Origin
Yoshio Matsui invented Daiwa fishing reels and started the company in Japan. He believed in combining design, quality and innovation.
First Reels
Daiwa's first reels rolled off the assembly line in 1955. Its first reel was a spinning reel.
Expansion
By the mid-1970s Daiwa had expanded, with companies located in Taiwan, France, Germany and the United States. Soon after, Daiwa reels were available around the world.
U.S. Operations
The company opened a small production facility in Culver City, California, in 1966. A few years later, it moved its U.S. operation to Ceritos, California, to sell to North and South American markets.
Expansion into Europe
Daiwa set up a plant in Great Britain in 1977. It produced reels and other fishing tackle made specifically for the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.
Article Written By James Jordan
James Jordan has been a writer and photographer since 1980. He has worked for newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kansas, winning state press association awards for writing, photography and page design. In 1995 he received his master's in Christian education and completed two years of Ancient Greek at the graduate level. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
