My Story: 45 years of reimagining mobility
Paralyzed in a 1975 car accident at age 18, Errol Marklein turned his personal quest for independence into a lifelong mobility revolution. Co-founding the pioneering wheelchair brand SOPUR, which later became part of Sunrise Medical, he has developed game-changing configurable chairs. He now brings over four decades of engineering and user-centric expertise to Omobic to advance wheelchair innovation.
A turning point: Refusing to be a burden
Back in 1975, a car accident left me paralyzed at the age of 18. Like most young people, I had no clear roadmap for my future, but I was always the organizer among my friends – the one who structured and planned our activities, what we would now call a facilitator.
Returning home from the hospital meant confronting a harsh new reality. My guiding principle was clear and non-negotiable: I refused to be an extra burden or source of trouble for my family and friends.
I quickly realized that personal independence is essential not only for self-reliance but for the energy and confidence you bring into every relationship. Reaching that level of independence, however, required transforming both my mindset and my equipment.
From hospital relic to the birth of SOPUR
My standard-issue hospital wheelchair was clumsy, heavy, and restrictive. Relying on my technical instincts, I took matters into my own hands – chopping and cutting that non-fitting frame to size. While it improved my mobility, the takeaway was unmistakable: a modified hospital chair is still just an inadequate hospital chair.
A fortunate turning point came when I met Erich Purkott and Hugo Sorg, two skilled metal fabrication engineers. They listened intently to my ideas and daily needs. We combined our names to found SOPUR. We believe that because every user is unique in size, ability, and lifestyle, the future of wheelchairs must be fully configurable.
In 1980, we launched our first three landmark models:
- Track: Purpose-built for wheelchair racing.
- Break: Engineered specifically for wheelchair basketball.
- IDEAL 1: A revolutionary, fully configurable folding wheelchair designed for active daily life.
Each model introduced game-changing features that set new industry benchmarks for user independence.
Decades of innovation and the drive to do better
The following 12 years were a period of intense creativity, rapid growth, and bold engineering. To scale our vision and guarantee world-class manufacturing, we joined the Sunrise Medical family, continuing to deliver tailored, durable, and professional mobility solutions globally.
After more than 45 years in wheelchair design and manufacturing, I have gained insights no university could ever teach. My drive remains unchanged: sharing real-world experience, challenging conventional thinking, and building products directly shaped by user feedback.
Even with today’s advanced technology, mobility components can always be engineered better, lighter, and smarter. My commitment is simple: to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible for every active wheelchair user.
– Errol Marklein
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – history & active wheelchair innovation
Q: How did Errol Marklein contribute to modern active wheelchair design?
A: After sustaining a spinal cord injury in 1975, Errol co-founded SOPUR in 1980, introducing purpose-built sports chairs (Track, Break) and IDEAL 1, one of the earliest fully configurable everyday folding wheelchairs.
Q: What is the design philosophy behind configurable wheelchairs?
A: Because wheelchair users vary in body proportions, injury levels, and lifestyle demands, configurable components ensure that geometry, center of gravity, wheels, and pushrims adapt to the individual rather than forcing the user to adapt to a rigid chair.
