Originally of October, we introduced the sudden closure of CSS Composites, a Utah-based producer of FusionFiber carbon wheels. The corporate manufactured wheels for manufacturers equivalent to Revel, Chris King, and Evil. It additionally had its personal nook of the carbon wheel market with Forge + Bond.
With FusionFiber’s claims of better-performing and recyclable carbon, information of their closure got here as a little bit of a shock. Many Revel, Chris King, and Forge + Bond (and others) prospects searching for guarantee claims had been left hanging.
Thankfully, different manufacturers stepped up. Trade 9 partnered with Revel to help with its wheel warranties, whereas NOBL is dealing with Chris King prospects. Reynolds additionally threw its identify within the hat, providing help to any CSS Composite/Forge + Bond prospects put out by the closure.
However now, it seems to be like Forge + Bond is again. Nonetheless, reasonably than manufacturing phenomenal carbon wheels, the FusionFiber model has jumped into the pickleball world.
In a narrative first coated by the Escape Collective, CSS Composites LLC is incorporating its proprietary FusionFiber know-how into pickleball paddles. Some might argue that the abrupt closure and failure to help prospects, solely to rebrand weeks later, is questionable. Nonetheless, these do appear to be some fairly rad pickleball paddles.
“Rebranding” may very well be a little bit of a stretch. “Forge + Bond” is now “F + B Sports activities,” and nonetheless makes use of the identical blue “+” image because the wheels. The present web site could be very acquainted, with biking pictures traded for courts and nets. FusionFiber know-how stays a key part of the brand new F+B Sports activities. The model priced its pickleball paddles at $200, they usually additionally provide quite a lot of attire choices for buy.
All snarkiness apart, hopefully, this transition meant jobs saved for these working at CSS Composites and Forge + Bond. Whereas some prospects might have been put out for a bit, we’re grateful to listen to that different manufacturers stepped up within the meantime.
