Howard Miller Clock Company

Howard Miller Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Clocks, furniture
Founded	1926
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Headquarters	Zeeland, Michigan; manufacturing facilities also in Germany
Key people	Howard "Buzz" Miller, President Jim O'Keefe Vice President
Products	Longcase clocks Curio Cabinets, Wall Clocks Mantle Clocks Wine and Spirits Furnishings
Website	www.howardmiller.com

The Howard Miller Company is a manufacturer of longcase clocks and residential furnishings headquartered in Zeeland, Michigan.

History

Established in 1926 as the Herman Miller Clock Company, a division of the office furniture producer Herman Miller, the firm initially specialized in chiming wall and mantle clocks. It became an independent entity in 1937 under the guidance of its founder Howard C. Miller (1905–1995) and was renamed accordingly. While both companies now function separately, their headquarters remain situated opposite each other.

Starting in 1947, Howard Miller collaborated with George Nelson Associates—then serving as Director of Design at Herman Miller Furniture—to create numerous modern wall and table clocks. Additionally, the company manufactured Nelson’s "Bubble Lighting" until divesting that segment in the early 1980s. Modernica later revived these lighting products utilizing the original production tools. Beyond clocks and lighting, Howard Miller’s offerings included Nelson-designed spice cabinets, pull-down vanities and desks, the vinyl "Ribbon Wall" system, fireplace accessories, and various illumination fixtures.

Several of Nelson’s clock designs—such as the Ball, Spike, Block, and Spindle models—achieved iconic status and have been reissued by Vitra. During the 1960s, Howard Miller produced "Meridian" ceramic wall clocks that combined Italian-designed plates with Nelson’s clock hands. These along with other Nelson clocks were distributed by Richards Morganthau, Inc.

Subsequent modern collections featured Arthur Umanoff Associates’ "Swing Timers," an affordable line of plastic clocks from the late 1960s, alongside Plexiglas floor and wall clocks, wood "Natural Classics," and "Day Timers" displaying day and date information. The 1970s saw the introduction of Nathan George Horwitt’s "Museum Clock." The final series from George Nelson Associates was the post-modern "Tempo '21 Series" released in 1984.

Howard Miller has since ceased production of its modern design lines to concentrate on classic clock styles and traditional furnishings.

Expansion

Initially concentrating on mantel clocks, the company broadened its portfolio during the 1960s by adding grandfather clocks.

The product range further diversified in 1989 with the introduction of curio cabinets. Corporate growth included acquiring Ridgeway, followed by Hekman Furniture and Alexis Manufacturing in 1983. Woodmark Upholstery was also incorporated into the company in 1993.

By 2004, Howard Miller ventured into furniture designed for wine and spirits storage. Collaborations with celebrity designer Ty Pennington resulted in launching home storage solutions in 2008 and a dedicated furniture collection in 2009.

Closure

In July 2025, Howard Miller declared it would halt its operations, attributing the decision to unfavorable housing market trends and tariffs imposed during the second Trump administration. Although the company actively pursued potential buyers, no sale was finalized. The plan involved gradually ending production by the close of the year and gradually liquidating remaining stock throughout 2026.

Trivia

• The Kieninger Company of Germany, known for manufacturing numerous mechanical clock movements, is owned by Howard Miller.
• During World War II, Howard Miller partnered with Ford Motor Company to produce anti-aircraft covers.
• Clocks from Howard Miller are commonly awarded as prizes on the game show The Price Is Right.
• Herman Miller, founder Howard C. Miller’s father, provided financial backing to his son-in-law D. J. DePree in establishing the office furniture firm Herman Miller.
• The Thomas Tompion model 612-436 has been manufactured continuously for more than 25 years.