Winter 2006 Feature Story

All About The Beds

Eclipse International’s Innovative, Patented Features Offer

Superior Sleep Products to Retailers and Consumers Alike

By: Dale T. Read, Editor-in-Chief

Stuart Carlitz President and CEO of Eclipse International has a decided philosophy about his full line of bedding products, and indeed a philosophy or outlook on his entire company and how they address the needs and demands of both consumers and mattress retailers. As an example, when Carlitz discusses the Eclipse gallery program, one gets a clear picture of the level of his commitment to developing innovative patented products that provide a superior, high-value sleep solution for consumers, while giving the retailer a powerful, growing brand name and excellent margins. Referring to the Eclipse gallery program, Carlitz says, “Our Eclipse galleries are not designed to sell the bed of the day. We create our gallery to sell the right bed, the very best bed for each individual consumer. This not only gives the consumer the right solution, but enhances the store’s credibility.” By offering the right product mix with unique, patented innovative features, and also providing

a well thought out gallery program with in-depth retailer training, Eclipse offers consumers a powerful alternative to the larger “S” brand bedding companies.

Carlitz shares an analogy. “You can go to a really fine restaurant sometimes and pay top dollar for a fair or even marginal steak, but notreally an outstanding steak. Then there are those times when you find a restaurant that is not as well known, or has a small, but strong following and discover that, for less money, you receive an outstanding steak.” Carlitz’s point is not lost. Eclipse wants to offer the very best product it can for its retailers to sell in order to provide quality and excellent performance for every dollar a consumer pays.

With a focus on ever improving sleep performance, Eclipse has become known for the company’s patented innovations. Carlitz brings up two of the more recent product developments. “We are now offering a patented Allergy Free Design,” says Carlitz. “We are currently reviewing our entire line to see which products to which we will add in our allergy-free design. We know we’ll apply it to our latex beds, and most likely the Eclipse Memory Foam beds,” says Carlitz. “We will also offer this patented solution as a step-up on any Eclipse bed with a special order allergy free add-on.” Carlitz says that some statistics have shown that as many as 70 million dust mites can live in a typical mattress. Allergy rates are increasing in America, and more and more American consumers can benefit from this patented allergy-free mattress program.

Eclipse’s patent pending LIFEDGE Peri-meter Support system is a powerful feature being offered to bedding consumers by Eclipse. According to Carlitz and Ken Wilcheck, Eclipse’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, the LIFEDGE is the first foam encasement with a steel reinforcement edge system. Carlitz notes that after observing the various strengths and weakness of most mattresses, he came up with the idea of reinforced foam encased edging with steel. The rails are 5.5 inches high, and 3 inches wide. The Eclipse LIFEDGE has a cut in the center of the rail and insert a Leggett and Platt double edge guard in the center of the foam encasement. The foam is then laminated from top to bottom resulting in a border support system that offers edge-to-edge sleep, reinforced border support, reduced erosion of the border foam increasing the perimeter longevity. When asked by a reporter if a consumer can feel the steel reinforcement, Carlitz replies that consumers receive the added support without ever feeling any steel.

While the patented Allergy Free design and the new patent pending LIFEDGE features are exciting, the close working relationship between Eclipse and the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations really distinguishes Eclipse from many of the company’s competitors. Carlitz notes that the Congress has endorsed Eclipse products because they genuinely believe that Eclipse’s innovative body alignment and support features such as SPINAL ZONE® and SPINAL ZONE® II provide real support and therapeutic value to the chiropractors’ patients. The patented SPINAL ZONE support system in the center third of all beds from $399 up in queen size ($299 in twin and $349 in full) allows the average consumer to sleep on patented products supported by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. The Congress’ endorsement means that Eclipse actively participates in the Congress’ “Straighten up America” program, and Eclipse is able to actively display the Chiropractic State Associations’ Seal of Approval. 

Wilchek points out that Eclipse provides its stores with full life-size displays reinforcing that there is a chiropractor on staff at Eclipse reviewing and participating in the designs to assure superior health and sleep solutions for consumers.

In summarizing the Eclipse philosophy Carlitz states that his company wants to be seen as an alternative to the large “S”

brands. “We want to offer innovation, patented solutions to better sleep, and a truly responsive or almost interactive experience with the consumer. We want to help them select the very best solution for their needs. Also being a tightly run, efficient operation, we hope our message to retailers is that we can turn on a dime, respond quickly, work as a team and offer product that assures retailers higher profit margins than our competitors.”

Carlitz and Wilchek are highly enthused about the fact that Eclipse will be showing at the Las Vegas World Market Center in Pavillion No. 1 as part of the Specialty Sleep bedding show January 30- February 3. Carlitz notes that the company will be featuring its Perfection Rest® Series. There will be a total of 12 beds shown, representing three specialty sleep beds, including Allergy Free, latex and memory foam beds, as well as variety of Eclipse’s innerspring beds featuring SPINAL ZONE, SPINAL ZONE II and LIFEDGE support systems. Retailers attending the Las Vegas market are invited to stop by the Eclipse booth No. 15703 in Pavilion No. 1
 

For more information contact Eclipse at:
1-800-634-8434