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Chiropedic is a family owned and operated mattress manufacturer and retailer with eight stores across Victoria, including Ballarat. They have been manufacturing mattresses from their Braybrook factory for 27 years and were recently awarded the best Australian-made mattress for 2019. CEO Mark Ottley talks about this prestigious award and his family, at work and home.
Chiropedic recently won the award for the Best Australian Made Mattress for 2019. This is a great achievement so could you please give me some insight into what makes this mattress so special?
Winning this award has meant so much for the whole team at Chiropedic. A tremendous amount of effort goes into the manufacturing of this product, and it is a testament to our manufacturing team of the quality Australian Made products that we can produce out of our facility in Braybrook. A funny story about this mattress is that I initially designed it for myself with no plans to release it to the general market. My wife and I were looking to upgrade to a king size from a queen so when I was designing our Cloud 9 Range I made the Classic Comfort model for us. I really wanted to keep the external design simple with the core focus of getting the perfect internal balance of comfort, support and temperature stability. During the testing phase, before launching the Cloud 9 Range in stores, I decided last minute to include the Classic Comfort mattress. Everyone immediately fell in love with it, and from the minute it hit the floors it became our bestselling mattress.
What’s your first memory of the business/factory? My father started this business when I was nine years old, so my first memories were playing hide and seek with the workers in the factory and jumping on all the mattresses. I also really enjoyed coming to the factory, as I got to spend time with my dad who was working very long hours to get the business started.
What was your role before taking on a CEO position at Chiropedic? I grew up in this factory, so have had my hand trying most jobs on the manufacturing floor. My first real job here was cutting quilted fabrics. In the beginning, we had to cut all the different sizes fabrics by hand which was a very time-consuming. Over the years we have streamlined this process by investing in high tech quilting machines from Italy which can precisely quilt and cut all our materials saving us a lot of time and effort. I then moved into base upholstery and home deliveries, followed by retail and wholesale sales. After I finished my university degree at RMIT, I took over all the marketing of the business, followed by the general manager role, which incorporated managing the factory as well as sales. Last year I restructured the business by bringing on board experienced people in retail, manufacturing and finance. Then I became the CEO.
How hard is to work with your dad? I love working with my dad, he is my best friend. But like all families, we have our challenges, and at times our way of thinking differs. We clash quite a bit on some issues, as I think he is too old school and he believes that because he has the experience, he knows better.
How many hours do you work a day on average? We have a unique setup, with manufacturing and direct to public retail sales in the same facility. The factory starts at 7am, so I get in then to ensure the staff are ok and the daily production is scheduled without any issues. My mornings are filled with manufacturing tasks, then after lunch I tend to start work on product development and sales, leaving here at 6pm when the retail store closes. At least twice a week I make sure I'm home early for dinner with my family. I have two young children aged four years and 11 months, so quality time is essential.
How do you get your ideas and concept for new products? A big part of people's decision making is what they look like, which is funny because through the life of a mattress they are covered up. When designing a product, I need to make sure that the fabrics are on-trend with the latest fashion and colours, but I need to make sure the materials are the best quality available, so the mattress provides comfort, support and longevity. I first look at what our customers are requesting and then contact our local Australian suppliers for new designs and materials. I also get a lot of ideas from around the world and travel extensively to all the major furniture and bedding shows.
What do you think is crucial for a smooth day-to-day business operation? Everyone in the organisation must trust each other to do the best job possible. There are no individuals in the business; everyone works as a team and relies on each other to get their work done.
Where do you see your business heading? We want to be the number one direct to public mattress store in Australia and continue to manufacture here, making quality mattresses at honest prices and providing exceptional service. We are a family business and want our family values to be the cornerstone or our success.
This advertising feature is sponsored by Chiropedic Bedding Ballarat