The medical technology company Otto Bock HealthCare, flagship of the Otto Bock Group, has been growing steadily for years. Sales increased to € 500 million in 2009. By the end of 2009, the number of employees rose to 4.218 around the world. The global activities of the group are coordinated from the head office in Duderstadt.
| Download | Year of publication 2009 | Datei |
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Download the current information about Key figures for the Otto Bock HealthCare Group. |
2009 |
Key success factors for Otto Bock HealthCare include:
Outstanding products from Otto Bock have set the bar as solutions for people with limited mobility time and time again, improving their quality of life. As the first fully microprocessor-controlled leg prosthesis system in the world, the C-Leg® helps transfemoral amputees achieve maximum safety and mobility. The DynamicArm® is the leading product in the field of myoelectric arm prosthetics controlled by electric muscle signals. One of the most fascinating current research and development projects involves the first mind-controlled arm prosthesis. Otto Bock introduced the prototype in Vienna in 2007. Nerve tracts that controlled the natural arm prior to amputation are used to transmit signals from the brain to the prosthesis, allowing it to be controlled directly and intuitively. No prosthesis has ever come so close to duplicating natural functions. In November 2009, Otto Bock presented a further development of the mind-controlled arm prosthesis enabling its user to feel with the artificial hand.
The Otto Bock HealthCare product range is based on the goal of restoring patient mobility and protecting the functions they have retained. It is divided into the Orthobionic® line, which includes prosthetic and orthotic solutions, and the Bionicmobility® line. This includes Mobility Solutions with a broad range of manual and power wheelchairs on the one hand, and the field of neurostimulation on the other hand.
2007 marked the introduction of the ActiGait® neuroimplant, offering a novel therapy alternative for stroke patients suffering from weak foot dorsiflexion. The implantation procedure is being completed by select specialized clinics. To date, all cases have led to a significant improvement in the ability to walk. With the development of neuroimplants and products for functional electrostimulation, Otto Bock is creating a new market segment offering particularly high growth potential worldwide.
Modern medical aids allow handicapped people to lead much more active lives than just ten or 20 years ago. Strict quality control standards are essential due to reliability and safety requirements combined with the amount of strain placed on the products. Before a new Otto Bock prosthetic foot is brought to market, it is tested in special gait simulators where it has to take around three million steps. This is the equivalent of walking from Lisbon to Warsaw.
In terms of quality, user safety is the key. Mechatronic leg prosthesis systems such as the C-Leg® and C-Leg®compact minimise the risk of falling. Modern orthoses improve the success rate of treatments such as surgery by providing protection against excessive strain without unduly inhibiting mobility. With suggestions based on everyday life and a wealth of practical experience, users make a significant contribution to the product development process. Beyond a subjective perception, complex gait laboratory tests are used to provide scientific proof regarding the quality of new medical aids. Floor-mounted plates provide information on reactive forces during rollover of the natural foot and the prosthesis. Cameras positioned at various angles supply data to a computer, which calculates a precise digital representation of the gait cycle. In order to develop efficient solutions, the effect of the prosthesis on the test subject’s metabolism is also examined.
Other quality characteristics include the use of premium materials – such as titanium and carbon, commonly used in the aviation industry – and an appealing design. While functional benefits are essential, an attractive appearance is also crucial for product acceptance by the user and his or her social environment. Otto Bock regularly enters popular cross-sector design competitions; numerous awards speak in favour of its product designs.
Otto Bock uses a network of 40 sales and service companies around the world to take advantage of its strong global brand image while staying close to its customers. They have access to a large selection of services ranging from Service Fabrication, which supplies specialist dealers with custom-made prefabricated products, to the planning and equipping of orthopaedic workshops. Otto Bock also offers support with regard to financing.
Investments in state-of-the-art logistics centres in Duderstadt and Königsee, which commenced operation in 2004 and 2006 respectively, ensure short delivery times and immediate availability of all components required for assembly. The main production sites are Duderstadt, Königsee, Vienna, Beijing, and Salt Lake City. As a global brand, Otto Bock exports to all the countries in the world.
Close cooperation with universities, colleges, and other educational institutions effectively communicates the features that make Otto Bock attractive for qualified new employees. Diploma theses and internships provide practical experience and insights for students while they obtain their academic qualifications. Young employees also have the opportunity to study business administration in conjunction with their employment. Professor Hans Georg Näder, President and CEO, also passes on his knowledge to students at the private Göttingen University of Applied Sciences which appointed him as honorary professor in 2005. In October 2009, he was appointed honorary professor by the Capital University in Beijing.
The Otto Bock Academy is responsible for continuing education provided to employees. Seminars focus on technical aspects and foreign languages in order to prepare employees for international assignments in the world of Otto Bock. The company actively supports employees in their efforts to gain experience abroad. Fitness and healthy nutrition seminars complete the internal human resource program.
The Otto Bock Academy also offers a comprehensive selection of training and continuing education courses for external customers who want to enhance the qualifications of their personnel. These programs include product-specific certification seminars that are mandatory in order to complete high-tech patient fittings. Cooperation with master schools is a long-standing company tradition. Visits to Otto Bock in Duderstadt have been an established part of the program at the Federal Academy for Orthopaedic Technology for more than 50 years. Superb internal technical training is provided in workshops with the latest equipment, so that nearly all apprentices were subsequently offered a job at Otto Bock over the last few years.
The skill and experience of Otto Bock prosthetists is highlighted by the Paralympics, a key part of the company’s international sponsoring concept. Otto Bock started supporting the Paralympics at the 1988 summer games in Seoul, and has continuously developed the concept ever since. Established as the exclusive service provider who supports athletes from around the world at all summer and winter games, Otto Bock HealthCare has been an official member of the Paralympics family since 2005 when a cooperation agreement was signed with the International Paralympics Committee. In 2008, 136 Otto Bock employees provided technical service for the athletes at the Paralympics in Beijing.
