What to do when the wrong person is in the wrong job

Transcription

BedTimes
JULY 2010
THE BUSINESS JOURNAL FOR THE SLEEP PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
Improving
energy
efficiency
What to do when
the wrong person
is in the wrong job
Crafting messages
for social media
Innovative Technology for
Mattress
1306
Roll-Pac
™
Workstation
Save storage space and shipping
cost of mattresses!
•
•
•
•
•
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Before
Compression
Wrapper - PE, PVC & PU
Compact design minimizes floor space
Patented Serial Bus Control System
Low and easy maintenance
Easy to operate
Automatically compress & pack one
unit per minute
• Accepts finished mattress and soft
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After
Compression
The
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This equipment is protected by one or more of the following patents:
US patents: 4,280,421; 4,432,294; 4,466,367; 4,644,883; 5,134,947; 5,159,889; 5,203,270; 5,522,332; 5,524,563; 5,562,060; 5,634,418; 5,647,293;
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7,543,364; 7,574,788; 7,647,876. Foreign patents: 9-520,472; 0,537,323; 92,905,522.6; 96,936,922.2; 2,076,379; 2,084,055.
Other U.S. and Foreign Patents Pending. Copyright 2010 Atlanta Attachment Co.
10105060410
Atlanta Attachment Company
362 Industrial Park Drive
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
(770) 963-7369 • FAX (770) 963-7641
the Sewn Products Industry Worldwide!
Packaging
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email:
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High Profile
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he PowerStack is now available in a High Profile unit to meet the demands of todays taller boxspring configurations.
T
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on two axes. This unique construction prevents head-to-foot and side-to-side sway and reduces pocketing as well.
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B
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W O R L D W I D E
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(616) 392-8505
Fax (616) 392-6105
Patent number: 5,967,499
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(800) 256-3422
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Spiller Spring Company
(920) 457-3649
(800) 747-1707
Fax (920) 457-0559
©2009 Hickory Springs Mfg. Co.
JULY 2010
InSide
Feature
22 Energy efficiency = profitability
The return on investment for improving the energy efficiency of your facilities
can, in some cases, be just a matter of months. BedTimes looks at cost-effective,
environmentally friendly changes you can make to your overall structure.
Departments
9 Company Profile
Swedish bedding maker Hästens
is taking its super-luxury bedding
into new markets—with a promise
of maintaining the quality that has
earned it its reputation as a premier
producer.
13 Management Issues
Even after following the best hiring
and promotion practices, you can end
up with an underperforming worker.
Simply put: You’ve got the wrong
person in the wrong job. A management expert explains how to address
the problem.
17 Marketing Matters
If you’ve jumped into social media
marketing—and BedTimes hopes you
have—you need to make sure that all
your employees who blog and tweet
are sharing consistent, accurate,
honest messages.
www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes
5 Editor’s Note
7 Front Matter
33 Industry News
45 Cost Management
48 Calendar
49 Newsmakers
50 Advertisers Index
51 Classifieds
52 Last Word
BedTimes | July 2010 |
3
{access}
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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Julie A. Palm
336-727-1889
[email protected]
SENIOR WRITER
Barbara Nelles
336-856-8973
[email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS
J. Tol Broome Jr.
Daniel Burrus
Lee Froschheiser
Dorothy Whitcomb
ART DIRECTOR
Stephanie Belcher
336-201-7475
[email protected]
Vice President of Sales
Kerri Bellias
336-945-0265
[email protected]
Ad Production &
CIRCULATION manager
Debbie Robbins
336-342-4217
[email protected]
COPY EDITOR
Margaret Talley-Seijn
BedTimes deadlines
Editorial deadlines for the Industry
News and Newsmakers sections
of the September issue of BedTimes are
Thursday, July 29.
Volume 138 Number 7
BedTimes (ISSN 0893-5556) is published
monthly by the International Sleep Products
Association. Periodicals postage paid at
Alexandria, Va., and additional mailing offices.
Editorial and advertising offices
126 Parkview Lane, Reidsville, NC 27320
Phone 703-683-8371; Fax 703-683-4503
Administrative and ISPA offices
501 Wythe St., Alexandria, Va. 22314-1917
Phone 703-683-8371; Fax 703-683-4503
Postmaster Send address changes to
BedTimes, 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, Va.
22314-1917
Contents © 2010 by the
International Sleep Products
Association. Reprint permission
obtainable through BedTimes.
Editor’sNote
Make sure you’re part
of the Supplies Guide
I
t’s summertime and that means
sunshine, swimming pools, stargazing and the Supplies Guide. Supplies
Guide? Yes.
The BedTimes Supplies Guide is
the most comprehensive directory of
suppliers of products and services to
the bedding industry. MultiView, our
partner in the online directory
(www.bedtimessuppliesguide.com)
is contacting new companies about
being included in the guide for the
first time and already-participating
companies about renewing and upgrading their listings.
A complete online listing includes
your company logo, company description, links to your Web site, email
address and placement in as many as
10 predefined categories. It costs only
$395 a year. Upgrade options include
priority/premium placements and
video enhancement, as well as online
banner and product showcase ads.
Once you’re part of the online BedTimes Supplies Guide, you can update
your information anytime throughout
the year.
This is an opportunity you don’t
want to miss. The Supplies Guide is
the place the mattress industry turns
to when seeking machinery, equipment, components, supplies—all that
you need to produce mattresses and
related sleep products. Looking for
services? The guide includes everything from legal advisers to testing
labs to logistics providers.
The online Supplies Guide uses
powerful search technology that
continually indexes the content of
participating supplier Web sites. Users
have the option of keyword searches
that mirror traditional search engines
or a category-specific search.
In addition, the directory has a
request-for-information function,
allowing visitors to contact suppliers
with the click of a button.
The online guide can be accessed at
www.bedtimessuppliesguide.com or
via the International Sleep Products
Association site at www.sleepproducts.org. There’s also a desktop search
mechanism, allowing users to download a free application that makes
the directory accessible from their
computer desktop.
Questions about the online guide?
Contact MultiView directly at
[email protected] or 972-402-7000.
We’re proud of the online version,
but know that many people also like
to have a print directory to keep on
their desk for handy reference. That’s
why we continue to publish it every
year in the December issue of BedTimes.
The online and print directories are
linked: If you have a complete online
listing, you’ll get a free listing in the print
version. If you want to be included in the
print BedTimes Supplies Guide, you must
have an online listing by Sept. 17.
Advertising in the print guide is
handled through BedTimes. If you’re
interested in advertising in the December
issue, contact Kerri Bellias, ISPA vice
president of sales, at 336-945-0265 or
[email protected]. BT
Julie A. Palm
5
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FrontMatter
Poll asks: To regulate or not to regulate?
Americans favor more rules for big business, less restriction on small
A
new Harris Poll finds that
among Americans who favor
change, more people support
stricter regulation of business rather
than less.
However, there are significantly
different attitudes among Americans
depending on what is being regulated.
Overall, a 2-to-1 plurality of
respondents favor more strict
regulation of business and majorities or substantial pluralities favor
stricter regulation in 12 out of 13
areas, from food safety to executive
pay. The one important exception is
that a 3-to-1 plurality (45% to 14%)
favors less strict regulation of small
businesses. Specifically, 40% of respondents
say they favor more strict regulation;
19% would prefer less strict regulation. Another 27% want no change
in regulation and 14% say they don’t
know, according to the online survey
of 2,503 adults conducted in May by
Harris Interactive.
A 64% majority favors stricter
regulation of big business, but 45%
favor less regulation of small business. In addition to big and small
business, the survey asked people
whether they’d like to see more
or less regulation in the following
areas:
➤ Air & water pollution
➤ Advertising claims
➤ Banks & financial services
➤ Consumer product safety
➤ Environmental safety
➤ Executive pay & bonuses
➤ Food safety
➤ Health & safety in the workplace
➤ Pharmaceutical safety
➤ Prices
➤ Profits
About three-quarters of Americans (70%) favor stricter regulation
of food safety, pharmaceutical safety,
and executive pay and bonuses. Only
40% favor more price regulation. A
similar number (41%) want additional regulation of profits.
The strongest support for stricter
regulation relates to food safety
(73%), executive pay and bonuses
➤ About the poll
This Harris Poll was conducted
online from May 10-17. Harris
Interactive surveyed 2,503 U.S.
adults. Age, sex, race/ethnicity,
education, region and household
income were weighted to reflect
U.S. demographics. For complete
poll results, check the News section of Harris Interactive’s Web
site, www.harrisinteractive.com.
(70%), pharmaceutical safety (70%),
banks and financial services (69%),
air and water pollution (68%),
consumer product safety (67%) and
environmental safety (66%). Smaller majorities support
tighter regulation of advertising
claims (65%), big business (64%),
and health and safety in the workplace (54%).
Across the board, support for
regulation is much stronger among
Democrats than Republicans, with
independents, perhaps predictably,
in the middle.
But even majorities of Republicans favor stricter regulation of
food safety (64%), executive compensation (57%), pharmaceutical
safety (61%), banks and financial
services (56%), air and water pollution (52%), consumer product
safety (56%) and advertising claims
(56%). BT
7
Resurge la innovación
Desde 1905, Eclipse® International ha fijado el estándar de las tecnologías que
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espalda y cuello, y prácticamente eliminan el agarrotamiento.* Los estudios
clínicos lo han comprobado, nuestras patentes lo protegen y las características
innovadoras ayudan a que nuestros productos se vendan por sí mismos.
Nos enorgullese presentar la última evolución de la Tecnología Spinal Zone®:
un desarrollo con patente pendiente que amplía el área de nuestro acreditado
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ACOLCHADO
Eclipse®
spells SLEEP
in any
language.
Patente pendiente
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Calidad Artesanal | Precio Costeable | Características Patentadas | Distribución Limitada
* Los resultados de los estudios se documentaron en dos estudios científicos distintos realizados por el Director del Laboratorio de Fisiología del Ejercicio y Funcionamiento Humano de la Universidad de West Virginia.
Un Mundo para Dormir desde 1905
SOPORTE DE BORDE PATENTADO
TECNOLOGÍA
PATENTADA
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Para información de licencias, contacte a: Stu Carlitz tel: 215.715.9677
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CompanyProfile
Hästens taking super luxury far beyond Sweden
Bedding maker targeting North America, Asia
By Dorothy Whitcomb
H
ästens, a Swedish manufacturer
of handmade, standard-setting
luxury beds, is aggressively positioning itself for global growth. With
its sights set on North America and
Asia, the company has placed business
development teams in key regions,
reinforcing its efforts with technological upgrades and a comprehensive
marketing campaign.
Jan Ryde, the company’s owner and
chief executive officer, has been steering the family business for growth
since taking the reins in 1989. Ryde
believes that a reverence for quality
and craftsmanship, combined with a
passion for innovation and technology, set his company apart.
“Hästens’ culture is very respectful of heritage, but is also dedicated
to creating and developing innovative
products,” Ryde says. “We are constantly striving to improve our product and to enhance people’s sleep.”
“The Hästens story is an amazing
one,” says Scott Link, Hästens managing director for the Americas and
Asia. “Jan’s mission has always been
to improve people’s lives by giving
them the best night’s sleep possible.
We’re all working hard toward that
goal and we have a lot of wind in
our sails right now.”
From saddles to sleep
Hästens was founded in 1852 in Köping
by Ryde’s great-great-grandfather Pehr
Adolf Janson. It initially was a saddlemaking enterprise. Horsehair mattresses
were just a sideline of the business until
1917 when Ryde’s grandfather, David
Janson, shifted the company’s focus to
mattress production. Hästens became
the official bedding supplier of Sweden’s
royal court in 1953.
From its inception, Hästens has been
committed to using natural ingredients.
Frames are constructed from Swedish
pine. Comfort layers include cotton,
horsehair, flax and virgin wool. Springs
are manufactured from heat-treated
Swedish steel and then individually
mounted in fabric pockets.
Hästens’ product line includes frame,
continental, adjustable and specialty
beds. Frame models, which are most
popular among European consumers,
have a thick spring mattress for a base
topped with a thinner, softer mattress.
Suggested retail prices start at $5,750.
Family business Jan Ryde, Hästens owner and
chief executive officer, took over the company
in 1989. His great-great-grandfather founded
the company in 1852.
‘We set out to create the ultimate bed—
a bed with absolutely no
compromises—and we have done so.’
The company offers four continental beds. The three-part construction
more closely resembles traditional
mattress sets in North America: A
thick spring base, a supportive spring
mattress, and then a soft, thinner TOP
mattress for comfort. Beds in this
group start at about $9,400. Hästens
also manufacturers three adjustable
beds (starting at $12,990) and two
round specialty models (starting at
$29,500).
Until recently, Hästens focused U.S.
marketing efforts on its continental
beds. The company introduced a new
collection of frame beds to the market
during the High Point Market in April
2010. The company is positioning the
beds, with their lower price points,
as options for children’s rooms, guest
rooms and second homes.
“Business in the U.S. has been historically driven by continental beds,
but in the next couple of months we
expect to see 25% of our unit sales
come from frame beds,” says Janet
Stein, Hästens U.S. country manager.
New highs
With the launch of the continental
Vividus, Hästens ratcheted up its own
commitment to craftsmanship and
quality—and its own price ceiling. It
took two years to develop the Vividus.
It was released in 2006 and has a suggested retail price of about $69,950.
Each is built to the individual specifications of the customer and requires
as many as 160 hours to construct by
hand.
“With the Vividus, we take everything a step further,” Ryde says. “We
set out to create the ultimate bed—a
bed with absolutely no compromises—and we have done so.”
The Vividus, like all Hästens beds,
is covered with checked cotton ticking, usually in the company’s iconic
9
CompanyProfile
training. Part of the initial visit includes direct experience handcrafting
a bed in Hästens’ 54,000-square-foot
manufacturing facility.
In no hurry It can take as many as 160 hours to handcraft a Hästens bed. Components include
cotton, horsehair, flax and wool, all encased in an iconic checked ticking.
blue-and-white scheme, but also
available in 20 other colorways. The
checked motif embellishes Hästens
other sleep accessories. Consumers
can add headboards, mattress pads,
linens, comforters and sleepwear to
their collection. Hästens also offers a
complete line of beds and sleep accessories for children.
Although the Vividus has sold
slowly in the United States, the company is enthusiastic about the positive
effect the bed has had on overall sales.
“Sales of the 2000T II, which used
to be the most expensive bed, have
dramatically increased in stores that
have the Vividus,” Link says.
Branching out
Link is charged with creating business development strategies for the
Americas and Asia.
Hästens has been in both regions
for about four years—long enough,
he says, to be convinced that they
offer strong potential for growth.
The company sells its products
at 15 locations in the United States,
two in Canada, six in Asia and one
in India. Link envisions as many as
125 additional stores in the United
States and possibly far more in Asia
and India.
“We haven’t done a lot of long-term
growth plans for Asia because we’re still
10 | BedTimes | July 2010
in the discovery stage, but we have no
competition there,” Link says. “It’s clear
that the potential is enormous and the
possibilities endless.”
Retail support
But Hästens isn’t in a rush to open
new dealers. The company is committed to ensuring that every new
Hästens dealer is successful with the
brand and it is willing to put time and
resources behind that effort.
Link and Stein vet potential retail
partners against characteristics they
believe foster success. A dealer’s
location and experience with luxury
brands are among the top criteria.
“The most successful types of dealers are entrepreneurs in other business
areas or high-end furniture store
owners,” Stein says. Although Hästens
will consider partnering with existing
mattress retailers, it will do so in the
form of a shop-in-shop concept.
“We have a proven record of our
brand succeeding adjacent to another
mattress store, when we’ve presented
in the Hästens-branded environment,”
Stein explains.
A design team from Sweden aids
retailers in transferring the Hästens
concept to new stores and a corporate
advertising department helps develop
local campaigns. Retailers are required
to go to Sweden twice a year for sales
Undergirding growth
In 2008, the company incorporated
new business systems software to
support its anticipated expansion.
Hästens also revamped its advertising and marketing efforts to better
reflect its global aspirations.
Visitors to its Web site
(www.hastens.com) can request
free copies of a 150-page catalog, as
well as a DVD showing step-by-step
construction of the beds. While on the
site, visitors can download “Be Still,”
an iPhone app using Hästens’ MindSpa, a tool that helps people achieve
deeper relaxation and reduce stress so
they can sleep better.
As other mattress manufacturers
have found, hotels also have proven to
be potent marketing partners. Travelers can find Hästens beds in luxury
hotels in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and 14 other
countries.
New global leadership
In June, as this issue of BedTimes was
going to press, Hästens announced
that Nick Braden has been appointed
global president of Hästens worldwide.
“Nick Braden brings a breadth
of brand development and operational skills that will be invaluable to
Hästens as it focuses on growing its
sales and profitability worldwide,” says
Ryde, who will continue in his leadership role.
In the new job, Braden focuses on
creating strategic opportunities and
oversees the centralized functions
supporting the company’s worldwide
operations.
Braden will be based in Washington, D.C. Previously, he was general manager of Mars Drinks North
America. He also has held posts with
McKinsey & Co. in Europe, L’Occitane
and Staples. BT
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ManagementIssues
When the wrong person is in the wrong job
How managers can quickly, effectively address the problem
By Lee Froschheiser
G
ood business leaders often
acknowledge that they’ve learned
more from their failures than
successes. Strong leaders have the confidence to know they can’t be right all the
time and that mistakes come with the
territory.
For instance, there are times when
they might fail to communicate effectively or delegate properly. But the
biggest management failure of all—the
one that harms company performance
the most—is a people problem. Specifically, it’s hanging onto the wrong person
in the wrong job for too long.
Ironically, it’s often top managers
who are the last to understand the
impact of not dealing with an ineffective worker. Employees who work
alongside the poor performer quickly
recognize the problem, which hurts
employee morale and productivity
and erodes employee confidence in
management. Even if team leaders
are aware that there’s a performance
problem, many do nothing about it or
take far too long to tackle the problem. Why?
Let’s start with loyalty. Loyalty is a
laudable attribute—companies and
managers encourage and value it.
But there are times when a manager
crosses a line and over-identifies with
a particular employee. This can happen when a manager hires a friend,
relative or someone she’s worked with
in the past, but it can occur in other
situations, as well.
Regardless of the specifics of the
relationship, the invisible line between
the manager and employee becomes increasingly difficult to recognize. And the
manager can have a tough time dealing
with the poorly performing employee in
an objective, constructive manner.
Nobody likes to be wrong. When a
manager hires someone who is a bad
fit for a position, letting that person
go becomes a public admission that
he made a mistake. Unfortunately,
the fear of admitting the mistake
often stalls or stops the termination
process altogether. The manager just
hopes the person’s performance will
improve. Instead, the problems fester
and everyone suffers.
Another reason that managers
often don’t oust a poor performer is
they don’t have a backup plan. “At
least I have a warm body in the job,”
they think. They accept mediocrity
rather than take a risk that could
improve the situation. The solution
would be to recruit proactively, always
looking out for someone who could
be a better team player.
Managers also are reluctant to deal
with a poor employee because they
think doing so can only lead to conflict.
And most people don’t like conflict.
Creating and implementing a good
performance management system—
It’s often top
managers who
are the last to
understand the
impact of not
dealing with an
ineffective worker.
one with an ongoing method for
evaluating performance—eliminates
the potential for conflict by creating an objective process for communicating with employees about their
strengths and shortcomings.
Without a way to receive feedback,
employees can be understandably angry
if they are suddenly reprimanded or
let go. It’s a recipe for conflict. And
it could all be avoided with a good
performance review procedure.
Lastly, managers often keep the
13
ManagementIssues
When a manager hires someone who is a
bad fit for a position, letting that person
go becomes a public admission that he
made a mistake.
wrong person in the wrong position
for too long simply because they lack
certain skills themselves. A good leader
is able to not only use an established
performance management system as a
tool, but also creates a culture in which
open, honest conversations about performance regularly take place.
Strong leaders are candid. They don’t
have a problem addressing poor performance and embrace the opportunity to
make such conversations productive for
both the company and the employee.
They set clear expectations for their em-
ployees, measure their progress, coach
them and offer formal training when
necessary.
Furthermore, effective leaders
know when it’s time to draw a line.
When they start hearing a little voice
inside their head saying, “I hope he
gets better,” they know it’s time to ask
critical questions about the person’s
performance and take immediate,
appropriate action.
If the No. 1 sin that managers
commit is to keep the wrong person
in the wrong position, there’s a good
chance that you’re guilty. If that’s the
case, challenge yourself to uncover the
reasons why you haven’t addressed the
problem. Then develop a plan, follow
your company’s performance management policy and take action now. BT
Lee Froschheiser, president and chief
executive officer of Management Actions
Programs, works with business leaders and companies nationwide. He is
co-author of the best-selling book, Vital
Factors: The Secret to Transforming
Your Business—And Your Life. In the
course of 50 years, Management Actions
Programs has helped 160,000 leaders
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coaching and consulting services. For
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check www.mapconsulting.com.
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MarketingMatters
Social media starts with specific message
Create guidelines
for your blogging,
tweeting employees
By Daniel Burrus
S
ocial media is not about the media. It’s about the social—getting
people to talk about something
important to them and to your business.
In order to make the best business
use of social media, your company
needs to pinpoint the specific messages you want to convey so that all
your employees involved in blogging,
posting to social media sites and dealing
with customers online know how they
should shape their messages.
Does your company want to improve
customer service? Expand awareness
of your products? Improve your brand
reputation?
One insurance company uses Twitter
and Facebook to let people know about
all the charitable activities it’s doing in
the community. All its posts are about
events the company sponsors and
contributions it makes. Employees are
encouraged to post information about
their own philanthropic activities, such
as volunteering at a local animal shelter
or helping Habitat for Humanity.
With a clear guideline that the company’s social media efforts are designed
to increase awareness of its philanthropy, it’s easy for employees to know the
kind of information and photos they
should post on social media sites. They
have a clear focus and a unified purpose.
One retailer uses social media to
improve customer service. All its posts
highlight things the retailer is doing to
improve the customer experience and
make shopping easier. And it regularly
asks customers how they’d like the company to improve customer service. With
that as the key message, all company
employees are focused on problem solving and on making customers happy.
So, a good social media strategy
needs to focus on the core message your
company wants to convey. Once you’ve
determined that, you need to establish
specific guidelines for employees—both
those who are posting information on
behalf of the company and those who
use social networking for personal use.
Creating social media guidelines
for your company doesn’t have to be
difficult. Here are some tips to get you
started:
1
Build trust Your employees
should use their posts to build a
reputation of trust with customers, end-consumers and the media.
When they are reaching out to others on
social media sites, they should take every opportunity to establish themselves
as credible, open and honest representatives of the company.
2
Be transparent While participating in any online community,
your employees should disclose
their identity and affiliation with your
company, as well as any other relevant
professional or personal interests. When
posting to a blog, they should always use
their real name, not an alias.
5
Self-edit Before posting any material online, your employees should
always evaluate the information
for accuracy and truthfulness. Make
sure they check the spelling and grammar of everything they write. Remember, content never disappears entirely
once it’s been posted.
If someone finds an error, get it
corrected promptly. Depending on the
size and scope of the mistake, have the
employee admit the error, apologize if
necessary, correct it and then move on.
6
Take responsibility Make sure
employees know they are responsible for what they post. Don’t tolerate negative or questionable messages.
What your employees post on their
personal social network pages outside
of work is their business, but nothing they posts on those sites should
be attributed to the company. If they
choose to list their employer on a
personal social network, then they
should regard all communication
on that network as they would in a
professional network. Online lives are
ultimately linked.
3
Be direct When creating posts and
content, your employees should
be direct, informative and brief.
They should never use a customer
or consumer’s name in a posting
unless they have written permission to do so.
4
Give due credit If your
employees post copyrighted
materials, they should get
permission and identify the original
source. This includes sources of direct
or paraphrased quotes, photos, videos
and anything else they didn’t originally
create.
17
MarketingMatters
When creating posts and content,
your employees should be direct,
informative and brief.
7
Be professional When posting comments, employees
shouldn’t tackle controversial
or potentially inflammatory subjects.
The tone of their comments should
be respectful and informative. They
should avoid personal attacks, online
fights and hostile messages. If a blogger or other online influencer posts a
statement with which your company
disagrees, your employees can voice
their opinions but they shouldn’t escalate the conversation into a heated
argument. Instruct them on how to
write reasonably, factually and with
good humor.
8
Maintain privacy Employees
should never disclose proprietary
or confidential information.
This includes product releases, service
updates and other information not yet
made public.
9
Obey the rules Employees
should follow all local, state and
federal laws; company policies;
and the rules established by each social networking site. Ultimately their
online activities will be a reflection on
the company. Social media is great for
building your business, provided that
your employees know how to use it
for the company’s ultimate benefit.
Determine why your company is
using social media sites and then
give employees clear, easy-to-follow
guidelines. By doing so, you’ll have
the people, processes and tools you
need to fulfill your company’s mission. BT
Daniel Burrus is one of the world’s
leading technology forecasters and
strategists. He is founder and chief
executive officer of Burrus Research,
a research and consulting firm that
monitors global advancements in
technology-driven trends to help
clients better understand how technological, social and business forces
are converging to create enormous,
untapped opportunities. Burrus
developed the Competitive Advantage
Business Strategy Builder, the first
mobile phone application that allows
users to generate a business plan. For
more information, check
www.burrus.com.
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Energy efficiency
Getting the most bang for your buck
By Barbara Nelles
ave you given thought to improving the energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of your facilities? Are you concerned that new insulation, improved lighting or
repairs to the aging heating and air conditioning system are simply not in the budget?
Whether you’re an owner or a tenant, it makes dollars and sense to do some careful analysis
of your building’s performance—and let the numbers be the judge.
“In a sluggish economy, many companies are reluctant to invest in energy
efficiency,” says Craig Whittaker, president of Greensboro, N.C.-based ESG
Energy, a company that offers energy auditing services and sustainability consulting. “At many facilities, managers are just too busy putting out fires and
no one is stepping back looking at equipment, looking at the building
and thinking, ‘What should we replace?’ The fact is you can run your
business much more profitability by being more efficient. And there
are many incentives businesses can tap into at the federal and state
level.”
“One thing we are witnessing is that many of our clients are seeing a much higher ROI for renovations and retrofits than they are
getting on capital expenditures, paying for new facilities and new lines
of business,” says Randy Pool, managing partner at Stantec, an architectural and engineering firm with corporate headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta.
“Much is being written and talked about regarding the ‘soft’ benefits
of sustainable design,” Pool says. “To work for a company that takes
it personally, that is modifying your work environment to make it
healthier and less impactful on the environment, gives employees a
sense of pride in their company. It has been shown to improve productivity and reduce turnover. From a PR and marketing standpoint,
communicating your company’s sustainability goals is powerful both
internally and externally.”
H
23
Seal the envelope
A good place to start is to conduct an
energy audit. Public utilities generally
offer a simple walk-through inspection.
Or you can hire a qualified auditor
to check the building envelope—walls,
windows, roof and foundation—and
assess the efficiency of the heating
and cooling, lighting and mechanical systems. Private-sector companies
provide a range of energy auditing
services and use a variety of methods,
such as blower door tests and thermographic scanning with infrared
cameras. Many vendors of energyrelated products and services also offer energy audits.
“Our customers receive a detailed
report that includes a schedule or
model of their projected return on
investment for all recommended
improvements,” Whittaker says. “We
let them know this improvement will
have a payback in one year or that one
in five years. We encourage clients to
invest in the rapid paybacks first in
order to save for the longer paybacks.”
A comprehensive audit of a standard, boxlike structure typically costs
between $1,500 and $5,000, depending on building size, Whittaker says.
“Repairing holes and adding insulation to the building envelope yield
the fastest payback,” he says. “The roof
is the No. 1 place to insulate—all of
your heat seeps out through there.
Make sure walls are insulated, as well.
A spray-on foam insulation can be
easily applied almost anywhere. Many
older buildings from the 1960s have
little or no insulation. Windows are a
major cause of heat loss. It may make
sense to add thin films to increase a
window’s R-value.” R-value is a measure of thermal resistance.
Manufacturers that use significant
amounts of water may want to investigate water reuse systems. With water
conservation a growing concern,
low-water consuming devices such as
low-flow and dual-flush toilets, touchless faucets and waterless urinals can
reduce usage and save money.
Bright lights, big savings
According to the U.S. Department of
Energy, 40% of energy use in the com-
mercial sector is for lighting.
The typical commercial facility
has a lighting system that is 15 to 25
years old, lighting experts say. Light
quality degrades as systems age. Older
systems also consume more electricity
and generate more heat than newer
bulbs and fixtures, causing the building’s cooling system to work harder.
Lighting change-outs normally
offer a rapid payback. When deciding which of your facilities to retrofit,
choose the ones with the longest
operating hours, the largest electric
bill and highest electricity rates. (In the
United States,
cost per kilowatt hour varies
widely from
region to region,
even within the
same state.)
For lighting
upgrades, electric
utilities often will issue a specified rebate
amount per fixture.
Let the
sun shine
Numerous studies show that “daylighting” improves worker well-being
and productivity.
“Daylighting is everything from
solar tubes to additional windows
to light “shelves” that reflect
sunlight up to the ceiling. These
allow you to reduce the amount of
air conditioning you use by taking
away the heat created by lighting,” says Randy Pool, managing
partner at Stantec, an architectural
and engineering firm with corporate headquarters in Edmonton,
Alberta.
Solar tubes, or tubular daylighting devices, are a newer technology. They use reflective optics
to channel lighting into interior
spaces. Daylighting devices can
be paired with light sensors that
automatically adjust artificial
lighting on cloudy days.
“If your specific retrofit isn’t on
the energy company’s list, don’t
give up. See if they have a custom
option,” says Madeline Fazzalari, a
LEED-accredited professional and the
director of business development for
Progress Solar Solutions, a solar and
energy-efficient lighting solutions
company based in Apex, N.C. “Then
get an approval from them in advance
to receive a one-time rebate after your
work is done.” (For more information
about LEED, see story on Page 28.)
“The newest fluorescent lighting
offers much better efficiency, better
light quality, better controls and
longer life,” says Brad Salamone,
vice president and general manager of energy services company
Atlantic Energy Concepts, based in
Reading, Pa. “It’s quite affordable to
change out older T12 (linear tube
fluorescent) bulbs for T8s, as well as
switch from magnetic ballasts to more
efficient electronic ballasts.”
An incandescent bulb used for general space lighting will last between
several hundred to 2,000 hours. Older
generation T12 fluorescent lamps
may last 10,000 to 15,000 hours. The
newest T8 and T5 bulbs have a life of
30,000 to 50,000 hours. The longer
lasting bulbs mean less frequent
changes and lower maintenance costs
for facilities with “high-bay” or ceiling
fixtures.
The payback on lighting upgrades
depends on your operating hours,
Salamone says.
“If you’re running one shift, you
may have a three-year payback, with
two shifts two years and with three
shifts, perhaps 15 months,” he says.
“We do a lot of work where the savings from a lighting system upgrade
are allocated to pay for other needed
systems, such as a new boiler.”
There are new light fixtures with
light-emitting diodes, which use a
fraction of the energy of fluorescent
fixtures and have a far longer life
“We view LED as an emerging
technology,” Salamone says. “We’ve
been doing “Exit” sign retrofits for 15
years. It’s making great strides in
lumen-per-watt performance, but
there’s no commonality between manufacturers yet. If you buy the bulbs
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Take advantage of energy-saving incentives
When you’re planning upgrades to your facility, investigate tax deductions and credits from federal, state and local authorities, as well as rebates from utilities for
energy-efficient retrofits.
➤ The federal economic stimulus—the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009—included $40 billion for energy efficiency and renewable
energy programs. Of that, $3.1 billion went to states to offer incentives for
energy-efficient construction and retrofits. The law also funds a two-year,
renewable energy grant program through the U.S. Department of Energy
equal to 30% of the cost of a given solar project. In addition, the law
finances low-cost loans to businesses pursuing efficiency projects.
➤ The Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 created the Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction, which has been extended to qualifying
projects completed before Jan. 1, 2014. Under this provision, building
owners or tenants can write off the complete cost of upgrading a building’s indoor lighting; heating, ventilation and air conditioning system; hot
water; or building envelope. A combined upgrade is capped at $1.80 per
square foot. An upgrade for just one of these systems is capped at $0.60
per square foot.
➤ Mattress manufacturers and industry suppliers may be eligible for free energy assessments through the U.S. Department of Energy’s voluntary Save
Energy Now initiative. The program’s goal is to drive a 25% reduction in
energy consumption and carbon emissions from U.S. industrial processes
during the next 10 years. Depending
on a manufacturer’s size and energy
usage levels, a range of free assessments and consultations are available. For more information, check
www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/
saveenergynow.
they’re not interchangeable on other
fixtures.”
“Outdoor lighting is ahead of indoor
with LED,” Fazzalari says. “It’s still
expensive technology for the interior,
but the exterior payback is quite good
due to reduced electricity, replacement
and maintenance costs. LED is generally
rated at 50,000 hours of life or more.
At 12 hours a night, that’s more than
11 years of life. Compare that to highwattage parking lot or flood lights—and
having to pay to frequently change out
exterior bulbs using bucket trucks to
reach 30-foot poles.”
Harnessing sun & wind
The technology to run a mattress factory on solar and wind power exists
today, according to the experts.
The sturdy roof of a large facility
can hold a number of photovoltaic
panels. And there are vertical-access
continues. “They have very elegant
designs and are much smaller in scale
so they can be placed on a rooftop.”
Facilities that invest in solar and
wind power can offset their electricity
bills by selling “green” energy back to
the power grid for a premium price.
Manufacturing plants that use a lot
of hot water can add solar thermal
panels, which use a closed system and
a heat-transfer fluid to produce hot
water.
There are a variety of new solar
technologies—and government incentives to install them. In the United
States, there is currently a 30% federal
tax credit for installing solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.
Many states offer additional tax incentives.
“There are dozens of suppliers of
solar panels,” Pool says. “They go from
straightforward, fixed-plate panels to
ones that pivot to follow the sun during the course of the day and the season. Those are a little more expensive
‘One thing we are witnessing is that many of
our clients are seeing a much higher ROI for
renovations and retrofits than they are getting
on capital expenditures, paying for new
facilities and new lines of business.’
wind turbines, “which, unlike propeller wind turbines, spin quietly, like a
spool of thread,” Pool says.
“They don’t injure birds,” he
and more maintenance intensive. So,
you need to have a firm commitment
to solar power.”
“Typically photovoltaic is quoted
One ‘LEED-er’
in certifying
‘green’ buildings
There are a number of third-party
“green” building rating systems
around the world. One of the better known is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED)
Green Building Rating System. The
six pillars of LEED are sustainable
site development, water savings,
energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality
and design innovation.
The council cites studies from
the University of California
Berkeley and
the University of
California San
Diego that found
the upfront costs
of LEED certification range from
no additional
outlay to 6% of
total construction
costs, depending on the level
of certification
desired.
A prerequisite to LEED for
Existing Buildings: Operations
& Maintenance
certification is participation in the
Energy Star Program run by the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency and U.S. Department of
Energy.
Buildings must achieve a score
of at least 60 (out of 100) to be
eligible to pursue LEED-EB OM.
Higher scores earn points toward
a building’s LEED certification
level. LEED projects are certified
according to the number of points
achieved based on how green a
building is—Certified
(26-32 points), Silver (33-38),
Gold (39-51) and Platinum
(52-69). For more information,
check www.usgbc.org/leed.
at $5 to $7 per watt installed. You look
at your power bill and see how many
kilowatts of power you’re using, then
figure out how much you need to
generate,” Pool says. “The payback is
generally three to five years. The cost
of photovoltaics is going down and
their efficiency is improving.”
“Relatively new and advancing rapidly is thin-film photovoltaic technology,” Pool says. “We’re
just now seeing it become readily
adapted. It’s integrated photovoltaic
that can be molded onto the side of
the building or on the roof. Or with
photovoltaic roof tiles, you can have
the entire roof be a solar panel.”
“We are seeing a lot of solarpowered parking lot lights,” Pool
says. “It’s not a big upfront cost.
More ways to conserve
Building-control systems reduce
energy consumption by ensuring
that features are used only when
necessary. For instance, occupancy
sensors automatically dim and turn
lights on and off, whether in conference rooms, hallways or the factory
floor.
“Lighting control systems can be
really complex and centrally controlled from a computer or be very
basic,” Salamone says. “A very simple
system may cost as little as 50 cents
per square foot. The typical range for
a lighting upgrade or retrofit system is
$1 to $3 a square foot.”
Sensors also can monitor building
temperature, humidity and carbon
dioxide demand, telling the HVAC
system exactly how to adjust the
building climate.
Payback on a full building control
system is about two years, says T.J.
Bell, sales engineer with Greensborobased energy services company Brady
Trane.
A building’s HVAC system “may be
running 24/7, yet it’s little understood
and often simply ignored as long as
it keeps the space comfortable,” Bell
says. “HVAC is the next largest user of
energy after lighting. But often no one
at a company ‘owns’ the controls.”
Installing programmable thermostats and setting back temperatures
10 degrees when no shifts are working
yield significant savings. “Smart” ther-
‘We encourage clients to invest in the
rapid paybacks first in order to save for
the longer paybacks.’
They’re self-contained, very user
friendly and have an impressive payback for renovations and retrofits.
With new construction, it’s actually
cheaper to put in solar panels than
use traditional electrical power—
you don’t have the cost of trenching and laying electrical lines. And
even on a cloudy day, a solar panel
can produce 70% to 80% of needed
power.”
mostats cost between $50 and $200.
Choose models that are easy to override to ensure the building is comfortable during unscheduled events or
late-night work, the experts say.
“General preventive maintenance
of HVAC equipment gets the most
bang for your buck because you
keep it operating at an optimal level,
instead of repairing it or replacing it
when it fails,” Bell says. “Get an annual
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According to the U.S. Department of
Energy, 40% of energy use in the
commercial sector is for lighting.
lighting
maintenance contract, plan on two
to four equipment tuneups a year.
Filters ought to be changed quarterly. Preseason tuneups prevent system
breakdowns, help maintain a unit’s
energy-efficiency level and lengthen
the life of the equipment.”
“If it’s an older building, have
the system balanced and checked
for duct leakage. As much as 15% to
50% of the output could be leaking,”
he says. “Checking the system balance in large office buildings makes
sense about every five to 10 years.”
“It’s common right now to upgrade your HVAC to a higher SEER
(seasonal energy efficiency ratio)
rating,” Whittaker says. “We find
lots of buildings with a SEER of 8 to
10. Now you can get an equipment
rating of 20 and you qualify for government incentives at 15 SEER or
higher. It’s a longer payback because
these systems are more expensive.
The expected payback is within five
to 10 years, but it’s shorter with
incentives.”
If you need a new HVAC system, buy properly sized equipment,
advises the nonprofit Consortium
of Energy Efficiency in Boston. At
least 25% of all rooftop units are
oversized, resulting in dramatically
increased energy costs and equipment wear.
“As a general rule for AC, you
double the equipment cost to come
up with the total cost of the proj-
ect—the other half is installation,
labor and permitting,” Bell says.
“Check with your electric utility;
many offer rebates on new equipment installations.”
Wherever energy is consumed,
there is an opportunity to reclaim it.
According to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, heat recovery is
one of the most effective ways to op-
timize a building’s energy efficiency.
Using a heat exchanger to transfer
energy from HVAC exhaust to condition incoming air can recover 50%
to 80% of the energy used to heat
or cool air coming from outdoors.
Similarly, if your manufacturing
process uses hot water, you can strip
the heat out of the liquid and reuse
that energy.
Operating in a more sustainable fashion often requires a culture change at a company, building
design and energy experts told
BedTimes.
“Does staff tend to leave lights
on in unoccupied spaces?” Whittaker asks. “Are machines running
even when not in use? Many draw
significant power even in standby
mode. Can existing equipment be
modified to use less energy or can
you do the same job on a smaller
piece of equipment—one that isn’t
an energy hog? I visited one plant
during the night shift. It was running at one-third capacity, yet all the
lights were on. ‘Why?’ I asked. The
manager said, ‘We’ve always done it
that way’. ” BT
Additional resources
➤ Alliance to Save Energy http://ase.org
➤ Association of Energy Engineers www.aeecenter.org
➤ Canada Green Building Council www.cagbc.org
➤ Database of Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency www.dsireusa.org
➤ Daylighting Collaborative www.daylighting.org
➤ Directory of Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Programs in Canada
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/policy_e/programs.
cfm?attr=0
➤ Federal Energy Star program www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.
bus_bldgs (for buildings and manufacturing plants) or www.energystar.
gov/ia/business/epa_bum_full.pdf (to download a free building upgrade
manual)
➤ International Association of Lighting Maintenance Companies
www.nalmco.org
➤ National Association of Energy Service Companies www.naesco.org
➤ U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Building Technologies Program www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings
➤ U.S. Department of Energy’s Save Energy Now Industrial Technologies
Program www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow
➤ U.S. Energy Information Administration http://www.eia.doe.gov or
www.eia.doe.gov/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html (for a state-by-state
electricity rate chart)
➤ U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System www.usgbc.org/leed
LAVA-publ.-julydef 2010
07-06-2010
09:56
Pagina 8
EXPERTS IN KNITTING
LAVA USA INC.
SALES OFFICE: 55 SLEEPY TIME DRIVE WATERLOO SC 29384 TEL. 864.998.4892 [email protected]
PRODUCTION & WAREHOUSE: 601 RAILROAD AVENUE, YORK SC 29745 [email protected]
IndustryNews
IKEA recalls 1,900 mattresses
Home furnishings retailer IKEA has voluntarily recalled
about 1,900 spring mattresses because they fail to
meet the federal open-flame mattress standard, 16 CFR
Part 1633.
The mattresses were manufactured in Mexico,
distributed by IKEA Home Furnishings based in Conshohocken, Pa., and sold at IKEA stores nationwide
from June 2007 through April 2010, according to the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issued the recall notice on June 3.
No accidents or injuries associated with the mattresses have been reported, the CPSC said.
The recall applies to IKEA Sultan Heidal spring mat-
tresses sold in twin, full, queen and king sizes. They
retailed for between $500 and $1,000.
A date stamp, article number and supplier number are located on a label attached to each mattress.
Recalled mattresses have date stamps of 0725 through
1014 and a supplier number of 20520. Article numbers include 701-095-77 (twin size), 301-109-60 (full),
501-109-73 (queen) and 901-109-71 (king).
The CPSC said consumers should immediately stop
using the mattress and contact their local IKEA store
for instructions about returning the mattress for a replacement or full refund. Consumers can contact IKEA
at 888-966-4532 or www.ikea-usa.com.
Number of CertiPUR-US foamers expands
A
number of foam producers have
been added to the list of companies providing CertiPUR-US certified
foams. They include Advanced Urethane Technologies/Sleep Innovations,
Flexible Foam Products Inc., FXI
Foamex Innovations, Premier Foam
Inc. and Sinomax USA Inc.
CertiPUR-US is an effort of the
Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane
Foam Inc., based in Loudon, Tenn.
The voluntary foam certification
and labeling program is modeled after the European CertiPUR program
developed in 2002.
CertiPUR-US is open to all
producers of furniture and bedding foam products. Foams undergo
third-party laboratory analysis
that examines VOC emissions and
foam chemistry. Products must
be manufactured without the use
of prohibited substances such as
chlorofluorocarbons, methylene
chloride, PBDE fire retardants, lead,
mercury and other materials of concern. CertiPUR-US also sets baseline
requirements for foam performance
and durability.
“Retail interest is helping drive
momentum,” said Robert Luedeka,
Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane
Foam executive director. “A number
of retailers are specifying CertiPUR-US certified foams, including
Nature’s Sleep and BedInABox.com.
We are also seeing CertiPUR-US
used as a value-added marketing
tool to answer the questions of a
growing number of consumers who
want a greater level of comfort and
confidence in the furniture and mattresses they buy.”
Therapedic, Hollandia sign agreement
Princeton, N.J.-based licensing group Therapedic International and mattress manufacturer Hollandia International, with headquarters in Sderot, Israel, have
inked a licensing deal to make Hollandia the Therapedic license for Israel
and Cyprus. Hollandia also plans to open Therapedic-branded retail outlets in Israel during the next year.
“I think the brand will resonate exceptionally well here in Israel,” said
Avi Barssessat, Hollandia chief executive officer. “Israelis love American
brands and Therapedic is an outstanding sleep products company that offers a full range of product choices.”
The two companies also are forming a joint research and development
team that will create products leveraging Hollandia innovation to be sold
throughout the world.
“The growth of Hollandia over the past few years is incredibly impressive,” said Gerry Borreggine, Therapedic president and chief executive
officer. “They make some of the most luxurious products in our industry
and on the retail side of their business, they understand the importance
of selling more than just mattresses to their customers—the benefits of a
good night’s sleep.”
33
IndustryNews
Employee purchase of Southerland complete
T
he purchase of Nashville, Tenn.based mattress producer Southerland
through an employee stock ownership
plan has been finalized.
The management team includes David Corbin and Steve Russo, who serve
as co-presidents. Bryan Smith is executive vice president and chief financial
officer. Marty and Trey Southerland, as
well as other Southerland family members, remain with the company.
Southerland operates more than
274,000 square feet of combined
production and distribution facilities in
Nashville, Oklahoma City and Phoenix.
The move from family ownership
to an ESOP structure and recapitalization was led by the new executive team.
Under the ESOP, employees own 100%
of the company.
Southerland will continue to develop
its own brands, as well as private-label
products for regional bedding retailers.
The new management team will focus
on innovative, consumer-focused
product development; a diversified
licensed brand portfolio; optimization of its cost structure through
lean practices; strategic sourcing; and
value-added sales efforts.
Corbin and Russo have been
working as consultants to Southerland
since mid-2009. Corbin is a marketing
and product development expert and
brand management specialist with
experience at Procter & Gamble, Pulaski Furniture Corp. and Chromcraft
Revington. Russo is an operations specialist with experience running Latex
International, Consolidated Bedding
and Restonic. Smith is a finance and
accounting specialist who has worked
with Southerland for many years.
Short
Bekaert adding jobs, space
Bekaert Textiles USA is expanding its U.S. headquarters
and production facility in
Winston-Salem, N.C., adding about 60 jobs. About 40
workers already have been
hired, bringing the work force
to about 186 people. Another
20 people are expected to be
hired during the coming year,
according to Dirk Vandeplancke, Bekaert general manager for the Americas. Bekaert
has completed the purchase of
an 83,000-square-foot facility next door to its existing
232,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing plant.
WarningAdBedTimes.indd 1
5/2/08 12:01:47 PM
IndustryNews
Englander expands
its global presence
Mattress licensing group Englander,
with headquarters in Olive
Branch, Miss., has signed a new
international licensee, Samahn
Living Co. Ltd., based in Seoul,
South Korea.
The Korean company has been
manufacturing bedding and other
home furnishings, primarily upholstery, for 30 years. It now has
exclusive licensing rights for the
Englander brand throughout South
Korea.
“Englander is the secondoldest brand in the United States
and now we are well on our way
to establishing Englander in the
global bedding arena,” said Kevin
Toman, Englander president.
L&P revamps racy campaign
I
n response to feedback, industry supplier Leggett & Platt announced in
May that it would revise and re-release
its “Virgin Mattress” Web video series
and social media marketing campaign.
The campaign was designed to support
the launch of L&P’s VertiCoil Edge innerspring.
“We received all kinds of feedback—positive and negative—from
our employees, customers and partners.
We’re going to take advantage of the
‘social’ part of social media and incorporate the insights shared with us,” said
Mark Quinn, director of marketing for
the Residential Furnishings Segment
of the Carthage, Mo.-based company.
“Anytime you push the envelope and
try something new, you’re bound to
generate discussion and make mistakes.
What matters is what you do with the
feedback. We feel strongly that our
industry needs to market directly to
consumers in a way that makes them
look at the mattress-buying experience
in a new and more objective way. We
plan to share the next webisode in a few
months with a modified approach to
appeal to our core audiences without
losing the humor of the campaign.”
The “Virgin Mattress” series features
an engaged couple, Esha and Liam,
searching for a new mattress for their
life together. Both characters will participate in conversations with consumers
through Twitter and Facebook accounts
operated by the L&P communications
team. The related Web site,
www.thevirginmattress.com, also is
being relaunched.
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IndustryNews
Culp sales up 20%, led by ticking
Culp Inc. reports that net sales for its fiscal fourth quarter
were $57.2 million, up 20% from the same period a year
ago. Sales of mattress fabrics rose 26%. Upholstery sales
increased 13%. Culp’s fiscal fourth-quarter 2010 ended
May 2.
The High Point, N.C.-based supplier’s net income was
$5.4 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, compared with
net income of $1.7 million, or $0.13 per diluted share,
in the prior-year period. A tax benefit of $0.4 million was
recorded in the fourth quarter due to various factors, according to the company.
Specifically, in the mattress fabric segment, fourthquarter sales were $33.4 million, a 26% increase, compared with $26.6 million for the prior year period.
“Our mattress fabrics business had a great fourth
quarter, primarily driven by significant improvement in
consumer demand in the bedding industry,” said Frank
Saxon, Culp chief executive officer. “Additionally, we are
benefiting from the closure of a key competitor in late
calendar 2009. …During the fourth quarter, we completed the installation of state-of-the-art finishing equipment
for our growing knit business. We are also in the process
of further expanding our capacity for both knit and woven product lines.”
For fiscal 2010, Culp’s net sales were $206.4 million,
up 1.2% over the prior year. Mattress fabric segment sales
were even with the prior year while upholstery fabric
sales were up 3.4%.
Net income was $13.2 million, or $1.01 per diluted
share, compared with a net loss of $38.8 million, or
$3.07 per diluted share, in the prior year.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2011, Culp projects overall
sales will increase 11% to 16% over the same time in
2010. Mattress fabric sales are expected to be up 15% to
20% and upholstery fabrics sales are projected to rise 5%
to 10%.
FEMA introduces, updates machinery
M
achinery supplier FEMA Italian
Cutting Systems Srl has introduced new foam-cutting machinery
and updated other models.
The Leonardo FBR and Leonardo
STD are now available with a conveyor
belt “bench” design that saves space and
allows for “nesting of designs,” according to the company, which has headquarters in Gravina, Italy. The Leonardo
FBR is an electronic cutting table for
cutting single and multilayered polyester
fibers and fabrics. The Leonardo STD
is an automatic spreader for polyester
fibers and fabrics.
The Convoluter 80-220 is an allnew foam convoluting machine that
FEMA says is simple to use and maintain, according to the company.
The Giotto Super Cutting System,
Complete upgrade The Giotto Super Cutting System
from FEMA Italian Cutting Systems Srl has been
revamped to be faster and more accurate.
an electronic shaping and cutting machine for flexible polyurethane foam,
has been updated. It now operates at a
faster cutting speed, is more accurate,
features improved operating software,
assembles products more quickly and
is easier to maintain.
FEMA machines are sold throughout Brazil, Canada, Europe and North
Africa.
Catch your competitors napping.
Some mattress manufacturers
haven’t woken up yet to the fact that
consumers want more than comfort
and value… they want to feel they’re
reducing waste and preserving our environment.
That’s what SafeLeigh™ shoddy does.
SafeLeigh is a unique blend of fire-retardant
aramids, made with 100% recycled materials. It
can differentiate your products and assure you of
high quality and cost-effectiveness.
SafeLeigh is another innovative solution from
Leigh, the global leader in reprocessed fibers and
textiles. Let’s catch your competitors napping —
call (864) 439-4111 today.
Recycling Solutions for Generations
Leigh Fibers, Inc.
1101 Syphrit Road, Wellford, SC 29385
Tel: (864) 439-4111 — Fax: (864) 439-4116
e-mail: [email protected] — www.leighfibers.com
39
IndustryNews
is a
Eclipse & Eastman House honor troops
O
Why? Our readers
say BedTimes is
their source for
n May 21, employees of Eclipse International and Eastman House, the
manufacturer and licensing group with
headquarters in North Brunswick, N.J.,
wore red shirts to work to show solidarity with U.S. military personnel stationed
around the world.
The idea of wearing a red shirt on Fridays to honor troops began in the United
States in 2005 and in Canada in 2006. According to the Web site www.redshirtfridays.org, “We are not a political organization. …We need to let our servicemen
and women know we support their sacrifice and we will not forget them.”
In a memo to workers, Eclipse President Matt Connolly said, “We care only
about making our support of our servicemen and women known to our fellow Americans and the world. We all have, or at least know someone who has,
friends and/or relatives serving in the military. I ask that everyone participate in
this gesture for the servicemen and woman and their families by showing that
we are thinking of them.” The company provided red golf shirts for all employees to wear that day.
➤ New & innovative
equipment
Simmons updates Beautyrest on the Web
for mattress
manufacturers
➤ The latest research
on consumers
needs & wants
➤ Classified & product
advertising
➤ Up-to-date news
about the industry
➤ FR & regulatory
information
➤ Coverage of suppliers
& new products
➤ Mattress disposal
& recycling
➤ Ideas & industry trends
Our readers are
your customers.
Advertise in BedTimes.
Contact Kerri Bellias,
336-945-0265
or [email protected]
T
o honor the 85th anniversary of Beautyrest, Atlanta-based mattress maker
Simmons Bedding Co. has refreshed the brand’s portion of the company
Web site to reflect the look and feel of the newest Beautyrest products.
The splash page (www.simmons.com) displays the new Beautyrest World
Class bed on a black background. The Beautyrest home page offers an educational video about Super Pocketed Coil springs. The video links to a separate
Web page highlighting the features of the Beautyrest World Class collection.
Other tweaks to the Beautyrest Web pages include more videos, photos and tips,
as well as links to special anniversary promotions.
“We know that the Internet is a key research tool for consumers during the
mattress-buying process,” said Tim Oakhill, Simmons executive vice president
of marketing. “By explaining the collection’s new BeautyStyle aesthetics and
BeautyFeel comfort construction, the new Beautyrest site helps consumers
familiarize themselves with the line’s features before they ever step foot into a
retail store. …Our goal for the site is to create brand preference, so when consumers go mattress shopping, it’s not a question of whether they buy a
Beautyrest, it’s a matter of which Beautyrest model they buy.”
Simmons holds anniversary-themed contest
A
tlanta-based mattress major Simmons Bedding Co. is running an
online trivia contest to coincide with the
85th anniversary of the Beautyrest brand.
Each week during the summer, Simmons will randomly select one contest
winner to be entered into a final draw-
ing for a new Beautyrest mattress and
top-of-bed ensemble. The manufacturer
also is giving away free sheet sets. Consumers purchasing any Simmons mattress retailing for $997 and above will
receive a redemption form for a set of
300-thread count, 100% cotton sheets.
“Our summer promotions offer
consumers additional incentives for
buying a new Beautyrest while reminding them that the brand has an 85-year
tradition of providing superior sleep,”
said Tim Oakhill, Simmons executive
vice president of marketing.
Shorts
Verlo sale supports animal charities
Serta to make official NSF mattress
Verlo Mattress Factory Stores of Grafton and West Bend,
Wis., hosted Memorial Day tent sales that benefited
animals. The stores donated 5% of Memorial Day sales
to the Ozaukee Humane Society and the Washington
County Humane Society. The tent sale included bargainpriced twin mattresses, close-outs and other special
deals. Adel Salameh, owner of both franchises, said community involvement is an integral part of Verlo’s culture.
Mattress manufacturer Serta, based in Hoffman Estates,
Ill., and the National Sleep Foundation have teamed
up. As part of a new program, Serta’s flagship Perfect
Sleeper will be redesigned with input from the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit advocacy group and will
be the NSF’s official mattress. The new Perfect Sleeper
mattresses will come with an NSF educational “Guide to
Sleeping Well” booklet.
41
IndustryNews
Sealy Posturepedic celebrates 60th anniversary
T
o commemorate 60 years of the
Posturepedic brand, mattress
major Sealy introduced a special
mattress collection and launched
a diamond-themed anniversary
promotion.
The Trinity, N.C.-based company
is giving away diamond jewelry;
vacations to places like Diamond
Head, Hawaii, and black diamondrated ski slopes; Diamondback
bicycles and more. The promotion
runs through Labor Day weekend.
“Sealy is proud of its orthopedic
heritage and the Sealy Posturepedic,”
said Jodi Allen, Sealy chief marketing
officer and senior vice president of
marketing. “The 60th anniversary is
Anatomic Global grows, expands factory
Mattress maker Anatomic Global, based in Corona, Calif., is doubling the size of
its manufacturing facility to 240,000 square feet and has added 30 new
production jobs, bringing its total work force to 130. Work on the facility
is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
The expansion is in response to an 86% sales increase since October
2009, the company said. Anatomic Global attributes the growth to sales
of its proprietary, plant-based EcoMemoryFoam Pure7 Series to a number
of new retailers, including Beck’s Furniture, Linder’s Furniture and Mattress King. It also has grown its sales to existing customers Relax The Back
and The Bed Store.
“This has been a very exciting time of growth for our company,” said
Jeff Scorziell, Anatomic Global president. “We believe that the additional
manufacturing space and staff will enable us to continue our growth trajectory for many years to come.”
Natura adds silver technology to all beds
N
atura World, a mattress
and sleep accessories
producer with headquarters
in Cambridge, Ontario, is now
incorporating its Natural Silver
Technology into its mattresses.
The addition of the anti-bacterial,
anti-viral barrier to mattresses provides
“naturally healthy protection” for consumers,
the company said. In 2009, Natura World introduced the technology in mattress
protectors and pillowcases.
“While our latex mattresses are naturally resistant to microbes, some mattresses are natural breeding grounds for microbes—and this is another level of
protection our customers are telling us they want,” said Ralph Rossdeutscher,
Natura World president and chief executive officer. “Wherever possible, we use
what nature offers freely. And silver is the perfect blending of an age-old solution
with modern technology.”
The Natural Silver Technology is colorless, odorless, hypoallergenic and nontoxic, according to the company. It’s also bacteriostatic, which means it eliminates
microbes on contact and inhibits future growth.
the perfect occasion to celebrate and
say ‘thank you’ to our customers.”
The anniversary mattress models
feature elegant detailing, layers of
specialty foams, a Pressure Relief
Inlay, PostureTech Innerspring,
and reinforced handles. They have
suggested retail prices from $899 to
$1,119 for a queen set.
Shorts
Vi-Spring unveils ‘Excellence’
Bedding manufacturer Vi-Spring,
which has headquarters in
Plymouth, England, launched
the Excellence bed as part of a
collection sold exclusively at
London retailer And So To Bed.
The headboard and divan base
are upholstered in a designer
velvet fabric. The bed is handmade with more than 3,000 coils
and natural materials, including
cashmere, silk, alpaca, wool and
cotton.
Hollandia opens new Philly store
Mattress maker Hollandia International, with headquarters
in Sderot, Israel, has opened
a retail store in Philadelphia’s
historic Old City District. The
showroom displays Hollandia’s
entire product line, from highend sleep systems with built-in
retractable flat-screen televisions
and massage features to sleep
accessories. Hollandia
has more than 120 locations
in 12 countries. The company
recently opened a store in Short
Hills, N.J.
jump!
Would the strength of an
international brand with
over 50-years of success
help your company in
today’s environment?
If so, maybe now
is a good time
to make the jump.
International licenses available,
call: Gerry Borreggine, 1-800-314-4433
www.therapedic.com
High Point Market
Plaza Suites Building
Suite I-501
World Market Center
Las Vegas
Building B, Suite 822
the #1 brand alternative
Take a Moment to Relax During
the Busy Las Vegas Market
Visit the ISPA Oasis Lounge!
The International Sleep Products Association extends an invitation to members to
stop by space B910 to relax in the privacy of our special lounge.
Whether you are exhibiting or attending, take a moment to get away from
market hustle and bustle.
Whatever your need, we’ll do our best to assist!
▪ Take some time off your feet to relax
▪ Meet with a colleague in a casual, inviting atmosphere
▪ Grab a cup of coffee or a light refreshment
▪ Check your email or the latest sports scores
Drop off your business
card for a chance to win
a free registration to the
2011 ISPA Industry Conference
and Exhibition!
March 16-18, 2011
St. Petersburg, FL
501 Wythe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone 703-683-8371
Fax 703-683-4503
www.sleepproducts.org
CostManagement
Smart moves as
the storm subsides
Clearing the way
to benefit from the
economic recovery
By J. Tol Broome Jr.
I
f you’ve been reading the business
headlines, then you know that the
Great Recession is officially over.
In the United States, gross domestic
product has grown by more than 3%
for a couple of quarters. Other factors, including consumer sentiment,
manufacturing capacity utilization
and business inventories, have been
trending in a positive direction.
In the bedding business, the
numbers also have been encouraging.
In the first quarter of 2010, mattress
unit sales were up 11.2% compared to
the same period in 2009. The dollar
value of those units increased 10.3%,
according to the International Sleep
Products Association.
So why doesn’t it feel like the
downturn is over? For one thing, even
if your sales are up, your profits may
remain below pre-recession levels.
And the headlines contain troubling negative economic news—unemployment rates around 10%, a
continued slide in housing prices and
record government deficits, among
other things.
Ranking the recession
Recessions are a lot like hurricanes
and vary widely in severity. With a
Category 1 hurricane, there’s a lot of
wind and rain, but the storm comes
and goes and is soon forgotten after a
week or two of cleanup.
As a hurricane moves up the SaffirSimpson severity scale, the challenges
become more daunting. The worst
storms are rated Category 5 and carry
winds in excess of 155 mph.
The best-known, modern-day
Category 5 storm was Hurricane
Katrina, which hit the U.S. Gulf Coast
in August 2005 as a Category 3 storm,
after weakening from Category 5 in
just a matter of hours. Category 5
hurricanes have life-threatening winds
and flooding rains. Property destruction is usually widespread and the
overwhelming amount of debris can
take months or even years to clean
up. Such storms have a life-changing
impact on those caught in their path.
The 2001-02 recession was a Category 1 storm. During the few months
of the mild economic downturn, com-
panies felt the pinch. But after it came
and went, most businesses moved on
to even better results.
In contrast, the Great Recession of
2007-09 was a Category 5 hurricane—
severe and lengthy. Many companies
didn’t survive. Those still standing are
left with a daunting debris field.
What should you do to clean up
the mess and take part in the recovery? First, take a minute to celebrate
the fact that you’re still in business.
Congratulations!
What should you do next? Look for
the rainbow. It may seem elusive right
now, but by taking several steps, you’ll
greatly improve your chance of thriving during the period of revitalization
that is emerging on the horizon.
1
Focus on quality customer
service This is a great place
to start because it’s something
over which you have direct control.
It might be difficult to bring in new
customers but you can ensure that
your current customers have a great
experience. Maintain a positive attitude with your employees so they
will want to come to work. And insist
that they take the same approach
with customers. If employees lack
sufficient product knowledge, make
sure they get up to speed. An added
benefit of good customer service is the
word-of-mouth advertising that will
result, helping you draw in those new
customers.
2
Replace employees If you have
employees who aren’t getting the
job done, now is the time to make
a change. The job market is flooded
with able, eager people looking for
steady employment. Many have extensive experience in manufacturing and
retail and will need minimal training.
You might not feel comfortable firing
workers during a period of such high
unemployment, but you won’t succeed
without the right people in place.
45
CostManagement
Debt obligations remain—in good times & bad
Recessions can be brutal when it comes to meeting debt obligations. Revenue and cash
levels fall, but debt payments don’t.
If it’s difficult for you to cover all your debt obligations, don’t panic. Instead,
be proactive. If you communicate honestly and frequently with creditors, you’ll
have a much better chance of keeping them off your back, allowing you to focus
more on running your business.
Here are some pointers to help you in dealing with creditors during the economic recovery:
➤ Keep your promises Try to under-promise and over-deliver. If you know you’ll
be late, contact your creditor and let him know that you might be 10 days
late. Then try to pay in five days.
➤ Ask for longer terms A supplier might be willing to give you 45-day terms
instead of 30. And your bank might be willing to extend your three-year loan
to five years.
➤ Rotate late payments If you have 20 creditors and you can’t pay everybody on
time right now, pay 10 of them on time this month and the other 10 on time
next month.
➤ Keep essential creditors current Every company has a few creditors that are
essential to keeping the doors open. If you can’t keep those debts current, be
sure to keep them well informed. I can tell you from my nearly three decades
in banking that the thing bankers hate most is a surprise. We can deal with
bad news as long as we have forewarning.
➤ Consider cash management services Cash management services such as lockbox, computer-based balance reporting and funds transfer, automated clearing
house services and controlled disbursement can significantly improve your
cash flow. Your creditors will like that!
➤ Keep your personal credit clean This is critical if you have a small business.
Most creditors view the small business and the owner as essentially the same
entity. It’s imperative to keep your personal credit clean, particularly if you
think you’ll need to borrow money when a sustained expansion sets in. There
are five key components of a personal credit rating: timeliness of bill payments
(includes tax liens, bankruptcies and judgments), level of outstanding credit
relative to lines available, length of time your credit has been active, types
of credit and acquisition of new credit. There are three major credit-score
sources: Equifax, Experian and Trans-Union. If you aren’t sure what your credit
score is, go to the Web site of one of the bureaus and find out.
3
Assess your business model
It’s likely that during the past few
years you’ve been focused on survival. You need to resist the temptation
to remain in that mode as the economic
recovery (hopefully) continues.
Review your business model. Are you
still meeting the needs of your customers? Do you have the right product mix
and price points? Should you consider
other revenue sources, such as online
sales? What should you be doing that
you aren’t doing? What are you doing
that you should stop doing? If you need
to make some changes, map out a plan
and a timeline for implementation and
then follow it.
4
Take advantage of your
competitors’ challenges You’ve
been dealing with a Category 5
economic storm in recent years, but
so have your competitors. This is an
excellent time to assess the competitive landscape and grab market share.
Focus on two or three things you can do
to improve your competitive position.
They might include new product lines,
special services or a new advertising
campaign. If you have access to capital,
it could be the ideal time to buy out a
competitor.
5
Manage expenses closely
You’ve likely been in hunkerdown mode, keeping a tight
hold on expenses during the recessionary period. This is no less important during a recovery. If there are
areas that could generate additional
savings, make changes now. One area
you may have overlooked: supply
management—not the vital components used in mattress construction
but basic office supplies and other
items. Some companies allow anyone
to place orders, resulting in wasteful
spending. If you haven’t already put
in place strong controls, this can be a
great way to reduce expenses.
6
Preserve working capital
Working capital is the investment you have in accounts
receivable and inventory, less accounts
payable to creditors. You can generate
significant cash by improving your
working capital position. You can
generate cash by collecting receivables
faster or paying creditors slower. If
you have customers who routinely pay
you in 45 days when your terms are
30, ask them to start paying on time.
Call late accounts when they become
five days late and continue calling every few days until you’re paid. On the
other end, pay your creditors when
the bill is due, not early. Early payments tie up working capital, leaving
you less cash to run your business.
The Great Recession has left a lot
of damage and debris in its wake,
but the economic cleanup has begun.
Follow these tips and you’ll increase
the likelihood of finding the rainbow
during the recovery. BT
J. Tol Broome Jr. has spent nearly 30 years
working in commercial lending at various
financial institutions and currently is an
executive vice president and manager of
the Specialized Lending Group at BB&T.
Find the Products and Services
You Need in the
BEDTIMES SUPPLIES GUIDE
ISPA’s online BedTimes Supplies Guide provides mattress industry professionals around the world
with targeted and relevant search results in a comprehensive directory of industry-specific products and
services. Search by keyword or category specific searches to find the products you need quickly and easily
without the irrelevant clutter of general internet search engines.
Visit www.BedTimesSuppliesGuide.com today!
ISPA: 703-683-8371 · www.sleepproducts.org
Calendar
July
Sept. 3-5
Perfect Home &
Interior
Warsaw Centre
EXPO XXI
Warsaw, Poland
Phone 48-22-649-76-69
[email protected]
www.perfecthome.pl
July 20-23
Movinter
Interior Eventos
Mirassol, São Paulo,
Brazil
Phone 16-2132-8936
www.movinter.com.br
Sept. 3-6
China International
Furniture Fair
China Import &
Export Fair Complex
Guangzhou, China
Phone 86-20-2608-0427
ciff@fairwindow.
com.cn
www.ciff-gz.com
July 15-18
Furnitex
Melbourne Exhibition
Centre
Melbourne, Australia
Phone 61-613-96547773
[email protected]
www.furnitex.com.au
August
Aug. 2-6
Las Vegas Market
World Market Center
Las Vegas, U.S.
Phone 888-416-8600
info@lasvegas
market.com
www.worldmarket
center.com
www.lasvegasmarket.com
Aug. 20-22
Tupelo Furniture
Market
Mississippi & Tupelo
complexes
Tupelo, Miss., U.S.
Phone 662-842-4442
tfm@tupelofurniture
market.com
www.tupelofurniture
market.com
September
Sept. 1-5
Habitare
Helsinki Exhibition &
Convention Centre
Helsinki, Finland
Phone 358-9-150-91
[email protected]
www.finnexpo.fi
Sept. 16-19
ZOW Istanbul:
International
Exhibition of
Components &
Accessories for the
Furniture Industry
Instanbul Expo Center
Istanbul, Turkey
Phone 90-212-3249610
[email protected]
www.zow.com.tr
October
Oct. 16-21
High Point Market
International Home
Furnishings Center
& other locations
High Point, N.C., U.S.
Phone 336-869-1000
dawn@highpoint
market.org
www.highpoint
market.org
Furnitex The trade show will be July
15-18 at the Melbourne Exhibition
Centre in Melbourne, Australia.
NewsMakers
Hagglund assumes Englander chairmanship
M
attress licensing group Englander has named John Hagglund
chairman. He is president of Tualatin
Sleep Products, Englander’s licensee
for the Northwest. The manufacturer
has production facilities in Tualatin,
Ore., and Stockton, Calif. It has been
an Englander licensee since 1985.
“Under John’s leadership, Englander
will continue its success in product
development,” said Kevin Toman, Englander president. “Manufacturing in the
Northwest has given John a great handle
on ‘green’ and Englander will continue
its dominance in that arena.”
Hagglund replaces Chuck Warshav-
er, president of World Sleep Products
in Billerica, Mass., which serves the
Northeast for Englander.
Englander’s seven U.S. licensees
bought the brand from La-Z-Boy in
2005 and, at that time, established a
management committee with a rotating chairmanship.
E.S. Kluft hires veteran Galant
Howard Galant has joined high-end bedding producer E.S. Kluft &
Co. as senior vice president of sales, filling a position that has
been vacant since November 2008.
Galant focuses on strategic growth opportunities, oversees
existing key accounts and manages the national sales team for
the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based manufacturer.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the mattress
industry, most recently as regional vice president of sales for
licensing group Comfort Solutions. Prior to that, he held a
number of executive sales positions at the former Spring Air
Co. He began his career at Serta as a sales representative and
Howard Galant
then worked for Sealy as a key account manager.
“As our brands grow, we continue to make investments in the sales organization to
provide a new level of service to our retailers,” said Earl Kluft, president and chief executive officer. “Howard is one of the most respected sales executives in our business.”
“I am very excited to work with Earl and his management team,” Galant said. “He has
always been the design, performance and comfort leader in our business, particularly in
the luxury sector. He is the person the industry has come to watch to tell us what the next
luxury trend will be.”
Short
Select Comfort names
new board chairman
Airbed maker and retailer
Select Comfort has appointed Jean-Michel
Valette as chairman of
its board. He has been
a member of the Minneapolis-based company’s
board for more than 15
years and also serves in
executive and director
roles at several companies across a variety of industries. Valette succeeds
Ervin R. Shames, who will
continue as a member of
Select Comfort’s board.
Quinn takes new role at Leggett & Platt
I
ndustry supplier Leggett
& Platt, which has headquarters in Carthage, Mo.,
has named Mark Quinn
director of marketing for
its Residential Furnishings
Segment, a newly created
post.
The business unit accounts for more than half
of the company’s total sales
and includes a number of divisions:
U.S. Spring, International Spring,
Furniture Hardware, Seating and Dis-
tribution, Consumer
Products, Fabric
Converting, Carpet
Underlay and Geo
Components.
Quinn previously
was executive vice
president of sales
and marketing for
the Bedding Group.
Mark Quinn
“In the past four
years Mark has spent working for
our company, he has demonstrated
a unique understanding of not only
our direct customers, but also of what
drives the ultimate consumer toward
our products,” said Perry Davis, president of L&P’s Bedding Group. “His
innovative approach to marketing
continues to drive demand for both
our products and services.”
Prior to joining L&P, Quinn
spent nine years at Serta where he
rose to vice president of business
development. Before that, he was
an account representative and field
sales manager for Sealy and Stearns
& Foster.
49
AdvertisersIndex
A. Lava & Son Co.
Steve Appelbaum
800-777-5282
(800-777-LAVA)
www.alavason.com
18
Amelco Industries Ltd.
Andreas Georgallis
357-22-484444
www.amelco.com
25
Atlanta Attachment Co. Inc.
Hank Little
770-963-7369
www.atlatt.com
C2-1, 37
BLR
Martin Leroux
819-877-2092
www.blrlumber.com
Boyteks Tekstil AS
M. Nebi Dogan
90-533-685-6041
www.boyteks.com
6
20-21
CertiPUR-US
Robert Luedeka
865-657-9840
www.certipur.us
27
Costa International
Daniel Vazquez
305-885-9761
www.costa-international.com
51
Diamond Needle Corp. Abe Silberstein
800-221-5818
www.diamondneedle.com
41
Dueffe SRL
Francesco Arcangeli
39-071-7926054
www.dueffe.com
19
Eclipse International/
8
Eastman House
Stuart Carlitz
800-634-8434
www.eclipsemattress.com
www.eastmanhousemattress.com
Edgewater Machine Co. Inc.
Roy Schlegel
718-539-8200
www.edgewatermachine.com
29
Leigh Fibers Inc.
Parris Hicks-Chernez
864-949-5615
www.leighfibers.com
39
Enriquez Materials & Quilting Inc.
Silvia Enriquez
323-725-4955
www.enriquezquilting.com
31
MPT Group Ltd.
Andrew Trickett
44-1706-878558
www.mptgroup.com
12
C3
New England Needles Inc.
Thomas Lees
800-243-3158
www.newenglandneedles.com
36
Global Systems Group
Russ Bowman
954-846-0300
www.gsgcompanies.com
14
Pacific Spring Inc.
Victor Nguyen
626-272-8882
51
Hengchang Machinery Factory
Belinda Lau
86-769-83307931
www.hcjixie.com
P.T. RubberFoam Indonesia
Andreas Janssen
62-21-53662190
www.rubberfoam.co.id
38
Quilting Inc.
Mark Gibney
800-358-0153
www.quiltinginc.com
48
Hickory Springs Mfg. Co.
Rick Anthony
828-328-2201
www.hickorysprings.com
2
John Marshall & Co. Ltd.
Peter Crone
64-3-341-2004
www.joma.co.nz
35
Kenn Spinrad Inc.
Randy Weinstock
800-373-0944
www.spinrad.net
41
Latex Systems Kitti Charoenpornpanichkul
66-2-326-0886, Ext. 204
www.latexsystem.com
11
Latexco U.S. LLC
Kevin Callinan
866-528-3926
www.latexco.us
15
Lava USA Inc.
Ann Weaver
864-998-4892
www.lavatextiles.com
32
SABA North America LLC
Jim Turner
810-824-4964
www.saba-adhesives.com
4
Simalfa
Darren Gilmore
973-423-9266
www.simalfa.com
16
Subinas Confort S.L.
Javier Subinas
34-94-416-04-40
www.subinas.es
34
Therapedic Sleep Products Gerry Borreggine
800-314-4433
www.therapedic.com
43
Tietex International Ltd.
Wade Wallace
800-843-8390
www.tietex.com
C4
Classifieds
For Sale
TAPE-EDGE MACHINES, MULTINEEDLE AND SINGLENEEDLE QUILTERS, long-arm label machines, sergers, etc.
Contact Victor LeBron, American Plant and Equipment.
Phone 864-574-0404; Fax 864-576-7204; Cell 864-590-1700; Email [email protected];
Web www.americanplantandequipment.com.
REBUILT AND RECONDITIONED MULTINEEDLE
QUILTING MACHINES. Specializing in PATHE precision
parts and service. Technical consultants. SEDCO. Phone 201-567-7141; Fax 201-567-5515.
TAPE-EDGE MACHINES, QUILTERS & MISCELLANEOUS
SEWING MACHINES. Contact Frank Carlino, U.S. Mattress
Machinery. Phone 815-795-6942; Fax 815-795-2178; Email [email protected].
EMCO 90-INCH HIGH-SPEED QUILTING MACHINE.
Computerized 9000-plus series, 1994 model. For details, call Thomas at 601-693-3875.
For Sale
Xsensor X2 Pressure-Mapping System. We have three
of these systems in excellent condition. Get real data on your
mattress designs. Only $1,500 each; $1,250 each if you buy all
three. (MSRP around $12,000.) Call Gary at 801-358-0802.
USED GRIBETZ RELIANCE M4+ 90-INCH
COMPUTERIZED CHAIN-STITCH QUILTING
MACHINE. Includes catwalk with material-handling pack,
electronic thread-break detectors and 90-inch PCS standard
panel cutter. Only 900 hours of use. Contact John Barbieri.
Phone 905-238-5666, Ext.103; Fax 905-625-7907; Email [email protected].
Technical Services
MULTINEEDLE QUILTER SPECIALIST
➤ Electronics & mechanical
➤ Servo drives, motors, computers & PLCs
➤ Retainer drive upgrade
➤ Re-timing eccentrics
➤ Training 101 operations
➤ Stitching problems
Call 772-607-1851 or email [email protected].
Pacific Spring Inc.
An American company
importing springs
from Cambodia
6.5” H 312 Bonnel units
7” H 336 Bonnel units
8” H pocket units
Pacific Spring Inc.
Victor Nguyen, VP of Marketing & Sales
6418 E. Washington Blvd.
Commerce Ca. 90040
Tel: (626) 272-8882 • Fax: (626) 226-4166
51
TheLastWord
Poll: Brits are bleary-eyed
T
he average Brit is sleeping just six
hours and 21 minutes a night,
according to a poll of 6,000 people conducted for hotel chain Travelodge.
That’s significantly less than the eight
hours most sleep experts recommend
and nearly an hour less than they were
getting two years ago.
The recession seems to be at least
partially to blame. Among the things
keeping Brits up are money worries,
work stress, outside noise, watching TV
and family troubles.
More than a quarter (28%) of
those surveyed said they’ve taken a
day off work after not sleeping well
and nearly half (45%) said it takes
them a couple of days to recover
from a bad night’s sleep. Some 54%
of respondents said a lack of sleep
has made it difficult to concentrate at
work.
“Although we are coming out
of recession, Brits are still worried
about money and work issues, which
is fueling this sleep disorder,” Stevie
Williams of the Edinburgh Sleep
Centre told The Daily Telegraph. “It’s
a vicious circle. Although adults may
fret about their job and have financial
worries, they cannot afford to sacrifice
their sleep quota. Having sleepless
nights on a long-term basis can be
very detrimental to your health.”
The long road home
One of the main
things holding down the
U.S. housing
market is the
number of
people who
owe more on
their mortgages than their
houses are
worth. They
call it being
“underwater”—and areas with the fewest underwater homeowners are
expected to see their housing markets recover most quickly, according to
the May issue of Money magazine. In Montana, where 7% of mortgage
holders are underwater, a recovery is forecast for 2012. In Arizona, a
whopping 51% owe more than their houses are worth and the recovery
could be more than two decades away. The best and worst markets, according to Moody’s Economy.com:
Best markets
Recovery year
Montana
2012
North Dakota
2013
Alabama
2013
New York 2016
BIG number
63
%
That’s the percentage of married
women who would rather do
something besides have sex with
their husbands, according to an
iVillage poll. Their No. 1
alternative activity? Sleep!
Worst markets Recovery year
California
2028
Florida
2031
Nevada
2033
Arizona
2034
Innovation that works for you
Stay ahead of your competition with new, innovative
technology that produces original products, not imitations.
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Reliance®
Paragon® M+
Working technology
Gribetz understands technology that works and
shares it throughout the most complete line of
quilters in the industry.
The latest example of new Gribetz innovation is the
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border production needs.
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See tomorrow’s quilting technology by contacting your
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954-846-0300
www.GSGCompanies.com
True innovation, like Gribetz’s
patented BatchMode software
and Posi-Trim™ tail control for Tack
& Jump® quilting, is technology
you can profit from.
The world’s leading mattress
producers look to Gribetz
innovation for cutting-edge
technology so they can make topquality bedding products with the
most cost-effective methods.
Nobody
dreams in
black
and white.
MATTRESS SOLUTIONS
Why
sleep that
way?
ECo Fa B R I C S ,
CoT To N S ,
PRINTS,
jaCquaRdS,
P o Ly E S T E R S ,
BLENdS,
ST I TC h B o N d S ,
Wa R P k N I T S ,
FILLER CLoThS.
Tietex International Ltd., 3010 North Blackstock Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29301, Ph. 864.574.0500, Fax 864.574.9490, www.tietex.com

What to do when the wrong person is in the wrong job

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