A Message to Our Korean Classical Pilates Community
Dear Gratz Community in Korea,
Elizabeth and I would like to take a moment to share a message with you.
At Gratz, we have always been deeply committed to Classical Pilates—the method as it was originally taught, preserved, and passed forward. Over time, it has been especially meaningful to witness the growth of the Classical Pilates community in South Korea. Today, Korea represents one of the most important Pilates communities for Gratz anywhere in the world, and we are grateful for that.
During our recent visit to Seoul in November 2025, we had the opportunity to spend time with several of the leading Classical Pilates studios in your community. What we experienced left a lasting impression on us.
We were struck by the level of skill, discipline, and care demonstrated by teachers and studio owners. Just as importantly, we felt a deep sense of respect for the method—and for the role that Gratz apparatus plays in preserving its integrity, tracing directly back to Joseph Pilates.
In many of the studios we visited, we saw Reformers, Cadillacs, Chairs, and Barrels being used with precision and intention—supporting clear teaching and consistent execution of the work. To see the method practiced this way, with such fidelity, is something we do not take for granted.
We are sincerely grateful for the trust you place in us.
A Dedicated Korean Website
We have recently launched a Gratz website designed specifically for our Korean customers—our first country-specific website anywhere in the world. Our goal with this website is to make it simpler and more transparent for our Korean customers evaluate and place orders.
If you have not yet seen it, we invite you to explore the site. We hope it will make it easier to plan studio investments, whether you are expanding, replacing key apparatus, or completing your system over time.
As a result, we want to continue investing in ways that better support you and your studios.
Korean Language Support from Philadelphia
Last fall, we welcomed Liz Lee to our team in Philadelphia. Liz works closely with many of you on product inquiries, order coordination, and customer support—often in Korean. Her presence has helped us communicate more clearly and respond more effectively, and we are very pleased to have her as part of the Gratz team.
Building a Presence in Korea
We have now established a legal entity for Gratz Korea. With this new entity now established, we will be able to make the import process for new Gratz orders much simpler, and with Gratz handling most of the import and customs details ourselves rather thanasking our customers to do these things.
We are also in the process of hiring a senior representative based in Korea, likely in Seoul. Our intention is to bring someone into this role who has a deep understanding of Classical Pilates and who can support the community locally—in your time zone, in your language, and with a shared respect for the method.
This is an important step for us. More than simply expanding our presence, it reflects our desire to be more responsive, more accessible, and more closely connected to the Korean Classical Pilates community.
This individual will:
- Work directly with studios, teacher training programs, and partners to thoughtfully expand and strengthen Gratz’s presence in Korea
- Partner with our customer service team in Philadelphia to ensure that any issues are addressed quickly and carefully
- Support new studio openings, expansions, and community events in coordination with our marketing and service teams
- Build relationships across the community through studio visits, events, and ongoing engagement
- Help oversee local service partners, parts availability, and logistics to ensure a more reliable and consistent experience
- Provide structured market insight back to our headquarters, helping us continue to improve how we serve you
Our goal is to support your work more effectively—and to do so in a way that is consistent with the standards of the Classical method.
Investment in Quality and Precision
We have made significant new investments in quality assurance across our manufacturing process, with a clear objective: that every piece of Gratz apparatus arrives exactly as it should—true to specification, consistent, and without compromise. Over the past year, we have substantially expanded our QA team and capabilities, supported by the development of detailed engineering specifications and precise tolerances across each apparatus we produce.
One part of our new and further upgraded QA processes, is that we are now uploading the QA report, including photos of each apparatus for each order, to your Gratz account page. We do this to improve communications and as another step in our journey to continuously focus on quality.
With these standards in place, we are now able to measure, verify, and ensure consistency at a far more rigorous level. This work is foundational. Precision in the apparatus is not incidental—it is essential to the integrity of the method.
Significantly Improved Lead Times
We also recognize that timing is important, particularly for studio openings and expansions. Over the past year, we have made substantial improvements in our manufacturing operations. Today, our lead times are 90 days or less for new orders, which we hope allows you to plan with greater confidence.
We would like to close by expressing our appreciation.
Your dedication to Classical Pilates—and to preserving the integrity of the method—is something we deeply respect. It is both inspiring and humbling to see how the work continues to grow in Korea while remaining true to its origins.
We are committed to supporting you with the same level of care, precision, and authenticity that has defined Gratz from the beginning.
With sincere thanks,
John Riccitiello
(on behalf of Elizabeth and the entire Gratz team)