Freudenberg offers FR composite line
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, September 5, 2005
Durham, N.C. — Freudenberg North America has introduced a new fire-resistant material it says makes it easier for mattress makers to meet California's stringent new open-flame standard.
The supplier said its Celestia Plus FR composite reduces the need for separate FR materials. The composite, available in panel, border and filler cloth designs, replaces conventional mattress components in those areas, the company said. Materials are sold precut, prefabricated and pre-slit for ease of use.
Freudenberg said the new FR materials can reduce design complexity, eliminate steps, minimize SKUs and ease production schedules. Like all its mattress flammability products, Celestia Plus contains no chemicals, according to the company.
Freudenberg's flammability program director, Jim Frasch, said the new products should answer the concerns of mattress manufacturers that wonder if FR materials could hurt the appearance of beds by back-fitting them with FR materials not originally intended for use in mattresses.
"This new process ... eliminates the need to add materials to the mattress that were not part of the original design," he said.
Celestia Plus uses a proprietary process to integrate the FR protection into the mattress components. Freudenberg officials say the move to composite constructions will become even more important when a federal mattress flammability standard goes into effect, which they expect to happen next year.
Frasch said the availability of Celestia Plus materials will make FR conversion a more seamless process for bedding producers.
Freudenberg distributes its FR products in the bedding industry through a strategic alliance with Hickory Springs Converting of North Carolina.
