What Working Concepts does

Working Concepts, Inc. is a privately held, Oregon-based manufacturing company founded in 1997 by Richard H. (Dick) Crampton, a Maintenance Millwright with 34 years of field experience. The company designs and produces ergonomic safety products for workers who must kneel or stand for extended periods, including the flagship SoftKnees no-strap knee pads (which insert into double-knee workwear and survive industrial laundry), ErgoKneel kneeling mats made from closed-cell foam rubber, Extreme Standing Mats for fixed workstations, ladder safety accessories, and ErgoLand fire pole landing mats. The product line also includes disposable adhesive knee pads designed for use with Tyvek coveralls in nuclear, hazardous waste, and clean-room environments, as well as custom-engineered solutions such as Aircraft Work Mats for the US Air Force and Pocket Kneelers for Frito Lay. The underlying technology is materials-centric rather than digital, relying on closed-cell foam rubber formulations that are self-extinguishing, silicone-free, and impervious to petroleum products, combined with form factors that address specific ergonomic use cases.

The business operates a one-time-purchase product sales model, distributing through a US-wide reseller/distributor network (with a dedicated distributor locator on softknees.com) and direct-to-customer e-commerce via the corporate website. Customer segments are organized vertically and include industrial trades workers, severe-kneeling-condition workers (tire, petroleum, production lines, utilities), fixed-workstation/production-line staff, hazardous-environment workers, and custom/OEM safety buyers. The company sells primarily to enterprise accounts (Weyerhaeuser, Alaska Railroad Corp., City of Portland, Oregon-OSHA, Universal Forest Products, Gunderson Inc., Tice Electric Co.) alongside long-tail SMB and individual buyers. Production is concentrated in Oregon (headquarters in Gresham, manufacturing in Estacada), and the company remains founder-owned and bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, M&A activity, or leadership transitions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and there is no subscription or recurring revenue component.

Name

Working Concepts

Legal name

Working Concepts, Inc.

Website

https://softknees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Working Concepts, Inc. is an Oregon-based manufacturer of ergonomic safety products (no-strap knee pads, kneeling mats, standing mats, ladder safety accessories) for industrial workers who must kneel or stand, selling through US distributors and direct e-commerce to enterprise and SMB buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Safety Equipment

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142)

SIC

Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Matting, Flooring & Safety Rubber Products (IMANALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protective & Work Accessories Manufacturing (Safety Gloves/Hi-Vis Accessories) (IMAOAFAH)

Keywords

• Ergonomic safety products
• Workplace knee pads
• Kneeling work mats
• Standing work mats
• Occupational safety equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Gresham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Revenue is generated through the sale of ergonomic safety products including knee pads, kneeling mats, standing mats, ladder safety products, and custom-designed safety solutions. Products are sold directly through distributors and via the company website. The company manufactures most of its production in Oregon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Working Concepts designs and manufactures ergonomic safety products for workers who must kneel or stand for extended periods. The product line includes no-strap knee pads (SoftKnees), closed-cell foam kneeling mats (ErgoKneel), shock-absorbing standing mats, ladder safety accessories, fire pole landing mats, and disposable knee pads for hazardous environments. Most production is conducted in Oregon, and the company offers custom design services for unique workplace safety requirements.

Product overview

Working Concepts is a small manufacturing company that designs and produces ergonomic safety products for workers who must kneel or stand. The product portfolio centers on SoftKnees no-strap knee pads (inserted into double-knee workwear), ErgoKneel Handy Mats (portable kneeling protection), and Extreme Standing Mats (for fixed workstations). The company also offers ladder safety products (Pak-A-Ladder, Stop-A-Ladder), fire pole landing mats, disposable knee pads for single-use coverall applications, and custom-designed mats for unique workplace requirements. Products are primarily manufactured in Oregon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SoftKnees: No-Strap Knee Pads designed to fit into double-knee workwear
• ErgoKneel
• ErgoKneel Handy Mats
• Extreme Standing Mats
• ErgoLand

Products and services

• SoftKnees Knee Pads No-strap, lightweight molded knee pads designed to fit inside most double-knee workwear such as Carhartt coveralls and raingear. Available in standard 6\" x 9\" (Item #1010, 24 packages per case) and XL 6\" x 13\" (Item #1010XL) sizes, with the XL version providing four additional inches of coverage plus a waterproof moisture barrier and insulation from cold. Stays in place through laundry cycles and is barely noticeable when standing or walking, intended for industrial and trade workers who kneel for short periods throughout the day.
• ErgoKneel Kneeling Mats One-inch thick kneeling mats made of closed-cell foam rubber designed for severe kneeling conditions on hard steel, concrete, grating, and gravel. Self-extinguishing, silicone-free, and impervious to petroleum products. Includes the ErgoKneel Handy Mats line with built-in handles for portability and hanging storage, available in multiple sizes (Item #5080 41\" x 17\", Item #5050 34\" x 21\", Item #5040 28\" x 16\", and Item #5000LAN 4\" x 6\" lanyard 6-pack). Targets workers in tire stores, petroleum, production lines, and utility work.
• Extreme Standing Mats Shock-absorbing standing mats designed for fixed workstations and production line environments. Engineered to keep the body in gentle motion to improve circulation and joint lubrication while minimizing vibrations, intended to reduce fatigue, back pain, leg pain, and foot pain from extended standing at fixed workstations.
• Ladder Safety Products Closed-cell foam ladder accessories including the Pak-A-Ladder and Stop-A-Ladder products, designed to stop ladder channels from biting into shoulders during carry and to compress to fit most step ladders. Targets service workers, electrical contractors, and trades personnel who transport ladders as part of their work.
• ErgoLand Fire Pole Landing Mats Cushioned landing mats designed for fire pole landings to provide shock absorption and safety for firefighters and other personnel sliding down fire poles, sold under the ErgoLand brand.
• Disposable Knee Pads Self-adhesive disposable knee pads designed to peel and stick onto disposable protective coveralls such as Tyvek. Available in 12-pair packs, 2-pair packs, and 100-pair boxes, and can be used multiple times or disposed of with the garment. Targeted at nuclear power plants, waste burning power plants, hazardous waste disposal crews, clean rooms, and pharmaceutical manufacturing environments where protective coverall integrity must be maintained.
• Custom Safety Products Custom-designed kneeling and standing safety products tailored to specific workplace requirements and unique safety challenges, including OSHA-compliant Aircraft Work Mats for aircraft maintenance applications (used by the US Air Force) and Pocket Kneelers for Frito Lay. Also encompasses custom ErgoLand Ground Blankets for outdoor kneeling work. Customers are connected directly with in-house design staff to develop tailored solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of workers successfully served from Alaska to New York
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• NoTrax: NoTrax is a leading manufacturer of industrial anti-fatigue mats, kneeling mats, and safety matting, directly comparable to Working Concepts' ErgoKneel and Extreme Standing Mats in industrial and commercial end markets.
• Ergodyne: Ergodyne (a Tenacious Holdings brand) is a direct peer specializing in ergonomic and safety products for trades and industrial workers, including knee pads, kneeling pads, and anti-fatigue mats — overlapping directly with Working Concepts' SoftKnees and ErgoKneel lines and competing for the same industrial-distributor shelf space.
• Wearwell: Wearwell designs and manufactures ergonomic floor matting and anti-fatigue solutions for industrial workstations, directly competing with Working Concepts' Extreme Standing Mats in fixed-workstation and production-line applications.
• Ergomat: Ergomat produces ergonomic anti-fatigue mats, kneeling mats, and standing mats for industrial and clean-room environments, directly overlapping with Working Concepts' ErgoKneel kneeling mats and Extreme Standing Mats product lines.
• Sellstrom Manufacturing: Sellstrom manufactures industrial safety products including knee protection, kneeling pads, and ergonomic accessories for trades and industrial workers, directly comparable to Working Concepts' SoftKnees and ErgoKneel product lines.
• ProKnee: ProKnee manufactures professional knee pads and kneeling pads designed for tradespeople and industrial users, directly competing with Working Concepts' SoftKnees no-strap knee pads in the same end markets (construction, flooring, mechanical trades).

Broad incumbents

• Ansell: Ansell is a global leader in protective gloves and industrial safety solutions, including ergonomic protective accessories. It competes with Working Concepts for safety buyer budgets and distributor relationships across industrial and hazardous-environment segments.
• 3M Personal Safety Division: 3M is a broad incumbent offering a wide range of workplace safety and ergonomic products, including knee protection and matting, as part of a larger PPE portfolio that competes for industrial buyers and distributor relationships alongside Working Concepts.
• Honeywell (Miller, North, Howard Leight): Honeywell is a broad incumbent in PPE and workplace safety, offering knee protection, kneeling pads, and ergonomic products as part of a much larger safety portfolio. While not specializing in Working Concepts' exact niche, it competes for industrial distributor shelf space and enterprise safety budgets.

Emerging players

• Kimberly-Clark Professional (KleenGuard, Tyvek): Kimberly-Clark Professional supplies Tyvek disposable protective coveralls used in clean rooms, hazardous waste, and nuclear environments — the exact use case for Working Concepts' disposable knee pads. While not a direct knee-pad competitor, the two are co-marketed in hazardous-environment PPE programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChqu6bt76GvnoNG49gjifAQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/WorkingConceptsInc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Working Concepts