Surgical Appliance Industries got its start back in the late 1800s, being founded by Joel Adams and Isaac Pease, great grandfathers of current company president Tom Applegate. Joel and Isaac had begun by manufacturing livery items like leather saddles and bridles, and then peddling them at the Port of Cincinnati to settlers on their way west.

The advent of the automobile meant the end of the line for many businesses like Joel's and Isaac's. Looking around for another area suited for their particular talents and expertise, they came upon the idea of manufacturing trusses and abdominal supports. The pair would pack their wares into trunks and travel by train throughout Ohio, selling off their goods along the way.

Eventually they engaged the services of five sales people from a defunct candy company, who had excellent contacts among druggists. Their success led to Joel and Isaac forming the Ohio Truss Company in 1893. Thus Surgical Appliance Industries was born.

As times changed the company's product line changed as well, with a growing emphasis on orthopedic garments and supports, as well as compression therapy products.

In 1943 the company-by then known as "OTC"
purchased the Cincinnati Truss Company and renamed it Truform. Truform then became a sales division targeting the needs of surgical dealers and orthopedic brace shops.

The Airway name had been in use since the 1930s in connection with a line of fashionable foundation garments for women. By the late 1960s Airway had become and today remains a leader among suppliers of post-mastectomy products.

In 1953 the company started a small manufacturing operation in Ripley, Ohio, a rural village 50 miles up the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Out of this another division, Professional Convalescent Products(PCP-Champion today), was born in 1963. Still located in Ripley today, PCP manufactures and distributes a wide array of home medical equipment and patient aids.

From the muddy banks of the Ohio River to our modern offices today in suburban Cincinnati, Surgical Appliance Industries has steadily prospered through five generations of family ownership. Recently SAI demonstrated its commitment to the future by the major acquisition of state-of -the-art knitting equipment. This combined with our industry leading dealer base and sales force has positioned the company to become a leading supplier of compression therapy products well into the 21st century.