How has Inclinator’s history in the business influenced its present position in the market?
Inclinator has been in business since 1923 and was the original manufacturer of stairlift equipment. As the need for additional affordable conveniences to accommodate wheelchairs evolved in the 1930s, Inclinator introduced its residential elevator line. Today, in this market, we are considered the leading supplier of these products.

What sets Inclinator apart from other manufacturers?
We listen. In a crowded marketplace, we continue to supply custom, high-quality accessibility equipment with excellent lead times. Most manufacturers today supply only standard sizes. However, we understand that many people want to retrofit an existing home, and we can meet their needs, particularly in very tight spaces, at no additional charge. Also, we recognize the fact that our products are sometimes needed in an emergency so we maintain lead times to accommodate them. For example, we built, shipped, and our dealer in New Orleans installed an elevator in 1 week because the owner was coming home from the hospital and needed to reach his upstairs bedroom.

Also, in support of our goal to make it easy to do business with us, all products, specifications, and drawings are available on our Web site, www.inclinator.com.

What new developments can our readers expect from the Inclinator product line?
Our most recent development is the SpectraLift, the only fiberglass wheelchair lift in the marketplace. The design focused on responding to the needs of end users who asked for reliability as well as cosmetic improvements. Existing metal units rust and corrode very quickly, while the fiberglass will withstand harsh environmental conditions for extended periods of time. Couple this ingredient with availability in more than 20 colors and a battery system that allows the unit to function in a power outage, and we believe we have introduced the new industry standard. Also, the standard color is currently in stock, which allows us to ship the product in 1 day. Finally, we will provide a technician to support the first installation. Customer support, short lead time, and a 5-year warranty make the SpectraLift a unique product.

How do you see the future of the HME industry?
As the population continues to age, more people are choosing to stay in their homes. HME providers support this phenomenon by supplying the equipment that forestalls the need for people to move to assisted living facilities. The future for both HME providers and Inclinator can only grow stronger as an educated population seeks to control and maintain its own lifestyle.