Kozoom International, promoter of the Survival Masters Series and the Continental Cup, has organized a competition between cloth and balls manufacturers last December to become the official equipment provider for the next three years, from 2020 to 2022.
Xavier Carrer, founder of Kozoom, organized the bidding procedure: ''First we selected the best manufacturers. Of course, our top priority was to involve the best equipments to grant the best conditions of play to the players. It means high quality Phenolic balls and woolen cloth to compete with Simonis 300 performances. Setting up sliding synthetic cloth on brand new tables would destroy performances. Any top player can confirm it. For the balls, Saluc and Dynaspheres were competing. For the cloth, Simonis, ClassOne and Andy took part in the bidding.''
Closed envelops have been open simultaneously during the World Cup in Sharm el Sheikh. Saluc won the bidding. The Pro-Cup Prestige set will be still the official balls of the pro events. ClassOne, a new manufacturer based in Korea, won the cloth's bidding. This new cloth will be set up for the first time in a major international event in April during the next Survival Masters in Korea.
''I think it was important to organize a fair competition between these companies. Because Kozoom International holders are involved in billiards equipment business and I could not stand being accused of conflict of interest. We organize these competitions to promote the sport, not to promote our distribution business. The past years, when new competitors entered the billiards Industry, we heard many allegations about the monopoly of Simonis and Aramith orchestrated by UMB. It's not true. The Billiards community knows the market is moving. New competitors are coming up. UMB such as national and continental federations will deal with these new actors too. If they are making good products and support well the sport, they will have their chance. That's what happened with ClassOne cloth'', Xavier Carrer explained.
Mr Daniel Kim, CEO of ClassOne Inc.: ''We are glad to become the official Carom Cloth of the Survival Masters Series and Continental Cup next 3 years. We hope to contribute to the future billiard development with Kozoom Intl. We hope the sponsorship of these new competitions will contribute to make billiards more fun and inspiring.''
Mr Bernard Bollette, commercial director of Saluc: ''We are delighted to have Saluc on board and to have Aramith as the exclusive ball materials of Survival Masters and Continental Cup for the next 3 years. Overall performances of world's top players did not stop improving since three decades and we are planning to keep it going on for the coming one.''
William Oh, co-owner of Kozoom Intl. with Daniel Kim, CEO of ClassOne, during the Continental Cup in Seoul.