bfi News

New Spin on an Eames Favorite

2009-10-15T09:38:00.004-04:00

Herman Miller Select Program Places a New Spin on an Eames Favorite
Herman Miller, Inc., has unveiled its second limited edition Select release for customers seeking to enrich their connection with two of the worlds most renowned designers Charles and Ray Eames.

The classic combination of Herman Miller and Eames inspired this years release, which includes a set of three distinct spinning tops. Inspired by the Eameses 1969 movie Tops, the Select tops are crafted from walnut and each one carries its own sculptural profile designed by the New York-based KleinReid design studio.

The 2009 Select release puts a playful spin on the passion Charles and Ray Eames had for toys, says Gregg Vander Kooi, product manager for Herman Millers classics. The Eameses considered playtime their productive time and recognized that play can often inspire new and creative ideas.

The Select tops carry a minimum advertised price of $199 and will be available beginning
October 14, 2009, until April 15, 2010, from the companys global network of dealerships and retailers.

For additional information:

bfi Hosts "Back To School" Event

2009-09-29T14:38:00.002-04:00

On Thursday September 24, 2009 bfi along with Herman Miller hosted a "Back to School" CEU event for our A&D friends. The topic was Context for Creativity and Innovation and was presented by Dr. Margaret Serrato. It was a very informative and engaging presentation and all who attended enjoyed it very much. Here are some photos from the event. We will be hosting four more CEU events over the next several months so if you are interested in joining us, send us an email and we'll let you know the details.

Putting Contest Winner

2009-09-29T14:31:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to Joseph Langan of River Drive Construction for winning the $1,500 Putt-Fore-Cash contest at our annual bfi Broker Golf Tournament. Watch the full movie of the putting contest.

Congratulations bfi Golf Tour Winners

2009-09-29T14:24:00.002-04:00

Congratulations to our Broker Golf Tour winners:
LOW GROSS CHAMPION – Peter Elfers (Van Houten Parker) and
LOW NET CHAMPION - Michael Staskiewicz (Newmark Knight Frank).

It was a great tournament thank to all of the participants and sponsors.
Enjoy the photos!

Herman Miller New Products are Real Winners at NeoCon

2009-06-30T16:17:00.003-04:00

At NeoCon this year, Herman Miller hit the mark in seating and lighting, reaping two Gold and two Silver Best of NeoCon Awards. Check out how these award winners are helping improve the human experience. And, if you didn’t get to Chicago this year, watch these 2009 NeoCon videos for more on what happened in our space.

Our drive at Herman Miller to make the human experience better has yielded many innovations. Over the last 30 years, each of our seating products has built the foundation of research and knowledge for the next. Setu and Embody once again extend Herman Miller’s legacy of leadership in design, innovation, and sustainability.

Setu Chairs
Our new family of multipurpose seating, Setu, won the Gold Award in the Conference Seating category and the Silver Award in the Sofas and Lounge Seating category. Setu—the chair for how you work and live now—was designed by the Berlin design group Studio 7.5, who also designed the Mirra chair, a NeoCon Gold Award winner in 2003.

Embody Chair
Designed by Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf, the Embody chair—the first work chair to support both the mind and the body—won the Silver Award in the Ergonomic Task Seating category. Jeff Weber of Studio Weber + Associates is also the designer of our Caper seating, which won a NeoCon Gold Award in 1999. Bill Stumpf, in collaboration with Don Chadwick, designed the Equa and Aeron chairs.

Twist LED Task Light
Yves Béhar, founder of fuseproject, has once again partnered with Herman Miller to create an innovative lighting solution. The result is the Twist LED task light, winner of the Gold Award in the Specialty Lighting category. Twist, an energy-efficient, eco-friendly undershelf LED light for systems furniture, provides value, simplicity, and personal control for office workers. Béhar also designed the Leaf personal light, winner of the Gold Award in the Lighting category at NeoCon 2006, as well as the Ardea personal light.

Intent Furniture and Energy Manager
Our space featured two other new products: Intent Furniture and Energy Manager.

Intent furniture, designed by Joey Ruiter of JRuiter + Studio, offers a new furniture solution that extends from the private office to systems workstations in the open plan. Intent furniture has a crisp, clean appearance and was designed to integrate physically and aesthetically with Vivo interiors.

Energy Manager is an electrical circuit control system connected between building power and Herman Miller systems modular power. It can provide programmed or occupancy-based control of power delivery to two of the typical four circuits within a cluster of up to eight Herman Miller workstations. This allows individual worker or owner control of powered devices so they are on only when needed, and off when workstations aren’t occupied. That saves you energy and reduces costs.

2009 Showroom Overview
Our 2009 showroom demonstrated how we work for a better world around you. Check out this video for an overview of the space and highlights of the products we offer. Each is designed to improve your environment whether it’s an office, hospital, school, home, an entire building, or the world at large.

Herman Miller Introduces Intent Furniture

2009-06-08T12:14:00.002-04:00

Simple, Affordable Choices that Extend from Private Office to Workstations in the Open Plan

With the introduction of Intent furniture, Herman Miller offers a new furniture solution that extends from the private office to systems workstations in the open plan. Intent furniture has a crisp, clean appearance and was designed to integrate physically and aesthetically with Vivo interiors. As a result, you can achieve a unified aesthetic from private offices to systems workstations in the open plan.

"Intent furniture lets designers connect the look and function of the private office to other spaces in a building," explains John Lubbinge, Director of Product Management. "It blends well with Vivo interiors and our other systems furniture. And, just as important, Intent furniture does this while delivering performance at a price that's right in any economic climate."

Intent furniture's concise set of parts combines in many ways to make it easy to match furniture layouts to the way people work. Intent can be configured into everything from a basic single- or double-pedestal desk to a full casegoods solution with desks, returns, credenzas, and storage. A variety of material choices as well as multiple leg options add other ways to change appearance and cost. Advances in design and production make Intent very affordable.

"We wanted Intent furniture to be easy to own, install, and use," says Lubbinge. "So we worked with industrial designer Joey Ruiter to limit the set of parts to those that can be combined in the greatest number of ways. We married that with a wide selection of materials to give another layer of versatility to the line."

The need to give Intent furniture a unifying ability at an affordable price presented obvious constraints. But Ruiter, founder and principal designer of JRuiter + Studio in Grand Rapids, MI, thrives on constraints. "Without them you can't be creative," he says. "That's the reality of design. I take complex problems and make the solution
as simple as possible. And I like the people to stand out more than the furniture."

In designing Intent furniture, Ruiter made sure it integrates physically, functionally, and aesthetically with Vivo interiors—and other systems, too. For example, work surface shapes and dimensions correlate, so surfaces can be used to make a desk or hung from a Vivo wall. The About Face work surface is also part of Intent furniture. This orientation lets people face outward as they work. It gives them better privacy and more awareness of teammates and the surrounding environment.

Intent furniture addresses new demands, as well. Ruiter applied his experience in tooling to design a way to manufacture Intent furniture's clean, simple legs with minimal investment—while still offering a variety of styles and sizes.

Intent furniture also introduces some new concepts in versatile storage. In addition to mounting on walls or panels, storage elements can reside on a low, footed deck. A single track accepts a variety of bookcases, cabinets, and cubes. These pieces can be located anywhere along the track and secured in place, and be moved or added to easily. The feet on the deck give storage elements a lighter appearance and a subtle residential reference.

Intent furniture's overhead storage adds more residential appeal. Ruiter designed primary doors that don't require pulls, giving them a crisp, clean aesthetic. Secondary doors on overheads can be easily switched out using different colors or materials, providing a quick and inexpensive way to refresh the look of a space with new accent colors.

Intent furniture meets Herman Miller's Design for the Environment (DfE) protocol. This ensures that it is made of safe materials and recycled content, and recycles easily at the end of its useful life. It contains 35 percent recycled content, both post-industrial and post-consumer. Wood content in work surface substrates is composed of more than 90 percent reclaimed wood, and all veneers used are purchased from suppliers practicing sustainable forestry techniques. Intent furniture may contribute to LEED credits, and it carries a full 12-year, 3-shift warranty.

Intent furniture will be introduced in Herman Miller's third floor showroom during the NeoCon World's Trade Fair at Chicago's Merchandise Mart, June 15-17, 2009.

About Herman Miller
Herman Miller works for a better world around you—with inventive designs, technologies, and related services that improve the human experience wherever people work, heal, learn, and live. Its curiosity, ingenuity, and design excellence create award-winning products and services, resulting in more than $2 billion in revenue in fiscal 2008. Innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also established Herman Miller as a recognized global company. In 2009, Herman Miller was again cited by FORTUNE as both the "Most Admired" in its industry and among the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America, while Fast Company named Herman Miller among the innovative "Companies to Watch." Herman Miller trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

Herman Miller Introduces Setu Chairs

2009-06-08T11:53:00.003-04:00

Herman Miller, Inc., the international leader in ergonomic seating design, announces the next generation of multipurpose chair for all the places we work and live now. With Setu chairs, designed by Studio 7.5 of Berlin, Herman Miller applies its award-winning seating expertise to a major chair category that has seen little innovation in years.

"The Setu family of chairs provides new standards of comfort, performance, and value," says Jack Schreur, Herman Miller's director for seating products. "It's made from an innovative combination of materials to provide remarkable levels of strength, flexibility, simplicity, and dematerialization."

Setu will be introduced at NeoCon 2009 in Chicago, June 15-17. The initial offering will include the Setu 5-star, 4-star, butterfly, butterfly stool, and lounge and ottoman. Future models are planned that will further extend the Setu family's range of application.

Multipurpose chairs are used where people sit for shorter periods and frequently move, such as conference rooms, touchdown workstations, and collaborative spaces. However, these so-called "temporary spaces" are now less temporary. For many of us, all the places we sit are temporary as we move throughout the day, spending an hour or two at a time in different places.

The problem is existing multipurpose chairs aren't designed to handle longer-term sitting and more active use. This was recognized by Studio 7.5, who also designed Herman Miller's award-winning Mirra work chair in 2003. During their global travels in support of that chair's international launch, they sat in many different multipurpose chairs along the way. The 7.5 team found the one-piece seat and back typical of multipurpose chairs is not very comfortable; instead comfort is compromised for affordability. Coming home, they recognized a need for a new kind of multipurpose chair—one combining work-chair principles of motion and comfort with good looks, simplicity, and an affordable price.

Herman Miller and Studio 7.5 created Setu to answer those needs, with key inventions that greatly improve on comfort and support: the Kinematic Spine and the Lyris seat suspension material.

Throughout Setu's development, Studio 7.5 was guided by their quest for simplicity. "We want everything as simple as possible, but no simpler," noted the designers, paraphrasing Einstein. Simplicity is especially important in multipurpose seating, where chairs may be used in many places, and many different people may use the same chair during the day.

Setu looks simple and is easy to use. But to achieve that, it contains embedded design intelligence, with form and function working in harmony.

Setu is Motion: The Kinematic Spine
The instruction manual reads as follows: sit down. The first thing you'll notice once you sit in Setu? Nothing. There's nothing to tilt, nothing to tweak, nothing to think about. It's mathematics in place of mechanisms. From the moment you sit down, you and the chair move as one. It is elegant form and performance working together in harmony. It's true comfort, now.

Setu's Kinematic Spine is the primary reason. It has tilt-like kinematics in one continuous seat and back, rather than in a separate seat pan, back rest, and tilt. Because of the spine, there is no tilt mechanism on the chair, and the only adjustment is seat height.

Made of simple compounds for the perfect combination of flex and strength, the spine mimics the synchronized movement needed to fully support the body in any reclined or upright position.

After testing dozens of different materials for Setu's spine, the smartest solution was also the simplest: polypropylene. The spine is a sophisticated geometry made of two different polypropylene variants: one providing the rigidity and the other allowing flex. Every bend, corner and line were painstakingly shaped, reshaped, and reshaped again by Studio 7.5 so that each molecule falls in the right order, in the right place.

The spine works together with Setu's Lyris seating suspension material. This unique suspension has no rigid frame structure on the top and bottom edges of the chair, but is only suspended between the two Kinematic Spines. The suspension was specifically designed and engineered for superior comfort and a weightless feel. The elastomer floats omni-directional within the fabric structure; it stretches in every direction so it distributes weight evenly and conforms to your contours as you move. The openness of the suspension structure also provides aeration and reduces heat buildup.

Setu is Simple: Dematerialization
Thanks to Setu's Kinematic Spine, chair components are greatly minimized. Setu contains only the materials needed and not a molecule more. The Setu basic chair has few parts and weighs less than 20 pounds—less than many tilt mechanisms alone. This means less material, time, and energy needed to build it.

Setu's H-Alloy aluminum base is another example of less equals more. Not only is it durable and anti-corrosive, it is unpolished and uncoated, so there is no added labor or harmful toxins. The result: less eco impact. Well-known in the car industry for years, this material has never before been applied to a chair.

Because there is only one adjustment (height), Setu is simple to use. This makes it ideal for places where many different people use the same chair. Everyone gets the full ergonomic benefit without adjustment.

Setu is adaptable: Wide application
Where Setu is, it belongs. The clean, light-scaled, and simple aesthetic complements a wide range of environments. It is designed to fit most shapes and sizes. But, equally important, Setu is designed to fit all spaces and places. Adaptable like no other chair in its category, Setu appeals to functional needs as well as design aesthetics. It can be the feature of any room or simply be noticeably unnoticeable.

Because the spine provides the chair's motion within the seat and back, multiple different bases can be applied for a wide range of future applications. With its simple and light international aesthetic, Setu is equally stylish and comfortable in office, home, healthcare, education, and hospitality environments, anywhere in the world.

Setu is also remarkably affordable, with contract list pricing starting at $650. Setu chairs will be orderable in the commercial market beginning June 15, and will be introduced into Herman Miller's retail channel in September of 2009. Retail pricing is pending.

Setu is Responsible
Setu Chairs support Herman Miller's commitment to the environment, helping Herman Miller reach its sustainability goals of zero landfill, zero hazardous waste generation, and zero VOC emissions into the air by 2020. Setu adheres to the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Cradle to Cradle protocol. The chair has 48 percent recycled content, is 92 percent recyclable, and contains no PVCs. The Lyris suspension uses only environmentally conscious materials: a copolyester elastomer and antimony-free polyester. Setu is under review for MBDC Cradle to Cradle Gold certification and GREENGUARD certification. Setu carries Herman Miller's 12-year warranty.

About Herman Miller
Herman Miller works for a better world around you—with inventive designs, technologies and related services that improve the human experience wherever people work, heal, learn, and live. Its curiosity, ingenuity, and design excellence create award-winning products and services, resulting in more than $2 billion in revenue in fiscal 2008. Innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also established Herman Miller as a recognized global company. In 2009, Herman Miller was again cited by FORTUNE as both the "Most Admired" in its industry and among the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America, while Fast Company named Herman Miller among the innovative "Companies to Watch." Herman Miller trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

Herman Miller Announces The Embody Chair

2008-12-18T15:11:00.002-05:00

Herman Miller, Inc., the global office furniture manufacturer that has continuously set new standards for seating comfort, ergonomics, and performance, introduces the next groundbreaking innovation in work chairs: the Embody chair, designed by internationally renowned designers Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf.

"Our drive at Herman Miller to make the human experience better has yielded many innovations," says Don Goeman, Herman Miller's Executive Vice President--Research, Design and Development. "Over the last 30 years, each of our seating products has built the foundation of research and knowledge for the next. Embody once again reinvents the reference for ergonomics by providing a chair designed to actually enhance your health."

Embody recognizes that almost all knowledge-based, creative work processes have become tethered to the electronic realm. We are bound to our computers for longer periods of time throughout the day. This has contributed to more unhealthy working conditions, because prolonged sitting is bad for you. Chairs hinder movement, yet movement is critical to physical health and mental performance. Extended sitting also stresses tissues and muscles, pressures the spine, and restricts blood flow. The results are physical and mental fatigue, discomfort, distraction, and even costly injury.

"The sitter side of the computer-and-sitter interface has never been adequately addressed," Weber says. "In fact, accommodating technology at the expense of people has become the priority in creating work environments."

These are serious issues in today's idea economy, where people are paid to produce ideas, and companies are seeking tools that help people perform at their best.

Stumpf and Weber decided to solve the problem. Stumpf, designer or co-designer of Herman Miller's Aeron, Ergon, and Equa work chairs, came to Herman Miller in 2002 and said, "I think I have one more in me." Bill Stumpf passed away in 2006, but his partner Jeff Weber, principal of Studio Weber + Associates (formerly Stumpf, Weber + Associates), carried on, giving the chair its final function and form.

Working closely with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller, and in consultation with leading figures in academia, healthcare, and ergonomics, Weber and Stumpf invented a chair that restores balance to the human/computer relationship by supporting both your mind and your body.

"Embody is a health-positive seating experience," says Weber, "because it enhances both your intake of oxygen and the cellular exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, improving your health, and ultimately fueling your brain." A set of important innovations makes this possible.

Instinctive back: Inspired by the human spine, Embody's back adapts to your unique spinal curvature. It lets you move freely and naturally to improve blood flow and eliminate discomfort and distraction. The back is narrow, allowing your arms to move back and forth naturally. This opens up the chest cavity, letting your lungs take in more air and send more oxygen to the brain.

Pixelated seat: When you move, the seat moves with you. Using a matrix of pixels, the seat's unique, three layered construction of materials and technology conforms to micro-movements and distributes weight evenly.

Zoned Support: The chair removes stresses on your body at every contact point, accommodating a diverse population. Reduced pressure improves circulation and facilitates the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within cells. You stay mentally fresh and comfortable.

Working Recline: Embody's unique tilt mechanism encourages working recline, the most healthful working position. The chair automatically stabilizes your pelvis in the seat pocket in every position and supports your thoracic back while correctly aligning your eyes with the computer screen. With no uncomfortable and distracting physical constraints on the body, the mind is freed to focus on ideas and the tasks at hand.

Inclusive Sizing: Embody accommodates nearly everyone's abilities, dimensions, and preferences within one chair size. The seat surface length can expand or contract to reduce pressure on the thighs without disrupting the user's fully-engaged position in the seat pocket. The seat width accommodates the greatest population of hip-breadth dimension. The chair's arms adjust in height and width to support a full range of work activities and postures.
Embody's form is defined by these health-positive features. The technology of the chair is not hidden. Instead, it's a purposeful part of the aesthetic, giving the chair its intriguing look--a "visual feast," said Stumpf.

Like all Herman Miller products, Embody's design is based in extensive research, including studies of biomechanics, seating behaviors and postures, anthropometric data, metabolic measures, and tissue perfusion (the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in body tissue).

Research also confirms Embody's health-positive advantage. For example, research shows that Embody does better than any chair at maintaining oxygen levels in tissue, allowing people to stay focused and engaged. Research also demonstrates that the Embody backrest provides greater support to users' backs compared to other chairs.

Embody supports Herman Miller's commitment to the environment as well, helping Herman Miller reach its environmental sustainability goals of zero landfill, zero hazardous waste generation, and zero VOC emissions by 2020. Embody is MBDC Silver certified and GREENGUARD certified. It has 42 percent recycled content, is 95 percent recyclable, and is PVC-free.

Herman Miller wins top NeoCon award

2008-06-10T11:06:00.002-04:00

Herman Miller Inc. took home the top award Monday at NeoCon for its new storage and filing system.

Herman Miller's Teneo system won Best of Competition at NeoCon, which began Monday at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago. NeoCon, an annual display of new product innovations for the contract office furniture industry, runs through Wednesday.

Teneo, which also won a Gold award in its category, is designed to have a more open, fresh look and for flexibility, making it a system that's usable in a variety of settings -- from an individual office to an open environment and even in the home.

Herman Miller's Space Utilization Service Eliminates the Guesswork in Assessing and Maximizing Facility Performance

2008-06-05T16:31:00.003-04:00

Herman Miller, Inc. has created a new method for measuring and analyzing the performance of working interiors with its Space Utilization Service, a patent-pending, wireless technology developed to accurately audit the needs of individual, group, and community spaces. The company will display the system at its National Design Center in Chicago during the NeoCon World's Trade Fair, June 9-11, 2008.

Real estate is the second largest area of expense for most businesses. And as space occupancy costs continue to increase, facility managers are seeking methods to lower these expenses through improved workplace productivity and overall real estate reductions. But reliable, actionable information has been notoriously difficult to gather.

"Companies traditionally have relied on manual audits, security badge data, PC keystrokes, or phone monitoring to determine workplace occupancy, which are often incomplete or unreliable methods" says Len Pilon, director of Workplace Strategy and Facilities at Herman Miller. "Our goals for the Space Utilization Service include working with facility managers to optimize their real estate through the design of spaces that are appropriate in scale, location, and accessibility. Ultimately we can help improve employee productivity and also establish a baseline for future studies."

Developed internally by Herman Miller, the Space Utilization Service data collection hardware includes remote sensors (or "motes") and receivers that fit seamlessly into the building environment. The motes temporarily and inconspicuously attach to chairs or the underside of work surfaces and continuously capture movement data, uploading to the receivers every 10 minutes, 24-hours a day. Receivers then forward movement data to a Herman Miller database. Herman Miller then works with its customers to interpret the information and develop cost effective strategies that may help them shed unnecessary real estate, better utilize space, lower operating costs, and reduce environmental impact.

The new technology and service is already a proven winner. In an early pilot application at Hewlett Packard, the service demonstrated a dramatic difference in the quality and reliability of data when compared with traditional manual surveys of occupancy. Chris Hood, Program Manager, The HP Workplace, noted that, "HP received compelling data that highlighted the inaccuracy of 'bed checks.' The Space Utilization Service replaced inaccurate management perceptions of office use with facts to drive informed decisions." At the Corporate Real Estate Executive Network (CoreNet) summit in May 2008, using the HP experience as an illustration of its efficacy, the Space Utilization Service received the Industry Excellence Award. The inaugural award highlights corporate real estate industry performance and innovation. It also qualifies the company for the distinguished H. Bruce Russell Global Innovator's Award, which will be announced at the CoreNet Global North American Fall Summit in November.

Kris Manos, Herman Miller's vice president of North American Office and Learning Environments, notes the Space Utilization Service is a result of the company's dedication to problem-solving design. "Herman Miller's commitment to creating best-in-class solutions for its customers begins with exploring their needs, which may include better utilization of real estate. The Space Utilization Service will enable our customers to create customized environments that benefit employees and the bottom line."

Space Utilization Service studies are led by the Herman Miller Workplace Services team and typically last three weeks. Study costs are comparable to traditional data collection methods and calculated according to the size and scope of a project.

Introducing Teneo Storage Furniture by Herman Miller

2008-03-20T15:32:00.003-04:00

Herman Miller recently launched two new filing and storage lines as part of its holistic approach toward this market category.

Teneo™ storage furniture represents a new paradigm in storage, providing a broad selection of adaptable products ideal for group space, as well as individual and community spaces. Designed by Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck, the collection features islands, carts, presentation units, shelf units, cabinets, surfaces, and within-the-workstation choices. A wide range of Materials choices--colors, veneers, unique cladding options, and customizable finishes--is available.

Tu™ filing and storage replaces today’s Quadrant® filing and storage line. Enhancements include storages cases, overfiles, bookcases and a side-facing bookcase configuration on the storage tower. Two new pull styles are being introduced: a full-width integral pull (W-pull), which matches the Meridian® standard pull in its appearance; and an anodized aluminum Teneo compatible pull (T-pull), which allows compatibility within a building.

Contact a bfi representative for more information.

Herman Miller's Creative Network

2008-02-19T10:47:00.002-05:00

Herman Miller CEO Brian Walker talks about tapping the furniture company's creative network for insights and breakthrough ideas. Read this very insightful article on Businessweek.com

You Are Only As Green As Your Supply Chain

2008-02-19T10:42:00.001-05:00

by Brian Walker

Years ago Herman Miller decided to become an advocate for the environment, both because we believed it was the right thing to do and because we saw the potential for a clear business benefit. Ever since, we've been refining our processes to put our aspirations into practice.

Our Perfect Vision campaign, launched in 2003, includes green goals such as no landfill waste, no hazardous waste, no air or water emissions from manufacturing, and the use of 100% green energy, all by the year 2020. These are stringent targets our company cannot reach without engaging over 200 materials and components suppliers in the ongoing task of greening our global supply chain.

As we've examined every aspect of our worldwide supply chain, we've learned one key lesson: A business, and the products it sells, can only be environmentally sustainable through a holistic approach to design, raw materials, production methods, packaging, shipping, recycling, and even marketing--across the entire value chain. It's far too large and complex a undertaking for any organization to go it alone and be truly effective. You know the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Well, it takes an entire supply chain to green a company.

Here are three things we recommend to companies working with their suppliers on the long-term goal of going green.

1. Design your products with sustainability as a core principal. At Herman Miller, we have a problem-solving, design-driven culture, so we spend a lot of time thinking about how to create our products. In 2001, when we were creating our Mirra chair, we had been working with architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart, both leading-edge environmentalist thinkers, toward their vision of a "cradle-to-cradle" design that embraces sustainable materials in a closed-loop life cycle. As a result, we eliminated the use of a chemical called polyvinyl chloride in that chair. Now, PVC has advantages, including the fact that it is inexpensive and durable. However, PVC releases toxins during manufacturing and when it is burned. We decided not to use it and implemented that decision with the help of our suppliers. We embedded those cradle-to-cradle principals in our product development process for all new designs, beginning with Mirra.

2. Refine your goals and put them to paper. We aim to be fully sustainable by 2020, but we're holding ourselves accountable to interim goals along the way. For example, by 2010, 50% of our sales will come from products that conform to our own rigorous Design for the Environment standards, and we aim to reduce our environmental footprint by 80%. Achieving these goals requires paying attention not only to materials, including their chemical ingredients, but also to our sources of energy, to our manufacturing processes, and to our packaging. We don't want to reduce our impact in one area while ignoring it in another. Nor do we want to move our environmental impact upstream into our supply chain.

3. Embrace transparency and meaningful metrics. Our company, our customers, and our industry in general are moving inexorably toward more transparent reporting when it comes to the environment. And, like any other management issue, what gets measured gets managed. When it comes to our supply chain, several measures apply. We award points through our Supplier Quantification Process for formal environmental programs and active waste-reduction programs. We rate our suppliers according to how effectively they are working to help us reach our goals--from researching alternative materials to incorporating our measurable targets into their flow charts. And this is the crux of the issue: We're not only looking at our suppliers, but at our suppliers' suppliers.

We have 12 years and a long way to go before reaching our self-imposed deadline for our Perfect Vision mission. By looking--and forcing change--outside our company as well as inside, we believe we can achieve this goal. By following the three steps above, we believe other companies can reach their green goals as well.

Source: Harvard Business Review

Harvard Business Review Launches HBRGreen.org, a Six-Part Online Discussion About Leadership and the Environment

2008-02-19T10:40:00.000-05:00

Featured Leaders Include Herman Miller, Inc., CEO Brian Walker, Writing on the Necessity and Steps of Greening the Supply Chain

Harvard Business Review has launched HBRGreen.org, a 12-week, six-part series of online commentary and discussion that will explore best practices and new thinking in green business strategy. Contributors to the site will include Brian Walker, CEO of Herman Miller, Sir Stuart Rose, CEO of Marks & Spencer, and numerous other business and environmental thought leaders.

HBRGreen will examine how environmental issues are affecting six key business disciplines, including marketing, supply chain management, and finance. Each of the six topic discussions will lead with an essay by a green business strategy expert and include response commentary from featured contributors and from visitors to the site.

In the first discussion of the series, "Don't Bother with the Green Consumer," Steve Bishop, a global lead of Design for Sustainability of IDEO, advises marketers, "Instead of focusing on a green niche, focus on green behaviors that everyone can aspire to."

"Environmental issues aren't a fad. Climate change isn't just an emergency. Like globalization, it is a force that will shape and reshape the business landscape for decades to come," said Harvard Business Review Editor Thomas A. Stewart. "By bringing together the expertise of business leaders, HBR editors, and our community of readers, HBRGreen aims to explore new ideas and best practices so that managers are better positioned to embrace the opportunities and manage the risks of a carbon-constrained world."

On February 6, Brian Walker, CEO of Herman Miller, will lead the second conversation on "Three Steps to a Greener Supply Chain." Future lead contributors will include: Sir Stuart Rose, CEO of Marks & Spencer, Judith Samuelson, executive director of the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program, Andrew Hoffman, the Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan, Nitin Nohria, the Richard P. Chapman Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, and Rakesh Khurana, associate professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

About Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review (www.hbr.org) is the leading monthly magazine of management thought and practice, with a worldwide circulation of 246,000. The magazine has 11 international editions, including editions in China, Taiwan, and an English-language South Asian edition published in India. In 2004 and 2006, the magazine was a finalist for the National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Herman Miller C2 Climate Control Heater/Cooler Now Available for Order

2008-01-15T12:18:00.000-05:00

C2^TM Climate Control

Effective immediately, the C2 climate control device from Herman Miller is now available for order. Contact a bfi representative today.

product description

(download .pdf product sheet.)

Be warm. Be cool. C2 climate control lets you choose. This easy-to-use device lets you control the temperature in your immediate workspace. No more arguments over the thermostat. Just plug C2 into a 110-volt outlet and choose a setting that is comfortable for you. Easy to use, easy to move, and easy to adjust. How cool.

Thermal electric technology. Proven in the automotive industry, this advanced technology allows for both heating and cooling in a single unit.

Energy-efficient design. C2 uses uses less than 1.5 amps of AC current, which is approximately 90% less energy than a typical space heater, to affect the 12- to 18-inch space between the device and the user.

Heats, cools, and filters. C2 not only heats and cools, but also cleans the air. Its air filtration system is significantly better than that of a typical home furnace. The filter is GREENGUARD certified and reusable after cleaning. It will remove air pollutants as small as five microns, such as pollen, dust, pet dander, and household airborne particles.

Safe. C2 is not a space heater. There are no exposed heating coils, chemicals, or harmful emissions. Safe to run continuously, C2 has a timer that shuts the unit off after four hours. C2’s power supply is UL approved and plugs into 110v AC.

Human-centered design. Its friendly design encourages user control: C2 is easy to use, easy to move, and easy to adjust.

Herman Miller, Inc., Tops Four Categories in Contract Magazine Survey

2008-01-11T10:51:00.000-05:00

Herman Miller is the number one choice for computer support, ergonomic seating, furniture systems, and healthcare furniture, according to Contract magazine's readers. The company's ergonomic seating and healthcare furniture make a second consecutive appearance as top pick.

The selection is based on 1,000 interviews with 700 architects and designers who subscribe to Contract, as well as 300 facility professionals from a pre-qualified list provided by Aspen Media and Market Research.

Respondents were asked to provide the brand name of the three top manufacturers they consider when purchasing or recommending products in a number of categories. Brand name preferences were asked on an unaided basis.

According to the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA), seating and furniture systems represent the two largest product categories for the industry.

The 2007 Brand Report appears in the publication's December issue.

bfi (Business Furniture, Inc.) is a New Jersey authorized Herman Miller office furniture dealer, providing office furniture and other related services in the NJ/NY area. More Info »

Herman Miller's C2 Climate Control keeps it fresh at CES

2008-01-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

Veronica Belmont from Engadget reviews the Herman Miller C2 Climate Control System at the International CES 2008 show in Las Vegas. CES is the world's largest annual Consumer Electronics Show that highlights new and upcoming electronic products.

Herman Miller buying Brandrud Furniture company

2007-12-20T11:20:00.000-05:00

Herman Miller Inc. said it's buying Brandrud Furniture Inc., which makes health care furnishings, for an undisclosed price. Read press release.

Do you need a cube makeover?

2007-12-14T11:19:00.000-05:00

Is your office workstation boring? Bring it to life with a cubicle makeover. Wired.com posts an amusing article, Fantastic Fixes Help Your Sad, Pathetic Cubicle . The article is about the book, Cube Chic, by Kelley L. Moore, where she presents 22 whimsical workspace makeovers, from the Nap Cube to the Cubism Cube. There are several extreme makeover photos which unless you work for Google or Yahoo, I'm not sure your boss would appreciate. My favorite is the Nap Cube with the bed beneath the workstation.

Read article

Herman Miller, Inc., Earns 2007 WasteWise Gold Achievement Award for Smart Packaging

2007-12-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

Herman Miller has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2007 WasteWise Gold Achievement Award for its ongoing commitment to reduce transport packaging.

The company has reduced its cardboard and plastic packaging by more than 50 percent, a result of shipping many of its products in bulk, securely enclosed in reusable blankets.

"Finding smarter ways to ensure our products reach the customer intact is just one aspect of our environmental commitment," says Paul Murray, director of Environmental Health and Safety at Herman Miller. "We are committed both to integrity in our deliveries and reducing our environmental footprint."

This is Herman Miller's seventh WasteWise award since the program's introduction in 1994. The company also was recognized as Partner of the Year in 1999 and Program Champion in 2000 and 2001.

Gold Achievement Award recipients were announced at the annual WasteWise conference in Washington, D.C., on November 15, 2007.

Herman Miller's Leaf Chosen as a "Best Invention of 2007" by TIME Magazine

2007-12-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

The Leaf Personal Light from Herman Miller, Inc., has been feted by TIME Magazine as one of the Best Inventions of the 2007. The LED (light emitting diode) table-top light was noted for its energy efficiency and sleek design.

Leaf is a result of collaborative engineering and design development between Herman Miller and Yves Behar's San Francisco-based studio, fuseproject. Its 20 LEDs utilize 40 percent less energy than a 13-watt compact fluorescent bulb.

Richard Stengel, managing editor of TIME, defines the selected products as the coolest stuff from the most innovative minds in the world. He adds, "When you're dealing with complex technology, you can't overestimate the importance of good, clean design."

The Best Inventions of the Year appear in the publication's November 12, 2007, issue.

Introducing Casbah by National

2007-11-02T17:55:00.000-04:00

National Office Furniture's newest line of office furniture is called Casbah. The Casbah series includes desks, storage units, conference solutions, tables, filing and bookcases. Its unique details include recessed facade worksurface detail, three pull styles in two colors, arc modesty panels, tambour door, and pop-up grommet with the interlink system. Casbah will be available starting November 19th.

21st-Century Work Habitats

2007-10-19T10:01:00.000-04:00

A new Research Summary by Herman Miller. 21st-Century Work Habitats
Technology gives people mobility so they can work anywhere. Collaboration and the innovation it can spur call for places where people can come together. Attracting skilled, talented people is critically important, but so is creating spaces that keep them engaged. Multiple generations--each with its own ideas about how to work--share the same workplace. As these and other realities shape 21st-century work habitats, the industry that designs them faces new challenges. For some perspective on how these challenges are being met, Herman Miller spoke with four Chicago-based designers from the architecture and design firm Gensler. In this wide-ranging discussion, they speak about what they're experiencing and what they foresee.

wp_21st-Century_Work_Habitats.pdf (43KB PDF)

NeoCon East Photo Gallery

2007-10-18T15:11:00.000-04:00

This years NeoCon East trade fair for interior design and facilities management was held in Baltimore, Maryland on October 17-18 2007. We've put together a collection of photos on Flickr where you can see, download and share photos with your clients, colleagues and friends. View our NeoCon photos on Flickr! and be sure to post comments on our Flickr pages.

Herman Miller offers chairs on 'Second Life', Goes after Knockoffs

2007-10-12T09:34:00.000-04:00

Herman Miller has ventured into the realm of virtual community, bringing their "authorized" designs to Second Life in an attempt to address the issues of illegitimate knockoffs. See their press release.

Basically, for a limited time, Herman Miller is offering SL residents free trade-ins on any fake Aerons - or on some of its other iconic products - for an authentic SL Aeron. If you don't have a fake, you can buy an Aeron for a small price.

Residents who have been creating and selling Herman Miller knock-offs up, however, are getting a less friendly offer from the company:

"[W]e've contacted those parties and informed them of our trade dress protections, copyrights and trademarks they are infringing, asking politely but firmly that they cease and desist," says the firm's spokesman, "Some have complied, others have countered with proposed partnerships, and some have yet to respond."

It will be interesting to follow this intellectual property rights showdown in the real world and to see of other companies will follow suit.