Spring Air Enters The Israeli Market

Furniture World Magazine

The Spring Air Company announced that it has entered the $110 million Israeli bedding market by joining with leading retailer Dr. Gav (which in Hebrew means “back”) to carry its Back Supporter Classic and Four Seasons lineups in its 14 retail showrooms throughout the country. Initially, product is being built in Spring Air’s New Brunswick, N.J. plant and is being shipped to Israel. But that will change in the spring when Dr. Gav opens a state-of-the-art manufacturing center in Israel. Plans call for Dr. Gav to represent the brand in the country and sell to other retailers as well. Dr. Gav started its business 1984 and its showrooms are in leading regional malls and shopping strips. They plan to add four to six more units in 2009. About a third of the retail floor in each showroom is dedicated to mattresses, a third for recliners and the remainder pillows, office chairs and other relaxation and therapeutic products. With more than 100 employees, Dr. Gav is a well known and established name with a reliable reputation in Israel. It had been the largest Simmons dealer in the country, but dropped that line to carry Spring Air. Dr. Gav has experience in growing market share for international brands, as evidenced with its success with Lazy Boy. Whereby they entered the recliner business eight years ago and now have 35 percent market share, the largest in Israel. They recently entered into a licensing arrangement with Natuzzi, an Italian furniture manufacturer, which is growing very robustly. “We have found a great partner to work with in Israel. They really understand the Back Supporter message –it’s in their name, which makes for a super fit with our brand,” said Spring Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Steve Cumbow. “This is a very exciting addition to our family of licensees. The bedding market in Israel is mature and dynamic, and they have one of the strongest consumer economies in the region. Having a presence in this Middle Eastern market was important to us.” “Dr. Gav for nearly 25 years has been the place Israelis come for sleep, work and leisure products that provide outstanding support. When we looked at how best to improve our mattress lineup we were taken by the research and expertise of Spring Air in the back support arena. They were the logical choice for us to partner with,” said Dr. Gav Chief Executive Officer Yossi Elboher. Founded in 1926, The Spring Air Company is one of the world’s largest mattress manufacturing companies with more than 650 employees in nine company owned locations in the United States, and three domestic and 20 international licensee facilities with approximately 1,220 employees. Its well-known consumer brands include: Back Supporter Classic, Back Supporter Four Seasons, Nature’s Rest and Chattam & Wells.