Medline: Office Art & Company Culture
There is a real wow factor when walking into the expansive Medline building. It’s apparent that this company has a strong understanding of “who” it is from the modern lobby lighting and furniture to the abundance of natural light from the windows that overlook the company vegetable garden to the squared chandeliers wrapped in the very same fabrics Medline uses for its nursing uniforms. When we received the call to create and install a company timeline for Medline, it was a clear opportunity for our businesses to help them fortify their company culture.
Janet Speck, Medline’s Director of Creative Services, explained the timeline boards were a smaller part of a larger initiative to create a new textile showroom. “I’m tasked with maintaining what’s already here, taking that design, and carrying it throughout the building. I have a really good sense of the look and feel of the building. I know the level of sophistication and professionalism. All of my work is based on that.”
The room is specially geared toward presentation of their product lines with a display of fabric samples, nursing scrubs, and a “model” room showcasing their Snap Panel curtains and a residential style hospital bed.
The timeline wall highlights stand out moments in the company’s history, starting with the inception of the business by the Mills family and leading up to the company’s present-day textile innovations. “This showroom serves the purpose of bringing in potential customers. The timeline is strategically placed to start a conversation about what we do here.”
Each panel was printed on semi-matte inkjet photo paper which had a UV matte lamination applied. These were mounted to 1/4" white Sintra board with a white recessed back frame for a clean look and sturdy structure.
“Everyone was great about showing me options. We talked about how they could be hung and I expressed I wanted them to be very elegant. It was a great working relationship.” The boards work seamlessly with the clean feel of the showroom and complement the existing décor by pulling from elements within the room, like matching the chrome hardware that suspends the boards. The back view of the boards was taken into account as well and was produced in a crisp white, since it would be visible through the glass walls looking in on the room. “They were really good about explaining what you would see as you were walking down the hall. We both made sure that even though there was no print on the backside, that it would look elegant.”
The timeline represents not just the company history or the growth of its product lines, but where Medline sees itself moving forward, "Now, we're taking it even further by not only being seen as a supply vendor, but a strategic partner responsive to the changing needs of the market and healthcare systems."
See the office art installation here: