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BedTimes, Industry News, February 2008

Tietex concentrating on high-performance and more industry news

Tietex changing its focus

Bedding industry supplier Tietex International has announced it is concentrating its technical development and sales resources on a wide variety of high-performance fabric products for mattress manufacturing.

Tietex, headquartered in Spartanburg, S.C., will continue to design, manufacture and distribute a limited number of decorative ticking prints.

Coinciding with the strategic shift the group, formerly known as Tietex Ticking, has been renamed Tietex Mattress Solutions, said Reed Cunningham, president and chief operating officer of Tietex International.

“In keeping with our long-term strategy to concentrate on the performance aspects of technical bedding fabrics, we are redirecting our resources,” Cunningham said. “In addition, we are expanding our manufacturing capabilities and revamping our national sales and customer support staff—all of which establish a total commitment to performance-based fabrics.”

Beth Hunt, Tietex Mattress Solutions general manager, said her division’s focus is in accord with the larger company’s mission to provide technical and engineered solutions.

“Since it was founded over 30 years ago, Tietex has earned a reputation for hatching new ideas, so this move doesn’t surprise our customers who already view us as technical consultants,” she said. “In recent months, we’ve worked very closely with them on quality control issues to help them find total solutions in what has become a complicated regulatory climate.”

Federal open-flame mattress standards that took effect in July 2007 required numerous changes in the design and production of mattresses.

“We essentially have made a total commitment to our customers to help manage these issues and we are in the process of refocusing our sales efforts,” said Wade Wallace, director of sales and marketing. “Our goal is to be clearly seen as the industry leader in supplying cost-effective, high-performance FR textile solutions to our customers. We will broaden our technical fabrics line but will continue to offer unique decorative fabrics with increased emphasis on improving their technical performance and FR capability.”

Two years ago, Tietex introduced the Sleepfree family of mattress fabrics, including filler cloth, sewing thread, knit socks and printed ticking. Hunt said Tietex Mattress Solutions would continue to provide the full range of mattress fabrics, except circular knits and faux knits for top-of-bed.

“We actually will broaden our production of technical fabrics, with increased emphasis on temperature, moisture and environmental controls,” she said.

Anti-dumping petition filed
An anti-dumping petition has been filed with the U.S. government alleging that imports of uncovered innersprings from China, South Africa and Vietnam are being dumped in the United States and are injuring the U.S innerspring industry.

Carthage, Mo.-based components supplier Leggett & Platt filed the petition Dec. 31 on behalf of the U.S. innerspring industry. The petition requests that the term “uncovered innersprings” include both pocketed and nonpocketed innerspring units.

The petition asks that additional import duties, called anti-dumping duties, be collected on these imports to offset the amount of the dumping, which the petition alleges can exceed 100%.

The petition will be processed by two government agencies: the International Trade Commission, which will decide whether the industry is being injured by unfairly traded imports, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which will determine if the imported products are being dumped, as defined by U.S. law, and if so, by how much.

The ITC will hold a public conference on Friday, Feb. 22 in Washington, D.C., during which parties will present testimony on whether the U.S. innerspring industry is being injured by imports from the above countries. L&P is represented by the law firm White & Case LLP. A group of more than 25 innerspring importers is represented by the law firm Troutman Sanders LLP. Overall, these investigations can take 12 to 18 months to complete.

Mattress Giant acquires 2 chains
Bedding retailer Mattress Giant has completed its acquisition of Mattress Expo, with 24 stores in the Atlanta area, and Clearwater Mattress, with 21 stores in the Tampa Bay, Fla., area. Mattress Giant now has more than 340 U.S. stores in 14 states.

“These two strategic growth opportunities are part of our year-long expansion and growth, and these two key markets have tremendous future potential for our company,” said Barrie Brown, president and chief executive officer of Mattress Giant, which has headquarters in Addison, Texas, near Dallas.

Mattress Giant already has begun training employees in both markets in Mattress Giant customer service procedures and other processes. All the Clearwater Mattress and Mattress Expo locations will be remodeled to match the Mattress Giant format used across the country.

Vita Nonwovens adds capacity
Vita Nonwovens, a producer of nonwoven fiber materials used in mattress, medical, automotive and filtration applications, is expanding its manufacturing capabilities with the addition of a high-capacity production line in its Fort Wayne, Ind., facility.

The new equipment is to be installed this month and is expected to be fully operational later this year. The cost of the expansion is estimated at $7 million.

Vita Nonwovens plans to add 22 jobs in connection with the expansion, nearly doubling its current work force of 25.

“Vita Nonwovens is looking to expand its market and product potential while at the same time taking advantage of our existing Fort Wayne facility to ease capacity constraints elsewhere in our system,” said Jason Johnson, Vita Nonwovens vice president of operations. “We started production here in 2003, and it has always been our intention to grow our presence in northeast Indiana when the time was right.”

Vita Nonwovens, part of the Vita Group, also has facilities in North Carolina and Texas.

Calif. considers product recovery
Should the price of mattresses include the cost of product collection and recycling or disposal?

That’s what the California Integrated Waste Management Board is asking as it considers whether to develop an Extended Producer Responsibility system. Although not yet certain, such a system could apply to mattress manufacturers that sell products in California.

California’s concept is modeled on similar programs run by several Canadian provinces, but would be a significant departure from general U.S. practice.

If the California Integrated Waste Management Board endorses such a system, the state legislature could formally consider it later this year.

The International Sleep Products Association plans to comment on the proposal and welcomes feedback from its members on its potential impact on the mattress industry. For more information, contact Ryan Trainer, ISPA executive vice president and general counsel, at rtrainer@sleepproducts.org or 703-683-8371, Ext. 1118.

L&P unveils multitasking bed
Leggett & Platt has created a high-tech, multifunction bed it says is like having a sleep clinic and a home theater in the bedroom.

The Starry Night monitors and tracks sleep patterns, offers suggestions for improving sleep, helps alleviate snoring by changing the position of the body, and serves as a multifunction home entertainment center with surround sound, a projection screen, Internet connectivity and more.

“There are cars that park themselves and ovens that are programmed to refrigerate and cook your food. But the bed has generally been a passive inanimate object,” says Mark Quinn, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Leggett & Platt’s Bedding Group in Carthage, Mo. “It’s time that our bed becomes our sleep counselor. And when we improve our sleep, we can improve our quality of life.”

Starry Night will hit the market in 2009 with a suggested retail price between $20,000 and $50,000, depending on the number of features included. L&P is promoting the bed on its Web site, www.starrynightbed.com.

“Consumers told us they use their beds for much more than sleep,” Quinn says. “The bed is a place for reading, watching movies, spending time with the kids, listening to music and even folding laundry.” So L&P went to work trying to meet as many of those needs as it could with a “smart” bed.

To serve as a sleep advisor, Starry Night uses vibration sensor and load cell technologies to measure how much a sleeper tosses and turns and how often she gets out of bed during the night. It also monitors rhythmic breathing patterns that indicate relaxation and compares all the movements to a 30-day baseline measurement of the sleeper. 

Starry Night also detects snoring and automatically articulates its sleep position by 7 degrees to open nasal passages and help alleviate mild to moderate snoring. Once the snoring subsides, the bed returns to its original position.

Each morning, sleepers can review their sleep pattern on a bedside monitor called the Good Morning Screen. After a poor night’s sleep the screen offers suggestions for improving a person’s energy during the day and getting a better night’s rest the following night.

Using liquid-based Peltier technology, the Starry Night mattress can be set to heat or cool both sides of the bed from 68 degrees to 117 degrees F. Starry Night uses L&P’s exclusive Joey Coil innerspring system, a pocketed coil-in-coil, to provide comfort and support to sleepers, even those of varying weights.

The Starry Night promises to keep people thoroughly entertained before they are ready for sleep.

“It is a nightclub, movie theater, concert hall, hot spot and discotheque, all in the comfort of your own bedroom,” the company says.

Starry Night provides wireless Internet connectivity and a wireless keyboard. The bed boasts a sophisticated surround-sound system and an LCD-based projector that casts a 120-inch screen on the wall. It can be used to project movies, books, music navigation features, the Internet or the Good Morning screen. It also has DVR capability. Users can recharge their iPods on a conveniently placed docking station.

The bed and its electronics can be controlled using the Good Morning touch screen or a wireless remote via Microsoft’s Media Center.

To tout the bed’s high-tech features, L&P debuted Starry Night at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January before taking it to the Las Vegas furniture market later in the month.

Park Place named a top S.C. firm
Mattress manufacturer Park Place Corp. has been recognized as a South Carolina 100 company for the fifth year.

Park Place was named in the 23rd annual Grant Thornton LLP Top 100 ranking of South Carolina’s largest privately owned companies. The company, based in Greenville, has risen in the rankings each year, placing 75th for 2007.

“As a family business since our beginning, Park Place has faced the constant pressure of big bedding producers and complex marketplace conditions and, despite these challenges, we continue to grow and remain true to our commitment—to produce top-quality bedding products and deliver superior customer service,” said Jimmy Orders, Park Place president.

To qualify for the ranking, a company must be privately held and headquartered in South Carolina. It cannot be a subsidiary of any other company. Rankings are a reflection of net revenues from the recently completed fiscal year.

Everloft revamps Web site
Everloft Products, a pillow line produced by Durable Products Co. in Whitewater, Wis., has redesigned its Web site, www.everloftproducts.com, to showcase the most recent changes to and features of its Everloft brand pillows, the company’s flagship pillow line.

The company’s Perfect Balance pillow, which is featured on the site, has a 280-thread count, 100% cotton cover. Chambers allow for interchangeable latex or memory foam inserts.

The pillow is hand washable, with nonodorous, dust-mite resistant, hypo-allergenic properties. It contains anti-microbial wool and silver and patented Everlon luxury fill. The Perfect Balance comes with a limited five-year warranty.

Sleep Country adds 71st store
The Seattle-based retail bedding chain Sleep Country USA celebrated the completion of a yearlong expansion effort with the opening of a store in Renton Landing, Wash., on Dec. 26.

It was the 10th store to open in 2007, a year in which Sleep Country USA targeted expansion to markets with notable concentrations of growing residential development.

“2007 has been a banner year for Sleep Country USA, marked by aggressive expansion in existing and new communities throughout both Washington and Oregon,” said Terry Horsley, Sleep Country USA vice president of brand strategy. The company ended the year with 71 stores.

“While our plans for continued expansion in 2008 are expected to be slower, our emphasis on providing a top-notch selection of quality mattresses at great prices will enable us to capture new customers in the growing markets where we reside,” Horsley said.

Retailer improves recycling
U.K. Bedding retailer Dreams has installed two new bed shredders at its distribution hub in the West Midlands to crush and shred old beds and mattresses, according to Letsrecycle.com.

Dreams customers pay a small fee for their mattresses to be collected and recycled when their new beds are delivered.

Once shredded, metal is melted and reused in manufacturing and wood is chipped for use in chipboard manufacturing, landscaping and cushioning children’s play areas. Tickings and filler fabrics are used to make building insulation materials. Cardboard, paper and polythene also are recycled.

The new German technology used by Dreams replaces a previous crushing machine, which the retailer used to recycle more than 65,000 beds in two years, Letsrecycle.com reports. The number of beds recycled is expected to grow significantly.

Dreams, based in High Wycombe, outside London, began recycling in 1995.

Mattress Works says biz plan is working
Mattress Works, the Greenville, S.C.-based bedding company with store locations in spaces at the front of Wal-Mart Supercenters, is posting positive results in multiple measurements of its business model, executives said.

“We are already seeing significant advantages of the business model, proving beneficial for our operating partners and their customers, and boding well for our expansion plans in 2008,” said David Karr, Mattress Works chief executive officer. “For instance, sales-per-advertising ratios and sales per square foot have already beaten the industry norms.”

The Mattress Works product assortment includes price points between $299 and $1,299, including two memory foam mattress options. Services include layaway and financing, home delivery, removal of old mattresses and set-up of new  purchases.

“We are finding that Wal-Mart customers truly appreciate the company’s commitment to affordable pricing and that same cost appreciation has extended into the Mattress Works business,” said Edwin Shoffner, chief operating officer.

Therapedic signs South Korean licensee
Therapedic International, a licensing group headquartered in Princeton, N.J., has signed a licensing deal with Lite Corp. Ltd. of Kyunggi-Do, South Korea. The company will do business as Therapedic South Korea, distributing branded product throughout the country.

“Therapedic maintains its strong international base and ongoing growth with the addition of Lite Corp.,” said Michael Pino, Therapedic international director. “With South Korea’s addition, Therapedic has a fortified presence to grow the brand throughout the Asia/Pacific region.”

Lite Corp. will focus on developing all brands under the Therapedic umbrella, including Memory Touch, PureTouch, Innergy, Medi-Coil, Lloyd & Penfield, BackSense and AirTouch.

SHORTS

Louisville Bedding honored
Louisville Bedding Co., based in Louisville, Ky., was one of eight companies recognized for new products during the 13th annual Good Buy Awards, held in December at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. Louisville Bedding was recognized for its FireDefender Sleep System, a mattress cover designed to slow burning time to 30 minutes, creating an opportunity for a family to escape. To be considered for the award, a product must satisfy a well-established household need, be innovative in technology or design, be affordable and perform well in research institute evaluations.

Sleep Country acts as Santa
Seattle-based bedding retailer Sleep Country USA sponsored a Secret Santa toy drive to help thousands of foster children. The drive solicited unwrapped toys and gifts for 26,000 foster children, asking consumers to leave the presents at Sleep Country USA’s 70 stores throughout Oregon and Washington. The effort followed a winter coat drive that provided coats for 2,200 foster children.

Sealy food drive a success
The 2007 Corporate Holiday Challenge, led by Archdale, N.C.-based bedding producer Sealy, collected 385,000 cans of food for Salvation Army food banks in North Carolina’s Triad area. Sealy employees donated 219,000 of the total cans. The collection brought in almost 100,000 more cans than in 2006. “Our employees are passionate about this initiative because it helps strengthen the communities where we live and work,” said Dave McIlquham, Sealy chairman and chief executive officer.

Verlo beds star
Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, based in Fort Atkinson, Wis., recently participated in two segments of Turner Broadcasting System’s “Movie & a Makeover” program by constructing custom-designed beds for the show. The two segments depicted the transformation of the bedrooms of a struggling family of three into comfortable sleep sanctuaries. At the request of designer and producer Brian Patrick Flynn, Verlo staff constructed the beds and also provided Everloft pillows.

Studies link weight gain, diabetes to sleep loss
Two new studies show that sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Research published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that lack of deep sleep limits the ability of the body to regulate blood sugar levels in young adults. A second report, published in the journal Sleep, found that children were more likely to be overweight or obese at age 7 if they had a history of sleeping less than nine hours a night. They also were more likely to have higher levels of body fat.