IOU RAMPS

IOU RAMPS

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IOU stands for "Innovative, Original, Unique".

There are maybe 1000 reasons, why Skaters like to ride our Ramps? We actually don´t think to much about this, we just build them. From the small ramp on the playground to such big projects like Moscow Skatepark, X-Games or the European Championships in Skateboarding.
How come, IOU-Ramps is so known in the international Scene?
Maybe, cause we are Skateboarders and we know and understand the wishes and claims of the active Skaters. For the construction of our ramps, we just use high quality materials. From the planing to the execution we are flexible, to satisfy our customers and the wishes of the Skaters.
Our ramps should give the possibility to the beginner and the advanced skater, to learn and develop themselves and bring lots of fun.

Who is behind IOU-Ramps?
Founder and Owner is Andreas Schützenberger. Also big part at the IOU-Family are: Ingo Schulz, Stefan Lehnert and Pius Aellig.

Why and When did you start Skateboarding?
That was Summer 1988, after finishing a summer job at Mc-Donald´s to buy the first goo board. I get inspired by TV those days and from that on i was infected.

How did you get into Rampbuilding?
This is pretty simple – as i started skating i also started to learn my job as a carpenter. Skateramps didn´t exist by that time so we started building our own backyard ramps.

Where do you get the ideas for the ramps?
Lots of ideas you find on the streets, after a while you get a certain look, many ideas come of playing around with friends, skaters and lots from stefan lehnert, he is an architect and a really good skateboarder – so he has the perfect combination.

Do you think you have influence with your ramps in the development of skateboarding?
Yes i think so, i influence the skaters and they influence me with their creativity. It´s logic, if you have something you really like to ride on, you spend of course more time and you get better naturally.

How did everything start?
The first offical park i builded for a small comunity in Austria – Ried i. Innkreis. The skaters wanted to have me. The breaktrough came with the DC-Challenge in Frankfurt where i also founded the name IOU-Ramps.

How come your name?
I produced clothing for years named IOU-Clothing as i needed a name for my ramps i decided to stick on the name. Bye the way IOU stands for „Innovative – Original – Unique“.

Who finances a skatepark?
In the public it happens throug the community´s, they get a request form the skaters. Also the skateindustry and those company´s who have interests in skateboarding. Sometimes private people.

So what´s up with the „German-TÜV“ and where is the connection to skateboarding?
Germany is known for their norms and there is also one for skateboarding – the din 33943. This norm is valid for public skateparks and is important for injurance reasons. Till May 2003 we are also members in that Normcomittee.

How is a ordinary day in your life look like?
I´m mostly on the road and build some ramps from the morning till late night. At home i organize my office and spend the little time i have with my friends.

Do you shape your ramps on the computer?
Yes, but just for my customers do give them the right impression.

What´s you like to build the most ( halfpipes , pools, street-obstacles )?
Street.

Do you have your own building technic?
The whole structure and building system is developed by us. The skatesurface SKATESMART® is also our own development.

How long does it take to build Ramps?
A small park 3-4 days, a big project like the european championships up to 8 days.

You still produce clothing?
Not really, i try to make a IOU-Ramps collection in the near future.