Herman Miller and Leesman Partner in Research

11.12.18 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

CITED:“WHEN WE ENCOUNTER ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL TRULY AS A PERSON, NOT AS AN OBJECT FOR USE, WE BECOME FULLY HUMAN.” —MARTIN BUBER

Herman Miller and Leesman Partner in Research

Two weeks ago, Herman Miller hosted a research event at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. The night was part of a tour of events intended to roll out what Herman Miller’s says is the biggest research effort in company history, intended to evidentiate Herman Miller’s Living Office approach to workplace design. In developing its own research, Herman Miller has partnered with Leesman, a global business intelligence tools aggregator. Leesman’s global workplace benchmarking tool, called the Leesman Index, is an impressive example of big data actually being gathered and analyzed for use, set to become the largest data pool for rating the employee workplace experience.

FULL STORY ON PAGE 3…

An Interview with Tecno CEO Giuliano Mosconi

Last week, we published a particularly insightful review of Orgatec by John Sacks. officeinsight Publisher Bob Beck was also at the show, where he conducted an interview with Guiliano Mosconi, the CEO of Tecno. Mr. Mosconi took over the company seven years ago, restoring its rich heritage of launching new and unique products to the market. The new Aura Lounge by Rainlight and the Linea “micro architectural system” by Zanon Architetti Associati, were introduced at the show.


Concurrents – Environmental Psychology: Animal Friendly Offices, Again

Sally Augustin presents the case for designing workplaces to be more pet-friendly. “As more pets and other companion-type animals are finding themselves in workplaces, it makes sense to plan for their presence. Every area in every office doesn’t need to be completely pet friendly, but enough spaces should be so that work can go on basically as usual when pets and companion-type animals are present.


11.12.18 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 2 OF 40

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research

Two weeks ago, Herman Miller hosted a research event at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. The night was part of a tour of events intended to roll out what Herman Miller’s workplace

strategy team identifies as the biggest research effort in company history.

The goal of the research was to evi-dentiate Herman Miller’s Living Office approach to workplace design, which it

introduced to the public in 2013.In developing the research arm of

Living Office, Herman Miller has part-nered with Leesman, a global business intelligence tools aggregator. Lees-man’s global workplace benchmarking tool, called the Leesman Index, is an impressive example of big data actually being gathered and analyzed for use. It is set to become the largest data pool for rating the employee workplace experience. To date, Leesman has interviewed 425,917 employees – in 3,243 workplaces, 463 organizations and 90 countries – about every pos-sible consideration employees come across in the workplace.

“We strongly believe in the Living Office, but with this research, we’re moving beyond belief and into proof,” said Joseph White, Director of Work-place Strategy, Design & Management, at Herman Miller. “This is the largest

Herman Miller and Leesman Partner in Researchby Mallory Jindra

Herman Miller’s Living Office revolves around its “Engine of Prosperity”, pictured here.

Images: courtesy of Herman Miller and Leesman


researchresearch effort Herman Miller has ever undertaken. We began our research efforts three or four years ago, and along the way it became really impor-tant for us to involve an independent third party. It quickly became clear that Leesman could provide one of the most powerful tools and data sets available.”

At the Merchandise Mart event, Herman Miller invited Eleanor Forster, Managing Director of North America

Leesman, to speak to attendees about all of the data Leesman has collected, how they’re organizing and analyzing it for use, and the results.

“Think of us as an X-ray of the cur-rent workplace,” said Ms. Forster. “We don’t do consulting, we don’t tell you what to do with the information or how to fix things. We have no vested inter-est outside providing insight into the workplace.

“We’re constantly mining data for patterns and correlations, isolating char-acters of high performance, and we’re now doing our deepest investigation yet into the data to identify the real drivers of sentiment. The Leesman Index is an immersive experience for people who previously wouldn’t have access to this caliber of information. Our purpose is to identify how organizations might provide a frictionless day at work.”

“There are multiple factors at play in employee workplace experience (EwX), some of which may be beyond your control: employee needs, re-quirements and preferences, behavior, process and organisational structure and dynamics.”


researchIf you aren’t already, we encourage

you to become familiar with the work Leesman is doing. Much of its data is available at leesmanindex.com.

In its primary research reporting document, Leesman’s executive sum-mary states:

“As our experience of the brands and services we consume changes, so too does the expectations we place on our workplaces. This study has explored what that means for organisations trying to get the best of their real estate and their employees.

This study focuses on the physical, service and virtual aspects of em-ployee workplace experience and has mapped the complex web of factors that impact, shape and ultimately

determine employee sentiment.The results, drawn from the largest

employee workplace experience data-set of its kind ever amassed, provide a series of key insights:

A visual of the Leesman Index (Lmi)

Leesman’s Employee Workplace Experience (EwX) is “shaped through the support of three dis-tinct experience clusters; Doing, Seeing and Feeling. An outstanding workplace experience deliv-ers on all three and failure on one will almost certainly limit or undermine overall EwX sentiment.”

https://www.leesmanindex.com/


research1. There are multiple factors at play

in employee workplace experience (EwX), some of which may be beyond your control; employee needs, require-ments and preferences, behavior, process and organisational structure and dynamics.

2. EwX is shaped through the support of three distinct experience clusters; Doing, Seeing and Feeling. An outstanding workplace experience

delivers on all three and failure on one will almost certainly limit or undermine overall EwX sentiment.

3. There is a series of core employee work activities that are key drivers across all three areas of the EwX. Supporting these should be seen as mission-critical in delivering high-performance workplace.

4. The workplace ecosystem is com-plex, and most physical and service

components are intricately entwined. However, certain components are greatly more important than others and will have a significantly larger impact on EwX. These components must be positioned at the top of all agendas.

“Leadership teams have to accept employee workplace experience is subjective by definition, but it is the reality as experienced by the people who matter most – the employees.

Leesman’s “Doing” data points


researchThe leadership team might not ap-preciate it or agree with it, but it is the employee opinion at that point in time relative to their experience. This research now provides those teams two key elements: a checklist of the factors that carry the greatest influence in improving that experience as well as the evidence on which to build the compelling business benefit case.”

In addition to presenting the data, Ms. Forster and Leesman address how and why their data is valuable:

“We often get asked whether, and how, employee engagement impacts

what an employee thinks of their workplace. We are sometimes asked whether the responses in the Leesman survey are reliable, because an em-ployee responds subjectively…Indeed, it is subjective – because experience and sentiment are subjective by their very definition. An employee’s experi-ence is his/her perception of reality at that point in time. What matters to the employee, and should therefore matter to the organisation, is the perception of reality, not reality itself. The actual quality of the workplace doesn’t really matter, if it’s not perceived well.”

Leesman notes an important shift happening in the language we use when describing work: productivity vs. contribution, employee vs. participant; designer vs. co-creator, manager vs. enabler, service vs. support, customer vs. follower, them vs. us, and provider vs. partner.

In framing Herman Miller’s research efforts, Mr. White called specific at-tention to the language shifts from Employee-to-Participant and from Productivity-to-Contribution.

“Living Office shows that when you support people, your organization will

Leesman’s “Seeing” data points


researchsucceed,” said Mr. White. “We wanted to shift the experience of work, and the expectations about that experi-ence – to identify more personalized measures of success. We want our clients to understand who they are, and where they want to go. And in all of this, success is critically linked to the conversations with people about their workplace – engaging people in conversation about things get done at their office.”

“It’s not about measuring yourself against your industry; it’s about measur-ing yourself to your personal best. As an example, we’ve had law firms come to us asking, ‘What are the industry standards for a law office right now? What is the standard ratio for offices and worksta-tions?’ And we respond with, ‘Well, are you like every other law firm?’” And then the conversation starts to shift to more personal metrics. The ultimate measure of success is how well the workspace fits

the people it serves, not how well it fits prescribed industry benchmarks.”

Herman Miller embedded the Lees-man Index survey into its own re-search effort – consisting of 16 unique research methods including interviews, journey maps and surveys – and add-ed a few additional questions specific to the Living Office approach.

The research is summarized in a white paper titled, “How to Catalyze the Workplace for Growth.”

Leesman’s “Feeling” data points


research

Employee Experience Journey: Leesman organizes the most imperative components of a high-performance workplace into a network of subway system-like intersections.


research

Herman Miller research study results


research

Herman Miller research study results, alongside Leesman’s global averages


researchThe research identifies three busi-

ness priorities that companies should focus on, and how each company goes about achieving these goals can, and should, look unique.

1. Stimulate innovation2. Increase efficiency (rooted in

enhanced experience)3. Attract and retain talent“Before and after each redesign, we

asked people how well the workplace was enabling their daily work activities and fulfilling their expectations,” notes the white paper. “Our findings, validat-ed by the largest set of workplace data in the world, show that when research on people and work informs your office design, it becomes a powerful tool for organizational growth.”

Herman Miller identified three key takeaways from their research:

>”People who inhabit research-based workplaces tell us they are more creative and collaborative, and they approach their work with more produc-

tivity and efficiency.”>”Organizations that invest in

workplace research and use it to inform their office designs make more efficient use of their real estate and report measurable improvements in everything from employee retention to innovation.”

>”As smart workplace capabili-ties evolve, real-time data on space utilization and employee well-being will increasingly allow your workplace to immediately respond to people’s needs and efficiently adapt to the changing demands of your business.”

In describing Herman Miller’s intent with its Living Office research, Mr. White points to Robert Propst’s 1968 book, “The Office: A Facility Based on Change”, a book he wrote when Herman Miller launched its Ac-tion Office:

Propst’s words are relevant today:“The renewed rise of individuality as

a value and the great diversity in what

one may be required to do in an office does not allow a continuation of sterile uniformity with status as the only definition.”

In another chapter, he writes:“The business of people talking to

each other in offices is a very serious consideration. It is by far the most expensive achievement of offices: the grouping of people that allows conver-sational exchange.”

Living Office continues the best of what Action Office started.

“Propst identified a distinction between change and growth that’s really important to what Living Office does,” said Mr. White. “In creating these unique structures of workplace, you’re asking yourself, ‘How are we going to navigate the changes that are coming our organization?’ We want to help identify which trends organiza-tions should embrace, and which ones serve as distractions, designing for an organization’s personal best.” n


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product design

The Tecno Stand at Orgatec 2018. Photo courtesy of Tecno

Last week, we published a full review of Orgatec by John Sacks. John is an industry consultant from London, and he’s contributed to officeinsight in the past, primarily covering the China trade shows in Shanghai and Guangzhou. His coverage of this year’s Orgatec was particularly insightful –if you haven’t already, read it here.

When I returned from Orgatec, I had a couple of hundred pictures I had taken but not a clue as to what I’d

write about it. I settled on one target, and in this piece I’ll share an interview I had during the show with Guiliano Mosconi, the CEO of Tecno.

It’s no secret I’m a fan of Tecno. (read my previous article) and I’m keen to see how the company fares under Mr. Mosconi’s leadership. So I was happy when he agreed to an inter-view despite our language issues (his English is only a fractionally better than my Italian so we benefitted greatly from an interpreter). In Italy he has a solid reputation as a turnaround leader, and I found him to be charismatic and very straightforward. Here it is.

Bob Beck (BB): It’s been seven years since you acquired Tecno. Are you happy with the progress?

Giuliano Mosconi (GM): Yes, it’s seven years since we took over the company, and we have seen a trans-formation in the way we work, so some days I’m particularly happy. Some days are a miss, but we have a very precise idea of the future of the company, and

overall I’m happy with the progress. Of course, every one of us has an idea of the future, and each one goes forward so this future becomes possible.

BB: As the CEO of Poltrona Frau, you put together the acquisition of Cassina and Cappellini, forming the Gruppo Poltrona Frau. How has that experience informed your work at Tecno?

GM: When we acquired those two highly esteemed companies, I entered a tradition of design. Also at Tecno, the tradition of design is very strong. But when I arrived at Tecno we put a sen-tence at the entrance of the building. It says, “We are not involved in furniture, we are here to redesign the future with our future work.” And that idea has become our slogan. In English we say, “Redesigning the Future of Future Work.”

This is a starting point for us to un-derstand the impact of technology on the way we work; how our products will be used. The products must reflect an

Reflections on Orgatec and an Interview with Tecno CEO Giuliano Mosconiby Bob Beck

https://officeinsight.com/events/orgatec-2018-a-review/

https://officeinsight.com/product-design/tecno-redesigning-the-future-of-future-work/


product design

understanding of the way people are working. What is changing is the use of time. We have grown up when there was a time to work, a time to rest, and a time for vacation. Nowadays every-thing is mixed. Business is digital, and digitalization is having a profound impact on how people are using and relating to our products. So in this new time we found our future strategy; our products now must be intelligent products – products that recognize you and recognize the environment in which they are.

In the U.S. we are a partner of Com-mon Ground, an innovative real estate and co-work company where we are doing projects that are very interesting for quality, for the novelty, and with an eye towards the future.

Tecno’s Linea “micro-architectural” system is designed to define and organize spaces. The ball joint and tubular structural elements are highly reconfigurable. Storage and casual seating are among the many possibilities.

Connector detail showing typical Tecno precision and simplicity.


product designBB: We’re seeing many different

approaches to co-working. What are you doing with Common Ground that is unique?

GM: Their approach is to provide many different arrangements and sizes of spaces – and these spaces are enclosed using our most versatile glass partition system. They reconfig-ure quickly and often depending on the changing requirements of their clients. Their idea is to give clients as much or as little space as they need and it can be as open or private as they want it to be, and this vision is made possible using our system because of its flexibility.

The kit of parts can be combined to create horizontal surfaces for worktops, seating or shelving and vertical planes for space division and storage. The elements can be integrated with lighting systems, acoustic panels and textiles. Add doors with locks to create a handsome locker system.


product designBB: I became a fan of Tecno prod-

ucts from my first encounter with the Nomos Table during Milan Design Week in the mid 80s. But as an out-side observer it seemed to me that by the 90s, the company had sort of “lost the thread” in terms of launching new and unique products.

GM: I agree. The founder of the company, Osvaldo Borsani created a rich history and heritage that is some-thing positive for us. So we are obliged to follow this path so that he would be happy to see what we are doing. I think we are doing the same things with the same courage that he had 70 years ago. Doing exceptional products is our strength and our determination

Launched at Orgatec, Aura Seating, represents an innovation in this well-established genre. The exposed shell is formed acrylic that can be speci-fied in various degrees of opacity, providing an interesting visual effect. Design: Rainlight.


product design

An installation of Nomos Workstaions

At Orgatec a long bench provided seating at the classic Nomos Meeting Table.


product designgoing forward. But winning 10 design awards for a product is not enough. We need to go forward into distinct product types and the products need to be used in projects that com-municate how we behave. The most important thing is communicating our capabilities to the customers we are going to market to.

BB: What are your plans for the U.S. market?

GM: We are trying to reserve for ourselves an original space in the U.S. market; it is not easy to work there, be-cause there’s a very strong presence of companies who work on furnishing the office. There are strong relationships between the producers and distribu-tors, so it is very difficult to find a way that is not impossible. We are trying to do it the Italian way, being very careful in doing what we are doing – we pay attention. What does it mean to do it the Italian way? Approach the market with a different creativity, pay atten-tion to final customer, know how to customize and meet the necessities of customers. And if we go along with this kind of attention and the ability to do what the client needs at the time, we do not have competitors.

BB: That’s very sound thinking. I wish you the very best.

We are so accustomed to thinking about our North American market from our own perspective, so it is interesting to get a glimpse of how it feels from Europe.

Having stated my opinion that the company had more or less “lost the thread” regarding product develop-ment in the 90’s, I was very impressed with its novità (new products). I especially liked the Aura Lounge by Rainlight and the Linea “micro archi-tectural system” by Zanon Architetti Associati. The accomplished hand of the Tecno Project Center is very evident in the execution of both prod-ucts, and I think they will both be big winners for the company. n

Detail of the shelf structure typical of Tecno and the Nomos product line.


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concurrentsENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGYAnimal Friendly Offices, Againby Sally Augustin, Ph.D.

The popular press has again focused some of its attention on animal-assist-ed therapy and animals being wel-comed to workplaces and other public venues. A September 6 article in the New York Times, by Jennifer Kingson (“As Animal-Assisted Therapy Thrives, Enter the Cats,” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/well/live/as-animal-assisted-therapy-thrives-enter-the-cats.html) is one recent article that dis-cusses animals intentionally brought to workplaces and other “unconven-tional” locations.

Kingson reports that, “Evidence of the growing enthusiasm for therapy animals is cropping up in health and academic circles. The American Hospital Association held a webinar in July on how to set up or improve a hospital animal program. Aetna, the major health care company, is among the growing number of employers that bring therapy animals into the work-place to reduce stress and lift people’s moods.” Kingson also shares that dogs are the animals that most often support people outside the home, but that cats, rabbits and even more “exotic” animals such as miniature horses and llamas are occasionally also used to enhance wellbeing away from home.

As more pets and other companion-type animals are finding themselves in workplaces, it makes sense to plan for their presence. Every area in every office doesn’t need to be completely pet friendly, but enough spaces should be so that work can go on basically as usual when pets and companion-type animals are present.

Considering animals that might be intentionally present when workplaces are designed doesn’t necessarily change much about the way offices

are designed. Easy clean surfaces, for example, may be desirable in an area regardless of whether puppies might be there or not. Similarly, green

outdoor areas around workplaces are good for worker mental health, regard-less of whether dogs will be or won’t be walked in them.

Cyrus, an English bulldog, hangs out at Amazon while his owner works. Photography: Justin Siebert


concurrentsAnimal proofing a space and sup-

porting animal amusement are prob-ably additions to the workplace design brief – but they don’t need to dramati-cally affect office form. Windows are plentiful in many workplaces; slightly tweaking their form can make them more animal friendly. Dogs can enjoy

looking out windows and windows that reach all the way to the ground enable even big dogs to do so, for example.

Another example: even the best be-haved dogs are sometimes tempted by food left “unguarded,” say on an open shelf at nose height above the floor. Doors on the front of places where

food will be kept help keep at-office visual complexity at comfortable levels and may help reduce vermin’s access to whatever is being stored, just as it can keep puppy noses away. Similarly, cats love to climb but not necessarily to retrace their steps and return to the ground. It’s probably prudent to con-sider how “elevated” cat rescues could be conducted in an area with some-thing that will tempt a cat upward, if there is much likelihood that a cat will spend time in a workplace.

Office design that supports human wellbeing probably generally sup-ports animal wellbeing also – but it can’t hurt to consider how a dog or a cat will experience a work area when one is being developed, particularly as the number of animals intention-ally present in workplaces continues to increase. “New Research Shows Why the Commute Should Be Counted as Part of the Working Day.” 2018. Press release, University of the West of England, https://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwenews/news.aspx?id=3848 n

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 Psychologi-cal Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Design-er’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at [email protected].

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MINDSETEveryday we hear business concepts, we read white papers and management books that involve change; change in actions, change in business models, change in thinking. But how do we actually change? What actions do we take that alter our patterns, the conventions we’ve been taught, and what got us to where we are today?

Mindset has the power to shape the actions we take and help us recognize what needs changing. Knowing that we need to change is one thing, knowing how to change is entirely different. This year’s 360º explores outside influences on our thinking, how we’re wired, what’s happening around us, and what our future may challenge us to do. It’s our mindset that gives us the ability to change.

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r-d connectionRESEARCH-DESIGN CONNECTIONOpen Bench Seating: Stress and Activity Implicationsby Sally Augustin, Ph.D.

Researchers linked working in open bench seating areas to users’ daytime stress (perceived and physiological) and activity levels. A group lead by Casey Lindberg determined that:

“Workers in open office seating had less daytime stress and greater daytime activity levels compared to workers in private offices and cubicles…That great-er physical activity at the office was re-lated to lower physiological stress during after-work hours outside the office…The study evaluated 231 people who work in federal office buildings and wore stress and activity sensors around the clock for three workdays and two nights…work-ers in open bench seating arrangements

were 32 percent more physically active at the office than those in private offices and 20 percent more active than those in cubicles. Importantly, workers who were more physically active at the office had 14 percent less physiological stress outside of the office compared to those with less physical activity at the office” [quote from press release].

These stress and activity-related find-ings were published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. In that article, the investigators report that, “Workers in open bench seating were more active at the office than those in private offices and cubicles (open bench seating vs private office…(31.83% higher on aver-age)…open bench seating vs cubicle…(20.16% higher on average)…Further-more, workers in open bench seating ex-perienced lower perceived stress at the office than those in cubicles…(9.10% lower on average)…Finally, higher physi-cal activity at the office was related to lower physiological stress (higher heart rate variability in the time domain) outside the office…(14.18% higher on average).” Professional performance was not evaluated by investigators. n

Casey Lindberg, Karthik Srinivasan, Brian Gilligan, and 11 others. 2018. “Effects of Office Workstation Type

on Physical Activity and Stress.” Occupational and Environmental Medicine, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-105077

“Your Office May Be Affecting Your Health.” 2018. Press release, University of Arizona, https://uanews.arizona.edu/story/your-office-may-be-affecting-your-health

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 Psychologi-cal Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Design-er’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at [email protected].

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-105077

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2018-105077

https://uanews.arizona.edu/story/your-office-may-be-affecting-your-health










officenewswireFor complete releases, visit www.officeinsight.com/officenewswire.

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acteristics of the fiber allow for moisture to be regulated against 65% relative humid-ity – actively absorbing and desorbing. It is a keratin so it does not support the growth of mold. Wool fiber can also improve air quality through passive filtration. The amino acids in wool will irreversibly bond with formaldehyde, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Sound deadening is a further differentiator along with natural resistance to fire. By comparison, fiberglass, while widely used, is not a sustainable material. The fibers are not as well suited to the application as wool fibers and the particulate emitted is not safe to breathe. And rock wool insulation is not wool at all; rather it is basalt rock and slag from steel production

spun into fibers and formed into batts with a formalde-hyde binder. According to CaraGreen, true wool insula-tion is readily available and the most sustainable option on the market. Read More

>FSR introduced three new product collections for power and connectivity solutions: -The Symphony Collection features gently curved shapes and a streamlined design for unobtrusive connections to AV gear, while the attractive exterior remains faithful to the aesthetics that interior design-ers demand. It offers 12 color combinations, with techni-cal configurations including a choice of full insert AC outlets, USB charging ports, and low voltage openings. This line is available as clamp on, mounted in, or mounted under a table, shelf or chair. -The Unity Collection (pic-tured) provides connectivity

and functionality in a variety of shapes and finishes to match any décor or need. Hideaway doors provide easy access to USB charging ports, AC outlets, touch control pan-els for AV equipment, and a full line of insert brackets and cable retractors for effortless connectivity. -The Harmony Collection offers round or square cov-ers, and finishes that include black anodized, clear anod-ized aluminum or brushed brass. Covers can be closed while in use for a sleek, clean look with milled openings for convenient connectivity. The Harmony boxes feature AC outlets, USB charging ports, cable retractors, gravity feed cable pulls and FSR’s Intelligent Plate and Simple Solutions for a wide variety of interconnect solutions. Read More

>Patcraft introduced its first PVC-free resilient style, EcoSystem™. Featuring two visuals within three styles, the EcoSystem designs offer coordinating plank and sheet products, both of which work well with the collection’s ab-stract tile style. Soothing col-orways and organic designs contribute to a calming envi-ronment within commercial interiors. Designed to perform

ATI Decorative Laminates: Titan Aluminum Gun Metal, 248 BKE (Divine Elements Collection, NuMetal)

CaraGreen: Havelock Wool Insulation

FSR: Unity Collection

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in high-demand environ-ments, EcoSystem’s innova-tive, bio-based polyurethane surface allows for dirt and scuff marks to be removed easily and completely. The no-polish finish, combined with high performance on the Medical Stain and Chemical Resistance testing, makes it ideal for clinical and health-care applications. The two visuals across the three styles can be used seamlessly to-gether to create dynamic and diverse patterns. Patcraft’s Enrich™ plank and sheet re-silient style offers classic and modern wood visuals with colors ranging from warm and traditional to cool and modern. The company’s new Meaning™ tile resilient style provides an abstract multi-directional pattern that serves the functional purpose of hid-ing scratches, scuffs and dirt, and also disguising seams. “By printing with strings that were dipped in watercolor

paints, we created intricate designs which inspired the abstract visual of the Meaning tile within the collection,” said Kelly Stewart, Patcraft’s Hard Surface Designer. Read More

>Scandinavian Spaces and partner brand Lintex launched three visual com-munication tools – Silk-glass, Wood Series, and Mood Fabric Mobile. Silk-glass revolutionizes writing

surfaces for professional inte-riors. With a silky matt surface and non-reflective properties it allows for a clean, writable product with the resistance similar to a sheet of paper. It is offered in 24 glass colors, with a polished appear-ance and rich hues that are enhanced from the changing light throughout the work day. The Wood series, designed in collaboration with Christian Halleröd, features a contem-porary frame constructed with simple lines and high-quality materials. Crafted from solid oak with a crisp white enam-eled steel writing surface, it is characterized by its pristine material and intricate detailing. The Mood Fabric Mobile (pictured), designed by Christian Halleröd and Matti Klenell, lends acoustic solutions to interior spaces with a sound-absorbent textile backing. It features a writ-able, magnetic surface and is available in eight colors and two sizes – a small model with a full glass front and a large model with a glass and textile front. Read More

>Wolf-Gordon expanded its offering of natural materials with eight new Cork items for wallcoverings and upholstery. The collection utilizes all parts of the cork bark, including residual elements, to form intricate designs that have a sustainable composition while meeting the performance de-mands of the contract market. Cork, primarily sourced in its raw state from Portugal, is an environmentally friendly option; once the bark of a live cork oak tree is stripped, it will regenerate every 9–10 years, allowing new bark to grow while maintaining the grove’s ecological processes. In addition, the wallcoverings feature a Class A fire rating, mildew and rot resistance, and act as a natural insulator with acoustical properties. The upholstery offerings meet all ACT performance standards, rate 100,000 Wyzenbeek double-rubs, are impervious to dirt and liquids, and are even hypoallergenic. The wallcovering patterns include: -a mélange of cork shavings and pieces reminiscent of terrazzo flooring in a washed greige tone; -a patchwork of cork bands with different brown hues; -an organic vertical stripe made of cork segments dyed in alternating silver gray and light brown shades; and, -a dense midnight blue color-way formed from pigmented cork fragments set against a glossy black ground. With a luxurious hand com-parable to soft leather, the durable new Wolf-Gordon cork upholstery line (pictured)

Patcraft: EcoSystem™

Scandinavian Spaces: Mood Fabric Mobile


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includes: -a narrow stripe pattern with cork’s natural coloring; -rectangles made of float-ing organic shapes in a rich chocolate shade; -a soft beige tone formation with hints of white and gray peeking through the nooks and crannies; and, -a dynamic creation of small cork pieces scattered on metallic silver. Read More

NOTEWORTHY>Armstrong Flooring launched its new SEE THE POSSIBILITIES™ Design Competition. It calls on pro-fessional designers to push the limits of vinyl composi-tion tile (VCT) by creating bold and vibrant designs to reflect the demands of modern commercial interi-ors. The contest is open to

professionals in the design & architecture community located in the United States, as well as students of dDesign or architecture. Entrants can submit either finished instal-lations or conceptual layouts featuring Armstrong Flooring VCT products in a healthcare, education, retail, hospitality, or office setting. Submis-sions will be judged on visual appeal; creative use of color and pattern, and practicality of design with sector in mind.

Armstrong Flooring VCT prod-ucts must be used exclusively and identified by sku number. Entries may be submitted through Jan. 15, 2019; win-ners will be announced on Feb. 1. Read More

>The 2019 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition is open for entries. Now in its 26th year, the annual awards program recognizes the outstanding work of top North American architects and designers who create imaginative spaces that incorporate the innova-tive technical and aesthetic qualities of Italian ceramic and porcelain tile. In the three built categories – residen-tial, institutional and com-mercial – projects can be domestic or international but must be designed by North America-based architects and designers, built or renovated between January 2014 and January 2019, and feature a significant amount of Italian ceramic or porcelain tile produced by Ceramics of Italy member companies. The student category - a new category introduced last year - design and architec-ture students enrolled in an accredited university in North

Wolf-Gordon: Cork

Armstrong Flooring: SEE THE POSSIBILITIES™ Design Competition Ceramics of Italy: Tile Competition


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officenewswireAmerica are invited to submit their projects in the form of renderings, floor plans, and sketches to produce imagi-native solutions using Italian ceramic tile. The deadline for entries is Feb. 1, 2019; win-ers will be notified in March and officially announced dur-ing Coverings, taking place Apr. 9-12 in Orlando, FL. Read More

>Coalesse is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Gen-eral Manager Lew Epstein, in a Steelcase 360 podcast, explored the company’s his-tory creating furnishings for the modern workplace, with a glimpse into the brand’s future – including the Coa-lesse Design Group’s move to Munich and a deep-dive into concepts like wellbeing and customization. The company has posted a special anniver-sary web page for readers to discover more about the 10 Years of Coalesse. Read More

>HOK’s WorkPlace Group released “The New Insurance Workplace,” an investigation into the specific threats and challenges facing the insur-ance industry. The 28-page report focuses on how chang-

ing regulations, emerging technologies, and increasingly obsolete work processes are disrupting the sector. It also describes the opportunities to respond with new work environments that help attract and engage employees and enhance the customer experi-ence. It looks at amenities,

mobility, trends in call and contact centers, Activity-Based Workplaces, Neighbor-hood-Based Choice Envi-ronments, and Space as a Service. Also included are key

takeaways from their survey of corporate real estate execu-tives in the insurance sector. The survey showed that more than 70% of participants have deployed workplace stan-dards or guidelines across their portfolio, and 100% of the respondents reported incorporating some type of free-address, unassigned space. “We hope this look into the forces of change im-pacting the insurance sector’s workplace helps bring leaders in the C-Suite, corporate real estate, facilities management, HR, IT and other departments into productive conversations about how to unlock the true potential of their space—and their people,” said Kay Sargent, co-director of HOK’s WorkPlace practice. Read More

>IIDA named EwingCole as the Best of Competition win-ner of the 2018 Healthcare Design Awards for Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen in Montvale, NJ. This competi-tion honors and celebrates outstanding originality and

Coalesse Celebrates 10 Years

HOK’s WorkPlace Group Releases “The New Insurance Workplace” Report

IIDA Healthcare Design Awards Best of Competition Winner: Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen in Montvale, NJ by EwingCole, Philadelphia, PA. Category Winner: Ambulatory – Cancer Center. Photo by Halkin/Mason Photography, LLC, courtesy of EwingCole


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officenewswireexcellence in the design and furnishings of healthcare interior spaces. The Best of Competition winner was announced and all winners were celebrated at a special awards reception on Nov. 8 in the IDEA Studio at IIDA Headquarters in Chicago. “Healthcare design must focus on finding creative and compassionate solutions,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst. “Unphased by chal-lenges, the design team at EwingCole blended natural and man-made elements to create a space that success-fully incorporates biophilia and integrated technology.” Read More

>KI’s Ruckus Collection re-ceived the Solution Provider Award at LearningSCAPES 2018 in Chicago earlier this month. Sponsored by the Association for Learning Environments, this annual award recognizes companies and products that have a profound effect on students, faculty, and learning out-comes by creating safe and

sustainable learning environ-ments. Ruckus is a simple, inspiring, and innovative col-lection that supports today’s learning space transforma-tions. It changes paradigms that directly impact the way students and teachers learn, share, and relate to one an-other. Movement is essential to our cognitive development. The Ruckus Collection puts that principle into practice. It includes seating that pro-motes student movement and lets users choose how they relate to Ruckus; cantilevered desks that adapt to individu-als and circumstances; and super-functional lockers, cubbies, and bookcases that keep learning tools handy and learning spaces neat. Read More

ENVIRONMENT>Clark Construction Group, LLC on Nov. 7 announced that it has become a Fitwel Champion. Fitwel, an evi-dence-based healthy building certification, aims to support

healthier workplace environ-ments and improve occupant health and productivity. It was created as a joint initiative between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion and the General Services Administration and is oper-ated by the Center for Active Design. As the first general contractor to become a Fitwel Champion, Clark has targeted Fitwel certifications for seven of its offices: Baltimore, MD; Bethesda, MD; Chicago, IL; Irvine, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; and Seattle, WA. In addition to certifying its own offices, Clark will continue to advise its clients on the benefits of healthy buildings to both owners and tenants. Studies show that owners investing in healthy buildings see reduced operating costs, lower va-cancy rates, and higher ten-ant retention while occupiers of green and healthy office buildings report improved productivity due to lower staff turnover, fewer employee sick days, and a decrease in employee absenteeism. As a Fitwel Champion, Clark will have ten Fitwel Ambassadors on its staff. Fitwel Ambassa-dors are leaders in the healthy building movement who are well versed on the evidence-based connection between building design, operations, and health, and have a clear understanding of how to inte-grate Fitwel strategies within buildings and workplaces. Read More

>USGBC, the International Code Council, ASHRAE, and the Illuminating Engineering

Society on Nov. 8 released the 2018 International Green Construction Code. The IgCC is a model code that has wide applicability for incorporating resilient, high-performance green building strategies into building codes to improve the standards of living for people in communi-ties across the globe. When pursuing LEED certification in jurisdictions that adopt the IgCC green code, USGBC will allow project teams to be recognized in LEED for their compliance to select IgCC measures. The 2018-IgCC update accomplishes two important tasks: 1. It will help governments streamline code development and adoption; and 2. It will improve building industry standardization by integrating two previously sep-arate guidance documents: ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES 189.1 – Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low Rise Residential Buildings, and the Code Council’s multi-stakeholder International Green Construction Code. The 2018-IgCC combines the technical requirements developed by the ASHRAE Standard 189.1 with the model code administrative provisions by the Code Coun-cil. As a result, the 2018-IgCC is now a unified code that emphasizes adoption, ease of use and enforcement for building projects. “Building safety codes help our communities prepare for the future,” said Dominic Sims, CEO, International Code Council. “Taking into account KI: Ruckus Collection


https://officeinsight.com/officenewswire/iida-announces-ewingcole-as-the-7th-annual-healthcare-design-awards-best-of-competition-winner/

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officenewswirethe latest technologies and cost-effective strategies for dealing with resource scarcity, the IgCC helps cities, states and countries build stronger, smarter, sustainably and more resiliently.” Read More

>USGBC announced the recipients of its 2018 Lead-ership Awards. These awards are an annual recognition of the outstanding individu-als and organizations at the forefront of the green build-ing movement. The 2018 USGBC Leadership Award recipients are: -George Bandy, Jr., currently vice president of sustainability and commercial marketing for Mohawk Industries, is well known for his years of experi-ence in, and deep under-standing of, sustainable busi-ness practices and corporate social responsibility. He has been engaged with USGBC throughout its 25 years and previously served as chair-man of USGBC’s board. -Laurie Kerr, president of LK POLICY LAB, is a national leader in green building and urban sustainability policy. She was the deputy director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, where she led the develop-ment of the nation’s first comprehensive green build-ing and energy efficiency strategies. -Mueller is a sustainable, transit-oriented commu-nity just three miles from downtown Austin, TX, and is one of the largest LEED for Neighborhood Develop-ment projects in the world.

A former brownfield site, this redeveloping mixed-use, mixed-income urban village of 700 acres has high green building standards and ad-vances a number of sustain-ability initiatives, ranging from diverting construction waste from landfills and reusing former airport infrastructure to installing rooftop solar energy production and utiliz-ing reclaimed water to irrigate 140 acres of public parks and open space. -Ameren Corporation and S&C Electric Company are the joint recipients of this year’s Robert W. Galvin Award for Performance in Excellence in Electrical Renewal for their efforts to modernize elec-tric infrastructure in Illinois through the creation of the Ameren microgrid. -NIKE, Inc. is the recipient of the Ray Anderson Award for Radi-cal Industrialism. Through tremendous leadership and innovation combating waste, reducing their carbon foot-print, engaging and educating consumers, and more, NIKE sets a superb example for both the apparel and retail markets, and for sustainable business overall. -The Ramboland volunteer team is the 2018 recipient of the Malcolm Lewis IMPACT! Award. A global volunteer effort focused on a project in Lancaster, PA, initiated by Ron Rambo (who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair) turned into a vision for a new approach to urban communities that pro-vides maximal independence for people with any level of mobility. The project will pro-

duce eight times more energy than it uses, 100% of the occupant’s nutrition on-site, meet all water needs from rain, and establish economic and ecological resilience via many other innovations. The award recipients will be honored at the USGBC Leadership Awards Reception taking place this Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Willis Tower in Chicago during the Green-build International Confer-ence and Expo. Read More

>Also to be honored during the 2018 USGBC Leader-ship Awards Reception Nov. 14 will be the 2018 class of LEED Fellows, announced by Green Business Certifica-tion Inc. This is an annual recognition of outstanding LEED professionals and the most prestigious credential awarded by GBCI. This year’s 25 LEED Fellows (please see officenewswire link for list) are exceptional practitioners and leaders within the green building community, and have demonstrated mastery of the technical application of LEED, the world’s most widely used green building rating system. LEED Fellows are nominated by their peers and must have made at least

10 years’ worth of noteworthy impact on LEED and hold an active LEED AP with specialty credential, among other re-quirements. Read More

>All series of seating at via seating are now BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified with the exception of its ReGOLA panels, which are LEVEL 1 certified. This includes 46 of the company’s 48-hour quick-ship series. LEVEL 2 products include task/work chairs,swivel/caster stools,copper mesh, execu-tive/conference, collaborative/lounge, stacking/nesting, light task/training, side/guest, bar stools, healthcare stools, mo-tion/sit-to-stand, and multi-use. The company has also published its 2018 sustain-ability report, “a great chair – a great world” Read More

EVENTS>Kimball Health is show-casing its solution-based, thoughtfully-designed offer-ing of healthcare products at the Healthcare Design Expo and Conference in Phoenix (Nov. 10-13). Located in space 715, the featured col-lections create environments

via seating


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officenewswirethat are efficient for clinicians, yet meaningful for patients by taking an interactive, holistic approach to health-care design with integrated technology and multipurpose furniture. With soft, rounded shapes and unique details, the Wilder™ collection of lounge, guest and bench solutions from David Dahl brings a sense of warmth and sophistication to wait-ing places while keeping the rigorous needs of healthcare facilities in mind. Greer™ is a modern and modest, full-function patient recliner, built with quality and value in

mind. The small-scale design works perfectly for today’s smaller footprint spaces while still providing comfort for all body shapes and sizes. Alter-na® Modular Caseworks was designed to support the evolv-ing landscape with solutions for the entire facility – from public zones, to clinical areas, to workspaces and more. Also featured in the space will be Kimball Health’s ever-adapt-able Kore™ Work Cart, the Pairings® Nooks seating col-lection that provides privacy and comfort, and Spruce™ and Joelle™ seating for the critical needs of today’s

behavioral wellness facilities. “Healthcare is undergoing the most extreme transforma-tional shift in a century,” said Aneetha McLellan, Director of Kimball Health Sales, In-

novation and Design. “We are meeting this shift by pushing the boundaries and embed-ding principles of adaptability, flexibility, and mobility in our products.” Read More

Kimball Health.Greer, Alterna and Wilder

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businessBUSINESS AFFAIRS >According to CBRE’s new 2018 Tech-30 report, the tech-nology sector is driving the North American office market. This annual report measures the tech industry’s impact on of-fice rents in the 30 leading tech markets (based on job growth) in the U.S. and Canada. Technology companies based in the top four tech headquarters markets—the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Boston and New York—are expanding into new markets, creating more demand for office space and driving office rent growth in the beneficiary markets.

Together, tech firms headquartered in these four markets have taken more than 25 million sf of space outside of their headquarters markets over the past five years, led by firms in the San Francisco Bay Area, which accounted for 18 of the 25 million sf. Nine of the top 10 beneficiary markets saw rent growth that exceeded the U.S. average of 5.6% over the past two years. Eight ranked in the top half of the Tech-30 markets in terms of rent growth. The top four tech headquarters mar-kets are also feeding each other, with cross-market expansion between the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Boston, and New York accounting for approximately 14 million of the 25 million sf of migration.

The Seattle office market has been the greatest beneficiary of this migration, with San Francisco Bay Area firms taking 3.5 million sf there over the past five years. This correlates with the growth of Seattle’s high-tech job base, which is up 26% over

the past two years, surpassing San Francisco in high-tech job growth for the first time in seven years. Accordingly, Seattle’s office rents are up 14% over the same two-year period (fourth most among the Tech-30), and net absorption is up 5.2% (eighth most among the Tech-30).

“San Francisco Bay Area out-migration has been driven by tech firms’ outsized growth and a combination of scarce office space and a tightening labor market, which has necessitated a more distributed workforce” said Colin Yasukochi, director of research and analysis for CBRE in the San Francisco Bay Area. “By expanding into other markets, these tech firms can tap into new and potentially lucrative business opportunities clustered in other markets, such as media and entertainment in Los Angeles or machine learning and cyber security in Washington, D.C.

“We expect large tech companies to continue to expand outside their headquarters markets—including further into secondary and even tertiary markets—particularly as space availability in top tech submarkets continues to tighten, driving rents up. Large tech company expansion into smaller markets will help foster innovation clusters, further boosting job creation and creating additional office demand.” Read More

>Dodge Data & Analytics released its 2019 Dodge Construc-tion Outlook, a mainstay in construction industry forecasting and business planning. The report predicts that total U.S. con-struction starts for 2019 will be $808 billion, staying essentially even with the $807 billion estimated for 2018.

11.9.18 9.28.18 6.29.18 3.29.18 12.29.17 9.29.17 %frYrHi%fr50-DayMA

HMiller 33.7 38.4 33.9 32.0 40.1 35.9 -19.6% -4.5%

HNI 38.1 44.2 37.2 36.1 38.6 41.5 -16.0% -5.5%

Inscape 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.2 3.1 3.6 -61.9% -16.0%

Interface 16.9 23.4 23.0 25.2 25.2 21.9 -35.5% -15.0%

Kimball 16.0 16.8 16.2 17.0 18.7 19.8 -20.7% -2.6%

Knoll 19.1 23.5 20.8 20.2 23.0 20.0 -21.4% -11.5%

Leggett 37.6 43.8 44.6 44.4 47.7 47.7 -24.7% -5.8%

Mohawk 125.7 175.4 214.3 232.2 275.9 247.5 -56.2% -17.6%

Steelcase 16.7 18.5 13.5 13.6 15.2 15.4 -13.5% -3.7%

USG 42.6 43.3 43.1 40.4 38.6 32.7 -2.0% -0.4%

Virco 4.3 4.9 4.4 4.1 5.1 5.5 -25.0% -0.3%

SUM 352.0 433.6 452.8 467.3 531.0 491.4

DJIndust 25,989 26,458 24,271 24,103 24,719 22,405 -3.6% 0.8%

Industry Stock Prices

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business“Over the past three years, the expansion for the U.S. construc-tion industry has shown deceleration in its rate of growth, a pat-tern that typically takes place as an expansion matures,” stated Robert A. Murray, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “After advancing 11% to 14% each year from 2012 through 2015, total construction starts climbed 7% in both 2016 and 2017, and a 3% increase is estimated for 2018. There are, of course, mounting headwinds affecting construction, namely rising interest rates and higher material costs, but for now these have been balanced by the stronger growth for the U.S. economy, some easing of bank lending standards, still healthy market fundamentals for commercial real estate, and greater state financing for school construction and enhanced federal funding for public works.

“An important question going into 2019 is whether decelera-tion is followed by a period of high level stability or a period of decline. For 2019, it’s expected that growth for the U.S. economy won’t be quite as strong as what’s taking place in 2018, as the benefits of tax cuts begin to wane. Short term interest rates will rise, as the Federal Reserve continues to move monetary policy towards a more neutral stance. Long-term interest rates will also rise, reflecting higher inflationary expectations by the financial markets. At the same time, any erosion in market fundamentals for commercial real estate will stay modest. In addition, the greater funding from state and lo-cal bond measures passed in recent years will still be present, and it’s likely that federal spending for construction programs will increase once all the federal appropriations bills for fiscal 2019 are finalized. In this environment, it’s forecast that growth for construction starts will decelerate further, but not yet make the transition to the point where the overall volume of activity declines. For 2019, total construction starts are forecast to hold basically steady at $808 billion. By major sector in dollar terms, residential building will be down 2%, nonresidential building will match its 2018 amount, and nonbuilding construction will increase 3%.” Read More

>HNI Corp.’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of 29.5 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on Dec. 3 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 19. http://investors.hnicorp.com

>HNI Corp. also announced the retirement of Stan A. Askren from its Board of Directors effective Dec. 31 and the elec-tion of Larry B. Porcellato to assume the role of Chairman of its Board of Directors effective Jan. 1. This transition is part of a long-planned succession process. Mr. Askren retired as President and CEO of HNI earlier this year. Mr. Porcellato has been a member of HNI’s Board of Directors since 2004 and currently serves as Lead Director. http://investors.hnicorp.com

>Kimball International, Inc. on Oct. 5 released its first-quar-ter fiscal 2019 results (dollars in thousands except EPS):

3 Mos. Ended 9.30.18 9.30.17 %Ch.Net Sales $194,123 $175,360 11%Gross Profit $65,873 $64,007 3%SG&A $52,179 $48,050 9%Op. Inc. $13,694 $15,957 -14%Net Inc. $10,876 $10,957 -1%EPS (dil.) $0.29 $0.29 0%

“We continued on a positive note with our highest revenues in over 15 years and strong double-digit organic order growth in the first quarter,” said Kimball International’s new CEO Kristie Juster. “Our order backlog is strong and operating cash flow remains robust, enabling us to continue to invest in further growth and value creation. Net income was down slightly, but excluding one-time CEO transition costs our adjusted net income was up 6% from last year. We continue to be chal-lenged by higher transportation, steel, and other commodity costs, as well as tariffs that have been implemented along with additional tariff increases in the future. We are working to miti-gate these cost increases by negotiating pricing with suppliers, continuous improvement initiatives, price increases and our previously announced $7 million cost reduction initiatives and anticipate these actions will offset the higher costs beginning in the second quarter of fiscal year 2019 and beyond. Our return on capital was higher than any of the public companies in the office furniture industry.

“We also just announced the acquisition of David Edward, a provider of impeccable quality upholstered products in the furniture industry. David Edward and our Kimball brand are strategically aligned, and we intend to further invest in the com-pany and utilize their skilled workforce with a goal of making David Edward the premier source of upholstered products for architects and designers. We welcome David Edward employ-ees to the Kimball International family.

“Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Bob Schneider, who retired on Oct. 31 as CEO and Chairman. It has been an honor working with Bob on the Board over the past several years. Under Bob’s leadership since the spin-off, Kimball International sales grew 26% and profitability grew over 500%. Bob has been instrumental in not only getting the company healthy again, but also in implementing strategies that will help keep us on a solid footing for many years to come. We are grateful to Bob for putting a fantastic leadership team in place and we are confident we have the right team to continue building our success.”

Gross profit as a percent of net sales declined 260 basis points from the prior year, from 36.5% in 1Q18 to 33.9% in 1Q19, as incremental margins from price increases, leverage from

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http://investors.hnicorp.com

http://investors.hnicorp.com


businesshigher sales volumes, and savings realized from cost reduction initiatives were more than offset by higher transportation and commodity costs, a less profitable sales mix, higher healthcare costs, and an increase in the LIFO inventory reserve.

Selling and administrative expenses in the first quarter de-creased 60 basis points as a percent of net sales compared to the prior year, from 27.4% to 26.8%. The actual dollar increase in SG&A was driven by $1.1 million of CEO transition costs, the additional selling and administrative expenses of D’style opera-tions, and increased salaries and healthcare costs, partially offset by an additional $0.7 million gain on the sale of assets. The additional gain resulted from a $1.1 million gain on the sale of Internet protocol addresses in the current year com-pared to a $0.4 million gain on the sale of land in the prior year. The company also incurred $0.4 million related to acquisition costs and strategic growth investments during the current year first quarter, which approximated prior year acquisition costs.

The company benefited from a lower effective tax rate of 24.4% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 compared to the prior year effective tax rate of 33.4%.

Operating cash flow for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 was $7.1 million which was approximately equal to operating cash flow of $7.0 million in the prior year.

The company’s balance in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments was $84.0 million at Sep. 30, compared to $87.3 million at Jun. 30. The fiscal year 2019 decrease was primarily due to capital expenditures of $4.7 million and the return of capital to shareowners in the form of $3.3 million in stock repurchases and $2.6 million in dividends, which more than offset $7.1 million of cash flows from operations.

Results by End Vertical Market (dollars in millions):

NET SALES

3 Mos. Ended 9.30.18 9.30.17 %Ch.Commercial $56.6 $52.3 8%Education $34.6 $31.7 9%Finance $18.2 $13.2 38%Government $17.1 $27.5 -38%Healthcare $24.4 $20.4 20%Hospitality $43.2 $30.3 43%Total $194.1 $175.4 11%

ORDERS

3 Mos. Ended 9.30.18 9.30.17 %Ch.Commercial $60.9 $49.1 24%Education $21.8 $20.2 8%Finance $17.5 $16.4 7%Government $18.3 $25.8 -29%Healthcare $27.8 $21.6 29%Hospitality $51.2 $34.6 48%Total $197.5 $167.7 18%

Consolidated net sales increased 8% on an organic basis, driven by increases in all vertical markets except the govern-ment vertical. The hospitality vertical grew 43% including sales of D’style, a company acquired November 2017, or 27% excluding D’style, on continuing strength in the hospitality in-dustry. Finance vertical shipments grew 38% as large financial institutions continue to update their office environments. The healthcare vertical increased 20% as the company has aligned its resources to focus on key targeted projects in this market. The sales decline in the government vertical was attributed partially to large projects last year.

The company continues to launch new and innovative products to fuel growth. Sales of new office furniture products increased 30% over the prior year first quarter. New product sales ap-proximated 25% of total office furniture sales compared to 20% in the prior year first quarter. New products are defined as those introduced within the last three years.

Orders received during the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 increased 15% on an organic basis. The increase was driven by growth in all vertical markets except the government verti-cal. Orders in the hospitality vertical grew 33% organically, as demand in the industry remains solid. Orders in the healthcare and commercial verticals are up as the healthy economic outlook is allowing companies to continue their business invest-ment plans. The decline in orders received for the government vertical was attributed partially to large projects last year.

The full text of Kimball’s 1Q19 earnings release, including all tables, and a webcast replay of the company’s Oct. 6 confer-ence call, including a PDF of its 1Q19 Investor Presentation with supplementary data, may be accessed at https://www.kimballinternational.com/investor-information

>Michael A. Dunlap & Associates, LLC shared the results of its October 2018 Quarterly MADA/OFI Trends Survey. This tool measures the current business activity of the commercial (office, education, healthcare, and hospitality) furniture indus-try and its suppliers. The current survey was completed during the month of October 2018 and marks the 55th Edition. The quarterly survey began in the summer of 2004.

The survey focuses on ten key business activities and respon-dents rate each area on a scale of TEN (the highest) to ONE (the lowest). These include Gross Shipments, Order Backlog / Incoming Orders, Employment Levels, Manufacturing Hours (Overtime vs. Reduced Hours), Capital Investment, Tooling Expenditures, New Product Development Activity, Raw Material Costs, Employee Costs, and the respondents’ Personal Outlook on the industry. It then establishes an Industry Index Number to quantify where the industry is currently performing. For ex-ample, an index of 100 means that things “couldn’t be better”,

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https://www.kimballinternational.com/investor-information


businessan index of ONE is “absolutely the worst” it can be, and an index of 50 means it is neutral; no change “up” or “down.”

The October 2018 survey highlights are:

Gross Shipments Index:60.37 = October 2018 Index58.13 = 55-survey average Index

The October 2018 index of 60.37 is significantly above the 58.13 survey average. The previous all-time high and low were in July 2018 (66.86) and July 2009 (41.40).

Order Backlog Index:60.74 = October 2018 Index57.63 = 55-survey average Index

The October 2018 Order Backlog Index of 60.74 is well above the 55-survey average. (The July 2018 Order Backlog Index of 66.57 was the all-time high). “We still see this as a positive indicator for industry sales for the fourth quarter of 2018 and into the first quarter of 2019,” said Mike Dunlap.

Employment Index:52.22 = October 2018 Index52.53 = 55-survey average Index

The Employment Index measures the degree of increase or decrease in employment levels. The October 2018 Index 52.22 is slightly lower than the 55-survey average. In West Michigan and many other industry locations, labor shortages are driving up wages but increased hiring remains steady.

Hours Worked Index:60.42 = October 2018 Index55.89 = 55-survey average Index

The Hours Worked Index is closely tied to the Employment Index. Mr. Dunlap noted that “When the Hours Worked Index exceeds the mid 50s (usually due to overtime), the following one to two quarters often see increases in the Employment Index. This is an anomaly as Hours Worked are higher, but em-ployment is lower. We think this is reflective of the inability to fill both entry level and skilled positions are driving up hiring and hours worked. Overtime is now the norm, not the exception.”

Capital Expenditures Index:52.31 = October 2018 Index55.87 = 55-survey average Index

Historically, the Capital Expenditures Index has steadily been in the mid to upper 50’s. The October Index of 52.31 is signifi-cantly lower than average, and MADA plans to monitor this closely in future surveys. The all-time high was 64.74 in April 2017.

Tooling Expenditures Index:54.81 = October 2018 Index56.55 = 55-survey average Index

The Tooling Expenditures Index tends to remain very steady from quarter to quarter and typically tracks along with Capital Expenditures, but the significant decrease during the 3rd Quar-ter is a surprise. It is notable that the April 2017 Index of 66.65 was the previous all-time high.

New Product Development Index:60.38= October 2018 Index63.35 = 55-survey average Index

The October 2018 Index of 60.38 is well below the 55-survey average. “This is also a surprise,” said Mr. Dunlap. “The high-est we have experienced was the April 2015 Index of 69.70.”

Raw Material Costs Index:37.69 = October 2018 Index44.81 = 55-survey average Index

Many commodity prices in the third Quarter of 2018 have increased significantly, primarily due to the increased import tariffs. Through 2015 and into 2016, the average was (50.95). The current index indicates that material costs will likely dampen profitability unless selling price increases can offset these additional costs. This is not a likely scenario.

Employee Costs Index:45.77 = October 2018 Index46.58 = 55-survey average Index

Much like its companion Raw Materials Index, the Employee Cost Index is rarely above 50.0. “Although higher healthcare costs are the most frequently identified issue that contributes to higher costs, wage increases this quarter appear to have exceeded healthcare,” Mr. Dunlap observed. “We expect this continue as long as we have a shortage of qualified labor.”

Personal Outlook Index:64.81 = October 2018 Index58.84 = 55-survey average Index

The strong index is good news at it has remained over 61 for the past 19 quarters. “This is remarkable and most certainly gives a boost to the Overall Index.”

Overall Index: 54.98

The October 2018 Survey is 54.98 are dampened primarily by the Raw Materials Index and Employee Costs. Purely by circumstance, the 55-survey average Index is also 54.98. “It can be argued that October 2018 is ‘just an average month,’ but that be very dismissive of a very good quarter. Ten different elements affect this index.”


technologyThe highest recorded Index was 59.72 in July 2005 and the low-est was 41.45 in April 2009 during the bottom of the recession.

Mr. Dunlap commented, “The industry remains solid. The Overall Index is strong and is steady at the 54.98 survey aver-age. I feel good about where the industry is currently. 2018 will finish on the same path, but the current political uncertainties, the effect of the mid-term elections, tariff and trade questions, and the resulting economic climates still make predictions into 2019 uncertain.

“During the second quarter, the slowdown with some of the large public companies indicated a general decline in the industry performance. At MADA, we disagreed the and we continue to be bullish. We are surveying many more than five or six companies. The growth is coming from the smaller, under $50.0 million sales and fewer than 250 employees. I am still pleased to see the strength of the Personal Outlook Index. It’s a purely emotional question but we put a lot of value on this content.”

The most frequently cited perceived threats to the industry’s success are tariffs, transportation and logistics costs, steel prices, and general material costs. Healthcare costs have been the most commonly cited concern from respondents since this survey process was started in August 2004.

As always, Mr. Dunlap thanked the respondents with this com-ment. “Over 64% of the responses come from C-level execu-tives who are the Chairman, CEO, COO, or President of their organizations. I am always extremely grateful for their partici-pation and support. Their suggestions and recommendations continue to be helpful to the performance and content of this unique survey.”

The October 2018 MADA / OFI Trends survey was sent to more than 500 individuals involved with the commercial furniture industry’s manufacturing and suppliers from Africa, Asia, Aus-tralia, Europe, North and South America, and from companies ranging from more than $1 billion in sales to less than $500,000 in sales. The survey repeats in January 2019. Read More

TECHNOLOGY>Configura wrapped up its 11th annual CET Designer User and Developer Conference in October at the DeVos Conven-tion Center in Grand Rapids, MI. This year’s conference saw record-breaking attendance, drawing 527 people from various industries and from around the globe. “Eleven years ago, our conference had about 86 participants, and now look at us – we’ve welcomed hundreds of representatives from around the globe,” said Configura CEO Johan Lyreborn. “CET Designer

continues to evolve because of our community. Our users’ passion for designing spaces, combined with our passion for software based on Parametric Graphical Configuration, has brought us to where we are today.”

Color expert Karl Bertilsson of NCS Colour keynoted the conference, sharing past and upcoming trends for color based on global forecasting. “From the perspective of consumer behavior, when we make a purchase, 92% is based on a visual assessment,” Mr. Bertilsson said. “About 90% of that visual assessment depends on color only. This is how important color is, and this gives you a huge responsibility as designers to integrate color into your design at the very beginning, not at the very end. In the beginning, it should be a conscious decision.”

Second-day keynote and founder of Contract Consulting Group Amanda Schneider shared her perspective on evolving trends in the contract interiors industry. She talked about dealer-designers’ changing roles and offered an empowering message about their impact on designed spaces. “The key to the future will be to create a great client experience that will adapt and change as the world does,” she said.

Other speakers, presenters and workshop leaders included in-dustry experts, power users and CET Designer team members. Nearly 60 educational sessions were available to attendees. Many of these were approved for Continuing Education Units by IDCEC.

“There are so many changes happening to CET Designer as the software evolves, so you can always learn new tips and tricks during the sessions,” said Ashley Redieck of Tangram Inte-riors. “This year, I really liked the rendering session. There are always new features for renderings being released, and I think we can always expand our knowledge of them.”

The CET Developer Conference, held in conjunction with the User Conference, was an opportunity to meet and share experiences with other CET (Configura Extension Technology) developers, explore the CET Developer community and learn about new topics and standards for programming. Software users and developers had chances to connect, learn from one another and discuss the future of CET Designer.

“We learned a lot about the new things being developed, which gives us a leg up when we are implementing features in our Ex-tensions,” said Tyler Lamb of Allsteel. “I really enjoyed hearing what other programmers are doing, and seeing what solutions they have come up with. That back-and-forth knowledge shar-ing inspires me to think differently when programming.”

To close the first day of the conference, Configura hosted an evening cocktail reception where conference attendees mingled and networked with one another. Configura an-

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technology

nounced the winners of the 2018 CET Designer Awards dur-ing the reception. Award categories included success stories, renderings, kitchen renderings, student renderings, videos and 360 panoramas. User submissions were on display throughout the conference, offering an opportunity for designers to view each other’s work. This year’s success story winners included 1st place winner Stephanie Wolfson, WRG, 2nd place winner Melissa Harper, Price Modern, and 3rd place winner Kaitlin Davis of Freedom Interiors. Read More

>Configura also announced free November webinars with CET Designer instructors. In addition, virtual training for Introduc-tion to CET Designer will be available in Spanish this Decem-ber. The free webinars are for anyone, whether a Beginner or Advanced CET Designer user, anywhere in the world.

Getting Started with CET Designer

November 13, 11 a.m. EDT

What’s new in CET Designer 9.5

November 19, 1 p.m. EDT

November 20, 11:00 a.m. EDT

November 20, 3:00 p.m. EDT





Qué Hay de Nuevo en CET Designer 9.5 (Spanish)


Beginning in December, Configura will offer virtual training for Introduction to CET Designer in Spanish. Scheduled virtual and in-person training is available to all CET Designer users who want instructor-guided practice with real work project scenarios.

Introducción al CET Designer, curso virtual de 5 días (Span-ish)

December 17 – 21, 2:00 p.m. EDT

January 14-18, 10:00 a.m. EDT

Read More

2018 CET Designer Awards - First Place Rendering by Maria Raiza Amante, Studio West Philippines, Inc.

Configura.2018 CET Designer Awards - First Place Rendering by Maria Raiza Amante, Studio West Philippines, Inc.

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Sales Representative - Upstate New York

Momentum Group, a leading supplier of contract textiles, is growing and seeking a new area.

Qualifications:

> Textile or other dealer sales experience preferred.

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AutoCad Draftsperson - West Chester, PA

Do you love drafting and details? Have strong math and computer skills? Transwall Office Systems, Inc., a manufacturer of architectural wall systems in West Chester, PA has an immediate opening for an AutoCad Draftsperson.

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> Detail oriented > Advanced AutoCad > Proficient in MS Word, Excel and Outlook

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Documents

Herman Miller and Leesman Partner in Research