Helionova Director Steps Down as Chairman of Sunbed Association

The Sunbed Association which was inaugurated in 1995 by Helionova, Ergoline, Philips, Cosmedico and Jomi has now elected a new Chairman, Gary Lipman due to the resignation of the previous Chairman Richard Warden.

Richard Warden, Managing Director of Helionova steps down after being Chairman of The Sunbed Association for the last ten years.

Richard, who introduced the ‘sunbed’ into the United Kingdom in the mid seventies has been at the forefront of commercial sun tanning for over thirty years and has seen enormous changes over this time.

‘I bought the first sixty sunbeds into the United Kingdom at the end of 1976 and had a very difficult job initially in finding a market – however a fifteen minute slot on the now ceased programme ‘Pebble Mill at One’ really started the ball rolling – but in those days there was only the sunbed – that is a unit that you lay on and you had to turn over after 30 minutes as there was no overhead or roof to the beds in the early days’

Richard’s company, Helionova Limited, has now had major investment from Ultrasun of Holland who has been the principal supplier to Helionova of its range of Ultrasun and Garda Sun sunbeds.
Ultrasun whose HQ is in the Netherlands, has outlets throughout the world and has its own operation in the USA in Germany and in addition to its interest in the United Kingdom now has a company in China!

Willem Fabels is the Chairman of the group and is now assisted by his son Thijs Fabels who will guide both the US operation and help with the UK company.

Ultrasun has now taken a 60% holding in Helionova leaving 40% with its founder and chairman Richard Warden. Richard will now take more of a back seat in the company leaving Emma Johnston who has successfully run the rental side of the company in charge of Ultranova, Joanne Denny who runs the Smart Buy side and Steve Foyster who has been the senior engineer for Helionova for the last ten years will take the day to day running of Helionova as General Manager.

Contact Information

Richard Warden

Managing Director

Helionova Ltd

Contact via E-mail