AnaTechINC - About Us

about us

Anatech is one of the leading Canadian distributors of sports medicine products. Keeping true to our core values of quality, integrity and reliability, we vow to deliver innovative high quality products to "support active lifestyles". It is our belief that providing outstanding customer service is not based solely on what we deliver, but in our capacity to listen and act on what our customers need.

Manufacturing

Our Canadian manufacturing shop produces Anatech branded off-the-shelf braces offering a wide range of bracing and supports for a multitude of applications. We are also one of the few companies that still offer custom bracing. Along with our own line and custom bracing, we also manufacture several private label lines for companies across Canada.


2017

Exciting Times!

We've all been in a whirlwind of excitement over the past couple of years! 2017 started with the fabulous news that Anatech had again been awarded International Distributor of the Year for Oofos Recovery Shoes! This amazing product has been capturing lots of attention right across the country, with everyone wanting to "feel the OO!"... people from all walks of life are loving them! With our major marketing focus for Oofos being on the runner, it means we're attending as many running events as we can, from BC to the Atlantic. Look out for an Oofos banner at a marathon or triathlon near you!
2015

30th Anniversary

We are thrilled to be celebrating our 30th anniversary this year... and we are all looking forward to many exciting new ventures to come.
2014

Distributor of the Year

Anatech took on the exclusive Canadian distribution of the OOFOS line of Recovery Sandals in the spring of 2014. The launch was an incredible success, opening over 160 doors in a variety of channels, doing over $250,000 worth of business in the first six months of the launch. Because of the extraordinary efforts of our sales force we were awarded the OOFOS 2014 Distributor of the Year.
2013

Another Chapter

In 2013 we delved more into pharmacy sales and Anatech had an extremely successful year selling the Footlogics Catwalk, a slim orthotic specifically for ladies fashion shoes, through Shoppers Drug Mart. A number of other unique, high-quality products were added to the range so the sales force was expanded to take advantage of the potential, specifically in the lucrative retail sports sector. Another new chapter in our lives began with taking on the distribution of these lines.
2012

A Great Loss

After many years of ill health, in March 2012 our founder, Jim Boyle passed away. His loss was a big blow to our foundations. Lorna wondered if she had the strength to carry on, but after attending an industry trade show and meeting with a few key people, she decided the only course was to move forward. In May 2012 Lorna took on the role of President and Karen is now General Manager overseeing the day to day operations. Between them, urged on by Jim’s legacy, they found a new determination to take Anatech to greater heights. In the summer of 2012, a sales meeting was arranged and two important vendors were invited to come along and promote their products, SISU Mouth Guards and Footlogics Australia.
2010-2011

Changes in Immobilization

After manufacturing it for 20 years W. L. Gore & Associates made a purely financial business decision to discontinue production of their Procel Waterproof Cast Liner. Despite it being an excellent product, Procel did not fit into Gore’s strategic, long-term focus on the surgical markets. Because of the strong customer relationships we had forged within the hospital sector we were approached by 3M with a proposal for Anatech to represent their Immobilization portfolio. It was the perfect fit for our sales force at the time; and there is no denying the timing was serendipitous.
2000-2004

A Few Tough Years

For the next few years Jim suffered several health complications and Lorna and their daughter, Karen, who had been with the company since 1994, took a much more active role in the decision making processes.
1998-1999

The Acquisition

In 1998 Jim started negotiations with the owner of Knills Orthopedic and subsequently acquired their business in March of 1999, taking their wider product range, their customer base as well as an established sales force. This venture doubled Anatech’s sales, and created a much higher profile across Canada to a larger range of facilities, including the highly prized pharmaceutical market.
1994

Procel Cast Liner

In Canada, Anatech’s profile was still heavily into the medical and hospital field and in 1994 Jim Boyle was approached by W. L. Gore & Associates to become the Canadian a distributor of an innovative new line in their medical division, Procel Waterproof Castliner. This exceptional product allowed the wearer to bathe and swim while wearing a fibreglass cast. It wasn’t long before sales for this line became the major source of revenue for the company.
1992-1993

Private Labelling

For the next few years Anatech concentrated its focus on manufacturing, venturing into the US distributing the bracing line through various wholesalers as well as having considerable success offering private labelling for companies such as Camp International and Champion. This continued right through to the late 90s.
1991

The Big Move

By 1991 Anatech finally outgrew its original space at 327 – 5930 No. 6 Road. In the six years we had been in business, we had gone from a mezzanine of approximately 300 square foot in a shared facility, where Jim had operating on his own, cutting, gluing, sewing and shipping orders to his customers, to a unit of 1750 square feet and a staff of six. The perfect location was found, with 6,480 square feet, just 100 metres away in the same strata park at 205 - 5920 No. 6 Road, Richmond, BC.
1990

Anatech Incorporated

In 1990 Anatech, Anatomical Technologies, Inc. was incorporated. It was a much more meaningful name aligned with a broader vision of the company’s new mission to provide a wide range of products “supporting active lifestyles” for a wide range of people, from the “weekend warrior” to the professional athlete.
1987-1989

A Growing Business

The company’s reputation for quality grew and in July 1987 a distribution division was created to promote an increasing range. Lorna Boyle, the current president, came on board to oversee the administration, while Jim worked hard to raise the company’s profile. He attended as many tradeshows as possible. It wasn’t long before he was a familiar face at many industry gatherings and was soon welcomed in an industry that is well-known for its tight inner circle of prominent people.
1985-1986

A Fresh Start

Anatech started life as Imperial Orthoflex Manufacturing Ltd, a manufacturer of high quality custom-made orthopaedic bracing. Our founder, Jim Boyle, had come from the diving world, and had a background in manufacturing custom made wetsuits. An early claim to fame was that Jim’s wetsuits had been used in two James Bond movies, “For Your Eyes Only” and “Octopussy”. His expertise in this field, using the same materials, was easily transitioned into the growing bracing market, catering to the aging, but active baby boomer generation. Jim listened carefully to customers and professionals and sought to understand what was needed in a good bracing line.