The components are extruded and fabricated at our Kalamazoo operations using Hydro primary-quality remelt aluminum billets, which contain over 70% recycled content. A unique die design, developed by Hydro engineers, allows the production of an extruded component 9.25 inches wide through an 8-inch extrusion press.
Hydro engineers met another challenge by developing a technique to perform an extremely difficult bend on these large components immediately after the extrusion comes off the press – before age hardening can set in. The complex bend meets the tight design requirements of Life Fitness machines.
Visual appearance is extremely important in Life Fitness equipment because the aluminum frame components are visible to the consumer. The parts receive either a powder coating or anodizing before being shipped in special returnable packaging designed to assure safe arrival at the Life Fitness plant. We ship to Life Fitness according to their production forecast.
Hydro’s relationship with Life Fitness began small, according to Leo Gershun, senior commodity manager for Life Fitness. “We chose Hydro because they are one of the largest aluminum extruders in our area but we wanted to start small to see how the relationship would develop over time,” Gershun said.
“We found Hydro to be very efficient and cost effective and so we transferred more of our business to them,” said Gershun. “They offered us cost reductions and rebates based on the amount of business we gave them, which provided us with an incentive to increase our business with them. But it also gave Hydro an incentive to provide high levels of service and quality to continue to earn our business.”
Among the parts Hydro manufactures for Life Fitness are four tread mill components requiring fabrication and finishing. For their ergonomic bike, Hydro manufactures three parts including a mono-column sub-assembly. Two parts are for the upright bike and one is for their cross-trainer.
Life Fitness is the global leader in fitness equipment. The company began when Keene P. Dimick invented the legendary Lifecycle bike in 1968. Entrepreneurs Ray Wilson and Augie Nieto purchased the rights to the innovative fitness solution and began selling them to health clubs around America.
Today, Life Fitness employs more than 1,700 people at 11 international subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities, with 186 dealers and distributors in more than 120 countries. The company offers more than 300 different cardio and strength-training products.
