What happens when your manufacturer steals your product design?
For Tyler Danen, it wasn’t just a nightmare scenario — it was a turning point.
In the latest episode of Manufacturing Runs The World, we sat down with Tyler, the founder of FITBENCH, to talk about the moment his vision was copied, his bold decision to reshore production, and how lean U.S. manufacturing became his competitive advantage.
The Lightbulb Moment: Solving a Frustrating Fitness Problem
It all started in a Barry’s Bootcamp class. Tyler kept grabbing the wrong dumbbells — too heavy, too light — and doing the “walk of shame” back to the rack.
“That was the moment I thought: why doesn’t one bench just have everything built in?”
That single frustration turned into the idea for FITBENCH: an all-in-one workout station designed to hold every tool you need for high-intensity training in one compact, organized bench.
The Setback: When Your Factory Becomes Your Competitor
Tyler sourced his first production run from a factory in China. But not long after launching, he discovered something alarming:
His manufacturer was shipping identical FITBENCH units out the back door under a different name.
“We got knocked off almost immediately,” he said. “It was our product. Just with someone else’s label.”
For most entrepreneurs, that could’ve been the end. For Tyler, it was a turning point.
The Pivot: Reshoring to Regain Control
The pandemic made international travel impossible. Quality was slipping. And with the factory’s betrayal still fresh, Tyler made a bold decision:
He brought production home to Wisconsin.
That meant:
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Redesigning the product to eliminate welds and reduce weight by 30%
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Investing in a fiber laser the size of a school bus
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Rethinking the assembly process to enable fast customization and modular design
“We call it a uniframe. It’s how cars are built — and now, it’s how we build our benches.”
And while tariffs weren’t the reason for reshoring, they quickly became one of the many problems FITBENCH no longer had to deal with.
The Payoff: Lean Manufacturing, Big Wins
With just 10 employees, FITBENCH now runs a tight, lean operation — and it’s paying off.
In 2024, they signed a major contract with Planet Fitness that doubled their business. And because they control the design and production, they're able to scale strategically without compromising quality.
“Massive growth can crush a company. We brought in the right people and planned ahead.”
Lessons for Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs
If you're outsourcing overseas or just launching your first physical product, Tyler’s story is a must-listen. Here are a few of his key takeaways:
1. Vet your partners like employees.
Trust matters — and NDAs aren't always enough.
2. Design for manufacturing early.
Eliminating welds made FITBENCH cheaper to build and easier to scale.
3. Reshoring isn’t just patriotic — it’s strategic.
Faster iterations, better quality control, and resilience against tariffs and geopolitical shocks.
