The name DONIC is derived from that of its founder, Dr. Georg Nicklas. It is generally understood as a combination of “DO” (Doktor) and “NIC” (Nicklas), forming DO + NIC = DONIC. German-language historical sources identify Georg Nicklas as the founder of the company in Cologne in 1978.6

Nicklas was not only a businessman but also an accomplished German table tennis player with a strong interest in equipment and racket technology. This player-oriented background became a foundational element of the brand’s later philosophy.

DONIC was originally established in Cologne by Georg Nicklas as a specialist table tennis business rather than a general sporting goods manufacturer.7

In the 1980s, Nicklas relocated to Sweden and sold DONIC to the Schreiner family. This transition marked the beginning of the company’s second phase and eventually transformed it into an internationally recognised brand.8

Karlheinz Schreiner, who was himself closely involved in table tennis, became a key figure in developing the business. The company subsequently moved its base from Cologne to Völklingen in Saarland.

Völklingen remains DONIC’s headquarters today. The company states that its headquarters employs around 30 staff covering administration, product development, sales, shipping and marketing, while production takes place in multiple countries and products are distributed through an international sales network.9

The Schreiner family is central to the modern history of DONIC. Karlheinz Schreiner acquired the company from Georg Nicklas, and his son Frank Schreiner subsequently became the leading figure in the business.

Frank Schreiner had a competitive table tennis background, having played in Germany’s 2nd Bundesliga during the 1980s. DONIC states that he continues to personally test products alongside his development team before they enter production.10

This approach distinguishes DONIC from generic sportswear companies; the organisation has historically positioned itself as a specialist firm whose development team comprises former and active table tennis players.

Jan-Ove Waldner is perhaps the player most inseparable from DONIC’s identity. In 1993, Waldner became a DONIC brand ambassador after Frank Schreiner, who had known him from his time at the German club ATSV Saarbrücken, facilitated the partnership.11

This collaboration was significant for the brand. Waldner, one of the greatest players in table tennis history, won Olympic men’s singles gold, World Championship titles, World Cup titles and numerous European championships. His association provided the specialised German company with substantial international visibility.

Crucially, Waldner’s role extended beyond celebrity endorsement. DONIC has historically emphasised cooperation between elite players and its engineers, making Waldner’s feedback an integral part of the brand’s technical identity.12

Waldner was not the only Swedish superstar associated with DONIC. The company also developed relationships with Jörgen Persson and Mikael Appelgren. Together with Waldner, they represented a generation of Swedish table tennis that challenged Chinese dominance during the late 1980s and 1990s.

DONIC describes these three athletes as a “Swedish super trio” and credits their international popularity, particularly in Asia, with helping transform DONIC into a global table tennis brand.13

Jörgen Persson won the 1991 World Championship men’s singles title, the 1991 World Cup and multiple team titles with Sweden. DONIC notes that its relationship with Persson has lasted for more than 30 years and that he has contributed directly to product development.6

DONIC products have been used by world-class players, national teams and professional clubs. The company states that World and European Championships, as well as numerous national and international titles, have been won using DONIC equipment.14

The brand maintains long-standing relationships with professional clubs, notably TTF Liebherr Ochsenhausen, a partnership dating back to the 1990s.7

Additionally, DONIC supplied textiles to the German national teams from 1995 to 2010.15

DONIC is also a significant manufacturer of table tennis tables. One of its best-known innovations is DONIC SC technology, where SC stands for “Super Compact.”

Development of this technology began in the early 1980s, with production-ready versions appearing by the middle of the decade. The resulting DONIC Delhi table was presented internationally at the 1987 World Championships in New Delhi. DONIC states it was the first automatic table used at a World Championship tournament.16

The Delhi became one of the company’s signature products. DONIC continues to sell the DELHI 25, an ITTF-approved competition table, and notes that versions of the Delhi have been used at major international events.8

DONIC’s modern portfolio covers most equipment required for table tennis.

Blades

DONIC produces all-wood, offensive, all-round, defensive, carbon and composite-fibre blades. Notable technologies include SENSO and DOTEC, both associated with its blade designs.17

Rubbers

The company manufactures rubbers for various playing styles, including offensive/topspin, control-oriented, tacky, short-pimple, long-pimple and beginner-oriented variants. The FORMULA DONIC family is a historically important rubber technology, while the BLUEGRIP range represents more recent developments.18

Tables

DONIC sells competition and recreational tables, including the DONIC DELHI 25, DONIC DELHI SLC, DONIC WORLD CHAMPION TC and WALDNER table models. Its competition tables include ITTF-approved options.19

Clothing and textiles

The brand produces competition shirts, training clothing, women’s competition wear, team apparel and sports textiles. Current collections emphasise moisture-wicking fabrics and freedom of movement.20

Blade engineering is one of DONIC’s core competencies. The brand has developed technologies intended to modify the relationship between the handle, blade and player’s hand.

SENSO

SENSO is one of DONIC’s best-known blade technologies. The concept involves modifying handle and blade construction to influence feel and feedback.

DOTEC

DOTEC is another distinctive technology, recognisable for its unusual handle construction designed around ergonomics and contact with the player’s hand. These technologies became part of DONIC’s identity alongside its professional player collaborations.21

DONIC has invested significantly in rubber development. Historically, FORMULA DONIC technology was particularly important during the era of speed-glue-based offensive play. As regulations and playing styles evolved, the company developed newer generations of rubber technology.

The current range includes the BLUEGRIP family. DONIC describes the newer BLUEGRIP J series as featuring a sticky topsheet and varying sponge hardness options, aimed at combining spin, ball contact and control.22

The company also continues to develop products for players at different levels rather than focusing exclusively on professionals.

Despite its professional reputation, DONIC does not position itself exclusively as an elite brand. The company developed the GO concept specifically to help beginners and children learn table tennis.

This concept combines blade and rubber technologies designed around learning stages. For example, AirGO-FX and GO2Spin rubber technologies are intended to make ball contact, control and spin easier for developing players.23

DONIC also offers the DONIC UP system, which organises equipment combinations into four levels: Starter, Advancer, Challenger and Pro. This system aims to match equipment characteristics with a player’s technical level and ambitions.24

While DONIC’s relationship with Swedish legends is historically crucial, the brand has also sought connections with modern Asian table tennis. For the 2025/26 season, DONIC announced Zhang Jike as a new brand ambassador. Zhang Jike is the 2012 Chinese Olympic men’s singles champion, a two-time men’s singles World Champion and a World Cup winner.13

DONIC subsequently introduced products developed with his involvement, including the ZHANG JIKE ORIGINAL CARBON blade, ZHANG JIKE NEW ERA blade and BLUEGRIP J rubbers. The Original Carbon blade is notable because DONIC states it uses the exact veneer combination associated with Zhang Jike’s world-champion blade.25

This partnership represents an evolution in DONIC’s identity, extending its legacy from the great Swedish generation to include elite Asian players.

Although DONIC’s headquarters and product development operations are based in Völklingen, Germany, the company is not limited to German production. DONIC states that it has production sites in multiple countries and an international sales network covering markets worldwide.26

This structure is particularly relevant in table tennis, where Asia represents an enormous market for high-level equipment. DONIC’s historical association with Waldner, Persson and Appelgren helped establish its reputation in Asian markets.

The company thus represents a distinctive model: German product development and brand identity combined with an international manufacturing and distribution network.

DONIC’s current slogan is “CREATE SUCCESS.” The company describes its philosophy around several recurring themes: technical innovation, player feedback, quality, performance, continuous product development and enjoyment of the game.

DONIC states that its product development and sales teams consist of former and active table tennis players, providing what it describes as “first-hand” expertise.

Its stated philosophy also emphasises playing without “tuning” or artificial modifications, relying instead on equipment designed to produce genuine performance and enjoyment.27

DONIC’s identity can be categorised into four pillars:

• German engineering heritage: The brand has maintained a German headquarters and a strong specialist equipment identity since its early history.
• Elite player involvement: Few table tennis brands have such a strong historical connection with players of the stature of Waldner, Persson and Appelgren.
• Equipment development: DONIC has consistently emphasised blade, rubber and table technology rather than functioning primarily as a clothing or lifestyle brand.
• International reach: Despite being relatively small compared with multinational sporting goods companies, DONIC has built an international presence through professional players, clubs, national teams and distributors.28

In the table tennis equipment market, DONIC is generally regarded as a specialist premium to upper-mid-to-high-end brand, particularly strong in blades, rubbers and competition tables.

Its main historical competitors and fellow specialist brands include Butterfly, JOOLA, Tibhar, Andro, XIOM and Nittaku. DONIC’s competitive advantage lies less in size and more in its heritage, specialist knowledge and association with elite table tennis.

The Waldner connection remains especially valuable because his playing style—precise, technically sophisticated and highly versatile—aligns naturally with DONIC’s emphasis on feel, control and equipment engineering.29

Some of the most significant names connected with the brand include:

The first three players are particularly important historically, as their success helped establish DONIC as a major international name during the 1990s.30

As of 2026, DONIC remains a family-associated German specialist table tennis company headquartered in Völklingen. Its current range spans beginner equipment, professional-level blades and rubbers, competition tables and team apparel.31

The company’s product development combines older technologies and player heritage with newer materials and partnerships. The Zhang Jike collaboration and the BLUEGRIP J range exemplify its efforts to maintain relevance in modern high-level table tennis.32

• 1978: DONIC founded in Cologne by Dr. Georg Nicklas.3
• 1980s: Georg Nicklas sells DONIC to the Schreiner family; the company becomes associated with Völklingen.33
• 1987: DONIC Delhi table with SC/Super Compact technology presented at the World Championships in New Delhi.
• 1993: Jan-Ove Waldner becomes a DONIC brand ambassador.34
• 1990s: Jörgen Persson and Mikael Appelgren join Waldner as major DONIC-associated Swedish stars.35
• 1995–2010: DONIC supplies textiles to German national teams.36
• 2000s–2010s: DONIC expands international professional player and club relationships; develops SENSO, DOTEC and successive rubber systems.
• 2025/26: DONIC launches products associated with new ambassador Zhang Jike, including BLUEGRIP J rubber series and Zhang Jike blade models.
• 2026: DONIC continues operating from Völklingen with an international product and distribution network.37

1. Über uns | Das deutsche Traditionsunternehmen DONIC
2. Impressum DONIC Sportartikel-Vertriebs GmbH
3. DONIC
4. Donic – Tischtennis Marken
5. DONIC
6. Weltmeister Jörgen Persson | #donic-family
7. DONIC-Partner TTF Ochsenhausen | #donicfamily
8. DONIC DELHI 25 | Wettkampf-Tischtennistisch
9. Table tennis tables for competition and leisure in top quality
10. DONIC – high-quality table tennis equipment
11. DONIC DESTO FIRST | FROM ZERO TO HERO
12. Power up your game
13. Chinas Superstar Zhang Jike | #donicfamily
14. DONIC Sportartikel Vertriebs-GmbH, Völklingen
15. DONIC, une marque et un savoir-faire qui traversent les générations – Ping Pong et Tennis de Table
16. DONIC Sportartikel Vertriebs-GmbH, Völklingen
17. Über uns | Das deutsche Traditionsunternehmen DONIC
18. Über uns | Das deutsche Traditionsunternehmen DONIC
19. Über uns | Das deutsche Traditionsunternehmen DONIC
20. DONIC DELHI SLC | Tischtennisplatte
21. DONIC – high-quality table tennis equipment
22. DONIC – bestes Tischtennis-Equipment für jeden Spielertyp
23. DONIC brand complete table tennis rackets
24. Impressum DONIC Sportartikel-Vertriebs GmbH
25. Impressum DONIC Sportartikel-Vertriebs GmbH
26. Weltmeister Jörgen Persson | #donic-family
27. Donic – Tischtennis Marken
28. Donic – Tischtennis Marken
29. DONIC – Tischtennisclub Elz e.V.
30. donic.com.tw
31. donic.com.tw
32. Tischtennishersteller – Donic Der Tischtennis Online-Shop
33. Donic Der Tischtennis Online-Shop
34. Donic catalog — buy professional equipment in Russia and the CIS: delivery available.
35. Donic Table Tennis at Paddle Palace
36. Donic Table Tennis Equipment | Blades, Rubbers & Tables at Paddle Palace
37. Donic | Tabletennis11 (TT11)