Howard Miller, the world’s respected clock company, has been assisting folks keep the time since 1926. Now, after almost 100 years of service, it’s about to shutter its doors. Based in Zeeland, Michigan, approximately 175 miles west of Detroit, Howard Miller has been a staple in the clockmaking industry. Despite its initially promising prospects, the company recently announced plans to cease all operations. Economic factors, such as the effect of previously enacted tariffs, have drastically increased the price of all key factors.
Howard J. “Buzz” Miller, the company’s current CEO, is the founder’s grandson. He stated that even after having solicited interest and pursued an acquirer, they simply have not found any buyer. The firm says it will keep the company running through 2026 to use up its current stock of inventory. As a multi-modal transportation user, I am probably more affected by this closure than Howard Miller. It affects Hekman Furniture Co., which the corporation purchased in 1983 and is now closing down too.
Unfortunately, the economic landscape has rained a perfect storm down on Howard Miller. Tariffs imposed on metals and other materials during the Trump administration since 2017 have increased these financial pressures by raising costs and complicating supply chains. As Buzz Miller told the industry, expectations for market recovery at the beginning of the year were short-lived. Together, the impact of these tariffs disrupted the supply chain, worsening recession fears and increasing mortgage rates. The furniture industry, led by some of the firms named above, continues to lose jobs and announce furniture plant closings.
Howard Miller now has about 200 employees throughout Michigan and North Carolina. As such, the closure threatens more than just employees’ livelihoods. It threatens the entire local economy. Katelyn VerMerris, a local economic development advocate, commented on the broader implications: “Clockmaking has a massive impact on Zeeland’s economic development, on its culture, on its industry.”
In an emotional statement regarding the company’s fate, Buzz Miller expressed his disappointment: “We are incredibly disappointed to have reached this point in our journey.” The company takes great pride in continuing that legacy back in Zeeland. Yet for almost one hundred years, it has fostered the area’s cultural and industrial mosaic.
Howard Miller is beginning to close the doors on the factory, putting the future of its legendary clocks in limbo. Unfortunately, this shift has caused everyone from around the world to wish away the heritage and artistry that has always made the company special. Her departure marks the end of an era in American making. It serves as a stark warning of the daunting economic challenges that legacy industries still have to face.
