Imagine that huge workbench above as a dining table. Okay, so I went over to visit the founders of BUILT yesterday afternoon (they're my guests next month at our September Design Meetup) and I fell in love with their office furniture. It was awesome industrial-style design from a company I'd never heard of before. Here's the lowdown and a great new source.
Equipto is based in Tatamy, Pennsylvania and is over 100 years old! Check out this story:
"It all began in 1907, when Thomas M. Dunham began developing motorcycle headlights and sidecars in Aurora, Illinois. With the increase in automobile production, motorcycle parts soon were not in such high demand, so Equipto began producing body parts for Ford Motor Company's Model T Chassis. As the relationship with the car industry flourished, Dunham began hearing other needs within the automotive industry. One car dealer needed heavy-duty shelving to store large, hefty car parts and the idea for space utilization products was born."
Today, Equipto makes all sorts of metal desks, carts, cabinets and systems furniture for factories and hospitals. They are big, but they DO have a direct retail channel on their site, where you can find some of their top products and they also sell clearance.
The cool thing about them is that they do COLORS and they top their workbenches with solid hardwood. BUILT's shelving and tables were all an orange that they did for the Harley Davidson factory. The wood tops you see in the pics is 1 3/4" solid sealed ash.
Apparently, it can be a little challenging ordering from Equipto, but the products are well priced, extremely well made and totally unique.
>> Equipto
>> BUILT
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (5)
Great story about a company that shows some staying power. That says a lot for a product's quality. With all the color collections and modular units available, it almost seems to be over-engineered in terms of design potential, but that is accidental, I suppose, considering that the product was initially designed to perform and not look pretty. The Harley-Davidson collection would be an exception and shows a nice ability of the company to customize and evolve with market demand. It'd be great to see some other companies and residences that have incorporated Equipto. Anyone have pics?
The wood tops and orange legs and orange shelves just make me think I'm inside a Home Depot :P
my mother worked for Equipto for most of my childhood (and college years) so all those worktables and shelving bring back some memories. my first college dorm room and apartments were outfitted in the industrial-chic wire shelving. :) i still have my single box locker and dream of the day that we'll have a workspace large enough to hold an Equipto workbench.
i even worked in the assembly plant (in Dallas) when i graduated from highschool in the shipping department. :)
Action Handling Equipment has been providing material handling equipment, industrial weighing equipment and office equipment supplies to businesses all over the UK and overseas.
Lifting Equipment
For great storage ideas, good discounts, design assistance and additional pictures of Equipto products visit
http://www.slideshare.net/Equipto/equipto-new-york-city