Orvis - Competition

Competition

Orvis has weathered the competition of every significant generation of American tackle manufacturers. When the firm was established, in 1856, its competitors were John Conroy (New York), Ben Welch (Boston), and several long-established British firms. In the early glory days of split-bamboo rodmaking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Orvis's chief competitors included both the mass-produced rods of Sears, Wards, and Chubb, and the top-end rods produced by Leonard, Kosmic, and other exclusive manufacturers of what were essentially custom-built fly rods. After World War II, as fiberglass claimed the fishing rod market, Orvis competed with the best bamboo rod builders, such as Payne, Gillum, and Garrison, while its fiberglass and graphite rods competed with Shakespeare, Fenwick, and other emerging post-bamboo-era firms.

Today, Orvis CEO Perk Perkins says that the firm's "number one product today, the American-made fly rod, hasn't changed its rank in the product line for 150 years. But he also emphasizes the Orvis ambition to be "the most respected lifestyle brand in America," which explains why Orvis must compete in other fields that, like fly fishing, are in fact fiercely competitive. At first glance, the venerable Maine outfitter L.L. Bean might appear to be Orvis's most obvious direct competitor, but Perkins and his Orvis team disagree. According to Perkins, "The fly fishing people would say that the Sage Rod Company in Washington is our biggest competitor. The female apparel people would say J. Jill. The Gifts & Home people would say Plow & Hearth." The company continues to produce not only its extensive line of graphite and composite-fiber rods, but also a few select models of classic split-bamboo rods that are both fine fishing tools and instant collectibles.