About Butterfly
TO THE TOP WITH BUTTERFLY
Butterfly produces high performance table tennis equipment of high quality in order to satisfy the requirements of all players; it is the basic concept introduced by the late Hikosuke Tamasu, the founder of Butterfly. “Players are flowers in table tennis world and they are the very enchantment of table tennis; we would like to be butterflies flying around the flowers providing them the essential needs in the table tennis world.” It is the origin of the brand name ‘Butterfly’ and the very heart of Butterfly that has never changed even though it is over 60 years since its foundation. When table tennis equipment from Butterfly is used and it resonates with the player’s spirit, technique, physical condition and wisdom, impressive and dynamic rallies follow. Every player is different and blossoms with his/her own flower. Butterfly keeps moving forward developing and progressing all the time.
BOWMAR SPORTS
Bowmar Sports was established in 1960 as Martin Kilpatrick Company by Bowie Martin and Norman Kilpatrick. Bowie and Norman were avid table tennis players at the East Carolina University table tennis club. The company carried the leading table tennis brands and sold to table tennis clubs and sporting goods stores throughout the USA. In 1962, Norman sold his half of the company to Bowie’s wife, Melba, also an avid table tennis player. The business grew steadily and eventually Martin Kilpatrick narrowed its product lines to the Butterfly professional line and the Martin Kilpatrick recreational line. In 1995, Martin Kilpatrick acquired the Butterfly distributorship of Canada. In 2005, Martin Kilpatrick began doing business as Butterfly North America. Butterfly North America’s two primary websites are ButterflyOnline.com, which focuses on professional equipment, and ButterflyNA.com, which emphasizes recreational equipment. In 2013, Butterfly North America started the WAB “We Are Butterfly” program to connect and promote the Butterfly community of clubs, pro shops, coaches, players, tournaments and fans. In 2016, Butterfly North America began doing business as Bowmar Sports.
BUTTERFLY RUBBERS
Butterfly has its own latest facilities for research and production; the expert staffs with specialized knowledge of table tennis rubber research and explore the micro-world night and day in the pursuit of new products that lead the market. SRIVER (1967), BRYCE (1997) and TENERGY (2008) are the results of this extensive research.
The inquiring mind of staff members linked with modern facilities meets demands generated by players; the result is the unique resources of Butterfly have produced high performance and high quality products that have enabled players to win a host of major titles. Our aim is to help every style of play and make table tennis a more attractive sport.
Research, inquiry and innovation are at the very heart of Butterfly rubber; the products have been passed from generation to generation.
BUTTERFLY BLADES
Professionalism combined with a keen eye for quality and finely-honed senses, fostered through great experience, enables the company’s experts to identify the best raw wood to produce the racket blade. The raw materials undergo strict quality controls established by Butterfly in order to produce a high quality. All aspects of racket production are unique to Butterfly established through its history of more than 60 years.
The performance of a racket is decided by developing a combination of materials in addition to developing techniques that produce the best feeling by using artificial materials. However, the expert’s pride is not only to follow the basic performance indicated on the specification sheet but also to produce an item that is attractive and pleasant to the eye.