Sold Out: The Fitness Equipment Shortage

With the world forced to work out at home, fitness equipment manufacturers can’t keep up with demand.

• Interest in home fitness gear is up 500%+.
• A Syracuse, New York fitness retailer saw a 625% spike in business.
• Colorado-based Rep Fitness did more sales in one day than it normally does in a month.

In an attempt to keep up, US-based equipment manufacturer Rogue Fitness temporarily shifted its kettlebell production to Cumberland Foundry, a 40-person company in Rhode Island. Although Rogue prides itself on being American-made, its kettlebells are made overseas.

 “We know we are behind and we are working around the clock to clear the backlog.” – Rogue Fitness via Instagram

The big picture: The gym and exercise equipment manufacturing industry generated $2B in revenue in 2019. Of that, 65% of our exercise equipment comes from foundries in China. As COVID-19 took hold, the supply chain was disrupted, creating shortages.

Takeaway: Beyond fitness equipment, the current pandemic is forcing the US to reconsider its manufacturing capabilities and reassess its reliance on a global supply chain — likely to result in an emphasis on American-made goods post-COVID.