By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal business writer
POSTED: 07:00 p.m. EST, Jan 13, 2010
One business that won't have to go far to get office furniture when it expands its space in the next few months is APG Office Furnishings.
The Cincinnati-based company with offices locally in Akron and Cleveland, completed its purchase of Business Interiors and Environments Inc. in December. The company, also known as BIE, was founded in Akron in 1973, originally selling office furniture. Over the years it adapted its operation to design office and residential interiors.
Both BIE and APG were dealers of Herman Miller office furniture, so it made sense for APG to purchase the business when BIE Chief Executive Officer Bob Jones was looking to sell, said Sean Regan, APG vice president of sales.
''It expands our customer base. When there were two dealers in the market, there's the potential for confusion in the marketplace. It makes things simpler in the marketplace from the customer standpoint,'' said Regan, who is based out of Cleveland but oversees Northeast Ohio operations that include an office at 40 E. Buchtel Ave. in downtown Akron. The company focuses on commercial furniture sales and some ancillary services, said Regan.
APG was founded in 1969 in Cincinnati and began expanding into Northeast Ohio, Dayton and Memphis starting in 2005. Terry Goins, a longtime employee, purchased the business in 2005, and last year his wife, Connie Goins, purchased the business and now serves as CEO. Terry Goins is chief operating officer. The company is now certified as a Women's Business Enterprise, which helps its business, particularly with clients in the government and public sector, said Nick Square, sales team leader who is in charge of the Akron office.
With the purchase of BIE and the addition of two of BIE's staff members to the Akron office (some also went to the Cleveland office), APG will expand its Akron office to double its space for its eight employees. Companywide, the business has 110 employees with about 50 in Northeast Ohio.
The business is taking on the office space next door to its existing Akron office/showroom to use 3,000 square feet of a building for a separate showroom and office space. The company hopes to be in its expanded space by March, said Regan.
The office furnishings business has suffered during the recession, but Regan said APG has three main markets — health-care furnishings, higher education, and corporate or commercial spaces.
''The corporate environment, there's no question about it, it's down. That segment is not as strong as it was 14 to 18 months ago, but health care is still going strong and higher education is still a nice market for us,'' said Regan. Among APG's Akron-area clients are the University of Akron and Summa Health System, he said.
APG does a lot of hospital business since Herman Miller has a health-care line of specialty furniture, such as nurses stations and furnishings for pharmacies within hospitals, Regan said.
APG purchased BIE's commercial sales department, which includes the right to sell the Herman Miller brand. The terms were not disclosed.
Jones of BIE and his son, Eric, along with a few employees, will focus on residential and commercial interior design through Jones Group Interiors. They will work out of the 701 S. Broadway offices that used to house Business Interiors and Environments.
Jones' company has the right to use the BIE name for one year, but Jones said he will change to Jones Group Interiors. Regan said APG will not take on the BIE name.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com.
