International Custom Rod Expo Ready to Go
OutdoorHub 12.21.11
High Point, NC – With just a few weeks until show time, the 9th Annual International Custom Rod Building Exposition was approaching another complete sell out. “This thing has grown every single year since it’s inception,” said owner Tom Kirkman. “The fact that 90% of the companies that exhibited with us the very first year are still with us, is a strong indication of how well these firms do at the Expo.” Kirkman says that most of the retail sales companies attending share their weekend sales figures with him and the show now easily accounts for several hundreds of thousands of dollars in business in just two days. “This doesn’t even begin to cover the residual sales down the road, nor the business done between the exhibitors themselves. Major deals are struck here.” according to Kirkman.
The “Expo” as it’s come to be known, performs double duty for the rod building craft and industry. What was initially intended to be a consumer show has also become the rod building industry’s annual trade event. “All the rod building companies are here, so it’s only natural that they take the opportunity to do business with one another,” said Kirkman.
Another aspect of the Expo over the past few years has been the number of representatives from commercial fishing companies that attend. They walk the aisles looking for that next innovation that could boost their sales in the new product year. “They didn’t cook up micro guides, split grips or carbon skinning on their own,” said Kirkman, “They saw them here and then implemented that stuff into their own product lines. The Expo is where most new rod innovations and concepts are first unveiled. If you want to see what fishing rods are going to look like in five years from now, come to the Expo and see them now.”
The Expo remains the premier event for custom rod builders. In addition to 80 booths packed with every item for custom rod building, 25 continuing education seminars and demonstrations are included with the low price of admission ($10).
The current floor plan and seminar list will be continually updated as show time approaches. For more up to date information, including dates, times, lodging, and the most current exhibitor and seminar information, please visit the official event website at www.rodexpo.com.
