Report: Columbia fishing products maker Pure Fishing reduces Columbia staff

Pure Fishing Inc., the producer of numerous fishing brands from Shakespeare to Stren, Berkley and others, has dismissed its 30-person Columbia marketing staff, according to published reports.

The business, located off Two Notch Road northeast of downtown, is the company’s world-wide headquarters. The company was built on a series of mergers and acquisitions dating back to 1897.

Owned by Newell Brands, Pure Fishing Inc. is a global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels. Pure Fishing and Shakespeare, established in 1897, were brought together under the Pure Fishing label in 2007 by the Jarden Corp. for $300 million.

Newell Brands acquired the Jarden Corp. in December 2015 for $13 billion.

In a statement to The State newspaper on Tuesday, the New Jersey-based company said it announced a new strategic framework, called the Growth Game Plan, for its businesses in October. The plan includes a simplification of the company’s structure from 32 legacy business units into 16 global operating divisions, Newell Brands said in the statement.

“We recently announced the design and staffing of several of these divisions, including our Fishing Division, with a focus on driving accelerated growth over time,” the company statement said.

Newell Brands did not dispute the Columbia job cuts in an e-mailed response to questions from The State Tuesday, although the company did confirm some employees had been laid off companywide.

The trade publication Outdoor Wire said Newell Brands sought to cut as much as $500 million from Jarden’s operating expenses. The publication also cited sources indicating Newell Brands would not renew many expiring sponsorship deals, including a B.A.S.S. deal.

The company did not respond to a question from The State about the sponsorship deals.

Newell Brands said less than 1 percent of its total workforce would be affected by its new growth plan and that the “vast majority” of its work force would continue in their current roles or in new or expanded roles with the company.

“Over time, we expect that our plans for growth will enable us to expand employment in many of our priority business areas. The Growth Game Plan also includes plans to divest a number of businesses in order to focus and strengthen our portfolio. Our Fishing Division is not a part of this process.”

This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Report: Columbia fishing products maker Pure Fishing reduces Columbia staff."