A world of wellness

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Architect: Alessandri sees the Middle East as “a very important market” for Technogym.

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Madonna's a fan. So is George Clooney. The British royal family are into it too, apparently.

From a small, dark garage in rural Italy, to a 150,000 sq m site hosting 1000 employees, global fitness equipment company Technogym has confidently charted a path of incredible growth. Lead by founder Nerio Alessandri, the multinational Technogym has become one of the world's biggest fitness providers and is now flexing its corporate muscles within the burgeoning Middle East fitness scene.

"We see the Middle East as a very important market for our product," Alessandri explains, as we take a leisurely tour of Technogym's international headquarters near Bologna, in northern Italy.

"We are very interested in being a part of the fast development in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, particularly the hospitality, residential, spas, commercial and leisure markets," he continues. "The Emirates and its high-end luxury market is a strategic area for Technogym, and we aim to develop both a business and a social project in this region, which offers very interesting potential."

Technogym has also recently partnered with Fitness First health clubs in Dubai, although Alessandri is quick to reject the ‘fitness' term and consistently refers to the preferred Technogym ‘wellness' description of the brand.

"It's not fitness, its wellness - America is fitness, Italy is wellness," he insists. "Wellness is an overall experience involving regular physical activity, healthy diet and a positive mental approach."

Alessandri, himself the original designer and driving force behind the company's massive success, says he aims to create an emotional experience for Technogym clients across the world.

"It's a 360-degree process that we find valuable. When I developed this concept of wellness, I was influenced by my country's culture and my Roman ancestors. The health concepts that they used, with baths and spas. It's that balanced approach that improves people's lives through healthy living," he relates with confidence.

This old-school philosophy combined with new-school holistic thinking and technology is a company belief, and its resulting focus on health instead of merely building muscle mass has positioned Alessandri as a pioneer in his field.

Sharing his wellness concept and promoting social responsibility is an idea that Alessandri is intent on taking to the world, including his fellow Italians.

"Italians have a good sensibility towards a balanced lifestyle but the levels of people participating in wellness are generally low. But the awareness is growing. We've grown by 40% every year for the last 10 years."

Alessandri notes that the UK and Italy are currently the company's biggest markets with each country taking a market position of approximately 15%. Further growth is anticipated across the US, and also in the Far East.

He concedes that the US is the location of the world's biggest fitness and wellness market, with Technogym focusing its efforts on building a presence within the Western superpower's fitness markets.

However, while the US is a huge market, China has become the company's priority and is currently where Technogym's growth focus has shifted. The Asian giant is closely followed by India, and Alessandri anticipates a growth explosion in both countries over the next five years.

The expected growth will also be spurred by Technogym's recent appointment as the sole official supplier to the Beijing Olympic Games in August 2008.

Technogym's link with the Olympic Games dates back to the early 1980s and has been a crucial part of the company's international success. Technogym has been the official supplier for the Sydney 2000 Olympics, 2004 Athens Olympics, alongside the Torino Winter Olympics 2006 and Asian Games 2006 in Doha.

Now a major global player, Technogym had its beginnings in a farming village, south of Bologna, where Alessandri worked as a local waiter.

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