Simon An, CEO of Simmons, Discloses 'Flame-Retardant Mattress' Patent for Public Interest
Simmons has made the patents for its products public for the public good.
On the 8th, Simmons announced that CEO An Jeong-ho will disclose the patent related to the manufacturing method of flame-retardant mattresses for the public interest.
A flame-retardant mattress is a mattress that does not easily catch fire. Mattresses occupy the largest area among indoor furniture, and in the event of a fire, they can become kindling, causing a "flashover" phenomenon where the entire interior is engulfed in explosive flames.
Flame-retardant mattresses help prevent flashover, securing evacuation time and contributing to the safety of residents, neighbors, and firefighters. Especially in South Korea, where most residences are apartments, flashover can cause toxic gases and fire to rapidly spread through staircases, making the distribution of flame-retardant mattresses necessary to prevent this.
With this decision, the bedding industry will be able to freely use Simmons' patented technology related to the manufacturing method of flame-retardant mattresses.
CEO An said, "After hearing the unfortunate news of consecutive fires during the winter, I thought about what a company could do and decided to disclose the patent for the flame-retardant mattress manufacturing method. Since corporate activities should benefit the world, if other companies also switch to flame-retardant mattresses, it will ultimately be good for consumers."
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Meanwhile, in major OECD advanced countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, laws mandate that only flame-retardant mattresses be distributed. In South Korea, regulations related to flame-retardant mattresses are insufficient. As part of its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, Simmons has proactively produced all household mattresses sold domestically as flame-retardant mattresses since 2018, the first and only company to do so, and obtained related patents in 2020.
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