Convaid repositions for growth

TORRANCE, Calif. - Convaid has sped up plans to expand its product portfolio and its presence overseas by selling to Kista, Sweden-based Etac AB.

Convaid is best known for its adaptive wheelchairs and strollers for the pediatric market here in the U.S.

“We've been developing and looking at additional product groups,” said Chris Braun, president of Convaid. “Now we have a full range of products. We cover the gamut of what a child with disabilities will need.”

Etac offers a range of mobility-related products, including manual wheelchairs, seating solutions and patient transfer devices, as well as bathing and toileting equipment. It also offers products for the pediatric market through its R82 brand, formerly Snug Seat in the U.S. Etac-R82 operates in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia and the U.S., and has a network of distributors in 40 other markets around the world.

Convaid has a number of international distributors, but the deal with Etac-R82 will have a “huge impact” on the manufacturer's presence overseas, particularly in Europe and Asia.

“They really have a strong presence in those markets,” Braun said. “For us, it means a very quick international expansion. It has been on our radar to get more aggressive internationally and this allows us to do it almost immediately.”

Not much will change for Convaid operationally, at least not in the short term. Manufacturing will remain in California, and no products will be discontinued.

“We have a lot to plan in the next six to 12 months, but it looks like we'll all be engaged in that effort,” Braun said.

When contacted by HME News, Scott Crosswhite, a vice president at R82 in the U.S., said, “We don't have a lot of information on how we will be moving forward, except that we're excited about the acquisition.”