Creating Spaces That Inspire

Collaboration and intention are at the heart of SurfaceWorks. The Wisconsin-based manufacturer works closely with customers to create custom solutions for learning spaces.

Surfaceworks was founded in 2001 by Eugene and Geno Plitt, starting out with basic training and classroom tables. Today, it has more than 90 products – from benches and credenzas to media tables and storage solutions – that are right at home in schools, corporate settings and hospitality environments. The company distributes across the U.S. and Canada.

“SurfaceWorks is all about shaping inspiring spaces where people come together, ideas are shared and collaboration comes to life,” stated SurfaceWorks President Rune Akselberg.

We sat down with Akselberg to talk about SurfaceWorks’ wide selection of customizable options, how the company is fulfilling the needs of educators and how it stands apart in the industry.

What was the inspiration behind founding SurfaceWorks?

SurfaceWorks was founded with a vision to provide inspiring work and learning environments, where people can come together to learn from each other, share ideas and see the magic happen. We imagined that there is no better place to be than gathering around tables for that to happen. Our simple idea of shaping gathering spaces with focus on tables has been our leading drive and inspiration ever since.

You serve several industries, from corporate and hospitality to healthcare and government. What percentage of your business comes from the education market?

The education market represents more than 50 percent of our business and is gaining importance.

With a multitude of customizable components including shape, size, color, etc., how does SurfaceWorks help customers navigate choices and find the best fit for them?

Educators and facility teams have shared with us that they like to shape learning environments not only with products but also with the use of colors, materials and finishes. We see some schools using more softer, earth tone colors, inspired by nature, while other schools celebrate school spirt colors.

SurfaceWorks has a huge selection of materials to choose from. Our passion and expertise enable us to blend sustainable materials, finishes, colors, shapes and sizes into product solutions that fit any space and vision. Our brand-new website has also made it very easy to navigate options for any of our products, combined with touch and feel samples of all or material.

What are schools/educational institutions looking for when it comes to furniture? How do you stay current on trends?

When we did research for our new Newton collection we spoke with educators, facility teams and students. Our findings were really interesting, and we set out to conceptualize and design a product with designer Joey Ruiter, capturing both current needs and future trends. Here is an overview of what we learned and how we integrated it into our products:

First, we wanted to help educators shape learning environments that aligned with learning styles and provide a lot of flexibility and mobility for constant changes. So, we decided on creating a full family of products to give the educators, facility and students plenty to work with.

Second, we introduced a whole new vocabulary in terms of student table shapes. We heard from educators that students had a tendency of keeping to themselves more and more in classroom settings, maybe caused by social media or AI. We wanted to help educators break that mold, so we created tables with large, soft corners but also slightly arched sides to encourage students to move more and interact more.

Third, we wanted to answer a request from facility teams to provide products with better longevity. Our unique and proprietary urethane edges are made of renewable material, soybean oil and are basically indestructible. In addition, we made a huge family of products with very few components, helping reduce waste in production, and making it easy to replace components.

Fourth is our power integration solutions. We opted for undermounted power to avoid making cutouts in the surface; this facilitated updating of power solutions over time without having to replace tabletops. We also integrated a really cool battery power pack to avoid tethering and providing more mobility when power is needed.

And finally, we provide a huge toolbox of colors, materials and finishes to help educators and schools shape an environment that fits with the school philosophy and learning styles.

All of these features are part of the Newton Collection and capture the future of learning in so many ways.

What is your most popular product? What do you ascribe to its popularity?

Our most popular legacy product is another Joey Ruiter design called Dewey. It was one of the first product families in the market that addressed new learning styles and was a result of adapting to needs expressed by educators, facilitators and students for mobility, flexibility and flipped classes. After 15 years in the market, it is still one of the best-selling products in our portfolio. A key contributor to success has been the unique urethane edge details, making it approachable, indestructible and providing a lot of fun colors.

What has been your favorite example of SurfaceWorks furniture used in a school and why?

We have a product line for K-12 called Clara which caters to dynamic learning environments for the lower grades. It’s always fun to watch young student interact naturally in spontaneous collaboration and having these tables that move along and provide support for any creative pod configuration. This is all about following students natural need for movement and variation throughout the day in a classroom.

How often do you launch new products? What are your most recent offerings?

SurfaceWorks has been very busy the last 24 months and launched seven new products. We have brought maker’s tables to life. We have added personal tables that play well in dorms and those quick in-between classes touch down moments. We have launched communal tables, café tables, occasional tables in addition to storage and credenzas. As Zoom meetings are also big with students, we have also brought to life a collection of media tables.

The most recent product is Newton, which was pre-viewed at Neocon in June and was awarded Best of Neocon Gold for Education Solutions. It has driven huge interest from the education segment. The official launch was September 1, and Newton will be the featured product at EDspaces.

Where do you source your materials from?

We are primarily domestically sourced – with a few exceptions. Sustainability is at the forefront of our mission, and we aim constantly to find smart materials to develop or enhance our products. We look for solutions in our near area, and source many components from Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. One of the latest initiatives is to integrate recycled HDPE material in our tabletops and storage doors. This is partnership with a Grand Rapids, MI based company called Design Declassified. We are using material from waste streams that may end up in landfills and turning it into beautiful products.

How do you ensure quality in your sourcing and manufacturing practices?

We have a long tradition for manufacturing high-quality products at our production site in Milwaukee, WI. We have a strong and experienced team representing craftmanship, legacy and pride. When we mix that with state-of-the-art technology and refined processes, we have an engine that runs with consistency, quality and care. We are also a family-owned business and believe in genuine partnerships, integrity and responsiveness.

What are you most proud of about working at SurfaceWorks?

It’s all about the people. We have a strong culture, built on common values and a passion for shaping beautiful environments. I am really proud of how we take pride in what we make and the service people can count on. I am also proud of how we act with responsibility toward our people, our community and the environment.