A city-based mattress manufacturer has made the cut to become the first such supplier from the country for IKEA, the Swedish home furnishings major which is planning 25 stores in India by 2025. Apart from supply to stores in the country – the first of the lot taking shape in Hyderabad will open later this year – the roll pack mattresses made by Shree Malani Foams would be shipped to IKEA stores around the world too.
A beginning was made last month with the product, from the new facility set up on the firm’s plant in Shankarampet, Medak, exported to Dubai. Besides in the Middle East, the potential for exports is also high in South East Asia, said Pankaj Date, business development manager, Purchasing and Logistics Area South Asia of IKEA Services India.
Addressing presspersons on Monday at the plant, located about 65 kms from the city, he detailed the elaborate selection process followed by IKEA for suppliers. Describing it as a big step towards IKEA’s long-term commitment to India and in sourcing products in new categories from the country, he said the Swedish firm is keen to go beyond the mandatory 30% local sourcing requirement.
“We have created a mattress manufacturing facility with an investment of ₹15 crore. It has a capacity to make 1.2 lakh mattresses,” said Siddharth Malani, Managing Director of Shree Malani Foams.
A leading polyurethane foam manufacturer, the company, in its 10th year of operation, markets under Cenflex Foams brand. Its sister concern, with manufacturing facilities elsewhere, makes the Centuary brand mattresses.
Explaining the manufacturing process of roll pack spring mattresses, the firm’s technical director Avinash Daga said the mattress, whose height is 240 mm when spread, is compressed and rolled to 300-400 mm in a diameter. It is packed as per specifications laid down by IKEA, he said..