Bedding gets good marks
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, October 28, 2002
High Point — Bedding producers, making a statement with an unusually active market for introductions, got good marks from retailers looking for new products and programs to stimulate business this year.
Simmons, showing at the Grandover Resort, and Serta officials both said they were pleased with their market. Simmons was back at the market for a major introduction, a strategy it has employed in the past. Serta returned to the downtown market district for the first time since it left in 1999.
Industry sales leader Sealy, which shows in Trinity, a few miles from downtown High Point, also was busy.
Simmons introduced new BackCare and BackCare Advanced lines with new features, including adjustable bedding.
"The dealer reaction has been, 'This is another level of innovation. I can't believe you guys did it again'," said Don Hofmann, senior vice president of marketing.
Serta showed with Largo in a new metal bed and bedding gallery designed by Connie Post.
"It was a positive experience to show here," said Ed Lilly, Serta president. "It is my intention to show here again next market.... Next year we will be better prepared to have more people" in the space.
Serta's introductions included the Perfect Sleeper Body Pillow, the first visco-elastic bed in the flagship lineup. The three models retail from $1,199 to $1,699.
"Customers obviously want visco-elastic beds," Lilly said. "This is our version of what a visco bed should be."
Sealy's offerings included new latex models, as well as new bedding in both the Sealy and Stearns & Foster lines. The producer also continued to build its arsenal of support materials, which includes TV commercials for dealers and in-store signage.
Kingsdown did well with its new Co-Z motion bedding line and also showed a high-end bedding gallery concept.
"Our luxury category is up over 30%," said Pat Flippin, president. "The consumer today is literally hiding their money in their bed."
Bemco introduced its new Posture Zone lineup, featuring foam-encased models. "We got some very positive comments on the line, especially on the upper end," said Daryl Tarbutton, president.
United Sleep Products did well with its bedding lines and with its Simmons futon program, said Paul Sullivan, an executive with the company.
"For us, High Point has definitely been a meaningful market," he said. "We've been here since Day One."
A newcomer to High Point was British bedding producer Hypnos, which has a U.S. licensing arrangement with Jamison. "We had some very good prospects," said Adrian Jones, director of sales.
Specialty bedding producers, well established in High Point, continued to expand their offerings.
Tempur-Pedic, the maker of a heavily promoted visco-elastic foam bedding line, remains on a fast-growth track, said David Fogg, president of the retail division. "Our business has been real strong," he said. "We are gaining so many new dealers each month."
Comfortaire showed its new Royal Aire line of airbeds, targeted to brick-and-mortar retailers. The four-bed program includes plush, pillowtop and two boxtop models. Larry Wride, vice president of sales, predicted that airbeds will continue to be a growing category.
"People are becoming more aware of air," he said. "We will see air grow dramatically as a category."
Halcyon Waterspring did well with its Simmons-branded water and air beds, and also introduced new visco-elastic and quad-zoned latex models. "We had a really good market," said Bill Schermel, president. "We're hot because we are launching new things. There's a fair amount of excitement about us."
