Baby mattress manufacturer Nursery Connections has stepped up its expansion with the £2m acquisition of a major manufacturing facility in Northamptonshire.
Owned by Raskelf Group, the business has secured the 3.4 acre factory in Corby, where it will establish a "state-of-the-art" Baby Sleep Innovation Centre alongside a purpose-built showroom.
“Our goal is to lead the next generation of baby mattress innovation by bringing product design, material testing and prototyping under one roof,” says commercial director Thomas Colleran.
“The factory has been purchased rather than leased – demonstrating our long-term commitment to UK manufacturing. Representing a 70% increase in space, this site will become the new home of Nursery Connections’ manufacturing operations, with a further £250,000 investment planned in new machinery and specialist equipment.”
Nursery Connections was acquired out of administration by Raskelf Group in 2023, securing the brand rights and key assets, including stock and equipment. The deal safeguarded jobs, with employees continuing operations at the original Corby site, where expertise in developing baby mattresses had been built over two decades. In just two years under Raskelf’s ownership, the business has grown to produce 10,000 products per week for the domestic, retail and contract markets.
This latest investment, says Thomas, marks a significant step forward in Nursery Connections’ growth strategy: “The Baby Sleep Innovation Centre will act as a hub for collaborations with retailers, designers and material suppliers, while the showroom allows prototypes to be inspected first-hand.
"The vision is to transform how babies sleep safely and comfortably, with breathability and hygiene at the heart of our decision-making. As a father of two young girls, I understand that a family’s wellbeing often depends on how well children are sleeping. We are focused on making sure families everywhere experience the best night’s sleep possible.”
The Innovation Centre will feature dedicated facilities to develop and test new baby sleep materials and mattress constructions, with multiple areas of focus including: breathability and airflow; temperature regulation; support and pressure distribution; hygiene and washability; and sustainability and recycling.
Thomas explains that Raskelf’s long tradition of pioneering in the sleep sector gives the company the capacity to drive innovation at this scale: “We’ve come a long way since our company Duvalay’s ‘hero product’ – the sleeping bag with an integrated topper – found success on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den back in 2011. Raskelf Group had proven success across multiple brands, sectors and continents before acquiring Nursery Connections, which is now benefiting from decades of expertise in research, development and testing. Opening a Baby Sleep Innovation Centre is the next natural step, as we push the boundaries of what is possible in the sector.”
Pictured: The Nursery Connections team will be based at the new Corby premises, which will serve as the hub for its manufacturing operations
