Kingsdown shutters plant
Bedding producer Kingsdown is closing a plant in Knoxville, Tenn., saying that regional production has been assumed by larger, more efficient facilities in Florida, Oklahoma and Virginia. “We had assumed responsibility for this small plant many years ago as part of a larger acquisition, but since that time we have opened other facilities where production shifted and from where we can much more efficiently service our customers,” said Joe Schmoeller, senior vice president of operations for the Mebane, N.C.–based company. “While we recognize and cannot minimize the financial loss to the small number of employees at the plant, it no longer made economic sense for us to operate the facility.” The Knoxville plant had employed about 20 people.
Bedding companies make Inc. list
Two bedding manufacturers appear on the 2011 Inc. 500/5000 list of the fastest growing companies. Savvy Rest, a producer of natural and organic mattresses headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., is No. 1,246 on the list and Comfortaire, a maker of airbeds based in Greenville, S.C., is No. 2,448. The list is compiled annually by Inc. magazine. Companies are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2007 through 2010. To qualify for the list, companies must be privately held, for–profit, independent organizations based in the United States.
Wright speeds delivery of embroidered products
Marketing services supplier Wright of Thomasville has created Wright Express Showroom Solutions, a series of embroidered promotional products that can be delivered to customers with a five–day turnaround. Designed for customers who need small lots of simple embroidered pillows, shams and foot protectors, the program offers three pricing and design levels and as many as five color choices. “We love working on large, innovative projects,” said Greg Wright, chief executive officer of the Thomasville, N.C.–based company. “However, we want to make sure we are continuously improving our product offering to our customers who are looking for speed–to–market and a value proposition, as well.”
Big pillow news from PT Dunlopillo Indonesia
The Museum Rekor Dunia Indonesia, also known as MURI, has again named latex bedding producer PT Dunlopillo Indonesia, based in Bekasi, Indonesia, the world–record holder for the world’s largest latex pillow. The pillow was 4 meters by 6 meters (approximately 13 feet by 19 feet) and weighed more than a metric ton (over 2,240 pounds). The pillow took about 148 hours to construct.
MEGA Group adds bedding to e–commerce platform
MEGA Group USA, a retail buying group based in Germantown, Tenn., has expanded its WebFronts Premium Plus Program to include mattresses and bedding. WebFronts Basic launched in 2007; WebFronts Premium Plus launched earlier this year. The premium program provides members with a Web presence that allows for unlimited product catalogs, advanced merchandising and pricing tools, an unlimited dual shopping cart and quote request system, advanced search engine optimization techniques, automated rebate centers and product comparison capabilities for appliances, furniture, electronics, lawn and garden, and now mattresses and bedding.
Chicago Luxury Beds renovates showroom
Chicago Luxury Beds, a specialty retailer of high–end bedding, has redesigned its 3,000–square–foot location in Chicago and outfitted the space with new product from mattress makers Hästens and Vi–Spring and linen supplier Sferra. The renovated showroom features a more intimate, customer–centered layout to better present products and allow for enhanced interactions with consumers and designers. Among the improvements are a refreshed storefront; millwork displays to highlight linens and accessories; an expanded front desk near the entrance for improved client education, comfort and service; and well–appointed vignettes for mattress display. “We spend one–third of our lifetime in bed,” said Mary Pat Wallace, owner of Chicago Luxury Beds. “Investing in your kitchen may increase the value of your home but investing in your bed adds value to your life.”
Fabrictech partners with NSF
Mattress protection supplier Fabrictech International, which has headquarters in Cedar Grove, N.J., has partnered with the National Sleep Foundation to help educate the public about sleep health. Packaging for Fabrictech’s PureCare brand, which provides protection against allergens, moisture, dust mites and bedbugs, now carries the NSF logo and includes an NSF educational brochure. “We’re proud to be working with the National Sleep Foundation,” said Jeff Bergman, Fabrictech president and chief operating officer. “The NSF brand represents quality sleep and our core focus is to protect the well–being of the sleeper by creating a healthier sleep environment.”
