Merits, Avid launch Precision Comfort

CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Merits Health Products and its complex rehab division Avid Rehab are one step closer to becoming a one-stop shop for that product category.

Merits and Avid have launched a new division called Precision Comfort that manufactures seat backs and cushions.

“There really aren't any more independent back and cushion companies out there anymore,” said Chris Blackmore, director of business and product development. “They've all been bought by our competitors. So we had limited resources, if we didn't want to help out our competitors. We thought it would be a normal progression to create our own.”

Most recently, Permobil bought Comfort Company, which manufactures seating and positioning systems, in 2017. That followed its acquisition of The ROHO Group in 2015.

Merits and Avid have tapped Dave Leverette to lead Precision Medical as a designer and general manager. He was previously with Quantum Rehab for nine years and owned his own company designing and manufacturing seating and positioning products before that.

“I've been doing this since 1994,” he said. “I'm using my experience in this industry and other industries to develop products that use technology and materials that are cutting edge.”

Merits and Avid will be manufacturing backs and cushions from a new manufacturing facility in Ringgold, Ga.

“We thought to have a product the way we wanted it, we needed to have oversight from start to finish,” Blackmore said. “When you consider the shipping costs (of manufacturing products overseas), this is still economical.”

Merits and Avid plan to officially launch three cushions in January and three backs in February.

“For our dealers, this means they get our product 100% done,” Blackmore said. “Everything will be already installed and set to spec by the dealer. It will roll off the pallet ready to roll.”