six tough months and then tapered out,” Travis says. The difference: a longstanding policy to carry up to four months of key raw materials as a buffer, and a procurement strategy that shifts sources (Far East, Europe—including Turkey and Belgium—the U.S., and Latin America) based on lead times, pricing, freight, and quality. “We keep a qualified bench of suppliers whose materials we’ve already tested,” he says. “Then we pivot as market conditions change.” MANUFACTURING THAT MATCHES THE LICENSES Trinidad offers structural advantages—attractive electricity costs, engineering talent from an energybased economy, and tax incentives for capital expenditure—and the company has leaned in. The facility, now expanding past 300,000 sq ft on 18 acres, is tightly integrated: • Foam production: Multiple formulations for retail and hospitality builds. • Springs: A range of unit types and profiles, produced in-house for precision and availability. • Fibers & quilting: Vertical control improves build uniformity and durability. • Assembly lines: Calibrated to licensee standards for Serta and Sealy—the two largest mattress companies globally. A notable differentiator is internal recycling— designed to drive the plant’s carbon footprint toward zero for in-process waste. Off-cuts of foam and fiber are captured, processed, and re-utilized inside the system, rather than landfilled. “We’ve reduced our internal waste to almost zero,” Travis says. “It’s the right thing to do—and it reduces material volatility.” SPEED AS A SERVICE For regional retailers, time kills margin.The Trinidad plant runs a tight clock: orders can be produced and shipped within two to three days. “It makes us a reliable just-in-time partner,” Travis says. That reliability also lets the company ship mixed 42 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 10
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