Sunrise Medical, manufacturer of seating and wheeled mobility systems, has acquired Ride Designs, known for its custom seating systems.
The manufacturers announced the news on Oct. 2.
Sunrise described Ride Designs as “a renowned industry leader in premium custom seating systems for wheelchair riders,” and added that the acquisition “marks a significant expansion of Sunrise Medical’s custom seating offerings, clinical expertise, and service capabilities, perfectly complementing the extensive range of manual and powered mobility products Sunrise Medical already offers.”
Ride Designs CEO and co-founder Tom Hetzel said in the announcement, “We are thrilled to become part of the Sunrise Medical group. Ride Designs has always been dedicated to helping wheelchair riders achieve the best possible fit to enhance their quality of life. This aligns seamlessly with Sunrise Medical’s mission of improving people’s lives.”
A Sunrise FAQ sheet accompanying the news announcement said the companies would take a “business as usual” approach for their customers in North America.
“Please continue to work with your respective account managers and customer service representatives at Sunrise Medical and Ride Designs, following the same channels for placing orders, requesting technical service, or asking for support for evaluations,” the announcement said.
Consumers needing service or repairs for their Sunrise Medical or Ride Designs equipment should continue to work with the suppliers who provided the equipment.
Sunrise added that the two manufacturers’ sales forces would work separately for now, but that future plans call for Ride Designs sales reps to stay on and be supported by Sunrise Medical account managers.
“By coming together, Sunrise Medical and Ride will be better positioned to enhance our service offerings, maximize efficiencies, and deliver a comprehensive seating portfolio which supports riders of all shapes, sizes, and needs,” the announcement said.
Thomas Babacan, President/CEO of Sunrise Medical, said in the announcement, “We are very excited to welcome Ride Designs into the Sunrise Medical family. We firmly believe that this acquisition has high strategic importance and offers mutual benefits for both parties. By joining forces with Ride Designs, Sunrise Medical adds a high-end custom seating offering to our seating and positioning product portfolio, similar to RGK for the manual wheelchairs range and Magic for the power wheelchairs range.
“The acquisition not only addresses and significantly expands the broad spectrum of seating and positioning requirements for wheelchair riders worldwide, but also brings highly valuable clinical expertise and advanced 3D printing technologies and competences into the Sunrise Medical group.”