In 1989, Christof Peller built his first skateboards in the laundry room of his home in Herrliberg on Lake Zurich. Eventually, the decks that followed became the international brand Indiana Skateboards. Proof of the top quality of the boards was that team rider Maurus Strobel won the world championships in slalom skateboarding in 2004 and 2005.
2010
By 2010 the first Indiana standup paddleboard was gliding over Lake Zurich. Maurus and Christof founded Indiana SUP and conquered saltwater and freshwater beaches around the world. Yacht designs and wood veneer gave the boards their distinctive, classy look.
2014
The demand for standup paddleboards grew rapidly in those years. Many paddlers asked for boards that were easier to transport. That’s why the first Indiana inflatable SUP boards were sold in 2014. Standup paddling was evolving from a trend into a worldwide sports and leisure movement. Indiana was at the forefront – and still is today.
Indiana has been pushing the development in collaboration with experts at all levels. Being a highly flexible small business, it kept launching improved versions of its SUP boards at short intervals. Again and again, the brand from Lake Zurich surprised people with innovations such as hollow carbon race boards or inflatable fishing SUP boards with an outrigger. The boards are manufactured in specialized factories in Croatia and China.
2017
Indiana surfed the wave of success and grew rapidly. To keep the business in balance, a limited company was founded: White Wave AG. In 2017, Christof left the SUP business to focus on his Indiana Skateboards brand. Maurus however decided to concentrate all his energy on water sports and said goodbye to his own PR agency and his fitness company. He and his crew at the new headquarters in Wädenswil (Switzerland) dedicate all their passion and power to producing an attractive, high-end range of products for their growing number of customers. At the same time, they are expanding their partnerships with international shops and SUP stations.
Winning a test in a consumer TV show called “Kassensturz”, well-known in Switzerland, was the ultimate breakthrough. Indiana’s 10’6 Family Pack got the best marks in all judging criteria and it is Indiana’s best-selling paddleboard in Switzerland as well as internationally.
2018
In 2018, an impressive 65 boards made up the range, which makes it challenging to find the right model for one’s individual paddling style. That’s where the Indiana Online Boardfinder comes into play: the customer enters his specifications and requirements and gets a selection of boards matching his criteria.
Within the Indiana crew, all sorts of watersports come together, as well as the corresponding knowledge. For this reason, it was an obvious choice to expand the product range. Since 2018, the paddleboards have been accompanied by surfboards, wakeboards, kitesurfing boards, and various foil boards, either made of carbon or inflatable. To match this diversity, the brand got a new name in 2018: Indiana Paddle & Surf.
2019
2019 is Indiana’s tenth season on the water – time to brush up its logo and corporate design: the feather and the board symbolize lightness, gliding, and lust for life. The boards impress customers with their sleek design, combined with fresh tiki patterns. Unmistakably Indiana Paddle & Surf.
2020 - 2021
For the 2020 season, many new features have been introduced under the title SUP 2.0. The boards became lighter and the accessories higher-grade. In the departments of foils and foil boards, many new products were launched. Thanks to influential ambassadors and great content, Indiana got international attention. Messages and requests from all over the world guarantee a great future and we all are looking forward to it.
The crew consists of Maurus Strobel as CEO, Claudio Curiger as COO/CMO, Head of Sales Niki Dietrich, Tibor Baschnonga as Customer Service, and our Finance Team Martina Pribram as CFO & Head HR and Adoracion Fernandez in Accounting. The headquarters are located directly on the shore of Lake Zurich, including the office and showroom.
2023
The range has grown to over 130 boards. Especially in the foil area, the range has been greatly expanded. Our own Foil Development Team developed the High Performance Foil Series which is state of the art. Foilers from all disciplines enjoy performance and quality. The Board & Foil Finder helps to find the right product.