# Amigo Mobility > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Amigo_Mobility > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Amigo_Mobility.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amigo_Mobility > Source revision: 1348380479 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Amigo Mobility International, Inc.** is an American manufacturer that produces [electric](/source/Electricity) mobility devices for use in [aviation](/source/Aviation), [healthcare](/source/Healthcare), [logistics](/source/Logistics), and [retail](/source/Retail). ## History Amigo Mobility was founded by Allan "Al" R. Thieme in 1968 to manufacture and sell the electric [mobility scooter](/source/Mobility_scooter) he had developed.[1][2][3] At the time, Thieme was working as a plumbing and heating contractor in [Bridgeport, Michigan](/source/Bridgeport,_Michigan).[4] Thieme developed the company's first mobility scooter in 1968 to assist a family member who had begun losing their mobility due to [multiple sclerosis](/source/Multiple_sclerosis).[2][3] He named the device Amigo in reference to a Portuguese and Spanish word for friend.[4] Originally not considered eligible for healthcare insurance coverage as a personal mobility device usable for healthcare purposes (similar to a wheelchair), the company had to seek an amendment to existing laws by the United States Congress to quality the mobility scooter for federal reimbursement.[1][5] By the mid-1980s, the United States federal government was reimbursing nearly a portion of the cost of nearly half of the mobility scooters sold - primarily through [Medicare](/source/Medicare_(United_States)), [Medicaid](/source/Medicaid), and the [Veterans Health Administration](/source/Veterans_Health_Administration).[1] The passage of the [Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990](/source/Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990) increased the usability and popularity of the devices in the United States.[1] In 1970, the company introduced their first [motorized shopping cart](/source/Motorized_shopping_cart), a variation on their mobility scooter with a built-in basket.[2] The company began selling their mobility scooters in the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom) in 1978 through Raymar, an independent and recently formed company based in the UK.[6][7] Thieme received the National Small Business Person of the Year award in 1981 from the [United States Small Business Administration](/source/Small_Business_Administration).[4] His wife, Beth Thieme, joined him in receiving the Michigan Manufacturer of the Year award from the [Michigan Manufacturer's Association](/source/Michigan_Manufacturer's_Association) in 2012.[2] Amigo Mobility began providing electric mobility devices for logistical support by introducing their first electric material-handling cart in 2015.[4] In 2020, the company began construction on an expansion to their headquarters and manufacturing facility in [Bridgeport Township, Michigan](/source/Bridgeport_Charter_Township,_Michigan).[2][3] The expansion was completed a year later in 2021.[3] Amigo Mobility acquired the company AeroTow in 2021 and expanded into providing electric mobility devices for the aviation industry.[4][8] ## Products ### Aircraft tugs #### AeroTow In 2021, Amigo Mobility acquired AeroTow in 2021 and expanded into manufacturing and selling aircraft tugs - used during an aircraft's [pushback](/source/Pushback_(aviation)) procedure.[3] AeroTow, also known as Aero-Tow, was founded in 1996 by Terry Railing.[3] Railing was an original owner of Chapter 2, a machine shop that produced the Gettelman Lug-Bug.[8] He also owned and operated a True Value Hardware store prior to starting AeroTow.[8] The company's AeroTow produces and sells electrical and manually powered tugs for a variety of small aircraft.[8] ### Material handling equipment Amigo Mobility introduced their first electric material handling cart in 2015.[4] They produce a variety of platform trucks with different tow capacities.[9] ### Personal mobility devices #### Amigo scooters Amigo Mobility's founder, Al Thieme, developed their first personal mobility device - the Amigo scooter - in his garage in 1968 to assist a family member who had begun losing their mobility due to [multiple sclerosis](/source/Multiple_sclerosis).[1][2][3] He named the device Amigo, the friendly wheelchair, in reference to amigo, a Portuguese and Spanish word for friend.[1] The first device operated at up to 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h).[1] In 1970, the company introduced a [motorized shopping cart](/source/Motorized_shopping_cart).[2] The design remained in use until it was modernized in 2002.[4] Amigo introduced a personal mobility device designed for use on more rugged terrain in 1987.[4] #### Amigo TravelMate They introduced the Amigo TravelMate in 1998, marketed as the world's first folding personal mobility device.[4] ## See also - [Mobility scooter](/source/Mobility_scooter) - [Motorized shopping cart](/source/Motorized_shopping_cart) ## References 1. Buck, Stephanie (2016-09-21). ["How mobility scooters went from garage project to multibillion-dollar industry"](https://timeline.com/mobility-scooter-history-41a145f3d891). *Medium*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. Jordan, Heather (2020-11-20). ["Amigo Mobility, Bridgeport Manufacturing investing $3.3 million in Saginaw County"](https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2020/11/amigo-mobility-bridgeport-manufacturing-investing-33-million-in-saginaw-county.html). *mlive*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. Engel, Justin (2021-09-23). ["Bridgeport-based motorized mobility cart company gets into aviation business"](https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-bay-city/2021/09/bridgeport-based-motorized-mobility-cart-company-gets-into-aviation-business.html). *mlive*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. ["About Us"](https://www.myamigo.com/about-us/). *Amigo Mobility*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. Lynch-Morin, Kathryn (2011-08-22). ["Medicare-funded power wheelchairs create headache for Amigo Mobility"](https://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/2011/08/medicare-funded_power_wheelcha.html). *mlive*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. ["History of The Mobility Scooter – Who Invented The First One?"](https://www.ableizeblog.com/history-of-the-mobility-scooter-who-invented-the-first-one/). *ABLEize Blog*. March 8, 2019. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. Sarsby, Sarah (2019-03-01). ["Four decades and counting… The birth of the mobility scooter revolution"](https://thiis.co.uk/four-decades-and-counting-the-birth-of-the-mobility-scooter-revolution/). *THIIS Magazine*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. ["About us"](https://www.amigoaerotow.com/about/). *AeroTow*. Retrieved 2023-07-28. 1. ["Manufacturer Spotlight: Amigo Mobility"](https://www.facsupplies.com/blog/manufacturer-spotlight-amigo-mobility/). *Facility Supplies, LLC*. 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2023-07-28. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Amigo Mobility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amigo_Mobility) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amigo_Mobility?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.