About Us – Abiliquip
Ability Equipment for Driving Independence
We make wheelchair loaders and lifters. Like this one? See our direct to the drivers’ side door wheelchair loader AbiLoader
Welcome to Abiliquip – Since 2009, we have been using our vast experience and engineering expertise to improve disabled driver independence worldwide. Our team designs and manufactures our products in New Zealand and sends them worldwide. We have a flagship product called an “Abiloader” that ships worldwide including to USA, Canada, UK, Europe & Australia among other places.
Our Location
Our design, manufacture and sales activities are based in New Zealand’s 2nd largest city, Christchurch. In New Zealand, we also provide local installation at our workshop.
We work with local Mobility Product Vehicle Installers from all around the world to improve disabled driver comfort and produce unique car wheelchair loaders & Lifters such as the AbiLoader and AbiLifter.
Inclusive Thinking
We very strongly identify with the movement to live in an inclusive society, enabling those with challenges to participate fully in all aspects of life.
Further, we know that vehicles and the freedom they bring has particular importance, and this is more than just transportation. They are a significant part of our being, and we fully understand the desire to have vehicles that not only function but are styled and perform to our ideals. Again this is part of the Abiliquip DNA.
Where our skills can deliver enhanced participation in family life, education, employment, relaxation or travel – we not only want to help, we consider it our responsibility to take up the challenge.
Driving Independence
We understand that moving around our environment is essential to our wellbeing, and access into vehicles, driving them, and safety is a fundamental right for everyone.
Our Team
Our team includes technicians, engineers, and sales staff, plus the two owners of the business.
We partner mostly with local contracting companies for the supply of our parts, inventory and materials.
It is important to us to be part of the local technology scene in New Zealand, growing our people’s capabilities supporting our suppliers to grow their services and then taking this global with world-leading products.
Igor
Igor has a background in mobility prior to this company, both in NZ and overseas.
From this wide experience he can call on many solutions he has seen, and craft our own new takes on how to get people their mobility back. He brings top skills in the workshop and machines, and a great eye for detail. Custom jobs are something he enjoys bringing to life.
Personally, he enjoys fishing in some of the great places we have here in the South Island.
Greg
Greg was an electronics designer at major Christchurch company for many years, taking on our CEO role to start up Abiliquip. Marketing, Sales, Engineering, and overall systems and management are his current roles. He still does some of the Abiliquip electronics hardware and software of his original calling.
Outdoors, tramping and climbing, and growing a wide range of NZ native trees is an interest. Greg is also a Mercedes car enthusiast, enjoying a wagon for work and a convertible for holidays. Cars and electronics merge with some micro-based projects for cars.
Sam
Sam welds the incoming raw materials into assemblies that become the products we make and export.
A bit surprisingly perhaps, he also indulges in some demolition-derby activities, taking cars backwards to raw materials for recycling!
Tim
Tim assembles the completed assemblies into the final product, tested and ready to ship. Also he is involved in other workshop installs.
In his personal time, he builds ‘Hot-rod’ style vehicles, and is part of the local car club scene.
Alessandro
Alessandro installs products in vehicles, and other workshop duties. He has recently joined us, and is in training.
Madison
Madison is our main interface with our customers from the pre-sales quoting, to managing the workload and all logistics and invoicing. She has recently joined us and is learning the details of all of our products and services.
Our Vision
Engineering the future of driving mobility
Abiliquip understands everyone’s need to participate in a full and active life, and the part that vehicles play in this.
Injury or health conditions, especially spinal injury, reduce mobility and often require mobility devices. Without easy transport of mobility devices, their participation in society is limited to a very small circle around their home. We want people to travel widely in work, sport, family and entertainment.
Our unique point of difference is that we design and make solutions for wagons, SUVs and smaller vehicles.
We do not push you into a Mobility van. Our Abiloader and Abilifter allow choice of vehicle style, brand, performance, etc.
We care about the vehicles we drive and we expect you to also.
We continue to grow steadily and plan to help many more people. From the shoulders of our global exports, we plan to fund the development of more new products.
Innovative Solutions for Drivers
We know first-hand the challenges for those with physical disabilities, and we want to make driving a safe, enjoyable experience. Abiliquip provides innovative solutions for drivers worldwide through high-quality wheelchair loaders explicitly tailored towards each individual’s vehicle of choice – whether you’re an occupational therapist working at home or just getting started on your driving freedom journey! Our philosophy is about getting people quickly and safely behind the wheel while giving them as much independence when it comes time to drive away from their daily obstacles, so love “driving yourself.”
Our History
Abiliquip was started in 2009 by Igor and Greg and has grown to have a significant profile in the global mobility market. We have continued to grow steadily and plan to help many more people by further spreading our scope and reach. Global exports are essential to our ability to fund the development of new products.
We manufacture and install products that help disabled or others with limited driver mobility improve their independence.
Our driver mobility products are leaders in their field worldwide. They improve disabled driver mobility, driving comfort and personal freedom and independence.
Our Global Wheelchair Lifter & Loader Solutions
- Abiliquip works with local Mobility Product Vehicle Installers worldwide to install our unique driving mobility products.
- We use our vast experience and engineering expertise to improve disabled driver comfort and produce car and van modifications such as the AbiLoader and AbiLifter.
The Abiloader delivers you unparalleled driving freedom and style. Clever and reliable mechanics for both left and right-hand drive vehicles.
Open the hatch and have the wheelchair to you in 30 seconds, from just one switch operation. Then a flick of the release latch, send the arm back, and you are on your way!
The Abilifter complements the Abiloader by offering another best-in-class product where delivery of a wheelchair to the driver’s door is not essential. Our wheelchair lifter is helpful for many different wheelchairs and mobility products. It also can be applied to a vehicle trunk, van side doors, ute trays or trailer applications.