The office manager: DATAFLEX

With New Work and the significant changes which it has brought to the world of work – the ever-increasing relevance of the home office being a central one – employers and employees have become inclined to optimise their workspaces to fit these new circumstances. Practically speaking, this has involved bringing the home work area into harmony with living areas. And now represents an ideal time to do so, in order to make working environments better, more efficient and more beautiful.

Admittedly, with the ongoing Covid situation, there has been little opportunity recently to present or be inspired in person by new innovations and designs for the office. But while physical trade fairs may have come to a temporary halt, nonetheless, new concepts, layouts and designs, of course, continue to be created.

Due to new areas of focus and the resulting new challenges in relation to the office – namely when, how, and above all, where work is done – a fresh wind is blowing through the entire office sector. Even small essential details can bring about big changes, a fact well proved by renowned monitor and cable manager Dataflex.

The Dutch company has a clear focus on developing products at the interface of ergonomics, technology and the workplace. With 30 years of experience behind it, Dataflex concentrates specifically on the essentials, continuing to further enhance and optimise existing products, while at the same time developing new ones.

For example, the most popular Dataflex classic, Viewlite, has a new look: the previous colour palette of black and silver has been given a fresh accent with silky pure white. The new colour gives the flexible and compatible monitor arm a new character, opening up further design options for the office interior.

More colourful, better, more balanced. That could be the motto when it comes to the new series of cable guides recently launched by Dataflex. The collection, consisting of two standard lengths and three standard colours, scores points for its complete integration into the material cycle. As well as being made of 100 per cent recycled plastic, the cable guide can, itself, also be completely recycled. In addition, thanks to its modular design, it can be easily repaired or replaced link by link.

Achieving great things with small details is an art that is mastered with intelligent cable management. After all, no one wants a tangle of cables – that confusing mess that can rob an otherwise well-thought-out office design of its aesthetics.

The new Addit cable management system proves that orderly cable management can even become an essential part of room design. In addition to black, white and grey, Addit is available in any RAL colour and also complemented by special Limited Edition colours. This means that interior concepts can be precisely colour-coordinated – for example, to match a company's corporate identity.

The new Addit cable management series not only meets design requirements, but also those related to sustainable corporate strategy. The polypropylene recyclate, valued for its excellent recyclability, ensures durability and high flexibility. Thanks to the articulated structure, Addit can be configured in any length for both standing and sitting workstations. Individual elements can be easily replaced if necessary, thus contributing to a positive environmental balance.

The fact that Dataflex takes sustainability seriously is not only reflected in the careful use of recycled materials, but also in its endeavour to produce in a CO2-neutral way – from the procurement of the products to the energy supply of its employees’ computers. These sustainability goals are achieved, among other things, through its commitment to the Kibale National Park in Uganda and its cooperation with the ‘Trees for All’ initiative.

Apart from attractive colour palettes for cable management, Dataflex naturally also focuses on where the data channels ultimately lead. In the pipeline are new monitor arms such as the Viewprime collection, which is available as a simple or dual version with gas suspension in black and white.

Another aim for this year, planned for autumn 2021, is a still nameless range of dynamic monitor arms for one to three screens. Almost like an art object, it is being developed In collaboration with technical designers, and created under the so-called SMILE (Smart, Modest, Iconic, Logical, Enjoyable) motto. Watch this space!

All in all, it's not just about creating visually attractive, eye-catching products: Products that make everyday work easier and at the same time carry ecological responsibility should be an integral part of New Work. And this role is fulfilled by optimised cable management – not the central element of the workplace perhaps, but certainly an integral one.

© Architonic