HEALTH AND BEAUTY CLOSE-UP-15 October 2008-Sealy Launches New Pressure Mapping Laboratory(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com

Sealy, a mattress manufacturer, announced the unveiling the Dr. Robert G. and Beverly Addison Center of Excellence pressure mapping laboratory.

Sealy inaugurated the Center of Excellence at its Trinity headquarters Friday, October 10 with several members of Sealy's Orthopedic Advisory Board (OAB) on hand. The only facility of its kind in the bedding industry, the center is a research laboratory that uses the latest technologies to identify uncomfortable pressure points that lead to tossing and turning, as noted in a release.

"Pressure management is one of the focal points of Sealy's product development process," said Larry Rogers, Sealy CEO. "The Center of Excellence will provide crucial insight into developing cutting-edge sleep systems that help consumers maximize every minute of sleep."

The company noted the Center of Excellence pressure-mapping laboratory is 836 square feet and contains four work stations. Each station is configured for a mattress and pressure mapping pads that identify and measure uncomfortable pressure points in the body that lead to tossing and turning at night. Additionally, the laboratory is equipped with 20 actigraphy devices that monitor movement and help facilitate the analysis of comfort during the night. It also houses research and data analysis areas as well a comprehensive overview of the Sealy OAB.

"The Center of Excellence is a major step in R&D and allows us to connect the quality of a mattress to quality of sleep in a very definitive way," said Dr. Alan Letton, chief science officer, Sealy. "Our pressure-mapping technique lets us develop a new methodology that quantifies sleep quality, directly linking it to specific sleep surfaces. We will be able to use this proprietary research to further develop and enhance our innovative sleep systems."

The Center of Excellence was dedicated to Dr. Robert G. and Beverly Addison. In recognition of his contribution to Sealy, Dr. Addison is an honorary member of the OAB. Dr. Addison drew national attention to the company in the 1950s by recognizing that heavy stress was placed on the lumbar region of the back during sleep. This discovery shifted the company's product development efforts to create mattresses with back support.

Sealy is a bedding manufacturer with sales of $1.7 billion in 2007.

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