Dear Architect:

Thanks for the opportunity to inform you about the Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage system.  I am an ex-wrestler who started a wrestling mat business in 1976.  For 32 years, in working with others, I have done my best to help improve wrestling mat longevity and safety, because I love and care about the sport.  The idea of ceiling storage for wrestling mats came from coaches who wished to put a mat in the gym, but lacked floor space to store it.  Thus, the origin of the Mat Hoist® began.  The Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage system was designed with safety upper most in mind, but also machine durability, operationally simple, readily adaptable to building design and cost effective.  It was never a “jury rigged” machine using commonly available chain hoists from heavy equipment suppliers.  When it comes to hoisting, storing, and transporting large competition wrestling mats, the Mat Hoist® 1000 with 10 year warranty is the best specification to use as entailed herein.

LOAD TESTED:  April 1986, I installed the MH1000 (Mat Hoist® 1000) at the Nebraska Testing Laboratory building exactly as one would in a school gymnasium.  I wished to formalize what I already knew.  The lab quit at 17,500 pounds as it was straining their structural design.   The 17,500 pounds far exceeds the two tons of two full size wrestling mats.  It was equipped with six standard supporting ¾” B7 grade threaded rods and nuts with six of our standard universal CL-7 suspension clamps.  I can and will furnish you with documented test results.  To our knowledge other gym equipment manufacturers do not show proof that they have tested their entire system for safety?  Over the years, I’ve refused to private label for large equipment companies.  Now, I have decided to offer the Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage system to all gym equipment dealers.  Our number one priority in design was and still is safety. Installations are done professionally according to our standards to assure this safety.

The structural “backbone” of the Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage system is a twenty foot I beam on which a three phase industrial motor with a fast action 14.8 foot-pound brake is mounted.  To obtain the maximum transfer of power an industrial energy efficient helical gear turns a continuous solid steel shaft.   Keyed to this shaft are three evenly spaced cable drums for the industrial aircraft cable which attach to the deflection tested loadbar.   The key switch further enhances safety, because it MUST be held during the entire operation. 

My first system was installed by me in April of 1978.  This simply reflects that I’m the most experienced person manufacturing and installing mat storage systems.  I have over 700 mat storage systems installed with a 100% safety record.  Reports trickle in of other companies units falling, having unbalanced lift, and difficulty adapting to a building’s design.

When hoists became more and more a demanded product, others picked up on the need. Some manufactured a two motor/two cable hoisting systems, and some even mimicked our design.  In fact, two companies copied the Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage systems, and then had to redesign resulting in an untested inferior engineering adaptation.  I considered the two motor/two cable concept originally, but discarded it after determining lifting in a steady balanced position would require the two motors to have a synchronizing system.  I envisioned this would not be operationally simple, maintenance free nor mechanically efficient.  Some are using pullies to double the lifting power.  Why?  Others have added operational bells, safety straps, etc. as what we presume are marketing gimmicks - - - why else the need????    Remote control systems are on the market, which is in contrast to the safety aspect of our key switch.  These add-ons should be unnecessary, and perhaps have nothing to do with the operational safety of the storage system.

 I did my best to perfect the original Mat Hoist® wrestling mat storage system, and 30 years of trouble-free use verifies its’ soundness.  There have been minute changes over the years which were made to enhance the manufacturing process, but did not change the proved design.

 Thanks for taking the time to read this.   If you need any further information please call 1-888-54-HOIST.  School references are always available.

Al Nacin

President/Owner

NGE, Inc.

Mat Hoist, LLC