Longtime SSA member Latexco US is in the Member Spotlight this month. General Manager Jim Gutierrez sits on the SSA Board and Latexco US CEO, Ben Ducatteeuw is a valued supporter. We asked their team to write something for the Spotlight that tells their company story. Here’s what they sent in.
Latexco US is a leading manufacturer of latex and polyurethane foam products to the bedding industry. It’s been on a strong, rapid growth trajectory since 2008 when it established headquarters and manufacturing in Lavonia, Ga., and accelerated the pace with expansion in Phoenix in 2018.
The forward-thinking, customer-centric organization is uniquely positioned to serve as a one-stop shop with innovative bedding solutions, customization and fulfillment capabilities and impressive speed to market. With facilities on the east and west coast, Latexco US is the only producer of both latex and polyurethane foam under one roof in North America.
In an industry of making things, it’s easy to overlook what makes a company more than the products they make – a view into its culture and a sense of its soul. Beyond Latexco’s innovativeness and agility that enable it to respond nimbly to customer and market needs, lie a strong ethos and commitment to economic, ecological and social sustainability.
The company identifies three pillars of its sustainability commitment. The Economics pillar represents healthy long-term business management with added value for the local economy. The Ecological pillar serves to maintain and strengthen the forest ecosystem. The Social pillar exercises respect for the rights of local people and employees.
“Sustainability is a leitmotif that runs through everything we do,” said Ben Ducatteeuw, CEO of Latexco US. “Our goal to be an industry leader goes beyond the impeccable quality products and service we provide. Caring for our environment and being stewards of our natural resources are part of our corporate responsibility.”
In 2011, Latexco introduced the patented SonoCore technology, a revolutionary process used to make an all-new product category and the company’s flagship natural foam product called Pulse®. Using radio frequency technology instead of conventional steam heating and drying, the SonoCore process is significantly more energy efficient while producing an extremely soft natural foam with high tensile strength, superior ventilation properties and the best ecological footprint in the latex foam industry.
“The most durable, flexible, ecological, revolutionary and competitive natural foam in the marketplace.”
“Extreme comfort and softness are Pulse’s signature attribute and benefit,” said Brent Limer, Chief Sales Officer for Latexco US. “The SonoCore process differentiates Pulse® as a sustainably responsible product that also provides the benefits of a perfectly balanced microclimate with superior ventilation and humidity control properties.”
In early 2019, Latexco US obtained FSC® certification from NEPCon for its natural Pulse® products, making it the only single-source producer of latex and polyurethane foam in the U.S. with FSC-certified natural foam products.
“FSC® is about transparency and traceability throughout the process, which is vital to the Latexco commitment to sustainability,” said Ducatteeuw. “We’re proud of this distinction and to be able to tell our growing base of customers that our latex products come from responsibly managed forests, transported directly to our plant and made into premium products designed to improve the quality of life of consumers.”
That consumer perspective is one of the unique aspects of Latexco that contributes to its growing success. While it has always been a supplier to bedding manufacturers, arguably making it once removed from the end consumer, Latexco approaches product development and marketing with the consumer in mind.
Latexco’s natural Pulse® brand is a perfect example because the company believes sustainability makes a difference in the way we all work and live. Pulse® is derived from a natural and renewable raw material, sourced from environmentally responsible forests and manufactured using the highly efficient SonoCore process based on radio frequency.
Sleep health and hygiene are an essential part of the conversation when Latexco talks about the benefits of natural foam. Latexco mattresses also meet Oeko-Tex Standard 100 standards, making them safe for babies and all other sleepers. Products carrying the Oeko-Tex label provide assurance that every component of the article has been tested for harmful substances and is therefore harmless to humans. From cutting-edge research and development through durability testing, its natural latex mattresses offer best in class performance for optimum body support, balanced pressure distribution, enhanced blood circulation and long-lasting comfort and quality.
Pulse® natural foam has an open cell structure made up of millions of microscopic interconnecting air bubbles that allows constant air circulation through the mattress, and the natural movements during sleep helps ventilation. Natural foam is hypoallergenic and proven to be resistant to mold and mildew. Recent tests show it is also resistant to dust mites.
These product attributes fulfill the economic pillars of sustainability because they give bedding manufacturers and retailer a strong basis to provide real solutions to consumer problems when it comes to buying comfortable, durable and safe bedding for their home and family. In the end, it comes full circle to support Latexco’s primary goal to take care of people and nature.
