HälsoFabriken opened on March 1, 2022, in Kungsängen. The entire facility spans 1,100 square meters, with a 500-square-meter gym fully equipped by Gymleco. In addition to the gym, the wellness center offers services from a naprapath, masseur, medical foot care specialist, nail technician, physiotherapist, ergonomist, dietitian, and two personal trainers who work both in the gym and in a separate PT studio.
The training center is run by Hans Arleklint, also known as HasseCoach, along with two local entrepreneurs, Henri Hupe and Leffe Domberg. We met with Hasse to learn what his 12 years of experience in the fitness industry have taught him and why he chose Gymleco as his gym equipment provider.
Hasse at the Reception of HälsoFabriken
Why Kungsängen?
I live here, I have run a PT studio here for 12 years, and I have built a brand in Kungsängen. I wanted to scale up and create a training facility based on my philosophy—a combination of treatment, rehab, and training. With my partners, who have complementary expertise, we formed a strong team.
Cable Crossover Multi Gym
How did you get in contact with Gymleco, and were you familiar with them before?
They were part of the procurement process for gym equipment, but I already knew about Gymleco. Nordic Wellness has an express facility here in Kungsängen, which was previously Fitnesspunkten and before that, Body Disciplin. They use Gymleco, and I know the person who originally started the gym, so I knew the equipment was high quality.
I sent out a broad procurement request to several suppliers but was drawn to Gymleco and the simplicity of their machines. For example, I don’t think a treadmill needs a lot of functions—it just needs start, stop, speed, and incline. The more complicated a machine is, the more things can break, leading to more customer questions. It should be simple and functional.
Gym benches in the dumbbell section
What other reasons led you to choose Gymleco?
Price was naturally a factor, but another deciding factor was that Gymleco manufactures in Sweden. I appreciate the robustness of their machines, and it’s convenient that they are just a few miles away. Plus, I have a great relationship with Kai Räty (Key Account Manager at Gymleco), who is my main contact.
Did you know Kai before?
No, we got to know each other during this journey. We've had a great dialogue, especially since he has run a gym himself.
How did you plan the layout of the training facility?
I don’t really know what I was thinking—it was very much based on gut feeling. I tried to build, equip, and distribute the space based on how I train my PT clients. For example, keeping heavy lifting areas separate and optimizing space for functional training.
I also wanted to create a natural flow so that even when the gym is busy, movement through the facility feels seamless. If I warm up here, I should be able to easily transition to the next step in my workout and finish close to the water station and locker rooms.
Of course, there’s always trial and error. Sometimes you have to make adjustments and try again.
Leg machines from Gymleco, including one of Hasse's favorites: the leg press.
What is your favorite Gymleco product?
The leg press, hack lift, and Smith machine. I like the leg press because it allows for a strong position and heavy lifting. The hack lift feels great, and I use the Smith machine for bench press training.
What do your members use the most?
The inner and outer thigh machine, the hack lift, and the hip thrust machine. I knew these would be popular. I had heard that people at other gyms were frustrated because squat racks were always occupied by people doing hip thrusts with barbells. We didn’t want to deal with that issue, so we got a dedicated hip thrust machine instead.
Inner and outer thigh machine and hip thrust machine – two favorites at Hälsofabriken.
What is your favorite type of training, and what do your members train the most?
I prefer bodyweight and free-weight training—dumbbells, barbells, training in half racks, etc. When it comes to our members, we have different target groups. The older generation prefers using machines, but we also offer group training to help them feel comfortable using dumbbells. Then we have the younger crowd who spend their time in squat racks and at the dumbbell benches all day. Our training center caters to all demographics.
Rig from Gymleco, serving as the centerpiece in the functional fitness area.
How did you attract such a diverse range of members?
By offering a wide variety of gym equipment. For example, we knew we needed to attract young people, and we knew there were long wait times for squat racks at other gyms. So, we brought in four racks. The same goes for cardio equipment—we made sure to have stair machines and cross-trainers, two of each, so people can train in pairs.
By identifying different target groups, we ensured that everyone could find what they needed. It’s better to have a little of everything than too much of one thing.
Two of the four barbell racks at Hälsofabriken.
What do you enjoy most about running a gym, and what is the most challenging part?
The best part is meeting all the people and feeding off their energy. Since I was already well-known in the community, it feels personal—people see that Hasse has taken things to the next level. Plus, collaborating with other local wellness providers under one roof is fantastic.
The hardest part, or at least the most time-consuming, is running the business itself. The administrative work behind the scenes takes a lot of effort. That said, I do enjoy it. But on top of that, I have 25-30 PT and treatment bookings per week in addition to managing the facility. Luckily, my wife Agata handles reception and member services.
How do you handle that challenge?
Planning—start to finish. Own your calendar.
Two stair machines that are frequently used in the cardio section at Hälsofabriken.
How do you attract new members and keep them?
If you’re buying a car, you wouldn’t buy it without test-driving it first. If a dealership doesn’t get people to test-drive cars, they won’t sell any. The same applies to gym memberships. We don’t market memberships; we market trial training.
We know that at least half of all trial members eventually buy a membership. So, if I want to sell 300 memberships, I need 600 people to try the gym. That’s why we always offer two weeks of free trial training with full access. It works—we’ve had fantastic membership growth in our first nine months.
Another key strategy is taking over a new member’s remaining contract from their old gym. If someone says,
"I’ve tried your gym for two weeks, but I have two months left at my old gym. I’ll come back when that’s over,"
you should respond with,
"No problem, I’ll cover those two months—just stay here."
Once they build a habit at your gym, they won’t want to leave. If you send them back to their old gym, you create an obstacle to them joining yours. So, offering that extra time is a smart investment.
To retain members, listen to what they say—what they like, what they’re missing. Show that you care about their needs and try to accommodate them. Also, invest in gradual improvements. You don’t have to fully equip the gym from day one. For example, we are now transitioning into HälsoFabriken 2.0, and after New Year’s, we’ll move into HälsoFabriken 3.0. Members see that we’re continuously reinvesting in the facility.
Hälsofabriken has a large selection of machines, many cardio machines, and extensive free weight training options.
How do you maintain close contact with members?
Staffing. Too many gyms are unstaffed, which makes it hard to engage with members. We focus on high staffing levels and being responsive. My wife Agata is invaluable in the reception for this reason.
Your top tips for opening a gym?
If you don’t have personal experience, listen to what people actually use and want in a gym. We’ve received great feedback, which I believe is due to the variety we offer in our wellness center. But the key is listening—don’t assume you know everything. Pay attention to what people like and dislike about competitors.
For example, our members told us that space and air quality were important. So, we invested in great ventilation and secured a large facility.
Hälsofabriken will, among other things, purchase more dumbbells as the next step.
What’s next?
We’re moving into phase two. We’re adding more cardio equipment—two exercise bikes and a ski trainer—plus an ab machine, a calf press, and more dumbbells and benches. We’re also expanding group training to 11 sessions per week.
After New Year’s, we’ll introduce more upper-body machines, including a shoulder press, chest press, and row machine. The response from the market has been fantastic, and memberships are growing. Now, we want to show our commitment by reinvesting and expanding further.
