The HON Company Sweeps ADEX Awards
Two Notable Innovations Score Design Industry Accolades
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Betsy Hoye, Advertising & Public Relations Manager, 563.272.5690, HoyeB@honcompany.com
Jennifer Allanson or Kristi Stolarski, Robert Falls & Co. Public Relations, 216.696.0229, jallanson@robertfalls.com or kstolarski@robertfalls.com
Muscatine, IA – April, 2008 – The HON Company received the highest honors in the 2007-2008 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) competition sponsored by Design Journal magazine. Both HON’s F3™ chair with ilira® - stretch fabric and the Initiate® with Nature Core™ segmented panel system attained Platinum honors in the influential competition. Judged by an anonymous panel of commercial design industry professionals, including interior designers, architects and facility managers, this year’s competition featured more than 300 companies entering more than 1,200 products.
“The ADEX Awards is clearly the largest and most prestigious awards program in the design industry,” says John Platter, ADEX executive director. “Furnishings specifiers react to the ADEX logo in the same way moviegoers react to the Oscar logo. Just as an Academy Award nomination heightens consumer awareness of a motion picture, entering a product in the ADEX Awards makes the design community stand and take notice.”
Companies can receive recognition on three levels – Silver, Gold and Platinum, which according to Platter, signifies the ultimate in design ingenuity and execution.
HON’s Platinum-winning F3 with ilira - stretch chair represents three elements of comfort – Fit, Form and Function. The exclusive ilira – stretch fabric allows users to sit “in” rather than “on” the chair. The multi-directional, open-knit “mesh like” fabric allows for enhanced airflow, resulting in a more comfortable sitting experience. The chair is endorsed by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) and is certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) as Indoor Advantage™ Gold for indoor air quality.
“We’re honored the design community responded so positively to this seating innovation,” said Brian Miller, vice president of seating for The HON Company. “The F3 is one of our most popular seating lines thanks to its inherent comfort, versatility and design. The addition of ilira-stretch fabric to the seatback helps deliver the ultimate in workplace comfort.”
HON’s Initiate segmented panel system provides the look of tiled panels, without the expense, and can be integrated with non-segmented panels for added flexibility. Its new sustainable substrate, Nature Core fiberboard, is made from a blend of synthetic fibers and an annually renewable agri-fiber, kenaf. Initiate is the first panel system in the industry to be certified by SCS as the Indoor Advantage™ Gold for indoor air quality.
“The HON Company takes pride in the fact the Initiate segmented panel system received a Platinum award in such a prominent program,” said Jim Cahill, HON’s vice president of systems and education. “Initiate’s segmented design puts the simple in sophisticated. It offers a distinct, design-forward aesthetic and also provides exceptional flexibility, durability and sustainability.”
For more information about The HON Company, its facilities and its line of furnishings for offices and education, visit www.HON.com.
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About The HON Company
The HON Company is a leader in the design and manufacturing of workplace furniture including chairs, files, panel systems, and desks. Headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, The HON Company has numerous manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the United States, and markets its products through a nationwide network of dealers and retailers. For more information, please visit www.HON.com.
About ADEX
ADEX stands for Awards for Design Excellence and is the largest and most prestigious awards program for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade. Design Journal, the international trade publication for interior designers, architects and facility managers, is the proud sponsor of the ADEX Awards.
Design Journal, as a way of recognizing superior product design, introduced the Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) in 1994. Response from manufacturers was immediate as more than100 companies participated in the inaugural event. The 2008-09 ADEX Awards is expected to attract upwards of 500 companies submitting approximately two thousand of innovative new products.