Beds Magazine January 2016

BEDS | DESIGN | MANUFACTURE | RETAIL

beds

January 2016 ISSUE 08

z DESIGN z MANUFACTURE z RETAIL z

z EXPLORING CONSUMER HABITS

z MARKET RESEARCH

z PROTECTING BRAND INTEGRITY

z LATEST INNOVATIONS

ISSUE 08 JANUARY 2016

LANCELOT LILAC

BY HIGHGATE BEDS

beds

z DESIGN z MANUFACTURE z RETAIL z

Leanne Kirtley Contributing Editor

Editor - Chris Edward-Thorne email: chriset@cabinet-maker.co.uk Associate Editor - Jan Turner email: jan@akapr.co.uk News Editor - Dan Squires email: dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk Contributing Editor - Leanne Kirtley email: leanne@cabinet-maker.co.uk Graphic Design - Zoe Andrews email: zoe@cabinet-maker.co.uk Sales executive - Kacem Ellabbar 01223 846825 kacem@cabinet-maker.co.uk Publisher - Chris Manning email: chris@cabinet-maker.co.uk Issue no 0008 published by Information Publications Ltd, 1 Grain House, Mill Court, Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire CB22 5LD VAT No: GB 945225521 Managing Director: Debbie Johnson © Information Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

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The opinions and views expressed in Beds Magazine are not necessarily those of Information Publications Ltd. Being subject to the Advertising Standards Authority guidelines in place at the time of going to press, all data submitted by advertisers and contained in their advertising copy is accepted

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ISSN pending Registered as a Newspaper at the Post Office.

Editorial Advisory Panel Tony Stuart Brown Airsprung

Nick Booth Silentnight

Shakeel Baig Bodyease

Fara Butt Shire Beds

Jim Gerety Vispring Justine Haywood CPS (Wales) Group Terry Bridger Kaymed Chris France Leggett & Platt

All Change , If I were to choose a phrase that has stuck with the most from the industry in 2015, it would be ‘the changing face of retail’. Almost the perfect go-to excuse for when a product launch or sales event doesn’t quite go to plan, this ‘changing face’ as it’s called is often what is applied when we are talking about that oh so taboo subject: online retail.

In Beds Magazine December 2014 issue we talked about a culture of consumers who were expecting top quality products at the lowest possible prices, holding stores to ransom with threats of ‘finding it cheaper online’.

What has been promising to report at the end of this year, however, is that, far from denying this change and burying their heads in the sand, bed and mattress suppliers and manufacturers seem to have been stepping up to the plate throughout 2015 in a manner previously unheard of.

What a joy it is to be able to leaf through this issue and find a number of companies proudly boasting their new commitment to ecommerce. From a new online-only mattress retailer boosted by newly secured funding, to an established bedding manufacturer taking the decision to make one of its most popular ranges available to online retailers.

Happily, it seems we are now in the midst of a turnaround in consumer attitude, or we have at least reached a comfortable mid-point between the attraction of Bricks and Mortar stores and the convenience of doing everything online.

Now that the race to the bottom seems to be slowing down, manufacturers are able to concentrate on other aspects valued by consumers including, but not limited to, ease, convenience, availability, sustainability, additional features and, slightly trickier, the personal health complaints of each individual shopper. More than enough to be getting on with, I’m sure you’ll all agree.

The UK bed industry may not have quite been able to shake the dark cloud that fell over it thanks to the manufacturer’s exposed in BBC’s Fake Britain, and we continue to come across reports of products failing fire retardant tests, but they have at least slowed enough to have become the exception, rather than the rule.

And if you thought the face of retail could change quickly, just try keeping up with some of the new and improved innovations from the companies in this issue. While climate control is definitely still high on the agenda with many suppliers, and has previously made up the bulk of many of our issues, this time around it is sharing its pages almost evenly with some equally intriguing innovations.

From adjustable beds and cot mattresses to a definite rise in Britishmade components, as well as ‘luxury’ offers, one thing they have in common is that the next chance to see them most of them will be at the second incarnation of eagerly awaited Birmingham-based showcase, the January Furniture Show. Indeed, 2016 seems to have seen a flurry of high profile bed and mattress manufacturers signing up to exhibit at what is sure to be one of the most interesting shows the NEC has seen in quite sometime.

As for what will be set to change in 2016, be it the elusive ‘face of retail’, or the very nature of bed manufacturing itself, one thing I hope won’t change is this continued optimism that seems to have arisen over the last 12 months. I wouldn’t change that for the world.

Leanne Kirtley Contributing Editor

Peter Ruddle Simmons Richard Naylor Steinhoff UK Beds Stuart Hibbert Breasley Consumer Products Lisa Artis NBF/Sleep Council

www.highgatebeds.com

CONTENTSS DESIGN The March Upmarket

What bed manufacturers are doing to impress customers.

36

Ten Out Of Ten

Breasley prepares to exhibit at the January Furniture Show.

Better By Degrees

Why climate control dominates bed industry innovations.

FEATURE I Believe In Mira-cles

Outstanding Achievement

46 Sealy celebrates its Which? Award success.

A Right Royal Showcase

Introducing the new Contemporary Sleep range from TCS.

Climate Comfort

News

82 Creating an optimum sleeping environment with Outlast.

We’ve Got A Feeling

88

What Wiemann has planned for 2016.

86

The latest news from the bed industry

The Mammoth Mission

Products Night Patrol

Hearing from Mammoth’s John Tuton and Mike Nash.

With Tony Lisanti, from Airsprung Group plc.

36

MANUFACTURING Eurovision

The EBIA outlines its achievements, both past and present.

26

28

Textile Academics

The latest unique treatment from Bekaert Textiles.

The Industry’s New Baby?

32

Why the cot mattress market is growing faster than ever.

Year, New Look 30 New MPT Group unveils its new rebranded image.

Brand Power

89

Learning about Adjustamatic’s values and heritage.

56

I Believe In Mira-cles

The new luxury bed offering from Silentnight.

RETAIL

Exceptional Range

Finding out what’s new for manufacturer Sweet Dreams.

Standing Out

How Kaymed’s products are making an impression.

Act 70 Double What’s in store for Limelight Beds and Vogue.

32

Prior Preparation

Consumer Buying Perception & Expectations.

How Highgate Beds ensures it stays on top of its game.

Just what makes a good bed?

One Stop Shop

74 Getting in depth with adjustable expert Furmanac.

62

Roll Up, Roll Up

From Homo Sapien To Homo Digitus

The importance of investing in digital.

Brand Spanking New

How to protect brand integrity online.

Bridging The Gap

The rise and rise of ready rolled mattresses.

Meeting the team at NewBridge Street Bedding.

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NEWS Airsprung Group highlights ‘drive’ in sales Beds and upholstery manufacturer Airsprung Group reported a rise in profits for the year ended 31 March 2015.

The company, based in Trowbridge, revealed revenue from sales of the Group’s beds brands alone were up by 9.8% to £36.858m, while total Group sales were up by 5.7% £48.558m from £45.919m.

With the Group’s beds brands – which include Airsprung Beds, Gainsborough and Hush-a-Bye Beds, driving profit, the business saw an uptick of pre-tax profit to £2.191m from its beds sector, while total pre-tax profits resulted in £1.496m.

Airsprung Group predominantly saw revenue increase within the UK but also saw a rise in its worldwide market up to £741,000 from last years £578,000, indicating its continued global growth.

Inline with the company’s successful results, the Group also created 13 new jobs in the year bringing its total number of employees up to 591.

The company stated the strong sales activity was ‘driven’ from both new and old customers, while confirming the Group ‘is well placed to continue its profit growth plans’ moving forward.

TEMPUR SEALY APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR Mattress giant Tempur Sealy International has announced the appointment of Richard W. Neu as a director.

Joining the current board of directors, Richard W. Neu has had a variety of board roles over the past 11 years and currently serves on the board of directors, as chair of the audit committee and as a member of the executive, community development and trust committees of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

Scott Thompson, chairman and CEO, commented on the appointment: “I am pleased to welcome Rick Neu to our

www.tempursealy.com

Foam Company Revitalises its range Foam products specialist The Foam Company has expanded its Revitalise range with two new rolled mattresses.

The company, which is based in Oxon, has added the Ultra 500 and 700 to its recently rebranded Revitalise vacuum packed portfolio, offering customers a combination of quality, affordability and value for money.

Michael Nash, managing director, said: “The Ultra range is for customers who want quality at affordable prices and value for money. All our support foams are a minimum of 30 kilo density, up to 33 kilo for the Ultra products.

“Crucially, we now roll our mattresses. In 2007, we manufactured our own machine, which folded mattresses, allowing all sizes to squeeze into a box 1m high. It looked great, but the folding process destroys cells along the fold lines, creating an inconsistent feel and reduced durability. Gently pressing and then rolling the product is the best way in our significant experience – it costs us more to ship, but our aim is to provide better product, rather than gain cost efficiencies.”

www.airsprungbeds.co.uk

DUVALAY APPOINTS NEW COMMERCIAL MANAGER Yorkshire based bed and mattress business Duvalay confirmed the appointment of Jim Harrower as commercial manager.

Formerly the managing director of Sealy UK, Jim benefits from a wealth of experience within the bed industry, with his role to help launch Duvalay’s new Hilary Devey collection and expand the company into the retail sector.

Alan Colleran, founder and managing director of Duvalay, commented on the appointment: “Jim has an excellent reputation throughout the sector and the addition of his vast experience and proven track record will help expand our business into the retail sector.”

Jim added: “I am excited to be working with such a passionate business. Duvalay has grown rapidly over the last few years and I am pleased to be able to help them develop their new product range further.” www.duvalay.co.uk

board of directors. He is a proven business leader, and his public company board experience, along with his proven success as an officer of public companies, demonstrates his leadership capability and extensive knowledge of complex financial and operational issues.”

Richard said: “I am honored to join the board of directors of Tempur Sealy.

I look forward to collaborating with my fellow directors, Scott Thompson and the rest of the management team to generate value for all of the Company’s stockholders.”

www.sleepshaper.co.uk

Sealy delivers Record growth Bed and mattress manufacturing brand Sealy UK revealed record breaking results on top of Which? Award wins.

The Lancashire based supplier picked up the Which? Best Buy Award for a third consecutive year for its Napoli mattress earlier in the year. This summer Sealy’s Teramo mattress outscored all beds tested by the magazine, stating it as ‘the best mattress we’ve tested in years’.

It is no surprise to see that sales for Sealy have increased in dramatic fashion, up by 10% on last year, as Neil Robinson, Sealy marketing director, revealed exclusively to Cabinet Maker.

He said: “The business has been building momentum consistently over the last couple of years and the October figures were testament to everyone’s work within the business. We are looking forward to a record breaking 2015 followed by a recorded breaking 2016. We are currently running over 10% up on last year, which was itself a record year. On the basis that the market is probably only up by about 4-5%, we are

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clearly growing at the expense of some of our competitors.”

Speaking on winning the Which? Awards, Neil added: “There are all sorts of awards within the industry but the one that I think really resonates with both retailers and consumers are the Which? Awards because they are completely objective from the countries biggest consumer champions. xxxxx we have now held The Napoli award consistently for three years and then to get the Teramo award on top of it, and despite a number of companies having Which? Best Buys, we would envisage that the Which?

Award for Teramo is for the best of the best.”

The company highlighted that these two mattresses alone are now responsible for generating some 25% of the company’s total general independent retail sales, and business is up across all the ranges by some 30% YTD. www.sealy.co.uk

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MATTRESS SUPPLIER FINED AFTER FAILING FLAME TEST

NEWS

Mattress supplier The Sleep People Limited has been fined after a mattress failed a flame test.

According to the Hull Daily Mail, the company, based on Leeds Road, Ossett, pleaded guilty to one charge of supplying a mattress that failed a fire retardant test, contrary to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, and one charge under section 12 (1) of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 at Hull Magistrates Court.

The mattress was bought at a familyrun furniture store, Furnish-Right, by undercover investigators, who were carrying out a regional test-purchasing programme.

Stephen Turner, prosecuting on behalf of Hull City Council, said: “The mattress caught fire and continued to flame in

Hypnos reveals key appointments Bed manufacturer Hypnos announced two changes within its management team.

James Keen has taken the lead for Hypnos Ltd, the retail arm of the group as managing director, while Clive Parry stepped up to become director of UK retail sales.

Stephen Ward, Group managing director, commented on the two appointments: “I am delighted to announce these appointments as they are an important step in the evolution of the group, as we continue to grow at a phenomenal rate. Sales have doubled in the last four years and this trend looks set to continue.”

“The fact that we are also able to appoint the two roles from within, shows that we are developing great people within the organisation who have in-depth knowledge of Hypnos and the markets that we trade in. Last year we created two companies to serve the global bed markets, Hypnos Contract Beds Ltd for the hospitality sector, and Hypnos Ltd for the retail sector.

“We were able to appoint the managing director of Hypnos Contract Beds from within the business and John Woolley and his team have done a fantastic job in the last 12 months.”

excess of the specified period stated within the regulations.”

Tim Welton, mitigating for The Sleep People Limited, said the directors, Timothy Hargreave and Damien Fynn, thought the tests that were carried out were ‘sufficient’.

Tim added: “They should have carried out their own testing. They know that now. They were in the process of securing accreditation to the National Bed Federation. They have no chance of getting that now.”

The Sleep People Limited was fined £3,500 and must also pay £1,800 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge. www.hullcc.gov.uk

Bridge 15 delivers successful show International bedroom event Bridge ‘qualifies as a success’ said organisers as they reflected on a producing such a positive platform.

This year marked the first Bridge show, which took place at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum in Telford on 22-23 September. Over 70 visitors attended the event over the two days, while all the exhibitors that attended have already signed up for 2016 show.

Organisers Maud Laine and Mark Tunstall revealed that feedback had been ‘positive’, with many finding the venue interesting, giving an ‘intimate feel of the exhibition’. With plans already underway for Bridge 2016, year two promises to be another ‘success’.

Maud explains: “This year, Bridge was of a size that we could manage with relatively low risk and be able to assess performance of the venue and organisational tasks plus understand visitor reaction. We are mindful of the support and commitment from the exhibitors at the inaugural exhibition and they will very much be involved in how we shape future Bridge Events.” www.bridge-event.co.uk

www.hypnosbeds.com

Online retailer raises cash-injection

ONLINE MATTRESS FIRM LAUNCHES IN UK

Online mattress retailer Eve has acquired £2.5m of funding from investors to maintain momentum since its start up in February.

According to the Evening Standard, the London based firm has already achieved more than £2m in sales since its launch and will use the cash-injection to keep its 35% monthly growth rate on track. The funding has been raised through London based capital firms DN Captial and Octopus Ventures.

Although Eve is relatively new

Mattress manufacturer Leesa has revealed how its online business in America is ready to take the UK market by storm.

The company, which is based in Virginia, USA, and Manchester, UK, employs 32 staff and expects total sales to achieve $30m this year alone. The firm will manufacture its mattresses at its UK factory in Glossop, Derbyshire, as well as targeting the younger audience through social media.

Manchester born David Wolfe, co-founder of Leesa, spoke to The Telegraph on returning to the UK with his successful American dream. He said: “All the major department stores sell mattresses, but their prices include commission for salesmen and added costs for infrastructure and retail space. We wanted to sell highquality mattresses for a third of the price by selling direct to the consumer.” www.leesa.co.uk

within the industry, the company’s products, which are designed and manufacturer in the UK, are already making waves and were used in the X-Factor finalists’ house.

Jas Bagniewski, Eve’s co-founder and chief executive, spoke to the Standard. He said: “We have been blown away by the popularity of our product and look forward to using the funding to grow the company further.” www.evemattress.co.uk

TEMPUR UK ENJOYS CONTINUED GROWTH Mattress manufacturer Tempur UK Ltd reported it had ‘outperformed the bed industry’ in its latest results.

The company, which is part of the American giant Tempur Sealy International Inc., posted an uptick of total UK sales by 20% to £38.2m from £31.8m for the year ended 31 December 2014. Gross profit rose by 32% to £9.7m from £7.4m, while operating profit for the same period was also up by 20% to £1.8m from £1.5m, resulting in a pre-tax profit of £1.8m for 2014.

Highlighted with the strategic report, the company said: “The retail trading environment has improved against 2013 with growth in the bed industry. Our strategic goals were met and we enjoyed growth in our retail segment and outperformed the bed industry.”

Adding: “Since the year end, trading conditions remain the same. However, with significant investment into national advertising, retail growth is in accordance with our 2015 goals.” www.uk.tempur.com

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FUTON POSTS ‘IMPROVED PROFIT’ Bed manufacturer the Futon Company reported its highest turnover for five years.

Highlighted in the firm’s financial results for the period 24 February 2014 to 22 February 2015, total sales were up by 16.4% to £7.8m from £6.7m, the highest recorded since sales hit £8.1m back in 2010.

The London-based business, which operates under a direct-toconsumer model and retails from 21 stores around the UK, saw gross profit increase by 16.6% to £4.2m from £3.6m, while pretax profit more than doubled to £241k from £87k, a rise of 177%, over the same period.

Attached within the detailed report, the business said: “The company has improved profitability over the prior year which was slightly in excess of management forecasts, benefiting from improvements being made across all operations. The directors believe that the company will continue to show marginal improvements in profitability in the current year.”

The firm also revealed that although market conditions remain ‘difficult’, keeping an eye on future development continues with its products, ecommerce and potential additional outlets.

Silentnight wins four awards Bed manufacturer Silentnight has won four awards for its Safe Nights mattress at the Mother and Baby awards 2016.

The Lancashire-based business won Gold for ‘Best Nursery Product’ and picked up Bronze for ‘Best Sleep Product’, bringing the company’s total accolades for the Safe Nights Memory Wool Cot Bed Mattress to four this year.

The Safe Nights mattress has also received the Loved By Parents award for ‘Best Safety Product’, and it was chosen as a Silver winner for ‘Best Mattress’ in the Best Baby and Toddler Gear Awards.

The product testers said of the Silentnight Safe Nights Memory Wool Cot Bed Mattress, ”Simply put, it’s very, very comfortable. It’s not too soft, not too hard, just right (as Goldilocks might say). My son is getting the best night’s sleep he’s ever had, which means I am too, which makes for a very happy household.”

The Mother and Baby awards have been running for 22 years and are the most rigorously tested awards in the industry. The testers are all mums who are in the right stage of pregnancy or motherhood to test each product. The review process and strict criteria have caused the awards to become the most sought after for baby products. www.silentnight.co.uk

www.futoncompany.co.uk

Steinhoff eyes Scunthorpe exPansion Furniture group Steinhoff UK has revealed plans to revamp its Scunthorpe store. Brands Harveys and Bensons for Beds, based at the Lakeside Retail Park, will undergo the proposed refurbishment to further accommodate Bensons for Beds.

Highlighted within a detailed planning application submitted to North Lincolnshire Council, the company states: “A larger mezzanine is required to enable the sale and display of the company’s full range of beds, mattresses and associated bedding goods. Accordingly, planning permission is sought for the erection of 806sqm mezzanine floor space.”

Adding: “The proposal mezzanine also represents efficient use of the existing retail outlet in an established bulky goods location that will enable expansion of the business and creation of economic activity and employment.” www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk

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NEWS AT A GLANCE MATZA SEAMS TO CREATE ELEGANCE West Yorkshire based bed manufacturer Matza has incorporated automotive elegance within its new beds.

Inspired by the automotive industry and smartphone technology, Matza has developed an innovative upholstery technique to create almost traceless seams to provide an elegant finish.

Matza’s headboards and footboards can be appreciated from all angles thanks to the clever seaming, which took months of experimentation before it seemed right.

Asif Ayub, Matza’s managing director, revealed: “We looked at the fluid, elegant lines and applied it to our bed upholstery. It took months before we were happy with perfect, clean, smooth and beautiful seams.

“The end effect is very well worth the effort it took to develop. This elegant finish means that our beds can be used as prominent, feature pieces in stylish bedrooms.”

www.matza.co.uk

Jensen Skandinavia Limited to close European beds and mattresses provider Hilding Anders has confirmed that its Jensen Skandinavia Ltd arm is to close.

Based in Taunton, Somerset, Jenson will close at the end of this year, ending a 15-year span of trading in the UK. The company has highlighted that it plans to ‘wind its operations down’ for the remaining weeks of December and concentrate all of its attention on its core operations.

The company confirmed that Paul Francis will dedicate all of his time to the International Contract & Marine business from 1 January 2016.

A statement said: “The company will wind its operations down in an orderly way over the next few weeks whilst ensuring all deliveries are made in time for Christmas. The Company will strive to honour any new orders placed up until the end of 2015 to support its customers through any early Winter Sale orders.” www.jensen-beds.com/uk

ANOTHER ‘DIFFICULT YEAR’ FOR BED FIRM Mattress manufacturer Millbrook has reported a continued drop in turnover in its latest financial performance for the year ended 30 June 2014.

The Southampton based bed specialist, who changed its name from Millbrook Beds to Millbrook UK, saw year-on-year sales fall by almost £1m to £5.8m over the 12 months, adding to its previous years decline of around £1.5m, bringing the total loss in sales of almost £2.5m in the space of two years.

Reduced revenue saw the company post a greater pre-tax loss of £1.6m for the year compared to its loss of just under £1m in 2013, totalling a combined two-year pre-tax loss of almost £2.6m. Dating further back, the business has now made a combined pre-tax loss of around £4.7m over the last four years.

Despite the crushing figures the company created 14 new jobs over the year and saw a slight growth in its overseas market, maintaining optimism that next year will see the firm return to overall growth.

Attached within the strategic report outlined: “The company had another difficult year, although the directors believe the corner has finally been turned. As a result of new contracts, a restructuring and various cost saving initiatives, the business is expected to return to profit next year.” www.millbrook-beds.co.uk

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Bed factory revamps roof Contract bed manufacturer Palatine Beds has seen the refurbishment of its roof completed.

The roof work was undertaken by specialist Hodgson Sayers who replaced the asbestos cement roof with a new Twin-Therm roof system and valley gutters at the Palatine Beds factory based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The revamp provides Palatine Beds enhanced thermal performance and improved air tightness, as well as increasing energy efficiency, allowing the business to reduce operational costs.

Paul Cowen, contracts manager for Hodgson Sayers, spoke to Specification Online: “This was our largest metal roof installation to date and it required a great deal of collaboration between all the parties involved to ensure disruption to those working inside the factory was kept to a minimum.”

www.palatinebeds.co.uk

YORKSHIRE FIRM EXPANDS SHOWROOM PRESENCE Bedroom furniture manufacturer Henry Charles has opened a new showroom in Horsforth following increased demand of its products.

The Keighley-based business, which has been established for six years, has now expanded its presence to two outlets, with a further one more being planned to open in Harrogate in the near future. The firm has also created new job opportunities as they look to recruit two new drivers and fitters to accommodate their growth strategy.

Joseph Waite, Henry Charles managing director, spoke to news site BDaily and said: “It’s fantastic to see that there’s a real desire for luxury bedroom furniture in the

area. We’ve had to expand further afield and are now installing our sliding wardrobes as far as East Yorkshire. Recommendations from existing customers have always been the largest provider of new leads for the business and it is the driving force behind our growth.”

“Saving on costs is important for any new business, and we want to help those entering the industry by providing our product at an affordable price to help them grow like we have,” Joseph concluded.

www.henrycharles-bedrooms.co.uk

Continued growth for beds indie Independent beds and mattresses retailer City Beds has posted a positive return in sales for the year ended 30 April 2015.

The Essex based business reported overall turnover for the period was up by 9.9% to £746,833 from £679,327, continuing its significant growth since 2012. Gross profit was just over £10,000 compared to the previous year to £327,765, while pre-tax profit also saw an uptick of 15.2% to £18,974.

Established in 1985, the company has slowly started to regain its yearon-year rise in sales, with the current period the highest in three years, but still remains some way off returning to sales over the £1m mark, which the business last achieved back in 2008.

Moving forward the company prides itself on its expert knowledge of beds and mattresses with team members having to have ‘at least 15 years experience in the industry’; outlining brands drive for continued growth.

www.citybeds.co.uk

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PICTURE

THE SCENE Beds ‘looks’ back at a selection of industry developments from the last quarter.

Vispring entertains Royal opening British bed maker Vispring welcomed Royalty to its factory in Plymouth to open its new showroom.

Her Royal Highness, The Countess of Wessex, attended and officially opened the new showroom on 20 October. Not only did The Countess of Wessex declare the opening, but also had a tour of Vispring’s factory and met many of the company’s master craftsmen.

The tour included a talk on the benefits of using wool for bed making, as well as highlighting the firms apprenticeship program and demonstrating how to side-stitch a mattress by hand, to which Her Royal Highness took the chance to give it a try herself.

Vispring’s managing director, Mike Meehan, commented: “We are very grateful to The Countess of Wessex for taking the time to visit our factory.

It has been a great honour to have the opportunity to show Her Royal Highness the process first hand.”

Silentnight teams up with University of Leeds Bed manufacturer Silentnight has teamed up with the University of Leeds for an academic sleep study.

According to research, which was presented at the British Sleep Society Conference last month, it found that Brit’s lose more than 15 days worth of sleep a year, with more than a quarter suffering from dangerously low sleep levels.

Silentnight, who already employs Neurophysiologist, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan (pictured), has now expanded its research into the ‘value of sleep’ in Britain by partnering with the University of Leeds’ School of Psychology to conduct an in-depth piece of academic research, using its experience of sleep and sleep products in the UK. Nick Booth, marketing director at Silentnight, said: “We have always invested significant resource into the science of sleep and this latest piece of work with the University of Leeds is another example.”

Kaymed runs Dublin Marathon Two of Kaymed’s team has successfully ran the 2015 Dublin Marathon to raise funds for charity.

The Dublin-based bed manufacturer helped raise money for the Irish Heart Foundation with workmates Philip Kenny and Jeremy Navrady (pictured) completing the 26.2 mile course around the Irish capital in memory of their late colleague Declan Reilly.

Battling the wind and rain on 26 October, Philip – part of the Kaymed production team - completed his first marathon in 3 hours and 48 mintues, while Jeremy – UK marketing manager - finished his 25th marathon in 3 hours and 53 minutes.

Jeremy said: “It was great fun and for such a worthwhile cause too.”

Dreamworks Beds wins award for fourth year running Mattress manufacturer Dreamworks Beds has won the AIS Gold Standard Award 2015 for a fourth consecutive year.

The Westbury-based business, which was bought by home furnishings company Gallery Direct back in September, won the accolade for its performance through a variety of areas including member feedback, statistics, complaints and internal analysis.

Darrell Cooper, Associated Independent Stores (AIS) partnership trading manager furniture, revealed: “Each year, the top performing suppliers who have excelled in terms of product quality, communication and after sales service are presented with the coveted Gold Standard Award. Dreamworks Beds were amongst the winners in 2015 which demonstrates their continued high standards of quality and service to our members.”

Briody Beds wins award Irish bed and furniture manufacturer Briody Beds was awarded the ‘Bedding Supplier of the Year 2015’ award at the Harvey Norman Awards.

Upon hearing the news, the Oldcastle based family business revealed how ‘proud’ the company was on picking up such a prestigious title.

David Briody, of Briody Beds, commented: “We are a family run business and we are very proud and honoured to have received such a prestigious award from Harvey Norman. This is testimony to the hard and dedicated work of our Management and Staff here at Briody Bedding where we are constantly developing and researching new and exciting products.”

The company, which has been established since 1974, has six Sleep Sets in 13 Harvey Norman shops across Ireland and Northern Ireland, growing from its first Sleep Set over two years ago.

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DESIGN

THE MARCH UPMARKET

The March UPMARKET [ 16 [

DESIGN

THE MARCH UPMARKET

Part of the premium Active Shire range

from Shire Beds

ook no further than luxury bed maker Vispring for a tale that is a sign of the times.

A company well used to producing luxury beds in the £2,500 to £25,000 bracket, even they have been surprised at the lengths some people will go to for a good night’s sleep.

Said UK sales director Jim Gerety: “We recently made a bed for one million Hong Kong dollars - around £85,000. But the order, which had us wondering if it was April Fool’s day, was one from China asking us to provide a one off bed with gold plated springs!”

It wasn’t an April Fool’s joke and Vispring duly hand dipped each and every spring in liquid gold to fulfil an order that has to go down in the record books.

Ostentatious orders aside, the company says it has made progress in the UK every year for the past three years from a similar retail base. Explained Jim: ”People who, in the past, would have spent £1,000 are now spending £1,000 - £2,000 and we’re seeing other manufacturers chase that price band. Happily, there’s also a niche market of consumers willing to pay out the price of a car for a great night’s sleep.”

The company’s most recent launch is a new adjustable – The Sapphire. Aimed at the UK market it typically retails for around £6,000 for a superking.

At Sweet Dreams, general manager Jackie McGarvey says a significant proportion of people are wanting luxury and are prepared to spend to get it. They’re professional, aspirational, upwardly mobile people.

And according to Jackie, the benefits of producing more expensive, upmarket beds are threefold: “We make more margin, our retailers make more margin and best of all consumers benefit from a high quality bed with obvious advantages to their wellbeing.

It’s gratifying to be able to do that.”

The company’s current most expensive model is the Empress 5000 Latex from the new Royal Pillowtop collection, priced between £699 and £1500 depending on size and option. The luxury fillings and finish are topped off with a bumper bar and goldcoloured shepherd castors.

Premium priced products are nothing new to Sweet Dreams says Jackie: “We’ve always made them – witness our Moonflower collection of a few years ago. We’ve always had several high spring count models in our pocket spring collection – but now we’re focusing on them more and the standards of luxury are in excess of anything we’ve done

before.”

So can we expect to see an end to the half price sales? “Probably not!” says Jackie, “But at the moment, at least for many of us, it’s no longer such a concern; not every conversation begins and ends with price, and that’s a very good thing.

But some retailers will always work that way and the internet puts pressure on retail prices that wasn’t there a decade ago.”

James Keen at Hypnos says the company’s Royal Comfort Collection, which retails for around £8,000 to £10,000, has been out for two years and is doing well internationally. Its new Regal Collection of firmer but luxurious feeling, lower profile divans sits just below that price bracket selling for between £4,000 – £5,000.

James told us: ”We’ve seen growth of 245% on our £1,400 - £3,500 models over the last three to four years and there is definitely a move towards more expensive products. The £1,000 – £3,000 market is now sizeable and a lot of people are making for it – I think we can take that up a gear and still offer good value. Also, retailers are finding it easier to sell a luxury product rather than just relying on price.

“Our audience is mainly ABC1 females over 40 – a discerning customer looking for functional luxury and quality reinforced by our 10-year guarantee and Royal Warrant status.”

Airsprung CEO Tony Lisanti also believes that people are now willing to pay a lot more for comfort with even volume retailers moving from open coil to pocket spring models. He said: “We are definitely and consciously moving upmarket. It has been a very deliberate exercise to upspec, particularly across our Gainsborough brand.

“One of the big problems that consumers have with a very expensive bed is often the sheer weight of it, making it extremely difficult for one person to turn a high spring count mattress. For this reason we’ve launched a Gainsborough high count mattress that doesn’t need turning.

It is not something we have done as a cost reducing measure but very much as a way of producing a no-turn, no-compromise bed – the Dual Pocket which will retail for about £1,800.

“The move upmarket is taking companies away from that very, very competitive standard market, lifting them

As growing consumer confidence signals an end to austerity, bed manufacturers are once again out to impress. Jan Turner reports on the innovations, sumptuous fillings and out-and-out ostentation marking the return of better beds and better margins.

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DESIGN

THE MARCH UPMARKET out of what is a bit of a free-for-all. In Europe and America people place a much higher value on buying a good bed and consumers here now seem prepared to pay a better price for a better product.”

And why is that? Tony explains: “We’re coming out of recession, there is more footfall in stores and people seem to be prepared to pay a bit more. When the recession came along people very clearly down traded but now there is more confidence. Those who don’t move up with it risk being left behind in a purely price driven market and that’s not a good place to be.”

Proving that the glitz and glamour side of luxury is in demand too, is the new Hilary Devey collection from Duvalay. The company, which famously caught the eye of the former Dragon’s Den member, got along so well with her that they went on to collaborate on a range of five uberglam beds. They feature such touches as the option to have a Hilary Devey metallic label on the headboard and diamantes in the crushed velvet cushioning. The ticking features Hilary’s CBE crest.

As Hilary, founder of the multi-million Pall-Ex logistics network, puts it: “It has taken a year to develop this range and our vision was to bring luxury and a touch of glamour to the market. I also wanted the range to have a more feminine touch as this is aimed at women whose children have perhaps left home and are re-doing the house to reflect the fact it is now ‘their time’. The range retails for around £2,000 - £2,500.

While Hilary and Duvalay believe that’s a price band which represents affordable luxury, Mammoth has come in just above that for the starting price of its new luxury Club range.

Encouraged by the best-selling success of its SuperSoft bed set (£3,000 - £3,500 at retail) company founder and MD John Tuton boldly raised the stakes to introduce a new luxury range, the Club SuperSoft Collection with the most expensive model costing just short of £6,000 (for the Club SuperSoft 3000 superking). The range features super soft pressure relieving ‘medical grade’ foam combined with a pocket base to offer superior circulation, comfort and pressure relieving benefits.

Each product has integrated washable mattress protectors and a high-spec tencel cooling cover.

Said John: “The success of our SuperSoft bed told us a lot about what the consumer wants and gave us the confidence about which way to go. From being at the top of our price structure, our original SuperSoft is now the entry level model.

“We thought about this very carefully and are confident that in the right stores there is a demand for this type of product.

We see the typical customer as being very ‘Middle England’ – people who want the best, are educated and do their research before buying.

“The move upmarket hasn’t been a leap into the dark but one based on something

Empress 5000 Latex from Sweet Dreams

£25k vintage luxury

from Relyon with the

Price Brothers No.1 Bed

The Salus Bionix motion range from Breasley

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DESIGN

THE MARCH UPMARKET

Hilary Devey has

helped Duvalay

put the glitz in bedz we know has worked well – and supported by our regular year-on-year growth of about 25%.”

Steve Brougham, sales director for Harrison, has his own thoughts on the type of consumer now willing to spend a sizeable amount on a new bed.

He said: “People now do an awful lot of their research online and if you take out of the equation those people who buy online, then the people who take the trouble to follow up their research with a visit to store are likely to spend decent money. They are the ones who are not prepared to invest a considerable amount without trying it out first. So while retailers may be seeing less people overall, they are seeing more serious buyers.”

The company’s most expensive bed is the Solitaire – part of the Bed Tailor range which retails for around £5,699 and features 29,800 springs. Said Steve: “Last year our top end bed cost around £3,500. As a company we’ve seen tremendous growth – last year, Harrison’s was up nearly 30% on the previous year. I believe part of that success is down to our longevity. People have confidence in the brand so when business does pick up it becomes the Go To range for retailers.

We’ve invested a lot in training over the past few years so they are comfortable with and knowledgeable about our products and that makes a difference.”

Pete Ruddle, sales director for the Simmons group says it is retailers themselves who are asking the company to make the move upmarket. He explains: “Our Sensoria (Sleepeezee) range, which was launched last year with a maximum of 2,400 springs, has now been moved on to offer 3,000 and 4,000 springs with latex and pillow tops. They will retail at £999 and £1,099 for a five foot set.

“We are essentially responding to demand and although we have traditionally been a mid-market company in £499 - £599 territory, our most expensive bed is now the

Sleepeezee Serenity 3000 retailing at £1,899.

“It has been noticeable this year, particularly on ranges like our Aqua 3, that we are selling more beds in the middle to upper collections on both own brands and own label. Rather than making a commodity we have put concepts together based on customer demand and proven success.”

The Steinhoff stable – which stretches across the £99 to £25,000 price band says the average transaction value of the consumer is improving.

Said sales director (UK Beds) Paul Little: “We’re seeing positive movement in higher end brands as consumers, who now have more disposable income than they did four or five years ago, move up. They are spending more on considered purchases such as a new bed. This growth in the market is reflected in our double digit growth.”

The willingness of consumers to invest more in a new bed has led the Silentnight group “on a journey to significantly enhance its mid to premium offer”.

One way in which this has manifested itself is in the new Hemingway Collection aimed at the more design led, savvy customer.

Typically retailing at about £1,500 for a bed frame and £1,000 for a mattress across a collection from which consumers can select multiple combinations of head boards and exclusive Wayne Hemingway design fabrics and ticking.

Silentnight is also working towards further acknowledging the demand for contemporary beds with its Studio Collection, a funky new range due to be developed in early 2016.

And it reinforced its better end beds offer with the recent launch of the Miraform spring-free mattress with ergonomic zoning for spinal alignment and pressure relief, retailing at around £1,500.

Nick Booth, marketing director for Silentnight, commented: ”There is generally more confidence out there but the market has changed too. People are more aware

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of sleep and we have raised our game – as have a lot of others in the industry.

However, we feel it is important not to lose sight of the lower end of the market.”

Ross Thurston, marketing director for Millbrook said that although the company was up-speccing and introducing new fillings such as locally produced Hampshire wool (indicated through the use of black tufts to represent the native black sheep breed), the move was more evolution than revolution.

Its top Connoisseur model, featuring 5,000 pocket springs along with silk, cotton, cashmere, pashmina, mohair, bamboo and Hampshire wool which retails for around £2,500 to £3,000 (five foot model), did however reflect the fact that the luxury end of the market is doing well.

Said Ross: “We feel we have a competitive spot in the market and the new mood of confidence has been reflected in a fantastically busy year with at least a 25% year-on-year increase. It’s a confidence that seems to have benefitted everyone, particularly in the past year.”

Even smaller companies such as South Yorkshire based Health Beds have been encouraged to launch pricier beds into the market. Its most expensive model, the Balmoral, was launched last year and retails for around £2,000.

Sales and marketing director Steve Congreve tells us: “The upturn has enabled us to make better beds and better beds are selling. The average price point of products going through the factory has gone up with the average retail value now about £1,000 – a couple of years ago that figure would have been about £699.

“People are buying better again. The housing market is moving more freely and low interest rates don’t exactly encourage saving. We are responding to this by putting more in to our product to lift sales.”

For Stuart Hibbert, MD of Breasley, it is

DESIGN

THE MARCH UPMARKET XXXXXX XXXXXX

Innovation is critical to any strategic move forward.

Hypnos Royal Comfort

RETAIL VIEW Colin Heal, general manager, Newbridge Street Bedding Centre, Newcastle “We are noticing the average value of transactions has increased by about £200 per sale in the past two to three years and, by spending more, customers are usually buying a better and more suitable product.

“People are now prepared to consider quality and comfort and are less price driven with pocket sprung beds taking a larger market share and natural fillings leading the way - although memory foam and other foam products are still particularly strong.

“We recently conducted an online survey and over 3000 people told us they would choose a bed for comfort over image. We believe that if the product is right the price is secondary. We recently advertised a £749 divan as our feature bed in an anniversary sale, which was very successful. The advertising was about the bed and not the price.”

Mark Fraser, director, Reading Bedding, Reading “Customers now spend an average of £1,000 with us as opposed to around £600 two or three years ago. While they are clearly going for luxury, they are still looking for good value too and favouring pocket spring models with natural fillings.”

Ian Casson, managing director, Reddish Beds, Stockport “Customers are spending more and while still price sensitive are prepared to pay a little more for quality. Average transaction values are up marginally from two or three years ago (about £250 now) with pocket spring and no-turn mattresses proving the most popular.”

Rebecca Maloy, bed buyer, Furniture Village “People are spending more – there is confidence back in the market place – and we are selling up the scale. While some customers are still price led, the key is the best value at every price point. Our average transaction value is now over £1,000 which represents a substantial increase from two or three years ago.

“We sell across all types of beds and mattresses with natural pocket and memory foam both popular. We are good at selling top quality beds and find people are happy to invest if they understand the features and, more importantly, the benefits: it’s about understanding the story behind a product and how to choose the right product for a great night’s sleep.”

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innovation that is lifting the glass ceiling.

He said: “We all want to be selling better products with more margin and innovation is critical to any strategic move forward.”

It’s a statement backed up by the launch of the Salus Bionix motion mattress range featuring German technology exclusive to Breasley. The foam encapsulated adjustable unit can go on to any base, is suitable for people up to 170kg in weight and comes with a two (Bionix Duo) or four (Bionix Quattro) drive motor. Costing from between £2,000 and £4,000 it is the company’s most expensive range to date and is aimed at the late 40s/early 50s age group through better end retailers.

Meanwhile, at Shire Beds, the premium Active Shire range (100% latex with seven zoned core; and encapsulated latex with 3000 spring count) was introduced in 2012 with the 4 foot 6 inch latex core model retailing for around £720 or as a set for £820.

But, says marketing director Fara Butt, early take-up was slow: “More recently we have seen a rise in business with this range which we believe is down to better market conditions which have seen consumers able to pay more for a mattress. And the Shire Beds brand has become a much more recognised ‘challenger’ brand – that is the ‘you can have this or you can have that’ mentality means the range is a viable alternative to big brands.

“Obviously more expensive products mean better margins for us and we prefer to do this kind of business rather than be ‘busy fools’. However that’s not to say the other end of the market is disappearing.

The e-tailers and ‘Groupon – 70% off’ type of online retailer means this has become more of a natural home for the bargain bed market.”

RETAIL

KAYMED Silhouette

from Kaymed

Standing OUT

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Kaymed explains the importance of having standout products with standout marketing. ith the apparent improvement in the level of consumer confidence and footfall, ensuring brand standout in any retail environment remains a challenge for any manufacturer in what continues to be a fiercely competitive marketplace. This is exacerbated by the amount of choice available to the retailer and consumer alike, particularly when digital communications are added to the mix.

In the bed category, having a product that looks great and feels comfortable is hardly a stand out story. Can you imagine Audi marketing a car by confirming it has four wheels, a seat and steering wheel, window wipers and will get you from A to B safely? Not exactly something to whet the appetite of any consumer to part with their hard earned cash for a premium brand.

The marketing of leading brands contain credible and well communicated stories, that are easy to understand and

remarkable in their own right. The same can be said for any higher end brand in any sector; the products are superior to those sold on price alone due to better technology, quality, and subsequent performance.

With all of this in mind, Kaymed has endeavoured to develop bed and mattress ranges that have a meaningful point of difference for the consumer and that are straightforward for the retailer to range, explain and most importantly, easy to sell.

In particular, there has been a significant investment in consumer communications to attract new and existing product users with the objective of steering them into store.

This has demanded a whole new web site that is continually updated with rich content including images, downloads, information, user guides and videos from the company’s very own Dr Nina Byrnes. These assets are readily shared with stockists who use them to promote the brands.

for the retailer, the look and feel of the shop floor models is paramount, but must be supported by a comprehensive point of sale package.

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RETAIL

KAYMED For the retailer, the look and feel of the shop floor models is paramount, but must be supported by a comprehensive point of sale package. In addition, ongoing quality staff training is provided to ensure that they are armed with the most up to date help on how to explain Kaymed technology.

Kaymed has over a century’s expertise at the forefront of sleep science and are a leading innovator of temperature regulating materials for mattresses. With an ethos of innovation and never imitation, Kaymed has introduced a number of new additions to it’s best selling range that focus on temperature regulation as a key point of difference in their products.

The company’s latest advancement is Response Gel™, a fusion of Kaymed’s exclusive instant response open cell material and patented MicroSupport™ Gel Beads.

This unique combination delivers the feel of latex combined with thermal regulating gel technology, for a scientifically proven cooler, smarter and more comfortable sleep.

Response Gel™ is the most advanced “Latex Feel” material to enter the UK market, offering unparalleled levels of pressure relief and temperature control.

Therma~Phase™ is Kaymed’s highly unique offering, combining high density visco-elastic with an infusion of unique phase-change gel crystals. The gel works constantly to absorb, store and release body heat to maintain the ideal sleep surface temperature of 30-32°C. The result is an innovative material that provides the body with the optimum level of comfort, support and pressure relief – essential for a restful night’s sleep.

To further enhance the range, the Therma-Phase™ Silhouette collection allows consumers to combine either a pocket sprung or all foam base mattress with a choice of Therma-Phase™ topper with options on the base type for a truly bespoke solution to their

Therma-Phase Diamond

requirements.

With pressure relief to the fore, Kaymed offer the V85® range, which is available as a solid block or on pocket springs, and V85®, a superior grade visco-elastic approved for and used in medical applications.

V85® has a high level of density that gives a combination of support and pressure relief regardless of temperature. While some materials require heat to make them function, making them susceptible to environmental conditions, V85® remains consistently comfortable throughout the year.

Finally, the Kaymed Mighty Bed® continues to enjoy buoyant sales as the bed is designed to be ultra-durable with a long-term performance. This range has proved to be enormously fruitful for stockists and is clearly the UK’s market leading firmer feel premium brand. In fact, Kaymed is so confident in the

Mighty Cascade

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technology behind the design of this model that divan sets come with an unbeatable 15 year warranty.

With a fast expanding distribution network and many longstanding stockists seeing significant sales growth year on year, it appears that a brand who can innovate are far more valuable to a retailer than one who simply imitates. Highly commended in this year’s NBF awards for its industry leading technology and marketing advancements, Kaymed is clearly onto something. Developing patented technologies with industry leading pressure relief, combined with an effective Marketing strategy to drive sales into stockists’ stores.

www.kaymed.co.uk

MANUFACTURING

EUROVISION

EURO

The European Bedding Industries’ Association (EBIA) was established 15 years ago - but just what does it do and what has it achieved? As Frank Verschuere (seen right) steps down after 10 years at the helm, Jan Turner asks new president Philipp Burgtorf to provide an overview.

When was EBIA established and why?

EBIA was founded on January 25, 2000 in Brussels. Its founding fathers and the companies they represented wanted to create a European organisation with a specific focus on bedding i.e. independent from existing European furniture federations.

The aim was to put the bedding industry on the map, reinforce its visibility and recognition at EU level and defend its interests whenever required.

What is its role?

Overall, to promote the interests and professionalism of the European bedding industry, especially with regard to the environment, health and safety. The association also exists to help international bedding groups and national associations with relevant issues and to undertake scientific market research related to sleeping comfort. It also facilitates a great degree of dialogue and cross networking opportunities for members.

What did the association set out to achieve?

First and foremost EBIA aims to be an active, recognised, influential and respected EU umbrella organisation. We also play an important role in terms of providing a forum to promote innovation, creativity and

added value. Establishing a powerful ‘sectoral cluster’ has also been crucial to increasing the visibility, image and credibility of the European bedding business. At the same time, EBIA keeps members informed about new developments within the European environment (e.g. legislation, technical and business matters…) and builds relationships with other related associations to promote best practice.

How successful has the association been in meeting those aims?

EBIA has been involved in a wide-ranging number of activities and projects over the years, including: • We established a European statistics database for mattresses and bed bases in semi-annual reports; we consider this to be a sine qua non for an industry association.

• EBIA has undertaken four extensive studies (the latest in 2015) on ‘European Consumers’ Perceptions and Expectations towards Mattresses’.

• Together with Febelbois, the Belgian Federation of the wood industry, EBIA succeeded in providing the necessary evidence to explain why mattresses under the Belgian scheme should not be included in the established recycling list.

• EBIA’s viewpoint was taken into consideration in a major European

[ 24 [

Commission study on ‘The Safety of Upholstered Furniture’.

• Following a request from the French Mattress Association re the French Flammability Decree, EBIA has successfully represented the sector’s interest in France as well at EU-level on questions relating to mattress safety.

• EBIA has prepared position papers on the ‘Latex denomination’, mattress flammability and end-of-life issues.

• We commissioned and delivered a major mattress recycling study, which served as the basis for the recent EBIA position paper on end-of-life treatment of mattresses.

• We undertook a European mattress PR Campaign – ‘Allow Yourself the Comfort of a New Mattress’. It was delivered in several languages, complete with a video clip, promotion and advertising material.

• We have provided European and US press with a scientific research study on the importance of replacing your old mattress (especially in relation to back pain). It was done in conjunction with Oklahoma University and in close co-operation with ISPA (International Sleep Products Association of America).

• EBIA supported a study on mattress hygiene conducted by the University College London. The all-important final recommendation of the study - change your mattress after seven years - was especially

MANUFACTURING

EUROVISION relevant in the UK where the seven year message has been widely used by the NBF in its mattress campaigns.

• We have developed and produced two issues of the ‘Experts Speak’ brochure on the ‘Essence of Scientific Truth about Sleep’.

• We have also organised 16 well-attended EBIA general assemblies, which provide world-class speakers, the results of latest research and great opportunities for networking.

What do you see as the main challenges facing the bedding industry today?

The biggest challenge is undoubtedly the circular economy and in this context Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements, which the European Commission is proposing for all 28 EU member states in the form of a legislative package. This political framework challenges the entire industry – from raw material suppliers to manufacturers, retailers and adjacent industries – to adapt product composition and design to anticipate the take-back, dismantling and recyclability of products at the end of their life cycle. As a sector, we are committed to resource efficiency, which we see as the overarching goal of the circular economy. By that, we mean that we need to identify and develop solutions, which make sense both from an ecological and economic point of view, while not compromising the safety and quality of our products.

Another continued opportunity as well as a priority is consumer education. Since consumers buy a new bed or mattress, on average, every seven to 12 years and ‘hide’ the mattress under sheets for most of that time, it is regarded as a durable consumer product of low interest and low involvement.

The benefits which the product offers are hardly top of mind, so one of the industry’s challenges is educating consumers about the value bedding systems can bring to the one third of their life, which they spend in bed.

Finally, globalisation makes it an everincreasing challenge to enforce the respect of necessarily high health, safety, environmental and quality standards also for imported products, thereby ensuring a level-playing field between different manufactures as well as players along the entire value chain.

How do those challenges differ from the ones which prompted the formation of the association?

The current challenges are not new but the CEP and its implementation require a fundamental re-thinking of our role. We must not view our businesses in isolation but should consider the entire value chain from raw material suppliers to the end-of-life of the finished product once it has been sold and used for many years. As a sector we do not have the final solution yet in place, but are running several pilot projects to identify one and are committed to work on an approach which is sufficiently flexible, market based and scalable.

In terms of consumer education, the internet now allows an additional dialogue channel with consumers who are more

EBIA aims to be an active, recognised, influential and respected eu umbrella organisation. able and willing to share their opinions and knowledge. As a sector, we need to learn how to leverage this channel as a real opportunity to educate consumers and to learn more about their preferences and needs.

Regarding the development of the market, while EBIA welcomes additional competition within the EU, it is key that a level playing field between EU and non-EU players is ensured and kept.

What are the most fundamental changes the association has seen across the bed industry since EBIA was established?

The principles of the circular economy have become mainstream. So far, our industry has focused on offering the best possible comfort in sleep systems: ergonomics, climate control and hygiene. Going forward we have to keep the product’s entire life cycle in mind while continuing to improve sleeping comfort. Ecodesign as well as the recyclability of mattress components have become key aspects, which we can only address together by exchanging with up and downstream partners in the value chain, e.g. by means of appropriate industry platforms. As a sector we are committed to an approach which is sufficiently flexible, market based and scalable together with policy makers at EU and national level, experts and industry representatives.

Consolidation of markets, both in manufacturing and retail continues. Since the early 2000s, the size of the Western European mattress market, in value terms, has been stable at best, so competition has become predatory. Most of the international bedding groups have grown through acquisitions and international expansion. Among the small and medium sized players there have been winners and losers, too. Forward and backward integration – from polyurethane foaming to retail – has been increasing. NonEuropean players have entered the playing field.

Production and value chains have become more international, partly global. The EU has grown, which offers opportunities for production and sales.

What are you hoping to achieve for EBIA during your own presidency?

The most immediate task – and one that no individual member could do alone – is to take an active role in representing the industry´s legitimate interests at EU level with regards to the CEP and the ongoing legislative process. At the same time, I want to ensure that EBIA will provide information and support to members about the implementation of EU legislation through the sharing of best practices and pooling

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experience across the value chain.

We would also like to attract more members and associations from Northern and Eastern Europe in order to represent the European bedding industry in a geographically more balanced way.

We are also looking at overhauling the membership structure by opening it up to members beyond the national associations and the few large groups present on the board today. As our agenda becomes more active and sophisticated, we will take a look at our fee structure, too.

How do you plan to do that?

The only way we can win the CEP and EPR challenge is by working across the links of the chain: the respective value streams (e.g. polyurethane foamers and their raw material suppliers as well as industries generating new, valuable materials from end-of-life foam) will have to cooperate with mattress manufacturers and recycling or transportation companies, to explore the possibilities of evolving from a defensive to a workable and constructive mode in extended producer responsibility.

A federation like ours can only win if experts from member companies contribute significant resources, i.e. time and expertise, to our common goals.

Finally, how do you see the future of the bedding industry across Europe? What is your own vision going forward?

We will see new and exciting business models of collaboration arise from the circular economy.

There will be further consolidation, forward as well as backward integration, and further transnational value chains. We will see growth at the bottom of the pyramid with entry-level products driving traffic into retailers´ stores and websites; at the same time, there will be growth opportunities at the premium end as long as suppliers and brand owners generate the perceived value.

I am confident that our industry can help unleash the power of sleep. We spend one third of our lives in bed, something which becomes even more important as we grow older. I see a huge opportunity in creating a new world of comfort and telling consumers about it.

EBIA’s head office is in the Rue Montoyer in Brussels, close to the EU Parliament and the various services of the EC. Present members of EBIA are three multinational groups, seven national associations and 32 suppliers/associated members (textile, PU, latex, springs, adhesives, glues etc.). The number of members has remained relatively stable over the past years. The staff consists of a part-time secretary general and a part-time assistant/co-ordinator. www.europeanbedding.eu

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BEKAERT

academics

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Famous for its unwavering focus on textile innovation, Belgian bedding specialist Bekaert Textiles has unveiled its latest unique treatment. We spoke to the group’s marketing communication manager, Lien Sinnesael, about Bekaert’s quest to improve quality of life, through improving quality of sleep.

he fact that Bekaert Textiles has its own ‘Bekaert Academy’ speaks volumes about the company’s aims and values.

The academy is a platform for Bekaert to form relationships and share knowledge with research institutions and organisations, such as universities, with the aim of gathering a wealth of information which will underpin its ongoing product development.

Bekaert is known in the industry for having three flagship products which each have their own innate properties to help improve sleep quality for end consumers.

The first is the Purotex treatment.

Purotex is a totally natural treatment which makes use of probiotics which effectively ‘self-clean’ the mattress.

Uniquely, the probiotics are encapsulated during manufacture, and will be released and activated only when a customer first lies down on the mattress. Once they open and multiply, the probiotics feed on dead skin cells and absorb humidity from the mattress.

This has the effect of depriving house dust mites of their food and moisture.

Bekaert’s marketing communication manager, Lien Sinnesael, explains: “This product works wonders to create a healthy sleeping environement for anyone who suffers from house dust mite allergy, as well as those who don’t. The coughing, sneezing or itching caused by the mites can lead to disturbed sleep. But Purotex removes the problem and can have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives.

“We all know that we need to recharge our batteries during sleep, and if this is

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prevented it can stop us performing our daily tasks effectively.”

Another exclusive and game-changing product is Adaptive. This treatment helps keep the sleeper cool and dry at all times, which is especially effective for people who suffer night time sweating. During sleep, the body heats up the mattress, causing the polymer to change shape and initiate evaporation, generating a refreshing effect.

Then there is Bekaert’s Cairfull treatment.

The treatment involves a 3D knitted effect, creating X-shaped structures that provide a layer of air between the body and the mattress. Lien tells us: “When you move around during sleep, the air moves as well, helping to ventilate the fabric and keep the mattress dry. The exclusive X-shaped structure has been tested to always raise back up correctly after it has been lain on.”

MANUFACTURING

BEKAERT And now, Bekaert is busy launching its latest revolutionary treatment and arguably its most technical yet.

Nanobionic is a treatment which uses the body’s heat energy to activate the technology, or ‘treatment’, and return Far Infrared rays back to the body. These rays are proven to help improve blood circulation, meaning a better night’s sleep for the many people who can suffer from cold hands and feet due to reduced blood flow.

“Our supplier has done tests with the Nanobionic treated fabric and taken thermal images of people before and after exposure to the fabric,” Lien tells us.

“The results are amazing and really do speak for themselves. You can see in the before images where people have blue coloured hands or torsos, in the ‘after’ images these extremities are much warmer.

“This condition is so common that the product will have a huge impact on quality of life for so many people.”

The far infrared rays have been proven to penetrate through 5cm of thickness, meaning that even if there are sheets or a mattress protector on top of the fabric, the treatment will still be effective.

It is easy to envision how popular this radical new product will be. Nanobionic mattresses could become a must-have for the elderly or sufferers of Reynaud’s phenomenon, which causes excessively reduced blood flow in response to the cold.

Lien also explains that the effects of Nanobionic could have such far-reaching benefits, such as leading to improved sport performance, or reducing cellulite.

As with all Bekaert’s flagship treatments, Nanobionic is a complex technology. The benefits are clear, but the challenge is to explain the science behind these benefits to the end consumer in a clear and concise

Bekaert Textiles nanobionic technology

manner.

“We realise the complex nature of the treatments and want to give our retailers the tools to explain the sales messages,” says Lien.

“We are in the process of creating a short animated film which will make the technology easy to understand, thereby making it easy for retailers to convey messages to their potential customers. We already have similar videos for our other treatments and we have found them to be very effective and very welcomed by our partners.”

Since the fabric of Superman’s bulletproof suit, we don’t think we’ve come across such a magical sounding textile. And we are sure that the future will hold plenty more incredible innovations from Bekaert.

BEKAERT TEXTILES CHANNEL

www.bekaerttextiles.com

20 Minutes After Wearing Nanobionic Gloves

The Hands Before Ice

50 Minutes After Wearing Nanobionic Gloves

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MANUFACTURING

THE INDUSTRY’S NEW BABY?

THE INDUSTRY’S NEW BABY?

The past 18 months have seen a number of high profile new players enter the cot mattress market. But why so when the number of live births in Britain each year remains at a steady 700,000? Jan Turner set out to find out. f you can’t expand a market by volume, then do it by value. It’s a business maxim that is currently exemplified par excellence in the nursery sector where societal shifts are opening up new opportunities for the bed sector.

Long-time player Relyon, which has been

in the nursery market for more than 30 years, attributes changes in this traditionally stable sector down to new technologies as much as changing demographics.

Steinhoff, UK beds, sales director, Paul Little, explains: “This is not a market that fluctuates in the way that the adult mattress

[ 28 [

market does. It’s much more stable but having said that, it is a changing market with some of the many new technologies that have come through in the adult market in the past five to 10 years now being picked up – particularly those relating to moisture wicking and temperature regulation. They need to be

MANUFACTURING

THE INDUSTRY’S NEW BABY? Inside story - NaturalStart

Cot Mattresses: How to comply According to Relyon, these are the main regulations relating to cot mattresses.

from Harrison Spinks

Performance: A cot mattress must not lose more than 10% of its original height after the performance test.

Maximum permitted height of mattress: 12.5cm in the centre, 10cm around the edge, the reason being to prevent a child being able to climb on or over the cot sides. technologies that are tested and applicable to nursery products- and then it also becomes about hygiene with removable, washableat-60 degrees-covers.”

As one of the largest cot mattress producers with a dedicated factory in Taunton, Relyon offers a selection of cot mattresses with a range of fillings that include natural coir, latex, pocket and open coil springs and a patented product. Mothercare, which sells to some 60 – 70% of new mothers, is among its customers.

Said Paul: “A lot of UK mattress brands are looking at the nursery industry and there are also a number of specialist producers who are nothing to do with the bed industry.

“There are vastly different regulations surrounding cot mattresses with the height stipulations being one of the biggest restricting factors but it is a market that is seeing growth through innovation. As a group, part of our brand strategy involves some exciting plans to expand in this sector with two of our brands in 2016.

“The opportunities are by value rather than by volume as this is a very positive and receptive market. New parents want the best for their babies and don’t mind spending on them. And when baby number two comes along, they are increasingly likely to replace the mattress if not the cot.”

Silentnight, which relaunched its cot mattresses under the Safe Nights subbrand a year ago believes the total annual market is worth around £25 million. Its foam free product features unique Airstream technology.

Angela Moran, product strategy director for Silentnight brands, echoed the belief that opportunities in this sector lie in value rather than volume growth.

She said: “It’s a part of the market that is becoming increasingly sophisticated and one which also reflects the growing involvement of grandparents. They often help to buy nursery furniture and want the very best for the new baby. They also play an increasingly

New parents want the best for their babies

important role in child care to help working sons and daughters, with many having a cot in their homes to cater for visiting grandchildren.”

Following its launch into cot mattresses with Silver Cross in 2014, Harrison Spinks now has a bespoke production unit at its Leeds factory and launched its own NaturalStart branded nursery range at the end of 2015.

Sales director (nursery), Steve Truswell, commented: “Going into baby products was a natural progression for us. The Silver Cross mattresses are selling well so NaturalStart with natural fillings with our own baby spring technology was an obvious next step.”

Expected to retail for around £200 each, the new nursery mats are, says Steve, aimed at an emerging market brought about by changing demographics. This has seen many couples starting families at a later stage in life when they are more established in their careers and finances – and more discerning.

“These parents-to-be are sophisticated and in search of premium quality mattresses,” said Steve. “I think the premium end is the growth end.”

Carpenter, which has long supplied standard foam for cot mattresses, says it has seen some growth in this area over the last year or so – but also noted that it is a sector that is changing. Said national sales director Ian Owen: “We are seeing more and more cot mattresses being made with springs as well as foam and even more natural fillings such as those by Harrisons. Using foam enables manufacturers to hit a price point.”

Another new entry in the nursery market is Sweet Dreams, which launched a range in September 2014, as a wholesale rather than manufacturing initiative.

General manager, Jackie McGarvey, explains: “We’ve been developing and expanding our children’s collection for some time. We introduced cots in 2013 and cot mattresses are a logical progression, especially for a company like ours that focuses on beds and mattresses.”

Sold under the Sweet Dreams brand through independent retailers, the company offers four models; two feature foam only, one is foam with bonnell springs and the fourth is foam with pocket springs.

Said Jackie: “We make steady sales, receiving orders every week but cot mattresses are a very small percentage of our total offer, so sales are commensurate.”

www.relyon.co.uk

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Dimensions: Cot mattresses must be made with a positive dimensional tolerance i.e. they are permitted to be up to 30mm over the stated size but not under the stated size. This is to prevent any gaps between the mattress and the cot which could be entrapment hazards.

PVC coverings: These must be a minimum of 200 microns thick – to prevent dips forming where fluids can pool and generate a suffocation hazard.

Polyurethane foam core: This must be of a minimum hardness of 100 N and at least class A (pounding class). Foams must also be free from phosphorus, antimony and arsenic in the FR additives because of fears that these elements may have been linked to Sudden Infant Death syndrome.

Chemical compliance: All products must conform to REACH, EU Biocide regulations and EN 71-3 migration of elements (heavy metals and other contaminants - 19 substances are controlled).

Flammability: All sleep surfaces must meet the UK Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations – compliance is shown with the use of BS7177 flammability test.

Labelling: Strict labelling criteria exists for cot mattresses, which includes warnings that must be included: minimum lettering height (to ensure that information is legible); traceability information; mattress nominal size and the internal dimensions of the product it is designed to be used in; and flammability performance labels as per the UK F&F regulations.

Packaging: Plastic packaging is also controlled and EN71-1 is used for compliance. Other plastic packaging may be used but must be breathable to prevent any suffocation hazard.

All mattresses must pass all elements of BS1877-10 to show compliance to the General Product Safety Regulations.

MANUFACTURING

MPT GROUP

New Year i-Quilt angled machine

MPT Group’s managing director, Andrew Trickett, introduces Beds Magazine to the company’s updated branding. n a market where brand recognition is highly prized, the prospect of change can often make people quite nervous.

But it is quite refreshing to talk to at least one business that isn’t afraid of embracing the positives of change.

2016 will see MPT Group, the Lancashire-based expert in mattress making machinery, undergo a complete rebrand, including a new logo, company literature and product brochures, as well as an updated website.

Although the overall look of MPT Group may have changed, Andrew , is quick to assure us that the company’s core values certainly have not.

Most of all, the rebrand will provide

The company’s updated logo

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MANUFACTURING

MPT GROUP

r New MPT the business with the opportunity to reconnect with customers it has worked with previously, while also stimulating interest in the company at a time when it is getting ready to launch its latest wave of innovations on the market.

Among these innovations is ‘Production Suite’, technology that is able to provide users with wireless performance data, and which, going forward, will be standard on all of MPT Group’s machines Andrew tells us, “The benefit of ‘Production Suite’ is that it can relay production information in real time to whoever needs it.

“Production managers will be able to see what machines are performing well, what downtime machines are experiencing, daily output levels, and all the relevant performance telemetry, allowing them to take action that is targeted.

Essentially, ‘Production Suite’ will enable businesses of all sizes to have access to hands on data in real time, information that will give the recipient a better understanding of their business and how it performs on a daily basis.

What’s even better new is how cost effective the technology promises to be. In an age when companies at every level are keeping a keen eye on their finances, a cost effective product such as this can go a long way to levelling the playing field between small and larger companies.

What MPT Group excels at in particular is its tailored approach to every business it works with. Every machine the company makes is built bespoke and strictly to a client’s order, and every machine supplied by the business is backed up with an excellent after sales service. But what does Andrew see as the main challenges in having to run a business in this way?

He tells us: “We try to listen to what our customers need and develop systems based around that. Its about looking at areas in the business where it is very labour intensive but you can still put a solution together which is going to reduce the labour aspect of it, but not also occupy huge floor spaces. You have to find a happy medium between the two.”

Given that 2015 was the most successful year in MPT’s history, with turnover doubling

and higher profits than ever before being posted, one could be forgiven for wondering why the business felt the need to update and rebrand at all.

But for a company that invests so heavily in research and development the choice was clear. In an industry where you are only as strong as your next innovation, facing the future with a refreshed and invigorated attitude can make all the difference. And with seeming Andrew particularly enthusiastic about some of the new developments the business is planning to bring to market over the next 12 months, it seems the time has never been better to reconnect with MPT.

www.mptgroup.com

we try to listen to what our customer’s needs are and develop systems based around that.

Matramax Tape Edge machine

Coiler machine

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RETAIL

FROM HOMO SAPIEN TO HOMO DIGITUS

FROM HOMO SAPIEN TO HOMO DIGITUS Jan Turner listens into an extraordinary presentation from Steven Van Belleghem on why the future of consumer facing service lies in a combination of technology and the human touch.

it back, relax, read on – and allow your mind to enter a brave new world. One where anything – including global and interstellar domination – is possible. And where only those businesses prepared to ‘invest in digital and transform humans’ will truly succeed.

That’s what delegates at the annual EBIA general assembly did when author, ‘inspirator’ and keynote speaker Steven Van Belleghem, presented an extraordinary picture of how the business world could look within a very short space of time.

As a specialist in helping organisations take advantage of digital technologies without losing the human touch, he believes the future of consumer facing service lies in a hybrid of robots and humans.

And in a world where technology rules, we don’t have to look far to see the impact the digital world has had on our daily lives – and how this manifests itself in crazy displays of consumerism. Witness the frenzy that now accompanies each and every new Apple launch.

And let’s think back to January 27 2015 when a widely reported ‘world disaster’ occurred. It was a Tuesday morning and every radio station was talking about the fact that Facebook had gone down.

Politics and news as we know it went out of the window as, across remaining communication channels, the world expressed its shock and horror at the temporary loss of FB. Twitter especially was on fire with the subject.

It was a perfect illustration of how the mentality of consumers is changing, with the rise of technology increasing customer expectations.

And technology has never been so

cheap or fast moving. For example, sales of the new iPhone - costing around £500 a time - hit 13 million in one day when it was first launched. Yet if we take just a quick look back to 1985 we see video recorders were the biggest selling electrical product of the year and sold for an average of £600 each.

Going forward, technology is set to do for the motoring world what smart phones have done for communications. The Google driverless car is ready technology – it just needs the legislation in place. Walmart is developing driverless trucks. There will be an Apple driverless car by 2019 and Brussels airport wants driverless cars too: when that happens ‘driverless’ will have become mainstream.

Uber is also working towards driverless cars and it is expected that by 2020, the company which has revolutionised taxi travel, will have a car that will drive, fully autonomous, for a 745 mile radius.

Just to ensure the experience isn’t too boring Google, for one, is going to make its cars drive more like humans. Technology has to have an element of fun to really engage with humans.

And it seems even beds can be marketed in a fun way as Casper, the US-based company selling mattresses through e-commerce is proving. Last summer (2015) it raised $55m from venture capitalists.

Similarly, the company behind Luna, the mattress cover said to make any bed a smart bed, has raised more than a million dollars through ‘crowd funding’ where consumers can invest in a product they believe in.

In short, technology is bringing about a total change in the way that we live, making it critical for companies to think about the impact on their industry.

To succeed they not only have to think digital, they have to think big.

And thinking doesn’t come much bigger

[ 32 [

than at SpaceX where the company is on a mission to save the world by colonising Mars.

The company, which also owns Tesla and supplies rockets to NASA, is using the money from making rockets to fund its ambitions which, according to Steven Van Belleghem, involves making a spaceship which will go on a one-way, six months journey with 100 people. To spare any arguments or potential hostility between them on the long trip to Mars, plans are afoot to put them all into a coma for the journey there.

The 2,000 people who work at the SpaceX rocket factory all wear T-shirts saying ‘Occupy Mars’, something they believe they will do in a decade. And naturally, given 21st century homo sapiens compulsion to spend large amounts of time living online, installing wi-fi will be a priority when they get there.

In a world so fixated with internet access, the biggest players – Google and Facebook – are already working to ensure the whole world will have mobile internet access.

To this end, the Google Loon project aims to build balloons that will fly 20,000 kilometres high so that everything

RETAIL

FROM HOMO SAPIEN TO HOMO DIGITUS

N

Digital and human are not fighting each other, they are working together. Humans have become digital. now it is time for digital to become hiuman.

[ 33 [

RETAIL

FROM HOMO SAPIEN TO HOMO DIGITUS People are good at emotion and form more in depth relationships with customers.

Technology will never really be able to reach out in the same way.

“Humans are good at things computers are not. You can’t programme or buy empathy, passion and creativity. Computers personalise. Humans make it personal.

Computers predict, people surprise.

“The Mantra is Fast, Easy and Fun. It’s the checklist for today’s world and it’s all about simplicity. That’s why companies like Casper

under them will get free internet. Eventually an army of balloons, which each talk to one another, will ensure everyone gets free internet. There are already two out on test and it’s believed that in five years at most, Google balloons will be all over the world.

And Mark Zuckerberg, who has 1.5 billion users on Facebook, is aiming for 5.5 billion users so he can ‘connect the world’. His preferred route is building drones the size of Boeing 747s – underneath each of those will be 4G internet.

The ambitious plans for ‘world domination’ don’t stop there. Take Amazon, a company with a turnover of $80bn but which, according to Steven, doesn’t actually make a profit. When experienced retailers tried to advise them, Amazon is alleged to have said they were not interested in short term profit but ‘world domination’.

They’re all examples of formidable ambition and focus, but the underlying message is about how, in building the empires that they have, such colossal companies are, in turn, changing the mindset of consumers.

We may live in an age of automation where machines are increasingly taking over from humans in some pretty sophisticated roles (taking blood, sorting everything from warehouse stock to pharmacy orders) but people will always want the human touch.

73% want access to actual people, even when the digital channel works perfectly well.

And as we move into the age of The Quantified Self (all the devices that measure everything we do), there are massive implications for the healthcare sector.

Pharmaceutical companies are working towards treatment systems that combine pills with monitoring devices. These devices will scan or measure and instantly analyse a range of health indicators including heartbeat, blood pressure, blood, urine and even sleep. In this new world of digital healthcare, which will focus on proactive rather than reactive measures, the role of sleep could firmly establish the bed industry

as part of the ‘life quality’ business.

We will similarly see the end of reactive customer service. According to Steven, companies will increasingly need to solve problems before customers broach them.

The focus will be on anticipating and averting issues rather than being presented with and dealing with problems.

He says this new order of customer centricity is achieved by harnessing the best of digital and the best of humans. It’s not a conflict between the two but very much about man and machine being more powerful than machine alone.

He believes the role of humans in customer relations will change in the next five years.

While a lot of the work will be done by robots, the human part of business is very important.

He said: “Traditional companies now need to invest in digital and transform humans.

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work.

“Simply by being friendlier than other businesses, you will have an advantage over competitors. It’s a zero cost marketing strategy.

“When something becomes scarce it becomes of value so the consequence of digital is it enables humans to transform their relationship with customers.

“Digital and human are not fighting each other, they are working together. Humans have become digital. Now it’s time for digital to become human.”

www.stevenvanbelleghem.com

xxxxxx

[35 [

DESIGN

BREASLEY

Ten OUT OF

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Breasley Consumer Products is preparing for its largest ever stand at the January Furniture Show – in what will be the culmination of its tenth anniversary year. Managing director Stuart Hibbert talks to Beds Magazine about the firm’s latest innovations.

ince it was established in 2005, Breasley Consumer Products has had plenty to celebrate. And its tenth anniversary year has certainly been one to remember. On top of being awarded the coveted AIS Gold Star and having been highly commended in the NBF Bed Manufacturer of the Year Award, the Derbyshire-based bed manufacturer launched two innovative and impressive new product ranges at the NBF Bed Show, which are already proving a success.

The YOU Perfect Collection and the Salus Bionix Collection are both set to be highlights of the firm’s stand at the January Furniture Show. Breasley’s stand, C40 in Hall 5, will measure an impressive 21m by 13m in order to give the large number of showcased products the space they deserve.

Of the two collections, it is without doubt the YOU Perfect Collection which best sums up the firm’s anniversary celebrations, along with its commitment to continuous investment in forward-thinking technology. ‘Perfect’ is a powerful word and Breasley has not chosen it without careful thought. The team really does consider that the range offers a perfect mattress for any consumer.

Stuart Hibbert, Breasley Consumer’s managing director, said the collection

marks a breakthrough in the UK market.

“We have built our reputation over the past 10 years on bringing out new, innovative products, and YOU is completely different from what is currently available in the mattress market,” he tells us.

“Investment in new compression technology at our Derbyshire plant means that we can vacuum pack, fold and roll a

Salus Bionix

Duo and Quattro

[ 36 [

Breasley’s YOU range Perfect Collection

pocket spring mattress and deliver all sizes from a single to a super king in a box that is just over a metre high. This hasn’t happened before in the UK, so is something very new and exciting for our retail partners.”

He adds: “What else would you expect from the UK’s number one vacuum packed mattress producer?”

Quality and convenience is the name of the

DESIGN

BREASLEY

YOU range

game with YOU Perfect, and this theme is continued by Breasley’s offer of a 100 night sleep trial for all YOU mattresses – awarding consumers 100% confidence in their purchase and offering another key USP for retailers.

Each of the ‘Perfect Ten’ mattresses has its own distinct feel and firmness, allowing consumers to select the option that is perfect for them. Nine of the mattresses feature Breasley’s exclusive ConiCoil pocket springs, in counts of either 1000, 2000 or 3000, while the tenth offers a combination of a Latex top layer and a Viscoool middle section on a high density base support foam base, for those who prefer an all foam mattress with no springs.

The collection is currently rolling out in the UK through leading independent retailers and online stores, with the boxed products making delivery simple and easy for both retailers and consumers.

And so to Bionix, which was also introduced at Telford last year. The unique new lifestyle product range wowed visitors to the Bed Show with its innovative motion drive technology.

Stuart explains: “This amazing new technology is a hybrid of German engineering and Breasley design, and is unique to the UK market.

“Bionix offers a choice of two models, the Duo, with two motors, or the Quattro with four motors. The drive motion is built into the

Cover detail of Salus Bionix

mattress, not the bed base, so the mattress can be used on a variety of divans and bed frames. Bionix offers a fantastic level of comfort and is the ultimate in lifestyle choice for sleep and relaxation.”

With the Bionix Collection, consumers have the option of choosing a deep, top comfort layer of Viscoool or Latex. The wireless handsets are on a radio control frequency, with the Quattro model offering memory functions so that the user can save their

[ 37 [

favourite positions. The mattresses also feature a built in lowering mechanism in case of a power failure in the home.

Breasley are looking forward to welcoming visitors to their stand at the January Furniture Show and will be displaying the full YOU Perfect and Bionix collections. www.breasleyconsumer.co.uk

DESIGN

BETTER BY DEGREES Part of Kaymed’s new

Response Gel Collection

BETTER

BY DEGREES ccording to Silentnight research, around half the population ‘sleeps too hot’. It’s a problem that causes people to lose around 95 millilitres of moisture per hour – which is not good for them and not great for the mattress.

Angela Moran, product strategy director for Silentnight brands, says damp bedding encourages dust mites, mould and mildew – and it is this moisture rather than the heat that becomes the issue.

With climate control in mind, the company introduced Geltex two years ago, providing pressure relief and easy movement but, critically, allowing moisture

to evaporate.

Said Angela: “The product has done really well for us and supports the two most important things to us: spinal alignment and heat and moisture control. Climate control is also about ensuring a clean and safe sleeping environment and we can substantiate our claims with independent test results which prove our products deliver what they promise.”

At Airsprung, CEO Tony Lisanti believes everyone is desperate to find an alternative to gel infused foam. And he believes it is a technology the industry has been pushing rather than one the consumer is pulling.

The group’s own nod to climate control

[ 38 [

came with the launch of the Coolwave latex gel bed under the Hush-a-Bye brand in 2014 – a technology that has proved strong in continental Europe but has yet to make its full impact in the UK. Said Tony: “Latex is inherently cooler anyway and in Europe memory foam hasn’t taken off in the way it has done in the UK. “Any man made foam holds heat and the market place has been heavily marketed to want foam. Manufacturers are now trying to rectify the inherent heat issues of any foam mattress.

“Consumers buy into the comfort story but don’t like the heat problem so we are now trying to take that heat away. It will be

DESIGN

BETTER BY DEGREES

There are certainly some gimmicky products out there but increasingly there is a lot of science to it which is making things more relevant to people’s needs.

Climate control continues to dominate new innovations in the bed industry. Jan Turner takes a look at some of the latest launches and asks who is doing what – and why?

– 30 degrees centigrade ‘comfort zone’ for longer than standard products.

Said Ian: “Climate control or temperature regulation is a story that is unlikely to end as people go through life and different stages.”

But is there any science to it? Ian comments:“There are certainly some gimmicky products out there but increasingly there is a lot of science to it which is making things more relevant to peoples’ needs.

“Our new coating process takes things to another level and with more science than we’ve had before.”

At Breasley, the company also believes it has taken climate control to the next level following a deal with Torres Epic of Valencia for exclusive rights to sell its Viscoool high density memory foam product in the UK. As Breasley’s MD, Stuart Hibbert, explains: “What distinguishes it from other memory foam is it has soya beans and a natural balm along with an exclusive ingredient which means the product overall has been scientifically proven to keep you cooler.

“It’s probably not as important to the consumer as it is to us but at last, if the consumer brings up the subject of overheating, the retailers will have an answer.

It also provides us with an alternative to memory foam which has become so price driven it is now a commodity. Having a product with USPs helps keep our products in the middle market.”

Another ‘exclusive to’ product in the UK is Breathe Gel, which along with Qool gel has been introduced to certain models

Princess 4000 Gel

from Sweet Dreams

interesting to see how many people who now have a memory foam bed replace it with another one in a few years’ time.”

Ian Owen, national sales director at Carpenter agrees that a lot of people love memory foam – but because it does indeed mould to every contour of the body, the foam is in contact with a greater surface area and therefore heating up more of the body.

The company’s own recently launched response to this has been with the Sleep Better Climate Collection – a range of mattresses, toppers and pillows coated with Thermic which uses patented thermo-regulating technology to keep the temperature close to the skin within the 28

[ 39 [

made by Sweet Dreams. Said general manager Jackie McGarvey: “Breathe Gel in particular is novel because of its opencell structure, allowing full breathability through and around its individual segments. It also allows the body to benefit from the layers of fillings beneath while reducing the build-up of heat.”

But do these technologies offer a real benefit to a good night’s sleep? Well, according to Jackie:”Gel confers a definite benefit, with discernible coolness.

“We always put our gel at or very near the top of our mattress fillings and it’s quite easy to feel the coolness it confers.

Our suppliers say the CoolGel that we use in a number of models is the softest solid on earth and 15 times cooler than memory foam, with the same shape-conforming properties.

Retail buyers simply use a hand test to check the cool sensation of all our gel beds – it’s that evident – and consumers do the same. Repeat sales prove their worth.”

Pete Ruddle of Simmons – which launched its Aqua 3 gel foam range a year ago – also believes that gel is the only innovative story of the last few years. He said: “It answers demands not filled by memory foam – and moves the market on from just fabrics with cooling technology to incorporating it into the mattress itself.

“It’s a technology that works and with more and more people saying they don’t want memory foam, what else is there?

The proof can be seen from our own sales

DESIGN

BETTER BY DEGREES The Mirapocket 1000 Geltex Tranquil

from Silentnight

of Aqua 3 which has been doing well.”

The ‘cold rush’ is not one, however, that Steinhoff has sought to chase too hard. Paul Little, sales director (UK Beds) explains: “We use Coolmax and Thermic but have not been tempted down the gel route. While it goes some way to producing a cooler night’s sleep for a limited time, I don’t believe the ultimate solution exists yet.”

At Kaymed, climate control is such a core focus of the business that it launched a national TV advertising campaign on Boxing Day to support its Therma-Phase beds, which marketing manager Jeremy Navrady believes ‘drives the category story.’

Launched at the 2014 NBF Bed Show, the range has recently been further enhanced.

And the company has also introduced its Response Gel range of six beds featuring a gel infused foam said to have been tested to show it is 12 times cooler than normal memory foam.

Said Jeremy: “It’s an infusion rather than a wash which gives it a specific feel. No one else has this as it is our own proprietary product which we manufacture at our facility in Dublin.

“Climate control represents more than half of our branded offer in the UK now and, without a shadow of doubt, is going to be fundamental to our strategy going forward. There is a section of the population that has a need for it and understands it and there is very clear evidence that many people sleep ‘too hot’.

Climate technology is our speciality – it’s our focus. It’s technology with a purpose.”

Shire Beds recently introduced two

temperature/climate controlling mattresses to its ecoShire range – the ecoGel and ecoCool. Both mattresses feature new cooling and moisture wicking technologies in addition to the anti-bed bug properties associated with the range.

Marketing director Fara Butt told us: “We introduced these mattresses as a response to concerns by customers of traditional memory foam being too warm and a demand for climate controlled products.

Part of the new

Climate Collection from Sleep Better

by Carpenter

[40[

“We looked at the science behind the claims and examined the products as part of our research and development and believe the claims made by the manufacturers do stand up. As a result we developed our mattresses around them.

“We believe there is a lot more work to be done around climate/temperature control and this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ so to speak!”

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MANUFACTURING

ADJUSTAMATIC Adjustamatic’s approach to product

development makes it unique in the UK

the fact we manufacture our own mechanisms sets us apart.

Brand power PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

James Wilson, head of sleep at Adjustamatic, tell us how the company’s values and heritage have enabled them to develop as the only brand name in the UK’s adjustable beds market.

e are all familiar with the concept of a brand – a set of values, ideas and concepts that allow a consumer to make faster purchase decisions, based on the confidence that they know the product they are purchasing will be reliable, good quality and value for money. And the power of harnessing a brand name has allowed Adjustamatic to lead the way in sales of adjustables.

Adjustamatic was established in 1982 by parent company, Niagara, which has more than five decades of experience in selling health related products, including motion beds and chairs. Niagara had seen a gap in the market for a high quality consumer

adjustable bed, and so Adjustamatic was born.

Since then the company has grown into a household-name brand through consistent and targeted consumer advertising.

Adjustamatic spends more than £1.5m each year with publications such as the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, Saga magazines and other lifestyle titles, which see consumers visiting stores and asking for their products by name.

The firm also commits to ongoing product innovation in adjustable beds for the mass market. The manufacturer was one of the first to introduce a Wallhugger system, where the sleeper stays level with their bedside table, almost 30 years ago. It also pioneered the use of a solid top on adjustables, which does

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away with the use of beech sprung slats and gives a higher weight limit for the bed, as well as a far smoother adjustable action. This has been in the Adjustamatic product range for around 25 years, and in 2016 the firm will build on this innovation with ‘new and exciting additions’ to its product offering.

Adjustamatic’s head of sleep, qualified sleep practitioner James Wilson, told us all about the company’s heritage and what makes it unique in the UK bed market.

First and foremost, he says, it’s their approach to product development.

“By gathering continual customer feedback, we can meet the issues raised by the market by working alongside real

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MANUFACTURING

ADJUSTAMATIC The company manufactures

All Adjustamatic’s products are

its own mechanisms

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

experts in their respective areas,” he said.

“And when developing adjustable technology, the fact we manufacture our own mechanisms sets us apart from the competition. Many companies who sell these type of products buy in the technology. Sometimes it is the entire bed, but more often it is buying an off the shelf mechanism. This means the very thing that the customer is buying the product for is the same as in many other products.

“We develop our mechanisms based on our work with healthcare professionals, which means we ensure the sleeper’s body is supported properly and if the sleeper suffers from other issues we can make sure their needs are taken into account.”

Importantly, all of Adjustamatic’s products are developed specifically for retailers, using valuable knowledge gleaned from the healthcare sector. And because of

developed specifically for retailers

this expertise, Adjustamatic is able to help retailers convey to consumers what can be quite a complicated offering in a clear and concise way.

James continued: “Retailers we work with find that their sales of adjustables go up across the board when they stock our products, as the training we give them adds to their understanding of adjustable beds in general.

“In the USA, one in three beds sold is adjustable and with our brand, product quality and training we want to help retailers in the UK get up to that sort of figure. An adjustable offering gives retailers a higher average sale, with a compelling VAT free offer meaning it is great for the retailer and great for the end consumer.”

So what’s new for 2016? Well it seems the innovations keep coming, with James telling us about some very intriguing product news.

The first is a new adjustable concept which offers a unique storage solution.

“It is based on feedback from customers, that although they love the idea of an adjustable bed they would love to have the storage that is available in a divan base or bedstead. It has us taken over a year of refining the idea, but we hope to bring it to the market via our retailers towards the end of January,” said James.

“In addition to this, we are due to launch a top secret adjustable concept. This sleep system will change how we see adjustable beds and offers weight capacity and functions that are just not available in the marketplace at the moment.

“As with all our product development, it is based on feedback from existing customers and also from those who work with people who suffer from the conditions that our products help alleviate. We work with backcare specialists, those who work with conditions such as circulation issues and of course I am a sleep practitioner who helps people create the right environments and behaviours to allow them to sleep better.”

With the knowledge of all that Adjustamatic has in store, we know we’ll sleep well tonight.

The business is due to launch a top secret adjustable concept in 2016

www.adjustamatic-healthcare.co.uk

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DESIGN

SEALY

Outstanding

ACHIEVEMENT

Sealy Teramo

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Sealy Uk Records Best Month Ever Due To Which? Award Wins oth retailers and the public set great store by the opinion of consumer magazine Which? and receiving a ‘Best Buy’ Award from it is known to generate and increase that product’s sales. As Neil Robinson, Sealy’s sales and marketing director says: “A Which? accreditation is recognised by the public as objective, trustworthy and hugely important when it comes to making major buying decisions and is well known everywhere.”

Early in 2015, Sealy’s Napoli mattress retained its Best Buy accolade as the highest scoring product in their bed review, pocket spring category, for the third year in succession. An outstanding achievement.

Comments from the magazine said the mattress was the most durable one they

tested, it didn’t move when sleepers turned over in the night and it provided good body and back support, without sagging, even after years of use.

This summer, the company went a stage further. Its Teramo mattress achieved the highest score by reviewers of all beds they tested and the magazine reported it as ‘the best mattress we’ve tested in years’.

As a result of these high profile achievements, interest in and sales of these beds have rocketed. Sealy UK has now reported that the Napoli is selling four times as fast as it was three years ago and the Teramo is receiving twelve times as many orders since its June win. Over 1000 of these award winning mattresses are being ordered every week and October was the busiest month in all of Sealy UK’s 41 year history.

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With the support of a wide reaching and high profile promotional campaign to highlight these award wins, the resulting impact on all of Sealy’s bed and mattress sales has been dramatic and remarkable.

These two mattresses alone are now responsible for generating some 25% of the company’s total general independent retail sales, and business is up across all the ranges by some 30% YTD, so the knock-on effect is evident.

Customers recognise Sealy as a brand of excellence, endorsed by a well known, independent third party, and the resulting successful sales speak for themselves.

As Neil concludes: “The Sealy Napoli and Teramo are great examples of the company’s pro-active development of the product sector. Sealy is renowned

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DESIGN

SEALY as being a leader in sleep technology so these beds are very much the modern face of pocket sprung mattresses with their zonal construction, Smart Fibres and the exhaustive testing programme for everything from flammability to pressure point management and spinal support: in fact, everything possible to ensure the company’s commitment to Deeper Sleeping.”

Riding on the back of such huge success is a challenge, and Neil continues: “Growth is up everywhere but Sealy’s efforts to access the premium end of the market, alongside the general economic recovery, has been a key factor in our increased sales. We have been building momentum consistently over the last couple of years and are confident 2016 will be yet another record breaker. We’re currently running over 10% up on 2014, which was in itself a record year, and on the basis that the market is probably only up by around 5%, the company are clearly growing at the expense of some of our competitors.”

Sealy is renowned for its advances in sleep technology, bringing new innovations to market over recent years such as the hugely successful Hybrid beds and the Profile range.

The Sealy Show at the world famous Brooklands Museum in Surrey has now become a much-anticipated annual event as buyers know they can get an exclusive

preview of the new models officially launching at the NBF Bed Show at Telford a good three months in advance.

The dates for the 2016 Sealy Show have just been announced so buyers should make a note in their diaries now – 17th and 18th May – and ring to reserve a place at this must attend event in the bed world.

Brooklands is renowned as the birthplace of British motorsport and aviation and home to Concorde, still regarded as the ultimate in commercial airline travel and still not surpassed even though it no longer flies.

Brooklands was the world’s first purposebuilt motor racing circuit, constructed at Weybridge, Surrey, in 1907, and it became the site of many engineering and technological achievements throughout eight decades of the 20th century. How apt it is therefore for Sealy UK to exhibit its latest new products and designs at such a venue which is synonymous with technological development.

Sealy’s pedigree in its own field also stretches back through the twentieth century from the little town of Sealy in Texas where their first cotton-filled mattress was made in 1881. More innovations and patents followed on from there and culminated in 1950 when the first ‘Posturepedic’ brand mattress was introduced. The unique advanced coil design, with independently hinged springs that combined both comfort and lumbar

We have been building momentum consistently over the last couple of years.

At the Sealy Show, buyers

will get an exclusive preview

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

of Sealy’s new models

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Sealy’s Teramo

support, became an immediate and worldwide success. This commitment to innovation continues to the present day and Sealy has the biggest research and development facility in the Industry where it draws on market information, scientific developments and consumer insights from around the world to develop the most technologically advanced and thoroughly tested mattresses ever.

So make a date for next May to come and get your exclusive insight to Sealy’s new models for the 2016/17 season and be ahead of the pack to more, potentially award winning, beds and mattresses.

www.sealy.co.uk

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CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTION & EXPECTATIONS

£

24/7

CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTIONS AND EXPECTATIONS: THE EUROPEAN VIEW

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CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTION & EXPECTATIONS Overall, springs and pocket springs were perceived as trustworthy and foams as comfortable and qualitative.

Of everyone questioned, UK consumers demonstrated by far the greatest awareness of the need to replace their beds regularly. 47% believe mattresses need replacing in under five years while a further 35% said it should be done every six to 10 years. Only Germany demonstrated a similar appreciation of the need to regularly buy a new mattress with a combined 78% saying it should be done at least every 10 years compared to the UK’s 82%.

Interestingly while 56% of the total poll perceived the right time to buy as between six to 10 years, for 25% of them, the actual time of replacement was often considerably more than 10 years.

The report concludes that more frequent replacers are often driven by, and much more open to, new product technology

o just what makes a good bed?

And how do consumers go about their decision making and buying processes?

According to InSites Consulting, commissioned by the European Bedding Industries’ Association (EBIA) to examine European consumers’ perceptions and expectations of mattresses, the past couple of years have seen a strong shift in consumer expectations.

The research, which was conducted across 10 countries (Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK) involved interviewing 500 consumers in each country with a focus on those who had either bought a bed in the past year or who were intending to buy one in the next year.

Asked about the importance of a good night’s sleep, 98% rated it as being essential to the quality of life – more important even than lack of stress.

Overall 35% of those questioned felt they didn’t get enough sleep with significantly more (45%) feeling that way in the UK. Nearly one in four of all those questioned said they were not satisfied with the quality of their sleep.

Stress was seen as the main barrier to sleep, according to almost two out of three people questioned, with temperature issues being the next biggest problem for 52% of those polled. The quality of their bed or mattress followed closely behind for 51% of people.

Environmental barriers to sleep included temperature, noise, light and a restless partner.

“Our industry matters to consumers,” says the InSites Consulting report. “One out of four consumers is not satisfied with their quality of sleep, which is strongly related to the quality of their bed.”

So just what matters to them most? Nearly half (46%) said the quality of the mattress is the most important aspect of a bed with the number one consideration being comfort.

And comfort, according to Christophe Vergult

of Insites Consulting, is the ‘the sweet spot’ that is achieved when a bed is good for the back, has just the right level of firmness and helps with a good night’s sleep.

And the best technology? Memory foam tops the list, preferred by 25% of those questioned, latex scored 16%, pocket springs 14%, springs 8%, gel foam 5%, foam 5%, water beds 3%, wool 2% and air mattresses 2%.

Those who buy online do so because of the information, price, ease and convenience, and the ‘instantness of the process.

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– or perhaps the lure of a more luxurious mattress; or indeed an exciting new brand.

Where they are replaced after only a couple of years it is a purchase triggered by neck or back pain. The sector is also affected by different stages of life with older people generally having more money to spend on better beds.

On the critical question of price, when asked what they thought was a good one to pay for a double mattress, 11% of all those questioned said they would not be willing to pay more than €250. Only one in four said they would be willing to pay more than €1,000.

Said Christophe: “Price remains important but was more of an issue in 2011 when the economy was still fragile.

However, people still like to feel they have ‘got a good deal’ – generally because they are not especially knowledgeable about beds as a product, so achieving some sort of discount on the price becomes a reassuring factor.”

Warranties showed a surprisingly high level of expectation with nearly half (48%) of those questioned believing a mattress

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CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTION & EXPECTATIONS

should have a warranty lasting for more than five years. 12% expect it to be for more than 10 years.

All of the above along with other considerations combine to make the decision buying process a very complex one. Based around price, features and the consumers own health issues, people also value ease, convenience and availability too. Sustainability matters to consumers but is not a decisive factor in the end.

When it came to the most important of those features, firmness topped the polls for 36% of people followed by materials and quality for 32%. Next came mattress technology (23%) hotly followed by the all-important warranty which resonated with 22% of people. And encouragingly, the perceived comfort experienced while testing a mattress in store was important to 22%. Durability was seen as important to a relatively few 18%.

Ease and availability, speed and having the right size and adaptability to the base are also important criteria.

According to the report: “There are some clear levers for success at the end of the decision making process: offer a substantial discount and make the buying and delivery process convenient, fast and effortless.”

It is perhaps the ‘where’ in the buying equation that has changed most since 2011. Online research has soared with

34% (as opposed to 20% in 2011) of people turning to the net for information and advice on buying a new mattress.

While bedding specialist chains and independent bedding specialists still lead the way with 31% of sales, internet sales have increased from 9% to 12% since 2011.

Over the same period independent bedding specialist shops have dropped from 19% to 15%. However, bedding specialists are still preferred for their expertise while large retailers score on quality, choice and trust: indeed the mighty IKEA has continued to see sales of its bedding rise – from 9% in 2011 to 10% this year.

But why is it that people purchase online?

The report concludes that internet sales have a high conversion rate due to the ease, low price and possibility to compare. It’s a conclusion amply supported by the research which shows that 64% buy online because

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they can get a delivery to their door; 55% because they can get a mattress at a lower price; 54% because buying online saves time and 50% because they can easily compare products and prices.

Said Christophe: “Those who buy online do so because of the information, price, ease and convenience, the ‘instantness’ of the process and the time saved visiting stores.”

Compared to 2011, consumers are considerably more satisfied with their overall retail experience with 40% of those questioned ‘delighted’ (just 25% in 2011).

Grumbles are down too: only 16% said they were dissatisfied this year compared to more than a quarter (27%) in 2011.

But the report says: “The retail experience has improved strongly over the last couple of years..(yet).. still the shop is hardly seen as nice, nor the experience as fun.” Only three in five (58%) find shopping for beds fun.

Said Christophe: “From a personal perspective, we now live in a different age to when the first study was done in 2007.

The economic crisis affected the consumer and the internet has too. It has all happened really quickly and this is just the start. The commodity magnet is there. It’s hard to compete on quality if the consumer lacks understanding about how it adds to their comfort. The industry needs to embrace disruption and respond to the new consumer mantra: Control, Effortless, Now.”

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CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTION & EXPECTATIONS

THE BRITISH MARKET ccording to the Insites Consulting UK study into consumer bed buying habits, the UK tops the league when it comes to lack of

sleep.

Yet despite close on half (45%) feeling they don’t get enough sleep, less than one in 10 Brits have yet to make the link between poor sleep and the quality of their bed or mattress. Only 9% thought the quality of their bed/mattress disturbed their sleep while twice as many (18%) of their more ‘rested’ counterparts in Europe have sussed the connection between good sleep and good beds.

One reason could be that Britons are much more likely than their continental cousins to buy mattresses online (where they can’t try them out first) rather than through traditional retail outlets (where they can). 16% of those questioned in the UK, compared to 2% in Europe said they had bought online.

According to the study, part funded by the UK’s National Bed Federation, British bed buyers are also more price sensitive than their European counterparts with 52% saying price was important to their purchasing decision as opposed to 45% across the rest of Europe. Indeed, 41% of those questioned in the UK agreed that they would only buy a mattress if it was on sale – only 16% of those questioned across Europe said special discount offers were important. And 73% of bargain-hunting Brits won’t pay more than £750 (€1,000) for a double mattress.

Jessica Alexander, executive director of The National Bed Federation, commented: “Online is quite definitely where a lot of budget mattresses are sold and if people

don’t try before they buy, no wonder so many of them don’t feel they are getting a good night’s sleep.

“Buying online certainly has a role to play in today’s world and it’s not exclusively the domain of bargain beds – some very good mattresses can be bought on the internet too. But our advice to people would always be to try before they buy.”

The ‘race to the bottom’ and apparent dissatisfaction of many Brits with mattress purchases in the past few years is also reflected in the research figures which show 47% of the UK sample had replaced their mattress in less than five years compared to only 30% of Europeans. Said Jessica: “While

a buying reassurance. Buying a well-known brand was deemed important by 16% of those questioned in the UK but only by 11% of Europeans.

The main reasons for buying online were: delivered to my door (favoured by 72% of those questioned in the UK as opposed to 64% in Europe); lower prices (69% UK, 55% Europe); saves time (69% UK, 54% Europe).

Europe is also divided by very different preferences when it comes to the type of bed people buy. 40% of the UK sample felt memory foam was the best mattress technology while across the rest of Europe the figure was a much lower 25%.

Over there, latex, is the second most

The industry needs to embrace disruption and respond to the new consumer mantra: Control Effortless. Now.

we recommend that people should look to change a good mattress every seven years, the fact that so many people in this country are doing it in under five would indicate they were not altogether happy with the mattress they had. Perhaps that’s not surprising if it was a really cheap one which they didn’t even try out.”

The growing shift to online sales could also account for Britain’s love of brands as

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favoured foam, popular with16% of Europeans. In the UK it was only favoured by 2% of those questioned with their second favourite technology being pocket springs (23% of those questioned in the UK as opposed to 14% in Europe).

Said Jessica Alexander: “We have always known that, in terms of construction and design, the UK bed market is very different to that across the rest of Europe and this study further highlights that.”

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CONSUMER BUYING PERCEPTION & EXPECTATIONS

A GLOBAL VIEW

etween 2005 and 2014 global mattress production overall was up by 70% - worth $24.7bn in 2014 and $14.5bn in 2005.

According to market trend specialist CSIL, which presented its findings to the European Bedding Industries’ Association (EBIA) in the autumn, that means the average annual change has been 6.1%.

But it’s not been an increase reflected across Western Europe*. Despite the fact that four European countries feature among the top 10 mattress manufacturing countries, they only managed to maintain the same production levels as 2005. Viewed as a percentage of total production across the 40 countries monitored by CSIL, Western Europe dropped from a 30% share of production in 2005 to just 17% in 2014.

And depending on whether you measure the UK’s performance by dollars or pounds sterling, things here were even worse. Says Sara Colautti of CSIL: “The UK was the only one to show a decline in production value to the tune of minus 3% when measured in US dollars. If we use pounds sterling, we recorded an annual average decrease of only 1.2%, mainly due to the high decrease in 2007-2009.”

Whichever way you cut it, the figures are at odds with British government figures (quoted in FIRA’s November 2014 annual statistical digest) which said that between 2010 and 2013, UK mattress turnover increased by 22.6% in value. The National Bed Federation also believes that the UK is doing significantly better than many European countries.

According to CSIL, the UK is ranked the 10th biggest producer among the 40 countries studied and saw a 6% increase (pounds sterling) in 2014. And it says

consumption, average annual growth rates have been slightly higher in the mattress segment over the last decade – even though the mattress market is less open to international trade.

Until recently mattresses were made and sold more locally simply because of practical transportation issues and costs. However this is changing. While the mattress sector may not be as open as the furniture sector, imports and exports are far from negligible.

For example UK imports accounted for 17% of apparent consumption in 2014 compared to 9% in 2004. And UK import activity recovered after five years of negative growth to grow by 10% (in pounds sterling) in 2014. The leading mattress exporters are China, Poland and Denmark. Imports from Denmark and Poland increased by double digit rates in 2014, those from China slowed down and increased by 7%.

CSIL data refers to mattresses only and is based on official statistics, sector documentation (such as trade press, association data and the internet). It was conducted along with field information monitoring the main manufacturers and distributors. CSIL studies for the mattress sector involved 40 countries.

*(Western Europe = 15 old EU member exports have grown from 4% in 2005 to states plus Norway and Switzerland). about 9% last year.

The real growth nations have been China (which grew by 22% between 2005www.worldfurnitureonline.com 14), Poland (16% growth), and India (7% growth). And it is China that heads the top 10 mattress producing countries.

The top 10 mattress consuming countries (which between them account for 81% of total consumption) are China, USA, Brazil, Germany, Canada, France, India, UK, Australia and Italy.

The biggest importers include the USA where imports have increased significantly – but, that said, only 7% of America’s consumption is satisfied by imports.

When compared to the furniture sector as a whole, in terms of production and

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MANUFACTURING

SILENTNIGHT

I believe in Mira-cles

Silentnight is taking its luxury mattress offering to the next level with the introduction of its latest premium foam collection, Miraform. The spring-free mattress technology has a comfort option to suit everybody. Customers can choose from the following:

MEMORY FOAM COMFORT LAYER:

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

This is for those that love the slow release and support that memory foam provides.

The mattress will slowly mould to the body shape offering unrivalled support and easing pressure points.

GELTEX COMFORT LAYER

Geltex is made for those that prefer an instantly responsive bed. The combination of Miraform and Geltex, provides unparalleled breathability and perfect pressure relief. This mattress includes two of the bed maker’s most recent, and highly regarded, exclusive technologies rolled into one for the ultimate in comfort.

How a new luxury bed set offering could represent the ultimate in comfort and style from Silentnight. hichever comfort layer you choose, the new Miraform mattress provides unique ergonomic zoning, which is standard across the Silentnight product range as well as providing perfect spinal alignment. The mattresses also have no roll technology, so weight is transferred up and down rather than across the mattress, guaranteeing a great night’s sleep.

All Miraform mattresses feature Purotex, to reduce moisture and dust-mite allergens to create a drier, fresher and all-round healthier mattress with Allergy UK seal of approval.

The luxury bases boast different storage options and the range of contemporary headboards mean you don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort. The complete Miraform bed collection is available in a

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range of fabric colours which co-ordinate the mattress, base and headboard bringing a different style to the overall bed.

Silentnight has also been hard at work this year on a new range of beds and mattresses for its premier independent retailers. The Platinum Collection, brings together a clear range architecture of the manufacturers support technologies, Miracoil, Mirapocket and the brand new Miraform and is guaranteed to meet all comfort and style needs.

The Miracoil range builds on the ever popular ‘no roll together – no partner disturbance’ story, and has been re-styled to make the Miracoil branding more prominent and visually appealing.

The Mirapocket mattresses within the collection have been developed to offer a wide selection of comfort options and incorporate a range of a pocket spring counts

MANUFACTURING

SILENTNIGHT Miraform Memory Response

The launch of our Miraform products also ensures we have a choice for our consumers across sprung and premium foam mattresses. of stylish bases and headboards, it’s sure to appeal to all.

All mattresses in The Platinum Collection are easily identifiable through the enhanced label design and the quality is conveyed through branded handles and foot end embroidery as well as Miracoil, Mirapocket and Miraform embossing in the mattress tick.

Nick Booth, marketing director at Silentnight says: “The new collection features the best of our bed and mattress technologies and is fully supported with an integrated digital and in store point sale solution to create maximum impact, both in store and online. The launch of our Miraform products also ensures we have a choice for our consumers across sprung and premium foam mattresses.”

As storage becomes of increasing importance for consumers looking to maximise space in their homes, beds in The Platinum Collection are available with the innovative ottoman storage option as well as standard two and four drawer storage with the optional continental drawers to allow space for bedside tables. The range of stylish fabric colours and additional headboards allow customers to personalise the bed themselves to suit the style of their bedroom.

To support the launch, the Silentnight website will feature the innovative ‘bed selectivizer’. The web pages will include full product details, video content to explain

Mirapocket 1400 Bliss from Silentnight

and filling options.

The Mirapocket 2800 Latex Embrace is just one mattress in the collection and features 2800 advanced pocket springs for a deeper, more luxurious mattress offering ultimate support. The zoned Innergetic Latex insert provides pressure relief and total comfort and in addition the model has a sumptuous pillow top layer, handles and air vents for maximum airflow.

The range also includes the 1200? Which Best Buy specification and the luxury 4000 double-sided tufted mattress making it one of the most comprehensive product range to date from Silentnight.

Miraform, Silentnight’s brand new springfree system has ergonomically designed single, dual and triple layers to accommodate different comfort preferences and with co-ordinating mattress design and a choice

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the technology and a store locater to drive quality leads to retailers.

Silentnight is also investing in a premium point of sale solution at their premium independent retailers to create a strong and consistent in-store experience with new lifestyle photography and strong branding being used. The rollout is already underway and will continue into 2016.

www.silentnight.co.uk

Miracoil

750 Premier

MANUFACTURING

SWEET DREAMS

Exceptional

RANGE

Sweet Dreams introduces the latest additions to its product offering. he January Furniture Show is the traditional time when Sweet Dreams showcases all its ranges and 2016 will be no exception. It will be more exciting than ever, as last year saw Sweet Dreams re-focus on the bedroom. The Lancashire manufacturer has introduced several luxury divan collections as well as launching a wholly revised bedroom collection that includes British-made, fabricupholstered bedframes.

The divan bases are available with drawers or front or side opening ottomans, include a half-opening. A favourite model from the collection, launched in September, is Empress 5000 Latex, with 3,000 pocket springs to the main mattress and 2,000 to the pillowtop together with latex across the full sleeping surface. Tufted luxury knitted top, side-stitch effect damask border and a lined base with bumper bar are features of the model and broadly characteristic of the Royal Pillowtop

BEDFRAMES

Sweet Dreams

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

These include opulent Renoir and stunning sleighbed Monet. Both beds, like other new models Aura, Degas and Adventure, can be chosen with integral drawers. Renoir, like Degas, Adventure, Gloria and surroundsound Verve, are available in two styles: Dance, with self-coloured button trim, or Jewel, with diamantes. All are made by Sweet Dreams in their Lancashire premises and come in three sizes and a choice of appealing fabrics.

exhibiting in Hall 5 on Stand H10

LUXURY DIVANS

More from the top-end divan collections, Royal Pillowtop and Enchanted Beds will be on display. The four Royal Pillowtop divans feature exceptionally high spring counts, with up to 4,000 in the main mattress and up to 2,000 mini springs in the pillowtop.

Luxury fillings such as gel and memory foam characterise the beds, which come in three sizes; 135cm, 150cm and 180cm.

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collection – Princess 4000 Gel and Duke 3000 sport damask tops.

There will also be a number of models from the beautiful Enchanted Beds collection on the stand to tempt buyers.

Enchanted is a range of eight divans in five sizes featuring encapsulated units with either pocket springs or Sweet Dreams’ exclusive Sleepzone® springs, with their knitted, removable, dry-cleanable covers and fillings such as gel, memory foam, silk

MANUFACTURING

SWEET DREAMS Perry is an attention-grabbing

design with a sprung slatted base

and cashmere. The pocket spring models are distinguished by dark grey bases with chrome glides while the Sleepzone® models are in elegant dark cream with matching twin wheel castors.

CHILDREN’S BEDS

Several children’s beds will be on display; new models Eton School Bus bunk and two high-spec divans, Dolly and Striker. Both of these beds feature a no-turn, sprung mattress with a 13.5 gauge framed bonnell unit, a patterned cover in knitted fabric and a damask 3D border. There’s also a slidestore option to both divans. Sweet Dreams has also launched a mattress specially aimed at bunks, called Kidz, that uses purpose-designed small bonnell springs to provide good support but within

a low profile (14cm depth).

attention-grabbing designs with sprung slatted bases and come in two sizes.

FRAMES IN WOOD

ONLINE CHANGES

Wooden bedframes, complemented by an extensive range of ready-assembled cabinet, will also be taking the floor on the Sweet Dreams stand in January. Made from veneered particleboard achieved by the use of luxury foils, Rendell is in a lovely birch effect, Reah is white and Cutler comes in four high gloss finishes, including a mirrored range. The bedframes feature a slatted base and come in four sizes.

Three further wooden bedframes will be on display. In a very different style, with more in common with Sweet Dreams’ popular Dawson model, these are made from rubberwood and also come with matching furniture. Kramer, Dexter and Perry are all

Renoir, upholstered British-made

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

bedframe with optional drawers

At the NEC, Sweet Dreams will be launching entirely new beds for their online Eden collection, aimed both at etailers and at retailers with a website separate from their store range. There will be around 12 models, to include beds with pocket spring, bonnell or open coil, Sleepzone®, encapsulated and pillowtop springs.

However they are different from the divan beds featured in Sweet Dreams’ brochure in accordance with the manufacturer’s promise never to supply divans for the web that are designed to be sold from the shop floor.

The models’ mattresses, mainly white, will be complemented by smart bases in black, grey, white or cream. Beds will be available in a selection of sizes and with diverse storage options. The Eden beds will be Sweet Dreams-branded, allowing the prestigious and reassuring NBF supplier logo to be used on the mattress labels and in website artwork.

Last but not least: the manufacturer is preparing to present its entire online collection in a new way at the show. Eden divans, plus the bedframes and bedroom cabinet that comprise the online retail range, will be available for ordering through a newly developed website.

For more information, and to view the latest models on display, see Sweet Dreams back in Hall 5 in a new position on Stand H10.

To contact Sweet Dreams call: 01282 830033 or email: sales@sweetdreamsuk. com www.sweetdreamsuk.com

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BRAND SPANKING NEWS

BRAND NEWS With brands increasingly under threat from more unscrupulous online traders, Yair Cohen of Cohen Davis Solicitors, a specialist e-commerce and reputation risk lawyer, looks at how the bed industry can protect brand integrity online.

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RETAIL

BRAND SPANKING NEWS

Manufacturers should always strive to offer loyal retailers incentives to try and help them.

Yair Cohen he challenges of selling to customers across so many different touchpoints – in-store, smart phones, online, or through social media – is that the brand can become splintered and lose its consistency.

One specific issue for the bedding industry is that online retailers are able to sell products at lower prices that are difficult, if not impossible, for most distributors to match, due to online retailers’ much reduced overheads and operational costs.

There are, however, creative solutions which will allow manufacturers to protect the integrity of their brand from online retailers who may sell their products too cheaply.

Although forbidding a retailer to sell goods because they undercut the suppliers’ or manufacturers’ other customers is not permitted under competition law, such restrictions might be acceptable if the goods sold are of a particularly technical nature (for example some electric beds) where knowledge of the beds and the ability to provide pre and post-sale care is essential, or where the goods are part of a luxury brand that relies on maintaining that status.

It is therefore possible, in some circumstances, to develop a selective distribution system that precludes cheap online retailers, provided there is a genuine need by the manufacturer to maintain a brand image and more importantly, a real desire to de-commoditise the goods and create competition outside of price. This could be done by encouraging retailers to focus on providing specialist technical services coupled with high levels of customer care.

The bed industry has benefitted in recent years from tremendous technological advances, much of which is due to manufacturers’ investment in discovering and understanding consumer needs. A price race to the bottom by online retailers could in some cases jeopardise such investment and also prevent retailers from making their own investment in communicating those technological advances to consumers.

Manufacturers might therefore be permitted to exclude certain online retailers

from their customer list on the basis that such exclusion is done to prevent exploitation of retailer investment in training, in high levels of customer service, and in knowledge and understanding of the product.

A selective distribution system as described above must not however be directly linked to a desire to fix the price, but rather to a genuine need to maintain the quality and/or luxury of the brand and the minimum level of customer service and/ or technical knowledge that is required to be able to sell the product.It means that the selection of retailers must be nondiscriminatory and quality based and it must allow for competition to flourish, albeit between the members of the system.

To be able to achieve a genuine selective distribution system, manufacturers should always strive to offer loyal retailers incentives to try and help them keep their retail outlet premises attractive to customers; not only for the customers to go to the stores on a Saturday afternoon to benefit from the ‘free’ knowledge and advice which so often is lacking from price focused online retail, but also to make a purchase.

Interestingly, in a recent case, the cosmetics company Lush successfully argued before the High Court that it had a right to prevent sales of its products on Amazon on the basis that it had built up a reputation for ethical and environmentally friendly trading and that it had made the commercial decision not to allow its goods to be sold via the Amazon UK site because of the difference between its standards and

those which it attributes to Amazon.

Lush was particularly concerned with the perception that Amazon’s stance on issues such as the environment and tax avoidance was not consistent with the Lush brand.

With this in mind, it is up to the manufacturers to create an enhanced brand and not fall into the temptation of racing to the bottom. They then must ensure that their retailers have a clear understanding of their brand values and ensure that these values are filtered through the organisation and passed on to retailers via training and internal education.

It is also of vital importance that key stakeholders make a concerted effort to actively protect their brand, particularly on the internet.

Building a system to protect a brand against retailers who may sell your products too cheaply and demote their perceived quality is certainly not easy, but with a clear strategy in mind and a vision for future quality and developments, it is certainly a journey worth pursuing, which is most likely to result in an enhancement of the brand and the ability to create a niche at the higher end of the market.

www.InternetLawCentre.co.uk

Key stakeholders must

actively protect their brand

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DESIGN

TCS

A right Royal showcase

Imperial Luxury 2500

The team at TCS is busy preparing to launch the new Contemporary Sleep range from its popular Royal Coil collection at the January Furniture Show – and it predicts the impressive detailing on the products will make the company an instant hit with retailers.

Royal Coil

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

SUHU

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DESIGN

TCS

Regency

team.

“We wanted to provide a mattress that filled gaps within the bedding industry, primarily incorporating modern airflow technologies with pocket spring techniques and comfort layers, that brought together all the benefits of these advances into one unique collection.”

From its inception, the Contemporary Sleep range has been designed to provide a

of price points and a greater choice for customers. The two pillow topped Regency mattresses are available in orthopaedic and luxury configurations, as are the box topped Imperial mattresses.

The mattress collection is designed to sit alongside the top selling main stable of Royal Coil mattresses, including the Essence, Opulence, Spinal Master and Medi Comfort, allowing bed retailers to offer the

Orthopaedic 2200

Royal Coil Essence

s January comes around again, TCS - The Complete Service Ltd - is looking forward to arriving at the NEC in Birmingham to exhibit at the country’s largest furniture trade show.

TCS is a company that always enjoys success at the January Furniture Show and 2016 is shaping up to be no different. The team has worked tirelessly to plan and build its stand and all are eager to showcase the company’s latest products and developments to retailers.

One of the main attractions which stimulated great business for TCS throughout 2015 was the Dundalk-based supplier’s bed and mattress ranges, in particular the Royal Coil ranges.

This January marks the launch of the redesigned and reworked Contemporary Sleep range, within the Royal Coil collection, and TCS is very proud to finally unveil these latest products.

TCS managing director, Thomas Small, says the product range fills a gap that exists in the UK’s bed market.

He explains: “The Contemporary Sleep range was developed over a two year period, utilising experts from within the bedding manufacturing industry as well as the TCS

top quality look and feel, as well as providing consumers with a top quality night’s sleep.

And to the benefit of retailers and consumers alike, the range is aimed at the upper mid range customer, but with a mid range price point.

Thomas tells us that it’s the distinctive finishing touches that bring the collection to life and offer a sense of luxury and uniqueness to potential customers. Each mattress features high quality fabrics and the range offers a pillow or box tops. Detailing such as Royal Coil branded finishing tapes and the embroidered logo at the end of the mattress, along with co-ordinated handles, all combine to give the consumer confidence that they are buying a top quality product.

Thomas continues: “The range features four new pocket sprung mattresses, each with breathable hypo-allergenic soft touch fabrics and the latest comfort layers, and offering availability in orthopaedic or luxury choices.

“All with a strong emphasis on styling and quality, this collection of four new mattresses is sure to stand out within any bedroom showroom.”

The Contemporary Sleep range offers four configurations, allowing for a selection

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comfort and style of the existing Royal Coil mattresses at even more competitive price points.

TCS is also offering in-store studios featuring their popular range of Royal Coil mattresses and beds to carpet and flooring retailers, which take up the minimum of square footage requirements within a store showroom. The company also offers award winning logistics as well as a convenient direct home delivery service. This gives the added benefit to retailers that they do not require their own large warehousing or need to arrange delivery services, or in fact any kind of logistics to deliver the TCS range of beds to their customers’ homes.

To contact TCS regarding the Contemporary Sleep range or any other bed products, visit them at the January Furniture Show 2016 in Hall 4, Stand B20, contact 00353 429 351 351 or email info@ tcsimports.com.

www.tcsfurniturerange.com

RETAIL

BRIDGING THE GAP

BRIDGING THE GAP Proud winners

rom the minute you arrive at NewBridge Street Bedding’s original and still HQ store, there’s no escaping the fact that the business is the winner of the NBF’s 2015/16 Independent Bed Retailer of the Year Award.

It’s emblazoned across the front of the store. There are hanging banners shouting it from the ceiling of nearly every of the many rooms within the 18,000 sq ft showroom.

And in pride of place in one of the main street level display areas, there’s a rather ‘Hollywood Oscars’ style display cabinet, complete with rotating turntable which carries the much exalted trophy.

And just in case anyone is left in any doubt, the award is mentioned in all press advertising, and is the subject of much pride in the store’s near saturation local radio campaigns. And one feels the TV campaign,

which general manager Colin Heal was getting ready to film at the time of interview, wouldn’t be complete without a mention.

It’s all very much as the NBF would hope and expect a pro-active retailer to behave: what’s the point in winning such a prestigious award if you don’t shout about it across every possible marketing platform?

It’s also exactly how founder Geoff Gale, who set up the business with wife Gill in 1986, would have responded. His tragic death in early 2014 meant he personally missed collecting the accolade, awarded to the business which he and Gill grew to the four-store empire it is today.

From setting up the original shop just outside Newcastle city centre, NewBridge Street Bedding now reaches across the region with stores in Sunderland, Stockton and Darlington. There is also a 50,000sq ft warehouse at Byker stocking 2,500

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mattresses and 1,000 beds and bedsteads at any one time.

Said Colin: “Geoff’s loss was devastating.

We learned a lot from him - he was very driven and always looking to the Next Big Thing. He brought us all up and gave us the drive and direction to do it. Along with Gill he created a massively successful business and helped many people in the trade with his advice and vision.

“He did things differently – for example the ‘Mattress Room’ concept with mattress only sales. Where I was before we had just two or three mattress only offers and when I came here there was a roomful. He was always ahead of his time.

“The way he did his buying was different to everyone else too. He bought in bulk and sold at great prices while still offering good service to the customer and making sure we gave them what they needed. We used to

RETAIL

BRIDGING THE GAP The NBF Bed

Retailer of the

We do things differently. We consult with customers over their bed purchase and make them feel special.

Year Award

advertise as ‘The Shop with the Stock’, noone else carried the same amount.

“Geoff is still greatly missed but the business continues as before. Gill has stepped in as MD and has all the drive, shared passion and vision that Geoff did, so the core values remain the same. We will always be forward thinking but I can’t stress enough what a team effort it is.”

The ‘team’ in question is also a rather rare creature in an age when CVs are pushed around with the regularity of a software update.

Listen and weep all digital divas: the newest girl on the books at NewBridge Street Bedding Centre has been there a ‘mere’ three years.

And eat your heart out creative sector tsars: The average length of service is 17 years!

Colin himself has been with the business for 26 years, which in many other industries would be considered a bit of a rarity. But compared to Evelyn Gransbury, who has been selling beds for 40 years, Colin is just a young blade.

He said: “I absolutely love my work – the folk here really are my extended family.

Between us we have an enormous amount of knowledge and experience – I mean, come on, we’ve sold a million beds over the past 30 years. ”We do things differently. We consult with customers over their bed purchase and make them feel special. People buy from people – especially on something like a bed which is only a very occasional purchase so a product about which most people don’t know very much.

“We encourage people to stay awhile and it’s not uncommon for a member of the public to be in one of our stores for three to four hours. We don’t rush them.”

The Newcastle outlet is such a big store with so many interlinked rooms and spaces, one can’t help feeling that any unattended member of the public could be lost for days, never mind three or four hours. The never-ending series of showrooms play host to almost every conceivable type of display including guest beds, children’s beds, 4’ and 3’6” beds, adjustables, luxury, health, giftware, some bedroom furniture and bedsteads. Plus the Mattress Room.

In all there are 250 beds on the floor – the same goes for the Portrack (Stockton) store with Darlington and Sunderland featuring

xxxxxxxxxxx

Meet the experts - all with over 22 years service

Alan Scott, Adrian McParlin, Vikki O’Connor, Colin Heal and Ian Turnbull

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about 180.

Much of the stock is well known brands from established NBF members and product from those who ‘don’t belong’ is sometimes – to the horror of visiting reps - opened up for inspection. Said Colin: “I regularly open up a mattress to check that it is ‘what it says on the tin’. It comes as a bit of a shock to some reps but its important to us that we supply customers with what they are supposed to be getting.

You have to show due diligence.”

The business also has the buying power and customer feedback to shape the products it sells. Said Colin: “As a team we work out what we want and ask manufacturers to make that for us – it’s not just about buying what they make or have to offer.”

As well as the informal feedback received from customers, the business has undertaken wide-ranging market research into what the public wants from beds and bed stores. In the autumn of 2014 it embarked on a mosaic profile of all its stores and took a video crew out to Newcastle, Sunderland, Stockton and Darlington to find out who local shoppers believed to be their bed market leader and what they thought of the company’s stores.

This was followed up with an in-depth,

RETAIL

BRIDGING THE GAP online survey of 3,000 people.

The result was to more heavily promote the in-house experience and expertise and position the stores as ‘The Bed Experts’.

Said Colin: “Geoff and Gill very much started the Bed Experts concept and the massive market research campaign supported that. It gave us some good indicators on where we should be going and that, in turn, has influenced my buying decisions and the way we promote the business.

“One of the ways we have done that is to go down a more educational route, providing advice and information on sleep.

The material available for this from The Sleep Council has been very useful in putting together informative articles in the local press.

“At the end of the day, we’re about selling sleep and while it sounds like a cliché, you can really change peoples’ lives by giving them a good night’s sleep.”

It’s an approach that results in a highly respectable (albeit none-too-precise) average transaction value of between £600 and £1,200. Said Colin: “We do sell the £150 - £199 type of mattress but tend to shy away from them because then we are not really doing what we say we are as The Bed Experts.”

They’re not keen on roll up mattresses either. “It’s a bit like someone going in to a nice store, finding a beautiful item of clothing and then having it just rolled up and put in a bag. It’s all about the overall experience and being made to feel special.”

And manufacturer consultants are a bit of a no-no too. Said Colin: “We believe in our people selling right across the floor – we’re selling sleep not beds so it’s what’s best for the customer.”

So does that mean they don’t believe in sales either? With four big events a year, apparently not. “Whether we like it or not, promotions are the lifeblood of bed retailing but we are more concerned with promoting value rather than just cut prices,” we’re told.

So what does Colin see as the current threat to the business?

Children’s Corner

“If we didn’t specialise in what we do then the internet could be a threat. There are a lot of unscrupulous traders who bastardise prices and don’t offer the service or delivery or expertise that we do. But it’s not all bad and we do transact online. 80% of our customers have looked online before they come to us so the internet is a big driver and most people still want to come in and try beds out.

“As a retailer you have to protect yourself by selling unique products. Those who police the internet to protect their brand will be the stronger for it.”

Reluctant to elaborate on the exact level of business they do online, Colin will only say that it is “significant enough” but does reveal that they deliver nationwide and that there are staff - “all bed experts” - dedicated to online sales for which there is a separate approach.

So if unscrupulous traders – including, he says, the loathsome type selling dodgy mattresses from the back of a van – represent a current threat, what does he see

Filming of the New Year

The Goodnight Bear

as the business’s greatest opportunity?

“Our 30 year anniversary in 2016 is a big opportunity for us and we have some exciting things lined up.”

It’s another ‘hush-hush’ conversation but Colin does show me a limited edition teddy bear – The Goodnight Bear – which is clearly going to play a key role in the celebrations.

Needless to say, it comes in a drawstring bag, fully branded up and reminding us, for one last time, that they are the winner of the Independent Bed Retailer of the Year Award.

Geoff is sure to have approved.

sales advertisement

www.mrmattress.co.uk

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MANUFACTURING

VOGUE

Double

ACT

Vogue Bed Group’s Ebrahim Patel discusses his plans for the future.

f there is one thing everyone loves, it’s a double act. Recent decades are littered with examples of the nations obsession of famous pairings. Take a look at almost every aspect of life and you’ll find one thing that just wouldn’t be the same without the other. From salt and pepper to cheese and onion, and from Ant and Dec to Batman and Robin, some things are just better together.

In the bedding industry, one partnership that has certainly been making a name for itself since it was formed over 15 years ago is that of bed and mattress manufacturer Vogue and bedstead specialist Limelight.

The two companies will once again be making an appearance as exhibitor at the upcoming January Furniture Show, and

Beds Magazine couldn’t resist getting in touch for a sneak preview of what the brands will be bringing to the NEC. Having launched a new brochure at the NBF Show in September, for Vogue the January Furniture Show will be all about

Offering extra has become the norm because that’s what you have to do in order to be able to keep up with other businesses.

Andromeda bedstead from Limelight

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

cementing the products the company already has, rather than introducing anything for the first time. Limelight, however, will be taking advantage of its only scheduled show appearance to introduce around six new products to the market.

With such a wide variety of products on offer over across the companies stand, including bedsteads and mattresses, Ebrahim Patel, managing director of the Vogue Beds Group, is happy that there will be more than enough to hold visitors attention. What he is especially eager to shout about, however, is Vogue and Limelight’s combined direct home delivery service, an offer that enables customers to choose any mattress and frame together and have it delivered anywhere in mainland UK to a customer’s home.

He tells us: “Something we’ve been doing successfully for the last three years is keeping a range of products in stock, maybe up to eight different mattresses, and we can offer people a same-day collection.

So people can choose any of the Limelight models and any of the Vogue mattresses we have in stock, or they can wait three to five days for the different mattress of their

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choice, and we put it on a carrier and send it directly to their customers, the end user, to the room of their choice.

“What we’ve seen happening is that even successful bricks and mortar stores now have a decent website and sometimes they can see the benefit of using our service.

Even if they’re far away from us, rather than have the product delivered to their own warehouse and shipped out from there, it makes sense to have it shipped out directly by us. Offering extra has become the norm because that’s what you have to do in order to be able to keep up with other businesses out there.”

And speaking of online retail, Ebrahim is happy to report that Vogue has begun to offers its popular Sports Therapy range to a select number of internet retailers.

Having only been available to retail stores for the three years since its launch, Ebrahim

MANUFACTURING

VOGUE

Tranquility

from Vogue believes the time is now right, following a number of updates on the range, and that there was enough demand from the desired calibre of online sellers. Keen to maintain the value of the Sports Therapy name, it can be a difficult line for Vogue to tread to ensure the product is available to the right kinds of retailers. As Ebrahim explains: “What we didn’t want to do is make it available everywhere because as soon as you do that what tends to happen is that it starts to be sold for ridiculous prices and there’s no value left in it. So what we’ve done is started slowly, because we had to let retailers know that we were starting to offer it online, to between five and 10 online retailers.

“It’s working well and everyone’s happy because the Internet companies can go out there and sell it for what the product is. The retailers are able to maintain margins, and people just have the choice to buy in-store or online. We’ve done it properly, I think, and its given us another level of sales that maybe we never had before.”

For most companies, managing a product range and scheduling show appearances would be quite enough to be getting on with for the year to come. True to form, however, Vogue and Limelight look set to

have a busier year than ever before ahead of them, with Ebrahim divulging the companies are hoping to move production into a new facility before the end of 2016. With plans for a much more purpose built factory to help streamline the manufacturing process, Beds Magazine will be watching with interest to see how business develops for Vogue and

Tucana bedstead from Limelight

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Limelight throughout the year ahead.

And for your chance to experience this popular partnership in action, visit Vogue and Limelight in Hall 5, Stand C45 of the January Furniture Show. www.limelightbeds.co.uk www.voguebeds.co.uk

MANUFACTURING

HIGHGATE BEDS Renoir

in sage

WE’VE BEEN PLANNING OUR STAND FOR THE JANUARY FURNITURE SHOW SINCE THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER, SO WE’RE LOOKING FORWArd TO IT.

Assenza in lilac

PRIOR

Visco Latex

in grey suede

Preparation PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

How Highgate Beds is ensuring it’s on top of its game for its appearance at the January Furniture Show.

hey say that Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. And who are we to argue? While you occasionally hear about some actors who are able to improvise or strokes of luck that meant an unprepared person came out on top in an otherwise

unwelcoming situation, these occurrences are so rare as to almost be mythical.

Preparation isn’t easy; it requires a commitment to a task that it can often be tempting to procrastinate on instead.

But, if done properly, even a little bit more preparation can make all the difference. Take

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Christmas, for example, arguably one of the biggest events in the calendar for a lot of people, imagine the chaos that would ensue if people didn’t take time to carefully prepare their presents, meals and homes for the onslaught of guests.

And if weeks of preparation go into

MANUFACTURING

HIGHGATE BEDS

Christmas, which is, after all, only one day of the year, the amount of work that must go on behind the scenes of a four-day extravaganza like the January Furniture Show must be astronomical.

Well, one company that is all too familiar with what it takes to be show ready is Dewsbury-based bed manufacturer, Highgate Beds. Having made show appearances at the NEC for 15 years, it comes as no surprise that, for the company’s sales director, Zahid Ayub, the trip to Birmingham feels like going home. As he explains: “We’ve been planning our stand for the January Furniture Show since the middle of November, so we’re looking forward to it, although I’ll probably get nervous closer to the date. That’s standard and its good to have that feeling. It happens the week before every show, but as soon as I walk onto the stand that’s it; we’ve done it for so long everything becomes normal and familiar.”

With barely any time left to go before the doors to the NEC open on Sunday 24 January, the past few weeks seem sure to have passed in a blur of finalised products and updated photography for Highgate Beds

Hydro Gel 1000

newly completed online brochure. In fact, the business has scarcely had time to catch its breath since its last major show outing at the NBF Bed Show in September. There’s no doubt that any UK bed business worth its salt will do its best to attend both the NBF and January shows, but what does Zahid think is the particular draw of the NEC? “The January show is for the entire industry, and generally with retailers you’ll

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find that very few of them will do sofas and cabinets and not do beds as well, and there are also a lot of specialist bed retailers out there, so we do quite well at shows like this. If you look at the NBF Bed Show its good because its purely beds, but you will miss retailers who decide not to attend because they work with a range of products and they’re waiting until January when they can attend the show at the NEC. “We have customers that will come to visit us in our own showroom, but at the moment we aren’t able to really make that a regular thing because we are quite busy. Up to May we will hopefully be entertaining some customers at our showroom, because that’s the period where we see business tend to slow down a little during the year, so we can afford to give time to our customers if they want to pay us a visit.”

With the show newly extended back to four days, Zahid is quietly confident that the 2016 January Furniture Show is sure to be a well attended event, with more time to browse meaning visitors are more relaxed and able to visit more stands. Most businesses Beds Magazine has talked to in the run up to the show talk about the difficulty of finding the best balance of time spent with a customer without missing out on any potential new visitors to the stand. And Highgate Beds is no exception, although with the promise of most of the company’s sales agents populating the stand, Zahid is happy that everyone who wants to talk business should have the chance to.

He concludes: “We have space for 21 beds on our stand at the show, and all the spaces will be filled, with around 15 used for products which were introduced in September at the NBF Show and are relatively new to the company.

“There will also be things that were launched even prior to that that we’ve found is doing quite well, so we’d like to keep on our stand for a little while longer so customers who don’t have them on their shop floors have a chance to see them.

“Two products will be definitely be brand new for the show, although we’re not 100% sure which way we’re going to go on them! I always work right up to the wire otherwise it’s not fun! And I do enjoy my job, which is a relief because otherwise I don’t think its possible to be successful.

The more pressure I get the better I work.”

If you can’t wait to see what Highgate Beds has in store for 2016, you can visit them on stand B48 in Hall 5 of the January Furniture Show from Sunday 24 until Wednesday 27 January.

www.highgatebeds.com

MANUFACTURING

FURMANAC

ONE STOP SHOP

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Adjustable bed manufacturer Furmanac gets in-depth about its ever-growing and comprehensive selection. ith over 40 years’ experience and as the UK’s largest adjustable bed manufacturers, Furmanac is your one stop shop for adjustable beds, divan beds and upholstered bedsteads.

Manufactured in the UK, the company’s ever-growing, comprehensive selection includes Hestia®, Hestia® Motion and Hestia® Upholstered Bed Frames.

Epitomising luxury, each piece is fit for a Goddess. Not forgetting the wellestablished adjustable MiBed® collection which have been designed with comfort in mind.

The Hestia range comprises of a beautiful collection of mattresses and divans. These mattresses contain the latest fillings and include memory foam, natural materials, pocket springs and latex options. Modern technology is used in the foam and fabric production for ultimate temperature control and performance.

Following on from this the Hestia®

Upholstered Bed Frame range includes a selection of stunning handmade bed frames, headboards standing up over 5ft in height, stools, ottomans, chaise longues and bedside tables to act as the perfect complement for a Hestia® Upholstered Bed Frame. Fabric options for each of these include velvets, linen, tweed and wool so whatever your style we have the bed for you.

Last year at the January Furniture Show, Furmanac successfully launched Hestia® Motion. Combining the 40 years of adjustable bed manufacturing experience with the quality of the other Hestia® ranges, Furmanac developed its luxury, hand-made adjustable collection consisting of three bases and seven mattresses.

Sales and marketing director for Furmanac, Aubane Hilliard, explains: “The Hestia® Motion collection was introduced as a mid – to upper collection of adjustable beds. Since the launch last year the Mirage option has performed particularly well. Starting with the 25 stone weight allowance as standard and

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accompanied with a deep-padded, five-part adjustable deck it quickly became one of our most popular adjustable beds’.

Any Furmanac exhibition stand would be incomplete without examples of the extensive MiBed® range. Simplified in to three collections your MiBed® can be purchased from the Essential, Elite or the Executive range depending on personal requirements and budgets.

Verona

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MANUFACTURING

FURMANAC When asked about what we can expect to see from Furmanac at the 2016 January Furniture Show (JFS) Aubane was excited to promise an abundance of new products that will guarantee to impress.

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise but I can promise that there is A LOT to look forward to on the Furmanac stand at the 2016 January Furniture Show. The rumors about additions to the Hestia® divan and Upholstered Bed Frame beds are all true and in total we will be unveiling 15 new products at the show.”

Furmanac exhibits at the NEC every year, and at the next show the company’s 221m² stand can be found in Hall 5, Stand D30, from Sunday 24th – Wednesday 27th January 2016 for visitors to test the comfort of the various collections, as well as witness the unveiling of the new products.

When asked why retailers should choose to stock the MiBed® or Hestia® beds and bedsteads in their showrooms Aubane was more than happy to answer, explaining that “Furmanac offers choice, it is a one stop shop providing five different product categories. Across the company’s extensive ranges with multiple fabric options we are sure to have exactly what the retailer’s and their customers are looking for. In over 40 years we have mastered the art of creating beds that give the end users the good night sleep they deserve. This has been achieved by combining uncompromising quality with

modern technology and traditional methods in our West Midlands based factory.”

We then went on to ask Aubane what it is that makes a Furmanac bed the best option for the customer to which she answered; “The end users comfort is at the heart of every decision made during the production of a Furmanac bed. For the customers that want that extra bit of added relaxation we offer massage features and a revolutionary heating and cooling system which regulates the surface temperature of a mattress for the perfect night’s sleep.

“A safer, more affordable alternative to electric blankets, the Chili Pad control unit is heated using water and can facilitate temperature adjustments between 13°C and 43°C on the mattress surface. So whatever the weather outside the bed will remain at the preferred temperature.”

Aubane went on to explain that all Furmanac beds come with a five year guarantee and that since Furmanac manufacture everything from the base to the headboard their prices are very affordable.

So, all things considered, the vast range of

bed and upholstery products from a company that was awarded the ‘1000 Companies to Inspire’ by the London Stock Exchange will be sure not to disappoint at the January furniture Show 2016.

www.furmanac.com

there is a lot to look forward to on the furmanac stand at the 2016 january furniture show.

Imogen

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Mirage

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MANUFACTURING

ROLL UP

ROLL UP, ROLL UP: THE RISE AND RISE OF READY ROLL MATTRESSES

Ten years ago they barely existed – now everyone is into them market that’s on a roll. o one knows exactly what the market in roll pack mattresses is worth. There are those who believe it could be as high as 20% of the overall mattress market while the results of latest NBF consumer research suggest it’s a more modest 10% of mattress only sales.

But whatever the exact size and value, it’s an area of business that an increasing number of manufacturers have entered.

Among the key players is Breasley who set out to be the number one vacuum packed mattress maker in the UK when the company launched in 2005. Said MD Stuart Hibbert: “No-one else was doing it and everyone thought we were mad – but

in our first 12 months we reached a turnover of £5m.

“Today vac-pac accounts for around 55% of our turnover and everyone is doing it. The great thing about vac-packed mattresses is the ease of transport and storage. We’re also living in a different world where people expect to be able to get things the next day – or even the same day.

“We originally started doing this because ready rolled mattresses were cheap to transport and enabled people to take them away from the shop that day. I believe vac-pacs are now worth a good 20% of the overall mattress market in volume terms with sales of around 30,000 a week across the industry – maybe even more.

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“It’s a market that is still growing and we now have a range of mattresses that, if you order before lunchtime, will be delivered the next day. To stay ahead of the game we’ve had to look at doing something more and have invested in a state-of-the-art machine that makes it possible to adjust the packing pressure so that all our different sized mattresses can be fitted into the same sized boxes.”

The company recently introduced its ‘YOU’ collection of premium boxed mattresses - a folded and rolled range offering three levels of pocket spring support across three comfort levels of foam. The range, which retails for between £399 - £699, also includes a luxury no-spring foam combination.

MANUFACTURING

ROLL UP

m. Jan Turner looks at one sector of the

Stuart tells us: “Now we’ve come full circle and people buy on the merits of the mattress: the fact it is boxed and quickly available is a bonus.”

Since Airsprung entered the rolled mattress market just five or six years ago (when it believes it was the first to offer one with a sprung interior), sales have grown to represent a ‘significant’ part of the business.

So much so that the company has just invested heavily in new machinery to double capacity.

Said CEO Tony Lisanti: “When we first entered the market, there were rolled mattresses but essentially they were just blocks of foam. It’s a sector where the rise in sales tracks the growth of online products

generally.

“It’s the Amazon/Ebay culture – we all buy very differently now and as people become accustomed to transacting online and receiving goods the next day, society has adopted an ‘I want it now’ mindset.

They are no longer prepared to wait weeks for an item, so roll-ups cater for a certain part of the market place.

“A lot of younger people are prepared to buy at prices older people would balk at without seeing the product first.

Younger people have much more faith in online systems.

“Roll-up mattresses are often a distress purchase as by definition they have to be an entry/mid-level product otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to roll it.

“Having said that, even roll-ups are going up in spec and in the next two to three years I think we will see more nice mattresses being rolled as manufacturers get more skilled and confident in the technology – and as consumers are increasingly prepared to pay more online.

“I believe this market place is set to grow and grow but to an extent that has to replace sales of more traditional mattresses. That said, we have to respond to how people want to buy now and a lot of people just don’t want to go into a shop.”

At Carpenter, which has been producing roll pack mattresses under its Sleep Better brand for around 15 years, sales now represent a ‘high percentage’ of its consumer products turnover.

The company also supplies both online and traditional retailers with roll packs which can be available in five to seven working days. As national sales director Ian Owen explains: “People want instant delivery so retailers who have the product in stock can deliver the next day. People looking online don’t expect to wait more than two or three days and this market has become a mainstay for us.”

Nick Booth, marketing director at Silentnight puts it another way: “People click today and want tomorrow. Society wants it now and it’s a market everyone is trying to get into. It is also one where the replacement cycle is much lower too – people have an inbuilt obsolescence when it comes to a product for which they might only have paid £300. At that they feel they

AIrsprung rolled mattress

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MANUFACTURING

ROLL UP Comfort rolled out

by Silentnight

can afford to replace them every three or four years – it’s a much more disposable society.

“As technology moves on, the market has to and what we are seeing now is the growth of mattresses as a commodity or convenience product – something that people can take away from store or order for next day delivery.

“We’ve been in the market for about five years and have seen significant growth in this sector and as the market has grown, we have grown with it and we are now one of the main suppliers.

“As well as being a convenience purchase, roll pack mattresses also offer easier entry for people living in accommodation with limited or awkward access.

“We have three products in our core range using our Miratex foam which got a Which? Best Buy award for the Zone 3 mattress – we are also launching a pocket spring rolled mattress for major online retailers.”

Relyon also offers a comprehensive range of vac-pac mattresses and has been in the market for over 10 years. Said Paul Little sales director (Steinhoff, UK Beds): “The growth in sales has come because of the change in consumer buying habits and rollups have become a product of convenience.

“Across the Steinhoff brands stable we have a reach from £99 to £25,000 and roll-ups have a part in that. It is possible

vacuum packed mattresses have carved a real niche in the market and one that is here to sta.y to make a good quality product but the consumer perception is that it isn’t a top quality product if it can be rolled up. It’s a difficult perception to change but there are now overseas players who are coming in and changing that.”

Chief among them is the Casper concept - an example that has worked in the US and is now being replicated in Europe. Described as ‘an obsessively engineered mattress at a shockingly fair price’ Casper latex/memory foam mattresses are sold as ‘shipped in a box, arrives at your door’ with an $850 price tag. Consumers are invited to have a 100 night free trial with free delivery and painless returns. There is also a 10 year guarantee.

How well the concept does in the UK remains to be seen. Mike Nash of The Foam Company says British consumers have tended

Vacuum packed rolled mattress from Revitalise

Ready-To-Go by Sleep

Better from Carpenter

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to be a little more resistant to spending sizeable amounts on rolled products: “We feel that typically, consumers are not keen to spend £500 on a rolled product.”

The company went into roll packs in 2007 because, according to Mike, ‘there is clearly a market for them.’ He added: “They also give good volume efficiency for our factory.”

In an effort to be market leaders, Mike asserts the company was the first to offer a mattress packed into a 1m high box. Today readymats represent roughly 10% of the company’s turnover and typically retail for between £99 - £299 – in line with many other volume producers. So, are they purely seen as an entry level product – and if so why?

Said Mike: “They don’t necessarily have to be. You can roll most premium product.

However, as you increase specifications, roll ups tend to become heavy and cumbersome, which defects their ‘take home’ benefits.”

So does he think the consumer can ever perceive readymats as being a premium end product? “Never say never – it just needs the right marketing message, and the correct retailer support.”

Concludes Stuart Hibbert of Breasley:“We changed the market and created one that didn’t exist. Before vac-pac people waited for perhaps seven to 10 days or even longer to take delivery of a mattress.

“Today, vacuum packed mattresses have carved a real niche in the market and one that is here to stay.”

www.

DESIGN

OUTLAST EUROPE

Climate COMFORT

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Outlast® materials creates an optimum sleeping climate after humidity is found to be the key for climate comfort.

hat is ‘climate comfort’ about?

Climate comfort is a term often used in connection with the weather. But when looking at the human body – especially in sleeping environments – it is obvious that climate comfort plays a role in better sleep. However, ‘temperature’ is not the only factor, as there are many subjective perceptions involved.

Interesting: Humidity is widely agreed as big contributor to being uncomfortable. Outlast Technologies, market leader in phase change materials (PCM), has examined the topic and has generated some interesting results.

“We have run various tests to investigate the optimum sleeping climate,” says Martin Bentz, President of Outlast Technologies LLC, Golden/USA. “We are often asked to give evidence of the performance of our heat managing Outlast® products. Therefore we have looked at other test methods than climate chamber testing and have gained

Climate Comfort Cycle

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DESIGN

OUTLAST EUROPE valuable knowledge demonstrating that the proactive nature of phase change materials positively influences sleeping comfort.

“Quickly, we found that ‘temperature’ is not the only indicator in creating a comfortable sleeping environment.”

IT MUST BE DRY A third party expert in Europe in the field around microclimate, Christoph Russ owner of c.russ- NETCONSULT, Otterfing/ Germany - says: “An important requirement for human comfort perception is the quality of the surrounding climate. But what is comfortable? What makes sense to one may not be the same for others – some will prefer warmer environments, and some will prefer cooler. But just with humidity, there is a wide consensus that being dry is more comfortable.”

He continues by saying: “Scientific studies on the correlation between subjective climate perception and objective climate confirm these same points. The evaluation of human comfort perception with the measurement of absolute humidity clearly outranges the one with temperature. Simply speaking: When a human perspires, the body is attempting to cool itself. When it doesn’t perspire, typically the body is comfortable.”

CLIMATE COMFORT = LESS PERSPIRATION Excess humidity is critical in terms of discomfort. Therefore one important key to climate comfort is efficiently managing moisture. Christoph Russ confirms that the point of climate comfort is reached when the human – theoretically speaking – does just not perspire. “Then the climate is perfect,” he tells us. In addition, Russ shows evidence with his testing method THG AreaView providing a live insight into the thermoregulation of a human body. “This method measures the individual’s limit between climate comfort and discomfort,” he explains.

In general, there are two ways of optimizing the climate comfort: the reactive deduction of humidity (humidity transport) and the proactive limitation of the production of humidity.

CONVECTIVE TRAP Less sweating and less humidity makes the difference in sleeping comfort.

“Once the body finds ways to reduce overheating without perspiring it will take advantage of it in order to save energy,” confirms Christoph Russ. This is exactly where Outlast® materials make sense since they proactively manage moisture through the absorbance of heat.

The body reacts in a sensible way to

Keeping Cool temperature changes and normally starts sweating when it is getting too warm.

Perspiration is a mechanism of the body to release excess heat and to regulate the body temperature.

“The perspiration causes humidity beneath a duvet which, in spite of its intention to cool, actually increases the perception of temperature by approximately 2°C,” says Russ. “We call this a convective trap, which is caused by a poor exchange of airflow. The individual then would need to move positions or remove the covers to create airflow - the consequence is a disturbed sleep.”

It is different with Outlast® technology: As Outlast® products absorb excess heat the body does not have to perspire to achieve cooling. The production of transpiration is already reduced, providing the additional benefit of better hygiene. This is a huge advantage - especially in bedding.

THE EVIDENCE The evidence: The independent test system THG SleepView (developed by Christoph Russ) makes it possible to visualize the benefits of Outlast® products related to heat and moisture, and to document the numerous advantages of the smart performance material.

“We have conducted various tests with THG SleepView visually demonstrating that Outlast® materials can reduce moisture significantly during the phase where you fall asleep,” says Volker Schuster, technical director of Outlast Europe GmbH. “As the data sensors of this new measuring system are very small they can be built directly inside the microclimate to measure the air between the skin and duvet – this is where comfort plays a role,” says Volker Schuster. “We have found out that Outlast® materials support humans in their attempt to cool down the organism during the phase of falling asleep producing more than 10% less humidity. A very good start into the night leading to an efficient improvement of comfort.”

THE OUTLAST® DIFFERENCE Phase change materials help to actively balance temperature and to reduce humidity during sleep significantly. “We found out, that a duvet with an Outlast® PCM fiberfill can reduce absolute humidity by 48% compared to a traditional duvet,” adds Martin Bentz.

“This is an impressive added value,” says Bentz, “which clearly demonstrates the proactive way our technology works. It is very

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important for us that our Outlast® products optimize the climate inside bedding proactively – contrary to other technologies which work through humidity transport.”

This is exactly the Outlast® difference: This technology works continuously to manage heat and moisture while reducing sweat production right from the beginning, so less humidity is created inside the bed. The Outlast® difference then influences a person’s overall comfort that leads to a better night’s rest.

Bentz adds: “Naturally, we lose up to one litre of sweat each night. Outlast® materials can reduce this amount by an average of 50%. You sleep drier and more comfortably.”

OUTLAST® TECHNOLOGY Outlast® technology was originally developed for NASA to protect astronauts from temperature fluctuations in space. It utilizes phase change materials (PCM) that absorb, store and release heat for optimal thermal comfort. The technology is also comparable to ice in a drink; as it changes from solid to liquid, it absorbs heat and cools the drink, keeping that drink at the desired temperature for a longer period of time. Outlast® phase change materials work in the same way. The PCMs have the capacity to absorb, store and release excess heat.

This gives any product containing Outlast® technology has the ability to continually regulate the skin’s microclimate. As the skin gets hot, the heat is absorbed, and as it cools, that heat is released.

Outlast® technology is not wicking technology, which manages moisture by reacting to your sweat and pulling it away from the skin. Outlast® technology will proactively manage heat while controlling the production of moisture before it begins. That’s the Outlast® difference. The benefits of Outlast® products at a glance: • Absorbs excess body heat • Manages moisture • Reduces overheating • Reduces chilling • Reduces perspiration • Continuously adapts to thermal changes Outlast presents the newest innovations at Heimtextil from 12 to 15 January, 2016, in Frankfurt; Hall 8.0, Stand D74.

www.outlast.com

DESIGN

WIEMANN

WE’VE

Imola from Wiemann in

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

champagne and nocce

fter seeing its targets exceeded on all fronts during 2015 and generally a much better ‘feel’, Wiemann is optimistic about prospects for 2016. “But,” says Simon Hewitt, director of Litmus Furniture, Wiemann’s principal agents in the UK and Ireland, “we also recognise that we cannot at any moment afford to sit back, relax and take the good times for granted. So we will continue to strive to deliver not only products of distinctive style, quality and value – but also a caring, efficient, professional standard of service so our customers can have the confidence to rely on us.”

Simon continues: “Naturally we don’t get it right all the time (who does!) But

we’ll listen, respond, work hard to hit the mark most of the time and work even harder to put things right if they don’t quite go according to plan. That’s just the way we are.”

Wiemann is certainly excited about what it has in store for visitors to its stand (Hall 4, Stand C50) at the January Furniture Show – its biggest yet. Alongside some of its strongest sellers – among them popular promotional products Berlin and Dakar; the all-time favourite Luxor; reliable sliding robe options Hollywood and Miami - the top end VIP ranges Loft, Shanghai, Eastside and Westside and semi-solid stars Serena and Avore are all doing well – a sure sign of more confidence in the market, thinks Simon.

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Malaga roomset in white oak

DESIGN

WIEMANN

E GOTA FEELING! What visitors to Wiemann’s January Furniture Show stand can expect to see from the business.

2016 newcomers to be revealed include four new VIP ranges – Sunset, Canberra, Malibu and Catania. They will be featured in a combination of two exciting new finishes for 2016 – a really gorgeous, subtle champagne and nocce, a lovely, softer full-grained walnut.

Malaga joins the core collection, a new sliding robe in white oak finish; while Imola is a new option at the budget end of the collections.

2015 has been all about storage and Wiemann sees that trend continuing in 2016 (homes in the UK are always notoriously short of storage space!)

In addition to its ever popular walk-in corner units, it is hoping to reveal a brand new walk-in sliding robe concept for the first time, which is certain to be a winner.

“We’re also introducing something we know our UK customers will greet with enthusiasm,” adds Simon. “A freestanding dressing table! You’ll find it first in the new VIP collection, Catania, in our new champagne and nocce combination.

“And as we said earlier, we don’t just sell you products and leave it at that,” he continues. “We’ll give your sale staff full training so they understand how our product works and can maximise the sale opportunities it offers; we’ll provide brochures and points of sale; and of course there’s our Direct Home Delivery and Installation option – available nationwide, including throughout all of Ireland. Our DHDI partners are consummate professionals who’ll make sure your customers - consumers - can start to enjoy the bedroom of their dreams without any hassle – so you don’t have to worry!

“We look forward to welcoming customers old and new to our stand.

Come and meet the team.”

www.wiemannuk.co.uk

Hollywood

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DESIGN

MAMMOTH

we want our customers to wake up rejuvenated and well rested

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

THE MAMMOTH

John Tuton

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DESIGN

MAMMOTH

Mammoth incorporates Medical Grade Foam and PostureCell

technologies into upholstery products

The company is about 24 hour comfort

ammoth Technologies – the ‘scientifically proven’ brand that has taken the beds market by storm - is now is on a mission to provide 24/7 comfort with its range of beds and upholstery products.

“Mammoth is about 24 hour comfort, creating products that relieve aches and pains and when it comes to our beds, we want our customers to wake up rejuvenated and well rested,” says Mammoth founder, John Tuton.

John first spotted a niche in the mattress market following a serious rugby injury to his rib cage which left him unable to lie down. Sleeping became a real problem. He explains: “My background is in healthcare so I started to look at pressure relieving technologies available through the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and studied all the devices available to the NHS. I saw all the reports on different beds and it turned out that the medical grade foam produced by the company I worked for came out top, so I got them to make something up for me.

“In terms of pressure relief it was far better than anything out there – and all the benefits were testable. It made such a difference to my life and ability to sleep. The medical industry is driven by innovation to provide the highest level of comfort and support for patients. I’ve taken this ’science of comfort’

ethos and applied it to our products for the wider consumer.”

John had a vision to roll out products with proven health benefits to the wider consumer and by 2010 he had built a successful mail order business supplying the original Mammoth mattress to elite athletes.

He realised he needed a new approach to grow the business further, so he visited his local independent retailer, NBF Bed Award winners, NewBridge Bedding Centre in Newcastle.

It was through the relationship John built with manager Colin Heal that Mammoth was able to enter the trade and develop into a nationally recognised brand. As Colin tells us: “John spent many hours in my office grilling me and asking for guidance on exactly how the bed trade ticks and how consumers buy beds. Medical grade foam is what set Mammoth apart from competitors but the question was, who was going to make Mammoth beds on a large scale? That’s when I introduced John to established foam converter Mike Nash, MD of family business The Foam Company.”

Mike Nash

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Within six months, Mammoth Beds were being sold through a large number of key independents. Soon after, national retailers AHF and Furniture Village signed up. Now in 2015, Mammoth boasts £10m worth of bed retail sales and is a health industry award winner, boasting its North of England Business Bio-Sciences award, presented at Newcastle’s Baltic Mill.

Mike Nash comments: “I had already seen Mammoth online and in a few health magazines. I was intrigued as I hadn’t really come across ‘hi-spec foam’. I could see there was an opportunity as it was unique with health accreditations and sporting endorsements. On a visit to Newbridge I saw one of Mammoth’s early ‘Performance Range’ prototypes that Colin was evaluating.

“A partnership really made sense. The Foam Company had the infrastructure, contacts and sales people to deliver Mammoth through retail channels: the perfect tools to give the brand credibility and presence within the bed trade.”

With its ‘exclusive’ Medical Grade Foam and PostureCell technologies, Mammoth products take a scientific approach to performance. The mattress range has been clinically proven to enhance sleep by Northumbria University’s Centre for Sleep Research under the guidance of Professor of Sleep Science, Jason Ellis.

Last year Mammoth collaborated with upholstery experts Furnico and La-Z-Boy UK to launch a seating range. John explains: “Introducing seating was the next stage in achieving 24/7 comfort. As a result we are now incorporating our Medical Grade Foam and PostureCell technologies into upholstery products to deliver pressure relief, support and comfort in home seating.“ Mammoth’s full upholstery range will be on show with Furnico on Stand E30 in Hall 5 of the January Furniture Show when doors to Birmingham’s NEC open on Sunday 24 January.

www.mammothuk.co.uk

products CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST PRODUCTS

BREASLEY

Furmanac

The Salus Bionix Mattress Collection features the latest technology in motion beds – a motion drive system within the mattress itself, so it can be used on a variety of bases. Exclusive to Breasley in the UK, the range has two models, the ‘Duo’ (two motors) and the ‘Quattro’ (four motors) with each offering a choice of comfort layers including Viscoool or latex. The Quattro also features memory functions so that you can save your favourite positions, for example for reading or TV viewing.

With the January Furniture Show fast approaching, Furmanac is delighted to reveal one the of the 15 products it will be launching at the show, the Errington. Part of the Hestia® Upholstered Bed Frame range this beautiful bed frame has a deeply padded headboard which is mirrored on the footboard.

Finally, as the pièce de résistance, the Errington is an ottoman base providing ample storage space when needed.

For more information, visit Furmanac at the January Furniture Show on Stand D30 in Hall 5 where you can see the Errington in person and the team will be able to answer any questions.

www.salusbeds.co.uk

www.furmanac.co.uk

Wiemann

Adjustamatic Healthcare

Wiemann likes to innovate – and the new Multiplus is a robe with real difference. This slider, in the four door version, manages to provide potential for a walk-in robe, without taking up any more space than a normal wardrobe – it’s only about 83cm deep, including the doors. The two central doors slide to either side to create a spacious double fronted storage area that can be accessorised with drawers, shelves and hanging space as desired. The two outer doors slide in, again to reveal accessorised storage of your choice.

Look out for Multiplus when Wiemann exhibits on Stand C50 in Hall 4 of the January Furniture Show.

AIR 20 & 25 uses a combination of encapsulated sides, luxurious pocket springs and the propriety technology of Adjustamatic’s AIR FOAM, creating a mattress that breathes; keeping it fresh and free from allergy activators. Its marketing leading pressure relief provides full optimal body support, comfort and a great night¹s sleep. www.adjustamatic-healthcare.co.uk

www.wiemannuk.co.uk

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KAYMED

SHERBORNE UPHOLSTERY

Silhouette is a new addition to Kaymed’s best selling Therma~Phase™ range. Therma~Phase™ combines high density visco-elastic with an infusion of unique phase-change gel crystals which constantly absorb, store and release body heat to maintain the ideal sleep surface temperature of 3032°C. Meanwhile, the Therma-Phase™ Silhouette collection will allow consumers to combine a choice of bases with either a pocket sprung or all foam mattress and a choice of 50mm or 85mm topper.

Already firmly established, the Sherborne Adjustable Bed range now includes upgraded mattress options including softer, quilted covers and ventilation strips. Both the Dorchester and Hampton ranges offer Head-and-Foot and Head-only Adjustable Beds, all supplied in two parts only for easy assembly with a 25-stone weight limit and a five-year guarantee. www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk

www.kaymed.co.uk

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sam rerferci SLUMBERDREAM

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www.homesiteaddress.co.uk www.sweetdreamsuk.com

www.homesiteaddress.co.uk

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NIGHT PATROL

ANTONIO LISANTI

PETER BETTERIDGE

NIGHT

PATROL

Your full name: Antonio Lisanti Name you are known by: Tony Company you work for: Airsprung Group plc Official title: Group CEO

Q Q

Q

What do you sleep on (not the make of bed but the type of bed)?

A very soft pocket mattress on a sprung edge divan base. These things are very personal but I really can’t understand why some people enjoy sleeping on a mattress version of concrete!

Try and get to know the market dynamics, who does what and why. From there, decide where you want to be in the market (all easier said than done!)

Lark or owl? Tell us what time your day generally starts and ends?

Most definitely a lark. Wide awake at 6am but wiped out by 10pm – it doesn’t make for a great social life!

Q Q

How did you get into the industry?

Head hunted around 15 years ago.

Q

How do you like to wind down before bed at the end of the day?

Q

What was the last innovation in the bed industry that genuinely impressed you?

What’s the best thing about the bed industry?

It’s an industry sector where you can still find some real characters who add wider enjoyment to the job and make business more interesting. My sense of many other industry sectors is that they can be a bit characterless.

Q

Q

How do you think the industry will look in 10 years’ time?

My guess is that the trend towards more online buying, as per virtually every other product you can think of, will accelerate. Product wise, I expect to see ‘Smart Beds’ being developed that are ever more personalised to the sleeping requirements of consumers. Either way it will continue to be interesting.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the world of beds?

Q [90 [

Watching a bit of TV or playing something from my vinyl collection.

Personally I think the NBF audit process for manufacturers has been a huge leap forward in raising awareness of safe, clean and consistent beds to UK consumers. I think it is encouraging a level of manufacturing professionalism that many industries would envy.

What’s in your bedroom?

A very large picture window that looks out onto a bunch of apple and pear trees. Absolutely beautiful in Spring.

What do you think the next big thing will be in beds?

I would suggest that the next really big thing won’t be the bed itself but probably the changing routes to market reflecting the new digital era.

[ 91 [