HASTINGS, Minn., June 28 Motivated by a personal desire to help others improve their lives through fitness, Petro Hameleers of the Netherlands has signed a master franchise agreement to open as many as 150 Anytime Fitness clubs in the Benelux region (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) over the next 10 years. Hameleers, a multi-club owner and physical therapist with more than 15 years experience in the fitness industry, says his first Anytime Fitness club could be open as soon as January of 2011.
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"We look forward to our affiliation with Petro Hameleers in the Benelux," said John Kersh, Vice President of International Development for Anytime Fitness. "Petro is a respected and capable health club operator, and we expect the demanding Dutch consumers to appreciate the simplicity and convenience of Anytime Fitness."
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With more than 1,300 gyms now open, Anytime Fitness is the largest co-ed fitness club chain in the world. Nearly 1,000,000 members belong to Anytime Fitness clubs worldwide. Among the many features that make Anytime Fitness so popular: 24-hour access to clubs, affordable membership fees, high quality exercise equipment and neighborhood locations.
"It is my dream to make healthy lifestyles more affordable and accessible for people in the Benelux," says Hameleers. "I believe in locating clubs closer to where people live. That eliminates barriers and makes it more efficient for members to use the clubs."
Hameleers says he's also excited about the online resources and support services available to Anytime Fitness members via the company's new website www.AnytimeHealth.com. The site features diet and activity trackers, nutritional guides and meal planners, hundreds of exercise videos, a medical information library, smoking cessation tools, stress reducers, fitness and nutrition blogs, support groups and more.
"Anytime Fitness clubs in the Benelux will provide our members with more than nice equipment and helpful staff," Hameleers says. "Anytime Health will give our members the knowledge and support they need to be successful and achieve their fitness goals."
Hameleers says he is also proud of the fact that Anytime Fitness is a founding partner in "Exercise IS Medicine," a global initiative designed to encourage physicians to routinely consult with patients about their activity levels and to prescribe fitness club memberships for their patients when appropriate.
"Beginning in January, insurance companies in the Netherlands will begin subsidizing fitness club memberships for people with diabetes," says Hameleers. "This is just the beginning. Hopefully, the insurance and medical communities will soon realize that the most effective way to treat and prevent a wide variety of obesity-related conditions is through exercise. When that time comes, Anytime Fitness - in the Benelux and around the world - will be poised to help."
About Anytime Fitness
Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness provides nearly 1,000,000 members with convenient and affordable fitness options at more than 1,300 friendly, well-maintained facilities featuring top-quality exercise equipment. Members who join one Anytime Fitness club can use any of the other clubs at no additional charge. State-of-the-art security and surveillance systems ensure member safety even during unstaffed hours. For more information about becoming an Anytime Fitness franchisee, or to find the club nearest you, visit www.anytimefitness.com.
SOURCE Anytime Fitness
