Excel's Chinese line ready for fall rollout
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, September 8, 2003
Newark, N.J. — Excel Bedding is moving ahead with its aggressive plans to market Chinese-made mattresses in the United States.
The company, based here, says response to the fledgling line, several containers of which already have arrived in the United States, has been strong.
"The time is right," said Ira Leibowitz, Excel's vice president, seated on a Chinese-made mattress in his showroom here. "Our industry has been conservative for a long time. The salespeople on the floor are ready to show a mattress with a higher value."
That would be, in his view, the new Excel line.
Leibowitz said his line, the heart of which will retail in queen in the $599 to $799 range, will give retailers superior values that will boost their margins and volume.
"I don't think you can dismiss this and say it won't work," he said, acknowledging that some are already doing just that. "We are determined to make this work. I think we will take some spots off the floor from some of the big guys. I'm offering more to the consumer."
Excel has formed an alliance with what it says is one of the largest bedding producers in Asia. The company, which Leibowitz declined to identify, is located near Shanghai and operates an ISO 9001-certified factory that "enjoys a reputation for outstanding quality, reliability and craftsmanship," he said. "The attention to detail and workmanship is unsurpassed."
Steve Kuo, an Asian-American, is working exclusively with Excel at the factory. He is fluent in Chinese and English, and will make sure both parties stay on the same page. "Steve is the key who will make this work," Leibowitz said.
Kuo said, "Most Chinese factories don't know what American consumers need. We know what they need through our work with Ira, who knows the furniture and bedding business well."
Leibowitz already has made four trips to China in the last 12 months. And although Kuo will keep things rolling in China, Leibowitz will continue to go there.
"I will continually make trips to ensure that everything works smoothly," he said. "It's important to invest time not only with management, but with the production crew at each work station. With the components and equipment at our disposal, we're able to develop some very exciting styles."
The Chinese-made bedding will be distributed nationwide under the banner of Excel Bedding. Retailers in the Northeast will be served from Excel's facility in Newark. The company is considering warehouse facilities in Ohio, Texas and on the West Coast to serve the rest of the country.
Excel quickly sold the prototype mattresses in its first batch of containers and now is gearing up for the beginning of regular shipments to retailers in the fall.
The box springs will be made in the United States, Leibowitz said.
He acknowledged there's a learning curve in importing Chinese beds. The first beds came in too firm, perhaps not surprising since the Chinese prefer much firmer bedding than U.S. consumers.
But changes were made to suit U.S. tastes, Leibowitz said.
"Our goal is to provide the consumer with expertly built, premium-style bedding at affordable prices and to enable the dealer to increase margins and volume," he said.
