IMEO Ortopedi AB invests in healthcare.
Finally found the best solution after visiting Ortopedteknik 2005 in Göteborg.

First of all, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Lars Fransson, founder of IMEO Ortopedi AB. This Swedish company is located near Göteborg and started in 1991 with manufacturing handmade shoes. IMEO, 15 years later, is now providing orthopedic shoe technology service to its customers. Thousands of these costumers are sent every year by the Swedish healthcare. During the past years foot examinations and production of individually shaped insoles have become one of IMEO's main products. Together with my two co-workers, who are fully professional orthopedic shoe technicians, we deliver a daily job by examining costumers and producing personal solutions in order to improve their mobility and quality of life. The think that growing need of our services is an obvious recognition of efficiency, knowledge and personal service we provide.

New location
Lack of space forced me in spring 2005 to make the decision to move IMEO to a new location. Because I had more space available, I also had more possibilities to show extra shoe collections to my costumers. I also planned a state-of-the-art workshop, where I should be able to deliver best quality work produced under the best working conditions. Although I recently (just a few years ago) invested in new machinery, I was far from satisfied from the quality of these machines, because dust and noice were still all day around, in my ears and in my nose. We all know that today's materials are static, but this should not mean that we have to accept this dusty noisy and unhealthy environment.

The ultimate workshop
My search for the ultimate workshop solution started already back in 2004, when I visited an exhibition in a castle in Mainz, Germany. After I ventilated my complains to my former machine producer over there, I walked around the exhibition and, already on my way home, just by coincidence, I saw a new producer of machinery. First impression was that they came from the United States, but after talking to the owner, Mr. Caspar America, it was clear that this "Jos America " company had nothing to do with the US. This Dutch company was already in business for 52 years and I had never heard of them before ! They showed me around and explained their background. Their machines and installations made a very good impression to me and my partners and after some investigation, I found out that the majority of the German orthopedic companies during the last 10 years invested in these Jos America machinery and installations. I had to find out more. I decided to stay a few days longer in Mainz. ( pictures Mainz Germany 2004 )

First meeting with Jos America in Sweden
Back home in Sweden, I contacted Jos America again and made an appointment with Mr. Caspar America. He offered to visited me in my company personally and so he came in the spring of 2005 to see my ambitious plans as well as the new building. As I was aware of the next Ortopedteknik convention in Göteborg in October 2005, I asked him if he knew about this exhibition. Caspar America told me their history and that they wanted to grow just step-by-step, both feet on the ground, serving their current costumers first, so they had no direct links to the Swedish market yet. After I informed him a bit more about the Swedish organizations and visitors, he concluded that this could be a proper launch of Jos America in the Skandinavian market, so he decided to participate. ( pictures Ortopedteknik 2005 & Imeo 2006). During the exhibition, I talked with many collegues who suffered with the same dust and noice problems as I did. We came all to the same conclusion: Jos America will deliver many machines in the next few years to the leading Swedish companies, who are interested in the health of their own employees.

My visit to the Netherlands
I realised I was a real step closer to a proper solution. This idea did not leave my mind, so I decided to fly to Holland to look at their factory and to visit some of their costumers workshops. I could talk about all details and order the machines and installation, if all looked well. Could Jos America really meet my high ambitions? Because I was disappointed in the past, I decided to carefully investigate the quality of suppliers and compare their technology ! ( pictures Jos America Shoe Tech 2005 ). Jos America stimulated me during my stay to visit costumers in their own workshops, for a real time impression. They explained me every single detail of their solutions. I found out that they delivered in almost every European country and their production was most of the time fully booked for many months. In their factory, I was watching machines to be produced for some leading Danish companies. Quite impressive. The only disadvantage, if so at all, was a longer delivery time up to 14 weeks. But I was happy to wait a little longer.

IMEO is fit for future
As we did not want to exchange machines during the winter period, we decided to plan the installation of FLEXAM machines in May 2006. Two Jos America technicians arrived with their truck and after only 3 days of working, the job was done.

Shared experience
Before you buy new equipment, try them in working condition. And do not judge your offers only on price, because you can be disappointed as I was some years ago.

As I personally found out, I think it is important to see first what you get. If you have a healthy company, it will be easy to invest in proper machinery. So, if you have any plans to solve your dust or noice problems, feel free to call me ( +46 30 324 6252) or even visit me in Kungälv. You can see and try yourself to decide if FLEXAM machines meet with your standards. I am happy to share with you all the ins-and-outs of my personal experiences.

best regards,

Lars Fransson, Sweden

 

Orthopedteknik Göteborg October 2005

 

the FLEXAM factory at Jos America, the Netherlands

 

IMEO's new shoe and work shop

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