EFTTEX double award-winner pledges support for European show

A double winner at EFTTEX has pledged his support for the European show despite a poor attendance on its return after a four-year break.

Lajos Balazs (above centre), Managing Director of Hungarian-based Balazs Filament Technologies (BFT), believes that the changing landscape in the fishing tackle industry had a negative impact on the attendance at the show in Brussels. “Many wholesalers and retailers are currently taking a wait and see approach, which resulted in fewer visitors,” he told Angling International.

He added that the heydays of the show are a thing of the past. “In 2005 I can remember picking up seven new partners and having 20 meetings a day. Now that is down to three face-to-face encounters.

“China is the dominant force in world fishing and those in the European trade go there to buy rods, reels and fishing lines. The global economic landscape is undergoing significant changes and this transformation is clearly visible in Europe.

“The realignment is also prompting BFT to adapt its business strategy to the changing environment. In this regard, we had several useful and potentially successful negotiations. We also found a number of new partners in Serbia, France and the Netherlands which we hope will bring positive results for the forthcoming season.”

Despite a much reduced EFTTEX – in both exhibitor numbers and visitors – Balasz said: “The exhibition will always be important to me. As a European manufacturer I have always placed a strong focus on EFTTEX and this will not change. That is why I will be in Barcelona next year.”

Balasz said he was very happy to pick up two awards at EFTTEX for the CARBOTEX Planet Ocean – winner of saltwater line category – and the CARBOTEX Steelhead fly line.

“This recognition reinforces our belief that the product development at BFT is heading in the right direction.”

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