Tegsnäs Skidan's history stretches back 100 years and is not only characterised by quality, tradition and craftsmanship, but also by forward-thinking, ingenuity, and the determination typical of northern Swedes – qualities that have continued to shape our work into the 21st century.
Divided, but by no means conquered
Tegsnäs skis quickly became popular and production increased steadily. After all, they were quality skis that handled wonderfully in the snow. What's more, local legend has it that the first hunters used to bind their knives to the skis' pointed tips so that they could more easily catch up to and fell their prey – a legend that lives on even today and that has contributed to Tegsnäs Skidan's international fame.
About ten years later, in 1918, Ludvig and Vilhelm decided to go their separate ways and each started his own factory: Vilhelm Nord and L. Jonssons Skidfabrik, respectively. Vilhelm Nord later changed its name to Tegsnäs Skidfabrik, Bröderna Nord. It was the sons' entry into the company in 1941 that gave rise to the change. The factory had its heyday during the 1950s, when its customers included the Swedish army. The factory later closed in 1976.
Tegsnässkidan AB
Things turned out somewhat better for L. Jonssons Skidfabrik. The factory was taken over by David, Ivar and Lage Ludvigsson, the sons of Ludvig Jonsson, in 1941. The company name was subsequently changed to Bröderna Ludvigssons Skidfabrik AB, and in the early years, it produced around 500 pairs of skis a year.
The factory machinery at the time included some mechanical equipment, including an electric motor that had been bought in 1924. In the same year as the brothers took over, the company also began to experiment with a hard-wearing, glued work ski. It took them five years to develop, but when they were done, their product was highly acclaimed.
Owe Eliasson, a customer from Kussjö who picked up his new skis from the brothers' factory in 1949 remarked:
"The factory smelt wonderful: tar, linseed oil, birch, glue and then a somewhat sharper scent from the varnish that gave the skis such a hard upper side that not even the titmice would dare to do their business on them!"
During the 1960s the factory also operated in the summertime and in 1977, operations were moved to new premises and given the new name of Tegsnäs Skidan AB – a name and a tradition that remains even today.
In 1996 the company was bought by Tomas Nilsson and Håkan Bjurén.