Elasco Achieves Growth in Sales of High Performance Wheels

GARDEN GROVE, Calif.-- Elasco, Inc. is pleased to announce that its manufacturing division is achieving significant increases in sales of high performance roller skate wheels. The market for quad skates and wheels is growing, spurred by rising popularity of roller derby and skating leagues worldwide. Elasco has increased sales of its proprietary polyurethane wheels to existing quad skate OEM customers by 116% this year.

The United States Roller Sports Organization reports roller derby is among the fastest growing sports, with approximately 500 women’s leagues in 16 countries worldwide. According to the Women’s Flat Derby Association, roller derby’s unique amateur sports model has fostered an explosion in its global popularity. The flat track version of the sport was born in 2001, growing from one league to fifty leagues by 2005 and encompassing nearly 500 in 2010.

The roller skate industry is a tight community with a handful of established quad skate OEMs. Elasco manufactures and sells original and replacement wheels to the top vendors, creating proprietary formulations that meet performance specifications including grip control, speed, durability, size, weight, surface compatibility, and color variety.

Henry Larrucea, Elasco CEO, commented: “Customers in the roller skate industry tell us that what started as a grassroots recreational activity has spread quickly, growing into an international phenomenon that is just now hitting its stride. By leveraging our longstanding relationships, manufacturing capabilities and reputation within the recreational equipment industry, Elasco is carving out a leadership position in what is now a rapidly growing niche market. We are pleased to see dramatic increases in sales and expect demand for our new lightweight, better performing wheels to rise as quad skating gains in popularity.”

Elasco established a leadership position in the recreational skating industry as the sole North American manufacturer of polyurethane wheels used on Rollerblade™ skates from 1993 through 1997, Rollerblade’s heyday. Elasco made millions of wheels for Rollerblade during that period.

Elasco is a growing polyurethane and plastics design, molding and manufacturing company serving customers since 1979. Earlier this month Elasco reported a 60% increase in revenue for the first six months of this year versus January to June of 2009. This increase is driven in large part by additional orders from existing roller skate manufacturing customers. Sales of Elasco’s innovative skate wheels to have increased by 116% from January to June of 2010 over the same period last year.

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