About
At Tamarack, we’re dedicated to finding innovative ways to improve people’s lives.
The Tamarack Story
At Tamarack Habilitation Technologies, we’re dedicated to finding innovative ways to improve people’s lives. Tamarack was founded in 1990 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Our Tamarack Flexure Joint family of products are world renowned in the orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) industry. Many options of sizes and functionality exist to facilitate the orthotist to design an orthosis, including free motion and dorsiflexion assist joint designs. The fabrication process is remarkable easy by using molding dummies for creating the attachment cavities. Alternately, use of the Caps or Adjustable Caps for installing the Tamarack Flexure Joints into an AFO or other orthotic design to either articulate a solid ankle AFO or for fabrication of laminated or carbon constructions. Continuously adjustable plantarflexion stops are available for controlling motion. A stainless-steel ankle joint, the Clevisphere, is another Tamarack designed ankle joint option that includes a continuously adjustable posterior stop
Our ShearBan low friction patches are useful in shoes and in orthotic and prosthetic devices to strategically reduce the friction that causes damaging shear stress contributing to skin injuries, pain and reduced function, such as foot blisters, neuropathic ulcers and pressure injuries. GlideFree tape is another Tamarack film-based friction reducing product for making sliding board transfers easier to complete and with less injury to the skin.
Our ENGO brand helps people continue to do what they love – and get rid of blister-causing friction for good. ENGO Blister Patches installed into a shoe (not on the skin) help runners, women who wear heels, hikers, athletes, and anyone who suffers from blisters.
Our GlideWear products are made using a Tamarack developed two-ply textile technology alternative to ShearBan that help protect the skin of amputees, wheelchair users, people with limited mobility, and other people with other skin injury problems by strategically reducing the friction that causes shear stress in the skin. Shear stress contributes to the formation of diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries (“pressure sores”), blisters, and other painful wounds. Manufacturers in the medical and sports industries use GlideWear fabric technology in their products to protect their customers’ skin.
The FlexForm is a unique wheelchair seat support surface (cushion) that Tamarack has developed to simultaneously address the external factors leading to skin injuries of a person using a wheelchair. It is designed to be integrated directly into a manual wheelchair frame or free standing as cushions typically are.
Tamarack is a small, privately held business, wholly owned by the Marty and Peg Carlson family. We’re based in Minnesota and our products are proudly made in the USA of domestic and imported materials.
Our Mission
- To research, develop, and manufacture products of excellent function and value that improve and maximize human performance and comfort.
- To work in a manner which respects fellow employees, our customers, and the Earth.
- To be authentic with regard to product design, manufacturing, and promotions.
- To deliver more than we promise.
Our Commitment to Giving Back
Tamarack strives to be a green company and a good place to work, and we are committed to giving back to the community and the world.
Tamarack contributes funds, materials, and employee time to help educate and assist O&P schools in across the nation and around the world.
Awards, Certifications & Memberships
- 2016 Leaders in Healthcare Awards Finalist, Minnesota Business Magazine
- 2015 Minnesota Manufacturing Award – New Product: Textiles Category Winner
- 2013 da Vinci Awards Finalist
- 2012 LifeScience Alley New Technology Showcase Winner
- ISO 13485: 2016 Quality Management System
- Member of the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
- Member of the American Academy of Orthotics & Prosthetics
Our History
Tamarack was founded in 1990 by Marty and Peg Carlson with the help of six very experienced and highly capable employees. The new company designed and fabricated custom orthoses, prostheses and adaptive equipment. Serving the needs of people with very severe and/or multiple conditions quickly became our specialty.
We took the time to listen to our clients’ stories: their difficulties, pain, frustrations and their hopes for a more functional, independent life. We applied our background knowledge of biomechanics, material science and handicapping disease seeking innovative solutions. We liked direct and simple solutions whenever possible.
As we became involved with a few elite athletes, we understood that all of us function, each at our own pace, along a continuous spectrum from the professional to the very challenged. As our company of collaborating people developed, our mission became:
- To research, develop and manufacture products of excellent function and value that improve and maximize human physical performance
- To work in a manner which respects fellow employees, our customers and the earth
- To be authentic, congruent and simple in product design, material utilization and promotional messages
- To deliver more than we promise
During the mid 90’s, Medicare and Medicaid funding policy changes made it very difficult to sustain the provision of innovative custom equipment for the people who needed it. Tamarack developed a unique, inexpensive, highly durable orthotic joint, the Tamarack Flexure Joint, in 1995 that became profitable and helped sustain the company. A health crisis in 1999 precipitated a company split at the end of the year. Tamarack continued as a developer and manufacturer of innovative new products.
Today, we continue our growth in the orthotic/prosthetic industry with design developments extending our Tamarack Flexure Joint and strategic friction reduction (ShearBan and ENGO) product lines. In recent years, we have focused our development on fabric technologies (GlideWear™ Technology) and wearable products that protect skin and soft tissue from the friction and shear that cause blisters, pressure injuries, and wounds.