AIS · Agile
AIS
Encounter PowerBeam
Agile beam benching — the open, reconfigurable sibling of Encounter PowerBench.
Overview
PowerBeam is the agile beam in the AIS Encounter family — a spine that carries power and data while worksurfaces reconfigure around it, with the same well-resolved detailing as PowerBench. Here’s how it works, and where it fits.
PowerBeam is an agile beam system — a central beam carries power and data while worksurfaces, screens and storage hang off it and reconfigure as teams change. It is the beam sibling to Encounter PowerBench, sharing the same finishes and accessories so a project coordinates across both.
See where Encounter PowerBeam sits in the full range →
AIS has long been an early adopter of sophisticated design paradigms, with a real talent for engineering those advanced features into value-driven products, and Encounter is its second generation, refined from extensive field experience. We show PowerBeam as a strong example of agile beam design — when a floor needs to flex, the beam keeps power routed while everything above it moves, and the Encounter detailing is well thought out. It coordinates with PowerBench across a project, and we’ll help you specify the right agile beam for yours.
So here’s when we’d specify Encounter PowerBeam — and when we’d point you elsewhere.
Specify it when
- You want an agile beam that carries power and data while worksurfaces reconfigure.
- You want the well-resolved Encounter detailing.
- The floor changes often, and it pairs cleanly with PowerBench.
- You value a manufacturer that shares our standards and backs us up when a project needs it.
Consider something else when
- You just need straight, lowest-cost runs.
- Teams need real enclosure and acoustic privacy — a panel system fits better.
- You want maximum open density — benching goes further.
- You want a warmer, residential feel — a desking system gets there more easily.
Gallery
Highlights
- Spine carries power and data.
- Worksurfaces reconfigure around it.
- Resolved Encounter detailing.
Configurations & construction
- Central power/data beam — power stays routed as layouts change.
- Reconfigurable — worksurfaces and screens move freely.
- Second-generation Encounter — refined from extensive field experience; shares finishes and accessories with PowerBench.
- Screens & storage — hang off the beam as needed.
- Open-plan agile — built for teams that change often.
- Coordinated spec — pairs cleanly with PowerBench.
Certifications & sustainability
Finishes
The AIS surface palette — laminates, powder-coat paint, glass and panel textiles, organised by material. Grade sets the tier. Sections are collapsed; open any one to see the range. (Neutral tiles are awaiting swatch images; AIS does not publish finish codes, so selections are matched by name and grade.)
Laminates & edges Grade A: 22 + more
Grade A laminates 22
Also offered: Grade B (18), Grade C (8) and Grade D (3) laminates, plus edgebands to match laminates (19), edgebands to match paint (6) and thermofoil (1) — colours specified per project.
Paint — powder-coat Grade A: 10 + more
Grade A paints 10
Also offered: Grade B (4) and Grade C (5) paints.
Vertical panel fabrics 21 collections · grades A–B
Panel & screen textiles by grade. Shown at collection level with colourway counts; individual colourways specified with you.
Grade A collections 15
Grade B collections 6
Glass 5 options
Corian solid surface (Grades A–D) and PET acoustic panel are also available and specified per project. In a Discover & Plan project we specify the exact laminates, paints and textiles with you.
Downloads
Free for professionals. Brochure, CAD, certifications and warranty are being added — request any of them and we’ll send them over.
Brochure & specs
Brochure — requestCAD & symbols
CAD — requestCertifications
Certification marks — see hubWarranty
Manufacturer warranty (PDF)Pairs well with
A few of the lines we’d specify alongside Encounter PowerBeam — a starting point, not the full list. Nearly every category coordinates; we’ll bring the rest to the table.
We’re here to help
We read every inquiry and follow up personally to help move your project forward.
Not sure exactly what you need? Tell us the space and the teams who’ll use it, and we’ll bring the options to you. Specifying is what we do.
Prefer to talk it through? Call 847-679-5148.
Frequently asked
About Encounter PowerBeam.
What is Encounter PowerBeam best suited for?
How does it relate to PowerBench?
Does it carry power and data?
Working with Applied Ergonomics