About Symbiote
What is Symbiote about? In a word... Solutions, with a capital "S". Solutions for a unique and growing segment of the furniture market that needs new ideas and new products for a new set of infrastructure requirements. We offer creative solutions for high-tech environments built with structurally superior systems of frames, posts, desktops, tables, work surfaces and cabling solutions.
Symbiote's solutions are for tomorrow's workplace.
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84
1984
Innovation and flexibility have been Symbiote's key strengths since the company was founded in 1984 by Travis Randolph. Travis was one of the key players in the development of the Action Factory product line by Herman Miller. After many great years with Herman Miller Travis decided to pursue his ideas independently. He negotiated a collaborative effort with Herman Miller and started Symbiote to develop additional products and accessories that would enhance the Action Factory product line.
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89
1989
Herman Miller decided to close down the Action Factory line. Symbiote saw it as an emerging niche market that would grow and expand as traditional workspaces were redesigned and repurposed for new industries. Symbiote entered into an alliance with Herman Miller and secured the Action Factory product line and all rights to manufacture Action Factory products.
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92
1992
Symbiote's niche market grew and grew. Ergonomics became the hot buzzword of the furniture industry. Symbiote responded with the HAM (Height Adjustable Mechanism) marketing workstations with a number of ergonomic accessories designed to improve productivity and reduce worker injuries.
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93
1993
Symbiote's flexible and creative approach to the design and development of products for the workplace led to a consultative relationship with Boeing. Long, height-adjustable worktables were needed for creating wiring and cable harnesses for the wings of jet airplanes. The HAM was stretched into 8-16 foot long tables with electrical and hydraulic hook-ups.
Boeing's tables inspired the ErgoStat... a more reasonably sized offering. Free-standing and still height adjustable... workbenches and tables in standard sizes that can be accessorized with the same components detailed in the growing Symbiote catalog. -
95
1995
Symbiote enters the Lab market with CAD and technical workstations introduced at NeoCon to support the high tech work environments of its growing client base. For better customer service, BlueSky, Symbiote's proprietary specifying CAD program, is launched to help customers visualize how their installations will look.
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96
1996
Symbiote outgrows its Holland location and moves to a 65,000 square foot facility in Zeeland, Michigan. The continuing growth of the company also sparks new systems for quality control, manufacturing and service. Engineering upgrades to the Pro-E CAD system, dramatically reducing production times for special orders and new products. To service the growing Lab market, a new product line of rack mount accessories is introduced. Overseas markets are explored and the distribution of Symbiote products is introduced in the UK and Asia.
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97
1997
Several new products are introduced for use in general manufacturing, assembly applications and wiring shops. A new product named the ErgoTilt becomes the latest outgrowth of the ErgoStat product line, giving the work surface the ability to tilt up to 90 degrees.
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00
2000
Symbiote rides the wave of technological advancement as more tech labs, LAN centers and other electronics-intense workplaces embrace the ideas behind Symbiote products. Modular components, ergonomically designed accessories, cable management systems and "bomb-proof" construction make Symbiote the vendor of choice when it comes to technical work environments.
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03
2003
Symbiote introduces a new furniture system, the Quad Post System (QPS). The QPS is a post and beam structure. The open center post design allows the placement of power, data and plumbing to be placed vertically or horizontally within the post. The adjustable horizontal cross bar offers layout of the QPS to be flexible depending on the need to make 2, 3 or 4 way connections. The target market is assembly stations, software R&D and Laboratory Furniture.
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04
2004
Diversification…. is the best description for Symbiote’s relationship with “energie lighting”. energie lighting is a unique architectural lighting company that partners with leading European manufacturers in order to offer and build products to meet North American methodologies. Symbiote provides re-engineering, inventory management, and assembly to meet UL standards.
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06
2006
The health care market draws Symbiote’s ErgoStat product into the hospital sterilization arena. Medical facilities are now looking for ergonomic prep and pack workstations. Key added components such as stainless steel tops, magnification lights, and keyboard mounted under flat screen arms provide the detail to tasks required of central supply services.
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09
2009
With all the advancements in technology, medical devices have minimized the need for sinks, gases and reagent storage in traditional laboratories. Symbiote’s Ultra Frame design used in electronic labs is a natural for dryer Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Analytical labs. With the incorporation of steel cabinets to the Ultra Frame Symbiote announces its Ultra Lab product line to compete in the market place.