Bedding company, with plant in Cleburne, may shut down

International Bedding Corp., which has a Johnson County facility, says it's trying to find a buyer or new financing, and could shut down if those efforts aren't successful.

The privately owned Florida company, which calls itself one of the largest independently owned mattress manufacturers in the United States, has 76 employees at its factory at 400 Commerce St. in Cleburne, IBC told the Texas Workforce Commission in a federally required notice of pending layoffs. It also has factories in Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

The company said in its notice to the workforce commission that it has made changes in leadership, cut workers and made other changes in the past few years to reduce "debt and realign it with the current market. However, the ongoing economic downturn has not allowed IBC to realize fully the benefits of these initiatives."

IBC said it's considering selling the company and is "currently in active negotiations with interested parties."

Without a sale or "alternative financing solution," IBC "will have no other option but to cease operations," the company said. It said it notified employees that "operations may permanently cease 62 days after the date of this letter."

An IBC spokesperson did not respond to a request for an interview.