Bushnell Corporation

Bushnell Corporation
Subsidiary
Industry Imaging
Founded Japan (1948)
Founder David P. Bushnell
Headquarters 9200 Cody Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66214-1734, United States
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Matt Reintjes, VP of Outdoor Products
Products binoculars, telescopes, firearm scopes, flashlights, GPS devices, holographic weapon sights, sunglasses, laser rangefinders, night vision devices, speed gun, spotting scopes, trail cameras, Travel Tunes, WeatherFX
Revenue $64.9M USD
Number of employees
 1005
Parent Vista Outdoor
Subsidiaries Bollé Performance Eyewear
Browning Sports Optics
Serengeti Eyewear
Simmons Outdoor Corporation
Tasco
Website Bushnell.com
Bushnell Europe
Bushnell Golf
Bushnell Golf Europe
Bushnell Trophy Cam Community

Bushnell Corporation, also known as Bushnell and Bushnell Outdoor Products, is an American company specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopes, night vision equipment, GPS devices, laser rangefinders, riflescopes, holographic weapon sights, game cameras and other high-end optical equipment. The company also sells Bollé Performance Eyewear ski goggles and sunglasses (which includes the H2O Optix sunglasses brand), and Serengeti Eyewear all-purpose sunglasses.

Company history

Bushnell was founded in 1948 by David P. Bushnell during his time in Allied-occupied Japan.

In 1999, Bushnell was acquired by private equity firm Wind Point Partners through a recapitalization of Bushnell's then parent company, Worldwide Sports & Recreation.[1][2][3]

In 2001, Bushnell acquired the Bollé and Serengeti eyewear brands and the Moonlight line of night vision products.[4]

In 2002, Bushnell bought Tasco, a sports optics company. Tasco is a major international distributor of telescopes. The company's line of products mainly target amateur astronomers but has grown to include many products besides telescopes. Tasco's other products include terrestrial spotting scopes, microscopes, binoculars, and telescopic sights and other rifle accessories. Tasco sells through specialty outlets, catalogues, and online vendors.[4]

In 2005, Bushnell acquired Michael’s of Oregon. Michael's sold holsters, scope covers, cleaning kits, and other gun accessories under and along the brands Hoppe’s, Butler Creek, Stoney Point, and Uncle Mike’s Law Enforcement.[4] At the time of its purchase by Bushnell, Michael's earned about $60 million per year in profit. Michael's of Oregon was based in Oregon City. The deal was closed with debt and cash.[3]

In 2007, Bushnell was acquired by MidOcean Partners, another private equity firm, which acquired it in a leveraged recapitalization.[2] The same year, Bushnell acquired the Final Approach and Kolpin Hunting brands from Facilitator Capital Funds, a Wisconsin-based private equity firm. Both brands are well known among duck hunters.[4]

In June 2008, Bushnell acquired the assets of Simmons Outdoor Corporation from Meade Instruments.[5] Simmons manufactured optical goods such as binoculars and riflescopes. Simmons was Bushnell's seventh acquisition since 2001.

On Sept. 5, 2013, Alliant Techsystems announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bushnell. Under the terms of the transaction, ATK paid $985 million in cash, subject to customary post-closing adjustments.[6]

Brands

Bushnell Outdoor Products[7] is the parent company of these brands:

Products

Optics

The company also has Holosight, a non-magnifying holographic weapon sight. It produces an illuminated crosshair that appears to be in front of the gun in perfect alignment.[27][28][29][30]

Outdoor

Bushnell Point 5 GPS device

Bushnell produces WeatherFX personal weather stations for hikers, campers, and others who can use it to keep informed of potentially hazardous weather issues while away from home.[31]

Bushnell created two GPS products in 2006 that are the first such devices to integrate aerial and satellite imagery into the display.[32] They also have integrated XM radio to provide real-time weather data and can overlay weather maps and weather radar info.[33][34] In 2007 the Onix 400 GPS unit won the "Best of the Best" award from Field & Stream magazine.[35]

Bushnell also has a line of simple GPS devices called Backtrack. They allow users to set up to five locations (depending on the model) and forget about the device until they have to return. The device then uses a digital compass and basic GPS technology to return to the set location.[36]

Bushnell sells SolarWrap and SolarBook solar-cell charging stations for small electronic devices. The SolarWrap wraps around a battery like a scroll when in storage and is unrolled when in use. The SolarBook flips out like the page of an open book.[37]

Warranty

Bushnell introduced a lifetime "no questions asked" warranty that applies to all riflescopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes in certain product lines regardless of how they were damaged.[38][39]

References

  1. ↑ "Wind Point Partners". Wppartners.com. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  2. 1 2 MidOcean Partners and Management Announce Acquisition Of Bushnell Outdoor Products, Inc. from Wind Point Partners, a Press release from bushnell.com
  3. 1 2 Nathanson, Ari (15 August 2005). "Wind Point Adds Michaels To Bushnell". BuyOuts. United States.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Windham, Rick (24 August 2007). "Tune up time for the upcoming dove season". The North Platte Telegraph. Nebraska.
  5. ↑ Bushnell Acquires Simmons from skinnymoose.com
  6. ↑ ATK Completes Acquisition of Bushnell Group Holdings, Inc Archived November 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Bushnell Performance Optics". Bushnell Performance Optics. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  8. 1 2 "Simmons Optics". Simmons Optics. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  9. ↑ "Millett Sights". Millett Sights. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  10. ↑ "Bollé Performance Eyewear". Bolle.com. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  11. ↑ "Browning Sports Optics". Browning Sports Optics. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  12. ↑ "Bushnell Golf". Bushnell Golf. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  13. ↑ "Butler Creek". Butler Creek. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  14. ↑ "Hoppe's". Hoppes.com. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  15. ↑ "Serengeti Eyewear". Serengeti Eyewear. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  16. ↑ "Stoney Point". Stoney Point. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  17. ↑ "Tasco". Tasco. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  18. ↑ "Uncle Mike's". Uncle-mikes.com. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  19. ↑ "Uncle Mikes Law Enforcement". UncleMikesLE.com. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
  20. ↑ Bushnell Optics Recognized For Excellence, Value By Outdoor Life Magazine Outdoor Wire Newsletter, April 18, 2007
  21. ↑ Elite 4200 6-24x40 Earns Editor's Choice Award From Outdoor Life Magazine Archived December 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. at Bushnell web site
  22. ↑ "Outdoor Life 2006 Best Buy Award Archived February 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine." at Bushnell web site
  23. ↑ Outdoor Wire Newsletter April 18, 2007
  24. ↑ Meade Instruments Announces Sale of Simmons Brand Retrieved June 14, 2008
  25. ↑ Meade Instruments sells Simmons brand, assets Archived May 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 13, 2008
  26. ↑ Bushnell Rangefinder
  27. ↑ Holosight Archived October 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. at Bushnell web site
  28. ↑ The Bushnell HOLOsight: It's Not Just for Handguns Anymore! Archived November 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. By Russell E. Taylor, SniperCountry, 1999
  29. ↑ Holo Gets Smaller and Lighter for Rimfires - Bushnell HoloSight for guns by Clair Rees, Guns Magazine, May 2000
  30. ↑ Bushnell Holosight II by Charles E. Petty, American Handgunner, September 2000
  31. ↑ "New in equipment: WeatherFX stations" in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 28, 2007
  32. ↑ Charlie Anderson, "Bushnell looks to find a place in the crowded GPS market" (December 1, 2006). Kansas City Business Journal.
  33. ↑ More on Bushnell ONIX 400 at Navigadget February 23, 2007
  34. ↑ Bushnell ONIX 400 CR at GPSreview.net
  35. ↑ Outdoor Wire Newsletter August 16, 2007
  36. ↑ "Bushnell Launches Pint-Sized Backtrack GPS Point 3 And 5". GeekyGadgets. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  37. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  38. ↑
  39. ↑

External links

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