Cleaner   Technologies  Substitutes
      Assessment   Case   Studies:
          Mattress  Manufacturing
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                                         /&VFS
                                           ASSOCIATION OF
                                           WOODWORKING
                                           fc FURNISHINGS
                                           SUPPLIERS
                                  • •••••••••••••I
  Bulletin Contents
 Description of mattress
 manufacturing industry
 Case study on Jamison
 Bedding in Nashville, TN
 Case study on McKinney
 Bedding Company in
 Springfield, MO
 Case study on Justice in
 Lebanon, MO
 Alternatives  to Chlorinated
 Solvent Adhesives in the
 Mattress Manufacturing
 Industry
   The Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA), a
   nonprofit organization located in Santa Monica, California, analyzed
the cost and performance of alternative adhesive technologies used by the
furniture and sleep products industries.  This project was sponsored by
the U.S. EPA with a grant from the Design for the Environment (DfE)
Program. The Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) is a
partnership with industry including the International Sleep Products
Association (ISPA), Southern California Edison (SCE) and the
Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers® (AWFS®).

Industry Description
Flexible slabstock polyurethane foam is produced by 23 companies in
about 75 pouring plants in the United States. In 1997, approximately 830
million pounds of slabstock foam were produced. By 1998, slabstock
foam production doubled to about 1.6 billion pounds.

Flexible slabstock foam is fabricated (cut and shaped) into pieces to be
used in carpet underlay, furniture,  bedding, packaging, transportation
                                                    CTSA: Mattress Manufacturing 1

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About IRTA
IRTA is a nonprofit
organization established
in 1989 to assist
companies in adopting
low- and non-solvent
technologies. IRTA
provides technical
assistance in general and
precision cleaning,
drycleaning,  paint
stripping and coating,
adhesive and ink
operations.
           seating, and other products where a durable and resilient
           cushioning material is required.

           Mattress manufacturers purchase foam from foam manufac-
           turers or from foam fabricators and they use the foam to
           manufacture their bedding.  There are an estimated 1,270
           mattress manufacturers in the United States. Ninety percent
           of the  mattresses are manufactured by 260 plants.  Most
           manufacturers have between one and 50 employees. Perhaps
           200  mattress manufacturers  make  pillow  top  mattresses
which are generally considered a high-end bedding item.  These mat-
tresses are manufactured by using adhesive to bond the mattress itself to
the pillow top.

Adhesive Alternatives
In the 1980s and early 1990s, most of the adhesive used by mattress man-
ufacturers was based on 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), a chlorinated sol-
vent. TCA was an effective carrier for the adhesive because it evaporates
rapidly leaving an instant bond, it is fairly low in toxicity, it does not have
a flash point and it is not classified as a Volatile Organic Compound
(VOC) that contributes to photochemical smog.

In the 1990s, TCA was designated as a class one ozone depleting sub-
stance and, in 1996, its production was banned for that reason. Although
TCA inventory was still available, the chemical had become very expen-
sive because of a Federal tax on ozone depleting substances. Virtually all
adhesive formulators stopped  making TCA adhesives and began offering
adhesives based on methylene chloride  (METH), also a chlorinated sol-
vent.  Like TCA, METH evaporates quickly, does not have a flash point
and is not classified as a VOC. However, METH is a suspected carcino-
gen.   In  1997,  the  Occupational  Safety  and Health  Administration
(OSHA) issued a regulation on METH that lowered the worker exposure
level from 500 ppm to 25 ppm measured as an 8-hour time weighted aver-
age.  The regulation also set an action level at 12.5 ppm.  Companies with
worker exposure  above that level are required to institute monitoring and
medical surveillance.

Alternatives to TCA and METH  for  bonding  pillow top  mattresses
include hot melt adhesives, sewing and aerosol adhesives.   Hot melt
adhesives  are 100 percent solids.  They are applied with special spray
2 GTSA: Mattress Manufacturing

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guns that heat the resins in the hot melt adhesives to 300 degrees F or
higher so they can flow.  In some non-mattress applications where there
can be no bond line, hot melt adhesives are not a suitable alternative.  In
this  application, however, hot melt adhesives  are  especially suited
because workers are bonding two large thick items together.

Some mattress manufacturers join the mattress to the pillow top by sim-
ply sewing them together. Special equipment is required for the sewing.
Although the equipment is expensive,  it does not require spray equip-
ment or the use  of adhesives.

Many smaller manufacturers  use aerosol adhesives for bonding the pil-
low tops to the mattresses. These aerosol adhesives are often based on
acetone, a non-chlorinated solvent.  Acetone is low in toxicity and like
TCA and METH, readily evaporates leaving a quick bond. It does have
a very low flash point, however, and measures must be taken to minimize
the chance of fire or explosion.  The National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) has rated acetone as an NFPA 704 level 3 flammability hazard.
State building codes and fire codes are based on NFPA guidelines. These
codes vary according to location and local fire departments have regula-
tions that affect the amount of the flammable adhesive that can be stored
and require explosion proof motors and high air flow ventilation systems.
Most, if not all, of the aerosol adhesives based on acetone also contain
other chemicals like heptane, hexane  and  mineral spirits.   The other
chemicals in  these formulations are classified as VOCs and some are
toxic.

Mattress manufacturers that  wish to continue using METH adhesives
have to purchase and install effective ventilation systems that reduce the
worker exposure to the legal OSHA limit.   In some cases, if the use of
the acetone aerosols is very high, manufacturers might  also have  to
install ventilation systems to keep the concentration of the acetone below
the lower explosion limit.
electric util ity company.
                     of
or relocate to its service
territory.
About ISPA
ISPA, is committed to
promoting the mattress
industry through active
public policy,  public
affairs and informational
initiatives. Working
together with
manufacturers and
suppliers, ISPA seeks to
enhance the growth,
profitability and stature of
the sleep products
industry throughout the
world.
                                                                            GTSA: Mattress Manufacturing  3

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                           Characteristics of Alternatives
                                  Toxicity    Ozone Depleter  Flash Point
                             Issues
                                  Medium
                       Production banned
High
No
                                                               No
                        Heavily regulated
                                 Some	high
~m	

                                     SRre-fli
AWFS® was incorporated
to fulfill a major need to
represent the interests of
companies and
individuals who supply
the home and
institutional furnishings
manufacturing industries.
Today, AWFS® has an
international membership
that includes
manufacturers and
distributers of machinery,
hardware, lumber,
upholstery materials,
bedding,  wood products
and other supplies to
furniture and cabinet
manufacturers.
                                    Low
                                   'Nil""
 No
NM
                            No       High-temperature
                                        application
4 GTSA: Mattress Manufacturing

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                                                                       to  Hot
                                                "We are not interested in
                                                using solvent-based adhe-
                                                sives again...Even though
                                                the hot melts are not ideal,
                                                the workers like them bet-
                                                ter. The hot melts are also
                                                better for the environment."
   Jamison  Bedding has four plants  in  the
   United  States.  The company makes a
mid- to high-end product and is the  largest
private label mattresses manufacturer in the
country.  The company sells their retail bed-
ding  primarily  east  of the  Mississippi.
Jamison is the fourth largest contract bedding
manufacturer and sells to  hotels  like  the
Marriott  chain and motels.  In the past, the
company had their own spring machinery but
today they purchase the springs that are used
in the production process.

Jamison  operates  a  plant  near Nashville,
Tennessee which employs 75 people.  About
50  of the  employees work in  the factory.
Approximately 95 percent of the workforce
has been with Jamison for many years. The
plant makes 300 to 400 mattresses each day
but only a few are of the same type. An aver-
age of 75 pillow top  mattresses require glu-
ing per day. The pillow top  market has blos-
somed and likely will continue to grow.

In the manufacture of the bedding, the com-
pany uses adhesive for two types of bond-
ing. First, glue is used to bond the inner
mattress to a non-woven material which
functions as  an inner cover.   Second, the
glue is used to bond the foam surface of the
mattresses to the non-woven quilted mater-
ial.

Historically  Jamison  used METH-  and
TCA-based adhesives.  A few years  ago,
when TCA adhesives were used, Jamison
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Jamison Bedding believes the pillow top market has
blossomed and will continue to grow.
                                                                                                     i

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       decided to make a conversion to hot melt
       adhesives.  Today the company uses a pres-
       sure sensitive hot melt glue but is not entire-
       ly satisfied with the results.  "The problem
       we face in the manufacturing is to get a long
       enough open time with the glue so the work-
       ers can reposition the mattress components,"
       says  Clay  Finney, the  Manager  of the
       Nashville plant. "Another problem is that the
       adhesive sometimes remains tacky and the
       people that sleep on the mattresses will hear
       a velcro sound when they lie down on them,"
       he says.

       The company purchased several spray guns
       to apply the hot melt adhesives.  Two of the
       inexpensive guns have proved inadequate for
       the process but the more  expensive spray
       equipment  has worked well. The company
       does not have to clean the application equip-
       ment since they converted to hot melt glues.
       When the company used solvent-based adhe-
       sives, the maintenance time was substantial.
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                                           Jamison       is
                                           the exclusive
                                           manufacturer for
                                           Marriot, Hyatt, Hilton,
                                           and Holiday Inn
                                           and resorts.
                   Jamison is investigating non-pressure sensi-
                   tive hot melt glues as well as water-based
                   adhesives to  try to improve  their process
                   further.  "We are not interested in using sol-
                   vent-based adhesives  again,"  says Clay
                   Finney.  "The workers did not like the sol-
                   vent products. They complained about the
                   smell.  Even though the hot melts are  not
                   ideal, the workers like them better.  The hot
                   melts are also better for the environment."

                   Jamison's costs for using the hot melt glues
                   and the TCA-based adhesives are compara-
                   ble.  The table below  shows  the costs of
                   both processes.
                                                       for
          Capital cost

          Adhesive cost

          Labor cost

          Maintenance cost

          Electrical cost

          Total cost
TCA-Based


       $4,780

      $61,200

       $1,320



      $67,300
           Hot

                 $2,690

                 $2,535

                $61,200



                 $2,350

                $68,775
I

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                                                      Hot           and
                      HMIHG CI,
                                                "We know the
                                                work for our applications,"
      McKinney Bedding Company is located
      in Springfield, Missouri.  The compa-
ny makes high-, medium- and low-end bed-
ding.  About 80 percent of the mattresses are
sold under the trade name Restonic and 20
percent under the trade name Futurama.

McKinney makes 100 different styles of con-
tract bedding and produces between 250 and
500 pieces  per day.  Pillow top mattresses
represent about five percent of their total pro-
duction.

McKinney uses hot melt adhesives on their
lower end line.   The hot melts are used to
bond foam to fabric, foam to insulator pads
and foam to quilted material.

McKinney  is currently using a methylene
chloride-based adhesive for bonding the pil-
low   top mat-
tresses  and  for
bonding the  soft
side water beds.
The     solvent
adhesives used
by the company
come  in  a 26
pound  pressur-
ized  container.
Spray guns  are
for

Capital cost
Adhesive cost
Labor cost
Total cost
Chloride
Adhesive
$489
$2,762
$1,200
$4,451
Acetone Aerosol
Adhesive
—
$4,397
$1,200
$5,597
attached to the pressurized container and the
adhesive is sprayed on the bedding.

The company has compared the cost of con-
tinuing to use the methylene chloride-based
adhesive in pressurized containers with the
cost  of using  acetone aerosol adhesives.
Because of  the  Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) regulation
on methylene chloride, the company would
have to make an investment in a spray booth
to reduce the worker exposure to the chemi-
cal.  Even with this capital investment, the
cost  of using acetone  aerosol adhesives is
higher because aerosol  packaging  is an
expensive product.

"We're looking at the costs of all the options
right now," says Lloyd McKinney, owner of
McKinney Bedding. "We know the aerosol
                         cans  work  for
                         our   applica-
                         tions  and  we
                         are considering
                         converting  to
                         them even with
                         the     higher
                         cost," he says.
                                                                                                  I

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 About the Design for the Environment (DfE) Program
 The Design for the Environment (DfE) Program is a cooperative effort
 between  the Environmental Protection  Agency  (EPA), industries,
 research  institutions, environmental/public interest groups, and other
 government agencies. Working with these partners, the DfE program
 identifies cost-effective alternatives to existing products and processes
 that reduce risks to workers and the environment while maintaining or
 improving performance and product quality. Through the DfE program,
 EPA encourages businesses to incorporate environmental considera-
 tions into their products, processes, and technical and management sys-
 tems. To help industry implement some of the ideas and technologies
 identified, the DfE program has published a number of case studies of
 companies  which have found that environmental  improvements can
 also lead to economic benefits. The case studies encourage other ven-
 dors, as well as other businesses, to learn from these environmental suc-
 cesses and adapt the techniques to their  own processes.
                    For More Information
To obtain additional copies of this or other case studies, or for
more information contact:

         Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA)
                   2800 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 101
                       Santa Monica, CA  90404

                      Telephone: (310)453-0450
                         Fax: (310)453-2660
                       E-Mail: irta@earthlink.net
               IRTA website: http://home.earthlink.net/~irta

individuals who have
participated in the
preparation of this
publication.
Check Out DfE's
Adhesives Web Site:
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/
dfe/adhesive/adhesive.html

Check IRTA's Web Site:
http://home.earthlink.net/
-irta
                                                                        GTSA: Mattress Manufacturing 9

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