Spring Air mattresses to bounce from Biyagama

by Elmo Leonard

The prestigious brand of Spring Air mattresses will be turned out in Biyagama and initially sold to the local hospitality industry, from 5 Star to below, and to the Maldives and India.

To get the ball rolling, Ronnie Hatch, director Spring Air, USA, was in Sri Lanka last week. Following him was CEO of Spring Air, Dubai, Ashok Sharma, whose company contributed $4 million towards setting up the factory, here.

The factory manager is Ananda Athukorale, a man experienced in the mattress industry and on fabric and material selection. For, foam rubber mattresses have long been made here, and exported to Japan.

Spring Air mattresses are internationally acclaimed and is said to be in the same league as Simmons, Sealys and Serta of USA. It has factories in USA, Mexico, Europe, Middle East and now in Sri Lanka, Hatch said.

Nippo Nature Foams International (Pvt) Ltd., - a partner of Shiga Dry and Nihon Kankyo Yakuhim group of Japan, who turn out mattresses here, under joint venture, for export, are the local collaborators.

The new company is Spring Air - Sri Lanka and Maldives and its director Sunil Peiris said that Spring Air is one of the four largest mattress manufacturers in the world and has the fourth highest market share in the United States. Spring Air has 32 factories in the USA.

The mattresses made here will be turned out with components specified by Spring Air, USA, to the quality specifications that are standard for Spring Air throughout the world, director Dr Keerthi Tillekeratne said.

Spring Air carries the unique `back supporter' which took it to the unique bedding industry leaders. The back supporter won immediate acclaim for its revolutionary design and achieved unprecedented sales,director sales and marketing Chaminda Serasinghe said.

[email protected]