DALLAS – A new (and improved) take on a familiar product earned the New Product Pavilion Providers’ Choice Bronze Award (sponsored by HomeCare Media) at Medtrade last month.
Attendees in Dallas voted for the Tranquility Premium OverNight Underwear and Tranquility Premium DayTime Underwear—both Tranquility branded products under parent company Principle Business Enterprises, Inc. (PBE).
Medtrade Monday sat down with Bob Recker, PBE’s senior manager of Content Marketing to learn more about the Tranquility products that earned so many votes last month in Dallas.
Medtrade Monday: What’s different about Tranquility?
Recker: Tranquility’s best-selling Premium OverNight and DayTime Underwear are now made with Air-Plus™ Technology, a combination of 100% breathable materials and our renowned superabsorbent core that creates an improved environment for healthy skin and traps in odor for enhanced peace of mind.
The newly upgraded 100% breathable materials allow air to flow throughout while potentially damaging heat and humidity can escape. This creates a feeling of freshness and cool comfort that stays with the wearer during daytime activity and all through the night for rejuvenating, uninterrupted sleep.
Medtrade Monday: How would you describe the packaging?
Recker: These products also feature refreshed packaging that better differentiates our nighttime and daytime products, while also making it easier for customers to identify these additional product features:
• soft, cloth-like backing material that’s quiet and gentle against the skin;
• full-rise waistband and gentle leg elastics for optimal comfort;
• tear away sides for easy removal; and
• Kufguards® leg cuffs that guide fluid into the absorbent core for leakage protection.
Medtrade Monday: What sets your product apart from your competitors?
Recker: Like all Tranquility products, Premium OverNight and DayTime Underwear feature our Real Life Protection Guarantee, meaning wearers can expect ultimate absorbency from a superabsorbent core that doesn’t simply absorb wetness, but locks in and retains fluid to stop leaks, whether the wearer is lying down, standing up, or doing normal everyday activities. In fact, we guarantee Tranquility products absorb and contain their stated fluid capacity, no matter how much pressure is applied to the product.
And because we value transparency, every Tranquility package states the product’s C.U.P. (capacity under pressure), accompanied by easy-to-understand measuring cup icons, making it simple for customers to feel confident in the product they choose.
Medtrade Monday: What upgrades and/or additions are planned for the product?
Recker: Coming in summer 2024, our Premium OverNight Underwear will be available in a new size 3XL that comfortably fits waistlines up to 95”, making it the only combination of 3XL size with 100% breathability in the disposable underwear market at this time.
Medtrade Monday: Why did attendees respond so well to the product?
Recker: For more than 40 years our supplier partners have looked to Tranquility for high-quality solutions to manage heavy-to-severe incontinence. This also helps to deter other adverse medical conditions that have been highly correlated with incontinence, such as skin breakdown, UTIs, falls, and disrupted sleep that can lead to behavioral episodes.
Our dealers and distributors have been thrilled to learn that we are now upgrading our popular premium underwear lineup to help their customers and clients avoid these potentially devastating side-effects. The newly improved OverNight and DayTime Underwear are the latest in the Tranquility family of 100% breathable products, which also includes bariatric briefs and underpads.
Furthermore, our decision to develop a 3XL version of Premium OverNight Underwear stemmed from significant feedback from the consumers, suppliers, and caregiving professionals we serve, who were looking for a plus-sized product that offers greater independence and comfort. To that end we are simultaneously launching this summer a new size 3XL in our Tranquility Essential® Underwear – Heavy line of products, providing reliable protection for moderate to heavy incontinence and a great option for Medicaid clients.
Medtrade Monday: What are the knowledge gaps about your company and/or product?
Recker: Many visitors to our booth at Medtrade were not aware that Tranquility is available in multiple protection levels. Tranquility Premium are our highest-performing products, offering maximum absorbent capacity to manage even the most severe incontinence. It’s ideal for private pay customers.
Tranquility Essential – Heavy and Tranquility Essential – Moderate are reliable protection for moderate to heavy incontinence. It’s a great option for Medicaid clients. We established these three sub-brands to provide our suppliers and their customers and clients with the right product, with the appropriate features for their individual needs, while protecting their business’ bottom line.
Medtrade Monday: What are the origins of the company?
Recker: PBE was founded over 60 years ago by manufacturing industry pioneer Lee Mitchell, who invented Pillow Paws® foam slippers that became the first fall-prevention product used by hospitals. Mrs. Mitchell, in conjunction with her husband, Jim; daughter, Carol Stocking; and son-in-law, Chuck Stocking, would later help create the first superabsorbent care products to manage severe incontinence under the Tranquility® brand.
Tranquility was established out of Mrs. Mitchell’s profound personal desire to offer more effective absorbent solutions to her loved ones. Today, Tranquility remains known for its superabsorbent products, offering a variety of styles in a wide range of absorbency levels and sizes from youth to 5XL. The brand has become synonymous with high-performance protection, enabling individuals to lead fulfilling lives without the constant worry of incontinence.
Medtrade Monday: What’s your level of optimism these days about the future of the DME industry?
Recker: PBE maintains a high level of optimism. Our research shows that people experiencing incontinence are continually in search of the right absorbent product. As evidenced by our recent 100% breathable and 3XL underwear product launches, we are committed to continuously innovating the Tranquility brand portfolio to address individual needs and fulfill our mission of uplifting, enlightening, and enriching the lives of those we serve—so that they can live more abundantly.
