History of cubicles Historical Perspective of Office Furniture Markets
The early 1900s saw rapid industrial development due in part to advancement in electronics communications. It was the time of the robber barons the steel oil magnates like the Rockefellers the Carnegies. These circumstancesand along with the emigration of European peoplesand increased the U.S. population in 1910 to near 92 million. The U.S. industrial boom had begun.
Grand Rapidsand Michigan had already come to be known as Furniture City. Yet the concept of metal furniture was a relatively new concept. Such pioneers as Stow Davisand Maceyand Metal Office represented a small but growing segment of office furniture manufacturersand increasingly involved in the manufacture of metal furniture in a city known for its mass-produced wooden furniture.
With large government contracts due to World War IIand as the American workforce increased more high rise office spaces were built in the 1950sand the metal office manufacturers known as the 'circle' increased their production of steel desks seating. With the ever-expanding need for more efficient use of spaceand companies like Steelcase Herman Miller hired engineers designers to come up with more cost-effective solutions or 'systems' to accommodate workers.
Then it happened - the birth of systems furniture. Near the end of the 1950s Herman Miller conceived of a framework to surround their metal desks (Action Office or AO1). As the other manufactures began to develop their own versions of AO1 (Steelcase 9000and for example)and Miller introduced Action Office / Version 2. AO2 was based on the theories of Marcel Propstand a scientist who after studying the habits of workers in relation to their spaceand developed the theory of a quot facility built on change Propst believed that the right environment would not only motivate it is occupantsand but also encourage productivity.
The concept exploded in the mid 1960s. The new desk or andquot;systems furniture - as it is often called - incorporated the human factor its variety as a fact of life. Unlike the old steel desk and with its fixed files that required the worker to adapt to itand systems furniture can be tailor made for maximum utilization by the human who will be its occupant.
The desk used to be a surface for writing andamp; its fixed draws a box for storing documents. Now the desk has become a medium - a system - that supports people the tools with which they work their trade.
Systems furniture with it is ability to extend the work area has contributed to the rethinking of office storage solutionsand as have the proliferation of new accessories and telecommunication devices and reproduction equipment and computers. The result is an office built around storage capabilities the needs of each unique business.
New seating designs were also being developed to keep up with the expansion in systems furniture. Designers like Wassilyand Mies Van Der Roheand Thonetand Breuerand Eames all raced to create seating which was ergonomically as well as aesthetically pleasing.
By the 1970s systems furniture had become an integral part of the modern office. To this dayand systems furniture manufacturers strive to improve upon their original concepts. They have substituted softer surfaces such as wood for metal.
Foreseeing corporate facilities trendsand they engineered systems furniture for maximum flexibility adaptability. Systems furniture manufacturers have also streamlined the manufacturing processand thus providing end users with greater performance function.
Dealerships
While the manufacturing of metal desks and ultimately systems furniture grewand so did the need for companies to market distribute these products on a local level. So began the furniture dealership.
Furniture dealerships (similar to automobile dealers) usually represent one main line may choose to supplement gaps in their lines with the freestanding collections of their chosen systems manufacturer or with those of other furniture manufacturers.
Furniture dealers only take possession of the furniture for a brief time. Rarely is furniture kept in stock. The dealers purchase furniture only when they are secure with the intentions of their end users. In other wordsand each job is custom suited to the end user which explains why furniture is rarely available for immediate delivery. What new furniture dealers actually provide is service. They assure your product arrives on time according to detailed specifications. They are experienced in the delivery installation of systems freestanding furnishings. Used or Refurbish cubicle dealers
Used refurbished furniture dealers such as OAM and play a special role in the industry as well. They are experts in locating products best suited to their clients needs without having to custom order it. Within a few months of using new furnitureand it begins to show signs of wear. Since there is an immediate devaluation of new furniture (similar to a new automobile) and these companies market their services to the value conscious consumer. They save their clients both time money. Not only is the product usually available immediatelyand but the cost represents a significant discount off of the products original cost.
The facilities person who utilizes a company such as OAM understands the tremendous value added benefit of purchasing high quality pre-utilized furniture from a reputable dealer. They not only quickly cost effectively fulfill your furniture requirementsand but also employ the very same expertise as do the new furniture dealerships. |
