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Surface Co. Strikes Surfacing Partnership with CrossFit Games

July 17, 2022 by Ava Kitzi

Photo Credit: CrossFit LLC

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CrossFit has inked a new partnership with Surface Co., who will provide all flooring for the 2022 NOBULL CrossFit Games next month.

A century old, Surface Co. started as an equine and agricultural supplier, but as CrossFit grew and affiliate owners turned to stall mats as a solution for flooring that required durability, the company branched out to make options specifically for CrossFit gyms.

“We had products with the same strength durability but with odor mitigant, beveled edges and a selection of color choices meant for indoor athletic use,” Surface Co. President and COO Torey Lawin said.

This specific type of flooring eventually developed into Shok Lok, Surface Co.’s official fitness products. Through one affiliate owner and company employee, James Eisele, the mats were installed at Foremost CrossFit right outside of Madison, Wisconsin. This opened up contact with CrossFit, and the relationship grew from there.

“ We met James at a CrossFit Affiliate Dinner that we hosted in 2021, and invited him out to the Games to discuss opportunities for the 2022 season and beyond,” David Woods, the Director of Partnerships for CrossFit, said.

Woods and CrossFit chose Surface Co. as their partner for a few reasons: First, the company’s structure makes adaptability and customization much easier than other options in the industry. In addition, this partnership expands well beyond the 2022 Games and can reach affiliates as well – through the Affiliate Partner Network, gym owners will be able to access lower prices for starting their CrossFit gym or replacing flooring. Plus, Surface Co. provides the “highest quality products we could ask for,” according to Woods.

Woods: “We’ve heard from our athletes that it “makes burpees better”, which is quite the statement!”

CrossFit and Surface Co. have worked together throughout off-season events and the 2022 season’s qualifying period to create the best flooring possible for the Games. Which, with over 15,000 square-feet of product to supply, isn’t a small task. The team eventually came up with the “Games Stadium System” which combines “comfort, durability, and safety.” Plus, with the ever-changing tasks at the CrossFit Games, Surface Co. has worked with the Games to create custom solutions.

In addition, Surface Co. is heavily involved in the community, both by providing custom flooring and pricing solutions for affiliates, and by selling the actual Games flooring, available for purchase after the event. Interestingly, the company also partners with Merging Vets and Players, or “MVP,” a charity which aims to reduce suicide rates within military veterans.