When Anders Berggreen, a Copenhagen-based entrepreneur, investor and movie producer, was asked to help create a new type of rollator, he immediately declined. 

At that time, “there was nothing farther away from something that I would like to design,” said Berggreen, during a recent interview. “There’s so much stigma related to rollators.” 

Then one day he happened to walk by a dance studio, and saw two rollators –walkers with wheels – under the studio’s large sign. 

“It really changed my perception of rollators,” said Berggreen, the founder and co-owner of byACRE. “I thought, ‘what could they be doing at a dance studio?’ It was then that I started to look at the possibility of designing a rollator that was more of a mobility device than a mobility aid. I thought – ‘Is it possible to change such a strong icon, and one with such a stigma?’”

Berggreen purchased the company that initially approached him, bringing in investors and a team of engineers and designers to create a new type of rollator. In 2017, byACRE was born, featuring a line of “stylish, functional and modern rollators for any adventure.” ByACRE rollators are lightweight, fold easily for transport, and come in a variety of colors. Since 2021, Medline has served as byACRE’s exclusive North American product distributor.  Medline and Medline At Home offer the byACRE Ultralight Carbon rollator, weighing just 10 pounds, and the new Overland Carbon Fiber Rollator, durable and agile enough to operate in snow, sand, mud, unpaved trails and thick grass.

“We designed our products as mobility devices – not mobility aids – it’s important to make that distinction,” said Berggreen. “If you are a patient, you may have a doctor who recommends or prescribes a rollator or walking aid. We don’t deal with patients; we deal with consumers, or someone who makes their own decisions.”

He said the company’s “leading star is dignity. 

“We were the first to change the perception of a rollator, and we have done that by the way we speak, the way we talk on our website, and in our design language,” said Berggreen. “It’s the same as if you’re creating a super cool bicycle or sports car. We use the same design language.” 

Like a car, bicycle, pair of glasses or shoes, Berggreen says a rollator is something that you have with you much of the time, and that allows you to do what you need to do or go where you want to go. 

“You have to meet a different set of standards,” he said. “Looks and appearance are important.”

Berggreen, who is in his 50s, said his products are designed for people who want to remain active and stylish as they age, as well as younger adults who are living with a disability that may require use of a mobility device. 

“Mobility is one of the core values of modern life,” he said, adding that the company works closely with organizations that support individuals living with various conditions and disabilities to gain insight on how to improve the rollators and available accessories. 

byACRE rollators, Berggreen said, are “cool. You can feel young and fashionable, with pride, and again, with dignity.” 

Berggreen also lauded his partnership with Medline, which is bringing his rollators to consumers in Canada and the U.S.

“There is genuine respect and motivation from the Medline team and us as we work together,” said Berggreen. “We are adding value to each other in this relationship on a business level, but also on a personal level.

“We challenge the perception of the end user a little bit and Medline likes that challenge.”

“The byACRE rollators are a strong addition to our product line, which includes more than 100 rollators, walkers and other assistive devices,” said Medline Director of Product Management, Durable Medical Equipment Division, Klara Nowak. “Our goal is to offer the broadest array of quality products that help users maintain their independence. The Overland Carbon and Ultralight rollators are unique. There is nothing else like them on the market.”