The performance technologies specialist has revamped its market strategy and upgraded products to be ready when consumer demand returns.
During the past three years, bedding sales have been in a holding pattern for much of the industry. While some companies have stayed the course, waiting for an uptick, Alexium International Group Ltd. has been taking advantage of the lull in market activity to thoroughly assess its business strategies and product portfolio, aiming to maximize its readiness when demand rebounds.
Based in Greer, South Carolina, Alexium produces a range of patented performance technologies, such as specialty chemicals and materials focused on flame retardance, thermal regulation and humidity management. These specialized, high-performance products and solutions have applications for industries beyond sleep products, including body armor, athletic gear, specialty packaging, military uniforms and protective workwear. The company’s branded products for the sleep market include AlexiFlam, AlexiShield, AlexiCool, BioCool, DelCool and Eclipsys.
Alexium CEO Billy Blackburn joined the company in late 2022 after 25 years in the chemicals industry focused on solvent distillation and recycling. Since he took the helm of Alexium, the mattress industry has been stuck in the doldrums due to a soft economy and the dip in demand that occurred as the pandemic wound down and consumers stopped investing heavily in their homes. As a business turnaround expert and former company founder, Blackburn was recruited for his track record of product commercialization and scaling technically complex businesses.
Since his arrival, the mattress industry has remained sluggish as consumers continue to keep a tight leash on home spending.
“We had to find new ways to grow our niche in the sleep market, both to cope with the downturn and to prepare a path for future growth,” Blackburn says. “We have all these amazing technologies and intellectual property. However, our sales needed more focus, as did the commercial, supply chain and distribution side of the business.”
Strategic Repositioning: Alexium’s Path to Future Market Leadership
Working alongside the company’s board and Bob Brookins, the former CEO and current chief technology officer, Blackburn led a comprehensive audit of Alexium’s strengths and vulnerabilities. He identified two key issues: overconcentration in the textile segment of the mattress market and overreliance on a single major customer.
To rebalance its portfolio, Alexium upgraded its microencapsulated phase-change materials line to enhance suitability for mattress foams, which have a higher annual demand than textiles. The company also improved the performance of those materials, in some cases tripling cooling capacity and improving thermal stability. Alexium’s new formulations can now be applied as a dry powder, in addition to the original slurry form.
in-house facility in Greer, South Carolina.
On the manufacturing side, Alexium made significant efficiency improvements.
“We sharply improved our supply chain, manufacturing approach and go-to-market strategy, opening up a range of new opportunities across all of our product lines,” Blackburn says. “The company now has a clear path to realize its full potential for mPCM and other products in the sleep space.”
A key part of the shift involved rethinking how Alexium presents its FR offerings. Previously, the company targeted bedding brands first, then persuaded their suppliers to integrate Alexium’s chemistries. Bedding producers can now receive a complete line of finished textile and foam components with built-in FR and thermal properties directly from Alexium, allowing better quality control, faster sales cycles and higher revenue per unit.
“We still support tier one suppliers,” Blackburn says. “Brands can either buy a finished component with FR or cooling properties from us directly or we’ll work with their existing component suppliers to integrate our technologies.”
From Military Innovation to Commercial Success: Alexium’s Foundational Technologies
Alexium’s origins trace back to 2009, when a group of British and Australian entrepreneurs acquired the commercial rights to reactive surface treatment technology developed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Originally designed to protect against chemical and biological threats, the technology enables the surface modification and attachment of nanoparticle or multiple chemical functional groups to textiles and substrates, providing fire retardancy, thermal regulation, waterproofing and antimicrobial properties.
Following a round of capital offering on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2010, Alexium established research and development operations in Greer. It debuted its first commercial product, a water-repellent treatment for military uniforms, in 2011. By 2012, the company had expanded into FR chemistry for consumer sleep products.
Its first major brand for the bedding market was AlexiFlam, an FR coating for home furnishings textiles. This patented product is a phosphorus-based, halogen- and formaldehyde-free solution applied using standard textile finishing equipment. It extinguishes flames through a unique charring mechanism that prevents melting or dripping.
In 2024, Alexium launched AlexiShield, an FR solution free of glass fibers, halogens, organophosphorus compounds and nanoparticle-based materials. AlexiShield can be applied via pad or as a spray to FR socks and barriers, as a coating for foam or as an FR finish on nonwovens.
“Customer feedback has been extremely positive,” Blackburn says. “We’re now moving to the next stages with several bedding brands.”
Advanced Thermal Regulation: Cooling & Humidity Solutions for Enhanced Sleep
In recent years, thermal management has also become a rapidly growing priority for Alexium. The company currently offers four main cooling technologies:
- AlexiCool: a microencapsulated finish that absorbs heat while maintaining a cool feel
- BioCool: a natural, bio-based microencapsulated PCM alternative for textiles and foam
- DelCool: a three-layer system that manages humidity and temperature for improved comfort
- Eclipsys: a “perpetual cooling” technology that actively pulls heat away from the body throughout the night.
“We’re tackling both heat and humidity management,” Blackburn says. “It’s a step-up system, from good to better to best.”
He notes that humidity control is often overlooked. “Not everybody sleeps hot,” Blackburn says. “By modulating humidity, we can deliver better temperatures for both sleepers so that neither one is too hot nor too cold.”
Tailored Solutions: Developing Custom FR & Cooling Programs for Brands
Alexium also develops custom thermal and FR programs for sleep brands. Current projects include:
- A DelCool-based luxury mattress, in partnership with a major brand, with floor models set for late 2025 and full market release in 2026.
- A high-tech pillow combining DelCool and microencapsulated PCM, available via private label.
- Four active mattress development opportunities involving Eclipsys for 2025 launches.
“The bedding industry continues to be a very challenging market,” Blackburn says. “Sales volumes are depressed and there’s a lot of pressure on our customer base to cut costs and stay lean. Due to the recent advances in our technologies and operations, we believe that we’re sitting on a potential ‘hockey stick’ scenario for sales performance. When the market breaks loose again and consumer confidence is restored, we’re well positioned for significant growth.”
In the meantime, he adds, Alexium continues “to explore new opportunities with customers and keep them informed about the improvements we’re making in our product line and service capabilities.”
Optimized Operations: Streamlining Supply Chain & Manufacturing for Growth
Since 2022, the supply chain and operational side of Alexium has been led by Dan Miller, a chemical engineer with deep plant management and logistics experience. Since joining Alexium as vice president of supply chain and operations, Miller has been steadily shoring up Alexium’s manufacturing and distribution processes, particularly its vendor network. As an “asset light” company, Alexium outsources production to specialty contractors across the Southeastern United States.
“This approach lets us focus our capital and energy on R&D and recruiting top technical talent,” Blackburn says. “Dan is always scouting new sourcing partners to avoid single-point dependency.”
Blackburn adds that having a U.S. manufacturing strategy may give Alexium an edge. “There are fewer domestic textile firms that go from fiber to a finished fabric,” he says. “But with recent developments in reshoring and tariffs, they’re gaining a more level playing field.”
With its operations now streamlined, Alexium is building its sales and business development team in 2025. “We’ve built the foundation — now we’re scaling up to capture emerging opportunities,” Blackburn says.
Alexium also produces petroleum and bio-based microcapsules, which are sold to PCM formulators. “We’re one of the few vertically integrated microcapsule producers globally,” Blackburn says. “These microcapsules are the building blocks that formulators use to create their own PCMs for use in bedding and other industries.”
Blackburn adds that Alexium holds 25 global patent applications relating to chemical structures and uses.
Adapting to Evolving Regulations: Alexium’s Proactive Approach to Compliance
Regulations are opening new opportunities. In December 2024, New York banned mattresses and upholstered furniture containing halogenated, organophosphorus, organonitrogen or nanoscale chemicals. California is considering similar laws.
“New York and California are leading the charge, and we expect other states may quickly follow suit with these types of restrictions,” Blackburn says. “Fortunately, we’re ready, because our innovative FR technologies are environmentally compliant and ahead of the changing regulatory environment.”
Alexium’s ability to integrate FR and cooling across both fabric and foam is also a major differentiator. “Our holistic approach ensures that breathability, weight and performance are optimized together,” he says.
Adapting to Evolving Regulations: Alexium’s Proactive Approach to Compliance
Alexium maintains a robust in-house testing facility at its headquarters in Greer, where product performance is evaluated under real-world conditions. The lab handles thermal and FR testing, material qualification, prototyping and product development.
“We act as a true collaborator,” Blackburn says. “Our testing capabilities help customers back up product claims with solid data.”
Looking ahead, Alexium is exploring antimicrobial features and wellness-enhancing technologies as consumers increasingly prioritize health in their sleep products.
Read more profiles at BedTimesMagazine.com.
