GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS05.11.20

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05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

(A) Design Republic

Design Republic is a place where many creative minds meet. The New York City architectural and interior design firm was started in 2010 by six founding partners. And that’s a lot of seats at the top table – but for six buddies who climbed the ranks together, it makes complete sense. Today the firm operates out of a single office in NYC, and is 50 people wide, which they’ve found is just the right size.

FULL STORY ON PAGE 3…

IIDA Collective D(esign) Series // Change and Adaptability in Product Design & Manufacturing

Last week we had the pleasure of sitting in on the seventh episode of the IIDA’s Collective D(esign) Series – a series of webinar panel discussions intended to share resources and support amongst the interior design industries. The series goes live every Thursday afternoon and features rotating topics, panelists, and moderators. Last week’s topic was “Product Design and Manufacturing: Change and Adaptability,” and the ensuing discussion was lively and informative, lifting the veil on yet another perspective as we continue to wade through the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

FULL STORY ON PAGE 13…

Cityzenith White Paper Addresses Pandemic Intelligence

An architect and a doctor face infectious diseases. They’re from different continents, but more than just 3,000 miles of ocean separates them. Michael Jansen, CEO and founder of Chicago-based Cityzenith, lives in the present day COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. John Snow lived in London during the cholera epidemic of 1854. A tale of two cities.

FULL STORY ON PAGE 19…

CITED:“BOREDOM IS A SICKNESS THE CURE FOR WHICH IS WORK; PLEASURE IS ONLY A PALLIATIVE.” — LE DUC DE LÉVIS,

MÉMOIRES

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Design Republic is a place where many creative minds meet. The New York City architectural and interior design firm was started in 2010 by six founding partners. And that’s a lot of seats at the top table – but for six buddies who climbed the ranks together, it makes complete sense.

At the time Design Republic opened its doors in 2010, the interiors industry was still regaining lost ground from the Great Recession.

The six founding partners – Barry Ludlow, Gabe Hernan-dez, Inga Kruliene, Neil Tucker, Steven Segure, and Vincent Lacobellis – had worked together for many years at TPG Architecture and later joined CallisonRTKL (then Callison),

where they were responsible for building up that firm’s New York office starting in 2007 until the recession hit.

Today the firm operates out of a single office in NYC, and is 50 people wide, which they’ve found is just the right size.

“At our previous firms, we saw ourselves entering more into the management level, rather than continuing the work designers do every day,” said Ludlow. “We all wanted to get back into designing day-to-day, and so it started with the six of us working together and finding any free space we could – coffee shops and such. We had a client at 450 Park Av-enue who owned the building and was very kind to us with rent. In our first year, we expanded to close to 20 people.”

(A) Design Republicby Mallory Budy

Barry Ludlow

Neil Tucker

The six founding partners of Design Republic, a New York City interior design firm. Photography: courtesy of Design Republic

Steven Segure Vincent Lacobellis

Gabe Hernandez Inga Kruliene

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a&dWith six designers starting the firm,

the initials in a law firm style name were stacking up. One of the found-ers, Inga Kruliene, had grown up in Lithuania under communist control. Her idea for the Design Republic name was the perfect fit.

“We were free from the restrictions of our previous firms. We came from global firms, and with that size, there were more roadblocks and politics. Back in 2006 and 2007, the six of us had been talking and strategizing, but then we were recruited by Callison. In 2010, we saw the opportunity to start our own firm. We wanted to cre-ate something new and different. We finally said it was time to do it.”

Then, six or seven years ago, Design Republic moved to its current offices at 501 Madison.

Convene, the meeting and event spaces company, at 225 Liberty Street in New York City. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: F. Oudeman, courtesy of Design Republic

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a&d“Staying around 45-50 people – that

more boutique size – is by choice,” Ludlow continued. “The six of us re-ally wanted to be very hands-on, very engaged in all of the firm’s work, and that size allows us to do so.”

When speaking and working with

Design Republic, there’s a sense of comfort there that draws on the part-ners’ collective combination of innate hustle, down-to-earth demeanor, and the reassurance that they can help their clients make the impossible, possible.

“We grew up together throughout our careers,” said Ludlow. “And we’ve become very close friends over the years, taking ski trips together and having cookouts. It feels unique to have such a strong bond together with the people you work with.”

Convene, the meeting and event spaces company, at 225 Liberty Street in New York City. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: F. Oudeman, courtesy of Design Republic

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a&dDesign Republic’s portfolio of clients

is lengthy – a testament to the hustle that is a big part of their identity.

“When we started the firm, we wanted to put forth a high, high level of commitment to client service,” Ludlow said. “We work really hard, and we wanted to be known for that. We also wanted to offer a high level of trust and communication.”

The workplace is Design Repub-lic’s largest work sector, followed by luxury retail spaces. The firm also does quite a bit of work in the media

!What If? The Innovation Company, in Brooklyn, New York. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: courtesy of Design Republic

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a&dand entertainment sector, in designing both offices and technical spaces, i.e. studios. Clients include Conde Nast, Yelp, The Daily Show, Convene, Nas-daq, Cushman & Wakefield, Bleacher Report, Aon, among many others.

“Our design philosophy is very people-centered. We strive to create really uplifting spaces that people want to come to – places that create a sense of belonging.

“We tailor our process to what we need to find out about the client, and each one is different,” said Jessica Mazure, senior associate at Design Re-public. “You follow a similar process, but there are always going to be differ-ent paths you take depending on what you learn about the client.”

In its work for Take-Two Interactive, a leading video game publisher, the challenge lay in location.

“For the Take 2 project, we started with a visioning process, then inter-viewed the CEO, then the department heads, and finally the end employees,” said Mazure, the creative lead on the Take 2 project. We presented them with our findings on what they wanted from their space. In Manhattan, they were moving from SOHO to Midtown, and one of the challenges was in get-ting people excited about the move to Midtown. The way we translated their identity into a space to elevate their brand was going to be really important to the success of the project. In their new Midtown offices, their space was a complete reflection of who they are.”

At the root of the Design Republic ethos is a deep discovery process.

“We want to make sure we align with our client’s business sense, their needs – but also with their aspira-tions,” said Ludlow. “Many of our projects are very transformational for our clients. It’s a growing experience for them – something that leads them to their future. We want to develop a deep understanding of their business, and the way we do that is by having

!What If? The Innovation Company, in Brooklyn, New York. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: courtesy of Design Republic

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these searching conversations with our clients from many levels of their organization. Above all else, we cre-ate environments that are about our clients, and not about us.”

The offices of Take-Two Interactive, an American video game publisher, based in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: F. Oudeman, courtesy of Design Republic

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The offices of Take-Two Interactive, an American video game publisher, based in Midtown, Manhattan. Designed by Design Republic. Photography: F. Oudeman, courtesy of Design Republic

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Ad Number: KEI_COR_P28261_FP_OI_EOOS_E4Publication(s): Designer Pages

This ad prepared by: SGL Communications • 2 Bloor St. West, Toronto, Ontario • phone 416.413.7495 • fax 416.944.7883 File Location: SGL_A-M:Keilhauer-SKE:P90075-Elevate Print:• Blue Sofa:KEI_COR_P28261_FP_OI_EOOS_E4.indd

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Client: KeilhauerCreative Name: ElevateAgency Docket #: KEI COR P90075Main Docket #: SKE COR P90075Art Director: Bryan HowarthCopy Writer: NonePrint Production: Jenn WongRetoucher: NoneLive: 6.375" x 8"Trim: 6.875" x 8.5"Bleed: 7.375" x 9"Artwork Scale: 1:1Print Scale: 100%

FILE SPECIFICATIONS:

File Name: KEI_COR_P28261_FP_OI_EOOS_E4.inddCreation Date: 5-31-2019 3:16 PMLast Modified: 5-31-2019 4:26 PMWorkstation: T16-0275InDesign Version: CC 2019 App. Version: 14.0.2Round #: 1 Page Count: 1GRAPHIC PRODUCTION:

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Great minds don’t sit alike.With a variety of distinct seating options, the Elevate collection lets people choose the way to work that inspires them the most.

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Last week we had the pleasure of sitting in on the seventh episode of the IIDA’s Collective D(esign) Series – a series of webinar panel discussions intended to share resources and support amongst the interior design industries.

The series goes live every Thursday afternoon and fea-tures rotating topics, panelists, and moderators.

Last week’s topic was “Product Design and Manufactur-ing: Change and Adaptability,” and the ensuing discussion was lively and informative, lifting the veil on yet another perspective as we continue to wade through the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

We enjoyed the hour for many reasons – but in a time where virtual webinars are a dime a dozen, the top reason was, by far, the content quality of the discussion. We’ve all been a part of Zoom meetings, huddle sessions, or full-blown conferences that somehow fall flat and fail to con-nect with us, but this was not the case with IIDA’s Collective D(esign) series.

The goal of the panel, moderated by Brian Graham, IIDA,

IDSA, Founder and Creative Director, Graham Design, San Francisco, was to see how firms and vendors are adapting in real-time to design needs, sourcing, supply chain systems, and production methodologies – both in reaction to the cur-rent pandemic and to prepare for resiliency in the future.

The discussion featured an excellent group of industry vets on the product design and manufacturing side:

>Lisa King, Ph.D., VP, Product Innovation and Insights, Interface, Atlanta

>Ryan Menke, Ind. IIDA, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, OFS, Huntingburg, IN (just got a cat named Charmin)

>Catherine Minervini, Ind. IIDA, A+D Regional Manager, Sunbrella/Glen Raven, New York

>Alex Williams, Founding Partner and Director of Growth, Rich Brilliant Willing, New York

Below you’ll find the best information coming out of the conversation between five individuals who know the biz inside and out.

IIDA Collective D(esign) Series // Change and Adaptability in Product Design & Manufacturingby Mallory Budy

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a&dBrian Graham: As manufacturers,

I imagine you guys face a unique set of challenges, as a good portion of the teams that you work with are involved in the physical making of things. With all of that, how are you innovating in those areas?

Lisa King: We’re a global manu-facturer with manufacturing facilities around the world. I would say as advice for others – make sure you’ve looked at your business continuity plans in great detail. Make sure that it’s not just your own ability to manu-facture products that’s going to be a key to your success, but also your ability to get those products deliv-ered to customers, who may be in various states of availability to accept products. We’re fortunate that we can serve our customer needs from

multiple facilities, but of course that that’s just part of it. Make sure from the beginning to middle and end – that you can make the product, you can get the product shipped, and when you get the product shipped, there’s someone there to receive it, and that the product is not showing up too late or too early, which can also be a problem.

Ryan Menke: What I will tell you as an ex-supply chain guy and a current sales guy is, ‘Don’t chase the trend or the fad. So many people got caught trying to outrun the virus. Stateside it’s definitely been difficult. Supply chain is one of the hardest jobs out there right now. To manage nuances state-by-state has provided some unique challenges, but so far we’ve been able to navigate those successfully.

Brian Graham: You bring up a really interesting point that sometimes is kind of hard to grasp – which is that while you guys make things, you’re also reliant on supply chains and vendors in some respects, maybe more than others, to help you guys pull things together and end up making products. Have you guys seen some challenges in regard to your supply chain?

Alex Williams: For us, Made in Brooklyn went from being really cool to being really tough pretty quickly. We do rely on a surprisingly complex supply chain for a company our size. We’ve been able to adapt pretty quick-ly and work with some partners both regionally and internationally that have facilities that have stayed open. Actu-ally, we have some wonderful com-ponent vendors in China and Taiwan,

Clockwise from top left: Lisa King, of Interface; Catherine Minervini, of Sunbrella/Glen Raven; Ryan Menke, of OFS Brands; Brian Graham, of Graham Design; and Alex Williams, of Rich Brilliant Willing.

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 15 OF 36

a&dwho’ve been open this whole time, and they’ve really stepped up and helped to support us and even offered to provide PPE and other resources for us and for our community. Our supply chain has actually become some of our best friends through all of this.

Brian Graham: Has anybody felt like the vendors might be able to make things, but it’s getting it to you that’s been more of a challenge?

Lisa King: In our case, when we’ve had to move product, product that had been manufactured was easier for us to move. Where you might find some hiccups is in very small samples or things that you would normally air freight over for review. Because if you look at the reduction in commercial air travel right now, a lot of those samples – they don’t come on a container ship the way your manufactured product does. They come over in the cargo hold of a commercial airline, so you have to just be mindful that you may have unexpected delays not really related to your essential supply chain.

Brian Graham: What does your new product pipeline look like these days?

Ryan Menke: Our pipeline is usually a couple years deep. Going into it, you look to prioritize. And what was priority before the pandemic may not be after. There are some near-term things, for example – there’s a huge shortage of over-bed tables that we pushed a redesign through for. There are certain screening elements and space division elements that we want to make sure we look at and design for. It certainly takes a lot of understanding the con-text as you make those decisions – to not be too knee-jerk in your reactions to these things.

Catherine Minervini: We work with about 27 different brands, so what we’re focusing on now is supporting those brand partners and helping those brands gets through. We’re tap-ping into each one of those partner-ships to understand when they were

shooting to launch products, especially with NeoCon approaching, and to help keep those schedules and goals on-track. We’re also working on what might be needed regarding recycled content and where it might be applied – not just in the healthcare environ-ment, but how will it transcend across different market segments?

Lisa King: Everybody’s product innovation roadmap is always chang-ing. If you looked at Interface 10 years ago, you saw a carpet manufacturer. Now, we have LVT, rubber, etc. We’ve developed an entire resilient flooring identity. You’re really going to see more of what we’re already doing, not neces-sarily different things.

Brian Graham: Resilient is a word I think we’re all hearing these days. If we can incorporate that into our prod-ucts, then we’re better for it. Adapt-ability seems really important, too. In that sense, have you guys reached out to any outside consultants or partners to innovate around those concerns?

Ryan Menke: We’re looking at our healthcare brand, Carolina, to see what type of cross-collaborative opportuni-ties there are. We’re always cautioning to not react, but respond. I am terrified of where these new solutions are going to end up – most likely in a landfill. What’s a good day-one solution, but also what’s a good day-two, three, four, and five solution. It may not be six feet social distancing in a month – it could be something else. That’s where adaptability is really important.

Catherine Minervini: This is the time to look at where you excel – what you are really good at. Ask, how do you exploit that more? An example for us would be looking at antimicrobial fab-rics as a standard. You can’t really rush those, though. You have to do your research. We’re looking at what makes sense in the long-term. It’s very impor-tant to take a pause, whether it be in R&D, product development, or sales; you have to be thoughtful about it.

Alex Williams: Workplace and hospitality are two of the biggest areas for our product. We’re trying to see what types of changes will happen in those environments. We’re exploring the concept of creating an atmosphere at home that enables comfortable, productive work. Longer term, we’re looking at efficiency adjustments that will make our products better.

Brian Graham: It brings up the central thing here with our design ecosystem. Everyone of us is reli-ant on designers and specifiers who obviously are dealing with a lot of changing needs in the workspace, the hospitality space, in the healthcare space. Corresponding and communi-cating with them is really essential right now. Is this situation offering a new opportunity for you guys to con-nect with that very important ecosys-tem of designers and specifiers in a unique or innovative way?

Lisa King: There are chances to make new connection points. Virtual seminars, meetings, mixology classes. We’ve been able to connect with our customers in a virtual space, and the focus your customers are able to give you compared to that of in the physi-cal workplace pre-pandemic, is more singular. Virtual doesn’t have to mean impersonal. As people become more comfortable in that dialogue, you real-ize it’s not losing that connection, it just looks and feels different.

Catherine Minervini: The old-school phone conversation is coming back. I’ve just been picking up the phone and having some really meaningful conversations. And also, what works for one person or firm might not work for another person or firm. It’s really forced a different level of collaboration than is normally required.

Ryan Menke: It seems like now there is the ability to connect on a more human level. Before, it was more transactional. We used to have a lot of trouble talking to new people and

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a&djust connecting in general, and now we’re able to reach them and speak with them in a very relaxed way for 45 minutes, undivided attention.

Brian Graham: Design is the ultimate act of optimism. We’re all sensing optimism, but how are we do-ing something with that? What have you found to be the most effective in developing these collaborations?

Ryan Menke: We had already launched a podcast, but we quickly pivoted to focus on COVID-related issues. It’s been a really uplifting expe-rience. The other thing we put up was a wellbeing page on LinkedIn. It’s a place to connect and to share tools.

Catherine Minervini: We have a very small R&D team, and we’re trying to find ways to connect with our brand partners. We’re looking to them to figure out what we can do to support them, whether it’s virtual webinars, etc. Part of our job on the contract side – because we’re thought of as an outdoor brand – is to raise awareness about everything we do.

Lisa King: Our sales teams have come up with some great ideas. It’s about connecting with our custom-ers. We’ve done webinars for people working at home with children, where the kids actually get to be involved in the webinar. We’ve also done a guided yoga class. Now is the time when the brands who are doing it right, get it really right because they really under-stand their customers.

Brian Graham: Have you guys been leaning on any new innovative tech-nologies, such as AI, AR, VR?

Catherine Minervini: One of the big requests we’ve been hearing from the big firms is that they’re looking for content to put on their websites, because their customers can access it whenever they need it. Virtual libraries, content for social medias, contribut-ing to Material Bank. How do we build more content that is very relevant? Not just the fluffy stuff – but the informa-

tion they really need. We always use that “relevant” term – but we really need that right now – relevant content.

Ryan Menke: We’re trying to offer content that speaks to the new work schedules people are having. We’ve seen that our web activity is highest on Sunday evenings right now, which we’ve never seen and is a huge change. I think you’ll also see a lot more AR and VR tech becoming a more regular tool.

Brian Graham: Have you had word of halting sales meetings?

Ryan Menke: You have to meet your client where they want to be met. You have to meet them where they want to be. You have to respect that person’s wishes and roll with that.

Catherine Minervini: When the restrictions are lifted, we’re not going to be running into the offices with donuts right away. Organizations are going to be looking at, “Who is safe to go back, and when? We’re going to have to continue meeting people in different spaces, different venues for quite some time. We’re going to have to continue to be nimble in doing that – and get a little comfy in that level of flexibility.

Brian Graham: It’s wonderful – the sense of community everyone is feel-ing, not just in a personal sense but in our industry. Lisa, in carpetry are you rethinking the way they’re made to be more resilient against carrying viruses.

Lisa King: There’s a lot of curios-ity around antimicrobial properties. And while all of that is shaking out in the marketplace, we’re talking to our customers about how to properly clean and properly sanitize our product. We’re working on product construction and format, durability. In the short-term, we might see a higher interest in less heavily tufted materials and in more resilient surfaces.

Brian Graham: Catherine, how are you looking at cleaning and disinfecting?

Catherine Minervini: We’re going to be looking at aggressive cleaning protocols. People are going to want

to see cleaning happening. It’s going to have to be visible. The other thing we’re looking at is that COVID and future viruses are staying on sur-faces longer. How does that affect our product? From what we’re seeing, it’s not damaging it. It’s something we’re always going to have to be mindful of, so it’s an ongoing process.

Brian Graham: Will you continue as a manufacturer to invest in the physi-cal trade shows that really make our industry special?

Ryan Menke: Absolutely. I think and hope they’ll be different in the future. We’ll definitely continue to participate in them. But we’ve been pushing hard before any of this happened to reimagine what our trade shows look like anyway. I was anxious to see what Confluence would have done to impact NeoCon. I think we a need a more holistic experiential design show – not just a showroom visit type of event. I love them because it’s great energy, and you get to connect with people that you don’t normally get to see and visit with, you can get honest real-time feedback on things. I hope we get back to where we can all be together in these events. But I also hope they’re different – that we learn and we take this pause and get better at our craft.

Lisa King: This situation does give us the time right now to take a step back, look at our goals, and what we’re doing to achieve them. In one sense, it’s good to have that space to think about these things. Best delivered with the real product. I don’t think product interaction is going to go away because it is the product itself that people are going to be specifying.”

Ryan Menke: Who would have ever thought we’d have been given an op-portunity to do nothing? We have the time to pause, and consider where we’re going, and what our purpose is. And actually make a difference on the other side, and not just go back to the way things were done before.

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An architect and a doctor face infec-tious diseases. They’re from differ-ent continents, but more than just 3,000 miles of ocean separates them. Michael Jansen, CEO and founder of Chicago-based Cityzenith, lives in the present day COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. John Snow lived in London during the cholera epidemic of 1854.

The epidemic in central London confirmed Dr. Snow’s theory that con-taminated water carried the bacteria, causing the disease. Using fatality data, victim’s addresses and a detailed map, Dr. Snow narrowed the bacteria’s possible sources to a specific pub-lic water pump. His work remains a model of statistical graphing.

Flash forward to 2020. Michael Jan-sen’s means of presenting data blends the integrity of Dr. Snow’s methodology with leading-edge data science and informatics. Despite living 166 years apart, their methods have advantages in common. They share the primacy of starting with a good idea.

Michael Jansen’s good idea is SmartWorldPro, his firm’s offering for a central, visualized model of building and property data featuring a 3D dashboard.

An architect by training and a serial entrepreneur by choice, Mr. Jansen understood from his early years of practice on megaprojects in Asia the dizzying number of applications in use. Those tools performed discrete tasks, and they didn’t coordinate with one another. He also saw the costly learn-ing curve for staff proficiency and how this specialized training limited who could use the tools.

Consequently, Mr. Jansen created a unifying solution. “SmartWorldPro is like Sim City, except for real cities and real projects,” said Mr. Jansen to the hosts of WGN Radio’s “Technori” program last July. “It helps building owners and architects use data like never before in to predict real-world design and operational outcomes in the digital twin environment.”

Cityzenith White Paper Addresses Pandemic Intelligenceby Stephen Witte

Michael Jansen, CEO and founder, Cityzenith, Chicago. Image courtesy of Cityzenith

With its handle removed, the water pump on Broad Street identified by Dr. John Snow’s study would no longer spread the cholera that killed 616 Londoners in 1854. A plaque credits his discovery that contaminated water conveys the disease. Image: Justin Cormack via Wikimedia Commons

Dr. John Snow’s cholera map, from “On the Mode of Communication of Cholera” by Dr. Snow, published in 1855. Image: British Library Board

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A digital twin is a 3D virtual copy of a building, its infrastructure, its surroundings and more. The digital twin technology is fast expanding. It was a $3.8bn industry in 2019 and expected to become $35.8bn by 2025. Cityzenith launched its digital twin software in late 2018. Mr. Jansen says that the platform is “catching the at-tention of the building industry around the world.”

A pictorial data presentation makes the abstract more concrete, allows the drawing of conclusions. Clear-headed decisions follow. Dr. Snow’s plotting of London’s cholera deaths served the same purpose.

The London outbreak happened with a global cholera pandemic rag-ing in the background, one claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, one million in Russia alone. When Dr. Snow’s investigation in Soho began, the mechanism for the spread of cholera was unknown. He believed

impure water was responsible, but he needed proof.

In presenting his evidence, Dr. Snow recognized the ease of leaning the data he’d collected toward his desired theory. Edward Tufte, Ph.D., wrote about the doctor’s statistical graphing, suggesting Dr. Snow’s even-handed approach acknowledged the poten-tial for flaws in analysis and errors in conclusions.

Professor Emeritus Tufte, who taught courses in statistical evidence and information design at Yale University, cited Dr. Snow’s technique for placing the data in context. The map showed not just the suspected pump but all 13 in the neighborhood. With those locations plotted, his arrangement of deaths by address showed the clusters around the Broad Street pump as well as those more distant from it.

The plotting revealed locations where no deaths occurred. However, Dr. Snow noted there was no hous-

ing in those locations. The map also showed few deaths at a workhouse just yards from the suspect pump, but the workhouse had a well and no require-ment for water from Broad Street. The same for a brewery located one-half block away, that not only had a well for production but, thanks to free beer for its workers, nobody at the brewery drank water. Dr. Snow began with a good idea for source tracing—the water-borne spread of cholera—and supported it with a good method.

So, what are the qualities of a good method in 2020, in the face of the cur-rent pandemic? By harnessing which technologies can visually-driven solu-tions help address the crisis?

Seeing the governor of New York’s televised coronavirus briefings set Michael Jansen’s mind to work. “I was watching Governor Andrew Cuomo present some very difficult news to the public.” Mr. Jansen heard what he considered a frank appraisal of what

Digital twins are user friendly, easing the coordination of a city’s operational response in a crisis. Image courtesy of Cityzenith

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 21 OF 36

a&dNew York faced. He detected the de-spairing tone in the governor’s voice.

“Like other business owners and en-trepreneurs, I began contemplating the implications and possible solutions,” said Mr. Jansen, who commented by email for this story.

News from Asia about work by soft-ware developers offered possibilities. Mr. Jansen lived there for 24 years and was an architect on some of Asia’s ear-liest megaprojects. He gained insights into the immense efficiency and smart technologies of modern Asian cities.

“To help address the crisis, devel-opers in Asia were hacking together mobile apps and two-dimensional GIS map-based solutions,” said Mr. Jansen. “They were assembling a makeshift digital twin.” He thought, “If there, why not here?”

Mr. Jansen began the theoretical work on how to apply digital twins developed to manage information in

smart cities and factories to help man-age through a public health crisis.

Mr. Jansen’s firm, Cityzenith, issued a white paper outlining how digital twins provide a solution for mapping, managing and mitigating COVID-19’s impact. The white paper, “Impact of COVID-19 on the Implementation of Digital Twins in the Global Building Industry: Perspectives from Expert Practitioners,” suggests that 3D para-metric modeling of an area experienc-ing an outbreak will map how the virus moves. The digital twin could track virus activity using methods similar to those for following vehicles, packages, or components within a factory.

The display of tracking data on mobile screens places actionable information in the right hands, at the right time. Health officials could gain real-time 3D views of the virus spread, visualizing and geolocating cases with the detail of Dr. Snow’s cholera map-

ping. In the white paper, Cityzenith wrote that virus cases could be located “whether confined in a studio apart-ment on a building’s 30th floor or a suburban single-family home.”

Tying together data from all kinds of sources and making it easily interpret-ed is where the technology of digital twins excels. For containing COVID-19 spread, decision-makers in public health and government have access to data, but piecemealing it together is a slow process. Where digital twins deliver on speed is using artificial intelligence to “reduce run times for large-scale simulations from weeks and months to hours and days,” as the white paper suggests.

Because each building, project, neighborhood, or city is different, Michael Jansen says the data sources will “vary widely” among digital twins. “Included are both public and private data sources that can be managed in

This screenshot from SmartWorldPro demonstrates the amount of data and viewing choices available to users. Image courtesy of Cityzenith

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 22 OF 36

a&dprivate layers, as well as made public when required.” These sources range from GIS data, BIM information and 3D models to sensors monitoring real-time activities such as foot traffic, vehicle movements, weather, and open public networks for Twitter, Facebook and GPS signals.

For Cityzenith’s white paper, avail-able from their website, the firm sought expert opinions about the use of digital twins to address the COVID-19 pan-demic. They contacted thought leaders at the front lines of health, government and software development.

Singapore’s response plan on the initial outbreak earned global attention

for its speed in flattening the curve, a reference to stemming the virus’s rate of spread. Responding to Singapore’s second outbreak involved new mea-sures, including quarantines of return-ing students and workers in temporary locations instead of going directly to their homes. These conditions placed digital twins center stage to address populations, not just the physical envi-ronments they inhabit.

That’s how Terence Tan sees it. He is the Lead Consultant of the Virtual Singapore Program for GovTech, an agency of the Singapore government. “A nimble and resilient digital twin combining a dynamic view of human,

urban, building, and equipment assets can shine to constantly help authori-ties recalibrate responses, keep people safely apart and flatten the curve.”

India’s experience in the spread of the virus is puzzling health experts. While there’s good news in the low numbers of cases and fatalities for a country of India’s population, those tracking the virus have concerns. Soutik Biswas, a BBC correspondent in India, wrote in a recent article that there’s a need for a “robust public health surveillance system” with the ability to track deaths in hospitals and private homes since most deaths in India occur at home.

A 3D visual model-based digital twin can aggregate and distribute information about virus spread. Image courtesy of Cityzenithnation of a city’s operational response in a crisis. Image courtesy of Cityzenith

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 23 OF 36

a&dThe former director of the New

Delhi-based National Institute of Urban Affairs understands the role technology could play in India. Jagan Shah said systems and networks for determin-ing the health and productivity of local communities are critical in times of crisis. To meet that requirement, he said, “Digital twins offer the necessary levels of technology-enabled agility and intelligence.”

The global interconnections of digital twins may seem far-fetched, but a member of a leading firm in the UK has made it a career ambition. “Build-ing a digital replica of the world is at the forefront of what we do,” said Neil Thompson, Director of Digital Con-struction based in London for Atkins, a design, engineering and project management consultancy.

His work toward the goal of connect-ing digital twins includes leadership roles in two policy-making bodies in the UK. “The COVID-19 pandemic is a clear demonstration of the broader value of connecting data,” said Mr. Thompson. The purpose of digital twins can go beyond support for own-ers and operators of infrastructure and built assets. “It is now about support-ing international governance to be agile and rise to these challenges.”

The challenge includes how and when people return to work against widely ranging predictions on virus spread and fatalities. Peter Scialla, the President and COO of New York City-based Delos, cites the critical require-ment to follow “an evidence-based approach” to reopening offices in the COVID-19 era. Delos is a wellness real estate and technology company, de-livering the WELL Building StandardTM through a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Speaking for Delos in Cityzenith’s white paper, Mr. Scialla said, “We have always felt that digital twins provide an extraordinary roadmap to advance the efficacy of health interventions in the built environment.” He also spoke about the ongoing convergence of building sciences and health sciences, predicting that “linking wellness princi-pals with design, operational protocols and architecture, especially utilizing digital twins, are more prominent than ever before.”

Providing that link is what Michael Jansen of Cityzenith intends to do, although SmartWorldPro wasn’t devel-oped with a public health crisis in mind.

It was for enabling decision makers to make quicker, smarter decisions using an intelligent dashboard that, frankly, borrows from video gaming

and Google Earth-style interfaces. Cityzenith’s first chief software archi-tect was the original creator of Google Earth.

When used in the facilities manage-ment role, Cityzenith says the Smart-WorldPro application offers “up to a 25% operating cost savings.” One of the firm’s recently won contracts and a large-scale project in the U.S. is with the Orlando Sports & Entertainment District. The three-phase contract calls for completion of a digital twin solution for a mixed-use development billed as a fully-interconnected Smart District.

Modern Asian cities, said Mr. Jan-sen, have widespread deployments of smart city technologies. “They were better prepared for this crisis,” he added. In the months ahead, cities in the United States and elsewhere can consider how Cityzenith’s solution leads to an intelligent new normal.

As a researcher, writer and com-mentator, Stephen Witte reports on what’s shaping the future for the A&D community. He’s an advocate for education in design and creative disciplines. His community activities include partnerships with museums for studies of local history, digital exhibits and public programs. Contact him at stephenmwitte@gmail.com.

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 24 OF 36

r-d connectionRESEARCH-DESIGN CONNECTIONAnticipating Others’ Responsesby Sally Augustin, Ph.D.

Jung, Mood and Nelson identified one of the reasons that users’ actual in-place experiences may not align with what other people anticipate they will be. The Jung-lead team determined that “when making predictions about others, people rely on their intuitive core representation of the experi-ence (e.g., is the experience generally positive?) in lieu of a more complex representation that might also include countervailing aspects (e.g., is any of

the experience negative?)…the over-estimation bias is pervasive for a wide range of positive…and negative experi-ences…relative to themselves, people believe that an identically paying other will get more enjoyment from the same experience, but paradoxically, that an identically enjoying other will pay more for the same experience.” We feel that others’ experiences will be more purely positive or negative than ours are in the same situations.

So, in short, we estimate that, compared to ourselves, other people will pay or wait more for an experience seen as desirable, as well as will enjoy it more when it is in-process. With undesirable experiences, we estimate other people will be willing to pay more to avoid them and that others will find them worse than we would.

Minah Jung, Alice Mood, and Leif Nelson. “Overestimating the Valuations and Preferences of Others.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, in press, https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000700

Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive sci-entist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesigncon-nections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest re-search findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psycho-logical Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychol-ogy for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwith-science.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.

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officenewswireFor complete releases, visit www.officeinsight.com/officenewswire.

NOTEWORTHY>The IIDA Foundation an-nounced its 2020 John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholar-ship recipients: Jeremiah Brown, Lawson Dyson, and Serica Weaver. This scholar-ship fund was established to support diversity and further the study of interior design and architecture for students of African American descent. Scholarship winners are: Jeremiah Brown, Student IIDA, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lawson Dyson, Student IIDA, of the University of Kentucky; and Serica Weaver, Student IIDA, of Savannah College of Art and Design. Each student will receive $10,000 in schol-arship funds. Watch their winning video submissions on the IIDA website. Read More

>Andreu World and the World Design Organization joined forces this year in the Andreu World International Design Contest. Under the umbrella of the WDO is the international organization that advocates innovation driven by industrial design to create a better world. Its mission “Design for a better world” involves more than 150 mem-bers, including Andreu World with international events and actions such as choosing the World Design Capital®, which has been designated as the city of Valencia, Spain in 2022. This design com-petition requires a video presentation and a model to be submitted before Nov. 27. Read More

>Andreu World is celebrat-ing its 65th anniversary this year. The company was born in a small cabinetmaking workshop in 1955 and con-tinues to manufacture chairs and tables from the love of detail and passion for design, with the aim of improving the lives of people in the environ-ments they inhabit. Andreu World is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of its iconic

RDL chair. Its essence, or “chairness” is the idea that, in the words of designer Alberto Lievore, hides behind the RDL collection, a concept of a universal chair that has been refined to the maximum. It is made only with solid oak wood and a thin curved sheet that shapes the seat, and without any hardware, screws or accessories. Read More

>The Center for Active Design released Chapters 1 & 2 of its new in-progress publication “Resource Research to Action: Building Health for All in the Face of COVID-19.” With more chapters to come, CfAD plans to continuously update this material as the scientific evi-dence base around COVID-19 continues to evolve. The first two chapters are:

IIDA Foundation John J. Nelson Sr. Legacy Scholarship Recipients (L-R) Jeremiah Brown, Lawson Dyson, Serica Weaver

Andreu World and WDO International Design Contest Andreu World: RDL

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 26 OF 36

officenewswire

-Leveraging Buildings to Miti-gate Viral Transmission. This chapter provides an overview of the basics of viral transmission, as well as strategies to mitigate transmission—including limiting physical interactions, handwashing, regular cleaning, ventilation, filtration, and hu-midity. (Date of Issue: May 6) -Building Trust in the Work-place. This chapter will provide guidance for cultivating employee and tenant trust, and enhancing perceptions of safety once office buildings are ready to re-open. Topics include emergency preparedness, communication, surveying, and signage. (Date of Issue: May 8) Chapters coming soon include: Mental Health and COVID-19; Density and Resiliency; Chronic Disease, Equity, and COVID-19 CfAD also has a new Building Collaboration Tool to help build-ing owners work with tenants to

respond to COVID-19 challeng-es and for the long-term, and a current 50% discount offer on the Fitwel Ambassador Course through this Friday, May 15. Read More

>IA Interior Architects unveiled its latest design intelligence innovation: Quanta™. Part visualization and planning tool, part com-munication tool, IA’s propri-etary digital space planning app Quanta™ (powered by Saltmine) brings the efforts of IA’s The Revived Workplace program to life in real-time and 3D. “What’s so impor-tant about how Quanta fits into The Revived Workplace effort is that we’ve built-in social distancing parameters and compliance algorithms,” writes Guy Messick, IA Direc-tor of Design Intelligence, “so all parties are immediately

aware of how small changes impact the overall workplace readiness plan.” Read More

ENVIRONMENT>The Sustainable Furnish-ings Council launched a campaign, “JUST ONE,” asking members to post this graphic (pictured) this Tues-day, May. 12. The organiza-tion, through its #justonecam-paign, also asks members to “tell us JUST ONE step your company can make to benefit the planet and become more sustainable.” Launched with their April Sustainability Es-sentials webinar, the JUST ONE campaign gives voice to furnishings industry leaders to amplify what they are doing in their operations to reduce energy consumption, better manage their supply chains, and ensure global wellbeing. Read More

EVENTS>Buro Happold’s event se-ries, Collective Impact, has a new edition taking place live this Wednesday, May 13 via Zoom. The Los Angeles office of Buro Happold has hosted Collective Impact for four years running as a forum for sharing ideas and contribut-ing to solutions. “We’re tack-ling subjects from the climate crisis, resilience, health and wellness, and diversity and inclusion to equity, economy and environment and much more,” said Jodi Christopher, a Buro Happold associate in L.A. “We’ve assembled forward-thinking thought leaders for a discussion of our collective impact in California and beyond.” Speakers for the May 13 program include sustainability and lighting expert Gabe Guilliams from Buro Happold, along with: -Ariel Fan – Greenwealth Energy Partners

Center for Active Design Releases Chapters 1 & 2 of New COVID-19 Resource

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 27 OF 36

officenewswire-Aris Hovasapian – Los Angeles Community College District -Drew Johnstone – City of Santa Monica -Heather Gayle Holdridge – Lake | Flato Architects -Izumi Tanaka – HomeGreen-Homes -Jose Hernandez – LACI -Josiah Cain – Sherwood Design Engineers -Lise Bornstein – KFA -Zinayda Reyes – Ware Malcomb -Sarah Dominguez – South-ern California Association of Governments -Mandy Lee – NAACP In the midst of a global pan-demic, the forum promises to be engaging and enjoyable. Adds Jodi Christopher, “Join us, offer your insights, and be part of the conversation to move us forward collectively!” Read More

>Cersaie 2020, originally scheduled for Sep. 28-Oct. 2 in Bologna, Italy, was rescheduled for Nov. 9-13. “The healthiness of ceramics for rethinking home design and architecture” is the title of the 38th show. To be held in the Bologna Exhibition Cen-tre, it will maintain the events and appointments that have made it a global benchmark for the world of ceramic tile, bathroom furnishings, design and architecture. The exhibi-tion has been pushed back by 42 days with respect to the original dates for several reasons. “The fact that we will have to live with COVID-19 for some time makes it es-sential to adopt European protocols to keep exhibitors and visitors safe during their stay in Bologna,” said Antonio Bruzzone, General Manager of BolognaFiere. “We’re pur-suing this important goal at a national and European level while working alongside the institutions and trade associa-tions to support companies during the economic recovery and boost the competitive-ness of our industrial supply chains.” A second important factor was the need to ensure that the new Hall 37 will be ready following the shutdown of all construction work in Ita-ly. The space available in this new hall will enable the vari-

ous product categories to be reorganized while moving the bathroom furnishings sector to the heart of the exhibition center. The entire Hall 18 will be transformed into the Con-tract Hall and will host leading companies from new product categories. The countdown to Cersaie 2020 began in March with a series of initiatives broadcast on the revamped Cersaie TV YouTube channel. These include the ‘Cersaie Small Talks’ webinars with the owners of 11 architec-ture firms currently working from home; ‘The Experi-ence – From our archives’, which repeats 10 of the most popular conferences in the Building Dwelling Thinking program; ‘The World’s Best’, a series of short video mes-sages discussing Cersaie and the current situation recorded by prominent institutional and professional visitors from around the world; ‘Exhibitors’ projects’, where exhibitors at Cersaie 2020 use the exhibi-tion’s social media channels to present their best proj-ects carried out during the last year. Another initiative,

organized by Cersaie and Casabella, is entitled “Here and Now” and will consist of six conversations between Francesco Dal Co and illustri-ous architects including Toyo Ito from his home in Tokyo, followed by Renzo Piano from Paris, Norman Foster from Switzerland, Frank Gehry from Los Angeles, Smiljan Radic from Santiago de Chile, and Eduardo Souto de Moura from Porto. Read More

>IIDA NY Albany City Cen-ter is offering a free CEU webinar this Wednesday, May 13: Social Ergonom-ics in Workplace Design, 4:30-6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Presented by Herman Miller’s Kibibi Springs, Workplace Wellbeing Knowledge Lead, Eastern U.S. & New York City, this IDCEC CEU “Explains how understanding social ergonomics helps us initiate and regulate social interaction through workplace design by considering factors like personal space, physical and psychological proximity, and territoriality.” Read More

IIDA NY CEU.Polished Concrete

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 28 OF 36

officenewswire>IIDA NY Rochester City Center is offering an online CEU Wednesday, May 20 on polished concrete floor-ing. Tom Hollis, President of Green Umbrella Architectural Concrete, will provide tips and tricks to get shining reviews on this trending look. This presentation will educate the design professional on how to achieve a concrete surface that is long lasting, truly mechanically achieved, and properly chemically protected. It will provide 0.1 IDCEC CEU credit and 1.0 AIA LU. The Zoom webinar, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, is free to IIDA members, $5 for non-members, and free to students and educators. Read More

>Parsons Healthy Materials Lab posted Episode 3 of its series Trace Material, which this season focuses on hemp as a sustainable building material. Episode 3 looks at current legalities of growing and selling hemp. Earlier episodes explored hemp’s history going back to the time of slavery; more episodes to come. Healthy Materials Lab is also offering continued access to its online learning program: “Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building”, with classes starting May 26. Read More

IIDA NY: Social Ergonomics in Workplace Design CEU presented by Kibibi Springs, Herman Miller Workplace Wellbeing Knowledge Lead

Parsons Healthy Materials Lab: Trace Materials

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 29 OF 36

businessBUSINESS AFFAIRS>DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd. on May 6 issued its first-quarter 2020 earnings release (U.S. dollars in thousands except per share amounts):

3 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Revenue $40,981 $65,061 -37.0%Gross profit $11,315 $23,604 -52.1%Op. Exp. $20,391 $28,369 -28.1%Op. Loss -$9.076 -$4,765 -Net Loss -$1,326 -$14 -Loss per share -$0.06 -$0.06 -

First Quarter 2020 Highlights:

-Revenue of $41.0 million

-Gross profit margin of 27.6%

-Adjusted Gross Profit Margin of 38.0%

-Net loss of $5.3 million or $(0.06)/share

-Net loss margin of (13.0)%

-Adjusted EBITDA of $(5.5) million

-Adjusted EBITDA Margin of (13.4)%

-$43.5 million cash balance

Management Commentary

“Revenues for the first quarter of $41.0 million were generally in line with our expectations, despite the onset of the COVID-19

pandemic in March,” stated DIRTT CEO Kevin O’Meara. “As the threat of COVID-19 emerged, we took decisive measures to keep our employees safe, maximize liquidity and prudently manage our expenses. First, we implemented work-from-home policies for our non-factory workforce and instituted strict access restrictions and social-distancing measures within our factories, all consistent with protocols required and recom-mended by health authorities. We also eliminated or deferred uncommitted non-critical spending; supplemented our existing cash on hand via entering into new capital lease facilities; and reached an agreement in principal, subject to completion of fi-nal documentation, to allow additional covenant flexibility in our revolving credit facility, which remains currently undrawn. To further mitigate costs and right size our capacity, we reduced production staffing in January and April and as a result, our plant headcount is now 25% lower than at year end.

“While the duration and ultimate impacts of this pandemic cannot yet be determined, we believe DIRTT’s innovation, manufacturing excellence, and nimble commercial execution all remain key advantages in commercial construction. We are taking a targeted approach to executing our strategic plan while conserving financial liquidity, which we believe will allow us to emerge as an even stronger leader in the prefabricated construction market as the pandemic abates. Since January, that approach has included hiring another regional sales direc-tor, upgrading our sales management, enhancing our sales and marketing tools and adding two new distribution partners in April.

5.8.20 4.3.20 12.27.19 9.27.19 6.28.19 3.29.19 %frYrHi%fr50-DayMA

HMiller 23.6 17.8 41.6 45.9 44.7 35.2 -52.7% 12.5%

HNI 23.7 21.8 37.4 35.4 35.4 36.3 -44.8% 0.0%

Inscape 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.7 1.7 1.7 -66.7% -14.6%

Interface 9.0 6.7 16.5 14.6 15.3 15.3 -49.0% 9.9%

Kimball 12.6 9.6 20.7 19.4 17.4 14.1 -44.0% 11.0%

Knoll 11.3 8.6 25.4 25.3 23.0 18.9 -60.1% 12.0%

Leggett 29.8 22.7 51.2 40.9 38.4 42.2 -46.2% 4.3%

Mohawk 84.9 62.0 134.4 123.6 147.5 126.2 -45.8% 7.3%

Steelcase 11.1 8.2 20.6 18.4 17.1 14.6 -51.6% 12.1%

Virco 2.4 2.2 4.4 3.8 4.7 4.3 -53.0% 0.5%

SUM 208.9 160.4 352.9 328.0 345.1 308.8

DJIndust 24,331 21,053 28,645 26,820 26,600 25,929 -17.7% 5.9%

Industry Stock Prices

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 30 OF 36

business“While we have slowed down hiring within our commercial organization, we are moving forward with filling key positions to round out our capabilities. We will also move forward with the sales and marketing tools that we believe will enhance our sales performance for a nominal cost. We expect that commis-sioning activities for our new South Carolina plant will begin in the second half of 2020, with commercial operations expected to commence in the first half of 2021. With the establishment of our capital lease facility, we believe the incremental com-missioning cash cost of approximately $4.0 million, of which approximately $2.0 million will be financed, is a prudent invest-ment that will eliminate single-plant risk and will, we believe, create significant cost savings through material and labor efficiencies as well as logistics improvements.”

Mr. O’Meara concluded, “While it is impossible to predict COVID-19’s near- and long-term impact on how organizations use their space and thus commercial construction activity levels, we believe the current crisis may present new opportu-nities, such as increased investment in healthcare infrastruc-ture and the need for flexibility as people begin to re-occupy their existing work spaces. Nevertheless, we remain prepared to take further actions as necessary if economic or industry conditions deteriorate. Whatever the ultimate timing and pace of economic recovery, our goal is to have a strong financial position and the organizational capabilities to enable us to target the market segments where we can be most effective and grow our market share.”

First Quarter Financial Review

“Revenues for the first quarter of 2020 were $41.0 million compared to $65.1 million reported in the first quarter of 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, we experienced the ongoing effects of disruption in sales activity levels, particularly with respect to larger size projects, stemming from the distraction of rebuilding our management team and sales and marketing function dur-ing 2018 and 2019.

“Correspondingly, gross profit for the first quarter of 2020 declined to $11.3 million from $23.6 million in the prior year period. Gross profit margin decreased to 27.6% of revenue in the first quarter from 36.3% in the prior year period, but up from 25.3% in the fourth quarter of 2019.

“Gross profit was impacted by reduced fixed cost leverage on lower revenues and excess labor capacity prior to headcount reductions. During the quarter, we took steps to manage our excess labor capacity, including a previously disclosed reduc-tion in production staffing by 14%. In April, we made a further 12% reduction and undertook planned factory curtailments and reduced shift lengths. These actions realigned our capacity with currently expected activity levels, but we retain the flex-ibility to expand capacity quickly in the future as needed.

“Adjusted Gross Profit Margin in the first quarter decreased to 38.0% from 39.6% in the prior year period but increased from 33.4% in the fourth quarter of 2019. In the quarter, we separately classified $2.0 million as costs related to our under-utilized capacity in cost of sales. Adjusted Gross Profit Margin excludes the costs of under-utilized capacity.

“Sales and marketing expenses decreased to $7.4 million for the first quarter of 2020 from $7.8 million in the prior year period. The decline was caused primarily by decreased com-mission expense on lower revenue.

“General and administrative expenses increased to $7.8 million for the first quarter of 2020 from $6.9 million for the prior year period. The increase was due primarily to higher professional fees of $0.8 million due to ongoing litigation matters. In the first quarter of 2020 we recorded expected credit losses of $0.6 million against our accounts receivable balance. Additionally, in the first quarter of 2019 we incurred $0.7 million of costs related to the listing of our common shares on Nasdaq.

“Operations support expenses of $2.5 million in the first three months of 2020 were consistent with the prior year period.

“Technology and Development expenses increased to $2.2 mil-lion for the first quarter of 2020 from $2.1 million in the prior year period due primarily to an increase in headcount partially offset by a $0.5 million increase in capitalized software devel-opment costs for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

“Net loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $5.3 million or $(0.06) per share consistent with a net loss of $5.3 million or $(0.06) per share for the first quarter of 2019. The loss remained flat as a result of changes in gross profit and operating expenses as de-scribed above, offset by lower stock-based compensation and re-organization expenses as well as increased foreign exchange gains and income tax recoveries. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2019 included $6.4 million of stock-based compensa-tion expense and $2.6 million of reorganization expenses, com-pared to $0.5 million and $nil, respectively, in the same period of 2020. Net loss margin was (13.0)% for the first quarter of 2020.

“Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased to a loss of $(5.5) million or (13.4)% from earnings of $7.7 million or 11.9% in the same period of 2019. This reflects a $10.2 million de-crease in Adjusted Gross Profit and $2.0 million of costs of underutilized capacity, discussed above; $0.8 million of higher litigation costs in 2020; and $0.6 million increase to provision for expected credit losses. Additionally, in the first quarter of 2019 we incurred $0.7 million of costs related to the listing of our common shares on Nasdaq. These reductions in Adjusted EBITDA were partially offset by reductions in variable compen-sation provisions and other cost reductions.”

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 31 OF 36

businessThe full text of DIRTT’s 1Q20 earnings release, including all tables; plus supplemental information slides and a replay of its May 7 conference call webcast may be accessed at www.dirtt.com/investors. A telephone replay of the call and webcast will be available until 9:59 p.m. MDT (11:59 p.m. EDT) on May 14, at +1-855-859-2056 with passcode 1083376

>HNI Corp.’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of 30.5 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on Jun. 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 15. http://investors.hnicorp.com/

>Interface, Inc. on May 8 announced its first-quarter fiscal 2020 results (dollars in thousands except EPS):

3 Mos. Ended 4.5.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Net Sales $288,169 $297,688 -3.2%Gross Profit $114,311 $116,522 -1.9%SG&A $87,683 $100,135 -12.4%Op. Inc./Loss -$93,512 $16,387 -Net Inc./Loss -$102,167 $7,059 -EPS (dil) -$1.75 $0.12 -

Highlights:

-Strong liquidity of $309 million at quarter end comprised of $73 million of cash and $236 million of borrowing availability under the revolving credit facility

-Q1 net sales down 3%; Q1 organic sales down 2%

-$121 million non-cash charge for impairment of goodwill and intangible assets driven by COVID-19 impact

-Including impairment charge, Q1 2020 GAAP loss per share of $1.75 vs. Q1 2019 GAAP EPS of $0.12; Q1 2020 adjusted EPS of $0.32

-Providing update on COVID-19 impact and response strategies

“We had a strong start to the year, but we began to see disrup-tion in our business due to the global COVID-19 pandemic as the first quarter progressed,” said Interface Chairman and CEO Dan Hendrix. “We ended the quarter, which had an extra fis-cal week this year, with net sales down 3%, and organic sales down 2% versus the first quarter last year. The management team moved quickly in this unique situation to align operating costs with customer demand, driving first quarter adjusted EPS to $0.32, up 129% compared to adjusted EPS of $0.14 in the first quarter last year. As we face this challenging and unpre-dictable macroeconomic environment throughout 2020 and beyond, we expect continued solid growth in our resilient floor-ing portfolio, particularly in healthcare, education and industrial applications, and market leadership in carpet tile. We remain very diligent in continuing to reduce operating costs to prepare for a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on global commerce.

“Globally, the Interface team is doing an incredible job of managing through this unprecedented time. The health and well-being of our employees is our top priority as we stay open for business to support our customers. While we have expe-rienced short-term disruptions in some of our manufacturing operations around the world, we continue to deliver for our cus-tomers and have uncovered new and valuable ways to connect with them in these unique circumstances, further strengthen-ing our relationships. In my nearly 40 years with Interface, we have successfully navigated several economic downturns. I’m confident that with our strong foundation, talented team and a continued focus on our core strategy, we can drive meaningful growth in the long-term and come out on the other side as a stronger company.”

Interface CFO Bruce Hausmann added that “In addition to our focus on long-term growth and profitability, we have quickly activated plans to closely manage expenses, cash flows, and overall liquidity. We are prudently managing our cash during this period. Even though the first quarter is typically a heavy cash use period for us, we ended the quarter with $73 million of cash on hand and $236 million of borrowing availability under our revolver. Our net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio was 2.7x at the end of Q1 2020.”

First Quarter 2020 organic sales were down 2% year-over-year with solid growth in resilient flooring being offset by a decline in carpet tile.

Gross profit margin was 39.7% in the first quarter, an increase of 60 basis points from the prior year period. Adjusted gross profit margin was 40.1%, an increase of 30 basis points over adjusted gross margin for the prior year period.

First quarter SG&A expenses were 30.4% of sales, compared to 33.6% in the prior year period. Adjusted SG&A expenses were $86 million, or 29.9% of sales in first quarter 2020.

During the quarter, the company recorded a non-cash charge for impairment of goodwill and intangible assets of $121 mil-lion, primarily driven by the global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the company recorded a $1 million reduction of previously recognized restructuring charges due to a decline in anticipated cash payments. The company also elected to change its method of accounting for forfeitures of share-based awards, and as a result, the cumulative effect of this change in accounting principle of $1 million was recog-nized in SG&A expense in the first quarter 2020.

First quarter 2020 adjusted operating income was $29 million, up 60% versus adjusted operating income of $18 million in the first quarter last year. Adjusted net income increased to $19 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, versus first quarter 2019 adjusted net income of $8 million, or $0.14 per diluted share.

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businessAdjusted EBITDA increased to $35 million from $31 million in the prior year period.

The company had cash on hand of $73 million and total debt of $627 million at April 5, 2020, compared to $81 million of cash and $596 million of total debt at the end of fiscal year 2019.

Outlook

Given the continued disruption of the global economy due to COV-ID-19, and the significant level of uncertainty created by the global pandemic, Interface has withdrawn its fiscal year 2020 guidance.

Cost Reductions

The company has implemented several cost reducing initiatives to align with anticipated customer demand including a voluntary separation program, temporary furloughs and other time-and-pay reduction programs, involuntary separations where necessary to streamline roles and responsibilities, and various other cost avoid-ance initiatives. The company also has suspended merit-based pay increases, as well as 401(k) and non-qualified savings plan company matching contributions, and is expected to benefit from lower than originally anticipated performance-based compensa-tion and variable compensation. In addition, the company has moderated its capital spending plans and currently anticipates capital expenditures of $45 - $50 million for the full year 2020.

Cost Reclassifications

As indicated in the 2019 year-end earnings release, the com-pany has reclassified and standardized cost categories globally as part of the implementation of a global financial consoli-dation system and the integration of nora®. The company determined that this change better reflects how management views and operates the business. This change results in the reclassification of certain expenses between Cost of Sales and Selling, General & Administrative expenses. Starting in the first quarter of 2020, the reclassifications are presented retrospectively to make all periods comparable.

The complete text of Interface’s 1Q20 earnings release, includ-ing all tables, is available at https://investors.interface.com/investor-relations/. A replay of the company’s May 8 confer-ence call webcast is available at https://investors.interface.com/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.

>Kimball International, Inc. on May 5 released its third-quar-ter fiscal 2020 results (dollars in thousands except EPS):

3 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Net Sales $178,174 $177,369 0.5%Gross Profit $60,494 $56,561 7.0%SG&A $45,606 $47,508 -4.0%Op. Inc. $14,070 $9,053 55.4%Net Inc. $9,451 $7,954 18.8%EPS (dil.) $0.25 $0.22 13.6%

9 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Net Sales $571,790 $572,500 0.1%Gross Profit $196,205 $187,423 4.7%SG&A $146,239 $151,178 -3.3%Op. Inc. $43,402 $36,245 19.7%Net Inc. $31,874 $28,235 12.9%EPS (dil.) $0.86 $0.76 13.2%

Selected 3Q20 Financial Highlights:

-Net sales increased 0.5% to $178.2 million

-Operating income margin of 7.9%, or 7.5% on an adjusted basis

-Net income of $9.5 million, increased 19%

-Adjusted EBITDA of $17.5 million, increased 21%, and adjust-ed EBITDA margin of 9.8%, increased 160 basis points

-Diluted EPS of $0.25, or $0.27 on an adjusted basis, an increase of 23% compared to $0.22 a year ago

-Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 29.4%

-Backlog of $187.0 million

“I am very pleased with the continued success of our transfor-mation program designed to generate sales growth, while yield-ing significant cost savings,” commented Kimball International CEO Kristie Juster. “Despite the impact of COVID-19-related order pushouts and the temporary shutdown of our facilities, third quarter sales were led by year-on-year growth in our Com-mercial market and the healthcare and educational verticals in our Institutional market. Even with the impact of COVID-19 on our revenues, we achieved 23% growth in adjusted earnings per share and 21% growth in adjusted EBITDA, representing significant operating leverage driven by transformation cost savings and increased prices on selected product lines. Ad-ditionally, we continued to experience strong demand for our innovative new workplace products, which increased to 29% of total Commercial and Institutional sales, up from 27% last year.

“Kimball International has a rich history of banding together in difficult times, and I am proud of the tremendous efforts of our employees and leadership team to achieve a high level of re-sponse to the COVID-19 pandemic within a very short time. At the onset of this health crisis, we took swift action to proactively safeguard and support our people, activate business continu-ity plans to minimize impacts to our customers and continue the rigorous financial management of our business. By the end of March, we had curtailed our business operations to four facilities and shifted our focus to prioritize critically needed healthcare industry products by launching a family of quickship products for facilities serving the COVID-19 crisis. By the end of April, we increased the number of facilities in operation to eight out of the 10 that comprise our U.S. manufacturing footprint,

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businesswhich has reduced our lead-times on incoming orders and pro-vides us with the ability to accommodate additional volumes.

“Order rates in the third quarter increased at a mid-single digit rate, led by our Institutional and Hospitality markets, but by the second half of March we began to see a significant number of COVID-19-related order and shipment push-outs in our Hospitality vertical, which represents approximately 25% of our revenue. This trend has continued, along with a slowdown in order flow in all three markets. Fortunately, our backlog was $187.0 million at the end of the third quarter, of which over $100 million is anticipated to ship in the fourth quarter, and we expect to continue to benefit from our transformation cost sav-ings initiatives in this year’s fourth quarter.”

Delays in shipments due to temporary production halts and delivery push-outs totaled approximately $18 million during the quarter. Gross margin expanded to 34.0% due to cost savings and selected product price increases. Selling and administrative expenses decreased to 25.6% of net sales. Adjusted selling and administrative expenses were $47.2 million or 26.5% of net sales, compared to $46.2 million or 26.1% of net sales in last year’s third quarter. Adjusted earnings per share, which excludes re-structuring charges, increased 23% to $0.27 compared to $0.22 last year. Adjusted EBITDA increased 21% to $17.5 million, and adjusted EBITDA margin expanded 160 basis points to 9.8%.

The company ended the third quarter in a strong financial posi-tion, with $90.3 million in cash and short-term investments, minimal debt, and $73.4 million in available credit lines. Capital expenditures during the quarter were $5.6 million, most of which related to manufacturing equipment upgrades to increase automation and facility upgrades, and the company returned $5.1 million to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases.

Results by End Market (dollars in millions):

NET SALES

3 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Institutional* $63.5 $61.3 4%Commercial** $71.0 $67.8 5%Hospitality $43.7 $48.3 -10%Total $178.2 $177.4 0%

9 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Institutional $215.7 $202.8 6%Commercial $216.0 $224.3 -4%Hospitality $140.1 $145.4 -4%Total $571.8 $572.5 0%

* Institutional end market includes healthcare, education and government end markets

** Commercial end market includes commercial and financial end markets

ORDERS

3 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Institutional $73.1 $63.4 15%Commercial $69.4 $76.0 -9%Hospitality $50.1 $44.7 12%Total $192.6 $184.1 5%

9 Mos. Ended 3.31.20 3.31.19 %Ch.Institutional $223.5 $201.3 11%Commercial $222.3 $230.5 -4%Hospitality $152.0 $140.8 8%Total $597.8 $572.6 4%

Institutional market revenue increased 4% despite the impact of COVID-19 to sales near the end of the quarter. Growth in this important vertical was driven by strength in healthcare, educa-tion and state and local government agencies.

Commercial revenue grew 5% against a pre-COVID-19 backdrop of economic and business strength with particular strength in the financial end market, which the company at-tributed to its capability to deliver custom solutions.

The decline in revenue from Hospitality customers reflected projects deferred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but there have been only minimal project cancellations. Kimball is working closely with its customers in this vertical to accommo-date their extended delivery requirements.

Summary and Outlook

“It is difficult to predict the duration of the COVID-19 pan-demic and its impact on our customers, our suppliers and our business,” said Ms. Juster. “Given this lack of visibility, we believe it is prudent to suspend our long-term financial targets until economic conditions become clearer. That said, Kimball International has entered this crisis with a strong balance sheet and a lean and nimble operating model thanks to our transfor-mation program. Additionally, we have taken actions to further reduce costs and preserve cash to address the uncertain economic environment, including reducing our planned fourth quarter capital expenditures by 50%, curtailing discretionary spending, and suspending our share buyback activity. We are closely monitoring the situation and evaluating other actions to take if warranted.

“Our customer end markets are well diversified, and we have significant manufacturing agility, enabling us to efficiently shift production to those products in higher demand. Once the economy recovers, we are confident that Kimball International has the structure in place to achieve consistent mid-single-digit revenue growth and to grow adjusted EBITDA and EPS at a faster rate than sales.

“Looking ahead, we believe that this health crisis will cause major changes in the workplace environment that will provide opportu-

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businessnities for Kimball International to gain market share, leveraging our investments in innovation, flexible manufacturing and rapid time-to-market. Our current line-up is heavily weighted toward products that enable us to retrofit and redesign a new post-COV-ID-19 workplace that will accommodate an increase in telework-ing and the social distancing requirements of the future.”

The full text of Kimball International’s 3Q20 earnings release, including all tables, and a webcast replay of the company’s May 6 conference call, including a PDF of its 3Q20 Earnings and Strategy Update with supplementary data, may be accessed at https://www.kimballinternational.com/news-and-events

>Mohawk Industries, Inc. on May 4 announced its first-quarter 2020 results (dollars in thousands except EPS):

3 Mos. Ended 3.28.20 3.30.19 %Ch.Net Sales $2,285,763 $2,442,490 -6.4%Gross Profit $1,669,323 $1,817,563 -8.2%SG&A $464,957 $459,597 1.2%Op. Inc. $151,483 $165,330 -8.4%Net Earn. $110,514 $121,585 -9.1%EPS (dil.) $1.54 $1.67 -7.8%

On a constant currency and days basis, net sales for the quarter were down 3.5%. Adjusted net earnings were $119 million, and EPS was $1.66, excluding restructuring, acquisition and other charges. This compares with adjusted net earnings of $154 mil-lion and adjusted EPS of $2.13 in the first quarter of 2019.

“The world changed during the first quarter, and we are now managing through an unprecedented situation,” said Mohawk Industries Chairman and CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum. “Mo-hawk entered the year as the world’s leading flooring company with a strong presence in all product categories, manufacturing in 18 countries and sales in more than 170 nations. During 2019, we generated $1.4 billion of operating cash flow, and we have a strong balance sheet and leverage of 1.6x, near our historical low. We recently obtained a $500 million term loan to expand our liquidity to $1.3 billion after we pay off a €300 mil-lion note this month. With no other maturities in 2020, we have liquidity to manage through the downturn and strengthen our position when the economy recovers. We are reducing capital expenditures, cutting non-essential expenses and putting our stock purchases on hold until the environment improves.

“Until the COVID-19 outbreak, our results for the quarter were in line with our plan, as we benefited from the initia-tives we implemented in 2019. As we progressed through the period, government actions to reduce the spread of the virus impacted all our markets, with some shutting down retail and manufacturing operations. Across all of our markets, demand has dropped dramatically, with residential remodeling being impacted the most up to this point and DIY products perform-ing best, as some people started projects while staying home.

“To respond to this global event, we have established corporate, segment and business teams to manage our actions as condi-tions change. We are keeping employees safe, increasing work from home and adjusting strategies as required. As demand dropped, we significantly reduced production, and are making weekly adjustments to adapt to the changing environment. Even where mandatory shutdowns were initiated, we are shipping product from inventory to our customers that are operating. We are lowering our costs by implementing layoffs and furloughs, using government assistance where available and absorbing labor costs where mandated to do so. We are benefiting from lower raw material and energy costs, though other headwinds are considerably greater. We are limiting our expenses and in-vestments to what is essential to run the business and enhanc-ing reports to manage major areas of focus, including inventory levels, headcount, receivables and payables.

“Each of our segments and individual businesses has strong leaders that have managed through difficult circumstances multiple times during their careers. Our entire global team is tak-ing extraordinary steps to support our customers and protect our people and business. Our organization is flexible in adapting to fluid conditions, and we are applying the lessons we learned from 9/11 and the last recession to guide us through these times.”

Results by Segment (dollars in thousands):

3 Mos. Ended 3.28.20 3.30.19 %Ch.Global Ceramic Net Sales $848,450 $898,352 -5.6% Op. Inc. $49,089 $84,335 -41.8%Flooring NA Net Sales $848,330 $921,980 -8.0% Op. Inc. $33,682 $649 5,089.8%Flooring ROW Net Sales $588,983 $622,158 -5.3% Op. Inc. $77,227 $90,431 -14.6%

“For the quarter, our Global Ceramic Segment sales declined 6% as reported and 2% on a constant currency and days basis,” said Mr. Lorberbaum. “The segment’s operating margin was 6% as reported, declining year over year primarily due to lower volume, unfavorable price and mix and unplanned shutdown costs due to COVID-19, partially offset by productiv-ity and lower start-up cost. Each of the segment’s regions was affected by the virus at different points in the period, with Italy at the forefront. In each region, we are lowering our produc-tion with demand, reducing our cost structure and adapting to different government programs in each country. Our U.S. ceramic business has a higher percentage of new residential and commercial sales, so demand has declined more slowly as those projects are still being completed. Through February, U.S. ceramic imports were 18% lower than the prior year, and aver-age import pricing rose 5%. Our click ceramic production con-

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businesstinues to ramp up as we begin introducing new collections into different channels. We are increasing our higher value quartz countertops as our productivity and cost continue to improve. In Mexico, our first quarter sales were slightly better than last year, with our mix declining due to increased competition, higher inflation and investments to expand commercial distribution. Though the Mexican government shut down manufacturing in April, we continued to ship from inventory. In Brazil, our results were good, even though the virus negatively impacted the end of the period. Our European ceramic business was on plan until the outbreak stopped production, and shipments to custom-ers have continued. In our Russian business, our volume was stronger than expected due to customers increasing their inven-tory levels, anticipating higher inflation. Much of Russia is now locked down, with many stores and construction sites closed.

“During the quarter, our Flooring North America Segment’s sales decreased 8% as reported and approximately 5.5% with one less day and the exit of unprofitable wood and other products with an operating margin of 4% as reported and 5% excluding restruc-turing and other charges. Operating income for the segment increased primarily due to improvements in productivity and reductions in inflation, partially offset by lower volume, price, mix and COVID-19. Across the business, we are reducing production and implementing layoffs and furloughs to align with the abrupt decline in demand. The segment has a higher percentage of sales from remodeling, and a large number of our retailers are not operating. Many retailers that carry our rug collections have also been closed. Our carpet sales performed best in the builder, multi-family, education and government sectors as projects underway have continued. During the quarter, LVT and sheet vinyl performed the best in the segment. Our LVT operations have improved with higher daily output and increased uptime. To improve our margins and mix, we have introduced collections featuring enhanced design and performance under our pre-mium brands. Like resilient flooring, our state-of-the-art laminate also provides a DIY alternative with realistic visuals, water-proof technology and enhanced durability. In our wood flooring busi-ness, we have restructured our manufacturing operations and increased productivity and yields, improving our margins.

“For the quarter, our Flooring Rest of the World Segment’s sales decreased 5% as reported and were flat on a constant currency and days basis. The segment’s operating margin was 13% as reported and 14% excluding restructuring and other charges due to lower price and mix, volume and shutdown costs from CO-VID-19, partially offset by lower inflation and increased productiv-ity. Across our product categories, we have continued shipping from inventory to support customers that are operating. During the first quarter, the product categories in which we have made recent investments, including rigid LVT, sheet vinyl and carpet tile, delivered growth in a difficult environment. LVT outperformed

as it takes market share from other product categories. Our sheet vinyl business grew due to exports outside the region, and higher sales in Russia, where our new plant is operating well. As we ex-ited the quarter, our laminate volume declined with the rest of the business, primarily in countries most impacted by the outbreak. We completed the closure of our wood flooring plant in the Czech Republic, which will reduce costs in our Malaysian operation as it reopens from a mandatory shutdown. Our insulation plants in France and Ireland have ceased manufacturing, and our other plants are reducing production and placing workers on temporary unemployment. Our board operations are being impacted simi-larly to the rest of the business, and we are starting and stopping production with temporary layoffs. In Australia and New Zealand, our sales were up slightly with hard surfaces growing and lower carpet sales pressuring margins. A major update of many of our product lines is being well accepted. In late March, New Zea-land’s government enacted a stringent lockdown, shuttering our operations and retail outlets throughout April.

“As we enter May, the coronavirus is dramatically disrupting the economies around the world. Some countries are beginning to explore easing restrictions, while others are extending them. Presently, all our plants around the world are in operation except those in Mexico and a small plant in Pennsylvania. We are focused on conserving cash, adjusting production, reduc-ing inventory and preserving our operational capabilities. We are also reducing expenses and investments and aligning with government requirements and support. The rate at which gov-ernments will open commerce and the subsequent consumer response cannot be determined. Some businesses have post-poned investments in both remodeling and new construction until a recovery becomes more apparent. At the end of April, with most people sheltering in place across the world, our sales rate is about 35% below the prior year, and we cannot predict the pace at which it will recover. Given these circumstances, we are unable to provide EPS guidance for the second quarter, and we anticipate an operating loss in the period due to the impact of COVID-19. Our balance sheet is strong with substan-tial liquidity of $1.3 billion to manage through this crisis. Our business model remains solid with strong local teams in each market taking the necessary actions to manage the downturn. The economies will return to normal over time, and we are optimistic about the long-term future of our business.”

The full text of Mohawk’s 1Q20 earnings release, including all tables, may be accessed at the Investor Information section of Mohawk’s website. A replay of the company’s May 5 confer-ence call with investors may be accessed here. A telephone replay of the call will also be available until Jun. 5 at 855-859-2056 for U.S./Local calls and 404-537-3406 for International/Local calls; Conference ID # 5997678. http://ir.mohawkind.com/news-releases/

05.11.20 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 36 OF 36

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Trendway is currently seeking an Independent Sales Rep Group to grow an established territory in North Texas (DFW) and expand currently limited distribution in Oklahoma & Arkansas. The ideal organiza-tion should be based in Dallas/Fort Worth area and preferably have representation physically located in both Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The profile of the ideal group would include these key elements.

• Showroom – We feel as our product line continues to grow, particularly in architec-tural products, case goods and workstations, it is imper-ative that we have a location to feature these products in an installed environment

• Multiple Personnel – Includ-ing inside sales support and potentially specific architec-tural products personnel

• Complete Line Package – Complementary, non-competing product lines that facilitate distribution with larger, aligned dealers in the market

• Strong Relationships – Across all levels of vertical markets, dealers, A&D and architects.

• Technologically Savvy – Use of social media, website, and other technology to facilitate business and presentations

• Growth Mindset – Runs their business like a busi-ness and is focused on growth

Qualifications:

> Ability to build and main-tain Dealer, A + D, and end user relationships

> Strong written and verbal communication skills

> Ability and commitment to travel consistently within territory

If this sounds like you, please send cover letter and resume to keliopulos@trendway.com

Independent Sales Rep Group - N. Texas, Oklahoma & Arkansas