Serta (company)


Serta is an American company based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois that specializes in developing and manufacturing mattresses. It was founded in 1931 in Illinois as Sleeper, Inc. by 13 mattress manufacturers who licensed the Serta name; subsequently eight independent licensees acting like a cooperative owned the company. Afterwards, it was controlled and operated as Serta International by its largest licensee, National Bedding Company,. In 2005, two private equity groups teamed up to purchase National Bedding Co.--The Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, the Los Angeles-based private equity fund of Ares Management; and Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. The American company Serta International is a subsidiary of the American company Serta Simmons Holdings LLC. Other licensees include Serta Dormae in Texas, Serta Restokraft in Michigan, and Salt Lake Mattress in Utah.
Serta is the largest mattress brand in the United States, and offers four main types of mattresses - traditional inner spring, gel-infused memory foam, hybrid mattresses which combine both, and the Salt Lake City plant exclusively produces a Talalay Latex collection. Serta products are used extensively in the lodging industry, with Hilton Worldwide and Wyndham Worldwide among its customers. Serta mattresses are also offered on cable home shopping channel ShopNBC. In August 2018, Serta Simmons Holdings LLC announced a merger with online retailer Tuft & Needle.
The company is famous for its "Counting Sheep" advertising campaign which were animated by Aardman Animations and first created in 2000.