Czech family business crafts Olympic ice hockey pucks

The pucks are produced by Gufex, a family-run company with eight employees, led by three women and based in the eastern Czech village of Kateřinice. The company has been supplying pucks for the Olympic Games since Nagano 1998.

Thousands of pucks for Milan-Cortina

The upcoming Winter Games will receive 10,000 pucks for the men’s, women’s and Paralympic tournaments, in addition to 10,000 souvenir pucks.

From household items to Olympic equipment

Founded in 1990 shortly after the fall of communist rule in former Czechoslovakia, the company initially specialised in rubber household products before being asked in 1994 to produce hockey pucks for a local club — a request that transformed its future.

The secret compound

Within a year, the company developed a special rubber compound whose formula remains strictly confidential and has changed little over the decades. The pucks are known for their reliability and durability during matches.

A reputation built on quality

The pucks are designed to leave fewer marks on rink boards and never shatter plexiglass, features that helped establish their reputation at the highest levels of the sport.

Fame after Nagano

The 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics brought international recognition to the small Czech manufacturer, with great pride felt in the local community for contributing to a historic tournament.

The ‘Oplympic’ error

Ahead of those Games, a spelling mistake on the Olympic logo led to thousands of faulty pucks reading “Oplympic,” forcing urgent production of replacements. Ironically, the incorrect pucks later became valuable collectors’ items.

Olympic and international recognition

Gufex pucks have been used at most Olympic tournaments, with only a few exceptions, and have supplied the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for world championships since 2000.

Continuing the legacy

Following the founder’s death, the company was taken over by his family, who chose to continue the business as a commitment to preserving its legacy.

Craftsmanship behind each puck

Each puck is made by placing rubber compound into moulds and baking them for around 12 minutes, before cooling for a full day and receiving final finishing and branding.

Global exports and prestige

Around 80 percent of production is exported worldwide, including to major hockey nations and emerging markets. The company produces roughly one million pucks per year, though elite tournaments account for only a small portion of that volume.

More than business

For the company, supplying major tournaments is considered a matter of pride rather than profit. Many pucks end up as cherished souvenirs, with players sometimes keeping the puck used to score memorable goals.