BedTimes magazine October 2010

Transcription

BedTimes
OCTOBER 2010
THE BUSINESS JOURNAL FOR THE SLEEP PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
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OCT 2010
InSide
Features
22 Working on the relationship
The manufacturer-retailer partnership is critical to the mattress industry’s
success. Representatives of both groups weigh in on what’s working—and
what isn’t.
34 Rethinking the performance review
At too many companies, performance reviews have devolved into annual “check
the boxes” exercises. There are far better ways to correct and reward employees,
according to an expert.
Departments
7 Front Matter
With the help of a new PR agency, the
Better Sleep Council is moving solidly
into the world of social media, starting with “Suite 7,” a Web video series
where the mattress stars.
13 Management Issues
Technological advances and economic
realities dictate that more and more
workers do their jobs far from corporate headquarters. Managing such
“remote” employees takes both a new
mind-set and a new skill set.
19 Sales Talk
53 Newsmakers
57 ISPA News
58 Up Close
60 Calendar
62 Advertisers Index
63 Classifieds
64 Last Word
You know the importance of networking, but how well do you actually do it? A sales professional points
out 10 networking mistakes that
many of us make.
5 Editor’s Note
17 Marketing Matters
39 Industry News
www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes
BedTimes | October 2010 |
3
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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
James S. Bain
Dennis Garlick
Heather Lutze
Kelley Robertson
Dorothy Whitcomb
Jim Whitt
ART DIRECTOR
Stephanie Belcher
336-201-7475
[email protected]
Vice President
of ADVERTISING 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 December issue of BedTimes are
earlier than usual
Monday, Oct. 25.
Volume 138 Number 10
BedTimes (ISSN 0893-5556) is published
monthly by the International Sleep Products
Association. Periodicals postage paid at
Alexandria, Va., and additional mailing offices.
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
Ick: Tiny bedbugs
reach critical mass
F
or decades, bedbugs lived only in
the quaint nighttime tidings of
mothers: “Don’t let the bedbugs
bite.” Who had time to worry about
some mythical insect when the boogeyman might be lurking under the bed?
With the help of pesticides like
DDT, bedbugs largely disappeared
from the developed world by the
1940s and 1950s. But for the past
decade or so, they’ve been resurgent,
in part, experts say, because chemicals
like DDT are no longer in use but also
because we’re far more mobile than
we used to be and bedbugs, apparently, like to travel.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency says the number of bedbug
infestations throughout the country
tripled from 2005 to 2009. Because of
their dense populations and vibrant
tourism, urban areas such as New
York have been particularly plagued.
In fiscal 2009, the city received 11,000
complaints about bedbugs—up from
just 537 in 2004.
The little critters have been found
just about everywhere there’s a
bed—houses, apartments, dorms,
hospitals—but in schools and stores,
as well. They are mainly a nuisance,
known to bite and cause skin irritation but not to spread major disease.
Small comfort if you or your loved
ones are being bitten.
This past month, bedbugs seemingly crawled into every newspaper,
magazine, website, radio and television set, too. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that I’ve heard or seen
a report about them every day. Quite
a media presence for a creature that’s
only 4 or 5 millimeters long.
For the mattress industry, bedbugs
present a guilt-by-association problem.
They can be found virtually anywhere
there’s a blood source and a comfy
place to hang out between meals, but
with “bed” in their name, there’s a
natural association with, well, beds.
Suppliers of mattress and pillow
protectors are right to promote the
efficacy of their products in helping
to protect people from the insects.
Retailers and factory directs that
deliver mattresses to consumers—and
pick up used bedding—should take
steps to avoid mixing contaminated
products with new.
The industry also can do its part to
partner with entomologists, exterminators and others to provide consumers with accurate information about
bedbugs and how to avoid and treat
infestations. The International Sleep
Products Association, for example, has
posted a bedbug FAQ based on information from University of Kentucky
professor and entomologist Michael
F. Potter (www.sleepproducts.org/
bedbugsFAQ).
Whatever your own efforts, it’s
probably best to remember mom’s
warning. BT
Julie A. Palm
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FrontMatter
BSC’s new PR agency is leader in Web work
A
fter a competitive review
of nine agencies, the Better
Sleep Council chose New
York-based CJP Communications as
its agency-of-record for marketing,
communications and public relationship efforts in May.
The BSC is the consumer education arm of the International Sleep
Products Association, which promotes the important link between
good health, a good night’s sleep
and a good quality mattress.
“A great night’s sleep is so important to all of our lives; we consider
it a noble cause to help spread that
message and empower people to
learn how they can improve their
sleep,” says Jennifer Prosek, CJP
chief executive officer.
CJP (www.cjpcom.com) is one
of the largest independent public
relations firms in the United States,
with 70 professionals working at
offices in New York, London and
Connecticut. It is a full-service firm,
providing public relations, financial
communications, investor relations,
corporate communications, consumer campaigns, digital and social
media, crisis communications and
issues management.
The agency was named a “Best
Recognized work CJP Communications’ Web
comedy for IKEA, ‘Easy to Assemble’ was
lauded by Ad Age.
Agency to Work in PR” by PR News
and an “Inc. 5000” fastest-growing
company by Inc. magazine in 2009.
It has won numerous awards for its
work, including recognition last year
for outstanding logo and graphic
design, crisis communications, media campaigns and telecommunications programs.
CJP has become one of the in-
dustry’s leading producers of Web
videos for its clients and partners.
Ad Age named its IKEA-sponsored
Web comedy “Easy to Assemble”
the “Most Watched Branded Web
Series Ever.” (To watch an IKEA
episode, go to www.youtube.com/
watch?v=wMIjC16-Dwg, Episode
6, “Personal Shopper.”) Earlier this
year, two CJP web series were nominated for “Best Branded Entertainment Web Series” at the Streamy
Awards.
CJP’s “Suite 7,” a seven-episode
web video series premiering in December, is the agency’s largest project
for the mattress industry, but it will
work with the BSC on other projects,
including the annual Better Sleep
Month in May, using a mix of social
media and traditional PR methods.
“Having served on the BSC for
several years, I know firsthand the
importance of having a strong and
nimble PR firm to help promote the
industry’s consumer messages,” ISPA
Chairman Don Wright said when
the selection announcement was
made. Wright is chief marketing officer of industry supplier Wright of
Thomasville, based in Thomasville,
N.C. “I’m excited with the firm that
the BSC has chosen.” BT
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ManagementIssues
Going the distance for remote workers
Help employees be more effective—no matter where they work
By James S. Bain
M
anaging people and projects
from across the hall can be
tough enough. Managing
people and projects in different cities,
states, even countries can seem impossible. Some days, you might as well be
on different planets.
As technologies advance and companies seek to save money on overhead and employee relocation costs,
“remote” management is becoming
more and more common. Whether
your company has a sales force spread
across the country, a research and development facility in another state or
a construction project halfway around
the world, the inability to have a quick
face-to-face meeting or just casually
run into members of your team can
hinder performance and progress.
If you’re managing a distant work
force, you need to be aware of the
potential downsides of such arrangements so that you can minimize or
avoid them completely.
The goal of most companies is
to deliver something of value to their
internal and external customers. The
Remotely located employees
often have more flexibility in
‘how’ the work gets done, but
they still need to have specific
goals and objectives concerning
the ‘what’ and the final ‘when.’
challenge of managing people remotely
has a direct impact on both the productivity of your work force and the quality
and quantity of your end-product or
service. To operate at peak performance,
managers must learn how to improve
their interactions with employees who
work at a distance.
Studies of motivation and behavior
have shown that humans have different levels of motivational triggers. Most
basic needs, such as those for food,
water and shelter, are satisfied by receiving a salary or wage. Where the worker
or manager is located isn’t much of a
factor.
Mid-level needs, including the need
for interpersonal relationships and a
need to belong to a group, are generally
easier to satisfy when people work in
direct contact with each other. In other
words, remote employees may be more
dissatisfied with their work because it’s
more difficult to develop much-needed
professional relationships. They don’t
get the “face time” they require.
But those issues can be solved. Once
they are, the highest level needs—such
those for achievement, recognition,
responsibility and advancement—are
not only met, they are often enhanced
by remote working arrangements.
The key is to take creative measures
to ensure that long-distance working
relationships are built and nurtured.
How can managers make sure that they
are on the same planet as their remote
team members?
1
Start by agreeing on the
outcomes you seek Engage in
true two-way communication.
Be specific about the desired results
of the work in general or a project in
specific and confirm that everyone
involved understands those goals.
Set firm deadlines. Remotely located
employees often have more flexibility
in “how” the work gets done, but they
still need to have specific goals and
objectives concerning the “what” and
the final “when.”
2
Get out of your office and
go see your people It doesn’t
matter so much whether you
schedule your trips to remote locations on a regular basis or as-needed.
But it’s critical that you do visit your
workers on their turf—at their offices
or their project sites.
In the 1970s, management experts
encouraged supervisors and executives to get out of their offices and
wander down the hall or into the
breakroom to meet with employees. It
was called “management by walking
around.”
Managing a remote work force
requires more than walking around—
get in your car or hop on a plane,
whatever it takes. People want to see
you. They need to have access to you
and feel like you value them as
workers.
13
ManagementIssues
3
Stay in touch via other
means Institute a daily or
weekly “How can I help you?”
call. This regular contact will go
a long way toward building trust.
Make this call one of your regular
practices.
4
Use technology to its fullest
potential While there is no
substitute for real face-to-face
interaction, current technology can
get you pretty darn close. Email
is a great way to quickly exchange
information. Take advantage of
videoconferences, teleconferences,
online virtual meeting sites and
social networking. This also is an excellent way to bridge the generation
gaps that are developing in today’s
work force. If you’re a baby boomer,
learning to efficiently text and tweet
will help you communicate, not just
with remote employees, but with
younger ones, as well.
5
Walk a mile in their shoes
The construction business is a
great example. Staffers in the
office don’t understand the difficulty of working out of a hot, dusty
pickup truck with no good place to
fill out necessary paperwork. And
workers out on the job site have no
clue what employees in the office do
all day. Develop a “day in the life”
program. Set up opportunities for
employees from different areas of
your company to spend a half or
whole day shadowing each other.
For instance, send your plant supervisors on dealer calls with sales reps.
The experience will help each group
understand the difficulties the other
faces, whether they work at corporate headquarters or not.
6
Keep communication open
Take the time to communicate with your people in any
way possible. It will help to build the
relationships so necessary for job satisfaction. Start by asking your people
about their lives, their work, their
needs. Then shut up and listen. You’ll
be surprised what you learn. BT
James S. Bain is an author, speaker,
consultant and coach. He is founder
of Focus on the 5, a division of Falcon
Performance Institute, a consulting
and corporate training firm focused
on productive performance. Look for
Bain’s forthcoming book Never Pass
on a Chance to P: A Roadmap to
Peace in Your Life. To hire Bain or to
find out more about Focus on the 5
and the Falcon Performance Institute,
check www.falconadv.com or call
352-854-4015.
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MarketingMatters
Two faces of Facebook
Using the social media site to build business
By Heather Lutze
M
ost people use Facebook sites
to stay in touch with friends
and family. But there’s another side to Facebook—one that can
help your business grow.
According to Facebook’s own
statistics, more than 1.5 million businesses have active pages on the site
and more than 20 million people become fans of business pages each day.
For companies, Facebook is an easy,
effective way to spread your brand
message, while building community
and loyalty among customers.
Follow these steps to create a
corporate Facebook presence that
generates results:
➤ Keep “Joe” and “Joe the mattress company CEO” separate
In other words, don’t mix business
and pleasure. If you already have a
personal Facebook page that you use
to keep up with your friends and
family, keep it personal—don’t send
your business contacts there.
Instead, create a separate Facebook identity where you are “Joe
the mattress company CEO”—and
not Joe the excellent golfer or Joe
the attentive grandfather. On your
business persona page, include your
corporate bio and other information
that pertains to your role in your
company. You can then build a page
off that business profile that serves
as a company fan page.
Mixing your personal and professional pages is discrediting and
unprofessional. It’s perfectly fine
to have two profiles on Facebook.
You simply have to use your middle
initial or some other distinguishing
information to differentiate the two
accounts, which brings us to…
➤ Name your accounts wisely
While your individual posts on Facebook aren’t ranked in Google searches
(at least not yet), your profile is. And
how you name your pages is critical
for ranking purposes.
While you’d certainly use your
name for your individual business
account and use your company
name for your fan page, you’ll want
to tag some keywords onto each.
For example, if you, as the company
founder, want to be known as a leader
in mattress manufacturing technology, you might name your business profile “Joe W. Smith, Mattress
Manufacturing Specialist.” Similarly,
you could name your fan page in such
a way that there’s no question what
your company does, as in “Joe’s Foam
Mattresses Inc.”
Think of the keywords you want
to be found under and work them
into your tagline or title. This strategy opens your profile to the world
and helps you go beyond building a
Facebook community of friends and
fans. (Don’t forget to go into your
settings on Facebook and make sure
your business persona and company
fan profiles are public.)
➤ Post valuable, appropriate
content After your pages are set up,
encourage your customers to join
your fan page. Post information about
products and services, trade shows
you’ll be participating in, new employees—any newsworthy company
developments.
It’s OK—heck, it’s a good thing—
to include ads, coupons and specials
for your company on your fan page.
Fan pages were designed to give businesses a way to blatantly promote
themselves. Don’t, however, put ads,
coupons or specials on your business
persona page. If you do, people will
quickly start “unfriending” you.
Finally, remember to feed your
Twitter posts, blog posts and YouTube
videos directly to your fan page so you
can extend your brand. You can do
this easily by using a tool such as Ping.
fm or SocialOomph.com.
On your business persona page—
the page focused on you as “Joe the
mattress company CEO”—you post
your thoughts on industry developments, information about honors
you’ve received, lists of conferences
you’re attending, articles you’ve published, etc. On this page, you’ll want
to only accept friend requests from
people who directly relate to your
business. If a personal friend finds the
page and offers a friend request, direct
him to your personal page. BT
For the past 10 years, Heather Lutze
has served as chief executive officer of
the Findability Group (formerly Lutze
Consulting), a search engine marketing
firm that works with companies to attain maximum Internet exposure. She
is a nationally recognized speaker and
author of The FindAbility Formula:
The Easy, Non-Technical Approach to
Search Engine Marketing. Lutze is a
lead speaker for the Pay Per Click Summit and spent two years speaking for
Yahoo! Search Marketing. For
more information, check
www.findabilitygroup.com.
17
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SalesTalk
Networking 101: Make the most of opportunities
8
10 pitfalls to avoid
Failing to establish a connection Effective networking
means connecting with people.
You won’t connect with everyone you
meet, but you can improve your results
by making eye contact, smiling, asking
questions and showing interest in the
other person.
By Kelley Robertson
N
etworking is a critical sales skill.
After all, the more people you
connect with, the more sales
opportunities you create. But many
salespeople fail to take full advantage of
the power of networking. Here are 10
blunders you need to avoid:
1
Attending the wrong networking events When I started my
business, I attended as many
networking events as I could fit into my
schedule. However, I quickly noticed
that I encountered the same people at
most of these events—other small business owners out looking for business.
These people weren’t my target market
and very few of them interacted with
the type of decision-maker I sought. Get
the most from your networking by attending focused events where you know
you’ll meet prospects.
9
tions about her business and profession.
Ask what challenges she faces and
what she enjoys most about her work.
High-value questions encourage people
to share information and help you position yourself as an expert and resource.
5
2
Becoming distracted by other
people We’ve all had a conversation with someone who constantly watched the room and other people
instead of paying attention to what we
were saying. Such experiences leave us
feeling ignored and insignificant. Don’t
make the same mistake. Pay close attention to every person you meet.
3
Focusing exclusively on your
self-interest If you make the
effort to find out how you can
help someone, chances are that he will
reciprocate. In the words of motivational guru Zig Ziglar, “You can get anything
you want in life if you just are willing to
help enough other people get what they
want.”
Waiting for people to introduce themselves Let’s face it:
Most people are reluctant to
approach strangers. If you take the
initiative to introduce yourself to others, you’ll be perceived as a person of
confidence, strength and power. And
the other person will be grateful that he
didn’t have to make the initial approach.
Spending too much time
talking If you truly want to
make a great impression, limit
the amount you speak to 40% of the
conversation. Remember: Networking
events are the place to uncover potential sales opportunities. They aren’t the
appropriate forum for making full-scale
sales presentations.
4
Failing to ask questions The
most effective way to create a connection is to ask someone ques-
6
7
Failing to articulate your
value proposition I once spoke
with a small business owner at a
networking event and, after a 20-minute
conversation, I still had no idea what she
did because she was unable to clearly
articulate the purpose of her company
and her ideal client.
Executing a meet-and-move
strategy We’ve all encountered
the person at a networking event
who introduces himself, gives you his
business card, asks for yours in return and
then moves on to repeat the process with
several others. You get much better results
by talking with a small number of people
rather than meeting as many as you can.
10
Failing to follow up Don’t
make the mistake of calling
someone three months
after a meeting and saying something
like, “We met a few months ago and I
thought I’d touch base with you.” There
are better strategies. When you meet a
potential customer, arrange to contact
her shortly after the event. Mark it in
your calendar and call on the agreedupon day and time. After you meet
someone who isn’t a prospect, look for
opportunities to refer business to him
or help him in other ways. You never
know how his connections might help
you in the future. BT
© MMX Kelley Robertson. All rights reserved.
Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets
of Power Selling, helps sales professionals close more sales at higher profits. Get
your free copy of 100 Ways to Increase
Your Sales by subscribing to his free
newsletter, 59 Seconds to Sales Success,
at www.fearless-selling.ca. Robertson
conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences.
Contact him at 905-633-7750
or [email protected].
19
The manufacturer-retailer
partnership
Industry insiders assess strengths, weaknesses
By Barbara Nelles
T
he manufacturer-retailer
relationship is a complex pas de
deux, with many opportunities
to work beautifully together to sell
more and better bedding, but also
plenty of chances to misstep and
trounce on each other’s toes.
BedTimes spoke with a cast of industry insiders—from small retailers
to large manufacturers, plus a few
consultants and industry observers—to assess the current performance of both partners.
We put a number of questions to
the group, focusing on the manufacturer’s role in aiding retailers but
also asking what retailers can do to
support the mattress brands they
sell on their showroom floors. Their
comments ranged from praise to
prescription to provocation. As is
often the case when talking about
this hot topic, everyone had something interesting to say.
Surviving tough times together
The difficult economy is testing the
entire industry and reminds everyone that players in the mattress
business will rise—or sink—together. For retailers to get consumers to
walk through the door and part with
precious cash for a new mattress,
manufacturers have had to redesign
products with “value” top of mind.
And they’ve had to re-evaluate
priorities, focusing on what retailers
say they want most.
Stuart Carlitz, president of Eclipse
International and Eastman House,
North Brunswick, N.J. “We’ve seen
so many retailers come and go in
this economy. Now we offer our ‘exotic’ features at $699 to $999. We’ve
packed more ammunition into the
more moderate price points. We
tailor a collection to fit into the
price points they’re looking for, so
they can survive. And that’s what it’s
about today—survival.”
Barrie Brown, principal of et
oyeblikk: Retail Strategies LLC
and interim chief executive officer of Factory Warehouse, Dallas
“The greatest help manufacturers
have provided to retailers in the past
two years was developing better values and better pricing. They’ve done
a lot of value engineering.”
Jamie Piper, director of marketing communications for Sealy,
Trinity, N.C. “The economic
environment has been difficult for
everyone, but it hasn’t impacted our
focus on making sure we continue
to develop and nurture our relationships. We are always looking for
opportunities to collaborate with
retailers.”
Rick Robinson, president of
Spring Air International, Boston
“The first place bedding companies
look to cut when they’re trying to
lower their overhead cost is sales
training and advertising, but we
can’t afford to do that and have
probably increased the percentage
of dollars we spend on this. In fact,
we’re expanding our sales training
budget for next year and looking to
do more with video training.”
Whose brand is it?
Both retailers and mattress manufacturers have to create and market their
own brands to be successful and stay
in business. That means a lot of competing brand promotion at the retail
level. As the comments indicate, this
is an area in which striking the right
balance remains a challenge.
Cindy Williams, vice president of
retail strategy at Info Retail Inc.,
Atlanta “There is a constant pull
between manufacturers and retailers because each wants to be the
brand. Stores can quickly become
very cluttered and confusing. But it
is possible for manufacturers to get
their pure brand message out there
without pushing the RSA out of the
process. A couple of manufacturers
have been successful at it. Good POP
also allows the RSA to hear the message over and over so they are able
to sell more expensive products.”
Don Wright, chief marketing officer, Wright of Thomasville, Thomasville, N.C. “I think most retailers
do a good job of branding themselves and it’s becoming more of
a collaborative effort between those
retailers and their manufacturers. With a few notable exceptions,
there is not enough consistent national brand support happening in
the industry. Once you get consumers inside, you’ve got to create a destination within the store. The surf
industry is a good example—they
use the windows, front doors, floors.
The minute a customer arrives in
the parking lot, brand messaging
starts.”
Gerry Morris, president of Inner
Spring professional training and
coaching, Dallas “The branding
breakdown comes in at the retail
level. Manufacturers do a good job
of creating a message about lifestyle
and sleep, but retailers go to ‘swingthe-door’ merchandising in a competition for the lowest prices.”
Chuck Kill, chief executive officer
of Bedmart, Tucson, Ariz. “When
we advertise, we are promoting our
Stuart Carlitz
President, Eclipse International/
Eastman House
‘Many of our retailers look to us
for direction. We show them how
to improve their business.’
Barrie Brown
Principal of et oyeblikk: Retail
Strategies LLC
’The greatest help manufacturers
have provided to retailers in the
past two years was developing better values and better pricing.’
Jamie Piper
Director of marketing
communications, Sealy
‘We’re taking relationships with
retailers to the next level. A key objective is for us to become their No.
1 marketing and online partner.’
brand, the Bedmart brand, more so
than the manufacturer’s. We want
you to shop our store because of
who we are, not what we sell—so we
try to emphasize our own brand.”
“What’s the new role of technology?” on Page 26.) Retailers offered
both rants and raves on the quality of the training provided by bed
makers. Manufacturers say they
strive to tailor their training programs to each retailer’s particular
style of selling, but that high turnover at retail continues to hinder the
effectiveness of even the best training programs.
levels and help us sell a great night’s
sleep. We find that our reps are very
good at training the skills and techniques that we want our sleep consultants to have for our stores. They
visit often and we hold seminars
once a week in different regions.
We also have training programs by
manufacturers in their plants and
our people get a specialized class
on products and specs. We sit down
with the manufacturer ahead of
time to make sure the training is
appropriate to what we want RSAs
to know.”
Eric Hinshaw, chairman and chief
executive officer of Kingsdown,
Mebane, N.C. “Retailers must have
a reason behind each line they carry.
Whatever each line’s brand promise, it’s incumbent upon retailers to
make sure their manufacturers deliver on that promise. Retailers must
also develop a brand promise that
sets them apart in their market and
they need to deliver. Unfortunately,
most have created a brand promise
around price, but if the consumer
uses price as their surrogate to other
knowledge, then the retailer becomes insignificant. We are trying to
help retailers differentiate through
the better sleep concept.”
Gary Fazio, chief executive officer, Simmons Bedding Co.,
Atlanta “A retailer must have their
own brand if they’re to survive and
thrive. They must figure out their
reason for being in business. Then
the two brands (retail and mattress)
can be married together.”
Thoughts on training
Manufacturer-provided sales and
product training is an industry
fundamental that’s rapidly evolving, mostly because of technological
advancements but also because of
concerns about the cost of having
an army of sales reps out personally visiting stores. (See the section
Herman Tam, vice president of
sales and marketing, Leggett
& Platt’s Consumer Products
Group, Whittier, Calif. “Training
is more important than ever before
because consumers do their research
online before shopping. Many walk
in filled with information—and
misinformation. Manufacturers can
provide scripts to retailers that use
a low-pressure selling approach.
Retailers should train RSAs to be
helpers instead of sellers striving for
a sales goal.”
Roger Cunningham, owner of
The Bed Store, Knoxville, Tenn.
“Reps come in (and) they know
their brands and offer technical
information. But we need trainers
that understand how to deal with
the consumer and their No. 1
issue—that they don’t trust us.
There was a day when reps were
good and understood their jobs, and
trainers really trained, but standards
have declined.”
Kill/Bedmart “The manufacturers
we work with are interested in our
input. They work with us on many
Morris/Inner Spring “RSAs are
often a transient group who take the
path of least resistance to make the
sale. Bedding is a category of goods
that requires much product knowledge and selling skills, and bedding
makers and their reps have provided
the best sales training in the home
furnishings industry. Recently,
however, there has been a trend
toward hiring bedding reps with no
background in the industry. Manufacturers need to do a better job of
training their own staff.”
Lisa Stansbury, vice president of
Fred’s Beds, Wilmington, N.C. “I
appreciate when my reps work with
our salespeople, look at the line and
help tweak things. I like vendors that
stay in touch regularly and would
like more time with my reps. You
learn something from every conversation. The fact is, whoever is most
accessible, that’s who you’ll buy
from.”
23
Rick Robinson
President, Spring Air
International
“We’re expanding our sales
training budget for next year
and looking to do more with
video.’
Fazio/Simmons “Retailers don’t have
a lot of places to go to get educated
and can’t spend the time to research
and develop the things they need to
be more successful. It’s our job to
educate them and tailor our message
to whatever their regimen and training is. Ask the right questions: Make
sure you’re talking about their business—not your own. We want to sell
with our retailers, not to them. That
means we have to sell through to the
end-consumer together.”
Robinson/Spring Air “Retailers may
be dealing with a bunch of different product categories. To gain the
confidence of consumers, they need
to be knowledgeable. It’s up to us to
train them. Three of us here cut our
teeth as national sales trainers. We
know the value of it. A mentor once
told me, ‘When training reps, tell
them to hang onto the steering wheel
for an extra 60 seconds when arriving
at a (retailer) appointment and think,
“What can I help teach someone
today that will help win share of
mind?” ’ ”
Hinshaw/Kingsdown “In our
monthly newsletter to retailers, we
talk about developing your own
educational processes. We offer sleep
education seminars and one-on-one
teaching formats to enable the retail
salesperson to understand and engage the customer in a sleep discussion. We’re very committed to selling
our brand and it all relates back to
sleep. It’s incumbent on the salesperson to work sleep into the discussion
upfront and for our retailers to be
dedicated to this.”
Cindy Williams
Vice president of retail
strategies, Info Retail
‘Web-based training is great
because it’s easy to access and
can be viewed over and over.’
Gerry Morris
President, Inner Spring
‘The branding breakdown comes
in at the retail level.’
Carlitz/Eclipse & Eastman House
“Many of our retailers look to us
for direction. We show them how to
improve their business, how to sell
up into better merchandise and talk
about our patented features. Today
we’re growing our market share
by extending our relationships in
every direction. Many new dealers
are small mom-and-pops owned by
recent immigrants. There’s a whole
resurgence in this business. We have
a multilingual advertising campaign
with the tag ‘Eclipse spells sleep in
any language.’ Most sales training
is done in-store with video coming
soon. We also conduct seminars and
tours at our factory. RSAs watch the
construction of their top bed and
their opening price point—so they
can see the difference and be able to
talk about it.”
Wright/Wright of Thomasville
“Consumers have a higher expectation now at the point of contact with the RSA. They need to feel
comfortable within the shopping
Don Wright
Chief marketing officer, Wright
of Thomasville
‘There’s a lot more training going
on at retail and that’s critical.’
environment and make a connection
with the salesperson. And retailers
are getting it. There is a lot more
training going on at retail and that’s
critical. The quality of the buying
experience in the past 10 years has
grown much more professional.”
Williams/Info Retail “Manufacturers need to work closely with at least
their A and B customers to keep up
with training and integrate it to the
retailer. RSAs constantly struggle
to keep products and attributes
straight and there is such turnover
at retail. Concentrate training on
how to sell mattresses generally—
that’s most helpful. Web-based
training is great because it’s easy to
access and can be viewed over and
over.”
Perceptions of POP
programs
As part of their own branding efforts, manufacturers produce an
enormous array of point-of-purchase materials, with items ranging
from logo- and copy-intensive to
mood-evoking. Several retailers told
BedTimes they prefer a streamlined
display and limit manufacturers’
POP. As a result, some manufacturers pack a lot more information and
demo units onto foot protectors.
Cunningham/The Bed Store “We
produce large lifestyle pictures
ourselves to brand the store and the
‘better sleep’ concept. Major manufacturers are finally getting on-thebed right. They’ve softened it up. It’s
been pioneered by smaller players—
the nicely embroidered fabrics, etc.
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Chuck Kill
Chief executive officer, Bedmart
‘We find that vendors are getting
better and better in the types of
POP they provide.’
Eric Hinshaw
Chairman and chief executive
officer, Kingsdown
“We are trying to help retailers
differentiate through the better
sleep concept.’
It has strong feminine appeal and
is very tactile. The Big Ss are paying
attention now and listening because
they see little guys making progress
with these looks.”
Robinson/Spring Air “We made a
concerted effort to move away from
point-of-sale materials that are all
about Spring Air. Instead, we try to
visually communicate to whoever is
standing at the foot of the bed how
that product is going to help them.
We have also produced a wealth of
advertising and promotional materials available at an FTP site designed to
assist retailers.”
Kill/Bedmart “We find that vendors
are getting better and better in the
types of POP they provide. Their offerings are constantly evolving. We use
ceiling banners, foot streamers and
other items.”
Gerry Borreggine, president of
Therapedic International, Princeton, N.J. “We’ve concentrated on
evolving to a more sophisticated
approach with enhanced POP that is
more compelling and explains to the
consumer why this is a good investment. We understand that mattress
retailers are looking for more help
as they compete against myriad
new and exciting products such as
HDTVs and exotic audio equipment
and fight for those disposable income dollars. In the recession, we’ve
absorbed more of the cost of POP—
it’s been our challenge. But it’s very
important to us for brand building.
POP needs to be even more logi-
Hermann Tam
Vice president of sales and
marketing, Leggett & Platt
‘Training is more important than
ever before, because consumers do
their research online before
shopping.’
cal and persuasive for second-tier
manufacturers because they are not
the top-of-mind brands.”
Carlitz/Eclipse & Eastman House
“Our salesman walks in with an iPad
that shows all that we offer, which
is a full array of wall banners, neon
lights, Lucites, pillow shams, footers.
We’d also like retailers to consider
creating a more comfortable sleep
shop environment, perhaps with cubicles or half walls for privacy, softer
lighting, artwork on the ceiling—
someplace consumers will feel more
comfortable spending more time.”
Fazio/Simmons “If a retailer wants
it clean and spare at retail, that’s
their decision. But you don’t want
to lose the opportunity to draw
attention to your floor. It benefits
the store and benefits the consumer.
POP must be quick to grab attention
and easy to understand.”
Hinshaw/Kingsdown “Everyone
Gary Fazio
Chief executive officer, Simmons
(not bold)
‘We want to sell with our retailers,
not to them. That means we
have to sell through to the
end-consumer together.”
has pretty pictures of people sleeping, but they need to provide information on how to buy a bed and
why you should care about sleep. We
use stenciling on the walls, signage,
banners and much is electronic
now. It all points to our message
that the product you’re buying is of
much greater importance than you
thought.”
Stansbury/Fred’s Beds “We like
handing out manufacturers’ brochures. It’s amazing how they add
credibility and trust. It really helps the
sales associate, too, to have something
in their hand as they’re talking.”
Wright/Wright of Thomasville
“With more technical features being introduced to beds, the methods
of communicating these features is
evolving. We’re seeing a trend towards
more technically focused point-ofsale messaging. As a result, the tools
for delivering these messages are also
becoming more technically advanced. Digital signage, interactive kiosks and QR codes are being used to
help sell the products. It’s all about
engaging the consumer and showing
them what differentiates your product
from the others on the floor.” The role of new technology
Whether it’s impacting training
methods or changing point-of-sale
materials, new technology and new
media are spicing up the manufacturer-retailer relationship, opening
new lines of communication that
go straight through to the ultimate
consumer.
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Roger Cunningham
Owner, The Bed Store
‘We need trainers that understand
how to deal with the consumer
and their No. 1 issue—that they
don’t trust us.’
Piper/Sealy “We’re taking relationships with retailers to the next level.
A key objective is for us to become
their No. 1 marketing and online
partner. We’re working collaboratively with retailers on their website
redesigns and advising them on
what makes the most sense when it
comes to social media. Online training is a top priority, too. Sealy retailers have open access to our University of Sleep website. It’s interactive
with courses and quizzes. The new
Embody by Sealy brand launch has
the most used courses ever. Now
we are offering customized training
pages for specific retailers. With next
year’s launches, we’re looking at new
ways to convey information via all
kinds of digital devices, to make it
more interactive and more fun for
the retail sales associate. We also offer the Retail Advertising Toolbox, a
website for all of our retail partners
to access. We’re building the content
and functionality so it’s an even better asset to retailers.”
Michael Nermon, founder and
president of Ergo Customized
Comfort, Irvine, Calif. “Smart
technology like QR tags are ‘here
and now.’ We’re excited about technology finding its way into manufacturers’ product lines. Technology is a way to avoid all the clutter
around the product—we don’t want
to bombard customers. We also have
a big-screen TV and DVD player
with comfortable seating arranged
in the middle of the showroom for
customers to sit and watch educational materials. Most of what I
Lisa Stansbury
Vice president, Fred’s Beds
‘I appreciate when my reps work
with our salespeople, look at the
line and help tweak things.’
get from manufacturers is geared
toward sales training but hopefully
that’s changing.”
Owen Shoemaker, senior vice
president of product development, Comfort Solutions, Willowbrook, Ill. “Technology is
increasingly an important part of
the relationship. Our new website
went live in September. It reflects
our social media connectivity on
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and so
on. We can help retailers increase
sales with in-store and online tools
that empower sales reps and provide
advantages to consumers, too.”
Dick James, owner of Blackberry
Creek Mattress Outlet, Boone,
N.C. “Big companies are dabbling
in social media, but no one is doing
anything of significance. It’s something we all need to understand—a
new communication network for
reaching consumers, but it must be
a cooperative effort. If I blog and
tweet, manufacturers need to have
similar involvement and be saying
the same things.”
Williams/Info Retail “Digital
media is a great way to engage the
consumer. It can be interactive and
collect data from consumers—even
measuring how long someone stands
in front of a display. Manufacturers can provide digital tools that get
their brand message out in conjunction with retailers’ messages. Improving the retail environment with
digital tools may also help attract a
better caliber of retail salesperson.”
Gerry Borreggine
President,
Therapedic International
‘We’ve concentrated on evolving
into a more sophisticated approach
with enhanced POP that is more
compelling.’
What retailers really want
BedTimes gave a few interviewees with
have a retail perspective the last word,
asking what they want most from
manufacturers moving forward.
James/Blackberry Creek “We all
need greater sensitivity to consumers. In the aircraft industry, there
was a revolution and all of a sudden
customers were brought in to help
design the planes. It resulted in many
engineering changes. I’d like to see
more of that in the bedding industry—you’d see lots more retailers
and, ultimately consumers, meeting
together in groups and talking about
their needs related to bed design and
the selling process. Manufacturers
must be interested in bringing us all
together.”
Williams/Info Retail “A real collaboration between manufacturers
and retailers would mean putting the
customer at the forefront and honoring the desire of the female shopper
to have a good experience. Consumers
gain all their information at manufacturers’ websites then they go shopping
and can’t find the products they saw.
Agree as an industry that we’ll start
listening to the voice of the consumer
so she stops hating the mattress shopping process.”
Nermon/Ergo Customized Comfort
“We’d like manufacturers to supply us with turnkey content for our
website—too often it’s scattered about
and unfocused. An image library with
captions is basic. Add a long and short
description version for each product.
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Michael Nermon
Founder and president,
Ergo Customized Comfort
‘Technology is a way to avoid all
the clutter around the product—
we don’t want to bombard
customers.’
Let retailers decide what they want to
use on their site since we don’t usually
refer consumers to a manufacturer’s
site. We want them to stay at ours.”
Cunningham/The Bed Store “We
would like manufacturers to listen
more and to prove they are listening
by making changes. We’d like them to
create better value and really resonate
with good merchandising, advertising
and training. Instead of treating each
Owen Shoemaker
Senior vice president of product
development, Comfort Solutions
‘Technology is increasingly an
important part of the relationship.’
other as necessary evils—there must
be more mutual respect. A reconnection is needed.”
Brown/et oyeblikk: Retail Strategies
and Factory Warehouse “I’d like to
see an end to all the distrust—it’s been
well deserved on both sides through
the years. The challenge is to treat
this as a partnership—not a transaction—and to work collaboratively. In a
perfect world, consumers would value
Dick James
Owner, Blackberry Creek
Mattress Outlet
‘It’s something we all need to
understand—a new
communication for reaching
consumers.’
and think about their sleep, so retailers
wouldn’t need to talk about products, prices and promotions versus
sleep. Let’s come up with a message to
consumers that resonates—if people
only knew all the great things a new
mattress could do for them. Manufacturers need to provide even more
support, information and do research
on consumer trends and sleep so that
those messages can get out to the public through the retail community.” BT
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Performance review
flight plan
Piloting the
assessment
process to help
employees soar
By Jim Whitt
O
n the list of things that are done for all the wrong reasons, performance reviews
would have to rank near the top. They end up being “check the boxes” exercises
that have little influence on performance, in large part because they take place
after the fact. The typical performance review is the equivalent of landing an airplane
and asking, “Now, where are we?”
One of the worst things about reviews is the use of numerical values to rate performance. You have probably met more than one manager who refuses to give the highest
rating to anyone, using the excuse “I don’t believe in giving perfect scores.”
Recently an employee of a major corporation related an extreme example of this
attitude. At the end of his most recent performance review, his manager said, “Nobody
scores that high!”—and then proceeded to lower the employee’s scores.
If the scale is 1-5 and no one ever gets a 5 then that means you’re a lousy manager.
Why can’t the people who report to you ever hit the mark? What’s sad is that the boss
who is afraid to acknowledge that someone has met or exceeded expectations never
quite understands why people quit trying to meet or exceed expectations. If you never
give a 5 (or even a 4) when it’s deserved, you create a culture where 3 becomes your
standard of excellence. Mediocrity is not only acceptable, it’s as good as it gets.
On the flip side is the failure to let employees know that they’re not getting the job
done. Too many managers are so fearful of conflict or hurting people’s feelings that
they will ignore bad behavior and poor performance even when it’s detrimental to the
company. Guess what happens when a supervisor gives a 3 or a 4 when the employee
deserves to be shown the door? Pretty soon you end up with a group of employees that
makes the Three Stooges look competent.
The annual review is not going to go away, but the real performance review should
be taking place in real time every day. Good or bad performance needs to be recognized immediately and consistently. The manager’s role should be like that of a flight
instructor. The employee’s role is like that of the student. The instructor and student
fly side-by-side.
Clearly define expectations
First, there needs to be a flight plan with clearly defined expectations. To get started,
the manager should ask the employee to complete a list of expectations of the job
from the employee’s perspective. This should include what he believes his responsibilities are and what authority he possesses. The manager should do the same from her
perspective. Then, the manager and employee should work together to reconcile the
two lists.
During this conversation, the manager also needs to learn what the employee
believes he needs from the manager to successfully do his job.
Measure behavior, values & skills
In addition to establishing these expectations, assessments should be completed to
measure behavior, values and skills required for the job. Corresponding assessments
should be completed by the employee to see how they compare.
This establishes a benchmark that helps the employee understand his strengths and
helps the manager understand how to capitalize on those strengths. It also identifies
areas that need strengthening.
It’s important to remember that the employee has to be a good behavioral fit for
the job. No amount of coaching can remake someone into something he is not.
Communicate constantly & consistently
Now that there’s a flight plan in place, it’s the manager’s responsibility to provide a
system and process for constant and consistent communication. She has to coach the
employee—not just evaluate his performance—to keep the plane on course.
In my first job out of college, my sales manager called me every Monday morning.
His questions included: “What’s going on?”,= “How are you doing?” and “What can I
help you with?” This helped him know what I required to do my job and gave me the
help I needed to do that job.
Provide specific feedback
When employees meet or exceed expectations, they should be told they are on course.
This needs to be specific. There is nothing in the world that will inspire
you more to keep doing a great job than to hear from the boss that you
are doing a great job. The only exception is when those words are insincere or untrue.
When employees fail to meet expectations, they need to be told they are off
course. Again, this needs to be specific. If no one tells you how you need to improve,
you’ll assume that you’re doing exactly what you should be doing—or that your boss
doesn’t care what you do.
I know of a case in which employees describe their manager as a wonderful person,
but don’t think he’s a good boss. They like him but dislike working for him because he
gives them no direction. They feel like they’re flying blind. This creates a high level of
anxiety for the employees and probably for the manager, too.
The manager’s
role should be
like that of a
flight instructor.
The employee’s
role is like that
of the student.
The instructor
and student fly
side-by-side.
Choose your direction
Employees need and want direction. How and when that direction is provided makes
all the difference—for the employee, the manager and the organization.
Like flying a plane, reviewing performance should be a matter of constant course
corrections. If you wait until the end of the flight to make adjustments to the course,
you’ll always be disappointed with where you land. Worse yet, someone else will probably be sifting through the wreckage to figure out why the plane crashed. BT
Jim Whitt calls himself “an unapologetic people provoker.” As a speaker, consultant
and author, Whitt has provoked people and organizations to reach their full potential
for more than 20 years. He is co-founder of Purpose Unlimited, which is in the business of transforming lives, leaders and organizations through the power of purpose.
To find out more about his speaking and consulting, check
www.purposeunlimited.com or call 918-494-0009.
35
Do IQ tests truly identify the best performers?
By Dennis Garlick
Love them or loathe them, IQ tests often are still part of
assessment in the workplace. Performing well on an IQ
test can mean the difference between getting hired or
not—or getting promoted or not.
Critical employment decisions are being made
based on tests that measure underlying constructs that
are not well understood. How much value should your
company put on IQ test performance?
What do IQ tests measure?
At their core, many intelligence tests measure the ability “to understand.” Consider a word analogy problem
like “kitten is to cat as puppy is to _____.” Solving this
problem involves understanding the relationship that
is common between kitten/cat and puppy/dog. Completing a number series like 3, 6, 9, 12, _____ involves
understanding a general pattern and then applying the
general pattern to determine the next number in the
sequence. Performing well on tests like these involves
understanding general principles that can be applied
across different situations.
Think of someone in your office who’s generally
considered intelligent or smart. You know that she
will be able to understand most ideas or concepts that
you explain to her. Often, such people need very little
training and can generalize their knowledge from one
situation to another. They don’t need to be given specific instructions for every task.
When assessment tests are given, it’s often found
that the same people are consistently good at understanding, i.e., people who do well at word analogy problems also tend to do well at number series
problems. Studies show that people who perform well
on these types of tests also tend to perform well in
job situations that involve understanding. This is what
makes IQ tests useful.
Recent advances in brain science
When we hear that someone has a high IQ, it’s tempting to think that his brain has some magical ability to
understand or solve any problem. In truth, it’s been
found that understanding in adulthood is due to the
connections between neurons. It’s not simply a case
of having more neural connections. In fact, the opposite is true: People with higher IQs actually have
fewer connections. Having fewer connections means
that irrelevant information can be filtered out and this
enables commonalities to be seen across situations.
Neural connections are gradually pruned over
childhood in response to experience. In other words,
the ability to understand is due to a learning process.
Experience with relevant abstractions in childhood
leads to the ability to understand those abstractions
in adulthood. Some people’s brains are better at this
process than others—and this
leads to them having higher
IQs.
IQ vs. work experience
But what if a person
with a high IQ hasn’t
had relevant childhood
experience in a certain
domain? While he may
score well on the IQ
test, his brain will not
have the right connections to understand that domain.
This means that he
will need to memorize appropriate steps and procedures,
just like someone with a lower IQ who also lacks
relevant experience.
Conversely, what if someone with a lower IQ does
have relevant childhood experience? Imagine a person
with a lower IQ grew up selling goods on a street
corner and interacting with customers, while someone
with a higher IQ spent her childhood at home studying.
In this case, the person with the lower IQ is likely
to relate more easily to customers and perform better
in sales and marketing positions. While the higher IQ
child may have had greater potential, her lack of experience prevented her from turning that potential into
ability. In these cases, the IQ test doesn’t help identify
the best performers.
What this all means
What this tells us is that IQ is not a direct measure of
the ability to understand in all domains. When a job
requires skills such as those involved in schoolwork, a
person with a higher IQ may perform better on evaluations.
But, in other situations, your company will be better off using assessments that mirror on-the-job tasks.
Such tests will give you a better gauge of workplace
abilities and potential.
The bottom line: If your company is using IQ tests
in hiring or promotions, care needs to be taken—
they’re only helpful in some situations.
Dennis Garlick received his Ph.D. in psychology in
2003 and currently is a postdoctoral researcher at the
University of California Los Angeles. He is a speaker,
consultant and author of the book, Intelligence and the
Brain: Solving the Mystery of Why People Differ in IQ
and How a Child Can Be a Genius. For more information, check www.intelligenceandthebrain.com.
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IndustryNews
Latex International opens Texas facility
L
atex International, a producer of
Talalay latex mattresses and pillows
based in Shelton, Conn., has opened
a 100,000-square-foot fabrication
facility in Wichita Falls, Texas. At the
same time, the company has closed
its production facility in Atlanta. The
changes are part of a larger strategy to
reorganize how the company’s products are fabricated and distributed.
As part of the transformation,
Latex International has contracted
with Unisource Logistics Solutions
to reduce lead times by utilizing their
warehousing, cross-docking capabilities, inventory management and
distribution services. Unisource has a
fleet of more than 500 vehicles, as well
as contracts with hundreds of private
trucking companies across the United
States. In addition, the company has
80 warehouse distribution centers.
Latex International’s Connecticut
fabrication site will continue to service its customers in the Northeast.
“LI’s ability to centralize our latex
inventory (produced in our Connecticut foam pouring plant) will create
greater production efficiencies, minimize ‘stock-outs’ and provide more
consistent and improved on-time
delivery,” said Kevin Coleman, Latex
International president and chief
executive officer. “The new facility is
twice the size of our facility in Atlanta,
and LI will have the fabrication capacity to triple the output that we are
currently producing.”
The second phase of the project will
include closing Latex International’s facility in La Mirada, Calif., in December.
According to the company, its partnership with Unisource will allow Latex
International customers on the West
Coast to continue to order smaller skid
quantities, as well as pick up on a more
regular basis. The company says it “will
conduct a transportation analysis for
each customer to ensure the company
delivers on time and at the best value.”
“For LI’s truckload customers, Unisource will provide extremely competitive rates as backhauls are quite
abundant coming out of Texas. This
provides great values to our customers
in the western, central and southeastern parts of the U.S.” Coleman said.
In the third phase of the restruc-
turing, scheduled for 2013, Latex
International plans to start pouring
latex at its Texas facility, which already
has the necessary infrastructure—
power availability, electrical, gas and
lighting—to do so.
The company broke ground on
a new latex manufacturing plant in
Malaysia in June.
Culp reports fiscal first-quarter sales up 23%
Fabric supplier Culp Inc. reported net sales of $55.9 in the first quarter of its fiscal year 2011,
a 23% increase over the $45.4 million recorded during the first quarter of fiscal
2010. The High Point, N.C.-based company’s fiscal first quarter ended Aug. 1.
Mattress fabric sales were up 18% during the period; upholstery sales increased 30%.
The company reported net income of $3.7 million, or $0.28 per diluted share,
for the first quarter of fiscal 2011, compared with net income of $1.9 million, or
$0.15 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010. On a pre-tax basis, the
company reported income of $4.3 million, compared with pre-tax income of $2
million for the first quarter of fiscal 2010.
“Our stronger sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 reflect better consumerdemand trends than a year ago, particularly in the first two months of the quarter,
as well as success from our sales and marketing initiatives,” said Frank Saxon,
Culp president and chief executive officer. “Our improved profitability reflects
the higher sales volumes, as well as the benefits of a leaner and more costefficient operating platform. Today, Culp has a strong competitive position in both
mattress fabrics and upholstery fabrics.”
Mattress fabric sales for the first quarter were $30.9 million, up from $26.3
million for the first quarter of fiscal 2010.
“Our mattress fabrics business delivered a solid performance, primarily driven
by improved retail demand in the bedding industry in the first two months of the
quarter and by the closure of a key competitor in late calendar 2009,” Saxon said.
Culp recently completed a capital project to expand production of its knitted
mattress fabrics, the company’s fastest growing category.
“For fiscal 2011, we will continue to fund capital expenditures for maintenance and expansion-related projects in mattress fabrics. While we are pleased
with our first-quarter results, we are seeing some slowdown in industry demand,
as well as increased pricing pressures and higher raw material costs,” Saxon said.
At the end of the fiscal first quarter, Culp had $18.1 million in cash, cash
equivalents and short-term investments. Total debt was $11.6 million.
Looking ahead to the second quarter of fiscal 2011, Saxon said: “We expect
that the economic uncertainties and ongoing issues surrounding the housing
market and high unemployment will continue to affect consumer demand for
furniture and bedding products.”
Culp projects overall sales in the second quarter to be up 5% to 10%.
Sales of mattress fabrics are expected to be flat or up as much as 5% compared to second-quarter 2010.
39
IndustryNews
USDA investigating retailer for misuse of ‘organic’
D
uring the past year, the U.S.
Federal Trade Commission has
sued several apparel manufacturers
for falsely claiming that their products
were made with “bamboo fiber” when,
in fact, the fabrics were more accurately described as containing “rayon”
or “rayon made from bamboo.”
Now the International Sleep Products Association has learned that another federal agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is investigating a
mattress retailer for possible misuse of
the term “organic mattress.”
The USDA has jurisdiction to decide whether organic claims for textile
products, including mattresses, are accurate. Its National Organic Program
regulates when a particular agricultural product may be called organic.
In general, the agricultural raw
material—in the case of textiles, the
cotton, linen, hemp, wool or other
fiber—must be produced in compliance with USDA rules, which, among
other things, govern the kinds of
fertilizers that may be used to grow
plants. In addition, USDA rules require a qualified third party to certify
that the grower runs a certified organic operation. The grower’s fulfillment
of these requirements allows the fiber
itself to be called “certified organic.”
“We understand, however, that
since cleaning and dyeing materials
used to convert the raw fiber into a
textile do not meet NOP standards,
USDA would not allow the fabric
manufacturer to claim that the fabric
itself is organic,” said Chris Hudgins,
ISPA vice president of government
relations. “Rather, USDA would allow
the fabric producer to claim only
that the fabric is ‘made with certified
organic cotton’ (or wool, linen, etc., as
relevant).”
According to Hudgins, USDA appears to be taking the position that
retailers of finished textile products
like mattresses may, at most, claim
that the fiber used in the textile is
certified organic.
In light of this investigation, mattress manufacturers and retailers that
are making organic product claims
should review their product packaging and advertising materials and
consult with qualified legal counsel to
confirm whether those claims meet
USDA requirements, Hudgins said.
Leggett & Platt launches
‘Virgin Mattress’ campaign
To promote its VertiCoil Edge innerspring, mattress industry
supplier Leggett & Platt is rolling out a new national
contest and social media campaign.
Through Oct. 11, visitors to L&P’s Virgin Mattress
YouTube channel can compete to win a mattress made
with VertiCoil Edge innersprings. To participate in the
contest, visitors must upload a video response to the
Virgin Mattress Contest video, explaining why they
deserve a new mattress.
The Virgin Mattress Contest is linked to a social media campaign L&P created to engage and connect with
consumers. The company will air a series of comedic
webisodes that follow a couple in their quest to fight
off an arch nemesis and save the family mattress store
from financial ruin. The campaign, previewed before
an industry audience and originally slated to launch
in May, was redesigned and its start date pushed back.
The videos go live Oct. 13—the same day the contest
winner is announced.
“We want to be the first to bring this kind of media to the mattress industry,” said Mark Quinn, vice
president of marketing for the residential furnishings
segment of the company, which has headquarters in
Carthage, Mo. “The Virgin Mattress campaign is back,
this time with new characters and new videos that take
a fun look at a couple’s efforts to redeem their family
mattress business. Humorous customers, sleazy salespeople and crazy bedroom stories are all incorporated
into a tale that will make consumers think twice about
their current mattress.”
Contest entries will be judged on creativity and
contestants’ need for a new mattress.
“We’re happy to award a consumer with his or her
own new virgin mattress,” Quinn said. “Consumers
already know that a good night’s sleep can improve
their quality of life. We want them to also understand
the role the mattress plays in their sleep and thus their
life. Life happens in the bedroom and consumers
often don’t replace their mattress as frequently as they
should.”
L&P is promoting the contest and webisodes
through YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. A free Virgin
Mattress-related iPhone application will be available
for download later this year. For more information,
check www.thevirginmattress.com.
41
IndustryNews
Boyteks adds capacity, expands line
B
oyteks, a producer of jacquard
woven and knitted mattress fabrics, has significantly increased its
manufacturing capacity and added
a host of new products during the
past 18 months.
The 8-year-old company, which
has headquarters in Kayseri, Turkey,
exports products to more than 60
countries.
Through capital investment of
approximately $9.2 million, Boyteks
increased its capacity to produce
woven tickings by 25% and grew its
knitting capacity by 15% in 2009.
The company plans continued in-
vestments, said Önder Honi, Boyteks
deputy general manager.
The company is growing not only
through investments, but through
design and innovation, Honi said.
New product introductions so far in
2010 include Oxygen Plus, VitaminE, Clima Natura, Thermaspa and
Anti-Ageing. Customers can see
these and the company’s entire
product range at a recently opened
showroom that was finished earlier
this year.
“Boyteks has become the
world’s highest capacity jacquard
woven and knitted mattress ticking
producer,” Honi said. “As a result
of this massive capacity, Boyteks
continually gives fast and highquality service to its mattress ticking customers, providing access
to innovative production ideas
through its special and unique
products.”
Short
Bedding sales slow
AT THE BED SHOW
U.K.
After six months of strong
growth, U.S. mattress sales
slowed significantly in July.
According to the monthly
Bedding Barometer from the
International Sleep Products
Association, unit shipments
rose only 0.6% in July 2010
over the same period in 2009.
The wholesale dollar value
of those shipments fell 2.2%.
Average unit selling price
also declined, down 2.8% for
the month when compared
to the previous year. For the
year, unit shipments are up
9.6% and dollar values have
increased 8.6%. The AUSP is
down 0.9% for the first seven
months of 2010 when compared to the same period in
2009, according to the report.
IndustryNews
Medical Mattress Care upgrades website
M
edical Mattress Care has
redesigned its website,
www.medical-mattress-care.com,
adding information and improving
the user’s experience.
“We revamped and updated the
entire site with easier navigation
and added departments and several languages, as well,” said Michel Marynissen, MMC owner and
managing director of the company,
which has headquarters in SintPauwels, Belgium. “Clients, prospects and our partners will now
have access to more information
about all our products.”
MMC produces mattresses and
sleep accessories, including pillows,
mattress protectors and positioning
cushions, for the health care market,
as well as institutions such as hotels,
schools, shelters and prisons.
This revamping of the website is
part of the company’s larger expansion efforts.
“We’ve improved our coverage in
Poland and several other European
countries and are still looking for
good distributors in other countries,” Marynissen said.
A. Lava & Son Co.
Introduces Our New Kit Line
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Worldwide Mattress buying, selling used equipment
A
group of mattress industry
veterans has started Worldwide
Mattress Machinery, a company
that buys and sells all types of used
mattress manufacturing machinery
in North and South America, as well
as Europe.
“We are a new company, but our
staff has been in the mattress industry for a number of years,” said Pete
Sasser, managing director. Sasser
previously was with American Plant
and Equipment and National Mattress
Machinery. “With this vast experience,
we are dedicated to having the very
best machinery on the market at very
competitive prices.”
The company, based in Spartanburg, S.C., has a warehouse where it
services machines. The company has a
website at www.mattmachinery.com.
Shorts
Atlanta Attachment adds division
Atlanta Attachment Co., a mattress machinery supplier based
in Lawrenceville, Ga., has
launched a new division, Atlanta Precision Machining and
Fabrication. The division offers
in-house, turnkey support for
manufacturing parts, assemblies
or complete machines for any
industry. It also offers a variety
of other services, including
design, prototype, sub-assembly, assembly, warehousing,
distribution, sales, technical
services and support. Mark Tullis manages the new division,
which has its own website,
www.atlantaprecision.com.
CPSC seeks to close company
The New York Post reported
Sept. 2 that the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission
has asked a judge to shut down
Brooklyn Sleep Products for
violating federal flammability standards. According to
the newspaper, the company
manufactures and renovates
mattresses for sale on the East
Coast and its products repeatedly failed flammability tests
during the past two years. To
read the full article, check
www.nypost.com/p/news/
local/brooklyn/mattress_maker_bad_tag_esa0eHW6gpZd6yVurDyJ8J.
45
IndustryNews
Boyd mattresses first
to carry SSA’s new seal
S
t. Louis-based Boyd Specialty Sleep has become the
first mattress manufacturer in the United States to
adopt the new safety and environmental standards created by the Specialty Sleep Association. Boyd is placing
the SSA Safety and Environmental Program seal on
NaturalFlex latex mattresses and PlanetSleep visco-memory foam mattresses.
Over the summer, the SSA rolled out a voluntary,
two-level program. Seals indicate to consumers that the
manufacturer and labeled products meet minimum environmental and safety standards and labels list mattress
components. Consumers seeking additional information
can check the SSA’s website (www.sleepinformation.org)
and contact the organization if they wish to learn more
about a specific manufacturer’s component filing.
The Boyd mattresses carry the organization’s Level I
seal, which means the company meets all federal flammability requirements; provides a warranty for the product; meets all safety requirements for children’s products,
if applicable; discloses material construction with a
descriptive label; will participate in an annual survey to
identify carbon footprint issues and has committed to
continuous improvement; and meets standards set by the
Montreal Protocol Act, when applicable, for the reduction or elimination of ozone-depleting substances.
Denny Boyd, president and founder of Boyd Specialty
Sleep, serves on the board of the SSA, which is headquartered in Friant, Calif.
Short
Shifman rolls out exclusive Bloomingdale’s line
High-end producer Shifman Mattresses, which
has headquarters in Newark, N.J., has launched
an exclusive line of bedding at Bloomingdale’s
called Traditional. The collection, with entry-level
pricing, features handcrafted, two-sided mattresses with tack-and-jump quilting and cotton
upholstery. In January, Shifman plans to unveil
the step-up Premium Luxury collection. Bloomingdale’s has carried Shifman product for 23
years and estimates that it has sold more than
100,000 of the handcrafted beds. “We have
developed a strong relationship with Bloomingdale’s throughout the years and are thrilled that
they are looking to the Shifman brand to further
fuel the resurgence of the luxury market,” said
Bill Hammer, Shifman president. 46 | BedTimes | October 2010
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IndustryNews
EcoSleep displaying CertiPUR-US seal
E
coSleep, a specialty mattress
brand produced by Fort Atkinson, Wis.-based Durable Products
Co., is including the CertiPUR-US
certification seal on foam mattresses, including the Cool-Contour
Deluxe, Healthy Living and new
Sensation, Obsession and Revelation
models.
“Seeing the CertiPUR seal on
EcoSleep mattresses will appeal to
people who have a meaningful sense
of environmental and social responsibility and incorporate these values
into their purchasing decisions,”
said President Dave Young. “Consumers that have been looking for
clearer guidance when shopping for
environmentally friendly mattresses
can feel confident that some of the
components used to make EcoSleep
are not only comfortable but have
also passed very strict environmental, health and safety standards.”
CertiPUR-US is an effort of the
Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane
Foam Inc., based in Loudon, Tenn.
CertiPUR-US is open to all producers of furniture and bedding foam
products. Certified 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.
Catch your competitors napping.
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Teen rallies mattress industry to help homeless
A
s part of a school service project,
a Pittsburgh teenager worked over
the summer with companies in the
mattress industry to construct six new
beds for a local homeless shelter.
Harley Skorpenske, a junior at
Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pa., said she chose homelessness
as the subject for her school project
because it’s a problem she’s been
aware of since she was a young child.
“It seems to be one of the most
common and very well-known problems in America that constantly goes
on to be ignored,” Skorpenske said.
Skorpenske worked with Hickory,
N.C.-based mattress industry supplier Hickory Springs Mfg. Co., which
donated components and helped her
assemble the cores. The Original Mattress Factory, an Ohio-based factory
direct with several Pittsburgh-area
locations, helped her cover the mattress cores. Both companies donated
Special-delivery project Harley
Skorpenske (left) presented six
mattresses to Erika Frantz at the
Women’s Center and Shelter of
Greater Pittsburgh in July.
the time and materials to the project
at no cost.
“I liked mattresses because I feel
like a bed is something we take the
most advantage of. It is something
that everyone deserves to have,”
Skorpenske says.
Skorpenske contacted several
shelters before deciding to donate
the beds to the Women’s Center and
Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, which
serves women and children escaping
domestic violence.
Alana Van Fossen, development associate for the facility, said the shelter
had received mattress donations from
a company in Virginia, but that those
contributions stopped a few years
ago. The shelter has been short of new
mattresses since.
The entire project—research, preparation, assembly and donation—took
Skorpenske five months. She delivered
the mattresses on July 23.
Amber Skorpenske contributed to this
report.
Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation
1. Publication Title: BedTimes
2. Publication No. 0893-5556
3. Filing Date: Sept. 15, 2010
4. Issue Frequency: Monthly
5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12
6. Annual Subscription Price: $50 U.S.; $65 outside U.S.
7. Address of Known Office of Publication: 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314
8. Address of Publisher Headquarters: 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314
9. Names and Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher, International Sleep Products Association, 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314;
Editor, Julie Palm, 118 Park Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27127; Managing Editor, N/A
10. Owner: International Sleep Products Association, 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314
11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees and Other Security Holders: None N/A
12. N/A
13. Publication Title: BedTimes
14. Issue Date for Circulation: September 2010
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation
Avg. No. Copies Actual No. Copies
Each Issue During of Single Issue Published
Preceding 12 Months
Nearest to Filing Data
A. Total No. Copies (Net Press Run)
3,898
3,580
B. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution
1. Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
2,142
2,091
2. In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541
0
0
3. Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, 1,382
1,371
and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS
4. Requested Copies Distributed by Other Mail Classes Outside the USPS
10
10
C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation
3,534
3,472
D. Nonrequested Distribution
1. Outside County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541.
132
47
2. In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated on PS Form 3541.
0
0
3. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail
0
0
4. Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail
100
10
E. Total Nonrequested Distribution
232
57
F Total Distribution
3,766
3,529
G. Copies Not Distributed
132
51
H. Total
3,898
3,580
I. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation
93%
98%
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits
material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanction (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).
(Signed) Julie A. Palm, editor in chief
49
IndustryNews
Simmons inks licensing deal for pet products
M
attress major Simmons Bedding Co. has signed a licensing
deal with JLA Pets to manufacture
Simmons-brand pet beds and other
pet-related products.
“Many consumers view their dogs
and cats as members of their family
and want to provide them with superior comfort as they sleep,” said Todd
Merker, director of global licensing for
Atlanta-based Simmons. “These consumers associate Simmons products
with a comfortable, high-quality sleep
experience, and we’re glad to know
that they’ll feel confident purchasing
a Simmons pet bed for their dogs and
cats.”
Under the deal, Roswell, Ga.based JLA Pets also will manufacture
Simmons-brand pet crates, kennels,
blankets, crate pads and travel items.
Shorts
Tomorrow’s innovations.
today’s Marketplace.
NEW
!
Enjoy increased comfort and extended restful sleep
through the active material regulation of temperature
in the sleeping environment. Adjust your thermostat
without even waking up ... Thermic.
Contact Scott Frisch, Vice President
704-516-2500
[email protected]
MPT Group hosts demo
Machinery supplier MPT
Group Ltd. hosted mattress
manufacturers for a demonstration of its Infinity Sleep
Support System, a continuouswire spring unit fabricating
system. During the event,
which was held at the company’s headquarters facility in
Bacup, England, in early October, customers were able to
see both the Infinity coiler and
Infinity assembly machines in
operation and were able to
view a selection of products
created using the system. Glideaway offers protector
St. Louis-based specialty sleep
manufacturer Glideaway has
introduced its first fullencasement mattress protector
as part of a revamped accessories line. The Sleepharmony
Deluxe Full-Encased Mattress
Protector covers all six sides
of a mattress, has an internal
zipper and is machine washable. It provides a waterproof,
breathable barrier that allows
air to flow while protecting the
mattress from dust mites, bedbugs, mold and other allergens,
the company said. The protector has a suggested retail price
from $45 to $79. Glideaway
introduced the Sleepharmony
brand earlier this year.
Visit: www.bekaerttextiles.com | [email protected] | P: (336)769-4300 | F:(336)769-4301
NewsMakers
Industry veteran Smith named Simmons president
Mattress major Simmons Bedding Co. has appointed Tony
Smith as president of U.S. sales and Simmons Canada. In
the new role, Smith is responsible for all U.S. sales functions, as well as the Atlanta-based company’s Canadian
business unit. Smith reports to Simmons Chief Executive Officer
Gary Fazio, the former Sealy executive and Mattress Firm
chief, who took the helm at Simmons in July.
“We are fortunate to have someone with Tony’s experience and capabilities on board,” Fazio said. “Tony has
an impressive track record and proven success across all
facets of the organizations with which he has worked. I
look forward to his many contributions as a member of
the Simmons executive leadership team.”
Most recently, Smith was president and CEO of Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.-based International Bedding Corp. Prior
to that, Smith spent 22 years at Sealy, serving in various
roles, including vice president of sales and regional vice
president. He later was named chief operating officer of
Sealy Canada.
“I am honored to join Simmons, a company with a
rich heritage and ongoing commitment to innovation,
quality and world-class service,” Smith said. “I look
forward to working with the company’s highly motivated
leadership team to advance strategies and grow market
share in the U.S. and Canada.”
In related personnel changes, Simmons has announced that Paul Bognar, former Simmons Canada president, now reports to Smith. Dominick Azevedo, formerly
executive vice president of sales, has left the company.
E.S. Kluft hires new VP of finance IBC elevates board member to CEO
E.S. Kluft & Co., maker and
distributor of Aireloom
and Kluft brand mattresses
based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has hired Steve
Smith as vice president of
finance. Smith is a financial
executive with 20 years
of experience working for
manufacturers in a variety
of industries, including the
Steve Smith
mattress industry.
“We are excited for Steve to bring to Kluft the
expertise and cutting-edge ideas that he has put to
use at many other high-profile organizations to boost
productivity and efficiency,” said Earl Kluft, company
president and chief executive officer.
Most recently, Smith served as controller for
Sweda Co. LLC, one of the largest companies in the
promotional products sector. During his tenure at the
former Spring Air Co., he was division controller and
a member of the company’s top management team,
where he oversaw budgeting, cash management,
forecasting, financial reporting and analysis, as well
as banking and union relations. Smith also has held
positions with Aquafine Corp. and PTI Technologies
Inc.
M
attress producer International Bedding Corp.
has named Jeff Maillet as chief
executive officer of the Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.-based company. He replaces Tony Smith,
who has left IBC to lead U.S.
sales and Canadian operations
for Simmons Bedding Co.
Maillet, a member of IBC’s
board for the past three years,
Jeff Maillet
has extensive Wall Street experience, according to the company.
“Jeff combines a global approach and a proven track
record of driving shareholder value with knowledge of the
bedding industry,” IBC said in a news release announcing
the appointment. “Under his guidance, IBC is poised to
grow its business domestically and internationally.”
“I am honored to lead International Bedding to the
next level and am confident in the company’s continued
leadership in key markets, as well as our ongoing commitment to innovation,” Maillet said. “My partners here
at IBC represent some of the finest sales and marketing,
manufacturing and operations managers in the bedding
industry.”
IBC has five U.S. manufacturing facilities where it
produces brands including Europa, Miralux, Origins, the
IB Classic Collection, American*Pedic and the Dr. Breus
Bed.
53
NewsMakers
Atlanta Attachment adds two engineers
M
attress machinery supplier Atlanta Attachment
Co. has hired Eric Gagnon and Michael Tomlin
as mechanical design engineers. Both will work in
the Lawrenceville, Ga.-based company’s engineering
department where they will assist in the design and
development of new products for the bedding industry.
Gagnon recently earned a bachelor’s degree in
mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute
of Technology. In addition to courses in mechanical
engineering, Gagnon studied internal combustion
engines, material selection and failure analysis. He has
Eric Gagnon
a background in design prototyping, service and managing parts inventory and possesses other engineering
and manufacturing skills.
Tomlin recently earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering through a joint program of North Carolina
State University and the University of North Carolina
at Asheville. He concentrated his studies in mechatronics engineering, which encompasses mechanical,
electrical and computer engineering and focuses on
the computer control of mechanical and machine
systems. He has completed internships with Thermo
Fisher Scientific Inc., BorgWarner Inc. and Carolina
Michael Tomlin
Knife Co.
Both report to Preston Dasher, Atlanta Attachment senior vice president of
engineering.
Shorts
Giessmann joins MAMMUT
Frank Giessmann has
joined the
sales team of
machinery
supplier E.
Stutznäcker
GmbH & Co.
KG., which
Frank Giessmann
produces
MAMMUT brand sewing machines.
The company has headquarters
in Cologne, Germany. Previously,
Giessmann worked in technical sales
for ZSK Stickmaschinen GmbH, a
German producer of embroidery
machines, for 15 years. He replaces
Dirk Quabach.
Natura hires plant supervisor
Cambridge, Ontario-based mattress and sleep accessories producer
Natura World Inc. has named Russell
Banks plant manager of its Canadian
facility. He reports to President Ralph
Rossdeutscher. Banks previously
worked for six years at Waterloo
Bedding.
Specialty Sleep Association names board, officers under new bylaws
T
he Specialty Sleep Association
recently named a new board of
directors, officers and the group’s
first professional president. The
SSA’s general membership meeting,
the first held under the association’s recently revised bylaws, took
place during the Las Vegas Market in
August.
Bart DeHaerne, president of
Deslee Textiles USA, was elected
chairman of the Friant, Calif.-based
association; Michael Nermon,
founder and president of Ergo Customized Comfort was named vice
chairman; and Todd Youngblood,
president of Chili Technology, was
elected secretary/treasurer.
Dale Read was appointed president of the association. The role has
recently been redefined and is now a
paid professional post. As president,
Bart DeHaerne
Todd Youngblood
Michael Nermon
Dale Read
Read will focus on membership
development and implementation of
the group’s Safety and Environmen-
tal Program. Read had been publisher and editor in chief of Bedroom
magazine since 2003. Earlier in the
year, he stepped down from those
roles and became a senior writer. He
has been active in the SSA for many
years and was elected as its volunteer president in 2008.
Tambra Jones remains executive
director, responsible for leasing the
association’s showroom at the World
Market Center in Las Vegas and
overseeing operations and finance.
Other SSA board members
elected at the meeting include:
Denny Boyd, Boyd Specialty Sleep;
Mark Miller, InnoMax; Jeff Scorziell,
Anatomic Global; Scott Smalling,
Simmons; and Dave Brummett,
Mattress Firm. The SSA was founded as a not-for-profit organization
in 1995.
March 16-18, 2011
Renaissance Vinoy® Resort & Golf Club
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Register Early and Save*!
The All-Industry Event for Mattress
Manufacturers, Retailers, and Suppliers
KEYNOTE
‘Blue Ocean’ – Navigating your
way to undiscovered markets
Business strategist Dr. Roch
Parayre, Fellow at the Wharton
School and Senior Partner with
Decision Strategies International,
will tell you how you can help your
business flourish by uncovering
“blue oceans”, the untapped innovative market spaces ready for
growth.
New Strategies for Reshaping Your Business
At the Conference you’ll also learn:
l
l
l
l
l
How making changes in the way you interact with
your customers will improve your bottom line
How to leverage social and digital media to get your
messages out to the masses
The latest in responsible used mattress recycling, new
pilot programs, including retailer involvement and
emerging trends
New information manufacturers and retailers need to
know about Consumer Product Safety Improvement
Act implementation
And much more!
Exhibits includEd!
Network
& Build Relationships
Connect with customers, colleagues, and
business partners at relaxed social events.
Don’t miss the annual
ISPA Golf Tournament!
One Spouse/Guest registration is FREE (receptions
only) with each full Conference Registration.
*Early bird registration by February 4, 2011
To register and for conference and hotel details, visit
www.sleepproducts.org/IndustryConference
ISPANews
ISPA & RRI wrap up pilot recycling program
T
he International Sleep Products
Association and Rubber Recovery
Inc., a solid waste recycling business
near Charleston, S.C., have finished a
program to test options for processing
and recycling large volumes of used
mattresses.
ISPA partnered with RRI in 2009
to determine whether the shredding technology the company uses to
recycle tires and other materials could
be used to process mattresses. The effort is part of ISPA’s larger ISPAEarth
Sustainability Initiative.
“Most mattress recycling today is
performed exclusively using manual
labor. An efficient mechanized approach is needed to process the
volumes of used mattresses that large
urban areas generate,” said ISPA President Ryan Trainer. “RRI’s expertise
in processing other durable products
provided us with an excellent opportunity to test whether the shredding
technology they use can efficiently
separate the spring steel from other
mattress components.”
A number of ISPA members
contributed resources to the project.
Atlanta-based mattress major Simmons Bedding Co. and Greenville,
S.C.-based bedding producer Park
Place Corp. provided hundreds of
used mattresses and foundations for
use in the tests. Simmons also provided logistical support for delivering
the used units to the shredding plant
and simplifying how the products
were handled during processing.
Carthage, Mo.-based mattress
industry supplier Leggett & Platt
contributed four employees from its
quality assurance and engineering
departments to document the tests.
Throughout the process, other
mattress manufacturers, recyclers,
component suppliers and retailers
observed the tests and provided valu-
Tired product The International Sleep Products Association and Rubber Recovery Inc. put hundreds
of mattresses and foundations through the company’s tire shredding equipment.
able insights into how the RRI process
could be adapted to mattress recycling, Trainer said.
“The RRI pilot program is an
excellent example of how ISPA and
our member companies serve the
mattress industry,” said Don Wright,
ISPA chairman and chief marketing
officer at industry supplier Wright
of Thomasville in Thomasville, N.C.
“Proper disposal of used mattresses
has been a pressing industry problem
for years and the need for a permanent solution is obvious. ISPA is
committed to working with mattress
manufacturers, industry suppliers,
the retail community, government officials and recycling centers to develop
an economically feasible and sustainable solution to this problem. I look
forward to seeing the results of this
pilot program and sincerely appreciate
all the support we have received from
our members.”
Going forward, several foam
suppliers will analyze whether the
mixture of shredded foam, fiber and
fabric generated from the shredding operation is suitable for making
rebond foam used for carpet padding.
L&P will draft a report and recommendations regarding the tests, which
ISPA will make available to all members, as well as companies interested
in recycling used mattresses. BT
➤ Learn more
For more information on the
International Sleep Product
Association’s mattress recycling
efforts and the ISPAEarth
Sustainability Initiative, check
www.sleepproducts.org/
sustainability.
57
UpClose
Woods comfortable on the bright side of life
Lumber company VP looks to the positive, personally & professionally
By Dorothy Whitcomb
Woods explains. “The bedding inean Woods likes to be on the
dustry was consistent so we decided
right side of a problem. That’s
to become a specialized business
not to say that he expects to
offering a specialty product.”
always be right, but he does seek
The company’s commitment
a positive platform from which to
to the industry extends to active
operate.
participation in efforts to strengthen
“I tend to focus on positive
it. For Woods that means consistent,
things,” he says. “When I walk away
long-term involvement in the Interfrom a situation, I think about what
national Sleep Products Association.
we did right and what we can do
Woods serves on the ISPA board
differently, rather than what went
and its Executive Committee and is
wrong. There are plenty of negative
chairman of the Suppliers Council.
influences. If you allow them in, they
He also serves on ISPA’s Better Sleep
can overwhelm you and affect your
Council and is a member of its Matperformance.”
tress Disposal Task Force.
It’s this kind of thinking that took
“You get out of something what
Woods to C.J. Hodder Lumber Co.
you put into it and we’re vested in
16 years ago. Woods had been workthe long-term success of the indusing for the Lincoln Financial Group
try,” Woods says.
selling mutual funds, insurance and
True to form, Woods sees many
retirement annuities, when Skip
of the challenges currently facHodder, who is now company presiing the industry, including market
dent, approached him about joining Fan favorite Dean Woods is an avid supporter of major league instability, currency fluctuation and
sports teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won
his family’s business.
raw material price volatility, as opHodder and Woods had become their third NHL title and the Stanley Cup in 2009. Woods got a portunities.
chance to see and touch the coveted cup at a friend’s party.
friends while both were members of
Woods points to ISPA’s efforts
the Jaycees, a service and social organito maintain a duty exemption for ra‘It was an opportunity
zation that focuses on building memdiused foundation components in the
bers’ business and management skills.
current Softwood Lumber Agreement
for me to become
“It was an opportunity for me to
between Canada and the United States
involved in a successful
become involved in a successful family
as an example of meeting challenges
business,” Woods says. “I felt that if I
head on.
family business.
didn’t try it, I might regret it. If it didn’t
“This was a real political football,”
I felt that if I didn’t try
work, I could always go back to what I
he says. “We worked with ISPA and
was doing before.”
(ISPA President) Ryan Trainer for a
it, I might regret it.
Woods will be the first to tell you
long time until there was a successful
that it’s worked out just fine. He’s found
result.”
If it didn’t work, I could
a home at the company, which began
always go back to what
in 1957 by providing industrial lumber
Music, music, music A quick look
for crating and packaging materials. C.J.
at the playlists on Woods’ iPod reveals
I was doing before.’
Hodder Lumber made its first foray into
a man who loves music—all kinds of
the bedding industry in the 1960s when
based company decided to focus its
music. Scroll through and you’ll find
it began providing bed frame materials
efforts in the mattress industry.
ballads, rock ’n’ roll, heavy metal, blues,
to Simmons Bedding Co., a relationship
“This is the Rust Belt and some of
rap, jazz. Favorite performers include
it maintains to this day.
the other industries we had been workTony Bennett, Bob Dylan, Metallica,
About 15 years ago, the Pittsburghing with had changed economically,”
Kid Rock and B.B. King. He attends
D
as many concerts as he can and fondly
remembers proposing to his wife, Lisa,
after a Tony Bennett concert.
Ol’ blue eyes Speaking of music,
Woods is an unabashed Frank Sinatra fan who grew up listening to the
crooner. One of his favorite memories
is of attending a Radio City Music Hall
event that combined 1950s-era film
clips of Sinatra with performances by
the Rockettes and the Radio City Music
Hall orchestra. “I went for the whole
Sinatra experience,” he says. “I wore his
trademark Fedora all over town and
had dinner at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant,
where he used to hang out.”
Everyday heroes An avid sports fan,
Woods follows the Pittsburgh Steelers
➤ Bio in brief
Name Dean Woods
Company C.J. Hodder Lumber Co.
Title Vice president
Location Pittsburgh
Education Woods earned a
bachelor’s degree in business
administration from Robert Morris
University.
Age 46
Family He and his wife, Lisa, have
been married for six years and
have two young sons.
and Penguins closely. These days, however, he’s having a hard time respecting
all of the players. “I admire people who
go to work every day, work hard for
their families and try to do the right
thing. I enjoy sports and entertainment,
but a lot of these guys are proving themselves not to be heroes.”
Bedside reading Woods is reading
The Last Lecture, a book based on a
talk given by Carnegie Mellon University computer science professor
Randy Pausch after he was diagnosed
with pancreatic cancer. Throughout
the book, Pausch, who died in July
2008 at age 47, stresses the importance of living life to the fullest.
“Because of his age and the age of his
children, I can relate to Pausch in a
lot of ways,” Woods says. “I’m finding
the book very uplifting.” BT
59
Calendar
2010
October
When it comes to mattress
manufacturing, Komar Alliance is
the leading industry supplier.
From flame-retardant thread and
bobbins to spray adhesives,
mattress tape and fastening
systems, we’ve got it all.
A Coats Distributor
Oct. 16-21
High Point Market
International Home Furnishings
Center & other locations
High Point, N.C., U.S.
Phone 336-869-1000
[email protected]
www.highpointmarket.org
Oct. 25-28
MOBTEX
Tripoli International Fairground
Tripoli, Libya
Phone 90-212-224-68-78
[email protected]
www.tripolimobtex.com
NOVEMBER
Nov. 24-25
The Sleep Event
Business Design Centre
London, U.K.
[email protected] www.thesleepevent.com
2011
January
T hread in g
the n eed le,
an d then
som e.
CHICAGO • DALLAS
LOS ANGELES • PHILADELPHIA
komaralliance.com
1-800-USA-SEWS
Jan. 15-18
The Canadian Home
Furnishings Market
International Centre
Toronto, Canada
Phone 514-866-3631
[email protected]
www.tchfm.com
Jan. 24-28
Las Vegas Market
World Market Center
Las Vegas, U.S.
Phone 888-416-8600
[email protected]
www.lasvegasmarket.com
The Canadian Home Furnishings Market
The show will be Jan. 15-18 at the
International Centre in Toronto.
February
Feb. 18-20
Tupelo Furniture Market
Mississippi & Tupelo complexes
Tupelo, Miss., U.S.
Phone 662-842-4442
[email protected]
www.tupelofurnituremarket.com
March
➤ March 16-18
ISPA Industry Conference
& Exhibition
Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg
Resort & Golf Club
St. Petersburg, Fla., U.S.
Phone 703-683-8371
[email protected]
www.sleepproducts.org
April
April 2-7
High Point Market
International Home Furnishings
Center & other locations
High Point, N.C., U.S.
Phone 336-869-1000
[email protected]
www.highpointmarket.org
May
May 25-28
Interzum Cologne
Koelnmesse
Cologne, Germany
Phone 49-221-821-0
[email protected]
www.koelnmesse.de
www.interzum.com
AdvertisersIndex
Diamond Needle Corp.
Abe Silberstein
800-221-5818
www.diamondneedle.com
59
Latexco U.S. LLC
Kevin Callinan
866-528-3926
www.latexco.us
27
Dueffe SRL
Francesco Arcangeli
39-71-7926054
www.dueffe.com
52
Leigh Fibers Inc.
Parris Hicks-Chernez
864-949-5615
www.leighfibers.com
48
10 Edgewater Machine Co. Inc. Roy Schlegel
718-539-8200
www.edgewatermachine.com
16
MPT Group Ltd. Andrew Trickett
44-1706-878558
www.mptgroup.com
47
63
Enriquez Materials & Quilting Inc.
Silvia Enriquez
323-725-4955
www.enriquezquilting.com
11
New England Needles Inc. Thomas Lees
800-243-3158
www.newenglandneedles.com
14
Flexible Foam Products Inc. Michael Crowell
419-647-4191
www.flexiblefoam.com
18
P.T. Dunlopillo Indonesia
Sham Bharwani
62-21-3858626
www.dunlopilloonline.com
59
A. Lava & Son Co.
Steve Appelbaum
800-777-5282
(800-777-LAVA)
www.alavason.com
44
AFT Corp. Rick Brumfield
800-631-1930
37
American Law Label Inc.
Rocco Bruno Jr.
773-523-2222
www.americanlawlabel.com
Arch Chemicals Tom Robitaille
770-315-2646
www.archbiocides.com
Atlanta Attachment Co. Inc.
Hank Little
770-963-7369
www.atlatt.com
C2-1, 29
Bekaert Textiles USA Inc.
Brandon Wells
336-769-4300
www.bekaerttextiles.com
51
Global Systems Group
Russ Bowman
954-846-0300
www.gsgcompanies.com
C3
P.T. RubberFoam Indonesia Andreas Janssen
62-21-53662190
www.rubberfoam.co.id
30
Bloomingburg Spring & Wire Form
Vickie Schwarm
740-437-7614
www.bloomingburgspring.com
40
Hengchang Machinery Factory
Ren Ying
86-769-83307931
www.hcjixie.com
41
Quilting Inc. Mark Gibney
800-358-0153
www.quiltinginc.com 46
BLR
Martin Leroux
819-877-2092
www.blrlumber.com
31
Bodet & Horst GmbH & Co. KG
Ute Schmiedel
49-37349-697-27
www.bodet-horst.de
32-33
Boyteks Tekstil AS M. Nebi Dogan
90-533-685-6041
www.boyteks.com
20-21
BRK Group
Jeff Miller
562-949-4394
www.brk-group.com
38
CertiPUR-US
Robert Luedeka
865-657-9840
www.certipur.us
43
CT Nassau
Taber Wood
800-397-0090
www.ctnassau.com
25
Hickory Springs Mfg. Co.
Rick Anthony
828-328-2201
www.hickorysprings.com
2
SABA North America LLC
Jim Turner
810-824-4964
www.saba-adhesives.com Innofa USA
Todd Hilliard
336-687-1006
www.innofa.com
6
Simalfa
Darren Gilmore
973-423-9266
www.simalfa.com
12
SpringCo. Inc. Carlos Luna
305-887-3782
45
Springs Creative Products Group George Booth
803-324-6505
www.springscreative.com
50
Subiñas Confort S.L.
Javier Subiñas
34-94-416-04-40
www.subinas.es
42
John Marshall & Co. Ltd. Peter Crone
64-3-341-2004
www.joma.co.nz
15
Kenn Spinrad Inc. Randy Weinstock
800-373-0944
www.spinrad.net
63
Komar Alliance Herman Tannenbaum
215-441-9300
www.komaralliance.com
60
Latex Systems Kitti Charoenpornpanichkul
66-2-326-0886, Ext. 204
www.latexsystem.com
55
Therapedic Sleep Products
Gerry Borreggine
800-314-4433
www.therapedic.com
Tietex International Ltd. Wade Wallace
800-843-8390
www.tietex.com
4
9
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 AND
MISCELLANEOUS SEWING MACHINES.
Contact Frank Carlino, U.S. Mattress Machinery. Phone 815-795-6942; Fax 815-795-2178; Email [email protected].
For Sale
Quilters, tape-edge machines, serger-flangers:
Galkin and Porter. Rufflers: Porter and Atlanta Attachment.
One complete plant for sale. Contact Pete Sasser. Phone 864-285-4454; Fax 864-699-9424; Email [email protected].
Employment Opportunity
U.S.-based Mattress Ticking representative or consultant. Ticking experience not essential but good
knowledge and contacts throughout the United States are
required. Email [email protected].
Place your classified ad today!
Reach mattress industry professionals around the world with your
advertising message through the BedTimes Classifieds. Rates: $3 per
word for the first 100 words and $2.50 thereafter; minimum charge
of $75. “Blind” box number: $50 per insertion. Ad copy and payment must be received by the first of the month preceding publication. Send ads and payment to BedTimes Classifieds, 501 Wythe St.,
Alexandria, VA 22314-1917. Contact Debbie Robbins, advertising
production manager, for additional information. Phone 336-3424217; Fax 336-342-4116; Email [email protected].
In a
recent,
independent
study:
92% of female
mattress customers
polled said the Purista™
freshness-enhancing
treatment was
a feature they desired
in their mattress.
Contact us today to learn more
about how the Purista™ brand
can become a part of your
polyurethane and latex
foams solution.
Learn more at www.archbiocides.com/purista or call 800.491.8375
63
TheLastWord
Sleep can help
offset effects of
digital brain drain
T
he relentless stream of emails,
text messages, online updates and
computer searches is gobbling up not
only much of our time, but our brain
power, too, making us less productive
and hindering our social interactions.
In a recent segment on “The Early
Show,” CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton reported
that the average American spends
more time using media devices such
as TVs, computers, cell phones and
iPods than doing anything else—8 1/2
hours a day.
Researchers say that this digital
overload can actually change how
we think and behave. Sometimes the
changes are for the better, but more
and more researchers say our ability to
focus and learn is being undermined by
bursts of information, Ashton reported.
Some even conclude that our brains can
become addicted to the digital stimulation, which has been linked to depression and other problems.
Among Ashton’s remedies:
➤ Take a daily break from electronic
devices—turn them off and have a
conversation or go for a walk
➤ Try meditating—a state of “restful
alertness” can rejuvenate a tired brain
➤ Get some exercise—staying fit maintains good blood flow to the brain
➤ Don’t skimp on sleep—it gives the
brain a chance to repair itself.
Marketers investing more in social media
Marketers plan to significantly increase their investment in social media marketing
programs during the next year, according to a new survey from the Pivot
Conference.
About two-thirds (63%) of brand marketers and ad agency professionals already have implemented social media marketing programs and 87% of those
plan to increase their investment in the next 12 months, the survey shows. Of
the 37% of marketers that aren’t currently investing in social media, 62% plan
to invest within one year.
Among the social media platforms that marketers are targeting: search
engines (e.g., Google), social media sites (e.g., Facebook) and microblogging
or “presence” applications (e.g., Twitter). Emerging platforms in which marketers are planning to invest include mobile apps (e.g., iPhone),
location-based services (e.g., Foursquare) and in-game advertising (e.g., FarmVille).
The online survey of 137 corporate marketers and ad
agency professionals was conducted by Extra Mile Audience Research on behalf of the Pivot Conference. The
Pivot Conference, which will be held Oct. 17-20 in New
York, is a marketing conference focused on the
18- to 34-year-old demographic.
Big ports suffer big declines
T
he world’s five largest ports—Singapore; Shanghai; Hong Kong; Shenzhen, China; and Busan,
South Korea—all showed double-digit declines in
container shipping last year, according to a new
ranking of the world’s 50 largest container ports in
the Aug. 23 issue of the Journal of Commerce. The
Port of Singapore, No. 1 in the ranking, saw a 13.7%
slide in shipping from 2008 to 2009, according to the
journal.
Only two ports among the world’s 15 largest—Guangzhou and Tianjin, both
in China—showed any growth in what the journal calls “the worst year ever in
container shipping.”
Quotable
“We have many opportunities to avoid sleep—lights, electrical devices and other entertainment offer round-the-clock temptations. But
we must recognize the importance of sleep and make it a priority
to get enough. It is a lot easier to prevent weight gain, diabetes, high
blood pressure and heart disease by getting enough sleep than it is to
treat these problems once they develop.”
— Lawrence J. Epstein, sleep physician at Harvard Medical School & author of
The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep
Innovation that works for you
Stay ahead of your competition with new, innovative
technology that produces original products, not imitations.
Legacy®
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
B-45 Border Quilter, designed specifically for today’s
border production needs.
• Compact footprint
• Integrated slitter blades
• Tack & Jump®
• Meets all safety codes
See tomorrow’s quilting technology by contacting your
GSG representative today!
800-326-4742 or 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.
eco fabrics
cottons
prints
jacquards
Our world wasn’t created in black and white.
polyesters
MATTRESS SOLUTIONS
blends
stitchbonds
warp knits
filler cloths.
Tietex International Ltd., 3010 North Blackstock Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29301, Ph. 864.574.0500, Fax 864.574.9490, www.tietex.com