zero1, a global sketch‐to‐container design and development furniture company based in West Michigan, was founded in 2003 by American designer Gardner Klaasen and His partner. Gardner and his team bring over 40 years of combined experience to zero1 in all phases of industrial design, product development, product management, manufacturing, engineering, and sales. Prior to forming zero1, each designer owned his own successful industrial design firm. With the recent relocation of production facilities to Greenville, zero1 is now able to fill a void in the marketplace by designing, developing and producing its own branded furniture products with attractive, clean design aesthetics of uncompromised quality at competitive prices. The zero1 team's methodology embraces working cohesively together from sketch phase, model-making, validation, and engineering to tooling, quality control, testing and supply chain management. Gardner works in a hands-on capacity during every phase of product development to ensure that the company's high quality design and product standards are achieved. zero1 is currently focused in the office seating and military markets. However the company has additional, specialized expertise in furniture, automotive, marine and medical product development.