Visions 2.0: Armstrong World Industries employees get creative

In the early days of Armstrong World Industries, founder Thomas Armstrong supplied corks to a customer for special softs drinks served at a Pittsburgh street festival. The soft drinks went bad, and Tom’s customer blamed the Armstrong corks. Although the drinks going sour likely had little to do with the corks, Tom replaced all of the soft drinks in order to stand behind his product and make his name synonymous with trust.

The news spread all over Pittsburgh, and Tom adopted the motto, “Let the Buyer Have Faith,” putting his name and logo on every bag of corks along with a written guarantee of quality. His motto remains a core philosophy of the business today along with their signature Circle A symbol.

Visions 2.0: An Employee Upcycling Art Exhibit

In honor of their trusted brand and Armstrong employees’ reputation for creativity and innovation,
they recently held Vision 2.0, an employee upcycling art exhibit inspired by a juried fine art exhibition for AWI employees and family members hosted in the early 2000s.

Visions 2.0 aimed to honor their campus history and celebrate Earth Day by engaging employees in an artistic endeavor. The exhibition provided an opportunity for employees to express their creativity while repurposing AWI materials, reinforcing the mission to integrate sustainability into every aspect of the business.

Through Visions 2.0, innovation, storytelling, nostalgia, and brand representation fostered a sense of community and environmental stewardship among AWI employees.

The exhibit also serves as a special tribute to the 75th anniversary of the Lancaster campus,
where AWI’s inventive talent has established them as an industry leader in manufacturing and contributed to a thriving local art community which continues today.

Meet the Winners of Visions 2.0

Best Brand Representation

Libertyville Manufacturing Team including Harrison Steinbuch, Harry Castaneda, Leynard Dasalla, Dennis Dougherty, and Israel Rojel

This piece was selected because the design represents the Armstrong brand as fresh and contemporary, with a nod to biophilic design using one of AWI’s many wood-look visuals.

Best Use of Materials

Technology Safety Team including Christine Dimeler, Sam Stoltzfus, and Josh Tutt

This tactile design features a variety of products representing the breadth of the Armstrong portfolio. The components symbolized attributes including strength, identity, beauty and craftsmanship, texture, innovation, and adaptability.

Most Colorful

Axiom Team including Megan McEvoy and Juliana Good

This piece features color chip samples, which are used to help customers execute their creative visions. In this application, the vibrant and playful hues filling the Circle A symbol represent AWI’s broad capabilities, range of product offerings, and the diverse teams behind the work.

Walk Down Memory Lane

By Tiffany Dodson

This submission made excellent use of old marketing materials and vintage images of Macon, GA from National Geographic Magazine—perfectly capturing Armstrong’s past and present.

Most Sustainable

By Amy Costello

This entry is a great example of thinking outside the box—using a variety of ceiling materials from across AWI’s portfolio in an artistic expression that highlights balance and motion.

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