STC is proud to announce the acquisition of the gym chain Wellness Studio, which operates 29 gyms in southern Sweden. This acquisition aligns with STC’s mission to get more people moving. Driven by a passion for improving public health in Sweden, the expansion in southern Sweden enhances STC’s impact on health and fitness. With this acquisition, STC now operates over 250 gyms, stretching from Åre in the north to Trelleborg in the south.
Anders Carlbark, CEO of STC:
“We are thrilled to welcome Wellness Studio’s gyms, employees, and members to the STC family. Our passion for improving public health in Sweden is not just a goal but a daily driving force. This deal marks an important milestone in STC’s growth journey and allows us to offer even more fitness opportunities to both current and future members.”
STC continues to grow by building its own gyms and through acquisitions. Recent acquisitions include Sportsgym in northern Sweden and Puls & Träning in the Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö areas.
Wellness Studio has successfully operated gyms in multiple locations across southern Sweden. Through this acquisition, STC strengthens its position in the fitness market by adding more modern gyms to its offering.
Joachim König, Co-owner of Wellness Studio:
“Just like STC, we at Wellness Studio are passionate about helping people become the best version of themselves. For years, our business idea has been to ‘help people live a healthy life through regular exercise,’ and we now look forward to joining STC’s strong brand. Together, we aim to get even more people moving. We feel that our organizations share the same values and complement each other perfectly.”
While life expectancy is increasing, overall health is not improving. Both physical and mental health issues are growing in a world that is becoming increasingly stressful and always connected. This insight led Axel Johnson’s investment company, Novax, to establish a new focus area in 2018, targeting health and wellness. As part of this initiative, Novax became the majority owner of the STC gym chain.
Josef Bexell, Sector Head – Preventive Health at Novax and Chairman of the Board at STC:
“At Novax, we see an opportunity to build the market leader of the future in health and wellness. Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of better health, and we want to do more to help more people. Strengthening STC’s presence in southern Sweden is an important piece of our development strategy, but our ambitions extend beyond the gym walls and the Swedish market. Several of our initiatives in this area are still in stealth mode, but we will be able to share more information soon.”
STC will officially take ownership on December 2. Wellness Studio will continue to operate under its current brand for some time, but by 2025, it will be integrated, rebranded, and incorporated into STC’s offerings.
About STC:
STC currently operates over 220 gyms in Sweden. With more than 1,600 employees, STC is guided by the core values of joy, passion, personality, professionalism, and community.
STC opened its first gym in Kungälv in 1998, where its support office is still located. Since 2018, STC has been part of the Axel Johnson group through its majority owner, Novax Gym Holding. STC focuses on both large full-concept gyms and smaller residential studio gyms. The company offers strength and cardio training, group classes, personal training (individual and group), as well as online training options.
For more information, email press@stc.se.
