SOLO Laboratories

What SOLO Laboratories does

SOLO Laboratories Incorporated is a privately held US manufacturer of custom orthotics and ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) headquartered in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, founded in 1983 by Barry Sokol and now operated by second-generation family ownership. The company produces a broad catalog of custom orthotic devices including the Premier Functional, Premier Accommodative, Premier Dress, SOLO Limited, Relief and Relief+, and Pre-molded lines (including a pediatric variant), as well as AFO braces distributed under the Richie Braces and Advance Braces brands. Manufacturing combines traditional hand fabrication with 3D printing, and order capture is supported by the proprietary viSo foot scanning application, which uses a device's TrueDepth camera to generate 3D models of patients' feet for use in prescription workflows.

The company operates a B2B go-to-market model, selling exclusively through healthcare providers (podiatrists, physicians, and clinics) who submit orders through a digital portal, fillable forms, or foot scans. Patients are not direct customers; providers prescribe and distribute the devices. SOLO supplements this channel with provider-facing marketing resources, customer service support, and a lifetime plate warranty, and offers repair and refurbishment services for both its own products and competitor orthotics. The company holds the exclusive US distribution rights for Richie Braces, is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), and has reportedly hand-crafted more than 2,000,000 custom orthotics over its 40+ year history. Operations are US-only with 51-100 employees and no disclosed institutional capital beyond a small 2019 Ben Franklin Technology Partners grant.

Name

SOLO Laboratories

Legal name

SOLO Laboratories Incorporated

Website

https://sololabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SOLO Laboratories is a US manufacturer of custom orthotics and ankle-foot orthoses, founded in 1983, that sells exclusively through podiatrists, physicians, and clinics using foot scanning, 3D printing, and traditional fabrication.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Orthotics and Ankle-Foot Orthoses (Medical Devices)

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Orthotics & Bracing (Spinal/Lower/Upper Extremity Orthoses) (HLAHAEAI)

Keywords

• Custom orthotics manufacturing
• Ankle-foot orthoses
• Podiatric medical devices
• 3D foot scanning
• Orthotic braces

Headquarters

HQ city

Kutztown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Orthotics Sales: SOLO manufactures and sells custom orthotics directly to healthcare providers (podiatrists, physicians, clinics) who then provide them to patients. Product lines include Premier Functional, SOLO Limited, Premier Accommodative, Relief and Relief+, and Premier Dress orthotics.
2. Braces and AFOs: Sale of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) including Richie Braces product line (Standard, Dynamic Assist, Solid AFO, OTC, Gauntlet, California) and SOLO Advance Braces (Gauntlet, Steady, Traditional, Crow Walker, Torch Walker).
3. Repair and Refurbishment Services: Custom orthotics can be repaired or refurbished for renewed functionality. SOLO refurbishes both SOLO orthotics and those made by other manufacturers in the industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SOLO Laboratories manufactures custom orthotics and ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) sold exclusively to healthcare providers such as podiatrists, physicians, and clinics. The company offers a portfolio of orthotic lines (Premier Functional, SOLO Limited, Premier Accommodative, Relief/Relief+, Premier Dress, and pre-molded variants) plus braces (Richie Braces, Advance Braces), and supports ordering through viSo 3D foot scanning, fillable forms, and a digital provider portal, with in-house manufacturing in Kutztown, Pennsylvania since 1983.

Product overview

SOLO Laboratories is a manufacturer of custom orthotics and braces that has been operating since 1983, having produced over 2 million custom orthotics. The company operates on a core-product architecture with two main product lines: custom orthotics (including Premier Functional, Premier Accommodative, Relief/Relief+, Premier Dress, and Pre-molded variants for adults and children) and braces (including Richie Braces and Advance Braces in multiple configurations). These products are supported by technology platforms including viSo foot scanning (using TrueDepth camera for 3D modeling) and 3D printing capabilities. SOLO offers a lifetime warranty on plate materials for normal wear and tear and provides repair/refurbishment services for both SOLO and competitor orthotics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premier Functional Custom Orthotics SOLO's most popular line of custom orthotics, designed to deliver comfort and performance across a wide variety of shoe styles for healthcare providers and their patients.
• SOLO Limited Custom Orthotics Custom orthotic offering produced in 3D printed form as part of the SOLO Limited 3D product line.
• Premier Accommodative Custom Orthotics Orthotic line offering soft plate options to comfort and support sensitive feet and keep patients active.
• Relief and Relief+ Custom Orthotics Light-weight total contact orthosis with an EVA base and molded P-Cell top cover; Relief+ adds a tri-density design with a Poron core.
• Premier Dress Custom Orthotics Custom orthotics designed specifically for dress shoes, combining functionality with a lower profile.
• Pre-molded Orthotics (Adult) Pre-fabricated orthotic devices for adults, available without custom fitting.
• Children's Pre-molded Orthotics Pre-fabricated orthotic devices designed specifically for children.
• Richie Braces AFO (ankle-foot orthosis) braces distributed exclusively by SOLO in the U.S., offered in Standard, Dynamic Assist, Solid AFO, Soccer, Little Richie, OTC, Gauntlet, and California configurations.
• Advance Braces SOLO's line of braces including Gauntlet, Steady, Crow Walker, Torch Walker, and Traditional configurations in various materials and styles.
• viSo Foot Scanning Proprietary foot scanning technology using a device's TrueDepth camera to capture precise 3D foot measurements for custom orthotic manufacturing.
• 3D Printing for Custom Orthotics SOLO's 3D printing manufacturing capability, used to produce custom orthotic shells including the SOLO Limited 3D product line.
• Orthotic Repair and Refurbishment Services Service to repair or refurbish custom orthotics for renewed functionality; SOLO services both its own orthotics and those made by other manufacturers.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Richie BracescoreTechnology or IntegrationRichie Braces is a product line distributed exclusively by SOLO Laboratories in the US market. Richie Braces offers a comprehensive range of ankle-foot orthoses including Standard, Dynamic Assist, Solid AFO, OTC, Gauntlet, and California models. The partnership includes branded products with SOLO as the authorized distributor.
• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)minorOthersSOLO Laboratories is a member of APMA, the American Podiatric Medical Association. APMA membership indicates professional recognition and adherence to podiatric standards.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Enovis (DJO Global): Enovis (formerly DJO Global) is a large orthopedic medical-device company with a broad portfolio including bracing and foot/ankle products. It represents a broader incumbent with the scale, capital, and distribution to compete with specialized manufacturers like SOLO.
• Hanger Clinic: Hanger is a large national provider of orthotic and prosthetic patient-care services. While more clinically focused than SOLO's manufacturing model, it overlaps in the orthoses category and represents a broader incumbent that practitioners may turn to for integrated care.

Direct peers

• Cascade Dafo: Cascade Dafo designs and fabricates ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) primarily for pediatric patients. It is a direct peer to SOLO's AFO product lines (Richie Braces and Advance Braces), serving the same orthotic-and-bracing specialist channel.
• ProLab Orthotics: ProLab is a custom-orthotics manufacturer supplying practitioners with functional and accommodative devices. It competes with SOLO in serving podiatric and orthopedic practices across North America.
• KLM Orthotics Laboratories: KLM is a custom-orthotics fabrication lab serving podiatrists and other providers with a comparable product set including functional and accommodative devices. It mirrors SOLO's core business of custom prescription orthotic manufacturing.
• Langer Biomechanics: Langer Biomechanics manufactures custom and prefabricated orthotics for the podiatric and orthopedic markets. It competes directly with SOLO in clinical-grade functional orthotics sold to foot specialists and physicians.
• Acor Orthopaedic: Acor Orthopaedic manufactures custom and prefabricated orthotics, footwear, and related medical-grade foot products. It is a direct competitor across SOLO's orthotic and accommodative-footwear-adjacent categories.
• Becker Orthopedic: Becker Orthopedic manufactures custom and prefabricated orthoses including AFOs and related lower-extremity braces. It overlaps with SOLO's Advance Braces and Richie Braces AFO product lines in the bracing category.
• Sole Supports: Sole Supports produces custom-molded foot orthotics marketed to podiatrists and other foot specialists. It overlaps with SOLO's custom orthotic portfolio and shares the same clinical practitioner-distribution model.
• Foot Levelers: Foot Levelers is a US-based manufacturer of custom functional orthotics sold through healthcare providers. It is one of the largest direct competitors to SOLO in the custom-orthotics category, with a similar practitioner-channel GTM and comparable product positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SOLO_labs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOLO Laboratories