Cottage Grove, Wis. (December 12, 2025) — Matrix Fitness, the world’s fastest-growing commercial fitness brand, received the Silver Award for its Upper Body Cycle in the Recreation and Sport category at this year’s Taiwan Excellence Awards, an annual program recognizing the most innovative and impactful products from Taiwanese companies.
More than 900 products from 477 companies competed for consideration at this year’s Taiwan Excellence Awards. Of those, 336 products were selected as award finalists, with only 10 earning Gold and 20 earning Silver distinctions—placing the Matrix Upper Body Cycle among a select group of top-ranked products.
Taiwan Excellence Awards entries undergo a rigorous, two-phase evaluation process assessing four core criteria: research and development, design, quality, and marketing. The Silver Award recognition underscores Matrix Fitness’s commitment to accessibility, thoughtful design, and advanced engineering.
“Our goal with the Matrix Upper Body Cycle was to create an inclusive product that serves a wide range of users—including youth, athletes, pregnant women, wheelchair users, and older adults,” said Becky Jalbert, Senior Product Manager – Group and Personal Training at Matrix Fitness. “Our engineering and design teams integrated innovative features to allow users to engage their upper body independently or dependently depending on their abilities and goals. With the seat stored directly on the product, wheelchair users do not need assistance for setup or use.”
At the core of the Upper Body Cycle is Matrix’s patented bi-directional drive system, which provides smooth and consistent resistance in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. This design supports users with uneven strength, those rehabilitating upper-body injuries, and those who benefit from alternating motion to minimize fatigue.
“Our team was honored to receive the Silver Award at the 2026 Taiwan Excellence Awards as we continue striving to make fitness more accessible,” said Jalbert.
About the Taiwan Excellence Awards
Established by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs in 1993, the Taiwan Excellence Awards recognize outstanding products that demonstrate innovative value and are made in Taiwan. Eligible entries undergo a rigorous two-phase selection process evaluating four core criteria: research and development, design, quality, and marketing.
The first phase includes on-site evaluations conducted by expert panelists, resulting in a shortlist for Gold and Silver Awards. In the second phase, international judges participate in selecting the final recipients of the Taiwan Excellence Gold Award and Silver Award—the program’s highest honors. Products awarded the Taiwan Excellence mark are promoted globally as benchmarks of Taiwanese innovation and manufacturing excellence.
About Matrix Fitness
Matrix Fitness is the leading commercial fitness brand in the world and is the premium brand of Johnson Health Tech. Matrix offers a complete portfolio of cardiovascular, group training and strength training equipment for health clubs, hotels and other fitness facilities.
About Johnson Health Tech
Johnson Health Tech, Inc. (JHT), Taiwan, is among the world’s largest and fastest-growing fitness equipment manufacturers and is home to some of the most respected brands in the fitness industry, including Matrix, Vision and Horizon. The company manufactures a wide assortment of fitness equipment for both commercial and residential use, including treadmills, elliptical trainers, exercise bikes, and strength training equipment. JHT’s global management headquarters is based in Taichung, Taiwan, with global product development, marketing and engineering based in Cottage Grove, Wis.