In 1922, the world's first ski wax was launched on the market, developed in a company near Stuttgart. That was the birth of HOLMENKOL. The company and its name arose from a personal passion for winter sports, which still drives HOLMENKOL today. Today, winter and summer sports enthusiasts all over the world benefit from its innovations. Sustainability characterizes every step of product development. HOLMENKOL is commemorating its founder with a product to mark its 100th anniversary.
Dr. Max Fischer went too slowly. And not far enough. The chemist, inventor and passionate ski jumper from Ditzingen near Stuttgart was looking for a solution to increase the inrun speed of his skis and enable him to jump further. He found it: 100 years ago, Fischer developed the world's first ski wax. The company HOLMENKOL was born out of a passion. The name was quickly found for Fischer, because his favorite place to ski was the famous ski jump at Holmenkollen in Norway. The passion for winter sports has remained. It has sustained the company all these years and driven the employees in their inventive spirit. This is how the winter sports specialist from Baden-Württemberg has developed into an international year-round expert. Its ski, bike and textile products are sold in over 50 countries and enable athletes around the world to enjoy themselves and perform at their best. But today it's about more: responsibility. For the athletes and for the environment.
HOLMENKOL covers both popular and top-class sport in equal measure. The company supplies top athletes with the best products and has been working successfully with them for many years. Alpine and Nordic athletes have won medals, become Olympic champions and world champions - and HOLMENKOL has played its part with its high-end waxes. The company has also long since made a name for itself with care products for functional textiles and shoes, including impregnations and special detergents as well as cleaners, lubricants and tools for the bike sector. All “Made in Germany”. At HOLMENKOL, this means that 90 percent of the products are produced in the company's own plant near Münster/North Rhine-Westphalia, while HOLMENKOL has its headquarters in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. There, too, the company consistently implements sustainability.
In the 1920s and 30s, HOLMENKOL, initially still known as “Vereinigte Wachswarenfabriken AG Hornung und Dr. Fischer”, mainly produced ski waxes, shoe polishes and household candles. In the post-war period, Max Fischer invented a product that changed the ski wax market: the 3-shot. Using synthetic raw materials, HOLMENKOL developed the first color system that made it possible to wax according to temperature and snow conditions. It became a standard: red wax for damp and wet snow, silver for firn and spring snow, blue for powder and fresh snow. To mark its 100th anniversary, HOLMENKOL is presenting the legendary 3-shot as a liquid wax with a retro look. With the 3-phase principle, relaunched and packaged in a modern way, the company is reminiscent of founder Max Fischer, who only retired in 1971.
Unique selling point sustainability:
Organic label and eco-certified HOLMENKOL has been following the path of sustainability for many years.
To name just the most recent examples from the product area: in 2020, HOLMENKOL became the first SWAN eco-certified ski wax manufacturer in the world. The Natural series was also relaunched in 2019. The products in the patented Natural ski wax collection are biodegradable (in accordance with OECD 301) and have a unique selling point thanks to their organic label. After 28 days, over 60 percent of the ingredients have degraded. The conscious approach to the environment requires no compromises, as the performance remains at 100 percent. The products are also characterized by their uncomplicated application: apply a thin layer, wait a short time, polish, done. They can be used every day and in any weather. So you can ski with pleasure and a clear conscience.
And the topic of sustainability in winter sports continues to make progress: the use of fluorinated substances has been strictly regulated since 2020 - in the future, the raw material should disappear completely from competitive and popular sports. This step confirmed HOLMENKOL's decision to push ahead with its fluorine-free wax series. With the FF wax series, the company has developed a fluorine-free collection for both mass sports and racing. HOLMENKOL now has a complete collection of sustainable ski waxes and has set another milestone in the company's history.
The Natural principle also includes care products. Textile Wash Natural Capsules, for example, are dissolvable detergent capsules that are unique in the sports retail sector. The Natural Proof impregnation guarantees waterproofness by simply spraying on without fluorine. HOLMENKOL has developed the biodegradable Natural Active Wax for the responsible and high-quality care of all hiking and outdoor shoes. With all these products, the company is facing up to the current challenges - with conviction. "HOLMENKOL is characterized by passion. This is the legacy that founder Max Fischer passed on to us. We cherish it," emphasizes Pupp. "This passion is not limited to the quality of the products. For us, it also means taking responsibility."
HOLMENKOL specializes in surface coatings for sports and is the oldest ski wax brand in the world. The company also stands for top performance in textile care - “Made in Germany”. HOLMENKOL has been established as a specialist for chemical surface coatings in sports since 1922 and now sells ski waxes, cleaning and care products. In addition to top quality and user-friendly tools, HOLMENKOL impresses with its expertise and supports athletes with valuable waxing and care tips and tricks.
Where we are, it's all about winning - License to Win!
Commitment to sustainability - for HOLMENKOL, this is a task that stems from the company's identity. “We live outdoors, we love outdoors, we are outdoors,” says Timo Fleischmann, Business Director HOLMENKOL. “Nature is our playground - that's why we have to protect it.” This principle runs through the entire Natural range, whose products bear the organic label - another unique selling point. They are biodegradable according to OECD 301. After 28 days, over 60 percent of the ingredients have degraded. Sustainability from production to packaging. For HOLMENKOL, sustainability does not end with the ingredients of the products. Great importance is also attached to the packaging of the Natural range. All of them already carry the green dot and can be disposed of in the yellow garbage can or yellow bag. In addition, HOLMENKOL is gradually replacing all packaging and increasingly using recycled materials. These are plastics that have already been recycled at least once. By the end of 2020, more than 60 percent of HOLMENKOL's boxes and bottles for all products are to be made from these recycled materials.
HOLMENKOL also keeps an eye on production with regard to resource-conserving working methods. “Made in Germany” is an important principle for the ski wax manufacturer with its production facility near Münster/North Rhine-Westphalia, which enables short delivery routes. In addition, the use of green electricity and the company's own photovoltaic system ensure low energy consumption. Every day, the company works to further reduce its consumption of energy, water and waste. In one year, up to five tons of waste, 70,000 kWh of electricity, 16.8 tons of CO2 and 375 cubic meters of water have already been saved. HOLMENKOL intends to continue along this path.
Whether top athletes or recreational skiers: the manufacturer HOLMENKOL now makes environmentally friendly waxing possible for every skier.
Sustainability starts small, with the details. Just like perfect skiing pleasure. HOLMENKOL shows where both begin: with ski wax. It forms the basis for best times on the slopes, for fun AND for responsibility towards nature.
Fluorine-free: top performance and environmental protection on the trails From leisure to high-performance sports: HOLMENKOL has a complete collection of environmentally friendly waxes. Cross-country skiers want to glide easily and quickly over the trails. But it's about more than that. It's about nature, about responsibility. Thanks to HOLMENKOL, this can be combined.
For winter 2021/22, the company is presenting the FF series, a completely fluorine-free wax for competitive and ambitious athletes. For HOLMENKOL, the world's first eco-certified ski wax manufacturer, this is the only right step.
The wax must provide optimum support for skiers. It must make the difference. In every respect. With the right wax, the ski offers the perfect experience on the descent. At the same time, however, it must make its contribution to environmental protection - at least for the ski wax manufacturer HOLMENKOL “Sustainability is not just a word for us,” emphasizes Business Director Timo Fleischmann. “It has been THE topic for us for a long time and now even more so.”
Fluorine ban: a challenge gladly accepted Since mid-2020, the use of fluorinated substances has been strictly regulated. The raw material will also disappear completely from competitive sports. Formulas that have ensured top times on the slopes for decades had to be replaced. The future: waxes without fluorine, but without any deterioration in performance. Because top performance does not tolerate compromises. “This presented us with a major challenge,” says Product Manager Florian Pupp. “But we were very happy to take on this challenge.” HOLMENKOL fully supports the European Union's decision to ban certain fluorine compounds. “There was no alternative,” emphasizes Pupp. The company has been following the path of sustainability for a long time. In 2019, the Natural series was completely revised and relaunched. In 2020, HOLMENKOL became the first SWAN eco-certified ski wax manufacturer in the world. The team has now developed the new FF wax series. A fluorine-free collection for racing that helps top athletes achieve peak times. HOLMENKOL now has a complete collection of environmentally friendly ski waxes.
FF ski wax series: High performance without fluorine FF: The name stands for fluorine free “Or for fast and furious, which would also fit perfectly,” says Florian Pupp. Because behind the new FF ski wax series is high-tech for speed, high performance and top performance on the slopes - and all without fluorine. Professional athletes have been testing the FF series in the Ski World Cup for two years now. Their feedback flowed directly into the development of the products. The six liquid waxes and five fluorine-free kerosene waxes are the result of the Syntec project, the development of our own raw materials and top products in our in-house laboratory and in close cooperation with professionals. The waxes can be divided into two categories: SYNTEC ff1 Liquid waxes for racing consist of three high-performance liquid waxes for different weather conditions and are ideal as a finish before the start of the competition. Ambitious athletes will find the right products under SYNTEC ff2 liquid waxes: also three performance liquid waxes for different temperatures. They offer maximum performance with uncomplicated processing.
Natural ski wax:
Out of respect for the environment If you want to enjoy nature, you have to respect it. And that means protecting it. In line with this principle, HOLMENKOL has developed the patented Natural Skiwax collection, a biodegradable ski wax line (in accordance with OECD 301): Its products carry the Bio label, a unique selling point. After 28 days, over 60 percent of the ingredients have degraded. Once again, environmental considerations are not at the expense of performance. The products are also characterized by their uncomplicated and quick application: apply a thin layer, wait briefly and polish with the felt. And that's it. They can be used 24/7 - on any day, in any weather. This allows skiers to concentrate fully on their passion: skiing. And with a clear conscience.
HOLMENKOL becomes the first eco-certified ski wax manufacturer
Product awarded Nordic SWAN Ecolabel - Consistent commitment to environmental protection
This has never happened before: HOLMENKOL is the first eco-certified ski wax manufacturer. A milestone in history, but by no means the end. Because the company is consistently pursuing the path towards sustainable and responsible products. In nature - for nature.
You can even see the pioneering work in the name. 2106 0001 - this is the number of the Nordic SWAN Ecolabel awarded to HOLMENKOL. The number 0001 proves it: HOLMENKOL is the first ski wax manufacturer in the world to be granted a license for the renowned Scandinavian certificate. “For us, this is a milestone in the company's history and in our commitment to environmental protection,” says Timo Fleischmann, Business Director Sales & Brand.
With the Natural Skiwax Bar, HOLMENKOL has taken part in the long and intensive certification phase. The criteria are strict. The Nordic SWAN Ecolabel, which is particularly important in Scandinavia, is only awarded to particularly environmentally conscious products - in very different areas. At the same time, performance plays an important role. The gliding properties of eco-waxes must be just as impressive as those of lightly fluorinated waxes. The Natural Skiwax Bar meets all the criteria: it is biodegradable, but environmental protection is not at the expense of performance and athletes do not have to make any compromises. “Performance with a clear conscience,” says Florian Pupp, Sales Manager Germany and Product Manager. Thor Hirsch, Project Manager at Nordic Ecolabel, is also convinced by HOLMENKOL and its approach. “We at Nordic Ecolabel are very happy to be able to award the first SWAN certificate in the ski wax sector to our partner HOLMENKOL,” he says. “Because for us, as a Norwegian company, the name Holmenkol is associated with a long tradition in skiing.”
HOLMENKOL is represented by the WorldRacing Team and its specialists at all Olympic Games, Ski World Championships, championships and all the highlights that a ski winter has to offer.
HOLMENKOL is now represented in more than 20 countries. Among other things, it successfully launched in Japan and established a subsidiary in Austria.
The rapid development of ski bases requires new ski waxing techniques. HOLMENKOL, in collaboration with ski manufacturers, top athletes and their service teams, and the raw materials industry, develops new waxes that meet these increased demands.
1947: In Ditzingen, the further development of ski waxes is again strongly promoted.
1922: Chemist and ski jumper Dr. Max Fischer founded his own company in Ditzingen near Stuttgart.
