All are available in neutral shades that coordinate with new Aeron finishes and new paints and finishes on Herman Miller systems and furniture.

The new Aeron base finishes, featured in Titanium and Polished Aluminum, coordinate with the new Pellicles and broaden the chair's aesthetic options.

Aeron's new CMF options will be on display at Herman Miller's Chicago National Design Center during NeoCon 2003.

The complete news story follows.

Herman Miller Introduces New Colors, Materials, and Finishes to Aeron Chair

Herman Miller, Inc., a global leader in office furnishings, workplace consulting, and related services today introduced new Pellicle weaves, colors and finishes to its groundbreaking Aeron chair.

Aeron, the chair with the distinctive looks and pioneering ergonomics that redefined style and long-term comfort in office seating worldwide, now is available in new CMF (colors, materials, finishes) options designed to blend effortlessly with today's more open work settings. Aeron also is available with Herman Miller's exclusive PostureFit seating technology for exceptional long-term lower back comfort.

"The new choices provide a wealth of innovative solutions that further reinforce the Aeron chair's position as the design leader," said Randy Brown, senior product manager.

New, Visually Lighter Pellicles

The new Pellicle designs for the Aeron seat-and-back suspension are visually lighter, more open weave designs that integrate easily with today's open business environments and new, lighter-scaled Herman Miller systems products, such as Resolve and the recent additions to the Ethospace line.

The new designs, called Pellicle Waves and Pellicle Tuxedo, expand a designer's options for blending Aeron chairs with systems furniture, architecture, and other interior elements.

Pellicle Waves features widely spaced lines that curve uniformly and horizontally across the chair's seat and back. It's an ideal addition to contemporary environments, especially where curvilinear edges and rounded forms are crucial design features.

Pellicle Tuxedo has a more formal and dramatic look, yet is equally suited to contemporary interiors. Long, narrow triangular shapes traverse the seat and back to create a freshly sophisticated option for executive, management, and conference spaces.

Both Pellicle Waves and Pellicle Tuxedo provide the same custom-fitted support, even pressure distribution, and aeration as the original weave, now called Pellicle Classic.

The colors chosen for the new Pellicle designs are simple neutrals that range from warm to cool, light to dark, and blend easily into a range of interior palettes. They are also designed to coordinate with new Aeron finishes as well as new paints and finishes on Herman Miller systems and furniture. This compatibility makes it easy to create a coordinated aesthetic with Herman Miller products, from Aeron chairs to systems to furniture.

Aeron's original Pellicle Classic also will be available in new colors, as well as selected colors from the existing palette. The new, more neutral colors allow wide application and design flexibility for contemporary spaces.

New Finishes Broaden Aesthetic Options

The new Aeron base finishes coordinate with the new Pellicles and broaden the chair's aesthetic options.

The Titanium finish offers a cooler, more casual and chameleon-like option suitable for broad application throughout an organization. The Titanium is a powder-coat finish with a subtle two-tone effect that mimics metal.

Titanium is especially appropriate for organizations looking to create a lighter, more contemporary look. It's compatible with Herman Miller's new spectrum of light metallic finishes, as well as with the lighter architectural scale of the Resolve system and the recent product additions to the Ethospace line.

The Polished Aluminum finish lends a classic, high-end aesthetic reminiscent of products designed for Herman Miller by Charles and Ray Eames. The Polished Aluminum presents a distinctly formal look, particularly when paired with the Graphite frame. Polished Aluminum also brings out the beauty of the Aeron's curves.

"Polished Aluminum adds a sophisticated look to Aeron chairs in executive offices and conference areas," Brown explained. "The finish helps distinguish a workspace as a higher-status environment."

The PostureFit Option

Both the new and classic Aeron chair styles offer the option to add PostureFit, Herman Miller's new and exclusive lower back support technology. PostureFit delivers custom-fitted support where it's needed most: in the lower back area below the beltline, where the spine meets the pelvis. By contouring itself to the exact shape of the lower back, PostureFit works with the body's biomechanics to sustain the natural alignment of the spine to support the sitter's long-term seated comfort.

Setting the Seating Standard

"The qualities that people have come to expect from Aeron--the exceptional ergonomics, the dramatic design aesthetics, and the unequalled comfort---remain firmly in place," Brown said. "The new colors, materials, and finishes are going to surprise and delight those who believed the chair could never be improved upon.

"Aeron continues to distinguish itself as the chair that sets the universal standard for office seating today."

Herman Miller creates great places to work by researching, designing, manufacturing, and distributing innovative interior furnishings that support companies, organizations, and individuals all over the world. The company's award-winning designs, complemented by furniture management and strategic consulting services, generated over $1.46 billion in revenue during fiscal 2002. Again in 2003 Herman Miller was named among "America's Most Admired" companies by Fortune magazine and included in Business Ethics magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." The company trades on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol MLHR. For additional information about the company, visit www.hermanmiller.com.