In December 2016, the Art Institute of Chicago added the Olivares Aluminum Chair, designed by Jonathan Olivares for Knoll, to its permanent collection. Joining a robust collection of artwork and objects in the Institute’s Architecture and Design department, the Olivares Chair represents the Knoll penchant for technological and material experimentation.

In 2012, the Art Institute of Chicago hosted an exhibition by Jonathan Olivares Design Research, the furniture designer's Los Angeles-based practice. Entitled “The Outdoor Office,” the exhibit was comprised of a series of speculative designs that explored the possibility of office spaces located outdoors. Olivares’ hypothetical renderings placed his own aluminum chair into utopian work environments, its characteristic profile lending a necessary softness to offices en plein air.

Now, the chair itself joins the museum’s collection, its structure standing as testament to the subtle yet expansive possibilities of furniture innovation. Cast entirely in one piece of aluminum and measuring three millimeters thick at its thinnest point, the chair resolutely defies convention. "Can you surprise yourself with learning something new," he asked during the design process, "or something that can be measured to be more successful? Through experimentation you can push materials beyond their conventional limits."

Allseating has just released Entail, a task chair with many value-added features that come standard, such as an integrated seat-slider to support a wide-range of body types as well as a dual functioning arm that is both height-adjustable and has arm pads that can easily shift forwards or backwards. Available in either smoke or black frame finish and an encapsulated mesh in 2 colors: Jet Black and Carbon. Available to order today. From $420.

Via allseating.com >

After more than a century of making the seats in professional baseball stadiums across the country, from historic Wrigley Field to Comerica Park, American Seating is getting out of the business.

The iconic Grand Rapids company is laying off 80 workers and selling its fixed seating business -- that builds chairs for sports, education and theater venues -- to longtime local competitor, Irwin Seating Company, the companies announced Tuesday, Jan. 3.

The 130-year-old U.S. manufacturer says it will focus on its transportation seating business, where the company is a leader in a growing global market. American Seating has been making seats for city buses, rail and motorcoaches since the 1930s.

"We determined that this was the best path forward to ensure a successful future for American Seating," Ed Clark, the company's CEO, said in a statement.

Via mlive.com >

Herman Miller, Inc. today announced results for its second quarter ended December 3, 2016.  Net sales in the quarter totaled $577.5 million, a decrease of 0.5% from the same quarter last fiscal year. New orders in the second quarter of $575.9 million were 4.2% below the prior year level. On an organic basis, which adjusts for foreign currency translation and a dealer divestiture, net sales increased by 1.1% and orders decreased by 2.7% in the second quarter, from the same quarter last fiscal year.

Herman Miller reported net earnings of $0.53 per share on a diluted basis in the second quarter compared to diluted earnings per share of $0.57 in the same quarter last fiscal year. Excluding the impact of certain restructuring charges recognized in the period, adjusted earnings per share in the second quarter totaled $0.54.

Brian Walker, Chief Executive Officer, stated "In the face of an uncertain global economic and geopolitical picture, we delivered on the adjusted earnings per share commitment that we established at the start of the quarter. While North America sales were below our expectations, our ELA, Specialty and Consumer businesses all delivered strong organic sales growth in the quarter. Our consolidated orders were lower than anticipated and reflect uneven demand patterns we're seeing across the broader industry. This was amplified by a particularly challenging growth comparison in our prior year second quarter."

Steelcase Inc. today reported third quarter revenue of $786.5 million and net income of $41.2 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.34.  During the quarter, the company recognized a benefit related to the outcome of a tax audit in EMEA, which had a favorable impact on diluted earnings per share of $0.03. In the prior year, Steelcase reported $787.6 million of revenue, diluted earnings of $0.28 per share and adjusted earnings of $0.30 per share. 

A family is made up of people, but places and things—the family home, a child’s favorite toy, grandma’s China, mother’s perfume—certainly add context, providing anchors for memories as children grow and life stages flow from one into the next.

Via hermanmiller.com >

Worldwide-leading partition walls manufacturer, the Netherlands-based Maars Living Walls, rounds out 2016 marking the company’s 70th anniversary. It’s been a milestone year that has included business growth in North America, Europe and Asia; celebrations in the Netherlands and the United States; Best of NeoCon honors earlier this year in Chicago; and the launch of the new design software Maars 4D across the globe. 

Steelcase Inc.  today reported preliminary financial results for the third quarter which included revenue of $787 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.34. During the quarter, the company recognized a benefit related to the outcome of a tax audit in EMEA, which had a favorable impact on diluted earnings per share of $0.03 and was not included in the company’s previously issued guidance. In the prior year, Steelcase reported $787.6 million of revenue, diluted earnings of $0.28 per share and adjusted earnings of $0.30 per share.  Steelcase had previously guided current quarter revenue between $795 to $820 million and diluted earnings per share between $0.32 to $0.36. The results announced today are preliminary and subject to change based on the completion of the company’s quarter-end review process.

Sales in the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 was $6.7 million or 31.6% higher than the same quarter of the previous year. The current year's quarter benefited from strong U.S. exchange rate, which accounted for about $2.9 million of the year-over-year sales increase. With the exclusion of the currency exchange gain, the normalized sales were 24.9% higher than the same quarter of last year. Strong growth was experienced in all segments of the business.