Back to its roots: Returning to the manufacture of wooden skis once more in the USA
The Moment and Folsom companies, specialists in mountain sports, are now using CMPC wood as a raw material for manufacturing their products.
High mountain sports got their start a long time ago with skiing. Centuries ago, two wooden boards were used to reach mountaintops and glide along them. With the passage of time ski technology evolved from wood to carbon fiber, titanium and other materials.
However, ski manufacturers such as Moment and Folsom in the United States have not forgotten the origins of the sport, integrating wood into the core of their skis. CMPC has been working with both companies for some time now, incorporating their products in the process.
The core of the skis is what determines most of their characteristics. This is where most of the strength and stiffness of each ski comes from. It is also the component to which all the other parts are attached, and it is precisely in the soul of the product where CMPC’s fiber now plays a starring role.
Along with its commitment to sustainability and its mission to promote the use of environmentally friendly products, the North American companies are committed to taking full advantage of wood’s best characteristics in all its models. They are marketed online, wholesale and are internationally distributed as well.
CMPC wood provides flexibility, helping the ski properly maintain its shape while the bindings hold tight. Thanks to the wood fiber, athletes can experience better cushioning and less resonance in addition to reduced vibrations when gliding down mountains.
Moment and Folsom point out that the personalized and handcrafted manufacturing they offer in their skis, handmade by skiers for skiers, is absolutely fundamental. The goal with this type of construction is to advance skiing innovation and provide every mountain sport enthusiast with a durable, quality ski that feels custom-made to each individual, from design to fabrication.
“Getting the chance to continue being part of the innovations made using wood and its versatile applications is something that motivates us at CMPC and pushes us to continue building partnerships with other companies that see the potential of this material. Today, skis join a wide range of new developments in manufacturing thanks to the wood and other products derived from our fiber,” said Juan Pablo Pereira, CMPC’s Timber Manager.
CMPC in the USA
CMPC expanded and consolidated its presence in the United States in 2023 when it acquired Powell Valley Millwork, a company dedicated to remanufactured wood products with strategic operations located in Kentucky. This made CMPC the first manufacturer to offer both Poplar and Radiata Pine lumber to the US market. The alliance with Moment and Folsom is part of the company’s expansion in North America.
Under this strategy, CMPC has positioned itself in the United States with products for the world of sports as well as domestic interior spaces. For example, the wood from the national forest is part of the pool tables and shuffle boards of Olhausen Billiards, a leading manufacturer in the United States. Both types of game tables are made using Poplar wood elements. CMPC wood is also found in the furniture of the well-known Williams Sonoma brand, and in photo frames made of wood for major chains like CVS and Walgreens, among many other uses.
The company has also made a commitment to the construction sector in North America. As an example, significant projects using CMPC wood can now be found on the streets of New York, such as the luxury building One on Wall Street and the recently remodeled Waldorf Astoria hotel, both of which already have moldings and cladding made from local fiber.
