Western will sell Hickory Springs FR cotton to bedding makers
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2004
HICKORY, N.C. — Industry supplier Hickory Springs and Western Nonwovens have established a partnership for the manufacturing and marketing of Hickory Springs' fire-retardant cotton technology to bedding makers.
It is the second agreement that Hickory Springs has reached for the marketing of FR products. The company's HS Converting unit is marketing FR products manufactured by Freudenberg.
Western Nonwovens officials said the partnership is "a major step" in gearing up to meet the demand for FR mattress products stemming from new flammability regulations in California, and to broaden their product offerings.
Under terms of the latest agreement, Western Nonwovens will be the exclusive marketer of Hickory Springs' FR cotton to the mattress industry. The companies also agreed to combine manufacturing assets for the production of FR products.
The product, a cotton and polyester highloft nonwoven, will be marketed under the Esyntial Safe NaturalGuard brand.
"With the addition of Esyntial Safe NaturalGuard, Western Nonwovens will offer the widest array of FR solutions available in the market," said Tom Taylor, Western's manager of bedding products.
Greg Gabrel, general manager of Hickory Springs' InnoTherm division, which signed the agreement with Western, said the partnership is "a natural fit" for the two companies. It will enable them to reach national accounts with the new product line, he said.
Gabrel said Esyntial will be made using InnoTherm's FR cotton at seven facilities from coast to coast.
Taylor said the FR application, ammonia phosphate, is a non-toxic, naturally occurring compound that utilizes "a very simple technology that works well." It is also "one of the most cost-effective" FR solutions, he said.
A related technology will enable the companies to add FR protection by blending FR cotton with natural fibers, including wool, cashmere, alpaca and angora, Taylor said.
Officials said the partnership will enable them to bring 12 million pounds of Esyntial to the market initially, a figure that will expand substantially to meet the market's needs.
InnoTherm utilizes an immersion technology that ensures uniform FR treatment on all fibers. The FR characteristics of Esyntial are not subject to oxidation and will not degrade over the life of the mattress, officials said.
Reaction to the new product line has been favorable. "We expect to have some commitments on this product shortly," Taylor said.
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