 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Furnishings |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Founder | 13 mattress manufacturers |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Bedding |
| Parent | Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC Doraville, Georgia |
| Website | serta.com |
Serta is an American company based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, that manufactures mattresses.
The company was founded in 1931 in Illinois as Sleeper, Inc. by 13 mattress manufacturers who licensed the Serta name. Subsequently, eight independent licensees acting like a cooperative owned the company. Afterwards, it was controlled and operated as Serta International by its largest licensee, National Bedding Company, which ultimately held 27 of the 34 U.S. Serta manufacturing licenses. [1]
In 2005, two private equity groups teamed up to purchase National Bedding Co.–The Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, the Los Angeles-based private equity fund of Ares Management, and Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario (Canada) Teachers’ Pension Plan. [2] The American company Serta International is a subsidiary of the American company Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC of Doraville, Georgia. [3] Other licensees include Serta Dormae in Texas, Serta Restokraft in Michigan, and Salt Lake Mattress in Utah. [4] [5] [6]
In August 2018, Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC announced a merger with online retailer Tuft & Needle. [3] [7]
On January 23, 2023, Serta Simmons Bedding filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [8]
Serta produces four main types of mattresses – traditional inner spring, gel-infused memory foam, hybrid mattresses which combine both, and Talalay Latex which is produced at the Salt Lake City plant. Serta products are used in the lodging industry, with Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide among its customers. [9] Serta mattresses are also offered on cable home shopping channel ShopNBC.
A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a lying person. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, containing materials such as hair, straw, cotton, foam rubber, or a framework of metal springs. Mattresses may also be filled with air or water.
Kid Brands, Inc. was a company that designed, developed and distributed infant and juvenile branded products. These products were distributed through mass market, baby super stores, specialty, food, drug, independent, and e-commerce retailers worldwide.
Memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane with additional chemicals that increase its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as "viscoelastic" polyurethane foam, or low-resilience polyurethane foam (LRPu). The foam bubbles or ‘cells’ are open, effectively creating a matrix through which air can move. Higher-density memory foam softens in reaction to body heat, allowing it to mold to a warm body in a few minutes. Newer foams may recover their original shape more quickly.
Sleep Number Corporation is an American manufacturer that makes the Sleep Number and Comfortaire beds, foundations and bedding accessories. The company is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to its Minnesota headquarters, Sleep Number has manufacturing and distribution facilities in South Carolina and Utah. As of 2023, the company employed 5,515 people across the United States.
The Simmons Bedding Company is an American major manufacturer of mattresses and related bedding products, based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company was founded in 1870. Simmons' flagship brand is Beautyrest. In addition to operating 18 manufacturing facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico, the company licenses its products internationally. According to a Simmons press release, net sales for 2005 were $855 million, and its revenue was $1.13 billion in 2007 and $1.228 billion in 2013. In 2011, Simmons ranked in third place among U.S. mattress manufacturers, with a 15.7 percent market share. In 2012, Simmons and its sister company Serta International were acquired by American private equity company Advent International. As of 2022, Simmons is a subsidiary of the American company Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC of Doraville, Georgia. On January 23, 2023, Serta Simmons Bedding filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Sealy is an American brand of mattresses marketed and sold by Tempur Sealy International. It draws its name from the city where the Sealy Corporation originally started, Sealy, Texas, United States.
Spring Air Company is a mattress company based in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1926 when Francis Karr patented a mattress design with free-end coils. Because of the heavy weight, high transportation costs, and low value per unit weight of mattresses, they are often manufactured locally. The company is thus a licensing organization, with local licensees manufacturing the mattresses under a common name for national marketing. Like a cooperative, the licensees own the Spring Air name. Spring Air has factories across the world.
SIRVA, Inc., based in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, is a privately owned American moving industry holding company which resulted from the merger of Allied Van Lines with North American Van Lines. The corporate name was coined from the Latin word servire, "to serve."
Sleepy's was a retail mattress chain with over 1,000 stores, primarily situated in the northeastern United States. The company was founded in New York City in 1931. Sleepy's was acquired by Mattress Firm in December 2015 and all stores were rebranded under the Mattress Firm name on January 1, 2017, but the website continued as an online retailer until 2018. Mattress Firm now uses the Sleepy's name for their private label mattresses.
Zalmon Gilbert Simmons Sr. was a businessman, manufacturer, Wisconsin legislator, and mayor of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Bensons for Beds is a British bedroom furniture retailer. With 166 stores in the UK, it is Britain's largest bed retailer specialising in beds, mattresses and pillows.
Shifman Mattress Company is a manufacturer and distributor of handcrafted sleeping mattresses. The mattresses are made using hand-tufting techniques, eight-way hand-tied boxsprings and natural materials. In addition, Shifman Mattresses are two-sided. The company's headquarters are located in Newark, New Jersey.
Mattress Firm Inc. is an American mattress store chain founded on July 4, 1986. The headquarters of the company is located in Houston, Texas.
Zalmon Gilbert Simmons II was an American businessman, manufacturer, philanthropist and innovator. He was the president of The Simmons Company from 1910 to 1932. He inherited the company in 1910 from his father, Simmons Company founder Zalmon G. Simmons. Z.G. II was commonly referred to as "the Chief" for his ability to recognize possibilities and make decisions that many felt were foolish but would prove to be extremely profitable. It is reported that Simmons once wagered an automobile a hole in a game of golf. His unshakable character increased the company's profits from less than $5,000,000, when he became president, to over $40,000,000 at the peak of his incumbency and revolutionized the bedding industry.
Steinhoff International was a multinational holding company that was dual listed in Germany and South Africa. It was officially liquidated on 13 October 2023. Its holdings were in the retail sector, primarily in furniture and household goods, and included a 43,8% stake in South Africa's Pepkor group. The company operated in Europe, Africa, Asia, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It was well known for an accounting scandal which led to criminal charges against its former chief executive, Markus Jooste.
Chittenden & Eastman Company is an American handcrafting mattress manufacturer originally based in Burlington, Iowa. The company has thirty factories around the world and is currently headquartered in North Brunswick, New Jersey. Chittenden & Eastman's intellectual property has since been purchased by Mattress Development Company of Delaware which reintroduced the Eastman House brand into the marketplace. The company is active with over 30 factories and licensees worldwide.
Tuft & Needle is an American bed-in-a-box company that launched in 2012. On September 28, 2018, the company was acquired by Serta Simmons Bedding.
Boll & Branch is a privately held, U.S. based, e-commerce company that sells luxury bedding online. Headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, the company manufactures and sells organic cotton bed linens, blankets and bath towels and are the first maker of such goods to be certified by Fair Trade USA.
Trump Home is a brand of furniture and home items initially marketed by American businessman and former President of the United States Donald Trump and owned by Trump's company, The Trump Organization.
King Koil is an American manufacturer of mattresses and related bedding products, headquartered in Avondale, Arizona. The company was founded in 1898 and is among the oldest in its industry in the United States. It operates in over 90 countries and has more than 30 licensees.