Springfield Armory, firm makes pistols and rifles (including the 1911 and XD brands) for personal, military, law enforcement, and competitive use. It sells logoed apparel and sporting accessories, such as scopes and cases, on its Web site. Products are primarily sold through US retailers and internationally. Customers can customize their guns with upgrades and modifications through the company's Springfield Custom unit. The original Springfield Armory was designated as the country's first arsenal by George Washington in 1794.

The story of Life Fitness began when two young entrepreneurs, Ray Wilson and Augie Nieto, saw the promise of Dr. Dimick’s invention. Even though it was slightly ahead of its time, they believed the Lifecycle exercise bike could help generations of athletes, trainers, exercisers, and people everywhere live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. Wilson and Nieto bought the rights to the Lifecycle bike from Dr. Dimick, perfected it, and sold it out of a motor home to health clubs across America. Despite the overwhelming odds and initial unpopularity of the Lifecycle exercise bike, the two passion-filled pioneers turned a two-man operation and a seemingly impossible vision into a prosperous reality. Along the way, they shaped the future of Life Fitness as well as the fitness industry, bringing cardiovascular training into the mainstream and helping ignite the health club boom. Today, Life Fitness employs more than 1,700 people at 12 international subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities, with 186 dealers and distributors in more than 120 countries. The company have come a long way since the Lifecycle bike and now offer more than 300 different cardio and strength-training products. The history of Life Fitness is painted with several ground-breaking product innovations and industry “firsts”. The timeline below will help you follow our storied past and learn about the role they have played in the evolution of the fitness industry.

The institutional customer, among several others, saw the dawn of a new vendor with American Dawn. American Dawnm anufactures textile products (including industrial aprons and towels, bed linens, blankets, and surgical towels and patient gowns, as well as chef and butcher uniforms) that are distributed to wholesale, commercial, and retail markets. The company was founded as Overseas General Business in 1972 and caters to the health care, home fashion, laundry and institutional, and salon industries. American Dawn has expanded its operations through the years by acquiring Ambassador and KWB/Calco Manufacturing in 1989 and Tres Manufacturing in 1994.

Starlight is one of the leading EMS providers of Audio & Video electronics. It was founded by Chairman, Mr. Philip Lau in 1969 with very humble beginnings. He took out a loan of HK$100,000 and started producing transistor radios. With steady growth it became listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1988 (HKSE: 0485).

Global-Tech Advanced Innovations Inc., an investment holding company, manufactures consumer electrical products primarily in Australia, Europe, North America, and Asia. The company operates in three segments: Home Appliances, Electronic Components, and Others. The Home Appliances segment manufactures floor care products, including hand-held steam vacuum cleaners, upright vacuum cleaners, and extractors; and kitchen appliances, such as blenders, breadmakers, coffeemakers, electric knives, espresso machines, food choppers, food processors, food steamers, ice cream makers, and indoor grills. The Electronic Components segment produces complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera modules (CCMs) for cellular phone manufacturers. The Others segment provides Intellicorder, a home security device, utilizing its CCM technology. The company distributes its products through mass merchandisers, specialty retailers, warehouse clubs, drug store chains, direct marketing organizations, and department stores. It was formerly known as Global-Tech Appliances Inc. and changed its name to Global-Tech Advanced Innovations Inc. in December 2008. The company was founded in 1963 and is based in Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Global-Tech Advanced Innovations Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Wing Shing Holdings Company Limited.

At a time when workplace cynicism is in vogue, Successories is the anti-Dilbert. The company makes personal motivation and self-improvement items, including awards, books, coffee mugs, computer and desk accessories, framed desk and wall decor, greeting cards, and pens. Products produced by Successories are sold through the millions of catalogs it mails each year, its Web site, and a handful of retail stores in Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas. Successories was founded in 1985 by Arnold (Mac) Anderson. It published its first catalog in 1988, went public in 1990, and was taken private in 2003. TWS Partnership acquired the company in June 2009.

Pool Corporation operates as a wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products. It offers approximately 100,000 national brand and private label products, including maintenance products. The company sells maintenance products, such as chemicals, supplies, and pool accessories; repair and replacement parts for cleaners, filters, heaters, pumps, and lights; packaged pool kits, including walls, liners, braces, and coping for in-ground and above-ground pools; pool equipment and components for new pool construction and the remodeling of existing pools; and irrigation and landscape products, such as professional lawn care equipment. It also offers complementary products, including building materials used for pool installations and remodeling, such as concrete, plumbing and electrical components and pool surface and decking materials; and other discretionary recreational and related outdoor lifestyle products. Pool Corporation serves swimming pool remodelers and builders, retail swimming pool stores, swimming pool repair and service businesses, landscape construction and maintenance contractors, and golf courses. Pool Corporation operates 288 sales centers in North America and Europe. The company was formerly known as SCP Pool Corporation and changed its name to Pool Corporation in 2006. Pool Corporation was founded in 1993 and is based in Covington, Louisiana.

Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded equipment and accessories that enhance athletic performance and protection. The Company markets and licenses products under such well-known brands as Easton, Bell, Riddell, Giro and Blackburn. From Easton to Riddell to Bell to Giro, the brands of Easton-Bell Sports set the standard of design and protective excellence across multiple sports, equipment categories and sales channels. Our commitment to this philosophy and standard is reflected in our unrivaled history and foundational belief in technological innovation. It is the reason each brand holds a strong number one status within key product categories in baseball, softball, hockey, football, cycling as well as snow, action and power sports.

ETREMA Products, Inc. (EPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Edge Technologies, Inc., is the sole U.S. supplier of Terfenol-D, and was established in 1987 to primarily commercialize the product, Terfenol-D, and transfer its technology from laboratory discovery to industry. At the same time, the technology for producing Terfenol-D was fully transferred from Ames Laboratory to ETREMA Products, Inc., granting EPI the technique to start small-scale production of the material.In 1993, EPI built a world class facility in Ames, Iowa with the ability to house, develop and manufacture Terfenol-D. EPI is a high-tech Iowa corporation engaged in the development and commercialization of the "Smart Material", Terfenol-D. EPI currently has the only facility in the world capable of producing commercial quantities of Terfenol-D. EPI also holds the exclusive license for Terfenol-D production.

Playmates Toys is among the most well respected and innovative marketing and distribution companies in the global toy industry with a proven heritage in both the creation of original and imaginative products as well as the development and management of profitable, long-term brand franchises. The company's core licensed character and entertainment brands include Disney Fairies, Nickelodeon's "iCarly" and H2O, The Halcyon Company, Warner Bros' distributed "Terminator Salvation", CBS Consumer Products- Paramount Pictures' distributed "Star Trek", Giochi Preziosi's "Gormiti", 4Kids Entertainment/Mirage Licensing's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and 4Kids' Yu-Gi-Oh! and Dinosaur King. From its offices in Hong Kong, China, and the United States, Playmates Toys designs, develops and markets its products which are distributed in over 80 countries worldwide.

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