New products fire up rod maker in ‘challenging’ global market

One of China’s largest OEM producers of fishing rods will use the CGC Expo in Weihai to unveil a wave of new models as it seeks to maintain stability in what it describes as a difficult global market.

Weihai Hanhigh will introduce new spinning, sea bass, egi, aji and slow-jigging rods at the show, targeting demand across its core European, UK and South-East Asian markets.

The product push comes as rod suppliers face a challenging combination of inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, weaker consumer confidence and extreme weather disruption in Europe. According to Weihai Hanhigh owner Wang Qian Gang (above), the result has been a tougher trading environment, with companies increasingly relying on new product development to defend or win market share.

“Frankly speaking, it is becoming harder and harder,” he said. “But for Hanhigh, business has remained relatively stable. We have made a lot of new models to attract the market.”

For Hanhigh, faster development and stronger product propositions are the principal response to market pressures. “There is no other way,” said Wang. “Introducing more new developments and supplying better products is key.”

CGC’s location in Weihai gives the event a distinctive advantage. Known as the fishing tackle capital of China, the city is home to a dense concentration of tackle companies and factories, enabling international visitors to combine the exhibition with direct visits to manufacturers.

Despite its relative resilience, Hanhigh is realistic about the outlook. “Under the current situation, it is not easy to be optimistic,” said Wang. “The world is becoming increasingly uncertain and nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. But we have to face the facts and work harder to overcome it.”

For the company, CGC will be an opportunity to demonstrate that investment in innovation remains central to its strategy — even when market conditions make that investment harder than ever.

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