Bengt Bandstigen, long-time driving force behind the success of STIGA Sports, has passed away.

On Monday 4 March, sports and leisure manufacturer Bengt Bandstigen passed away after a period of illness. A son of Eskilstuna, Bandstigen spent virtually his entire working life playing table tennis, a sport he discovered as a teenager in the town of his birth. In 1966, after putting his own racket on the shelf, he managed to get the general agency for the world-leading Japanese ping pong ball brand Nittaku and then rapidly built up the Banda brand, with its own production of table tennis rackets, among other things. In 1984, Bengt had the opportunity to acquire the table tennis part of STIGA and run the company under the name Sweden Table Tennis AB. In connection with this, STIGA moved the table tennis operations to Eskilstuna, where the company is still headquartered. The newly formed company was led by Bengt Bandstigen, first as CEO and then as Chairman of the Board.

"Bengt was not only the founder of what is now STIGA Sports, he was also an amazing person who inspired everyone he met with his ingenuity, warmth, humour and incredible entrepreneurial spirit. His innovative vision and passion has been a guiding light and taught us the value of constantly striving for improvement. Bengt is greatly missed and our thoughts are with Bengt's wife Maud and his family" says STIGA Sports CEO Andreas Zandrén.

Bengt Bandstigen would have turned 82 on 30 March.

For further information:
Andreas Zandrén, CEO of STIGA Sports
andreas.zandren@stigasports.se, 070 561 45 86