Cooperation at eye level: Betterguards and framas
Technological expansion for the flexible production of prototypes and small series for customers in the shoe industry
Pirmasens, May 4, 2022. The company Betterguards, specialist in adaptive technologies, and the plastic component manufacturer framas have entered into a strategic partnership with the aim of further developing Betterguards' patented joint protection technology.
The synergy combines the shoe know-how of framas with the system competence of Betterguards and should produce innovative solutions for the integration of the technology in the shoe market.
The background of the cooperation
The Berlin company Betterguards Technology GmbH was founded in 2014 and offers a new type of joint protection with its technology, which can protect against overstretching and torn ligaments, but at the same time offers natural freedom of movement. The adaptive system stiffens within milliseconds during critical movements and can thus prevent injuries.
framas Kunststofftechnik GmbH, based in Pirmasens, specializes in the customized development and manufacture of high-performance plastic components for the sporting goods industry. The products are used, among other things, in the sports, medical and safety shoe sectors.
Betterguards founder and managing director Vinzenz Bichler comments on the new partnership as follows: “The strategic partnership with framas is a milestone for Betterguards. In addition to the innovative further development in the field of ankle protection, it is particularly important for us to develop new applications and solutions outside of prevention. The strong and experienced partner framas has been involved in the new development projects right from the start and can provide us with a wide range of scaling options for our technology.”
The two companies also want to work together in production. In the future, framas will supply components for the Betterguards joint protection system.
About Betterguards
The Berlin company Betterguards Technology GmbH develops and produces "safety belts" for human joints - Made in Germany. The Betterguards technology combines a combination of protection and freedom of movement that is unique worldwide. It offers adaptive joint protection against ligament injuries and can be integrated into bandages and shoes, among other things. The multi-patented technology for sports, leisure and work only triggers when the worst comes to the worst - and faster than a muscle, so that overstretching or torn ligaments can be prevented. This is made possible by an intelligent fluid system that stiffens within a few milliseconds when critical movements are too fast and then immediately returns to its original flexible state. In this state, the system offers almost complete freedom of movement. As an innovative component, the joint protection is suitable for prevention and rehabilitation. Betterguards was founded in 2014 and now employs 26 people. The company is based in Berlin, with production in Brandenburg.
About the framas group
The framas group, headquartered in Pirmasens, West Palatinate, has specialized in the customized development and manufacture of high-performance components for sports, functional and fashion shoes. These include lasts, heel elements and counters, in particular insoles and outsoles, spike systems, cushioning elements and other high-performance shoe components, for example for use in medical and orthopedic technology. In addition to the shoe industry, the electronics sector, for which high-quality supplier parts are produced, also benefits from the high level of injection molding expertise of the medium-sized company founded in 1948. Customers include sports shoe labels such as adidas, Puma, Nike and New Balance as well as manufacturers of safety shoes such as Uvex and Haix, as well as well-known electronics specialists. framas has its own development center, high-end mold construction and state-of-the-art injection molding facilities at every production site. These are located where the customers produce - in addition to the German company headquarters, production facilities are maintained in Indonesia and Vietnam as well as service centers (representative offices) in the USA, South Korea and Hong Kong. The approximately 2,800 employees of the framas group generate annual sales of around 150 million euros. More at https://framas.com.
