INDUSTRY UPDATES

Burlington Debuts New Asian Line At SF Market

The Burlington Futon Company is introducing a new collection of Asian inspired designs. The company is very excited to offer these exclusive patterns to the futon industry. These covers will be sold as a set only. Each set includes a Full or Queen futon cover and two 20” pillows packed in a clear zipper bag.

Both covers employ an Asian character motif on a solid background with splashes of color and bold strokes in their design. Unique designs and quality construction have always been Burlington trademarks and these new offerings are no exception.

For additional information please call Burlington Futon Company at 800-862-5986.

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Zad Designs Record Of Innovation

Zad Designs & Mfg., has always enjoyed the role of the inventor in the futon industry. “Back at the futon show in Minnesota, we introduced our skirted cover that became a standard feature in the industry,” said Akim Azad, company President. Next, Zad Design was first with a true “pillow top” futon mattress. “Bedtimes magazine praised our contribution to the industry with this innovation,” said Azad. “We also introduced our unique pull out lounger,” he said.

With 10 years of experience in the futon industry, Zad Designs is about to introduce a whole new concept in futon furniture. “Our new copyright protected frame offers an easy to work mechanism, and sofa like appearance with a convenient slipcover and very comfortable mattress,” said Azad. Azad hopes other manufacturers, as well as retailers can see the benefits of this approach. “We tried to combine the merits of sofa with futon furniture. This product will offer a great mattress, storage space for linens, the convenience of a slipcover, and an easy conversion from sofa, to lounger to bed, all with a great sofa look,” said Azad.

For more information call (805) 486-8393 or visit at the Concourse booth at the Summer San Francisco Furniture Show.

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ISPA Recognized by National Sleep Foundation

Washington, DC — The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) was awarded the first annual Corporate Leadership award by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) for its positive role and contributions to public education about sleep through sponsorship and support of programs initiated by the Better Sleep Council (BSC). The award was presented at NSF’s “Night of a Thousand Dreams” gala held in the nation’s capital on March 26.

NSF recognized ISPA and the BSC for their efforts to communicate the sleep-health connection to the public and for encouraging the mattress industry to become more knowledgeable about sleep and to incorporate scientific research into product development.

“Quite honestly, it has been a daunting challenge for our industry to engage in this long-term commitment through the Better Sleep Council, dating back to 1978,” stated BSC Chairman Emeritus Roy Unger. “Our continuing commitment to public education about sleep serves as testimony to the value the mattress industry places on our partnership with those in the sleep community who have dedicated their personal lives and resources to a healthier American public. You can count on our industry to persevere in its investment to raise public awareness of sleep and its contribution to good health and a higher quality of life.”

Over the past 23 years, the mattress industry, through the work of the Better Sleep Council, has invested millions of dollars in communicating the sleep-health connection. BSC public education initiatives have included media kits, promotion of Better Sleep Month, educational brochures, a nationwide television campaign, a web site (www.bettersleep.org) and extensive consumer research. The mainstay of the BSC program has been the Better Sleep Guide, an educational brochure that provides simple solutions that can help improve sleep and the quality of life.

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Gold Bond’s Wool Wrap Enhanced With New 9” Loft

HARTFORD – June 21, 2001 – Gold Bond’s classic traditional “Wood Wrap” futon mattress has a new nine inch profile and an enhanced level of comfort following its recent upgrade with the addition of 25% more Joy™ pure cotton batting inside the mattress.

Over 40 pounds of cotton batting and two layers of two-inch 1.8 density H.R. foam are topped and encased by two inch layers of New Zealand virgin wool. Wool is a naturally resilient fiber utilized for its comfort and insulating properties. Gold Bond increased the thickness of the Wool Wrap from eight to nine inches.

The modification is part of an ongoing trend toward super plush futon mattresses that the company’s retail customers are experiencing, Bob Naboicheck, Gold Bond President, noted.
He added that the “Wool Wrap delivers the comfort and plush feel of a great super premium futon with the known benefits of wool. Wool helps keep consumers warm in winter and cool in summer. Wool is one of the strongest and most resilient natural fibers in the world.”

Gold Bond has been garnetting its own pure cotton for most of its 101-year history, sold under the Joy trademark. The company recently invested over one million dollars in new equipment to upgrade and aggressively market its hand-made premium and super premium innerspring mattress lines.

For additional information, please contact Robert Naboicheck, tel: 800-873-8498.

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Futon Association Installs New 2001-02 Board Of Directors

The new Board of Directors of the Futon Association was recently announced. The Board is led by President, Tom Tedesco, of Devon Chase; Vice President, Patti MacMillen of ECIN Industries; Treasurer, Richard Arnovitz of The Futon Store; Secretary, John Christiansen of SIS Covers; Mark Bello of Right On Futon; Dan Neenan of Futon Expres’; and Robert Leonard of Futon Etc.

This year’s show was also noted to be a big hit. “If you were there, then you know that this year’s show occupied the largest exhibit floor in Association history,” said Association President Tom Tedesco. Best Visual Display awards went to SIS Covers (large space), Elite Products (medium space), and Comfort Research (small space). Best Point of Purchase Materials Award went to Gold Bond Mattress.

“We want to thank all our sponsors, the award winners, and all our exhibitors and attendees for making this show a tremendous success,” Tedesco said.

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lotz Retailers Applaud “Select-A-Grid” and New Mattress POP

The reviews are in on the “Select-A-Grid” by August Lotz, and it is a hit with the retailers. The “Select-A-Grid” is a true August Lotz original. What makes it so popular is that the choice of unique grid designs can easily be inserted into the “Select-A-Grid” arm. The advantage to this is that dealers have the benefit of selling many diverse styles of futons while only using the working capital, and valuable inventory space, for about the cost of one. The company believes that this is such a unique system that it has trademarked the “Select-A-Grid” name and has a patent pending on it as well.

Company President, Mark Schlicter stated, “The concept originated from listening to our retailer’s concerns regarding floor space and, in some cases, working capital. We staunchly believe that our customers concerns are our concerns. With that in mind, we began working on a solution and devised the ‘Select-A-Grid’ system.”

According to Schlicter, when the arm design was completed they then looked at some of their most popular designs and incorporated them into distinct grid patterns. He also remarked that August Lotz is very proud to be the first company to bring this fresh and novel approach to the market and that by doing so, demonstrated once again that, as always with August Lotz, you get only original innovative designs.

New Mattress Point of Purchase Material

To the end-user, most mattresses look the same. They aren’t of course. August Lotz currently offers 16 uniquely different models, each with their own very distinct nuances in comfort and support. The issue then is: How does the retail store convey this to the end-user? With the point of purchase material from August Lotz, this task has just become much easier.

The new point of purchase material has been fully orchestrated so that the core samples, hang tags and printed materials communicate the distinctive features of each mattress. The foam of the core sample has been color coded and matched to the cross section diagram on the corresponding hang tag and printed material so that the end-users can quickly and easily identify the composition of each mattress, and pinpoint which one will be best for them. The technical information is also displayed for those consumers who desire more specific data. This new point of purchase material is certain to simplify the task of selling.

For more information about this, or any other, August Lotz co., Inc. products, please call 1-800-826-7326 or visit the web site at www.augustlotz.com.

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ISPA Elects New Officers, Board of Trustees

The International Sleep Products Association (ISPA) elected new officers and members of its Board of Trustees April 4 at the Association’s annual meeting in Alexandria, VA.

Ron Jones, chairman and CEO of Sealy Inc., was elected to serve a one-year term as Chairman of the Board. Jones has served on the Board for the last three years; his most recent office was that of vice chairman.

Jones succeeds Norm Veitzer, vice president of Omaha Bedding, who completes one year as head of the ISPA board. Veitzer becomes vice president, replacing Joe Carman IV, president of Spring Air Northwest, who is leaving the board after seven years of service. He was Board chair in 1998-99.

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