Sleep Group: from a horse and cart to Southern Africa’s bedding giant

What began as a small family business delivering beds by horse and cart has evolved into a company that defines innovation, quality, and local pride.

Sleep Group, today the largest integrated bedding manufacturer in southern Africa.

The story of Sleep Group began in 1939, when the Metz family established Metz Furniture, a modest operation supplying local retailers.

Beds soon became the biggest part of the business, and under the leadership of the second-generation owner, Michael Metz, the company rebranded as Metz Bedding in 1981.

“Michael Metz and his family were true pioneers,” current CEO Michael Borcherds said, who worked alongside three generations of the Metz family before taking on the leadership role in 2022.

“They brought an energy and passion that inspired everyone around them. For us, it was never just a job, it was about building something meaningful. That passion, coupled with entrepreneurship and long-term customer relationships, became our recipe for success.”

Building a brand from scratch

In the early 1990s, the Metz family introduced the Restonic brand to South Africa, licensing it from the United States. It was a defining moment for the business and for Borcherds, who joined the company on the very day Restonic launched locally.

“We had no budget for big advertising campaigns,” he said.

“So we built the brand retailer by retailer, partnership by partnership. We had a clear vision to become the go-to brand of the bedding industry, offering reliable, affordable products to the mass market.”

Through dedication and reinvestment, Restonic became one of the country’s most trusted mattress brands.

Every profit was channelled back into the business to modernise equipment, automate production, and expand its footprint.

“I still remember when we celebrated hitting R1 million turnover in a month,” Borcherds said.

“Today, we do close to R10 million a day. That’s the scale of the journey we’ve been on.”

Becoming Sleep Group

In 2015, the family business became part of JSE-listed KAP Limited, marking a new chapter in its evolution.

This transition introduced additional resources, structure, and capital, transforming the family-run operation into an integrated manufacturing powerhouse that now includes Restonic South Africa, Genessi, Vitafoam, VitaTex, DesleeMattex, and Restonic Namibia.

“Moving from a family-owned business into a corporate group was not without its challenges,” said Borcherds.

“But it gave us the ability to think bigger and be more strategic, building one of Africa’s largest bedding factories in Ormonde, Johannesburg, and creating a vertically integrated model that ensures continuity of supply, quality control, and a full bedding solution for retailers.”

The group now operates across two verticals: mattress brands (Restonic and Genessi) and raw materials (foam, textiles, and bedding components). This integration not only supports Sleep Group’s internal needs but also strengthens the wider furniture industry in southern Africa. Most recently, the company expanded into Botswana through its acquisition of Gaborone Bedding.

Heritage rooted in people and purpose

Throughout its remarkable growth, the company’s values have remained grounded in family, passion, and people.

Borcherds, whose career has spanned every era of the Metz legacy, takes pride in how the group has preserved its heritage while scaling its operations.

“Those values, passion, hard work, and commitment to people, are deeply ingrained in me and in our culture, even as we’ve grown into a corporate business,” he said.

Today, Sleep Group employs close to 2 000 people, making it one of the largest employers in its sector.

The company continues to invest heavily in training and skills development.

“We see training and development as one of our greatest investments,” Borcherds explained.

“More than 80% of promotions over the past two years came from people we’ve upskilled.”

Innovating for the future

The company is also looking ahead with innovation at its core. A recent highlight is the relaunch of Genessi, a premium mattress brand featuring advanced sleep technology.

“Genessi is one of the most exciting things we’ve done in a long time,” said Borcherds. “It shows our ability to compete at the top end of the market while staying true to our mission of delivering value at every level.”

Sleep Group’s five-year strategy aims to double the size of the business, with a focus on sustainability. Plans include investment in recycling technologies, energy-efficient production, and community upliftment initiatives that range from mattress donations to cultural celebrations.

The company also supports local sleep research and healthcare practitioner training through the Restonic Ezintsha Sleep Clinic, reinforcing its commitment to improving lives through better sleep.

“For us, being proudly South African means more than just manufacturing locally,” said Borcherds.

“It’s about creating jobs, investing in people, supporting communities, building a sustainable future, and helping more people to access the power of sleep in their lives. Our heritage is our foundation and it inspires our vision for the future.”

BUSINESS REPORT