Commercial Furniture Services

Link includes entire article by Atlas Ergonomics:

http://www.atlasergo.com/pressrelease20081222.htm

The following are some highlights of CFS’ history. There are many, many more

companies that we have worked for and grown with. We feel privileged to feel

like we have been partners with so many companies and that we have helped

them grow their businesses and our community. The most amazing thing of

all is to have met so many wonderful people along the way who have helped and

supported us.

So… if you are a client, a vendor, an architect, designer, employee or a friend -

Thank you for everything you have done for CFS !

CFS Timeline

December 3, 1979                              

John and Bill Sorteberg started Commercial Furniture Services, Inc. Our first

office was the living room and porch of John’s home at 4251 Sheridan Avenue

South. We moved into 3,000 square feet of warehouse space on the fourth floor

of 607 Washington Avenue South. We had no heat and no bathrooms. Our

secretary, Terry Woog, wore fingerless gloves and worked about 4 hours a day

or, as long as she could stand the cold.

We installed Herman Miller for General Office Products at Broan Manufacturing in

Wisconsin and at several Piper Jaffray offices in Minneapolis.

November 1982

CFS obtained a “contract” Commercial Household Goods Moving Authority with

Budget Transfer from the State of Minnesota. We began moving companies -

specializing in systems furniture moves.

November 25, 1982

The Norwest Bank Building burned down on Thanksgiving Day. CFS provided

moving, installation, warehousing and refurbishing services for Norwest and

Faegre & Benson over the next 6 years. We had a 100,000 square foot

warehouse by the U of M, where we stored and refurbished Norwest’s furniture

from the fire.

1983

CFS moved its offices to 616 South 3rd Street. We retained our space at 607

Washington Avenue. CFS then occupied 50,000 square feet of space. We had 40

employees.

1984

CFS installed 350 stations of Haworth for Norwest Mortgage.

Bill and John incorporate Sorteberg Investments.

1985

CFS installed the first Herman Miller Ethospace installation in the world for Piper

Jaffray’s new Tower. We installed 750 workstations. We also supervised Piper’s

move and, refurbished all of their executive furniture for them.

October 1986

We began to work with Walsh Bishop on the Norwest and Republic Airlines

merger. We had 20+ men working there for the next 2 1/2 years. CFS leased out

100,000 square feet of warehouse on Yankee Doodle Drive to store, inventory

and refurbish their furniture. We even moved everything in Northwest’s 747

hanger …..except the plane (even though Sorts had his pilots license!)

CFS began to work with Arthur Andersen & Company. We continued to provide

their moving, installation and refurbishing services until their dissolution in 2002.

At that time, we helped to market all of the furniture which they left behind.

July 1987

CFS provided disaster relief services to Toro when their headquarters on 82nd

and Lyndale was flooded due to a 13″ rain. We had just installed 650 new

stations of Herman Miller during their remodeling project - we got to do it all

over again. Toro awards CFS “Top Gun” status.

1987

CFS moved out of downtown Minneapolis and into our new building in St Louis

Park. We have 60,000 square feet of space and now are up to 60 employees.

December 31, 1987

CFS was granted a Commercial Household Goods Moving Authority by the State

of Minnesota. We added another company, Commercial Furniture Movers, Inc.

(CFM) that had tariff rates which were regulated by the State.

1988

CFS moved Wells Fargo into their new Tower, as well as, Faegre and Benson.

1989

CFS refurbished the gallery seating in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Sorteberg Investments is dissolved, Commercial Furniture Brokers, Inc. is incorporated. We now sell 20% new and 80% used / refurbished furniture.

CFS began to provide installation, moving and refurbishing services for Greentree

Financial. Through 1996, we installed 1,500 Steelcase stations in Minneapolis and

1,100 in Rapid City.                            

1993

CFS reupholstered 13,500 Steelcase panels for General Mills and reconfigured all

of the stations in their corporate headquarters.

CFS provided 600 folding tables, files and chairs for Wells Fargo Mortgage after

the floods in Des Moines.

1996-2000

CFS installed several thousand Knoll workstations for Parameters at American

Express, Metris, Retek and, Parameter’s own showroom on Shady Oak Road.

1997

CFS loaned furniture to the American Red Cross when their building on the south

edge of downtown Minneapolis was found to be contaminated with mold. They

had this furniture for 3 years.

1998

CFS becomes an SQA (Simple, Quick and Affordable) dealer. This was Herman

Miller’s product offering for the dotcom world -20% of their product line that

could be shipped in 2-10 days. Electronic design, specification and ordering. On

time-all the time.

2000

CFS moved Piper into their new building on Nicollet Mall-850 employees.

CFS sold the American Red Cross Herman Miller for their new building on the

Mississippi.

CFS had 94 full-time employees and 110,000 square feet of office, warehouse,

shop and showroom space at this time.

2001

Herman Miller eliminated the SQA program with the dotcom crash -CFS was

made a Herman Miller dealer for Small Business.

2003

CFS installed 900 stations of Steelcase at the new Wells Fargo Operations Center

in Shoreview. We then moved their employees into the space.

CFB is eliminated -we become one company-Commercial Furniture Services,

Inc.

CFS restacked 1200 stations of Herman Miller at Piper Jaffray / US Bank.

2004-2005

CFS changed our domain name to www.cfsmn.com

CFS handled Rust Consulting’s corporate relocation into the Northstar Building.

We provided design and inventory services, we sold them Herman Miller,

installed it, moved them into their space and disposed of their old furniture.

2006

CFS is awarded the furniture and service contracts for the majority of the Petters

Worldwide Group headquarters project. We designed, sold, delivered,

installed and refurbished most of the furniture in their space. We also removed their existing furniture.

2008

CFS provided the Herman Miller furniture for Minnesota’s first Platinum LEED

project-Great River Energy’s new Corporate headquarters in Maple Grove.

This building was designed by Perkins and Will. CFS supplied 400 stations / offices of Herman Miller’s Vivo system, as well as, many classic pieces of

furniture.

CFS provided the Lacasse private office furniture for Welsh’s new building, which

received a Gold LEED rating.

By Mark Miller

Originally Posted in Office Furniture & Design Magazine Oct/Nov 2008 Edition

Could green be the new black? In commercial office buildings, things seem to be heading that way. As businesses seek to minimize their environmental footprint, create a healthier workplace for their employees and lower their operating costs, the office furniture industry is working to meet these new performance demands. LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, has become the national standard by which a building and its commercial interiors are evaluated. While office furniture dealers will occasionally be involved in projects involving the standards for LEED for New Construction (NC), dealers are more likely to interact with customers interested in achieving certification under the LEED for Commercial Interiors (CI) rating system. LEED-CI has some additional furniture and furnishing-specific credits and provides office tenants the opportunity to make sustainable choices even if they don’t control the entire building.

Click here for the entire article: http://www.ofdmag.com/inFocusArticle.asp?id=2206&type=itex

Originally Posted on HermanMiller.com on October 20, 2008

Herman Miller, Inc., the global office furniture manufacturer that has continuously set new standards for seating comfort, ergonomics, and performance, introduces the next groundbreaking innovation in work chairs: the Embody chair, designed by internationally renowned designers Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf.

“Our drive at Herman Miller to make the human experience better has yielded many innovations,” says Don Goeman, Herman Miller’s Executive Vice President–Research, Design and Development. “Over the last 30 years, each of our seating products has built the foundation of research and knowledge for the next. Embody once again reinvents the reference for ergonomics by providing a chair designed to actually enhance your health.”

Embody recognizes that almost all knowledge-based, creative work processes have become tethered to the electronic realm. We are bound to our computers for longer periods of time throughout the day. This has contributed to more unhealthy working conditions, because prolonged sitting is bad for you. Chairs hinder movement, yet movement is critical to physical health and mental performance. Extended sitting also stresses tissues and muscles, pressures the spine, and restricts blood flow. The results are physical and mental fatigue, discomfort, distraction, and even costly injury.

“The sitter side of the computer-and-sitter interface has never been adequately addressed,” Weber says. “In fact, accommodating technology at the expense of people has become the priority in creating work environments.”

These are serious issues in today’s idea economy, where people are paid to produce ideas, and companies are seeking tools that help people perform at their best.

Stumpf and Weber decided to solve the problem. Stumpf, designer or co-designer of Herman Miller’s Aeron, Ergon, and Equa work chairs, came to Herman Miller in 2002 and said, “I think I have one more in me.” Bill Stumpf passed away in 2006, but his partner Jeff Weber, principal of Studio Weber + Associates (formerly Stumpf, Weber + Associates), carried on, giving the chair its final function and form.

Working closely with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller, and in consultation with leading figures in academia, healthcare, and ergonomics, Weber and Stumpf invented a chair that restores balance to the human/computer relationship by supporting both your mind and your body.

“Embody is a health-positive seating experience,” says Weber, “because it enhances both your intake of oxygen and the cellular exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, improving your health, and ultimately fueling your brain.” A set of important innovations makes this possible.

• Instinctive back: Inspired by the human spine, Embody’s back adapts to your unique spinal curvature. It lets you move freely and naturally to improve blood flow and eliminate discomfort and distraction. The back is narrow, allowing your arms to move back and forth naturally. This opens up the chest cavity, letting your lungs take in more air and send more oxygen to the brain.
• Pixelated seat: When you move, the seat moves with you. Using a matrix of pixels, the seat’s unique, three layered construction of materials and technology conforms to micro-movements and distributes weight evenly.
• Zoned Support: The chair removes stresses on your body at every contact point, accommodating a diverse population. Reduced pressure improves circulation and facilitates the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within cells. You stay mentally fresh and comfortable.
• Working Recline: Embody’s unique tilt mechanism encourages working recline, the most healthful working position. The chair automatically stabilizes your pelvis in the seat pocket in every position and supports your thoracic back while correctly aligning your eyes with the computer screen. With no uncomfortable and distracting physical constraints on the body, the mind is freed to focus on ideas and the tasks at hand.
• Inclusive Sizing: Embody accommodates nearly everyone’s abilities, dimensions, and preferences within one chair size. The seat surface length can expand or contract to reduce pressure on the thighs without disrupting the user’s fully-engaged position in the seat pocket. The seat width accommodates the greatest population of hip-breadth dimension. The chair’s arms adjust in height and width to support a full range of work activities and postures.

Embody’s form is defined by these health-positive features. The technology of the chair is not hidden. Instead, it’s a purposeful part of the aesthetic, giving the chair its intriguing look–a “visual feast,” said Stumpf.

Like all Herman Miller products, Embody’s design is based in extensive research, including studies of biomechanics, seating behaviors and postures, anthropometric data, metabolic measures, and tissue perfusion (the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in body tissue).

Research also confirms Embody’s health-positive advantage. For example, research shows that Embody does better than any chair at maintaining oxygen levels in tissue, allowing people to stay focused and engaged. Research also demonstrates that the Embody backrest provides greater support to users’ backs compared to other chairs.

Embody supports Herman Miller’s commitment to the environment as well, helping Herman Miller reach its environmental sustainability goals of zero landfill, zero hazardous waste generation, and zero VOC emissions by 2020. Embody is MBDC Silver certified and GREENGUARD certified. It has 42 percent recycled content, is 95 percent recyclable, and is PVC-free.

About Herman Miller
Herman Miller strives to create a better world around you–with inventive designs and services that enhance the places where people work, heal, learn, and live, and through its commitment to social responsibility. In fiscal 2008, the company’s award-winning products and strategic consulting services generated more than $2 billion in revenue. Recognized both for its innovative products and business practices, this year Herman Miller was again cited by FORTUNE as both the “Most Admired” in its industry and among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America, while Fast Company named Herman Miller among the world’s “Fast 50″ most innovative companies. Herman Miller trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

Originally Posted on HermanMiller.com on September 05, 2008

Herman Miller, Inc., has garnered its fifth consecutive placement on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an international stock portfolio that evaluates the annual performance of the world’s largest 2500 companies using economic, environmental, and social criteria, known as the “triple bottom line” of sustainability.

Herman Miller is one of over 300 companies, and the only contract office furniture manufacturer, selected for the DJSI World.

Launched in September 1999 as a partnership between SAM Group and the Dow Jones Indexes, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) are the world’s first financial benchmarks for tracking the performance of leading companies in corporate sustainability.

The DJSI include the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Index, and Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index.

Orignally Posted on Heath E. Combs — Furniture Today, 7/29/2008

LAS VEGAS — The Sustainable Furniture Council plans to issue a revised set of standards this year and will focus on green product education efforts, officials with the organization said at its general meeting here Monday.

The SFC also is updating its Web site with a searchable database for green companies, said Executive Director Susan Inglis. The move is in response to the mass of inquiries it receives asking who makes green products.

As of this month, the SFC has 261 members. The organization, which rates product eco-friendliness, has certified five members to Silver Exemplary status and five others are seeking certification.

Education will continue as a focus this year, Inglis said.
 
At the general meeting, SFC member Holly Barbo of retailer Barbo Furniture in Bellingham, Wash., showed a video the company released titled, “It Can Be Easy Being Green,” which discusses furniture manufacturing. (An introduction is online at http://www.barbofurniture.com/easygreen/intro.html.)

The SFC is working on an educational package that stores can use to teach consumers, said Michael Hennessey, an SFC education committee member and CEO of Salt Lake City retailer C.G. Sparks. There is gap is between consumers’ enthusiasm about green and their understanding of basics such as what is renewable and what is recyclable, he said.

“I think there’s a commonality to the questions. People don’t know their foams are made of oil. They understand the concept but the not the finer points,” Hennessey said.

Originally Posted on www.interiordesign.net

 July 21st 2008

One of best movies of the summer hasn’t a bit of traditional dialogue in it for the first 40 minutes yet its multiple messages are perfectly communicated.

WALL-E, from Pixarand Disney, is set on a derelict post-apocalyptic Earth that has been over-burdened with smog, heat and trash. A little robot and his cockroach sidekick are seemingly the only survivors while the humans have relocated to a sterile, Disney-esque space station. Love – between two machines – and a lone seedling eventually save civilization.

(Apologies if I’ve spoiled the ending but I find it hard to believe there’s anyone who doesn’t know going in that this tale will end happily. See: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, etc., etc.)

The-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it doomsday scenario is lovingly embellished with artifacts collected by Wall-E from our ruined civilization – a Rubix Cube, Zippo lighter, Christmas lights and, most charmingly, a snippet of tape from Hello Dolly – that he enjoys and so do we. It’s a poignant pleasure however, a reminder of all we have to lose.

The day after I saw WALL-E, Al Gore delivered his speech at Constitution Hall in Washington on renewable energy. See a highlights video or read the full text  in which Mr. Gore succinctly defined the problem  – “We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet.” Then he did what no politician has had the courage to do since JFK called upon the ingenuity and perseverance of our nation to land a man on the moon in 10 years.

Mr. Gore’s challenge is equally clear – a transition to 100% renewable clean electricity within 10 years. It’s doable, Gore insists. “The sun and the wind and geothermal are not going to run out, and we don’t have to export them from the Persian Gulf, and they are not increasing in price.”

It will take every bit of inventiveness and dedication that we, as a nation, can muster – from each one of us.
Wall-E did it. So can we.

Posted by Penny Bonda on July 21, 2008 |

Originally posted on HermanMilller.com on May 30, 2008

New storage collection defines the beauty of being organized

Herman Miller is enhancing the filing and storage market with Teneo, a charismatic set of products that offer variety and visual harmony to the workplace. Teneo was designed to provide and maintain a consistent aesthetic within open work environments, while creating a unified, yet flexible space.

Teneo will be displayed in Herman Miller’s third floor showroom during the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, June 9-11, 2008.

Teneo is a result of the collaboration between Herman Miller and designers Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck of the New York-based design firm Birsel + Seck. Because storage is one of the largest factors in workplace satisfaction, Birsel and Seck sought to design one product solution that could meet a wide range of storage needs, including those of the individual, group, and workplace community.

Experience our Teneo Color Tool where you are the artist.

“What fascinates us is putting ourselves in the shoes of the user and thinking of what’s going to solve problems for them,” explains Birsel. “Storage tends to be a metal box or a wood case–nothing in between. Teneo represents a new paradigm in storage. It’s an active partner in the places where people gather and collaborate.”

Birsel and Seck identified three core elements of storage: structure, utility and cladding. They determined these could become modular components–assembled to create a variety of products that may be applied in the office, home, higher education, and healthcare.

Rather than relying on the monolithic metal box approach, Birsel and Seck created a new shape and structure using anodized aluminum rings of four heights. Teneo products are meant to be viewed from all sides in open environments. The rings support utility elements, such as drawers, shelves, work surfaces, and cladding.

A result of systemic thinking, Teneo products were designed to create a variety of configurations that produce a holistic solution. The core products include single islands, side-by-side islands, presentation units, wall units, individual storage, and surfaces. The systemic concept allows the product to be restructured, yet remain consistent with the surrounding design elements.

“Teneo’s flexibility supports individual work styles and it also creates an engaging community environment, says Katie Lane, Herman Miller’s product marketing director for filing and storage. “Even as our reliance on wireless technology increases, there still is a need to meet, greet, share, collaborate, and support hospitality. Teneo supports those needs beautifully.”

The products are available in a range of colors, veneers, and customizable finishes. Door and drawer fronts are defined by an integrated, graceful curve to be used as a handle or pull, available in painted metal or veneer.

Updated Filing and Storage
Herman Miller has also reinvigorated its broader filing and storage offering with Tu, a fresh approach to products formerly under the Quadrant brand. The new identity brings with it new products and pull style changes, as well as enhanced aesthetics and functionality.

“As plans for Teneo storage furniture developed, we realized it was the right time to address the opportunities within our current filing and storage program,” said Katie Lane, product marketing director for filing and storage. “Tu products have been refined to address the needs of customers who seek a variety of highly functional storage options with a fresh look at a lower cost.”

Designed to accommodate the individual workspace, Tu’s enhanced portfolio now includes towers with a new side-facing bookcase configuration, bookcases, storage cases, and overfiles, in addition to lateral files and pedestals. The broad range of finish colors, veneers, and pull styles complement a variety of surroundings, as well as other Herman Miller products.

For higher density storage needs, Herman Miller’s Meridian filing and storage products lead the industry with a comprehensive portfolio, including stackable modules and extra-capacity file drawers. Meridian is ideal for high-volume filing areas that require easy accessibility among workers.

A new, anodized aluminum pull, similar to the pull available on Teneo products, also will be available with Tu and Meridian pedestal and lateral files. Additionally, Meridian and Tu will share other visually compatible pull styles.

Designed with the Environment in Mind
Teneo, Tu, and Meridian products have been evaluated by Herman Miller’s rigorous Design for the Environment protocol, emphasizing safe materials, recyclability and ease of disassembly. Additionally, Teneo products are readily repurposed and reconfigured to extend their use, while the steel cases in Tu and Meridian are 100 percent recyclable and use powder coating for all metal parts. All product lines are GREENGUARD certified and pending McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) certification.

Originally posted at HermanMiller.com on June 11, 2008

Accolades include multiple product honors, Best of Competition, and Manufacturer of the Year

Herman Miller, Inc., won with both customers and dealers at the NeoCon 2008 World’s Trade Fair, North America’s largest exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment, held in Chicago, June 9-11. The annual gathering of design professionals, corporate end users, and furniture dealers recognized the company in two separate awards programs, reviewing both new product introductions and also manufacturers’ reputations among independent furniture dealers.

The annual Best of NeoCon Awards for product, juried by more than 50 interior design and real estate management professionals who reviewed more than 400 entries, recognized Herman Miller’s Teneo Storage Furniture with both a Gold award in the Filing and Storage category and the coveted overall “Best of Competition” among all category entries. Additionally, Herman Miller received a Silver award in the Healthcare Seating category for its ergonomically advanced Nala patient room chair, introduced through its Brandrud healthcare subsidiary, while subsidiary Geiger International garnered two Silver awards in Conference Room Casegoods and in Occasional Tables for its Caucus conferencing suite and Lissome table.

The Best of NeoCon awards, now in their 19th year, are sponsored and organized by the International Interior Design Association, the International Facility Management Association, Contract magazine, the McMorrow Report, and Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

Herman Miller President and CEO Brian Walker noted, “These awards reflect both our expanding markets strategy and Herman Miller’s continuing investment in innovation, across our office furniture business and in new growth areas like healthcare. It’s particularly meaningful to be recognized by representatives of our key customer audiences–and a testimony to the talent and dedication of the people of Herman Miller, working closely with a great network of independent designers and suppliers.”

In addition to product accolades, Herman Miller also received the “2008 Manufacturer of the Year Gold Award,” presented by the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance (OFDA). The industry association for independent U.S. and Canadian office furniture dealers annually surveys its membership for their opinions on industry manufacturers. The awards are then presented in conjunction with the NeoCon gathering. This is the second time in three years that Herman Miller has received the top prize among major manufacturers.

Walker concluded, “Herman Miller’s innovation quest goes beyond great product. We think in terms of ‘performance innovation,’ and strive to continually raise the bar in every aspect of our business and in our larger value chain, from supply to distribution. The OFDA’s award is evidence that our efforts are valued by dealers, and we see even greater potential in our shared future.”

For the past several months CFS has been working on updating and revising our website. CFS added new features to the site to make it more accessible and user-friendly.

CFS is proud to announce some of these features, which include an online gallery of our used furniture, a list of categorized products that we offer, a blog, so you can keep up with new and exciting products, a GREEN page that explains how CFS offers sustainable design solutions and our online ordering catalogs. With our new online Herman Miller catalogs, you can customize your Herman Miller Aeron, Mirra and Celle. Our main catalog lets you order all types of office furniture, such as desks, chairs, tables, reception furniture and accessories. Browse our catalogs today!

We hope you enjoy the changes and the additions that CFS has made to the website.