A rod building trade group will finally launch in late June of this year. Originally it will focus on business related issues for and between rod building supply dealers. As it grows, we hope it will expand into general promotional efforts on behalf of the craft of custom rod building. More information will be forthcoming in the volume 8 #4 issue of RodMaker.

..................

bout time!!! This will be a great step forward as long as it does not become political and remains independent

Mike

Sounds like a good idea.
I look foreward to interacting cooperatively with fellow rod building suppliers.
Sincerly,


Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

I should probably clarify that this will not be open to custom rod builders. It is not a rod building "club." Membership will be limited to rod building supply dealers and manufacturers only. Very much like the ASA and AFFTA groups. The goal will be for co-operation between suppliers through a customer credit reporting database and eventually may focus on collective advertising and promotional efforts on behalf of the craft of custom rod building. That's pretty much it, but this does cover two sorely needed aspects for the custom rod building industry.


.............




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2005 11:02AM by Tom Kirkman.

Tom,
As in one of our conversations I said that I would sign up as it is needed for us suppliers to be able to help out each other. I look forward in my continued support with you.
Neal Cissel
Neal's Fishing Products

Tom--very, very cool--and very needed. We're certainly "in"! :)

Thanks once again for your commitment to the craft which is expressed so tangibly in ventures like this.

Not to poke at a sensitive area here, but isn't a trade group like this also building the foundations for across-the-board fixed pricing, much like what we see already today in the factory-made fly rod arena?

I realize that it's a double-edged sword in that a lot of small fly shops couldn't exist without the generous markup that they get from a $700 retail rod, but I'd also like to be able to just buy the rod if I didn't need a guy to tell me all about its wonderful features (folds into 100 pieces for convenient travel, etc.) .

From a consumer's point of view, having to poke around for the best price on "Component A" and "Blank B" can be annoying, and I have found that the dealers who offer the best combination of price and service are the ones I go back to. So from this side of the fence, I don't see anything that we consumers can gain from it.

Quite possibly I'm not seeing the whole picture here. If anyone would be kind enough to explain, I'd be interested in hearing other takes on how it can benefit everyone involved.

Price fixing and fair trade pricing are not at all the same. Fair trade pricing is what has made the fly fishing industry strong. Even the consumer has been a winner in the long run due to better selection, more dealers and better products. The general fishing tackle market, by comparison, has been in the tank for over a decade.

But to answer your question more specifically, this association will not be involved in anyone's pricing or business practices. It will serve mainly to allow suppliers to communicate with each other via a credit reporting database and to ultimately promote and advertise custom rods and custom rod building as part of a collective effort.

Fair trade pricing and territory protection are not part of the goals for the forseeable future.

...........