Brunswick Pool Balls: Sulac Craftsmanship?

Brunswick is a well-known American company with a nearly 200-year history of innovation and market leadership. They are the world's leader in recreational boats, marine engines, and marine parts and accessories. They also have a long history of manufacturing billiards tables and related equipment, including pool balls.

Brunswick Centennial Billiard Balls are made entirely of Aramith phenolic resin. All white and coloured components are vitrified or heat-fused to create a molecular bond. They are manufactured by the Belgian company, Saluc, which also manufactures Aramith balls. The Centennials are known for their perfect sphericity and balance, making them a top choice for serious players.

In addition to the Centennial balls, Brunswick also offers the Heritage Pocket Ball Set. These balls are designed for daily use and are ground and polished to radial tolerances of 0.003 of an inch for accurate and reliable performance. Like the Centennial balls, the Heritage balls are also made with high-quality phenolic resin and feature bright white and colour components.

While Brunswick has a rich history in the billiards industry, it's important to note that they are not the only company producing pool balls. Saluc, the Belgian company that manufactures the Aramith line of balls, also produces pool balls for other brands, including Brunswick.

Brunswick Centennial pool balls are made by Saluc

The total production time for Brunswick Centennial pool balls is 23 days. Saluc follows a 13-step detailed manufacturing process for their billiard balls, and each ball must meet specific criteria, including density, balance, diameter tolerance, roundness, colour precision, surface polish, and brilliance. Saluc even weights each ball to match it with other balls of similar weights to ensure each ball in a set weighs the same.

Brunswick Centennial pool balls have a long durability span and are known to last a very long time without much compromise or performance issues. The numbers and colours on these balls will not rub off, spot, or fade. They are superior in both playing quality and appearance and offer uncompromised craftsmanship and unmatched playability.

The Brunswick Centennial pool balls have that authentic feel with a shiny finish and the same weight as the balls used in billiards halls and seen on sports networks. The look and quality of these balls were used around a hundred years ago, hence the name "Centennial". The dimensions of these balls have remained the same since the early 20th century.

Saluc manufactures the balls in Belgium

Saluc S.A. is a Belgian speciality manufacturing company, founded in 1923, and is best known for its Aramith brand billiard balls. The company manufactures balls in the village of Callenelle, in the Hainaut province, and supplies approximately 80% of the world's billiard balls.

Saluc started as a chemical industry, supplying synthetic tannins to local tanneries. However, after the local industry disappeared in the 1950s, the company switched to manufacturing billiard balls. Today, Saluc produces and distributes billiard balls under the registered trademark Aramith in more than 85 countries.

The company also manufactures other types of balls and bearings with high engineering tolerances for a wide variety of industrial and consumer-product applications, such as Logitech trackballs. Saluc also makes Aramith nine-pin bowling balls for the European market.

In 2007, Saluc expanded into the United States industrial ball industry, purchasing the C.L. Bailey Co. of Marionville, Missouri, and establishing new warehouse and office space for their precision ball division.

The Aramith brand is known for its quality and precision, with a unique production process that takes 23 days. The Aramith balls are made from phenolic resin, which is more resistant than the polyester balls sold by competitors. This means the Aramith balls last longer and do not lose their shape or shine, nor do they increase wear and tear on the table cloth.

The Super Aramith PRO set is used for top-of-the-line pool balls, and the Centennial pool ball design is produced for Brunswick.

The balls are made from phenolic resin

Phenolic resin is also highly resistant to the high temperatures created by friction between ball and cloth when a cue ball is struck. This friction can reach temperatures of 250°C (482°F), but phenolic resin is engineered to be wear-resistant at these temperatures, making balls made from this material far less vulnerable to abrasive burn-spots. This results in minimal ball and table cloth wear.

Phenolic resin is used to make balls for several sports, including pool, billiards and snooker.

The balls are designed for daily use

The Brunswick Heritage Pocket Ball Set is designed for daily use. The balls are made with high-quality phenolic resin and are ground and polished to radial tolerances of 0.003 of an inch for accurate and reliable performance. The solid cast and vitrified components of the balls are heat-fused to create a homogeneous molecular bond, enhancing their strength and resilience. The bright white and colour components and standard numbering style make these balls visually appealing.

The Brunswick Centennial Pocket Balls are also designed for daily use. They are made entirely of Aramith phenolic resin, with all white and coloured components "vitrified" or heat-fused to create a molecular bond. These balls are precision-ground and polished to perfect sphericity and are used in professional events around the world. They are also more expensive than the Heritage balls, retailing at $500 compared to $265.

The balls are ground and polished to radial tolerances of 0.003 of an inch

The Brunswick Heritage Pocket Balls are designed for daily use. They are made with high-quality phenolic resin, which is known for its durability and longevity. The balls are ground and polished to radial tolerances of 0.003 of an inch, ensuring reliable and accurate performance on the table. This process involves using a grinder to shape the balls and then polishing them to achieve a smooth, shiny finish. The precise manufacturing process results in a difference of only 0.003 of an inch between the largest and smallest diameters of the balls. This tolerance level ensures that the balls perform consistently and roll accurately during gameplay.

The components of the Heritage Pocket Balls are solid cast and heat fused, creating a homogeneous molecular bond. This process enhances the balls' strength and resistance to wear and tear. Additionally, the bright white and colorful components, along with the standard numbering style, make the balls visually appealing and easy to read during gameplay.

The Heritage Pocket Balls are a practical choice for regular billiards players, as they are designed for daily use and offer accurate and reliable performance.

Frequently asked questions