Sun Mattress, LLC Acquires Mattress Firm, Inc., One of the Country's Largest Bedding Retailers

    TRINITY, N.C., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Mattress, LLC, an affiliate of
 Sun Capital Partners, an investment group based in Boca Raton, Florida, has
 acquired 100% ownership of Mattress Firm, Inc. (formerly known as Malachi
 Mattress America, Inc.).  Mattress Firm, Inc., which owns, operates, and
 franchises The Mattress Firm(R) specialty sleep stores in 39 markets, is one
 of Sealy's largest customers.  Mattress Firm, Inc. was acquired from a group
 of independent private investors, which included Mattress Holdings
 International LLC, a company affiliated with Sealy and controlled by Bain
 Capital, Sealy's principal owner.   With its new ownership structure, The
 Mattress Firm will no longer be an affiliate of Sealy, Inc. or Bain Capital.
     "We are excited that The Mattress Firm has new ownership with the retail
 experience and the financial resources to drive the continued growth and
 expansion of one of our largest customers," said Dave McIlquham, President and
 CEO of Sealy, Inc.  "We look forward to continuing our role as their largest,
 most valued supplier.  We will provide our full support to The Mattress Firm's
 management and new owners as they develop and implement their growth
 strategies."
     "This ownership change provides the capital structure we need to continue
 our momentum to become one of the country's largest and best bedding
 retailers," said Gary Fazio, Chief Executive Officer of The Mattress Firm.
 "Although we are completely independent of Sealy, their brands have been an
 essential part of our past success and will continue to be an important part
 of our future product assortment," Fazio added.
     Sun Capital Partners is a leading private investment firm focused on
 leveraged buyouts of market-leading companies.  Since its inception in 1995,
 Sun Capital has invested in approximately 40 companies with combined sales in
 excess of $3.5 billion.  Recent acquisitions in the Home Furnishings market
 include Wickes Furniture, Nationwide Warehouse & Storage, and Lexington Home
 Brands.
     Sealy is the largest bedding manufacturer in the world.  Including its
 subsidiaries, Sealy has 31 manufacturing plants in the United States, Canada,
 France, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.  There are a total of 11
 international licensees operating in Australia, Israel, Jamaica, Dominican
 Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, South Africa, the
 Bahamas and the United Kingdom.  In addition to its licensees, Sealy has a
 joint venture in Southeast Asia, India and Korea.
     Sealy produces and sells a full range of mattresses under the Sealy, Sealy
 Posturepedic(R), Stearns & Foster and Bassett brand names.  Sealy-branded
 licensed products include: crib mattresses, sheets, pillows, mattress pads and
 comforters, futons and upholstered furniture. More information on Sealy, Inc.,
 can be accessed at http://www.sealy.com.
 
                                Make Your Opinion Count - Click Here
                      http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X21386580
 
 

SOURCE  Sealy, Inc.