Haworth acquires leading Canadian office furniture manufacturer | Woodworking Network

TORONTO and HOLLAND, Mich. — Haworth, a leading global manufacturer of commercial furniture and interior solutions, has acquired a majority shareholding in Tayco, a large, Toronto, Ontario–based manufacturer of office furniture and casegoods.

Tayco is a North American manufacturer of modern office furniture, with its main manufacturing facility and headquarters located in Toronto, Ontario. The company specializes in office systems, benching, and workstations, and has recently expanded its facility to incorporate more advanced technology and automation. 

While details of the acquisition were not released, Tayco revenue was reportedly $26.1 million (CAD) in 2022 when the company was purchased by BRC Business Enterprises. More recent Tayco sales have been reported as high as $58.9 million. Haworth is an FDMC 300-listed company, ranking #7 with sales of $2.5 billion.  

“Haworth has been active in Canada for more than 50 years. Hundreds of Canadian workers have played a vital role in bringing Haworth products to life through manufacturing, assembly, and our dealer distribution,” said Franco Bianchi, President and CEO, Haworth. “With Tayco, even more Canadian workers will be part of our story through direct manufacturing at the Toronto facility. This is the next chapter in our Canadian commitment, and it gives our customers across the public and private sectors more choice in how they meet their Canadian content and supply chain resilience goals with world-class solutions.”

Tayco will continue to operate independently under the leadership of Bill Melnik and its senior management team, maintaining the same team, business model, and open-line approach to the market. Existing customers and dealer partners can expect full continuity in products, services, programs, and relationships.

Founded in 1975, Tayco has spent five decades building a reputation for manufacturing quality and operational efficiency from its facility in Toronto, Ontario. The company is known across the industry for world-class production of office furniture, work systems, storage, casegoods, tables, and seating, which demands precision engineering, material expertise, and consistent quality at scale.

Tayco operates a more 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Ontario. The company recently announced a 37,000-square-foot expansion of its main manufacturing facility to expand its production capabilities and better serve its dealership network. Tayco said it recognizes the need to continuously evolve and improve business processes. The expansion of the main production facility allows for the onboarding of additional employees and is a necessary step in order to create a seamless manufacturing process. 

Also, Tayco has improved its manufacturing capabilities with the introduction of new equipment, technology, and automation. Michael Ramundi, vice president of operations, states that “the plant expansion, reconfiguration, and technological improvements were vital steps to facilitate Tayco’s growth plans. The manufacturing changes were made to refine our processes and allow us to support the increased demand from our dealer partners.”

Bill Melnik, president, Tayco, said that Tayco has always been proud of its Canadian roots and reputation for high-quality manufacturing. “Over 50 years, we’ve built world-class expertise in casegoods and furniture manufacturing, skills, and efficiency that our team is excited to bring to Haworth’s global network. Joining Haworth allows us to invest for the long term, bring our Canadian-manufactured products to more customers domestically and internationally, and contribute to Haworth’s global success while keeping our operations and jobs in Canada.”

As Tayco celebrates its 50th anniversary, the milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s evolution, building on five decades of Canadian manufacturing excellence. Haworth’s investment in Tayco opens opportunities for growth in Ontario, including potential for expanded production capacity for the Group.

For clients, Haworth’s Canadian dealer network can now provide furniture and interior solutions that incorporate Canadian-manufactured products. The Canadian manufacturing capability offers additional benefits, including shorter lead times on key product lines, improved supply chain resilience, and stronger ESG and local economic impact reporting.

“Our dealers are trusted partners to governments, institutions, and businesses in their communities,” said Susan Carpenter, regional vice president for Canada, Haworth. “This acquisition gives them a stronger story to tell about local investment, jobs, and Canadian-manufactured options within the Haworth portfolio.”