Investment for Community Daily Living Aids Made in Britain

Formed in 1988, Welland Medical manufactured aids for daily living from their production facility in Leicestershire. In 2011, they joined the Drive group through a strategic acquisition, expanding UK manufacturing capabilities. Today, the business employs over 90 people and delivers more than 350,000 individual products to customers across the UK each year.

The Leicestershire production facility provides true UK manufacturing, taking raw steel tube and other components and converting them into a wide range of finished products designed to support diverse customer care needs.

Improving competitiveness and lead times, particularly in unpredictable markets, is critical to delivering high levels of service. Drive Medical has moved investment to the heart of the business to meet customer expectations and remains fully committed to UK manufacturing and the benefits this brings to the business, its customers and the wider UK economy. This commitment underpins continued improvements in service delivery for the future.

Over the past year, the Leicestershire production facility has benefited from significant investment and improvements, including:

• Recruitment of a highly experienced Manufacturing Director
• Restructuring of production, with the implementation of teams and team leaders
• Introduction of additional production shifts
• Re-layout of the production facility based on lean manufacturing principles
• Installation of a new bending machine in October 2021, with a second machine installed in April 2022
• Investment in extending curing ovens to improve output of our unique paint process
• Improved warehousing and increased on-site component stock for production
• Supplier agreements to hold working stock of steel and components to support faster delivery

Drive Medical places strong emphasis on ensuring products are robust and high quality—key requirements for maintaining products in good condition, enabling recycling and achieving the highest return on investment. While standard powder coating can appear pristine when new, it is prone to chipping, scratching and scuffing, which can lead to unsightly marks and premature rusting.

Duradip™ is a higher-quality, more resilient coating and is standard on frames manufactured at the Drive Medical Leicestershire site.

Duradip delivers:

• Enhanced chip resistance due to plasticised components within the paint, producing a thicker, more resilient coating once baked onto the metal surface
• Peel-resistant coating with improved adhesion, ensuring protection in wet and damp environments
• Improved resistance to scratches and scuffs, helping products look better for longer
• A warmer-to-the-touch finish on painted surfaces
• Increased longevity through a durable, hardwearing frame finish

Grant Abrahams, Commercial Director for Drive Medical, said:

“Our aids for daily living are designed and manufactured by our experts in Leicestershire, and wherever possible we source materials and components from local suppliers. We are proud to manufacture in the UK, supporting the local economy while also being able to provide short lead times from order through to supply. Our supply chain teams focus on sourcing high-quality UK steel, which supports recycling and delivers improved return on investment.

In addition to the product benefits our customers receive, buying British materials feeds directly into the UK economy, supporting funding for areas such as the NHS and social care.”

With a strong focus on sourcing raw materials and components from UK producers, the Drive Medical manufacturing process at the Leicestershire facility significantly reduces transport miles compared to products imported from overseas. Reduced transport miles mean lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, helping to minimise environmental impact.

In May 2022, Drive Medical announced the introduction of a 5-year warranty on the frame of all products manufactured at the Leicester facility.

Grant Abrahams added:

“Buying British-made community daily living aids from Drive ensures customers receive higher-quality products, an extended frame warranty, fast and reliable delivery, and continuity of supply. In addition, purchasing British supports UK employment and government revenue, contributes to funding for the NHS and social care, and provides a more environmentally responsible solution through reduced transport miles.”

For more information on the range of UK manufactured products from Drive Medical, please contact info@drivedevilbiss.co.uk or call 0845 0600333. See our leaflet here for more information on the benefits of British made Daily Living Aids.