Pictured above: Ian Parker (centre) of John Truslove with Graham Thomas and Stewart Dowing of Pure Fishing

Redditch-based angling industry giant Pure Fishing has improved its service to the UK market by opening a new UK headquarters in the town together with a dedicated distribution centre for the UK and Ireland.

The US Group incorporates brands including Shakespeare, Abu Garcia, Mitchell, Fenwick, Berkley, Stren and Spider, JRC and Penn.

It has always seen Redditch as the traditional home of UK angling, so when it outgrew its warehouse and office facility Pure Fishing opted to stay in the town.

The new 9,000 sq feet office suite at Brooklands, Moons Moat Drive, has been let on a nine-year lease in a deal arranged with Phillip Molloy by business property consultants John Truslove and Lambert Smith Hampton.

It will be the UK and Ireland base for Pure Fishing's sales and marketing functions, including a fishing tackle showroom, enabling year-round product and programme presentations.

The company's product development, design and purchasing departments, sales, marketing and administration functions will also be on the site along with a new service centre handling the supply of spares, services and warranty returns.

Graham Thomas, UK Managing Director of Pure Fishing said: "We are delighted with the new premises. 

"It proves our commitment to the town and our historic associations here. The Shakespeare brand has been trading in Redditch since 1897.

"The consolidation of our inventory from three sites in the UK and Holland to a single facility provides the opportunity to further improve service to the UK market.

"The facility will enable Pure Fishing to provide one point of delivery for all our brands. The distribution centre will be operated in partnership with CPG Logistics, a specialist third party logistics provider.

"This is something that we have been working on for a year.

"The past 12 months have been a period of transition as we integrated the Shakespeare and Penn businesses back into the new organisation.

Everything is set for a really good year next year and I am really excited about the future."

John Truslove said: "The decision to remain in Redditch secures hundreds of jobs and is another feather to the town's cap in hosting a major international company."

In a connected move, Subsidiary Northern Fishing, the fishing line branch of PureFishing - and formerly a component of Shakespeare - has moved its production facility to Buntsford Park Road, Buntsford Hill, Bromgrove.

The company has signed a six-year lease with Hadley Properties in a deal organised by John Truslove and joint agent Jonathan Chilton. It means there is now just one vacant property in the Phase Three development.