Bedding bets big on intros at Las Vegas Market
Key new lines win strong retail response
David Perry -- Furniture Today, January 25, 2011
AT THE MARKET - The bedding-rich market here opened with all guns blazing as top mattress producers rolled out key new flagship lines that will largely determine their fortunes this year.
Initial response was strong, they reported.
Sealy has much riding on its new Posturepedic line, which offers a choice of new high-tech titanium alloy coils, one encased, at higher price points and features a CoreSupport center, LiftRight Surround handles and a StayTight foundation.
"We've had a phenomenal response," said Jamie Piper, a Sealy executive. "Everyone is so enthusiastic with our new product line and our new marketing campaign."
Simmons, whose Pocketed Coils have been a key feature in the flagship Beautyrest line since it was launched 86 years ago, is asserting its leadership in that category with a new Smart Response Pocketed Coil, offered in two new Beauty-rest lines, Beautyrest NxG and Beautyrest Elite.
They opened for business Sunday - with a bang. "We were so busy Sunday that it was like a Tuesday," said Gary Fazio, CEO.
Serta aims to stir the bedding pot with its new flagship Perfect Sleeper line, designed in cooperation with the National Sleep Foundation, and with its new icomfort line of memory foam beds, designed to offer the benefits of memory foam at more affordable prices.
Serta President Bob Sherman said the response to the icomfort line, which has its own showroom, was "out of the park."
International Bedding is showing its IB Airsprung collection, developed in cooperation with British bedding producer Airsprung. IB is also introducing the redesigned American-Pedic and Classic collections. Jeff Maillet, CEO of IB, described response to the new lines as "awesome."
Taking aim at the body impression issue, Comfort Solutions has a new "no sag" mattress line, its revamped Extended Life line, designed especially for plus-sized sleepers. A revamped Laura Ashley line also is on display, as is a new two-sided bedding line.
"We've had a very, very strong response to everything we have introduced," said Dave Roberts, president of Comfort Solutions.
Spring Air International has made several changes to its flagship Back Supporter line and also has a new brand positioning statement: "Trusted by millions since 1926."
Rick Robinson, president of Spring Air, said the producer saw major retailers and is off to a good start this year.
"The momentum we generated in the fourth quarter is not slowing down," he said. "It is carrying over to the first quarter. We are very encouraged by that."
A bedding newcomer in Las Vegas is California-based Diamond Mattress, showing a Cool Touch memory foam line, an Ethos latex line and a new Safety Shield mattress and pillow protection program. Shaun Pennington, Diamond's vice president, was pleased with initial response to his company's line.
"This is our first opportunity to show who we are and to share our vision," he said. "We are pleasantly surprised with the response we have already received from major customers."
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Serta says sales grew 7% in 1Q
May 19, 2011 -
Bedding producers offer many new lines
Apr 28, 2011 -
Wave of new lines lifts bedding
Mar 4, 2011 -
Serta unites foam, coils
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