Tualatin, OR (June 2006) — Hartmann & Forbes, the maker of high-end handwoven natural window coverings, has ranked #24 in The Portland Business Journal's 2006 list of Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies.
"We're honored to receive this recognition," said Hartmann & Forbes founder and CEO, Michael Jones. "This is a tribute to how hard our showroom partners have worked and how loyal the interior design trade has been to our products."
The annually published list is based on percentage of revenue growth over the past three years. Hartmann & Forbes' ranking is based on 189% growth over the period. This represents purely organic growth, not growth through acquisition.
And that's not the only thing organic about Hartmann & Forbes rapid rise. Jones points to the company's organic products and manufacturing processes as key factors in their success.
Founded in 1998, Hartmann & Forbes specializes in manufacturing fine, handwoven window coverings in more than 150 natural weaves. The company is dedicated to preserving ancient handcrafting traditions through modern and innovative designs. Jones is equally committed to using sustainable, organic materials grown and harvested from well-managed eco-systems.
A rapidly expanding product line includes organic sea grasses, natural pulp fibers, bamboo, jutes, split river reeds and other sustainable materials — cultivated in a way that preserves the environment. Hartmann & Forbes also launched Project Green in 2005 with the University of Oregon, an effort that broadly expanded the company's aggressive environmental policies and procedures. Under Project Green, the company launched the industry's first Take-Back™ program, allowing their responsibly harvested organic products to end their life cycle as natural compost. Hartmann & Forbes will even recycle their competitor's natural shades.
Jones credits the company's network of wholesale showrooms as a major part of their growth. He says what differentiates Hartmann & Forbes in the industry and has led to its success is its broad range of products and a loyal following of interior designers. "Our tremendous growth is directly linked to giving designers what they're asking for - exciting new products, short lead times and customization," said Jones.
To meet the demands of the fashion-conscious interior design trade, the company has introduced many "firsts" to the industry, including handwoven draperies, a line of hand-painted and hand-stained bamboo shades called The ColorWeave™ Collection and new metal roller shade clutches, as well as the Take-Back program. "We're not only staying ahead of trends, we're setting them," said Jones.
Hartmann & Forbes window coverings are available internationally through showrooms throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company's website can be found at www.hfshades.com.
