At the beginning of October, we announced the sudden closure of CSS Composites, a Utah-based manufacturer of FusionFiber carbon wheels. The company manufactured wheels for brands such as Revel, Chris King, and Evil. It also had its own corner of the carbon wheel market with Forge + Bond.
With FusionFiber’s claims of better-performing and recyclable carbon, news of their closure came as a bit of a shock. Many Revel, Chris King, and Forge + Bond (and others) customers seeking warranty claims were left hanging.
Fortunately, other brands stepped up. Industry Nine partnered with Revel to assist with its wheel warranties, while NOBL is handling Chris King customers. Reynolds also threw its name in the hat, offering assistance to any CSS Composite/Forge + Bond customers put out by the closure.
But now, it looks like Forge + Bond is back. However, rather than manufacturing phenomenal carbon wheels, the FusionFiber brand has jumped into the pickleball world.
In a story first covered by the Escape Collective, CSS Composites LLC is incorporating its proprietary FusionFiber technology into pickleball paddles. Some may argue that the abrupt closure and failure to support customers, only to rebrand weeks later, is questionable. However, those do look like some pretty rad pickleball paddles.
“Rebranding” could be a bit of a stretch. “Forge + Bond” is now “F + B Sports,” and still uses the same blue “+” symbol as the wheels. The current website is very familiar, with cycling photos traded for courts and nets. FusionFiber technology remains a key component of the new F+B Sports. The brand priced its pickleball paddles at $200, and they also offer a variety of apparel options for purchase.
All snarkiness aside, hopefully, this transition meant jobs saved for those working at CSS Composites and Forge + Bond. While some customers may have been put out for a bit, we’re grateful to hear that other brands stepped up in the meantime.
