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Events

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Date	Title	Category
03/14/1912 - 01/15/1914	A.W. Hompe Elected President Two days prior to the official founding of the Metal Office Furniture Co., Alexander W. Hompe, president of The Macey Co., is elected president and chairman of the board. He resigns in 1914, handing... View	Leadership
03/16/1912	MOFC Incorporated The Metal Office Furniture Co. is incorporated after Peter M. Wege moves to Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the help of 11 investors, Wege's dream of competing in "The Furniture City" amongst wood furniture... View	Company
circa 1914	Liberty Bond Boxes Introduced Metal Office Furniture Co. begins manufacturing Liberty Bond Boxes for Swift & Company to use as a premium. After the Swift contract expires, we add the bond boxes to our regular production line,... View	Products
1915	First Desk Sale Our product line offerings in 1915 are safe deposit vault equipment, lockers, strong boxes, steel shelving, and wastebaskets. However, this doesn't stop Metal Office Furniture Co. from submitting a bid... View	Products
1918	U-Channel Invention Peter M. Wege discovers how to use U-channels to make sheet steel stronger, yet lighter, in weight. Wege and Metal Office Furniture Company receive a patent for the a manufacturing process using U-channel... View	Products
circa 1921	First West Coast Sales Made In the early 1920's David D. Hunting makes the first sales on the West Coast – file cabinets and a few miscellaneous items to various stationery stores and equipment dealers. In one instance, Hunting... View	Company
1921	The Birth of the Brand Turner Advertising in Chicago promotes the Steelcase® trademark to emphasize the durability of Metal Office Furniture Co. products and adds the tagline, “Found Where Business Succeeds”— an advertising... View	Company
1922	Dealer Network Launched Metal Office Furniture Co. is one of the first companies known to build an official dealer organization. Our first dealer is in St. Louis, Missouri. By 1968 we will have nearly 900 dealers in all 50 states... View	Industry
1924	Desk Strength and Durability The 621 desk is designed to be fireproof and because of our manufacturing process, is able to support up to 6,000 pounds. Steel furniture is gaining acceptance, and this is Metal Office Furniture Co.’s... View	Products
1926 - 1958	Plant #2 is Built The new plant (pictured in the background) is built adjacent to Terrell's Equipment Co. (later called Plant #3), with whom we had formed a partnership. This second plant provides over 97,000 square feet... View	Company
1927	On Board with Lucky Lindy Metal Office Furniture Co. makes and installs a custom-built desk aboard the Tri-motor plane that Charles Lindbergh uses for publicity tours around the United States after his transatlantic flight. The... View	Products
1928	Victor Desk Tray Introduced The Victor desk tray, a new member to the Steelcase Business Equipment family, is introduced joining the Victor Wastebaskets and the Liberty Bond Boxes. Two sizes are available for purchase and the trays... View	Products
11/26/1928	Entrance into the International Market The Steelcase trademark makes its first appearance in Argentina, with brochures for 1200 Line file cabinets printed in Spanish. This marks our entry into the international market. View	Company
1930	Acquisition of Doehler Metal Furniture Company Metal Office Furniture Co. acquires Doehler Metal Furniture Co. This acquisition enables us to remain solvent during the Depression by manufacturing metal household and hospital furniture (our first foray... View	Company
1932	“Century of Progress” Desk The "Century of Progress" desk is designed for the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. It introduces the island base. View	Products
1932	Production of Vegetable Spray Units As another means of surviving the Depression, Metal Office Furniture Co. produces Vegetable Spray Units under the Terrell name. These units are designed for grocery store displays, helping fruits and vegetables... View	Products
circa 1932	Specialty Desk Introduced The growing office industry creates new demands for worksurfaces. Metal Office Furniture Co. introduces the Burroughs machine desk, designed specifically to accommodate the Burroughs adding machine.... View	Products
1933	Employment Levels Maintained Despite Depression As Metal Office Furniture Co. sales reach their lowest point during the Depression, employees are divided into part-time groups and wages lowered to 25¢/ hour so that everyone continues to earn an income.... View	Communities
1937	Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed Furniture for S.C. Johnson Wax Building Metal Office Furniture Co. manufactures office furniture for the S.C. Johnson Wax Building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Racine, Wisconsin. As a result of a two-year design and production partnership... View	Products
1939	Industry’s First Roll-Edge Desk – 7000 Series Our 7000 Series desk is one of the industry’s first designed with a rolled edge of linoleum and stainless steel binding strip to protect the linoleum against damage from the impact of chairs. Our 7025... View	Products
1942	Naval Contracts Won Metal Office Furniture Co. wins a $254,000 contract to make lightweight, sturdy steel furnishings for U.S. Naval cruiser class ships. As a result of the war, all manufacturing of steel furniture for commercial... View	Products
1944	Retirement Benefits Offered Metal Office Furniture Co. offers retirement benefits to employees. Only 250 such plans exist in the United States. View	Communities
1946	Multiple 15 Desk Introduced Metal Office Furniture Co. introduces a postwar desk that has been in design since 1942. “Multiple 15” is designed on 15-inch dimensions, allowing for better space planning in open offices. By 1960... View	Products
04/22/1947	“Honeymoon in New York” Shuts Down the Chair Plant The Chair Plant (Plant #4) shuts down for 30 minutes to listen to newlyweds Jim and Rose Sarnicola on the “Honeymoon in New York” radio program. Jim is a welder in the Chair Plant and the couple won... View	Company
1948	Dealer Office Planning Assistance Pioneered Hunting-Roberts Co., the California distributor of Steelcase furniture, pioneers office planning, establishing a new area of dealer assistance that is soon followed by the entire industry. View	Industry
1950	25 Year Club Organized The “25 Year Club” is organized in 1950 and 56 employees join, three of whom were hired in 1912, the year we were founded. This year, nearly one out of every 12 employees becomes a member. View	Company
1950	Largest Post-War Order Mutual Life Insurance of New York places the largest post-war order to date. It includes: 1,650 desks; 3,200 chairs; 120 wardrobes; 3,300 letter trays; 1,700 wastebaskets; 420 tables; 100 bookcases; and... View	Company
12/27/1951	Steelcase Foundation Formed A form for a Trust Indenture is submitted for the establishment of a charitable foundation to be known as “The Metal Office Furniture Company Foundation.” Over time, the Company has donated a portion... View	Communities
1953	Sunshine Styling Color an Industry First Metal Office Furniture Co. expands the palette for metal office furniture with Sunshine Styling. The new colors, inspired by David D. Hunting’s trip to Arizona, are Desert Sage, Blond Tan, Mist Green,... View	Products
1953	Community Chest Record Set All previous Metal Office Furniture Co. records were smashed when 87% of all employees donated to this year's Community Chest campaign, meeting 100%-plus of the goal. The Community Chest name may have... View	Communities
1954	First to Add Typewriter Auxiliary Unit Metal Office Furniture Co. is the first to replace the standard box drawer for the typewriter with an auxiliary table or shelf. The 41-ATT and 41-TS auxiliary units attach to pedestal desk, and are designed... View	Products
1954	Steelcase Canada Ltd. Founded Fred A. Bell founds Steelcase Canada Ltd. in Don Mills, Ontario (a suburb of Toronto), the first operation located outside of the United States. The facility includes 15,000 square feet of showroom and... View	Company
12/01/1954	Company Name Change: Steelcase Inc. The Company name officially becomes Steelcase Inc., differentiating it from competitors who use variations of “metal office furniture” in their names. This change allows us to capitalize on our successful... View	Company
1956	Flight Line Desks for the Office of the Future Steelcase introduces the Flight Line of desks – square-cornered, contemporary-designed steel desks with one-inch square tubular legs exposed top to base. Flight Line reflects the Space Age zeitgeist... View	Products
12/13/1957	Move to 36th Street The demand for our office furniture led us to outgrow many of our aging facilities. Land was purchased on 36th Street in Grand Rapids, MI in the mid 50's. The Shearing Plant is the first building to... View	Company
1958	1300 Line Desks Introduced Steelcase introduces the 1300 Line of contemporary desks, credenzas, and cabinets. The 1300 Line is the first desk to offer either a stainless steel binding on the top edge or a Textolite self-edged top.... View	Products
1958	Steelcase Sponsors Junior Achievement Steelcase begins a long history of sponsoring the Junior Achievement program in Grand Rapids. Each year, Steelcase advisors "help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate... View	Communities
04/1959	Growing Home Office Market The Office at Home is a growing phenomenon and a potential market for Steelcase dealers. Before the advent of the personal computer and fax machine, the home office was used mostly by heads of household... View	Industry
09/01/1960	Original Factory Donated to The Salvation Army Instead of selling the first Metal Office Furniture Co. factory, Steelcase gifts the 156,000 square foot building, assessed at $385,000, to The Salvation Army. The gift of the facility allows The Salvation... View	Communities
1961 - 1966	W.C. Davis Elected President Wendell C. Davis is elected President of Steelcase Inc. (and appointed as a director). Davis comes from Cribben and Sexton Company in Chicago. While Davis came to Steelcase under a 5-year agreement, he... View	Leadership
07/1961	Acrylic Paints Introduced Steelcase begins to use acrylic paints on products, a first within the industry. A water-based paint, acrylic is more environmentally friendly than the oil-based paints previously used on our lines. View	Sustainability
1962	50th Anniversary Celebration As Steelcase celebrates our 50th anniversary (pictured), we are expanding across North America with a new facility in La Mirada, California and an expansion to the plant in Don Mills, Ontario, Canada. View	Company
1963	Steelcase Coordinated Offices Introduced A national advertising campaign introduces Steelcase Coordinated Offices (SCO). The message: Steelcase can meet all office furniture needs, including color coordination and installation. View	Products
1964	Attwood Corp. Acquired Steelcase acquires Attwood Corp., a source of quality plating and plastic extrusions for our products. David D. Hunting, Jr., formerly treasurer of Steelcase, is appointed president. View	Company
1966	“Operation Skydrop” To demonstrate the durability of the 450 Series chair a skydiver is strapped to the chair. At 1,000 feet the skydiver disengages from the chair, which hits the ground at approximately 100 mph. The base... View	Products
1966 - 1988	R.C. Pew Elected President & CEO Robert C. Pew (II) is elected President of Steelcase Inc. In 1980, the title changes to "Chief Executive Officer." Pew's history with the company includes: manufacturing expediter (1952); superintendent... View	Leadership
1968	World’s Largest Manufacturer Steelcase is designated the world’s largest manufacturer of office furniture. View	Industry
1968	Mobiles Introduced Steelcase introduces the Mobiles office suite – merging Multiple 15, Sunshine Styling and Convertibles. Coupled with Movable Walls (panels that efficiently divide space for workers in an open office... View	Products
1969	First NeoCon The National Exposition of Contract Furnishings (NeoCon) begins at Merchandise Mart in Chicago. View	Industry
1971	Gardner Leaver Chair Introduced The guest chair designed by Gardner Leaver is introduced at the third annual NeoCon. Also designed by Leaver, are matching tea and coffee tables. View	Products