Silentnight managing director Chris Gourdie speaks to Hotel News on the sidelines of The Hotel Show Dubai about spring technology and the mattress products exclusive to the Middle East.
What products are you showcasing at The Hotel Show Dubai?
We are showcasing three new models featuring exclusive spring units, which we bring in with Leggett and Platt, America’s largest spring manufacturer. They are Pocket Sprung Soft Touch, Ergo Coil and Verticoil – these are exclusive to the Middle East region.
What are the latest trends in mattresses?
Spring technology, which is the latest technology. We’ve been running it now for just over a year and it features now in about 75% of our range.
How much of your business is contract?
We are 80% retail, 20% contract. We have a shop-in-shop concept throughout the region and retail our products through our studios in Homes R Us and Debenhams, where we have somewhere in the region of 500-1000ft2 space and we brand it, stock it and staff it. The staff are interviewed and trained by me and they sell our products; they are knowledgeable, they know what the product is and that’s how we do our retail. We are looking to open another four this year and expand with the new products.
What’s your company news?
We have teamed up with Jay-Be on their folding beds, which we bring from the UK and market through the studios and online out of contract, so this is a new product for us as well. On the contract side, we continue to promote to our select number of clients we deal with in the contract market, catering to their needs. We are also looking at developing more fire-retardant products.
