Slump in orders forces mattress maker to cease trading

Assets from the Huddersfield-based Handmade Mattress Company are being sold off, after the firm closed its doors following eight years of trading.

Following a period of rapid expansion, the manufacturer, which employed 23 staff in 2022, said it had suffered from a slump in orders.

Administrators Kelly Burton and Gemma Louise Roberts, of Sheffield-based Wilson Field, were appointed last month.

The firm had initially focused on infant cots and mattresses, with its revenue reaching £4m by mid 2021 as the company diversified into making branded mattresses for corporate customers and into manufacturing adult-sized mattresses.

The business relocated to a larger base in 2017 and at its peak was producing up to 100,000 mattresses per week.

However, as detailed in the joint administrators’ report: “Unfortunately, towards the end of 2022 the company lost two large customers meaning that sales forecasts were dramatically reduced to the 2015 level of £1m.

“The company was also left with a large amount of branded stock, which it had invested in to win the contracts, but which was now worthless.

“At the start of 2023, other long-standing customers significantly reduced their orders.

“The directors sought to downsize the business to reflect the lower level of turnover and staffing levels were reduced accordingly. This proved to be unsuccessful as the company was committed to fixed costs of leases and loans that were not affordable and which could not be reduced immediately.”

More than 300 items from The Handmade Mattress Company are now up for sale by online auction – hosted by Walker Singleton – with the auction closing at noon on Thursday August 24.

Items include equipment for manufacturing, packaging, handling and storing mattresses and furniture, as well as two commercial vehicles.

Also included is more than £200,000 worth of stock such as mattresses, divan bases, quilted mattress covers, drawer units, cots beds, high chairs, car seats, and parasols.