Ultima have raised the performance bar with mono yet again with the launch of their new flagship product Power Steel. If all early indications are correct this product will take the market by storm over the coming months.

Power Steel is the result of two years careful development work building on the huge success of Power Plus. But now Power Steel takes fishing line performance to level never before seen bringing together the best features of both mono and braid in one product.

Strength and Knot Strength.

The primary consideration with any line is its strength. Power Steel is 30% stronger than any other line on the market and added to this is a phenomenal knot strength that is around 90% of its linear strength. It’s that good that Power Steel with a knot in it is still stronger than any other line without a knot. We have tested every other line out there and this is fact.

 Total Control

The other key development issue with Power Steel is stretch. Many anglers have used braid for fishing in many situations to improve bite detection because of its low stretch and thin diameter. However braid has many disadvantages, very poor knot strength and even worse abrasion resistance, it is highly visible and the low stretch is very unforgiving resulting in a high number of hook pulls.

Completely new polymer technology and the application of a lot of thought in the last couple of years have developed a new design concept for fishing line; ‘Intelligent Stretch’

Normal monos have a stretch factor of 25 – 35%. Braid has a stretch factor usually between 4 – 8%. Research has shown us that around 15 – 18% is probably the ideal balance, but this has not been possible with mono before without seriously effecting knot strength. The new polymers in Power Steel change all that. We have aimed for an average overall stretch factor of 18% but more significantly this new material has a significantly different molecular construction so that there is less stretch at the beginning of the power curve meaning that the bite indication and the hooking capability is very close to that of braid but as stress increases when playing a fish it gives more maintaining control but ensuring that you don’t crack off or pull through eliminating any need for a Shockleader.

We call this ‘Intelligent Stretch’ and it is a completely new concept in fishing line design.

Abrasion Resistance.

The abrasion resistance of Power Steel is phenomenal. 60 – 100 times higher than any braid and 6 – 8 times higher than mono, but Power steel is still soft, silky and totally user friendly because of the new type polymer.

The greatest line ever.

Consumer and trade feedback has been unanimously positive since the launch last week and we have found no one who having seen this product and tried it has disagreed that this line is quite awesome. Sure it is strong, stronger than anything else but there is so much more to this line that it will revolutionize the way people look at mono in many situations. As Andy may said: ‘I can’t see the need to use braid ever again and in fact I can’t see the need for any other main line.

Power Steel is available initially in 100m and 300m retailing at £5.95 and £9.95 respectively in nine popular sizes.

Range

There are already 120 Power Steel stockists around the country since the trade launch a week ago and these is being added to every day.

UItima growth has been very significant in the last few years as our products have steadily become recognised for what they are; the best in the business. To tie in with this and to emphasise this to everyone, Ultima are making a significant move in the positioning of the brand.

Having been associated with the strap line `ultimate line technology' for many years, this is now changing to 'The greatest line ever'. The change is being launched by a completely new branding, marketing and advertising campaign that will roll out in the consumer press during the coming months.

Marketing manager Vanessa Lennard enthused about the new brand image: "Ultima has had its two most successful years in its history and, and over the winter we have done a lot of research into the public's perception of Ultima and how good our products are.

"We felt that we needed to come up with a more encompassing statement that represents to the consumer what Ultima is all about. We are the only company totally dedicated to the line business in the way that we are and, no matter which angling discipline you look at, our products are the best performing when compared with the opposition. We know it. We can prove it. They are the greatest lines ever.

"If that wasn't enough, we have two more astonishing Power products launching in the next six weeks, which will put the bar even higher for the opposition. `Ultimate line technology' has served us well, but we feel that it does not clearly express the superior performance that Ultima products now achieve.

"With the advent of the web, we can now supply more technological information to the consumer than ever before, and we will start to give anglers hard facts about our lines and how the competition compares. What really matters now is that we can begin to tell people what makes Ultima line, without question, the greatest line ever."

Ultima will begin to roll out its biggest advertising and marketing campaign ever in the May issues of most major UK angling magazines, with full-page colour or double-page spread ads.

At the same time, Ultima will be raising the company's profile in a variety of other ways. Completely new in-store merchandising material, stickers and posters will go to all dealers.

Three new groups of consultants have also been signed up who will be assisting at shows and with features and promotional activity, while the web will continue to expand as an important part of Ultima marketing mix.

Vanessa went on to say: "We have had more than 6,000 individuals visiting the www.ultimauk.com site this month - our best month ever - and over three times more than in the same time last year.

"If the trend continues, 10,000 per month by June is quite achievable, especially with the new features that we are continually building into it. We are working on more and more ways of making anglers realise how good our products really are.

"We have spent a lot of time and money in planning this new image launch and there are some very innovative and broad-reaching marketing ideas that will appear in the coming months that will build on what Ultima has achieved over that last few years, making more and more anglers realise that Ultima really is 'the greatest line ever and when people see our latest products no body will doubt it.

Ultima at TCF Showcase Exhibition
April 25th 26th 27th

Ultima have confirmed their plans to exhibit at the new TCF Showcase exhibition at Stoneleigh on April 25th 26th and 27th. Many of Ultimas angling stars will be present to offer advice, including Andy May. There will be a mojor line and rig clinic where anglers can test their own knots on some of Ultimas high tech lab equipment The TCF Showcase is THE chance to come and meet the stars of angling in 2008, all together under one roof and is seen by us as the most important development in shows in recent years bringing quality information and entertainment to the angling public.

Virtually anyone who is anyone in the sport will be there, helping to show off the latest gear and, with luck, available for a chat.

So if you want to meet world champions and stars of angling on TV, along with the top carp, match and big-fish anglers in the business, the TCF Showcase is not to be missed. Click on this link for more details www.totalcoarsefishingshow.co.uk