Kaymed has completed a £3m transformation programme designed to strengthen manufacturing capacity and supply-chain resilience across its Irish operations.

According to Furniture News, the programme includes a £2.7m Laader Berg Maxfoam continuous polyurethane foam pour line at its Dublin facility and £350,000 of investment in compression and roll-packing equipment.

The new production line introduces automation, real-time monitoring and enhanced traceability. Kaymed says it will improve product consistency and manufacturing efficiency while reducing waste by almost 2% and energy consumption by approximately 3.6%. The Laader Berg Maxfoam system provides continuous polyurethane foam production, giving context to the manufacturing capability being introduced.

For procurement, the investment matters because manufacturing resilience increasingly depends on visibility and control over production. Greater automation and traceability can improve planning around materials, capacity and customer requirements while reducing the risks associated with fragmented manufacturing processes.

Kaymed has also introduced an Advanced Planning and Scheduling platform across its foam and finished mattress operations. By connecting components, work centres and production stages, the system is intended to improve planning accuracy and responsiveness to demand.

Logistics forms the second part of the strategy. Kaymed says its compression and roll-packing equipment can deliver load yields of up to eight times better, reducing shipping volumes and linking production investment with transport efficiency.

The investment comes as foam supply chains continue to face pressure from disruption, higher prices and longer lead times. Furniture News has previously covered the challenges affecting polyurethane foam availability, making greater control over manufacturing capacity strategically significant.

Kaymed's wider Kayfoam operations manufacture foam and materials for bedding, furniture, medical and other markets. Its Irish production base therefore gives the investment significance beyond the company's own finished mattress operations.

The transformation also includes 14 specialist appointments across engineering, supply chain, planning, health and safety, laboratory testing and product development. The Irish Times previously reported on the acquisition of Kayfoam Woolfson by Leggett & Platt, placing Kaymed's Irish manufacturing investment within a wider international group.

For the sector, the lesson is clear: procurement resilience increasingly depends on understanding the capability behind the supply chain. Kaymed's investment shows how automation, planning technology and logistics efficiency can strengthen manufacturing continuity before disruption reaches the customer.

Source: Furniture News / Laader Berg / Kayfoam / The Irish Times