Liftn Buddy Success Highlighted by North Dakota Department of Commerce

Liftn Buddy Success Highlighted by North Dakota Department of Commerce

North Fargo, ND -- (SBWire) -- 04/02/2013 --"Lift'n Buddy enables a worker to function with materials they handle - awkward bulky materials - with proper ergonomic conditions, proper ergonomic counter height," explained Lamb, inventor and general manager of Lift'n Buddy in Fargo. The product has quickly gained recognition, earning industry awards for innovation and design, along with product sales to companies and organizations around the world.

The North Dakota Department of Commerce highlighted a success story in business development. Lift'n Buddy got a jumpstart in business development, thanks to North Dakota's entrepreneurial programs like Innovate ND and facilities like the Business Incubator at NDSU Research & Technology Park.

According to the release, there are countless jobs in America that require heavy lifting including warehousing, manufacturing, stocking retail shelves. After seeing co-workers do continuous heavy lifting with poor ergonomics, along with the increased risk of injury, Aaron Lamb set out to improve worker safety with the Lift'n Buddy, a hand truck with vertical lift assistance.

"The beauty of North Dakota is that they made resources available to us, so from the onset, North Dakota was our angel fund," explained Lamb, who noted funding from the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission and Innovate ND as helping launch the business. "At the time, those were the most important resources we had, creating a safety net so we could focus on developing the venture instead of procuring the funds to develop the venture."

Lift'n Buddy is a mobile lifting device that combines the best of a standard two-wheeler's durability and functionality with automatic lifting and lowering capabilities.

In early 2013, the company was acquired by Southworth International Group, a global leader in ergonomic lifting equipment headquartered in Portland, ME. Southworth President and CEO Brian McNamara, was impressed not only by the Lift'n Buddy product, but the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship fostered in North Dakota that helped launch the business.

"I was very favorably impressed with this program," said McNamara, talking about the Business Incubator at NDSU. "I remember going back and telling people about the North Dakota incubator program and what it had done for this product and how it, in my opinion, is money so well spent. You take someone with a seed of an idea and you allow them to grow it, you incubate it and allow it to grow."

Link to the entire story: http://www.business.nd.gov/news/success-stories/liftnbuddy/

Southworth was founded in 1890. Southworth, headquartered in Portland, Maine, located a small manufacturing facility in Manila in 1979. Presently Southworth has three facilities in Northeast Arkansas, two in Manila and one in Leachville.

About Lift'n Buddy
Lift'n Buddy (http://www.liftnbuddy.com) is the revolutionary mobile lifting device that combines the best of a standard two-wheeler's durability and functionality, with automatic lifting and lowering capabilities. Lift’n Buddy was the recipient of the 2012 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards for Technology Design as well as the Edison Award; Lift’n Buddy was recognized for new product innovation, in the category of Industrial Design Tools. The Lift'n Buddy is designed with proper ergonomics and safety in mind for any person and any moving and lifting job. These mobile lifting devices, fabricated of durable, lightweight, extruded aluminum, help companies avoid the exposure of employee injury, litigation, and workers’ compensation claims.

Lift’n Buddy, a division of Southworth Products
http://www.liftnbuddy.com
Aaron M. Lamb, General Manager
pr@liftnbuddy.com
701.499.5293

Media Relations Contact

Aaron M. Lamb
General Manager
Lift’n Buddy, a division of Southworth Products
701-499-5270
http://www.liftnbuddy.com

View this press release online at: http://rwire.com/231747