Winter sports without snow thanks to Chemnitz invention

Jens Reindl

Large bales of carpet lean against the wall. Pallets, a pair of skis and a large workbench fill Mr Snow's workshop. At first glance, it doesn't look like a sophisticated, modern invention. But Jens Reindl skilfully unrolls one of the rolls of carpet and shows us his textile ski slope. Together with Felix Neubert and Arndt Schumann, he has developed a textile surface that provides tobogganing and sporting fun in all weathers. The Chemnitz invention is now being used in Norway, Switzerland and many German ski resorts. We spoke to one of the start-up founders, Jens Reindl, about the unusual snow carpet and the inventive spirit in Chemnitz

Skiing on a fabric track - that sounds crazy at first and not like a sporting pleasure. Why is a passionate snowboarder thinking about it?
Jens Reindl: My uncle invited me to the Vogtland Arena for his 50th birthday. I saw the ski jumping mats there and thought: what they use for ski jumping in summer, you must also be able to use for skiing and snowboarding. But it had to be mats on which you can not only slide straight ahead, but also use the steel edges of skis and snowboards to give an edge, i.e. make turns. As textiles have a long tradition in Chemnitz and I worked in the Saxon textile industry after my studies at Chemnitz University of Technology, I pursued the idea further. In Arndt Schumann, I found someone who added the plastics expertise.

How did the idea become reality?
The idea alone is not enough. We had to find a way to create these mats and make them industrially producible. We had a lot of discussions and incorporated our knowledge of factors such as friction and wear. The TU Chemnitz provided us with a lot of support. There was funding from the federal government for a research project. This enabled us to develop the first prototypes in 2009.

What is new about your product?
We have a kind of carpet, just like the ones you know from your living room, and therefore a large closed surface that is relatively soft with its rounded plastic surface. The snow cannon needs sub-zero temperatures to work, other well-known plastic ski slopes need lubricants as they all have a poor coefficient of friction. We don't need any of that, no oil, no silicone, no water. And our construction works over a large area.

Are you limited in length in any way?
No. You could make a ski slope from the top of the mountain down into the valley. This is done by overlapping the individual carpets. The transitions are imperceptible.

A winter like this is actually perfect for Mr Snow: cold, a desire to ski or snowboard, but no snow far and wide. Jens Reindl travels a lot and presents his invention in various ski regions. However, there is still a lot of convincing to do, says the 35-year-old.

Where is your textile ski slope located, for example?
Our first major order came from Burton Snowboards, the pioneers of snowboard manufacturers. We lined their children's Riglet Park, a snowboard school slope for 3-5 year olds. It was also nice to supply the German Ski Association in the ski jumping lift area, the ski jumping run-out area and the ski cross area. Our latest project is in Norway. In Geilo, in an old, renowned ski resort, we have supplied the surface for the lift track, well over 400 metres long and with the special requirement that the racing skis are not impaired during the lift ride. Our ski slope can also be found in the Austrian Alpendorf in Ski Amadé or at the Hörnerbahn in Allgäu.

Are there any reservations about your product?
Many people start with test purchases and then gradually expand when they realise that the functionality is right. It can sometimes be difficult for those who are familiar with competitor products. They still have plastic tracks in their heads and are prejudiced. Then we have to convince them that we offer a completely new quality.

Does your product come close to real snow?
We don't compare ourselves with real snow. We are all passionate winter sports enthusiasts and know that snow is simply snow. But in parts of a ski resort where even the artificial snow thaws quickly, which are heavily used or at low altitudes, such an application makes sense.

After six years of positive development and many references, you are still in Chemnitz. What keeps you here?
We have everything we need here. It starts with research; the Chair of Conveyor Technology at Chemnitz University of Technology has been an important and very good partner right from the start and still is. Our production partners are all within a radius of 20 kilometres. We can travel anywhere quickly, both for production and to the customer. We don't have any worries about recruiting new staff either, because we always find well-trained young people here.

Is the Ore Mountains on your doorstep an advantage?
That's another factor, but it's a very emotional one. The landscape is unique. But Chemnitz also has a lot to offer as a city, especially culturally. For me, Chemnitz is a city with a great external impact.

But you yourself have recently moved to Leipzig. Why do you still feel connected to the city?
I sometimes think about moving back to Chemnitz. My wife and I are not yet at the end of our deliberations. Moving our place of work to Leipzig is out of the question. And of course I have a connection with the city where our company has been able to develop so well.

In 2012, Mr Snow won the Saxeed start-up competition and the three-person team took the plunge into self-employment with the EXIST start-up grant from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and moved into the offices at Reitbahnstraße 80.The tiles on the walls have been preserved from the previous owners. "There must have been a fish shop here once," says Jens Reindl as he pours a coffee. The office is filled with cupboards, a sofa in the entrance area and three larger workstations. Smokers and Christmas calendars are lovingly displayed. The office is soon to be redesigned - just one of many plans that Mr Snow wants to implement.

Why did you choose Reitbahnstraße for your office?
We were looking for something close to the university that was affordable. And we have plenty of space to create here.

Do you have a favourite place in Chemnitz?
Definitely the Opera Square. It's a wonderful ensemble. But the view over the city from the Eisenweg is also beautiful.

Do you have to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
I think the city should simply be given more time. The city has gone through a lot of upheaval. Nevertheless, a lot is happening here. People should have the courage to look at the city from the outside. It has a good location, beautiful nature and a rapidly developing city right in the centre.