Back in Business - The Chimera Wheel Conspiracy

Tags: benny harmanus, chimera, colin kelso, fabrice guyont, gabriel hyden, mike lilly

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The rollerblading industry has seen a fair share of failed companies. Brands seem to appear from nowhere with a glamorous advertising campaign and great media speculation, then they simply dissolve within a few months of conception. If you require evidence of such occurrences, you need only look at companies such as Joe Navran’s Project Blow or Arlo Eisenberg’s Super Computer Robots. Back in 2003, Chimera looked set to follow this same misfortune. They released their first line of wheels and then production simply ceased. However, this year Chimera are back and make no mistake, they mean business. The company is home to several of the most respected skaters in the world and now has financial backing and international distribution from The Conference. The man behind the company’s rebirth is none other than IMYTA winner and Deshi pro, Benny Harmanus. Be-mag took a few minutes of Mr. Harmanus’ time to explore his reasoning for resurrecting a company that could easily have been forgotten.

Chimera was originally the brainchild of Benny Harmanus and Reg5 Distribution’s Uwe Kirsche. Kirsche is one of the men responsible for distributing Razors and Ground Control in Germany, so it seemed like a partnership made in heaven: A celebrated European pro skater to boost sales and a businessman to take care of the production and financial worries. However, according to Benny, things didn’t go exactly to plan.

“I used to run Chimera with Uwe Kirsche. In the beginning, we had so many ideas but none became reality. After a few years, I wasn’t happy about the way things were going. So, now I'm the only one running the company with the help of my team riders and some friends.”

With such a failed relationship, it is surprising the Chimera has managed to rise again and take another gamble in the temperamental rollerblading industry lottery. According to Benny, there was never any doubt in his mind that Chimera would commence trading once again.

“After 2003, Chimera never really returned. We tried in 2006 but it never worked out. This year’s Comeback Collection means we are here to stay. I didn’t want Chimera to die but I also didn’t want the company to start again until I knew it was the real deal and I got as much support as possible.”

When Benny describes what Chimera means to him, it is clear that his excitement about the project has never wavered in the past four years. He has simply been networking and building up a profile in order to make sure that the company is given every opportunity it deserves. His resolution seems to have paid off, as this year Chimera will be distributed by one of rollerblading’s biggest conglomerates, The Conference. Benny was kind enough to explain how this partnership occurred.

“I am sponsored by Conference companies like Deshi and Kizer. Everything is just easier if I only deal with one distributor. I asked them to carry Chimera and offer financial support. I can’t afford to order thousands of wheels and wait for the money to come back. I don’t have a warehouse or connections to shops all over the world. They do. Chimera being distributed by The Conference just means that you will be able to get it everywhere. I still take care of marketing, designs and the team.”

There has been a certain amount of controversy concerning the return of Chimera. One story in particular involves style icon, Colin Kelso and his mysterious transfer from Genre. Benny Harmanus was quick to dispel any rumours that he had anything to do with Colin’s departure from the Genre team.

“Colin left Genre before I asked him to join the team. I heard some stories but it's none of my business. I emailed Colin and sent him some designs. He was cool with everything and I am glad he has joined the team. I don’t want anyone to think that Chimera or The Conference are stealing riders from other teams.”

Chimera boasts a broad selection of skaters that all possess a diverse collection of styles. There is no fear that the team will be pigeon holed into ignorant terms such as “rock” or “hip hop” labels, especially not with a team ranging from Tyron Ballantine to Mike Lilly. When asked why he chose the following individuals to represent his brand, Benny had this to say:

“When I thought of a team, I first thought of people like Fabrice. People that are more into rock music. But I didn't want to kick loyal people like Adil Farhouni and Tyron Ballantine off the team as they were representing even when there were no new wheels at all. As Chimera is going to be distributed worldwide, I was looking for US skaters. I am a big fan of Mike Lilly and I think he deserves support. His section in "Face the Music" is amazing but somehow he never really got the pro-status. I just think everyone on the team is very special and I love to see those guys skate.”

The next twelve months will prove whether or not Chimera is here to stay of if they will succumb to the same fate as so many companies before them. One thing is certain; Benny Harmanus is putting his heart and soul into creating a European brand that aims to compete on an international level. When asked what his plans were to ensure the brand’s longevity, Benny had this to say:

“The most important thing is that you will hear a lot about Chimera on a regular basis and there won't be a month without news, clips or something like that. The next 12 months will be hard work!”

Will Chimera go the distance? Only time will tell.

By David McNamara

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Back in Business - The Chimera Wheel Conspiracy

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August 15th, 2007 @ 09:51 - by BuggPowderNutz

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August 13th, 2007 @ 05:54 - by ValoRocker