Walltopia

Walltopia is a world leader in the manufacture of climbing walls. The company has completed projects in 50 countries on four continents. In addition to its Head Office in Bulgaria, Walltopia has offices in USA, Canada, Austria, UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Russia and Pacific Asia. Among its customers are climbing gyms, schools, shopping centers, kinder gardens, amusement and water parks, recreation and entertainment centers, hotels, shopping malls, military, and police and fire-brigade departments.

Walltopia was founded in Bulgaria in 1996 as a manufacturer of artificial climbing walls and climbing holds by two climbers - Ivaylo Penchev and Metin Musov. The company grew into two independent companies - Walltopia and HRT.^[1]Walltopia has more than 300 professionals in the departments of architecture & design, engineering, sales, marketing, accounting, logistics and installation.

Products

• Climbing Walls - depending on material (Ply, GRP), purpose (lead, speed, boulder), place to be installed (indoor/ outdoor, schools, gyms, FECs, etc.).^[2]
• Fun Walls - colorful and interactive climbing walls.^[3]
• Others- incl. autobelays, t-nuts, belay bars, u-bolts, etc.

Certificates

Walltopia is certified and operates in compliance with the requirements of the international quality and environment management standards ISO 9001/2008 and ISO 14001/2008 covering Design, Engineering, Production, Installation, Sales and Aftersale servicing of Artificial Climbing Structures. The design, engineering and manufacturing of the climbing walls is done in compliance with the standards set forth by EN 12572, EN 1991 Actions on structures (part EN 1991-1, EN 1991-1-3, EN 1991-1-4, EN 1991-1-6) and EN 1993 Design of steel structures or by any other applicable standards.

Collider Activity Center

One of Walltopia's largest projects is the Collider Activity Center – a sports facility that has the purpose of gathering people and offering a combination of sports, rest and networking. It will consist of different types of climbing walls, a fitness center, swimming pool, dance and sports halls, as well as a boulder park, spa center, bar and a restaurant. The exclusiveness of Collider Activity Center is said to be the fact that it will unite popular activities in just one place. It is situated in Sofia in the first Sofia Tech Park.^[4]

Notable projects

Sender one

Pump extension, Japan

Arkose, France

Boulderland, Bulgaria

Skymasters, UK

Momentum, USA

Climbmax, Germany

Tallebudgera, Australia

Allez Up, Canada

Climb So Ill, USA

Touchstone climbing gyms, California

Awards and honours

In 2011 Walltopia won first place award in the "Business Development" category by Forbes magazine Bulgaria.^[5]In 2012 Walltopia has been awarded for most innovative company at the 8th National Innovation Forum, organized by the Enterprise Europe Network.^[6]In 2013 Walltopia was given Class A investor status by the Bulgarian authorities for its commitment to invest more than 7m BGN in a research and development facility in Bulgaria's first Sofia Tech Park.^[7]

Sponsorships

Since 2012 Walltopia has been the official sponsor of Chris Sharma, Sean McColl and Dave Graham. Walltopia also supports the development of climbing as a sport in Bulgaria. In 2012 the company has given scholarships to 14 young climbers in two categories - under 14 and between 14 and 18 years old.^[8]

References

See also

• Climbing
• Rock climbing
• Mountaineering
• Extreme sports
• Indoor climbing
• Bouldering