Drive DeVilbiss buys Mobility Designed's portfolio

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. - Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare has acquired Mobility Designed’s full portfolio of products, including the company’s flagship product, the M+D Comfort Crutch.  

As part of the acquisition, Mobility Designed’s co-founder and chief innovation officer, Max Younger, will join DDH as senior director of industrial design and innovation. 

“I am incredibly excited to join Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare,” said Younger. “This opportunity is a great example of Drive’s focus on innovation and allows us to bring our portfolio of designs to a broader audience continuing our mission of improving people's lives through thoughtful design. I look forward to working with the talented team at DDH to push the boundaries of what’s possible in medical equipment.” 

The Comfort Crutch, which was named a finalist in Fast Company’s prestigious Innovation by Design Awards and which was the subject of a viral video that reached more than 50 million viewers in 2016, shifts the user’s weight to the elbows instead of the armpits or wrists, providing more comfort to users, the companies say. 

Younger, who brings more than 15 years of industrial design experience to his role at DDH, including positions focused on product innovation at Techtronic Industries, Dimensional Innovations and Hallmark Cards, designed the Comfort Crutch after witnessing his father’s struggles with conventional crutches following an amputation. 

“We are delighted to welcome Max Younger and the Mobility Designed team to the DDH family,” said Jen Nicholson, SVP product & marketing strategy for DDH. “This acquisition elevates our portfolio with forward-thinking domestic design capabilities that set DDH apart in the industry. We are excited about the potential for enhanced innovation and improved patient outcomes that this collaboration brings.”