Johnson Health Tech: A Family Story

The Johnson Health Tech store begins in 1975 in Taichung, Taiwan, where Mr. Peter Lo founded Johnson Metals.

He earned his first client, Ivanko, by handwriting letters to hundreds of companies to offer his manufacturing services. Our modest beginning quickly gave way to two decades or aggressive investment and growth. During this time, Johnson emerged as a premier manufacturer for industry-leading fitness equipment companies. Early clients included Ivanko, Ross, Trek, and others. 

The Early Years

At the time Peter Lo established his business, American companies were looking overseas for manufacturing support. Mr. Lo wanted to convey his ability to conduct business globally, and a nearby mountain named Xueshan gave him an idea.

The name Xueshan, formally pronounced "cha-sen" sounded similar to "Johnson" which Mr. Lo knew to be a common name in Europe and North America. He liked the duality of it, so he called his company Johnson Metals. The Johnson logo bears both the Johnson name and a graphic representation of the Xueshan mountain near the Taichung, Taiwan headquarters.

The first foundry, situated in the same location where the Johnson Health Tech factory stands today in Taichung, Taiwan, produced weight plates to fulfill early orders. The barbells plates were produced for Ivanko. Despite having little exposure to weightlifting equipment, Peter Lo accepted the order. He forged the plates in a small foundry and used his home to finish the work. He and his wife Cindy hand painted the white numbers on each original plate in his living room.