## Allsteel - A Different Way of Doing Business

By focusing on every customer to create a unique and memorable
experience, we are able to create long term value for our customers:
spaces that make a statement, products that address real problems,
solutions that are tailored to increase the bottom line and help
organizations be more effective. At Allsteel, being responsive means
listening to what our customers say their needs are, and deliver a
complete solution that is specific to their needs today, and in the
future. As a result of the way we approach our business we are rewarded
with customer loyalty and trust. How do we do this? If you ask our
customers they will tell you that it is the quality of people at
Allsteel that make the difference

## Good design is functionality made beautiful.

Elegant lines, beautiful finishes and a wide selection of options are
details that are designed into every product to help employees work more
comfortably, efficiently, and effectively, in a workspace that inspires.

## Advanced Functionality means actually solving real problems.

We believe that our products should be designed to solve the problems
faced by customers every day. This is why we seek out customer feedback
throughout our entire design process. Solving problems by advancing the
functionality of each product is our approach to product development.

## Durability is engineered and manufactured into our products so they stand up to extended use and multiple reconfigurations, and look great over time.

Durable material choices, precise engineering and lean manufacturing
practices allow us to offer products that are intended to have a long
life. We pay attention to what materials are used and how they affect
the environment. We stand behind our products with a lifetime warranty.

## Service should do more than fix problems -- it should anticipate them. 

Because we strive to make our customer's jobs easier, we have put
people, systems and programs in place to help you in getting your
offices up and running and keep things running smoothly. All of our
members are empowered and encouraged to go above and beyond customer
expectations. It is part of our culture.

## Our members are committed to helping customers succeed.

Allsteel shares and contributes to the values set out by HNI
corporation. Its right in our mission statement: "Through the years, the
soul of this company has centered on personal and collective integrity,
a belief that all stakeholders- our members, customers, shareholders,
suppliers and communities- should be treated at all times with honesty,
fairness and respect. The company operates on a simple principle: to be
a great place for shareholders to invest, strive to be a great place to
work and do business with."

You'll notice how our culture fits the way you do business.

## Allsteel. Designed to work. Built to last.

## 

# History

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="4.239583333333333in"
height="2.0833333333333335in"} 

### Our Background

Allsteel is located in Muscatine, Iowa, and brings a friendly,
Midwestern work ethic to everything it does. Headquartered in an
award-winning building not far from the Mississippi river, the corporate
headquarters facility reflects Allsteel\'s most important values:
honesty, openness, and commitment to customers. Allsteel is part of the
HNI Corporation, the second largest office furniture manufacturer in
North America, and named annually as one of the best-managed companies
in the world.\
\
![](media/image2.png){width="0.9895833333333334in" height="0.9375in"}

### A legacy of leadership

From its establishment in 1912 as the All-Steel-Equip Co., the Allsteel
name has been associated with leadership. That leadership had its roots
in the unique working relationship shared by Charles H. Lembke and John
Knell, the entrepreneurs who guided the company through its early years.
These two individuals, one a self-driven visionary and the other a
gregarious \"people person,\" understood each other's distinct
abilities. Together they forged a model of teamwork that was quite
uncharacteristic for independent-minded business people.\
\
![](media/image3.png){width="0.9895833333333334in" height="0.9375in"}

### A solid reputation

Quick to put cash into their operation, rather than take it out, Lembke
and Knell strove to build the fledgling metal shop into a top-quality
enterprise. Their integrity and cooperative spirit attracted individuals
of similar caliber, and the All-Steel-Equip Co. built on its solid
reputation. An early entrant in the fledgling power industry,
All-Steel-Equip produced metal enclosures used by electrical
contractors.\
\
![](media/image4.png){width="0.9895833333333334in" height="0.9375in"}

### The best in its class

The Allsteel legacy of leadership demonstrated itself repeatedly over
the decades that followed. The growing management team often capitalized
on new opportunities through acquisitions. More than once, management's
first act would be to shut down the newly acquired company for several
weeks while the engineering staff completely redesigned its products and
manufacturing processes. Thus, even in its early days, the Allsteel
brand became associated with its founders' passion to produce nothing
that wasn't the best in its class.\
\
![](media/image5.png){width="0.9895833333333334in" height="0.9375in"}

### Leadership in office furniture

Their early lockers and steel cabinets were popular accessories in
office environments and, near the end of the Great Depression, the
product line expanded to include vertical files. When steel became
readily available after World War II, Allsteel introduced a line of
steel desks. Described as \"knock down\" in design, these modular units
could be custom-configured at the dealership to meet a myriad of
individual requirements.\
\
The company grew in two directions: electrical components and office
furniture. Eventually the electrical division would be spun off into a
separate enterprise within CIT, Allsteel's new parent company. This
allowed the Allsteel management team to focus on office furniture, just
as the white-collar workforce became the new driver in economic growth.\
\
![](media/image6.png){width="0.9895833333333334in"
height="0.9388888888888889in"}

### Birthplace of the lateral file

Perhaps no single event cemented the Allsteel reputation for leadership
like the development and popularization of the lateral file. First
created in 1967 by B.K. Johl (later to be known as Allsteel of Canada),
the lateral file revolutionized records management.\
\
The lateral file offered many advantages over the traditional file. Its
wide drawers held records in side-to-side, or lateral, format. Files
displayed in this manner were easier to identify, remove, and replace.
The shallow front-to-back dimensions and short distance of drawer travel
made the lateral file a more space-efficient storage solution. Moreover,
the clean, uncluttered appearance was far more appealing than a
conventional vertical file.

### Driven by functional design

At Allsteel, great design transcends any particular type of style. We
make decisions carefully focusing on innovative, easy-to-use
functionality. We continually test materials to ensure durability and
their ability to look great through a whole life cycle of use. Our
products cover a range of styles, but offer a classic look that lasts
through many years of fads and trends. Being true to our heritage, we
continually seek to create products that are the best in their class.
We\'ve worked collaboratively with some of America\'s leading designers,
including Bob Worrell, Pete Buhk, Tom Tolleson, Greg Saul, Michael
Walsh, Jeff Cronk, David Rowland, John Rizzi, and Marcus Koepke. Our
product work often wins awards from the Industrial Designers Society of
America, the International Interior Design Association, and the American
Institute of Architects, and is frequently recognized by design and
architectural magazines

##