Steelcase was founded as the Metal Office Furniture Company in 1912 by Peter M. Wege in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Wege was a veteran of the sheet metal and fireproofing industry and had filed approximately 25 patents prior to starting the company. The Metal Office Furniture Company's first products included fireproof metal safes and four-drawer filing cabinets, which Wege invented and manufactured for the Macey Company.
In 1914, the company received its first product patent for "The Victor," a fireproof steel wastebasket. In 1915, the company began manufacturing and distributing steel desks after designing and producing 200 for Boston's first skyscraper, the Custom House Tower.
The name Steelcase was a result of an advertising campaign to promote metal office furniture over wood and was trademarked in 1921. The company officially changed its name to Steelcase, Inc. in 1954.
The company became known as the leader of the furniture industry in the late 1960s due to the volume of its sales. Steelcase expanded into new markets during the 1970s, including Asia, Europe, and North Africa. In 1973, the company debuted the Series 9000 furniture line, an office system that became a best seller and the company's flagship brand.
Steelcase is a publicly-traded furniture manufacturer headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is the largest office furniture manufacturer in the US. The company has approximately 80 locations and 11,000 employees worldwide.
According to en.wikipedia
