Polyvision Corporation is a company that manufactures CeramicSteel surfaces for applications such as whiteboards, chalkboards, architectural surfaces and panels, and infrastructure projects.[1] Headquartered in Georgia, Polyvision was acquired by Industrial Opportunity Partners in February 2020.[2] The company was founded in 1954 under the name Information Display Technology, Inc. and began operating under the name Polyvision in May 1995.[3] Polyvision has production facilities in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, New Philadelphia, Ohio, and Genk, Belgium, with their Okmulgee facility being one of the area's major employers.[4][5]
| Formerly | Display Technology, Inc., Information Display Technology, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Johns Creek , United States |
Areas served | North America, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), APAC (Asia-Pacific) |
| Products | CeramicSteel Panels, Architectural Cladding, Writing Surface Materials |
Number of employees | 200 (2014) |
| Website | polyvision |
Mergers and acquisitions
editIn 1998, Polyvision purchased Alliance International Group, a manufacturer of CeramicSteel products used in visual displays and writing surfaces, for about $75 million.[6]
Polyvision acquired Nelson Adams in May 1999.[7]
In January 2000, Polyvision purchased both American Chalkboard and Peninsular Slate.[8]
Polyvision became a subsidiary of Steelcase in August 2001.[9] In 2012, it was announced that Polyvision’s educational technology products would become part of the Steelcase Education Solutions group.[10]
Polyvision was divested by Steelcase and acquired by Industrial Opportunities Partners in February 2020.[11]
Polyvision announced its acquisition of Marsh Industries in August of 2020.[12]
Projects
editPolyvision has created surfaces for many public art installations, only a few of which include:
- The "Flat Earth" mural at the Dijkzigt Metro Station in Rotterdam, artwork by Peter Jansen[13]
- Artwork at Telok Ayer MRT station in Singapore, art by Lim Shing Ee and Kazunori Takeishi [14]
- Dublin's Last Supper by John Byrne in 2003[15]
Awards and recognition
editSome of PolyVision's products have won awards at the NeoCon World's Trade Fair:[16][17][18]
| Year | Award | Product |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Gold Award | LTX Multimedia Whiteboard |
| 2005 | Editor’s Choice | Commercial series of Markerboards and Tackboards |
| 2007 | Product Innovation Award | CopyCam Image Editing Software |
| 2007 | Product Innovation Award | RoomWizard |
| 2018 | Good Design™ Award | Motif™ |
| 2019 | Red Dot Design Award: Product Design | Motif™ |
Other awards
edit- 2005 MAX Award winner for the Walk-and-Talk Interactive Panel and Cordless Lectern[19]
- 2010 Best in Tech by Scholastic[20]
Polyvision's Genk facility was the first European CeramicSteel manufacturer to earn a Cradle-to-Cradle certification for its environmentally sustainable practices.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Rob Kneebone, Managing Director of ABP Group". CEO Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Steelcase Sells Polyvision to Industrial Opportunity Partners". Globe Newswire. Steelcase Inc. 24 February 2020.
- ^ "PolyVision Corporation Founded". PolyVision. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Polyvision: Sustainability Pioneers in Ceramicsteel" (PDF). Wallonie Designs. RECentre. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Okmulgee Area Major Employers". Okmulgee Area Development Corporation. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "The Week in Business: LaSalle Buys Compass to Create Gigantic Firm". Atlanta Business Chronicle. 7 September 1998. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Welcome to Nelson Adams NACO". Nelson Adams NACO. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "PolyVision Acquires Two Manufacturers". Indiana Gazette. 26 Jan 2000. p. 16.
- ^ "Company News; Steelcase Buying Polyvision for $73 Million". The Associated Press. 28 August 2001.
- ^ Doyle, Caity (5 November 2012). "Combining Tech With Furniture? How Polyvision and Steelcase are Integrating the Two to Enhance Learning in the Classroom". TechnApex. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "PolyVision Acquired by Industrial Opportunities Partners". Business Insider. 24 February 2020.
- ^ "Atlanta-based PolyVision Acquires US-Based Visual Display Board Manufacturer, Marsh Industries Inc". Metro Atlanta CEO. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "About Flat Earth". Peter Jansen. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Our Work at a Train Station in Singapore". Monocircus. 19 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "publicart.ie".
- ^ Sanchez, Mark (20 June 2003). "NeoCon Honors Manufacturers". Grand Rapids Business Journal. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
- ^ "NeoCon '05: Best of NeoCon Competition Names 25 Gold Award Winners; Bernhardt's Seating/Table Collection Takes Best Of Competition". FMLink. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Product Innovations 2007". buildings.com. Buildings Smarter Facility Management. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ^ "Grand Winner: Polyvision Corp". bizjournals.com. Bizjournals. 28 February 2005. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "Best In Tech 2010: Whiteboard Solutions". scholastic.com. Scholastic. Retrieved 9 July 2016.