Flooring solutions specialist TVS Group pulled out all the stops to transform the free weights area at Huddersfield Leisure Centre and leave the gym in great shape for the new year gym rush and beyond

With the crucial January gym sales period just weeks away, Huddersfield Leisure Centre urgently needed a speedy yet sustainable flooring solution if the gym was to start 2017 with a bang.

Luckily for site operator Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL), TVS Group was on hand with a fast and highly effective solution to the challenge of resurfacing the 400sq m free weights area in just seven days, preparing it to attract a raft of new year members.

“TVS came highly recommended and were very quick to set the wheels in motion with a series of meetings and thorough consultations,” says KAL business development manager Barry Turnbull.

“Time was of the essence, and TVS worked with us to find the most cost-effective solution for our needs and then quickly got to work to complete a complex project in just a week.”

Reducing noise
With January the busiest time of the year for gym operators, it’s no surprise that December is the time when TVS is most in demand to get sites looking their best. Having started in 2009, the company has developed a slick operation that meant it was able to meet the unique challenges of the project despite the tight deadline in the middle of a busy period.

“It was a case of making sure we were really shrewd with our logistics and ensuring we had adequate labour on the job to meet the requirements,” explains TVS group sales manager Andy Roberts.

“We know from experience that it’s vital to co-ordinate phased deliveries in the correct sequence and quantities, to ensure a continuous and efficient process.”

Roberts adds: “Staff at the gym have said that the new flooring solution has helped reduce noise and vibration throughout the building, which is an additional benefit of the specialist rubber compound.

“Our background is in acoustic solutions and that helps us. It’s a factor that’s often overlooked, but with property at a premium, many gyms are only viable because they have specialist acoustic solutions in their free weights and functional areas that minimise disruption to the rest of the building. It’s a very technical area, but gym owners certainly can’t afford to get it wrong.”

The client’s view
Turnball says: “TVS worked with us to find the most cost effective solution and after discussing various pricing options, we settled on the solution we installed.

“We needed the new flooring ahead of the busy new year period and were highly impressed with TVS’ speed and efficiency.

“We found the sales support from Andy very responsive and we’re delighted with the finished product. I can see why TVS came so highly recommended.”

Sector analysis
Roberts adds: “The fitness environment has traditionally been our heartland and we’re seeing a notable increase in the size of free weight and functional areas, as in Huddersfield Leisure Centre. We also supply custom-designed sprint tracks and we’re putting a lot of prowler lanes into functional training spaces right now. Obviously that’s a wider industry trend that has been taking shape for a while, but in terms of our work pipeline, it’s showing no sign of relenting in the UK market.

“We’re also seeing huge demand for our sports flooring solutions, so we’ve recently appointed an outdoor surfacing specialist whose key role is to service our clients in the outdoor sector.

“Right now, this covers EPDM rubber surfacing solutions (a synthetic rubber) for outdoor multi-use games areas (MUGAs) and there’s also a growing appetite for our indoor sports hall systems.

“Additionally, our unique expertise in the technical market of 3G and artificial turf systems means we’re supplying shock attenuating elastic layers for a range of sports, as well as cork infill materials. It’s safe to say we’ve started 2017 in the same busy vein we ended 2016 and we can’t wait to help more people get active.”