Hersco Ortho Labs

What Hersco Ortho Labs does

Hersco Ortho Labs is a privately held, U.S.-based medical device fabricator that has operated continuously since 1938 from its single laboratory and headquarters at 39-28 Crescent Street in Long Island City, NY. The company manufactures custom lower-extremity orthotic devices to clinician specifications, including custom foot orthotics, ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) in traditional, solid-ankle, articulating, and double-metal-upright variants, Richie Braces, ankle gauntlets, CROW walkers, KAFOs, knee orthoses, spinal devices, custom-molded shoes, and prosthetics. Its fabrication workflow relies on prescription (RX) forms submitted by prescribers, supported by digital 3D scanning for anatomical capture and proprietary techniques such as the Kirby Medial Heel Skive modification.

The company operates a B2B, sales-led go-to-market in which orders are initiated by healthcare professionals—podiatrists, orthotists, prosthetists, and physicians—and delivered back to the prescribing clinician. Revenue is generated per device on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go basis; no public price list exists. Hersco complements manufacturing with an Education Center publishing clinical articles and free CEU courses, with content authored by president and co-owner Séamus Kennedy, BEng (Mech), CPed, FAAOP(A). The firm is independently owned with no disclosed parent, funding rounds, M&A, or public listing, and operates exclusively within the United States.

Name

Hersco Ortho Labs

Legal name

Hersco Ortho Labs

Website

https://hersco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hersco Ortho Labs is a privately held, U.S.-based custom fabricator of lower-extremity orthotic devices—including foot orthotics, AFOs, Richie Braces, and custom shoes—selling B2B to prescribing podiatrists, orthotists, and physicians via RX-form orders from its Long Island City, NY lab since 1938.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Orthotics & Medical Devices

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Orthotics & Bracing (AFO/KAFO, Spinal, Soft Goods Supports) (HLAHAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Orthotics & Bracing (Spinal/Lower/Upper Extremity Orthoses) (HLAHAEAI), Specialty & Orthopedic Footwear Manufacturing (Medical/Diabetic/Custom) (IMAOAIAI), Comfort, Orthopedic & Medical Footwear (CRAAACAG)

Keywords

• Custom foot orthotics
• Ankle-foot orthotics
• Orthotic fabrication
• Lower extremity bracing
• Custom medical devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Island City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Orthotic Device Fabrication: Hersco fabricates custom orthotic devices including foot orthotics, AFOs, Richie Braces, and other lower extremity orthoses to specifications provided by healthcare providers. Orders are placed through RX forms and delivered to prescribing clinicians.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hersco Ortho Labs manufactures custom-fabricated lower extremity orthotic devices, including Custom Foot Orthotics, Richie Braces, Ankle-Foot Orthotics (AFOs), CROW walkers, KAFOs, custom-molded shoes, and prosthetics. Orders are placed by prescribing healthcare providers (podiatrists, orthotists, physicians) using RX forms, with devices fabricated to individual patient specifications and delivered back to the clinician.

Product overview

Hersco Ortho Labs is a medical device manufacturer specializing in custom orthotics and braces for the lower extremity. The company offers a portfolio of products including Custom Foot Orthotics, Richie Braces, Ankle-Foot Orthotics (AFOs), 3D scanning services, and Custom Shoes. The product line spans prescription foot orthotics, various AFO designs (traditional, double metal upright, solid ankle, articulating), ankle gauntlets, CROW walkers, KAFOs, knee orthoses, spinal devices, and prosthetics. Supporting these products is an Education Center providing clinical articles and CEU courses. All products are available through prescription forms and are custom-fabricated to patient specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Foot Orthotics Custom-manufactured foot orthotics designed to support foot biomechanics, address various pathologies, and provide personalized arch support and heel control for patients prescribed by healthcare providers.
• Richie Braces Specialized ankle-foot orthotic (AFO) devices designed for conditions such as posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) and adult acquired flatfoot, prescribed by podiatrists and orthotists.
• Ankle-Foot Orthotics (AFOs) Ankle-foot orthotic devices that provide control and support for the lower extremity, including traditional AFOs, solid ankle AFOs, articulating designs, and double metal upright configurations, prescribed for drop foot, ankle instability, and related conditions.
• 3D Scanning Services Digital 3D scanning technology for precise capture of foot and lower extremity anatomy, used in the fabrication pipeline of custom orthotics and braces.
• CROW (Charcot Restraint Orthotic Walker) Custom Charcot Restraint Orthotic Walker devices fabricated for patients with Charcot foot and related diabetic foot complications, ordered via dedicated RX form by prescribing clinicians.
• KAFOs (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthotics) Custom knee-ankle-foot orthotic devices that extend bracing control from the foot through the knee, used for more complex lower extremity conditions and ordered via dedicated RX form.
• Knee Orthosis Custom knee orthotic devices fabricated to clinician specifications for patients requiring knee support and stabilization, ordered via dedicated RX form.
• Ankle Gauntlet Braces Custom ankle gauntlet braces fabricated for ankle stabilization and control, ordered by prescribing clinicians via dedicated RX form.
• Spinal Orthotic Devices Custom spinal orthotic devices fabricated to clinician specifications for spinal support and correction, ordered via dedicated RX form.
• Custom Prosthetics Custom lower extremity prosthetic devices fabricated to clinician specifications for amputee patients, ordered via dedicated RX form.
• Custom-Molded Shoes Custom-molded shoes fabricated to accommodate foot deformities, orthotic devices, and specific patient foot conditions, ordered via dedicated RX form.

Quantifiable outcome

• Medial heel skive research shows 15% increase in medial plantar pressure with 4mm skive and 29% increase with 6mm skive

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ottobock: Ottobock is a global leader in orthotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation technology, offering AFOs and custom bracing that overlap with Hersco's lower-extremity product portfolio at greater scale.
• Hanger Clinic: Hanger operates the largest US network of orthotic and prosthetic clinics, providing custom orthotics, braces, and prosthetics — a broad incumbent in the same clinical categories Hersco serves.

Direct peers

• Foot Levelers: Foot Levelers is one of the largest US custom foot orthotics manufacturers, serving chiropractors, podiatrists, and other clinicians — directly comparable to Hersco's prescriber-mediated custom orthotics business.
• Sole Supports: Sole Supports produces custom-made functional foot orthotics prescribed by clinicians, making it a close peer to Hersco in technique-driven custom orthotic fabrication.
• Acor Orthopaedic: Acor manufactures custom and prefabricated foot orthotics, AFOs, and diabetic footwear for clinical customers — overlapping directly with Hersco's product line and prescriber channel.
• Northwest Podiatric Laboratory: NPL fabricates custom foot orthotics and ankle-foot orthoses on prescription from podiatrists, mirroring Hersco's B2B custom orthotics and AFO model.
• KLM Orthopedic Labs: KLM is a custom orthotics laboratory serving podiatrists and other foot-care professionals, with a comparable custom-fabrication, RX-based model to Hersco.

Emerging players

• Aetrex Worldwide: Aetrex combines comfort/orthopedic footwear with custom orthotics and consumer foot-scanning technology, partially overlapping with Hersco's custom orthotics and custom-molded shoe offering.
• SureStep: SureStep specializes in pediatric and lower-extremity custom orthoses, addressing a subset of the patient population Hersco serves through its pediatric and biomechanical custom product lines.

Regional players

• Proteor: Proteor is a France-based orthotics and prosthetics manufacturer with a US presence, competing with Hersco in custom orthotic and prosthetic fabrication across different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Hersco Ortho Labs