Hospitality Design - March/April 2016 - 26

Q&A

with

max munn
president, munnworks

What are some best practices you employ
in your business?
We strive to expand and nurture the creative and
technical abilities of our employees. With every
mirror we manufacture, it can be credited to the
hands and minds of our artists, craftsmen, and
hospitality professionals. They are our company's
best assets and we seek to contribute to the further
development of their craft.

How do you see your company growing in
the next five years?
At present MunnWorks is a global company
manufacturing mirrors by means of dual site
production. There is our main manufacturing
facility in Mount Vernon, NY USA, and our
partner factory in Dongguan, China. Within
the next five years we expect to open a second
manufacturing facility overseas to expand the
production of our superior back-lit mirrors and
to more efficiently supply Asia and Europe with
extraordinary mirrors.

How has technology played a role
in product development? How has
technology changed the way you develop
products?

With the world we live in, technology has become
central to our everyday lives. And when we design
a mirror, we keep in mind that the world calls for
its products to have multiple functions. In 2015, we
have incorporated the use of Bluetooth technology
and LED lighting in many of our various mirrors.

What current trends are you keeping your
eye on?
As we've mentioned before, we hope to further
expand the functions of our mirrors through
technology and traditional craftsmanship. We
have produced mirrors that can play your favorite
song from speakers built in the mirror connected
by Bluetooth. And if our client so desires, our
mirrors can tell the time, give real-time weather
updates and offer adjustable tonal lighting. We've
also built mirrors that have shelves, coat hooks,
and even a place to neatly store your shoes.

What sustainability/eco-friendly
practices do you use in product
development?

We build our products with wood, paints, and
other materials harvested from sustainable

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March/April 2016 hospitalitydesign.com

resources by the industry in which the materials
are developed. And because of great factory
management, we have been incredibly savvy in
terms of using materials that can be used again.
For example, our metal shops can create complex
pieces with flawless results that are not harmful
to the planet.

What is your company's philosophy?

Simply put, if you can dream it, we can make
it. We encourage young designers to design
absolutely unique mirrors and MunnWorks
will manufacture their creative genius to
specification, within budget, and on time. At
our core, MunnWorks is a company that values
the trust of our clients, the superiority of our
products, and the efficiency of our delivery.

What do you look for in a good
partnership? How do you ensure strong
partnerships?

We ensure strong partnerships by being
stridently conscious of the goals of our designers,
suppliers, and purchasing companies. We treat
each of our partnerships as a family. In doing so,
we welcome the good and the bad, be it criticism
or adulation. An honest partnership is without a
doubt what we believe is best for us as a company.

What's one thing people probably don't
know about your company?
Often I am asked this question and I can
confidently say that MunnWorks is where
remarkable creativity and tried-and-trusted
innovation intersect. Our focus is on providing
the most creative and technically sound
product. We push our employees to heighten
their skill, encourage our designers to push the
limits, and welcome the task of manufacturing
extraordinary mirrors.
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Hospitality Design - March/April 2016

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