An aging population and repeat sales continue to push the manual wheelchair market at a consistent growth rate. “The industry growth is anywhere between 2 and 3 percent — about the same as it was last year,” says Judy Hanmer, product manager for standard manual wheelchairs for Invacare.

Hanmer's estimation is in line with the report, Sales and Growth Projection in the Mobility Market 2001-2002, published by Theta Reports, New York, which sets the growth rate for the standard wheelchair market at 3 percent.

“We are seeing a good growth rate that is primarily driven by demographics,” says Kim Hess, global product manager for Sunrise Medical.

Additionally, the report predicts that sales for light and ultralight wheelchairs will increase by 10 percent next year. “The basis of the business is really on repeat sales and capturing the first-time user,” says Ann Fleming, Invacare's director of marketing for custom manual wheelchairs.

Experts say the single most important issue for this market segment is cost because reimbursement from Medicare and private insurance companies continues to offer low payment and tedious paperwork challenges.

“We are hearing from providers that the K0004 codes are coming under a lot more scrutiny from Medicare,” says Hess. “Which means they have to have their paperwork in order and make sure they put people in the right chairs.”

When considering the cost of a wheelchair, providers should take into consideration more than the purchase price, says Bob Crabtree, national sales manager for Nova Ortho-Med. “People are getting away from wanting the lowest-priced chair,” he says. “They are realizing that some of the quality aspects of the chair — warranties, parts and service — are really more valuable to them than having a chair they can buy at an extremely low price.”

Aside from cost, providers and end users seem to want two things: lighter weight and versatility. The first thing Christy Shimono, product manager for U.S. manual products for Sunrise Medical, hears from her customers is the desire for a lighter chair.

“(Consumers) are looking for convenience and ease in transporting,” agrees Simon Pang, vice president of sales and marketing, Karman Healthcare, which places an emphasis on wheelchair weight and transportability.

In addition to meeting end user needs, Hanmer says manufacturers must accommodate the rental market's need to reduce complexity throughout the product line. “It is important for (the standard wheelchair) market to reduce complexity so all the components, options and accessories are interchangeable,” she says.

The industry's strong commitment to research and development continues to offer consumers more of what they want, says John Phillips, seating, positioning and mobility specialist, Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry.

These efforts typically begin in the sports chair market, says Hess, and “filter down” to the ultralight products and then, finally, to the market for standard wheelchairs.

“By looking to other industries, we make it better for the consumer,” says Shimono. “The ultimate goal is always to provide that person with the right product so we can provide them with better independence and a better quality of life.”

That quality of life extends beyond mobility. Wheelchair users are not only looking for a high-performance product, says John Gunnar Box, president of Colours 'N Motion. “They are looking for a chair that looks cool, acts as their personality and fits into their lifestyle.”

A Brave New World: New Technology Affects Manufacturing at all Levels

IN SPITE OF a restrictive reimbursement environment, wheelchair manufacturers are forging ahead with research and development.

Some of the latest innovations include the IBOT from Johnson & Johnson, a mobility system that can rise vertically to eye level, balance on two wheels and climb stairs, and the Legged Electromechanical Multiple-Gaited Superchair (LEGS), a product that is under development at the University of Illinois at Chicago and which incorporates computer-controlled pantographic legs.

These advancements have to overcome a very significant hurdle, however: cost. The estimated price for the IBOT is $20,000 to $25,000 and the LEGS will cost $10,000 to $20,000, say researchers.

What are manual wheelchair manufacturers developing that will have an immediate impact on the industry? A lot, says John Gunnar Box, president of Colours 'N Motion. “We are always looking to create additional speed and performance (in our wheelchairs) and that is done through a variety of things, such as size, shape and configuration,” he says.

Gendron, which has made the bariatrics market its primary focus, plans to introduce an additional line of adjustable wheelchairs this month that will represent about 165 products, says sales manager Steve Cotter. “This is a result of listening to the therapists' needs and trying to better fit the patient rather than trying to slot the patients into a very narrow scope of products,” he says.

At Invacare, recent efforts produced a pediatric rental chair, says Judy Hanmer, product manager for standard manual wheelchairs. The chair can be used in hospitals or for short-term needs such as for a child with a broken leg.

Additionally, Invacare is looking at titanium-constructed chairs, says Ann Fleming, director of marketing for custom manual wheelchairs. Many manufacturers have added titanium models to their product lines, and although the added cost of up to $1,000 can be prohibitive, its benefits, which include extreme lightness, shock-absorbing properties and a scratch-resistant finish, are making many in this industry take notice.

The Internet: Consumer Friend or Foe?

ARE CONSUMERS MORE knowledgeable about their mobility options than they were five or 10 years ago? Most experts agree they are and credit this increase to the Internet.

“People are researching more things today,” says Christy Shimono, product manager for U.S. manual products, Sunrise Medical. “They are asking a lot of the right questions (about the products), and it is a positive trend for the consumer.”

John Gunnar Box, president of Colours 'N Motion, says the Internet has also affected the sales of sports wheelchairs. “That industry has evolved to Internet and catalog sales where people are shopping for price,” he says. “It is an acceptable environment, because there is not a lot of service required after the product is sold.”

When it comes to the sale of everyday chairs, the use of the Internet for purchasing is not always the best option. “The greater level of accessibility the Internet has created has been both a benefit and a liability,” says John Phillips, a seating, positioning and mobility specialist for Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry. “Yes, there is greater awareness to what is available, but that does not necessarily mean consumers are more educated (regarding the purchasing process).” Mainly, Phillips questions how the products will be serviced, saying that is a value-added benefit local providers offer.

Experts Interviewed: John Gunnar Box, president, Colours 'N Motion, Anaheim, Calif.; Steve Cotter, sales manager, Gendron, Archbold, Ohio; Bob Crabtree, national sales manager, Nova Ortho-Med, Gardena, Calif.; Ann Fleming, director of marketing for custom manual wheelchairs, and Judy Hanmer, product manager, standard manual wheelchairs, Invacare, Elyria, Ohio; Kim Hess, global product manager, and Christy Shimono, product manager for U.S. manual products, Sunrise Medical, Carlsbad, Calif.; Michael Hoepner, president, Essential Medical, Winter Park, Fla.; Simon Pang, vice president of sales and marketing, Karman Healthcare, La Puente, Calif.; and John Phillips, seating, positioning and mobility specialist, Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry, Minneapolis.

To follow up with these companies, check out the complete listing in HomeCare's annual Buyers' Guide.