Components suppliers focus on airflow, gel and the phase-change craze
BY BARBARA NELLES AND BETSI ROBINSON
The editors of BedTimes eagerly anticipate Interzum Cologne in Germany every two years. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the future of bedding—time and time again we’ve spotted new products, processes and equipment in components and machinery halls that go on to make a big impact in mattress construction. This year’s show May 5-8 certainly will prove no different.
| Coming up |
| BedTimes will turn its attention to foam innovations in September and will have more on trends and introductions in the important innerspring category in October. |
“It has been a great show from the minute we opened—an immediate hit for us—and there was such a positive energy in the air, too,” said Kristel Bisschop, sales representative for Monks, a textile supplier based in Wielsbeke, Belgium. “We also saw many more visitors from outside Europe than in the past—from New Zealand, Australia, Asia and South Africa.”
Sumya Diaz, sales manager for Estarreja, Portugal-based Maquinol Intelligent Machinery, said, “This is our third Interzum and we are very busy with people from around the world, including three companies from New Zealand and four from Australia.”
Machinery and equipment makers showcased solutions for the big and small—from hands-on manufacturing to hands-off automated lines. And when it comes to shipping solutions, we’ve never seen so many roll-pack machines. We think it may have something to do with the Internet.
Component suppliers displayed fashion-forward fabrics with intriguing technical characteristics. Innerspring suppliers say interest in springs is growing, while foam and latex suppliers launched products for cushion layers that aid temperature regulation and pressure relief. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
2015 Interzum Intelligent Material & Design award winners
DesleeClama, with world headquarters in Zonnebeke, Belgium, walked away with three 2015 Interzum Intelligent Material & Design awards, including a “Best of the Best” honor for Biaxial, a super-stretchy knit that is said to be supportive, durable and a perfect fit for adjustable beds.
Two for one Zonnebeke, Belgium-based DesleeClama Double Sided knit is two fabrics in one.
Climate control Kayseri, Turkey-based Boyteks was lauded for Cooler, a ticking with superior heat-transfer capabilities.
Free flowing Bodet & Horst, based in Elterlein, Germany, created breathable, gel-coated Gel Streeetch.
Glueless Tielt, Belgium-based Latexco Pulse Fusion fuses latex to materials without glues.
Added comfort Leeds, England-based Spinks Springs Posturflo 3D microcoils meld microcoils with spacer fabric.
The company also earned kudos for Double Sided, a knit ticking that has two attractive, usable sides allowing manufacturers to create multiple looks with a single fabric. Deslee’s booth was swathed in a deep chocolate, textural knit from the DC Metamorphosis collection, also an award winner. The wall fabric collection has both stretch and texture, as well as myriad technological characteristics, and can be used on divans and headboards.
Boyteks, with headquarters in Kayseri, Turkey, won an Interzum award for its new Cooler collection, which targets sleep temperature. Cooler is a double knit that is designed to offer greater heat-transfer capabilities than other fabrics to create a more comfortable sleep environment.
Bodet & Horst, based in Elterlein, Germany, won an award for Gel Streeetch, a new double knit that marries gel to ticking without impeding airflow through the fabric. The gel is applied in a special process as tiny dots on the backside of the fabric.
Latexco, with headquarters in Tielt, Belgium, won a 2015 Interzum Intelligent Material & Design award for Pulse Fusion, an advancement in the SonoCore foaming process that allows the company to fuse its Pulse latex foam to foams or other materials without adhesives. It introduced toppers that use Pulse Fusion to adhere its colorful polyurethane Flo Fom collection to latex for the bed’s top comfort layers.
Spinks Springs, based in Leeds, England, captured an Interzum award for its innovative Posturflo 3D micropocket springs layered with highly breathable spacer fabric. The new microcoils doubled as a panel fabric on a striking concept bed on display in the Spinks exhibition space.
Read each section of the complete Interzum Cologne report for mattress manufacturers:
(You are here) (Introduction) Machinery makers roll out innovations, components suppliers focus on airflow, gel and the phase-change craze
Rocking and ‘rolling’ in the machinery hall
Art meets tech in ticking showrooms
Trends in springs, foam and latex
Putting it all together with adhesives
