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Since
the early 1900’s, Grand Rapids Michigan had come to
be known as the Furniture City. In a city known for its mass
produced wooden furniture, pioneers of the furniture industry
such as Stow & Davis, Macey, and Metal Office brought
a new idea of metal furnishings to the marketplace. With an
increase in the American workforce and high rise office buildings,
these metal manufacturers seen an increase in production of
steel desk and seating. 
Companies like Herman Miller and Steelcasewanted
to make more efficient use of space. They hired engineers
and designers to develop a more cost-effective solution
or system to accommodate workers. This was the beginning
of the cubicle. In the late 1950’s, Herman Miller
developed a framework to surround their metal desk (AO1
– Action Office). Herman Miller then introduced
AO2 which was based on Marcel Propst theory “facility
built on change”. This theory believes that the
right environment would not only motivate it’s
occupants, but also encourage productivity. This concept
exploded in the mid 1960’s. Unlike the traditional
steel desk, that has fixed files and requires the worker
to adapt to it, cubicles can be custom made for maximum
utilization by the employee who occupies the cubicle.
No longer was a desk considered just a writing surface
with a
box for storing documents. A Desk is now considered a system
that supports people and the tools with which they work their
trade. Cubicles with it’s ability to extend the work
area has contributed to the new accessories, telecommunication
devices, reproduction equipment, and computers. The result
is an office built around storage capabilities and the needs
of each unique business.
While the Manufacturing of metal desks and workstations grew,
so did the need for companies to market and distribute these
products on a local level. This led to the inception of Office
Furniture Dealerships. Office Furniture Dealerships usually
represent one manufacturer and may choose to supplement gaps
in their lines with the freestanding collection of their chosen
manufacturer and/or with those of other furniture manufacturers.
Furniture dealers only take possession of the furniture for
a brief period of time. Dealers purchase furniture only when
they are secure with the intentions of their end users. Each
job is custom suited to the end user which explains why new
furniture dealers rarely have new furniture available for
immediate delivery. What new furniture dealers actually provide
is service. They assure your product arrives on time, according
to detailed specifications, is in good shape (no shipping
damage), and is delivered and installed correctly. Office
Furniture Warehouse plays a unique role in the furniture industry.
OFW has the ability to locate quality pre-owned and/or refurbished
products best suited to their clients’ needs, without
having to custom order it. Office Furniture Warehouse saves
their customers time and money by having product available
for immediate delivery with up to 80% off new furniture prices.
The facilities & office managers that utilize Office Furniture
Warehouse understand the tremendous value added benefit of
purchasing high quality pre-owned furniture from us. Office
Furniture Warehouse does not only quickly and cost effectively
fulfill your furniture needs, but also employ the very same
expertise (Probably More) as do the new furniture dealerships.
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