Most say FR materials abundant
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, April 12, 2004
HIGH POINT — HIGH POINT — Several bedding producers say there is plenty of fire-resistant material available to meet the industry's needs for new FR bedding.
And a number are moving ahead with plans to switch all U.S. production to meet the new open-flame mattress flammability standards scheduled to take effect in California on Jan. 1.
Their positions contrast with industry sales leader Sealy's recent comment that there isn't enough fire-resistant material available to meet the bedding industry's needs.
Sealy CEO Dave McIlquham said last month the company will make bedding for California to the California standard, but won't convert all its U.S. production.
A number of bedding producers are taking a different approach.
"There is plenty of FR material available," asserted Jim Nation, president of Spring Air.
Serta President Ed Lilly agreed that "there is no supply issue."
Gerry Borreggine, vice president of sales and marketing at Therapedic, said, "Nobody has cautioned us that there may be a dearth of product available."
Sealy's statement that it won't convert all production to the California standard this year surprised some of the producers.
"That is an amazing development, and to some extent it is alarming," said Spring Air's Nation. "I don't buy their reasoning, but Mr. McIlquham has his own company to run."
Spring Air intends to convert all production to the California standard by the end of this year, Nation said.
Borreggine said Therapedic also plans to convert its entire line this year. He suggested that a producer making two lines, one that meets the California standard and one that doesn't, could face liability issues.
"I would hate to be the defense attorney that drew the card to handle that assignment," he said.
"You can't ignore the liability," Nation said. "I don't understand (Sealy's decision). I guess they have different attorneys than we have."
Serta was the first national bedding producer to announce that it is converting all lines to the California standard. About 70% of its dealers will have Serta's FR-protected beds on their floors by the end of May, Lilly said. Some national accounts already have the new FR beds, he said.
Larry McKay, president of King Koil, said his group could go either way — converting all of its production to the California standard this year, or having two bedding lines. He is leaning toward converting all production.
"We are concerned about liability issues," McKay said. "And we also are concerned about competitive issues."
Simmons hasn't disclosed its FR plans, saying it continues to test materials to seek the best solution possible.
In a recent letter to the company's dealers, Simmons Chairman Charlie Eitel and President Bob Hellyer addressed mattress flammability: "As of now, it is unclear if and when any standards will be changed, but you can rest assured that if such changes are necessary, we will do it right."
Furniture/Today asked Sealy how it plans to address any product liability issues that may arise. Mark Hobson, corporate vice president of marketing, had this response:
"Sealy's focus and priority is on developing effective FR solutions that maintain product integrity and comfort characteristics. Product safety and product liability are, as always, important concerns. We will protect our consumers and retailers by implementing a solution that is 100% effective when we are also certain that the FR materials themselves perform consistently, are free of any unintended consequences or health risks, and are available in adequate supplies."
Hobson added that Sealy expects to be ready, at about the same time it meets the California standard, to manufacture and distribute products that meet that standard to retailers in other areas of the country who request them.
Sealy has said it plans to begin production of FR beds for California well before Jan. 1.
