Luxury bedding manufacturer, Kingsdown, Inc. has created a new hospitality division to meet the growing demand for its high-quality products and has tapped industry veteran Vince Nicholson to lead the effort.
Nicholson joins Kingsdown after 23 years at Simmons Bedding Company where he oversaw four business channels, and aligned all aspects of sales, marketing and product strategy following its merger into Serta Simmons. While serving as vice president of Hospitality for Simmons he developed a new hospitality product line for the Brand. He also served as vice president of Hospitality & Contract Sales for Rize Mantua MFG Company where he was recruited to develop business channels beyond traditional retail, including hospitality, RTO and OEM.
“We see great opportunity in hospitality, which is primed for growth as people return to travel for both business and leisure,” said Frank Hood, president and chief executive officer of Kingsdown. “Occupancy rates have climbed close to pre-pandemic levels, and many in the industry need to now refresh their properties following two years of suppressed purchasing. There is a tremendous need now for mattress replacement. Kingsdown is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the opportunity, and we could not have found a more ideal candidate than Vince Nicholson to lead our initiative.”
Among his initial moves, Nicholson is working to launch a new hospitality website targeted exclusively to hospitality, and to increase the trade show calendar for major events to include industry-leading events like the HD EXPO Show and BD│NY, among others.
“Our story will focus on Kingsdown’s century-long reputation as a leading manufacturer of quality products, and the brand’s tenets of craftsmanship, comfort, durability, and reliability, all of which are high priorities for buyers in the hospitality industry,” Nicholson said.
“I’m very excited about my new role and the opportunity to promote the Kingsdown brand,” he said. “Their entry into the category could not have come at a better time. Hospitality is returning to pre-pandemic levels; hotels and their buyers need an alternative national brand like Kingsdown. During the pandemic, many customers had to cope with delayed shipments. Kingsdown is cognizant of this and will devote capacity specifically for hospitality while continuing to adhere to the quality construction techniques that sets Kingsdown apart. With strategically located factories across the U.S. and Canada, we have the national distribution capabilities major hotel brands require for on-time and complete delivery, another critical issue for hospitality buyers.”
Kingsdown, Inc., founded in 1904, is a manufacturer of premium mattress systems that serves leading retailers across the United States, Canada, and in more than 20 countries. Each Kingsdown product is manufactured using handcrafted techniques, combined with state-of-the-art research, materials, and equipment.
Research and product development, manufacturing and distribution facilities are headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina and Ontario, Canada, with additional international offices located in England, Hong Kong, Japan, and Mexico. Canadian manufacturing and distribution are based in Woodbridge, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Shawinigan, Quebec. Additional manufacturing facilities are located in California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Australia, Brazil, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan and Vietnam. In 2018, The Kingsdown Group was formed through the acquisition of Zedbed International, a leading foam mattress manufacturer, and the merger of Owen & Company with Kingsdown, Inc. to form one of the fastest-growing sleep technology groups in North America.