AGY, UST Mamiya enhance Olympics equipment via fiberglass vaulting poles

ESSX fiberglass poles. Source | AGY

S2 glass fiber company AGY (Aiken, S.C., U.S.) and UST Mamiya (Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.), a company that produces golf shafts, have partnered to improve the performance of 2024 U.S. Olympic pole vaulters using UST Mamiya’s ESSX pole brand. This collaboration leverages the strength and durability of S2 glass to produce state-of-the-art pole-vaulting equipment, ensuring athletes have the best tools to reach new heights.

AGY has developed a proprietary S2 glass technology to deliver optimal tensile strength, impact resistance and elongation to product applications. As an integral element of ESSX poles, S2 glass enhances both performance and safety features. The company is known for its specialty glass fiber reinforcements for aviation, defense, electronics, architecture and telecommunications. Flexible production operations, R&D teams and a product innovation center enable AGY to customize material solutions.

“We are excited to collaborate with UST Mamiya in continuing to bring our S2 glass technology to the world of pole vaulting,” says Patrick Hunter, AGY executive vice president, commercial. “Our mission is to enhance the performance and safety of athletes, and this partnership has enabled us to achieve that goal. We look forward to seeing U.S. Olympic hopefuls excel with poles that offer reliability and performance.”

ESSX vaulting poles can be seen at upcoming national and international pole-vaulting competitions, with U.S. Olympic athletes preparing to go for the gold. The fusion of AGY’s advanced materials and UST Mamiya’s expertise in shafts, poles and tubes used in sporting equipment promises to continue setting new standards in track and field, golf and archery.