PDF version - Bedtimes Magazine

BedTimes 

APRIL 2010 

THE BUSINESS JOURNAL FOR THE SLEEP PRODUCTS INDUSTRY 

The making 

of a manager 

ISPA EXPO 2010: 

Crowds upbeat 

in Charlotte 

Safety programs trim 

workers’ comp costs 

It starts 

with picking 

the right people

New! 

for 2010 

1306 . . . . Roll-Pac Workstation 

1337EHL . Super Heavy Duty Flanging Workstation 

1347MGB Auto Faux Tape Edge with or without Binding 

1355 . . . . Border Tacking Workstation 

1365 . . . . Auto-Tuft & Quilting Workstation 

1366 . . . . Automatic Vertical Stitch Border Machine 

1368 . . . . Foam Encased Gluing Workstation 

1374 . . . . Decorative Stud Border Workstation 

1390FM. . Latex and Foam Auto-Pac Machine 

1493 . . . . Automatic Panel Flanging & Cutting Workstation 

4003 . . . . Quilter Online Tension Monitoring System 

4300 . . . . Automatic Vertical Handle Machine 

4400 . . . . Double Overlock & Gathering Border Workstation 

4500 . . . . Single Lane Border Quilter Workstation 

The Sudden Service Company 

This equipment is protected by one or more of the following patents: 

US patents: 4,280,421; 4,432,294; 4,466,367; 4,644,883; 5,134,947; 5,159,889; 5,203,270; 5,522,332; 5,524,563; 5,562,060; 5,634,418; 5,647,293; 

5,657,711; 5,743,202; 5,865,135; 5,899,159; 5,915,319; 5,918,560; 5,979,345; 6,035,794; 6,055,921; 6,202,579; 6,279,869; 6,295,481; 6,494,255; 

6,802,271; 6,574,815 B2; 6,834,603 B1; 6,968,794 B1; 6,994,043B1; 7,100,525B1; 7,100,526B1; 7,210,181B1; 7,383,676 ; 7,383,780; 7,412,936; 7,543,364; 7,574,788 

Foreign patents: 9-520,472; 0,537,323; 92,905,522.6; 96,936,922.2; 2,076,379; 2,084,055. 

Other U.S. and Foreign Patents Pending. Copyright 2009 Atlanta Attachment Co. 10061031210 

Innovative Technology for 

Atlanta Attachment Company 

362 Industrial Park Drive 

Lawrenceville, GA 30046 

(770) 963-7369 • FAX (770) 963-7641

the Sewn Products Industry Worldwide! 

* Contact sales for the recommended spare parts list and the model workstations covered. 

Website: www.atlatt.com email: sales@atlatt.com 


is the recognized sewn products 

industry leader in automated 

workstations, labor saving devices, 

folders and ergonomic risk 

reduction. The Company, founded 

in 1969, has made its policy of 

SUDDEN SERVICE a way of 

life in all aspects of operation. 

Our entire staff is dedicated to 

providing three-day shipments 

of most custom folders and 

attachments. Special gauge sets 

and other work aids are available 

in 10 working days or less. 

We moved to Lawrenceville, GA in 

1978, and have expanded many 

times. In September of 2007, 


proudly introduced its new 

225,000 square foot facility. 


pledges unequaled service and 

support to our valued customers. 

We pledge to maintain inventories 

of the recommended spare parts 

for our automated workstations* 

and to ship those replacement 

parts within 72 hours. If the 

expendable replacement parts 

are not shipped within 72 hours 

they will be... 

Free of Charge!

CertiPUR-US (CM) 

approved foams are: 

• Low emission (low VOCS). 

• Made without ozone depleters. 

• Produced without PBDEs. 

• Made without mercury, 

lead and heavy metal. 

• Made without formaldehyde. 

• Made without phthalates. 

PO Box 128, Hickory NC 28603 

Certify your Peace of Mind 

Hickory Springs goes one step further for quality foam. 

By complying with the CertiPUR-US (CM) voluntary testing, analysis and certification 

program, Hickory Springs confirms the proactive measures taken to verify that 

its flexible polyurethane foam not only provides durable comfort but is produced 

in a responsible, consumer-friendly manner. 

How will CertiPUR-US benefi t your company? 

• Focuses on current consumer concerns about foam involving health and indoor air quality. 

• Provides comfort and confi dence, reassuring consumers about the foam in your sofa. 

• Provides a reference source website for your customer service staff. You don’t need an 

in-house expert on health regulations and concerns. 

• Demonstrates your commitment to a healthy home environment. 

Based on a similar program in Europe, CertiPUR-US provides added value to furniture 

manufacturers – and eventually consumers — offering peace of mind and answering 

questions typically asked by consumers. Hickory Springs is one of several founding 

members of the CertiPUR-US program, which was officially introduced in early 2009. 

To switch to Hickory Springs’ certifi ed CertiPUR-US foam, call 1.800.438.5341 

or visit HickorySprings.com. Also see certipur.us. 

CertiPUR-US is a Certifi cation Mark of Alliance for Flexible Polyurethane Foam, Inc. 

©2009 Hickory Springs Mfg. Co.

APRIL 2010 

InSide 

www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes 

Features 

32 The making of a manager 

Whether you’re hiring from the outside or promoting from within, it takes 

more to create a successful manager than just giving him a title. Human 

resource and business consultants give tips for selecting, training and 

evaluating your management team. 

40 Preventive medicine 

In the second part of a two-part series, BedTimes shows how implementing strong, 

comprehensive safety programs can help cut your workers’ compensation costs. 

48 ISPA EXPO 2010 

Both attendance and spirits were high at the recent ISPA EXPO. BedTimes 

brings you images, news and trends from the industry’s largest show of mattress 

manufacturing machinery, equipment, 

supplies, components and services. 

Departments 

9 Marketing Matters 

Consumers, particularly those in 

Generation Y, are increasingly likely to 

surf the Internet with a mobile device. 

If they are using an iPhone or Black- 

Berry to look for a mattress, will it be 

easy for them to view and navigate 

your site? 

13 Legal Briefing 

There are few things you want to 

experience less than being sued. But if 

you’re in business long enough, there’s 

a pretty good chance it will happen 

to your company. An attorney advises 

you how to proceed once you get over 

the shock. 

5 Editor’s Note 

7 Front Matter 

17 Market Report 

63 Industry News 

79 ISPA News 

80 Newsmakers 

82 Up Close 

84 Classifieds 

85 Calendar 

86 Advertisers Index 

88 Last Word 

BedTimes | April 2010 | 3

{access} 

savings 

SABA is pleased to introduce its new 

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SABA water-based adhesives are second to none. And now, 

with the introduction of its new and exclusive Access system, 

SABA is taking foam bonding to a new level of efficiency and 

control. Applying SABA adhesives is hassle-free and optimized 

for efficiency. And now, with integrated monitoring capability, 

you’ll receive emailed daily costing reports, re-order notices 

and much more. Enjoy the lowest adhesive cost per mattress 

produced, a cleaner plant and hassle-free production without 

spending a dime on equipment. 

You do have access to SABA adhesives, right? 

See for yourself first hand how the SABA foam bonding 

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l Enjoy 20 to 50% reduction in adhesive costs 

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l Monitor and control adhesive usage 

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

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SABA North America LLC 

5420 Lapeer Road 

Kimball MI 48074 USA 

www.saba-adhesives.com 

SABA, dedicated to foam bonding 

Est. 1933: 77 years of strong bonds

EDITOR IN CHIEF 

Julie A. Palm 

336-727-1889 

jpalm@sleepproducts.org 

SENIOR WRITER 

Barbara Nelles 

336-856-8973 

bnelles@sleepproducts.org 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Mike Christiansen 

Joe Dysart 

Lin Grensing-Pophal 

Phillip M. Perry 

Dorothy Whitcomb 

ART DIRECTOR 

Stephanie Belcher 

336-201-7475 

stephanie@jimmydog.com 

VICE PRESIDENT OF SAlES 

Kerri Bellias 

336-945-0265 

kbellias@sleepproducts.org 

AD PRODUCTION & 

CIRCUlATION mANAgER 

Debbie Robbins 

336-342-4217 

drobbins@sleepproducts.org 

COPY EDITOR 

Margaret Talley-Seijn 

BedTimes deadlines 

Editorial deadlines for the Industry 

News and Newsmakers sections 

of the June issue of BedTimes are 

Monday, May 3. 

Volume 138 Number 4 

BedTimes (ISSN 0893-5556) is published 

monthly by the International Sleep Products 

Association. Periodicals postage paid at 

Alexandria, Va., and additional mailing offices. 

Editorial and advertising offices 

126 Parkview Lane, Reidsville, NC 27320 

Phone 703-683-8371; Fax 703-683-4503 

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 © 2010 by the 

International Sleep Products 

Association. Reprint permission 

obtainable through BedTimes. 


Editor’sNote 

Industry eagerly bidding 

economic winter goodbye 

day or two before ISPA EXPO 

A 2010 kicked off, the weather 

was awful. As it had been across 

the United States for far too many 

months, temperatures in Charlotte, 

N.C., were well below normal and 

it was snowing. Though a wintry 

mix had stopped falling by the time 

the show floor opened, it remained 

blustery and cold outside. 

But, as each day of the show 

passed, the weather improved. The 

clouds cleared, the winds died down 

and the temperatures began to rise. 

It wasn’t balmy, but by the last day, 

it felt great to be outside. Winter 

was finally on its way out and you 

could feel spring rushing in to take 

its place. 

The weather pattern we saw in 

Charlotte during the first week of 

March seems an apt analogy for the 

experiences of the mattress industry 

the past two years. We’ve been in a 

dark, dreary place for too long and 

we’re ready to enjoy a little sunshine 

and warmth again. 

We had indications that the industry 

was starting to see improvements 

during the winter Las Vegas 

Market. Manufacturers and retailers 

at the World Market Center in early 

February were decidedly upbeat. 

But I don’t know that we were 

prepared for the refreshingly optimistic 

reports and forecasts we 

heard during EXPO. 

“We’re seeing an uptick. February 

wasn’t a bad month at all,” said 

Michael Crowell, vice president of 

marketing for Spencerville, Ohiobased 

Flexible Foam Products Inc. 

“Our major customers are telling us 

it’s the best they’ve seen since 2008. 

We’re encouraged by it.” 

Paul Brewer, a marketing representative 

for Automated Tag & Label 

in Fort Wayne, Ind., said his company’s 

business hadn’t dipped significantly 

during the recession but 

that it was really starting to boom: 

“Everyone’s going crazy now—the 

last three or four months.” 

If traffic and experiences at 

EXPO were an indication, the industry 

has much to look forward to as 

we head into spring and summer. 

“EXPO’s been spectacular,” 

said Kevin Stein, vice president of 

marketing and research and development 

for Shelton, Conn.-based 

Latex International. “We’re seeing 

everything from large to small 

customers—in both good quantities 

and good quality. People are looking 

for new products. I don’t know that 

we’ll ever have another 2007, but 

we’re on an upswing.” 

We heard from suppliers across 

categories and mattress manufacturers 

of all sizes that business is on the 

upswing. We’re hopeful the forecasts 

are right. At BedTimes, we’re ready 

to slather on the sunscreen and step 

out into the sun. BT 

Julie A. Palm 


FrontMatter 

Signs point to sustained mattress recovery 

New ISPA forecast 

predicts gains in 

both 2010 & 2011 

The U.S. mattress industry is expected 

to bounce back this year, 

with unit shipments projected 

to rise 4.5% and the dollar value of 

those shipments predicted to increase 

7.5%, according to a new industry 

forecast from the International Sleep 

Products Association. 

The recovery is likely to be even 

more robust in 2011. The ISPA forecast, 

released in early March, predicts 

unit shipments will grow 6.3% and 

dollar values will increase 10% next 

year. 

The gains would follow two years 

of losses for the industry, which, prior 

to that, had been enjoying more than 

two decades of gains, particularly in 

dollar values. ISPA’s annual report, 

which will show final tallies for 2009, 

will be released later this spring. But 

in early March, ISPA was estimating 

2009 unit shipments and dollars to be 

down 8% and 10%, respectively. 

By way of comparison, consider 

how the mattress industry 

recovered after past recessions. 

In 2003, following the 

2001-2002 recession was over, 

unit shipments rose 2.4% and 

dollar values increased 7.8%. In 

1992, following the 1990-1991 

economic downturn, units were 

up 5.1% and the value of those 

shipments grew 7.6%. 

Signs of a mattress recovery 

began to appear in mid-2009. 

The sharp month-over-month 

declines began to moderate and 

by October, ISPA’s Bedding Barometer 

showed positive growth 

in both units and dollar values. 

In a March 3 roundtable 


discussion during ISPA EXPO 2010 

in Charlotte, N.C., Jerry Epperson 

offered the audience several other 

indications that things are turning 

around in the furniture industry and 

particularly in mattresses. Epperson is 

a managing partner at Mann, Armistead 

& Epperson Ltd., an investment 

banking and advisory firm 

based in Richmond, Va. 

Among recent good news, Epperson 

said: 

➤ More furniture and mattress retailers 

have announced plans for “significant 

new store expansion,” including 

Rooms To Go, Sleepy’s, Bob’s Discount 

Furniture, El Dorado Furniture, 

Haynes Furniture, Raymour & Flanigan, 

Art Van Furniture, R.C. Willey 

and Ashley HomeStores. 

➤ Retailers, including Home Depot, 

Target, Sears, Pier 1 and Havertys Furniture, 

are showing modest sales gains 

and reported significant increases in 

their profitability in their last quarters. 

➤ Publicly owned companies in the 

mattress industry are reporting higher 

profits. 

➤ Learn more 

Members of the International 

Sleep Products Association 

can receive the association’s 

monthly and quarterly Bedding 

Barometer, semiannual forecasts 

and an annual industry report. 

For more information, check 

www.sleepproducts.org. Investment 

banking and advisory firm 

Mann, Armistead & Epperson Ltd. 

publishes a monthly furniture 

industry newsletter. To receive it, 

email Margaret LaPierre at 

mlp@maeltd.com. 

➤ The winter Las Vegas Market 

in February was good for mattress 

manufacturers, who reported stronger 

retailer interest in new products. 

Epperson spoke at the beginning 

of EXPO. If his talk had been later, he 

might have included EXPO itself as a 

positive sign. Attendance was strong 

at this year’s show and exhibitors 

reported seeing both good traffic and 

quality buyers. (To read more about 

EXPO, see stories starting on 

Page 48.) 

Looking at the U.S. economy 

more broadly, Epperson 

pointed to other positive signs 

of a turnaround. Quarterly 

real GDP grew in the last two 

quarters of 2009. Also, U.S. 

monthly private construction 

spending stopped a rapid 

decline that began in early 2006 

and posted some monthly gains 

in2009. In addition, the merger 

and acquisitions markets are 

beginning to recover and in 

some industries, including mattresses, 

companies are reducing 

debt and improving their gross 

margins. BT 


Lorne Romoff 

V.P. Sales & Marketing 

Cell: 514-265-8782 

lromo�@maximeknitting.com 

* IMPORTANT * 

Don’t forget to visit 

Maxime Knitting at 

ISPA EXPO 

March 3-4-5-6 2010 

Booth 1501 

Maxime Knitting strives to offer a wide selection of knitted fabrics that 

reflect our highest standards of quality and innovation. Through great 

design and top quality materials, we proudly present to you our complete 

collection of mattress ticking which includes various styles, colors and 

materials. 

828 Deslauriers Street | Montreal, Quebec | H4N 1X1 (Canada) | Tel: 514-336-0445 | Fax: 514-336-7458 | www.maximeknitting.com

MarketingMatters 

How well does your Web site travel? 

Consumers increasingly use mobile devices to access Internet 

By Joe Dysart 

After developing, designing, 

redesigning and endlessly tweaking 

your Web site, you’re finally 

happy with it. Good for you. 

Now it’s time to go back to the 

drawing board: Chances are that your 

Web site, which works on desktops 

and laptops, isn’t meeting the needs of 

mobile Internet users. And the number 

of mobile users is on the rise. 

Gartner, an information technology 

research and advisory firm based in 

Stamford, Conn., is predicting that by 

2013, the number of mobile phones on 

the planet with Internet access and the 

number of computers with the same 

capabilities will be nearly equal. 

“According to Gartner’s forecast, 

the total number of PCs in use will 

reach 1.78 billion units in 2013,” says 

Brian Gammage, co-author of the 

report “Gartner’s Top Predictions for 

IT Organizations and Users: 2010 and 

Beyond.” The number of smart phones 

is expected to reach 1.32 billion units 

that year. 

Hung LeHong, another co-author 

of the Gartner study, is predicting that 

by 2014, the market penetration of 

mobile phones worldwide will be 90%. 

Gartner’s projections are significant for 

any company and especially so for businesses 

that have yet to begin developing 

a mobile Web strategy. 

Relying on mobile 

A study released by Motorola in January 

found that 51% of shoppers surveyed 

during the 2009 holiday shopping season 

used their mobile phones in some 

way to make a purchase. Those uses 

included comparison shopping, reading 

product reviews, researching product 

information and downloading coupons. 

Not surprisingly, the figures for 


younger shoppers were even more 

dramatic. Nearly two-thirds (64%) 

of Generation Y shoppers used their 

mobile phones to help conclude a 

purchase during the holidays—and 

21% of those same shoppers used a 

mobile phone to compare in-store 

prices with those on the Web. 

Thomas Husson, a senior analyst 

with the global firm Forrester Research, 

predicts in the “2010 Mobile Trends” 

report released in January that “companies 

of all shapes and sizes, as well 

as governments and local authorities, 

will start integrating mobile into their 

overall approach, rather than simply 

launching a few mobile initiatives.” 

And, he adds, “many brands will also 

realize that they need budgets to promote 

their apps, and more importantly, 

that they need to plan their next steps— 

be it upgrading their service, porting the 

app to a different environment, such as 

Android, etc.” 

Husson also expects increasing numbers 

of retailers, in particular, to experiment 

with geo-targeting—the practice 

of automatically sending promotional 

texts, coupons or other advertisements 

to the mobile phones of consumers 

walking by storefronts. 

Geo-targeting, he says, will become 

“a key component of mobile social 

experiences and mobile marketing 

campaigns.” 

Ways to do it 

Granted, retooling your company’s 

Web presence to accommodate users 

of a wide variety of mobile devices 

will be a chore. But Husson believes 

the effort could pay off handsomely in 

the long run. 

“Beyond direct revenues, mobile can 

play a key role in satisfying your most 

loyal customers,” he says. 

There are myriad resources available 

to companies wanting to pull together a 

mobile Web site strategy. Here are a few 

sites, books and products to investigate: 

➤ mobiForge With more than 26,000 

members, the mobiForge Web development 

community site 

(www.mobiforge.com) is a good 

place to visit if you’re looking to 

quickly get up to speed on mobile 

Web development. 

The first stop for a beginner is 

mobiForge’s “Starting” section, which 

offers educational materials, books 

and training guides. 

Other sections of the mobiForge site 

are devoted to designing, developing 

and testing mobile Web sites. The “Running” 

section, for example, offers ideas 

on how to monetize a site after it has 

been mobilized. 

There also are forums and a directory 

of mobile Web development agencies, 

mobile Web development tools and 

other resources. 

➤Mobile Web books For an in-depth 

look at developing sites for the mobile Web, 

check out Mobile Web Design by Cameron 


MarketingMatters 

Moll (www.mobilewebbook.com). It 

offers more than 100 pages of practical 

advice and tips, as well as more than 40 

examples of screens developed for various 

mobile devices. 

Coming soon is Mobile Design and 

Development by Brian Fling. 

“We’ll discuss what makes mobile, 

specifically the mobile Web, one of the 

most unique and powerful mediums 

we’ve ever seen,” Fling says. “I’ll cover 

the essential principles for designing 

great experiences for the mobile medium, 

including how to take advantage 

of the mobile context, physical location, 

touch.” 

➤ Mobile browser detection 

software Employing this type of software 

is one way to ensure that a mobile 

user is provided a Web site fully optimized 

for her device. Essentially, these 

programs can detect whether a person 

is using an iPhone, BlackBerry, Android 

Some mattress manufacturers 

haven’t woken up yet to the fact that 

consumers want more than comfort 

and value… they want to feel they’re 

reducing waste and preserving our environment. 

That’s what SafeLeigh Some mattress manufacturers 

haven’t woken up yet to the fact that 

consumers want more than comfort 

and value… they want to feel they’re 

shoddy does. 

SafeLeigh is a unique blend of fire-retardant 

aramids, made with 100% recycled materials. It 

can differentiate your products and assure you of 

high quality and cost-effectiveness. 

SafeLeigh is another innovative solution from 

Leigh, the global leader in reprocessed fibers and 

textiles. Let’s catch your competitors napping — 

call (864) 439-4111 today. 

10 | BedTimes | April 2010 

Recycling Solutions for Generations 

Leigh Fibers, Inc. 

1101 Syphrit Road, Wellford, SC 29385 

phone or other type of device to access 

your Web site and then directs her to a 

mobile version of your site that’s specifically 

designed for that technology. 

There are many options available. 

One example is Detect Mobile Browsers 

(http://detectmobilebrowsers. 

mobi/#usage), which senses and then 

redirects Web site visitors to mobile 

versions of your site that have been fully 

optimized for iPhones, Android devices, 

Opera Minis, BlackBerries, Palm devices 

and Windows mobile devices. 

➤ Desktop-to-mobile Web migration 

software Again, you have many choices. 

For instance, apps maker Covario 

(www.covario.com) recently released a 

package that helps automate the process 

of transforming a traditional Web site 

into one optimized for mobile devices. 

“Our goal is to reduce the time it 

takes an advertiser to have a complete 

mobile Web presence to less than 30 

days,” says Brian Klais, Covario vice 

president of product management. 

Covario’s software works by using a 

proprietary template to migrate content 

from an existing Web site to a site designed 

for mobile users. 

Wherever you start your process of 

reaching out to mobile Web users, the 

key thing is that you need to begin. 

As Forrester’s Husson says: “A new 

mobile decade is opening up and now 

is the time to start your journey. In 

the past 10 years, mobile phones have 

changed the way we communicate 

and live. In the next 10 years, they will 

change the way we do business.” BT 

Joe Dysart is an Internet speaker and 

business consultant based in New 

York. For more information, check 

www.joedysart.com. Contact him at 

646-233-4089 or joe@joedysart.com. 

Catch your competitors napping. 

Tel: (864) 439-4111 — Fax: (864) 439-4116 

e-mail: marketing@leighfibers.com — www.leighfibers.com 

www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes

a.k.a - 

Gel’in Boy 

1811 W. Arkansas Street, Durant, Oklahoma, USA 74701 

michael@gelsolutions.com

LegalBriefing 

3 scary words: You’re being sued 

…And 6 rules 

for responding 

to that lawsuit 

By Mike Christiansen 

You’ve been sued. I know you believe 

the other side is dead wrong. 

I know you’re certain that you’re 

in the right. As a lawyer, I hear it all the 

time. And, truth be told, very often it’s 

true. But you can’t just call the plaintiff 

and persuade him of the correctness of 

your position. You can’t wish a lawsuit 

away. 

So, you’ve been sued. Now what? 

I’ve been a commercial lawyer for 

decades. Here I’ve distilled my standard 

advice into six easy rules designed to 

help you protect your legal position 

while coping with the stress and turmoil 

that lawsuits bring. 

1. Act promptly Although a statute of 

limitations measures the time within 

which a lawsuit may be brought in 

years, the time within which you must 

respond to a suit is measured in days. 

If you are served, act quickly. Retain 

legal counsel or contact your current attorney. 

Make sure appropriate people in 

the company are aware of the suit. 

Then make sure that the response 

deadline—often no more than 

20 days—is met. If you fail 

to respond to a lawsuit 

within the period of 

time that court rules 

designate, a default will 

be taken against you. 

And when that happens, 

you can experience all 

sorts of bad outcomes. 

When a default’s 

entered, you can’t assert 

any defense. You can’t 

object. You can’t put 


forward your own case. You can’t countersue. 

In many states, if you default 

you’re not even entitled to get copies 

of the court papers from that point on. 

Poof! You’re taken out of the process, 

but the litigation continues. The next 

thing you know, there’s a judgment 

against your company and the plaintiff’s 

lawyer is checking into your company’s 

assets and bank accounts. Not good. 

2. Stay calm Once you have acted 

promptly and your attorney has filed 

papers necessary to respond to the 

lawsuit, the immediate crisis is over. You 

can then begin to slowly and deliberately 

meet with counsel and compile 

records, documents, witnesses, etc. 

At this point, there’s no particular 

time pressure. Litigation can last for 

months, and often years, before trial. 

As long as you are represented by a 

competent legal team, there’s no need to 

panic. Granted, litigation is unpleasant, 

time-consuming and even unproductive, 

but it is a process through which 

you can—and should—remain calm. 

3. Walk a mile in the plaintiff’s shoes 

Too often, once a lawsuit is filed, all 

common sense is lost. Lawyers strut and 

posture to show their clients how tough 

they are. Clients believe they and their 

company are in the right and often take 

it as a personal affront that a lawsuit’s 

been filed. There’s no need for that. 

Ask yourself: Does the plaintiff have 

a point? Could the plaintiff even be 

right? Is it possible that the actual truth 

lies somewhere between the plaintiff’s 

version of events and yours? 

Although it’s sometimes said that 

anyone with a few hundred dollars and 

a bad attitude can file a lawsuit, most 

people don’t enter into suits lightly. 

Most often, the plaintiff believes that 

he has been wronged and is seeking 

reimbursement for damages. Both sides 

need to take a hard look at the case 

from the other’s point of view. When 

that happens, bridges toward settlement 

begin to be built. 

4. Mediate before trial It’s common 

legal wisdom that the worst settlement 

is better than the best lawsuit. Why? 

Because when you go to court, you are 

subject to the preferences and prejudices 

of a busy judge, an indifferent jury and 

a complicated legal system that seems 

to intentionally lay traps for the unwary. 

Plus, there are contingencies for 

which you can never plan—the 

inadvertent destruction of 

evidence, missing witnesses, 

renegade juries. 

Any experienced trial 

lawyer will tell you that 

litigating a case before a 

judge or jury—especially 

a commercial case—is like 

juggling chain saws. Jurors 

don’t understand business 

cases and judges often 

aren’t interested. 

Using mediation and 


LegalBriefing 

a skilled mediator, you may be able to 

resolve the matter through a settlement 

that you largely shape yourself. 

In mediation, your voice is heard, 

not just your lawyer’s. In mediation, 

resolution is often reached in months, 

weeks or even days rather than years. 

There’s no appeal after mediation. If you 

strike a deal, it’s over. And a mediated 

settlement is often just as enforceable as 

a court judgment. 

A lawyer may try to dissuade you 

from mediation. Don’t let her. For 

a few hundred dollars of mediator 

time, you can test the waters and see 

how close to settlement you and the 

plaintiff can get without the need for 

a trial. I’ve seen many cases involving 

hundreds of thousands of dollars 

that are mediated and settled. Even 

if the dispute isn’t settled through 

mediation, the two parties often find 

themselves having come so close to 

hello 

feel natural 

agreement that they begin to realize 

how foolish it would be to litigate over 

remaining small disputes. 

5. Prepare, prepare, prepare And 

then prepare some more. If you haven’t 

been able to resolve the case and you 

must go to trial, preparation is critical. 

Cooperate with your lawyer. Meet 

with her. Listen to what she tells you. 

Go over your testimony in painful and 

redundant detail. If you’ve come this far 

and the plaintiff has rebuffed settlement 

proposals, you have no choice but to 

litigate—and litigate to win. 

6. Learn something Whether you win 

or lose, litigation is unpleasant, costly, 

unpredictable and something to be 

avoided whenever possible. Think about 

what action or inaction gave rise to the 

lawsuit and don’t let it happen again. 

If you need to change your stan- 

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to clarify some internal procedures, 

clarify them. If you need to put a mediation 

clause in your contracts, do it. 

If you need to change lawyers, change 

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In our litigious society, lawsuits are 

part of the cost of doing business. How 

you handle them is up to you. Follow 

these simple guidelines and you can 

make the experience of being sued as 

“un-unpleasant” as possible. BT 

Mike Christiansen is a Florida Supreme 

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and founding member of Mastriana & 

Christiansen P.A., specializing in business, 

real estate and telecommunications 

matters. He received his law degree from 

the University of Pittsburgh School of Law 

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MarketReport 

Industry more upbeat at Las Vegas market 

Innovative offerings give exhibitors much to promote 

By Barbara Nelles 

The optimism among mattress 

and sleep accessory manufacturers 

was palpable at the winter Las 

Vegas Market. Buoyed by the expectation 

of an upturn in sales this year, 

exhibitors treated retailers to a host of 

new products and innovations, with 

value built into every price point. 

Jim Nation, president of Five Star 

Mattress, which has headquarters in 

Hoffman Estates, Ill., reported that 

retailers were much more upbeat 

than during recent furniture markets 

and were “happy to have survived the 

toughest times.” 

“We had a really nice market,” said 

Mike Mason, director of brand development 

and integration at Lexington, 

Ky.-based Tempur-Pedic. “No one 

wants to say things are great, but our 

sales guys and our retailers are seeing 

sun on the horizon.” 

Mattress styling stood out during 

the market, held Feb. 1-5 at the World 

Market Center. Upholstery-look borders 

with contrasting top panels and 

tape-edge treatments were stars. Intricate 

quilt patterns abounded. There 

were fabrics studded with crystals at 

Serta, tack-and-jump florets at Simmons 

Bedding Co. and hand-tufted 

borders at E.S. Kluft & Co. 

Specialty foams—used alone 

or in combination with innersprings—dominated 

constructions. 

More manufacturers sought to solve 

couples’ sleeping conflicts by introducing 

dual-comfort beds and modular 

constructions in new and existing 

mattress lines. 

And gel solidified as a high-end 

comfort layer. Natura World reported 

interest in its NexGel collection, first 


introduced at the September Las Vegas 

market. Serta added Smart Support 

gel to its Perfect Day collection, as well 

as four others. The top bed in Park 

Place Corp.’s Sleep Spa collection incorporates 

gel and Comfort Solutions 

is “testing the water” on gel with the 

prototype Angelic line. While most gel 

layers are a honeycomb-like construction, 

Spring Air International’s Sleep 

Sense beds use a component with a 

consistency more like Jello-O. 

Tech-savvy manufacturers reached 

out to help retailers cross the digital 

divide. Kingsdown, a Sleep to Live 

company, offered a Digital Welcome 

Kit for retail sales associates, help 

with search engine optimization 

and a library of syndicated content. 

Simmons provided a turnkey Google 

Adwords program for retailers. 

And Pure LatexBLISS’s Kurt Ling, a 

Twitter fan, is tweeting out a fact a 

day, beginning with general informa- 

* All prices are suggested retails for queen-size mattresses unless otherwise noted. 

(Above) Comfort for two Owen Shoemaker of 

Comfort Solutions shows off the company’s 

dual comfort line, SleepiD. 

(Left) In the spotlight The Las Vegas Market 

celebrated bedding during the winter show at 

the World Market Center. 

tion on a monthly theme and drilling 

down into details as the month 

progresses. 

Going deeper into ‘green’ 

“Green” components have gone mainstream 

in better bedding. There was 

much talk of bio-foams, natural latex, 

sustainably forested wood, organic 

and cellulosic yarns, recycled steel and 

more. 

Englander’s new Posture Support 

Plus collection for larger-than-average 

sleepers has a “strong all-natural story,” 

said Mark Freeman, vice president 

of sales for Englander’s Philadelphia 

licensee. The new beds have suggested 

retail prices between $899 and $2,000 

for queen sizes.* 

International Bedding Corp., based 

in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., reported 

seeing “good quality traffic and strong 

interest” in its relaunched Origins 

line, Origins Organics. The all-foam 


MarketReport 

Big moves in body mapping 

This one is just right Spring Air International and XSENSOR 

Technology Corp. teamed up to create Comfort Silhouette Imaging, 

which can recommend beds from as many as six brands. 


Body mapping 

systems to match 

customers to the 

right mattress 

took on new dimensions 

at the 

winter Las Vegas 

furniture market. 

Kingsdown, 

a Sleep to Live 

company, has 

upgraded the 

sleep diagnostics 

program it introduced 

a year 

ago in Las Vegas. 

The Mebane, 

N.C.-based company’s 

system is 

synched to work 

with its new My 

Side Technology, 

which allows sleep partners to select dual-comfort beds. 

“The diagnostics process itself is more personalized and motivational with 

a new interface and imagery—and it’s multilingual,” said Frank Hood, chief 

information officer. “It’s available in seven languages and has 4.5 million 

profiles stored in its database.” 

Comfort Solutions unveiled the BodyMatch screening process. Consumers 

use a touch screen to answer a range of questions related to height, weight, 

body shape and sleep preferences, then get comfort recommendations for the 

new dual-comfort SleepiD mattress. 

“This is the answer to the customer’s quest to make an intelligent purchase 

decision,” said Owen Shoemaker, senior vice president of product development 

for the Willowbrook, Ill.-based licensing group. “The in-store version is 

intuitive enough that anyone can use it and retailers can offer SleepiD online, 

allowing customers to find their comfort level in the comfort of their own 

homes.” 

Spring Air International introduced Comfort Silhouette Imaging, a comfort 

assessment tool that allows retailers to plug in as many as six different 

bedding brands. Consumers lie on a test bed covered by a blanket with 

1,600 sensors. They answer a short series of questions via a touch screen and 

receive a printout of results. 

Developed in partnership with XSENSOR Technology Corp., CSI is “an 

impartial tool with multibrand credibility that provides an additional trust 

factor,” said J.P. LeDoux, vice president of sales for the Boston-based mattress 

licensing group. 

Beta testing at 120 retailers in Australia and New Zealand during a twoyear 

period yielded higher close rates, a double-digit decline in mattress 

return rates and a 12% increase in average unit selling prices, said Spring Air 

President Rick Robinson. 

beds have a polyurethane base fused to 

latex, visco-elastic or both. Models retail 

for $799 to $2,499. 

“We are trying to provide a lot of 

retail value and more gross margin dollars 

for retailers, while being environmental 

stewards as best as we can,” said 

Eric Johnson, IBC senior vice president 

of marketing and merchandising. “The 

nails are recycled metal, woods are from 

managed forests, we use latex and polyurethane 

foam with soy and we don’t 

use glues.” 

Boston-based Spring Air International 

has “re-greened” its Nature’s Rest 

line, said President Rick Robinson. 

“The brand got off track for a 

while, but we’ve gone back to where 

we started years ago,” he said. “We’re 

using components like Joma wool and 

certified all-natural latex. We also take 

zoning to a new level in the hip and 

shoulder areas.” The six beds in the 

line are priced between $1,300 and 

$2,900. 

“This is a special brand,” Robinson 

said. “We don’t want this bed to be a 

commodity.” 

Natura World, with headquarters 

in Cambridge, Ontario, introduced 

GreenSpring innerspring mattresses— 

three beds with three comfort levels. 

The bed’s individually wrapped, 

zoned coils are 100% recycled steel, 

precompressed to yield “the perfect 

level of comfort and ‘push back’, ” 

said Julia Rosien, communications 

director. Other components include 

Talalay latex, visco-elastic foam with 

soy-based content, natural wool and 

cotton. Approximate retail prices are 

$999 to $1,599. 

“All-natural Ostermoor—it’s not 

just a bed, it’s a new American luxury 

brand,” said Dave Young, president 

of Fort Atkinson, Wis.-based VyMaC 

Corp., and co-developer of the revitalized 

brand. Each of the four models 

contains 60 pounds of wool; 2 inches 

of natural Talalay latex; an innerspring 

unit without border rod; an eight-way, 

hand-tied box spring; and a tradi- 


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MarketReport 

Latest in latex Jim Ross shows the geometric layer of Italian latex 

in Kingsdown’s new Sleep to Live 900L mattress. 

tional striped cover. The beds retail for between $8,000 

and $10,000. 

Innersprings shaped by ‘value’ 

Therapedic International added three mid-priced 

models to its Therawrap by Therapedic collection. 

The beds retail for $699, $799 and $999 and offer 

“basic luxury” with their edge-to-edge wrapped coils, 

high-density foams and black-and-silver detailing, said 

Gerry Borreggine, president of the Princeton, N.J.based 

licensing group. 

Mattress and futon maker Gold Bond focused on 

offerings under $1,000 with high-end features. The 

Countess has a 2-inch Talalay latex layer, edge-to-edge 

encased coils and a super plush cover. The Chelsea is a 

two-sided bed with a 13-inch profile and edge-to-edge 

coils. Both models retail for about $699. 

“We want to give retailers more options and enable 

them to increase margins at ‘velocity’ price points with 

our high-quality, American-made products,” said Bob 

Naboicheck, president of the Hartford, Conn.-based 

company. 

Atlanta-based Simmons revamped its Beautyrest 

brand to include the good-better-best Classic, Anniversary 

(Simmons’ 85 th ) and World Class collections. 

Features include a “new pocketed coil gauge and pioneering 

foams that satisfy the consumer’s yearning for 

a plush/firm feel,” said Rolf Sannes, Beautyrest brand 

director. Prices range from $599 to $1,999. 

The brand is promoted through a new tag line, 

“It’s not just sleep, it’s Beautyrest,” as well as fresh 

advertising and public relations programs. New 


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MarketReport 

point-of-purchase materials include 

pocketed-coil demo units. 

Park Place, which has headquarters 

in Greenville, S.C., featured the 20bed 

American Comfort innerspring 

line priced at $299 to $899 retail. 

Foam-encasement begins at the $399 

price point. The $599 bed has 1 inch 

of either visco-elastic foam or latex. 

“Sealy has launched its first value 

line since 2007,” said Dax Allen, marketing 

manager for Sealy, Bassett and 

private label. “We’re seeing intense 

pressure at the below $750 price point 

because consumers are looking for 

great values at affordable prices.” 


The new beds from the Archdale, 

N.C.-based company come in five 

levels, opening at $299 for a foam core 

with woven cover and topping out at 

$699 for a foam-encased innerspring 

unit with specialty foams and knit 

covers. Sealy celebrated Posturepedic’s 

60 th anniversary by filling in some 

mid-range prices points. Eight new 

beds are priced at $899 to $1,199 and 

contain layers of specialty foams. 

Mattress licensing group Restonic 

has given ComfortCare “a new do,” 

said President Ron Passaglia. ComfortCare 

debuted nine models priced 

at $599 to $1,299 that sport features 

such as “silver covers and a ventilated 

firming-foam base layer.” Beds at $999 

and above have Restonic’s Marvelous 

Middle lumbar support. The entire 

line is supported by new point-ofpurchase 

materials. 

Five Star Mattress introduced the 

14-model True Luxury Collection 

(TLC) with a pocket coil core topped 

with layers of Talalay latex and visco 

at price points from $599 to $1,299. 

TLC models—with coffee shopinspired 

names such as Scone and 

Mocha—feature beige suede borders, 

dark taupe tape-edges and white knit 

tops with taupe accents. 

Accessories not second thoughts 

“Why Would a guy selling dining 

room taBles care about selling 

pillows? Well, they do,” 

said Herman Tam, group 

vice president of sales and 

marketing for the Consumer 

Products Group at Carthage, 

Mo.-based Leggett & Platt. 

Brisk sales for the pointof-purchase 

displays and a 

broadened array of sheets and 

pillows from the company’s 

Retail Solution program were 

evenly divided between furniture 

stores and sleep shops, 

Tam said. 

Throughout the market, 

exhibitors were rolling out 

new pillows. 

More than beds Leggett & Platt’s Herman Tam says the 

company highlighted an array of offerings, including 

point-of-purchase and top-of-bed items. 

Market debut Chris Ann Ernst and Michael 

Rothbard took Sleep Studio’s SleepJoy line 

to Las Vegas for the first time. 

Kingsdown, a Sleep to Live company headquartered in Mebane, N.C., offered a slow-response memory foam Cool 

Pillow made with coconut milk. New York-based Sleep Studio’s Infinity Pillow is minty green, made with ViscoFresh 

foam and infused with green tea to eliminate odors. It has two sleep sides. 

Tempur-Pedic added a traditional pillow profile to its line-up. The Tempur Cloud Pillow is designed to appeal to consumers 

who prefer soft “scrunchable” bed pillows, said Mike Mason, director of brand development and integration for 

the Lexington, Ky.-based company. 

Latex International, based in Shelton, Conn., introduced a lofty, temperature-regulating Celsion pillow with gusseting. 

And licensing group Therapedic International, with headquarters in Princeton, N.J., extended its successful partnership 

with supplier Soft-Tex, allowing licensees to offer their retailers a complete, Therapedic-branded top-of-bed line, said 

President Gerry Borreggine. 

Natura World is helping retailers keep pillow samples clean with protector sleeves treated with silver—a natural 

sanitizer. At FabricTech2000, new pillow covers with OmniGuard Ultra are resistant to dust mites, bed bugs, stains and 

water. The Cedar Grove, N.J.-based company also introduced Elite mattress and pillow protectors with Sanitized Silver 

fabric finish. 


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MarketReport 

Into innersprings Natura World’s Julia 

Rosien talks up the company’s newest line, 

GreenSpring. 

OFS-H Twincut 

“Retailers love it,” Nation said. 

“The look is sophisticated and rich 

and it’s a departure from the all-white 

bed.” 

Comfort Solutions, a mattress 

licensing group with headquarters 

in Willowbrook, Ill., redesigned the 

King Koil value line for the Las Vegas 

market. Beds retail for $399 to $799 in 

queen size and feature contemporary 

geometric quilt patterns, foam encasement 

and VertiCoil innersprings. The 

company also added more luxurious 

fabrics and styling to its XL eXtended 

Life collection for plus-size sleepers. 

The mattresses are priced between 

$1,199 and $1,999. 

Mattress importer Stylution, which 

recently leased Wickline’s Escondido, 

Calif., facility and acquired the 

bankrupt brand’s equipment and 

intellectual property, reintroduced the 

Sleep Therapy brand. The beds, with 

encased coils and a variety of specialty 

comfort layers, retail for $999 and 

under. 

“We are now able to offer a whole 

new level of service and selection,” 

said Ed Scott, Stylution president and 

chief executive officer. “We’re bringing 

in compressed product from China, 

opening it in our Escondido facility 

and reshipping. Retailers can buy less 

quantity and we can service a wider 

variety of customers.” 

Innovation across price points 

E.S. Kluft & Co. enlarged its offering 

of outer-tufted “open-chamber” beds 

at more affordable prices, starting at 

$1,999. The patented, hand-tufted 

border ensures that “all materials 

in the bed work in unison with the 

sleeper,” said Earl Kluft, president of 

the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based 

company. “The open chamber pre- 

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Bed Times 2010_3.indd 1 26.02.2010 12:28:49 



EP

vents a drum or trampoline affect that 

can occur when inner materials are 

stretched and pulled tight as the beds 

are sewn up.” 

Spring Air’s zoned Sleep Sense 

collection gives consumers a choice 

of four pressure-relieving modules 

that are inlaid over the bed’s patentpending 

zoned and wrapped coil unit. 

The hybrid bed uses Comfort Lok, 

an interlocking system of foam and 

springs. Zoned panels include specialty 

foams, as well as gel. The beds 

retail for $1,199 to $1,799. 

The Organicpedic 81 from Organic 

Mattresses Inc., which has headquarters 

in Yuba City, Calif., takes dual 

comfort and personalized zoning to 

new levels—81 levels, to be exact. Inside 

the zippered organic cotton cover 

lie 18 upholstered modules of natural 

Talalay latex in three levels of firmness. 

A consumer can customize and 


arrange to her heart’s content. The 

bed’s core is topped by a single piece 

of channeled latex. The two-sided bed 

retails for $7,995. 

Comfort Solutions’ new foamencased 

SleepiD is available in dualcomfort 

models for couples and has 

encased coils along with a variety of 

specialty foam comfort layers. The 

beds retail for $899 to $1,799 in queen 

size. 

Serta, based in Hoffman Estates, 

Ill., relaunched Perfect Day, first introduced 

in 2005. Beds are coil-on-coil 

and the styling is elegant with a gray 

upholstered foundation and contrasting 

white mattress with shimmering 

fabric and crystals. Retail prices for a 

queen range from $1,599 to $3,000. 

The mattress’ unique Position Perfect 

handles are an eye-catching feature. 

Serta also has licensed Nickelodeon 

cartoon characters Dora, Diego and 

That’s a wrap Therapedic International’s Gerry 

Borreggine says new models in the company’s 

Therawrap collection offer ‘basic luxury’ with 

edge-to-edge wrapped coils and high-density 

foams. 


MarketReport 

Pocketed coil parade Tim Oakhill uses 

Simmons Bedding Co.’s wall of innersprings to 

explain the company’s new point-of-purchase 

materials, including coil demo units. 

SpongeBob for colorful children’s 

twin and full mattresses. The visco or 

innerspring beds sport vibrant woven 

print covers with stain resistance. 

They retail for $299 in twin and $399 

in full. 

Introduced four years ago and 

making its debut appearance in Las 

Vegas, Somnium is an “eco-friendly, 

chemical-free” innerspring mattress 

with patented Omniflex springs made 

of a strong, lightweight elastomer. 

The Venice, Calif.-based company’s 

innerspring mattress retails for $3,300 

and can be purchased with a $350 

slatted base. The cover unzips and 

components are easily separated into 

recyclable springs, HR foam layer with 

bio-based content and a fabric cover. 

Licensing group Eclipse International, 

which is based in North 

Brunswick, N.J., invited market goers 

to “Have more fun in bed” with its 

Playboy line. 

“It’s OK to marry the sexual with 

comfort,” said Matt Connolly, Eclipse 

president. The Ecstasy is constructed 

with “extra spring, a little more padding 

in the center of the bed, several 

layers of specialty foams and a revers- 


Sexy sells Eclipse International’s Matt 

Connolly says the company’s new Playboy line 

is constructed with ‘extra spring (and) a little 

more padding in the center of the bed.’ 

ible duvet with two separate feels,” 

Connolly said. The suggested retail 

price is $1,999. 

Mattress maker Eastman House, 

also headquartered in North Brunswick, 

touted a redesigned box spring 

and added several “inner-tufted” beds, 

as well as coil-on-coil mattresses. 

Foam going it alone 

Manufacturers brought out a host of 

all-foam beds with newly engineered 

visco-elastic, latex and combinations 

of the two. 

Sealy launched Embody by Sealy, 

with cores of its synthetic Smart 

Latex or visco. The mattress sports 

a creamy tan knit with zigzag stitching 

and a foundation upholstered in 

dark chocolate with side pockets for 

personal items. The eight-bed line is 

priced from $1,999 to $3,299. 

New York-based Sleep Studio 

made its market debut showcasing 

the SleepJoy line of foam mattresses, 

toppers and pillows. The U.S.-made 

foam beds are available in Visco- 

Fresh memory foam or a formulation 

of mixed latex and visco called 

ViscoFresh Latex Memory Foam—a 

“hybrid material offering more buoyancy 

and extra support,” said Michael 

Rothbard, Sleep Studio president. The 

foams are open cell and more breathable 

than traditional visco, according 

to the company. In addition, they are 

formulated with green tea to eliminate 

chemical odors and provide a 

fresh scent. Retail pricing is $1,499 to 

$1,999. 

The new visco ChiliBed takes 

“sleeping cool” to new extremes, with 

a temperature range of 46 to 118 degrees 

Fahrenheit. It retails for $2,299 

or $2,899 in dual-zoned queen. 

“Coolness is the most desirable 

feature,” said Todd Youngblood, president 

of the Mooresville, N.C.-based 

company. “We’ve gotten testimonials 

from people going through chemotherapy, 

menopausal women, couples 

who can finally sleep together comfortably—there’s 

so much enthusiasm 

and energy out there for this product.” 

Glideaway Sleep Products, headquartered 

in St. Louis, has filled in 

upper price points in its imported 14bed 

Sleep Harmony line. Three new 

bed profiles—a tight top, euro pillow 

top and super pillow top—retail for 

$1,299 to $1,499. They have both 

synthetic latex and visco foams and 

are upholstered in chocolate brown 

suede borders with quilted knit tops. 

Sleep Harmony also includes two 

youth beds and a co-branded sheet 

and pillow line. 

“We are now a full-service sleep 

products provider,” said Ron Fredman, 

executive vice president of sales 

and sourcing. 

Anatomic Global President Jeff 

Scorziell said his company’s “sweet 

spot” for visco is $1,000 to $2,000, 

which is where the new Pure 7 Series 

mattress fits. It retails for $1,299 to 

$1,999. The is rolled and vacuumpacked 

for shipping and is a step up 

from the Ecomfort Series, featuring 

super-fast recovery, high-density 

visco. 

Mebane, N.C.-based Kingsdown 

added luxury latex models to its dualcomfort 

Sleep to Live 900 Series beds. 


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Gussied up The relaunch of Serta’s Perfect Day collection is 

embellished with shimmering fabrics and crystal accents. 

The 900L has an imported Italian 

latex layer with large geometric 

cutouts. It retails for $4,999. 

Restonic offered two new 

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cover quilted to Cool Contour foam. 

A 13-inch bed features a smooth 

top and 4 inches of 4-pound visco. 

EcoSleep also added a top-of-the- 


line solid latex bed that retails for 

$2,000. 

Classic Sleep Products, based in 

Jessup, Md., promoted its new dropship 

import program that allows 

retailers to avoid channel conflict by 

marketing a different product online 

than they do in their stores. The sixitem, 

private-label program includes 

three visco and three latex mattresses 

priced from $499 to $1,299. 

At South Bay International, 

actress Jane Seymour was on hand 

to spotlight two models added to 

the import collection that bears her 

name. The Pomona, Calif.-based 

company introduced a 14.5-inch 

bed with three layers of visco in different 

densities, retailing for $1,899. 

A new latex model features three 

New looks in foam Sealy’s Embody, with synthetic latex or visco-elastic, 

is finished with zigzag stitching and side pockets on the foundation. 

layers of 100% natural latex in different 

densities. 

Tempur-Pedic is adding a third 

model to its new plush-feeling 

Tempur Cloud collection. The line 

launched at the September Las Vegas 

market with the introduction of the 

Tempur Cloud Supreme ($2,399) 

and then the Tempur Cloud ($1,999). 

Winter market goers got a preview of 

the Tempur Cloud Luxe, which will 

roll out to stores in August with a suggested 

retail price of $3,999. 

The new collection is meant to 

appeal to the “49% of people who 

say they prefer a medium to soft 

sleep surface,” Mason said. “We are 

bringing in the other half of the U.S. 

population. Now they can sleep on a 

Tempur-Pedic and be happy.” BT 

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For information, contact Kerri Bellias, Vice President of Sales 

kbellias@sleepproducts.org • (336)945-0265 


A new company. 

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You’ve made ISPA a huge success for FXI! 

Visit FXI.com to remain at the forefront of market change. 

We have been creating the science, providing the 

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©2010 FXI Foamex Innovations. All rights reserved.

MHelp 

new leaders get off on the right foot 

By Lin Grensing-Pophal 


oving into 

management 


Companies rely on their managers to 

motivate employees, enforce policies, 

set and achieve goals, control costs, 

increase profits…the list goes on 

and on. Given how much they expect from their 

managers, employers are often surprisingly 

poor at helping them to succeed. 

According to a survey conducted by the 

Institute for Corporate Productivity in June 

2009, only 24% of 324 respondents rated their 


organization as “good” when it came to helping 

employees make the transition from worker to 

manager. 

The problem is multifold. Measuring the success 

of a manager presupposes that the company 

has defined success. Further, it means that 

managers have been selected based on qualifications 

and skills they have for a managerial 

role and then are given appropriate 

training and coaching. 

When all this happens, managers 

are likely to succeed. Unfortunately, 

this alignment doesn’t occur often 

enough. Many companies make 

their first major misstep at the 

outset—hiring or promoting the 

wrong people. 


Hiring right 

Roberta Chinsky Matuson is the founder 

and principal of Human Resource 

Solutions in Northampton, Mass., and 

author of Suddenly in Charge! The New 

Manager’s Guide to Influencing Up and 

Down the Organization. 

It sounds like a no-brainer, but companies 

need to make sure that the right 

people are placed in management roles, 

Matuson says. Someone who is techni- 

By Lin Grensing-Pophal 

When it comes to hiring managers, companies often overlook 

the employee down the hall in favor of someone 

perceived as a hotshot from the outside. But there are 

a number of reasons why going with the known can 

make good business sense. 

Despite his position as a managing partner at Los 

Angeles-based executive search firm Kensington Stone, 

Kurt Weyerhauser sees big benefits to promoting from 

within. Perhaps the greatest is “maintaining a sense of 

continuity, culture and the overall fabric of the organization.” 

“A company that relies too heavily on outside hires 

often finds itself in the throes of constant churn and 

change that can tear at the very fabric of an organization,” 

he says. 

Another benefit: Hiring managers from internal 

ranks sends a positive messages to other employees, 

increasing loyalty and retention. 

According to Rebecca Schalm, a practice leader of 

executive selection and integration at RHR International 

who works from Calgary, estimates vary but experts 

generally suggest “that somewhere around 40% and up 

to 60% of external hires are unsuccessful.” 

“This drops to about 25% for people who are internal,” 

she says. 

Why? There are two key factors: What we don’t 

know can hurt us and it can be hard to find the right 

cultural fit. 


cally proficient will not necessarily make 

a good manager. 

While the tendency to hire those 

with strong technical skills is common—especially 

when promoting 

people from within the company— 

technical competency does not ensure 

managerial success. Instead, communication 

skills tend to trump operational 

skills, says Ben Dattner, founder of 

Dattner Consulting in New York. 

“Companies tend to pay much more 

attention to the technical aspects of new 

manager orientation, giving them the 

technical information they need, but 

not always sufficiently attending to the 

softer, more cultural aspects of the job,” 

he says. Those softer skills, which include 

the ability to successfully connect 

with, motivate and lead employees, are 

critical to being an effective manager. 

As many of us have seen in our own 

Experts: You already have a pool of promotable people 

How to do it right 

Milan Yager, president and chief executive officer of the 

National Association of Professional Employer Organizations 

in Alexandria, Va., says hiring managers from inside 

should be encouraged but also carefully managed. 

“The whole concept of good management is to be 

able to identify good people early and test them as they 

learn, adding to the culture and success of the company,” 

Yager says. 

Karissa Thacker agrees. Thacker, a management psychologist 

and executive coach based in Rehoboth Beach, 

Del., says recruiting from within saves money and can be 

more effective, but companies need to use best practices. 

For instance, companies should have coaching and 

executive education programs designed to develop the 

specific skills needed in future leaders. 

“I am talking about the ability to lead a team of 1,000 

people toward a clear goal, to turn around a low-performing 

team, to elevate morale, to start a new business 

in a foreign country, etc.,” Thacker says. 

A development program needs to be in place ahead of 

even a recruiting effort. 

“It is absolutely fair to say that the best people have a 

high level of learning agility and will develop under any 

conditions. However, that is not a high percentage of the 

population within any organization,” Thacker says. 

Consequently, companies need to be developing more 

of their workers to reach their potential. 

“The added bonus is that they are also developing 

with the ethos of your organization,” Thacker says. “That 

means they are learning the real culture of this specific 

place and how to get it done right here. That can take an 

excellent executive from the outside six months to even 

begin to comprehend.” 

“As the market for talent becomes tighter, it will 

become even more important to have qualified internal 

candidates ready to step up,” Weyerhauser says. “Increasing 

the number of internal promotions is an important 

way to counter the smaller pool of talented executives on 

the open market.” 

Balancing insiders & outsiders 

But companies shouldn’t just promote the next person “in 

line” for a managerial position, Yager cautions. Even for 

internal promotions, you should have a hiring process in 

place. As Yager says, not interviewing an internal candidate 

because you think you know him is a mistake. 

Job descriptions for managers should be developed and 

should include crucial competencies that all applicants 

should be evaluated against. 

The bottom line? Mistakes can be made by going to 

either extreme. Weyerhauser offers this guideline: “Depending 

on the company and circumstances, a proper 

ratio is typically somewhere around 30% to 40% external 

hires and 60% to 70% internal.” 


careers, even experienced managers can 

fall short of expectations when it comes 

to successfully navigating the more 

culture-related aspects of the job. 

External vs. internal hires 

Can you improve the chances of a manager’s 

success by bringing in an outsider 

or are you better off promoting from 

within? 

“To pluck a leader from one organization 

and bring them to another 

does not necessarily mean they will be 

equally successful,” says Milan Yager, 

president and chief executive officer of 

the National Association of Professional 

Employer Organizations in Alexandria, 

Va. 

In fact, research suggests that an 

outsider’s performance often drops in a 

new organization. Why? 

“Sometimes what made these leaders 

stars was related to the environment 

they worked in,” Yager explains. 

Of course, promoting current employees 

into managerial roles also can 

present challenges. 

“The danger of hiring from inside 

the organization is that the person will 

come to the job with alliances, prejudices 

and baggage harmful to the overall 

group and mission,” Yager says. 

Dattner offers a similar perspective: 

“The good news and the bad news 

is that people (being promoted from 

within) are familiar with you. Any sort 

of problems or issues that occurred in 

your old role might follow you to the 

new role.” 

For an employee being promoted 

into management for the first time, 

another challenge can be getting co- 


workers to change their perception of 

the person from that of an individual 

contributor to a leader. 

Linda Henman, president of Henman 

Performance Group in Chesterfield, 

Mo., and author of The Magnetic 

Boss, says that companies often fail to 

properly train their own employees 

when moving them into management 

positions. 

“They come to the erroneous conclusion 

that the person already knows, 

after having been with the organization, 

the lay of the land, the clients and all of 

that. They overlook the really significant 

part of that sort of promotion—that 

you’ll be asking that person to manage 

people who were once peers.” 

That shift, Henman says, “is one of 

the most complicated aspects of promoting 

internally.” 

Even experienced managers coming 

from the outside need training to be 

successful at your company. 

“I think that one of the arguments 

for the importance of training is that, 

no matter what, that person hasn’t ever 

had this particular job in your particular 

company. So even if someone is very 

experienced in management, often that 

person needs to learn the culture, the 

products, the customers and the players 

at your company,” Henman says. 

“There’s just so much that a new person 

has to learn and the faster you can give 

that information to them, the faster that 

person can get up to high performance 

levels.” 

Best practices 

In the end, training managers to be 

effective, whether they are new to 

management or new to the company, is 

critical for increasing the odds that the 

transition will be successful. 

“So many people are tossed into 

management without a safety net,” 

Matuson says. “Companies assume 

that because you have the traits that 

may indicate that you’d make a great 

manager that also means you already 

have the skills.” 

Training obviously represents an 

investment—of both money and 

time. 

“Many organizations don’t see the 

value of pulling people out in order 

to have them participate in different 

types of training programs,” Matuson 

says. “It’s an investment and some companies 

view this as ‘nice to have’ rather 

than as a necessity.” 

Henman agrees: “I had a client ask 

me, ‘What if we spend all this money 

and get these people ready and they 

leave?’ My response was ‘What if you 

don’t and they stay?’ ” 

But even companies with small budgets 

can take steps to train managers. 

“Some companies think, ‘If we can’t 

do a training program, we can’t do 

anything.’ That’s far from the truth,” 

Matuson says. There are myriad ways to 

boost new managers’ skills, including: 

➤ Bringing in management experts, 

perhaps over lunch, to talk to new 

managers 

➤ Providing books or articles then 

reading and discussing them as a 

group 

➤ Inviting an outside facilitator for a 

roundtable discussion of various 

management issues 

➤ Pointing new managers to online 

resources. 

If you plan on promoting several 

people, you can structure group training 

programs, Henman says. When she’s 

worked with companies that have promoted—or 

anticipated promoting—a 

number of individuals, many used joint 

training to help provide a common 

language and strengthen the cultural 

alignment of new managers. 

One mistake companies make is 

assuming that one-size-fits-all when it 

comes to training. Training needs to be 

tied not only to the needs and culture of 

your company, but also to the needs of 

each individual manager. 

“Everyone needs to get what they 

need, when they need it,” Matuson says. 

Employers should assess a new manager’s 

skills, identify gaps and then design 

training to fill in those gaps. 

A way to bridge the gap between individual 

and group training is through 

mentoring or coaching. Mentors provide 

new managers with both a resource 

and role model. 

While a manager’s boss will play 

an important role in his development, 

Henman advises against having that 

boss serve as a formal mentor. Instead, 

she recommends selecting “somebody 

who has been successful in a manage- 


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certain harmful or suspect chemical compounds, Vintex has introduced the Safe Guard 

Barrier Systems certification. This is your assurance that pillows, pads or mattresses 

covered with Vintex SoffTICK ® fabrics are manufactured to be free of lead, cadmium, 

mercury, arsenic and phthalates. So, look for the Vintex name and rest assured that you 

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M a d e i n n o r t h a M e r i c a | w w w . v i n t e x . c o M | 1 . 8 0 0 . 8 4 6 . 8 3 9 9

ment role and can meet with the new 

manager on a regular basis.” 

Susan Cucuzza, a business coach 

with Live Forward LLC in Bay Village, 

Ohio, suggests that a mentor should be 

at least two levels above the new manager 

and, as importantly, “needs to want 

to be a mentor.” 

These relationships can fail if not 

well orchestrated. 

“A mentoring process should be 

in place that guides the mentee and 

mentor into their relationship and 

helps them determine how to structure 

their mentoring relationship, as well 

as set goals, frequency of meetings and 

outcomes,” Cucuzza says. The human 

resource department often is in a good 

position to facilitate this process. 

Managing expectations 

Of course, where the rubber really 

meets the road is how managers interact 

and work with their direct reports. 

Because there are many opportunities 

for misunderstanding and conflict 

between managers and workers, both 

the manager’s expectations and the 

direct reports’ expectations should be 

discussed explicitly, Dattner says. 

He recommends that new managers 

create a “user’s manual” that offers 

insights into their personalities and 

preferences. It should covers topics 

such as: 

➤ Motivation 

➤ Work style 

➤ Management and delegation 

➤ Communication and feedback 

➤ Learning and decision-making 

➤ Values 

➤ Personal style 

For example, under “work style” 

a manager might write: “I like to get 

things done far in advance in order 

to avoid the stress of deadlines” and 

then give direct reports this suggestion: 

“When preparing things for me, don’t 

leave them until the last minute. Even if 

you can pull it off at the last minute, it 

makes me nervous.” 

Or the manager may say: “I’m a 

morning person. Come see me in 

the morning about important issues 

because later in the day I just won’t be as 

focused.” 

Under “values,” the manager might 

say: “I take the company’s values very 


A mentor should 

be at least two 

levels above the 

new manager and, 

as importantly, 

‘needs to want to 

be a mentor.’ 

seriously and insist that everything we 

do conform both to the letter and the 

spirit of our values.” To staff, the manager 

could say: “Don’t present any ideas 

that conflict with our company values, 

including ideas that might appear even 

just on their surface to conflict with our 

values.” 

“It’s a great way of building understanding,” 

Dattner says. “When people 

are first getting to know a new boss, they 

might misinterpret things.” 

For instance, a manager may ask a lot 

of questions. Workers may perceive this 

as a lack of confidence in their abilities 

when, in fact, the manager may simply 

be a person who needs to thoroughly 

understand a project. 

A boss can help to manage employee 

expectations in a case like that by saying: 

“I’m a person who needs to know all of 

the details, so I ask a lot of questions. 

I’ve been told in the past that people 

sometimes think I’m being too controlling 

when I do this, but I want you to 

know that I don’t mean it that way.” 

Ultimately, it’s the relationships 

with staff members that will determine 

managerial effectiveness, says Matthew 

Modleski, vice president of Stovall 

Grainger Modleski Inc., a training and 

consulting firm based in the Indianapolis 

area. 

“Great leaders know that if they 

invest in their people and establish 

relationships that are deeper than a coworker 

relationship, an individual’s performance 

and effort will go way above 

the minimum and move nearer the 

maximum level,” Modleski says. “Once 

that relationship has been built by the 

leader, leading a team to accomplish the 

business objective becomes much easier.” 

Measuring success 

Once you’ve hired or promoted a new 

manager, trained her and given her a 

chance to set expectations for herself 

and her staff, you still need to determine 

if she is being successful. 

Ultimately, you need to measure it. A 

surprising number of companies don’t. 

Remember that in the survey conducted 

by the Institute for Corporate 

Productivity, three-quarters of respondents 

said their companies weren’t very 

good at training managers. And many 

of those said their companies were 

especially weak in measuring managerial 

effectiveness. In fact, two-thirds of 

the firms responding didn’t even have 

a means of evaluating the success of 

people who had moved into management. 

Of companies that do use such tools, 

a standard performance appraisal is 

the most common, with almost 75% of 

respondents using it. About 60% use a 

360-degree feedback instrument and 

40% use leadership competency assessments 

or coach/mentor evaluations. 

Tools such as performance metrics and 

skills gap analysis are used by 25% or 

less of companies. 

Whether coming from the outside or 

being promoted from within, management 

experts agree that the skills 

required to be a successful manager are 

dramatically different from the skills 

required to be a successful worker. 

New managers who understand 

what is expected of them, who are 

provided with training and resources 

and who receive feedback based 

on measurable outcomes have a far better 

chance of success. And, as we know, 

successful managers lead to successful 

companies. BT 


Seeking ways to fix 

workers’ comp woes? 

Safety programs can help reduce claims 

By Phillip M. Perry 

For employers large and small, the 

problem is the same: The rising 

cost of benefits is eroding the 

bottom line. And one of the costliest 

benefits is workers’ compensation 

insurance. 

It’s understandable that you to want 

to trim expenses wherever possible, but 

doing any serious cost cutting in this 

area presents special challenges. For one 

thing, you can’t reduce benefit levels the 

same way you can with health insurance. 

That’s because states mandate full treatment 

for on-the-job injuries. 

Your cost-cutting steps must be done 

in conformance with the law. And when 

it comes to workers’ comp, the state is all 

powerful. 

“With the exceptions of federal employees 

and employees working in maritime 

industries, state laws control workers’ 

compensation,” says Christopher 

M. Fox, an associate in the Philadelphia 

office of Littler Mendelson, a law firm 

devoted to representing management in 

employment matters. 

Understanding various state laws can 

get complicated. 

“Each state has specific rules regarding 

how you notify employees of their rights, 

2 40 | BedTimes | BedTimes | April | April 2010 2010 

how they can file claims and what doctors 

they may or may not see,” Fox says. 

“Your state laws will also detail what 

steps you must take to report workplace 

injuries.” 

You can find information about your 

state’s laws on the U.S. Department of 

Labor Web site, www.dol.gov. Click on 

“Topics,” then “Workers’ Compensation” 

and then “State Workers’ Compensation 

Board.” 



Part 2 of a series 

“Easing the pain of workers’ comp: Careful policy review, 

shopping around can reduce costs,” appeared in the March 2010 

BedTimes and can be found at www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes. 

BedTimes | April | April 2010 2010 | 41 

| 3

No-fault coverage 

No one wants to deny workers’ comp 

benefits for legitimate accidents. But 

what about incidents that are partly 

the fault of the employee? Suppose the 

worker failed to use a safety device, 

engaged in horseplay or worked while 

intoxicated? What if an injury was 

self-inflicted? 

Many employers would like to 

weed out such questionable claims as 

a way of controlling insurance costs 

and it’s certainly possible to mount 

defenses against such claims. But unless 

some clear-cut fraud is involved, 

prevailing in court can be difficult. 

“Most workers’ compensation 

systems have become very liberal as 

to the definition of an accident,” says 

James J. Moore, president of J&L Risk 

Management Consultants, a Raleigh, 

N.C.-based firm that helps employers 

manage workers’ comp costs. “The 

fact is that courts deny benefits only 

rarely.” 

Why? One reason is a matter of 

judgment. Legitimate claims often 

arise because employees were not 

paying attention to what they were 

doing or performed tasks out of their 

normal work routine. Trying to draw 

a bright line between legitimate and 

improper situations can be difficult. 

Another reason is a matter of 

perception. 

“In any workers’ comp case it becomes 

the ‘big bad insurance company’ 

against the ‘one little employee,’ ” 

Moore says. “Workers’ compensation 


‘The best approach 

is to take steps to 

reduce workplace 

accidents that 

lead to claims. The 

least expensive 

accident is the 

one that never 

happens.’ 

judges tend to lean toward the testimony 

of the employee.” 

Lawsuits avoided 

While it may seem that workers’ comp 

laws are stacked in favor of employees, 

they also protect employers from 

costly lawsuits brought by injured 

workers. 

“The trade-off for a no-fault 

system is that workers’ compensation 

is generally the exclusive remedy for 

employees injured in the workplace,” 

Fox says. “Only in very limited instances 

may an employee circumvent 

the system and sue the employer.” 

What are those instances? Once 

again state law rules. 

3 ways to reduce premiums 

Here are some ideas from ron Peters, a partner in the San Jose, Calif., office of Littler 

Mendelson, a labor and employment law firm representing management. 

➤ Investigate claims “A lot of employers just send to the doctor every worker 

who reports an injury,” Peters says. “That can lead to a lot of abuse. Once 

a culture of abuse gets started, it’s difficult to stop.” Investigate all claims to 

see if they are legitimate. 

➤ Process claims quickly Set up procedures for handling injury claims efficiently. 

“Establish and communicate a policy that accidents must be 

reported immediately,” he says. “It is hard to investigate a report that is two 

days old. And late reports are often red flags for false claims.” 

➤ Establish return-to-work plans “The faster people get back to work, the 

lower your expenses,” Peters says. “Get guidance from the doctor on how 

an injured worker can be accommodated in the workplace. Very often the 

individual can perform light duties.” 

“Using Pennsylvania as an example,” 

Fox says, “an injured worker 

could sue his employer outside of the 

workers’ compensation system if the 

employer failed to maintain workers’ 

compensation insurance or the 

injury was intentionally caused by the 

employer. That being said, Pennsylvania 

courts have held that even a willful 

violation of OSHA safety regulations 

will not expose an employer to civil 

liability.” 

Safety first 

There is one highly effective way to 

control workers’ comp costs: Launch 

a workplace safety program and 

constantly work to improve it. If you 

experience fewer accidents, you’ll 

incur lower medical costs, which 

translate into lower workers’ comp 

premiums. 

“A lot of employers come to me 

and ask, ‘How can we reduce the cost 

of this claim?’ ” Moore says. “Unfortunately, 

once a claim is made you are 

not going to reduce the cost. The best 

approach is to take steps to reduce 

workplace accidents that lead to 

claims. The least expensive accident is 

the one that never happens.” 

While safety programs can become 

quite complex, it’s wise to start small 

and build from there. 

The first step is to identify the accidents 

most likely to happen. 

“Slips, trips and falls are by far the 

most common accidents for almost all 

employers,” Moore says. “I see a ton of 

knee and ankle injuries resulting from 

what seem like minor accidents.” 

Such injuries can be damaging to 

the worker and to the business. 

“If you cannot put your weight on 

your hip or your knees or your ankle, 

you are going to be out of work a 

long time,” Moore says. “That is very 

costly.” 

Train employees to quickly correct 

conditions that might seem innocuous 

but that can lead to slips, trips and 

falls. For example: 

➤ Tangled rugs Straighten any rugs 

that have been folded over. Watch 

for corners that curve upward. Make 

sure the rugs themselves don’t move 

around easily on the floor. 


➤ Wet floors When it 

rains, do the floors just 

inside your doorways 

get wet? Dry them immediately 

and install 

high-friction rugs. 

If necessary, put up 

temporary barriers to 

guide people around 

wet areas. 

➤ Obstructions 

Don’t leave boxes 

or other items 

in walkways. 

Scoop up any 

papers, textile 

scraps or other 

waste that may 

cause people to slip. 

“Studies show that stepping to 

different levels causes many trips 

and falls,” Moore says. “So you need 

to pay special attention to stairways, 

any changes in floor levels or sections 

of floor that are on a gradient.” 


Put roughened safety strips 

across steps to help shoes get a firm 

hold. Place mats at the bottom and 

top of stairs (and secure them well) 

to catch any water tracked in when 

it rains. Make sure handrails and 

banisters are secure. 

Changes in floor levels need to 

be clearly marked. Install brightly 

colored strips along divisions and 

railings. As for floors that are on a 

gradient, post warning signs and a 

walkway railing. 

Other risks 

Workers, like many on the mattress 

factory floor who are engaged in 

repetitive tasks, are subject to carpal 

tunnel syndrome and other injuries 

that can spark workers’ comp claims. 

“In any situation involving 

repetitive work, I recommend job 

rotation,” says Pam Hart, director 

of safety and wellness programs 

at Doherty Employer Services, a 

Minneapolis-based human resource 

outsourcing firm. “You can also 

encourage frequent stretching and 

short breaks.” 

Make sure workstations are 

structured properly so that workers’ 

bodies are in comfortable positions. 

Consultants schooled in ergonomics 

can assist. 

“Be especially careful about any 

jobs that require employees to lift, 

pull or hold heavy items,” says Claire 

Wilkinson, vice president for global 

issues at the New York-based Insurance 

Information Institute. “Overexertion 

of this kind accounts for a 

large proportion of injuries.” 

Involve employees 

Employees can be excellent sources 

of information on workplace hazards. 

“I highly recommend that (companies) 

gather employee feedback 

throughout the safety program and 

incorporate employees into establishing 

a safe place to work,” says 


Amy Trueblood, account manager at 

Awards Network, an organization in 

LaPorte, Ind., that sells safety awards 

programs. 

She continues: “Many (companies) 

regularly hold meetings at 

the beginning of a new shift. I have 

found this presents a great opportunity 

for managers to discuss safety 

with their employees.” 

Meeting topics can include how 

to avoid a known safety hazard, how 

an accident was prevented or how a 

recent accident could be avoided in 

the future. 

“These meetings also give (companies) 

a chance to recognize employees 

for safety achievements in 

front of peers, which will positively 

reinforce employee attitudes about 

safety in the workplace,” Trueblood 

says. 

Some employers establish awards 

programs that give employees incentives 

for injury-free work days. As 

vital as safety programs are, they 

can be counterproductive if poorly 

managed. 

Trueblood offers four “don’ts”: 

➤ Don’t set up safety goals that will 

encourage employees to not report 

accidents. 

➤ Don’t develop a safety program 

but then fail to establish bench- 

Additional resources 


‘Slips, trips and 

falls are by far the 

most common 

accidents for 

almost all 

employers. I see 

a ton of knee and 

ankle injuries 

resulting from what 

seem like minor 

accidents.’ 

marks or track its success over time. 

➤ Don’t cap award earnings so 

that people slack off during periods 

when they can’t earn safety gifts. 

➤ Don’t award safety gifts without 

considering the different tastes and 

preferences of employees. 

need HelP develoPing an effective workPlace safety Program or better understanding 

workers’ compensation insurance? You may have good resources right in your 

community. 

“Your insurance carrier may be glad to visit your business and conduct a 

safety inspection,” says James J. Moore, president of J&L Risk Management 

Consultants, a Raleigh, N.C.,-based firm that helps employers manage workers’ 

comp costs. “Further, your chamber of commerce and local community 

colleges may have leads to consultants who can provide assistance.” 

Other options: 

➤ Insurance Information Institute This organization offers a primer on 

workers’ comp. Check www.iii.org/smallbusiness/intro and click on 

“Workers’ Compensation.” 

➤ Advanced Insurance Management How do you spot significant 

overcharges in your workers’ comp bill? That question and others are 

answered at www.cutcomp.com/questions.htm. 

➤ National Safety Council This group provides consultants and maintains 

helpful materials on its Web site, www.nsc.org. 

➤ Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA offers information 

on laws and provides links to state agencies at www.osha.gov. 

Control fraud 

As mentioned previously, the no-fault 

nature of workers’ comp laws usually 

means that employers find it difficult 

to defend against claims. But that 

doesn’t mean that steps shouldn’t be 

taken to ferret out cases of clear fraud. 

Fraudulent activities result in 

increased workers’ comp exposure 

and higher premiums. 

“Workers’ compensation fraud 

comes in many forms,” Fox says. “An 

injury can be staged. Or there can be 

simple malingering by an employee 

who is content collecting indemnity 

payments but who is really able to 

work. Or the employee may be collecting 

indemnity payments while 

working elsewhere.” 

Insurance companies often contract 

with third parties to engage in 

surveillance that can help debunk 

workers’ comp fraud. For example, 

video footage may show the employee 

doing yard work or other physical 

labor that undermines a claim of 

his inability to work. Or they might 

uncover evidence that the person is 

working another job. 

Stay involved 

“Vigilance is absolutely key in 

managing workers’ compensation 

claims,” Fox says. “It starts at the 

time of injury with an investigation 

to determine if a claim is compensable 

under workers’ compensation 

laws. Beyond that you need to be 

involved after claims are filed. 

“If your claims are being managed 

by a third-party administrator 

or an insurance company, make sure 

that organization is keeping an eye 

on the claim, assuring the claimant is 

not working elsewhere and checking 

periodically with medical providers 

to assess the status of the claimant’s 

medical condition.” 

Workers’ comp benefits are typically 

divided into medical (reimbursement 

for doctor and hospital 

bills) and indemnity (payments for 

lost wages). 

“Controlling medical costs is 

very important because they now 

represent a much larger portion of 

total workers’ compensation costs 

than they did 20 years ago,” Fox says. 


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“And there is no indication that this 

trend will be reversed.” 

To the extent that your state law 

allows, you can contest medical procedures 

that seem too frequent or 

costly. Turning again to Pennsylvania: 

In that state, if proper postings 

are in place and proper notification 

is provided to an injured worker, 

you can control the doctors seen by 

that employee during the first 90 

days following a claim. 

But after that period, the 

patient may go to any doctor. 

New Jersey, in contrast, 

allows the employer to 

control medical care for the 

life of the claim. 

State law also can affect 

how you monitor the ability of the 

employee to work. In Pennsylvania, 

you can require that the employee 

see a doctor of your choosing twice 

a year for that purpose. 

One more thing: Don’t treat accident 

victims like strangers. 

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“Keep in mind that injured employees 

are staying at home, looking 

at ads from workers’ compensation 

attorneys on the TV and computer,” 

Moore says. “So reach out to them. 

Call them. Send them get well 

cards. Asking how they are doing is 

important. Except for your safety 

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program, it’s the best thing you can 

do to save money.” 

Progress ahead 

Safety programs have proven themselves 

effective tools for reducing 

workers’ comp costs and employers, 

including many in the mattress 

industry, have climbed aboard the 

bandwagon. 

“Safety has improved considerably 

over the years,” 

Wilkinson says. “Employers 

are increasingly focused 

on making the workplace 

safer and reducing worker 

exposure to hazardous 

activities.” 

But bear in mind that 

safety doesn’t happen by itself: It 

must be managed. 

“A safe work environment starts 

with the attitude of top management,” 

Moore says. “Water runs downhill: If 

managers don’t care about safety then 

employees won’t.” BT 

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ISPAEXPO2010 

‘This was our best show ever’ 

ISPA EXPO 2010 a strong market 

Booths packed, orders written, 

business and personal connections 

made, meetings productive, 

useful information gained—ISPA 

EXPO 2010 had all the ingredients of 

a good show. For some, it was even 

better than good. 

“This was our best show ever,” 

said Taber Wood, vice president of 

CT Nassau in Alamance, N.C. “We 

had quality visitors—every call was 

quality.” 

Some 168 exhibitors set up on the 

show floor of the Charlotte Convention 

Center March 3-6 and more than 

3,100 manufacturers and others attended, 

according to the International 

Sleep Products Association. 

Given the difficult economy that 

the industry has been navigating the 

past few years, many were unsure 

what to expect when the EXPO floor 

opened. 

“The show has been good and 

we were pleasantly surprised for two 

reasons: One, we sold equipment. 

And two, even those who didn’t buy 


were upbeat and positive. They were 

saying, ‘I’m going need one of those 

soon.’ They appeared to be doing 

serious shopping,” said Russ Bowman, 

president of Global Systems Group, 

the machinery division of Carthage, 

Mo.-based Leggett & Platt. 

Exhibitors reported steady traffic 

and said they saw a good mix of 

mattress manufacturers—from small 

independents to the majors—who 

were looking for innovative machinery, 

equipment, components and 

supplies, as well as money-saving and 

efficiency-improving services. 

“The show has been great. It seems 

like all the key decision-makers are 

here,” said Alan Sheinberg, senior vice 

president of Komar Alliance in Elk 

Grove Village, Ill. 

Bobby Brown, director of operations 

for the Govmark Organization 

in Farmingdale, N.Y., called the show 

“phenomenal.” 

“The show was shockingly successful 

for us,” said Jim Turner, president 

and owner of SABA North America 

Easy listening ISPA EXPO 2010 attendees 

enjoy Ergomotion’s Ergo Sound Bed. 

Bring on the band Don Wright of Wright of 

Thomasville is out front for the Insomniaczzz. 

in Kimball, Mich. “The overall attendance 

was good and all who we 

targeted came by and we had good 

meetings with them.” 

As the largest trade show dedicated 

to the mattress manufacturing industry, 

the focus of EXPO is on the show 

floor. But that’s only part of what 

happens during the event. EXPO also 

serves as a chance to learn more about 

timely topics. This year, there were 

seminars on federal mattress safety 

regulations, the industry’s economic 

outlook, sustainability, improving 

the consumer experience at retail and 

mattress recycling. Evening parties, 

including an opening night extravaganza 

featuring the Insomniaczzz, 

gave everyone a chance to unwind. 

➤ Learn more 

To read more about ISPA EXPO 

2010, including detailed information 

about exhibitors and presentations 

from seminars, check 

www.sleepproducts.org. 


Major interest in machines Atlanta Attachment Co. and other exhibitors 

reported good traffic and buyers looking seriously at purchases. 

Tactile tactics Latex International was among the company’s providing 

sample products and demo units to explain their technologies. 

Packed party The ‘Welcome to Carolina’ reception on March 3 drew 

huge crowds. 


Taking it all in ISPA EXPO 2010 offered seminars and roundtables on a 

variety of timely topics, including the lastest mattress industry forecast. 

Hands on Exhibitors, including Vertex Fasteners, used real-time demonstrations 

to show how manufacturers can use their products. 

Start your engines With a major speedway just outside Charlotte, EXPO 

gave everyone a little taste of racing. 


ISPAEXPO2010 

Ready to relax 

With spirits high, the mattress 

industry let loose during a series 

of ISPA EXPO 2010 parties, including 

a pre-show cocktail reception and a 

“Welcome to Carolina” opening night 

party sponsored by Atlanta Attachment 

Co. During that blowout, the 

crowd was entertained by industry 

band the Insomniaczzz, feasted on 

North and South Carolina’s best 

dishes and tested their skills at games 

from Wii to air hockey. (All photo 

identifications are from left to right.) 

Hank Little, Atlanta Attachment Co.; Steve 

Fendrich, Simmons Bedding Co.; Elvin Price, 

Atlanta Attachment Co. 

Tom McLean, Kingsdown/Sleep to Live; Rick 

Anthony, Hickory Springs Mfg.; Jimmy Orders, 

Park Place Corp. 

Terry Jenk, Lampe USA Inc.; and Norman 

Rosenblatt, Therapedic New England. 


Andy Freedman, Knickerbocker Bed Co. Inc.; 

Jeff Bergman, FabricTech2000; Mike 

Schweiger, VyMaC/EcoSleep. 

Michael Crowell, Flexible Foam Products Inc.; 

and Ryan Trainer, ISPA. 

Stuart Carlitz and Jerry Gershaw, both of 

Eclipse International/Eastman House. 


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ISPAEXPO2010 

Industry recognizes veterans for contributions 

T wo 

mattress industry veterans were 

honored for their outstanding service 

to the industry during a breakfast on 

March 5 at the ISPA EXPO 2010 in 

Charlotte, N.C. 

Ray Malkiewicz of Wickline Bedding 

Co. in Escondido, Calif., was given the 

Russell L. Abolt Exceptional Service 

Award for exemplifying the highest level 

of devotion to the well-being and betterment 

of the bedding industry. He was 

nominated for the award by his peers. 

Malkiewicz served as chairman of 

the International Sleep Products Association 

in 1995 and over his career was 

involved in the Sleep Products Safety 

Council board; ISPA’s Finance, Nominating 

and Trade Show committees; and 

the Better Sleep Council. 

“Ray Malkiewicz has been one of 

the most outstanding contributors to 


ISPA during his 40-plus years with the 

association,” said Don Wright, ISPA 

chairman. 

Sandy Van Dyke, president of 

Interwoven Group LLC in Conover, 

N.C., received the Robert MacMorran 

Memorial Award, which is presented by 

ISPA’s Suppliers Council to recognize 

outstanding service to the industry. 

Van Dyke has a long history of service 

in the association. He was general 

chairman of the Suppliers Council and 

has held leadership positions on ISPA’s 

board; ISPA’s Finance, Nominating and 

Trade Show committees; and the Membership 

Task Force. 

“Sandy embodies the spirit of hard 

work, dedication and partnership in the 

bedding industry,” Wright said. 

To see a list of past winners, check 

www.sleepproducts.org. 

Well-deserved honors The International Sleep 

Products Association hands out the two 

highest industry awards during ISPA EXPO. 

This year, ISPA Chairman Don Wright (left) 

and Ryan Trainer, (far right) ISPA executive 

vice president and general counsel, presented 

plaques to Sandy Van Dyke (second from left) 

of Interwoven Group LLC and Ray Malkiewicz 

of Wickline Bedding Co. 


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ISPAEXPO2010 

EXPO trends: Innovations that add allure 

Exhibitors focus on ‘wow’ products that distinguish beds 

By Barbara Nelles 

Despite some snow and sleet in 

Charlotte, N.C., a February resurgence 

in mattress sales put spring 

in the step of buyers and exhibitors at 

ISPA EXPO 2010. Moods were upbeat 

as attendees took in a show floor filled 

with innovative supplies and components, 

all ready for the next generation 

of mattresses. 

Whether it was springs, foams, fabrics, 

tapes, nonwovens, labels or other 

items, mattress makers were treated to 

a variety options for spicing up beds. 

FR suppliers, who have been a major 

focus of recent EXPOs, ceded a bit of 

the spotlight to a broad range of fabric, 

tape, quilt and kit vendors who offered 

up vibrant color, texture and design. 

“People are looking for something 

new and different on the retail floor to 

create some new excitement,” said Ann 

Weaver, vice president of marketing at 

Lava USA in Waterloo, S.C. “With the 

economy the way it’s been, there was a 

fear about making changes, but they’re 

not so hesitant anymore.” 

According to fabric and tape supplier 

CT Nassau, with headquarters in Alamance, 

N.C., one of the least expensive 

ways to dress up a bed is to change out 

the tape and embellish the border. 

“In the past nine months, manufacturers 

were using up old inventory and 

couldn’t afford many model changes, 

but I think we’ll be seeing more consistent 

changes now. Many are refreshing a 

portion of their lines,” said Taber Wood, 

CT Nassau vice president of sales. “And 

the tape is helping bring color in there. 

It’s like when you change your necktie—no 

one notices you’re wearing the 

same suit.” 

Visitors to the BRK booth found eyecatching 

tapes in extra-wide widths. 

“Tapes are where it’s at. We’re showing 

handles and tapes in darker, more 

vibrant colors and we help manufacturers 

coordinate the entire look of the 


Spring story Leggett & Platt added 

Verticoil Edge to its line of 

innersprings. 

mattress,” said Jeff Miller, vice president 

of business development for the Pico 

Rivera, Calif.-based company 

Ticking supplier Culp Inc., based 

in High Point, N.C., put a spotlight 

on strong border colors and sparkling 

“holographic” yarns. 

Beds are getting back their “sense of 

adventure with flashes of color,” said 

Jimmy Fleming, product and account 

manager at fabric supplier Tietex, which 

is based in Spartanburg, S.C. “Our 

natural cotton prints with vegetable 

and mineral dyes allow you to create 

some vibrant panels and borders. We’re 

focused on doing small, custom color 

runs for the customers.” 

Knit supplier Innofa, which has 

headquarters in Tilburg, Holland, increased 

its domestic U.S. knitting capacity 

by 50% this year with the purchase 

of knitting machines from the defunct 

Blumenthal Printworks. 

“The demand for knits is growing 

and growing, especially in dimensional, 

nonquilted ticks with high stretch,” said 

Job Dröge, president. 

Machinery makers backed up 

components suppliers’ efforts to dress 

up beds. 

At Global Systems Group, a division 

of Carthage, Mo.-based Leggett & Platt, 

the focus was on 10 machines specifical- 

ly related to border manufacturing and 

enhancement, said Russ Bowman, GSG 

president. Manufacturers are spicing up 

borders with automatic label tacking, 

Editor’s note BedTimes’ goal is to 

illustrate broad trends seen during 

ISPA EXPO 2010. It’s our regret 

that we cannot report on every exhibitor 

at the show, but it remains 

our mission to report as much 

industry news as we can. To that 

end, we encouraged companies to 

send us product information and 

other news to be included in the 

January and February pre-show issues 

and in the March show issue. 

(Past issues can be seen at 

www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes.) 

Other exhibitor news from EXPO 

appears in the Industry News section 

of this issue. (See Page 63.) 

And in May, the BedTimes cover 

story will focus on innovations in 

mattress machinery, many pieces 

seen at EXPO. If you are an exhibitor 

with new products or news 

that BedTimes hasn’t yet reported, 

send us an email 

(jpalm@sleepproducts.org) so that 

we may include it in an upcoming 

issue. 


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ISPAEXPO2010 

embroidery, tack-and-jump quilting, tape 

effects and handle treatments, he said. 

“It’s all about the border because 

that’s what allows mattress manufacturers 

to stand out on the floor. 

Featured functions included border 

studding, border ruffling, vertical 

handle attachment and a single-needle 

quilting with programmable tufting,” 

said Hank Little, president of machinery 

supplier Atlanta Attachment Co. 

in Lawrenceville, Ga. 

Wright of Thomasville, a supplier of 

graphics, labels and other products and 

services, offered manufacturers ways to 

dress up the point-of-purchase retail 

environment with dimensional labels, 

large-scale banners, interactive digital 

signage, window graphics and more. 

“We don’t make the mattress. We 

make the mattress look better,” said Don 

Wright, chairman and chief marketing 

officer of the Thomasville, N.C.-based 

company. “We can help manufacturers 

coordinate their brand message from 

the time the consumer drives into the 

retailer’s parking lot to the product they 

test on the store floor.” 

Sustainability has staying power 

“Green” products abounded, especially 

among foam, fabric and fiber 

suppliers who emphasized sustainable 

sourcing, green manufacturing practices 

and the use of recycled or 


Newcomers Creative Ticking, a 

division of Beverly Knits, showed 

at EXPO for the first time. 

Strong foundation Rock Island Industries 

demonstrated easy-to-assemble bases. 

bio-based content. 

Deslee’s Reborn and Bekaert Textile 

USA’s Repreve collections were featured 

prominently in each ticking suppliers’ 

booth. The fabrics are constructed with 

a percentage of polyester fibers made 

from recycled plastics. 

At mattress kit, ticking and quilt supplier 

A. Lava & Son Co., there was the 

Earth Bed mattress kit containing Joma 

wool and natural-fiber ticking. 

Stuart Carlitz, president of manufacturer 

and licensing groups Eclipse 

International and Eastman House, with 

headquarters in North Brunswick, N.J., 

announced that an eco-friendly, two- 

sided Eclipse bed “went live” on 

QVC.com during EXPO. The bed’s features 

include natural fibers and fabrics. 

Priotex, a textile supplier based in 

Rishon Le-Zion, Israel, offers an allnatural, 

100% cotton woven ticking 

that is sustainably manufactured and 

finished. 

“This 100% chemical-free fabric 

is the focus of the show for us,” said 

owner Ran Niran. “Our product is not 

bleached, dyed or chemically finished.” 

Supplier or ‘solution provider’? 

Many exhibitors positioned themselves 

as much as “solution providers” as “suppliers.” 

They are helping customers to 

simplify purchases; to create, design and 

deliver better products more efficiently; 

and to promote products through to 

consumers. 

The complexity of choosing mattress 

fabrics was pared down at both Bekaert 

and Deslee, where the companies put 

the spotlight on a handful of key product 

groups. 

“We consciously tried to simplify 

because the more diverse your line, the 

more confusing it gets for customers. 

We drew them in with a few things,” 

said Lynn Pappas, product portfolio 

manager for Bekaert USA, which is 

based in Winston-Salem, N.C. 

Hickory Springs Mfg. Co., with 

headquarters in Hickory, N.C., focuses 

on being a one-stop shopping source, 

said Jimmy Bush, Hickory Springs 

president. “Our display emphasizes 

that—soup to nuts—you can get it all 

in one place, from metal to foam to 

converted products and nonwovens. 

Every product builds on another. We 

have something for everybody.” 

Vincent Gesquiere, general manager 

of latex supplier Latexco USA LLC 

in Lavonia, Ga., said his company’s 

emphasis is “no longer about selling 

blocks of foam but about helping mattress 

makers create something exclusive, 

unique and visual—without being 

extravagant.” 

Edge-Sweets Co. President Kevin 

Ryan offered attendees a new handbook, 

“The Mattress Manufacturer’s Guide 


EQUITABLE AND 

ECO-FRIENDLY COTTON 

Consumers are becoming increasingly discerning about 

the quality of textile products. The demand for pure and 

alternative materials continues to grow. 

EcoFair mattress fabrics from Deslee Textiles USA meet 

this need in two ways: ‘eco’ stands for organically cultivated 

cotton, ‘fair’ for honest and socially responsible business 

practices. Hence, EcoFair… 

Our Natural Way for Many Years Eco footprint Low Waste Fair partner Green fabrics 

WWW.DESLEETEXTILES.COM 

THANKS FOR VISITING US AT ISPA2010 

REB RN 

SMART RECYCLING 

MAKES SLEEPING SOFTER 

Reborn is a polyester fibre made from recycled PET bottles. 

These plastic water bottles for mineral water and other 

drinks are popular with manufacturers and consumers 

alike. Unfortunately, discarded bottles result in a massive 

mountain of waste. 

Via the completely clean Reborn technical process, the plastic 

from those PET bottles is transformed into high quality Reborn 

fibres that are 100% recycled – no more waste. Mattress fabrics 

made of Reborn fibre are moisture permeable and absorbent, 

UV resistant, colorfast and extremely soft and flexible…a 

combination resulting in pure and clean sleep comfort. 

Our tomorrow 

started yesterday 

EVOLUTION OF COMFORT, 

NATURAL THERMO REGULATION 

Recent consumer research confirms a high interest 

in multifunctional products that provide a variety of 

benefits. Environmentally friendly options are given more 

consideration by a growing consumer segment. 

The ThermoCool combination is a unique blend of fibres with 

a hollow core and fibres with a channeled surface. Made from 

smart fibre cross-sections, it provides year-round thermo 

regulation and comfort. Thermocool Eco is made of re-usable 

fibres that make this unique fabric not only cool but also ecofriendly.

ISPAEXPO2010 

Putting it all together Transfer Master Products spotlighted an adjustable bed that it says can be 

assembled in 10 minutes. 

to Cutting Equipment.” The guide 

from the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based 

company, also known as ESCO, helps 

companies define their equipment 

needs based on their size and production 

volume. 

Fairdale, Ky.-based equipment 

maker and machine shop D.R. Cash 

looked outside the mattress industry 

to apparel to offer a new concept in 

panel cutting from The Fox Co. of 

Auburn, Ga. 

“The machine allows you to create 

efficiencies by cutting and stacking 

panels like a book and radiusing 

corners,” said Thomas Johnson, D.R. 

Cash mechanical engineer. 

Adjustable bed base maker Transfer 

Master Products, based in Postville, 

Iowa, rolled out a simpler adjustable 

bed base that is shippable and 

assembles easily without tools. One 

person can snap the base together in 

10 minutes, the company said. 

“In general, I think the mattress 

industry is beginning to look to new 

products that offer solutions—chemical-free 

comfort, affordable answers 

and a new functionality—and that’s 

what we offer,” said Nina Nadash, 

home furnishings merchandiser for 

Tencel manufacturer Lenzing Fibers, 

based in New York. 

The art of impersonation 


As more bed components are engineered 

to mimic other components, 

some products on the floor required a 

double take: Was that a latex or visco 

comfort layer? A knit or woven ticking? 

Vita Nonwovens promoted a number 

of fiber choices that can replace 

one of the foam comfort layers in a 

bed without affecting performance. 

“It’s about savings,” said Dennis St. 

Louis, director of sales and marketing 

for the High Point, N.C.-based company. 

“Manufacturers save 30% to 35% by 

switching out one foam layer for fiber 

and the bed feels perfectly the same— 

the same comfort and aesthetics. 

It’s a growing trend over the last six 

months.” 

Culp said that because wovens are 

easier to work with on a bed’s borders, it 

was emphasizing a woven border collection 

with the look of a knit. 

“Knits are still wildly popular 

throughout the market but we’re trying 

➤ Coming next month 

In May, BedTimes will look at the 

latest trends and advancements in 

major mattress machinery. 

The issue will be available 

online May 1 at 

www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes. 

Focus on efficiency D.R. Cash and The Fox Co. 

demonstrated a new panel cutter. 

to get wovens back to the top,” said Steve 

Bond, vice president of design and innovation. 

Flexible Foam Products Inc. introduced 

a higher density “latex hybrid,” 

a 4½-pound polyurethane foam with 

soy-based content that’s ventilated and 

has the feel of latex. 

“Manufacturers are looking to reduce 

costs but aren’t inclined to reduce 

quality—this allows them to keep the 

feel of latex,” said Michael Crowell, vice 

president of marketing at the Spencerville, 

Ohio-based company. 

Carpenter Co. put the spotlight on 

new high-density Avena foam for comfort 

layers and pillows. The Richmond, 

Va.-based company describes Avena as 

more breathable than visco-elastic and 

more comfortable than latex. Another 

new foam, Avela, is a visco-elastic with 

better breathability, faster recovery and 

eye-catching convolutions. 

Polyurethane foam with egg-crate 

convolutions have given way to specialty 

foams with custom convolutions, said 

Harald Kullman, general manager of 

sales for machinery maker Albrecht 

Bäumer GmbH & Co. KG, based in 

Freudenberg, Germany. 

“This is a driving trend in specialty 

foams right now, which is why we 

focused on our profiling machine for 

convoluting foam. Not only do convo- 


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ISPAEXPO2010 

One-stop foam shop FXI Foamex Innovations created a display bed so attendees could experience 

different feels of the company’s various formulations. 

Balls in the air Latex International used a demonstration to show the air permeability of latex 

compared to polyurethane and visco-elastic. 

lutions add unique style, they provide 

a ventilation story,” he said. “Many 

customers want exclusives on their 

design convolutions. They will buy the 

machine with one or two custom rollers 

and add more later.” 

Pulling in the crowds 

First-time exhibitor Texas Pocket 

Springs got its message across by 

keeping things simple, said Martin 

Wolfson, president of the Keene, 

Texas-based supplier. 

“I handed out a simple one-page 


fact sheet on product features and 

advantages and put product on the 

floor with mattress toppers,” he said. 

“Everyone could actually lie down 

and feel the product—people need 

to feel and touch. Visitors pulled 

in others from their company and 

said ‘try this’. ” 

SABA North America LLC attracted 

new customers to its completely redesigned, 

contemporary space, said Jim 

Turner, president and chief executive officer 

of the Kimball, Mich.-based adhesives 

supplier. The company displayed 

Tales of tape Bo-Buck Mills offered mattress 

makers tapes that add distinction to beds. 

a new pressurized adhesive delivery 

system that monitors cost per piece. 

Latex International, with headquarters 

in Shelton, Conn., illustrated a “stop 

burying the comfort” theme with four 

prototype beds containing latex in the 

top comfort layer, as well as mattress 

cutaways that showed “what not to do” 

when building up a mattress. 

There also was a “breathability” 

demonstration unit with floating balls 

that showed how it is easier for air to 

flow through latex than visco-elastic or 

polyurethane. 

At adhesive supplier Simalfa, there 

was a kiosk for demonstrating the 

application of its new 335 UV line of 

adhesives, which glow pink when applied 

in black light. 

The new product gives the operator 

much better control and precision, 

reducing the amount of adhesive used 

and saving customers money, said 

Harry Bajakian, national sales manager 

of the Hawthorne, N.J.-based 

company. BT 

➤ Mark your calendars 

ISPA EXPO returns to 

Indianapolis in 2012. The show is 

set for March 14-17. 


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IndustryNews 

Employees acquiring Southerland in ESOP 

Southerland Inc., a beddIng producer based in Nashville, Tenn., 

is being acquired by employees through an Employee 

Stock Ownership Plan buyout. The deal, announced in 

early March, was expected to be finalized March 31. 

The new company, which is retaining the Southerland 

name, is led by co-presidents David Corbin and Steve 

Russo. Bryan Smith serves as executive vice president 

and chief financial officer. 

An independent manufacturer, Southerland has 

operated as a family-owned enterprise for more than 

a century. It has 274,000-square-feet of combined 

production and distribution facilities in Nashville, 

Oklahoma City and Phoenix. Southerland distributes 

nationally but focuses on the East, Southwest and Midwest 

regions of the United States. Under the new management 

team, the company will continue to develop 

its own brands and produce private-label programs. 

The change to an ESOP structure and accompanying 

recapitalization is being led by the company’s new exec- 

Sealy expanding 

presence in China 

M attress 

major Sealy is opening a new manufacturing 

facility outside Shanghai as part of the company’s 

plans to grow internationally. 

The Sealy China plant is a joint venture between Archdale, 

N.C.-based Sealy and a licensee, Sealy of Australia. 

The 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility is in the 

Qingpu Industrial Park, outside Shanghai. The plant is 

slated to begin manufacturing mattresses late this year. 

“Sealy is now growing its brand in one of the most 

dynamic markets in the world, China,” said Larry Rogers, 

Sealy president and chief executive officer. “Additionally, 

Qingpu is an excellent location based on its strong 

infrastructure, supply chain system and close proximity 

to Shanghai’s port.” 

“This facility will support growing demand for Sealy 

products in the Chinese domestic market and multiple 

Sealy Asia joint-venture businesses in Hong Kong, Korea, 

Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore,” said Simon Dyer, 

Sealy of Australia chief executive officer and Sealy China 

general manager. Sealy China has been operating retail 

outlets and distributing imported Sealy products since 

early 2009. 


utive leadership, as well as members of the Southerland 

family and current management team. Under the ESOP, 

employees will own 100% of the company. Southerland 

said it expects the new structure to result in significant 

tax savings and provide additional incentives and retirement 

benefits for employees. 

Corbin and Russo have been working as consultants 

for Southerland since mid-2009. 

Corbin has a background in marketing and new 

product development and has held brand management 

and executive positions at Procter & Gamble, Pulaski 

Furniture Corp. and Chromcraft Revington. 

Russo is a longtime bedding industry veteran who 

has held executive positions at Latex International, 

Consolidated Bedding and Restonic. 

Smith is a long-time member of the Southerland 

management team and has more than 20 years experience 

in managerial accounting. 

GSG buys Galkin 

global SyStemS group, a division of Carthage, Mo.-based 

Leggett & Platt, has purchased Galkin Automated 

Products. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Global System Group encompasses a number of 

machinery producers, including Gribetz International, 

Gateway Systems, Porter International, Nahtec, Spuhl- 

Anderson, Merrello, KSM and Teknomac. 

Galkin, headquartered in West Babylon, N.Y., has 

served the sewn products industries for more than a 

century. 

“By joining with GSG, Galkin Automated Products 

customers will have an expanded product selection and 

more extensive customer service through the global 

network of GSG companies,” GSG said in announcing 

the deal. 

Galkin President Paul Block will serve as vice president 

of sales strategies for GSG, remaining in New York. 

Other Galkin operations have been consolidated, Block 

said. 

“Having Paul Block and Galkin join us is a great 

opportunity to expand the choices our customers have 

to grow and become more flexible and profitable,” said 

Tony Garrett, GSG president. 


IndustryNews 

L&P’s 2009 sales drop, but cash position improves 

componentS SupplIer leggett & platt In carthage, mo., reports 

that it generated $565 million of cash from operations in 

2009—its second-highest level ever. 

Full-year sales were $3.06 billion. Full-year earnings 

were $0.70 per share. Fourth-quarter sales totaled $770 

million, 13% lower than in the same quarter a year ago. The 

company attributed the bulk of the decline to steel-related 

price deflation. Unit volume declined approximately 3% for 

the quarter. Fourth-quarter earnings were $0.23 per share. 

David Haffner, L&P president and chief executive officer, 

said the company has made much progress, even in 

a poor economy. 

“For the full year, continuing operations earnings 

per share was relatively unchanged from the prior year, 

despite a $1 billion, or 25%, decline in sales that was 

primarily market driven,” Haffner said. “Our significant 

cost-reduction efforts and pricing discipline allowed 

us to sustain earnings per share and improve margins, 

despite the weak economy. Our balance sheet and cash 


flow remain strong and our cost structure has improved 

significantly.” 

In 2009, the company used $240 million in cash to 

fund dividends and capital requirements, $188 million 

to purchase L&P stock and $64 million to reduce debt. 

Net debt to net capital was 23.7% at year-end—its lowest 

level in more than a decade and below the company’s 

30% to 40% target range. 

Total sales from continuing operations in the residential 

furnishings division, which includes domestic bedding 

products, decreased $427 million, or 20%, in 2009. 

Total sales from continuing operations in the specialized 

products division, which includes the Global Systems 

Group, decreased $181 million, or 27%. 

“I am extremely pleased with our employees’ accomplishments 

in the face of such economic headwind,” 

Haffner said. “We are very well positioned to ride out the 

economic downturn, which we anticipate will continue 

throughout 2010.” 


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IndustryNews 

Select Comfort generates cash, increases profits 

During 2009, airbed maker and 

retailer Select Comfort restructured 

its balance sheet, eliminated debt and 

returned to a positive cash position, the 

Minneapolis-based company said. 

Select Comfort reported net sales of 

$136.5 million for the fourth quarter of 

2009, an increase of 4% over 2008. The 


w w w. s t a rs p r i n g s . c o m 

company reported fourth-quarter net 

income of $35.3 million, or $0.69 per 

diluted share, compared to a net loss of 

$57.4 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, 

during the same period in 2008. (In 

2008, Select Comfort’s fourth quarter 

was a 14-week selling period; in 2009 it 

was 13 weeks.) 

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Gross profit margins increased 700 

basis points, from 55.9% of net sales 

in the prior-year period to 62.9% in 

fourth-quarter 2009. The increase 

reflects an improved product mix and 

cost restructuring initiatives completed 

during the year, Select Comfort said. 

During the fourth quarter, net sales 

increased by 4% over 2008 and were 

up 9% when adjusted for the additional 

week in 2008. The increase 

in sales was driven by a 23% gain in 

same-store sales—offset by the closure 

of 72 stores since the start of 2009 and 

the termination of retail partnerships 

totaling about 700 doors at the end of 

third-quarter 2009. 

Cash flow for 2009 was $66.6 million, 

which includes $26.1 million in 

tax refunds associated with prior-year 

losses. This compares to $3 million 

for 2008. The company reduced 2009 

capital expenditures to $2.5 million, 

compared with $32.2 million in 2008. 

As of year-end 2009, Select Comfort’s 

cash and cash equivalents totaled $17.7 

million and it had no borrowings 

under its revolving credit agreement. 

At the end of 2008, the company had 

outstanding debt of $79.2 million. 

The company is in compliance with all 

bank covenants. 

Net sales for 2009 totaled $544.2 

million, a decrease of 11% as compared 

to $608.5 million in 2008. The 

company reported a net profit of $35.6 

million, or $0.77 per diluted share in 

2009, compared to a net loss of $70.2 

million, or $1.59 per diluted share in 

2008. 

“Our fourth-quarter and full-year 

performance reflects strong execution 

against a set of initiatives that focused 

on controlling costs, building our 

brand for improved sales and preserving 

cash. The result is significantly improved 

profitability, with the company 

experiencing two consecutive quarters 

of same-store sales growth,” said Bill 

McLaughlin, Select Comfort president 

and chief executive officer. 


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IndustryNews 

FXI reintroducing itself with new products 

With a new name, ownership 

and a host of new products, 

FXI Foamex Innovations is “really a 

new company,” said Alvaro Vaselli, 

senior vice president of foam products 

business management for the 

Media, Pa.-based company. 


FXI, then called Foamex International, 

declared bankruptcy in 

February 2009. It emerged later in 

the year under the ownership of two 

equity groups, MatlinPatterson Global 

Opportunities Partners and Black 

Diamond Capital Management. 

“We’ve been in a cost-cutting mode 

for a long time. In 2009, we rightsized 

our cost structure and consolidated 

plants,” Vaselli said. “Now we 

have zero debt. We’ve always had good 

products, but in the past we’ve carried 

debt. Being rid of that allows us to 

focus on what we’re good at: innovation.” 

Currently, the company is putting 

its efforts in research and development 

and sales and expects to hire 

nearly 20 additional people this year, 

Vaselli said. 

FXI expanded its presence at 

ISPA EXPO 2010 in Charlotte, N.C., 

and rolled out an array of new 

products, including Aerus, a line of 

patent-pending, open-cell memory 

foams, and Activus “a high-energy 

foam” with increased resiliency. The 

company also offered Altus, a soft, 

lightweight polyurethane good for 

use in quilting. 

As part of its goal of being “a 

solutions company,” FXI showed 

several concept beds at EXPO to 

give mattress manufacturers ideas 

about construction options. 

Short 

Liberty Threads gets patent 

In December, Liberty Threads 

N.A. Inc., a Winsted, Conn.based 

supplier, was awarded 

a patent from the U.S. Patent 

and Trademark Office for its 

newest thread, the Ultimate 

“K” Fire Break. The FR thread 

was developed to help mattress 

manufacturers meet the 

federal open-flame mattress 

standard, 16 CFR Part 1633. 

The sewing thread is designed 

to be used in tape-edge equipment, 

said Robert Hegan, 

Liberty Treads president. It also 

can be dyed to match mattress 

tape and ticking. 


IndustryNews 

Creative Ticking adds TioTec to its portfolio 

Creative Ticking, a division of Beverly 

Knits, in Gastonia, N.C., has introduced 

a new FR product, TioTec. 

TioTec is a patent-pending, twoin-one 

technology that “offers the 

comfort and feel of quality knitted 

ticking with a knit-in fire barrier.” It’s 

designed to provide mattress manu- 

It’s Here. Now! 

Call us to find out about exciting 

new products for the mattress industry. 


facturers with a single FR product 

that can replace FR socks, as well as 

constructions that use nonwoven FR 

barriers combined with regular ticking. 

It also is available in a TioTec Free 

version manufactured without the use 

of melamine, animony, chlorine or 

many other chemicals. 

800.533.6522 • www.springscreative.com 

The product was showcased during 

ISPA EXPO 2010 in Charlotte, N.C., 

which Jerry Pratt described as the 

relatively new company’s “coming out 

party.” Pratt is president of Creative 

Ticking. 

Parent company Beverly Knits has 

long made a variety of fabric products, 

everything from intimate 

apparel to tractor seats. 

“To stay in those businesses we 

have to invent and invest in new 

products,” said Ron Sytz, Beverly 

Knits president. “We’re bringing 

all that experience to the mattress 

ticking market.” Among other 

products Creative Ticking promoted 

during EXPO was its Classics 

and Classic Free lines of ticking. 

Shorts 

L&P ‘energizes’ winner 

Leggett & Platt’s Consumer 

Products Group, with headquarters 

in Carthage, Mo., 

has announced the winner of 

its “Energized Performance” 

weekend getaway drawing, 

held during the Las Vegas Market 

in February. Gary Trudell, 

owner of Custom Comfort 

Mattress Co. in Anaheim, Calif., 

received the golf and spa 

getaway for two. 

Sealy cuts environmental impact 

Archdale, N.C.-based mattress 

major Sealy reports that it has 

saved $1.2 million in fuel costs, 

reduced carbon dioxide emissions 

by almost 9%, saved more 

than $4 million in material costs 

and reduced manufacturing 

scrap by 650 tons since becoming 

part of Kohlberg Kravis 

Roberts & Co.’s Green Portfolio 

Program. The firm, based in 

New York, is Sealy’s majority 

owner. 


IndustryNews 

Vegas poker tourney aids autism 

second annual 

Ante4Autism poker 

tournament during the 

Las Vegas Market in February 

raised more than 

$7,000 for Autism Speaks, 

a nonprofit dedicated 

to increasing awareness, 

assisting families and 

funding research into the 

causes, prevention and treatments for autism spectrum 

disorders. 

The event was co-hosted by Joe Amato of Mattress 

Matters, Randy Coconis, Coconis Furniture; Stuart Carlitz, 

Eclipse International/Eastman House; Scott Graham 

and Jerry Williams, PMD Furniture Direct; Doug Krinsky, 

Restonic; Phil Miner, Symbol Mattress; and David 

Wachendorfer, Tempur-Pedic. 

Graham was grand champion. Charles Cadrecha of 

CCC Sales finished second and Krinsky came in third. All 

donated their winnings to Autism Speaks. 

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T he 

OnSite 

Short 

Leigh Fibers introduces SafeLeigh 

Leigh Fibers Inc. is offering 

SafeLeigh FR shoddy, which 

the company describes 

as “a cost-effective 

alternative for 

mattress manufacturers 

who 

want to meet the 

growing consumer 

demand for more environmentally 

friendly content.” 

The blend, which was introduced at ISPA EXPO 

2010 in Charlotte, N.C., contains fire-retardant aramids 

and is made from 100% recycled material. The company, 

which has headquarters in Wellford, S.C., offers 

a range of reprocessed products, including engineered 

fibers for insulator pads, polyester staples and blends 

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IndustryNews 

Anatomic Global sends team to Haiti 

Foam mattress maker Anatomic 

Global sent a small team to Haiti 

product is being received and distributed,” 

said Patrick Johnson, executive 

in March to help distribute 1,400 director of the Corona, Calif.-based 

emergency field beds and to prepare company’s WorldBed Project. “With 

for delivery of as many as 200,000 the information we gather, we’ll be 

WorldBeds. 

able to better serve the Haitian people 

“It was important to get a team on in the months to come.” 

the Thank ground Youto Adassess 3:Layout firsthand 1 how 2/22/10 the 11:52 The AM WorldBed Page 1 is a rolled, portable 

Thank You 

For visiting us at ISPA EXPO 2010 

Printed - Embroidered - Woven 

Mattress Labels 


Phone (262) 473-4242 (800) 776-7046 

Fax (262) 473-3522 (800) 776-7044 

www.ctlabels.com info@ctlabels.com 

foam bed. The company recently 

launched a Web site, 

www.worldbed.org, as part of its 

effort to educate the public and raise 

funds. 

Anatomic Global is working with 

Parakletos International, World Hope 

International and CARE to distribute 

beds. 

Brookwood Companies, Deslee 

Textiles USA, FXI Foamex Innovations 

and Royal Packaging have 

Shorts 

Serta launches HGTV-brand 

contributed Serta, with financial headquarters support. in Hoffman 

Estates, Ill., has introduced 

the HGTV Green Home Collection 

by Serta. The eco-friendly 

beds have innersprings made 

with 95% recycled steel, polyurethane 

foams with soy-based 

content and covers containing 

organic cotton and linen fiber, 

according to the company. The 

new collection is being distributed 

exclusively at BrandSource 

retailers nationwide. 

Shifman expands retail base 

Despite a tough economy, Newark, 

N.J.-based Shifman Mattresses 

said it grew its dealer base by 

23% in 2009. Sales for fourthquarter 

2009 were up 42% over 

the same period in 2008 and 

January 2009 sales were 43% 

higher than the same period a 

year earlier, according to the 

company. The manufacturer of 

luxury handmade mattresses 

attributed the growth to offering 

dealers exclusive distribution 

and creating effective co-op advertising 

programs to drive store 

traffic and increase sales. Sedlak 

Interiors, a furniture retailer 

based in Solon, Ohio, is one of 

Shifman’s newest accounts. 


Albrecht Bäumer positions itself for 2010 

Albrecht Bäumer GmbH & Co. KG, 

a fabricator of machinery, cutting 

tools and other equipment for foam 

converters, laid off 38 people at the 

beginning of the year, but says that a recent 

increase in orders has the company 

optimistic about the remainder of 2010. 

“The high number of projects we are 

currently working on tells about the 

optimism for the furniture, mattress 

and packing industries. We have noticed 

that our customers are now considering 

capital expenditures again,” 

said Harald Kullmann, sales director 

Protect-A-Bed buys 

European distributor 

protect-a-bed, a provider of 

mattress and pillow protectors 

based in Northbrook, Ill., has 

established a formal presence in 

Europe with the acquisition of 

its longtime European distributor 

Shine Capital Europe Ltd. 

Simon Zamet, former owner of 

the London-based Shine Capital, 

has been named chief executive 

officer of the newly created 

Protect-A-Bed Europe. 

“This acquisition gives Protect-A-Bed 

a direct relationship 

with valuable customers across 

Europe,” said James Bell, Protect- 

A-Bed chief executive office. 

In other news, Protect-A-Bed 

has added products to its Healthy 

Sleep Zone line. 

The Luxury Pillow System 

includes a zippered pillow that allows 

the user to adjust the amount 

of microfiber filling to her comfort 

level, as well as a protector made 

with Tencel yarns and an antibacterial, 

waterproof and dust miteproof 

Miracle Membrane barrier. 

The new QuiltGuard cotton 

mattress pad is a fitted-sheet 

protector with a cotton surface and 

Miracle Membrane. 


of the company, which has headquarters 

in Freudenberg, Germany. 

After the reduction in work force, the 

company “is well positioned now for the 

future with a lean, more efficient and 

flexible working practice. That is how 

we will be able to meet our customers’ 

requirements better than ever before,” 

said President Helmut Kritzler. 

The company hopes to grow its market 

share in China, India, North Africa 

and Russia. 

Also, Bäumer of America has new 

leadership. Philipp Schuster, part of the 

family ownership team, took the helm 

of the subsidiary this month. 


IndustryNews 

Simmons’ Charlotte plant praised for safety 

Mattress manufacturer Simmons 

Bedding Co. reports that its facil- 

ity in Charlotte, N.C., is a participant 

in the Safety and Health Achievement 

Recognition Program for the third 

consecutive time. 

SHARP, a program of the U.S. Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration, 

recognizes companies that provide 

an exemplary safety and health management 

environment for employees. 

“Recertification of SHARP makes 

a serious statement about a company’s 

dedication to employee safety,” said 

Jonathan Dawe, director of safety, 

health, wellness and workers’ compensation 

for the Atlanta-based company. “To 

reach this stage takes a meaningful and 

ongoing commitment to creating and 

maintaining a safe work environment 

for all our employees. You’ll find the 


same culture of safety that is present at 

our Charlotte plant at every Simmons 

facility.” 

SHARP participants invite OSHA 

into the workplace for a consultation 

during which all hazards are identified 

and corrected. 

The site’s workplace injuries and time 

Short 

lost due to injuries must be below the 

national average. 

The Charlotte facility has gone more 

than 780 days without a recordable safety 

incident. During 2008 and 2009, the 

plant had no recordable incidents. 

Simmons credits the facility’s successes 

to its comprehensive safety program. 

Hollandia offers more affordable TV bed 

Manufacturer and retailer Hollandia International, 

which is based in Sderot, Israel, has added a new 

entry price point to its Platinum-Luxe collection of 

TV beds. The upholstered bed frame of The View bed 

contains a retractable flat-screen television in its foot 

board. The View holds a Talalay latex mattress and has a suggested retail 

price of $8,840 in queen size with a flat foundation; $12,000 with an 

adjustable base. The step-up beds in the collection start at $20,000. 

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customers polled 

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Contact us today to learn more 

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polyurethane and latex 

foams solution. 

Learn more at archbiocides.com or call 800.491.8375 


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ISPANews 

Chairman: Going it alone won’t help industry 

‘Collectively we are an incredible force of talent, intellect & business savvy’ 

Editor’s note At the recent ISPA EXPO 

2010 in Charlotte, N.C., ISPA Chairman 

Don Wright updated members of 

the International Sleep Products Association 

about the association’s efforts on 

several fronts: advocacy, sustainability, 

statistics and the Better Sleep Council. 

Wright, chairman and chief marketing 

officer for industry supplier Wright of 

Thomasville, also used his comments to 

rally members of the bedding industry 

to work together. Following is part of his 

speech, edited and condensed for print. 

In my first week on the job as 

chairman of this association, I 

was asked by a reporter, “Why 

ISPA?” There I was, faced with a 

question I wasn’t expecting: “Why 

does the mattress industry need an 

association?” 

Initially, my response was somewhat 

programmed and sort of fluffy: 

“Because it has always been that way. 

Because it is a good thing.” However, 

in the past seven months as chairman, 

I have had the pleasure of 

refining my answer from a front-line 

perspective. 

Why does the industry need an 

association? 

I love analogies. The best one I 

have been able to draw is that ISPA 

is much like a peloton in the Tour 

de France—that big bicycle race that 

runs for three weeks, covers 2,200 

miles and has been won a bunch of 

times by a Texan who once battled 

cancer. 

I may not look like a bicycle 

racer but I do participate in several 

races each year. I love a long, tough 

bicycle race—100-plus miles of 

incredible effort, the feel of the wind 

in my face, my legs pumping out a 

steady rhythm. And I love exerting 

tremendous energy while shoulder 


to shoulder with others racing toward 

one goal: Get to the finish line. 

How does this relate to an industry 

association? Let me explain. 

A peloton is the main group of 

bicyclists in a race, riding side by 

side, front wheel to back wheel. 

They are competitors, all trying to 

win the race, yet working together 

against a common hindrance—the 

wind. 

In our mattress industry race, the 

common goal is to improve people’s 

sleep—and sell new beds. The winds 

working against us come from many 

directions. 

There are the crosswinds of sexier, 

more aspirational products that steal 

consumers’ attention away from 

the value and importance of a good 

night’s sleep. The Better Sleep Council 

helps us divert those crosswinds. 

The headwind of big government 

makes our jobs harder through taxation 

and regulations that add to the 

cost of doing business. I won’t go on 

a tangent and explain the obvious 

correlation to politicians and hot air, 

but I will remind you that all of your 

teammates are working together in 

the areas of advocacy and regulatory 

reform. 

As Tour de France legend Lance 

Armstrong has noted, it’s almost 

impossible to be on the race course 

alone. The peloton gives riders a 30% 

gain in efficiency against the wind. 

Being part of the peloton is the only 

way you stand a chance of winning 

the race. 

All of us are trying to win for our 

individual teams, but our association 

peloton—made up of manufacturers, 

suppliers and retailers—is working 

collectively to share the burden of 

splitting the wind. 

The mattress industry employs 

about 110,000 workers in the United 

States. Mattress retail sales are about 

$12 billion annually. Annual payrolls 

are roughly $2 billion. We make our 

products in more than 700 facilities 

spread across the country—in almost 

every state and in most congressional 

districts. It’s critical to remember that 

politicians respond to two things— 

money in the form of contributions 

and numbers of voters. 

To me, that is the reason for an 

association. Our peloton can be a 

major, unified voice in Washington, 

D.C. Individually, we represent some 

powerful companies and we compete 

among ourselves. But collectively 

we are an incredible force of 

talent, intellect and business savvy. 

Thank you for entrusting the 

ISPA leadership and staff to ride at 

the front of this industry’s peloton. 

With the wind in our faces and 

the strength of your participation 

behind us, we can attack any headwinds. 

BT 


NewsMakers 

Natura World promotes Miller 

Cambridge, OntariO-based mattress and sleep accessories 

manufacturer Natura World has promoted Scott Miller 

to executive vice president of U.S. sales, a newly created 

position. He continues to manage the company’s 

U.S. sales force and reports to President Ralph Rossdeutscher. 

Since joining Natura in 2008, Miller has been 

responsible for identifying and developing a number 

of initiatives, including the acquisition of NexGel and 

MediWedge. He also orchestrated Natura’s launch of 

its GreenSpring innerspring line and currently leads 

the charge in developing a line of Sharper Image mattresses. 

Before joining Natura, Miller was senior vice president 

of sales at International Bedding Co. and a corporate 

vice president at Simmons Bedding Co. 

“Scott’s exceptional performance and leadership 

have fostered a strong and dynamic team across the 

United States,” Rossdeutscher said. “This promotion is a 

result of Scott’s significant contributions to Natura and 

his ability to act strategically.” 

Mattress maker Anatomic Global 

has named Patrick Johnson executive 

director of its WorldBed initiative 

to aid Haitians displaced by 


the catastrophic Jan. 12 earthquake 

near Port-au-Prince. The company’s 

goal is to raise $7.4 million to facilitate 

the delivery of 200,000 beds 

Comfort Solutions 

names Zupkus to 

chief finance post 

M attress 

licensing group Comfort 

Solutions, which has headquarters 

in Willowbrook, Ill., has appointed 

Vincent Zupkus senior vice 

Vincent Zupkus 

president and chief financial officer. 

Previously, he served as senior vice president of finance for 

the former Spring Air Co., which he first joined in 1996 as 

corporate controller. Prior to that, he served as controller 

for several wholesale distributors of consumer products and 

spent nearly a decade with a Chicago-area public accounting 

firm. 

“Vince brings a wealth of both financial management 

practice and mattress industry experience at a time when 

Comfort Solutions is seeing significant gains in sales and 

market share,” said Dave Roberts, Comfort Solutions president 

and chief operating officer. 

Zupkus is based at the company’s headquarters and 

reports to Roberts. 

Anatomic Global appoints WorldBed director 

Short 

Sutton leaving ISPA for Entomological Society 

Debi Sutton has announced her resignation from 

the International Sleep Products Association to lead 

membership and marketing efforts at the Entomological 

Society of America. Sutton joined ISPA in 2001, most 

recently serving as vice president of marketing and 

member services. The Entomological Society serves the 

professional and scientific needs of 6,000 entomologists 

and others in related disciplines. Sutton begins 

Debi Sutton 

her new job in early April. ”Everyone on the ISPA staff 

and our many members who have had the pleasure of working with Debi 

will sorely miss the skills she brought to her job, her sense of humor and 

team spirit. We wish her the best of luck,” said Ryan Trainer, ISPA executive 

vice president and general counsel. 

to the country. Anatomic Global is 

based in Corona, Calif. 

Johnson will focus on strategic 

growth opportunities and oversee 

fund-raising efforts. He has more 

than 25 years of experience in 

manufacturing and business development. 

He previously was chief 

executive officer of Pro-Dex Inc. 

Prior to that, Johnson held positions 

at Sybron Dental, Tycom Dental and 

Dabico Inc. 

“I really see it as a calling to use 

my leadership and business skills in 

such a way that it can make a difference 

to so many people in need,” 

Johnson said. 

WorldBed is a rolled, portable 

foam sleep surface. Anatomic Global 

originally designed, manufactured 

and delivered 3,000 of the beds to 

victims of Hurricane Katrina along 

the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005. 


Find the Products and Services 

You Need in the 

BEDTIMES SUPPLIES GUIDE 

ISPA’s online BedTimes Supplies Guide provides mattress industry professionals around the world 

with targeted and relevant search results in a comprehensive directory of industry-specific products and 

services. Search by keyword or category specific searches to find the products you need quickly and easily 

without the irrelevant clutter of general internet search engines. 

Visit www.BedTimesSuppliesGuide.com today! 

ISPA: 703-683-8371 · www.sleepproducts.org

UpClose 

‘Fate’ returns Robinson to Spring Air 

New president excited by challenges of reinvigorating company 

By Dorothy Whitcomb 

It may seem that Rick Robinson is a 

risk taker. After all, his current job is 

reigniting the Spring Air brand after 

the collapse of its corporate ownership 

structure and the closure of its corporate 

factories in late spring 2009. But 

Robinson wouldn’t describe himself 

exactly that way. 

“I believe in taking educated risks,” 

he says. “If you believe in what you’re 

doing, then it’s not really a risk.” 

And Robinson believes in Spring Air. 

“For 83 years, Spring Air was a local 

brand leader,” he says. “There’s nothing 

wrong with Spring Air as a brand. It was 

just the wrong business model at the 

wrong time.” 

Robinson knows of what he speaks. 

From 2005 through 2006, he was senior 

vice president of marketing for Consolidated 

Bedding, the Tampa, Fla.-based 

entity that eventually rolled up most of 

the Spring Air licensees to take control 

of the brand. Prior to that, he served for 

eight years as president of Nature’s Rest, 

which was later sold to Spring Air. 

Robinson and Ed Bates share a vision 

for Spring Air’s future. Bates acquired 

three closed Spring Air factories and 

purchased Spring Air’s intellectual and 

personal property, inventory and global 

rights to the brand in order to relaunch 

the company. 

“We want the company to be locally 

and consumer-focused,” Robinson says. 

“Spring Air is not going to be defined by 

spring units, but by what the consumer 

wants.” 

Robinson, who began selling mattresses 

to work his way through college, 

has more than 25 years of industry experience 

to apply to realizing that vision. 

He moved to the manufacturing side 

of the business at 27 when the late Roy 

Unger, then president of Serta, created 

one of the industry’s first national sales 


➤ Bio in brief 

Name Rick Robinson 

Company Spring Air International 

Title President 

Location Boston 

Age 54 

Education In 1977, Robinson 

earned a bachelor’s degree in 

broadcast communication from 

Youngstown State University in 

Youngstown, Ohio. 

Family Robinson and his wife, 

Catherine, have been married for 

seven years. He has two adult 

sons by an earlier marriage. 

trainer positions and hired Robinson 

to fill it. Within five years, Robinson 

had risen to vice president of national 

accounts. 

His career advancement was not 

without costs, however. Robinson aver- 

Wanting time to slow down ‘I 

would like to travel and actually 

see the places that I’ve only seen 

from hotels and airports,’ says 

Spring Air International President 

Rick Robinson. 

aged 200 days annually on the road 

for more than a decade, a pace that 

ultimately caught up with his first 

marriage and with him. 

“At 36, I was burned out and 

resigned from Serta,” he says. “I 

opened three mattress stores in 

Atlanta and then learned that I 

was never meant for retail.” After 

18 months, he sold the stores and 

joined Restonic as vice president of 

sales and marketing. 

Robinson spent three years there 

and then decided it was time to put 

his career second and his growing 

sons first. A move to Miami—“so 

I could be home for my kids,” he 

says—took him into consulting 

and gave him a more predictable 

lifestyle. It also positioned him for 

what would become one of the most 

rewarding parts of his career. 

Robinson sees his time leading 

Nature’s Rest—a job that grew out of 

a joint venture between two companies 

he consulted for—as the most of 


exciting for him professionally. 

“I became enamored with alternative 

sleep products and loved growing 

that company,” he says. 

In 2000, Nature’s Rest became 

part of Spring Air and so did Rick 

Robinson. The relationship continued 

for another six years until 

the mergers that gave Consolidated 

Bedding control of the brand also 

resulted in Robinson losing his job. 

It was the first time since he 

started working that he was out of a 

job and it felt terrible. But the feeling 

didn’t last long. Seven hours after 

leaving Spring Air, he says, he landed 

a consulting position with Australian 

bedding producer A.H. Beard and 

soon after, he became the company’s 

chief marketing officer. 

It’s what happened next that really 

puts a smile on Robinson’s face. 

“Three years from the day that 


I exited Spring Air, I came back as 

president,” he says. “It felt like fate.” 

An ongoing struggle Robinson 

describes himself as “extremely introverted.” 

“When I did sales training, I 

memorized names because it helped me 

get over my fear of standing in front of a 

group of people,” he says. “I’m good one 

on one and in small groups, but I feel 

lost in large groups of people.” 

The value of a team Robinson says he 

operates best in a team environment. 

“The quality and passion of the team I 

work with now is very satisfying, personally 

as well as professionally,” he says. 

A fresh set of eyes In 2006, Robinson 

worked in Australia as chief marketing 

officer for A.H. Beard. Living outside the 

United States gave him new perspective. 

“I wish Americans could see themselves 

through international eyes,” he says. “We 

really don’t understand other countries 

very well and we waste so much.” 

Winning words Do you think of 

Scrabble as a nice game to play occasionally 

with the kids? Not Robinson. 

He plays Scrabble in tournaments and 

is ranked as a world-class player. 

Dreams deferred “My life has been 

work, work, work. I would like to travel 

and actually see the places that I’ve 

only seen from hotels and airports. I’d 

also love to be able to play a musical 

instrument.” 

Cherished possession “I have a 

picture in my wallet of my kids when 

they were 4 and 6 years old,” he says. “I 

love looking at it and would probably 

go nuts if I lost it.” BT 


Classifieds 

For Sale 

TAPE-EDGE MACHINES, MULTINEEDLE AND SINGLE- 

NEEDLE QUILTERS, long-arm label machines, sergers, etc. 

Contact Victor LeBron, American Plant and Equipment. 

Phone 864-574-0404; Fax 864-576-7204; 

Cell 864-590-1700; Email apesales@charterinternet.com; 

Web www.americanplantandequipment.com. 

REBUILT AND RECONDITIONED MULTINEEDLE 

QUILTING MACHINES. Specializing in PATHE precision 

parts and service. Technical consultants. SEDCO. 

Phone 201-567-7141; Fax 201-567-5515. 

TAPE-EDGE MACHINES, QUILTERS & MISCELLANEOUS 

SEWING MACHINES. Contact Frank Carlino, U.S. Mattress 

Machinery. Phone 815-795-6942; Fax 815-795-2178; 

Email usmattmach@hotmail.com. 

EMCO COMPUSTITCH QUILTER WITH QUILT RACk 

and Catwalk and Gribetz cutter. Also: 

➤ National serger and Table 1 

➤ Union Special serger and Table 2 

➤ Porter 1000 serger and table 

➤ Porter tape-edge 

➤ Many other miscellaneous items. Call Troy at 815-343-9984. 

Pacific Spring Inc. 

An American company 

importing springs 

from Cambodia 

6.5” H 312 Bonnel units 

7” H 336 Bonnel units 

8” H pocket units 

Pacific Spring Inc. 

Victor Nguyen, VP of Marketing & Sales 

6418 E. Washington Blvd. 

Commerce Ca. 90040 

Tel: (626) 272-8882 • Fax: (626) 226-4166 

Email: pacificspring@ymail.com 


Employment Opportunities 

GRIBETz INTERNATIONAL SEEkS A SENIOR-LEVEL 

ADVISER to provide technical phone support. Ideal candidate 

will have 3-5 years in a tech support capacity or engineering 

experience. Strong electronic, mechanical and software 

diagnostic skills required. Must read mechanical drawings, 

schematics and software code. Quilter equipment a plus but 

not a necessity. Bilingual a plus. Limited travel may be required. 

Compensation package commensurate with experience. Send 

resume to Bob Daly, Gribetz International, 13800 N.W. 

Fourth St., Sunrise, FL 33325 or email bob.daly@gribetz.com. 

Seeking Employment 

MULTINEEDLE QUILTER SPECIALIST 

➤ Electronics & mechanical 

➤Servo drives, motors, computers & PLC’s 

➤Retainer drive upgrade 

➤Re-timing eccentrics 

➤Training 101 operations 

➤Stitching problems 

Call 772-607-1851 or email lenonramroop@yahoo.com. 

Licensing Opportunities 

WELL-kNOWN MANUFACTURER OF MATTRESSES 

AND SOFT FURNISHINGS is seeking a licensing 

arrangement or joint venture with a reputable worldwide 

mattress manufacturer, preferably based in the United States 

or Europe. We are headquartered in Oman and have been 

operating in countries in the Middle East for eight years. 

If interested, please email your company information to 

satyamurthyv@gmail.com. 

Place your classified ad today! 

Reach mattress industry professionals around the 

world with your advertising message through the Bed- 

Times Classifieds. Rates: $3 per word for the first 100 

words and $2.50 thereafter; minimum charge of $75. 

“Blind” box number: $50 per insertion. 

Ad copy and payment must be received by the first of 

the month preceding publication. 

Send ads and payment to BedTimes Classifieds, 501 

Wythe St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1917. 

Contact Debbie Robbins, advertising production manager. 

Phone 336-342-4217; Fax 336-342-4116; 

Email drobbins@sleepproducts.org. 


Calendar 

April 

April 13-17 

Mobitex 

Venue Exhibition Centre Brno 

Brno, Czech Republic 

Phone 420-541-152-520 

mobitex@bvv.cz 

www.bvv.cz/mobitex-gb 

April 14-19 

Salone Internazionale del Mobile 

Milan Fairgrounds 

Milan, Italy 

info@cosmit.it 

www.cosmit.it 

April 17-22 


International Home Furnishings 

Center & other locations 

High Point, N.C., U.S. 

Phone 336-869-1000 

dawn@highpointmarket.org 

www.highpointmarket.org 

MAy 

May 12-15 

Interzum Moscow/ 

Interkomplekt 2010 

Crokus Expo Exhibition Centre 

Moscow 

Phone 49-221-821-2932 

m.zoellig@koelnmesse.de 

www.interzummoscow.com 

Moscow in May Interzum Moscow/ 

Interkomplekt 2010 will be May 12-15 

at the Crokus Expo Exhibition Centre. 

May 18-20 

The Hotel Show 

Dubai World Trade Center 

Dubai 

Phone 971-4-438-0355 

raytinston@ 

dmgworldmedia.com 

www.thehotelshow.com 

August 

Aug. 2-6 

Las Vegas Market 

World Market Center 

Las Vegas, Nev., U.S. 

Phone 888-416-8600 

info@lasvegasmarket.com 

www.worldmarketcenter.com 

Aug. 20-22 

Tupelo Furniture Market 

Mississippi & Tupelo complexes 

Tupelo, Miss., U.S. 

Phone 662-842-4442 

tfm@tupelofurnituremarket.com 

www.tupelofurnituremarket.com 

septeMber 

Sept. 6-9 

China International Furniture Fair 

China Import & Export 

Fair Complex 

Guangzhou, China 

Phone 86-20-2608-0427 

ciff@fairwindow.com.cn 

www.ciff-gz.com 

Sept. 16-19 

ZOW Istanbul: International 

Exhibition of Components 

& Accessories for the 

Furniture Industry 

Instanbul Expo Center 

Istanbul, Turkey 

Phone 90-212-3249610 

info@zow.com.tr 

www.zow.com.tr 

OCtOber 

October 16-21 


International Home Furnishings 

Center & other locations 

High Point, N.C., U.S. 

Phone 336-869-1000 

dawn@highpointmarket.org 

www.highpointmarket.org 

Choose bedding 

products with 

Alessandra ® 

Yarns. 

Experience the softer side of 

flame-resistant performance. 

Rely on Alessandra 

Yarns to develop FR 

bedding products that 

stand out in your 

market – and stand up 

to heat and flame. 

• Customized yarn blends 

from 10/1 cc to 26/1 cc. 

• For knit and woven FR 

fabrics used in mattress 

sleeves, barriers and 

decorative covers. 

TNC Global, Inc. 

336.668.7060 

sales@alessandrayarns.com 

www.alessandrayarns.com 

Alessandra ® is a registered 

trademark of Sumlin Holdings, Inc. 

www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes BedTimes | April 2010 | 85

AdvertisersIndex 

A. Lava & Son Co. 46 

Steve Appelbaum 

800-777-5282 

(800-777-LAVA) 

www.alavason.com 

AFT Corp. 21 

Rick Brumfield 

800-631-1930 

Alessandra Yarns 85 

Jorman Fields 

336-668-7060 

www.alessandrayarns.com 

Arch Chemicals 76 

Tom Robitaille 

770-315-2646 

www.archbiocides.com 

Atlanta Attachment C2-1, 47 

Co. Inc. 

Hank Little 

770-963-7369 

www.atlatt.com 

Baron Styles 87 

Dave Williams 

262-473-7331 

www.baronstyles.com 

Bäumer of America & Albrecht Bäumer 24 

GmbH & Co. KG 

Terry Borchard 

973-263-1569 

www.baumerofamerica.com 

Philipp Schuster 

49-2734-289-211 

www.baeumer.de 

Bekaert Textiles USA Inc. 45 

Brandon Wells 

336-769-4300 

www.bekaerttextiles.com 

Bloomingburg Spring 83 

& Wire Form 

Vickie Schwarm 

740-437-7614 

www.bloomingburgspring.com 

BLR 62 

Martin Leroux 

819-877-2092 

www.blrlumber.com 

Boyteks Tekstil AS 30-31 

M. Nebi Dogan 

90-533-685-6041 

www.boyteks.com 

Chicago Tape & Label 74 

Kristy Enger 

262-473-0323 

www.ctlabels.com 


Creative Ticking 19 

Jerry Pratt 

704-861-1536 

www.beverlyknits.com 

CT Nassau 51 

Taber Wood 

800-397-0090 

www.ctnassau.com 

Deslee Textiles NV 57 

Bart Dehaerne 

864-472-2180, Ext. 108 

www.desleeclama.com 

Diamond Needle Corp. 83 

Abe Silberstein 

800-221-5818 

www.diamondneedle.com 

Dow Polyurethanes 23 

Umberto Torresan 

989-638-7832 

www.dowpolyurethanes.com 

Eclipse International/ 65 

Eastman House 

Stuart Carlitz 

800-634-8434 

Jerry Gershaw 

561-542-4490 

www.eclipsemattress.com 

www.eastmanhousemattress.com 

Edgewater Machine Co. Inc. 27 

Roy Schlegel 

718-539-8200 

www.edgewatermachine.com 

Enkev 14 

Marc Dokter 

31-299-364355 

www.enkev.com 

Enriquez Materials 69 

& Quilting Inc. 

Silvia Enriquez 

323-725-4955 

www.enriquezquilting.com 

FXI Foamex Innovations 29 

Fred Natrin 

610-744-2148 

www.foamex.com 

Global Systems Group C3 

Russ Bowman 

954-846-0300 

www.gsgcompanies.com 

Hengchang Machinery Factory 52 

Belinda Lau 

769-83307931 

www.hcjixie.com 

Herculite Products 71 

Leslie Haddad 

717-764-1192 

www.herculite.com 

Hickory Springs Mfg. Co. 2 

Rick Anthony 

828-328-2201 

www.hickorysprings.com 

Ideal Quilting Inc. 75 

Nick Rossini 

416-748-8402 

www.idealquilting.com 

John Marshall & Co. Ltd. 39 

Peter Crone 

64-3-341-2004 

www.joma.co.nz 

Jomel Industries Inc. 68 

Phil Iuliano 

973-282-0300 

www.jomel.net 

Kenn Spinrad Inc. 87 

Randy Weinstock 

800-373-0944 

www.spinrad.net 

Latex Systems 35 

Kitti Charoenpornpanichkul 

66-2-326-0886, Ext. 204 

www.latexsystem.com 

Lava Textiles USA Inc. 61 

Ann Weaver 

864-998-4892 

www.lavatextiles.com 

Leigh Fibers Inc. 10 

Parris Hicks-Chernez 

864-949-5615 

www.leighfibers.com 

Liberty Threads 16 

Robert Hegan 

860-379-2920 

Maxime Knitting 8 

Lorne Romoff 

514-336-0445, Ext. 27 

514-265-8782 

www.maximeknitting.com 

Middleburg Yarn Processing Co. Inc. 64 

Howard Reese 

570-374-1284, Ext. 210 

Natura World 12 

Michael Pino 

908-410-1257 

www.naturaworld.com 

New England Needles Inc. 43 

Thomas Lees 

800-243-3158 

www.newenglandneedles.com 

OHM Systems Inc. 76 

Catherine Anbil 

513-771-0008 

www.ohmworld.com 


Outlast Technologies Inc. 11 

Guy Eckard 

610-925-3243 

www.outlast.com 

Pacific Spring Inc. 84 

Victor Nguyen 

626-272-8882 

P.T. RubberFoam Indonesia 25 

Andreas Janssen 

62-21-53662190 

www.rubberfoam.co.id 

Quilting Inc. 20 

Mark Gibney 

800-358-0153 

www.quiltinginc.com 

Richard Pieris 15 

Januka Jayanaga 

94-114622268 

www.arpico.com 

SABA North America LLC 4 

Jim Turner 

810-824-4964 

www.saba-adhesives.com 


Simalfa 67 

Darren Gilmore 

973-423-9266 

www.simalfa.com 

Springs Creative Products Group 70 

George Booth 

803-324-6505 

www.springscreative.com 

Starsprings International 66 

Kai Christensen 

46-513-17800 

www.starsprings.com 

Stellini Textile Group 78 

Valentino Stellini 

02-97285635 

www.stellinigroup.com 

Sweet Dreams (Nelson) Ltd. 6 

Riaz Ahmed 

44-1282-830033 

www.sweetdreamsuk.com 

Therapedic International 55 

Gerry Borreggine 

800-314-4433 

www.therapedic.com 

Tietex International Ltd. C4 

Wade Wallace 

800-843-8390 

www.tietex.com 

Transfer Master Products 53 

Aaron Goldsmith 

563-864-7674 

www.transfermaster.com 

Vertex Fasteners Inc. 59 

Tom Fowler 

847-329-8530 

www.vertexfasteners.com 

Vintex 37 

Customer Service 

800-846-8399 

www.vintex.com 

Vita Nonwovens 77 

Dennis St. Louis 

336-431-7187 

www.vitausa.com 

Wright of Thomasville 72 

Area Account Executive 

800-678-9019 

www.wrightlabels.com 


TheLastWord 

Green Idea 

Don’t undo your own 

energy-saving efforts 

when a new brand of 

cookIes and treats called 

SnackWell came on the 

market in the 1990s, 

nutritionists discovered 

something interesting: 

Dieters who choose 

low-fat and low-sugar 

foods tend to eat more 

of them—and ultimately 

consume more 

calories—than if they 

select full-fat, full-sugar 

versions. 

According to an 

article in the March 

1 edition of Time magazine, a similar thing 

happens when people start using energysaving 

devices. 

“Studies indicate that people who install 

more energy-efficient lights lose 5% to 12% 

of the expected savings by leaving them on 

longer,” the article says. 

Make sure you and your employees aren’t 

doing similarly counterproductive things in 

your facilities. As the article says, “Cutting 

back on energy consumption, like dieting, 

is not an excuse to gorge ourselves on less 

guilty pleasures.” 

No more pillows past their prime 

If there’s one Item In the bedroom people thInk less often about replacIng than their mattress, it might very well be their pillow. The 

Company Store, a catalog and online retailer based in Weehawken, N.J., does big business in pillows, in 

part because it makes choosing one so easy. 

The Company Store groups its offerings by quality (good, better, best, supreme, ultimate) and by 

firmness/sleep style (soft pillows/stomach sleeper, medium pillows/back sleeper, firm pillows/side 

sleeper). 

It also provides consumers with tips—and a demonstration video—to help 

them determine if their pillow does, in fact, need replacing. The Company Store 

sums it up this way: “Ultimately, the best test is comfort. If your down pillow is 

no longer soft and comfortable, it’s time for a change.” Good advice 

when it comes to pillows—and mattresses. 


Daring to fail 

try as we mIght, we all face professIonal faIlure. We create a product 

that no one wants to buy, we don’t have the right skill set for a 

certain job or we lose a major customer to a competitor. 

Wired magazine recently tackled the subject of “screwing 

up.” Writer Jonah Lehrer offered these ideas for learning from 

failure so you can succeed the 

next time: 

1Check your assumptions 

“Ask yourself why this result 

feels like a failure. What theory 

does it contradict? Maybe the 

hypothesis failed, not the 

experiment.” 

2Seek out the ignorant 

“Talk to people who 

are unfamiliar with your 

experiment. Explaining 

your work in simple terms 

may help you see it in a new light.” 

3Encourage diversity “If everyone 

working on a problem speaks the 

same language, then everyone has the 

same set of assumptions.” 

4Beware of failure-blindness “It’s 

normal to filter out information that 

contradicts our preconceptions. The 

only way to avoid that bias is to be 

aware of it.” 


Contact your GSG representative to learn more about new equipment from 

ISPA Expo and find out how the addition of Galkin Automated Products can 

benefit you. 

800-326-4742 954-846-0300 www.gsgcompanies.com 

Thank you for making ISPA 

EXPO 2010 one of the most 

successful trade shows 

we’ve ever experienced. 

The entire GSG staff enjoyed 

visiting with each of you that 

could attend and we plan to 

continue sharing all the new 

products in the near future. 

Global Systems Group is also 

pleased to welcome another 

team member to the 

GSG line up; 

Galkin Automated Products. 

The desirable machines and 

technology of Galkin Automated 

Products will strengthen and 

diversify the machinery choices 

GSG can provide. 

That means even 

more value for you!

eco fabrics 

cottons 

prints 

jacquards 

Our world wasn’t created in black and white. polyesters 

M A T T R E S S S O L U T I O N S 

blends 

stitchbonds 

warp knits 

filler cloths. 

Tietex International Ltd., 3010 North Blackstock Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29301, Ph. 864.574.0500, Fax 864.574.9490, www.tietex.com

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