Herman Miller named South West Manufacturer of the Year

Herman Miller has been named Manufacturer of the Year, for the South West of England, at the annual Made in the South West awards held on Thursday 5 November. The prize was awarded in recognition of Herman Miller’s long-standing presence in the region, and the commitment demonstrated by their investment in their new manufacturing facility in Melksham, Wiltshire.

Michelle Donelan, MP for Chippenham, commented: “Herman Miller is a fantastic local manufacturer of outstanding furniture and I am delighted that they have been recognised with such a prestigious award. I believe the key to their success is the quality of the world-class products they design and build locally. They are a company going from strength to strength and I am sure they have an even brighter future ahead of them.”

The new facility, named PortalMill, was designed by leading British architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, who also designed two of Herman Miller’s previous facilities in Bath and Chippenham. This new building represents the consolidation of those two other sites into one custom-built space.

“Herman Miller has a long history of manufacturing in the South West of England and our new facility demonstrates our desire to remain in the region for the foreseeable future. I am delighted to have this commitment recognised with this award” said Richard Scott, Vice-President International Operations for Herman Miller.

Editor of South West Business Insider magazine, Miri Thomas stated: “Herman Miller’s investment in a new plant excited the judges, who were impressed by the company’s commitment to the South West. The new site in Melksham was a disused industrial estate that has benefitted from the regeneration. The move to consolidate the Bath and Chippenham factory and logistics operations could have resulted in moving operations abroad, but Herman Miller, proud of its British manufacturing heritage, wanted to maintain a presence in the region.”

The new facility in Melksham will be officially opened by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw and Herman Miller Chief Executive Officer Brian Walker later this month.

About Herman Miller
Herman Miller’s inspiring furniture designs, inventive technologies and strategic services help people do great things and organisations perform at their best. The company’s award-winning products and services generated approximately $2.1 billion in revenue in fiscal 2015. Their designs can be found not just in offices and workspaces around the world, but also in the permanent collections of museums and galleries. Innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also helped establish Herman Miller as a recognised global leader. Herman Miller is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

About Made in the South West awards
Made in South West Awards

Run by South West Business Insider, the Made in the South West awards are a showcase for the region and its diverse manufacturing industries, ranging from aerospace and defence to artisan food brands. The winners of this year’s awards will automatically go through to the grand final Made in the UK, where the best of British manufacturing will be celebrated, which is held on 17 June 2016 in Liverpool.