Unique Mobility Set to Begin Volume Production of Revolutionary
Gearless-Brushless Wheelchair Motor for Invacare Corporation
PR Newswire - November 18, 1998 08:17
GOLDEN, Colo., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Unique Mobility, Inc. (Amex: UQM) today announced that it is beginning volume
production of the medical equipment industry's first-ever gearless-brushless wheelchair motor for Invacare Corporation
(Nasdaq: IVCR), the world's leading manufacturer of health care products for the non-acute markets.
According to Ray A. Geddes, Unique's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, the Unique designed motor (patents applied for)
has been exclusively licensed to Invacare for medical products applications and will be produced in a recently constructed,
newly equipped factory in Frederick, Colorado, by Unique Power Products, Unique's motor manufacturing subsidiary.
Integration of the gearless-brushless motor into the Invacare product line is the result of a five-year development program
headed by J. B. Richey, President of Invacare Technologies, Invacare's research and development subsidiary, and Unique's
advanced motor development team. Mr. Richey has been responsible for initiating many of the "firsts" in the home medical
equipment industry, including development of the world's most advanced power wheelchair electronics. He has been a member
of Unique's board since 1995.
In a news release today, Invacare said, "The Invacare(R) Gearless- Brushless GB(TM) motor is a quantum leap in power
wheelchair motor performance and reliability. Based upon the same high-energy permanent magnet technology that has helped
to revolutionize the computer industry, the GB(TM) motor overcomes many of the significant limitations inherent to conventional
motors. The GB(TM) motor has no touching parts, no gears, no grease and requires no ongoing maintenance, unlike traditional
gear motors." Invacare currently offers the motor as an upgrade option on the Invacare(R) Action Arrow(R), Ranger X(R) and
Torque(TM) Storm Series(R) power wheelchairs. For more information about the Invacare product line, call Invacare Account
Services at (800) 333-6900.
"Production launch of the Gearless-Brushless GB(TM) motor represents a major milestone for Unique Mobility and the electric
motor industry," said William G. Rankin, Unique's President and Chief Operating Officer. "It's the first high volume application
of a brushless permanent magnet motor with no gears in an electric propulsion system. By eliminating both gears and brushes,
we've improved steering response and removed the causes that make traditional motors prone to breakdowns and expensive
repairs."
Invacare Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and distributor of health care products to the non-acute care market
through more than 25,000 providers. The company, which had 1997 revenues of $653 million, goes to market in the following
channels of distribution: home care, mass retail and institutional. The company's headquarters are in Elyria, Ohio, and the firm
has manufacturing plants in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Unique Mobility, Inc. is an innovative developer and manufacturer of power-dense, high-efficiency motors, gear assemblies and
electronic assemblies for stationary and vehicle propulsion applications. Its technology is value-added to a wide range of
industrial, agricultural, healthcare, mining, aerospace, telecommunications and the emerging light electric vehicle and
hybrid-electric car, truck and bus markets. The company's corporate headquarters and product engineering center are located
in Golden, Colorado. Manufacturing facilities are located at Frederick, Colorado (motors and gears) and St. Charles, Missouri
(electronic assemblies).
This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially
from actual future events or results. Readers are referred to the Risk Factors section of the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(File No. 333-67313) filed by Unique with the SEC, which identifies important risk factors that could cause actual results to
differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including Unique's history of operating losses, its ability to obtain
additional financing, competition, the Company's ability to integrate acquired businesses into existing operations, Unique's ability
to protect its proprietary information, Year 2000 issues and Unique's limited experience in manufacturing processes and
procedures and marketing and distribution.
SOURCE Unique Mobility, Inc.
/CONTACT: John Gould, Director of Investor Relations of Unique Mobility,
Inc., 303-278-2002; or Susan A. Elder, Manager of Corporate Communications and
Marketing Services of Invacare Corporation, 440-329-6549/
/Web site: uqm.com
(UQM IVCR) |
