OBE FOR AUTOCHAIR FOUNDER

David Walker, founder of Autochair, one of the UK’s leading vehicle adaptation companies, was recently awarded an OBE for ‘Service to people with disabilities’.

David was presented with the award at Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty the Queen. He was accompanied by wife Carol and his sons, Matthew, Nicholas and Jonathan. For over 30 years David has worked tirelessly on behalf of the disabled. Following a car accident in 1975, David was paralysed from the waist down.

In the years that followed David was reliant upon family and friends to help him load and unload his wheelchair from his vehicle. However, wanting to remain independent, David set about finding a way in which he could load and unload his own wheelchair into his vehicle and went on to develop the Autochair. Once David realised he had a product that would benefit all Wheelchair users he established his company, Autochair.

Commenting upon his OBE from Her Majesty the Queen, David said, "Since starting Autochair I realised there were a range of problems for disabled and less mobile people to maintain their mobility. My vehicle is my life line and so it was for many of the people I met. This resulted in designing other products to help achieve both independent and general mobility. It is wonderful after all these years to be recognised in this way and it is testimony to all the hard work of all the staff at Autochair to have received this.”

Over 30 years later and with over 40,000 satisfied customers, the company continues to go from strength to strength. David’s oldest son, Matthew Walker is now Managing Director, striving to take the business forward with the opening of a brand new manufacturing and warehouse facility in 2013 and the announcement of a new distribution contract with Pride Mobility Inc. of Pennsylvania USA. The contract is to export British designed and engineered vehicle adaptations and distribute them throughout the USA and Canada through Pride's regional distribution network of mobility dealers.

David’s other two son’s have also been pivotal in creating an exemplary customer journey from initial sale through to fitment of all the adaptations Autochair now manufacture. Jonathan Walker is Key Accounts Manager and Nick Walker is the Service Delivery and Customer Services Manager.

Autochair has been supporting the motor trade and dealerships successfully for many years and working with a network of specialist installers by imparting their knowledge and expertise to raise standards across the whole industry. This approach to product development and innovation, combined with excellent customer service, resulted in the company receiving the 2012’s Motability’s Adaptation Supplier of the Year Award.

The Alfreton based family business has grown internationally in recent years, expanding into European, Australian, The Middle East, Canadian and US markets.