Tackle Trade World - January 2024

ROD BUILDING BRANDS SET
FIRM FOUNDATION IN EUROPE
Foundation Outdoor Group, arguably the
world’s leading supplier of rod-building
components, equipment and instruction,
is taking a significant stride in its global
expansion, opening a European headquarters
in Sweden.
This move comes less than three months
after the acquisition of American Tackle
Company International and Mud Hole
Custom Tackle, solidifying Foundation
Outdoor Group’s position as an industry
powerhouse.
The newly formed subsidiary, Foundation
Outdoor Group Europe AB, will spearhead
sales and distribution efforts across Europe
and beyond.
Heading this international initiative
is Gary Benny, who brings a wealth of
experience in the European tackle industry
and previously served as the European
branch manager at American Tackle.
Brook Oliva, president and COO of
Foundation Outdoor Group, said: “This
expansion is indicative of our commitment
to grow the global presence of Foundation
Outdoor Group.
“We’re excited to bring Gary aboard from
American Tackle to lead this international
effort. He has a wealth of international
business experience and an entrepreneurial
spirit that fits perfectly with our leadership
team and our assertive
growth strategy.”
In support of
Foundation Outdoor
Group Europe AB’s
mission, the company
has acquired a new
European headquarters
building located in the
strategic port city of
Halmstad, Sweden.
This 2,100 sq
m (22,604 sq ft)
modern facility is
ideally positioned to
facilitate international
distribution and access to intermodal
distribution channels within the European
Union.
The headquarters will serve as a showcase
for Foundation Outdoor Group’s extensive
range of fishing and outdoor recreation
product lines, housing executive and sales
offices, a showroom and a state-of-the-art
warehouse and distribution centre.
Built in 2020, the facility features loading
docks, grade-level loading, 9m (30ft) high
ceilings and pallet racking, enabling Full
Truckload (FTL) and Less-Than-Truckload
(LTL) shipments to arrive at the port of
Halmstad and be seamlessly transported to
the unit.
Gary added: “The new headquarters
facility is in an ideal location and has
everything we need to support our business
expansion. Foundation Outdoor Group’s
growth plans are both strategic and
aggressive, and I am looking forward to
driving our business and supporting anglers
and our industry across Europe.”
Foundation Outdoor Group’s portfolio
of renowned brands currently includes
Mud Hole Custom Tackle, American
Tackle, MHX, Custom Rod Builder (CRB),
ProProducts, ThreadMaster and FishHawk.
www.foundationoutdoorgroup.com
Conservation body tackling Florida water quality
The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust,
whose mission is to conserve
bonefish, tarpon and permit
fisheries through science,
education and advocacy, has
launched a campaign to raise
awareness of Florida’s water
quality issues.
Titled Win Back Our Water,
it highlights three key issues
that have been identified
as harming Florida’s water
quality: failing and/or outdated
wastewater and stormwater
infrastructure; pharmaceutical
contaminants, and glyphosate
pollution that can result from
the use of herbicides.
The campaign follows
ongoing harmful algal blooms,
poor water quality, seagrass
loss, fish kills and contaminants
such as pharmaceuticals in fish
and other marine organisms
that show that much more
action is needed, especially
considering the ways that a
changing climate aggravates
these problems.
Win Back Our Water aims
to mobilise Floridians to take
action to protect their state’s
waterways and builds on BTT’s
water quality priorities, most
notably advocacy in support of
Everglades restoration.
The campaign emphasises
the importance of water quality
not only for marine ecosystems
but also for the many Florida
residents who depend on clean
water for their livelihoods,
recreation and
quality of life.
“Florida is at
a crossroads,”
said Jim
McDuffie,
BTT’s
president and
CEO. “Failing
and outdated
wastewater and
stormwater
infrastructure,
pharmaceutical
contaminants
and glyphosate
pollution threaten our coastal
aquatic resources, economy and
way of life.
“The Win Back Our Water
campaign is a call to action to
Algal blooms are one key indicator of issues with
water quality.
protect the state’s waterways by
addressing issues that threaten
water quality and, ultimately,
our livelihoods.”
www.btt.org/winbackourwater
10 www.tackletradeworld.com