North
on Main Street, almost out of town, a subtle white
metal building sets back among the trees. On a
weekday, the parking lot is mostly full with a
few spots marked "visitor" saved directly
in front of the doors. A passerby might assume
it's just another office building.
But,
beyond the double-glass doors, the headquarters
of Scott Specialties, Inc., work helps a broken
arm, an expecting mother, a patient after surgery.
Other than the medical expenses, one usually wouldn't
consider these activities related.
Wilson
Scott, founder and owner, built the now-international
business from the ground up, or more so he built
it from the basement up.
In
the early 1960s, Scott sold surgical supplies
for the Zimmer Corp. One product, rib belts, were
practical but uncomfortable to wear and difficult
to adjust. At the time, they were made from medical
webbing and buckles. Soon after Velcro became
popular, Mr. Wilson adapted the new material and
created the modern rib belt. He used elastic and
Velcro, so the new product went on with ease and
wearers were pleased.
With the help of his wife, Donna, Scott took the
elastic and Velcro and cut out patterns in the
basement of their home. When the business soon
outgrew the basement in 1965, Scott Specialties
moved one block from downtown. With business booming,
the company expanded and still needed more space.
In 1982, Scott Specialties left the current Head
Start Preschool building and moved north to their
present home on Main Street.
Today, they offer a complete line of Orthopedic
Supports and Patient Care Products.
Scott
Specialties products sell nationwide and in 17
foreign countries. Employing about 200 employees,
plants are located in Belleville, Clay Center
and Concordia, Kansas.
The
inventory has grown from the original Adam and
Eve Rib Belts to over 800 different products.
With Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM), Scott
Specialties is able to provide private labeling
for their retailers.
"We
package it for them," says Lanie Engle, Belleville,
daughter of Wilson and Donna, and Vice President
of Scott Specialties. "Our products are sold
at pharmacies and health centers, not directly
to the public," she says.
Authorized
dealers are all over the nation and world and
include such trade names as Scott, Sport-Aid,
Rebound, Loving Comfort, CMO and Premier Choice.
They are also licensed manufacturers of the Snoopy
Pediatric Orthopedic Supports. In fact, Charles
Shultz would actually personally approve every
design.
"We'd
do a test run of, say arm slings, send in the
samples, and he'd have to give the okay before
full production," Engle said. In fact, since
his death, there is someone today at Shultz's
company who still looks at every design.
Wilson
Scott is retired, but still enjoys coming through
the office to see how everything is doing, Engle
said.
"He
really enjoys his success. It's made him happy
to see everyone else enjoying it as well,"
she says.