BraunAbility

BraunAbility is an American manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vans and wheelchair lifts based in Winamac, Indiana.[1] It is currently owned by Investor AB. The company was founded by Ralph Braun, who had spinal muscular atrophy. Braun designed a wheelchair lift and steering controls, which allowed him to drive a 1970 converted full size Dodge van.[2] He began converting vans to sell to others. As sales grew, Braun was able to acquire Independent Mobility Systems. [3] IMS had previously been the largest manufacturer of wheelchair minivans. [4] Braun also acquired the Viewpoint Mobility line of wheelchair minivans. [3] Company sales have grown to $200 million per year.[2]

History

1963: Braun builds his first three-wheel motorized scooter in his cousin's farm shop. He later named this scooter the "Tri-Wheeler".

1963: Braun begins selling the Tri-Wheeler to others out of his parent's garage under the name Save-A-Step Manufacturing Company.

1966: Ralph's employer relocates further from his home making it impractical to ride his Tri-Wheeler to work. He equips old Post Office Jeep with a hydraulic tailgate lift and homemade hand controls.

1969: Save-A-Step outgrows the Braun's garage and moves to the John Deere/Singer building in downtown Winamac.

1970: Chrysler introduces the full-sze van. Braun builds the precursor to the Lift-A-Way Wheelchair Lift to fit this revolutionary vehicle.

1972: Save-A-Step Manufacturing Company incorporates as The Braun Corporation with five employees.

1974: Braun expands the main production building and additional buildings are constructed to meet the growing demand of lifts and Tri-Wheelers.

1976: A fiberglass operation is purchased to build Tri-Wheeler covers. Portable restrooms and roll-in wheelchair-accessible shower stalls would soon be added to the production line.

1977: The Clearwater, Florida division is established.

1978: The Huntington Beach, CA division is established.

1979: A devastating fire sweeps through the Braun Corporate Headquarters. The aftermath reveals an office and production facility gutted by the blaze.

1980: The manufacturing facility is rebuilt and new offices are constructed.

1981: Braun introduces the innovative Chair Topper car-top wheelchair carrier.

1982: The L19 External Lift is introduced. Plant 2 is opened in the Fitz Beverage Building.

1986: The Fairfield, New Jersey division is established.

1987: The 6-Way Power Transfer Seat Base is introduced.

1988: The European office is established in Oslo, Norway.

1989: To meet growing demand, Braun invests heavily in new manufacturing technologies and facilities. Plant 3 opens, drastically increasing Braun's capabilities.

1991: The Braun Entervan is introduced, offering unparalleled ease of access for wheelchair users. This innovative vehicle soon became the flagship of Braun's mobility line. It was equipped with a ramp and kneel system and removable front seats which allowed the chair user to enter the vehicle independently and drive from their wheelchair.

2015: Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of Investor AB, acquires BraunAbility.[5]

BraunAbility makes vans that have side entry ramps, as well as models with rear entry ramps. Vans are available with powered ramps, or with manual ramps for people on a smaller budget. Vans are sold through a network of over 200 dealers in the United States and Canada. BraunAbility products are also sold in many countries in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

References
  1. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. (2013-08-12). "Wheelchair Vehicle Manufacturer Growing in Indiana - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick" (Press release). Insideindianabusiness.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2015-04-27.
  2. "How I Did It: Ralph Braun of BraunAbility". Inc.com. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  3. MT Staff Writer. "Manufacturing Today - The Braun Corp". manufacturing-today.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  4. "Independent Mobility Systems - Rampvan - Transfer Seat - Liftvan". imsvans.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2001. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  5. "Investor acquires BraunAbility – the U.S. market leader in automobile mobility products". 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2018-12-09.

Braun, Ralph W., 2010, Rise Above: How One Man's Search for Mobility Helped the World Get Moving. Winamac, IN. The Braun Corporation | 57 | 978-0-9843380-0-9.

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