Plano Molding Company

What Plano Molding Company does

Plano Molding Company, LLC, operating as PLANO® Outdoors, is a U.S.-based manufacturer of outdoor recreation storage solutions founded in 1932 and headquartered in Plano, Illinois. The company designs, produces, and sells molded-plastic and EVA-foam cases and storage systems targeted at recreational anglers, hunters, archers, and general outdoor enthusiasts. Its portfolio spans tackle boxes and utility boxes (with a standardized 3400–3700 sizing system), gun cases (rifle, shotgun, handgun, ammo, and the Diverge EVA-molded line), archery cases (Bow Max, Field Locker®, Protector, SE Series), storage trunks, and the Frost™ cooler line.

Plano's product strategy emphasizes modularity and category specialization, most recently through the 2025 launch of the GoNow™ platform — a modular storage system with 30L and 72L boxes plus purpose-built Freshwater, Saltwater, Hunt, and Camp kits and a customizable accessory ecosystem. The core technology centers on physical manufacturing: industrial molded plastics, weather-resistant EVA shells, standardized sizing for interoperability, and durability features such as dual-stage latches and shock-resistant construction. Plano operates a portfolio of at least a dozen registered trademarks (StowAway®, Edge®, GoNow™, Field Locker®, Diverge, Frost™, Bow Max, Guide™, StowAll™, Weekend™, Protector, SE Series) that segment the offering by use case.

The business model is hardware sales through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store (planooutdoors.com on Shopify) supported by retail distribution, with marketing across Facebook, Instagram, email, and an affiliate program. Unit pricing ranges roughly $99.95–$169.95 for flagship modular products. Plano is a subsidiary of Pure Fishing, itself a portfolio company of Sycamore Partners, and operates with 251–500 employees. Revenue, financial performance, and named B2B customers are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Plano Molding Company

Legal name

Plano Molding Company, LLC

Website

https://planomolding.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Plano Molding Company (PLANO® Outdoors) designs and sells molded-plastic and EVA storage cases — tackle boxes, gun cases, archery cases, and coolers — for recreational anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts in the United States, primarily through its planooutdoors.com e-commerce store and retail channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Storage

NAICS

Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Products Injection Molding (Housewares, Toys, Personal Care) (IMANAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor Cooking, Hydration & Food Storage Retail (CRAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Outdoor storage solutions
• Fishing tackle storage
• Hunting storage cases
• Molded plastic products
• Modular storage systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time sales of physical outdoor storage products including tackle boxes, gun cases, bow cases, coolers, and accessories through e-commerce and retail channels

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Plano Molding Company (PLANO® Outdoors) designs and manufactures plastic-molded outdoor recreation storage products, including fishing tackle boxes and utility boxes, hunting gun cases and archery/bow cases, storage trunks, and Frost™ molded coolers. The portfolio is organized around purpose-built sub-brand lines (GoNow™, StowAway®, Edge®, Guide™, StowAll™, Weekend™, Diverge, Field Locker®, Protector, Bow Max, Frost™) and a standardized 3400–3700 sizing system enabling interchangeability and customization for anglers, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Product overview

Plano Molding Company (PLANO® Outdoors) offers a comprehensive portfolio of outdoor recreation storage solutions organized into multiple product lines. The flagship GoNow™ system provides modular versatility through purpose-built kits and customizable accessories for fishing, hunting, and camping. Specialized fishing lines include StowAway® for tackle organization, Edge® for systematic tackle storage, and Guide™ for tackle bags. Hunting storage encompasses gun cases (including the lightweight Diverge EVA-molded series), archery cases (Bow Max, Field Locker®, Protector, SE series), and storage trunks. The Frost™ cooler line provides industrial-strength cooling with sizes ranging from 14 to 32 quarts. Products are available in various sizes (3400-3700) and color options, with offerings spanning utility boxes, tackle boxes, bags, rod storage, and ammo cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GoNow™: Modular storage boxes with customizable accessories and purpose-built kits for fishing and hunting
• StowAway®
• Edge®
• Guide™
• StowAll™
• Weekend™
• Frost™
• Diverge
• Field Locker®
• Protector
• Bow Max
• SE Series

Products and services

• GoNow™ Boxes Modular storage boxes combining versatility with purpose-built design; available in 30L Small and 72L Large sizes with customizable accessories. Targeted at outdoor enthusiasts wanting configurable gear storage.
• GoNow™ Kits Pre-configured purpose-built kits including Freshwater Fish Kit, Saltwater Fish Kit, Hunt Kit, and Camp Kit for specific outdoor activities. Priced at $169.95 per kit.
• StowAway® Utility Boxes Engineered fishing storage utility boxes offering best-in-class organization, durability, and accessibility; new generation Stow LS model available. For anglers seeking interchangeable tackle organization.
• StowAll™ Pouches Storage pouches designed for anglers providing additional organization options within the fishing storage lineup.
• Edge® Tackle System Comprehensive tackle storage system designed to solve angler storage challenges with a systematic organizational approach.
• Guide™ Tackle Bags Tackle bags uniquely designed and crafted for modern fishermen with stylish aesthetics.
• Weekend™ Series Series of fishing storage products designed for short outdoor trips.
• Utility Boxes (3400–3700 series) Versatile storage boxes for organizing fishing and outdoor gear in standardized sizes 3400 (Extra Small), 3500 (Small), 3600 (Medium), and 3700 (Large) for interchangeability.
• Tackle Boxes Traditional tackle boxes for organizing and transporting fishing tackle.
• Tackle Bags & Backpacks Bags and backpacks designed for carrying fishing gear and tackle.
• Rod & Reel Storage Storage solutions for fishing rods and reels to protect gear during transport and storage.
• Line Management Products for managing and organizing fishing lines.
• Gun Cases Cases for protecting firearms, including Rifle & Shotgun Cases, Handgun Cases, Ammo Storage, Field Boxes, and Accessory Cases.
• Diverge EVA-Molded Gun Cases Weather-resistant EVA-molded shell gun cases delivering hard-case protection in a lightweight design; available in 3 colors.
• Archery Cases Cases for archery equipment including Bow Cases and accessory cases; sub-series include All Weather, Bow Max, Field Locker®, Protector, and SE.
• Storage Trunks Large storage trunks for outdoor and home storage applications.
• Frost™ Coolers Industrial-strength molded coolers with shock-resistant protection and dual-stage latches for an airtight seal; available in 14 Quart, 21 Quart, and 32 Quart sizes.
• Plano Outdoors Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase on the Plano Outdoors website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free shipping on orders $75+
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Engel Coolers: Engel Coolers produces rotomolded coolers and dry boxes for fishing, hunting, and outdoor use. Its dry boxes and rugged cooler lines overlap directly with Plano's Frost cooler and Field Locker hunting storage categories, with comparable price points targeting the same end users through outdoor specialty retail.
• Wildgame Innovations: Wildgame Innovations produces hunting accessories and field storage products including field boxes, game carriers, and gear organization solutions. It targets the same hunting enthusiast primary segment as Plano's hunting storage line and competes at similar price points across sporting goods channels.
• Pelican Products: Pelican Products manufactures rugged protective cases, including gun cases, that compete directly with Plano's Diverge, Field Locker, and Protector lines. Pelican also extends into cooler-style containers and outdoor gear organization, overlapping Plano's purpose-built rugged case positioning at premium price points.
• Flambeau Outdoors: Flambeau Outdoors is a division of Flambeau, Inc. and is the closest direct competitor to Plano in injection-molded tackle boxes, gun cases, and hunting storage. Both brands compete head-to-head at sporting goods retailers and share the same core manufacturing technology (plastic molding) and customer base of anglers and hunters.
• Fishpond: Fishpond designs premium fly fishing gear including tackle bags, packs, and gear organization systems. Its sling packs, boat bags, and gear management products overlap with Plano's tackle bags, backpacks, and rod storage categories targeting fly and conventional anglers at premium price tiers.
• Grizzly Coolers: Grizzly Coolers specializes in roto-molded and heavy-duty coolers targeting hunters, anglers, and outdoor adventurers — the same use cases Plano's Frost line targets. They overlap on price/size tiers and channel placement at outdoor specialty retailers, making Grizzly a direct cooler-category competitor to Frost.

Broad incumbents

• Orvis: Orvis is a multi-category outdoor and fly fishing retailer and manufacturer producing tackle bags, gear storage, rods, and apparel, and operates retail stores that compete with Plano for placement. Orvis's branded storage and tackle products overlap Plano's Guide tackle bag line and other fishing organization SKUs.
• Igloo Products: Igloo is a legacy cooler manufacturer with broad lineup spanning personal to large coolers, now repositioned for premium price points via its Trailmate, ECOCOOL, and brand collaborations. Igloo competes with Frost in the molded hard-cooler category and has substantially wider distribution footprint and brand awareness.
• YETI: YETI is the category-defining premium outdoor brand whose roto-molded coolers set the standard that Plano's Frost line competes against. YETI is a broader incumbent spanning drinkware, hard and soft coolers, and outdoor gear bags, and its brand premiums compress Plano's pricing latitude in the cooler subcategory.

Others

• Abu Garcia: Abu Garcia is a Pure Fishing-owned fishing reel and rod brand — a direct sister company to Plano Molding inside the same parent portfolio. Both brands share Pure Fishing's distribution, retailer relationships, and angler customer base, enabling operational synergies and cross-merchandising opportunities that materially affect Plano's go-to-market economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/planooutdoors
• Instagraminstagram.com/planooutdoors
• Xx.com/plano
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plano-molding-co.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plano Molding Company