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York Fitness was established in York, Pennsylvania in 1932 by fitness guru and US weight lifting champion Bob Hoffman. Initially concentrating on weights and weight lifting equipment Hoffman formed an alliance with the US Olympic committee and to this day is recognised as the Father of Weightlifting in the USA. Hoffman concentrated primarily on sales in the US and training, promoting and guiding the York Barbell Club.
In the early 50’s in Canada, Bill Irvine, a former Mr. Canada bodybuilding champion saw the need to manufacture a range of weightlifting and gym accessories for home use. As the business grew and his products became more in demand amongst the fitness community, he set up a small company and called it York as he lived and worked in a town called York, Toronto.
Both companies existed independently until a chance meeting of the two company founders at a bodybuilding competition. They agreed that Hoffman would sell products only in the US and Irvine would concentrate on Canada and other countries outside the USA. This arrangement continued until 2004 when Irvine and his partner Peter Hallford purchased York USA and the world of York was unified.
York is sold in over 50 countries worldwide and is recognised as one of the market leaders in the domestic fitness product. The company’s reputation grew rapidly following the launch of the innovative 2001 Home Gym in 1985. It still rates as one of highest selling home gyms and was considered the benchmark in home fitness at the time. York now offers a complete range of home fitness solutions including home gyms, treadmills, exercise bikes and cross trainers. There is also a commercial range of weight lifting and free weight equipment developed in conjunction with York USA. In addition, York has a full range of boxing under the BBE brand, as well as several retail house brands such as Exergear, Challenger and Vulcan.
York Fitness International has wholly owned manufacturing facilities in Toronto, Canada and Daventry, England. In addition to this York has formed strategic alliances with factories in Taiwan and China ensuring the market is supplied with the most innovative product at competitive prices.
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