Sealy Korea, a bed manufacturer, which caused controversy after the cancerous substance radon was detected from its products, has been at loggerheads with its partner company A over who is responsible for the case.
The two companies are passing the buck to each other over the designation of "B," a partner company that delivered the problematic gray sponge (memory form) where the radon was detected.
Sealy claims that A company designated the B company, whereas A company insists that Sealy designated the B.
According to industry sources, when Sealy signed an OEM contract with A for the first time, it decided to designate a company that produces parts for making beds. If Sealy designates a memory form company, A receives a memory form from the company and makes a complete bed.
Sealy signed an OEM contract with A from 2008 to 2016 and has entrusted A with the job to produce beds for Sealy in South Korea.
The bed related to the controversy over the radon detection is Sealy beds produced between 2014 and 2016. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission issued an order to retrieve Sealy beds where the radon was detected on Feb. 13.
However, an e-mail obtained by Chosun Biz recently said that an executive of Sealy requested A to order memory form from a company Sealy has designated. This contradicts claims made by the Sealy side that A has designated the company B.
"We ordered not only sponge but also wood, latex, and package vinyl from companies designated by Sealy," A company said on Chosun Biz. "B company, which is a sponge company where radon was detected, was also designated by Sealy."
"We asked A company to cooperate in checking density and hardness of products and to meet specifications of products in order to manage quality. We did not specify that a particular company's memory platform or materials should be purchased," said a Sealy official.