Two major fly-fishing and outdoors brands recently announced layoffs as part of broader restructuring efforts. (Shutterstock image)
October 07, 2024
By Fly Fisherman Staff
Two major fly-fishing and outdoors brands recently announced layoffs as part of broader restructuring efforts.
The Orvis Company announced Friday that it is cutting 8 percent of its workforce , amounting to 112 employees. The company is also closing some retail locations and discontinuing its well-known catalog, which has been a staple since 1892. The 168-year-old company explained that these changes are necessary to adapt to new market challenges and to streamline operations. Employees affected by the layoffs will receive severance packages and support services.
“Orvis is in a period of business evolution that requires us to think differently,” Simon Perkins, Orvis President, said in a statement. “Over the course of our nearly 170-year history, the company has experienced similar cycles, but today’s challenges are new, and they require us to be bold in order to continue sharing stories, experiences, and products that inspire our customers well into the future.”
The locations of the retail closures have not been announced.
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Similarly, Patagonia, the California-based outdoor apparel and gear company, is cutting 41 jobs, approximately 1 percent of its workforce , as part of an internal restructuring.
“Cuts were across almost all teams in headquarters,” Patagonia Communications Manager Corey Simpson said in a Daily Outdoor Retailer article. “And the shifts and new roles are to help create more focus around product, storytelling, and impact.”
Patagonia's restructuring aims to enhance its focus on product development, storytelling, and environmental impact. While some new roles are being created, the company acknowledged the need to say goodbye to several employees, offering them severance and transition support.
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Both companies cite evolving business needs and external economic challenges as key drivers.
The news comes on the heels of the announcement that Vista Outdoors, the parent company of Simms Fishing Products, has reached an agreement to sell the “outdoors products segment” (named Revelyst in 2022) of its brand portfolio to an investment firm , pending a shareholder vote to sell its other segment.