Uratex

Portrait of a well-managed undertaking

By Nico Erle Ciriaco

Premium mattress & foam brand Uratex celebrated its 45^th year in the business through an intimate media forum at the Fely J Restaurant inside Glorietta 5 Mall in Ayala Center Makati.

Established in 1968, with a start-up capital of P45, the RGC group of companies is a far, far cry from its humble beginnings. Today, the company manufactures not only foam mattresses but also textiles, plastic products, radiators, leaf springs, metal parts, mufflers, automotive parts, foam for Toyota cars, as well as car seats for Mitsubishi since 1975.

Just like the rest of the world, many Filipinos suffer from sleep problems. Their conditions are no different from all other races and ethnic origins. That’s why Uratex, a brand known for making quality foams & mattresses, continues its advocacy in helping Filipinos get that good sleep by coming up with superior bed products.

“We have product lines that address different profiles and requirements. So it is advisable that you take time and test the mattress you bring home. Foam is liquid then transformed to its solid state,” stressed out marketing manager Dindo Medina.

“Quali-5 cellular technology allows us to meet our adherence to quality. We have passed ISO 9001 quality assurance processes as makers using world-class equipment. Uratex is the second company in the world to use the Hennecke Multiflex machine from Germany. Consultations inspire our processes. Usage of best raw materials coupled with superior formulations and processes with top-notch engineering techniques assure optimum results,” he added.

The intimate press confab was also part of Uratex’s recent accolades from the Reader’s Digest when the said publication bestowed upon the company the Platinum Award as a trusted brand; winning the recognition for five consecutive years, as voted by the consumers themselves. Three years ago, Uratex also won the Quality Circle Competition, a worldwide recognition for business enterprises. “Quarterly, we present implemented projects; not just suggestion schemes,” continued Medina.

Uratex enjoys a lion share of the foam market by cornering a chunky 70 percent of the segment. Of its production composition, 52 per cent is devoted to foam and mattresses, 22 per cent in metalwork, 11 per cent in fabrics, and 15 per cent in plastic wares.

In 1983, the company delved into velvet and corduroy making for car seats and bed covers. In 1989, it established their R & D Center as it ventured further into toys, lingerie, electronic parts, and packaging. Uratex also produced fabrics for stuffed toys of the Blue Magic label. In 2001, the food containers were launched.

By 2008, operations expanded to Cebu. In 2011 Pangasinan followed suit. This year saw the soft opening in Davao and Cagayan de Oro cities.

“In toto, we have 15 factories and we will be opening two more very soon. Our goal is to operate 22 by 2015. We have branches and logistics hubs in Isabela and Gen Santos. We have also acquired properties that are ready for construction in Iloilo, Tacloban, and Butuan. We are simply improving our customer service by cutting the distance and travel time. It lowers the cost and makes our products more affordable because freight has been taken out of the equation.

“We have a 5-year warranty but our products last until 50 years!” enthused its soft-spoken CEO, Natividad “Naty” Cheng,  who was awarded with eleven other outstanding entrepreneurs at the recently concluded MVP Bossing Awards. “Our staying power is simply an adherence to quality. And because we’ve worked with Japanese businesses for quite a time, we’ve adopted their way of running a company. We also applied innovative thinking in all levels of management.”

For more information on superior bed products and other sleep solutions, simply visit their Web site, www.uratex.com.ph and/or call the consumer hotline 888-6800.