Spinks Springs will be attending the ISPA Expo 2014 in New Orleans, USA during 26th-28th March 2014.
Please come and visit us at booth #1007, in conjunction with HSM.
Author: propaganda
Spinks Springs Strengthens Its Management Team
We are proud to announce the recent appointments of Richard Essery and Stephen Dawson.
Richard is to head up the business as Managing Director and has a wealth of experience in both pocket spring manufacturing and metallurgy. He has worked within the steel wire industry for his entire career and brings a wealth of experience that the company is looking to utilise.
Stephen will take on the role of Operations Director, is a Chartered Engineer and has fifteen years of Automotive Components manufacturing experience which will prove invaluable in the manufacturing of components within the business to satisfy our growth strategy and in particular the automotive seating partnership.
Spinks Springs Announces Joint Venture With ER Hickory
Spinks Springs announces a joint venture (JV) with E&R-Hickory to manufacture and distribute Posturfil, PosturfilHD and Flexecore microcoils throughout North America. E&R-Hickory is itself a JV between Elson & Robbins/Wade Spring, a United Kingdom market leader in bedding and upholstery spring interiors, and HSM , the new name of Hickory Springs, a global manufacturer of integrated solutions and components to the furniture, bedding, transportation and a growing number of diversified markets. The products produced by HS2, the name of the new JV, will be marketed exclusively by HSM in North America.
Based on the success of their existing distribution agreement, the two companies have concluded that manufacturing the products in the U.S. will significantly reduce lead times and offer more competitive pricing.
“This is a very exciting time for Spinks Springs, as we expand manufacturing operations previously limited to the UK and move into North America,” noted Darren Marcangelo, Spinks Springs Commercial Director. “We are delighted to partner with HSM, and appreciate the ability HS2 affords us to maximize opportunities in the North American market.”
“Producing these unique coils here in the U.S. opens up new marketing opportunities for HSM,” added Todd Councilman, Vice President of HSM Bedding Solutions. “At the same time, this addition to our product line reinforces the HSM commitment to provide more integrated solutions to the bedding industry.”
Comfort increases exponentially as coils are layered, providing manufacturers with the ability to create a range of comfort in their retail offerings. And because microcoils provide three-way stretch, they further enhance comfort.
Spinks Springs introduced the tiny, durable coils several years ago using patented machine and design technology. At 20mm high, PosturfilHD springs offer a spring count equivalent to more than 2,000 coils in a 150 x 200cm mattress. The 38mm tall Posturfil springs are available in five different tensions, with spring counts up to 1,000 coils in a 150 x 200cm mattress. Flexecore springs are 55mm tall and come in pocket sheets that support Posturfil and PosturfilHD microcoil applications.
About Spinks Springs
Spinks Springs is part of the Harrison Spinks Group, which encompasses three quality UK bed brands — Harrison, Somnus and Spink & Edgar — as well as the Spinks Springs component brand. With high-end bed and mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks, the company makes and designs high- quality comfort microcoil pocket springs for sale worldwide through its components business. Harrison Spinks employs 300 people, operates three factories in Leeds, UK with more than 350,000 square feet of manufacturing space and owns a 300-acre farm, where it grows natural, non-woven materials, such as hemp, flax and wool for mattresses. For additional information please visit www.harrisonspinks.com
About HSM
One of North Carolina’s largest employers, HSM is a privately held company that brings together approximately 2,500 employees in more than 50 manufacturing plants in 17 states and China to serve a wide array of diverse customers and markets. Based in Hickory, N.C., the company has expanded its global presence and moved beyond core furniture and bedding markets to embrace new growth opportunities in transportation, healthcare, packaging and government sectors. Please visit www.hsmsolutions.com for additional information.
Harrison Spinks Springs Global Expansion
Harrison Spinks Receive The Queens Award for Enterprise
Spinks Springs are pleased to announce that Her Majesty The Queen has graciously approved the Prime Minister’s recommendation that Harrison Spinks receive the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in Innovation and Sustainable Development.
We believe we are the first UK pocket spring manufacturer to have won either of these awards and we have been told it is unusual to win two in the same year. These awards are only given for the best levels of business excellence demonstrated in each category. The awards last for five years and are the UK’s highest business accolade.
The Innovation Award has been granted for the design and manufacture of our Posturfil range of springs.
Spinks Springs win Interzum Award: intelligent material & design 2013
Spinks Springs win Interzum Award: intelligent material & design 2013
Johnson Controls teams up with mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks Ltd to create the ‘ComfortThin’ automotive seat concept
Johnson Controls, a global leader in automotive seating, overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and interior electronics, announced that it has formed a development relationship with luxury mattress manufacturer Harrison Spinks to integrate pocketed coil spring mattress technology into an automotive seat concept called ComfortThin. The thin profile seats replace conventional urethane foam pads with a 100 percent recyclable alternative, and provide a five to 20 percent weight reduction. This technology will be available for 2015 model year vehicles.
Yorkshire bed-maker grows global business – and its own sheep
SHEEP, trees and pioneering springs are turning a Yorkshire bed-maker into a world leader – and now they have won the company a prestigious award.
Harrison Spinks of Leeds has picked up the Yorkshire Post Innovation of the Year Award in recognition of its relentless quest to develop and innovate.
The company’s innovative mattress springs are used around the world – and are now finding a new global market in environmentally-friendly car seating.
Business development manager Richard Naylor says the company’s ingenuity sets it apart – and is driving its success.
“A lot of the bed industry could be said to be in the land of the dinosaurs as far as development is concerned – and we are determined to set ourselves apart from that,” he said.
“If you sit still in a market that’s declining, you’re going to decline with it.”
Instead, Harrison Spinks is defying convention in a largely traditional industry to deliver growth amid challenging markets. It sells £25m of beds each year – and aims to quadruple that by 2016.
“In our plans to move ahead, innovation is absolutely everything,” said Richard.
The judges in the Yorkshire Post awards agreed with the strategy, and said Harrison Spinks can “really go places”.
Rather than buying components from overseas suppliers, Harrison Spinks owns or controls much of its supply chain, and increasingly makes or grows its components.
The firm’s innovation in springs gathered momentum 15 years ago when the Revolution ®pocket spring devised by managing director Simon Spinks proved a huge hit, and the firm made a substantial sum selling the global rights.
The company now uses computer design to develop its constantly-evolving technology, and about eight of its 300 staff work solely on innovation and new patents.
Five years ago the company developed a low-height pocket spring that can be layered within mattresses, and will be appearing in car seats from 2015 thanks to a tie-up with automotive upholstery giant Johnson Controls.
“We believe this manufacturing advance will appeal to increasingly environmentally-aware consumers, allowing foam cushioning to be replaced with springs,” said Simon.
“Our spring allows Johnson Controls to make a thinner, more comfortable car seat back, which is also lighter in weight.”
In a further innovation, Harrison Spinks has expanded into natural fibres for its mattresses, and is even growing the timber for its bed frames in a forest near York.
Department store chain John Lewis prompted the firm to begin making its own mattress fillings.
“They wanted us to go all natural, and we thought we could do even better and grow some of the fibre locally,” said Simon.
“We now rear sheep and grow hemp and flax on our 300-acre farm in North Yorkshire. The Texel, Leicester and Swaledale sheep yield thicker, stronger and more resilient wool, ideal for mattresses.”
Six generations of the Spinks family have been involved in the bed industry since the firm was founded in 1840.
The company produces 57,000 mattresses a year, with sales of £25m, and owns the Harrison, Somnus and Spink & Edgar brands.
“Our growth forecast predicts we will have trebled or quadrupled turnover by 2016,” said Simon. “We will be an £80m-£100m business – and we can put a lot of that down to our relentless innovation.”
Yorkshire inventors take award-winning step from mattresses to marathons
RUNNERS could soon have sports shoes to dream of, thanks to a Yorkshire bed manufacturer that’s literally putting a new spring in their step.
Leeds-based Harrison Spinks has won a major award for using its patented mattress technology to create the next-generation running shoe.
Managing director Simon Spinks was voted Ernst & Northern Entrepreneur of the Year for Technology Commercialisation for his work to integrate Harrison Spinks’ unique springs into shoe soles.
Simon said: “The technology works by embedding our micro pocket springs into the mid-sole of the shoe to provide suspension instead of using the traditional foam base to reduce impact on the runner’s legs.”
“They were originally designed to be layered within mattresses, achieving comfort without a lot of height,” he said.
“But the technology has many other applications that we are exploring.
“For instance, we have a tie-up with the global car seating giant Johnson Controls, which should see our low-height springs installed in car seats from 2015 to replace foam cushioning.”
Simon is one of 40 outstanding individuals from some of the country’s most successful businesses that were recognised in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
He is working on the running project with University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) biomechanics experts, who are using state-of-the-art movement analysis to assess whether the modified shoe reduces impact on the foot.
They are also examining the pocket-sprung sole’s potential to reduce sports injuries and improve performance.
“By working with UCLan, we’ve received independent scientific data needed to move to the next stage of development,” said Simon.
Harrison Spinks recently also won the Yorkshire Post’s Innovation of the Year Award.
“We have a relentless drive to innovate, and it’s the secret of our huge success,” said Simon. “In today’s challenging market, standing still is not an option.”
Award-winning Yorkshire company celebrates car seat revolution
CAR drivers all over the world could soon be sitting more comfortably, thanks to a Yorkshire innovation that’s just won a top automotive industry award.
Leeds-based bed manufacturer Harrison Spinks has adapted its pioneering mattress technology to help create super-slim environmentally-friendly car seating, working with global automotive interiors giant Johnson Controls.
And the two companies have picked up the prize for Concept Vehicle Interior Innovation of the Year at the Automotive Interiors Expo Awards.
The awards honour the world’s finest designers, innovations and products in the automotive interiors arena.
Harrison Spinks’ managing director Simon Spinks said: “The judges that make up the Automotive Interiors Expo Awards panel are some of the world’s leading journalists, which means winning this award is quite an achievement.”
The accolade was awarded for ComfortThin seat technology – an innovative concept that integrates a pocketed coil-spring mattress technology into an automotive seat.
The thin-profile seats can replace conventional urethane foam pads with a 100 per cent recyclable alternative and create extra leg-room for passengers – up to 1.4in (35mm).
Simon said: “The ComfortThin seat also provides a dramatically thinner, tailored seat back.
“The active seating surface adapts to occupants of all sizes. Each pocket spring unit is able to react independently, further improving seating life while giving occupants the right amount of support when and where it’s needed.”
The technology can provide a weight reduction of up to 20 per cent, meaning cars use less fuel and emit less CO2, and will be available for 2015 vehicles.
The ComfortThin seats have also won Johnson Controls a prestigious OkoGlobe international mobility industry environment award.
Beda Bolzenius, president of Johnson Controls Automotive Seating, said: “We are breaking new ground with this environmentally-friendly technology.”
Simon Spinks said his company is thrilled that its innovative thinking is making such a difference in a new market.
“We are delighted to be recognised for our input into automotive interiors – and we’re proud that a UK luxury mattress manufacturer can assist a world-class industry,” he said.
For further information, please contact Helen Weaver, Marketing Manager. hweaver@harrisonspinks.co.uk