designwire daily | Knoll Acquires Richard Schultz Design

Knoll Acquires Richard Schultz Design

by Ian Volner | Thursday, February 9, 2012

Richard Schultz Design, in operation since 1992, has just announced that its collection of modern furnishings—as well as its factory in Palm, Pennsylvania—will henceforth be a part of the Knoll family, having been bought by the nearly 75-year-old design concern.

The acquisition is a fitting new chapter in a story that began over 60 years ago. Notes company president Richard Schultz, “My mother was hired by Florence (Shu) Knoll in 1950 to work with her on interior design projects. My father was hired by Hans [Knoll] and Shu in 1951… Today we complete the circle, [bringing] our entire product range back home to Knoll.”

In the intervening six decades since the Schultz family broke off from Knoll, their path has never strayed far from that of the older brand. RSD’s well-known 1966 Collection of outdoor furniture, as well as their Petal Table system, were originally designed for Knoll, and were subsequently re-introduced by the Shultzes with the permission of their now parent company.

The RSD plant is only a short distance from Knoll’s, making the transition that much smoother, and Richard Schultz will be kept on as a consultant. Says Andrew B. Cogan, CEO of Knoll, “The acquisition of Richard Schultz reflects our ongoing interest in remixing our business with high design, high margin specialty offerings which appeal to both commercial buyers and consumers worldwide.”