3M and Great Longview announce agreement

Matrix resin technology used to improve fishing rods

ST. PAUL, Minn. – 3M and Great Longview announce the signing of an agreement that allows Great Longview, an OEM/ODM of high-end carbon composite fishing rods, to purchase 3M carbon fiber Prepreg for use in manufacturing fishing rods. With this composite technology, Great Longview can offer its customers the ability to manufacture stronger, lighter weight rods that have improved sensitivity, all qualities that anglers appreciate when getting a fish on the line.

“3M launched 3M Matrix Resin and 3M Prepreg into the fishing market more than a year ago to very high acclaim, providing rod companies with the ability to bring higher quality rods to the angler,” said Vic Genco, General Manager for the 3M Engineered Products and Materials Department. “The technology is widely regarded as a dramatic improvement to performance in the fishing industry and we’re excited to work with a company like Great Longview to bring it to other world-class brands.”

“Both Great Longview and the leading brands that we manufacture for have been watching this technology since its introduction to the market and we’ve been very impressed,” said Johnny Huang, Director of Great Longview. “Our own designers have been able to design rods with impressive outcomes and we look forward to furthering these strong results.”

3M Prepreg utilizing 3M Matrix Resin, a proprietary resin technology, enables the production of stronger, lighter, more durable composites. 3M’s proprietary resin technology makes it possible for manufacturers to avoid the traditional tradeoff between toughness / flexibility and stiffness / hardness; instead, the resin improves performance properties on both ends of the scale.

Working with Great Longview, one of the world’s largest OEM/ODM rod manufacturers, will expand 3M’s presence in the fishing industry. In addition to this offering to Great Longview, 3M recently introduced its own line of prepregs which incorporate the matrix resin for sale into the sports and recreation market. Other applications in which 3M Matrix Resin are used include cycling, golf, marine, oil and gas, and infrastructure.