Haworth’s Three‑Decade Manufacturing Journey in India
Haworth entered the Indian market in 1997 as the first major international office‑furniture manufacturer, shifting from a pure sales focus to local production. The company launched its first Indian manufacturing unit in 2005 with a seating facility in Pune, marking the first multinational investment in this category. Workstation production began near Chennai in 2011, and in 2014 Haworth consolidated all operations into a dedicated plant at Sriperumbudur, located about 40 km outside Chennai.
In March 2024 Haworth broke ground on a second factory adjacent to the Sriperumbudur site, a move intended to double the current manufacturing footprint. The existing plant spans 21,000 sq m and integrates metal fabrication, plastic moulding, upholstery, and complete workstation assembly under one roof – a level of vertical integration rare in the sector. More than 180 engineers, technicians and craftspeople are employed on the production floor, and an in‑house pre‑BIFMA laboratory conducts destructive testing to certify product durability before market release.
The upcoming facility will expand the operational space by 100 %, creating a hub for key Haworth products, reducing reliance on imports, meeting export demand, and optimizing delivery schedules across India and the broader Asia‑Pacific region. While originally built to serve the Indian market, the expanded capacity is positioned to supply customers well beyond national borders.
India‑manufactured Haworth furniture now underpins high‑profile workplace projects, including Synopsys’ 42,000 sq m Bengaluru campus for over 3,000 engineering and design staff, and a global insurance group’s first Global Capability Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. All seating, tables and desks produced in India are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards under IS 17631:2022 and IS 17633:2022. Across Haworth’s global portfolio, more than 70 % of products hold BIFMA Level 3 certification and 83 % of sales‑weighted products carry third‑party verified Environmental Product Declarations.
The Chennai plant operates on 100 % renewable energy through on‑site solar generation and Energy Attribute Certificates, and follows a zero‑waste‑to‑landfill policy. Beyond manufacturing, Haworth has partnered with the Sevalya foundation since 2020 to support education, healthcare, clean‑water access, renewable energy and village development in rural Tamil Nadu.
Executive Comments
Praveen Rawal, Vice President – Sales, Asia Pacific, highlighted India as a prime growth engine driven by technology adoption, talent, and the need for innovative office spaces. He emphasized Haworth’s ambition to meet Made‑in‑India aspirations of both corporate and government customers while also exporting from India.
Manish Khandelwal, Managing Director, Haworth India, reiterated the company’s commitment to global design standards, engineering excellence and local insight, noting that the second Chennai factory will double current space, serve as a production hub for key products, and reduce import dependence.
About Haworth
Haworth is a global design brand founded in 1948 in Holland, Michigan, creating furniture and workplace environments that support people and organisations to thrive. It operates as part of the Haworth Group, partnering with customers worldwide to balance performance, well‑being and efficient space utilisation.