Furnishing the world's largest coworking operator: 700 buildings, 30 countries
Furnishing the world's largest coworking operator: 700 buildings, 30 countries.
When WeWork was scaling at unprecedented speed, it needed a furniture partner who could match that pace without losing consistency or control of cost. Echelon delivered: 700,000 sets of desks, chairs and pedestals across 700 buildings in 30 countries, saving over $100 million. One of the largest contract furniture rollouts ever completed.
Opening faster than almost any operator in history, with hard dates to hit.
WeWork was opening locations faster than almost any operator in history, with hard opening dates to hit. Every building needed the same quality of workspace, to a consistent standard, across dozens of countries each with their own suppliers, lead times and import rules.
They needed three things at once: price certainty, with a target well below what they had been paying; brand consistency so every location matched; and reliable delivery timed to their opening schedule. Missing an opening date was not an option.
One specification. Every country. All complexity handled.
We sourced directly from vetted manufacturers, removing the margin layers that had inflated WeWork's previous costs. We held a standardised core specification — the same desk, chair and pedestal — across every location, so London matched Delhi matched New York.
To meet the sheer volume and the opening dates, we coordinated production across multiple factories simultaneously. We managed global freight, duties and compliance for each market, and handled local installation in country, Delivered Duty Paid. Enterprise floors within the WeWork estate — for tenants including HSBC and Amazon — were furnished to the same standard.
A real before-and-after number. Not an estimate.
WeWork told us the price they had been paying and set us a target price substantially lower. We hit it. The gap between the two figures, delivered across 700,000 sets, equated to over $100 million saved against what they would otherwise have spent.
- 700,000 sets of desks, chairs and pedestals supplied
- 700 buildings furnished globally
- 30 countries, with compliance and installation handled in each
- $100M+ saved against their previous furniture spend
- Enterprise tenants including HSBC and Amazon furnished within the estate
The capability that delivered WeWork is available to every client.
Whether you are furnishing ten new coworking sites, a school estate, a flagship HQ or a hotel portfolio — the supply chain, the manufacturer relationships and the logistics operation are the same. If we can do it for the largest operator in the world, we can do it for you.