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Our competition
What our competition has said:
“You are buying hockey rink boards from Sport Systems? They don’t know anything about hockey boards.” Our comment: In 1996 we knew a lot less about hockey rink boards than we do now. However, we had a lot of experience in the design, engineering, fabrication and installation of aluminum and glass structures intended to last indefinitely. Now that our main focus is building boards for the recreational industry, we feel that we are making a significant contribution to the improvement of products for this industry.
"Their dasher boards are only 5" wide. Dasher boards have to be at least 6"
wide."
Our response: "If a shape is designed and engineered properly, the
actual depth of the shape is irrelevant. Our extrusions are a full 5" tube,
while our competitors use small angles, channels and tubes welded to flat
plate to a make an overall width of 6".
“I can’t believe you are buying boards from them, when they’re installed, we’ll bring our customers here to show them how not to make hockey boards.” Our customer response: “You shouldn’t be like that, you had the same opportunity to make a presentation to council as Sport Systems did, we wanted something high tech this time. We have not heard from that company since.”
“We’re the largest and oldest manufacturer of hockey rink boards, if that’s the way boards should be made, we would already be making them that way.” Our response, “we hear that these same companies are claiming that they are working on a copy of Sport Systems mechanically fastened, anodized aluminum boards.”
“Don’t buy non welded boards, they won’t stand up, boards must be welded to last.” Our comment: “Common knowledge dictates that the reverse is true.”
“The screws fall out of their boards.” Our comment: “This has never been the case, in fact, the fasteners are actually difficult to remove when we want to remove them. There is never any need for the customer to remove these fasteners. On the other hand, conventional systems are renowned for screws breaking and falling out of the white plastic, this does not occur on our boards.”
“They may look pretty, but they won’t last."
Our comment: “Our first projects are over 4 years old now. They look and operate the same as they did when new. We have received letters of recommendation from these customers several years after they were installed. We see a lot of conventional board systems that look worn out in 2-4 years.
“They did a job in (xxxxx) that has fallen apart, give them a call.” Our customer’s response: So I did call, and found out that the owner is very happy with the near non-existent maintenance required on his boards. I also called a referral given by the other company and found out that their customer was very dissatisfied with their after sales service to properly finish their initial installation. Their customer was surprised they would even use them for a referral.”
“I phoned around to try and dig up some dirt on Sport Systems, unfortunately all I got was brave reviews from their customers. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear” One of our customers in Florida stated: “Of all the sub trades I had on this project, I had the highest level of confidence in Sport Systems, I would recommend their boards to anyone.”
“I’m going to do you the biggest favor, when I tell you not to bother calling Sport Systems.” Our customer: “Fortunately, I called them anyway.”
“Boards are boards, basically they are all the same.” Our customer’s response: “That is not true, Sport Systems boards are noticeably better than any other boards on the market.”
“Hockey boards have got to be strong, their
boards are flimsy." Our customer’s response: “These boards are anything but flimsy. The flexibility for player safety is appreciated by our teams. We have had several mishaps with an inexperienced driver hitting the boards with the resurfacing machine. We were amazed that there was no damage done to the boards. ”
“They make boards out of window frames.” Our response: “We make boards with structural aluminum as do window manufacturers, but this is were the similarity ends. Every part we use to make Sport Systems boards is designed and engineered for its intended purpose.”
“Dasher boards must have a center vertical post” Our response: That is true of conventional systems. We see welded aluminum systems that are breaking apart at the welds and steel systems that are bent when less than two years old, even with a center vertical post. Our “Pro” Series is designed with the strength to be undamaged by resurfacing machine accidents. At the same time, it is the most flexible for player safety of our ice rink systems. Think of the willow tree (aluminum boards) that will bend in the storm and straighten again when it calms. The Oak tree (steel or welded aluminum boards) that will not bend, will break in the storm. Our “Pro XL” Series has a center vertical post, it is required when glass heights exceed 8ft. to prevent deflection in the top stringer from the extra weight. It is also required to allow for the expansion and contraction of the system in out door use. By our own admission, our “Pro XL” series with a center vertical post is less flexible for player safety and only marginally stronger than our “Pro” Series with no center vertical post. Our products are designed, engineered and tested to serve their intended use indefinitely.
“Aluminum doesn’t rust, so it doesn’t need to be finished, mill run aluminum is fine.” Our response: “The original appearance of mill aluminum is no where near as appealing as anodized finished aluminum. In a short time, mill finish aluminum oxidizes, giving it a poor appearance. The cost of anodizing is minimal and will keep the aluminum finish looking like new indefinitely.”
“We don’t make aluminum boards, because they are too expensive.” Our response: “This is no longer true. We have streamlined the manufacturing costs to the point that we can actually make our aluminum boards for less money than we can make steel boards. There is no longer a big premium for our aluminum boards. And, the advantages are obvious”
“Aluminum boards are only meant for Multi-purpose
facilities. The average community center doesn’t need them.” Our response: “Our main market has been the community center and even smaller centers that only have natural ice. There are many advantages to Sport Systems boards, whether or not you remove and reinstall your boards.”
“Anodized aluminum boards are a fad, they may convince some architects to specify them, but they won’t be around long.” Our response: “We are definitely still here. The inroads we have made into this industry are significant. We are successful because of the merits of our products and the excellent service we provide.”
“We don’t have engineering reports and test reports, we’ve been making boards for years, we don’t need any reports, our experience speaks for itself.” Our customer: “We will not accept any products that do not have the engineering and testing reports as outlined in our specification.”
“What do you mean, we’re not meeting the specifications? We bid on our own board system, we don’t use stainless steel for hardware, nobody does, or provide a finish on aluminum, it doesn’t need a finish.” Our customer: “Our specifications clearly call for anodized aluminum finish and stainless steel hardware. We have reasons for requiring this.”
“They haven’t done any NHL facilities. we’ve done all kinds.” Our response: “This is true, NHL Facilities have not discovered us yet, but in time there is no reason why we would not provide boards for NHL rinks. In fact, we have been told by many players and customers who are surprised that their community center has received boards superior to those they have seen at NHL facilities.”
“We are number one in the industry.” Our response: “Not according to our customers.”
“We at Sport Systems do not give negative sales pitches about our competition. Neither do we spread stories and rumors about them. Our sales are made solely on the merits of the products and services we sell. We hope that potential dasher board customers will insist on listening to the merits of every manufacturers products and make an informed decision on that basis alone.”
Join our customers. Click here to provide your facility with Sport Systems aluminum rink boards.
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Our Competition