All change at top German tackle retailer

The Stollenwerk Group, one of Germany’s best known fishing tackle retailers, is to merge with Fishing-King, a company driving participation and conservation through online licence courses.

Stollenwerk began as an online shop in 1994 and later opened a big retail store in Plochingen, near Stuttgart, selling top brands with a focus on spinning, catfish and sea fishing gear.

Joachim and Angelika Stollenwerk broke the news of their retirement from the business in an announcement to customers and partners saying it had been ‘placed in proven and professional hands’.

Stollenwerk will now be run by Managing Director Jochen Rüdand, a longstanding employee, and Erik Walter, Fishing King’s Chief Marketing Officer. The Stollenwerks will continue in an advisory capacity over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition. Their announcement said they had taken the decision with mixed feelings.

“True to the saying that ‘when it is most beautiful, you should stop’, Angelika and I have decided to merge with an ambitious pioneer in the fishing sector as part of the company’s succession,” said Joachim Stollenwerk. “On one hand we look forward to spending more time fishing and finally having more time with friends and family. On the other, the Group has been our life for 28 years and our team, our suppliers and business partners are very important to us. They have made our success possible.”

Joachim said that he and Angelika had made the move ‘with a clear conscience’ and that the previous successful cooperation with partners would continue seamlessly under the new management duo.

Fishing-King was established by Hubertus Massong (above) ten years ago to make it easier for anglers to pass the compulsory ‘exam’ necessary to gain a fishing licence in Germany. It works with associations and clubs to educate anglers about fishing and conservation and has had over 110,000 successful participants to date.

The Stollenwerk timeline

1994 – Mail order company, Stollenwerk, is founded

1998 – It occupies its first business premises in Oberesslingen

2000 – The first online shop www.angeln-shop.de is launched

2001 –  Stollenwerk relocates to its current premises in Plochingen

2007 – Office and storage space is expanded

2020 – Today’s online shop at PlentyMarkets is relaunched

2021 – Stollenwerk records the most successful financial year in its history