Editing Richmond Italia (section)

== Procaps ==

In 1998, Italia established [[Procaps]] in Canada as a manufacturer specialising in paintball ammunition.

The company initially marketed its products under the Diablo name, including Blaze, Inferno and Hellfire paintballs.

Procaps developed manufacturing facilities in the Montreal area, with a purpose-built paintball production plant established in 1999.[1][4]

=== Diablo Direct ===

In January 1999, Procaps and several regional distributors announced the establishment of Diablo Direct, a coordinated North American distribution business.

Italia worked with industry figures including [[Craig Miller]], Paul Bollenbach, Dan Bonebrake and Ed Poorman to develop the distribution network.

The arrangement allowed Procaps to supply commercial playing fields and retailers through a network of regional warehouses.[1]

=== Draxxus and National Paintball Supply ===

During the late 1990s, Procaps became involved in a trademark dispute with [[National Paintball Supply]] concerning the Diablo name.

The two companies subsequently negotiated a distribution agreement.

On 29 April 2002, Procaps, Diablo Direct and National Paintball Supply announced an alliance combining their distribution operations.

Under the arrangement, the Diablo name returned to National Paintball Supply, while Procaps introduced the [[Draxxus]] brand for its paintball ammunition.[5]

The agreement also provided National Paintball Supply with distribution access to Procaps products and [[VForce]] protective equipment.

=== Matrix paintball marker ===

Procaps was also associated with the development of the original [[Matrix]] electronic paintball marker through its subsidiary AirTech Industries.

The Matrix was introduced in 2000 and incorporated an electronically controlled spool-valve operating system.

Contemporary WARPIG reporting identified Italia as a company representative involved in the marker's introduction and documented its early tournament use at Skyball 2000 and the [[Paintball World Cup]] later that year.[6]

The Matrix subsequently became an established tournament marker platform.