Edinburgh gym supplier bids to pump up staff and turnover

Co-founders John Curley and Paul Bodger do the heavy lifting at Origin Fitness

An Edinburgh-based fitness equipment supplier has announced plans to double its turnover and headcount as part of an ambitious expansion, creating more than 50 jobs.

Origin Fitness revealed it is looking to increase turnover by 100 per cent, to £20 million, by 2021 as it targets expansion into the European market.

It is also planning a two-fold increase in employee numbers at its Newbridge head office over the next three to five years to support this rapid growth.

The company, which has 52 employees, supplies equipment to clients in the fitness industry and has designed gyms for the Open Golf Championships and ScottishPower’s head office in Glasgow.

Other clients include the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, North Lanarkshire Leisure and the Ministry of Defence.

The new job vacancies will be created across all areas of the business, including marketing, sales, logistics, warehousing, finance, engineering and product development.

Origin Fitness has invested heavily in its stock in recent years and last year doubled the size of its Edinburgh warehouse to enable it to  hold more supplies and a broader range of product lines.

Founded in 2008 as Anytime Leisure, the company rebranded as Origin Fitness after launching its own brand “Origin” product range in 2012. It will celebrate its tenth anniversary this month.

Co-founder and managing director Paul Bodger said: “Almost 80 per cent of our revenue is repeat business, so the customers we’ve worked with keep coming back time and time again.”

“The fitness industry has undergone a period of huge growth, major change and acceleration in many areas. Our team have done a fantastic job in moving with the industry, helping us stay at the forefront of industry trends.

“We aim to use our recent success in the UK marketplace, which is one of the most developed in the world, to springboard our growth into Europe.

“There’s still huge potential for us to drive the business forward by setting a new standard for suppliers in our industry.”

Jonny Curley, co-founder and director of sales and marketing, added: “As we celebrate ten years in the business, the future is definitely looking bright.

“Origin Fitness has a clear vision for growth in the UK, Ireland and internationally over the coming years, and has become a major force in the European fitness industry.”