December 30, 2005—With strong demand evident in North American markets, Steelcase and other office furniture manufacturers plan to adjust upward US and Canadian prices early in 2006 to offset higher costs for steel, polyurethane and other commodity materials.
Steelcase, Herman Miller and office furniture manufacturers have been telling Wall Street analysts that orders remain strong in North America (up an average 6% over 2004) and business is improving in several overseas markets, says Purchasing magazine.
However, higher energy and materials costs continue to be discussed as “challenges to be overcome” to maintain earnings in line with analysts’ expectations; hence, the anticipated 12% to 15% price boosts for desks, chairs and other office pieces.
For more information, visit the magazine’s Web site.
