Adaptive Equipment Systems, Baltimore, is a specialty manufacturer of wheelchair seating and positioning products. Tom Novotny, president of the 9-year-old company, recently spoke to Rehab Management about the challenges of the business, as well as industry trends.
Q: Tell us about the company, and what your role is in the industry. A: We primarily do custom rehabilitation seating, and we also manufacture ancillary products such as vests and belts. In terms of our role, our goal is to provide quality seating for the end-user, and also to enhance the lives of caregivers in the process. That is essentially our mission statement as well.
Q: What exactly is the relationship between your products and the end-users in the market? A: Actually, the relationship between the end-user and our products is very real, and, in fact, many of our products are inspired directly from feedback we get from users. We always listen to dealers and therapists, as well as end-users, and ask them on a regular basis about their likes and dislikes, and how the products can be improved to better suit their needs. Very often, we use their suggestions to come up with better products.
Q: What current trends, if any, do you see as shaping how the industry operates? A: The biggest trend I see is the continued consolidation of smaller companies. Every day it seems as if there is another merger of some kind, and smaller operations are becoming bigger. I believe that is both good and bad for us, actually. I see it as good for our company, in terms of payments and cash flow. On the other hand, now everything is much more competitive and oriented to the bottom line, as opposed to the end-user. That is not necessarily good for the industry, and, obviously, for the people buying our products. Also, some companies make it and some just don’t as a result of all the increased competition.
Q: Do you think this trend will continue? A: Long term, I don’t think so. With all of the larger companies there is more emphasis on the bottom line. But in time, that will reverse itself, and I think that consumers will start to demand better, higher quality products. We already see that happening in small ways. You can see elements of this trend in manufacturing, where I think companies are slowly beginning to respond to the public’s needs. For example, in terms of seating, most consumers and therapists know that a flat planar seat is just not as functional as a full contour seat. However, full contour seats simply cost a lot more to produce, so reimbursement is more difficult. But there has been so much demand for higher quality seating, I don’t see the trend of placing price before functionality lasting.
Q: What are the positive aspects of being in this industry? A: There is a lot of good about being involved in the seating industry. I originally come from the machining industry, which was not nearly as rewarding on a personal level. And for me, it comes down to this: there is really nothing more satisfying than going to a baseball game, or a concert, and seeing people out there enjoying themselves and doing something they might not have been able to do before: in this case, having a well-designed seat that enables them to handle their disability in the best possible way.
—By Ben Van Houten
