Posts from — November 2009

From Homecare Monday

So – surprise surprise – in the latest round of proposals there is one that orders an investigation possibly that manufacturers of homecare products are going to be asked to bid.

Of course we have been saying for some time that the traditional supply lines between manufacturers and dealers / distributors / buying organizations are blurring, not only as a result of this competitive pressure but the bar has been lowered because of the ease of Asian sourcing for manufacturers and distributors alike.

This is happening in several countries in Europe as well – come to think of it the British NHS – the biggest supplier of wheelchairs in the UK, has been doing it for years.

Permobil has announced that they will be establishing a brand new 120000 sq ft facility in the US – 80000 of this will be dedicated to manufacturing.

This comes at a time where National Competitive Bidding, Medicare cuts and China outsourcing are the norm for several wheelchair manufacturers.

Lebanon, TN (October 20, 2009) — Permobil, Inc., an international company that is the world’s leading manufacturer of custom-made powered wheelchairs, will build its new $12 million North American Operations Center in Lebanon on a 17-acre site located in Park 840. The project is the largest, single capital investment that Permobil has ever made since it was established more than 40 years ago. Permobil’s new 120,000 square foot building will be the company’s second largest and most technically-advanced manufacturing facility. It will include over 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space and nearly 40,000 square feet of corporate office space. Construction of the new building will begin in late October 2009 and is slated for completion in summer 2010.