Airland Launches Therapedic as its Premium Brand in China

Furniture World News Desk on 4/23/2018

Airland chairman, Mr. Sze Man Yuen and Gerry Borreggine, CEO of Therapedic International at the Airland corporate office.

Therapedic recently announced that the Airland Group has launched Therapedic as its luxury brand throughout China at the recent Shenzhen Fair. The Therapedic launch flanks its existing Therapedic brand, Medicoil, which has been positioned as a lifestyle brand in over 150 Medicoil stores in China, according to Mr. Sze Man Yuen, chairman of Airland.

Airland, China’s second largest bedding producer, according to Sze, has grown its business by partnering with US and International brands since 1966. It was only in 2012 that the company partnered with Therapedic by debuting Medicoil as an independent brand.

“When we met Airland we had a trademark issue with the Therapedic mark in China, which we have since corrected,” said Gerry Borreggine, president/CEO of Therapedic International. Consequently, the company could not launch Therapedic in China.

“Mr. Sze liked what we had to offer in terms of brand, support, and collateral materials and he wanted to join our group. Because of the existing problem with the Therapedic mark, he decided to forge ahead by making Medicoil the Therapedic brand in China,” Borreggine said.

Fast forward five-years and the trademark issue behind them, Airland is now launching the Therapedic brand as its luxury bedding brand, positioning it alongside the existing Medicoil brand, which has concentrated on the mainstream price points in China.

“Mr. Sze’s patience and foresight has yielded Airland two quality American brands for the price of one,” said Borreggine.

Airland has 150 existing Medicoil stores in China, and has added 50 Therapedic stores at the Shenzhen Fair held last week in China, according to Ms. Limi Sze, director of Airland.
“Combined, Medicoil and Therapedic have 200 stores today,” said Ms. Sze. “Our goal is to have over 1,000 in five-years,” she added.

Airland operates three factories in China, in Shenzhen, Hui Zhou, and in Hang Zhou. The factories are modern and highly automated. They produce their coils, both offset and pocketed coils, in house at each facility.

Several of the new Therapedic stores are being launched as “designer concept stores” according to Mrs. Sze Yu Ao, executive director of Airland.

“We want to create a sophisticated bedroom environment with the Therapedic mattress as the centerpiece,” said Mrs. Sze. “We are surrounding the mattress with elegant linens from DEA and Griffe crystal, both from Italy.”

“When our customers see the beautiful setting we have presented, we believe it will help them to sell better, luxury mattresses,” she said.

The concept seemed to be well-received at the recent Shenzhen Fair as several of the designer stores were opened, according to general manager, Carol Zhang.

The Airland group is a company committed to growing through brand affiliations, said Borreggine.

“We are proud to be associated with them. They prioritize promotion, they are determined, and they haven’t been afraid to invest in their ideas,” said Borreggine. “When you look for partners in the international theatre, it would be hard finding any better than the Sze family in China.”

More about Therapedic: Therapedic International is a 60-year-old mattress and sleep products manufacturer. Operating on six continents, with over 50 licensees products under the Therapedic brand label, it is a recognized top ten mattress brand. In addition to key channels of distribution including Top 100 retailers, Therapedic top-of-bed-products are sold exclusively through Bed Bath & Beyond.