Leading furniture maker establishes flagship store (hktdc.com)


	(2nd from right) InvestHK's Mark Michelson; Chairman, President and CEO of HNI Corporation, Stan Askren and Executive Vice President Marco Molinari; and President of AmCham in Hong Kong, Jack Maisano

After the acquisition of Hong Kong-based Lamex in March last year, the second largest and most profitable office furniture manufacturer in the world, HNI Corporation, announced the opening of its Lamex flagship showroom in North Point.

Chairman, President and CEO of HNI Corporation, Stan Askren, said: "Lamex's strong brand, significant customer base and manufacturing capabilities offer HNI Corporation the opportunity to drive aggressive growth in China, one of the largest and fastest growing office furniture markets in the world.”

He added: "Hong Kong is an international city where East meets West. The uniqueness of this city, with its independent legal system, excellent financial environment, vibrant culture and central location, make it an ideal place for overseas investors to expand their operations.”

One stop service

Lamex is a long established and recognised market leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of office furniture sold in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. HNI Corporation will now be able to tap Lamex's strong regional presence which includes showrooms and sales offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, and a network of franchisees throughout the mainland.

Branded under Lamex, the new flagship showroom showcases international award-winning office furniture, including chairs designed by the well-known US brand "Allsteel”. The showroom aims to provide a one-stop service for clients -- offering expert advice and a wide variety of office furniture options under one roof.

The Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mark Michelson, said there will be plenty of business opportunities for HNI Corporation. "Hong Kong is an international business capital, with nearly 3,850 regional operations of overseas and Mainland companies. Many of them require high-quality office furniture and professional advice for their new or expanded offices.”

Founded in 1944 and traded on the New York Stock Exchange, US-based HNI Corporation provides products and solutions for the home and workplace environments. Its 2005 sales reached US$2.45 billion. The company was recognised for the eighth consecutive year as one of the 400 Best Big Companies in US by Forbes magazine, and was named one of America's Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine. Source: InvestHK