Why new brands are important to the shooting industry
Any industry needs new brands, new products, and new faces from time to time. If we didn’t have that, then we’d face stagnation, disengagement, and also a lack of innovation as companies get a little too comfortable in their positions. Newness is not only an easy selling strategy, but it also challenges us to think about market segments differently. This can come from start-ups creating products specifically for the hunting and shooting industry, or from brands that are well established in other markets but looking to diversify their customer base.
A new name in the market can give you a new opportunity to present your customer base with something that gets them interested and engaged with your store, or it can work the other way around, whereby word-of-mouth surrounding a new name drives more people to your store. In short, any market needs new things – however they arrive – to keep the wheels turning and to create more opportunities and talking points for distributors, retailers, and end users.
Who are these guys? New brands to the shooting market
Danish start-up Aimlink.ai has created a series of specialist apps that can help shooting clubs and enthusiasts take their scoring, statistics, and accuracy patterns to the next level. It can track where shots land on a target using a Wi-Fi camera, give detailed statistics to shooters, and even allow clubs to manage their members.
Antler Arms is a carbon fibre hunting rifle manufacturer from Canada that has been in the business since 2014. Making its debut at IWA, the company will showcase a snapshot of its impressive 20,000 different SKUs including rifles with titanium or stainless steel actions, completed with super-light carbon stocks.
Based in Slovakia, ARCHNES is a young brand in the security sector that wants to change the philosophy that equipment in this area always has to look the same. It aims to use the show to make new partnerships with specialist dealers and security experts around the world.
Battle Gnome Solutions is a family-owned company from Slovenia that brings more than 25 years of experience in plastic production and thermoforming to the show floor at IWA. Its range of specialist holsters are designed for competition use and offer high versatility and solid performance.
Paintball and airsoft are fast-growing markets, and Cleverware from Czechia has a solid offering across both categories. It states that its mission is to help people in its home market feel safe by getting them more used to handling weapons with its wide range of products.
Heat it by Kamedi might just be one of the most interesting products you’ll see on the show floor. The product is a small USB keychain that uses your smartphone to heat up and apply direct heat to an insect bite, nullifying any itching or irritation.
Gun care is a vital part of almost all kinds of shooting, and Ukranian firm KENOKO is a specialist in the field with a wide range cleaning products for different types of firearms. It promises to help make gun cleaning and maintenance a swifter and more effective job.
Another brand from Slovenia, MFT Suppressors manufactures a wide range of silencers intended for semi-automatic and automatic rifles. They promise huge recoil reduction by reducing the rebound of gunpowder gases through the ejection opening of the weapon.
Family-owned MIRO GLOVES is from Czechia and produces high-quality knitted work gloves that offer impressive protection and dexterity for the wearer. The gloves meet strict European standards for user protection – and the company is one of the largest producers of such gloves for the food industry.
American company Ocoopa Innovation offers a range of portable and researchable hand warmers that boast long battery life, heavy-duty designs, and even built-in torches. Many models are even IP56 waterproof and dustproof rated.
Optivus Tech offers impressive software that can create detailed 3D images of products to be used on websites and in apps. This gives users a much clearer impression of the product they are viewing online and could ultimately lead to more sales.
OXID eSales is a leading provider of B2B and B2C e-commerce platforms throughout Germany with more than 20 years of experience. It has a particularly strong presence in regulated industries like firearms and hinting and supports seamless integration into ERP, PIM, and CRM systems.
Austrian company Plastmateria is an expert in developing customised coating solutions for eco-friendly technologies and manufacturing processes. It has a wide range of applications waiting to be fully realised in the shooting market and offers a full consultancy service to guide you.
Schupter from Poland is a designer, manufacturer, and seller of premium lead casting machines tailored for hobbyists and small businesses. All of its products are built in Europe to ensure the highest standards of quality in production.
All the way from down under in Australia, Tacticagear creates a range of tools, knives, and other useful accessories for the outdoor and tactical industries. The company says that good design is at the core of everything it does, and all of its products offer innovative solutions for everyday adventurers.
Tendy is from Sweden and develops a range of user-friendly products that make the process of handling game meat easier. With innovative solutions such aging timer, Fluctus digital scale, and Scriptor label printer, Tendy help hunters streamline everything from aging to labelling and storage.
With an enviable range of high-quality tripods, heads, and related accessories, American company TRICER has a lot to show off. The ethos behind the company comes from being born in the backcountry and is run by a team of passionate hunters who love being in the outdoors.
Zweibrüder is tactical and outdoor lighting brand from Germany that claims that ‘darkness is optional’. It claims that its mission is to use the new possibilities of opto and microelectronics to set new standards in the world of lighting.
Short on time? Step into the elevator…
It’s understandable that you might not have time in your busy show schedule to walk around almost 20 booths and get detailed information on those exhibiting companies. Sometimes, time at a trade show gets away from you. But for those short on time who still want to know about these new faces, then the Shooting Experts Stage has the answer. On Thursday 26 February at 14:00 and again at the same time on Saturday 28 February, several of the Newcomer brands have been invited to step onto the stage and give their elevator pitches about their product, brand, or company. In just one hour, you can get the lowdown on a handful of new and interesting companies in concise and easy-to-understand presentations, right from the horse’s mouth.
It’s a modern trade show twist on a classic concept, and the ideal way to experience what the Newcomer Area has to offer in quick and convenient comfort. Check out the IWA OutdoorClassics website for more details or to add a calendar event to your device so you don’t miss it.
