That's what I seem to recall from when I got my Rossi Smash's back in '75. Anyone have other info?
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All Things Rossignol
- Thread starter Dave Petersen
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That's what I seem to recall from when I got my Rossi Smash's back in '75. Anyone have other info?
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/10/business/for-rossignol-it-s-still-uphill.html
"The company opened its Williston, Vt., plant in 1973. The plant now makes about 80 percent of all recreational skis sold by Rossignol in the United States, but it is also making far more skis than anyone needs at the moment. ''We were timing everything to the Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid,'' Mr. Boix Vives said. ''After every Olympic competition there is a huge surge in ski business. Except that this time, it never happened. There was little snow.''
"The company opened its Williston, Vt., plant in 1973. The plant now makes about 80 percent of all recreational skis sold by Rossignol in the United States, but it is also making far more skis than anyone needs at the moment. ''We were timing everything to the Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid,'' Mr. Boix Vives said. ''After every Olympic competition there is a huge surge in ski business. Except that this time, it never happened. There was little snow.''
We used to make trips to that facility in Williston, VT quite a bit in the late 90's and until about 2004, when we had at least one child racing on Rossi. I know that their US {actually North American} race room/warehouse was located there until Quicksilver bought the brand {along with Dynastar} and both were moved to Park City. I think that was about 2005-2006. I don't know what's become of the building. It was big.....for Vermont.
It also seemed to me like the manufacturing plant had been mothballed for a long time when we were visiting. I'm guessing mid-eighties may have been when that stopped. As I recall the industry took a bit of a downturn at that time, and some companies {Rossi being one} had manufactured so many skis that they had a lot of inventory that they were sitting on.
All sorts of work went on there, including design work. A lot of reps, including the US race guys, were "based" out of that location, etc. Seems like a LONG time ago. When Quicksilver made the move, it as very unpopular. I think their employment numbers were pretty low by then, but a lot of people lost their jobs. Maybe 50? In the late seventies and early eighties I recall a much bigger staff.
It sure cut down on shipping expense when you could pick what you wanted, and take it with you!
It also seemed to me like the manufacturing plant had been mothballed for a long time when we were visiting. I'm guessing mid-eighties may have been when that stopped. As I recall the industry took a bit of a downturn at that time, and some companies {Rossi being one} had manufactured so many skis that they had a lot of inventory that they were sitting on.
All sorts of work went on there, including design work. A lot of reps, including the US race guys, were "based" out of that location, etc. Seems like a LONG time ago. When Quicksilver made the move, it as very unpopular. I think their employment numbers were pretty low by then, but a lot of people lost their jobs. Maybe 50? In the late seventies and early eighties I recall a much bigger staff.
It sure cut down on shipping expense when you could pick what you wanted, and take it with you!
I was talking to someone at Rossignol who said I would have been sick to my stomach if I knew what they threw out when they closed Williston. Dumpsters of nostalgia.
Thread Starter
TS
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Speaking of Williston...
I once made the trip to Williston from North Conway in my '68 VW Fastback.
reattaching the bumper after a fender bender
I was new to the Rossi team and was picking up my first skis from the company. Rossi STs, ROCs and DHs. Three pairs that didn't make it to the dumpster.
On my way back from Williston, the VW broke down on the Kancamagus Highway. I was miles from either end and had to hitchhike home to North Conway. I turned down a pant load of rides as they refused to take my skis. I refused to leave them in the car. The skis made it into the car of someone that understood and the fastback later got a rebuilt engine that took me and those skis all over New England to race.
I picked these up somewhere along the way that winter.
I once made the trip to Williston from North Conway in my '68 VW Fastback.
reattaching the bumper after a fender bender
I was new to the Rossi team and was picking up my first skis from the company. Rossi STs, ROCs and DHs. Three pairs that didn't make it to the dumpster.
On my way back from Williston, the VW broke down on the Kancamagus Highway. I was miles from either end and had to hitchhike home to North Conway. I turned down a pant load of rides as they refused to take my skis. I refused to leave them in the car. The skis made it into the car of someone that understood and the fastback later got a rebuilt engine that took me and those skis all over New England to race.
I picked these up somewhere along the way that winter.
Thread Starter
TS
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A lot of great info!
Yes, Seth Masia does good work on this article. I think he was an Epic member, is he a PUGSKI member?
Thread Starter
TS
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The boots where me first set of performance boots wore them for a long time, yellow plastic is starting to fail. Have been replace with Lange WC boots several years back.
When I originally bought them in Banff I tried the these, Course K (the ultra stiff version) and the Langes, each a different size. Each was in a different size (and the only one left), the Course E fit best.
I patrolled in Garmisch Partenkirchen Germany in 1979 on the Rossignol ST Competition skis with Soloman 727 bindings. After all of these years they happen to still be in my Garage. Great ski for the time.Speaking of Williston...
I once made the trip to Williston from North Conway in my '68 VW Fastback.
View attachment 50125
reattaching the bumper after a fender bender
I was new to the Rossi team and was picking up my first skis from the company. Rossi STs, ROCs and DHs. Three pairs that didn't make it to the dumpster.
On my way back from Williston, the VW broke down on the Kancamagus Highway. I was miles from either end and had to hitchhike home to North Conway. I turned down a pant load of rides as they refused to take my skis. I refused to leave them in the car. The skis made it into the car of someone that understood and the fastback later got a rebuilt engine that took me and those skis all over New England to race.
I picked these up somewhere along the way that winter.
View attachment 50126
How about some photos?
Photos of the ski areas or the skis?
This was a time before cell phones with cameras. So, there really are not too many pictures.
Since this is "All Things Rossignol" and you said they are still in the garage, photos of the skis would be great. BTW, I agree they were a great ski and sold a ton of them back in the day.
ST Comp/727E was my set up in High School, it was a great combo.
The ST Comp was a white ski with black and orange trim and the 727E was orange. It was a match that every Rossi/Solomon dealer and sales person loved. Even the customer that would not spring for the 727E price had the black 727 standard that was also a good match.
Thread Starter
TS
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Should we have an "All Things Garcia"???
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