Market
Information
Over the past several years, the drastic growth in the furniture and
bedding industry has increased demand for latex mattresses, which
account for 14% of the market. Although spring mattresses continue
to dominate, accounting for 84% of the market, latex foam mattresses
are now drawing increased attention and demand. This is attributed
to health, comfort and durability advantages that latex products have
over other coil sleep sets.
| Malaysia’s
Export of Latex-based Bedding Products |
|
| Years/ |
Value(RM) |
TotalL |
| HS Code |
9404.10.000 |
9404.21.000 |
9404.90.000 |
|
|
| 1996 |
5,017,480 |
2,860,666 |
17,787,494 |
25,665,640 |
| 1997 |
5,367,494 |
4,491,185 |
17,544,942 |
27,403,621 |
| 1998 |
5,685,067 |
10,254,793 |
10,976,738 |
26,916,598 |
| 1999 |
5,143,543 |
15,013,362 |
19,768,530 |
39,925,435 |
| 2000 |
7,329,912 |
13,976,155 |
18,538,632 |
39,844,699 |
| 2001 |
4,378,573 |
15,957,063 |
17,352,165 |
37,687,801 |
|
Source: DOS
Note:
HS 9404.10.000
Mattress Support
HS 9404.21.000 Mattress of cellular rubber
or plastic, whether or not covered
HS 9404.90.000 Other article of bedding
and similar furnishing
Local Manufacturers
1. Sykt Weifong S/B – Kajang, Selangor
2. Aerofoam (M) S/B – Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur
3. Heveafoam (M) S/B – Kelang, Selangor
4. Powerfoam S/B – Ipoh, Perak
5. Simespring S/B – Senawang, Negeri Sembilan
Source: MRB Directory 2000
Sales & Marketing
| Pricing structure of mattresses in the
market |
| Pocket Spring with Latex Padding |
Latex |
Pocket Spring |
Spring |
PU |
| Distribution Channels |
| USA |
Most mattresses are sold at furniture stores although
at a declining rate.
Although furniture stores remain the most popular bedding retail
channel,
Bedding specialty shops have been increasing their market over
several years. Mattress specialty stores, known as ‘sleep
shops’, increased their market share in 2000 to 32% of
retail sales, up 3% from 1998. According to the survey by Furniture
Today, the US furniture industry publication, the remaining
market in 2000 was shared among department stores (13%), factory-direct
stores (4%), warehouse clubs (3%) and ‘other’ outlets
(6%) including telephone and internet sales. The big local players
– Nature’s Rest, Sealy, Simmons and King Koil are
now building up their latex mattress range to tap the growing
demand in this product segment. |
| |
|
| EU & JAPAN |
Malaysian manufactures have been working with
retail furniture dealers
In the respective countries . Based on past experiences, the
manufacturers feel that furniture dealers are best place to
facilitate product entry as well as to promote and market the
mattresses. In addition, furniture dealers are known to maintain
a long-term supply arrangement with the manufactures compared
with traders. |
| |
|
| For
the export market, Malaysian manufactures sell in two forms: |
|
|
Covered mattresses (finished
product)
Under this arrangement, manufacturers produce and export the
mattress under the clients’ brand name |
| |
|
|
|
Uncovered mattress (semi-finished
product)
The local uncovered latex foam mattresses are sold to foreign
manufacturers and will go through the finishing process. The
finish products are sold under the foreign brand names. |
| |
|
| Competition |
| |
There are several competitors from Thailand, Indonesia,
China, India and Sri
Lanka. Currently, there is no price war among the producers.
Malaysian
producers are reputed to have superior technology in manufacturing
NR latex
foam mattress compared with other manufacturers in the region.
Manufacturers in Europe are however more advanced in terms of
production
capacity and productivity. There are several big manufacturers
in Belgium,
Italy and the Netherlands. Among the biggest players in Europe
is an Italian-
based SAPSA, which is said to have the capability to produce
2,000–3,000
mattresses per day; more that the total production of the four
Malaysian
manufacturers. |
| |
|
Imports of Latex-based Bedding
Products in Major Markets
| AUSTRALIA |
|
| |
|
(in RM million) |
|
| HS Code |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
6.387 |
5.738 |
3.957 |
| 9404.21.000 |
6.256 |
8.756 |
8.852 |
| 9404.90.000 |
66.347 |
88.685 |
82.507 |
| Total Imports |
78.990 |
103.179 |
95.316
|
|
| Australia: Leading Suppliers
for 2001 |
| |
| GERMANY |
|
| |
|
(in RM million) |
|
| HS Code |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
103.517 |
82.976 |
89.050 |
| 9404.21.000 |
214.348 |
168.004 |
154.236 |
| 9404.90.000 |
781.691 |
767.092 |
776.660 |
| Total Imports |
1099.556 |
1018.072 |
1019.946 |
|
| Germany: Leading Suppliers
for 2001 |
| |
| KOREAN REPUBLIC |
|
| |
|
(in RM million) |
|
| HS Code |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
0.674 |
0.876 |
1.506 |
| 9404.21.000 |
3.999 |
5.095 |
9.933 |
| 9404.90.000 |
18.251 |
35.418 |
57.811 |
| Total Imports |
22.924 |
41.389 |
69.25 |
|
| |
| Korean Republic: Leading
Suppliers, % Share |
|
| |
|
% Share |
| HS Code |
Country |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
1. |
China |
0 |
1.20 |
21.73 |
| |
2. |
New Zealand |
0 |
0 |
20.84 |
| |
3. |
Germany |
36.91 |
43.19 |
18.44 |
| |
4. |
Italy |
21.78 |
26.52 |
12.33 |
| |
5. |
Finland |
0 |
0 |
8.40 |
| |
18. |
Malaysia |
1.25 |
0 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.21.000 |
1. |
Belgium |
1.46 |
36.94 |
44.55 |
| |
2. |
Italy |
9.35 |
9.21 |
28.59 |
| |
3. |
UK |
34.23 |
31.56 |
10.24 |
| |
4. |
Malaysia |
24.71 |
9.83 |
7.31 |
| |
5. |
China |
0 |
1.35 |
3.03 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.90.000 |
1. |
China |
38.31 |
39.80 |
56.93 |
| |
2. |
Australia |
11.57 |
15.05 |
9.36 |
| |
3. |
Italy |
12.12 |
13.63 |
7.79 |
| |
4. |
Vietnam |
5.46 |
3.98 |
5.62 |
| |
5. |
US |
7.29 |
5.25 |
5.20 |
| |
23. |
Malaysia |
1.52 |
1.08 |
0.07 |
|
| |
| FRANCE |
|
| |
|
(in RM million) |
|
| HS Code |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
118.61 |
81.681 |
78.42 |
| 9404.21.000 |
125.73 |
122.41 |
124.57 |
| 9404.90.000 |
389.19 |
429.94 |
427.23 |
| Total Imports |
633.53 |
634.031 |
630.22 |
|
| |
| France: Leading Suppliers,
% Share |
|
| |
|
% Share |
| HS Code |
Country |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
1. |
Germany |
28.62 |
31.83 |
44.85 |
| |
2. |
Belgium |
36.48 |
26.43 |
24.94 |
| |
3. |
Spain |
7.20 |
9.11 |
10.68 |
| |
4. |
Italy |
5.43 |
6.48 |
6.44 |
| |
5. |
Switzerland |
11.59 |
10.79 |
3.53 |
| |
17. |
Malaysia |
0.06 |
0.16 |
0.12 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.21.000 |
1. |
Belgium |
56.59 |
55.67 |
59.04 |
| |
2. |
Germany |
8.66 |
3.52 |
16.44 |
| |
3. |
Italy |
12.90 |
17.31 |
7.44 |
| |
4. |
UK |
0.55 |
2.45 |
4.47 |
| |
5. |
Switzerland |
7.05 |
2.90 |
4.33 |
| |
17. |
Malaysia |
0 |
0.03 |
0.07 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.90.000 |
1. |
.Belgium |
19.29 |
20.85 |
24.66 |
| |
2. |
China |
17.67 |
17.81 |
14.39 |
| |
3. |
Spain |
10.00 |
10.29 |
9.05 |
| |
4. |
Italy |
12.88 |
10.95 |
8.99 |
| |
5. |
Germany |
10.95 |
8.59 |
8.95 |
| |
37. |
Malaysia |
0.02 |
0.01 |
0.02 |
|
| |
| UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA |
|
| |
|
(in RM million) |
|
| HS Code |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
21.07 |
18.20 |
22.08 |
| 9404.21.000 |
101.384 |
120.026 |
113.414 |
| 9404.90.000 |
1661.527 |
2252.63 |
2266.726 |
| Total Imports |
1783.981 |
2390.856 |
2402.22 |
|
| |
| USA: Leading Suppliers,
% Share |
|
| |
|
% Share |
| HS Code |
Country |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
| 9404.10.000 |
1. |
China |
0.05 |
8.05 |
51.92 |
| |
2. |
Canada |
57.39 |
32.16 |
23.21 |
| |
3. |
Sweden |
16.49 |
40.48 |
7.40 |
| |
4. |
Mexico |
7.35 |
4.57 |
3.57 |
| |
5. |
Sri Lanka |
1.58 |
2.47 |
2.86 |
| |
25. |
Malaysia |
0.29 |
0.61 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.21.000 |
1. |
Denmark |
77.40 |
71.58 |
62.42 |
| |
2. |
Mexico |
4.02 |
13.92 |
12.51 |
| |
3. |
Canada |
3.81 |
3.95 |
7.71 |
| |
4. |
Sri Lanka |
4.73 |
4.71 |
5.37 |
| |
5. |
UK |
2.87 |
1.53 |
4.04 |
| |
12. |
Malaysia |
0.17 |
0.06 |
0.29 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 9404.90.000 |
1. |
China |
44.40 |
47.22 |
45.80 |
| |
2. |
Mexico |
24.99 |
26.86 |
27.28 |
| |
3. |
India |
5.96 |
7.23 |
9.22 |
| |
4. |
Canada |
9.57 |
6.06 |
5.62 |
| |
5. |
Pakistan |
2.78 |
2.33 |
4.20 |
| |
36. |
Malaysia |
0.06 |
0.03 |
0.03 |
|
| |
Testing
| Property |
Test Method |
| Density |
ISO 845 Cellular rubbers and plastics-
Determination of apparent density |
| Hardness |
ISO 2439 Flexible cellular materials – Hardness
testing by indentation techniques |
| Tensile Strength and Elongation at Break |
ISO 1798 Flexible cellular materials – Determination
of tensile strength and elongation at break |
| Compression stress-strain behaviour |
BS 4443 Methods of test for flexible cellular materials.
Part 1. Method 5 – Compression stress-strain characteristics
|
| Compression set |
ISO 1856 Flexible cellular materials – Determination
of compression set |
| Swelling |
BS 4443 Method of test for flexible cellular materials.
Part 4. Method 10. Determination of solvent swelling |
| Accelerated ageing and heat resistance |
ISO 2440 Flexible cellular materials – Accelerated
ageing tests |
|
 |
|
