49% of the EU’s imports of skis and snowboards in 2016 came from Ukraine, according to Eurostat. Out of a total 1.5 million imported skis and snowboards, 731 400 items came from Ukraine, followed by China (420 600 items, 28%) and Taiwan (129 200 items, 9%).
According to the Ukrainian economic outlet Ekonomichna Pravda, mountain skis were the most popular item for imports in the dataset. However, skis and supplementary items make up only 2% of total imports of sports items from outside the EU. The EU imports just about the same amount of ice skates (1.7% out of total sports items imports). Roughly two-thirds of imported sports items are either sports shoes, or are used for water sports, swimming, gymnastics, and athletics.
In the same year, the EU exported roughly two times more skis and snowboards – 3 million items in 2016. Most were imported by the USA, followed by Norway , Switzerland, and Canada. An additional 4.3 million items were exported within the EU. Austria and the UK were the two main exporting EU countries.
The largest ski producer in Ukraine is the Ukrainian-Austrian company Fischer-Mukachevo. Located in Mukachevo (Zakarpattia Oblast), it produces 180 models of cross-country skis and 130 models of mountain skis. 60% of the total output of the company is produced at the Ukrainian factory, which produces not only the Fischer brand, but also other brands: Scott Usa, Stöckli, Tecno Pro, Hagan, Rossignol, Alpina, Splitkein, Tecno. Roughly 1,500 are employed at Fischer-Mukachevo.
In 2016, Fischer-Mukachevo announced that it began manufacturing carbon composite parts for car brands, including BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes, and that it plans to cooperate with Tesla Motors and London subway.
