Hardy & Greys Limited, the company behind the Hardy Brothers, Hardy and Grey's brands of fly fishing rods, reels and related tackle, has been acquired by U.S.-based Pure Fishing Inc. Pure Fishing, in turn, is a subsidiary of Jarden Inc, a large corporation that is behind brands that which span the gamut from outdoor brands such K2, Volkl and Coleman to household brands such as Mr. Coffee, Sunbeam and Crock-Pot.

Pure Fishing is one of the largest companies in the fishing and tackle industry and, prior to the recent acquisition, had only limited involvement the fly fishing industry, with most of its brands in the conventional fishing arena. Pure Fishing is behind brands such as Abu Garcia, All Star, Berkley, Fenwick, Hodgman, Johnson, JRC, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, SevenStrand, Shakespeare, SpiderWire and Stren.

The press release which announced the acquisition stated, ""With a heritage that spans over 140 years, the Hardy Bros., Hardy, Greys and Chub brands represent iconic fishing brands renowned for fly fishing as well as other specialized fishing segments," commented John Doerr, President and CEO of Pure Fishing. "Hardy and Greys' award winning products, now partnering with Pure Fishing's existing brand portfolio through an expanded global distribution network, share a common passion for innovation and create unparalleled opportunities for our loyal and valued customers and anglers around the world. We place the highest importance on acting as stewards for our legacy of brands. We are pleased to welcome the Hardy & Greys team to Pure Fishing."

Hardy is one of the most classic and well respected names in the fly fishing business. Hardy has been based in Alnwick since its formation in 1872. It was acquired by the Harris & Sheldon Group Limited from the Hardy family in 1967. It became Hardy & Greys Ltd in 2004 - the change of name reflecting itsacquisition of fellow fishing tackle brand Greys.