# BraunAbility > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BraunAbility > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/BraunAbility.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BraunAbility > Source revision: 1251580404 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American wheelchair-lift manufacturer}} '''BraunAbility''' is an American manufacturer of [wheelchair accessible van](/source/wheelchair_accessible_van)s and [wheelchair lift](/source/wheelchair_lift)s based in [Winamac, Indiana](/source/Winamac%2C_Indiana).{{cite press release |author=The Indiana Economic Development Corp. |url=http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=60826 |title=Wheelchair Vehicle Manufacturer Growing in Indiana - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick |publisher=Insideindianabusiness.com |date=2013-08-12 |accessdate=2015-04-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141005155936/http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=60826 |archivedate=2014-10-05 }} It is currently owned by [Investor AB](/source/Investor_AB). The company was founded by [Ralph Braun](/source/Ralph_Braun), who had [spinal muscular atrophy](/source/spinal_muscular_atrophy). Braun designed a wheelchair lift and steering controls, which allowed him to drive a 1970 converted full size Dodge van.{{cite web|url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/20091201/how-i-did-it-ralph-braun-of-braunability.html|title=How I Did It: Ralph Braun of BraunAbility|work=Inc.com|accessdate=12 April 2015}} He began converting vans to sell to others. As sales grew, Braun was able to acquire Independent Mobility Systems. {{cite web|url=http://manufacturing-today.com/index.php/sections/profiles1/1027-the-braun-corp|title=Manufacturing Today - The Braun Corp.|author=MT Staff Writer|work=manufacturing-today.com|accessdate=12 April 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150427165542/http://manufacturing-today.com/index.php/sections/profiles1/1027-the-braun-corp|archivedate=27 April 2015}} IMS had previously been the largest manufacturer of wheelchair minivans. {{cite web|url=http://www.imsvans.com/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202210400/http://www.imsvans.com/|title=Independent Mobility Systems - Rampvan - Transfer Seat - Liftvan|archivedate=2 February 2001|work=imsvans.com|accessdate=12 April 2015}} Braun also acquired the Viewpoint Mobility line of wheelchair minivans, Ability Center, United Access, Performance Mobility, Kersey Mobility, ADA and Wheel Chair Vans of Florida. Company sales have grown to $1,090 million a year in 2023. == History == 1963: Braun builds his first three-wheel motorized scooter in his cousin's farm shop. He later named this scooter the "Tri-Wheeler". 1963: Braun begins selling the Tri-Wheeler to others out of his parents' garage under the name Save-A-Step Manufacturing Company. 1966: Ralph's employer relocates further from his home making it impractical to ride his Tri-Wheeler to work. He equips old Post Office Jeep with a hydraulic tailgate lift and homemade hand controls. 1969: Save-A-Step outgrows the Braun's garage and moves to the John Deere/Singer building in downtown Winamac. 1970: Chrysler introduces the full-sze van. Braun builds the precursor to the Lift-A-Way Wheelchair Lift to fit this revolutionary vehicle. 1972: Save-A-Step Manufacturing Company incorporates as The Braun Corporation with five employees. 1974: Braun expands the main production building and additional buildings are constructed to meet the growing demand of lifts and Tri-Wheelers. 1976: A fiberglass operation is purchased to build Tri-Wheeler covers. Portable restrooms and roll-in wheelchair-accessible shower stalls would soon be added to the production line. 1977: The Clearwater, Florida division is established. 1978: The Huntington Beach, CA{{huh|date=October 2023}} division is established. 1979: A devastating fire sweeps through the Braun Corporate Headquarters. The aftermath reveals an office and production facility gutted by the blaze. 1980: The manufacturing facility is rebuilt and new offices are constructed. 1981: Braun introduces the innovative Chair Topper car-top wheelchair carrier. 1982: The L19 External Lift is introduced. Plant 2 is opened in the Fitz Beverage Building. 1986: The Fairfield, New Jersey division is established. 1987: The 6-Way Power Transfer Seat Base is introduced. 1988: The European office is established in Oslo, Norway. 1989: To meet growing demand, Braun invests heavily in new manufacturing technologies and facilities. Plant 3 opens. 1991: The Braun Entervan is introduced. It was equipped with a ramp and kneel system and removable front seats which allowed the chair user to enter the vehicle independently and drive from their wheelchair. 2015: Patricia Industries, a subsidiary of [Investor AB](/source/Investor_AB), acquires BraunAbility.{{Cite web| title = Investor acquires BraunAbility – the U.S. market leader in automobile mobility products| accessdate = 2018-12-09| date = 2015-09-23| url = https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150923006059/en/Investor-acquires-BraunAbility-%E2%80%93-U.S.-market-leader}} ==References== {{reflist}}Braun, Ralph W., 2010, Rise Above: How One Man's Search for Mobility Helped the World Get Moving. Winamac, IN. The Braun Corporation | 57 | 978-0-9843380-0-9. Category:Adapted automobiles --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [BraunAbility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BraunAbility) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BraunAbility?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.