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'Hart Ski Manufacturing' is an American ski manufacturer. Started by Hartvig "Hart" Holmberg, his brother Harry Holmberg and family friend Ed Bjork in St. Paul, Minnesota in the 1950s.
Before making skis, Holmberg owned a carpentry shop which, beginning in 1943, produced customized cribbage boards, chess sets, and other card game devices of wood and metal. His first foray into ski manufacturing came when he got contracted for custom painting and sheet metal work for the runners of Ski-Doo snowmobiles.
Ski manufacturing didn't become the dominate product until 1955 when Hart, Ed Bjork and Harry Holmberg started to produce metal-edged skis. Acclaim for Hart skis began to grow and in the 1960s Hart skis dominated the US ski market. Hart's demo team is also attributed with pioneering the Freestyle mode of skiing.
In 1969 Hart was sold to the multinational Beatrice Foods of Chicago. The Hart name remained strong for awhile, fortified by Olympic medal winner, Billy Kidd who was an advisor and designer in the early 1970s. Hart began to lose its edge as the parent company was not dedicated to the sport and was acquired by Mortgage Bankers of Minnesota in 1977, then again by Jim and Jack Bjork (sons of the co-founder Ed Bjork) in 1981. Harry Holmberg, Jr., remained active until 1985 as the last Holmberg involvement until recent times.
Under the Bjorks, Hart focused on the Freestyle market of its early years and dominated in all the Freestyle competitions throughout the 1980s. The 1990s were also good for Hart, with many Olympic skiers using and winning on Hart skis. In 1995 Hart athletes also dominated the World of Freestyle in Clusaz, France.
In 1997, Hart Ski Manufacturing was acquired by United Sports Group which retained Jim Bjork. Hart's market share began to slide until 2000 when Jim Bjork retired and United Sports Group folded and Hart Ski Manufacturing shut its doors.
In 2003, Hart Ski Manufacturing was reborn by Bill Holmberg, grandson of the founder, Hartvig Holmberg. Starting slowly; producing skis individually, Hart began taking orders for the 2006-2007 season and is preparing to have a full offering for the 2007-2008 season.