Atomic Skis
Encyclopedia
Atomic is an Austrian company which manufactures and sells skiing
equipment (skis
, ski boots
, bindings
, helmets
, ski poles
, goggles and protective equipment).
site in 1966. In 1967 some 17,000 pairs of skis were produced, rising to 36,000 in the following year and 72,000 in 1969. In 1971 the company increased its production capacity by building a second factory in Altenmarkt im Pongau
, where the lion's share of ski production still takes place. At the same time Atomic expanded its range and in 1989 became the first one-stop supplier for skis, bindings, boots and poles. Ski production peaked at 831,000 pairs in 1991 and 1992. Since 1994 Atomic has been part of the Amer Sports Group
, which also includes Wilson
, Suunto
, Precor, Volant and Salomon
. Today Atomic manufactures around 600,000 pairs of skis per year.
Atomic is also committed to the development of more environmentally-friendly production methods: the factory in Altenmarkt uses a wood pellet heating system during the manufacturing process. The "Renu" line comprises skis and boots largely made of recyclable and renewable materials.
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
equipment (skis
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
, ski boots
Ski boot
Ski boots are specialized footwear that are used in skiing to provide a way to attach the skier to skis using ski bindings. This ski-boot-binding combination is used to effectively transmit control inputs from the skier to the snow....
, bindings
Ski binding
A ski binding is an attachment which anchors a ski boot to the ski. There are different types of bindings for different types of skiing.-Universal designs:...
, helmets
Ski helmet
A ski helmet or snowboard helmet is a protective head covering specifically designed and constructed for wintersports, often insulated against cold weather. Design includes the ability to withstand multiple impacts. This protective gear comes in different styles and types - full shell, short...
, ski poles
Ski pole
Ski poles are used by skiers to improve balance and timing. Early ski poles were simply sticks, then bamboo , then steel . In 1958, Ed Scott invented the aluminium ski pole...
, goggles and protective equipment).
Background
Atomic was founded by Alois Rohrmoser in 1955. To begin with he employed four members of staff and the company produced around 40 pairs of skis a year. Annual production had grown to 5,000 by the beginning of the 1960s, and industrial ski production began with the expansion of the WagrainWagrain
Wagrain is a market town in the St. Johann im Pongau District in the Austrian state of Salzburg. It is located in a high valley stretching from the Salzach at Sankt Johann in the west to the Enns river in the east. The municipality includes the Katastralgemeinden Hof, Hofmarkt, Schwaighof and...
site in 1966. In 1967 some 17,000 pairs of skis were produced, rising to 36,000 in the following year and 72,000 in 1969. In 1971 the company increased its production capacity by building a second factory in Altenmarkt im Pongau
Altenmarkt im Pongau
Altenmarkt im Pongau is a small town in the Salzburg state of Austria. Altenmarkt is situated 65 km South East of Salzburg. The town occupies an area of approximately 48 km² and sits at 842 metres above sea level.The town is principally known for its winter tourism...
, where the lion's share of ski production still takes place. At the same time Atomic expanded its range and in 1989 became the first one-stop supplier for skis, bindings, boots and poles. Ski production peaked at 831,000 pairs in 1991 and 1992. Since 1994 Atomic has been part of the Amer Sports Group
Amer Sports
Amer Sports Oyj is the largest manufacturer of sporting equipment in the world. Established in 1950, the company is based in Helsinki, Finland...
, which also includes Wilson
Wilson Sporting Goods
The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently is a foreign subsidiary of the Finnish company Amer Sports....
, Suunto
Suunto
Suunto Oy, based in Finland, is a company that produces and markets sports precision instruments for Diving, Training and Outdoor sports. Headquartered in Vantaa, Suunto employs more than 500 people worldwide, and its products are sold in over 100 countries...
, Precor, Volant and Salomon
Salomon Group
The Salomon Group is a sports equipment manufacturing company that originated in Annecy, France. The company was started in 1947 by François Salomon and his wife and son. In 1997 it became part of the Adidas group. On 2 May 2005, Adidas-Salomon announced that it had agreed to sell the Salomon...
. Today Atomic manufactures around 600,000 pairs of skis per year.
Technology
Atomic regards itself as a technological pioneer in the ski sport industry, and its aim is to "make every skier a better skier". Atomic's milestone innovations include the Bionic System (1979), the HY-Vitronic construction (1980) and the Doubledeck (2008), the first technology to automatically adapt the radius and flex to the style of the skier and skiing conditions. Atomic's latest innovation is the LiveFit (2009) – a ski boot which automatically adapts to the shape of the foot. Since 2009 Atomic's skis have also been available with various Rocker technologies.Atomic is also committed to the development of more environmentally-friendly production methods: the factory in Altenmarkt uses a wood pellet heating system during the manufacturing process. The "Renu" line comprises skis and boots largely made of recyclable and renewable materials.