How Did We Get Here?

At Haworth, we’re always looking to the future, while remembering where we came from. See our heritage of
design and innovation take shape through each milestone decade.

Vintage black-and-white photo of a three-tier kidney-shaped display stand with angled legs holding dress shoes

1940s: Industrial arts teacher G.W. Haworth launches Modern Products, manufacturing and selling a variety of wood items. One of the fledgling company’s first products, this shoe rack was part of a series of retail display units.

Vintage office setup with wood-grain panels, desks, a round table, navy lounge chairs and a pink desk chair

1950s: G.W. builds an innovative office partition system for the United Auto Workers headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. The success catapults his company forward in creating moveable wall products and leads to a new name, Modern Partitions, Inc.

Black-and-white photo of two smiling men in suits and HAWORTH caps on a factory floor

1960s: G.W.’s son, Dick Haworth, joins the company and becomes Executive Vice President in 1969. As the business grows, it expands into educational furniture, including study carrels and dorm furnishings, while exploring new materials and manufacturing methods.

Cutaway illustration of two green fabric office panels showing acoustic foam core, wiring and outlets at the base

1970s: Modern Partitions becomes Haworth, Inc., with Dick Haworth leading the company through 400% growth over two decades. Haworth launches the innovative ERA-1 pre-wired panel system, later evolving into UniGroup, and shifts its focus exclusively to office furniture.

Vintage office workstation with a beige desk, old computer monitor and keyboard, printer and burgundy task chair

1980s: Haworth expands into seating and storage, offering more complete workplace solutions. Through acquisitions and global growth, it establishes a European headquarters and enters Asia-Pacific markets. Employee count reaches 1,951 and sales surpass $2 million.

Overhead view of an office with grey panel workstations, curved white worksurfaces, task chairs and CRT computers

1990s: Haworth expands globally through international acquisitions and welcomes Franco Bianchi, who later becomes CEO. The company also launches the Ideation Group, bringing together workplace researchers, designers, and analysts to develop research-driven solutions for customers.

Aerial view of a long glass building with a sloped green roof, outdoor patio seating and young trees on a lawn

2000s: Haworth opens its global headquarters in Holland, Michigan. The LEED Gold-certified One Haworth Center serves as a living lab, showcasing workplace insights and the company’s Organic Workspace strategy, which blends research, knowledge, and design to address evolving customer needs.

Chaise lounge with brown and white cowhide upholstery, black bolster pillow, chrome curved frame and black base

2010s: Haworth strengthens its ancillary furniture portfolio through international acquisitions, giving customers access to a curated collection of leading brands. Known for creativity, craftsmanship, and expertise, these brands bring more than a century of design and innovation heritage.

HAWORTH 75 logo with numerals filled by a photo of coral lounge chairs and a colorful textured archway

2020s: After surpassing $2.5 billion in global sales in 2022, Haworth celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023. Still family-owned, the company is led by Matthew Haworth as Chairman, with Dick Haworth as Chairman Emeritus, and serves more than 150 countries through 400 dealers and 8,000+ employees.

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