Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | SEPTEMBER 18, 2023 27 of 2023, according to CoStar. The Greater Hartford office market has been slow to recover from the post-COVID office exodus, posting an availability rate of 29.9% and vacancy rate of 28.2% at the close of the second quarter of 2023, according to CBRE. To entice workers back, many offices are changing desks, tables and chairs, and integrating more comfortable and ergonomic options like standing desks, ample charging ports, and inviting armchairs similar to those found in residential living rooms. Still, it's a challenging time to be in the business of furnishing office space, according to Dawn Monde, a senior vice president at East Hartford-based design firm Red Thread. "In this post-COVID world, what we've really seen is larger compa- nies, particularly in the Hartford market, are still cautious in terms of forcing people to come back to the office," she said. One exception has been the biopharmaceutical industry, especially around New Haven, she said. According to global studies conducted by Red Thread's parent company Steelcase, Monde said "people are willing to trade remote workdays for their own workspace at the office. While they want the autonomy and flexibility of hybrid work, people are looking for choice and control and a sense Many new office space designs reflect a home-like atmosphere with comfy seating and plenty of natural light. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED of belonging." Red Thread is navigating the waters well, Monde added, because it works in more than just the office furniture market. Prior to the pandemic, the company had a healthy foothold in the healthcare and education sectors, which have remained active. "We recognize them as opportunities for us to continue to grow," she said. Red Thread also has an entire division that installs floors in buildings outside the office-space sector. The company has seen growth through its flooring division, and in senior and assisted living facilities. "We're definitely seeing a rise in that as the population is getting older," Monde said. Infinity also designs and outfits children's therapy centers, for which demand is growing, Powers said. Red Thread is also venturing into technology and consulting. The company is starting to offer clients integrated office technology packages to connect in-house and remote workers, and to see where employees are working when in the office to help increase comfort, productivity and company morale. Manufacturing pivot Allen Lawton, CEO of Manches- ter-based Transfer Enterprises, said his new and refurbished office furniture company made a significant shift to navigate the post-pandemic waters. The industry saw a sizable drop in office furniture sales in 2020, when the main buyers were newly estab- lished remote workers. Transfer Enterprises, with 45 employees, went from buying and selling furniture to designing and manufacturing it. The formula appeals to customers who like the reduced price Transfer Enterprises can offer, and who like buying American-made products, Lawton said. "Anywhere you can save is great, but people also want quality," he said. The company also helps install cubicles and performs other work- space design projects. Lawton said he invested several million dollars into new manufacturing machinery, which does the bulk of the furniture building and allows the company to compete for larger jobs. Transfer Enterprises also invested in infrastructure and systems upgrades in its Manchester and South Windsor facilities. The company holds contracts with the state of Connecticut for office, educational and health facilities, and has many other private clients. Lawton said e-commerce sales and COVID changed the game, and he's unsure what the next five to 10 years will bring for brick-and-mortar offices. But like most companies, he said, Transfer will continue to adapt. Dawn Monde

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