Source: Life Fitness
Life Fitness restructures manufacturing operations to better support Company growth
Rosemont, Ill., Oct. 20, 2016 – Life Fitness, the global leader in commercial fitness equipment, today announced a restructuring plan for its Cybex manufacturing operations that results in the transition of production and support operations now at the Company’s Medway, Massachusetts, facility to existing facilities in Minnesota and Illinois.
Fabrication of components will move from Medway to Owatonna, Minnesota, while product assembly done at the Massachusetts location will be integrated at Franklin Park, Illinois. This new manufacturing model will support increased efficiency companywide and provide the ability to better scale operations for future growth. Meanwhile, nonmanufacturing positions will relocate from Medway to Ramsey and Owatonna, Minnesota, as well as Franklin Park and Rosemont, Illinois.
The move will better accommodate the Company’s new product plans and growth initiatives as well as optimize Life Fitness’ recently expanded global manufacturing footprint. Service to customers will remain uninterrupted during the time of transition, which is expected to be completed by October 2017.
The Cybex facility in Medway currently assembles Cybex premium commercial fitness equipment and employs approximately 150 salaried and hourly employees. The Company will offer opportunities for the majority of the employees to relocate or work remotely, and is making outplacement support and funding available for retraining to all employees should they choose to new seek opportunities outside the Company.
“Business decisions that affect our employees are always difficult,” said Chris Clawson, president of Life Fitness. “However, we have a responsibility to make the strategic decisions that will position the Company for future success, and this restructuring allows us to make the most of our footprint. We are thankful to the loyal and hard-working employees at our Medway facility and will provide them with a strong program of support during this transition.”
Cybex was acquired by Brunswick (NYSE: BC) in January 2016, and joined the Life Fitness roster of leading brands.
Life Fitness has been expanding and modernizing its global manufacturing footprint in anticipation of future growth. The Cybex facility in Owatonna is currently undergoing a 150,000-square-foot expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in December 2016. Additionally, Life Fitness has recently added to its manufacturing footprint at its factories in Kiskoros, Hungary (adding 86,000 square feet in 2015), Ramsey (48,325 square feet in 2016), and Franklin Park (141,000 square feet in 2016).
“Over the past two years, we’ve experienced rapid growth and increased demand from our customers. To continue to provide the best service in the industry, we’ve increased our manufacturing footprint by more than 300,000 square feet since 2015,” said Clawson. “We will continue to invest in our modern manufacturing facilities to support the growth of the Cybex brand and all the brands in our portfolio.”
Life Fitness also has factories in Falmouth, Kentucky; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Bristol and Delavan, Wisconsin. Life Fitness is headquartered in Rosemont.
About Life Fitness
Life Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment and game tables and furnishings. The company manufactures and sells its strength and cardiovascular equipment, productive well-being equipment, billiards tables and accessories, and game room furniture under the brand names Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Indoor Cycling Group, SCIFIT, InMovement and Brunswick Billiards. Its equipment is distributed to more than 120 countries. Headquartered outside Chicago, in Rosemont, Ill., Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC).
About Brunswick
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation’s leading consumer brands include Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood, Garelick and Whale marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine and BLA parts and accessories distributors; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern; Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Indoor Cycling Group and SCIFIT fitness equipment; InMovement products and services for productive well-being; and Brunswick billiards tables, accessories and game room furniture. For more information, visit http://www.brunswick.com.
