One side of Teknion’s 900-square-foot IIDEX/NeoCon Canada booth was defined with translucent fabric. The translucent scrim allowed intimate viewing of the product within the booth, while attracting attention from the outside by giving a hint of the activity within.

Three Innovation Awards for new products… a Silver Award for the booth… a round table that attracted standing-room-only crowds and industry praise… and these were just some of the highlights for Teknion at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, held September 22-23 at The Direct Energy Centre in Toronto.

“Our IIDEX booth was just as big and bold as every one of our efforts in previous years,” says Candace Samuel, Manager, Design Services, Canadian Marketing. “Our booth made a clear statement to everyone attending the show - that Teknion is just as committed as ever to the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC), the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO), IIDEX and our industry. We are truly a team player.”

The Dossier executive furniture line designed by Teknion’s John Hellwig earned a Silver Innovation Award, as did the AL3 Executive Task chair.

Teknion’s award-winning booth, designed by Vanderbyl Design, occupied 900 square feet (83 square meters) of exhibit space with an adjoining lounge of the same size. The two 30- x 30-square-foot islands were divided by a central corridor, yet linked visually by 14-foot surrounding walls. One island with translucent fabric defined the space while providing a sense of expanded volume. This island featured the new Dossier executive office furniture and Expansion Casegoods lines. The translucent scrim allowed intimate viewing of the product within the booth, while attracting attention from the outside by giving a hint of the activity within.

The adjacent island displayed Teknion dna lounge seating and MAST, a new family of monitor adjustment arms by well-known industrial designer Carl Gustav Magnusson. This side of the exhibit with only two opaque walls provided an open viewing area to the keynote theater behind. Its interior walls exhibited a large mural with whimsical depictions of workplace situations illustrating the CoCreate theme.

Teknion won four Innovation Awards for new products at IIDEX, including a Bronze for Expansion Casegoods.

“Teknion’s booth looked fantastic,” exclaims Samuel. “It showed our new products off very well. The space was designed with Dossier and Expansion Casegoods back-to-back. The contrast between these two products demonstrated our capabilities. On the other side of the booth we had MAST and the lounge area created with dna. Our lounge worked very well. We were situated immediately in front of the keynote speaker theater, so many people chose our lounge area to rest in before or after the keynotes, and subsequently took in the other Teknion products and our CoCreate environment.”

Not only were show judges impressed with Teknion’s booth, three of four featured new products were recognized with Innovation Awards. Dossier, designed by John Hellwig, Teknion’s Vice President, Design Strategy and Research, and the new AL3 Synchro-Tilt Executive Task Chair by Swiss furniture manufacturer Girsberger, earned Silver Innovation Awards. The recently enhanced Expansion Casegoods offering earned a Bronze Innovation Award.

The adjacent side of the booth displayed Teknion dna lounge seating and the MAST family of monitor adjustment arms. A large mural with whimsical depictions of workplace situations illustrated the CoCreate theme.

Organized by Interior Designers of Canada, the annual Innovation Awards recognize the best of North American product design from leading manufacturers and suppliers within the fields of interior design and architecture. This year, 51 products were recognized for their innovative designs by 38 judges from the interior design and architecture communities.

On Thursday, September 22, leading creative thinkers: Sonya Dufner, Director of Workplace, Perkins + Will, New York; Michael Parker, Senior Designer, Dialog; Tom Vecchione, Principal, Gensler; and Kay Sargent, formerly Principal with IA Interior Architects and now Teknion’s VP, Architecture, Design & Workplace Strategies provided insight on the topic: CoCreate: New Thinking About the Collaborative Workplace. Moderator of the two-hour event was Teknion’s David Patterson, Vice President of Canadian Sales.

Teknion’s AL3 executive task chair was featured in the popular Chair Hockey Tournament, depicted here in this artist’s impression. A total of $40,000 was raised for a local charity.

“Our round table was very well-received,” says Samuel. “According to seminar feedback, many guests found it to be insightful and educational, and the content relative to the trends and projects that are happening now. There was a good flow to the seminar. The fact that it was standing-room only for two solid hours, and no one left the room, confirms the relevance of the panelists and the topic.”

Although no one mistook it for Hockey Night in Canada, the Chair Hockey Tournament proved a popular event and one that featured Teknion’s AL3 chair amidst seating from competitors. Players enjoyed the comfort of the latest office furniture seating on a miniature, concrete-floored rink complete with boards. Seven teams comprised of interior designers, architects, facility managers and reps from contract furniture dealers competed in a series of elimination games. Teknion was well represented by its dealer Holmes and Brakel. The tournament raised $40,000 for the local Ronald McDonald House, which accommodates out-of-town families requiring medical treatment for their seriously ill children. Post-game the chairs were raffled off.

IIDEX/NeoCon Canada 2011 marked the eighth consecutive year that Vanderbyl Design created Teknion’s booth, and the eighth consecutive year that it received an award.

“This was the eighth consecutive year that Vanderbyl Design created our booth, and the eighth consecutive year that Teknion won a booth award at IIDEX,” says Samuel. “Walking the show floor then encountering the presence and impact of our booth made a strong impression, leaving you proud to be part of Teknion.”

Teknion’s 800-square-foot booth featured the District furniture system, Altos wall, Teknion dna modular lounge seating, Livello height-adjustable tables, and Contessa and Visio seating.

“NeoCon East continues to be a top-notch show for Teknion,” says Gina Dispenza, Tradeshow & Event Manager. “It’s definitely our industry’s largest commercial furnishings exposition and conference in the Mid-Atlantic region, plus a great forum for office, healthcare and educational furniture. The show focuses on the federal design community. With the federal government specifying more than $1.5 billion in furniture annually, you quickly realize the importance of a strong showing by Teknion at NeoCon East.”

NeoCon East 2011 - the largest commercial furnishings exposition and conference on the East Coast of the United States - was held November 2 and 3 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Organized by Merchandise Mart Properties, the show attracted approximately 7,000 industry professionals, who took in the products and services offered by more than 250 companies occupying 185,000 square feet (17,200 square meters) of exhibit space manufacturers. While not walking the show floor visitors took in over 30 CEU-accredited seminars, association forums and keynote speakers.

Teknion received excellent feedback on the District layouts, with many clients – both existing and prospective – requesting a bill of materials that would enable them to replicate the layout.

“Our goal at NeoCon East is to exhibit the new products and workplace concepts that we showcased five months earlier at NeoCon, and that we believe will be of particular interest to the federal government and others in the region,” Dispenza says. “One thing we have noticed in recent years at this show is a growing awareness at the federal government of the benefits of good design, which ties in nicely with Teknion’s ongoing themes centered on Design Does Matter and the importance of good design.”

Teknion exhibited the District furniture system, Altos full-height architectural wall, Teknion dna modular lounge seating, Livello height-adjustable tables, and Contessa and Visio seating in a 20- x 40-foot (75 square meters) space. CoCreate was the theme of the booth, with collaboration quotes displayed in graphics on Altos walls along with framed artwork of some of the signature CoCreate images. The booth was designed by Teknion’s Bevin Palidar, Karen Salvano and Dispenza to show collaboration in the task-oriented, heads-down work environment, meeting room spaces and common areas.

CoCreate was the theme of the booth, with collaboration quotes displayed in graphics on Altos along with framed artwork of some of the signature CoCreate images.

Members of Teknion’s Mid-Atlantic sales team including Lisa Brockman, Jim Christie, Mike Fitzpatrick, Chris Inghram, Frank Quinn, Natalie Soltis and Angie Wasmer worked the show. GSA representation was provided by Steve Hindle and Bill Richards while Tracy Backus and Kay Sargent represented Corporate.

“The booth was bright and colorful, using an almost fluorescent yellow accent color along with deep grays and dark woods,” explains Dispenza. “District workstations were situated in the front half and demonstrated the collaborative work environment while showing our technology capabilities. A large Altos wall erected behind District not only served as signage and branding for the CoCreate theme, but also demonstrated some key Altos features and benefits by showing glass, wood and metal fascias along with accessory items. On the other side of Altos was a nice, relaxing lounge area featuring Teknion dna seating and storage for casual conversations and interaction.”

One side of the Altos wall included this relaxing lounge area featuring Teknion dna seating and storage for casual conversations, interaction or relaxation.

“We received excellent feedback on the District layouts,” Dispenza exclaims, “so much so that I was repeatedly asked for the bill of materials for these workstations as many clients and prospective clients were looking to replicate that layout! And also on our great use of the dna lounge area, which encouraged smaller group discussions in a quieter environment. With signage and marketing collateral we also promoted our new agreement with ANEW, the non-profit organization dedicated to extending the life cycle of surplus furniture and other items.”

Before the show opened on November 2, Teknion sponsored an IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Mid-Atlantic Chapter event at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore.

The Breaking Boundaries breakfast featured Roger Martin. Martin is the author of the award-winning book, The Design of Business, contributed an essay to Teknion’s second Design Does Matter volume and wrote the CoCreate foreword. Joining Martin and sharing their perspectives on the importance of outstanding design were Keith Kutch from Stevenson University, Amy Brussellback from Procter & Gamble and Will Phillips from Under Armour.

Teknion exhibited a selection of new products and workplace concepts that were showcased five months earlier at NeoCon and were of particular interest to the federal government and others in the U.S. northeast.

“We saw a strong mix of both government and commercial customers interested in both our theme and our product applications,” says Michael Fitzpatrick, Regional Vice President, Mid-Atlantic. “There was also lots of activity within the design community. The real hit of the show was the hands-on interaction with the Livello Tables and subsequent talk about the desire for this type of flexibility within their working environments.”

There was no mistaking which of the 1,700 booths at Greenbuild belonged to Teknion. The world’s largest show dedicated to green building was held recently in Toronto.

Can you imagine Teknion exhibiting at a trade show that attracted 23,000 architects, interior designers, facility managers and environmental types from around the world and not showing any office furniture product? That’s exactly what the company did at the 10th annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo - the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building - at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, October 4-7, 2011.

Greenbuild was not the first time that Teknion exhibited at a major industry trade show without furniture. The first occasion was IIDEX, also in Toronto, in 2006.

Teknion communicated its Changing A Culture theme with nine white tree-topped columns sandwiched between two blackboards in a 20- x 20-foot exhibit, standing apart from the other exhibitors.

“Our emphasis at Greenbuild was not the sustainable attributes of our formidable product line but, instead, on our journey to where we are now - our sustainable principles, our pillars of achievement, our foundation programs,” explains Tracy Backus, Director of Sustainable Programs. “Changing a Culture was the theme of the display. We highlighted this by the fact that, as a company, we are not in the business of chasing certifications, but instead working to change behavior.

“This is a long and slow process - definitely the road less taken in our industry,” adds Julia Glazer, Architecture & Design Manager. “We communicated our message with two huge blackboards and nine white tree-topped columns in our 20- x 20-foot (37 square meters) exhibit. We definitely stood apart from the 1,699 other booths, the vast majority of which were pushing their products and services.”

If Teknion’s Greenbuild booth looks vaguely familiar, it should. The concept of featuring education rather than product was used at the IIDEX/NeoCon Canada trade show in 2006.

Teknion “walked the talk” at Greenbuild, reusing many components from the IIDEX 2006 booth and incorporating many rented materials. Additionally, carbon offsets were purchased from Renewable Choice for the team’s travel, installer travel to and from the exhibition hall, and fabrication of the booth. Renewable Choice uses the money to support renewable energy projects.

“Our objective with the exhibit was to create a reflective space that was inspirational, and educational, and allowed an audience to think about why what they do is so important to the greater good,” Backus says. “Many guests were not familiar with Teknion but left with a higher respect and interest in our message and efforts. USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council, the show sponsor) awarded Teknion with the Advocate Award for the booth. It was also a big hit with designers and other visitors, who used such descriptive words as ‘bold,’ ‘efficient,’ ‘unique,’ ‘refreshing,’ ‘honest,’ ‘inspiring’ and ‘effective.’”

The U.S. Green Building Council, the show sponsor, awarded Teknion an Advocate Award for the booth, which was also popular with many of the 23,000 international visitors.

In addition to the booth, Teknion also had a presence at GREENGUARD’s space, co-exhibiting with the environmental institute and providing a Synapse chair. Plus, two Teknion projects - Earth Rangers and Brickworks - were on the Greenbuild Tours. Both installations feature all-Teknion product, and both are LEED projects.

The Teknion Team included Jessica Allen, Kelsey Brown, Julia Glazer, Doug Hietkamp, Emma Lebrun, Kelly Litowski, Amy Lynch, Sue Madsen, Tony Smith and Backus. All were assigned a breakout session, which focused on lessons learned, social responsibility, bio-mimicry, energy, LEED 2012 and innovative technology for the future. “All sessions were great educational forums to prepare us for what Teknion will need to know to go forward,” adds Backus.

“We had many existing and potential clients visit us,” says Backus. “A Kohler executive was most impressed with our message, potentially opening the door for us to compete on projects.”

The most prominent end-user visit was by the Director of Sustainability from Ernst & Young,” adds Emma Lebrun, Senior Manager, Design Markets. “She is an avid supporter of Teknion and has had great experience with us through a project in India. Many folks we spoke with did not know who Teknion was and asked for follow-up information. So we certainly introduced Teknion to hundreds of new companies from around the globe.”

Teknion co-exhibited with the environmental institute GREENGUARD at Greenbuild, providing the Synapse chair seen in the center of this photo.

“We also connected with many companies with the potential to offer Teknion exciting new opportunities,” says Backus. “One manufactures paper-based worksurfaces in thicknesses from 5 to 10mm and meets FSC and GREENGUARD certification. Because LEED focuses heavily on energy consumption, another company developed a product that minimizes electrical consumption within a workspace, reducing phantom power by providing electrical surge protectors that have controlled electrical activation with a sensor. Another company has developed LEED management software which links directly to USGBC’s application software - perfect for many of the PM’s at design firms who handle the application/submission for LEED internally.”

Greenbuild is not just a North American show. There is an international presence, as evidenced by 11 international Green Building Council presidents speaking about green initiatives in their country. For the first time, the USGBC partnered with the Canada Green Building Council and in another first, the tenth iteration of the show marked the first time it was held outside of the United States.

“Some of the greenest projects in the world are in Canada,” says Thomas Mueller, President, Canada Green Building Council. “Toronto is the leader in green office construction and renovation. The Royal Trust Tower, the RBC Centre and the Telus House Toronto are among the greenest office buildings in North America. These LEED projects are leading the market transformation and tenant demand for green office space in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada.”

In 2012, from November 13-16, Greenbuild will be held in San Francisco.

Some of Teknion’s newest employees from India, Malaysia, the United States and Canada gathered on the steps in the atrium of the company’s headquarters for a group photo just before heading home.

On the afternoon of Friday, October 28, the Teknion Graduating Class, Fall 2011, gathered on the steps of the atrium inside Teknion’s corporate headquarters for its group photo. After the final shots were taken, Teknion’s newest employees - 20 in all from India, Malaysia, the United States and Canada - shook hands, hugged and said parting words to their new friends before making their way to the airport and home.

Over the preceding four days these new employees had come together in Toronto to learn about and experience their new employer first-hand. And they did. Their agenda included plant and showroom tours, and product and process training. Students received a corporate overview plus sessions on branding, competitive analysis, the company’s sustainability initiatives, manufacturing, strategic selling and future ways of work including WorkplaceOne.

New hires in training at Cirillo’s Culinary Academy are, from the left: Cynthia Kirkland Odell, Mitch Rabanal, Mely Vorachith, Christine Thompson and Ng Soo Ling.

“In the spirit of One Teknion, Frank Delfino challenged Cynthia Kirkland Odell and me to develop a program to train salespeople from all markets. In the past, each market provided training independently,” explains Greg Richards, Teknion Vice President, Dealer Distribution. “The idea behind the program was two-fold. First, to provide the same training to salespeople in all markets so our people would have a consistent message when out selling. Second, have salespeople from all markets attend training at corporate headquarters, thereby exposing them to Teknion executives, product development, marketing, operations and tour a few factories. Anne Schlosser does an outstanding job of running the New Hire Training. She works tirelessly to ensure the trainees have an outstanding experience.”

Brandishing a rather large peppermill, Juliana Halloran spices up Mitch Rabanal’s gourmet mashed potatoes on the first night of the New Hire Training program.

“The program has truly been a collaborative effort with Greg and Cynthia,” says Anne Schlosser, Training & Marketing Consultant, and facilitator of the training. “In addition, I worked with Taline Gumushdjian on the details. Taline did a marvelous job handling the transportation, lodging and catering requirements at Teknion while I looked after communication to all new hires regarding the prerequisites, logistics, program planning, handbook and evening events. Although this was our second New Hire Training program in Toronto, it remains a work in progress as we evaluate each session to determine what content to keep, exclude or add.”

Anne Schlosser, Teknion Training & Marketing Consultant, and facilitator of the New Hire Training program, also takes part in the culinary team-building experience.

New hires representing Teknion’s International operations were Phoebie Jian (Business Development Manager) and Ng Soo Ling (Project Executive) from Malaysia, and Muthee Rahman (Business Development Manager) from India.

Seven new employees from Teknion’s U.S. operations ventured north for training, including:

Juliana Halloran (Showroom Manager, San Francisco); April Ibarra (District Manager, Los Angeles); Ali Khatibi (Architectural Products Regional Manager, Western U.S.); Mitch Rabanal (Regional Government Sales Manager, South Central U.S.); Kay Sargent (V.P., Architecture, Design & Workplace Strategies); Karen Smurthwaite (A & D Market Manager, Los Angeles); and Christine Thompson (A & D Market Manager, Chicago).

From the left: Devorah Katz, Juliana Halloran, April Ibarra, Karen Smurthwaite and Jane Henderson enjoy a quick kitchen break at Cirillo’s Culinary Academy.

The largest group of new hires - 10 in total - were from Canada and included: Jenepher Beltran (Client Experience, Toronto); Catherine Gregoire-Murphy (Architectural Products Specialist, Montreal); Jane Henderson (A & D Market Manager, Toronto); Kathy Ignatowicz (Marketing Coordinator, Corporate, Toronto); Amanda Jones (Sales Technical Support Coordinator, Toronto); Devorah Katz (A & D Market Manager, Toronto); Julia Olsen (Territory Manager, Toronto); Miguel Saa (Planning & Application Specialist, Toronto); Mely Vorachith (Sales Coordinator/Showroom Manager, Montreal); and Kaylyn Williamson (Sales Coordinator/Showroom Manager, Winnipeg).

“Many presenters lent their expertise on relevant topics and the group met key Teknion personnel,” says Schlosser. “Though the days were jam-packed, we were able to manage some fun throughout the grueling week. We toured the Distillery District in downtown Toronto. There was plenty of time to get to know each other at a team-building event at Cirillo’s Culinary Academy on the first evening. Not only is there great sales potential within this group, there are also some fine chefs!

On their first night out on the town, participants in the New Hire Training program anxiously await being served the food that they had spent preparing themselves in teams.

“It is always great meeting Teknion employees from other markets, especially those from outside North America, and connecting with everyone personally,” she continues. “For most, it was their first trip to Toronto.  Bringing all markets together really reinforces Teknion’s global presence and unified approach.  My ultimate goal is to make sure that everyone attending the New Hire Training is informed, learns something new about Teknion, enjoys themselves, and leaves excited about the company they work for and confident our products are the best in the industry.”

Teknion dna modular lounge seating upholstered in dark brown and bright orange contrasts with the neutrality of Teknion’s newest showroom in Gurgaon, India.

It’s been nearly a decade since Teknion opened its first showroom in India. That was in Bangalore, India’s third-largest city and the one often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. Since that time, Teknion international activities have gained much momentum, with new showrooms opening in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Moscow, and new partnerships established with dealers in Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, London, Madrid, Mexico, Zurich and other countries.

Earlier this year, without fanfare, Teknion opened its second showroom in India. Gurgaon is located about 30 km (18 miles) south of the national capital of New Delhi. The city has undergone rapid development and construction in the past 15 to 20 years and several multi-national companies have located their operations in Gurgaon. It is an important financial center of India and one of the country’s major call center hubs.

“Our new showroom was designed and the furniture chosen to demonstrate the vast potential of our offerings and how they accommodate future ways of work,” says Logen Sinnadurai, Vice President, Sales Operation - Asia. “Work trends in India are changing to open collaboration and benching styles. Collaborative areas are being created in most offices, with more space allocated to collaboration/meetings rooms and cafeterias, with less workspace devoted to individual workers. Technology usage is extensive, with people increasingly working any time and anywhere. Most workplaces are being designed with amenities to attract and retain talent, which is crucial for most R & D and software development firms in the Gurgaon area.”

The Gurgaon space includes District (seen here), Marketplace, Altos and Optos, Ledger filing and storage, Tables and Collaborative Spaces products and the European desking systems Tek/N and Bridges.

“The showroom has a very clean, minimalist look, thereby enabling visitors to focus on the furniture without distraction,” explains Ng Soo Ling, in-house Interior Designer based in Teknion Malaysia. “The neutral color concept derives from Teknion showrooms in North America. However, amidst the neutrality of the space and furniture is Teknion dna modular lounge seating upholstered in dark brown and bright orange, offering a splash of color. This was done intentionally. dna is placed along the front facade to attract attention to the new showroom and the new era of office concepts.”

Teknion’s newest showroom occupies 280 square meters (3,000 square feet). Located on the first floor of the Suncity Business Tower and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, it features an abundance of natural light. Country Manager for Teknion India, Sanjeev Ahluwalia, project-managed the site renovation and liaised with the contractors. He joins the staff at Gurgaon, having formerly worked out of the Bangalore showroom.

Designed in-house, the Gurgaon showroom’s clean, minimalist look makes the furniture the main attraction. The neutral color is reminiscent of Teknion’s North American showrooms.

Many of the office products on display can also be found in Teknion and dealer showrooms around the world - District, Marketplace, Altos and Optos, Ledger filing and storage, and Tables and Collaborative Spaces products. Two European desking systems - Tek/N and the new Bridges line - meet different workplace needs in the Indian market. Much of the seating in the new Gurgaon space is also universal - Contessa, Connexion, Savera, Fitz, Belize, Teknion dna, Vignette and Aegis. However, three task chairs - Incentive, Index and Krystal - are unique to the Malaysia market and now India.

Gurgaon is home to Teknion’s second showroom in India and to several multi-national companies. Gurgaon is also an important financial center and a major call center hub.

“Early visitors to Teknion’s newest showroom have been very impressed with the range of product, how it is optimally displayed and the breadth of our finishes,” says Sinnadurai. “The space continues to generate warm and positive responses from the design community. Most importantly, those who visit typically only intend to spend a bit of time with us, but end up staying three or four hours as the space promotes an active exchange of creative ideas. This is very encouraging! Visitors are also appreciative of Teknion for setting new showroom design standards and workplace trends for the rest to follow.”

Seventy-five years to the day that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation first went on the air, the Radio-Canada, A Story to Follow exhibition opened in Quebec City with Teknion as lead sponsor.

On November 2, 1936, an act of the Canadian government gave birth to the crown corporation CBC/Radio-Canada. That was an era when - and up until the 1950s - radio provided the only live window to the world.

Seventy-five years to the day that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation first went on the air, an exhibition titled Radio-Canada, A Story to Follow opened at the Museum of Civilization in Quebec City. The exhibit, which celebrates 75 years of public broadcasting to French-speaking listeners across Canada, and is part of the public broadcaster’s 75^th anniversary events taking place across the country, features Teknion as its lead sponsor.

Amidst Teknion sponsorship signage, Michel Côté, Executive Director, Museum of Civilization, addresses a media conference earlier the same day that the CBC exhibit opened to the public.

“Teknion has been in the Quebec news quite a bit lately, with the opening last year of our new logistics and customer service center in Lévis, hosting the very successful Rendez-vous des Leaders Event in conjunction with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Lévis, and the installation of the solar heat recovery system at our Montmagny facility,” says Jacques Alain, President and General Manager, Teknion Roy & Breton. “So when the Museum of Civilization was looking for a lead sponsor for the upcoming CBC exhibit, Teknion was on the shortlist.”

On the evening of November 1, over 1,000 people gathered to take part in the opening ceremonies. Rather than parade out dignitary after dignitary with speech after speech, and more in keeping with the broadcasting customs and traditions, Bernard Derome, chief news anchor for Radio-Canada Television from 1970 to 1998, conducted question-and-answer sessions with prominent guests on a raised stage. Alain was among the prestigious interviewees, which also included: Michel Côté, the museum’s Executive Director; Christine St-Pierre, Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications; Margaret F. Delisle, the museum’s President, Board of Directors; Louis Lalande, Director, Radio-Canada 75^th anniversary; plus other CBC celebrities and museum dignitaries.

Jacques Alain was largely responsible for Teknion becoming lead sponsor of the CBC exhibit celebrating 75 years of public broadcasting to French-speaking listeners across Canada.

Joining Alain at the gala occasion were Teknion’s Yves Quenneville, Claude Picard and Maude St-Amant, plus members from four of Teknion’s Quebec dealers that were specially invited to attend the opening ceremonies. All were honored with the museum’s VIP treatment, including a private tour by Thérèse Beaudoin, the museum’s exhibition project manager, before it officially opened to the public.

“Our lead sponsorship role provides us with a wonderful opportunity to be associated with, and show our support for, this great cultural icon, to be part the CBC’s 75^th anniversary celebrations and to partner with the highly regarded Museum of Civilization,” says Alain. “The Teknion logo is prominently displayed on all Radio-Canada, A Story to Follow exhibit signage. It appears on all of the museum’s marketing, communications and advertising. It is prominently displayed on the museum’s web site. Plus, the museum is running TV ads in Quebec and the Teknion logo will soon be appearing in 90 of these advertising spots.

CBC, museum and Teknion dignitaries pose at the exhibit entrance. From the left: Hélène Bernier, Thérèse Beaudoin, Michel Côté, Jacques Alain, Margaret F. Delisle, Louis Lalande,
Bernard Derome, Jean-François Rioux, Denis Pellerin, Marie Émond and Christian Goulet.

“Not only will this new partnership benefit Teknion with increased visibility, but our employees and clients will also be able to share in the benefits of our association with complimentary passes to the museum,” Alain continues. “Teknion will also be able to take advantage of privileged access to the museum to hold private events of our choice. The Museum of Civilization has been very accommodating and a pleasure to work with.”

The Radio-Canada, A Story to Follow exhibition features a sampling of radio and TV archives. On display are legendary objects that have sparked the imagination of both radio and television audiences - costumes of famous characters from programs for youth in particular, model sets and props - objects illustrating the media’s technological evolution - microphones, TV cameras, radio and television sets - and objective commentary from experts and the general public. It sheds light on the contribution of the talented professionals who worked at the microphone, in front of the camera and behind the scenes, all within a historical context. The exhibition also looks ahead to the challenges facing Radio-Canada in today’s fast-changing media environment.

Bernard Derome (right), chief news anchor for Radio-Canada Television from 1970 to 1998, interviewed prominent guests including Jacques Alain before more than 1,000 guests attending the opening.

The Musée de la civilisation, as it is known in Quebec, is located in the region’s capital, Québec City, in the heart of an historic district and close to Place Royale, the site of the foundation of French America. It has attracted 14 million visitors since opening in 1988 and is one of the most-visited museums in Canada.

Designed and produced by the Museum of Civilization in cooperation with Radio-Canada, the exhibition runs through September 23, 2012.

The Irvine Company – Southern California’s largest developer – uses Teknion furniture including Expansion Desking in vacant properties to set up a model home concept to make the space more attractive to potential clients.

In 2010, the Office Furniture Group was named Top Teknion Dealer Partner for 2010 at Teknion’s 5^th Annual U.S. Dealer Conference in Las Vegas, Calif. This year, OFG continued its winning ways, becoming a 2011 Calibre Award Recipient.

The annual Calibre Awards are sponsored by the IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Southern California Chapter and honor the excellence of the project team that has gone beyond the usual expectations of the profession to bring the designers’ vision to life. The awards pay tribute to talent, performance, quality “and the true meaning of partnership.” OFG received the Calibre Award for its participation in the Reliance Steel and Aluminum project, which featured Teknion’s ie product.

The model home concept, featuring Expansion Desking, continues to pay dividends for The Office Furniture Group. Not only is Irvine a client, but so are many of its new tenants.

If you are being feted with such prestigious honors from Teknion and the IIDA, there’s a very good chance that you are also winning several major projects, which is exactly what OFG has been doing. In fact, OFG has won many new projects with the Irvine Company, Southern California’s largest developer.  In one of the more creative applications of office furniture, Irvine is using Teknion product in vacant properties to set up a “model home” concept to make the space more attractive to potential clients.

Irvine makes each space different, enabling The Office Furniture Group to show the same product such as this Expansion Desking in multiple scenarios, and creating a virtual showroom for other customers.

“There are some really interesting points here,” says John Halter, Chief Operating Officer of the Office Furniture Group. “First, we didn’t even know Expansion could look so great until Jean-Paul Champagne came out and really helped us understand what a fantastic line it is and all that it could do. Second, since the Irvine Company makes each space different, we are able to show the same product with multiple different looks and feels. This has created a virtual showroom for us to show other customers. Third, just when you think it can’t get any better, Irvine is an enormous believer in WorkplaceOne and has adopted the concept throughout their spaces. One more thing - not only are we selling them furniture, but now we have started selling to their new tenants!”

“What began as a typical roadshow presentation quickly turned into roundtable discussion about the flexibility of Expansion Desking and its multiple applications,” explains Jean-Paul Champagne, Director of Sales and Marketing, Teknion Roy & Breton. “John Halter appreciated our presentation material with renderings of applications at several price points, which made it easy for OFG to show the client the product’s possibilities. OFG deserves high marks for taking the tools and training given them on Expansion Desking and rapidly adapting them to win business.”

The Office Furniture Group was the proud recipient of a 2011 Calibre Award – a Southern California tradition – for its participation in the Reliance Steel and Aluminum project.

More recently, OFGroup completed one of its most challenging projects, with AECOM (Architecture, Engineering, Consulting, Operations and Management) - a leading design, and professional technical and management support services, firm. The project features Leverage workstations with Tambient Lighting - ambient task lighting that integrates with the furniture in open-office plans and that illuminates worksurfaces, the surrounding workstation and the ceiling with a single lamp. Special brackets were made by Teknion and Tambient matched the paint exactly. All lighting - except mandatory emergency lighting in the ceiling - originates from the workstations and is controlled in zones through motion detectors.

The Reliance Steel and Aluminum project was inspired, designed and led by HOK and features Teknion’s ie product, plus Nami Bar Stools and tables.

“AECOM threw a curve ball at us, requiring the installation of over 500 workstations in less than three weeks,” recalls Halter. “Even though we worked two crews seven days a week on double shifts, we wouldn’t have been successful without the great project management support from Teknion’s Judy Ludwig.  With Judy’s help we were able to meet the deadline and really impress the client. Prior to this job, AECOM had been a fan of the top player in the contract furniture industry!”

One of OFG’s most challenging projects to date was AECOM, which required the installation of over 500 Leverage workstations in less than three weeks and was aided by project management support from Teknion’s Judy Ludwig.

“Working with John and his team is not only rewarding, but challenging in that we share a common goal to think outside the box, produce excellent projects, and deliver on time. John and I usually don’t take no for an answer,” says Judy Ludwig, Senior Project Manager. “After many years in this industry, it’s refreshing to have each project bring a different dimension to what’s required to manage.”

The AECOM project features Leverage workstations with integrated Tambient Lighting.  Teknion made special brackets and Tambient matched the paint exactly. All lighting originates at the workstations and is controlled in zones through motion detectors.

“You don’t become a top Teknion dealer and win a Calibre Award without establishing a foundation of outstanding project installations, which the Office Furniture Group has clearly done,” says Greg Richards, Teknion Vice President, Dealer Distribution. “John speaks highly about our people, products and service. It’s a mutual respect. That’s what happens when two companies form a partnership and work together seamlessly to serve the best interests of the client.”

The Fileco team includes, from the left: Trevor Coleman, Erin Tkach, Samuel Dunkley, Gene Varaschin, Jana Hotin, Jeff Stal, and Sherwin-Williams rep Sandro Volpini.

“We always regard environmental sustainability as an important goal. Improving our environment is truly about raising the quality of life for all of us,” says Jeff Stal, Fileco’s Vice President and General Manager.

Despite Fileco’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, the company was being reminded on a weekly basis that, despite its best intentions, there was room for improvement in its environmental initiatives. That reminder was the skid of scrap powder generated by the spray-to-waste coating process that was being shipped to landfill. Over 70,000 pounds of epoxy resin, polyester resin and other chemicals were dumped annually. To put this number into perspective, it was enough chemicals to fill a tractor-trailer. While scrap paint disposal presented a dilemma, Fileco realized that it also represented an opportunity.

Trevor Coleman, Production Supervisor (left), inspects the first drawer body to receive the new Textured Earth recycled powder paint as it exits the Fileco paint line.

The idea for a paint reclaim project was conceived by Fileco in 2008 from a conversation in the assembly office. After many meetings and consultation, Fileco assembled a dedicated cross-functional team with members from the color lab, finishing line and purchasing including Monica Capota, Trevor Coleman, Sam Dunkley, Jana Hotin, Guna Jeyasingham, Jacky Ling, Mario Regalado, Erin Tkach and Gene Varaschin. The filing and storage manufacturer also had input from Teknion’s fabrics and finishes experts. However, the program would not have become an environmental milestone without the support of its paint and coatings supplier.

“This is the sort of project that you can’t do on your own - you have to have great partnerships with your suppliers,” explains Stal. “Fileco is very fortunate to have such a relationship with Sherwin-Williams. Their input and expertise went a long way towards making the reclaim project as successful as it is.

“We had been in discussion with Sherwin-Williams about a possible paint reclamation program for a few years,” Stal continues. “As soon as we decided to proceed, they became a very active and willing partner. There were two practical reasons for this from their perspective. First, it was a great environmental story which they could use to their advantage. Secondly, the powder coat they were selling us at the time for our drawer bodies was producing a negative gross margin on their bottom line. Our collective goal became to replace the black powder paint applied to the drawer bodies with reclaimed paint, if possible. ”

Overspray powder from the paint line is collected, sent back to the supplier for processing, then reused with existing Fileco equipment and processes, diverting scrap paint from landfill.

Sherwin-Williams provided all the technical support required to make dozens of samples with varying amounts of virgin/scrap paint. It had the screening equipment and technology, and capacity to do all the screening for Fileco, which is necessary to remove impurities from the scrap powder. The supplier also had representatives on the project team, who met regularly with the Fileco team and the Teknion marketing and design representatives.

“Originally, the project’s opportunities were perceived to be financial - to reduce raw material costs and reduce waste costs,” recalls Gene Varaschin, Director of Operations, Fileco. “From an operations perspective, the focus was on the changes required to make this work. How could we collect the overspray powder? How would we make it useful for reuse? And would we be able to use it on our existing equipment and with our existing process. As a business run by practical people, it is very easy to get immersed in the details and forget what is really important. What is really important is that a group of people at Teknion, Fileco and Sherwin-Williams got together and formed a project team with a common purpose - to reduce waste without impacting functionality of the product.”

The recycled powder paint has excellent transfer efficiency, hiding power and coverage properties. Fileco now uses 100 percent recycled powder paint to coat all storage and filing drawer bodies.

At the end of April, 2009, Fileco started using 100 per cent recycled powder paint to coat all storage and filing drawer bodies. Today, it is the only furniture manufacturer using 100 percent recycled powder to coat interior parts.

Although the finish color of the recycled paint varies, it is perhaps best described as a dark silvery-grey. When the time to choose a name came for the new color, Fileco held a contest for employees. Fifteen people submitted 26 entries. Jeff Stal was the judge. The winner was Mario Regalado, who submitted the name Textured Earth. Textured Earth, as Stal attests, is superior to the previous powder in its appearance and coverage, not to mention its excellent transfer efficiency and hiding power.

Instead of sending scrap powder paint to landfill, it is now sent to Sherwin-Williams, processed and returned to Fileco for use on the interiors of filing products.

Skids of overspray powder paint still leave from Fileco’s loading dock. Now, however, the skids are sent directly to Sherwin-Williams where scrap paint is processed then returned to Fileco for use on its drawer units.

“We are excited about this initiative and the positive impact it has on our world,” concludes Stal. “By using 100 percent recycled powder paint previously destined for landfill to paint our drawer bodies and interior parts, we have made a significant contribution to sustainability. Close to 70,000 pounds (31,750 kg) of powder previously regarded as garbage are now being reworked and reapplied to our product. Going to market with this new project reaffirms our commitment and desire to ensure our world is a better place for future generations. Congratulations to Teknion, the Fileco team and the Sherwin-Williams team on the results of this collaborative effort.”

Teknion’s Ruth Lytle and Hugh Barclay meet for an early bamboo bike planning session. Barclay introduced Lytle to the concept of creating a bicycle built largely from bamboo.

Ruth Lytle professes a life-long love of bicycles. Although she appreciates the variety of designs and formats, she admits that she is happiest “when I’m on a bike, riding at a fast pace, and feeling like an efficient part of the machine.” This includes time spent problem-solving, fabricating and riding a bike from such an unconventional material as bamboo.

A bamboo bike is not so much a stretch of the imagination when you understand that, although Lytle’s title is Program Manager for new product development at Teknion, her role comprises a strong GREENGUARD component and an interest in sustainability and the environment. The path towards a bamboo bicycle began after she graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.

Construction of the bike’s bamboo frame is well along, with the fenders roughed in. Barclay sketched and designed the frame, including detailed drawings of parts and jigs.

“I met my friend and mentor Hugh Barclay in 1995 during my first job search,” recalls Lytle. “I was a mechanical engineering student interested in a career in wheelchairs and assistive devices. Hugh was owner of the wheelchair manufacturing company AMS in Kingston. He originated tilt functionality for seating components on manual wheelchairs. He’s a renaissance man. By temperament, he is an inventor and thinker, with a deep commitment to positive problem solving.”

Barclay hired Lytle and they soon discovered that they had a mutual interest in anything and everything related to bicycles.

Barclay works on the bamboo bike frame in Alan Lytle’s – Ruth’s father – garage. The garage doubled as a woodworking shop and enabled the team to tap Alan’s vast woodworking knowledge.

“Hugh brought the idea of building a bamboo bicycle into my world,” says Lytle. “He told me about a place in Brooklyn, New York, that runs weekend workshops from which a person emerges with a bike they have built themselves. I was very interested in the workshop, looked into it, and found that it was booked for the foreseeable future. At that point, Hugh decided that I needed to build my own bamboo bike, and that we should do it together.”

“I’ve had an interest in bamboo - which is a very underrated material - looking for design evolution towards making it a viable construction material,” explains Barclay, who describes himself as a “concept generator.” “Bamboo has excellent tensile strength and lightness equal to and better than aluminum. From an environmental perspective, bamboo regenerates quickly and is a rapidly renewable material. Ruth was quick to agree with my outrageous and unsupported concept.”

 The bamboo bike is nearly ready for final assembly. Alan Lytle epoxied the frame together. The pieces were then dry fit with little more than finger-tight assembly – and plenty of plastic zip ties!

“Hugh was the real driver of this project,” says Lytle. “I acquired the donor bike and other material, Hugh sketched and designed the frame, including detailed drawings of parts and jigs. We also recruited my dad, Alan, who was a great collaborator with his design ideas, woodworking knowledge, positive attitude and wood-shop equipment. He epoxied the frame together while I did final finishing, assembly, after-market parts acquisition and installation, and test riding.”

The many contributors to the bamboo bike project are acknowledged on the frame.

“We had a team of positive thinkers and an attitude that we could solve any problem that might surface,” recalls Barclay. “That attitude is vital in achieving success from conception, throughout the design phase and through the development building phase. Each member acted as a cheerleader and provided teammates with positive feedback and recognition of their contributions. Everyone needs to feel that they have made a contribution. Ruth and her father finished the bike over several months following our three-day blitz and I think most people agree we developed an art-form.”

When asked about the cost of bike, Lytle’s response is: “Priceless! Most of the components came from a free donor bike from a friend. The vera wood was very expensive, and by the time the frame was put together and finished, I felt that buying high-caliber after-market parts - aluminum strip fenders, turned hand grips and leather seat - was required to match the aesthetic! Doug Hietkamp, my environmental colleague at Teknion, was responsible for a pivotal, very simple idea that influenced the project. Doug suggested that getting a single donor bike and using the systems from it would be the simplest way forward. Hugh and I continue to kick ourselves that we didn’t think of it first.”

The team was so proud with the end result that they named the bike Beauty. Looking at the finished product it’s not hard to see why.

Although the bike is a bit small for Lytle, she has ridden it. She admits that it is better suited for Hugh, who took it to some bike-week activities over the summer, and intends to take it with him to Vancouver to celebrate his mentor’s 90^th birthday in December. Ironically, Barclay had not been on a bike in 34 years!

“Many people make bamboo bikes. There are many home projects, and some high-design examples out there,” says Lytle. “One thing that sets our bike apart is that we decided to make the connection pieces out of hardwood. Normally, people use aluminum connectors, often cutting a metal frame apart and just substituting bamboo in for the long tube sections. There are certainly many individuals and companies creating and selling bamboo bikes. But none as rewarding as our final product. We were all so proud that we named it Beauty.”

Kiyara Wijewickrama finished in first place in the Environmental category for kids three and four years of age.

“The next Picasso is among us!” exclaims Lindsay Curran, Executive Assistant, viewing some of the many entries in the recent Creative Kids’ Art Contest sponsored for children of Teknion employees. “There is some really good work here. What is amazing is that it was done by our employees’ children and grandchildren. The piece submitted by Girtrude Devasagayam’s 12-year-old son Tevin looks like it could be coming to a gallery near you soon!”

There was no shortage of submissions in the Creative Kids’ Art Contest, which was open to children of Teknion employees at the Box Plant, Consolidation Center and 1150 Flint Road in Toronto. Registration took place September 14-21 with Human Resources representatives Sonya Cameron, Csilla Carr and Curran. By the October 3 deadline for submission, HR was in possession of over 60 pieces of art.

Thomas Desa earned first place in the Family category for three- and four-year olds.

“We were pleasantly surprised to receive so many submissions,” says Al Bartolini, VP, Corporate HR & Development. “It proved challenging for our judging committee, but they finally narrowed it down to 15 winning entries. The proud parents of the kids whose work won awards have the opportunity of seeing the art every time they visit the employee dining lounge at 1150 Flint Road. Of course, everyone at Teknion has the opportunity to see these wonderful pictures every time they visit, too. The art has definitely brightened up the employee lounge.”

First-place winner in the Environmental category for the ages five to seven was Kasandra De Souza.

The contest was broken into four age categories - 3-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11 and above. The young artists were encouraged to create work around the themes of Family, Social Responsibility or the Environment. They were also invited to use their choice of media - paint, charcoal or just plain crayons. Teknion provided the creative material of choice. Not only were the winning entries to be framed and prominently displayed at Teknion, there were prizes! First-place winners received an iPod Shuffle. Second-place winners receive a $25 gift card for Chapters, Canada’s largest book retailer. All participants were winners, as everyone took home a $10 Chapters gift card.

Florencia Vasquez finished first in the Family category for children between the ages of five and seven.

“The Creative Kids’ Art Contest is part of the corporate Spirit initiative that we rolled out earlier this year,” explains Bartolini. “Thanks to a lot of hard work by Spirit Squad members and the support of our employees, we have been able to engage a lot of people throughout the organization. We wanted to build on this success and take the Spirit program outside of Teknion and extend it to the families of our employees. Families responded well when we invited them to attend a Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball game this summer and organized trips to games featuring the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. The art contest for kids builds on the family theme.

Abinigas Sivaonanathevan’s picture placed first for kids between eight and 10 years of age in the Environmental category.

“Years ago, we wanted to create a greater awareness of health and safety in our manufacturing facilities,” says Bartolini, explaining the genesis of the art contest. “One of the initiatives was to hang different posters throughout our plants. We thought that our employees would rally around our cause much more enthusiastically if those posters were created by their kids. The project was, I am pleased to say, quite a success. It was one of those ideas that we banked, hoping that later on we could repurpose it.”

Nine-year-old Ester Michael’s artistic endeavor finished first in the Family category for eight-, nine- and 10-year-olds.

Winners of the Teknion Creative Kids’ Art Contest were announced on November 7. Fifteen first- and second-place winners were selected. The winning artwork was framed and is on display in the 1150 Flint Road employee dining lounge. See attached list of all winners.

First place in the Environmental category for kids 11 and older went to Tevin Devasagayam. Coming soon to a gallery near you? One of the judges thought so.

“The overall reaction to the Creative Kids’ Art Contest was very positive. Comments we received from parents were that their children were very excited about the contest and the possibility of having their art displayed at mom and dads’ workplace. There was even more excitement from both the parents and the kids once we announced the winners. Based on the excitement and success that our first Creative Kids’ Art Contest generated, it is safe to say that we are certainly aiming to hold this contest again.”

First place in the Family category for kids 11 and older went to Ryan Schincariol.

Teknion Creative Kids Art Contest Winners

Environmental Age 3-4:

1st Place - Kiyara Wijewickrama, Age 3 (Ro Wijewickrama, Canadian Sales)

2nd Place - Bryson Marshall, Age 3 (Scott Deugo, Canadian Sales)

Family Age 3-4:

1st Place - Thomas Desa, Age 3 (Debrito Natercia, Consolidation Centre)

2nd Place - Carson Coulter, Age 4 (Catherine Coulter, Canadian Sales)

Environmental Age 5-7:

1st Place - Kasandra De Souza, Age 5 (Carlos De Souza, CTL Shipping)

2nd Place - Maya Gudelj, Age 6 (Robert Gudelj, Roytec Engineering)

Family Age 5-7:

1st Place - Florencia Vasquez, Age 7 (Carolina Vasquez, Exports)

2nd Place - Brianna Natal, Age 5 (Luis Natel, Engineering)

Environmental Age 8-10:

1st Place - Abingas Sivaonanathevan, Age 8 (R. Sivaonanathevan, Consolidation)

2nd Place - Sydney Holmes, Age 8 (Jonathan Holmes, Corporate Marketing)

Family Age 8-10:

1st Place - Ester Michael, Age 9 (Pandithar Michael, Metal)

2nd Place - Jonathan Ramdhan, Age 9 (Teddy Ramdhan, Operations)

Environmental Age 11+:

1st Place - Tevin Devasagayam, Age 12 (Girtrude Devasagayam, Accounts Payable)

2nd Place - Vyshnave Sivasankar, Age 13 (Sivakala Sivasankar, Upholstery)

Family Age 11+:

1st Place - Ryan Schincariol, Age 11 (Louis Schincariol, Corporate Marketing)