Type Private Area served Worldwide CEO Franco Bianchi Founder Gerrard Wendell Haworth Number of locations 75 | Industry Office furniture Revenue 1.8 billion USD (2014) Chairperson Matthew Haworth Founded 1948 | |
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Predecessor Modern Products
Modern Partitions Key people Matthew R. Haworth (Chairman), Franco Bianchi (President & CEO) Products Reside Desking
Improv chair
Lim lighting
Power Base
TecCrete Headquarters Holland, Michigan, United States Profiles | ||
Haworth Inc. designs and manufactures adaptable workspaces, including raised floors, movable walls, systems furniture, seating, storage and wood casegoods. Founded in 1948 by G. W. Haworth, Haworth is a privately held, family-owned corporation headquartered in Holland, Michigan, United States. Haworth serves markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 600 dealers. In 2010, Haworth's worldwide sales were US$1.21 billion. Haworth employs nearly 7,000 people worldwide in 20 wholly owned factories and 55 sales offices.
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History
The company began in 1948 as Modern Products. In 1954, the focus of Modern Products shifted toward office environments, in response to the development of modular office partitions. To reflect this new focus, the company changed its name to Modern Partitions
In 1976, with the founder's son Richard now in charge, the company took its current name, Haworth, and the company began focusing exclusively on office furniture systems. Richard Haworth patented the first cubicle wall panels with internal wiring.
In the early 1980s, when office seating was added to Haworth product offering being built at the Allegan, Michigan Haworth Plant, the company continued its movement toward providing complete workspace solutions. Later in the 1980s, Haworth pursued an aggressive expansion in North America, Europe, and Asia.
During the next two decades, Haworth developed several industry firsts — from the first mobile office system to panel-to-panel cabling systems. Haworth also earned awards for its business and design practices, such as environmental sustainability, leadership, community service, and member job satisfaction.
In 1996 competitor Steelcase was found at fault in a patent infringement suit brought by Haworth in 1985. Steelcase was ordered to pay $211.5 million in damages and interest.
Haworth reached $1 billion in annual revenue in 1994, and passed the $2 billion mark in 2000. In January of that year, Haworth purchased SMED of Calgary. In September, 2003, Haworth acquired Interface AR of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The acquisitions of SMED and InterfaceAR further strengthened Haworth’s workspace solutions.
The company purchased Italian furniture group Poltrona Frau for $270 million in 2014. Through the acquisition, Haworth gained a majority stake in several iconic Italian design brands, including Cappellini, Cassina and Alias.
Ownership
Haworth, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned corporation. Haworth had sales of $1.8 Billion in 2014 making it the third largest manufacturer of office furniture behind Steelcase and Herman Miller.