Emphasizing on natural products, the company aims to have 100 stores by 2023. Selling 80% of exports in European countries, BRN aims to open 22 stores in abroad by 2018. Berna Ilter, general manager of the company informed us about her company and activities.
What distinguishes your brand from other companies?
We have chosen not to be a common producer of mattress. We invested in technology and improved our know how by contacting largest mattress producers in the world. 80% of our mattress exports go to European countries. Italy, the heart of design, Europe, North Africa, Meddle East and South America are our major markets. Even we sold to Micronesia, as the first Turkish exporter in 2013. We solved transportation problems by offering pressed and rolled packaging. We export to more than 60 countries, because we offer them a wide range of models by studying what people want.
What is more important in sleep products?
Ergonomic products of our company grouped into four, spinal supporting Ergo mattresses, BRN ortho mattresses made of traditional spring systems, visco mattresses, and BRN style specially produced mattresses. We have spring, foam types of mattresses besides bases, headsets, handcrafted, movable bases and other sleep products. We design custom made products, as well. We have annual production capacity of 750 thousand mattress and about one million pieces of mattress covers.
Natural products are the latest trend. What do you have in this field?
We are able to produce every kind of products that are covered in sleep products category. We are one of the leading companies. Lately, we focused on natural themes. Royal Coil is our brand in this category, hand crafted by using natural materials. Our special packaging solutions for exports are helpful to increase the awareness and interest to our brand in both domestic market and in abroad.
In which way your company aims to support Turkey’s export targets for 2023?
As a successful exporter company, we targeted to sell our products in 100 countries by 2023. We also have increased the number of selling stores in domestic market, by getting stores in shopping malls and suitable points. They are selling well. We are acting step by step on the way of having 22 stores in abroad by 2018.
What is your opinion about the consciousness of consumers on sleeping?
The importance of healthy sleep experiences is now being aware of, lately in the world. Natural materials and elements have become more attractive, because chemical complexes are hazardous for health. Natural products are also good for the mattresses, because they have higher permeability of air and moist, and are more hygienic. Mattresses made of plant-based materials and fibers such as horsehair are becoming more popular in the market. Hygiene is highly important for us, because about 25 years of humans having 70 years of life expectancy are spent during sleep. So the matters related with sleep are all have to be dealt accordingly.
Your mattresses have been certified as hygienic products. What is your advise for other manufacturers?
We got the first hygiene certificate for mattresses that were earlier given only to food producers. Hygiene is our first priority in our production facilities, because, customers have to feel themselves in safety and in comfort. We have to mention the fact that we do not reflect the outdated Oeko-Tex, a certificate given semi- finished products, in our final products. We got this certificate for our final products at the stage of delivery to consumers. We advise consumers to be careful on this fact. Besides we are demanding an auditing mechanism about the hygiene and materials of the productions. It prevents un-fair competition and is good for the health of kids and aged people.
Would you evaluate recent developments in the market, as one of the leading names in the business?
In a world of competition, new rivals are emerging 7/24 on every part of the globe. Our handicaps in transportation costs should also be taken into account. So have to improve our competitive power continuously. We have to have a distinguishing competitive advantage over our rivals. First we managed to reduce our transportation costs by re-adjusting our packaging and delivery system. Vacuumed and rolled press packaging saved us costs by 3 to 4 fold. It reduced our freight and storage costs. Ready to deliver packages and lower costs of cargo also helped our sales to increase through online channels.
After sale services are becoming more important as the sales and delivery services. What does your company do in these fields for the benefit of your buyers?
Again, our packaging and form of products has become more practical for retailers and customers who now can buy and transport the mattresses by themselves. Innovation may take many forms including in the product and in delivery and packaging. Now our products have become products that can be sold at shopping centers, not only in special furniture and mattresses stores. Mattresses have become a mass commodity to be bought at every point of sales. I called this innovation in distribution. Our product SleepBox has become a retail good. Besides, we try to make innovations in our visual materials, supply of materials, in technological solutions, in business relations and cost reduction solutions.
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