Brand goes from strength to strength

STRENGTH and fitness brand PRIMAL has delivered its most successful trading period to date with £17million of new business wins.

The business has also seen a substantial boost in invoiced sales revenue over the past five years, with annual turnover reaching £15.5million in the year ending April 2023, a 400 per cent increase from 2019.

The UK-based company, which specialises in the manufacture of premium strength equipment and the design of bespoke fitness spaces, is now working towards its ambitious threeyear plan to reach revenue of more than £25m.

Founded in 2016, PRIMAL has a growing portfolio of high-profile clients in the domestic and overseas markets. It counts JD Gyms and Energie Fitness as customers, as well as having PRIMAL Performance Centres at Celtic and Burnley football clubs.

It has also fitted out bespoke home gyms for major sports stars and film personalities including James McAvoy, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Robinson and Sam Warburton.

The fitness brand, which is led by founder and CEO Steven Rinaldi and backed by Flywheel Partners, links its recent success with the growing strength training trend around the world. In the past year, PRIMAL recorded its largest growth in the international sphere, expanding into 25 countries worldwide including in Europe, United Arab Emirates and South Africa where it is set to install its equipment in more than 100 locations for Virgin Active.

Steven said: “The way people perceive fitness has changed massively in the last decade. Gyms used to be stacked with rows of running and cardio machines, but now there is a real appreciation and understanding of the benefits of weight training.

“Strength work is essential for improving fitness and can help to prevent injury. It also burns calories and improves heart health. There has been a distinct surge in this type of training in recent years, particularly amongst females.

“We pride ourselves on being an industry-leading and innovative brand, which provides first-of-its-kind equipment. This mindset has allowed us to stay ahead of industry trends and coupled with the growth in working out at home, has created a fantastic opportunity for a premium brand like PRIMAL to flourish.”

PRIMAL’s strategic focus is now on further penetration of commercial gym spaces in the UK as well as continued growth in selected global territories through exclusive distribution relationships. It will also target sales to home consumers through its refined online platform.

During Covid the business saw an opportunity to expand into the home gym market and began creating compact equipment that fits seamlessly into the home space.

With demand for home gym spaces continuing, today its Personal Series accounts for 30 per cent of its total business.

Steven added: “PRIMAL is driven by a belief that ‘strength is in us all’, and we have set out to create world-leading functional spaces that anyone can use.

“We are on an upward trajectory with the best team in the business and after a few years of establishing the brand, we’re now making our mark on the domestic and global stage.

“We have a number of strategic partnerships in place, which we will continue to grow and maximise as we work towards our vision of making PRIMAL a household name and Europe’s leading strength and fitness brand.”

With the backing and support of Flywheel Partners, PRIMAL is also selectively evaluating strategic acquisition opportunities that may further enhance the company’s scale and customer offering.