Ski wax manufacturer Patrol Trading joined forces with VTT to not only scale an early phase research idea to pilot-scale production but also to pave the way for a new product launch.
Key facts
Patrol Trading wanted to explore sustainable raw materials for ski waxes and needed support in moving beyond small laboratory samples toward larger-scale, real-world testing.
VTT helped scale up production based on sustainable hydrocarbons at the VTT Bioruukki Pilot Centre, supporting Patrol Trading in material development and evaluation.
VTT’s infrastructure and expertise enabled faster, less risky product development and created a clear pathway toward a new product launch in future sustainable materials and coatings.
Oy Patrol Trading Ab is a Finnish manufacturer and exporter of ski waxes and accessories, with nearly 40 years of experience in the sporting goods business. The company also serves as distributor for the Fischer, OneWay and Brooks brands in Finland and the Baltics. In 2014, Patrol Trading acquired one of the world's oldest ski wax brands, Vauhti. With modern production facilities in Tohmajärvi, Finland, Vauhti ski waxes are exported to 24 countries.
Ski wax industry in transition
Product development in the ski wax industry is driven by two overarching demands: top-tier performance and compliance with increasingly strict environmental expectations. The global phase-out of fluorinated waxes has accelerated the search for new functional materials that deliver speed and durability without compromising sustainability.
Patrol Trading has positioned itself at the forefront of this shift. Through pioneering research efforts, including ongoing collaboration with the University of Eastern Finland, the company is exploring entirely new material pathways. Their joint work with VTT is a continuation of this long-term strategy to push ski wax innovation toward cleaner, safer and more future-proof alternatives.
From a functional point of view, this was a double win, in both performance and sustainability.
From university research to applied innovation
According to Esa Puukilainen, Chief Technology Officer at Patrol Trading, the initiative to partner with VTT emerged naturally from existing research relationships.
“This started when our university partners were already collaborating with VTT on another project. VTT had produced a Fischer-Tropsch-based wax product made from carbon dioxide and hydrogen and offered it to us for testing,” Puukilainen explains.
The early samples convinced Patrol Trading that CO₂-based waxes could have real potential. “The product turned out to work very well in wet conditions. The water repellence and sliding friction were exceptionally good. From a functional point of view, this was a double win, in both performance and sustainability,” Puukilainen says.
He adds that Patrol Trading has long aimed to incorporate more sustainable, low-carbon materials into its product range, especially for the consumer market: “Performance is always the priority for top-level competitive sports, but for consumer products sustainability has become increasingly important. This project brought both sides together.”
Scaling up sustainable materials with VTT
Throughout the collaboration, VTT provided Patrol Trading with tools, expertise and resources including:
VTT Bioruukki Pilot Centre and its pilot-scale processing capabilities
Expertise in the conversion of CO₂ to value-added products
A multidisciplinary team combining process know-how and application understanding.
VTT Senior Scientist Christian Frilund says that the project focused on tuning the hydrocarbon production process for the end-use goals: “When the customer saw the potential, we started working together to understand what affects product properties, and how those properties could be achieved in larger-scale production.”
At the VTT Bioruukki Pilot Centre, the team carried out a continuous multi-week production run and delivered tens of kilograms of wax for testing. This gave Patrol Trading enough material for ski tests, product development and extensive evaluation. Frilund emphasises that the project showcases how novel processes can power next-generation materials.
“VTT’s patented process offers a pathway to sustainable hydrocarbons with a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to fossil-derived alternatives. The approach can also be tested with other advanced materials and applications where tailored molecular properties and sustainability are critical,” Frilund notes.
Creating commercial impact and building for the future
The collaboration has already delivered results that extend well beyond the pilot campaign. VTT has been strongly involved in the development of Patrol Trading’s new product, testing and validating the raw material used in its Vauhti Top Race Vector ski base coating. The product has been specially engineered as the best possible coating for tricky wet snow conditions.
The pilot success also inspired both teams to continue working together. “We already have a two-year follow-up plan, looking at where else these materials can be used and how production can eventually scale to tonnes rather than kilograms,” Puukilainen says.
For VTT, the collaboration is a strong example of how industry and research can jointly accelerate sustainable innovations.
“We provide the raw-material and process know-how, and the customer brings the application expertise. Together we’ve clearly accelerated product development and the time-to-market outlook for carbon-neutral materials,” says Jarmo Ropponen, VTT’s Vice President of Industrial Chemistry.
