Content area
Full text
HOLLAND - One year into his tenure as chief executive, Bob Krasa is steering Haworth Inc. into a future that is certainly different from its past.
Like other industry players, Haworth is moving into territory where making good office furniture isn't enough anymore. To meet the changing market demands that are requiring office furniture makers to provide more of the components that comprise a modern professional office, Haworth is transitioning from a maker of "work spaces" into producing "work places."
As the office furniture industry finally looks to be beginning to dig out of a deep hole dug during a devastating three-year downturn, Krasa sees the changing market dynamics as opportunity for future growth.
"There's a bigger pie to take a piece of, so we believe that's going to support strong growth going forward," Krasa said.
To help it meet the changes the industry is facing, Haworth last fall acqiired Interface AR, a Grand Rapids-based maker of raised flooring in commercial buildings. The raised floors carry data and power utilities throughout the office and house...