Kaymed, the brand behind Gel-infused memory foam, is once again setting out to redefine the category at this year's Bed Show (stand B10), with Energize, a “breakthrough” comfort layer that combines the pressure relief of visco-elastic foam with a lively, elastic feel that Kaymed says has “never been seen in memory foam before” …
Retailers will know the challenge, says Kaymed: “Memory foam sells on comfort, but loses out on feel. It’s often described as ‘dull’ or ‘dead’.”
Energize completely changes that, says Kaymed’s head of marketing, Conor Stapleton: “This product resolves the problem of memory foam feeling dull and lifeless. It’s memory foam with life – a lively, elastic material that feels great and still provides the fantastic pressure relief of memory foam.”
Energize is built on a proprietary blend of polyol materials, engineered to transition at approximately 27°C – the temperature reached when the foam is warmed by body heat. At this point, the material undergoes a shift in its mechanical properties, becoming more elastic and responsive.
This transformation has been independently measured by Peterson Chemical Technologies in the USA, Kaymed explains, confirming a significant change in elasticity under thermal load.
Driven by demand from people “who like the comfort of memory foam, but not the dull feel”, the result is a comfort layer that feels soft and conforming at rest, but becomes lively and motion-friendly during sleep, Conor explains: “The feel has been described as combining the bounce of latex with the pressure relief of visco-elastic foam – a unique sensory experience that sets Energize apart.
“The foam in our Energize range is called Energex,” he continues. “It’s been formulated with a patented polyol blend. It changes mechanical character to become lively and elastic when the sleeper warms it to 27ºC – which makes it motion-friendly, while also retaining its pressure-relieving profile.”
Phil McNeill, Kaymed’s sales and marketing director, adds: “Energize is the first true innovation in memory foam since gel-infused memory foam. We’ve addressed the main remaining consumer complaint – the lifeless feel – and created memory foam with energy.”
Donal Heagney, product development manager, explains: “Traditional memory foam softens and deadens with heat. Energize does the opposite – it gets livelier.”
UK sales manager Terry Bridger says: “Retailers now have something genuinely new to offer. Energize will attract customers who’ve previously rejected memory foam. It’s pressure relief with personality – and that’s an offering to stand out and appeal.”
Kaymed has always been a leader in sleep temperature regulation, and Energize is further evidence of the innovator’s ability to stay ahead of the curve, says Conor: “The category growth has been stellar. Temperature-regulating memory foam is a mainstay of retail floors and we are continually formulating new foam technologies that enhance airflow, heat conductivity and temperature regulation. Energize is a new branch of innovation for us, making memory foam feel great.”
Conor goes on to explain the “massive” advances the business has made in the past 12 months: “We’ve just commissioned new PU foaming equipment at our Dublin site. The aim is better foams, more innovation and more consumer-focused products. We’ve been building our capabilities, too, with a new plant manager and chemist hired to drive output and innovation.
“We are here to continually improve and drive the newness in memory foam technology that resolves consumer pain points. The switch back to memory foam recently shows a strong consumer interest, driven by wellness and comfort preferences. We are a disrupter. Our role is to bring something new and improved – which is what we will continue to do.
“In parallel, we are waiting to drop some positive news on sustainability initiatives in our foam technologies soon. Watch this space!”
Kaymed says Energize will enable retailers to position their offer above standard memory foam, offering “a tangible upgrade in feel and performance” – and that, as the technology evolves, it will introduce cooling enhancements and temperature-regulating additives, creating “a pipeline of innovation that keeps retailers ahead of the curve”.
“We are a collaborative supplier,” Conor concludes. “We have an amazing retailer base in the UK, and we work with all of them closely. Our team is here to help the retailer capture the full profit opportunity from our premium products – and that usually boils down to excellence in staff training, and in assets that tell the benefit stories for our products, simply and convincingly.”
