New Member Spotlight: Johnson Health Tech
Featuring Kelly Colwin, Retail Marketing Manager, Horizon Fitness
When and where was Johnson Health Tech started? Tell us about their history and about the team.
The Johnson Health Tech (JHT) story began in 1975 in Taichung, Taiwan, where Mr. Peter Lo founded Johnson Metals. He earned his first client, Ivanko, by handwriting letters to hundreds of companies to offer his manufacturing services. Over time, the company evolved from being an equipment and original design manufacturer, into one of the largest and fastest-growing fitness manufacturers in the world. Today, JHT is celebrating its 45th anniversary and our Matrix, Vision and Horizon Fitness branded products are sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
What is your history with Johnson Health Tech North America (JHTNA) and your background?
My role at JHTNA is Retail Marketing Manager for our consumer brand, Horizon Fitness. I’ve been with the company for nearly 14 years in a variety of retail marketing roles serving multiple divisions, including our corporate-owned Johnson Fitness & Wellness retail stores, our Global Marketing team, and currently our North American Sporting Goods & E-commerce marketing team.
Tell us in your words about the services JHT provides.
As a vertically integrated manufacturer, Johnson owns all stages of design, production, distribution, and sales of our product lines, which includes a wide assortment of cardio and strength fitness equipment for commercial and residential use. Our global management headquarters is based in Taichung, Taiwan, with global product development, marketing, and engineering in Cottage Grove, WI, and manufacturing facilities in the US, Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. In addition to fitness equipment, JHT’s diverse brand portfolio includes Synca and Fujiiryoki massage chairs and wellness accessories, as well as Johnson Fitness & Wellness, the largest specialty fitness retailer in North America.
What are the target markets for JHT?
Our multi-brand portfolio and extensive product line-up touches nearly every market for fitness equipment, from premium fitness centers to small home gyms:
· Matrix Fitness offers a complete line of cardio, strength, and group training equipment for high-use health clubs, luxury resorts, and collegiate athletic teams, plus club-quality equipment reimagined for the home.
· Vision Fitness specializes in fitness solutions designed for light-commercial facilities, including hospitality, multi-family housing, corporate wellness, and municipal facilities, as well as specialty fitness equipment for the home.
· Horizon Fitness offers a wide range of cardio solutions for residential use, including treadmills, elliptical trainers, exercise bikes and rowing machines. Horizon Fitness equipment is sold at sporting goods and specialty fitness retailer partners, as well as e-commerce.
Dose JHT have memorable successes or big wins that you would like to share?
This year, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of our Matrix Fitness brand. Today, Matrix is known as the fastest-growing commercial fitness brand in the world, with over 500 products in its cardio, strength, and group training portfolio.
On the consumer side of our business, we recently expanded our production capabilities with a new state-of-the-art facility in Hanoi, Vietnam to serve increased worldwide demand for Horizon Fitness products. The timely opening of our new facility allowed JHT to increase production ten-fold during peak demand periods driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges we faced over the last year and a half, we are proud of how our team came together to serve our customers and as an organization we are stronger than ever. JHT was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the World’s Best Employers for the second year in a row, a true testament to our employees and our mission.
What are some upcoming plans for JHT? Where do you see JHT five years from now, and so on?
As connected and immersive fitness experiences are playing a larger role in our customers’ lives, our brands are constantly innovating and developing new partnerships and integrations with leaders in connected fitness technology and content to give our customers the best of both worlds — world-class content experiences and best-in-class equipment.
The Matrix brand recently launched an all-new cardio lineup with brand new console technology for the commercial market, as well as second-generation touchscreen consoles to pair with a lineup of club-quality equipment for home use. The Vision brand also came out with brand new touchscreen consoles this year, in addition to an exciting new strength offering. The Horizon brand continues to expand its connected cardio line-up of home products designed to work with any streaming fitness app or service, without locking you in. In 2022 and beyond, we look forward to building on this direction and growing our portfolio of products that redefine fitness and wellness around the world.
How and why did JHT come to become an SFIA member? Share how you heard about us and your experiences.
SFIA has long been a valued partner at JHT, though we recently renewed our membership after a brief lapse. As a fitness organization, we appreciate the holistic view of the industry that SFIA represents, covering all facets of consumers’ active lifestyles today. We rely on SFIA for insightful industry trends and analyses, and value SFIA’s commitment to be a prominent voice in Washington — promoting the interests of the industry and supporting legislation that makes sports and fitness more accessible to all.
How do you see JHT services and expertise benefitting the SFIA community?
Our depth and breadth of experience on both the commercial and consumer sides of the business gives us a unique vantage point to help generate ideas to bring fitness to more people wherever they are. Connect to a live studio class from your home treadmill or access your preferred app and all of your workout history from the gym. Our connected fitness solutions aim to give the user the most choice and flexibility in the apps and training experiences that work for them, wherever they work out. We regularly collaborate with others in the industry who are developing apps and other training tools that may require a connected equipment platform at home or at the gym, including:
- Wearables or other tracking devices
- Health and fitness apps
- Smart fitness accessories
- Streaming workout classes
- Nutrition and weight loss providers
- Wellness programs and more
Learn more about Johnson Health Tech here: https://www.johnsonhealthtech.com/us/eng
