Chair manufacturer in new acquisition
BIRMINGHAM-based emergency evacuation chair manufacturer Evac+Chair has expanded its operation with the acquisition of a company that produces straps, harnesses and load restraints.
Evac+Chair produces hi-tech evacuation chair systems for export to more than 30 countries. Its customers include well known retail stores and leisure outlets including Gap stores, Cotswold Outdoor and Odeon Cinemas, while last year it supplied its chairs to the Yas Marina motorsport circuit in Abu Dhabi in time for its inaugural F1 grand prix.
Mark Wallace, Evac+Chair managing director, said: “Our acquisition will mean that every element of our innovative products will be produced in-house, helping us to ensure the highest standard of quality control.”
Despite the recession affecting sales in the United States, Evac+Chair and its sister company ParAid, have seen a combined growth in exports of 20% and a 27% rise in recruitment levels in the last two years.
“In the last year, we secured a number of significant contracts which helped us ride out the recession,” added Mr Wallace.
He said ParAid had also been successful with its bespoke solutions for medical transport teams, including incubator trolleys and the launch of the ACR (Ambulance Child Restraint) and the Neo-Restraint design for the safe transportation of children and babies.
“The past 12 months has seen an increasing demand for custom-built solutions to patient handling and transportation needs. Recent work for ParAid has included supplying the West Midlands Ambulance Service and air-ambulance services,” he said.
News of the acquisition coincided with a visit to the business by MEP Malcolm Harbour.
Mr Harbour used the visit to raise the platform for UK manufacturing, explaining that the sector still had a viable future although more support for the industry was needed.
He said: “We need more practical initiatives to support manufacturing companies. For instance, to help small business access new markets by facilitating trade missions and by helping to prepare companies to meet the demands of export.
“Other support such as innovation vouchers to encourage collaboration and mutually beneficial partnerships with universities can also support businesses to develop globally competitive products.”
He held up Evac+Chair as a good example of a company that was bringing new products to market.
“Historically, the Midlands manufacturing sector has not been good at taking products to market. Evac+Chair is a key example of where a product has been marketed on its strengths – combining strong innovation with quality manufacture.
“Companies like Evac+Chair are crucial to the West Midlands as this is where job growth is coming from. We need more pioneering businesses like this,” he said.
