Innovating office environments for over 112 years

1930

Employment Levels Maintained Despite Depression
1933
Employment Levels Maintained Despite Depression

1940

Retirement Benefits Offered
1944
Retirement Benefits Offered

1950

Steelcase Foundation Formed
December 27, 1951
Steelcase Foundation Formed
Community Chest Record Set
1953
Community Chest Record Set
Steelcase Sponsors Junior Achievement
1958
Steelcase Sponsors Junior Achievement

1960

Original Factory Donated to The Salvation Army
September 1, 1960
Original Factory Donated to The Salvation Army
Acrylic Paints Introduced
July 1961
Acrylic Paints Introduced
1969
First Environmental Engineer Hired

1970

Fabric Cutting Technology Better for the Environment
1971
Fabric Cutting Technology Better for the Environment
Lighting Evaluation Laboratory Opens
1976
Lighting Evaluation Laboratory Opens
President Ford Speaks at United Way Luncheon
1977
President Ford Speaks at United Way Luncheon
1979
Began Converting Paint to High-solids

1980

1980
Waste to Energy Facility
National Environmental Award
1983
National Environmental Award
Steelcase Joins Corporate Angel Network
1985
Steelcase Joins Corporate Angel Network
Meyer May House Opens
1987
Meyer May House Opens
$1 Million Gifted to GR Public Museum
1988
$1 Million Gifted to GR Public Museum
1988
Economicology: The Eleventh Commandment

1990

First to Filter Effluent from Paint Tanks
1991
First to Filter Effluent from Paint Tanks
Details® "Wastebasket" Introduced
1991
Details® "Wastebasket" Introduced
1993
Replacing Non-Electrostatic Paint Applicators
1994
Adopted the Montreal Protocol
1995
Joined Air and Waste Management Association
1997
Zinc Plating Process Replaced

2000

DesignTex® Technology Wins Awards
2000
DesignTex® Technology Wins Awards
Steelcase University Learning Center Opens
2000
Steelcase University Learning Center Opens
Lean Manufacturing Efforts Begin
2001
Lean Manufacturing Efforts Begin
2001
Launched our renewable energy purchasing efforts
Attwood Assists After Terrorist Attacks
September 11, 2001
Attwood Assists After Terrorist Attacks
First U.S. LEED-Certified Manufacturing Plant Opens
October 2001
First U.S. LEED-Certified Manufacturing Plant Opens

2010

EcoCradle Packaging
June 2010
EcoCradle Packaging
Community Support
2011
Community Support
NanoSphere Finish Added to Designtex® Finishes
April 28, 2011
NanoSphere Finish Added to Designtex® Finishes
Sharing the Warmth
September 2011
Sharing the Warmth
OpenIDEO Partnership to Revitalize Communities
November 2011
OpenIDEO Partnership to Revitalize Communities
Recognized For Sustainability Leadership
April 2012
Recognized For Sustainability Leadership

2020

Steelcase Series1 First in Carbon Neutral
June 20, 2022
Steelcase Series1 First in Carbon Neutral

We opened our doors in 1912 after 11 business men agreed to invest in Peter M. Wege's dream of opening a steel office furniture company in a city renowned for wood furniture. Since then we've experienced many changes, including our name, but our business vision of always looking toward the future has remained the same.

Here we'd like to share with you a few hundred of the thousands of noteworthy historical moments from our 112-year plus legacy.

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