Fellowes

What Fellowes does

Fellowes is a fourth-generation, family-owned global manufacturer of workplace solutions headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, founded in 1917 originally as The Bankers Box Company. The company designs and manufactures a multi-category product portfolio organized around three pillars: business products (POWERSHRED paper shredders — including the USA-made 400 Series — plus binding, laminating, and Bankers Box storage), commercial air quality management (AeraMax Pro and ARRAY, the latter billed as the only BMS-integrated networked air purification and monitoring system), and contract interiors (Rising and Sena monitor arms, Lotus sit-stand workstations, TITAN and Volo modular walls, FlexCharge desktop power, Glimor LED lighting, and markerboards).

Underlying technology combines mechanical engineering for shredders and binding equipment, multi-stage HEPA filtration with building management system integration for air purification, and ergonomic furniture systems; the company holds patents across shredder mechanisms, AeraMax Pro air purification, mobile accessories, Workplace Solutions Management, and binding/laminating equipment. Fellowes makes money primarily through one-time hardware sales across enterprise quote-based multi-year contracts and SMB/consumer retail channels, supplemented by recurring aftermarket consumables (filters, shredder bags, replacement boxes) and professional services for installation and maintenance.

Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, an authorized reseller and distributor network, inside sales for mid-market, and direct e-commerce at fellowes.com, with wholly-owned regional subsidiaries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Africa. The customer base spans Corporate Enterprise (primary), Government, Healthcare, Higher Education, Finance, Technology/Communication, and Automotive/Transportation verticals. Recent strategic posture has been defined by acquisitions of ESI Ergonomic Solutions (2017), Loeffs Patent B.V. (2018), and Trendway Office Furniture (2019) to broaden the platform, alongside active product launches into modular walls, air quality transparency, and desktop power, and a 2026 strategic partnership with HVAKR to integrate IAQ calculations into HVAC design.

Name

Fellowes

Legal name

Fellowes, Inc.

Website

https://fellowes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Fellowes is a fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer founded in 1917, producing workplace solutions including paper shredders, BMS-integrated commercial air purification systems, ergonomic monitor arms, modular walls, and sit-stand workstations for enterprise, government, healthcare, and education customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Office Products and Workplace Solutions

NAICS

Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing (33721), Showcase, Partition, Shelving, and Locker Manufacturing (337215), Small Electrical Appliance Manufacturing (335210)

SIC

Office Furniture (2520), Office Furniture (No Wood) (2522), Electric Housewares & Fans (3634), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Office & Desk Organization Retail (Desktop, File, Cable Trays) (CRAIAJAK)

Keywords

• Office products manufacturing
• Commercial paper shredders
• Ergonomic monitor arms
• Commercial air purification
• Modular office walls

Headquarters

HQ city

Itasca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling commercial-grade workplace equipment including shredders, air purifiers, ergonomic furniture, binding machines, and laminators. One-time capital purchases with potential for aftermarket accessories and consumables.
2. Professional Services: Installation, maintenance, and consulting services for workplace solution implementations, including air quality monitoring setup and ongoing equipment servicing contracts.
3. Aftermarket Accessories and Consumables: Recurring revenue from replacement parts, filters, shredder bags, binding supplies, and other consumables for installed equipment base.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fellowes designs, manufactures, and markets commercial-grade workplace products and contract furnishings. Core offerings include POWERSHRED paper shredders, ARRAY/AeraMax air purification systems with BMS integration, ergonomic monitor arms and sit-stand workstations (Rising, Sena, Lotus, Levado), modular walls (TITAN, Volo), markerboards, FlexCharge desktop power solutions, Bankers Box records storage, and binding/laminating machines. The company serves both enterprise customers (corporate, government, healthcare, education) through direct and channel sales, as well as individual consumers via e-commerce.

Product overview

Fellowes is a multi-product workplace solutions company offering a diverse portfolio of office products and contract furnishings. The core product portfolio includes POWERSHRED® paper shredders (including the 400 Series made in the USA), Rising™ and Sena™ monitor arms, TITAN™ and Volo® modular walls, ARRAY® and AeraMax® air purification systems, Lotus™ sit-stand workstations, markerboards, FlexCharge™ power solutions, and Bankers Box® storage products. The company operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, with air quality management (ARRAY/AeraMax), contract interiors (monitor arms, modular walls, lighting), and business products (shredders, binding, laminating) as the three main product pillars. The product line spans from individual consumer products to enterprise-scale contract furniture and air quality management systems, all unified under the Fellowes brand for 'A Better WorkLife'.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Powershred: Paper shredder product line including 400 series made in USA
• Array
• Rising
• TITAN
• Earth by Fellowes
• GIVE
• FlexCharge
• AeraMax
• Lotus
• STAXONSTEEL
• R-Kive
• AutoMax
• Opløft
• Tallo
• Sena
• Volo
• Glimor
• Kuva
• Netta
• Elea
• Lyra
• Hana
• Kata
• Amble
• Levado
• Zona
• Zadi
• Neptune
• Venus
• Jupiter

Products and services

• POWERSHRED 400 Series Paper Shredders Commercial paper shredders manufactured in the USA, trusted worldwide for document security, with compliance to BAA/TAA standards for government procurement.
• ARRAY Networked Air Purification System The only BMS integrated air purification and monitoring system for commercial indoor air quality management, enabling networked air quality monitoring across facilities.
• Rising Monitor Arms Premium monitor arms designed for workplace ergonomics, offering sophisticated adjustability and design for modern office environments.
• TITAN Modular Walls The most adaptable modular wall system for office space division, enabling flexible workspace configurations.
• Markerboards Premium working surfaces designed for modern office collaboration and workspace design.
• FlexCharge Desktop Power Solutions Desktop power solutions providing charging capability for multiple devices with up to 65W power output for modern workplaces.
• AeraMax Air Purifiers Commercial and residential air purifiers with HEPA filtration for indoor air quality improvement.
• Lotus Sit-Stand Workstations Height-adjustable workstations enabling users to alternate between sitting and standing positions for improved ergonomics.
• Volo Modular Wall Modular wall system for workspace design and office reconfiguration.
• Sena Monitor Arms Monitor arm series offering ergonomic adjustment for single or multiple monitors.
• Tallo Monitor Arm Series Monitor arm series designed for office furniture integration and workspace ergonomics.
• Glimor LED Task Lighting LED task lighting solutions for contract interiors and workspace illumination.
• Kuva Mobile Storage/Planters Mobile storage and planter solutions for flexible workspace design.
• Netta Wire Management Wire management solutions for clean and organized office desk setups.
• Bankers Box Records Storage Records storage boxes and organization products for document management, the company's original product line since 1917.
• Fellowes Mobile Accessories Mobile device mounting and accessory systems for phones and tablets, including Fellowes Mobile product line.
• Array Viewpoint Forum Air quality transparency platform for monitoring and reporting indoor air quality data in commercial spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Airborne particle reduction verified through third-party testing

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HVAKRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on HVAC design integration for commercial air quality solutions. HVAKR provides expertise in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that complement Fellowes AeraMax Pro air purification technology for comprehensive indoor air quality management in commercial buildings.
• Momentum TextilesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for distribution of modular wall solutions. Momentum Textiles provides upholstery and wall covering products that complement Fellowes modular workspace solutions for commercial interiors.
• Unika VaevminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for modular wall solution distribution. Unika Vaev specializes in architectural surfaces and wall treatments that integrate with Fellowes workplace furniture and acoustic solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ACCO Brands: ACCO Brands is a direct peer in commercial shredders, binding/laminating machines, and office supplies — overlapping Fellowes' legacy business products portfolio and competing head-to-head in dealer and retail channels.
• Steelcase: Steelcase is a leading global office furniture manufacturer competing directly with Fellowes' contract interiors pillar (modular walls, monitor arms, ergonomic seating) for enterprise specification deals.
• Haworth: Haworth is a privately-held global office furniture manufacturer with a comparable contract interiors portfolio — modular walls, workstations, ergonomic seating — making it a direct competitor to Fellowes' Trendway-acquired franchise.
• Humanscale: Humanscale specializes in ergonomic office solutions including monitor arms and sit-stand desks, directly competing with Fellowes' Rising, Sena, Tallo, and Lotus product lines.
• Ergotron: Ergotron is a direct competitor in monitor arms, sit-stand workstations, and workspace ergonomics — overlapping with Fellowes' Rising, Sena, and Lotus product lines in the same B2B channels.
• HNI Corporation: HNI Corporation (HON, Allsteel, Gunlocke) is a major office furniture manufacturer with overlapping contract interiors offerings — workstations, seating, and storage — directly competing with Fellowes' Trendway portfolio.
• Kimball International: Kimball International manufactures office furniture, hospitality furniture, and cabinetry, with product overlap in casegoods, modular walls, and workplace furnishings — comparable to Fellowes' contract interiors pillar.
• Knoll (now MillerKnoll): MillerKnoll (formerly Herman Miller + Knoll) is a major contract furniture company competing in modular walls, ergonomic seating, monitor arms, and office accessories — comparable to Fellowes' contract interiors pillar.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell: Honeywell is a broad incumbent in commercial building air quality and HVAC controls, competing with Fellowes' AeraMax and ARRAY air purification business through its broader building technologies portfolio.
• 3M: 3M is a broad incumbent in office and workplace products including filtration, ergonomic accessories, and document management supplies — overlapping portions of Fellowes' portfolio through a much larger diversified business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fellowesinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fellowes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fellowes

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fellowes