Published 24 August 2026
Ottobock, the German group best known in the UK for prosthetics, orthotics and exoskeletons, has reported core revenue of €818.5 million for the first half of 2026, up 7.7 per cent on the same period last year. Buried in the same announcement is a line with more direct relevance to British wheelchair users: the company has agreed to sell its “human mobility” wheelchair business.
The disposal is described as a continuation of portfolio streamlining, and it sits alongside a series of acquisitions pointing the other way, into human machine interface technology and functional electrical stimulation. In plain terms, one of the largest manufacturers in the assistive technology sector is deliberately narrowing its focus, moving further into bionics and away from wheelchairs.
The numbers behind the announcement
Organic core revenue growth was 6.7 per cent over the six months. Underlying core EBITDA rose 18.1 per cent to €207 million, lifting the margin by 2.2 percentage points to 25.3 per cent, which the company attributed to organic growth, a favourable product mix, scaling effects and cost control. Underlying net income increased 23.9 per cent to €85.1 million, and earnings per share reached €1.06 against €0.47 a year earlier.
By region, EMEA revenue grew 12.2 per cent to €610.2 million, helped by double digit organic growth in the business to business arm and the acquisitions of Matton and Blatchford Norway. The Americas fell 5.1 per cent to €155.8 million on a weaker US dollar, though the underlying US business grew 4 per cent organically. Ottobock has narrowed its full year guidance to organic core revenue growth of 6 to 8 per cent and a margin above 27 per cent.
Why the wheelchair sale matters here
Ottobock has been a visible name in UK wheelchair provision, and any change of ownership raises the questions that always follow a divestment: who takes on the warranty, whether spare parts stay available, and whether the servicing network stays intact. Buyers who have equipment from a brand changing hands should keep proof of purchase and warranty documents to hand, and check with their supplier which entity will honour cover going forward. None of this is unusual in a consolidating market, but it is worth confirming rather than assuming.
The wider pattern is worth noting too. Manufacturer consolidation has been steady across the UK sector this year, and it tends to reach buyers indirectly through model ranges being rationalised and dealer networks being reshuffled. If you are choosing equipment now, our guide to wheelchairs explains the manual and powered options, and wheelchair costs sets out realistic UK price ranges before VAT relief.
What it says about the market
Ottobock’s growth came mainly from prosthetics and neuro-orthotics rather than mobility products, and its investment decisions follow that revenue. That is a reasonable read on where the money is going across the sector: high value, highly engineered devices for smaller user groups, rather than volume mobility equipment. For most UK households, though, the everyday reality remains scooters, wheelchairs, walking aids and home adaptations, where the practical questions are cost, servicing and who installs the equipment.
If you are planning a purchase, it is worth comparing suppliers rather than brands alone. Our directory of UK mobility companies carries reviews of hundreds of retailers and installers, and our mobility aids section covers the smaller equipment that often makes the biggest daily difference.
Sources: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA press release, Ottobock results and reports and THIIS Magazine.
Related guides on Review Mobility
- Wheelchairs explained
- How much does a wheelchair cost in the UK?
- Mobility aids and equipment
- Find a mobility company near you
Published 24 August 2026