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 championship team in the world of sporting goods equipment.
Together, the two companies distribute over 1,000 consumer products worldwide and nationally through specialty retailers plus well-known major retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, Lowe’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Academy Sports, and Tractor Supply.
Smith’s Sporting Group – home to 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 into team recreational activities through the acquisition of Tanners Team Sports.
Tanners, founded in 1991, produces a similarly extensive line for team and individual sports. Tanners is the world’s leading supplier of baseball training equipment and accessories under the Rawlings and Easton brands, plus it offers a full line of equipment under its wholly owned Vulcan brand, which is one of the world’s leading suppliers of pickleball gear.
“We have enjoyed a great relationship with Tanners Team Sports for a long time as they produce the honing oil used on some of our sharpeners, ” said Mike Taylor, CEO of Smith’s Consumer Products and President of Smith’s Sporting Group. “Our board looked at 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 several indoor and outdoor sporting activities, furthering our vision for growth. We could not be more pleased with Tanners joining our family,” added Taylor.
Over the past 25 years, Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanner’s Team Sports have partnered and collaborated on a variety of sports-related projects and products of mutual interest. By coincidence, the two companies eventually became neighbors in HotSprings’ Mid-America Industrial Park, located in Garland County, Arkansas. The newly combined headquarters and campus spans 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 all mesh dynamically. Smith’s acquisition of Tanners represents a new combined championship-caliber 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 makes us stronger by inserting new resources, incredible new talent, and amazing operational assets the company needs. Smith’s puts us in a better position to compete and win.”
For over 137 years, Smith’s has worked tirelessly to develop a comprehensive array 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 into Smith’s Sporting Group, we have expanded our support of a broad range of healthy, life-long recreational activities, and in doing so, connect with entirely new groups of consumers that embrace active lifestyles,” stated Ricky Dukes, Vice President of Marketing for Smith’s Sporting Group and Smith’s Consumer Products.
For weekends spent on the water, in the field, on the baseball diamond, or on the pickleball court, Smith’s Sporting Group now offers the products and accessories needed for success – whether that includes cleaning more fish and game, scoring more runs, or acing more serves. Look for products from Smith’s Sporting Group – including sharpeners, knives, tools, and accessories from the Edge Experts at Smith’s Consumer Products and team sports equipment and accessories from Tanners Team Sports – at major brick-and-mortar and online retailers from coast-to-coast.
For information on Smith’s Consumer, please contact Dena at dena@kingeiderpr.com
ABOUT SMITH’S SPORTING GROUP
Smith’s Sporting Group is a multifaceted, diversified company that supports a lifetime of outdoor pursuits and includes Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanners Team Sports. Tracing its roots to 1886, Smith’s Sporting Group designs, manufactures, and distributes key products and accessories for anglers, hunters, campers, and hikers, as well as those that love baseball, softball, and pickleball.
