COVER STORY
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Joe Tatulli |
Wolf Futon Committed to Performance
|
|
Wolf Corporation operates a fully operational testing facility at their Fort Wayne Plant. The facility is set up to do futon mattress quality testing and flammability testing for the FR 1642 Federal Regulations.
|
|
|
|
FR Cigarette Test: This prototype test is mandated by the CPSC for all types of futon mattresses. Wolf's tumble method of applying FR stable Boric Acid is the best way to produce a batt that passes the test.
Compression Testing Machine: This machine is used to make thousands of impressions in a few days that equals ten years of actual use.
|
|
|
|
This Garnetting unit processes all of Wolf's exclusive Endura™ Cotton.
|
|
Tony Wolf is also next in line to take over the helm at ISPA, the International Sleep products Association.
As President his duties include carrying the torch for one year beginning at this year's Interzum Show (Europe's largest furniture show, which takes place in May) in Cologne, Germany, and ending next year in San Antonio at the Bedding Show, ISPA's semi-annual trade show.
With that as a starting point we dove into a few questions about the Futon Association and Wolf's thoughts about its future and its purpose.
"FAI needs to synergize with larger trade associations, like ISPA, to represent its members in Washington.
Right now the Association is just not as well funded as it could be," said Wolf.
Wolf also made it clear that he believed the basic function of a trade association is to provide a base from which a large and very diverse group of businesses can gather industry statistics and current market information, a job FAI has struggled to perform, not due to lack of effort but due to a lack of cooperation from some industry participants.
After one hundred and twenty four years of success, and a history that includes surviving the great depression of the 1930's and two world wars you might think Tony Wolf would have a complex paradigm to explain his company's survival. He doesn't. "Its simple," he says, when asked about past and future plans to keep his ship on course, "If you wouldn't buy it yourself then don't sell it." We couldn't agree more.
FL