Mebane, N.C.-based mattress maker Kingsdown has signed new international licensing agreements in China and the Persian Gulf and renewed a third in Malaysia.
Hong Kong-based manufacturer Airland plans to place My Side mattresses and the bedMATCH sleep diagnostic technology in 35 stores within the next year in major markets across China. The company also will participate in joint product development with Kingsdown, with all products tested and certified by the Sleep to Live Institute.
“This entry into China is very exciting for us, and we are confident that we found the right partner,” said Frank Hood, Kingsdown chief executive officer. “Airland understands the My Side product and the value of the Sleep to Live Institute’s scientific research, which sets us apart from the competition. With its large, emerging middle class and the demand for American-designed product, we are entering China at the optimal time and we expect accelerated growth in this market.”
In a new licensing deal with Symbol Mattress Industries LLC, headquartered in Mumbai, India, Kingsdown mattresses are being sold in the Persian Gulf region, including in the United Arab Emirates and Oman, with further expansion in neighboring countries planned.
Kingsdown also renewed a 2010 licensing agreement with Selangor, Malaysia-based manufacturer SweetDream Corp., which expects to distribute the My Side collection and bedMATCH technology to 45 stores by the end of the year.
