SPRO

SPRO is a member of the Gamakatsu Group, one of the world leading fishing tackle companies. Spro was founded back in 1994 when Gamakatsu decided it was time to better service the European territory. Until that time, Gamakatsu products (mostly fishing hooks) were sold through distributors throughout Europe. With Europe being a big market potential for the company, Gamakatsu decided to create its own distribution center, Spro NV, in The Netherlands. From 1994, Spro NV was the official distributor of Gamakatsu products (mostly hooks and fishing line) as well as a small range of Spro branded rods, reels and some accessories. Direct sales in The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg were only the start. Spro NV also became the point of contact for all European distributors. This made the lines of communications much shorter and allowed for an even better knowledge about the different local European markets. Vianen was strategically chosen at a junction between two major Dutch motorways (A2 and A27), only a short distance from Rotterdam, one of Europe’s largest harbors and only a stone’s throw away from Amsterdam, one of Europe’s biggest airports. And it did not stop there… In 1997, Spro Corp. in Kennesaw, Georgia opened its doors to distribute Gamakatsu hooks in the Eastern part and Spro branded products throughout the whole of the United States of America. In 1999, Spro Deutschland GmbH opened its doors to better service one of the largest fishing tackle markets in Europe, Germany, more effectively. The company started in Wiesbaden but moved to the historic city of Weimar a few years later. In 2010, Spro Czech Republic started direct sales to the Czech market. Spro started to sell Gamakatsu hooks and line as well as a selected range of Spro branded reels, rods, line, nets and accessories. It is amazing to see that what started as such a small range back in 1994 evolved into a range of over 15,000 products. The Spro products range is basically the same for all of Europe. Of course we make country specific products but in principle, all over Europe we have the same global catalogue range available. Spro Corp. in the USA has its own range of products that is fully adapted to the local US requirements. Some of those products are also sold in Europe. Take for instance crank bait such as theAruku Shad and Little John; Swimbait such as the BBZ’s developed by Bill Siemantel or innovative top water lures such as the Dawg and the Dean Rojas BronzeEye Frogs just to name a few. Products The hooks they are the cornerstone of the Gamakatsu company and renowned worldwide. It is the methods, the technology and the materials that make our hooks superior to the other brands. First of all, the most premium grade of High Carbon Steel is used to manufacture Gamakatsu hooks; using cheap, low quality materials results in hooks and points that are weak and not truly sharp. In close cooperation with a material manufacturer, it was actually Gamakatsu that developed this unique material specifically for manufacturing fishing hooks; the material that is now known as High Carbon Steel. Not only does this material contain a higher percentage of carbon, it also has no impurities. This insures protection against any blemishes in the metal that can weaken the hook. Secondly, Gamakatsu has the most advanced tempering system in the world. This enables hooks to be tempered in a stable condition. Every hook is heated to the exact temperature that is perfect for that particular style and size then cooled in oil. This process produces hooks which are super strong, but not brittle. It is extremely difficult to achieve a balance between strength and flexibility, and it took many years for Gamakatsu to perfect this process. This is why we make better hooks. Finally, Gamakatsu is famous for sharpness! Our sharpening process is one of, or probably even the most modern one in the world and results in a perfectly conical point that is unequalled in sharpness. Gamakatsu manufactures in large volumes, with a consistently high quality, extremely sharp hooks. The life of a fishing hook is measured by the sharpness, hardness, and viscosity of the point. This has resulted in Gamakatsu earning the anglers' trust throughout the world and it has earned Gamakatsu its major market share. Spro offers a wide range of products now; reels, rods, line, nets, clothing, luggage and accessories. One of Spro’s best selling products in Europe is the RedArc reel series. Even though this front drag reel was introduced back in 2004 it still is one of our best selling reels to date. The RedArc has a superb drag system, it performs great under pressure and holds a very smooth gear feel. Brands Besides GAMAKATSU® and SPRO® we also own an avid carp brand called STRATEGY® and a bait brand, STRATEGY® BAITS. Strategy Baits is features a range of boilies, pop-ups and dips in several attractive flavours. With our team of international Strategy field testers we are working hard to create some more great products to be introduced every year. Spro is also the exclusive distributor of Watersnake branded electric motors from the Australian based Jarvis Marine division. Goals It is our aim to continue to build a strong and solid company with a great brand image. We want to continue to design and develop products that meet the needs of retailers and the demand of anglers around the globe. It is our primary goal to continue to earn the consumers trust in our brands and in our products. Another goal is to continue to promote fishing amongst young people. We can never have enough young people fishing. This is definitely the future of the tackle business.

http://www.spro.eu/nl_nl.aspx