Recognised as the UK’s biggest bed exhibition, The National Bed Federation’s (NBF) popular and successful Bed Show is back for a fourth year – between 24-25th September 2013 – and the organiser promises that it will be better than ever.
The format will remain largely the same – two days at the Telford International Centre – but with extended opening hours on both the Tuesday (8.30am-6pm) and Wednesday (8.30am-4pm) for visitors.
“Our third Bed Show was another huge success,” says Jessica Alexander, executive director of the NBF. “We had over 70 NBF members exhibiting – among them some of the biggest names in the bed industry, all of which will be back this year! Not only that, but we must be one of the few shows in the furniture industry to have maintained – indeed slightly increased – our visitor numbers. Visitors registered were 1322, compared with 1306 in 2011.
“One reason for our success is that we are organised by the bed industry, for the bed industry. It’s all about our unique product focus, and the fact that it’s primarily a membership benefit, based on an ethos of keeping costs low and participating easy, rather than a profit-making exercise for an exhibition company.”
So, once again, only members of the NBF will be invited to exhibit at the 2013 Bed Show, which will continue to present its unique mix of bed manufacturers – all with British manufacturing bases – and component suppliers. “We know that other companies, who do not qualify for NBF membership under its current criteria, would like to exhibit, but for now, we feel we have a successful formula, which is still working well,” says Jessica.
"We must be one of the few shows in the furniture industry to have maintained – indeed slightly increased – our visitor numbers"
The bulk of the big industry players have re-signed to exhibit, including Airsprung (including Gainsborough and Hush-a-Bye), Breasley Consumer Products, Harrisons, Hypnos, Myers (Slumberland, Dunlopillo and Staples), Relyon, Silentnight Group (Silentnight, Sealy, Rest Assured and Layezee Beds), Simmons (including Sleepeezee), Sweet Dreams, Vi-Spring and Vogue.
One change to the current established format will be extended opening hours on both days. “We took on board the feedback from some exhibitors who felt that the show should be extended to three days, but in the end, the NBF board were not convinced that the number of visitors or extra business to be done would justify the 50% hike in costs adding an extra day would entail,” explains Jessica.
The NBF Bed Show Gala Dinner and Awards night will once again be held on the Tuesday evening of the show. For the third year running there will be best in class awards, with five categories: Bed Manufacturer of the Year (won by Vi-Spring in 2012); Bed Components Supplier of the Year (CPS Labels); Multiple Bed Retailer of the year (Bensons for Beds); Independent Bed Retailer of the Year (Cheshire-based Land of Beds) and Bed E-tailer of the Year (Feather & Black).
More details on the 2013 awards, including how to enter, are available on the Bed Show website.
