...a company dedicated to helping people work more effectively. Whatever you need to accomplish, Steelcase can provide you with the environment and the tools to do it better, faster and more effectively. That's because we're passionate about unlocking the potential of people at work. It's the fundamental principle on which our company was founded in 1912 and it remains our single-minded focus in the 21st century. We make it our business to study how people work, to fully understand the ever-changing needs of individuals, teams and organizations all around the world. Then we take our knowledge, couple it with products and services inspired by what we've learned about the workplace, and create solutions that help people have a better day at work. Steelcase began in 1912 as The Metal Office Furniture Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We received our first patent in 1914 for a steel wastebasket -- a major innovation at a time when straw wastebaskets were a major office fire hazard. That led to metal desks, and we've led the way with product and service innovations ever since. Today, our portfolio of solutions address the three core elements of an office environment: interior architecture, furniture and technology. We changed our name to Steelcase in 1954 and became a publicly held company in 1998. Steelcase was founded by people with a strong commitment to integrity and doing the right thing for their customers, employees, business partners, associates and neighbors. Their principles became the foundation of our company, passed on from decade to decade. Living our core values is essential to our identity, reputation and success today, just as it was in the past. At Steelcase, we: Act with integrity Tell the truth Keep commitments Treat people with dignity and respect Promote positive relationships Protect the environment Excel ...a company with a global reach Although we are still headquartered in Grand Rapids, Steelcase today is an international company with approximately 16,000 employees worldwide, manufacturing facilities in over 50 locations and more than 900 dealer locations around the world.
