Central Fab Results

Central Fab Results

Jim Butts

4/12/2000

Here are the result I have recieved so far.

Jim:

FLO-TECH is a small company doing central fab for one other company. As you
may know our primary function is the manufacture and distribution of the
APOPPS for transtibial and transfemoral amputations. I would like to offer
our services to you. I am a certified prosthetist orthotists and have owned
and operated several clinical/fabricating facilities before going into
manufacturing. I entered the manufacturing side of our profession out of
choice because of the success of the APOPPS.

I am adding central fabrication for selected prosthetists. If you believe I
could use my 30+ years of clinical and fabrication skills to help you
implement prosthetics for your company please contact me at 1800-356-8324 or
respond by Email.

Thank you

Bob Brown, Sr., CPO, FAAOP
CEO/Research & Design


+++++++++++++



Jim,

Oregon Orthotic System offers a complete central fab facility for lower
extremity prosthetics, as well as orthotics. Please call me at (800)
866-7522 if you would like me to send you our information pack.

Sincerely,

Brian Johns
Oregon Orthotic System.


++++++++++++

Jim,
    I saw your posting yesterday for info on central fabs. I hesitated on
replying as I don't want to appear to use the service to advertise.
However, I hope you won't mind if I ask you to visit our website and I would
be delighted to send you our information and references as well.

I am sure you already have your factors to consider when looking for a
central fab, but here are a few suggestions:

Customer Service- Will the fab always keep me informed on the status of jobs
I send? Do I have direct communication with the technician fabricating my
job so that I can communicate any special instructions or will I have to
leave that info for someone to relay the information (we've all played the
pass it on game and know how things change person to person!)?

Turn-around Time- Will your job be assigned a number and sit in a pile
until they can get to it (happens every day with some fabs)while your
patient or the doctor is calling you wanting to know what is going on-not
fun. Or, will the fab send you a confirmation fax letting you know when
they received your order, confirming your requested by date, how they will
ship it and when it will arrive. Is there turn-around time more than three
days in-house?

Experience- Who will be fabricating my job-someone off the street taught to
do one task on an assembly line (yes, big companies even do this with custom
devices), and knowing these people have no understanding of what your
requests mean or reasons for the request, they don't even understand what
the device they are fabricating is designed to do? Or does the fab have
only experienced technicians, most with patient care backgrounds, allowing
them to understand simple things like comfort for the patient?


Price- Am I paying for the fabs' high overhead, advertisements, etc. or am
paying the lowest prices in the industry? Am I paying for a high mark-up or
paying for true quality work.

Quality- Am I constantly sending back re-dos? Is the work going to make my
patient happy he came to my practice? When I send a job and it comes back
not what I asked for will the fab take responsibility and immediately fix
the problem at their expense or will I have to bite the bullet?

Anyway I wish you luck in finding a central fab. I know you are looking for
practitioners' experiences so I will be happy to provide references if you
are interested in receiving information on our company. Our web address is
www.specialtyoandp.com

Take care.




--
Chris Finch
Vice President of Marketing
Specialty Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc.
419 W. Columbia Street
Orlando, FL 32806
www.specialtyoandp.com
<Email Address Redacted>
1-877-476-7462


++++++++++


Mr Butts;
This message in response to your inquiory about central
fabrication. PEL Central Fabbrication has been in business for
twenty-five years. Our technicians have worked for us from five to
Twenty years. PEL Central Fab Has received many compliments
on the quality of its work. We keep in close contact with our
ccustomers to make sure that the work is done the way the
customer desires.Since PEL Central Fab is part of PEL Supply
they are brought up to date on the newest developments in the
Prosthetic Industry. This also means that PEL Supply's discount
on any invoice of $500.00 or more applies, and 2% if pais within 15
days.If there is any other question you may have in PEL Central
Fab or PEL Supply Company,please call me at 800-221-1264

Sincerely.
Alan Gullifer
Don Suhadolnik -- PEL Supply Company
4666 Manufacturing Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44135-2672 USA
Phone: (216) 267-5775 - Fax: (216) 267-6176
Toll Free USA & Canada: 800-321-1264
Toll Free Fax USA & Canada: 800-222-6176
<Email Address Redacted>


+++++++++


Mr. Jim Butts,
This is in response to your request for information about central
fabrication facilities. My name is Harry Huebner and I manage the Otto Bock
Technical Center (central fab.). We offer a complete prosthetic fabrication
lab with the experience and technology to supply you with everything from a
check socket made from measurements to the most complex lower or upper limb
device. We will build to your specifications using the parts you request or
offer ideas for fabrication and component selection. If you are interested
in more information, I can mail an information packet to you or have a
company representative call on you.
Also, if you receive comments on Otto Bock fabrication, would you please
forward them to me? It's always good to have feedback, positive or
negative.

I wish you well in your new endeavor, and will help you in any way you need;
just call at 800-795-8846 or e-mail <Email Address Redacted> You can also visit
our web site at www.ottobockus.com/services

Harry T. Huebner
Technical Center Manager
Otto Bock Orthopedic Industry

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We use central fab only for orthotics (won't help you, but I LOVE Becker for
all metal stuff and OTS for plastics) and the occasional hip disartic (who
doesn't?). Prefer not to comment as I have little experience there, but
request that you post responses. Just did a symes and was debating where to
send it- we cannot laminate. Look forward to your responses.

 ++++++++

Jim:

I use both Grace Prosthetic Fabrication (Ed Grace) in New Port Richey, FL
and
Specialty O&P Labs (Ray ?) in Orlando, FL. You probably can find someone
closer to home, but if not, I recommend both of these labs, price and
quality
wise.

Good luck!

David

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