Leggett & Platt gets strong reaction to big machinery
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, April 18, 2004
INDIANAPOLIS — Leggett & Platt, the biggest exhibitor at Expo 2004 here, had some of the biggest introductions at the show.
Its broad range of introductions was well received, said Jay Sanders, vice president and director of marketing for the Bedding Components Group.
"Our customers were upbeat," Sanders said. "They believe the turnaround is in the offing. They generally reported better sales and are looking for continued improvement. We share those feelings."
The biggest introductions by L&P — literally — were on the company's Global Systems Group side of the business. That group designs, manufactures, sells and services machines for the bedding and home textile industries.
GSG's new high-speed quilting machine, Axiom, was humming in the show space at one end of the exhibition hall, where bedding producers were treated to demonstrations.
Machines like that obviously can't be taken on the road by sales representatives, and are always popular draws at bedding supplier shows. The machinery has to be seen in action to be fully appreciated.
Russ Bowman, vice president and general manager of Gribetz International in the Global Systems Group, said the Axiom quilter combines tack-and-jump quilting and scrolling technology in high-speed production runs.
Axiom has two independent, floating bridges, each with seven independent sewing heads, a feature never before available, Bowman said. The machine can produce quilt patterns customized for "his" and "her" sides of the mattress, along with numerous other unique styles.
"This gives mattress manufacturers a way to promote their own products in stores and separate themselves from everyone else," he said.
Reaction to the Axiom quilter, which the company called "the most revolutionary, futuristic quilting machine in the world," was "phenomenal," Bowman said.
Also in the Global Systems Group, Porter International debuted its PFM 4000, a heavy-duty, high-speed flanging machine. Todd Nechtem, Porter's vice president and general manager, said the machine offers greater durability and reliability than other flanging machines, and is also better-suited to today's thicker mattresses.
Reaction to that machine was even better than had been anticipated, Nechtem said.
Another introduction was made by L&P Digital Technologies, which showed a line of bedding display materials produced by its super-wide format digital printers. Banners produced using the technology were hung throughout the L&P space, showing producers the versatility of the offerings.
Retailers can utilize the technology for store banners, backlit signage, posters, point-of-purchase materials, gallery displays, custom fabric ticking, floor graphics, window treatments, foot protectors and wall and ceiling graphics, the company said.
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