MEMBER SPOTLIGHT  
ELAN SPORTS

Ben Fresco, US Marketing and Product Director

     Q1

Elan has exciting sustainability initiatives at its headquarters in Slovenia. Can you tell us more about them and how they started?

A. As a heritage brand connected to Slovenia’s community and environment, sustainable development has always been part of Elan’s identity.
Our efforts include operating on 100% renewable energy, with 32% of our electricity needs coming from 7,000 solar panels installed on the roof of our factory that power our solar power plant which went online in 2022. We also capture wood waste from the production process to power a newly installed biomass boiler that covers 30% of our heating needs while reducing emissions. Additionally, 86% of raw materials used in the production of Elan’s skis come from trusted partners operating within a 400 km radius of the Begunje factory. This short supply chain helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation, while increasing transparency with our supplier’s business practices.

      Q2

What must the ski industry do to help preserve winter? Any predictions about March 2024?

A: To help preserve winter, the industry really needs to work together to exchange information and best-practice cases with a common goal of reducing the environmental impact of the winter hard goods industry and developing a sustainable value chain. I’m reluctant to make predictions because nobody wants to be the person who potentially jinxes winter. So, let’s just say all signs indicate we’ll have skiing in March 2024 and skiers will be happy about it!

A blue icon of a pair of ski poles on a white background.

   Q3

Weather has been a challenge for some retailers the past few years. Certain parts of the northeast did not experience measurable snow for nearly two years which has affected inventory and participation. How has the ski season been compared to the last 2 or 3?

A: I think the best way to describe this season is “normal,” because in the previous two or three seasons we were experiencing the effects of COVID-related policies and the western United States had record winters that started early, both of which created a significant demand for skiing and ski products. With relaxed policies and a slower start to winter from coast-to-coast, snow sports participants have resumed more typical skiing and buying habits. Over the last few weeks, however, winter has delivered snow just about everywhere, so on the aggregate, we’re seeing strong sell-through and solid traffic in the mountains.

     Q4

How does Elan's rental ski technology and design improve the experience for rental shops and the skier who rents from them?

A: Our Element rental ski is designed with a combination of features that make the rental process efficient, while delivering game improving technology to those that ski, creating a win-win scenario for shops and skiers. The Element is color-coded, making it easy to identify in storage and the color-coded 4 Factor binding system is fast and easy to adjust. This creates faster turnaround for the shop and reduced wait times for the renter, resulting in a more pleasant process. On snow, Groove Technology allows Element to flex naturally, increasing the skier’s balance and improving control. This allows faster progression, and makes skiing easier, which equals more fun. Whether we talk to shops or professional ski ins tructors, the feedback is extremely consistent – Elan’s Element is the best skiing, most durable, and most efficient rental ski available in the market.

  Q5 


How do you evaluate the performance of a product? 

 A: With our rental skis, performance is graded on how they ski, durability and how efficiently it performs in the rental environment. Real-world testing provides the most valuable information  when we’re validating product, which is a combination of long-term on snow and in-store use. Of course, we conduct testing in the lab at our factory and on-snow with the product and R&D departments. But we also send products to rental shops and key users around the world to see how it performs during long-term daily use. With the feedback we collect internally and input from industry professionals, it ensures our products exceed the needs of the market

Q6 

What does Elan believe are the key ingredients for a successful relationship with its retail partners and how has the supplier/retailer relationship evolved in recent years?

A: Our formula is pretty simple… We strive to be easy to work with, provide our partners with world-class products that look good and ski great at the right price, and have some fun in the process of doing business. Over the past few seasons, we’ve had to be adaptable in a changing landscape. For example, we’ve changed how we meet, thanks in part to COVID and a compressed buying season. Previously, meetings with our partners revolved around regional shows and trade shows. Now, we use a combination of virtual meetings and private showings to supplement the trade-show model. We’re a small team, with an experienced sales force that works hard to meet our supporters on their terms. It all goes back to our goal of being easy to work with.

View Member Spotlight Archive