WE MAKE SKIS

Sooner or later, almost every avid skier begins to question how their favorite pair of skis came to be. Making skis is fundamentally a rather complex interplay of the knowledge of materials, physics, various laws, the search for clever solutions and, above all, the dexterity of the hands and the knowledge of the human mind. At Elan, we have been doing this in our own unique way for almost eighty years. 

The art of ski building is a complex mosaic made up of countless pebbles, each of which plays an indispensable role. But like all good stories, the ones rich in substance, ours began with a passion and love for the mountains, for the winter, and for skiing. In a way, our philosophy of “Always Good Times” has been with us since the very beginning. How else could we describe the work of Rudi Finžgar, who was so crazy about winter, snow, and skiing that he studied the laws and behavior of wood down to the last detail, and learned the techniques and processes he needed to make the perfect wooden ski. First, he made skis just for himself, then for his friends and partisans, and then for all of us. 

The process of making skis is like a living organism, growing, refining, improving and always looking for new visions. And it is always present in the current space and time, sometimes even venturing a step or two ahead. 

I often wonder what makes Elan’s story so special. Perhaps the answer is simple: it is the respect for tradition and the unwavering curiosity to learn and seek the new. In practice this means we never rest on our laurels and never stop thinking about how to improve. At the same time, we remain faithful to our essence. Despite all the advances, the increased volume of production, which to a certain extent has made it necessary to use machines, automation, and modern materials, we remain true to our two fundamental values: craftsmanship and wood. For us, handmade is not just a marketing phrase. It is our way of thinking, and this makes it our competitive advantage. Our factory has precision machines and robots, but nothing does certain operations better than knowledge and experience. This personal touch gives our skis their soul. And wood is the foundation of our creation. It is a natural material that breathes, lives and functions differently than man-made materials. Wood gives skis life. That is why Elans are full of soul and life. 

Technological advances have made their mark on the way skis are made. Mass production and consequent relocation to other parts of the world where labor may be cheaper have become the norm in our industry too. But that is simply not how we do things. We have always respected the knowledge, energy, traditions, and other strengths of our local environment. That is why we remain the only internationally renowned ski manufacturer that designs, engineers, manufactures and tests its products in one place, handcrafting them in collaboration with advanced automation and sustainable business practices. Begunje is home to a state-of-the-art factory where a skilled team expertly manages 1,800 different materials and 20,000 different components that are transformed through a variety of processes into the components and then the skis that bring joy to skiers around the world. 

Skis are essentially like a sandwich, with the different ingredients making a tasty whole. In fact, this is the origin of the term sandwich construction, which over the years has become a widely accepted semi-professional term in the ski world. For a sandwich to be any good, it is essential that each ingredient is of excellent quality and well prepared, and it is the same with skis. All the components of our skis are prepared with precision and care in different parts of the factory. Of course, equal attention and dedication are given to all the ski components produced with PU technology.

Perhaps the most interesting events occur in the wood workshop where the wood is processed and adjusted on machine tools with very tight tolerances. This is an essential step for all the following stages which together with the other construction 
materials create the overall quality of the final product. Each operation is strictly controlled and enables full traceability of the products.

Wood is a virtually irreplaceable material for skis due to its natural elasticity and absorbing properties, which is why we pay so much attention to it. The most commonly used species is poplar, although combinations of different types of wood are often used for skis to achieve the best features. Since wood is rarely homogeneous, ski cores are made by gluing several layers of wood together to create consistency between the load-bearing layers at the top and bottom of the ski.

The secret to a great ski lies in combining the woodcore with other special construction connected materials such as carbon, fiberglass, flax fibers and titanal. All these materials are bonded together using an innovative process in which each layer is impregnated.The most fascinating part of the process is the assembly of the skis. It is done by hand and involves selecting and combining the materials in a sandwich construction, placing them in a mold and then pressing them together in a precise and 100% controlled process in which the materials selected in accordance with the type of ski bond together into a ski.  

We never shy away from modernity because we know very well that technology brings many advantages. The factory uses computer-controlled advanced automation, with each machine supervised by expert staff. Robot assisted CNC machines perform complex cutting operations.

Love and respect for nature and the environment are ingrained in the consciousness of skiers. Since the people of Elan are skiers first, it is only natural for us to approach ski making with nature and the environment in our hearts and minds. Our list of good environmental practices is very long, and we can proudly say we pioneered certain approaches in the industry. Among others, we were the first to use direct digital printing technology on skis, which is much cleaner and more environmentally friendly.Sustainability is a value that we carry deep in our DNA. Every Elan product carries a guarantee of lasting quality and a commitment to environmental sustainability. The company operates at a single site and strives for energy self-sufficiency with its own 2.8-megawatt solar power plant with 7,000 solar panels and a new biomass boiler for heating and processing water. The rest of the electricity is generated from renewable sources and 86% of all materials and raw materials to produce our skis come from within 400 kilometers of the Begunje factory.

All this makes me proud to walk around our factory day after day. I can feel the focus on quality and attention to detail at every turn. I am inspired by the enthusiasm of my colleagues who, with their knowledge, experience, and trained eyes, passionately and devotedly contribute their share to the perfection of the finished product. 

Then I think of all the innovations that were born here and have gone around the world to shape and change skiing forever. But this is not a story about the past, it is a story that looks ahead to the future, to the next innovations and to the next generations of satisfied and happy skiers.