Ther-a-pedic/Sleepking Celebrates 25 Years of Success

Furniture World Magazine

Rising from a small three-person operation in Toronto to! a leading bedding and upholstery manufacturer, Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design celebrates 25 successful years of producing quality bedding and upholstery products. The Anniversary of Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design marks 25 years of tremendous growth and unprecedented accomplishments. In 1994, Sleepking Crown Design joined forces with Therapedic International to become Therapedic's second major licensing operation in Canada. Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design used this joint-venture as an opportunity to promote its image as a major brand name in Ontario. By utilizing the Therapedic name and Sleepking Crown Design's reputation, the company was successful in securing major accounts that were previously inaccessible such as department stores, buying groups and specialty stores. "Teaming up with Therapedic International gave Sleepking Crown Design the opportunity to sell a globally -recognized brand name product with innovative features," said Vice President of Operations Jerry Vasser. Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design continues to grow with the addition of a new Therapedic licensee. The Apex Group, Inc. (Therapedic of Western Canada) located in Edmonton, Alberta will help Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design surpass $11 million dollars in sales. "Our strategy is to have a country-wide distribution of Therapedic sleep products by targeting national bedding and upholstery accounts," President and Founder Ralph Gerstl said. "And now that Therapedic of Western Canada joined the licensee group, we're confident that our current sales will double." As Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design looks forward to another productive 25 years, its ingenious and innovative bedding concepts make them a top manufacturer in Canada. For example, Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design's popular Foam Division produces a fabricated foam mattress that is lightweight, durable and inexpensive. The mattress contains "THER-A-FOAM," a heat sensitive material that supports your body and relieves pressure points that may cause tossing and turning. Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design's progressive bedding ideas have received ample recognition. It has won the coveted Canadian Trillium Award the past three years for its Medi-Coil® sleep products, and recently received two Trillium awards in one year for its upholstery and bedding excellence. The Canadian Trillium award recognizes manufacturers achievements in the marketing, design and production of Canadian residential furniture. "Winning the Trillium Award has helped catapult Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design's reputation," Gerstl said. "Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design has evolved into a quality brand name." With more than 75 employees and 16 sales representatives now working from its head factory in Toronto, Therapedic/Sleepking Crown Design continues to grow. Located at 23 Raitherm Road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this factory continues to produce both bedding and upholstery products.