Bedding producers happy with response at High Point

Overall bedding 'traffic light'

David Perry -- Furniture Today, October 26, 2011

AT THE MARKET — The bedding market's performance here is a lot like the nature of bedding business this year: Periods of strong activity and periods of slower sales. Overall, producers generally said, traffic has been light.
Some producers reported the market got off to an earlier start than past shows here. "We had people knocking on our door," said Serta President Bob Sherman.

He said the market started strong, with attendance on Saturday, the official opening day, surpassed the opening day total from last market before 11 a.m. Serta is expecting a strong High Point show, according to Sherman.

Serta is showing its popular iComfort line of gel memory foam beds, and also is offering new encased coil options in its Perfect Sleeper line at prices from $899 to $1,099.

International Bedding was among the companies reporting more activity earlier in the market cycle. "Friday is getting to be a more important day," said Dan Hige, president of International Bedding, showing a new topper line here.

"We had people in on Thursday and Friday," said Kurt Ling, CEO of Pure LatexBliss. "We like that." Retailers are buzzing about the gel category, Ling said, and are excited about his company's new gel-cushioned toppers, mattresses and pillows.

"We've been busy," reported Mike Zippelli, president of Classic Brands. "Our customers are cautiously optimistic about business prospects."

"The quality of the retailers has been very good," said Ralph Rossdeutscher, president of Natura.

Therapedic President Gerry Borreggine sounded a similar note. "The big guys are here," he said. Interest in Therapedic's new Theragel line of gel-cushioned beds has been high, Borreggine said.

Restonic is attracting interest with a promotion tied to
Best Buy that offers gift-with-purchase offers.

"Retailers are committed to shop this market and find extended values, not just with price points but with programs to drive customers into their stores," said Ron Passaglia, Restonic president. "The mattress category will benefit from this type of promotion."

Shifman Mattresses is having another strong market, said Bill Hammer, president. "This market is phenomenal," he said. "Friday was a very strong day for us. For Shifman to be one of the first stops for major retailers is very exciting for us. It shows that we have something new and exciting."

Spring Air, showing in the Specialty Sleep Assn. space, has scheduled presentations to key furniture retailers interested in seeing the company's new BioMax line of eco-friendly beds carrying Level II certification from the Specialty Sleep Assn.

"It is worth showing in High Point for us to get in front of traditional furniture retailers," said Rick Robinson, Spring Air's president.

Jamison is getting a great response to its new brand strategy and three key new product lines, said Ken Hinman, senior vice president of sales and marketing. He was particularly pleased that some retailers want to replicate the company's presentation of its new gel bedding line, Gel Comfort, displayed with Captain Cool penguin mascots and strong point-of-sale messages.

Paramount Sleep is showing new gel models added to its Back Performance line and a new Nature's Spa line that emphasizes natural latex and other natural materials, including wool, cotton and wood.

Klaussner's market introductions include a new bedding executive: Former Sealy exec Mark Akerman, recently named vice president of sales and merchandising for the company's Enso Sleep Systems unit. He is showing retailers Enso's new 16-inch Eurotop memory foam mattress, designed to retail from $1,499 to $1,999.

"Retailers are interested in knowing what we are doing that is new in the memory foam category," Akerman said. "They are spending time with us to learn what we are doing differently."