Kingsdown Signs New Licensing Agreement in China

Kingsdown, Inc. signed a new licensing agreement with Chinese bedding producer and retailer, Airland, in which it will open 34 retail locations in 2013 featuring Kingsdown’s MySide® product line and bedMATCH™ sleep diagnostic technology.

“The Chinese demand for premium products made in the USA remains strong, and with the accelerated growth of its middle class we know we’re entering China at the optimal time,” said Kingsdown President and CEO Frank Hood. “Our partnership with Airland has been a few years in the making, and we’re confident they’re the right licensee to represent Kingsdown. They’ve been a strong player in the sleep space since 1966 and they truly understand the research and science behind our products and how it sets us apart from the competition.”

A family-owned bedding producer and retailer based in Hong Kong, Airland is also known as a large supplier of mattresses to high-end hotels. Airland has already opened its first two MySide branded retail locations, both in Shenzhen, outside of Hong Kong. Stores are set to open in Shanghai and Beijing by early summer. The company’s goal is to place both MySide mattresses and bedMATCH sleep diagnostic technology in nearly three-dozen stores this year by targeting every major first-tier and second-tier city nationwide. Airland will secure space in mixed retail locations including furniture and fashion malls, strip malls and free standing shops.

As the program launches, four MySide product lines are being made at Kingsdown facilities in the United States and exported to China, while another five MySide product lines are being made at Airland’s facility in Shenzhen. Additionally, Airland will participate in joint product development with Kingsdown, with all products tested and certified by the Sleep to Live Institute.

Demonstrating its eagerness for a strong product launch, Airland introduced MySide to dealers with much fanfare at the Shenzhen International Furniture Exhibition. After sending out 1.2 million SMS text messages and 20-thousand invitations to dealers across the country, Airland had 200 staff members on hand prepared for a tremendous turnout.

“Airland is committed to absolutely flooding the market in order to build the MySide brand quickly and powerfully. The turnout in Shenzhen was phenomenal, and the market ended with 80 new dealer contracts signed and dozens more expressing interest. We are optimistic that we will see rapid growth in China,” said Hood.

The Sleep to Live Institute’s signature product, MySide, caters to couples — boasting two individual sleep zones in one mattress. The dual zones can be comprised of wrapped coils, foam, gel, or latex and are recommended through the bedMATCH diagnostic system. bedMATCH uses 18 statistical measurements and 1,000 calculations to help consumers pick the best mattress for their body type.

For more information, visit www.kingsdown.com.

About Kingsdown, Inc.: Kingsdown, founded in 1904 and headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina, is a manufacturer of premium mattress systems serving leading retailers across the United States and in more than 20 countries. Each product is manufactured using handcrafted techniques combined with state‐of‐the‐art research, materials and equipment. Research and development, training and distribution facilities, as well as two manufacturing facilities, are also headquartered in Mebane. International offices and additional manufacturing and distribution centers are located worldwide.