| Type | Public (NYSE: NLS) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Exercise equipment, exercise apparel |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, Washington |
| Revenue | $680.3 million USD (2006)[1] |
| Operating income | $41.1 million USD (2006)[2] |
| Net income | $29.1 million USD (2006)[2] |
| Employees | approximately 1,500[3] |
| Website | www.nautilusinc.com |
Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE: NLS), located in Vancouver, Washington, United States, is the marketer, developer, and manufacturer of branded health and fitness products sold under such names as Bowflex, Nautilus, PEARL iZUMi, Schwinn Fitness, StairMaster, Trimline and Universal.[4]
Nautilus and its corporate predecessors have been in the exercise and fitness equipment industry for over 30 years. The actual company Nautilus was formed in 1970, to create exercise equipment designed with Nautilus-shaped cams that would apply greater resistance in exercise motions where muscles are strongest.
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Brian Cook, had held the CEO position for 17 years, from to 1986 to 2003 when he was replaced by Gregg Hammann.[5][6] Under Hammann's leadership in 2005, Nautilus launched a three-year plan to leverage its five brands, Nautilus, Bowflex, Schwinn Fitness, Stairmaster, and Pearl Izumi. Hamann resigned in August 2007.[7]. Robert S. Falcone had served as president, chairman, and chief executive officer since October 17, 2007.[8] As of early 2007, it had approximately 1,500 employees[3] and operations in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, China, and other locations. Edward Bramson, a majority stock owner, replaced Falcone on March 26, 2008.
The company markets and sells its Bowflex and TreadClimber lines of home fitness equipment through its direct-marketing channel, using a combination of television commercials, infomercials, response mailings, the Internet, and inbound/outbound call centers. Select Bowflex home gyms are also available in retail stores.
The company's Nautilus, Schwinn Fitness, and StairMaster commercial fitness equipment are marketed and sold through its dealers to health clubs, government agencies, hotels, corporate fitness centers, colleges, universities, and assisted living facilities.
Nautilus also markets and sells a complete line of consumer fitness equipment and apparel under its different brand names through a network of specialty dealers, distributors, and retailers worldwide.
The current corporate flavor of Nautilus originates in 1986 with the sale of most of the company by the inventor of Nautilus, Arthur Jones. Nautilus became a publicly traded company in May 1999.
The original form of Nautilus dates back to the late 1960s or early 1970s—depending on how Nautilus is conceived. Nautilus was once just a name for the exercise machines proposed by Arthur Jones, but became several corporate names during and after the ownership of Jones.
The name Nautilus refers to a mollusc whose shell is in the shape of a logarithmic spiral. Nautilus exercise machines use a logarithmic-spiral cam, around which a chain is wrapped, connected to a series of weights, to control the resistance the user feels as he/she uses the machine. Nautilus, Inc., had a patent on this cam, which allowed the company to expand considerably. The patent expired; and several companies are now making similar machines.
On August 28, 2007, Arthur Jones died from natural causes at his home in Ocala, Florida, at the age of 80.