Mattress major Sealy, which has headquarters in Trinity, N.C., has signed licensing agreements with two companies to manufacture and market Sealy-branded sleep accessories. Downlite and American Textile Co. will begin offering a range of top-of-bed products beginning in early 2013.
Downlite, based in Mason, Ohio, will produce and market down- and polyester-filled bedding, including pillows, blankets and comforters, as well as bed linens, under the Sealy, Sealy Posturepedic and Stearns & Foster brands.
American Textile Co. with headquarters in Duquesne, Pa., will produce and market mattress and pillow protectors under the same three brand names.
“We’re taking a fresh look at this category and have selected two dynamic organizations known for high-quality products and innovation. They are forward-thinking, which is consistent with our strategy to grow through licensing and other strategic partnerships,” said Larry Rogers, Sealy president and chief executive officer. “With this new direction, Sealy will offer customers down and down-alternative products, protectors and encasements that are the best made and most technologically advanced in the world.”
Downlite’s licensing agreement with Sealy provides the company with the opportunity to reach new markets and customers, said James Lape, Downlite chief executive officer.
“This is a great honor for us and we’re extremely proud to be partnered with a leading brand like Sealy,” he said. “Our company is forever linked with the highest quality and innovation. We are focused on developing intelligent partnerships with complementary brands that allow us to manifest our corporate strategies.”
Of his company’s partnership with the mattress major, Blake Ruttenberg, American Textile Co. executive vice president of sales and marketing, said, “This license is a great addition to our portfolio and will give us the opportunity to further capitalize on developing new and innovative product under the Sealy brand. We believe that our consumer-focused approach to product development, combined with the power of the Sealy brand, will expand the protector category within the U.S. and Canada.”
