Most disagreements between a buyer and a treadmill factory come down to two people using the same word for different things. This glossary defines the terms as they are used in the quotations we issue, so a specification sheet and a purchase order mean the same thing.
Product terms
Walking pad
A treadmill built without handrails, usually with a low profile and a top speed of 6 km/h or less, designed to slide under a desk or stand alone in a small room. The absence of handrails is the defining feature, not the speed.
Under-desk treadmill
A walking pad sized to fit beneath a standing desk, so the user walks while working. The constraint is height when deployed and when folded, not just belt size.
2-in-1 treadmill
A machine that works both as a walking pad with the handrails folded down and as a conventional treadmill with them raised. Buyers should confirm the top speed in each configuration, because it sometimes differs.
Senior walking treadmill
A treadmill specified around walking rather than running: a low starting speed, handrails for hand contact, and a console that is readable without bending. It is a configuration, not a certification — the term carries no regulatory meaning.
Running surface
The usable belt area, quoted as width × length. It is smaller than the machine’s footprint. When a tender specifies “belt size”, confirm whether it means the running surface or the deck, because the two numbers differ.
Motor and performance terms
CHP (continuous horsepower)
The power a motor can sustain over a long run without overheating. This is the figure that matters for shared or continuous use. It is always lower than the peak rating for the same motor.
PHP / peak horsepower
The maximum power a motor can deliver briefly, typically at start-up or under a short burst of load. It is not a sustainable rating and should not be compared against another machine’s CHP.
Duty rating
The manufacturer’s statement of how intensively a machine may be used — for example home use, light institutional use, or continuous commercial use. It is separate from weight capacity. A high weight rating does not imply a high duty rating, and buying on weight alone is the most common institutional specification error.
Maximum user weight
The highest user weight the machine is rated for, normally quoted in kilograms and sometimes also in pounds. Exceeding it voids the warranty in most cases and accelerates wear on the belt and deck.
Commercial terms
MOQ (minimum order quantity)
The smallest quantity a factory will produce for a given configuration. It usually applies per model and per colour or branding change, not to the order as a whole.
OEM, ODM and private label
ODM means adapting an existing platform with your branding and agreed changes. OEM means building to a specification you define, which may involve tooling and additional validation. Private label usually means applying your brand to an existing configuration with minimal change. All three need the specification, artwork and warranty terms agreed in writing before production.
Incoterms
Standard trade terms defining who arranges and pays for freight, insurance and customs at each stage. FOB names the port where responsibility transfers; CIF adds cost, insurance and freight to the destination port. The term changes the landed cost, so quotations are only comparable at the same Incoterm.
Container loading
How many units fit in a 20GP, 40GP or 40HQ container for a specific model and carton. It depends on carton dimensions, not weight, which is why the figure is quoted per model rather than published as a general number.
Ex-works price
The price at the factory gate, before export clearance and freight. It is the lowest headline figure and the least useful for comparing landed cost unless freight and duties are added.
Documents and compliance
Declaration of conformity
The document in which the manufacturer states that a specific product meets the applicable standard. It is issued per product and per standard, so a declaration covering one model should not be assumed to cover another.
Test report
The record of testing carried out on a sample to a named standard. A report is evidence of a test, not a certificate, and it names the exact model and configuration tested.
Using these terms
If a specification, tender or quotation uses one of these words differently, say so before ordering. Most disputes we see are terminology disputes that were never resolved on paper.
Browse the buying guides or send a specification for review.