COMMERCIAL VAN NEWS

MOBILITYWORKS FEATURED IN AKRON BEACON JOURNAL

Potential for Growth, Conquest Wheelchair Motorcycle and the New Ford Transit Connect Mobility Van Highlighted in March 1st 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 was featured on the Ohio.com web site and on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journal. The van in the background in an accessible Ford Transit Connect, also being produced by MobilityWorks.

Workers at MobilityWorks' production facility ready a fiberglass raised-roof top to attach to a Ford E-Series commercial van. In addition to wheelchair lifts and other adaptive equipment, raised roofs and raised doors are common modifications made at the Akron Ohio plant.

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... It's going to be good year for us."

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.

Adding to excitement generated by the Accubuilt Mobility acquisition and the Transit Connect, a modified wheelchair accessible motorcycle is being launched by the company called The Mobility Conquest.

In addition to retaining most of the Accubuilt Mobility sales staff, MobilityWorks announced that Roger Vartanian has been named Vice President of West Coast Commercial Operations. Mr. Vartanian, who has been the Vice President of Sales at Accubuilt Mobility since 2007, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the MobilityWorks team. Many people still refer to the Vartanian name when describing certain types of wheelchair, shuttle and executive style vans. His father founded Vartanian Industries, which later became part of Accubuilt, Inc. in 2002. “It’s a family legacy that I’m very proud to have,” said Mr. Vartanian.

MobilityWorks enjoys bailment pool status with Ford Motor Company, allowing the company to order vehicle chassis directly from Ford. MobilityWorks is also a Ford Quality Vehicle Modifier (QVM), a designation currently bestowed by Ford Motor Company to only 11 qualified conversion companies (a.k.a. ‘upfitters’) in the United States. 

For additional information, write to biz@mobilityworks.com.

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.

For additional Ford Transit Connect details, write to biz@mobilityworks.com. You can also use our commercial inquiry form to see receive Transit Connect updates.

MobilityWorks Commercial Division Introduces its new REV™
ADA-Compliant Rear-Entry Minivan

MobilityWorks' Commercial Division is introducing its new REV™ ADA compliant, rear entry minivan at the 2009 NMEDA show being held in Daytona, FL this February 4th through the 8th. The rear entry wheelchair accessible van is currently available in 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & County models. The REV™ features a 53.5" long fold-out ramp that is slightly more than 30" wide and has 56" of entrance head room. The REV™ conversion maintains two rear passenger seats, in addition to the wheelchair secured area and tie-downs.

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.

Mobility Alliance Completes Ford E-Series 2009 Model Year Testing

In an unprecedented display of rapid design and development, the Mobility Alliance has successfully completed testing of its 2009 E-Series lowered floor conversion, thus insuring our industry against delays associated with developing adaptive conversions on recently-released vehicle platforms.

The unique composition of the Mobility Alliance allows for engineering expertise to be drawn from the various participants throughout the design and build process, thereby allowing parallel development of various aspects of the conversion simultaneously.

Two key changes effective with the 2009 model year required that we successfully re-certify our lowered floor conversion:

• Ford combined the RSC (roll stability control) and RCM (restraint control module) modules into one device; and
• FMVSS increased the offset rear impact standards from 35 mph to 50 mph for all motor vehicles less than 10,000 lb. GVWR. For 2009, additional challenges were the design, development and manufacture of a new fuel system as well as ensuring that measures were taken to assure successful testing under the very severe 50 MPH rear impact being required under FMVSS 301.

Mobility Alliance 2009 E-Series Team (left to right) Todd LaPant (Transfer Flow Inc), Terry Hiser, Don Clock, Ron Mohr, Doug Richie, Grant Sassaman, Rodney Freeman, Dan O’Brien, Denny Summers, Shawn Gingerich, Ken Karasinski

Mobility Alliance members include Accubuilt, Clock Conversions, Eclipse, Malley Industries, Mobility Works and NORCAL. All have successfully achieved QVM Quality Program status with Ford Motor Company.

For MobilityWorks News updates and further information, please write to biz@mobilityworks.com

Call us today at 1-800-769-8267