Mattress - BedTimes

Transcription

Mattress - BedTimes

BedTimes
|
The Business Journal for the Sleep Products Industry February 2012
When
something
goes
WRONG
Surviving a product recall
What’s new in bed frames
& support systems
Your planning guide
for ISPA EXPO 2012
See what’s on our
horizon
for 2012
®
Developed and built
with pride in the USA
Contact a sales representative today at 770-963-7369 to schedule an appointment
to visit our showroom and take a tour of our facility.
The
INTERNATIONAL
SLEEP
PRODUCTS
ASSOCIATION
SUPPLIER
MEMBER
Sudden Service ™ Company
Atlanta Attachment Company
©2012 Atlanta Attachment Co.
• 362 Industrial Park Drive • Lawrenceville, GA 30046 • (770) 963-7369 • FAX (770) 963-7641
11231011012
visit booth
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to see the latest technology
for
the sleep products industry
Sewing Automation
The Company that
Sudden Service
built
website:
www.atlatt.com
email:
[email protected]
Comfortable.
Durable.
Natural.
See why so many leading bedding manufacturers
(and consumers) prefer Preserve®, the first
foam made with renewable resources.
Choosing Preserve® foam delivers an unprecedented level of comfort and consistent support while conserving our increasingly
scarce oil resources. As more consumers continue to demand products made with renewable resources, they’ll be inclined to
buy Preserve for the same reasons.
Made from a natural derivative that’s more sustainable than oil-based foams, Preserve® is one of an entire line of bedding
products manufactured by Hickory Springs under the company’s environmental initiative, EarthCare Inside. For more details,
call (800) 438-5341 ext. 4507 or visit www.preservefoam.com
PO Box 128 • Hickory, NC 28603
(800) 438-5341 Ext. 4507
www.preservefoam.com
www.hickorysprings.com
www.earthcareinside.com
© 2011 Hickory Springs Mfg. Co.
BedTimes
Editor in Chief
Julie A. Palm
571-482-5442
[email protected]
Associate Editor
Barbara Nelles
336-303-1114
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Mary Best
571-482-5432
[email protected]
Ar t Director
Stephanie Belcher
336-201-7475
[email protected]
Vice President
of Adver tising Sales
Kerri Bellias
336-945-0265
[email protected]
Advertising Production
Manager
Debbie Robbins
571-482-5443
[email protected]
Circulation Manager
Mary Rulli
336-491-0443
[email protected]
Copy Editor
Betsi Robinson
Administrative and ISPA offices
501 Wythe St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-1917
Phone 703-683-8371
Fax 703-683-4503
Volume 140, Number 2
BedTimes (ISSN 0893-5556;
Permit 047-620) is published monthly
by the International Sleep Products
Association. Periodicals postage paid
in Alexandria, Va., and additional
entry offices.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
BedTimes
501 Wythe St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-1917
Contents © 2012 by the
International Sleep Products
Association. Reprint permission
obtainable through BedTimes.
www.bedtimesmagazine.com
Contributors
|
Gary James
Gary James is a freelance writer based in
Chapel Hill, N.C. He
spent more than 20
years with Furniture/
Today, serving as case
goods editor and special projects editor,
directing the editorial
content of Leather Today, Bedding Today, SOHO
Today, Global Textiles Today and other supplements, sections and features. He also has served
as managing editor for a variety of other business
publications, including Automotive Executive,
Computer Entertainment News and eCommerce
Business. He can be reached at 919-929-8978 or
[email protected].
n
Coming up
Deadlines
The deadline for the News and Newsmakers departments of the April issue is
Thursday, March 1. Submit news releases
and photos to [email protected].
Questions? Call 571-482-5442.
Ahead in BedTimes
In March ISPA EXPO Show Issue: A comprehensive exhibitor directory and show
details for the mattress industry’s largest
show of machinery, equipment, components, supplies and services. Plus:
A Las Vegas Market wrap-up.
In April Customer Feedback: What do
customers really think of your products
and services? BedTimes looks at the best
methods for soliciting customer opinions
and shows you the most effective ways to
use feedback.
Get your own copy of BedTimes
Are you reading a copy of BedTimes borrowed
from a colleague? Get your own subscription
and make sure you never miss an issue. If your
company is a member of the International
Sleep Products Association, you can receive
unlimited subscriptions for as many employees as you’d like at no charge. (Nonmember
mattress manufacturers can receive one free
| Dorothy
Whitcomb
Dorothy Whitcomb is
a freelance journalist and editor whose
work has appeared
in a wide range of
business and general interest publications. For 25 years,
her primary focus
has been the home furnishings industry. She
writes about businesses, trends, products and
design, specializing in profiles of companies
and industry leaders. She wrote a profile of
Dutch Craft Mattress Co. in the January issue
of BedTimes. She can be reached at
[email protected] or 410-820-0456.
subscription per facility.) Fill out the subscription card in the back of this issue or visit www.
bedtimesmagazine.com. Questions? Contact
Mary Rulli, BedTimes circulation manager, at
[email protected] or 336-491-0443.
Sign up now and have BedTimes delivered
directly to you!
Are you an industry expert?
BedTimes welcomes articles written by
people working for mattress manufacturers or supplier companies who have
expertise in a particular area.
Some guidelines:
■ The article needs to address general industry issues and topics. It shouldn’t be
a marketing piece for a specific company and can’t promote one company
over others.
■ We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and clarity and to
ensure that they conform to BedTimes’
editorial style.
■ The article must carry the byline of
a specific individual, not a company
name. We will include a contributor’s
bio in the issue in which the article appears, listing the writer’s title, credentials and company affiliation.
If you have an idea for an article, contact
Julie Palm, editor in chief, at 571-482-5442 or
[email protected].
February 2012 BedTimes
3|
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Inside
■
Departments
9 | Brief Sheet
■ With help of talk-show host, mattress goes Hollywood
■ Body hair deters bedbugs
■ Mattress sales climb
■ Gen Y redefines 9-to-5 & more…
26
■
7
12 | Profile
Roger Magowitz In memory of his mother, this veteran retailer founded the Seena Magowitz Foundation
to further awareness of pancreatic cancer and calls on
his industry colleagues to help in the effort.
Features
| 17
The great frame up
39 | News
■ Marcus Investments buys Verlo ■ Solstice Sleep expands in Tampa
■ Natura World restructures & more…
Steel support systems are gaining strength as
makers find ways to entice consumers with
step-up support for higher-end bedding.
61 | Newsmakers
| 26
How to handle product recalls
9
When a product recall occurs, manufacturers
are expected to provide an immediate and
effective response. Vigilance—and a plan—
are keys to survival.
■ Sealy CEO Rogers retiring
■ Paramount Sleep adds to sales team
■ Englander honors factories & more…
65 | ISPA
■ ISPA unveils new logo
■ Proposed legislation puts mattress disposal in
industry hands & more…
| 51
ISPA EXPO 2012
68 | On Sleep
A special planning section to help you organize your trip to ISPA EXPO 2012. This year’s
event is March 14-17 in Indianapolis.
■
68
51
■ FAA enacts rules to reduce pilot fatigue
■ Waking up on the wrong side of the bed
■ REM sleep helps bad dreams fade & more…
Plus
07 | Note
64 | Calendar
66 | Advertisers
67 | Classifieds
5|
PATRON: HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES
Note
Planning
for a recall
you hope
never has
to happen
W
Julie A. Palm
Editor in chief
hen it comes to product recalls, the mattress industry has been fortunate. In the
past decade, there have been fewer than
a dozen recalls of mattresses or mattress
pads, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission website. That’s a far smaller number than in
some other industries.
In the United States, there are two main federal
flammability standards—the open-flame standard
(16 CFR Part 1633) and the cigarette flammability
standard (16 CFR Part 1632)—under which mattresses
and bed sets are most likely to be recalled. Mattresses
intended for use by children and mattress pads are
subject to some additional federal safety regulations.
Just because it doesn’t happen every day, doesn’t
mean mattress makers and importers can cross “product recall” off their list of things to worry about.
In fact, as our cover story starting on Page 26 points
out, two of the key strategies for dealing with product
recalls involve planning far in advance for such an event.
One strategy is to put quality control and other measures
in place to ensure that products never have to be recalled
in the first place. Another strategy kicks in if the other
fails: have clear procedures in place for dealing with a recall to minimize the financial impact and reduce damage
to your company’s reputation.
The industry went full bore to prepare for the cigarette and open-flame standards before they went into
effect in 1973 and 2007, respectively. Is your company
keeping up with the quality-control and producttracking measures you put in place back then? Are
you still meticulous about your record keeping? When
was the last time you conducted random burn tests to
ensure compliance?
You don’t want to have to manage a product recall.
As our cover story emphasizes, a recall is an “expen-
‘The time to repair the roof is
when the sun is shining.’
—John F. Kennedy
sive, labor-intensive process, consuming staff and management time as companies scramble to determine
exactly what products are affected, where they’ve been
shipped and how to contact all the consumers who are
using them. The process requires an
‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach so that every
stakeholder—anyone involved with producing, selling
or using the product—is informed about the defect and
the company’s plan to remedy the situation.”
And that’s if a recall process goes well. A poorly
managed recall can do irreparable damage to your
company’s relationships with suppliers and retailers, tarnish your brand among consumers, and cost a
fortune in staff time and recall-related expenses, not to
mention civil penalties that could reach into the millions of dollars.
If you haven’t already, now is the time to start planning for a possible recall of your products. Our story
walks you through a typical recall process, points out
potential pitfalls and provides resources for additional
information.
Once your plan is in place, let’s hope you never have
to act on it. ■
7|
Brief Sheet
7 steps to project productivity
few hours. Then, when your
enthusiasm begins to sag, your
favorite music will re-energize
you.
5
U.S. bedding
posts gains
in sales, units
U
nit sales of beds
(mattresses and
foundations)
increased by 2.7% in
November 2011 when
compared with the same
month in 2010, according to Bedding Barometer, a monthly report
of U.S. mattress sales
published by the International Sleep Products
Association. But wholesale revenues rose by
14.4% over the prioryear period. The average unit selling price
made similarly strong
gains, up 11.5% over
November 2010. Units
and wholesale dollar
values for JanuaryNovember 2011
remained positive—
units sold increased
1.6% and dollar values
rose 9.1%. The
year-to-date AUSP
was up 7.4%.
O
ccasionally, we all have to
step up to the plate and
complete an important project—or a ton of smaller ones—in
a single workday. Jeff Haden,
ghostwriter of nearly 40 nonfiction books and columnist for
Inc.com and CBS Moneywatch.
com, offers advice for when you
need to go the extra mile.
1
Get the word out Interruptions destroy your concentration and productivity. Let
co-workers, key customers, and
even family and friends know
that you’re planning a “project
day.” Tell them what day you will
be unavailable, when you will
return calls and emails, and who
they should contact in an emergency. The peer pressure from
this kind of announcement also
can motivate you to complete
the work at hand.
2
Be specific Don’t set
vague goals or timelines.
Instead, estimate the amount
of time you will need and
commit. The hours will go by
more quickly the longer your
time frame is—and you’ll stop
watching the clock.
Anticipate what your
body needs Feeling uncomfortable is an easy excuse
for calling it a day. Don’t wait
until your stomach is growling,
your throat is parched or your
legs are cramped to refuel,
rehydrate and recharge. Eat
a snack soon after you begin
working. Skip taking an hour
for lunch. Instead, plan meals
that can be prepared easily and
eaten quickly. Begin drinking
water as soon as you arrive at
your office. Move around so
your back or legs won’t ache.
Anticipate your body’s needs to
stay motivated.
6
Get an unusually early
or late start By dramatically changing your normal
routine, your sense of time also
will change. Begin before the
sun rises or pull an all-nighter
like in your college days.
Don’t break your
momentum Slacking off
on the work you need to complete makes it harder to regain
your energy level. Rather than
rest breaks, take “productivity” breaks. Instead of taking a
break to watch TV or go online,
take a short walk and plan your
next step on the project.
4
7
3
Delay gratification
Postpone doing the things
or activities that brighten your
workday. They can perk you up
in a few hours when you need
a boost. If you enjoy listening
to music while you work, keep
your iPod in your desk for a
It isn’t over till it’s over
Push yourself to complete
your goals. Resist the temptation to quit because you’re
tired or bored. Remaining committed and determined will
build stamina and raise your
effort level.
The average American carries $69 in
cash and four credit cards. But with the
advent of the “mobile wallet”—a smart
phone that also behaves like a credit
card, checkbook and price-comparison service—consumers seem ready to
ditch paper and plastic.
—Time magazine, Jan. 9
9|
Brief Sheet
■ Opportunity
“B
ite off more
than you can
chew, then
chew it.”—Ella Williams
“Y
our most
unhappy
customers
are your greatest source
of learning.”—Bill Gates
“T
he way to get
started is to
quit talking
and begin doing.”—Walt
Disney
“I
f we keep
doing what
we’re
doing, we’re going to
keep getting what we’re
getting.”—Stephen Covey
Rethinking 9-to-5
T
hanks to new technologies, the workplace is
expanding in ways so that
many employees now can
complete their work from
anywhere at any time.
According to a study by
global mobile communications company Vodafone
Global Enterprises, 90% of
employers allow flexible
work schedules rather than
requiring the traditional,
structured workday.
For increased employee
engagement and retention,
Chief Executive magazine
gives several reasons why
companies should allow flexible work schedules for their employees, especially workers in
their 20s and 30s.
1
Gen Y workers (people born after 1980) are always
connected to their jobs through technology. Technological advances mean employees are never off the clock.
They always can be contacted and work at any time.
2
Gen Y workers value flexibility more than money. According to Chief Executive, 37% of Gen Yers would take
a cut in pay in exchange for more work flexibility.
3
Gen Y workers will work only for companies where
they can access Facebook. According to a survey
from networking giant Cisco Systems, access to social
media is more important to this generation than salary.
Body hair keeps
bedbugs at bay
H
airy humans don’t let the
bedbugs bite, according to a
recent study from the University
of Sheffield in England.
Fine, sensitive hairs that cover
our bodies enable us to feel parasitic insects on our skin and create a natural barrier to prevent
them from biting us, according
to the researchers. A group of 29 undergraduates
agreed to have one arm shaved
before hungry bedbugs were allowed to feast on their skin.
The investigation showed layers of longer hairs and smaller,
almost invisible hairs covering
the participants’ arms helped
detect and defend against the
parasitic insects.
Researchers concluded that
bedbugs and other parasites,
including mosquitoes, midges,
ticks and leeches, favor relatively
hairless areas such as wrists and
ankles. The study
was published
in the journal Biology
Letters.
Conan O’Brien takes a break on Kluft mattress
A
bed from luxury producer E.S. Kluft & Co. recently made a
cameo appearance on the TBS talk show Conan and gave
late-night host Conan O’Brien a much-needed break when he resttested a Kluft mattress.
During the four-minute segment, which aired Dec. 21, O’Brien
visited a Los Angeles Bloomingdale’s where employees tried to
teach him how to wrap holiday gifts. In typical O’Brien fashion,
things went awry. After a couple of failed attempts, the exhausted
comedian sneaked over to the bedding department and stretched
out on a Kluft mattress from the Beyond Luxury collection. “When wrapping gifts, it’s important to take a break every now
and then. It’s a lot of pressure,” O’Brien said. “This is a very nice
mattress!” |
10
BedTimes February 2012
Profile
Bedding
veteran finds
passion for
philanthropy
Below
Strong bond
Roger Magowitz (right),
was raised by a single
mother, Seena
Magowitz, after his
parents divorced when
he was 2 years old.
Top right
Search for a cure
The Seena Magowitz
Foundation works with
Dr. Daniel Von Hoff,
a pancreatic cancer
researcher. Von Hoff is
shown (center) at the
annual Seena Magowitz
Celebrity Golf
Classic, along with
Roger Magowitz,
foundation chairman,
and Von Hoff’s wife,
Ann Von Hoff.
Personal loss leads
Magowitz to search
for pancreatic cancer cure
G
By Dorothy Whitcomb
rowing up in Brooklyn in the 1960s
and 1970s taught mattress industry
veteran Roger Magowitz two important lessons. First, he learned that if he
wanted something, he’d better go after
it. But equally important was the realization that connections to other people were fundamental to reaching
his goals.
“Growing up in Brooklyn taught me independence
and self-reliance,” Magowitz says. “There was no one to
watch out for you, so you had to watch out for yourself.
If you wanted something, you had to grab it. No one
was going to give you anything.”
Magowitz’s childhood was not an easy one. His parents divorced when he was 2 years old. In good times,
he, a brother and his mother lived in a small onebedroom apartment. In bad times, they moved into his
grandparents’ already-cramped home.
“It was a challenge,” he says. “Fifty years ago,
divorce was not an acceptable practice and my mother
was really stigmatized.”
The woman at the center of his life
When Magowitz talks about his mother, Seena Magowitz, his devotion and respect for her are palpable.
She was, he says, not the kind of woman who would
let social stigma get in her way. And when it came to
her children, Seena Magowitz used every tool at her
disposal to help them attain better lives.
What Seena Magowitz lacked in financial resources,
she made up for in friends, Magowitz says. She went
to high school with Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
Sandy Koufax and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon.
Through them and other acquaintances, she made sure
her son spent his summers away from Brooklyn.
“I’d go to Fire Island (N.Y.) and enter a completely
different culture. It was the world of the rich and
famous—a world of household help, sailboats, nice
restaurants and camps for kids,” Magowitz says. “My
mother knew what she was doing: Get the kid out
of Brooklyn and let him see a different kind of life. I
became driven by the experience.”
A traditional route to the good life—go to college,
enter a profession, work your way up—held little appeal for Magowitz. Instead, he joined the U.S. Marines
after graduating from high school.
Once again, Magowitz entered a new world. As a
Marine, he met people from all over the country—
people of different religions, races and socio-economic
backgrounds.
Climbing into the bedding business
When Magowitz left the service in 1983, he took a
part-time sales job with Mattress Discounters, a retail
bedding chain with stores in several mid-Atlantic
states. Four years later, he was appointed vice president of the company and offered the chance to purchase six royalty-free licenses for Mattress Discounters
stores in the area around Hampton Roads, Va.
To make the deal work, Magowitz tapped every
resource and drew on every connection he had. He
leveraged his credit cards, sought loans from family
members and negotiated favorable terms on inventory.
Magowitz incorporated his fledgling business as Maggie’s Enterprise Inc. and, though still only in his 20s,
he set out to conquer the world of retail bedding.
“The first few years were touch and go. I really
|
12
Profile
n
Another SIDE
Teamwork Business,
at its best, is often a
creative, collaborative process and Roger
Magowitz takes great
pride in the retail
enterprise that he
built. “It was very satisfying to find that all
of the effort worked,”
he says. “I was able to
build a team of people
who enjoyed running
the stores and being
part of something big.”
didn’t know what I was doing, but thought that I could
do anything. I was convinced that there was no one
smarter than me and that if I put the effort into it, I
could make it,” he says. “I put in a lot of hours learning
the financial and legal sides of the business. It was
persistence that made it happen.”
For the next 27 years, Magowitz built his business
and, at one point, operated 34 stores under the Mattress Discounters and Metropolitan Mattress names.
By early 2010, however, he had winnowed that number to 26 and was considering some profound changes
to his life.
Cancer changes everything
It was a process of reflection that started nearly a
decade earlier with his mother’s death from pancreatic
cancer in 2001. Magowitz was shocked by her diagnosis—pancreatic cancer is generally asymptomatic
n
BRIEFLY
Name
Roger Magowitz
Company Mattress Firm
Location
Houston
PositionCharitable adviser
PassionFounder and chairman of the
Seena Magowitz Foundation, an
organization committed to advancing awareness, early detection and the eventual prevention
and cure of pancreatic cancer
Age
52
FamilyHe and his wife, Jeanne, have
been married for 27 years. They
have one son, Craig.
until well advanced—and devastated by her death just
five months later. He mourned the loss of his mother,
railed against the cancer and, ultimately, resolved to
find a way to beat the disease that had taken her.
Within a year, he created the Seena Magowitz
Foundation with the hope of raising awareness of the
disease so that early detection might prolong other
lives. The foundation’s ultimate goal, Magowitz says,
is to raise funds to advance science to the point where
pancreatic cancer can be prevented or cured.
In 2003, he launched the Seena Magowitz Celebrity
Golf Classic, again building on his wide array of connections. Since its founding, the annual fundraiser has become a major bedding industry event, drawing suppliers,
manufacturers and retailers from all over the country to
Arizona in December for a weekend filled with receptions, auctions, awards, information about pancreatic
cancer research advances and, of course, golf.
“Most of the people who come to the event have no
relationship to pancreatic cancer. They’re coming out
for me,” Magowitz says. “In 2011, we had 225 golfers
and a total of 400 attendees. We raised about $600,000
and received a pledge of $1.5 million. We have no paid
employees and 100% of the money goes to research. I
definitely feel as if we’re beginning to push the needle
on pancreatic cancer.”
To focus his full attention on the foundation,
Magowitz sold Maggie’s Enterprise to Houston-based
bedding chain Mattress Firm in late 2010. He then
signed on as the company’s charitable adviser with
the mandate to focus his attention on ways to fight
pancreatic cancer.
“Mattress Firm has been great to me. This is a
proud moment,” Magowitz says. “How many people
have the opportunity to do something that they have a
passion for and change the world? Steve Stagner (Mattress Firm president and chief executive officer) is a
young man with the same commitment that I have and
the opportunity that he’s given me is incredible.” ■
A compassionate,
concerned industry
“My hat is off to the
entire mattress industry when it comes to
efforts on behalf of
pancreatic cancer.
I’ve just rallied them,”
says Magowitz, who
established the Seena
Magowitz Foundation,
a charity that advances awareness of pancreatic cancer and
seeks to find a cure
for the disease. “The
industry has a chance
of going down in history as the force that
actually found a cure
for pancreatic cancer.”
A crossroads
Magowitz says he is
reassessing “what
I want to do when I
grow up.” He thinks his
foundation is having
“good growing pains”
and may benefit from
professional management. He, in turn, wonders if he should start
another business or
devote all of his time to
philanthropy. “Change
is good, but balance is
harder to achieve,” he
says.
13 |
Dreams do come true
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Delivering comfort through design
Product
PEDAL TO THE METAL
New features rev up steel frames
& support systems / By Barbara Nelles
Top left
Understated strength
Leggett & Platt’s
Consumer Products
Group in Whittier,
Calif., has launched
the premium Prestige
frame with triangular
side rails, oversized
recessed glides,
pushpin assembly
and a jet-black finish.
Top right
Contemporary
Knickerbocker in
Carlstadt, N.J., has
launched emBrace,
a composite,
resin-encased frame
that assembles in
seconds.
S
teel bedding support systems have long hidden below headboards, behind footboards and
beneath dust ruffles. Except for perhaps the
occasional squeak, the metal parts that keep
bed sets lifted off the floor have settled for being barely
noticed by consumers and even retailers. That may be
changing.
BedTimes spoke with manufacturers and distributors of the hidden hardware beneath stationary beds to
find out what’s up down there. These companies supply an array of metal components to mattress manufacturers and retailers, but the products we focus on here
are bed frames to which a headboard may be attached,
bed rails that link headboard to footboard, bed bases—
popular in hospitality settings because they keep items
from rolling under the bed—and supplemental support
systems that are added to an existing frame or all-wood
bedroom set.
When BedTimes last presented an in-depth report
on such products in 2006, suppliers were focused on
educating retailers about the need for supplemental
support beneath inexpensive, imported bedroom sets.
That message seems to have been absorbed by retailers
and furniture manufacturers. Today, frame makers are
vying to entice consumers with step-up support for
higher-end bedding.
The standard brown angle iron promotional bed
frame continues to abound at retail. But there are new
colors, a broad selection of looks and price points in
wheels and glides, and even some different rail profiles.
Giveaways going away
The idea of a giveaway promotional frame with bed
purchase is gradually disappearing, most suppliers agree.
Post-recession, many retailers are focused more on selling
frames—and selling better frames—and that’s spurring
product and marketing innovations among producers.
“Before 2008, when times were good, retailers could
afford to give away an inexpensive frame that might retail
for between $30 and $60,” says Herman Tam, group vice
president of marketing for Leggett & Platt’s Consumer
Products Group in Whittier, Calif., the largest supplier of
frames and support systems in North America.
Today, it’s far more likely that a retailer will offer a
choice: a free promotional frame, free mattress delivery or
free takeaway of a used mattress—but not all three, says
Ron Fredman, executive vice president of Glideaway Bed
Carriage Co. in St. Louis.
“Frames are being sold—not given away—partly because of inflationary pressures on steel prices,” says Brent
Polunsky, bedding support sales manager for El Paso,
Texas-based W. Silver Products, a vertically integrated
company that produces its own angle iron in an ISO
9001-certified factory.
“With mattresses heavier—and people heavier—it’s especially important today for retailers to get the consumer
to spend the extra money for extra support,” Polunsky says.
W. Silver is filling out its lineup of support systems. In
October, it introduced the premium Silver-Lock frame,
which has a “wedge-type” rail, an oversized headboard
bracket and new leg design.
17
|
Product
Reroll steel mills go beyond ‘green’
M
ost bed frames and support systems manufactured in the United
States are made from recycled rail steel.
The story behind the use of such steel in bed frames is a powerful
one to tell consumers, says Ron Fredman, executive vice president of Glideaway Bed Carriage Co. in St. Louis.
“Rail steel is known for its exceptional strength. Consider that rail steel has
spent years being crushed—impacted by 250,000 tons on a regular basis,”
he says. “When you turn that rail
steel into a bed frame, you get
resiliency. Take a sledge hammer to a bed frame, it’s not
going to bend.”
W. Silver Inc., based in El
Paso, Texas, is a 43-year-old
steel mill that supplies W. Silver
Products, as well as other bedding hardware producers and
industry sectors, with rerolled rail
steel. The company takes being
“green” seriously. It has a number of sustainability initiatives in
place that reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the manufacturing process. Sister company
W. Silver Recycling, in business
Top
for
90 years, is nearby to process
Sustainable steel W. Silver Inc. in El
and
recycle metals, including
Paso, Texas, processes recycled rail
used
machinery blades, as well
steel at its energy-efficient reroll mill.
as plastics, paper, cardboard,
electronics waste and more.
Bottom
Mattress industry supplier JerNegative carbon footprint Jersey Shore
sey
Shore Steel, based in Jersey
Steel in Jersey Shore, Pa., powers its
Shore,
Pa., also takes environfurnaces with methane from the local
mental
sustainability seriously.
landfill. (Photo by Mark Nance, Williamsport
Sun-Gazette, used by permission. Photo copyright
In 2001, Jersey Shore began
Williamsport Sun-Gazette.)
heating one of its furnace zones
with methane gas piped in from
the local landfill. By 2006, it had converted all six furnace zones to landfill gas.
In addition to burning methane, the mill’s energy-efficient recuperative
furnace captures exhaust gas and recirculates it, reducing the need for air
preheaters. The company has converted more than 100 motors that drive
water pumps, compressors and other mill equipment to electricity-saving,
variable-frequency drives. The company recycles scrap and waste throughout
its plant and has installed energy-efficient lighting.
“We were very aggressive and ahead of the curve in following this environmentally friendly path,” says Marshall Welch, Jersey Shore president and chief
executive officer. “The whole point of the sustainability movement is that it
makes dollars and sense when managed properly. We were consuming a lot
of electricity and natural gas before getting to where we are today.”
In fact, according to Pennsylvania State University researchers who conducted an assessment in 2011, Jersey Shore Steel’s environmental impacts
are so low, the company has what amounts to a negative carbon footprint.
|
18
Framing the sale
The focus on selling bed frames varies from retailer
to retailer, with some placing much greater emphasis on upselling shoppers to better frames. Suppliers
say they have put considerable effort into educating
retailers about how to sell better frames.
“We do see a lot of cost-driven retailers, which is
why we have something for everyone, from inexpensive $30 frames up to $199,” Tam says. “There are
thousands of SKUs, including frames, rails, supports
and other hardware.”
An emphasis on sales training is part of the
Leggett & Platt Retail Solution program for mattress
retailers. L&P also supplies an array of
point-of-purchase information for consumers.
Whatever a retailer’s philosophy about selling
frames and supports, presenting a “good-better-best”
choice will increase the likelihood of making the
sale, Tam says.
A typical three-step collection of frames from
L&P might range from the promotional Restmore
series to the mid-priced Inst-A-Matic (which retails
for approximately $100 in queen size and is the
company’s most popular “better” frame) to the Edge
premium frame with a tubular design.
Niles Cornelius, general manager of Hickory at
Home in Hickory, N.C., is another proponent of a
good-better-best merchandising strategy.
“We find that major sleep shop chains who master the art of step-up mattress sales are quite successful at selling ‘better’ bed frames, too,” Cornelius
says. Hickory distributes a line of good-better-best
support systems manufactured by Mantua Mfg. Co.,
including Insta-Lock bed frames and the Strong Arm
brand of center support systems.
“Often for about a $20 premium, you can purchase a ‘better’ frame with your new bed and for
about $50 more, you can get the very best,” Cornelius says. “On the other hand, many furniture stores
only stock inexpensive frames and are missing out
on an opportunity. They are not really focusing on
the support under the bed as they should be.”
“Some retailers tell us they have no problem selling a step-up frame when the consumer is spending
$1,000 to $2,000 on a bed set,” says David Jaffee,
president of Mantua, which has headquarters in
Walton Hills, Ohio. “People understand they are
protecting their investment by purchasing a good
frame.”
“But,” Jaffee continues, “it takes a certain level of
commitment to sell a step-up frame and you must
be willing to train your RSAs. Oddly, sometimes
low-cost retailers are all about it and high-end
retailers can’t be bothered. Those retailers who have
focused on frames and supports have been incredibly successful with them.”
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Product
dation frames. While shopping, consumers can scan
a quick response, or QR, tag on the product box
and watch the video of the frame’s easy assembly on
their smart phone.
Several support system makers say they supply e-commerce sites. Some report that Internet
sales have jumped, but mostly in the promotional
category.
“We are seeing much more Internet activity,
but it’s amazingly competitive,” Jaffee says. “Most
e-commerce companies are great at selling products
off the shelf, but they’re basically in the technology
business, not the sleep products business. It’s a little
harder for them to execute a step-up program.”
Top
Store your stuff
Forever Foundations
LLC in Orange, Calif.,
imports a collection
of tubular steel
platform
foundations that
provide a 14-inch
high storage space
underneath.
Bottom
Super strong Mantua
Mfg. Co. in Walton
Hills, Ohio, offers a
top-of-the-line bed
frame with 1 ¾-inch
rails.
|
20
Mantua has four U.S. manufacturing plants for
frames and supports. About 70% of the products it
sells are made in the United States from recycled
rail steel. Mantua’s bed frame line includes a “good”
and “better” Insta-Lock series with 1 ¼-inch rails or
1 ½-inch rails. It also offers a heavy-duty, premium
Craftlock bed frame with 1 ¾-inch rails.
Glideaway offers four grades of frames—from
promotional to ultra-premium—in addition to
other specialized premium products, all of which
are made in the United States, Fredman says. The
company recently introduced a POP display unit
that showcases as many as five miniature versions
of its steel bed frames and support systems, plus
brochures detailing product information.
“Once customers can see and feel the difference
between the 1 ¼-inch by 1 ¼-inch side rails in the
promotional line and the 1 ¾-inch by 1 3/8-inch
ribbed side rails of the ultra-premium line, the cost
difference can be better justified,” Fredman says.
Glideaway’s ECO frame, which is packaged
in recycled cardboard, enhances and illustrates
the frame’s sustainability story for consumers. It
launched in August and is a hit with “green” retailers, Fredman says.
Boyd Specialty Sleep, a mattress maker and
furniture distributor based in St. Louis, has created
a series of short videos that explain how to assemble
its collection of imported platform-style steel foun-
Latest features
With giveaways no longer a given, manufacturers
say there is a greater a demand from retailers for
innovation in under-the-bed hardware.
While the L&P angle iron Inst-A-Matic frame
remains a “volume seller,” in 2008 the company
launched what it says was the industry’s first stylish,
tubular steel frame, the Edge. It has a satin silver
finish, round legs and locking rug-roller wheels.
“You build in features and benefits that retailers
can use to make the sale,” Tam says. “We spoke to
consumers and discovered some want something
special, not just functionally good, but something
better looking.”
At the recent Las Vegas Market, L&P introduced
a “best of the best” bed frame, the Prestige. Features
include tubular steel rails, extra-large recessed
glides and pushpin assembly. The frame adjusts to
any bed size. Although it’s finished in a sleek, highgloss jet black, it’s designed to be mostly hidden
from view.
Both the Edge and Prestige have suggested retail
prices in the $179 to $199 range.
“The bed frame is not the lead actor—it’s a highly
functional product that we are making a little more
sexy to capture the consumer’s attention in the
store,” Tam says. “You want the frame to say, ‘Buy
me now!’ But when they get it home, most consumers don’t want to showcase the bed frame. That’s the
design balance we’re trying to strike.”
In addition to its full line of Bed Architecture—sturdy bed frames with center supports and
supplemental center support systems, including
the Bedbeam series— Knickerbocker now offers the
emBrace frame.
“Your bed feels better and performs better on
an emBrace,” says Richard Polevoy, president of the
Carlstadt, N.J.-based company. “It supports 2,000
pounds without deflection and no ‘creep.’ ” The
frame has seven patents issued or pending, including one for a T-section side rail.
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Product
Top left
Stylish platform Boyd
Specialty Sleep in
St. Louis offers a line
of metal platform
frames, some with
decorative elements
such as this one with
arched legs.
Right
Comparison shop
Glideaway Bed
Carriage Co. in
St. Louis makes
step-up sales a cinch
with a display unit for
as many as five
miniature bed frames.
|
22
“With emBrace, we’ve developed a new product
and new branding and are reinventing the category,”
Polevoy says. “With a combination of form and function, this does not look like hardware. It looks like
a piece of furniture and is the strongest bed frame
that’s ever been designed.”
The angle iron frame is encased in a smooth,
rounded composite resin that comes in black, white,
gray and brown. The emBrace retails for about $299
in queen size. Once unboxed, the frame assembles
quickly, Polevoy says.
“Bedding keeps moving up in price, quality and
feel,” Polevoy says. “We wanted to enhance the
performance and look of a set of bedding and finish
it properly.”
Glideaway recently introduced the premium T9
Series, which Fredman describes as a “cool-looking”
universal frame that retails for $179 to $199 in
queen. It has nine legs, new wheel styles and three
cross supports.
“Retailers who already carry it are seeing a 50%
attachment rate with queens and 60% with king
beds,” Fredman says. “With consumers spending
$200 for a pillow, upselling them to a $200 frame
with a bit of a ‘wow’ factor is not such a big deal.”
While rainbow colors don’t exactly dominate
this product segment—in fact, most are finished in
neutral or metallic hues—L&P has a powder-coat
facility capable of producing frames in virtually any
color, Tam says.
Another design trend: Wheeled legs are giving
way to glides, which are more stationary but still
allow a bed to be moved across hardwood floors or
rugs, Tam says.
“We encourage people to go with glides and there
is a definite trend toward them,” Jaffee says. “Glides
are incrementally stronger, less expensive and, if
you look at how vacuum cleaners are engineered
today, there’s less need to be able to move the bed to
clean under it.”
Urban dwellers and a trend toward smaller
houses have led to increased interest in under-bed
storage.
“Under-bed storage is a really big thing now and
we are focusing on that,” Jaffee says. “We’re finding
that more folks are buying bed bases for the home—
it’s not just a hospitality sale anymore. In addition to
storage, consumers like that nothing can roll under
the bed.”
At the winter Las Vegas Market, Mantua’s major
launch was a new bed base. It’s available in three
neutral finishes with a large storage drawer at the
foot of the bed.
Step up to steel foundations
The lines appear to be blurring between support
systems and foundations.
Three years ago, L&P introduced the Out of the
Product
Box Foundation, a “box spring” with flexion, fabric
cover and detachable legs. The unit folds in half for
easy shipping and is designed for e-commerce sales
and easier deliveries to apartment dwellers.
The trend toward thick, one-sided mattresses
sold with no-flex or low-flex wood foundations has
paved the way for acceptance of the steel platform
bed frame, which takes the place of both foundation
and bed frame. Most of these steel platform frames
knock down for easy shipping. The product first
appeared in North America about five years ago as
an import from China. The bases vary in quality and
strength and are imported by a number of companies.
Boyd Specialty Sleep offers a collection of allmetal platform bases that have suggested retails
from $99 to $199 in queen size. The foundations
offer superior strength and support, says President
Dennis Boyd.
“The steel supports are significantly stronger
than any spaced pine framing used on an all-wood
foundation. I don’t see many foundation suppliers
advertising that their product can support 2,500
pounds,” he says.
“In container quantities, the queen platform base
lands for about $50—this is approximately the same
price or less than a retailer pays for a foundation,”
Boyd says. “In addition, the mattress would then
need a metal bed frame, usually $30 to $50. A platform frame is both less expensive and more durable
and does not bend, squeak, warp or break. They can
be transported in a car, fit easily in an elevator and
go up virtually any stairway.” Boyd’s higher-priced
metal foundations incorporate decorative elements.
Forever Foundations LLC, based in Orange,
Calif., imports a collection of Forever brand tubular
steel platform foundations from China. Key benefits
are durability, easy assembly and under-bed storage,
the company says. The foundations, including the
Forever Storage bed base with tilt-up access, provide
a 14-inch high storage space beneath the bed.
“They’re made of 80% recycled tubular steel in
16 gauge,” says Mike Echevarria, Forever Foundations national director of sales and marketing. “The
top has support bars and a taut trampoline-material
cover. Our customers range from mom-and-pop
stores to major sleep shop chains.” ■
‘With
consumers
spending
$200 for
a pillow,
upselling them
to a $200
frame with a
bit of a “wow”
factor is not
such a big
deal.’
23
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DAMAGE
CONTROL
Surviving a product recall
By GARY JAMES
Note: Information in this article is intended
for general educational purposes.
Consult with your own legal counsel or
product safety adviser for specific
guidance related to your company.
|
26
When mattresses need to be pulled from
consumers’ homes and repaired or destroyed because
of safety concerns, the process is called a “recall.”
But for the companies involved, it’s an experience
they would rather forget.
A product recall can be an expensive, labor-intensive process, consuming staff and management time as companies scramble to determine exactly what products are affected, where they’ve been shipped
and how to contact all the consumers who are using them. The
process requires an “all-hands-on-deck” approach so that every
stakeholder—anyone involved with producing, selling or using the
product—is informed about the defect and the company’s plan to
remedy the situation.
In addition, the process of conducting a product recall exposes
a company to increased scrutiny from the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission—the federal agency charged with protecting
the public from harm caused by certain consumer products—as
well as the media and consumers. Handled incorrectly, a recall
can result in damaged supplier and retailer relationships and a tarnished brand image that may be difficult to correct. And the legal
stakes of a misstep are higher than ever.
“With the enactment of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the amount of penalties the CPSC is permitted to
seek has been raised substantially—to $100,000 per violation, with the
maximum penalties raised to $15 million for a related series of violations,” says Cheryl Possenti, an attorney with Goldberg Segalla in Buffalo,
N.Y., a civil litigation specialist for a number of Fortune 100 companies.
According to Possenti, the CPSC can pursue civil penalties, not only for the
sale of products that violate government safety standards, but also “when a company fails to report immediately to the CPSC that a product contains a defect that could
create a substantial risk of injury to the public.”
In the mattress industry, there are two primary federal regulations under which bed sets
might be recalled: 16 CFR Part 1633, the open-flame standard that took effect in 2007; and 16
CFR Part 1632, the cigarette flammability standard issued in 1973. According to the CPSC website,
fewer than a dozen recalls involving mattresses or mattress pads have been conducted in the past 10
years, a relatively small number compared with many other industries. Baby mattresses and pads also
are occasionally recalled under different regulations.
Despite the low frequency of mattress-related recalls, manufacturers and their business partners—
everyone from component suppliers to distributors to retailers—must be vigilant to ensure that if
problems with product safety do occur, they are reported to the CPSC quickly and that any issues are
addressed and fixed.
27 |
R
eporting responsibility
While U.S. manufacturers have the lead responsibility for reporting problems to the CPSC,
distributors and retailers also must report if
they are aware of a product defect or a company’s failure
to comply with a regulation. They can either contact the
CPSC directly or send a letter to the manufacturer or importer. Failure to report means distributors and retailers
also may be liable for any legal penalties that are assessed.
In cases in which mattresses and foundations are being brought into the United States from other countries,
the importer of record—the U.S.-based company that
takes possession of the goods after they clear customs—is
responsible for informing the CPSC of potential product safety problems. This company ultimately bears the
responsibility for making sure the products it sells in the
United States comply with regulations and for conducting
a recall if they don’t.
To confirm that manufacturers and importers have the
necessary safety programs in place, the CPSC conducts
unannounced inspections of production plants and
warehouses, examining products, records and procedures.
It also can pull products from retailers to test for compliance.
The process of compliance starts with burn testing and
confirmation burns of bedding prototypes and components by manufacturers, importers and suppliers before
new mattresses and foundations reach the market. All bed
sets sold in the United States must bear a label showing
that products have been properly tested and comply with
The mattress recall process at a glance
Who must report a hazardous product? Any manufacturer,
distributor, importer or retailer that has information about a
potentially hazardous product must report it, according to
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
What types of defects must be reported? Companies must
report to the CPSC if they obtain information that a product fails to meet a consumer product safety rule, standard
or ban; contains a defect that could create a substantial
hazard; or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or
death. This information may be in the form of quality control data, product returns, warranty information, customer
complaints, reports of deaths or injuries to consumers using
a product, lawsuits or any other input suggesting a product
safety problem.
When does a company need to report a hazardous product? A company must report to the CPSC within 24 hours of
obtaining reportable information. The CPSC considers that
a company has obtained knowledge of reportable information when that information is received by an employee or
official of the company who may be reasonably expected
to be capable of appreciating its significance. Under ordinary circumstances, five working days is the maximum time
for information to reach the chief executive officer or the
official assigned responsibility for complying with reporting
requirements. However, if a company is uncertain whether
information must be reported, it may spend “a reasonable
amount of time” investigating the matter. The CPSC generally defines this period as 10 or fewer days.
Where should a report be filed? A company should file its
report with the CPSC’s Division of Recalls and Compliance.
The report may be filed by mail (4330 East West Highway,
Room 613, Bethesda, MD 20814), telephone
(301-504-7913), fax (301-504-0359) or electronically
through the CPSC website (www.cpsc.gov).
What can a company do beforehand to prepare for a
product recall? In addition to performing and thoroughly
|
28
documenting all of the product and component tests
required for a given product, companies should have a
system in place to make sure that product defect and
hazard information is captured and channeled to responsible managers so that they can evaluate and report it to
the CPSC, if appropriate. A company also should assign
the responsibility of reporting product safety hazards to
someone with knowledge of the product in question and of
the CPSC’s reporting requirements. The person should have
the authority to report to the CPSC or to quickly raise the
reporting issue with appropriate decision-makers within the
company.
How will the CPSC evaluate a company’s handling of
safety information? In evaluating when a report should
have been filed, the CPSC considers what a company actually knew about the potential hazard posed by a product
and what a reasonable person or firm acting in those
circumstances would have known. Companies that are not
responsible and informed about the safety of their products run a “great risk of future civil penalty liability” should a
product recall ever be necessary, according to the CPSC.
What is the Fast Track program? Fast Track is a CPSC
program designed for companies willing and able to
move quickly with a voluntary recall of their products. The
program eliminates some of the procedural steps in the
traditional recall process, including the CPSC’s preliminary
determination that the product contains a defect that presents a substantial hazard.
What is a CAP? A CAP, or “corrective action plan,” is a remedial action taken by a company in response to a product
defect or risk. Depending on the nature of the defect or risk,
CAPs could include the return of a product to the manufacturer or retailer for a cash refund or a replacement product,
the repair of a product or public notice of the hazard. The
goal of a CAP is to correct as many product defects or risks
as possible in the most practical, cost-effective manner.
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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Accurate
labeling is
the first line
of defense
against a
potential
product
defect
investigation.
federal regulations.
Accurate labeling is the first line of defense against
a potential product defect investigation, according to
Joanne E. Mattiace, a principal of the Law Offices of
Joanne E. Mattiace, a Westbrook, Maine-based law firm
with a Washington, D.C., presence and focus.
“If a label doesn’t appear to be right, that may lead to a
product being singled out for inspection and testing,” she
says.
To avoid problems, Mattiace recommends that all parties in the distribution chain—manufacturers, importers,
distributors, retailers—make sure that the products they
are selling carry up-to-date safety law labels and registration numbers.
When a company has reason to suspect a product
may pose a risk to public safety, the law requires it to file
a report with the CPSC within 24 hours of a responsible
party—an official or employee capable of recognizing its
significance—receiving the information. Prior to that
point, the company is allowed five days for that information to move up the chain of command. A maximum of
10 days is permitted for investigating the situation prior
to filing a report.
“A lot of companies won’t recognize a triggering event
for a violation right away,” says David Osterman, also
an attorney with Goldberg Segalla. “One trigger is the
subjective standard: a defect in the product that poses a
substantial risk of serious injury or death. The other is
more objective: three lawsuits involving a product that
have resulted in verdicts or settlements, no matter how
nominal, within a two-year period.”
W
orking with the CPSC
Reporting a product to the CPSC doesn’t
automatically mean that the agency will
conclude that the product creates a substantial hazard or that a recall or other corrective action
is necessary. The CPSC staff works with the reporting
company to determine what’s appropriate. But since
2008, the CPSC has taken a more active role in product
safety inspection and enforcement.
“Since the passage of the CPSIA, the CPSC has gotten
a lot more sophisticated,” Mattiace says. “They are saying
to companies, ‘Don’t just tell us about a problem; take a
look at the problem and determine what you can learn
from it.’ They want companies to constantly be finetuning their systems and procedures so that future problems are minimized.”
If a recall is needed, the CPSC works with the company to put together an effective plan for public notifica-
One mattress maker’s recall experience
W
hen a bedding manufacturer discovered a 16
CFR Part 1633 burn test failure during a routine
quality control check involving one of its popular
mattresses several years ago, the company immediately initiated an investigation.
The company spoke with BedTimes about its experiences
but asked not to be identified.
After conducting re-tests with similar products from multiple plants, it determined that a problem existed with a specific
core-FR sock combination used on one mattress model during
a limited time frame. The problem was sporadic—sometimes
the mattress would fail a burn test and other times it would
pass. It also was puzzling: Both the core and the sock were
being used separately on other mattress models without a
problem.
“It was very alarming,” says a company executive directly
involved with the recall. “None of our records until that point
had indicated a problem. And neither of the suppliers responsible for these components claimed they had made any
changes. But there clearly was a danger when these two specific components were combined. We knew we had to move
quickly to address the situation.”
The company immediately stopped production of the
model with the troublesome core-sock combination. It also
started tracing how many of the mattresses already had been
made and where they had been shipped. A team was created to determine what other corrective actions needed to be
taken and which parties—from suppliers and employees to
retailers and consumers—needed to be notified.
|
30
The company also made early contact with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to alert officials about the
problem and the steps being taken to address it.
“The CPSC was very helpful,” the bedding executive says.
“They worked closely with us every step of the way, approving
our plan for conducting a recall and providing other support
as we moved forward.”
Using its existing product traceability systems, the company determined that the core-sock combination in question had been used on nearly 6,000 beds already produced,
shipped or sold. The company’s records showed exactly
which stores had bought the beds, so contacting dealers was straightforward. Identifying individual consumers,
however, was more of a challenge, since some stores had
detailed records and others did not.
“Tracking down consumers isn’t easy, so we made sure
to use redundant methods of communication to spread
the word,” the bedding executive says. In addition to news
releases sent to the media and posted on the CPSC website, the company asked retailers to post notices. Using an
outside specialist, a hotline was set up to field consumer
inquiries.
For those consumers who could be identified as potentially
being affected, the company created a letter for retailers
to send out explaining that the product “has a manufacturing defect, does not meet our standards and qualifies for a
replacement.” The letter invited consumers to contact the
retailer for further information.
The fact that the core-sock combination was designed to
tion and implementation of the recall. According to the
CPSC’s Recall Handbook, the objectives of a recall are:
1. to locate all defective products as quickly as possible
2. to remove defective products from the distribution
chain and from the possession of consumers
3. to communicate accurate and understandable information in a timely manner to the public about the
product defect, the hazard and the corrective action.
The CPSC advises companies to design all informational material “to motivate retailers and the media to get
the word out and consumers to act on the recall.” Typical
forms of communication include a joint press release
from the CPSC and the company; a dedicated toll-free
number for consumers to call to respond to the recall notice; postings on company websites; video news releases;
notices to distributors, dealers, sales representatives,
retailers and other parties involved with the product; and
other notices to consumers.
“Companies need to communicate clearly and completely,” Mattiace says. “It’s important that messages be
consistent so that consumers understand the nature of
the problem and what their options are.”
Because the goal of any recall is to retrieve and then
repair or replace products already in consumers’ hands,
as well as those in the distribution chain, it’s essential that
companies maintain accurate records about the design,
production, distribution and marketing of each product
for the duration of its expected life cycle. To make sure
that these records are accurate and accessible at the time
of a recall, the CPSC recommends companies appoint a
recall coordinator, as well as a backup coordinator, before
an event actually occurs.
A company’s recall coordinator should be responsible
for receiving and processing all information regarding
the safety of the company’s products, including quality
control records, engineering analyses, test results, consumer complaints, warranty returns or claims, lawsuits
and insurance claims. Ideally, the recall coordinator has
full authority to take the steps necessary to initiate and
implement all recalls, with the approval and support of
the president or chief executive officer.
G
etting help
When faced with a recall, company executives have two choices: They can do the work
themselves, following the steps outlined in
the CPSC’s online Recall Handbook, or they can hire an attorney or other adviser, such as ExpertRECALL. Based in
Indianapolis, ExpertRECALL handles everything involved
in a recall, from setting up a call center and managing
be easily zipped on or off the mattress made the recall easier
than it might have been. For those products still in factory or
store warehouses, the company was able to simply swap out
the core-sock combination with another approved sock.
The company offered consumers three, free-of-charge options: They could get a replacement kit mailed directly to them
for self-installation, they could arrange for a technician to
come to their home to install the kit for them or the company
‘Consumers ended up with a
positive attitude about our company
because we offered to customize
the corrective action.’
would take back their mattress and give them a new version.
During the first week the recall was made public, the
company received 202 contacts from consumers. After a
year, a total of 1,222 consumers called or wrote the company to inquire whether the recall affected them. Serial
numbers were used to determine if particular products were
part of the recall.
In the end, the company received fewer than 600 verified
consumer claims under the recall. Of those, 285 were sent
a kit for self-installation, 260 were sent a kit for installation
by a technician and 26 received a replacement mattress.
“The CPSC says that about 20% of the product affected
by a typical recall comes back and gets changed out,” says
the company representative. “But you have to be geared
‘At all times,
consumers,
the media
and
regulators
need to see
that the
company has
a clear plan
in place and
is doing
everything it
can to make
things right.’
up to repair or replace it all. Thankfully, we weren’t required
to start taking back product right away so we had time to
build up a stock of replacement covers.”
It took about four months between the time the company discovered the problem and when it started replacing
product.
Reflecting on the recall experience, the executive says
everything went smoothly. For that, he credits good organization, teamwork and clear communication with the CPSC
and other outside parties.
“The CPSC was very complimentary about our attitude
and attention to detail in dealing with this recall,” the company official says.
In addition, he says, “consumers ended up with a positive attitude about our company because we offered to
customize the corrective action for them and make it as
painless and easy as possible.”
For other companies faced with a possible recall, the executive says his best advice is “to follow the law, keep good
records and bring in consultants when it’s appropriate.”
In this case, the company hired Gordon Damant, former
head of the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and
Thermal Insulation and an expert on the mattress industry’s
fire safety issues, “because we wanted an outside source to
make sure we were analyzing the problem correctly. Having
him involved also gave us more credibility with the CPSC.”
“We also would suggest, in addition to the required
prototype and confirmation burns, that companies do
random burns on all their models periodically to make sure
everything is still in compliance,” the executive says. “That’s
how we discovered this problem and were able to correct it
before it became much larger.”
31 |
claims to collecting and destroying products after they’re
returned. Since its formation in 2003, the company has
handled more than 2,500 recalls.
With any recall, there are four key goals, says Mike
Rozembajgier, ExpertRECALL vice president of recalls:
“Protect the public, protect the brand, remove and destroy the product, if necessary, and complete the process
as efficiently as possible. And, at all times, consumers, the
media and regulators need to see that the company has a
clear plan in place and is doing everything it can to make
things right.”
Finally, Rozembajgier urges company leaders to regard
product safety compliance as a “moving target” that
requires daily attention.
“A compliance program needs to be more than a
binder on a shelf collecting dust,” he says. “It has to be
something that the whole company understands and puts
into practice so that all rules and standards are met.”
To help companies ensure that they have the proper
systems in place, firms such as Lilly Management Group
in St. Charles, Ill., conduct mock CPSC plant inspections
and reviews of flammability compliance programs.
“Our program is designed to help companies evaluate
their compliance status, identify shortcomings or gaps
Crisis planning requires good communication
W
hen faced with a possible product recall, too
many company executives “play ostrich” rather
than take decisive action and communicate with
all stakeholders, says Jonathan Bernstein, president of Bernstein Crisis Management in Sierra Madre, Calif.
“They wait until the recall is required and then try to figure
out what to do, resulting in additional risk for consumers and
the company’s reputation,” Bernstein says.
The author of the new book, Manager’s Guide to Crisis
Management, Bernstein has handled communications for a
number of major product recalls. He offers these 10 tips for
effective crisis communications:
1. Be prepared The best time to prepare for a negative event
is before it happens. Bernstein recommends that companies
conduct brainstorming sessions about potential recalls and
then develop a clear plan of response that addresses key
operational, legal and public relations issues.
2. Appoint and train a team A small team of senior executives should be formed and trained to manage communications in the event of a crisis. Ideally, the team is led by the
president or chief executive officer, along with the company’s
top PR executive and legal counsel as advisers. If the in-house
PR executive doesn’t have sufficient crisis communications
expertise, the company may need to retain an agency or
independent consultant. Other team members should be the
heads of all major divisions, such as finance, human resources
and operations.
3. Create contact lists Who are the stakeholders—employees,
suppliers, distributors, retailers, etc.—who would be affected
by a recall? Company leaders must ensure that a system is in
place so that all stakeholders can be reached quickly in the
event of a recall.
4. Empower all employees with accurate information During
a crisis, employees are PR representatives—whether a company wants them to be or not. “Don’t try to control damage
by restricting the flow of information internally,” Bernstein says.
“Be sure every member of your organization is equipped with
the information necessary to represent the situation accurately to anyone who asks.”
|
32
5. Use all available communication channels It is “absolutely
essential,” Bernstein says, for companies to establish notification systems that will allow them to rapidly reach stakeholders
using multiple channels, including phone, email and fax. This
increases the odds that a message will get through. “It’s better
to over-communicate than take the risk that important stakeholders miss the message,” he says.
6. Consider the use of “virtual” incident management There
are a number of Internet-based systems that allow recall team
members to exchange real-time information, access current
communications documents and keep team leaders updated,
even if they are geographically scattered.
7. Identify backups for critical people and systems “Assume
that some recall-related lead personnel will not be available
when you need them,” Bernstein says. “Assume that the computer system where you maintain your stakeholder contact lists
might crash. Assume other similar worst-case scenarios and
make backup plans accordingly.”
8. Make decisions based on protecting the brand, not just
the legal risks The infamous Bridgestone-Firestone tire recall
in 2000 started “far too late because the company’s leadership was considering risks other than the most important
one—the risk of aggravating the court of public opinion,”
Bernstein says.
9. Focus communications A few angry people can make
waves completely disproportionate to their numbers or even
to the injury suffered. The recall process should include an
“escalated cases” team to focus on such complaints.
10. Take responsibility Public backlash over a recall can
occur for two reasons, Bernstein says: Distress that a product is defective and distress over the manner in which the
recall was—or wasn’t—communicated. “You minimize public
backlash by being proactive and transparent,” he says. And
don’t wait for regulating agencies, such as the CPSC (U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission), to get involved before
communicating. “Bureaucratic processes can often delay
how much time passes before distributors and consumers are
notified—a delay which, in worst-case scenarios, can cause
injuries or deaths,” Bernstein says.
n
RESOURCES
U.S. Consumer
Product Safety
Commission
Main site
www.cpsc.gov
To download the
CPSC’s Recall
Handbook
www.cpsc.gov/
businfo/8002.html
CPSC’s consumer
database for reporting
unsafe products
www.saferproducts.gov
Goldberg Segalla
Law firm with offices
in Connecticut, New
Jersey, New York
and Pennsylvania
that specializes in
litigation and serves
as trial attorneys for a
number of Fortune 100
companies.
www.goldberg
segalla.com
The Law Offices of
Joanne Mattiace
Law firm based in
Westbrook, Maine, that
specializes in helping
corporate clients
meet product safety
requirements and
standards.
www.productsafety
law.net
ExpertRECALL
Indianapolis-based
company that helps
businesses manage
the various aspects of
a product recall.
www.expertrecall.com
Lilly Management
Group
Consulting firm based
in St. Charles, Ill., that,
among other things,
helps mattress makers
comply with federal
safety standards.
www.lilly
management.com
|
34
in their program and then resolve those issues,” says Bob
Sabalaskey, Lilly Management Group vice president of
manufacturing and product engineering. “It provides
mattress manufacturers with a ‘real-world’ inspection
experience and the opportunity to assess their FR compliance readiness prior to an inspection by the CPSC.”
As part of that readiness, it’s critical that mattress
manufacturers “keep complete, organized records that
show they meet federal standards,” Sabalaskey says. “And
when they modify a product’s materials or construction,
they need to provide ‘reasonable criteria’ data that demonstrate changes made to that model will not affect FR
performance of that model.”
A company with a consistent, well-designed program
of testing, monitoring and record keeping is in the best
position to deal with any complaints that may arise, Possenti says.
“That company will have the most credibility with the
CPSC and will be in a position to remedy the situation
with minimal impact,” she says. “You may end up recalling just one out of 10 products, say just the queen-size
models, rather than 10 out of 10.”
Unlike toys and other smaller, less expensive
items, a bedding set is a relatively pricey item that’s
typically difficult to fix.
“That makes the cost of a recall higher, since
the product typically has to move quickly out of
the distribution chain and a replacement needs to
be made,” Possenti says. “A mattress also has a long
life span, which means there’s a longer period of
liability.”
In the end, a company with a strong compliance
program will be in the best position to ensure product safety and avoid a possible recall.
As Possenti concludes, “The best-managed recall
is the one that never occurs.” ■
Consumer website bears watching
Companies should monitor reports their about products
W
hile formal recalls of mattresses and foundations are rare, a new government website
launched in 2011 invites any consumers who believe they were harmed by a consumer
product regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to report their complaints for posting on the site.
Required as part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the website,
www.saferproducts.gov, provides a publicly accessible, searchable database of all such incident reports.
Among the consumer product categories listed are mattresses, covers and pillows.
Consumers submitting reports are not required to provide any proof to support the alleged incidents. Instead, consumers are asked to “click” on a button verifying that the information is accurate to
the best of their knowledge. Consumers are asked to disclose their identities to the CPSC, but they can
choose whether the CPSC, in turn, may disclose their identity to the company that made, imported or
sold the product.
Manufacturers, importers and private-labelers mentioned in these reports receive copies of the claims
prior to posting. They then have 10 days to challenge the accuracy of the report, after which time the report
will be posted on saferproducts.gov unless the CPSC finds it contains confidential or inaccurate information. If a decision is made to post the report, it is accompanied by the manufacturer’s written response.
“Producers must be prepared to respond quickly to these notifications,” says Cheryl Possenti, an attorney
with Goldberg Segalla in Buffalo, N.Y. “Otherwise, they risk an untrue or misleading accusation being posted
for all to see.”
Though reported in news media, including BedTimes, many companies are unaware that this database
exists, Possenti says.
“They find out only after a complaint has already been posted and the damage to their image has been
done,” she says.
Possenti says it’s critical that all producers take the time to register on the site so that the CPSC has current contact information in the event of a complaint. Without that information, the CPSC’s notification may
not reach a company in time for it to respond to the complaint prior to its public posting.
The seriousness with which companies treat these claims varies greatly, says attorney David Osterman,
also with Goldberg Segalla.
“Brand-sensitive companies with strong consumer recognition will want to be very engaged so that erroneous claims aren’t put into the public domain,” he says. “And, if the claim is legitimate, it’s important to
file a timely response so that the public knows how you’ve handled the problem and can be assured that it’s
no longer an issue.”
At the very least, companies need to be aware that a report has been received by the CPSC, he says:
“That way, they can consider its merits and decide whether they want to respond or not.”
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News
Natura World files for Investment firm buys Verlo
bankruptcy protection
N
atura World, a producer
of organic and natural
sleep products, has filed
a notice of intent to restructure
its business under the Canadian
Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.
The notice was filed Dec. 27 at
the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy in Canada.
Earlier that month, the Cambridge, Ontario-based company
reached an agreement with
its lender, Callidus Capital of
Toronto, to provide $7.8 million
Canadian ($7.6 million U.S.) in
new financing. Natura World
said that during the restructuring, it expects no disruption
of service to its customers and
that its improved cash position will enable it to improve
relationships with company
stakeholders.
Natura World USA and its
NexGel product group, headquartered in Wichita Falls,
Texas, are not included in the
filing. In October, the company
cut its Texas work force by 26
people and reduced production
to a single shift.
Ralph Rossdeutscher, Natura
president, said the bankruptcy
filing and restructuring were
necessary to enable the company to shed debt it amassed
when it made significant
investments in new products,
equipment and technologies
just prior to the start of the
recession.
Under the plan filed with
the bankruptcy office, Rossdeutscher would maintain a
majority ownership stake in the
company.
“While we have reduced
operating expenses significantly
over the past two years and
our current business run rate
is actually profitable, we could
not fully right the ship and
pay down the debt we amassed
several years ago without going
through this reorganization process,” Rossdeutscher said.
Solstice Sleep Products
expanding in Florida
M
attress, convertible sofa
and futon maker Solstice
Sleep Products has expanded
into South Florida, leasing a
former Spring Air manufacturing facility in Tampa, Fla.
The Columbus, Ohio-based
company currently occupies
90,000 square feet of the
206,900-square-foot facility
and, as of November, had hired
25 employees to begin mattress
production, according to a news
release from the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development
Corp.
The company said it may add
as many as 60 more workers as
it increases production over the
next several months.
South Florida lost 150 mattress manufacturing jobs when
the former Spring Air Co. ceased
operations in 2009.
“Not only was the former
mattress factory well suited to
handle our production requirements, the experienced labor
pool helped us ramp up quickly
and get production under way,”
said Tom Szczurek, Solstice
Sleep chief executive officer.
New faces David Marcus, (left)
president of Milwaukee-based
Marcus Investments, and Chris
Nolte, Verlo Mattress Factory
Stores chief executive officer,
say Verlo franchisees will see
increased support under the
new ownership.
F
amily-owned investment firm Marcus Investments LLC has
acquired franchisor Verlo Mattress Factory Stores from
VyMaC Corp. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Last year, Milwaukee-based Marcus Investments bought
a Verlo franchisee group and its six southeastern Wisconsin
stores out of receivership.
“When we bought the Milwaukee franchisee stores, we
quickly realized what a tremendous organization Verlo was
and we saw the potential to really impact other franchisees
on a broader scale,” said David Marcus, Marcus Investments
president.
The new owners said Verlo franchisees will begin to see
increased support from the parent company and consumers
will see enhancements in customer service and overall in-store
experiences over the coming months.
“Marcus Investments has actively sought investment opportunities with successful organizations that share a passion
for their businesses and a commitment to superior customer
service,” Marcus said. “The Verlo brand is known throughout
the industry as a leader, and the franchise model of selling
customized product on a local level was very appealing to us
because, in many ways, it mirrors how the Marcus Corp. has
achieved success for nearly 70 years.”
Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, part of multifaceted industry
supplier and sleep products producer VyMaC, was founded in
1958 by Dale Williams and Guy Day and has about 40 stores
throughout the United States.
“Verlo needed a transfusion. I believe the new owners can
deliver on that need,” said Dave Young, chief executive officer
and majority owner of VyMaC, which has headquarters in Fort
Atkinson, Wis. “What has been the focus of my entire adult life is
being passed to another. I am entrusting them to steward the
dream beyond where I have taken it. VyMaC will continue to
supply goods to the great Verlo organization as my companies transition into a more focused position. We at VyMaC are
excited about this change. We look forward to the separation
and to growing our other mattress industry businesses.” Verlo headquarters have relocated to Milwaukee from Fort
Atkinson. Chris Nolte will serve as CEO, Thomas Cass as president and Scott Baitinger as chief marketing officer.
39 |
News
Judge grants permanent injunction
against Brooklyn Sleep Products
Bodet & Horst
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|
40
federal judge has granted a default judgment and a permanent injunction ordering Brooklyn,
N.Y.-based Brooklyn Sleep Products Inc. and company President Francisco Chavez to stop
manufacturing, importing, renovating and selling mattresses until they provide evidence that the
company’s mattresses comply with federal flammability laws.
Additionally, U.S. District Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf of the Eastern District of New York
ordered Brooklyn Sleep Products and Chavez to recall all mattresses, mattress sets or mattress
pads sold to consumers that failed federal flammability tests. If the company fails to comply with
the judge’s order, it can face fines of $1,000 per day.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission filed suit against Brooklyn Sleep Products
and Chavez after discovering that the company was selling mattresses that did not comply with
federal flammability standards. The firm committed violations even after it had been preliminarily enjoined from selling mattresses in violation of federal standards, the CPSC said in announcing the judge’s decision on Nov. 10.
“The judgment is a victory for the safety of consumers and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission,” the CPSC said in a new release. Chavez could not be reached for comment.
According to the CPSC, it conducted inspections and collected mattress samples at Brooklyn
Sleep Products’ headquarters facility and at retail stores selling the company’s mattresses in Fall
River, Mass., and Providence, R.I., in 2008. The CPSC also collected a noncompliant mattress
made by Brooklyn Sleep Products at a Newark, N.J., store in 2010. The mattresses failed openflame tests conducted by the CPSC, the agency said.
“Chavez admitted to CPSC inspectors that neither he nor Brooklyn Sleep Products tested
their mattresses and mattress sets as required by law,” according to the news release. “Chavez
failed to respond to numerous court filings against him.”
In September 2008, January 2009 and again in March 2010, the CPSC requested that Brooklyn Sleep Products stop selling and distributing mattresses that failed to comply with federal laws.
“But the firm continued to manufacture, renovate, sell, offer for sale and introduce into commerce mattresses in violation of the federal mattress flammability requirements, putting consumers at risk,” the CPSC said.
Mattresses and mattress sets sold in the United States are required to comply with federal
mattress flammability requirements, 16 CFR Part 1632 (the cigarette-ignition standard) and 16
CFR Part 1633 (the open-flame standard).
SABA opens Dallas distribution center
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Glideaway, Jersey Shore Steel assist flood victims
Mattress industry supplier Glideaway Bed Carriage Co., headquartered in St.
Louis, and rerolled steel producer Jersey Shore Steel in Jersey Shore, Pa., have
supplied 96 mattresses and other products to the American Rescue Workers of
Williamsport, a charitable organization aiding residents of central Pennsylvania devastated by tropical storms Lee and Irene in September. “The mattresses
were intended to provide some help and relief to families who have suffered
from this horrible, unprecedented flooding,” said Ron Fredman, Glideaway
executive vice president.
B+H_Ad_1drittel_Page_02_2012.indd 1
Adhesives supplier SABA North America, headquartered in Kimball, Mich., has
opened a new warehouse in Dallas. The facility will provide more localized
service to customers in the region, the company said. SABA also has distribution centers in its Michigan headquarters and in Atlanta; Commerce, Calif.; and
Toronto. “We made this decision to better serve our customers within this rapidly
expanding region,” said Jim Turner, SABA North America president. “This fits
perfectly within our regionalized distribution strategy and will save our customers money and reduce transit times.”
06.01.2012 14:03:12
News
Jamison consolidates manufacturing
M
attress producer Jamison Bedding will close its Albany,
Ga., manufacturing facility on March 1.
The closure is part of an effort to maximize and consolidate
production at its facility in Gallatin, Tenn., the company said.
Jamison will transition customer deliveries, equipment and raw
materials to its facility there.
“The many measures we took over the past few years to
reduce expenses proved insufficient, especially in the face of
the general economic downturn,” said Frank Gorrell, president of the Franklin, Tenn.-based company. “While the decision to close a factory is never an easy one, we know it’s the
right move for Jamison Bedding. This change will enable us
to operate more efficiently, reinvest in our business and serve
our customers even better.”
Retailers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and southeast
Alabama that received product from the 90,000-square-foot
Albany factory will be served by the Gallatin plant, which is
in relatively close shipping proximity to the Albany facility, the
company said.
“We’re very confident that retailers will experience few, if any,
interruptions in the level and quality of service they’re accustomed to,” Gorrell said.
Comfort Solutions inks
B
edding producer Comfort
Solutions will be the exclusive licensee for the
Dr. Breus Bed, the mattress collection developed
by Michael Breus, a clinical
psychologist, author and sleep
expert.
Breus’ successful eightmodel Dr. Breus Bed program
will be incorporated into
Comfort Solution’s sciencefocused family of brands,
the Willowbrook, Ill.-based
producer said.
“We’re very excited about
our alliance with Dr. Breus
and the consumer’s confidence and trust in his mission,” said Dave Roberts,
Comfort Solutions president
and chief operating officer.
“We recognize his credentials
and expertise in the field of
sleep and his achievements in
developing bedding products
and programs that simultaneously address sleep, health
and life.”
“I have great respect for
the scientific and technological approach that Comfort
Solutions employs in the
design and development of its
products,” Breus said. “We’re
all looking forward to combining our expertise as part of
a shared mission to help the
consumer sleep better.”
The Dr. Breus Bed had
been produced since 2010
under a licensing deal with
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based
International Bedding Corp.,
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|
42
Snap to learn more.
News
which ceased operations at
the end of 2011.
The Dr. Breus Bed line uses
advanced, in-store diagnostics and marketing concepts
that include information and
question-and-answer
sessions led by Breus at
retail stores. It is aimed
at attracting shoppers
and tapping consumers’
natural interest in sleep
issues and better sleep
health.
A fellow of the American Academy of Sleep
Medicine and a diplomat
of the American Board
of Sleep Medicine, Breus
has authored two books
on sleep and health and
serves as the sleep expert
for the website, WebMD. He’s
also a contributing columnist
to The Huffington Post website and appears regularly on
TV shows such as The Today
Show and The Dr. Oz Show.
Gold Bond expands west, south
SHORTS
deal with sleep expert
Since August 2011, mattress manufacturer Gold Bond has
opened 50 new accounts, expanding its sales territory south
and west of the company’s Hartford, Conn., base. “Retailers at
both the Las Vegas Market and High Point Market recognize
that the Gold Bond name is synonymous with high-quality,
value-priced mattresses—two things that are of the utmost
importance to consumers, especially when the economy is in
flux,” said Bob Naboicheck, Gold Bond president. “By expanding our sales force, we’ve been able to give Gold Bond a stronger presence in several new markets.” Retail accounts have
been added in Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, western Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia.
Mathis Brothers to build sleep shop in Oklahoma
Furniture retailer Mathis Brothers plans to build a new sleep
studio in Edmond, Okla., a suburb of Oklahoma City. The
store is expected to open in June. “We’re building something really nice,” Kerry Tramel, president of Mathis Brothers’
Lady Americana mattress division, told The Edmond Sun.
When completed, the 11,800-square-foot store will showcase more than 60 models from brands, including Sealy,
Serta, Detail Comfort, Lady Americana, Tempur-Pedic and
Stearns & Foster.
43 |
Boyd launches Gel Rest
Line extension In addition to Gel Rest gel foam mattresses,
Boyd Specialty Sleep is offering three mattress toppers featuring
its Micro Tec Gel.
B
oyd Specialty Sleep has
introduced Gel Rest, a gelinfused memory foam mattress
line. The four-bed collection began shipping in mid-December.
With suggested retail prices
from $799 to $1,299 in queen
size, Gel Rest is aimed at giving
retailers “outstanding quality
and comfort, patent-pending
features and great visual appeal
at value price points that satisfy
the middle market,” said Dennis Boyd, president of the St.
Louis-based company. “It fills
a gap that exists in the market
FR Materials (Fire Retardant)
Barrier / Filler Cloth / Thread
Quilt Backing
Filler Cloth
Flange
Mattress Bags
Staples & HogRings
Insulator Pads
Threads
Adhesives
Ticking
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Warehouse / Showroom
Miami, FL 33166
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|
44
between higher- and lowerpriced memory foam or gel
foam offerings.”
Patent-pending features
differentiate the beds from
competing gel foam products,
according to the company. Each
model uses up to 3 inches of
Micro Tec Gel, the company’s
exclusive open-cell memory
foam. The gel layer features
Stay Cool channel venting in
three zones, a patent-pending
design that increases air flow
through the bed.
Gel Rest beds, which range
from 8 inches to 13 inches high,
can be shipped via overnight
delivery service.
The company also is offering
Gel Rest toppers in 2-, 3- and
4-inch thicknesses. They have
suggested retail prices of $99 to
$299 in queen size.
SHORT
News
Comfort Solutions
remodels Vegas space
Willowbrook, Ill.-based
licensing group Comfort
Solutions has redone its
showroom in the Las Vegas Market’s World Market
Center to highlight its new
Never Stop Dreaming
brand identity. The sleek
space blends new technologies, media and materials to better showcase
market introductions. Also
included are stations for
sleep education, product
training and discussion.
The lobby—dedicated to
the Never Stop Dreaming
message—features
a giant video screen,
sofa seating and other
amenities.
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News
Denver Mattress and RV supplier partner
D
enver-based mattress manufacturer and retailer Denver
Mattress has signed a distribution
deal with Dehco Inc., an Elkhart,
Ind.-based supplier to the recreational vehicle industry.
“Denver Mattress has a longstanding tradition of providing
quality sleep products at a reasonable price,” said Steve Papandrea,
Dehco executive vice president of
sales. “A good night’s sleep starts
with a good mattress. RV owners
expect to return from their vacation fully relaxed and re-energized
and this can’t happen when
they are sleeping on some of the
inferior products currently being
shipped with new RVs. With this
new line of RV mattresses from
Denver Mattress and Dehco,
RVers can now receive a top-
quality sleep product and feel
completely at home on the road.”
Denver Mattress’ collec-
tion of RV mattresses includes
polyurethane foam beds with
bio-based content, as well as
innerspring models. They are
made by the company’s hospitality division. Denver Mattress is
part of the Furniture Row family
of companies.
GSG quilter makes U.S. debut
Q
uilting equipment supplier Gribetz International, part of Leggett & Platt’s Global Systems
Group in Sunrise, Fla., will debut its V16 mattress quilter at ISPA EXPO 2012, held March
14-17 in Indianapolis. It will be the machine’s first U.S. appearance.
Gribetz called the V16 “the newest, fastest quilter in the industry” and said the machine
was well received by the international market when it was introduced at Interzum Cologne
in Cologne, Germany, last year. The V16 can quilt continuous or tack-and-jump patterns
at 1,600 rpm.
Also at EXPO, the company’s Porter International brand will introduce new systems that
have been designed to improve production efficiency when creating mattress designs that
include zippers, handles, specialty borders and other features.
GSG partner Merello will demonstrate its new wrapper for the first time in the United States.
The ME105 can package as many as five mattress units per minute.
The V16, ME105 and other machines will be exhibited in Booth 2433 in the Indiana Convention Center.
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45
|
News
CertiPUR-US launches consumer website
C
ertiPUR-US, a foam
certification program, has
created a new website,
www.certipur.us, aimed at
consumers with health and
safety concerns about bedding and upholstery materials.
The site also provides a list of
companies that offer products
containing certified flexible
polyurethane foam, as well as
resources for furniture and
mattress industry manufacturers and suppliers.
The new site is the first
step in a marketing campaign
to educate consumers about
the benefits of CertiPUR-UScertified flexible polyurethane
foams and to drive demand for
certified products.
“Mattress and furniture
shoppers want to know where
to find products containing
certified foams and the website
was designed to make that easier,” said Doug Sullivan, executive director of the Alliance for
Flexible Polyurethane Foam,
the organization that manages
the certification program. “Being able to verify that the foam
in your products is certified is
also a powerful selling tool for
manufacturers and retailers.”
Sullivan said he has seen
a surge in calls and emails
from consumers looking for
foam products that carry the
CertiPUR-US seal and from
companies in the furniture and
mattress industries that want
to promote their participation in the program. The seal
validates that flexible polyurethanes for use in mattresses
and upholstered furniture
meet certain environmental,
Gold Bond earns CertiPUR-US seal
SHORT
Mattress manufacturer Gold Bond, based in Hartford, Conn., is now including CertiPUR-US
certified flexible polyurethane foams in its Cool Response Gel collection. The beds are part
of the company’s U.S.-made EcoSense line of specialty sleep mattresses. “As more and
more consumers become environmentally conscious, the materials used in the products
they buy become equally as important,” said Bob Naboicheck, Gold Bond president. “The
CertiPUR-US seal offers consumers looking for eco-friendly sleep products the confidence
of knowing that some of the components used to make the collection are not only cooling
and comfortable but have passed strict environmental, health and safety standards.”
health, safety and performance
guidelines.
Details of the steps required
in the certification process
are available in the industry
sections of the website. The
resource also makes it easier
for manufacturers and retailers
to find participating foam suppliers and to review registration documents. The program
is open to domestic and foreign
producers of flexible polyurethane foam.
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|
46
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News
Protect-A-Bed relocates
to larger headquarters
P
rotect-A-Bed, a provider of bedding protection products, has
moved its U.S. headquarters to a new office and warehouse facility in Wheeling, Ill.
The new facility includes 20,000 square feet of office space and
a 200,000-square-foot warehouse. Since 2008, the company had occupied a 31,000-square-foot facility in Northbrook, Ill.
“Our company is quickly expanding, so we have moved to a much
larger space to accommodate our growing customer needs,” said
James Bell, Protect-A-Bed chief executive officer. “Protect-A-Bed is on
track to grow 35% over 2010. Our new facility will help perpetuate
our continual growth pattern and poise us for accelerated growth.”
In addition to the Wheeling headquarters, Protect-A-Bed maintains a sales office in Philadelphia and product showrooms in Chicago, Las Vegas and New York City.
Pure LatexBLISS redesigns website
A
tlanta-based Pure LatexBLISS has revamped its
website, www.latexbliss.com. The tablet- and smart
phone-friendly site uses a combination of video and other
online tools to educate on-the-go consumers about the
company’s latex mattresses, pillows and toppers.
“Our brand strategy has evolved to preselling consumers as
they canvas the Internet in their search for the perfect mattress,” said Kurt Ling, Pure LatexBLISS co-founder and chief
executive officer. “The company’s vision is to make selecting a
mattress and pillow simple, easy and fun. We aim to help them
get answers that are easy to understand. With the new website,
retailers have a place to send customers to teach them about
Pure LatexBLISS mattresses and pillows in a straightforward, fun
and informative way.”
The site is designed to appeal to both women and men.
“Men and women experience different thought processes
when shopping,” Ling said. “Women respond to emotional cues
and language while men prefer more rational information.
Avoiding industry jargon, our website will feature compelling,
unambiguous content demonstrating how our mattresses and
pillows contributes to a better night’s sleep.” The site will be
updated frequently with content for consumers and retailers.
47 |
News
Duxiana redresses beds for 2012
D
uxiana, an ultrapremium mattress and
sleep accessories producer
based in Trelleborg, Sweden,
and with U.S. headquarters
in New York, has redesigned
its DUX Bed for Life collection
with coordinating store decor
and point-of-sale materials.
The collection is sold
internationally at exclusive
DUX sleep shops, 28 of which
are in North America.
Security-minded The top model in the DUX Bed for Life
The handmade four-bed
collection includes a safety compartment and comes
line features new chocolate
with a fire extinguisher.
brown upholstery. Suggested
retail prices range from $3,405 to $11,970 for a queen set.
In addition to adjustable lumbar support, the top bed in the collection now has a security
compartment for storing valuables and comes equipped with a portable fire extinguisher. The
top two models in the group have six zones of interchangeable, innerspring “cassettes”—the
Pascal Comfort Zone System allows two sleepers to adjust their side of the bed to their liking.
|
48
Innovative Mattress
buys retail chain
I
nnovative Mattress Solutions
in Winfield, W. Va., the parent
company of sleep shop chains Mattress Warehouse and Sleep Outfitters, has purchased Mattresses
Unlimited, in Nashville, Tenn.
The acquisition includes 16
stores and two distribution centers
in the Louisville, Ky., and Nashville
markets. This is the retailer’s first
entry into Tennessee and gives it
a total of 120 stores in five states,
including Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio
and West Virginia.
“We are very pleased to expand
our company’s presence in the
Louisville market, my hometown,
and the opportunity to enter the
Nashville market is particularly exciting,” said Kim Knopf, Innovative
Mattress Solutions chief executive
officer.
News
SHORT
Fabrictech expanding
Fabrictech International,
a bedding protection
supplier based in Cedar
Grove, N.J., added more
than 400 stores in the
fourth quarter of 2011.
The company attributed
its expansion to successful merchandising and
retailer incentives, along
with new product offerings
and improved product
performance. Recent
growth also has been
driven by the introduction
of OmniGuard Advance
protectors, partnership
with the National Sleep
Foundation and the development of the PureCare
Plush Antibacterial Silver
pillow line, the company
said.
Wright of Thomasville harnesses solar energy
G
raphic design and marketing services provider Wright
of Thomasville has completed a
major solar panel installation at its
headquarters in Thomasville, N.C.
The 364 panels are connected
directly to the power grid at Duke
Energy Corp., the power company
serving central North Carolina.
The panels generate about 83.72
kilowatts of energy, which Duke
Energy credits back to Wright,
essentially cancelling out Wright’s
electric bill. The company also received state and federal tax credits
for the installation.
“Our company has always
been committed to environmental
stewardship—be it through the
inks we use or the recycling of
production materials,” said Greg
Wright, Wright of Thomasville
president and chief executive
Let the sun shine The new solar panels at Wright of Thomasville’s
facility in Thomasville, N.C., produce more than 83 kilowatts
of energy.
officer. “We are now happy to add
energy conservation to this list.
The decision to install solar panels
seemed like a natural progression in reducing our carbon
footprint and advancing our
environmental mission.”
To illustrate its harnessing of
solar power, the company has
added a power-generating meter
to its website and in the facility’s
lobby.
49 |
Networking
education
to the
innovation
mattress industry!
Meet mattress industry suppliers from around the world
See the latest machinery, products, supplies and services
Build relationships and make business connections
Stay on top of industry trends and news
Special Events!
International Reception
Tuesday, March 13, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Sponsored by Flexible Foam Products, Inc. A reception exclusively
for international attendees the evening before the show floor opens!
Welcome Reception
Wednesday, March 14, 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Sponsored by Atlanta Attachment Co. Enjoy food, drinks and
fun socializing at this entertaining and interactive opening event!
ISPA Industry Breakfast
Friday, March 16, 7:45am – 10:00am
Featuring Keynote Alan Hobson, Mt. Everest
climber, world adventurer, best-selling author,
and cancer survivor.
march 14-17
The only trade show in the world devoted
exclusively to the mattress industry.
register today! www.ispaexpo.com
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
2012
Feburary 2012 BedTimes
51 |
First class educational sessions
will help you stay on top
of the latest trends!
Wednesday, March 14
Tuesday, March 13
Pre-Conference Seminar for International Attendees
The World Mattress Industry: An Overview
and the Latest Trends, 3:30 – 5:00
pm
pm
Speakers:
n Alessandra Tracogna, Director, Country Analysis and
Forecasts Unit, CSIL Centre for Industrial Studies
n Mark Rupe, Senior Analyst for Consumer Durables,
Longbow Research
n Representatives of the Better Sleep Council (BSC)
Designed especially for our international guests, this
session will give you a comprehensive view of the current
state of the international mattress market from several perspectives. The session will begin with the numbers, including a summary of the latest CSIL report covering mattress
production, consumption and international trade from CSIL’s
director of the country analysis and forecast unit. You will
then hear from Mark Rupe, a senior analyst with Longbow
Research, who has more than 10 years of experience in
covering the consumer goods and services sector. Mark will
discuss the mid and long-term consumer trends in the U.S.
and global markets, and the impact the recession and changing demographics have on the mattress replacement cycle.
Representatives of the Better Sleep Council (BSC) will then
help you understand how to apply this information, as well
as the results of the BSC’s research and other tools to your
own market messaging.
This session will be immediately followed by an
INTERNATIONAL RECEPTION — your exclusive opportunity to
network with colleagues and make valuable business connections with exhibitors and other attendees.
RegistRation foR this session is limited to inteRnational attendees,
and is pResented in english.
Most sessions are free for ISPA members!
Register online today at www.ISPAEXPO.com
|
52
Leveraging Key Benchmarking Tools to
Improve Your Bottom Line! 3:00 – 3:45
pm
pm
Speaker: Thomas Noon, Principal, Industry Insights, Inc.
How does your company measure up compared to your peers
and how can you best plan for the future? ISPA’s Mattress
Industry Wage and Cost Surveys (covering the U.S. and
Canadian markets) can help! Both exclusive surveys, available
only to ISPA members, provide a treasure trove of industryspecific data designed to help you understand how you stack
up against your competitors and help you make better business
decisions. Tom Noon, co-founder and principal of Industry
Insights, Inc., the consulting and research firm that compiles
ISPA’s surveys, will bring these numbers to life so you can you
interpret and leverage the results while gaining insights into
your own operations. All session participants will receive valuable
executive summaries of the most recent surveys.
Thursday, March 15
What Motivates Women to Buy?
Insights into How to Influence Women to Purchase
and Build Loyalty with Your Brand, 7:45am – 9:00am
Speaker: Delia Passi, CEO, Medelia, Inc.
Women make or influence the vast majority of all consumer
purchases, including mattresses. Marketing messages are
important, but they only go so far in closing sales and creating
loyalty with female customers. In this engaging session, you’ll
hear from Delia Passi, the nation’s leading authority on selling
to women and CEO of a successful training, consulting,
and research firm. Her WomenCertified® series of training
programs are based on more than a decade of research and
experience in understanding what motivates women to buy.
You’ll also be the first to hear the results of a survey of 5,000
female consumers that will be conducted exclusively for this
event. Hear Delia’s findings about what influences women to
purchase one brand over another!
The Importance of Selling Sleep, 11:00
– 12:00pm
am
Moderator: Cindy Williams, VP of Client Services, InfoRetail
Panelists: n Karrie Forbes, VP Marketing, Mattress Firm
n Pete Bils, VP, Sleep Innovation, Select Comfort
A mattress is more than just a commodity; it is an integral
part of overall health and well-being. Find out how simply
focusing on the importance of a good night’s rest can help
educate consumers and sell more mattresses! In this interactive panel discussion, you’ll hear how you and your retailers
can successfully engage customers by using sleep, rather than
price, as the main discussion. Learn about statistics that show
that more and better mattresses and accessories are sold
when sales associates use this messaging. Also hear about the
latest efforts of the Better Sleep Council to support you in
correlating quality sleep to the purchase of a new mattress.
Come armed with your questions for our panelists!
Succeeding in the Chinese Market –
Opportunities and Obstacles, 3:00 – 3:45
pm
pm
Speaker: Jeff Holmes, President & CEO, J. Holmes, LLC
With an exploding middle class the demand for goods in
China is growing rapidly. This offers many opportunities
for mattress manufacturers, but entering this market
also presents challenges and pitfalls. Jeff Holmes, former
president and CEO of several of the largest U.S. furniture
and bedding manufacturers/importers, and now consultant
for manufacturers of interior furnishings, will discuss his
insights on selling consumer goods in China. You’ll learn:
• What is the Chinese consumer looking for?
• How demographics, a rising standard of living and
politics are driving Chinese consumption patterns
• The dos and don’ts of exporting and strategic issues to
consider when establishing your presence in China
Hear what it takes to succeed in this and other growing Asian
markets!
There’s lots of exhibit hall space to cover at ISPA
EXPO, so come with your colleagues so you can
gather information, then share and compare!
Friday, March 16
The Future of Mattress Recycling, 11:00
am
– 11:45am
Moderator: Ryan Trainer, President, ISPA
Panelists: n Mary Sharkey, Sales and Production Manager,
St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County
n Pascal Cohen, President, Recyc-Mattresses Inc/
Recyc-Matelas Inc.
A growing number of consumers and local governments are
concerned about what happens to discarded mattresses. In
response, more companies are dismantling used mattresses
and selling the steel, foam and other materials they contain
for use in manufacturing other products. At the same time,
some states are considering whether to enact so-called
Extended Producer Responsibility rules, which would make
manufacturers legally responsible for collecting and recycling
all used mattresses discarded in their states. While many agree
that increased recycling of used mattress components would
be good for the environment and the industry’s image, how
best to accomplish that goal is unclear. Hear two seasoned
recyclers as they share their insights on trends likely to affect
mattress recycling, and discuss best practices they have
developed to be more efficient and to attract a steady supply
of used products. ISPA staff will also discuss the status of
pending legislation.
Register online today at WWW.ISPAEXPO.COM
Learn more about the city at WWW.ISPAEXPO.COM/HOSTCITY.HTML
schedule subject to change. photogRaphy and videotaping is stRictly pRohibited on the exhibit flooR. audiotaping and videotaping of ispa educational sessions is
not peRmitted. official photos and video taken at the event aRe the pRopeRty of ispa and may be used in futuRe pRomotion and on ispa’s social media sites.
indianapolis, indiana
has it all!
ispa expo 2012 will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, a
convenient, centrally-located city. Accessible by all modes of transportation,
downtown Indianapolis is easy to get to and the convention center is just 15
minutes from the international airport.
The Convention Center is connected to major hotels, restaurants, and
attractions via enclosed skywalks. The appealing and compact downtown
area features public art and gardens, fine dining, shops, and entertainment.
And in a city that built its reputation on sports both amateur and professional, you’ll almost always find some sort of competition going on. Indy
is the perfect place for business and pleasure!
Feburary 2012 BedTimes
53 |
Book Your Stay at One of the Following
Official ISPA EXPO Hotels
OFFICIAL HOUSING RESERVATION FORM • HOTEL RESERVATION DEADLINE FEBRUARy 15, 2012
Low
rates!
Hotel Reservation Deadline: February
15, 2012
ISPA ExPO
2012
March 14-17, 2012
There’s still time to take advantage
of special low rates negotiated
with the following hotels, Indianapolis,
located within
walking distance of the
IN
Indiana Convention Center.
our Ways to Book
1 MARRIOTT INDIANAPOLIS DOWNTOWN (Co-Headquarters Hotel)
www.ispaexpo.com
350 West Maryland Street [email protected]
Official Hotels &Indianapolis,
Rates
Indiana 46225
$195 Single/Double
(800) 220 5918 US Toll-free
(312) 527 7300 Local
(312) 329 9513 Fax
Map
The lowest available room rates at event hotels have been specially negotiated.
Other booking channels are continuously monitored to track down rival rates.
Event rates are re-negotiated when necessary and the lower rates are applied to
already-booked rooms.
2 WESTIN INDIANAPOLIS (Co-Headquarters Hotel)
50 South Capitol Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Headquarters Hotels
. Marriott Indianapolis
$188Downtown
Single/Double
350 W Maryland St
Single/Double: $195
3 COMFORT SUITES CITY CENTER
2. Westin Indianapolis
515 South West Street
SOLD OUT
50 S Capitol Ave
Single/Double: $188
4
1
2
6
3. Comfort Suites City Centre
515 S West St
Single/Double: $108
4 COURTYARD INDIANAPOLIS DOWNTOWN
5
601 West Washington Street
$154 Single/Double
4. Courtyard Indianapolis Downtown
601 W Washington St
Single/Double: $154
5. Crowne Plaza Union Station
123 W Louisiana St
Single/Double: $149
5 CROWN PLAzA UNION STATION
123 West Louisiana Street
$149 Single/Double
6. Hampton Inn Downtown
7
3
105 S Meridian St
Single/Double: $125
7. Staybridge Suites City Centre
535 S West St
Single/Double: $108
6 HAMPTON INN DOWNTOWN
105 S. Meridian
Street Indianapolis, IN 46225
Hotel Extras
SOLD OUT
Rates do not include current tax of 17% or applicable surcharges, subject to change.
Save even more money by booking an official hotel.
7 STAYBRIDgE SUITES CITY CENTER
Continental Breakfast
535 South West Street
Wireless Internet Access
SOLD OUT
Internet Access
Hot Breakfast
|
54
Book online today and you could win a
free night’s stay during the ISPA EXPO!
Map used to indicate approximate locations only.
Book
Now
Use our online system to simplify your group/block
booking and reserve your rooms in real-time with an
immediate confirmation. Log on to www.ispaexpo.com
and look for the housing link.
Come See the Future of the Mattress
ISPA 2012 | MARCH 14-17 | BOOTH 901
It’s What’s Next. Now.™ by Springs Creative.
www.springscreative.com • 803-324-6505
mattress industry!
to the
schedule at a glance
ispa expo 2012
event sponsors
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
8:00am – 5:00pm
3:30pm – 5:00pm
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Registration Open
Pre-Conference Seminar: The World Mattress Industry: An Overview and the Latest Trends
International Reception
Wednesday, 14 March 14, 2012
7:00am
8:00am
9:00am
3:00pm
5:00pm
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5:00pm
9:00am
5:00pm
3:45pm
6:30pm
Registration Open
ISPA Women’s Network Breakfast
ISPA EXPO Exhibit Hall Open
Leveraging Key Benchmarking Tools to Improve Your Bottom Line!
WELCOME RECEPTION, featuring the Insomniaczzz
Thursday, March 15, 2012
7:00am
7:45am
9:00am
11:00am
3:00pm
5:00pm
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–
5:00pm
9:00am
5:00pm
12:00pm
3:45pm
7:00pm
Registration Open
What Motivates Women to Buy?
The Importance of Selling Sleep
Succeeding in the Chinese Market – Opportunities and Obstacles
Private Exhibitor Appointments
Friday, March 16, 2012
7:00am – 5:00pm
7:45am – 10:00am
10:00am – 5:00pm
11:00am – 11:45am
5:00pm – 7:00pm
Registration Open
Industry Breakfast featuring Alan Hobson – “Redefine the Possible”
(included with your EXPO attendee registration)
The Future of Mattress Recycling
Private Exhibitor Appointments
Saturday, March 17, 2012
8:30am – 10:00am
9:00am – 12:00pm
Registration Open
Follow EXPO on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to receive the latest updates!
www.sleepproducts.org
|
56
schedule subject to change.
The new foam for mattress relaxing the man
without stressing the nature.
ISPA EXPO 2012
March 14-17, 2012
Indianapolis, IN USA
BOOTH - 1701
Via A. Colombo, 60 21055 Gorla Minore (VA) Italy
E-mail: [email protected] - www.orsafoam.it www.bbfoam.it
expo
2012
exhibiting companies*
A. Lava & Son Co.
Adfast Corp.
Advance Fiber Technologies Corp/AFT
AEC Narrow Fabrics
American & Efird, Inc.
American Nonwovens Inc.
Apropa USA
Aquila Textiles, Inc.
Ateja Tritunggal
Balcan Plastics-First Film Extruding
Baumer of America
Bechik Products, Inc.
Bekaert Textiles
Black Bros. Co.
BLR Lumber
Bo-Buck Mills, Inc.
Bodet & Horst GmbH & Co. KG
BoMei Tex Ltd.
Boyd Specialty Sleep
BRK Group, LLC
Bruin Plastics Company Inc.
Burgess-Built Machinery Ltd.
C.J. Hodder Lumber Company
Carpenter Co.
Changshu DAFA Warp
Knitting Co., Ltd.
ChemTick Coated Fabrics, Inc.
Coats North America
Costa International
Cranston Trucking and Logistics
Services
Creative Ticking
CT Nassau Tape - Ticking
Culp Home Fashions
D.R. Cash Inc
Deslee Textiles USA
Diamond Needle Corporation
DMM Bedframe Lumber
Duncan Tickings, Inc.
Dunlap Sunbrand Int.
DBA Jumpsource
Earnhardt Manufacturing, LLC
East Grace Corporation
Eclipse Sleep Products/Eastman
House Sleep Products
Edgewater Machine Co., Inc.
|
58
Enkev Group BV
Enriquez Materials & Quilting, Inc.
Entex Textil S. L.
Ergomotion, Inc.
FabricTech International
Farnsworth Logistics, Inc.
Fecken-Kirfel America
Fine Cotton Factory, Inc.
Flex-A-Bed
Flexible Foam Products, Inc.
FMA Trading LLC
Foam Solutions, Inc.
Foshan Qianfang Home
Supplies Co., Ltd.
Foshan Ruixin Nonwoven Co., Ltd.
GelMakers LLC
Global Latex
Global Systems Group
gommagomma s.p.a.
Guangzhou Xinsheng
Industrial Co.,Ltd.
Hangzhou Chenyu Textile Co.,Ltd.
Hangzhou Dongya Textile Co. Ltd.
Hangzhou Landscape Imp.& Exp.
Co. Ltd.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan Lianhong
Polyester Textile Co
Hangzhou Xiaoshan Meixin
Decorative Fabric Plant
Hangzhou Xiashan DanDan Textile
Hangzhou Xinyada Fabric Co., Ltd
Harvard Manufacturing
Enterprises, Inc.
Healthcare Co., Ltd.
Henkel Corporation
Herculite Products, Inc.
Hickory Springs Mfg.
Hot Melt Technologies, Inc.
IDEAL Fastener Corporation
Industrias Marves S.A. de C.V.
Innofa
Integrity Software Solutions
Intertek
Interwoven Group
Jacquard Textile South America S.A.
James Cash Machine Company
Jayhawk Plastics, Inc.
Jiangsu Dreamerry Mattress
Manufacturing LTD
John Marshall & Company LTD
Jomel Industries, Inc
Jones Fiber Products, Inc.
JSP New Market Development Group
Knickerbocker Bed Company
Komar Alliance LLC
Ko-SI d.d.
Lampe USA Inc.
Latex Green (Private) Ltd.
Latex International
Latex Systems Co Ltd.
Latexco LLC
Lava
Leggett & Platt Bedding
Components Group
Leigh Fibers, Inc.
Lenzing
Liberty Threads, N.A., Inc.
Lonza Microbial Control
Lucerne Textiles Inc.
Macao Com. & Ind. Spring
Mattress Manufacturer
Maklada Spring Wire
Markwell Florida
Masias Maquinaria, S. L.
Matsushita Industrial Co., Ltd.
Matt Tech Inspections Inc.
Maxime Knitting Mills Inc.
Middleburg Yarn Inc.
MidWest Nonwovens
Milliken & Company
Monks International NV
Ningbo New Haiyan Belt
Industry Co. Ltd
OHM Systems Inc.
Orsa Foam SPA
P. Bjerre Inc.
Pacific Spring Inc.
Plastic Monofil Company
Power Springs LLC
Pratrivero Group
Precision Blades Inc.
Precision Fabrics Group
Precision Textiles
QAI Laboratories
Qingdao Richriver Electrics Co., Ltd.
Response Computer Group, Inc.
Rock Island Industries
SABA North America
Shaoxing Huajian Mattress
Machinery
Simalfa
Simmons Engineering Corporation
Soff-Art
Spec-Tex, Inc.
Springs Creative Products Group
Spuhl AG
Stein Fibers Ltd.
Stork Twin City Testing
Sunkist Chemical Machinery Ltd.
Tekscan Inc.
Texas Pocket Springs
The Govmark Testing Services Inc.
Therapedic International
Tietex
TMI Products, Inc.
Transfer Master Products, Inc.
Uni-Source Textile
Upaco Adhesives
Veysel Kutuklu Mattresses Machinery
Viking Engineering
Vintex Inc
VMOD Fibers LLC
Westech Building Products ULC
(Westlake)
Wm. T. Burnett
Wright of Thomasville
Xidengbao Mattress Machinery
(Guangzhou)Co., Limited
Xsensor Technology Corp.
Z Wood Products Co Inc
register for
ispa expo By
feBruary 22
aNd save!
*as of January 3, 2012
QUALITY BEDFRAME LUMBER MANUFACTURER
Please stop by Bois Le Roux’s booth # 1443 during ISPA EXPO 2012 in Indianapolis
March 14-17. You are welcome to meet our team to discuss what BLR can do for
you regarding your lumber needs.
Our FSC certified wood is another added value to our bedframe lumber
and our company
• Rigid, lightweight, resistant products providing better support that extends
• Deal closely with the mill.
• Two separate production lines for more versatility and greater productivity.
Bois Le Roux Inc.
www.blrlumber.com
Phone: 819-877-2092
Toll Free from USA: 888-877-2098
Email: [email protected]
Newsmakers
Sealy CEO Rogers to step down
L
arry Rogers, president and chief executive officer of mattress major Sealy, is retiring after a 33-year career with
the Trinity, N.C.-based company.
Rogers, 63, will continue to lead Sealy until his successor is
appointed. The company has hired an executive search firm.
“On behalf of the board and everyone at Sealy, I would like
to thank Larry not only for his leadership, but also for the dedication and commitment that he has given to Sealy for more
than 30 years,” said Paul J. Norris, nonexecutive chairman of
the Sealy board of directors. “During his tenure as CEO, he
has guided the company through some of the most tumultuous times that we have seen in both the industry and the U.S.
economy, while advancing Sealy’s status as the pre-eminent
mattress company in the world. We appreciate his countless
contributions over the years.”
Before being named president and CEO in 2008, Rogers
held various positions in the company, including president
of Sealy North America, president of Sealy International and
president of Sealy Canada.
Rogers is credited with building Sealy’s international business and forging relationships, including those in the retail and
supplier communities, throughout the global bedding industry. He played a critical role in entering the Chinese market,
establishing a joint-venture system in Asia and building the
company’s first plant in China. He also led the company’s
entry into South America. More recently as CEO, Rogers guided Sealy through the
most significant decline ever experienced by the bedding
industry, stabilizing the business and leading the successful
refinancing of the company in 2009, according to the company. He also focused employees on delivering innovative
new product offerings, including a revamping of the Stearns &
Foster line.
“After more than three decades at Sealy, I have decided
that the time is right for me to retire, knowing that I will leave a
company that is well-positioned, despite the ongoing difficulties in the macroeconomic environment,” Rogers said. “I am
proud to have been a part of this great company and to have
played a role in Sealy’s expansion across the U.S. and
worldwide.”
Simmons promotes specialty products execs
A
The promotions
reflect Simmons’
commitment to
advancing its
position in the
specialty category.
tlanta-based mattress
producer Simmons Bedding Co. has promoted Brad
Hill to senior vice president
and general manager of
specialty products North
America and Scott Smalling
to chief of specialty innovation. Both report to Gary
Fazio, Simmons chief executive officer.
The promotions reflect
Simmons’ commitment to advancing its position
in the specialty category, the company said.
Hill is responsible for creating consumer
demand, elevating brand awareness, and driving the growth and profitability of the specialty
category. He has 25 years of industry experience, most
recently serving as senior vice president of sales
operations and development in the Program
Management Office for Simmons’ parent, AOT
Bedding Super Holdings LLC. Hill joined Simmons in 2005 as senior vice president of supply
chain. “Brad has been a valuable asset to Simmons
and our parent company, AOT Bedding,” Fazio
said. “Over the years, he has been responsible for
developing our entire sales operations process,
which includes a formalization of the robust ana-
lytics capabilities that we rely
on today. His expertise in operational excellence is perfectly
suited for taking our specialty
sleep division to the next level
as we experience tremendous
growth in the category.” Smalling’s new role as chief
of specialty innovation allows
him to focus more closely on
the innovation and development of new foam specialty
products, the company said. In addition to his
technical work, he continues to serve as a brand
ambassador, dedicating a portion of his time to
promotional efforts. Smalling joined Simmons in 2007 as president of specialty sleep after Simmons acquired
Comfor Products Inc., where Smalling served as
CEO. At Comfor Products, he created a line of
foam bedding products that evolved into Simmons’ ComforPedic brand.
“Scott’s knowledge of the foam category and
his passion for the product is legendary in the industry,” Fazio said. “Scott really has his finger on
the pulse of foam technology and what consumers want, and we look forward to him having the
ability and resources to focus on innovations that
will lead Simmons to become a formidable player
in the specialty category.”
Paramount Sleep
expands sales group
with two ‘elevators’
M
attress producer
Paramount Sleep in
Norfolk, Va., has added
two “business elevators”
to its sales team serving
the Southeastern United
States.
Jim Vaughn was added
to work with Paramount
customers in North Carolina and South Carolina.
He is a sales veteran with
more than three decades
of experience in the home
furnishings industry, managing key and national
accounts at Klaussner
Furniture Industries and
Broyhill Furniture.
Aimee Matlock was
hired to work with Paramount dealers in Florida
and southern Georgia.
Previously, Matlock was a
territory sales manager
for Sealy.
61 |
Newsmakers
Pure LatexBLISS adds
director of operations
M
ike Quinn has been named director of
operations at Atlanta-based latex mattress
and accessories maker Pure LatexBLISS. In the
newly created position, he oversees all manufacturing and distribution for the company.
For the past 13 years, Quinn has held a
number of positions at Shelton, Conn.-based
Latex International, the new majority owner of
Mike Quinn
Pure LatexBLISS. Most recently, he was director of operations for its largest latex factory. He
joined the company as a lab technician as part of his degree program
at Northwestern University.
“As our production needs and distribution continue to grow at a
brisk pace, we felt it was time to have a dedicated operations leader
for our organization,” said Kurt Ling, Pure LatexBLISS co-founder
and chief executive officer. “Our expanded relationship with Latex International presented us with an unprecedented opportunity to find a
seasoned executive in-house to move into this key role for us.”
Quinn is based in Connecticut and reports to Tom Sirois, Latex
International chief operating officer.
Boyd hires sales vice president
M
attress producer Boyd Specialty
Sleep, with headquarters in St.
Louis, has appointed Dirk Smith
vice president of sales for the Southwest
region.
Smith, based in Dallas, is responsible
for sales and sales development for Boyd
Specialty Sleep and the company’s Accent
Furniture division in 10 Southern states. He
Dirk Smith
reports to President Dennis Boyd.
Before joining Boyd, Smith was with Sealy for 16 years,
holding posts in district sales management and field sales
before serving as senior national account manager. Prior to
that, he worked in food sales and distribution for Campbell
Soup Co.
“Dirk has a solid record of mattress sales, sales management and marketing performance involving a number of key
retailers and chains, including national accounts,” Boyd said.
“His proven industry expertise in the South will be very valuable to our continued development of the Southwest region
and to the growth of our companies overall.”
Furniture First names directors for mattresses, accessories
F
urniture First, a purchasing
cooperative of U.S. furniture
retailers headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., has named Andrew
Kauffman director of mattresses
and Shauna Snyder director of
accents and accessories.
Kauffman has more than
20 years of experience in the
furniture and mattress industries. Most recently, he was operations manager and assistant
buyer for a furniture retailer.
He joined that company as sales
manager and helped institute
sales training guides for mattresses and upholstery. Prior to
that, he was store manager and
sales manager at a sleep shop
chain in Pennsylvania. He began his home furnishings career
delivering mattresses.
“Andrew brings a working
knowledge of the day-to-day
challenges that independent
furniture retailers face in this
tough economy,” said Bill Hart|
62
man, Furniture First president.
“His knowledge of mattresses
and sales will be a great resource for our members.”
Snyder joined Furniture
First as director of accents and
accessories, a newly created
position. She is responsible for
creating, managing and improving Furniture First’s supplier
program relationships. She
previously held positions with
furniture retailers Art Van and
Storehouse, as well as rug vendors Rizzy Home and Surya.
Englander honors two factories
M
attress licensing group Englander Sleep Products, based in Olive Branch, Miss., held
an awards presentation during its Dec. 8 board of directors meeting in Rome, Ga.
The presentation and board meeting are annual events held at a different Englander
licensee each year and include a review of the host plant’s best manufacturing practices.
Kevin Toman, Englander president, presided over the awards ceremony.
Mark Savel, general manager of Englander Northeast in North Billerica, Mass., accepted the Manufacturing Excellence Award.
The criteria for manufacturing excellence are based on an assessment using a random teardown of an Englander product, Toman said. Components, tailoring and overall
product quality are evaluated on a point system.
Harvey Freeman, president of Englander Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia, was presented
with the Outstanding Sales Achievement Award.
When presenting Freeman with the sales award, Toman said, “Englander is proud to
present the award for outstanding accomplishment in achieving the highest percentage
increase in the group and increasing Englander market share in the mid-Atlantic.”
Newsmakers
Sales veteran John Clark Jr. dies
J
ohn Clark Jr., Eastern division
vice president of sales for mattress producer Southerland Inc.,
died Dec. 10 in Winter Haven,
Fla., of heart failure. He was 57.
Clark was a bedding industry
sales veteran and had been with
Nashville-based Southerland for
five months.
He began his career in the
mattress industry at Sealy, where
he spent nearly 20 years. He
later held sales management
positions at a Comfort Solutions/
King Koil licensee (now Paramount Sleep) and Spring Air.
Clark is survived by his wife,
Debbi; three children, Janelle,
Magniflex names sales director
M
attress and sleep accessories producer Magniflex, based
in Prato, Italy, has promoted Stefano Marescotti to sales
director for North America. He is responsible for the growth and
development of business in the United States and Canada.
Marescotti joined Magniflex in 2010 as development manager, facilitating training, customer service and support between
operations in the United States and Italy.
Marescotti has more than 15 years of experience in retail,
Darren and Ryan; three siblings,
Karen, Sara and Bryant; and one
grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, the family
requests contributions be made
to Boy Scout Troop 565, Hope
Presbyterian Church, 2110
Cypress Garden Blvd., Winter
Haven, FL 33884.
n are you a newsmaker?
Have you hired someone
new? Earned a promotion
yourself? Let us know. The
deadline for Newsmakers
in the April issue is March
1. Email news releases to
[email protected].
wholesale, production and customer relations in the Western
European and U.S. markets. He spent three years with mattress
retailer Sleepy’s as a district sales leader.
“Stefano has a tremendous understanding of the mattress
business at the retail level,” said Marco Magni, Magniflex global
sales director. “He has played an important role with many of
our North American customers in helping them better merchandise and sell our line. Stefano has relocated to the United States
where he will be able to devote his full attention to our North
American customers.”
63 |
Calendar
|
FEBRUARY
March 14-17
ISPA EXPO 2012
Indianapolis
Phone 703-683-8371
[email protected]
www.ispaexpo.com
Feb. 1-3
Australian International
Furniture Fair
Sydney Exhibition Centre
Sydney, Australia
[email protected]
www.aiff.net.au
Feb. 16-18
Tupelo Furniture Market
Mississippi Complex
Tupelo, Miss.
Phone 662-842-4442
[email protected]
www.tupelofurnituremarket.com
Above ISPA EXPO 2012
March 14-17 in Indianpolis
Right Tupelo Furniture Market
Feb. 16-18 Tupelo, Miss.
|
64
|
MARCH
March 9-12
International Furniture Fair
Singapore/ASEAN
Furniture Show
Singapore Expo
Singapore
Phone 65-6569-6988
[email protected]
www.iffs.com.sg
March 27-30
Interzum Guangzhou
China/China International
Furniture Fair
China Import & Export Fair
Complex Pazhou
Guangzhou, China
Phone 86-20-8755-2468
[email protected]
www.interzum-guangzhou.com
-
ISPA
ISPA rolls out new logo
F
or the first time in
nearly 25 years, the
International Sleep
Products Association has
a fresh logo design.
“During the past
three years, the mattress industry and ISPA
have both faced many
challenges and have had
to adapt to a number
of important market
changes. The logo we
adopted nearly 25 years
ago when we became
the International Sleep
Products Association has
served us well. But as our
role as ‘the voice of the
mattress industry’ has
evolved and matured, the
time has come to update
our look,” says Mary
Helen Uusimaki, ISPA
vice president of membership and communications. “Like the enhanced
level of commitment the
ISPA team has taken in
serving our members and
the industry, our new
logo takes a fresh look at
visually representing who
we are.” ISPA created its previous logo in 1987 when
ISPA battling producer responsibility laws
O
ne of the International Sleep Products Association’s key
legislative fights this year is against “extended producer
responsibility” legislation in states that would hold mattress
manufacturers responsible for the disposable of their products
at the end of their useful life cycles, driving up costs for the entire industry. BedTimes sat down with Chris Hudgins, ISPA vice
president of government relations, to discuss the proposed
bills and what they mean for the mattress industry.
BedTimes: What is meant by the term “extended producer
responsibility”?
Hudgins: “Extended producer responsibility, or EPR for short, is
a concept that’s been advanced by the environmental community during the past 10 or 15 years in various states. It essentially
means that the manufacturer of a product is entirely responsible
for the destruction and disposal of that product—usually in an
environmentally friendly way—after the consumer is done using
it. EPR started with products that posed a threat to the environment when improperly disposed of—electronics, tires, that kind
of thing. Over time, environmentalists have begun to extend the
concept to products such as mattresses, even though they don’t
present environmental threats.”
BedTimes: What is ISPA’s concern about EPR legislation?
Hudgins: “EPR legislation considered in states generally requires
that an industry create, fund and administer a state-specific
system to dispose of its products at the end of their useful life
cycle. That means providing ways of collecting the product from
consumers and disposing of it in an environmentally sound way.
It’s not only costly to the entire industry (many of the associated
costs explicitly cannot be passed along to consumers), it makes
the industry responsible for establishing and managing an
entirely new bureaucracy. All of a sudden the mattress industry is
the association changed
its name from the National Association of Bedding Manufacturers.
The new logo was
designed by Kung fu
Creatives, a boutique
design cooperative in
Vienna, Va.
ISPA encourages its
members to use the association’s logo in their
own marketing materials, including corporate
stationery, websites and
trade advertisements.
There are some restrictions. For instance, ISPA
logos can’t be used on
any sleep product.
Members using the
old ISPA logo are asked
to replace it with the
new version as soon as
possible.
To download the new
logo and read the guidelines for its use, visit the
“Member Resources”
section of the ISPA
website,
www.sleepproducts.org.
For questions or
comments about the
logo, contact Uusimaki
at mhuusimaki@
sleepproducts.org or
703-683-8371.
in a whole new business, having to become experts in recycling
instead of mattress manufacturing. In addition, we’re concerned
that a state-by-state approach could leave mattress manufacturers having to manage product disposal under 50 different
systems with 50 different rules. Advocates of EPR bills have said
their goal is to have laws like these in every state. A state-by-state
solution isn’t practical. If would end up being too costly and
inefficient.”
BedTimes: Where is EPR legislation being considered right
now that could affect mattress producers?
Hudgins: “ISPA led the way to defeat a bill in Rhode Island last
year, but the R.I. General Assembly is back in session until June
and we expect the bill to be reconsidered. The Connecticut legislature convenes this month and we expect lawmakers to consider
a bill during the session before adjourning in May. Vermont and
other states may consider a framework bill that doesn’t specifically address mattresses but could affect mattress producers.”
BedTimes: What is ISPA doing to combat state EPR efforts?
Hudgins: “In Connecticut and Rhode Island, we’re working with
ISPA members in those states and state business groups such as
the local Chamber of Commerce to build coalitions to defeat
the bills. As part of a broader effort, ISPA is a founding member
of the Product Management Alliance, a national group that promotes free-market solutions to product stewardship, and I serve
on its board. Alliance members share a common belief that all
parties in the supply chain share responsibility for managing a
product throughout its life cycle. The group advocates for voluntary, flexible, market-based solutions.”
BedTimes: What can ISPA members do?
Hudgins: “If you’re an ISPA member, especially if you’re in one of
these states, and want to get involved, contact me at
[email protected] or 703-683-8371.”
65 |
a d v e r t i s e r s
A. Lava & Son Co.
Steve Appelbaum
800-777-5282
(800-777-LAVA)
www.alavason.com
45
Atlanta Attachment C2-1, 35
Co. Inc.
Hank Little
770-963-7369
www.atlatt.com
Bloomingburg Spring 67
& Wire Form Co. Inc.
Vickie Schwarm
740-437-7614
www.bloomingburgspring.com
BLR
Martin Leroux
819-877-2092
www.blrlumber.com
60
Bodet & Horst GmbH & Co. KG
Ute Schmiedel
49-37349-697-27
www.bodet-horst.de
40
Boyçelik Metal AS Erol Boydak
90-532-274-3193
www.boycelik.com
33
Boyteks Tekstil AS
Deniz Boydak
90-352-322-0588
www.boyteks.com
36-37
Buhler Quality Yarns Corp.
Victor Almeida
706-367-9834
www.buhleryarns.com
66
Diamond Needle Corp. 64
Abe Silberstein
800-221-5818
www.diamondneedle.com
Duroflex International
George Mathew
415-990-4343
www.latexglobal.com
67
Edgewater Machine 19
Co. Inc.
Roy Schlegel
718-539-8200
www.edgewatermachine.com
Enriquez Materials 59
& Quilting Inc.
Silvia Enriquez
323-725-4955
www.enriquezquilting.com
Foshan Ruixin Nonwoven 63
Co. Ltd. (Rayson Global)
Himy Lee
86-757-85806388
www.raysonchina.com
Global Systems 24-25, C3
Group
Russ Bowman
954-846-0300
www.gsgcompanies.com
29
Costa International
44
Daniel Vazquez
305-885-9761
www.costa-international.com
|
Cranston Trucking 46
& Logistics Services
Dianne Francin
336-887-9712
www.cranstontrucking.com
Hengchang Machinery Factory
Ren Ying
86-769-8330-7931
www.hcjixie.com
John Marshall & Co. Ltd.
Peter Crone
64-3-341-2004
www.joma.co.nz
Kenn Spinrad Inc.
Randy Weinstock
800-373-0944
www.spinrad.net
6
64
SABA North America LLC 4
Jim Turner
810-824-4964
www.saba-adhesives.com
Latex Systems Co. Ltd.
8
Kitti Charoenpornpanichkul
66-2-326-0886, Ext. 204
www.latexsystems.com
Lien A Co. Ltd.
Pham The Duy
84-8-38-777-999
www.liena.vn
Simalfa
Darren Gilmore
973-423-9266
www.simalfa.com
16
41
Maxime Knitting Mills Inc. 50
Lorne Romoff
514-336-0445, Ext. 127
514-265-8782
www.maximeknitting.com
Midwest Quality Bedding 48
David Pritchett
614-873-6667
www.mqbedding.com
MPT Group
14-15
Andrew Trickett
44-1706-878-558
www.mptgroup.com
New England Needles Inc. 38
Tom Lees
800-243-3158
www.newenglandneedles.com
43
Hickory Springs Mfg. Co. 2
Rick Anthony
828-328-2201
www.hickorysprings.com
P.T. RubberFoam 49
Indonesia
Andreas Janssen
62-21-53662190
www.rubberfoam.co.id
Orsa Foam S.p.A.
Monica Rossi
033-160-9111
www.orsafoam.it
57
Pacific Spring Inc.
Victor Nguyen
626-272-8882
23
Springs Creative 55
(Firegard Brand Products)
Scott Frisch
803-324-6505
www.springscreative.com
Therapedic International 11
Gerry Borreggine
800-314-4433
www.therapedic.com
Tietex International
Wade Wallace
800-843-8390
www.tietex.com
C4
Vintex Inc.
Customer Service
800-846-8399
www.vintex.com
21
Wright of Thomasville
42
Area Account Executive
800-678-9019
www.wrightlabels.com
XSENSOR Technology Corp.
Isabelle Desroches
866-927-5222
www.xsensor.com
47
C l a s s i f i e d s
For Sale
n TAPE-EDGE MACHINES, MULTINEEDLE AND SINGLE-
NEEDLE 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.
n REBUILT AND RECONDITIONED MULTINEEDLE QUILTING
MACHINES. Specializing in PATHE precision parts and service. Technical consultants. SEDCO. Phone 201-567-7141;
Fax 201-567-5515.
n 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].
n SURPLUS MACHINES FOR SALE BY OWNER. Gribetz
DG2100 ($12,900), DG5500 ($5,900), DG1200 computerized ($18,900), GI4300 tack-and-jump capable ($45,000)
and DG3200 computerized ($35,000); EMCO 8413
($3,000); tape-edge machines ($5,000); Spuhl, James Cash
and Gribetz panel cutters from $2,500; WBSCO and Gribetz
wrappers from $7,000; Spuhl unbalers from $2,500. Second
location: 3 computerized quilters—DG2100 and panel
cutter, DG5500 tack-and-jump, EMCO 88-1-3-6
computerized. Email [email protected].
Employment Opportunities
n Looking for mattress ticking fabric designer
for contract work. Email [email protected].
n Production Manager Needed. Experience in the
following:
■ running high-volume plant (2,000 pieces per day and
growing)
■ lean manufacturing and efficiency expertise with
just-in-time fulfillment of orders
■ total quality management and eliminating
nonvalue-added activity.
Must be willing to relocate or commute to central New
Jersey from close proximity, e.g., New York or eastern
Pennsylvania. Other lead positions are available. Salary is
commensurate with experience. Benefits include profit sharing, 401(k), health insurance and life insurance. Join a winning team—Bedding Industries of America, makers
of Eclipse, Therapedic and Eastman House brands of
mattresses. Email resume to [email protected] or
fax to 732-628-0155.
67 |
On Sleep
FAA battling
pilot fatigue
T
he U.S. Department
of Transportation and
the Federal Aviation
Administration recently
announced a sweeping
overhaul of the schedules
of commercial passenger
airline pilots to ensure they
are well-rested before they
enter the cockpit.
Among other things, the
new rules limit a pilot’s flight
time to eight or nine hours—
depending on the time of day
he begins his first flight, the
number of scheduled flight
segments and the number of
time zones he crosses.
The FAA has set a 10-hour
minimum rest period before
a pilot begins a flight, a
two-hour increase over the
previous requirement.
The revised rules also
mandate that a
pilot must have
the opportunity
to have eight
hours of
uninterrupted
sleep
within the
10-hour rest
period.
REM sleep softens painful memories
T
here may be something to the adage that time heals all wounds. Research from the University of California Berkeley indicates time spent in dream sleep can help a person overcome
a painful ordeal.
In a recent study, researchers found that during the dream phase of sleep, or REM sleep, the
chemistry in our bodies that generates stress shuts down while the brain processes emotional experiences and takes the edge off difficult memories.
The findings offer an explanation for why people with post-traumatic stress disorder have a hard
time recovering from stressful experiences and suffer recurring nightmares. The research also offers
clues into why we dream.
“The dream stage of sleep, based on its unique neurochemical composition, provides us with
a form of overnight therapy—a soothing balm that removes the sharp edges from the prior day’s
emotional experiences,” says Matthew Walker, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience
at UC Berkeley and senior author of the study.
The researchers say the results offer some of the first insights into the emotional function of REM
sleep, which typically takes up 20% of a healthy person’s sleeping hours. Previous brain studies indicate that sleep patterns are disrupted in people with mood disorders such as PTSD and depression.
In the study, 35 adults were divided into two groups and shown 150 emotionally charged images
and then shown them again 12 hours later, while an MRI scanner measured their brain activity.
Half of the participants saw the images in the morning and evening, staying awake between the
viewings. The other half watched the images in the evening and the next morning after a full night’s
sleep.
Participants who slept between viewings reported a significant decrease in their emotional
reaction to the images. MRI scans also showed a dramatic reduction in reactivity in the amygdala,
a part of the brain that processes emotions.
In addition, the researchers recorded the electrical brain activity of the participants while they
slept. They found that during REM sleep, certain electrical activity patterns decreased, showing that
reduced levels of stress neurochemicals in the brain soothed emotional reactions to the previous
day’s experiences. The study was published in the Dec. 6 issue of the journal Current Biology.
There is a ‘wrong’ side of the bed
A
new study suggests it really is possible to wake up on the wrong side of
the bed. Research conducted by Premier Inn, the largest hotel chain in
the United Kingdom, reveals that people who sleep on the left side of the bed
(if you’re lying on your back looking at the ceiling) are happier than those who
sleep on the right. Further, lefties tend to be more upbeat and more capable of
handling heavy workloads and stressful days.
According to a news release, the study of 3,000 adults found more than 25%
of people who sleep on the left side of the bed have a positive outlook on life
compared with only 18% of those who sleep on the right side. More than half of
the people surveyed said they wouldn’t swap sides with their partners. Threequarters of respondents said they thought it would be strange to sleep on the
other side of the bed and a quarter said it would affect their mood the next day.
|
68
ISPA EXPO March 14-17
GSG Booth 2433
Make your beds score on the retail floor with dramatic border styling.
Global Systems Group has developed two of the most efficient ways to achieve this without
investing in the expense and effort of maintaining a vast inventory of extra materials.
Porter International has developed the PRM-1000 border
ribbon machine for roll-to-roll application of decorative
border production.
For larger production, the Gribetz B45 quilter is ideal.
Optional equipment can add these secondary elements
during the quilting/slitting operation.
GSG will demonstrate equipment for conventional border construction
as well as new zipper and decorative border applications.
See all the newest GSG equipment at ISPA EXPO Booth 2433.
800-326-4742
954-846-0300
www.GSGexpo.com
www.GSGcompanies.com
Finally there’s some good news about america’s borders.
Good news gives us all a lift. Our border program continues to make leaps and strides.
Now we’ve added the exceptional look and feel once reserved for upholstered furniture and panel systems.
But that’s not all. We accept minimum orders and narrow widths. In custom colors. In cool designs. In a flash.
You can understand why we get a little fired up now and then.
MATTRESS SOLUTIONS
I
ECO Fa B R I C S ,
COT TO N S ,
PRINTS,
jaCquaRdS,
N
N
O
V A T
P O LY E S T E R S ,
E
BLENdS,
ST I TC h B O N d S ,
Wa R P k N I T S ,
FILLER CLOThS.
Tietex International Ltd., 3010 North Blackstock Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29301, Ph. 864.574.0500, Fax 864.574.9490, www.tietex.com

Mattress - BedTimes

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