Serta (company)

Serta is an American company based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, that specializes in developing and manufacturing mattresses. It was founded in 1931 in Illinois as Sleeper, Inc. by 13 mattress manufacturers who licensed the Serta name; subsequently, eight independent licensees acting like a cooperative owned the company. Afterwards, it was controlled and operated as Serta International by its largest licensee, National Bedding Company (which ultimately held 27 of the 34 U.S. Serta manufacturing licenses).[1] In 2005, two private equity groups teamed up to purchase National Bedding Co.--The Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, the Los Angeles-based private equity fund of Ares Management; and Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario (Canada) Teachers’ Pension Plan.[2] The American company Serta International is a subsidiary of the American company Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC of Doraville, Georgia.[3] Other licensees include Serta Dormae in Texas, Serta Restokraft in Michigan, and Salt Lake Mattress in Utah.[4][5][6]

For Portuguese town, see Sertã. For other uses, see Serta.
Serta
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryFurnishings
Founded1931 (1931)
Founder13 mattress manufacturers
Headquarters
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
,
U.S.
ProductsBedding
ParentSerta Simmons Bedding, LLC
Doraville, Georgia
Websiteserta.com

Serta is the largest mattress brand in the United States, and offers four main types of mattresses – traditional inner spring, gel-infused memory foam, hybrid mattresses which combine both, and the Salt Lake City plant exclusively produces a Talalay Latex collection. Serta products are used extensively in the lodging industry, with Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide among its customers.[7] Serta mattresses are also offered on cable home shopping channel ShopNBC. In August 2018, Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC announced a merger with online retailer Tuft & Needle.[3][8]

On January 23, 2023, Serta Simmons Bedding filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[9]

1948 magazine ad for the company.

Counting Sheep
The counting sheep from Serta, animated by Aardman Animations.

The company is famous for its "Counting Sheep" advertising campaign which were animated by Aardman Animations and first created in 2000. The counting sheep are shown to be desperate for work in wanting people to sleep at night, but get frustrated whenever they found out people have a Serta mattress.

During the 2000s, the sheep were all animated using Aardman's trademark use of stop-motion clay animation, made to resemble the style of Nick Park's works in Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run, and Creature Comforts. By the 2010s, the sheeps' animation style switched from stop-motion to CGI, and despite still using the same character designs from before, and still being done by Aardman, the animation style for the counting sheep from the 2010s and onwards were made to resemble the style of Flushed Away, which was also produced by Aardman.

Counting sheep voice cast

See also

References
  1. "National Bedding to head Serta, Ed Lilly leaves company." BedTimes Magazine. September 2004. Retrieved 2011-9-19.
  2. Szostech, Michael. "Bed in a box companies in Canada". Canada Reviewed. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  3. "Serta Simmons Bedding." Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC. Retrieved on July 3, 2022.
  4. "Serta Gets New Production Facility in S. Dallas, TX | Trade and Industry Development". 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  5. "No time to relax in mattress biz". Crain's Detroit Business. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  6. "Serta licensee Salt Lake Mattress Going Strong After 125 Years". Honest Mattress Reviews. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  7. Auer, Joe. "Serta Mattress Company Overview". Mattress Clarity. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  8. "Serta Simmons And Tuft & Needle Announce Merger". Mattress Clarity. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  9. "Serta Simmons Bedding files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection". 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
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