CHICAGO - Jasper Group's JSI furniture has melded exposed bent plywood with mid-century upholstered styling, in the edgy BeSPACE line, at its first NeoCon since acquiring Jofco Furniture.
Jasper Group and Jofco said in January 2013 that the two furniture companies had come to terms on a merger plan first announced late in 2012. Jofco, which exhibits separately at NeoCon 2013, now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary. Employment between the two is more than 800.
Bill Rubino, president and CEO of Jofco, retired March 1 after more than 40 years at the Jasper, IN-based office furniture company.
Jasper calls this introduction Phase 1 of BeSPACE, freestanding, modular lounge seating pieces, ottomans, pods, tables, media cabinets and credenzas. Metal tubular legs intersect with wooden chair frames; bent plywood cradles the upholstery to showcase the mixed materials.
Jofco announced its iXy line in March, and previewed it here at NeoCon. It is intended to bring adapt the open plan feel of today’s benching style into tomorrow’s private office. Designer David Allan Pesso paired up with Jofco in researching work pattern changes, and believe that the co-working open-space generation will eventually transition into private space.
Mike Elliott, Jasper Group CEO, says Jofco will retain all its current avenues of distribution. Elliott said the transition phase "will include some corporate logistical changes," and sharing of ideas, and expects a cross-functional corporate synergy.
Jasper Group opened its doors in 1929 as Jasper Seating Company, producing seating products for offices, schools and institutions. Its JSI manufactures furniture for business interiors in the upper mid-market range from office and conference to reception and training. The Community brand is furniture for public spaces, and Klem’s furniture is hospitality casegoods.
Jofco, now in its 90th year, offers an extensive collection of collaboration seating, conferencing and casegoods Jofco will continue its partnership with FREZZA in the United States. FREZZA, the second largest manufacturer in Italy, presents European style furniture for the high caliber executive office.
Together Jasper Group and Jofco have, over 1.6M square feet of manufacturing space.
Jasper Group says it will continue to have all its brands maintain operations with existing sales teams, and maintain its unique identity, target market and distribution network.
“We feel the transition process will be fluid,” says Elliott. “We have already begun to learn from each other and find where our resources complement each other.”
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