You’ve come to know the GMi family of brands (Ghent, Waddell, and VividBoard) as the leader in the visual communication market. Our innovative products consider the way people use whiteboards, glassboards, patient care boards, and space division products to deliver exactly what you want and expect from these tools.  Combining innovation over the last 40+ years with industry leading warranties and lead times, packaging to ensure your product arrives as expected, and easy installation saves you time, money and frustration. 

This year at NeoCon we were planning on introducing you to the newest additions to our line in person. We hope to welcome you to showroom 1060 in theMART again soon. In the meantime, let us introduce you to our newest products and some of the people making them successful from a manufacturing and support perspective. 

VIEW THE GMI COMPANIES CFYC 2020 BINDER

We’re no longer in unprecedented times. Now it’s just normal. As we begin to return to work into our headquarters in Lebanon, Ohio, the need to provide a solution to keep our employees healthy and safe became evident. While our future is not in health and safety products, we were able to quickly develop products to provide the extra margin of safety needed right now. In the last two months, we’ve launched six series of products with more coming in the next couple weeks, including sneeze guards and panel extenders. 

“The past two months have been a whirlwind,” noted Michelle Swartz, GMi Purchasing Manager. “We’ve found ourselves in a place of uncertainty that tuned out to put us into a role of quick innovation; a role to serve our community and our customers. We’ve designed new products and expedited them to a market for others to protect those they care about most. We faced a market where product was scarce. We became a source for materials that others couldn’t get their hands on.” 

While the health and safety products needed for returning to work are a necessity, the expanded Ghent Color Library, Prest Mobile Whiteboards, and Define Space Division furniture make the workplace a place employees want to be. 

The introduction of an expanded color palette, designers, dealers, and end-users can have a harmonious look and feel across product lines and throughout the space. Ghent’s Color Library features 19 standard glassboard colors plus frosted. These colors were specifically chosen because of their universal appeal, how well that work with other natural elements like wood, and how they focus on Ghent’s brand promise of providing tools that help with communication, collaboration and learning. These colors have been tested and proven to work well with markers and interior design trends one in the same.  

A unique painting process allows color matching to PMS, RAL, or Sherwin Williams colors if the need for a color outside of Ghent’s extended palette is what is preferred. This is done without any additional upcharge. 

The universal glass painting process is available on all Aria low profile and Harmony standoffs glassboards, Hex, and Waddell’s Define collaboration tools.

Coordinating with all of Ghent’s Glass Color Library is a carefully curated set of 21 fabrics from Maharam. Maharam is the leading creator of textiles for commercial and residential use. As a manufacturer alliance partner, Ghent has access to their entire library. We have worked with industry color, material and finish consultant Kerry Rowe of Kerry Rowe design to carefully select the weaves and colorways available as a standard offering. Maharam’s Flock, Merit and Mode weaves were chosen in seven colors each to coordinate with the Glass Color Library as well as their tackability and acoustic attributes. 

The newest fabrics are available as an option on Prest Mobile Whiteboards, Hex as a tack surface, Impression bulletin boards, and Define Space Division Furniture from Waddell. 

“Whether you’re a future employee, a dealer, a rep group or an end user, this is the one company you hope to find; the one you thought no longer existed,” commented Jill Hensley, Account Manager. “GMi juxtaposes cutting-edge innovation with old fashioned ideals, values and craftsmanship. Complacency is not in our nature. We are always asking, “How can we make it better – more beautiful, functional, relevant and longer lasting?””