Logistics services for the fitness sector

It all starts with the manufacturer or retailer of large exercise equipment. It receives the order to equip several floors of a fitness studio in Munich with exercise machines, for example. However, a physiotherapy practice in Hamburg wants deliveries of new equipment at the same time. Tight schedules are commonplace in this sector. Logistics specialists often have to dispatch large numbers of units to different destinations at the same time. The consignments, however, are valuable and must not be damaged under any circumstances.

After all, just one treadmill in the premium segment is worth about EUR 15,000. Many manufacturers offer a defined number of exercise machines and their total value can quickly add up to EUR 100,000. Logistics specialists therefore not only have to transport this high-value cargo reliably, but also ensure that it remains undamaged and protected.

Back to our order in Munich. The gym is located right in the city centre and the premises can only be reached via a staircase. The customer wants the items to be sent and delivered to their place of use, that is to say, to their final point of use. It is also necessary to assemble and install the units and provide instructions for the gym team. The physiotherapy practice in Hamburg needs a training unit which has to be assembled at the site, installed and connected to the Internet within the next two days. The workout machine manufacturer therefore has the task of perfectly coordinating the orders and meeting the recipients’ high standards in the best possible way. How can it cope with this challenge?

Every customer is different. This means that the underlying conditions for logistics partners will not be the same either. Their services and tasks go far beyond those of a simple freight forwarder, who simply picks up and transports the goods.

While some exercise device manufacturers produce the power machines after the order has been received, other ones operate an extensive warehouse. On one occasion, the delivery may only involve individual machines, while, on another occasion, the entire equipment for a gym is required – and this may possibly include special electronics and sensitive displays.

Experienced logistics services providers secure the valuable cargo using special equipment. Box trucks lined with felt, with air suspension, offer the best possible protection of the goods, for example. The exercise machines are carefully unloaded at the destination. Installation teams transport them to their final position and remove them from the pallet. Floors and fittings have to be protected from any damage and scratches while this is taking place.

For example, Rhenus Sports Tech operates one of the largest warehouses in the fitness sector for one customer; it measures 8,000 square metres. This complements the reliable technical distribution network services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.