Other majors: Sealy, Serta departures will hurt ISPA
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, January 30, 2005
High Point — Other major bedding producers said the departure of Sealy and Serta from the International Sleep Products Assn. would hurt the bedding trade association.
They made their comments before components major Leggett & Platt also announced last week that it was leaving ISPA.
None of the other bedding majors indicated immediate plans to leave ISPA, despite the loss of Sealy and Serta, which represent almost 40% of the bedding industry's volume.
"At this point in time we are an ISPA member," said Bob Hellyer, president of Simmons, the only one of bedding's Top Three still in the association. He is a member of ISPA's Executive Committee.
"I don't know where Spring Air would stand," said Jim Nation, Spring Air president, when asked his reaction to the Sealy departure. "We will have to evaluate the situation. We have historically been an incredibly strong supporter of ISPA. We have seen great value that ISPA has brought to the industry. But if the nature of the organization changes, we would have to re-evaluate. ISPA won't be the same organization without two major players."
Therapedic President Gerry Borreggine, who is chairman of ISPA's Better Sleep Council, said the BSC "will sorely miss Sealy's participation at our table. Not having the industry leader contribute to the work we do undermines our ability to be successful with our program."
He said Sealy and Serta have been valuable contributors to the BSC throughout its 25-year history.
Borreggine said it is incumbent upon ISPA "to continually show our value to our membership. We are not here to grow any member's business, but we do exist to grow the entire pie. And all our members, both big and small, need to recognize that."
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