On 21st-22nd September, members of the European Bedding Industries’ Association (EBIA) gathered in Prague for the group’s 24th general assembly.

Around 85 participants representing bedding manufacturers and suppliers were present.

President Geert Geerkens welcomed the participants, and new its members, Adova Group, Aquinos Group, Bovelli bedding, Correct UT+C, Elite Strom, EuroComfort, Red Springs and Simalfa.

MD Frederik Lauwaert then summarised the association’s activities and emphasised the industry’s ongoing eco-design journey, before keynote speaker Wim Vermeulen discussed the marketing challenges behind those increasingly sustainable directions.

The session was followed by presentations from Sealy’s Australian licensee Simon Dyer, and Ryan Trainer, president of the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA), who addressed the Chinese and US mattress markets, respectively.

The second day opened with author Christophe Jauquet’s take on the future of business in a health-conscious world, before David Fitzsimons (Oakdene Hollins) moderated a panel discussion on eco-design for the bedding industry.

Geert closed the conference by thanking all the speakers and participants for their contributions, and expressing the hope that the event’s positive and optimistic messages will find their ways into the sector’s daily business.

Next year’s annual EBIA meeting will take place in Málaga on 19-20th September.

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