Smith’s Sporting Group expands into team recreational activities
Smith’s Sporting Group announced that it has acquired Tanners Team Sports Inc. This acquisition creates a world champion team sports team.
Together, the two companies distribute more than 1,000 consumer products globally and nationally through specialty retailers and major name retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, Lowe’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Academy Sports, and Tractor Supply. .
Smith’s Sporting Group, home of Smith’s Consumer Products, traces its roots back to 1886 as a manufacturer of sharpeners, knives, and tools designed and engineered for passionate outdoor adventurers. Now, Smith’s Sporting Group adds critical diversification and expansion to the team’s recreational activities through the acquisition of Tanners Team Sports.
Tanners, founded in 1991, produces an equally broad line for team and individual sports. Tanners is the world’s leading provider of baseball training equipment and accessories under the Rawlings and Easton brands, and offers a complete line of equipment under its wholly owned Vulcan brand, which is one of the world’s leading suppliers of pickleball equipment.
“We have enjoyed a great relationship with Tanners Team Sports for a long time, as they produce the polishing oil used in some of our sharpeners,” said Mike Taylor, CEO of Smith’s Consumer Products and president of Smith’s Sporting Group. “Our board reviewed a variety of acquisitions in recent years to diversify and strengthen our position in the sporting goods industry. This acquisition successfully diversified Smith’s Sporting Group into various indoor and outdoor sporting activities, furthering our vision for growth. We couldn’t be happier to have Tanners join our family,” Taylor added.
For the past 25 years, Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanner’s Team Sports have partnered and collaborated on a variety of sports and product related projects of mutual interest. By coincidence, the two companies eventually became neighbors in the HotSprings Mid-America Industrial Park, located in Garland County, Arkansas. The newly combined headquarters and campus span 10 acres with 80,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space. The two companies operate with opposite high and low seasons, so synergy, diversification, and industry influence combine dynamically. Smith’s acquisition of Tanners represents a new championship-caliber combined team that is on the sporting goods industry’s radar.
Vince Signorelli, Group Vice President of Smith’s Sporting Group and former owner of Tanners Team Sports, stated, “This acquisition is a perfect fit for both companies. Smith’s acquisition of Tanners strengthens us by adding new resources, incredible new talent and amazing operating assets that the company needs. Smith’s puts us in a better position to compete and win.”
For more than 137 years, Smith’s has worked tirelessly to develop a wide range of high-quality knives, tools, and sharpeners to help anglers, hunters, and other outdoor enthusiasts find success, both in the field and at the table. . “By welcoming Tanners Team Sports to Smith’s Sporting Group, we have expanded our support for a wide range of healthy, lifelong recreational activities, and in doing so, we are connecting with entirely new groups of consumers embracing active lifestyles.” said Ricky Dukes. , vice president of marketing for Smith’s Sporting Group and Smith’s Consumer Products.
For weekends spent on the water, on the field, on the baseball diamond, or on the pickleball court, Smith’s Sporting Group now offers the products and accessories necessary for success, whether that includes cleaning more fish and games, score more runs or score more serves. Find Smith’s Sporting Group products, including sharpeners, knives, tools and accessories from Edge Experts at Smith’s Consumer Products and team sports equipment and accessories from Tanners Team Sports, at major physical and online stores coast to coast. -coast.
ABOUT THE SMITH SPORTS GROUP
Smith’s Sporting Group is a multifaceted and diversified company that supports a lifetime of outdoor activities and includes Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanners Team Sports. With its roots in 1886, Smith’s Sporting Group designs, manufactures and distributes key products and accessories for anglers, hunters, campers and hikers, as well as those who love baseball, softball and pickleball.