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{{Short description|American clock and furnishing manufacturer}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Howard Miller Company
| logo =
| logo_size = 250px
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
|
|___location = [[Zeeland, Michigan]]; manufacturing facilities also in [[Germany]]▼
| defunct = {{end date and age|2026|}}
▲| ___location = [[Zeeland, Michigan]]; manufacturing facilities also in [[Germany]]
|industry = [[Clocks]], [[Furniture]]▼
| key_people = Howard "Buzz" Miller, President<br>Jim O'Keefe Vice President <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.furnituretoday.com/business-news/new-executive-team-directbuy/|title = New executive team at DirectBuy|date = February 2018}}</ref>
|products = [[Longcase clock]]s<br>[[Curio (furniture)|Curio Cabinet]]s, Wall Clocks Mantle Clocks Wine and Spirits Furnishings▼
|homepage = [http://www.howardmiller.com/ www.howardmiller.com]▼
▲| products = [[Longcase clock]]s<br>[[Curio (furniture)|Curio Cabinet]]s, Wall Clocks Mantle Clocks Wine and Spirits Furnishings
}}
The '''Howard Miller Company''' is a [[Zeeland, Michigan]], based manufacturer of [[longcase clock]]s and other home [[furnishings]].
==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2023}}
Howard Miller Clock Company was founded in 1926, as the Herman Miller Clock Company division of office furniture manufacturer [[Herman Miller (office equipment)|Herman Miller]], specializing in chiming wall and mantle clocks.<ref name="FToday02">{{cite news
Starting in 1947, the Howard Miller Clock Company produced scores of modern wall clocks and table clocks designed by [[George Nelson (designer)|George Nelson]] Associates. (At that time, Nelson was Director of Design at Herman Miller Furniture Company.) They also produced Nelson's "Bubble Lighting" through the late 1970s, selling the business in the early 1980s. (Using the original manufacturing equipment developed by Nelson Associates with Howard Miller, the California furniture company Modernica reintroduced the Bubble Lamps in the 1990s and has been the exclusive manufacturer and worldwide distributor of the lamps since that time). Howard Miller Clock Company also produced other Nelson Associates products; spice cabinets, pull-down wall mounted vanities and desks, a vertical hanging vinyl strip system called "Ribbon Wall" (which was available in many different variations from 12 inches to 84" wide and 12" to 144" high), a complete line of fireplace tools, and other hanging lighting (Metalites, Net Lights, Bubbles, and Lanterns)
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In the 1960s, a line of ceramic wall clocks called "Meridian" was produced using ceramic wall plates designed in Italy and using the Nelson clock hands. This line, as well as the other Nelson clocks and other pieces, was distributed by Richards Morganthau, Inc. (also known as Raymor).
One of the last series of modern clocks were the "Swing Timers", a group of at least 18 inexpensive all plastic clocks produced in the late 1960s, and designed by Arthur Umanoff Associates. Umanoff also designed Plexiglas floor and wall clocks, a series of wood clocks called "Natural Classics", and "Day Timers" (plastic wall clocks with day and dates). Nathan George Horwitt designed the "Museum Clock" in the 1970' (both wall and table model). The final George Nelson Associates series of clocks were the 1984 post-modern "Tempo '21 Series".
The modern Nelson and Umanoff clocks were discontinued and these days, the company has little to no interest in that period of modern design.{{Citation needed|date=April 2016}}
== Expansion ==
Originally the company only made [[mantel clocks]]. Grandfather clocks did not become a part of the product line until the 1960s.
The company began making curio cabinets in 1989. {{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}
The company acquired the [[Ridgeway Clocks|Ridgeway]]
In 1983, the company acquired Hekman Furniture and Alexis Manufacturing. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=VanderVeen |first=Steve |title=Steve VanderVeen: Howard Miller makes millions of clocks |url=https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/business/names-faces/2023/05/29/holland-history-howard-miller-makes-millions-of-clocks/70229382007/ |access-date=2023-10-18 |newspaper=[[The Holland Sentinel]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
The company began marketing and selling [[wine and spirits furniture]] in 2004.▼
In 1993, the company acquired Woodmark Upholstery. <ref name=":0" />
The company launched a line of [[furniture]] partnering with Pennington in 2009.▼
▲The company began marketing and selling
▲The company launched a line of home storage products partnering with celebrity [[Ty Pennington]] in 2008. The company launched a line of [[furniture]] partnering with Pennington in 2009.
== Closure ==
In July 2025, Howard Miller announced that it would go out of business, citing poor housing market conditions and [[tariffs in the second Trump administration]].<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=11 July 2025 |title=Time runs out for nearly century-old Michigan clock company due to tariffs, other factors |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/time-runs-nearly-century-old-michigan-clock-company-due-tariffs-factor-rcna218330 |website=[[NBC News]] |quote=The Zeeland-based manufacturer, 175 miles west of Detroit, has sought a buyer but so far hasn’t found one.|___location=Zeeland, Michigan |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=12 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250712162310/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/time-runs-nearly-century-old-michigan-clock-company-due-tariffs-factor-rcna218330 |archive-date=12 July 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref> The company said it will wind down production by the end of the year, and sell its remaining inventory in 2026.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.woodtv.com/news/ottawa-county/unsustainable-to-continue-howard-miller-to-close/ |title=Ottawa County: 'Unsustainable to continue': Zeeland-based Howard Miller to shut down |first1=Katie |last1=Rosendale |first2=Meghan |last2=Bunchman |date=July 10, 2025 |___location=Zeeland, Michigan |publisher= [[WOOD-TV]] |quote=Zeeland-based clock manufacturer Howard Miller says it intends to wind down operations after nearly 100 years in business.|accessdate=July 12, 2025}}</ref>
==Trivia==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2023}}
*Howard Miller Clock Company owns the Kieninger Company of Germany, which makes many of the mechanical movements in Howard Miller clocks.
*During [[World War II]], the Company joined forces with [[Ford Motor Company]] in making anti-aircraft covers.
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==References==
{{
*{{cite web
|url=http://www.howardmiller.com/Info/CompanyHistory.aspx
|title=Howard Miller History
|
|
|
|url-status=dead
}}
*{{cite web
| url = http://www.classic-antique-clocks.com/Howard-Miller-clocks-info.html
| title = Classic's Howard Miller Clocks
▲ | accessdate = 14 April 2006
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060409075124/http://www.classic-antique-clocks.com/Howard-Miller-clocks-info.html
| archive-date = 9 April 2006
| url-status = dead
}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Clock manufacturing companies of the United States]]
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[[Category:1926 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1926]]
[[Category:American brands]]
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