Discover the Materials Behind Eleiko Strength
From Swedish steel to performance-grade polymers — explore carefully sourced for dura-bility and performance built into Eleiko products.
Eleiko Steel
Cold-rolled and heat-treated at 900°C, Eleiko Steel is quenched and tempered for purity and resilience. The result is a fine-grained, homogenous microstructure — free from contamination and impurities, ensuring even stress distribution and no weak points.
Eleiko bars are forged from 97% recycled steel and have an 80% lower CO₂ footprint than the global steel average. With unmatched resistance to wear, corrosion, and fatigue, Eleiko Steel ensures our bars are built to perform — year after year.
Eleiko & Ovako
Ovako has been our steel partner since the 1920s, and now they lead in low-carbon steel production. Together, we engineered Eleiko Steel for our bars, a proprietary formulation that balances strength and flexibility for unparalleled lifting performance.
Our Bar Finishes
Chrome Surface Treatment System
Eleiko’s chrome is resilient to corrosion, scratches, and environmental wear, making it ideal for high-performance training environments where bars are exposed to sweat, chalk, and friction from regular use.
Our chrome surface treatment is a two-layer process comprised of duplex nickel and trivalent chrome. The nickel enhances the bar’s performance and durability, protecting against corrosion, while the trivalent chrome adds a hard, smooth, polished finish. The chrome layer protects against abrasions and adheres more effectively to the nickel underlayer, preserving the sharpness and precision of knurling — a critical factor for a bar’s performance.
Stainless Steel
The IPF Powerlifting Training Bar is crafted with a stainless-steel shaft, specially selected for its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties that balance strength and flexibility, making it optimal for powerlifting. By using stainless steel, we can leave the grip uncoated, as the stainless steel won't rust, and the knurling won’t wear, extending the bar's life and ensuring lasting performance.
Bare Steel
We use bare steel in the Eleiko IPF Powerlifting Competition Bars to provide the best possible grip, as required by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF). The untreated steel offers an aggressive knurling providing the best possible grip. However, the uncoated steel requires regular care and maintenance to manage surface corrosion, which is purely cosmetic and does not affect the bar's performance.
Knurling
Eleiko’s barbell knurling is precisely engineered and finely tuned to be optimal for each lift type and environment. Knurling patterns and sharpness are tailored to offer optimal connection between the lifter and the bar. Eleiko’s proprietary chrome finish preserves sharpness while providing superior corrosion resistance, extending the bar's lifespan.
1.0 Knurling (Mild): Ideal for functional fitness and high-rep training, reducing hand abrasion to extend training sessions.
1.2 Knurling (Competition/Training): Provides a secure grip for Olympic lifts while allowing controlled bar turnover.
1.5 Knurling (Aggressive): Deep, sharp grip for powerlifting, ensuring maximum traction and stability under heavy loads, reducing reliance on chalk or straps.
This precision ensures durability, consistency, and the perfect balance between grip security and comfort.
Needle Bearings
Eleiko Weightlifting Bars and the Eleiko Hybrid Bar utilize drawn cup closed needle roller bearings with an inner race. The design protects against dirt, debris and wear while delivering smooth, controlled spin — essential for lifts like snatches and cleans. The inner race prevents wear on the bar shaft, ensuring consistent performance and extending bar life. This optimal rotation system reduces joint strain and enhances control, helping the bar move as an extension of the lifter.
Bronze Bushings
Eleiko’s graphite-infused bronze bushings deliver smooth, controlled rotation — the right amount for the slower, heavier lifts of powerlifting. By providing moderate rotational resistance, they help the bar stay centered and stable, even under extreme loads. Bronze is chosen for its strength, wear resistance, and longevity, while the self-lubricating properties keep performance consistent over time, with virtually no maintenance. The result is a bar that moves with you — controlled, reliable, and long-lasting.
Polyurethane Pads
Delivers durability, hygiene, and tailored support for high-use training environments. Custom-moulded density ensures the right balance of comfort and stability across a range of products, including Benches and Prestera Pad Attachments, supporting performance while withstanding the demands of intense training.
Moulded for Stability: Retains shape over time, providing firm and consistent support under heavy loads.
Hygienic & Easy to Clean: Non-porous surface resists sweat and dirt absorption, ensuring long-term cleanliness.
Highly Durable: More resistant to wear, compression, and deformation than traditional foam, maintaining performance even with heavy, repeated use.
Thermoplastic Polyurethane
Eleiko utilises proprietary TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) across multiple products to enhance durability, protect equipment, and improve the lifting experience. Our TPU formulations are tailored to our specific needs and produced in Sweden to meet hardness standards optimised for delivering long-lasting protection.
Safety Arms: Lined with custom-molded TPU that minimizes barbell wear and features a curved design to guide the bar back to the center.
Rotating Cable Attachments: TPU components protect the bar and other equipment from wear and friction, ensuring long-term performance in high-use environments.
By incorporating TPU, we deliver long-lasting protection, reduced equipment wear, and provide a better training experience.
SBR Rubber
Eleiko has developed a proprietary SBR rubber (Styrene-Butadiene Rubber) formulation for IWF-certified weightlifting plates engineered for exceptional durability. Our IWF plates showed zero damage after 100,000 drops and are backed by an industry-leading 10-year warranty.
Crumb Rubber in XF Bumpers
Eleiko uses EU-grade recycled car tires in its compressed recycled crumb rubber. The material is soft yet durable, providing fantastic sound dampening and shock absorption.
EPP Foam
Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam is a high-density, impact-resistant material that offers outstanding durability without added weight. It’s non-toxic, recyclable, and can be precisely engineered to meet different performance needs — making it ideal for products ranging from foam rollers to the Eleiko Hybrid Plyo Box.
Unlike traditional foams, EPP doesn’t absorb moisture, resists deformation, and performs reliably across a wide range of temperatures. Whether used in elite training facilities or multi-use spaces, EPP holds its shape and function over time.
FSC-Certified Wood
In select Eleiko products — such as the 3-in-1 Puzzle Plyo Box and the Wooden Technique Bar — we use FSC-certified wood to combine trusted performance with responsible sourcing. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification ensures the wood comes from forests managed with care for the environment, wildlife, and the people who depend on them. Chosen for its structural strength, clean finish, and sustainable credentials, FSC-certified wood is ideal where natural materials enhance function and feel, helping us deliver products that are considered in their construction and their impact.
Related Articles
Do you have questions?
We’re happy to help. Reach out and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.