Leggett & Platt Debuts High-Tech, Retail-Ready Adjustable Bed In Las Vegas

Furniture World Magazine

“Adjustable beds are highly underestimated,” said Mark Quinn, group executive vice president of marketing for Leggett & Platt’s bedding division, “but Leggett is changing that.” The Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer will debut its new high-tech bed-in-motion at the 2009 Las Vegas Furniture Market in February. With the debut of Prodigy, Leggett gives retailers and consumers a new way to experience adjustable beds. “Advances in technology have improved nearly every aspect of our waking lives, and now Leggett is applying it to sleep,” said Quinn. For all those long-suffering spouses who have spent entire marriages wishing they could humanely silence their snoring partners, Prodigy provides the answer: the anti-snore button. The one-touch, anti-snore technology allows the user to articulate the sleep position of a snoring partner by seven degrees to open the nasal passages, which can alleviate mild to moderate snoring. After thirty minutes, the bed gently returns the sleeper to the original sleep position, whatever it may be. Another feature sure to curb bedroom battles is a gentle-wake alarm system that softly massages the sleeper awake. Because Prodigy can work on dual twin mattresses, each sleeper can be awakened individually, perfect for couples who can’t agree on a common wake time or a unified snooze-button strategy. And for the millions of Americans who awaken at 2 a.m. to find they’ve fallen asleep in the recliner (once again), Prodigy provides a spouse-approved solution. A built-in sleep timer automatically sets the bed from an active position to a sleeping position, so users can recline in bed and skip the early morning, toe-stubbing walk from recliner to bedroom. Couples losing sleep over stolen covers can benefit from Prodigy’s dual temperature-controlled surface. Using liquid-based Peltier technology, the mattress can be set to “pre-heat” or “pre-cool” both sides of the bed from 68 degrees to 117 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a boon to both menopausal women suffering from hot flashes and to couples who can never agree on the same temperature. Outside of its advanced sleep features, Prodigy’s operation also takes it to a Jetsonian era with a WiFi remote control featuring LED screen. But if WiFi isn’t hi-fi enough for users, they can command multiple bedroom electronics including television, lighting and the bed itself using an iPhone or iPod Touch application, which acts as universal remote. Alongside Prodigy, Leggett will debut two additional concept models, complete with a series of undisclosed features never before seen in adjustable beds. Leggett will use feedback and insights from retailers to further develop these high-tech adjustables. Considering that everything from home entertainment options to car settings are moving towards personal customization, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate the more modern applications of the adjustable bed. “Prodigy’s features only touch the surface of what adjustable beds can do,” said Quinn. “Leggett is leading the initiative to bring technology, comfort and personal customization to adjustable beds in an entirely new way. We’re creating an experience for the consumer that’s completely unexpected.” Prodigy can be seen at the Las Vegas Furniture Market, February 9 - 13, 2009, at Leggett’s Fashion Bed Group showroom, Building B, space 1326. For more information, please visit www.AdjustablesbyLeggett.com. About Leggett & Platt Inc.: Leggett & Platt (NYSE: LEG) is a FORTUNE 500 diversified manufacturer that conceives, designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products that can be found in most homes, offices, and automobiles. The company serves a broad suite of customers that comprise a "Who's Who" of U.S. manufacturers and retailers. The 125-year-old firm's continuing operations are composed of 20 business units, 20,000 employee-partners, and more than 160 manufacturing facilities located in 18 countries Leggett & Platt is North America's leading independent manufacturer of: a) components for residential furniture and bedding; b) components for office furniture; c) drawn steel wire; d) automotive seat support and lumbar systems; e) carpet underlay; f) adjustable beds; and g) bedding industry machinery for wire forming, sewing and quilting.