December 29, 2016 10:53 AM Eastern Standard Time

ACTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sparx Hockey, the Massachusetts-based inventors of the Sparx® Skate Sharpener, announces a new partnership with the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and financial backing from current NHL player Thomas Vanek.

The Sparx Sharpener is an affordable, automated product that allows anyone, anywhere, with no prior sharpening experience, to easily sharpen hockey and figure skates with pro-level accuracy. Over 2,500 customers in the U.S. and Canada are currently sharpening their skates with Sparx. Customers include individuals, families, teams, rink operators, and pro shops. Some of the newest and most exciting Sparx customers are more than a dozen NHL & AHL franchises. Expansion to markets outside of North America is currently being planned in response to already high demand for the Sparx product in Europe and Asia.

Founder and CEO Russ Layton says, “With many players now sharpening with Sparx, news of our product is beginning to spread, and we are benefiting from these word-of-mouth referrals. We’re seeing a strong increase in our sales here in the U.S. and in Canada and we hear from people in Europe every day who are interested in trying out one of our sharpeners. Having Thomas Vanek, an Austrian-born NHL superstar currently playing on the Detroit Red Wings, on board as an investor will provide increased credibility for our next stage of growth both here and abroad.”

Sparx Hockey was also recently announced as the Official Skate Sharpening Partner of the NWHL. This league is currently home to the majority of the United States Olympic Women’s Hockey hopefuls and boasts alumni from many of the top Division 1 colleges.

Layton added, "Our goal has always been to serve the player via convenience and ease of use in achieving a great edge for outstanding skating performance. The ice hockey community is a tight-knit group. We knew that if we could provide both convenience and performance, that adoption would happen. Knowing that Sparx is trusted by the top skaters in the world adds a degree of confidence for many; and for that reason, we are thrilled to see Sparx being used by pros from both the NHL and the NWHL."

The Sparx Skate Sharpener debuted on Kickstarter in March of 2015 after years of research, design, and development. The Kickstarter campaign was fully funded in less than five days, and Sparx Hockey began delivering product in March of 2016. In the ten months since they began fulfilling orders, Sparx Hockey has shipped over 2500 skate sharpeners. Owners can be found in 49 of the 50 United States and all but two Canadian provinces and territories. Sparx Hockey is now fully caught up on pre-orders, and their e-commerce website is in full swing processing new orders for the holidays and beyond.

Sparx Hockey is a privately held Corporation located in Acton, Massachusetts. Sparx is a developer and manufacturer of skate sharpening equipment and related accessories for ice hockey, figure skating, and sled hockey. Sparx products are currently being used by thousands of players and skaters from youth to professional levels. The Company is focused on building a leadership position in skate sharpening by providing customers with the most advanced, accurate, and easy to use skate sharpening equipment on the planet. For more information, please visit: http://www.sparxhockey.com/.

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