Component supplier and mattress producer Harrison Spinks, with headquarters in Leeds, England, has signed an agreement to supply car seat maker Johnson Controls in Plymouth, Mich., with what it calls “the world’s tiniest pocket springs.”
The two companies have signed a deal to “integrate pocketed coil spring mattress technology into an automotive seat concept called ComfortThin,” according to Johnson Controls. Polyurethane foam used in car seats will be replaced by recyclable steel springs, reducing car seat size, as well as overall vehicle weight by 5% to 20%—thus improving a car’s fuel efficiency. The technology is expected to be available in 2015 model year automobiles.
The springs are as small as 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) in height and were developed by Spinks Managing Director Simon Spinks in 2011. The luxury mattress maker incorporates its miniature pocket springs into the comfort layers of its high-end innerspring beds.
“We are delighted to have signed this agreement with the industry leader Johnson Controls so that we can bring this sustainable alternative to traditional foam technology to the automotive industry,” Simon Spinks said.
