Laerdal
Encyclopedia
Laerdal is a major manufacturer of medical equipment
and medical training products based in Stavanger
, Norway
. Established in 1940 as a print shop, it soon began manufacturing popular rubber toys under the name Tomte Laerdal. Parallel to this was the manufacture of medical training models and devices - the company's mainstay today. Laerdal's most well known product is a training manikin popularly named 'CPR Annie'.
In 1951, the company began manufacturing realistic play dolls and "furniture friendly" toy cars under the name Tomte Laerdal. These were similar in concept to cars made by the Auburn Rubber Company
in the United States or Galanite
of Sweden, though the Swedish products were almost promotional in detail. The first series included an Opel, a Volkswagen, and a Mercedes 190 roadster. Other models included a Studebaker pickup, a Renault Floride sports car, a Volkswagen transporter pickup and others.
In many cases, like its 1960 Chevrolet El Camino, the Tomte toys seem to have been reuses of dies previously created by Corgi Toys and Dinky Toys for their 1:43 scale diecast metal cars produced in the 1960s in Great Britain. Many models and scales were produced, however, and Tomte rubber cars were very popular. Over 100 million toy cars were sold in over 110 countries. They were produced through 1978.
Besides toys, the company expanded its line of products to include realistic wound simulations and other rubber first aid materials. Laerdal's CPR
training manikin 'Resusci Anne' is widely used throughout the world. In the US it is called 'CPR Annie', since it serves as the main training tool for modern CPR (the mouth-to-mouth method). 'Resusci Anne' was developed by Peter Safar
and Asmund Laerdal
, with contributions by James Elam
. The face of 'Resusci Anne' was modeled on the death mask
of an unidentified late 19th-century Parisian girl who apparently committed suicide by jumping into the Seine. Asmund S. Laerdal was in possession of a reproduction of the death mask at the time of the manikin's development.
In the 1960s the company expanded to include a line of portable medical equipment for ventilation and airway control. Early portable defibrillation devices were offered in the 1980s for use by ambulance personnel. In 1980, the Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine was founded. It has supported a variety of research, education and publication projects. 'Stiffneck' collars were added in the 1990s. Medical Plastics Laboratories, Inc., was acquired by Laerdal in January 2000, and renamed Laerdal Texas. Its flagship product is 'SimMan', a computer-controlled patient simulator mannequin. In 2003, Danish-based Sophus Medical was acquired (as Laerdal Sophus), adding a line of interactive medical training products. The acquisition of SimQuest in 2004 (now Laerdal DC), began a line of virtual reality products such as 'IV Arm'. The company's therapy product line was enhanced with the acquisition of STI in 2003, offering spinal immobilization systems.
Medical equipment
Medical equipment is designed to aid in the diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of medical conditions.-Types:There are several basic types:* Diagnostic equipment includes medical imaging machines, used to aid in diagnosis...
and medical training products based in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Established in 1940 as a print shop, it soon began manufacturing popular rubber toys under the name Tomte Laerdal. Parallel to this was the manufacture of medical training models and devices - the company's mainstay today. Laerdal's most well known product is a training manikin popularly named 'CPR Annie'.
Tomte Laerdal Toys
The company was started in 1940 by Asmund Sigurd Laerdal in Stavanger, Norway. Originally a small publishing house, it specialized in greetings cards and children's books. By 1943, the company had expanded into the manufacturing of wooden toys under the name Smavare Industry.In 1951, the company began manufacturing realistic play dolls and "furniture friendly" toy cars under the name Tomte Laerdal. These were similar in concept to cars made by the Auburn Rubber Company
Auburn Rubber Company
The Auburn Rubber Company was a rubber products manufacturer best known for its line of children's toys . It was probably the largest producer of rubber and vinyl toys in the world, though Norway's Tomte Laerdal, and Sweden's Galanite were major European producers.-History:Started in Auburn,...
in the United States or Galanite
Galanite
Svenska Galanite Industri, usually known simply as Galanite, was a Swedish vinyl and plastic company based in Löddeköpinge, which made mostly toys. Cars were the most popular, but trucks, farm vehicles and airplanes were also produced.-Toy Type:...
of Sweden, though the Swedish products were almost promotional in detail. The first series included an Opel, a Volkswagen, and a Mercedes 190 roadster. Other models included a Studebaker pickup, a Renault Floride sports car, a Volkswagen transporter pickup and others.
In many cases, like its 1960 Chevrolet El Camino, the Tomte toys seem to have been reuses of dies previously created by Corgi Toys and Dinky Toys for their 1:43 scale diecast metal cars produced in the 1960s in Great Britain. Many models and scales were produced, however, and Tomte rubber cars were very popular. Over 100 million toy cars were sold in over 110 countries. They were produced through 1978.
Rubber Medical Supplies
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
training manikin 'Resusci Anne' is widely used throughout the world. In the US it is called 'CPR Annie', since it serves as the main training tool for modern CPR (the mouth-to-mouth method). 'Resusci Anne' was developed by Peter Safar
Peter Safar
Peter Safar was an Austrian physician of Czech descent. He is credited with pioneering cardiopulmonary resuscitation.- Early life :...
and Asmund Laerdal
Asmund Laerdal
Asmund Laerdal is the founder of Laerdal Medical, based in Stavanger, Norway. Laerdal established a publishing house in 1940, specializing in greetings cards and children's books. The company soon expanded into the manufacturing of wooden toys. Pioneering in soft plastics in the early 1950s,...
, with contributions by James Elam
James Elam
James Otis Elam, was a U.S. M.D. and respiratory researcher.Based on his research at the Buffalo's Roswell Park Memorial Institute for understanding carbon dioxide absorption, he developed a prototype ventilator device that efficiently could absorb carbon dioxide during surgery, dubbed the Roswell...
. The face of 'Resusci Anne' was modeled on the death mask
Death mask
In Western cultures a death mask is a wax or plaster cast made of a person’s face following death. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits...
of an unidentified late 19th-century Parisian girl who apparently committed suicide by jumping into the Seine. Asmund S. Laerdal was in possession of a reproduction of the death mask at the time of the manikin's development.
In the 1960s the company expanded to include a line of portable medical equipment for ventilation and airway control. Early portable defibrillation devices were offered in the 1980s for use by ambulance personnel. In 1980, the Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine was founded. It has supported a variety of research, education and publication projects. 'Stiffneck' collars were added in the 1990s. Medical Plastics Laboratories, Inc., was acquired by Laerdal in January 2000, and renamed Laerdal Texas. Its flagship product is 'SimMan', a computer-controlled patient simulator mannequin. In 2003, Danish-based Sophus Medical was acquired (as Laerdal Sophus), adding a line of interactive medical training products. The acquisition of SimQuest in 2004 (now Laerdal DC), began a line of virtual reality products such as 'IV Arm'. The company's therapy product line was enhanced with the acquisition of STI in 2003, offering spinal immobilization systems.