This is How Good the Outdoors Business is Right Now: a Kayak Company Has Come Back to Life

After shutting down in late 2019 with lost contracts and financial challenges, KL Outdoors is back. In June, a newly formed business entity called KL Companies acquired substantially all the assets of KLO Holdings LLC and began operating again under the well-recognized KL Outdoors name.

The company reopened two of its facilities – which made plastic kayaks via rotational molding and thermoforming -- and has a third facility operating under a lease. The company reports that it has produced 64,000 kayaks since June and has 32,000 more on order, and that it again has contracts to sell via major outlets such as Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Outdoor recreation boomed during the pandemic era as people looked for ways to escape into nature and engage in outdoor activities and socializations that were safer than indoor pursuits. Recreational boating, camping, and hiking are among those key outdoor activities attracting new participants and reviving interest in those who had done them in the past.

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