Herman Miller for the Home is reintroducing the Eames molded plastic armchairs to the North American market and showing the iconic product at Booth 1012 at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2005 in New York City's Javits Convention Center. The chairs come in an array of colors and a selection of bases, including the legendary rocker with hardwood runners.
The chair was designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1948, for entry in the "International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture" organized by the New York Museum of Modern Art. Herman Miller introduced the armchair, along with a companion side chair, in 1950 and they soon found broad acceptance in residential and institutional markets--becoming the first mass-produced plastic chairs.
"We're building on the growing success we've experienced with our 'Get Real' campaign for authenticity," said Marg Mojzak, senior manager of Sales, | | 
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Marketing and Distribution. "And we're celebrating the fact that we are able to offer a growing portfolio of timeless and authentic designs from Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, and others giants of the 20th century."
The reintroduction of the molded plastic armchairs and rocker is enhanced with the addition of two new color options for the one-piece shell--lime green and light blue--to go along with rest of the Eames Office-approved color palette of red, black, and white. The armchair also has options for three different bases--the wire base (also known as the Eiffel Tower base), the four-legged base, and the rocker base with the hardwood runners.
The armchair shell matches the dimensions of the original design, and the product has been updated to meet all current standards along with an important earth-friendly adjustment in materials.
"Innovations in technology and materials allow the chairs to be produced exactly like the originals, but using recyclable polypropylene instead of fiberglass-reinforced plastic," said Gregg VanderKooi, product manager. "We are committed both to authenticity and to ecology. The Eameses always used materials honestly, so they were the first to design a one-piece plastic chair without any upholstery or covering. They were always concerned about practicality, too, which is why they combined the same plastic shell with different bases in order to get the widest possible use for the chair."
VanderKooi said the suggested retail price for the armchair ranges from $249 for the four-legged version to $299 for the Eiffel Tower base and $379 for the rocker. The molded plastic side chair is available at $179 in a stackable four-legged edition, or at $199 for the Eiffel Tower base.
"We're eager to bring back modern classics." VanderKooi said. "Lowering the price on the side chair, and offering new colors at the same time that we reintroduce the armchair, makes all of them attractive, affordable choices for either the office or the home."
Herman Miller for the Home products are available at select retailers and online stores. A complete listing may be found at HermanMiller.com. Herman Miller also is making the reintroduced Eames seating available to contract customers through its dealer distribution channel.
Herman Miller provides complete solutions that help create great places to work. Through research, design, manufacture, and distribution of innovative interior furnishings, complemented by furniture management and strategic consulting services, the company serves organizations and individuals around the world. During fiscal 2004, Herman Miller's award-winning products and services generated $1.34 billion in revenue. In 2005, the company was again cited in Fortune magazine as the "Most Admired" company in its industry and was named among Business Ethics magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Herman Miller trades on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol MLHR.
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