Pamela Stone, CEO at Respa, shares an insight into the company, its deep-rooted family values and what to expect to see during the Irish Furniture & Homewares Show.
For almost 80 years, Respa has been crafting beds and mattresses from its home in Oldcastle, Co. Meath. A key part of its journey has been its family orientated approach. The business, which was established back in 1947, is now in its third generation of ownership.
The roots run much deeper than that too. “Jack and Joan Kellett started the business, who then passed it on to their son Tosh, who’s now passed it on to his son Bobby,” explains Pamela.
“We’ve got that real family, real craftsmanship across the business. It actually all started with a needle and thread by doing horse saddles 80 years ago before quickly transitioning into making handcrafted mattresses. We have 150 people at the company, with 22 families working within the business.
“It’s phenomenal. My own brother works in the business and we’ve got people of generations that’s working here. Then for me stepping in as the CEO in July 2025, it’s all about respecting that heritage, that legacy all while striving for the future.”
Pamela initially joined the company from a finance background in 2023 as the Head of Finance and Commercial, with her role fast-tracked to the position CEO – a move that the company, and Pamela, has not looked back on. “The step up accelerated itself after my predecessor left the business in July 2025 and the board asked me to step in as CEO.
“There’s always that little ‘impostor syndrome’ that kicks in questioning if you are ready or not, but I was absolutely ready. Since then, we’ve had all sorts of challenges thrown at us, from raw materials, price increases, market changes, Geo Politic challenges etc. It’s been a busy an insightful year at the helm, one that I have enjoyed so far and we’ve made such great progress with so much more to come.”
During 2025, Respa saw its retail market suffer a slight decline in performance, while the hospitality sector has thrived. Moving into this year, Respa is recovering the retail segment, with higher-end models selling strongly, and has started building momentum with second half projections ahead of forecasts. Driving this uplift is a focus on product innovation.
“Earlier this year in April, we held our inhouse showcase event – something we do every three years, which was overwhelmingly successful for us with 98% of invites attending,” Pamela revealed. “Usually there would be a couple of standout products, but every one of our 15 new mattress models was a hit with customers. It was our most successful event in our history.”
Highlighting one particular showstopper was the illuminating floating divan. It goes without saying, but the concept is to create a floating illusion, which does just that. It’s a product that needs seeing in person for the full impact, which will be on display during the Irish Furniture & Homewares Show. BFG’s editor will certainly be making a stop to check it out.
With the Irish show in mind, Pamela said that it marks another opportunity to connect with customers, old and new, while showcasing more exciting developments, including natural fabrics. “2025 was our first year back to the show for a long time. I thought it was a perfect platform to get out and see customers, listen to feedback and see what’s happening in the market.
“We’re thrilled to be back again this year to showcase some of our inhouse show models as well as our fabrics, where we’ve looked at natural fabrics like tencel, bamboo and silk, as well as a cool touch option. We’ve also looked at one of our bestselling mattresses – pocket 1200 – and then moved that to the next stage of innovation by making it a double-sided mattress.”
Alongside products, Respa is very much a people-first business, an ethos that has long been the foundation of its success and continued evolution. A testament to its strong-willed staff dates back to the year 2000 when the business suffered a tragic fire that completely gutted the company. “We were left with nothing,” Pamela said.
“But within 24 hours down, we were making the next mattress. And within 48 hours, we had a mattress on a truck to be delivered. Within 12 months, we were up and running in our new factory. That’s down to the people, those families and the strong community that are at the heart of Respa.”
The community inside and out of the company is one of a local atmosphere. Respa supports 150 jobs in its surrounding area. “Irish manufacturing is so important to us because we support so many jobs in our local area,” Pamela continued.
“We’re the biggest employer locally. So, for us, we wouldn’t be anywhere without our people and their skillsets. We really want to protect that to make sure that longevity in our community continues to thrive.”
Respa not only employs an army of local talent, but the company continuously strives at developing that talent and nurturing career progression. A great example of this is John Shortt. Starting out 12 years ago as a headboard maker, John is currently the Head of IT & Systems. Another is Stephen Kane, who has progressed from the production floor to becoming the head of procurement in his 25 years in the business.
“We really invest in our people,” adds Pamela. “Part of our core values is to develop mindsets and develop skills within the business. In October last year, for the very first time ever, we recognised some of our longest serving people. We had 29 people that were with us between the years of 20 years and 47 years.
“We recognised every one of those with an award ceremony, a five-star hotel night away and big party. It was an amazing day. We presented them all with an engraved crystal clock to mark the occasion. We plan to do that every two years now. The next time we do it will be in 2027.”
Another key component at the business is sustainability and safety. The company has recently invested over £200,000 in new quilting machines, which will bolster its sustainable footprint in terms of operation time, while Respa has also invested in electric forklifts. This forms part of its leaner manufacturing process, where the company continuously reviews processes and procedures to improve its sustainable goals.
Furthermore, Respa is celebrating recent recognition on its green efforts. “We’re so very proud to share that we’ve been verified as being powered by 100% Irish wind renewable electricity for 2025, certified by Captured Carbon, through our energy partner Pinergy,” Pamela revealed.
“This is another important step in our ongoing sustainability journey, helping us reduce our environmental impact while continuing to handcraft quality Irish beds here in Oldcastle, as a proud Guaranteed Irish company.”
On the safety side, Pamela added: “In Ireland, 40% of our business is related to the hospitality sector. We’re the leading supplier for beds in hospitality, whether that be your local B&B or Five-Star Hotel. Standards like Crib 5 are extremely important to us.
“They cannot be compromised, and in a business where we’re always innovating, we’re looking at the balance of the importance of making sure it’s comfortable, making sure it’s durable, but also making sure it’s safe. That is huge for us as safety and comfort go hand in hand, but you cannot compromise on either.”
Shifting the focus from standards to accreditation, Respa has big plans in this area too. Pamela continued: “We’re looking at hopefully getting something accredited by a physiotherapist. We’re looking at launching something that we can stand over that can be accredited, but also can enhance muscle tension and improvement in injuries, to help get the perfect sleep. It’s quite exciting for us but that’s all I can share for now.”
Looking ahead, the immediate attention turns to the Irish Furniture & Homewares Show as mentioned earlier. A bit further down the line, Respa will be celebrating its 80th anniversary year in June 2027. It’s safe to say that the celebrations will be geared around the people that make Respa the company it is and paying tribute to all the families involved.
“We’re going to do a big family event to celebrate those 22 families that has got us to where we are, but also to celebrate the Kellett’s,” Pamela said. “They could have given up in this business many times over 80 years when times were tough and challenges presented themselves and they didn’t.
“It’s going to be all about families and their families down in the factory. Without my family, I can’t do what I do. And it’s the same for those families that work for us. We’re really excited to reach such a milestone year and look forward to celebrating when the time comes.
“For now, come and see us at the Irish Furniture & Homewares Show, from 23rd – 25th August, at the National Indoor Arena in Blanchardstown, Dublin. Can’t wait to See you there.”
