Folding Chairs Being Voluntarily Replaced

WASHINGTON, DC -- Alston Quality Industries, Inc., Linden, NJ, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is voluntarily offering to replace certain folding metal chairs that have the potential to collapse. The chairs were manufactured by MOBILSEDIA, SRL an Italian manufacturer, and approximately 268,000 were distributed through certain retail stores from 1985 to 1988.

Alston voluntarily reported the potential consumer safety problem to CPSC after it received a number of customer complaints that in some instances the seats or backs cracked, or the hinge mechanism of the chair did not work as expected. Customers claimed various injuries ranging from bruises to back or knee injuries.

The product being voluntarily replaced is a metal frame folding chair with plastic or fabric upholstered seats and backs. The key identifying feature is a black plastic plug hinge on the tubular metal frame.

Alston is offering replacement model chairs to consumers who now have the MOBILSEDIA, SRL chairs being voluntarily replaced. Consumers should return the chairs to the place of purchase to receive replacement models.

Consumers are urged to make sure their folding chairs are the MOBILSEDIA, SRL chairs from Alston. Use the accompanying illustrations and ask these questions to help identify the chairs eligible for replacement under the VOLUNTARY REPLACEMENT PROGRAM:

• Is the hinge a black plastic plug with a rounded top, not a metal hinge or a ball-like metal hinge?
• Does (or did) the MOBILSEDIA logo, a prominent stylized castle, appear on the box the chairs came in?
• If it is a lucite chair, is the frame chrome or brass? Are the back and seat smooth, without a circular or semi- circular imprint?
• If it is an upholstered chair, is the frame chrome? Are the seat and back either beige, gray, or black fabric?

Consumers may direct their questions to Alston's Product Information Coordinator, Yvette, at (908) 925-2000 or write to Alston Quality Industries, Inc., 1200 Fuller Road, Linden, NJ 07036.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing this voluntary replacement program as part of its mission to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury from the 15,000 different types of products under its jurisdiction.