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Helping the hunting community: Bergara is ready for IWA
Few names in the hunting industry evoke the same sense of tradition, technological innovation, and emotion as Bergara. The Spanish brand is known for its state-of-the-art rifles that are optimised by advanced barrel manufacturing techniques that produce incredible performance and reliability for hunters across Europe and indeed around the entire globe. The company’s first foray into rifles began with just a small line of custom rifles directed by an expert craftsman and former production chief and chief instructor for the United States Marine Corps Precision Weapons Division. The reputation of Bergara rifles began to grow as more and more hunters began to benefit from the exceptional performance those precision barrels offered to the point that today, many people consider the brand a benchmark in the field.
Recent times have certainly tested the mettle of Bergara, as they have for almost every company in the hunting industry, but these are challenges that the company has stood tall against thanks to its impressive history and the fact it never takes anything for granted.
“The last few years have been a mix of great effort and sacrifice accompanied by great success,” explains Guillermo Martinez, Sales and Marketing Director of Bergara’s parent company Dikar Holdings.
“We have not only been able to overcome all sorts of difficulties such as the pandemic, logistics issues, economic downfalls, and legislation changes, but we have done it by growing worldwide year after year, positioning our brand and products as a market reference and becoming an important player in the rifle manufacturing industry.”
Overcoming the difficulties is one thing but doing so while also acquiring and moving into a brand-new factory is doubly impressive – which is exactly what Bergara has done. Guillermo explains: “Not only the fact of moving factory, which is already a very complicated challenge but because we have been able to do it in one year, completely restructuring our manufacturing process and not disrupting the supply to our growing demand. This huge and amazing change grants us the opportunity to attend to the changing demand from our clients faster, better and more controlled than ever, as well as bringing the opportunity to grow even more in the next years.”
Ready to meet with the world
IWA OutdoorClassics represents a fantastic business opportunity for those companies looking to make their mark on an industry or even try to gain some market share. But it’s also hugely important for big names such as Bergara. Brands like this aren’t looking to be discovered by people at the show, they have different but no less important goals at an in-person trade show.“In the past, it [IWA] was key for us to introduce, show and present our brand,” says Guillermo.
“It was a moment where we got to meet potential partners and overall industry colleagues that have helped us to position ourselves where we are today. Nowadays, it is a great meeting point. At IWA, we are able to gather and meet with many of our partners at once.”
The value of a face-to-face meeting point is perhaps more important than ever when you consider some of the challenges the industry is facing that Guillermo has already mentioned. Another benefit for well-known brands is that when they reveal something new at a show such as IWA, people tend to get very interested. And that will be no different on stand 1-437 in hall 1 in Nürnberg this year when Bergara plans to reveal 2025 models including the B14 – a new range of entry-level thumbhole models that aims to build on the success of the Wilderness. It will also be showcasing two new rimfire rifles – the BMR X Steel and Carbon – which combine the best of both worlds in terms of being ideal for hunting and shooting at a range for practice. The aforementioned Wilderness will also be getting a new, long-awaited carbon barrel option, the Sierra Carbon. But the most significant news from this stable actually comes from another of Dikar Holdings’ brands.
Guillermo explains: “CVA is a leading brand in the US market, and we are excited to introduce it to new markets worldwide [at IWA]. As the number one brand for muzzleloading rifles and a strong competitor in the bolt-action rifle category, CVA has been a trusted name since 1971. Now, it’s ready for global expansion, and we anticipate a significant impact with this launch. I encourage everyone to come and see the CVA line-up in a special section we will hold at the Bergara booth.”
Recent times have tested Bergara, but the company has stood tall thanks to its impressive history and never taking anything for granted.Hunting and the future
Hunting is an industry that rarely has plain sailing. Constantly faced with environmental concerns, regulations and litigation, and also changing societal attitudes – it’s a market where companies must stand up for what they believe in in order to succeed. While everyone in the industry is aware of these challenges, most believe they can be overcome, and that is no different at Bergara.“I believe that the biggest challenges we face are oriented towards legislation, it is becoming more and more restrictive worldwide” says Guillermo. “I am a strong believer that it comes from the lack of knowledge around it, combined with the difficulty of being able to communicate the benefits and needs of hunting into a society that is constantly changing and influenced by what they see without being eager to investigate or learn more about it.
“In every challenge, there is an opportunity. Every hunter is responsible for transmitting and communicating the values of hunting and spreading the word about its benefits.
“In Bergara as a brand and company, we strongly believe in leaving a better world to the next generation and in this case a better hunting world. It’s in our DNA and part of who we are.”
The proof of that lies in the Bergara Foundation, which is the company’s own foundation where 10 per cent of profits are used to develop and execute projects for the good of hunting and to support other organisations when it comes to conservation and education.
Guillermo concludes: “In terms of opportunities there are a lot, it is just a matter of each one of us and our willingness to make a change. We plan to continue to grow as a company, and more importantly, as a team and trying to do so by helping our community and our users.”
See the latest releases from Bergara and CVA as well as learn more about the company’s ethos and its foundation by visiting them in Hall 1, stand 1-437 at this year’s IWA OutdoorClassics.
About Bergara
Manufactured in Bergara, Spain, a region known to produce some of the finest guns in the world, Bergara has combined the most technically-advanced barrel manufacturing equipment with an unwavering commitment to quality and value. This superior technology combined with decades of barrel making experience delivers a production barrel that performs like it was custom made.With the most technically-advanced barrel manufacturing techniques, state-of-the-art machinery and an unwavering commitment to quality, Bergara Barrels has become the barrel source of numerous top-tier gun manufacturers in both Europe and the United States.
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