Haworth outlines ambitious plans for India

To Manufacture over 55,000 Haworth chairs in India in 2007

Mumbai, January 29, 2007: Haworth, one of the largest manufacturers of office furniture in the world has outlined ambitious plans for India in 2007. The company plans to manufacture over 55,000 Haworth chairs in India from its Pune facility in 2007. The Haworth India facility inaugurated in March 2006, has already manufactured and supplied over 35,000 chairs and now accounts for almost 50 percent of Haworth's revenue within the Asia Pacific region.

Commenting on this growth, Frank Rexach, President & General Manager, Haworth Asia Pacific said, "We have witnessed phenomenal growth in India. In 2007, we will strengthen our business presence across the country, work towards localising our products and scaling up our production in the Pune plant to support our growth plans in the region. Further, India is poised to play a significant role in our growth plans for the region by becoming an export hub for our business in the Middle East."

Kapil Agarwal, Managing Director, Haworth India Pvt Ltd. said, "We are growing fast in India. We plan to inaugurate showrooms in Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata over the next two quarters - growing our presence to seven cities in India. Our team has expanded to 120 members to service over 200 customers in IT, Financial and Services sectors in India. We have already localised the manufacturing of the 'LOOk' and 'Tea' range of chairs in India in 2006 and plan to increase our localised product portfolio in 2007. Haworth will also introduce its proprietary "Ideation" in India - a knowledge based service that will research and study Indian work environments for customers with special needs.

The Haworth "Ideation Group" is a unique first-of-its-kind research team that will be based in Pune and will work with Haworth's Asia Pacific and global team of experts which includes ergonomists, behavioural psychologists and communication specialists. The Ideation team will collaborate with clients to develop a workplace that optimises performance and helps achieve business goals.

Haworth has a wholly owned manufacturing unit in Pune, India. Currently the unit manufactures two lines of chairs - the scientifically designed and engineered, contemporary European style 'Tea' chair and the smooth, fluid form, comfortable 'LOOk' chair. Haworth's products are designed based on the science of ergonomics, thereby creating positive work experiences and increasing employee satisfaction levels leading to higher productivity. Haworth provides total workspace solutions to meet the needs of all organisations and work styles.

Haworth is committed to providing its customers with best quality office furniture which is eco-friendly, sustainable and gives the customer complete value for his money. Haworth's manufacturing facility in India is in the process of qualifying for Silver LEED Certification and an ISO 14001 Certification by the first quarter of next year. It will be the first furniture manufacturing facility to receive the ISO 14001 certification in India.

About Haworth Haworth Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of adaptable workspaces, including raised floors, movable walls, systems furniture, seating, storage and wood casegoods. Haworth is headquartered in Holland, Michigan, USA and serves markets in more than 120 countries through a global network of 600 dealers. The company had net sales of US $1.4 billion in 2005. Haworth Asia Pacific has extensive coverage throughout the region, including offices in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Greater China, Japan and Australia. The regional headquarters in Asia Pacific is Shanghai, where the company also operates a manufacturing facility.

Haworth in India Haworth commenced business operations in India in the year 1997, in order to service the rapidly growing Indian market. Haworth has set up a manufacturing facility spread over 65,000 sq. ft. in Pune. The facility, at full production capacity, will manufacture seating and workstation solutions, employing approximately 100 people. Headquartered in Bangalore, Haworth has offices/showrooms in New Delhi and Mumbai. The target markets for Haworth include cities like Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Chandigarh.

For more information, visit Haworth's website at www.haworthasia.com