BOS is proud to be Haworth’s first dealer partner. As a Best in Class Haworth dealer, we align ourselves with this key partner to deliver exceptional service to our clients. This post explores Haworth’s rich history.
Since being founded by G.W. Haworth in 1948, Haworth has been dedicated to creating workspaces to help people perform their best. Today, Haworth is a privately held, global leader in the contract furnishings industry.
The Founder
G.W. was born on October 9, 1911, in Alliance, Nebraska. After his family moved to Michigan, G.W. attended high school in Benton Harbor and graduated from West Michigan University. Upon graduation, he began teaching industrial arts in the town of Holland, Michigan.
Although G.W. had plans to have his own business, he struggled to receive bank loans. When he borrowed money from his parents to start his own business at last, he worked out of his garage in what was considered a “job shop.” He’d make anything anyone needed.
This eventually evolved into furniture. The first business was called Modern Products, which was later changed to Haworth, Inc. Throughout the next few years, G.W. remained active in the company before handing the reins of the operation over to his son, Richard, who introduced a line of office workplace products.
Growth
In the late 1980s, Haworth expanded its marketing to include North American, Europe, and Asia. It reached $1 billion in annual revenue by 1994 and doubled that by 2000. G.W. retired in 2005 and died in 2006 at the age of 95.
Over the past several years, Haworth has continued to grow and evolved as a company. They have invested in research, design, and acquisitions that have helped to expand their portfolio and network to new market dynamics. They are now headed by G.W.’s grandson, Matthew, and have 7,000 employees, 20 factories, and a network of 600 dealers in over 120 countries.
Values
Throughout their history, Haworth has been dedicated to their core values. These values bring us company unity and create a shared sense of purpose in our work. They define our behavior and communicate who we are across the world.
Haworth’s seven core values include:
- Listen to customers.
- Rely on members.
- Honor integrity.
- Embrace continuous learning.
- Lead with design.
- Create value.
- Work to make the world better.
