Beds Issue 11 Jan 2017

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z DESIGN z MANUFACTURE z RETAIL z

z IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY z DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

January 2017 ISSUE 11

z TARGETING MILLENNIALS z EXHIBITION ADVICE HIGHGATE BEDS ZERO GRAVITY 3000

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beds

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

z DESIGN z MANUFACTURE z RETAIL z

Keely Portway, Editor

Editor - Keely Portway email: keely@cabinet-maker.co.uk

Welcome to the first issue of Beds Magazine of 2017. I hope you enjoyed the Christmas holiday and have come back to work ready to take on everything that 2017 has to throw at you.

If you’re anything like me, it can be something of a struggle when that alarm announces the start of the first day back at work, especially if you’ve become accustomed to the weekday lie-ins and late nights socialising that the festive season inevitably brings. You may well be casting your eyes over this right now, thinking wistfully of your own bed.

For the majority of us, of course, the bleary-eyed post-Christmas slump quickly passes as we re-acquaint ourselves with our daily routine and return to normal eating, (drinking) and sleeping patterns. However, as we are all too aware, there are many people out there for whom tiredness is a semi-permanent state.

The results of a study into sleep by not-for-profit research organisation Rand Europe were published towards the end of last year. The report, entitled Why Sleep Matters – The Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep – found that the main impact from lack of sleep was on health, with people who sleep less than six hours a night having a 13% higher chance of dying early than people who achieve seven to nine hours. Lack of sleep was also found to have an economic impact, with sleep-deprived workers costing the UK economy around £40bn a year.

In addition, bed manufacturer Sealy and Loughborough University’s Clinical Sleep Research Unit (CSRU) teamed up to conduct a global online sleep census with key findings showing that UK men lose 28 minutes of sleep a night, and women 56. In fact, some 77% of British respondents said they fail to wake up refreshed and well-rested each day.

Thankfully, there are a good deal of organisations and people doing some great work in this area, and in our day-to-day work we are fortunate enough to get to speak to them and report on the latest developments.

In this edition of Beds magazine for example, you can find out the latest from some of the industry’s best-known sleep experts, and discover how some businesses are actively using technology to promote healthy sleep. We also have up to the minute news on industry partnerships, sales opportunities, production processes and of course, plans for the upcoming January Furniture Show, at which 44% of participants in our recent online industry poll said they were interested in seeing beds.

They’re not the only ones. The Beds Magazine team is looking forward to making its way to Birmingham to see all of the great and good on offer across the whole of the industry – just a fortnight of sleeps left to go!

Associate Editor - Jan Turner email: jan@akapr.co.uk News Editor - Dan Squires email: dan@cabinet-maker.co.uk Graphic Design - Zoe Andrews email: zoe@cabinet-maker.co.uk Sales executive - Kacem Ellabbar 01223 846825 kacem@cabinet-maker.co.uk Publisher - Chris Manning email: chris@cabinet-maker.co.uk Issue no 0011 published by Information Publications Ltd, 1 Grain House, Mill Court, Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire CB22 5LD VAT No: GB 945225521 Managing Director: Debbie Johnson © Information Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted.

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

by Information Publications Ltd in good faith.

ISSN pending Registered as a Newspaper at the Post Office.

Keely Portway Editor

Editorial Advisory Panel Tony Stuart-Brown Airsprung Shakeel Baig Bodyease Jim Gerety Vispring

Terry Bridger Kaymed

Peter Ruddle Simmons Bedding Group Richard Naylor Steinhoff UK Beds Lisa Artis NBF/Sleep Council

BEDS | DESIGN | MANUFACTURE | RETAIL

Justine Haywood CPS

Fara Butt Shire Beds

beds

z DESIGN z MANUFACTURE z RETAIL z

Simon Williams NBF/Sleep Council

Chris France Leggett & Platt

z IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY z DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

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ISSUE 11 JANUARY 2017

Nick Booth Silentnight

January 2017 ISSUE 11

z TARGETING MILLENNIALS z EXHIBITION ADVICE HIGHGATE BEDS ZERO GRAVITY 3000

www.highgatebeds.com

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CONTENTSS NBF BEDXIT

Challenge or opportunity?

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CHICKEN OR EGG?

What comes first – the look of a bed or its comfort levels?

EXPERT ARTICLE

David Strover, trading standards manager at West Yorkshire Trading Standards.

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FEATURE

TIME FOR BED

PANDORA’S BOX

The latest views on the online mattress scene.

ONLINE COMES OF AGE

Catching up with the winners of the 2016 Bed Retailer of The Year Award.

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News

KNOWLEDGE IS SALES

The latest news from the bed industry

Key industry insights and the ‘Introduction to Beds’ training module.

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WASTE MATTERS

Night Patrol

Feedback from the European Bedding Industry Association (EBIA) on the question of discarded mattresses.

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Products With Steve Freeman.

VOR SPRUNG BED TECHNIK

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Why, compared to Germany, the English market is a relative bed of roses.

SELLING THE DREAM

How the industry is reinventing itself as an authority on sleep – and how that pans out in practice.

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MANUFACTURING

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PUT OUT THE RISKS

The latest fire statistics and how to minimize the risks.

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LAW AND ORDER

The legal requirements in relation to the bed industry.

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TIME FOR BED

Vogue Beds’ plans for the January Furniture Show.

TECH 56 TALKING Protect A Bed’s latest launch, in time for the NEC.

RETAIL

THE PRODUCT IN PRODUCTIVITY

SO, WHY SHOW?

How MPT Group is helping manufacturers improve quality and turnaround times.

Sweet Dreams’ Nick Williams asks the question.

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NEW PARTNERSHIP SPRINTS TO THE FINISH LINE The latest on Sealy’s World of Sport campaign.

LAUNCH PAD

How Silentnight has launched its Studio brand to Millennials.

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THE SIMPLE SELL

The lowdown on TCS Imports’ new partnership with Duvalay.

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NEWS Bensons for Beds to open new Manchester store Specialist bed retail chain Bensons for Beds has confirmed it plans to open a new store in Manchester.

The retailer, which has over 270 stores nationwide, will take up a unit on the newly revamped White City Retail Park in Old Trafford.

Bensons for Beds has agreed a 10 year lease for a 8,900sq ft unit at the site on Chester Road with the Derwent Group, which has recently undergone a £6.5m redevelopment project.

The move follows other news that furniture retailer Multiyork is set to open a store on the retail park this month, which joins Oak Furniture Land, Furniture Village, Dreams and Sofology.

w www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk

Highgrove sales surpass £20m milestone West Yorkshire headquartered mattress manufacturer Highgrove Beds has maintained its rapid growth as sales surpass £20m.

According to its latest filed results for the year ended 31 December 2015, turnover grew by 24.8% to £20.6m from £16.5m in 2014, the company’s third straight reported growth in revenue.

Gross profit also registered an uptick of 12.8% to £4.4m from £3.9m, whilst pre-tax profit for the period resulted in £2.1m, slightly down from its recorded pre-tax profit of £2.8m last year – primarily due to its new site investment but was ‘in line with expectations’.

Highgrove said to Beds Magazine that the group expects to ‘operational efficiencies continue as the main benefit of this investment’, whilst also stating that further investment in people, plant and machinery is ongoing.

Highgrove stressed that it had been able to absorb the negative impact that the post Brexit fall in sterling has had on raw materials, but warned that consumers ‘will inevitably face increased costs in the coming months’.

Adding: “Being a privately owned business that can quickly adapt to any change in market conditions, we remain confident as it still leaves all manufacturers on a fairly level playing field and with the positive introduction of two new brands to our portfolio, we are well placed to further increase market share.”

w www.highgrovebeds.co.uk

Sealy UK partners with former Olympic champion in ambassador role Cumbrian-based bed manufacturer Sealy UK has announced that it has teamed up with former Olympic champion Linford Christie as part of its ‘World of Sport’ campaign.

Former athlete and current GB athletics coach, Linford joins the campaign alongside Team GB sprinter, Margaret Adeoye who will both support Sealy’s message demonstrating the link between sleep and sporting success.

Holly Venning, brand marketing manager at Sealy said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Linford Christie – most of us grew up watching

w www.sealy.co.uk

Greener operations deliver record profits for furniture contractor Kitchen and fitted bedroom manufacturer Lanzet has boosted profits to record levels with a greener approach to its operations.

Blackburn-based Lanzet has seen turnover double year-on-year to £4.5m as profits resulted in £640,000 for the year ended 2015, its highest ever figure.

A catalyst to the record performance has been the continued investment in plant and machinery, and its commitment to renewable energy solutions, boosting operational efficiencies that have helped to streamline the business.

During the past 18 months Lanzet has upped its ‘green’ credentials and reduced costs by installing a commercial Biomass oven to efficiently burn its waste products generated during the on-site kitchen manufacturing process.

Lanzet has also expanded its Accrington Road facility by a further 8,000sq ft, as well as investing in a new production line of CNC machinery, which has in turn enhanced its manufacturing capabilities by growing its monthly supply of bespoke kitchens for house building projects across the UK. To cope with its rapid growth, Lanzet has grown its staff base to more than

30 across its two sites in Blackburn and Reading, including the appointment of Rich Casement-Anderson and Lenny Minero as its new sales manager and installation manager, respectively, wiliest trebling its transport fleet.

Barry Casement, managing director, said: “Three years ago we set out an ambitious growth plan and have exceeded all targets and we look forward to further growing the business in the next 3 years to a £10m turnover business.

“While our core customer base of small to medium regional house builders creating new housing developments has remained robust, we have rapidly expanded into new areas such as permitted build, apartments, student accommodation and social housing through to more prestigious top end developments.”

Lanzet was established in 1985 and supplies fitted kitchens and bedrooms to its customer base of architects, property developers and house builders across the UK.

w www.lanzet.co.uk

Hilding Anders appoint new CEO Bed and mattress manufacturing group Hilding Anders has announced the appointment of Pepyn Dinandt as its new CEO and member of the board.

Mr Dinandt replaces Christer Åberg who has decided to step down from his position with the appointment made in effect on 8 December 2016.

Commenting on his new role, Pepyn said: “I am very pleased to be joining Hilding Anders and to further develop a business with excellent opportunities for the future. My main focus will be to lead the company to more profitable growth.

“Also, building on the work of past successors, together with the team, we’ll speed up the change agenda that the company has experienced over the last year.”

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him win medal after medal so are well aware of his sporting prowess.

Linford said: “It’s great to be working to Sealy as part of their World of Sport campaign. During my days as a full time athlete, I always made sure that a good night’s rest was top of the agenda. Now as a coach, one of my top priorities is to make sure the team rest well so that they are in peak condition to train hard.”

Anders Pettersson, chairman of the board of directors, added: “During the last 15 months, Christer has achieved a great amount, reorganising the organisation to accelerate further growth opportunities in new and existing markets. I would like to thank Christer for his contribution to Hilding Anders and wish him all the best for the future.”

Malmö-based Hilding Anders operates in Europe, with core markets in Russia as well as in Asia. The company had net sales of €917m and EBITDA profit of €127m in 2015.

Founded in 1939 in Bjärnum, Sweden, the company offers a broad brand portfolio including the core brands Askona, Bico, Carpe Diem Beds, CUREM, Hilding, Jensen and Slumberland.

w www.hildinganders.com

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NEWS IKEA lawsuit over bed design continues Swedish furniture giant IKEA has confirmed that its lawsuit from German furniture company e15 is still ‘ongoing’ despite the company receiving two separate court rulings in its favour.

According to e15, IKEA has allegedly copied one of its bed designs, the SL02 Mo bed, which was designed in 1999 by co-founder Philipp Mainzer.

The IKEA product under question is the Malm bed, which does hold similarities to e15’s SL02 Mo bed.

However, IKEA has hit back at claims stating that its Malm design is their own creation and that the company invests in ‘lots of resources’ in developing ‘unique products’, whilst other designs ‘rarely meet our requirements so we must develop everything ourselves’.

Standing firm on the accusation, IKEA has already seen the case ruled in favour of its design twice, at both the District Court as well as the Higher District Court in Düsseldorf.

The case has now been appealed to Germany’s Supreme Court by e15, which is expected to make a ruling next year.

A statement from an e15 spokesperson said: “I can confirm that our case against IKEA is ongoing and that the German Bundesgerichtshof will judge on this matter in June 2017.”

A statement from IKEA told Beds Magazine: “The MALM case is an ongoing legal proceeding. We can only point out that both the District Court as well as the Higher District Court Düsseldorf confirmed that MALM is an independent creation of IKEA. “The design process for all products is centred around what we call Democratic Design. To develop a product is not a job for just one single person: a product development team with different competences ranging from design and engineering to packaging is put together in order for Democratic Design to be fulfilled, and the collaboration with suppliers is also highly important.

“The IKEA view is that it is never OK to copy another designer’s work. Before introducing an IKEA product on any market we do our utmost to make sure we act with respect and integrity in regards to other companies and designers.

“Design is of greatest importance for IKEA, and is part of our vision and business idea.

For this reason we work together with over 100 designers each year, including in-house designers, freelancers and trainees from design schools from all over the world.”

w www.ikea.com

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January Furniture Show organiser acquired

by Clarion Events Independent event organiser Clarion Events has confirmed the acquisition of January Furniture Shows Ltd, the organisation behind the NEC Birmingham and Manchester furniture trade shows.

Founders, Laraine Janes and Theresa Raymond will continue to run the events with support from Clarion’s resources and marketing expertise, with the partnership securing the long term future of the shows.

Commenting on the deal, Laraine said: “We are delighted to become part of Clarion and we see the partnership, with such a well-respected organiser, as a very positive step for the furniture industry.

“Clarion have a real understanding of the retail and furniture market and how our events work. Clarion’s forwardthinking leadership, proven experience

and extensive resources will allow us to maximise the potential of both shows.”

Neil Gaisford, managing director – retail division, Clarion Events, said: “This is an exciting acquisition for Clarion, bringing together the market leading furniture events and Clarion’s resources, expertise and successful retail B2B shows.

“Laraine and Theresa have built up a strong business and we are looking forward to a successful collaboration to serve the UK’s furniture industry.’’

w www.clarionevents.com

JFS appoints new sales manager Organisers of the January Furniture Show have announced the appointment of Ed Hubbard as its new sales manager.

Ed has joined a 10-strong sales team and commented on his new role: “I am delighted to have joined the January Furniture Show and I look forward to working alongside the current sales team.

“I hope to use my wealth of knowledge and contacts in the gifts and decorative accessories market to grow sales for this industry leading event.”

Ed has also worked with companies such as IBM, Villeroy & Boch, Wincanton, DHL and BMW before joining the team from Clarion Events’ Trade Business, where he was sales manager on the Home & Gift Harrogate event for four years.

w www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

Kaymed launch new Therma-Phase TV ad NBF Bed Manufacturer of the Year, Kaymed has announced that it has launched a new TV advertising campaign.

The new advert officially aired on 26 December 2016 and will continue through to the end of January 2017 across selected ITV channels, and highlights the benefits of the brand’s Therma-Phase exclusive temperature regulating technology.

Kaymed said that the key objective is to drive consumers, who are ready to buy ThermaPhase products, into retail partner stores, further supporting its stockists.

Terry Bridger, UK sales manager commented: “For the second year in succession, we are pleased to announce that we are supporting Therma-Phase stockists over the busiest period of the year with a major TV campaign.

“Many of our retail partners saw incredible increases in turnover as a direct result of what was a smaller campaign last year, so we expect them to see further interest in Therma-Phase and a resulting increase in orders.”

w www.kaymed.co.uk

Mattress Firm files UK trademarks Houston-based Mattress Firm has had five trademark applications published in the UK, including its logo and a number of slogans.

The American mattress retailer, which was acquired by Steinhoff International in September 2016 for a total equity value of around $2.4bn, has officially registered its logo as a UK trademark, filed on 25 July 2016.

Mattress Firm has also registered its

‘Replace Every 8’ logo, as well as three slogans including ‘sleep happy’, ‘comfort by color’ and ‘dream bed’, all of which were filed in July earlier this year.

Mattress Firm has since become a subsidiary of Steinhoff, with its management, led by Steve Stagner, executive chairman, and Ken Murphy, president and CEO, all remaining in place.

w www.mattressfirm.com

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Latexco agrees acquisition of its US Holdings ownership Belgian bed company Latexco has announced an agreement to acquire Atlanta-based Kalathi LLC’s equity ownership of Latexco US Holdings LLC. Latexco US Holdings was founded as a 50/50 joint venture between Latexco and Kalathi, and will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Latexco Group.

The Group has also announced the appointment of Ben Ducatteeuw as its new CEO of Latexco US, effective from 2 January 2017, and will work alongside its COO, Bob Carstens, whilst current US leader Vincent Gesquiere will return to Belgium following a handover period and continue to work on other projects.

Ben has been active as managing director for the Deslee-Clama innovation centre in Belgium over the last five years, overseeing sales and innovations within the mattress ticking industry.

Latexco US Holdings unites the production facility at its Lavonia, Georgia operation with the conversion and distribution centre located in Santa Fe Springs, California.

A statement from the Group said: “Since the start of Latexco US Holdings in 2006, we have made great progress in building out our US operations to a profitable company. With a 20% per annum growth over the last four years we are serving over 200 customers in North and South America.

“With this consolidated ownership and new management team, the Latexco Group is pursuing its belief in the future growth and opportunities of Latexco US Holdings where we continue to position the company as a reliable and innovative partner and a ‘one-stop-shop’ for the mattress industry.”

w www.latexco.com

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NEWS Land of Beds delivers another record year; plans for next High Street store underway Family business Land of Beds has announced another record-breaking year, as well as confirming it plans to expand its current store portfolio next year.

Land of Beds revealed that its annual turnover grew by more than 20% on last year’s figures, achieving over £6m for the first time in its 40-year history, largely due to strong performances in-store and online, as well as consistently improving its customer service experience.

The company has made several investments throughout the year, including opening a new purpose-built distribution centre and refurbished headquarters, as well as relaunching its e-commerce website.

To cope with the rapid expansion, Land of Beds has continued to recruit and train new members of staff, which it says has been its ‘principle challenge’ as the business grows.

Mike Murray, managing director, said: “We take a values-based approach to recruiting – tirelessly searching for the right people who will complement our existing team, who share our vision for the business and who strive for excellence in all that they do.

“There were a lot of new faces at our annual staff Christmas party last weekend, which was a lovely opportunity to celebrate what we have achieved together in the last 12 months, and to get set for the year ahead!”

Looking ahead, Land of Beds aims to add to its current stores in Helsby and Frodsham in Cheshire during 2017, but couldn’t reveal any details as initial ‘scouting’ remains in progress.

Mike commented: “We’re currently scouting for locations for our next High Street store – targeting key areas that are in-keeping with our strategic growth plans.”

Furthermore, Land of Beds has seen little impact from the Brexit vote earlier this year, but admits it will keep an eye on the Government’s exit strategy throughout next year.

“We’ll be watching with interest as new details of the Government’s exit strategy from the EU continue to emerge in the New Year.

Whatever happens, we will approach the coming months with the level of optimism and entrepreneurial spirit that has successfully sustained us for more than four decades,” Mike added.

In a year that has been an evolving 12 months for the independent retailer, Mike said that his particular highlight of 2016 was winning the High Sheriff of Cheshire’s Family Business Award of Excellence 2016 in March.

Mike said: “My grandad’s family values have been at the heart of every business decision we have ever made, and will continue to be in 2017 and beyond.”

w www.landofbeds.co.uk

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Scottish independent appoints new MD; potential expansion in the pipeline Scottish independent retailer Archers Sleepcentre has confirmed the appointment of Ross Beveridge as its new managing director.

Ross was officially appointed on 17 October 2016 and replaces owner Ian Archibald who has decided to retire from the day-to-day running of the business.

Commenting to Beds Magazine on his new role, Ross, who has been with the company for almost nine years, revealed that he plans to maintain its ‘fantastic business proposition’, as well as developing the business with a ‘calculated growth plan supported by sustainable profits’.

Ross said: “Firstly I would have to say I feel very proud to be MD of such a great organisation. I personally share the ethical values and ambitions that have been instilled in the company and I am very excited about the challenges that lie ahead.

“My only focus is to drive the business forward and continue to grow our Scottish and UK market share.”

The new MD hinted that one element of its growth plans could be the prospect of adding to its existing 11 stores in Scotland, as well as moving into new English territory.

Ross said: “We do indeed have an

expansion plan which is opportunity driven rather than targeting store numbers. We know the sites and store formats that work and we will endeavour to add these to our portfolio. We will strengthen our prominent share of the Scottish market and look to move south of the border.”

When questioned about its current trading, and the impact of Brexit, Ross remained bullish and shrugged off the ‘doom and gloom’ surrounding the EU vote, although currency fluctuations hasn’t helped.

“Figures this year have been encouraging and while there has been much media driven doom and gloom, the consumer has continued to spend money,” said Ross.

Adding: “The poor performance of the pound has had an impact on suppliers and retailers must stand firm on target margins to protect the industry.”

Archers Sleepcentre, which has been established since 2001, operates out of stores in Ayr, Cumbernauld, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow North, Glasgow South, Hillington, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Uddingston.

w www.archerssleepcentre.co.uk

Tempur Sealy set to relocate LA plant and expand Toluca facility Global mattress giant Tempur Sealy International has announced that it plans to move and upgrade its South Gate Sealy plant to a new Los Angeles site, as well as expand its Toluca operations.

The relocation is expected to be completed in 2018 and will include a new distribution centre in addition to replacing the Sealy assembly facility.

The company also announced the purchase of additional land adjacent to its existing Sealy manufacturing plant in Toluca, Mexico, with plans to increase capacity and improve productivity.

The news also follows Sealy South Korea, part of the Sealy Asia Joint

Venture, recently announcing the opening of a manufacturing and distribution centre outside of Seoul, with both expansions to supply the home markets.

Scott Thompson, Tempur Sealy chairman, CEO and president, said: “We are thrilled to announce our intention to make these long term investments in the operations of our worldwide business.

“The capital invested in these facilities highlights our commitment to quality product and growth of the company. Once operational, the company is expecting rent reduction and operational efficiencies combined with improved quality.”

w www.tempursealy.com

Sharps expands store estate to Carlisle and Derby Fitted furniture firm Sharps has confirmed it is set to open two new showrooms in Carlisle and Derby.

The new bedroom and office furniture stores will add to its existing portfolio of around 80 showrooms across the UK, with the latest two located on English Street in Carlisle and in the Intu Derby shopping centre.

Sharps, which designs, manufactures and installs its furniture, has officially opened its showrooms in Carlisle and

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Derby. The two new locations add to other recent launches including outlets in Cardiff, Cheltenham, Northampton, Wakefield and Waterlooville.

Founded in 1973 and based in Bilston, near Wolverhampton, Sharps is owned by American private equity group Sun Capital Partners, who acquired the firm back in 2011.

w www.sharps.co.uk

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UK business delivers ‘exceptional’ quarter for Steinhoff despite Brexit uncertainty

John Cotton Group expands into Australian market with acquisition

South African conglomerate Steinhoff International, which owns UK brands Benson for Beds and Harveys, has reported a double-digit growth in its latest quarterly update with its UK market performing ‘exceptionally well’.

UK bedding and furniture revenue growth continued in line with expectations, contributing to its overall Household Goods division’s sales of €2.167m from €1.907m, an uptick of 13.6%, whilst retail sales grew by 19.6% to €1.962m.

Regarding the UK, Steinhoff said within the report: “Despite the prevailing uncertainty brought about by the Brexit vote and the decline of the pound, the bedding and furniture retail business performed exceptionally well.”

Overall, Steinhoff posted total group revenue of €3.369m for the three months ended 30 September 2016, up by 12.1% from €3.004m in 2015, whilst also reporting a 21.1% increase in adjusted operating profit to €352m.

Net debt increased to €5.2bn at 30 September 2016, largely due to the acquisition debt of €4.4bn relating to predominantly Mattress Firm and Poundland. The cash from the capital raised back in September offset this increase, which was largely used to settle the bridge to equity loan of the Mattress Firm acquisition.

During the period Steinhoff opened six new Harveys stores, closing one, bringing its current total to 160 across the UK. Meanwhile, Bensons for Beds saw two new stores open but four close, resulting in 278 stores, down from 280 reported in June 2016.

w www.steinhoffinternational.com

Online mattress firm files trademark applications British online mattress start-up eve Sleep has submitted a number of trademark applications.

Filed in October to the Intellectual Property Office, eve Sleep Limited has applied to trademark phrases ‘Give the day a hug’, ‘Eve rejuvenated’, ‘Nap station’, ‘Beautifully simple, simply beautiful’, ‘Every great day starts the night before’ and ‘eve’.

Currently eve has its brand name and logo already registered, dating back to 2014. Since its launch, the online retailer has expanded into the US, France and Germany, with raised capital up to £17m.

w www.evemattress.co.uk

Mirfield-based bedding specialist, John Cotton Group, has announced the acquisition of Australian-based Tontine from Pacific Brands Limited.

The acquisition, which remains undisclosed, will further expand the group’s global presence with a foothold in the Australian market, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017.

The Tontine business has an annual turnover of £25m and supplies pillow and duvet products, employing 90 people at its location just outside Melbourne.

John Cotton commented: “It

is a great pleasure to announce this significant expansion in the business in our centenary year. Tontine is a well-managed long standing business and the leading pillow brand in the Australian market with great opportunities to develop further.

“Strategically this acquisition expands the John Cotton Group’s Home Textile business and we will now have a significant presence in the UK, Europe, Asia and Australasia.”

Pacific Brands has recently sold another arm of its group, Dunlop Flooring, to Victoria Plc for £20m.

w www.johncotton.co.uk

German footwear brand to enter beds market with imm cologne launch Footwear brand Birkenstock is to enter the beds and mattresses market, officially launching at imm Cologne this month.

The German-based business will launch its new range that consists of specially designed overlays made from natural latex and cork, with other materials including wool, felt and leather, using box spring bed bases across six designs.

The products will be developed and manufactured with its new Austrian-based

partner, ADA, who specialise in the production of beds and upholstered furniture.

ADA has a facility in Styria, with the first products set to be delivered to retailers by the end of the second quarter of 2017.

The range, which comprises beds, slatted bed bases and mattresses, will make its debut at the next imm cologne in January 2017 in hall 10.2, stand L21.

w www.birkenstock.co.uk

Trio of furniture directors banned for combined total of 29 years A Yorkshire-based furniture retailer director has been disqualified from being a director for 11 years after selling products under the banner ‘iSleep’.

On 24 October 2016, Wajid Hussain was banned for 11 years after the Court at Manchester District Registry found that he failed to maintain, preserve and/or supply adequate accounting records for I Sleep Ltd. The court found that the extent of its trading and relationship with other companies within the iSleep Group was not identifiable, along with total sales receipts of at least £651,118, expenditure dating after 24 December 2012, and other associated costs.

The court stated: “Between 8 April 2010 and 8 January 2014 he failed to ensure that I Sleep adequately separated its trading and financial affairs from the Group of companies trading as iSleep and as a consequence has caused or allowed I Sleep to be involved in the sale of unsafe furniture to the public and in breaching consumer rights in that, sales of unsafe furniture were made to customers, customer complaints were not dealt with.

“Furthermore, customers prepaid-for goods which were not delivered at all, delivered in part, not the items ordered and paid for; and were faulty on delivery or failed shortly thereafter with customers being unable to obtain replacements or refunds.”

Wajid Hussain is the third of three directors of companies involved in the selling of furniture under the banner ‘iSleep’, to be disqualified from being a director.

Shazam Hussain, the director of I Sleep Ltd and Foxton Furniture Group Limited and Yaser Ali, the director of Goole Furnishings Limited, were both banned for nine years each by the court in 2015.

I Sleep Ltd, Foxton Furniture Group Limited and Goole Furnishings Limited were wound up by the Court in the public interest on 8 January 2014 following the presentation of petitions by the Secretary of State for Business.

The disqualifications were by the Official Receiver’s Public Interest Unit, part of the Insolvency Service following an investigation.

Commenting on the disqualifications, official receiver Ken Beasley said: “These companies traded with no due regard to their customers, leaving many significantly out of pocket and causing distress and anxiety. In addition, by selling unsafe furniture even after being notified that it was unsafe the directors of these companies showed no regard for the safety of their customers.

“The Insolvency Service has strong enforcement powers and we will not hesitate to use them to remove dishonest or reckless directors from the business environment as has been demonstrated in this case.”

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PICTURE

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

FIRA unveils first mattress ergonomics award

The Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) has announced the recipient of its first FIRA International ergonomics excellence award.

Mattress manufacturer AVA Sleep, which is set to launch its new ‘Science to Sleep’ mattress range at the January Furniture Show 2017, has been recognised with the FIRA Ergonomic Excellence Award, where products meet and generally exceed the requirements of British and European standards.

Dr Ilyas Ansari from AVA Sleep Ltd said: “It was critically important for AVA Sleep to receive the ‘seal of approval’ from FIRA for our new Science to Sleep mattress range.”

Shire Beds appoints new sales agent

Dewsbury-based manufacturer The Shire Bed Company has announced the appointment of Stuart McDonnell as its new sales agent to the South East of England and Home Counties.

Stuart, who joins with a wealth of industry experience, said: “I am delighted to be joining Shire Beds at this exciting time.

“I am looking forward to working with a company passionate about product quality and offering my customers a fantastic range of UK manufactured beds.”

Chinese mattress maker forms partnership with Man United

Chinese mattress manufacturer Mlily has expanded its presence in the UK by signing a five-year global partnership with Manchester United Football Club.

The agreement marks Man United’s first ever official mattress and pillow partner, as Mlily will now supply its Aon Training Complex in Carrington with its mattresses to help players maintain quality sleep.

Mlily is a leading mattress and pillow brand of Shanghai-based Healthcare Ltd. Co. The company said that the partnership will ‘strengthen the brand and enhance its recognition further’.

Relyon invests in new display system for retailers; new website set to launch

British bed manufacturer Relyon has announced the launch of its new display system.

Relyon has invested over £500,000 in a new display system, which will be rolled out to more than 70 stores by Christmas 2016.

Fenwick of Leicester were the first store to receive the new Relyon display stand at the beginning of November, as well as replacing Relyon’s Classic collection of beds for five of the top of the range Heritage Collection models.

David Wescomb, Relyon brand director said: “Fenwick of Leicester are thrilled with the instant impact of their new five bay Relyon display stand; turning heads with both customers and staff alike.”

Kindred Living honoured with ‘Hero Award’

Fitted bedroom furniture manufacturer Kindred Living has been recognised with a ‘Hero Award’ following its record-breaking cycle event that saw a team of bikers travel across South Africa for charity.

Spearheaded by Mark Stephenson, Kindred Living and The Danesmoor Group chief executive, the cyclists undertook a 500km challenge, raising £314,000 for Help the Heroes – the highest amount achieved in 2016 of any singular, third-party fundraising event.

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NEWS AT A GLANCE SOFTWARE FIRM APPOINTS SCOTTISH AGENT Kitchen, bathroom and bedroom design software specialist Virtual Worlds has announced the appointment Leigh Townley as its new sales agent for Scotland.

Leigh, who joins with over 10 years’ industry experience, will be tasked to drive sales of the company’s 3D and 4D design software into the Scottish market.

Having previously spent three years at Luxury Home Design in Glasgow, Leigh moves to Virtual Worlds’ newly created position to raise awareness of the brand across the Scottish region.

First launched in 1998 Virtual Worlds was renamed in 2001 as the company upgraded into many new sectors including kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and offices.

Android, iPad and Web planning and design solutions have been released that integrate with and enhance trading web sites for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.

wwww.virtualworlds.co.uk

New furniture start up business launches website Furniture design and manufacturing start up Espoke Living has officially launched its new website and business.

The company consists of manufacturing duo Aqeel Ahmed and Faisal Akbar, as well as marketing specialists Ken Davies and Nathan Pearson, who all teamed up to make the venture a reality with the website going live this month.

Manufactured at its Lancashirebased workshop, the company has been able to keep its start-up costs below £150,000 due to its four partner collaboration of skills, and has also been awarded with the ‘Made in Britain’ mark.

Commenting on the launch, founding partner, Aqeel Ahmed said: “It was important to us that the customers get a great buying experience and this starts with the

website and continues through to the furniture being expertly delivered by our own team.”

Co-founder, Faisal Akbar added: “This union is distinct because both the marketing and manufacturing teams are all partners in the business, therefore we all have a vested interest in making the Espoke brand the premier producer of quality furniture in the UK.” The company confirmed that plans are already underway on version two of the site, incorporating more advanced technology, as well as drawing up plans to talk to major retailers to demonstrate the Espoke technology and fulfilment platform.

w www.espokeliving.com

MATTRESS FIRM LEESA RECOGNISED FOR POSITIVE PRACTICES Mattress brand Leesa Sleep UK has been awarded for its positive impact on social and environmental campaigns by becoming a Certified B Corporation.

Leesa UK has achieved the recognition through a number of campaigns including donating around 8,000 mattresses across the world under its One-Ten programme and specifically in the UK, a donation of £15,000 worth of new mattresses to Manchester’s Mustard Tree.

Other schemes involve community service programmes and planting trees, which has seen the company pledge to plant one million trees by 2025.

David Wolfe, co-founder and CEO of Leesa, said: “When we started Leesa we were determined to measure success not just by revenue and profit, but by our impact on the world. We feel giving back is a

privilege, not an obligation. It’s been built into our company from the very beginning.

“We are very proud to be a new member of the B-Corp community. Giving is a privilege we never take for granted. It’s humbling to be recognised in this way.

We are honoured to be joining forces with a global movement of businesses who recognise our collective responsibility to be an unstoppable force for good.”

w www.leesa.co.uk

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Thriving bed independent celebrates booming business Scottish independent bed retailer The Good Sleep Company has reported that sales are ‘ahead’ of expectations and it has launched a new gift shop within its store.

Officially opened back in 5 August 2016, The Good Sleep Company revealed that sales are 20% ahead of what was initially forecast for the first 13 weeks of trading, and that the store has been so busy it has dedicated a space for a new gift shop, which has seen instant success.

Owned by duo Scott and Jill Birnie, the company has also had to expand its storage capacity to cope with increased demand from customer orders.

Managing director Scott told Beds Magazine: “We’ve now been trading for 13 weeks and things are going really well.

We’ve been well received locally and have been so busy that we’ve already had to extend our storage capacity.

“The biggest development is that we have also opened a gift shop within the shop and it is trading really well in the run

up to Christmas. Sales are up 20% against our initial forecast for the first three months, which is just great.”

Adding to its success, The Good Sleep Company unveiled its new signage on the shop front, as well as announcing upcoming plans as Christmas draws closer.

Scott added: “Our beautiful new sign went up a couple of weeks ago and we also had a Christmas shopping preview evening. We will probably have a sale preview evening in December as well as having the traditional January sale. It’s great to finally look like a permanent member of the high street.”

The Good Sleep Company, which specialises in beds and mattresses from renowned suppliers including Silentnight from its 2,400sq ft premises, is situated on High Street in Banff, Aberdeenshire.

w www.goodsleepcompany.co.uk

MATZA LAUNCHES NEW ‘GREEN’ MATTRESS Bed manufacturer Matza has announced the introduction of its new ‘clean ‘n’ green’ mattress, which has boosted its recycling credentials.

As part of its green campaign, the new initiative consists of around 70% repurposed materials, which would have previously been thrown out as waste, and is sold into excatalogue and discount stores.

The new concept mattress is manufactured at its 60,000sq ft facility in Yorkshire and produces an average of 50 a week, with the project also creating two new jobs.

Taking the lead with the project is Mazhar Ayub, brother of Matza managing director Asif, as the company aims to boost its greener processes.

Asif said: “We are already pretty good at recycling, but we wanted to audit our policies

and further reduce our waste, and reusing even more of our leftovers and offcuts seemed like the best place to start. We have employed two additional staff members to organise the recycling skips and keep the factory clean.

“We are also undertaking extensive staff training to make sure everybody plays their part in reducing waste. We have looked at our working practises, tidied up our processes and introduced even higher standards and levels of expectation for what is acceptable waste and what is not. We are delighted that between 80 and 90% of our waste is now going to recycling.”

Family business Matza also confirmed that it has invested in more skips to allow further recycling.

w www.matza.co.uk

Magniflex to re-enter UK market with debut London HQ Italian mattress brand Magniflex has announced that it plans to open its debut UK office in Chiswick, West London.

The news coincides with Magniflex’s strategy of re-entering the UK market, with all its products been given the seal of approval by the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA), who has certified that it meets UK industry standards.

The new venture follows the success of its US market, which launched three years ago in Miami, and hopes to replicate this into the UK market when its new offices open in January 2017.

Marco Magni, global sales director of Magniflex, said: “Expanding our business is always an exciting time for Magniflex. In a time where a lot of businesses fear expansion into Great Britain due to Brexit, we are delighted to be making our mark.

“We are now re-entering the UK market directly and are looking forward to establishing meaningful relationships within the industry. That means our doors are open to any key dealers, stores and buyers looking to get in touch.”

Tuscan-based Magniflex currently operates across 99 countries worldwide, and has recently extended its range to over 100 products, featuring mattress covers, duvets, pillows and other accessories.

w www.magniflex.com

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BEDXIT

BEDXIT As Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to ‘push the button’ on Britain’s exit from the European Union by triggering Article 50, Jan Turner asks industry chiefs if severing the link will prove a challenge or an opportunity?

Alan Williams, md, Steinhoff UK bed division It is difficult to be clear on what impact Brexit will have on the industry as we have yet to get a clear understanding from the government on how the process will work. Will we see a hard or a soft Brexit for example? The softer option will give us time to plan a longer-term strategy around protecting our business and looking after our customers.

While there are bound to be concerns over any trading agreements or restrictions, this does work both ways. Our suppliers will have to work hard with us to ensure we all manage any risk – but it also provides an opportunity for our British based manufacturers, as some retailers will have to consider making changes to their supply base should trading become more difficult.

This could result in more product being manufactured in the UK. For the retailer, if trading gets tougher it will be a case of reviewing costs and taking whatever action is necessary to operate a lean, efficient organisation. Margins are likely to come under pressure and it may mean that some price increases will have to be passed on to the consumer, which may not be a bad thing: they often spend more on an item of clothing than they do for a bed. And they expect much more from their bed!

Any changes will necessitate the industry to start to think outside the box in order to find practical and sustainable longer-term solutions, which for me can only be a good thing.

Whatever the outcome, it looks like we are going to be in for a lengthy process, which means the impact is unlikely to unfold immediately but will be reached over a period of time.

Ebrahim Patel, president of the NBF and md of Vogue Beds I’ve seen a lot of ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ signs for Europe since the Brexit vote and have been encouraged to see that following the initial post-vote blip in retail sales that the economy has bounced back and reacted in a positive way.

Obviously it’s going to be a challenge for either side of any industry: while buying goods from Europe and elsewhere is becoming more expensive with the value of the pound falling, ‘Made in Britain’ now becomes an even more attractive proposition.

The UK bed industry has not typically been a big exporter into Europe but perhaps this is the opportunity we have been waiting for. Rather than retreat from Europe we should take advantage of it and look at opportunities.

Once the Prime Minister presses the ‘Brexit Button’ it could be a bit of a roller coaster ride – but as an industry we should remain positive. Nearly all of our manufacturing is done in the UK and following a long and deep recession, the past two or three years have seen most of us once again enjoying healthy sales and good growth. So we’re in good shape to face the inevitable ‘ups and downs’ which are bound to come our way.

Tony Lisanti, group chief executive, Airsprung It could be several years before we know the longer-term effect of leaving the EU. In the short term it is putting pressure on margins and prices to consumers.

I believe the Living Wage could have as much impact as Brexit. Export wise, those who are already established in overseas markets have the most to gain as it is an expensive and complicated market to get into – and one which requires attending shows, translating marketing material, taking on agents and so on. Also, manufacturers not geared up to

producing non-FR mattresses could find it ends up costing them more to do so unless they are working on orders sizeable enough to make the production switch worthwhile.

Jackie McGarvey, general manager, Sweet Dreams For me, it’s an opportunity. It’s a great chance to push UK manufacturing and a great chance for those who want to export.

In terms of price fluctuations then we are on a level playing field: everyone tends to buy from the same suppliers, so if one price goes up, then so does everyone’s. We don’t currently export so this could be the push we need.

Asif Ayub, md, Matza The decision to leave the EU immediately put our costs up as a result of the subsequent currency fluctuations.

The attitude of European suppliers has also changed. In the short term I think there are going to be problems. In the longer term, our own nervousness as a country could cause us more problems than anything else. I believe imports will slow down and so give more expensive brands a chance to compete – and those who export may do well too.

But not everything is from Europe: labour, rent, rates, services and many other materials used are locally sourced. England is not as dependent on the world as some price increases might suggest.

What we should have seen was an increase in cost in proportion to the drop in the

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BEDXIT pound. In my opinion supply cost increases should have been a maximum of two to three per cent.

Peter Spinks, chairman, Harrison Spinks Leaving the EU, in my personal view, will make no difference whatsoever. We buy and sell in Europe and see no reason for that to stop. We were never part of the currency system and buy more from them than they buy from us – so it is the Europeans, not us, who have the most to lose!

Steve Freeman, md, Silentnight It’s really too early to make a judgement on this. Post-referendum saw a bit of a wobble but our numbers are good. Some of our customers are fearful, others are not. Inflation will feed through across everything in the supply chain, so how it will pan out in 2017, no-one knows although I don’t think anything will really hit for at least two years.

David Moffitt, ceo, Kayfoam Woolfson The bed industry is different to many other industries as most beds sold in the British Isles are still made here and our FR regs can be a bit of a deterrent to Asian or Eastern European mattress producers. I also think Europe may well have reformed itself by the time the UK exits in two to three years’ time.

And from what I am hearing already, a lot of imported furniture will soon see double digit price increases making them more expensive and putting us on a much more level playing field. Some 17 million people voted to leave the EU, so they are celebrating and in a positive frame of mind. It’s when jobs are uncertain that people lose confidence and that is what hits the market.

Shakeel Baig, director, Bodyease Overall I think it’s going to be good for the economy although we’re going to need to educate a lot of new talent in the UK and bring skills up to the same standards as other countries.

As a country we used to be really good innovators with a solid manufacturing base.

Now we’ve become a nation which just buys and sells and if we leave the EU and have to stand on our own two feet again we’ll need to differentiate ourselves and become leaders in innovation once more. It’s not only about price – it goes much deeper than that. We need to innovate, invest and develop further.

David Trickett, group director, MPT From our point of view the exchange rate is bad as we source quite a few components from overseas.

But it’s good from an export point of view – and 75% of our machinery is exported to South America, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, South Africa – and very little to Europe.

“It’s a great chance to push UK manufacturing and a great chance for those who want to export”

Ian Whitworth, md, Springform Technology I think like most industries we will adapt and change. An interesting immediate after effect of the vote to leave Europe and subsequent currency fluctuations meant some of our foreign customers were – unusually – very eager to settle their accounts with us while the pound was in their favour!

David Elsdon, md, Gateway Systems A lot of cover manufacturing is done overseas which may come back as a consequence of leaving the EU and so result in a positive increase in employment if the pound stays weak. Most mattresses are made in the UK because of the sheer size of the product and the shipping prices involved. It has certainly put a stop on Chinese imports and there are really only a few coming in from Italy.

Beds may be British made but a lot of the component parts come from overseas and currency fluctuations have resulted in raw material costs going up which could push up mattress prices. I think the overall effect of Brexit will be neutral – costs will go up but it could bring more jobs back to the UK.

Fara Butt, sales and marketing director, Shire Beds It’s an opportunity for sales and a challenge for raw materials.

We hope the government will support exports to a wider market and not just the EU. Currency exchange rates will also prove to be interesting when purchasing raw materials. We have already seen some price increases for raw materials, yet we have fixed term contracts which we are unable to review at the moment.

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CHICKEN OR EGG?

CHICKEN OR EGG?

Europeans are doing. They are typically around 50 years ahead of the UK market in terms of designs.”

Market forces and customer feedback are also major influences in Asif’s designs: “It is important to stay focused on the reality of the demands of the customer, and this often involves tempering creativity. I sometimes have to scale back an idea so that it is acceptable to the Matza market. One major market force is the size of modern homes and bedrooms which often means having to scale down ‘grand designs’ to the realities of today’s room sizes, while still capturing that big design wow factor and our latest range, Vintage Chic, perfectly encapsulates that.”

At Steinhoff, marketing manager Helen Weaver says design can also become important when trying to differentiate brands: “It has certainly been important to us in terms of revitalising each of our brands. Design detail has been instrumental to positioning Myers as the family friendly brand; Slumberland as fresh and creative; Dunlopillo as a minimalist, modern brand rooted in its traditional 100% Dunlopillo latex comfort levels; Relyon as highly traditional with hand side stitching, tufting etc.

“These brands were sleeping giants, so reinstating the original ethos through their visual appearance has been very important.

When a consumer goes to buy a bed, then the look of it is important. Everything from the appearance of the mattress and the tickings used, along with the choice of upholstery fabric and headboard design really matters. After that it’s about comfort

In today’s design-led world, Jan Turner asks just what now comes first – the look of a bed or its comfort levels?

Launched last autumn, the new Studio Collection by Silentnight allows customers to build the bed they want with a choice of shapes, styles and storage options.

D

esign isn’t just about making a product look pretty. It’s about communicating a range of messages to the consumer – from where it sits in the market to its brand values and its lifestyle ethos.

As Asif Ayub, md of Matza Beds, and self-confessed ‘design junkie’ points out: “Our culture in general is becoming very design led. Even everyday opticians offer good levels of design and a wide range of designer name frames.

“Peoples’ expectation of design has grown considerably in recent years. It’s an everyday part of our life now - and that

increasingly applies to beds. The problem with using outside designers is they need to understand beds to do it – it needs to be someone who has a passion for beds and understands the market.

“When I first started introducing an element of design to beds I was in the minority – people thought I was crazy. At the moment, in many bed companies, the sales and marketing departments, along with the buying team, all have an input - so what you often get is a compromise.

“By far the biggest influence for me has been, and continues to be, what the

Bespoke bed by Burgess Beds

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CHICKEN OR EGG?

“DESIGN ISN’T JUST ABOUT MAKING A PRODUCT LOOK PRETTY. IT’S ABOUT COMMUNICATING A RANGE OF MESSAGES TO THE CONSUMER” and sleep.”

Nick Willliams, sales manager at Sweet Dreams believes that beds are a different animal when it comes to design. He said: “It’s more about the fillings – there are only so many different ways you can design a bed.

“A lot of the multiples we work with have their own design teams and we work to their briefs. They set the agenda and develop story boards for each season and often provide very detailed briefs, right down to the fabric which they may supply for the headboard or ticking and other coverings.

“This is often because the bed they want us to supply is part of a wider seasonal look, although we occasionally have to rein in some of their less practical ideas. Once, for example, we had a designer who wanted

The Hilary Devey Diamond Bed from Duvalay to put a really oversized headboard onto a standard sized frame and it simply wouldn’t work. It may have looked good on their screen but the reality was, in practice, it couldn’t be done and we felt we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t point out any potential issues. We often have to design around their brand identity too. It’s about brand synergy.”

At Airsprung, group chief executive Tony Lisanti explained that the company has a fairly formalised development process but doesn’t employ either internal or external designers.

Said Tony: “All the ideas come from us and we also invite suppliers to present their latest developments and we take from that too.

The functionality of the product may also be self-limiting, along with the size of modern bedrooms or even easily available bedding which tends to be made to fit standard sizes.

“Also, a bed is likely to be something people have for perhaps seven to 10 years and if you design something too ‘on trend’ it may quickly date – as we’ve seen with sleigh beds which were popular a few years ago – or beds with pop-up TVs. And say, for example, you did come up with a designer name bed, it only gets covered up with bedding at the end of the day.”

At Burgess Beds where sales and design director Jodi Schofield, works with some top design-led retailers, the company is sometimes asked to develop two collections a year. She said: “These are often ahead of the market so it keeps me in touch with the latest looks, trends and fabrics. Sometimes they give us just an outline brief and look for our input; a lot of others design it and give us a price point.

“Either way, we have learned a lot and while it is OK to produce a massive ‘talking point’ piece, the design of a bed has to be

commercial and sell. At the end of the day comfort should come first as the whole point of it is sleep – but I don’t see why that can’t look good too.”

According to Peter Spinks, chairman of Harrison Spinks, if the style of a bed doesn’t attract people in the first place they won’t even go and try it out for comfort.

He said: “There has been a real sea change in the past couple of years and the headboard and base are now critical to the overall perception. People who go to buy a bed look at the headboards, base and the fabric in terms of upholstery.

“As a manufacturer it’s very expensive to hold big stocks of upholstery fabrics – mattress ticking is cheap by comparison.

But there’s now an expectation that divans will be finished in upholstery material with a matching headboard.

About a year ago we opened a separate factory where we now make our own headboards and employ skilled upholsterers to meet this demand. We also have a separate development and design department which focuses on new products and where we employ professional designers.”

At Silentnight, the company works closely with Trend Bible for colours, style and new product development alongside its in-house team. Said md Steve Freeman: “We work with our partner suppliers too and our licensee colleagues across the globe to see what works and what isn’t working in their markets. We also work with professional designers on a consultancy basis as required and our marketeers and product managers spend a lot of time out in the field, seeing what’s out there.

“We invest a lot in design to ensure

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CHICKEN OR EGG? our brands look outstanding in all the available shop windows - that ‘last yard’ through a bed store display is so critical.

An enticing bed and outstanding display conquer all – keep it simple and keep it consumer focused”.

Jeremy Navrady, marketing manager UK of Kaymed agrees that the look of a product is all-important. He said: “People taste with their eyes, so a bed needs to be appealing and our own best exemplar is the Mighty Bed which sends out strong visual cues. The message is ‘I am a very serious and substantial bed but also crazy comfortable’. It does extremely well and we get a lot of repeats from retailers.

“In a sea of beds on a retail floor you need to stand out and resonate with consumers. We look to different industries for colourways and trends – matt, sober colours, particularly greys, accessorised with a pop of colour - are very big right now. There is room for professional design input in the industry but they have to be

Mighty Cascade from Kaymed

Soave, from Matza’s Vintage Chic collection

people who have an appreciation of what sells. Anything too quirky quickly dates and beds are a relatively high ticket item for most households to replace with every fashion fad.”

Liz Colleran of Duvalay, which launched its Hilary Devey collection at the 2015 Bed Show is also a big believer in making a shop floor ‘impact’ – and it is certainly something that has paid dividends for Duvalay.

Said Liz: “You have got to have a good design to attract people and get them interested. Then a bed has to be comfortable otherwise any success is short lived – and with social media you can lose your reputation overnight. So comfort levels are critical to us.

“Our Hilary Devey collection is

shamelessly aimed at women because they tend to be very visual – and also the ones who make decisions about items like this. So it has got to be glamorous.

“It has been a brilliant range for us – real stand out stuff which looks lovely in store and has that all important wow factor. We’ve been delighted with it and have increased staff, training and expanded the factory at a rapid rate as a result. Sales really flew after the Independent newspaper voted us ‘Best Mattress’ and we introduced two new models to the Hilary Devey collection at the 2016 Bed Show.”

At Mammoth, founder John Tuton said: “We consider ourselves to be first and foremost a specialist design and technology brand – and when you look in other markets

at brands such as Apple and Dyson, it is clear that great design combined with function works.

“Our new Performance Pocket 3000 system, for example, combines great design features – such as a doubledepth headboard to emphasise the sense of opulence, beautiful fabrics and contemporary wood and metal finishes –together with great functionality internally.”

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RETAIL

SWEET DREAMS

SO,WHY

SHO

Are exhibitions really worth the hassle?

Nick Williams, Sweet Dreams’ sales manager, ponders the question many manufacturers find themselves wondering at this time of year.

T

here are always so many arguments that could be marshalled in favour of deciding not to show this year.

Expense, of course, is the perennial favourite, and is trotted out whenever the subject comes up. Not just the cost of the space, and of the exhibition stand, although that’s significant, but of hotels to accommodate staff. Transport, too – both of staff and of the products to put on the stand.

Time is the other major argument against. It’s not just time spent at the exhibition, although that’s considerable, but time in the run-up; time spent in planning your product display – arranging

The Iowa in grey

Clarence – a new Pocket Air divan

The Harrow three seater

paper cut-outs on graph paper that takes you right back to the classroom, or in prepping agents about what’s going to be on offer; in liaising with photographers, printers, PR people – everything seems to come across your desk – and for what? Three or four days spent in some hideous drafty warehouse somewhere in the depths of winter (or the height of summer: both occur) waiting for that elusive would-be customer who you’ve been courting for ages to walk on your stand.

And then what happens? Well, this is the other reason favoured for non-exhibition: if and when the target buyer saunters on to the stand you are bound to be in conversation with a regular customer who you can’t possibly leave in the lurch, or being talked at by someone you really don’t want to be bothered with but who has attached themselves, leech-

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SWEET DREAMS

OW get a better feel for a company, its products and its personnel. To assess the product range in more detail and understand what a company could bring to the table as a supplier. Shows are used to meet staff other than the agent or the sales manager, and to see models beyond the ones in which they’ve already expressed an interest, as well as to learn more about those. And the good thing for the buyer is, they can do this at shows without any obligation. As soon as they visit a manufacturer’s premises the relationship subtly changes – the buyer declares a serious interest in stocking their product. So at Sweet Dreams, we believe it’s a crucial part in the process of winning important accounts to exhibit at the major shows.

Two further strong reasons for being there.

First, the unknowns. We can’t be aware of every new development in the retail market; a major furniture chain for example starting to stock beds; a merger between two retailers that gives rise to more opportunities; a brand

like, and won’t let go. Or you’re in the loo – having finally bolted there after hours and hours of holding it in. So: why do we show?

For Sweet Dreams, who have had a presence at the NEC exhibition in January since last century (yep, that long), it’s never been too much of a debate, despite our familiarity with the arguments against. The trade shows up, simple as that, and so must we.

While there’s not an exhibitor there who doesn’t hope to sell the products on show, and cover the cost of exhibiting and more with the value of orders, those times are, largely, gone. (Although we always hope.) We understand that while buyers are sometimes prepared to order on the spot (and God bless you!) many are not.

They’re here to look, to forge bonds, to

new store. Being at a show allows them to find us. If we’re not there, they won’t: simple as that. We’ve always opened new accounts every year we’ve exhibited.

Second, our core market. The retailers, mostly independents, who’ve been with us for ages. They expect us to be there, even if they see our agents regularly, so they can inspect what’s new, talk about current business, get a wider perspective and effectively consolidate the relationship.

That’s worth any amount of time and expense. We’re there to make it easy for our customers to talk to us, perhaps to show them a range they’ve not seen before, to tempt them with show offers – and to reassure them with our presence.

Finally, for me, Jackie, Riaz and the rest of the Sweet Dreams team, it’s an opportunity to see friends. The people in the furniture industry have to be some of the very nicest and it’s always a pleasure to meet and talk face-to-face and catch

w

Sovereign – a Royal Pillowtop bed

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RETAIL

SWEET DREAMS

Pacino in new white

Ryder – a fabric ottoman bedframe (closed)

“THE PEOPLE IN THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY HAVE TO BE SOME OF THE VERY NICEST AND IT’S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO MEET AND TALK FACETO-FACE AND CATCH UP” up. Not just about business, but personal things that matter to us all too. Why on earth would you want to miss out on that!

So, Sweet Dreams are looking forward to showing off our bed collections at the unmissable January Furniture Show. We’re best known for our own-manufactured beds and mattresses and these are to be at the heart of the display. Our Pocket Air collection of divans, relaunched with entirely fresh models last September, will be shown with models not previously exhibited. Among these will be Clarence 4000. In common with all divans from the collection, the spring system features alternate shortened pocket springs to provide a sensational, flexible feel as the springs contract and the volume of air increases. The sleeper’s weight is evenly distributed for comfort. In Clarence, the mattress cover contains cashmere – and the microquilting beneath contains both cashmere and wool. The damask border comes in two colourways, wheat and

The Ryder in a grey finish (open) nickel, to match the divan base. Three sizes and a wide range of storage options to the base, including three styles of ottoman, is standard to all beds in the collection, together with quality finishing to both mattress and base.

Other divan collections will be on show, including favourite models from the Royal Pillowtop, Enchanted and Pocket Spring collections. As usual, we anticipate a strong take-up for our special show offers on mattresses and we’ll be displaying more on our mattress stand and on our range of bedframes, which they’re designed to complement.

We’ll be revealing several new bedframes at show, encompassing upholstered and wooden styles. Oldman, Lee and Ryder are three of our new fabric frames; Oldman a smart sleighbed, Lee a classic, understated frame with a low headboard and no footend, and Ryder sporting a winged headboard – and gas-lift ottoman storage. All come in two colourways and two sizes. Flying the flag for wooden frames comes the new Grant, to be shown in cherry, and the new white option for sleighbed Pacino.

Our collections don’t stop here, but extend to bedroom furniture with strong

sellers Kramer and Perry and new children’s bunk Jolly Roger. For downstairs, as well as showing our wide range of upholstery including new models, we’ll be launching three clic-clac sofabeds; swish Texas, in brown or grey fabric with shaped styling, Iowa, also in fabric with two scatter cushions included and Ohio, in brown or black leather-look.

This trio have already enjoyed a good reaction and the show will bring their appeal to a wider audience.

So this January, as always we look forward to welcoming you to our stand.

This year we’re in Hall 5, on Stand H10.

See you there!

w www.sweetdreamsuk.com

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MANUFACTURING

FIRE STASTICS

Put out the

previously

perils

Beds Magazine spoke to Mark Cashin, national chair for the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) Home Safety Committee, about the latest fire statistics and how, as an industry, we can strive for better consumer safety.

T

he most recent statistics surrounding fires make for worrying reading.

According to the Home Office Fire Statistics team’s Fire Statistics Monitor covering April 2015 to March 2016, there were 303 fire related fatalities in England over that period. To put it into context, this is 39 more than in 2014/15 and the highest figure since 2011/12, following what had previously been a downward trend.

The more serious, or ‘primary’ fires, according to the report, are those that cause people or property harm, and in 2015/2016, there were around 73,400 of these incidents, an increase of 3% on the previous period and the first such increase in 14 years. In addition, the most common primary fire (at around 43% in 2015/2016) is within a home or dwelling. This number

has seen a slight increase of four fires during the period, after steady decreases for nearly 12 years.

We have all seen the news reports of spontaneously combusting mobile devices and overheating batteries, and indeed, estimates from the Electrical Safety First charity put electricity as the cause of 50% of fires within the home, the majority of which begin with a faulty product.

This is something of which Mark Cashin, national chair for the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) Home Safety Committee is all too aware. “The biggest concern is the appropriation of units from online auction sites which have the potential to be counterfeit. The expense of the genuine article is a factor. If people can buy what they perceive to be the same item for £20 online, they will. Of course, when devices do catch fire, they get destroyed in the fire, so it’s a difficult area to pursue.”

With more of these devices making their way to the bedroom, be it for use or simply for charging, the risk of bedroom fires is becoming ever more present, and compliant bedroom furniture could make all the difference in terms of the level of devastation caused.

“The Regulations are designed,” said Mark, “to reduce the risk of fire, and independent analysis of their effectiveness conducted by Government in 2009 has previously concluded that they have helped significantly reduce fire deaths and injuries caused by furniture fires. There is a concern that some products out there are still non-compliant with these important fire safety regulations.

“As part of the Government’s review

“THE REGULATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE”

into the regulations, CFOA understands that the Government proposes to incentivise the reduction of flame retardant chemicals while maintaining fire safety standards. If current standards are not being uniformly adhered to, CFOA is concerned that any relaxation of flame retardant chemicals without increased regulatory enforcement could reduce fire safety standards and put householders at risk. We would urge the Government to heed this as part of its review of the Regulations.

“We also call upon the Government to provide local Trading Standards with additional resources to conduct more testing and enforcement work to ensure the furniture industry complies.”

w www.cfoa.org.uk

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MANUFACTURING

LAW AND ORDER

“AREAS OF CONCERN INCLUDE THE SCOPE OF THE REGULATIONS, THEIR ENFORCEABILITY, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TESTING REGIME”

Law&

order A look at the legal requirements in relation to the bed industry.

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MANUFACTURING

F

ollowing mounting speculation, September of last year saw the Government announce that it would open a consultation document on its proposal to make the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 2016, replacing the 1988 Regulations. Established in 1988, the regulations set levels of fire resistance for domestic upholstered furniture, furnishings and other products containing upholstery in order to ensure they are safe for use. Indeed, this has arguably been successful as, according to a report commissioned by BIS in 2009, the regulations in their current form were annually saving around 54 lives, preventing around 800 injuries and more than 1,000 fires, providing savings to health and property at an estimated £140m per year.

It makes sense, then that any amendments to the existing regulations must be made with a view to further improving these figures. So, what are the current legal requirements in relation to the bed industry?

The domestic sector has two sets of legal requirements that must be adhered to: general safety regulations and product specific regulations.

General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR) require domestic furniture that is likely to be used by consumers to be ‘fit for purpose,’ ‘satisfactory’ in quality and, importantly, ‘safe’. The product specific requirements are those detailed in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, amended 1989, 1993, 2010. It is an offence under the GPSR to supply products that are unsafe and it is illegal to supply items that do not comply with the regulations and the GPSR. Punishments can range from civil claims to fines, product recalls and even prosecution.

Upholstered headboards and footboards of beds must meet all requirements under the regulations. For headboards, the external surface where a label should be attached might be the reverse side. In addition, the regulations consider the fabric on the reverse of the headboard to be a visible fabric.

Mattresses, bases, pillows, divans and toppers are slightly different in that the regulations apply to the filling material only.

The GPSR requires that a risk assessment is carried out to assess the safety of a product, one way is to use standards and BS 7177 is widely used in the UK to demonstrate compliance.

The relevant British Standard tests are smouldering cigarette (BS EN 597-1) and match flame (BS EN 597-2). Product specific requirements are also crucial to meeting BS 7177. Unless the fillings are ‘legal,’ any claim to compliance with BS 7177 is automatically rendered invalid. The tests determine the resistance to ignition of the products in their finished form and mattresses have to be labelled to show compliance with BS 7177.

Compliance with BS 7177 entails provisions on sampling and frequency of testing.

Under Schedule 2, Part IV of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations, the procedure for testing the ignitability of composite fillings requires that: 1. The test specimen is prepared as set out in BS 6807. It may be constructed

LAW AND ORDER from the filling materials to be used or by removing existing ticking from a mattress or upholstered divan or bed-base.

2. The test fabric shall be made of 100% flame retardant polyester fibre, woven to a plain weave, and shall be scoured and heat set; the regulation sets out the warp and weft of the yarn.

3. The test shall be carried out according to Section Four of BS 6807 using ignition source 2 as specified in BS 5852: Part 2. Smouldering or flaming failure shall be as defined in BS 5852: Part 2.

Safety compliance with BS 5852 stipulates the test requirements for various foam and non-foam fillings. Any samples that fail the product-specific tests automatically fail to satisfy the requirements of BS 7177.

Depending on the filling, different aspects of the regulations must be satisfied. For example, polyurethane foam, whether used as the only filling or as part of a composite must be combustion modified to satisfy test requirements in Schedule 1, Part 1 of Regulations: ignition source 5 of BS 5852: Part 2, using specified cover.

Latex foam needs to satisfy test requirements in Schedule 1, Part 3 of the Regulations: ignition source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2, using specified cover.

For a single non-foam filling, prescribed test requirements in schedule 2, Part 1: ignition source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2, using specified cover, must be satisfied.

In the case of a composite, either (a) each separate filling has to be tested individually or (b) the application of the prescribed test for composite fillings: Schedule 2, Part 4. (ignition source 2 of BS 5852: Part 2 using BS 6807 as the method). In the case of (b), where foam is part of the composite, it must be ‘combustion modified’.

The tests are carried out in two stages, the first with the smouldering cigarette and match flame tests stipulated in BS 7177. If this stage is passed, the mattress would go onto a second stage. For mattresses that contain one or more types of foam, each foam component is covered with a 100% fire retardant polyester covering using the BS 5852 – part 2: 1982 test, which is a more intense flame test than the match flame. For mattresses with more than one type of filling, the ticking is replaced with a100% flame retardant polyester and the BS 5852 – part 2: 1982 test is carried out.

So, to the proposed changes to these regulations. The consultation document, which closed on 11 November, stated that: “the review undertaken with stakeholders over the past few years has indicated that the Regulations are no longer entirely appropriate to changing consumer expectations, and furniture manufacturing practices. Areas of concern include the scope of the Regulations, their enforceability, and the effectiveness of the testing regime. In addition, it was felt that the testing regime, most particularly the match test prescribed in the FFRs, could be updated so that it reflects more closely the way modern furniture is constructed.”

The paper aims to improve the information and traceability requirements for furniture and ensure accurate record-

keeping throughout the supply chain.

The proposals for amends to testing are intended, according to the document, to: • Ensure no reduction of safety; • Allow industry to reduce its use of flame retardants in response to concerns about the impact of these chemicals on health and the environment; • Leave room for innovation and the development of new technology particularly new barrier technology that would allow fire resistance to be achieved without the use of chemicals - and also innovation as to the materials used in furniture; • Give industry choices for adapting to change; and • Be capable of enforcement by Trading Standards.

Whether it is possible for a reduction in FRs without a negative impact on fire safety remains to be seen, but whilst the industry consensus is that a reduction in chemicals would be a good thing, there is some concern.

In its 2017 manifesto, the British Furniture Confederation (BFC) stated that the proposed revisions don’t take into account many of the important issues that have been communicated to the Government over the years from the united industry and that a number of important criteria still need consideration.

These include: • Ensuring test protocols are practical, achievable and representative of materials in the market • Reflecting the now widespread use of combustion modified foams • Aligning requirements for upholstered headboards with those for mattresses and upholstered bed bases, which predominantly use the same materials.

• Updating test procedures to reflect best practice • Improving the requirements for labelling of products • Adding basic due diligence systems requirements, such as an indication of testing frequency • Improving clarity and scope to aid enforcement, which, it is believed, is at a low level across the UK. The BFC has said that it is committed to continuing to raise these concerns, and it supports the Government’s desire to see a reduction in the use of fire retardant chemicals, so long as it does not compromise safety. However it feels that the current proposals could have the opposite effect, in addition to being more difficult to police or to achieve consistent results in comparison to the current state of affairs.

Let us know your view.

To view the consultation: https://www. gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/553216/ beis-16-11-furniture-fire-regulations-2016consultation.pdf To view the BFC Manifesto: http:// britishfurnitureconfederation.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/BFC-Manifesto-for-theUK-furniture-industry-2017.pdf

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RETAIL

SEALY

New partnership

SPRINTS to the finish line

Beds Magazine finds out more about Sealy’s partnership with a number of sporting professionals as part of the company’s World of Sport campaign.

Smart Fibres, Adaptive technology, and is endorsed by Allergy UK. These state-of-theart properties will help Linford and Margaret get the sleep they need to be at their best.

Linford said: “It’s great to be working with Sealy as part of its World of Sport campaign.

During my days as a full time athlete, I always made sure that a good night’s rest was top of the agenda. Now as a coach, one of my top priorities is to make sure the team rest well so that they are in peak condition to train hard.”

Margaret commented: “Linford is always very keen for us to rest well before training

N

obody understands the impact that sleep has on sporting performance better than Linford Christie OBE. The sprinting star and Olympic champion is Britain’s most decorated male athlete, making him the perfect ambassador for bed brand, Sealy’s World of Sport campaign.

With more than 10 years of incredible achievements, it is hardly surprising that the sporting champion now coaches members of the GB athletics team. Linford has always been an advocate for sleep when it comes to reaching peak physical performance and is proud of his own sleeping skills, claiming to be able to sleep standing up! Now coaching the next sporting generation, he insists that all his trainees are well rested before training commences daily.

“DURING MY DAYS AS A FULL TIME ATHLETE, I ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT A GOOD NIGHT’S REST WAS TOP OF THE AGENDA” Sealy has also partnered with one of Linford’s prodigies, Margaret Adeoye, a budding sprinter in the GB team. Having represented her country at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Margaret undergoes a rigorous training programme under the watchful eye of her coach and says a good night’s sleep gives her a new release of energy and enables her to continue training hard every day.

As part of the collaboration, the bed manufacturer has gifted the pair a brand new bed each. Both have opted for the Naverro 1400 a medium/firm model which boasts 1400 pocket springs for spinal alignment and a deep layer of Innergenic Latex which provides outstanding comfort and pressure relief. The Naverro also includes Sealy’s

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and you’d be amazed at the difference having a good night’s sleep has on your performance. I can really notice the difference in my speed and endurance if I’m tired.”

Sealy’s World of Sport campaign is aimed at demonstrating the intrinsic link between sleep and sporting success. Whether you’re in training or recovering from injury, sleep is vital for health and wellbeing. It restores the brain and activates the healing process, rehydrating spinal discs.

The brand has drafted in a whole host of sporting professionals to help promote the campaign’s message, including Champion bodybuilder, Zoe Smith, cricketing legend, Phil Tufnell, boxing star, Frank Bruno and many more. Each of the ambassadors has their own story to tell.

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RETAIL

SEALY

ZOE SMITH

Zoe is a record breaking weightlifter and Commonwealth Champion from South East London. Having started out as a gymnast, Zoe has been competing internationally for the last nine years. Set to be part of Team GB at the Rio Summer Olympics, Zoe suffered a shoulder injury which blighter her hopes of representing her country.

Since then, she has been recovering at the British Weightlifting Headquarters in Loughborough and sleeping on her Sealy Profile bed.

Profile mattresses are ergonomic in concept and are based on anthropometric studies which detail and “profile” the proportions of human anatomy – they are the first mattresses that are shaped to fit the body. The Profile pays special attention to offering exactly the right kind of support to shoulders and hips, which are key pressure points that cause tossing and turning. There is also an area of increased lumbar support to ensure the spine is kept at exactly the right alignment throughout the night.

Zoe was recently selected as an Athlete Ambassador for Commonwealth Games England and hopes to compete in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

e

FRANK BRUNO MBE

Gaining world recognition for his commitment to professional boxing, Frank Bruno has picked up a number of titles, and injuries over the years.

Being crowned “World Boxing Council Heavyweight Champion” alongside other notable accolades, Frank’s mind and body has been tested to the limit, but the one aspect of his training that remained the same, trying to maintain a good night’s sleep.

Having partnered up with Sealy, Frank hopes to enjoy endless nights of blissful slumber to prepare him for the next, less competitive, but still active chapter of his life.

You can find out more about the World of Sport campaign and other ambassadors by visiting the website.

PHIL TUFNELL

Much loved sporting celebrity, Phil “Tuffers” Tufnell caused a stir on the Sealy stand at the Telford Bed Show back in September.

Nicknamed “the cat” due to his tendency to catch a few zeds in his A Question of Sport dressing room, the former cricketer understands the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Phil sleeps on a Hybrid Fusion bed, which evokes cuttingedge technology and radical design features. The revolutionary design boasts seven zones of motion and weight responsive pocket springs for total spinal alignment. The Hybrid Fusion also contains 6cm of Geltex, a gel-infused foam that is the most advanced sleeping material available and patented Unicase design which protects the pocket springs and stops the mattress from sagging.

w www.sealy.co.uk/deeper-sleep/sealy-world-of-sport

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NBF

EXPERT ARTICLE

TRADING FAIRLY

IN THE UK BED INDUSTRY

David Strover, trading standards manager at West Yorkshire Trading Standards, gives his perspective on compliance within the UK market.

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NBF

EXPERT ARTICLE

“A RESPONSIBLE BED MANUFACTURER AND/OR SUPPLIER WILL INVEST TIME AND MONEY TO ENSURE THEIR PRODUCT IS LEGAL”

T

he UK bed industry comes in many different shapes and sizes - from manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, traditional retailers, itinerant sellers and internet only businesses.

The one thing all these business have in common, setting aside the financial imperative to generate profitable sales, is the legal necessity to comply with UK trading standards legislation.

Much of the legislation is not new and can be summarised as legislation to: • ensure the safety of the product and • ensure that the goods are correctly described and that consumers are not mislead in relation to the true characteristics of the product.

The latter aspects were covered by the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 until 2008 when it was repealed and replaced by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

The regulations are similar in nature to the infamous Trade Descriptions Act but broader in scope and overall impact than the act. The regulations cover both misleading actions and also misleading omissions, i.e. the circumstances where the trader or seller of the product/s do not disclose material information about the product that would impact negatively on a consumer’s transactional decision.

As with any legal compliance matter, a responsible bed manufacturer and/or supplier will invest time and money to ensure their product is legal and will meet their customers’ needs. However, regrettably, not all of the UK bed market is run on an entirely scrupulous basis. From time to time, operators step into the market to the detriment of the supply chain and to consumers.

These operators will typically sell beds, mattresses and headboards not compliant with the fire safety requirements.They will mislead consumers regarding spring count and/or depth of memory foam and make all manner of ill-advised medical claims and price reduction claims. Some of the worst examples of trading encompass one day sales and itinerant sellers of mattresses and

beds by traders who are here today and gone tomorrow.

Sometimes it will be self-evident that the product does not meet required standards e.g. not labelled as required by the furniture and fire safety regulations - but at other times it will be more difficult to ascertain, particularly for the purchaser/end user.

The thorny issue of spring counts within mattresses, for instance, is something that trading standards receives very few consumer complaints about. But that said, how would consumers know they had been sold a mattress with too few springs? After all, it is generally a destructive test to check the count is accurate.

So what can the trade sector do to assist Trading Standards Departments (TSD) with their duties to ensure customers are not mislead and mattresses comply with the relevant safety requirements?

This process starts with obtaining some evidence and making a complaint to trading standards at your local county council or unitary local authority which is generally undertaken by calling the Citizens Advice Helpline on 03454 040506. The helpline will then take the complaint information and refer it to the TSD concerned in the first instance - this will be where the supply of the item is taking place. In some circumstances the referral will go to the TSD where the product is being made or imported. As a county council service, every TSD has differing priorities and resources in line with the needs of the local community it serves, so the response complainants receive will not be uniform across the country. Some TSDs will place great emphasis on complaint led enforcement and have the resources to ensure each and every complaint receives attention and formal investigation. Not all TSDs, however, have the resources to deal formally with every allegation made via a complaint.

All complaints can be made anonymously but for trade to trade complaints, it is often beneficial to report matters openly and also with an explanation of the impact that the illegal trading practice is having on your business. All non-compliant mattresses

offered for sale, for example, are a form of unfair competition and as the complainant, you would be wise to stress the impact and need for action to guard against consumers being put at risk and your business suffering unfair competition.

TSDs will never disclose the complainant’s details without their consent and, as such, anonymity will always be safeguarded.

Where complaints are made and a TSD seeks to build a case for prosecution, statements will be needed from witnesses and often expert test houses, to establish the case.

Overall trading standards prosecutions for offences related to upholstered furniture and mattresses are relatively low in the period April 2013 to present day. In total there have been 12 cases in the Yorkshire and Humber region for non-compliant furniture, headboards and mattresses. The UK bed industry is certainly a competitive market place, with much of the product emanating from West Yorkshire. While trading standards resources are stretched nationwide, it is only with the help of both consumers and the bed industry, that TSDs can act to ensure consumer protection and protect the bed industry from unfair competition.

By adopting strategic partnerships such as the NBF has with WYTSS, we can further enhance the industry’s ability to engage with regulators, and obtain timely advice regarding legislative changes and enforcement assistance.To make a complaint to trading standards, in the first instance, contact the Citizens Advice helpline on 03454 040506.

w

www.ts.wyjs.org.uk

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NBF

PANDORA’S BOX

PANDO

BOX?

A

s reported in the May 2016 issue of Beds Magazine, a new breed of ‘Casper concept’ traders has been populating Britain’s internet shopping scene at an alarming rate of knots. Since early appearances by Leesa, Simba, Eve, and The One, new names – basically offering different variations of a foam ‘sandwich’ (some with springs) and 100 night guarantees – have been arriving on a weekly basis.

And according to one ‘industry insider’ daily sales figures are nothing short of “eye watering”.

Among those to join the scene in the second half of last year was Casper – the brand which originally took the States by storm by first offering a breathlessly simple proposition, positioned as taking all the time and confusion out of buying a new mattress. The sector is said to have taken about a 5% share of the US market.

Given the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) says 35 – 40 million mattresses/box-springs are produced in the United States each year, even a 5% share of that crunches out at some fairly hefty numbers.

So is the arrival, in the UK, of the ‘Casper Culture’ a development likely to harm or enhance the industry? For many it’s just another channel through which consumers can buy a new mattress. And as the people behind these new-wave businesses are often entrepreneurial marketeers rather than bed makers, the business of making them has largely landed back with UK manufacturers, essentially those on the foam side.

So that’s one corner of the industry not too unhappy with the development.

Better end manufacturers are also fairly comfortable with the idea, believing

that consumers in the market for a quality bed won’t be tempted into that area of the marketplace anyway.

So what about bed retailers? How worried are they by an online proposition that often bypasses even the need to visit a store to try out the mattress seen online?

Jerry Cheshire of Surrey Beds tells customers on his website blog: “Back in the early 90’s, memory foam mattresses became the ‘next best thing’. Now the UK mattress market is ready for a new ‘next best thing’.

Enter Simba and Eve. “So, if you don’t like shopping, want a choice of one, don’t want to compare the market and are happy to only know what you’ve bought when it’s actually on your door step, you’re in luck!”

Jerry himself is meeting ‘the revolution’ head on instore by stocking a bed-in-a-box mattress which, he says, “offers all the marketing gimmicks of the others plus we offer the buyer the opportunity to try it instore.”

Colin Heal, general manager of Newbridge Street Bedding Centre in Newcastle, seems equally untroubled: “Having worked in the bed industry for 30 years, I know from our customers that one bed does not fit all!

“Great marketing does not necessarily mean a great product. Many customers must feel a sense of disappointment when they buy in to the concept, further reassured to try the mattress by the 100 day money back guarantee, order their one-mattress-fits-all product, only to discover further down the line that it does not live up to what they hoped for. And what happens to all the returned mattresses – landfill?

“The one-bed-fits-all routine is a threat to the integrity of the bed industry and all the genuine High Street bed retailers.

“As a company we are sticking to our core values and strategies and will continue to give our customers the best night’s sleep

[ 36 [ Beds Jan 2017.indb 36

possible with expert advice, not a suck it and see approach!”

How justified this upbeat approach proves to be, remains to be seen. One industry insider told me: “Retailers have no idea how big this is. The numbers on a daily basis are eyewatering. Having said that, these companies are spending a fortune on establishing their brand as the market leader and I wouldn’t imagine they are making any money yet. You’ve only got to see the amount of advertising they are doing around London – it’s everywhere.

“The approach is fresh, simple but very effective and will particularly have Millenials thinking about beds – so on the plus side that’s great news for everyone. Beds are almost sexy again! Simba has also tied up with John Lewis and Eve with Debenhams which is giving them both credibility on the retail floor.

“Others have come and quickly dropped by the wayside as the marketing in this sector is really quite aggressive. This market could already, quite easily, be worth 5% of the total market in volume terms in the UK.” In value terms the share of market could be slightly higher given the average price of a ‘bed-in-a-box’ double mattress is around £500 – and according to latest consumer research figures for the NBF, the average price paid for a mattress across the wider bed market is £450.

But what about returns? Again, industry insiders put it a lot lower than many might expect given the ease of return the online traders offer. I understand it’s running well inside double digits.

Simba and Eve are also doing TV advertising and Steve Freeman, md of Silentnight, is certainly of the view that anyone who actively promotes beds, benefits everyone. He said: “We see this type of product as healthy competition and one where the people selling it are communicating awareness of mattresses and sleep to the consumer. When people do that, everyone across the bed industry tends to benefit.”

E-tailer and retailer Mike Murray of Land of Beds is of that view too: “I think the interest in this sector from new entrants is really raising the profile of mattress buying in general. For

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NBF

ORA’S

X?

Call it the ‘bed in a box brigade’, the ‘single solution sector’ or the ‘one-sizefits-all phenomenon’, but the rate of new ‘100 night site’ arrivals on Britain’s online mattress scene has got the industry talking.

Jan Turner taps into what’s being said.

established retailers this is a great thing, as they are helping to advertise the industry as a whole, especially to a younger customer base. Therefore, we all should see a ripple effect, especially as the wider market still prefers to buy instore!”

Whatever your view, the arrival of so many ‘new kids on the foam block’ offering swift delivery times and free returns, has certainly stirred up the sector. Are there implications, for example, on longer lead time products when the new wave Mattress Marketeers are offering free deliveries within a day or so of order?

Said Helen Weaver, marketing manager for Steinhoff UK: “The storm that this sector has created is unbelievable but I don’t think the issue here is lead times – it’s more about getting people out of the house to go to a shop. That’s a different mentality.

“People who regularly buy online have no hesitation in sending something back if they are not happy with it. On certain of our Myers beds, the lead time is just one to two weeks but with Relyon, for example, it’s a very bespoke process, so it is in the very nature of the animal that this is going to take longer. People who are paying a lot of

money for a bed expect to have to wait for it to be made to their exact requirements.

It’s a bit like the difference between buying an artisan ice cream or Mr Whippy. One offers a huge choice of flavours, toppings and wafers while the other is a one-size-fitsall offer.”

Other manufacturers have responded to the ‘need for speed’ by launching their own range – such as the new Roll and Rest collection of vacuum packed mattresses launched by Shire Beds at the NBF Bed Show last autumn. Said sales and marketing director Fara Butt: “There’s no doubt that there is more of a ‘want it now’ mentality when it comes to buying a new mattress and this sector has further heightened expectations. We have been doing drop ship for a while and understand this business – we were one of the first companies to respond to it.”

Machinery suppliers in turn are benefiting from the boom in ‘boxed beds’ with one, Apropa Machinery, reporting an upsurge in sales of its Sala wrapping, compressing, folding and rolling machines. Director Helen Borchardt said sales of machines which now fold foam mattresses before rolling them

PANDORA’S BOX had risen by more than 50% in the past two years – since the trend for this kind of product started.

She said: “By folding foam mattresses before rolling them it is possible to use a smaller box as folding can reduce the height of the final rolled mattress by up to nearly half and therefore greatly reduces the size of box required.”

Despite talk of an upsurge in the single solution sector, Jackie McGarvey, general manager for Sweet Dreams maintains the effect is negligible. She said: “This is just one narrow channel supplying beds and mattresses and we don’t see it as a threat at all. It’s an area of the market which will find its level. I think people change as they get older and are prepared to go looking for something offering more traditional comfort.

“They want something more sophisticated and have the disposable income to do so. They also like to be able to tell people that they have a new bed that’s 3,000 pocket springs or whatever – it’s a bit of a status symbol. The younger end enjoys the convenience and ease of buying an online bed-in-a-box. There will always be a market for this type of thing – just as there once was with futons!”

Tony Lisanti, group chief executive for Airsprung, agrees it’s just another avenue of choice which will appeal to a fairly narrow market: “The number of new entrants on to this market is increasing almost daily but we don’t see this as a threat – just another distribution channel.

“We’re already seeing something of a price war in this sector which could end up being a bit of a race to the bottom where only the strongest survive. It’s a sector which tends to find favour with a younger customer base that is comfortable purchasing online without first seeing the product and then having it delivered the next day.

“The biggest risk, if there is one, is to the traditional High Street retailer.

Although some of them now stock roll-up mattresses which people can take away on the day, these can be heavy items and if there isn’t parking by the door or help to carry them away, it can be a closed market for many High Street retailers.”

Peter Spinks, chairman of Harrison Spinks also sees a threat to the middle to lower market rather than those at the top end of the industry. He said: “Anyone working under £1,000 retail could lose market share but once you go over that, people buying in that price bracket aren’t likely to be tempted. In terms of lead times it’s not practical or possible to speed up the process of making handmade beds.”

As one contact told me: “Anyone who wants an easy shop and isn’t particularly bothered by what they sleep on will be persuaded by the offer. But anyone out to look for a seriously good bed which is right for them will take the trouble to look around and spend the time needed.

We all know that one size doesn’t fit all – whatever these websites say.”

The Sala folding line that’s selling well for Apropa

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SILENTNIGHT

LAUNCH PAD With a well-received launch at the 2016 NBF Bed Show, Beds magazine was excited to catch up with Silentnight to find out more about what the company has been doing to launch its new Studio brand to the consumer.

The Mattress Experience

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hose of you who, like us, visited the NBF Bed Show in Telford last year, will no doubt have caught a glimpse of Silentnight’s new Studio brand. The launch was something of a talking point as a departure from the company’s usual approach, which is is by no means a criticism. In fact, many heralded the style driven new product with its simple purchasing options as not before time in offering a mattress brand to Millennials, and one that they can relate to.

At the time of the trade launch, we caught up with Nick Booth, Silentnight’s marketing director, who told us that this was a conscious choice for the company which was able to take such a new approach thanks largely to its well-established and trusted status.

Manufactured in the UK, the Studio mattress combines gel, with state-of-theart memory foam and varying densities of Studio Flex foam, and it is available in three options - softer, medium and firmer comfort levels. The bed frames come in three styles and four fabrics, from which customers are able to design their own product using an interactive selection process according to style, colour, storage and size.

What’s more, the frames are in keeping with the busy, fast moving demographic audience, in that they are available on a two-week delivery. Those purchasing the

mattresses separately can rest assured that next day delivery is available, thanks to their ability to be rolled and boxed for maximum convenience.

Having soft-launched the brand with a number of selected retailers, the company has now begun its national consumer-facing marketing awareness campaign which, we discovered, is very much lifestyle focused, making full use of all the up to the minute digital marketing channels available.

“We are growing our outreach on social media,” said Nick, “which is a very important tool for our marketing of Studio. We have plans to make our Studio social media channels very interactive, so our customers will actively want to engage with us, and share their experience.”

This consumer launch campaign was developed with both the consumer/lifestyle press and end consumers in mind. A number of select communications were utilized across various channels in order to raise awareness of the new brand and to maximise reach.

To grab the attention of the core demographic – young professional people, and in particular those who live and work in city locations – part of the campaign made use of digital screens situated within high footfall locations in London. The company secured three of these large motion digital screens at: Euston, Liverpool Street and Waterloo stations.

This was, as one might expect, supported by a wider campaign across the country, with roadside screens and further digital media placed in strategic locations including Birmingham, Bradford, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield.

In keeping with the digital theme, the launch also took advantage of a highly targeted digital display and paid social plan.

This was aimed at people searching for new bedroom furniture, mattresses and bed frames, raising the profile of this campaign with those consumers most likely to engage with the brand.

It wasn’t digital alone, however. The campaign also incorporated some of the more traditional methods of marketing, with adverts in key national print titles. But even this adopted approach was delivered with a modern twist. Metro, for example, experienced a Studio ‘takeover’ with four consecutive page adverts featuring across three dates - 24 and 29 November, and 6 December. These appeared in both national and London specific publications, achieving an impressive reach with the target audience.

Additionally, the London specific consumers were treated to a rather persuasive call to action to experience Studio themselves.

Sometimes there is nothing better than the face to face approach, and whilst consumers were invited, via the adverts to experience

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RETAIL

SILENTNIGHT Guests enjoy the Mayfair pop up shop

Dreamtime Beds, Swansea

The Shoreditch pop up shop

Studio for themselves, the media too had the opportunity to do so at a successful media event held on 22 November at the Good Housekeeping Institute in Soho. Attendance levels for the event were impressive, to say the least, with more than 70 journalists across 26 lifestyle and interiors titles, not forgetting some of the influential bloggers and other new media contacts. It also provided a great opportunity for social media interaction.

With the marketing activity creating a real buzz around the launch, Studio by Silentnight took the opportunity to further

encourage engagement with its the target market by hosting two popup shops in two popular London locations. These provided a fantastic opportunity for people to see and interact with Studio by Silentnight themselves. Visitors were afforded with the opportunity to design the perfect bed for them whilst rubbing shoulders with a number of VIP guests, who also paid the shops a visit.

Feedback from the events was particularly

Roadside screens and other digital media were used in strategic locations

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impressing, ranging from “This is the best thing ever,” to “What an incredible experience, I’ll bring my girlfriend back here tomorrow.”

All this consumer activity offers the advantage to the brand’s retailer customers of a great deal of interest in the product, but whilst the company has invested significant time and effort into the consumer launch, it has also invested in its trade customers, arming them with a number of key tools to sell the range.

The selected specialist independent retailers chosen to display Studio, showcase all three of the mattresses in their stores in order to demonstrate the comfort story to customers. Additionally, new point-of-sale material has been created, allowing the options to be easily explained.

Sales are, of course, hugely important, but there is more to the launch of Studio than meets the eye. The investment in a brand for the Millennial generation, using modern marketing methods that speak to them and get them excited about choosing a mattress, is arguably also an investment in the future of the industry. And one that Silentnight is delighted to make.

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www.silentnight.co.uk/studio

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MANUFACTURING

VOGUE BEDS There have been a number of design changes across the Vogue Beds Group

TIME FOR

BED

I

t’s been a busy year for Ebrahim Patel, managing director of Vogue Beds.

First, there was the brand awareness push for Vogue’s Sports Therapy Collection, which was timed to coincide with the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Launched initially on the back of the London 2012 Olympics - and tapping into, what was then, just a burgeoning interest in health and wellbeing - Sports Therapy has proved to be a lasting winner for Vogue and, of course, its retail partners, who are reaping the rewards as consumers invest considerably more disposable income in ‘therapeutic’ products.

Vogue encouraged its retailers to think creatively in promoting Sports Therapy around the 2016 Olympics, and the company was incredibly impressed as retailers drummed up interest from their

After a jam-packed 2016, that took in product releases, redesigns and plenty of new business, the team at Vogue Beds is gearing up to show off its hard work at the January Furniture Show.

local sports clubs to generate some free publicity for the brand.

Alongside the Sports Therapy campaign, Ebrahim and his team have overseen a number of design changes across all of Vogue Beds’ ranges. Sports Therapy has undergone a bit of a makeover this year.

The four mattresses in the collection have all been updated with smart fibre fabric, which is micro-quilted to a new John Cotton Eternity pad (a condensed polyester-based pad).

The overall effect has added a sumptuous visual finish to a range, which has become established for its therapeutic benefits.

Ebrahim and his team have also spent the past six months refining the Hampton collection, Vogue’s premium pocket sprung range. At the very high end, it’s all about making those marginal gains to stay one step ahead of your competitors in the premium

market. With the trend towards ever-deeper mattresses continuing apace, they have added a 35cm deep mattress to the Hampton Collection. And, where customers would prefer a shallower mattress (25cm), they now have the option of a shallow base, which comes with three new headboard options. All mattresses in the Hampton Collection have been upgraded to 100% viscose covers for a “much softer, premium feel”. The improved Hampton range will be on display at the January Furniture Show, where Vogue has doubled the size of its stand pitch on 2015.

“We’ve had a really good year,” explains Ebrahim. “But we never get complacent and we’re constantly investing back in our products, which is why we get a lot of repeat business. The NEC is our big opportunity to show our customers everything under one roof, and hopefully it’s the moment where

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MANUFACTURING

VOGUE BEDS

“WE NEVER GET COMPLACENT AND WE’RE CONSTANTLY INVESTING BACK IN OUR PRODUCTS, WHICH IS WHY WE GET A LOT OF REPEAT BUSINESS”

this year’s hard work starts to pay off.

“We think customers are going to be really pleased with the refinements we’ve made to the Sports Therapy and Hampton ranges, and we have ten new Limelight models to show off too, including two UK-manufactured models – a first for Limelight. Between all our brands we anticipate a lot of visitors coming to the stand over the four days of the show, so we’ve made sure we’ve got a bigger and better stand this year to fit everything in!”

On top of overseeing all developments at Vogue, Ebrahim has had another packed year as president of the National Bed Federation (NBF); a role in which he feels a great deal of responsibility to represent NBF members fairly. The NBF is currently auditing its membership, a process that checks members’ products for everything from flammability to labeling, and is critical if the NBF is to reflect the best of the best within the beds industry.

“Retailers really do look for to see whether bed manufacturers are NBF members when they look to do new business. It’s a seal of approval that really sets the good bed manufacturers apart, which is why the auditing process of our members is

so rigorous, as I believe our members and retailers would expect it to be,” says Ebrahim.

And what is Ebrahim’s take on 2016 from his President’s perspective?

“The feedback we have had from our members is that 2016 was a good year.

Obviously there is a lot of political uncertainty around at the moment, and we are unsure how that will hit consumer confidence, but as a Federation we have got to lead by example and be proactive in promoting and supporting our members.”

What’s in Vogue for 2017? Vogue Beds has been around for a quarter of a century, but there is no sign of the company, or indeed Ebrahim, slowing down any time soon. With a keen eye on the market, the company understands its end customers, and really gets how their demands are changing. They are equally committed to their retail partners, and create products with margins genuinely factored in. So, 2017 looks set to be another busy year, but with Ebrahim’s NBF Presidency coming to an end in May, perhaps he can slow down just a bit?

“No chance”.

The Sports Therapy range has been updated

Limelight’s UK Manufactured bedstead, the Regal

The Emperor

w www.voguebeds.co.uk

www.limelightbeds.co.uk www. sportstherapymattress.co.uk

Limelight’s UK Manufactured bedstead, the Ambassador

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NBF NBF

ONLINE COMES OF AGE

ONLINE COMES OF AGE Jan Turner catches up with the winners of the 2016 Bed Retailer of The Year Award.

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Room to Grow - part of the new warehousing facility at Mattress Online

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n the year from 2014/15 to 2015/16, Mattress Online grew turnover from £11.5 to £19m, representing a massive 65% year on year increase. And with 90% of orders in stock for next day delivery, joint md’s Steve Kelly and Steve Adams believe that they are second only to Argos in the level of stock held at their 131,000 sq foot warehousing facility in Rotherham.

With evidence of high levels of customer satisfaction, a commitment to staff training and the fact that the company is now one of the biggest specialist online mattress sellers, the figures were enough to convince judges that the company deserved to win the 2016 Bed Retailer (over £5 million turnover) of the Year award.

Not a decision popular in every quarter, but what it recognised – and certainly meant to ‘The Steves’ – was that online mattress retailing had finally come of age. It was acceptance by the industry of a retail sector that hadn’t always been regarded as ‘one of the gang’.

Much of that is probably to do with the fact that when mattress sales first went online in the early 2000s, many of the so-called e-tailers were perceived to be damaging the industry by undercutting prices, so harming retailers and devaluing manufacturer brands.

Regarded as bargain basement traders, manufacturers fought back by only supplying the e-commerce sellers with ‘special lines’ while offering bricks and mortar retailers their own ‘exclusive’ lines.

But as more and more retailers went online themselves, the boundaries between retailer and e-tailer grew increasingly blurred.

The two Steves have certainly seen a sea change in manufacturer attitudes towards them in the past couple of years. “We’re increasingly offered brochure models – we’re finally being seen as retailers not internet traders,” said Steve Adams. “I think that by working with our suppliers we have become successful because we don’t undercut retailers and we don’t devalue manufacturer brands.”

So how do they deal with the ongoing problem of online price comparisons by

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NBF

ONLINE COMES OF AGE consumers? Quite simply, they don’t. “I don’t think online is as price sensitive as it once was. Our prices are what they are,” says Steve Kelly. “We want to make a margin too – but I think people are looking for more than just the cheapest price. If they see that they can have the mattress they are looking for on next day delivery, that can be more persuasive than saving a few quid and having to wait.

“We’re very transparent with our customers and the fact we have good reviews on Reevoo, TrustPilot and Facebook really strengthens our case. We are very customer focused because we’re in an age where it’s not enough to please 99 out of 100 customers. That one unhappy customer can very quickly do enormous damage to the business on social media.”

Keeping the customer happy is paramount at every turn – which is especially evident in the way changes are made to the Mattress Online website itself. When a business is so dependent on its digital shop window, the slightest change can have huge impact on the bottom line. So, unlike many businesses which regularly overhaul and update their website or transform their shop with a major refurbishment, in the picky world of e-commerce, introducing updates is done one tiny step at a time. As Steve Adams, the e-commerce focused half of the business explains: “We recently moved the search box on the home page very slightly and removed an advert which had been there. This small change simplified the layout and the benefit

“WE’RE INCREASINGLY OFFERED BROCHURE MODELS - WE’RE FINALLY BEING SEEN AS RETAILERS NOT INTERNET TRADERS” could quickly be seen on order intakes”.

When the company introduced a mobile friendly version of its website in 2015, the impact was huge. “Up until then we’d been missing out on ‘Rush Hour’ sales to people who shop on line via their mobiles while they are commuting to and from work,” said Steve Adams.

The business has come a very long way since it first started from Steve Kelly’s garage in 2003. The two Steves met at a party – Steve Kelly having spent many years in the bed industry and Steve Adams as an e-commerce expert with previous experience in the distribution business. Steve Kelly had just started selling a range of vac-pac mattresses for a company and could see the potential to do so online.

Steve Adams put his knowledge of distribution and e-commerce expertise to work and before long the mattresses were selling nicely – particularly as they were the

Steve Adams, left, and Steve Kelly first online mattress company to offer next day delivery.

The Steves expanded their product portfolio, aware that as a bit of a ‘newbie’ to the scene, consumers needed the reassurance of buying branded goods. So they started selling recognised brands and continue to do so, having increased the range on offer by nearly 50% over the past two years.

As trust in the business has grown, so has their white label offer, which now accounts for 35% of turnover. To give the business added credibility, Mattress Online also has its own retail outlet in Rotherham, which does a comfortable £1million turnover in its own right – accounting for about 5% of turnover.

Today, the company has 47 members of staff on its books, and continues to add to its warehousing capacity on an almost ongoing basis - the latest purpose built unit being on the same industrial park in Rotherham where Mattress Online now has four large warehouses. Between 2014/5 and 2015/6 warehousing has increased from 45,000 sq ft to the current 131,000 sq ft representing a growth of 62%.

Average transactional values remain below the £450 recently quoted by the NBF following its latest consumer survey. And it’s an area the Steves are keen to work on and move up.

Said Steve Kelly: “We are still essentially a volume seller but we are keen to move our offer upmarket and attract more quality brands.”

As part of that strategy the company has launched its own ‘single solution’ ‘foam sandwich’ style product with a 100 night guarantee. “But our proposition will be different to the others in that it will be a part of our site rather than separate to it and will help us sell up to better margins,” said Steve Kelly.

While the Steves see this new online phenomenon as ‘unsustainable’ in the long term – not least because they key players are able to throw hedge funds rather than more realistic marketing budgets at promoting their various brands – they do admire the marketing behind them. And they believe that by promoting mattresses, the new boys are raising awareness of the need for a new mattress and so benefitting the wider industry.

Mattress Online does most of its own marketing through pay per click advertising,

via affiliates and by also working hard to convert visits to the site into sales.

With some 200 mattresses a day being dispatched and delivered, the logistics involved in distributing a choice of some 800 different mattresses around mainland UK is a challenge in itself. While Mattress Online utilises its own delivery vehicles within a 50 mile radius of Rotherham, it leaves the headache of supplying the rest of the country to tried and trusted distribution companies.

Between 2014 and 2016, the number of two man deliveries virtually quadrupled (from 4,558 to 20,157) and the number of people opting to take advantage of the company’s offer to uplift and collect unwanted mattresses for recycling increased by nearly 500%.

The two Steves particularly admire what Steinhoff generally and Bensons in particular have done for the sector and while their current business model is just about selling mattresses, they don’t discount the possibility of extending their offer into headboards and bases.

They also know that a market can go into downturn as quickly as it can grow.

Not long after they had first become established, the UK went into one if its deepest and longest recessions.

Said Steve Adams: ”The hardest challenge we have faced to date was the sudden downturn that came along in 2008. We had to scale everything back very quickly without losing any of our staff. We both halved our own salaries and sold our cars and had to work much harder for much less.”

A lot of the staff who were with them then, remain in the business – and after some 13 years together, the two Steves remain a solid business partnership.

“It has worked from day one,” said Steve Kelly. “Our skills are complementary and our vision for the business is the same.”

Going forward, both are also aware that, as big as their business has become, it still only represents a tiny percentage of the total market. Said Steve Adams: “That simply means that there is still a whole lot more of it to play for!”

Watch this space.

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www.mattressonline.co.uk

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NBF

KNOWLEDGE IS SALES

KNOWLEDGE IS SALES

Latest figures from The National Bed Federation (NBF) reveal the UK bed market is estimated to be worth £800 million at manufacturing prices, approximately £1.6 billion at retail. Key industry insights such as these can be found in its pioneering ‘Introduction to Beds’ training module. Beds magazine explores the reasoning behind the new online course and uncovers some fascinating facts about the bed sector.

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KNOWLEDGE IS SALES

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THE UK BED INDUSTRY: SOME FASCINATING FACTS There are five main manufacturers in the bed industry - Airsprung Beds Group, Harrison Spinks, Silentnight Group, Simmons Group and Steinhoff UK. There are some larger stand-alone brands in the UK market such as Hypnos and Vispring, as well as many smaller manufacturers.

The average price consumers pay for a bed in the UK is £450 – taking all sizes into account.

I

Average price consumers pay for a bed is £450 n a rapidly growing and successful bed market, the landscape is changing all the time. Government figures suggest there are up to 134 mattress manufacturing businesses in the UK, and whether in design, manufacturing or sales, some companies are so busy fulfilling demand, employees can become ‘out of touch’ with the industry they’re working in.

Explains NBF marketing manager, Simon Williams: “The UK bed market is thriving and NBF members alone represent about 70% of the manufacturing market value. Yet we’re seeing many ‘new joins’ to the industry lack a basic understanding of the marketplace to

“GOVERNMENT FIGURES SUGGEST THERE ARE UP TO 134 MATTRESS MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES IN THE UK” enable them to operate more effectively and productively.

“Raising awareness of bed basics and providing training to employees is vital in our industry. Whether it’s a first job in retail bed sales, manufacturing or buying, or an experienced sales person joining from a different sector - having the relevant industry learning and knowledge ensures the highest standards are continually being met.” Hence, the Federation’s ‘Introduction to Beds’ course, which was developed to help by providing the ultimate backgrounder for anyone joining the industry. The course was officially unveiled at the annual Bed Show 2016.

Continued Simon: “Introduction to Beds provides key information and knowledge about the UK bed market, facts and figures, relevant legislation, product guidance and a glossary of industry terminology, major brands and the NBF Code of Practice. It is hosted within our online Sleep Council Sales Academy (SCSA) programme.”

Beds Magazine has been given an inside look into the training module, which costs just £25 and can be accessed by individuals as well as teams within companies.

For more information about the National Bed Federation and its training, visit www.bedfed. org.uk

Beds Jan 2017.indb 47

A good fact for sales teams - a £1,000 bed equates to just 40p per night over a 7-year period. That’s just 20p each if two people are sharing a bed!

A double-size bed is still the most popular choice in the UK, accounting for around 45% of all sales. But a double bed only gives each person 67cm or 2ft 3ins in width of space each – which is about the same as a baby’s cot!

60% of bed purchases are made in-store, with online accounting for 40% of sales.

72% of the UK population are replacing their mattress in less than 10 years, with the average replacement cycle being 7.5 years.

In February 2016, the NBF surveyed 500 consumers on their bed buying habits in the previous six months. It found 62% of people had bought a mattress on its own, of which 10% were roll-up mattresses.

The gap between each slat on slatted beds and bedsteads should not be more than 9-10cm (4 inches), as this will create more wear and tear on the mattress.

83% of all mattresses sold in the UK have springs, and pocket spring mattresses account for 41% of the total.

Mattress imports represent around 13% of the UK home market, exports are only 7%.

46% of mattress manufacturing businesses in the UK employ less than 10 people, and 46% turnover less than £1m – so our sector could be described as a ‘cottage’ industry.

Pillows should be replaced every two to three years. An old, unwashed pillow could contain as much as 10% of its weight in skin scales, mould, dead and living dust mites and their allergen-inducing droppings!

Foam bed sets have just 6% of the market share by value, according to NBF members.

43% of foam mattresses sold on the UK market are imported.

The National Bed Federation (NBF) was founded in 1912 and is the only trade association representing the specific interests of the UK bed industry.

The Sleep Council is funded by the NBF and was established in 1995 to educate consumers and raise awareness of the importance of a good night’s sleep.

MARKET SHARE BY BED SIZE

5%

5%

FOAM MATTRESSES SOLD IN THE UK

18% 43%

27%

57%

45%

SINGLE - 90CM

DOUBLE - 135CM

KING - 150CM OTHER SIZES

SUPER KING -180CM

MADE IN UK IMPORTED

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TCS

Opulence

THE SIMPLE

SELL

TCS Imports is now the sole supplier for the Hilary Devey Mattress Collection throughout the whole of Ireland, after striking an exclusivity deal with bed manufacturer, Duvalay. Beds Magazine caught up with Thomas Small, managing director, TCS Imports, to find out more about the partnership

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TCS

“WE LIKE PRODUCTS THAT ARE SIMPLE AND EASY TO EXPLAIN”

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homas Small is not a fan of gimmicks. If a product is well-made, looks great and hits a sweet spot on the price, then it will sell itself and that’s a philosophy he has brought to bear on TCS Imports own mattress brands: Royal Coil and Contemporary Sleep. Both collections are doing well, “outperforming most other brands on the shop floor”, but Thomas recognised there was an opportunity for TCS to strengthen its mattress offer with a third – slightly more high end – collection, which is how the partnership with Duvalay began.

“Duvalay has a very similar ethos to us,” explains Thomas. “They don’t rely on waffle or gimmicks. They create quality products at incredibly keen price points. So, although we would not normally go down the partnership route, we definitely saw that we’d be on to something if we worked with Duvalay on bringing their Hilary Devey Collection to the Irish market.”

Hilary Devey is the Dragon’s Den star that invested in Duvalay in 2012, back when

Beds Jan 2017.indb 49

TCS Imports has grown from strength to strength over the past two decades. The manufacturer, which was established in 1998, initially specialised in leather upholstery, and became particularly well known for its bespoke handmade suites, which were crafted with hardwood frames and the finest British designed fabrics and luxury Italian leathers.

Three years ago, the company made the decision to broaden its offer, and launch its own range of mattresses. The Royal Coil and Contemporary Sleep collections have been a huge hit with retailers thanks to TCS’ mix of simplicity, quality and value for money.

Youlanda Kelly, of Des Kelly Interiors, a multi-store retailer based in Dublin, has been particularly impressed with two mattresses from the Contemporary Sleep Collection: the Contemporary Regency and the Imperial: “We at Des Kelly Interiors see [both mattresses] as offering a luxury brand at a reasonable price. The hypoallergenic soft touch fabric on the Imperial mattress has been one of the main selling points with our customers,” she says. “At Des Kelly Interiors, we don’t just sell beds, we sell a

better night’s sleep and that is easily done with these two mattresses from the contemporary range. We cannot recommend these beds more highly, from the quality and service, we are extremely happy.”

Another customer impressed with TCS’ bed brands is John Tennyson, Managing Director of Beds 2 Go: “Without question, the Royal Coil and Contemporary Sleep both offer incredible value in comparison with similar brand name products,” says John.

“They both allow for a good margin, and the accompanying five-year warranty, separates them from other similar price range products.

“We are having a lot of success with these mattress and, whilst we stock them for quick delivery, TCS stock holding is very good. We find their sales office is very efficient and helpful.”

The January Furniture Show 2017 will see TCS showcase their new collections as well as the best sellers from across their Upholstery, Dining and Bedroom ranges. Visit TCS at Hall 4, Stand B20.

Diamond it was specialising in sleep products for the caravan market. Since then, the company has broadened its focus and is now creating highend handcrafted mattresses from its factory in West Yorkshire. The Hilary Devey Collection, named after the investor, is a range of five mattresses that have all been designed with individually responsive, nested pocket springs; traditional, deep side-stitching and plush pillow tops.

Since launching in the UK last year, the range has been very well received, with the collection’s ‘Diamond’ mattress voted The Independent newspaper’s ‘Best Mattress’. And now, TCS Imports has been named exclusive supplier for Duvalay’s ‘Hilary Devey Collection’ throughout all of Ireland.

“The Hilary Devey Collection ticks so many boxes for us,” explains Thomas. “It’s beautifully designed using traditional techniques, and it’s really well priced. People always say that it looks and feels like it should cost three times as much. That’s a really good sign for us because we know that it’s going to be an easy sell for our retailers. On top of that, it’s

got celebrity backing which obviously grabs customers’ attention.”

Stockists of the Hilary Devey collection are provided with an eye-catching in store studio that includes pillar advertisements and a backdrop for behind the headboard, as well as branded pillows and foot mats.

All Hilary Devey mattresses are available on a 5-10 year warranty.

“For TCS, bringing Hilary Devey on board completes our mattress offer,” says Thomas.

“So, alongside our Royal Coil and Contemporary Sleep collections, we can provide retailers with options for good, better and best for pillow top, pocket sprung mattresses. We like products that are simple and easy to explain, and we think that the Hilary Devey Collection, like our other mattress ranges, is just that: a quality product that sells itself.”

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WASTE MATTERS

WASTE MATTERS

As the vexed question of what to do with discarded mattresses continues to tax minds across Europe, Jan Turner reports on the mixed bag of progress presented at the annual autumn assembly of the European Bedding Industry Association (EBIA).

T

he so-called circular economy has had bed industry bosses across Europe talking in circles for some time now – and it’s not difficult to understand

why.

Mattresses are devilishly difficult to break down into component parts – and when you do, the market for any resulting re-usable products is fairly limited.

Add to the mix that consumers in general are none-too-fussed about what happens to their mattress once they have finished with it – apart from an immediate need to have it collected and taken away – and the usual laws of supply and demand add little incentive to tackle the problem.

What is actually driving the discussions is fear of what the various different governments across Europe may impose on bed industries. In the UK, for example, the NBF is working to pre-empt any possible legislative dictate by offering up its own workable solution.

It’s certainly why France leads the way by a country mile. The country’s law creating Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on furniture came into effect in 2013, against a background of 50% furniture waste and 100% of mattresses going into landfill.

Today there are 21 EPR schemes operating across France, with Eco-mobilier, a state-approved not-for-profit, collective organisation, driving the scheme for furniture and mattresses for which more than 6,000 producers are registered. It sees waste from municipality collection centres and other collection points (retailers and social enterprises) sorted at waste treatment plants into items which can be recycled or used for energy recovery.

The system is financed by a visible recycling fee, which is added to the product price and displayed at the point of sale.

Retailers collect the fee and send it back to

the producers who, in turn, send it back to Eco-mobilier.

When launched, the aim of EPR was to increase recycling rates from 23% to 45% and by 2015 Eco-mobilier had achieved 47% recycling.

Mattresses represent 9% of the total waste treated through seven mattress dismantling units which have a 45,000 tonne per year capacity and would employ up to 200 people (at full capacity). The challenges involved include finding more solutions for the foam and textile content; ensuring, by contract with the dismantling units, good working conditions for the people employed at the units; and even the weather! A rain-

soaked mattress is not suitable for recycling, only energy recovery, so waste collection containers are now all properly covered to prevent this happening.

With these issues in mind and as part of its commitment to continuously improve its environmental performance, Eco-mobilier conducts Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs) of the products it deals with. It is shortly due to launch its analysis of mattress collection and treatment.

It aims, in four years, to increase the volumes of mattresses recycled by

7 MATTRESS DISMANTLING UNITS IN FRANCE IN CONTRACT WITH ECO-MOBILER

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WASTE MATTERS two-and-a-half times the current levels by working with recyclers to find new applications and products integrating recycled content (such as insulation materials and packaging). Eco-mobilier also intends to do more research and development into chemical recycling and other new waste technologies and – with a view to improving working conditions – ensuring mattresses are sanitised by either thermal or chemical processes before dismantling begins.

From an End of Life (EOL) perspective, Eco-mobilier is also concerned to reduce future levels of waste by working with dismantlers and recyclers to identify ways in which the construction of new mattresses can be adapted to be more eco-friendly, with recycling discounts offered as an incentive.

If France is an example of how government intervention can galvanise industry action, then Holland is one of hearts only just being changed.

With a reputation as something of a ‘dumping ground’ for waste thanks to its massive incineration capacity, the Dutch currently need to dispose of 1.2 million mattresses per year. Just a third are dismantled and the remaining 800,000 incinerated although, on the plus side, almost none go to landfill.

Now having something of a rethink, the Dutch government outlined its new strategy mission for the mattress sector in autumn 2016: mattresses will no longer be accepted as bulky household waste; incineration has to stop; and all mattresses must be dismantled.

The aim is to move from a linear to circular economy by gradually moving from waste to basic materials in a bid to re-use as much of the original mattress fillings as possible. The pace of change is a leisurely one, however, the plan being to have 50% of mattresses made using just basic materials by 2030. And only materials that can be re-used by 2050.

It gives the industry early notice to consider the main challenges, the first being to change the production process by switching to eco-designs made from easy-to-recycle products and using just four main components instead of 40.

The logistics of collecting, storing and dismantling mattresses is another complex issue, which needs to come under scrutiny along with searching for new applications and markets for end waste materials.

Under Holland’s new ‘green deal’, while all players in the mattress chain

PRELIMINARY WARNING

BELGIUM: NOT ONE COUNTRY! ENVIROMENTAL LEGISLATION MATTER OR THE REGIONS

“MATTRESSES ARE DEVILISHLY DIFFICULT TO BREAK DOWN INTO COMPONENT PARTS” are invited to actively participate and there are plans to set up a fund for research and development, there is currently no compulsion to take part and no ‘threats’ of EPR. In neighbouring Belgium, the cultural split between the nation’s Flemish and Walloon governments is a stumbling block to the introduction of an EPR scheme for mattresses.

The Flemish waste administration launched its idea for the introduction of such a scheme, based on the outcome of a feasibility study, back in 2012. In January 2015 it announced that this would be introduced by January 2017 – but this has already been postponed until January 2018 pending the outcome of another study.

And there’s another big ‘but’ in this nation of two halves: the Walloon government has indicated that it is not inclined to follow the Flemish initiative just yet so a ‘national’ solution is still needed which is likely to lead to further delays – particularly given that the position in Brussels is not clear.

Alongside initiatives being taken by European governments, delegates from two supplier companies, which have developed award-winning products designed to reduce the environmental impact of polyurethane foam, attended the conference.

Covestro, among the world’s largest polymer companies, has developed a new technology for using the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide to make substances used for the manufacture of premium foam.

Beds Jan 2017.indb 52

Called Cardyon it claims to reduce the polyurethane industry’s dependence on oil, so reducing its carbon footprint.

Air Products meanwhile, has developed state-of-the-art additives for the production of low and non-emissive slabstock foams which eliminate amine and 2-ethylhexanoic acid emissions from a broad range of polyurethane foams, including conventional, high resilience and viscoelastic grades.

In America meanwhile, where there are thought to be some 15 – 20 million ‘discards’ each year, small but significant inroads have been made into recycling thanks to the arrival of the not-for-profit Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), established to develop and implement programmes for states that have enacted mattress recycling laws – currently just Conneticut, Rhode Island and – more significantly – California.

Created by the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA), the MRC sets a mattress recycling fee for approval by state regulators with retailers charging the fee on each mattress unit sold in the state. This fee is then given directly to the MRC to pay for the recyclers, transporters and collectors contracted to facilitate the system.

Consumers in the signed up states use traditional disposal channels via retailer takeback schemes and municipal collection and drop-off sites. In order to raise awareness of the recycling initiative in their state,

INDUSTRY & CONSUMER OUTREACH

ISPA EXPO 2016, ORLANDO, FL

VISALIA EARTH DAY 2016, VISALIA, CA

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WASTE MATTERS it has to change. Governments are getting on the case. And ultimately, if change doesn’t come, then the increasingly ecosavvy consumer will demand it.

A MUNICIPALITY, RETAILER OR CONSUMER TAKES THEM TO A LANDFILL WASTE TO ENERGY FACILITY RECYCLER

the MRC has also launched a consumer facing initiative – ‘bye bye mattress’ – which includes a number of public service announcements across radio, TV and print.

Although it’s early days – the three recycling states account for just over 13% of the US population – it’s a step in the right direction for a country that produces some 35 – 40 million new mattresses/box springs each year with unwanted mattresses currently disposed of on a ‘pay as you throw’ model.

In less wealthy areas this often leads to mattresses simply being abandoned or illegally dumped. And among the ‘renovators’ who put new covers on old Delegates at the EBIA conference heard how one French recycler – Recyc-Matelas Europe – was dealing with the problem of dismantling mattresses.

Set up in 2010, the company has three plants across France with a total capacity to handle some 900,000 items a year (it currently deals with around 400,000 to 500,000 pieces a year). It is also involved in joint projects in Belgium with new projects coming on stream in Italy and the UK. After first sanitising all incoming mattresses, specialist equipment – including a shredder, baler and compressors, along with a dismantling machine for sprung mattresses – is used to break each mattress down into constituent parts. Metal and wood are shredded while textiles, foam and latex are baled and barcoded for traceability, with each bale being weighed and put into storage. Although heavily mechanised, manual handling has not been totally eliminated and currently accounts for 25% of the process.

With a recovery rate of 92%, Recyc-Matelas Europe recycles 85% of all materials with 7% used for energy recovery. Metal frames go back into the steel industry while foam and latex are re-used in the car industry (for seating), for underlay in the building sector and for judo and other mats used in the sport industry.

mattresses, some are not as open with consumers as they should be – and often make no effort to clean up the materials they put in their products or upgrade them to meet current flammability standards.

In conclusion, there’s no doubting the fact that a good few countries are at least talking about the circular economy, and if not yet doing something about it, taking note of those who are.

There’s no doubt either that any benefits will take a long time to come through – and that ultimately the design and construction of future mattresses will need to change to facilitate easier end of life disposal.

But change is coming. The industry knows

Wood is recycled as either wood panelling or for energy recovery while various textiles (polyester, cotton, felt and wool etc) are repurposed for heat and sound insulation, absorbents and felt for the mattress industry.

The company has two main income streams – from mattress collection fees and the income derived from selling recycled

VALIDATION OF THE PALLET PRODUCTION

ABANDONED OR ILLEGALLY DUMPED

SENT TO A RENOVATOR

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www.europeanbedding.eu

material, the latter being an area for which new markets are constantly being explored. In the past year this has included making mattresses and pillows from sanitised foam for the North African market with output running at around five to six container loads a month.

DISMANTLING MECHANICAL SPRUNG MATTRESSES, FOAM AND LATEX SHREDDING METAL AND WOOD

MECHANICAL PROCESS

BALING TEXTILES FOAM AND LATEXT

STORAGE EACH BALE IS WEIGHED

THE BALES ARE BARCODED FOR TRACEABILITY

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MANUFACTURING

PROTECT-A-BED

Talking

TECH

Protect A Bed’s Paul Lake tells Beds Magazine all about the company’s latest developments for the January Furniture Show, including a sophisticated new brand.

The Sleep 400 mattress

T

he most recent forecast from technology intelligence provider CCS Insight points to some 10 million wearable devices in use in the UK by the end of this year, and according to the company’s Market Forecast: Wearables, UK, 2016-2020 report, this will only increase. In

fact, it is predicted that numbers will triple to almost 33 million units in the next four years.

It may not be entirely surprising to note that of these devices, fitness trackers were found to have the greatest sales volume, with a huge 1.7 million estimated to be sold this year. And, when it comes to recovering

“THE WEARABLE SLEEP AND ACTIVITY TRACKER WORKS BY USING PROPRIETARY ALGORITHMS TO ALLOCATE POINTS”

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from a workout, getting enough sleep is vital in repairing body tissue, helping to enhance performance. Conversely, sleep deprivation can actually cause a spike in levels of the stress hormone Cortisol, which slows down healing and can even increase the body’s risk of injury That’s not all. A recent report from not-for-profit research organisation Rand Europe, which evaluated the economic cost of insufficient sleep in the UK, US, Canada, Germany and Japan, using data from 62,000 people, found that sleep-deprived workers are costing the UK economy around £40bn a year.

The study - Why Sleep Matters – The Economic Costs of Insufficient Sleep – found that the main impact from lack of sleep was on health, with people who sleep less than six hours a night being 13% more likely to die early than people who achieve seven to nine hours.

So, can the same kind of technology people use to help their exercise regime actually benefit their sleep in the same way

21/12/2016 15:49

MANUFACTURING

PROTECT-A-BED and thus provide a very real opportunity for retailers to profit? Well, the Rand Europe study advised businesses to discourage the extended use of electronic devices after working hours amongst their staff, and it is well documented that working on mobile devices and tablets before bed is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. However, there is a derivative of this kind of technology which can actually help as part of the daily exercise and sleep regime, as Protect A Bed’s Paul Lake explains, with reference to the company’s new rem-fit bedding brand.

“The rem-fit sleep technology system,” explained Paul, “helps users to achieve the best sleep possible for maximum recovery and comfort, whether they have been working out, or simply working hard at their desk.”

The system features a sophisticated hybrid mattress combined with sleep monitor technology, to help aid the user’s recovery through analysing and improving their sleep.

“We’re really excited about rem-fit,” enthused Paul. “The sleep and recovery technology is cutting edge. The rem-fit sleep 400 mattress is a hybrid featuring 5cm of cool gel infused memory foam, for a cooler sleep; a layer of our unique mediflex foam for pressure relieving comfort and interactive support and a 1000 pocket spring system. It also features our exclusive thermo regulating Re-Ax fiber cover.”

What this editor found particularly interesting was the technology available with the system. The wearable sleep and activity tracker works by using proprietary algorithms to allocate points based both on how well the user slept at night and the activity carried out during the day. These scores contribute to a 360 ‘LifeScore’, based on the quality of sleep and the intensity of activity. The use

Users can achieve the best sleep possible

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The hybrid mattress is combined with sleep monitor technology

The app is available for both iPhone and Android devices

The Sleep Monitor is placed under the sheet

of gamification here encourages users to strive for a LifeScore of 360 each day for the most well rounded day, health-wise.

Not wearable, but equally ‘tech-y’ is the range’s sleep monitor, which records the user’s sleep cycle, heart rate, respiratory rate and body movements whilst they are in the land of nod. The monitor is placed under the sheet and held in place using a magnetic lid as opposed to having to be physically worn in order to ensure comfort without any disturbance to sleep. It uses accurate professional medical-grade sensors to provide a comprehensive sleep analysis, which also includes the time taken to fall asleep, the sleep duration, a wake alarm and even suggestions for sleep improvement.

Both of these technologies require an app to use, which is available for iPhone and Android devices, and can both be seen, alongside the mattress at the upcoming January Furniture Show. But what’s next for the company? Are there more technological developments on the horizon?

“Yes,” Paul confirmed. “During the first half of 2017 we will be launching our new smart pillow which will be the most

[ 57 [

advanced of its kind anywhere in the world, featuring anti snore technology, sleep monitoring data as well as embedded speakers so you can listen and enjoy without disturbing your partner.”

We look forward to bringing you the latest update on the technology behind the new pillow as it happens.

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VORSPRUNG BED TECHNIK

VORSPRUNG

BED TECH

Compared to Germany, the English market is a relative bed of roses. Jan Turner explains why.

I

f English consumers are none-too fussed about paying out for a better end bed (the average price paid is £450 according to latest NBF research), then spare a thought for the German market.

Some 77% of Germans don’t plan to pay more than €300 when they next buy a mattress – with the average selling price of below €250 reflecting that rather low aspiration. Their average replacement cycle of 10 to 12 years also compares unfavourably to the 7.5 years which the NBF says is now the norm in Britain.

Delegates at the European Bedding Industries Association’s general assembly in Berlin last autumn also heard that price development in the €1.1 billion German market (population 82 million) remains flat in a country where, when it comes to beds at least, there’s something of a bargain mentality.

Some 25% of the population buy from mattress discounters, while IKEA and the internet are favoured by a further 19%.

Only 11% buy from local speciality stores.

MARKET SIZE

Providing the insight into German market trends, Christoph von Wrisberg of Recticel said springs are the most commonly used technology in the country, accounting for 38% of sales. ‘Cold’ foam comes next at 32% with the next largest category quoted as ‘don’t knows’. It seems

And while memory foam accounts for just 3% of the market, gel foam a meagre 2% and latex a modest 5%, the trend for box springs is viewed as a bit of a ‘renaissance of an old technology’. It is predicted that in 2017, 50% of all beds sold will be box springs.

“SPRINGS ARE THE MOST COMMONLY USED TECHNOLOGY IN THE COUNTRY, ACCOUNTING FOR 38% OF SALES”

that amongst the younger consumers especially (26% of those aged 20 to 29), there is little awareness of what’s in their mattress.

It is only when the German consumer reaches the 40 to 49 year life stage that a glimmer of hope begins to appear and the wish for a better mattress arises more

MATTRESSES RETAIL VOLUME AND AVERAGE PRICE, GERMANY, 2008 - 2020 € (RSP, CURRENT PRICES) M UNITS. Market Size 2015: ~1.1 €bn

2.5%

1.4%

5.6

5.5

5.6

5.7

5.8

5.9

6.0

6.1

6.3

6.5

6.6

6.8

6.9

257

260

244

252

257

256

254

252

253

254

257

260

264

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2008

AVERAGE PRICE (RSP)

2016F 2017 F 2018F 2019F 2020F

RETAIL VOLUME (M UNITS)

GERMAN POPULATION IS INCREASING FROM 80,9 MIO. UP TO 82 MIO. (REFUGEES) - DEMAND @PRICE ENTEREANCE REPLACEMENT CYCLE OF MATTRESSES BETWEEN 10-12 YEARS

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VORSPRUNG BED TECHNIK

HNIK PRICE RANGE BUDGET

SPENT

0 -100 €

16%

101 - 200 €

30%

201 - 300 €

31%

301 - 600 €

16%

601 - 1,000 €

3%

1001 - 1,500 €

2%

ABOVE 1,500 € 2% often. Special price offers become less relevant and health issues rank as the third reason to upgrade.

Another essential difference between the German and UK market is the sheer size of its stores as furniture retailing there migrates towards the department store concept. After mattress discounters, big furniture stores account for 17% of all mattress sales, chief among them being Ikea Deutschland which has 50 stores across the country with a combined turnover of €4.4 million. That’s more than double the turnover of the second biggest large store rival Hoffner Unternehmensgruppe which has 55 outlets

and a turnover of €2.1 million.

Going forward, the German market is, like Britain, being similarly challenged by the ‘One Size Fits All’ newcomers offering the ‘We are Cool’ approach to marketing.

Along with Casper, other names to conjure with in this category include Bruno, Muun, Snooze Project, Emma and Eve. With their strong media, TV and online investment approach they are also being seen by the sector as assisting the wider industry by raising mattress awareness generally.

However, fear of these and other online traders generally is seeing an increasing number of furniture retailers and buying

groups ‘escape’ into private and own brand labels in order to protect their margins.

So while these latter concerns may resonate with many in the British bed market, the overall picture painted of that in Germany is rather less ‘Wunderbar’ than our own.

Pre-Brexit, at least, the grass on this side of the channel would definitely appear to be a little greener.

AGE OF MATTRESS

REASONS FOR PURCHASE

TOTAL

40-49 YRS

AGE OF PREV. MATTRESS

46%

49%

WISH FOR BETTER MATTRESS

30%

37%

HEALTH ISSUES

16%

20%

MOVED TO ANOTHER PLACE

16%

14%

A SPECIAL OFFER

14%

21%

OTHER SIZE OF BED

16%

12%

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SELLING THE DREAM

SELLING THE DREAM

In the highly competitive world of selling beds, more savvy retailers and manufacturers are now selling ‘sleep’ in order to sell the bed. It’s a generic approach which The Sleep Council has been using in its consumer facing messaging for more than 20 years – but how well does it work commercially?

Jan Turner looks at how the industry is reinventing itself as an authority on sleep – and how that pans out in practice.

S

leep has become something of a battleground in recent years with any and everyone offering sleep-related products and services wanting a slice of the action. Quite simply, consumers buy into sleep more than they do the product or service itself, so anyone appearing to offer a solution to better sleep may be on to a winner.

The quest to ‘own’ sleep has become so competitive that an increasing number of companies now use sleep ‘experts’ and ‘coaches’ to underline their expertise in the area. Even High Street retailer Holland & Barrett has jumped on the sleep bandwagon, its TV adverts last autumn promoting the company’s instore ‘sleep coaches’.

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it.

Some people are even making a living from

Nick Littlehales has long been doing so.

It all started 16 years ago when the former professional golfer, international sales and marketing director for Slumberland and past chair of The Sleep Council, wrote to the then manager of Manchester United, Alex Ferguson, to ask what he did for his players in terms of sleep coaching.

The letter resulted in Nick doing some work with players at the club and, on becoming a regular visitor to Old Trafford, he was spotted by the ever present media who ran a story about Manchester United having a ‘Sleep Coach’.

The label stuck, his reputation grew and ever since Nick has worked with elite clubs,

teams, sports people and athletes in both the UK and overseas.

“I don’t position myself as a sleep expert, my clients do,” says Nick who describes himself on his website as a ‘sport sleep coach’. He counts the wildly successful GB cycling track team at the Rio Olympics among recent clients: as well as coaching them, Nick supplied them with sleeping kits for their stay in the Olympic village.

He has also worked with the Team Sky professional cycling team, Real Madrid FC, England Rugby, The Rugby Players Association, Rugby Union Premiership clubs, Nottingham and Yorkshire County Cricket Clubs, British Rowing, Team GB Sailing, British Athletics. And so on and so on.

Over recent years Nick has watched

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SELLING THE DREAM with interest, the growing number of sleep coaches, experts and ambassadors aligning themselves with different brands. He believes that the fast changing landscape of British bed manufacturing and retailing has prompted the sudden plethora of ‘experts’ as established brands fight to differentiate themselves.

He said: “I welcome the greater emphasis on sleep but to a degree it is the changing nature of the industry which has brought about this need to prove a competence in sleep. When I worked in the industry many years ago, the choice on offer to consumers was much ‘tidier’. But since then a lot of new producers have come into the marketplace – both on and offline – making all sorts of claims.

“As the market has become more confused, we’ve seen entrepreneurs – many with no experience in bed making – spot the opportunity for a simplified offer. That has led to the explosion of the online ‘foam sandwich’ sector. And some of these companies are turning over millions and millions of pounds because they’ve made buying mattresses such a quick and easy choice.

“So how do traditional manufacturers and retailers fight back? They’ve realised they need to position themselves as experts and sell people a good night’s sleep – not just a bed. And it’s a good thing – because by default it says ‘we will help you with your sleep’.

“Consumers themselves are also becoming much more sleep aware. Most of us now lead incredibly busy lives which, thanks to the non-stop online world, puts 24/7 pressures on us all. Gone are the days when people left work at 5pm and the week finished on a Friday night.

“Life is much more pressured and sleep is often the ‘victim’. And now that we’re all so concerned with ‘measuring’ every aspect of our lives through apps and devices which monitor our sleeping as well as waking hours, if you talk sleep rather than beds to people they make the connection between the

Dr Nerina Ramlakhan

product and what it can do for their lives.

“Beds are not an ‘I Want’ market in the same way as a new car or pair of shoes.

They’re a ‘Have To’ spend which people only make occasionally so if you sell them a great night’s sleep rather than a spring count or foam type, they can relate to that much more easily.”

It’s an approach which The Sleep Council has taken since its inception in 1995, as Lisa Artis explained: “People don’t always put two and two together when they think of their bed and how well they sleep. Yet we know that one of the keys to unlocking a good night’s sleep is a comfortable, supportive bed. The right mattress can make the difference between a restorative night’s sleep and poor quality sleep that results in tiredness and fatigue.

“Many consumers find bed buying hard work, boring and often overwhelming – confused by a sea of white rectangles and a plethora of jargon they don’t understand.

And yet it is one of the most important things they can buy. You spend a third of your life in bed so it’s essential that when you’re in it, you’re comfortable.

“As the subject of sleep hits the news more frequently, we’ve seen more and more companies shift their marketing emphasis from beds to sleep and it’s a shift we welcome.

“Sleep affects every single one of us and consumers can relate to it. By engaging with the consumer about how well they sleep – or don’t – can often give an indication of where an issue may lie. For instance, finding out a consumer doesn’t sleep well because their partner disturbs them could lead to upselling from a double to a king size bed.”

It’s a stance which everyone from large manufacturers and retailers to more modest sized businesses are adopting. Silentnight, for example, has been working with Dr Nerina Ramlakhan since 2012 with an ‘Ask Nerina’ section on its website. So why did the company decide to go down the sleep expert route?

According to Nick Booth, marketing

Jane Walker

“SLEEP AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US AND CONSUMERS CAN RELATE TO IT.” director, it was: “To add independent credibility and guidance for consumers on how to improve their attitude and approach to sleep and overcome common, nonmedical, sleep issues.

Dr Nerina, (a neurophysiologist with a degree and a doctorate in physiology), runs a clinic treating private clients and is also the author of two sleep related books. She works alongside Silentnight to give advice to consumers and provides her opinions on lifestyle changes that can aid a better night’s sleep. She also answers media questions related to sleep, has coached staff to help boost their quality of sleep and provides advice to consumers through the company website.

Said Nick: “There is increasing attention on this area in the media and there is also an increased focus across the industry.

From our point of view it’s an important relationship that works well for our brand and our consumers value the advice we are able to give via our sleep expert and we are continuing to work with Dr Nerina.”

Cheshire-based retailer and e-tailer, Land of Beds used its own in-house expertise along with partnering leading chiropractor, Gillian Smith, to develop its sleep expert training course. Said md Mike Murray: “We want to position ourselves as ‘sleep specialists’ and become the main place customers go to for advice on what products would suit them best and result in improved sleep quality.

“Senior members of the team, led by

Nick Littlehales

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SELLING THE DREAM our operations manager Victoria Lewis, helped us devise our course, based on their vast first-hand experience and feedback from customers, suppliers and the medical profession.

“Additionally, Gillian helped give us good advice about correct support and spinal alignment during sleep and has also taken part in two drop-in clinics inside our store.

Customers could book a free consultation to discuss their sleep issues after which we could correctly advise them on the right type of mattress for their needs.

“Gillian has also done a series of short videos for us to promote on our website and took part in a question and answer session to talk about the most common issues consumers have when it comes to getting comfortable pressure relieving nights’ sleep.

“To round things off we wanted to incorporate the concept of sleeping well for a healthier life by promoting exercise and relaxation to aid sleep. To do this we partnered with a master personal trainer, Kit Wong, who did a short series of videos for us to teach people how to stretch properly each morning when getting out of bed so they would avoid injury and feel more refreshed and re-energised. We also commissioned a series of videos from holistic therapist, Emi Howe, who talked about the importance of a good night’s sleep.

“Since launching this concept over two years ago, we feel we are positioning ourselves as much more than just a place from which to buy a bed. Feedback so far would suggest customers are extremely impressed by our approach and believe we are truly trying to help, which ultimately creates trust and helps gain us a great reputation as the first place to considered when looking to replace an old bed!”

Over at Furniture Village, Jane Walker – a successful bed sales consultant for 15 years at the company’s Croydon store and National Bed Federation (NBF) accredited sleep expert – was appointed FV sleep coach over a year ago.

After winning its first Bed Retailer of the Year award, the company was keen to find the right person to fill the role. Said bed buyer Rebecca Maloy:“We believe sleep is one of three key pillars of health, alongside diet and exercise. Each relies on the other for a healthy lifestyle so what better way to highlight its importance than to employ a dedicated sleep coach.”

Jane coaches and trains FVs sales consultants across three key areas: the education of sleep; selling skills; and product knowledge regarding bed products and sleep. She works closely with various areas of the business, the stores, and suppliers to deliver training and has compiled a book called the ‘Bed Bible’ that sales consultants use to enhance their bed selling skills and as a key information point.

It all goes towards selling a great night’s sleep.

Said Rebecca: “It gives Furniture Village credibility. Externally it can be seen that we take sleep seriously and that we want the best for our customers. Having Jane as our sleep coach gives one of our key values a

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Vicky Lewis, right, hands out a ‘Land of Beds Sleep Specialist Certificate’ to Rhian Thomas ‘face’, and she successfully works with our team so they can talk and help the customer with authority.

“Beds have been and remain our fastest growing product category, seeing sustained growth, year on year, over the past four years and in September 2015 we won Bed Retailer of the Year for a second time.

Thanks to the success of the role we are also looking to have experts in our upholstery and cabinet product categories.

“More emphasis is being placed on sleep, with various initiatives across the industry, although there is a tendency to team this with trying to make a fast sale. A bed is probably the most important piece of furniture people will buy with the most potential to change their life for the better.”

At Dewsbury-based Shire Beds, which recently signed a three year sponsorship deal with Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), the company plans to maximise its involvement with the club by working with its strength and conditioning coach.

Said Fara Butt, sales and marketing director: “To ensure the team’s optimum performance, the coach’s responsibilities include improving their physical strength and stamina through exercise, nutritional advice and, of course, sleep. The coach monitors sleep daily as part of a player’s well-being.

“Athletes in particular need a restful night’s sleep to aid their recovery, which is why we have called on our partners at YCCC to help us with our future product development. Their focus is on the athletic performance of the cricketers, some of who not only play for Yorkshire, but also for the England team and need to be at the top of their game.

“We currently have plans in the pipeline for a new innovative, sleep-enhancing product and we will be working with the coach to support its development.

“Some of the players are also trialling beds taken from our range for those with an active lifestyle and we will be using their feedback, together with the advice and guidance received from the strength and conditioning coach, to produce a bed that will give our customers the best night’s sleep possible.”

At Mammoth, founder John Tuton rapidly built his brand by setting out from the start

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to create a mattress that was scientifically proven to aid a better night’s sleep.

To do so, he collaborated with sleep expert Professor Jason Ellis of the University of Northumbria’s Sleep Research Centre who carried out a study that evidenced the sleep benefits of Mammoth’s design and approach.

Said John: “As an industry, I believe we now have to go one step further than simply positioning ourselves as sleep experts. I believe it will become increasingly important to offer consumers tangible evidence of benefits and an assurance of a good night’s rest.”

Simon Williams, marketing manager for the NBF concludes: “Back when we were launching the Sleep Council Sales Academy course, there were many UK bed suppliers providing varying levels of product training to their retailers but, unsurprisingly, they tended to focus on their own specific product ranges.

“Some retailers were even labelling their sales staff as ‘sleep experts’ when in fact they had very little knowledge of sleep.

They could baffle the average consumer with technical details such as type of springing, number of springs, depth and density of memory foam and whether it was profile cut for zoning or for enhanced ventilation. But they knew very little about the science of sleep, the circadian rhythm or how to use interesting sleep facts within their sales presentations to demonstrate they knew more than just what was inside a product.

“Using the knowledge from the course can help retail sales people engage more effectively with their customers, gain their trust more readily and ulitmately increase their average sales values and conversion rates.”

wsleepcouncilsalesacademy.org.uk

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MANUFACTURING

MPT GROUP

THE PRODUCT

IN PRODUCTIVITY Beds Magazine caught up with Andrew Trickett, owner of MPT Group, to find out how the company’s machines are continuing to help manufacturers improve both the quality of their mattresses, and their turnaround times

B

ritish businesses are forever being berated by government for their lack of productivity, which always seems like such an intangible and unquantifiable concept. Well, MPT Group has brought productivity gains into sharp focus with the release of the Bordatac S2, a newly improved version of its successful side-stitching machine.

The big headline is the huge time saving potential that the S2 offers to mattress manufacturers. Thanks to the machine’s

incorporated Servo-controlled sewing heads, and swinging needle technology, the speed capacity of the Bordatac S2 is double that of its predecessor. For example, the production speed for a two-tack border configuration is an impressive 33 seconds per metre; a threetack runs at 50 seconds; and a four-tack at 1 minute.

The actual set-up time of each sewing cycle has been cut too. With the S2, an operator only needs to key in the actual border width, and the machine automatically calculates the

appropriate tack configurations.

“The set-up is a hugely time consuming process,” explains MPT Group owner, Andrew Trickett. “The S2 eliminates most of those manual configurations, saving businesses, on average, around 20 minutes for every time they switch. If you consider that a manufacturer might be changing the set-up on their machine roughly four times a day, then that is quite a considerable saving.”

The overall time saving is not the only big

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MANUFACTURING

MPT GROUP benefit. The S2 has been designed with the market firmly in mind. The machine can run up to eight tacks on a single border, giving manufacturers the opportunity to create much more sophisticated pattern selections.

And, with the growing trend towards everdeeper mattresses, the S2 is able to extend these border effects from a 7 inch to a 17inch mattress.

MPT Group recently held an open day where it invited customers to see the S2 in action.

“The event was very well received by our customers,” said Andrew. “They loved the flexibility of the machine, and found some of the new features would not only offer increased production but also far more flexibility in the range of border effects they could produce.

“The most well received feature is the automatic tack configuration facility, this allows clients to simply select a border width and the machine will automatically calculate the various tack options possible at the touch of a button.”

Also recently released by MPT Group, the Matramatic Quilter. This machine gives mattress manufactures high speed and heavy-duty functionality, combined with computer control. But the Matramatic’s real unique selling point is its ability to quilt natural fibres, many of which cannot be quilted through traditional feed quilters.

Materials such as latex, wool, horsehair, and cashmere can all be quilted with total ease with the Matramatic.

“The feedback to the Matramatic Quilter has been very good,” says Andrew.

“Especially from clients who are working with natural fibres in their quilting. The Matramatic also provides a great solution to the ever growing market for mattress toppers which generally have natural fibers as their primary filling.”

2016 was a busy year for MPT Group.

Being an exporter, the political upheaval in the UK has so far not had much of a direct effect on the business and, in fact, sales are 10% up year-on-year.

“Of course, there is a lot of uncertainty around right now,” says Andrew. “But we have been pleased to see that the market

“Being an exporter, the political upheaval in the UK has so far not had much of a direct effect on the business and, in fact, sales are 10% up year-on-year”

The Bordatac 6 and Bordatac 4 tack borders has remained relatively buoyant throughout 2016, and we have actually taken on some new business.”

“We had lots of interest in our attendance at September’s National Bed Federation (NBF) event, which was our most successful NBF event to date.”

MPT Group is not getting complacent though. 2017 will see the result of some serious investment back into the company’s R&D, with the release of the Mini Micro Quilting Machine. This machine is designed

for smaller manufacturers who want to avoid a major capital investment, but would still like a machine that offers them more variety in their border effects.

With its 3D border system, the Mini Micro Quilting Machine is an excellent value alternative to the all-singing, all-dancing machines required by major mattress brands.

“We definitely saw a gap in the market for the Mini Micro,” says Andrew. “These smaller businesses still want to increase the variety of borders they offer, but they don’t necessarily want to spend big money to get all the other features. The Mini Micro is the perfect solution for them.”

After a packed year designing and selling machines that solve others’ productivity pitfalls, no one could accuse MPT of being remotely unproductive but how does Andrew want to move the business forward in 2017?

“We want to keep doing what we are doing really: bringing out new products that offer clear and compelling benefits to our customers, and helping them to create even better quality products, quicker and easier than ever before.”

w www.mptgroup.com

The recently released Matramatic Quilter

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products CHECK OUT ALL THE LATEST PRODUCTS

Breasley

MPT Group

Breasley’s new ‘Uno’ vacuum packed mattress collection, featuring eleven models from the Junior mattress to the Memory Pocket 2000. Each mattress has its own USP and new technologies including Adaptive® and Fresche® Bioscience for comfort and protection. Retailers can benefit from a great range of POS including a free mattress stand and product videos.

The AUTO-TUFT is a fully automated mattress tufting system and capable of tufting in excess of 200 mattresses per 8-hour shift.

It requires only one operator, virtually eliminating the need for material handling. Products are introduced into the machine via a horizontal conveyor that centralises the mattress before tufting.

Sensors automatically detect the size of the mattress during the in-feed process and relays this data to the AUTO-TUFT¹s PLC this then selects the correct tuft pattern for that product size. After tufting is complete, products can either be exited via a gravity conveyor or fed directly into a mattress wrapper.

www.unomattress.co.uk

www.mptgroup.com/flipper

SHERBORNE UPHOLSTERY

Sweet Dreams

Following the tremendous success of both the Dorchester and Hampton Adjustable Bed ranges, Sherborne will be introducing many exciting new developments to be launched at the January Furniture Show and the NorthPoint Exhibition in Edinburgh.

These will include an additional new range, new mattresses and a tremendous improvement in the fabric selection.

Sweet Dreams will show splendid examples from their divan, mattress and bedframe collections at January Furniture Show.

Look out for new beds from the popular Pocket Air collection, in particular Clarence, with its choice of base colours, 4,000 pocket spring count, and cashmere and wool fillings to the luxury microquilting. Hall 5 H10

www.sherborneupholstery.co.uk

www.sweetdreamsuk.com

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TCS

vogue Beds

One of the best performers from TCS over the last 12 months has been its exclusive Royal Coil mattress collection, including the Contemporary Sleep range, that is continually being repeated by retailers throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland. 2017 sees a revamp of the Contemporary Sleep Collection, even better floor appeal to entice your customers.

Visit us in Hall 4, Stand B20

One of Limelight Beds’ newest bedsteads, the Himila bedstead, comes covered in a chocolate faux leather fabric. This trendy new bedstead is supplied with a sprung slatted base which provides greater degree of comfort. The product is available in 4’6 (140cm), 5’0 (155cm) and 6’0 (180cm) size options. www.voguebeds.co.uk

www.tcsimports.com

deluxe-beds

Furmanac

A new addition to our luxury Pennine Beds range, the Ultra Edge Comfort uses a wide foam border ensuring a secure support around the edge of your mattress. Complemented with a substantial layer of reflex foam, dual density polyester and a luxury knitted microquilted cover, select from 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3000 pocket springs.

The new MiBed® Elite is the perfect complement to both the existing and nine new MiBed® mattresses. This new, upgraded base incorporates improved ventilation, suspension rubbers, chrome castors, RF massage system, memory motor and an under-bed light as standard to provide your customers with the good night¹s sleep they deserve. www.furmanac.com

www.deluxe-beds.co.uk

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NBF

NIGHT PATROL

NIGHT

PATROL Your full name: Steve Freeman Name you are known by: Steve Official title: Managing director Company: Silentnight Group

Q

Q

Official title: Chairman

I volunteer for sleep trials on new concepts as part of our new product development process. As a result we often switch our bed, but are currently on a Hybrid - 2800 pocket springs under a substantial layer of Geltex.

Q Q

Q

How do you like to wind down before bed at the end of the day?

Skyping our daughter and grandson in Australia or just relaxing, attempting to finish watching the numerous recorded programmes on our TV system.

Q

What was the last innovation in the bed industry that genuinely impressed you?

Innovation is wider than just product. In message Dreams’ ‘Replace after Eight’ benefitted the whole market. Benson’s Comfort Station enhanced the instore environment bringing clarity and simplifying the shopping experience. Product wise, our own Geltex material, which is proving to be one of the most resilient comfort layers on the market.

How did you get into the industry?

I was head-hunted some seven years back to run Sealy. I then spent two years in one of the most beautiful counties in the UK – Cumbria.

What’s the best thing about the bed industry?

I love sleep and am also passionate about innovation. With more than 75% of the UK population not getting a great night’s sleep, what other industry offers you the chance to make such a difference to so many? Bring on the challenge.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the world of beds?

Understand the market, the channels of supply and think consumer in everything you do.

Lark or owl? Tell us what time your day generally starts and ends?

Lark – my body clock wakes me at 5.30am irrespective what time I crash, but I do need a good seven hours, so come 10pm I’m usually tucked up for the following day.

Q

Q

What do you sleep on?

Q

What’s in your bedroom?

We love space – so it’s very minimalistic with a super king bed and the obligatory ‘man drawer’ in the bed base.

Q

How do you think the industry will look in 10 years’ time?

A lot bigger and a lot stronger with sleep being a category in its own right and the importance of sleep to the health and well-being of our nation being recognised by our government and consumers.

What do you think the next big thing will be in beds?

Technology will revolutionise the bedroom and smart beds, at a competitive price, which offer personalised comfort, temperature control and control of the bedroom environment, not far away.

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