Gel beds popular at Tier Two producers

David Perry -- Furniture Today, January 30, 2012

LAS VEGAS - Tier Two bedding producers are hoping to stand out at the bedding-rich Las Vegas Market with several new product lines, many of them featuring gel memory foam.
     Enso Sleep Systems enters the gel category with its PureGel collection, featuring "gel spheres technology" to enhance pressure dispersion and increase conformity and support.
     "We are excited about our new line of PureGel mattresses and are confident our retail partners will find it to be a welcomed addition to our already successful line of memory foam mattresses currently on their floors," said Mark Akerman, vice president of sales and marketing for Enso.
     Enso also is launching a new top-of-bed marketing package. "Our goal is to set ourselves apart on the retail floor and with our new top-of-bed materials to assist in the buying process, we feel consumers and retail sales associates alike will find it helpful," Akerman said.
     Boyd Specialty Sleep entered the gel bedding category last month with the launch of its Gel Rest line, targeting retails from $799 to $1,299.
     "The key differentiator of our Gel Rest beds lies in what they deliver at very affordable pricing: Great feels in cool, conforming sleep, high visual appeal and exclusive, patent-pending selling features," said Denny Boyd, president. "Retailers can easily achieve margins as high as 60-plus points while reaching a consumer segment that hasn't been tapped in the gel-foam category before now."
     Gel is also in the mix at Glideaway Sleep Products, which is showing new latex/memory foam hybrids and gel/memory foam models, in addition to a number of new sleep accessories. "Our introductions will make the retailer very happy at aggressive price points," said Ron Fredman, executive vice president of sales and sourcing.
     Gold Bond's Cool Response Gel line gets a boost with the company's move to feature CertiPUR-US approved flexible polyurethane foam materials in the line.
     "As more and more consumers become environmentally conscious, the materials used in the products they buy become equally as important," said Bob Naboicheck, president of Gold Bond. "The CertiPUR-US seal offers consumers looking for ecofriendly sleep products the confidence of knowing that some of the components used to make the collection are not only cooling and comfortable but have passed strict environmental, health and safety standards."
     Natura has upgraded its NexGel line of honeycomb gel columns, which are designed to eliminate pressure points and provide superior durability, the company says.
     "Gel products are in high demand right now, but incorporating gel into a mattress isn't enough," said Ralph Rossdeutscher, president of Natura. "Whereas other manufacturers infuse small amounts of gel into a latex or foam core, we use an entire layer of our patented Ortho-Gel."
     British-based bedding producer Vi-Spring is introducing its all-wool mattress line, Shetland Superb, featuring Shetland Isle wool. The producer emphasizes natural materials like cotton, wool, silk and horse hair in its beds, which are individually handmade to order.
     Italian bedding producer Magniflex is offering Memoform Snooze, a new high profile mattress series designed specifically for U.S. consumers.
     "U.S. consumers have responded very well to our European ‘art' of sleeping," said Marco Magni, global sales director for Magniflex. "As part of our growing investment in the North American market, we decided it was the right time to introduce a product to appeal to the lifestyle and needs of customers here, while still incorporating our unique Italian design."
     Paramount Sleep is making a private showing at the Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas. The showing, set for Jan. 30-31, includes new Nature's Spa Designs, Back Performance Gel beds and the Classic HD line.
     Pacific Coast Feather Co. is introducing a new Stearns & Foster luxury basic bedding line that features four pillows, a full-protection mattress pad, a sheet set and an oversized luxury loft comforter.
     "We've meticulously scrutinized each and every design detail, from elegant fabrications to innovative designs and lavish finishing touches," said Fritz Kruger, senior vice president of marketing at Pacific Coast Feather. "Consumers will be thrilled by the exceptional comfort and quality of these products evident at every level."
     Spaldin, seeking strategic partnerships with retailers and manufacturers, is showing new "natural sleep" beds. "We are offering retailers and consumers proven, tested and documented sleep solutions that take us away from the noise and squawking of the jungle of false and weak claims and ‘me too' materials," said Oscar Valdemoros, president of Spaldin. He said his new line mimics nature by using clean, bio-based advanced materials and design concepts.