Company Profile: Riverworks Company USA

Anytime a new company rises, we tend to have this back-of-the-mind log we keep as time goes on. We wait to see how the products turn out, the customer service, and the sales. We anticipate friends' opinions and product reviews to see if it's something we want to be a part of. Most the time our opinions of a company are based on what we know of it after it has been around for a year or two. We usually don't get the opportunity to get to know a company like we would a person. My talk with one company hopefully will change that.

I had the privilege of chatting with Jeff Lomino, owner and founder of Riverworks Company USA. The company is based out of Soddy-Daisy, TN, in the Smokey Mountains. Here is more about his adventure:

Jeff, thank you so much for letting us into your world today. I'm excited to learn more about Riverworks! Let's get started.

What did you do before starting Riverworks? 

I began as a Quality Assurance Manager and ended as Lean Process Engineer in the Automotive Industry (not gonna say which company).

Wow, sounds like you have great experience that could carry over into what you do with crafting rods.

What drove you to start Riverworks? 

I have been a fly fishing fanatic since the age of 8. For more than a decade I have been planning, saving, and dreaming of taking my rod building and composite engineering skills to make something special to the fly fishing market. In January of this year, the time was right. My designs and processes for building cutting edge fly rods, Tenkara rods, and carbon fiber fly fishing cases were to a point where I felt comfortable to chase my dream. Now, here I am.

Over a decade? That's dedication! All that time wasn't spent drooling about it, I'm sure, but actual carefully planning your business.

Jeff Lomino

What is you background in fly fishing? 

I started tying flies from my grandparents' orange shag carpet when I was 8. My grandfather gave me a 1950's model fiberglass fly rod with an 18 oz automatic reel and it has been my passion ever since. I have been a student of the industry since I was old enough to read and bought a LL Bean fly fishing handbook with my own money when I was 9. I have developed about 300 of my own fly patterns and I have fished every single one.

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who bought an LL Bean fishing book to study. But you have been fly fishing much longer than I have. 

How did you get started fishing tenkara? 

I first heard a whisper of Tenkara about a year ago. I was intrigued by the notion of something so simple and also as a way to fish my tiny Brook Trout streams in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee more effectively. I didn't actually take the plunge into Tenkara until October of last year by rigging a derelict 4 weight fly rod in a fixed line configuration. When the opportunity arose for me to start Riverworks, I immediately began to develop a carbon fiber handle for a Tenkara rod alongside my western rod designs. I am finding new ways every time I fish to use Tenkara, and now, no matter how many of my conventional rods I bring on a trip or to a test, I always find a way to get my Tenkara rods into the mix. It is very cool, and I love to see peoples' reaction to what I am doing and being able to answer their questions about Tenkara. 

I love that you backwoods rigged your first Tenkara set-up! Albeit not a true Tenkara set-up. I must confess, I too backwoods rigged something. I once took green weed-eater line and used to tie the exhaust system of my car to the frame because the weld holding it up had broken. Yes, I was that redneck at once. Enough about that.

What inspired you to build tenkara rods? 

As my carbon fiber handles began to take shape on a mental level, I studied the emerging Tenkara market. I promised myself from the onset that I wouldn't build a "gimmick" Tenkara rod. I wanted to build something truly special and something that could possibly change the perception of Tenkara in my neck of the woods, and hopefully beyond. I wanted to become involved in Tenkara, and my carbon fiber handle design seemed like a good fit. The more I studied the market, I wanted to be the first American to build a great Tenkara rod. I think I have managed to build something pretty cool with the Riverworks Tenkara Z Series rods.

Your rods certainly don't look like any gimmick. 

Do you believe tenkara will fizzle out or grow?

I really, honestly believe that Tenkara is here to stay. It's not just the simplicity, or the experience that Tenkara provides. I believe that the Tenkara movement in the US has created a fraternity or a brotherhood (and sisterhood) of people who are drawn to all that Tenkara represents. I believe that Tenkara also inevitably draws a group of folks who seek to become involved in the beauty of nature and fly fishing but who have been put off by the technical aspects of traditional fly fishing. I think Tenkara is here to stay. No doubt. 

I totally agree! Boo to all the haters. Couldn't agree more with the fact Tenkara will capture people who want to get into fly fishing but feel intimidated by the technical aspects. Let's talk more about your shop and process.

How much time goes into making a rod? 

Most Tenkara setups take about 6 hours of actual labor. This includes making the handle from scratch, assembling all the components, and all the epoxy work.

That's more than half a day's work. Sounds like your process isn't driven by quantity, but quality.

The Riverworks Tenkara ZX

What differentiates your products from your competitors'?

I think the major thing that separates my products from the fly fishing industry as a whole is the personality of the products I create. When you buy mass produced fly fishing gear, even gear claimed to be made in the USA, it passes in a real assembly line situation. Many different hands touch your fly rod before you put your hands on it. When you buy Riverworks fly gear, you know that the person that sold you your Tenkara rod was the only person involved in producing that rod from start to finish. When you have a question, you get in contact with the person who is ultimately going to produce your Tenkara rod. You certainly are not going to be able to talk to the guy on the Orvis line who is setting the thread on your rod before buying. You contact a trained customer service representative who is paid hourly to read you a virtual script when communicating with you. I guess to condense my answer, what separates me from them: you get a personalized experience when you buy your gear from me, and you get one of a kind designs. They are created one at a time, by hand. No assembly line here. 

I'm pretty sure that experience is what all of us want out of every "toy" we buy. Seeing as you're the only one who crafts the rods and given your previous employment experience, I'm sure your QA process is not taken lightly.

What does your Quality Assurance process look like? 

I have a ton of experience dealing in Quality Assurance in the Automotive Industry. Certain things that qualify as a pass in this industry and the fly fishing gear industry would really surprise most people. As a very small operation I can set the standard exceptionally high. Meaning, I am not going to allow any flaws, obvious or not, to pass on to the consumer. Because I produce very few rods, all my rods are either production perfect, or a fail. Epoxy is very difficult to deal with when handcrafting rods like this. My rods are produced with a certain amount of character, meaning each one is unique. But unique will never mean flawed at Riverworks. My QA process is perfect = pass, and anything not perfect = fail. It's as simple as that.

So that means when you make a rod, you take special care during the crafting process to ensure the highest quality.

The Riverworks Shop

What goes into the research and development of your Tenkara rods? 

My R&D process for the Tenkara rods was a trial and error system. I found what worked in the production process by sacrificing some blanks and some handles. I had a vision for what I wanted to create and I made it happen. My research and development program is an ongoing thing as I create each rod. Another method I brought with me from the automotive industry was a principle called "CIP", continuous improvement programming. I am always looking for new ways to improve my production process and this trickles down to the development of new rods and the materials used to create them. I wanted the blank to work harmoniously with the carbon fiber and hypalon handle, which I believe it does. How the blank interfaces with the handle is extremely important in the Tenkara rods as this comprises the entire operation of the rig; no reel or other components factor into the equation. Sensitivity and balance were characteristics that I had to achieve before moving on with the design. Again, I believe I have been able to achieve this with the Tenkara program in a unique and exciting way with a sustained research and development program. I am always learning from both successes and failures and transporting this knowledge into better Tenkara rods.

Seems like what your pour into your rods is more than crafting and time, but careful thought and engineering. I'm excited to see what's around the corner!

The Riverowrks Tenkara ZL

Why should someone buy an American crafted rod over a foreign manufactured rod? 

I am going to answer your question with another question, "Who would you want to create your Tenkara rod? Someone who fishes religiously and loves the sport? Or someone with no interest or personal stake in the finished product whatsoever?" I know the answer for me. My optimal scenario is for my gear to be produced by someone who loves the sport of fly fishing/Tenkara, and even better, someone who attaches their name and reputation on every single item that passes through their production and sales process. That is very hard to do these days, especially in the Tenkara world. I think this is part of the unique experience you get by doing business with a small company like mine. Conclusion: assembled in America, by a fly fishing fanatic who just happens to have a background in production and design.

To my knowledge, you're the only one who produces a 100% American Tenkara rod. It's encouraging to know that when someone buys a Riverworks Tenkara rod, their money is going back into the pockets of Americans.

Where do you want Riverworks to go from where it is at and with Tenkara? 

I have thought a lot about this over the last few months. I want to keep this company small. I have set some real limitations on production levels and I like where it sets Riverworks in the overall market. My prices are competitive for the most part because I don't pay an army of employees and I don't factor huge overhead into my retail pricing. I think that when you expand to a certain level you lose that personal touch you are able to give your customers. I want to continue to provide a personalized experience to anyone who buys my products. I like where Tenkara is now. I have just updated my Tenkara products on the website with the newest models, and it gives potential customers an overview of each rod and how many of these units will be produced in a given year. We will do less than a 100 Tenkara rods a year, so I can say moving forward, this will be the limit to our production. In the overall scheme and with the growth of Tenkara in the US, I believe this will provide a level of exclusiveness to our Tenkara line, and still allow me to give my customers the personalized buying experience I want all our customers to have with Riverworks.

So you're purposefully setting Riverworks up to keep it at a level of personal touch. I am relieved to hear there is a company who is committed to the experience of the product and the customer experience.

Is there anything you'd like to add about Riverworks you want people to know? 

Really, more than anything, I would like for people to know that this little company is my dream. I am dedicated to seeing every aspect of Riverworks be the very best that it can be. I have a very real personal attachment and a real stake in every rod that gets in a shipping tube for a new customer. When I build a rod in my shop, it is the very finest piece of gear it can possibly be. I look at it like this: what if I were the customer? What level of quality and customer service would I expect? How would I want my gear to perform day in and day out? When I look at it like this, I can operate under the philosophy that I am sending out the very best with no compromises. That is what I would expect. This makes it easier than looking at it in a manner of: what is acceptable? What can I get away with and still get my money? I have dealt with companies that operate like this and I promised myself that I would be better than them in every possible way! It is my quest to provide a 5 Star Customer Service Rating and build truly exceptional gear without compromises.

Without a doubt you are committed to bringing a dynamic experience and Tenkara rod to the industry. I really appreciate the lengths you are willing to go to for Riverworks to be a company worth buying something from.  Thank you Jeff for the opportunity to learn more about Riverworks and yourself.

Riverworks Company USA is a company I will be watching closely. I can't wait to get my hands on a rod to see what an all-American Tenkara rod is like. To view Jeff's full line up click here. Below is a view of the Riverworks Tenkara rods.