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Hey Padel enthusiasts welcome to Padel Smash Academy, I am Cesc and I am here with Julian and we're all about Padel! Whether you're new to the sport or an experienced player, you've come to the right place. Our goal is to provide you with the best tips & tricks, news, and weekly lessons to help you improve your game and take your Padel to the next level. So grab your Padel Racket and let's get started with all things Padel on Padel Smash Academy.
Cesc & Julien here from
Padel Smash Academy.
And today we have Pedro Plantier,
founder of Cork Padel and
father of Paddle in Portugal.
We are all things paddle.
Welcome Pedro.
Hello guys.
We're so excited to have you here.
I mean, uh, I love Portugal and
I love your Cork Racket, man.
I mean, it's, uh, you have created a
marvelous masterpiece of a paddle racket.
So why don't we start first to
talk about you, who is Pedro
Plantier, what is it, Pedro Plantier
Pitucas or Pedro Pitucas Plantier?
Pitucas is my, it's like
a nickname, I call it.
Okay.
It's a trouble with my wife.
She hates it.
So she asked people to call me Pedro,
but everybody called me Pitookish.
I love it.
Love it.
Love it.
So I got into, into the cork brand
when I was in Portugal and, and, uh,
in Lisbon, and then I fell in love with
the brand and, and I think it's, it's.
It's such a genius idea and Portugal
being one of them, I think is the
biggest exporter of cork in the world.
Yes.
How did, how did you
come up with the idea?
But first let's talk about you.
How did you get involved into power?
Um, quick, quick term.
Um, I used to be a tennis player
and um, that was all my life.
And then I, I had a scholarship to go to
United States, but then I chose to go to
England because I had a young brother.
Uh, I had two sisters and then
finally came my young brother
with 12 years old difference
and at that time it was in 1996.
It was some quite time ago and, um,
I decided not to go to the United
States and I decided to go to
London to England because it was.
Shorter, you know, two
hours flight and you home.
And in that time, there was no internet at
the time yet, but maybe in Europe, maybe
in the United States already started.
And, um, I went there, I study, um,
I played tennis there, but I started
playing also soccer and, uh, did marathons
and, uh, play, I did yoga and did many
stuff, and when I returned home, I
decided that tennis, uh, it's done.
And I start working actually
in the music industry.
And then I went to the telecommunications
industry and I was not very happy.
I always wanted to work with paddle.
And suddenly in 2004, we, uh, in Quinta it
open, uh, a, a big, um, um, sports center.
And they put the three concrete
wall paddle courts and, um,
the, the, the owner, it's the
godfather of my, my, my wife.
But the, the coach that went to the
person that went to manage the club was
my coach since I was a kid in tennis.
And so he invited some people
from tennis and we went to play.
And honestly, at the first time
I didn't like it much paddle
because, um, the rackets was,
I'm not going to say the brand.
Uh, every smash we did, we broke a
rocket and we all came from tennis and
we all look, sounds like a tennis player,
We all look to each other and we say, I
think I broke five rockets on that day.
Only with smash and, um, I was
really concerned because, you
know, our sport can go bigger if
the rackets break after a smash.
And this was in 2004 and I started playing
on that time and there was very few people
playing, you know, and, um, I think my,
my big, my big touch here was in 2006 when
the first Portuguese paddle team went to
play the world champions in Spain, Murcia.
And, uh, when we went there.
It was, uh, the, the, the click,
which, uh, we couldn't believe
the stadium full of people,
brands, TV, and, uh, we are close.
It's, it's the border with Portugal
and nobody knew what paddle was.
And I remember when I returned from the
world champions, I went home and I said to
my wife, uh, I know what I'm going to do.
I'm going to quit my job.
In one week, we're going to get
married, but I'm going to quit my
job and I'm going to dedicate to
paddle and she said, you are crazy.
And she was like, no, no, no.
I'm going to,
it's such a fun sport.
I love it.
And we had so much fun.
And, um, and that's how we started.
Uh, I went to one club in studio and
the president was the, the, uh, uncle
of my wife, my wife is huge family.
Her father was 17, so
she has 71 right cousins.
So from Odeira, it's
all my wife's cousins.
And, uh, the owner of the club in
Estoril was her uncle, and I went
to him and I say, Do you have a
space here where I can Put paddle
in his head, what the hell is that?
And I said, is this sport playing
with small rackets and with fences?
Pedro, are you kidding me?
You're a tennis player, not a
What's the name of the sport?
And I said, paddle.
And actually I convinced him in 2006.
And, uh, we built the first three glasses.
In Portugal.
And, um, and then in 2009, we organized
the European championships, me and my
business partner at that time, João Rocco.
And, um, it was a little bit like this.
And then we built another club in
Lisbon because Istoria was full.
And then we moved in Lisbon and a
little bit, that's how we started.
And then in 2012, we, I
started the Portuguese Paddle
Federation because we need the
organizations and we need the team.
The government involved.
So more people know about it.
And it was a little bit like this.
And some leads 2000 and 24 in Portugal.
There are more than 450 clubs.
It's on the Portuguese paddle federation.
It's 15, 000 people, uh, uh, affiliates
and he's growing day after day.
It's a lot of clubs building.
And the next year I'm building
the city of paddle with, um,
Christopher Ronaldo, and he's going
to be a major thing for Portugal.
When Ronaldo said that he's
completely addicted to the sport.
So it's very good for the brands
is very good for the people
and it's good for everyone.
So in a quick time, so much happened that
time and, um, and still going, it's crazy.
So let's talk about the beginnings.
How did you.
I know that Portugal has, makes
a lot of wine and has cork.
How did you come up with that
idea of mixing, um, cork material
with other materials like
fiberglass and carbon fiber?
How did that come to your, to your head?
It didn't come with my
head, unfortunately.
It came with my business partner,
Nicolau, that he doesn't speak English.
He was born in Paris and he's in Portugal.
So even though he's Portuguese, he's also
not very good, but English is a disaster.
I told him, I told him to be here.
I, I might call him because we, I'm in a
factory and he's, he is working the new
models and, um, the, uh, lau, it's, um,
uh, a, a guy from the north of Portugal,
Fatima, where our factories, and he, he
used to do teeth, you know, processes.
Okay.
I dunno.
Processes, you know?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And, uh, he did it for 20 years.
And he was a guy that
also start playing paddle.
Uh, at the beginning when a clubs in
lady, which was the nearest town, it's
a one hour and a half from Lisbon.
And, um, like everyone,
he bought the racket.
I'm not going to say brands.
He bought the racket cost 300 years
and he broke it after one week.
And then he bought another racket for 300
years and he broke it after two weeks.
So in three weeks, he spent 600 years
and he said, man, I'm fed up of this.
So I'm going to start build my own racket.
And because this guy is such a genius in
what he does with his hands, he started
fixing everyone's rockets that was broken.
So for five years, It was
fixing and opening the rackets
and see what was going inside.
Okay.
And that's, let me see in the top of that.
That's the first example of this.
Okay.
All the models are here on this wall.
I'll show you if you want.
And, um, So how long did it
take you to get to that process
of creating that first one?
It took us, um, he started in 2012
doing prototypes and then I met him,
I knew him already, but, um, in one
club that I was the owner in Lisbon,
in center of Lisbon, I saw him
playing with such a strange thing.
And uh, I went to him in San Lau, uh,
what is that you have in your hand?
He said, oh, we just, a
prototype I'm trying to do.
And I said, but you can do rockets.
And he said, I'm trying to.
And so I pick up his, it looks like
a tree rocket, something very weird.
I will show you the example.
Let me see if you want
to see, I have it here.
Wait,
he appeared with something like this.
Okay.
Yeah.
With the, the, the, the
Portuguese sword and everything.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
And then when I, when I pick up
this rocket and I hit it against the
wall, I had such a good sensations.
And I say, man, you have a
beginning of a rocket here.
And I call him and say, Nicolau,
uh, I always wanted to have a brand.
I was sponsored by the majority of the
brands and then I always have a problem,
which was hurting my elbow so much.
The rockets break it.
So easily and, um, I, I play with my
right side, but I give classes with
my left side because of the pain and
otherwise I couldn't, couldn't go on.
And, um, I told him, Nico, if you do
the things, I think it's worth it.
You know, no vibrations, lighter,
uh, more duration materials.
And, um, I think we can
have a business here.
Because we're going to be
completely different for everyone.
And that's how we started.
And why he chose Cork?
Yes, that was, that was
going to be my question.
He came, he came in airport, there's
a Cork shop on the airport in Lisbon.
With all the Cork ingredients
and all the Cork products.
And he thought to himself, one day
I'm going to have a racket there.
And he starts because he
knows a lot about components.
He cork, it's very known for the
resistance, the durability, anti
vibration and many, much more features.
And, uh, he starts to introduce
that, um, on the rockets.
And this was the, the, the, the big
process, you know, choosing the right
cork, because it's not only any cork
can be here and that's how we started
a little bit, the, our business
and we are for business partners.
Okay.
And, um, me and Nicolau start from the
beginning and then we needed someone
to take about the law and all the
requirements and everything, so we've.
Bring Fernando on board and we
needed someone to the marketing and
strategy and in global, everything.
And then we brought
Francisco on board on that.
We stopped building the brands.
At the beginning.
So let me ask you one specific thing
from the structure of the racket.
So the mold of the racket is made
of cork, or it's made of fiberglass.
70 percent of the racket is made of cork.
Okay, 70, 70.
Yes.
And the rest, of course, is
fiberglass is carbons, depending
the brand and wood and a lot of.
Lucky experience that we've been doing it.
Okay.
And the face of the racket, which it looks
like cork, is that a hundred percent cork?
Yes.
Is that a hundred percent cork?
The thing is, I don't know if you
ever, ever been our racket is made.
Okay.
No.
And the rackets, you have many
ingredients, especially in this ones.
Okay.
You have the foam and don't know the
top of the sound when one side you put.
The car, the layers of carbon or the
layers of fiberglass depends the brands
and depends what you want to do it.
And above that, we also put cork.
So basically what's different our rockets,
it's the details and is the quantity of
quality, uh, raw materials we put inside.
The thing is, only the cork that
we put in a rocket costs more than
to do whatever rocket you want
to do worldwide, only the cork.
And for example, we use a very
good carbon fiber, which is called
INEGRA, that is used on NASA.
So that layer is also
cost more than everything.
So that's why our rockets cost a lot,
because what is inside, it's the details.
And like I said, this is A prosthesis
of a teeth, what is inside, the quality,
so the, the details are too much because
when you used to, to work, do teeth and
it's with a microscope and it's like this,
when you do big one, it's much easier.
And, um, I think it was a very
lucky combination that we did
until we came to this point.
Because, um, like you say,
the interior you have the foam
and then you have the carbons.
But above that, we put cork on the top
of it, we put extra cork, and then the
protector, and then inside the anti
vibration you have cork and line and
wood, and you have, even inside of the
laterals that perform the rocket, you
have more cork, so it's full of cork.
Okay, so now, I mean, cork is a natural
material, so how do you get consistency?
And, you know, how do you, how do
you get consistencies of your cork,
because they're all a little different.
We buy, um, already, uh, processor, uh,
process process cork, you know, we go
into this factory that already comes with
the cork already melted and new things.
And then we chose the
path and they work for us.
Basically.
And I love the rackets
have a different drawing.
Is that on purpose or just the
natural cork has a different
combination of colors?
Because now, thanksfully, we go there
and we try experience of melting
different aspects on the cork.
Um, let me see if I, this is more,
this is more a normal pattern of cork.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
This is, but then you
start melting things.
It's still cork, but with melting
things so we come to these colors,
you know, so that's how we we
start doing different patterns.
And even though it's it takes a
lot because it's um, we try it
and some of them have no quality.
We have to go back and try it again.
So it's, um, it's the whole process,
but it's not the cork that you take
from the tree, you pick it up, you
bring to a special factory and you
take the good things from one thing,
the other thing, because on the
surface, it's a very thin cork paper.
But yes, well, it's every single thing
in, in, in the layers of the, the rockets,
because we work with grams and even a
one gram, it makes the whole difference.
And so, um, everything is very thin, the
carbons, the layers of fiber glasses.
Even the foam, the foam is a limited
size 38 millimetres, but the rest is
really carefully, um, uh, proceed.
That's why our rackets are very
expensive because it's the whole
process from the beginning to the
end is eight days each racket.
So let me ask you one thing.
When you said melting things,
what is actually that you melt?
Uh, cork features.
Like what?
Then you put some, uh,
some gold, uh, gold.
And then you mix some visual things.
Everything is microscope.
Okay.
It's, it's an artist detail melting
things, you know, but you actually
get the cork and you melt it.
And then you put a, you
add things to it or not?
Yes, it's a little bit like that.
It's like cooking.
Wow.
So you have different spices
and different things, right?
I would love to see that process.
That's actually, actually, that's how
we make a, um, a, a, a quark rocket.
All the process is like a chef cooking.
We go, our oven, it's at 38 degrees.
Our competitors go at 95 degrees
and they last 30, uh, 30 minutes.
Our last is 48 hours.
In the oven.
So it's, it melts everything.
Everything has time.
You know, it's, it's a long process.
Take the whole process from the beginning
is eight days just for one record.
Only from one record.
How many records are
you making now a month?
We are a thousand a month.
Uh, but we are ready
to go to four or 5000.
We, it's new, a lot of things
happen with Quark, thankfully.
And the world now is demanding Quark,
which it's the return of the process
because at the beginning, you know,
because of our margins on that time
was not good at all because our
process was very, very expensive, but
thankfully we do not do discounts.
And, uh, so we have better margins than
the rest of our competitors because the
craziness of selling, uh, low prices on
the internet is He's killing the, the,
the prams, but yeah, it's the labor, but
yeah, the skills, skillful person making.
I'm Pedro.
You make everything in Fatima Portugal.
You don't take it to Pakistan or China or
otherwise you cannot control the quality.
Yeah.
Okay.
So what's the price range of your rackets?
Okay, we start, I actually brought
here, we start with the classic
one, it's the entrance, of course,
and this one costs 300 euros, okay?
And, uh, this is, what's the
difference of this racket?
It's a racket that has
a medium soft touch.
More fiberglass.
It's the beginning.
It's for people that, um, elbow is
hurting or people we know power on
the arm, on the knee, or they like to
play with such a comfortable thing.
So what collection is that?
Do you have a couple, collect
couple lines in the collection?
It's the classic shape.
Okay.
It's a, it's a drop shape.
Okay.
It's name is classic.
It's the entrance.
Okay.
And then we move to how
much is that 300 years.
Okay.
And that you will say the
classic is ideal for a beginner.
Someone who has elbow problems with
this rocket because it's so comfortable
and there's a medium soft touch.
That's very important.
Okay.
And then we move to the premium line
and on the premium line, we have the
three different kinds of formats.
You have the hybrid, you have the
control and then you have the power.
Okay.
So.
Which is a rocket that has a medium touch.
It's people on Argentina.
They just want to play with this.
It's crazy, but people may be on the North
of Europe just wants the hardest ones.
It's the weather.
It changed everything.
And we have the premium line.
It costs 330.
It's the same, the
construction as the light.
The difference is the density
of the raw materials inside.
So it's a little bit heavier and
the touch, it's a medium touch.
Oh, all three.
I recommend this, the three of them.
Okay.
The only thing that
changed is, is the shape.
The teardrop, the diamond
shape and the hybrid shape.
And normally the, the, the, the, the
teardrop shape is more for the fan people.
There's more control.
And then you have the hybrid,
which is the sweet spot is higher.
And then you have the teardrop,
which is the power, which
the sweet spot is on the top.
These people like, like to smash
and playing strong, even though
the paddle is playing softly.
There are people that like play hard.
So, but the components of the
three rackets are exactly the same.
The same.
The only thing that changed.
And it changed everything.
It's the shape, the shape.
How about the form?
Is the form all the same there?
No, inside it's everything the same.
Okay.
And why is the form,
which I love, is green?
Oh, this is the, this is the
supreme because now we have,
okay, this is the supreme line.
This is the line.
So the premium line is more used for
amateurs or people that play good,
but they like to have the softness
and the elasticity of a racket.
Okay.
In my opinion, I play with a
supreme line, the supreme line.
Yes, the cork foam, it's only made for us.
Okay.
The other ones are soft Evan.
These ones is the cork foam, and
this is as a medium hard touch.
We also have on the three, the C
from the three formats, the power,
the controlled and the hybrid.
Okay.
So the people can choose
perfectly and why green?
Because now they produce for us.
So we ask for them the
colors and they do for us.
Okay.
And greenery.
Why?
Because it's a different bracket.
And also it comes with the olive because
a good story of pork, I probably have
no idea, but I'm going to tell you
afterwards and, um, finish the lines.
We have the supreme lines.
And then we ended up doing a hard,
hard racket, the extreme line.
We started with the reds
and the green edition.
And then now we have the black one.
And why we did this?
Because for many time we are known
for have the best contrasting
brackets, but very soft.
Because of elbows pain and everything
and for us But for us hey music, but no
worries, but for us um You it was really
difficult to come to a very hard racket
without vibration So all our models were
made to have no vibrations and that takes
a lot of experience because You don't
know but the majority of the rackets
when they are very hard You And there's
a majority, the sweet spot is great.
All the rest, it's vibrates a lot.
And the vibration is what has the
feeling of the racket going out.
And we could make after a lot of tests.
Now we have rackets for all
different kinds of players.
And, um, since medium soft to
medium touch to medium hard touch.
And to heart touch, heart touch
is for pure professionals.
You have those people that, Oh, I'm
professionally, they don't know how to
play and they want to play with extreme.
Uh, the extreme goes to your arm.
You need to, to be strong and
you need to be professional
and professionals play with.
Very, very stiff rockets.
That's why the, the best players in
the world, the rockets, they break
three or four per game because it's
full carbon and the carbon when
he's, when he's stiff, it's good.
The feeling, the ball goes very
quickly from the rocket, but
when it explodes, it explodes.
That's why they break so many rockets.
Thanks for the, our rockets, our number
ones that play with this, they only
change because they start to getting
softer, not because they are broken.
Okay.
Interesting.
Because the foam is a lifetime
because it's foam and with the
durability, it starts to get
softer and softer and softer.
So I see the question, what's
the longevity of these rackets?
Is it the same as other rackets
because they have the traditional foam?
No, it's not.
I'm going to give you an example.
Of course, each rocket, if you take
care of it, they can last longer.
Our rockets are the ones that
last longer and longer and longer.
The other day, I even bought the
prototype number 35, and it was
eight years old, nine years old,
something, and it was still going on.
Of course, the phone was much
softer, but the rocket was.
And why we do this?
Because We put a lot of
reinforcements inside.
There's no air inside.
There's no vibration.
So the rocket goes and goes, of
course, but there's no, there's
no and breakable, unfortunately.
Uh, but these rockets, if you take
it well, of course, if you hit it
on the fence strong and on the, the,
the, on the, on the wall on, on the
glass, you look to the rocket and the
rocket looks exactly the same, but
internally already open a small bruise.
And, uh, by playing that's internal brew
starts to be opening inside inside in
one day, normally with a strong shot.
You hit it and then you look at it and
say, Oh, my rocket broke with a smash.
No, your rocket broke with a hit
that you did it one month ago, two
months ago, depending the heats.
So now these records are using
the same traditional EVA phones
that other records use, correct?
The extremes and Supremes.
No, only our phone, the cork
phone is only made for us.
And that's made out of cork as well?
No, no, no, no.
Oh, okay.
Just your own EVA phone.
We're trying.
Now we actually trying
this new recycling corn.
So we're trying more because we are
the first company in the world to have
a panel, of course, have the quality
certification and that's, um, make us
to put our procedures more precise.
Everything has to be detailed, every
detail you put has to be recorded.
And, um, they ask us to
go more environmentally.
And so we are trying the glues, we
are trying the foams, and everything
to be more recycling as possible.
That's great.
Now, on most traditional rackets,
you have EVA foam, and after some
time it breaks down a little bit.
Most people can't notice
it, but some people can.
So is that pretty much the same?
I mean, I reckon last two, three years,
but if you use that same racket, brand
new, you're going to feel the difference.
Yeah.
I hate to speak about competition,
but when you do a rockets cost 10
to 15 China, Pakistan, what can you
put inside, but you cannot see it.
So they do miracles with.
With nothing inside.
So people have no idea what is inside.
We open all the rockets that came new
and to check it, our things going.
And basically we open it and say,
Oh, it's the same as last year.
Only colors and plastics change.
Yeah, but that's the business.
It's nothing to do with us.
Wow.
That's great.
You're saying that.
Your phone doesn't break down
like the other, uh, competitors.
We have everything.
So the foam is coming also
from, from Portugal or you, you
bring it from somewhere else?
No, no.
Uh, the, the, the foam comes from Spain.
Okay.
And, and a question that we get asked
a lot, why the rackets have different
hole sizes, different holes, hole sizes.
Oh, because it's our
specialty of drilling holes.
When you drill in the middle, the
consistency of the rocket stays here.
If you not drill it, the
sweet spots get bigger.
So you have more, uh, bigger
sweet spot with a lot of
consistency with no vibration.
And it ables you to miss a
little bit the sweet spots.
That's interesting.
And why the holes on the outside perimeter
are bigger than the ones in the middle?
Consistency.
Oh wow.
That, that's very even smaller.
So like I said, when you drill it,
you are, you, you are drilling on the,
the, the, the structure of the rockets.
Okay.
So le less on the center, makes
it stronger for the outside.
It's details.
And, uh, I wish Nikola was here
because he speaks like this.
There.
I always have to say, Nikola please.
I'm Portuguese, man.
Lonely and speak open words
that not components details
that as a normal person.
Now I know a lot because I've
listened to him and I ask questions.
I assume he's very passionate.
I assume he's very passionate.
But it's, um, it's, it's honestly, it's
you say that the cork, I absorption,
um, qualities unique in the world, in t
But was that a serendipitous momentous
or you guys when you said, okay, we're
going to make cork paddles because it's
going to help with paddle elbow or tennis
elbow, which is the perfect synergy.
I got a question that's similar to that.
So a few years ago, I saw this
racket once and I said, wow,
that's a really cool racket.
I didn't really understand what it was.
It was fairly new.
More and more, I'm seeing this
kind of in a luxury market.
Was that your thought from the beginning?
Or, uh, are you seeing the
market grow in the luxury part?
Because I see it here at the, uh, like the
reserve, uh, more of the higher end clubs.
Um, I'm, I'm, um, a little bit of, uh,
um, uh, the person that, um, uh, I started
paddling, I was the first one to, to start
clubs and doing classes and organizing
everything from world champions,
European champions and everything.
And I was sponsored by my many brands.
And, um, I always felt very weird,
um, why rockets break so easily, why
my arm is, is, is hurting so much.
And, um, uh, I'm a person
that I cannot say lies.
I'm very honest.
And, uh, I used to sell a
lot of rackets, my friends.
And after, when we got
fixed, it was broken.
And I call doesn't matter who,
and I call the, the responsible
for the brand on our country.
And the answer was always,
it's the way you play.
And it's the way you behave.
After some years, I understood
that is now it's the racket in
itself that there's nothing inside.
And so when we start this business.
We, I told Nicolau, Nicolau,
it has to be a lighter racket.
It has to have no vibration and
it has to last much, much longer.
Otherwise, we're going to repeat
the same as the other guys.
And, um, cork help us a lot in many,
many different ways, but not only that.
Also, like I told you, the details that
inside, you know, you open a rocket,
a normal rocket, and you see a lot of
empty places, and that's how they break
out the vibration goes, and that's why
they always break here and they break
here because of the torsion of the
rocket when you have nothing inside.
So we put a lot of refinishments
and reinforcements and everything
in all different kind of a rocket.
And, and, of course.
Cork by itself, it's a, it's a, a
very known component in Portugal.
You know, you put on the houses, you
put on textiles, you even put long
time ago in discovery time on the
boats, on the ropes, on everything.
So it's a very known and we actually
Portugal and as is the biggest
exporter of Spain is some also.
And I know it's some in Mexico, but
the rest has no more cork anyway.
And that's why, that's why I was calling.
That's a very funny thing.
This it's.
Stork.
Okay.
And this black stork, it's a,
a, a very known black because
they're all these white.
And there is this special, this
species in the center of Portugal
that lives in all olive trees.
And that's why it's the brand,
it's the stork, the black stork
only have have in Portugal.
And it's this very special kind.
That lives in cork trees, and
that's why this is our logo.
I'm sorry, you said olive
trees or cork trees?
Um, it's the same.
The olive comes and the corks.
And then is the, the, the
cork, the olive trees.
Have, they live in cork trees?
Not olive trees, sorry.
Oh, okay.
Okay.
Okay.
So, and that's a very special
Yeah, because I love that design.
Actually this morning I played with the
x, one of my students had the, the cork x.
This is a black s and I play, I
play with the control, which I love.
It's a black stork.
It's, it's a, that's, that's
very, very interesting.
I mean, it's, so you said,
I, I will define this rocket.
It's an all natural made
with natural ingredients.
I mean, this is the only rocket
brand in the world where it's pretty
much handmade, all natural products.
That's it.
There's nothing else.
Of course, carbon, even though it's
natural, it's not that natural, but,
uh, but it's basically, it's basically
that that's why it costs a lot.
And a lot of ID we always.
If, if I call Nikolaou, he's probably
checking new things, doing new rackets
and testing new things, you know, and
because I always say to him, Nikolaou,
when I think it's done, the beauty
of this racket, you came with a new
racket, a new process and a new testing
and a new thing, because it's just
the way it is, he loves to invent and
to try things and that's how we, you
know, You always have something to say.
No, no, no.
Our rockets have to be better.
So, so I'm, I'm, I'm
being cork a commodity.
Um, the price changes.
Is that affect also the production?
It always change if the commodities
go higher we have to pay higher But we
normally pay we normally get it with a
lot of months before so we prepare for the
year So there's no stock only if the stock
suddenly it's a big order that is starting
to happen every day Because the world is
playing paddle and, uh, thanks for the,
uh, people are calling cork every time.
And so our production of a
thousand can change very quickly.
And we, we have the factory for it.
Our factory is, is bigger than the Sucs
one or the, the, the, some brands, you
know, it's, uh, we have a very good
facility here, of course, we are in a
part of Portugal that things are much
cheaper and, uh, that's also helps.
Because we have a lot of, uh, of,
uh, of people working handicrafts,
our production guys, it's 25 now.
And, um, basically it's for 50 rockets.
We need one person.
So basically that's the counting of it.
So what are the products does Cork offer?
Uh, we have, um, oh, we have a good story.
We have accessories, leather bags, for
example, I'm going to give an example
of a leather bag, a leather bag.
And the funny thing is this person is
an old retired person that worked for
Weavytone for 20 years, and he was the
number one in a crocodile and lizard
screen, and he lives next to our factory.
He was a friend of Nicolau's
grandfather and he only worked for us.
And so we have this.
I will show leather bags, those
leather bags are, Oh my
God, they're exquisite.
I mean, the quality of those,
um, those bags are incredible.
I've never seen anything like it.
A green one.
Wow.
Yeah.
Those, I mean, they look incredible.
And that's, you have camel also, you have
a lot of, of different, uh, cow skin.
Basically this is cow skin.
And, uh, this is so sold in the,
now he's going to the United States.
He's going to be, are those limited or are
you going to continue with those skews?
No, no, no.
We continue with this.
We have someone that's only
working for us that has this small
factory next to us and we ask him.
We also have all the clothes and textiles
that a normal brand has to have it.
But they all, they all hand, they are raw
materials from Portugal, from the North.
Actually, our, um, our t shirts and
playing games, they have the same textile
as the biggest football clubs in Portugal,
sporting the Lisbon, Benfica and Porto.
So basically everything it's
top quality, top quality.
So we have.
Pedro, I mean, honestly, what I love about
their brand, I'm in love with the brand.
I mean, and it's, everything is
really made in Portugal by hand.
Uh, I see the quality, uh, of your bags
from this, from the small details of the
zippers to, to the inners of the bags.
I mean, It's absolutely
beautiful what you guys done.
And, and the story of cork, how it's made
and how beneficial is for the players.
I mean, I, there's so many,
there's more and more people
playing paddle and suffering from
palatable, including my wife.
And the first thing I do, here's
a cork racket and the pedal
elbow, it's completely gone.
It's just incredible.
Yeah.
In Portugal, uh, because we have a small
country, uh, everybody knows that you
have a problem, get cork and it solves it.
Yeah.
It's crazy.
And he actually does.
It's crazy because it's the, you can
still play it, but there's no vibration.
So it just.
Yeah.
feel very, very comfortable
and you can still play.
You know, one of the things that
I tell my students when I say the
first thing they said, Oh my God,
they're too expensive, 350, 400.
And I said, how much is a doctor
consultation is going to cost
you or a physical therapist?
I guarantee you that a core bracket
is going to be much cheaper.
Well, you get what you pay for, you know.
No, it is.
And, uh, it, it's even in Portugal, even
though we are very known, thanksfully
now, there's a lot of new beginners,
you know, nobody knows who knows.
I will tell you that probably 99.
99 percent of the population of Paddle
has no idea what a racket has inside.
It's coloring, it's fashion,
but it is what it is.
And, um, sometimes I have to
explain people why they cost a lot.
I have to explain the, the, the, the,
all the procedure, the production.
But I'll say you can get the
rocket for 150 and then you
break it after two months.
And then you get another one.
If you do the math after one
year, you still have your quark
and they last and last and last.
Yeah, that's a great point.
Okay.
Okay.
So let's talk about future clubs with cork
paddle with a reach of cristiano ronaldo.
How did that happen?
And when is that going to happen?
Uh, it will start the first bulldozing
in one week and it's going to be the
headquarters of the federation is in
the it's called stadio national where
the city of football is where the the
older the it's the national sports.
Facility that is between Oedas and Lisbon.
And you have a big football stadium
where the, the, the cup, the, the,
the Portuguese cap is all you have
rugby's and you have that athletism.
And then you have the, the Olympic
swimming pool, you have everything.
And even this, the city of tennis
and the city of football, and
now it's going to be close to it.
Or on the same field, the city
of Padua, it's 15 indoor courts.
And then you have two outside that
will be prepared to hold, um, a
big tournament for 2000 people and
there's another for 500 people.
Why Ronaldo?
Um, Ronaldo at the moment, he's
so adapted and so fan of paddle.
He trains three, four times a week.
Have you played with him?
I will.
And have you seen him play?
He plays okay.
He plays.
Okay.
He's a very good sports person
and he wants to, to, to practice
a big, big, big question.
Who's better Cristiano or Messi in battle?
I, I, I would say Cristiano because he's
No, only because I've never seen Messi.
I don't know if he plays, but
Cristiano is a, is a, is a machine.
It's so well fit, man.
He's so fast that it's incredible.
I would imagine Messi more
ability and, but exactly.
So, so tell me about, so this
club is going to have what 15
indoors and how many outdoors?
Two ready to 2000 people and
another one for 500 people.
So you can have the biggest
events in the premier.
This is going to be probably the
biggest bottle clubbing in Portugal.
Uh, yes, we have one with 14,
another one with 15, and this is
going to be the, the, the, the, the,
that's why we're now is on board.
And when is this supposed to open?
When you are in, uh,
hopefully, uh, ends of 2025.
It's ready.
Um, wait, what city is going to be?
It's in Lisbon.
Oh, is it in the outskirts?
It's a 10 minutes away from
the city of center of Lisbon.
He's on the way to cash cash
is in a beautiful forest and
surrounding by old sports facilities.
I, my parents, I was born there.
Actually, my parents have a house there.
On the middle of there.
And I actually know really well the place,
but, um, but with Ronaldo, it's, uh, the,
it's a big boom, you know, it's, uh, for
example, our Portuguese are playing now
on the world champions in the, in the,
in the Qatar, actually the, the, the,
the, the females won the United States.
Yeah.
Today.
Um, and, uh, when, uh, when the
Portuguese Paddle Federation took a
picture and, um, they, they, they show
to the Instagram, Ronaldo pick it up
and promote it and was 1 billion views.
Wow.
Let's recap a little bit about the
rackets, because I think this is very
important for the viewers and listeners.
So you have the classic model, right?
Yes.
And you have only one kind,
which is the control, correct?
Yes.
The round one.
The round one is only
one bracket, the control.
Then you move into the, uh, supreme, the
premium line, and the premium line is the
three different types or different, uh,
the three different shapes of a rackets,
hybrid, uh, teardrop shape with control
or the diamond shape, which is the power.
And they're all, all
three are made the same.
The structure is the
same, exactly the same.
But the only thing that changes
is the way it changes everything.
And then you move into the Supreme,
the Supreme line and the Supreme line.
You have also the three shapes.
But then it's the, the, the, the,
the, the cork foam, which is harder.
And it has a medium, hard touch,
medium, hard feeling, as you can say.
And then you move it into the
X, the extreme and then the
extreme because it's pure carbon.
And how many, uh, do you
have in that collection?
Is it just one?
Or do you also have this shape?
It's a kind of hybrid, but
bigger, bigger, sweet spot.
Because it helps because it's so stiff.
Uh, and, uh, that's with a big sweet spot.
It helps a lot.
So there's only one rack in the line.
Exactly.
We just launched.
So you don't have the
hybrid control or power?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Okay.
And, uh, I mean, I love, I love it.
I play with the Supreme and I think the
Supreme control, I think is fantastic.
How many, how often do you change models
or you come out with new models, you
know, like the bull paddles and the,
the other rack is every six months
they come out with something new.
How often do you come with new models?
We have a new model every six months,
which means that, wow, we launch the
extreme, the new extreme will be launch
in two years, something like that.
So we have all the right, we.
Basically we launched segments.
Okay.
The new one to, to change.
Oh, we also have this, I forgot to
tell you, which is the puddle kids
is the only, it's the only puddle
kids in the world that has carbon.
It's amazing to play this racket
because it's carbon and it's very,
very, very light it's for kids.
And how do you come up with the shape
of the cork like that on those lines?
Oh, this is, this is the,
the, the, it's beautiful.
It's green and white and red.
And you should do one for an adult.
And yeah, it's very, very nice.
Beautiful.
They ask us, we are
thinking, I love it, man.
And it's, uh, probably the new
model we launched the extreme.
So we are probably going to launch
the new, the new puddle kits, maybe
joined together with the new classic.
But what we wanted is, In six, in six
months, we give something new, but not
the same bracket, but different side
now, different, uh, different segments.
I love it.
It's like a piece of art.
Yeah.
It's a piece of art.
So, so Pedro, tell us about your
jumping into the United States.
What are the plans?
Where, where is Corp going
here in the United States?
I think we just closed with
a very good, very good clubs
all over the United States.
Um, it was what our distributor just told
me, but, um, I think honestly, the part
of the United States is going to be crazy.
Like it's happening in
all different countries.
Why your country is probably one
of the best in sports in the world.
Um, and, uh, I think you, you already
starting to be completely addicted.
And I think it's going to be an explosion.
And only for the market
of the United States.
We were probably going to have
only one factory just to produce
for the United States, because
I think it's going to be crazy.
It's such a love sport, as you know.
It's social.
And, um, Paddle has
been playing worldwide.
The other day, someone called
me from China, from a city,
Zhongzheng, or something.
And, oh, I want to bring Cork here.
And I asked him, but do
they play Paddle here?
Oh, they are starting.
They have already more than 5, 000 courts.
And so it's, it's crazy.
What's going on with Paddle worldwide.
And, uh, we are in all mine, but
now we are in 43 countries in
the world, including all man,
Bahrain, Kauai, then Kazakhstan.
It's crazy.
What's going on with Paddle.
And thankfully the brands or the
clubs are coming and say, no, no, no.
We try all the brands.
We just want yours.
And it's, it's, it's good
how everything changed.
You know, it was really, really, really
hard to be, um, to go to, uh, to, to move
away from Portugal at the beginning of
the years, and now it's been so easy.
Of course, the quality stands for,
and I think we are, for you to give
an example in Portugal, uh, when I
go to a club, I always suggest that
you bring another brand with it.
And, uh, in this case, I, I, I, I
tell them to bring Vupavo because
the distributor is a friend of mine.
And even though it's Padawak, it's,
it's completely different brand.
Even the guy from Vupavo say, no,
no, cork, it's another segment.
There's nothing to do with us.
And so, um, it's funny how we are
doing our own, uh, project, uh,
project, uh, our aim, uh, our path.
You know, we are doing a little bit.
Because we really focus on
differentiation, quality, extreme
quality, and we do not want to change.
It will be very easy to
call it Pakistan or China.
Can you produce this?
And our profits will be, but then we have
some, some brands that want us to buy us.
And so we'll be the unique
exclusive of, but we, that's right.
Paddle is, is growing
in every, every country.
How are you going to
keep up with the demand?
I mean, this takes eight days
to make and it's by hand.
How many people are involved
in making just one paddle?
Depends because we change shifts.
So it's a, it's and craft work.
Um, I will show you one video,
how one bracket is made.
And you see that is a very tough
work because it's detaily, the rasps,
the, the, the protection, everything
you have to all the stations.
Some people want more and other people
do not want because it's tough to,
to take to everything to take look.
How are you going to keep up with
the demand as cattle is growing?
And this is just handmade.
I know.
Um, um, we know that we never going
to produce a hundred thousand rockets
a month, because that's not our goal.
What we're going to do, it's prices
get higher and we get more exclusivity
and we make our product better.
We never going to be like the other
brands that press the China button and
comes to thousands and thousands and
thousands, we never going to be that.
Uh, but, uh, but producing a
thousand a month for the whole whole
playing paddle is nothing as you
can know, is, is, is insignificant.
But, uh, where are we going is like I told
you, it's quality, uh, quality, quality.
Of course, we have to at least
five, 10 thousands rackets a month.
I think it's a good number.
I always invite you come to the factory,
check how a cork rocket is made.
And it's really impressive.
So Pedro, I take that as an official
invitation for us to make the
excuse to go to Portugal, because
I would love to see that factory.
All right, better.
Thanks for coming on the show
and we wish you all the luck.
Okay.
Better kind of, of, of inviting
us to speak a little bit.
Thank you.
Says Julian.
Uh, I'm waiting for you here.
We're all coming.
You are all welcome.
And then you can check that.
I'm not lying.
What I've told you here.
We're looking forward to
selling your products.
We love them.
Yeah.
Thank you.
All the best.
We are all things paddle.