BLUE BANANA AWARD FOR TRIPOD!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Department of Admission & Inspection of the RDW (Dutch Department of Transportation) has awarded Tripod Mobility with the “Blue Banana”. It’s the award for a company that distinguishes itself, a company that’s the blue banana in the yellow bunch. It’s a prestigious award in the automobile industry, and Tripod succeeds Mercedes Benz as the Client of the Year.

 

The award has existed for a little over a year now, and the RDW sets the bar pretty high. So we’re honored that we were chosen as the best company of 2014. 

 

The reasoning as worded by Mr. Boersma (RDW’s Manager Product Evaluation, Admission & Supervision) is summarized below:

 

“Since its foundation in 1980, Tripod is an international innovator for car conversions for wheelchair users. Tripod’s pioneering with lowered floors has enlarged interior dimensions to an extent that roof extensions are often no longer needed. Thus Tripod has played an important role in helping handicapped passengers and drivers out of the “pope mobiles”. Modern modified vehicle have become luxurious passenger cars. Even Tripod’s UpFront, in which the wheelchair user can drive from the rear entry up to the dashboard, has a barely modified exterior.”

 

“In search of the optimal user-experience, Tripod will buy certain products, like the foldable seat and wheelchair fastening system, from colleagues. But equally they supply their products to car conversion companies worldwide. A good example being the tensile testing machine, which was developed with the University of Eindhoven. This test bench meets all industry standards, and is frequently used by Tripod’s colleagues. Furthermore AMF/Smartfloor and AutoAdapt ordered an identical test bench form Tripod. Thus Tripod helps lift the entire market to a higher level. They don’t fight for a bigger piece of the pie, they make the pie bigger.”

 

Mr. Boersma states: “Tripod is a so-called Second Stage manufacturer, they modify existing passenger vehicles. These modifications are often substantial, like when they cut through the chassis. Such a modification influences torsion strength, seat belt positions, fuel tank, exhaust, etc. To responsibly perform these modifications, extensive communication and alignment with the First Stage manufacturer is required. This is one of Tripod’s strengths, and they work closely with the design departments of the major manufacturers.” 

 

“Globally Tripod is one of the very few companies that are allowed to perform a number of their standardized conversions without voidance of the factory warranty. Big manufacturers like Ford, Peugeot, Opel, Citroën, VW and Renault have such confidence in Tripod that a number of their big modifications are performed with preservation of factory warranty.”

 

The RDW has long relationship with Tripod. RDW’s Department of Admission & Inspection provides Tripod’s individual admissions and national type approvals. Recently the RDW also started providing European type approvals, with which modified vehicles are accepted directly into the European Union. Tripod has earned a so-called Conformity of Production. This means that Tripod’s European dealers are also permitted to install Tripod modifications with European type approval. Mr. Boersma  opinion on this is: “Production, training and qualifications of personnel plus partner companies successfully fall under Tripod’s responsibility. Thus Tripod has built a wide and flexible European network.” 

 

Tripod has always enjoyed its relationship with the RDW, and we hope for a long-lasting collaboration. We wish to thank the RDW for this award and shall find a nice place to display it.