2006 Bedding Yearbook--Highlights from an eventful year
David Perry -- Furniture Today, December 6, 2006
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The images flash to mind quickly as I reflect back on an eventful year on the bedding beat: * Driving up to the Stylution campus in Dongguan, China, and being greeted by dozens of cheering company employees in two long lines. (Hey, why don't I get that kind of reception when I visit a U.S. bedding factory?)
* Gathering at the Ritz-Carlton in Lake Las Vegas with more than 200 of my friends for the first Furniture|Today Bedding Conference, a three-day event that got rave reviews from attendees.
* Meeting friends and colleagues at the International Sleep Products Assn.'s trade show in San Antonio, a wonderful city deep in the heart of Texas.
* Touring an appliance store in America’s heartland that has found success — and higher margins — with mattresses.
Those were four of my stops earlier this year. Each produced insights that I shared with my readers at Furniture|Today in stories and columns. And, as I think back to the highlights of the year that now winds down, I believe it is important to revisit those venues one more time. This time it's for an issue that takes on a life of its own: the 2006 Bedding Yearbook. Our concept, in case you need a quick refresher, is to give you the most important stories and rankings of the year in one handy, powerful package. We know that the Bedding Yearbook has shelf life. As you look through this issue, you will find our annual ranking of the Top 15 U.S. bedding producers, which is, simply put, the most accurate bedding ranking you will find anywhere. This is key data that any researcher needs for basic market analysis. You will also find our list of the Top 25 bedding retailers, providing critical insights on that part of the business. Our Bedding Conference last March was a major industry event, drawing a blue-chip group of bedding producers, suppliers and retailers. We review the highlights of the educational program with you in the Bedding Yearbook, and also salute the six Retail Giants of Bedding that we honored at our conference. You will also find some of the key stories on Chinese bedding producers and trends that stemmed from our first trip to visit Chinese mattress makers. As you probably recall, those stories sparked some controversy from within the ranks of the U.S. bedding industry. We urge you to take a second look at our coverage and see what you think. Our point: What is happening in China cannot be ignored. There's too much in this Bedding Yearbook for us to recount it all in this column. Let us close by saying: We hope you enjoy this check on some of the key bedding issues, trends and rankings that made news in 2006. It's always great having you with us on our mattress journey. *Click here for more details and to order Furniture|Today's 2006 Bedding Yearbook.
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