Height-adjustable desks allow flexibility

In January 2012, NextDesk began manufacturing its height-adjustable products in Georgetown. Almost two years later, business is booming, and CEO Dan Lee said the real driver for the company's height-adjustable desks is health.

"We weren't meant to be sitting," Lee said. "We're meant to stand or walk. The ideal ... is to do interval behavior."

Height-adjustable desks allow users to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.

The market for standing desks is growing. Numerous news and blog websites describe the benefits of sitting less and standing more in the workplace, Lee said.

Some sources, such as the Mayo Clinic, suggest sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels.

"People are pretty much relegated to a screen," Lee said. "A lot of cardiovascular disease and respiratory issues are caused because we're relegated to sitting."

Those who have never used a standing desk often approach the idea with caution, Lee said, but they become believers after trying it out.

Lisa Tsai, a partner with Austin law firm Reid, Collins and Tsai LLP, started researching standing desks as a way to relieve pain in her neck.

"I had been reading articles and hearing from a lot of people about the benefits of having a desk that allows you to sometimes stand up and sometimes sit down," Tsai said. "The reason I honed in on NextDesk is a lot of the other options were unattractive. NextDesk to me was really a standout product in terms of design and functionality."

After a month of using her height-adjustable desk at home, Tsai said she is looking to get one for her office, too.

"I think it's great," she said. "It makes a big difference if you're not sitting down all day, but it's also not good to stand up all day. It's critical to have something to let you do both."

Lee has sent desks to clients in universities and businesses throughout the world. He said most of his clients appreciate the minimalistic style of the desks and the fact that they are made with renewable materials such as recycled aluminum and bamboo.

"We found the clients for height-adjustable desks are professional people who are health-conscious," Lee said. "September this year was a 925 percent increase [in sales] over last September."

Business is growing so quickly, Lee said, that he is considering opening manufacturing plants abroad to meet demand for his product.

Lee said he would like to see standing desks in offices everywhere in the future.

"I see NextDesk, in the next 20 years, being the gold standard in every office in America," he said. "There will be imitators, but it's the little things that make the big difference. We under-promise and over-deliver."

NextDesk, 2530 Shell Road, 855-718-1601, www.nextdesks.com