Cybex plans big splash at IHRSA, talks of home line to come

Cybex intends to make more than a big splash at the IHRSA show in late February. Actually, a really mondo humongous one with the company’s largest-ever booth area — 104 total booth spaces, we were told. Ye gawds, Cybex may need to provide compasses and maps so visitors aren’t left lost and wandering around aimlessly overnight because they couldn’t find a way out.

But a huge booth isn’t the only splash that Cybex is planning as it rolls out some of the final pieces of its new commercial equipment it’s been bringing out since early 2002. (By the way, the total will be 20 new strength pieces, the ArcTrainer cardio piece, and two new treadmills — all between July 2002 and March 2003.) SNEWS has been told the company is looking to establish a consumer products division for both cardiovascular and strength equipment, and looks toward about June 2003 to rollout its first truly home-oriented equipment. Tentatively using the Trotter name (but not losing the Cybex connection), the pieces are slated to be in the “sweet spot” of $2,000-$3,000 and will sell at specialty retail.

SNEWS View: Cybex is a still a name that will ring a bell for many who workout. Using both the known Trotter name and tagging that with the Cybex name could be a package that will catch a consumer’s eye by name alone. And that can translate into sales pretty quickly. Assuming the company will stand by the quality it has represented (we assume), we foresee this as being a success. Now, that of course assumes that the slow turnaround the company is grappling with will accelerate so 2004 is The Year of Cybex.