Archive for the ‘green school furniture manufacturing’ Category

Paragon Top Picks: School Furniture Resources Online

05//31//2011 //Mark Hubbard

Top School Furniture Resources OnlineSeems like the “smartest” folks we often know are the same folks who have the greatest internal and external resources.  Only a couple decades ago, only the hives with the largest stockpiles of honey could afford access.  But now, with all these incredible advancements in technology, the honeycomb has been leveled to such a degree that virtually all of us have an unfettered flight path directly to some of the richest information resources imaginable. At Paragon, we RELY on the ability to mine the very best ideas available…many of which bubble up from within our talent pool…and many of which come from customers, suppliers, competitors, product testers, industry reporters, and many more.  For those you who honor us with your patronage, we thought you might like to see some of the resources we consider most useful in our day-in/day-out activities here at Paragon.  Check these links out and we’re sure you’ll find the nectar just as sweet (alright…alright…I’m done with the whole honeybee metaphor…I only did it to show my retired teacher mother that I paid attention in her class…once).  Beezout!

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Ideas: the currency in which we trade

04//23//2010 //Mark Hubbard

LEARN-IT school desk with accessory bookboxEvery now and then great ideas come along.  You know, like Heaven, Vegas, hair bands, and funnel cakes.  Man, those are real eureka moments when you discover practical uses for those ideas.  It’s sweeter still to not only benefit from great ideas but to catch that productive spark thrown from the mind’s Catherine Wheel and be the origin of them.

As product makers, we’re sustained by turning our ideas into solutions.  Doing so keeps us light on our feet and leaning into the creative trade winds.  We also rely largely on the ideas of our customer; these are the folks with the practical knowledge of what does and doesn’t work in the real world. 

Every time I pass through our showroom and see the new INTUitIVe by Paragon table series (aka “it”), I am reminded that the secret spring to product success is coiled around design, durability, and function.   Our LEARN-IT school desk, for example, couples great looks and hardiness in a 14 gauge steel, custom milled 2×1 ¾” “D-round” leg tube shape, 1 ¼” thick 45lb medium density particle board top core material, and riveted aluminum end cap.  Function imbues LEARN-IT with our patent pending glass nylon bezel sleeve with 8 points of contact within leg insert. 

Recently, we developed a 16 gauge perforated steel book/laptop storage compartment in two vertical depths that can be used with our LEARN-IT (picture shown), TEAM-IT, COLLABORATE-IT, and COMPUTE-IT.   We don’t distinguish these days between a classroom and the ol’ computer lab.  Instead, we see learning spaces where computing is as common as a no. 2 pencil and the Swingline stapler.  We’re experimenting with different paints for this accessory…matching with plastic chair…a look we haven’t seen much.

From elementary schools and college campuses to office environments, Paragon’s eco friendly school furniture is delivering lifetime warranty solutions.  So, here’s another great idea:  Check out our INTUitIVE series where you’ll see furniture moving forward!

Paragon and Green Certification

01//28//2010 //Steve Pryor

Paragon's eco friendly school furniture meets MAS certified green standards.

Everyone wants to be green….but what does this mean when it comes to furniture?  At Paragon, we are accountable to an independent third-party to ensure that we are certified for low-VOC emissions.  VOCs are Volatile Organic Compounds.  Simply put, the lower the emissions of VOCs , the better the indoor air quality.  Improved indoor air quality leads to better and healthier environments for learning and working.

Paragon partnered with Material Analytical Sciences, the creators of the MAS Green Certification, because of their dedication to test using standardized scientific methods (ASTM, ANSI and CEN).  You would be surprised to find out that some green certifications are based on their own self-created standards.

So, do you want to put on your lab coat and black rimmed glasses with white tape on the nose bridge?  It isn’t as fun as making a volcano with baking soda for the science fair but science is important when it comes to truly being green.  Green is often unseen and as a manufacturer trying to be accountable to you, we know when it makes sense to call the experts.

You can know with confidence that Paragon’s furniture can be used for your projects that require LEED for Schools.  We also meet the stringent CHPS EQ 2.3.5 credit.

Feel free to contact us to find out more information about our green initiatives have affected all areas of our production.  As a US manufacturer, we are well aware of need to lead in the area of environmental stewardship.

Oh… and make sure you wear safety glasses if you decide to go Vesuvius with the baking soda.