In fact they are the biggest bed manufacturer in the world, with a network of businesses from the USA to Australia (and most places in between). It is because of their worldwide presence that they can call upon technological developments around the globe to bring the most advanced sleep systems to their customers here in the UK.
Sealy United Kingdom operates under licence from Sealy Incorporated in North Carolina, USA. The company's success in the UK started in 1974, following the acquisition by the Silentnight Group of local bedding and furniture company M Hackney & Co, in Aspatria, West Cumbria.
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In the beginning, the company's annual turnover was a mere £450,000, but Sealy quickly started to flourish and has since established itself among the top UK bed manufacturers and employs approximately 400 people, mainly from its own locality.
The manufacturing plant, which produces around 3,500 beds per week, was extended to 160,000 sq ft recently. This £1million investment, officially opened by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, is part of Sealy's on-going programme of development.
The refurbishment covered all areas of the site, from the factory floor to the new showroom, and has created a more comfortable and efficient working environment. Springs for both mattresses and bases are produced at the Aspatria factory, where Sealy operates one of the most modern and efficient storage and handling centres in the industry. A computerised distribution facility and 35,000 sq ft warehouse capable of storing up to 4,000 bed sets, enables Sealy to give customers an excellent delivery service, aptly named 'Quickship'.
Since Sealy was established in the UK, it has remained one of the fastest growing brands and has consistently achieved record sales - a significant achievement in the present economic climate and an increasingly competitive market place. Sealy only sells to bona-fide retail outlets and numbers among its major accounts large groups including Furniture Village, Bensons and Dreams. The company's strategy is to continue to develop major account trade, while at the same time significantly increase market penetration and distribution through independent retailers and the expanding contract, mail order and home shopping markets.
Sealy invests more time and money on product development than any other bed manufacturer, utilising state-of-the-art facilities at the world's largest and most advanced research and development centre and bed testing laboratory in Greensboro, North Carolina. This is in addition to the Silentnight Group's own research and development resource at Salterforth in Lancashire.
An on-going commitment to research and development has resulted in Sealy winning various industry awards for quality, innovation and overall manufacturing excellence. This includes winning the prestigious 'Bed of the Year' award on two occasions.
1995 saw Sealy become the first company in the bed industry to be awarded the FIRA (Furniture Industry Research Association) Gold Award, for product excellence. Sealy also won the Furniture Industry's coveted 'Consumer Marketing Award' in 1995 and again in 2002 in recognition of overall marketing effectiveness.
On a more local level, the company has also held the title of Cumbrian Business of the Year and in 1999, Sealy was voted North West company of the year at the prestigious Duke of Westminster Awards.
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