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Surgical Appliance Industries
(SAI) got its start in 1893, founded as the Ohio Truss Company (“OTC”),
by Joel Adams and his son-in-law Isaac Pease. The two had become
partners some years earlier by manufacturing livery items like leather
saddles and bridles and selling them in the bustling Port of Cincinnati
to settlers on their way west. However, the advent of the automobile
meant the end of the line for many businesses like this. |
Memorial plaque for
J.U. Adams and I.M. Pease |
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Looking around for another
opportunity suited to their particular talents and expertise, Joel and
Isaac came upon the idea of manufacturing hernia trusses and abdominal
supports. The pair would pack their wares into trunks and travel by
train throughout Ohio, selling off their goods along the way. Real
growth for their company was jump-started, however, when they engaged
the services of a sales group from a defunct candy company who had
excellent contacts among pharmacists. |
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Cut-and-sew operations |
Over the years the company’s product
line has evolved with the times, with emphasis shifting from trusses to
orthopedic garments since the 1940s, along with mobility and
convalescent aids since the ‘50s, mastectomy products since the ‘60s,
and compression therapy products since the mid-‘90s. |
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Today SAI’s
products are divided into four major brand categories:
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Truform
Therapeutic Compression Hosiery: A sensible mix of the most commonly
prescribed styles at a price point significantly lower than leading
brands.
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Truform•OTC
Orthotics and Prosthetics: A complete line of prescription off-the-shelf
products for the spine and extremities, including the
OTC Professional
Orthopaedic
brand of retail packaged supports. |
Compression products
manufacturing |
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Airway:
Products for women who have had surgery for breast cancer, including
breast forms, bras and accessory items.
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PCP-Champion:
Manufacturer and distributor of mobility and home convalescent aids, and
including the
Champion Professional Neoprene
brand of retail packaged sports and orthotic supports.
Since the late nineteenth century SAI has prospered through five
generations of family ownership. The company's mission has never has
been to simply "stay the course", rather it has been to
expect and
respect change in the industry and be prepared to act quickly on what
you hear, see, and most importantly, feel. |
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Company headquarters and
manufacturing, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Not only is this what SAI has done
consistently in the past, it is what continues to guide it toward the
future. |
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