Our latest contributors to our ‘Getting to Know Our Suppliers’ series have been a great new partnership with Manage At Home, quickly becoming one of our most popular brands, PETA Easi-Grip are specialists in creating ergonomic tools, aids and assistive devices for people living with arthritis or reduced grip strength.
1. Who Are Peta Easi-Grip?
PETA (Practical, Educational & Therapeutic Aids) is a second-generation family business designing products to assist those with grip difficulties under the registered trade name Easi-Grip®. These are sold via our appointed distributor network spanning some 40 countries covering two market sectors – Assisted Daily Living and Special Educational Needs. Today the company has a dedicated team of seven but also works with Essex Supported Employment Service to give work to a disadvantaged local individual.
2. Where are Peta Easi-Grip from? Where was the company born?
The company was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex in the mid-1970s but has been in mid/north Essex since the 1990s. We relocated to our current premises (which is just a short drive from the Tiptree Jam factory) in 2011.
3. What got you into the Daily Living Aid business?
Our founder, Lionel Crockett, was selling a range of cutters and pliers designed to reduce fatigue in assembly-line workers when he heard a Radio 4 appeal for manufacturers to design everyday aids for people with disabilities; one example was how impossible it was for people with arthritis to use scissors. He used his expertise to put a loop handle needing no finger holes onto a pair of scissor blades which quickly became sought after. By working with Occupational Therapists, to understand different physical challenges, he developed a range of scissors to help children and adults with special needs and then turned his inclusive design principles to develop solutions for nailcare, gardening and food preparation.
4. What is your most popular product and why do you think it’s popular?
Our Easi-Grip® Long Reach Toe Nail Cutter has been a runaway success since it was first launched in the early 1990s. Cutting toenails can be incredibly difficult if you have a problem reaching down or holding conventional nail scissors, yet is a critical area of personal care. The original version was updated in recent years to give a more ergonomically shaped handle and more “bathroom friendly” colouring to make it look less of a medical product.
5. If you were to buy one of your products – which would you choose and why?
I would choose an Easi-Grip Trowel. It is surprisingly lightweight and the ergonomically angled handle allows me to be out in the garden for hours without any aches and pains, making gardening a complete pleasure. I also love the vibrant colour of the handle!
6. How are you enjoying your partnership with Manage At Home as a supplier so far?
We have been working with MAH for two years now and it’s great to see how the sales are seeing strong growth. We also like how customer-focussed MAH are, as demonstrated by teaming up with “Ask SARA” to help customers find the best solution for the difficulty they face.
If you want to know more about Peta Easi-Grip and its range of tools and living aids, visit the PETA website at http://www.peta-easi-grip.co.uk/. Alternatively, speak to a member of our customer support team through our handy website chat function or by phone on 0800 910 1864.