(Editor: Leona)

Kingsdown, Inc., the nation's largest independent and employee-owned mattress manufacturer, said that it signed a new licensing agreement with Chinese bedding producer and retailer, Roth Bedding Technology International Limited, to open 500 stores over the next five years. The move will position Kingsdown as the largest luxury mattress brand sold in the world's fastest growing consumer market.

In 2015, the first year of the program, 65 stores in China are slated to open, two of which celebrated Grand Openings in February. Through the agreement, stores will only carry Kingsdown bedding and furniture products manufactured by Roth, using the same high quality standards that are used in the US. The newly minted partnership is the direct result of the historical successes seen by Kingsdown as an international luxury brand, its ability to uniquely innovate in both style and product functionally and identifying a partner that could execute such a monumental undertaking.

Kingsdown entered the Chinese market with their Sleep to Live and bedMATCH brands in 2012 and has enjoyed growth with other major bedding manufactures and retailers. The Roth partnership and significant number of branded stores mark an initiative to increase and strengthen the brand's presence in China, taking advantage of the demand for an American brand with a rich history in handcraftsmanship and style.  The Kingsdown stores will sell popular Kingsdown collections, as well as products specifically designed and developed for the Chinese marketplace.

"We have enjoyed a fantastic reception in China over the past few years but saw an even greater opportunity to really capture the country's luxury consumer. This partnership with Roth Bedding is the boldest relationship ever entered into by our company and we are thrilled to have found an organization that enjoys an equally ideal reputation for their attention to detail, high quality and service," said Kingsdown President and CEO Frank Hood. 

"We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to serve the Chinese market with fine Kingsdown product and are extremely excited to further Kingsdown's presence with a substantial 500 stores. The company's focus on styling, quality and groundbreaking research to deliver a more luxurious night's sleep is a differentiator that will be appreciated by our consumers," said Roth Bedding General Manager Jie Du.

Roth Bedding Technology International Limited is based in Hong Kong, China. The company is a leader in distribution platforms and retail, providing both their partners and Chinese consumers a full-service company that offers quality products.

Kingsdown, Inc. founded in 1904 and headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina, USA is a manufacturer of premium mattress systems serving leading retailers across the United States and in more than 20 countries.  The company was honored in 2014 as the North Carolina Manufacturer of the Year for mid-sized companies at the McGladery Manufacturing Summit. Kingsdown product is manufactured using handcrafted techniques combined with state-of-the-art research, materials and equipment. Research and development, training and distribution facilities, as well as two manufacturing facilities, are headquartered in Mebane.  International offices are located in Tokyo and Melbourne. Additional manufacturing and distribution centers are located in Waco, TX; Winchester, VA; Muskogee, OK; Lakeland, FL; Stockton, CA; Leicestershire, England; Tuscany, Italy; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Jakarta, Indonesia; Shenzhen, China; Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, Australia. Kingsdown, Inc., through a licensee and franchise network, currently operates over 90 MySide / Sleep to Live retail outlets in China.

One of the Kingsdown stores that recently opened in China.