Rosemont's Life Fitness has healthy future in new products

Life Fitness President Chris Clawson prefers to stand all day at a tall desk in his office. He and the staff even stand during meetings.

He strongly believes standing is healthier than sitting at a desk all day, so he encourages the practice companywide. Tall desks or desks with treadmills are used around the headquarters in Rosemont.

Life Fitness is one of the oldest designers and manufacturers of cardio fitness equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals and Hammer Strength brand training equipment. It has a new division called InMovement, which launched in September and encourages an active workplace by offering tall desks and treadmill combination desk systems.

"We're just supplying people with solutions," said Clawson, 52.

The plan appears to be working. InMovement desks and equipment are in about 20 companies, including GE Capital and Lisle-based Molex, he said.

Besides companies, Life Fitness cardio equipment is sold to gyms, fitness centers, hotels, law firms and others as well as to consumers worldwide.

Life Fitness moved its global headquarters about two years ago from Schiller Park to a larger space in Rosemont. This year also marked its 2 millionth piece of cardio equipment built at the Franklin Park facility. The company continues to grow. In July, Life Fitness acquired the SciFit Systems Inc., which provides products and equipment for those who are actively aging or need medical-related or rehab fitness, he said.

Clawson, who has a competitive drive, took on the top role at the company in 2010 after spending his career in the fitness and sports industries. Like many young boys, when he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, his answer was always the same, "a professional baseball player." He achieved his goal and played professional baseball for three seasons in the minors for the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros beginning in 1984. Injuries forced him to leave baseball and choose a different career. But his determination to win remained strong.

He had attended Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, where he was an Academic all-American in baseball and is a member of its athletic Hall of Fame. He had earned baccalaureate degree from San Diego State University and master's of business administration from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Evanston.

A Life Fitness veteran, Clawson served a number of positions at the company before leaving for a few years to run another business in the fitness space. He returned about five years ago to take on the role of president.

The company was started by Keene Dimmick, a chemist who developed the Lifecycle bike in 1968. The green bike has since evolved with the digital age along with other equipment. And during the evolution of those pieces of equipment, the company itself went through a number of transitions.

It had been sold to the founder of Stars & Stripes, Bally's and ultimately to Brunswick Corp. And because of that relationship with Brunswick, Life Fitness also sells billiard tables, accessories and game room furniture under the Brunswick brand.

The technology side of the business continues to grow. For example, the LFconnect app for Apple and Android devices interacts with Life Fitness cardio equipment, tracks workouts and syncs with popular fitness apps.

Life Fitness has about 2,500 workers worldwide, including 600 in Rosemont and Franklin Park. Its third-quarter earnings report shows that Life Fitness had sales of about $197.5 million, up 4 percent from $189 million during the same period a year ago. Operating earnings were $27.6 million, compared to $25.8 million during the same period a year ago, company documents show.

Since the introduction of the Lifecycle, Life Fitness has been on the cutting edge of innovation in the fitness and wellness industry, said Joe Moore, president and CEO of International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association in Boston, Massachusetts. Life Fitness is a member.

"President Chris Clawson is a visionary whose leadership is on display as the company continually enhances its product offerings as the public's needs evolve," said Moore. "Life Fitness is a major force in increasing the world's physical activity level."

Life Fitness is part of a growing industry with 63 million people using a health club in 2014, up 2.3 percent from 62.1 million in 2013, and memberships exceeded 54 million in 2014, up from 52.9 million in 2013, according to the Health Club Industry Data report released in October by the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.

Also, total club locations increased 7 percent, from 32,150 to 34,460. Health club industry revenue also increased 9 percent from $22.4 billion to $24.4 billion between 2013 and 2014, the report said.

Besides selling equipment commercially, Life Fitness wants to continue to expand its products for consumers, Clawson said.

"Those who have our equipment in their home also have club memberships to attend a health club," Clawson said. "They have equipment in the home just to augment their workouts at a club."

Home gyms have become more popular, but likely won't replace the variety of equipment, services, classes and camaraderie available at a fitness center or gym, he said.

What's Clawson's favorite workout? Interval training (speed and heart rate) on the treadmill, says the Clarendon Hills resident.

He also believes in listening to the customers and to provide a solution to what they need.

You look at what the customer is doing better, and that can take you to different places, Clawson said.

"We try to solve problems for our customers and we start by asking questions as to what they're trying to achieve," Clawson said.