SPARTANBURG, SC – Innovation has been the heart of Milliken’s success since 1865, and it will continue to be in the future. The worldwide company recently unveiled the metamorphosis of its corporate identity – to position itself for the future while embracing strengths from its successful history.
Based upon the signature of the company’s 70-year leader and former chairman, the late Roger Milliken, the new logo is simple, playful, bold, and signals a continuing commitment to excellence, leadership, ethics and creativity. It also reinforces the message of a common vision that runs through all of the company’s divisions, which includes its global floor-covering group.
According to Barbara Haaksma, vice president of marketing and design for Milliken’s floor covering division, the new corporate identity supports the division’s overall goal to serve as a true design partner within the architectural and design community.
“We consider what our clients need and what they want, which goes far beyond creating exceptional products,” says Haaksma. “This consumer-centric philosophy allows us to provide inspiration for project ideas, insights on market trends and access to patented technologies – all the tools that help designers and architects be more successful.”
Over the past 18 months the floor covering division has created a variety of activities that support the company’s vision. Milliken recently completed a state-of-the-art design center, created by global architect firm M Moser Associates. Located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, provides access to the company’s innovation and research center to further collaboration, inspiration and idea-generation for the design team and customers. Catering to a variety of audiences, such as designers, end-users and associates, the facility includes spaces ideal for product development, brainstorming and cross-functional collaboration.
The company also recently launched a micro site: www.inspiredinspiring.com. It allows Milliken to engage in a dialogue with members of the architectural and design community by using inspiration as a common theme. Open to the public, the site shares images that inspire them – art, fashion, nature or anything that represents where designers get inspiration.
Southern Analog and Nobedan are the first collections to be produced by a new Milliken design studio for the hospitality and contract markets. The company plans to introduce an unprecedented number of new products throughout the remainder of the year, as well as at industry events, such as London’s Clerkenwell Design Week, HD Expo and NeoCon.
“Supported by unrivaled research capabilities, Milliken’s community of innovators incorporate a unique combination of science, design and forward-thinking insights to succeed in today’s marketplace,” says David Moody, president, floor covering division. “Our expertise across a breadth of disciplines allow us to consider – and tackle – challenges with fresh approaches, which will enable us to serve as an industry leader for another 150 years.”
