AUSTIN, Texas, (January 10, 2018) – Permobil is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Ottobock’s OBSS and NUTEC custom seating business assets in the United States and Canada, further expanding Permobil’s offering of Seating and Positioning solutions within the U.S. and Canadian markets. Complementing this planned acquisition, Permobil has recently established a dedicated and clinically-focused commercial team in the U.S. to better support customers with seating and positioning needs.

“We see tremendous potential in custom seating to improve health outcomes and achieve clinical objectives for individuals with complex needs,” says Tom Borcherding, President of Permobil Seating and Positioning. “Ottobock’s OBSS and NUTEC custom seating products complement our existing portfolio of premium seating and positioning solutions and provide Permobil with the opportunity to serve a broader range of customers in North America.”

Frank Oschell, VP of Ottobock Human Mobility North America says “The Human Mobility business segments of OBSS and NUTEC will have an exciting future as part of Permobil - an ideal buyer and leader in the advanced rehabilitation industry.”

Ottobock and Permobil share a passion for providing innovative solutions for end users supported by exceptional customer support. OBSS and NUTEC custom seating products will complement the existing Permobil seating portfolio with a robust line of custom fabricated solutions for users of all ages and needs.

“We are excited by the prospect of being able to use our geographic footprint and dedicated network of sales channel partners to offer OBSS and NUTEC products to our customers throughout North America,” continues Tom Borcherding.

The proposed transaction’s finalization is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected by Permobil to close by the end of the month.

About Permobil

Permobil founder Dr Per Uddén believed that helping people achieve the greatest level of independence is a basic human right and, for over 50 years, Permobil has held fast to that belief. Permobil is proud to be the global leader in advanced medical technology, forever striving to understand our users’ needs and improving their quality of life through state-of-the-art healthcare solutions. Today, these solutions include power wheelchairs, seating and positioning products, and manual wheelchairs. Permobil is part of Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of Investor AB and is headquartered in Sweden. Permobil has 1600 team members in 17 countries around the world. For more information regarding the company’s storied history and complete product line visit permobilus.com.

About Ottobock

Ottobock Healthcare develops and pioneers medical technology products and treatment concepts for people with limited mobility in the areas of Prosthetics, Orthotics, Human Mobility (wheelchairs, rehabilitation devices) and MedicalCare. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, Ottobock offers “Best in Class” quality worldwide, and employs more than 7,000 team members. A family-managed company since its founding in 1919, Ottobock has also been supporting the Paralympic Games with its technical expertise since 1988.