P62-63_TTW_10_Abel Reels.indd
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P62-63_TTW_10_Abel Reels.indd
TTW ANNIVERSARY 2 25Abel years of Abel is a name synonymous with quality, precision engineering and beauty. Now this famous ‘made in the USA’ fly-reel brand is celebrating 25 years in business, with much more in the pipeline. TackleTrade World finds out more. restigious fly-reel brand Abel is celebrating a major milestone this year – 25 years in the business. Regardless of your sector of the market, this is a great achievement. But, when you consider that Abel specialises in high-end, precision-made niche fly reels, it is all the more impressive. There have been several key factors in Abel’s route to success over its history, at least according to president Don Swanson. “To name a few, I believe the key factors are innovation, extreme quality control, customer service, great inventory, our dedicated staff, pride of craftsmanship, a willingness to take risks, and our 100 per cent ‘made in the USA’ philosophy,” he explains. P 62 www.tackletradeworld.com P62-63_TTW_10_Abel Reels.indd 1 Abel’s Jeff Patterson (left), Don Swanson (centre) and fly fishing artist Derek DeYoung celebrate 25 years of Abel. “The bottom line is that we do things differently from most! We design, engineer, manufacture and, at the very end of the process, price out the product, as opposed to other manufacturers that just try to hit a price point. “Another factor is the realisation that our dealers’ customers aren’t just buying a fly reel; they’re buying the dream of a big fish, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Christmas Island or Patagonia where tackle failure is not an option. I can’t tell you the number of letters and photos we’ve received from customers thanking us for making their dream of an Atlantic salmon, sailfish, permit or whatever come true. ‘I couldn’t have done it without an Abel’ is a common theme.” Don has been with the company for 19 of those 25 years, starting in 1994 after working in the bicycle industry before that. He started out in the shop and assembly department before finishing his college education and moving up through the ranks. General manager by 2005 and president in 2007, Don has Abel’s best interests at heart and always has. Upon reaching a milestone such as this, it is important to 03/09/2012 10:24 ANNIVERSARY TTW look back at how you reached this position. Abel has been a pioneer in many aspects of the business, not just producing high-quality reels. “We have taken a few risks, but they have paid off,” continues Don. “When we took the risk of working with artists by beginning with James Prosek and producing fish-graphic reels, some of our dealers thought we were nuts!” Producing reels and accessories in rainbow or brook trout colours was a bold move at the time, but the cash registers told a different story: people collected them and loved them. Another key moment was when Abel abandoned its luggage division. “Frankly, we were getting knocked off by overseas suppliers and because we insisted on everything being made in the USA, we couldn’t compete. We acknowledged that we do what we do best and that’s the art of designing and machining lightweight, precision fishing tools.” But that ‘made in the USA’ mantra, while a challenge in some ranges such as luggage, has been the making of the company in its core business. “Being based in Camarillo, California, has been a big advantage for us,” continues Don. “The town gives us a great employee base… there’s a loyalty here. We’re not exactly Mayberry, but it’s a small enough town that enjoys a great reputation for taking care of its own. Camarillo is located in an area of Ventura County known for its aerospace talent as well. We’ve drawn some of the top-level machinists away from various manufacturers due to our work-friendly factory environment… and four-day working week.” Don has actually experienced many instances where customers have bought from Abel simply because it is a loyal, ‘made in America’ brand. “We’re not Boeing or United but we 25 When we took the risk of working with artists by beginning with James Prosek and producing fish-graphic reels, some of our dealers thought we were nuts! Derek DeYoung’s artwork has been used on countless Abel reels – one of many reasons the brand has succeeded. have a name that stands for a passionate love of fly fishing, quality, precision machining and everything else.” Like any company that reaches a significant milestone, the plans are in place for it to enjoy another, perhaps even more prosperous period, in the future. Don maintains that the company will always have cutting-edge technology to machine the very best tackle from the very best aluminium, steel and other components. As he says: “It will be evolution rather than revolution” for the future of Abel. The company has a number of new products/ideas in the developmental stage, which Don elaborates on: “I honestly can’t think of a reel manufacturer that year after year delivers as many new offerings as we do. “Our new projects include a partnership with industry icon Joe Saracione for a line of sealed drag reels, an ‘Abel Nipper Quality’ trout hemostat, and the first of an annual contest requesting artwork from artists around the world for a new saltwater or freshwater painted finish for an Abel production reel… and our customers will get to decide on our Facebook page which paintings they will be. “Our goal with this project is to promote the work of the many talented artists out there, and, who knows, maybe we’ll make a few of them famous. Call it the ‘Artistic Idol’ contest.” Taking all this into account, Tackle Trade World is certainly expecting Abel to be here in another 25 years… most probably more! TTW Abel T: +1 805 484 8789 E: [email protected] W: www.abelreels.com www.tackletradeworld.com P62-63_TTW_10_Abel Reels.indd 2 63 03/09/2012 10:24
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