By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

 A bedding manufacturer yesterday said business levels had plunged almost 90 per cent year-over-year post-Matthew, with the loss of electricity for two full weeks severely compromising its ability to produce finished products and generate sales.

Jonathan Cartwright, president of Shirlea-based Cartwright’s Bedding, told Tribune Business: “Sales are down 87 per cent when comparing this point over the same period last October.

“Our electricity has been off since the hurricane and it’s been two weeks now. We only have so much stock on hand, and so the problem is the lack of electricity.”

    Mr Cartwright added that while the business does have generators, they are insufficient for most of his manufacturing equipment.

“I do have generators that can run some small stuff, but they can’t run most of my equipment because they are big three phase machines,” he explained. “If the power goes off for three to four hours we can cope with that.

“I normally have enough stock where it’s not a problem, but we’re talking about a full two full weeks now; you can’t prepare for that. First of all, your margins are less than 10 per cent. We have some regenerators that can run some small stuff.”

Cartwright’s Bedding, which was launched in 2010, manufactures bedding that it sells wholesale to several furniture and bedding supply stores, such as Imperial Mattress, Wood You Furniture, Bargain Wholesaler and Heastie’s Furniture.

“Right now there is a strong demand for mattresses. A lot of people suffered roof damage and their mattresses got wet as a result, or as a  result of storm surge, and I can’t supply them,” Mr Cartwright said.

“Imperial Mattress is running out of stock and I supply them, and they have their own employee over there,” he added, noting that he has kept his nine employees on the payroll despite the situation.

Mr Cartwright said his direct competitor, Scottsdale Bedding, had given him some help as the business struggles with its operations under the circumstances.

“The mattress springs come bundled and they allowed me to open the springs. I called them up and they allowed me to open the springs, and I must thank them for that,” he said of Scottsdale.

“I have a small compressor here that I’m running, which allows me to build the mattress up to a point. I can work like this for a long time, but eventually I will run out of space and I need to actually sell something. I can’t finish the product; I can only take it to a point.”