Bedtimes Magazine - July 2011

BedTimes|

The Business Journal for the Sleep Products Industry July 2011

PeopleTips for working with testing labs On the show floor at Interzum Cologne

Brand Poweris your

Your real

Classic

High Profile

The PowerStack is now available in a High Profile unit to meet the demands of todays taller boxspring configurations. Hickory Springs patented PowerStack zero deflection box spring is engineered for extreme stability. A series of cup-shaped internal supports are welded to the box springs border wire and cross-support grid, then secured at the base on two axes. This unique construction prevents head-to-foot and side-to-side sway and reduces pocketing as well. Assembly is quick and simple just staple it in place and move it on down the line.B O X S P R ING FEATURES

P OW E R S TA C K

Complete one-piece steel foundation with no separate components. Proven durability during all performance tests, including Cornell, rollator and impact tests. 10 gauge, extra-heavy grid wire for maximum support and durability. Nests easily for convenient storage. Designed for use with a cost-effective 5-slat frame. Reinforced grid for greater surface coverage and enhanced stability.

Heavy duty 3 gauge border rod, welded to grid for maximum edge firmness. Welded steel construction, utilizing our own drawn wire for greater stability. Standard utilizes 10 gauge modules. High Profile uses 9 gauge modules.

PO Box 819 Hickory, NC 28603 (828) 328-2201 Ext. 4516 www.hickorysprings.com2011 Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company

BedTimesEditor in Chief Julie A. Palm 571-482-5442 [email protected] Associate Editor Barbara Nelles 336-856-8973 [email protected] Ar t Director Stephanie Belcher 336-201-7475 [email protected] Vice President of Adver tising Sales Kerri Bellias 336-945-0265 [email protected] Ad Production & Circulation Manager Debbie Robbins 571-482-5443 [email protected] Copy Editor Margaret Talley-SeijnVolume 139, Number 7 BedTimes (ISSN 0893-5556; Permit 047-620) is published monthly by the International Sleep Products Association. Periodicals postage paid in Philadelphia, PA. Administrative and ISPA offices 501 Wythe St. Alexandria, VA 22314-1917 Phone 703-683-8371 Fax 703-683-4503 Postmaster: Send address changes to BedTimes 501 Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1917 Contents 2011 by the International Sleep Products Association. Reprint permission obtainable through BedTimes.

Contributors| Joe Dysart Joe Dysart is a writer with more than 20 years of journalism experience. Hes also a speaker and business consultant, focusing on the Internet and Web design and promotion. His articles have appeared in more than 40 publications. He wrote about optimizing your website for mobile applications in the April 2010 BedTimes. He can be reached at 646-233-4089 or [email protected]. Learn more about him at his website, www.joedysart.com. | Lin Grensing-Pophal Lin Grensing-Pophal, who holds the designations Accredited Business Communicator and Senior Professional in Human Resources, is a business journalist with 15 years of experience in organizational communication. Her articles appear regularly in a broad range of trade and professional publications. She specializes in human resources, employee relations and marketing communications topics and is the author of Human Resource Essentials and The Complete Idiots Guide to Strategic Planning. She wrote about employee wellness programs in the September 2010 issue of BedTimes. She can be reached at linda@stratcomm unications.com or 715-723-2395. | Bryan Stratton Bryan Stratton, engineering team leader, manages the mechanical strength/durability and flammability test labs for Intertek and is responsible for Interteks European and North American mechanical mattress and bed testing. Stratton has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and is pursuing a masters degree in engineering management. He has been involved in various aspects of standards

development across the furniture industry and sits on the Standards Development Committee of the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association. He works out of Interteks office in Grand Rapids, Mich., and can be reached at [email protected] or 616-656-7416. | Dorothy Whitcomb Dorothy Whitcomb is a freelance journalist and editor whose work has appeared in a wide range of business and general interest publications. Her primary focus for the past 25 years has been the home furnishings industry. She writes about businesses, trends, products and design, specializing in profiles of companies and industry leaders. She wrote a profile of Carpenter Co.s Dan Schecter in the June issue of BedTimes. She can be reached at [email protected] or 410-820-0456.

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Coming up

August Its Whats on the Inside that Matters BedTimes examines trends and innovations in core mattress componentsinnersprings and foams. September Putting LinkedIn to Work Professional networking sites like LinkedIn can help you stay in touch with colleagues, but such tools have many other applications. BedTimes examines how you can use these resources to promote your business, recruit talent and more. Also in September A look at whats new in adjustable bed bases and a report on the summer Las Vegas Market. Editorial deadlines for the News and Newsmakers sections of the September issue are Monday, Aug. 1. Email news releases and photos to [email protected]. Questions? Call 571-482-5442.

www.bedtimesmagazine.com

July 2011 BedTimes

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SABA: Our target is customer satisfaction

SABA is dedicated to being more than just a supplier of the highest quality water-based foam bonding adhesives. We aim at achieving total customer satisfaction in all facets of our business. Our service track record is unmatched in the industry. We go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction and well always care enough to do whats right to meet the needs of our customers. Our team of highly trained field technicians is always standing by to serve and, with four distribution centers across the US and Canada, you can be assured of on-time deliveries. SABAs water-based adhesives are second to none and combined with our efficient application technologies youll enjoy the lowest possible adhesive cost per mattress produced. So aim for the best in customer service, adhesive performance and application efficiency by contacting SABA today.

See for yourself first hand how the SABA foam bonding adhesive system can save you money! l l l l l Enjoy 20 to 50% reduction in adhesive costs Zero capital outlay equipment procurement options Highest performing water-based adhesive Cleaner and safer working environment Monitor and control adhesive usage

Contact SABA today for a risk-free 30 day testing period.

Call us at 810 824 4964For sales inquiries, please contact: T 810 824 4964 F 810 824 4986 E [email protected] W www.saba-adhesives.com SABA North America LLC 5420 Lapeer Road Kimball MI 48074 USA

Email us at [email protected]

SABA, dedicated to foam bonding Est. 1933: 78 years of strong bonds

Inside

Departments

9 | Brief Sheet

U.S. mattress sales rise Negotiating a starting salary Where the bedbugs are & more

Tietex International The mattress segment is still vital for the diversified textile producer.

13 | Profile

17 | Marketing

Facebook makeover Use the social networking sites new tools to improve your companys pages.

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Test taking Use best practices when working with mattress testing labs.

21 | Factory Floor 47 | News

Features

Leggett & Platt pledges $1 million

| 24 Brand buildingIconic logos and multimedia ad campaigns are key to creating a brand. But dont forget about your strongest tool: Your people.

to tornado victims E.S. Kluft moves East with plant purchase Eastman House expands again in China & more

63 | Newsmakers 76two & more

| 34 Europes big showBedTimes checks out the latest trends and product innovations from Interzum Cologne.

Culp names operations director Foam industry celebrates pioneers Latex International promotes

69 | ISPA

Update and upgrade your BedTimes

Supplies Guide listing

Plus

Get ISPAs latest stats reports & more

9www.bedtimesmagazine.com

07 | Note 72 | Calendar 74 | Advertisers 75 | Classifieds

76 | On Sleep 72

BSC to aid zombie brides Sleep improves decision making & more

July 2011 BedTimes

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mposite

Note

Magazine gets big makeoverBedTimes has a livelier look, plus new featuresotice something different as you flip through this issue of BedTimes? We certainly hope so. This is our first significant redesign of the magazine in several years. Its a complete makeover: Weve changed everything from the fonts to the headline style to the color palette. Were using larger artwork and more of it and bringing you quick bites of information throughout the issue. Weve also added new departments. The Brief Sheet section on Page 9 features tips and ideas you can use to improve your company, the latest mattress industry statistics and other bits of news of interest to the bedding business. We all know that a good quality mattress is vital to getting a good nights sleep. Sleep is what our industry is all about. So, turning to the back of the magazine, youll find a new department devoted to the latest sleep research and other sleep-related news. On Page 3, you can learn more about the contributors whove written articlesand get a glimpse of what we have planned in coming months. Youll see more new features and departments in future issues. Weve made a lot of changes, but some important parts of BedTimes remain the same. Each month, we will continue to bring you in-depth looks at product trends and innovations, comprehensive reports from the industrys most important trade shows and profiles of both growing companies and key players. In every issue, youll also find the latest news from companies in all segments in the industry manufacturers, suppliers and retailers (News on Page 47 and Newsmakers on Page 63). Turn to our ISPA section (Page 69) to find out about new

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programs and resources available to members of the International Sleep Products Association and to learn more about ISPAs advocacy efforts. The redesignmonths in the workswas led by our very talented long-term art director, Stephanie Belcher, a principal in the Jimmydog Design Group. Our goal was to make the magazine more readable, more inviting, more exciting. We hope you like the results.

Our goal was to make the magazine more readable, more inviting, more exciting.Send us your photosbut use a camera, please As I mentioned, with the redesign, well be using more and larger art. When you submit press releases, we encourage you to email us photosof your new people, your new products, your new building, your new logo, whatever you have. But please take the pictures with an actual camera. Photos snapped on your cell phone, even the newest smart phone, are generally not of high enough quality to reproduce well in the magazine. And please dont include them as part of a Word document. What works best for us: high-resolution photos of at least 300 dpi, sized at least 4 inches by 2 inches and saved as JEPGs. If you have several photos and are concerned about file size, email them one at a time or give us the address of an FTP site where we can access them. Questions? Email me at [email protected]. n

Julie A. Palm Editor in chief


July 2011 BedTimes

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SMART MANUFACTURING

We are AdjustableInnovative And Flexible Adjustable Bed Manufacturing Lead your business intothisrapidlygrowing market. Partner with JinJu Furniture tomanufactureexclusive designsforyourcustomers.International license brands welcome visit our website www.jinjuadjustablebeds.com

Add adjustable beds to your product range.

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Brief SheetBedding tops list of purchases in furniture categoryedding was the most-bought furniture item in 2010, purchased by 10.2% of all U.S. households. The 11.5 million bed-buying households spent a combined $11.6 billion at retail, according to the Consumer Buying Trends report from Furniture Today. This year, 10.8% of U.S. households12.2 millionplan to buy a mattress and foundation. Bedding also had the best buy-to-shop ratio in 2010. Just 14% of the 13.3 million households who shopped for bedding last year did not buy.

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U.S. mattress sales keep rising For the quarter In the first quarter of 2011, mattress unit sales (mattresses and foundations) rose 2.6% when compared to the same period in 2010, according to the Bedding Barometer, a sales activity report issued monthly and quarterly by the International Sleep Products Association. The wholesale dollar value of those units grew by 7.2% in the first quarter. For

Better prepared

84% a ofbusinessexecutives saytheyveimplemented businesscontinuityplans toprepareforpotential naturaldisasters, accordingtoasurvey fromcommunications giantAT&T.Thatsa12% jumpoverfiveyearsago.

On

change

the year Sales of mattress units increased 6.2% in 2010 when compared to 2009 and the wholesale dollar value of those units rose 4.1%, according to ISPAs 2010 Mattress Industry Report of Sales and Trends. Thats the first increase in both measures of sales activity since 2005. ahead In 2011, unit shipments are expected to rise 4% and the wholesale dollar value of mattress shipments will increase by 7.5% when compared to 2010, according to ISPAs Mattress Industry Forecast. In 2012, unit sales are expected to increase 3.5% and dollar values are forecast to rise 6%. Monthly, quarterly and annual statistics reports, along with regular forecasts, are available from ISPA as a member benefit. To learn more about these reports or to join the association, check www.sleepproducts.org or contact Jane Oseth, ISPA member services manager, at [email protected] or 703-683-8371.

nyone in a large organization who thinks major change is impossible should probably get out.John P. Kotter

Whats

O e a

ne never knows what will happen if things are suddenly changed. But do we know what will happen if they are not changed?Elias Canetti

Small biz media buyS 6% of small U.S. businesses plan to put the most resources into Web-based marketing and 3

verything is connectedno one thing can change by itself.Paul Hawken

advertising this year (up from 32% last year) 35% plan to split their resources evenly between Web-based and print or traditional marketing and advertising (up from 31% last year) 16% plan to focus on radio/TV/newspaper (up from 14% last year) 22% see social media as a critical marketing tool.Source FedEx Offices fourth annual Sign of the Times small business survey

ll appears to change when we change.Henri AmielJuly 2011 BedTimes


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Brief SheetUse your signature to sneak in a few marketing messagesfyourelikemostbusinesspeople,yousendhundreds ofemailsaweekansweringquestions,exchanging information,makingqueries, settingupmeetings. Allthoseemailscanbe aneasywaytoshareother importantinformation,namely yourcompanysmarketing messages. Atthebottomofeveryone ofyouremailsisasignature. Weusuallythinkofthatasbeing yournameandcontactinfo.But youcanusethatspacetosay anythingyouwant. TheInternationalSleepProductsAssociationencourages stafferstousetheirsignature linetopromoteupcoming eventsfromBetterSleep MonthtoISPAEXPO.

15 cities crawling with bedbugs

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H

How to negotiate a salary

TYoucouldputateaserfora newproductorletcustomers knowwhichtradeshowyoullbe attendingnext.Directpeopleto yourFacebookpage.Putalink toanewfeatureofyourwebsite. BedTimes recentlyreceived anemailfromAllColorsLLCin HighlandPark,N.J.Themarketingfirmusesitsemailsignature topromotecorporatevalues: Please note that it is our policy to utilize New Jersey-based suppliers whenever possible. By working with N.J.-based companies, we are doing our part to help make New Jersey economically stronger. Soyou get a great product, at a great price, and together we help keep N.J. residents employed. 10

alking about compensation with a potential employer can be nerve-racking, especially in a tight job market. The last thing you want to do is go into salary negotiations unprepared. To make sure you get the compensation you deserve, staffing and management services firm Robert Half International in Menlo Park, Calif., cautions you to avoid the common mistakes people make when negotiating with a new employer: eingafraidtoaskYou have your greatest leverage when you B receive a job offer. Now is the time to get the best deal you can. FailingtodoyourhomeworkDetermine your market value by reviewing lists of annual salaries in your field and talking to colleagues and recruiters. ocusingonlyonsalaryConsider the benefits package. Ask for F a signing bonus, an early salary review, additional vacation time or other perks. ippingyourhandIf youre desperate to leave your current job, T keep it to yourself. hinkingyoucantsaynoBeing able to say no is critical T when negotiating. If an employer cant meet your request, you will need to decide whether or not you can accept the lower pay. You have a choice. Failingtogetitinwriting Have the employer draw up a letter that outlines the specifics of the offer. This will help you avoid misunderstandings later. Forgettingyourmanners Regardless of how the negotiations turn out, be professional and courteous.

eres a list you dont want your hometown to appear on, but one that could help in marketing products aimed at stopping or preventing bedbug infestations. Using call volumes about bedbugs from its 350 service centers throughout the country, pest control company Terminix has come up with the 15 most bedbuginfested cities in the United States. 1.NewYork 2.Philadelphia 3.Detroit 4.Cincinnati 5.Chicago 6.Denver 7.Columbus,Ohio 8.Dayton,Ohio 9.Washington,D.C. 10.LosAngeles 11.Boston 12.Indianapolis 13.Louisville,Ky. 14.Cleveland 15.Minneapolis Its no surprise that highly trafficked cities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are on the list, says Paul Curtis, entomologist for Memphis, Tenn.-based Terminix. Its the bedbug problems in cities like Dayton and Louisville that prove bedbugs are back and can pop up anywhere. The bedbug problems in these cities outpace markets of far greater size, despite their having a fraction of the population and typically fewer travelers and hotels.

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BedTimes July 2011


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Bois Le Roux Inc.www.blrlumber.com Phone: 819-877-2092 Toll Free from USA: 888-877-2098 Email: [email protected]

ProfileTIETEX INTERNATIONAL

reinvestment, innovation to grow / By Dorothy WhitcomB

From stitchbonded producer to solutions provider Supplier relies on

We always have our eyes wide open. ... Sometimes the best opportunities simply appear.

A

commitment to reinvesting in the development of proprietary technology has fueled Tietex International Ltd.s ability to produce innovative stitchbonded fabrics for the bedding industry for nearly four decades. Over time, the company has expanded its reach and now sells into several other markets, but the mattress industry leads sales and plays an important role in Tietexs global expansion strategy. The mattress industry is a key segment for us and accounts for about 50% of our business, says Reed Cunningham, Tietex president and chief operating officer. Other Tietex fabrics are used in office panels, upholstery, window blinds and wall coverings. The Spartanburg, S.C.-based company also manufactures performance fabrics that are used in roofing, filtration, automotive and industrial applications. Where it started Tietexs roots go back to Cosmopolitan Textiles Ltd., a British company that was founded in 1968 by Arno Wildeman and Cha Chi Ming, his Chinese investment partner. The company was an early pioneer in commercializing stitchbonding, a fabric formation that increases the versatility of nonwoven materials by introducing yarn into the production process. Wildeman moved to the United States in 1972 to open the North American market for Cosmopolitan Textiles. Two years later, he bought out his partners share of theTietex team Key executives at Tietex International Ltd. include Wade Wallace (left), vice president of mattress solutions; Reed Cunningham, president and chief operating officer; and Martin Wildeman, chairman and chief executive officer.

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BRIEFLYTietex International Ltd. Stitchbonded nonwoven fabrics Spartanburg, S.C. Manufacturing plant in Thailand and a marketing/ sales office in the Netherlands Originally part of Cosmopolitan Textiles Ltd., founded in England in 1968 Privately held A relentless spirit of innovation www.tietex.com

Company Specialty Headquarters Other locations Roots Ownership Corporate culture Learn more

U.S. operation and established Tietex as an independent company. After his death in 1987, his son, Martin, became the companys sole owner. Martin Wildeman now serves as chairman and chief executive officer. Tietex was initially a greige mill that produced white fabric to sell to converters, who then made fabric for the mattress trade, Wildeman says. In the early 1980s, we began selling directly to mattress manufacturers. Today, we remain the only domestic producer of stitchbonded product. Global enterprise Tietex has grown and thrived in a global business environment that has defeated many North American textile mills. In addition to 770,000 square feet of manufacturing space, its more than 1 million-square-foot Spartanburg facility houses the companys corporate offices and a 250,000-square-foot distribution center. About 300 people work in the headquarters facility, which turns out products for the North American and Central American markets.July 2011 BedTimes


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ProfileProblem-solving products Wallaces full titlevice president of mattress solutions, emphasis on solutionsreflects Tietexs commitment to innovative partnerships with its customers. It also underscores a central tenet of the company culture. We are a product developmentdriven company, Wallace says. We devote a lot of money to product development, but its about more than just money. Product development is ingrained in everyone here and is a fundamental aspect of absolutely everyones job. At Tietex, new products might be customer-initiated, market-driven or come through an internal development process. Regardless, we always push our technology to its limits, Wallace says. Wildeman points to Tietexs response to open-flame mattress standards that took effect in the United States in 2007 as emblematic of the companys solutionsoriented culture. The need to respond to flammability standards allowed us to leverage our capabilities and work hand in hand with our customers, Wildeman says. It was a powerful combination and we were able to develop new products that satisfied urgent and critical needs. Tietex created a range of FR products it markets under its Sleepfree brand. Clings, a new topical fabric treatment designed to prevent sheets and bed skirts from slipping, gives mattress manufacturers more options when it comes to their own product development. We can now take a basic fabric and add a textural layer to one side to give greater nonskid characteristics to mattresses or foundations, Wallace says. Tietex recently reorganized its business units, making upholstery fabrics part of the mattress group and putting it under Wallaces management. He has begun offerwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

Top Rooted in the South Tietexs headquarters facility in Spartanburg, S.C., encompasses more than 1 million square feet. Bottom From forming to finishing The companys textile capabilities include fabric formation, printing, dyeing, finishing and converting.

Tietex has a 350,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility in Thailand, as well as a sales and marketing office in the Netherlands. Together, those locations employ about 200 people. The companys textile capabilities include fabric formation, printing, dyeing, finishing and converting. The textile industry has gone through a massive global change, Wildeman says. Asian producers, in particular China, have impacted the business significantly and the market focus has changed as a result. Thats part of the reason that we opened the Thailand facility, which is a carbon copy of what we have in Spartanburg. Although it was originally geared toward footwear, we are now diversifying production, particularly toward

the mattress industry. Having a factory in Thailand since 1996 has allowed Tietex to respond directly to the needs of emerging Asian markets. As the middle class in China, India and other countries in Southeast Asia grows, consumer expectations rise accordingly and U.S. brands are increasingly sought, Tietex executives say. Asian mattress manufacturing is really growing, says Wade Wallace, a Tietex vice president. Some of that growth is coming from Asian licensees of U.S. brands. Sales outside of North America account for only about 1% of Tietexs total annual mattress industry sales. Growth is steady, however, and Wallace expects to see that rise to 5% in five years.

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BedTimes July 2011

Profileing upholstery fabrics to mattress manufacturers and is pleased with the interest thus far. There is a much higher fashion component to upholstery fabric and its heavier weight makes it more durable, Wallace says. Were seeing real interest among high-end mattress companies in using this type of fabric. Supply chain solutions Tietex executives say the companys philosophy, which emphasizes aiding customers with supply chain issues and not just selling them a product, distinguishes Tietex from competitors. We may not always have the lowest priced product, but we have the best product value, Wallace says. Were selling a system to our customers, which includes flexibility and a high continuity of supply. We can deliver in-stock product in a day and special orders within two weeks. Well sell a roll or a truckload. There isnt that kind of flexibility with a long supply chain and the mattress industry is a high-variability business. Recent increases in raw materials prices have prompted Tietex executives to look for ways to reduce the impact of rising costs on their customers. Every part of a mattress is sensitive to raw materials costs, Wildeman says. We work hard to make sure that we are plugged into the right sources for cost, quality and availability. We see scarcities ahead and were leveraging every aspect of our Asian operations to maintain sourcing and continuity. Much of the companys R&D efforts are focused on finding ways to help mattress manufacturers do more with less. Were looking for areas within mattress construction where the use of one fabric could replace two or where other fabrics we currently make or could make can be used, Cunningham says. Whats ahead Tietex is counting on recent introductions, pipeline products, flexible service and expansion into emerging markets to bolster sales and guarantee continued growth. The privately held company doesnt publish financial information, but Wildeman says that, with the exception of 2009, Tietexs sales to the mattress industry during the past five years grew by about 10% annually. The companys total annual sales in all categories exceed $100 million, he says. Tietex executives say they continually look to the future and both Cunningham and Wildeman offer a clear vision of what the company will look like a decade from now. Well still be here in 10 years, Cunningham says. Its a tough industry and many of our competitors are gone. We will always continue to look for highly engineered niche products and have an even broader mix of products. Wildemans outlook: I envision us remaining privately held and continuing in the same markets, particularly mattresses, where I see growth potential. Well have more plant facilities in other parts of the world. Im excited about new growth opportunities. We always have our eyes wide open and are vigilant. Sometimes the best opportunities simply appear. n


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MarketingFACEBOOKS FACELIFT

Site has new features Use them to makeyour company look better / By Joe DysartThe power of Facebook While social networking has been around for yearsthere were fledgling Internet discussion forums before Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was bornFacebook was one of the first services to make such networking effortless, fun and multifaceted. For example, once someone likes your companys Facebook page, she immediately begins getting information about your business through her News Feed. She can instantly share your companys offers with others in her social network, engage in discussions on your page, offer her opinion about your products or services and shop your productsall with little effort. Small wonder that Facebook, founded less than 10 years ago, now has more than 500 million registered users and is still growing. More design freedom Since Facebook became a marketing resource for businesses and organizations of all types, Web designers have bemoaned the fact that they were forced to use the social networks propriety programming for much of the work they did on the site. With the makeover, the service now offers designers more creative freedom. The content in specially designed iFrames is no longer subject to the limitations of Facebooks design parameters.

Top Social network start The International Sleep Products Association launched its first Facebook page in the spring. Right Fast grower Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has taken the site he created while in college to more than 500 million registered users in less than 10 years.

ith the roll out of Facebooks recent makeover complete, a number of Web marketers say the services new features make it easier for them to do business on the social networkboth creatively and from a business analytics perspective. Facebook users have watched the latest evolution of the servicewhich includes a new look and feel for everyone who has a Facebook accountspread across the network since late 2010 and into the spring. For marketers, one of the most anticipated changes has been the ability to add content more easily to a Facebook page, technically known as content presented within iFrames. Essentially, the change enables a company to more closely mirror the design of its website on a Facebook page. Marketers say its a welcome improvement because, in the past, attempting to duplicate the look and feel of a companys Web pages on Facebook was a challenge. Web marketers say the introduction of iFraming also makes it easier for a business to crunch numbers, including tracking user activity on Facebook pages and thoroughly analyzing how sales and other sought-after conversions are unfolding on company Facebook pages. In short, the makeover has stimulated marketers to update their best practices for the social network.

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Marketingwhen youre trying to program pages to match your corporate brand, says Janet Driscoll Miller, chief executive officer of SearchMojo, a search engine and Web marketing agency based in Charlottesville, Va. Tracking use Not long ago, Facebook removed some features that allowed you to track your page views in Facebook via Google Analytics, Miller says. But with the Facebook makeover, any content showcased within the frame can be tracked, sliced and diced with Google Analytics, a popular free program that can be used to analyze user behavior on websites. iFrames also makes tracking conversions from Facebookand keeping ad respondents within the Facebook applicationmuch easier, Miller says. Business-friendly plugins When Facebook first started allowing businesses to create pages on the social network, visitors could become fans of the organization. That eventually gave way to a Like button, which allows users to share pages from your site back to their Facebook profile. When a visitor clicks on that button, its like an instant recommendation of your business to everyone within her circle, be it 12 people or 1,200 people. Theres also a Like box different from the buttonthat enables users to like your Facebook page and view its

Get plugged in Facebook offers a number of pluginsfrom its famous Like button to the photo function Facepilethat can be used by businesses.

Instead, the content can be created with more robust Web design programs such as Adobes

Dreamweaver and Microsofts Expression. This is a huge timesaver

A. Lava & Son Co.Introduces Our New Kit LineJum p

Centrix

x Quilts

& ack T

Stretch K

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4800 S. Kilbourn Ave. Chicago, Il 60632

A. Lava & Son Co. Sewing Threads and Bedding Textiles www.alavason.com [email protected]

Ph: (800) 777-5282 Fax: (773) 254-0800

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BedTimes July 2011


Marketingstream directly from your website. Other good Facebook plugins for businesses include Recommendations, which gives users personalized suggestions for pages on your site that they might like and Comments, which allows visitors to comment on content on your Facebook site. Facepile shows profile pictures of a users friends who have signed up for your site and Live Stream allows users to exchange comments and engage in other shared activities in real-time as they interact during a live event on your Facebook page. Add plugins to your Facebook pages by going to http://developers.facebook. com/docs/plugins.

Some rules havent changed

R

egardless of the recent changes on Facebook, there are a couple of tried-and-true rules for companies using the social network to market themselves:

1. Post frequently The best way to attract attention to your corporate Facebook page is to continually update it. You can post to Facebook a few times a week or even daily and other Facebook users wont consider you annoying. After all, those who like you are interested in what you have to say. Be sure your posts are timely, interesting and useful. And include photos and video as often as you can. Graphics are the lifeblood of Facebook. 2. Be engaging If youve had a corporate page on Facebook for any length of time, youve no doubt heard this, but it bears repeating: Companies that use traditional advertising methods to broadcast their brands on Facebook are generally received with a collective yawn or, worse, negativity. Facebook users are protective of the social networks give-and-take culture. Quite simply, users expect a conversation with companiesand they expect it to be authentic.

Post, post, post In the past, business messages were restricted to News Feeds of people who liked (or, before that, were fans of) your com-

pany, friends of those people and, of course, your companys own Facebook Wall. But with the makeover, Facebook has made it OK for a busi-

ness to post to the Walls of other Facebook users. Used judiciously, this new freedom to post could make promotions on the social network easier. n


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Factory FloorTesTing Tips

Best practices for working

with third-party laboratories / By Bryan Stratton

Top left Will it hold up? A Rollator is used to evaluate mattress durability for the ASTM F1566 Section 7 standard. Top right Getting the feel Mattress firmness is evaluated to the ASTM F1566 Section 6 firmness rating standard.

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he need to optimize product development processes is greater than ever. The competitive nature of the marketplace, combined with new government regulations, has led to a stronger emphasis on third-party testing and certification. To speed the product approval process, manufacturers need to use best practices to make the most of the partnership between product engineers/designers and third-party testing providers. Keeping communication open Maintaining open channels of communication between the mattress manufacturer and testing lab is vital. Its particularly important to have an open dialogue when identifying the objectives and goals of a projectand to maintain good communication throughout the entire testing process. By fostering a shared understanding of expectations, a third-party testing company can work in partnership with a manufacturer to ensure that the mattress makers project objectives align with possible testing outcomes. Among other things, this allows

testing engineers to take proper measures to eliminate test methods that dont meet the manufacturers stated objectives and to document test results in a form thats most useful for the manufacturer. Consider the standard test method for evaluating the firmness, firmness retention, durability and effect of impact on innersprings, box springs, mattresses and mattress sets (ASTM F1566). The method does furnish information such as height loss and change in spring rate and firmness, but there is no clearly defined value that determines compliance or noncompliance with the standard. Therefore, the results gathered from this test method are most valuable when interpreted and evaluated against goals and objectives the manufacturer and testing lab establish together prior to the start of the project. Working with timelines Prior to the start of testing, its crucial that the manufacturer provide the lab with an estimated sample arrival date. In return, the manufacturer should expect the testing facility to provide an estimated completion date based on that information.July 2011 BedTimes

Photos courtesy of Intertek


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Factory Floorquirements in terms of size, construction and quantity prior to manufacturing the sample and sending it to the lab. Inspecting test samples Carefully examine the materials youll be testing before shipping them to a third-party lab. In addition to limiting potential delays, preshipment inspection often prevents common errors and defects that can lead to testing failure. For example, before submitting samples for mattress flammability testing, the manufacturer should inspect the tickinglooking for cuts or tearsand make certain that all stitching is tight and complete. When a mattress is put to the open-flame test, flames follow the path of least resistance to reveal even the most minimal defects that could allow fire to easily enter the mattress core. One missed stitch can be the difference between compliance and noncompliance when performing a flammability test. Likewise, the manufacturer should confirm that the components used to make the samples being prepared for testing are exactly the same as the components listed on the bill of materials for that mattress model. Its not uncommon to find that the cause of flammability test failure is a manufacturer forgetting to install the intended fire barrier. Inspecting samples prior to shipment also provides the manufacturer with an opportunity to gain valuable information for future packaging/shipment procedures. When a sample arrives at the testing facility in an undesirable condition, manufacturers can use this information to improve future shipping practices. To sum up n Third-party testing and certification can be made easier by adopting a clear and methodical approach to identifying and communicating project goals and objectives. n Clear communication between the manufacturer and the testing lab will help to guarantee a positive experience for both parties and facilitate successful achievement of the project objectives. n Manufacturers will benefit from creating standard operating procedures for working with third-party test labs that will help to ensure all projects are completed on time and in the most efficient manner. n

On the edge The BS EN1725 Section 7.5 standard is used to test the durability of a mattress edge.

To secure the fastest turnaround times, reaffirm the date as it nears and communicate with the lab if you realize that the date originally proposed is no longer feasible or optimal. Lead times can vary greatly depending on the laboratory size and its work volume. Proper planning is the best practice for avoiding delays and interruptions to a manufacturers production cycle. At the start of a new project, its also important to identify and communicate to the lab any concerns related to the product being tested. For example, if a particular mattress stitch area or seam structure is known to be problematic, its important to disclose this information to the testing laboratory. This makes test engineers aware of specific areas they should focus on during the testing. Preparing test samples Sufficient test sample preparation is critical to saving time and money throughout the testing process. By making sure that the samples they provide are constructed appropriately for the tests to be performed, manufacturers will reduce delays that can be detrimental to a projects timeline and budget. When it comes to flammability testing, sample requirements can vary from a small section of material to an entire bed and base assembly. For instance, when testing the flammability of a mattress exposed to an open flame (16 CFR Part 1633), an entire bed assemblymattress and foundationis required if the mattress and foundation are intended to be sold as a set. But flammability testing for interior materials (FMVSS 302 ) requires only a sample 102 millimeters wide by 356 millimeters long and a maximum thickness of 13 millimeters. Ask the testing lab to define the specific sample re|

Proper planning is the best practice for avoiding delays and interruptions.

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Find a testing lab

To find a mattress testing lab, check the online BedTimes Supplies Guide at www.bedtimes suppliesguide.com. The guide also appears each year in the December issue of magazine.

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Branding fromtheInside OutBy Lin grensing-pophaL|

its more about your people than your product packagingwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

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spotina2011global rankingofbrandvalue.

AppleholdsthetopThe Apple brand is estimated to be worth more than $153 billion, based on an analysis of financial data and consumer measures of brand equity done by Millward Brown, a market research firm affiliated with Londonbased advertising and marketing agency WPP that releases the annual BrandZ ranking. Rounding out the top 5 are Google, IBM, McDonalds and Microsoft. You can probably picture the logos of most of these companies and recall their TV commercials or print ads. But successful branding involves more than a creative tagline or even a multimillion dollar advertising campaign. In fact, the most successful brand building starts somewhere elsewith employees. You only have to look a bit farther down the 2011 BrandZ ranking to find companies whose logos may be less familiar, companies such as China Mobile (No. 9) or ICBC (No. 11).


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MVBs: Most valuable brands

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illward Browns annual BrandZ assessment identifies the top 100 most valuable consumer-facing brands around the globe. The market research firm, part of London-based ad and marketing firm Wpp, calls its BrandZ list the most comprehensive annual ranking of brand value. see the full list at www.millwardbrown.com/brandz.

1.Apple 2.Google 3.IBM 4.McDonalds 5.Microsoft 6.Coca-Cola 7.AT&T 8.Marlboro 9. hina C Mobile 10.GE

11.ICBC 12.Vodafone 13.Verizon 14.Amazon.com 15.Wal-Mart 16.WellsFargo 17.UPS 18.HP 19. eutsch D Telecom 20.Visa

Branding is not a thing, but a process.

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eyond the logo Rodger Roeser, owner and president of the Eisen Agency in Newport, Ky., says there is much confusion around the concept of brand building, even among some marketing agencies. I think organizations, especially branding organizations, use the term branding to get businesses to spend more money than they need to because they dont understand what branding is, he says. Roeser defines branding as how you act, how you treat somebody, how you answer the phones, how your whole organization relates to its various publics. It is not a thing, he says, but a processan ongoing, repeatable and reinforceable process. Often marketers wrap up their brands in their graphic identities, websites and company materials and they stop there, says Jeff Rechler, a branding consultant at Braithwaite Communications, a marketing and public relations firm in Philadelphia. For us, branding ideally comes down to what you stand for. Its your reason for being in succinct, inspirational terms. When working with clients, Rechler says his firm focuses on three simple questions: 1. What? 2. How? 3. Why? If you were to ask employees at your company what you do, most would be able come up with a list of product offerings and services, Rechler says. If you were to ask them how you do what you do, youd likely find a smaller group of workers who could explain the corporate approach and philosophy that set your company apart from the competition.

rand ambassadors The caveat to building a brand identity is that, if your employees arent living it, if they arent acting on it, then ultimately it will fail, Rechler says. Employees must serve as ambassadors of the brand to ensure that the brand identity is delivered consistently and in alignment with the organizations stated mission, vision and values, both internally and externally. Some companies are realizing the impact and importance of employees to brand building, says Alexander Liss, a brand strategist with The Brand Union, also part of WPP. Liss points to a recent IBM ad campaign in which employees literally serve as ambassadors of the brand. It is, he says, just one example of how companies recognize that having employees serve as advocates is a great way to not only involve them in the process of building the brand, but also to cascade that out to their customers and external stakeholders. Gerard Corbett is chairmanelect of the Publicwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

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If you were to ask employees why you do what you dowhat you stand for, why your company existsyoull generally find theres little consensus or clarity among employees, Rechler says. But its the answer to that question of why? that should form the basis for your brand. Rechler offers some examples: Disney stands for family happiness. Volvo stands for safety. Ben & Jerrys stands for euphoric concoctions. Roeser agrees. Its not about what you sell; thats a commodity, he says. Its about why you existwhat is your company here to actually do? What do you want people to think of when they think of you? Companies that have established strong, longstanding brands are those that understand branding is not just the responsibility of the marketing team. In reality, branding is the responsibility of everyone in the company. Branding is impacted less by how or what a company communicates about itself and more by the experiences that consumers have with the companywhether visiting a store, calling a customer service department or navigating a Web page.

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Relations Society of America and has more than 30 years of experience leading branding and marketing efforts for Fortune 500 companies. Corbett, based in San Bruno, Calif., previously was vice president of the branding and corporate communications group at Hitachi and is an expert in creating strong employee brand ambassadors. Developing and nurturing employees as brand ambassadors is part of the process of creating brand strength from the inside out, he says. Ideally, employees serve as effective brand ambassadors whether theyre interacting with internal or external contacts. You want employees to advocate for the company and for the product and service, but you also want employees to advocate for the customer, Corbett says. Although there are some highly visible examples of companies making the most of employee brand ambassadors, Donald Roy says many companies have yet to embrace the idea. I would say a majority of companies dont fully take advantage of getting input from their employees and have them participate in the branding process. A lot of times the idea of a brand being owned and shared by everybody in the organization is not embraced, says Roy, a professor of marketing at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. In fact, the concept of employees as important contributors to brand value is relatively new, Corbett says. Employee communications have probably evolved more quickly in the past three years than any other time in history, he says. I think thats largely due to the impact and proliferation of social media platforms. It may be obvious how employees can play a role in delivering the brand promise for companies in service sectors like health care or food, but their role in manufacturing companies is no less important, Corbett says. Take a company like Intel, where many employees never deal with the end-consumer. They still have a big influence on their peers, their colleagues, their friends and their familyeven more so now with social media, Corbett says. A quick check of Twitter will show plenty of workers at manufacturers who are sharing their thoughts online. Even though they dont sell directly to consumers, their advocacy on behalf of those companies is pretty important, Corbett says. Rechler agrees. Even in those circumstances where employees are not consumer-facing, there is still value to having all employees in line with the brand and in line with your mission and your values.

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he making of an ambassador Creating brand ambassadors begins with hiring the right people. Online retailer Zappos.com knows a thing or two about the value of employees to brand building. A lot of people may think customer service is our top priority, but in actuality we really put all of our focus into hiring the right people to make sure our culture is as strong as it can be, says Aaron Magness, director of brand marketing and business development at Zappos.com in Henderson, Nev. Zappos.com, Magness says, believes that you can hire people who are likely to provide great customer service, but you cant hire people and then teach them to be customer-service focused.

Branding ideally comes down to what you stand for. Its your reason for being.

Brand identity 1-2-3reating or reinforcing a brand identity requires a combination of culture infusion, scheduled communications and credibility initiatives, says Jeff rechler, a branding consultant at Braithwaite Communications, a marketing and public relations firm in philadelphia. 1.Cultureinfusion requires providing tangible, visible, everyday reminders of your brand promise. Tactics range from distributing culture cards that employees can keep in their wallets for easy reference to making corporate culture a key aspect of orientation for new employees. 2.Scheduledcommunications consist of regular internal communications that reinforce the brand. examples include emails from the chief executive officer that reinforce key messages, companywide culture days and publishing a monthly newsletter to recognize brand ambassadors and their stories. 3.Credibilityinitiatives address key barriers to creating the desired brand identity. Ultimately, this involves a willingness to change longstanding processes and a commitment to hire and fire based on the companys values and culture.

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Whats Next. Now.

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The company takes the onboarding process seriously, offering new employees $4,000 to leave the company after theyve spent a couple of weeks training and have gotten a feel for Zappos.coms culture and values.

Get employees engaged

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o build brand identity, its important to have an employee engagement program, says rob scalea, president and chief executive officer of The Brand Union, part of London-based advertising and marketing agency Wpp. ideally, such a program should: Create an understanding of how an employees work impacts the brand and business strategy through tailored workshops and storytelling campaigns. Foster open sharing of information by corporate leadership and across departments. Town halls and cross-functional workshops encourage open communication and build emotional connections to the companys brand. Be clear about opportunities for advancement. Talent mapping and regular reviews provide employees clarity and transparency about career advancement opportunities. ensure that tactics are in place for building emotional bonds with new employeesbeyond the initial hiring and honeymoon stages. regular reviews, a dispersed brand training schedule and an active intranet can help keep employees engaged long term.

We understand that Zappos isnt for everyone, Magness says. We want you to think about whether youre here for the job or for the paycheck. To help you think through that, well write you a check for $4,000 if you want to leave. Only about 1% of those hired have taken the cash. When people walk away from this money, they realize that theyre buying into what this is all about, Magness says. Theyre just so much more engaged because they realize its about something so much bigger than just a paycheck. The Zappos.com program illustrates the importance of getting employees on board with the brand message right from the start. Once hired, new employees need to be quickly and fully educated about the companys brandits mission, vision and valuesand how what they do impacts that brand. When employees join an organization, it has to be communicated upfront how they not only do their job but what the brand stands for and how they should act on it on a day-to-day basis, Liss says. Throughout their tenure, employees should be held accountable for how they support the brand, Liss says. He points to one of Brand Unions clients, Vodafone, as a model. Their core brand values that we helped them develop were included in the human resources review process and evaluated as part of their job performance, Liss says.

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Employees should be held accountable for how they support the brand.

roadening branding efforts Culture infusion involves efforts to incorporate the brand identity into all aspects of the company, Rechler says. That might involve regular videos or voice mails from the chief executive officer sharing stories that relate to the brand promise or talking about actions the company is taking based on its core values. Ongoing communication that supports the brand is critical, Liss says. But not just any type of communication and, particularly, not just one-way communication. Communication needs to be interactive. A tactical step could be holding town hall meetings and cross-functional workshops where people are allowed to discussnot only with their supervisors but with each otherhow they are going to embrace the brand, Liss says. That kind of thing does much more toward building employee understanding and commitment. Training and education also can involve Web events or interactive workshops. Brand principles also may be used as a stepping stone to start external programs. Coca-Colas Live Positively campaign (www.livepositively.com) is a great example of how they take their brand values and how they cut across

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all of the different touchpoints people have with their brand, Liss says. Its a great example of working the brand from the inside out. It used to be that if you were a public company, the first audience you would go to is Wall Street, Corbett says. Now I think the most successful companies are those that treat all of their constituencies the same. So, if youre going to announce earnings, you let employees know at the same time as investors. If the C-suite has an attitude of transparency and openness, I think that really sets the stage for enhancing the brand internally and enabling employees to be representative ambassadors. The concept of walking the talk is critical when it comes to effective brand management. Company executives, managers and supervisors all play a role. Usually theyre the ones who have to deliver the message, Liss says, noting that its not only about delivering the message, its also about being receptive to feedback and maintaining open lines of communication. One of the key drivers of whether people are emotionally committed to the brand or not is feeling that theyre able to communicate and provide feedback to management, Liss says. Managers need to make themselves accessible and they need to exhibit and model behaviors that support the brand. It begins with top management, Roy agrees. Its not just about having a mission statement with a bunch of words hanging in a frame on the wall. When employees see their immediate supervisors behaving in a manner thats consistent with the companys brand values, it rubs off. It has to show up in the actions of managersfrom the CEO all the way down to front-line supervisors, Roy says. Proprietary research from The Brand Union has identified a number of other factors that impact the extent to which employee engagement contributes to brand value. These include feeling that their jobs contribute to the bottom line, believing their company is a responsible business partner, thinking their companys products and services are worth using, recommending the company to friends and feeling that their peers are working as hard as they are. There are a whole host of areas where employees can fail to believe in the brand, Liss says. We try to identify those through a segmentation process and then say, What are the things a company needs to do better to reach out to employees who are disengaged? Yes, strong brands are recognizable through their logos, slogans and advertising campaigns. But those are simply the outer dressings. In truth, brand strength is determined and definedor destroyedby the people who make up the company, the people who interact in ways large and small every day with internal and external connections. Successful branding is an inside-out process that conveys a clear, consistent and compelling image person to person. www.bedtimesmagazine.com

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Interzum Cologne

Crowds throng innovation-filled showMattress industry suppliers breathe new life into bedsBy BarBara Nelles

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edTimes traveled to the biennial trade fair Interzum Cologne held May 2528 in Cologne, Germany, and saw exhibitors there doing their best to problem-solve mattress design and manufacturing issues, while at the same time finding new ways to help mattress makers engage and attract consumers. Being green continues to be an important focus, with growing talk of cradle-tocradle sustainability. Among mattress industry offerings, we singled out three significant product trendsventilation, simplification and beautification.

Photos on these two pages courtesy of Koelnmesse.


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Top left Worlds fastest quilter The V16 quilter from Gribetz International delivers speed and simplicity, says Global System Groups Russ Bowman. Top right Whats ahead FoamPartner Group created futuristic concept mattresses to stimulate more creative use of foam in bedding. Bottom left Hinged innerspring Agros Coilstar unit is engineered for motion bases. With adjustable beds gaining market share, we needed something very flexible and very strong to take to market, says Mareike Drehert.

trong show Interzum Cologne organizers reported high attendance at the highly international showmore than 52,400 visitors from 147 countries attended (up 13% from 2009) and 1,434 suppliers from 61 countries exhibited. In addition to strong traffic from Europe and the Middle East, exhibitors reported seeing more visitors from North and South America, Australia and Asia than at the 2009 show. Andreas Georgallis, financial director of Amelco Industries Ltd., a machinery maker headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus, assessed the show this way: Traffic is good. Were having an excellent show. His comments were echoed by many. We had good quality visits and more participation from U.S. customers on Wednesday alone than we had at the entire 2009 show, said Russ Bowman, president of machinery maker Global Systems Group, a division of Carthage, Mo.-based Leggett & Platt. This is a fantastic showway beyond our expectations, said Declan Reilly, international sales manager for Dublin-based foam and bedding producer Kaymed. Weve gotten interest from so many countries around the worldSouth America, Asia, Australia.

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entilation innovation Job No. 1 among many mattress industry suppliers was finding ways to improve air flow, particularly in foam mattresses. A number of innovations incorporate phase change material, as well as other means, to bring temperature regulation to mattresses. Phase change materials store and release heat with changes in temperature. Their first bedding application was in ticking and now they are making their way into other products. Latex International in Shelton, Conn., was a pioneer in incorporating phase change material during the foam vulcanization process and was issued a U.S. patent for its Celsion latex in September 2010. Amerigon introduced the thermo-electronic Climate Control Sleep System for mattresses to a global audience. In 2010, the Northfield, Mich.-based company partnered with retail chain Mattress Firm to create the climate-controlled YM bed, which is sold exclusively at that sleep shop chain in the United States. It has adapted its automotive technology for heating and cooling car seats to the bedding industry. Fiber producer Enkev, based in Volendam, Netherlands, added a lofty, breathable synthetic fiber to its lineup of natural fiber pads. Resilient Labyrinth is a springy, gel-like fiber available in a variety of thicknesses. Its made from 100% recyclable, low-density polyethylene plastic. The product was developed in response to customwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

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Top left Seeing spots For more daring mattress manufacturers, Sunds Textiles Steffen Rmer showed bold, playful stretch knits. Top right reinforced core Grgoire Moll of Sapsa Latex tests the extra support in the hybrid latex core with polyurethane rods.

er demand for a clean, fully recyclable product, said Marc Doktor, Enkev commercial director. In Europe, many types of fibers are widely used and accepted and, in the U.S., fiber gives mattress makers the opportunity to differentiate themselves. The Vita Group, headquartered in Maastricht, Netherlands, added breathable Intuition Talalay latex to its offerings. Its available for sale to non-U.S. mattress makers. The products open-cell structure is coupled with phase change material. Intuition is meant not just to cool you downits about temperature regulation, said Cees Zielman, Vita Group general manager. The phase change material is incorporated into the latex itself, providing thermal energy storage and increased temperature stability. Latexco featured Theta Comfort, which has a topical coating of phase change microcapsules that ensure that the sleeper is neither too warm nor too cold, according to the Tielt, Belgium-based company. Latexco also rolled out Oxygel, a latex coated with a bright green breathable, pressure-relieving gel. Some polyurethane foam producers spoke of moving beyond traditional memory foam, touting highly breathable foam formulations designed for both the beds core and its top comfort layers. Gommagomma, a foam producer in Caronno Pertusella, Italy, said its customers were impressed with WaterGel, a new open-cell foam. Unlike other polyurethane foam gels, WaterGel has no skin and is therefore far more breathable, according to the company. Textile suppliers touted breathable fabrics that incorporate natural yarns and unique knitting techniques. Ateja, a fabric supplier based in Bandung, Indonesia, offered the new Zentouch collection, which blends natural yarns, as well as carbon fiber, to create a cooler, anti-static sleep surface. Its new Flexsil fabrics

also incorporate anti-bacterial silver-imbued yarns. Ticking producer Boyteks, which has headquarters in Kayseri, Turkey, focused on several collections grouped together as exclusive concepts. Most are engineered for temperature control and breathability. In addition, the textile maker showcased its Quantech collection, which the company says energizes sleepers. Innofas Airvent fabric earned notice from show organizers, wining an Interzum award. (See story on Page 42.) The unique fabric from the Tilburg, Netherlands-based knit producer has four-way stretch and knit patterns featuring air grids that act as portholes for the mattress foam core, allowing it to breathe.

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aster, easier production Behind closed doors on the show floor, GSG walked mattress makers down a memory lane of mattress quilting. At the end stood its new Gribetz International V16, which the company calls the worlds fastest quilter. The machine was engineered to remove some of the complexity of its Paragon M+ series quilters. The V16 is designed to be a staple of lean manufacturing, giving you 20% to 40% more yield, GSGs Bowman said. Engineers eliminated over 250 parts, enabling the V16 to operate at a true 1,600 rpm in tack-and-jump mode all day. It has an arrangement of 16 fixed needles in the industrys most popular needle setting and it shortens the thread path dramatically, enabling the machine to sew at speeds nearly twice as fast as the average quilt machine. GSG unveiled another half-dozen new machines at the show, including the worlds fastest packaging machine. The Merello ME-105 Auto Mattress Packaging System can finish five pieces per minute. It tightly wraps mattresses of any size and type, automatically detecting the length and width of each piece.www.bedtimesmagazine.com

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Top All aboard Starsprings invited visitors to snooze on its prototype all-coil rocking bed. Bottom Cut-and-paste Nina Patisson (left) and Philipp Schuster demonstrate the EP profiling machine from Albrecht Bumer GmbH & Co. KG, which is engineered to speed up foam core assembly.

Machinery maker Albrecht Bumer GmbH & Co. KG, based in Freudenberg, Germany, offered manufacturers greater efficiency, too. It introduced the EP profiling machine, which provides cost-effective cutting of multizone mattresses and toppers. The machine speeds up mattress assembly and saves labor with its sheet flip-over station and automatic unstacking system. The flip-over function means that sheets can be stacked with the profile on top, ready to be fed into a gluing or topping line. Fema Italian Cutting Systems S.r.l. of Gravina, Italy, a maker of foam cutting equipment, launched the Giotto HCS horizontal cutting system. The machine is a simpler, less automated version of the Giotto SCS. Its available equipped with an oscillating band knife system, a circulating band knife or both. With more and more mattress manufacturers working with foam cores, Heynen Systems BV, a Lelystad, Netherlands-based machinery maker and knitting company, rolled out the automated Tricover stocking machine to step up foam mattress finishing. The company also offers a manual stocking machine for mattress cores. Emil Stutzncker GmbH & Co. KG, with headquarters

rtistic stretch Fabric makers pushed boundaries with knitsand wovens, toowith ever-more elasticity and designs that reach into the realm of high art. There were super-soft, super-stretchy knits coupled with vivid yarn colors and graphic design motifs. There is definitely a move toward mattress fabrics with more color now, said Paolo Stellini, managing director of Magnago, Italy-based Stellini Textile Group. Sleeker, multifunctional styling using upholstery-style fabrics with rich color on pared-down bed silhouettes is an accelerating trend, said Laura Allred, design director of fabric supplier CT Nassau, based in Alamance, N.C. These upholstery looks are being influenced by urban loft living and city dwellers. Sunds Textiles, with headquarters in Sunds, Denmark, wowed visitors with vibrant, colorful designsthanks to new investments in knitting machinery, said Steffen Rmer, Sunds vice president of sales. Knit patterns with photo-quality design motifs caught the eye at Bekaert Textiles. The Waregem, Belgium-based company made a fashion statement with two new graphicwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

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in Cologne, showcased its high-speed Mammut VMK Select, a quilter with two needle bars that the company says is easier to operate and requires less downtime to change patterns than its previous VMK model with three needle bars. Mert Makina specializes in automated mattress lines, allowing nine people to manufacture 500 mattresses in one eight-hour shift, said Nebi Dogan, general sales manager of the Kayseri, Turkey-based machinery supplier. The Hotmelt Glue Line Machine was a new introduction at the show. Osaka, Japan-based Matsushita Industrial Co. Ltd.s focus was on sewing machinery produced in conjunction with Chinese manufacturer Nanjing Square Mattress Machinery Co. Ltd. The MS-T601 tape-edge machine handles heavyweight materials with greater ease and the MS-T501 tape-edge machine boasts faster speeds, adjustability and an auto-flip sewing head, according to the company. Other offerings include the MS-ST3 handlestrap tacking machine and the CTF Mattress Logo Tape Sewing Machine. Adhesive supplier SABA, with headquarters in Dinxperio, Netherlands, is seeking to reduce steps in the gluing process. Its new one4two spray gun is a one-coat sprayer with a booster feature for adding more adhesive where necessary. Benefits include high transfer efficiency, ease of application and reduced adhesive consumption, the company says. Agro, with headquarters in Bad Essen, Germany, seeks to simplify and demystify the mattress design process with its new innerspring construction kit. The kit narrows Agros large product selection to six choices and spells out recommended uses, coil sizes, counts and other features. The company also introduced a number of taller, lighter and quieter encased coils, as well as a unique hinged innerspring unit designed for adjustable bases.

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's most wanted products@ Interzum 2011

Two innovative DesleeClama mattress solutions win the much coveted 2011 Interzum Awards. A professional jury distinguished Argentum+ and QuickFit in the category High Product Quality. Argentum+ integrates silver ion technology into the mattress, combining antibacterial properties with highly effective moisture management. For cool, fresh and dry sleeping.

Argentum+by DesleeClama

by DesleeClama

QuickFit mattress fabrics and covers are quilted-onthe-machine, ready to fit around a mattress core. With QuickFit, there is no need for quilting anymore. This makes mattress production considerably quicker and simpler.

Bringing art into the bedroom DesleeClama challenged Jrgen Missotten, a renowned Belgian artist, to symbolize sleep. His creations adorn an exclusive limited edition of mattresses and come together with a framed version of the art work. A unique combination of art on the wall and in bed.

A fresh fix for the bedroom Frix mattress fabrics contain innovative microcapsules that neutralize bad smells and disperse a subliminal hint of mint. Simple friction with the fabric unleashes the refreshing effect of the mattress on the sleeping environment.

The purest sleeping solution Atlantis is a 100% polyester mattress fabric that underwent an intensive and environmentally friendly micro cleaning process. This results in a hygienically pure and fresh mattress fabric at a very competitive price.

Healthy sleeping for active well-being Celliant assists the human body to increase its oxygen level in the muscle tissue. This helps to combat discomforts and pains, so that you are fit and energetic for a bright new day. Clinically proven.

The ideal microclimate for optimal sleeping comfort Thermic mattress fabrics contain microcapsules with Phase Change Materials that keep the sleeping environment at the ideal sleeping temperature of 28-30C

10 years of Intense Intense has been one of the top products in the DesleeClama range for 10 years now. Its antistatic and dust repellent properties have convinced customers all over the world. Time to celebrate its anniversary with a new marketing campaign.

Belgium, Spain, USA, Brazil, Indonesia, South-Africa, Canada, India, Singapore, Romania,...

Discover our global presence on www.desleeclama.com

collectionsBrioso HD (for high definition) and the colorful Rayoz. Bekaert enlisted students at the Flanders Fashion Institute to create haute couture looks from the tickings, which were displayed on mannequins in a department storestyle window in the showroom. Ticking supplier DesleeClama, based in Zonnebeke, Belgium, ex-

hibited four mattresses created by artist Jrgen Missotten. The series, titled Dreams Never End where deep blue waves make way for pure white serenitysymbolized the four phases of sleep. The projects goal was to illustrate the overriding importance of the beds appearance to consumers. Stretch has become the most

widely used adjective in describing mattress fabricsand not just when talking about knits. As part of the renewed interest in damask fabric on beds, Stellini expanded its collection of high-end woven fabrics with two-way stretch. Many customers are going back to jacquards to be different,

Stellini said. Everyone has knits now; theyre getting boring. We were born a jacquard manufacturer. We love jacquards. Stretch met science at Bodet & Horst. The textile producer, which has headquarters in Elterlein, Germany, displayed an unusual prototypea bed upholstered in a pressure-mapped

And the winner is Interzum lauds intelligent material & designrganizers of Interzum Cologne honored trade fair exhibitors with 35 awards, including eight Best of the Best accolades. several honors went to mattress industry suppliers. The juried awards aim to put a spotlight on innovative design, intelligent details, aesthetics and functionality. Bekaert Textiles, based in Waregem, Belgium, earned one of the highest honors, receiving a Best of the Best award for its smart Wrap. Described as an intelligent mattress cover, smart Wrap is embedded with fiber optic technology from lightspeed systems of asten, Netherlands. On display was a test bed able to monitor a sleepers breathing via a digital display. The technology, which can be programmed to track a sleepers presence in bed, sleep positions, pressure points and more, has a number of potential uses. Perhaps the next generation of smart Wrap will be able to tell when its time to replace your mattress, said Wim Van Thienen, Bekaert research and development manager. Fabric supplier Bodet & Horst, which has headquarters in elterlein, Germany, received a High Product Quality award for its Bielastic Comfort streeetch collection. The fabric has 50% to 60% stretch in both directions, said apollonija spela Honigsman, Bodet & Horst research and development manager. We wanted to create a textile that takes the bodys shape, conforming in all directions, no matter how you move in bed. Textile supplier DesleeClama, with headquarters in Zonnebeke, Belgium, won two High Product Quality awards. Quick Fit is a new fabric collection thats prequilted and ready to fit over the mattress core. The company also offers a Quick Fit kit that includes a quilted panel with border fabric attached. Deslees second award was for anti-bacterial, moisture-inhibiting argentum fabric with silver particles. Tilburg, Netherlands-based knit supplier Innofa won a High Product Quality award for airvent. The fabric stretches in all directions and requires no quilting. It has air grids or vents that can be matched to the mattress cores air channels to optimize air circulation throughout the bed. This certainly was a timely award with so many mattress manufacturers around the world paying increased attention to the importance of ventilation and stretch in nonquilted mattress covers, said Job Drge, Innofa president. latexcos Fire retardant latex earned an award for High Product Quality. The company says the foam meets a number

O

Top Best of the best Bekaert Textiles Wim Van Thienen (left) and lightspeed systems Koen lauteslager demonstrate smart Wrap, an award winner. Left Silver winner Hans Dewaele (left) and Eric Delaby of DesleeClama show off Interzum awardwinning Argentum with silver particles.

of european Fr standards, while retaining all of the properties of latex. Fire retardant production technology can be applied to all latexco productsfrom foam cores to pillows. Zwevegem, Belgium-based Maes Mattress Ticking NV won a High Product Quality award for its Cocona Natural Technology textile. The fabric contains activated charcoal from coconut shells for moisture and odor management. The Frolexus Koala mattress and box spring by Froli Kunststoffwerk GmbH & Co. KG in schloss Holte-stukenbrock, Germany, also took home a High Product Quality award. Both bed and base are said to be highly breathable and contain flexible plastic springs.

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Right Big on breathability The new WaterGel by Gommagomma is an open-cell polyurethane foam, says Isabella Mariani.

fabric. The knit pattern matches its stretch to strategic pressure points for back, stomach and side sleepers.

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lashy foams Textile showrooms didnt have a lock on cool visual aesthetics. There was plenty of pizzazz to be found among foam displays. Suppliers offered up vivid colors, unusual cuts and contours and new formulations. There was much to touch and test. Paris-based Sapsa Latex displayed a wide selection of topper rolls, pillows and foam cores with signage that beckoned mattress makers to Choose your profile, Choose your thickness and Choose your technology. Sapsa offered a thick, 18-centimeter latex core that it manufactures without adhesives, using proprietary multifoaming technology. Another innovation was its hybrid latex core made of Dunlop latex poured over colored polyurethane foam rods that lend zoned support to the mattress. Polyurethane foam producer FoamPartner Group, which has headquarters in Wolfhausen, Switzerland, wanted to prove that foam can be fun. In its dream world-themed showroom, the company displayed concept mattresses similar to the concept cars rolled out at an automobile show. Standing on end were colorful, multipart foam cores with balls of foam in place of coils. Color adds drama to foam, said Rita Kollbrunner, FoamPartner Group head of marketing and communications. The use of color makes the finished product easier to market because its so attractive.

reener aspirations Many exhibitors touted green features. There were products and processes that reduce carbon dioxide emissions, use fewer petroleum derivatives, are recyclable and are derived from sustainable resources. A number of suppliers say they are aiming for cradle-to-cradle sustainability. Five Dutch companies that supply the mattress industryDraka Interfoam BV in Hillegom, Netherlands; Enkev; SABA; Innofa; and Radium Foam BV, part of the Vita Groupannounced their joint commitment to promote

WERE YOU AN INTERZUM EXHIBITOR?

Following events like Interzum Cologne, BedTimes presents an overview of trends and innovations seen on the show floor. Its not possible to include every new product from every exhibitorand given the crowds at this years event, we had a difficult time even getting in to talk to some companies. Were sorry that there are a few we missed. If you introduced new products or services at Interzum Cologne that havent already been reported in the pages of BedTimes, youre welcome to submit them for inclusion in the News section of an upcoming issue. email the news release and photos to [email protected]. and look for more product news from Interzum Cologne in the august BedTimes when well report on whats new in foams and innersprings and then again in October when we examine mattress fabric trends.

sustainability. They have formed the Sustainable Sleep Alliance with the goal of helping make better beds for a better future. The group says that producing sustainably manufactured goods is the responsible thing to do and meets the needs of consumers. In a showroom decorated with leaves and fronds,, Orsa Foam S.p.A., based in Gorla Minore, Italy, celebrated its new BB Foam, a polyurethane with a high percentage of bio-based content from soy. Orsa presented findings from an ISO-accredited U.S. testing laboratory that found the new foam formulation contains between 34% and 41% total bio-based content. Water-based adhesives supplier Simalfa, based in Hawthorne, N.J., and Rafz, Switzerland, introduced 335 OF (overspray-free) adhesive. Use of the product creates a clean, safe and waste-free environment by ensuring that no spray particles go airborne, the company said. Billing it as the nonwoven for coming generations, Starsprings introduced Enviro, a nonwoven fabric made from cornstarch-derived polyactide polyester that it uses to encase coils. Enviro is biodegradable, recyclable, contains no petroleum products and is available with all Starsprings encased coils, said Johan Dahlin, sales and marketing manager for the company, which has headquarters in Herrljunga, Sweden. Textile supplier Pratrivero S.p.A., based in Trivero, Italy, announced it had made significant capital investments in new machinery and manufacturing techniques, allowing it to improve production by 50% while at the same time dramatically reducing energy consumption and manufacturing waste. Our customers are constantly looking at ways to improve their manufacturing processes, said Jim Tweddle, managing director of Wintech Engineering, a manufacturer of foam-cutting machinery based in Perth, Australia. Theyre looking for ways to reduce waste, use or recycle remnants. Were seeing a real change in focus in manufacturing in the management of materials. nwww.bedtimesmagazine.com

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plug in...to an American brand with International power.International licensing opportunities available. Contact: Gerry Borreggine at 1-800-314-4433 or [email protected] www.therapedic.comHigh Point Market Pla

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Bedtimes Magazine - July 2011