FOAMEX INNOVATION WELCOMED BY
LEADING BEDDING MANUFACTURERS
Quiltflex™ Replaces Fiber in Quilting Applications

 

LINWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, November 19, 2001 - Foamex International Inc. (NASDAQ: FMXI), the leading manufacturer of flexible polyurethane and advanced polymer foam products in North America, today formally introduced QuiltflexTM - a revolutionary new polyurethane foam product designed to replace polyester fiber in the top quilting layer of mattresses.  

"We've experienced a very enthusiastic reception to this product from bedding manufacturers," said Alvaro Vaselli, vice president of marketing and sales for the Foam Products business unit. "After eight months of successful test marketing on the West Coast, customers are excited at having, for the first time, a viable alternative to fiber."  

Mattress manufacturers have long been seeking a way to prevent body impressions in quilting construction, a problem that has been impossible to overcome with conventional fiber. "What's driving the great response to Quiltflex is that our customers now see an innovative solution to a troublesome problem, and they've jumped at the opportunity to try the product," Vaselli said.  

Quiltflex is produced using Foamex's patented Variable Pressure Foaming (VPF^SM) process, which ensures unparalleled performance and consistency. The company says Quiltflex virtually eliminates body impressions, while providing comfort comparable to the highest grades of fiber. Quiltflex also provides far greater durability than conventional fiber. Foamex is so confident that quilting panels made with Quiltflex will retain at least 90 percent of original loft for the life of the mattress (up to 10 years), that the company is offering a written guarantee.  

Stress-O-Pedic, which is the largest independent mattress producer in the Western United States, started using Quiltflex late last year. The California company now uses Quiltflex in about 50 percent of its beds, those priced in mid to upper ranges (retail from $599 to $2,899 for a queen), according to Robert Mills, vice president of sales and marketing for Stress-O-Pedic.  

"I couldn't believe that we'd be able to get a product that would replace most fiber materials," Mills said. "We originally did our own testing, and we've been extremely successful in eliminating body impressions." Mills says that, in the product lines where Stress-O-Pedic uses Quiltflex, they have replaced about 90 percent of the fiber.  

"We tell all of our customers about Quiltflex and why it's so important," he noted. "It's been a great sales aid. We include it in all of our presentations and we give every customer a sample of the product to display at the point of purchase."  

Stress-O-Pedic sells to wholesalers in California, Arizona, Nevada and other Western states. "At Stress-O-Pedic, our aim is to offer the highest quality at the best price, and Quiltflex has been just phenomenal for us," Mills said.  

Mills says that, given its performance to date, any new mattress his company introduces in the mid- to upper price ranges certainly will incorporate Quiltflex.  

Also among the early adopters of Quiltflex is another leading maker of bedding in the West. Denver Mattress started using the new Foamex product last spring and is very pleased with the results.  

"We've gotten good customer feedback, and our salespeople are confident in the product," said Robert Rensink, general manager of the Denver Mattress factory. "The best selling point is that Quiltflex leaves no body impressions."  

Body impressions and loss of "loft" are among the main reasons customers return mattresses. Fiber in any bed means more body impressions, and replacing fiber with Quiltflex virtually eliminates that problem. Therefore, Quiltflex helps reduce costly returns and eliminate the customer dissatisfaction that can create word-of-mouth damage to a retailer's business and harm the relationship with their supplier.

Manufacturing Process Advantages
Transitioning Quiltflex into the manufacturing process was "trouble-free" for Stress-O-Pedic, Mills says. That experience highlights another of the new product's benefits. As a single-sheet foam product, Quiltflex offers several advantages. Because it is available in up to 200-foot rolls, Quiltflex requires fewer setups than traditional fiber rolls, allowing manufacturers to increase production by up to 20 percent.  

There also is less wear and tear on machinery, since Quiltflex virtually eliminates buildup of excess material waste in the flanging, surging and quilting operations. That, in turn, results in less equipment damage and a reduction in downtime and maintenance costs.  

Because Quiltflex is a specialty foam, not a fiber, it doesn't migrate. The result is a fuller quilt panel with a more uniform finish. Quiltflex fills the quilt pocket better than fiber and eliminates the wrinkle effect in the mattress ticking that is often associated with fiber-filled panels. Quiltflex won't break down like fiber, so there is no bunching or uneven distribution of padding. It stands up to years of use without losing loft.  

Extensive roller-shear testing shows that Quiltflex maintains 98 percent of its original loft after 8,000 cycles when fatigued against a solid surface. When tested in quilting construction, Quiltflex retained 90 percent of its original loft, even after 50,000 cycles approximating 10 years of average use. In each case, Quiltflex dramatically outperformed fiber by as much as two to one.  

Quiltflex further enhances mattress comfort by providing far greater permeability and moisture pick-up/dissipation than fiber. Tests show that Quiltflex offers about 20 percent greater airflow under compression than fiber. The product is capable of picking up and dissipating moisture equaling nearly 2 percent of its gross weight every 24 hours - almost eight times better than even densified fiber. Quiltflex dissipates 85 percent of that moisture in just eight minutes - more than four times faster than fiber.  

In addition to its performance advantages, Quiltflex quilting panels are as cost-effective as panels quilted with polyester fiberfill. Both Foamex and Stress-O-Pedic also emphasize the fact that mattress makers using Quiltflex will have something new to talk about and promote with customers.  

Vaselli says that sales have met his expectations and should increase significantly in coming months. "There are already many leading manufacturers testing and considering adoption of Quiltflex on a national basis," he said. "With the formal introduction of Quiltflex, we expect many more customers to try the product."  

Quiltflex is produced primarily at Foamex VPF facilities in Orange, California and Cornelius, North Carolina. A third VPF facility, in Tupelo, Mississippi, provides backup production. Quiltflex also will be produced at Auburn, Indiana, beginning in December when the new VPF facility there becomes operational.  

Variable Pressure Foaming (VPF^SM)
Variable Pressure Foaming is an environmentally friendly process that produces foam continuously in an airlock chamber with greater consistency than conventional foaming methods.
"VPF allows us to develop and produce foam with performance properties never before possible," said John Televantos, President and CEO of Foamex. "The technology enables us to manufacture foams at the same density and firmness as in the past, but with far superior cushioning performance and durability. With VPF, we can provide unique, value-enhancing products for our customers, while achieving higher yields from raw materials than with traditional foaming methods. In addition, the closed chamber eliminates the need for auxiliary blowing agents required in traditional foam production, facilitating cost-effective compliance with the most recent environmental regulations."  

Foamex, headquartered in Linwood, Pa., is the world's leading producer of comfort cushioning for bedding, furniture, carpet cushion and automotive markets. The company also manufactures high-performance polymers for diverse applications in the industrial, military, electronics and computer industries as well as filtration and acoustical applications for the home. Foamex has 69 facilities in 20 states and four foreign countries. Revenues for 2000 were $1.3 billion.  

For more information visit the Foamex Web site at http://www.foamex.com.
 

This press release contains forward-looking information, and actual results may materially vary from those expressed or implied herein. Factors that could affect these results include those mentioned in the documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

###