What Hickory Business Furniture does

Hickory Business Furniture (HBF) is a U.S. contract office furniture manufacturer founded in 1981 and operated as a brand under HNI Corporation. The company designs and produces premium upholstered seating, wood tables, case goods, and complementary textiles for corporate offices, hospitality, educational, and public-space environments, with a 251–500 employee footprint and manufacturing operations in Jasper, Indiana. Its product portfolio spans 128+ seating SKUs, 74+ table SKUs, and 900+ standard models in the Firma Collection alone, organized around named collections (Rhine, Cosme, Hazel, Cadre, KUBI, Costa, Bao, Essens, Dove, Cityscape 2.0, Mod, Max) developed in collaboration with a stable of named designers including Ken Reinhard (since 1981), Mark Grattan, Barbara Barry, Travis Clifton, Kevin Stark, and ALA Studio. Notable technical features include modular reconfigurable systems with pressure-fit metal ganging brackets, a Customer's Own Material/Leather (COM/COL) program, integrated power options (powerConnect, powerPlay, powerSpin, powerWise) on select lines, and hand-crafted solid-wood construction.

HBF monetizes through one-time B2B contract sales of furniture, with pricing mediated by specification and quote rather than public disclosure. Its go-to-market is built on a regional sales-representative network across the United States and internationally, a Salesforce Communities dealer portal for order and invoice management, GSA and state-specific price lists for government procurement, and a recently refreshed flagship showroom at 351 California St in New York. Marketing centers on the hbf.com website, design collaborations, trade-show presence (notably BDNY, where five 2025 Product Design awards were won), and a dedicated press room. HBF Textiles operates as a wholly owned sub-brand offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabric, providing vertical textile supply for the furniture line and a standalone purchase channel at hbftextiles.com.

Name

Hickory Business Furniture

Legal name

HBF Furniture

Website

https://hbf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

HBF (Hickory Business Furniture) is a U.S. contract office furniture manufacturer, founded 1981 and operated under HNI Corporation, designing and producing premium upholstered seating, tables, storage, and textiles for corporate, hospitality, educational, and public-space environments via a dealer and sales-rep network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Office Furniture

NAICS

Office Furniture (including Fixtures) Manufacturing (3372), Other Furniture Related Product Manufacturing (3379)

SIC

Office Furniture (2520), Retail-Furniture Stores (5712)

akta.pro primary industry

Furniture (Residential & Commercial) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Office Furniture & Workspace Accessories Retail (CRALABAE)

Keywords

• Contract office furniture
• Commercial seating
• Office tables
• Contract textiles
• Wood case goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Hickory

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Furniture Product Sales: HBF generates revenue through the sale of contract office furniture including seating (guest chairs, lounge chairs, sofas, sectionals, swivels, stools, benches), tables (occasional, collaborative, conference, meeting, desks), and storage/dividers (credenzas, lecterns, screens, carts). Products are sold as one-time purchases with no recurring revenue model.
2. Custom COM/COL Orders: Customers can specify their own textiles and materials (COM/COL) for custom orders, creating additional revenue from material sourcing and handling services.
3. HBF Textiles: Related division offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabric. Available through hbftextiles.com for standalone textile purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HBF manufactures and sells premium contract office furniture, including upholstered seating, wood and occasional tables, storage and dividers, and a related textiles line. Products are sold under named designer collections (Rhine, Cosme, Hazel, Cadre, KUBI, Costa, Firma, Bao, Essens, Dove, and others) for commercial offices, hospitality, educational, and government environments. Sales occur through regional reps, authorized dealers, GSA procurement, and a flagship NYC showroom, with customizations enabled via a COM/COL program.

Product overview

HBF (Hickory Business Furniture) is a contract office furniture manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of seating, tables, storage solutions, and textiles. The core product lines include Seating (Guest + Side Chairs, Lounge Chairs, Sofas + Sectionals, Swivels, Stools, Benches + Poufs), Tables (Occasional, Collaborative + Multi-Use, Conference + Meeting, Desks), and Storage + Dividers (Credenzas, Lecterns, Screens, Carts). The company also operates HBF Textiles as a sub-brand offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabrics. Key named collections include Rhine (modular petite club by Ken Reinhard), Cosme (hospitality lounge by Mark Grattan), Hazel, Cadre, KUBI (by Barbara Barry), Costa, Firma (900+ models), Bao, Essens, Dove, Cityscape 2.0, Mod, and Max. These collections span guest seating, lounge furniture, sofas, sectionals, swivel chairs, stools, benches, occasional tables, collaborative tables, conference tables, and desks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HBF Textiles: A textile division offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabrics for contract furniture applications.

Products and services

• HBF Seating Comprehensive seating product line spanning guest and side chairs, lounge chairs, sofas and sectionals, swivel chairs, stools, and benches and poufs designed for contract and hospitality environments.
• HBF Tables Contract-grade tables including occasional tables, collaborative and multi-use tables, conference and meeting tables, and desks for commercial interiors.
• HBF Storage + Dividers Workspace storage and space-division products including credenzas, lecterns, screens, and carts for offices, classrooms, and public environments.
• HBF Textiles Sub-brand offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabric textiles for contract furniture applications, available standalone via hbftextiles.com.
• Rhine Collection Modular petite club seating collection by Ken Reinhard with organic forms, horizontal expression, and reconfigurable layouts via pressure-fit metal ganging brackets. Includes static, swivel, and mobile chair options plus integrated companion tables. Designed for boutique hotel and workplace lounge applications.
• Cosme Collection Seating collection by Mark Grattan that bridges residential luxury and contract performance for hospitality, lounge, and public environments with refined, tactile, and intuitively human forms.
• Hazel Collection Seating collection featuring refined detailing, engaged support, and expressive materiality built on a finely crafted solid wood frame.
• Cadre Collection Seating collection designed by Kevin Stark for impactful business meetings, balancing aesthetics and comfort in conference and meeting environments.
• KUBI Collection Seating collection designed by Barbara Barry featuring solid wood architecture, modular versatility, and unadorned details.
• Costa Collection Modular table collection designed to shift between work, training, café, and collaboration applications in contemporary environments.
• Firma Collection Table and surface collection by Travis Clifton that incorporates innovative materials across 900+ standard models for contract interiors.
• Bao Collection Seating collection designed by ALA Studio for maximum comfort and flexibility with an emphasis on collaboration and user experience.
• Essens Collection Seating collection that combines detail, material, and ergonomics into a balanced commercial offering.
• Dove Collection Collection built on solid wood architecture with unadorned details for contract interiors.
• Cityscape 2.0 Modular seating and tables product line with contemporary design for versatile workspace configurations.
• Mod Seating Modular lounge seating system offering armless, deep, highback options and sectionals for collaborative spaces.
• Max Modular Lounge and sectional seating product with flexible configurations for collaborative workspaces.
• Kinzie Screens Modern and industrial mobile screens providing privacy and space division for large interiors and public spaces.
• Linea Credenza Creative storage credenza adding personality to workspaces while retaining functionality.
• Linea Lectern Lectern designed for classrooms, offices, and collaborative spaces.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ken ReinhardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing design collaborator since HBF's founding in 1981. Designed HBF's first product line and debut catalog. Designed the Rhine Collection - an expressive modular petite club collection with organic forms and unmatched reconfigurability.
• Mark GrattancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of the Cosme Collection - bridging residential luxury with contract performance. Collection designed for hospitality, lounge, and public environments with refined, tactile, and intuitively human forms.
• Travis Clifton (T Clifton Design)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal of T Clifton Design, designed the Firma Collection. Incorporated innovative materials into an expanded line offering 900+ standard models.
• Kevin StarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of the Cadre Collection. Collection designed to set a tone for impactful business meetings while maintaining aesthetics and comfort.
• ALA StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner of the Bao Collection, informed by ethos of inspired collaboration, design-thinking, and close attention to user experience.
• JuniperflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-exhibited at BDNY 2025 with Co/Create lounge experience celebrating shared principles of American manufacturing, refined craftsmanship, and hospitality art.
• nanimarquinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRugs and showroom partner for Rhine Collection photography and showroom display at BDNY 2025.
• HBF TextilescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated division under HNI Corporation offering woven upholstery, leather, and coated fabric. Co-marketed and exhibited jointly at events like BDNY. Products available at hbftextiles.com.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Steelcase: Largest pure-play contract office furniture manufacturer globally, offering seating, tables, storage and architectural solutions for corporate, healthcare, and education environments — directly comparable category and channel to HBF.
• Haworth: Privately held global contract furniture manufacturer with comparable seating, tables, and architectural interior offerings, sold through an extensive dealer network — directly competes in contract workplace specification.
• MillerKnoll: Combined entity of Herman Miller and Knoll, offering premium contract and residential furniture across seating, tables, case goods, and textiles; closest direct comparable in premium designer-led contract seating.
• Kimball International: US-based manufacturer of commercial furniture including seating, tables, casegoods, and ancillary products sold through dealers — comparable scale and customer base to HBF in the contract channel.
• Allsteel: HNI Corporation sister brand offering mid-market office seating, tables, and storage through the same dealer ecosystem; internal comparable that highlights HBF's premium positioning within its parent's portfolio.
• Teknion: Canadian-based manufacturer of office furniture and architectural interiors for workplaces, healthcare, and education — competes with HBF on designer-driven seating and modular systems.
• National Office Furniture: US contract furniture manufacturer under Kimball International offering seating, tables, and casegoods for corporate, healthcare, and government — comparable category and B2B go-to-market.
• Humanscale: Design-led ergonomics and workplace furniture manufacturer offering seating, desks, and monitor arms — comparable premium positioning and B2B specification channel.
• Coalesse (Steelcase brand): Steelcase's premium design-led brand targeting hospitality, lounge, and collaborative environments — most direct internal competitor to HBF's lounge/hospitality positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Knoll (now part of MillerKnoll): Heritage premium design-led contract and residential furniture brand under MillerKnoll — directly comparable on designer collaborations and premium positioning, though broader in scale and assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hbf--
• Instagraminstagram.com/hbffurniture
• Pinterestpinterest.com/hbffurniture
• Xx.com/HBFContract
• Facebookfacebook.com/161518667209130

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Hickory Business Furniture