Laacke & Joys Co., Concept Seating’s parent company, is celebrating 180 years! Laacke & Joys got its start designing and manufacturing sails for the tall ships at the Port of Milwaukee before Wisconsin achieved statehood. Today, the company looks much different. With over 90 employees and two robust divisions serving a host of customers both locally and globally, Laacke & Joys is thriving.
In 2012 Laacke & Joys acquired Concept Seating, adding 24/7 chair design and manufacturing to its lineup. Since then, this division has experienced record growth. Beginning in the public safety industry by making chairs for 911 dispatchers, the company has expanded to industries such as government, process control rooms for oil and gas, air traffic control towers, transit authority control centers and anywhere else that has around-the-clock seated shifts. Concept Seating chairs can be found in NORAD, Shell, Exxon, New York Metropolitan Transit Authority, and 80% of all FAA locations. There is a Concept Seating chair on every continent, including Antarctica.
The division of LJ Design & Manufacturing continues the tradition of manufacturing technical sewn products; now however, today’s focus is on partnering with customers in the medical, industrial and OEM industries. LJ Design & Manufacturing is a registered FDA medical device manufacturer, which has enabled them to showcase their unique skillset of manufacturing technical soft goods to the medical industry. Regular investments in technology, equipment and training combined with their technical problem-solving abilities have made them a highly sought-after manufacturing partner.
“I am thrilled to be part of a company with such a rich legacy in the community and the industry. A huge part of that is thanks to our employees,” says Laacke & Joys CEO, Marsha Mather. “Their dedication and commitment to listening to the customer and being creative problem solvers is a true asset. I can’t wait to see what the next 180 years will bring.”
