Local bedding manufacturer has long history

Press, 9 June 1986, Page 14

Local bedding manufacturer has long history

The Ferryway Mattress Company has been manufacturing innerspring bedding in Christchurch since 1950. However, its origins go back even further — to 1939, when Mr Frank Brownie established the parent company, specialising in wire bases. There are now three generations of the Brownie family involved in the business. Mr Frank Brownie is still very much part of the firm, and his son, Mr Chris Brownie, is managing-director. Mr Chris Brownie’s two sons, Timothy and Deun, are representatives, and his daughter, Miss Lisa Brownie, looks after sales and service.

It is a long way from the wire beds of 1939 to the modern innerspring bedding Ferryway manufactures today under its Fairy way label. One of the most sophisticated bedding developments is the adjustable

bed. This bed adjusts to the user, rather than the user having to adjust to it. Simple manual controls make available a range of positional options, allowing the user to raise or lower the head or feet to suit individual needs. There is even an inbuilt massage to gently soothe tired muscles, or to stimulate the circulation of users who are confined to bed by illness.

There are some 10 different Fairyway innerspring mattress models, ranging from the economy Superknight model through to the luxury Pompadour. A special, heavy-duty model, the Imperial, has proved popular with hotel and motel proprietors.

Also well accepted by the accommodation industry is the “zip-twin” bed concept, whereby two beds can be zipped together to form a large double, or separated as required. This allows a

flexibility which makes it suitable for hotels and motels.

Ferryway is one of the few companies in the world to make budgetpriced buttoned innersprings using a premium wool and cotton mixture.

To produce the Superknight range, thick layers of wool and cotton are hand-laid, resulting in a substantial but inexpensive mattress.

The Ferryway Mattress Company is a member of the International Association of Bedding Manufacturers in North America, and Mr Chris Brownie regularly attends industry conventions on that continent in order to keep continually in touch with the latest technology in bedding. The company specialises in the use of quality timbers in the sturdy glued and nailed bed base, with its heavy-duty leg rail utilising a Southland beech turned leg.