HILLSDOWN BUYS BEDDING COMPANIES FOR 23 MLN DLRS Hillsdown Holdings Plc <HLDN.L> said its Christie-Tyler Ltd unit would buy the European bedding making interests of Simmons Co U.S.A., Owned by Gulf and Western Industries Inc USA <GW>, for 23 mln dlrs. The acquisitions include <Sleepeeze Ltd> in the U.K., <Compagnie Continentale Simmons SA> in France and <Compagnia Italiana Simmons SpA> in Italy. In 1986 the three businesses made pre-tax profit of around 2.5 mln stg on sales of 39 mln stg. Net assets being acquired come to around nine mln stg. Hillsdown shares were unchanged at 266p.