Based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, National Bedding Company (NBC or the company) is a maker of Serta mattresses, one of the oldest and best known names in the bedding industry. The company is the largest manufacturer of Serta brand mattresses and holds 27 of the 34 exclusive Serta manufacturing licenses. NBC accounts for about 80% of all sales under the Serta brand name in the United States and Canada. NBC also controls Serta Inc., the national organization that is owned by and operated for the benefit of Serta licensees.

Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund, L.P. (Ares), the private equity fund of Ares Management LLC, is an independent Los Angeles-based investment firm with more than $7 billion of committed capital under management. Founded in 1997, Ares specializes in originating and managing assets in both the private equity and leveraged finance markets. 

Teachers' Private Capital is the private equity arm of the C$85 billion Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which invests on behalf of 255,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario, Canada. With more than C$7 billion in assets, Teachers' Private Capital is one of Canada's largest private investors and is working with more than 100 companies and funds worldwide by providing long-term flexible financing. 

William Blair & Company has enjoyed a successful relationship with NBC, having provided investment banking services to the company in connection with its acquisition of Sleepmaster LLC in 2003.

Year-to-date through September 2005, William Blair & Company has served as advisor on 41 merger-and-acquisition client engagements representing $6.1 billion in transaction volume.  The firm also has helped clients raise $5.9 billion in equity capital through 37 underwritten equity offerings and private placements.

For additional  information about how the investment banking professionals at William Blair & Company can help your business or portfolio company, please contact us at corporate_finance@williamblair.com.