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Weights manufacturer Egerfish was among the first companies to sign up for the new Angling International LIVE show this coming September – for three good reasons.
One is that the Czech business was a regular exhibitor at the now defunct EFTTEX show. Why? Because it always generated new business and kept the brand at the forefront of the market.
Two is that Budapest is one of its favourite locations. It will be the fourth time the company has exhibited at the HUNGEXPO and it is confident of a successful return later this year.
The third reason is that, with the European Commission likely to bring in further restrictions on the use of lead this year, the timing of the show could not be better for a company that has been producing lead-free products for ten years.
“Protection of the environment has never been higher on the fishing industry’s agenda than it is today,” said Petr Minarik, Export Manager for Egerfish. “Regulations against lead in fishing tackle are only going to increase, so Angling International LIVE is great opportunity to grow our customer base.
“Last year in Budapest, we had a lot of questions about non-toxic products and everyone wanted to know about our lead-free weights. These included old customers who have only bought lead in the past, but who obviously see what is going to happen in the future.”
But Egerfish, which supplies both own-brand and OEM products, is not turning its back on customers who still want traditional lead weights. Far from it. “Our job is to give customers what they want and there is still a big demand for traditional lead. It is important that we give people the option to buy either.” added Minarik.
“Anglers, like everyone else, are influenced by price. And lead-free weights are more expensive. Our intention is to satisfy both demands. We are making our lead-free assortment larger and have added some weights for spinning. So if the shift towards lead-free continues then we are well positioned in the market.”
The company’s most popular products over the past year have been its stubby and torpedo-shaped carp weights, finished in matte green with brown spots, with suede colours becoming increasingly popular. Sales of jig heads are also growing.
Minarek believes that when restrictions on lead are increased, it is important that manufacturers and retailers are given sufficient time to sell off stocks of lead already purchased.
