Drive Medical has acquired Columbia Medical, a Southern California-based manufacturer of pediatric equipment for children with complex seating, positioning and mobility needs.

In announcing the acquisition on March 31, Harvey Diamond, Drive Medical’s chairman/CEO, said, “The acquisition of Columbia will greatly expand Drive’s presence in the pediatric market through our Wenzelite division and further diversify our portfolio of pediatric products. This is a quality organization that we welcome to the Drive family of companies. Plus, with our recent acquisition of Specialised Orthotic Services in the United Kingdom, we believe there will be significant cross-selling and marketing opportunities with Wenzelite, Columbia Medical and Specialised Orthotic Services in the United States and Europe.”

Drive Medical’s president, Richard Kolodny, indicated that one of the reasons the acquisition was so attractive is that Columbia Medical “will provide us with an additional sales platform for Drive’s existing Wenzelite pediatric product line.”

The announcement said Gary Werschmidt, Columbia Medical’s CEO, would continue in his current position.

“We are delighted to align ourselves with Drive Medical, one of the fastest-growing manufacturers in the healthcare industry today,” Werschmidt said in the news release. “With Drive’s resources and capabilities, Columbia Medical will thrive in the U.S. and European markets through access to a wider range of products, new distribution channels and our continued commitment to unparalleled customer satisfaction.”

Columbia Medical is based in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. Recent product introductions have included the Innova center-of-gravity tilt-in-space wheelchair and the Sprout lightweight folding wheelchair. Columbia Medical’s portfolio also includes the versatile Optima Toilet & Shower System, and car seats with positioning support for special needs kids.