Whatever you ask of your chair, Steelcase will 'Reply'

Collaborative working has increased dramatically over the last decade, while individual working has halved. As people work together more and more in flexible and informal spaces, engaging individuals with inspiring working environments has never been more important. In response to the latest trends in office working, Steelcase has announced the launch of its new high-performance seating range: Reply.

‘Reply’ and ‘Reply Air’ task chairs combine innovative designs with specialised technology to respond to a user’s every need. According to a Steelcase IPSOS workplace survey, 46% of European employees suffer from back pain at least once a week. 63% of these people are unaware of the importance of adjusting their chair (TNO).

The Reply portfolio has been designed with 3 core objectives in mind: ‘immediate comfort’, ‘simplicity’ and ‘customisation’. The range offers 2 alternative styles to maximise choice in terms of design and functionality.

Rick Bomer, General manager for Steelcase Benelux said: “We spend nearly 9 years of our life seated at work. It’s vital that we are comfortable and supported. Reply has been specially designed to provide dynamic support to the 3 key parts of the back, the thoracic, lumbar and pelvic areas.

Reply ‘traditional’ features 2 densities of foam for balanced lumbar support, as the upper and lower back regions require different kinds of support. The upper part of Reply’s backrest contains dense foam, while the lower part is covered with a pillow of soft foam. Reply ‘traditional’ also proposes an innovative upholstered fabric. Its electro-welding property offers a 50% higher dry speed versus the standard upholstery; and its pattern creates additional air circulation, allowing a higher dry speed when users perspire.

‘Reply Air’ by contrast boasts a new and exclusive mesh fabric, with a velvet touch, which adjusts automatically to support each individual’s spinal print. With Reply Air, the tension of the mesh fabric, and therefore the support it provides, adjusts according to the force placed on the backrest by the user. It can also be fitted with height adjustable lumbar support if necessary.”

Both versions incorporate a synchronised mechanism technology which allows the chair to follow the body’s natural movements when reclining. The more an individual reclines, the more weight is transferred to the upper body, and the more support is required from the chair. With Reply and Reply Air individuals can easily adjust the tilt-tension according to their weight to provide personalised and continuous support.

Rick Bomer continued: “If your office chair does not adapt to your specific posture, you might as well be sitting on a stool. Reply’s adjustments are easy to access and can be altered with easy-to-access side levers.  The handles are also intuitive thanks to the shape and pictogram.”

With its two versions and wide range of options and finishes, Reply provides many opportunities that let users’ taste decide. Thanks to his customized chair, the user feels that he has a customized workstation. The Reply portfolio is designed to meet the major challenges facing global organisations without compromising on comfort and effectiveness and meeting the needs of an increasingly collaborative workforce.