Intercoil International, a pioneer in the bedding industry in the Middle East, has launched an expansion plan which will increase its mattress and foam manufacturing capacity by 50 per cent.

The Dubai-based company is investing Dh10 million ($2.7 million) on a second manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah, installing new machines at its current facility in Al Quoz and  hiring more people. The company also has plans to set up more retail outlets in all GCC countries.
“We have earmarked Dh15 million for expansion in 2007 and 2008 aimed at meeting the growing demand for our mattresses,” says Hassan Al-Hazeem, managing director at Intercoil International.
  The company has been growing year-on-year at the rate of 25 per cent. Last year it experienced a remarkable 30 per cent growth and is expecting the same for the current year. 
Commenting on the company’s rigorous regional and international expansion strategy, he says it included successful entry into the Egyptian and Lebanese markets along with successful operations in Qatar and Oman.
“Our vision from the onset was to become a market leader in orthopedic sleep systems in the Middle East region, especially in the Gulf area. With the numbers from 2006, we’re confident that we’re moving along well towards fulfilling that vision” says Al-Hazeem.
Intercoil recently opened new distribution centres and showrooms in Oman and distribution centres in Qatar.
The company earlier this year launched a new range featuring individually designed, high-quality mattresses offering a mixture of modernity and simplicity, yet not compromising on comfort and style. The range targets the hospitality sector.   
Al-Hazeem says: “We feel each hotel project is unique in features, in service offers and quality standards. Hoteliers have come to realise the crucial role of mattresses as the most important piece of furniture which adds value and comfort to the experience of each guest. We saw a huge potential in this market and as such invested our resources in developing the best mattresses to cater to a specific hotel sector.”
Intercoil’s 2007 collection includes Therapedic premium bedding products for the contract division. Therapedic is a world-renowned bedding brand known for its patented technologies and has won various industry awards such as the prestigious Mattress Design Award.
Earlier this year Intercoil won an accolade from the Guinness Book of Records when it manufactured the world’s largest bed set in conjunction with the Dubai Shopping Fair 2007
Intercoil accomplished a similar feat at DSF 2000, producing the world's largest spring mattress, measuring 10 m long, 8 m wide and 60 cm high.
According to Al-Hazeem, “Just as Dubai is continuously striving to surpass its own accomplishments, we at Intercoil have imbibed the same culture of setting higher goals and improving on our own achievements. As such, this year we beat our own record of manufacturing not only the biggest mattress but the biggest bed set (base and mattress) in the world.”
The largest bed measures 14 m in length, 12 m in width and 2.1 m in height. The entire production and assembling process took more than 1,400 man hours and a total of 150 employees.
“By producing the world’s largest bed set, we wanted to make known how a home-grown brand like Intercoil has made its mark internationally. We also wanted to highlight the advanced level of the manufacturing sector in the UAE, which is on a par with most of the other industrialised nations,” he added.
Intercoil is one of the pioneers of polyurethane foam manufacturing in the Middle East. Today, its core business is the production and distribution (wholesale, retail, and export) of PU foam, furniture, and orthopedic sleep products under two brand names, Intercoil and Therapedic. The company’s headquarters and manufacturing complex are located in Al-Quoz Industrial Area. In addition, the company has distribution centres in Al-Quoz, Sharjah, Muscat and Qatar; five retail outlets in the UAE and one in Oman. The company exports to all the countries in the GCC as well as to North Africa and South Asia.