Atlanta-based Simmons Bedding Company is one of the top mattress manufacturers in the United States. The firm, founded by Zalmon Simmons in 1870, is also one of the oldest companies in the country.
Simmons® makes mattresses and accessories under its flagship Beautyrest® brand, as well as under the Beautyrest Black®, Natural Care®, ComforPedic®, Simmons Kids™, and DeepSleep® labels. Simmons sells its mattress through more than 11,700 furniture outlets, department stores, and specialty shops. The company also licenses its name and brands to select manufacturers of sleep accessories. These products, which include pillows, foundations, mattress protectors, children's' furniture and more, are all marketed under the Simmons® name.
Today, there are many international licensees and sub-licensees representing Simmons in more than 100 countries.
Simmons also serves as a key supplier of beds to many of the world's leading hotel groups, casinos and resort properties through its contract division, Simmons Hospitality Group.
Simmons is a firm believer that the mattress you sleep on can make a difference in the quality of your life. Plans for the future include continued consumer sleep education efforts and further development of new technologies that will help people everywhere achieve quality sleep.
History of the Simmons Bedding Company. Highlights:
- 1870. Simmons was founded by Zalmon G. Simmons with its first factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Simmons started off by producing wooden insulators and cheese boxes.
- 1876. Simmons started producing wire-woven mattresses.
- 1916. Simmons began advertising nationally.
- By 1919 growth was fast. In response, Simmons acquired manufacturing plants throughout the U.S. and Canada.
- In 1925 Simmons' engineer, John Franklin Gail, invented a machine that could mass-produce coil springs and insert them into fabric "pockets". This made mass-production of the previously luxury-only Beautyrest® mattress possible.
- 1930. Simmons introduced the studio couch.
- 1940. Simmons launched the innovative Hide-A-Bed® sofa.
- 1946. The first electric blanket was another Simmons invention.
- During World War II Simmons produced parachutes, bazooka rockets and 2,700 other products for the U.S. military.
- 1958. Simmons became the first mattress company to introduce the king and queen size mattresses.
- In 1975 Simmons moved its headquarters to Atlanta, GA.
- 1995. The No Flip-mattress is introduced, revolutionizing the bedding industry.
- In 2004, Simmons introduced the washable HealthSmart™ mattress top, helping to create a clean and healthy sleep environment.
- 2005. Simmons' "Bowling Ball" advertisements (originally launched in 1994) are brought back by popular demand. Both dealers and the public applaud the return of the dramatic television commercial demonstrating the unsurpassed motion separation of the Beautyrest® mattress.
- 2006. The Beautyrest® mattress is made even more luxurious with the introduction of the Beautyrest Black® mattress. The new line features enhancements in opulent fabrics, foam layers and stronger, motion dampening coil spring technology.
- 2006. With the introduction of the NaturalCare™ line, Simmons offers consumers remarkable comfort and support on a mattress featuring a natural latex core. Extracted from the rubber tree, natural latex is one of the most soothing and responsive sleeping surfaces in the world. It's also naturally anti-microbial, hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, mold and mildew.
- 2006. Simmons® BackCare® mattresses make a technological breakthrough by offering Technogel™ support. Flexible and highly elastic, Technogel™ material is a layer of gel in the lumbar area that gently massages and cradles the back throughout the night for ideal support.
- 2007. Simmons takes the popular memory foam sleeping experience to new heights with the launch of the ComforPedic by Simmons™ line. Featuring next-generation memory foam, the ComforPedic® mattress provides consumers with the perfect body-conforming combination of soft comfort and firm support.
