Powers: Bed protection offers big benefits
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, June 5, 2006
Sutton, Neb. — Dave Powers, the newest ambassador for the mattress protection industry, is an industry veteran who knows all about mattresses.
"I've made mattresses," said Powers, recently named president of GBS Enterprises, formerly Genie B's Specialties. "And I've sold mattresses. Now I am protecting mattresses. That's full circle."
GBS Enterprises, based here, is a manufacturer and supplier of promotional and premium top-of-the-bed accessories, and a mattress protection provider with its Protect-All brand. It also supplies specialty point-of-purchase items to the mattress retail and manufacturing trade.
Powers has held senior management positions with Simmons, King Koil and Mattress Giant. Most recently, he headed POWERSource, an advisory company to the sleep industry. Powers has more than 25 years experience in the bedding industry, in the wholesale, licensing and retail sectors.
And that background gives him credibility when he is talking about mattress protection, "the fastest-growing after-market product in the industry," Powers said.
"I know how mattresses are made and I know the importance of maintaining them," Powers said. "When I talk to retailers, I can talk their language. I understand how critical margins are to their business. And I understand the importance of retaining their people. If their business isn't good, my business isn't good. I want them to be successful."
His company's Protect-All product, a waterproof, anti-microbial dust mite barrier that is breathable and covered with cotton toweling, fits all mattress thicknesses and protects the bedding from stains, thus protecting the mattress warranty.
The product promotes healthy, hygienic sleep, a key benefit for consumers, Powers said.
It also provides some healthy benefits for retailers, he added, helping them boost their sales tickets and build overall store volume. That added revenue is particularly important in today's highly competitive bedding marketplace, where all retailers are looking for an edge.
"Where we have been able to execute our full-service Protect-All program initiative," Powers said, "the retailer has experienced incremental total mattress sales increases of 3% and more at margins well above the mattress industry average."
Protect-All mattress protection products retail from $59 in twin to $89–$99 in king.
Powers is committed to his newest bedding venture. In his new post as president of GBS, he is responsible for all sales and marketing initiatives as well as business/account development, strategic planning and product development. He also is a board member. He reports to CEO Michael Svoboda.
"Dave has been instrumental, over the past two years, in the development of our new Protect-All mattress protection business model," Svoboda said.
"I am very excited to be involved, in a meaningful way, in this important category," Powers said. "We are working hard to enhance the awareness and importance of healthier sleep and mattress warranty protection to the consumer and retailer."
GBS is a supplier to Top 100 furniture stores and mattress specialty chains with branded and private-label lines.
In addition to its Protect-All brand, it produces specialty bed linens, promotional bed packs and pillow shams.
