American Tackle is acquired by industry’s largest supplier of rod components

American Tackle, one of the most decorated brands at trade shows across the world, and Mud Hole Custom Tackle, have been taken over by what is now the industry’s largest supplier of fishing rod components.

The Foundation Outdoor Group has taken over both Mud Hole’s Florida headquarters and American Tackle’s operations in the US, Europe and Asia in a move that it says makes it the largest operator in the world in its sector and enhances its presence in both the direct-to-consumer and business-to-business markets globally.

Tom McNamara, CEO of the Foundation Outdoor Group, said: “We are thrilled to unite the forces of American Tackle and Mud Hole to provide superior service to our customers around the globe. The acquisition not only streamlines the operations, but also enables us to offer a wider range of high-quality brands to both our consumer and business clientele.”

American Tackle picked up the Best in Show awards at ICAST – the world’s largest fishing tackle trade show – and EFTTEX, its European counterpart, earlier this year to add to its 13 other trade accolades. Mud Hole Custom Tackle is recognised as the leader in the field of custom rod building and tackle crafting supplies worldwide.

Both brands join the Foundation Outdoor Group’s wide-ranging portfolio of companies which include the MHX premium fishing rod blanks, CRB quality rod building tools, supplies and components and the industry-leading ProProducts line-up of thread and adhesives. “Moving forward, the group business-to-business sales and solutions team will meet and exceed the needs of OEM fishing rod manufacturers and distributors across the world,” added McNamara.

Brook Oliva, President and COO of the Foundation Outdoor Group, added: “This marks an exhilarating time for our industry, particularly our valued customers. By leveraging the expertise and market leadership of American Tackle, Mud Hole and their affiliate brands, we can bring even more value to the marketplace and extend our services to a broader audience of consumer and business outdoor enthusiasts, regardless of their location.”

Foundation Outdoor Group will maintain its 86,000 square foot (8,000 sqm) office and distribution centre in Oviedo, Florida, and operate global offices in Europe and Asia. Both Mud Hole and American Tackle anticipate no impact to existing business operations or customer experience as the acquisition is completed over the next several weeks.