[Odysseus]

Just rec'd my new Hardy Angel 4/5. Unlike the photos you see on all of the Hardy supplier websites, there is no "made in england" etched on the reel. In fact there is no indication at all of the "country of origin". Not on the reel, box, inserts, etc. Strange!!!
Can this mean that the Angel is being manufactured in Asia like the "Marksman" line? Why else would they omit the "country of origin"? Any Hardy reps/dealers out there have an answer?
Emailed Hardy and have not rec'd an answer.....

[burk48237]

I'm a Cortland Hardy Rep in the MW. A couple of questions:

1) Did you purchase the reel in the US or from an American dealer?

2) Does it say "Angel 2" on the frame of the reel?

Hardy has moved all reel production to Korea with the exceptiom of the Zane Ti, and lowered their prices. In the case of the Angel we (Cortland) still have a bit of British Inventory and are offering both. In the case of the Angel the 2 is actually an improved reel. It is easier to switch from R to LH wind and has an improved clicker system. It also has more venting and is a bit lighter. The box on the Korean reels should have a made in Korea sticker on it. Last years Bougle (the Mark VI) did not say made in England but it was, so I'm not sure about your Angel. But to my knowledge only the Angel Two's were made in Asia.

[Odysseus]

Reel came directly from Cortland. US supplier (Full Creel) had none in stock so reel was shipped direct. The box has NO "made in Korea" sticker and the reel says "Hardy Angel". Will the serial # help in identifying "country of origin"?

Thanks

[burk48237]

I just confirmed with Hardy today. Only the Angel 2's come from Korea, and they are clearly marked as Angel 2's. Hardy has not made any Angels in Korea. So from what you have described you have a British made Hardy.

[Silver Doc]

I bought a Hardy Angel direct from Scotland. It's a 4/5 and inscribed made in England around the drag knob. I paid 1/2 the price that I would have paid here in the states, plus they shipped it postage free. You can't beat that type of bargain. Frank

[Odysseus]

Thanks Burk

Why remove the "made in england" from the reel? Makes no sense to me and just adds suspicion to the entire Hardy line especially since they moved some (?) production to Asia.

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by Odysseus

Thanks Burk

Why remove the "made in england" from the reel? Makes no sense to me and just adds suspicion to the entire Hardy line especially since they moved some (?) production to Asia.

I can't explain anything the British do. They did the same thing with the Bougle VI which they introduced last year. Maybe they wanted to get the public use to not seeing made in England on their reels. But at least they export some good scotch.

[bonefish41]

Originally Posted by burk48237

I can't explain anything the British do. They did the same thing with the Bougle VI which they introduced last year. Maybe they wanted to get the public use to not seeing made in England on their reels. But at least they export some good scotch.

Burk your choice of the pronoun "they" referencing England as exporter of scotch could cause a meltdown in this forum from the highlanders

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by bonefish41

Burk your choice of the pronoun "they" referencing England as exporter of scotch could cause a meltdown in this forum from the highlanders

Kilts, Spey, Macallen, Bougles, all come from the same island.

[Buonarroti]

After countless attempts at getting an answer from Hardy, below is an email from a Hardy rep. addressing the Hardy Angel reel "country of origin" mystery.

"When the Angel reel was first introduced in 2005, all Hardy reels were made in England, including the Angel, and were clearly engraved as you say, with the "Made in England" engraving. This held true for all of 2006.

In the spring of 2007, it was Hardy's decision to eventually move the manufacture of these reels offshore to Korea, for economic reasons, and it is planned that the Angel Mark II which will be coming out in 2008 will be made entirely offshore.

It was also decided in the spring of 2007 to test the manufacturing capabilities of the Korean plant by doing test runs of the Angel Mark I (to which you refer). To this end, because it was assumed that some Angel Mark I reels might indeed be produced in Korea (if the quality was satisfactory), it was decided that a mixture of Korean and English made reels might be issued in 2007. Therefore the "Made in England" engraving was discontinued on reels produced in England in order that Angel reels sold in 2007, whether Korean or English made, for honesty's sake would not be labelled made in England, and that any Korean made reels would have a small black "Made in Korea" sticker affixed to the reel foot (clearly visible upon inspection).

In point of fact, Korean quality was not up to English standards on the Angel Mark I reels, and so no Angel Mark I reels of Korean manufacture were issued in 2007. I can therefore assure you that while your reel does not say "Made in England" it was in fact of English production.

In the meantime, the Korean plant has met (and some people say exceeded) former English quality standards, and as of January 1, 2008, all Angel Mark II reels will be clearly labelled and made in Korea. I have seen prototype examples of these reels and they are superb in every way. As I am sure you are aware, this is only a foretaste of things to come, as Korea, China and Japan have become the factories for the world, and from cameras to cars they have excelled in this role at far less cost than European and North American companies have been able to achieve".