Jofa
Swedish pioneer of the plastic hockey helmet.
Jofa is a Swedish ice hockey brand, now under the ownership of Birch Hill Equity Partners via its subsidiary Sport Maska Inc. The company began as Jonssons Fabriker AB, later renamed Jofa AB, and was established in Malung, Sweden, in 1926 by Niss Oskar Jonsson. Jofa helped lead the way in creating the plastic helmet, a piece of gear famously worn in North America by Wayne Gretzky.
Ownership of Jofa has shifted many times since 1973, when Jonsson sold the company to Volvo. Volvo then sold it to Karhu in 1985. In 1989, Jofa was acquired by Karhu’s Canadian division, Karhu Canada Inc., which later became the Sports Holdings Corporation. That company was bought in late 1998 by SLM International, renamed The Hockey Company in March 1999. Reebok purchased The Hockey Company in 2004, taking over its brand lineup—Jofa, CCM, Koho, Titan, Canadien, and Heaton—and then phased out all but CCM. Adidas bought Reebok the following year. In 2017, Adidas sold its hockey operations, consolidated under Sport Maska Inc., to Birch Hill Equity Partners. While CCM is Sport Maska’s main brand today, a small number of products still carry the Jofa name.
The company’s roots trace back to Malung’s hide industry. Jonsson founded Jofa in 1926, and its earliest goods were made from leftover hide materials, with the first factory set up in an old tannery. During World War II, Jofa expanded thanks to large Swedish military orders for tents and uniforms. Jofa operated as a Volvo subsidiary from 1973 to 1985, then was bought by Karhu Canada Inc. in 1989. SLM International, now known as CCM, acquired Jofa in 1998. Founder Niss Oskar Jonsson passed away in 2002 at age 92.
Jofa’s move toward its most famous product began in 1963, when it started producing hockey helmets. The company also made other gear like ice skates and hockey sticks. Notable NHL players who used Jofa helmets include Wayne Gretzky, Jaromír Jágr, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley, Claude Lemieux, Mats Sundin, Markus Näslund, Peter Forsberg, Phil Housley, Teemu Selänne, Esa Tikkanen, and twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin. In roller hockey, Daniel Campoverde and others also wore Jofa helmets.
After the 2004 Reebok buyout, Reebok dropped the Jofa brand from its hockey equipment, focusing instead on CCM and its own Rbk line (later renamed Reebok Hockey).
Quick Facts
- Currentowner
- Birch Hill Equity Partners
- Introduced
- 1926
- Producttype
- Ice hockey equipment
- Origin
- Sweden
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Niss Oskar Jonsson founded Jofa in 1926. It can be considered an offspring of the hide industry in Malung; the company's first products were made out of leftovers from the hide industry, and the first factory was located in an old tannery. During World War II, Jofa grew because of large orders on tents and uniforms from the Swedish military. Jofa's first step towards their most successful product was taken in 1963, when they started making hockey helmets. They have also manufactured other ice hockey equipment, such as ice skates and hockey sticks.
Since 1973, ownership of Jofa has changed continually. That year, Jonsson sold his company to Volvo, who then sold the company in 1985 to Karhu. In 1989, Jofa was sold to Karhu's Canadian arm, Karhu Canada Inc., later renamed the Sports Holdings Corporation. The SHC was acquired in late 1998 by SLM International, which in March 1999 was renamed The Hockey Company. In 2004, Reebok acquired The Hockey Company and its portfolio of brands, which included Jofa, CCM, Koho, Titan, Canadien, and Heaton. After the sale, all brands save CCM were phased out. A year later, Adidas purchased Reebok. In 2017, Adidas sold its hockey operations, which were consolidated in the parent company Sport Maska Inc., to the private equity firm Birch Hill Equity Partners. Although CCM remains Sport Maska's flagship brand, a limited number of products are sold using the Jofa name.
Known NHL players who used Jofa helmets include such stars as Wayne Gretzky, Jaromír Jágr, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Marty McSorley, Claude Lemieux, Mats Sundin, Markus Näslund, Peter Forsberg, Phil Housley, Teemu Selänne, Esa Tikkanen and twin brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin. In roller hockey, Daniel Campoverde and other players also used Jofa helmets.
Reader's Guide
Jofa's significance lies in its pioneering role in the development of the plastic hockey helmet, a product that became iconic through its use by Wayne Gretzky and many other NHL stars. The brand's history reflects the consolidation of the hockey equipment industry: after multiple ownership changes—from Volvo to Karhu to SLM International (later The Hockey Company) to Reebok—Jofa was phased out in favor of CCM and Rbk brands following the 2004 Reebok buyout. Despite no longer producing equipment after that acquisition, Teemu Selänne continued to wear a Jofa 366 helmet in the NHL with the Jofa logo blacked out due to an expired licensing agreement with the league. With Selänne's retirement after the Anaheim Ducks' elimination in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, no NHL players remain who wear a Jofa helmet. The brand's legacy endures through its association with some of the greatest players in hockey history and through a limited number of products still sold under the Jofa name by Sport Maska Inc.
Did You Know?
- Jofa was founded in 1926 by Niss Oskar Jonsson in Malung, Sweden, using leftovers from the hide industry.
- Jofa was a pioneer in the development of the plastic hockey helmet, most notably worn by Wayne Gretzky.
- After the 2004 Reebok buyout, Teemu Selänne was the only NHL player still wearing a Jofa helmet, with the logo blacked out.
- Since Selänne's retirement in 2014, no NHL players wear a Jofa helmet.
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