Steelcase has gone home from Chicago this year with more than just memories. The cubicle manufacturer was awarded the gold in the Office Accessories category – beating out 3 competitors. The other entries in this section were all variations on the whiteboard. There were mobile whiteboards, giant whiteboards, and even green (eco-friendly) whiteboards. That was apparently a little too much white to show up with at NeoCon – even before Labor Day.

The Winning Entry

The SOTO II really stood out from the rest with its assortment of worktools from the Details collection. This newest line of tools is designed to speed mobile workers to productivity by making workspaces easy to organize. That way, they can spend less time setting up an area and more time on profitable tasks. As you’ve come to expect from Steelcase, these designs were based on interviews, surveys, and other research to find out what employees want and need.

Meet the Tools

Many of the tools serve multiple purposes. For example, a Functional Screen that can be attached to either side of a worksurface to create an instant privacy panel doubles as a slot to hold documents or binders. The “Personal Pocket” is a small, vertical storage bin that can be attached to a desktop divider or to the Mobile Caddy that the employee can roll to any assigned station. Power, storage, and space division all come together in the Launch Pad that provides multiple desktop outlets.

These tools were recently added to the collection which already featured a couple of ergonomic flat panel monitor arms (one of which can also support a laptop). An under-worksurface sling to hold a CPU and keep it from being tipped over was another of the pieces in the original line. Other SOTO II tools are more subtle – like the little cable organizer clips that keep cords in line.

Will future additions to the collection appear at NeoCon 2012? If so, what items would you like to see?