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 Doubled size of STOTT PILATES equipment production facility in April 2004 and size of Head Office and International Certification Center increase by 50 percent in March 2005.
Merrithew Corporation, parent company of STOTT PILATES, was named one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada by PROFIT, The Magazine For Canadian Entrepreneurs, five years in a row. It is the only fitness company to have made this list. The annual PROFIT 100 list ranks Canadian companies using five-year revenue growth as the measure of success.
Sales grew 1,147 percent from 1997 to 2002, while staff increased almost three-fold during the same five-year period. STOTT PILATES has 76 full-time employees.
Lindsay and Moira Merrithew are finalists for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the second year in a row.
Signed a multi-million dollar deal with Lions Gate Home Entertainment (formerly Artisan Home Entertainment) in 2003 and will begin launching the STOTT PILATES line of videos via mass retailers in the US in 2004.
Successfully launched 16 critically acclaimed STOTT PILATES* DVDs and VHS titles at retail across Canada in 2003. The videos are among the best selling titles at Chapters/Indigo, Wal-Mart, Blockbuster and other major retailers nationwide. They are also available via the company’s web site: www.stottpilates.com.
STOTT PILATES* videos were presented with numerous awards at the 2004 Telly Awards, AEGIS Awards and the US Film & Video Festival
In 2003 more than 4,000 people enrolled in STOTT PILATES courses worldwide. Total number of instructors trained to date is close to 6,000, making STOTT PILATES the largest educator of pilates instructors worldwide.
Boasts close to 100 affiliated training facilities worldwide where instructors are trained to teach STOTT PILATES.
Launched STOTT PILATES with Moira, the first prime time pilates television show, on WTSN in 2003.
Translated and published the first three titles of its popular instructional manuals into Japanese & French in 2004, with plans for Spanish next.
Since introducing its most popular reformer – the main piece of exercise equipment used in pilates exercise – STOTT PILATES has sold thousands of units worldwide.
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Secured international distribution deals in 2003 in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan and the United Kingdom.
STOTT PILATES equipment is used by such celebrities as Madonna, Jim Carrey, Sharon Stone, Martina Navratilova, Lucy Lawless, John Cleese, Rod Stewart and members of the Cleveland Indians baseball club (Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar, Travis Fryman).
INDUSTRY FACTS
Pilates is the fastest-growing exercise method in North America – participation rose 102.7% to 9.5 million participants in 2003. – American Sports Data, Mt. Kisco, NY.
60% of U.S. clubs report offering pilates. – The International Health, Racquet & Sports Association (IHRSA: Industry Data Survey, Profiles of Success).
“There is a growing body of scientific evidence that supports mindful exercise as a significant means of favorably altering various aspects of health, specifically cardiovascular risk factors and mood state.” – Ralph La Forge, M.Sc., Duke University Medical Center.
63% of respondents to the IDEA Fitness Programs and Equipment Survey reported offering pilates in their facility with 40% noting that they charge an additional fee and 20% indicating that they incorporate pilates equipment. – IDEA Fitness Programs and Equipment Survey, 2002.
According to a recent report from the US Surgeon General’s office:
-- 60% of American adults exercise only once in a while
-- 25% never exercise.
-- Six out of ten resort to medications to feel better.
-- One-third is overweight.
-- 14% suffer from depression.
-- Two out of five will die of heart disease
The documented benefits of regular exercise such as pilates, include:
-- Protection against colds and flu
-- Relief from the pain and symptoms of arthritis
-- Prevention of type-2 diabetes
-- Reduction in the incidence of certain types of cancer
-- Slows or reverses the effects of Parkinson’s disease
-- Halts many of the symptoms associated with aging, such as difficulty walking – Club Business International, IHRSA, March 2004
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