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COMPANY HISTORY

From Garage to Glide – 50 Years of Australian Innovation

Our story at Glide began way back in the early seventies, with two brothers who had a shared passion for engineering and a good head for business.

Back then, hospitals were forced to rely on wheelchairs that were manufactured overseas, meaning it often took months for orders to arrive. With a growing demand for quality, Australian-manufactured products, the two brothers got to work inventing a prototype of a made-to-order wheelchair that could be ready in a matter of weeks, not months – and the rest, as they say, is history.  

 

We’re incredibly proud of our story at Glide, with more than 40 years of dedicated service and support under our belt. Though our technology and innovation has continued to evolve during this time, our commitment to providing the highest quality standards of service and support has remained ever constant. We have a loyal team, many who have worked between 10 to 30 years at Glide, totalling 235 years of manufacturing experience between them.

 

In saying this, there is something about Glide that we’re very excited to change up, and that’s our brand itself. Recently, we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes giving our logo and identity a refresh, helping to create a stronger reflection of where we are today, while still staying strong to our roots.   
 

Building a new brand worth talking about. 

The rebrand work started with the Glide logo, which helped us to set the right tone to where we wanted to be. We worked with the team at Likeable Creative to bring the new Glide look and feel to life, and they had this to say: 

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“Our goal wasn’t to reinvent the wheel with the logo, but to build on the foundation to create a friendlier, more approachable logo that emphasised Glide’s values and dedication to going that extra mile. Simple things like brightening the colours and using a softer font made a huge difference.”

Ross Dungey / Creative Director, Likeable Creative.  

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Your chair. Your way.

Strong Positioning Statement

This statement speaks to our experience and expertise in creating almost limitless customisation options for our clients.  

And, of course, our pride in being an Australian owned and operated company is always front and centre across everything we do. As Australia’s leading manufacturer of powered and manual wheelchairs, we will continue working hard to maintain this quality benchmark. It’s what we’re renowned for, and something that has played a huge part of who we are at Glide from day one.  

A continued dedication to making things easier. 

Browse our new website, and you’ll see both the new logo and positioning line in action. We’ve also worked to simplify the content on the website, making it easier for our clients to find the information they need, or to get in touch with us for added support.  

You’ll find our products front and centre, with specifications, descriptions and other essential information laid out in a clear and understandable way. Our new Resources section also keeps all the important warranty forms, brochures, maintenance information and order forms all in one convenient location.

A new presence on social media. 

The Glide brand will also feature on social media, across our new LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Make sure to follow us on social media for all the latest news and information about our products. We’ll also be writing regular blog posts and news articles, so check back here regularly for insights into the latest technology, as well as helpful everyday tips.   

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

With over 50 years’ experience behind us at Glide, making the decision to refresh our brand identity wasn’t one that happened overnight. 

Our identity plays a huge part in who we are and what we stand for, so getting it right was essential.  

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“We’ve really enjoyed the journey so far in rejuvenating the Glide brand. After so many years, our logo had started to look a bit tired and wasn’t keeping up with our reputation for innovation. We’re pleased that we’ve been able to combine the history of our brand with a more modern approach, and we’re happy to be able to unveil our new look to the world.” 

– Steven Walsh, Glide Director.  

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We hope you like our new brand and website as much as we do, and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support along the way. We’re excited to continue building on our brand into the future, while continuing to offer the customised products and quality service you know and trust.