Evac+Chair International LtdInnovative products and more Evac+Chair International Ltd is a world-class company engaged in the design, development and manufacture of a range of innovative products and services providing mobility impairment and transportation solutions for the medical, safety and care sectors. Many products are acknowledged leaders in their field, providing high quality dependable solutions vital in their life-saving role. The company manufactures and is involved in the production of a number of different products. First and foremost is the Evac+Chair, an award winning evacuation chair. Next is the Ibex Transeat, a patient transport system. Other products include the Paraid Medical Systems, which are specially adapted elevating and adjustable patient movement trolleys for use by the rescue services, hospitals in the care of infants in incubators, and other specialist patient and casualty handling equipment. Associated with these products is a range of other support devices for the injured that need to be moved, plus specialized clothing for emergency services personnel. In addition to these, Paraid Machining is a sub contract facility for precision engineering and fabrication, alongside Paraid Powder Coating, the powder coating specialists. The Evac+Chair was invented by David Egen, an industrial designer working in midtown New York. In 1979 his wife, a victim of childhood polio, was forced to evacuate her 38th floor office successfully, albeit slowly. Not chancing a repeat of good fortune in any future forced evacuation, Mr Egen started a three year development of what eventually become the Evac+Chair Emergency Wheelchair. Its originality and simplicity as a dynamic life-safety tool quickly merited award recognition by the Industrial Designers Society of America. Evac+Chair International Ltd has been manufacturing in Birmingham since 1985. Since that time the company has experienced a continual expansion, both nationally and internationally. The framework of this success is based upon a unique approach to business and marketing and manufacturing; sound quality management system (BS EN ISO 9001:2000), continuous improvement programmes, Benchmarking and Investors In People. This is coupled with a philosophy of local development for home and international markets. Few companies go from raw materials, through the processing and assembly, to sales and marketing, after sales service, and customer training. A continuous and dynamic process that does not end with sales, or service, or training, but feeds back to enable us to be responsive to customer needs. National sales growth continues; partly due to changes in Health & Safety Law and the Disability Discrimination Act at home, but also a strong export market in Europe and USA. The company staff work as a team, with each member contributing to its success in every department. In 2004, the company increased its activities regarding Brand Awareness, Corporate Branding and advertising. On the international stage, in order to further develop its European network they are also looking towards the new member states of the EU for exporting and distributorship opportunities. The success of the previous years and what could be seen early in 2004 of its projected growth, the company made an important decision, it signed an agreement with a company in South Africa to manufacture Evac+Chairs under license. The company saw this as a two-fold opportunity; creating work in South Africa and shortening UK delivery times to customers. The Company also entered into a joint venture with a Finnish company called Pensi Oy for the development of a new patient transfer trolley. The bringing in of the South African arm, has added to the Company’s international corporate branding and awareness. They now have distributors willing to accept and incorporate the global branding concept in South Africa, Malaysia, New Zealand, the USA, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, Eire, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Middle East, India, and Taiwan. The Company recognises the value of IIP to the business and participates in benchmarking exercises in order to monitor continuous improvement. Training is an important part of this; production Skills Matrices show how each employee is able to increase his/her knowledge. Most have benefited from skill enhancement, and all have their own Personal Development Plan. Recently the Company made significant advances in Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising. It produced a new Corporate CD ROM, redesigned its web site, and in October won an award ‘For Outstanding Advertising’, in recognition of an Evac+Chair advertisement. Advertisements for the Evac+Chair have been translated into German and Japanese and appeared in publications. Based on the Company’s recent success, it achieved second place in the Business of The Year Award 2004 at last year’s Birmingham Chamber Awards, and this places Evac+Chair International Ltd as highly acclaimed for Best Practice in the West Midlands. For more information on the products and services the company can provide, use the enquirysystem or visit www.evacchair.co.uk. Three models of Evac+Chair are available: |
