"This fantastic wire means we can be confident in what we claim"
The DUX story began nearly a hundred years ago, in 1924. The Swedish chocolatier Efraim Ljung went to the US on a business trip and stayed overnight in a Chicago hotel. The following morning he was amazed at how well he had slept. Efraim pulled out his pocketknife, made a careful cut in the mattress to examine the inside – and discovered a mass of coiled springs mounted in a flexible system.
Once back in Sweden, Efraim left his candy business and began instead to experiment with steel springs of different strengths and elasticity. In 1926 he founded DUX and started manufacturing mattresses.
In homes and luxury hotels around the world
Today the Ljung family still owns and operates the DUX firm. The company has grown, but through the years its mission has remained the same: increased comfort, improved performance and longer life span.
When home furnishings turned towards cheaper, mass-produced furniture in the 1970s and 80s, this family-operated company chose to go in the opposite direction and make its mark with quality. In 1986 they launched their retail chain, Duxiana, which now has 100 stores. The DUX exclusive line is also sold by more than 200 retailers around the world.
DUX manufactures about 25,000 beds a year. The majority of customers are private individuals who prioritize the best possible setting for a good night’s sleep. But many of the world’s foremost hotel chains as well as many large cruise ships provide their guests with DUX beds.
“Of course, it’s a matter of pride when you go to Manhattan and know that many of the 5-star hotels there have beds from little DUX,” says Jonas Bratt, DUX Production Manager.
We don’t settle for just any wire
The core is the unique DUX spring. The spring system has more – and thinner – bedsprings than other bed manufacturers. It’s a difference that delivers both a soft feeling and firm support.
“Our springs are comfortable and have a very long life, it’s well known,” says Bratt. “That’s why the Swedish Navy has been in touch and wants our beds on their ships. And that’s why we deliver springs in other products with high demands for quality and comfort, such as railway seating and office chairs."
For the last 30 years, all DUX bedsprings have been manufactured with wire from Suzuki Garphyttan. Their wire has a long life and much better relaxation resistance, which contributes to the spring system maintaining tension better than springs made of ordinary bedspring wire. And this is continually verified in the DUX laboratory.
“It’s the fantastic wire that enables us to be confident in what we claim about quality,” adds Bratt. “All the springs in the system are woven together, so a broken wire is the worst that can happen.”
The DUX spring system has more – and thinner – bedsprings than other bed manufacturers
Long-term relations built on trust
Bratt describes the partnership with Suzuki Garphyttan as a long-term relation built on trust and security. He explains that it’s never a question of short-term fixes, and both parties have a long-range view of their cooperation.
“We’re important to each other. Suzuki Garphyttan is our only wire supplier, because quite simply no one else has the same quality. And for them we are an important partner outside of the automotive industry.
A shared focus in product development is naturally an essential part of our partnership. Bratt reveals that just now they are looking at a broader usage of springs, and testing different degrees of heat treatment of the wire.
“Suzuki Garphyttan is part of our product development. They provide prototypes of what we’re looking for and we test them together. They’re extremely knowledgeable and very quick about getting back to us with suggestions.”
Experiencing an incredible engagement
Finally, Bratt mentions another feature of Suzuki Garphyttan – that the company, despite being a global company, feels so genuine.
“I’ve visited the Garphyttan site several times and met many staff there – in production, sales and management. Everyone, regardless of their role, is incredibly solid and fully engaged. It’s just incredible!”
DUX in brief
|
Founded |
1926 in Malmö, Sweden. |
| Production | Beds at two wholly owned factories in Portugal. Furniture production on a smaller scale In Sweden. |
| Sales | 100 own Duxiana stores and over 200 retailers in more than 40 countries around the world (North America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe) |
