In July 2012 with the London Olympics just around the corner, RMA were invited to attend a Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Team training session.  It was during this visit that we spoke to the athletes about how their chairs were performing.  One question was asked of everyone we spoke to, “If it were possible, would you alter anything about your current chair?”  100% of the athletes said they would make changes.  When you consider that many of these chairs were new and had only been in use for a couple of months it got us thinking.  In this day and age there must be a better, more accurate way to measure someone for such a critical piece of equipment.

We set to work to devise a system that would give unrivaled accuracy and allow the user to experience how the chair would feel before they placed an order.  If we went down the route of body scanning and other already available systems the end cost would have been prohibitive.  As a result, we designed a system that delivered on all we set out to achieve. However, the design did not stop there.  Over time we have been asked if the system could deliver different things for different people.  It has been our customers’ requests that have continually pushed the development.

Today, we have a system that allows the customer a unique experience when ordering a chair, no matter if it is for sport or everyday use. From the start to finish the customer is the driving force behind the process. Customers get to experience exactly how the chair will feel, they get to pick components and accessories and because our system is coupled to computer programmes specifically written for us, they get to see how their chair will look.

RMA manufactures all of its sports and active chairs at its facility in Bridgend, South Wales.  We test frame durability using CAD and manufacture our chairs to be optimal for strength and lightness. Once made, all our chairs undergo a treatment which relieves any stresses that may have been produced during the manufacturing process.  This treatment also hardens the frame to make it more resilient.

To complement the design of our chairs we only use the very best components as standard and we ensure that they have been subjected to extreme destructive testing.  All components are tested by RMA on our own equipment and this gives us the confidence and you the reassurance that the components will perform as they should.

Although a tape measure is a great and simple tool, it has its limitations.

Our chairs are produced by utilising what we believe is the best measuring system available today.  Although a tape measure is a great and simple tool, it has its limitations.  When using a tape measure, the outcome will vary and will be influenced by the experience of the person who is doing the measuring.  Also, the most experienced fitting technician cannot give you an insight into how the chair will feel… Our Contour Body Mapping System does just that.

Most manufacturers take multiple measurements using a tape measure during their assessment programme.  It only takes one inaccurate measurement due to human error for the final product to be built incorrectly.  This is not an experience you would get when being measured in our bespoke Contour Body Mapping System.

RMA provides a unique service that offers our customers the opportunity to try out their wheelchair before it has been completed.

This service is inclusive in the price of a made to measure sports or active wheelchair.  The chair is presented in a “tacked” stage/format which makes it possible for you to try out your chair to gauge how it feels.  It is also possible to make small alterations if you feel the chair is not 100% right,  mirroring the principle of a tailored made suit being made exclusively for an individual.  Once approved the chair is completed.

RMA prides itself on its manufacturing lead-times.  A standard build, from conception to completion including the first and second fitting sessions takes between an impressive 6 to 8 weeks to deliver to the customer.