Bedding Inds. of America's 3-fisted punch
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 16, 2003
North Brunswick, N.J. — Bedding executive Stuart Carlitz has three brands on his mind each day when he pulls up to his state-of-the-art bedding factory here.
His company, Bedding Inds. of America, produces about 75 different mattresses under three different brands: Therapedic, Restonic and Eclipse.
The Plant 2000 facility was designed with the assistance of Russ Bowman of Leggett & Platt's Global Systems Group. Opened nearly four years ago, it's laid out for efficient flow of materials and with employee ergonomics in mind. It uses three conveyor lines to move beds quickly and cleanly through production. A fourth conveyor system will be added this year.
"A mattress never has to touch the floor," boasted Carlitz, the company's president. "That's for ergonomic and quality reasons. The mattress won't get dirty or damaged. And it's the most efficient layout."
The company invested more than $1 million in new equipment from Leggett & Platt. "They are a great partner," Carlitz said. "They continue to come up here to see how things are operating and to suggest modifications."
The 90,000-square-foot facility currently produces about 800 pieces of bedding per day. It features three top-of-the-line quilting machines and an advanced automated cloth handle machine, among other things. It currently is operating at about 80% of capacity.
It is one of Therapedic's state-of-the-art plants, carrying on a relationship that goes back to the founding of the group. Therapedic's New Jersey operator was the founding licensee.
Carlitz added Restonic after he was well established with Therapedic. And he's also building his own brand, Eclipse International. That's one of the oldest brands in the country, launched in 1905. Carlitz is licensing it in both the domestic and international markets.
"We didn't bring in Eclipse or Restonic to take business away from Therapedic," Carlitz said, "but to add business."
This multi-licensing approach gives Bedding Inds. of America several opportunities to grow its business. "It strengthens the factories that do it the right way," he said. "It gives them a broader base and the ability to grow."
Last year, in a difficult sales climate, Carlitz was able to post double-digit gains for his factory. That's far beyond the industry average, which means his three-tiered approach to the bedding business is helping him gain market share.
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