The Value of Remanufactured Furniture: A Conversation with Adam Satin

We sat down this month for a conversation with Adam Satin, one of our resident experts in the world of office furniture. Here's what he had to say about evolving client attitudes toward remanufactured furniture and why clients choose TFX as their preferred partner. 

Question: Adam, how did you come to this industry and what drew you to TFX? Adam, how did you develop all your knowledge of the office furniture market and what drew you to TFX? 

Adam: Throughout my career, I have worked in corporate real estate and office asset management, which has allowed me to see the industry’s challenges from many angles. Early on, I held several roles, including a position at TFX before its remanufactured furniture resale business really took off. 

I worked for a design-build architecture and construction firm, became a top seller at a used business equipment company, and sold title insurance for large real estate transactions. 

What always interested me most was what it takes to move clients into newly leased spaces where employees can be productive and feel good about their environment. 

I later moved into sales roles at leading office furniture dealers, including Benhar Interiors, which still specializes in Herman Miller (now MillerKnoll). That's where I really got to know what architects, designers, and their clients were specifying across the high-end brands.  

But the budget for buying furniture for a total build out was often too much for my clients (even the bigger ones!) and I wondered if there wasn’t a win-win situation for preowned furniture for clients looking for value, cost effectiveness and reliability.  

I had maintained my ties with TFX and just as one of the founders, Brian Silverberg, was growing the remanufactured furniture business, I was invited back. And for the last nine years, I've been in a job I absolutely love. 

Question: So, your role is Sales Manager? 

Adam: That's my official title. But I really think of myself, and I hope my clients do too,as a consultant. Like I say on LinkedIn, I help clients achieve their "furniture, sustainability, and budgetary goals, serving as a valuable resource for all related products and services." 

Question: How has TFX's remanufactured furniture business evolved over time? 

Adam: The market has changed a lot. When we first got into this, there was a real bias against "pre-owned" furniture, especially among architects and designers. To some extent, there still is! 

Probably with good reason, "pre-owned" always got read as "used," which meant "lower quality." So, we had an educational challenge with designers, brokers, and clients alike. 

At TFX, we remanufacture to "as new" standards, help meet sustainability goals, and deliver it all for pennies on the dollar. But until stakeholders walk through a finished, fully installed job, it's all theoretical. So skeptical clients are always taking a bit of a leap of faith. 

Question: Let's get into the particulars. How does "pennies on the dollar" translate to actual costs? 

Adam: The rule of thumb for office buildouts is about $50 per square foot for new furniture. With TFX, we can typically bring that same job down to about $15 per square foot! And since I'm not tied to one manufacturer, I can sometimes shave it even closer, which my non-profit clients especially appreciate. 

When a big project comes in over budget, sometimes by millions, the savings we provide on furniture let designers reallocate to other line items: better finishes, upgraded wall treatments or carpeting, even a signature conference table their client couldn't otherwise afford. Those are the jobs I love, where TFX gets to make everyone a hero! 

Question: What else makes TFX such a good choice? 

Adam: Our warranties are a big one. We offer three-year extended warranties on all remanufactured items, parts and labor. Dealers who outsource labor typically only warranty parts, so clients get stuck paying for repairs. With TFX, we own our trucks, employ our own full-time installers, and run our own warehouse and refurbishing staff. That control is exactly why we rarely, if ever, issue change orders, the opposite of nearly every mover and installer out there. 

Question: Tell us about the sustainability angle. 

Adam: Philosophically, we've long been committed to sustainable solutions, in remanufacturing, decommissioning, and liquidation. That's just how we see our responsibility as good citizens of the planet. 

Is that the main reason clients choose us? Probably not. For about 20% of clients, sustainability is the biggest driver, they buy into the circular principle of extending furniture's useful life. For the other 80%, sustainability is a great box to check, but cost and quality drive the decision. And quality is something they can only really see once the job's installed. 

Question: Can you give an example? 

Adam: Absolutely! We've had big jobs where we had to win over skeptics, designers or clients. To hedge their bets, they'd mix new with remanufactured. At the final walkthrough, they're always astonished: "Wait, what's new and what's remanufactured?" Even the experts can't tell. We love those moments, because on their next jobs, they're confident enough to go all remanufactured! 

Question: Does this lead to repeating clients? 

Adam: Definitely. We've built a real following with larger design firms, TPG is a good example. But we still have to nurture it: ongoing education as they bring on new associates, so we stay top of mind across the organization. I love doing lunch-and-learns to tell the TFX story, it's a powerful one. 

Question: So, the formula is cost reduction and, where it matters, sustainability? 

Adam: Yes, but two more factors matter just as much for repeat business and referrals: quality and service. 

You can save clients’ money and give them a sustainability story for their boss, but if employees walk into a beat-up, tired-looking space with broken chairs, none of that matters. And if the project itself was a nightmare, that kills the relationship too. We've been around long enough to anticipate problems before they happen and make even the toughest jobs run like clockwork. 

Question: A memorable project that shows that service factor? 

Adam: We had a project overseen by a broker's project manager, a tech firm outfitting a US office to mirror its UK HQ's design standards. The broker was skittish, the project manager was against remanufactured, but the savings were undeniable. The holdup was chairs, none of the stakeholders could decide. So, I had our team bring five different remanufactured chairs to the space before they signed, so they could evaluate them in context. Was it necessary? No. But it showed them TFX goes the extra mile, no question. 

Question: You mentioned non-profit clients — tell us more. 

Adam: Really interesting segment. We've recently done projects for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Office of the Appellate Defender in New York.People hear "non-profit" and assume "no budget" — not true. They're just even more cost-conscious, and often don't have architects, designers, or facilities staff on hand (our legal defense project was actually managed by the firm's senior attorney!). They really value TFX including our design services and project management at no extra cost, and they appreciate the real savings in remanufactured purchases. And because they talk to their non-profit peers, they're fantastic referral sources. 

Question: Anything else you'd like to share? 

Adam: The most gratifying part of my years at TFX is the people. Real people pouring their hearts into this work,some have been here for years. Whether it's the team reupholstering a chair, rebuilding workstations to spec, or installers making sure everything arrives pristine — that's craftsmanship. I cherish every one of my team members. I couldn't do this without them! 

(If you'd like to discuss a project with TFX, arrange a lunch-and-learn, or tap into one of our in-house experts, reach out to inquiry@tfxfurniture.com. We'd love to hear from you.)