You are here: Home > What People are saying about Slendertone > Press Releases

Press Releases 2007 2006 2005

 

Publication: www.rte.ie/health
Section: Health Update
Date: 08/07/2005

Rory Hafford looks into a new survey that claims women are terrified at the very prospect of sun, sand & stripping off on the beach.

The peak holiday season may be coming to an end, but tourists are still jetting off to foreign sunspots. It’s a time for rest, relaxation & riotous good fun……but not, it seems, if you are a woman.

When it comes to holiday’s women worry themselves sick, according to a new survey. They worry about packing sun cream, they worry about flights & tickets & having enough cash. But most of all, they worry about taking their clothes off in front of other people & revealing their pale bodies. The study, carried out by Slendertone, found that a whopping 83% of women “hate” the way their body looks in a bikini, so much so that even the thought of going on holiday puts them into a lather.

Only 6% of hardy souls described themselves as “content” with the way they looked. The remaining 11% have a plan of coping with the stress of stripping in full view. It’s a simple one: they slap on a hat, a baggy t-shirt and do their best to hide away for the duration.

Dr. Patricia Smith who works as a special consultant to Slendertone says: “Women do feel under pressure to look their best on holiday. They see how fantastic celebrities look in their bikinis and worry that they won’t look as good as the other woman by the pool”. Dr. Smith says it’s when the holiday is looming large that panic begins to set in. As a result, a lot of women resort to crash-dieting & power –exercising a week or two before they are due to go away. But what they are setting themselves is often very unrealistic goals. It’s no surprise that this makes them stressed out and miserable. “It defeats the purpose: holidays are supposed to be for relaxation, time out from work and the daily grind, a time to have fun and recharge the batteries”. One woman, who was surveyed as part of the Slendertone Survey, summed up the feelings of a lot of women : “ I get myself into such a state before I go on holiday worrying about how my body will look next to somebody else’s that I sometimes wonder whether it’s even worth booking in the first place”.

There is a way out of the holiday horror, but it involves a bit of forward planning. “Women could save themselves all of that stress with a little organisation” says Dr. Smith. “ Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Gradually change to a low fat balanced diet & moderate exercise programme two months before you are due to go away. “By eating less & moving more you’ll have a sexier bikini body and bags more confidence by the time you step on that plane”.

Some women are so horrified at the very prospect of bearing all on the beach, that they even resort to cosmetic surgery. The survey found that as many as 53% said they would be tempted by the idea of going under the knife to get a better body for themselves.

Publication: The Star
Section: Bikini girls who hate their bodies
Date: 07/07/2005

Millions of women dread going on holiday because they hate the thought of their post-winter bodies, being seen according to new research. Far from looking forward to a fortnight of sun, sea & sand many women say the idea of stripping down to a swimsuit on a beach is daunting.
The survey of 1,000 women reveals that 83% hate the way their bodies look in a bikini – so much that they dread holidays. Just 6% are content with the way they look on holiday. The other 11% simply don a hat & baggy t-shirt and hide away.

Dr. Patricia Smith, head of Bio Medical Research Ltd, which commissioned the research said “Women feel under an awful lot of pressure to look their best on holiday”. They see how fantastic celebrities look in their bikini’s and they worry they won’t look as good as other women by the pool”.

Dr. Smith whose firm make the Slendertone exercise belt said “women could gradually change to a low-fat balanced diet and moderate exercise programme two months before going away on holiday”.

The research revealed that 55% of women preparing to bare their flabby stomachs caused the most heartache while 28% said their thighs gave them pre-holiday worries.
8% were unhappy with their breasts, 5% want a better bottom and 4% want tones arms. More than one in every two attempt to work out more before going away on holiday, 28% go on a strict diet.

A total of 53% admit they are tempted by plastic surgery to improve their bodies & 11% have already gone under the knife. Stomachs, breasts, thighs and bottoms are at the top of the wish list of body parts needing cosmetic surgery

Publication: Sothern Star
Section: “Les Girls” de stress at “catwalk” treat
Date: 04/06/2005

With the bikini season in prospect (hopefully it is as we have not seen too much of it yet,) one may get in shape the easy way this year. It is never too late. Start using the Slendertone Flex abdominal toning belt every day for eight weeks to lose an average of 1.4 inches from your waist. This is actually the only clinically proven muscle-toning belt on the market. The Slendertone Flex is discreet, portable, simple to us & delivers results. If you want more on that score visit www.slendertone.com

Publication: Evening Herald
Section: Short cut to HOT bikini body
Date: 05/05/2006

The arrival of summer and the spectre of bikinis on the beach has sent Irish women into a weight loss frenzy. A new survey of our nations ladies has revealed that a massive 46% use a future holiday as motivation to tone up their bodies.

Three out of four women are concerned about showing off their tummies, with thighs and bottom following close behind.
Now, a Galway company is promising to cut down on the pain of toning up this summer with their innovative super shorts.

Slendertone Flex, BT (Bum & Thigh) are being hailed as the ideal tool to minimise all your lumps and bumps just in time for the summer – and they work most effectively when sitting down. The shorts, which come in sizes 10-20, use C.S.I technology which incorporates six battery operated gel pads. These send small electrical currents to your muscles, causing them to contract and they have a range of settings 1-99. Galway woman Kiara O’Connell used to tone up after having her first baby and gave them the big thumbs up.

“They are fantastic”, she said. “ I had a baby in March and I put on weight on my bum and stomach. Three weeks ago I started wearing them and I can already see the difference. My clothes fit much better. She said she usually wears them at home while doing the housework and claims the contractions are actually stronger when wearers are sitting down. Kiara hates the gym, so the shorts are ideal despite costing £150.00.

Publication: Boost
Section: No more crunches
Date: 06/03/2006

If you want to tone your tummy but you hate stomach exercises, Slendertone Active offers a way to do just that without having to perform countless boring crunches. Slendertone Active is an exercise-based version of the original Slendertone toning belt which stimulate abdominal muscles.

The idea is you wear the toning belt while you perform cardiovascular exercise – walking, jogging, running or using a CV machine – and the belt will stimulate the ab muscles , contracting them while you exercise. This enables you to isolate the stomach and get a toned, lean midsection (provided you combine it with a healthy eating plan!). Slendertone Active also has a hand-held heart rate monitor which displays calories burned and the number of heart beats per minute.

This enables you to adjust the intensity of your exercise routine to burn optimum amounts of fate and get fit. Working at a mid intensity is thought to burn the most! Slendertone Active costs £99.99. To buy online, visit www.slendertone.com or call 0845 070 7777. It’s also available in Boots, John Lewis& Argos stores nationwide.

Publication: Zest
Section: Double Duty Fitness
Date: 01/03/2006

Get taut abs while running. The Slendertone Active (£99 from Argos, Boots & John Lewis) is a toning belt that uses electrical impulses to make your stomach muscles contract. You wear it while walking or running and there’s a heart rate monitor to ensure your workout’s effective. “You get a tangling sensation and feel your muscles contract involuntary” says our tester. “I felt like I’d done loads of crunches by the end”.

Publication: Personal Trainer
Section: Burn the fat while you exercise
Date: 02/02/2006

Two workouts in one – Want to ensure you burn the most fat when you exercise? A new training tool, Slendertone Active, could help you define your correct exercise intensity and burn optimum amounts of fat. It monitors your heart rate to endure that you work in the right aerobic zone for best results. It also tones your abs while you exercise via a toning belt you attach to your stomach which stimulates and effectively “fires” the tummy muscles during your cardio session. The hand held unit also displays calories burned and heart rate. Forget crunches, use Slendertone Active and skip that ab workout. Slendertone Active costs £99.99. To buy online visit www.slendertone.com or call 0845 070 7777.

Publication: Ireland on Sunday
Section: Beauty with Laura Bermingham
Date: 15/01/2006

4 Great Detox pick-me-ups
Slendetone Active, €149.99. With a new lifestyle regime , it can be difficult to concentrate on more than one area at a time, which is why Slendertone have developed the Active programme. With a belt to tone your abdomen while you exercise, the set includes a heart-rate monitor. From selected stores

Publication: Attitude Romeike
Section: The perfectly tone midriff is only a Slendertone away
Date: 06/01/2006

Now that the holidays are over and we’re returning to reality, it’s easy to see that you’ve piled on the pounds with those left-over turkey sandwiches, Christmas puddings and boxes of chocolates. As most of us will admit, now is the time to enforce our “Lose Fat, Get Fit” new year’s resolution. Sounds fun. ? Of course not! For me – the guy with the patience of a two-year old – exercise and dieting just don’t produce the desired results quickly enough. So why not speed up the processes?

From the makers of the Slendertone Flex toning belt comes the Slendertone Active. Unlike its predecessor, this is to be used alongside aerobic exercise to gain optimum benefit. In layman’s terms, you get the abs you’ve dreamed of if used while walking, running or doing anything that gets your pulse racing. Utilising Slendertone’s proven CSI technology (science speak for the electric pulses that cause your abdominal muscles to tense) alongside a fat burning work-out, the creators insist results are seen within four to eight weeks – perfect for the undisciplined and impatient among us.

Unlike previous Slendertone products, the Slendertone Active includes a hand-held monitor that allows you to watch your heart-rate and the amount of calories burned during your aerobic and toning work-out. Just remember to remove it before you hop in to the shower after you’ve finished.

Publication: Evening Post (South Glos)
Section: Shape up for 2006
Date: 12/01/2006

Retail Therapy – Slendertone fitness products at Next
Top high street store Next is helping you get back in shape with its great range of Slendertone fitness products.

Slendertone thigh & bottom toner = £99.99
These breathable shorts firm and tone muscles in your bottom and thighs as you move. The shorts are adjustable, discreet and can be worn under loose clothing.
The interactive LCD on the front shows programme, time and intensity. The smart training system monitors your progress and prompts you through four programmes.

Slendertone Active Abdominal Toner for women = £99.99
The Active Abdominal Toner is specially designed to tone the abdominal area and monitor your heart rate as you exercise, ensuring you train in your aerobic zone – the optimum pace to burn fat and improve fitness. The result is a toning and aerobic workout in one. There are three personalised programmes with feedback on heart rate and calories burned.

Slendertone Fortex Upper Body Toner for women = £69.99
The Fortex Upper Body Toner tones and shapes your arms and bust without lifting a single weight. Portable and easy to use, it takes just four minutes, four times a week for four weeks to see visible results
Publication: Sligo Weekender
Section: Lifestyle changes necessary to beat back pain
Date: 28/06/2005

At some stage in their lives, almost everyone exclaims “Oh, my aching back!” But the experience of back pain can vary hugely.
For some people, it may be a minor discomfort that resolves in a few days, for others it can mean years of pain and discomfort. Back pain can severily restrict a person’s ability to carry out even the simplest of daily activities. An estimated 160,000 Irish people suffer from back pain every day. So what exactly causes back pain?

Just as there are degrees of severity of back pain, the reasons for the condition can also vary. In some cases it’s triggered by an injury, but in others poor posture or inactivity, which leaves muscles slack and unable to support the back properly are to blame. The lower back is particularly vulnerable as it supports the weight of the upper body and is subject to more twisting and bending than the upper area. Back pain can be treated by a number of methods, including medication & physiotherapy. However, the side-effects associated with long-term use of many of these drugs can lead people to seek out alternative treatments. One such treatment option that has just become widely available in Ireland is BAXOLVE, a product that relieves back pain through a combination of TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)with a medical grade lumbar support belt. It works by using the body’s own natural mechanisms to combat pain, sending comfortable pulses to the nerves, suppressing pain signals to the brain and releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killers.

With Baxolve, TENS is administered directly to the site of pain via the lumbar support belt, which also provides support to the lower back muscles, thus helping to prevent the onset of further pain. The successful treatment of back pain, especially the chronic variety, often depends on people making some lifestyle changes. Poor posture, such as slouching in chairs, can play havoc with a weak back. Become aware of how you sit and stand so that you can try to correct any mistakes you’re making. When standing, stand straight and keep your weight balanced, as your back can support weight more easily when straight. When sitting, keep your shoulders back and change positions often.

Publication: Irish Examiner
Section: feelgood 2
Date: 29/04/2005

Health Notes – Low back pain causes one in five to be absent from work on a regular basis, so the launch of a non-invasive, drug free and clinically proven method of relief is good news. Baxolve from Slendertone combines two therapies TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) with a medical grade lumbar support belt that assists the spinal and abdominal muscles. TENS uses the body’s own natural pain-combating mechanisms, suppressing pain signals to the brain and releasing endorphins. Baxolve is available from www.slendertone.com.

Publication: Irish Sunday Business Post
Section: Galway 2006
Date: 18/06/2006

Business shaping up well for medical firm BMR, Parkmore, Galway is the home of private company, Bio Medical Research Ltd (BMR), known to many as the brains behind the Slendertone muscle toning brand. BMR also has a highly successful medical devices division; Neurotech which employees some 130 people in Uberlingen, Germany.

The Galway office houses 60 employees from central functions for both Slendertone & Neurotech, including R&D, Finance, Quality, Operations and HR plus the Slendertone marketing team. Direct sales teams operate in Ireland, Britain, Germany and France, taking the total number of employees to more than 200.

BMR’s core technology is based upon medical and consumer applications of electrotherapy where electrical pulses are delivered through the skin to strengten and tone muscles (EMS or Electrical Muscle Stimulation) or to treat pain (TENS or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. These products are backed by strong clinical evidence generated through independent, controlled clinical trials.

Slendertone is a leading international consumer EMS brand and an established provider of smart, personalised products that improve body shape, health & fitness. Over two million Slendertone Flex Belts have been sold in over 30 countries.

Neurotech’s products are used to treat orthopaedic, neurological, urological and sports injuries and are prescribed by over 2,500 clinics in Germany and Ireland. Turning the corner BMR hit financial difficulties in 2002 while trying to launch in the US market. After significant investment by ICC in 2003, the company underwent a major restructuring programme resulting in BMR returning to profitability last year with turnover improving by 47 per cent to €42.6 million (€28.9 million in 2004) and delivering profit after tax of €5.7 million (losses of €5.2 million in 2004).

Much of this dramatic turnaround was driven by a successful launch of the Slendertone brand in Japan where distributors have invested over €20 million in the brand resulting in sales of over €100 million. Last year Slendertone took back its rights to sell into the sports channel in Europe and began to re-invest in product marketing in Britain, Ireland, France Spain & Germany.

For the first time ever. Slendertone has invested in a highly successful TV advertising campaign in Britain and this is now airing in Ireland. Last week, the company announced it is re-acquiring the successful US Slendertone consumer business to regain control of the brand globally. Meanwhile, the medical devices business also goes from strength to strength. With continued year on year growth in turnover and profits, the company is laying the foundations to replicate this success in other geographical markets.

Dr. Trish Smith, chief executive of BMR commented: “BMR has undergone a major turnaround over the last two years and this is due to the hard work and commitment of all employees. We have had tremendous support from our investors, suppliers, customers and our bank and now we are really starting to demonstrate solid international growth”.
“The re- acquisition of the US Slendertone business is a very exciting milestone for us and offers huge potential”, she said.

Publication: Irish Sunday Tribune
Section: Tribune business
Date: 11/06/2006

BMR buys back Slendertone Us for $6.8m

BMR the Galway based owner of Slendertone toning products, has paid $6.8m (€5.4m) to reacquire the US distribution rights for the range. The company has also reported a marked reversal of its financial fortunes, posting a 47% increase in turnover last year to €42.6m, while its bottom line also returned to the black, recording an after tax profit of €5.7 million compared to a €5.2 loss in 2004.

BMR chief executive Trish Smith said last week that the acquisition deal, completed in just two months, has been “unexpected” and came on the heels of the buyout Compex Technologies by Encore Medical Corporation. Compex previously held the US distribution rights for Slendertone’s range of body toning products. The deal will be formally signed off at the end of June, and it is understood that much of the purchase price related to outstanding Slendertone stock in the United States.

The American market has been fraught with difficulty for BMR since it entered it in 2002. Mounting debt of €11.5m almost saw the company collapse and , in 2003 Smith, was drafted in to perform emergency corporate surgery. She slashed the workforce and began targeting countries such as Japan. Compex has also begun to see the US market finally deliver. In the last 10 months Smith said Compex sold $19m worth of Slendertone products, which were once promoted by the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. The primary sales route for the toning products and accessories is the Home Shopping Network.

BMR expects to embark on a major marketing push in the US market, with new products that will also be sold into the Japanese market, Smith added. She said the company is now almost debt-free. That will certainly be good news to ICC Venture Capital, a backer of BMR, which had stumped up an additional €13 million in funding and €4.5 million in loans as the company got into difficulties.

In 2001, it had sales of €66.8 million between Slendertone products and sales of its German-based healthcare business Neurotech. That year BMR made pre-tax profit of €4.5 million. In 2002, the company booked a loss of €17.5 million. Sales dropped to €60m that year and fell to just under €35m the following year.

Publication: Manchester Evening News
Section: Belting way to stay toned
Date: 30/05/2006

It’s the secret the stars don’t generally want us mere mortals to know. But, I can exclusively reveal, we now know why TV’s young and sexy starlets look so good …..they’re all working out without moving. Yes, believe it or not, everyone from Corrie’s Samia Smith to Coleen McLoughlin are using a product first developed in the 1970s, and still available today to keep their tummy muscles looking just so.

Remember the Slendertone belts which first appeared on our TV screens almost 30 years ago? Well, they’re now de-riguer for every self-respecting female (and some male) celebrity looking for that elusive flat & defined stomach it seems. The new belts are somewhat more advanced than their 1970s cousins but still do pretty much the same thing – stimulating muscle action while the person gets on with everyday things – like attending VIP dinners.

Clearly, its no exercise replacement scheme, but it seems to be paying off for Coleen and Samai as well as a host of other celebs, like Jordan, Steven Gerrard’s fiancé Alex Curran, Kerry Katona, Melinda Messenger & Debra Stevenson – who all have the belts. Corrie’s Samia was so pleased with her workouts she even went on the record to praise the product. She said “ I have been using my Slendertone when I cannot make it to the gym. It is fun and easy to use and it really works. I am very happy with the results”. It’s still cheating if you ask me.

Publication: What’s on in London
Section: Body Focus – Dare to Bare
Date: 11/05/2006

There’s good news for women in a quandary about how to fit a bikini. You can become a beach goddess in less time that you think with home toning devices, says Anna Menton.

Bikini season is upon us and time is running out for those of you hoping t osqueeze into this season’s must have bathing suits. While celebrities look bronzed and toned all year round, the average Brit is probably looking pasty and feeling sluggish in the run up to Summer. A Slendertone survey of women in the UK has found that a massive 46% of women use a future holiday as motivation to tone up their body. 72 per cent of women are concerned about showing off their tummies, while thighs and bottoms follow close behind when quizzed about the body part that needed the most work. Just 29% of women exercise the recommended 3-4 times a week, while 14% don’t exercise at all. It’s no wonder we dread stripping off on the beach.

Joanna Hall is one of the UK’s leading fitness, diet & lifestyle experts, whos approach is to deliver results in a time starved world. “ What is interesting about the survey is that over two-thirds of us are most concerned about our tummies, yet this is an area that can be easily rectified. Doing physical exercise, using specialist techniques to work your abdominal area and getting a little extra help from time saving toning devices is the recipe for success.

Slendertone offers an extensive range of toning products specially designed to help you look great in just 4-8 weeks. If you want to exercise your way into your polka dot tankini, then go for Active, the latest innovation from Slendertone, offering a unique programme of combined exercise and toning to help burn fat and tone up, all at the same time. Alternatively, if exercise is not for you but you still want to look as good as possible when you walk along the beach, then try the Flex toning system. Using Flex Abs gives you firmer, flatter abs without the pain of sit-ups, and for the hard to reach bum and thigh area check out Flex BT; lightweight shorts that can help you tone those orange peel areas and prepare you for stripping off on your sun lounger. For further details visit: www.slendertone.com

Publication: Western People
Section: Dare to bare with toning Slendertone
Date 16/05/2006

Get in shape……..with the bikini season just around the corner it’s time to address those pasty, flabby bodies that have been lurking under the winter layers. This year why not get in shape the easy way, Irish company Slendertone offers an extensive range of clinically proven body toning products specially designed to help tone those problem areas, namely bums and tums and help you look and feel great in just 4-8 weeks.

If you want to exercise your way into your polka dot tankini, then Slendertone Active is combined exercise and toning to help you burn fat, get fit and tone up, all at the same time. It’s a complete fitness solution which includes a Slendertone toning belt, a heart rate monitor, calorie counter, an exercise diary and the unique “Active” points programme which together can put an end to ineffective workouts. Perhaps you don’t have time for exercise but could still use a little help in the tummy toning department, then the Slendetone Flex toning system is just the solution. Using Flex abs will give you firmer, flatter abs without the pain of sit ups. Use everyday for four weeks to achieve the best results, some people can see the difference in as little as ten days. It is discreet enough to use anytime and anywhere, while doing the housework, sitting at your desk at work or just on the couch catching up on the soaps. For the hard to reach bum and thigh area check out Slendertone Flex BT (bottom & thighs), lightweight shorts that can help you tone those orange peel areas and prepare you for stripping off on your sun lounger.

A Slendertone survey of women in Ireland and the UK had found that a massive 46% of women use a future holiday as motivation to tone up their body. 72% of women are concerned about showing off their tummies, while thighs and bottoms follow close behind when quizzed about the body part that needed the most work. Just 29% of women exercise the recommended 3-4 times a week, while 14% don’t exercise at all, so it’s no wonder we dread stripping off on the beach.

Joanna Hall, a UK based leading fitness, diet & lifestyle expert whose approach is to deliver results in a time starved world, “What is interesting about the survey carried out by Slendertone is that over two thirds of us are most concerned about our tummies, yet this is an area that can be easily rectified. Doing physical exercise, using specialist techniques to work your abdominal area and getting a little extra help from time saving toning devices is the recipe for success.”

Using Slendertone toning belts can be more effective than sit-ups and stomach crunches as most people don’t do stomach exercises correctly and put unnecessary strain on the neck and back. The technology behind Slendertone is as follows: Slendertone uses electrical muscle stimulation technology that works the muscles by producing strong and deep, yet comfortable contractions. This technology has been used by hospitals and clinics for over 30 years. Independent clinical trials have shown that all Slendertone products are proven to work.

Publication: Slimmer
Section: Body Beautiful
Date: May 2006

Like the sound of this? Try a portable firming system like Slendertone Flex £69.99

Publication: Daily Star
Section: Slender lovelies are little belters
Date: 11/04/2006

Slendertone, the UK’s leading home toning and fitness experts, hosted eye catching aerobathon yesterday to celebrate World Health Day and get Manchester Active. Crowds gathered in Manchester Arndale to catch a glimpse of the terrifically toned lovelies in Slendertone Active toning belts to intensify their workout and encourage passers-by to get in shape for summer.
Barbara Anne Richardson. Slendertone Marketing Manager, said “We really wanted to get people thinking about how easy it can be to look and feel great. The event caused a stir and the public had a chance to see and feel our product in action”.

Slendertone is the consumer products division of Irish company Bio Medical Research. It makes the only electrical stimulation products that are of medical-grade quality. Slendertone has sold over a million Flex belts in Europe since 2000.

Publication: Slimmer
Section: The Vitality Show
Date:

Slendertone is the UK’s leading home toning and fitness expert. We provide an extensive range of toning products specially designed to help you look and feel great in just 4 to 8 weeks. See us at the Vitality show or check out www.slendertone.com to find out more.

Publication: Woman Spring Special
Section: 21 ways to get the body you want
Date:

2. AB FAB HELP – If you’re doing some exercise anyway – even if it’s ony walking to the shops – and you’d like your abdominals toned, check out the new Slendertone Active toning belt. While the Slendertone Flex was for what they called the more “passive” user, Slendertone Active aims to boost your regular exercise regime. You can monitor your heart rate and the calories you’re burning to keep you at your optimum pace, while the belt’s electrical stimulation products painless muscle contractions to work your abs. Slendertone Active costs £99.99 from Boots, Argos & John Lewis, or see www.slendertone.com

Publication: Sunday Business Post
Section: Don’t say it with a Dyson……and three gadgets she’ll go for
Date:

7. Slendertone
Goodness, no. Yes, they work (“they really do”, a female colleague recently said to me). Yes, there’s still a little ‘baggage’ left over from Christmas. But a slimming aid? It’ll come up in counselling.

Publication: Manchester Evening News
Section: Hot video stars cheer shoppers
Date: 08/04/2006

Raunchy dancers from one of the decade’s hottest pop videos spiced up a dull Friday afternoon for city centre shoppers. The tightly-clad dancers, who all starred in the video for Eric Prydz’s Call on me, brought the Arndale Centre to a standstill with their keep-fit moves. The troupe caused a storm in 2004 when they appeared in Prydz’s video wearing skimpy outfits while working out. Principal dancer Deanne Berry, 26, said that, after spending time in London, Manchester was far friendlier.
She said: Since we’ve been dancing people have been nothing but friendly and chatty, nothing like London at all.

After their Arndale Centre appearance, the group continued dancing at other locations across the city centre. Their visit was sponsored by fitness aid manufacturers – Slendertone.

Publication: The Sunday Tribune
Section: Slendertone gets back in shape
Date: 22/01/2006

Medical device firm Bio-Medical Research is on the road to fitness after a near fatal few years, says CEO.
Trish Smith skips lightly down the steps of the curved staircase which dominates the reception area at Bio Medical Research Galway head quarters and introduces herself with a broad smile. As chief executive of the company that produces Slendertone exercise equipment, it should come as no surprise that the beaming cardiologist turned venture capitalist turned corporate executive is a picture of health and is full of beans even on a wet west of Ireland winter morning.

It’s a wonder she has any energy left after a gruelling couple of years in charge at the troubled medical device firm. Smith and her team are still in the midst of what she describes as “the mother of all turnarounds”.

Smith joined in 2003 when the company was €11.5m in debt and facing disaster. Costs have spiralled out of control, losses were mounting and creditors were getting ready to give up the ghost. “It’s a miracle they didn’t close us down,” Smith says.

BMR’s problems began is 2002 on the eve of what the company had hoped would be its greatest triumph. The company had planned to launch its Slendertone exercise belts, which stimulate abdominal muscles using an electrical current, in the US. The belts had been approved for sale in the States by the Food & Drug Administration. Slendertone’s research indicates that users can increase strength and muscle tone by up to 49%, one of several findings supported by the FDA which thus allowed BMR to make the claims in its product advertising. Unfortunately, for the Irish company, a wave of unapproved copycat products appeared on the market claiming to produce exactly the same results. Suddenly, cheap ab-toning belts were everywhere. Many of the competing belts did not work, claims Smith. Slendertone was losing potential sales to competitors whose inferior products were undercutting it on price but, more ominously, were damaging Slendertone’s products by association.

“There is a bit of a credibility issue around electrotherapy. The first question I always get is, do they work?” says Smith. They do, she says, nothing that in order to secure regulatory approval in the first place the company had to be able to stand over every claim it makes. “We’ll always look to make sure that what you see is what you get. If it says it on the pack, it will do it.”

BMR is emphatic on this issue and it fought back in the States to defend its reputation. It enlisted the help of both the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission to prevent its competitors selling what BMR said were cheap, inferior products which made the same claims as Slendertone but didn’t deliver. The US authorities agreed and went to bat on Slendertone’s behalf. By that stage the damage had been done. Even as Slendertone’s rivals were being forced out of the US, they diverted their product to less regulated markets, first in Europe and then in Asia, leaving BMR fighting fires from country to country and burning cash.

In 2001 it had sales of €66.8m between Slendertone and sales of it’s German-based healthcare business Neurotech. That year BMR made pre-tax profit of €4.5m. In 2002 it booked a loss of 17.5m. Sales dropped to €60m and fell to just under €35m the following year as the company closed many of its international offices and laid off staff. “I didn’t know what had hit me on the day I arrived,” she says.

Smith had been approached by the company’s chairman, former head of ICC Venture Capital Tom Kirwan. ICC, an early BMR backer, had shown faith in the company to the tune of a fresh €13m in funding and €4.5m in loans.
Smith says the scale of the task was nearly overwhelming. Morale had been hit hard by the restructuring and by job losses, including the closure of its Donegal factory with the loss of over 100 jobs as the company farmed out production to China. She was apprehensive about taking on the job at BMR in the circumstances.

Being dropped into the hot seat at the Galway company “as an English person and a woman” with a brief to cut costs wasn’t ideal. In the event, she says, the staff were “very welcoming” despite the difficult circumstances. More job cuts followed her arrival, however, with staff laid off at the Galway headquarters in early 2004 and in spring of last year.

All told, BMR reduced its head count by more than 300, from 512 employees at its peak in 2002 to 187. The departures included some staff who were disillusioned with the seemingly relentless cost-cutting and voluntarily headed for the exits.

” We were thin enough on the ground and then you lose key people,” she says. “ If anything we’re a little bit too lean. The elastic can only stretch so far and at the moment we’re beginning to creak a little bit at the seams.” Fortunately, BMR’s weight loss programme is starting to produce some gains to go with the pain. The company posted pre-tax losses of €5.4m in 2004, according to its most recent set of audited accounts, down from 12.3m the previous year. The 2004 results reflect exceptional costs due to the extensive restructuring which took place during the period, says Smith. That has now started to filter through to the bottom line, and the company returned to profit last year according to Smith. “We traded ahead of our budget all the way through 2005, month on month.” The company has not yet finalised its 2005 accounts but Smith says BMR’s revenue grew from €29m in 2004 to over €40m. Slendertone has begun to gain traction in several markets, notably Japan, where the company sold 250,000 toning belts last year.

Slendertone’s early experience in its key Asian market mirrored its US nightmare but Smith says the company felt Japan was worth persevering with. The main attraction was the Japanese fondness for home shopping channels on television, what marketers all Direct Response TV (DRTV).
“I think the reason it works so well on DRTV is that you have a lot of time to explain the difference between this and cheaper, copycat products,” she says. Smith says the infomercials have also generated sales through retail channels because people have seen the ads on television. “I think people have become very aware of it from TV. The selling job is already done, if you like.” The ads may be a hit but behind the scenes the “selling job” involves a lot of air miles and jetlag. Smith and her management team log frequent trips to the far east, visiting customers and distributors in Japan, manufacturers in China and exploring potential new markets in Asia such as South Korea. It’s great to get home after such an exhausting trip, says Smith. Home is now very definitely in Galway. She professes a long-standing love for the Joyce county, having spent most of her childhood summers in the west with Irish relatives. “A lot of people say what are you doing on the west coast of Ireland, but if you do as much travelling as I do it’s absolutely brilliant to come back to a place as beautiful as this,” she says. Smith is currently building a house in the Gaeltacht area of Barna, which requires her to learn Irish. The lessons are going well, she says, but politely declines an invitation to try out her cupla focail.

Bridging the cultural divide between the west of Ireland and east Asia, meanwhile, brings its own challenges. BMR shipped some criticism following the launch of Flex BT, a Slendertone product designed around a pair of shorts with electrodes to exercise muscles in the bottom and thighs. Unfortunately, the first manufacturing run had been produced with European body types in mind. “With the shorts, we were criticised for them being too big – and certainly for Asia they were – so now we make them in three sizes,” she says. The success of the DRTV model in Japan has helped shape the company’s sales and marketing effort in other markets. The US distributor, Compex, was persuaded by the Japanese success to invest in DRTV and has begun to see some rewards.

“They adopted DRTV in February 2005 and started to really drive a significant response in the second half,” says Smith. Despite Slendertone’s disastrous experience in the US first time around, Smith believes there is great potential for the brand. “All that pain that we went through really now should begin to pay off. It’s now very difficult for our competitors to get in there,” she says. BMR is turning its attention to other markets too. Germany, which also has a strong DRTV culture, holds promise. In recent months the company has signed distribution deals in several countries including Canada, South Korea, Sweden & Portugal.

Smith says it is vital that the company manages its expansion carefully. Creditors and suppliers have been patient, she says, and BMR does not want to do anything that would delay its ability to repay them. Having edged back into the black, it hopes to make serious inroads into its 411.5m “legacy debt” this year.

The balance sheet may not yet be back to full fitness but Smith believes the company is definitely on the road to recovery. Asked how it got there, she says above all it has been a matter of management, staff and creditors believing that BMR still had a viable business despite its travails. “if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, then you’re probably not going to get there.”

Publication: Time Out London
Section: Health Fitness gear to get you going
Date: 18/01/2006

5. Slendertone Active, £99.99
Tone your abdominal muscles by stimulating them with electric pulses. Wear this while you walk or jog to increase your workout

Publication: Attitude
Section: AB Fab – That perfectly toned midriff is just a Slenertone away
Date: Jan 2006

Now that the holidays are over and we’re returning to reality, it’s easy to see that you’ve piled on the pounds with those left over turkey sandwiches, Christmas puddings and boxes of chocolates. As most of us will admit, now id the time to enforce our “Lose Fat, Get Fit” new year’s resolution. Sounds fun? Of course not! For me – the guy with the patience of a two year old – exercise and dieting just don’t produce the desired results quickly enough. So , why not speed up the process?

From the makers of the Slendertone Flex toning belt comes the Slendertone Active. Unlike its predecessor, this is to be used alongside aerobic exercise to gain optimum benefit. In layman’s terms, you get the abs you’ve dreamed of it used while walking, running or doing anything that gets your pulse racing. Utilising Slendertone’s proven CSI technology (science speak for the electric pulses that cause your abdominal muscles to tense) alongside a fat-burning work out, the creators insist results are seen within four to eight weeks – perfect for the undisciplined and impatient among us.

Unlike previous Slendertone products, the Slendertone Active includes a hand-held monitor that allows you to watch your heart-rate and the amount of calories burned during your aerobic and toning work out. Just remember to remove it before you hop into the shower after you’ve finished!!!