Permobil has acquired Progeo, an Italian manufacturer specializing in ultralightweight wheelchairs for adults and children.
A news announcement said the purchase would bolster Permobil’s ultralightweight wheelchair offerings in Europe. At this time, Progeo chairs are not expected to be available for sale in North America.
Bengt Thorsson, Permobil’s CEO, said in the announcement, “With the acquisition of Progeo, Permobil significantly increases its presence in the manual wheelchair segment in Europe. Progeo’s products will be available to users in more countries at the same time as this deal increases the possibility to offer Permobil‘s product range in Italy. I’m proud to welcome Progeo, with their expertise within complex rehab and unique wheelchairs designed to represent the personality of the users, to Permobil. This is an important step in our overall strategy of developing the next generation of advanced assistive technology and services for individuals.”
Luciano Nosella, Progeo’s co-founder, called the acquisition a “perfect match” and added, “Progeo and Permobil share a long-standing tradition of offering innovative solutions by always putting the individual first. The manual wheelchairs from Progeo will now be available throughout Europe, thanks to Permobil’s direct sales presence in many countries.”
Progeo offers aluminum and carbon fiber ultralightweight wheelchairs in rigid and folding frame styles. Its lineup also includes manual tilt-in-space wheelchairs and a power-assist kit that turns its Vario folding chair into a folding power chair operated via joystick.