We all know that a good night’s sleep in vital to good health and one factor that has a major impact on sleep quality is your temperature. While science is yet to discover a definitive causation between body temperature and sleep, the sleep cycle is typically initiated when our core body temperatures drop.
Professor Michael Decker, Ph.D., of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that “as we sleep, our body acclimates to the temperature. If we lower our body temperature a little bit in a cooler room, we tend to sleep better”.
Improved sleep quality from cooler bedding, not to mention comfort, is a factor that consumers are increasingly valuing.
To help deliver bedding cooling technology, and ultimately a better night’s sleep, ASX-listed technology company, Alexium International Group Limited (ASX: AJX) has joined forces with industry leading bedding product manufacturer Soft-Tex International.
Alexium is a South Carolina, USA based specialty chemicals innovator focused on high-performance, environmentally friendly, phase change materials (PCM) and non-hazardous flame retardants (FR). Its PCM technology has wide ranging applications, and while these are at various stages of commercialisation, the company’s major customers and revenue generators are bedding manufacturers.
Soft-Tex, which manufactures and distributes premium specialty sleep products, has maintained its prominent market position for no less than three decades by constantly incorporating the latest sleep technologies in building the most comfortable products.
Under the agreement, Soft-Tex will exclusively purchase Alexicool® phase change material (PCM) products for bedding systems that are based on Soft-Tex’s Reactex® technology — a technology that stores and releases heat to provide overnight cooling or heating, activated by pressure.
The innovation partnership combines the technical and commercial strengths of both companies and provides AJX with a channel to some of the world’s most recognisable retailers, such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon, J.C. Penney and Dillard’s.
Soft-Tex also recently entered into an exclusive partnership with the biggest mattress brand in the US — Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) to add new technologies to SSB’s mattress lines.
The supply agreement and innovation partnership with Soft-Tex marks the completion of a key milestone for Alexium’s commercialisation of its “total mattress cooling systems”.
Alexium’s Alexicool® cooling products will provide the cooling engine for Soft-Tex’s Reactex™ technology, which manages bedding system heat flow to provide a comfortable sleep environment.
This two-year initial agreement is a major step for Alexium in the commercialisation of its “total mattress cooling systems” and its development of phase change materials (PCM) for the thermoregulation of materials.
Widely recognised as the industry leader, Soft-Tex International manufactures and distributes some of the finest specialty sleep products available. Its Reactex® technologies span the personal climate control, wellness, antimicrobials, and other categories.
Soft-Tex’s Reactex™ technologies controls heat energy flow and storage to create a customer’s unique ideal personal bedding climate.
The technologies involve an additive technology formulated to control heat energy flow and storage and function much like a battery — storing and releasing heat to provide overnight cooling or heating through pressure activation.
Commenting on the signing of this agreement, chief executive Bob Brookins said, “Alexium is excited to be taking this step forward with Soft-Tex as we are pleased to provide products and services based on our advanced materials sciences capabilities.”
Alexium Chief Commercial Officer, Allen Reihman highlighted the complementary nature of the two companies technologies in saying, “This agreement formalizes the innovation partnership between Soft-tex and Alexium, combining the technology and market strengths of both companies.
‘’Reactex™ technology controls heat energy flow and storage to create a customer’s unique ideal personal bedding climate.
‘’Our Alexicool® products uniquely meet Soft-Tex requirements and provide the cooling engine for Reactex™ technology”.
Soft-Tex’s Chief Innovation Officer, Mark Smiderle added, “We chose Alexium as an innovation partner because they provide advanced PCM products, technical support, and analytical expertise that enable Reactex™ technology’s thermal regulation advantages.”
Serta Simmons Bedding – Soft-Tex Partnership
Soft-Tex International last month entered into an exclusive partnership with privately-owned Serta Simmons Bedding to add new technologies to SSB’s mattress lines.
The relationship establishes Soft-Tex’s role as an “innovation partner,” providing sourcing, supply chain management and marketing services to SSB that are tied to the new technologies.
The multi-faceted partnership will support SSB research and development teams and be integral to the delivery of next-generation mattress products.
Soft-Tex intends to be a long-term innovation partner for SSB, providing them a strong competitive advantage in the mattress marketplace and creating products that offer real solutions to solve customer needs.
Leveraging its “robust intellectual property” Soft-Tex will provide SSB access to new products developed using more than 100 of its patents in the mattress category. Its innovation teams have begun working directly with SSB on the integration of those technologies for use in upcoming SSB product launches.
SSB and Soft-Tex expect to launch mattress lines featuring Soft-Tex-supplied technology for shipment in the fall of 2020.
