NEW YORK CITY -- April 13, 2020 — The American Mattress Alliance made a statement today exposing unfair assertions made in an antidumping petition filed with the International Trade Commission on March 31, 2020 against seven countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, Serbia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia.
AMA spokesperson Bryce Larsen stated, “The petitioners’ efforts will impact all manufacturing facilities in all seven countries. That’s hundreds of factories and tens of thousands of workers. They claim that the only way these companies could increase their volume by such a high percentage is if they were acting as a front for Chinese companies trying to evade the steep tariffs imposed last year. We emphatically dispute that claim.”
The AMA argues that it would be absurd to claim that every single factory that manufactures mattresses in Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, Serbia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia are all colluding together to bring down the U.S. economy.
The reality is that most manufacturers in these countries have been making mattresses for decades with no ties to China. This petition will destroy these hard-working, family-owned production facilities. Here are three examples of companies that would be impacted.
One company in Vietnam, was founded in 1995 by a Vietnamese couple. They started out small and only produced mattresses for their domestic industry. In 1999 they started making foam. Soon after, they started exporting to Europe. Over time they slowly built up capabilities by adding compression machines to their system as well as making springs. In 2014 they started exporting to the U.S. under the brand Americanstar. This family company grew from nothing over 20-plus years and today employ more than 1,000 workers.
“I chose Americanstar because they had deep roots in Vietnamese manufacturing that go back 20 years—long before the dumping dispute with Chinese producers,” said Josh Micklos, COO of Americanstar. Micklos has worked in the U.S. mattress industry for over 20 years for companies like Tempur-Sealy International and Mattress Firm. “We are headed into very uncertain waters from the economic perspective due to this worldwide pandemic. It will add a lot of stress to the American consumer’s wallet. Raising mattress prices by 1,008 percent is not what shoppers need right now.”
Another manufacturer in Turkey started in 2006. They have supplied the U.S. market for years. All 850 employees are local. The owners are highly engaged in charity work in their community and have a hugely positive impact on their country.
Finally, an Indonesian company was founded in 1984. Also a family business, they started producing timber, then moved to sofas. In 1994 they started producing mattresses and now supply a significant portion of their domestic market across thousands of Indonesian islands. They employ 1,200 people. They only started supplying the U.S. with mattresses last year.
After the antidumping ruling against China in 2019, there was still unmet demand for mattresses in the U.S. The companies mentioned above were able to step in. Over the past decades, they started small and slowly invested in building capabilities step by step. They have the necessary equipment, a willing labor force, and an efficient supply chain. This is what makes them able to compete in the world market today—not nefarious plans to destroy the American mattress industry.
To join the AMA, contact us at info@americanmattressalliance.org.
About American Mattress Alliance
The American Mattress Alliance exists to provide high-quality products to American consumers with an emphasis on innovation and accessibility. Members include Ashley Furniture, City Furniture, American Furniture Warehouse, El Dorado Furniture, Malouf, Classic Brands, BedTech, Zinus USA, Americanstar, Maven, Mlily USA, and others. The American Mattress Alliance was created in response to an antidumping petition filed on March 31, 2020. Learn more at americanmattressalliance.org.
