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January 27, 2012 - Members of the Specialty Sleep
Association (SSA) are extremely pleased with record
activity in the SSA’s multi-exhibitor showroom during
the recent Las Vegas Market. Featuring 35 SSA members,
the 20,000-square-foot showroom (C1350) posted a 25
percent increase in attendance in buyer organizations.
SSA President Dale T. Read said 675 unique retail
buyer groups and designers visited the organization’s
showroom during the Jan. 30-Feb. 3 event, compared with
500 and 540 at the past summer and winter markets,
respectively. He said buyers are attracted by
manufacturers showing a range of innovative bedding and
related products, including “cool” sleep items,
adjustable beds, certified organic mattresses, and more.
“It’s an amazing record, and several new exhibitors
will be joining us for the next Las Vegas Market,” Read
said. “We've worked hard to promote the space among a
growing list of interested and prospective buyers.
Product- and profit-differentiation are in demand by the
bedding retailer and our exhibitors deliver that. The
SSA member exhibitors can also meet demand for products
that address a host of consumer end-benefits, many
associated with better sleep, and that's invaluable to
dealers and their RSAs."
California based Supracor, which has a worldwide
patent for a fusion-bonded honeycomb foam technology,
will be among the new exhibitors in the SSA showroom in
July after showing in a different area of the World
Market Center earlier this month, said Steve Landi,
director of business development. “The level of foot
traffic in the SSA showroom was significant and the
staff is so welcoming and helpful,” Landi said. “You
could feel the energy in the space. The SSA showroom
will be best for us to exhibit in the future.”
Dreampur, a Spain based distributor of viscoelastic
and memory foam pillows with offices in Florida, also
committed to membership in the SSA and plans to exhibit
in the association's space at the next winter Vegas
market. The company's goal is to promote awareness of
their brand to prospective North American customers. "It
was our first market and so we did not realize the
showroom existed for our industry," said Lissette
Villamor, national accounts manager, based in Miami.” We
were impressed with the quality of the meetings we
witnessed [among SSA exhibitors].We wanted to join
immediately."
Among current SSA exhibitors, reactions to the
February event have been overwhelmingly positive:
Mike Echevarria, national director of sales and
marketing, Forever Foundations, Orange, CA. (bed
foundations and frames): "We wrote new business with
good-sized customers and are busy following up on leads.
There's a big awareness about the SSA for a lot of
retailers now, and they know to look there for the
specialty items like ours."
Angela Owens, owner, Suite Sleep, Boulder, CO.
(organic mattresses and bedding for the whole family):
“I think it is a great opportunity for small to
mid-sized businesses to show in the SSA showroom,
because retailers are looking for unique products to
differentiate themselves in the market and the SSA
showroom offers buyers a one-stop shopping experience
for all things Specialty Sleep.”
Mark Miller, president, InnoMax, Denver, CO.
(adjustable beds and bedding products): “When you think
of air flotation, fluid suspension, gel elements, his
and her adjustability, and a host of wellness benefits
for an aging population, you realize that until all
sleep is suspended animation, we’re not done yet. There
will always be opportunities for innovation and new
products. ”Miller additionally serves on the SSA Board
of Directors.
Barry Cik, founder, Naturepedic, Chagrin
Falls, OH. (organic youth bedding and mattresses) “At
Vegas Market, you have to have contacts for people to
visit your booth. The SSA has done the job for you. It’s
as good a matchmaker with retailers as any other
organization we’ve tried, and membership is a bargain.”
Tony Joseph, national sales manager, LMP Worldwide,
Wixom, MI (maker of I Love My Pillow products): “There’s
a lot of traffic and potential repeat business. For
specialty bedding, that’s just the space to be at. You
have to be there to get orders.”
For additional information regarding the SSA,
please visit
www.sleepinformation.org, or contact Executive
Director Tambra Jones at
tambra@sleepinformation.org, 559-868-4187,
559-676-8639
About SSA: Founded in 1995, the Specialty
Sleep Association (SSA) is a national, not-for-profit
organization created to facilitate the growth and
positive awareness of the specialty sleep category. Its
members develop or sell specialty sleep products
including natural/bio-based and organic bedding, latex,
memory foam, air, gel, water, adjustable, new spring
technologies and related products. SSA membership
includes more than 100 manufacturers and retailers
ranging from small, family-owned businesses to large
corporations. SSA has showrooms in Las Vegas and High
Point. |
