Personally, I find the whole notion of Hardy's demise to be quite amusing! I mean, if I didn't know better, I'd assume that Hardys had no other reason to exist than to meet each of our individual needs ...

SJ,

I think that's right. But the notion of demise in this thread was not in reference to the company's collapse, but to its concessions to modernity and it's willingness to outsource to make a profit. It was about the demise of tradition. Yes, the Marquis did continue that tradition in a way, but I think the introduction of the very, very popular Lightweight series was the first major concession to changing times. Despite their classic simplicity, they are reels made for plastic rods.

I expect Hardy to remain quite healthy financially in the decades to come, but it won't be because they are making classic reels for cane rod fanatics. It'll be because they have done what they needed to do to survive.

richard

This is a little like trading Bible quotes. I can concede all of the detail points, but reading through the collection of posts, one gets the impression that for some Hardy's decision to outsource production marked the end of a long, continuous commitment to traditional reel making. A commitment that is perceived to have changed little over a period of a hundred plus years.

"Just wondering what reel collectors know about Hardy now making some or all of it's reels in either Korea or Japan?" (First post)

"What a shame, what was once arguably the most prolific, well known rod & reel maker in the world now outsourcing its rods & reels to a developing nation."

" I don't know how other people feel but I will never purchase another new Hardy product. "

"I purchased Hardy in the past in part because of the great tradition of quality and excellent customer service. Understand all things must change, but I have seen Hardy as being traditional and timeless. "

" What's left regarding history and class?? Sick. Really sick, no matter what the reason is. "

"Some companies are more than just their everyday product. They become institutions, icons, even ideals."

etc, etc.

My point was not to detail the changes by decade, but to suggest that Hardy stopped making traditional reels for cane users long ago - or at least stopped depending on them as central to their economic survival. We can debate whether that happened in the 50s, 60s, 70s, but it didn't happen yesterday; it didn't happen in this century; it didn't happen during the last two decades of the last century. The only thing that has changed recently is the place where Hardy reels are being produced, and that seems to really eat at some folks as the quotes above show. So, my claim about Hardy's "demise" was made in the context of a discussion about classic reels on the Classic Fly Rod Forum. (I can't think of many other venues where this discussion would even occur.) I stand by my statement that the tradition of classic Hardy reel production as defined my many people on this forum ended long ago. Producing fishing tackle in Korea or Japan or China or Africa is a small step in the evolution of a company that, as you've written, has managed to change, hold on and grow. (A lot of others have folded. Is that our preference?) I don't happen to like the current line of Hardy reels, but it has nothing to do with where they are made. I just find them ugly. If Hardy made a reel in, say, Korea that I really liked, I'd buy it. I can almost hear the teeth gnashing at the thought of British jobs lost. Well, the answer is that more British jobs will be lost if Hardy folds, and some British jobs may well be gained if Hardy succeeds and grows. They may not be the same jobs, but who can guarantee anyone the same jobs?

A parallel conversation is taking place on some of the high end camera forums where the same kind of allegiance to certain European producers (Leica, Zeiss) exists, but the development of the Asian camera industry is much further along. One exchange that I saw included the following observation. It might well be relevant to this discussion.



richard

Is a Hardy reel made in South Korea or elsewhere in Asia still a Hardy? If so, in what way -- other than name alone?
I would argue that when a legendary company known far and wide for its craftsmen, quality products and the single origin of its goods essentially shuts down its historical manufacturing facilities and opens new plants across the planet to take advantage of cheap labor and materials... when that happens, the original product ceases to exist. Its soul will not survive the transplant. For instance, I don't know much about Scotch, but would a good singlemalt -- say, The Glenlivet -- be the same spirit if production was uprooted from Scotland and transplanted to Beijing just because Asia has cheaper spring water? What if Guinness was brewed in St. Louis?

Rob,

I think the answer has to distinguish between something that is organically rooted to its origin and something that is not. No, you can't make Glenlivet in South Korea, but you also can't make Glenlivet anywhere else in Scotland. It would be like making Haut Brion in Margaux. It wouldn't taste the same. I'm not sure about Guinness, but I know it doesn't taste quite as good over here as it does in a pub in Dublin. The point is there is nothing special about England that would allow you do distinguish between an English made Hardy and a Korean made Hardy if they were manufactured to the same specifications. If Asian made Hardy reels are actually inferior to English made Hardy reels, a stamp to designate the country of manufacture wouldn't be necessary would it? How many times have I read, "Are these reels still being made in England or are they being made in Asia?" Well, if you can't see, or feel the difference, what does it matter?

richard

I would still suggest that something intangible is lost when Hardy offshores its reels.

I agree with that. I don't want to downplay the importance of tradition especially on this forum. Hardy's current business plan entails a significant identity loss for many of us, but I think it's important not let nostalgia distort reality to the point where we are grieving something that hasn't actually existed for some time. I also think it's important not to be angry at Hardy because it is doing what it has to do to remain a viable company. I'm sure there are folks on this board who would rather see Hardy close than outsource its production. I don't happen to be one of them, but that's because I think Hardy became a thoroughly modern reel maker long ago and I like traditional reels.

richard