Heritage Month is not only an opportunity to celebrate South Africa’s many cultures and their traditions, but also its success stories. One of these is Sleep Group – the largest integrated bedding manufacturer in southern Africa. Having started as a small family business, Metz Furniture, back in 1939, the group has built a legacy that blends family values, innovation, and corporate vision.
Humble origins
The Metz family originally established a small bedding business that supplied local retailers – initially delivering by horse and cart. Beds became the biggest part of the business and the family decided to narrow their focus, rebranding as Metz Bedding in 1981 when Michael Metz took over the business (the second generation of the Metz family to take the helm). His entrepreneurial spirit was evident as the business grew steadily, driven by strategic leadership and a continued passion for quality.
“Michael Metz and his family were true pioneers,” says Michael Borcherds, CEO of Sleep Group, who has reported to three generations of the Metz family before stepping into the role of CEO 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.”
Introducing Restonic to South Africa
In the early 1990s, the Metz family introduced the Restonic brand to South Africa, licensing it from the United States. Borcherds, who joined the company on the very day Restonic was launched locally, remembers the start vividly.
“We had no budget for big advertising campaigns, 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.”
Over time, Restonic became one of the country’s most trusted and loved mattress brands. The company invested every cent back into the business – upgrading machinery, automating production and expanding its footprint. “I still remember when we celebrated hitting R1 million turnover in a month,” says Borcherds. “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. This brought new resources, structure, and capital that enabled bigger dreams to be realised. It also marked the birth of an integrated bedding business that today 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,” says 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’s structure is now built around two verticals: mattress brands (Restonic and Genessi) and raw materials (foam, textiles and bedding components). This integration allows Sleep Group not only to serve its own needs, but also to support the wider furniture industry across southern Africa. Most recently, the company expanded its footprint by acquiring Gaborone Bedding in Botswana.
A legacy of people and passion
Borcherds, whose career spans every chapter of Metz leadership (with a five-year gap, running his own company within the industry), is proud of the way the group has held onto its heritage while charting new territory. “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”
Sleep Group now employs close to 2 000 people, making it one of the largest employers in its sector. Investment in people is central to the company’s philosophy. “We see training and development as one of our greatest investments,” says Borcherds. “More than 80% of promotions over the past two years came from people we’ve upskilled.”
Looking ahead
The group is also innovating for the future. Its recently relaunched the Genessi brand, which represents a bold new image targeting the premium mattress market, with cutting-edge sleep technology. “Genessi is one of the most exciting things we’ve done in a long time,” Borcherds says. “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, balancing growth with sustainability. Initiatives include investment in recycling technologies, energy-efficient production, and ongoing support for South African communities through donations of mattresses, cultural celebrations, and grassroots upliftment.
It also invests into local sleep research and healthcare practitioner training on sleep through the Restonic Ezintsha Sleep Clinic.
“For us, being proudly South African means more than just manufacturing locally,” says 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.”
