Ladson, SC – Z-Man® President Daniel Nussbaum still recalls the day, twelve years ago, the company first moved into its spacious new Ladson, South Carolina headquarters. “When Z-Man relocated to our current location all those years back, our total footprint—warehouse, plant and front office altogether— encompassed 37,500 square feet,” notes Nussbaum. “I remember thinking at the time that we would never be able to utilize all that space.”

Reflective of unprecedented growth in sales of next-generation ElaZtech® superplastics, ChatterBait® Bladed Jigs and other cutting edge fishing tackle, Z-Man Fishing Products recently spread its collective wings, expanding its home base of operations.

Effectively increasing its operating space by over 40-percent, Z-Man Fishing’s newly expanded facility enlarges its footprint to a total of 75,000 square feet. “The new space will house an upgraded and updated distribution center that will enable us to get product to retail quicker, while our injection molding operation will be expanded in the existing space,” said Nussbaum, whose steady hand has guided the company’s growth for over sixteen years.

The new warehouse suite features ample staging space for processing larger orders.

Overseeing the expansion project and the company’s production, packaging and logistics systems, Z-Man VP of Operations John Blass details the manifold enhancements. “We began subleasing additional space at the opposite end of our building several years back, after we outgrew our original space,” notes Blass. “But seven months ago, the suite adjoining our warehouse was vacated, allowing us to move toward our goal, which was to bring everything together for one efficient, seamless workflow across departments. Since moving into the new space four weeks ago, we’ve already streamlined our order picking operations and are turning around customer orders faster, which reflects on our incredibly committed staff and putting the right people in their strongest spots.

“Not so long ago, we ran with one shift in our plant, producing baits on a handful of machines,” notes Blass. “Today, two shifts work with twice as many injection molding machines, with additional expansion already in the works. We’ve grown our team to nearly 100 full time employees and nearly as many people packaging our products from home.”

Specific to lure production, Blass points to a new, augmented material compounding and color-mixing area, which will eventually encompass twice the space. “As we grow into our expanded mixing room, we’ll see improved workflow and a dramatic increase in efficiency in our soft plastics injection molding operation. The extra space also affords a more focused and relaxed environment for our staff.”

Z-Man’s expansion project signals a dramatic increase in soft plastics production and efficiency.

Beyond substantial growth in its South Carolina-based softbait production, Blass notes that the Z-Man expansion project especially amplifies available warehouse space. “This new facility gives us the ability to more comfortably stage and lay out larger orders, which has already led to a 25-percent increase in order fulfillment productivity,” says Blass. “During peak seasons, we’ll certainly hit that mark and go even higher, assuring our retailers and distributors have product when they need it most.”

Clearly concerned for the safety and satisfaction of his employees, Blass points to further advantages of the added space. “One of our goals is to use the new warehouse to keep materials down lower, so everything is easier to access, often eliminating the need to go up with a forklift. This means fewer touches, more efficiency and greater safety for everyone.”

Each workday, says Blass, begins with a “meeting of the minds, where we open the floor for anyone to ask questions or share a concern or uplifting story from the week. We also start every morning with five minutes of simple stretching. By bringing together all departments, everyone becomes close knit and communicative, making for pleasant, pressure free workdays.

“We try to foster an atmosphere that encourages our people to treat the business like it was their own,” Blass asserts. “It’s why our order pickers frequently offer suggestions and make changes toward greater efficiency, which has led many of them being promoted to department leads and management positions.”

Nussbaum summarizes Z-Man Fishing’s positive approach: “This proactive expansion project reinforces our commitment to continued growth and investment in our business. We’ve demonstrated sustained growth annually by aggressively pursuing innovative new product development, investment in expanding our team and operations, building partnerships with key retailers and executing dynamic marketing campaigns across multiple media platforms.”

Nussbaum concedes that while the post-pandemic landscape has presented challenges for many companies in the fishing industry during the past few years, he remains confident about Z-Man’s future.

“Although we know most of our competitors are reporting that business is down this year versus last, we’ve made the conscious decision not to accept any kind of decline. Instead, we continue to forge ahead by focusing on continued innovation and superior service,” adds Nussbaum.

“It’s working, as we’ve seen double-digit growth again this year, and the investment in facilities expansion and our team will help ensure that this trend continues for Z-Man for years to come.”