Steelcase Receives OFDA Silver Award for Manufacturer of the Year

CHICAGO – June 14, 2010 – Steelcase Inc. (NYSE:SCS), a global office environments manufacturer, was honored with Office Furniture Dealers Alliance (OFDA) Silver Award for Manufacturer of the Year at NeoCon 2010, the World’s Trade Fair for Interior Design and Facilities Management.

Restructured in 2008 to better reflect the overall performance of industry manufacturers, OFDA’s Manufacturer of the Year Awards are based on the results of an extensive survey of hundreds of dealers who were asked to rank their primary manufacturers in key areas of business performance including training, product lines, service and support, sales and marketing, management and technology. This year OFDA recognized leading manufacturers with a three-level “Manufacturer of the Year” award, applying Gold, Silver, and Bronze distinctions.

“OFDA is pleased that Steelcase has earned the Silver Aligned Manufacturer of the Year award which showcases their sustained strong dedication to the office furniture dealer community,” said Chris Bates, president of OFDA. “Based on the results of the more than 900 office furniture dealers throughout the United States and Canada who chimed in on all aspects of support and service, OFDA’s yearly awards are a true representation of a manufacturer’s commitment to excellence.”

Bates, along with Carlene Wilson, chair of the OFDA board of directors, presented the award to Jim Keane, president, Steelcase Group, and Jenny Niemann, vice president of channel development, Steelcase, in their showroom. This marks the first year that Steelcase has been recognized in OFDA’s Manufacturer of the Year Awards since it was restructured in 2008.

“Steelcase is honored to be receiving the OFDA Manufacturer of the Year Award,” said Jenny Neimann, vice president, channel development, Steelcase Inc. “Dealers play a critical role in the success of our business and this award reinforces our dedication to partnering with them to provide the support they need for their businesses to thrive.”

The award is based on a carefully structured, anonymous dealer poll – the OFDA Dealer Manufacturer Satisfaction Index (DMSI) Survey – which is sent out every spring. Its purpose is to improve dealer-manufacturer relations by measuring ten functional areas of manufacturer performance that are of greatest importance to a diverse cross-section of dealers throughout North America. The award program recognizes those manufacturers that deliver the most consistent and effective overall support to dealers in all of those areas.

About Steelcase Inc.
Steelcase Inc. helps create great experiences — wherever work happens. Our brands offer a comprehensive portfolio of workplace furnishings, products and services, inspired by nearly 100 years of insight gained serving the world’s leading organizations. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 650 dealers. We design for social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Steelcase is a global, publicly traded company leading our industry with fiscal 2010 revenue of approximately $2.3 billion.

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Sara Whitman
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swhitman@peppercom.com