Ellman family launches Sherwood Bedding

David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2011

PHOENIX — The Ellman family, which built International Bedding into a major player, is returning to the mattress industry under the banner of Sherwood Bedding.

The Ellmans - Leon and sons Neil and Lance - are all involved in Sherwood Bedding, which has opened a multi-million- dollar, 75,000-square-foot bedding factory here. The Ellmans own the business.

Neil Ellman said Sherwood brings a sophisticated, highly automated production model to the industry, one that will provide the company's dealers with "consistent quality and value."

Sherwood could open two more bedding factories this year, both on the East Coast, Neil Ellman said. Possible locations include the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic and the Southeast, he said.

The Ellmans founded International Bedding in the 1970s and built it into a Top 10 bedding producer, one that stressed strong values and focused on meeting its customers' needs. They left the company in 2007 and pursued interests outside the industry.

The return of the Ellman family to the mattress industry has been much discussed in industry circles in recent months. Given the family's strong track record in the industry and deep relationships with key retailers, the new venture is expected to quickly gain traction, bedding insiders say.

Joining the team at Sherwood is Eric Johnson, a key player at International Bedding who left that company several months ago. Johnson will be involved in sales and merchandising at Sherwood.

Neil Ellman said his father will assume a "chairman type of role" at Sherwood. Neil said he will be involved in sales and marketing, while Lance will oversee operations.

Sherwood Bedding's product line will retail from $199 to $3,000, Neil Ellman said. A collection of specialty beds is also being developed.

The Ellmans are using a new business model, one that features "a high level of mechanized production with low overhead," Neil Ellman said. "There is no corporate overhead and there are flexible jobs in the factory. We are bringing consistent quality and value to retailers and ultimately to consumers.

"We did our research," he said. "We think we have opened a state-of-the-art factory compared to what exists today."

Sit ‘n Sleep, the Californiabased sleep shop chain, and Mor Furniture of San Diego have committed to carrying the Sherwood line, Neil Ellman said. "Several other major players are in the process of committing to us," he added.

Sherwood Bedding will not show at traditional furniture markets but will instead conduct private showings. Neil Ellman said Sherwood Bedding, which has no debt, will pursue a new path to doing business in the industry.

"We are not targeting anyone specifically," he said. "We are pursuing relationships that we feel are deep and long rooted and that fit our new model." Neil Ellman can be reached at neil@jlegroup.com.