Gladstone Health & Leisure, a leading provider of software solutions, is pleased to announce that its web-based membership relationship management ("MRM") software, Orbit Professional™, is now being used by its first customers following the debut of the new product platform at Leisure Industry Week (LIW) in September 2008.

Orbit is designed to address the market needs of health clubs and leisure centres internationally. Initially it will address single-site independent operators' requirements for a robust and intelligent MRM solution without the need for the operators to invest significantly in software licences and installation. Due to its web-based model, Orbit is expected to widen the reach of Gladstone's services into other territories and sectors and further enhance Gladstone's future earnings.

In the UK alone there are over 1,700 single-site independent fitness centres (The Leisure Database Company, January 2009) in addition to around 450 single-site centres in Ireland (IHRSA, 2008 European Market Report, October 2008). According to industry data, these numbers are expected to increase over the coming years. Orbit is designed to materially change the value proposition for many of these operators by providing them with the system capabilities and functionality that many larger businesses currently expect.

Orbit adopts leading-edge, web-based deployment models including hosted services and SaaS ("Software as a Service"), which enables customers to subscribe to a transaction-based service. It provides owners and staff the ability to manage memberships effectively and efficiently, allowing them to better concentrate on delivering a more proactive and sustained customer service, thereby boosting their business value and member retention at lower costs.

Nigel Snart, Operations Director and owner of Gold's Gym in Camberley, Surrey, one of the first users of Orbit, said: "We recognise the business benefits that Orbit offers in enhancing the management of our gym's memberships. Orbit is user-friendly and is specifically developed as a simple yet efficient software solution. Using Orbit, you immediately notice its easy-to-use aesthetics and yet intuitive capabilities. I am confident that investing in this software will reap long-term benefits to us."

Dr Said Ziai, Chairman and Chief Executive of Gladstone plc, commented: "The successful deployment of Orbit at Gold's Gym is further endorsement of our next-generation intelligent software platform. We are delighted that Orbit has been so well received by its early customers."