sheds light on the once sweeping commitment to the collaboration trend that chained employees to long bench-based environments – a trend that photographs beautifully but itches at the constraints demanded of the users. As we come away from over-commitment to collaborative workstation design concepts, what is our next step? FULL STORY ON PAGE 7… Windy City Report: 2016 Spring Art Exhibitions As winter ebbs away, Chicagoans, and all those residing in four- season cities, are slowly unfurling from our offices and apart- ments, spending just a bit more time out in the fresh air. One of the best ways to spark inspiration and push through that fickle spring season is to hop on the train or take a long lunch to check out an art show or special exhibit around town. This spring, the Windy City does not disappoint; officeinsight editor Mallory Jindra provides a look at Chicago’s spring art offerings, from the outrageous and imaginative to the poignant and inquisitive. FULL STORY ON PAGE 13…
Transcript
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS
CITED:“EDUCATING THE MIND WITHOUT EDUCATING THE HEART IS NO EDUCATION AT ALL.” —ARISTOTLE
Color Revolution at 3form
A color revolution is happening at 3form. The brand’s focus has to this point resided firmly with the technology and aesthetic of its interlayer – that is, the substance or aesthetic element pressed and baked into its architectural materials. In the past few years, however, 3form began studying close-up what design-ers and architects want out of the 3form product. How were designers using the products, what aspects of the products were presenting challenges, and what could 3form do to help solve those challenges and improve its offerings? The in-depth study showed 3form that architects and designers are placing a high premium on color.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 3…
Profitable Perspectives for Design Planning
As designers, we are also psychologists providing clients with reputation enhancing environments backed by thorough re-search, relevant solutions, realized expectations and investment protection. You knew that already…but can we do it effectively without understanding the perspectives of the user, as well as the client’s decision team? Officeinsight contributor Peter Ot-terstrom sheds light on the once sweeping commitment to the collaboration trend that chained employees to long bench-based environments – a trend that photographs beautifully but itches at the constraints demanded of the users. As we come away from over-commitment to collaborative workstation design concepts, what is our next step?
FULL STORY ON PAGE 7…
Windy City Report: 2016 Spring Art Exhibitions
As winter ebbs away, Chicagoans, and all those residing in four-season cities, are slowly unfurling from our offices and apart-ments, spending just a bit more time out in the fresh air. One of the best ways to spark inspiration and push through that fickle spring season is to hop on the train or take a long lunch to check out an art show or special exhibit around town. This spring, the Windy City does not disappoint; officeinsight editor Mallory Jindra provides a look at Chicago’s spring art offerings, from the outrageous and imaginative to the poignant and inquisitive.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 13…
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 2 OF 39
v
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03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 3 OF 39
product design
A color revolution is happening at 3form. The manufacturer of building materials and architectural hardware solutions has for years provided the A&D community with sustainable panel materials of resin, polycarbonate and glass for interior and exterior spaces, accompanied by a steady flow of bril-liant aesthetic collection releases.
The company’s focus has to this point resided firmly with the technology and aesthetic of its interlayer – that is, the substance or aesthetic element pressed and baked into its architectural materials. Architects and designers can work with an extensive lineup of interlayers, including those with artisanal, organic, tailored, wood, textural, pure color, imag-ery and metallic elements.
In the past few years, however, 3form began studying close-up what designers and architects want out of the 3form product. How were designers using the products, what aspects of the products were presenting challenges, and what could 3form do to help solve those challenges and improve its offerings? The company sought to move away from thinking purely about what’s inside the product, and move toward a focus on what architects can and are actu-ally doing with the product.
The in-depth study showed 3form that architects and designers are placing a high premium on color.
“People are focusing on using color more than anything else with our products,” said Randi Pastrovic, director of
Color Revolution at 3formby Mallory Jindra
3form exterior install: Chroma XT in Cranberry
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product design
marketing at 3form. “Architects and designers often have to mix and match colors to streamline the aesthetic within a space, and that takes a lot of time. We’ve expanded our palette to 250 to make that easier.”
3form’s new system, called the Translucent Color Portfolio, begins with and revolves around and a toolkit of colors, which 3form care-fully streamlined to an even 250 of the most impactful shades in commercial design. Once an architect/designer chooses a color, they can then apply it to one of five material types, includ-ing: Varia Ecoresin, Chroma, Struttura, Pressed Glass and Koda XT. Architects and designers can use these materi-als to create a whole range of different surface types, including horizontal, vertical and wall, and exterior surfaces.
With the Translucent Color Portfo-
lio, 3form hopes to save architects and designers time by giving them streamlined tools to easily build spaces around pure color.
“Today, more than ever, architects and designers are short on time,” said Ms. Pastrovic, in the announcement by 3form. “While we can’t help them with that, we can be respectful of the little time they have by providing a curated selection of top notch 3form products and making them easy to specify.”
This year at NeoCon, we can expect to step into a brand new showroom experience at 3form, designed by Michael McGinn of Standard Issue Design. The new showroom will debut 3form’s new Translucent Color Portfolio with a series of 40-inch round rotating disks of color. Showroom guests will be able to travel through the movement and interaction of color and form as Randi Pastrovic, director of marketing at 3form
3form’s new Translucent Color Portfolio includes 250 carefully chosen colors
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product designthe disks, made of 3form’s core mate-rials, revolve in place.
3form is keeping showroom render-ings under wraps at the moment, but we took a peak and were not disappointed!
The Translucent Color Portfolio is the first of several changes 3form will undergo in the next few years, as part of an internal reinventing process. Next up, 3form CEO Talley Goodson has a two-year transition plan for the company’s system of sampling that will reformulate how its shelving looks.
3form, and its new focus on color, is a superb example of a company challenging itself to evolve by ques-tioning the strengths and weakness of its product and rethinking how the product is specified. We’re excited to see the new 3form showroom at NeoCon in June and to hear feedback from architects and designers who will be using its new system!
Varia Ecoresin, 3form’s flagship resin product, in Wander Maize
Talley Goodson, CEO of 3form
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a&d
As designers, we are also psychologists providing decision teams with reputa-tion enhancing evidence of thorough research, relevant solutions, realized expectations and investment protec-tion. Yes, you knew that already…but can we do it effectively without under-standing the perspectives of the user, as well as the decision team?
While reading Kay Sargent’s recent officeinsight articles (read more here: Part 1, Part 2) about today’s design responsibilities, I could clearly hear the sharp pinging sound of a nail well struck by a gifted carpenter. The once sweeping commitment to the collabora-tion trend chained employees to long bench-based environments that pho-tographed beautifully but itched at the constraints demanded of the users.
For a few years, NeoCon and other
trade shows were full of seminars with pictorial splendor showing the beauty and promising productivity. And it must be said – wow, the seduction of decision makers who quickly saw the cost differential between panel based workstations and long rows of tables. But, the itching of constraints contin-ued, and some were willing to quietly share their discontent.
Collaboration continues to be a por-tion of the workweek. In many instanc-es, chosen individuals – executives, department heads and group managers – have no trouble finding private loca-tions for meetings and “important” col-laborating. Why? Because “important” collaboration often requires privacy and even security. But what about the col-laborative needs of regular office work-ers? Perhaps they can just converse
across the vast expanse of tables, where others are either trying to concentrate or hold important business phone calls. The shift back toward putting concen-tration ahead of collaboration seems to please most office workers. The key, of course, is to plan for the need and design for the results required.
If it doesn’t ADjust it must be UNjustEvery morning, I get in my car and
begin the day – the ritual and the necessity of personal-fit adjustments. Someone else might have driven my car yesterday because this morning, it does not fit my needs as a driver. I can make adjustments, and I do because it’s my car, and I made sure I bought one that I could adjust; only then can I con-centrate on driving and avoiding injury from surrounding drivers or other road
Profitable Perspectives for Design Planningby Peter Otterstrom
Barely there paneling and materials chosen for aesthetic appearance over acoustic function contribute to a noisy, distracting workplace environment.
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 8 OF 39
a&dhazards. My seat comes first – electric or manual, I will make it fit me. Then, I adjust my tech support gear, and solar protection. Then, my mirrors, steering wheel and temperature controls.
How often is this human need fac-tored into providing and encouraging the productivity expected of the user?
In those wonder-filled years I spent at Herman Miller, I had the chance to work with Bob Probst, creator of the Action Office System, at Herman Miller Research and be a part of a ratio-nal thinking experience based upon observing that which will not work, or works against the user, and then correcting it – making task-support en-hancing instead of hindering and acting
as a solver instead of a product pusher. Every day, there were new insights
into perspective research. For ex-ample, in Bob’s offices, the illuminated EXIT signs were 18 inches off the floor. Why? Because during a fire, the smoke obscures the signs over the doors, while the ones low down, at crawl level, will guide you out!
How do people work; what do they use; how do they use it? Is “change” recognized and considered? What things are changing, what things will change and even, what things might change…How are these things consid-ered? These thoughts, questions and challenges are inherent in the respon-sibilities of the designer.
At Herman Miller, new habits were formed, tactics evolved and ethics were revised. Patterns become guide-lines, not just for avoiding mistakes, but for developing a reputation for Facility Performance Accuracy. So, how can we achieve this expertise, reputation and income? Ah, there’s the rub.
One answer is the user interview. Lest you think I live on a cloud some-where, I do (constantly) realize the need for pleasing CEOs, CFOs, depart-ment heads, consultants and decision teams. And we know these are people who are responsible for major invest-ments that must produce a profitable return. Experience with these decision
Enclosed project rooms equipped for individuals or groups, focus work or collaborative project work, and social interactions, can provide regular office users with options, while a glass front maintains transparency and openness.
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a&d
teams has uncovered three critical but far too often, unspoken, issues.
These are:>What will happen to me if we buy
something that doesn’t work?>What will happen to me if we pay
more than we have to?>What will happen to me if I bring
someone into our organization whom we cannot trust?
Proving you can eliminate these concerns will help you establish trust in the first interaction. Your solution process is built upon recognition of, and relevant response to, the perfor-mance criteria for the new environ-ment. These criteria will specify the new abilities of the users and the functions of the new task-support gear. They will establish the design elements that protect the client’s investment.
Personally, whenever possible, if there is a chance to ask users about their work stations, I’ve done so – as often as possible before the planning, and a great many after the installation. I
still do this every chance I get, in any of-fice, anywhere. And I’ve found that after the installation, the users “grade” their workstations; yes “grade” as in school.
Some respondents are carefully vague; some offer great clarity. Some are super serious, others demonstrate minor an-noyances and, some show gratitude.
The user interview aids many designers through to successful client satisfaction.
Small-scale focus rooms can accommodate individual heads-down work or group work for 1-4 users.
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a&dWise client decision teams invest in
new office environments because they believe there will be improvements in attitude, creativity and output, things we can call “Facility Contributions to Profit.” But the real outcome will depend upon the users’ grades:
How to earn a “D” in Facility Con-tribution to Profit from the user’s perspective:
>Discomfort>Distraction> Disrespect (You are here to work
not to design work stations.)>Downtime>Distance (to task support gear)> Disease (for instance, Carpel Tun-
nel, back ache and eye strain)> Difficulty (for instance, a one-size-
fits-all attitude and budgeting)> Distrust (no value given to sug-
gested upgrades)> Demeaning (zero consideration for
modesty or personal items)> Demanding (get it done with what
you have)Of these, the complaint I hear the
most is Discomfort: “No way to adjust to my physical fit.” Another common one is Distraction – particularly from noise. And then there is Disrespect,
which is not always easily explained, but one memorable quote was: “I don’t even have a name here, just the number identifying my station.”
How to earn an “A” in Facility Con-tribution to Profit from the user’s perspective:
>Adjustability>Attention>Attitude (my people are worthy)> Appreciation: Atta-Boys and Atta-
Girls (not PC but you get it)>Access (to task support gear)>Acoustics>Assistance> Accommodating (my work style,
my work habits)>Accessories> Attractive (colors, fabrics and
finishes; indicating the feeling of worth)
Of these, verified by specific focused questions, the ability to adjust, to fit the environment to the individual, is critical. Much is written, and often ignored, about ergonomics. Interest-ing to me is that, regardless of age, gender, culture, physique and health, a majority feel that adjusting work sur-face heights would make a huge differ-ence in output, attitude and creativity.
Walk through almost any facility today, and you will see people key-boarding while wearing wrist bandages to control the pain from typing with bent wrists, bent because their work surfaces are too high. Older employees wearing bifocals look at their screens with their heads tilted back (causing neck and back ache and disease) so they can focus on their fixed-height monitors.
In the past couple years at NeoCon, we’ve seen at least 20 manufacturers showing 48 inch high panels in beauti-ful fabrics and colors designed to surround workstations and work areas. Acoustical value, zip. Task support material management, zip. Maybe it’s true, much is forgiven for beauty?
As we come away from over-commit-ment to collaborative workstation de-sign concepts, what is our next step? Charles Eames once said, “Design is relative response.” What then is design today? The same as good design has always been: relevant, realistic, responsive and respectful. n
Peter Otterstrom is CEO of Human Energy Associates, a sales and market-ing consulting company for the furni-ture industry based in Bethel, CT. He is reachable at [email protected]
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culture
As winter ebbs away, Chicagoans, and all those residing in four-season cities, are slowly unfurling from our offices and apartments, spending just a bit more time out in the fresh air. As winter disappears, there prevails a sense that every-thing is not quite as difficult as it seemed in January.
One of the best ways I’ve found to push through that fickle spring season is to check out the art shows and ex-hibits that Chicago is never short on, even if just for an hour or two each week. This spring, the Chi does not disappoint. From the outrageous and imaginative to the poignant and inquisitive, Chicago’s great museum institutions bring us much in the way of cultural offerings.
Below, we present a selection of exhibitions happening in Chicago this spring. But there are no doubt shows worth attending in all corners of the country. Becoming inspired is often easy to accomplish by seeing and experiencing how others around you are being inspired, and so we encourage you to seek out a show in your city!
Pop Art Design: The Street, the Store, and the Silver Screen – Museum of Contemporary Art
Open now through March 27Here, time is of the essence; Chicagoans and city visitors
alike have just one more week to visit Pop Art Design, a special exhibition organized by the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Pop Art Design leads museum goers past the surface of well-known Pop Art artists such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, down a rabbit hole of works that populate every aspect of daily life.
Windy City Report: 2016 Spring Art Exhibitionsby Mallory Jindra
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culture“While we may think we know pop inside-out through
the well-documented and widely discussed work of Andy Warhol and his peers, the spirit of pop not only mani-fested itself in Warhol’s paintings of Marilyn Monroe and Campbell’s soup cans, it also influenced the look of chairs, sofas, lamps, and even architecture during the culturally ebullient 1960s and 1970s. Pop Art Design…pairs iconic design objects with artworks from this celebrated era to show the cross-pollination between these creative worlds. This glimpse outside the precincts of fine art museums and galleries reinforces the pervasiveness of pop as a cultural phenomenon during this period.
“Designers such as Charles Eames, George Nelson, Ettore Sottsass, Achille Castiglioni, Alexander Girard and Robert Venturi were just as enamored of the commercial buzz of Main Street as their fine art peers and equally embraced the banality of everyday objects, the vivid colors of advertising, and standardized fabrication at the heart of mass consumer products in the creation of their work. Their furniture, graphic design, and architecture exemplify the same pop spirit that swept the western world during this period, but have up until this point not received the atten-tion they deserve.”
Brick by Brick – Museum of Science and IndustryOpened March 10Brick by Brick is a 7,000 square foot exhibit featur-
ing a collection of more than a dozen giant LEGO®-built structures of engineering marvels, including a 60-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, the International Space Station, St. Louis Gateway Arch, Hoover Dam, Roman Colosseum and others, constructed by LEGO® Certified Professional and Chicago native Adam Reed Tucker.
“At the essence of innovation, science and engineering is creativity, and the simple act of ‘play’ is its catalyst,” said Kurt Haunfelner, vice president of exhibits and collections at the Museum of Science and Industry, in the exhibit descrip-tion. “This exhibit explores that close relationship, using a very relatable and much-loved toy, the LEGO brick.”
Mr. Tucker is one of 14 LEGO® Certified Professionals in the world – who knew such a thing existed! – and has partnered with The LEGO Group to create LEGO Architec-ture sets.
Inside the Brick by Brick exhibit, visitors can try out “hands-on building challenges that reinforce key principles of engineering, construction and architecture—and encour-age creativity. Guests learn how architects and engineers push the limits of design, materials and location to make the seemingly impossible, possible; witness how form follows function; and learn how building beautifully uplifts us all.
Golden Gate Bridge
Fallingwater residence, designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in rural southwestern Pennsylvania
The Brick by Brick exhibit features a collection of more than a dozen giant LEGO®-built structures of engineering marvels, including a 60-foot-long Golden Gate Bridge, the International Space Station, St. Louis Gateway Arch, Hoover Dam, Roman Colos-seum and others, constructed by LEGO® Certified Professional and Chicago native Adam Reed Tucker. Photography: courtesy of J.B. Spector/Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
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ADVE
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www.ERGinternational.com
Carlo ColleCtion
visit us online for our complete selection of tables:training, meeting, networking, conferencing, cafe, sectional, occasional, computer, folding, stacking,
nesting, on casters, laboratories, student, power/data, adjustable height and custom
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 16 OF 39
culture“Guests will also see futuristic LEGO structures, con-
structed by global architecture firms, in response to predicted challenges our cities will face – including rising populations, climate change, water scarcity and more. Participating firms include SOM of Chicago, Adjaye Associ-ates of London, Kengo Kuma and Associates of Tokyo, and others.”
If you’re an architect or designer keen to plant some skills early in your kids, Brick by Brick would be a good start!
The New Contemporary – Art Institute of ChicagoOpened December 2015 – New Permanent Exhibit
AIC unveiled The New Contemporary in December 2015, presented as the largest gift of art in the Art Institute’s 136-year history. The new collection features 44 iconic works by contemporary greats, including Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons and Cindy Sherman, to name a few.
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cultureDonated by Chicago collectors Stefan Edlis and Gael
Neeson, the gift of paintings, sculptures and photographs is a big win for the city of Chicago; it will contribute signifi-cantly to the Art Institute’s presentation of contemporary art, and will provide the Midwest with a landing spot for people pining to set eyes on their favorite contemporary works.
“Their gift charts the course of the most adventurous art movements since the 1950s, primarily in the United States, beginning with the work of Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cy Twombly, who began to forge a path out of Abstract Expressionism toward Pop Art with the use of images, materials, and techniques from mass media and found objects. Pop itself is represented in the gift by a landmark group of works by Andy Warhol—including two self-portraits—and signature works by Roy Lichtenstein. The collection also chronicles the significant and enduring influence of Pop Art on later generations of artists, including the virtuouso painter Gerhard Richter, the photography-based critiques of Richard Prince and Cindy Sherman, and the pop-culture riffs of Katharina Fritsch, Jeff Koons, and Takashi Murakami.
Tip: Check out the Pop Art Design exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art first for a crash course in the essence of Pop Art. Then, head over to the Art Institute to get a more complete sense of how Pop Art fits into the full context of the contemporary art movement.
Van Gogh’s Bedrooms – Art Institute of ChicagoFebruary 14 – May 8
You don’t have to be a Van Gogh enthusiast to fall in love with the new Van Gogh’s Bedrooms exhibit, on view at the Art Institute of Chicago. The special exhibit, on view until May 8, is so rich in history, in art and in subject matter im-mersion, that it’s difficult not to walk away thinking differ-ently about a painting you thought you knew.Jeff Koons. Bourgeois Bust – Jeff and Ilona, 1991. The Art Institute of
Vincent van Gogh. The Bedroom, 1889. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, sold to national museums under the Treaty of Peace with Japan, 1959.
Vincent van Gogh. The Bedroom. 1889. The Art Institute of Chicago, Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection.
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culture“Vincent van Gogh’s bedroom in Arles is arguably the
most famous chambre in the history of art. It also held special significance for the artist, who created three distinct paintings of this intimate space from 1888 to 1889. This ex-hibition…brings together all three versions of The Bedroom for the first time in North America, offering a pioneering and in-depth study of their making and meaning to Van Gogh in his relentless quest for home.
“This exhibition is the first to truly delve into the fascinat-ing history of these three paintings. Beginning with Van Gogh’s early canvases of cottages and birds’ nests, the show explores the artist’s use of the motif of home – as haven, creative chamber, and physical reality – and follows the evolution of this theme throughout his career.”
The exhibition features 36 works by the artist, includ-ing paintings, drawings and illustrated letters, as well as a selection of books and other ephemera known to have been in Van Gogh’s possession. Interactive presentations and a digitally enhanced reconstruction of the Van Gogh bedroom allow viewers to peer into the mind of Van Gogh, one of the most often-misunderstood painters of all time.
Even if you’re not the biggest Van Gogh fan out there, this exhibit is well worth the time.
Unfolded: Community Show on Paper – Chicago Design Museum
April 5 – July 30 The Chicago Design Museum will debut an exhibition
on the significant role of paper in design that continues to pierce through an era of digital technology.
“Today’s designers, artists and architects rely heavily on paper-based materials in the development, communica-tion and presentation of their ideas. Inspired by Container Corporation of America’s 1968 exhibition Made with Paper, Unfolded explores the unique properties of paper as a medium, as well as the diverse applications of paper as a means and an end in the work of contemporary designers and artists.”
Unfolded will highlight the work of the Chicago design community, but will also include contributions from around the world.
Standbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen – Chicago Cultural Center
February 6 – May 1
Debuting on April 5 at the Chicago Design Museum, Unfolded will explore the important role of paper in design that continues to pierce through an era of digital technology.
Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests – or “beach creatures” – are distinctive kinetic creations that blur the lines of art, engineering, science and performance.
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cultureStrandBeest features the work of Theo Jansen, a man
whose work is not easily categorized. Mr. Jansen’s “Strand-beests” – or “beach creatures” are distinctive kinetic cre-ations that “blur the lines of art, engineering, science and performance.”
Native to the Netherlands, Mr. Jansen, who was born and grew up near the sea, began making “kinetic creatures” that can survive on their own in a beach habitat. By increas-ing the complexity and functional ability of the strandbeests throughout the past 25 years, Mr. Jansen has achieved an evolution of his work that even manifests itself in a maker movement.
“Theo creates Strandbeests from an inexpensive, widely available material he calls “artistic protein”: the plastic tub-ing used as a conduit for electrical wiring in Dutch build-ings. The goal is survival. The beests have evolved dramati-cally over the years. They first learned to walk, and now have many mechanisms to keep them safe in storms and away from the rising tide.”
On view in the fourth floor Exhibit Hall and Sydney R. Yates Gallery of the Chicago Cultural Center, the Strand-Beest exhibit includes several full-scale Strandbeests, ac-companied by artist drawings, videos, daily demonstrations of the Strandbeests’ movements, and photography by Lena Herzog, who spent more than seven years documenting Mr. Jansen’s work.
Check out additional programming for StrandBeest here.
Present Standard – Chicago Cultural CenterJanuary 30 – April 24Nestled in a series of three gallery rooms on the first floor
of the Chicago Cultural Center, Present Standard features 25 contemporary artists with Latino Chicago connections. Guest-curated by Edra Soto and Josue Pellot, the exhibi-tion presents “works that play with the manifold meanings and forms suggested by the “standard” – as either a flag or a pennant, a measuring tactic or a guiding principle, or a potent symbol of national identity.”
The depth and breadth of subject matter and materials are what give this exhibition its legs, illuminating the broad scope of the Latino art scene in Chicago.
Check out additional programming for Present Standard here.
Present Standard exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center features the work of 25 contemporary artists with Latino Chicago connections that “play with the manifold meanings and forms suggested by the word “standard.”
October 3, 2015 – To remain on view throughout spring 2016
Although the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial concluded in early January, several installations will remain on view at the Chicago Cultural Center through the spring season, including:
>Piranesi Circus (Atelier Bow-Wow – Tokyo, Japan); Atrium
>Chicago: How Do You See? (Norman Kelley – Chicago / New York City, U.S.); Michigan Avenue Façade
>Passage (SO-IL – New York City, U.S.); RampIn Passage (pictured), an installation extending over a
high-traffic ramp at the Cultural Center, architecture and design firm SO-IL sought to reflect on the spatial qualities of a ramp, and its purpose as an inherently “ambiguous, in-between space.” On the wall above, a large scale, aerial image of the skyline spans the length of the ramp.
*Tip: If you’re having trouble locating the installations or kiosks, head to one of the Chicago Cultural Center’s help
desks; each installation blends seamlessly into existing interiors of the Cultural Center, so they can be easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for!
Although the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial has closed, several installations will remain on view at the Chicago Cultural Center, including Passage by SO-IL of New York City, U.S. Photography: by Tom Harris
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cultureAcross the street in Millennium Park, you’ll find an exhibit
featuring “the winning entries of an international Lakefront Kiosk Competition plus work by architecture students at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.” n
“CENT” designed by Pezo Von Ellrichshausen – with Illinois Institute of Technology students
Winning entry: “Chicago Horizon” designed by Ultramoderne
Chicago Architecture Biennial Lakefront Kiosks: This exhibit features the winning entries of an international Lakefront Kiosk Competition plus work by architecture students at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Photography/Artwork: courtesy of Chicago Cultural Center
“ROCK” designed by NLÉ – with School of the Art Institute of Chicago students
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r-d connectionRESEARCH-DESIGN CONNECTIONWorking in an Active Spaceby Sally Augustin, Ph.D.
Engelen and colleagues investigated the implications of moving into a workplace designed to increase user activity levels. They determined that after study participants “relocated into a new active design building…partici-pants spent [significantly] less work
time sitting…and [significantly] more time standing…while walking time remained unchanged. Participants reported [significantly] less low back pain…60% of participants in the new workplace were in an open-plan office, compared to 16% before moving. Participants perceived the new work environment as more stimulating, bet-ter lit and ventilated, but noisier and providing less storage. No difference was reported in daily physical activity, number of stairs climbed or productiv-ity.” Workplaces designed to increase user activity levels can include sit-stand desks, treadmill desks, stairwells that are pleasantly designed to encour-age stair use, and similar features.
L. Engelen, H. Dhillon, J. Chau, D. Hespe, and A. Bauman. “Do Active Design Buildings Change Health Be-haviour and Workplace Perceptions?” Occupational Medicine, in press.
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive sci-entist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesigncon-nections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest re-search findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psycho-logical Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychol-ogy for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwith-science.com) and can be reached at [email protected].
MATERIAL OF THE WEEK
MC# 5830-09FENIX NTM®: This soft touch, anti-fingerprint, decorative high-pressure laminate (HPL) panel is composed of 70% paper and 30% combination of proprietary resins. The unique finish-ing process of this material creates a surface that is resistant to scratches and abrasions with the ability to thermally heal micro-scratches. The material has a matte finish and low light reflectivity along with enhanced anti-bacterial properties. The external surface is rendered non-porous due to the use of a proprietary nanotechnology process.
Applications include vertical and horizontal surfacing for resi-dential and commercial interiors or for furniture.
This column is published in collaboration with Material ConneXion. For more information regarding the material previewed, please contact Michael LaGreca at [email protected]. T: 212.842.2050.
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officenewswirePRODUCT INTROS>Aceray’s new Oasi chair is a modern version of the classic lounge chair. It is available in high or low back, with a choice of three base options: round swivel, four-prong swivel, and solid four-leg beech wood. It can be customized with Aceray upholstery or COM, and with Aceray’s 10 standard wood stains or custom stains. Read More
>Brad Ascalon Studio NYC, celebrating its 10th anniver-sary this season, launched the new teak Ciel Outdoor Collection for RH Modern (Restoration Hardware). The collection includes both
casual lounge and din-ing suites embracing the structural elegance of 1950’s Danish modern design, craftily reimagined to reach a wider audience. The clean, low profile and purposeful tension between sleek angles and rounded lines balance function and beauty for both residential and hospitality environments. Read More
>Herman Miller’s latest collaboration with Sam Hecht and Kim Colin is the new Ode Lamp – occasional lighting designed for almost any setting. With soft curves and a poetic grace, Ode’s ring of anti-glare LEDs and spun steel shade creates diffused illumination, drawing people together in a welcoming pool of light. It is offered in a black or white satin finish, and in various freestanding heights ranging from a 17.5” table/desk lamp to a 68” standing-height lamp, plus surface-in-tegrated options for mounting on a variety of surfaces. In keeping with Herman Miller’s Design for the Environment protocol, Ode is made almost entirely of recycled steel and incorporates energy-saving LEDs with intuitive adjustabil-
ity. Touch technology enables the user to gently grasp Ode’s stem once to turn it on, and again to turn it off. London-based Sam Hecht and Kim Colin, both Royal Designers for Industry, previously col-laborated on several designs for Herman Miller, including Wireframe lounge seating, Lo-cale systems and Formwork desktop storage. Read More
>Leland International’s Mod Chair by Simon Pengelly is inspired by chic ‘60s retro fashion. Applications include reception areas, executive offices and any public space where relaxed comfort, un-derstated elegance and style are required. Textile options are available on the seat, inner back and outer back. Read More
>Viridian Reclaimed Wood introduced Antique Barn-wood tables, wall panel-ing and flooring. Sourced from an all-American mix of reclaimed oak from dis-mantled barns, the solid wood products accentuate the best aspects of the wood’s rough-and-tumble past: the circle-sawn marks, nail holes and timeworn character. Viridian precision-crafts them to get the optimum combination of reclaimed style and functional performance. Antique Barn-wood tabletops are 2” thick and made in many common sizes up to 34” wide and 96” long, as well as custom-sized countertops. Options include a full rustic face or a skip-planed smoother surface; completely smooth face white
For complete releases, visit www.officeinsight.com/officenewswire.
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officenewswire
oak tables with a vintage patina are also available. All tables include hidden angle iron to stay flat and a durable prefinish suitable for heavy-use restaurant environ-ments. Antique Barnwood flooring, which can also be used as paneling, comes in a ¾” thickness, mixed 4”-6” widths, and variable lengths from 2’-8’. Viridian products are 100% FSC®-certified and can contribute points toward LEED Credits. Read More
NOTEWORTHY>Erica Jaffe of Benhar Office Interiors in NYC was named the winner of a dream vaca-tion in Gunlocke’s Ultimate Accelerate Bucket List Give-away. The incentive, which
ran exclusively for Gunlocke’s network of dealer sales rep-resentatives from July 2014 through December 2015, gave DSRs the opportunity to transform accepted purchase orders into entries towards an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation. Ms. Jaffe selected Costa Rica as her “bucket list” destination. Read More
>Andy Wilson was promoted to manager of National Office Furniture’s newly created Mountain Division. In his new role, Mr. Wilson will be responsible for sales throughout the Pacific North-west, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas. He has been with the Kimball International organization since 1998, and with National
since 2005. His extensive knowledge of the furniture in-dustry was an integral part of the company’s past success in the New England area. Read More
>Abcor Industries was named to the 2016 list of “50 Companies to Watch” by Michigan Celebrates Small Business, a statewide orga-nization that promotes excel-lence in entrepreneurship. Based in Holland, MI, Abcor is an innovator in material-science and wood powder-coating technologies, with a focus on sustainable prac-tices, corporate philanthropy, and disruptive innovation in low-conduction powder coat-ing. “Architects, designers and manufacturers of wood products are compelled when they encounter the advantag-es that our high-performance, wear-resistant wood powder coating provides them,” said CEO J.T. Weis, a former Berkshire Hathaway Group president who acquired Abcor in 2012. He attributed the award to the extraordinary efforts of his management team and high-performance workforce, many of whom
are convicted felons and are now are on a path to positive and productive lives. This is the 12th year for the Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards, which are designed to elevate the significance of small businesses in the state. The awards will be presented at an evening gala on May 5 in Lansing, MI. Read More
>Baresque signed an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with MDC for its Zintra Acoustic Solutions product range. “We have received an incredibly warm reception and great demand from the American interior design community since we launched here last spring,” said Baresque Executive Director Angus Blaiklock. “MDC’s nearly five decades of selling interior wall coverings provides both a great fit and a strategic advantage for Zintra that will enable us to quickly expand our reach. MDC deliv-ers an especially high level of service to the A/D community. Its salespeople are employ-ees, rather than independent reps, which enables them to focus on our product category exclusively.” Read More
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officenewswire>Cochrane, an indepen-dent global health research network, reported in a study published Mar. 17 that the health effects of sit-stand desks and interventions aimed to reduce sitting at work are still unproven. Nu-merous news outlets covered the story (see https://wiley.alt-metric.com/details/6203245/news), with some interpret-ing the results to imply that sit-stand desks have no benefits whatsoever. What the report actually said is that more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of different types of interven-tions for reducing sitting time in workplaces. The authors reviewed 20 studies with a total of 2,174 participants from the U.S., the U.K. and Europe, and noted that “the quality of evidence was low for most of the interventions looked at, mainly because the studies were poorly designed and recruited small numbers of participants.” http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub3/abstract
>The IIDA Hawaii Pacific Chapter officially launched Mar. 10 with a celebra-tion at the Hawaii State Art Museum. The association’s newest Chapter replaces the Honolulu City Center, previ-ously part of the IIDA North-ern California Chapter, in order to better serve a rapidly growing commercial interior design community in Hawaii with robust local program-ming and resources. “The evolution of the Honolulu City Center into the Hawaii
Pacific Chapter illustrates the increasing elevation and importance of the commercial interior design profession in the state and the region,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP, who attended the event. “Our professional community has a true sense of ‘ohana,’ or family, because of the friend-ships formed while a part of this inclusive organization,” said outgoing Hawaii Pa-cific Chapter President Alana Yasui, IIDA, director of Interior Design at Next Design. “Ar-chitects, interior designers, dealerships and manufactur-ers have worked together to enrich the profession for all.” The IIDA Hawaii Pacific Chap-ter’s near-term goals include hosting a Leaders Breakfast, an annual international event series that celebrates design’s importance in the global marketplace, and facilitat-ing a Principals Roundtable. The Chapter also plans to continue working closely with Chaminade University to ensure that emerging design professionals have access to mentoring and networking opportunities. Also in attendance were Mi-chael Skaar, IIDA, president of Skaar Furniture and vice president of City Centers for the IIDA Northern California Chapter; incoming Hawaii Pacific Chapter President Colette Abe, IIDA, senior interior designer at Architects Hawaii Ltd.; and several influ-ential members of the Hawaii interior design community. Read More
RE-SITED>Elizabeth Buono joined KI as its major account sales executive. In her new role, she will assist in increasing KI sales by cultivating relation-ships with large business ac-counts. She will act as the key contact with customers and focus on developing strong partnerships with end users and increasing recognition of KI. Ms. Buono has a broad knowledge of the furniture industry. Most recently, she held the position of busi-ness development director at Business Interiors by Staples and has worked for Corporate Express Business Interiors and Allsteel. Read More
>Ross Pupillo was named west division manager of National Office Furniture. He will be responsible for overall sales throughout California, as well as Northern Nevada. With more than 25 years of industry experience, Mr. Pupillo’s diverse background includes experience at the dealership level as well as the manufacturing side of con-tract office furniture. He has successfully led direct sales teams and worked extensively with independent sales orga-nizations, and has a proven record of developing talent
and growing sales. “Over the years, I have been impressed by Ross’ achievements and tremendous knowledge of the marketplace,” said Michael Roch, vice president, Sales. “However, I’m even more impressed by his demeanor and collaborative spirit.” Read More
EVENTS>The Design Center at the Merchandise Mart will host the Grand Opening Celebra-tion of DreamHome 2016 on Thursday, Apr. 14, 6:00-8:00 p.m. The DreamHome, located on the 1st floor of the Merchandise Mart, will feature six beautifully adorned living spaces designed by some of the industry’s most acclaimed interior designers and furnished exclusively by Design Center showrooms. The 2016 designers are:
-Blutter Shiff Design As-sociates – Foyer -Hunter Kaiser – Dining Room -jamesthomas Interiors – Sunroom -Kadlec Architecture + Design – Library -Michael Del Piero Good Design – Bedroom
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 27 OF 39
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-Soucie Horner, Ltd. – Living Room
Tickets are $75 in advance. Proceeds will benefit Almost Home Kids, which provides transitional care in a home-like setting to children with complicated health needs. Read More
>IIDA NY Buffalo City Center will host Cocktails & Credits, a CEU Cram Session on Thursday, Apr. 21 with presentations from Interface, Forbo Flooring and Her-man Miller. It will take place 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Millington Lockwood, 3901 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY, with food and drinks provided. The schedule: -Interface – “Materials in the New Now” | 0.1 CEU (AIA/
IDCEC Approved) – Explore new, innovative, and alterna-tive materials that are emerg-ing in the field of architecture, interior design, and industrial design. -Forbo Flooring – “Full Transparency in Product Declarations” | 0.1 CEU (AIA HSW Learning Unit/IDCEC and GBCI Approved) – How to avoid 20 more years of “greenwashing.” -Herman Miller – “Human Factors in the Workplace” | 0.1 CEU (AIA/ IDCEC Ap-proved) – Creating Spaces that are More Naturally Hu-man. Registration is free for IIDA members and educators, $20 for non-members, and $10 for students. Read More
>The IIDEXCanada 2016 seminar proposal submission deadline is Friday, Apr. 1.IIDEXCanada takes place this year on Wednesday, Nov. 30 and Thursday, Dec. 1. Seminar categories include: Accessibility, Architecture, Building Code, Business, Colour, Educators, Emerging Professionals, Events, Facili-ties Management, Furniture, Healthcare, Hospitality, HSW, Industrial Design, Innovation, Institution + Education, Inte-rior Design, Keynotes, Land-scape Architecture, Lighting Design, Materials + Textiles, Real Estate + Development, Research, Residential, Retail, Senior Living, Sustainability, Technology, Tours, Trends, Wellness and Workplace. Read More
>La Cienega Design Quarter has opened registration and announced programming for the 8th annual LEG-ENDS design extravaganza, Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5. This an-nual event draws thousands
to Los Angeles for three days of keynotes, discussions, book signings, and signature social events. The theme for LEGENDS 2016 is “One of a Kind.” Programming will cen-ter on eight keynote panels curated by the LCDQ board. While esteemed national and regional magazine editors will helm the panels as in past years, this year some key-notes will take a slightly differ-ent twist with designers actu-ally moderating, instead of being a guest participant. The cornerstone of the LEGENDS event is the window designs of the LCDQ, which are trans-formed on the year’s theme. Nate Berkus, along with cel-ebrated British designer Nina Campbell of London, Robert Stilin from New York, designer and author Jay Jeffers of San Francisco, Bravo’s “Million Dollar Decorator” Jeffrey Alan Marks, Andrew Brown from Birmingham, Ala., Ellen De-Generes “Design Challenge” collaborator Jane Hallworth of Los Angeles, and rising de-sign star Brian Paquette from
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officenewswireSeattle are among the 60+ interior designers selected to transform the LCDQ windows on the theme of “One of a Kind.” Read More
>Pacific Design Center’s an-nual Spring Market, WEST-WEEK 2016, is happening this Wednesday, Mar. 23 and Thursday, Mar. 24 with the theme “Mad About Design.” It will feature more than 35 celebrated design thought-leaders, 10 media/industry partners and nearly 100 programs, events, keynotes and product introductions. “This year’s WESTWEEK theme, Mad About Design, emphasizes the fearless, confident attitude that is the hallmark of great design and prolific talent,” said PDC Vice President/Director of Mar-keting Jeff Sampson. “With design’s democratization over the past several years we’ve witnessed a move toward homogenization of style that today’s consumers are adopt-
ing. Our intent is to spotlight innovators…past and present, established and emerg-ing…and the enthusiastic, larger-than-life approach to the design process that is the trademark of the industry’s brightest from across the disciplines.” Top-notch programming will be delivered by esteemed and cutting-edge A&D authorities, including Roman Alonso, Jeff Andrews, Lawrence Azerrad, Chris Barrett, Heidi Bonesteel, Eric Chang, Erik Evens, Christopher Farr, Mary Fisher, Cliff Fong, Lindsey Coral Harper, Stephan Jones, Richard Landry, Katie Leede, James Magni, Kirk Nix, Cortney & Bob Novogratz, Stephen Sills and Windsor Smith, in conversation with opinion makers from the nation’s leading industry organizations and design/lifestyle titles, including A+D Museum Los Angeles, AIA Los Angeles, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, C Magazine,
California Home+Design, Cali-fornia Homes, The Hollywood Reporter, House Beautiful, In-teriors, Luxe Interiors+Design, Traditional Home, and Veran-da. Registration is required for all keynote receptions. Wednesday market highlights include: A special screening of Angelo Donghia: Design Superstar profiles one of the industry’s great legends, hosted by Donghia CEO Andrea Rubelli; A. Rudin hosts Layering History: Hybrid Design Today with Richard Landry and Stephen Sills moderated by Michael Wol-laeger; Luxe Interiors+Design engages design and art ex-perts on The Power & Insights of Collecting Contemporary Art; Mimi London presents The Root of California Modern with Interiors Magazine, Mark Boone and Kevin Corn; Ralph Pucci International celebrates the centennial of Danish-American furniture designer Jens Risom with a special exhibition; Crestron, Holly Hunt, Edelman and Michael Taylor Collections are among showrooms hosting events and introducing collections. Thursday market highlights include: HGTV’s Cortney and Bob Novogratz discuss the investment advantages of designing residential interiors as a boutique hotel; JANUS et Cie and California Home+Design present the The Ultimate Outdoor Living Room! with Kirk Nix, Michael Rachlin and Russ Diamond; Donghia takes you Inside the Designers’ Studio with Pol-lack Design Director Rachel Doriss; Michael Wollaeger
reveals the influence of L.A modernism with California Bauhaus, featuring Christo-pher Farr and Roman Alonso at Thomas Lavin. WESTWEEK 2016 heralds the arrival of new, expanded and renovated showrooms offering the trade nearly 16,000sf of enhanced resources from which to curate best-in-class design. The French-Deco, artisanal inspired collec-tions of Jean de Merry arrive at PDC Summer 2016 with a major flagship presence; Holly Hunt|Phillip Jeffries also debuts this Summer with a dedicated showroom featuring the brand’s collec-tion of hand-crafted, glob-ally-inspired wallcoverings; Quintus, a luxury furniture brand, offers exceptional, Made-in-America designs created by fresh, emerging artisans; Scott Group Studio relocates and expands with a modern, organized space to view bespoke hand-knotted, hand-tufted, machine-tufted and woven custom carpets; Bausman & Company, a leading manufacturer of French, English and Italian reproductions, increases its PDC presence with a newly imagined space to showcase current and expanded lines; Michael Taylor Collections refreshes and also expands to present iconic designs and new introductions working together in a well-appointed, cohesive environment. Pacific Design Center is located at 8687 Melrose Av-enue in West Hollywood, CA. Read More
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officenewswire
>The Save A Sample! Cel-ebration Apr. 27 at Knoll’s NYC showroom will feature a presentation by architecture firm KPF, “Making Cities and Buildings Resilient to the Effects of Climate Change.” New building restrictions spurred by the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy are now sparking incred-
ible creativity, according to Bruce Fisher, AIA, director at KPF. Mr. Fisher, in conjunc-tion with his design team, will discuss several projects including Red Hook Housing, Redevelopment of Far Rocka-way, and Hudson Yards, where the very real threat of flooding has necessitated cre-ative responses to the form
and use of open space. SpecSimple.com’s Save A Sample! collects unneeded materials from design firms in eleven U.S. and three Canadi-an cities and delivers them to local design schools, diverting thousands of pounds of ma-terials from landfill each year. The April celebration marks the successful culmination of this nation-wide non-profit recycling drive, sponsored by Wilsonart and Arborite (Plati-num) and Formica (Gold). Save A Sample!’s Celebra-tion brings together design
firms and schools to award scholarships and prizes, and highlight a new sustainable trend in design. “Understand-ing New York’s sustainable building challenges and finding innovative solutions is a critical factor to making the city livable for future genera-tions,” said Suzanne Swift, Save A Sample!’s founder and president of Spec Simple, Inc. “We are delighted to have Mr. Fisher and the KPF design team share their experiences from the leading edge of sus-tainable design.” Read More
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businessRAYMOND JAMES BRIEF 3.16.16Herman Miller: F3Q16 Sales Miss; Clean EPS Beat; Solid N.A. Order Growth
Analysts: Budd Bugatch, Bobby Griffin, David Vargas
>After Wednesday’s market close, Herman Miller reported F3Q16 GAAP/adj. EPS of $0.46, beating our $0.39 estimate (also the consensus) and management’s $0.37-0.41 guid-ance. Total sales of ~$537 million missed our $544 million estimate (also consensus) and were at the low end of manage-ment’s $535-555 million guidance. Organic sales (excluding negative currency translation) grew 5.5% y/y. Currency transla-tion negatively impacted F3Q16 revenues by ~$8.2 million and EPS by ~$0.02. Total company orders increased 1.7% y/y to $508.8 million, and ending backlog decreased 1.0% y/y to $313.3 million.
>GAAP and adjusted operating income beat our model by ~$0.06, driven by higher-than-modeled gross margin (~$0.01 benefit) and lower-than-expected operating expenses (~$0.05 benefit), partially offset by lower-than-forecasted sales (~$0.01 drag). Normalized operating margin increased ~65 bp y/y to 8.3%, compared to our 7.2% estimate. Normalized gross margin improved ~184 bp y/y to 38.7%, versus our 38.6% esti-mate. The y/y gross margin expansion reflects lower commodity costs, operational improvements, and favorable product mix. Below the line, higher-than-expected interest expense partially offset a lower than expected tax rate.
>North America (N.A.) sales increased 5.6% y/y to $312.7 million, below our $316.0 million estimate. Organically, ex-currency, sales increased 6.6% y/y. F3Q16 N.A. orders increased ~5.0% y/y, and organic orders improved 6.1% y/y. While reported sales were below our estimate, the solid mid-single digit N.A. sales and order growth Herman Miller delivered in the face of a challenged office furniture environ-ment is impressive. Normalized operating income improved ~14.6% y/y to $30.6 million (vs. our $31.0 million estimate); normalized operating margin increased ~77 bp y/y to 9.8% (vs. our 9.8% guess).
>Despite currency headwinds (~$5.2 million), ELA (Europe and Latin America) sales increased 1.6% y/y to $98.9 million (vs. our $95.2 million estimate). Adjusted operating income was $6.8 million, versus our $4.2 million estimate. Orders decreased 5.5% y/y. Organically, ELA sales increased 7.0% and orders decreased 0.8% y/y. Specialty segment sales increased 8.3% y/y to $54.7 million (vs. our $57.5 million estimate), reflect-ing growth across Geiger, Maharam, and The HM Collection. Normalized operating income was $3.4 million, compared to our $3.2 million estimate. Orders improved 0.6% y/y.
>Consumer segment sales, which include DWR, were $70.2 million, versus our $75.1 million estimate. Normalized op-erating income was $2.8 million, compared to our $1.0 million estimate. Admittedly, the home furnishing environment is very promotional, and management is working through some short-term operational issues within its DWR franchise. Nonetheless,
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businessDWR comp sales have now declined in each of the first three quarters of FY16. For reference, trailing three months (Feb. end) furniture and home furnishing store sales (NAICS 442) improved 4.5% y/y. We hope to get further commentary regard-ing the cadence of DWR’s business on tomorrow’s conference call.
>Management guided F4Q16 revenue to $560-580 million ($570 million midpoint), versus our in-print estimate of $576 million and $578 million consensus. Management pegs F4Q16 EPS at $0.57-0.61 ($0.59 midpoint), versus our published $0.50 estimate and the $0.53 consensus. Management’s guidance includes a ~$0.06 benefit associated with an anticipated gain on the sale of a former U.K. manufacturing facility. Excluding the gain, adjusted EPS is pegged at $0.51-0.55, assuming a 31% to 33% normalized tax rate. Our current published F4Q16 estimate ($0.50) as well as the current con-sensus (to our best knowledge) do not include the gain.
RAYMOND JAMES BRIEF 3.17.16Herman Miller: Staying on the Sidelines for Now; Reaffirm Market Perform
Analysts: Budd Bugatch, Bobby Griffin, David Vargas
>Recommendation: We are reaffirming our Market Perform rating on MLHR, following Herman Miller’s F3Q16 earnings report and conference call. While revenues missed our esti-mate (also consensus) and were near the low-end of guidance, earnings beat expectations driven by solid margin expansion across three of the company’s four segments. In addition, Herman Miller’s N.A. office segment posted another solid quarter of mid-single-digit sales and order growth in the face of a challenged industry environment. Admittedly, MLHR is not expensive, trading at ~13.5x our forward adjusted EPS estimate of $2.24. We still have high regard for the company and its management team. Nonetheless, the near-term “BIFMA” office furniture outlook has moderated; and Herman Miller’s consum-er segment (DWR included) continues to face some near-term operational challenges. Accordingly, we still prefer to own some of Herman Miller’s office furniture peers and remain on the sidelines on MLHR, for now.
>F3Q16 Report: As detailed in an earlier brief, Herman Miller reported F3Q16 GAAP/adj. EPS of $0.46, beating our $0.39 estimate (also the consensus). Total sales of ~$537 million missed our $544 million estimate (also consensus) and were near the low end of management’s $535-555 million guid-ance. Organic sales (excluding negative currency translation) grew 5.5% y/y. Operating income beat our model by ~$0.06, driven by higherthan-modeled gross margin (~$0.01 benefit) and lower-than-expected operating expenses (~$0.05 benefit), partially offset by lower-than-forecasted sales (~$0.01 drag).
>North America office continues to improve: The highlight of the quarter was Miller’s solid performance in its North America office furniture segment (~60% of overall sales). North America (N.A.) sales increased 5.6% y/y to $312.7 million, highlighting that management’s efforts and focus on that business contin-ues to drive top line growth and meaningful operating leverage. Despite seeing a slight slowdown in order entry for its health-care business (specifically related to federal government), re-ported N.A. orders improved ~5.0% (6.1% organically), nicely outpacing overall industry growth.
>Consumer remains a work in progress: Consumer segment sales (~13% of overall sales), which include DWR, were down 3.3% y/y. DWR’s comparable sales declined 4.8% y/y, on top of 7.6% growth last year, marking the third consecutive quarter of comp sales declines. Positively, order rates improved se-quentially and management expressed confidence that its ERP implementation issues are in the past. In addition, it continues to revamp its direct-to-consumer marketing and just launched a 200-page source book to its trade interior designers. None-theless, margins are likely to remain pressured (in our opinion) over the next serval quarters until these investments are fully realized.
>Estimates: Our updated estimates are reflected below.
-2016 Non-GAAP EPS: Q1 $0.56A; Q2 $0.57A; Q3 $0.46A; Q4 $0.52; Full Year $2.11
-2016 GAAP EPS: Full Year $2.16; Revenues (mil.) $2,249
-2017 Non-GAAP EPS: Q1 $0.61; Q2 $0.62; Q3 $0.49; Q4 $0.57; Full Year $2.29
-2017 GAAP EPS: Full Year $2.29; Revenues (mil.) $2,361
>Valuation: MLHR now trades at ~13.5x our updated forward adjusted EPS estimate of $2.24, compared to its five-year me-dian forward multiple of ~15.2x. Our intrinsic value calculation pegs fair value for MLHR of $31 to $32.
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businessBUSINESS AFFAIRS>DIRTT Environmental Solutions on Mar. 16 issued its fourth-quarter and full-year 2015 earnings release (Canadian dollars in thousands except per share amounts):
3 Mos. Ended 12.31.15 12.31.14 %Ch.Revenue $64,988 $57,945 12.2%Gross profit $28,443 $25,050 13.5%SG&A $21,073 $18,470 14.1%Op. Inc. $7,370 $6,580 12.0%Net Inc. $9,127 $6,553 39.3%Net Inc. per share $0.11 $0.09 22.2%
12 Mos. Ended 12.31.15 12.31.14 %Ch.Revenue $236,625 $187,329 26.3%Gross profit $101,456 $78,043 30.0%SG&A $85,230 $70,235 21.3%Op. Inc. $16,226 $7,300 122.3%Net Inc. $17,892 $5,954 200.5%Net Inc. per share $0.22 $0.08 175.0%
“DIRTT continues to demonstrate to our valued clients, part-ners and the broader construction industry the benefits of our innovative solutions and technology,” said Mogens Smed, CEO of DIRTT. “The quality, speed, customization, future flexibility and sustainability of DIRTT are being recognized by Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, hospitals and schools throughout North America, the Middle East and soon the United Kingdom. Furthermore, 2015 demonstrated the lever-age and future potential of our business model as we continue to grow revenues.”
DIRTT President Scott Jenkins added, “DIRTT continued to demonstrate very strong year-over-year growth in 2015. Our solutions continued to gain traction as we invested heavily in growth through a combination of sales and marketing initia-tives, hiring, technology and product development. In the fourth quarter, we generated record quarterly revenue and solid growth over a strong prior year as our small and medium-sized contracts replaced revenue from larger contracts and from the challenged energy sector.”
“The second half of the year was particularly strong as we saw reduced business volatility, evidenced by consistent order en-try, steady manufacturing volumes and favorable product mix, which all contributed to improved margins,” said Derek Payne, CFO of DIRTT. “In 2015 we took the opportunity to strengthen our balance sheet, providing us with maximum flexibility to act on a range of growth initiatives in 2016 and beyond.”
Q4 2014 revenue included $5.0 million from the previously an-nounced US$30.0 million US energy sector project compared
to $0.1 million in Q4 2015. During Q4 2015, DIRTT received notification that the contract is on hold until further notice. This business was offset by a general increase in activity from small and medium-sized projects. While total volume increased modestly quarter over quarter, the strengthening U.S. dollar increased the Canadian dollar value of U.S. revenue. Sales to the energy sector accounted for 7% of total revenue in Q4 2015, down from 24% of total revenue in Q4 2014. The reduc-tion reflects the absence of contribution from the previously announced US$30.0 million contract and a general decline in activity in this sector as a result of falling energy prices. This decline was more than offset by increases in revenue from the financial, insurance and real estate and management, profes-sional and scientific services sectors.
The full-year revenue increase was attributed to the contribu-tion of $8.6 million from the previously announced US$30.0 million contract (2014 – $5.4 million), continued momentum throughout North American markets, and the strengthening U.S. dollar. During the year ended Dec. 31, 2015, the energy sector accounted for 10% of total revenue, down from 20% of total revenue in 2014. This decline was more than offset by increases in revenue from the financial, insurance and real estate; technology; and retail trade sectors.
Full-year adjusted gross profit for 2015 improved to $104.5 million from $80.3 million in 2014, with adjusted gross profit percentage widening 1.3% to 44.2% from 42.9%. The in-crease was attributed primarily to significantly higher revenue and favorable product mix resulting in reduced material and direct labor costs in 2015 compared with 2014. Higher overall production volumes in 2015 allowed DIRTT to more effectively leverage the fixed component of cost of goods sold, which also contributed to the higher adjusted gross profit percent-age. Material costs and direct labor costs as a percentage of revenue improved by 0.4% and 1.0%, respectively, compared with 2014, partially attributed to product mix and leverage from higher revenue levels. Higher production volumes enable better absorption of fixed costs included in cost of goods sold, such as facilities costs and indirect labor costs. Indirect labor and product costs, which are mostly fixed costs, improved by 0.2% as a percentage of revenue compared with 2014.
The stronger U.S. dollar also contributed to higher adjusted gross profit during both the quarter and the full year, as the positive impact on U.S. dollar revenue exceeded the negative impact on U.S. dollar-based production costs.
Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses – be-fore deductions for non-cash depreciation and amortization of non-manufacturing-related assets, stock-based compensation expense and non-cash one-time commission adjustment – as
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businessa percentage of revenue increased by 2.5%, from 28.5%, to 31.0% in Q4 2015 compared with Q4 2014. Adjusted SG&A expenses increased by $3.6 million, or 22.1%, for Q4 2015 compared with Q4 2014. DIRTT noted that this increase reflected its ongoing investment in long-term growth. The most significant changes were attributed directly to sales-related efforts as salaries and benefits increased by $2.0 million. These costs reflect adding personnel focused on generating and sup-porting higher business volumes. Other increases in adjusted SG&A in Q4 2015 included non-cash marketing promotional items of $0.9 million and travel and marketing costs of $0.4 million.
For the full year, adjusted SG&A as a percentage of revenue decreased by 2.0%, from 32.7%, to 30.7% compared with 2014. Adjusted SG&A expenses increased by $11.4 million, or 18.7%, for 2015 compared with 2014. The change was largely attributed to increases in salaries and benefits of $4.9 million, travel and marketing costs of $3.0 million, non-cash market-ing promotional items of $1.2 million, and $1.2 million in other operating expense items. The increase in travel and marketing costs in 2015 was due largely to DIRTT Connext, the com-pany’s annual sales, marketing and training initiative held in Chicago in June. The total cost for DIRTT Connext in 2015 was $2.3 million, compared with $1.3 million in the prior year. The stronger U.S. dollar also contributed to the overall increase in adjusted SG&A expenses, as certain of these expenditures are denominated in U.S. dollars.
At Dec. 31, 2015, DIRTT had $91.4 million in cash and cash equivalents compared with $39.8 million at Dec. 31, 2014. Also at Dec. 31, 2015, the company had access to an undrawn US$18.0 million revolving credit facility.
Outlook
In its earnings press release, DIRTT noted that the total U.S. construction market was US$1.1 trillion in 2015, of which US$674 billion was attributable to non-residential building and US$423 billion was attributable to residential building; and that total U.S. non-residential and residential construction spending is forecast to grow to US$796 billion and US$512 billion, re-spectively, by 2019. The company also noted that conventional construction activities are fraught with challenges including cost overruns, quality issues, labor shortages, and time delays, and increasingly organizations are looking for a better way to build out their interior spaces, whether for new buildings or renovations.
DIRTT’s growth strategy consists of five key initiatives: (1) in-creasing penetration of existing markets by providing continued support and increased investment to existing distribution part-ners (DPs) throughout North America; (2) expanding into new geographies, such as the Middle East and United Kingdom, by capitalizing on recent and continued investment alongside new international DPs; (3) penetrating new vertical markets such as the healthcare, education and residential sectors; (4) continu-ing to invest in ICE and new innovative interior construction solutions such as the Enzo Approach, residential interiors and timber frame construction; and (5) partnering with industry leaders to monetize innovative solutions – a recent example of which is the Corning® Willow® Glass initiative signed in February 2015.
With the recent launch of DIRTT’s residential and timber frame solutions at DIRTT Connext, the company officially entered into these markets. The company does not expect to see meaning-ful revenue from these markets in the near term, however.
DIRTT believes its Solutions are a superior alternative to conventional construction in all sectors of the construction industry, and that a continued increase in construction activ-ity can be expected to result in an ongoing improvement in revenue. The company plans to invest additional resources on a range of initiatives including the further development of ICE and the development of new DIRTT Solutions and test projects, pursuing further opportunities in healthcare, education and government, and identifying new opportunities in the hospitality and residential sectors of the construction industry.
Extended softness in global commodity pricing could result in continued weakness for the energy sector in 2016, DIRTT noted, but added that growth in non-energy related sectors is more than offsetting the current weakness in the energy sector. The company anticipates some benefits from reduced input costs for raw materials and transportation charges as a result of softness in global commodity pricing for the first half and potentially the remainder of 2016.
The full text of DIRTT’s 4Q15 earnings release, including all tables, plus an archived webcast replay of the company’s Mar. 17 conference call, may be accessed at http://ir.dirtt.net. A replay of the call will also be available at +1 416.849.0833 or 1.855.859.2056 (passcode 63320806) until midnight Eastern Time Thursday, Mar. 24. Additional information may be found in DIRTT’s condensed consolidated financial statements avail-able at www.sedar.com and http://ir.dirtt.net/financial-reports.
On an organic basis, which adjusts for foreign currency transla-tion, net sales and orders in the third quarter increased 5.5% and 3.3%, respectively, from the same quarter last fiscal year. Adjusted diluted earnings were $0.37 per share in the third quarter of last year. The translation impact from year-over-year changes in currency exchange rates had an unfavorable im-pact on earnings per share of approximately $0.02 in the third quarter of fiscal 2016.
“We delivered strong performance this quarter, executing on our strategy of providing inspiring designs across an unrivaled multi-channel distribution network,” said CEO Brian Walker. “Consolidated revenue growth was within the range we antici-pated and overall profitability exceeded expectations, driven by continued gross margin expansion and well controlled operat-ing expenses. Despite continued challenges specific to our Consumer business segment, our results this quarter demon-strate progress and we remain confident that the fundamental value drivers of that business will deliver improved performance and value going forward. We are particularly pleased with the continued strength of our North America business, demon-strating the clear impact of our investments in new products, refreshed showrooms, and solutions-based selling approach.”
Jeff Stutz, Chief Financial Officer, noted, “Strong overall earn-ings performance this quarter was highlighted by continued gross margin expansion driven by a range of factors, including supportive commodity costs, favorable product mix, and an on-going focus on operational efficiency. We’re also pleased with the focus of our Herman Miller team members to continually
balance the investments required for future growth with pru-dent control over operating expenses. These factors combined to drive a 24% year-over-year increase in adjusted earnings per share and robust operating cash flow generation.”
The year-over-year increase in operating expenses was at-tributed primarily to spending on new product launch and marketing initiatives, higher incentive accruals and variability from higher net sales.
The company ended the third quarter with total cash and cash equivalents of $55.3 million. Cash flow generated from opera-tions in the third quarter was $52.7 million compared to $29.1 million in the same quarter last fiscal year. Through the first nine months of fiscal 2016, operating cash flows were $125.9 million compared to $109.8 million during the same period of the prior year.
Results by Operating Segment (dollars in millions):
(The North American Furniture Solutions segment includes the operations associated with the design, manufacture, and sale of furniture products for work-related settings, including office, education, and healthcare environments, throughout the U.S. and Canada. The business associated with the company’s owned contract furniture dealers is also included in the North American Furniture Solutions segment. The ELA Furniture Solutions segment includes the operations associated with the
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 35 OF 39
businessdesign, manufacture, and sale of furniture products, primar-ily for work-related settings, in EMEA, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. The Specialty segment includes the operations associated with the design, manufacture, and sale of high-craft furniture products and textiles including Geiger wood products, Maharam textiles, and Herman Miller Collection products. The Consumer segment includes operations associated with the sale of modern design furnishings and accessories to third party retail distributors, as well as direct-to-consumer sales through eCommerce and Design Within Reach retail studios.)
On an organic basis, excluding the negative impact of changes in foreign currency translation, North American segment sales increased 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. New orders in the third quarter totaled $296.3 million, an increase of 5.0% from the year ago period. On an organic basis segment orders in the third quarter were 6.1% higher than last year. Mr. Walker noted that the company’s core office contract and health-care businesses were the main drivers of the year-over-year increases in sales and orders. “The trajectory of positive results we’re experiencing reflects very purposeful efforts to reposition from a product-focus to solution-based selling approach that delivers our customers designs that solve real problems,” he noted. “This key shift, which began in 2013 through the Living Office framework, builds on our legacy of modern workplace design with a growing body of research, products, and services designed to help our customers realize higher performing environments. In fact, we’ve reached an important milestone in our Living Office journey. Through research partnerships with a number of our customers to quantify the results of applying these concepts to their spaces, we are seeing measurable im-provements in workplace effectiveness and user experience.”
New orders in the ELA segment totaled $94.5 million in the third quarter, representing a year-over-year decrease of 5.5%. On a constant-currency basis, segment sales increased 7.0%, while orders were 0.8% lower than the third quarter of last year. “The ELA business represents a key element of our strategy – leveraging our brands and capabilities to enhance profitable growth around the world,” said Mr. Walker. “With the addition of the POSH brand and distribution, along with an expanded regional manufacturing and R&D capability, our international business is well positioned for long-term growth in key markets around the world.”
In the Specialty segment, the increase in net sales reflected broad-based growth across the three Specialty brands – Geiger, Maharam and the Herman Miller Collection. New orders in the quarter of $53.5 million increased 0.6% from the year ago period.
Consumer segment orders in the third quarter of $64.5 million were 0.8% below the prior year. Herman Miller noted that this year-over-year decrease in orders continues to reflect “some ongoing pressures from previously outlined factors” but that “the trend this quarter represents significant improvement from the relative order comparison in the second quarter.” During the quarter, the company launched the first DWR Trade Sourcebook and new terms to make it easier to specify DWR products. According to Mr. Walker, the Herman Miller dealer network is responding very favorably to adding the DWR propri-etary products to their portfolio of solutions. “This reflects the very real trend of offices increasingly combining residential and contract sensibilities,” he added.
Outlook
Looking forward, Herman Miller expects net sales in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 to be in the range of $560 million to $580 million. On an organic basis, adjusted for the impact of foreign currency translation, this forecast implies sales growth of approximately 5% at the mid-point of the range. The year-over-year negative impact of foreign currency translation on net sales is expected to be approximately $6 million. Diluted earnings per share in the quarter are expected to range be-tween $0.57 and $0.61 per share. This guidance reflects a net earnings benefit of approximately $0.06 per share associated primarily with an anticipated gain on the sale of a former manu-facturing facility in the United Kingdom.
“Let me close by emphasizing that at its core, Herman Miller has always been driven by a higher purpose and unifying de-sire to make people’s lives better,” Mr. Walker said. “We have a century-old track record of seizing the leading edge of innova-tion as people and environments reinvent themselves. Today is no different. The past five years have been among the most aggressive in our history for new product launches, and we continue to invest aggressively in this area. Our development pipeline is as exciting as it’s ever been. We’re also uniquely positioned with an unparalleled multi-channel infrastructure to access more markets and audiences than any other com-pany in our space. Looking forward, we have a deep bench of talented people working with purpose to address the near-term challenges we face, and I’m as confident as ever in our ability to drive long-term shareholder value.”
The full text of Herman Miller’s 3Q16 earnings release, including all tables, along with a webcast replay of its Mar. 17 conference call, including a PDF document with supplemental financial information, may be accessed in the Investors section of the company’s website: www.hermanmiller.com/about-us/investors.html
“We are pleased with the improved momentum resulting from the execution of our strategy outlined over 18 months ago,” said Jim Stelter, CEO. “We are seeing growth in quoting and project activity bolstered by committed distribution. Sales bene-fitted from new additions to Inscape’s distribution network. The West Elm Workspace with Inscape reseller network has also been further solidified with our first four showrooms opening in March in Tampa, Seattle, New York and Los Angeles – 12 more showrooms are slated to open before June of this year.
“Revenue growth and margin improvement remain our priority over the long term. We are vigorously reviewing our internal processes and making changes that will enhance both margins and the ability to fulfil the needs of our distributors and clients. We are far from our goal but our path is clearly chartered and our team is united in our efforts.”
Gross profit as a percentage of sales for the third quarter of fiscal year 2016 was 27.6%, compared to 20.6% of the same quarter of the previous year. This increase was attributed to favorable overhead absorption with higher sales volume, lower variable and fixed cost of sales, which was offset by unfavorable realized selling prices. Year-to-date gross margin percentage was 24.6%, compared to 24.0% for the same period of last year.
Selling, general and administrative expenses in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016 were 29.5% of sales, compared to 34.1% in the same quarter of last year. In terms of dollars, SG&A had an increase of $1.0 million. This $1.0 million increase includes a one-time charge of $0.4 million for the wind-up one of the Company’s defined benefit pension plans and $0.6 million for increased investment in sales initiatives and new products. Year-to-date SG&A was 32.5% of sales, compared to 28.2% for the same period of last year (or an increase of $3.3 million). The higher SG&A amount was mainly attributable to increased in-vestments in sales initiatives, West Elm Workspace with Inscape start-up costs, new products and higher health care expenses.
The current quarter’s results included an unrealized derivative loss of $2.2 million due to an increase in derivative liabilities
relating to the fair value of outstanding U.S. currency hedge contracts; the same quarter of last year had an unrealized derivative loss of $7.0 million and a long-lived asset impairment loss of $1.7 million. The current year-to-date period included a derivative loss of $2.9 million and unrealized exchange gain of $0.9 million due to the revaluation of FX hedges and exchange, respectively.
With the exclusion of the currency adjustments and certain one-time items, the current quarter had an adjusted income of $0.3 million compared to last year’s adjusted loss of $1.9 million before taxes; the nine-month period would have an adjusted pre-tax loss of $3.7 million, compared to last year’s adjusted pre-tax loss of $0.9 million.
Net income or loss with the exclusion of these unrealized items is a non-GAAP measure, which does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.
At the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2016, the company was debt-free with cash and cash equivalents of $4.2 million and short-term investments of $4.5 million.
Results by Segment (Canadian dollars in thousands):
The full text of Inscape’s 3Q16 earnings release, including all tables, is available on the company’s website at http://inscape-solutions.com/company/press-releases/. Additional information is included in financial statements at http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1046430FS.pdf.
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JOB SITETo place ads or to get a price quote contact Bob Beck [email protected] 972 293 9186
Find all our ads all the time at www.officeinsight.com/careers.
At National, we pride ourselves in having a world-class team that champions growth, diversity and operationalexcellence. We’re creating an environment that inspires an insatiable desire to learn, stretch and do things betterevery day. We have immediate openings and are seekingindividuals to be key players on our team.
District Manager Positions
Boston (preferred location North Boston)New York (preferred location New York City)New Jersey
Responsible for territory management with focusedattention on dealer development, vertical market end-users as well as the A+D community.
Successful candidates must:
• Be personally responsible, focused and effective utilizing a full array of resources for sustained growth
• Leverage sales tools, such as our enhanced dealer programs, new product introductions and exciting sales incentives
• Focus on areas of opportunity within our key vertical markets and identify opportunities to exploit for future growth in the market
• Develop and follow-through on long term strategies to win project business
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills in addition to strong business planning and business development skills
• Have the proven ability to manage and develop relationships
• Be analytical thinkers with creative problem solving aptitude for overcoming business challenges
• Have a sound foundation in report analysis withexcellent understanding of sales and marketing functions
• Hold extensive knowledge of the office furniture industryand 3+ years of demonstrated successful sales growth
As a business unit of Kimball International, we offer anattractive salary and flexible benefits package including aretirement plan with 401(K) feature.
National is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants willreceive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
To learn more and apply for these positions, go to www.NationalOfficeFurniture.com/Careers.
This is a great opportunity to become a partner in a long established rep firm in the New York City market.
Pringle Ward, a highly respected organization with high volume lines is looking for an experienced person to join our sales group as a partner. No financial investment is needed. A
combination of ambition and experience will help to secure your future in office furniture. As a partner you will be a major part of our organization with the opportunity establish financial security.
03.21.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 38 OF 39
JOB SITETo place ads or to get a price quote contact Bob Beck [email protected] 972 293 9186
Find all our ads all the time at www.officeinsight.com/careers.
National Sales Manager - Dallas, TX
Smith System is seeking a National Sales Manager to report to the VP of Sales to call on school districts, A&D community and dealers. The preferred location of the candidate is at our factory in the DFW area.
Essential Functions:
> Willing to travel extensively to areas not currently cov-ered by our Regional Sales Managers.
> Self planned, scheduled and executed calls with schools, dealers and A&D firms.
> Dynamic personality for presentations.
> Proven success develop-ing relationships to drive growth and new business.
Required Experience:
> 5 years in school furniture or contract furniture world.
> Solid presenter and closer. > Proficient in Microsoft Of-fice applications.
Please send your cover letter and resume in confidence to [email protected]
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer
Multi-Line or Direct Sales Representative - Textiles/Wallcoverings - Eastern PA/Delaware/Southern NJ Territory
Carnegie, a leading textile/wallcovering company is seeking multi-line or direct representation in the Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware/South NJ territory. Sales experience in the A+D community is required. Candidates must be self-motivated, entrepreneurial,
with excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Interested candidates should submit their resume along with a cover letter to Erika Gaies, Vice President Sales: [email protected].
Multi-Line Sales Rep-Textiles/wallcoverings - Vancouver and British Columbia
Carnegie, a leading textile/wallcovering company, featuring Bio Based Xorel, is seeking multi-line representation for our Vancouver and British Columbia areas. Sales experience in the local A+D community is required; motivated, energetic and forward thinking a must.
Interested candidates should submit their resume to Remona Teague, Executive Vice President, Global Business Development: [email protected]
Arc | Com is a premier supplier of contract textiles and wallcovering. We have a proud reputation built on excellence, strong customer satisfaction, and expertise in developing innovative and high performance products for all contract markets. Arc-Com’s corporate office is located 15 minutes north of the George Washington Bridge, in Orangeburg, N.Y.
The Arc-Com Design Team creates and introduces innovative and high performance textile products for the corporate, hospitality, healthcare and institutional markets. We are expanding our Textile Design Team and are looking for a creative Designer to work on product development.
Position Requirements: > Foundation knowledge of the contract industry
> Ability to create and modify artwork digitally is essential
Visit us at www.Arc-Com.com. Arc-Com is an equal opportunity employer.
Designer/Specifier - NYC
Furniture Consultants is looking for a new career minded designer/specifier to join our design team. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in architecture, interior design, or industrial design.
The ideal candidate would have experience in contract furniture, systems furniture and the design of commercial spaces. We are a NYC based
dealership representing hundreds of manufacturers. Our services include space planning, specification of different furniture and wall systems and custom designed solutions.
We are looking for a creative problem solver with close attention to detail. Proficiency in AutoCAD is a must. Expertise with a variety of software packages, including
Project Matrix, CET Designer, Team Design, and Microsoft Excel highly desirable. Proven ability to interface and communicate effectively with manufacturers, clients, design firms and internal team members is a must.
Carnegie - The Sales Assistant will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of sales operations and providing support to the Sales Representative in the Northern California Territory. This position entails assisting with various sales related tasks and providing exceptional customer service to our clients.
Required Skills: 1+ years experience in Textiles, Interior Design, Architecture, or related fields. Exceptional organizational, time management and customer service skills.Please send cover letter and resume to Heather Williamson, at [email protected]
Multi-Line Representative - Seattle/Portland
David Edward, a leading furniture manufacturing company is seeking multi-line representative in Washington & Oregon. Sales experience in the A+D community is required.
Interested candidates should submit their resume along with a cover letter to Kevin Pitts, Partner: [email protected]
