Pure Fishing Moves to AI-Driven Supply Chain Planning Across Its Global Tackle Portfolio

Pure Fishing has overhauled its global supply chain planning by replacing legacy systems and spreadsheet-based processes with a unified AI-driven platform, aiming to improve forecast accuracy and product availability across its portfolio of leading fishing brands.

The global fishing tackle manufacturer has selected RELEX Solutions to bring demand planning, master planning and distribution planning onto a single platform spanning its worldwide manufacturing and distribution network. The move covers thousands of retail SKUs across brands including Abu Garcia, Berkley, Fenwick, Penn, Plano and Ugly Stik, which are sold through retailers, e-commerce channels and distribution partners around the world.

Why the Change Matters

For anglers and retailers, the investment is designed to improve forecast accuracy, increase fill rates and strengthen sales and operations planning (S&OP), particularly for products with long manufacturing lead times and highly seasonal demand.

Pure Fishing said its existing planning processes relied on a mix of legacy technologies and spreadsheets, limiting its ability to respond quickly when market demand shifted.

“Our products have long lead times, so when demand changes, our ability to react is limited,” said Jay Schroeder, Vice President of Supply Chain at Pure Fishing. “RELEX’s demand planning capabilities stood out. A more precise demand signal will make a meaningful difference in how we manage supply and serve our customers.”

Under the new system, RELEX will incorporate point-of-sale data from major retail partners to generate more accurate demand forecasts. The platform will also use AI-powered touchless planning to reduce manual intervention while dynamically adjusting safety stock levels to reflect changing seasonal demand.

Supply chain consultancy Establish, Inc. will support the implementation, helping Pure Fishing redesign its S&OP processes and manage organisational change.

A Broader Industry Trend

According to RELEX, the project reflects a wider trend among manufacturers managing extensive seasonal product portfolios, where disconnected planning systems increasingly struggle to cope with fluctuating consumer demand and lengthy production cycles.

“Pure Fishing is building the foundation for a genuinely mature S&OP process,” said Stefano Scandelli, General Manager, Manufacturing at RELEX Solutions. “Touchless planning and a unified demand signal will give their teams the daily support they need, reducing manual efforts and giving them valuable time back.”

The implementation is expected to provide Pure Fishing with a more integrated planning process across its global operations while supporting more consistent product availability for retailers and anglers.

Implications for Chinese OEM Suppliers

Pure Fishing’s brands are among the largest buyers of Chinese-manufactured fishing tackle, and this overhaul carries practical signals for its supplier base. First, unified demand planning built on retail point-of-sale data should translate into steadier, better-timed purchase orders — a welcome shift for OEM factories that have historically absorbed the cost of last-minute order swings. Second, the emphasis on products with long manufacturing lead times and seasonal demand — rod blanks, reels and terminal tackle categories where Chinese factories hold the largest share — means suppliers will increasingly be expected to lock in capacity and materials earlier in the season. Third, as forecasting precision improves, buyers are likely to consolidate orders with suppliers who can demonstrate reliable capacity and quality, reinforcing the long-term shift toward larger, more capable Chinese factories.

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