Cober Since 1953

The Italian scene in 1953 saw many small artisans producing the individual components of poles. Mindful of youthful experiences, when, in order to have ski poles people needed to work with what they had, like pieces of wood, Renato Covini decided to give life to the first real ski pole factory in Italy. Over the years these poles have evolved rapidly: Cober has been the first company to introduce one of the most important innovations, quickly passing from the steel tube to the aluminum tube with the possibility of having many different colorways.

From poles to bindings, from tennis rackets, to forks and bicycle frames. Always using cutting-edge materials. How important is the research and development process when approaching new sports universes?
The R&D process has always been the basis of Cober’s daily work, as well as the core in approaching different types of sports. The personal curiosity of Renato Covini and the continuous research carried out in the company have led, in the past as today, that inspiration that drives us to look for different raw materials and cutting-edge machinery, which allow a constant evolution of the product.

In the 90s, Cober decided to focus and specialize in the winter sports sector. What are the main challenges in the sector today? What will be the future challenges to focus on?
The main challenges today are due to the changes brought about by the crisis due to Covid19: it is essential for a company not to lag behind and to adapt to the needs of consumers, which have changed abruptly since the beginning of the pandemic. For example, there is greater attention to environmental sustainability, to the origin of raw materials and to Made in Italy products: our challenge is to satisfy the needs of all outdoor sports enthusiasts, offering them the best possible quality respecting the environment and the society.

There’s a lot of talk about sustainability nowadays. But for years Cober has been committed to choosing materials and machinery that respect not only the environment, but also the operators who are in contact with it on a daily basis. What has been done over the years regarding the topic?
Respect for the environment has always been an integral part of Cober’s values: the sustainability path carried out in recent decades concerns various production processes, including powder coating, solvent-free UV screen printing and molding of second-life plastic components. In addition, all raw materials are subjected to strict toxicity tests. The choices made so far in the field of raw materials reduce the daily exposure of our staff to almost zero risks. These premises led Cober to seek circularity within its production, and to transform its production waste into a finished product: grips are created thanks to the use of recycled plastic, the first step of the Leaves Project, presented in January 2020. This project aims to replace plastic components, now molded with virgin plastic, with an in-house developed second-life plastic formula. The plastic molding department has specifically studied a way to reinsert part of the production waste into the production cycle, creating an internal circular economy. The waste material that cannot be reinserted into the Cober production cycle is reintroduced into the production cycle of other companies.

Still talking about sustainability, what will be the next challenges to face both in terms of production, compensation and fair treatment of all workers involved?
Talking about production, our short-term goal is to achieve full internal circularity. Having all stages of production in Italy, we guarantee high standards of welfare to all our collaborators. We have managed, despite the difficulties brought about by the pandemic, to safeguard salaries and jobs. In the future we want to go on following the path of circularity and sustainability, we expect to be able to compensate for the commitment shown by everyone in these delicate months.

Is it really possible to have performing products that are at the same time respectful of the environment? Is there a balance between profit and sustainability?
Of course there is. Maximum attention must be paid to the choice of raw materials and production processes. It is essential to take care of every process from A to Z: for us this modus operandi is facilitated by a completely internal production cycle. Our products are designed as a support to outdoor sports enthusiasts, with total respect for both the environment in which it is produced and the people who produce it. There’s more: even the choice of energy used in the production, preferring energy from renewable sources, can have a strong impact on the environment.

You’ve recently had a rebranding that focus on a strongly contemporary design, who will your consumer be in the near future?
The consumer will be a lover of all aspects of the mountains, curious and passionate about different types of sports and disciplines in contact with nature, in which immersing  to disconnect from the daily routine of work. Surely this consumer will also be attentive to consumption and sustainability.

What are Cober’s future goals?
Our goal is to become the Italian company in the outdoor world characterized by a green turn: this involves, both in terms of technologies and products, constant research when coming to innovation and sustainability.