Kluft leaves Spring Air, eyes new line
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, October 13, 2003
Beverly Hills, Calif. — Earl Kluft, who played a significant role in the growth of Spring Air, has left that group after 36 years there.
"The time was right to move on to something else," said Kluft, 55.
His new goal: Create another national luxury mattress line.
Kluft was most recently a consultant with Spring Air Partners, Spring Air's largest licensee. He sold his bedding company to Spring Air Partners in 1999 and held various posts with that group, including director of product development.
He joined Spring Air in 1967, served on the board for a number of years, and was chairman of the board in 1992.
Among his contributions in product development were the creation of the high-end Chattam & Wells line, which debuted in the 1990s and has become an important part of Spring Air's recent growth, and the original Four Seasons mattress, which offered different sleep surfaces for different seasons.
For years he operated out of Spring Air's City of Industry, Calif., facilities.
Spring Air President Jim Nation said the Chattam & Wells line "is now the fastest-growing luxury bedding line in the United States, distributed from coast to coast. It is a growing part of the Spring Air business."
Nation said of Kluft: "His tremendous attention to detail in creating fine quality products is legendary in the mattress industry."
Now that his non-compete agreement with Spring Air Partners has expired, Kluft is going into business for himself. He is currently operating out of an office in his Beverly Hills home.
He plans to work in the bedding, specialty sleep and possibly the soft goods industries.
"I have a vision of starting another national bedding line based on the luxury bedding category," Kluft said. "Everything will revolve around that. This will be a venture where I can utilize my full potential."
He joined his family's bedding business when he was 14 years old and spent his entire career in the bedding industry.
Kluft's home office number is (310) 274-8833. He also can be reached at (310) 922-3501.
