Kingsdown Signs Biscayne Bedding as First U.S. Licensee

October 18, 2017  by Larry Thomas in Business Strategy, Industry   

The licensing agreement is effective immediately and includes the entire Kingsdown product assortment. It gives Biscayne Bedding the rights to sell the Kingsdown line throughout Florida.

“Biscayne Bedding is run by one of the most talented operators in the country. Our alliance with the company allows us to incrementally grow our footprint in the state of Florida,” said Frank Hood, CEO of Kingsdown. “While other licensee organizations are currently in disarray, we see it as an opportunity in certain parts of the country where it makes more sense for an already established national brand like ours to team with strong local partners rather than create its own proprietary infrastructure.”

Hood said the agreement also boosts Kingsdown’s manufacturing capacity in the Southeast, which includes its plant in Lakeland, Fla.

Biscayne Bedding was founded in 1949, and today is owned by Jan and Silke Wettergren, who bought the company in 2011.

Prior to their purchase, Jan Wettergren had worked for some of the largest bedding manufacturers by running the operations side of their businesses. It included a stint with Spring Air, where he served on the company’s leadership team along with Kevin Damewood, who is now executive vice president of sales and marketing for Kingsdown.

“Kingsdown is such a well-known, notable brand within the mattress industry, and we’re thrilled to affiliated with it,” said Jan Wettergren. “The company has a rich history of manufacturing steeped in tradition, innovation, quality and entrepreneurship, which is very similar to our background. Our common cultures will benefit both of our companies for the long term.”