Retail Fitness Equipment Now Bears Bowflex Name

The Super Show 2005

Bowflex a name synonymous with innovative home exercise gyms, is becoming a comprehensive fitness brand that now appears on a growing line of popular fitness equipment for the home, retail executives and industry leaders discovered at the 20th annual Super Show held here this week.

The name Bowflex now appears on three new treadmills, a TreadClimber(R) cardiovascular machine, SelectTech(R) dumbbells, exercise benches and strength cages, in addition to two models of home exercise gyms on display for attendees at the Super Show. The show is hosted annually by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, which represents more than 1,000 sporting goods companies serving the $52-billion sporting goods industry.

"What a difference a year makes," said Tom Cove, executive vice president of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. "During the last 12 months we've seen Bowflex transformed to become a complete line of fitness equipment compared to just the home gyms it showcased at last year's show. For Bowflex to reveal its growing line of fitness products at this industry-leading retail show, it says a great deal about the company's long-term plans for this brand, which already is among the most well recognized in the fitness industry."

"The transformation from a product to a fitness brand came as a result of consumer research where people told us they wanted Bowflex cardio equipment and free weights, in addition to home gyms," said Tim Hawkins, chief marketing officer for The Nautilus Group, which makes and markets Bowflex branded equipment. "We are developing innovative, high-quality products, and differentiating them by channel, which makes it easy for consumers to find the right products wherever they prefer to shop."

Hawkins said recent sales data shows that Bowflex home gyms and Schwinn(R)Fitness products are rapidly gaining retail market share since they were introduced through larger retailers about 18 months ago. "We're well on our way to becoming the brand leader in every retail segment where we compete," he said.

A broad range of Bowflex and Schwinn Fitness branded products are available at retailers such as The Sports Authority, Dick's Sporting Goods, G.I. Joes, Costco, Canadian Tire Corporation, Sears Canada, more than 350 specialty fitness dealers, and at independent bike dealers.