Mobilityworks acquires accubuilt mobility commercial vans
January 30th, 2010Largest U.S. Modifiers of Commercial Use Mobility Vans Combine Operations to Produce Ambulettes, Paratransit Buses, Hotel Shuttles and Custom Fleet Vehicles.
MobilityWorks, the leading manufacturer of commercial wheelchair vans andambulettes 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. “The Transit Connect and Conquest Motorcycles are generating a lot of interest”, said Guy Hanford, Director of Marketing for MobilityWorks Consumer Vans. “Both of these new products are getting daily inquiries.”
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.
About MobilityWorks
MobilityWorks was started in 1997 by Bill Koeblitz, MobilityWorks President/CEO and Taylor Clark with the acquisition of New Era, a single location, $500,000 per year business that installed wheelchair lifts in full-sized vans. Since then, MobilityWorks has become a significant leader in the mobility industry with outstandingworkmanship, unsurpassed customer service and a commitment to providing quality products. The NMEDAQAP Certified company has approximately 200 employees nationwide and 13 consumer showroom locations in the states of CA, IL, MI, NY, OH, PA and WI. Its latest store opening was in Skokie, IL at the beginning of 2010. They are listed by INC Magazine as a 2009 INC 5000 company with a 65% growth rate. They have been selected as a Weatherhead 100 Company for the past 6 straight years, an annual award honoring successful companies in Northeast Ohio. Bill Koeblitz and Taylor Clark were also named to Ernst & Young’s Top 10 Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005. For more information about MobilityWorks, please visit http://www.mobilityworks.com/.
Press Contact:
Guy Hanford
Director of Marketing
MobilityWorks
810 Moe Drive, Akron, OH 44310
P. 330-633-1118
