British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) member company Access BDD, a manufacturer of stairlifts and homelifts, has reported a “hugely” successful OT Show, engaging with many attending occupational therapists (OTs).
The working models of the HomeGlide straight stairlift and Flow X curved stairlift proved to be very popular with visitors to the stand over the two days, Access BDD says.
Both lifts meet the EN 81-40:2020 stairlift safety standard that came into effect in April this year. The show was a great opportunity for the Access BDD team to explain these new regulations and what they mean to qualified and student OTs, many of whom had little knowledge of this latest development within the stairlift industry.
“The OT Show was another great success for us as it enabled us to engage with a sometimes hard-to-reach audience and have some great conversations,” commented Andrew Musson, Access BDD Sales Manager for the UK.
“It’s more than just good to share; it’s about exchanging views, understanding needs, and exploring resolutions through responsible and innovative manufacturing.
“This event is vital for connecting with Occupational Therapists who are often involved in working with clients who are looking to invest in a stairlift and therefore have to navigate around the latest equipment and stay on top of the latest regulations.
“At The OT Show, we don’t just attend – we thrive in conversations that propel us forward.”
The HomeGlide stairlift is designed to meet all straight staircase requirements and comes with “luxurious” seat padding, armrest detection, and an emergency stop button as standard. This lift has a generous weight capacity of up to 160kg and can be installed on staircases as narrow as 740mm.
For added comfort, the Extra package is available with a powered swivel seat and linked footrest. For outdoor environments, the HomeGlide Outdoor package has a weatherproof coating to protect against rain, dust, and direct sunlight and has a weight capacity of 125kg.
The Flow X curved stairlift features Advanced Swivel and Levelling (ASL) technology, which enables the stairlift to rotate and swivel during travel, ensuring the stairlift is always in the safest and most comfortable position.
With ASL technology, the footrest remains independent from the drive unit and swivels with the seat, ensuring better posture and reduced knee bending.
The Flow X offers four rail options, including standard drop nose, vertical ‘short-start’ drop nose, horizontal overrun, and parking curve, meaning it can be installed on almost any staircase. It can support a maximum weight of 125kg and can fit on narrow staircases as small as 610mm. It has no visible mechanical parts.
Bespoke Stairlifts, a Yorkshire-based designer and manufacturer of a range of stairlifts, recently became a British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) member.
BHTA caught up with Joanne Kennedy, Commercial Director at Bespoke Stairlifts, to discover more about two of its more recent stairlift launches, how it is coping with growing customer demand, and why joining the association was a priority for the firm.
BHTA: Please can you provide some background on yourself and how you started at Bespoke Stairlifts?
Joanne: “I worked at Acorn Stairlifts for a good number of years and always kept myself involved with the mobility sector. I was introduced by another former director of Acorn Stairlifts to the owners of Bespoke Stairlifts, and it grew from there.
“I started at Bespoke Stairlifts in March 2023, with a varied career including stockbroking, banking, online sales, branding, marketing, product development, boiling water taps, and linguistics. So pretty varied!
“I really liked what Bespoke Stairlifts was trying to achieve within the company and was blown away by its commitment to not only its products but also colleagues within the business.
“Bespoke Stairlifts has introduced a Management Training programme and will be committing to Investors in People later in 2023. The message around the business resonates around providing quality products and unrivalled customer service.
“I’m proud to be part of the Bespoke Stairlifts ‘journey’ over the coming years.”
BHTA: What is Bespoke Stairlifts?
Joanne: “Bespoke Stairlifts was started just over 20 years ago and in recent times has developed two excellent, aesthetically designed, and reliable stairlifts: the Synergy (straight stairlift) and Infinity (curved stairlift).
“We not only serve the UK market but export all around the world. Recently, aside from my own role, we have increased our headcount by 20 percent across the different areas of the business to keep up with demand for our products.
“It’s so important to Bespoke Stairlifts that we maintain our great service levels but also review and improve based on customer satisfaction.”
BHTA: Are there any challenges that you’re currently facing as a firm? How can the BHTA support you with these issues?
Joanne: “Brexit (as all our fellow manufacturers are experiencing), as the lack of knowledge and access across the UK for good sound advice is lacking. This is something which BHTA is looking to support through local Chambers of Commerce and UK Government. We, at Bespoke Stairlifts, welcome this input and support.”
BHTA: What is Bespoke Stairlifts’ plans for the future?
Joanne: “Our plan for the future is to increase volumes whilst improving the customer journey. Our customers love our products – which proves we are on the right track – and we want to extend the support we give them as dealers and traders.”
BHTA: Why did you decide to become a BHTA member?
Joanne: “This was one of my priority tasks when I joined Bespoke Stairlifts.
“It’s important as a manufacturer that we have access to not only changes in legislation but also a view of the political agenda, which shapes the lives and roles of all companies within our industry. The support available is accessible and relevant, and it’s good to know that it’s there when required. It also helps filter out the important issues stairlift manufacturers need to focus on.”
BHTA: What upcoming BHTA events are you looking forward to or planning to attend?
Joanne: “Section meetings, webinars when relevant topics arise, and the Golf Day. The Golf Day will not be attended by myself, but golf is a popular and important sport across our Bespoke Stairlifts colleagues.”
To find out more about how the BHTA can support your business and how to become a BHTA member, visit this page).