What Sure Grip does

Sure Grip Hand Controls (legal entity Howell Ventures Ltd.) is a Canadian manufacturer of adaptive driving aids for individuals with physical disabilities, founded in 1986 by quadriplegic Keith Howell in Upper Kingsclear, New Brunswick, and now led by his son Cody Howell. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes hand control systems and steering accessories that replace or supplement foot-operated accelerator and brake pedals, enabling disabled drivers, including those with quadriplegia, to operate standard motor vehicles. Its product portfolio is anchored by the FeatherLite electronic hand control line (Push/Twist, Push/Rock, Push/Right Angle, and Push/Pull variants) and the Traditional mechanical line, augmented by Switch secondary controls, left-foot accelerators, electronic brake locks, the programmable City Mode throttle limiter, steering wheel attachments (spinner knobs, palm grips, extensions, amputee rings), pedal extensions and guards, display stands, and the Tarsus training/evaluation system. Differentiated technology includes U.S. Patent 10,175,713 covering the Push/Twist auxiliary handle, a short-stroke stationary-body design that reduces dash modification, high-speed-bearing spinner knobs, and a Quick Disconnect system enabling rapid swapping between control styles for evaluation.

The business model is a B2B2C hardware model: Sure Grip does not sell direct to end users. All products are sold through an authorized North American dealer network of mobility equipment dealers, with installation and adjustment required to be performed by certified Sure Grip Technicians. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quoted dealer-by-dealer, with multi-year service relationships implied by the certification/install requirement. Revenue streams are diversified across electronic hand controls, mechanical hand controls, steering wheel attachments, accessories (pedal extensions, gas/brake guards, signal crossovers, park brake extensions), and the Tarsus training line, supported by three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Tower Machining (in-house CNC machining and mold making), Sure Grip Atlantic (regional sales and service), and the Tarsus System (evaluator training products). The company self-describes as North America's #1 manufacturer of hand controls and driving aids for the disabled and holds the NMEDA endorsement of its Push/Rock style as the fourth nationally recognized style of driving for disabled drivers.

Name

Sure Grip

Legal name

Howell Ventures Ltd.

Website

https://suregrip-handcontrols.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sure Grip Hand Controls (Howell Ventures Ltd.) is a Canadian manufacturer, founded in 1986, that designs and distributes adaptive electronic and mechanical hand controls, steering accessories, and evaluator training products through a certified North American dealer network, serving disabled drivers and driver rehabilitation specialists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive Mobility Equipment

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Active Rehabilitation Devices (Adaptive Sports Mobility, Performance Prosthetics) (HLAHAMAJ)

Keywords

• Adaptive hand controls
• Mobility equipment
• Driving aids
• Disabled driving equipment
• Hand control manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsclear

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Adaptive Hand Controls - Electronic: Sale of electronic hand control systems including Featherlite series with push/rock, push/pull, push/right angle, and push/twist variants. These are primary revenue drivers for disabled drivers.
2. Adaptive Hand Controls - Mechanical: Sale of traditional mechanical hand control systems under the Traditional product line. Lower technology alternative to electronic controls.
3. Steering Wheel Attachments: Spinner knobs, Tri-Pin, Palm Grip, V-Grip, Amputee Ring, Counter Weight, and Steering Wheel Extensions for adaptive driving.
4. Accessories: Pedal extensions, adapted shifters, gas and brake guards, signal crossovers, park brake extensions, airbag shunts, and optional handles.
5. Training & Evaluation Products (Tarsus): Training and evaluation systems for driver instructors and evaluators including quick disconnect training controls and dual gas/brake systems for passenger-side training.
6. Display Stands: Pre-assessment display stands for dealers to showcase hand controls and steering devices in showrooms and at trade shows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sure Grip Hand Controls manufactures adaptive hand controls and driving aids for individuals with physical disabilities. The product portfolio includes electronic (FeatherLite) and mechanical (Traditional) hand control systems in four operation styles — Push/Rock, Push/Right Angle, Push/Pull, and Push/Twist — along with secondary controls, left foot accelerators, electronic brake locks, City Mode throttle limiter, steering wheel attachments, pedal accessories, and the Tarsus training/evaluation system. Products are sold through an authorized dealer network of mobility equipment dealers across North America and require professional installation by certified Sure Grip Technicians.

Product overview

Sure Grip Hand Controls is a manufacturer of adaptive driving aids, offering two main product lines: FeatherLite (electronic hand controls with direct throttle access and motorcycle-style acceleration) and Traditional (mechanical hand controls with over 30 years of refinement). Within each line, four operation styles are available: Push/Rock, Push/Right Angle, Push/Pull, and Push/Twist. The product ecosystem includes secondary controls (Switch products), left foot accelerators, electronic brake locks, the City Mode throttle limiter feature, steering wheel attachments (spinner knobs, extensions, amputee rings), pedal guards, display/training stands, and the TARSUS training system for evaluators. The company is North America's #1 manufacturer of hand controls, founded in 1986 by Keith Howell.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FeatherLite: Electronic hand controls product line featuring push/twist, push/rock, push/right angle, and push/pull styles with electronic acceleration
• Traditional
• Switch
• Recreation
• Tarsus System
• Sure Grip Atlantic
• Tower Machining

Products and services

• FeatherLite Electronic Hand Controls Electronic hand control system with short-stroke design providing direct access to vehicle throttle with motorcycle-style feel. Available in four variants — Push/Twist, Push/Rock, Push/Right Angle, and Push/Pull — for both left and right side installation. Designed for individuals with physical disabilities affecting leg mobility.
• Traditional Mechanical Hand Controls Mechanical hand control system with over 30 years of refinement, offering Push/Rock, Push/Right Angle, Push/Pull, and Push/Twist variants. Features short-stroke design with stationary main body and brake rod during acceleration. Includes standard lockout mechanism for safety. Designed for individuals with physical disabilities affecting leg mobility.
• Switch Secondary Controls Secondary control products including Switch UH360 with customizable layouts and digital programmer, plus Four-Way Switch, RF Mini, RF 360, and AVQ. Adds turn signal and other vehicle control functionality to hand control setups for disabled drivers.
• Recreation Hand Controls Hand controls designed for recreational vehicles and adaptive driving in non-standard vehicles, including the Sure Grip Rec and LiftiBoi product offerings.
• Electronic Brake Lock Electronic push-button activation brake lock with optional brake buzzer notification. Available on FeatherLite Push/Rock, Push/Pull, and Push/Right Angle controls. Product Code: EBL. Adds safety and convenience for disabled drivers.
• Left Foot Accelerators (FL211 and A202) Left foot accelerators for both FeatherLite (FL211) and Traditional (A202) hand control systems. The FL211 uses a sleek universal floor mounted pedal with FeatherLite one-source acceleration and defaults to factory operation for untrained drivers. The A202 includes an integrated pedal block protecting the factory pedal and is easily removable from a permanently mounted base plate.
• Steering Wheel Attachments (Spinner Knob, Extensions, Grips) Steering wheel attachments including the A600/A702 Spinner Knob with built-in high-speed bearings and clamshell-style base distributing clamping force, Steering Wheel Extension (non-intrusive, 3 contact points), Tri-Pin, Palm Grip, V-Grip, Amputee Ring, and Counter Weight. Designed for one-handed steering for disabled drivers.
• Driving Accessories (Pedal Extensions, Gas & Brake Guard, Signal Crossover, Park Brake Extension) Driving accessories including quick release Pedal Extensions (adjustable 2"-5", Product Code A205-N), A206 Gas & Brake Guard (lightweight, pull tested to 300 pounds), Signal Crossover (right-hand turn signal operation, Product Code A302), and Park Brake Extension (Product Code A301). Designed to support disabled drivers and their vehicle adaptations.
• Quick Disconnect Training System Featherlite Quick Disconnect system for evaluation and training allowing efficient swapping between control styles. Sturdy as permanent controls with ability to change between all four FeatherLite styles on both left and right sides. For driving evaluators and rehabilitation specialists.
• TARSUS Gas & Brake System Training products for driver instructors and evaluators including a full line of driver training equipment. Sold under the Tarsus System brand, part of the company's evaluation and training offering.
• Display Stand Pre-assessment tool for exposing clients to all styles of FeatherLite and Traditional hand controls along with steering devices. Small footprint with demo units included. Product Code: D110. Used by mobility equipment dealers in showrooms and at trade shows.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Howell Ventures Ltd.coreOthersParent company of Sure Grip Hand Controls. Howell Ventures Ltd. is the manufacturing facility and corporate entity located in Upper Kingsclear, NB, Canada. Keith Howell founded the company and developed the hand control products.
• NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMEDA endorsed Sure Grip's Push/Rock style as the fourth recognized style of driving for the disabled under nationally recognized terminologies, bringing significant industry credibility to the design.
• ADED (Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSure Grip products are promoted through ADED's evaluator locator tool on their website, connecting customers with certified evaluators who use Sure Grip training equipment.
• Toyota CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerToyota Canada produced a video featuring Cody Caldwell, a wheelchair rugby player, demonstrating Sure Grip hand controls (Spinner knob and Electronic Brake Lock) in a Toyota vehicle.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BraunAbility: Largest US manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and mobility equipment. Overlaps with Sure Grip's customer base (disabled drivers) but operates a much broader product portfolio across full vehicle conversions rather than specializing in hand controls.
• Vantage Mobility International (VMI): US manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vans and mobility solutions. Serves the same disabled driver customer base as Sure Grip but with a broader focus on full vehicle conversions rather than hand controls.
• Eldorado National: US-based manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vans and paratransit vehicles. Adjacent to Sure Grip's market through serving disabled and mobility-impaired customers, though focused on commercial and full-vehicle solutions.

Regional players

• AutoChair: UK-based manufacturer of hand controls, wheelchair hoists, and adaptive vehicle products. Comparable product portfolio to Sure Grip but focused on the United Kingdom and European markets rather than North America.

Others

• MobilityWorks: Largest US retailer and installer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and adaptive driving equipment. Operates as a downstream dealer and channel partner for adaptive equipment manufacturers including hand control providers like Sure Grip.

Direct peers

• Veigel: German manufacturer of mechanical and electronic hand controls for disabled drivers with global distribution. Comparable product portfolio and use case (adaptive vehicle controls) makes it a direct international peer to Sure Grip.
• Bruno Independent Living Aids: US manufacturer of vehicle lifts, scooter lifts, and adaptive driving accessories. Operates in the same mobility equipment category with overlapping dealer channels and customer base of disabled drivers.
• Creative Controls: US manufacturer of hand controls and adaptive driving equipment. Directly comparable to Sure Grip in offering mechanical hand controls and accessories for disabled drivers.
• Drive-Master: US-based manufacturer and installer of adaptive driving equipment including hand controls, wheelchair lifts, and scooter lifts. Directly competes with Sure Grip in the hand controls category serving disabled drivers in North America.
• Mobility Products and Design: US-based manufacturer of adaptive driving equipment including hand controls and driving aids. Direct competitor in the same product category as Sure Grip's FeatherLite and Traditional lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCg1hC1y5_TCk6hd8u2LT-vw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SureGriphandcontrols
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sure-grip-hand-controls/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/suregriphc
• Xx.com/sure_grip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Sure Grip