Steelcase enters Sri Lanka, expanding its footprint in Asia Pacific

The world’s largest office furniture manufacturer brings global knowledge, expertise and product range to businesses in Sri Lanka

Steelcase, the global leader in office furniture and innovative workspace solutions, on Friday announced the opening of its first dealer showroom in Sri Lanka. Developed in partnership with Widac Commercial Interiors, the new showroom in downtown Colombo further strengthens the presence of Steelcase in the Asia-Pacific region, adding to a comprehensive network of showrooms in major cities and markets throughout the region, including India, China, Singapore, Japan and Australia. 

The showroom opening highlights the company’s commitment to supporting local and international clients in markets around the world, and the growth in business opportunities it sees in the Sri Lanka market. It is a strong indicator of the country’s growing importance as an economic hub in the region, attracting investments from global brands.

The new showroom gives local and international businesses in Sri Lanka access to the latest Steelcase workplace research, knowledge and solutions from around the world, as well as a comprehensive range of workplace furniture to meet the needs of growing businesses. Steelcase is at the forefront of research about the ways people actually work in today’s fast-paced business world, applying decades of knowledge and experience to help businesses to drive innovation and boost employee productivity and wellness. 

Through its architecture, furniture and technology solutions, Steelcase helps organisations create workplaces that support a great work experience and evolve the way they work, while optimising the use of space. In Sri Lanka, it will initially engage in different industries. 

Commenting on Steelcase’s entry into Sri Lanka, Steelcase Asia Pacific President Uli Gwinner said: “We are pleased to receive such a warm welcome into Sri Lanka. I am confident Steelcase can help businesses in Sri Lanka boost the performance of its people and organisations. We look forward to working with Widac Commercial Interiors to share our deep knowledge and expertise in work and workplaces, to boost productivity, efficiency and employee wellbeing. There is a strong awareness in Sri Lanka of the need to utilise the workplace to support individuals, teams and organisations to thrive and grow, and to retain talent. Steelcase can help play a vital role in this, and we look forward to a rewarding relationship with retail and corporate clients in Sri Lanka.”

A recent 14-country Gallup Study conducted in collaboration with the global market research firm IPSOS, found nearly a quarter of the world’s 1.3 billion full-time employees are actively disengaged in their work, outnumbering their engaged colleagues by nearly 1:2. The study revealed there is a direct correlation between employee engagement and work environment. The more satisfied an employee is, the more likely he or she is to be highly engaged. 

Gwinner explains: “In an interconnected business world that is undergoing constant change, with the ability for individuals and teams to work anywhere, anytime, around the world, the ways people work and the workplace they need to support them to be their most productive and successful is rapidly evolving. We are happy to work with Widac, who has valuable experience in designing workplaces in Sri Lanka, to provide the optimum workplace solutions and furniture to our customers.”

Welcoming the partnership with Steelcase, Widac Commercial Interiors Chairman Primal Wijayanayake said: “We are delighted to partner with Steelcase, a world leader in the design and manufacture of furniture for commercial workplaces. Our joint synergies will contribute to new designs and enhance productivity in Sri Lankan workplaces. Widac is already deeply engaged in designing commercial interiors, and I believe this partnership will add immense value to workplaces in the country. Employee engagement and wellbeing are issues of growing importance for companies, and we look forward to offering them our expert solutions to address their needs.”