Keilhauer Gets Bent in 2020 with New Acquisition

Division Twelve family of products

Expands Offerings with Division Twelve Acquisition

Keilhauer is excited to announce its acquisition of Division Twelve. Through the purchase, Keilhauer is expanding its offerings with a unique line of tables and seating.  The colorful new line’s personality, durability and adaptability will function as a solution for office environments that want to create unconventional meeting or luncheon areas that are inspired by leading hospitality trends.

“Though we have historically focused more on office environments, we have always been excited and inspired by the hospitality sector. This acquisition provides us with a new solution for office design, extends our reach into new markets, and brings excellent design talent into our house. It complements what we do at Keilhauer beautifully,” said President Mike Keilhauer. “From the moment I first saw Division Twelve I was struck by a feeling of joy. I am excited to bring that feeling to the market.”

Division Twelve was founded in Edmonton, Canada by industrial designer Geof Lilge in 2017. Lilge is best known for founding Pure Design, and has worked extensively in bespoke residential and hospitality design across western Canada.  As a result, Division Twelve reflects a combination of sensibilities that aligns with Keilhauer’s focus on soft contract design. Lilge, who has been retained by Keilhauer to serve as Division Twelve’s Creative Director, said: “I’m very excited to work with Keilhauer. They have been an inspiration to me for the past twenty years of my career. We share the same desire to push boundaries, the same passion for modern design, and the same reverence for making. There is a mutual love for every step of the design process: from concept, to prototype, to the final installation.”

MODERN SEATING AND TABLES

The initial collection of bent metal stools, chairs, tables and bench feature the designs of Geof Lilge, Scot Laughton and Samuel Petterson. The pieces have an urban, modern design that ranges from straight-forward to sculptural. Twenty different powder coat colors are available to customize each piece and create impactful designs and spaces. Each year, the palette will be updated to include the latest Pantone® Color of the Year for an of-the-moment spark of inspiration.

The initial, Division Twelve offering features a diverse collection of chairs, stools and tables. Using simple materials to create timeless, trend-forward designs, the furniture can be integrated into any environment, including hospitality, education, office and even residential.

Resto™ has a curved back and wide wooden or upholstered seat that provides comfort for long, intense sitting sessions.

Winny™ is an effortlessly chic, stacking chair with subtle nods to the Windsor chair. Its steel frame is available with a White Oak seat with or without arms.

Dek™ adds a playful, urban touch to a timeless stool frame. Its oval seat, available in White Oak or upholstered, is inspired by the deck of a skateboard.

Wedge

Bender™ stool’s flowing lines do double duty as a handle – perfect for last minute rearrangement and movement. Available with a wood or upholstered seat.

Shop all steel design provides incredible durability for even the most rugged of use, in the most high-use of areas.

Daytrip™ a classic stool with steel frame and upholstered seat.

Wedge insinuates intrigue with its deep seat and elaborate, bent metal curves. The seat is available in White Oak or upholstered.

Brat™ chairs are as sassy as they are comfortable, featuring an upholstered or White Oak seat, and curved backrest.

Hectic™ Collection’s benches, tables, and stools can be mixed, matched, and moved at a moment’s notice to create the perfect meet-up area. Seats are available in White Oak or upholstered; table tops are available in White Oak or laminate.

Funk™ tables are a simple, clean café height table available in 24” and 30” round or square table with a laminate or White Oak top and colored base.

Hectic Collection

GET BENT

To launch the brand to the global design community, Keilhauer collaborated with the global, award-winning ad agency Cossette to develop a bold new marketing campaign that incorporated traditional ads, printed collateral, a new website and installations. The bent steel tube frames inspired the marketing tagline “Get Bent” and set the colloquial, irreverent tone. The campaign explores joy, individuality, and the creative process through exaggerated scales, unexpected vignettes, and the playful use of color and copy.

“The marketing is meant to be provocative,” said Meghan Sherwin, VP Marketing, Keilhauer. “It connects us to the earliest stages of the design process: exploration and discovery. We’re intentionally breaking industry norms.”

Showroom spaces for Division Twelve are presently underway. In June 2020, Keilhauer will open a designated showroom in Chicago at the Mart — room 324 — to exhibit Division Twelve during NeoCon. It will also be sharing space in the company’s New York and Toronto showrooms.

SUSTAINABILITY

One hundred per cent recyclable frames, Forest Stewardship Council certified wood (FSC® C117042), bio-based seat foams, and an environmentally friendly powder coat process ensures the Division Twelve line marries seamlessly into Keilhauer’s already stellar sustainability program. Already recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers, Keilhauer operates with zero waste to landfill and offsets 100 per cent of its electricity use with renewable energy credits.

To learn more about Division Twelve’s offerings, please visit Division12.com. Division Twelve is available globally and is sold by all Keilhauer sales representatives. To find a local sales representative, please visit Keilhauer.com.

ABOUT KEILHAUER

Founded in 1981, Keilhauer is a privately owned, design focused contract furniture manufacturer. Keilhauer manufactures seating and tables that makes work more comfortable for all. Keilhauer products are thoughtfully made to support communication and engagement in spaces such as meeting rooms, collaboration areas, lobbies and lunchrooms. Working with world-renowned furniture designers, Keilhauer is internationally recognized for award-winning design, built with extreme craftsmanship, to the highest environmental standards. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit Keilhauer.com.

ABOUT DIVISION TWELVE

Division Twelve makes things. Things that make people happy. From tables, to chairs, to stools, our bent metal furniture is built to last. Bent right here in No­rth America, everything we make is the product of durable materials, trend-forward design, and careful craftsmanship. Our incredible selection of colors makes each piece versatile, customizable and ready to help you do you. Division Twelve, a subsidiary of Keilhauer, was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit Division12.com.

ABOUT COSSETTE

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that holds a dominant position in Canada and can call on a network of specialized agencies operating around the world. Cossette is a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers. Cossette has offices in Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax.