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New Age Mattress
Protection Benefits Consumers and Mattress Dealers Alike
Edited by: Melanie
S. Burk-Read, Managing Editor
Ask a
mattress/bedding dealer how much the average person
perspires in the course of a day and he or she may look
at you with a blank stare, not quite sure of the answer.
If the individual has a sense of humor he/she may answer
with a smile, “well that would depend upon how many
tough customers he/she had to deal with that day”.
Perhaps the dealer might look at you with slight
disbelief and ask what this has to do with mattress
sales? To which one could rightfully answer, more and
more, it has a lot to do with keeping mattress
purchasers happy, and therefore, actually adding extra
sales dollars to the overall sale.
 If you had asked James Bell, CEO of Pennsylvania-based
PROTECT•A•BED® about perspiration, he could have
answered that question in a heartbeat. “Human beings
perspire an average of 2 pints of perspiration in a
day,” says Bell. “That’s the equivalent of a bath tub
full of liquid every six weeks. It should not come as
any surprise that we weigh less in the morning when we
wake up. We’ve been losing water weight all night.” Bell
smiles, “Now you know where those mysterious stains on
your mattress come from….perhaps a pint from each
person, each night.”
With the continued trend of greater sales of premium,
ultra-premium beds, and specialty sleep products, along
with a growing awareness by consumers of health and
hygiene issues, it can easily be seen why discerning
consumers are looking for products to keep their
mattresses clean and hygienic. Additionally, consumers
throughout the world are increasingly concerned about
such health issues as allergies, asthma, skin
infections, sinus infections and bronchial problems.
Consumers are aware that unprotected mattresses can
harbor mold, mildew, bacteria, dust mites and other
allergens that can lead to minor and, in some cases,
serious health issues. It is no wonder then that Bell
and the other executives who created PROTECT•A•BED North
America, LLC in the Year 2000 saw a tremendous
opportunity for growth in the North American Market by
providing a top rate product to address the health,
hygienic and aesthetic needs of consumers who purchase
mattresses.
PROTECT•A•BED North America LLC was established in
Pennsylvania to distribute mattress protectors in the
USA. By 2003 the business had grown to revenues in
excess of $3.5 million and was represented in 40 states.
Early in
2004, PROTECT•A•BED Chicago was established to
facilitate the growing spread of distribution in the
USA. During its 5 years in business, the company has
successfully built up an infrastructure of sales
representatives, trainers and customer service
representatives, as well as two distribution centers in
the USA.
Over the 4 year period from 2001 to 2005 the company
achieved a compound annual growth rate of over 75% in
the USA and the business is on track to grow by at least
75% in 2006 over 2005.
Depth and
Breadth of a Growing Customer Base
PROTECT•A•BED products are currently sold in the USA,
Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Bell notes that the company’s focus and dedication is to
provide complete customer satisfaction and
uncompromising quality and service.
Built on this philosophy PROTECT•A•BED now supplies
mattress and pillow protectors to 6 of the 11 Top
Bedding Specialists in the USA, several of the top 100
US furniture chains and it is also establishing a
presence with major hotel brands. The company currently
has in excess of 5500 furniture and bedding retail store
clients in the USA.
Bell also notes that the company offers a focused
training program to its select customers. The program
includes both online training and physical on site
training, and is aimed at making the retail sales force
familiar with the product’s features and benefits, as
well as demonstrating the most effective approach and
introduction of the products to the consumer.
A Record of Success
Bell
explains that the success of PROTECT•A•BED’s mattress
protectors with consumers is based on the fact that a
mattress is a major financial investment, worthy of
protection against spills and mishaps. Furthermore it is
an item that is in close personal use daily and needs
hygiene protection. As awareness of sleep environment
hygiene grows, more and more consumers become convinced
of the importance to protect mattresses and pillows
against dust mites and other allergens.
The PROTECT•A•BED® line is a premium selection of health
protection products for pillows and mattresses. The
product is constructed using a 100% cotton terry
toweling, which is laminated to a “Miracle Membrane™”.
This provides a permeable, breathable “Health Sheet”
between a user and the mattress/pillow.
Retailers who are interested in learning more about the
full line of PROTECT•A•BED products are invited to visit
the company at show space: P14121 at the LAS VEGAS
MARKET.
For more information, please visit
www.protectabed.com
or call
1-866-886-2788. |
