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REP Fitness Flexes in Europe’s Top Market: Plans Direct-to-Consumer Launch in the UK

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LONDON, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — REP Fitness, the Colorado-based strength brand renowned for its innovative, high-quality gym equipment, today announced the official launch of its direct-to-consumer operations in the UK. Building on a successful 2024 in which REP achieved over $130 million in sales, this expansion marks a significant step toward the brand’s ambition of becoming the world’s no. 1 strength brand, targeting 50% growth in 2025.

REP Fitness has announced the official launch of its direct-to-consumer operations in the UK.

“The UK is a pivotal market for REP as we continue to grow internationally. After the success of our EU launch in 2024, the UK was the logical next step for us,” said Ryan McGrotty, co-CEO of REP Fitness. “By bringing our class-leading racks, benches, barbells, and functional training tools directly to British customers, we can make quality strength equipment more accessible and continue empowering individuals to pursue their strength goals.”

UK Market Potential & Expanded Offerings

The UK is home to 11 million commercial gym members, supporting a $250 million strength training equipment market, a $500 million cardio equipment market, a $1 billion sports nutrition market, and a $5 billion fitness apparel market. Frequently cited—alongside Germany—as the 1st or 2nd largest fitness market in Europe, the UK offers a robust landscape for REP’s ongoing expansion. In addition to its established product lineup and new cardio line, the brand will also introduce its apparel line—featuring innovative performance fabrics and functional design—and its expanding Purist supplement & nutrition range to UK consumers, furthering its commitment to delivering a comprehensive fitness ecosystem.

Leadership & UK Rollout

The local expansion will be led by Martyn Jones, who joined REP in December 2024 and now serves as CEO of REP Fitness UK. Under his leadership, REP will introduce pricing similar to the US market: excluding VAT or sales tax, UK customers will see pricing closely mirroring US prices. REP is also bringing over 1,200 SKUs to the UK—matching its US assortment—and aims to launch 30 new products globally in 2025.

“Our goal is to ensure that our UK customers receive the same value and experience as our US customers,” said Jones. “Our product pricing will match our US prices as closely as possible. We’re also introducing an array of new products in 2025, including a cardio lineup, and collaborating with independent designers to bring fresh innovations to market—making this an incredibly exciting time to be part of REP and now, a UK fitness enthusiast.”

Transition from Fitness Superstore

REP Fitness will conclude its distribution partnership with Fitness Superstore on September 30, 2025. Fitness Superstore has been instrumental in establishing REP’s footprint in the UK since 2023, providing in-store demonstrations and exceptional customer service.

“We are immensely thankful to Fitness Superstore for representing the REP brand so successfully,” said Jon Little, Chief Operating Officer at REP. “They have been an outstanding partner, helping us reach thousands of UK customers. As our product lines expand into cardio equipment, apparel, supplements, and more, we recognize that a direct presence in key markets is crucial to achieving our ambition of becoming the world’s number one consumer strength brand. This transition is part of our broader strategy and is by no means a reflection of Fitness Superstore’s performance. We remain on excellent terms and look forward to continuing the overall growth of the UK strength market together.”

Paul Walker, Managing Director of Fitness Superstore, echoed these sentiments:

“We’ve been proud to partner with REP Fitness since 2023, introducing their top-tier equipment to thousands of satisfied customers across the UK. This transition to a direct-to-consumer model underscores REP’s strategic growth, and we appreciate being acknowledged for the crucial role we played. We’re pleased that all existing warranties, remaining REP inventory and service agreements will transfer seamlessly to REP Fitness UK, ensuring our customers continue to receive excellent support. We remain on great terms with REP and look forward to watching their continued success in the UK market.”

Existing Customers: All warranties, service agreements, and post-purchase support for REP equipment purchased through Fitness Superstore will transfer seamlessly to REP Fitness UK.New Customers (Interim): Fitness Superstore will continue offering REP products through September 30, 2025. After that date, all remaining REP inventory will be transferred to REP Fitness UK and Fitness Superstore listing will be removed. Ongoing customer orders will then be handled exclusively through the dedicated REP Fitness UK channel.

New UK Facility & Operational Timeline

From Q1 2026, REP Fitness UK will begin shipping orders nationwide from a new 40,000-square-foot facility at St Modwen Park in Gloucester. This facility will feature:

A head office capable of housing up to 40 staff members,A full retail showroom where customers can experience REP’s equipment in person,A warehouse capable of holding up to £10 million worth of stock, ensuring quick fulfilment and dispatch across the UK.

“Throughout 2025, we’ll be setting up robust operations so that when deliveries start in Q1 2026, customers experience REP’s renowned quality and service from day one,” explained Jones. “We want to ensure every aspect of our local operations—from customer support to logistics—is ready before we go live.”

If REP Fitness UK is not fully operational in time for its traditional Black November sale, the company will instead offer a subsequent launch sale so that UK customers do not feel they have missed out on any seasonal promotions.

Comprehensive Customer Focus

REP is committed to providing UK customers with the same high level of service and convenience it offers in the US. This includes:

Free Shipping within the UK for direct-to-consumer orders.Pick-Up Discounts for customers who collect their orders from the Gloucester site.Local Warranty & Returns mirroring the US, ensuring peace of mind for every purchase,UK-Based Customer Support with local phone numbers and GMT/BST service hours.Financing & Payment Options such as PayPal and Klarna, offering up to 3 years of finance credit to make equipment purchases more accessible.

REP will also introduce a B2B sales channel in the UK, enabling businesses of all sizes—from independent gyms to large-scale fitness facilities—to access REP’s expanding lineup of strength equipment.

Building a Strength-Focused Community & Looking Ahead

REP’s community-focused ethos extends beyond its product offerings:

UK Athlete Program: REP is actively recruiting local athletes and ambassadors to showcase the brand’s equipment, further connecting with the UK fitness community.FIBO 2025: REP will attend the global fitness event in Germany, unveiling a host of new products. Martyn Jones will be on-site to meet with UK customers and discuss the brand’s vision.Monthly Updates: Starting in May, REP will hold monthly online sessions to update UK customers on the launch process and address questions—ensuring the strength community remains involved and heard.

“By combining unparalleled innovation, top-tier customer support, and the best prices, we’re empowering individuals and businesses alike to take charge of their fitness journeys,” added Jones. “Our new Gloucester facility—and the dedicated team behind it—will be at the heart of that effort in the UK.”

ABOUT REP FITNESS

REP engineers and sells world-class, innovative strength equipment that is shipped worldwide. Founded in Colorado in 2012 by two brothers with a shared passion for fitness, REP has grown into a team of more than 200, with operations spanning multiple continents. That shared passion for strength drives REP’s innovative spirit today, as the company remains dedicated to creating class-leading fitness equipment at a great value.

REP has been listed twice on the Inc. 5,000 fastest-growing companies — in 2018 (#450) and in 2021 (#962). REP products frequently earn top-choice rankings across leading fitness publications, including Men’s Health and GQ. For more information about REP, visit repfitness.com.

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SOURCE REP Fitness

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NEC Vietnam Appoints New General Director to Advance Digital Innovation

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HANOI, Vietnam, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — NEC Vietnam announced the appointment of Yasushi Numakura as its new General Director, effective April 1, 2026. The appointment reflects NEC’s continued commitment to expanding trusted technology partnerships and supporting Vietnam’s growing digital ambitions.

Numakura-san joined NEC Group in 1990 and brings over three decades of experience across systems engineering, mobile technology development, and global business leadership. In 2014, he was appointed Head of NEC Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh branch, where he drove business portfolio transformation and strengthened regional partnerships. He subsequently held leadership roles at NEC Solution Innovators and most recently led resource management reform initiatives as part of delivery model transformation efforts.

In his new role, he will lead NEC Vietnam’s business operations and strategic direction, with a focus on strengthening software development capabilities and accelerating digital transformation initiatives across key sectors, serving both the Japanese and APAC markets.

“I am excited to join NEC Vietnam and build on the strong momentum established by the local team over the years. Together with our customers and partners, we look forward to creating what’s ahead through trusted technologies and meaningful solutions that create lasting value for businesses, communities, and society. In line with NEC’s 2030 mid-term direction, we will also advance our capabilities as an AI-native organization with security at the core, ensuring that our innovations are both impactful and resilient,” shares Numakura-san.

Under his leadership, NEC Vietnam will continue providing technologies and solutions spanning software development, biometrics, and public safety.

***

About NEC Vietnam

NEC established its liaison office in Vietnam in the early 1990s under the global business framework of NEC Corporation. It was re-organized as NEC Vietnam Co., Ltd. in 2006, with a newfound commitment to grow the business and contribute towards the people and society of Vietnam.

In a rapidly changing business environment, NEC Vietnam has evolved into a comprehensive solutions provider, leveraging their core competence in delivering Solutions for Society, focused on building social infrastructure that benefits citizens and communities.

Visit https://vn.nec.com to learn more.

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SOURCE NEC Vietnam

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South Asia’s First-ever Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Demonstration, Led by ISGF in Collaboration with its Technology and Utility Partners

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NEW DELHI, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — South Asia’s first ever groundbreaking Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology Demonstration in India implemented by India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) marks a major advancement in smart Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and grid stability, paving the way for a future of bidirectional energy flows between EVs and the power grid. ISGF, with its utility partners and technical support from the University of Delaware (UDEL), USA, executed this first-of-its-kind Alternating Current (AC) V2G pilot demonstration in South Asia. The demonstration project was implemented at BSES Rajdhani Power Limited, BSES Yamuna Power Limited, TATA Power Delhi Distribution Limited, as well as at the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT), Kerala. This pilot demonstration has tested a variety of V2G use cases and found it highly relevant for distributed renewable energy integration and grid stability.

As part of the project, four Tata Nexon EVs were retrofitted with on-board bidirectional power modules and connected to the grid through bidirectional AC chargers. The equipment cost of AC V2G is significantly lower than DC V2G. ISGF is working with local technology companies and EV OEMs to build a V2G ecosystem in the country.

For more information, please write to contactus@indiasmartgrid.org

About India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF)

ISGF is a public private partnership initiative of the Govt. of India, with the mandate of accelerating smart grid deployments across the country. With 170+ members comprising of ministries, utilities, technology providers, academia and research, ISGF has evolved as a Think-Tank of global repute on Smart Energy and Smart Cities. The mandate of ISGF is to accelerate energy transition through clean energy, electric grid modernization and electric mobility; work with national and international agencies in standards development and help utilities, regulators and the Industry in technology selection, training and capacity building.

Website: https://indiasmartgrid.org/ 

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Tencent Cloud and Stream Partner to Accelerate the Development of Real-Time Multimodal AI Agents

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HONG KONG, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of leading global technology company, Tencent, today announced a strategic collaboration with Stream, the company behind the open-source AI agent framework Vision Agents, to accelerate the development of real-time, multimodal AI agents.

Through this collaboration, Tencent Real-Time Communication (Tencent RTC) becomes an officially supported edge transport plugin for Vision Agents, giving developers worldwide a low-latency path to build and deploy interactive AI applications across global markets, including regions where network complexity and real-time performance are critical.

Unlocking Lower-Latency Transport for Enhanced Experiences Across China and Asia

Vision Agents is an open-source, edge-agnostic Python framework from Stream that helps developers quickly build low-latency vision AI applications. Rather than retrofitting video onto a voice-centric stack, Vision Agents was designed as a video-first solution — running models such as YOLO, Roboflow, OpenAI Realtime, and Google Gemini on every frame, with sub-500ms end-to-end latency and over 25 out-of-the-box integrations across LLM, STT, TTS, vision, RAG, telephony, and avatar providers.

Through this partnership, Tencent RTC becomes an officially supported edge transport plugin for Vision Agents. Developers can use Tencent RTC to replace the default communication layer in Vision Agents and instantly leverage Tencent Cloud’s enterprise-grade backbone — more than 3,200 global nodes, sub-300ms worldwide latency, AI-driven noise suppression, and weak-network resilience — while keeping every existing LLM, STT, TTS, vision, and avatar plugin unchanged.

The integration supports both audio and video, making it suitable for voice agents, video agents, and multimodal scenarios — powering use cases such as gaming assistants, virtual avatars, sports coaching, and robotics. AI agents can join TRTC rooms and interact with participants in real-time through high-quality audio and video streams.

Tencent RTC operates a globally distributed real-time network with particularly strong performance across some markets in Asia where many global real-time stacks face connectivity and latency challenges. By integrating Tencent RTC, Vision Agents gives developers worldwide a reliable transport option for delivering low-latency, multimodal AI experiences to users in Asia. Developers can improve real-time communication performance by simply swapping the interface.

Wison Xie, Head of Product at Tencent RTC, said: “Vision Agents represents exactly where conversational AI is heading, beyond voice-only, into agents that can truly see, hear, and act in real time. By bringing Tencent RTC’s global real-time backbone to the Vision Agents framework, we are giving developers worldwide a turnkey path to ship multimodal agents that perform reliably from Silicon Valley to Shenzhen. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to powering the next generation of real-time AI experiences for enterprises and developers across global market.”

Neevash Ramdial, Director of Marketing and Vision Agents Lead, said, “Our goal with Vision Agents is to make real-time AI development faster, more flexible, and open, giving developers the freedom to choose the models, infrastructure, and plugins that work best for their applications. Developers building global conversational AI applications also need reliable real-time performance in every market, and Tencent RTC brings high-quality, low-latency connectivity across Asia to the Vision Agents ecosystem. We’re excited to work with Tencent RTC to help developers scale multimodal AI experiences worldwide while having the freedom to use whichever plugin or model best fits their app.”

About Tencent Cloud:
Tencent Cloud, one of the world’s leading cloud companies, is committed to creating innovative solutions to resolve real-world issues and enabling digital transformation for smart industries. Through our extensive global infrastructure, Tencent Cloud provides businesses across the globe with stable and secure industry-leading cloud products and services, leveraging technological advancements such as cloud computing, Big Data analytics, AI, IoT, and network security. It is our constant mission to meet the needs of industries across the board, including the fields of gaming, media and entertainment, finance, healthcare, property, retail, travel, and transportation.

About Tencent RTC: 
Tencent RTC provides real-time communication solutions, including audio/video calling, live streaming, and in-game voice. With enterprise-grade security, AI-powered enhancements, and a global network of over 3,200 nodes, Tencent RTC powers mission-critical communication for customers worldwide.

About Vision Agents: 
Vision Agents is Stream’s open-source framework that helps developers quickly build real-time video AI applications. It works out of the box with most major LLM, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, avatar, and infrastructure providers, so teams can go from idea to production in just a few lines of code, building everything from real-time sports coaches to rich, context-aware avatars.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/tencent-cloud-and-stream-partner-to-accelerate-the-development-of-real-time-multimodal-ai-agents-302774565.html

SOURCE Tencent Cloud

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