The rapidly growing gym chain STC has acquired Puls & Träning, making it Sweden's second-largest gym chain in terms of the number of clubs.
STC, controlled by Axel Johnson Group's Novax and co-founder and CEO Katarina Andersson, has positioned itself as Sweden's fastest-growing gym chain in recent years. Building on a base in western Sweden, the company has more than doubled the number of clubs to today's 106 facilities in a short period and expanded geographically both in northern and southern Sweden. Until today, STC has not had any facilities in the Stockholm region, but with the acquisition of the gym chain Puls & Träning, that market is also opening up. Puls & Träning currently has 94 facilities, of which 72 are located in the Stockholm region.
Katarina Andersson, CEO and co-founder of STC:
"In our merger with Puls & Träning, there is a perfect geographical fit, where they have a strong presence in Stockholm, which until now has been a blank spot on our map. But it is also a perfect combination culturally and in terms of values. Puls & Träning shares our vision of gyms as open, inviting places where people of all ages can meet and exercise. We want to offer really great training experiences, at really great facilities, but with low barriers and at a reasonable price."
Leif Sager, founder and co-owner of Puls & Träning:
"We have been talking for a long time about finding a common way forward with STC. Based on a shared view of both health, exercise, and corporate culture, this is a natural alliance that creates a strong company with the potential to continue developing our offering to our customers and get more Swedes moving."
The gym industry has been significantly affected by Covid-19, especially before clear guidelines were established. However, with the operational adjustments made and ongoing inspections by regulators, more and more people are now seeing that it is possible to exercise safely even at wellness facilities. Despite challenging conditions, STC and Puls & Träning ended 2020 with more members and facilities than at the beginning of the year. After the merger, the STC group remains controlled by Novax and Katarina Anderson, but with Puls & Träning's co-owners remaining involved in the combined company.
Josef Bexell, Chairman of the Board of STC and sector head for Health & Wellness at Novax:
"With this deal, STC becomes Sweden's second-largest wellness chain in terms of the number of facilities. Today, too many people are too sedentary, and we know that regular exercise is the best remedy for ill health, both physical and mental. Therefore, we want to help people incorporate exercise into their daily lives, and we do so by lowering barriers and offering wellness facilities with high accessibility. It is perfectly aligned with Novax's desire to invest in businesses that combine business and societal benefits. Over the past year, growth and customer activity have been held back by the pandemic and restrictions, but looking ahead, we are convinced that there is both a need and a desire among people to resume exercising."
Contacts:
Katarina Andersson, STC
+46(0)739 40 99 00
Josef Bexell, Sector Head Health and Wellness Novax
+46 (0)701 09 90 04
