Is Okuma building Quantum reels now?

Pro Reel · January 19, 2018, 01:36:14 PM

I noticed something interesting this week. I had a mixed bag of freshwater reels to service. Several Quantums, Shimanos and okumas. I had just finished up 2 Quantum tour reels when I started on an Okuma Helios. I noticed right off that the design was nearly identical. There was some small differences in the frame and internals but not much. Many of the parts looked to be identical and swappable. Okuma is a manufacturer that's based in Taiwan. These quantum reels have Korea stamped on the bottom. I wonder if Okuma set up a plant in Korea and is subcontracted to build quantum reels now? I already new that there is a plant in Korea called doyo that builds many US brands of reels including all pure fishing brands, lews and most BPS reels. I didn't think they built quantums there though because they are very different inside from those others that doyo builds. Not that it matters who builds what, it's just interesting.

conchydong · January 19, 2018, 01:58:53 PM

I think Quantums and Fin Nors are made by Zebco. Most of the reel companies copy each other with very minor design changes to avoid patent issues.

Pro Reel · January 19, 2018, 07:51:18 PM

Quantum and fin nors and van stall are all listed on zebcos website. That doesn't mean for sure that they still manufacture them. Zebco, which is owned by Brunswick, shut down their Tulsa OK. plant in 01. They said they were moving production to China. What they never said for sure was if they built or bought a plant in China that they run, or if they just subcontracted all manufacture to an existing company in China. I have now noticed that some Quantum reels say China and some say Korea. I just wonder if a bigger well known tackle manufacturing company, that was already based overseas, is running those plants.
I just checked the reels I mentioned. The okuma worm gear with it's nylon drive gear and end parts did fit in the Quantum and works perfectly. The drive gear and pinion gear also swapped and works smooth.

johndtuttle · January 19, 2018, 09:00:39 PM

Several of the low end Okuma reels are made by Banax in Korea, IIRC.

Nothing to be concerned about, they are as well made as any for the price and Banax is top notch quality when the reel demands it.

Pro Reel · January 19, 2018, 09:03:17 PM

That may be the answer to what I saw. I always thought that Banax was building Quantums reels. If they are also building some reels for Okuma than they designed both reels to use lots of the same parts.

Rothmar2 · January 19, 2018, 09:09:43 PM

Shoot Alan Hawk an Email Pro Reel with your findings. He could probably fill you in, or be very interested in the part swapping you have discovered. As I have discovered, knowing which reels share OEM plants can be the difference between keeping a reel going, and binning it. Alan H has been on the trail of OEM's and marketing bollocks for many years, and I thank and respect his efforts in doing so.

handi2 · January 20, 2018, 01:16:46 AM

They are all made right here in the same plant. Penn, Quantum, Fin Nor, Abu...

I have rebuilt Pflueger President reels with Penn Fierce parts. The gear trains are the same.

http://www.haibofishingreel.com/?lan=en

Shark Hunter · January 20, 2018, 04:40:08 AM

Wow,
Gone are the days of these reel companies making their own products.
All outsourced by haibo.
I do have two Fin Nor Lt-100's, but I stay away from the rest.
I know my old Penn Senators were made in Philly and I fish them every time I hit the beach.
They may seem old and outdated, but they have the guts to get done what I am trying to accomplish.
With all the upgrades our members have made and more to come, I can't see me fishing anything else besides an Everol.

Mumin · January 20, 2018, 10:01:36 AM

Hello,

If Penn, Quantum, Fin Nor, Abu are built of identical parts how is it with reels like Avet, Accurate, Shimano, Daiwa and Seigler?
I myself use Avet, Accurate, Penn, Shimano, FinNor, Okuma and Abu. Perhaps its time to start supporting the brands that are doing it "right"
I know that the small Abu baitcasters are made in Sweden.

Rothmar2 · January 20, 2018, 10:08:00 AM

When you look at their website, you can see Haibo has their fingers in many pies, more than just fishing reels.
The "Chinglish" is hilarious too!

Pro Reel · January 20, 2018, 03:12:21 PM

Quote from: Mumin on January 20, 2018, 10:01:36 AM
Hello,

If Penn, Quantum, Fin Nor, Abu are built of identical parts how is it with reels like Avet, Accurate, Shimano, Daiwa and Seigler?
I myself use Avet, Accurate, Penn, Shimano, FinNor, Okuma and Abu. Perhaps its time to start supporting the brands that are doing it "right"
I know that the small Abu baitcasters are made in Sweden.

Abu has been owned by pure fishing since 02 or 03. Can't remember for sure. At that time they shut down most Swedish production. All revos and max series casting reels are made in Korea. Many round abu ambassaduer reels are also made in Korea. I have heard that they kept a small plant open in Sweden to produce special edition ambassaduer reels only.

johndtuttle · January 20, 2018, 03:22:27 PM

Quote from: Mumin on January 20, 2018, 10:01:36 AM
Hello,

If Penn, Quantum, Fin Nor, Abu are built of identical parts how is it with reels like Avet, Accurate, Shimano, Daiwa and Seigler?
I myself use Avet, Accurate, Penn, Shimano, FinNor, Okuma and Abu. Perhaps its time to start supporting the brands that are doing it "right"
I know that the small Abu baitcasters are made in Sweden.

This post is filled with inaccuracies. I honestly don't know where to begin it is so off. But respectfully, do your research and get it straight. I simply don't have the time or inclination to correct all the errors.

Pro Reel · January 20, 2018, 04:42:58 PM

I want to reiterate, I am not saying nor do I believe any of these companies are doing anything wrong. They have every right to conduct business how they see fit. As long as the reels are quality, and the brand you get them from has good customer service, that's all that matters. My interest in this is purely educational. Knowing that some brands are built by the same company has often allowed to me to get parts I couldn't get or get a better deal on parts. The drive gears from several similar reels actually swap with perfect fit. Knowing which ones has allowed me to buy them from the brand that sells parts cheaper than another brand and also to get a gear ratio that wasn't available for a certain model but the one from another fits it. I can buy drive gears from Lews for about half the cost as Abu charges. I have fixed many revo reels with lews gears.

Mumin · January 20, 2018, 04:44:49 PM

yeah the round Abu baitcasters up to 5600 are made in Sweden the rest are made somwhere else.

Robert Janssen · January 20, 2018, 06:26:53 PM

Quote from: Pro Reel on January 20, 2018, 03:12:21 PM

Abu has been owned by pure fishing since 02 or 03...... All revos and max series casting reels are made in Korea. Many round abu ambassaduer reels are also made in Korea... small plant open in Sweden to produce special edition ambassaduer reels...

.

Quote from: Mumin on January 20, 2018, 04:44:49 PM
yeah the round Abu baitcasters up to 5600 are made in Sweden the rest are made somwhere else.

Actually, Abu became part of Pure Fishing in 1996. Ambassadeurs up to and including 6xxx are made in Sweden, at the factory in Svängsta. Ambassadeur 7xxx and up are made in the far east. A few low-budget versions of smaller Ambassadeurs are also made in the far east, as are Revo, Max and spinning reels.

.