Factory Tour  Upon entering the Buffalo Industrial Park on James E. Casey Drive in Buffalo, NY, you'll find Otis Bed Manufacturing's modern facility proudly resting on their 3 ½ acre estate. Opening on November 6, 1998, this highly efficient site, complete with state-of-the-art equipment, is designed for smooth production flow of Otis's Signature product lines. When designing a product that is durably comfortable and superior in value, one has to carefully choose all "ingredients", or un-pressurized cushioning components. Three of our main components are foam, Innterspring Coils, Polyester. Foam - the single most important component in our mix… MORE FOAM. MORE COMFORT.
Simply, foam is a dispersion of gas bubbles in a solid that comes in a variety of density, form, and thickness to enable us to create different comfort levels.
Basically, there are two types of foam we use:
Convoluted Foam - known for its finger-like formations, this type of foam has benefits of flexibility, breath-ability, contouring, and added life.
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an inside view of high density convoluted foam |
Sheet Foam - known for its block-like formation; this type of foam has benefits of superior inner-support and unsurpassed resiliency.
Foam density, or pounds of material per cubic foot, is the key measure of the number of atoms present in a given volume of foam. Increasing the number of atoms in a given space will thicken cellular walls and raise the density (or weight per cubic foot). We use a minimum of 1.8 High-Density foam in both types to ensure proper support and long term longevity.
Innerspring Coils - For the more traditionally minded, innerspring coils, made of solid steel, come in varied gauges (the higher the gauge of steel, the softer the feel) and types (bonnell, pocket, offset) to breed support, stability and flexibility. The study of coils is a science all on its own, and if you alter any characteristic; such as, the amount of turns in a coil, or the thickness of the coil, the comfort level will change.
MORE STEEL. MORE STRENGTH.
Otis focuses on two of the most steadfast types of coils:  Marshall Coil - Patented in 1900 by James Marshall, This drum designed specialized steel coil is contained in a flexible fabric pocket that makes it independent from all other coils. A plurality of these individually wrapped coils are joined together, one by one, to work together to produce a mattress that responds to your every move to give you a firm, body- contouring restful sleep. Some mattresses and futons in our line, like the MILLENNIUM, use a combination of the coils, of varied gauges, for an ergonomically contoured feel (a 14 gauge steel coil is used for a softer, livelier feel, and a 13 gauge steel coil is used for a firm, yet contouring feel).  Bonnell Coil - Known to be the workhorse coil of the industry, this coil silhouettes an hourglass shape (cylindrical at the top and bottom, tapered in the center) and is machine-made, oven-tempered, and incredibly strong. Oven (or heat) tempering is an important process that one should look for in a steel coil because this process imparts the degree of hardness and strength to the steel itself. This strength building equation for steel should also follow this general rule…the higher the carbon content (or hardening element), the stronger the steel. The bonnell coils of choice provide a strong inner-support from which we build our mattresses. Polyester - Thermally bonded polyester is another important ingredient in Otis's mix of products. Bonding the polyester fibers by heat (thermally) is the strongest way in the industry to produce a quality polyester fiber layer. Once the fibers are bonded together, a thick, plush polyester layer evolves which is then wrapped around the inner-supportive materials to achieve a clean, tailored look that provides long lasting plush comfort! 
Otis Bed is known to manufacture "high performance cushioning systems." These mattresses all possess qualities of comfort, support and durability.
BENCH BUILDING PERFORMED AT ITS FINEST!
Bench built inherently means quality that can only be achieved by making it by hand! Starting from the bottom and working to the top assures uniformity and individualized quality control; therefore, the lumps or low spots that machine-filled products are known for, will not exist. To continue with producing our signature line of mattresses, these are some other resources used:  The Ticking - (or the mattress fabric), holds an important role since the cloth of choice caresses not only the individual that rests on its surface, but it serves to protect the inside materials too! A high thread count (amount of threads per square inch) and high thread strength are extremely important because it must endure the grueling forces of the compression tufting process! In order to choose the correct fabric, one has to acknowledge how it will be used, how does it perform under pressurization, how does it ware, does it need to be flame-retardant, is it for allergy patients, is it flexible…. the list goes on! Panel Cutting Machine - High Tech machine that allows us to cut our higher quality fabrics repeatedly virtually error free. Tape Edge Machine - This machine seals the comfort inside the mattress and tailors the edges for durability. Apprenticed by masters, this craftsman learned the tricks of the trade to "sew" in the quality. 
Tufting Machine - The tufting machine is one of the most important machines in the pressurization process. This is where each mattress undergoes it own unique specialized pattern of pressurization. A trained craftsman employs his experience and knowledge to create the unique feel and long lasting support of each mattress.
Quality Control - ALL finished goods undergo an inspection to assure the quality of each product before it leaves its original "home".
Our products are efficiently packaged..ship via UPS, Compression Packaged Shipping. We're the only mattress/futon company in North America is able to ship their entire line compression packaged that are convenient for shipping, tracking orders, and warehousing.
| Drop shipments are available! |
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Over a century since its inception, Otis Bed Manufacturing grew to become the largest and most respected mattress manufacturer in Western New York. Otis produces high performance sleep & cushioning systems for the consumer and medical products market. Otis Bed designers and engineers incorporate the most advanced technologies with old-world quality craftsmanship that has set the standard for durability, quality and comfort in the industry.
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