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 June 20, 2008
- The Specialty Sleep
Association (SSA) announced
that Bart Dehaerne, President of
Deslee Textiles, USA, has joined
the Board, according to Dale
Read, President, SSA.
Bart’s insight and expertise in
his work internationally in the
field of bedding are a
tremendous assist to our
organization,” said Read.
Prior
to joining Deslee Textiles as
President in 2005, Dehaerne, he
worked in FMCG. He holds a
degree in commercial engineering
from KU Leuven, one of Europe’s
top universities, and an MBA
from the University of Chicago.
A native of Belgium, he has
lived extensively throughout the
Americas.
“Deslee Textiles USA has made a
conscious decision to focus
primarily on the specialty sleep
segment of the bedding industry,
as was noted by our decision to
specialize in the production of
stretch knits,” said Dehaerne.
“Our goal is to bring
innovations to this growing
segment of the industry.” As we
are part of a global group with
headquarters in Belgium, Deslee
Textiles is linked to a variety
of industry groups which will
further benefits the group’s
involvement with the SSA,
including the European Bedding
Industry Association (EBIA),
which has been trendsetting in
establishing an industry-wide
“eco label” in the form of
Oekotex.
Since the new SSA Board took
office in January 2008, the
organization succeeded on a
number of fronts including
securing permanent space at the
World Market Center (WMC) and
leasing almost that entire
available space, attracting new
members to its group including
Leggett & Platt, 1-800-Mattress,
Hollandia, Englander, Lilly
Management, Comfortaire, Latex
International, Tempur-Pedic,
Therapedic and others; raising
awareness of the specialty sleep
category via media placements to
promote the “Future of a Better
Night’s Sleep” in such markets
as Los Angeles, New York,
Washington D.C. and Charlotte as
well as national print and
online media outlets, and
attracting new members to the
SSA Board.
Founded in 1995, the Specialty
Sleep Association (SSA) is a
national not-for-profit advocacy
and education association of
retailers, manufacturers and
suppliers who develop,
manufacture, market and sell
innovative, new technology
mattress and bedding products
including visco-elastic memory
foam, latex rubber, air,
flotation, gel, adjustable,
futons and convertible beds,
(green) all-natural and organic
beds made from soy, bamboo,
wool, 100% cotton as well as bed
frames, pillows, sheets,
comforters, duvets, body
pillows, fabric guards and more.
Retailers and manufacturers
interested in membership in the
SSA should contact SSA Executive
Director Tambra Jones, (559)
868-4187 or (559) 676-8639.
Visit
www.sleepinformation.org
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