Tour the Orvis Rod Shop, Where Fly Rods Are Still Handmade

Situated behind the brand’s flagship Manchester store, the current Orvis Rod Shop employs a team of 60 employees who produce nine different graphite, fiberglass, and bamboo fly rods, on location from start to finish. As we entered the production space, we took notice of aAs we surveyed the board displaying the team’s roster, organized by seniority. It’s easily apparent how many of those names fall within the 20-plus and 30-plus-year rankings.

Guided by plant manager Frank Hoard and Shawn Combs, director of product design and development, we began our tour in a room where two of their most well-known rods, the Recon and legendary Helios, begin their life cycles. Here, a computer-guided cutting plotter traces sections of woven graphite sheets with precision before gloved workers carefully organize each piece according to the corresponding model and taper section.

Source: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/orvis-rod-factory-visit