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About Us

• What Can Invacare Do For You?
• Our Company
• What We Believe
• History

What Can Invacare Do For You?

We can provide you with market-leading medical products that promote recovery and active lifestyles for those requiring home and other non-acute health care. Our goal is to help our customers lead the most active, vital lifestyles possible by using well-researched, quality products.

As the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of these products, we support a wide range of customers. Our team of Homecare Product Specialists focus on assisting funded Ministry of Health and ACC customers by working closely with Assessors and their clients to find solutions. Our Healthcare Product Specialist team focuses on key products designed specifically for the Aged Care and Hospital environment, and we have 20 distributors nationwide, servicing customers directly. These range from Pharmacies, to dedicated Mobility Specialists, who are trained to assist customers in their purchase of scooters, lift-out chairs, rollators and standard wheelchairs.

Our Auckland based Rental Division supplies products directly to the public, and services contracts with Counties Manukau Health and Waikato DHB. All distributors and customers are supported by our nationwide network of 45 service agents.

Our Company

" Innovation in Healthcare."

Today, Invacare is the global leader in the $6-billion home medical product industry. The company conducts business in more than 80 countries around the world and has the largest distribution network in the industry. The company's world headquarters are in Elyria, Ohio, located outside of Cleveland, USA; the European headquarters are in Tours, France.

Based in Auckland, Invacare New Zealand employs approximately 50 people and is a leading supplier of rehabilitation and home healthcare equipment. Our product range has expanded significantly to include all types of equipment and supplies used for home health care. While Invacare has a long track record of proven results, the company is still looking for opportunities to grow.

What We Believe

Our Mission

Invacare will be the preferred supplier of rehabilitation and home medical equipment, through recognition of our innovative, quality products and services. Through understanding our customers' needs, Invacare will help rebuild and maintain active lifestyles.

Our Values

• Customers- We are committed to understanding our customer's needs and exceeding their expectations.
• People - We attract, reward and develop people whose skills and behaviours achieve our goals and objectives.
• Integrity- We conduct our business in a legal, ethical and environmentally responsible manner.

Our Core Objectives

Our core competencies will be the marketing and supply of quality products, focused on rebuilding active lifestyles for disabled and aged consumers.

We will develop long-term partnerships with all stakeholders, and through listening to the needs of users and clinicians, will together develop and distribute products and services that promote independence.

We will be recognised as the provider of superior service to our customers, minimising the assets employed within the business.

We will develop the culture of the Invacare organisation by aligning the skills and behaviours of our people to achieve our declared goals and objectives.

• Innovative products and a comprehensive healthcare range
• Clear communication, efficient service and training
• Listen to the needs of users, clinicians and customers
• Together, innovate the best practice in healthcare

History

Invacare Corporation traces its roots back to 1885 when the Worthington Company began producing a line of vehicles designed for people with physical disabilities. Through the years, the product mix of the company has changed several times, but the wheelchair business has remained a focal point.

In late 1979, Mal Mixon, vice president of Marketing for Technicare, (Owned by Johnson & Johnson) invested heavily in the purchase of Invacare, which at the time was a small subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.  As Mixon and the new Invacare management assessed their situation, they were faced with quite a challenge: a debt load at three points over prime in a rising interest rate environment; at 1979 year-end, pro forma earnings of only $100,000 on sales of $19 million; a limited product offering, with no new products in development; and a dominant competitor more than six-times Invacare's size. The challenge, however, was met head-on.

In 1980 sales grew by over 25 percent to $25 million and earnings skyrocketed to $1.4 million. The following year Invacare entered its first new market of home care beds through a small acquisition; the first of many strategic acquisitions to follow.

The other component of Invacare Corporation's success has been the company's unending search for opportunities to expand its product and geographic market opportunities through external partnerships and acquisitions.  Amongst many other acquisitions, those listed below, now form Invacare NZ Ltd.

• July 1995 Thompson Rehab, Auckland, New Zealand. A manufacturer and distributor of manual and power wheelchairs. In NZ for over 100 years.
• August 1995 Group Pharmaceutical Limited (GP Healthcare), Auckland, New Zealand. A marketer and distributor of Invacare prescription wheelchairs and other rehab products
• April 2000 Hatfield Mobility Ltd, Napier, New Zealand.  A distributor of a range of imported European based agencies, including power chairs, beds and patient lifters.

1996 saw Thompson Rehab and GP Healthcare become as one in new premises at St Lukes, Auckland.  Along with servicing the Equipment for Independence contract (EFI) and building new preferred supplier contracts, the business focused on product sales and core product lines, developing new markets such as aged care and consumer markets.  These initiatives resulted in a 46% increase over 5 years (1996-2001). By 2001 Invacare NZ had outgrown its St Lukes premises, requiring a move to a larger warehouse facility, where we still operate from today in Mt Wellington, Auckland.