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Bedding orders strong at Las Vegas Market

David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 1, 2012

Serta’s Bob Sherman relaxes on new high-end iComfort pillowtop model.LAS VEGAS - Buyers are rewarding aggressive bedding producers with strong orders and commitments for new lines, producers report.

The positive reaction to the abundance of big new mattress lines here suggests the bedding category could be in store for a stronger-than-expected year, bedding observers say.

Serta, which has sparked considerable excitement in the industry with its iComfort line, which adds two models this market, is on track for a record show here, said Bob Sherman, president.

"There is no slowing this (iComfort) bus down," he said. Interest was intense in a new $3,999 iComfort pillowtop model, he said; before Serta officials even arrived at market here they had orders for 1,000.

And Serta's iSeries line, which combines gel memory foam and premium innerspring beds, is "doing extremely well," Sherman added.

Comfort Solutions is benefiting from the launch of new lines and a revamped showroom, according to Owen Shoemaker, senior vice president. He declared the market "fabulous" and added: "Traffic is up. The energy around our new Dr. Breus program is high. We are catching quite a few of his past customers. And there is also a lot of energy around our iMattress launch as well."

Ezi Irizarry, left, of Best Buy explains a new Restonic promotion to Steve Tronstein of Gardner-White Furniture, Warren, Mich., while Glen Swanson of Best Buy and Ron Passaglia of Restonic look on.Interest is also high in Comfort Solutions' new high-end King Koil Royalty line, Shoemaker said.

Sleep Inc., owned by bedding entrepreneur Carroll Moran, is doing well in its first showing in Las Vegas, said Doug Guffey, president. Interest is high in the new Body Cool line of gel-infused beds, retailing from $799 to $1,199, he said.

"That line has been well received," Guffey said. "Dealers are looking for options and opportunities that are out there in the market."

Restonic's TempaGel line is a hit, said company President Ron Passaglia. "This is, literally, a cool product," he said. "Our use of Outlast in the product provides coolness and comfort at the closest touch point for the consumer."

Restonic's partnership with Best Buy is also paying dividends, enabling Restonic dealers to offer attractive promotions to drive traffic, Passaglia said.

Dave Roberts of Comfort Solutions sits on a new luxury Royalty bed in the King Koil line.Paramount Sleep, showing at the Bali Hai Golf Resort, has gel in a number of its product lines. "I think it will be a breakout year for gel," said Jamie Diamonstein, president, "but there will also be a lot of confusion about gel products in the market." He said there are no accepted definitions for what constitutes a gel bed.

Attracting special attention here is Paramount's new HD Super Duty bed, which features merino wool, latex and gel and a foam-encased design in a tufted construction. It retails for $2,000 and up.

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