Minneapolis-based Select Comfort Corp., the manufacturer and retailer of the Sleep Number brand, said in a March 28 statement that it is ending third-party retailing of Comfortaire products.
Select Comfort acquired Comfortaire in January 2013 from Greenville, South Carolina-based Park Place Corp., in a deal that was valued at $15.5 million. Since the purchase, Comfortaire has operated as a separate brand.
The decision to largely end wholesale distribution—save for a few select channels—was influenced by the need for significant investment in the aging Comfortaire facilities in Greenville and on Select Comfort’s desire to focus efforts on advancing the success of the Sleep Number brand and advancing the technology used in the Sleep Number 360 “smart bed,” the company said.
Select Comfort said it will continue to sell the Comfortaire brand to the recreational vehicle market and other narrow channels. These Comfortaire products will be manufactured at Sleep Number plants, including one in Irmo, South Carolina.
Twenty-five Comfortaire team members are affected by the change and the coming closure of the Greenville plant. Some may be placed at other retail locations.
Comfortaire President David Karr said he will remain with the company through the end of the year and then will provide consulting services to Select Comfort.
Select Comfort said it will continue to honor customer warranties on Comfortaire products.
