Everything’s Bigger in Texas – Including the Opportunities at IFMA 2024!
Two weeks ago, we attended the annual IFMA World Workplace Conference in Texas, and true to the saying, everything is bigger in Texas! It was a milestone for me at TFX as I attended my first trade show booth at IFMA and co-presented a session on the Circular Economy with our partners at Rheaply. And wow, did it open our eyes!
What really stood out? The role of facility managers (FMs) in the circular economy is massively underrated. These professionals navigate the complexities of day-to-day operational objectives, as well as managing decommissioning projects, juggling tight timelines and logistics. Yet, they’re often left out of the big ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) conversations. It shouldn’t be this way and at TFX we offer services that elevate our facilities management partners’ ability to contribute to cost savings, efficiency AND sustainability.
At TFX, we don’t deal in BS. We provide real solutions to real challenges—and that message resonated with so many people. I can’t tell you how many conversations turned into lightbulb moments for those sitting across from me. In a few short minutes, we were able to offer solutions to problems they’ve been wrestling with for years. AND we don’t just talk the talk, we deliver.
The furniture industry is massive—worth billions of dollars—but here’s the kicker: remanufactured furniture still feels like the industry’s best-kept secret. While cost and time to delivery have traditionally been the top decision drivers, sustainability is now front and center. It’s not just a buzzword; it’s become a key value driver for businesses.
At TFX, the circular economy isn’t just a concept—it’s our foundation. We’ve built our business around it, helping organizations cut costs while making a positive environmental impact by extending the useful life of furniture assets through remanufacture. When we decommission office spaces, we don’t throw everything into landfills. Instead, we give old furniture a second life, enabling you to reuse refurbished items in your new space. Win-win, right?
One eye-opener at IFMA: companies are spending $5,000-$6,000 on a single office cubicle! It’s shocking and, honestly, kind of absurd. Meanwhile, TFX offers fully customized, turnkey solutions at a third of the price—and they’re sustainable. So, why aren’t we talking more about reusing and remanufactured furniture?
One thing I heard loud and clear at the conference: PEOPLE are willing to pay equal prices for new vs. remanufactured, while that might fly in the consumer world (looking at you, Patagonia fans), it’s a much harder sell in the commercial furniture space. Why? In my humble opinion, it’s all about education. “Used” doesn’t have to mean junk, and we need to stop the greenwashing that’s causing businesses to spend triple the cost on new stuff when there’s a better, greener alternative.
The best part? It wasn’t just FMs stopping by our booth at IFMA—new dealers, movers, real estate brokers, and property managers all face similar challenges every day. We’re proud to be a full-service solution provider at TFX, and we can’t wait to showcase how a partnership with us is, like the great state of Texas, bigger and better than the rest!
So, what’s next? We need to pull the right levers—cost, time, and sustainability—together. It’s time to shake things up and show businesses they can have it all without sacrificing anything. Let’s keep the conversation going and make smarter choices for the future!
I’d love to connect with you to discuss how we can partner in the evolution of facilities and office furniture management —reach out directly at aoverell@tfxfurniture.com