News

It’s been just over two months now since we welcomed our new Commercial Director to Shapemaster Global and he’s shared with us his thoughts on our business as he settles into his new role! 

Friday the 1^st of April 2022 was an important date for me. No, it wasn’t a joke, but in fact this date actually marked an entire two months of me being with Shapemaster. And wow, how quickly that time has flown by. Having spent almost my entire career as an ‘Operator’, moving over to the ‘dark side’ has so far been an exciting and rewarding experience, so what have I found?

Shapemaster Global Limited are a British owned equipment manufacturer with a factory and offices based in the Yorkshire town of Huddersfield, England. Now in their thirtieth year of operation, the business was set up by engineer Howard Blackburn initially with its foundation in the Toning Table market of the nineteen eighties. Having moved away from that market a number of years ago now, to manufacturing Power Assisted Exercise (PAE) equipment targeting older people, those requiring therapy and rehabilitation and consumers not comfortable with the ‘traditional’ gym environment, the company actually exports all over the world, with over 50 installations in Norway and Scandinavia alone.

I first encountered Shapemaster several years ago and was struck by the prospect it presented to provide to a completely underserved section of the community, whilst also giving the opportunity for leisure operators to make a commercial return. Whilst working at Serco Leisure we installed a suite of Shapemaster equipment into a Swale Community Leisure site on the Isle of Sheppey, in Sheerness, Kent. For those that know the area, you will be aware that this is a coastal town with some significant demographic challenges. However, we were very pleased with the results, achieving a membership of over 300 new consumers in 12 months and therefore not only saw the difference it made to people’s lives but also welcomed a quick commercial return. What really pleased us most at Serco, was that these we welcomed customers to the centre, all of whom would never have set foot in a traditional health and fitness facility, but here they were, regularly using the Shapemaster equipment and gaining both the physical and mental health benefits of doing so.

So, when in early January 2022 the opportunity to join Shapemaster presented itself, I jumped at it. For me it is a company that offers the perfect solution to a number of the challenges that the Health & Fitness/Leisure sector faces in this post pandemic world.

So, what have I found at Shapemaster?

• I’ve found an incredible team of professional people committed to producing a range of products that make a difference to the communities in which we all live and work.
• An open minded, science-led/knowledge focussed organisation that invests in the research and development that underpins its products.
• A business which has embraced internal business technology solutions and has a commitment to grow and improve, with a pipeline of exciting future product developments.
• An equipment solution which can provide leisure, health/rehab and care operators with the ability to broaden their portfolio of services to an underserved demographic and expand the market penetration of gyms & Leisure Centres beyond the current 15% of existing users.
• An amazing network of clients and distributor partners who are working to improve the lives of their local communities, worldwide.

But more than that I feel that I’ve found a home in an amazing business, with a great culture, surrounded by a team of people with a similar outlook, approach and passion to provide the best service and products to our customers.

My first two months have been awesome and I’m looking forward to the next twenty two!