Flex-O-Lators is a subsidiary of Leggett & Platt, which was formed in 1883 as a business partnership between J.P. Leggett and C.B. Platt. Leggett was an inventor and had several patents to his credit. When he developed the idea for a spiral steel coil bedspring, Leggett went to his brother-in-law, Platt, for his manufacturing capability and expertise. The company designs and manufactures a variety of engineered components and products, including retail store fixtures and point-of-purchase displays, carpet underlay, adjustable beds, components for office furniture, non-automotive aluminum die castings, drawn steel wire, components for residential furniture and bedding, automotive seat support and lumbar systems, and bedding industry machinery for wire forming, sewing and quilting. The company reported sales of more than $5 billion in 2006 and is ranked on the Fortune 500. Leggett & Platt employs approximately 33,000 people at more than 300 facilities in more than 20 countries. Flex-O-Lators maintains a location in Carthage, Mo.