Mattress major Sealy has opened its first production facility in China, a 100,000–square–foot factory outside Shanghai. A joint venture, Sealy China is owned and operated by Sealy Inc. and a licensee, Sealy Australia.
Sealy says the plant underscores its long–term commitment to the Chinese market and further reinforces its strategy to expand in high–growth international markets. Sealy China has been operating retail outlets and distributing imported Sealy products since early 2009.
“We are very pleased to open this new production facility and believe we are well positioned to grow the Sealy brand in this dynamic market,” said Larry Rogers, president and chief executive officer of the company, which has headquarters in Trinity, N.C. “Sealy now has a robust and growing distribution network of 20 retail stores in 16 major Chinese cities and our long–term objective is to build Sealy into the No. 1 bedding brand in China.”
In addition to producing beds for the retail sector, the new plant will manufacture mattresses and foundations for Sealy China’s contract hospitality business in the country.
“Our next step is to open a research and development center in Shanghai in early 2011, which would be Sealy’s first research facility in Asia,” said Simon Dyer, CEO of Sealy Australia and general manager of Sealy China. “It will enable Sealy China to develop new products specifically for Chinese consumers and better serve our dealers and consumers in the region.”
