The ROHO Group

The ROHO Group is an American manufacturer of wheelchair seating systems and medical mattresses based in Belleville, Illinois. The company also manufactures consumer products including office seating and AIRHAWK motorcycle, agriculture, truck and aviation comfort seating systems.^[1] The ROHO dry flotation technology that is used in all ROHO products has been proven in several clinical case studies.^[2]

History

The ROHO Group was founded by Robert H. Graebe, an electrical engineer, and was incorporated in 1973.

In 1957 while working on a project to develop a blood flow-monitoring device Graebe noticed issues of ischemic ulcers or pressure ulcers. Graebe began developing the ROHO dry flotation technology of inter-connected air cells to mimic the properties of water.

Products

The ROHO Group brands include ROHO medical products and AIRHAWK consumer products.^[3]

ROHO products include wheelchair cushions, support surfaces, wheelchair backs, lumbar support cushions, a sacral support cushion, a heel pad cushion, a toilet seat cushion, a shower-commode cushion, pillows and custom designed cushions for specific needs.

AIRHAWK cushions include motorcycle cushions, truck cushions, agriculture, construction and aviation seating products.

Product Timeline

• 1971 — The ROHO HIGH PROFILE cushion was introduced.^[4]
• 1975 — The first Dual Compartment DRY FLOATATION cushion was produced.
• 1980 — The first custom-designed ROHO DRY FLOATATION Wedge cushion was developed.
• 1981 — A slightly lower cushion named the ROHO LOW PROFILE cushion was developed.^[5]
• 1985 — Design-A-ROHO Kit was created and made available to physical and occupational therapists to help meet the needs of their patients. The kit allows clinicians to design a custom cushion for each individual client.
• 1985 — The first QUADTRO cushion was also created.
• 1987 — The MINI-MAX cushion was developed for the sports world in need of a lightweight, small-celled cushion.^[6]
• 1988 — The ENHANCER DRY FLOATATION cushion was developed to provide a contoured fit for enhanced stability.^[7]
• 1990 — The ADAPTOR Pad was developed to absorb shock and impact as well as reduce sheer forces.^[8]

ROHO entered the consumer market in 1997 with the AIRHAWK Comfort Seating System, which uses the same ROHO DRY FLOATATION technology first created by Graebe. The following year the company began selling AIRHAWK truck cushions for use in long-haul transportation and heavy equipment.

The ROHO Group was originally three separate companies: ROHO, Inc., ROHO International and CROWN THERAPEUTICS, Inc. and in March 2001 the board of directors announced the merging of the three companies into The ROHO Group.

The ROHO Group sells products in more than 70 countries that are manufactured in Belleville, Illinois.

Users First Alliance

Users First Alliance is a non-profit corporation that seeks to help wheelchair users gain access to the mobility equipment they need. Permobil, the ROHO Group and TiLite organized the Users First Alliance. The organization also provides access to information about insurance coding and the reimbursement proves to help with accessibility to the appropriate equipment.^[9]

Product Placement

The ROHO cushion was used in the television series Viper by the character Julian Wilkes (played by Dorian Harwood).^[10] Lila Quartermaine, played by Anna Lee of Ightham, Kent, England on ABC’s General Hospital used a ROHO QUADTRO HIGH PROFILE.^[11]

The ROHO Institute

In 1989 The ROHO Institute of Continuing Education and Research, previously the Training and Education department of The ROHO Group, began conducting seminars to teach proper use of ROHO cushions to clinicians. The ROHO Institute currently conducts continuing education seminars worldwide on various topics ranging from wheelchair seating and positioning to pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. The ROHO Institute also has an online library of continuing education courses available free of charge.^[12]

Company Culture

More than fifty percent of The ROHO Group employees have worked for the company for 10 or more years. Twenty-five percent of the employees have worked for the company for 15 years or more and fifteen percent have worked for The ROHO Group for 20 or more years.^[13]

Sponsorships

The ROHO Group is involved in a wide variety of corporate sponsorship.^[14] Since 2009 The ROHO Group has been the title sponsor for the US Open USTA Wheelchair Championships in St. Louis, MO at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center.^[15][16] The ROHO Group is also a sponsor for the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.^[17] They also sponsor the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.^[18] In addition to the corporate sponsorships, The ROHO Group also donate to local organizations including the Belleville Junior Service Club,^[19] Belleville Khoury League,^[20] Disabled Athlete Sports Association,^[21] Bethany Place,^[22] YMCA, United Way, Special Olympics, Belleville Public Library,^[23] the Cahokia Mounds Museum Society and several others. The ROHO Group is also a sponsor of the Medigas Celebrity Classic golf tournament^[24] and the Fourth Annual Minds Eye Beepball Tournament.^[25]

References