Invacare Corporation and Alber Introduce Portable Power Assist Solution SMOOV one™ to the US Market

ELYRIA, Ohio & OAKDALE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Invacare Corporation (NYSE: IVC) and Alber®, a global leader in power-assist solutions, announced today the US introduction of SMOOV one™, an innovative and pioneering power-assist solution aiding manual wheelchair users.

The SMOOV one is a portable, rear-mounted power add-on that leverages the insights of wheelchair drivers and over 20 years of power-assist design experience, creating the most user-friendly, modern, and technologically advanced solution on the market. With SMOOV one, users will be able to significantly increase their mobility and range while reducing the stress on the driver’s shoulders.

“We are excited to introduce such an innovative product to the US market. The SMOOV one is extremely beneficial to our customers’ livelihood and we have already seen great success since its launch last year in Europe. This solution has represented yet another technological leap forward for Invacare and is a great addition to our leading portfolio of mobility products,” said Joost Beltman, Invacare’s vice president of sales and marketing for North America.

Sebastian Zitzler, director of sales at Alber, added, “Our team conducted deep analysis into client insights and, with the support of a cross-disciplined team, we were then able to design a superior product that reduces shoulder wear and tear. Early client feedback has been resoundingly positive and we are thrilled to now introduce this novel solution to the US market.”

Wheelchair users will appreciate the breadth of benefits offered by the SMOOV one, including:

User-Friendly Design
SMOOV one provides portable, on-demand power that is easily attached and detached from rigid and folding wheelchairs whenever the driver needs extra power. The quiet, brushless drive is controlled with a front-mounted ergonomic control unit that is easy to operate.

Dynamic Driving Performance
The unique design allows the driver unit’s wheel to maintain contact with the ground, making it reliable on a variety of indoor and outdoor surfaces and inclines. The SMOOV one’s single-drive wheel is coated with a rubber layer and features tire treads making it easy to navigate challenging terrains. Even quick turns are easy with the wheel’s 359-degree swivel fork.

Superior Power & Control
The SMOOV one control unit puts power and control right at the driver’s fingertips, enabling users to adjust speeds with ease. SMOOV one users can also download the app to enrich their experience and extend their control. With the app, wheelchair drivers can control the drive unit, set it to cruise mode, change preset drive settings, records trips, monitor battery life, and view the details for any error codes.

To find out more about the SMOOV one please visit:
https://smoov.com/us-en/

About Invacare

A global leader in manufacturing home medical devices, Invacare is dedicated to putting the patient at the center of everything we do. We are passionate about providing clinical solutions for post-acute care, rehab, homecare, and respiratory markets to promote our Corporate Vision—Making Life’s Experiences Possible®.

About Alber

Alber GmbH is a global leader in power-assist mobility solutions, namely award-winning portable mobility aids for wheelchair users and drive components for electric bicycles. Alber is driven by a passion to achieve optimal mobility for wheelchair drivers and for creating innovative drive concepts, allowing more independence and freedom for users. The company holds over 60 international patents, a reflection of its continual innovation. The company designs, develops, and manufactures its e-motion®, twion®, e-fix®, scalamobil®, SMOOV and further product lines from its headquarters in Albstadt, Germany. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Invacare Inc. and employs over 350 people. Find out more about the company by visiting www.alber.de.