| Company name: | Gordon Ellis & Co | Contact name & Job Title | Daniel Robinson, Financial Controller and Company Secretary |
| Project title: | Customisable assisted living products | Month/year | October 2017 |
| Case study writer: | Merle Harrison | Account Manager | Dr Nathan Walker |
| The background to the case study |
| Gordon Ellis & Co is a quality supplier of a full range of rotational moulded assisted living products that have been developed to help older and disabled people to retain their independence and their dignity.
They are the market leader in raised toilet seats, bath seats, grab bars and other items designed to benefit less able people in the home. Gordon Ellis & Co was established in 1928 and currently has 126 employees. |
| The challenge / trigger event |
| Gordon Ellis offers a range of healthcare solutions, but were aware that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t always work for the customer. They looked to create an online interface that would allow customers to create their own, personalised products by modifying the design of existing products (e.g. dimensions, colours, finishes) to create a solution that suits their specific needs and requirements. |
| The solution |
| Gordon Ellis (GE) created a new online interface where customers could design their own products and get instant quotation along with a pdf design drawing so they can see instantly what their product would look like and cost. The interface would also produce a full bill of materials, which would link to GE’s MRP (materials requirements planning system) to streamline manufacture and a link to payment facilities for customers to pay.
The company needed to purchase suitable software for this product as well as the IT equipment required to develop and test the new service. Medilink East Midlands awarded a SoLSTICE Grant in June 2016 to support these purchases. The grant was to the value of £8,837.70 through the SoLSTICE programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. |
| The results / evaluation |
| This is the first product of its kind in the healthcare industry and will help innovate the way Gordon Ellis products are brought to market. Consumers and therapists will be better educated on what solutions are available.
The project has helped Gordon Ellis to increase sales and profitability which will in turn help to safeguard existing jobs and create new roles. The project is also expected to increase the company’s market share and provide more opportunities for export. A proportion of the expected profits will be used to fund future innovation projects and developments. |
| Medilink East Midlands’s role/Quote from the company |
| Without receiving the grant funding from Medilink East Midlands, this project would not have been able to go ahead, due to lack of capital funds and too great a risk.
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