Wolturnus wheelchairs: custom and sporty with an award-winning design

Built for freedom is the brand tagline of Wolturnus. The Danish wheelchair and handbike specialist emphasizes ergonomics and stability. After all, for users, the assistive device is an extension of their body and symbolizes full participation in public and social life. REHACARE visitors were able to experience the exhibitor’s products first-hand. During the trade fair, Managing Director Helge Maday sat down for an interview and told us what motivates and inspires the Wolturnus team to achieve better results and revealed the new product that won an award.

Mr. Maday, the Wolturnus design and development team is comprised of sports enthusiasts. How is this reflected in your products?

Helge Maday: It certainly shows in our great attention to detail. It is also mirrored in the fact that every season we launch wheelchairs or handbikes that are continuously more lightweight, offer more streamlined designs and increased precision. Our team keeps challenging itself to find the best solution for every athlete and meet even the most demanding requirements.

REHACARE: What role can sports play in the lives of wheelchair users and how does Wolturnus support them?

Maday: Sports are important for all of us, including wheelchair users. Sports positively impact fitness and health and many wheelchair users want to take advantage of all available options to embark on physical activity – in a team or indoor setting, or outdoors on their own. To do this, they need sports equipment. They actually need customized, perfect assistive technology made for their needs, whether it is for recreational, competitive or high-performance sports. We cater to many users who successfully compete in medal events in different sports disciplines. This is what motivates us and what keeps us going.

REHACARE: At the REHACARE 2019 trade fair, you introduced the foldable wheelchair "Merlin", which won in the "Special Mention" category at the German Design Award 2019. What makes this wheelchair so unique compared to other wheelchairs in your product portfolio?

Maday: The Merlin is our second foldable wheelchair. It is fully custom-made – like all of our products. Our goal was to build a folding wheelchair that is especially supportive for users who have a vehicle loading system and must carefully consider very compact vehicle dimensions when stowing their device. That’s why the Merlin is equipped with removable swivel footrests, allowing users to further reduce the footprint of their wheelchair. This also makes it well suited for people who require stand assist transport or those who propel their wheelchair by leg power.

REHACARE: In addition to your own products, you also showcased products from your partners VICAIR and Motion Composites. What prompted your joint trade fair presentation?

Maday: We wanted to show our customers our entire portfolio mix. Apart from our custom-made wheelchairs, this also includes devices made by our aforementioned partners, which – in my opinion – perfectly complement our product portfolio. The VICAIR wheelchair cushions are designed to relieve pressure and can also be the right, extremely lightweight cushion for an ultra-lightweight wheelchair. Products made by Motion Composites are appealing to users who are interested in carbon fiber technology and those who prefer adjustable wheelchairs versus our rigid frame wheelchairs.

REHACARE: What makes the REHACARE so attractive for Wolturnus?

Maday: It's all in the mix. Business partners, colleagues, users, therapists, specialty retailers – they all come to Düsseldorf. This is a well-established, successful trade fair that brings the industry together and allows us to perfectly highlight our skills, make strong connections and foster relationships. That's why REHACARE is a benchmark date on our calendar.