FUSION Establishes World's First In-House Wind Tunnel to Accelerate Innovation in Sportswear Development

FUSION, a danish high-performance sports brand renowned for pushing the boundaries of innovation, is proud to announce a groundbreaking development in its pursuit of excellence. Over the past few years, FUSION has diligently worked to establish its own wind tunnel at its headquarters. This state-of-the-art facility will enable us to delve deeper into product testing and development than ever before, dramatically accelerating our innovation process for our customers, athletes, and partners.

Advancing Innovation with In-House Wind Tunnel
Traditionally, FUSION has utilized rented wind tunnel facilities to test and refine our products. However, having a dedicated wind tunnel on-site, adjacent to our sewing workshop, allows us to test and experiment with new designs constantly. This seamless integration of testing and development will significantly speed up our product innovation cycles. As far as we are aware, FUSION will be the first clothing brand globally to build and finance an in-house wind tunnel, making it available for daily testing and fabric development.

To truly break barriers and not merely validate "safe solutions," extensive testing is required. This means conducting many more runs than is feasible when renting a wind tunnel for a few days at a time. Renting typically limits tests to five safe prototype solutions, followed by a return to the drawing board. Our in-house facility eliminates these constraints, enabling continuous, in-depth experimentation.

Our wind tunnel tests will be conducted in conjunction with outdoor and track testing to ensure comprehensive product evaluation under various conditions. This holistic approach guarantees that our products perform exceptionally in real-world scenarios.

Collaborating with Industry Experts
The construction of our wind tunnel is overseen by Mario Batarow, the renowned engineer behind the esteemed wind tunnel of Eindhoven University of Technology, used by Visma Lease a Bike, among others. The production of the physical wind tunnel has been underway in Germany, and we are excited to announce that the first three truckloads have arrived at our headquarters. A massive unboxing is currently underway as we prepare to bring this project to life.

The instrumentation will be provided by Simon Smart.
Partnering with Simon Smart to provide the testing section and analysis equipment further underscores FUSION's commitment to excellence. Following a career in Formula one . Simon Smart  founded DRAG2ZERO the first commercial wind tunnel testing service for the cycling industry in 2007. Since then,  Smart has spent the last 17 years’  utilizing wind tunnels to develop products for brands such as ENVE, Scott, Giant , Ceramic Speed, Endura and Drag2Zero. With a wealth of wind tunnel engineering experience he is very well placed to commission the new Fusion wind tunnel and to design and develop the instrumentation and test section.

Simon Smart, commenting on the collaboration, stated, "All of my previous projects have involved adapting existing wind tunnels for product development and that invariably leads to some compromises. There has been a lot of progress made in cycling aerodynamics over the last 15 years and many products have started to converge now. In order to take it to the next level, brands will need a lot  more wind tunnel time and the ability to develop their own in house tools and test protocols.

It’s been a fantastic opportunity to start with a clean sheet and to develop a wind tunnel specifically for Fusion from the ground up. Once Mario has finished installing the air line, we are really excited about starting the commissioning phase and developing a tool that can take aerodynamics to the next level and provide FUSION with ground breaking products".

Mario added, "Building a wind tunnel tailored to FUSION's specific needs has been a unique and rewarding challenge. The potential for daily, in-house testing will revolutionize their development process and set new standards in the industry."

Per Nissen, co-founder of FUSION, shared his enthusiasm: "Having our own wind tunnel marks a significant milestone for FUSION. This facility embodies our dedication to continuous improvement and our relentless pursuit of the highest performance standards. It's a substantial investment, but one that will yield enormous benefits for our product development and our athletes."

Johannes Rom Dahl, a product developer at FUSION, highlighted the benefits for athletes: "This wind tunnel gives us the ability to fine-tune our gear in real-time, ensuring our athletes have the absolute best equipment. The data collection from frequent, detailed tests will be invaluable, allowing us to push the limits of performance and make data-driven improvements with unprecedented precision."

Troels from FUSION's marketing team added, "This development will significantly increase interest in our brand. Our slogan, 'Almost Unfair,' reflects our commitment to creating such innovative products that our athletes start with a 1-0 lead from the very beginning. The in-house wind tunnel epitomizes this ethos."

FUSION: A Legacy of Excellence
FUSION is not only recognized for its innovative approach but also for its impressive track record in competitive sports. Specializing in triathlon, cycling, and running, we proudly sponsor several world champions, hold numerous records, and consistently achieve the fastest bike splits. Our commitment to excellence is evident in every product we develop.

In addition to our performance gear, we offer the Recharge series, designed to ensure athletes feel their best pre- and post-training and races. 

Additionally, we are the official high-performance apparel provider for the Danish talent development team, Coloquick Cycling, which Jonas Vingegaard was a part of before joining Visma Lease a Bike and becoming a two-time Tour de France champion.

Christian Moberg, Sports Director of Coloquick Cycling, states: "FUSION's investment in their own wind tunnel is a game changer for the development of young talents. The extensive knowledge our riders gain by being involved in wind tunnel tests early in their careers is invaluable. It provides them with a deeper understanding of aerodynamics and performance optimization, knowledge typically only available to the very best in the world. For a team like Coloquick, this means we have access to opportunities at our level that are almost dreamlike. We are extremely proud to work with FUSION and look forward to seeing our riders grow and develop with this incredible resource."

The FUSION Tempo! wind tunnel will become a daily tool for FUSION's R&D department and will be accessible to FUSION athletes and partner teams, providing them with continuous opportunities for performance enhancement and innovation.

For more information, please contact:

Troels Vest Jensen
troels@fusion.dk
fusionworld.com

About FUSION
FUSION is a high-performance sports brand dedicated to innovation and excellence, established in 1999. We produce all our products in our own European sewing factories, ensuring the highest quality and craftsmanship. Our products are designed to meet the rigorous demands of athletes worldwide, combining cutting-edge technology with superior craftsmanship. With multiple world championships and records to our name, FUSION continues to set new standards in the industry.