Park Place looks to sell Pennsylvania plant

Bedding producer to close facility if buyer is not found

David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 15, 2011

GREENVILLE, S.C.— Regional bedding producer Park Place Corp. is in talks with prospective buyers interested in its mattress factory in Denver, Pa.

That factory is for sale and will be closed in March if a sale is not made, Park Place officials told Pennsylvania state officials last month in a filing giving the state notice of its plans.

The Greenville, S.C.-based bedding producer acquired the factory in Denver in June 2007 after United Sleep Products abruptly shut the plant. Approximately 50 employees work at the Denver plant.

Park Place President Jimmy Orders said there has been "a lot of interest" in the Denver plant and said he hopes it will remain in business as a mattress factory.

"We've got a good team there and they are performing well for our customers," Orders said.

He said Park Place no longer needs the factory because a new licensing agreement with Comfort Solutions focuses on states in the Southeast. Park Place will serve Comfort Solutions dealers in a total of nine states in the Southeast, Orders said.

A story on the LancasterOnline.com website said that Park Place gave notice to state officials in January about their plans to sell or close the plant.

The LancasterOnline.com story said that then-Gov. Ed Rendell visited Denver in August 2008 to announce $1.1 million in public funds for a $2.25 million upgrade to the factory that was to boost its work force from 62 to 71, the Web story said.

Orders said the sale may be "a first quarter event," and said Park Place is "working to transition the plant to someone who will protect those jobs."