What Waterrower does

WaterRower-Nohrd Nordic ApS (operating as WaterRower Scandinavia ApS and branded WATERROWER | NOHRD) is the exclusive Nordic distributor and importer for two premium fitness equipment brands — WaterRower (USA) and NOHRD (Germany) — serving Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands from its headquarters in Tommerup, Denmark. Founded in 2014 by Richard Kelly after visiting his college classmate Peter King (CEO of WaterRower), the company operates a 300 m² warehouse and 70 m² showroom with a headcount of 1-10 employees.

The product portfolio centers on WaterRower's patented WaterFlywheel water-resistance technology across three rowing machine tiers (A1 entry-level, S4 original, Performance Ergometer with SmartRow) and the complementary NOHRD line spanning cardio (Sprintbok V2 manual treadmill, Bike, WaterGrinder), strength (SlimBeam cable machine, Compact Wall with 24-inch touchscreen, Squat Rack, WallBars, TriaTrainer, SwingBells), and wellness (HedgeHock ergonomic stool, Elasko stretching station, StepBox). All products are constructed in sustainable hardwoods (oak, walnut, ash, cherry, black-stained) positioned as interior-design-grade fitness furniture, with Bluetooth integration to companion apps (WaterRower Connect, SmartRow, NOHRD Connect) and a 40,000+ member SmartRow community.

Revenue is generated through one-time premium hardware sales (DKK 11,499–59,175 per unit) plus accessories and spare parts, distributed via direct-to-consumer e-commerce (waterrower.dk with price matching and free shipping), a physical showroom with virtual tour capability, and B2B project sales to hotels, corporate wellness facilities, golf clubs, and residential developers across the Nordic region. The customer base spans private consumers seeking design-integrated home gym equipment and enterprise clients (The Lodge Billund, fashion brand aim'n, private golf clubs) seeking differentiated fitness interiors. The company is a private limited company (ApS) with no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investment structure.

Name

Waterrower

Legal name

WaterRower Scandinavia ApS

Website

https://waterrower.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WaterRower-Nohrd Nordic ApS is the exclusive Nordic distributor for WaterRower and NOHRD premium hardwood fitness equipment, serving consumers, hotels, workplaces, and fitness facilities across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands via e-commerce, showroom, and B2B projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tommerup

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fitness Equipment Sales: One-time purchase model for premium fitness equipment including rowing machines, exercise bikes, treadmills, strength training equipment, and wellness products. Products are sold directly to consumers and businesses through e-commerce and showroom.
2. Accessories and Spare Parts: Replacement parts, upgrades, and accessories for WaterRower and NOHRD products including cleaning kits, tablets, covers, cushions, and performance monitoring equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

WaterRower-Nohrd Nordic ApS is the exclusive Nordic distributor for the WaterRower and NOHRD brands of premium fitness equipment. The company sells handcrafted wooden rowing machines with patented water-resistance technology and a complementary range of cardio, strength, and wellness equipment, serving both private consumers (home gyms) and commercial buyers (hotels, workplaces, fitness facilities) across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.

Product overview

WATERROWER | NOHRD (WaterRower Scandinavia ApS) is the exclusive Nordic distributor for premium fitness equipment, offering two complementary product lines. The WATERROWER line features rowing machines with authentic water resistance technology: the S4 (original 1988 design), Performance Ergometer (digital with SmartRow), and A1 (entry-level). The NOHRD line expands the ecosystem across cardio (Sprintbok treadmill, Bike, WaterGrinder), strength (SlimBeam cable machine, WallBars, TriaTrainer, Sling, WeightBench, DumbBells, Swingbells, Squat Rack, Compact Wall), and wellness (HedgeHock, Elasko, StepBox). Both lines share sustainable hardwood aesthetics (oak, walnut, ash, cherry, black-stained) and integrate with companion apps (WaterRower Connect, NOHRD Connect, SmartRow) for training tracking. The portfolio emphasizes organic fitness furniture designed as interior décor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NOHRD: Complete fitness equipment series in wood aesthetics including cardio equipment (bikes, treadmills, water grinders), strength training (squat racks, cable machines, benches, dumbbells), and wellness products. Products are manufactured in Germany and designed to match WaterRower's aesthetic principles.

Products and services

• WaterRower S4 The original rowing machine with water resistance, featuring the iconic 1988 design by John Duke. Constructed with two sturdy wooden rails and a quiet rowing seat, with a water tank providing natural resistance. Available in five wood species (Oak, Walnut, Ash, Cherry, Black-stained) and equipped with an S4 monitor. Handbuilt in the USA.
• WaterRower Performance Ergometer

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% of body muscles activated during rowing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PGA Show 2026minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026WaterRower exhibited at the 73rd PGA Show 2026 in Orlando, attracting over 30,000 attendees and 1,100+ brands. The company reported significantly increased engagement from club operators seeking fitness equipment to attract new members and improve retention.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WaterRower: Original US-based brand and parent company; sells the same patented water-resistance rowing machines globally but via different regional distributors, making it the most directly comparable entity operating in adjacent geographies.
• Concept2: Industry-standard indoor rower (Model D, Model E) used by competitive rowers and CrossFit gyms; competes head-to-head with WaterRower in the premium indoor-rowing category on performance and durability rather than aesthetic.
• Hydrow: Premium connected rowing machine with live and on-demand streaming classes; targets the same high-end home consumer as WaterRower but competes on immersive content rather than wood-aesthetic craftsmanship.
• NOHRD: German sister brand under the same WaterRower corporate umbrella; sells the identical wooden fitness furniture line (Sprintbok, SlimBeam, Compact Wall, etc.) outside the Nordics, making it the closest product-line peer.

Broad incumbents

• Peloton: Connected-fitness platform with bike, treadmill and rowing offerings; competes for the same premium discretionary-fitness wallet with a content-led model rather than furniture-grade hardware.
• NordicTrack (iFit): Broadline home fitness equipment brand with treadmill, bike and rower lines, bundled with iFit content; competes with WaterRower across multiple cardio categories at multiple price tiers.
• Life Fitness: Large incumbent commercial fitness equipment brand including rowing machines; competes with WaterRower in hotel and corporate fitness rooms on price-performance rather than wood-aesthetic design.
• Technogym: Premium Italian commercial and home fitness equipment brand; comparable on quality and price tier but competes primarily through commercial gyms, hospitality and corporate wellness — the same B2B channels WaterRower/NOHRD is pursuing in the Nordics.

Emerging players

• Ergatta: Connected rowing machine competing on game-based workouts and a content subscription model; targets the same premium home-fitness buyer as WaterRower.
• Aviron: Interactive rowing machine with gamified content; competes with WaterRower in the connected premium rower segment with a younger, app-first consumer proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waterrower.nohrd.nordic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterrower-nohrd-nordic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waterrower