FRESNO, Calif. (August 1, 2018)—Sunrise Medical develops, designs, manufactures and distributes manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, scooters, seating and positioning products and has acquired Magic Mobility, an Australian-based designer and manufacturer of innovative all-terrain power wheelchairs manufactured and distributed from its facility in Melbourne.
Magic Mobility was formed in 1994 by a small group of rehab industry professionals. The business was primarily lead by Ashley Daff and Andrew Shipley. After studying prosthetics at university and over the years, Daff developed strong relationships within the disabled community and was known for his deep understanding of the human body and an exceptional level of mechanical aptitude. Shipley was highly skilled in electronics, business and sales leadership. Each wheelchair is built in the Melbourne facility and is personalized for each customer. With a strong purpose to empower people to push boundaries in a world that’s not flat, wheelchair users all over the world have gained and retained independence. Magic Mobility has its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia, employing 24 associates.
Jim Barratt, senior vice president commercial operations, who led the acquisition for Sunrise believes, “The opportunity of offering our customers greater possibilities in terms of power wheelchairs is at the heart of this acquisition. Though we have a broad range of brands, the inclusion of the Magic Mobility portfolio further enables people to enjoy their life and experience an enhanced choice of product capabilities.”
Jill Barnett, general manager of Magic Mobility stated, “We are thrilled by this transition, which will ensure that the 24-year-old Australian brand can grow and develop even further for decades. Our desire has always been to grow awareness and provide more access to our products and the Magic way of life. We are excited to help facilitate the introduction of a global corporation into Victoria. The prospect of continuing to operate here in Melbourne and employing more local talent as we grow, is great for the Victorian manufacturing industry and the overall Australian economy.”
Johan Ek, CEO of Sunrise Medical said, “Magic Mobility will continue to play an increased role in the global power wheelchair marketplace. With Sunrise, I am very excited as to what the future brings. Magic Mobility has a strong and dedicated team of people headed up by an excellent management team who will continue to run the business along with the new support, resources and experience we have at our disposal.”
Visit sunrisemedical.com for more information.
