MobilityWorks Commercial Van News

January 18, 2011

MobilityWorks Commercial is Ford Motor's Largest Mobility Conversion Van Upfitter 9th Straight Year

For the ninth straight year, the MobilityWorks Commercial division has been named as Ford Motor Company's largest mobility van upfitter, joining other leading manufacturers among their top volume bailment pool accounts designated for conversion. Ford commercial vans such as the E150, E250 and E350 Series are converted to commercial vehicles used for a variety of different business purposes. The designations include: Ambulance; Mobility; Parcel Delivery; Body & Equipment; Bus; Motorhome; and Personal Use. The Ford Transit Connect is also included among its bailment pool of vehicles in fleet management sales.

The bailment pool designation signifies that these companies do a significant amount of conversions and maintain a large inventory of Ford chassis onsite to keep up with production. MobilityWorks primary conversion for the commercial market is non-emergency ambulette vans, used by adult care centers, medical transportation companies and many others who transport people in wheelchairs. They specialize in a raised roof, lowered floor conversions upfitted with wheelchair lifts in a variety of configurations and custom options. The company has also been expanding into other markets such as prisoner transport, hotel courtesy shuttle buses, school transportation, medical equipment haulers and the taxi market. MobilityWorks offers side-entry and rear entry options, in addition to several minivan conversions with a built-in wheelchair ramp..

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January 3, 2012

MobilityWorks Commercial Purchases Liberty USA of Michigan

MobilityWorks Commercial of Akron, OH has purchased Liberty USA of Michigan, a national seller of wheelchair accessible minivans. With this new acquisition, forecasts for 2012 will increase van production by another 40% over 2011. "Mike Shank and the Liberty name are well respected in the industry. We wanted to bring on the best," said Taylor Clark, President of MobilityWorks Commercial. "Mike and Liberty will give us the expertise we need to best serve these customers."

Click here for the complete Liberty USA Press Release

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August 26, 2011

Mobility Retailer and Producer of Wheelchair Van Named to Inc. Magazine's Annual List of Fastest Growing Companies



MobilityWorks, the leading handicap vans and adaptive equipment retailer in the United States and the largest conversion manufacturer of commercial vans for transporting disabled riders, was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 to be published by Inc. magazine in their September issue. The annual designation is coveted by the business community for its recognition of America's fastest-growing private companies. Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 companies are chosen based on their percentage of revenue growth rate for the past three years (2007 through 2010).

Click here for the complete Inc 5000 Press Release

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June 9, 2011

MobilityWorks Honored for Providing Superior Customer Service

MobilityWorks was selected as a 2011 Smart Business Five-Star World Class Customer Service company – an annual award program conducted by Smart Business magazine that honors businesses in a specific region of the country for their excellence in customer service.

The annual awards, held in major cities throughout the United States, are designed to raise awareness of the importance of customer service in the business world, to recognize those organizations that demonstrate exceptional customer service and to share best practices from those that do it best. The company was honored at an award ceremony and dinner reception along with other leading Northern Ohio-based companies on June 9th.

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January 24, 2011

MobilityWorks Announces New ADA Compliant Toyota Sienna Rear Entry Conversion – Orders for 2011 Vans Now Being Taken

We are proud to announce a brand new Toyota Sienna minivan conversion, an ADA compliant rear-entry option that will be shown at the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association Conference February 2-4 in Daytona. The new accessible minivan expands the many offerings available for businesses that provide accessible transportation. Available with new and pre-owned 2011 chassis models, orders for the new Toyota models are now being taken by MobilityWorks Commercial sales. Download Toyota Brochure (PDF).

 

The new minivan conversion has a 1,000 lb capacity ramp that is 36" wide, currently the widest in the mobility van industry. Shown above is the standard second row seating for ambulatory passengers. A flip-seat option can also be added to the rear wheelchair securement area. For additional information about the new MobilityWorks Toyota Sienna, please call 1-800-769-8267 or send us a message here.

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December 8, 2010

MOBILITYWORKS PRESENTED WITH 6th WEATHERHEAD 100

MobilityWorks was recognized by the Weatherhead 100 yesterday for its 6th straight year, demonstrating continued success for the company. MobilityWorks is the only provider of its kind serving consumer and businesses needs with wheelchair accessible vehicles.

The Weatherhead 100 is the 'premier' annual business event in Northern Ohio showcasing the best and fastest growing companies. Being named to the Weatherhead 100 is a significant honor in the Ohio business community. Developed by Enterprise Development, Inc., a former non-profit subsidiary of Case Western Reserve University, the Weatherhead 100 is now compiled and managed by the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE).

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October 17 , 2010

MOBILITYWORKS RECOGNIZED BY INC MAGAZINE

MobilityWorks has been recognized by Inc. Magazine for several years in its annual Inc. 5000 listings for companies that show continued success, including its recent 2010 rankings.

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September 14 , 2010

MOBILITYWORKS EXPANDS VEHICLE PRODUCTION – ADDS 28,000 SQUARE FOOT MANUFACTURING AND WAREHOUSE FACILITY

MobilityWorks signed a ten-year lease agreement on a 28,000 square foot building adjacent to its current 33,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The newly leased building will house the expansion of its Dodge/Chrysler rear-entry minivan conversions, Ford E-Series full-size van conversions and Conquest wheelchair motorcycle production. More than 18,000
square feet will be dedicated to manufacturing while with the remaining space will be used for the
warehousing of parts and materials. The address of the newly leased building is officially listed as 1300 Kenmore Blvd, which is right next door to its existing facility on Wilbeth Road, where they have been located since 2003.

Download Press Release (pdf)

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June11, 2010

MOBILITYWORKS SELECTED FOR GREATER AKRON CHAMBER 2010 EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS AWARD

 

MobilityWorks was recently selected as a recipient of the 2010 Excellence in Business Award presented by the Greater Akron Chamber. Their mission is to drive economic development and prosperity for the the Greater Akron Region, including Summit, Stark and Portage counties in the state of Ohio. Recipients were judged on the ability to demonstrate outstanding performance, growth, innovation, and proven leadership in the community. To be selected,MobilityWorks had to demonstrate a 5-year history of employment, expansion, investment in capital, product innovation, community involvement, outstanding customer service, and other economic growth contributors.

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MOBILITYWORKS LAUNCHES NEW REAR ENTRY MINIVAN DESIGN

Redesign of the MobilityWorks Commercial Rear Entry Minivan Improves Accessibility with Wider Ramp and Longer Floor Length



April 30, 2010 – MobilityWorks Commercial Division in Akron, OH has launched a newly designed version of its ADA-Compliant Rear Entry Minivan, increasing ramp width and flat floor length dimensions for improved accessibility and transportation of passengers with larger/wider wheelchairs. Perfect for taxi operators, nursing homes, group homes and rental agencies, MobilityWorks will expand its conversion production of Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country rear entry minivans, available for 2008 and newer model years. For more information, go to the Commercial Rear Entry Wheelchair Minivan page or call 1-800-769-8267 to speak with a Commercial Vans Sales Consultant. Consumer versions of the rear entry minivan will also be available at the company's 13 showroom locations this summer.

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MOBILITYWORKS FEATURED IN AKRON BEACON JOURNAL

Potential for Growth, Conquest Wheelchair Motorcycle and the New Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van Highlighted in March Page One Article.


March 1, 2010 – The Akron Beacon Journal featured MobilityWorks in today's edition with a page one headline, "Vehicle for Growth Opens the Road to Disabled." A week earlier, The Akron-Canton area's leading major newspaper came to our Wilbeth Road manufacturing facility and toured the production line with President/CEO Bill Koeblitz and Vice President of Operation Dennis Summers. While the thrust of the press release that brought Paula Schleis, the Akron Beacon Journal reporter and her photographer to MobilityWorks was job growth, she was clearly intrigued with the Conquest Motorcycle. And for good reason. We had two Conquests on the floor along with a new Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van that made for a good photo opportunity. Who could blame her for leading the story with one of the most unique production-made products to hit the mobility market in years?

Bill Koeblitz and The Mobility Conquest accessible trike were featured in this photo on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journal. The van in the background is a wheelchair accessible Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van, also being produced by MobilityWorks.

While The Mobility Conquest certainly generated the most interest, the article eventually came around to the potential growth that the company is expecting with the addition of new Accubuilt Mobility customers, the opening of a new location in Skokie IL near Chicago, and with the new Ford Transit Connect wheelchair van. The Transit Connect is by far the most asked about commercial product this year – and was showcased at this year's NMEDA Conference in Reno, NV. It's also generating a lot of interest from consumers as well. The ADA compliant Transit Connect Mobility Van is already in production and being sold to commercial clients like taxi companies that serve customers in wheelchairs. A consumer version of the Transit Connect will be offered at MobilityWorks' 13 consumer van showrooms very soon.

 Sparks fly as an E-Series van door is being modified.

A large part of the article was also about the dedication of MobilityWorks' employees and the strength of the local community. "There's a good labor pool in Akron and the community is very supportive" said Mr. Summers. Added Bill Koeblitz, "They're great people who know production and know how to build things."

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MOBILITYWORKS ACQUIRES ACCUBUILT MOBILITY

Largest U.S. Modifiers of Commercial Use Mobility Vans Combine Operations to Produce Ambulettes, Paratransit Buses, Hotel Shuttles and Custom Fleet Vehicles.



January 29, 2010, Akron:  MobilityWorks, the leading manufacturer of commercial wheelchair vans and ambulettes has acquired Accubuilt Mobility, the nation’s second largest manufacturer, from parent company Accubuilt, Inc. (Lima, OH).  The addition of Accubuilt Mobility will expand MobilityWorks’ production of new Ford E-Series raised roof mobility vans, cutaway shuttle buses and other custom ordered vehicles.

“This transaction enables MobilityWorks to rapidly expand our presence in a growing market,” said Taylor Clark, MobilityWorks Principal and executive in charge of the company’s commercial business segment.

MobilityWorks vans are equipped with lifts and other adaptive equipment for transporting people in wheelchairs and able-bodied passengers. The company also provides special use custom vans such as medical equipment haulers and prisoner transport vans.

An additional $7 to $8 million in sales revenue is expected for MobilityWorks as a result of the acquisition. MobilityWorks reported annual revenues of $66 million in 2009, counting its consumer retail sales coming from 13 dealer showroom locations in 7 states. The company is expected to add 30 new jobs, including sales and production positions, with all manufacturing taking place at the MobilityWorks production facility on Wilbeth Road in Akron, OH. MobilityWorks’ corporate headquarters is located approximately 8 miles north of the facility, also in Akron.

New to MobilityWorks’ vehicle offerings is the Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van, which the company started modifying toward the later half of last year. The Transit Connect was recently named North American Truck of the Year at the International Auto Show and will be on display by MobilityWorks at the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) Annual Conference in Reno, NV this February.

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Introducing the Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van

The MobilityWorks Commercial Division is proud to announce the availability of its new Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van. Developed by commercial wheelchair van providers in The Mobility Alliance, in conjunction with Ford Motor Company, the Transit Connect offers a new ADA Compliant rear entry option to the market that is economical and practical. With the rear tumble seat folded forward, the vehicle's design provides a wheelchair area of 31" wide x 50" in length. With the rear seat in its upright position, three full-sized adults can be transported in the rear seating area. This new design combines the affordability of a rear entry transport van for handicap passengers with non-wheelchair passenger capabilities, transitioning from one use to the other in less than a minute. Two rows of L-track and retractable wheelchair tie-downs provided with the Transit package will easily secure most any type of chair.

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MobilityWorks One of Only Twelve Conversion Suppliers with Ford Motors Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) Certification

The MobilityWorks’ Commercial production facility was one of the first adaptive vehicle manufacturers to qualify for Ford’s FTQP (Ford Truck Quality Program) certification, and we have consistently maintained that status through Ford’s stringent bi-annual audit process.

Ford recently revised their upfitter certification program to Qualified Vehicle Modifier (Ford QVM). On November 6, 2008 Ford’s audit team performed two QVM audits at the Wilbeth location. One audit was for the commercial and consumer manufacturing processes, and the second was for maintaining our ship-thru status. “Ship-thru” allows us to put non-raised roof vehicles back into the Ford transportation system and ship nationwide at minimal cost. MobilityWorks passed the audit with very high marks. Ford’s auditor told Denny Summers, VP of Operations, that it was the highest score that he personally had ever awarded, and that our processes and procedures were the best he had ever observed.

MobilityWorks' operations are QVM-approved and compliant with Ford’s requirements through 2010. MobilityWorks is one of only 12 vehicle modifiers that are QVM-approved, and one of eight vehicle modifiers that are part of Ford's bailment pools.

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For additional information about our commercial vans, call our toll-free line at 1-800-769-8267 or Send us an inquiry here